TRIPLE THREAT CLE: NBA Finals

Showing posts with label NBA Finals. Show all posts

Thursday, June 15, 2017

Radio Show 6/14/17: NBA Finals and What's Next For The Cavs & Warriors

Sunday, June 11, 2017

On TV This Week 6/11 - 6/17

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

SUNDAY 6/11

NHL STANLEY CUP FINAL
Penguins @ Predators, Game 6 (NBC, 8pm)

MLB
Tigers @ Red Sox (ESPN, 8pm)
---
Celebrity Family Feud; Kelly Clarkson vs. Amy Schumer, Bindi Irwin vs. Chrissy Metz (ABC, 8pm)
The 71 Annual Tony Awards; Kevin Spacey hosts (CBS, 8pm)
Bob's Burgers (FOX, 8:30pm)

Steve Harvey's FUNDERDOME , PREMIERE (ABC, 9pm)
American Grit, PREMIERE (FOX, 9pm)
Claws, PREMIERE (TNT, 9pm)

The $100,000 Pyramid; Leslie Jones vs. LL Cool J, Tom Bergeron vs. Jennifer Nettles (ABC, 10pm)

MONDAY 6/12

NBA FINALS
Cavaliers @ Warriors, Game 5 (ABC, 9pm)

MLB
2017 MLB Draft (MLB, 7pm)
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American Ninja Warrior, PREMIERE (NBC, 8pm)
So You Think You Can Dance, PREMIERE (FOX, 8pm)

Superhuman, PREMIERE (FOX, 9pm)
The Putin Interviews, PREMIERE (Showtime, 9pm)
Counting On, PREMIERE (TLC, 9pm)

Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge, PREMIERE (NBC, 10pm)
Angie Tribeca, FINALE (TBS, 10:30pm)

TUESDAY 6/13

30 For 30
Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies - Part 1 (ESPN, 8pm)
Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies - Part 2 (ESPN, 10pm)

MLB
Dodgers @ Indians (STO, 7pm)
Cubs @ Mets OR Braves @ Nationals (MLB, 7pm)

WNBA
Dallas Wings @ Los Angeles Sparks (ESPN 2, 10pm)
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The Putin Interviews, PREMIERE (Showtime, 9pm)
Face Off, PREMIERE (Syfy, 9pm)
Famous In Love, FINALE (Freeform, 9pm & 10pm)

WEDNESDAY 6/14

30 For 30
Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies - Part 3 (ESPN, 8pm)

MLB
Dodgers @ Indians (STO, 7pm)
Cubs @ Mets OR Dodgers @ Indians (MLB, 7pm)
Yankees @ Angels (ESPN, 10pm)
---
The Putin Interviews, PREMIERE (Showtime, 9pm)
Emogenius, PREMIERE (GSN, 9pm)
Homestead Rescue (Discovery, 10pm)
Cooks vs. Cons, FINALE (Food, 10pm)
Blood Drive, PREMIERE (Syfy, 10pm)

THURSDAY 6/15

GOLF
2017 U.S. Open Championship, First Round (FOX, 6pm)

MLB
Dodgers @ Indians (STO, 12pm)
Nationals @ Mets OR Red Sox @ Phillies (MLB, 7pm)
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2017 BET Awards Nominations (BET, 9pm)
The Tunnel: Sabotage (PBS, 9pm)
The Putin Interviews, FINALE (Showtime, 9pm)

AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Diane Keaton (TNT, 10pm)
Alone, PREMIERE (History, 10pm)

FRIDAY 6/16

GOLF
2017 U.S. Open Championship, First Round (FOX, 6pm)

MLB
Nationals @ Mets (ESPN, 7pm)
Indians @ Twins (STO, 8pm)
Yankees @ Athletics OR Royals @ Angels (MLB, 10pm)

RACING
Monster Energy Cup Series: FireKeepers Casino 400 (FOX Sports 1, 9:30pm)
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ELeague, Clash for Cash (TBS, 10pm)
When Sharks Attack, PREMIERE (NatGeo Wild, 10pm)
Catastrophe, FINALE (Lifetime, 10pm & 10:30pm)

SATURDAY 6/17

MLB
White Sox @ Blue Jays (MLB, 1pm)
Indians @ Twins (STO, 2pm)
Rays @ Tigers (FOX Sports 1, 4pm)
Indians @ Twins (STO, 8pm)
Cubs @ Pirates (FOX, 8pm)

RACING
XFINITY Series: Michigan 250 (FOX Sports 1, 1:30pm)
Camping World Truck Series: Gateway 200 (FOX Sports 1, 8:30pm)

GOLF
2017 U.S. Open Golf Championship, Third Round (FOX, 11am)

SOCCER
MLS: Seattle Sounders @ New York City FC (ESPN, 1pm)

OTHER SPORTS
Sailing: America's Cup (NBC, 1pm)
Red Bull Signature Series: Hart Lines (NBC, 4:30pm)
Volleyball: FIVB World League: USA vs. Russia (NBC Sports, 6:30pm)
Arena Football: Tampa Bay Storm @ Philadelphia Soul (CBS SportsNet, 7pm)
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MOVIE: The Conjuring 2 (HBO, 8pm)
MOVIE: Inferno (Starz, 8pm)
TURN: Washington's Spies (AMC, 9pm)
T.J. Miller: Meticulously Ridiculous (HBO, 10pm)

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Full Court Press: Did Kevin Durant make the right decision?

By Randy Groce, @ImissWiggins

As the NBA Finals have gone into full swing, I wanted to know "are you still mad at Kevin Durant?" Are we still upset because we feel that he chose the easy path to the finals, or do we understand why he made his decision? It has and will continue to be debated over who's decision was worse, LeBron's or Durant's. My take is Durant joined a team that had already won a title and was one game away from winning another. He also immediately joined the team that had just eliminated him from the playoffs. LeBron didn't join the Celtics so as far as I'm concerned the two are completely different.

We can spend hours going back-and-forth over the details of who's decision was worse but for me it simply comes down to why the decision was made in the first place. It's easy as a fan to sit back and criticize Durant's decision, but have any of you actually taken a second and asked yourself why he left without having a negative response to it?

The first reason I believe he left is the exact same reason I believe LeBron left. He had the unfortunate title of being the "best player without a ring". It's OK to have that moniker at the beginning of your career but when you've gone a few years without winning I think the pressure starts to weigh on you. The other reason I believe he left was because he was tired of playing with Russell Westbrook.

I'm not a Russ hater before anyone assumes that, he's actually my favorite player. I think Russ has an unbelievable will to win and plays as hard as possible when he's on the floor, but both Westbrook and Durant are alpha players, they both need the ball they both feel they have to have the ball, but there's only one ball. They both have had their playoff experiences of coming up big and coming up short but they have never truly played well together when it mattered the most.

Kevin Durant is the second best player in the world so there's no excuse for the OKC Thunder to have lost to the Golden State Warriors last year after building a 3-1 series lead. Sometimes having two top five or two top 10 players on the same team that have the same skill set isn't always a positive. Mix in the fact that they did not have a strong head coach to handle the situation and you can see why the team never hit its full potential.

I've had people point to the relationship between LeBron James and Dwayne Wade and say that if that can work ANYTHING can work. Well, it's not that simple and their situation was rare. For starters, regardless of who was in Miami first and who had a ring first (Wade), EVERYONE knows that wherever LeBron James is it's HIS team. Secondly, Wade and LeBron are real friends who genuinely love each other so for them, playing together was going to be fun. Although Durant had won scoring titles and a MVP, Westbrook still felt he was an equal to Durant, not a sidekick.

We saw this with Kobe and Shaq. They won three titles but still clashed with each other until the team was torn apart. Unfortunately some guys choose ego over team. Regardless of the way it went down Durant would be criticized. Stay in OKC, maybe beat the Warriors then lose to the Cavs and then everyone would say "you can't beat LeBron!". Go to another team they'd say "you're stupid for leaving Russ!". So why not join the team that has the best chance to make it to the Finals, and has a great chance of winning it with you being there? If the Warriors win, the main reason will be Durant. He's the best player on the team, and without him last year they didn't win it all.

Personally, I hate the current state of the NBA. We're basically waiting till June to see Cleveland and Golden State every year. I wouldn't mind that if it was organic, but this is basically a condensed version of the NBA All Star game. If the Warriors win it all, what's the Cavs' next move? Trade for Melo? Try to work a deal for Paul George or Jimmy Butler? Who knows how things would've turned out had Durant chosen the Celtics instead of Golden State. Would have made for a great Eastern Conference Final.

What I do know is Kevin Durant is comfortable with his decision and if he wins, who's to say he's wrong?

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Full Court Press: There's Still Hope and Time For The Cavs

By Randy Groce, @ImissWiggins

Coach Ty Lue said no. Lebron said no. Most "experts" and analysts have said no. The question that's being asked is, "should the Cleveland Cavaliers slow the game down and run more half court sets?" Well, I'm not an expert, coach, or a current player but based on what I witnessed in the 2015 and 2016 NBA Finals the Cavaliers absolutely need to slow the game down. Two years ago without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love the Cavs won two games against the Warriors. Last year fully loaded they beat the Warriors in seven games. So far this year after two games the Cavs have yet to win a game. The difference between this year and the other two Finals' appearances, LeBron controlling the game from the paint.

So far the Warriors' defensive gameplan has been well executed. Let LeBron score, (he was gonna do it regardless)stay glued to the shooters (JR Smith, Kyle Korver, Kevin Love), and either trap or shade a second defender to Kyrie Irving. The gameplan that's been deployed against Kyrie should look familiar. Doc's Celtics and the Spurs have used that strategy against LeBron a few times during his career. It works well against Kyrie because he's not a pass first point guard. He sees it as a challenge and tries to dribble around or through it instead of making the smart basketball play. So far the ball pressure has either made him turn the ball over or take a bad jump shot.

Let's get back to the point of this article. LeBron working out of the post the last two NBA Finals has allowed him to put up some of the most ridiculous numbers we have ever seen from a player on such big stage. What it forces the defense to do is either play him one on one. No small forward in the league can contain him in the paint, so that's either an automatic two points or a foul. Or, it forces the defense to send help and leave some one open. The latter is what has me shaking my head and wondering what the hell is going on?

This is by far the best crop of shooters LeBron has ever been surrounded by. You would think that working down low in the paint while waiting for the double team would be his number one mission. Kick it to an open shooter and then as Mike Breen would say, "BANG". It would also allow the role players to gain some type of confidence if they can hit an open shot or two. We've heard many times before that role players have a more difficult time on the road, so why not do everything possible to make their jobs easier.

Please, don't take what I'm saying as criticism of LeBron. He's doing everything he can, while getting minimal assistance. The problem is the Cavs are loaded with specialists, guys that are only shooters or "hustlers". The Warriors have a stable of guys that simply are very good if not great at basketball. Oh, and they play excellent half court defense. LeBron in the post and ball movement on the perimeter is the remedy for the Cavs issues. We've seen it work in the past, but for some reason they're trying to match the Warriors pace of play which hasn't done much except for tiring them out faster.

It also wouldn't hurt to dust off Derrick Williams and get him off the bench since he's one of the few guys on the team that's under 30 years old and can defend. There's no shame in losing, especially if the opponent is better than you but at least make sure you use every single weapon and strategy to your disposal.

Sunday, June 4, 2017

On TV This Week 6/4 - 6/10

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

SUNDAY 6/4

NBA FINALS
Cavaliers @ Warriors, Game 2 (ABC, 8pm)

MLB
Cardinals @ Cubs (ESPN, 8pm)

SOCCER
MLS: Chicago Fire @ Orlando City SC (FOX Sports 1, 7:30pm)
---
Sunday Night with Megan Kelly (NBC, 7pm)
American Ninja Warrior: USA vs. the World (NBC, 8pm)
Fear The Walking Dead, PREMIERE (AMC, 9pm)
Food Network Star, PREMIERE (Food, 9pm)
The Leftovers, FINALE (HBO, 9pm)
Comedy Central's Colossal Clusterfest (Comedy Central, 10pm)
I'm Dying Up Here, PREMIERE (Showtime, 10pm)

MONDAY 6/5

MLB
Cardinals @ Reds OR Giants @ Brewers (MLB, 7pm)
Nationals @ Dodgers (ESPN, 10pm)

NHL STANLEY CUP FINAL
Penguins @ Predators, Game 4 (NBC, 8pm)

COLLEGE SOFTBALL
World Series Game 1: Florida vs. Oklahoma (ESPN, 7pm)
---
Gotham, FINALE (FOX, 8pm)
Stitchers, PREMIERE (Freeform, 9pm)
Street Outlaws, FINALE (Discovery, 9pm)
Daytime Divas, PREMIERE (VH1, 10pm)
Incredible Edible America With The Dunhams, PREMIERE (Food, 10pm)

TUESDAY 6/6

MLB
Red Sox @ Yankees OR Pirates @ Orioles (MLB, 7pm)
Indians @ Rockies (STO, 8:30pm)

COLLEGE SOFTBALL
World Series Game 2: Florida vs. Oklahoma (ESPN, 8pm)

WNBA
Washington Mystics @ Dallas Wings (ESPN 2, 8pm)
---
America's Got Talent (NBC, 8pm)
Ink Master, PREMIERE (Spike, 10pm)
Devil's Canyon, PREMIERE (Discovery, 10pm)
The Jim Jefferies Show, PREMIERE (Comedy Central, 10:30pm)

WEDNESDAY 6/7

NBA FINALS
Warriors @ Cavaliers, Game 3 (ABC, 9pm)

MLB
Indians @ Rockies (STO, 3pm)
Red Sox @ Yankees OR Pirates @ Orioles (MLB, 7pm)

COLLEGE SOFTBALL
World Series, Game 3: Florida vs. Oklahoma (ESPN, 8pm)

OTHER SPORTS
College Track & Field: NCAA Men's Outdoor Championship Semifinals (ESPN 2, 8:30pm)
---
Little Big Shots (NBC, 8pm)
2017 CMT Music Awards (CMT, 8pm)

THURSDAY 6/8

MLB
Red Sox @ Yankees (ESPN, 7pm)

NHL STANLEY CUP FINAL
Predators @ Penguins, Game 5 (NBC, 8pm)

SOCCER
FIFA World Cup 2018 Qualifying: United States vs. Trinidad and Tobago (FOX Sports 1, 8pm)

OTHER SPORTS
College Track & Field: NCAA Men's Outdoor Championship Semifinals (ESPN 2, 8:30pm)
---
Mountain Men, PREMIERE (History, 9pm)
Ridiculousness, Tami Roman, Charlemagne Tha God (MTV, 9pm & 9:30pm)
Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'n Out; Chance The Rapper, Saba (MTV, 10pm)
Queen Of The South, PREMIERE (USA, 10pm)

FRIDAY 6/9

NBA FINALS
Warriors @ Cavaliers, Game 4 (ABC, 9pm)

MLB
White Sox @ Indians (STO, 7pm)
Orioles @ Yankees OR Tigers @ Red Sox (MLB, 7:30pm)

RACING
Camping World Truck Series: Rattlesnake 400 (FOX Sports 1, 8pm)

OTHER SPORTS
College Track & Field: NCAA Men's Outdoor Championship Finals (ESPN, 8:30pm)
---
Dark Matter, PREMIERE (Syfy, 8pm)
Wynonna Earp, PREMIERE (Syfy, 10pm)

SATURDAY 6/10

MLB
Rangers @ Nationals OR Mets @ Braves (MLB, 12pm)
Royals @ Padres (FOX Sports 1, 4pm)
White Sox @ Indians (FOX, 7pm)
Reds @ Dodgers OR Blue Jays @ Mariners (MLB, 10pm)

TENNIS
2017 French Open: Women's Final (NBC, 9am)

RACING
XFINITY Series: Pocono 250 (FOX, 1pm)
IndyCar: Rainguard Water Sealers 600 (NBC Sports, 8:30pm)

GOLF
FedEx St. Jude Classic, Third Round (CBS, 3pm)

MMA & BOXING
Kickboxing: Glory 42 (ESPN 2, 3pm)
UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt - Prelims (FOX Sports 1, 8pm)
UFC Fight Night: Derrick Lewis vs. Mark Hunt (FOX Sports 1, 10pm)

OTHER SPORTS
Track & Field: IAAF Diamond League: Rome (NBC, 1pm)
Red Bull Signature Series: Volcom Pipe Pro (NBC, 3pm)
149th Belmont Stakes (NBC, 5pm)
College Track & Field: NCAA Women's Outdoor Championship Finals (ESPN, 6:30pm)
---
Idiotsitter, PREMIERE (Comedy Central, 8pm)
The Son, FINALE (AMC, 9pm)
Orphan Black, PREMIERE (BBC America, 10pm)
MOVIE: The Accountant (HBO, 8pm)

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Radio Show 5/31/17: On the Cavs/NBA Finals, Indians, Summer TV/Movies & More

NBA Finals Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors Part III

By Katelin Marshall, @KatelinKnowsCLE

Finally, after a long drown out NBA season we finally have the last two teams left...and its the Cavaliers and the Warriors for the third straight year. Both teams are healthy heading into the finals and everything is lined up for another epic battle.

How Golden State Can Win:

There is no denying Golden State is a talented team. The team that won a NBA record 73 games last year added arguably one of the top five players in the game in Kevin Durant. The Warriors are a dangerous team in transition. And during the playoffs they are currently undefeated. The Warriors rank first during the playoffs in Points per game and assists per game, and second in field goal percentage and total rebounding per game.

There are a lot of factors for Golden State this series. Draymond Green is currently averaging 14 points eight rebounds and 7 assists per game. He's also shooting 50% from the field and 47% from behind the three point arch. Klay Thompson has been struggling during the playoffs. Only averaging 14 points on 38% shooting and 36% from three. Even if Klay continues to shoot poorly his effort on the defensive end can make up it. And lets not forget about Steph Curry. He is one the best shooters of all time and he can get hot at any moment of the game. He's averaging 28 points during the playoffs on 50% shooting from the field including 43% from three.

If the Warriors shoot like they have been and can crash the boards as a team then there is a very good chance the Warriors can pull a win.

How the Cavaliers Can Win:

Its hard to say the Cavs don't have a chance during the finals. They have the best damn player in the world in LeBron James. During the playoffs the Cavs rank first in field goal percentage and first from behind the three point arch. They have struggled on the glass even though they have Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love, and LeBron.

As long as LeBron James keeps on doing what LeBron James does which is Averaging 30+ points per game, 7 assists and 8 rebounds all while shooting 56% from the field and 42% from three. His effort on the defensive end and the leadership he brings are all things that honestly can't be quantified. And if you have LeBron on your team...you can never be counted out.

Kevin Love finally seems comfortable in the Cavaliers' system. He's averaging 17PPG and 10RPG, while shooting 47% from three. Hopefully Love will be able to play a bigger impact than he did during last year's finals. Yes, he did suffer a concussion and ended up missing a game because of it, but even when healthy he didn't play well until game seven.

And lets not forget about "Mr. Fourth Quarter" Kyrie Irving. The Cavs are undefeated when he records a double-double. Irving is averaging 24 PPG on 46% shooting and 36% from three. Irving has really come into his own this season. Playing a majority of the games this season and has just started to reach his prime.

The Cavaliers main "X Factor" in the finals is Tristan Thompson. His ability to switch onto smaller perimeter players in pick-and-roll defense is second to none...heck he might be the best in the league doing it. And the energy he brings on the offensive glass is key because it will give the Cavaliers extra possessions. Hopefully Thompson can cancel out Draymond Green because Green is the heart and soul of the Warriors. Just like last year, if you can get to Draymond you can get to the Warriors as a team and "Double T" is the key to that.

The Cavaliers' bench is another "X Factor" in this series. Whether its Kyle Korver, Deron Williams, or Iman Shumpert they need to continue to shoot well and also play great defense on the perimeter. Preventing the Warriors to catch fire from behind the arch meaning defensively they can't play one pass away.

Prediction:

Cavs win this series. I know its a "homer" pick but it is hard to pick against LeBron James. The man is on a mission and honestly we might be seeing the best basketball being played...EVER. His leadership he brings and his supporting cast might be one of the best in NBA history. If his Cavaliers team can win four more games an argument can be made for this team as the best NBA team of all time. This is an exciting match up and it should wrap out this rivalry very nicely.

Sunday, May 28, 2017

On TV This Week 5/28 - 6/3

By Raven Williams, @nevaRWilliams

SUNDAY 5/28

MLB
Mets @ Pirates (ESPN, 8pm)

SOCCER
MLS: New York City FC @ Atlanta United FC (ESPN, 5pm)
MLS: Houston Dynamo @ FC Dallas (FOX Sports 1, 8pm)

RACING
Monster Energy Cup Series: Coca-Cola 600 (FOX, 6pm)
---
American Ninja Warrior, Celebrity (NBC, 8pm)
American Ninja Warrior, All Stars (NBC, 9pm)

MONDAY 5/29

MLB
Yankees @ Orioles (ESPN, 1pm)
Athletics @ Indians (STO, 4pm)
Nationals @ Giants (ESPN, 4pm)
Tigers @ Royals (ESPN, 7pm)
Braves @ Angers OR Rays @ Rangers (MLB, 9pm)

NHL STANLEY CUP FINAL
Predators @ Penguins, Game 1 (NBC, 8pm)
---
Lucifer, FINALE (FOX, 9pm)
Whose Line Is It Anyway?, PREMIERE (The CW, 9pm)
Still Star-Crossed, PREMIERE (ABC, 10pm)

TUESDAY 5/30

MLB
Athletics @ Indians (STO, 6pm)
Dodgers @ Cardinals (ESPN, 7pm)
Nationals @ Giants (ESPN, 10pm)

WNBA
Los Angeles Sparks @ New York Liberty (ESPN, 2, 7pm)
---
America's Got Talent, PREMIERE (NBC, 8pm)
The Challenge: 14 Times Challengers Lost Their S... (MTV, 8pm)

Prison Break, FINALE (FOX, 9pm)
American Epic, FINALE (PBS, 9pm)
Animal Kingdom, PREMIERE (TNT, 9pm)

World Of Dance, PREMIERE (NBC, 10pm)
The Americans, FINALE (FX, 10pm)
Fear Factor, PREMIERE (MTV, 10pm)

WEDNESDAY 5/31

MLB
Athletics @ Indians (STO, 6pm)
Dodgers @ Cardinals (ESPN, 8pm)

NHL STANLEY CUP FINAL
Predators @ Penguins, Game 2 (NBC Sports, 8pm)

NBA
Open Court: Best Team Never To Win (NBA TV, 8pm)
---
MasterChef, PREMIERE (FOX, 8pm)

The Carmichael Show, PREMIERE (NBC, 9pm & 9:30pm)
The F Word with Gordon Ramsay, PREMIERE (FOX, 9pm)
Big Star Little Star, PREMIERE (USA, 9pm)

Food -- Delicious Science (PBS, 10pm)
Southern Justice, PREMIERE (NatGeo, 10pm)

THURSDAY 6/1

NBA FINALS
Cavaliers @ Warriors, Game 1 (ABC, 9pm)

MLB
Athletics @ Indians (STO, 12pm)
Yankees @ Blue Jays OR Red Sox @ Orioles (MLB, 7pm)

SOCCER
Friendly: Mexico vs. Republic of Ireland (FOX Sports 1, 8:30pm)
---
Mountain Men: Fully Loaded, PREMIERE (History, 8pm)
My 600-Lb. Life: Supersized, FINALE (TLC, 8pm)
90th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee (ESPN, 8:30pm)
The Amazing Race, FINALE (CBS, 10pm)
Inside The FBI: New York, FINALE (USA, 10pm)

FRIDAY 6/2

MLB
Red Sox @ Orioles OR Yankees @ Blue Jays (MLB, 7pm)
Indians @ Royals (STO, 8pm)

COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Florida vs. LSU (ESPN, 7pm)
Oklahoma vs. Washington (ESPN, 9:30pm)

OTHER SPORTS
Swimming: Santa Clara (NBC Sports, 8pm)
Volleyball: FIVB World League, USA vs. Serbia (NBC Sports, 9:30pm)
---
The 76th Annual Peabody Awards (PBS, 9pm)
Andrew Santino: Home Field Advantage (Showtime, 9pm)

SATURDAY 6/3

MLB
Yankees @ Blue Jays (MLB, 1pm)
Indians @ Royals (STO, 2pm)
Braves @ Reds (FOX Sports 1, 4pm)
Red Sox @ Orioles (FOX, 7pm)
Twins @ Angels OR Rays @ Mariners (MLB, 10pm)

NHL STANLEY CUP FINAL
Penguins @ Predators, Game 3 (NBC Sports, 8pm)

COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Texas A&M vs. UCLA (ESPN, 12pm)
Baylor vs. Oregon (ESPN, 2:30pm)
(ESPN, 7pm)
(ESPN, 9:30pm)

TENNIS
2017 French Open, Men's & Women's Third Round (NBC, 12pm)

RACING
IndyCar: Dual In Detroit, Race 1 (ABC, 3:30pm)

GOLF
Memorial Tournament, Third Round (CBS, 3pm)

MMA & BOXING
UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway - Prelims (FOX Sports 1, 8pm)
BOXING: Andrzej Fonfara vs. Adonis Stevenson (Showtime, 9pm)

SOCCER
UEFA Champions League: Juventus FC vs. Real Madrid (FOX, 2:30pm)
MLS: Minnesota United FC @ Sporting Kansas City (ESPN, 5pm)

OTHER SPORTS
Arena Football: Cleveland Gladiators @ Washington Valor (CBS SportsNet, 7pm)
---
MOVIE: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (HBO, 8pm)
20/20: In An Instant (ABC, 9pm)
Class, FINALE (BBC America, 10pm)

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Radio Show 5/24/17: On Cavs/Celtics, Next For The Spurs and Movie Sequels

Monday, June 27, 2016

One Week Later... This Is A Dream Right? #Cavs

By Alex Hale, @ThatCLESportGuy

Is this all a dream? I’m going to wake up any second, right? I mean Cleveland is a World Champion once again, after 52 years. It’s been a week and yet I still think I’m going to wake up from this dream and the Cavs will still be down 3-1 and on the brink of elimination. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself to make sure this is real. Last Sunday I remember walking into my weekend job and telling everyone I was working with, “We got this!”. Was it overconfidence after the Cavs came back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the series at 3-3? Or was it for the first time as a fan whether it was false hope or not, I truly believed it was our moment that night. That evening I went downtown with friends from work, we got into Downtown Cleveland at 5:30 to see the whole city was jammed with people ready to go for Game 7. We spent the next 2 1/2 hours walking around from The Clevelander, to the madhouse on East 4th St, and ended up watching the game at Barrio standing at the bar with everyone jammed together there to watch the game.

Now my friends who I was watching the game with, this was their 1st Game 7 Championship game. I told them numerous times that I’ve waited 19 years to avenge the Indians heartbreaking loss to the Marlins. I explained to them how hard this game was going to be for me, that they were lucky they are going into this game unaware of the emotional roller coaster they would be on. I think they are the lucky ones at the end of the day because they had no idea how to feel during the duration of the game.

As the game started we saw at first the Cavs and Warriors battle back and forth, then Draymond Green hit everything in sight. I felt sick to my stomach as my best friend played with Draymond at Michigan State and the last thing I wanted was for Draymond to beat us. It seemed like the man was possessed shooting the ball. It seemed like the Cavs were playing lackadaisical basketball and it infuriated me going into halftime. For a moment I felt like it was the same old story, but then I saw the shooting percentages. Golden State couldn’t miss and the Cavs were missing everything. At that moment I said this, “If they beat us by shooting lights out, that’s their game and good for them”. But I also thought in this time that Golden State couldn’t shoot like this forever.

Then out of nowhere it seemed… god bless you, JR Smith. Coming out of Halftime it seemed the tables had turned, it suddenly was the Cavs who were coming out firing and the Warriors seemed lackadaisical. Once JR got the Warriors lead down to 1, I started to feel that confidence of winning this game was back. The Cavs by the end of the 3rd had cut the deficit down to 1 and I looked at my friends saying, “Win the 4th Quarter…that’s all we need to do”.

That 4th Quarter was unlike anything I experienced in my life. You were on the edge of your seat the whole time and it felt like two Boxing legends were trading blows back and forth and it was a test of who would fall first. With around 3:00 to go, Steph Curry had a wide open 3 to break open the game and really start to put away the Cavs…he missed! The Cavs at the same time were struggling to make a shot as well and the Warriors got another shot. This time it was the red hot Draymond Green who got a good look and once again…he missed! At this moment, I sensed something different was going down.

Think about it. Normally the script for, “Old Cleveland” would be the Warriors would’ve made one of those 2 shots, the Cavs would answer and right at the end, the Warriors would make the big shot and win the game. This script wasn’t happening and for me it became a question of who would take that dagger shot for the Cavs. As we all know that man would end up being Kyrie Irving, who got the 1-on-1 matchup with Steph Curry and buried that 3 with about 1:00 to go. Man… Barrio and everyone surrounding the restaurant (you should’ve seen outside the windows of Barrio!) exploded.

We all sensed something special was happening and when Kevin Love shut down Steph Curry with his defense and forced the bad shot that led to LeBron’s dunk that turned into a foul that sent him to the line. Understand… KEVIN LOVE STOPPED STEPH CURRY! LeBron would shake off his injury and go to the line. We all knew, just make 1 Free Throw. LeBron missed his first but nobody panicked, which looking back was odd for Cleveland. We all knew he was going to make his 2nd shot. When that 2nd shot went it…madness! There may have been about 13 seconds to go, but we knew it was over.

The final seconds ticked down and we knew the drought was over, I grab my friends and we’re jumping up and down in excitement and we all run out of Barrio and onto the street and already the streets were packed with people. I walked down prospect still in shock and suddenly a random person who was probably 6’5", 300 was running down the street and ran towards me to do a chest bump in celebration. I had no time to react and he absolutely leveled me down to the street pavement and ended up scraping my right arm, hurt my left shoulder, and my ribs hurt for a day. He apologized and I simply told him to not worry and go celebrate. My friends and I got to East 9th to see it shut down because of the amount of fans blocking the street. I was about to cry out of this sight of people celebrating with love and happiness. They were giving high fives to anyone in cars who approached the street. It was something that I dreamed I would see and doubted I would live to see it.

At this point I called my father, who I watched Game 7 in 1997 with and cried next to him until I fell asleep. How fitting it was to fall on Fathers Day and I called and the one thing I wanted to do throughout this playoff run was to tell him, “IT’S OVER”. I got through and as I told him, I broke down into tears. Understand, my Dad isn’t a huge sports fan (let alone a Basketball fan), but he wanted to see this drought end. He was alive to see the Browns win the last Championship back in 1964. I told him, “It’s over Dad, we did it” I was crying the whole time and I asked to talk to my mother as well.

Again it was fitting on Father’s Day this occurred. I prayed from Game 5 on to my Zayde (Hebrew for Grandfather), who passed away in 2002 to give the Cavs the heart and strength to pull this off. Understand this about my Zayde, he is the definition of a Warrior (not a GS one), he had heart problems all his life, had countless heart attacks and close calls. He always fought and won until the rest of his body shut down. When he passed it wasn’t because of his heart failing, it was the rest of his body shutting down. He taught me was strength is and I prayed for the Cavs to have that strength. I told my mother this because in a way, although my Zayde was from Detroit, he wanted me to experience a Championship and on Father’s Day I believe his spirit was there in the Cavs, giving them the strength to pull this MiraCLE off.

I got texts afterwards from friends out of town saying if Cleveland can win a Championship, so can my team. In one night, Cleveland became the joke of the sporting world to the ray of hope to every snakebitten franchise in sports. It’s truly unbelievable how one Championship can change the outlook for a city. Anyone who doubted it before, can’t deny it now.

I was there for the parade and it felt totally like an out of body experience to me. To see the lines at the RTA Rapid station, to see at 9:30AM the E. 9th St. was pretty much jammed was unreal. The parade was a celebration of not just the Cavs, but Cleveland. I love how the Lake Erie Monsters were part of the parade to celebrate the Calder Cup (I feel sorry too because they will go to Columbus next). To see Jim Brown, Earnest Byner among the Cleveland legends on hand to experience this was great and it was also nice to see MGK having fun performing. When the Cavs players came out, you could see the love the Cavs players have for the fans, they were posing for photos, coming out of the cars to shake hands, signing random autographs that somehow had to find their way back to the people who gave them the memorabilia. It was unreal.

So one week later, I ask myself, this was a dream right? No it wasn’t a dream, this really happened. Our time arrived and we got to live what a lot of fans thought they’d never see. This week I’m not going to forget for the rest of my life. There aren’t that many fanbases that will experience the same sense of euphoria that Cleveland fans felt. For most fans in LA, Chicago, NY, Florida, Texas they probably get a World Champion once every couple of years. It’s almost routine to them. Cleveland waited 52 years for this moment and like myself, still fans don’t believe this is real.

Hey Cleveland, this is real! The Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Championship. Forget about the past and believe brighter days are right around the corner for this city. Who knows Cleveland…you want to do this all over again in October? Because now that we’ve had one, let’s keep this positivity going so we can experience this all over again.

So this is what it feels like to win a World Championship? Man, this is the greatest feeling in the world. It was well worth the wait.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Championship Night Through The Eyes Of A Clevelander #Cavs

By Jason Disantis, @JasonInCLE

There is comfort in familiarity…

And for a Cleveland sports fan, there is familiarity in pain.

This isn’t a recap of the Cavaliers championship. It’s a look at that night through the eyes of a Cleveland fan. But more importantly than being a Cleveland fan, I’m a Clevelander.

As I sat on my couch getting ready for game 7 of the NBA Finals at the end of my first Father’s Day, my son asleep in his crib, and my wife on the adjacent couch, I felt comfortable. I wasn’t worried about the pain of losing a Game 7 and a championship. I knew that pain. I was familiar with that pain. And so, I was comfortable with it. Honestly, I was a little too comfortable.

I knew how I would feel if we lost. I knew what I would do. I was at peace.

I would watch the clock dwindle to zero, take a deep breath and stare at the ground. I wouldn’t be mad, but I would be upset. I would wonder if we ran into a dynasty with the Warriors. Off-season trades were already going through my head and what type of move we could make with Kevin Love to beat the Warriors next year. I would finish my drink, shut down Twitter and the TV, and take myself to bed.

As painful as that sounds, I was comfortable with it. Again, it was familiar, and there is comfort in familiarity.

But as the fourth quarter began I moved the edge of my seat. Most of the rest of the game was watched there or standing. I sipped bourbon and refreshed Twitter in between plays, and as the Cavs battled back and forth it became apparent that we might actually pull this out.

And then it happened; The Block, The Shot, and The Lock.

As the clock struck zero, I stood up with my hands in the air. I looked at my wife, and I didn’t know what to do.

This was a new feeling. This was winning.

Am I supposed to yell? Should I run around the block screaming? Do I drive around the neighborhood honking my horn blasting the 1980’s Cavs song?

I walked over to my wife and hugged and kissed her. With a tear streaming down my cheek I told her “congratulations, you’re a champion.” We are all champions.

That night I shed tears of joy for this city. The city that I call home. The city that I vehemently defend against hack sports writers that have never been here and don't know a damn thing about this city and its people. The city that deserves this championship more than any other city. The city that found comfort in pain. I love this city.

This was a new feeling. That night we became champions. We handled that responsibility with excitement, respectability and class. We high-fived, hugged, and clanked glasses with total strangers in celebration. But we were never really total strangers. We’re Clevelanders. And now I can find comfort in knowing that so much of the world was watching us become the champions that we were always ready to be.