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1. Will Clippers & Kawhi ever catch a health break?
The Sporting Tribune's Mark Medina wonders if the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard will ever be fully healthy in the postseason.
The Clippers’ star moved gracefully without limping or even showing much discomfort. Too bad that Kawhi Leonard walked that way through an arena hallway in street clothes instead of running down the court in a uniform.
“He desperately, desperately wants to play,” said Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations. “This is the playoffs.”
But the playoff excitement over Leonard’s stellar play soon mirrored the regular-season frustration about his health. Because of what the team termed a “right ankle sprain,” the Clippers sat Leonard during their 129-124 loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of their first-round series on Thursday at Crypto.com arena.
“He's frustrated,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “His spirits are down.”
2. Clippers robbed of 'Playoff Kawhi' in the blink of an eye
The Sporting Tribune's Arash Markazi writes the Clippers and basketball fans were robbed of seeing arguably the most complete player since Michael Jordan.
“Playoff Kawhi” is arguably the most complete basketball player we have seen since Michael Jordan, and we were once again seeing it on full display after two years.
And then we weren’t.
Just like that, it was robbed from the Clippers and anyone who loves watching basketball in a blink of an eye.
Mos fans found out about the injury on their way to the game, some found out at the arena, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue admits he didn’t get the official word until right before shootaround.
“I mean, it's very deflating,” Lue said following the Clippers’ 129-124 loss to the Suns to put them in a 2-1 series hole. “I think more so for Kawhi because you have a guy who's coming off ACL (surgery), hasn't missed a rehab session, eats right, eats clean, does everything he can for his body, works extremely hard to get to this point. Then you have something like this happen. So, it's tough for him, for all the work that he puts in. I feel bad for him.”
3. Suns claim Game 3 against Clippers
The Clippers dropped their postseason home opener to the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of their first round playoff series and The Sporting Tribune’s Marisa Flores wonders if the team will be able to even the series on Saturday if Kawhi Leonard can’t play.
Kawhi Leonard has arguably been playing some of his best basketball in the Clippers and Suns playoff series. That performance was missed Thursday night in Phoenix’s 129-124 win in Game 3.
Leonard remained on the Clippers’ sideline on Thursday with a right knee sprain he had suffered in Game 1, and is now considered to be day-to-day.
“It’s very deflating. I think more so for Kawhi,” stated head coach Tyronn Lue on Leonard being out. “You have a guy who’s coming off an ACL, hasn’t missed a rehab session, eats clean… Then you have something like this happen… I feel bad for him.”
Leonard sat next to his teammate and fellow key scorer Paul George, who has also been out with the same injury since the end of March. With both players out the Suns were able to snuff out a gritty effort from a Clippers team that went 45-83 from the field and 15-35 from deep.
4. Stone scores twice, Vegas tops Winnipeg, 5-2
The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-2 on Thursday to tie their Western Conference quarterfinal at one game apiece. The Sporting Tribune’s W.G. Ramirez has more from T-Mobile Arena.
It had been quite some time since Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone hurled himself into the end boards, slamming his body into the 5/8-inch-thick glass separating the area of play from adoring fans.
Thursday his trademark celebration returned, sending 18,333 fans into a frenzy as the Golden Knights tied the Winnipeg Jets in their Western Conference quarterfinal series, 1-1, with a resounding 5-2 victory.
Stone scored two goals and added an assist, his first points since Jan. 5.
"Pretty subpar five periods for me, didn't really feel that great," said Stone, who returned Tuesday in Game 1 after missing 39 games. "But you can get energized. I mean, you're lying if you don't get energized by a point or a goal, so it's good to just get that one out of the way."
5. A’s plan to buy land in Las Vegas, build stadium near Strip
The Athletics appear to be headed to Las Vegas after signing an agreement to build a $1.5 billion ballpark near the Las Vegas Strip. The Sporting Tribune’s Steve Carp has more on the major announcement.
Well, it looks like Las Vegas will be getting a Major League Baseball team.
I say that with tongue firmly implanted in cheek.
The Athletics, who are major league in name only, appear to be headed this way after they announced late Wednesday, they had purchased a 49-acre parcel of land at West Tropicana Avenue and Dean Martin Drive near Interstate 15 to build a ballpark which will seat between 30,000 and 35,000 at a cost of approximately $1.5 billion. It doesn’t say how much public money will be involved but you can rest assured there will be some sort of public funding component for the project.
I guess all that lobbying of the Nevada legislature by David Kaval, the A’s president, and others is paying off. The site is where the Wild West Hotel-Casino used to sit.
The Fertitta family, which runs Red Rock Resorts and Station Casinos and owns the property, which totals 100 acres, appears to have made yet another shrewd land deal. They’ll still retain half the land of the site.
6. Video of the Day presented by The D Casino & Hotel
The Sporting Tribune's Claudia Gestro takes Dodgers outfielder James Outman to school in this week's episode of Spanish 101.
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” ticket prices in the area if you’re thinking about going to a game today:
6:30 p.m. – Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels – $25
7:00 p.m. – Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings – $109
9. On the Air presented by Coca-Cola
Here are the game times and television channels for professional teams in the area today:
11:15 a.m. – Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs – Spectrum SportsNet
6:30 p.m. – Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels – Bally Sports West
7:00 p.m. – Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings – Bally Sports SoCal & TNT
10. The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune
On Thursday’s show, the crew talked about what the Lakers, Clippers and Kings need to do in Los Angeles in order to advance in the postseason.
Listen to The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune on The Mightier 1090 ESPN Radio in Southern California, 98.5 The Fan 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!
