Author: jhawkes51

Oakland travels to Arizona for preseason opener Aug 12th

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AP Photo File: Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) applauds during an NFL football training camp on Saturday, July 29, 2017, in Napa, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND — The Raiders gear up for 2017 preseason with a road trip to the Valley of the Sun to take on the Arizona Cardinals Saturday night Aug. 12, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. PT from University of Phoenix Stadium. This marks the third time in seven years that the Silver and Black open up the preseason schedule on the road, as they opened the 2016 preseason in Arizona last season and in Minnesota for the 2014 preseason.

This also marks the fifth time in seven years that Oakland and Arizona meet in the preseason, with the Raiders taking last year’s preseason opener 31-10.

The Raiders will be a team that will score a lot of points this season with Derek Carr throwing to his talented wide receivers in Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper. Oakland was the sixth-ranked offense with Carr throwing for 3,937 yards and 26 touchdowns (to just 6 interceptions) in 2016.

Cooper and Cooper each had 1,000-yard receiving seasons last year.

Add in a physical running back in Marshawn Lynch to an already deep running back stable with Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington to go along with free agent addition Jared Cook and holdover Clive Walford to sure up the tight end position, the Silver and Black will be a feared offense in 2017.

With left tackle Donald Penn a training camp holdout over his contract, I wouldn’t expect to see Carr and the first-team offense play no more than a series or two as the point of the preseason is to find your team’s identity, see which rookies can be contributors to an NFL team, and most importantly, keep your starters healthy.

Carr who signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension with the organization during the offseason and is coming off a broken fibula last season, is the most important Raider the team has to keep healthy with all of the Super Bowl hype surrounding the team heading into the season.

The reigning Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year in defensive end Khalil Mack and the defense look to improve a unit that finished 26th in the league last season despite Mack registering 11 sacks, five forced fumbles, and an interception that returned for a touchdown.

Overall defensively, Oakland already has the majority of their starting lineup intact with the exception of middle linebacker, and possibly cornerback opposite of David Amerson.

Rookie Marquel Lee and second-year pro Tyrell Adams battling for the starting job at middle linebacker. Lee is currently ahead of Adams on the team’s depth chart in training camp and should start in Oakland’s first preseason game but should see a lot of action.

Lee is one of 30 rookies who should see their first live action in an NFL game.

Nine-year veteran Sean Smith is being pushed hard for his starting spot at cornerback by fourth-year player TJ Carrie and rookie Gareon Conley. Carrie has passed Smith on the Raiders depth chart in training camp after lining up with the starting 11 over the weekend in Napa.

Conley hasn’t practiced yet due to shin splints and off the field issues, is playing catch up.

Arizona lost to the Dallas Cowboys 20-18 in the NFL’s Hall of Fame Game last Thursday as both teams held out most of their starters.

Former 49ers starter/backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert completed 11-of-14 passes for 185 yards leading Arizona to touchdowns on their first two drives.

 

 

 

 

 

Raiders Report: Sean Smith falls behind TJ Carrie on depth chart

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AP Photo File: Oakland Raiders cornerback Sean Smith stands on the field during an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

NAPA — In football when a guy signs a four-year, $38 million contract ($20 million guaranteed) to play one of the NFL’s toughest positions, cornerback, you better be good and produce because you’re being paid starter’s money.

Sean Smith could be in trouble of losing his starting job after signing with Oakland two offseasons ago.

According to NBC Sports Bay Area Raiders Insider Scott Bair, Smith has fallen behind backup TJ Carrie on the depth chart at training camp and hasn’t worked with the starting 11 the past three days in favor of Carrie. Smith lined up at outside cornerback with the second team on Friday and Saturday, but was used as a hybrid linebacker/safety covering tight ends in sub packages on Sunday and at slot corner when the offense went to four wide receivers Bair further reported.

Carrie who is entering his fourth season with the team, and rookie cornerback Gareon Conley are pushing the nine-year veteran for his starting spot in training camp.

Smith played well in most of his 15 games started last season registering 40 tackles (33 solo, 7 assisted), 11 pass defensed and two interceptions, but was notoriously picked on by opposing offenses.

Smith first game with Oakland in New Orleans was atrocious, where he was burned for two touchdowns, one of those scores a 98-yarder to former Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks that got Smith bench thereafter.

According to Bair, opposing quarterbacks had a passing rating of 114.0 against Smith last year, completing 44 receptions on 77 targets for 749 yards and eight touchdowns. There was a seven-game stretch where Smith didn’t allow a touchdown, living up to the big money the Raiders rewarded him with.

But Smith started to struggle down the stretch last season while dealing with a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery.

Now Smith is in an open competition and just because he has a huge contract, doesn’t mean he is guaranteed to be the starter when the Raiders open up the 2017 season in Nashville against the Titans on Sept 10.

Information from the NBC Sports Bay Area was used in this report.

 

Donald Penn, Raiders remain at odds over contract

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AP File Photo: Oakland Raiders quarterback Connor Cook passes as tackle Donald Penn (72) blocks against the Denver Broncos in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

NAPA, Calif — Donald Penn remains a holdout at Raiders training camp and he doesn’t appear to be budging anytime soon.

Appearing on Inside Training Camp Live, NFL Network’s Michael Silver said he spoke with the 34-year-old Penn and noted that the left tackle is adamant on his intent to remain away from training camp until the Raiders reward him with a new contract that will pay him in the top-10 among left tackles in the league.

“He is holding firm,” said Silver. “He said we are in a holding pattern, basically. This is not something that should be a surprise to the Raiders it’s something that was broached at the combine and they’ve been aware that Donald Penn, and I happen to agree with them, is underpaid based on productivity.”

Penn started all 16 games last season, and has started 48 straight games for Oakland the last three seasons.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, Penn allowed just 28 quarterback pressures in 676 pass-blocking snaps in 2016 and surrendering just one sack. But that one sack led to quarterback Derek Carr’s season-ending leg injury.

Silver also spoke with Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, who compared Penn’s holdout as a family squabble, per Inside Training Camp Live.

“He said, listen, I love Donald Penn, he is a Raider, this is a family dispute. Sometimes in a family you have dispute. McKenzie believes they can work something out,” Silver said. “Reggie McKenzie very confident that something will get done.”

Oakland does have depth at left tackle with veteran Marshall Newhouse and rookie David Sharpe, but are they adequate enough to protect Carr’s blindside in a potential Super Bowl run this season after finishing 12-4 with an AFC Wild Card berth a season ago?

Penn is set to make $5.8 million in the final year of his contract.

Information from the NFL Network was used in this report.

Reports: Donald Penn not reporting to Raiders training camp amid contract dispute

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AP File Photo: Oakland Raiders tackle Donald Penn during an NFL football team activity Tuesday, May 23, 2017, in Alameda, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

NAPA–There will be a noticeable absence when the Raiders open up training camp Saturday and its a player that they can’t afford to be without.

Left tackle Donald Penn is not expected to report for Oakland’s first practice as he seeks a new contract from the organization. Penn is set to make $7 million this season, the final year of a two-year $11.9 million deal with Oakland.

News of Penn’s intentions of skipping training camp was first reported by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport via Twitter.

But at 34-years-old, Penn knows that Father Time is rapidly approaching and wants to get one more big-money contract before he calls it a career. Rapoport noted that Penn is reportedly looking to be paid “among the top-10 left tackles in the league.”

Penn has proven to be extremely durable throughout his 10-year career, starting all 16 games the last nine seasons including 48 straight for Oakland the last three seasons. According to ESPN Stats and Information, Penn allowed just 28 quarterback pressures in 676 pass-blocking snaps last season and giving up just one sack, the sack that snapped the fibula of franchise quarterback Derek Carr on Christmas Eve.

The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Penn is a brick wall that protects Carr and saw the Raiders dish out lucrative contracts along the offensive line in recent years, inking center Rodney Hudson and right tackle Kelechi Osemele to massive deals.

This past offseason, Oakland rewarded right guard Gabe Jackson with a five-year, $56 million contract extension.

In a phone call with NFL Network’s Willie McGinest on Friday, the two-time Pro Bowler expressed his deserving of a new contract.

“He wants to probably be paid in the top-10. He’s not looking to be the highest paid, the top-5 highest paid. He just wants the respect of what he’s done on the field,” McGinest said during Friday’s addition of NFL Total Access. “Stop looking at his age, he’s like, don’t mention his age, look at my production and what I’ve done. And if I’m in the top-10, then I can probably be comfortable with that.”

Oakland enters the 2017 season with Super Bowl aspirations and look to be one of the league’s top offenses once again, with the additions of running back and hometown product Marshawn Lynch (came out of retirement) and tight end Jared Cook (signed in free agency), to go along with Carr and wide receivers Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper.

Information from the NFL Network was used in this report.

 

“Megatron” pipe-dream for the Raiders; Former Lion Calvin Johnson on wish list

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In this Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015 AP File Photo, Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) warms ups before an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Ford Field in Detroit. Johnson says NFL players could get painkillers like they were “candy” during the first half of his career with the Detroit Lions. His comments were part of a wide-ranging interview on ESPN’s news magazine E:60 that was scheduled to be broadcast Thursday, July 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND–The rumors swirling around retired wide receiver Calvin Johnson wanting to return to the NFL and play for the Oakland Raiders are intriguing in so many ways that it makes my head spin.

This is nothing more than a pipe-dream, a “Megatron” pipe-dream for the Raiders.

Johnson, who retired from the Lions in his prime at age 30 after the 2015 season after an 88-catch season for 1,214 yards and nine touchdowns, didn’t see Detroit as a championship contender.

Whenever I talk football with my mentor and lifelong Raiders fan Ronn Ford and the Lions come up, he always says that “Detroit will never win a championship because they can’t win outside of Wayne County.”

Detroit sits in Wayne County for those who didn’t know.

Johnson’s frustration for the Lions’ shortcomings was reminiscent of another Lions great in running back Barry Sanders, who also retired at age 30 because Detroit never could get over the hump and challenge for a Super Bowl.

During Johnson’s nine-year career in the Motor City, the Lions have only made the playoffs twice and lost both times, while Detroit was just 1-5 in six appearances in Sanders’s 10 seasons.

Johnson mentioned that the reason he retired from the Lions were a result from nagging hand, legs and ankle injuries, but honestly, Johnson knew the Lions organization couldn’t put the pieces in place to make a legitimate run at a Super Bowl. Sure Johnson had Matthew Stafford to throw him the football, but the Lions could never develop a strong  running game to take the pressure off the duo and that left Detroit predictable on offense.

That happened to Sanders, who had play-making wide receivers in Herman Moore, Brett Perriman and Johnnie Morton to play off of, but saw a revolving door at quarterback with the likes Andre Ware, Erik Kramer, Scott Mitchell and Charlie Batch under center.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing a solid 239 pounds, Johnson was blessed with rare size and ability to make the toughest catches look so routine on any given Sunday when he was usually double- and triple-teamed.

There isn’t one signature play that stands out for me when describing Johnson, but his career numbers are insane: 731 career catches, 11,619 receiving yards and 83 touchdown catches that led to six Pro Bowls, three first-team All-Pro,  and the cover of Madden ’13.

By all accounts, Johnson earned the respect from all of his teammates and from opponents and cemented that he was one of the NFL’s best players at any position, not just wide receiver.

But before Raider Nation gets excited about the prospect of seeing “Megatron” don the Raiders’ Silver & Black and lineup in three-wide receiver formations with Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree waiting for a pinpoint pass from quarterback Derek Carr, Johnson must first reapply to the NFL and return to the Lions, who hold his rights. While as a guest at the Italian Bowl earlier this month, Johnson shed some light regarding his situation with the Lions.

“I don’t have the freedom just to go,” Johnson said. “I was stuck in my contract with Detroit and they told me they would not release my contract, so I would have to come back to them, so I didn’t see a chance for them to win a Super Bowl at the time and for the work that I was putting in, it wasn’t worth my time to keep beating my head against the wall and not going anywhere. It’s the definition of insanity.”

Johnson did go on to say that he has thought about playing for other teams, but it would be up to Detroit to if they were to release Johnson should he want to return to the NFL.

Detroit recently invited Johnson to training camp this season, but there hasn’t been any word from Johnson if he would accept the invitation.

The Raiders, who are coming off a 12-4 season and their first playoff appearance since 2002, have the Super Bowl window wide open right now.

Johnson was invited to Raiders practices this offseason as a guest of new offensive coordinator Todd Downing. Downing and Johnson go back to Detroit where Downing spent five years in the organization, four of them served as the team’s quarterbacks coach.

Johnson’s situation is eerily similar to new Raiders running back and Oakland native Marshawn Lynch’s situation after he retired abruptly at age 29 from Seattle at the end of the 2015 season, a team he helped bring its first Lombardi trophy to the Pacific Northwest after the 2013 season.

The Raiders lured Lynch out of retirement but Seattle couldn’t afford and didn’t want him on the team so rather than out-right releasing Lynch and get nothing in return, the Seahawks shipped Lynch to Oakland and the sides agreed to a new deal.

Oakland and Seattle are expected to swap late-round picks in 2018 as part of the compensation in the deal for Lynch.

The deal made sense for both teams since it freed Seattle of Lynch (who allegedly rubbed some in the organization the wrong way depending on who you ask), and allowed Lynch to play for his hometown Raiders.

To acquire a player like Johnson, who can step on any football field right now and dominate with any quarterback, could cost a team a high second-round draft pick or even a late first-round pick. If I were the Lions and Johnson does want to come back and play for another team, you must hold out for the best deal possible.

Would general manager Reggie McKenzie give up those assets for Johnson, even if he turns out to be a one- to two-year rental player for Oakland?

After getting rid of eroding contracts and players that didn’t fit in the team’s future, McKenzie has drafted cornerstone players in the aforementioned Carr and Cooper, to go along with defensive end/linebacker Khalil Mack and offensive guard Gabe Jackson to have given the Raiders stability it hasn’t seen in ages.

Again, a lot of the talk of Johnson joining the Raiders is just lip service and a good conversation to have a few beers over at your favorite sports bar, but maybe its the football gods trying to re-write the history books for both franchises.

Armed with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Raiders drafted Louisiana State University quarterback JaMarcus Russell while the Lions quickly scooped up Johnson at No. 2 out of Georgia Tech.

On opening day of the 2007 season, the rookie Johnson caught four balls for 70 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown catch in Detroit’s 36-21 road victory over the Raiders.

To this day, Raider Nation has to be kicking itself as Johnson was on his way into becoming a superstar and possibly a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, while Russell would be out of the league in three years for weight issues and poor play.

 

 

 

 

Green takes home DPOY, Myers named NBA’s top executive

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Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year & Assist of the Year Award winner, Draymond Green, poses in the press room at the 2017 NBA Awards at Basketball City at Pier 36 on Monday, June 26, 2017, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

The Golden State Warriors continue its string of good fortune, picking up a pair of season-ending awards with forward Draymond Green taking home the 2016-17 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award and general manger Bob Myers named Executive of the Year for the second time in three seasons at the NBA awards show Monday night in New York.

Two days after the Warriors wrapped up its second NBA championship in three seasons, Green mentioned that he didn’t cared if he won the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Green won the award anyway, edging out two-time winner Kawhi Leonard (Spurs) and Rudy Gobert (Jazz). Green finished second in balloting to Leonard in back-to-back seasons.

The unquestioned heartbeat of the Warriors, Green received 73 of the 100 first-place votes, totaling 434 points. Gobert received 269 points, including 16 first-place votes. Leonard received 182 votes, 11 for first place.

The three finalists accounted for all 100 first-place votes.

Green led the NBA in steals (2.03 per game) and blocks (1.39 per game), with Golden State leading the league in both categories per game as a team.

With a hard-hat and lunch pail mentality, the 6-foot-7 forward finished third in the league in defensive rating and second in defensive win shares. Even though he’s the Warriors’ starting power forward, Green plays the majority of games at center while also playing point forward on offense.

Green averaged 10.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, while leading Golden State with 7.0 assists per game.

During his acceptance speech, a smiling Green acknowledge teammates Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant for their commitment to the defensive end of the floor this season.

“This isn’t an individual award,” Green said. “There are five guys out there on the floor at a time. I can’t do this all by myself, so I appreciate them. With KD and Klay not making the All-Defensive team, I appreciated everything they do.”

Earlier on Monday, Green was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive team. Green received 198 of a possible 200 points and voted to the first-team on 99 of a 100 ballots, but was shockingly left off one ballot.

At the Warriors’ championship parade, Green shouted into a microphone: “Can somebody give Bob some fu**ing credit?!”

Well, I guess the NBA heard Green loud and clear when Myers was named the NBA’s Executive of the Year for 2016-17, announced Monday night.

Last June, Myers and the Warriors bought the 38th pick and selected Pat McCaw. McCaw turned out to be a key reserve for Golden State this season.

Then in July, Myers upgraded at small forward allowing Harrison Barnes to leave the Warriors and take a four-year, $94 million maximum deal with the Dallas Mavericks, and signed superstar forward Kevin Durant away from the Oklahoma City Thunder to a two-year, $54.3 million contract.

How that turn out for Golden State? Pretty successful.

Myers also added big-men in Zaza Pachulia, David West and JaVale McGee. All three guys provided the much needed toughness and height the team lost with the departures of Andrew Bogut and Mareese Speights.

Myers also won the award after the 2014-15 season.

 

 

 

 

 

Carr and Raiders agree on 5-year, $125M extension

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AP File Photo: Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) passes against the Indianapolis Colts during the first half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND, Calif — The Oakland Raiders knew they had something special at quarterback with Derek Carr.

Now, he is paid like one.

Carr and the Raiders have agreed to a five-year, $125 million extension, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, noting a source close to the negotiations. Carr’s new contact makes him the highest paid player in terms of average money per year ($25 million per), moving past Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.

Before breaking his leg on Christmas Eve in a home loss to the Colts, the 26-year-old Carr was having an MVP-type of season, throwing for 3,937 yards with 28 touchdowns to just six interceptions. In three seasons, Carr has thrown for 11,191 yards, 81 touchdowns and 31 interceptions.

Carr was finishing up his rookie deal, and was scheduled to make less than $1 million in base salary this season before agreeing to the new deal. According to Tom Pelissero of USA Today, Carr’s deal includes $70 million in guarantees with $40 million guaranteed at signing.

With Carr’s deal now completed, the Raiders should turn their attention in locking up defensive linchpin Khalil Mack long-term.

The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year after an 11-sack season in 2016 that included a pick-6 interception, has a team option through 2018, but you’d think that general manager Reggie McKenzie would want to keep the nucleus of the team intact and Mack is a big part of the Raiders’ future.

Information from this report provided from the NFL Network and USA Today.

 

 

 

On to Game five if you’re Golden State

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Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots past Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) during the second half of Game 4 of basketball’s NBA Finals in Cleveland, Friday, June 9, 2017. Cleveland won 137-116. (Ronald Martinez/Pool Photo via AP)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

CLEVELAND, OH — The closeout games are always the toughest to win.

The Golden State Warriors were 48 minutes from basketball immortality when they entered Game 4  of the NBA Finals with a chance to send the Cleveland Cavaliers home for the summer, but the Cavaliers used lead wire-to-wire for a 137-116 win Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena to force Game 5 in Oakland on Monday night at Oracle Arena.

The loss snaps Golden State’s postseason record 15 straight wins, denying the Warriors of becoming the first team in NBA history to go through the postseason undefeated at 16-0.

Give the Cavaliers credit, they weren’t ready to see the Warriors celebrate another championship on their home floor as Golden State did back in 2015 when they defeated Cleveland in six games to capture the franchise’s first championship in 40 years.

LeBron James, who passed former Los Angeles Lakers great and hall of famer Magic Johnson for the most triple-doubles in the Finals with his 31-point, 10-rebound and 11-assist effort, finished 11-for-22 from the floor.

James led Cleveland with 39 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in Cleveland’s heartbreaking loss to the Warriors 118-113 in Game 3  on Wednesday night after Cleveland led by six with three minutes left in the game before Golden State went on an 11-0 run to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-7 series.

But don’t blink now, but the Cavaliers find themselves in the same predicament this year as they did last year: down 3-1 heading back to the West Coast trying to stave off elimination and we all know what happened.

The Cavaliers won Game 5 in Oakland, Game 6 in Cleveland, and the clinching Game 7 on the Warriors’ home floor for the Cavaliers’ first championship in franchise history, and the first major championship for Northeast Ohio since 1964.

Cleveland obliterated the record book for the Finals in Game 4, having the highest-scoring first quarter (49 points) and first half (86 points) and the most 3-pointers (24) in Finals history.

Kyrie Irving turned in another spectacular game, scoring a game-high 40 points on 15-for-27 shooting, including 7-for-12 from beyond the 3-point line.

But Game 4 was a lot closer than the final score indicated.

Both teams got 87 shots up, but Cleveland shot a blistering 52.9-percent (46-for-87) from the floor, compared to Golden State’s 44.8-percent (39-for-87).

Cleveland slightly out-rebounded Golden State 56-52, thanks largely to Tristan Thompson’s 10 rebounds after having just nine in Games 1-3 combined. The Warriors made keeping Thompson off the boards in the series a priority after averaging double-digit rebounds in the two previous Finals meetings between the teams.

For Golden State, you gotta turn the page from Game 4 and focus on Game 5 after letting the opportunity for a sweep slip through their fingers.

Kevin Durant, one victory away from his first championship, finished with 35 points on 9-for-22 shooting. It was Durant’s fourth-straight 30-point game of the series, but the Splash Brothers picked a bad night to have their quietest game of the Finals, combining for only 27 points on 8-for-24 from the floor (6-for-19 on 3s)

Cleveland did a great job of harassing Curry in Game 4, double-teaming and trapping the two-time league MVP whenever he got the ball.

Curry never got in a groove offensively, shooting 4-for-13 from the floor and a putrid 2-for-9 from the 3-point line while recording 10 assists after finishing with 26 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in Game 3.

Klay Thompson finished with 13 points on 4-for-11 shooting. All of Thompson’s makes were from beyond the 3-point line, converting 4-for-10. Thompson’s 30 points were instrumental in Golden State’s Game 3 win.

Draymond Green had 16 points and 14 rebounds and was part of a crazy set of events in the third quarter that led two technical fouls, and a friend of James being escorted from the arena.

It was announced in the third quarter that Green had assessed his second technical foul, prompting security onto the floor to escort Green back to the locker room. But the officials confirmed that Green’s technical foul in the first half was actually given to Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, which was even more confusing.

Then, Warriors center Zaza Pachulia was involved in a pileup where he appeared to swipe Cavaliers forward Iman Shumpert int he groin area. Pachulia should’ve been ejected from the game, but was given a technical foul along with Shumpert.

A total of seven technical fouls and one flagrant foul were handed down in Game 4.

There will be a lot said and written about the Cavaliers dominance over the Warriors in Game 4 over the next 48 hours, whether its opinions or jokes. Cleveland were the aggressor from start to finish for 48 minutes and that can’t be glossed over. Golden State knows what type of team that the Cavaliers are.

The Cavaliers were simply the better team Friday night, a rarity for the opponent to be better than Golden State.

Keep this in mind: one loss isn’t the end of the world for Golden State. The Warriors are still firmly in control of the series and are 31-1 in their last 32 games dating back to the regular season. Golden State is still the superior team and most people don’t expect a sub par performance from the Warriors’ core in Game 5 on Monday night.

But Golden State’s first lost this postseason does leave the door slightly ajar for Cleveland heading back to the 510 area code.

 

 

Durant and Warriors one win away from title

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Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) passes around Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during the first half of Game 3 of basketball’s NBA Finals in Cleveland, Wednesday, June 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

CLEVELAND, OH — Kevin Durant’s 31 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 45.3 left in the fourth quarter propelled the Golden State Warriors to within 48 minutes of their second title in three years with a 118-113 win in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Durant signed with Golden State last summer after nine seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder for an opportunity to finally capture that elusive championship ring that he so desperately seeks.

Trailing by six with 2:45 left in the fourth quarter, Golden State closed out the game on a 11-0 run with Durant scoring 14 points in the final quarter. Golden State tightened up the defense during that stretch, holding Cleveland to 0-for-8 from the floor.

When you combine the 16-1 finish to the regular season, and the NBA-record 15 straight postseason victories (including tonight’s come-from-behind victory), Golden State is 30-1 in their last 31 games. Golden State owns the longest postseason winning streak among the four major professional sports.

That sounds great and all, but that is not the ultimate prize that the Warriors are playing for with a commanding 3-0 lead in hand over the Cavaliers in the best-of-7 NBA Finals.

If the Warriors can close out the series in Friday night’s Game 4, Golden State will become the only team in NBA history to finish the postseason unblemished at 16-0 and denying Cleveland their second-straight championship. Cleveland engineered the greatest comeback in NBA Finals’ history when they stormed back last year and won the title from Golden State after the Warriors claimed a 3-1 lead.

The Warriors haven’t forgotten that sickening feeling of seeing Cleveland celebrating on Golden State’s home floor in Game 7 last year. Cleveland denied Golden State (who also won an NBA-record 73 games) the opportunity of winning back-to-back titles after Golden State won the 2015 NBA Championship over the Cavaliers in six games.

Now, Golden State is looking to return the favor and drive a stake through the Cavaliers’ heart by potentially sweeping them this year. No team has ever come back to win the NBA Finals when trailing 3-0.

Durant finished 10-for-18 from the floor, to go along with 4-for-7 on 3s, and joined Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal as the only players in league history to average 25-plus points per game in their first eight games in the Finals according to ESPN Stats and Information.

Klay Thompson scored 21 of his 30 points in the first half and Stephen Curry finished with 24 for Golden State. Curry finished with six assists, and had 13 of the team’s 44 rebounds out-rebounding Cleveland (37) in the process.

Golden State knocked down a Finals’ record nine 3-pointers in the first quarter. After making a Finals’ record 18-of-43 3-pointers in Game 2, Golden State remained hot on 3s going 16-for-33 in Game 3. Thompson made a team-high six 3s.

Golden State shot 48-percent (40-for-83) from the floor on the night.

Ditto from the free throw line.

As in Game 2 when the Warriors shot 22-for-24  from the free throw line, Golden State hit the replay button and shot 22-for-24 in Game 3.

Cleveland finds themselves on the brink of a sweep after giving Golden State their best punch of the series in Game 3.

LeBron James, who is averaging a triple-double so far in the series, nearly had another triple-double with 39 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. James tied his personal best for points in a Finals half with 27 points, while Kyrie Irving resurfaced his game, scoring 16 of his 38 points in the third quarter.

James and Irving left everything on the court in Game 4 for Cleveland, combining to shoot 31-for-56 from the floor and helped Cleveland out-score Golden State 33-22 in the third quarter, but it still wasn’t enough for a Cavaliers team that shot a 44-percent from the field (40-for-90).

J.R. Smith added 16 points after scoring just three points total in the first two games of the series, while Kevin Love struggled in Game 3 mustering just nine points on 1-for-9 shooting.

Cleveland was an iceberg from the 3-point line, shooting a dismal 12-for-44 (27-percent) on 3s, and allowed Golden State to rack up 29 assists to Cleveland’s 17.

After winning the first two games of the series by a combined 41 points and not yielding a second half lead until Cleveland took a 71-69 in the third quarter, Golden State needed all 48 minutes to outlast Cleveland Wednesday night.

 

 

 

 

Curry and Durant sizzle in Game two to put Warriors up 2-0 in Kerr’s return

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Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant, center, celebrates with Draymond Green, left, and Klay Thompson during the second half of Game 2 of basketball’s NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, June 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND, Calif — Kevin Durant followed up his 38-point, eight-assist and eight-rebound performance from Game 1 with 33 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, and Stephen Curry recorded his first career postseason triple-double to help the Golden State Warriors take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals with a 132-113 win in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night in front of another sold out, energetic crowd at Oracle Arena in head coach Steve Kerr’s return to the bench.

Kerr missed the last 11 games of the playoffs dating back to Game 2 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs against the Portland Trailblazers with complications from back surgery nearly two years ago.

“Well, it’s been a great run but none of that matters unless we can finish the job with this series,” Kerr said postgame. “Trust me, we know. It was 2-0 last year, we lost.”

Golden State was in the same position last year, up 2-0, the going up 3-1, before the roof collapsed in on the Warriors’ season and the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history was authored by the Cavaliers, who stole the title in seven games costing the Warriors a chance for the repeat after winning the title in 2015.

In Games 1 and 2 of last year’s Finals, Golden State won both games by a combined 48 points. In the first two games of the Finals this year, the Warriors have defeated Cleveland by a combined 41 points this season according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

But this year is different.

It feels different, especially with Durant, a near-seven-foot scoring machine that has vastly improved defensively in Year 1 with the Warriors.

Durant shot 13-for-22 from the floor and was nearly unstoppable for most of the 41 minutes he was on the court tonight, while Curry scored 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds pulling Golden State within two wins of their second championship in three years.

Durant had five of Golden State’s seven blocks, and three of the team’s five steals.

At 14-0, Golden State is trying to become the first team in league history to go unbeaten on the way to the title. The Warriors currently have the longest postseason win streak in NBA history.

Curry made 7-for-17 from the floor, while connecting on 4-for-11 on 3s, but did most of his damage from the free throw line converting 14-for-14 from the charity stripe in 36 minutes.

The two-time league MVP put on a dribbling display on LeBron James in the third quarter where he drove past the three-time NBA Champion and scored as part of a 16-6 run to close out the quarter and the Warriors never looked back, carrying a 102-88 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Klay Thompson, who had been struggling shooting the ball throughout the postseason but has played superb defense in the previous 13 games, added 22 points on 8-for-12 from the floor to go along with 4-for-7 from behind the three-point line. Thompson added seven rebounds for Golden State, who also shot 18-for-43 on 3s.

Draymond Green had 12 points, six assists and six rebounds, but picked up three personal fouls within the first 11 minutes of the game and only played 25 minutes.

As a team, Golden State shot a blistering 51-percent (46-for-89) from the floor and shot 22-for-24 from the free throw line, while out-rebounding Cleveland 53-41 in the game.

The Cavaliers can hang their hat on the fact that they did force 20 turnovers after only forcing four in Game 1. For a team that didn’t record a single steal in Game 1, Cleveland had four within the game’s first seven minutes before finishing with a 15-5 edge.

“We turned the ball over too much in the first half. But the second half, I think we settled in, tried to play simple and defensively just tried to contest their shots,” Durant said after the game.

Curry had eight of those turnovers and was two away from having a dubious quadruple-double. His 10 first-quarter free throws matched a playoff record for made shots from the stripe in one period shared with Sarunas Marciulionis done on April 28, 1992, at Seattle. It also matched Paul Pierce for most in a Finals quarter according to ESPN Stats and Information.

LeBron James was Cleveland’s best player once again, matching Curry’s triple-double with one of his own, scoring 29 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes. James played spectacular, but appeared gassed in the fourth quarter with fatigue etched on his face.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, James and Curry became just the second opposing players in NBA postseason history to record a triple-double in the same game, joining Lew Alcindor (38 points/23 rebounds/11 assists) and Walt “Clyde” Frazier (10 points/12 rebounds/14 assists), who recorded their performances in Game 2 of the 1970 Eastern Division Finals won by Frazier’s Knicks, 112-111.

Frazier’s Knicks would win that series, 4-1, and go on and win the title defeating, Wilt Chamberlain and the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games.

James was 12-for-18 from the floor, while Kevin Love added 27 points and seven rebounds on 12-for-23 shooting.

After 24 points on 10-for-22 shooting for Kyrie Irving in Game 1, Irving managed just 19 points and struggled to find the basket shooting just eight-for-23. Irving was defended aggressively by the Warriors, forcing Irving into taking tough layups and jumpers.

Cleveland shot 45-for-100 (45-percent) from the field for the game, but struggled from 3, shooting just 8-for-29 (27-percent) from deep. The Cavaliers shot 3-for-20 from the three-point line in the first half.

With the series now shifting to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4, the Cavaliers will have to regroup if they want to get any momentum because the Warriors are firmly in the series’ driver seat.

J.R. Smith had zero points as the starting shooting guard, and Kyle Korver led Cleveland’s bench with just eight points, which equaled starting center Tristan Thompson’s offensive output on the night.

Lineup changes for Cleveland could be a possibility, or better yet, should be made. If you’re Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue, you need to do something to shake up the players.

Cleveland already knows the production that they will get from James, Love and Irving on most nights, but the Cavaliers need to get other players involved or this series could become too much of a mountain to climb.