Tag: NBA Finals

A look back: Shaun Livingston’s productive play in the 2016 playoffs

Shaun Livingston was effective as the Warriors’ backup point guard during the 2016 NBA playoffs.

Shaun Livingston was perhaps the best version of himself during the 2016 NBA Playoffs.

Livingston was in his second year with the Golden State Warriors, the most feared team in the NBA that season. Golden State had a historic regular season, going 73-9 to set the record for most wins in a season.

An unfortunate knee injury hampered Livingston early in his career, but his resilience and perseverance is clear. He went on to play 11 more seasons after suffering the injury in the 2006-07 campaign, and some of his best years were with the Warriors.

Being on a title contender, he had a defined role during the 2016 postseason. He was to lead the second unit’s offense, meaning to score when necessary and set up his teammates.

One of Livingston’s best series was the first round, when the Warriors played the Houston Rockets.

Livingston played 26.9 minutes per game and averaged 13.2 points, tied for third on the team with Draymond Green. Livingston was second in assists per game (4.8) that series behind Green.

Throughout that postseason, Livingston played 21.4 minutes a game and averaged 8.2 points, his second-highest playoff average. Livingston also dished 3.3 assists per game, the most he had in any of his postseasons with Golden State.

The first round was filled with solid performances for Livingston, but the NBA Finals was where he shined.

Livingston had one of his best games ever in Game 1 of the Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring a playoff career-high 20 points as the Warriors won 104-89. He led the Warriors in scoring that game, and his midrange jumper was blossoming.

Standing at 6-foot-7, Livingston used his length to back down opposing wings in the post during the Finals, and he’d rise for midrange shots.

According to Basketball Reference, Livingston shot 50% of his 2-point field goals from 10-16 feet of the hoop. He shot 42.9% from that area, with his midrange jumper being a key part of his arsenal.

Livingston didn’t score in double figures again the rest of that series, but his impact was felt in other ways. He averaged 2.9 assists, the highest of any Warriors player who didn’t start in any games. Livingston also grabbed 3.4 rebounds per game, ranking fifth on the team.

The Warriors lost the historic Finals, but Livingston was arguably at his peak. That midrange jumper was lethal in the Finals, and he was one of Golden State’s best reserves because of it.

Livingston isn’t too far removed from the game, as he retired in September 2019. A three-time champion, Livingston finished his career as one of the most reliable backup point guards in the league.

 

 

 

Klay Thompson debuts new trailer for documentary about his comeback from injury

Klay Thompson is joining the documentary game with a film chronicling his comeback from injury.

With the success of the ESPN’s 30 for 30 series “The Last Dance,” one member of the Golden State Warriors is joining the documentary game. Klay Thompson recently dropped a trailer for a film that will chronicle his return from injury.

Although the NBA season has been on hold for over a month due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s been even longer since Thompson suited up for the Golden State Warriors. The five-time All-Star injured his knee in game six of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.

Thompson racked up 30 points on 8-of-12 shooting with four triples against the Raptors before he suffered a torn ACL midway through the third quarter. The Warriors couldn’t overcome Thompson’s absence, dropping game six to give Toronto the 2019 championship.

Thompson discusses his injury, the game six loss and his recovery in the trailer for “Above The Waves.”

Watch the trailer for his rehab documentary via @KlayThompson on Twitter:

Before the schedule was paused with 17 games remaining, the Warriors ruled Thompson out for the rest of the 2019-20 season. Without basketball, watching the Golden State guard in a documentary might be the next best thing.

The streaming premiere of “Above The Waves” is slated to air on May 6.

[lawrence-related id=25639,25465,25426,24757,24278,23419]

Mario Elie on 1995 NBA Finals: ‘It was over’ once Magic lost Game 1

“Once we won that first game in Orlando, it was over,” Elie said. In that game, Houston overcame a 20-point deficit to win on the road.

In a virtual chat accompanying a Facebook showing of the “Clutch City” documentary, former Houston Rockets swingman Mario Elie says he knew the team’s second championship was secure after Orlando dropped the first game of the 1995 NBA Finals at home.

“Once we won that first game in Orlando, it was over,” Elie wrote in the comments section while watching the video on Saturday night.

That Game 1 was particularly traumatic, from a Magic perspective. They led by 20 points early, and by three in the game’s final 10 seconds.

But guard Nick Anderson missed four consecutive free throws, when even making one of them would have likely put the game away. Rockets guard Kenny Smith hit an improbable 3-pointer with just over a second remaining in regulation to tie it, and Houston won in overtime on a tip-in in the final second by NBA Finals MVP Hakeem Olajuwon.

From there, Orlando was never the same. They trailed by 22 points at halftime in a home Game 2, and they lost two of the next three games by double digits in what became a sweep by the Rockets.

The effects of Orlando’s Game 1 collapse lingered well after that series, too. Anderson’s free-throw percentage, which was at 69.6% over the first six seasons of his NBA career (through 1994-95), plunged to 60.5% in his final seven seasons — including a career-low 40.4% in 1996-97.

And just over a year after the 1995 Finals, All-Star center and future MVP Shaquille O’Neal left the Magic to join the Lakers in free agency.

It’s impossible to know with any certainty how things would have played out, had the Magic held on to win Game 1. But that appears to be where Orlando’s downfall began, both in that series and beyond.

[lawrence-related id=27704,26953]

NBA players and owners want to salvage 2019-20 season ‘no matter what’

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reports that whenever the quarantine is resolved, the NBA wants to crown a champion for 2020.

As the NBA completes Day 12 without basketball since instituting an indefinite hiatus on March 11, it’s becoming a little more clear what the intentions of the league will be, whenever it is that it’s deemed safe to resume gameplay again.

Adam Silver has been honest that anything is on the table and for many, it seems unlikely that the season will resume. But as the NBA, and other pro sports don’t follow an academic timeline the same way college sports do, they have more flexibility when it comes to resuming the season. With the 2020 Olympics being postponed, the NBA is more intent on salvaging the season, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, who says the NBA intends to resume the season where it was “no matter what.”

I’ve speculated a few times on this website that the season may end without a champion but that doesn’t appear to be a thought process for the league’s players and owners. Players cannot use team facilities and are being told to abide by social distancing protocols as coronavirus spreads.

[lawrence-related id=28484,28127]

10 classic games and sports moments you can watch for free this weekend

Let’s watch some classic sports this weekend.

This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

We’re all stuck inside now in this frighting new normal and all of our sports are gone, including the NCAA Tournament which we would have been watching on TV this weekend.

So what should we do this weekend if we still want to watch some sports and get some escape?

Well, I’m gonna go through 10 events – classic games, class golf final rounds, and other moments – that you can watch for free. I’ll link out to YouTube videos for those that are available and also point you in the right direction for NFL and NBA games now that the leagues have opened up their vaults for free.

So here’s how you can watch some great sports moments:

1. 2005 Masters final round.

This was an incredible Sunday in Augusta as Tiger Woods and Chris DiMarco battled down the back 9 before Tiger pulled out the victory in dramatic fashion, including that magical chip shot on the 16th hole that will be shown forever.. You can watch the whole thing thanks to The Masters YouTube channel right here.

2. 1993 NBA Finals, Game 4.

Michael Jordan went for 55 points in front of a rocking crowd at the old Chicago Stadium and Charles Barkley went for 32 points for the Phoenix Suns in what was a classic game that went down to wire. You can watch the whole thing right here on YouTube.

3. 1992 East Regional Final: Duke vs. Kentucky.

This was one of the greatest college basketball games ever played and it was won on one of the greatest buzzer beaters of all time. This will be shown on CBS Sports Network on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. Watch then or set your DVR. This one was too good.

4. Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game against the Raptors.

The late, great Kobe Bryant has a historic game against Jalen Rose and the Raptors on a Sunday night in Los Angeles back in 2006. You can watch the full game here on YouTube or look for it in the NBA’s vault.

5. 1997 Masters final round.

This was Tiger Woods’ first victory at Augusta and he did it in historic fashion by absolutely crushing the field. The Masters has this whole final round right here.

6. Super Bowl 51.

The NFL has opened up its Game Pass for free and you can pick any game – including Super Bowls – played from 2009-2019. I’m gonna pick Super Bowl 51, when Tom Brady led the Patriots back from a 28-3 deficit against the Falcons before winning it in overtime. I’m guessing Falcons fans won’t be doing the same. Get access to Game Pass right here.

 7. Larry Bird’s three straight 3-point contest wins.  

The legendary Larry Bird won three straight 3-point contests from 1986-1988 and he often won them in dramatic fashion. Watch the final rounds of all three of those contests right here on Youtube.

8. Kanas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Rams, 2018.

This Monday night matchup was a historic one as the two teams lit up the scoreboard in Los Angeles. If you like points, you’ll love watching Patrick Mahomes working his magic in this one, though Jared Goff got the best of him and the Chiefs in a thriller. Again, watch it for free on NFL Game Pass. 

9. 2004 Masters final round.

I’m a golf guy, which is why there are three Masters final rounds on this list. 2004 was Phil Mickelson’s first victory at a Major and he celebrated by catching some serious air on the 18th green at Augusta. Watch it right here on The Masters YouTube page. 

10. The final 3:39 of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals 

Like the NFL, the NBA has made its League Pass free to fans to watch games from this season as well as an archive of historic games. You can watch the final 3:39 of this classic game right here, in which LeBron James brought a championship to Cleveland with an epic win over the Warriors in Oakland

Quick hits: Boston fan goes viral… Stephen A. Smith on baby filter… What Bucs will need for Brady… And more.

– A Boston Bruins fan went viral for walking into the mayor of Boston’s press conference by accident.

– Stephen A. Smith shared a hilarious supercut of ‘First Take’ on a baby filter, which is always fun.

– Our Steven Ruiz explains why the Buccaneers will need to make drastic changes to help Tom Brady succeed.

– Todd Gurley got cut by the Rams on Thursday and was able to joke about it on Twitter.

– Aaron Donald wasn’t happy about Gurley getting cut.

– Our Charles Curtis tried out the ‘soap treadmill’ challenge to see if it is actually a good way to stay in shape while stuck at home.

Hakeem Olajuwon on second Rockets title: ‘Jordan was playing’

On the 25-year anniversary of Michael Jordan’s unretirement, Olajuwon reminds NBA fans that Jordan played during Houston’s second title run.

It was 25 years ago this week when Hall of Famer Michael Jordan returned from an 18-month retirement to resume his storied NBA career.

Given Jordan’s status as arguably the best player in league history and a six-time champion, many fans have wondered whether his Chicago Bulls might have won eight titles in a row, had he never retired.

The Houston Rockets, of course, won their two NBA championships in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons, which immediately followed Jordan’s temporary mid-career retirement in October 1993. But superstar center and fellow Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon bristles at any notion that the titles won by Houston were due to Jordan’s absence.

In a new story by The Athletic‘s David Aldridge and Michael Lee regarding the anniversary of Jordan’s March 1995 unretirement, they write:

Hakeem Olajuwon has heard the comment so many times that he doesn’t bother getting annoyed by it. He simply serves up a saucy counter whenever someone tells him that the two titles the Houston Rockets won, in 1994 and 1995, happened because Jordan wasn’t there.

“You know, a lot of people they say that and it’s amazing because they act like (a Bulls-Rockets Finals) couldn’t have happened. Orlando beat them,” Olajuwon said. “He was playing (in 1995). He missed a year. They say he missed two years, but he lost in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference. Against a tough Orlando team. You have Penny Hardaway,  (Nick) Anderson and Shaq. That’s a monster. They beat them!”

One popular theory is that Jordan was “rusty” in the 1995 playoffs after only playing in 17 regular-season games. But that’s not really shown in the data. Jordan averaged more points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game in the 1995 playoffs than he did in the 1996 playoffs (when the Bulls won the title), all on superior shooting from the field.

The Bulls simply lost in 1995 to a dominant Orlando squad led by Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, and the Magic were then swept by Olajuwon and the Rockets in the NBA Finals.

In the same feature published by The Athletic, starting point guard Kenny Smith offered a more blunt assessment:

“We would’ve won. Yes. We did win the title. He did play, wearing No. 45, and they lost to a team we swept. So, we were a better team that year,” Smith said, pushing back on the notion that Jordan wasn’t fully himself that season.

“When he had 55 points at Madison Square Garden, nobody was saying, ‘He’s not back.’ It was like, ‘He’s back! He just lost that year.’ And I always say this: they won three, we won two and then they won three again. I don’t think that they would’ve won eight titles straight. I think, between injuries, between lack of focus, between whatever it might have been, I don’t think they could’ve won eight in a row. It hasn’t happened in the modern-day era. LeBron James has gotten there (eight) times, but he didn’t win (eight) times. I just think that we were the better team that year, regardless of who was there.”

To Smith’s point about the hypothetical matchup, the Rockets went 5-1 versus Jordan’s Bulls in six meetings between 1991 and 1993, all prior to his retirement. Olajuwon clearly earned Jordan’s respect, as evidenced by Jordan selecting the Houston legend for his all-time NBA team.

While they never met in the playoffs, Chicago’s nondescript centers such as Bill Cartwright and Luc Longley offered little resistance to Olajuwon in the regular season. By contrast, many of the teams Chicago defeated in the NBA Finals — such as Charles Barkley’s Phoenix Suns, Karl Malone’s Utah Jazz, and Shawn Kemp’s Seattle Sonics — lacked the offensive production at center to challenge the Bulls at their weakest position.

Ultimately, the Rockets and Bulls peaked at different times, and NBA fans never got to see the hypothetical play out in a playoff setting. As it is, though, the Rockets are happy with their two titles — and players such as Olajuwon and Smith will understandably push back against anyone trying to diminish their accomplishments.

During their 1995 championship run, Houston won four playoff series against opponents that all won 57 or more games, which has never been done by any other team in NBA history. That included the Orlando Magic, who defeated Jordan’s Bulls in six games in the second round.

[lawrence-related id=22918,16123]

Could Kevin Durant return this season after NBA coronavirus delay?

NBA coronavirus delay could mean injured players impact 2020 NBA playoffs, including Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets.

With the sports world on hold and sports fans left to choose from old highlights, documentaries and video games, bettors may look as this new window of downtime as an opportunity to beef up on research. And rest assured, the most astute of gamblers are already looking ahead to what the landscape may look like when sports do return.

With that in mind, here’s a look at some key NBA players who were injured when play was suspended and could return when play resumes — and alter both scoreboards and oddsboards.

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Monday, March 16 at 2:20 a.m. ET.

Kevin Durant, F, Brooklyn Nets

Injury (date): Torn Achilles (June 10, 2019)

Original prognosis: Start for 2020-21 season

Current playoff position: 7th in East (30-34)

Current odds: +4900 to win East; +10000 to win championship

Looking ahead: On March 10 — or a day before the NBA announced the season’s postponement — video surfaced of Durant driving from beyond the top of the 3-point line, blowing by a defender and slamming it home. While the expectation has always been Durant would return next season, if the postseason is pushed back into the middle of summer, getting Durant back could make the Nets a contender in the Eastern Conference. It’s enough of a possibility that some sportsbooks have reportedly taken down NBA futures bets in large part because of fear of a flood of Nets bets.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

John Wall, PG, Washington Wizards

Injury (date): Torn Achilles (January/February 2019)

Original prognosis: 12 months

Current playoff position: 9th in East (24-40; 5.5 games out of playoff spot)

Current odds: +10000 to win East; +25000 to win championship

Looking ahead: Wall hasn’t played since Dec. 26, 2018, having first undergone surgery on a nagging Achilles injury, then developing an infection in the area before rupturing his Achilles in a fall at his home. The five-time All-Star turns 30 in September, so age and rust aren’t on his side. But since the postponement, Wizards fans have been buzzing about Wall’s potential return. Plus, we’re beyond the original timetable for his return. The ultimate question may not be time but rather, even if Wall can come back when the season resumes, are the Wizards too far out of it to take the risk?

Jusuf Nurkic, C, Portland Trail Blazers

Injury (date): Compound factures of leg (March 25, 2019)

Original prognosis: Return March 15, 2020

Current playoff position: 9th in West (29-37; 3.5 games out of playoff spot)

Current odds: +5000 to win West; +20000 to win championship

Looking ahead: The timing actually worked out against Nurkic and the Blazers, as the big man was ready to return just a few days before the NBA suspended the season — and the G League season (Nurkic was expected to get some work in the G League first). With a playoff spot within reach and the banged-up Damian Lillard now getting some time to rest, the Blazers could be primed for a late-season run. Of course, in the West, squeaking into the playoffs means an early date with the Los Angeles Lakers or Los Angeles Clippers.

Mar 25, 2019; Portland, OR; Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic is wheeled off the court after injuring his leg vs. the Brooklyn Nets. (Photo Credit: Troy Wayrynen – USA TODAY Sports)

Andre Roberson, G/F, Oklahoma City Thunder

Injury (date): Ruptured patellar tendon (Jan. 27, 2018)

Original prognosis: Likely out for season

Current playoff position: 5th in West (40-24)

Current odds: +3500 to win West; +10000 to win championship

Looking ahead: As long as Durant and Nurkic have been out, they have nothing on Roberson (who was injured while playing alongside Russell Westbrook). Roberson’s specialty is on the defensive end, as evidenced by his 2017 All-Defensive Team selection. In late February, Roberson rejoined the team to do individual work. Coach Billy Donovan at the time admitted the team was looking at the possibility of Roberson playing this season. The extra time can only make that more possible. If he does make it back, expect him to guard the likes of LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

DeMarcus Cousins, C, free agent

Injury (date): Torn ACL (Aug. 12, 2019)

Original prognosis: Start of next season

Current playoff position: N/A

Current odds: N/A

Looking ahead: After Durant, Cousins may be the biggest wild card on this list — if for no other reason he will have his pick of playoff teams to join should he return. Cousins injured his knee shortly after signing with the Lakers in the offseason but before he ever played in a game. With the emergence of Dwight Howard and the addition of Markieff Morris last month, the Lakers cut Cousins. But the big man has been attending Lakers games and there is no shortage of speculation he could be back with the Lakers for the playoffs … giving them a frontcourt of Cousins, Howard, Anthony Davis and JaVale McGee.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1368]

Jayson Tatum’s Player of the Month win could be a new beginning for the Celtics

Jayson Tatum has made THE LEAP.

Coming in to this season, no one really took the Celtics seriously as a contender.

And, in hindsight, they were probably correct not to. They were coming off of a summer where they lost both of their best players in Kyrie Irving and Al Horford to free agency. Kemba Walker was a fine replacement, but even as an All-Star caliber player, he wasn’t enough to soften that blow.

Suddenly, the Celtics seemed to be without someone you could call “the guy” after having two of those players in their last three-season run.

And that’s apparently the moment when the camera pans toward Jayson Tatum, who is apparently the answer to all of the Celtics’ problems.

Tatum has officially made what folks would call “the leap.” He’s very clearly been the team’s best player — even when playing alongside an All-Star starter in Kemba Walker.

He’s morphed into a two-way superstar. His evidence is the Player of the Month award the NBA announced he won for February. Tatum averaged 30.7 points per game, 7.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists while leading the Celtics to a 9-3 record in the month.

Tatum very clearly had the tools to be a star coming into the league and he got off to a great start as a secondary option behind Irving and Horford in his first year.

It was easy to lose faith in Tatum after year two. He regressed in almost every way possible. His shot selection was absolutely atrocious and he couldn’t find his way amid turmoil within the team. But now, he’s baking Kawhi Leonard on both ends and going toe to toe with LeBron James in close games.

The Celtics definitely aren’t guaranteed a spot in the Finals. The rest of the East is still tough and it’ll be tough to run through. Especially if the standings hold with them as the 3 seed and the Sixers as the 6 seed — they’re 1-3 against their division rivals this season.

But they’ve definitely taken a step forward from where they were when this season began and it’s largely because of the step forward Tatum has made in his career.

He’s not just an All-Star — he’s at an All-NBA level now. And that has the potential to take the Celtics a long way. Both this season and beyond.

He’s just got to make sure he keeps that beard game tight.

[jwplayer WX8Jio0J-q2aasYxh]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Draymond Green on getting booed by Cleveland Cavs fans: ‘I love that’

Draymond Green was booed by the Cavaliers fans in Cleveland during pregame introductions.

For a moment, the Golden State Warriors rivalry with the Cleveland Cavaliers was one of the best in the NBA. The teams met four straight times in the NBA Finals, with Golden State taking home three championship banners.

Now, in 2020, the team’s are drastically different from those that battled deep into the playoffs. No LeBron James, no Kevin Durant and both “Splash Brothers” are dealing with long-term injuries. However, there is still bad blood between fans of the Cavaliers and one member of the Golden State Warriors.

In the Warriors’ first trip to Cleveland in 2020, when Draymond Green was announced to the home crowd, he didn’t exactly receive a warm welcome, in fact, it was quite the opposite. The home crowd booed Green as his name was announced during the away team starting lineups.

During Golden State and Cleveland’s battles in the NBA Finals, Green played 10 games in the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, averaging 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.

After the game, Green was asked by reporters what he thought of the boos from the home crowd.

I love that — to come back here and they still boo me, it’s like man, that little chapter is over, but when they boo me, it just kind of takes me back — it puts you back in that mindset and that feeling that you had coming in here when those boos were really warranted — so yeah, that was good — that was exciting.

Against the 2019-20 Cavaliers, Green played like there was a championship on the line, tying his career-high for assists with 16, adding eight points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks to lead Golden State to a 131-115 victory in Cleveland.

Thunder in the playoffs? Statistics say yes.

According to basketball-reference.com, Oklahoma City has a 99.9% chance of making the postseason this year.

If you thought the Oklahoma City Thunder would be sitting comfortably in seventh place in the Western Conference more than halfway through the season, raise your hand.

Go ahead, I’ll wait.

The idea that the Thunder was a playoff team at the start of the season seemed farfetched at best. The team had traded away their two top players in the offseason and looked like they were headed straight for a rebuild.

But a funny thing happened on the way to rebuilding.

Billy Donovan embraced a three point-guard rotation around the time that Terrance Ferguson started experiencing hip soreness midway through December. Since then, Oklahoma City has gone 20-8, including Wednesday night’s win over the Sacramento Kings.

They’ve been playing so well, in fact, that they’ve essentially guaranteed themselves a spot in the postseason.

According to Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman, “both ESPN and basketball-reference.com estimate the Thunder’s playoff chances at virtually certain – ESPN at 99.8 percent and basketball-reference at 99.9 percent.”

But how accurate are they? Pretty darn accurate, apparently.

“The playoff probability reports will be generated on a daily basis until the end of the regular season. The probabilities are empirical estimates based on simulating the remainder of the season 7,500 times. The method has been tried and tested: it was used to win the TrueHoop Stat Geek Smackdown in both 2007 and 2008.”

As it stands right now, basketball-reference.com projects the Thunder as a seven-seed but allows for the probability that OKC could climb to No. 6 (26.4%) or No. 5 (14.6%) seed.

The likelihood of Oklahoma City winning the Western Conference finals is pretty slim, basketball-reference.com only gives it about a 3.6% chance of happening, and an NBA title just a mere .7%.

ESPN is a bit lower, and, as noted by Tramel, the outlet gives OKC a .1% shot at winning the NBA Championship.

So you’re saying there’s a chance?