Memorial Weekend "Kick"-Off

See what I did there?

It's finally Friday! Hope you're ready for a long weekend filled with sports, cookouts, and friends. I know that I am. Let's get in it and look at what happened and what will take place. 

Warriors Still Alive and Kicking, 120-111

Let's just give it up. Draymond Green is going to kick. Brace yourself and watch out because it's apparent after last night that his "shooting motion" isn't going to change. The Warriors fought off elimination with help from the same old crew and someone you had forgotten about. Steph Curry went for 31 while his running mate Klay Thompson dropped 27. The surprise was former number one pick Andrew Bogut dropping 15 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. It also didn't hurt that they hit 31 of 34 free throws. Kevin Durant showed up to play, but his 40 points just wasn't enough. Westbrook also had a very nice line: 31 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 steals. Still leading the series, OKC played sharp and good enough to win. Game 6 takes the series back to OKC on Saturday. 

Penguins Outlast Lightning, Advance to Finals

The Pittsburgh Penguins eliminated Tampa Bay last night with a 2-1 victory. They will advance to their 5th Stanley Cup Final to take on San Jose, who is playing in their first. Game 1 is Monday night. 

Looking toward tonight, Cleveland leaves the country again to try and finish off Toronto. Game 6 tip is at 8:30 and the Cavs can advance to a second straight Finals appearance with a win. Don't count out Toronto though. They have beaten Cleveland each time the matchup has been in Toronto. Expect the series to come back south on Sunday for Game 7. 

That's all for today. Be sure to check back for stuff from our other writers (hint, hint)

-Dug

@chansm1th

Wednesday Morning Wakeup

Good Morning! It has been a few days, but I am able to converse with you today. There has been a lot going on in the past few days of sports, but I am confident that the other Smiths have kept you posted on all that is happening. Let's take a look at what went on while you was asleep last night.

Cavs Shake Rust, Dominate Raptors

Cleveland continues to win in the playoffs. They're undefeated actually (9-0). It's hard to imagine that because of the fact that they haven't been playing near as much as the other teams. It was the second quarter that told the tale. If you watched that period, the other three were irrelevant. Cleveland outscored Toronto 33-16 in the second. They had runs of 20-2 and 12-4. At the half, the Cavs were in front 66-44. Cleveland just out muscled Toronto. The Cavs were winning from the three-point line through the first two rounds. Last night, the game was won in the paint. Cleveland out scored Toronto 56-36 in the paint, and won the battle of the boards 54-35. If Toronto hopes to stay in this series with a chance, they're going to have to toughen up, and quick.

Philadelphia Wins the Lottery

The Philadelphia 76ers won the Draft Lottery. They had the best odds to do it, but it doesn't always work out like that. The Lakers will pick second, followed by the Celtics. Talking to Corbeech last night, what kind of world are we living in that the Lakers and Celtics are picking top 3 in the draft? Granted, Boston's pick wasn't their own, but traded to them. Reflecting on the lottery, I do believe that this is the "Street Justice" for Ben Simmons. Simmons will be a great fit for Philadelphia: They both suck. The real winner is Brandon Ingram. He will be set up nicely in LA when the Sixers take Simmons at one. However, given recent drafts, don't be surprised when Philly takes Jakob Poeltl to get with their other half dozen centers on their roster.

Tonight

Coming up tonight, we have two playoff matchups. The first is in the NHL. Pittsburgh travels to Tampa Bay with the series tied at one each. The Penguins are coming off a 3-2 overtime win in Game 2, and now hope to turn the home-ice advantage back into their favor. Puck drops at 8:00 tonight.

The next thing we want to watch is Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Finals. Oklahoma City shocked Golden State on Monday when they took a 1-0 lead after a 108-102 victory. Read elsewhere and you'll see sports writers jumping on the OKC train. I highly expect that the Warriors will come out with something to prove tonight, but then again, I wouldn't be surprised if the stellar perimeter defense doesn't continue and Golden State heads to the Midwest with a 2-0 deficit and a head scratching predicament.

Let's hope that we talk soon. Watch out for breaking news or any updates on our part. Thanks, as always.

-Dug
@chansm1th