Hoop HOF, NBA Play-in and More
The latest with the Hockey and Hoops postseason and 30 more headlines from the West Coast
It was great to make it out to an Angel game this week. I hadn’t been to a baseball game in a few seasons. Crazy how folks act like Ohtani played so far from Los Angeles before.
Either way, there’s lots with the West Coast in the NBA and NHL. Draft season is around the corner too. Here’s the top news from the Pacific Time zone.
NBA HOFers Led by West Coast Legends
Lakers legend Michael Cooper is among the inductees into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Cooper was named the WNBA Coach of the Year by the Los Angeles Sparks and led the team to back-to-back WNBA titles in 2001-02 too. Magic Johnson gave him great praise.
Lakers legend Jerry West goes in for the third time, this time as a contributor. Dick Barnett was a Laker too, including some time backing up West.
Current Blazers coach Chauncey Billups will also get enshrined in August. Walter Davis spent one season with the Blazers in 1991.
Seimone Augustus finished her career with the Los Angeles Sparks.
PS Magic Johnson joins the Billionaire Club
NHL Headlines Leading into the Postseason
The NHL season is coming down to the wire. There’s still two teams on the West Coast playing for positions in the postseason. Here’s more headlines leading into the bracket:
NBA Play-In Headed for Regional Battles
Sacramento, Los Angeles and Golden State are all fighting for positions in the play-in tournament. The Kings, Lakers and Warriors currently sit in seeds 7-9 with two-three games left in the regular season.
Right now, Sacramento and Golden State will face-off with the winner getting in. L.A. needs to win out and get some help to avoid the need to beat two teams to get in. At the moment, the Lakers would need to beat Phoenix and the loser of No. 7 versus No. 8 to get into the playoffs.
ALSO: The Los Angeles Clippers clinched their playoff berth. They are close to locking up the fourth seed with a two-game lead over the Dallas Mavericks. Either way, L.A. appears set to play Dallas in the first round.
West Coast Links
Best sports link from the Pacific Time Zone for the week of 04/10.
NFL
Caleb Williams gets more Mahomes comparisons
Tim Brown opens up about the Raiders’ QB situation
Seahawks reveal new jerseys for additions
Seattle visits with Ike Boettger
Seattle still pays Carroll tons
Donald knew he was done after the postseason
CJ Stroud working with Stefon Diggs already
NBA
Rajon Rondo could replace John Calipari
Hornets interview Lindsey Harding
Lakers update errors on statue
Sabonis’ streak ends at 61 with loss to the Thunder
Byron Scott could make coach an HBCU
Ben McLemore catches serious charges
MLB
Do the Giants have a new mascot?
A’s to play three seasons in Sacramento
Glasnow is the first pitcher to strike out 14 batters with less than 90 pitches
Dodgers resolve controversy over Ohtani’s first-ever Dodger home run
Gerrit Cole believes MLB should look at pitch clock rule change more closely
MLS
LA Galaxy interested in Sergio Ramos
Hugo Lloris loves California and LAFC
LAFC and Galaxy rivalry gets racial
NHL
Adam Larsson ends 343-game streak to welcome a child
Looking forward to catching lots of West Coast playoff action after this week. Any one got a hot take on Kendrick Lamar killing J.Cole’s career?