Sports Time Radio

The NBA finals tipped off las night, but I’m not sure that the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns where the teams that the NBA wanted to see in the finals. It seems that the NBA prefers bigger markets in the finals and Phoenix and Milwaukee aren’t exactly two of the markets the NBS has targeted.

Now in Game 1 the Suns picked up the win over the Bucks by a 118-105 score. Phoenix led 30-26 after the 1st quarter and outscored Milwaukee in every quarter except the 4th and by then the game had pretty much been decided.

Chris Paul scored a game high 32 points for the Suns and also tied for the game high in assists with 9. This is Paul’s first trip to the NBA finals in his career and he was the odds on favorite to be named MVP of this series. He got off to a very good start to win that MVP award with last night’s performance.

Now Paul did have some help. Even though Devin Booker struggled from behind the 3-point line going just 1 for 8 he still scored 27 points. Deandre Ayton posted a double-double for Phoenix as he scored 22 points and grabbed a game high 19 rebounds. Mikal Bridges also scored in double figures for the Suns as he scored 14 points while Cameron Johnson and Cameron Payne came off the Suns bench to each score 10 points.

Now Milwaukee got good news before the start of Game 1 as it was announced that Giannis Antetokounmpo had been cleared and would play in Game 1. Antetokounmpo was injured in the Bucks series against the Atlanta Hawks and missed the series clinching victory and was questionable coming into last night with a strained knee.

Now Antetokounmpo posted a double-double for Milwaukee last night scoring 20 points and grabbing 17 rebounds, but it was Kris Middleton who stepped up again and led the Bucks in scoring with 29 points. Brook Lopez added 17 points for Milwaukee while Jrue Holiday scored 10 points and tied Paul for with a game high 9 assists. Unfortunately the Bucks bench scored just 22 points total in this game.

Game 2 of the finals is scheduled for tomorrow in Phoenix before the teams get a three day break as they head to Milwaukee for games 3 and 4.

Phoenix was the popular pick to win this series, but Milwaukee always seems to play the underdog role and should be used to that. With the return of Antetokounmpo this may end up being a better series than most people expected it to be. I guess will just have to wait and see how it plays out.

Believe it or not, but the Chicago White Sox have suffered another long term injury to a player they expected to be a major contributor this season. It was announced this morning that catcher Yasmani Grandel was placed on the injury list with a torn tendon in his left knee. Grandel is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks and joins a list of injured top players for the White Sox.

The White Sox lost Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert in spring training. Jimenez suffered went down with a pectoral injury while Robert suffered a hip flexor. Now luckily for the White Sox both Jimenez and Robert are doing baseball activities and should return this season. When they where injured it was thought that both players would miss the entire 2021 season. Now those weren’t the only two starters the White Sox lost long term. Second baseman Nick Madrigal went down after playing in just 54 games this season with a torn hamstring.

Now even with these injuries the White Sox have found a way to hang onto 1st place in the American League Central. You’d think with the return of Jimenez, Robert and Grandel the White Sox may be in a good position come playoff time.

How will they find playing time for all of these returning players. They may have answered that question today. Adam Engel returned from the 10-day IL and to make room for him on the roster the White Sox designated Adam Eaton for assignment.

Eaton was signed by the White Sox as a free agent this past off season, but he was struggling. In 58 games this season Eaton was hitting .201 with 5 home runs while striking out 55 times.

The White Sox now have 10 days to either trade or release Eaton, but with his contract unless the White Sox would be willing to pay it off you can expect Eaton to be released and become a free agent.

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