Category: Sports

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The LA Clippers will be without All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard for most of the 2021-22 NBA season as he works to recover from a partially torn ACL he sustained during the 2021 NBA Playoffs.

Leonard fell in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals in June, knocking down what was another dominant postseason run. With an average of 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.1 steals per game with 57.3 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from 3, there was little hope. that the Clippers could continue without their superstar.

MORE: Latest update on Kawhi’s injury

With his series against the top-seeded Utah Jazz tied at two games apiece, the onus fell on All-Star forward Paul George, among others, to keep his title hopes alive.

The Clippers advanced to their first Conference Finals in franchise history, but ultimately lost to the Phoenix Suns in six games.

As a new season begins, the Clippers are still grappling with the same Finals MVP-size void twice in their lineup.

Which players are most affected by Leonard’s absence, and who will have to step up to keep Los Angeles at the top of the Western Conference until he returns?

Five Clippers players most affected by Kawhi Leonard’s injury

Paul george

Hello, Captain Obvious. This goes without saying, but George is the main guy who needs to step up.

He did just that for the rest of the Clippers’ playoff career without Leonard, taking his game to another level. We saw a flashback to his days with the Indiana Pacers, where he led his team to back-to-back appearances in the Conference Finals at the ages of 22 and 23, going head-to-head with LeBron James and the charged Miami Heat.

By channeling that version of himself, George put together an extremely impressive series of games to keep the Clippers going once Leonard went down.

George went for 37 points, 16 rebounds and five assists to help his team win a massive Game 5 and take a 3-2 series lead over the Jazz. In the next game, he helped spark a big comeback in Game 6 to advance to the Conference Finals.

MORE: NBA Predictions for the 2021-22 Season

George didn’t cool down there, recording three double-doubles in six games against the Suns, scoring more than 20 points in each contest. He had a near triple-double of 27 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists to give the Clippers their first series win in Game 3, then extended their season when they faced elimination, dropping 41 points in the playoffs. 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals in a Game 5 win.

Los Angeles would fall short, but one thing was clear if it wasn’t already, George is capable of being the guy.

The Clippers will need George to maintain that superstar level of play, staying strong in Los Angeles until his All-Star teammate can return to action.

Reggie jackson

Jackson was another key component of the Clippers’ push to the playoffs, assuming the team’s starting general job after coming off the bench in the first two games of the postseason.

Once he was given consistent playing time and opportunity, Jackson began to show himself and prove his value as a starter. But like George, he was able to take his game up a notch once Leonard was injured, becoming a reliable No. 2 scoring option – something not many, if any, people would have seen coming.

Jackson’s playoff performance earned him a good two-year, $ 22 million deal with the Clippers last offseason, making him believe in the veteran shooting guard to replicate his postseason magic.

While it seems like a lot to ask Jackson to produce similar averages, that’s exactly what will be needed if the Clippers are to remain competitive in a grueling Western Conference.

Which version of Jackson will we see this season?

MORE: Win Projections Over / Under 30 Teams

Man terance

Mann blew up during the 2021 playoffs, and who knows how much of a chance he would have gotten if it weren’t for Leonard’s injury. Mann averaged just 13.5 minutes during the first 11 games of the postseason, but once Leonard fell, his playing time increased significantly, averaging 28.6 minutes per game.

He achieved the trademark performance of his young career in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals, erasing a 25-point deficit through a career-high 39 points for a comeback win over the Jazz to finish the series. Mann caught fire from 3-point range, knocking down seven of his 10 3-point attempts, giving LA the jolt it needed to clinch a win.

His efforts earned him a two-year, $ 22 million contract extension last offseason as the Clippers committed to his development as a 25-year-old with many advantages.

He may not be in the projected starting lineup for Opening Night, but don’t be surprised to see Mann make more than a handful of starts this year whenever a gap needs to be filled. It will take his length, energy and versatility on the defensive end to replace Leonard’s defensive prowess. He’s also a capable scorer as a cutter and shooter, making life easier for players like George and Jackson.

Mann should be on your radar when you watch the Clippers this season.

Justise winslow

Winslow breaks this list as a new addition to the Clippers who should take on some responsibilities as a defensive specialist.

As just mentioned with Mann, the Clippers will miss Leonard on the defensive end as much as they will on the offensive end, and that’s where a player like Winslow comes in. At 6ft 6in with a 6ft10in wingspan, Winslow has the size, length, and speed to take on a number of different matchups, either from point guard or up front.

The former No. 10 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft once showed plenty of promise when he began his career with the Miami Heat before injuries hit the young forward. He was wanted by the Memphis Grizzlies in a 2020 trade with the Heat, but shortly after suffered a season-ending hip injury. The ailment kept him out of the game for more than a year, appearing in only 21 games with the Grizzlies before they chose not to re-sign him this offseason.

The Clippers took Winslow to a two-year, $ 8 million deal, giving the 25-year-old a chance to get his career back on track.

The consistency of his playing time remains to be seen, but Winslow should have a chance to prove himself on a slim Clippers roster.

Serge Ibaka

Just one offseason ago, Ibaka for the Clippers was seen as a standout signing.

Ibaka signed a two-year, $ 19 million contract to bring the championship to a team desperately seeking its first title, but injuries plagued his first season in Los Angeles. Ibaka suffered a season-ending back injury limiting him to just 41 games last year, missing the entire postseason.

That same back injury persists into the 2021-22 season, as Ibaka is expected to miss the first game of the season at least. The last update is that Ibaka has resumed 5v5 activity in practice, which means a comeback could be on the horizon, but the Clippers will probably play it safe with a 32-year-old dealing with back problems.

Ibaka was stellar when healthy during his final season with the Toronto Raptors in 2019-20, averaging 15.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. His return would play a huge role in adding depth to the Clippers roster, and would also provide another rim protector and a secondary scoring option.

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Dave Roberts has relied heavily on his bullpen this postseason.

When NLCS Game 6 rolls around Saturday, the Dodgers manager may have to lean heavily on him again. That’s because Max Scherzer, Los Angeles’ scheduled Game 6 starter, won’t go due to arm fatigue and recent heavy use on a short break.

MORE: Scherzer scratched from the start of Game 6

It is not yet known if it will be another bullpen game for the Dodgers or if Roberts will go with Walker Buehler or Julio Urías on a short break.

Regardless, the Dodgers have an uphill battle ahead. They need to win two road games to advance to the World Series for the second year in a row. They do have momentum on their side, however, having won Game 5 comfortably thanks to three home runs from postseason hero Chris Taylor.

MORE: Meet Eddie Rosario, Braves’ Key Midseason Acquisition

The Braves’ hero so far in the postseason has been Eddie Rosario, who was acquired from Cleveland in the middle of the season. He is 12 of 21 with two home runs and six RBIs in the NL Championship Series and was an integral part of the Braves’ victory in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead.

The best performance of Atlanta’s starting pitchers so far came from Charlie Morton, who pitched five solid innings in Game 3. Ian Anderson will start the Braves on Saturday as they look to finish off the Dodgers and advance to their first World Series since. 1999. Anderson lasted just three innings in his first NLCS start and allowed two runs and three hits.

MORE: Astros win World Series spot thanks to Garcia, Álvarez

Sporting News has all the information you need to see the Ddogers take on the Braves on Saturday in Game 6 of the NLCS.

What channel is Dodgers vs. Braves today?

• Television channel: TBS
• Live broadcast: WatchTBS app

TBS will continue its coverage of the National League postseason with the broadcast of Game 6 of the NLCS. Brian Anderson will call play-by-play with Ron Darling and Jeff Francouer as analysts.

In Canada, all postseason games are available on Sportsnet and SN1.

Dodgers vs. Braves start time

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 23
• First release: 8:08 pm ET

The game Dodgers vs. Braves is scheduled to begin at 8:08 p.m. ET Saturday from Truist Park in Atlanta.

2021 MLB playoff schedule

National League

Wild card game

Series of divisions

TBS will handle the broadcast of all NLDS games in both series.

* If necessary

Championship series

TBS will continue its National League playoff coverage with coverage of all NLCS games.

* If necessary.

American league

Wild card game

Series of divisions

MLB Network and FS1 will carry all ALDS games, up to the possible Game 5, which would air exclusively on FS1.

* If necessary.

Championship series

Fox and FS1 will split the coverage of the ALCS.

World Series Schedule

All World Series games will be on Fox.

* If necessary.

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NEWARK, NJ – Seattle wants Krak to open its new arena, Climate Pledge Arena, on Saturday night. This is expected to be a spectacular opening, reminder: Jerry Bruckheimer is one of the owners, as the NHL officially arrives in the Pacific Northwest.

But before things get Krak’ing (just a few more, I promise), Kraken kicked off its inaugural season with a five-game road trip that saw some things go through the Kraks. While the team scored its first franchise goal, via Ryan Donato, and recorded its first franchise win, 4-3 over the Predators, the start of the season was not all that Krak expected. With a 4-2 loss to the Devils on Tuesday, Seattle headed home 1-3-1.

“We are getting to know each other and have made great strides throughout training camp. [and] on this nine-day road trip. There are a lot of positives here even though we left with a record that we are not happy with, “said coach Dave Hakstol after the game.

PLUS: Watch Kraken’s first home game on ESPN +

It’s not easy being the new kids on the block. The team is a mix of 18 skaters and two goalkeepers who, until training camp in late September, hadn’t spent much time together. Players like captain Mark Giordano (Flames), defender Vince Dunn (Blues) and forward Jordan Eberle (Islanders) entered the expansion draft. The standouts Jaden Schwartz (Blues) and Philipp Grubauer (Avalanche) signed up through free agency.

The lack of chemistry was evident in New Jersey. On the first goal, no one covered the point when Adam Larsson made a pinch that led to a 2v1 and Dawson Mercer’s first NHL goal. In the second, Jordan Eberle failed to lift his defense, Damon Severson, crashing from the spot. Is it possible that some of the errors and missed assignments were due to fatigue following a 6-1 beating by the Flyers on Monday night and the Devils contest was the last game of the road trip? Sure. But, in general, things have not gone very well.

Here’s how the Kraken stacks up in five games:

• Passed 19-11 including 8-2 in the opening frame
• Overcome 16-7 in 5v5, by Natural stats trick
• He averaged just 26.0 shot attempts per game, last in the NHL

“I don’t think we’re as far off as we think. I think we’re just giving up little in-game reads. Sometimes we’re giving up opportunities that we can’t give up and we know that as players. But you can see the guys are working hard.” said Captain Mark Giordano, sitting in a locker room at the Prudential Center.

Yes, the Kraken has high-danger opportunities and opportunities right out the door. Eberle was on the side of the net and had something for sure that it just didn’t bounce. However, the team is struggling to generate shots as evidenced by the worst shots per game in the league.

“We’re kind of guilty that guys worry too much when you start squeezing and thinking too much because you don’t want to be the guy to make the mistake,” said Giordano, who came to Seattle after 17 years with the team. Flames and is now the first guy to wear the “C” in Kraken history.

MORE: Exploring Trade Rumors, Surgery Options for Jack Eichel and the Sabers

One positive that should turn things around for the Hakstol team is the return of Yanni Gourde. The back-to-back Stanley Cup champion with the Lightning was finally inserted into the lineup against the Devils after shoulder surgery in the offseason. His comeback already paid dividends when he received the secondary assist on Jared McCann’s third-period power goal that made it a one-goal game.

“It’s a new team, it’s a new whole, but I’m up for the challenge. We’re going to build on that game and see where it takes us,” Gourde said after the game. “We have a good group of guys and we have confidence in our group.

“It is still very early in the season and we are going to build chemistry and we are going to find our identity and once we do, we will be a tough team.

After running out of the Garden State, the Kraken was free on Wednesday and had some practice time before Saturday’s home opener. While Giordano said there are “obviously no excuses”, he, like several players and Hakstol, mentioned that the lack of practice time to start the season has hurt this team.

Now that the Climate Pledge Arena is ready to open and the team is comfortable in their new digs, they can begin putting the pieces in place. One thing to keep in mind is not to overreact to the first five games. After all, not every team, much less an expansion club, is off to a good start. Unless you’re the NHL’s 31st franchise: Vegas began its inaugural season 8-1 and ended it with the Stanley Cup final.

Most spend time in depression to start: For example, the Blue Jackets were 1-8-1 in 2000-01 and the Panthers’ record to start was 2-4-3 in 1993-94. And, yeah, things change pretty fast in this league.

Now is the time for Seattle to get Kraken.

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There’s been a lot of talk about whether Penn State would have bothered then … No. 2 Two weeks ago, Iowa had Nittany Lions senior quarterback Sean Clifford play the entire game.

He didn’t, and Penn State lost 23-20, its only loss of the season to date.

MORE: TV Show for Top 25 Games of Week 8

Clifford left the game in the second quarter and did not play in the second half after taking a big hit. However, he was not the only Penn State player to be injured during the game.

The Nittany Lions lost defensive tackle PJ Mustipher during the season and other players on defense were injured and returned at various points.

The injuries accumulated to the point where Iowa fans began booing injured Penn State players, thinking they were faking injuries. After the game, and for several days afterward, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz and James Franklin of Penn State traded criticism with the press about it.

MORE: Week 8 Underdog Challenge, Annoying Picks

Whether that happened or not, Clifford was injured and was replaced by Ta’Quan Roberson. The Nittany Lions had a break last week and will face Illinois at home on Saturday for their homecoming game.

Here’s what you need to know about the Penn State quarterback when the Illinois arrive at Beaver Stadium in Week 8.

What was Sean Clifford’s injury?

Penn State head coach James Franklin didn’t explicitly say what was making Clifford sick, but the quarterback was holding his back as he walked to the locker room after taking a big hit.

TROCCHI: Should James Franklin choose USC or LSU?

Franklin’s policy is to comment on injury details only if they finish the season. With Clifford, he offered an idea even if he didn’t make a full comment. The eighth-year Nittany Lions coach said Clifford was “receiving treatment“from the medical team in an effort to return as soon as possible.

What’s Sean Clifford’s status for Saturday?

As of his last media availability on Wednesday, Franklin wasn’t sure if Clifford would be back in time for Saturday’s game.

“I don’t know at this point, but we’ll see where he is on Saturday,” Franklin said. he told reporters after Wednesday’s practice. “Hopefully, obviously, we’ll have an idea before that. But it was good to see him being able to do some reps today in practice.”

Franklin also confirmed that Wednesday was not Clifford’s first day back from practice and that he had been taking reps all week.

MORE: SN Midseason All-Americans

“With Sean, he has shown his toughness over the years, both physically and mentally,” Franklin said. “Doing everything possible to put him in the best position to come back asap, whenever that is.”

Franklin did not compromise in his answer. It appears that Clifford’s status may remain uncertain until the start of Saturday.

Who starts if Clifford is out?

Clifford, Roberson, and Christian Vellieux divided practice reps evenly this week, each getting a third of them. If Clifford can’t go, Roberson or Vellieux will start.

Roberson entered the season as the No. 2 clearing behind Clifford, but the red-jersey sophomore struggled in his first extended action. He completed just 7 of 21 passes for 34 yards and threw two interceptions against Iowa.

Vellieux hasn’t seen any collegiate action since arriving at Happy Valley, though the freshman impressed at this week’s practice and closed the gap, something Franklin said shouldn’t have happened.

“If it’s close, it really shouldn’t be, right?” Franklin said. “The guy who’s been on the show for a long time and the guy who’s getting the most reps should be able to widen that gap and he’s a little close right now.”

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The Warriors can put any concerns about the status of Andrew Wiggins behind them.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr revealed on October 4. 3 that Wiggins has been vaccinated against COVID-19 after the 26-year-old previously expressed skepticism about the vaccine. Last month, the NBA denied Wiggins’ request for a religious exemption, meaning he failed to abide by local guidelines in San Francisco. The Warriors faced the prospect of playing without a starter for half the season, and Wiggins faced significant financial losses.

PACIFIC DIVISION PREVIEW: Win Screenings, Stories, Bold Predictions

Now that you have received the COVID-19 vaccine, what is Wiggins’ availability for the 2021-22 campaign? And what made you change your mind?

Can Andrew Wiggins play at home at the Chase Center?

Wiggins will be available to play in every home game this season now that he has been vaccinated. Per San Francisco policy, Warriors players must provide proof of vaccination before entering the Chase Center. (Visiting players will follow different protocols).

If Wiggins hadn’t been vaccinated, he wouldn’t have been paid for any games he missed, which could leave millions of dollars on the table. It would also have put Golden State in a difficult position to start the season, as it averaged 18.6 points per game last season, the team’s second-highest mark behind only Stephen Curry (32.0).

Why did Andrew Wiggins change his position on vaccination?

During its availability in the media after Oct. In the fourth preseason game between the Warriors and Trail Blazers, Wiggins explained his “difficult decision” to get vaccinated and told reporters that he felt he only had two options available: get the vaccine or not play in the NBA.

“It feels good to play, but getting vaccinated will stay on my mind for a long time,” Wiggins said. “It’s not something I wanted to do, but I was forced to do it.”

Wiggins made it clear that he had no ill will towards the Warriors, and was grateful for the support of his teammates, especially Draymond Green, who said it was a “personal choice” for Wiggins and would not tell him what to do with his body.

“[The Warriors] he didn’t make the rules, “Wiggins said.” But I suppose that to do certain things, work and all that, I suppose you don’t own your body. That’s what it all boils down to. If you want to work in society today, I guess they set the rules for what happens in your body and what you do. Hopefully there are a lot of people who are stronger than I am and keep fighting, stand up for what they believe in and hopefully it works for them. “

Wiggins also provided context behind his vacillation hesitation. He said he had a “terrifying” allergic reaction to medications years ago that led him to wear an EpiPen. Even though the Warriors reportedly connected Wiggins with an Oakland doctor to discuss their concerns about the vaccine, Wiggins is still concerned about future health problems.

“I know there are a lot of people [who] have reactions or injuries when receiving the vaccine. Also, I don’t know what he’s going to do to me in 10 years, “Wiggins said.” Genetic damage? There are no studies on whether or not it will cause cancer cells. I don’t know what it will do to my body. There are many things.

“I feel like I could go on for days on why I didn’t want to get it. Most importantly, I don’t know what’s going to happen or what it’s going to do to my body in 10, 15, 20 years or more. Do to my kids, futures children. But I guess it’s something I had to do. “

(Note: None of the COVID-19 vaccines can alter DNA and cause cancer, according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.)

Warriors 2021-22 Schedule

(All the eastern time)