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It is an exciting time to be a sports fan right now with the NBA playoffs, NFL Draft, and other sporting events around the world grabbing plenty of attention. Formula 1 is debuting its latest circuit in Miami, Florida, and the IPL cricket tournament, in which NBA stars like Chris Paul have invested, is flourishing in India.
The second round of the 2022 NBA playoffs has begun and the games are now far more intense and physical. The eight remaining teams are playing their heart out while eliminated stars like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and others are gearing up for the summer.
Let's take a look at some interesting stories from the past 24 hours in the basketball world.
NBA analyst lauds Giannis Antetokounmpo for staying poised under pressure
The Milwaukee Bucks are without Khris Middleton's services, and many analysts dismissed them to win the conference semi-finals series against the Boston Celtics.
However, Giannis Antetokounmpo channeled his reigning champion mentality and carried the Bucks to a 101-89 victory in Game 1. The Greek Freak basically took over the second half, dominating the NBA's best-ranked defense, and reminded everyone why he deserves the crown of the best player in the NBA.
Fox Sports NBA analyst Kevin Wildes suggested that Milwaukee is like the calm guy in a bar fight and lauded Antetokounmpo's clutch gene and poise under pressure. He added that the Greek Freak was more excited about dunking Oreo cookies in milk than his phenomenal dunk after a self-pass off the backboard against Boston.
Wildes said:
"The Bucks are the calm guy in the bar fight. That's the guy you don't mess with. Giannis showed more of a reaction to dunk Oreos in milk than his dunk off the backboard. That's why'd be scared if I was Boston."
F1 Miami Grand Prix expected to have stands filled with superstars
The sport of Formula One has taken a huge leap across the North American continent. There was a time when an F1 racer could walk down the street in an American city and not be recognized, but now the sport is hosting three Grand Prix events in the country.
F1 is debuting its latest addition to the calendar, the Miami Street Circuit, this year. The global event is expected to see severa; celebrities and sports personalities take to the stands.
Daniel Ricciardo of McLaren Racing, recently said on "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah," that most F1 circuits were built in remote places because of their size. However, this Miami circuit is a street one and is in the heart of the city, next to Hard Rock Stadium, home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins.
Hence, it is expected to be a very popular event. As reported by Daily Mail UK, the F1 Miami GP is expected to have LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, David Beckham, and several other stars in attendance.
Brandon Clarke comments on Draymond Green's reputation after ejection in Game 1
Draymond Green was ejected in the final minute of the first half of Game 1 of the Golden State Warriors' NBA Western Conference Semi-finals against the Memphis Grizzlies. He commented on his ejection after the game on his podcast, "The Draymond Green Show," and opined that the call was excessive.
The foul on the floor didn't warrant a flagrant 2 call and the majority of the NBA world disagreed with the referees. Brandon Clarke was asked about the ejection after the game and he commented on how Green's reputation might have led to the decision. He said:
"He’s been known for flagrant fouls in his career. I’ve watched him on TV my whole life, it feels like. I wasn’t really shocked… It’s not shocking that he did that. It’s something he’s done in the past."
Draymond Green reacted to a social media post about Clarke's comments and laughed it off on his Instagram stories.
Scottie Pippen excludes old player for current one for his All-Time Starting 5
Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen was recently a guest on TrashTalk Production to promote his book, "Unguarded." During the show, the interviewer asked him for his all-time starting 5.
Pippen suggested earlier that he would stick to the older NBA players and not include any current ones in his starting lineup. He excluded superstars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry, but one player eventually made the cut.
Pippen originally chose himself and his long-time teammate Michael Jordan along with Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, and Charles Barkley. He later removed Barkley and included the Greek Freek, Giannis Antetokounmpo to complete his starting 5. Pippen said:
"I’ll take myself, Michael Jordan, Magic. Based on today’s game, it would be positionless, right? Yeah, so give me Charles Barkley. I want to still stick with the older players. I’ll take Shaq. I got a lot of offense... no no, you know what? Get rid of Barkley. Give me Giannis... I want Giannis at the four and then give me Shaq at the bottom."
Joel Embiid might return to action in the NBA Playoffs sooner than expected
NBA MVP candidate Joel Embiid is expected to miss a chunk of the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-finals against the Miami Heat due to his severe injury. He suffered an orbital fracture and concussion in the first round of the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors.
Embiid was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the ongoing playoffs. Every analyst and fan has now picked the Heat to win this series because the Philadelphia 76ers will be without their best player.
However, a recent report by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski suggests that the Cameroonian big man might lace up sooner than expected. Wojnarowski reported on Twitter that Embiid will not travel to Florida for Games 1 and 2 but might see the floor for Games 3 and 4 at home.
Sixers head coach Doc Rivers recently spoke about the four players who can replace Joel Embiid at the center position. He included youngsters Paul Reed and Charles Bassey, as well as veterans DeAndre Jordan and Paul Millsap. Rivers said:
"We may need all four guys, even if it's to burn minutes. The one thing Miami is... they're clever. They're foul magnets. That's a concern for us."
The fourth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers take on the top-seeded Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at the FTX Arena on Monday.
Poll : Will the Golden State Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies in the second round?
Yes
No
64 votes
