Sports

Clippers, Cavaliers Have Closeouts on Their Minds

Published

9 years ago

May 14, 2015

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, right, drives past Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler during the first half of Game 4 in a second-round NBA basketball playoff series in Chicago on Sunday, May 10, 2015. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Jon Krawczynski, ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP) — As the stakes get higher in these NBA playoffs, LeBron James only seems to get better.

The best player in the world has found another gear as he tries to will the Cleveland Cavaliers forward, even as the injuries mount on his teammates and his own body.

“I don’t know if there’s a player anywhere that understands better what time it is,” Cavaliers coach David Blatt said Wednesday. “He just knows what time it is.”

It’s closing time. For his Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers.

James and the Cavaliers head into Chicago with a 3-2 lead over the Bulls in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals. The Clippers hold a 3-2 lead over Houston and can close out the Rockets in the Western Conference with a victory in Los Angeles in the other game tonight.

The Cavaliers and Clippers have arguably been the two most consistently impressive teams in the postseason to this point. The Clippers knocked off defending champion San Antonio in a stirring seven-game series to start the playoffs and have made the Rockets think twice about their hack-a-Jordan strategy in the semifinals.

And with Kevin Love out with a shoulder injury and Kyrie Irving trying to gut through injuries to both legs, James has again taken the team on his broad shoulders and carried them to the brink of the Eastern Conference finals. He had 38 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, three steals, three blocks and no turnovers in Cleveland’s 106-101 victory over the Bulls in Game 5, a box-filling stat line the likes of which has never been seen in the NBA playoffs.

“We ask a lot of him and he delivers a lot,” Blatt said. “We’ve asked him to be aggressive and to be in attack mode and not to hesitate. He’s doing it.”

The last thing the Clippers or Cavaliers want is a Game 7.

Anything can happen in the final game of the series. A fluke bounce, a bad call, and especially in these playoffs, an injury to a key player. So James and Chris Paul of the Clippers don’t want to take any chances.

“There’s got to be a sense of desperation in a way that brings the best out of you, the most fight out of you, the best spirit and effort out of you. … But as far as anxiety or nerves, no,” Bulls forward Pau Gasol said. “Right now, we understand the position we are in. We’ve got to win two games to advance.”

Here is a look at the two games, with start times in EST.

___

Cavaliers at Bulls, Cleveland leads 3-2, 8 p.m., ESPN

The Bulls got some good news Wednesday when Gasol’s strained left hamstring improved enough to list him as probable for Game 6.

Gasol has missed the past two games of the series, and the Bulls have sorely missed his presence on the glass and his ability to stretch the Cavaliers defense with his mid-range jumper. He had 21 points and 10 rebounds in their Game 1 win at Cleveland, forcing the Cavaliers to make major adjustments in how they defend the Bulls’ pick-and-pop offense.

The team that has won the rebounding battle has emerged victorious in each of the five games to this point, so getting Gasol’s instincts back on the court and perhaps allowing coach Tom Thibodeau to not have to play the struggling Joakim Noah as much should give the Bulls a boost.

“I feel like when we have lost a couple games in a row, we’ve always reacted well and we always play our best,” Gasol said. “We seem like we need that sense of urgency and desperation in order for us to have a great focus, a great intensity.”

___

Rockets at Clippers, Los Angeles leads 3-2, 10:30 p.m., ESPN

The difference in Game 5 for the Rockets wasn’t their ability to keep DeAndre Jordan from destroying them on the glass or Blake Griffin from taking over the game. It was forcing the Clippers’ 3-point shooters, especially J.J. Redick, into off nights.

Redick was tremendous in the first four games of the series, but went just 1 for 8 on 3s in Game 5. Jamal Crawford was 2 for 10 from the field and Matt Barnes was 1 for 8, allowing the Rockets to focus more on attacking the glass and limiting second-chance opportunities.

“If we’re going to allow them to get into the paint the way they did then we’re going to struggle,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “That’s clearly an area where we have to improve on.”

Houston out-rebounded the Clippers 58-39, with James Harden grabbing 11 boards and Dwight Howard 15. They’ll need much more of that kind of production at Staples Center to stay alive in the series.

“I’vebeen waiting for that team to show up for a while, and that’s how we have to play,” coach Kevin McHale said. “We have to play downhill and attack.”

___

AP Sports Writers Tom Withers in Cleveland, Kristie Rieken in Houston, Andrew Seligman in Chicago and Beth Harris in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Bay Area

Love Life Organization Shows Love

As part of Love Life Week, the Love Life Foundation was honored to produce the 1974-75 World Champion Golden State Warrior Day. It’s a shame that our first Bay Area World Championship team’s unique accolades had been lost in the pre social media era and the cultural revolution of the 1970s.

Published

5 days ago

October 28, 2024

Oakland Post

Members of the 1975 NBA championship team, Charles Dudley (left) and Clifford Ray (right) embrace Love Life Foundation leader Donald Lacy for his antiviolence mission. Courtesy photo.

City of Oakland Celebrates 1975 NBA World Championship Team

By Donald Lacy

Special to The Post

As part of Love Life Week, the Love Life Foundation was honored to produce the 1974-75 World Champion Golden State Warrior Day.

It’s a shame that our first Bay Area World Championship team’s unique accolades had been lost in the pre social media era and the cultural revolution of the 1970s.

The 1975 NBA World Championship team were invited back to the City of Oakland last Friday, to be properly celebrated for their ground-breaking performance in 1975.

The heartwarming ceremony highlighted the recent passing of the legendary coach of that team, Al Attlles, and his former players Clifford Ray and Charles Dudley were on hand to represent the “Cardiac Kids” as they were called back then for their ability to make great comeback victories during their run for the title.

Warriors great Chris Mullin and former spiritual advisor Gary Reeves gave heartfelt testimonies of their experiences under Attles’ leadership and their relationship with the inspiration they received from the NBA 1975 World Champion Golden State Warriors.

The City of Oakland provided proclamations to all parties with speeches made by city leadership including Mayor Sheng Thao and Deputy Mayor Dr. Kimberly Mayfield and activity host Love Life non-profit founder and Executive Director Donald E. Lacy Jr..

There will be a celebration of life event Nov. 9 honoring Attles’ legacy at Alameda College.

Oakland Post

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California Black Media

Several Black Californians Are Playing Key Roles in LA 28 Olympics Planning

From politicians and businesspeople to athletes and community leaders, a number of Black Californians are contributing to the thought leadership that is shaping the planning of LA28, the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. At the forefront is Los Angeles’ first Black woman mayor, Karen Bass, who has, in many ways, become the face of the Games in the City of Angels.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 22, 2024

Oakland Post

From left to right: IOC Member Hong Zhang, IOC Vice President Nicole Hoevertsz, Rex Richardson, Mayor of Long Beach, LA28 President Casey Wasserman, James T. Butts, Mayor of Inglewood, IOC President Thomas Bach, Marqueece Harris-Dawson, the President of the Los Angeles City Council (IOC/Greg Martin)

By Lila Brown, California Black Media

At the forefront is Los Angeles’ first Black woman mayor, Karen Bass, who has, in many ways, become the face of the Games in the City of Angels.

“The 2028 Games present an incredible opportunity to unite our city and lift up every corner of Los Angeles,” said Bass during a historic event at Los Angeles City Hall on Sept. 13, when the Olympic and Paralympic flags were unveiled and installed.

The event marked the return of the Olympic flag to L.A. since 1984, when the city hosted the Olympics for the second time. It was the first time the Paralympic flag was raised in California’s largest city.

“From creating jobs to supporting small businesses, we are committed to ensuring that these Games benefit all Angelenos — not just for the summer of 2028, but for decades to come,” Bass added.

Nearly two months after the Olympic flag handover from Paris to Los Angeles, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach visited Los Angeles.

Bach toured several of the city’s newest world-class sporting venues, including the SoFi Stadium and the recently opened Intuit Dome, both located in Inglewood. At the stadiums, he was joined by two other Los Angeles County Black mayors, whose cities will be key to hosting LA28 events: Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts and Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson.

SoFi Stadium, known as the home of NFL teams the LA Rams and LA Chargers, will host swimming competitions during the LA28 Games, with a temporary pool set to make it the largest swimming venue in Olympic history, boasting 38,000 seats. Intuit Dome, Inglewood’s newest state-of-the-art venue and home to the LA Clippers, will host the Olympic basketball tournament in the 18,000-seat arena.

In an interview with California Black Media ( CBM), Butts highlighted Inglewood’s central role in the upcoming Games, stating, “Inglewood will host the Opening and Closing ceremonies, basketball, and swimming competitions of the 2028 Olympic Games. This will be our second hosting of Olympic Basketball, the first in 1984.”

Marqueece Harris-Dawson, President of the Los Angeles City Council, also attended the tour.

Harris-Dawson is one of the leading backers of PlayLA, a parks development program that promises to provide sports programming to “young Angelenos of all abilities.” The initiative is funded by a $160 million investment from the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the International Olympic Committee.

Black Californians serving on the LA28 Board include Businesswoman Mellody Hobson; decorated Paralympian Lex Gillette; former Netflix Executive Dana Smith; President of the LA County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Yvonne Wheeler; and television host, retired sprinter and four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson.

Rosalyn Brant Clark, a 1976 Olympic silver medalist and mother of three-time Paralympian Breanna Clark, said while the “Games for All” theme is promising, she is looking for more concrete action that impacts the lives of ordinary people, including Black Californians.

“They are going to need to show me more on that one before it gets my stamp of approval,” she added, challenging organizers to ensure genuine inclusivity.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

Ohemaa Nyanin Named GM of Valkyries WNBA Team

The Bay Area is filled with excitement, and much of the conversation is about the Bay Area’s newest WNBA team — the VALKYRIES! The Golden State Warriors were awarded the 13th team in the WNBA last October, and just four months ago, the team’s General Manager was announced — Ohemaa Nyanin.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Getty Images

By Y’Anad Burrell

Nyanin’s parents are from Ghana, and she was born in Maryland. Nyanin’s experience in this industry precedes her both as a former college player and on the business side. Nyanin is an American University alumna who played on the Eagles’ women’s basketball team. In 2019, Nyanain joined the WNBA team, The New York Liberty, initially serving as the director of basketball operations before she became assistant general manager.

“No excuses,” Nyanin said. “We are here, first and foremost, as humans, and secondly to win basketball games. So how do we do that, and how do we do that in the most inclusive way?”

From viewing interviews that Nyanin has done since her arrival in the Bay Area, a constant theme in her conversations is talking about taking a “people first” approach. Nyanin talks about how she will be focused on the players, staff, and fans as she navigates and executes her role as general manager. Health, both mentally and physically, is important to Nyanin, as I’ve seen in her many interviews.

Just days ago, The Golden State Warriors announced the head coach for the Valkyries — Natalie Nakase.

Nakase has been the assistant coach for the Las Vegas Aces for the past three seasons, where she was a part of the Aces’ back-to-back championship run in 2022 and 2023. Before joining the Aces’ coaching staff, Nakase spent ten seasons with her hometown team, the Los Angeles Clippers, and their G League.

The Valkyries will practice at downtown Oakland’s Golden State Warrior space and play games at Chase Center in San Francisco. This is an excellent opportunity to experience both sides of the water.

The Valkyries WNBA season opens May 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, and the Valkyries website shows over 18,000 season-ticket deposits. For clarity, if someone is ‘interested’ in purchasing season tickets, a $25 deposit is required. The Chase Center’s capacity is a little over 18,000, so you can imagine how electrifying the stadium will be during all home games.

Ohemaa, welcome to the Bay and The Town!