Sports Update 6-01-2023

>>Nuggets Host Heat To Tip-Off NBA Finals

 

(Denver, CO)  — The 2023 NBA Finals are set to tip-off tonight.  Nikola Jokic [[ yo-kitch ]] and the West champion Denver Nuggets will host Jimmy Butler and the East champion Miami Heat for Game One at Ball Arena.  The Nuggets are making their first-ever appearance in the NBA Finals after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.  The Heat are set to make their second appearance in the NBA Finals in the last four years after fending off the Boston Celtics in seven games to win the East.  Denver defeated Miami in both head-to-head meetings during the regular season.

 

>>Oscar Tshiebwe Will Stay In Draft

 

(Lexington, KY)  — A star player on Kentucky is keeping his name in the NBA draft.  Oscar Tshiebwe announced on Wednesday he’s committing to the draft on June 22nd.  The center earned National Player of the Year honors in 2022 after averaging 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds per game.  He also led the nation in rebounding last season with 13.7 per game.  He spent the first season and a half of his career at West Virginia where he averaged 11.2 points and 9.3 rebounds as a freshman.  Despite his production, ESPN ranks Tshiebwe as the number-75 overall prospect in the draft and isn’t a lock to be selected.

 

>>Zach Edey Returns To Purdue

 

(West Lafayette, IN)  — The NCAA’s National Player of the Year is withdrawing his name from the NBA draft.  Zach Edey announced on Wednesday he’s returning to Purdue next season.  The 7-foot-4 center averaged 22.3 points and 12.9 rebounds per game with the Boilermakers last year.  He also blocked 2.1 shots per game.  Edey was projected to be a late second round pick at best, with a high possibility of being undrafted.

 

 

>>French Open Day Four Recap

 

(Paris)  — Second round action continues on the clay courts at the French Open.  Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz, third-seeded Novak Djokovic and fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas all advanced to the third round with victories.  American Sebastian Korda was ousted in a straight set loss to Sebastian Ofner.  On the women’s side, Jessica Pegula and Sloane Stephens each punched their tickets to the third round.  Fellow American Peyton Stearns pulled off an upset after downing 17th-seeded Jelena Ostapenko in a three-set thriller.  Fifth-seeded Caroline Garcia was also eliminated from the tournament.

 

>>Will Levis Talks Struggles At OTA’s

 

(Nashville, TN)  — The Titans newest quarterback is talking about his struggles in OTA’s.  Buck Reising with A-to-Z Sports Nashville says Will Levis had a “shaky day” especially when it came to ball placement.  Levis told Paul Kuharksy that he had “some ups and downs.”  He went on to say, “Operationally, pretty smooth other than a couple of plays.”  The team traded up to select the Kentucky signal caller in the second round.  OTA’s continue tomorrow.

 

>>The Memorial Tournament Preview

 

(Dublin, OH)  — Billy Horschel will be looking to defend his title at this week’s Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin.  Horschel won last year’s tournament after finishing atop the leaderboard at 13 under par.  The 36-year-old will be in a group alongside Hideki Matsuyama and Patrick Cantlay for the first round.  After winning the Charles Schwab Challenge last week, Emiliano Grillo will play alongside Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler.  Danny Willett, Peter Malnati and Robby Shelton will be teeing off the first round of the tournament.