Weekly Takes - Monday, June 20 Edition

Weekly Takes - Monday, June 20 Edition

1. In a copycat league, it is safe to say that Kyle Dubas will be rooting for the Avs to win the Cup rather than the Lightning, as it is a hell of a lot easier to stomach Darcy Kuemper winning the Cup than Andrei Vasilevskiy.

The Avs winning the Cup would show that it is possible to win a Cup with average goaltending. The Lightning three-peating with the best goalie in the world leading the way for them would be a helpless feeling for Dubas, who may feel stuck in no man’s land.

And no man’s land is the position that most feel as though Dubas is already in, which explains all the John Gibson hoopla, which makes… absolutely no sense given his age, contract, and declining performance.

Maybe his declining performance should be tied to the team he plays on. But you better damn know that is the case before taking on that contract.

2. By all accounts, the Avs will be the ones winning the Cup, in large part because they have simply been way faster than anyone who has come in their way.

It serves as a nice reminder for Dubas and ‘co when it comes to how they should approach this offseason. Veteran experience, physicality, etc are great, but they can not acquire veteran experience and physicality at the expense of speed and skill.

3. With Hyun-jin Ryu’s career likely over, it is important to note that his signing was not a swing-and-miss by the Blue Jays.

His signing, instead, should be remembered as the first major signing by the Mark Shapiro Blue Jays that helped launched the Jays into their next competitive window.

Who knows if George Springer signs with the Jays in 2021 if the team did not sniff a playoff spot in 2020. And they surely would not have sniffed a playoff spot in 2020 without Ryu.

4. The Warriors, in my mind, cemented themselves as the greatest dynasty of the 21st century with their most recent championship.

The greatness of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Steve Kerr, and Bob Meyers was well understood prior to this season, but they were never truly appreciated until this run, for whatever reason that may be. (It was probably due to the fact that they signed Kevin Durant.)

Now, there is no more debating, criticizing, being bored, or not appreciating this group. They are one of the greatest cores and organizations to ever do it in all aspects. They climbed the mountain, fell down in spectacular fashion, and climbed it again. That… does not happen in sports.

5. Not only does this win cement the Warriors as *the* dynasty of the 21st century, but it cements Curry as a top-ten player in NBA history.

He is the greatest shooter of all time, he changed the way the sport has been played, he is a two-time regular season MVP, he is the ultimate teammate and leader, and now, he is a four-time NBA champion and Finals MVP.

There are no more boxes to check off.

6. Andrew Wiggins will never match the hype that came with his entry into the NBA, but at the end of the day, he was the first overall pick of the 2014 Draft, the rookie of the year, and now, an NBA champion who played as though he was the second-best player every time he stepped onto a court with Curry, Thompson, Green, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown.

Not a bad career resume for a “bust.”

7. Well, I think it is safe to say that “Honestly, Never Mind” is Drake’s worst album.

I get what he was trying to do but… no.