By “Nunnie” Robinson, Westside Gazette Sport Editor
Curiously enough, the New Orleans Pelicans appeared completely indifferent in their lopsided 124-108 loss to the L. A. Lakers in New Orleans on Sunday. Losing places them in the Play In where they will meet the same Lakers in New Orleans as they battle for the seventh seed. The loser will then face the Warriors/Kings winner for the eighth seed. The eighth seed winner will play one seed OkC while the seventh seed will play number two seed, the Denver Nuggets.
In the Eastern Conference, our Miami Heat fell to the eighth spot forcing them to travel to Philadelphia to play the seventh seeded 76ers, on fire after the return from injury of Joel Embiid. The other Eastern Play In teams – Chicago and Atlanta – compete for the right to play the Heat/76ers loser for the eighth seed. The winner’s reward is playing number one seed Boston.
Jackie Robinson integrated MLB 77 years ago on Monday April 15. All MLB players wear the iconic #42 in his honor, one of several instituted to recognize his greatness and contributions to baseball and society.
Dwight Gooden ‘s jersey was finally retired by the NY Mets. Some wonder if the honor was long overdue or if it should have been honored at all, based on his troubling history with substance abuse. You be the judge.
I must admit: this is the first WNBA draft I’ve ever watched which, to me, is indicative of its meteoric rise in popularity nationally. Following are results of the first 12 rounds. Caitlin Clark was the unanimous first pick by the Indiana Fever. Stanford’s Cameron Drink went second to the Los Angeles Sparks and 6’3” Kamilla Cardoso of South Carolina was drafted third by Chicago. Via a trade the Sparks then selected Tennessee wing Rickea Jackson, a 6’3” honorable mention All American. The Dallas Wings drafted Ohio St. 5’ 10” defensive guru, guard Jacy Sheldon with the fifth pick. Number 6 pick Aaliyah Edwards of U Conn went to Washington, and brings a wealth of experience, having played on the Canadian Olympics team. Chicago traded up with Minnesota, swapping picks 7 & 8, then used the seventh pick to select Angel Reece from LSU. Alissa Pili of Utah was chosen number eight by Minnesota. With the ninth pick, the Dallas Wing selected 5’9” guard Carla Leite from France. The Connecticut Sun picked Leila Lacan, a 5’11” guard, also from France. Ole Miss’s Marquesha Davis was drafted 11th by the New York Liberty and the final pick in the first round was Australia’s NyaDiew Pouch by the Atlanta Dream.
April 15, 2024 celebrated other momentous events such as the Boston Marathon won by Ethiopian Sisay Lemma who took an early lead and never looked back in winning the 128th edition.
Lemma, a first-time Boston winner, crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 17 seconds. Hellen Obiri became the first women’s back-to-back champion in Boston since 2005 with a 2:22:37 finish. Catherine Ndereba repeated in the women’s Boston Marathon in 2004-05.
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