Warriors Win Crucial Game 4, Even Series

The Golden State Warriors entered Game 4 of the NBA Finals with one thing in mind… just win.  That's exactly what they did as they won a big game in Cleveland 103-82 to get back in the series.  Now they're heading back home to Oakland coming off a win and the momentum shifted.

NBA MVP Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala scored 22 points.  Lebron James only managed to score 20 points, 21 points under his average this entire series.  He couldn't score in the fourth quarter and couldn't do enough to keep the Cavs in the game.  Timofey Mozgov led Cleveland with 28 points and Matthew Dellavedova, battling leg crams, had 10.

The Warriors had to win this game since no team who has fallen behind 3-1 in the finals have come back and won.  The momentum I believe started in the fourth quarter of Game 3.  Even though Golden State fell short, they seemed to get their confidence back.  They took it to the Cavs right from the get-go.  

Iguodala, who came off the bench the previous three games, started Game 4 and that decision by head coach Steve Kerr paid off.  Iguodala made four three-pointers and Curry dropped four as well including the dagger in the fourth quarter.

With the Cavs barely hanging on to any hope for a come back, Steph Curry hit a step-back three that silenced all 20, 562 fans in the Q.  Now the scene shifts back to Oracle Arena in Oakland on Sunday night at 8 where the loudest fans in the Western Conference await.  

Blackhawks Even Series

After losing a tough game at home the other night, the Chicago Blackhawks looked to even the series in the best of seven Stanley Cup Final.

Neither team scored in the first period.  In the second, Jonathan Toews gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead at 6:40.  Patrick Sharp had a breakaway and a shot off the right post but they kept the pressure on.  Sharp deflected a shot on net and pushed a rebound to the left.  Toews was near the far post and put the puck in for his 10th goal of the playoffs and first of this series.

Alex Killorn tied it at 11:47.  Valtteri Flippula carried the puck behind the Chicago net and slipped a pass past two Blackhawks defenders.  Killorn was alone and put his shot in the net before Blackhawks net minder Corey Crawford noticed.

6:22 into the third period, Brandon Saad scored to give the Blackhawks the lead and eventual win.  It was assisted by Patrick Kane.  Kane tapped the puck to Saad near the bottom of the left circle, and he took it to the front of the net.  He lost it for a second but found the puck and backhanded it into the net for his eighth goal of the playoffs.

With the series tied at two, it now shifts back to Tampa at Amalie Arena this Saturday at 8.  Game 6 will return to Chicago on Monday.

Span's Hit Give Nats Win Over Yankees

On a Wednesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, the Nationals and Yankees played their final game of their season series.  They played a few weeks ago in Washington where the Nats won both games.  Last night the Yankees won 6-1, the only run for the Nats came on a Bryce Harper home run.  Today the Nats were looking to take the season series.

The Nats got on the board in the top of the third on a Denard Span RBI double that scored Danny Espinosa.  In the top of the fifth the Nats went up 2-0 thanks to a Espinosa home run into the right centerfield bullpen.

The Yanks stormed right back scoring four runs in the seventh inning to go up 4-2.  Brendan Ryan got it started with an RBI triple.  Brett Gardner followed with a double to bring Ryan home to tie the game.  Alex Rodriguez then hit a double to score Gardner and Brian McCann singled to score ARod.

The Nats responded in the top of the eighth.  After Ian Desmond got on base, Michael Taylor smacked a home run into the right field seats to tie the game at 4.  The game would remain tied and go to extra innings.  In the top of the 11th with two outs and Tyler Moore on third Span came up with a chance to put the Nats in front.  He hit a ground ball to second baseman Stephen Drew and used his speed to beat the throw by Drew to first base which scored Moore.  In the bottom of the 11th Drew Storen slammed the door to give the Nats the 5-4 win.

The Nats will continue their eight game road trip tomorrow night with a four game series in Milwaukee with Tanner Roark getting the start on the mound.

Cavs Go Up 2-1

After stealing game two in Oakland the series shifted to Cleveland, Ohio.  For Lebron James and the Cavaliers, they looked to make a statement in front of the hometown crowd.

With Cleveland missing two of their biggest players, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, King James had to step up now more than ever if northern Ohio was looking to end their championship drought.  If these first three games are any indication, James has done his part and more.

Lebron dropped 40 points and the Cavs new x-factor, Matthew Dellavedova added another 20, and they survived Golden State's fourth-quarter rally led by Stephen Curry for a 96-91 win to go up 2-1 in the NBA Finals.

Lebron added 12 rebounds and eight assists, his third straight MVP like performance.  It is also his fifth straight NBA Finals appearance.  After winning their first ever finals game at Oracle Arena the other night, the Cavs got their first finals win at Quicken Loans Arena which was rocking from start to finish.  On Thursday they'll have a chance at taking a commanding 3-1 lead in Game 4.

The Cavs nearly blew it in the fourth quarter.  Leading 92-83 with 51 seconds left, they had to withstand a rally by Curry.  He finally found his shooting touch in the fourth quarter after making only two three pointers the previous game.  In the fourth quarter, Curry scored 17 points.  The Warriors, who refused to go away after trailing by as many as 20 in the third quarter, also got a lift from David Lee.  Curry made five three pointers and his last one with 18.9 seconds left put the Warriors within three, 94-91.  It wasn't enough though as the Cavs held on for the 96-91 win.

Curry finished with 27 points and feels like he's got his scoring touch back.  While James was helped by Dellavedova with his defense on Curry and making clutch plays, Delavedova exited the game with an injury.  While his status isn't known he certainly left it all on the court for the second straight game.

Game 4 is Thursday night and the city of Cleveland is only two wins away from their first professional sports title in 51 years.

Bolts Steal Game 3 In Chicago

After the Blackhawks and Lightning split the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals in Tampa, the series shifted to Chicago.  The Blackhawks were looking to take control of the series in front of their home crowd.  A back and fourth battle ultimately ended with a victory by the visitors.

The Lightning took control of the game early and Ryan Callahan fired a slapshot to give the Bolts the 1-0 lead.  It was then when the Blackhawks finally woke up as they took control of the rest of the period outshooting the Lightning 19-7.  Brad Richards scored on a power play to tie the game at one.

Nobody scored in the middle frame so both teams entered the third with a 1-1 tie.  Brandon Saad put the Hawks ahead 2-1 four minutes into the third.  While the "Madhouse on Madison" erupted the building went quiet 13 seconds later.  Tampa Bay tied the game as Ondrej Palat put the puck in the net quickly to silence the building.

With 3:11 remaining in the game, Cedric Paquette scored off a pass from Victor Hedman to give the Lightning the 3-2 win and a 2-1 series lead.  Game four is Wednesday night.

Megan Rapinoe Scores Twice, USWNT Win Group D Opener

The United States Women's National Team opened their World Cup schedule against Australia.  There were some shakiness in the beginning of the contest but the U.S. overcame that as Megan Rapinoe scored twice as USA won 3-1.  Christian Press also scored.

The U.S. entered the World Cup ranked second.  They seek their third World Cup title and first since 1999.  Rapinoe's first goal came in the 12th minute while Press put the U.S. ahead in the 61st minute.  Rapinoe scored her second goal of the game and 31st international goal in the 78th minute.  It was the first two-goal game for the Americans since Abby Wambach accomplished the feat against Norway in 2007.  

The USWNT improved to 5-0-2 in World Cup openers.  U.S. also became the first country to score 100 goals in Women's World Cup play with their three goals tonight.  They hope this win will help them as they try to win their third World Cup after being so close in 2011.  They lost in penalty kicks to Japan.  The next game for the United States is Friday night against Sweeden with an 8 p.m. kickoff. 

Lebron, Cavs Even The Series

Great players step up in big moments when their team needs them the most and that's exactly what Lebron James, arguably the best basketball player on the planet, did for the Cleveland Cavaliers.  In overtime in Game 1 the other night, Kyrie Irving went down with an injury that ended his season.  So with both Irving and Kevin Love done for the season there was no more big three in Cleveland.  Many people thought the Cavs were done but Lebron said "not so fast."

Lebron turned in a performance to remember last night with a triple double.  He finished with 39 points, 16 rebounds, and 11 assists.  The 95-93 overtime victory, the second straight overtime game in the finals, didn't come easy especially in Oracle Arena, a place where the Warriors only lost three games this entire season.

The Cavs looked impressive throughout the course of the contest and seemed to have the game when Lebron hit a three-pointer with 3:13 left in the fourth quarter to go up 83-72.  That three could have very well been the dagger but Golden State mounted a comeback.  Stephen Curry, who was struggling the entire night, found his groove and during their run hit a big three pointer and tied the game on a finger-roll with 7.2 seconds left.  With the game tied, James got the ball and drove hard for a lay-up against three defenders but his attempt fell short and for the second straight game there was overtime.

In overtime, the game went back and fourth.  Curry put the Warriors in front with 29.5 seconds left on a pair of free throws, 93-92.  Then, Draymond Green blocked Lebron on a lay-up but the Cavs retained the ball.  After James Jones missed a three, Matthew Delladova grabbed the board and was fouled.  He made both free throws to put Cleveland ahead for good with 10 seconds left.  Curry air-balled a jumper, James got the rebound and hit one of two free throws with 4.4 seconds left.

After James made the free throw, Curry raced down the court and tried to pass the ball to Klay Thompson but Iman Shumpert batted the ball to seal the Cavs win.  Lebron James spiked the ball and pounded his chest.  The momentum has now shifted.

In the loss, Curry finished with 19 points and shot 5 of 23 from the floor, including 2 of 15 from three point range with six turnovers.  Probably his worst performance of the season.  Klay Thompson picked up much of the slack with 34 points but the Warriors as a team went 8 for 35 from long range and shot 39.8 percent overall.

For Cleveland it was their first finals game win in franchise history.  In their previous trip to the finals in 2007 they got swept by the Spurs 4-0.  With the series tied at one, the series now shifts to Cleveland tomorrow night.  Expect a super-charged Quicken Loans Arena to give the Cavs some home court advantage as the city is trying to end their championship drought.  One thing is for sure, this is going to be a long series but it will be very entertaining.