Mike O'Connell

I love the idea of a Memorial Day sudden-death NBA playoff game in Boston, though historically I’ve had some bad luck with such. (I had my car broken into in Boston back in May ’08 while watching the Celtics play the Pistons. Not a Game Seven nor Memorial Day proper, but just as raucous and, well, memorable.)

Game Seven tonight comes to the American South as well, as the Dallas Stars host the Golden Knights of Las Vegas in the NHL’s Western Conference Finals. Winner will play the Florida Panthers for the Stanley Cup as Stanley rolls over in his grave watching warm-weather teams compete for his eponymous award.

Memorial Day? We’re all spending the day looking at our watches waiting for the action to start.

Among NHL and NBA series it’s sweep city out there, with three of four conference finals completely one sided affairs. Thank goodness for the Boston Celtics, who staved off elimination last night with a win over the Miami Heat. (NBA execs and advertising folks did a little happy dance knowing there’s be at least one more game in this one.)

Stars and Hurricanes got chances the next two evenings to get that moneymaker hockey on TV this weekend, otherwise it’s baseball and golf to get us through.

Wait, this could work out.

It’s hardly the first tribute I’ve done to Michael O’Connell Sr., but today’s episode of Math and Musings once again celebrates the man I call my greatest idol. We had the good fortune to live in the same house, and every day I just try to bring the same benefit to the grandson he never met.

That grandson hears about him often, and you should too.

Well, at least 15 minutes on his birthday every year.

I was dreaming of a Knicks-Lakers final and a first New York championship since 1973, but hey, the Celtics are kind of due too.

Maybe a Boston-LA final?

They ever have one of those?

Neither the Heat nor the Lakers followed the script Monday night, but damned if they didn’t put up some entertaining games in victory.

I think it’s probably too early to call another Lakers-Dodgers double for 2023, but if it happens you heard it here first.