Blog Archives
KD with the KO?
118-113.
“I gave it everything I had both mentally and physically, so obviously I’m drained right now, I’m ready to get home.”
–Lebron James, after Game 3 of the NBA Finals
It’s not surprising that Lebron James, the favorite son of Akron, OH/the Cleveland area, is exhausting all that he has for his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. What is surprising is that his Energizer bunny-like effort has not translated to any wins in the championship series versus the stacked (under statement) Golden State Warriors.
And, for Cavs fans, the possibility of a 4-game sweep increased greatly last night. Not simply because the Warriors have a 3-0 series advantage, but because of one person:
Kevin Durant/KD.
The Golden State Warriors are playing great basketball. However, the Cleveland Cavaliers (truthfully) have a squad equipped to handle and defeat the Warriors. True story. But that’s regarding last year’s Warriors team that the Cavs defeated 4-3 for the NBA title.
If the first three games in the 2017 NBA Finals has revealed anything, it’s that Kevin Durant is the prized x-factor and the one player the Cavs have no answer for. Not only does Mr. Durant score a lot of points, block a lot of shots and generally influence Cleveland’s play in myriad ways, but he simultaneously takes pressure off of his teammates (who may be struggling) and stretches the Cavs defense far too thin for 4 quarters.
Odds are very, very high that the Golden State Warriors will win this year’s NBA championship. And Cleveland’s personnel deficit against Kevin Durant is proving to be too costly thus far in this series. Still, the Cleveland Cavaliers came back from being down 3-1 to win the series 4-3 in last year’s NBA Finals. The question is whether the Cavs can strategically figure out how to minimize Kevin Durant’s impact on the court.
Stopping Kevin Durant seems unlikely, but anything is possible. And yes, that sentiment that “anything is possible” does include a chapter in which a professional sports team in Cleveland won a league championship in the 21st century with a surreal, magic run. If a 3-1 series comeback was magical, how would a 3-0 series comeback be described?
Thanks to the 2016 NBA Finals, people in Cleveland, OH have a legitimate reason to dream such wild things. And that’s part of the underlying magic of sports:
Why not?
Happy Monday
As with most sports, the athletic activity is merely the vehicle for the pursuit of something much, much larger.
And there are few individual rivalries in sports, at least in recent memory, that compare to the boundless intensity of tennis greats John McEnroe and Björn Borg. Team sports is another story, but regarding two men who competed against each other in high-stakes competitions, the tension between these legends was, well, legendary.
Quick question: Have you ever wished there was a modern day movie about this rivalry? Good news, you’re in luck.
Only “coming soon”? No exact date? You can’t be serious!
Just kidding.
I don’t subscribe to Mr. McEnroe‘s unbridled expressive tendencies, but the hope is a release date will be revealed soon. It will be fascinating to discover what this rivalry was really about…
Have a Better Week Than Last Week.
Happy Monday
While we can’t always change what happens to us, we can change the way we see what happens to us.
This blog post, taking its place on the weekly Happy Monday circuit, has one purpose. And that purpose is to creatively showcase how we all have the incredible power to look at a situation from a completely different angle (or series of various angles) at any given time, thereby giving that moment a fresh perspective and outlook.
I’d like to say it’s as easy as 1-2-3.
Except, it’s pole vaulting, so it’s not easy at all. However, the views are spectacular and well worth it, particularly when you let someone else do the whole pole vaulting thing with a GoPro camera.
Here’s to getting over the challenges of this workweek…perhaps with a bird’s-eye view?
Have a Better Week Than Last Week.
3-6-Shine
2016 National Championship: Villanova defeated UNC 77-74.
2017 National Championship: UNC defeated Gonzaga 71-65.
What a difference a year makes. Literally.
The North Carolina Tar Heels battled the Gonzaga Bulldogs in a great close NCAA title game last night. The shooting for both teams did not inspire of a lot of NBA Jam-worthy moments and the officiating became the third squad on the court instead of the invisible hand that ensures the game remains under control. Still, the final couple minutes provided terrific drama and millions of viewers saw the Tar Heels play with a determination motivated by a feeling that they felt they had to win the championship this year.
That was the deciding factor concerning UNC’s late fuel of adrenaline and basketball prowess with the national championship on the line.
And UNC’s winning finish not only gave Roy Williams his third national championship with the Tar Heels and UNC its sixth national championship, but also one more shiny thing…
The ceiling is the roof for this UNC basketball program, as Michael Jordan might say (well, he actually did say those words about a month ago).
Either way, the ceiling (or the roof) in the Dean Dome will be adding another national championship banner.
Congrats to the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 