San Jose Looks to Even Stanley Cup in Game 2

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Sidney Crosby shined for Pittsburgh in Game 1 (photo by Bruce Bennett)

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard

San Jose got their first taste of Stanley Cup hockey on Monday night, and at times the Sharks looked overwhelmed and a half step slower than the host Penguins. The game was decided late in the 3rd period when defenseman Paul Martin briefly lost sight of the Pens Nick Bonino in front of the San Jose net, leading to the eventual game-winning goal. But while the Sharks weren’t able to achieve the result they were after, there are a lot of positives fans can draw on going into Game 2.

For starters, San Jose withstood an early onslaught of scoring from one of the league’s most electric offenses and were able to bounce back with a pair of goals to tie the score. That tells us the Sharks can take a punch on hockey's biggest stage and get right back up. Coming out for the 2nd period down 2-0 against Sidney Crosby’s Penguins on the road had the ice heavily tilted against the Sharks, and they were somehow able to tilt it right back to tie the game within 20 minutes and go into the final period on even ground.

Second, the Sharks converted on the power play. Granted, they did not get as many opportunities on the man advantage as they would have liked, scoring on 1 of the 2 chances they were given, but they’ve proven that they can have success against a good penalty-killing team in the Penguins. This is again something positive to draw on and should instill confidence in the Sharks offense going into Game 2.

Third, they know that they can play better - a LOT better - and yet they almost stole that game on the road in their first ever Stanley Cup Final. They gave up more shots on Martin Jones than they had in any regulation playoff game this year, and yet he played well, stopping 38 of 41 and giving them a chance to win. They essentially conceded the 1st period to the Penguins, playing a step slower and allowing two early goals, so if they’re able to focus ahead of Game 2 and come out as the aggressor, they shouldn’t have to climb as far uphill to get back in the game as they did Monday night.


Would the Sharks have liked to win Game 1 on the road and have a chance for a 2-0 series lead heading back to the Tank? Of course. But the notion of stealing Games 1 AND 2 on the road in their first ever Stanley Cup Final was a little far-fetched, and the Sharks still have the chance to take home ice advantage away from the Pens on Wednesday and take back momentum going into their homecoming in Game 3. If they skate fast, draw a few more penalties, and tighten up their defense, they should be in great shape to get their first Stanley Cup Final victory.

Patrick Marleau's wrap around goal tied Game 1 late in the second period. (photo by Matt Kincaid)

Copa América Centenario Arrives by The Bay

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A collection of the best players in the world will be competing all over the States in June, including Levi's Stadium on the 3rd, 6th, 13th and 18th. 

By Robbie Repass | @ReelWorldLive (ReelWorldLive.com)

This past weekend, the European club soccer season came to an end as Real Madrid defeated Atlético Madrid in penalties at the UEFA Champions League final in Milan. With Europe's best team now crowned, international soccer fans can turn their attention to a very entertaining summer of marquee tournaments around the world.

The 15th edition of the UEFA European Championship begins June 10th in France, as well as the men and women’s Olympic tournaments in Brazil starting in August. While these are competitions of great importance to which I will absolutely be paying close attention, as an American soccer fan I am most excited for the Copa América Centenario.  The United States was fortunate enough to be chosen as the host country for this special edition of Copa América, and the Bay Area’s Levi’s Stadium was selected as the site for the opening match between the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) and Colombia this Friday, June 3rd. 

For those who only tune in every four years for the FIFA World Cup, the Copa América is a men’s international soccer tournament between the national teams of the South American soccer confederation, CONMEBOL, to effectively determine the continental champion.  CONMEBOL only has 10 members (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) so teams from other federations are often invited to give the field more depth. Copa is held every four years, in World Cup off years, with the most recent Copa América taking place just last summer (won for the first time by Chile). 

So if it’s held every four years and the latest iteration took place in 2015, why is there another Copa América only a year later?  The answer is simple; this is the 100 year anniversary of the oldest continental soccer competition (hence the name Copa América Centenario). To mark the occasion, a special anniversary tournament was organized and six CONCACAF nations (the North American equivalent of CONMEBOL) were invited or qualified to join the party, including the United States who were not only chosen to participate, but also picked to host the festivities.

In addition to the aforementioned South American squads and the USMNT, the national teams of Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico and Panama round out the formidable field of 16.  The competition follows the familiar soccer tournament format consisting of a group stage, in which the 16 nations are drawn into four groups of four teams for pool play, and the two teams from each group that accumulate the most points during this stage (wins are worth 3, a draw is worth 1, loss is 0) advance to the win-or-go-home knockout rounds.  The four groups are as follows; Group A (United States, Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay), Group B (Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti, Peru), Group C (Mexico, Uruguay, Jamaica, Venezuela), and Group D (Argentina, Chile, Panama, Bolivia).

I’m personally content catching these matches in a dark bar with a cold beer, but if you would like to see some of the biggest soccer stars in the world in person under the sun, the group stages and knockout rounds will take place at ten venues across America. The sites include CenturyLink Field (Seattle, WA), Soldier Field (Chicago, IL), Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA), MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA), Camping World Stadium (Orlando, FL), NRG Stadium (Houston, TX), University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ), the Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA) and Levi’s Stadium (Bay Area). 

Levi’s hosts four matches in the Bay’s backyard, including the opening match between USMNT and Colombia on June 3rd (supplemented by the official opening ceremonies and musical performances by Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin, American recording artist Jason Derulo, and Canadian reggae fusion band MAGIC!). The other three matches include a Group D tilt between Argentina and Chile (ranked #1 and #3 respectively in the latest FIFA Rankings) on June 6th, a Group C match between Uruguay and Jamaica on June 13th, and a quarterfinal match on June 18th to be contended between the winner of Group C and runner-up of Group D (likely either Uruguay or Mexico against Argentina or Chile).

The best soccer player on Planet Earth, Lionel Messi, will take the pitch at Levi's Stadium on June 6th when Argentina faces Chile. (photo by Ronald Martinez)

This affords Bay Area sports fans the opportunity to not only watch and root for your American national team, but the ability to see global soccer superstars including Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero (Argentina), Alexis Sánchez and Arturo Vidal (Chile), Juan Cuadrado and James Rodríguez (Colombia), Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani (Uruguay), and if Mexico passes through the Bay, Chicharito himself, Javier Hernández. Perhaps the only major nation without the potential to appear in the Bay is Brazil, however don’t rue the inability to watch Barcelona star Neymar on American soil.  The Brazilian football federation decided to only include Neymar on the Olympic roster, clearly prioritizing the Olympic Games, having never won the gold medal in the soccer competition and looking to do so as the host nation.

If you can’t make it out to Santa Clara, Fox Sports and Univision have the broadcasting rights in the US for the 100th Copa. Other marquee group stage matches worth watching include Brazil against Ecuador from the Rose Bowl on June 4th, Mexico against Uruguay from Glendale, AZ on June 5th, and Colombia against Costa Rica from Houston, TX on June 11th.  As mentioned, the USMNT faces Colombia in the Group A opener June 3rd, then faces Costa Rica in Chicago on June 7th and Paraguay in Philadelphia on June 11th.  The tournament will last most of June, with the final taking place on June 26th in East Rutherford, NJ.

What are the odds the USMNT appears in the Copa América final you ask? Well, not great. But don’t write them off as an early exit candidate just yet.  Despite their unceremonious dismissal from the 2015 Gold Cup via a semifinal loss to Jamaica, and an extremely disconcerting loss to Guatemala in a World Cup Qualifying match this past March that had me pricing the domain name firejurgenklinsmann.com, the squad has shown signs of life during a three-match exhibition run this past week in preparation for the Copa. 

The USMNT defeated a weak Puerto Rico team 3-1 in lackluster fashion before turning in a pair of impressive performances against CONMEBOL sides that will appear at the Copa (including a 1-0 win over Ecuador for which I was in attendance in Frisco, TX and a 4-0 win over Bolivia in Kansas City).  Even a draw against the 4th ranked national team in the world (Colombia) would be hard-earned, but I still expect the USMNT to accumulate enough points in their matches against Costa Rica and Paraguay to advance to the knockout rounds as the Group A runner-up.  If that is accomplished, the USMNT would face the Group B winner (likely a Neymar-less Brazil or an Ecuador team we have just beaten), which presents a not-so-strange scenario in which the US could find themselves making a surprise semifinal run.

If the USMNT is to achieve an impressive showing this summer, and restore our faith in Jürgen Klinsmann, it will require balancing a roster split between veteran names and fresh faces.  Stalwarts Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, and Tim Howard will be joined by 2014 World Cup roster members Kyle Beckerman, Alejandro Bedoya, Matt Besler, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron, Brad Guzan, Fabian Johnson, Jermaine Jones, DeAndre Yedlin, and Graham Zusi.  Goal-scoring forward Jozy Altidore, unfortunately, will not be available due to injury.  Even the San Jose Earthquakes’ own and Bay Area native Chris Wondolowski made the cut, at the expense of Stanford great Jordan Morris, likely due to his reputation as a top finisher in the box (despite his gargantuan miss against Belgium at the last World Cup).  Other USMNT players poised for breakout performances include MLS stars Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers) and Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy), and a pair of players plying their craft in the German Bundesliga, Bobby Wood (Hamburg) and 17-year-old phenom Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund).

So whether you plan to hop on StubHub and bask in the glory of meaningful international soccer firsthand or take it all in on a television screen in the comfort of your local watering hole, buckle your proverbial chinstrap and get ready for an amazing summer filled with world-class soccer... And Go USA!

"Navigating Uncharted Waters" - Previewing the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals

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The Sharks will take the ice at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh for Game 1 on Monday night.

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard 

It’s a sportsmageddon of epic proportions, on a scale we've never seen before in Northern California. Tomorrow night, the Bay Area will be treated to Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference Finals in Oakland, while simultaneously watching San Jose skate in their first ever Stanley Cup Finals in Pittsburgh. Spoiled, aren’t we? I don’t know about you, but I’ll be hunting for that seat at the bar that’s perfectly centered between the hockey and hoops screens. No doubt my head will be on a swivel this Memorial Day. 

Fortunately for us, the puck drops on Game 1 of the Stanley Cup an hour before tip-off inside Oracle, so the first period should garner our full, undivided attention. But before you don your black and teal (with blue and yellow undershirt) and head out to your local spot Monday night, here’s what you need to know about the Sharks’ first ever foray into the Stanley Cup, in what has to be considered a dead-heat matchup:

The star power is strong on both sides:

Each team boasts former MVP’s and All-Stars aplenty, so it’s difficult to give an edge to either team here. Sidney "The Kid" Crosby is considered one of the best - if not the best - forwards in the NHL, and at 28 he’s still in the thick of his prime after being tabbed the “next Gretzky” ahead of the 2005 amateur draft. Evgeni Malkin is also a former MVP, and these two have tasted success before, winning the Stanley Cup together in 2009. The Sharks will match Pittsburgh’s star power with Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, and Logan Couture, but as much playoff experience as those four have, they’ve never lifted the Cup. Still, Pavelski has been scoring at an incredible clip this postseason with 13 goals, and is the front-runner for the Conn Smythe Trophy (postseason MVP) heading into the series.

Don’t blink, you might miss it:

These teams will match each other skate for skate, because they’re both built around two things: moving fast and scoring frequently. Winning loose pucks will be a key to each team’s success, and momentum shifts may come down to the simple things, such as racing down to negate an icing call.

A clash of special teams titans:

The Sharks are scary good on the power play, somehow scoring at an even higher clip on the man advantage this postseason than they did in the regular season, when they ranked 3rd in the league. They’ll pit their 27% postseason efficiency against the Penguins 5th-ranked penalty kill, and it will be must-see-TV whenever Pittsburgh takes a penalty. The flip side isn’t as intriguing, but could be just as important. The Penguins aren’t known for scoring on their power play, and the Sharks aren’t known for their penalty kill...so maybe that makes the Pittsburgh power play and SJ penalty kill the biggest keys to this series. I have a feeling.

You ain’t seen nothin’ yet:

If you thought the Tank was rocking for the Western Conference Finals, you’re in for a treat this series. Year in and year out, it doesn’t matter who matches up in the final series: the Stanley Cup brings out the most passionate, enthusiastic, and LOUD fans American sports has to offer. Oracle Arena can break some decibel records when Steph Curry gets into Human Torch Mode, but my guess is that the Shark Tank will be sending shock waves throughout Silicon Valley come Game 3 (especially if the Sharks bring back a 2-0 series lead). Who knows why we go so crazy for what is widely considered the 4th-favorite major American sport, but maybe it has something to do with the prize being SO. DAMN. COOL. Let’s be honest, there’s a reason hockey fans cheer “We want the Cup!!!”...it’s far and away the most prestigious and storied sports trophy in the world.

It may be unfamiliar territory for the Sharks, but make no mistake, this year’s version is as prepared and well-equipped to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup as the team has ever been. All it took was 25 years and some lowered expectations.

Oh, and my prediction?: San Jose in six.

Golden State Steals Dramatic Game 6 in OKC, Forces Game 7 In Oakland

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(photos by Jose Carlos Fajardo & Maddie Meyer)

Section925 Staff Ponders the Warriors With Their Backs Against The Wall

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Josh Hunsucker (@jphunsucker)

Bandwagon fans are a welcome side effect of being good. They will never experienced the shared suffering of Larry Hughes and Vonteego Cummings et al. Their seats, while better than mine are filled with hollow joy. My Section 200+ seats, or tonight laptop streaming TNT, is stained with the memory of 30+ years of crap with a few years of half wiped success.

Live or die tonight at least we can appreciate what it feels like to truly be alive as a sports fan. We earned this and they can just have a plate at our buffet. The bandwagon just makes our satisfaction a little louder and provides more web content. Let's go seize history in these next three games boys.

 

Connor Buestad (connor@section925.com)

Larry Legend did it in '81, why not us?

 

BORW (@the_real_borw)

We Believe (the remix)

San Jose Earns Their First Trip to the Stanley Cup Finals

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(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson)

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard 

After 25 long years and 18 playoff appearances, the San Jose Sharks are finally heading to their first Stanley Cup Finals in team history, clinching the Western Conference title with a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues at the Shark Tank.

It’s been an arduous road for the Sharks and their loyal fans, but in a year when expectations were as low as they’ve been in over a decade, they’ll finally have the chance to play for hockey’s ultimate prize. First-year coach Peter DeBoer found a way to ignite the franchise in short order. When given a chance to clinch a trip to the finals in front of a rowdy Wednesday night crowd chanting “We want the Cup!”, DeBoer's men did not waste their opportunity.

It was only fitting that former captain Joe Thornton and current captain Joe Pavelski initiated the scoring in the biggest game in Sharks history, with Thornton missing the net on a breakaway attempt and Pavelski slamming home the rebound opportunity on a wraparound. Pavelski’s NHL-leading 13th playoff goal gave the Sharks a 1-0 lead they would never relinquish, racing ahead 4-0 midway through the 2nd period. After allowing back-to-back goals by the Blues in the 3rd, the Sharks were able to tighten up defensively and exhaust any thoughts of a Blues comeback, finishing the scoring with a Logan Couture empty-net goal and sending the Sharks crowd into a (feeding) frenzy.

San Jose now awaits the winner of tonight’s Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning. A Lightning victory would give the Sharks home-ice advantage in the Cup, with Game 1 being played next Monday at The Tank. A Penguins victory would mean the Sharks travel to Pittsburgh for Games 1 & 2.

After nine head coaches, six division titles, and three previous defeats in the Western Conference finals, the Sharks have gotten over the hump and now have a chance to bring Lord Stanley's Cup home to the Bay Area. If they’re able to do so, The Bay will have claimed three of the four major sports championships within the last six years. Four more wins and San Jose will officially become the center of the ice hockey universe; at least for one glorious year. 

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson)

San Francisco's offense comes alive to back Samardzija

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Shark Samardzija has been a workhorse for the Giants this season. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson)

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard

The narrative during the Giants recent hot streak had been that of outstanding pitching, excellent defense, and just enough scoring (averaging barely over 3 runs per game in their last 12) to win.

What they got Tuesday night was a complete effort, including an 8th inning offensive outburst, with the lineup finally showing signs of life after weeks in the doldrums and scraping out close victories. Jeff Samardzija delivered his 5th consecutive quality start for his new team, and the defense cut down would-be Padres baserunners at key spots in the game to give the Giants the 8-2 win.  

It’s difficult to harp on a Giants team that came into Tuesday winning 11 of their last 12 games, but it was clear to even the casual fan that the team’s offense lacked a spark and was struggling, especially with runners in scoring position. Despite a starting rotation that boasts three of the top ten pitchers in the National League so far this year, you had to wonder how long the Giants could rely on one- or two-run victories to continue their success.

Then came Tuesday night, with the Giants going 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position and hanging five 8th inning runs on Padres reliever Keith Hessler. Brandon Crawford delivered a bases-loaded triple (partially misplayed by a scuffling Matt Kemp) and recent call-up Jarrett Parker showed why Giants’ management chose him to replace the injured Angel Pagan with a towering two-run HR to center field.

The defense made an immediate impact when Parker, starting in left field for Pagan (15-day DL, hamstring), played a 1st inning Kemp drive that landed inches from the top of the wall in left. Parker took the near-HR and spun in one motion, delivering a perfect throw to 2nd base for the out. Kemp would also try to leg out a triple to lead-off the 8th, but again was the victim of a perfect relay, this time by Gregor Blanco and Joe Panik. After initially being ruled safe, Bruce Bochy challenged and replay confirmed Matt Duffy’s tag was in time for the out, Kemp hanging his head in disappointment. 

Buried under the highlight reel defense and extra base hit barrage the Giants laid out on Tuesday was another strong performance by Samardzija, who went 6.2 innings and allowed just one run on a 6th inning HR by Jon Jay. Samardzija now owns a 7-2 record and 2.54 ERA this season, and he’s been even better in the month of May, going 4-1 with a 1.41 while striking out nearly a batter an inning. Even more impressive for the Giants and their fans is that “The Shark” wouldn’t even be considered one of the best two starters in the rotation - not while Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto own ERA’s lower than his and have made a habit of going the distance in their starts.

What is once again evident after a victory like this is that the Giants have constructed a roster capable of being elite in all three phases of the game - offense, defense, and pitching - and while they can rely on their pitching and defense to earn them a win on any given night, it’s much more satisfying to watch them dominate a game like they did Tuesday at AT&T Park.

The Giants are now a season-high 10 games over .500 at 29-19, lead the NL West by 4.5 games, and will look to continue their recent tear when they send the struggling Jake Peavy to the mound Wednesday afternoon in the series finale, before heading out on a grueling 10-game road trip.

Section925 Staff Ponders Monster Game 4 in OKC

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(Photo by J. Pat Carter)

Vinny Cuneo (@Mr_Cuneo)

There is no statistical way that the Durantula and Westbrook can both shoot over 50% from the floor in 2 games in one series. Dubs were in the same hole against the Cavs in the finals last year so it's not like they haven't been here before. 

How much more interesting would this series be if the Thunder were still the SuperSonics. A classic match up of the Bay vs. Seattle a'la the 49ers vs Seahawks circa 2012.

 

Robbie Repass (@ReelWorldLive)

Game three was an unmitigated disaster for Warriors fans. It may not be time to press the panic button, but you should certainly reach for it. I keep hearing that "this team has been down 2-1 in a series before" and "this team hasn't lost back-to-back games all season". While both are true, this team has not faced an opponent this talented and this firing on all cylinders in their magical two-year postseason run. Is Oklahoma City the team of destiny? The Warriors narrowly avoided losing Draymond to suspension after his likely intentional castration of Steven Adams, and now the Warriors need "good Draymond" to show up now more than ever following his dismal game three performance. It would be foolish to write off the defending champs and owners of the best regular season of all-time, but the Vegas oddsmakers were confident enough to make OKC the favorite to lift the Larry O'Brien following their win. If ever Golden State faced a must-win game, this is it.

 

Josh Hunsucker (@jphunsucker)

Step one to winning a professional basketball game: physically, mentally, and emotionally show up.  Remember the four core values of the Steve Kerr Warriors? Neither did any of the players in Game 3.  

Where was the joy? No, Steph Curry post-three swagger. No, bench mob weirdness. No, Draymond swagger (at least post-Steven Adams nut sack demolotion).  Where was the mindfulness? Don't let Russ start every play going down hill. Don't overclose out on Roberson, let him shoot every three. Don't reach on KD, he will draw a foul. BLOCK OUT and HUSTLE for loose balls!! Where was the compassion for the game? Don't underestimate your opponent. Don't mentally check out in big games. And where was the competition? They just failed to compete (OK I will give them the late stretch of hte first quarter and early part of the second when they tied the game 40-40, that's it).

We've been here before, but I think this may be the best team we've had a 2-1 series deficit. Should we be chain smoking cigs tonight? Generally no, but if that works for you, then yes. Embrace the fear. Tonight is this seasons 300 moment, come back with your shield or on it. Let's keep the haven't lost two in-a-row streak alive. Let's have Curry give us a MVP Threesus divine game. Let's have Klay play Westbrook tough and bang home some big shots. Let's have Draymond play inside himself. Let's have Barnes be balances. Let's have Bogut stay out of foul trouble. Let's have Iggy not overplay  on defense. Let's have Festus play in control. Let's have Barbosa be the best blur he can be. Let's have Sir Ian Clark be royal. Let's have Mo get buckets. Let's have Andy antagonize. Let's have Rush shoot well if called upon. Let's have Macadoo cheer harder than anyone in Chesapeake Arena. Let's go take control of the series and not let go. Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

 

Tino Barragan (@TinoBarragan)

Oklahoma City is playing their best basketball of the year right now and Russell Westbrook has been the difference.  Westbrook has 12 assists in each in each of the first three games. He's finally allowing the game to come to him on a consistent basis. Both he and Kevin Durant tend to play the one-on-one game too often, but midway through the Spurs series that started to change. The Warriors are going to have to play their absolute best to win this dog fight if the Thunder continue to play team basketball for four quarters every time out.  

Draymond Green will be available for game 4 following the kick heard 'round the world. There was enough doubt that the kick was intentional to allow him to play, althought it certainly hit the bulls-eye. The kick even appeared to make a woman in the front row bend over as if she could feel Steven Adam's pain. Green is fortunate that he wasn't suspended. In the end, it was the right call to make by the NBA. 

Steve Kerr made some pivotal adjustments to his lineup during last year's championship run. He needs to make at least one major adjustment in this series as well. Andrew Bogut is not moving at the same speed he was earlier in the season. Bogut has been a beast all year, however, minor injuries appear to have slowed him down.  In Game 1, Bogut had 0 pts, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks in 17:25 of play.  Game 2  he has 4 pts, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 0 blocks in 15:49 minutes of play.  Game 3 he had 2 pts, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 0 blocks in 12 minutes.  If Bogut were simply struggling, I wouldn't necessarily suggest this move.  But he's is not getting back on defense and he hasn't been a real threat on offense either. 

It's time to insert Festus Ezeli into the starting lineup.  He will bring athleticism and energy when the game starts which is important in order for the Warriors to come out playing with some thump on Tuesday. The Warriors need a bigger, quicker, and more athletic presence in the paint.  It's as simple as that. 

Steph Curry is at his best when the threat to get to the rim exists. I don't think OKC is worried about him taking the ball to the basket right now. I do think there's still some uncertainty in Curry's mind with the knee injury. His basketball movements don't have the same quickness or confidence when I watch him play. The drop off is subtle, but it's there. I'll be keeping a close eye out to see if Curry takes another step forward in his acceleration and ferocity when cutting and driving. 

It won't be enough to just drive and kick the ball out either.  He needs to start dropping in layups or get to the line which will open up everything else on the court. Curry will probably have to take some punishment.  But that's what the back-to-back MVP has got to do. This will also specifically open up the game for Klay Thompson.  Thompson has played decent basketball in this series, but he's only made 24 of 61 shots in all three games combined.  Overall he's shooting 39% from the field, but is shooting just 29% from 3 point land. That isn't going to cut it. 

I'm picking the Warriors to win Game 4 tonight. They haven't lost two games in a row all year (12-0) and now is not the time to go against that trend.  The defending champs are coming off a butt-whooping, going after back to back titles, and fighting for the most prolific season ever in NBA history.  The Warriors will sack up (pun intended) and tie this series at 2-2. The struggle is definitely real with Game 4 being played on the Thunder's home court. The whole country is about to find out how real the Warriors are as they continue their quest for greatness.

Connor Buestad (connor@section925.com)

Jesus, this is such a big game. I'm speechless at the moment. The drama is debilitating at the. Tell me what happens...

Sharks move one game away from first ever trip to Stanley Cup Finals

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(Photo by Dilip Vishwanat)

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard

In a game that felt like a must-win, the San Jose Sharks showed why they are considered an elite offensive team with a complete 6-3 victory over the Blues on Monday night in St. Louis.

Coming off of a 6-3 dismantling at the hands of the Blues in Game 4 at home, which was preceded by back-to-back Sharks shutouts in Games 2 & 3, the Sharks bounced back in a pivotal Game 5 of the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals with 2 goals apiece from captain Joe Pavelski and veteran winger Joel Ward.

The scoring got started just 3:51 into the game when Joe Thornton won an offensive-zone faceoff back to Joe Pavelski, who found Marc-Edouard Vlasic at the blue line for a quick slap shot that got past Blues’ goaltender Jake Allen on the far side. Allen, who replaced starter Brian Elliott ahead of the Blues’ Game 4 victory and was making his 2nd consecutive start, appeared to be screened by his own defenseman on the play.

After consecutive goals by St. Louis gave them a 2-1 advantage at the end of the 1st period, the Sharks showed their prowess on the power play by controlling the puck for nearly the entire two-minutes that followed a Kevin Shattenkirk roughing penalty, culminating in a Joel Ward tip-in of a rebound off the post to tie the game with one second remaining on the man advantage. The teams exchanged power play goals by Robby Fabbri and Pavelski to tie it at 3-3 heading into the 3rd, when the Sharks took over the game and never relinquished control.

It only took San Jose 16 seconds to take the lead in the final period, when Pavelski scored with a textbook tip-in off a long-range wrist-shot by Brent Burns. With momentum on their side, the Sharks held off the Blues the rest of the way, adding two empty-net goals before time expired on their 6-3 Game 5 victory.

San Jose goaltender Martin Jones played well enough to win by stopping 18 of 21 shots, and Joe Thornton contributed 3 assists to the winning effort.

With Game 6 set for Wednesday night at the SAP Center in San Jose, you can expect a raucous and excitable crowd anxious for the Sharks to clinch their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals since their inception in 1991. This is certainly the best chance they’ve ever had to do so, and they’ll get that opportunity in front of their home crowd and with momentum on their side.

"The Sunday Section" - Selected Stories From Around The Bay

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Section925 Staff looks to Oklahoma...

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Will Steph rock an Iverson sleeve for Game 3!? (photo via @warriors)

BORW (@the_real_borw)

Looking ahead to Game 3….I would love to see the Warriors come out in the slate grey jerseys. I know they are terrible, but it would be a friendly reminder of the fabled night in February when Curry pulled the soul out of 18,000 Dust Bowlers with a 37 foot BANG BANG. Curry should also strictly do warm-ups from that spot on the floor. Just casually shoot 60% from that same spot before the game starts.

Connor Buestad (connor@section925.com)

You have to believe Chesapeake Energy Arena is going to be bananas on Sunday night. Not sure Marv and Reggie will be able to hear themselves think once things really get going in there. Golden State is three point road favorites, but before we talk about Sunday, let’s look all the way back to last Wednesday when we saw these two teams on the court last (C’mon NBA).

Game 2 was yet another magical night for Steph. He started off his evening risking yet another injury as he went full Pete Rose diving after a loose ball in the first quarter. The gents in the tech seats didn’t exactly break Curry’s fall, which led to a beat up elbow, but it could have been worse. All I want to know is if Curry will wear an Iverson arm sleeve for Game 3?

In the third quarter, Curry “Stephed” if you will, scoring 15 straight points and working Oracle into a frenzied state. Marv Albert really got going when Steph decided to stare down Serge Ibaka and run back on defense, all while a contested 3-pointer was still midflight. Kids: don’t try this at home.  

Steph finished with 28 on the night, while getting tons of teammates involved as well. Seven Warriors recorded double figures in Game 2, including Draymond Green who turned in the “Yeoman’s Special” of 10 points, 8 boards and 7 assists all while occupying the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated.

On Oklahoma City’s side, Kevin Durant got off early, scoring 23 points before the half. Fortunately he was cooled off in the second half, and only finished with 29. Russell Westbrook’s ungodly speed was neutralized by another great effort from Klay and company; a trend that will need to continue in Oklahoma.

Wednesday was the fifth meeting this year between the star-studded teams and only the first time OKC lost the rebounding battle. Much of this had to do with Draymond’s continuous effort against New Zealander Steven Adams. So far this series, Adams has not only described the Splash Brothers as “quick little monkeys” but also has declared that Draymond has “peaked with annoyingness.” Hopefully this bulletin board material keeps arriving on Draymond’s desk, as it will only fuel his trademark fire.

In hindsight, it only made sense that the Warriors took care of business at home in Game 2. After all, Golden State is 12-0 this season coming off a loss. But now comes a new test. KD and Westbrook will have a crazed fanbase behind them on Sunday night. A city looking for blood after Steph ripped out their hearts earlier this year at the buzzer. By now, I should have more blind faith in the Warriors, considering they’ve passed every test this season with flying colors. That said, I foresee KD having a monster game on Sunday. The 27-year-old is in his prime and realizes how big of an opportunity he has sitting on his plate. I don’t see Game 3 ending any other way than at the buzzer. God bless the NBA.

Josh Hunsucker (@jphunsucker)

After Game 1 we had to do better in three areas and sustain one.

1. Steph and Klay have to play better, especially in the 4th quarter.

2. We can't be sloppy with the ball.

3. The bench has to show up.

4. Continue to contain KD and Westbrook.

Check, Check, Check, and Check.

Steph was masterful in the 3rd and singlehandedly swung the momentum of the game and maybe series when he went on his 15-3 run.  Forget 17 points in an overtime, can I interest you in 15 in 118 seconds? He truly is Threesus and He is risen.

Lost in Steph's water-walking two minute burst was Klay's game-long hounding of Russell Westbrook. Klay held Russ to 5/14 shooting and 1/5 from three.  The imporrtance of that cannot be understated.  Forcing Westbrook into contested shots and minimizing situations where he is flying down the court at a pace that is seemingly out of control and other-worldly but at the same time completely calculated and impossible to stop, makes OKC much easier to beat.

The bench also chipped in and gave the Warriors what felt like 69,000,000 second chances off of offensive rebounds. Festus (14 pts), Speights (13 pts), Iguodala (14 pts).  That's what the f#&k I'm talking about.

The U.S. Open continues to challenge pros with the toughest courses on tour

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Tiger Woods approaches the 18th green at Pennsylvania's Oakmont Country Club in 2007. The U.S. Open will return to the challenging Oakmont track in 2016. (photo by Sam Greenwood)

By Matthew Van Fossen | @MVF510

Which of the four golf majors is the best major of them all you ask? For this week, I'll take a look at the U.S. Open, a tournament that has been around for 116 years. 

The USGA changes the location of the U.S. Open every year but has returned to a few courses numerous times; Pebble Beach, Winged Foot and Olympic have each hosted 5 times. Oakmont Country Club in western Pennsylvania has hosted 8 times which is the most of any course. This year, Oakmont will have the pleasure of hosting once again. 

Most of these courses are striking in 60” High Def, others not so much (I’m talking about you, 3-time host Southern Hills). The list of courses that have hosted multiple times is mostly made up of private courses with notable exceptions being Pebble Beach and Pinehurst (Pebble Beach costs $495 to play. You have to stay there to get a reservation, though and the cheapest room at the lodge is $790. If you walk on they still charge you $495 but the cart is $40 extra. So it’s private-esque.)

However, in the last 20 years the USGA has made a point of trying to use more public links for their championship. Of course, there are always stupid-rich men building ultra-private prestige courses to feed their own ego. Google The Institute Golf Course in the Southern Silicon Valley or the Alotian Golf Club[1] in Arkansas. Oh, you didn’t find anything. That’s right, there are no websites for either of those courses. It’s like they’re ciphers whose sole bragging rights come from how few members they allow. [2]

Venues have typically been great for the U.S. Open, but the setup of the courses has been increasingly questionable over years. The prototypical U.S. Open setup features long holes, narrow fairways, deep rough, and firm, fast greens.

And how do they get super fast greens? They don’t water them. Unfortunately, in 2004, using that strategy, they made a collossal misjudgement. On Sunday it became impossible to hold the 7th green at Shinnecock. The first four players played the hole in a combined 10 over par. There were are alarming three triple bogeys and one bogey. The USGA then decided to water the green after every two or three groups came through.

As the story goes, they didn’t water the greens before Jeff Maggert’s group and he made a special request to water the green before he hit his tee shot. Maggert said they told him, “We water it when we feel like it.” Billy Mayfair putted into the greenside bunker on 7 and ended up shooting an 89. After a seemingly perfect Charles Howell III shot rolled into the greenside bunker, the gallery actually booed the hole.

In 1989 at the Olympic Club, fast greens and an ill advised pin position made it impossible to stop a downhill putt anywhere near the hole. In order to stop his ball as it was rolling further away from the hole a frustrated Kirk Triplett put his putter in front of his ball while it was still moving invoking a two stroke penalty (he was going to miss the cut anyway).

Poor Billy Horshel didn’t like the greens last year at Chambers Bay at all; “We’re not looking for perfect greens. We’re not looking for Memorial’s greens or even last week in Memphis. But we’re looking for something that’s very consistent and this week they’re not…four is God awful. Ten is not much better…that hole is in dirt. It’s literally dirt. There’s no grass around that hole.” And hearing Billy Horshel complain about anything would be like hearing Jay-Z complain about Beyonce’s cooking; there’s zero chance I would feel any sympathy. However, I do think he has a point. Why not just play the course moderately fast and firm? Why take a risk that it gets out of control? Why this fear of scoring? People like to see birdies. A ten-footer for par is like wheat toast. Yawn.

In addition to the tweaks to the course conditions, the USGA also almost always shortens (slightly) two of the par 5s to make them par 4’s and changes the regular course par from 72 to 70. The purpose to is to make it so that the winning score is close to even par. I don’t really get the point. By that logic, you could make par whatever you want. Why not change a couple of the par 3s to par 2s and then 8 over would be the target winning score? And wouldn’t that really show how tough the course is.

The other problem with changing par 5s to par 4s is that it significantly modifies the aesthetic and strategy of a hole. For example, think about the two shortish par 5s at Augusta, 13 and 15. They both have a creek in front that forces players to make a great shot to get on the green in two. If you shorten them slightly and make it a par 4 then the strategy goes away. You have to go for it every time. If the USGA held the U.S. Open at Augusta they would absolutely make one of those holes a par 4. And that just sounds ridiculous.

The other course setup tradition, deep rough, makes hitting the fairway very important as it becomes difficult to stop approach shots on the fast, hard greens. But deep rough also removes some of the strategy of approach shots. There is little a player can do from deep rough except to swing hard and play to the fat of the green. There is no chance of working the ball from 4 inch rough. Do you want apply more or less spin on your shot? Well, don’t worry about that from deep rough. One of the great things about watching professional golfers is the incredible shots they make from trouble. Watching a player try to hit a low runner or a high cut to avoid a tree and then seeing them pull it off is > a deep gouge from 4-5 inch grass.

Recent setups have changed some of this. The USGA moved away from the deep rough setup for the 2014 event at Pinehurst. In an attempt to have the course play more like the original Donald Ross design they only had two cuts of rough. Martin Kaymer blitzed the field with an overall score of nine under. Eric Compton and Rickie Fowler tied for second at one under so, USGA, you can be comfortable that your fake par was not compromised.

What’s good about the U.S. Open? Local qualifying is a great concept. Players that make it out of local qualifiers get to compete against pros at sectional qualifying and possibly live a dream by playing in the U.S. Open.

Memorable duels include Tom Watson beating Jack Nicklaus at Pebble Beach, not to mention the Tiger Woods – Rocco Mediate tete-a-tete battle. However, the memorable U.S. Opens have often involved massive failure: Phil Mickelson at Winged Foot, Arnold Palmer at Olympic, Colin Montgomerie at Oakmont, Congressional and Winged Foot, Dustin Johnson at Chambers Bay.

What it comes down to it, the controversial course setups of the U.S. Open often overshadow the competition and that’s not always a good thing. Hopefully in the future this issue can be mediated, but for now, let's enjoy another four days of the pros being challenged by the biggest, baddest courses around.