Game 3
Well, at least Game 3 was close.
Or maybe, at most it was close.
The first back-and-forth game of these Finals and one of the few games of these entire playoffs that had you gripped until the end ended with the same victor as the first two runaways. Golden State 118, Cleveland 113, and the Warriors now have built an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the series.
And that's a wrap.
Forget the history - no team has overcome a 3-0 lead in the Finals - and the odds.
This Warriors teams simply is better and deeper and more diverse. The Warriors made 16-of-33 3s - a staggering 48.5 percent - including a gut-punch 3 with 45 second left from soon-to-be-named series MVP Kevin Durant that gave the Warriors a 114-113 lead and punctuate this series.
Now the only question left is whether the Warriors can complete a 16-0 postseason run on Friday night.
It's amazing that the series we all wanted is pointed in the direction of a sweep. Maybe we underestimated the balance and power of the Durant-Curry-Thompson offensive collection. But, let's slow our roll on KD being better than LeBron James. (Yes, that means you hot take specialist Paul Pierce.)
As great as Durant has been, here are two stats that will make you ponder just how excellent James has been.
First, he is averaging a triple-double - 32 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists - in the three losses. Secondly, and amazingly, James played 46 minutes last night. In those 46 minutes, the Cavs were plus-7. That means in the 2 minutes - 120 seconds - that LeBron was on the bench in Game 3, the Warriors outscored Cleveland by 12.
FILE - In this Oct. 9, 2004, file photo, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops celebrates the Sooners 12-0 win over Texas, in Dallas. Stoops has decided to retire as Oklahoma’s football coach after 18 seasons that included the 2000 national championship and 10 Big 12 Conference titles.(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File) Stoops steps away
News leaked Wednesday afternoon that Bob Stoops was retiring after 18 seasons as the Oklahoma football coach.
It was more than a little bit of a shock, considering how out of the blue the announcement was and his tenure and success with the Sooners.
Yes, college football coaching years are somewhere between human years and dog years, but still.
In his statement Stoops referenced his desire to live life and move forward. We can understand that. To be done right in this ultra-competitive day and age, a head college football at a mega program like Oklahoma works between 320-330 days a year.
Yes, the money is excellent. But the pressure and the scrutiny is never-ending.
So maybe it's just as simple as Stoops wanting to spend time with family. Dude's 56 and has enough money for multiple lifetimes. But the conspiracy gene in all of us leads us to wonder a couple of things.
First, is there going to be another shoe that drops? Was there more to the Joe Mixon thing than even we know?
It's hard to fathom that this was a coup, even with the hot shot offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley getting the gig. Yes, Oklahoma is loaded for a run in 2017 considering it has Baker Mayfield back, but here's betting there will be more than one OU fan who realizes how hard winning 10 games every year like Stoops did every year actually is.
Not unlike Fulmer, the legacies of Stoops at OU and even Mark Richt's time at Georgia will be shaped in part by the coaches that follow them.
Also of note, the hot seats around college football just got hotter considering that Chip Kelly and now Stoops could be potential replacements. And to be in position to try to land either of those big names, the hot seat also comes with a quicker trigger now.
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz (26) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Wednesday, June 7, 2017, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)Braves good vibe
While basketball has consumed our TV viewing habits, there was something that qualifies for as good news for the Atlanta Braves.
Yes, beating Philadelphia - a predetermined notion for most of the National League - for the first time is not exactly headline-worthy. Yes, Dansby Swanson got three hits, which has been a good week for him so far this season, in the 14-1 rout.
All of that is fine, but would ranks as tidbits rather than good news. Nope the good news ranks with the notion that starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz is dealing.
The 25-year-old - a young building block for a struggling rotation - has been the team's best and most consistent starting pitcher this season. In fact, his 3.48 ERA is actually a little misleading in the other direction.
Eight of his last 10 starts qualify as quality outings, and those two blips - a disaster at St. Louis in early May and a tough outing at San Francisco two weeks ago - account for 12 of the 25 earned runs he has allowed this season.
Foltynewicz was a key part of the deal with Houston that got the Astros Evan Gattis, and while Gattis is contributing to the best team in baseball, Folty has the look and the power stuff to look like a fixture in the rotation for a while.
This and that
* OK, now the highly entertaining series between Pittsburgh and Nashville has found a way to get better. Couple of Pittsburgh media folks are tossing around smack about Nashville's growing reputation as a hockey town.
* Speaking of Nashville hockey, when asked why he did not chug a beer with his offensive linemen, Titans QB Marcus Mariota revealed he's never had a sip of alcohol.
* Speaking of Mariota, a Hawaii native, brings us to an interesting story from his home state. Hawaii on Wednesday became the first state to join the Paris Climate Accord.
* The entire saga between Derek Fisher and Matt Barnes is so strange it needs a) it's own TV series, b) a Kardashian and c) a random appearance by Dr. Phil.
* In a match-up of bona fide aces, Clayton Kershaw allowed one run in seven innings as the Dodgers topped Washington and Stephen Strasburg 2-1.
Today's question
Yes, we have a mailbag spot open if you'd like it.
As for this day in history, it was 121 years ago that the first car thief was reported in Paris. On this day 100 years ago, Walt Disney graduated from high school. Things worked out pretty well for ol' Walt.
According to legend on this day in 1920, Cincinnati center fielder Edd Roush fell asleep in the outfield during a lengthy infield argument. When a teammate went to wake him, the umpire ejected Roush for delay of game.
In 1942, Bing Crosby recorded Silent Night on this day. On this day in 1955, the Dodgers optioned Tommy Lasorda to make room on the roster for some dude named Sandy Koufax. And on this day in 1969, the loved and iconic Mickey Mantle has his number 7 retired. On this day in 1983, Trading Places, Ghostbusters and Gremlins premiered.
In honor of Koufax - and even Kershaw - who is on the Rushmore of left-handed pitchers.
Go, and remember the mailbag.