Sports

Clippers, Cavaliers Have Closeouts on Their Minds

Published

11 years ago

May 14, 2015

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, right, drives past Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler during the first half of Game 4 in a second-round NBA basketball playoff series in Chicago on Sunday, May 10, 2015. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Jon Krawczynski, ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP) — As the stakes get higher in these NBA playoffs, LeBron James only seems to get better.

The best player in the world has found another gear as he tries to will the Cleveland Cavaliers forward, even as the injuries mount on his teammates and his own body.

“I don’t know if there’s a player anywhere that understands better what time it is,” Cavaliers coach David Blatt said Wednesday. “He just knows what time it is.”

It’s closing time. For his Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Clippers.

James and the Cavaliers head into Chicago with a 3-2 lead over the Bulls in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals. The Clippers hold a 3-2 lead over Houston and can close out the Rockets in the Western Conference with a victory in Los Angeles in the other game tonight.

The Cavaliers and Clippers have arguably been the two most consistently impressive teams in the postseason to this point. The Clippers knocked off defending champion San Antonio in a stirring seven-game series to start the playoffs and have made the Rockets think twice about their hack-a-Jordan strategy in the semifinals.

And with Kevin Love out with a shoulder injury and Kyrie Irving trying to gut through injuries to both legs, James has again taken the team on his broad shoulders and carried them to the brink of the Eastern Conference finals. He had 38 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, three steals, three blocks and no turnovers in Cleveland’s 106-101 victory over the Bulls in Game 5, a box-filling stat line the likes of which has never been seen in the NBA playoffs.

“We ask a lot of him and he delivers a lot,” Blatt said. “We’ve asked him to be aggressive and to be in attack mode and not to hesitate. He’s doing it.”

The last thing the Clippers or Cavaliers want is a Game 7.

Anything can happen in the final game of the series. A fluke bounce, a bad call, and especially in these playoffs, an injury to a key player. So James and Chris Paul of the Clippers don’t want to take any chances.

“There’s got to be a sense of desperation in a way that brings the best out of you, the most fight out of you, the best spirit and effort out of you. … But as far as anxiety or nerves, no,” Bulls forward Pau Gasol said. “Right now, we understand the position we are in. We’ve got to win two games to advance.”

Here is a look at the two games, with start times in EST.

___

Cavaliers at Bulls, Cleveland leads 3-2, 8 p.m., ESPN

The Bulls got some good news Wednesday when Gasol’s strained left hamstring improved enough to list him as probable for Game 6.

Gasol has missed the past two games of the series, and the Bulls have sorely missed his presence on the glass and his ability to stretch the Cavaliers defense with his mid-range jumper. He had 21 points and 10 rebounds in their Game 1 win at Cleveland, forcing the Cavaliers to make major adjustments in how they defend the Bulls’ pick-and-pop offense.

The team that has won the rebounding battle has emerged victorious in each of the five games to this point, so getting Gasol’s instincts back on the court and perhaps allowing coach Tom Thibodeau to not have to play the struggling Joakim Noah as much should give the Bulls a boost.

“I feel like when we have lost a couple games in a row, we’ve always reacted well and we always play our best,” Gasol said. “We seem like we need that sense of urgency and desperation in order for us to have a great focus, a great intensity.”

___

Rockets at Clippers, Los Angeles leads 3-2, 10:30 p.m., ESPN

The difference in Game 5 for the Rockets wasn’t their ability to keep DeAndre Jordan from destroying them on the glass or Blake Griffin from taking over the game. It was forcing the Clippers’ 3-point shooters, especially J.J. Redick, into off nights.

Redick was tremendous in the first four games of the series, but went just 1 for 8 on 3s in Game 5. Jamal Crawford was 2 for 10 from the field and Matt Barnes was 1 for 8, allowing the Rockets to focus more on attacking the glass and limiting second-chance opportunities.

“If we’re going to allow them to get into the paint the way they did then we’re going to struggle,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “That’s clearly an area where we have to improve on.”

Houston out-rebounded the Clippers 58-39, with James Harden grabbing 11 boards and Dwight Howard 15. They’ll need much more of that kind of production at Staples Center to stay alive in the series.

“I’vebeen waiting for that team to show up for a while, and that’s how we have to play,” coach Kevin McHale said. “We have to play downhill and attack.”

___

AP Sports Writers Tom Withers in Cleveland, Kristie Rieken in Houston, Andrew Seligman in Chicago and Beth Harris in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Sale of Coliseum to African American Developers Moves Toward Completion

The deal includes the sale of the Oakland Arena to an unidentified third-party buyer for no less than $100 million, which Bobbitt said was one of the most important aspects of the site’s future redevelopment.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 16, 2026

bpusa-syndication

The deal includes the sale of the Oakland Arena to an unidentified third-party buyer for no less than $100 million, which Bobbitt said was one of the most important aspects of the site’s future redevelopment.

‘This is on the precipice of actually occurring,’ said Ray Bobbitt, buyers’ representative

By Post Staff

After many months of complex negotiations, the Oakland Coliseum development deal is finally nearing an agreement that will open the way for new owners – the African Americans Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) – to revitalize the sports complex and the Hegenberger Corridor in East Oakland.

On May 28, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a non-binding agreement to dispose of the County’s portion of the complex for $115 million in a deal with AASEG, with a closing date set for June 30.

“People are seeing that this is on the precipice of actually occurring,” said Ray Bobbitt, founder of the AASEG and an East Oakland native. “People feel that this needs to happen for Oakland, for East Oakland in particular,” Bobbitt said, as reported in the East Bay Times.

The agreement would transfer ownership of the 112-acre Coliseum complex property, which was owned 50-50 by Alameda County and the City of Oakland, to Oakland Acquisition Company, which is AASEG’s real estate wing.

The County’s approval marks an important step in the sale of the property, even though concerns about environmental liability remain. Under the terms of the non-binding agreement, the county will pay $115 million to Coliseum Way Partners, the corporate entity of the Oakland Athletics that had previously purchased the county’s half of the property for $85 million.

AASEG will then pay $115 million to the County in three annual payments, with 5% annual interest paid on any outstanding balance, according to the term sheet.

AASEG already negotiated a purchase of the city’s half of the property for $125 million in 2025, awaiting the sale of the county’s half.

A strong supporter of the sale, Supervisor Nate Miley said he was not “breaking out the champagne” until the sale was final. This is not perfect, but it is good.

“It’s good because the County ends up with more money,” Miley continued. “It’s good because an African American team takes ownership of the property, and they’ve got a lot of potential in terms of what they want to do with the property.”

A remaining disagreement between Alameda County and the AASEG involves environmental concerns.

AASEG wanted a “carve-out” for environmental concerns so that it would not face liability for the release of groundwater into San Francisco Bay without a permit. Obtaining a permit could be time-consuming and expensive, requiring the need for consultants, studies, and an oversight process by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

County supervisors unanimously supported the non-binding agreement without the carve-out, though Bobbitt said delaying or excluding the carve-out creates timing risks for the project.

“The motion is to accept the terms as presented, excluding the carve-out,” Board of Supervisors President David Haubert said. “Noting that it’s a non-binding term sheet and terms can always be discussed going forward. It’s been pointed out that that could affect the deal, timing, which we’ve been at this for nine years, but what’s a little more time?”

“The arena represents an anchor of the site,” said Babbitt. “This arena … has become a pop culture mecca, and the opportunity to enhance that and expand that is critical to the overall process.”

Speaking at the Board of Supervisors meeting, Miley explained the County’s reasoning behind some of the complex negotiations. He asked interim County Counsel Andrea Weddle:

“In layman’s term’s who’s on the hook for the environmental (cleanup)” under the current deal with the Oakland A’s?

“When the county with a former board entered in the deal with the (A’s), we took on all of the environmental obligations,” Miley said. “Since then, we’ve learned a lot more about the environmental conditions of the Coliseum.”

“If we do a deal with Coliseum Way Partners (the A’s), we remain on the hook,” she said. “If we do a deal as we’ve currently structured with OAC (AASEG), we have eliminated some or hopefully all (or) as much as we can of that liability and aligned our deal with the terms of the city.”

Bobbitt, despite his concerns, supported the nonbinding agreement. He said the public has waited nearly a decade to come to this point.

“The community support has been overwhelming,” he said. “We’ve used a lot of P-words: patience, perseverance, persistence. And we’ve just had to do it, and we understand how complex this has been.”

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Alameda County

Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

Published

7 months ago

December 4, 2025

Oakland Post

Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

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WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

1 year ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.