Letters: Best NBA team has the worst finish

I’d like to congratulate the Chicago Bulls for continuing to be the best team ever. I’d like to congratulate the Golden State Warriors for being the best team ever to not win the NBA Championship.

Loren Coleman

West Hollywood

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13 points? Really? That’s all the “best team ever” could muster in the fourth quarter of a Game 7 in the Finals? Oklahoma City should have beat the Warriors, and Cleveland did..

Brian Haueter

Ventura

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With apologies to the league’s MVP and best-ever “Dubs,” it was a Cavalier who proved to be the ultimate warrior.

Steve Ross

Beverly Hills

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Random thoughts from the Warriors meltdown:

1. Sorry, Klay: The Warriors would have a tough time beating the 2016 Lakers, let alone the 1987 Lakers

2. Stephen Curry looked like Olive Oyl next to LeBron “Popeye” James

3. What a great irony: The three-point team of the ages lost on a three-pointer

4. The Warriors lost as many games in the playoffs as the entire regular season.

Mark Roth

Los Angeles

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To all those who simply cannot and/or will not validate LeBron James for his phenomenal talent and achievements, and, must continuously spout critical “yeah, but” remarks like:

He shrinks in the biggest moments.

He’s not a “killer” like Jordan or Kobe.

He defers too much and doesn’t want the ball at critical stages of a big game.

He gets the coaches and players that he wants and still can’t win.

Two words: Historic champion.

Period. End of discussion.

Rick Solomon

Lake Balboa

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Does Stephen Curry use a pacifier during the off season?

Jerry Selby

Pasadena

Blue getting hot

So Justin Turner goes from bashing teammates to bashing balls, all in a 24-hour span?

Wonder what tomorrow, or the second half might bring?

Geoff Hirsch

Hermosa Beach

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Can you name a worse trade than Yasmani Grandal for Matt Kemp?

As Kemp continues to hit homers and drive in runs, Grandal continues to play under the Mendoza Line and make stupid moves on the bases. As far as catching ability, he is no A.J. Ellis.

I thought of one. The St Louis Cardinals traded Steve Carlton for Rick Wise.

Rodney Robb

Los Angeles

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Dodgers President Andrew Friedman may be “living the dream” [June 24], but it’s not the same dream Dodgers fans have had since Peter O’Malley put a for sale sign out almost two decades ago.

Barry P. Resnick

Orange

Falling Angels

Hector Santiago’s quotes in the Tuesday sports section demonstrate that he has a major case of denial, with his insinuations that bad umpire calls have anything to do with his struggles.If I were GM Billy Eppler, I’d wait for the next occasional quality start from Hector and then bang the phones like a madman trying to trade him to a contender before the deadline. Could you imagine acquiring a serviceable bat to play left field, a decent reliever, or even a worthwhile prospect for Santiago?

Me neither, but it sure would be nice.

Bob Cunningham

Riverside

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Another week and another dismal performance by our mediocre team led by the most overrated skipper in Southern California sports. Whether it’s leaving in an exhausted starter (Shoemaker), not pulling an abysmal relief performance (Street), or benching a player twice after three-hit games (Cron), our resident genius has once again proven that whoever said the manager does not make a difference in the outcome of games has not met Mike Scioscia.

Mike Reuben

Anaheim Hills

Kicked when down

I actually went to a USA Soccer viewing party to watch Lucy pull the ball from Charlie Brown. I feel stupid for expecting anything different.

Vincent Martinez

Arcadia

On the line

The Times reports that Stevie Tu’ikolovatu will transfer from Utah to USC for his final season of eligibility and additionally that he “adds depth to a thin defensive line unit.” One suspects that at 6-1 and 320 pounds, Stevie will add significant width and breadth to the unit as well.

Grace A. Harris

Los Angeles

Open and shut

Last weekend I watched a major sporting event on TV. It had drama, suspense, thrills, heartache, participants who “crashed and burned” along with questionable penalties called by “officials” who went out of their way to call a penalty on the smallest of infractions.

The event winner was in doubt right up to the last few minutes until, finally, a winner was crowned. Yes sir, this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans was thrilling.

Oh, pardon me. You must have thought I was referring to the U.S. Open at Oakmont.

This year’s Open must have been produced by the Disney Company. The only things missing were the little Mickey Mouse hats with the big ears that should have been worn by USGA rules officials Jeff Hall and Thomas Pagel.

Frank Tierheimer

Cerritos

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It’s a shame that a major golf tournament is produced and directed by a minor network. Last year Fox blamed it on Greg Norman. I suggest before next year they take a good hard look at Joe Buck; as well as his merry band of so-called “experts” who continually talk over and interrupt each other.

The USGA and Fox deserve each other.

Richard Whorton

Studio City

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I understand the rules of golf are intended to protect the integrity of the game, but for goodness sake golfers have integrity in abundance. No professional golfer is going to move the ball intentionally, so what is the point? They should change the rule so that a penalty is only applied if the club actually touches the ball. That would be a stroke.

Keith Skipper

Santa Clarita

Sparks fly

Let’s see: if one of the pro teams in L.A. opened the season with an 11-0 winning streak, where would the Times report it in the Sports Section?

Dodgers: Front page

Galaxy: Front page

Kings: Front page

Lakers: Front page

Clippers: Front page

Angels: Front page

Ducks: Front page

Rams: Five articles, starting on the front page

What do women’s sports teams need to do to get the recognition, coverage, accolades and money that they deserve? Oh, that’s right, win a World Cup, and then take legal action to try and get equal pay.

How about this: If a woman becomes president of the United States, will The Times then cover the Sparks the same as it covers the other pro sports teams?

Roberta L. Murawski

Los Angeles

Royal pains

I will always be grateful to Dean Lombardi for constructing a team that provided my lifetime ultimate sports bucket list moment … twice. I guess that entitles him to a pass on a few mistakes. Nonetheless, it appears that the Kings are headed into a long slow decline because of too many critical judgment errors by the general manager. He fell in love with certain players, failing to jettison the Mike Richards contract cap hit when he had the chance and failing to recognize that Dustin Brown’s style of play would not allow him to remain productive over the term of an expensive long-term contract.

In the last two years he traded two prospects, two first-round picks and a top-tier goaltender for what predictably may turn out to be two rental players. In this unforgiving salary cap era, serious judgment errors are typically punished by years of mediocrity. (See Lakers, Steve Nash trade).

Please, please prove me wrong, Dean.

Steve Rosenberg

Westlake Village

Coincidence?

Am I the only one who finds it more than just a mere coincidence that the Olympic diving trials are being held at the very same time as the European Championship and Copa America soccer tournaments?

Dave Eng

Thousand Oaks

High basketball IQ

New Lakers Coach Luke Walton was quick to proclaim, “we’re going to compete.” Now, why didn’t Mike Brown, Bernie Bickerstaff, Mike D’Antoni or Byron Scott think of that?

Steve Ross

Beverly Hills

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