Right now the standings look like: Philly 28 22 Boston 28 22 NYK. 26 25 Neck and neck??? Really it is not neck and neck. A closer look at the remaining schedule greatly favors Philadelphia despite 5 home and 11 remaining games. The combined winning percentage of Philadelphia s remaining games is 45.4 %. They have Toronto twice and New Jersey three times. New York has 6 H and 9 A with an oppostion WP of 52.3%. Boston has 7 H and 9 A but the opponents WP is 55.9%!! Miami is on the schedule three times!!! Plus we get SAS and CHI. Here is how it lays out the rest of the way.

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We the Celtics Fans must not sit by idly and take this lockout passively. The actions of the NBA, it's owners, and it's players all bear responsibility for this situation where a good portion of the season is likely to be lost. There is no excuse for this lockout. The NBA has come off one of the best five year stretches in it's history and now the owners and players cannot resolve how to split up a four billion dollar a year industry? How can 22 out of 30 NBA teams claim to be losing money, yet refuse to open their books to an IRS auditor? that is fricking BS. How can David Stern say that he wants to restore parity when this has always been a superstar driven league where they get preferential treatment from the Referees. Sorry Davy, the answer is to simply give a memo to the Referees to call the game by the rules which means more charges on Kobe and more traveling calls on Lebron. Players and coaches in this league are smart and competitive enough to step up and compete for playing time, pay raises, and ultimately careers! I blame the continuing lockout on the "have not" owners like Dan Gilbert of Cleveland and Robert Sarza of Phoenix who want to see the season cancelled. Dan Gilbert wants to stick it to Lebron for bolting Cleveland. Robert Sarza is a pure cheapskate and I predict that Phoenix will be in lotteryville for many years once Steve Nash retires. I also believe that there have been a lot of irresponsible financial decisions by giving midlevel contracts out to players who had one good year on the last year of their contracts (example Mark Blount). The have not owners want 55% of the BRI which is pure corporate greed talking. This is on top of successful politicking of state and local governments to fund new arenas and pay for infrastructure. For example, Boston Garden Jr was part of the Big Dig that Taxachusetts players will be paying for from here to eternity. Here in Seattle, the voters said no to Washington State, King County, and the city of Seattle to the Sonics owner (from Oklahoma) and now there is no NBA team so I get to live this lockout year after year. I can still follow the Celtics but sometimes it is hard for me to get home by 4 or 4:30 pm which is when most Celtics games start

THe Bruins and the Bolts played one of the best games of hockey ever tonight. A game Seven witheverything on the line. A chance to play in the Stanley Cup Finals for the 1st time in 21 years when we had no chance against Edmonton who had way too much talent for us. Tampa Bay is getting there with Stamkos, Gagne (don't confuse him with that god awful relief pitcher whose stats were padded with Steroids), St Louis, and others. They beat a Champion in Pittsburgh, a perrennial contender in Washington, and dang near beat us.

Seriously, there were no penalties which was critical for Boston because they have no firepower on the power play and Tampa Bay punished the Bruins time and again on the Power Play. But the Bruins playing 5 on 5 are nearly unbeatable with their disciplined checking style and getting the puck out and managing field position.

Tampa Bay had maybe Six good scoring chances all night and perhaps one great one on a scramble early in the 3rd period. Boston got more shots on goal but never any great scoring chances until Horton's lone marker with 7:33 left.

THe game itself was tight checking, physical, and not chippy at all which is a credit to both teams. I saw no dumb plays or blunders by either side really. It was as good a game as I have ever seen anytime and anywhere on any level - pee wee, high school, college, juniors, or the NHL.

THe whole NHL playoff has been outstanding and I think the Stanley Cup Finals with Vancouver will another classic. The NHL is back folks. I am a born again hockey fan!