‘I need to win one’: Paul Maurice wants his Stanley Cup and his best chance is now

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After stepping down on his own accord from his position with the Winnipeg Jets in December 2021, Paul Maurice didn’t know if he’d coach again.

 

24 seasons behind an NHL bench and no Stanley Cups to his name, Maurice’s chance to win the greatest prize in hockey looked to be behind him.


That was until Bill Zito called.

 

“I had four phenomenal days of fishing — and this is the absolute truth. My phone rings and it’s a number I don’t know so I never answer that,” Maurice said. “ Then I get a text from somebody that says ‘answer your phone’.” 

 

Maurice obviously picked up his phone. 

 

“Bill and I get on the phone and it starts there. It starts with just a conversation and it’s not even really about the job, it’s just the interest level I had and I was good — then we start talking hockey and that was it.”

 

Content may not be the best word to describe it, but Maurice said a few times “he was good”, as he looked back at the half a year he was away from the game.

 

But something about Florida was right. 

 

“It’s the connection between two people and you feel it or you don’t — and I was good. I had given all that I thought I had to give, certainly been fortunate in the game and received far more than I gave,” Maurice told the media as he reminisced on his first conversation with Zito. “But there’s just these strange little things that meant Florida was right and it was where I was supposed to be next.”

 

Zito was able to convince Maurice to step away from his cottage on the lake and make his way over to South Florida. Now nearly two years later they are trying to finish off this historic journey together as the Panthers are set to take the ice in their second consecutive Stanley Cup Final.

 

Maurice, 57, has an extensive and impressive coaching record — one that will make him go down as one of the most recognizable coaching figures in the game’s history.

 

After starting his NHL career as a youngster back in 1995-96 with the Hartford Whalers, Maurice sits atop most of the all-time coaching records, including Fourth most wins with 869 and second most games coached at 1,848. 

 

The one thing that’s missing from his potential Hall of Fame career is the biggest achievement in the game — a Stanley Cup. 

 

The question of legacy was brought up and if Maurice believes you need to win if you want to go down as an all-time great. Unsurprisingly, the ever straightforward Panthers coach was clear in what he believed the answer was for himself.

 

“I need to win one.”

 

“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 laughed after answering. “When it’s over, because I thought it was… I understand what it feels like to feel like it’s over and you didn’t win. I know coaches that feel the opposite. Maybe it’s a function of I think I carry the losses and that goes back to starting very very young. I’m going to know when this thing’s all over — either how good I got or how good I was. I won’t need somebody else to tell me that or to value my career. I’m not saying I’m going to value it really high, I’m not telling you where I’ll value it. I have a pretty good idea of the job I’ve done when it’s over. Ya, I’d really like to win one man.”

 

The 26 season NHL veteran said that every coach is different when it comes to if they need a cup or not for legacy. Losing twice in the finals, once back in 2002 with Carolina and then last year with Florida, the good ole Canadian boy from the Sault is looking to hoist Lord Stanley’s prize over his head. 

 

”Every coach is different. It seems to me as you age you get a different perspective on life and what’s important, and valuable,” he added. “I need to win one. It’s not going to change the section of my life that’s not related to hockey at all.”

 

Just two years into his tenure, Maurice is already the most successful coach in Florida Panthers history. His 25 postseason wins is 12 more than the man in second place — and he’ll hope that number is at 29 once the summer rolls around. 

 

When the puck drops just after 8 p.m. ET on Saturday for Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, both Maurice and the franchise — who entered the league around the same time (Panthers two years prior to Maurice)  — will start the final step of the journey, in hopes of winning their first Stanley Cup.  

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Celtics mowed down the Mavericks in Game 1 of the Finals at TD Garden

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The Mavericks hung around for 10 minutes, courtesy of Luka Dončić’s early burst of action, but the hosts doubled up their output midway through the second frame and continued to ravage them in the last two quarters at TD Garden. The guests refused to cover the arc, and their main two, Kyrie Irving and Dončić, were outperformed by Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porziņģis.

Early, Dončić was defended by Brown before the switch. He dribbled to the nail, hitting a 12-foot shot, breaking a double team to finish an acrobatic layup between four Celtics and connected on a step-back triple over his old teammate, Porziņģis.

Irving helped out, canning two mid-range jumpers on the right side, yet the rest of the Mavericks downed four of 12 baskets in the interval.

For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum was operating as an unsteady setup man, picking up three dimes and three turnovers on drives plus poor passes. The Celtics made seven of 15 trays in the period, but the tide shifted when Porziņģis checked in for Al Horford. The visitors were then overwhelmed by Gang Green as KP blocked two shots and tore up mismatches with his mid-range jumper. He also posted up Dereck Lively II and turned the corner on him to get inside for a dunk, and swished a trailing trifecta on the left side.

The Celtics closed the first quarter on a 24-7 run and led 37-20 at the end of it.

Subsequently, Brown targeted Dončić twice, dribbling left to the rim for a basket and blowing by a double team, resulting in a vicious dunk. His other two scores in the sequence were a corner banger and dunk after stripping Dončić at midcourt. Brown didn’t miss in the second quarter.

Porziņģis added three of four buckets, bringing his output to 18 points on 78% accuracy in the first half.

On the Mavericks side, making three of nine attempts to start the quarter had them behind 29 points with four minutes left until intermission. But Dončić and P.J. Washington sliced the deficit to 21 to end the half.

At the break, the Celtics were up 63-42 and ahead on the glass by eight. Additionally, the group had 22 paint points, eight in the open court, two via second chances, nine off turnovers and 24 from the bench.

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

Next, the Mavericks came out of the break making nine of 17 shots through seven-and-a-half minutes. Irving tallied six points, including an impressive blow by Horford on the baseline. And Dončić dribbled to the cup twice past Tatum and Horford and swished two step-back triples to cut Boston’s lead to eight points. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla followed up with a timeout.

Defensively, the Celtics locked up the visitors for the rest of the quarter, allowing two points from the line and forcing eight consecutive misses. In that span, Brown had three blocks, denying Derrick Jones Jr.’s lob, then his follow-up dunk and swatting away Irving’s layup as the low help protector. And on offense, Porziņģis, Tatum, Brown and Horford scored 14 points.

The fourth quarter began with the Celtics on top 86-68.

The hosts went on a 14-7 run through nearly seven minutes. It compelled coach Jason Kidd to surrender, subbing out Dončić and Irving for Jaden Hardy and Dante Exum.

The Celtics won 107-89 and outrebounded the Mavs by four. Furthermore, the Celtics racked up 28 paint points, 10 on the break, 10 via second chances, 18 off turnovers and 32 from the bench.

Brown had 22 points on seven of 12 looks, with six rebounds, two assists, three steals, three blocks and two turnovers. Porziņģis tallied 20 marks on 62% shooting, with six boards and three denials. The other double-digit scorers were Tatum (16), White (15), Jrue Holiday (12) and Horford (10).

The Mavericks had 46 interior points, six in the open court, 16 on extra tries, 13 off turnovers and 20 from the reserves.

Dončić put up 30 points on 12 of 26 tries, with 10 rebounds, one assist, two steals and four turnovers. Washington logged 14 points on 45% accuracy, with eight boards and one dime. The other double-digit scorers were Hardy (13) and Irving (12).

Tatum handled the on-court interview. He said the team’s job was to suppress the players around Dončić. The other Mavericks made 39.6% of shots.

At the postgame presser, Porziņģis was asked about coming off the bench for the second time in his career. He said, “From day one, I came here (Boston) and said I’ll do whatever it takes to help this team win… I stepped into that role and embraced it and had a good game.”

Mazzulla was asked about the Mavericks cutting the Celtics’ lead to eight points in the third quarter. He said he was pleased with how his group handled the burst. “That’s going to happen. You’re not going to stop that. We just have to have the poise and toughness to work through it. I thought our guys did that.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Indiana Fever early season observations

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The Indiana Fever are a rebuilding outfit with nice pieces, but they have been a major disappointment for a quarter of the season. The effort on defense is not adequate. Caitlin Clark’s teammates have not reached the same court wavelength as her. Players miss open looks. The bench is inefficient, logging 16.1 points on 39.6% shooting per game. And Aliyah Boston, last campaign’s top rookie, hasn’t been herself.

But they have the tools to change the narrative.

Let’s review the story through approximately 28% of the season…

The defense isn’t sharp:

The Fever are last in the WNBA in defensive rating (111.8), eleventh in opponent paint marks (38.2) and concede the third-most second-chance points (14.5).

One of the weakest areas of protection is the 3-point line because defenders overreact to a pass or drive and don’t guard snipers closely enough.

Kristy Wallace and Aliyah Boston have been terrible:

Wallace has wasted open looks. But more concerning is Boston being a shell of the powerhouse she was last season.

Boston is recording 4.5 attempts in the restricted area yet converting 49% of tries. In 2023, she shot 5.9 times at zero to three feet, making 65.8% nightly.

Boston hasn’t looked as fluid around the paint, is fouling slightly more than last season and she is recovering two fewer rebounds. As a result, she’s had her minutes slightly gashed (3.5).

When Boston rediscovers her game, the Fever will have an easier time scoring in the half court.

 

Kelsey Mitchell’s impact is greater than her field goal percentage:

Mitchell is logging decent numbers on an inefficient field goal percentage- 15.1 points on 37.8% shooting, with 1.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists – but this production doesn’t do her justice. She is the second-best option the Fever has off the dribble and no.2 in dependability this season.

Additionally, Mitchell is second in the WNBA in fast break points (31), catching passes from Kristy Wallace, Erica Wheeler, Temi Fagbenle, Katie Lou Samuelson, Boston, and Clark in the open court. Some of the Fever’s best offense is outletting to Mitchell.

In the half court, she works well getting open off-ball on cuts and has an explosive first step with the rock.

Considering how Clark is relentlessly blitzed up top, the Fever should consider running more pick-and-roll sets with Mitchell as her screener. Despite Mitchell shooting 31.8% from long range, she’ll have quality looks because of Clark’s gravity for a jumper, or she can use the space to get to the rim.

Mitchell is also ninth in marks off turnovers (33).

NaLyssa Smith’s strong play:

Smith had some tough outings to start the year but elevated her game. She is the Fever’s top rebounder (7.1) plus the leader in efficiency, and she is a developing shooter, making 57.1% of above-the-break triples on 1.3 attempts per game.

Smith had her best showing of the season in the Fever’s win over the Sky in the first Commissioner’s Cup game, putting up 17 points on seven of 12 looks, with nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block. The next night, she and Mitchell, again, were the Fever’s strongest performers despite getting blown out by the Liberty.

Clark is LEGIT

Clark’s been plagued by inefficiency- averaging 15.6 points on 35.7% accuracy, including 29.7% from deep, with 5.1 rebounds and 6.4 dimes- but she catches a high volume of defensive schemes. To boot, she is eighth in usage percentage, counting players who have registered at least six matches.

Being a deep threat is a large part of her game, as 63.6% of her shots are from behind the arc. But some of the trifectas she hoists are tough off the dribble. For example, unsuccessfully shooting over DiJonai Carrington and Moriah Jefferson from the logo against the Connecticut Sun, bricking a pull-up three with Carrington all over her, and misfiring a step back, facing the New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu, who stuck close to her.

Yet, of her 27 made threes, 18 have been off the dribble, and nine were catch-and-shoot. Clark likes to stop on a dime and fire, but her team needs to look for more ways to get her open off-ball through staggers, flares and misdirection.

Her other correctable problem so far has been that she is a turnover machine. She makes bold passes in the open court, but some are picked off, and blitzes have given her trouble.

Her top strength is her vision. Even when she shoots poorly, CC impacts the game as a playmaker or decoy.

 

‘There’s 27 of you, everybody’s important’: Panthers bonds play big factor in reaching Stanley Cup Final

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Before walking out of the room following their second consecutive Eastern Conference Final win, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice left a message for his team. 

 

“You’re all f*ing brilliant, I love every one of ya.”. 

 

The Panthers are set to open the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at home on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers and they’ll have 13 returnees from the 2023 team that fell short in the Final to Vegas. 

 

After retooling in the offseason to make a deeper and stronger team, the Panthers have shown they have a special group of players in Sunrise. But it’s not just the on-ice product. 

 

This year’s Panther team is as close of a group as you’ll see in professional sports. They ride and die together and it has been that way all season.  

 

“It starts at day one of training camp when Mo (Maurice) sets the standard of how hard things are gonna be,” Steven Lorentz said on when the team started to get close. “It’s not always going to be the most fun, but when you see a group of guys buy in, it doesn’t matter what your background is or where you’re coming from, where you played before. As long as you got that number of guys — whether it’s 20-25 guys — pulling on the same rope, eventually you’ll come together, and you form bonds and friendships that last a lifetime.”

 

Before Game 5 of the ECF in New York, the Panthers group were their usual selves at morning skate. 

 

The team was loose; they laughed, cheered and joked around while taking their line rushes. 

 

They weren’t in an easy situation — tied in the series, on the road at Madison Square Garden. Yet the calmness of the team was backed up by a message that the team has made clear all season.

 

“We really like each other,” Gustav Forsling said after the Game 5 morning skate. “[We] like to hang out with each other, we care about each other. So I think that goes on the ice too.”


Forsling was right. The bond they have clearly shines on the ice and it has elevated as the playoffs continue. 

 

Playing on the road isn’t easy, especially in the postseason. But Florida truly hasn’t seen a drop off in their play when they leave Sunrise, if anything, they’ve been even better away from home.. 

 

Winning six out of eight road games over this playoff run — compared to a 6-3-0 record at home, the Panthers haven’t strayed away from their game when they leave the sunshine state and a lot of that can be relayed back to the team’s closeness. 

 

Between the chartered flights, team meals and most importantly, the poker games, the guys love being on the road together. 

 

“One of my favorite things to do is just play poker in the team suite and on the plane. I think about those times being the things that I’ll remember most about my time in the NHL,” said Aaron Ekblad, the second longest tenured Panther. “Especially on runs like this and last year where you’re together so much. Those moments are definitely one’s I’ll never forget.”

 

What jumped out to me the most and what I believe truly ties this group together is when Niko Mikkola awarded Jonah Gadjovich the game puck following their Game 5 win over the Rangers. 

 

Gadjovich, who was a fairly consistent face in the lineup when healthy during the regular season, hasn’t appeared in a playoff game to this point. He was away from the team for pretty much the entirety of the Conference Final as his partner was giving birth to twins. On the night that he returned, he was presented the game puck from his teammate,

 

In Paul Maurice’s nearly minute long post ECF win speech, he told the team there’s two things that he takes away from that part of the journey (the ECF) they are on.

One takeaway was their great third period to clinch their second consecutive Stanley Cup Final berth, the other was when Jonah Gadjovich was given that puck. 

 

“There’s 27 of you, everybody’s important,” Maurice said to his team after the ECF. “Everybody’s a lead dog, we’re all part of the pact.”

 

From captain  to the 27th skater that hasn’t touched the ice — everyone in that room is treated the same. 

 

The Panthers have created something special in Sunrise and this team won’t go down without a fight. 

 

And if that fight becomes a war when the Stanley Cup Final rolls around later this week, you better believe they are fighting that war together. 

Three Stars from the 2024 Eastern Conference Final

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As the Florida Panthers celebrate their Eastern Conference championship and the more important Stanley Cup Final berth, let’s take a step back and appreciate the great series saw.

 

In the six games of the ECF, three straight went to overtime, five were one-goal games and the road team won three times.

 

The series was tight, fast, physical and most importantly — highly entertaining. 

 

Here’s my three stars — from each team — in the 2024 Eastern Conference Final. 

New York Rangers 

 

3. Vincent Trocheck 

 

The former Florida Panthers was a scary force to go up against this postseason. 

 

Trocheck finished the series with six points in six games, playing over 20-plus minutes a night. 

 

He was noticeable all over the ice, not just in the offensive zone. The centerman was 56.9% in the faceoff circle (70/123) and was great off the puck.

 

Trocheck finished the postseason with 20 points (8G, 12A) in 16 games. 

 

2. Alexis Lafreniere 

 

The first-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft had a disappointing run in the 2022-23 postseason, going pointless in seven games. He completely changed the narrative this year. 

 

Lafreniere was a thorn in the Panthers’ side, scoring four goals of the series — with a two-goal night in Game 3. 

 

The 22-year-old was flying every time he came through the neutral zone and he scored a few unbelievable, highlight-reel goals because of it.

 

 Lafreniere is barely old enough to drink, but he sure can show up in the playoffs. 

 

1. Igor Shesterkin

Shocker, I know. Igor Shesterkin wasn’t just the best Ranger on the ice, he was probably the best player in the series.

 

The majority of the games were close in the ECF, but don’t get it twisted, Florida heavily outplayed New York. The Panthers outshot the Rangers in all but one game, and dictated the flow of play in the later stages of nearly every game.

 

The only reason the series went six games is because of Shesterkin’s play. The Russian goaltender did everything he could to will his team throughout the series, but the offensive support just wasn’t enough. 

 

Shesterkin had a .930 save percentage in the six games against the Panthers — stopping 186 of the 200 shots he faced.

 

Panthers head coach had a lot of praise for the Rangers goalie, saying he hasn’t “seen a series by a goaltender like that since Jose Theodore in 2002.” 

 

Goaltending isn’t the reason New York lost, it’s the reason why they weren’t going home earlier. 

 

Florida Panthers 

 

3. Anton Lundell 

 

There’s a few players from the Panthers that are well deserving to have this  spot.Aleksander Barkov had a few big games in the series, Gustav Forsling should be in contention for the Conn Smythe the way he’s been playing and obviously Carter Verhaeghe was very good. 

 

But, the third star must go to the youngest player on the Panthers’ playing roster — Anton Lundell. 

 

The 22-year-old had three points in the series,which doesn’t jump out compared to some of his teammates, however his offensive contributions were beyond clutch — possibly series saving. 

 

He scored the ‘de facto’ game winner in Game 5 at MSG — putting the Panthers up 2-1 in the third, which set up the opportunity for Sam Bennett’s empty net game winning goal./ 


In Game 6, he set up Vladimir Tarasenko’s eventual series clinching goal by blocking a shot at the point, chipping the puck into the Rangers before feeding a cross crease pass through three defenders to hit Tarasenko. 

 

Within the South Florida media circle, we’ve been calling the young Finn ‘Baby Barkov’, and it’s true.  

 

“I have absolutely no idea how good he can be,” Paul Maurice said of Lundell after Game 5 in New York. “But we’re going to find out, it’s just going to take a little while.”

 

He plays a 200-foot game that guys with a decade of NHL experience could only dream of and he’s only in his third season. 

 

2. Sam Bennett 

NO. 9 has been a wrecking ball all postseason long for the Cats and the Eastern Conference Final was his best showing yet. 

 

The Panthers missed Sam Bennett when he was out with an apparent hand injury after absorbing friendly fire from Brandon Montour in Game 2 of the first round against Tampa. Once he made his return in the second round against Boston, playoff Sam Bennett was on full display. 

 

“I started to feel a little bit more like myself as the series went on,” Bennett said of his play after returning from the injury. “It was nice to be able to stickhandle a little better than I was earlier. It feels good to be back to feeling right.”

 

Bennett, 27, had four goals and six points in the Eastern Conference Final — which is the most points he’s put up in a single playoff series in his career. Bennett scored in every single one of Florida’s wins, including a huge goal to tie Game 4 — with the Panthers trailing 2-1 in the series. He is currently riding a three game goal streak into the Stanley Cup Final.

 

 

1. Sergei Bobrovsky 

 

It was only right to put Bobrovsky first on this list. 

 

We spoke about how good Igor Shesterkin was in the Rangers net, but Sergei Bobrovsky also put forth an elite performance between the pipes for the Panthers.

 

Florida prides itself on being a defense first team, which is why they were able to keep Bobrovsky’s workload to under 30 shots for all but one game of the series. 

 

While he didn’t see as many pucks as Shesterkin, his play in the ECF shouldn’t be diminished because of that. 

 

The 35-year-old gave up two or fewer goals in all but one of the six games against the Rangers. In 17 games this postseason, he’s done that 13 times.

 

It’s remarkable. He’s been an absolute stud all year and especially in the biggest games,” Sam Bennett said of Bobrovsky. “That seems to be when he’s playing his best hockey, which is incredible.”

 

Florida’s netminder gave up just 12 goals on 151 shots in the series — posting a very impressive .921 save percentage and also picking up a shutout. 

 

Great goaltending can keep you in a series you probably shouldn’t be in, which was the case for the Rangers. While the Panthers were the force carrying most of the play in the Conference Finals, Bobrovsky was there to make the timely saves in these close games. 

 

He also gave up just one power play goal on 15 attempts to a Rangers team that entered the series with a 31.4% success rate on the power play.

Aleksander Barkov carries the Prince of Wales Trophy after the Florida Panthers earned a trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Redemption is near, Panthers look to keep Prince of Wales Trophy in Sunrise

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Teams that lose in the Stanley Cup Final usually don’t get another chance for a long time, if ever.

 

But for the Florida Panthers, their second chance could come now.

 

Last year, Florida watched in heartbreak as the Vegas Golden Knights hoisted the Stanley Cup in front of them.

 

After a year of fighting like hell, the Panthers are back to where they were last season — playing for a spot in the final.

 

After defeating the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the ECF on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, the Panthers have put themselves in a position to win the Eastern Conference at home and get back to the Stanley Cup Final for a second straight year. 

 

‘REDemption’ is the playoff slogan for the current Panthers team and they can give themselves a chance to do that on Saturday night in Sunrise. 

 

“There’s no reason to be nervous,” Panthers forward Sam Bennett said. “We’ve been in a lot of situations like this, so it’s just business as usual, play our game and you on’t really think about all the outside, all the other stuff that’s going on… We got to win a hockey game, so that’s our focus.”

 

The opportunity for redemption is rare in today’s NHL. If the Panthers were to finish the job and win the Prince of Wales Trophy, they’d become the first team since the 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins to make the Stanley Cup Final after losing the previous season.

 

Pittsburgh ended up winning the Cup that year. 

 

Before speaking of the final, let’s circle back to May 24, 2023 — Game 4 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Final.

 

The Panthers held a 3-0 lead over the Carolina Hurricanes and had a chance to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1996, on home ice in Sunrise.

 

With the game tied in the dying seconds of regulation, Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk scored one of the most iconic goals in franchise history — beating Frederik Andersen with just 4.3 seconds remaining in the game to send his team to the Cup final.

 

While the Panthers Cinderella run would come to an end in just five games against the Knights, it helped shape the current team — which is far stronger on paper than the previous —  for what they need to do to finish the job.

 

“The summer was very very fast. I don’t know if sadness is the right word but we know how hard it is to get there and the missed opportunity,” said Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, who went 21 years between Cup Final appearances. “It was also somewhat peaceful because I don’t think there was anything left of our team.”

 

Maurice said the sadness of the loss was gone once he began prepping videos for training camp. The Panthers only used their playoff tape for the camp videos. That’s when Maurice said he “got in a good mood.”

 

“You start to remember the plays, the effort — all that. But the people,” Maurice said with a smile. “How to drive the net? Well that’s the Radko Gudas clip… I appreciated the year. All of my sense of loss was gone probably about the middle of to late August last year when I started going through the video of the season.”

 

The Panthers run last year was special. They learned how to win against the best, but more importantly, they learned how to take a loss and move on.  

 

Heading into Saturday’s potential series clincher, the Panthers say they won’t stray away from their game. And unlike the position they were in last year against Carolina, the series is 3-2, not 3-0.

 

“You got to treat it like a regular game. Especially with how tight the series is,” Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour said. “This is a team (the Rangers) that’s on the brink of their season being finished so we expect their best. It’s going to be a nice, loud building for us and you’re going to get our best as well so it’s going to be a good game.

 

Their chance for retribution is just around the corner, all they have to do is take it — and they can on Saturday night in Sunrise.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Don Luka and the Wild Horses turned the Wolves into pelts

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The Dallas Mavericks won the Western Conference gauntlet, earning a trip to the NBA Finals with their Game 5 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in hostile territory.

The celebration at center court was rained over by boos plus cheers, and Dončic was named Western Conference Finals MVP. He said the award represented the team’s work.

Kyrie Irving said, “Boston’s in the way, in between our goal.”

Yet early, Rudy Gobert forced two successful switches, scoring at close range for the Wolves. Karl-Anthony Towns scored two putbacks. And Anthony Edwards logged a putback dunk and finished on the break.

But Luka Dončic was as unforgiving as the Terminator, outscoring the Timberwolves by himself. He connected on four 3-pointers, made an eight-foot floater, shot twice over drop coverage and powered through Jaden McDaniels to the nail for a jumper.

He also picked up two dimes in the first quarter- a lob to Lively on a pick-and-roll set and a skip pass around a blitz to Irving, who broke into the lane for a layup.

Through 12 minutes, Don Luka had 20 points on eight of 11 shots, with two rebounds and two assists. And the guests led the hosts 35-19.

Defensively, the Mavericks were slow to contest shots behind the arc. Still, the Timberwolves bricked makeable looks, downing just one in the second quarter- a pull-up by Edwards on the wing after dropping Dante Exum with his dribble, cutting his team’s deficit to 20 points.

On the other side, Dončic maneuvered to the baseline, swishing a bucket over Gobert and made a catch-and-shoot trifecta on the right wing.

Yet, Irving was the star of the period, working around traps and supplying five baskets with no misses, attacking at short and long range. He totaled 15 points in the frame.

The Mavericks were ahead at halftime 69-40. Additionally, the group had 24 paint points, six on the break, two via second chances, eight off turnovers and 10 from the bench.

The Timberwolves accumulated 22 interior points, two in the open court, eight on extra tries, four off turnovers and two from the reserves.

Then the Mavs emerged from intermission, running a pick-and-roll set with Dončic and P.J. Washington, resulting in a lob for the latter.

Dončić carried on, registering three of four baskets in the interval. The Wolves failed to realize how he devoured blitzes up top, sending two at him, and he quickly passed to Dereck Lively II in the middle, who made the read to the left wing to Irving and Jaden Hardy.

Next, Irving danced on the right side, canning a long two and step-back three over Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Washington contributed five points for Dallas in the quarter, too.

Defensively, the Mavs couldn’t stop Towns on the go, fouling him multiple times, and he made four of 10 baskets in the third. And Edwards’ deep shot was on target, burying three triples.

Yet, the fourth period began with the Mavericks ahead 97-73.

The Timberwolves resembled a wounded fighter, backpedaling in the ring with their jaw dangling as blood drips to the canvas.

But there was no time to relent. The Mavericks closed the game, producing 11 of 20 fourth-quarter baskets, led by Irving’s seven points.

The Timberwolves outscored the Mavericks in the last 12 minutes by three points, but it was inconsequential.

The Mavericks won 124-103. Furthermore, the squad had 48 paint points, eight on the break, 11 via second chances, 14 off turnovers and 24 from the bench.

Dončić (36), Irving (36), Washington (12) and Daniel Gafford (11) were the Mavericks’ double-digit scorers.

The Wolves had 46 interior points, 10 in the open court, 14 on extra tries, eight off turnovers and 23 from the reserves.

Edwards (28) and Towns (28) were the Wolves’ double-digit scorers.

At the postgame presser, Mavs coach Jason Kidd was asked about his team’s preparation for the Boston Celtics in the championship round. He said, the Mavericks will encounter a five spread out offense. “Boston shoots the three at a high rate… they’ve been there before, they’re well coached and this is another great test.”

The Mavericks’ previous two Finals trips were in 2006, losing in six to the Miami Heat, and 2011, beating the Heat in six. For the latter, Kidd was second in minutes (35.4) and first in assists (7.4) at age 37.

 

 

 

‘We are excited about the challenge’: Panthers confident ahead of Game 4 vs. Rangers

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FORT LAUDERDALE — The message in the Panthers room ahead of Game 4 is consistent with what they’ve done all postseason  — play their game.

 

Sunday afternoon’s loss was no doubt a gut-wrenching one for the Panthers, as they fell 2-1 in the series after losing consecutive games in overtime. 

 

After overcoming a two-goal deficit in the third period to force overtime in Game 3, the Panthers looked the more dominant force. 

 

Despite holding an overwhelming 108-43 shot attempts advantage over the Rangers on Sunday, the final bounce fell in favor of the road team and now the Panthers trail in a series for the first time since Game 1 of the second round. 

 

The Game 3 defeat was not a usual one for the Panthers. The chances created discrepancy was huge, but it was a rare night where more than two goals found the back of Sergei Bobrovsky’s net. 

 

“I don’t think that’s the story in the game. Seven of our last eight we’ve given up two [goals] or less. That’s who we are, that’s what we do,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said on Tuesday. “We put up a lot of shot attempts, good for us, that was an addition. Gave up five goals, so we don’t like that, but we gave up 44 shot attempts, so we didn’t abandon the game defensively.”

 

A Game 4 loss won’t be the end of Florida’s season, but it will put them in a less than ideal situation, facing elimination on Thursday night in New York. 

 

Knowing what’s at stake on Tuesday, the Panthers were their normal, loose selves at morning skate.

 

“I think we all know the situation we are in and I think we are excited about it,” said Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov. “We are excited about the challenge. We know our game plan, we know what we need to do, we just need to go out and execute.”

 

At various points throughout the season, Maurice has pointed out how he doesn’t have to say much to his guys throughout the game to get them going. 

 

His team is keeping the status quo and it appears they once again won’t not need much encouragement for the task at hand.

 

“We had the normal meetings (today) and we got a plan for this game, that’s about it,” Niko Mikkola said.

 

While nothing has been confirmed, the Panthers may once again change up their fourth line for Game 4. At Tuesday’s morning skate, Kyle Okposo and Steven Lorentz replaced Ryan Lomberg and Nick Cousins during line rushes. 


Maurice said “it may be one, it might be both,” when speaking about the possibility of Okposo and Lorentz coming into the lineup. 

 

“Some of its health, some of it is we think they look different. There’s a different kind of offensive zone thing that both guys do,” Maurice said about Lorentz and Okposo. “It is not a tipping point and it’s not the thing to put your team over the edge, the energy, that excitement. Sometimes you put the new players in and they get pretty fired up and give you a good boost.”

 

Based off line rushes in warmups, this is how the Panthers could line up tonight. 

 

Verhaeghe-Barkov-Reinhart

Rodrigues-Bennett-Tkachuk

Luostarinen-Lundell-Tarasenko

Lorentz-Stenlund-Okposo

 

Forsling-Ekblad

Mikkola-Montour

Ekman-Larsson-Kulikov

 

Bobrovsky 

Stolarz

 

Puck drop is 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 28, from Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

Mateo’s Hoop Diary: East Finals MVP Jaylen Brown led the Boston Celtics over the Indiana Pacers, punching a ticket to the NBA Finals

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The Pacers tried to prolong the inevitable, but the Celtics locked up the hosts in the last three-and-a-half minutes to sweep the series and advance to the NBA Finals. Gainbridge Fieldhouse was rocking like a madhouse, but most home supporters dispersed, and the cheers of rival fans echoed through the building as Gang Green celebrated at center court.

Team governor Wyc Grousbeck dedicated the win to former Trail Blazer and Celtic Bill Walton, who died of cancer on Memorial Day Monday.

Coach Joe Mazzulla said, “As a coach, the greatest gift you can have is a group of guys that trust you…”

Next, Jaylen Brown was handed the Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy by former Celtic great Cedric Maxwell. He briefly savored the moment and made clear the objective is to “get some more.”

Yet early, Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard downed two mid-range jumpers off the dribble. Pascal Siakam swished two fadeaways in the paint. And TJ McConnell blasted through interior protections.

Nembhard continued to produce, setting up Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith, Myles Turner and McConnell, but the the second half wasn’t as prosperous for his top running mates. Siakam misfired a right-wing tray behind Turner’s pin down and bricked two in the corners, and McConnell converted 33% of attempts.

But Jayson Tatum and Brown were unstoppable, attacking the basket. Jrue Holiday shot efficiently and hauled in nine boards. And Derrick White ripped the ball from Turner plus asphyxiated the passing lanes with five steals and sunk the dagger into the Pacers’ chest with a corner three with 45 seconds left.

Brown accidentally clipped McConnell in mid-air in the face while going for a loose ball, sending Indiana’s guard violently to the floor on his backside. As the Pacers were up six points with seven minutes left, it was ruled a common foul when it should’ve been flagrant.

Yet Brown still had his finest moments in the fourth quarter. He canned two 3-pointers, pivoted past Toppin in the lane for an eight-foot floater, grazed Siakam’s kick out, causing a turnover and switched onto Nembhard’s drive and denied his shot at the cup as the game was tied at 102 with a minute left.

The Celtics won 105-102. On top of that, the group had 48 paint points, 14 on the break, 11 via second chances, nine off turnovers and 10 from the bench.

Brown averaged 29.8 points on 51.7% shooting, including 37% from long range, with five rebounds and three assists per game in the series. He received five of the nine votes for East Finals MVP. Tatum had the remaining four.

The Celtics will make their 23rd Finals appearance and they outscored the Pacers by 27 points through four games.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bobrovsky, Tkachuk perfect for Panthers in Game 1

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Under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, the world’s most famous arena, the Florida Panthers walked into the Rangers house and gave them their best display of Panthers hockey.

 

The Rangers have been phenomenal at MSG all season, posting a 30-11-0 record in the regular season and a 4-1-0 home playoff record in the first two rounds.

 

Entering the series, Florida was well aware of what they needed to put forth against the Presidents’ Trophy winners. 

 

On Wednesday night, they did just that — it was a near perfect road game. 

 

The Panthers became the first team to shut out the Rangers this postseason, defeating the boys in blue 3-0.

 

From the very first drop of the puck, the Panthers took their brand of hockey and shoved it in the Rangers face. 

 

Florida is a team that thrives off hard work down low. They pushed the Rangers with an extremely aggressive forecheck — a specialty for Paul Maurice’s teams. Constant cycling, puck movement up and down the zone, Florida came out for the 8:18 puck drop like a bull that was waiting to leave the pen.

 

If there was one player that played like a bull in the series opener, it was Matthew Tkachuk. 

 

Heading into the series, the Panthers star forward was ready to show up in the Big Apple.

 

“We’re the only game on the nights we are playing. There’s nobody else on so all eyes will be on us,” Tkachuk said ahead of Game 1. “That just adds on to the whole New York City, MSG, playing the number one team in the league. It all adds up right now, this is a very exciting time of year to begin with no matter who you’re playing. And to be playing the New York Rangers, it just adds so much to it. This is a huge stage for us, for our team.”

 

Tkachuk said the stage was huge for the team and he owned it.

 

On his first shift of the game, he leveled former Panther Vincent Trocheck behind the net — setting the tone for what was to ensue. Later in the first period, Tkachuk would catch Trocheck again, this time steamrolling the Rangers forward at open ice in what was easily the biggest hit of the game. 

 

While his physicality was prevalent from the jump, the 26-year-old displayed his offensive prowess to the New York faithful, sniping the first goal of the series past Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin with 3:34 left in the first. 

 

“I don’t put any pressure on myself to score, produce offense. I guess that’s part of my game but at the end of the day it’s not about myself here,” Tkachuk answered when asked if he puts pressure on himself going into the ECF.  “There’s a way bigger goal ahead. Guys on our team that didn’t score tonight were some of our best players… There’s so much buy-in from everybody that nobody cares who’s producing.”

 

“At the end of the day we’re here for wins, that’s it.”

 

Finishing the night with three hits, two points, a +3 and the game winning goal, Tkachuk was the best player on the ice that wasn’t named Sergei Bobrovsky. In his five career Eastern Conference Final games, Tkachuk has scored or assisted on all of the game-winning goals. He has five goals and 16 points in 12 games this postseason. 

 

“I thought tonight (Matthew) righted our team back to the simple parts of our game,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said of Tkachuk’s impact. “You always want to do more. These are the best players in the world and they’re capable of doing more, but sometimes the less is just way better and it’s also quite a bit smarter, and I thought he led in that department.”

 

Earlier I said Tkachuk was the best player not named Bobrovsky and rightfully so. Florida’s No.1 netminder was a brick wall in Game 1.

 

Conceding just one goal on 23 shots in Florida’s Game 6 series clincher against the Boston Bruins, Bobrovsky commanded the crease once again in the Eastern Conference Final.

 

After Tkachuk gave Florida a one goal lead late in the first, the majority of the game remained 1-0 until Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere tipped in Carter Verhaeghe’s pass into his own goal with 3:48 left in regulation.   

 

On Wednesday in New York City, 35-year-old Bobrovsky looked alot like he did in last year’s Eastern Conference Final against Carolina — where he gave up just six goals and had a .966 save % in Florida’s series sweep over the Hurricanes. 

 

Bobrovsky stopped all 23 shots he faced — four coming on New York’s dangerous powerplay — in what was his second shutout in 82 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. His first playoff shutout came exactly a year ago to the date, on May 22, 2023 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against Carolina. 

 

“He’s been unbelievable all playoffs. I can’t say enough about him,” Verhaeghe said of Bobrovsky. “He works so hard and to have him back there we have so much confidence… Obviously when we need him he always comes up big.”

 

One of the biggest story lines entering the series was the goaltending matchup between Bobrovsky and Shesterkin. Undoubtedly two of the league’s premier goalies, the fellow countrymen were neck and neck in the first two rounds, posting very similar numbers.

 

Florida got two past Shesterkin (they actually got three but one was rightfully overturned due to goaltender interference), before Sam Bennett sealed the game with an empty net goal. 

 

The Panthers have been great this playoff run in keeping pucks away from Bobrovsky’s net, allowing just 24.1 shots per game. In the second period, Florida kept New York shotless for a stretch of 14:23. 

 

Bobrovsky’s workload wasn’t intense, but the Rangers had times where they controlled the flow of the game in Florida’s zone. Unfortunately for them, they ran into a goalie on top of his game. 

 

“I think you have to be a veteran goalie to do what he did tonight. Sit for a while, make huge saves,” Maurice said of Bobrovsky after Game 1. “You’re playing the President’s Trophy winner, the best team in the National Hockey League. They’re getting to get theirs (chances) and he was that good.”

 

Wednesday was a classic Florida Panthers playoff game. Fast paced, low scoring, great goaltending and some heroics from the big boys. 

 

The Panthers are now 5-1-0 on the road this post season and will be happy to have already stolen one in New York. The road warriors will probably need to do it again this round if they want to get back to the Stanley Cup Final.