Finals MVP:Kevin Durant (6'9''-SF-88)
of Golden St.W.
Most Valuable Player: Russell Westbrook (6'3''-PG-88)
of Oklah.City T.
Most Improved Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo (6'11''-G/F-94)
of Milwaukee B.
Sixth Man of the Year: Eric Gordon (6'4''-G-88)
of Houston R.
Rookie of the Year: Malcolm Brogdon (6'5''-G-92)
of Milwaukee B.
Defensive Player of the Year: Draymond Green (6'7''-F-90)
of Golden St.W.
Sportsmanship Award: Kemba Walker (6'1''-PG-90)
of Charlotte H.
Hustle Award: Patrick Beverley (6'1''-PG-88)
of Houston R.
Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year: Dirk Nowitzki (7'0''-F-78)
of Dallas M.
Cares Community Assist Award: Isaiah Thomas (5'9''-PG-89)
of Boston C.
Coach of the Year: Mike D'Antoni of
Houston R.
Golden State Warriors win 2017 NBA Championship, beat Cavs 129-120 - Jun 13, 2017
The Golden State Warriors have defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to become the 2017 NBA Champions. Kevin Durant (6'9''-SF-88, college: Texas) led all scorers with 39 points, Stephen Curry (6'3''-PG-88, college: Davidson) added 34 points, and 2015 finals MVP Andre Iguodala (6'6''-SF-84, college: Arizona) had 20 points off the bench. LeBron James (6'8''-SF-84) led the Cavaliers with 41 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists. Kyrie Irving (6'3''-G-92, college: Duke) 26 added points and J.R. Smith (6'6''-G-85) chipped in with 25. This win gives the Warriors their second ring in three years, after winning in 2015 against a short-handed, Lebron-led Cavs team. Durant, a former MVP and future hall of famer, gets his first title in his tenth season as the newest addition to this Warriors roster. Klay Thompson (6'7''-G-90, college: Washington St.), Draymond Green, and 2-time MVP Curry get their second championship as a trio. The Warriors team is one of the best teams of all time after winning 73 games last year, and having both of the last two NBA MVPs. The Cavs fall to 1-2 in their three Finals series vs the Warriors and LeBron James sees his overall finals record fall to 3-5. The Warriors lead the Cavs 71-60 at halftime. The Cavs shot 62 percent from the field in the first quarter while taking a 37-33 lead, but the Warriors dominated the second quarter to grab a 11-point halftime advantage. Midway through the second quarter, the Warriors made their move, staging a 21-2 run. The Cavs started where they left off in Cleveland hitting their first shot, and six of their first seven attempts in breaking out to a 13-9 lead. LeBron James led the way, connecting on five of his first six shots. A James three boosted the Cavs to a 18-11 lead at the 6:48 mark. Cleveland's hot shooting countered a Warriors surge, and the Cavs ended the first period with consecutive baskets on their last two offensive trips. The second quarter started with more cold shooting by the Warriors, strong defense by the Cavs and a James slam over the outstretched arms of Kevin Durant. The dunk forced a Warriors timeout when the Cavs margin grew to 41-33 near the 10-minute mark. The Warriors took their first meaningful lead at 45-43 with about seven minutes remaining in the first half. They turned it around and went from down by eight to up by 11, as part of a 21-2 run. A Durant three boosted the margin to 60-45 with 3:08 in the half. Play was stopped at the 3:08 mark after a tussle and technical foul on members of both teams. A Warriors 30-8 run helped the Warriors close the half with a 71-60 lead. The Cavs cut the Warriors' lead to four in the third quarter, but the Warriors fought through to hold on to a 98-93 advantage by the start of the fourth. The Warriors held the lead throughout the fourth quarter, and survived the Cavs tough shot making. The points for Cavs did not seem to come as easy as they did for the Warriors in the fourth. This made a difference because when the Cavs saw an opportunity to take a lead, the Warriors responded and hit easy shots. Durant put on a scoring clinic in the fourth quarter, hitting tough shot after tough shot. The Warriors took their only loss of the playoffs Friday night. Now, they find themselves in the same position, a 3-1 lead, they were in last year when they ultimately failed to close out the series. Golden State got there a little differently this time around, opening up a 3-0 lead. In 2016, the team started 2-0 before dropping Game 3, winning Game 4 then losing the last three. The 2017 NBA Finals served as a rubber match of sorts between the teams. Golden State won the championship in 2015 and Cleveland took the title last year. During the playoffs, the Warriors previously swept Portland, Jazz and San Antonio. Courtesy of: wafb.com
Anthony Davis sets NBA All-Star best with 52 points as records tumble in game of all-out attack - Feb 20, 2017
In the full-court lay-up drill and three-point contest otherwise known as the 66th NBA All-Star Game, New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (6'10''-C-93, college: Kentucky) set an All-Star record with 52 points and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook (6'3''-PG-88, college: UCLA) added 41 points to carry the Western Conference to a 192-182 victory over the Eastern Conference on Sunday night in New Orleans. In a game in which defence was outlawed and feuding former team-mates Westbrook and Kevin Durant (6'9''-SF-88, college: Texas) played together for only 81 seconds, the West defeated the East for the sixth time in the last seven games. Durant left Oklahoma to join the Golden State Warriors last season, informing Westbrook of the news by text message. The 374 combined points broke the record of 369 set during the West's 196-173 win a year ago. The East was led by Milwaukee Bucks centre Giannis Antetokounmpo (6'11''-G/F-94, agency: Octagon Europe), who scored 30 points, and LeBron James (6'8''-SF-84), making his 13th All-Star start, with 23 points. Davis, named the MVP, broke the All-Star Game scoring record of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. He made 26 of 39 shots from the field, eclipsing Blake Griffin (6'10''-F-89, college: Oklahoma)'s 2014 record of 19 made field goals in an All-Star Game. One play in the second half summed up the general mindset of the players, who naturally placed self-preservation ahead of bravado. Antetokounmpo stole the ball near mid-court and had a four-on-one against Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry. Curry found a spot in the middle of the lane - 10 feet in front of the basket - and laid stomach-first on the floor while Antetokounmpo hit an uncontested layup. The world did not stop spinning on its axis, but it did skip a beat midway through the first quarter when the West embarked on an otherwise mundane offensive possession. Westbrook and Durant ran across midcourt on either side of the key. Westbrook flicked a pass to Durant on the left side, and Durant threw it right back to Westbrook on a give-and-go that resulted in an easy lay-up and a 31-28 West lead. At the next timeout, the West bench greeted Durant and Westbrook with high-fives, and someone poured a bottle of water on Durant's head. Clippers centre DeAndre Jordan (6'11''-C-88, college: Texas A&M) came over and bear-hugged Westbrook as team managers got on the floor and wiped up the water. The East led 53-48 after 12 minutes - the 101 combined points was an All-Star Game record for a quarter - and the West took a 97-92 half-time lead. The 189 first-half points broke the All-Star record of 187 points set in the first half last year (West 104, East 83). There was no defence allowed, so 58.1 per cent shooting by the West and 58.0 percent by the East in the first half actually was a shade disappointing. Courtesy of: dailymail.co.uk
NBA All-Star Game 2017 Participants - Feb 20, 2017
Eric Gordon (6'4''-G-88) of Houston Rockets
Winner -Kyrie Irving (6'3''-G-92) of Cleveland Cavaliers Kemba Walker (6'1''-PG-90) of Charlotte Hornets Nick Young (6'7''-G/F-85) of Los Angeles Lakers -Klay Thompson (6'7''-G-90) of Golden State Warriors Wesley Matthews (6'5''-G-86) of Dallas Mavericks C.J. McCollum (6'4''-G-91) of Portland Trail Blazers Kyle Lowry (6'0''-PG-86) of Toronto Raptors
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