Sports

Curry Set for His NBA Finals Moment Against LeBron, Cavs

Published

10 years ago

June 4, 2015

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry smiles during NBA basketball practice, Wednesday, June 3, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. The Warriors host the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry was early in his career, a long way from even thinking about the NBA Finals.

His Golden State Warriors were in Cleveland, where LeBron James powered one of the best teams in the league. Curry thinks the Warriors lost the game (they did, one of their 56 losses his rookie season) but certainly remembers the chat.

James, already the best player in the game, pulled Curry aside leaving the court and told him to focus on his own effort, ignore any distractions around him, make sure he was always prepared.

“There is going to be a time when it’s all going to work out because you’ll be ready for that moment,” Curry said Wednesday of James’ message.

And now, it might happen against James.

The next chat between the superstars could be Thursday night at center court, before Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Curry is now the NBA’s MVP and the Warriors, no longer the lowly laughingstock from his rookie season, won a league-best 67 games during the regular season. They have lost three times at Oracle Arena all season, but that doesn’t faze James as he tries to end Cleveland’s 51-year pro sports title drought in his first season back there.

“I’ve been in so many loud arenas. This is going to be one of them,” he said. “I’ve played in OKC in the (2012) finals to start off the series. I’ve played in Boston. I’ve played in Detroit when they were in their heyday. I’ve played in Chicago in 2011 to open up the Eastern Conference finals. I’ve played in San Antonio.

“So I’ve been in some very loud buildings and this, obviously, I know tomorrow is going to be one of them. But I don’t add too much pressure on it. You just go out and you just try to play.”

He has done that superbly in this postseason, averaging 27.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 8.3 assists in the Eastern Conference playoffs. He has played better basketball — he brought up the 2009 East finals loss against Orlando, a month before Curry was drafted — but the steady hand he has provided with Kevin Love out and Kyrie Irving hurting has made James as good as he’s ever been.

“For me as leader of the team, it’s my job to lead the guys and to perform well,” James said. “At the end of the day, win, lose or draw, that’s all I can ask out of myself and ask out of my guys, and we’ll do that.”

His finals experience — he’s the first to play in five straight finals since Bill Russell’s Celtics of the 1960s — is one advantage for the Cavs against a Warriors team with no players who have played for the championship. Warriors rookie coach Steve Kerr, who won five titles as a player, says he and assistant Luke Walton have talked to the team about what to expect now.

“But what I really found as a player was once you get out on the floor, you just start playing and everything returns to normal,” Kerr said. “It’s still just a basketball game. But you’ve got to get to that point and the best way to do that is to try to ignore the chaos as much as you can.”

For Curry, keeping things normal Wednesday meant a haircut and some sun by his pool. And he knows James will be prepared, just as he once instructed Curry.

“He’s a gamer,” Curry said. “You know he’s going to ready for big moments.”

Other things to watch in the NBA Finals:

KYRIE’S CONDITION: Irving, who missed two games in the East finals with knee and foot injuries, plans to play, while realizing he won’t be at his best.

“It’s an adjustment, but it’s what it is at this point,” he said. “But I’m just going to go out there and will myself to play.”

CLEVELAND CONNECTION: Kerr played 3 1/2 seasons in Cleveland and will try to join Phil Jackson, whose Lakers beat the Nets in 2002, as the only coaches to beat a team they played for in the finals. He understands why it hasn’t been a desired destination for players, saying “let’s face it, it’s cold,” but said he enjoyed the experience.

“I used to go to Indians games and Browns games, and you felt the passion of the sports community there,” he said. “The fans loved all their teams. So I’m really happy for the city of Cleveland, for them to be in the finals.”

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: Though also in his first year as an NBA coach, David Blatt has reminded reporters all season that he’s no rookie after his long, successful career overseas. The coach of 2014 Euroleague champion Maccabi Tel Aviv repeated that message Wednesday, saying he didn’t “find this at all imposing.”

“So it’s thrilling and it’s exciting, and it’s joyful to be in this situation,” he added. “Is it all unusual or uncomfortable for me? No. I’ve been in situations like this before many times.”

KLAY’S OK: Klay Thompson wasn’t cleared to play until Tuesday after suffering a concussion in Game 5 of the West finals, but never feared missing the opener.

“I had some nagging headaches that night, but when I got some good sleep and some good rest I was all right,” he said. “So I really knew that Game 1 was never in jeopardy.”

___

Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

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WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

5 days ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.

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Activism

McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S. professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

3 months ago

February 18, 2025

Oakland Post

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.

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Activism

OPINION: Politics, Football and Identity in Trump’s America

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

Published

3 months ago

February 17, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

Two Filipino American stories made headlines recently.

First, Nikko Remigio, the Filipino and African American kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs, did not win Super Bowl LIX.

The other, Alameda’s Rob Bonta said no to running for governor. I don’t blame him. It’s not like a mass of people wanted him to run.

But I did.

Whenever there is a Filipino American in a place you don’t expect, I’m rooting for that person.

As California’s Attorney General, Bonta is probably the most active defender among Blue States pushing back against Trump’s Extreme-Right agenda.

I’d like to Bonta run for California’s top job, but he’s better off waiting in line. The Democrats need a spot for Kamala Harris, and Bonta not running obliges the hierarchy.

History can wait. Bonta’s just 52.

Harris has held off speculation of her next move, saying she just moved back to the state. But it seems governor is the path for her.

For now, Bonta needs to continue taking the fight to Trump in the courts.

Football and Identity Politics

My dad, whose birthday would have been Super Bowl weekend, came to the US in 1928 as a colonized Filipino, an “American National,” where he couldn’t be a citizen, vote, own property or even marry the person he wanted.

Not if they were White.

Still, he believed in America. He never gave up.

Sort of like Nikko Remigio.

My dad would have loved Nikko.

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

You want to get passionate about Eagles and Chiefs?

Let’s be passionate about our Founding Fathers, too.

Nikko didn’t change the game. He touched it three times and provided more yards than all of KC’s running backs.

That’s all I needed to see.

He’s our Filipino guy.

Detractors may call it “identity politics.”

People don’t seem to understand the fight for visibility. To be recognized. To be seen. It’s all wrapped up in the big idea of Civil Rights.

I was nowhere near as good as Nikko when I played. But when you are blessed to play football, you play your hardest.

For me, that was when I was 12 and 13 playing Pop Warner football in San Francisco. I was MVP for my team as a running back.

But I was ashamed of my dad. He wasn’t like the other dads. And I remember going to the team banquet to retrieve my trophy alone.

I didn’t realize it probably meant more to him than I thought.

I wish I had shared my MVP moment with him like Nikko shared his joy with his dad, Mark, born in Seattle to two Filipino immigrants, and his mom, whose mixture of Black and White made Nikko the picture of diversity.

Filipino American and Black and White at the Super Bowl.

But don’t forget, there is one game bigger.

The Super Bowl for Democracy. We’re battling for it every day Trump pushes a cockamamie idea that shakes the foundation of our Democracy.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. Watch his micro-talk show “Emil Amok’s Takeout/What Does an Asian American Think?” on www.YouTube.com/emilamok1 Or join him on http://www.patreon.com/emilamok