While following the Oklahoma City Thunder in their semi-final series with the San Antonio Spurs, I recall the wonderful Seattle Super Sonics, the franchise that was uprooted to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder.
In thinking about “Downtown” Fred Brown, the great Seattle uniforms, and staying up very late to watch the Sonics, I uncovered a note you likely will not find very easily.
This is the seventh time (counting their days as the Sonics) that the Thunder franchise has played games three and four of the NBA semi-finals at home. All seven times the game three winner also won game four.
The two time defending champion Miami Heat have a three games to one semi-final series lead vs the Indiana Pacers.
Thus the Heat are prohibitive favorites to join the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers franchises as the only ones to make as many as four straight appearances in the NBA finals.
LeBron James has been brilliant as Miami has won three straight games, since dropping the opening game of the series in Indiana.
The Pacers’ road semi-final series games record dropped to (5-22). They have lost in six of their previous 7 NBA semi-final series and likely it will be 7 of 8 semi-final series losses after this one.
LeBron James
This is the 21st best of seven semi-final series in New York Rangers’ history and just the second time they have led a series three games to one.
In 1972 vs the Chicago Blackhawks, the Rangers won a semi-final series in four straight games. However, 18 other times they were no better than (2-2) in a best of seven semi-final series.
By the way, the other time they led (3-1) in a semi-final series was in 1950 vs the Montreal Canadiens, the same team they are facing now. The Rangers won that “semi” in five games.
1972 NY Rangers
The opposing shortstops in the 1959 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox were Maury Wills and Luis Aparicio.
Both men are among the great stolen base kings of all time.
Aparicio led the American League in stolen bases for nine consecutive seasons from 1956-1964.
Wills won six straight National League stolen base titles from 1960-1965.
In the ’59 World Series opener, Jim Gilliam, who would become a great number two (in the lineup) hitter behind Wills, was the Dodgers leadoff hitter.
Aparicio was the White Sox leadoff batter. Nelson Fox, like Gilliam a great second place hitter, batted next for the White Sox.
Aparicio and Wills in 1966
The Miami Heat are over ten to one favorites to win their semi-final series vs the Indiana Pacers.
The Heat, getting the usual fine performances from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, eased to a victory in game 3 of their series vs the Indiana Pacers.
Miami now leads two games to one but I still predict a seven game series. The Pacers record in road semi-final games dropped to (5-21).
I think the Pacers will win game four on the road. Let’s see what happens, as that is why they play the games.
This past week the Oakland A’s won a game getting just one hit. This evoked memories of the one and only Reggie Jackson.
Some people like Reggie, others do not, and some dispute his greatness. Few rational people deny his great clutch play.
The A’s won game four of their 1974 ALCS vs the Baltimore Orioles keyed by Reggie Jackson’s double, high off the wall at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium. It was the A’s only hit in a pennant clinching win.
The game was played on a weekday afternoon. It was one of many huge hits by Mr. Jackson in his storied career and truly a memory from days long since (Margaret Mitchell’s famous title and concept, namely) “Gone With The Wind.”
The cities of Chicago and Los Angeles have a storied history, and often a direct sports rivalry.
The current NHL semi-final series between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Los Angeles Kings is the thirteenth playoff meeting between sports teams from the two large U.S. cities.
Hockey, Basketball, Football and Baseball Teams from the cities of Chicago and Los Angeles have met twelve times before in playoff sports series.
Twice the cities have met for the league championship. In 1959, the L.A. Dodgers, in just their second West coast season, beat the Chicago White Sox in the World Series.
By 1991 the Bulls were in the NBA East and Chicago beat the Lakers to win the first of their six championships.
In watching the very enjoyable “A Kiss in the Dark,” a 1949 film on Turner Classic Movies, I noticed a coincidence that involves Notre Dame University football.
The movie starred David Niven and Jane Wyman (who by the way looked awesome in shorts). Ms. Wyman was the first wife of Ronald Reagan.
The 40th U.S. President, Mr. Reagan was also an actor–all presidents are–but he made a living as one before entering politics. One of, if not his most famous role, was as Notre Dame player George Gipp, in the film “Knute Rockne All American,” which starred Pat O’Brien as coach Rockne.
In “A Kiss in the Dark,” Ms. Wyman, whose character is in love with Niven’s character, admonishes hulking Bruce Arnold, played by Wayne Morris, after he hugs her too hard.
” Must you always be acting as though you are charging through the Notre Dame 5 yard line?,” are her approximate words.
Both the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are huge favorites in their semi-final series at this time.
The Heat opened the series as three and a half to one favorites and are nearly four to one favorites right now. This is after the Heat took home advantage away from the Indiana Pacers, by winning game two in Indiana.
I believe the Pacers will win a game in Miami in this series. My prediction remains the Heat to win the series in seven games.
The Spurs were originally eight to five favorites vs the Oklahoma City Thunder in their semi-final series. After it was revealed that the Thunder’s Serge Ibaka would not play due to injury, San Antonio became slightly over two to one favorites. After an easy win in game one, the Spurs are over four to one favorites.
I certainly think that the Spurs will win the series, but put it this way, if I were the “house” and could get four to one odds with “OKC,” I would do so.
Serge Ibaka–not playing
The New York Rangers are most likely headed to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 1994.
They made it five straight wins, four on the road, taking a two games to none lead in the semi-finals, with a (3-1) win at Montreal vs the Canadiens.
During the streak Martin St. Louis scored key goals in three of the Rangers’ wins and Brad Richards had the game winning goal in game seven at Pittsburgh vs the Penguins. These two Ranger stars played on a Stanley Cup winner when they were both members of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.
The Rangers have not lost since the sudden death of Martin St. Louis’ mother. The Canadiens will be without goaltender Carey Price for the remainder of the series. It looks like the Rangers in five games.
Martin St. Louis
Andy B Sports 