Tag Archives: NBA

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Thunder Plunder Dubs, Cavs Cruise

b-ballThe handwritten sign over the bin at Paul’s Market reads, “Best Apples in Store.”

“**Crisp”

“**Tasty”

Since my morning ritual consists of natural crunchy peanut butter and an apple, always crisp, never tart (Ambrosia, Honeycrisp, the occasional Pacific Rose), I grabbed a couple to test eat.

The little sticky labels that are a pain in the ass to pull off read, “Smitten.”

Smitten Apples. Clever designation, that.

Crisp and tasty, they are, and I’m off to the market this afternoon to replenish my supply.

Smitten, indeed.

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And smitten is what we hoopaholics have been, as we were with the Spurs in ’14, with the Golden State Warriors since their beautiful ever in motion panache won them last year’s NBA title, and a record 73 regular season tilts this season. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Thunder Plunder Dubs, Cavs Cruise

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Westbrook, Parker & Analytics

b-ballOkay, the most significant long term takeaway from last night’s pivotal OKC Western semi W in San Antonio is that the Spurs are on the cusp of refurbishment. Whether or not they win the next two and survive this series with the Thunder, and even the next with Golden State.

Tim Duncan is but a holographic image of his former HofF-quality baller, and frankly, on the court, is a detriment to his team’s play these days, other than as a leader and calming presence.

I’ll get to Tony Parker in a minute.

LaMarcus Aldridge, important newcomer, is over 30. Kawhi Leonard is a budding superstar, but his demeanor is so reticent, it’s hard to see him as a “leader” for the future.

So, yeah, there’s that goin’ on. Actually, not goin’ on, as in needs the franchise needs to fill.

As for OKC, there’s all the conjecture about where KD might go, should he feel it’s time to move away from Tornado Alley. But, hey, if the Thunder make a big run this campaign, maybe their dynamic duo will stay put. Add a big — Dwight Howard, anyone? — and who knows?

But, enough of all that conjecture.

I’m fascinated by some of the numbers from last night’s OKC W at the Alamo. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Westbrook, Parker & Analytics

Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Hurricane Steph Strikes Again

b-ballFirst, a tip for all my fellow, similarly addled hoopaholics, who, like me, hit the hay early, but still want to savor these incredible late night playoff games from the Left Coast.

Use your DVR. Watch the tilts in the a.m. with your morning joe. (As opposed to “Morning Joe,” which cable “news” show is giving the terminology a bad name.)

Buuuuuuut, remember, don’t be a doofus like me. Set the recording for long enough, so that you can watch the whole game, even when it goes to OT.

So, I saw the boffo highlights as soon as I awakened. Knew that the Warriors beat Portland in overtime. Knew that Steph Curry, after a slow slow start, went for 23 points in the last 9+ minutes of the battle, including 17 in the extra 5.

I made my coffee. Fixed my usual repast of natural crunchy PB on Ambrosia apple, and turned on my recording to the 4th Q.

What a game, even though both Curry and Rip City’s scintillating PG Damion Lillard, both of whom were otherwise transcendent at crunch time, missed shots at the end of regulation that would have ended it.

Then, five seconds into OT, the recording stopped. Because, yeah, truth be told, like a dumb schmuck, I only set the recording time for 2 1/2 hours.

Fortunately, there are enough highlight reels on the dub dub dub, so I have a sense of the whole Curry flurry that felled the T-Blazers . . . but still . . . it was like pulling up short. Fortunately my temporary case of b-ball blue balls has abated.

I shan’t make the same mistake again. Continue reading Hoopaholic’s Gazette: Hurricane Steph Strikes Again

Standing Os & Curtain Calls for Dubs, Steph & Kobe

b-ballWell now, that certainly wasn’t your normal run of the mill, let’s get this last game and 82 game grind over, so we can get a couple of days rest before the playoffs kind of NBA regular season finale.

For the Lakers, who actually won, in You Know Who’s last game. And for Kobe, who reached deep and gave a top of his considerable game performance in his last.

For the Warriors, who set a regular season standard for Ws — 73 — that will likely go unchallenged for a good bit.

For the best player in b-ball, Steph Curry, who set a mark, that transcends the previous by an unfathomable amount.

I found it interesting that at espn.com, the headline featured Kobe, in his last but otherwise meaningless game. Though it shouldn’t be surprising given the au courant tendency to herald individual performances instead of ensemble ones, even in a team game like hoops.

Bryant did go for 60, including 23 in the 4th, all the while leading LA to a rare come from behind victory, and cementing a losing and playoff bereft campaign for Utah.

Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack and Shaq were beaming from their seats courtside.

While, the New York Times online gave its headline to Golden State’s monumental achievement, winning 73 of its 82 contests.

Yo, Kobe, all the real news that fits, dude.

So, yeah, it was nice and all that, Kobe showing his stuff in style one more once, but, really now, the Dubs and Steph were The Story. Continue reading Standing Os & Curtain Calls for Dubs, Steph & Kobe

MMQB: Spieth, Story, Steph & The Real Big Story

stephindexThere are some monster stories this springtime.

Jordan Spieth’s meltdown at the 12th.

Steph Curry’s emergence as the best baller in hoops. Along with his Dubs emanation as one of the best pro outfits ever.

Trevor Story’s 25 or so homers for the Rockies in his first handful of games in the Bigs.

There are a couple of other trends, but they’re probably of interest only to me, a child of Motown. Those would be the Pistons making the NBA playoffs. And the Red Wings backing into the post season like Nicklas Lidstrom, covering a short-handed breakaway counterattack at the Joe.

And then there’s the story that really trumps them all, a fascinating bit of sporting history unfolding as never before. But I’ll save that one for last. Otherwise, you might click away for lack of interest.

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It has been argued by many that hitting a baseball off of major league pitching is the most difficult single task in sports.

Maybe so.

But anybody who has ever attempted golf knows it might be equally as hard to to swing at a ball with a golf club — off the tee, in a trap, out of the woods, or on the green — and have it end up where the swinger would for it to. Continue reading MMQB: Spieth, Story, Steph & The Real Big Story

Friday Sports Shots: A&M QBs, Warriors Streak, Rick on the Radio

allsportsEarly in the football season, while watching the Texas Aggies play somebody or another, I was struck by what seemed a strange sideline dynamic.

A&M had fallen behind, and now under the gun coach Kevin Sumlin (or his similarly beleaguered OC Jake Spavital) pulled the team’s former ***** QB Kyle Allen, replacing him with another former ***** and three-time Texas state champ QB Kyler Murray.

You could tell that Allen was pissed, as he paced the sideline, smoke coming from his ears. Murray, more of a scatback runner who passes, was doing well. But, if I recall correctly, got nicked up on a play. So Allen, more of pocket passing guy, returned to the game, and, I believe, led the team to a W.

Back and forth those two guys went all year. Obviously both have had enough.

Allen announced a week ago that he was sayonara. Then yesterday the school confirmed that Murray bid College Station an adios amigos. Continue reading Friday Sports Shots: A&M QBs, Warriors Streak, Rick on the Radio

Hoopaholics Gazette: Hanukkah Week Tidbits

b-ballA nuggetoid of info and/or observation — mostly the latter as usual — for each of the eight days of the Festival of Lights.

And remember, Dinah Shore-ah lights the Menorah.

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I believe I mentioned in my first Hoopaholics Gazette of the campaign that Gonzaga appeared to finally be the real deal, an honest to Jay Bilas Final Four contenda. I feel compelled, at least for the moment, to recant that projection.

The Zags caved — at home — to Arizona in their first major test of the season.

Not a good thing.

Though they did have somewhat of an excuse. One half of their dynamic, demonic, devastating foreign frontcourt crew has some foot injury issues. So bearded Prezemek Karnowski sat sullenly on the bench, as mate Domantis Sarbonis was left to fend for himself in the paint.

It’s early, so I haven’t totally written off the Nor’westers. Just a downgrade. Continue reading Hoopaholics Gazette: Hanukkah Week Tidbits

Hoopaholics Gazette (12/01/15)

b-ballHello, my name is Seedy K, and I’m a hoopaholic.

While I love that college hoops now starts in November — earlier and earlier in November it seems — there’s a part of me who is a traditionalist. Who remembers when we had to wait for the first weekend in December for tipoff. Traditional Varsity vs. Frosh on Thanksgiving weekend. First real game — no exhis in between — following Saturday.

So, I figured I’d wait, for tradition’s sake understand, to start weighing in on the current campaign. Other than my CardFile reports on each U of L game, that is.

Since the calendar turned, and I’ve watched enough games to blather on, I figured it was time. Though this is going to be quick, I’ve got a meeting I’ve got to attend in fifteen minutes.

To start, a surprise. As I sit here in my new way cool jumping on the bandwagon Golden State The City logo hoodie, I’m going to riff on the pay for play boys.

Don’t expect it to keep up. But something’s happening and it’s literally and figuratively unprecedented.

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Before I commence to salivate over Golden State, still undefeated Golden State, a moment from the show that is like a bag of blow under the Christmas tree to us addicted hoopaholics. That would Ernie, Shaq, Kenny and Chuck Barkley doing their NBA in studio thang. Continue reading Hoopaholics Gazette (12/01/15)

Golden Warriors Win; Iggy, MVP

hoopgaz3The deciding game’s defining moment came with 9:58 on the clock.

For three quarters, Golden State had kept Cleveland measured since the tilt had settled in, and were up a dozen, heading into the last, 14 after Leandro Barbosa tallied after a Draymond Green assist for the stanza’s first bucket.

Then the Cavs fashioned a mini-run — a J.R. Smith FT, a LeBron layup, 2 Timofey Mozgov FTs and another James tally —  scoring seven straight, cutting their deficit in half.

The pulse of Cavs Nation quickened.

On the ensuing possession, Klay Thompson, who was pretty much off his feed for the entire series, missed a jumper. But, Green displayed his inner Sparty, as, while tumbling toward the end line, leapt above the fray and batted the ball to a friendly jersey, keeping GS’s possession alive for a second life.

Which tenancy with the rock, ended with Stephen Curry doing what Stephen Curry has done his entire stellar season. He rainbowed in a trey, pushing the advantage back to double digits, 78-68.

Cleveland was toast. Continue reading Golden Warriors Win; Iggy, MVP

Hoops Last Hurrah: Warriors, Cavs On The Brink

hoopgaz3By the weekend, beating the official tip off of summer which is just beyond, we’ll know who the NBA champion is.

We already are so sure, actually, we have had it confirmed yet again, that LeBron James is King o’ the Court, the best. Today anyway. Though it certainly would have been more self effacing, had he not felt compelled to verbalize that himself the other night.

It would appear that Golden State, small and quick and more dead-eyed, shall prevail. Two to win one makes them odds on.

But, stranger things have happened. Like Cleveland making it this far with neither Star #2 not Star #3 on the hardwood. Lesser forces than LeBron have willed their followers to victory. At least, I’m sure I could think of one, had I more time.

I’d love to see the Cavs win tonight. A token of appreciation to the beleaguered fans of the City on the Lake. A further testament to the strength of James’ broad shoulders. Continue reading Hoops Last Hurrah: Warriors, Cavs On The Brink