The Suns, the Clippers and the NBA Western Conference
So, the NBA Western Conference is having a bit of a week. The Phoenix Suns swept the Denver Nuggets to advance to the Western Conference finals. Yay. However, point guard Chris Paul was placed in the NBA’s COVID-19 protocol on Wednesday, which means he could miss the entire series. Not yay.
Over in LA, the Clippers have good news and very bad news. The good news: they have a 3-2 lead over the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference semifinals, after falling to 0-2 to start the series. The very bad news: Kawhi Leonard has a sprained right knee that kept him out of Game 5 and will keep him out of tonight’s potential, series-clinching Game 6. Sigh.
The good news: Paul George was the Playoff P Clippers fans have been looking for with 37 points, 16 rebounds and five assists in Game 5. For the Jazz’s part, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Donovan Mitchell will be a game-time decision.
Can the Clippers make it to their first-ever Western Conference finals without Leonard? Find out tonight at 10:00 pm ET/7:00 pm PT when Game 6 tips off in Los Angeles.
NBA Eastern Conference
We’ve got a Game 7! Behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 30 points, 17 rebounds and three assists, the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Kyrie Irving-less Brooklyn Nets, 104-89, and the series moves to Brooklyn for the series-deciding Game 7 and a trip to the Eastern Conference finals. Tip-off is Saturday at 8:30 pm ET/5:30 pm PT. Grab your popcorn.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks are looking to secure their own trip to the Conference finals, when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers today at 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT. The Hawks are up 3-2, and won Game 5, 109-106, behind Trae Young’s 39-point performance. May the odds be ever in your favor, gentlemen.
Kemba Walker
Let the Brad Stevens era in Boston begin.
The Celtics are sending All-Star Kemba Walker, the 16th pick in this year’s NBA draft and a 2025 second-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Al Horford, Moses Brown and a 2023 second-round pick.
With the NBA combine taking place next week, the trade comes at an odd time, but it’s a win-win for both teams. The Celtics free up money, while the Thunder continue their rebuild. Time will tell how it plays out for both.
Dominique Ducharme
Earlier this week, the Montreal Canadiens evened their best-of-seven semifinals series with the Las Vegas Golden Knights, 1-1. However, now they have an issue, as interim head coach Dominique Ducharme has to isolate due to irregularities in testing for COVID-19.
With Game 3 of the series taking place tonight at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT at the Bell Centre, the team said Ducharme will have further tests before game time. The Canadiens also said that the coach received his second dose of the COVID vaccine on June 9.
Olivia Moultrie and the NWSL
My Nana used to say, “Age is number and mine is unlisted.” 15 year-old soccer star Olivia Moultrie might agree.
On Thursday, a judge granted Moultrie a preliminary injunction that stops the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) from enforcing its age rule of 18 to prevent her from signing a professional contract. At the age of 11, Moultrie accepted a scholarship offer to the University of North Carolina. At 13, she signed a deal with Nike. Now she has been training with the Portland Thorns. Not too shabby.
Currently, the NWSL and the NWSL Players Association are working on a collective bargaining agreement. If the said agreement has an age restriction, then the court order no longer applies. Stay tuned.