Stanley Cup Finals
Photo courtesy of Nicole Yeary's Flickr page - Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Banner Ceremony: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chicagozen/5071476054
The Chicago Blackhawks are now one win away from clinching what would be their third Cup in six seasons, and emerging as the leading candidate for dynasty during this era.
They were able to produce a solid win in Tampa yesterday in Game 5, breaking the series deadlock to take a 3-2 lead in the series, with a chance to clinch it at home in Chicago. Should they fail to do that, the deciding game would be played in Tampa.
Let's see what happens, but I'd put my money on the Blackhawks, a team that knows championships, and has shown the killer instinct so far in these playoffs.
NBA Finals
Photo courtesy of Keith Allison's Flickr page - Stephen Curry: https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/5493668904
Photo courtesy of Keith Allison's Flickr Page - LeBron James: https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/15662939969
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
NBA Finals
Instead, however, Golden State controlled the tempo, taking an early lead. Cleveland rallied a bit, made a game of it for a while. But in the fourth, Golden State slammed the door shut on the Cavs, earning a blowout victory, and getting the much needed road victory in Cleveland.
The series is now nodded up at 2 games apiece, although that will be broken later tonight, when the teams meet for Game 5.
Someone will break the tie and take a 3-2 lead. If the pressure was on Golden State in a must-win situation entering the fourth game, that pressure is now doubled for Cleveland. They really have to win this game to entertain any serious hopes of winning the title. They simply cannot afford to lose this game and go back to California down 3 games to 2, needing to win both road games to earn the title. Short of a miracle, that's not happening.
The Warriors were being outplayed through the first three games of this series, and entering Game 4, it looked like the series might be slipping away from them. But, to their credit, they put together the kind of solid game that can completely turn a series around. LeBron James had perhaps one of the worst nights of his career, flashing a national television audience, splitting his head open and needing stitches, and being a part of his team getting blown out. For the first time, we saw Golden State revealing what so many expected them to show throughout the series - that they can overwhelm an overmatched Cavs team with their talent and wide-open style of play.
So, the question now is whether or not that game was a harbinger of things to come, or some kind of aberration. Will the Warriors have gained the necessary confidence and game plan to assume rightful control over the series now, or will Cleveland get back on track and find a way to win this game. The Cavs do not need to win by much, but they absolutely must find a way to win.
I am betting that they will, to take a 3-2 series lead as the series then shifts to the Golden State.
Euro Qualifying
Photo courtesy of Nicholas Babaian's Flickr Page - Untitled: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nbabaian/174100374
Still, the way that they are playing, it does not look promising. This was a team that made it to the quarterfinals in last year's World Cup, and only lost to Germany in a tightly contested match. They were absolutely brilliant at times on offense, so it seems a little strange that they cannot muster anything now, seemingly.
Let's see if they can perhaps find a way to break the spell and get back on track.
Tennis
Photo courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr Page - Novak Djokovic: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/5763317762
Boris Becker released a new book recently.
In it, he claims that Novak Djokovic, the world's number one player, and the man that Becker is the coach of, and Roger Federer, probably the most accomplished men's tennis player in history, do not particularly like one another.
While that may be true (probably is, really), it seems a particularly classless move by Becker, and a shameless ploy to sell his book. If I were Djokovic, I think this is something that would piss me off.
Let's see what happens, though. Becker seems to be good for Djokovic. As for the personal rivalry, it really does not show on the court, which I think is a testament to the classy way in which both players conduct themselves on the court.
Les Bleus remains wildly unpredictable and erratic as always. Here's hoping that their recent string of poor results is more a sign of unsuccessful attempts on Didier Deschamps' part to experiment with line-up changes, as opposed to being the best that they can do. I'm cautiously optimistic that its the former, but again, with this lot you never can tell.
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