Monday, June 10, 2019
Very hot today. Racquetball was fun and full, six players in. Work was busy, then came the Warriors game 5 in Toronto in a do-or-die game that in some ways was a face-saving situation for the three-time World Champs. They couldn't lose a series 1-4 and feel anything less than embarrassed by that outcome, which was perhaps why KD decided to suit up and play, even though his initial injury a month or so ago looked much more serious than the strained calf we'd all been told for the past five or six weeks. KD did suit up and did play, and when he was on the court, he looked like his old self, making threes, putting the ball in the hole, basically showing the world who he was and what his day job entailed. But throughout I was worried, hoping he'd be okay. Nope, he's not okay. What transpired in the second quarter was so unfortunate, especially after coming back from a foot or leg injury, and now KD will be out at least a year if not longer, and the remainder of his career will be in jeopardy.
I guess that's why I have such strong emotions for him and the sacrifice he made for his team. They needed every point he made, needed his energy and chemistry and presence on the floor, and during the time he was playing the team was different, was in synch, was able to go toe-to-toe with the size and strength of a tenacious, talented opponent. It would be a different series with KD in the lineup, and for 11 minutes we all saw that. How the Warriors were able to carry on and squeak out a victory, especially after being down six with three minutes left, is part of what makes them so magical to watch. They find ways to win, even when they make big mistakes, which they seem to do with regularity this series. It was an intense, frustrating, awe-inspiring game that showed the team's toughness and mental determination to push against whatever long odds lay in front of them. The Splash brothers, both future Hall-of-Famers and perhaps the sharpest shooting tandem in NBA history, proved why they've been deemed the best of the best since way back in their careers before their first title. I'm not sure if they have enough to beat this really impressive Raptor team two more times. If they can, it will be as big a comeback as the Cav's victory after being down 3-1 three years ago. It would cement their legacy as the dominant team of this three-point era. Next game is Thursday night. We'll see what happens at the last Warrior game ever to be played at Oracle Arena. If ever there was a time for the team to shine and rise above the cards they've been dealt, it's now in these final two games of the NBA season. They shot 20 threes and still only won the game by one point. The Raptors keep up with them and keep fighting. Their players are smart and seem to know exactly how to handle what the Warriors come up with. The Raptors are the better team, with more depth, more weapons, more consistency in this series, and make fewer mistakes, but there's also that feeling that what they almost had in their six-point lead with three minutes left might have slipped through their fingers. We'll see how they respond in game 6. It's all so very nerve-wracking and exciting to watch.
Very hot today. Racquetball was fun and full, six players in. Work was busy, then came the Warriors game 5 in Toronto in a do-or-die game that in some ways was a face-saving situation for the three-time World Champs. They couldn't lose a series 1-4 and feel anything less than embarrassed by that outcome, which was perhaps why KD decided to suit up and play, even though his initial injury a month or so ago looked much more serious than the strained calf we'd all been told for the past five or six weeks. KD did suit up and did play, and when he was on the court, he looked like his old self, making threes, putting the ball in the hole, basically showing the world who he was and what his day job entailed. But throughout I was worried, hoping he'd be okay. Nope, he's not okay. What transpired in the second quarter was so unfortunate, especially after coming back from a foot or leg injury, and now KD will be out at least a year if not longer, and the remainder of his career will be in jeopardy.
I guess that's why I have such strong emotions for him and the sacrifice he made for his team. They needed every point he made, needed his energy and chemistry and presence on the floor, and during the time he was playing the team was different, was in synch, was able to go toe-to-toe with the size and strength of a tenacious, talented opponent. It would be a different series with KD in the lineup, and for 11 minutes we all saw that. How the Warriors were able to carry on and squeak out a victory, especially after being down six with three minutes left, is part of what makes them so magical to watch. They find ways to win, even when they make big mistakes, which they seem to do with regularity this series. It was an intense, frustrating, awe-inspiring game that showed the team's toughness and mental determination to push against whatever long odds lay in front of them. The Splash brothers, both future Hall-of-Famers and perhaps the sharpest shooting tandem in NBA history, proved why they've been deemed the best of the best since way back in their careers before their first title. I'm not sure if they have enough to beat this really impressive Raptor team two more times. If they can, it will be as big a comeback as the Cav's victory after being down 3-1 three years ago. It would cement their legacy as the dominant team of this three-point era. Next game is Thursday night. We'll see what happens at the last Warrior game ever to be played at Oracle Arena. If ever there was a time for the team to shine and rise above the cards they've been dealt, it's now in these final two games of the NBA season. They shot 20 threes and still only won the game by one point. The Raptors keep up with them and keep fighting. Their players are smart and seem to know exactly how to handle what the Warriors come up with. The Raptors are the better team, with more depth, more weapons, more consistency in this series, and make fewer mistakes, but there's also that feeling that what they almost had in their six-point lead with three minutes left might have slipped through their fingers. We'll see how they respond in game 6. It's all so very nerve-wracking and exciting to watch.
No comments:
Post a Comment