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HomeSportsHart AttackHARTLEY MILLER’S HART ATTACK – (Awe-inspiring games) June 24th, 2016 EDITION 581

HARTLEY MILLER’S HART ATTACK – (Awe-inspiring games) June 24th, 2016 EDITION 581

There are big games, there are epic games and then they are humongous games that are unrivaled.

Watching one of these games is a treat since they rarely occur.

Considering what was at stake, the Cleveland Cavaliers 93-89 triumph over the Golden State Warriors could arguably go down as the most dramatic game in NBA history.

It was not an artistic beauty and overtime wasn’t required but it was breathtaking down the stretch.

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The circumstances surrounding the game made this more than just a classic.

I can’t recall watching another NBA contest so intently on television.

Remember there had only been 18 other game 7’s in the history of the League Finals and none of them could top the countless story-lines of the 2016 match-up.

A Golden State victory would mean the Warriors could rightfully boast they accomplished the greatest season ever after producing a record regular season mark of 73-9.

A Cleveland victory would see a team win the Finals for the first time after trailing 3 games to 1.

And of course, the headliner, a Cavaliers win would end Cleveland’s 52 year major sports championship drought and LeBron James would fulfill his promise of coming home to deliver a title.

Also partly on the line, fair or not, was LeBron’s legacy as a 3-4 record in a championship series is much better than 2-5.

The Cavaliers win was electric but LeBron’s block of an Andre Iguodala shot with the game tied late will go down as perhaps the best defensive play in league history.

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In addition, Kyrie Irving’s game winning three over two-time MVP Stephen Curry will be remembered as one of the best clutch shots ever.

How much did that one win mean?

There were well in excess of one million people on hand for the team’s victory parade on Wednesday or about one in every two residents that live in Greater Cleveland.

So what can we compare this to? A couple of games come to my mind.

The 2008 Super Bowl is arguably the most thrilling football game ever.

The New England Patriots were favored by 12 points and a win over the New York Giants would make them the first team in NFL history to go 19-0, including playoffs. (The 1972 Miami Dolphins were 17-0)

With the Patriots up 14-10 late, the Giants’ pulled off a fourth-quarter miraculous game-winning drive.

New York got the ball on its own 17-yard line with 2:39 left and marched 83 yards down the field aided by David Tyree’s never to be forgotten helmet catch.

Plaxico Burress scored the winning touchdown on a 13-yard reception from Eli Manning with 35 seconds remaining.

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Hockey has had several superb game 7’s of a Stanley Cup Final but for many of us old-timers, that pales in comparison to game eight of the 1972 Russia-Canada Summit Series.

Canada trailed 3 games to 1 with a tie with three games left, all in Moscow.

Paul Henderson scored the winner in each of the final three as the Canadians rallied to win 3-2, 4-3 and 6-5.

The Russians stated that if game eight ended in a tie, they would declare themselves the winner based on total goals.

Canada trailed 5-3 after two periods in the 8th game but a super human comeback gave the Canadian team the 6-5 victory thanks to Henderson’s goal with 34 seconds remaining.

Whether one enjoys basketball or not, the Cavaliers-Warriors showdown allowed us, the sports fan, to reflect on memorable games.

In Prince George, those of us fortunate to witness the Spruce Kings 3-2 victory over the Camrose Kodiaks in the semi-finals of the 2007 Royal Bank Cup will treasure that moment.

The game concluded at 6:01 of the 5th overtime, a record that has still not be broken for the length of a junior hockey game in Canada.

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The contest before 3,849 fans at CN Centre began Saturday night, May 12th and ended early Sunday morning at 1:01, nearly six hours after the puck dropped.

Jason Yuel scored the winner to give the Spruce Kings arguably the biggest goal in team history.

(Later that same day, a weary P.G. team, went on to lose the RBC final 3-1 to the Aurora Tigers)

I am not suggesting an RBC semi-final can compare with a LeBron-Curry showdown but regardless of the level of competition, there are exceptional games that bring back fond memories.

Over the years, sport has lost purity and has become too political not to mention financial.

When we see a historic game, embrace it, enjoy it and savor it. They are few and far between.

From the Quote Rack:

Coach Rex Ryan says that the Buffalo Bills “won the off-season.” I can’t wait to see their “NFL off-season Championship Rings.”

Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com

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Ben Affleck went on a profanity-laced tirade regarding Deflategate—call it ‘Good Will Ranting’.

Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

Cleveland fans celebrated their NBA Championship with the city’s first victory parade in 52 years. The last time Cleveland won a major team sports award, the Great Lakes were merely ponds.

Comedy writer TC Chong of Vancouver http://alwaysfunny.com/

And in case you missed it:

In a cemetery in Debrecen, Hungary, 18 two-man teams competed in the national grave-digging contest. The winning pair said it was quite an undertaking.

Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com

Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the Goat. He also is the 94.3
radio color commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.

His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com. Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected]

Follow him on twitter: @Hartley_Miller

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