As exciting as the NBA regular season is, it's nothing compared to the playoffs. The NBA postseason is one of the most exciting in sports, and this year should be no different. There are a plenty of juicy storylines entering this year's playoffs, and if the regular season is any indication, anything can happen.
The question on everyone's mind is whether or not the star-studded Miami Heat can make up for last year's loss in the NBA Finals. Since Chris Bosh and LeBron James joined the heat following the 2010 season, the pressure's been on for them to win a title. It certainly looks like they've got a shot to do it, with one of the best records in the league and James having an MVP caliber season.
In the Western conference, all attention is on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Led by explosive young stars like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder has looked like one of the best teams in the NBA all season long. They came close to reaching the Finals last year, could this be the year they break through?
Many basketball fans have also been closely following what they see as a changing of the guard in Los Angeles. The Clippers have long played second fiddle to the Lakers in the City of Angels, but with new stars like Chris Paul and the electric play of Blake Griffin, the Clippers are once again in the conversation.
Speaking of age, that's the big question looming over the heads of the 2008 champion Boston Celtics. The Big Three (Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce) are all nearing the end of their respective careers, and while Pierce is still as effective as ever, injuries have hobbled the other two. Will a cadre of untested youngsters be able to carry the storied franchise throughout the playoffs?
There are a number of other interesting questions as we head into the playoffs: Can the aging Spurs win one more? Can the New York Knicks stay hot and beat The Heat? Will Derrick Rose stay healthy enough to lead the Chicago Bulls to their first appearance in the NBA Finals since Jordan left?
The answers will start to emerge tomorrow as the Bulls and 76ers get the playoffs started at Noon on TNT. I think we can all agree that this is going to be one of the most exciting NBA post seasons in a long time.
Who do you think is going to win it all?
Grab some NBA Playoff tickets and see your team battle for a spot in the history books:
Eastern Conference 1st Round (Saturday / Sunday Tickets)
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Chicago Bulls tickets
New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat tickets
Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers tickets
Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics tickets
Western Conference 1st Round (Saturday / Sunday Tickets)
Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs tickets
Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder tickets
Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers tickets
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies tickets
Spring has sprung! Fans of live entertainment are shaking off the winter blues and heading out to arenas, stadiums, and ballparks across the country. Last month basketball fans were flocking to the final games of the regular season, making the LA Lakers, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks the most popular events in the sports category.
In music, pop icon Madonna and newcomers One Direction led the TicketsNow Entertainment Index concert category. While in theater, comedians Daniel Tosh and Kevin Hart found themselves in good company with two Broadway smash-hits and one sensational Cirque show.
Following are the category leaders according to the TicketsNow Entertainment Index for March 2012:
Top Events Overall for March 2012
Sports Ticket Sales for March 2012
Concert Ticket Sales for March 2012
Top Theater Ticket Sales for March 2012
Ask anyone who was around during the early days of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync, and they'll probably tell you that boy bands are dead. They'd be mistaken, however, as One Direction has breathed new life into the pop sub-genre, and have taken the music world by storm.
The five-member group is comprised of Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson, and has enjoyed a relatively unique path to stardom. Each of the five members applied as solo contestants on the hit UK talent show X-Factor. Though each of them were talented in their own right, judge Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls came up with the idea for the five of them to form a group, and it seems to have paid off.
After coming together, One Direction managed to tear through the competition, and eventually finished third overall. Although they did not come home with the crown, they garnered enough exposure and soon signed a record deal with stardom coming soon afterward.
The quintet released their debut studio album, Up All Night, in September 2011. It turned out to be a big hit in the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number two on the charts and went on to be the fastest-selling album of that year.
The album wasn't just popular among fans, it was somewhat successful in the critical sphere as well. In particular, album's lead single "What Makes You Beautiful," went on to take home the Best British Single crown at the 2012 Brit Awards.
While much of their success has been in the United Kingdom, they are not unheard of in the states. In fact, One Direction landed a spot on the April 7 episode of Saturday Night Live, certainly not a small feat for a band of upstart performers.
Perhaps most impressive is the relatively short time it's taken One Direction to embark on extensive tours. They launched their own headlining tour shortly after the release of Up All Night, and although it started in the UK and Ireland, the group announced North American leg for summer 2012.
The full Lollapalooza 2012 lineup is finally out and we think it is pretty damn fantastic! Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Black Keys, Jack White and Black Sabbath are headlining the 3-Day music fest held in Chicago's Grant Park.
What band are you most excited to see?
The NHL playoffs are set and there are some really intriguing 1st Round matchups! As any Hockey fan will tell you the playoffs are a 2nd season and once you get in anything can happen. The Boston Bruins won last year as a #3 seed and the #7 seed Philadelphia Flyers surprised everyone by making it all the way to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals before losing to the Chicago Blackhawks.
This year, one of the biggest storylines entering the playoffs is whether the Boston Bruins will be able to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. The B's surprised some people in 2011 by using a late-season surge to bring the cup back to Boston, but they seem talented enough to do it once again. Despite a mid-season slump, the Bruins have many of the same pieces in place from last year's title run.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle standing in the Bruins' way are the New York Rangers. With the top record in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers have experienced a resurgence this year - they're looking to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1994.
In the Western Conference, two teams stand above the rest. Last year's conference champ, the Vancouver Canucks, are once again putting a great season together thanks to the production of brothers Henrik and Daniel Sedin. They may be challenged by the upstart St. Louis Blues. The Blues have had an excellent season and look primed to make a long run in this year's playoffs.
We still have some great NHL Playoff tickets available so make sure to check 'em out and grab some great seats to see your team skate towards The Cup.
Playoffs start Wednesday night. Check out this week’s full schedule below.
Who do you think is winning it all this year?
Wednesday, April 11 (Times ET)
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 7:30 PM Tickets
Detroit at Nashville, 8 PM Tickets
Los Angeles at Vancouver, 10:30 PM Tickets
Thursday, April 12
Ottawa at N.Y. Rangers, 7 PM Tickets
San Jose at St. Louis, 7:30 PM Tickets
Washington at Boston, 7:30 PM Tickets
Chicago at Phoenix, 10 PM Tickets
Friday, April 13
New Jersey at Florida, 7 PM Tickets
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 7:30 PM Tickets
Detroit at Nashville, 7:30 PM Tickets
Los Angeles at Vancouver, 10 PM Tickets
Saturday, April 14
Washington at Boston, 3 PM Tickets
Ottawa at N.Y. Rangers, 7 PM Tickets
San Jose at St. Louis, 7:30 PM Tickets
Chicago at Phoenix, 10 PM Tickets
Sunday, April 15
Nashville at Detroit, Noon Tickets
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 3 PM Tickets
New Jersey at Florida, 7:30 PM Tickets
Vancouver at Los Angeles, 10:30 PM Tickets
A little bit about who we are and what we do:
Trey Parker and Matt Stone may be best known as the creators of comedies such as South Park and Team America: World Police, but the duo have also brought their comedic talents to the stage. Stone and Parker broke new ground when they debuted The Book of Mormon, a musical religious satire, in 2011. Since then, The Book of Mormon tour has been one of the most popular stage shows in the United States.
The Book of Mormon had been causing a stir long before it ever hit the stage for the first time. Parker and Stone have been comedic icons since the late '90s thanks to South Park, and when word of their making a musical got out, people were both excited and a little bit shocked. Could the people behind a crass cartoon really be tasked with a production this big? Turns out the answer was a resounding yes.
The duo first got the idea for The Book of Mormon in 2003, after watching the hit Broadway musical Avenue Q. By 2006, Parker and Stone, along with composer Robert Lopez, penned a story and came up with some tunes. Over the next several years, they worked sporadically on the musical until in 2011, it was finally ready to debut for the first time.
The story follows the plight of two soon-to-be Mormon missionaries, Elder Kevin Price and Elder Arnold Cunningham. Polar opposites, the two become friends when they are paired off and sent to Uganda as part of their missionary work. However, they quickly find out that the Ugandan citizens aren't interested in being converted and are more concerned with the daily struggles they face, such as poverty, AIDS and famine.
Although comedic in tone, The Book of Mormon has been lauded by critics for the serious themes it examines. Not surprisingly, one of the most significant issues it touches on is the teaching of religious institutions, Mormonism in this case. While it does not criticize religion as a belief system, it's larger theme is that the teachings may be out of touch with the modern world.
The surprising depth of the musical has not gone unnoticed. It won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2011, and also brought home trophies for Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical. Additionally, after being limited to Broadway, the production will make its first North American Tour later this summer. Get your Book of Mormon tickets now.