Not surprisingly the NBA Finals are even at one game apiece. After the Oklahoma City Thunder won by 11 as about 5 point favorites in Game 1 every so called expert I heard picked the Thunder to win game two.This includes the great Rick Barry, who was far ahead of the curve as a critical analyst. The Thunder were 5 and a half point favorites, they were(9-0) at home in these playoffs but the Miami Heat prevailed and with the next three games in Miami, the series is now considered a toss up.
I wrote that I hoped for a short series but expected a long one. No surprise it is (1-1) and I would be shocked if the series does not go back to Oklahoma City. My pick is 6 games and I will settle for that. Cynicism aside and even allowing my strong distaste for the ABC/Disney announcing team, why can’t I just sit back and enjoy some great talent on both teams colliding on the basketball floor?
The Thunder were one win shy of the most consecutive home wins in one playoff year. That mark, unscathed for another year, is shared by three teams who went (10-0) at home in winning the title.Those teams are the 1986 Boston Celtics, 1987 Los Angeles Lakers and the 1996 Chicago Bulls. I believe those three teams are the only teams to go unbeaten at home throughout a playoff year in the 29 seasons, starting in 1984 when it became mandatory to win 4 series to become NBA champions.That goes for any NBA team advancing past the first round.
Finally, this is the 28th year of the current 2-3-2 format in the NBA Finals where the team without home advantage plays the middle three games at home. Thus far, only two home teams, the 2004 Detroit Pistons and 2006 Miami Heat have ever swept those three games. Surprisingly, perhaps, since the road team in those three games is usually considered better, three teams (the 1990 Pistons, 1991Bulls and 2001 Lakers) have won all three “middle” games on the road. Again cynicism aside, these are two strong, not great teams, who are pretty equally matched. Thus I would be very surprised if the series does not go back to Oklahoma City.
The Los Angeles Kings won their first Stanley Cup going (16-4) in the playoffs and (10-1) on the road. It is a great achievement for the Western Conference 8th seed; the Kings beat the top 3 seeds in the West before winning the Cup in six games vs the New Jersey Devils.
Los Angeles won the two Monday games in Los Angeles easily; (4-0) in game 3 and (6-1) in the clincher. Otherwise the series was really competitive with three games decided by one goal, two in overtime. The Kings won both overtime games to open the series in New Jersey with Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter netting the overtime goals. Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick, who shared a touching moment with the Devils great goaltender Martin Brodeur on the handshake line, was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner. Meanwhile coach Darryl Sutter, in his 5th game with a chance to win the Stanley Cup, finally did so.
Overall the playoffs were very exciting with both semi final series ending in overtime and 50 of the 87 games decided by one goal. The Kings clinched at home which ended a 4 year streak of the Cup being clinched on the road. I do not believe there has ever been a 5 year streak of road, Stanley Cup clinchers. The Stanley Cup was clinched by the home team 9 straight years from (1949-1957).
Los Angeles becomes the 6th city to have a Title in all 4 major sports leagues with the football title belonging to the Rams, (who are now in St.Louis,) in 1951. The other cities are the four United States cities that had hockey teams when the NHL had only six teams namely New York, Chicago, Detroit and Boston. Philadelphia like Los Angeles, granted an NHL franchise that began play in the 1967-1968 season, also has a title in all 4 major sports leagues. This Kings’ title with its varying perception (they were underdogs to the Vancouver Canucks and St.Louis Blues and favorites vs the Phoenix Coyotes and the Devils) and their incredible play especially on the road, is certainly one to remember.
It will be the Miami Heat vs the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 66th NBA Finals and 2nd that will conclude a partial season. The other such season was in 1999. Each team features a trio of outstanding players. Miami has LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Bosh impressed by returning from injury to hit many big shots in the Heat’s 7th game win vs the Celtics. Oklahoma City has Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden leading the way.
Oklahoma City will have the home advantage in a series that could end as late as June 26th. The series has a 2-3-2 format meaning the Thunder will host the first two games while games 3, 4 and 5 if necessary will be in Miami. Games 6 and 7 would be back in Oklahoma City, if necessary. I hope it ends quickly, but likely it will go at least 6 games–let’s really hope not 7. I do not really care about Disney stockholder’s getting richer, do you?
I missed Johan Santana’s no hit game vs the world champion Cardinals which was the first in Mets’ history. My mind wandered to the three times George Seaver took a no hitter into the 9th inning. “Tom” yielded hits to Jimmy Qualls, Leron Lee and Joe “Tarzan” Wallis.
In the “Wallis game” the Mets did not even win the game. As I recall the first one vs Qualls, I watched on television while the other two I heard on the radio. I know the “Wallis” game was not televised but likely the July 4th “Leron Lee” game was televised. Maybe I just remember the radio call and certainly remember my Yankees fan acquaintance cheering when Lee broke up Seaver’s no hit bid.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, nee Seattle Supersonics, are in the NBA finals for the 4th time in franchise history and a first time as the Thunder, in just their 4th season in Oklahoma City after moving from Seattle following the 2007-2008 season.
Oklahoma City features a three pronged attack of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, (both of whom wear glasses at the post game press conferences), and the bearded James Harden. They beat the San Antonio Spurs in six games after losing the first two games. After winning the first two games, San Antonio had won 20 straight games including 10 in the playoffs but the Thunder became just the third NBA team to lose the first two games of a best of 7 NBA semi-final and then win the next four.
Oddly, the Thunder may face a team attempting to become the 4th team to pull “the lose 2, win 4” feat in the NBA semi-finals in the Finals. That is because after losing the first two games at Miami, the Boston Celtics won the next three.
The Thunder will have the home court advantage in the finals whether their opponent is the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat. While the state of Oklahoma won many college football “mythical” titles with Oklahoma University, this is their first chance at a major professional league title and it is in just the 4th year of any such major sport’s league involvement in Oklahoma.
This is the Los Angeles Kings’ second appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. In their other appearance, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Kings in 5 games, winning 3 games in overtime. That was in 1993,the last of the Canadiens’ record 24 titles, when they went (10-1) in overtime games, winning the last 10.
The Kings are (5-0) in overtime and far more impressive are (10-0) on the road in these playoffs. Game 3 of the finals in Los Angeles is on the 44th anniversary of the tragic shooting death of Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles. The Kings had completed their first season and now in their 44th are prohibitive favorites to win the Stanley Cup.
Earlier on the night of Tuesday June 4,1968, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale set a major league record with his 6th consecutive shutout. Senator Kennedy took time during his speech following the California primary to congratulate Drysdale. “Big D” (Drysdale) died of a heart attack in 1993, less than 2 months after the Kings lost in the Stanley Cup finals.
Finally, in the way of Los Angeles sports and perspective, LeRoy Ellis, a valuable reserve on the great Los Angeles Laker’s championship team of 1971-1972, died at the age of 72 last week. Sadly, Ellis is the third member of that great and some say greatest NBA team, that won a major sports league record 33 consecutive games, to pass away. Wilt Chamberlain and Harold “Happy” Hairston also are deceased. “HHH” evokes the name, Hubert Horatio Humphrey, who was the Democratic presidential candidate in 1968. He lost the election to Richard Nixon and the Lakers had a fine 2 Title teams, guard named Norm Nixon. Oh stop me from “wandering” but better to think of trivia and degrees of separation than the RFK senseless killing.
LeRoy Ellis
I truly liked the play, “Lonely,I’m Not” which stars Topher Grace and Olivia Thirlby as two complicated, troubled people (aren’t we all?!) who hope to find love with each other. Olivia’s “Heather” character lost her eyesight at age 2 and she is beyond driven at work, frequently working on Sundays. Topher Grace, best known to audiences as Eric Forman on “That ’70s Show” plays a character named Porter a “Ninja” in his day, whose “drive” at work manifested in a nervous breakdown. The chemistry between Grace and Thirlby is great and it is a quite touching story.
The cast also includes Maureen Sebastian, Christopher Jackson, Lisa Emery and Mark Blum, all of whom play at least 2 roles and in most cases three. They include Porter’s father, who is distant and fraudulent and Heather’s protective mother. Another character had introduced Porter and Heather thinking they would hit it off because they were both screwed up. Again, aren’t we all, but these two characters show they are good people, ones to wish well. “Lonely I’m Not” is far from unrealistic and proved a memorable, very good theater experience. It is playing at the Second Stage Theatre.
The day before I saw the show, I heard Topher Grace on the radio show “New York and Company,” hosted by Leonard Lopate. He talked about “making out” with Scarlett Johansson in another Paul Weitz story, “In Good Company.”
After the play, I was flipping channels and happened upon Topher’s Eric kissing Laura Prepon’s character, Donna on “That ’70’s Show. “So Topher gets to kiss these three beautiful women. As I once said to Jack Scalia, who played love scenes with Linda Gray on “Dallas” (Gray and Dallas again starting mid month) “tough work but someone has to do it.”
Recently a great event was held at an equally great place, Rick’s Cabaret in New York City. The occasion was a birthday party for Alexis Ford, the current “Pet of the Month” in Penthouse magazine.
There were celebrities, fine food, and a really friendly, tasteful atmosphere. Rick’s Cabaret is the epitome of a classy gentleman’s club and this night illustrated their great hospitality. The press was out in abundance asking questions and taking pictures of and with Alexis Ford, who handled all the requests with charm.
Alexis is a beautiful woman and she exudes sensuality. She answered all questions candidly and professionally. It was quite an impressive showing by this “June 2012 Penthouse Pet” and we wish her a great deal of luck in her time with Penthouse as well as her future endeavors.
Alexis will have quite a busy schedule in the coming weeks but I think her candid answers and determination will be great advantages for her during the publicity campaign. It was great to see her and interview her on a great night at Rick’s Cabaret in New York City.
It will be the New Jersey Devils vs the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Kings, who were the 8th seed in the NHL Western Conference, are nearly 9 to 5 favorites to hoist their first Stanley Cup. This despite the fact that the Devils have home ice advantage and that the team with home ice advantage has won 19 of the past 24 finals. However,the team without home ice advantage, has won 2 of the last 3 finals series.
It shapes up as a very good series with two outstanding goaltenders in the Devils’ Martin Brodeur and the Kings’ Jonathan Quick. The Kings are (12-2) in the playoffs while the Devils are (12-6).This has to be the first time in major sports league’s history that both finalists made it winning three playoff series without home advantage.The 1995 Devils are the only NHL team to ever win the Stanley Cup by winning all 4 playoff series sans home ice advantage. That year the Houston Rockets did the same in the NBA playoffs. They are the only teams in major sports league history to accomplish that feat. The Kings have a chance to become the third team to do it and their opponents have also defied the odds by winning three series without home ice advantage.
It was a tremendous evening at the Avon Center in Stamford, Connecticut that featured the great actor Frank Langella. There was a screening of Mr. Langella’s new film “The Robot and Frank.” That was followed by a question and answer session with the 74 year old actor who starred in such films as “Dracula,” “The Twelve Chairs” and “Frost/Nixon.” Finally, Mr.Langella signed copies of his new book “Dropped Names.”
The film, “The Robot and Frank,” is going to dazzle audiences. It is humorous but also realistic about the aging process. Both Susan Sarandon and Liv Tyler have prominent roles and Langella told the audience of how after shooting a scene that was late in the film, Sarandon, Tyler and Langella himself all had to rush off to catch various modes of transportation to work on their next projects.
The book “Dropped Names” promises to be an excellent, page turning read. Mr.Langella recalls his experiences with people he encountered over the years, who are now deceased. I have read about the first few people and the stories were great. What a life! Keep going, Frank, and with new movies (he will play former Chief Justice Warren Berger in a movie about Muhammad Ali’s case before The Supreme Court) and the book it looks as though he will.
Andy B Sports 