🏀 The Warriors are Scary

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Hey, it’s good to see you again!

Whether you read every newsletter, are just joining us for the first time, or are hopping back in after a few months away, we appreciate every single one of y’all. Thanks for being you.

Okay, we can’t spend the whole newsletter being sappy (as much as we want to sometimes.) There’s playoff hoops to break down, for crying out loud! Let’s talk about it. 👇

Today’s Lineup

Splash Mountain: The Warriors run rampant in the Bay 🌊🔥

A Boston Beatdown: The Celtics dominate Philly to even things up 🍀

Mr. Clutch: Is this forgotten legend the greatest Game Seven player ever? 🤔

Jarritos

Get your fiesta poppin’ this Cinco de Mayo with Jarritos! Their all-natural fruit flavors are made with real cane sugar, so you'll be sipping on the most delicious soda in town. No high fructose corn syrup in sight, only the best-tasting soda for the Enjoyers.

You simply can’t go wrong with Jarritos. Plus, with those classic glass bottles, your drink stays as frío as Steph Curry from way downtown 🥶

Just try one of their insanely refreshing flavors like Mango, Pineapple, or Watermelon and see for yourself. Go and enjoy sodas the way they were meant to be experienced and get yourself a Fiesta Pack!

Trust us, your taste buds will be doing the salsa all night long 💃🕺

A Golden State Massacre

The 2023 Playoff Warriors have us feeling like Michael Corleone. Down 2-0 to the Kings? No problem. Lose Game One to the Lakers? Bounce back with a 127-100 offensive clinic to tie things up.

Golden State ran into a little turbulence before they reached cruising altitude, though. A monster start from LeBron James (including this ridiculous bank shot) had the Lake Show riding high early. Unfortunately for them, it wouldn’t last.

LA clearly had one plan in mind on defense: shut down Steph Curry (20 PTS, 12 AST). Seems like a good idea, right? Well, the only problem is that his all-time shooting can sometimes make teams forget that Steph is a really, really (add a few more really’s in there) good playmaker when he needs to be. Curry continuously found open Warriors all night, dishing out a steady supply of open threes to Klay Thompson (30 PTS, 8 3PM) and surprise last-second starter JaMychal Green (15 PTS, 3 3PM). Oh, and he also made a few logic-defying bombs of his own.

And a round of applause for that absolute defensive masterclass on Anthony Davis (11 PTS, 5-11 FG!) Draymond Green (11 PTS, 11 REB, 9 AST) stuck to him like glue all night, and the entire team did a great job of force-feeding him a steady diet of kick outs and uncomfortable shots.

With the series tied up and heading south to LA, things are about to get interesting. Let us know who you think is moving on to the Conference Finals below. 👇

BOX SCORE

Boston Strikes Back

Yeah…we don’t think the Celtics were too happy about fumbling Game One.

The C’s were out for VENGANCE on Wednesday night, crushing the Sixers 121-87 to send the series over to Philly all tied up at one game apiece. A Joel Embiid block party and some quality buckets courtesy of Tyrese Maxey (13 PTS, 6-14 FG) kept the Sixers within striking distance through halftime, but Boston wasted no time erasing any lingering hopes.

A monster 35-16 third quarter helped the Celtics put this one away early, thanks to some lethal shooting from Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White, along with team defense so stifling that it would probably be considered criminal in at least 37 countries. Just two days after the playoff performance of his dreams, James Harden (12 PTS, 2-14 FG) will be seeing Marcus Smart in his nightmares.

With the series heading to the City of Brotherly Love for two massive games, can the Celtics keep up their effort on the defensive end, or will a hobbled Embiid flex his MVP muscles and swing the momentum back in Philly’s favor? All we know is we can’t wait to find out.

BOX SCORE

Bucks and Coach Bud Part Ways

Just two years removed from winning an NBA championship, Mike Budenholzer is out as Head Coach in Milwaukee.

The Bucks just became just the fifth No. 1 seed in NBA history to lose to a No. 8 seed, thanks to a combination of Jimmy Butler’s heroics, an untimely injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo, and some unfortunate coaching mistakes from Budenholzer himself, which ended up costing him his job.

We hope that Coach Bud takes the time away from the game he needs to heal after the death of his brother, and we’re looking forward to seeing him back on the sidelines soon. 🙏

Hoops History Spotlight

While Steph Curry was busy sautéing the Kings on his way to an NBA record 50 points in a Game Seven, we couldn’t help but notice this graphic that popped up during the broadcast.

A couple of LeBron games? Of course. Luka Magic? Makes sense. Wilkins vs. Bird? Iconic. And…Sam Jones?

Some of you might not have heard of him, and others might only remember that he was a part of the Celtics' dominant 1960s dynasty, but we’re here to spread the gospel of Mr. Clutch (that’s actually his nickname), one of the greatest playoff risers in hoops history.

Jones averaged nearly 18 points per game during his Hall of Fame career thanks to his relentless off-ball movement and a bank shot that many have called the best of all time. Not bad for the 60s, right?

But, a lot like the Spartans in 300, Jones performed even better with his back against the wall. In 18 career elimination games, his scoring exploded to 26 points a night. This isn’t a shot-chucking scenario either: his efficiency actually went up when the C’s needed him most.

And his magnum opus? A record-setting 47-point Game Seven masterpiece against Oscar Robertson and the Cincinnati Royals, which wouldn’t be topped until KD’s legendary shoe game 58 (!!) years later.

So, the next time you get into an argument with your friends about the clutchest players ever, don’t forget about our man Sam.

Frozen Moments

• LeBron flexes his basketball memory 

• Deuce Tatum is making himself at home in the Celtics’ locker room

• The Warriors’ win continues a crazy NBA playoff streak.

What We’re Enjoying

How the Nuggets are shutting down the Suns’ star-studded offense - Jackson Frank (SB Nation)

What’s it like to cover WNBA players abroad? - Ben Pickman (The Athletic)

In case you missed our Twitter spaces last week with NBA Cap wizard and general hoops expert Bobby Marks, check out the written version on our website, where Bobby goes into detail on his journey in basketball, front office life, and more!

Signing Off

That’s all from us today! This weekend, why don’t you do something new that you’ve always been too nervous to try? Whether it’s learning to play an instrument, trying out a new sport, or writing for fun like us, we promise that it will be worth it. You got this! 💙🏀

Until next time,

-Spencer Poole

Trivia Answer: The answer to today’s trivia is Magic Johnson, but maybe not for long. Magic had 30 playoff triple-doubles over his incredible career, but LeBron is closing in with 28. 👀

Before you go…

Happy birthday to Enjoyers Isaiah, Wyatt, Rory, and Nathan! We hope today is an extra special one! Want to get a special birthday shoutout and help us improve the newsletter at the same time? Fill out the survey below!