Editor’s note: This is the Monday, Feb. 27, edition of the “Game Day with Kevin Modesti” newsletter. To receive the newsletter in your inbox, sign up here.
Yesterday was a reminder that the race for playoff spots in the NBA’s Western Conference is headed for a wild finish. Let’s look at where the Clippers and Lakers stand. But first, a glance at other sports news.
Wrapping up the NASCAR event in Fontana: The Pala Casino 400, the final major race on Auto Club Speedway’s two-mile oval, had a familiar winner as Kyle Busch took the checkered flag for the fifth time there. Chase Elliott finished second after starting 33rd. John Hunter Nemechek won the Xfinity Series race. Columnist Jim Alexander said a future for racing on the site is sounding more certain.
Elsewhere:
- UCLA’s men’s basketball team won a close game at Colorado to clinch its first Pac-12 regular-season crown since 2013.
- Jonathan Quick was pulled and the Kings lost as a Rangers player was ejected for spitting on Drew Doughty.
- Young Dodgers pitcher Ryan Pepiot knows he has to improve his command in his second season.
- And Angels non-roster bullpen candidate Chris Devenski is trying to make the team he grew up rooting for.
Now, about the NBA’s wild West.
The Clippers almost pulled out a crazy win in Denver when Paul George’s desperation shot from beyond halfcourt went in but was determined to have left his hand after the fourth-quarter buzzer. The game went to overtime, where the Nuggets restored order and quickly pulled away to win 134-124. That completed the Nuggets’ four-game season sweep of the Clippers, every game decided by 10 or more points.
The Lakers did pull out a crazy win in Dallas after trailing by 27 points in the first half. In the teams’ first meeting since the Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving, the Lakers got 30 points and 15 rebounds from an animated Anthony Davis, 26 points from a sore-footed LeBron James and 17 rebounds from Jarred Vanderbilt to win 111-108….
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