While the Las Vegas Golden Knights hold a nice advantage in their “semi” vs top ranked Colorado (Avalanche) having won the first two games on the road, the New York Knicks, winners of ten straight tilts enjoy an overwhelming one, up (3-0) vs Cleveland and almost certainly will advance to the final round for the first time since ’99 and just the third time since winning their second title in 1973.
Meanwhile defending champion and top record, Oklahoma City (Thunder) lead the second best record San Antonio Spurs two games to one in their semi-final series. Game 4 is tonight in San Antonio with the home team Spurs 2 plus point(s) favorites.
Last night Nikolaj Ehlers (2nd goal), scored in overtime, lifting the East top seed Carolina Hurricanes (9-1) (5-1) at home in these ‘offs, (3-2) vs the Montreal Canadiens (9-7) (7-3) on the road, to knot their “semi” at one game apiece.
Next it continues to spit out and into so many factual errors.
We turned it over to this, inundated with factual errors system of information.
Like You have so many factual errors!!
Dislike A Beatles song comes to mind: “Help”
1978 NBA Playoffs — Game 2: Knicks vs. Cavaliers
On April 14, 1978, the New York Knicks edged the Cleveland Cavaliers 109–107 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round.
Series context
The 1978 Eastern Conference First Round featured the Cleveland Cavaliers (3rd seed) facing the New York Knicks (5th seed). The series was tied 1–1 after Game 1, with both teams having split the first two games Wikipedia.
Game 2 recap
- Date: April 14, 1978
- Location: Madison Square Garden, New York
- Final score: New York Knicks 109 – 107 Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball-Reference.com
- Series after Game 2: Knicks lead 2–1
The Knicks’ victory came after a close battle. Cleveland had led at times, but New York’s offense and defense tightened in the final minutes to secure the win. The game was competitive throughout, with neither team pulling away by more than a few points in the final quarter Basketball-Reference.com.
Notable points
- This win kept the Knicks’ playoff hopes alive and gave them home-court advantage for Game 3.
- The Cavaliers would go on to win the series 4–2, advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals
Some mistakes are obvious (the series tied at (1-1) after game 1). Others are those which refute the fact that the Knicks won that best of 3 prelim in 2 straight games. Thus no game 3 and certainly no Cavaliers series win.
That series is the first of what will almost certainly be the 5th Knicks series wins against no losses (a current (15-2) mark in ‘offs tilts) vs the Cavs.
In the game 2/’78 prelims clincher both Spencer Haywood and Bob McAdoo hit for 27 points, leading Knicks’ scoring while Campy Russell, (no relation to Knicks ’70 title winning key player, Cazzie Russell) later a Knicks player, led all scorers with 32 points.
Both McAdoo, who was beyond fantastic and efficient in ’82 and also “titled” with “my” then Lakers in ’85 and Haywood, though suspended during the ’80 title season final round, won crowns with the Lakers.
Barney Frank:
There is much I could say, yet I will limit this brief post, as shown above a remembrance of the no matter your views, the truly courageous Barney Frank (32, my #, years as a representative) to those few words and will add the far more eloquent words of NPR’s Scott Simon.
Click below to hear those words.
Opinion: Remembering Barney Frank, trailblazing public servant
Barney Frank, amidst most of it, then and now, is pictured above.
I looked, ’twas (4-1) Habs (by the way, a Thursday night 53 years and 11 days later with Canadiens and Knicks wins,– then each won the title on the same night, I believe the only time it ever happened in major North American sports leagues, nowadays it can not happen).
Montreal/Canadiens/Habs “opened” at Carilina (Hurricanes) in their “semi” making “Caro” (8-1) (4-1) at home in the ‘offs.
Meanwhile the Knicks won their franchise record 9th straight ‘offs tilt (8-1) ATS, bet vs, down to (-5), they won by 16 points, to lead Cleveland (2-0) in their semi.
As I have “preached,” it is so rare for any team to go past the first round and most times even that (this year “Tor” (Raptors) was (3-0) at home, but out in 7 vs the Cavs) without losing at home. Now it is complete, as on successive nights in semis openers, first L.V. under ’04 Cup winning coach ‘con’ T.B. John Tortorella, “opened” top ranked Colorado, handing them just their second ‘offs loss and first at home. They stand (8-2) and now (5-1) at home.
Next and last night, Montreal under T.B. (Lightning) tremendous player, Martin St. Louis (I once “zoomed” to him the info that on the day he scored in OT in #6 that ’04 final, at Calgary (Flames) to force a 7th which T.B. won, “6-6-6” Reagan died and a horse bidding for the Triple Crown at Belmont, was denied it) roared out (4-1) and “opened” the Carolina Hurricanes, who are now (8-1) and (4-1) at home.
All 31 teams have lost at least one at home and the “Tort” (is not Tort a legal term and I applaud him (Tortorella), not talking to the media and their largely inane ?’s so what right does the NHL have to fine him?!).
I did see him talking so positively regarding St. Louis and while there is still “mucho wood to chop,”as both Montreal and L.V. are still series underdogs, but with Andy B. as always, “dogging it,” can’t you see Tort/St. Louis coaching vs each other in the final? As Carole King sang it’s too late baby, yet ….
Meanwhile the New York Knicks deserve much credit, perhaps more than I have given them (I have reasons) as the above cited record and the play of those ex Villanova players (in last night’s #2 ’twas Hart) is really impressive.
The Knicks are (10-2) in the ‘offs (9-3) ATS, their 2 losses by 1 point. After losing #1 of the ’69 “semi” at home vs the Celtics (that cost them as Boston won in 6 and then 7’d my then, truly loved Lakers with Wilt, Jerry and Elgin in 7 for their 11th crown in 13 seasons), they went (15-1) in their next 16 home tilts, including (10-1) in their ’70 (same calendar as this year) title season (see every team loses at home or almost every one especially with the greedy four rounds of some “you have to pay extra to watch ‘offs) before losing #7 at home to the then Baltimore Bullets, now the Washington (D.C.) Wizards, who have this year’s top draft pick.
One reason: ‘They’ got my guy, the great Earl Monroe.
The New York Knicks down by 22 points with less than eight minutes left/4th, rallied behind Jalen Brunson (38) and others notably Myk Bridges who hit two huge 3’s and opened “Cleve” by 11 in overtime, as 7 point(s) faves.
New York in its 80th season (only the Celtics have also played in all 80 NBA seasons in one locale, as the Warriors have also done so but in 2 locations Philly and the S.F./Oak Bay area far apart), won a less than projected by a fraction 53 “reg” games, however their road paved, have a true shot at winning their first NBA crown in 53 years.
They are (13-2) in ‘offs tilts vs Cleveland.
Elsewhere NBA: “City” even vs San Antonio and now only Carolina has not lost at home, in their case period, after Las Vegas “opened” top ranked Colorado.
The road!
Tonight, after the Spurs got 41 points and 24 rebounds from Victor Wembanyama, in an incredible performance, to hand Oklahoma City their first and it was a home loss (all teams almost always lose at least one at home and boy did this change the series odds, now considered even) in their semi, the New York Knicks host the Cleveland Cavaliers in their semis opener.
The Knicks coach Mike Brown guided the Cavs to their only crown 10 years ago.
Eight different New York area teams (I am including the New Jersey Nets and only the Mets among the possibles, has not) have met the three Cleveland teams in a total of 19 ‘offs entities, with the New York teams holding an 11-8 edge.
The Yankees, after losing two of their first three post- season clashes with the then Indians, have won the last four vs the Guardians nee Indians franchise, to lead (5-2).
NBA: While the Knicks are (4-0), all in prelims, one a best of 3, two a best of 5 and 2023’s best of 7, “Cleve” is (3-0) vs the Nets.
In football, the real Browns and the Giants, once as good as any NFL rivalry, met twice in unscheduled playoff games to decide conference crowns and title game entry.
Combining for an incredibly low 21 total points in the two tilts, the teams split–the Browns prevailing (8-3) vs the Giants in ’50 before winning a much different (30-28)game vs the Rams to win the title, while after the Giants won (10-0) vs “Cleve” in the ’58 Eastern Conference ‘off, the Colts prevailed in a different (23-17) first ever overtime NFL game.
Still the real Browns, they pulled a miracle comeback win vs the Jets in an ’86 “div round” tilt.
Cleveland baseball the Indians no longer the Naps, split with the two N.Y. baseball teams that moved west.
“Cleve” won 5 games to 2 vs Brooklyn in 1920, 34 years before Willie Mays, Dusty Rhodes, John Antonelli and others led the shocking Giants’ 4 game sweep of the record breaking, 111 wins Indians in ’54.
No Cleveland hockey though were not the Barons in the NHL at least one year?
Stan Coveleski is pictured above.
It is a first N.Y./Cleve NBA “semi,” so I hail the first P.S. Cleve/NY entity, picturing its star, he won 3 games, including a #7 of a best of nine, shutout.
Last night, Alex Newhook, who scored say mid third period of game 7 at Tampa vs the Lightning in the prelims, now has “struck twice,” as he scored 5:43 into overtime lifting the Habs (3-2) in #7 and into the Eastern Conference Final/NHL “semi” vs conference top seed Carolina (Hurricanes).
The Canadiens, who will be pretty big underdogs vs Carolina won (3-2) in #7 last night on the 55 Year anniversary of their (3-2) win at Chicago in a #7 for “all the marbles” (cue Peter Falk, who once did a public service ad with the magnificent and shamefully blacklisted, Lee Grant, the latter overcame and is 100 years old).
Speaking of two goals, the great Henri Richard (only he and the of course great Bill Russell played on as many as 11 title teams in major North American sports league annals), had the tying and winning goals in that 1971 tilt, while Ken Dryden, that year’s Conn Smythe Trophy winner, doing so before passing rookie status, was great in goal.
Similarly, though nowhere Dryden, one of three excellent goaltenders we lost within “mos” last year (Bernie Parent and Ed Giacomin the others), 2026 Habs netminder Jakub Dobes came up big, as they say, in #7 again.
Buffalo in their 55th season had a tremendous “reg” season run, a “reg” Atlantic “Div” win, however, Montreal, for the second straight series won 3 road tilts and comes out of the Atlantic and will journey to Raleigh, North Carolina (“Bell” who had Napoleon Solo and the Habs have never won a crown since playing at Bell Centre and are (2-4) in these ‘offs there, said Robin Raleigh really does not care about the Hurricanes though she did attend one game there), which is closer to the Atlantic (Ocean) than Montreal, or so it would seem. (It is but not by much say 300 miles).
See my post after the Sabres forced a 7th for ROAD/Home configuration notes in now three Montreal ‘offs series I recall and also cited was the ’74 NBA final, the Celts winning 3 at Milwaukee to “7” the Bucks and win their 12th crown.
Alex Newhook, pictured above, after scoring in overtime in game 7 last night.
O.K. the configurations and then “The Pocket Rocket,” (brother Maurice, one of the greatest of the greats was “The Rocket”).
In three of the four I recall with 3 road wins including in #7: ’74 NBA final, Celts/road, Bucks/home, Celts/H, Bucks/R, Celts/H, Bucks/R on Kareem’s long sky from the base and Celts/road in #7.
Ditto three road wins Les Nordiques, now the ‘Lanche in the ’85 “Qtrs” vs Montreal and Montreal in this year’s prelims vs the Lightning, the Nords and 2026 Habs winning games 1,5 and 7 (R) and #3 at home.
In the just completed series vs Buffalo, Montreal won games 2,5 and 7 on the road and #3 at home.
Now click below to view Habs/Chi #7/’71 final highlights with the so great broadcaster, Danny Gallivan’s “calls.”
Mr. Jean Beliveau accepting the Cup from Mr. Campbell
Last night, while the San Antonio Spurs, (5 time champions under Gregg Poppovich and with Tim Duncan, from ’99-2014, four crowns won from ’99-’07, that is 4 in 9 matching the “49”ers from (’81-’89), advanced to their first “semi” since ’17, 6’ing/”Amazon Priming” Minne (Timberwolves) (so glad, both their “have to pay for” tilts last night were routs. (Oh P.T’s, one Aprea,who did not watch sports, the other Barnum, who knew) –the Pistons ripped “Cleve” in their #6, forcing a decisive 7th of their “Qtr” to be played tomorrow.
San Antonio (8-3) overall, (4-2) at home, in winning their prelim vs Portland in 5 and vs Minne in 6, will be slightly over a 2:1 underdog, vs top ranked, defending champion Oklahoma City in what ought to be, but “get it through your head” (ode to Boz Scaggs) is not the NBA final round series. Their “semi” begins Monday night in “City,” where the home team, Thunder are (4-0) thus far in these ‘offs.
Meanwhile, with the “to be series favorites,” Knicks awaiting the winner, top seed Detroit is a 4 point favorite in #7, in what is the second 7th between the teams (Detroit’s lone ‘offs series win vs Cleve was clinched in #7/’06 quarters).
The Cavs swept the Pistons in both ’09 and ’16, the latter in a title season, immeasurably aided by Silver suspending Green, an action whose color still irks me though it led to seeing the late Linda in “Sac”/sack and 6’d them in ’07, (I listened to Joe Tait and shut the TV sound) before being swept by the Spurs in the final, the first of what is now four times a James team has been swept out in the ‘offs.
By definition, the 4 NFL title game clashes between the two cities football squads in the ’50’s were decisive games, Detroit’s Lions prevailing in ’52,’53 and ’57 while the once great and the real Cleveland Browns took the crown in ’54.
This is the third consecutive “Det”/”Cleve” series to go the distance, the Detroit Tigers winning 2 games to 1 in a 2025 12/8 a year after Cleveland rode a Lane Thomas “slam” off the now injured Skubal, to a decisive 5th game/div series win.
“S.A.” (that is San Antonio, not that blight on society S.A. Smith, who weeks back condemned “his” Knicks and now with seemingly no repraisal for his so often wrong, extreme blubber, is touting them) got 32 points from Stephon Castle (sadly, despite what I see as an obvious unwarranted success, Stephen A. Smith has the “castle” and more, a far cry from eating tuna sandwiches. Thus, in the sense he persevered, some credit is due him. Unfortunately the computer spit out way too much for him.) in their “qtrs” clincher.
They are (6-8) in previous semis, (1-1) vs the Thunder, (overall (2-1) vs the Thunder but were (0-3) vs Sea. The Thunder nee SuperSonics are (5-6) in previous semis.
Stephon Castle, pictured above, hit for 32 in the Spurs’ #6 clincher at Minnesota (Timberwolves) last night
Last night, darn near simultaneously, both the top ranked Colorado Avalanche and NBA East four seed, Cleveland Cavaliers staged incredible “reg” comebacks, forcing an overtime period, manifesting in victories.
The ‘Lanche (8-1) in the ‘offs will be in their eighth semi/conference final in this, completed season number thirty (’96-2026–no season in ’05), after overcoming a (3-0) deficit after one period and more telling, a 2 goal deficit in the last 4 minutes, to (4-3) the Minnesota Wild, and win their “qtr” in 5 games.
Brett Kulak (ode to the “Untouchables”), scored the OT winner, while the great Nathan McKinnon’s goal tied the game in the last minute plus.
“Col” (ode to Rader with Dad “Cowboy” comparisons and “rub ins” perhaps always relevant) made the semis in six of their first 7 seasons in Colorado after qualifying just twice and going (0-2) and (2-8) in tilts, in their 16 seasons as the Quebec Nordiques. In Bettman’s NHL, it is difficult to win as a Canada based team.
The Wild in their just completed 25th season have never won as much as a “semis” game, losing four straight to Anaheim and their great netminder J.S. Giguere in ’03.
Meanwhile, the Cavs, who would be bigger underdogs vs the Knicks in the semis, (Det would have home advantage, Cleve would not), won (105-98) at Detroit (Pistons) for their first road win in these ‘offs despite trailing by 9 points in the last two plus minutes, to take a (3-2) series lead.
Game 6 is tomorrow night in Cleveland where the Cavs are (6-0) in these ‘offs.
Elsewhere “since,” the Spurs ripped Minne to lead (3-2) with #6 at Minnesota (Timberwolves) tonight.
In the NHL, Pavel Dorofeyev’s second goal of the game, at 7:12 of overtime lifted Las Vegas (Golden Knights) (3-2) and now up (3-2), vs the Anaheim Ducks, with #6 tonight in Anaheim.
Buffalo won (3-2) at Montreal in game 4 to knot that “quarter” at two games apiece. # 5 is tonight in Buffalo, where (then it was “The Aud”) the 5th/’75 semis, between the two teams, also standing at (2-2), was contested.
#5 OT Goal scorer, Pavel Dorofeyev of the Golden Knights, is pictured above.
The top ranked defending champion, Oklahoma City Thunder completed a 4 game sweep of the L.A. Lakers (-11 plus) (115-110) in #4 in Los Angeles. “City” (0-8) ATS in road ‘offs tilts, however 2025 champions, are (8-0) and I believe (6-2) in these ‘offs, after handing the Lakers a 12th sweep loss, 10 in best of 7 series, (thus (4-0).
The best of 5’s occurring ten years apart in ’57 and ’67, the former in a semi to the St. Louis Hawks, the latter to the then S.F. Warriors in a quarter. Both the Hawks and Warriors lost in the final round in those years, the former to the first of Bill Russell’s 11 titles, all with the Celtics, the latter to the first of what were only two Wilt Chamberlain crowns, that one with a record breaking 76ers team, the other with an also record breaking Lakers’ team in ’72).
Oklahoma City/Seattle SuperSonics franchise was swept by the Lakers thrice with this being a first “City” franchise sweep of the Lakers.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks, winning games 3 and 4 (game 1 also) so easily, on the anniversaries of each of their 2 NBA crowns, swept the Sixers for a second time (Philly swept them in both the ’78 and ’83 “quarters,” the latter in route to their last title), having done so previously in the best of three/’89 prelims.
All even are the franchises in ‘offs entities, as the Knicks have won three straight series (’26, ’24 “Quarters” and ’89 prelims) after losing the first three ‘offs entities vs the Sixers (the above cited Philly sweeps in ’78 and ’83 and their 6 game “quarters” win in ’68.
For the record, the Knicks/Sixers nee Syracuse Nationals ‘offs mark stands at (5-5) with a (2-0) “quarters equivalent,” going (I wish I had gone to Syracuse and I had the requisite grades, alas the “slats,” sick ghosting, that could have and what might have been sadness) the Nationals way in ’59 (as a response to his sick ghosting, ode to Bing, (not, but I love Dave), Crosby and one day the cryptic will become more, if not entirely clear).
As noted in a previous post and in this one’s headline, the Carolina Hurricanes are “semis” entrants for the fifth time (2-3) in previous, having gone (8-0) this far in the ‘offs.They await the winner of the Sabres/Canadiens quarter, which Montreal (Canadiens) leads (2-1) with #4 tonight in Montreal, Canada.
Elsewhere and brief, the NHL top ranked ‘Lanche (Colorado Avalanche) exploded in the 3rd period to (5-2) the Minnesota Wild to take a (3-1) “quarters” lead with that series winner to face the Las Vegas (Golden Knights)/Anaheim (Ducks) series winner in the NHL semis/Western Conference Final. Currently “L.V. , ” tonight’s host in #5 and “An” are tied at two games apiece.
NBA where the Thunder and Knicks are in the semis, in which they will be the favorites, the other 2 “quarters” stand (2-2), those being Detroit/Cleveland in an all home with #5 in Detroit tomorrow night and #6 in “Cleve,” where the Cavs are (6-0) in these ‘offs–remember every ‘offs team almost always loses at least one at home, but so far Oklahoma City, Colorado and Carolina, each (4-0) and the just cited Cavs have not. Noting Toronto (Raptors) went (3-0) at home, however, were 7’d by “Cleve,” in the prelims— and higher ranked San Antonio (Spurs)/Minnesota (Timberwolves).
Andy B Sports 