This Week in Sports Talk: August 23, 2020

This Week in Sports Talk (TWIST) is our weekly roundup of top headlines from the past seven days in the world of sports, plus a preview of what’s up next. Heading into the week of August 23, 2020, here’s the top sports news, with a twist. Skim it, and you’ll be good to go all week.

This Week in Sports Talk: August 23, 2020

Happy Sunday, dear reader! Today is the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500, so get your engines running. Here are the top 10 stories from the world of sports to know heading into the week of August 23, 2020.

1. NBA Playoffs are on 

The NBA playoffs are on, and they’ve been pretty thrilling so far. All 16 teams are in action, and there have been upsets, injuries and some dazzling performances.

current standings (as of Game 3)

As of this posting, the Boston Celtics are 3-0 against the Philadelphia 76’ers, as are the Toronto Raptors over the Brooklyn Nets. And the Miami Heat over the Indiana Pacers.

The Milwaukee Bucks are 2-1 against the Orlando Magic; so are the LA Lakers over the Portland Trail Blazers; the LA Clippers over the Dallas Mavericks; the Houston Rockets over the Oklahoma City Thunder; and the Denver Nuggets over the Utah Jazz.

Game 1 upsets

On Tuesday night, the postseason openers for the two conference champions took a turn, with both of the number 8 seeds defeating the number one seeds. The Portland Trail Blazers beat the LA Lakers, 100-93. The Milwaukee Bucks were defeated by the Orlando Magic, 122-110. Our Sports Desk notes that if you had bet $100 on that outcome, you would have won $3,200.

The natural order was restored in Game 2, though. The Lakers – with a big assist from Anthony Davis – won their first playoff game in 8 years. And the Milwaukee Bucks and their star Giannis Antetokounmpo  roared back to win Games 2 and 3. 

Injuries mounting

Sadly, the other story of this week’s NBA playoffs are the mounting number of player injuries. The Blazers’ Damian Lillard dislocated a finger on his non-shooting hand and was pulled from Game 2. His teammate C.J. McCollum had already been playing with fractured lower back. 

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić also suffered an injury this week. He left Game 3 against the LA Clippers on Friday night in the fourth quarter with a sprained ankle; the Mavs ultimately lost 130-122. Game 4 is this afternoon, and Coach Rick Carlisle said it’s likely to be “a game-time decision” on whether Dončić will play.

2. NBA Draft Lottery results

The NBA Draft Lottery was held on Thursday and the Minnesota Timberwolves won the first overall pick. This season, they had the third worst record in the league. So, heading into the lottery, Minnesota shared 14%  odds getting the first pick with the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. 

The Warriors got the No. 2 pick and the Charlotte Hornets landed No. 3. The Chicago Bulls and Cavs round out the top 5. For perpetual also-rans the New York Knicks, it was just another bad night in a long string of bad nights . . . They landed at a disappointing No. 8.

Sportswriters seem to be in consensus that four players are candidates to be selected first overall in this year’s draft: LaMelo Ball; Obi Toppin; Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman.

3. MLB postpones this weekend’s Subway Series

In baseball, this week is was the New York Mets with a coronavirus flare-up that has resulted in postponed games. The Mets reportedly had a player and staff member test positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. They postponed that day’s game against the Miami Marlins, who already had a COVID-19 outbreak of their own, just hours before game time. The Subway Series against the New York Yankees that was supposed to begin Friday was also postponed.

That makes 37 games season-to-date that have been postponed or cancelled due to positive coronavirus tests among players or staff.

4. Party time for the Padres

There’s not much space in the MLB standings at the moment. As of this posting, the Tampa Bay Rays (who swept the Yankees this week); Minnesota Twins; Oakland A’s; Atlanta Braves; Chicago Cubs; and LA Dodgers are leading their respective divisions. But none are ahead by much.

There is however, a big party underway in San Diego, as the Padres became the first team in MLB history to hit grand slams in four consecutive games.

5. NFL

It was a relatively quiet week in the NFL. Teams had their first week of full practice, and unfortunately, there have already been a number of injuries during these initial practice sessions.

season-ending injuries

For example, the Dallas Cowboys suffered a blow when the six-time Pro Bowl player Gerald McCoy ruptured his right quadriceps tendon at the team’s first padded practice. McCoy requires season-ending surgery, meaning his tenure with the Cowboys is over before it really started.

And Arizona’s Robert Alford suffered a pair of season-ending injuries before playing even one game in a Cardinals uniform.

Washington DC head coach undergoing treatment

In other unfortunate news, the new coach of the Washington Football Team, Ron Rivera announced that he’s being treated for cancer. The team has been plagued by controversy over its former name and accusations of sexual harassment by top management. And now this. We’re wishing Mr. Rivera well and hoping he is soon restored to good health.

chiefs ban headdresses

While the Washington NFL team changed its nickname this year after years of controversy over its inference toward Native Americans, the Kansas City Chiefs this week announced a ban on fans wearing feathered headdresses at games. The team also enacted new face paint rules and will review the traditional “Arrowhead Chop” gesture that fans use to cheer on their team.

Finally, wide receiver Dez Bryant had a tryout with the Baltimore Ravens this week, but reportedly left without a deal.

6. NHL

The NHL’s Second Round playoffs began last night. The Eastern Conference games are at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. For the best-of-seven series, the No. 1 Philadelphia Flyers will play the No. 6 New York Islanders. And the No. 2 Tampa Bay Lightning will meet the No. 4 Boston Bruins.

Rogers Place in Edmonton hosts the Western Conference games, in which the No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights face off against the No. 5 Vancouver Canucks. And the No. 2 Colorado Avalanche play the No. 3 Dallas Stars.

7. Golf

Last Sunday, Jim Herman came from behind and scored his third career win on the PGA Tour at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina. Herman overcame a four-shot deficit to win by a single stroke.

This Thursday, the first event of the 2020 FedEx Cup Playoff got underway at TPC Boston with the opening round of The Northern Trust. Yesterday in Round 3, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy played alongside each other in a disappointing third round performance.

Round 4 is today. As of this posting, Dustin Johnson has a five-stroke lead over Harris English and Scottie Scheffler. Johnson will be playing for his 22nd PGA Tour win (and fifth FedEx Cup Playoffs victory).

8. Tennis

The US Open begins on August 31 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and most players have already arrived in the New York area. Many have opted to rent private homes rather than submitting to the “bubble” provided for all players.

While the lineup won’t be as star-studded as usual, there are still some big names on the schedule, including Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Dominic Thiem, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens and Coco Gauff.

The 2020 Western & Southern Open is taking place in Flushing Meadows this year, too, so that players can join both tournaments without needing to travel.

9. College Football

This week, the SEC released its 2020 10-game conference schedule (which is slated to start September 26). There is no alignment between the various stakeholders in the world of college football: players, parents, schools, public health officials and NCAA officials all have the same data, and yet they continue to come to opposite conclusions.

So far, the SEC, ACC and Big 12 continue to press on toward starting their football seasons next month. Conference USA just canceled all fall sports except football. The Big Ten and Pac-12 have postponed play until early 2021 at the earliest.

This week, three teams playing in the ACC this year (Notre Dame, North Carolina and NC State) either sent students home or paused in-person classes because of COVID-19 outbreaks.

10. Champions League final is today

The Champions League final will see Bayern Munich meet Paris Saint-Germain today.

The French team is in the final for the first time in franchise history. Meanwhile, after a stunning 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, Barcelona (“Barca”) star Lionel Messi wants out. Messi, 33, has one year remaining on his current contract, but has reportedly asked to be released early.

This Week in Sports News August 23, 2020

That’s it. You’re good to go with the top headlines and coming attractions heading into the week of August 23, 2020. Stay safe and healthy, dear reader. See you next week.

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