Friday, May 27, 2016

NBA Update

We are getting close to the end of the conference finals.  Here's where we stand (home teams listed first):

EASTERN CONFERENCE:
Cleveland 115 - 84 Toronto
Cleveland 108 - 89 Toronto
Toronto 99 - 84 Cleveland
Toronto 105 - 99 Cleveland
Cleveland 116 - 78 Toronto

This series could end up as the most boring seven-game series ever played in the Conference Finals.  Game Seven would be in Cleveland, and it seems very unlikely that Toronto could win that game.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:
Golden St. 102 - 108 Oklahoma City
Golden St. 118 - 91 Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City 133 - 105 Golden St.
Oklahoma City 118 - 94 Golden St.
Golden St. 120 - 111 Oklahoma City

Golden State's season has come down to one game, tomorrow night in Oklahoma City.  If the Warriors win that game, they save their season and still have a chance of being regarded as one of the best teams of all time.  On the other hand, if the Thunder can close out this series, then OKC gets its re-match with LeBron, and Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook get their own chance to go down in the history books.  And if Billy Donovan can lead his team to victories over San Antonio and Golden State, everyone will have to re-think his place in the history books.  I have always been a big fan of Billy Donovan, and I have always thought he was a great coach, but I certainly didn't think he was good enough to get this OKC team to the finals.

30 comments:

  1. Well, shoot.

    I think I'm going to root for Cleveland against whoever comes out of the West. I like LeBron James.

    ReplyDelete
  2. OKC leads 77-75 with 3 minutes left in the third quarter.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The highs and lows of Russell Westbrook. He shoots a bad three, which misses -- but then he steals the ball back and sets up Kevin Durant for two free throws.

    So far, Westbrook has taken 19 shots, while Durant has taken 23 -- that's usually good for the Thunder.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Durant makes 1 of 2 free throws. 78-75. And then Westbrook picks up ANOTHER loose ball and sets up two more free throws. Serge Ibaka makes 1 of 2.

    Now OKC leads 79-75 with 2:18 left in the third.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Andrew Bogut misses two free throws for the Warriors, and then the Thunder get another quick basket. 81-75, OKC.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Curry misses three three-pointers on one possession, and the score remains 81-75 with 1:07 left in the third.

    OKC comes down and plays volleyball until it gets another basket. The Thunder lead 83-75 with 30 seconds left in the third.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That's the quarter: OKC leads 83-75 with one quarter left.

    I didn't watch a lot of basketball in the regular season, but I've watched a lot of this series, and I have not seen any evidence that the Warriors are better than the Thunder.

    The Warriors are basically a bunch of little guys who run around shooting three's, while the Thunder are basically what you would have if you added Kevin Durant to one of those great UConn teams that beat UK in the NCAA's. I suppose Golden State could win if they made all their three's, but that's just not going to happen all that often.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I don't really make these points to criticize the Warriors -- I'm actually amazed that a bunch of little guys could win the NBA Title, which Golden State did. But they didn't have to play OKC last year.

    In both 2011 and 2014, UK beat a lot of great teams, but they couldn't beat UConn.

    ReplyDelete
  9. OKC leads 85-78 with 10:17 left, and the Thunder are getting all the loose balls. They're just too big for the Warriors.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Klay Thompson hits a 3 to make it 85-81, but then Westbrook draws a foul on Thompson and makes it 87-81 with 9:33 left. I have a feeling Westbrook could do that all game.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Klay Thompson makes another 3 -- he's 9 of 15 from behind the arc, and he's got 31 points. But the Thunder still lead 89-84 with 8:29 to go.

    Consider these stats: The Warriors have made 16-36 three pointers. The Thunder have made only 3-20. But the Thunder lead by five. That shows the gap between the two teams.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It is certainly possible that Westbrook will lose his mind and take a bunch of dumb shots, and that the Warriors will make a lot of three's for the win. But it seems much more likely to me that the Thunder will shoot out to a 10 point lead in the next few minutes.

    ReplyDelete
  13. OKC led 89-84 at the 40 minute mark. We should have more scores like that in college basketball.

    ReplyDelete
  14. OKC leads 91-87 with 6:30 to go -- and then Westbrook makes a layup to put the Thunder up 6.

    He's been great.

    ReplyDelete
  15. With 4:24 left, OKC leads 97-93. And this time, Kevin Durant misses, and the Thunder knock the ball out of bounds.

    At which point Stephen Curry nails a three. Suddenly the Warriors trail by only one.

    ReplyDelete
  16. However, the relentless Westbrook immediately comes down and draws another foul. He makes the free throws, and OKC leads 99-96 with 3:42 left.

    ReplyDelete
  17. The Warriors can't get the ball to Curry, and they shoot a long three that misses. OKC ball with 3 minutes left. Here comes Durant -- AND HE THROWS IT AWAY.

    In the scramble, the Warriors are finally able to get the ball to Curry, all alone behind the three point line. HE MAKES IT! WE'RE ALL TIED!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Timeout. The score is 99-99 with 2:47 left. The rest of this game will have a big impact on NBA history.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Here come the Thunder. Hubie Brown criticizes Westbrook and Durant for trying to do everything themselves -- and Westbrook immediately drives straight at the Warrior defense. He misses a layup, but the Warriors lose the ball out of bounds.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Thunder have the ball. 99-99. 2:30 left. Durant misses a tough jump shot, but one of OKC's big guys gets the rebound and lays it in.

    But then Iguadala makes a layup for Golden State. 101-101 with 2 minutes to go.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Here comes OKC. Westbrook tries to go one-on-one -- but the BALL IS STOLEN. Suddenly Klay Thompson is open. IT'S GOOD! Warriors lead 104-101.

    ReplyDelete
  22. OKC can't score, and then Golden State can't score. And now here comes Westbrook flying down the floor. Suddenly the ball goes out of bounds! Was it tipped? They check the replay.

    It looks as though Westbrook dribbled the ball off of his own foot. And the referees agree.

    Warrior ball. Warriors 104, Thunder 101. 55 seconds left.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thompson has a three for the win -- but misses. The Thunder get the rebound -- BUT GOLDEN STATE STEALS THE BALL AGAIN. Hubie Brown, who is killing OKC in the commentary, says that OKC's last few possessions have been a disaster.

    And just then, Curry goes soaring through the OKC defense and makes a SOARING LAYUP. The Warriors lead 106-101 with 14 seconds left.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hubie Brown says "They just gave this game away." He also says that "the sad thing about it is that your two best players are the ones making all the turnovers." It's hard to argue with either of those statements.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Thunder call time. Westbrook to inbound. Durant is double-teamed. Westbrook throws a long pass toward mid-court -- AND STEPHEN CURRY STEALS THE BALL. Just brilliant basketball from Curry, and another mistake from Westbrook.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thompson makes two more FT's, and the Warriors lead 108-101.

    In the fourth quarter of this game, the Warriors have outscored the Thunder 33-18.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Marv Albert just mentioned the 1979 Bullets!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hubie Brown says "It's really a shame."

    The Thunder try to inbound the ball one more time. Durant makes another turnover, and Curry grabs the ball and dribbles out the clock. GOLDEN STATE WINS, 108 to 101.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Looking back through my notes, it appears that after taking a 101-99 lead with about two minutes to go, the Thunder literally did not take another shot. I think all of their other possessions ended in turnovers.

    ReplyDelete