NBA: Heat ready for another shot at Nuggets

DENVER -- Miami are confident they can turn up the Heat against the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

The Nuggets dominated in a 104-93 game-one triumph in the best-of-seven series on Thursday, when Miami's chances were doomed by their inability to connect on shots -- including a 33.3% success rate from three-point range.

Max Strus was 0-for-10 from the field, Caleb Martin 1-of-7 and Duncan Robinson 1-of-6.

But Heat talisman Jimmy Butler -- himself held to 13 points -- said he has a simple message for those teammates, who have played a key role in making Miami the second eighth-seeded team ever to reach an NBA Finals.

"Stay aggressive, because you've been the reason that we have won so many games before," Butler said Saturday as the team practiced in Denver in preparation for Sunday's game.

"You are going to be the reason that we win games now. and that's never going to change."

The Heat collectively agreed -- in the immediate aftermath of Thursday's defeat and after studying game video -- that they had plenty of good opportunities in game one.

"We did see some things that we liked and we got some great looks, myself included," Strus said. "We've got to knock those down, and we've got great shooters on our team, and we will knock those down."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said it wouldn't take much to open the floodgates.

"In terms of the shooters, that's pretty simple," Spoelstra said. "Let it fly. Ignite.

"Once they see two go down, it could be three, it could turn into six just like that," he added with a snap of his fingers. "As long as we are getting those clean looks, that's what matters."

Butler said there are other adjustments to be made after a game in which the Heat got to the free-throw line just twice -- a record low for an NBA playoff game.

"I think I've got to be more aggressive putting pressure on the rim," he said. "I think that makes everybody's job a lot easier."

And Butler said there was no sense of panic in a Heat team that saw a 3-0 lead against Boston evaporate before Miami finished off the Celtics in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals.

"We're OK, we really are," he said. "We are very calm. We are very collected. We have so much confidence, still.

"It's not going anywhere. We're going to believe in one another, always, no matter what, home or away -- And we're still going to get four (wins)."

Agence France-Presse

Giannis completes NBA dream journey from poverty to champion

MILWAUKEE -- As the last seconds ticked away before Milwaukee won the NBA Finals, Giannis Antetokounmpo thought not about his amazing performance but instead pondered his incredible journey from poverty to champion.

"When I came to the league, I didn't know where my next meal will come from. My mom was selling stuff in the street," Antetokounmpo recalled.

"Now I'm here sitting at the top of the top. I'm extremely blessed. I hope this can give everybody around the world, from Africa, from Europe, hope it can be done. I want them to believe in their dreams."

The 26-year-old Greek forward of Nigerian heritage scored 50 points, matching the greatest total in a close-out game in NBA history, to spark the Milwaukee Bucks over Phoenix 105-98 on Tuesday for their first crown in half a century.

He also managed 14 rebounds, five blocked shots, dominating defensive moves and even a 17-for-19 free throw showing in an iconic all-around masterpiece effort for the ages.

"It has been a long journey. I've done it all. I did anything that I could just to be in this position," Antetokounmpo said.

"I've done it all. Tonight, that's what I had to do. I had to do a little bit of everything. I had to defend, I had to rebound, I had to block."

With 65,000 people cheering in the streets outside the arena and 20,000 more screaming inside, Antetokounmpo won NBA Finals Most Valuable Player honors.

"I never thought I'm going to be 26 years old, with my team playing the NBA Finals. I never thought I would be sitting here. We've come a long way," he said.

"I started playing basketball just to help my family. Tried to get them out of the struggle, the challenges we were facing when we were kids."

Antetokounmpo wants to inspire youth who grew up in tough times as he did.

"This should make every person, every kid, anybody around the world believe in their dreams -- no matter whatever you feel when you're down, when you don't think it's going to happen for you or you might not make it in your career -- just believe in what you're doing and keep working," he said.

"Don't let nobody tell you what you can be and what you cannot do. People told me I cannot make free throws. I made my free throws tonight and I'm a freaking champion."

He's the only player in NBA history with five NBA All-Star and All-NBA selections, a finals and two season MVP awards and the top defender awards before turning 27.

Only four prior players born outside the United States had won the finals MVP award -- Hakeem Olajuwon, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki.

Antetokounmpo credited former coach Jason Kidd with developing parts of his game other than scoring and current Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer with teaching him to trust his teammates in order to built a championship squad.

- 'It's freaking unreal' -

He's already thinking about a title repeat in 2022.

"This is an addictive feeling. These are the moments I want to chase. I want the team to build off this and hopefully we can do it again," said Antetokounmpo.

"This is going to be a quick turnaround. We're going to be back and a lot of people are going to come after us and we have to be ready for that."

He recalled how the late Kobe Bryant challenged him to be the MVP in 2017 and he did two years later, only for Bryant to say he should win the title, which he did two years later.

"He made me believe," Antetokounmpo said. "Kobe Bryant thinks I can do this and I can play at a high level and build my team and win my MVP? I had to do it. I had to work hard.

"To be able to accomplish those things, it's crazy. It's unreal. It's freaking unreal. I can't believe it."

Agence France-Presse

Giannis joins Jordan, Shaq, LeBron in NBA Finals history

MILWAUKEE -- Giannis Antetokounmpo joined an elite list of stars with back-to-back 40-point NBA Finals performances, but the Greek star forward stressed Sunday that "I'm no Michael Jordan."

Antetokounmpo became only the sixth player in NBA Finals history with 40 points in consecutive games, hitting 41 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in a 120-100 Bucks victory over Phoenix.

Milwaukee pulled within 2-1 in the best-of-seven championship series while the 26-year-old Greek forward, who had 42 points in a game-two loss, put himself on a select NBA list.

The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player joined Jordan, Jerry West, Shaquille O'Neal, Rick Barry and LeBron James with consecutive 40-point NBA Finals performances.

When asked if he would threaten Jordan's four 40-point games in a row, Antetokounmpo stressed he wasn't Jordan and added, "All I care about right now, it's getting one more (win), that's all, just take care of business, doing our job."

Bucks forward Khris Middleton was not amazed to see Antetokounmpo dominate two weeks after suffering a hyperextended left knee and missing two games.

"He has been doing this since I've been here," Middleton said. "Now it's on the biggest stage and everybody is getting a chance to see what he goes through, how he's hurt and he still finds a way to go out there and compete and be productive and be dominant at the same time.

"When he's rolling like he was these past two games, we know we have to just give him the ball and see what he can do."

Bucks reserve Bobby Portis, who excelled when Antetokounmpo went down, said his success is a reward from the "Basketball God" for his work ethic.

"Giannis is a relentless hard worker and gives his all to the team, and he's selfless," Portis said.

"When you play like that and you want to win, I think the Basketball God just always rewards you. He never cheats the game. He stays in the gym, he lifts weights hard every day. 

"When you're humble and hungry like that, it just always just comes back to you. And for a guy to hyperextend his knee less than two weeks ago, and to come back and do the things he's doing, man, I think it just speaks for itself.

"Whoever gave him the nickname 'Greek Freak' did a great job. It's different how he's playing out there and doing all these different things. That's just rare. That's really special of him."

Antetokounmpo recalled how he was fearful his season might be over after his injury earlier this month.

"My knee was double the size, so a little bit worried but when I got the MRI, they told me I have a chance to come back, even though I'm not 100 per cent. I was extremely happy," he recalled.

"I'm going to compete as hard as possible and do the right thing to help my team have the opportunity to win any game we play."

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said the team plays better when Antetokounmpo plays better, no matter what the statistics are.

"We're at our best when Giannis is at his best," Budenholzer said. "He's a great playmaker, screener, passer and he does so many great things. When he's conscious of doing a little bit of everything, he's very capable and that's when he's at his best."

Agence France-Presse

Analysis: LeBron James has done it again, and did it his way

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — He went to Miami and became a champion.

He went back to Cleveland and won another title.

He went to Los Angeles and now the Lakers are back atop the basketball world.

LeBron James, love him or hate him, is in his own category now. He has led three franchises to NBA titles, something nobody has ever done. His legacy was complete long before Sunday night, when the Los Angeles Lakers became NBA champions for the 17th time by beating the Miami Heat and winning the title to cap a season like none other, in a bubble like none other.

But that legacy is just a bit shinier now.

“I guess, as Frank Sinatra would say, I did it my way,” James said earlier in these playoffs.

That’s not up for debate.

He’s got four titles. He’s a four-time NBA Finals MVP, the second to win that many. He’s done it all with the NBA’s biggest target on his back, with every action and every word scrutinized and often criticized.

James has become the epitome of the independent superstar athlete, something many try to be but few even have a chance of pulling off. He does whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants and makes it work. Bill Russell will forever have more rings and Michael Jordan will forever be the choice of many as the NBA’s greatest player. And that’s OK with James, who has forged his own path.

“The game of basketball will pass me by,” James said as the title loomed. “There will be a new group of young kids and vets and rookies throughout the course of this game. So, I can’t worry about that as far as on the floor. How I move, how I walk, what I preach, what I talk about, how I inspire the next generation is what matters to me the most.”

He’s never forgotten that he was once a broke kid from Akron, Ohio. If he’s not a billionaire yet, he’s trending that way. He’s on a Wheaties box now, saying its unveiling last week was “one of the best moments of my life.” He founded a school and stays involved with matters there. He’s actively trying to get more people, particularly Black people, to vote than ever before.

“I just hope I make my guys proud and that’s all that mattered to me,” James said. “I make my guys proud, make the fan base proud, my family back home, I can’t wait to get back home to them. Akron, Ohio, we did it again — and that’s what it’s all about.”

Oh, if that wasn’t enough, he delivered a championship to a Lakers franchise that went 10 years without one and did so in a year when they needed it most, letting them cry tears of joy after all the tears of anguish that followed the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash in January.

“I think it’s remarkable what LeBron is still doing at his age,” Denver coach Michael Malone said of James. “The minutes he’s playing, how effective he is on both ends of the floor, and the impact he has on both ends of the floor, his will to win is just incredible.”

The 35-year-old James finished this postseason with 580 points; no one at his age had ever done that. He had 184 assists; no one at his age had ever done that. If he’s slowing down, he’s not showing it; he had 32 points in his first playoff game 14 years ago, he exceeded that six times in this postseason run.

“He’s shown why he is the player that he is, why he’s had the career and the legacy that he’s continually building,” Miami’s Jimmy Butler said.

James is 4,148 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the regular-season scoring lead, meaning he’ll have to play at least two more full seasons to reach that mark. Sunday was his 260th career playoff appearance, passing Derek Fisher for the all-time record. He was All-NBA for the 16th time this season, a record. He started his 16th consecutive All-Star Game this season, yet another record. More fans picked him as MVP this season than Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won the award.

There’s nothing left to prove on the basketball court.

Then again, there’s been nothing left to prove for a while now.

“I think the story will be told how it’s supposed to be told and be written how it’s supposed to be written,” James said. “But I don’t live my life thinking about legacy. What I do off the floor is what means more to me than what I do on the floor.”

What he’s done, on and off the floor, is how legends are defined.

“I just think it is a true testament to his greatness to be able to sustain this type of success year in, year out,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Different uniforms. New players and new teams going after him. It’s a real testament to that commitment. He’s seen everything. At this point in his career, it’s just about winning.”

Others have won more. But nobody in the NBA has won the way James has.

His way.

___

Tim Reynolds is a national basketball writer for The Associated Press. 

-Associated Press

Lakers offense limited after Davis runs into foul trouble

Anthony Davis is used to shouldering much of the scoring load for the Los Angeles Lakers, but he says getting in foul trouble early in game three of the NBA Finals took away his effectiveness.

“It had an impact. I picked up two (fouls) early, come back in and get the third. So it takes away the aggressiveness on both ends of the floor that I’m used to playing with,” said Davis. “It definitely took me out and put too much pressure on the other guys.”

Davis, who is playing in his first NBA Finals, scored a combined 66 points in games one and two against the Miami Heat, but finished with just 15 points in 32 minutes in Sunday’s game three defeat.

Davis finished with four fouls and five turnovers as the Lakers blew a golden opportunity to take a stranglehold 3-0 lead by losing 115-104 to the Heat in the NBA’s quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida.

“The turnovers, I had four (actually five). I missed communication on some passes, but I just have to be better overall.

“We’ll be fine. We made shots. We didn’t defend at all tonight. They made big shots. Made some good plays. Trust me, we’ll be fine.”

Davis picked up his first foul on an offensive charge with just under five minutes left in the first quarter. He had four turnovers in the first quarter, including three in a 66-second span.

“I just have to be better at both ends of the floor,” he said. “The team relies on me to bring the energy to start the game and when you pick up two fouls, guys come in earlier, things like that.”

Lakers’ coach Frank Vogel said the fouls disrupted the Lakers’ offensive flow, but they should have been able to rise above it.

“I think that impacted us some, but we’ve been in foul trouble before, and you have to play through it,” Vogel said.

“That’s part of the game. We see that all throughout the course of the season and in the playoffs, and you have to be able to adapt and adjust.

“Probably had a small factor on our offensive rhythm, but we’ve just got to be better overall on both ends.”

Davis said he can see plenty of room for improvement in the Lakers’ defense in game four on Tuesday.

“We were getting confused on a lot of things,” he said. “They had wide open looks.

“We let Jimmy (Butler) get into a strong hand too many times, getting to the basket, or getting to the free-throw line. We were letting guys get to the rim easily with no contact.

“We didn’t play well defensively late in the game. They made us pay.”

Agence France-Presse 

LeBron, Lakers back in NBA Finals after holding off Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers, fueled by a triple-double from superstar LeBron James, beat the Denver Nuggets 117-107 on Saturday to reach the NBA Finals.

With the win in the league’s quarantine bubble in Orlando, the Lakers completed a 4-1 victory over the Nuggets in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals.

James scored 16 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers remained perfect in elimination games this post-season.

Denver, already the first team to twice come back from 1-3 series deficits in the same playoffs, couldn’t work the magic again.

James added 16 rebounds and 10 assists, and Anthony Davis scored 27 points for the Lakers, who are back in the championship series for the 32nd time — and the first time since they lifted the trophy for the 16th time in 2010.

Kobe Bryant was NBA Finals MVP that year, and it has been an emotional road to the finals this season for the Lakers after the death of Bryant in a helicopter crash in January.

They will take on the winners of the Eastern Conference final series between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. The Heat lead that series 3-2 with game six coming up on Monday.

“We’re going to enjoy it tonight, but we understand we’ve got bigger fish to fry,” James said as the Western Conference title was celebrated on court. “We understand there’s a bigger goal.”

Nikola Jokic and Jerami Grant scored 20 points apiece for the Nuggets and Jamal Murray added 19 points with eight assists despite being slowed by injury.

Agence France-Presse 

It’s an annual tradition for LeBron James: The NBA Finals

OAKLAND, Calif. — LeBron James spent Memorial Day with his kids enjoying some barbecue. Once the grill got turned off, the television went on and he tuned in to study Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.

Golden State at Houston.

James had no doubt who would win.


“Going against the Warriors in the last three years in the finals, I kind of figured or thought that they could get it done,” James said. “Just because of the 18 of a possible 21 finals games that I’ve played against them in the last three years, I figured that they could make it happen. Just their championship DNA.”

He was right. And Warriors-Cavs IV now awaits.

The NBA Finals are now as much a part of James’ calendar each year as birthdays and holidays. He’s always there, now eight consecutive years and counting, the last four of those with the Warriors standing in the way of James and his Cleveland Cavaliers. Game 1 is Thursday night, and even with James playing at absurd levels the Cavs find themselves as significant underdogs.

James is averaging 34 points, 9.2 rebounds and 8.8 assists in these playoffs. Anything less than that, and he’d have a lot more time for those barbecues with his kids. And in this series, even more might be required if he’s to win his fourth ring in the past seven years.

“He doesn’t walk around acting like he’s carrying a team, like he’s carrying an organization,” Cavaliers guard Kyle Korver said. “He doesn’t walk around like that. I mean, he knows he’s LeBron James, and he knows who he is. But he’s really for all of his teammates. He’s always talking to guys, trying to help them get better. He’s a really great leader.”

That’s one of the countless areas where James has gotten better — one of the countless reasons why the finals are now an annual rite for him.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr remembers watching the last Miami-San Antonio title matchup in 2014 when the Spurs basically dared James to shoot the ball from the perimeter by sliding under every screen the Heat would set for him.

The Spurs won that series in five games. They made it look easy at times, too.

“Contrast that to now where he’s shooting fadeaway 3s from 30 feet to close games out,” Kerr said. “I think his confidence level in his shot is the biggest thing. But I think it is pretty remarkable when you’ve got a guy who is already considered one of the top few players ever to play the game can make that much improvement late in his career. It’s a testament to his work ethic and to his work on his skillset.”

The Warriors have more talent, by a very wide margin. They have four All-Stars — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green. They have former MVPs in Curry and Durant. They have a former Finals MVP coming off their bench, or rather they will when Andre Iguodala returns from the bone bruise that has kept him sidelined of late.

The Cavaliers have James.

That represents hope. He makes the Cavs better. He even makes the Warriors better.

“LeBron’s one of those guys that in order for you to be great like that, you’ve got to do it, day after day after day,” Durant said. “A lot of people don’t have that mental capacity to even think about being that great every day, you know what I’m saying? So that’s inspiration right there. That’s just motivation to be the best that you can be as well.”

Once that TV went on Monday night, James locked in on this series.

Around-the-clock treatment on his body Tuesday, including 4 1/2 hours of it on the team’s flight to San Francisco. Treatment and workouts on Wednesday. Treatments and pregame shooting on Thursday. Then game time.

Unlike that Rockets-Warriors game, he doesn’t know what will happen in Game 1.

But he’s ready. He’s always ready.

“The level that I can play at is to be seen, but the level that I put into the game and put into my craft is who I am,” James said. “So numbers and things like that kind of take care of itself. But for me, I understand and I know how much I put into the game. So everything else is OK.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Richard Jefferson says he’s retiring as a champion

OAKLAND, Calif. — Richard Jefferson is an NBA champion, and that’s how he says his career will end.

The Cleveland forward told Fox Sports Ohio after Game 7 of the NBA Finals that he is retiring. Jefferson turns 36 on Tuesday, and just completed his 15th NBA season.

Jefferson was the No. 13 pick in the 2001 NBA draft. He spent his first seven seasons with New Jersey, and also played for San Antonio, Milwaukee, Utah, Golden State and Dallas before coming to Cleveland.

After the Cavaliers beat Golden State on Sunday night for the title, Jefferson offered emotional praise for finals MVP LeBron James, saying he owes his “entire basketball career to him.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

NBA: Frustrated Curry, Warriors on brink of biggest choke

Unanimous NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry is feeling the frustration of the Golden State Warriors’ collapse to the brink of the biggest choke in NBA Finals history.

The record-setting 3-point shooter and NBA scoring champion was fined $25,000 Friday by the league for hurling his mouthguard into the crowd after fouling out of Thursday’s 115-101 loss at Cleveland, which left the best-of-seven series deadlocked at 3-3.

“It was obviously frustrating fouling out in the fourth quarter of a clinching game and not being out there with my teammates,” Curry said. “So it got the best of me, but I’ll be all right for next game.”

Sunday’s game seven at Oakland will decide if Curry and the Warriors, who won a record 73 of 82 regular-season games, defend their crown or become the first players in 70 NBA Finals to squander a 3-1 series lead and let the title slip away.

“Nothing about our playoff run has been perfect,” Curry said, citing a 3-1 deficit to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference final. “We were in adversity the last series and had to rattle off three straight wins so things haven’t gone our way despite how the regular season went.

“So, yeah, it’s frustrating, but the work we’ve put in and the opportunity we’ve given ourselves, you’ve got to be excited about that.”

Outbursts prove costly

Warriors coach Steve Kerr also was fined $25,000 for complaining about officiating, defending Curry’s contention that referees were wrong about the last calls that resulted in Curry fouling out for the first time since 2013 and receiving a first-ever ejection.

“I didn’t think I fouled,” Curry said. “That’s just kind of my perception of the plays and I had a reaction to it. I had some stuff I wanted to get off my chest after the way the game went.”

Kerr described the foul calls as “ridiculous” and said officials were fooled by flops, adding, “I’m happy he threw his mouthpiece. He should be upset… three of the six fouls were incredibly inappropriate calls for anybody, much less the MVP of the league.”

In his anger, Curry hurled the mouthpiece into the son of a part-owner of the Cavaliers who was sitting in the front row.

“I definitely didn’t mean to throw it at a fan, but it happened,” Curry said. “I went over and apologized to him because that’s obviously not where I was trying to take my frustration out.”

It’s such lack of discipline that has the Warriors in the mess they find themselves. Draymond Green swung has hand into the groin of Cleveland star LeBron James in game four and was banned from game five for accumulated flagrant fouls, his absence helping Cleveland win and being compounded when Australian center Andrew Bogut suffered a left knee injury that ended his season.

Green had to be restrained by Kerr as he argued a foul call late in game six, his anger and yelling risky given the chance of an incident that could have brought a game seven ban.

“It wasn’t an ideal situation to not have him out there and hopefully he’s not put in that situation again where he’s putting his playing status in jeopardy,” Curry said.

Racial profiling and plots?
Curry can’t even escape the tensions of the finals at home. His wife, Ayesha, tweeted her husband’s ejection was part of a plot to “rig” the outcome to force a game seven “for money or ratings.” She later deleted the message, saying it was a “heat of the moment” missive.

There’s no doubt the drama of the NBA’s two biggest stars, Curry and James, and the thrill of a record-setting comeback or a repeat champion has captivated US sports fans at a profitable pace for telecasters. Some 20.7 million people watched game six in America, 6.5 percent of the population, and TV ratings are the second-best in finals history.

Curry’s father-in-law was nearly arrested ahead of game six in what Ayesha Curry called a case of racial profiling. She said he was detained because in the mistaken belief he was a con artist thought to be trying to attend the game with phony credentials.

“Police racial profiled my father and told him to remove credentials and tried to arrest him. It’s been a long night for me. I apologize,” she tweeted.

“I’m okay we lost… I just can’t take people coming at my family for absolutely no reason. Something I don’t understand or stand for.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Warriors beat Cavaliers 89-83 in NBA Finals rematch

OAKLAND, California—Draymond Green had 22 points and 15 rebounds and the Golden State Warriors got defensive in their NBA Finals rematch against Cleveland, beating the Cavaliers 89-83 on Friday.

Stephen Curry added 19 points and Klay Thompson had 18 for the Warriors, who improved to 28-1 by winning their 32nd straight regular-season home game. Instead of doing it with 3-pointers, defending champion Golden State maintained its edge over Cleveland by limiting the Cavaliers to 32 percent shooting.

LeBron James scored 25 points to lead the Cavaliers. They had their six-game winning streak snapped.

The Cavaliers were short-handed when they lost the final to the Warriors in six games, missing power forward Kevin Love the entire series with a shoulder injury and losing point guard Kyrie Irving to a knee injury late in the first game.

Having both those players healthy for the rematch did little to help Cleveland. Love scored just 10 points on 5-for-16 shooting, and Irving missed 11 of 15 shots in a 13-point game.

With those two struggling, the Warriors built a 10-point lead midway through the fourth quarter following a jumper by Thompson and a layup from Green.

But James responded with a pair of dunks and a blocked shot on Thompson before Love’s tip-in made it 81-77 with just over 2 minutes to play.

James missed two free throws after Cleveland got another stop and Curry responded with a pair of layups around J.R. Smith’s 3-pointer to make it 85-80 with 57.6 seconds to play.

James shot an air ball from 3 with 12.7 seconds to play to end Cleveland’s comeback attempt.

There was an increased intensity at the start of the seventh Christmas Day rematch of the previous season’s finals with fans on edge far more than for most regular season games.

The officials let both teams play through contact early and the Warriors built a 28-19 lead after one behind 10 points and six rebounds from Green.

But the Cavaliers picked up the defense in the second quarter against Golden State’s reserves, taking advantage of an extended absence from Curry who get his strained right calf re-taped in the locker room. The Warriors led 45-42 at the half.

source: sports.inquirer.net

LeBron, Cavaliers await Chrismas rematch against Warriors

OAKLAND, California—When LeBron James walks into Oracle Arena for the first time since Game 5 of last season’s NBA Finals, he knows it will trigger unpleasant thoughts about how his Cleveland Cavaliers lost the title to the Golden State Warriors.

James also knows that winning the rematch on Christmas Day will do little to ease the sting of the finals loss.

“The memories will come back as soon as we walk into the building, but also understand it’s one of 82 and I’m not going to put everything into this game,” James said.

This meeting is one of the more anticipated Christmas Day games in recent years. The seventh Christmas rematch of the previous season’s NBA Finals features a full-strength Cleveland squad against a Warriors team that has captured the attention of the basketball world.

Golden State won a record 24 straight games to start the season and brings a 27-1 mark into this game that is the best for a team at Christmas. The Warriors also have won 31 in a row at home in the regular season but none of those games has been as big as this one.

So what does it mean?

“We either finish that game 28-1 or 27-2,” Golden State forward Draymond Green said. “That’s about it.”

Not everyone is downplaying the rematch. Cavs guard Iman Shumpert said he was still “salty” about losing the finals to the Warriors. Golden State center Andrew Bogut also acknowledged that this would be a big game.

“We know it’s huge for them to come here,” Bogut said. “We’re undefeated at home, and with our record, they want to make a statement to us and we want to do the same. I anticipate it being one of the classics that we can all watch in 10 to 15 years.”

This game will be very different from the series in June for reasons besides the lower stakes.

The Cavaliers, who were without power forward Kevin Love for the entire finals and point guard Kyrie Irving for the last five games, are completely healthy for the first time this season.

Despite those key absences last spring, James almost single-handedly helped the Cavaliers win Games 2 and 3 to take a 2-1 series lead. Then came a lineup switch by coach Steve Kerr that sent center Andrew Bogut to the bench in place of small forward Andre Iguodala – the Warriors won the final three games by an average of 14 points.

“They’re a different team, we’re a different team,” Green said. “We’ve grown. I’m sure they’ve grown. We’re not going back to the Finals like, ‘Look at this, this is what they did.’ They’ve got 26 games that we can look at from this year.”

The Warriors will be the team that is short-handed this time. Starting forward Harrison Barnes is unlikely to play because of a sprained ankle and Kerr remains sidelined from complications from offseason back surgery.

Even with those absences there will be plenty of star power led by James and MVP Stephen Curry.

“Our guys love these type of games,” Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said. “It’s not an epic game. It’s a regular-season game. It should be entertaining. Obviously, a finals rematch with two of the best teams in the NBA going at it at prime time on Christmas Day. That’s enough to make it a very exciting game. But win or lose, it’s just another game on the column.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Warriors drub Cavs to win 1st NBA title in 40 years

CLEVELAND–An emotional Golden State Warriors squad captured its first NBA title in 40 years on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time), holding off the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-97 to win the NBA Finals.

NBA regular season Most Valuable Player Steph Curry and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Andre Iguodala each scored 25 points as the Warriors took the best-of-seven series four games to two to claim their first crown since 1975 and fourth overall.

“World champions,” Curry said. “This is something special. This is a special group. From the start of the season this is what we envisioned. We’re going to remember this for a long time.”

Iguodala spent 758 games as a starter before being consigned to a reserve role this season, only to become a starter for Golden State in the final three games.

The move produced a faster lineup that sparked the Warriors to wins in each game to subdue the stubborn Cavaliers.

“This is awesome,” Iguodala said. “This is what we talked about, staying strong, staying with it. They kept fighting. This is unreal.”

Iguodala saved his scoring season-high for the trophy-clinching game while Draymond Green added 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for Golden State in the decider.

“This is great,” Iguodala said. “We’re going to remember this for a long time.”

Curry joined Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy as the only point guards to win the regular-season NBA MVP award and capture the league title in the same season, a thrill he shared with his father Dell, a former NBA standout who never claimed the crown.


“He played 16 years and never got the chance to enjoy this,” Curry said. “He can enjoy this through me and the whole team. Unimaginable feeling.”

Cleveland’s LeBron James scored 32 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and passed out nine assists to lead the Cavaliers, who could not bring Cleveland its first sports title since 1964.

James fell to 2-4 in NBA Finals appearance, a far cry from the 6-0 mark prior NBA superstar Michael Jordan had in the finals.

No experience necessary

Golden State became the first team since the 1991 Chicago Bulls to win a title with no players having prior NBA Finals experience and Steve Kerr became the first rookie coach to capture the crown since Pat Riley with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982.


“It’s a great feeling,” Kerr said. “From the beginning we were in it to win it.”

James, 30, became the youngest by a year to join the 5,000 career NBA playoff points club alongside Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Cleveland trimmed a 13-point Golden State lead after the first quarter to 45-43 at half-time and began the third quarter with baskets by Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson to give the Cavaliers their first lead since the early minutes.

But the Warriors answered with a 24-8 scoring run, Iguodala scoring seven points while Festus Ezeli scored the last six points, the Nigerian’s 3-point play giving Golden State a 69-55 advantage.

Down 75-61 early in the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers went on a 7-0 run, James contributing a layup and fast break dunk to halve the Warriors’ lead.

Curry, Iguodala shine

But Curry and Iguodala each had two 3-pointers to spark Golden State on a 17-9 run for a 92-77 edge with 6:01 to play.

Again Cleveland battled back. J.R. Smith added three 3-pointers and James a layup to pull the Cavs within 101-97 with 33 seconds remaining, but Curry and Iguodala sank late free throws to seal the victory.

Curry scored seven consecutive points to give Golden State an early 13-8 edge and the Warriors closed the first quarter with an 11-2 run for a 28-15 lead. The Cavaliers made nine turnovers in the first quarter while the Warriors shared 11 assists in pulling away.

James and reserve James Jones each scored five points in a 12-4 run to open the second quarter, pulling the Cavaliers within 32-27. The Warriors missed nine shots in a row and 10 of their first 11 in the period.

Cleveland closed the first half with an 8-2 run, Thompson’s rebound dunk pulling the Cavaliers within 45-43 at half-time.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Curry treated for dehydration after NBA finals game 5 win—report

Fatigue has caught up with Steph Curry as well.

According to reports, Curry was treated for dehydration after his Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 104-91, in Game 5 of the 2015 NBA Finals.

Curry, the season MVP, has played at least 40 minutes in each of the five games and logged 42 minutes Monday (Manila time) to help the Warriors move to a win away from its first championship in 40 years.


Warriors fans have no reason to panic after the team assured that Curry, who had a dazzling 37-point performance, will be with his team in Cleveland on Wednesday for Game 6.

“#Warriors say Steph Curry is dehydrated but should be fine; is in the locker room resting, watching game highlights. Will fly w/team in a.m.,” ESPN’s Rachel Nichols posted on her Twitter account.

Curry, who “received fluids after the game, but not an I,” according to Sports Illustrated, was still able to show up in the post-game press conference.

It has been an entertaining Finals series with both teams going back-and-forth. The first two games needed five extra minutes to be decided while the last three games have no shortage of drama as well.


Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova also suffered from dehydration following the Cavs’ victory in Game 3.

The Warriors leveled the series in Game 4 but Cavaliers head coach David Blatt admitted afterwards that his players were spent. CFC

source: sports.inquirer.net

Spurs exact revenge, claim fifth NBA crown

MANILA, Philippines—Revenge was sweet and it was served cold.

With the air-conditioning running fine, and the San Antonio Spurs firing on all cylinders, the 2014 National Basketball Association Finals challengers exacted revenge against the defending champions Miami Heat 104-87 at the AT&T Center Monday.

Kawhi Leonard bagged the 2014 Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP trophy and paced the Spurs with 22 points and 10 boards.

San Antonio lit up in the second quarter after an arctic first period erasing a 16-point lead courtesy of a stop-and-pop three from Leonard that put the Spurs up, 37-35.

Manu Ginobili went on a personal 9-2 run with a step-back three capping the scoring spectacle to put the boards at 45-37.

LeBron James, who bagged the previous two Finals MVP, led all scorers with 31 points, and adding 10 rebounds and six assists while 2006 Finals MVP Dwyane Wade had 11.

Tim Duncan, a three-time Finals MVP, finished off with 14 points and eight boards


Ginobili came off the bench scorching the Heat with 19 points.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Spurs clobber Heat in Miami for 2-1 lead in NBA Finals

MANILA, Philippines—The San Antonio Spurs outclassed the Miami Heat, 111-92, at the reigning champions’ home court to gain a 2-1 advantage in the 2014 NBA finals.

The Spurs waxed hot in the first half with brilliant 75.8 percent shooting from the field and led the Heat by as many as 25 points.

Kawhi Leonard finished with 29 points off-the-bench on 10-of-13 shooting. Danny Green and Tony Parker added 15 points each.

Sparked by Dwyane Wade, Miami trimmed the deficit down to seven, 74-81, in the third period, but San Antonio found ways to keep the Heat at bay the rest of the way.

It was the Heat’s first loss at home in the entire 2014 NBA playoffs.

Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is on Friday (Manila time), still at the American Airlines Arena in Miami.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Hot NBA Finals game 1 takes toll on coaches, players

MANILA, Philippines – When the first game of the National Basketball Association Finals commenced Friday at the AT&T Center, neither the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat thought that they would go up against the heat.

During the game, the air-conditioning system of the Spurs home arena malfunctioned causing temperatures to rise to 32o Celsius.

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said that the malfunctioned air conditioning system was “tough” on the players, who play inside an arena with cool air blowing from the rafters.

“It was tough on both teams,” Popovich said. “They were pretty dead. We tried to get guys in and out…It was really hot out there.”

LeBron James, who suffered cramps in the Finals of 2012, was one of the casualties of the hot temperature and asked to get replaced with under four minutes remaining for which the Spurs took advantage of with a 16-3 run to close the game.

Spurs shooter Danny Green benefitted from the rising temperatures, getting hot on his own with back-to-back three-pointers and a poster dunk on a fastbreak.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra prevented any damage to James as the two-time Final Most Valuable Player tried to get back into the game.

“James on one point, stood up, and tried to go [to the game],” Spoelstra said during the post-game press conference. “I told him ‘don’t ever think about it, you can’t move.’”

Spoelstra said that they were not making the heat as an excuse for the loss of the game saying that both teams suffered from the temperatures.

“We’re not making excuses, it’s unfortunate, both teams tried to manage through it,” Spoelstra said. “It felt like a punch in the gut when you see your leader limping to the bench like that. But we still had a chance after that.”

Spurs management said that an electrical failure was the cause of the aircondition malfunction, for which they immediately apologized, but at the same time poked fun at by playing songs with “hot” in the lyrics.

Right after Game 1, the malfunctioned air-conditioning system generated an unofficial Twitter account with the handle @ACspurs__which, as of posting time, has a total of 355 followers.

source: sports.inquirer.net

5 things to know about the NBA Finals

MIAMI — Here are five things to know as anticipation builds for the NBA Finals rematch between the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat. The series starts in San Antonio on Thursday night:

GAME 1 FACTS: The Spurs have never lost Game 1 of an NBA Finals. And Miami star LeBron James has never been part of a Game 1 road victory, in any round.

San Antonio — which has never played an NBA Finals game while facing a deficit in the series — has won each of its five Game 1′s in the title round, doing so by an average of 10.4 points per game.

Including his time in Cleveland, James has been on teams that opened playoff series on the road seven times. They’re 0-7, losing by an average of 12.3 points.

But in four of those seven occurrences, including all three times it’s happened with Miami, James and his team eventually won the series.

ALL THEY DO IS WIN: Over the last decade, no one has come close to matching the playoff win totals of the Spurs and Heat.

Since the start of the 2005 playoffs, including the first three rounds this year, San Antonio has a league-best 92 playoff victories, while Miami has won 89 playoff games.

No other franchise is even close: The Celtics and Lakers have both won 59 playoff games during that span.

Miami has the best playoff winning percentage in the last 10 postseasons, its mark there of .654 just edging San Antonio’s mark of .626.

There are six teams who don’t even have 10 wins in the last 10 years — the Knicks (7), Raptors (6), Bucks (4), Kings (3), Bobcats-now-Hornets (0) and Timberwolves (not just zero wins, but also zero playoff games played).

A LAST BIT OF REST: Apparently, two days without practice is a standard perk for winning a conference title in the NBA these days.

The Heat ousted Indiana on Friday night, then took Saturday and Sunday off to refresh and recharge. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra summoned his team for practice on Monday morning.

The Spurs aren’t planning to do anything officially basketball-related until Tuesday. They eliminated Oklahoma City on Saturday night, and had no practices scheduled on either Sunday or Monday — which, if nothing else, figures to give Tony Parker plenty of time to work on improving the condition of his sprained left ankle.

Parker sat out the second half of the Spurs’ West-clinching win at Oklahoma City because of the ankle problem.

RESPECT LEVEL: Oh, there will be a high level of physicality in this series, for certain.

But something like, say, blowing into an opponent’s ear, we can safely dismiss that as a realistic possibility during these NBA Finals.

There is genuine respect between the franchises, perhaps best proven by how Spurs coach Gregg Popovich warmly embraced any Heat player or coach he could reach after Game 7 ended a year ago.

Frankly, the Heat won’t miss the Lance Stephenson-antics — like blowing into LeBron James’ ear — and the endless questions about those moves.

“It’s an annoyance,” Heat forward Shane Battier said. “It’s nice we don’t have to deal with that anymore. … It’s about basketball and not all of the chicanery that went on.”

MONEY AT STAKE: There’s $14 million in the league’s playoff pool this season, and as if the Heat and Spurs weren’t motivated enough by the chance to hold another Larry O’Brien Trophy, there’s also some cash at stake.

The Spurs are already assured of taking home a total of $3,268,347 from that pool, a figure that would rise to $4,104,811 by winning the NBA championship.

Miami will get a payout of $2,795,220 if it does not win the finals, and $3,631,684 if it wins the championship for the third straight year.

The pool pays out based on where teams finished in their conference in the regular season, which explains the discrepancy in what the Spurs and Heat have earned so far. There’s also a difference of $836,464 in what teams receive for winning or losing the finals.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Thunder routed again in San Antonio, trail series 3-2

SAN ANTONIO — Russell Westbrook was ordinary. Serge Ibaka was ineffective.

Everything that worked so well in Oklahoma City was missing Thursday night in San Antonio, and now the Thunder need to win at home to give themselves one more shot at the Spurs on the road.

“We’ve just got to worry about the next game. We’re guaranteed 48 more minutes,” Kevin Durant said. “It’s been an up-and-down series, but we’ve got to find a way to come with it in Game 6. If we want to get to where we want to get to, we’ve got to win in San Antonio, but we’ve got to get to the next game.”

Tim Duncan had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Manu Ginobili scored 19 points and the Spurs rolled to a 117-89 victory on Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Now they can clinch their return to the NBA Finals on the road, where they are the ones taking the beatings in these wacky Western Conference finals.

The Jekyll-and-Hyde series continued between the past two Western Conference champions, as the road team has been thumped in every game of the best-of-seven series.

“This is the craziest series I’ve ever been involved in,” veteran Tim Duncan said.

Game 6 is Saturday in Oklahoma City.

Durant scored 25 points, but Westbrook had only 21 points and seven assists after finishing with 40 points and 10 assists in Game 4.

Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green each had 14 points and Boris Diaw added 13 for the Spurs, who are a win away from returning to the NBA Finals after losing in seven games to Miami last year.

The Spurs returned to the style of play that enabled them to win the series’ first two games by a combined 52 points.

“We gave them everything they wanted,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. “They got the dribble drive, they got the 3-point line, and they got to the free-throw line.”

The Spurs were also 13 for 26 on 3-pointers and outrebounded the Thunder 48-35. San Antonio also limited Oklahoma City to four fast-break points after giving up 21 in Game 4.

After losing twice in Oklahoma City by an average of 11 points, San Antonio upped its winning margin in San Antonio to 26.7 points.

Oklahoma City had just 34 points in the second half after scoring 32 in the first quarter.

“Our shots weren’t falling for us,” Durant said. “We’ve got to stay aggressive and we’ve got to get stops. When we can’t make a shot, we’ve got to play defense, and we didn’t tonight.”

San Antonio outscored Oklahoma City by 10 points in both the second and third quarters, allowing both teams to sit their starters for much of the fourth.

Ibaka, who dominated the interior in Oklahoma City, was held to six points and two rebounds.

The Spurs started Matt Bonner in place of Tiago Splitter to draw Ibaka out of the paint and it worked early. It also helped defensively, as Ibaka attacked Bonner but missed his first five shots on a series of running hooks. Duncan was also able to help defensively, rolling over to block a layup attempt by Ibaka.

“He didn’t have the games that he had the last two games, that’s pretty clear,” Brooks said. “I thought his energy was good. He competed. He missed some shots that he normally makes. (But) it was everybody. It was everybody.”

San Antonio’s crowd was raucous from the start, booing Westbrook heavily during pregame introductions and erupting joyously when Green scored the team’s first points on a 3-pointer 1 ½ minutes into the game

Oklahoma City withstood the early barrage, going on an 11-2 run for its largest lead of the game.

San Antonio kept Westbrook out of the paint early, but that only opened up the lanes for Jackson, who made his first five shots. He had four straight layups and then drained a 3-pointer with Parker closely defending.

When asked if San Antonio had done anything differently to keep him out of the paint, Westbrook said, “nothing.”

Three-point shooting got San Antonio back into the game, as Patty Mills and Green closed the first with consecutive 3s to tie the game at 32-all.

Diaw’s 3 gave San Antonio a 42-37 lead with 6:12 left in the first half and resulted in an Oklahoma City timeout.

Ginobili’s 3 gave a 65-52 lead with 6.9 seconds left in the first half.

Ginobili’s third 3 gave San Antonio an 87-70 lead with 3 minutes remaining in the third.

NOTES: Durant was sent back to the sideline after attempting to substitute with 10:29 remaining in the second quarter. A timekeeper told official Tony Brothers that Durant was not at the table in time to enter prior to an inbounds. “I was there,” Durant said. “That’s (wrong). You know that.” Durant was able to enter about 10 seconds later, however. . Ibaka wore a heating pad on his injured calf when he was not in the game.

source: sports.inquirer.net

NBA looks to alter finals format—report

NEW YORK CITY —The NBA competition committee has voted to recommend the club owners change the NBA finals schedule, a move that could come as soon as next year, ESPN reported on Sunday.

Citing unnamed sources, ESPN’s website reported that the owners are expected to return to the 2-2-1-1-1 format for hosting games in the best-of-seven championship series, scrapping the 2-3-2 format used since 1985.

The switch is expected to be adopted at the next NBA owners meeting in October and could be used for next June’s finals of the upcoming campaign.

Supporters of the move say the current format diminishes some of the edge for the higher seed, although it does ease travel issues for teams.

The Miami Heat won a second NBA in a row last June by capturing games six and seven at home, but were only the fourth club in 29 years to achieve that distinction.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Miami Heat back-to-back NBA champs

MANILA, Philippines – The Miami Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs Thursday night (US time) in game 7 of the NBA finals for their second straight championship.

LeBron James shone on the biggest stage anew, shredding the San Antonio defense for 37 points, including five 3-pointers, and grabbing 12 rebounds, as he led the Heat to a 95-88 win for the third NBA title in franchise history.

Dwyane Wade added 23 points and 10 rebounds and Shane Battier came off the bench to score 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc for the Heat, who became the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010.

James made 5 of 10 3-point attempts, all the while hounding Spurs star Tony Parker on defense.

Tim Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs, who were trying to become the first road team to win a finals Game 7 since Washington in 1978. Kawhi Leonard added 19 points and 16 rebounds.

Parker had 10 points on 3-for-12 shooting and four assists, and Manu Ginobili scored 18 points for San Antonio, which lost for the first time in five finals appearances.

The Heat led just 72-71 going into the fourth quarter but edged that out to an eight-point lead with 7:30 to play.

The Spurs missed seven of their first 10 shots and turned the ball over five times in the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter.



Duncan’s turnover led to Battier’s sixth 3-pointer, a corner dagger that gave Miami an 88-82 lead with 3:21 to go. The delirious Heat crowd leapt to its feet, and they didn’t sit down for the rest of a thrilling finish.

The Spurs were not done with, and Leonard’s 3 made it 90-88. Tim Duncan had an opportunity to tie the scores but missed a simple putback, and James knocked down a 19-foot jumper with 27.9 seconds to go, effectively sealing the victory.

San Antonio’s Danny Green, for five games the favorite for finals MVP thanks to his record-setting 3-point shooting, missed his first eight shots and finished with five points on 1-for-12 shooting, while Game 6 hero Ray Allen was 0 for 4 with three turnovers for Miami.

The Heat have been to three straight finals, just like they envisioned when Pat Riley brought James, Wade and Bosh together three summers ago. But it’s been anything but easy for the NBA’s latest super team. They lost to Dallas in 2010, suffering the final defeat in Game 6 on their home floor, then rebounded to steamroll the Oklahoma City Thunder last season.

This regular season was shaping up as a coronation more than a competition, with the Heat rattling off 66 victories, including a staggering 27 in a row. They entered the playoffs with an air of invincibility, but were pushed as hard as they’ve ever been.

In the proud Spurs, they faced an aging core that simply wouldn’t give in, which had to make this victory their most satisfying yet.

The Heat were all but eliminated in Game 6, down 13 points at the start of the fourth quarter and five with 21 seconds to play but somehow they managed to force overtime and win it to keep their back-to-back hopes alive.

“It’s like you have a second chance on life,” Bosh said. “You’re not going to waste it. We were revived. We were dead. We brought ourselves back to life.”

The Heat made the most of the kind of second chance that the Spurs have so rarely given over the years. James found the perimeter shooting that had been lacking for most of the series, hitting consecutive 3s in the third quarter to get Miami going after a ragged start.

The reigning MVP also locked down Parker, the focal point of the Spurs offense, forcing him to give the ball up earlier in the shot clock than he wanted.

Had the Heat lost, James would have fallen to 1-3 in the NBA’s championship rounds, and his legion of critics would have been banging on his door with more “He’s no Jordan” vitriol.

Instead, James delivered with the clutch performances that have now become the norm for him.

He rescued the Heat in Game 6, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter, then he followed that up with a sterling Game 7.

James missed four of his first six shots, but started to find a rhythm late in the second quarter. He converted a three-point play on an acrobatic drive to the rim and hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key for a 33-27 lead, bringing the white-clad home crowd to their feet.

Duncan just wouldn’t let the Spurs fade. The 37-year-old had a three-point play, four free throws and another layup that tied the game at 40 and Ginobili’s two free throws gave the Spurs the lead again at 42-40.

He scored 10 straight point in the third quarter to keep the Heat in it, hitting consecutive 3-pointers.

It was a heart-breaking way to end it for these Spurs, who were 21 seconds from title No. 5 when everything went wrong in Game 6. Now, once again, they will face proclamations of their demise. Only this time, it may be harder to hold those off.

Duncan is 37, but coming off an All-NBA First Team season and a vintage performance in the finals. The 31-year-old Parker is nearing his apex after one of his finest seasons. But Ginobili will turn 36 next month and will be a free agent, perhaps marking the end of the three-person core that helped put the Alamo City on the NBA map, and keep it there for 10 years.

Back in 2007, when the Spurs swept James and the Cleveland Cavaliers for the franchise’s fourth title, Duncan found the young superstar for a quiet moment to tell him that the league would one day be his.

Now James has four MVPs, two Olympic golds and back-to-back titles on his resume. Duncan has been right so many times throughout his career. This time, it’s at his own expense.

It was the first loss for the Spurs in the best-of-seven championship final. With AFP, AP

source: sports.inquirer.net