13) Raptors 105, Warriors 92— Golden State led this game 46-42 at the half, lowest scoring first half in a finals game in four years, but Toronto outscored them 63-46 in second half, and is now one win away from its first NBA title.
From sound of things, Kevin Durant won’t be playing in this series. Game 5 is Monday night in Toronto, where there could be a very big celebration.
12) McDonald’s locations in Eastern Canada give away free medium orders of french fries whenever the Toronto Raptors hit at least 12 3-pointers in a game.
According to The Financial Post, McDonald’s estimated 700,000 orders, but with the team playing so well, that number has ballooned to nearly three times the original estimate, resulting in approximately $5.4M (just over $4M US$) worth of fries.
11) Must admit, I don’t get the whole “opener” trend in baseball, unless you have one guy who could be a closer who you prefer to start a game with (Ryan Stanek in Tampa Bay).
Putting a minor leaguer in to pitch the first inning of a game just seems bleeping stupid, like you want to start off at a disadvantage. First inning is the only inning where you’re guaranteed to face the top of the other team’s order- you need a good pitcher there, not some stiff.
10) Batting the pitcher 8th is kind of the same thing, though at least I can see some logic there, but fewer teams are doing that now. Pretty soon this will be a moot point, because everyone will have the DH in the next couple years.
9) Houston Texans fired GM Brian Gaine, only 18 months after hiring him, meaning that coach Bill O’Brien is 42-38 in regular season games, 1-3 in playoffs, but has already seen two Texans GM’s fired.
From Ian Rappaport:
“My understanding is there was no one incident that created the opening. Houston did an evaluation of its football operations and believes — right or wrong — GM Brian Gaine was not good enough. Good, but not good enough.”
In other NFL GM news, the Jets hired Joe Douglas as their GM; he interviewed for the GM job in Houston when they hired Gaine.
8) ESPN’s Doug Kezirian pointed out that there is a gambler in Las Vegas who is having a very bad week; he lost $49,500 on Golden State’s money line in Game 3, then lost $75,000 on the Boston Bruins Thursday.
This person is chasing losses……..Friday he bet $182,000 on the Warriors $-190 to win $95,789 in Game 4.
Another tough night for that gambler. Minus $306,000 in three nights; hope he got free drink tickets, at least.
7) Baseball stuff:
— Mariners put OF Mitch Haniger (ruptured testicle) on the IL. Ouch
— In 2012 there were 2,020 pitchouts in major leagues; last year, there were 350.
— Relief pitchers have thrown 40.5% of innings this year, with a 4.42 ERA; five years ago, relief pitchers threw 33.5% of IP. with a 3.57 ERA.
Next analytics wave in baseball will find starting pitchers being stretched out longer in starts.
6) Boston Celtics are in favor of having free agency happen before the draft, which would be interesting. Right now, there are only roughly 10-14 days between the end of the Finals and the draft, so the draft would get pushed back, which would push back the summer league.
5) Kentucky and UCLA have assistant coaches in Brazil at the FIBA u16 Americas tourney. The quarter-finals of the event started Friday.
4) Alex, I’d like bad baseball for $400 please:
— Top of 6th inning, Cardinals down 3-0 at Wrigley, man on first with one out, and Dexter Fowler gets picked off. Why? How? He wasn’t going to steal. Terrible.
3) Jurors in the Kellen Winslow Jr rape trial sent this message to the judge:
“The jurors could benefit from an explanation as to what being under oath means.
Additionally, how we should follow the law and not what we think the law should mean.”
Sounds like those 12 people aren’t getting along too well.
2) RB Frank Gore Jr signed with Florida Atlantic and Lane Kiffin.
RB Frank Gore Sr is still playing in the NFL, with Buffalo.
1) Phillies 4, Reds 2— Jay Bruce is the first player ever to homer in each of his first three starts with the Phillies.
