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Block or charge?
It was a call — the call actually — that halted the Mavs’ fourth-quarter rally and all but ended these NBA Finals as Boston won Game 3 Wednesday night to lock down a 3-0 series lead.
The play — Luka Doncic trying to draw a charge on Jaylen Brown that ultimately was called a block, which was Doncic’s sixth and final foul — has been on a circular loop on the sports networks.
And rightly so. It was a monster call, at least in that moment.
Dallas was on its way to making it a series, but that is done.
Boston is clearly better, and maybe it would have been just a blip if the Mavs had won Game 3.
But the questions now expand to the bigger picture.
Are the Celtics long-term, year-in, year-out contenders? Looks that way.
Is Jayson Tatum a top-five NBA player? Maybe not, but that is an amazingly well-crafted roster.
Is Brown as good a Robin to Tatum’s Batman as there is in this league? Feels like that may be the case, especially with the way the Celtics’ top two have housed the dynamic Dallas duo of Luka and Kyrie Irving.
Which leads us to the biggest question of these Finals: Is Luka ready to be one of those guys?
He’s a great player and one of the true artists offensively the game has ever seen. Truly.
But that flop job — whether it should or should not have been his final foul — and the bellyaching about the officials afterward did not feel like the actions of an all-timer.
And defensively, the Celtics have routinely picked on Doncic every time they needed a hoop.
In truth, Luka led this crew to the Finals and that’s a true accomplishment in a deep and talented Western Conference.
But Doncic looks farther away from being a champion this morning than he ever has, if that makes sense.
(Side note: And if you think my words were harsh on arguably my favorite NBA player, buckle up for the scathing assessment ESPN’s Brian Windhorst dropped last night on SportsCenter.)
Triple digits
So one of our regulars asked me this week, “Could I shoot under 100 at Pinehurst” referring to the No. 2 course that is hosting the U.S. Open this weekend.
The short answer is nope.
Heck, my initial response as the game’s best will struggle to stay in red numbers over the next several days, was that he and three of his regular Saturday morning mates would have a hard time breaking 100 playing a scramble, when they take the best result of the four swings on each shot.
Those greens are diabolical folks, and some of the best players in the world are going to walk away with an 8-footer for bogey and be giddy about it.
But this interview I saw with Geoff Ogilivy also deserves mention, and it also makes me want to travel to North Carolina to play Pinehurst No. 2. (Side note: I may need to get a second job since a single round — with caddie fees — would be well north of $500.)
As for Geoff, well his points are valid, especially considering the way Pinehurst defends par with its linoleum-like greens rather than the overgrown rough that is a combo of lazy yard guy and interstate traffic that normally confronts U.S. Open competitors when they miss the fairway by a foot.
(Multiple side questions here: Weirder spelling choice, Geoff or Sean? Discuss. What’s the most you would pay to play any golf course, and is $500 too pricey for even a cathedral like Pinehurst No. 2? Are you paying that freight for the golf or the ability to say you have played there? Have I mentioned lately that I have played Augusta National? Twice actually. Thoughts.)
So Geoff’s comments made me wonder if 100 was doable in a four-man scramble.
Depends on the tees of course, and the regular, every-person player would certainly play the course as a par-72 rather than the super long, par-70 that the masochists at the USGA have crafted for this week.
Still, if you or someone in your group is not a great putter — and by that I mean truly good and who routinely makes 60-plus% from 6-10 feet — then I would set par at 96 which is bogey.3 per hole.
And that’s in a scramble gang.
(Side note: When I played Augusta National, it was the Monday after the Masters and the pins were in the same spots as the final round, but we were required to play the member tees which were considerably shorter than what the legit dudes played.)
More to come
So USA Today reported that transgender swimmer Lia Thomas was ruled to not be eligible to compete in what is known as “Elite Events” by the global swimming bigwigs.
That said, the story said there was no comment from Thomas’ circle and that currently Thomas was not listed among competitors for the U.S. Olympic trials, which start this weekend in Indy.
From the story, and this is welcome news and a real moment of clairty in this conversation: “World Aquatics said in a statement provided to USA Today Sports that it welcomed the CAS decision, calling it ‘a major step forward in our efforts to protect women’s sport.'”
Amen.
And keep paddling.
This and that
— Holy buckets, if this does not get you jacked up for high school football — God bless Valdosta’s tradition — then nothing will. I have watched this like 10 times already this morning.
— Braves played. Braves stink.
— So Ian Poulter is not that good a guy apparently. And dude, why you gotta rail on one of like the 15 people who actually showed up at a LIV event?
— Baylor baseball co-coach Mike Kinney walked away after seven great years. Had some bona fide dudes on that roster next to the river.
— We discussed some of this Thursday and it may roll into the mailbag, but has there ever been a better player/GM combo than Jerry West?
— Rules are still rules. Paschall on a UT football commitment. Is it September yet?
Today’s questions
It’s an anything goes Thursday friends.
We’ll start here: Best golf course you’ve ever played. Go.
Will Luka ever win a title?
Does Luka flop and complain as much as LeBron?
Why do baseball managers wear uniforms? It would be ridiculous for Kirby Smart to be in a helmet and shoulder pads or John Calipari to be in shorts and a jersey, right? But baseball coaches still are doing this?
As for today, June 13, let’s review.
Tim the Tool Man Taylor is 71 today. Man, been a week of felons, huh?
Also — and this made me feel wicked old — Mary Kate and Ashley Olson were born on this day.
Thirty-eight bleepin’ years ago.
Rushmore of twins. Go.