Even the swim coaches have trained themselves to be on high alert at the pool deck more than 450 feet away just in case the left-handed hitting Sasaki somehow sends one that far — and they believe he will do so soon enough.

His coach is counting on it.

“He might splash a few,” Stanford coach David Esquer said. “He’s pulling toward the pool for sure.”

Sasaki, who hit 140 high school home runs and then made waves by opting out of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league draft, has been immersing himself in classes and a new culture on Stanford’s Bay Area campus for two-plus months. He’s learning English in impressively speedy fashion and getting settled in a baseball routine that has included road trips with the team before he begins his collegiate career in earnest this fall.

The 19-year-old prospect will make his U.S. debut Tuesday in the MLB Draft League, playing for the Trenton Thunder of New Jersey along with others hoping to one day develop into major leaguers.

Before leaving town, the savvy Sasaki reminded Esquer his games will be streamed so the coach can watch. He has also requested help in finding another team once the Draft League season ends.

“He’s fired up for it,” said Esquer, the seventh-year Stanford coach who previously spent 18 seasons at rival California. “He wants to play.”

And Sasaki hardly seems fazed by the expectations that come with being a trendsetter of sorts given he is taking his own unique path. He comes across mature beyond his years when discussing the importance of finding something to fall back on after his baseball career is through. Most Japanese players — including Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani — first become professionals at home often with goals of coming to the United States already having years of experience.

Sasaki is determined to build a foundation for his life well into the future, long after his baseball days are done. His dad, Hiroshi, who coached Ohtani and Toronto pitcher Yusei Kikuchi in high school, instilled in him starting at a young age the need to “make a plan.” Sasaki notes he heard it so much, there’s no way it wouldn’t become ingrained in him.

Another key message from his father: “I have to earn it. Nothing comes free,” Sasaki shared during a recent interview at Sunken Diamond, Stanford’s ballpark.

There’s no precedent for an elite Japanese prospect such as Sasaki foregoing his country’s draft system. International players with nine years of professional service time can come to Major League Baseball as free agents, while pros with fewer than nine years can ask to be posted by their Japanese club — a system in which that team receives a fee depending on the size of the player’s contract.

Yet major league teams have agreed to strict spending limits on international players under 25 years old. That’s why Ohtani, who left Japan at 23, signed with the Los Angeles Angels for just more than $2.3 million in 2017.

By attending college in the U.S., Sasaki will be eligible for the draft in three years, expediting his potential path to the big leagues. Last year’s No. 1 overall pick, pitcher Paul Skenes of Pittsburgh, received a $9.2 million signing bonus.

While Sasaki is striving to play at the highest level one day, he insists for now the focus is on taking each necessary step to get there while enjoying his college career first.

Longtime family friend Junpei Tomonaga offers assistance as an interpreter when Sasaki needs it, but he is determined to do this on his own sooner than later.

Sasaki acknowledges that Ohtani’s stardom and success here along with that of Kikuchi greatly impacted him.

“They’re the ones who influenced my decision,” he said.

Away from home for the first time, Sasaki insists he is adjusting just fine thanks to all the support surrounding him.

“I never miss Japan,” he said. “I enjoy the challenge.”

And no question Sasaki is thrilled to be somewhere like Stanford.

Esquer considers this a perfect fit. He applauds Sasaki for his courage, saying, “it’s very brave to do what he’s doing, going to another country right after high school.”

When Sasaki made his official recruiting visit, members of the Stanford Japanese department and community made a point to come see him, make him feel welcome. Not that you will hear Sasaki say anything negative about the other two schools who were at the top of his list, California and Vanderbilt.

“Stanford is a leading school in America,” he said. “I still have big respect for the other schools I visited.”

He has embraced using Uber Eats to order food, like his favorite, Chipotle. Sasaki is studying English and physics — and making sure he can speak English well is his biggest anxiety at the moment.

He recently completed his first quarter of classes.

“He’s quietly charismatic despite speaking little English, very impressive,” Esquer said. “Everybody is impressed by him, his teammates. He brought energy to the field as if he was active and ready to play — and he can play.”

Despite that unease with the language barrier, Sasaki can speak near-perfect English for much of what he needs to say. He thanks everybody who has welcomed him here and made the adjustment so smooth and comfortable as he begins his new life.

“My teammates are so good, they are so kind,” he said in English, sporting a big smile. “I appreciate the teammates, they’re just so helpful all the time, also Coach Esquer and the other baseball coaches are good (people). I love Stanford baseball.”

Not that anybody would blame the St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster if he did.

On Monday night in Oakland, Chip reunited with son Chris on the field before each headed up to the booth to handle play-by-play duties for their respective clubs. Chris is in his first season with the Athletics sharing duties with Jenny Cavnar, and this marked his fourth game.

“I’m the old guy now and I remember when I was 24 and I got my first chance to do this and my dad was in the other booth on the radio side in Atlanta,” said Chip, grandson of the late, longtime Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray and son of Skip Caray, who worked more than three decades as a voice of the Braves.

“And it’s very different having the torch being passed instead of being passed to you. I’m really excited and humbled and honored that Chris is here. He’s doing a great job already and I’m really excited about where he’s going to take this family business as we call it.”

The 24-year-old Chris and twin brother Stefan worked together in the booth for the Amarillo Sod Poodles the past two years calling games of the Diamondbacks’ Double-A affiliate. They gained valuable experience at that level and during time at the Arizona Fall League.

“Trying to separate ourselves while finding a sound while trying to be this cohesive unit in the booth in Amarillo the last two years, we had to find a way to separate ourselves and make ourselves sound different from each other,” Chris said. “Yes, we sound very similar but I didn’t want to sound just like him, I didn’t want to sound just like Skip, I didn’t want to sound just like my brother Stefan. And I wanted to be able to do the good things, take the really good things that he’s done and spin them in my own way. It’s gotten me here, and I’m so lucky.”

Chip’s wife and Chris’ mother, Susan, was at the Coliseum for the special moment Monday. As soon as Chris was hired by NBC Sports California in February, they looked at the schedule to see whether the Cardinals and A’s would play in interleague this year, and here they are in mid-April.

It worked out beautifully that Monday’s series opener marked Chris’ turn in the booth given Cavnar handled the first homestand and will take the bulk of the team’s road games.

“We had it circled but at the same time immediately we didn’t know what my schedule was going to be,” Chris said. “We had assumptions that they would do it especially being here at the Coliseum and I was told I would be doing most of the home games while Jenny would be doing games on the road but you just never know how it would have shaken out. I’m grateful and fortunate enough that they picked this series to be my fourth game. I can’t really even put it into words to tell you the truth.”

The proud father is thrilled they each embrace doing their jobs with a unique flair and style.

“It’s a personality-driven business. The biggest mistake he could make is to try to be Harry Caray or Skip Caray or, God forbid, Chip. He’s got to be himself, right?” Chip Caray said. “There’s certain things that come along with the DNA that are inescapable. I’m sure that he sounds a little bit like me and maybe he gets excited like I do during the calls, but ultimately he’s going to put his own stamp on it, which is how you have to do it.

“It frustrated me to no end when kids would send me tapes, ‘Hey, can you evaluate my tape’ and they’d come from the West Coast and they’re all trying to sound like Vin Scully. Don’t, just be the best version of you. And I’m really proud that he and his brother have done that.”

Chip Caray joked that the only thing wrong was seeing his son in A’s green.

“We’re flattered and honored,” he said. “It’s amazing that the family business has continued since 1945 and the fact that he’s 24. I was 24 when I got my start, too, and the fact that we’re able to do this game together in his first two weeks as a major league broadcaster is astounding and exciting. I’m going to try not to cry during the game. I hope I’m not crying after the game, because I want us to win.”

The Hall of Fame Stanford coach did the same for her Pac-12 rivals.

For Cori Close. For Lindsay Gottlieb. For Charmin Smith. For Charli Turner Thorne. And for Kate Paye, who will become VanDerveer’s successor now that the 70-year-old women’s basketball pioneer is retiring.

Nearly everybody has a story of how VanDerveer went out of her way to do something kind along the way during her decorated, four-decade career. She cherished her role in helping the sport any way she could. And now, she is leaving on a high note.

The winningest basketball coach in NCAA history announced her retirement Tuesday night after 38 seasons leading the Stanford women’s team and 45 years overall.

VanDerveer surpassed Mike Krzyzewski for the wins record in January. She departs with 1,216 victories at Idaho, Ohio State and Stanford.

“Basketball is the greatest group project there is and I am so incredibly thankful for every person who has supported me and our teams throughout my coaching career,” VanDerveer said in a statement. “I’ve been spoiled to coach the best and brightest at one of the world’s foremost institutions for nearly four decades.”

And as has been the plan for years, top Cardinal assistant Paye is set to take over the program, and Stanford said in a statement that negotiations with Paye are underway. Paye played for VanDerveer from 1991-95 and has coached on her staff for 17 years.

In 2013, Gottlieb was coaching Southern California, which played in the same NCAA Tournament regional as Stanford. When VanDerveer’s top-seeded Cardinal were eliminated by Georgia and Cal had to face the Bulldogs next, VanDerveer reached out to congratulate Gottlieb and offer to help with the game plan.

The second-seeded Golden Bears went on to reach the program’s only Final Four.

After beating Staley and South Carolina 70-32 on Nov. 26, 2010, VanDerveer made her way to the Gamecocks’ locker room in Maples Pavilion for a postgame pep talk.

“For me being on the West Coast I had a front-row seat to all those things,” Gottlieb said by phone Tuesday night, fondly remembering VanDerveer reaching out after Cal beat LSU. “The first call after that win was from Tara and she asked if we wanted the Georgia scout — after her season had just ended. Those are things you don’t forget. It shapes the way you treat opponents, it shapes the way you treat other coaches.”

Stanford, which lost to N.C. State in a regional semifinal this year after last season’s second-round defeat at home to Mississippi, will play in the Atlantic Coast Conference next season after the Pac-12 imploded — changes that VanDerveer called “sad.”

“From the time I wrote Tara a letter as a senior in college until coaching against her 25 years later she has always been the model for game-planning, for excellence and for growing our game,” Gottlieb said, “and I think our prevailing feeling should be gratitude for everything she’s done for all of us.”

Turner Thorne, a former Stanford player who later coached Arizona State and is now retired, reached out to VanDerveer immediately after hearing Tuesday’s news.

“She has done it all so just really happy for her to enjoy life after coaching!” Turner Thorne said in a text message to The Associated Press. “When you know you know.”

Coaches who were mentored by VanDerveer said her legacy will be long-lasting.

“Tara’s influence is both deep and wide. I went to her very first camp at Stanford as a camper,” UCLA coach Close said in a text to the AP. “I competed against her and worked her camps as a player. And I have now been competing against her and learning from her for many years as a coach. My coaching has been affected on so many levels by Tara’s example and direct mentorship at many crossroads. Congrats on an amazing career Tara. Our game, the Pac-12 Conference, and my coaching is better because of you. Enjoy retirement. You sure have earned it.”

VanDerveer’s last day is scheduled for May 8 — the 39th anniversary of her hiring. She plans to continue working for the athletic department in an advisory role.

Her Stanford teams won NCAA titles in 1990, ’92 and 2021 and reached the Final Four 14 times.

Rosalyn Gold-Onwude played on the 2008 Final Four squad and is thrilled about the strides her sport has made since.
“Whatever helped her decide, she deserves it all,” Gold-Onwude said in a text to the AP. “She steps away knowing her work was part of making all this possible, and she deserves all the rest, she’s earned it! I’m happy for her. Thankful for her.”

VanDerveer took a year away from Stanford to guide the undefeated U.S. women’s Olympic team to a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

“Coupled with my time at Ohio State and Idaho, and as head coach of the United States National Team, it has been an unforgettable ride,” she said. “The joy for me was in the journey of each season, seeing a group of young women work hard for each other and form an unbreakable bond. Winning was a byproduct. I’ve loved the game of basketball since I was a little girl, and it has given me so much throughout my life. I hope I’ve been able to give at least a little bit back.”
For many in women’s basketball, the answer is a resounding yes.

“She’s a legend. The game will miss her,” Smith, the current California coach and former Stanford player and assistant, texted the AP. “I’m grateful for everything Tara has done to contribute to the coach I am today.”

“Get back! Get back! Get back! Get back!” he shouts, urging the Santa Cruz Warriors to hustle down and play defense.

Then there’s a moment Kerr finally lets his guard down a little, cracks a smile and starts chatting to people keeping statistics and working the game. Each day, the young coach strives to find a balance between fun and fire while leading Golden State’s development G League team, which has none of the big stars — like Stephen Curry — that his famous father gets to coach every day just a couple of hours away.

Nicholas Kerr isn’t sure he ever wants to coach at the highest level like his dad, Steve. For now, it’s just about figuring out the best ways to help develop players and put them in position to succeed. Wins are starting to come, too. The Santa Cruz Warriors are 11-7 at the All-Star break, bouncing back from a slow start to earn victories in eight of their last 10.

“I love coaching basketball, and whatever that leads me to, we’ll see. I’m ambitious, but I don’t know. I just like doing fun jobs in the NBA or G League,” he said. “I feel like at this point next year I’ll be better at finding that balance in development versus coaching and strategy. I’m sure he went through that, too. It’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s a lot of fun.”

Even back in middle school basketball, Kerr never imagined he could match his father’s successful path from playing in the pros to the NBA bench.

He didn’t even feel he had to try. His parents always encouraged him to just be himself, and Nicholas played collegiately, first at San Diego before finishing with a season at California as a graduate student.

“It’s been that way my whole life and he’s never put any pressure on me, either, even as a player,” he said. “When I was in middle school, high school, college, I was never trying to live up to his legacy. I was trying to be myself, which is good, because that’s a hard one to live up to.”

Before landing in Santa Cruz, Nicholas spent time with his dad’s friend and mentor, Gregg Popovich, and the staff at the San Antonio Spurs. People kept urging him to coach in the G League to learn.

It just so happened that when the Warriors sent Nico Mannion and Jordan Poole to the G League “bubble” in 2021, they called on Kerr to go along and coach them. That was his break, an opportunity to take a step up from his position as video coordinator.

It was so much fun, the younger Kerr decided he wanted to do a full season, then spent the next two years as an assistant with Santa Cruz before taking on a larger role.

“You wouldn’t know that he’s Steve’s son,” said Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown, a former top Warriors assistant. “Never did he take for granted, which he easily could have, who his father was — especially how successful Steve is and everything he touches in life. That selflessness, how humble he is, paid dividends because he’s a hard worker and very, very smart guy.”

That doesn’t mean the Kerrs never clashed, and Brown admires how Nicholas picked his moments to speak up when he didn’t agree with his dad but also kept quiet and observed to learn from different coaches’ styles.

It was during that 2017-18 season with the Spurs that Chip Engelland and Will Hardy provided Nicholas with guidance and examples of how to be a professional.

“He always carried himself with a certain presence, a quiet presence,” Brown said. “He never felt like he needed to try to show anybody how smart he was or anything like that.”

Steve Kerr is thrilled for his son and had a chance to watch him earlier in the Santa Cruz season. He appreciates how the G League team supports the development of not just players but also coaches and support staff.

“It wasn’t so much nerves, it was more just pride, it was just a great visual sitting there watching him on the sidelines and I yelled at the refs a couple times,” he said. “I felt like a good dad.”

Mother Margot went to see him coach in Santa Cruz on Jan. 15 for the first time and it felt so familiar. The 98-90 victory against the Long Island Nets that day kicked off a six-game winning streak.

“Nick and Steve have similar dispositions. Highly competitive, they’re both very modest, quiet,” she said. “Nick was never delusional about his basketball talent. He never thought he’d play pro, was really hoping to play in college. San Diego is a non-NBA caring city, so he definitely didn’t feel pressure from his peers. I will say, all he’s ever cared about is sports. There was zero chance he was going to be an investment banker, despite being a business major.”

Gui Santos, a Brazilian drafted 55th overall in the second round by Golden State in 2022 and a two-way player counted on by both Warriors teams, understands the challenges of following in a father’s footsteps. His dad, Deivisson, played professionally in Brazil.

“Everybody’s looking at you like, ‘You’ve got to be like your dad, you’ve got to be better than your dad,’” Santos said. “Nick is taking his own way, he’s doing his own things. For sure, he’s Steve Kerr’s son and proud of him, but I’m sure he wants to chase his own way and make his name.”

The Giants announced his death Wednesday on behalf of the Tidrow family. He died unexpectedly Saturday in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

“Our entire organization is heartbroken by the news of Dick’s passing,” Giants President and CEO Larry Baer said. “So much of our success over these past three decades is directly linked to Dick’s contributions. He will be truly missed by all of us, and our thoughts are with Mari Jo and his entire family during this difficult time.”

Tidrow pitched parts of 13 major-league seasons for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox and New York Mets. The 6-foot-4 right-hander had a 100-94 career record with 55 saves and a 3.68 ERA over 620 appearances, including 138 starts. He won two World Series rings with the Yankees in 1977 and ’78.

The Cubs acquired Tidrow from the Yankees in a May 1979 trade for pitcher Ray Burris. He pitched 31/2 seasons on the North Side, going 28-23 with 25 saves and a 3.36 ERA in 263 games, all out of the bullpen.

After the 1982 season, the Cubs dealt Tidrow across town in a six-player trade. Tidrow went to the White Sox with Scott Fletcher, Pat Tabler and Randy Martz, while Steve Trout and Warren Brusstar came north.

Tidrow went 2-4 with seven saves and a 4.22 ERA in 50 games (one start) in 1983 as the Sox won the American League West.

Tidrow most recently served as the Giants’ senior adviser to the president of baseball operations, He spent 28 seasons in a half-dozen roles with the Giants after joining the franchise before the 1994 season as a major-league scout.

The former pitcher’s guidance was crucial during the Giants’ three World Series championship seasons in 2010, ’12 and ’14. The 2010 championship was the first for the franchise since moving west in 1958.

“Dick was a unique and special person whose influence and impact was legendary throughout the game and whose fingerprints are all over our three World Series trophies,” said Brian Sabean, the Giants’ executive vice president and senior adviser. “On a personal level, we shared some incredible highs and lows together and I’m forever grateful for his 40 years of friendship and support.”

Before returning to his native San Francisco, Tidrow worked as a special assignment scout for the Yankees from 1985 through 1993.

“Crushing! Yet another great baseball man we have lost!” former Giants infielder Kevin Frandsen posted on Twitter. “The ‘ninja’ was so influential with all of us. His random times he’d pop up, maybe say a few words that might help you out, say a few words that you might not of wanted to hear at the time. But he ALWAYS was HONEST!”

Tidrow was born May 14, 1947, in San Francisco. A former Marine, he attended high school and college in the East Bay suburb of Hayward, graduating from Mount Eden High School in 1965 and Chabot Junior College two years later.

He is survived by wife Mari Jo, three children — Andy, Matt and Richelle — and one grandchild, Trista.

“Dick was truly one of a kind. He is loved and missed beyond measure and irreplaceable in our hearts and lives,” Mari Jo Tidrow said.

Services were pending.

Reflexionarán sobre la grandeza, la diversión, todo lo que aprendieron el uno del otro jugando juntos diariamente. Dos campeonatos, un par de premios de Jugador Más Valioso de la final de la NBA para Durant

“Siempre recordaré los tres años que tuvimos. Probablemente estaremos aquí en el futuro, celebrando esos como lo hizo el equipo de 1974-75”, dijo Curry, apuntando en dirección a los banderines de los campeonatos recientes de los Warriors. “Será bueno cuando suceda”.

Por ahora, Curry está adoptando el “nuevo comienzo” como el jugador más viejo en la nómina de Golden State, que lucirá bien diferente cuando comiencen los entrenamientos el próximo mes, Ese fue también el tema que compartió con las niñas que asistieron a su campamento de verano de los Warriors esta semana, en uno de sus últimos viajes a las instalaciones de prácticas en Oakland antes de mudarse a San Francisco y el nuevo Chase Center. Durant, que se recupera de una operación en el pie, se fue a los Nets de Brooklyn.

“Nosotros ganamos dos campeonatos y pienso que ambos mejoramos en el proceso como basquetbolistas y como personas”, dijo Curry. “Con la demanda cada noche de ser excelente y todo lo que viene con ello, en términos de atención de la prensa, la atención, las críticas, incluso los elogios, es mucho. Y él y yo en ese sentido nos entendíamos. Con él yéndose a Brooklyn, tienes que estar seguro de que está feliz y se va a un lugar donde siente que necesita estar. A fin de cuentas, tienes que estar feliz por él”.

También se fueron los veteranos Andre Iguodala y Shaun Livingston, el base Quinn Cook y el pívot DeMarcus Cousins. Mientras tanto, los Warriors adquirieron un puñado de jugadores nuevos, como D’Angelo Russell, Willie Cauley-Stein y Glenn Robinson III. Draymond Green recibió un nuevo contrato de cuatro años este mes por casi 100 millones de dólares. Kevin Looney también se queda.

Mientras Klay Thompson se recupera de una lesión en la rodilla izquierda que sufrió en la final contra Toronto, Russell será el compañero de Curry en la base.

A los 31 años, a Curry no le preocupa ser el veterano entrando en su 11na campaña en la liga. Dos veces Jugador Más Valioso de la NBA, ha llegado a cinco finales en fila.

“¿Lo he asimilado aún? No. ¿Me lo recuerda la gente? Sí, cada vez que mencionan el rumbo del equipo”, dijo sonriendo. “Está bien, con suerte son más sabio que lo que mis años indican, pero aún joven en lo que puedo hacer en la cancha”.

-AP

The right-hander underwent surgery Tuesday and expected to be out six to eight weeks, manager Bruce Bochy said. An X-ray after the game revealed the break of Strickland’s pinkie, similar to what sidelined lefty ace Madison Bumgarner to begin the season after he was hurt in his final spring training start.

“I’m thoroughly disappointed, trust me. I’m crushed because this guy had just grown as a pitcher and a player and a person,” Bochy said. “But I know Hunter, he cares. He cares deeply. He let his emotions get away he had a temporary snap.”

Strickland blew his fourth save in 17 chances and second straight, allowing more than two runs for only the fourth time in his career.

Bochy said Strickland had shown maturity and made progress keeping his emotions in check since last year’s fight with Nationals star Bryce Harper.

“I think he did it when he came out of the game but we didn’t know about it,” Bochy said. “I didn’t know about it until I got home.”

In late May last year, Strickland ignited an all-out brawl when he beaned Harper with a 98 mph fastball on his first pitch in the eighth inning with two outs, none on and the Nationals ahead 2-0. Harper charged the mound and both men threw punches as benches and bullpens emptied.

“As he became our closer he really grew as a pitcher handling his emotions well in tight situations, which you have to. You have to be able to control your emotions,” Bochy said. “I’ve talked about this so much, how important it is for players but particularly the closer’s got to have emotional control. We all get frustrated and that was a tough loss, a gut-wrenching loss which I’m sure he felt full responsibility for it and he just didn’t think before he acted.”

Sam Dyson and Tony Watson will be called upon for closing duties, with one getting most of the opportunities, though Bochy didn’t reveal which one that would be. The manager doesn’t consider Mark Melancon — signed to a $62 million, four-year deal before last season to work the ninth — ready for the role after a series of injuries.

“Your closer is somebody who has to be resilient and I’m not sure that Mark’s at that stage right now,” Bochy said.

Right-hander Pierce Johnson was on his way from Triple-A Sacramento to take Strickland’s roster spot.

Pero otra posibilidad es que los jugadores de Cleveland luzcan más motivados que nunca. De hecho, ésa sería la reacción más normal en alguien como LeBron James .

“Es una de las derrotas más duras que he sufrido en mi carrera”, reconoció James el sábado. “Y es que pasaron muchas cosas en el partido y en la forma en que jugamos. Evidentemente, todos sabemos lo que ocurrió”.

Hubo desatenciones al por mayor, pero ninguna fue tan grave como la de J.R. Smith tras capturar un rebote ofensivo en los últimos segundos del tiempo regular. En vez de apresurar un intento de enceste, Smith retrocedió hacia la mitad de la cancha, pese a que el marcador estaba empatado y el tiempo se agotaba.

Smith ha insistido en que sabía cuál era el marcador. Pero su decisión dejó frustrado a James, quien levantó los brazos, implorando que Smith le entregara el balón para buscar un enceste que definiera el partido.

Los Warriors ganaron finalmente en tiempo extra.

“Ese partido terminó. No hay nada que podamos hacer sobre eso”, recalcó el entrenador de los Cavs, Tyron Lue. “Tenemos que salir adelante, concentrarnos en lo que sigue”.

Durante toda la temporada, James ha logrado concentrarse siempre en el siguiente reto. Ha mostrado una intensidad asombrosa y una capacidad permanente para sacar adelante a los Cavs.

Así que, en la cuarta final consecutiva entre estos dos equipos, los Warriors saben que sería una trampa creer que los Cavs están liquidados emocionalmente.

Si acaso, Golden State parece llegar con mayor impulso al segundo partido, este domingo en el Oracle Arena.

Hace dos años los Warriors recibieron una dolorosa lección, cuando James lideró una remontada de una desventaja de 3-1 en la serie, para que Cleveland se coronara como visitante.

“Sé que no es exactamente el mismo equipo, pero lo tuvimos abajo por 3-1 hace un par de años. Pudieron haberse desinflado, pero reaccionaron y ganaron, así que esperamos que hagan otro gran esfuerzo”, advirtió el entrenador de los Warriors, Steve Kerr. “Hemos pasado por esto demasiadas veces. Vencimos a Houston de visitantes en el primer partido, y muchos comenzaron a hablar de que la serie estaba liquidada. Siempre parece haber una reacción exagerada tras un partido”.

En los últimos instantes de la prórroga, James, que terminó con 51 puntos, discutió con Curry y Klay Thompson. Poco después, Tristan Thompson y Draymond Green estuvieron cerca de liarse a golpes.

Tras revisar la repetición, los árbitros marcaron una falta flagrante de Tristan Thompson y lo expulsaron, a 2,6 segundos del final.

James se mostró incrédulo en los últimos compases del tiempo regular, cuando los Warriors evitaron la derrota en forma asombrosa.

George Hill convirtió el primero de dos tiros libres con 4,7 segundos restantes, luego de recibir una falta de Klay Thompson. J.R. Smith atrapó el rebote y dribló para dirigirse hacia la media cancha, pensando aparentemente que los Cavs tenían la ventaja.

En vez de ello, hubo tiempo extra.

El segundo encuentro está previsto para el domingo por la noche, también en la Oracle Arena, donde los Warriors han ganado 18 de sus últimos 19 partidos de postemporada. En el 2015, cuando Golden State venció a los Cavs para capturar el primer título de la franquicia en 40 años, los dos primeros partidos de la serie se fueron a tiempo _ los Warriors ganaron el primero y Cleveland el segundo.

James acertó 19 de 32, además de tener ocho asistencias y ocho rebotes en la apertura de sus octavas finales consecutivas de la NBA y novenas en total. James consiguió su octavo partido de 40 puntos en los playoffs, para empatar con el legendario Jerry West, quien lo consiguió en 1965.

Kevin Durant batalló con sus disparos, pero terminó con 26 puntos y nueve rebotes.

Kevin Love regresó de una concusión para dar un buen impulso a Cleveland, con 21 puntos y 13 rebotes.

Los Warriors extrañaron la presencia defensiva de Andre Iguodala, que se perdió su quinto partido en fila por una lesión en la rodilla izquierda.

James Harden anotó 30 puntos, Paul agregó 27 y Houston se impuso el martes 95-92 a los Warriors de Golden State, para empatar 2-2 la final de la Conferencia del Oeste.

“Somos un equipo. Tenemos un juego de conjunto bastante bueno”, resaltó Harden.

Houston resistió una estupenda actuación de Stephen Curry en la segunda mitad. El astro de Golden State totalizó 28 puntos, mientras que Kevin Durant anotó 27 y capturó 12 rebotes, pero los campeones vigentes de la NBA fallaron sus últimos cinco disparos de campo.

En consecuencia, Golden State vio cortada una racha de 16 victorias consecutivas en casa durante la postemporada, un récord de la NBA.

Paul recuperó el rebote tras un tiro errado por Klay Thompson, justo antes de que sonara el bocinazo, y comenzó a celebrar.

Debió revisarse la repetición para determinar que Shaun Livingston cometió una falta sobre Paul justo antes de que concluyera el encuentro.

Paul convirtió un tiro libre con medio segundo restante. Curry no pudo intentar un tiro antes de que se agotara el tiempo.

El quinto partido está previsto para el jueves por la noche en Houston. Golden State disputará su serie más larga de los playoffs luego de finiquitar sus dos primeras rondas en cinco compromisos.

“Ahora tenemos que pelear y entender que esta es una verdadera experiencia de playoffs”, resaltó Curry.Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.