Event of the Day: San Antonio Spurs v Boston Celtics
Our event of the day is the NBA game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Boston Celtics at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. The Spurs sit third-place in the Western Conference with a 17-8 record and have won eight of their last 10 matches. This is their third home game in a row, following back-to-back victories against the Detroit Pistons and the Miami Heat. The Celtics sit at the top of the Eastern Conference and lead the entire NBA with the best record of 22-4, they have been incredibly impressive all season, and at one stage were on a 16 game winning streak. They come to San Antonio after four successive home triumphs, the last coming against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, winning 97-90. Boston came out on top in this season’s first meeting with San Antonio, beating them 108-94 at home.
The Spurs have been deprived of the services of their biggest star, Kawhi Leonard, who’s been unavailable since the start of the season due to right quadriceps tendinopathy. However, as has happened many times before, Coach Gregg Popovich has found a way to instill a winning mentality amongst his team. LaMarcus Aldridge has really stepped up and led the team impressively with a 22.6 points and 8 rebounds per game average for the season. NBA champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015-16, guard Kyrie Irving was a crucial addition to the Boston side this summer. He’s averaging 23.5 points a game and works brilliantly with Al Horford who has a 14.3 points and 8 rebounds per game average for the season. With two teams that have championship aspirations, both in great form; a thrilling encounter is guaranteed at the AT&T Center.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the NHL duel between the Nashville Predators and the Vegas Golden Knights at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The Predators lead the Central Division with 39 points from 28 games and have three wins in a row; while the Golden Knights are in second spot in the Pacific Division with just four points less from 27 games, having won their last two matches. It’s day 2 of the Joburg Open at the Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club in Johannesburg, while the competition begins at the PGA Tour’s QBE Shootout at the Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida. There is an in-port race in Cape Town, South Africa, as part of the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race. Women’s and men’s skeleton are scheduled at the Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Cup in Winterberg, Germany. The quarter-finals start at the snooker UK Championship at York’s Barbican Centre. In the European Rugby Champions Cup, the Glasgow Warriors take on Montpellier at the Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow. In football there is a La Liga match between Alavés and Las Palmas at the Mendizorrotza in Vitoria-Gasteiz and in Ligue 1 Bordeaux and Strasbourg meet at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux in Bordeaux.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Fixture
Photos by NBA