Tag: NBA

Golden Luxury

Source: Stacy Revere / Getty

After falling behind to a tremendous Cleveland Cavalier effort The Golden State Warriors engineered a victory behind 43 points and 13 rebounds from Kevin Durant.

GSW fell behind early enduring a LeBron James triple-double, a great Kevin Love double-double, and 15 points from Rodney Hood off the bench. Hood particularly damaged GSW early into his minutes. Even with all those solid efforts the Cavs could never pull away by no fault of their own. They never commanded the game. No matter how well they defended him, Kevin Durant always made a bucket to keep GSW in the game.

It seemed Cleveland would just get this one. Steph Curry couldn’t hit a three with an Ohio hooker holding his prick and showing him the way. Thanks for the quote Four Leaf. Klay Thompson did not play well either. Andre Iguodala returned tonight but wasn’t the difference many believed. There wasn’t the usual third quarter surge tonight. JaVale McGee microwaved 10 points in 14 minutes but Durant’s 65 FG% carried the squad.

In third quarter GSW managed to catch up but neither team could pull away. Cleveland received contributions from several different players. It seemed like Durant was the only one scoring for his team primarily backing down defenders for fade-aways. With four minutes left in the fourth it was winning time.

Curry finally hit a big three, Iguodala and Draymon Green had massive dunks, but Durant’s three from 30 ft away, reminiscent of last year, slayed The Cavaliers with less than a minute left.

Golden State now needs one more game to win three titles in four years. We should remind ourselves Kevin Durant’s decision two years ago made this possible. He’s the ultimate extravagance. When the two greatest shooters arguably ever go cold they turn to Durant. When he struggles, the splash brothers inevitably overwhelm the opponite.

In the Houston series I had concerns with his play. Durant himself admitted displeasure with his performance. Curry up until tonight lead the team, but when he couldn’t the golden luxury took over. This team seems impossible to defeat and will add another title Friday night.

Golden State can play average but as long as they’re engaged with either Curry, Thompson, or Durant leading the team they will undoubtedly win, every time.

WTF JR

LeBron: “Fool, we tied!”

The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers faced off tonight for the fourth straight Finals. It seemed like no one wanted to see this movie again but game one was as much of a thriller as any over the past four years.

There’s a lot to unpack tonight but my mind is fresh post-game and there’s one overriding thought. GSW got away with another game tonight. They were the better team tonight but Lebron James is still the best player in the world, maybe of all time.

James posted 51 points and almost had a triple double. He got his subpar team to play above their heads for almost the entire game, but when it mattered most everything conveniently turned in GSW’s favor.

In a play that should have been charge on Kevin Durant, James was called for a blocking foul. GSW ties up the game with two free throws. The Zebras has several questionable calls but that one seems the most egregious now.

With less than 5 seconds George Hill could have won the game for The Cavs. Hill made his first free throw tying the score. With Oracle Arena roaring like a Roman mob, Hill missed his last free throw and the most indelible moment of game fell upon JR Smith.

Instead of calling time out, passing it to Lebron, or doing anything of thought Smith tried to run out the clock. When he realized the score was tied, or rallied from drinking too much Hennessy before the game, it was too late. There wasn’t enough time left and the game went to overtime.

The ending shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Steph Curry and gang collected themselves putting Lebron James and the cabbage patch kids away.

I’m frustrated for Lebron. He did everything in his power to win the game. He did everything you could’ve asked of him and more, but it wasn’t enough. Maybe this symbolizes this season for him, and perhaps his career.

The man maximized all possibilities as the leader of the team. James utilized everything to win the game but ultimately his teammates defecated on an opportunity to beat a better team, at times caught with their pants down.

Count It Up

Spin wrote a good take on J. Cole’s album of the moment KOD. They see the lack of solutions in his lyrics as an album weakness. Perhaps he doesn’t have the answers. The answer(s) vary for each personal situation. What may be good for you may not be for me. I don’t take issue with this album. I need to try hear again but there’s so much to listen to right now.

My friend Ryan made a post-Coachella list of strong performances but I haven’t finished those artists yet. Just heard great albums by J. Cole, Say Sue Me (great Japanese indie band), Polythia (I’m addicted), This Curse (great NJ metalcore with no spammy breakdowns), and the new Touché Amoré single.

A Perfect Circle’s album bored me. Listened to a few singles but didn’t want to hear the rest. TesseracT’s new album dulls me too but Sectioned’s, aka the new Dillinger Escape Plan, new album feels like the breaking moment for them. Father John Misty’s new album cycle just started as well. Kanye West and his projects with Nas and Kid Cudi will also demand attention. Last year was pretty great but 2018 already seems like loaded.

Podcasts have also taken their space and priorities with me. You have Round 1 of the NBA playoffs with Lebron struggling, Pelicans surprisingly sweeping The Blazers, Jazz and Thunder, and all the great storylines. This week you the NFL draft unfolds with all its drama. I don’t find this draft particularly strong but maybe the most unpredictable in a few years.

Unfortunately I’ll miss the first few rounds due to work but should be fun to catch up on that night.