Davis looks for consistency after dominant game
The Sporting Tribune's Mark Medina writes Anthony Davis isn't worried about a roller coaster postseason after dominant Game 3 as he eyes another big game Monday.
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1. Davis looks for consistency after dominant game
The Sporting Tribune's Mark Medina writes Anthony Davis isn't worried about a roller coaster postseason after dominant Game 3 as he eyes another big game Monday.
At this point of the year, Lakers forward Anthony Davis has maintained he has stayed off social media.
He professes he has not monitored the tweets. Nor has he seen the Instagram posts. Nor has he read the articles. Instead, Davis has vowed that he has solely focused on his game in hopes to deliver the Lakers their second NBA championship in four years.
But even if Davis has consolidated contact with just his coaches, teammates and what he calls his “inner circle,” one unnamed teammate brought up something that has become a topic among Lakers fans recently. How can Davis look dramatically so different game-to-game?
How can Davis dominate in the Lakers’ 127-97 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena only two days after struggling in the Lakers’ Game 2 loss to the Warriors in San Francisco? How can Davis look so sluggish in that contest when he looked nearly unstoppable two days earlier in the Lakers’ Game 1 road win over the Warriors? Davis’ response to his teammate? He simply chalked it up as the product of “a make-or-miss league.”
2. Lakers-Celtics now NBA Finals favorites
The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are now favored to meet for a record 13th time in the NBA Finals this year, according to several Las Vegas sportsbooks, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Arash Markazi.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are now favored to square off in the NBA Finals, according to several sportsbooks in Las Vegas.
The Celtics are currently the consensus favorites at 5/4 to win the NBA championship, followed by the Lakers at 4/1, the Denver Nuggets at 17/4, Golden State Warriors at 9/1, Phoenix Suns at 12/1, Philadelphia 76ers at 20/1, Miami Heat at 20/1 and New York Knicks at 60/1. Jeff Sherman, the vice president of risk management at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, tweeted the updated odds and explained “title odds at this point account for liabilities accrued over the season.”
3. Harper’s early return no surprise to Las Vegas coach
Bryce Harper's quick return to the field from Tommy John surgery surprised many but his former coach in Las Vegas expected it, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Norm Clarke.
For their new television deal, the Vegas Golden Knights opted to go back to the future.
Bryce Harper's return to the Philadelphia Phillies ahead of all forecasts after Tommy John surgery “has been his approach to the game since he was 10 years old,” according to one of his early coaches.
It was predicted Harper might not rejoin the Phillies until the All-Star break but Burlin Germany, a longtime developmental coach in Las Vegas said he was “not surprised at all” that the Las Vegas high school phenom shattered the timetable.
“He's always sacrificed his body, just to play the game,” said Germany. “He plays the game at 110 percent and 100 miles per hour.”
“He has a drive like no other,” said Germany, who coached Harper in his 10th grade.
Harper skipped his senior season to play for the College of Southern Nevada. Harper powered the school to the Junior College World Series in 2010. He had 31 home runs in 66 games, with 98 RBI and a .443 batting average.
Harper was 17 when the Washington Nationals made him the No. 1 overall selection in the MLB draft. In his fifth season of coaching the Los Angeles Dodgers’ elite Las Vegas scout team, Germany held the same position under the direction of longtime St. Louis Cardinals scout Manny Guerra for more than a decade.
4. Padres drop first series with Dodgers behind Betts’ blast
The Los Angeles Dodgers (21-14) came from behind to win the first series of the season against the San Diego Padres (18-17). The Sporting Tribune’s Gabriel Santiago has more from the scene at Petco Park.
It took over 30 games into the season, but the first Dodgers-Padres clash of the year finally arrived to a rowdy Petco Park. Notably, the recent ribbing between the NL West foes has made for a fierce rivalry over the past three MLB campaigns–especially when you consider the proximity of the two fanbases (125 miles), and that both sides have been able to eliminate the other from the playoffs.
Among the most prevalent of storylines heading into this three-game set was the fact that Fernando Tatis Jr. would remerge in this Southern California rivalry for the first time since late 2021. Naturally, his presence in this early May series was felt early, often and in a major way.
5. Bronny James commits to USC
Five-star guard Bronny James, the son of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, has announced he will be a USC Trojan next season. The Sporting Tribune’s Wilko Martínez-Cachero has covered Bronny James throughout his high school career and has more on the announcement.
Bronny James will be a USC Trojan next season after officially announcing his commitment on Saturday.
The five-star guard is a massive recruit for head coach Andy Enfield, who will also count on no. 1 player in the country Isaiah Collier for the 2023-24 season.
Bronny is a contender for the best two-way guard in his class. He played his high school basketball in Chatsworth for Sierra Canyon School, about half an hour from the University of Southern California campus.
Ohio State, Oregon, and other schools and professional pathways were previously involved in James' recruitment.
6. Angel City beat Kansas City, 3-2
Ali Riley, Alyssa Thompson, and Jun Endo shine during Angel City's 3-2 win over the Kansas City Current on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Night. The Sporting Tribune’s Kamran Nia has more from a memorable night at BMO Stadium.
There were Asian American soccer players making inroads into women’s soccer when defender Ali Riley was growing up, but she did not watch much of them. This was because there were no long-standing professional women’s soccer leagues in the United States for her to follow.
But now, Riley is giving children someone to look up to, herself.
“We are breaking these barriers, and we have a platform where little girls get to see people who look like them doing amazing things and living their dreams,” Riley said.
As a Chinese American, Riley is a role model for many Asian NWSL fans. And on Sunday, she showed why; Angel City celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month by hosting an Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) Heritage Night as they faced the Kansas City Current.
7. Odds and Ends presented by Circa Sports
Here are some odds at Circa Sports if you’re thinking about placing a wager today:
8. Ticket Time presented by TickPick
Here are the “get in” prices for tickets in the area if you’re thinking about going to a game today:
6:30 p.m. – Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels – $5
7:00 p.m. – Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers – $462
9. On the Air presented by The D Las Vegas
Here are the game times and television channels for professional teams in the region today:
4:30 p.m. – Los Angeles Dodgers at Milwaukee Brewers – SportsNet LA
5:30 p.m. - Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers — ESPN
6:30 p.m. – Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels – Bally Sports West
7:00 p.m. – Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers – TNT
10. The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune
The Sporting Tribune’s Arash Markazi is joined by Brandon Deutsch, Armani Buckets and Ji Hae Wiley to discuss the Lakers and Golden State Warriors playing in a classic Western Conference semifinals series that will likely go seven games and if Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverly deserve rings if the Lakers win a title this season.
Listen to The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune on The Mightier 1090 ESPN Radio in Southern California, 98.5 The Bet in Las Vegas and the Hawaii Sports Radio Network 95.1 FM and 760 AM in Hawaii. You can also listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play and Stitcher.
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That’s it for today. Talk to you tomorrow!