Within a span of about 24 or so hours last Sunday and Monday, the Pittsburgh Penguins became back-to-back Stanley Cup champions while the Golden State Warriors defeated the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers to win their second NBA Finals in three years. Two different sports, two different teams with markedly divergent paths in securing titles. And remarkably divergent aftermaths to their victories.
The Penguins were not an overwhelming favorite at the start of the NHL playoffs. That crown went to the Washington Capitals with superstar Alex Ovechkin.
Golden State had added superstar Kevin Durant in the off season and had completed another dominant regular season. With their returning cast plus the addition of Durant, the Warriors were deemed to be prohibitive favorites to have a showdown with the Cavs for the third time in three years.
Pittsburgh suffered injuries to some of its best players in the course of the season--defenseman Kris Letang required neck surgery to repair a herniated disk, while goaltender Matt Murray suffered a lower body injury during warm ups prior to Game 1 of the opening series versus Columbus. The Penguins went from being favored to perhaps even or a slight underdog to the Blue Jackets in spite of the home ice advantage.
The Warriors appeared to be at full strength going into the playoffs, unlike last year when star Steph Curry had nagging injuries which caught up with him in the Finals. Their only question facing Golden State was whether Durant had fully recovered from a leg injury incurred in early 2017.
Despite the significant injuries, the Penguins rallied around star and team captain Sidney Crosby and the superb goaltending of veteran Marc-Andre Fleury to dispatch Columbus in 5 tough contest. While Pittsburgh was the better team, it was not by much over their Columbus counterparts.
Having finished the regular season as the number 1 seed overall, Golden State took on the eighth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers. Clearly the superior squad, the Warriors had to withstand scoring blitzes from the dynamic back court duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to sweep the Blazers and head to the second round.
In the second round, Pittsburgh faced a big obstacle in the Capitals. Washington had home ice as a reward for having garnered the most points in the NHL regular season. The Caps were the clear favorites; Pittsburgh was an underdog based on injuries and how well Washington had played. However, Washington had a tough time in winning its opening series versus the gritty Toronto Maple Leafs. Moreover, the Caps had a significant history of losing the big game or series, especially in the chase for the Cup.
Utah, with its young and talented team led by rising star and free-agent-to-be Gordon Hayward, loomed ahead for Golden State. Utah had topped the Los Angeles Clippers, another under performing playoff team and were thought to be able to give the Warriors some trouble.
Once more in the playoffs, in a seven game series, Pittsburgh toppled the Caps. Ovechkin played hurt and became a non-factor. The remainder of the team could not overcome the Penguins stout defensive effort.
As much as Utah tried to compete, Golden State had the better answers with Curry, Durant, Draymond Green and co. The Warriors took out the Jazz in a second four game sweep.
Pittsburgh's Conference Finals foe was the Ottawa Senators, victors over the New York Rangers, a team many had picked to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Coupling a hot goaltender and timely scoring, this was going to be a severe test for the Penguins, especially after having been extended to seven games by Washington in a bruising affair.
For Golden State, the second best team in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs, would be the upcoming opponent. Coached by Greg Popovich and led by Kawhi Leonard, a premier forward and Manu Ginobili, the Argentine legend, but absent their point guard, Tony Parker, the Spurs were expected to give Golden State all they could handle.
In another seven demanding games, the Penguins outlasted Ottawa. It took double overtime in Game 7 for the Penguins to book their trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. The goaltending of Matt Murray, the inspiration of Crosby and the grit of his teammates again was just enough of a razor-thin margin to secure that Finals berth and a chance to be the first team in 20 years to be a repeat champion.
Leonard came out blazing against the Warriors. He looked to be unstoppable. The Spurs ran out to a huge lead against the flat Warriors team which evidently had too much time off between series and looked rusty and out of sync. Then the series changed on one play. In the third quarter, Leonard went up for a three point shot, which was contested by the Warriors' big man, Zaza Pachulia. Leonard's left leg and foot landed, entangled with Pachulia. As the game progressed, it was apparent that Leonard could go no further with an apparent ankle injury. He was done for the series. With that, Golden State mounted a furious rally from over 20 points down and with 1:48 left, Curry hit a 3 point shot to tie the game. Then Durant, who finished with 34 points, took over. Somehow, the Warriors survived, eking out a 113-111 gut wrenching victory. From thereon, despite the heroics of Ginobili, the Spurs no longer were a worthy match for Golden State without Leonard. Three rounds, three sweeps.
The Nashville Predators had survived the gauntlet of the Chicago Black Hawks, St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks to win the Western Conference and reach their very first Stanley Cup Finals. Led by defenseman P.K. Subban and goaltender Pekka Rinne, and aided by a very vocal crowd at the Bridgestone Arena, Pittsburgh had their work cut out for them.
For all its dominance, Golden State had a long-awaited date with the Cleveland Cavaliers--an NBA record third straight Finals meeting between two teams. In 2014-15, Golden State prevailed. Last year, the great play in the last two minutes of Game 7 in Oakland by the acknowledged best player in the world, Lebron James and the pressure-packed shooting of Kyrie Irving, gave the Cavaliers a championship, in the process negating the Warriors' record-setting 73 regular season wins. Both teams had dominated their conference opposition during this season and in the playoffs. This was going to be an epic showdown in the rubber match, many predicted; others felt that Golden State would steamroller the Cavs.
While Pittsburgh went up 2-0 at PPG Arena, when the games shifted to the Preds' home, Rinne and company responded with 2 resounding wins. Game 5 went to the Penguins, returning the series to Tennessee for Game 6. A scoreless tie except for a controversial early whistle blown by the referee which cost Nashville a goal, the contest was highlighted by the duel between Rinne and Murray. As it seemed this game was going to be an overtime affair, the Penguins struck with just over an minute left on a rebound bank shot off of the elbow of Rinne by Patric Hornqvist. An empty net goal before the end of the game sealed the victory for the now repeat champions Pittsburgh Penguins. Three time champ Sidney Crosby hoisted the Stanley Cup in a parade around the ice and he also carried away the Conn Smythe Trophy, emblematic of the best player in the entire playoffs.
Golden State thumped Cleveland by out running them in Games 1 and 2 in Oracle Arena. When the series shifted to Quicken Loans Arena, the Warriors rose back from another big deficit to win 118-113. The pride of the Cavs was clearly visible in Game 4, as they shellacked the Warriors, ending the dream of a 16-0 run through the playoffs. Many commentators worried that the Warriors might follow the path of last year, being up 3-1 and losing the series in 7 games. Game 5 was a tight contest, with James and Irving being magical. But as much magic as they could provide, the depth of Golden State and the shooting and all around play of Durant augmented by Curry proved to be too much for the Cavs. While James averaged a triple double in points, rebounds and assists per game, Durant's play matched and at times surpassed that of Lebron. Durant was the difference, which validated his blockbuster move to Golden State from Oklahoma City, and won him the Finals M.V.P.
Minutes after the Warriors had won Game 5, the speculation started on whether Golden State was a super team for the ages; would the team remain intact with Curry, sharpshooter Klay Thompson, Durant, defensive whiz Andre Igoudala and Green; and what was going to happen with the Cavs since they lacked the firepower to beat the Warriors. Moreover, questions abounded about the other teams in the Eastern Conference being able to challenge Cleveland next season--especially the Boston Celtics, who did give the Cavs fits in the East final. After all, Lebron had to be human at some future time, notwithstanding his 7 straight appearances in the NBA Finals.
Not too many experts attacked the Penguins the way the media went after the Warriors and the Cavs. The celebratory parade went on as scheduled in downtown Pittsburgh, as almost a ritual. No one is anointing the Penguins to be a 3-peat team. Of some significance, it is believed that Fleury will be snatched up by the new Las Vegas team in the expansion draft. Not much else was heard in the aftermath about the Penguins 2017-18 fortunes.Yet the belief is that Golden State is the clear favorite to win it all again in 2017-18.
Golden State held its parade in Oakland and then announced that Coach Steve Kerr, who suffered through agonizing back issues which caused him to miss much of the playoffs until Game 2 of the Finals, would be back on the sidelines next season. Some of the Warriors will party throughout the weekend in Las Vegas, accompanied by the team owners.
Cavs fans cannot take any solace that James shaved his head after losing to Golden State and was already in the gym, practicing. Nashville should reflect on the civic pride engendered by the Predators magnificent run.
The Stanley Cup will travel to far-flung places was the choice of each Penguin who gets his name engraved on Lord Stanley's trophy. There will be off season moves by all of the teams in both leagues to measure up to the champions. Before too long, the hockey players will be back training on and off of the ice. Gym rats like Curry, Durant, Irving and Thompson will be honing their games anew.
Autumn will return and the chase is renewed. The Penguins fans will be optimistic and, hopefully, realistic. The NBA denziens will continued to be incessantly inflamed by the media, rest and expectations be damned. I hope that the Bay Area fans rise above the noise to cherish the accomplishment of this season's extraordinary Warriors team.
Otherwise, what more could fans expect?
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