The great player, Kevin Durant had 37 points while Klay Thompson, hoping to match father Mychal Thompson (’87 and ’88 Lakers with Magic Johnson) with back to back titles, added 28, as the Golden State Warriors “opened” the Rockets , winning easily in game 1, in Houston.
“G.S.” an opening 2 to 1 series favorite, is now nearly a 5 to 1 choice, having taken home court advantage from the top ranked Rockets, on a day the far too powerful and dangerous U.S. Supreme Court “ruled” sports betting possible/probable now, depending on legalities within the state.
I still and will always believe the reason Golden State did not get Thompson the “matching” back to back titles two years ago, was the fact NBA boss, Adam Silver (an appropriate name for one so tempted and greedy), suspended Dray Green.
Silver is overtly pro gambling on sports, Pete Rose is not in the baseball Hall of Fame and the hypocrisy goes on and on.
There is still a long way to go but it is likely, perhaps very likely, that the Washington Capitals will be in the Stanley Cup/NHL final for just the second time in franchise history. (This will be their 43rd completed season 1975-2018, with no NHL season in 2005).
“Wash” won both games at Tampa Bay vs the significantly favored Lightning and have now won 5 straight road “semis” games (all three at Buffalo to win their only such series in 1998 and these two). They are (5-2) in 7 road semis games, having lost both at Boston in 1990.
The Caps are just (1-4) in previous home “semis” games, having lost both when the Bruins swept them in 1990 and winning just one of three when they 6’d the Sabres to make their only NHL Final, to date in 1998.
The great television show, “Perry Mason” still holds up, in fact, seems better with age and by comparison to today’s “let’s blow things up,” less good writing products.
I enjoy watching “Perry Mason” and its great star, Raymond Burr, airing each weekday on MeTV, which I watch on affiliate station WJLP in New Jersey.
Click below to view Mr. Burr on the iconic television show, “What’s My Line” from 1962.
John Daly is the host, Johnny Olson introduces the show, beginning with panelist Dorothy Kilgallen.
The other panelists are Arlene Francis, Buddy Hackett and Bennett Cerf.
What’s My Line? – Raymond Burr; Buddy Hackett [panel] (Jun 3, 1962)
Here comes that note only I will/could disseminate because almost nobody, if any, would know it.
Few if any series configurations, in any best of seven post-season series, were the way the Winnipeg 7 game, 3 wins on the road “quarter,” manifested vs the Nashville Predators.
I know of two and each is a bit related to the third one, just completed between Winnipeg and Nashville.
Far less “related” than the other, the Celtics took the 1974 NBA crown by winning, as Winnipeg did in its quarter vs Nashville, (the Winnipeg/Nashville “quarter” matched the two teams with the league’s best records), games 1, 5 and 7 on the road.
Winnipeg and the ’74 Celtics also won game 1 on the road and #3 at home. Each of course/by definition lost game 2 on the road (by the way each in overtime, I did not look up any of this. You think Joe Buck, Michael Kay, Mike Francesa or even the great Bob Costas would know this!!!) and games 4 and 6 at home.
More incredible, is the fact that the Quebec Nordiques, now the Colorado Avalanche, won the other such road, home, home, 4 road series I know took place, vs the Montreal Canadiens, in game 7, in overtime on a goal by Peter Stastny.
Last night, in far less dramatic fashion, Paul Stastny, the son of Peter Stastny, scored 2 goals, with the one that made it (2-0) Winnipeg, credited as the series winning goal.
Hence the father/son Stastny/truly unusual series configuration in a year the Celtics again 7’d the Bucks, albeit in a far different, all home team wins series, a quarterfinal.
Yet as Lionel Ritchie might say or sing “STILL” quite a coincidence only I would/could disseminate.
Click below to view Peter Stastny’s overtime, series winning goal for Quebec vs Montreal in the 1985 NHL quarterfinal round.
Nordiques vs Canadiens Game 7 highlights – 1985 Adams Div. Final
The N.H.L. semi-finals are set and begin tonight (unlike the NBA, which stretches its series to accommodate almighty television–3 days off in the East and a whopping 5 days in the West, the NHL at least to this point, moves its series along).
In the East, beginning tonight, the Tampa Bay Lightning who 5’d both the Devils and Bruins (one might also say T.B. “licked” the Bruins, playing off the fact a Boston player Brad Marchand (oddly Marchand turns 30 today on this the 46th anniversary of the Bruins’ 1972 Stanley Cup victory) was involved in another of modern sports unsavory incidents) meet the Washington Capitals, who 6’d both the Blue Jackets and defending two time champion, Penguins.(Wash still has lost 9 of 11 series (those #’s again!) to the still great Pens.
“T.B.” is nearly a 2 to 1 series fave vs the Caps and I, so often wrong of late, but usually pretty good when no money is involved, say “Wash” will pull the upset and advance to their first final in 20 years.
If they do, will the excellent, but as with Scully, NOT “one who walks on water,” Mike Emrick, get it right as 20 years.
After the Caps’ “quarter” win that put them in the semis for the first time in 20 years, Emrick incorrectly stated it had been 19.
In the West, it will be Las Vegas vs Winnipeg. Both T.B. and “Win”nipeg have the home advantage. Tomorrow more on Winnipeg vs Las Vegas, a post which will include a note ONLY I will disseminate.
The NBA semi-final round is set as the defending champion Golden State Warriors will face the top ranked Houston Rockets in one “semi” while the Cleveland Cavaliers, as is the case with Golden State in their fourth straight “semi,” will meet the Boston Celtics.
Houston and Golden State each no covered in Tuesday past home wins vs New Orleans (Pelicans, whom I believe went (7-2) vs the spread in the ‘offs) and Utah (Jazz, who went (6-4) vs “the number” of the insidious sub culture) and will not open until Monday, in Houston, on TNT, hopefully with by far, the best NBA network announcer, the great Marv Albert.
Meanwhile Cleveland and Boston, meeting in the semis for the second straight season, begin on Sunday afternoon in Boston.
Cleveland now (4-7) vs the spread and so dangerous swept the Toronto Raptors while nearly a 5 to 1 series underdog, Boston “5’d” the not ready Philadelphia 76ers.
For the second straight season, Cleveland which “5’d” the Celts in last year’s “semi,” is a big favorite, despite Boston having the home advantage.
Golden State, sans home advantage is close to a two to one favorite vs the Rockets.
The Warriors’ streak of 14 straight ‘offs series with the home advantage, (I believe only two different Celtics’ teams/eras had more) will end as this series is played.
Golden State and the great, great Boston Celtics, who did so 9 straight seasons from (1957-1965) are the only NBA teams to get the top record for as many as three straight seasons.
The Warriors did so (2015-2017), a period in which they won 2 of 3 final round meetings vs Cleveland.
While watching the excellent Baltimore based movie, “Diner,” written and directed by Barry Levinson, the other day, three notes came to mind.
First, the title winning Colts’ coach was Weeb Ewbank, NOT Ewbanks as in the film or even Eubanks, as in “Newlywed Game” host Bob Eubanks.
The other two are coincidences of sort.
First the character, “Bagel,” played by Michael Tucker comments on the law profession saying “call that an honest living.” Mr. Tucker, not long after his role in “Diner,” played a lawyer on the television show, “L.A. Law.”
Last, one of the characters, a fanatical Baltimore Colts’ fan (his prospective wife must pass a quiz on the team, to assure the marriage) is named “Modell.”
In the film the home 1959 NFL Title game is referenced, though the Colts’ win is not.
The next time the Colts were in the Title game, 5 years later, the Cleveland Browns owned by Art Modell, defeated them (27-0).
Years later, the same Art Modell, moved the Browns to Baltimore, where they became the Baltimore Ravens.
Pictured clockwise: All went onto/continued fine acting careers; Timothy Daly, Mickey Rourke, Daniel Stern, Kevin Bacon, Paul Reiser and Steve Guttenberg
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.
Andy B Sports 