KSR Today: The NBA Finals (finally) Begin

The NBA Finals are here. Hard to believe, right? After all, it’s been an entire week since we saw a game in the National Basketball Association. The Celtics swept the Pacers and the Mavericks won in five. Despite the quick conference finals, Adam Silver did not feel the need to expedite the start of the NBA Finals, giving us a seven-day basketball drought that finally reaches an end tonight.

This edition of the NBA Finals should be a real treat. Boston has been the most dominant team in basketball all season, but they do not have the best player on the floor, Luka Doncic. It should make for an entertaining series, hopefully one that is close because right now, there’s no better closer in basketball than Doncic. Watching his wizardry in late-game settings is jaw-dropping.

For that reason, I’m betting on the underdog. The Mavericks are +188 to win the series, but Luka is +210 to win MVP. If the Mavs cut down the nets, we know who the MVP will be. I’m riding with Doncic in this series, but handicapping tonight’s game feels a bit trickier.

Boston is a 6.5-point favorite at home in game one with a total of 214.5. The action tips off at 8:30 pm EST on ABC.

Surprising Thursday Morning Woj Bomb

Remember when John Calipari said he didn’t want to hijack National Championship night by announcing his departure on the day of? Dan Hurley must not feel the same way about the NBA Finals.

Multiple reports tied JJ Redick to the Los Angeles Lakers coaching vacancy, but that may have been a red herring. With our eyes off the ball, the Lakers have moved in on UConn’s back-to-back National Champion head coach. Woj reports the Lakers and Hurley have made preliminary contact and are on the verge of formal conversations to give Hurley a massive long-term deal. Most importantly, it has LeBron’s approval, who would love to see Hurley develop his son, Bronny James.

When Kentucky made a play on Hurley this offseason, a move to the NBA in the near future was always an option. It may just be happening sooner than we thought. It’d be a real shame if UConn lost its head coach in June, a real shame.

More Kentucky Wildcats Move-In

It’s been a slow drip throughout the week. With each new day, a new Kentucky Wildcat has arrived on campus. On Wednesday Kerr Kriisa and Andrew Carr welcomed Otega Oweh to his new Kentucky home. The Oklahoma shooting guard marveled at his new locker that featured a 00 next to his name. A dream is now a reality and there’s more where that came from. KSR is expecting four new Wildcats to move in today. Mark Pope’s first team is starting to look like a team.

Welcome to your new Kentucky home, @OtegaOweh pic.twitter.com/LRnH6d7yXD

— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) June 5, 2024

New Commitment for Kentucky WBB

Before the Kentucky baseball team hosts Oregon State, Kenny Brooks is adding a player from Oregon State. Dominika Paurová announced on Wednesday she is transferring to Kentucky with three years of eligibility remaining. Before arriving in the states, she starred for the Czech Republic National Team. The best performance from her freshman season was actually during the NCAA Tournament when Paurová knocked down 3 of 4 three-pointers to score 17 points.

Two Days till Kentucky in the Super Regional

The extra day is really testing my patience. Why can’t we just let the Bat Cats play on Friday? In the meantime, these stories will make sure you’re ready once Kentucky throws the first pitch against Oregon State.

• Meet Ryan Hagenow: Kentucky’s Dugout Captain
• Oregon State Beavers Bio Blast
• WATCH: Mingione, Players Preview Super Regional
• Kentucky is the weirdest (and most fun) team in college baseball

This message from @Coach_Mingione had me ready to run down Nicholasville Road to the stadium pic.twitter.com/lK07xQ5paS

— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) June 6, 2024

The Ying-Yang Twins are Coming to the Kentucky State Fair

Wait till I show you this. Say I Yi Yi and prepare to shake it like a salt shaker when the Ying-Yang Twins come to the Kentucky State Fair. It’s not your typical State Fair performance, which should create a delightful people-watching experience at the Expo Center this August.

Is it really the Kentucky State Fair if the Oak Ridge Boys don’t perform? I don’t think so. This year they’ll be performing their 50th show at the event.

80 Years Since the World Changed

On this date in 1944, the world witnessed the largest seaborne invasion in history. Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy to begin the liberation of France, and the entire European continent, from Adolf Hitler’s despotic rule.

No matter how masterfully it is portrayed in cinema, no matter how many film reels and images you see from the scene, nothing can truly encapsulate the sacrifices thousands made for the greater good of the world. It’s unimaginable. I’m grateful for all of the brave souls who made the perilous journey across the English Channel to ensure their descendants, you and I, can enjoy a life with liberties, free of tyranny.

A candid aside: even though cinema can’t do it justice, over the last few months I’ve watched Band of Brothers and Masters of the Air. Incredible, and also terrifying. If you’re looking for something to view today to mark the 80th anniversary, those two series will transport you back in time.