Lebron and AD are tearing up the NBA. Over in the NHL, the Sharks are finally at .500. In NASCAR, a former winner took the Cup while a great college football player’s career might be over. Check out what happened this past week in the world of sports!
Weekly Sports Update – Nov. 18th Edition
NBA: Lakers, Celtics Continue Domination
Many of us felt the Lakers would be good. We didn’t think they’d dominate so thoroughly. LeBron’s squad is 11-2. They’re a game ahead of the surprising Houston Rockets. They’re 1 ½ games ahead of the super surprising Denver Nuggets.
Although the Lakers have impressed, they haven’t impressed as much as the Boston Celtics. Most felt the Celtics might take a backward step this season. Not so. Boston is 10-2 this season. They’ve dominated with defense.
Are we looking at a Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals? Maybe. Although both Los Angeles and Boston have played best this season, competition is only a game or so away. The Celtics have a 1 game lead over Miami and Milwaukee. So, don’t get too excited just yet Laker fan. Don’t plan your vacation around the NBA Finals in 2020 Celtic fan.
NHL: Sharks Get to Even, Surprises in Pacific
The San Jose Sharks are on a 6-match winning streak. That has taken the Sharks to .500 after they started the season losing game after game. The Sharks have plenty of time to get back into the thick of the Pacific Division race.
Why? The top teams in the division right now are Edmonton, Arizona, and Vancouver. Edmonton leads the division with a 13-6-3 record. At 10-10-1, San Jose is only 8 points behind the Oilers. San Jose entered the season one of the Western Conference favorites. Although they stumbled out of the gate, they have turned it on. Expect San Jose’s rise to continue.
NASCAR: Kyle Wins Second NASCAR Monster Energy Cup
Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch revved their engines at Homestead on Sunday with a shot to win the NASCAR Cup. 3-of-4 drivers race for Joe Gibbs: Hamlin, Truex Jr. and Busch. Kyle Busch is the JGR driver that won the championship.
Busch led 120 EcoBoost 400 laps to take the victory. He didn’t have to win the race to win the Cup. All he had to do was finish ahead of his 3 rivals. Getting the race win along with the Cup win is icing on the cake.
Martin Truex Jr. finished second at Homestead while fellow Gibbs driver Erik Jones finished third. The former Washington Redskins coach dominated this entire NASCAR Season. Right now, Joe Gibbs Racing is the top team at NASCAR.
MLB: Rendon, Bumgarner, Strasburg, Ryu and Cole to Hit the Market
Free agency began on Nov. 4. So far, the top free agents on the market have yet to sign. Anthony Rendon, Madison Bumgarner, Stephen Strasburg, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Gerrit Cole should all play for different teams next season, though.
Rendon is the top FA prize. He’s an everyday player who hit .319 with 34 home runs and 126 runs batted in. Rendon might stay with Washington. He’d fit big time with the L.A. Dodgers. The L.A. Angels could also be a good destination.
The Angels will look to add Cole. Gerrit Cole turned into the top starter in the American League in 2019. He has a devastating fastball and slider. Cole wants out of Houston, which means the Halos have a great shot at acquiring his services.
Among Strasburg, Ryu, and Bumgarner, the top free agent prize is Strasburg. The Nationals’ starter dominated the Astros in the World Series. Strasburg could end up in Los Angeles with the Angels. Or, he could decide to stay in the NL. Either way, he’s a major free agent this season.
College Basketball: Evansville Pulls Off One of the Biggest Upsets in History
College basketball started their season last week and already drama has ensued. The Evansville Aces entered Adolph Rupp Arena a +24 ½ underdog. They left the home of the Kentucky Wildcats 67-64 straight up winners. Because the point spread was so large, MyBookie didn’t offer moneyline odds.
Does that mean Evansville is a good team? Or, does it mean Kentucky is an awful team? Neither. The Wildcats stubbed their toes against a solid team at home. That’s all. Evansville struggled against Ball State in a 79-75 win on Nov. 9. Maybe, it was luck. Maybe, they are this good. Time will tell.
Arizona Dominating College Hoops
In other college basketball news, the Arizona Wildcats have played like this season’s cash register team. The Wildcats are 4-0 SU and ATS after 4 games. They beat NAU 91-52, Illinois 90-69, San Jose State 87-39, and New Mexico State 83-53.
The Cats overwhelm their opponents. Arizona is at Baylor on Dec. 7 in a game where they might get points. They might also get points versus Gonzaga on Dec. 14. Pay attention to those 2 matchups. If Arizona covers the spread in both, they might be a blind bet in college basketball this season.
College Football: Tua’s Alabama Career is Over
It’s hard not to question Nick Saban. Tua Tagovailoa stayed in the game versus Mississippi State on Saturday even though Bama had a 35-7 lead. On the ensuing play, 2 Mississippi State defenders drove Tua into the grass. Tagovailoa suffered a posterior wall fracture and a dislocated hip.
Although Tua’s college career is over, he could still play in the NFL. Optimism reigns that Tagovailoa could rehab the hip enough to put on a workout for NFL scouts come April. That doesn’t forgive Saban for the decision.
Then again, Tua plays football. Things get rough on the gridiron. Saban said he wanted Tua to run Alabama’s 2-minute drill in a real game. That makes sense because Alabama has a shot to get back into the College Football Playoff.
It didn’t work out for Alabama or Tua. But, Saban didn’t make a bad call. It just didn’t work out.
Have a great week!
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