BOSTON — This season, when the Washington Wizards grew in grit and confidence, players often stated the goal of meeting the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals. The Wizards so badly wanted this May matchup. Their yearning even prompted star point guard John Wall to proclaim how the entirety of the 2016-17 season would be a “waste” if Washington failed to book the trip.
While San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich made it rather clear how unhappy he was with the play that forced Kawhi Leonard to miss much of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, the NBA reportedly has a much different view of everything that went down on Sunday afternoon.
It was only a year and a half ago that San Antonio Spurs swingman Jonathon Simmons was borrowing money for his children’s diapers, or even sometimes lunch for himself. Fast forward 18 months, and Simmons has landed an NBA contract with the Spurs, is a key rotation player on a championship contending team that just made the Conference Finals, not least because of Simmons’ performance.
Boston Celtics big man Al Horford can recall the energy, the noise, the monster wave that rode his team out of the playoffs.
"It was a beatdown from the beginning," Horford said Sunday afternoon, remembering the experience of his lone Game 7 in TD Garden.
WASHINGTON — The history of D.C. sports is not a kind one, and on Wednesday another chapter was brewed after the Washington Capitals were booted out of the playoffs and the Wizards were manhandled by the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of their series.
Everyone knows the history. Nothing good happens here. It has been nearly three decades since this town has had a sports team that had some semblance of success.
Warriors complete tremendous second-half comeback to beat Spurs 113-111 in Game 1
Leonard came down on Pachulia's foot after the big man attempted to contest a jumper by the Spurs forward . This is the point of view that many of the players are taking, including Leonard, who doesn't believe it was dirty.
John Wall hit a 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds left for the go-ahead basket, then hopped atop the scorer's table and yelled to celebrate at the conclusion of the Washington Wizards' 92-91 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday night that pushed their Eastern Conference semifinal to a Game 7.
Down by as much as 25 at one point, the Warriors came back strong to take a 1-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals.
The Golden State Warriors defeated the San Antonio Spurs 113-111 in a thrilling come-from-behind victory on Sunday, taking a 1-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals.
Of course San Antonio rolled to a Game 6 win and sent Houston into their summer vacations despite their struggles.
The San Antonio Spurs are laughing at you. Yes, you.
You really doubted them in Game 6. Sure, Kawhi Leonard was out, and the two teams’ last game in this building resulted in a 21-point blowout loss. But you really trusted the Houston Rockets, after what they did last postseason? For San Antonio to end Houston’s season in Game 6 on Thursday in a completely uncompetitive 114-75 shellacking was quite possibly the most Spurs thing that could have happened.
