Doug Smith of the Toronto Star answered a variety of fan questions in his latest mailbag. Topics ranged from coaching hires, to free agents who may not wish to play for a female coach. Smith does not believe that GMs and ownerships bend to the whims of fans but must make changes in order to bring tangible benefits to new coaches or GMs in terms of voice, personality, tactics, and relationships. Smith believes players would be willing to play for Becky Hammon and describes her Hall of Fame playing credentials and near-constant success as a coach. Smith also professes his admiration of Toronto’s OG Anunoby, NBA leader in steals per game, and suggests being selected for the 2022-23 KIA all-NBA defensive second team is an honour rather than a snub.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to file paperwork for running for President of the US, ending the months of speculation in which he has fallen behind Donald Trump in the opinion polls. However, Trump still commands more than 56% of the Republican electorate, while DeSantis trails in a distant second place, at just shy of 20%. Republican campaign veterans say the polls reflect an increasingly disciplined Trump campaign apparatus that relentlessly attacks DeSantis, and a “shadow campaign” by the Florida governor that has yet to get off the ground.
Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has taken full responsibility for the team's poor results, with a 128-102 loss to the Miami Heat leaving them on the brink of elimination from the NBA playoffs. If Boston fails to win at least one of the next four games, they will become the first team in the league's history to lose a best-of-seven set from 3-0 down. Mazzulla has faced criticism for failing to be passionate enough, as well as for not putting together an effective game plan.
Heat put Celtics on brink of elimination with 26-point rout in Game 3
CBC
23-05-22 03:24
The Miami Heat is one game away from booking its ticket to the NBA Finals after beating the Boston Celtics 120-80 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. Miami was sharp on offence, with the team shooting 57%. The Heat squad is now 8-0 when leading 3-0 in any post-season series in its history. It appears that both conference finals may end in sweeps, which last happened in 1957.
Tidal pools, a unique combination of natural formations and man-made elements, offer safe swimming in enclosed spaces for those nervous about the open sea. Despite facing disuse and closure, many tidal pools are still operational and popular in countries such as Australia and Malta. The Victorian development of these pools highlights their importance in the history of leisure and luxury. Tidal pools serve as a place of solace for many, with the author of the article partaking in the challenge to swim in every tidal pool in mainland Britain after struggling with grief. Most tidal pools are semi-natural, unticketed, open year-round, and require visitors to travel with a friend since they have no facilities or lifeguards. One must always check the tide, as the pool will be covered otherwise. The writer presents three day trips to tidal pools from London and five more further away that are ideal for weekend trips. Each tidal pool has its unique features, with some located on the Jurassic Coast accessible only through a cliff-top path, providing a genuinely authentic natural experience, while others, such as Clevedon Marine Lake, offer a great spot for family adventuring or water activities.
The Miami Heat have taken an unexpected lead in the Eastern Conference following their 128-102 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 3. The win puts Miami 3-0 ahead in the series, and history shows that every NBA team who has won the first three games of a best-of-seven has gone on to ultimately prevail. The Heat are now just one win away from the Finals, with Game 4 on Tuesday. The NBA Finals will start on 1 June, and if Miami progress, the league could be without any games for a few days as the Western Conference finals could end tonight.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis is expected to officially enter the 2024 presidential race following months of speculation and tipped to file formal paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday 25 May. Mr DeSantis is seen as Donald Trump’s biggest rival for the Republican vote and has been expected to throw his hat into the ring for some time. The latest polls show Mr DeSantis trailing Mr Trump, with the former president enjoying a 36-point lead. Mr DeSantis will join an already crowded race, with Nikki Haley, Asa Hutchinson, Vivek Ramaswamy, Larry Elder and Tim Scott already announcing bids.
However, this comes just days after the NAACP issued a formal advisory warning travellers that Florida is openly hostile towards Black people, people of colour and LGBT+ people following a series of laws signed by Governor DeSantis in recent months targeting classroom instruction around race and racism. In contrast, GOP supermajorities in the Florida Statehouse have helped DeSantis push through legislation, including gender identity, and he has made anti-LGBTQ+ legislation a large part of his messaging as he prepares to seek the Republican presidential nomination.
Following the GOP party’s disappointing midterms, several Republican lawmakers and right-wing media have rallied behind Mr DeSantis as their candidate of choice. The Republican party is currently looking for a candidate who can both energise conservative voters and win over the crucial swing states.
Democrats have increased criticism of the US Supreme Court, claiming the court's conservative justices are corrupt, partisan and extreme. Last year, only 25% of Americans said they had a lot of confidence in the court, down from 50% as recently as 2002, according to Gallup. The Republican-appointed justices have pursued an ambitious agenda that overrules public opinion, according to the Democrats, while most of the nine justices refuse to address questions about their ethical standards. Republicans believe Democrats are being sore losers, trying to subvert legitimate court decisions they disagree with. However, Democrats hope to lay the groundwork for laws which could constrain the court’s authority or change its makeup. Republicans refused to allow Barack Obama to fill a court opening in his final year in office, then paved the way for Donald Trump to fill three positions. The Democrats’ criticism seeks to damage the court’s credibility with other political leaders and the public, making it uncomfortable for the justices to issue unpopular rulings.
Former Red Sox player David Ortiz, or “Big Papi,” has encouraged the Boston Celtics to believe they can come back from the 0-3 deficit against the Miami Heat in the NBA Eastern Conference finals. “Big Papi” helped the Red Sox reach victory in the world series after the team managed to recover a 0-3 deficit against rivals, the New York Yankees, in the American League championship series. The Celtics are similarly coming back after a blowout loss in Miami and will have to look to each game individually to advance.
The Miami Heat are slight favourites to close out the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics at home on Tuesday, according to Jordan Horrobin, a sports betting writer for NorthStar Bets. Horrobin has backed the Heat to win the second half as his best bet, pointing out they are 6-0 at home and have gone 5-0-1 in the second half of their play-off games. Miami's average margin of victory in the second half of home games is 6.3 points and it has covered a +7 spread in 12 of 14 play-off games.
On Monday, the Florida Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 1-0 in Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference Final, taking a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. In the NBA, the Denver Nuggets swept past the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals with a 113-111 victory. In the MLB, there were several games in both the American League and National League, including victories for the Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Los Angeles Dodgers. In CFL preseason action, the Calgary Stampeders beat the Edmonton Eskimos 29-24. And, in the World Men's Hockey Championship, Norway defeated Canada 3-2 in a shootout, while Sweden beat Denmark 4-1.
Jurickson Profar extended his on-base streak to 30 games and added two RBIs to lead his Colorado Rockies to a 5-3 victory over the Miami Marlins on Monday night. Elias Diaz homered and doubled to drive in two runs, while Kris Bryant Da doubled alongside Profar. Bryan De La Cruz scored twice for the Marlins with a four-hit performance, and Jacob Stallings contributed two RBIs. Miami equalised in the second before Diaz hit the pivotal blast, his fourth of the season, to give Colorado the lead once more. Pierce Johnson secured a ninth save for the Rockies.
Panthers' Bobrovsky posts 32-save shutout to put Hurricanes on brink of elimination
CBC
23-05-23 03:07
The Florida Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 1-0 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup playoffs, taking a 3-0 series lead and placing them one win away from the final. Sergei Bobrovsky got his first career playoff shutout and Sam Reinhart scored the game-winning power-play goal in the second period. The Panthers are now 2-0 when taking the first three games of a series, while the Hurricanes are 0-5 when dropping the first three. However, captain Aleksander Barkov left the game with a lower-body injury.
The Florida Panthers moved to within one win of reaching the Stanley Cup final on Monday night as goalie Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 32 shots for his first career playoff shutout in a 1-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Sam Reinhart scored a power-play goal for Florida, while Tkachuk and Bennett had assists. Florida is now 3-0 up in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final. Florida has not featured in the Stanley Cup final since 1996 but can reach the championship round with a victory in Game 4 on Wednesday.
