NBA Update

The first major contender of the NBA playoffs has been eliminated.  The Celtics, who were the number-two team in the East, had a 3-1 lead on Philly, but lost the last three games and are eliminated.  Jayson Tatum was injured and unable to play, and the Celtics missed a ton of three's in a 109-100 home loss.  Tyrese Maxey made play after play down the stretch to seal the game for Philly.

There are still two more Game Sevens tomorrow, and then that will complete the First Round of the playoffs, which looks like this (seedings in parentheses):

EASTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Detroit 3 - 3 (8) Orlando

(4) Cleveland 3 - 3 (5) Toronto)

(3) New York 4 - 2 (6) Atlanta

(2) Boston 3 - 4 (7) Philadelphia

WESTERN CONFERENCE

(1) Oklahoma City 4 - 0 (8) Phoenix

(4) L.A. Lakers 4 - 2 (5) Houston

(3) Denver 2 - 4 (6) Minnesota

(2) San Antonio 4 - 1 (7) Portland

Pope Update

Tyran Stokes, the number one player in the Class of 2026, just announced that he was going to attend Kansas University in the fall.

For reasons that I cannot fathom, there were people in the Lexington media who thought Stokes was heading to the University of Kentucky.  In other words, they thought he would pick a coach who's never been to the Sweet 16 over one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history.

They were disappointed.

Like the man says in Citizen Kane:  "You're going to need more than one lesson.  And you're going to get more than one lesson."

On this Day in 1976

The Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association played their last game.  They were beaten by the Denver Nuggets four games to three in the semifinals of the ABA playoffs.

The Colonels played nine seasons in the ABA, from 1967-68 to 1975-76.  They finished with a regular season record of 448 wins and 296 losses, for a winning percentage of .602.  They went to the ABA finals in 1970-71, 1972-73, and 1974-75 -- winning in all in 1974-75.

The Denver Nuggets, New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs, and Indiana Pacers were all invited to join the NBA when the ABA collapsed, and they are all still going strong.  But the Colonels disappeared, and Louisville hasn't come close to getting a major pro sports team since.

Pennant Fever

On Saturday, Arsenal beat Newcastle United, while Manchester City won its semi-final match in the F.A. Cup.  Man City advances to the F.A. Cup final, where they will play Chelsea on Saturday, May 16.  Meanwhile, the top of the English Premier League looks like this:

1.  Arsenal:  22-5-7 (73 points)

2.  Manchester City:  21-5-7 (70)

In Scotland, Heart of Midlothian won at Hibernian 2-1, Rangers lost at home to Motherwell, and Celtic defeated Falkirk 3-1.  So with four games left in the season, the top of the Scottish Premier League looks like this:

1.  Heart of Midlothian:  22-5-7 (73 points)

2.  Celtic:  22-8-4 (70)

3.  Rangers:  19-3-12 (69)

I can't remember another season where both countries had such exciting pennant races.  Hearts will host Rangers on Monday, May 4 in the biggest game played in Edinburgh in many years.

The Scottish F.A. Cup Final will feature Celtic and Dunfermline Athletic.  It will take place on Saturday, May 23.

Meanwhile, and most important of all, the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League start this week.  The quarter-finals (played over two legs) went like this:

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) 4 - 0 Liverpool (ENG)

Real Madrid (ESP) 4 - 6 Bayern Munich (GER)

Barcelona (ESP) 2 - 3 Atletico Madrid (ESP)

Sporting CP (POR) 0 - 1 Arsenal (ENG)

It's pretty rare to see both Real Madrid and Barcelona eliminated before the semi-finals.  Anyway, here are the semi-finalists:

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) v. Bayern Munich (GER)

Atletico Madrid (ESP) v. Arsenal (ENG)

Pennant Fever

With five games left in the season, the top of the English Premier League looks like this:

1.  Manchester City:  21-5-7 (70 points) (goal differential of 37) (66 total goals)

2.  Arsenal:  21-5-7 (70 points) (goal differential of 37) (63 total goals)

So it's really close.