Jalen Brunson’s Game 5 performance needs to be Noted. He played all 48 minutes, scoring 38 points with 9 rebounds and 7 assists. He kept the Knicks season alive and heard his share of MVP Chants from the MSG faithful. The lefty point guard also had a bit of help from his other fellow Lucky Lefties as RJ Barrett scored 26 points and Julius Randle put up 24. The 3 Lefty Amigos scored 79% of the Knicks’ 112 points. Neither team shot well from the 3, the Knicks turned the ball over more and actually were outrebounded by Miami, but they got to the free throw line 40 times while the Heat only shot 19. Jalen Brunson alone drew 10 foul calls against the Heat. Tonight’s Game 6 is at 7:30 p.m. ET, on ESPN. The Knickerbockers still need two more wins but a comeback from 3-1 has been done before and the Knicks know the history. RJ Barrett told MSG Network, “This is something that can be done. It’s been done before 13 times.”
The Celtics Force Game 7 in Boston
The Game 7 preview for Sunday will be on Sports&Life tomorrow.
Western Conference
LeBron vs Steph Playoffs (Vol VI)
While LeBron vs Steph’s 6th Playoff Series meeting (I’m counting the play-in game from ‘21 even though it really shouldn’t count) is the headline; Anthony Davis’ (not related if you’re wondering) status is the real headliner for Game 6. AD has a head after falling to the floor in Game 5 from an inadvertent elbow from Kevon Looney but it is being reported that he will play tonight. The accidental ‘bow caused Davis to leave Game 5 in a wheelchair - which had the Fellas on TNT laughing uncontrollably. Draymond Green in Game 5 stayed out of the antics and actually scored 20 points in a game for only the 2nd time in the ‘23 playoffs. Andrew Wiggins also played great as he scored 25 points while drawing the daunting task of guarding LeBron James. Game 5 was certainly not the Lonnie Walker game, as he only scored 4 points and none in the 4th Quarter. While all of this is going on, apparently “The Last Dance” producer is filming LeBron James for a potential documentary. Thus far in the series, Steph Curry has gone 6 for 25 for beyond the arc against the Lakers. If Curry can catch fire to steal one in LA tonight, a Game 7 on the road would add a bit more drama to LeBron’s documentary, wouldn’t it?
Denver Defeats Sorry Suns
Last night in Game 6, Nikola Jokic had 20 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and no turnovers by halftime. He joined Kevin Durant as the only player with 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists by halftime with 0 turnovers in these playoffs. (Source: @statmuse) I didn’t even have to watch a minute of the 2nd half of this game because, for the 2nd year in a row, Phoniex has choked at home in an elimination game. This is a tough look for Kevin Durant, but an even tougher look for Devin Booker. That said, it is tough to be too harsh on the Suns’ duo with their other 2 lesser shiny stars, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, sitting out. After two embarrassing losses to end the past 2 seasons, changes will need to be made. Half the team looked like they were ready to just go golfing in Scottsdale by halftime. Sad!
‘Chel Stanley Cup Playoffs ‘23
Eastern Conference
Hurricane Kills the Devil
The New Jersey Devils season has come to a close as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated them in overtime last night. After their series win, Carolina chose violence by playing with the devil and Tweeted out a Cameo which featured "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice, "Jersey Shore" star Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, New York Jets superfan Fireman Ed, "Cake Boss" star Mauro Castano and "The Sopranos" actors Vincent Curatola and Federico Castelluccio, congratulating the Hurricanes. A Hurricane hasn’t hit Jersey this hard since Sandy.
Panthers wiping their arses using Maple Leafs
@YouTheReader Sorry for practicing yellow journalistic headlines, have to see what works and what doesn’t, ya know. The Maple Leafs also have to see what works and what doesn’t after falling behind 3-0 in the series to Florida. Toronto brought in their rookie goalie, Joseph Woll, to start Game 4. He became the first rookie goalie to start a playoff game for the Leafs since 1993. (Source: @SNstats) He’ll remain in front of the net for Game 5 as Ilya Samsonov remains out, he has an upper-body. We’ll see if “The Brick Woll” can keep this series alive another day as the series shifts back to Toronto.
Western Conference
Seattle better release the Kraken Game 6
Dallas coach Pete DeBoer had nothing but praise for his center, Roope Hintz. Nicknamed the “Ace of Spades”, Hintz is now tied for the playoff points lead with 18. In Game 5, Hintz scored 2 goals and assisted on 1 other in the Stars’ 5-2 victory over the Kraken. “It's almost been a little bit of a coming out party for him,” said DeBoer. The Kraken had 31 Pucks on Net compared to the Stars’ 21, it is just that Seattle couldn’t crack Dallas goalie, Jake Oettinger.
A bunch of Oilers head to a Friday Night in Las Vegas
Edmonton’s Conor McDavid took exception to Alex Pietrangelo’s two-handed slash on Leon Draisaitl. In Game 4, McDavid also recorded 2 assists and stated, “It is the playoffs. You get down one and that sense of urgency goes way up. It is always disappointing when you lose in the playoffs. It feels not very good. You are used to bringing your best. I expect them to play a really good Game 5 and I expect us to bring our best, too.” Edmonton will be without one of their top defensemen in Darnell Nurse who was handed an automatic suspension under rule 46.21 - Instigating in Final Five Minutes of Regulation. Nurse started fighting in the closing minute of Game 4 to defend his teammates and now will miss a game for the first time all season (92 games played).
John Byron Nelson was an American golfer known for having the “Greatest Year in Golf.” That would be his 1945 season where he finished with 18 victories, 11 of which came in a row (a record that still stands), and established another record for the lowest scoring average (68.33). To start his 1945 season, Nelson shot 50 consecutive rounds under par. Nelson was exempted from serving in WWII due to his bouts with hemophilia, but in golf, you play the course, and his record for lowest scoring average wouldn’t be broken until Tiger Woods in ‘00 (68.17). Nelson won 5 Major Championships - the 1939 U.S. Open, the 1937 and 1942 Masters, and the 1940 and 1945 PGA Championships.
Golf for “Lord Byron” began at the age of 12 years old while caddying at Glen Garden Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. One of the other caddies at Glen Garden was Ben Hogan, just another golfer considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game. In 1927, Nelson beat Hogan for the club caddy record at Glen Garden. Nelson is credited for popularizing the modern golf swing, inventing the double-size umbrella, and was one of the first golfers to change from hickory-shaft wooden clubs to steel. After winning 6 events in a row in 1946, Nelson shocked the world by retiring from professional golf at the age of 34 years old to live out on his Fairway Ranch. Despite all of his success, lost his fire, touring wore him down, and he developed stomach trouble, which he assumed was from stress.
For more than 50 years, AT&T Byron Nelson has proudly supported the mental health of children and families through its beneficiary, Momentous Institute. 100% of the proceeds from AT&T Byron Nelson go directly to providing mental health services, education, and professional training through Momentous Institute. Since 1968, over $180 million has been donated directly to mental health. (Source: Our Cause)
“So many people ask me what it’s like having a tournament with my name on it, that I sometimes feel kind of funny about the whole thing. The best way to explain it is just to say that it’s one of the best things that have ever happened to me in all my time in golf… better than winning the Masters or the U.S. Open or even eleven in a row. Because it helps people.” - Byron Nelson (February 4, 1912 – September 26, 2006)
Leaderboard After Round 1
South Korean golfer, Noh Seung-yul, shot an unreal 60 in the first round. Noh won his first PGA Tour victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in ‘14. After the ‘17 season, Noh left the PGA Tour to begin his mandatory military obligation in South Korea, returning to professional golf in ‘19 after the completion of his service. His 60-shot round tied the Byron Nelson tournament record. He did all of this despite cracking his driver in the middle of the round.
Aussie golfer, Adam Scott, shot a 60 at the Byron Nelson Tournament in ‘14. He is one of 4 other golfers who Noh has just tied, but Scott is the latest to do so of the golfers still on the PGA Tour. Maybe I should also start using my putter like a broomstick in order to improve my putting game.
Scottie doesn’t know didn’t know he chipped in this beautiful eagle until he got approval from his caddy.
Unfortunately, some of Week to Week Notes’ favorite golfers - JT Thomas and Rory McIlroy - are sitting this round out in preparation for the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, NY. Fortunately, Patrick “Slow Poke” Cantlay is also sitting this one out too.
Lucky Man is a song about finding comfort in yourself. As one of the @RapGenius annotators puts it, “the artist’s newfound happiness has nothing to do with other people’s perception but rather his own personal growth.” Happiness comes and goes. Nobody is ever happy all of the time. It’s how you deal with the ups and downs of life that really matter.
One thing I’ve really learned from Week to Week Notes is that joy is really more so a mindset. Happiness is fleeting. For instance, I get a 15-minute high immediately after I post a Note. Then usually I go back and re-read it to catch mistakes or something that needs editing - then I’m on to tomorrow’s post writing it in my mind. That might sound a bit much, but I truly do get more joy out of putting in the work than I do necessarily out of the outcome on a given day. I feel lucky that I’ve found something fun like that.
@YouTheReader I’ll be honest I first heard this song while I was binging Entourage during my first semester of freshman year at UAlbany. The song is on in the background to the conclusion of Season 6 Episode 1. Prior to college, I’d watch an episode of Entourage here or there if it were on TV. The only reason I’m Noting this though is because Entourage was the first show I can remember binging from start to finish while streaming it illegally online. @FBI hopefully the statute of limitations has passed, plus who knows where that laptop is? Anyway, I’ve probably binged hundreds of shows when I should have been doing something more important hundreds of times but I just think it’s kind of funny to think about how we all take that for granted now. Before then, you needed to go out and buy DVDs of seasons of shows. Binging shows in college was a staple like I’m sure it was for most of you reading.
Anyway, my first-semester freshman-year dorm situation was a bit unlucky being that I was in a triple in what should have been only a 2 person room. I specifically remember watching Entourage on my laptop on my dresser in this tight hallway in the dorm that couldn’t have been more than a yard in width. That said, I’m a Lucky Man that I even got the opportunity to go to college, I just wanted to Note this so maybe one day I could remember that moment.
By the way, NO I’m NOT naked in a literal sense as I’m typing this like the lyrics say, but I do feel like for this to work I do need to be open so that’s why I share random details like this every once in a while.