I was fortunate enough to have been in attendance at the sixth game of the 1986 World Series when the New York Mets down by two runs and with two outs and nobody on, rallied to “(6-5)” the Boston Red Sox in ten innings.
That victory forced a seventh and deciding game which the Mets won. It is an arguable point as to whether that game defeat for the Red Sox was worse than the one suffered by the San Antonio Spurs last night.
The Miami Heat, down by four points with thirty seconds left and Manu Ginobili “popping free throws” and in other dire situations just after, somehow forced overtime and won game six.
That sets up a “ratings bonanza” for Disney in the form of a seventh and deciding game, with the NBA title on the line Thursday night in Miami.
The result of that game could alter the historical ranking and perspective of this Spurs’ defeat. Obviously, if the six point underdog Spurs, win #7 then much, if not all the “horror” of the game six loss will vanish.
However, if the Heat do prevail at home, (20 of the last 22 home teams have won the “title on the line” 7th game and teams suffering horrible defeats in game six, as the Spurs did last night, have all lost) this will rank among the worst defeats ever.
Now thank goodness I have this in proper perspective. I relate to (events in) Turkey and am not one. More important things abound than game seven of the NBA finals, compelling though it may be.
The Spurs were up by four points with 24 seconds left and Ginobili could only the “split the pair” as the great Cleveland Cavaliers announcer Joe Tait would say.
Next, Miami’s LeBron James twice missed three point field goal attempts but each time a Heat player got and made one on the same possession. Ray Allen’s three point shot tied the game with five seconds to play.
After that, Tony Parker, who shot but 6 of 23 from the field, made but one of two foul shots with the Spurs ahead by two points in the overtime. Earlier and in between the three point field goals made by James to cut the Spurs lead to two points and the tying shot by Allen, the Spurs Kawhi Leonard also made but one of two free throws.
Hence missed free throws and bad bounces leading to Miami 3 point field goals, manifested in a game seven tomorrow night.
Since the Pittsburgh Pirates led by the great Willie Stargell won game seven of the 1979 World Series at Baltimore, home teams as stated above, have won 20 of 22 finals’ game sevens in the major sports leagues.
At one point the streak was 18 straight wins for the home team in such games.The two most recent NHL game sevens of the finals were won by the road team. The seventh game win by the Pittsburgh Penguins at Detroit vs the Red Wings in 2009, ended the 18 game home winning streak in the “winner take all” game.
In the NBA, the current streak is five straight wins for the home team with three involving current Miami Heat President Pat Riley. Riley’s teams are (1-2) in previous game sevens of the finals.
The Washington Bullets, now known as the Washington Wizards, are the last road team to win game seven of the NBA finals. They won game seven at Seattle vs the SuperSonics, who are now the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In baseball the home team has won 9 straight game sevens in the World Series. In hockey after 6 straight home team wins, the visitor has won the last two game sevens in the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Boston Bruins took a two games to one lead in the Stanley Cup finals by posting a (2-0) win vs the Chicago Blackhawks in game three at Boston.
After dropping game one to Chicago in triple overtime, the Bruins won (2-1) in overtime in game two. Daniel Paille, not only won game two with an overtime goal, but scored the opening/ game winning goal in game three.
Goaltender Tuukka Rask has been splendid and recorded his third shutout of the semi-finals and finals. He has allowed but three goals in the six Bruins’ wins in those rounds. Chicago had four goals to hand the Bruins their only loss of the two rounds in game one of the finals.
A third outstanding player to cite is Patrice Bergeron, who had the Cup winning goal for Boston in 2011. In these playoffs, as the Bruins bid to win a second Stanley Cup in three seasons for the third time in their history, he had the tying and winning goals in the Bruins’ miracle win in game seven vs the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Bergeron also had a goal in game three last night. In game three of the “semis” vs the favored Pittsburgh Penguins he scored in the second overtime to give Boston a commanding (3-0) series lead.
As cited above the Bruins, who are seeking their seventh Stanley Cup in their 88 year history, are bidding to win a second Cup in three seasons, for a third time.
Boston won the Stanley Cup in 1939 and then 1941. A 29 year drought ensued before Bobby Orr’s “flying through the air” goal on Mother’s Day (May 10th), 1970 ended the drought.
Two years later Orr again had the Cup winning goal, putting the Bruins ahead to stay as Gerry Cheevers shutout the New York Rangers (3-0) in game six of the finals to clinch a second title in three seasons. It was the second time the Bruins accomplished that feat.
The Bruins ended a 39 year “Cup drought” (a year after the Chicago Blackhawks ended a 49 year one), by winning game seven of the finals at Vancouver in 2011.
That year the Bruins were (5-0) on Mondays in the playoffs including home wins in games three and six of the finals.
Last night was the Bruins’ 10th straight Monday playoffs win and fourth this season. That includes the miracle win vs Toronto in the preliminary round.
In that seventh and series deciding game, now five weeks ago, Boston trailed (4-1) but rallied to win (5-4) in overtime. Now they are two wins away from the title. Perhaps Boston will get a chance to make it 11 straight Monday wins and clinch the Cup title at home for the first time since 1970. Game six, if necessary is scheduled in Boston next Monday night.
For the third straight year the NBA season will end in Miami. In 2011 the Dallas Mavericks clinched the title in six games at Miami vs the Heat. Last year the Heat clinched the title at home in game five vs the Oklahoma City Thunder. Game six and a potential game seven of this year’s finals are scheduled to be played in Miami.
The San Antonio Spurs, who are (4-0) in game five of the NBA finals, took a three games to two series lead by winning their last home game of the series, game five, last night.
In both 2003 and 2005, the Spurs won game five of a (2-2) NBA finals series on the road before coming home to win their second and third titles. The Spurs also clinched their first title with a game five, road win in 1999.
San Antonio has a (4-0) record in previous NBA finals, only the Chicago Bulls at (6-0), have a better finals record in any of the major North American sports leagues.
Teams with a three games to two, NBA finals lead, but facing the potential last two games on the road, are (5-4) in previous series.
The first team to win in that situation were the 1985 L.A.Lakers (at Boston, to win their first finals vs the Celtics in nine tries). Next, both the 1993 and 1998 Bulls turned the trick, at Phoenix and Utah respectively. Then the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks accomplished the feat against each other, the Heat clinching at Dallas in 2006 while the Mavericks “titled” at Miami in 2011.
The first team to overcome a (3-2) NBA finals deficit were the Syracuse Nationals in 1955. The Nats led by the great Dolph Schayes, also won the last two at home in the 2-3-2 format, that was in place in the NBA finals that season. After that season it was another thirty years before the 2-3-2 format came back in the NBA finals.
That 1955 series in which Syracuse defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons in seven games is also the only all home team final in the 67 NBA finals contested in league history. That includes this year (1947-2013).
The 1988 Los Angeles Lakers coached by Pat Riley (vs the Detroit Pistons), the 1994 Houston Rockets vs the Pat Riley coached New York Knicks and the 2010 Lakers vs the Boston Celtics are the three other teams to win the last two games of the finals at home and of course, claim the title.
Pat Riley is currently the Miami Heat team president. He was the Heat coach in 2006 and in his current role in 2011. Thus Riley, with three different teams, has been involved in six of the ten NBA finals in which a team came home for the potential last two games, trailing the series three games to two.
Riley’s teams are (3-2) in previous situations and it spans a period of 28 years and 29 NBA finals.
Pat Riley
Likely, though far from certainly, the Chicago Blackhawks’ three overtime win in game one of the Stanley Cup Finals augurs well for them.
Certainly history is on their side. This is the first Blackhawks vs (Boston) Bruins final. However, the final’s history of both teams points to game one winners taking the Stanley Cup.
Additionally, the game one winner has gone up (2-0) in the last five Bruins’ finals, each time against the Bruins, as Boston has now lost six straight final’s openers.
The Bruins are in their 19th Stanley Cup Final (they are 6-12) and only twice, in the previous 18, has the game one loser won the series. The first time was in 1974 when the Bruins won the series opener (their last final’s opener win) on Bobby Orr’s late goal but lost the series in six games to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The key game in that series was the Flyers’ win at Boston in game two. In that game, Andre “Moose” Dupont had a late tying goal before the great Bobby Clarke won the game in overtime.
Two years ago, the Bruins down (2-0) in the finals to the Vancouver Canucks, rallied to win the series in seven games, hoisting their first Stanley Cup in 39 years.
The last six Chicago Blackhawks’ finals have stood at (2-0) which “Chi” hopes is the case after tonight’s game two in Chicago, where the Blackhawks are (10-1) this post season. Four of those were vs Chicago while two, including the 2010 finals, when Chicago won their first title in 49 years, were (2-0) in the Blackhawks’ favor.
The Blackhawks are in their 12th finals series (they are 4-7 going into this one) and only in 1971, when Chicago was up two games to none, but lost in seven games to the Montreal Canadiens, did the game one winner not win the final’s series. The great Henri Richard had the tying and winning goals for Montreal in game seven.
Bobby Orr
Andre Moose Dupont
Bobby Clarke
Henri Richard
Only game one was close but the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are tied at two games apiece.
After the Spurs routed the Heat in game three, Miami came back to win game four last night. Game five is in San Antonio on Sunday night. The series shifts back to Miami for game six on Tuesday and a seventh game, if necessary on Thursday June 20th.
Since the 2-3-2 format (the team with the better record at home for the first two games and the potential last two with the middle two or three games on the road) the team winning game three of a (1-1) series has won 11 of 12 times.
The lone exception was when the Heat took a (2-1) series lead with a win at Dallas in 2011 but lost the series in six games.
The fifth game is considered even while the Heat will be about six point favorites in any game(s) to be played in Miami.
For the first time in history, it will be the Chicago Blackhawks vs the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals. The series begins tonight in Chicago, as the top ranked Blackhawks have home ice advantage.
The Blackhawks ousted the defending champion Los Angeles Kings in five games. Patrick Kane had the three goal “hat trick,” including the series clinching goal, in the second overtime, of game five.
Meanwhile the Boston Bruins completely dominated the East top seed, Pittsburgh Penguins, sweeping their semi-final series in four games. The Bruins held the Penguins to only two goals in the four games. Incredible!
Though Chicago is about an eight to five favorite, I think this series is too close to call.
I truly hope two great “Bobbys” of the past are shown during the series. The Blackhawks had Bobby Hull while the Bruins had Bobby Orr. Oh what great memories watching each of those greats!
Bobby Orr
Bobby Hull
The NBA finals between the defending champion Miami Heat, and the San Antonio Spurs are tied at one game apiece.
The Spurs paced by Tony Parker won game one while the Heat eased to a win in game two.
This is the 32nd consecutive year in which the entire NBA finals are being televised live to the national audience. 32 is my favorite number as it was worn by Sandy Koufax and Jim Brown, two who have never “sold out.” It was also worn by two former favorites “O.J.” and “Dr. J,” Simpson and Erving respectively, two who did.
Speaking of selling, a (1-1) series is better for the networks than one that is (2-0). This is the 16th, half of the 32, to be (1-1) after two games.
All three of the major networks, (once they were virtually the only choices for television viewing, now there is another major over the air network, Fox, and a plethora of cable channels) CBS, NBC, and ABC have televised the NBA finals in those 32 seasons.
From (1982-1990), CBS had five (1-1) finals and four that were (2-2). NBC “played under .500,” getting only five of twelve (1-1) finals from 1991-2002. However, NBC had Mr. (Michael) Jordan in six of those finals. I doubt their ratings suffered. ABC in its 11th season of televising the NBA finals has six (1-1) and five (2-0) starts.
It very likely will be the Boston Bruins vs the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals. If it manifests, Boston/Chicago will be the first all “original six” Cup Finals since the Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Rangers in 1979.
Recently, I watched a tape of a weekly NHL show that was reviewing the 1990 playoffs, around the midway point. There was a trivia question asking when the last all original six finals matchup took place?
I could have answered but needed more time. However, I ascertained there had not been one since 1979 and sensed there would be one this year. As usual, I did little about it.
The Bruins hope to wrap up their semi-final series vs the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight. Recall, three years ago, a year the Blackhawks won the Cup, that the Bruins dissipated a three to nothing series lead vs the Philadelphia Flyers in the quarterfinal round. The 7th game loss, in which Boston blew a (3-0) lead, took place on a Friday night in Boston.
Two years ago, the Bruins completed a 4 game sweep of the Flyers, also in the quarterfinals, clinching the series with a Friday night home win. The Bruins went on to win the Stanley Cup. Today is Friday.
The Blackhawks handed the defending champion, Los Angeles Kings their first home loss of the playoffs. Chicago took a seemingly, commanding three games to one series lead with a (3-2) win in L.A. last night. The Kings were (8-0) at home in these playoffs before their loss last night.
It will be the defending NBA champion and top ranked Miami Heat vs the San Antonio Spurs in what shapes up as a compelling NBA final.
The Heat are slightly over two-to-one favorites, but are facing a franchise that is (4-0) in NBA finals. The Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and their forward Tim Duncan were there for all four titles, each in odd years (’99, ’03, ’05 and ’07: the last one a four game sweep vs LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.) 2013, is of course, an “odd” year.
Additionally, both Tony Parker, no longer married to Eva Longoria but an even better player (basketball) than he was then, and Manu Ginobili have contributed mightily to three Spurs’ title teams. They are still there. I wish the great Spurs player George Gervin, known as “The Ice Man,” had even one title, but it was not destined to happen.
The Heat beat the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the semi final round. Indiana is (5-20) in road semi-final games, (0-4) in game seven, all on the road. The Spurs swept the Memphis Grizzlies and have gone nine days sans a game, before game one of the finals.
Speaking of game one, it is tonight in Miami. The Spurs as mentioned (4-0) in NBA finals are also (4-0) in game one of the finals.
It is different concerning the Heat and game one of the finals. Miami (2-1) in previous finals is (1-2) in finals openers. In fact, the team winning the opener in a “Finals” involving the Heat, lost the series all three times. Other than finals involving the Heat, the team winning the finals opener has gone on to win the series 16 of the last 18 times starting in 1992.
No prediction: too close to call, but I really think the Heat need to win game one. Likely the series will be (1-1) and go at least six games. That is not saying much so after my Heat in six pick vs Indiana (they won in seven, no real credit for that either) I will GUESS the Heat in seven.
Miami has never played a seven game final but just played in their third seven game, semi-final series.
The Spurs played in one seven game final (vs the Detroit Pistons, who were defending champions,in 2005) and lost their only seven game, NBA “semi” to the defending champion Washington Bullets, despite 40 plus points by George Gervin in 1979. That was their first NBA semi-final series. Since that one, “S.A.” has been in eleven semis, not one going seven games.
Click for a look back at George Gervin
David “Deacon” Jones died yesterday. So few are truly great in even one category, but Mr. Jones certainly was a true great when rushing the passer.
You will read about sacks and no stats for such, when Jones, part of the Los Angeles Rams’ “Fearsome Foursome,” played in the NFL, peaking in the late 1960’s.
One does not need stats to attest to Jones’ greatness, one only needed to see him play.
Though the Rams never even made a Super Bowl appearance, they had some tremendous teams including the 1967 team that won the Coastal Division (remember the Coastal Division?!!). That team had just one loss, beating an undefeated Baltimore Colts’ team in the final game to claim the crown.
In those days, home field was not based on record, and the (11 wins, 1 loss, 2 ties) Rams had to go to Green Bay where they lost to the (9 wins, 4 losses, 1 tie) Packers.
Sadly, with “Deacon’s” death, only Rosey Grier remains from the original “Fearsome Foursome.” The great player, Roger Brown, who replaced Grier after the latter’s retirement, is alive.
Both Merlin Olsen and Lamar Lundy, the other members of the original “Fearsome Foursome,” are deceased. We cite on this 45th anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy’s tragic death, the fact Mr. Grier, a friend of Senator Kennedy, was there when the shooting occurred.
Deacon Jones gained commercial success and did some acting. He was not in “Brian’s Song” but in a great dinner scene, James Caan playing the tragic hero Brian Piccolo, talks of a busted play vs the Rams. He runs right into that great line and laments saying “Hello Deacon, hello Merlin (Olsen) how’s the family?
Now David can join Merlin and “Pic” and look after the family that should be the human race. Maybe it will help.
click to see Deacon Jones on pop culture TV Show
