NBA Update: Thunder/Spurs “Semi” Set, Pistons/Cavs Goes 7

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