Sports

In basketball, as in life, we may dutifully celebrate the aggregate, but we're always spellbound by the exceptional.

Basketball: The 'Ultimate Contradiction'

5:53am June 13, 2013

by Frank Deford

No matter who is playing, the art of basketball is a paradox for fans. "In basketball, as in life, we may dutifully celebrate the aggregate, but we're always spellbound by the exceptional," says Frank Deford.

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The Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins are two of the NHL's oldest teams, but have never before faced off in a championship.

Hockey's Hottest Teams Hit The Ice In Stanley Cup Final

7:03pm June 12, 2013

by David Schaper

After a bitter lockout that shortened the season, the National Hockey League is finally gearing up for the Stanley Cup Final. The series features two of the league's six original franchises, the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks, and both teams come into the series on a roll.

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Sports

Heat, Spurs Prepare For NBA Finals Showdown

11:25am June 12, 2013

NPR's Mike Pesca talks to All Things Considered host Robert Siegel about the Miami Heat, who will defend its NBA title against the San Antonio Spurs. It is the third consecutive trip to the finals for the Heat and though they had a tough series with Indiana, many still consider them the favorite. The best of seven championship series starts Thursday.

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Sports

The Power Behind The Push

12:52pm June 11, 2013

The strength and weakness of a team often rests on these shoulders.

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Sports

Week In Sports: Spurs Take First Game Of NBA Finals

5:39am June 09, 2013

Weekend Edition Saturday Scott Simon talks to NPR's sports correspondent Tom Goldman about NBA star Tony Parker's spectacular performances of late, and the latest on the French Open Tennis championships.

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Sports

NBA Purists Swoon Over Spurs' Style Of Play

6:02am June 06, 2013

by Tom Goldman

The NBA Finals begin Thursday night in Miami. Though they haven't won a championship since 2007, the San Antonio Spurs have remained in the hunt because of their style of team play. The Spurs will face the Miami Heat.

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Write This Down: Keeping your own score does not make you more noble, says Frank Deford.

Sports

Take Golf Out Of The Rough, Into The 21st Century

9:20am June 05, 2013

by Frank Deford

When the St. Jude Classic opens on Wednesday in Memphis, Tenn., Frank Deford will be paying attention to the action on the course. He has some gripes about the requirement that players must tally their own shots.

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Surfers surround a celebrant who pours libations and says prayers to honor the spirit of surfers past and present and to give thanks to the sea for providing sustenance and recreation.

Barrier-Breaking Surfer's Legacy A Reminder Of Work To Do

3:31pm June 04, 2013

by Karen Grigsby Bates

African-American and Mexican, Nick Gabaldon carved a path for surfers of color. He died in 1951, but access to surfing can still be limited.

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Sports

Week In Sports: Who Will Face The Spurs For The NBA Title?

6:39am June 01, 2013

ESPN sports commentator Howard Bryant talks to Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon about the week's top sports stories, including the NBA conference finals, the NHL, and Serena Williams' dominance at the French Open tennis championships.

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Sports

Weekend Hockey Finals To Be A Battle Of Champions

9:23pm May 31, 2013

If you're looking for a feel-good story of an upstart underdog, don't watch the NHL conference finals this weekend. But if you want to see a match up between the past four Stanley Cup champions, you won't want to miss this weekend's dropping of the puck. Sportswriter Stefan Fatsis joins Robert Siegel for a preview.

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