The classic win or go home scenario
ZWF #14: Sunday, May 15, 2022
It can be described in many ways, but there truly is nothing like a Game Seven in sports. In a best-of-four postseason series, Game Seven represents a series that has had each team win three games. Both teams have fought as hard as humanly possible, and the result has so far been a draw. In order to prove their superiority and advance, a team only needs to win one more game. However, if they lose that game, the season ends in despair. Both teams face that scenario in what many call the greatest two words in sports, Game Seven.
Inside this week’s edition of Zander’s Weekend Facts, it’s make or break for a couple of teams in the basketball postseason. Find out who has already clinched a spot in the Conference Finals and who is fighting for their season today. Plus, a compilation of the top headlines in the world of news and sports you might want to check out.
Also, you should go listen to the latest episode of the Zander’s Facts podcast! Episode 62 features an extensive breakdown of the abortion debate that has taken over American politics. There are a lot of facts included and you might just learn something. Download and listen to the Zander’s Facts podcast wherever you get your podcasts!
Zander’s Weekend Facts is here to give you the facts about what has been going on in the world around us this past week. You’ll just have to read these facts, instead of listening to them on the Zander’s Facts podcast.
Here is Zander’s Weekend Facts for Sunday, May 15, 2022:
Time to win or go home
The months of May and June have featured some of the best basketball you’ve ever witnessed with your very own eyes. It was in these months that Magic Johnson and Larry Bird ignited a cross-country rivalry that definitely meant more than basketball. That Michael Jordan scored 38 points in a Finals game one night after suffering from food poisoning. That LeBron James made one of the most distinguishable blocks in history to win a championship for his hometown. The list goes on and on.
As the next young group of basketball stars look to make their marks on the sport, there is no better time than the present. This would especially apply to the young stars of the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns. These four teams will play in elimination games later today. If they win, they move on to the Conference Finals. If they lose, their season ends earlier than they would have hoped.
While half of the teams in the Conference Finals have yet to be decided, two teams have already staked their claims in the second-to-final round of the postseason. In the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games. The series was marked by the injury status of Joel Embiid, whose presence was immediately felt for the 76ers when he returned to play in game three. In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors were able to get by the Memphis Grizzlies in six games, as well. This series was also somewhat highlighted by injuries, with Ja Morant missing the last few games for the Grizzlies.
However, the magnificent play of the Heat and Warriors cannot be forgotten. It is what has carried them all season to become two of the final four teams remaining in the NBA Playoffs. In fact, all four Conference Semifinal series have been tremendous. For the first time since 2015, all four series in the round went to six games or more.
Here is a look at the NBA Playoffs bracket as things stand before Sunday’s games:
As previously mentioned, two Game Sevens will take place today, with the remaining two spots in the Conference Finals up for grabs. The scenarios are the same for both matchups. The winner will advance to the Conference Finals, while the loser will be eliminated from the postseason.
In the East, the Milwaukee Bucks will meet the Boston Celtics for one final time this season in Boston. In what has arguably been the most intriguing matchup of the postseason so far, the young phenoms of the Bucks and Celtics have gone blow for blow through six games. Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Bucks and Jayson Tatum for the Celtics have solidified themselves as young stars in the NBA, and have each led their teams to victory three times in this series. Game Seven will take place Sunday at 3:30 pm et on ABC.
The Western Conference matchup will feature the Dallas Mavericks taking on the Phoenix Suns in Phoenix. In a somewhat surprising turn of events, the league’s most dominant regular season team this year has been tripped up in the second round. While Chris Paul and Devin Booker have struggled to find a rhythm for the Suns, Luka Doncic has found assistance from the emergence of Jalen Brunson as the Mavericks have a chance to pull off a stunner. Game Seven will take place Sunday at 8:00 pm et on TNT.
The Conference Finals round will begin on Tuesday with the Eastern Conference Finals. The Miami Heat will face the Milwaukee Bucks or Boston Celtics with every game in the series airing on ABC or ESPN. The Western Conference Finals will begin on Wednesday with the Golden State Warriors facing the Dallas Mavericks or Phoenix Suns with every game in the series airing on TNT.
For more on the NBA Playoffs: NBA - NBA Playoffs
Zander’s Facts Sporting Club
While global sports are certainly leaving their mark on the U.S., domestic competitions are still providing major intrigue. Learn more inside this week’s edition of Zander’s Facts Sporting Club:
The 150th edition of English soccer’s Emirates FA Cup concluded on Saturday, with Chelsea F.C. and Liverpool F.C. facing off at Wembley Stadium in London. The two clubs also played each other in the final of the Carabao (EFL) Cup back in February at Wembley. Liverpool emerged victorious 11-10 on penalties after a 0-0 draw in regulation in that match. The result would be the same in the second cup final meeting of the two clubs this season. Chelsea and Liverpool again drew 0-0 in regulation, with the match coming down to penalties. Liverpool declared victory with a 6-5 win on penalties, winning the second of four cup competitions in their quest for a quadruple season. To complete the quadruple, they must win the UEFA Champions League and Premier League. They will face Real Madrid in the final of the Champions League on May 28 and are three points behind Manchester City in the Premier League with two games left. If they are able to win both competitions, Liverpool will become the first English club to complete the quadruple. For Chelsea, their third straight FA Cup final appearance ended in the same result as the first two appearances. Chelsea have not won the FA Cup since 2018, while Liverpool took home their first win in the final since 2006.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has already lined up his next gig after he officially retires from the NFL. Brady will serve as Fox Sports’ lead NFL analyst, calling the top games each week for the network. Brady will team with Kevin Burkhardt on play-by-play, as the duo replaces longtime commentating team Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, who will now be calling Monday Night Football on ESPN. The deal for Brady has been reported as nearly ten years and $375 million in total, which would blow past the previous records for sports broadcasting personnel contracts. While Brady has not announced when he will leave the football field, he did have his infamous flirtation with retirement earlier this year. Even if he remained retired for this upcoming season, he likely would have immediately joined the Fox Sports booth. The analyst role in the top NFL booth at Fox is currently open, with no announcement being made yet as to who will fill the role this coming season.
The second golf major of the year tees off on Thursday, with the PGA Championship taking place at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Defending champion Phil Mickelson withdrew from the tournament last week, as he is currently embroiled in controversy surrounding his involvement in a Saudi-backed rival league to the PGA Tour. Tiger Woods, who made noise in golf’s first major of the year for his return to the sport, is currently scheduled to compete. Woods won the tournament the last time it was held at Southern Hills in 2007. Broadcast partner ESPN is slated to introduce an alternative telecast covering the tournament. The alternative option will be produced by the same company behind the “Manningcast,” with Joe Buck slated to host and make his ESPN debut alongside ESPN golf analyst Michael Collins. ESPN announced that the duo will be joined by various guests during the telecasts, which will take place at select times on all four days of the tournament. The PGA Championship is set to begin this Thursday, with coverage on ESPN on Thursday, and Friday, along with Saturday and Sunday morning, and CBS covering the tournament on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
Formula One’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix appears to have been a success according to several metrics. The race was watched by an average of 2.6 million people on ABC in the U.S., a record for a live F1 race on television in the U.S. The previous record was 1.74 million for the 1995 Brazilian Grand Prix. Interestingly, last Sunday’s race did not set the overall record for an F1 race on American television. An afternoon delayed airing of the 2002 Monaco Grand Prix was watched by 2.78 million people, narrowly holding the record. The track also counted 85,280 fans that watched the race in-person, including celebrities such as Michael Jordan, former first lady Michelle Obama, and Tom Brady. The Formula One season continues next Sunday, May 22, with the Spanish Grand Prix beginning at 9:00 am et on ESPN.
World Rugby announced this past week that the U.S. would serve as the host of the 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups. The men’s tournament will take place in 2031, with the women’s tournament in 2033. The tournaments will mark the first time that the Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial tournament that began in 1987, will take place in the United States. While the sport of rugby has not exactly caught on in the states, aided by the U.S. failing to advance past the pool stage at any Rugby World Cup, the organizers of the tournament hope that the presence of the tournaments will boost the sport in America. While the tournaments usually take place from October to November, they could be moved when in the U.S. to not conflict with the NFL. World Rugby also announced that England will host the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, while Australia will host the 2027 and 2029 editions of the event.
Rapid-fire Facts
With so much in the news, here are the facts from the week in rapid-fire fashion:
A gunman shot and killed 10 people while injuring another three people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York on Saturday. The 18-year-old suspect was taken into custody on site by police. Erie County Sheriff John Garcia said, “This was a straight-up racially motivated hate crime from somebody outside of our community.” The supermarket is located in a heavily-minority community in Buffalo. An investigation is currently underway. While gun shooting incidents continue to occur incessantly across the United States, this is the second mass shooting event in as many days. On Friday night, several shootings occurred in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after the Milwaukee Bucks-Boston Celtics game concluded, injuring at least 21 people.
The U.S. Senate failed to ensure that abortion would remain legal despite a potential decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. A Senate bill that would have codified abortion protections nationwide failed to pass on Wednesday. In a 49-51 vote, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) joined all 50 Republicans to vote against the measure, which required 60 votes to pass. The bill had already passed the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. The vote comes after a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that details the court’s potential decision to overturn the decision found in Roe v. Wade, the case that allowed abortion to be legalized nationwide.
The U.S. House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol issued new subpoenas on Thursday. The subpoenas to appear before the committee were sent to five Republican members of Congress, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The move was seen as a significant step for the committee, which is preparing to hold televised hearings beginning on June 9 that will feature testimony and new information to the public.
Lithuania became the first country in the world to designate Russia as a terrorist country. The Lithuanian Seimas (Lithuanian parliament) voted unanimously to approve the designation, along with declaring Russia’s actions in Ukraine a genocide. The act comes as NATO member Lithuania, a former Soviet state, along with other Baltic states worry about protecting their own border with Russia and Russian-friendly Belarus. The only border Lithuania shares with Russia is with the isolated Kaliningrad Oblast, however, Lithuania shares an extensive border with Belarus.
New research shows how many lives COVID vaccinations could have saved if universally adopted. Released on Friday by researchers at Brown University and Microsoft AI Health, there is now data that shows how many preventable deaths could have been averted if COVID vaccination levels were at 100% in each U.S. state. The data, broken down in detail at the NPR link below, shows a total of 318,981 deaths in the U.S. since January 2021 due to COVID could have with a COVID vaccination rate of 100%.
Wrapping up the Facts
Before this week’s edition of Zander’s Weekend Facts wraps up, here’s another reminder to check out the latest episode of the Zander’s Facts podcast. Download and listen to Episode 62 wherever you get your podcasts. Check out Zander’s Facts’ Linktree page for more on anything Zander’s Facts related: Zander's Facts on Linktree
The Zander’s Facts podcast returns with an all-new episode this Wednesday! Listen in to Episode 63 as Zander informs on the crises facing public schools in the United States. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Find out this week! Remember to check out the latest episode of the Zander’s Facts podcast, coming out this Wednesday morning!
Do remember to check out the next edition of Zander’s Weekend Facts next Sunday! If you haven’t already, make sure to sign up with the link below to get Zander’s Weekend Facts in your email inbox every Sunday so you don’t miss anything!
That’s a wrap on this week’s edition of Zander’s Weekend Facts. The Facts in print return next Sunday, May 22, 2022.
