By “Nunnie” Robinson, Westside Gazette Sports Editor
The Florida Panthers are on the verge of going to the Stanley Cup finals for the second consecutive year, having taken a commanding 3-1 series lead against the formidable Boston Bruins. Ironically, the Panthers lost 4 regular season games against the Bruins but have turned the tide on their Eastern Conference nemesis, having won 3 in a row, the most recent 2 in Boston. Now the Panthers are primed to complete the deal at home at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise. The odds are against the Bruins who sport an 0-25 record historically when trailing in a series 3-1. Led by Mathew Tcachuk, Bob Borbrobsky, Sam Bennett and Ivan Rodriguez, the Panthers have been playing inspired, physical hockey which bodes well in their quest for a Stanley Cup title. Keep your eyes on this exciting contingent of Panthers. They may just surprise you.
NBA Playoffs have been highly contested with several surprises: under no circumstances did I envision the Denver Nuggets losing their first 2 games at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but that’s precisely what happened. Many pundits, including yours truly, believed that those home losses portend the end for the Nuggets. Quite the contrary, the Nuggets returned the favor by winning both games in Minneapolis, knotting the series at 2 games apiece. This puts Denver right back in the driver’s seat so we’ll just have to see how it plays out. When Aaron Gordon plays as he has – with fire, passion, hitting his mid-range jumper, dunking in paint because too much attention is given to Jokic, Denver is a tough out.
I opined that the Cavs/Celtics series would be anticlimactic; however, I didn’t see the Cleveland domination playing out in Boston, giving a hint of a possible series. Cleveland has played valiantly in losses at home, albeit close contests. Last night’s Boston victory came with Cavs star Donavan Mitchell unable to play because of a calf injury. A Celtics victory in Boston propels them to Easter Conference finals where Boston will play either the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks. With the Knicks‘ injury list increasing, it’s hard to fathom New York winning the series.
In the 2 Minute Warning Sports Brief, I predicted a Celtics/T-Wolves finals. I reserve the right to ‘Change my Mind.’
The Marlins, simply stated, are the worst team in MLB based on their 11-32 record. The Luis Arreaz trade demonstrates once again that the Marlins are rebuilding for the future, especially with rising superstar pitchers Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Patience appears to be theme for Marlins fans heading toward the all-star break. Let’s hope the rebuild is sooner than later. The Miami Dolphins’ regular season last year closed with the Buffalo Bills at home. The AFC East rivals will meet again in prime time at Hard Rock Stadium early in the 2024 season. A Week 2 pairing between the Dolphins and Bills on Sept. 12 was announced by the NFL Tuesday morning ahead of Wednesday night’s full schedule release. Coming on the second week of the regular season, the divisional clash will be the first “Thursday Night Football” game of the season, airing exclusively on Amazon Prime Video for viewers outside of the South Florida and Buffalo markets.
Be the first to comment