Sports Update 6-12-2023

>>NBA Finals Game Five Preview

 

(Denver, CO)  — The Denver Nuggets are one win away from their first NBA championship.  The Nuggets will host the Miami Heat at Ball Arena tonight for Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals.  The Nuggets enter with a 3-1 series lead after winning both games in Miami.  The Nuggets defeated the Heat 108-95 in Game Four on Friday to give themselves a chance to close out the series on their home court.  Miami guard Tyler Herro has yet to be cleared in his return from a broken hand and has already been ruled out for the contest.  Denver star center Nikola Jokic said that the Nuggets “are going to approach it as a must-win game.”  Teams that have gone up 3-1 in the NBA Finals have an all-time record of 35-and-1.

 

>>Six Programs Punch Ticket To College World Series

 

(Omaha, NE)  — Six programs have punched their ticket to the College World Series.  Top-seed Wake Forest swept 16th-seeded Alabama in Winston-Salem over the weekend to lock up their spot in Omaha.  In a pair of SEC matchups, two-seed Florida swept South Carolina, while fifth-seeded LSU advanced with a sweep of Kentucky.  Seventh-seeded Virginia booked its spot in the CWS with a three-game takedown of Duke in Charlottesville.  In other action, TCU swept 14-seed Indiana State and Oral Roberts prevailed over Oregon in three games.  The final two spots in the tournament will be locked up today.  Texas visits Stanford while Southern Miss hosts Tennessee in Game Three of the Super Regional Round.

 

>>Nick Taylor Wins RBC Canadian Open

 

(Toronto, ON)  — For the first time since 1954 a hometown hero is taking home the title at the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto.  Native Canadian Nick Taylor won its national open after taking down Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff.  Taylor and Fleetwood finished tied atop the leaderboard after the final round at 17 under par, before Taylor became the sixth ever Canadian player to win the RBC Canadian Open.  Three players finished tied for third-place.  Aaron Rai, Tyrrell Hatton and CT Pan each ended the tournament 16 under par.

 

 

>>Martin Truex Jr Wins Toyota Save Mart 350

 

(Sonoma, CA)  — Martin Truex Jr is joining the “three victories” club.  The driver of the number-19 car took home the checkered flag in the Toyota Save Mart 350 from Sonoma on Sunday.  Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five finishers.  The only other drivers to win three NASCAR Cup Series races this season are Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson and Will Byron.  The field heads back east next Sunday for the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.

 

 

>>Hopkins Visits With Titans

 

(Nashville, TN)  — The Titans have sat down with the top free agent on the market.  A-to-Z sports reports DeAndre Hopkins arrived in Nashville yesterday and met with Tennessee for his first free agent visit.  The four-time Pro Bowler also has a meeting with the Patriots this week.  Head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Tim Kelly worked with Hopkins back in Houston when current Browns’ quarterback Deshaun Watson was under center for the Texans.

 

>>French Open Tournament Recap

 

(Paris)  — Novak Djokovic continues to make history after his victory at the French Open.  Djokovic defeated fourth-seeded Casper Ruud in straight sets to capture his record 23rd Grand Slam title.  The 36-year-old also became the first man to win at least three titles at each of the Grand Slams.  On the women’s side, top-seeded Iga Swiatek took down Karolina Muchova in three sets to earn her third title at Roland Garros. Swiatek became the third woman in the professional era to start 4-and-oh in major finals.