The opening weekend for the NBA playoffs in the western conference is coming to an end. Yet what’s happened in the west is quite unusual.

The Memphis Grizzlies finally washing out their four-year playoff drought, the Jazz as the first seed, the Suns as the second seed, and the defending champs as the 7th seed.

What’s surprising is to see the Pheonix Suns in the playoffs again after ten cruel years. After going 34-39 last season, the suns had their sudden breakout in the bubble, proving that they will be a threat in the future. Especially with how young their team is, last year’s bubble, in a way, showed their true potential. The sudden addition with the Chris Paul trade gave the Suns a veteran starter at point guard, which this team has struggled with finding in previous seasons. This team has improved their record tremendously with their recent moves and is now 51-21.

Another shocker in this bracket is the 8th seeded Memphis Grizzlies. After beating the Jazz 112-109. The Grizzlies had momentum after playing two games in a row. As the 1st seed, you’re expected to handle the 8th seed like they were nothing. Not only are the Jazz the 1st seed inarguably the most challenging conference in the league, but they’re also the number one ranked team in defense while the Grizzlies are ranked 14in scoring.

Although it’s unfair to judge a series by the first game, what the Suns and Grizzlies displayed, they’re the teams to watch on the west.

Antonio Watson, the youth 400-meter champion, is the center of controversy as he made a gun gesture at opponent Bryan Levell of Edwin Allen High while coming back to win the class one 200-meter finals at the National Stadium in Jamaica. Watson won the event in 20.74 seconds, with Levell second in 20.83 seconds. Even though he put in his routine run-from-behind strategy, what is being spoken about is the gestures he made.

Watson shaped his hand in the form of a pistol and figuratively, discharge one round at the opponent. When doing his post-race interview he stated that he meant nothing by the gestures as he respects Levell and touts him as a really good athlete and competitor. Even then the uproar from onlookers and media personnel encouraged a negative light on the 19-year-old, thereafter he released a statement, publicly apologizing for his actions after the race.

Bolt said to rather than condemn the youngster, he should be nurtured and molded to become the talent he can become. Personally, the gesture had not a lot wrong with what the Petersfield athlete did, but for aiming the gesture on the opponent Lavell. We have seen gestures like that on the world stage by the United States female relay team, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Justin Gatlin so the gesture has been somewhat accepted.

Looking into this you will have the early season MVP Lebron James, and late-season MVP Stephen Curry. King James, as he is affectionately called, is a very huge piece of the puzzle for this Laker team to win a championship. Both players have been a part of dynasties, with Lebron winning 4 championships and Steph winning 3.

It may be a tightly contested game with the form both teams are in, even though both are short-handed without their superstars. Without Lebron, the Lakers would have a losing record, even with Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroeder. Curry averages under 20 PPG against the Lakers in his career, the only team that has him at that average. Without him on the court, or playing at all, the Warriors considerably lose about 28-44 points a night, hence players like Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins would have to pick up the slack.

The struggles both teams and superstars, face were challenging. Lebron injured his ankle and said in an interview that he may not be back to his best again. With Curry, he broke his arm last season and damaged his tail bone in this season. Now both are on the comeback trail, some sooner than others, and are looking to make their team go all the way to the finals.
The Lakers have the better squad no doubt, but the Warriors’ cohesion has become so much better over the last few games. As I stated before this will be tightly contested, maybe a moment of magic from Curry, some slick play by James, or even an unlikely source taking the game to the opponents. I believe the Warriors would win, 113-106, and I am gonna say why. Steve Kerr knows that Schroeder is the person to defend Curry and he will stick tight so Steph might get him into foul trouble and get him off the court.

Draymond will be his regularly aggressive self and go at the out-of-form Andre Drummond. With those key players off the court, more emphasis will be placed on the injured Lebron James and Anthony Davis.The winner takes the 7th seed and the loser goes into the other play-in final against the winner of the other play-in semi. It’s all to play for, Lakers vs. Warriors. Lebron vs. Steph. 7 vs. 8.

Mamba mentality is a saying that dates back to the Black Mamba himself, Kobe Bryant. It means killer mentality, which Bryant had during his career in the NBA, a killer mentality. On May16th, 2021, Kobe Bryant was recently inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame, and here’s why.

In his long career on the lakers, Kobe was drafted straight out of Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia by the Charlotte Hornets but later traded on the same day during the 1996 NBA draft.

Although his rookie year wasn’t the best, averaging almost 8 points a game, his minutes increased as he went into his sophomore year; not only that, his points, rebounds, shooting percentages, etc., increased as well. Kobe went onto average 15.4 points per game from his original 7.6.

After Bryant’s rookie season, the rest was history. The laker’s front office went on to rob the Orlando Magic in the infamous Shaq trade, Kobe dropped 81 on the Raptors, scored 60 points in his retirement game, and almost tying Micheal Jordan in rings, only winning five NBA championships.

Bryant also won four MVPs, selected 12 times for the All-defensive team, 14 times for the All-NBA team,18 times for the All-Star team, and lastly, he was the NBA’s scoring champion twice.

From 2005 to 2007, Bryant went from 35.4 points a game to 31.6 points per game. However, he didn’t win a championship. Instead, he won the scoring title in both years.

Three years after his second scoring title, Kobe went on to win his last ring in 2010 as a laker six years before his final game before his retirement in 2016.

Throughout his career, he’s gone through coaching changes, roster changes, injuries, and controversy, all while dealing with both love and hate from all NBA fans around the world. While some may fold, Kobe still managed to keep his head up and play to the best of his ability.