Now that the NBA Finals are in the books and the Golden State Warriors are champions, it is time for some reflection on what happened … and what might happen down the road. Specifically, is David Blatt safe in Cleveland moving forward?
CLEVELAND — Stephen Curry trotted down the court, his arms raised high in the air, just the way we all remember him from the first time we saw him at Davidson. He had just knocked down his second 3-pointer of the fourth quarter in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, giving his Warriors an 11-point lead they would not relinquish en route to a 105-97 win and the franchise’s first title in 40 years. When we first met him, he was Dell
The NBA season could be over tonight, with everyone ready to anoint the Golden State Warriors as the next dynasty. Or the Finals could be headed to a Game 7, the two best words in sports. Just under two weeks ago, 15 members of the Sheridan Hoops staff offered their Finals predictions. Seven of us still have a chance to have both the correct winning team and number of games. Will the Warriors close it out? Can the Cavaliers stay alive? Here are the
So who is the Finals MVP now? After three games, it appeared to be LeBron James, who singlehandedly has kept the Cleveland Cavaliers in this series with historic performances. After four games, it appeared to be Andre Iguodala, who has been the primary defender on James and finally slowed him in Game 4, tacking on 22 points and eight boards as the Golden State Warriors evened the series. And after five games, it appears to be Stephen Curry, who in Game 5 finally
OAKLAND — If Game 5 of the NBA Finals was to be the final home game for the Golden State Warriors in this magical season of theirs, then they left the sellout crowd at Oracle Arena with memories that would last a lifetime. The fans will remember their chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!” and “War-riors! War-riors!” in the final seconds of the 104-91 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, which moved their team within one victory of an elusive NBA title. Years from now,
For the second time in these NBA Finals, there is an extra day off between games. The first time was between Games 1 and 2. LeBron James has noted that each of the extra days has come while the series is out west, where the Warriors sleep in their own beds while the Cavaliers are subjected to the squalor of the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco. But the Cavs won Game 2 to grab homecourt advantage. After looking spent in a
“Tonight was the third game in five days, including the trip back from the West Coast, and it seemed to have an impact on us, yes,” Coach David Blatt responded to a question on whether the team was fatigued following a 21-point loss Thursday to the Golden State Warriors. With forward LeBron James averaging 45-plus minutes a game and guard Matthew Dellavedova playing just north of 38 minutes per contest since Game 2, many of the Cavaliers players looked tired and
If you’re wondering why the offense of the Cleveland Cavaliers has come to a grinding halt down the stretch of the first two games of the NBA Finals, coach David Blatt has a perfectly logical explanation. Blatt may be an NBA rookie but is somewhat of an icon in Israel, where he won five league titles, four Coach of the Year awards and the 2014 Euroleague Championship with Maccabi Tel Aviv. He is on a first name basis with Prime Minister