In the middle of the Hockey and Basketball playoffs, time out for a great joke from the master storyteller Mr. Buddy Hackett.
Click here for some vintage fun with Buddy on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, from May 11, 1986.
While the top ranked Houston Rockets, defending champion Golden State Warriors and surprising Boston Celtics return home with (3-1) NBA quarterfinal series leads, the Cleveland Cavaliers are in the NBA semi-finals for a FOURTH straight season after a FOUR game sweep of the East top seed, Toronto Raptors in their NBA quarterfinal series.
In routing the Raptors in game 4, the Cavaliers covered the spread for the first time in 6 home ‘offs games this season after four straight win/no cover results, including two decided by game ending shots from the great player, LeBron James.
It is a truly disappointing end to the Raptors’ season, being swept by the Cavaliers in the “quarters” for the second straight season and beaten by them for the third consecutive season.
In their 23 seasons (Mr. James as did Mr. Jordan wears that number), Toronto has made but one NBA semi-final losing to Cleveland in six games in 2016.
The Raptors are (2-12) vs Cleveland in the ‘offs, all three series losses in the past three seasons. In that time period,the Cleveland Indians “semi’d” the Toronto Blue Jays in 5 games in 2016. Toronto teams are (3-16) vs Cleveland teams in the post season, (0-9) in Cleveland.
In 1993, my father was still alive, there was no wild card presence in baseball and two teams from Canada won major North American sports league titles, the once glorious Montreal Canadiens in the NHL and a second straight crown for the Blue Jays.
When Joe Carter homered to give the Jays a second straight title, my father called my mother’s name for her to see what was shown next.
My father never saw another baseball game, true baseball was gone the next season with the wild card presence and one wonders (last night the lone remaining team from Canada, in the NHL, the Winnipeg Jets lost at home to the Nashville Predators, meaning they must win #7 at Nashville to make the semis) if any team from Canada is allowed to/will ever win it all again.
No NBA team has ever overcome a (3-0) series deficit, which is what both Eastern semis are at this point. Both original underdogs, (the Celtics nearly 5 to 1) the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, look to advance to the NBA semis with wins tonight vs East top seed (what did that mean vs Mr. James, who banked in the winner at the #3 buzzer, denying Tor and 9 to 1 “into overtime,” backers) Toronto (Raptors) and the clearly “not ready” Philadelphia 76ers.
Perhaps incredible, is the fact, this is the eighth time in twelve Celtics/76ers playoff series, in which one team, or the other, has won 3 straight games within the series.
It is also the fourth time, one team or the other took a (3-0) series lead (the Celts have done so thrice– in “quarters” 49 years apart, in ’69 which was Bill Russell and Sam Jones’ last season and culminated in a mind boggling 11th Celts’ crown in 13 seasons all with Bill Russell and all but one of the title seasons with Sam Jones), and now in 2018. Boston also did so in the ’85 semis.
Meanwhile, a great Sixers’ team, referenced here when one of its stars, Hal Greer died weeks back, went up (3-0) in the ’67 semis and then “titled” in 6 vs the then San Francisco Warriors.
All of those (3-0) series ended in 5 games, as there has never been a (4-0) sweep involving the teams.
The Celtics won 3 straight games vs the Sixers to win both the ’68 and ’81 semis in 7, each of which was followed by a somewhat anticlimactic six game title series win.
Philadelphia won three straight to “5” Boston in the ’80 semis and won games (2-4) to go up 3 games to 1, before needing a win at Boston in #7, to win the ’82 semi.
Both of those seasons, the Lakers won the title series vs the 76ers in 6 games, with Earvin “Magic” Johnson being named MVP of the final series.
While the Tampa Bay Lightning hope to clinch their third NHL semi-finals berth in four seasons, today, as they host the Bruins—the three finalists during the past two NHL seasons, lost in game 5 and trail their NHL “quarters,” 3 games to 2.
“T.Bay” leads the Boston Bruins 3 games to 1, winning game 4 last Friday, on Dan Girardi’s overtime goal. Star player, Steven Stamkos had tied the game in the third period, for the Lightning.
Also on Friday night, the unbelievable first year team/story, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, moved within one win of a “semis” appearance, getting two goals from Alex Tuch in a (5-3) win vs the 2016 NHL finalist/losing team, the San Jose Sharks. Game 6 is in “Jose” tonight, do you know the WAY? However, I refuse to PAY, to watch it on NBC Sports Network.
Last night, for the second time this week in odd numbered series games played on the same night (Tuesday last was the other time), “W” teams, “W”ashington and “W”innipeg won vs two time defending champion, Pittsburgh and last year’s finalist/losing team, Nashville respectively, to take (3-2) “quarters” series leads. Game 6 in both of those series is tomorrow night.
One of the greatest sluggers in baseball history is Harmon Killebrew.
He played most of his career with the Minnesota Twins franchise including time when they were still the Washington Senators.
Mr. Killebrew hit 573 home runs and has one of the best home runs per time at bat ratios in baseball history.
I met him briefly at a sports charity event and as expected he was a true gentleman.
The great home run slugger, Harmon Killebrew, pictured above.
Three NHL quarterfinal series are tied at two games apiece after Pittsburgh won at home vs “Wash,” a team they have beaten in 9 of 10 ‘offs series and Nashville (Predators) handing the Winnipeg Jets their first home ‘offs loss, (now all 16 NHL ‘offs participants have lost at home. More on this in a future post as it happens virtually every season) won last night. The night before San Jose (Sharks) won at home to square their quarter vs the amazing, first year team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights.
Tonight the Bruins playing at home in Boston, (vs the Tampa Bay Lightning), where the amazing Celtics have gone (6-0) at home in the NBA ‘offs, including two “plus 4 and a half” wins to lead their old rival 76ers (2-0), are favored to help Gary Bettman’s “expansion” and make it 4 of 4, (2-2) NHL quarters.
Yesterday I cited the upset, quarterfinal series opening game wins by both “C” teams, the “C”eltics and “C”avaliers. Each team tries for another upset win tonight, first at 6 P.M. (you think television does not dictate) Cleveland at Toronto followed by Philadelphia at Boston.
On Tuesday three “W” teams posted “w”ins that either kept or gave them “quarters” leads.
The defending champion “W”arriors no covered the New Orleans Pelicans to take a (2-0) series lead.
Meanwhile for the first time in the three consecutive years of Penguins/Capitals NHL “quarters” clashes, the “W”ashington Capitals lead the series after three games. They have a (2-1) series advantage.
Speaking of three, has any team sans home advantage beaten another in 3 playoff series in three consecutive years, which would be the case if the Penguins come back and beat “W”ashington?!
The other “W” team “w”in on Tuesday was posted by the Winnipeg Jets, who overcame a (3-0) deficit vs top ranked Nashville (Predators). They lead the series two games to one.
“W’innipeg is the only NHL team that has not lost at home (4-0) in these ‘offs.
They finished second to the Predators in overall points and are bidding to become the first Winnipeg Jets team, in either incarnation (the original Winnipeg Jets, the greatest of WHA teams led by Bobby Hull, are now the Arizona Coyotes) to win as many as 2 NHL playoffs series in one year.
Tonight again, Pittsburgh hosts “W’ashington while “W”innipeg hosts Nashville.
Last week on Wednesday, the cities of Boston and Toronto faced each other in both hockey and baseball.
Boston teams won both, the exponentially more important first round deciding game in Boston and an early season baseball game in Toronto.
On Tuesday past, Washington won both game 3/Qtrs vs the no matter this series result, great Pittsburgh Penguins and an early season baseball tilt vs the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Both “C” teams, the Celtics (at home vs Philadelphia, “barking” as 4 plus point underdogs and by the way original 5 to 1 series underdogs, now roughly 2 to 1 “dogs”) and Cavaliers (at Toronto and 7 point “dogs,” also original 2 to 1 series underdogs and now likely series “faves”) pulled upset victories in their NBA quarterfinal opening games.
Each team won its preliminary series with a game 7, home win.
Boston took Milwaukee on Saturday and two days later, eased to an opening game win vs the 76ers.
Last night Cleveland which “7’d” Indiana in a 1 P.M. Eastern start on Sunday, won in overtime two days later, in Toronto, vs the East top seed and overall second best record, Raptors.
Fifty years ago, another “LBJ” (sitting President, Lyndon Baines Johnson) bowed out early in another race/competition, that for the U.S. presidency.
Not so this “LBJ,” as his magnificent play has led Cleveland to a quarterfinal round lead vs East top seed, Toronto (Raptors).
Yesterday, flipping consecutive channels, I saw the great comedian, Buddy Hackett on both, in neither case, as anywhere near the star performer.
First I tuned in and saw Mr. Hackett in “Muscle Beach Party.” Then after quickly flipping the channel, this around 7 P.M. Eastern Time, he was part of the great show, “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh In” being shown nearly fifty years after its original air date on NBC on “Decades.”
Mr. Hackett, a magnificent talent can be seen as a panelist on “What’s My Line,” by clicking the link below.
What’s My Line? – Lucille Ball & Bob Hope; Buddy Hackett .
The great Buddy Hackett pictured above in the movie, “Muscle Beach Party.”
The NBA quarterfinals, already underway in the superior Western Conference, resulting in easy opening game wins by top heavy favorites, defending champion Golden State (Warriors) vs New Orleans (Pelicans) and top ranked Houston (Rockets) vs Utah (Jazz–so much jazz in Utah), are now set.
In the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers led by a 45 point performance by LeBron James (241 points in the 7 game series, the ESPN report cited Jerry West but not that he did so in a 6 game series) again no covered, (has any team won a series, going (1-6) vs the point spread?!!) but beat Indiana , and now faces top East seed, Toronto (Raptors) in one Eastern semi.
Meanwhile for the 20th time, counting the five Celtics/Syracuse Nationals ‘offs series (Syracuse became the Philadelphia 76ers at the start of the ’63-64 season), it will be the Celtics vs the 76ers.
I will have much more on the great Celtics/76ers playoffs history later in the week.
Andy B Sports 