Mateo’s Hoop Diary: WNBA Observations at the Olympic break

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The WNBA is at a recess until mid-August for the Olympics, but so far, through 62.5% of the season, some ladies have separated themselves from their peers. A former MVP is hellbent on seizing her crown. The rookie class is outstanding, with multiple All-Stars. And tons of people are watching- the All-Star Game on Saturday had its largest audience ever, which was a 305% increase from 2023, and the match between the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky on June 23 was the most-viewed WNBA game in 23 years, per ESPN Press Room.

 

Let’s review the difference-makers in the league…

 

A’ja Wilson is having a season for the ages:

She’s the most dominant force in the league and cannot be stopped with double teams or physical action. Wilson is on pace to have the highest-scoring season in WNBA history, surpassing Jewell Loyd’s 2023 campaign with the Seattle Storm. And she’ll easily outdo Sylvia Fowles’ 2018 rebounding record (404) if she keeps the pace of snagging 12 nightly. Note: the WNBA season was 34 games in 2018 instead of 40 now. Even at a 34-match clip, Wilson is on track to claim the glass crown by a few boards. 

The Las Vegas Aces are a loaded outfit with four stars and last season’s Sixth Woman of the Year winner, Alysha Clark, but they struggled without the help of W’s top playmaker, Chelsea Gray. In that span, the reigning Finals MVP (Wilson) carried the group, but it was to a 6-6 record. It’s unclear how much the voters will punish her for that. Yet, she’s a massive favorite in the sportsbooks to win her third MVP trophy.  DraftKings and FanDuel have her odds at -3000. Caesars Sportsbook has her at -3500.  

On defense, Wilson is a shot blocker, which means she stays in the backline unless caught in a switch or covering an outside option. Still, she can hedge to contest in time, but if her teammates aren’t maneuvering past screens well then Wilson is compromised. 

Wilson is averaging 27.2 points on 52.2% accuracy for the season, including 39.5% from deep, with 12 boards, 2.9 blocks, 1.9 steals and 2.4 assists per game.  

Since Gray’s comeback, her first outing since Oct. 15, 2023 (Game 3 of the Finals), Wilson is putting up 26.4 points on 53% shooting, with 36.4% from 3-point range, 12.4 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, two steals and 2.2 assists. 

 

Not many guards better than Caitlin Clark: 

Caitlin Clark ended the rookie of the year race in July with her triple-double in a win against the New York Liberty and her 19-assist outing in a loss versus the Dallas Wings. Her helpings output is the new WNBA record, passing Courtney Vandersloot’s 18 against the Indiana Fever on Aug. 31, 2020. The only other players to register a triple-double this season are Alyssa Thomas (2) and Layshia Clarendon (1).

She is the most doubled perimeter player in the league, yet seven ballers ((with at least 20 games played) are logging a higher usage percentage (Sabrina Ionescu, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd, Arike Ogunbowale, Chennedy Carter, A’ja Wilson and Kahleah Copper).

Clark is a superior playmaker to all of them because of her impact on her teammates and she’s the flashiest passer in the W, despite her high turnover count. To boot, the twice AP Player of the Year, is first in assists, first in double-doubles by a guard and third in minutes averaged. 

In transition, Clark will advance upcourt, producing herself or hitting a teammate in stride for an easy basket. Her most effective scoring method is attacking the rim, converting 63.2% of those attempts and that spot is second in her shot diet. Jumpers, pull-ups and step-back looks are taken with higher frequency, but supplied at an ineffectual rate, partly because of how close she is covered. Still, she’s tied for third in the league with Ogunbowale in 3-point baskets (71).

As her rookie campaign has progressed, she’s improved her assist/turnover numbers (2.27 through six games in July). That stat sits at a low 1.47 for the season, yet 99 of her 145 turnovers came from bad passes, per Basketball Reference.

So far, the latest number-one overall pick has been better than advertised, and her work is electrifying. Anyone who doubted her skills was worthy enough to make TEAM USA when the roster was released should review the fundamentals.

 

Chennedy Carter’s comeback is the best story this season:

The Atlanta Dream drafted Chennedy Carter fourth overall in 2020, but she didn’t last with the club because of conduct issues. Her next stop in Los Angeles ended prematurely for the same reason and she was out of the league in 2023. But this year, Carter is back and she’s been one of the best in the business and is at the top of her squad. 

Coach Teresa Weatherspoon initially had her coming off the bench for the first 12 games and then wised up because no one on the team breaks down a defender like her. The deep shot isn’t one of her weapons, but she supplies 72% of attempts in the restricted area, taking 29.8% of tries from that zone. Also of note: Carter hasn’t been a reserve since June 14, and she’s still second in bench points scored (155), trailing Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (185).

As a starter (12 games), Carter averages an insufficient 30.3 minutes per game. The former Aggie needs more time because she is likely the fastest player in the league with the ball, allowing her to create separation against her matchup without a screen. Her burst also establishes a lethal pick-and-roll ball handler option.

Her top game of the year was a winning effort on July 16 in Las Vegas against the Aces. Carter was the best guard in a game that featured Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray. She scored on backdoor cuts, mid range jumpers, drivebys and fastbreak opportunities.

Not all young people are ready to be professionals when they land a top gig because they are late bloomers, too. Carter is capitalizing on her chance at redemption and becoming the player she was destined to be.

 

Marina Mabrey on the Connecticut Sun: 

Marina Mabrey asking out of Chicago is an organizational failure because the team was more talented than its record indicated.

Before the exchange that brought Marina Mabrey to the Connecticut Sun for Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, and two first-round picks, the squad had a puncher’s chance to come out of the East. The New York Liberty is still favored, but the Sun is a more formidable rival with extra firepower.

Mabrey’s shooting splits aren’t stellar, as she is more of a wildcard sniper, but she catches lots of attention and sets up her teammates well. A third of her made triples were unassisted, and she led the Sky in assists before the trade, too. 

For Connecticut, the scoring burden is loosened off DeWanna Bonner, Brionna Jones and DiJonai Carrington’s shoulders because of Mabrey’s gravity plus scoring competence. Alyssa Thomas doesn’t have to work as hard to get them involved, which should conserve some of her energy for the fourth quarter as well.

The Sun made the right move to maximize its championship window by bringing in a player not far from All-Star caliber. She might blossom into one playing on a squad as deep and well-coached as Connecticut’s.

 

Further comments:

Angel Reese is a winning player and an All-Star rookie. She’s a high-level defender, gets others open with screens, limits opponents’ possessions and buys more for her team by pounding the glass. She’ll ascend into the league’s first echelon when she polishes her scoring near the rim and connects on open jumpers regularly. 

Don’t underestimate the Minnesota Lynx. The recent Commissioner’s Cup champs are the top defense and passing unit in the WNBA but are weak on the glass. 

It’s a lost season for the Wings as its record sits at 6-19. Satou Sabally’s shoulder injury has decimated the defense and the offense lacks significant help. Wings games this season are about watching Ogunbowale, who leads the WNBA in minutes (38.4,  field goal attempts (20.1) and steals (2.7), try to drag her team to the finish line. 

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Indiana Fever failed to get stops in the fourth quarter of Caitlin Clark’s record-setting night

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The Indiana Fever faltered, getting beat in a late shootout after being down double-digits in the first half. Caitlin Clark registered a career-high and WNBA record with 19 helpings and scored easily. Aliyah Boston was dominant early. But the depleted Wings were the nastier team in the fourth quarter, connecting on three triples and only allowing the opponent one trip to the charity line.

 

“We took their punches, and we punched back, and we ended up with a W,” Arise Ogunbowale said at her mid-court, postgame interview. 

 

The visitors were stuck in quicksand on defense through two quarters, giving up 36 paint points on 16 of 22 baskets. Additionally, Ogunbowale swished jumpers off the dribble and catch. Plus Odyssey Sims made two 3-pointers, put back her missed layup, scored twice on the break, cut on the left side for a bucket, dribbled by NaLyssa Smith for a basket and defended Clark. 

 

But Clark and Boston sliced a 16-point deficit in half, scoring the last 22 points of their club in the first half. They logged 13 of 20 attempts. The rest of the squad’s accuracy was 33%.

 

The Fever was down 46-54 at intermission but had lost the ball 10 times. Additionally, the group had 30 paint points, five on the break, 13 off turnovers, six via second chances and four from the bench.

 

The Wings had 36 interior points, 14 on the break, 20 off turnovers, five on extra tries and seven from the reserves.

 

Next, the Fever was down 11 points a few minutes into the third quarter.

 

Subsequently, Clark canned a right corner triple behind Boston’s pindown, dribbled left from the top of the key to the hoop for a one-foot shot, and had five assists to Katie Lou Samuelson, Kelsey Mitchell, NaLyssa Smith and Boston. Her prettiest feed was a behind-the-back pass to Smith for a layup.

 

Smith added a transition score, a putback and seven boards. And defensively, the Fever held the Wings to six of 18 baskets in the third quarter by closing out to snipers on time and pressuring the ball entry.

 

The fourth quarter began with the Fever down 70-72. Clark already had 20 points and 13 rebounds, making it her third game in a week with a double-double. She followed up with assists to Damiris Dantas and Boston on pick-and-roll sets, dished to Lexie Hull in the corner on the break, found Boston ahead on two transition seals and hit Kelsey Mitchell on left wing for a 3-pointer. Furthermore, Clark caught the rock behind a flare screen on the left side and dribbled down the baseline for a deuce and produced on a quick post up on Sims.

 

Boston supplied three baskets at close range plus Mitchell made both of her shots at close and long distance.

 

But the fourth-quarter defense was horrendous. The Fever gave up the corner after blitzing Ogunbowale then allowed Jacy Sheldon to take an uncontested right-wing banger because Mitchell overplayed Sims’ entry dribble. And with fewer than three minutes left, Sims dropped in one of those of course shots from 26 feet away that bounced off the back iron and straight down the nylon.

 

Afterward, Ogunbowale tossed up a wild, successful turnaround shot with Hull covering cleanly to put the Wings ahead four points in the last 45 seconds. Clark responded futilely, dribbling down the court, but got her pocket picked by Howard, and Sims slid to the ground for it.

 

The Fever lost 93-101.

 

The Fever had 62 paint points, 14 on the break, 17 off turnovers, 11 via second chances and 12 from the bench.

 

Clark logged 24 points on 10 of 19 attempts, with 19 dimes, six rebounds and six turnovers. Boston put up 28 digits on 78.6% accuracy, with eight boards, three assists and four blocks. Mitchell scored 16 points on six of 10 tries and picked up two rebounds, one assist and two turnovers.  And Smith had 12 points on 41.7% shooting, with 12 rebounds and four turnovers.

 

The Wings had 50 interior marks, 22 on the break, 28 off turnovers, 11 via extra tries and 15 from the reserves.

 

Ogunbowale tallied 24 points on eight of 21 shots, with seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two turnovers. Sims contributed 24 marks on 58.8% shooting, with three rebounds, nine assists, one steal, one block and a turnover. The other double-digit scorers were Natasha Howard (17), Kalani Brown (13), Sheldon (11) and Teaira McCowan (10).

 

The match had eight lead changes and 11 ties.

 

At the postgame presser, Boston said the Wings got “easy buckets they didn’t need.”

 

Clark downplayed her record and said, “The late turnover definitely kills, for sure. They were up pressuring me, so then I kind of got behind them to attack, but I tried to pull [the ball] out and lost my handle while getting poked from behind…”

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Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signing pushes the Magic over the Heat

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The Orlando Magic have surpassed the Miami Heat as the top team in Florida with the addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the sharpshooting, defensive ace. He leaves the Denver Nuggets after two seasons, registering 313 trifectas, 253 steals and 95 blocks combined between the regular campaign and Playoffs.

In year one as a Denver Nugget, the two-way guard instantly became the release valve on the perimeter, downing open trays. His screen navigation bought Nikola Jokić, a reputable weak defender before 2022, the spare moment to get into position, and the latter stopped being a liability. And the Pope also brought leadership- during the Playoff run, he wore his championship ring with the Los Angeles Lakers to inspire his teammates and keep them focused on the mission.

That quest ended with the Nuggets as champions. KCP was the sixth leading scorer (10.6) in the postseason and converted 38% of 3-point attempts. One of his finest moments of the ride was Game 4 of the Finals at Miami. He had three takeaways, blocked Bam Adebayo’s layup as a helper and rejected Jimmy Butler on a post-up with over five minutes left.

The Nuggets wanted to re-sign him, but at their end-of-the-season presser, hinted it wouldn’t be easy. President and owner Josh Kroenke said, “the core of this team was assembled under a different CBA, and we drafted and we developed, and we built this team under a different set of rules.”

Nuggets coach Michael Malone once called KCP the missing piece.

Life without him will stress the starters. The squad has no replacement that matches his defensive persistence and marksmanship.

But now he wears Magic blue and supplements a 47-win group.

In 2023-24, Orlando deployed the third-strongest defense, had Paolo Banchero break out into an All-Star and capped out at Game 7 in the first round against the Cavaliers in Cleveland. Also, the Magic’s defensive rating (100) through seven Playoff matches was the sharpest of 16 qualifying teams. On top of that, they recorded 35.2% of hoisted threes through 82 outings and 30.9% against the Cavaliers.

KCP is a perfect match for the Magic. He and Jalen Suggs’ stinginess on the perimeter would rouse medieval lords. His deep shooting will enhance his teammates, particularly Banchero, because rival defenses won’t be able to trap low off the sniper.

So how do the Magic compare and contrast with the Heat?

Orlando’s backcourt- Suggs and KCP- is mightier defensively than Miami’s Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier. The former are more accurate from deep, too.

The shot creator category slightly favors Miami. The Heat have Butler, who can get what he wants against most matchups, and Adebayo fits here because of his rim attacks, screening and handoff action. The Magic have Banchero and Franz Wagner. Both have big man size and a vast arsenal with moves off the dribble.

The backline defense edge goes to the Magic due to their mobile size. Even if the club loses Wendell Carter Jr, Jonathan Isaac can be pushed into the starting unit. Isaac would have been a serious candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year crown if he had logged seven more games to meet the requirement.

The Heat’s Adebayo is arguably the top disruptor in the NBA. His backline partners were Nikola Jović, Caleb Martin and Haywood Highsmith. Jović is a developing pupil with promise as a helper but lacks experience. Martin was effective handling switches but will likely leave in free agency. Highsmith, who is 6-foot-7, showed instances of dominating one-on-one and helping defense, yet his issue is that some matchups are too strong or too tall for him.

The bench advantage goes to the Heat. Jaime Jaquez Jr. should emerge as its primary scorer because of his advanced footwork. Duncan Robinson is a shooting stimulus, yet he is the wildcard if coach Erik Spoelstra wants to get creative. As a reserve, Robinson was decent, recording 11.1 points nightly on 36.2% accuracy from 3-point range. But as a starter, he was among the finest marksmen in the NBA, downing 42% on over seven tries. And veteran Kevin Love is coming back, providing quality board work and deep shooting.

The Magic declined Mo Wagner’s team option, making him an unrestricted free agent. Reportedly, talks of a new deal with Wagner are possible, but a new squad could and should scoop him up. He was impactful, throwing his weight around on the glass, disrupting actions, and was an irritant. And Cole Anthony is a mid-level reserve.

Coaching is even. Spoelstra overachieves with his units and is likely keeping trusted lieutenant Chris Quinn around.

In 2023-24, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley led his troops to a 13-win improvement over the previous campaign, which was the highest mark in the Eastern Conference. His 2022-23 band improved by a dozen victories after the 2021-22 season.

Key player attendance is on the side of the Magic. Banchero is a 1A who logged 80 matches last season. Suggs made Second Team All-Defense and suited up for 75 nights. The other top three starters in games played appeared in a combined 153.

The Heat’s starters fused 245 outings. Word on the street is Butler wants to have a bounce back season for a new deal next summer. That would mean raising his rim pressure frequency plus efficiency and showing up in at least 75 games. He has only hit the latter marker twice in his career since draft night.

Banchero and Butler are in the same tier, but the former gives his club a significant lead if he is playing 24% more of the season.

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Legacies cemented after Panthers win Stanley Cup

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Florida’s Game 7 Stanley Cup Final win will be remembered forever.

 

It was a truly historic day in Panthers history as the franchise took home its first Cup in their 30 years of existence.

 

The win was the first Cup for all but two players (Vladimir Tarasenko, Carter Verhaeghe) and it cemented the legacies of many within the Panthers organization. 

 

Aleksander Barkov became the first captain from Finland to win the Stanley Cup, 17-year NHL veteran Kyle Okposo finally attained hockey’s greatest prize, Oliver Ekman-Larsson became a champion just a year after being one of the largest buyouts in NHL history, Dmitry Kulikov returns to win where he was drafted 15 years before — the storylines were plentiful. 

 

 Now that they’ve finished the job, a few Panthers should expect to see their name among hockey’s greatest sometime in the near future.

 

 Bobrovsky, you’re on the Cup

 

35-year-old Sergei Bobrovsky had nearly everything you could ask for as a goaltender. Over his 14-year NHL career, the Russian native had been a first team All-Star twice, an NHL All-Star three times, a two-time Vezina winner, is 14th all-time in wins — and has the most by a Russian — holds three World Championship medals and was an olympian.

 

The one achievement that was missing from his Hall of Fame resume was a Stanley Cup — now he has it. 

 

 

“It means a lot, it’s a dream come true,” Bobrovsky told TSN after winning the Cup . “I’m so happy to be here. It’s an amazing moment. It’s the hardest trophy to win and for a reason. We’re happy.” 

 

Posting a 2.32 GAA and .906 save percentage this postseason, Florida doesn’t win the Cup this year without Bobrovsky and they certainly wouldn’t have made the Final last year either. 

 

When Bobrovsky retires, there’s no doubt that he will be elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame and it seems almost certain that he should get in as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.  

 

By the time he calls it a career, Bobrovsky should finish top-10 all-time in wins (needs 27 more) and he still has the chance to win more hardware. But even if he walked away from the game tomorrow, he’d still be getting the call from the Hall. 

 

Paul Maurice finally did it

 

The other Panther that will be seeing his name enshrined within the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Esso Great Hall for the rest of time is the man who led his group of men to hockey immortality — head coach Paul Maruice.

 

A proud son of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Paul Maurice has been one of the most prominent figures in the National Hockey League for the better part of 30 years.

 

After getting his first NHL head coaching job at the fresh age of 28 back in 1995 with the Hartford Whalers, Maurice has waited a long time to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup. 

 

With 24-seasons as a head coach under his belt between Hartford, Carolina, Toronto, Winnipeg and Florida — Maurice’s name is near the top of the coaching record books. 

 

He’s coached the second most games in NHL history (1,848) and has the fourth most wins (869). Despite the plethora of experience in the NHL, Maurice was still searching for his Stanley Cup. 

 

“I need to win one,” Maurice said on June 7, just a day before Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. “That’s the truth, that’s how I feel. I’m 30 years into this thing, I wouldn’t mind winning one — how about that?”

 

Maurice came close twice to winning it all, making the Cup Final in 2002 with the Hurricanes and then last year in 2023 with the Panthers — losing both of those series.

 

Entering Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, Maurice was 4-0 in his career in a Game 7. 

 

In by far the most important Game 7 of his career, Maurice kept that undefeated streak alive and finally won the Stanley Cup. 

 

On Monday night after all the players took their lap with the Cup, 23-year-old Spencer Knight came over to Maurice mid-interview and said “here you go,” handing over the Cup to a man who got his start in the NHL nearly six years before he was born. 

 

With his eyes closed, Maurice hoisted the Cup over his head as cheers poured down from the stands at Amerant Bank Arena and his players watched nearby. 

 

“F– yeah,” Maurice shouted as he pumped the Cup in the air. He finished the job. 

 

“It’s for my mom and dad in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario,” Maurice told Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas postgame. “All of the people that suffered through 30 years of me losing and making excuses. Mom and dad especially.”

 

“Hey dad, your name’s going up with your heroes,” an emotional Maurice added. “Beliveau, Richard, Howe, Lindsay, Maurice.” 

 

The once young man behind the bench is now a grizzled 57-year-old vet and he finally has his Stanley Cup. 

 

Like Bobrovsky, this should all but guarantee Maurice — the second winningest coach in NHL history —  a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. 

 

Who’s next?

 

I think it’s clear that if Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov continues producing at the same rate, he’ll hit 1,000 games and 1,000 points in the NHL — he’s already surpassed 700 for both of those at 28. Just the tenth player ever to win the Selke trophy more than once, Florida’s  franchise leader in virtually every record and now the first captain in Panthers history and the first captain from Finland to win the Cup, Barkov is on the right path for a Hall of Fame career.

 

“It’s incredible,” Barkov said after Florida won the Cup. “It’s hard to describe what’s going on and what just happened.” 

 

Aaron Ekblad, a former first-overall pick and the second longest tenured Panthers after Barkov, will more than likely see his name hang from the rafter at Amerant Bank Arena once he retires. The holder of most games, goals, assists and points by a Panthers defenseman across his 10-years in Florida — No. 5 should belong to Ekblad and Ekblad only.

 

“They always say you can’t f—ing get the words out man, it’s incredible, this is amazing” Ekblad said on Sportsnet after Game 7. “Sorry for swearing but this is the best moment of my life so far. Nothing tops it.”

 

Whether they find themselves in  the Hall of Fame, in the rafters or just in an alumni suite, the 2024 Florida Panthers are the greatest team in franchise history and will be remembered for eternity as the very first team to bring the Stanley Cup to South Florida.

Coach Paul Maurice hoists the Stanley Cup for the first time in his career after the Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7. (Craig Davis)

Pressure Point: Zito, Maurice show Panthers the way to joyous Stanley Cup win

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Watching the newly champion Florida Panthers posing with their kids with the Stanley Cup and beginning a summer fling with the most tradition-rich sports trophy, I was reminded of looking down on this same sheet of ice in 2013.

Nobody was skating. It was preseason. But Lord Stanley’s ornate punch bowl was a focal point of the gathering.

The Panthers were introducing new owner Vinnie Viola, who was making bold promises. Like new team owners always do.

“We are committed to provide the resources to the Florida Panthers necessary to win the Stanley Cup,” Viola vowed.

He concluded by saying, “We’re going to win. Put the word out, we’re going to win.”

Viola makes championship vow a reality

Eleven years later, Viola proved to be a man of his word Monday night after the Panthers somehow protected a one-goal lead over the final period to hold off the resurgent Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The keys were that Viola did provide the financial resources and he ultimately found the right leader when he hired Bill Zito as general manager in 2020.

Never mind that the Conn Smythe Trophy went to Edmonton’s Connor McDavid in a losing effort. That’s a rarity, but the award is for MVP of the entire playoffs. So, well, fine.

The award travesty of this NHL season was that Bill Zito got snubbed again as top GM. Dallas’ Jim Nill got it for the second year in a row. Inexplicably, Zito wasn’t even second in the voting.

What an absolute joke.

In four years, Zito, a first-time GM, reshaped a sad-sack franchise into a champion.

Zito dramatically transformed Panthers into champs

The ballsy trade to acquire Matthew Tkachuk from Calgary for cornerstone Panthers Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar in 2022 was the turning point.

But the volume of personnel moves that Zito got right is staggering. Acquiring high-scoring forwards Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart, who scored the goals in the Cup clincher, were among the most important.

Others weren’t as obvious. Such as the waiver claim for defenseman Gustav Forsling, who had the NHL’s best plus-minus rating this season and is signed through 2031-32. Zito hit on trades for Sam Bennett and Brandon Montour, who have been significantly more productive with the Panthers than they were with previous teams.

After the Panthers were blown out of the 2023 Cup Final by Vegas, Zito added a number of role-player types – defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dmitry Kulikov and Niko Mikkola, forwards Evan Rodrigues and Kevin Stenlund, goalie Anthony Stolarz, – who filled remaining needs that led to Monday’s celebration. The trade-deadline additions of veterans Vladimir Tarasenko and Kyle Okposo helped as well.

The other vital move was hiring Paul Maurice as coach after the 2021-22 Panthers won the Presidents’ Trophy but got swept in the second round of the playoffs by Tampa Bay.

Maurice instituted a defense-first approach best suited to success in the playoffs. Perhaps more important he was able to bring the right balance of tough love and humor – as he famously said about one outburst, he felt the players “needed some profanity in their life.”

Championship void ends for Maurice, Panthers

Recalling the call he received from Zito about the Panthers’ coaching vacancy, Maurice said he sensed “something different about these guys.”

There was something similar about the Panthers franchise and Maurice’s coaching career before they came together for what culminated in Monday’s ultimate hockey achievement. Both were star-crossed.

Monday’s win means Maurice no longer has to answer to having coached the most games in the NHL without winning the Stanley Cup.

The Panthers spent much of their 30-year history lost in the woods. There was the remarkable Year of the Rat in their third season of existence that began with forward Scott Mellanby killing a rat in the locker room before the home opener and ended in a run to the Cup Final before getting swept by Colorado. Plastic rats rained on the ice after goals and wins that season and it seemed like every other car in South Florida had Panthers flags flapping from the rooftops during the playoffs.

And then nothing. For way too long.

After that 1996 season, star center Stu Barnes was traded for Chris Wells, who flopped, and futility followed. Worse was the trade that sent future Hall-of-Fame goalie Roberto Luongo in his prime to Vancouver for forward Todd Bertuzzi in 2006.

Viola’s ownership had its share of blunders

While a loyal corps of fans remained, the euphoria of 1996 faded and was mostly forgotten. The arena many nights was a dead zone, except around the holidays when visiting Canadians and New Yorkers showed up to cheer when their teams visited. Calls to move the team to Canada persisted.

The effort by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to facilitate Viola purchasing the Panthers probably saved the franchise for South Florida. The previous owner didn’t have the resources to keep the team afloat and needed to bail.

But it wasn’t a smooth ride to success under Viola. The first season they were seventh of eight teams in the Atlantic Division.

Maurice is the eighth coach under Viola, and at times this ownership appeared as clueless as its predecessors. That peaked with the shameful firing of Gerard Gallant on a road trip and ill-fated stint of Tom Rowe as interim coach as well as general manager while Dale Tallon was shoved aside.

Eventually Tallon was restored to command and got the Panthers back on track. But in 10 years Tallon never produced a playoff series win. He did leave a foundation for Zito, including captain Aleksander Barkov and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

Zito faces challenge as players wait to get paid

It is said that the Stanley Cup is the toughest trophy to win in sports. Barkov, Bobrovsky, Maurice and the whole sordid history of the Panthers franchise can be cited as evidence.

Somehow Zito, in his fourth year as general manager, put all the pieces in place to get it done.

A case could be made for Bobrovsky for the Conn Smythe, and Zito certainly was the most effective team architect of this season in this league.

But both of them got what they wanted most Monday night. Bob, who figuratively – and at times literally – stood on his head throughout the playoffs, got to hoist the Cup over his head. Zito, who is emotionally driven, wept openly in celebration.

With only $20 million in cap space and 11 unrestricted free agents, Zito faces another big offseason challenge in keeping as much of the team together as possible and finding replacements as needed. Reinhart, who scored 57 goals in the regular season and 10 more in the playoffs, including the Game 7 winner, will be a free agent.

Panthers begin summer fling with Cup

But none of that matters right now. The Panthers began their summer fling with the Cup by taking it to the beach Tuesday morning. A parade is scheduled for Sunday morning along Fort Lauderdale Beach.

There is a fine line between joy and despair in sports. One shudders to think of the long-term impact on the franchise if the Panthers had lost the Cup Final after winning the first three games. They ended up thwarting the McDavid-led Oilers by the slimmest of margins.

Maurice managed to get them back to playing without fear at just the right time.

“At no point did we say, ‘We better win this one or we’re gonna suck forever,’ ” he said.

Instead, plastic rats showered down amid the frenzy on the ice after time expired. They were shoveled aside and could be seen massed together along the boards as players took turns skating with the Cup.

Maurice got to lift Lord Stanley’s unwieldy trophy over his head for the first time after 29 years of coaching. He recounted the experience in an interview with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt late Monday:

“I closed my eyes and I wanted to feel it. … I’ll never forget the weight of it and how I felt. And then I opened my eyes and all the players were in front of me smiling, and that’s when the profanity came out.”

He wasn’t alone in that. Fourth-line forward Ryan Lomberg blurted out an F-bomb during the celebration while being interviewed by Miami’s Channel 10. It came through on the broadcast.

Surely we can all use some profanity and joy in our lives. So go ahead, Panthers fans, shout it out as loud and often as you want.

F%*K, YEAH!!

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Panthers, for four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: JJ Redick is introduced as the new Lakers coach

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The Los Angeles and national brigade of reporters questioned JJ Redick on his 40th birthday for 45 minutes, and nobody asked him about his ill-informed comment about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar being a “one-note wonder” that perverts NBA history.

Redick blurted that nonsense about the NBA’s six-time MVP during the 2022-23 season, impersonating the obnoxious gimmick of his then-colleague, Stephen A. Smith. Without question, Redick failed to do any real homework. Had he made the effort, he would’ve identified how regular hooks, floaters and jumpers were a part of Abdul-Jabbar’s arsenal. Hopefully, he will spend more time identifying the team’s weaknesses in the film room.

Then 16 months later, the host of the Old Man and the Three podcast and co-host to Mind the Game with LeBron James, ascended to become the Lakers’ coach with no experience other than instructing fourth-grade hoops. Imagine if commoners could move up the ladder like that. One can only ponder what assistant coaches like Sam Cassell and Chris Quinn think when frat boy wonder cuts the line because he’s friends with the right peeps.

Rest assured, Redick confirmed he doesn’t give an F what the outside noise thinks, which still didn’t win him the press conference and made him look like a muppet.

Hopefully the Lakers had some sense and told Abdul-Jabbar that Redick was wrong about him and please come to next season’s debut.

Yet at the presser sat Redick, the sloppy seconds at centerstage, next to Rob Pelinka, who has clipped the last three coaches and somehow avoids accountability like a politician evading the public’s ire.

Redick said he didn’t take the Dan Hurley drama personally. Hurley was the Lakers’ first choice, rejecting them after getting a preposterous, below-market offer. If the Lakers were still a serious organization, UConn’s back-to-back championship coach- the guy James tweeted is “so damn good”- would probably have handled Monday’s introduction. And Redick could have still been doing ESPN’s weekly shows and game analysis when the season resumes.

Nonetheless, Pelinka said James was supportive but not involved during the hiring process.

At one point, the Purple and Mold’s new coach said the media is the engagement farming industry. Conveniently, he didn’t elaborate on how he lucratively profited from that and will go back to it once he fails.

“I take this responsibility very seriously,” Redick said. So did Luke Walton, Frank Vogel, who won a championship in 2020 and Darvin Ham. The first and last should get Pelinka more heat because that’s two misses.

Pelinka broke up the title squad’s key role players- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma- for Russell Westbrook, which many, including this scribe, thought would work. Time revealed Westbrook didn’t fit Vogel’s system, and he was misused, spending too much time in the corners after averaging a triple-double the previous season for the Washington Wizards. Then Frankie Vogel was sacked.

When Pelinka was asked what he liked about Redick and James’ podcast, he said he liked how his new coach communicates, as if James’ handlers would ever allow him to be compromised by a sincere, tense exchange on tape, even more so with someone far from his equal on the court.

Notably, what appealed to Redick about coaching was the fulfillment of helping others max out, which he credits to Rick Carlisle for helping flesh out. He also said he will use Anthony Davis as a hub and wants him shooting threes and going hard in transition. The plan is for Rui Hachimura to take more 3-pointers and become a better offensive rebounder, too. And winning a championship in the short term is a reasonable expectation. “I don’t look at the current roster as being far off from a championship-caliber team,” Redick said.

He doesn’t have his coaching staff filled yet but will have the the final decision. Pelinka will collaborate by offering ideas about every position.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Chris Quinn is ready to lead or fill any need

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Three hours before Miami Heat games tip-off, assistant coach Chris Quinn is one of the team’s personnel, located on the hardwood, working out with a player or reviewing material on an iPad. On special occasions, Quinn will break out his old moves and challenge a player.

On Feb. 28, 2022, before the then FTX Arena was filled for the match against the Chicago Bulls, Quinn showed Heat forward Duncan Robinson a bit of his handle as Bam Adebayo diligently worked on his free throws. And when Dwyane Wade was on the team during the 2015-16 season, Quinn would warm up with him prior to game time.

Quinn is coach Erik Spoelstra’s trusted lieutenant- a liaison between the head and the players when a message needs to be understood and an advisor with whom to consult ideas. Given Quinn’s calm, cordial, public demeanor, he is Spoelstra’s Tom Hagen. Yet, he still jokes with his boss and friend about how he traded him in 2010 before the Big Three era. Spo’s counter is that he “didn’t have much pull” in the organization.

Quinn is a married, family man with three children. Professionally, he has been Spoelstra’s assistant since the 2014-15 campaign, the first following LeBron James’ departure to Cleveland. He’s developed players and his skills as a coach for seven Playoff trips, including two visits to the NBA Finals. When the Heat beat the Celtics in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, Quinn and the other Heat assistants congratulated Spoelstra on not being the first NBA coach to give up a 3-0 lead and lose a series.

In the past, former Heat captain Udonis Haslem said that whenever Quinn speaks, Spoelstra’s words fall from his lips. This is the same as back in the day with Pat Riley and his star center, Alonzo Mourning.

Quinn has a 2-0 record when put in charge of the team in Spoelstra’s absence for COVID protocols in 2022. After one of the games, Spo said, “He has the full trust of everybody… This is something that he has been developing for several years.”

Before that game, Quinn had a few hours to prepare.

When Quinn took over for the Heat’s match, hosting the Charlotte Hornets on April 5, 2022, the crew set a franchise record for made 3-pointers and points scored. “It’s 2022,” Quinn said jokingly. “You pass up the layups to get the threes.”

On another occasion Spoelstra missed because of personal matters, the Heat were beaten by the Brooklyn Nets in Miami by 15 points. At the postgame presser, Quinn somberly talked about giving up 40 marks in the second quarter, but his message was clear: there were no excuses to be made.

Before that, he was a four-year collegiate athlete at Notre Dame, playing point guard under coach Mike Brey. At school, he was named to the All-Big EastFirst Team and finished sixth in true shooting percentage (58.9), sixth in Fighting Irish history in steals (155), eighth in steals per game average (1.3), and ninth in made 3-point field goals (239). In his freshman year, the team made it as far as the West regional semifinal, losing to Arizona.

He advanced to the NBA, playing for the Heat as one of their undrafted gems in a year they had no picks. In fact, he earned his gig by performing well in the summer league. He later worked for the San Antonio Spurs, New Jersey Nets, and Cleveland Cavaliers over six seasons. Quinn also had a stint in Russia during the lockout season and then played in Spain the following year.

As a former pro, Quinn has credibility with players because he understands the business and the anxieties that come with it, making him relatable.

Given the type of player he was as an off-ball shooter, he must see the game through the lens of a marksman. Lots of misdirection and off-ball movement would likely be an emphasis of his half-court offense.

“A lot of us in the Heat culture have in common [that] we are super competitive,” Quinn said during a summer league interview with ESPN’s Israel Gutierrez. “For better or worse, if things aren’t going the way we all think they should be going, we have a level of accountability. We talk to each other…”

In the summer of 2024, Quinn’s name surfaced for potential head coaching vacancies. The Heat gave permission to the Lakers and Cavaliers to interview him. The former post went to ESPN broadcaster, podcaster, and former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick. Redick’s only coaching prior experience is instructing youth basketball. The latter spot went to Kenny Atkinson.

Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks were granted permission to interview him for their spot after Mike Budenholzer’s dismissal, but they chose Adrian Griffin, who lasted 43 games as head coach.

When an organization takes a chance on Quinn, they’ll have someone with credible coaching insight who has paid his dues. He is ready to lead or fill any need.

‘We’re going to try to drag them back to Alberta’: The Oilers look to play spoiler again on the Panthers Cup dream

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SUNRISE —  The Edmonton Oilers were successful in keeping their season alive after winning Game 4 on Saturday.

 

Still down 3-1 in the series, they have a new goal entering Game 5 in Sunrise — get the Panthers back to Alberta — or drag them there. 

 

The Oilers fed off the home crowd at Rogers Place on Saturday night, thrashing the Panthers 8-1 as they won their first game of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. 

 

“Everytime you’re back in Edmonton it seems to get louder and louder when you didn’t expect it could get any louder,” Oilers forward Connor Brown said on Tuesday. “That’s the goal. We’re going to try to drag them back to Alberta.”

 

Still facing elimination the rest of the way out, the Oilers have to take it one game at a time as the Panthers will have two opportunities to win the Cup at home if this series does drag out to a Game 7. 

 

Oilers captain Connor McDavid said the same phrase on Saturday as Connor Brown did, they want to drag the Panthers back to Alberta. 

 

While Edmonton has looked into their mindset for Tuesday’s elimination game, the Panthers are going to do everything they can to make sure the next bus they take is to a Cup celebration on Las Olas, not to the airport for a flight back to Edmonton. 

 

The Stanley Cup will be in Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night as the Panthers will try again to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history — this time in front of their home crowd. 

 

“It’s another opportunity right?” Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad said going into Game 5. “Another brilliant chance, an opportunity to realize our dream. We’re excited and anxious to get it going.”

 

Florida will need to be better than they were in their last game, but the team has been successful this postseason and controlling their emotions after losses — including blowouts. 

 

The Panthers are undefeated this playoff run after losing an elimination game (2-0), they are also 4-1 after a loss. 

 

“Worrying is more important than forgetting,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said when asked about the last game. “We had two other games I think that were very similar to that and both in similar situations. So we have to learn from it. The gift of Game 4 is a brand new experience that really maybe one or two other players have had and coaches… Once that is learned, then the entire ideas come back to form that our team — this is what we’re good at, this is what we do.”

 

As for what is expected in terms of lineups going into Game 5, the Panthers will be making a change on the fourth line with the reinsertion of Ryan Lomberg.


Lomberg has appeared in five games this postseason but has not seen the ice so far in the Stanley Cup Final. Who he is replacing has not been confirmed, but it is expected that Steven Lorentz will come out of the lineup.

 

Edmonton’s room was once again more secretive on who they will ice in Game 5.

 

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said “you’ll have to wait” when asked about his lineup for Tuesday night’s matchup.

Puck drop for Game 5 will be just after 8 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. MT from Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Celtics won Game 5 of the Finals, claiming the 2024 NBA title

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The Celtics whooped the Mavericks in Game 5 to win the NBA championship at TD Garden. Jayson Tatum was the bus driver. And Jaylen Brown guarded Luka Dončić, staying in front of the ball and contesting on time. Brown was also crowned Finals MVP in front of thousands of cheering supporters after the match.

With his trophy in hand, Brown said at the winner’s stage, “I share this with my brothers.”

The contest was close until the Celtics thwacked the Mavericks with an 11-3 run to close the first quarter. The damage was done by Jayson Tatum, dribbling past Josh Green on the right side for a layup and finishing on the break, as well as Brown scoring in the open court plus producing from a slot cut and Sam Houser canning a right-side triple.

Then Houser uncorked the offense in the second quarter, making a left-wing tray after setting a ghost screen for Tatum, giving Gang Green an 11-point advantage. Tatum added four field goals with no misses. Brown downed two corner 3-pointers, assisted by Tatum, when the defense sagged off the perimeter to clog the lane. The Celtics forced four Maverick turnovers by pressuring the ball handler and entry pass. And Payton Pritchard connected on a half-court shot to end the half.

On the other side, the Mavericks registered 12 of 19 baskets in the frame. Derrick Jones Jr. scored, dribbling to the basket on a broken play, swished a corner triple and tallied an acrobatic layup on the break. Daniel Gafford put in two dunks. And Kyrie Irving and Dončić combined for four of nine shots.

The Celtics led at halftime 67-46 on the scoreboard. Additionally, the group had 30 paint points, 10 on the break, seven via second chances, 11 off turnovers and 12 from the bench.

The Mavericks had 24 interior marks, two in the open court, four on extra tries, two off turnovers and 14 from the reserves.

Next, the Celtics opened the third quarter making four of five baskets by Tatum, Derrick White, Al Horford and Jrue Holiday, giving the hosts a 26-point edge, the largest of the evening.

The Mavericks answered with Irving’s turnaround jumper on the left side, Green’s transition corner 3-pointer, a freebie by Dante Exum and two shots by Dončić, slicing their deficit to 17, the closest they got the rest of the night.

The fourth quarter started with the Celtics up 86-67.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd called a timeout early into the period as Kristaps Porziņģis’ baseline cut and dunk put the Celtics back up by 21 points. His next stoppage came as Tatum maneuvered by P.J. Washington from the top to the cup for a layup, bringing the lead to 24 marks. Inexplicably, Kidd kept Dončić and Irving in until there were two-and-a-half minutes remaining.

The Celtics won 106-88. On top of that, the crew had 42 paint points, 16 on the break, 11 via second chances, 17 off turnovers and 16 from the bench.

Boston’s double-digit scorers were Tatum (31), Brown (21), Holiday (15) and White (14).

The Mavericks had 42 interior marks, nine in the open court, six on extra tries, six off turnovers and 25 from the reserves.

Dallas’ double-digit scorers were Dončić (28), Irving (15), Green (14) and Jones (10).

At the postgame presser, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said, “It feels good” to be a champion.

 

 

Maurice, Okposo and Ekman-Larsson among Panthers veterans searching for first Stanley Cup

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EDMONTON —  The Florida Panthers can make history on Saturday night in Edmonton.

 

Holding a 3-0 series lead over the Oilers, their next win means they’ll take home the Stanley Cup — the first in the team’s 30 year history.

 

All but two players on the Panthers are searching for their first Stanley Cup; Vladimir Tarasenko (2019, St. Louis) and Carter Verhaeghe (2020, Tampa) being the only guys with rings on the roster.

 

While everyone on the team wants it, 17-year NHL veteran Kyle Okposo might be more desperate than others to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup. 

 

Okpsoso, 36, had been the Buffalo Sabres’ captain since 2022-23. In what could possibly be the final year of the NHL veteran’s career, Okposo wanted a chance to play for the Cup — so he requested a trade to Florida at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. 

 

 “It’s been a journey, that’s for sure. Obviously been in the league for parts of 17 seasons now and had a lot of ups and downs, personally and team wise. But over the last few years trying to turn buffalo around and get that organization going in the right direction, It was definitely challenging but extremely rewarding at the same time,” Okposo said of his career. “This year I wanted to make sure that I was going to put myself in a position — no matter what — to play in the playoffs and compete for a Stanley Cup. I wasn’t going to compromise in that goal. It was a difficult decision for me to do, but I felt like Florida was going to give me the best chance to reach the ultimate goal and now I just have to take it one more game at a time.”

 

Over the course of his career appeared in 1,054 NHL regular season games — but had only seen 24 postseason games — the last being in 2016 with the New York Islanders .

 


Before joining the Panthers in March, Okposo went eight years between playoff experiences, but the drive was always there for him to get back there and make a run at in. 

 

“I think it’s something that’s interesting in our league that if you don’t have playoff success a lot of the times that’s looked at as a negative when so much of this league is timing and the teams that you play on through no fault of our own as players sometimes,” Okposo said when asked about his lack of playoff success. “You have to look at the person and you have to look at the type of player that they are and if they’re capable of being part of a team…Sometimes they (players) get labeled as ‘oh we don’t want this guy because they haven’t played in the playoffs’ . Well there’s so many guys that haven’t played in the playoffs that would be absolute dogs in the playoffs and I think that we have a team that has a lot of dogs.”

 

If the Panthers were to win it all, Okposo would become the 20th player in NHL history to play more than 1,000 regular-season games before winning his first Cup. 

 

“For me personally, I’ve just been soaking up everyday and just trying to consume the moment,” Okposo added.

 

Like Okposo, Oliver Ekman-Larsson is another NHL veteran who has long awaited his chance to play for the Stanley Cup.

 

The 32-year-old defenseman played in 982 NHL regular-season games — the second most on the Panthers — across his 14 season career. 

 

A former captain himself with the Arizona Coyotes, Ekman-Larsson went from being at the lowest point in his career after the Vancouver Canucks bought out the remainder of his $19.3M contract — the largest ordinary buyout in the NHL’s salary cap era. 

 

One day before the one year anniversary of the buyout, Ekman-Larsson will be playing for a chance to lift the Stanley Cup. 

 

“I’m just super, super happy to be in this situation,” Ekman-Larsson said. “Obviously having a couple rough years in Vancouver — getting bought out– but I think just to be in this position with this organization, this team, there’s so many special guys in that room. I think we’re just trying to take one day at a time, soak it in and have fun with it.”


Okposo and Ekman-Larsson aren’t the only players with plenty of NHL experience on the Panther that are looking for their first Cup. Dmitry Kulikov — a Panthers draft pick in 2009 — and Sergei Bobrovsky both have been in the NHL for over 14 seasons, while Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad have been with the Panthers for the better part of a decade. 

 

But the man that has been searching for his Cup the longest is their coach, Paul Maurice. 

 

Maurice, 57, got his first NHL coaching gig in 1995-96 with the now relocated Hartford Whalers (moved to Carolina in 1997). 

 

The Sault Ste. Marie native has coached the second most games in NHL history with 1,848 and is fourth in wins with 869. His 24 season NHL career is certainly Hall of Fame worthy, but he is still looking for the ultimate prize.

 

“I need to win one,” Maurice said last week when speaking of his career and his desire to win the Cup. 

 

With Game 4 just hours away, the Panthers can win the first Cup in their franchises’ history and become the first team to do so in a sweep since the Detroit Red Wings in 1998.  

 

“If you can’t enjoy this morning, what the hell are you doing, what’s the point of this thing?” Maurice said the morning of Game 4. “The feet are flying underneath this table. There hasn’t been a lot of days in here so, we have to keep this in context, right? It’s 11 o’clock in the morning, my brain’s going to shift pretty hard in about four hours, and it won’t be conversations and casualness by any means. But I’ve been selling ‘enjoy your day’ for two years here, probably before that, and I believe it. I’ve had enough of the other days that aren’t good and I’m damn well going to enjoy morning skate on a day like today. I refuse not to be in a good mood. “

 

Game 4 will be on June 15, 6 p.m. MT, 8 p.m. ET from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.