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After Warriors Tie Up NBA Finals, Cavs Look in Need of Rest

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) answers a question during a press conference following Game 4 of basketball's NBA Finals in Cleveland, early Friday, June 12, 2015. The Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-82 to tie the best-of-seven game series at 2-2. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) answers a question during a press conference following Game 4 of basketball’s NBA Finals in Cleveland, early Friday, June 12, 2015. The Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-82 to tie the best-of-seven game series at 2-2. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

BRIAN MAHONEY, AP Basketball Writer

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Golden State Warriors looked like the NBA’s best team. The Cleveland Cavaliers looked like a tired one.

Game 4 was the first blowout of the NBA Finals, with Golden State pulling away for a 103-82 victory Thursday that tied the series at 2-2.

The Warriors changed their lineup but just as importantly changed their mentality, believing they hadn’t competed hard enough in dropping the previous two games.

“I think if we played as hard as we were playing the last couple of games, it would have won us probably 67 regular-season games, but it would have lost us the finals 4-1, and that’s what we had to change,” forward Draymond Green said.

Game 5 is not until Sunday at Oracle Arena, and the Cavaliers look like they could use that extra day of rest. LeBron James had a scoreless fourth quarter and finished with 20 points after averaging 41 in the first three games, and Cavs coach David Blatt will try to use the off days to figure out how to get James some help.

“We don’t have many options as far as lineups we can go to, but we can make adjustments,” James said. “That’s what you do throughout a series. We’ll get to the film and make the necessary adjustments coming into Game 5.”

Some things to watch from Game 4 when the series resumes:

KERR-AGEOUS COACH: Right around the corner from Cleveland’s casino, Steve Kerr did some gambling of his own. Shaking up the starting lineup of a team that had won 80 games already this season wasn’t an easy decision, but the rookie coach let the Warriors know Thursday morning that Andre Iguodala would start and Andrew Bogut would sit.

“Not afraid to take a chance and obviously it’s not a blind guess,” Stephen Curry said. “He’s obviously invested in our team and a smart coach that is willing to … make adjustments to help us be in a better position to win a game.”

But Kerr also warned the Warriors that whatever he does in Game 5 isn’t guaranteed to work again.

“So he mentioned, obviously, just because we started that lineup tonight doesn’t mean you can just go out there and expect to have the same results in Game 5,” Curry said. “We have to actually do something about it and execute the game plan, whoever’s out there.”

ALL THE KING’S MEN: Cleveland has been playing seven or eight guys against a Golden State team that can go 10 deep, and the Cavaliers looked tired in Game 4.

Using more players would help, but there don’t appear to be many that Blatt feels comfortable inserting.

“That’s the coach’s decision if he decides he wants to go deeper in the bench,” James said. “We haven’t played many guys throughout this playoff run. I think it would help some of the guys that are playing some high minutes for sure. Just give guys a couple minutes here, a couple minutes there. But I think the coaching staff will try to do what’s best to help us be physically and mentally prepared for Sunday.”

SLUMPING SMITH: J.R. Smith went 0 for 8 from 3-point range, part of the Cavs’ 4-for-27 performance. The notoriously streaky shooter is 7 of 28 on 3s in the series — one fewer than he made in a game earlier the postseason — and used an expletive to describe his play in the series.

“We’re going to go with him, we’ll continue to give him the ball,” James said.

MONSTER MOZGOV: Golden State’s small lineup had no answer for 7-foot-1 Timofey Mozgov, who scored a playoff career-high 28 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. That will probably be available for the Cavaliers as long as the Warriors stick with the small lineup, but Mozgov knows it may also be difficult to keep him on the floor if he has to be defending perimeter players.

“I need to learn how to play with a small lineup if Coach wants me on the court,” Mozgov said. “We’re going to see what we can do better.”

___

Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Black History

Singer Etta James and Athlete Archie Williams Inducted Into California Hall of Fame

Iconic singer Etta James and decorated track and field athlete Archie Williams join five other inductees set to receive the honor posthumously during a virtual ceremony, according to Newsom and his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

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Born Jamesetta Hawkins, ‘Etta James’ became the stage name of the Los Angeles-based singer who performed in various genres including blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, soul, and rock n’ roll. Archie Williams won an Olympic gold medal in 1936 for the 400-meter race in Berlin after completing his freshman year at UC Berkeley.
Born Jamesetta Hawkins, ‘Etta James’ became the stage name of the Los Angeles-based singer who performed in various genres including blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, soul, and rock n’ roll. Archie Williams won an Olympic gold medal in 1936 for the 400-meter race in Berlin after completing his freshman year at UC Berkeley.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and
Edward Henderson
California Black Media

Two Black Americans are members of the class of California’s 2023 Hall of Fame inductees.

Iconic singer Etta James and decorated track and field athlete Archie Williams join five other inductees set to receive the honor posthumously during a virtual ceremony, according to Newsom and his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

“The outstanding legacy of this group has and will continue to embody what it means to be a Californian,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement. “There is no doubt their legacies will continue to live on and inspire millions across our state for generations to come.”

Born Jamesetta Hawkins, ‘Etta James’ became the stage name of the Los Angeles-based singer who performed in various genres including blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, soul, and rock n’ roll. Her most popular recordings included “At Last,” “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” and “A Sunday Kind of Love.”

Archie Williams won an Olympic gold medal in 1936 for the 400-meter race in Berlin after completing his freshman year at UC Berkeley. The track star also set a world record at the NCAA Championships running it in 46.1 seconds.

The induction ceremony was held Aug. 22.

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Bay Area

Olympian Stops by Nystrom Elementary to Read to Students

A Team USA Olympian was in the house Mon., July 17 at Nystrom Elementary School in Richmond, when three-time Track and Field Gold Medalist, Tianna Madison Bartoletta, stopped by to read to the students.

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Tianna Bartoletta signs an autograph for a Nystrom student. Photo courtesy of WCCUSD.
Tianna Bartoletta signs an autograph for a Nystrom student. Photo courtesy of WCCUSD.

By Kathy Chouteau

A Team USA Olympian was in the house Mon., July 17 at Nystrom Elementary School in Richmond, when three-time Track and Field Gold Medalist, Tianna Madison Bartoletta, stopped by to read to the students.

The Olympian visited the “Read Aloud at Nystrom Elementary Freedom School” program as a guest reader of the book, “When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left,” by Marc Colagiovanni and also shared “a powerful message about overcoming your fears and frustrations by remembering who you are,” according to the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) on Facebook about the visit.

WCCUSD added that Nystrom’s special guest helped “support and uplift Freedom School students and to share the power of literacy.”

Tianna Bartoletta pauses in reading the book “When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left.” Photo courtesy of WCCUSD.

Tianna Bartoletta pauses in reading the book “When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left.” Photo courtesy of WCCUSD.

Bartoletta is not only a two-time Olympian and ‘three-peat’ Gold Medalist, she’s also a current member of Team USA in Track and Field, according to the WCCUSD. She earned a degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee and also found time to start Club 360, a personal development program for young girls. A native of Tampa, Fla., the Olympian is also an advocate re: the Black maternal health crisis.

“Students were able to ask for advice, get autographs and share their morning routine of singing, dancing, mindfulness and affirmations,” said WCCUSD about the visit. “Thank you, Tianna Madison, for an experience that will inspire WCCUSD students for years to come!”

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Bay Area

Pro Wrestling to Invade Richmond’s MLK Park

Pro Wrestling Revolution (PWR) is presenting “Revolution in Richmond, CA,” which organizers say is the first Lucha Libre Pro Wrestling Show to occur in the city in 15 years. The event is scheduled for August 4 from 6-8 p.m. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, according to Evan LG Francis.

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Photo courtesy of Pro Wrestling Revolution
Photo courtesy of Pro Wrestling Revolution

By Kathy Chouteau

Pro Wrestling Revolution (PWR) is presenting “Revolution in Richmond, CA,” which organizers say is the first Lucha Libre Pro Wrestling Show to occur in the city in 15 years.

The event is scheduled for August 4 from 6-8 p.m. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, according to Evan LG Francis.

Go to Work Fitness and Rich City Rides are sponsoring the special event, which will feature stars of PWR including  Papo Esco vs. Yasuke and Savage Dogs vs. Necrosis Y Genesis.

Tickets to the pro wrestling show are $15 per person for general admission and $20 each for the front row. Click here to get tickets.

MLK Park is located at 360 Harbour Way South in Richmond. To get the scoop on PWR https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pwr-presents-revolution-in-richmond-ca-tickets-632613984457?aff=oddtdtcreator  Questions? Contact 510-730-6426.

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