Celtics Coaching/Toughness Headline Four Game 6's In NBA 2nd Round. Panthers Facing Leafs Cataclysmic Comeback? MLB Weekend Matchups. NFL Schedule Leaks With Little Appeal
Back to close out a busy week on the podcast as we get set for a thrilling weekend of playoff competition and the like. On deck:
(3:03) All of the NBA second round series are at 3-2. I start off with my beloved, but battered Celtics as they've played their worst game of the postseason, losing an awful Game 5 at home. Do they have what it takes to win an elimination game? Yes, indeed. But how they'll go about it this time around will be different? Will Marcus Smart show up in this series? What about the rookie head coach, Joe Mazzulla? Can he make certain adjustments on the fly? A fascinating Game 6 for their season awaits in Philadelphia this evening. The Nuggets can put away the Suns with a win tonight. Do the Suns have what it takes to force a Game 7? Then you have what the Knicks and Warriors did last night. Do the Knicks have what it takes to win a huge game on the road? And will the Warriors championship DNA rise in Game 6 in LA vs. the Lakers? Four intriguing Game 6's (is it possible to have four Game 7's?) which will lead us into the weekend as to who will play in the Conference Finals next week.
(23:13) The Stanley Cup Playoffs second round has played out much differently than its NBA counterparts to date as there hasn't been a lot of drama. The Hurricanes seem to be on the inside track to winning in five games over the Devils, but the one storyline that could gain some traction is the Maple Leafs. They showed some pride, saved face and won with a backup goalie to bring the series back to Toronto for Game 5, down 3-1. Is this the time for the Leafs to get on a roll, win a home game which they haven't really done this postseason and put some pressure on the Panthers to avoid a cataclysmic disaster of having Toronto get back in the series? I'll also see where we're at with the Kraken-Stars and Oilers-Golden Knights as they're deadlocked at 2-2 in their respective series. There'll be a new Rangers coach next year as Gerard Gallant was let go. Joel Quenneville, anyone? Hmmm! Not this guy. And the Blackhawks win the Connor Bedard sweepstakes as they'll have the #1 pick in this upcoming draft, thanks to winning the Draft Lottery a couple of nights ago.
(38:27) There isn’t much to discuss in baseball, but there are a couple of things to chew on. The Rays will invade the Bronx for a big four game series with the Yankees. You'll have the Braves-Blue Jays, Padres-Dodgers & Pirates-Orioles over the weekend. The Mets will play the Phillies in the London Series next year. Am I a fan of this? And will Braves starter, Max Fried have to face Tommy John surgery as he left with a forearm strain earlier this week?
(44:25) NFL fans are geeked up as the 2023 schedule will be released tonight. I'm not crazy about the London & Germany games, but the Black Friday game and all of the networks and streaming services that need to be fed has become overkill for yours truly.
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Intro/outro music by Cyklonus.