It has all led to this. Almost two months of attrition leaves us with two teams left fighting for the greatest trophy in all of sports, the Stanley Cup. On one side you have the defending champions looking to complete the first successful title defense in 19 years. The other side is the 19-year old expansion franchise looking win its first championship after coming into the postseason with the fewest points of the playoff teams. One series will determine who gets to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.

As of now Pittsburgh leads 1-0 over Nashville, but we can all agree that game certainly provided some intrigue. The Penguins scored in a flurry, and had the hockey gods on their side Monday night. Nashville once again showed the incredible tenacity that got them to this point in its three-goal comeback to tie the game. However, it was the Penguins night in the opening stanza of what looks to be a long Stanley Cup Final.

The question remains, how will the rest of this series play out?

 

A search for that answer can lead you down a few different paths. This intriguing clash of styles leaves us with a potentially compelling championship round. It’s offensive star power versus defensive opportunism.

Pittsburgh brings a lot of offense to the party, and we all know the key participants. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel each have their spot on the marquee for good reason. Crosby and Malkin are already heading to the Hall of Fame, while Kessel could potentially lock up a spot for himself by the end of this run with Pittsburgh.

However, it’s a rookie left winger that currently leads the champions in goals scored in this postseason. Jake Guentzel has turned in a star-making performance over these past two months scoring 10 goals in these playoffs, 4 of those being game-winners. He got to play hero once again on Monday night, netting the go-ahead goal for Pittsburgh.

Speaking of nets, the Penguins have had to undergo a change in goal in order to reach this point. Marc-Andre Fluery initially needed to hold things down for Pittsburgh while the star of last year’s playoffs, Matt Murray, recovered from an injury. Fluery played well in the first two rounds, but a bit of desperation forced Murray to finally return between the pipes in the Eastern Conference Finals against Ottawa.

Before we get into the matchup, let’s talk a bit about the Nashville Predators, who have come out of nowhere to reach the Stanley Cup Final. Its been a wild run for a team that many people didn’t give much of a chance in the first round against the mighty Chicago Blackhawks.

It’s truly a team effort for the Predators, who have had 17 different players score goals for them this postseason. This isn’t a team that necessarily prides itself on its offense, but really takes advantage of their chances when they are there. Not to mention that Nashville is without its leading scorer in the postseason and top-line center Ryan Johansen due to a thigh injury. Every game has a different feel, and you never know who is going to play the hero on the offensive end.

The team’s MVP this postseason has easily been goalie Pekka Rinne, and that’s not even a debate. Rinne has been nothing short of spectacular during the playoffs, allowing less than two goals per game with a save percentage of nearly 93 percent. Whenever you size up the teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, you have to account for which team gets the red-hot goaltender, and Rinne has been just that. If the Predators should finish the job and win the Stanley Cup, Rinne will rightfully win the Conn Smythe.

As you know, good goaltending usually needs a solid defense in front of it. Nashville’s defense might be the most lethal part of this team. Led by P.K. Subban, all six of the defenders for the Predators can be effective at both ends of the ice. This unit has been incredibly underrated this postseason and you have to keep an eye on this group to make a big play in the finals.

In terms of the actual matchup, this really boils down to which style wins out. Nashville thrives in defensive oriented, low-scoring games. It allows Pekka Rinne to be at his best and be the source of momentum for the Predators. Pittsburgh likes to pick up the pace and score in bunches. This certainly plays to their strength with three of the best offensive players in the NHL.

A stat that will undoubtedly come up a ton in this series is the Penguins success in relation to their scoring output. Including Game 1, 11 of Pittsburgh’s 13 wins this postseason have come when they score 3+ goals. You will have a pretty good idea how this series will play out if you keep an eye on the scoring pace of each game.

Styles make fights, and this is a fight that could go the distance. Each goalie is good enough to steal a game here or there, but a big factor is who defends home ice better. Pittsburgh is 8-3 at home this postseason while Nashville is an impressive 7-1, with the only loss coming in overtime. This series turns on a dime if either team is able to score a road win.

Pittsburgh dodged a major bullet in Game 1, as they were outplayed everywhere but the scoreboard. Nashville was able to completely shut down Pittsburgh for almost two periods, holding them without a shot for 37 minutes. While that is going to be near impossible to replicate, it certainly shows that Nashville can impose their will on the Penguins.

Things are going to be tight for a while, but I think we are in for the long haul. As far as the outcome goes, I think the Predators win this series in seven games. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

That’s it for me today. I’ll be back tomorrow with “Heat Check” with my NBA Finals preview. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney and go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook.

Happy Tuesday! I hope you all had a terrific holiday weekend. It’s time to get back into the happenings in the sports world though. While we await the NBA Finals, baseball took center stage during Memorial Day weekend. Truthfully, it was a pretty ho-hum sports weekend until yesterday. It’s a short but sweet “Weekend Recap” this week so lets get right to it. No Tiger Woods stuff though, I think that’s been pretty much covered by just about everyone. Let’s focus on the fun stuff from the weekend.

MLB: Harper Gets Plunked. A Brawl Starts. Internet Hilarity Ensues.

Aside from the injury to Mike Trout, the biggest news in baseball this weekend came from the Nationals-Giants game yesterday. Washington led 2-0 in the top of the eighth inning when Bryce Harper stepped up to the plate against Hunter Strickland. All it took was one pitch to make years of pent up aggression explode like a powder keg.

Harper and Strickland have a little bit of history between each other. During the 2014 postseason, Harper got the best of Strickland during the series between Washington and San Francisco. Harper blasted two home runs off the Giants reliever, and if history has told us anything, this is a pitching staff that does not have a short memory (ex. anything Madison Bumgarner has done in the past five years). The pair would not face each other again for a while after that playoff series.

Flash-forward almost three years to yesterday, and Strickland wasted no time getting a measure of payback on Harper. As you could probably imagine, Harper did not take that lightly and charged the mound. The pair exchanged a few “punches” before the benches cleared and both teams dealt with the situation.

It was a classic encounter that definitely ranks up there with some of the more iconic brawls in recent history. Now this wasn’t Yankees-Red Sox good, but this was great for pretty much everything but the actual fight. In fact there is a laundry list of reasons why this can be classified under the “so bad, its good” category.

Here is the MESN footage of the brawl from yesterday. Let’s look at some of the more interesting elements of the fracas.

You have the Washington announcers allude to the history between the two, setting the stage for the pitch beautifully. You could feel that they sensed something might be happening in a moment or two. The “Woah” after ten seconds of dead air was just too perfect by the way.

Harper’s initial reaction is typical, but the helmet throw is either hilariously bad, or a bit of schoolyard strategy. You make the call. Of course there is the WWE-style open hand punches. All you were missing was wrestling announcer Jim Ross losing his mind during the brawl.

Both teams leave the dugout within seconds of Harper making his move, so before either Strickland or Harper getting another punch in, the teams are there to muck up the proceedings. Gloriously, Jeff Samardzija and Michael Morse crash the fight like two cars going head on into each other, completely missing the combatants. Now after a few seconds of chaos, order comes over both teams as they separate Harper and Strickland. But we aren’t done with things just yet.

Harper seems pretty cool having gotten his punch in after getting plunked. Strickland, on the other hand, is far from finished with Harper. It takes four teammates to get Strickland off the field and into the dugout. You almost got the sense that he would try the “I’m cool” trick to get loose and try to go all Jonathan Papelbon on Harper (scrub to 1:12).

My favorite part of the whole incident is Giants catcher Buster Posey. If you watch closely, you notice that he just lets Harper make is move. Typically the catcher usually tries to be the buffer and diffuse the situation. From the moment Harper points the bat at Strickland, you would think Posey is going to step in. Not yesterday though.

That is one of the interesting subplots to the brawl, but if I had to guess, it seems like Strickland’s claim of the pitch not being intentional isn’t so genuine. Posey’s inaction is proof of that. Regardless, he allowed the brawl to happen and enter Internet infamy.

NHL: Pens “Steal” Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals

The Stanley Cup Final got started last night, and boy did we get treated to an interesting first game between Pittsburgh and Nashville. I’ll talk more about the rest of the series tomorrow but for now let’s focus on the action from last night. Now there is a big reason why Pittsburgh “stole” the game last night. Spoiler alert, Pittsburgh won 5-3 in a game that they were pretty much outplayed.

First of all, the P.K. Subban overturned goal may have changed this entire series. It would have sent a serious message to the defending champs and gave a ton of momentum to the Predators. While the league office has been pleased with the offsides challenge, I think that I speak for most fans when I say that it is a garbage challenge. Yes, offsides can affect a play that happens within a few seconds of entering the offensive zone. Anything more than 30 seconds though, the defense has a chance to recover.

Pittsburgh goes on to score three goals on five shots to end the period. One came on a hokey five-on-three powerplay (the only time I will defend James Neal). The goal itself was far from hokey, as Evgeni Malkin ripped a laser from the point off the glove of Pekke Rinne. No qualm with the second goal, but the third goal is the type of goal that gets controllers thrown when playing NHL 17. A puck-luck own goal to end the period ends up playing a huge factor in the finish of this game.

Nashville wouldn’t roll over though as they locked down the Penguins for much of the next two periods. In fact, Nashville held Pittsburgh without a shot on goal for 37 minutes. That’s pretty impressive especially against the defending champions with at least two future Hall of Famers manning the top two lines. During the shot-less streak, the Predators staged a big comeback and were able to tie up the game late in the third period.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be for Nashville in Game 1. Jake Guentzel ended the offensive drought for Pittsburgh and broke the tie in the game. The Conn Smythe (playoff MVP) race is a tough one to figure out, but Guentzel is making a strong case at the moment. Pittsburgh would add an empty net goal to end the game, and take a 1-0 lead in the series.

All I will say for now is to get ready folks because we could be in for an epic battle for the Stanley Cup. Pittsburgh may have won the game, but Nashville looked like the more impressive team last night.

That’s it for me today. I’ll be back with “The Fourth Line” tomorrow to talk about the rest of the Stanley Cup Final. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney and go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook.

The playoffs are winding down and summer is almost here folks. Memorial Day is just around the corner, which means we are shifting gears into baseball season. We are almost through the second month of the marathon season. Certainly there have been a few surprises, some of which I talked about on the last episode of the Shooting the Moon Podcast. It’s long overdue but lets update my MLB power rankings as we head into the dog days of summer.

(1) Houston Astros – 31-16, 1^st in the AL West

Aside from the NL West, one of the biggest surprises during the early portion of the season has been the rise of the Houston Astros. After narrowly missing the postseason a year ago, there was a lot of intrigue surrounding this club. Houston has one of the most talented teams, with a tremendous farm system to back it up.

Before the season, there was a concern whether the starting rotation could hold up its end of the bargain. The batting order is loaded with potential All Stars but the pitching was a big factor in last season’s disappointing finish. Two months into the season, this is one concern that has been alleviated for now.

Dallas Keuchel has been incredible so far this season posting a 7-0 record with a 1.84 ERA over nine starts. Despite a minor neck injury that held him out for a couple weeks, he looks to be good to go for a return this weekend. If he can continue his early success, Keuchel could be right back in the AL Cy Young discussion as the season progresses.

Lance McCullers Jr. has also been a solid part of this rotation, going 5-1 with a 2.43 ERA in his ten starts this season. He’ll slide into the second slot in the rotation with Keuchel’s return, but has shown he is a legit top of the rotation guy this year. With no timetable for Colin McHugh’s return, the Keuchel-McCullers one-two punch will be leaned on heavily for a while.

The other concern with the Astros was the bullpen. Last season was an adventure late in games, however things look more stable this season. Ken Giles is now locked in as the closer having converted 12 out of 13 save opportunities. He looks a lot better than he did last season while adjusting to the American League. Houston also has a solid reliever in Chris Devenski, who has been a bridge to Giles but can fill in as the closer on occasion.

It was always a question of when, not if, Houston would make the jump, but so far this looks like this is the year the Astros become contenders.

(2) New York Yankees – 27-17, 1^st in the AL East

With a surprising start to the season, it’s time to start thinking of a nickname for these Yankees. Photo Credit: New York Post

This isn’t your father’s Evil Empire, it isn’t your grandfather’s Murderer’s Row either. The new-look Yankees are certainly ahead of schedule with some of the young studs like Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez playing incredible baseball so far. It has been a true team effort in the Bronx as the Yankees have seemingly come out of nowhere to sport one of the best records in baseball through the first two months. The young studs are meshing well with the wily veterans to propel this team back into contention for the first time in the post-Jeter era.

There is a lot to like about this team, the lineup can put up runs in bunches and the rotation has been solid enough to back it up. It’s a concern though when all five starters in the rotation have an ERA above 3.00 led by the “ace” who’s ERA is well above 6.00 (Masahiro Tanaka). Luis Severino has been the star of the rotation this season, thriving at the back end of this rotation.

It also helps that the Yankees have a great bullpen to hold down leads late in games. Aroldis Chapman had been holding things down pretty well until he went down with an injury a couple of weeks ago. No need to hit the panic button though because the Yanks have a set-up man who could easily be a closer on just about any team in the majors. Dellin Betances has been his usual untouchable self and is a true asset to this team whether they want to admit it or not.

All told, this has been a great start for the league’s most decorated franchise. They certainly have some areas to improve, but so far so good for at least one of the New York franchises.

(3) Colorado Rockies – 31-17, 1^st in the NL West

Charlie Blackmon’s incredible start is one of the main reasons Colorado has been THE surprise team to start 2017. Photo Credit: Getty Images

Let’s get this one out of the way. The Rockies might be the single biggest (positive) surprise in all of baseball so far this year. Colorado, normally a great home team, is currently the best road team in the league. This lineup has gotten production from just about everyone they have put out there despite the injury bug nipping at them.

Is there another shoe that is waiting to drop though? That is a tough question to definitively answer. If there were another shoe to drop, you would have to look at the pitching, with one exception. That exception is closer Greg Holland, who is back to being the Greg Holland we saw anchor the Royals bullpen during their two-year run at the top of the majors. If the Rockies have a late lead, just turn out the lights in the ninth because the party is likely over.

Colorado has a great lineup that produces runs, but the pitching is leaving something to be desired. The Rockies are tied for tenth in the majors in earned runs, but are also tenth in opponent’s batting average. This could mean that their pitchers are giving up a lot of homeruns (they are). The starting rotation also lacks the presence of a true ace.

This brings up a second question. Is this a formula for sustained success or will this team fall apart by August? That can’t quite be answered yet, but for now you can’t discredit what the Rockies have done so far this season.

(4) Washington Nationals – 28-18, 1^st in the NL East

Locking down Bryce Harper for another year was important for extending the championship window, but locking down games could be the difference for a championship in 2017. Photo Credit: Getty Images

This should come as no surprise, but the Nationals are in a position to run away with the NL East crown. Washington has built a 7.5 game lead heading into Memorial Day weekend and are a legitimate contender for the NL Pennant. There are a few areas for improvement that need to be addressed over the summer though because a division title is not good enough in Washington.

The biggest area of concern for Washington lies in the back end of the bullpen. Closing out ballgames has been quite the chore for the Nationals this season. No matter who has come in to shut the door in the ninth inning, there seems to be an issue. Dusty Baker has been forced to use a “closer-by-committee” which can only work for so long. No pitcher has more than three saves, each has blown at least one save, and no one has better than a hold percentage better than 75 percent.

As we get closer to the July trade deadline, look for the Nationals to be on the prowl for someone who can anchor this bullpen. If there is one area that can hold this team back from reaching its full potential, it’s the closer-setup situation.

Another spot where you would want to see the Nationals improve is the starting rotation. They have been good, but not great. With Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer leading the rotation, one would wish that they would be Cy Young contenders. There is still plenty of time for that to change, but you have to be a bit concerned that Gio Gonzalez has the best ERA out of the five starters in the rotation.

(5) Arizona Diamondbacks – 29-19, 2^nd in the NL West

A mix of hitting, pitching, and home cooking has Arizona in good position early on, but a long road trip could be the real test for this team. Photo Credit: Associated Press

This was a tough call, but for this round of power rankings the Diamondbacks take the final spot in the top five. Arizona went through a litany of injuries a year ago, but this season this is the team we were all expecting to see. A solid mix of hitting and pitching has Arizona in a great spot heading into the summer.

Arizona’s lineup has been solid so far this year, ranking third in the majors in runs scored and OPS. Paul Goldschmidt gets the top billing for the Diamondbacks, but this is far from a one-man show. Jake Lamb has been a pleasant surprise, leading the team in home runs (13) and RBIs (41). Not even the injury to A.J. Pollack has slowed this team down.

A lot of this list has been spent harping on team’s pitching but this is a rare occurrence where there isn’t an obvious flaw. The starting rotation has been great with Zack Grienke leading the way, clearly having moved on from his struggles a year ago. Another Zack has also emerged as a reliable option at the back end of the rotation as well. Zack Godley stepped in for an injured Shelby Miller, and pitched well enough to remain in the rotation for the time being.

It could be time to add the “ageless wonder” moniker to closer Fernando Rodney. Despite his 7.13 ERA, Rodney has converted 12 of 14 save opportunities and has provided stability at the back of the bullpen.

The one concern for the Diamondbacks is their performance on the road. Arizona is an impressive 21-8 at home this season, but only 8-11 away from Chase Field. Such a disparate difference in home/road splits is a major issue heading into the summer. A true test of this will start tonight as the Diamondbacks hit the road for 11 straight games.

That’s it for me today. I’ll be back tomorrow with a new episode of the Shooting the Moon Podcast. I’ll be reacting to Ottawa-Pittsburgh Game 7 and looking at some non-playoff NBA topics. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney, go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook, and subscribe to the Shooting the Moon Podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud.

Well this was certainly an intriguing weekend, wasn’t it? Different types of surprises propelled this weekend forward. Whether it was the Boston-Cleveland series playing with our expectations, or the two-horse race we didn’t see coming at the Preakness Stakes, this past weekend had kept you on your toes. Let’s take a look at the action in this week’s “Weekend Recap.”

NBA: Boston Shows Some Life Without I.T.

It’s tough to wrap our heads around the reversal of fortunes like the one we saw between Boston and Cleveland. Friday, we saw one of the most lopsided playoff games of all time. Cleveland had its way with Boston throughout the first half, building a 72-31 lead halftime. Isaiah Thomas, who left the game in the second quarter, only chipped in two points for the Celtics. The second half would not get much better as Cleveland got the lead as high as 50 before the game mercifully ended with a 130-86 Cavaliers victory. If matters couldn’t get worse for the Celtics, news broke that Thomas would miss the rest of the postseason with a hip injury.

So let’s do the math real quick. Boston is down 0-2, losing both games at home. Game 2 was one of the most embarrassing losses of all time. You are now going on the road for Game 3 without your leading scorer. That doesn’t seem too foreboding. Then Cleveland is able to get ahead by 20 points just after halftime, without LeBron James being the best player on the court.

Amazingly though, Boston was able to weather all of the negatives and make an incredible comeback against the defending champions. The Celtics came alive in the third quarter, hitting five three pointers to cut the lead to five heading into the fourth quarter. Who would step up in winning time with Mr. Fourth Quarter, Isaiah Thomas out with an injury?

Well, there was no one who really took reins. It was a team effort for Boston that got them into position to have the final shot in a tie ball game. The credit will ultimately go to Avery Bradley as the game’s hero, sinking the game winning three-pointer with 0.1 seconds left on the clock.

Boston shows a bit of life, extending the series by at least one game. Don’t get too excited though, LeBron will not be doing another disappearing act in this series. Truthfully, we haven’t seen James play that badly since the 2011 NBA Finals with the Miami Heat. Look for an emphatic response from LeBron tomorrow night.

NHL: Pittsburgh and Nashville Move One Game Closer to the Stanley Cup Final

While the NBA conference finals may not be living up to expectations, the NHL conference finals have been great for the most part. The collision course that Pittsburgh and Nashville have been on since April hit a slight snag before the weekend. The Penguins were coming off of an embarrassing Game 3 loss to Ottawa, while Nashville ceded home-ice advantage to Anaheim in Game 4.

Injuries were now piling up for both teams as well. Pittsburgh has been pretty banged up since Game 1 of its series against the Senators, but the key players have all been relatively healthy. Nashville not only lost its first home game of the playoffs in Game 4, but also saw team captain Mike Fisher and leading scorer Ryan Johansen join the injured list. Fisher could possibly return in the next two games, but Johansen, the top center on the team, is out for the rest of the postseason.

You got the feeling that momentum was shifting in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pittsburgh’s offense finally showed up in Game 4 and 5 though, dominating the action in two crucial victories. Nashville also showed some grit without two key cogs in a clutch Game 5 win on Saturday night. Now we have a pair of Game 6’s tonight and tomorrow that could set the Stanley Cup Final.

Cloud Computing Ends Always Dreaming’s Triple Crown Bid

 

In arguably the best finish of the weekend, Cloud Computing won the Preakness Stakes by a nose. Unfortunately for those hoping to witness another Triple Crown winner in horse racing, Always Dreaming was nowhere to be found at the end, finishing 8th. Cloud Computing narrowly edged out Classic Empire in a near-photo finish. While this upset wasn’t exactly a gambler’s delight, it sets up a wide-open Belmont Stakes in three weeks.

 

That’s it for me today. I’ll be back tomorrow with more content from Shooting the Moon. Look out for the latest episode of the Shooting the Moon Podcast later this week. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney and go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook.

What a day to come back from vacation. We’ve got a Game 7 to talk about before quickly shifting our attention to the conference finals. The Boston-Washington series played out pretty much as expected, but could anyone have guessed whom the hero of Game 7 would have been?

It wasn’t Isaiah Thomas or Al Horford. Bradley Beal’s best effort couldn’t save the Wizards. John Wall went ice cold in the fourth quarter after his heroics in Game 6. The hero of last night’s Game 7 was Boston’s Kelly Olynyk, much to the dismay of Kelly Oubre Jr.

Yes folks, you are read that correctly, the king of the man bun looked virtually unstoppable last night down the stretch. Olynyk scored a whopping 14 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to keep the Wizards at bay and send Boston into the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2012. This is one of those games where you just shrug your shoulders and say, “go figure.”

We didn’t get anything resembling the Wall-Thomas winner-take-all duel that anyone expected to happen last night. Instead, Boston fans got a folk hero moment that will be remembered by the die-hard fans for years to come. Now reality will set in tomorrow night when the Cavaliers come into Beantown for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. This brings us to the previews of the conference finals.

Eastern Conference Finals: Boston vs. Cleveland

Why not start here since we are already talking about it. It’s taken five years and a rebuild for the Celtics to get back to this point in the playoffs. Unfortunately the only thing that hasn’t changed since then is that LeBron James awaits them. While most people aren’t giving Boston much of a chance, don’t totally sleep on them. Home court advantage for the Celtics is a nice ace in the hole if they are able to prove the experts wrong a make it a series.

Boston enjoyed one of the best home court advantages this season, and in the last series had an offensive efficiency number that would have ranked as the best in the NBA. It won’t be the easiest task to win multiple games at TD Garden for the Cavaliers. There are a couple problems for those who believe that Boston can upset the Cavaliers though.

The first problem is the matchup in general. Boston lacks the star power Cleveland enjoys, which will lead to issues on both ends of the floor. Isaiah Thomas has been incredible this season, but will that continue when facing a combination of Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert? Maybe for a game or two, however that won’t be enough to win the series.

Another area where Boston will have matchup issues in in the frontcourt, specifically on the boards. The Celtics are not the greatest rebounding team in the league. In fact, they ranked near the bottom of the league for much of the season. That is going to be a serious problem because Cleveland has one of the best rebounders in the NBA and his name isn’t LeBron James. Tristan Thompson will be one of the x-factors in the series because of how dominant he can be rebounding the basketball. Thompson has actually been one of the best players for Cleveland against Boston this season.

The other problem with the notion that Boston will upset Cleveland a best of seven is the rest factor. While a lot has been made about the potential negative effect of rest on the Cavaliers, there is no doubt that is just conjecture in this case. Cleveland is potentially the most dangerous team in the league with legitimate rest.

Look at how the Cavaliers performed in the first round as compared to the second round. Ignore the fact that each series resulted in a sweep for a moment. Cleveland had its struggles in putting away Indiana in the first round, but then dominated Toronto in the second round. You can make the argument that Cleveland wasn’t as fresh against Indiana as they were against Toronto. It helps the team, but more specifically it helps LeBron James more than anyone on that roster.

James led the NBA in minutes per game despite resting eight games over the course of the regular season. While everyone made a commotion about the amount of minutes he had to play, you knew that James would be playing even more during the playoffs. James went from averaging 37.8 minutes per game in the regular season to a ridiculous 42.4 minutes per game in the postseason. Any rest that James can get at this point in the season gives the Cavs even more of an edge.

Winner: Cleveland in 5

 Western Conference Finals: Golden State vs. San Antonio

 

While most people want Cleveland-Golden State III in the finals, the second most-wanted series was this matchup between Golden State-San Antonio. They have not played each other in the postseason since the 2012-13 season, which was the birth of the “Splash Brothers.”

The season series between these two felt like a game of cat and mouse at times. San Antonio dominated on opening night, the second game four months later became a rest game for both teams, and the final regular season meeting was dominated by Golden State. Finally though, we get the matchup of the two best teams in the Western Conference.

Game 1 was a doozy between the injury to Kawhi Leonard, the post-game controversy over said-injury, and the comeback by Golden State to steal the game. However, there is a good chance that may have been the best game we’ll see in this round because of the Leonard injury.

Before exiting the game on Sunday afternoon, Leonard was by and large the best player on the court. He scored 26 points in 23 minutes, while compiling a plus/minus rating of +21. This is due in large part to his defensive presence against Kevin Durant and his ability to dictate tempo on the offensive end. Unfortunately, Leonard will be out for tonight’s Game 2.

Without Leonard, San Antonio has a tough task on its hands trying to avoid falling behind 2-0 in this series. Before I continue I’ll give you the opportunity to say, “but San Antonio beat Houston by 39 without Kawhi.” Yes, that did happen, but Golden State is not Houston despite the similarities in their styles.

Houston was solely reliant on James Harden to make plays with the basketball, so there was a way to shut down the Houston offense. Golden State does not rely on one player to initiate the offense and create shots. Steph Curry may be the point guard, but Durant and Draymond Green bring up the ball just as much as he does. San Antonio can’t zero in on just one guy to shut down this offense, which is the most efficient offense in the NBA.

However, just like rest will play a factor in the Cleveland-Boston series, the layoff between Game 2 and Game 3 could be the saving grace for San Antonio. It’s not completely out of the question that Leonard could return on Saturday for Game 3. Now he won’t be 100% but as we saw in Game 1, that is better than not having him on the court at all. Beating the Warriors in four out of five games is a tall order though.

Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will be much better offensively in this series. The Warriors won’t need to have Curry and Durant combine for 74 points every game. Tonight’s outcome will go a long way to deciding just how long this series will go.

Winner: Golden State in 6

 

That’s it for me today. I’ll be back tomorrow to break down the results of the NBA Draft Lottery on the Shooting the Moon Podcast. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney and go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook.

Happy Monday everyone! It was quite a weekend in sports between the Kentucky Derby, NBA/NHL playoffs, a whale of a series between the Cubs and Yankees, plus a bombshell announcement in the world of boxing. To put it simply, this was a great Cinco de Mayo weekend.

MLB: It’s Time to Take the Yankees Seriously

Well folks, I jokingly asked on the podcast last week if the Bronx Bombers were back. It turns out we might have gotten that answer over the weekend. A three-game sweep of the defending world champion Cubs will do that for you. This mix of young and old for New York has been working wonders this year, with this weekend possibly being the best example.

Hell, winning that wild 18-inning marathon after your All-Star closer blew the lead in the ninth was a pretty solid cap off the weekend. This is after the Yanks bludgeoned Cubs starter Brett Anderson on Saturday night. I can only imagine how this series might have went if Brett Gardner didn’t save New York on Friday afternoon with a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning.

For the Yankees, this weekend served as a shot heard around the league. Any American League team with sights on the pennant this year will have to go through the Bronx to do so. We have a long way to go, but this is one New York team that has the look of a contender.

This doesn’t mean nearly as much to the Cubs though. Chicago still hasn’t even come close to gelling as a team, and when they do it will be quite scary. Be on the lookout for Joe Maddon to get creative with motivating his team. If you are a magician, zoologist, street performer, etc. in the Chicago area, keep your phone on this week.

Boxing: Canelo Dominates, Showdown With GGG Set

What a difference a week makes in boxing. Last week we were all talking about one of the best heavyweight fights in over a decade. This week we aren’t event talking about the fight that took place in the ring, but the announcement of a superfight afterwards.

Saturday night featured a long-awaited bout between Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. to determine who is the best Mexican boxer. Alvarez moved up two weight classes to take the fight, and you would have never realized it by watching the bout. Canelo flat out dominated fight from opening bell to closing bell and swept the judges scorecards for an impressive unanimous decision victory (120-108, 120-108, 120-108).

Alvarez wasted no time letting the world know what was next for him. In pro wrestling fashion Alvarez announced his next fight would be against the undefeated, unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin on September 16. Cue a highlight package, some entrance music, and Golovkin made his way to the ring to stare down the challenger to his title.

As good as Joshua-Klitschko was last week, this is the type of fight that Mayweather-Pacquiao should have been.

Always Dreaming Wins the Kentucky Derby

If you were only interested in the winner, the Kentucky Derby really didn’t offer many surprises. Always Dreaming was the favorite to win the race at post time and did so by taking a late lead while staving off a wild charge by the pack down the stretch. A muddy track made for this race to feel more wide open than many of the previous few Derbys. So now America waits to see if Always Dreaming will be the next horse to do the near impossible feat of winning the Triple Crown.

On a gambling note, if you had the superfecta in this race, give yourself a pat on the back with your near $79,000 stack of cash. Bravo.

NBA (East): Washington Evens Boston, Cleveland Sweeps Toronto

Geez, we’re on the fourth story from the weekend and we’re just getting to the playoffs. This is why the first weekend of May is so great for sports. Just to get this out of the way, Cleveland completed its sweep of Toronto and will now await the winner of Boston-Washington. The Cavaliers could be waiting awhile though.

Boston held serve at home in the first two games, but how would this series look after the weekend in Washington? As fate would have it, we could be in for the long haul with this one. The Wizards emphatically won Game 3 and Game 4 at home, evening the series at two games apiece setting up a virtual best-of-three to determine who faces Cleveland in the Eastern Conference finals.

Hopefully the games will be a little closer though as the intensity has ramped up considerably between these Atlantic Division rivals. Game 3 saw the season-long animosity with these teams finally boil over as Kelly Oubre Jr. clocked Kelly Olynyk with a forearm shiver. Oubre Jr. was ejected and received a one-game suspension for his actions. It didn’t make much of a difference in Game 4 though, as John Wall completely took over in the second half, leading the Wizards to a huge victory.

While the NBA’s second round hasn’t exactly been that great, this series could finally provide us with some worthwhile games down the stretch.

 NBA (West): Battle of Texas Heats Up, Golden State Looking to Sweep

Over in the Western Conference, we are seeing almost the same type of story playing out. Golden State is making short work of Utah, and will look to close out the series tonight on the road. While Cleveland benefits immensely from sweeps, Golden State would be wise to end its series while they can. San Antonio-Houston looks like it could be going the distance, and the Warriors could make its road to the NBA Finals just a bit easier with almost a week’s worth of rest.

The Battle of Texas is living up to its moniker as the Spurs and Rockets split both games in Houston over the weekend. Each won its game by a wide margin, and sets up an intriguing conclusion over the course of this week. A season-ending injury to Nene could change the outlook of this series though.

Houston’s big man has been great this season, but losing that inside presence could have huge ramifications during the next two-to-three games. Nene is really the only player who can defend the inside against LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol, which could make for some tough sledding for Houston’s already questionable defense.

Offensively, the Rockets have thrived on the three-pointer as they have done for much of the season. However, this injury could put much more pressure on James Harden and Patrick Beverley to be effective on their drives to the basket. I also wonder how this will affect the Rockets when San Antonio matches up Kawhi Leonard on Harden.

NHL: Anaheim-Edmonton Game 7 Will Be Must-See TV

It’s taken awhile, but we will finally get a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. We’ll have to wait to find out if Washington and New York can each force a seventh game. If not, Anaheim-Edmonton should still serve as a hell of a conclusion to the second round, so set up that reminder on your cable box now.

Game 5 between these two gave us one of the most improbable comebacks of the entire postseason (yes, even better than Cleveland’s 26-point comeback in the NBA). Edmonton led 3-0 on the road for much of the game, but then things got crazy when Anaheim went into desperation mode.

The Ducks literally pulled out all the stops in the final three minutes of regulation to try to extend the game. Anaheim goaltender John Gibson became a bystander on the bench as the Ducks went with an empty net and six attackers for the final 180 seconds. Constant pressure and some puck luck resulted in three goals in about 160 seconds to force overtime.

If this game couldn’t get any crazier, they needed a second overtime to finally get a game-winning goal. Corey Perry played the hero for Anaheim to cap off a wild comeback and gave the Ducks a crucial Game 5 victory.

With their backs against the wall in Game 6, Edmonton showed no signs of an emotional letdown after blowing Game 5. The Oilers sent the home crowd into a frenzy with an offensive blitzkrieg in the opening period scoring five times and essentially ending the game before it ever started. Edmonton never looked back, notched an emphatic 7-1 victory in Game 6 to set up a climactic Game 7 on Wednesday night.

That’s it for me today. I’ll be back tomorrow with a new edition of “Curtain Call” to update my power rankings in the MLB. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney and go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook.

Last night marked the start of the fourth and final conference semifinal in the NBA playoffs. We also got a rare sight in the form of overtime in Game 2 between Boston and Washington. Since every series is now underway, today’s “Heat Check” will be looking out how the rest of these four series will play out. Truthfully, it is looking like there won’t be much in terms of drama so here’s to hoping that we get a few surprises.

San Antonio vs. Houston (HOU leads 1-0)

How will San Antonio respond to Houston’s offensive onslaught in Game 1? Photo Credit: USA Today Sports

We’ll start with what should be the best series of the bunch. San Antonio flew under the radar for much of the regular season, while Houston was right in the spotlight due to James Harden’s MVP push. This has the potential to go the distance and be a truly epic best-of-seven series.

If Game 1 taught us anything, Houston’s dominant series win over Oklahoma City was far from a fluke. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey has done a masterful job in crafting this team in the image of coach Mike D’Antoni around its superstar in Harden. Pace, space, and three-pointers are the hallmark of the Rockets, who showed that they can give the Spurs issues. Houston absolutely dominated Game 1, 126-99 in a game that stopped being competitive around halftime.

This series is going to come down to the adjustments made from game to game by each team. Houston was able to run its high-powered offense seemingly at will against San Antonio in Game 1. Spurs coach Greg Popovich will need a much more concerted effort by his team in Game 2, otherwise this series could be over quickly.

However, Game 1 might be more of the exception than the rule. San Antonio was one of the best teams at defending the three-pointer in the regular season. It would be hard to imagine that the Spurs will allow the Rockets to make it rain from downtown like Monday night.

Despite the fact that San Antonio can play much better than they did in Game 1, Houston might have their number. The Rockets lineup exposed a serious matchup problem for the Spurs. Ryan Anderson and Clint Capela were a combined +67 in Game 1 due in part to getting the Spurs frontcourt out of their element. San Antonio plays a much more traditional brand of basketball and had some serious problems dealing with the stretch 4-5 combo of Anderson and Capela. This opened up the Houston guards for a ton of open jumpers.

Winner: Houston in 6

 

Cleveland vs. Toronto (CLE leads 1-0)

With King James playing at a historic rate once again, will Toronto’s trade deadline moves be enough to topple the champs? Photo Credit: Associated Press

The true test of Toronto’s all-in push at the trade deadline came earlier than they could have imagined. Toronto made moves specifically to try and finally defeat Cleveland in the postseason. Game 1 wasn’t exactly a sign that those moves would work.

As far as the rest of the series goes, I think we all know how this story will play out. LeBron James leads the way as Cleveland makes short work of its opponent. Since James made his prodigal son’s return to “The Land” in 2014-15, the Cavaliers are 29-4 against the Eastern Conference in the postseason.

This is probably the most versatile roster that Cleveland has had during the second LeBron era, so its difficult to see how Toronto will win four out of the next six games against them. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry both need to catch fire just for starters. Then someone in the Toronto frontcourt will need to dominate the boards similar to how Bismack Biyombo did in Game 3 and Game 4 last season (40 rebounds in those games).

Toronto is a different team at home, but there is not a good chance of an upset here.

Winner: Cleveland in 5

 

Golden State vs. Utah (GS leads 1-0)

Game 1 showed that the Warriors might not have to worry about Utah’s top-ranked defense. Photo Credit: USA Today Sports

On the court, it’s been so far so good for the Warriors. Off the court has been a different story. Kevin Durant’s injuries have been a mild concern, but the real bombshell was the departure of coach Steve Kerr due to complications from his back surgery last season. It’s a real testament to how well constructed this roster and coaching staff is in Golden State.

Utah made some serious stride from last season, and found a way to scrap its way through a seven-game series against the Clippers. Unfortunately, this is where their playoff run will come to an end. As good as the Jazz are defensively, they don’t have enough offense to win this series. Also, if Rudy Gobert reinjures himself, this series could get ugly.

Last night, Utah played right into the strength of Golden State. The Warriors are an elite transition team, turning missed baskets for the opposition into easy layups or momentum building three-pointers on the other end. While the Jazz might take a game at home, this series won’t last too long (barring injuries).

Winner: Golden State in 4

 

Boston vs. Washington (BOS leads 2-0)

Usually, you try to save the best for last. Despite the fact that Boston is up 2-0 on Washington, the best in this series has yet to come. Boston needed a ridiculous 53-point performance from Isaiah Thomas to take Game 2 in overtime. Thomas overshadowed an equally great performance from John Wall (40 points and 13 assists).

The series shifts to Washington for Game 3 and Game 4, which is where this series should get really good. To put it nicely, the Wizards are not a good road team. At the friendly confines of the Verizon Center, they are a completely different team. This season, Washington was tied for the league’s fifth-best home record. In fact, both teams are among the best home teams in the NBA.

That means one road win will seriously shift the balance in this series. However, will either team steal one on the road? The jury is still out on that one. Regardless, the Thomas-Wall matchup should provide plenty of fireworks in this series. With both of these players carrying the load for their teams, someone is going to have to step up to give their stars some help.

If Washington has any chance to upset the Celtics, they will need to finish games. In both of the first two games, the Wizards opened up giant leads through the first quarter. The problem is they let the Celtics get off the mat and back into the game. That is a serious problem.

The other issue for Washington is a historical one. Boston has never lost a series when leading 2-0.

Winner: Boston in 7

 

That’s it for me today. I’ll be back tomorrow with “Curtain Call” with a column about the unwritten rules of baseball and the issues between Manny Machado and the Boston Red Sox. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney and go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook.

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. It was a busy weekend full of playoff action, the NFL Draft, and an epic boxing match for the unified world heavyweight championship. Needless to say, there is a lot to get to in today’s “Weekend Recap.”

Boxing: Anthony Joshua TKO’s Wladimir Klitschko to Become Unified Champ

The best of the weekend came to us from the middle of the squared circle at Wembley Stadium in London, England. A colossal unification bout for the world heavyweight championship stole the sports weekend. Saturday night became a changing of the guard in boxing. More importantly the sport now has a superstar in a time where it desperately needs one.

Anthony Joshua entered the night with an undefeated record, the IBF title, and a chance at immortality by defeating the legendary Ukrainian. Not only did Joshua score an 11^th round TKO of Klitschko, they put on one of the best boxing matches the sport has seen this decade. A masterful heavyweight clash the world has been waiting decades to see.

If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend taking some time this week to check it out. As someone that was burned by the Mayweather-Pacquiao “superfight,” this is the exactly what boxing needed to get back into the good graces of the mainstream. A rematch with Klitschko or a potential clash with former champ Tyson Fury will make Joshua’s next bout must see TV.

NBA: Finally a Game 7 and Potentially the End of “Lob City”

It took nearly the entire length of the first round of the NBA playoffs to get a Game 7. The Utah Jazz couldn’t finish off the Los Angeles Clippers at home on Friday night, which set up yesterday’s winner-take-all series finale. Despite having home court advantage, the Clippers could not get the job done in a 104-91 loss. This could effectively be the end of “Lob City” as we know it as well.

The Clippers now head into the offseason following one of the most disappointing playoff exits. Los Angeles not only blew a series lead for the fifth consecutive year, but lost three home games in the round. To add to the disappointment, the next few months could see the end of this iteration of the team. Chris Paul and J.J. Reddick both have player options for next season with reports indicating that both will at least test the market in July.

Los Angeles could also be looking to move on from Blake Griffin this summer as well. Griffin has improved immensely in the previous few years, become much more than just a dunk specialist. The only problem is that he is injured too often to be a cornerstone for this franchise. Keep an ear to the ground because the rumor mill will be swirling quite a bit in Los Angeles. Oh, don’t rule out the dismissal of coach/GM Doc Rivers either.

NHL: It’s All About Control and If You Can Take It

Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been anything but a close shave so far. Photo Credit: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

While the majority of the first round featured teams trading the series lead back and forth, the second round seems to be much more about taking control of the series quickly. Ottawa needed a double overtime win in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead heading back to New York. Pittsburgh took both games in Washington and head back home with a commanding 2-0 lead against the Capitals. Edmonton won the first two games in Anaheim, but the Ducks were able to return the favor with a crucial Game 3 victory yesterday. The Oilers keep the series lead at 2-1.

The most competitive series thus far has been St. Louis-Nashville. After spitting the first two games in St. Louis, the series shifted to Nashville yesterday for Game 3. Nashville used its home-ice advantage to near perfection, winning in convincing fashion 3-1. Now up 2-1, Nashville will look to stay unbeaten at home this postseason to take a commanding 3-1 series lead tomorrow night.

Looking ahead just a bit, Pittsburgh and Nashville look like the two favorites to meet in the Stanley Cup Finals.

NFL: Trades, Trades, and More Trades On Day 2 and Day 3 of the Draft

War rooms were extremely busy this weekend during the NFL Draft. Photo Credit: Associated Press.

Round one of the NFL Draft was crazy and unpredictable, the rest of the weekend featured teams swapping picks like a wild game of hot potato. In fact, teams made trades at a record-setting pace during the course of the three-day draft. A total of 38 trades were over the course of seven rounds, surpassing the previous record of 34 from the 2008 draft.

Wheeling and dealing was the theme of the weekend, but the real question on everyone’s minds is who benefitted the most from the draft? In all honesty, there is no way to know until these guys get on the field. Draft grades are kind of a joke are really premature, so take them with a grain of salt.

Every team added a good amount of talent (some more than others), and only time will tell who really won the 2017 NFL Draft. For now, that honor goes to the city of Philadelphia, who set a new standard for hosting the event. The second biggest surprise of the weekend was the fact that no arrests happened at the Fan Experience during the course of the draft.

That’s it for me today. I’ll be back tomorrow to make preview the second round of the NBA playoffs. Follow me on Twitter @thereal_jmooney and go like the Shooting the Moon page on Facebook.