DALLAS — Perhaps I ought to begin with a prediction revision. Portland in six ain’t gonna happen. Not after the Mavs’ statement-making 101-89 win in Game 2. Maybe we’ve underestimated these Dallas Mavericks, who might be the only 57-win No. 3 seed to have an underdog mentality entering a matchup against a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff series in more than a decade. There is a 94 percent chance that the Portland Trail Blazers’ playoff series win drought, which dates to 2000, will last at least another year. That’s how often teams that take a 2-0 lead have won the series in NBA history. (more…)
GREEN BAY — The holidays and football will be synonymous for the Green Bay Packers in 2011. The NFL released the league schedule Tuesday and the defending Super Bowl champions will be the first team in league history to play on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day in the same season.
The NFL is in the midst of a labor dispute and lockout, so the entire schedule being played is dependent on an agreement between owners and players.
Assuming the season happens as scheduled, Packers fans will be treated to a nationally televised game on Fox at 11:30 a.m. in Detroit for the third time in the past five seasons.
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