Okay, so we missed last weekend of giving you the updates of what you missed, but there wasn’t really much we missed anyway. Well, besides the last game of the NFL season, which happened to be the biggest one of the year. That was the Super Bowl played between the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots in Atlanta, Georgia.
By now, you all know the results. It was one of the most boring Super Bowls I’ve ever watched. Don’t believe me? Read Joel’s point of view on it here. I was so bored with what I was watching I forgot about writing altogether.
This week, however, is different! I’m finally over the results of Super Bowl LIII that saw the New England Patriots win their sixth Super Bowl title in the last 17 years. Their first and sixth were against the Rams in both Super Bowl XXXVI and this past one. Want to relive moments of that Super Bowl? Read here!
There weren’t any NFL games this weekend, but there was other important news. For example, the question of whether or not some key players will remain with their current team. We have already seen some news, like the Atlanta Falcons parting ways with veteran kicker Matt Bryant and cornerback Robert Alford. But there was much more than that. Let’s get you all caught up on what you may have missed!
NBA
Harden, Westbrook chasing NBA legend
It was a Saturday night to remember in the NBA, as we all got to see two of the NBA’s greatest players battle it out. Not only was it a game between the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, but a game of two All-Stars chasing history.
Rockets’ James Harden is currently on a 29-game streak of 30+ points or more, which is the third most in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain holds the NBA record with 65 straight games and also 31 straight. Harden may not be able to catch the 65 mark this season, but he could pass Chamberlain for second on the list.
Another NBA record Chamberlain holds is the most consecutive games with a triple-double, which is nine. On Saturday, Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook tied that record late in the game and will look to pass it in their next game Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Celtics, Rockets blow 25 + point lead at home
Speaking of the Rockets and Thunder, the game went back and forth, as both teams had a chance to win it at the end. But that chance was the Rockets’ to lose after blowing a 26-point lead in the first half. They watched Westbrook, Paul George and the Thunder come back and win 117-112 on the road. The Rockets and Thunder are two of the top five teams in the West. There’s been a lot of talks about how these two could be a tough challenge for the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
Another team who we expect to have been a real challenge for the Warriors is the Boston Celtics. That’s because of a healthy Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward back in the mix. Or so we hope it’s a healthy Irving, as he left the Celtics game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Irving’s injury was a right knee sprain that held him out for the rest of the game and helped the Clippers mount a huge 28-point comeback victory in TD Garden with a 123-112 win. That was the Celtics second straight home loss to an L.A. team, as the fans went from chanting “Beat LA,” to booing their home team. Irving is listed as day-to-day, but no word yet on whether he’ll play Tuesday.
LeBron James went to College
After the Lakers and James used a Rajon Rondo buzzer-beater on Thursday night to beat the Boston Celtics, they decided to take their talents to the Cavaliers and Virginia. Both James and Rondo were spotted in the crowd during the Duke and Virginia game on Saturday. Let’s be honest, they should have been in the gym with their teammates to prepare for their game against the Philadelphia 76ers, which did not go as well as they hoped.
Ellington, Matthews found new homes
In case, you missed all the crazy moves and trades made before the deadline on Thursday, Joel Deering and Jon Geib will give you the winners and losers from the deadline here. But some of those trades resulted in players finding new teams after being released by the team who traded for them. That is the case for both Wayne Ellington and Wesley Matthews, who were both traded from their original teams and then cut by their new team.
For Ellington, it was a trade between the Miami Heat (original) and Phoenix Suns (traded) for Ryan Anderson. Ellington and Tyler Johnson were both traded to the Suns. Ellington was later cut and cleared the waivers. Ellington’s new team will now be the Detriot Pistons.
Matthews was traded as part of the Kristap Porzingis deal the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks made that ultimately led him to get waived and signed by the Indiana Pacers. Matthews signing with the Pacers will help them fill the void left with All-Star guard Victor Oladipo out of the season.
Soccer
Chelsea embarrasses themselves in Manchester
Manchester City and Argentina forward Sergio Aguero is now tied for the Premier League top goalscorer with 17 goals and the most EPL hat-tricks with 11. Six of those 17 goals have come in the last two games, three vs. Arsenal, three now vs. Chelsea. But the scoreline between Man City and Chelsea was even crazier. 6-0! Two goals by Raheem Sterling and a goal from Ilkay Gundogan, along with Aguero’s hat-trick took Man City back to the top of the table, tied on points with Liverpool, but boasting a goal difference ten goals higher than the Reds.
Manchester United continue to accelerate
Eleven matches now it’s been since Manchester United fired Jose Mourinho. 11 matches now it’s been since Man United have lost. Despite Fulham being at home, it seemed the 19th-place side faced no chance against the Red Devils. Two goals from midfielder Paul Pogba and a brilliant solo-effort from Antony Martial gave United a 0-3 win and put them at fifth in the Premier League table, above Arsenal.
Arsenal shine against Huddersfield
It doesn’t seem that Huddersfield’s situation will improve anytime soon. After losing to Chelsea 0-5, they lost again to Arsenal 1-2, still lingering at the bottom of the table. Arsenal played a weaker squad, benching Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but Alex Iwobi and Alexandre Lacazette still did the job with their first-half goals. After some Huddersfield resistance, they were rewarded with a late Saed Kolasinac own-goal in the 92nd minute.
A perfect day out for Cardiff City
Southampton were favorites to win at home against Cardiff City, but the day was meant for City. After losing Emiliano Sala to a plane crash, City honored him with a win in spectacular fashion. Going nil-one up in the 69th minute, they held that lead for another 22 minutes until Jack Stephens scored for Southampton. Then, magically, two minutes later, Kenneth Zohore sealed the winner away for City.
Emiliano Sala’s death confirmed
Despasco en Paz, rest in peace. After transferring from FC Nantes to Cardiff City, Emiliano Sala’s plane went missing. It was later confirmed by police that a found dead body was his and the search for the pilot is ongoing. As a tribute, Nantes has announced the retirement of the number nine on the players’ jerseys.
Cricket
England finds success in the Caribbean
In the final test of the three-match series between the West Indies and England (which the Windies are winning 2-0), England ended Day Two with a lead of 142 runs. In the first innings, twin half-centuries by Ben Stokes and Jos Butler lead England to 277. But the star of the day has to be Mark Wood, who collected a miraculous fiver in just 8.2 overs. At one point in the day, West Indies had lost six wickets for just 22 runs, but managed to get to 154.
Brisbane Heat chase 157 in just ten overs
No, it wasn’t a T10 match. It was most definitely a T20 match, but Brisbane Heat chased Melbourne Stars’ 156-8 in just ten overs, winning by ten wickets. The openers Max Bryant and Ben Cutting scored 71(30)* and 81(30)* each, which say ten fours and 13 sixes in the innings.
College Basketball
Losses by top 25 teams
11 Virginia Tech to Clemson (59-51)
19 Wisconsin to 7 Michigan (61-52)
17 Iowa State to TCU (92-83)
14 Villanova to 10 Marquette (66-65)
16 Louisville to 22 Florida State (80-75)
3 Virginia to 2 Duke (81-71)
25 Cincinnati to 12 Houston (65-58)
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