Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Friday 12 april 2019
Warriors start playoff road, without LeBron there at the end

By BRIAN MAHONEY the best record in the West.
AP Basketball Writer Still, this playoff path could
The Golden State Warriors provide them plenty of ob-
are set to begin their quest stacles. The Warriors may
for a third straight title, and need to get by scoring
this time it's up to someone champion James Harden
else to try to stop them. and the Rockets, who took
With LeBron James gone them to a seventh game
to the West and this year last year in the conference
gone entirely from the post- finals, just to get back to
season, the Eastern Confer- that round this time.
ence headquarters for the "It doesn't matter who you
NBA Finals won't be in his play in the playoffs, you're
home for the first time since going to get tested. Every-
2010. body's good," Golden State
He played for the title for coach Steve Kerr said.
eight straight years, which Get out of the West, and
may have been great for the Warriors may have to
the TV ratings but lately then get on a plane. They
wasn't much good for the had home-court advan-
competition. The Warriors tage in all four finals against
swept Cleveland last year Cleveland, but Milwaukee
after winning 4-1 in 2017. and Toronto both finished
Teams are lining up to seize with better records and
his old spot atop the East, would host Games 1 and 2
all capable of providing if they win the East.
the intrigue that was ab- And there could be the dis-
sent the last couple years. tractions about their future,
There's Milwaukee, with Gi- Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant (35) high-fives Stephen Curry (30) after Curry made a 3-point with Kevin Durant and Klay
shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday,
annis Antetokounmpo in April 5, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. The Warriors won 120-114. Thompson able to become
position to exit June fully Associated Press free agents this summer.
atop the NBA with a title The Warriors wouldn't be
and an MVP award. competition in the East, delphia meets No. 6 Brook- beyond just the absence alone when dealing with
Or Toronto, humiliated by and not knowing and ev- lyn, and No. 2 Toronto takes of James for the first time that. Toronto (Leonard),
the Cavaliers in the last two eryone having a sincere on No. 7 Orlando in the since 2005. Philadelphia (Jimmy But-
years but armed now with chance maybe in the East East. It includes Denver, in the ler and Tobias Harris) and
a former NBA Finals MVP in that did not, when not you On Sunday, the overall No. playoffs for the first time Boston (Kyrie Irving) all will
Kawhi Leonard. look between Toronto, 1 seed Bucks face No. 8 since 2013. Brooklyn is a be trying to win a title with
It could be Philadelphia, Boston, Philadelphia," TNT Detroit, and No. 4 Boston playoff team for the first players who could then
with Joel Embiid and Ben analyst Chris Webber said. hosts No. 5 Indiana in the time since 2015 and Orlan- leave them.
Simmons anchoring per- "All of those story lines, new East. In the West, No. 3 Port- do is back for the first time But those are issues for July.
haps the most talented young stars that's coming land and No. 6 Oklahoma since 2012. First, it's all about just get-
starting five outside of the in." City meet in a matchup The Warriors, of course, ting to June.
Bay Area. The long road to get to of Northwest Division rivals, haven't just been going "It's a great feeling," Bucks
And don't forget Boston, the finals begins Saturday and No. 4 Houston and No. to the postseason every All-Star Khris Middleton
the presumptive East fa- with four games, including 5 Utah square off in the year, but getting all the said. "Playoffs don't always
vorite in the preseason that the top-seeded Warriors opener of a series between way to the finals once come around. I've been a
can still live up to expecta- against the Los Angeles two of the strongest teams they do. They've done that part of that couple years
tions. Clippers in the West. No. in the second half of the four straight years, winning but it's been a great season
The best player is gone, but 2 Denver faces No. 7 San season. three of them, and with a so far. I know guys been
maybe things will be better. Antonio in the other West It's the start of postsea- strong finish after some oc- itching to get to this first
"I think the parity and the opener, while No. 3 Phila- son that looks different far casional lapses surged to playoff game."q

LeBron, Carmelo, Chris Paul

courtside for Wade's last game

NEW YORK (AP) — Dwyane points, 11 rebounds and Southeast that it was impor-
Wade had some superstar 10 assists in a 113-94 loss to tant for them to be there
fans on hand for his final Brooklyn. because their friendship
NBA game. The four players are close goes beyond basketball.
LeBron James, Chris Paul friends and former team- "CP played last night, we
and Carmelo Anthony mates on the U.S. Olympic had our last regular-season
were all sitting courtside in team. game last night and Me-
Brooklyn on Wednesday Wade went over to the lo's right here in New York
Carmelo Anthony, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade, Houston night to watch Miami's corner where they were sit- so we kind of made the
Rockets guard Chris Paul and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeB- game against the Nets. ting and hugged each be- plan, made the decision
ron James. from left, pose for a photographs on the court after Wade punctuated his ca- fore starting his final game to come up here," James
Wade's final NBA basketball game, against the Brooklyn Nets on reer with one last triple- before retirement. said. "Listen, we couldn't
Wednesday, April 10, 2019, in New York.
Associated Press double, finishing with 25 James told Fox Sports miss D-Wade's last game.q