OKLAHOMA CITY — Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said it best Tuesday when speaking about the Oklahoma City Thunder, saying “they imposed their identity” on Game 1, and the Heat will need to dictate the “force, will and energy” in Game 2 in order to avoid falling behind 0-2 in the NBA Finals. Do you know what I take that to mean? They are going to knock Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on their asses Thursday night, and they will test the
Boston Celtics center Kevin Garnett was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for not making himself available to the media following the team’s Game 7 loss at Miami on Saturday. The Celtics lost, 101-88, and were eliminated from the postseason, one win shy of the NBA Finals. Obviously upset with the loss, Garnett left the locker room without speaking with reporters. Garnett just completed his 17th season and is said to be considering retirement despite a renaissance in which he averaged
// All eyes were supposed to be on LeBron James as the NBA Finals began Tuesday night. Would James continue his spectacular postseason? Would he put his disappearing acts in last year’s Finals behind him? Would he finally break through and win his first championship? Those aren’t the questions fans are asking anymore. In fact, after one game, the focus is no longer on James. It is on Kevin Durant, whose 36 points and eight rebounds lifted the Oklahoma City Thunder to
// OKLAHOMA CITY — There comes a time in every viewer’s life when they experience a “Holy Shit” moment with Kevin Durant. Pardon the profanity. But damn, you know? For many of you, this was not the first time Durant made your jaw drop. The guy has been putting together games like this throughout the course of these playoffs (this was his seventh 30-point game), not to mention the past three regular seasons when the guy led the NBA in scoring. But there
The wait is finally over. The Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder will go head-to-head on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. See who America is cheering for in today’s news, although the answer should be obvious. Mike Wise of Washington Post discussed why LeBron James should not be recognized as a villain: “Forget about the ’ball, I’m extremely proud of what he has done,” Walker said. “He’s taken care of his family. He’s staying out of trouble. I
It feels like ages ago, but NBA basketball was almost taken away from all of us when the lockout threatened to wipe out the 2011-2012 season. With all the amazing events and drama that unfolded this season from Linsanity, Kobe’s resurgence to Dwightmare, it’s hard to believe they nearly let it all go to waste. The season did happen, though, and here we are at the final stage to watch two of the very best players in the league go
The Heat should be fine tonight, as long as none of them had an encounter with “Effie.” “Effie” is a ghost that is said to haunt the Skirvin Hotel, a 101-year-old downtown hotel that was built by an oil baron who, according to legend, kept a mistress named “Effie” on the 10th floor who jumped to her death holding the couple’s baby. When the New York Knicks stayed at the Skirvin a couple years back, Jared Jeffries and Eddy Curry were spooked
Amarillo Slim at the 1974 World Series of Poker