The San Antonio Spurs needed one win in two games at Miami last year to win the NBA championship. They did not get either game. This year, they won both games three and four easily, and once again are on the precipice of the NBA title.
San Antonio hopes to win their 5th NBA championship and first since 2007, at home in game five on Sunday night. The Spurs are (4-0) in previous game 5’s of a finals series.
I picked the Spurs to win this series and they are one win from doing so. However, I am surprised that they not only won both games three and four in Miami, but eased to victory in both games. That feat is quite impressive.
As the current NBA finals, between two very good, but not great teams progresses, my thoughts are on three great NBA teams of the past.
Those teams are the 1986 Boston Celtics led by Larry Bird, the 1987 Los Angeles Lakers with Earvin “Magic” Johnson and the 1996 Chicago Bulls featuring Michael Jordan.
They are the only three teams in the past 31 seasons (1984-2014) to win the NBA championship without losing a home game.
The San Antonio Spurs took a 2 games to 1 lead in the NBA finals with an easy victory at Miami vs the Heat in game 3.
The Spurs will look to go up 3 games to 1 in game four tomorrow night in Miami. The Heat have won 13 straight playoff games following a loss.
Remember game 5 is in San Antonio and as I have predicted all along, that will be a key factor in San Antonio eventually winning this series.
It is truly sad that Bob Welch, such a fine major league pitcher, passed away at the far too young age of 57.
He pitched for two World Series winning teams, the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers and the 1989 Oakland Athletics. Additionally he was part of three other pennant winning teams, the 1978 Dodgers, 1988 Athletics and 1990 Athletics.
In 1990 he won 27 games, a number topped only by Denny McLain’s 31, since 1952 (Robin Roberts won 28).
I talked with Bob at the Dodgers’ former and great spring training complex in Vero Beach, Florida during training in 1982.
The Dodgers had won the World Series in the strike marred 1981 season and Bob retired Jerry White in the decisive 5th game of the NLCS to clinch the pennant.
When I asked him about it, Bob, who had yielded a key three run homer to White in game 3, modestly said he thought White would hit the pitch he threw in game 5, 10 miles.
I took out my album to look at a picture of Bob and me from that 1982 meeting. I see a nice field, trees in the distance and Bob holding a bat over his left shoulder.
No “thousand words” here but what comes crackling through: his hair (even mine, I had hair then) blown back in the breeze, life, addictions, caring about sports and who wins.
What matters is living life and doing, which a very brave Bob Welch did.
Overall, despite the horrible logistics that goes with one hundred thousand plus in attendance, I had a very nice time at Belmont Park this past Saturday, when the Belmont Stakes were featured.
Belmont Park is a beautiful place to spend an afternoon. It was especially so with the many ladies in their beautiful clothes, wearing unique, lovely hats.
Quite a bit of serenity washed over me as I looked out at the beauty, in full view from the track. Upon leaving late, the track lit up, reminding a friend of a beautiful cruise ship. A nice sight, which capped a fine day.
The Los Angeles Kings took a (2-0) lead in the Stanley Cup final with a 5-4, double overtime win vs the New York Rangers in game two. Dustin Brown scored the winning goal.
Game one was also an overtime win for the Kings. In each game they trailed (2-0). Justin Williams scored the winning goal in game one.
The Kings also won game seven of their semi-final series vs the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime, after trailing (2-0) in that game.
In 2012, the Kings also won the first two games of the Stanley Cup final in overtime. Those wins were both on the road vs the New Jersey Devils. This time both wins were at home. Game three of this year’s final is in New York on Monday night.
Dustin Brown
It was disappointing this past week to see the entire three game series between the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs played at night.
However, I do not remember three mid week night games with no day games. I looked forward to at least one day game at beautiful Wrigley Field.
Once the Mets played five mid week day games in one series at Wrigley Field in 1970. The Mets unveiled Ken Singleton, and won all five games.
The Mets, within one game of .500 going into the most recent series at Chicago lost all three at night vs the Cubs.
The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA finals opener at home vs the Miami Heat. The Miami team nickname was the operative word as the game was played with no air conditioning in the arena due to a power failure.
The Spurs are (6-0) in finals openers and (5-0) at home. They are (4-1) in previous NBA finals series.
The lone Spurs finals series loss was to the Heat last year. The Heat are (1-4) in finals openers and the game one loser has won all four finals that involved the Heat.
With his usual, arrogant exaggeration, FOX Sports 1 TV and WFAN NYC Radio’s Mike Francesa said “game one means nothing.” First off it does, no matter who wins. Next the Spurs, who opened as seven to five favorites are twelve to five favorites after their game one win.
Since the so often wrong Francesa was so extreme in his statement, I feel very strongly that the game one winner, (my pick anyway, San Antonio) will win the series.
I am not retreating, but I did say the teams will split the first two games. Now anything can happen, but surely the Spurs’ chances are better up (2-0) than (1-1).
Mike Francesa: often wrong
One of the best NBA finals series took place 40 years ago between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.
The Celtics led by playoffs MVP John Havlicek prevailed in seven games.
The most memorable game, and one of the great games in NBA history, was the Bucks’ double overtime win in game six at Boston. Kareem Abdul Jabbar hit a long sky hook shot to win it.
The Celtics then had to win game seven in Milwaukee which they did. They won 3 of 4 games in Milwaukee during the series. The Bucks won 2 of the 3 games played in Boston.
One other note, the great announcer Pat Summerall, best known for football play by play, was the play by play man on CBS’ NBA telecasts.
“The Only Real Game” is a heartwarming, emotionally tugging film that shows baseball’s importance juxtaposed with the bad conditions in Manipur, a once princely state in northeast India which is now a troubled place.
The movie is written and directed by Mirra Bank and narrated by the superb actress, Melissa Leo.
The footage of the country complete with the ever present threat of violence from both the government police and the insurgents is fantastic.
The people interviewed include MK Binodini Devi (Imasi), the late daughter of the last monarch of Manipur. She, like so many other fascinating people revealed in the film, are for progress and hope. Baseball is a big part of that hope.
Baseball for me, as with millions of others, was a part of something beautiful in years past. My love for it has waned exponentially. Yet seeing it in its purest form and even better as transcending the great game it is,as told in this film, I again felt its beauty.
So many involved in this magnificent film deserve notice. Among them baseball teaching volunteers, Jeff Brueggemann and Dave Palese and one of the producers, Muriel “Mike” Peters
Both the organizations Harlem Rbi and First Pitch are making invaluable contributions toward the dream that conditions will improve in Manipur. Baseball is a big part of that dream as shown in this wonderful, inspirational film.
