The "pivotal" game five of the NBA Finals was played in Dallas last night and the Mavericks prevailed in what many believe was one of the best NBA Finals games of recent history. The series now shifts to Miami where the Heat have a chance to repeat what the LA Lakers did last year by winning the final two games to take the title. I love when the NBA Finals go back to the site of Games 1 & 2 with the higher ranked team trailing 3-2.
In the NHL, the pivotal Game five will be played tonight at Vancouver as the Bruins played two tremendous games at home to tie the series at 2-2. The series is now a best of three with Vancouver hosting the first and possibly last game. The pressure shifted to the Canucks who must play better than they did in the games played in Boston. The Bruins have some serious momentum.
The issue for the NHL will be fatigue. The physical and challenging series is now stretching out and the coast-to-coast flights will begin to take their toll o the skaters and goalkeepers. The (potential) transcontinental travel was one of the reasons the NBA shifted from the traditional format to the 2-3-2, that coming after a Phila-LA series in '83 and two Boston-to-LA NBA Finals in '84 and '85. The 1986 NBA Finals was the first modern day series to be 2-3-2 and their were many a critic who claimed that it was damn near impossible for a team to win three games in a row on its home court in the middle of the series. The NBA also cited the extra cost of moving the series from city to city especially for media paying to cover the travel costs.
The NHL, although with a small media contingent, helps media defray costs and save time by chartering planes that move NHL staff and media back and forth. Smart move for sure.
Usually very opinionated on the issues, I find myself undecided on this issue. Each method has its merits. The purist in me likes the 2-2-1-1-1 but the 2-3-2 has the upside of keeping the players less fatigued which would be my prime concern. Tough call. I'd love to hear your views.
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I got a kick out of the Boston fans who "respected" the playing of the Canadian national anthem, then sang the Star Spangled Banner at the top of their lungs to show support to the USA-based Bruins over the Vancouver Canucks of British Columbia. The subject was broached by Bill Simmons in his "Grantland.com" column today. The question I pose: Aren't most of the Bruins players from Canada?
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I can't wait to see the media barrage and Twitter barrage to come from Dallas Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban when the NBA Finals conclude. And, if Cuban takes the high road, he'll officially have grown up as an NBA team owner.
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David "Big Papi" Ortiz has found the fountain of youth (in addition to being in his final contract year). May he spread it to: Peja Stojakovic, Gilbert Arenas, Chad Pennington, Allen Iverson, and Tim Duncan.
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Pardon me if you saw this on my Twitter account, but wouldn't it be great if NBA Commissioner David Stern walked into the next collective bargaining meeting with Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo and Bob Lanier at his side? All the former players - who were each deeply involved in union negotiations in the playing days - are now considered management.
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I don't know if it is FIOS subscribers only, but I am sick of seeing the girl who goes to college in her pajamas for 'education connection." Who is funding these commercials and what was the finanacial deal?
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Top Rank has announced that boxer Mike Lee will make his California debut in a bout at the Home Depot Center in Carson on July 9th. Lee's next scheduled fight, after the July 9 bout, will be a September 16 charity affair at the University of Notre Dame, his alma mater.
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Name the all-time greatest NBA international player? I'll narrow it down for you: Hakeem Olajuwon or Dirk Nowitzki?
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In past NBA Finals when the series is tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 (Dallas) has gone on to win 19-of-25 series. But, when 1-1, the winner of Game 3 (Miami) is 11-0. Go figure.
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Nenad Krystic is the first international player this year to take the money and run. The free agent center who finished up the 2010-11 NBA season riding the bench for the Celtics, took an offer with CSKA-Moscow. By the way, former CSKA and Italian national team coach Ettore Messina signed as an assistant for Mike Brown in LA. In Toronto, Jay Troiano, the first non-American to be a head coach in the NBA, was fired by Toronto. Heat Coach Eric Spoelstra is part Filipino.
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NBA referee Bob Delaney has officiated his last playoff game and has retired after 25 years running the NBA floors. Here's to a great run, Bob.
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Congrats to Alex Wolff and Jim Durham, winners of the Basketball Hall of Fame's Gowdy Media Awards for 2011.
Congrats to Alex Wolff and Jim Durham, winners of the Basketball Hall of Fame's Gowdy Media Awards for 2011.
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Honors: NBA champion (1994, '95); NBA Finals MVP (1994, '95); NBA MVP (1994); Defensive Player of Year (1993, '94); All-NBA First Team (1987, '88, '89, '93, '94, '97); All-NBA Second Team ('86, '90, '96); Third Team (1991, '95, '99); All-Defensive First Team ('87, '88, '90, '93, '94); 12-time All-Star; One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History ('96); Olympic gold medalist ('96).
Dirk is a fine, fine player but ...
It would be Hakeem - hands down.
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