LeBron James shares respect for Steph Curry
LeBron James shares respect for Steph Curry
LeBron James will face Stephen Curry in the postseason again after the two faced off in four straight NBA Finals from 2015 to 2018.
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1. LeBron James shares respect for Steph Curry
LeBron James will face Stephen Curry in the postseason again after the two faced off in four straight NBA Finals from 2015 to 2018. The Sporting Tribune’s Mark Medina has more on this much-anticipated after talking to James before the Lakers flew to San Francisco for Game 1 of their playoff series.
The two NBA stars have experienced success, often at the expense of the other. They also have experienced sorrow, often because of the other opponent.
But with Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James facing off against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry in yet another playoff matchup, James views Curry more with admiration for his accomplishments than any animosity toward him as a rival.
“He puts in the work. When you put in the work, nine times out of 10 you’re going to see the results,” James said following practice on Monday at the Lakers’ facility. “He’s done that throughout his whole, entire career. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Steph and everything he’s been able to accomplish, not only on the floor but also off the floor, too. It’s just great to have people like that in this league to set an example for the generation to come.”
2. Mychal Thompson on Lakers facing Warriors and Klay
Longtime Lakers broadcaster Mychal Thompson spoke to The Sporting Tribune’s Mark Medina about facing his son, Klay, in the Lakers-Warriors playoff series.
Usually, Mychal Thompson would react to the Los Angeles Lakers’ play with animated words and body language in the broadcast booth. He would react to the Golden State Warriors the same way as he watched through the television screen.
When the Lakers and Warriors face each other in the Western Conference semifinals, however, Thompson will face dueling rooting interests while he serves a color analyst for KSPN-710. Will Thompson cheer for the Lakers after helping the Showtime Lakers win two of their five NBA titles? Or will Thompson root for the Warriors since his son (Klay) has cemented his whole 11-year NBA career there with four NBA titles?
“Just a great basketball game,” Thompson told The Sporting Tribune. “Either way, I can’t lose. If my son wins, I’m thrilled. If the Lakers win, I’m happy.”
3. LAFC hosts Philadelphia Union in CCL Semifinal
LAFC, on the verge of their second CCL final in four years, host MLS rival Philadelphia Union in the second leg of the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League semifinal Tuesday. The Sporting Tribune’s Chandrima Chatterjee has more on the big match-up.
LAFC and the Philadelphia Union have faced each other just six times since 2018, but in that short history, have cemented their unlikely rivalry into a gripping one founded in equality and respect. While the teams rarely win – five of their six matches were draws – LAFC soccer fans have had the advantage, because those five have been memorable come-from-behind draws for the Black and Gold – the most memorable one was the MLS Cup Final in 2022 which ended in LAFC winning the coveted MLS Cup title in PKs.
LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington embraces the rivalry and expounds, “It happened not just because of the places in the standings and what have you, but also you have these moments culminating in MLS Cup [2022] and in years past where we've had great battles against them. I'm sure, despite the fact the competition is different, it's a high-stakes game. We're really looking forward to the test that Philly presents to our group.”
The only time LAFC has outright beat Philadelphia in regular time was their first meeting in 2018 when Adama Diomande scored a hat trick which sent the hosts to a resounding 4-1 victory. Since then, the two have battled to draws. First, in 2019 at Subaru Park when Philadelphia scored first in the 3rd minute, when it took another 40 minutes till Carlos Vela to notch the equalizer.
4. LA Galaxy II to host Wrexham FC
Wrexham AFC, the Welsh Soccer club owned by actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, will play LA Galaxy II at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Sporting Tribune’s Anthony Bautista has more on the big announcement.
LA Galaxy’s MLS Next Pro affiliate will host recently promoted Wrexham AFC at Dignity Health Sports Park for a friendly this July.
LA Galaxy II, the MLS Next Pro affiliate of the LA Galaxy, will host Wrexham AFC, the Welsh Soccer club owned by actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, in a friendly at Dignity Health Sports Park on July 22, the Galaxy announced Monday.
Founded in 1864, Wrexham AFC is the third oldest professional soccer club in the world. The Welsh Club was famously purchased in 2020 by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
The club is featured on the FX docuseries Welcome to Wrexham, which highlights the peaks and valleys of ownership of the club by McElhenney and Reynolds.
“We are excited to host Wrexham AFC, a club that has captivated a worldwide audience with their journey shown on Welcome to Wrexham and this year’s promotion to the English Football League’s League Two,” LA Galaxy President Chris Klein said in a statement.
5. Meet the 2023 Raiders Draft Picks
The Las Vegas Raiders filled plenty of needs with their 2023 draft selections. The Sporting Tribune’s W.G. Ramirez takes a closer look at each one of them, beginning with Tyree Wilson.
I love this pick, one of the best of the day. If Wilson’s injured foot checks out, which it certainly has for the Raiders, he’s going to be a big-time end in their defense to go with Maxx Crosby for a long time. He has all the traits you want in an edge rusher.
Dave Ziegler, Las Vegas Raiders: "Being able to have some guys that can pressure the quarterback, disrupt the pocket and have more guys that can do that in phases if you will, I think is valuable. … His size stands out. I mean, this is a big man, long arms, athletic build. So, physically that stood out, and those were the things that stood out him as a person, which are things that we want."
6. Former UFC fighter Felipe Colares dead after struck by bus
Felipe Colares tragically lost his life on Monday in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The Sporting Tribune’s Gabriel Ornelas has more on the tragic news.
Felipe Colares, a former UFC fighter, died on Monday at 29 years old.
Rodrigo Babi, Colares’ coach, told Combate that Colarles was returning from a training session in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, when he was struck by a bus. First responders tended to Colares, but he died en route to the hospital due to the injuries suffered from the hit.
Colares made headlines in January when he stopped a man with Brazilian jiu-jitsu after he attempted to rob a person of their phone. He, also, worked for Empoderadas as a coordinator, which helped raise awareness of violence against women and teach self defense.
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:
7:00 p.m. – Philadelphia Phillies at Los Angeles Dodgers - $15
7:00 pm. – Philadelphia Union at LAFC - $55
9. On the Air presented by Coca-Cola
Here are the game times and television channels for professional teams in the region today:
4:45 p.m. – Los Angeles Angels at St. Louis Cardinals – Bally Sports West
7:00 P.M. – Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors – TNT
7:00 p.m. – Philadelphia Phillies at Los Angeles Dodgers – SportsNet LA
7:00 p.m. – Philadelphia Union at LAFC – FS1
10. The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune
The Sporting Tribune’s Arash Markazi is joined by Armani Buckets and Brandon Deustch to discuss the Lakers closing out the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6, the Golden State Warriors blowing out the Sacramento Kings in Game 7, what to expect in the highly-anticipated Lakers-Warriors match-up in the Western Conference semifinals and if this series is the de facto Western Conference Finals with the winner likely to advance to the NBA Finals.
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!