The Clippers are truly cursed

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

RESOLUTION: We had three Game 6s on Friday. Only one of the series ended: the Blazers edged the Clippers thanks to big games from their stud guards Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. L.A. never really had a chance in the series once Chris Paul and Blake Griffin went down, plus J.J. Redick got nicked up enough to be ineffective. Even Austin Rivers got busted in the face, yet he played well with a gnarly wound and 11 stitches. And now we wonder if the Clippers will look the same come October.

The Blazers next face the Warriors, who are likely without Steph Curry for a couple games at Oracle. The series begins Sunday.

This Game 6 result also gave us a really incredible callback tweet.

ANOTHER ONE: The Pacers blew out the Raptors in Indiana again. Paul George is super damn good. Toronto might be cursed. Game 7 is Sunday night at Air Canada. That arena is going to be tighter than a Derek Fisher suit.

STILL THE ONE: Dwyane Wade still has enough to beat Kemba Walker in a mano a mano duel, as he did to give Miami salvation on Friday. These teams will return to South Beach for a Sunday matinee to decide the series. Obvious hardcore Miami Heat fan Jeb Bush struggled to spell Wade’s first name in trying to celebrate him on Twitter. Dawane, Jeb?

Also, Purple Shirt Man. PURPLE SHIRT MAN. Via r/nba.

SCORES GALORE ...

TOR 83, IND 101 (Series tied 3-3)
MIA 97, CHA 90 (Series tied 3-3)
LAC 103, POR 106 (Blazers win 4-2)

ON THE AIR TONIGHT ...

Thunder at Spurs, Game 1, 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT, Get Your Muthacluckin’ Popcorn

LUKE! Luke Walton, a nine-year Laker who won two titles there, a SoCal native who grew up rooting for the Lakers and a one-time soap opera actor, has agreed to become the Lakers head coach. So much for patience! He’ll take over as soon as the Warriors’ season ends. For the record, I’d like to note that I predicted this on Dec. 21 and again on April 11. This was a painfully obvious progression.

Here’s Kevin Ding on what Walton faces in Hollywood. Here’s Bill Plaschke on the Lakers’ coup.

GULP: The keys to a Thunder upset of the Spurs are ... Dion Waiters and Enes Kanter. I Said To Get Your Muthacluckin’ Popcorn.

SPEAKING OF WHICH ... Here’s Zach Lowe’s big series preview.

YEP: The Pacers have been relying on Paul George way too much. That’s going to hurt them (eventually). It sure did in Game 5, but not Game 6.

RUSH RUSH: Steph Curry says he hopes to be back sooner, and he’s not worried about risking further injury due to there being no structural damage in the knee. Curry and the Warriors are smart, and I trust they’ll make the right decision. But the concern wouldn’t be additional damage, it’d be aggravating the injury such late playing in the West finals or NBA Finals becomes a problem. The Warriors can probably handle the Blazers without him, so why rush?

MORE RUNNING MAN: The Orlando Magic recruited a Tyrannosaurus Rex (possibly real?) to participate in their effort. Uncle Drew’s entry is super weird and unintentionally hilarious.

Happy Saturday. See you next time.