Weekend Must Watch … Or Not

Cheers to the kickoff of a column dedicated to all of my weekend warrior sports fans. For those who can never seem to catch a good game on weekdays because of work or those who just want to know what games are worth watching if you’re going to succumb to a lazy weekend full of sports, I present Weekend Must Watch Or… Not. With so many games going on throughout the Pacific Northwest, allow me to dissect the must watch and the have nots.

We’re all hoping the NBA playoffs won’t be another landslide for the Miami Heat (as I get the evil eye from LeBron lovers). But whether you’re rooting for the favorites or cringing for the underdogs, this year’s playoffs may actually be a competitive, mad dash for the championship trophy. Saturday’s match ups between the Pacers and Hawks, Spurs and Mavs, Heat and Bobcats, and Thunder and Grizzlies all seem like predictable wins for the top teams. If you’re looking for competitive games to watch, I wouldn’t flip to these have nots, instead sleep until Sunday for true NBA playoff basketball. The Rockets versus Blazers is a must watch on Sunday considering the game 1 OT thriller resulting in a Blazer win. Can Aldridge pull off another out of this world offensive performance while holding off the two headed beast that is Harden and Howard?Going further south to Cali, the Warriors and Clippers are a promised combative matchup between two dog-eat-dog point guards. Each team securing their first win, Blake Griffin’s killer instinct will be enough to gratify the audience, but Steph Curry’s intensity will be the deciding factor in who will pull ahead in the series.

Hockey

The NHL playoffs are underway as well and even for hockey haters, the Stanley Cup will tickle your fancy for hard-nosed, competitive, even brutal sports play. Saturday we’ve got a must see Los Angeles Kings versus San Jose Sharks game. This isn’t Disney on ice with these two teams as their energy and physical play is amped up. The Sharks pulled off an OT win to seal the last game, but the Kings had ample opportunities to steal the win. They aren’t just going to lie down and die. And although the Sharks were plagued with playoff defeats in the past, this may be their chance to go further. The Sharks are hungry for Kings blood to secure a trip to the second round.

The Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars series continues to make headlines for the loads of physical play, but what’s the NHL playoffs without punches galore? The Dallas Stars aren’t afraid to get dirty, but the Ducks still lead the series 2-1. Dallas, if you’re going to be dirty, make it worth the BS people are going to talk about your organization with wins. Must see hockey TV is surely on Sunday.

Baseball

Baseball season is underway and there’s about a million games you can watch as an avid baseball fan. More detail with the must watch and have nots of these games will come later in the season, but here are a few that might intrigue you on the west side. The Athletics versus Astros series and the Mariners versus Rangers will play out this Saturday and Sunday. The Athletics are playing some great baseball in Cali, handing the Astros their 6^th straight loss in the last game. It took a 9^th inning rally to get that win, so maybe all hope isn’t lost for the Astros. It’s very early in the season, but these guys are playing some ball.

Oregon and Washington fans are rallying together to support the Mariners whose season is sort of looking up. After a decade of bad trades, mediocre play, and suspect management, we may have a team that can rally behind ace Felix Hernandez. They’ve got a .500 record right now struggling to close out games in this Rangers’ series, but the level of play is worlds ahead of last year, making the Mariners a must watch this weekend.

Soccer

Summer just wouldn’t be summer without a batch of soccer served up on a sunny day. Saturday’s major league must see is the Seattle Sounders FC versus the Colorado Rapids. The Sounders are currently 2^nd in league standings but could easily fall a couple of spots with a loss this Saturday. 180 minutes of solid soccer play complimented by an unruly Seattle crowd is definitely worth the watch.

Sunday’s matchup between the Houston Dynamo and the hometown Portland Timbers may not be a must watch but we’ve got to support these guys in their quest to get their first win this season. Beating Houston is very attainable so if you can get this game, cheer like there’s no tomorrow. And just for kicks, check out a couple of international delights between Manchester United and Norwich City on Saturday and Crystal Palace and Manchester City on Sunday.

Weekend warriors enjoy!