20 Best Events in Sports This Week
February 16, 2018 by Grant SunesonAs the calendar moves toward late February, winter sports are in the spotlight. However, for some sports fans, thoughts are starting to turn to baseball. Pitchers and catchers have begun reporting to spring training camps: a sure sign that baseball, and spring, are not far off.
For now, though, the playoff matchups for the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League are beginning to take shape. College basketball’s regular season is drawing to a close, with conference tournaments on the horizon and the NCAA Tournament soon to follow. The winter’s biggest event, the 23rd Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, concludes on Friday.
The dramatic trade by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 8 has energized LeBron James, and Cleveland is once again a formidable force in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland has important games against Washington and San Antonio. The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors have had their crown knocked around a bit, and they will be tested by the Los Angeles Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Old-school hockey aficionados can look forward to a matchup between two of the National Hockey League’s original six teams, when the defensive-minded Boston Bruins face off against the high-scoring Toronto Maple Leafs.
A developing college basketball rivalry will be renewed on Tobacco Road when the Syracuse Orange take on the Duke Blue Devils in Durham, North Carolina, in a key Atlantic Coast Conference battle.
If European soccer is your sport of choice, Chelsea FC will face Barcelona FC in the UEFA Champions league round of 16. Chelsea will also look to secure a crucial win against Manchester United to secure a top four spot in England and a return trip to the Champions League next year.
And before we say goodbye to the Winter Olympics, the last full week of February will be packed with events. On tap are the men’s ice hockey final and the Winter Olympics debut of events such as Olympic Snowboard – Ladies’ Big Air; Speed Skating – Men’s Mass Start; and Alpine Skiing – Alpine Team.
So pull on a parka, grab a hot chocolate, and hunker down for a winter wonderland of sports.
Click here to see the 20 best events in sports this week.
1. Oklahoma Sooners at Kansas Jayhawks
> Sport: NCAA basketball
> Date: Monday, Feb. 19
> Time (ET): 9:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: ESPN
> Why it’s exciting: Big 12 powerhouses go toe-to-toe
Oklahoma and Kansas appear to be locks to make it into the NCAA Tournament, but this matchup can still have implications for the two going forward. Adding a signature win in February can really boost a team’s tournament resume and help it get a higher seed in the bracket. The Sooners have played poorly in February, but picking up a big win on the road at Phog Allen Fieldhouse could reignite their season.
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2. Chelsea FC at Barcelona FC GS done MA
> Sport: UEFA Champions League
> Date: Tuesday Feb. 20
> Time (ET): 2:45 p.m.
> Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
> Why it’s exciting: World class clubs
There’s no better place to catch a matchup between the most exciting and dominant European teams than the UEFA Champions League. Barcelona won six of the last nine La Liga titles and the club is currently poised to reclaim the cup. Chelsea are the reigning champions of the Premier League. Either of these teams has a real chance to win Europe’s top prize, but only one can advance past the round of 16.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals
> Sport: NHL Hockey
> Date: Tuesday Feb. 20
> Time (ET): 7:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: Local TV
> Why it’s exciting: Division leaders faceoff
The Tampa Bay Lightning have been one of the best teams in hockey this year and could be the top seed coming out of the Eastern Conference. But the Washington Capitals aren’t far behind and are sure to be hungry to get home ice advantage. Being the top seed could prove to be a big help for the Caps, who have suffered repeated playoff heartbreak. A win against the Lightning might just be the boost they need.
4. Free Dance Final
> Sport: Olympic ice dancing
> Date: Tuesday Feb. 20
> Time (ET): 8:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: NBCSN
> Why it’s exciting: American medal chances
Though none of the three U.S. ice dancing pairs are expected to win the gold medal in ice dancing, all three have a shot at getting on the podium. The Shibutani siblings, Alex and Maia, get most of the attention, but the pairs of Evan Bates and Madison Chock and Zachary Donohue and Madison Hubbell are ranked in the world’s top 10 ice dancing pairs as well. All will face stiff competition from Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, the Canadian pair expected to win the gold.
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5. Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Thursday, Feb. 22
> Time (ET): 8:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: TNT
> Why it’s exciting: Big test for new-look Cavs
The retooled Cavaliers, who looked to improve play at guard with new arrivals Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood, and George Hill, take on Eastern Conference rival Washington Wizards. The teams have met three times this year, and Cleveland has won twice. The Cavaliers are riding a four-game win streak that includes wins over the Celtics and the Thunder.
6. Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Thursday, Feb. 22
> Time (ET): 10:30 p.m.
> Where to watch: TNT
> Why it’s exciting: New faces in an old rivalry
The Clippers and Warriors meet for the fourth time this season. While the Warriors have won two of the three previous games, the Clippers won the last encounter on Jan. 10 — a game in which Lou Williams scored a career-high 50 points in just 35 minutes. Stephen Curry paced the Warriors in both victories by pouring in 76 total points in those games. Golden State, battling the Houston Rockets for the top seed in the Western Conference, is the highest-scoring team in the NBA, averaging more than 115 points per game.
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7. Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Friday, Feb. 23
> Time (ET): 8:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: ESPN
> Why it’s exciting: Western Conference challengers
The Houston Rockets are vying with Golden State for the top seed in the Western Conference. There is plenty of firepower on the Rockets, who are led by James Harden (31.3 points per game) and Chris Paul (19.2 points per game). Seven Rockets average at least ten points per game. In their one meeting this year on Feb. 13, Harden scored 34 points to lead the Rockets to a 126-108 victory over Minnesota.
8. Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues
> Sport: NHL Hockey
> Date: Friday, Feb. 23
> Time (ET): 8:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: Local TV
> Why it’s exciting: Central Division rivalry
This game features a meeting of two of the league’s best. The Jets and Blues are in second and third place, respectively, in the Western Conference Central Division, and they meet for the second time this year. The Blues topped the Jets, 5-2, in their first meeting on Feb. 9, as Vladimir Tarasenko scored two goals for St. Louis. He and Brayden Schenn lead the team in goals scored with 23.
9. Ladies’ Big Air Final
> Sport: Olympic snowboarding
> Date: Friday, Feb. 23
> Time (ET): 8:30 p.m.
> Where to watch: NBC
> Why it’s exciting: One shot at gold
This is the first time this event will be held at the Winter Olympics. Competitors in this Olympic snowboarding event race down a steep slope before taking off from a ramp and perform elaborate moves in mid-flight. The launch ramp at Pyeongchang, South Korea is angled at 40 degrees and is the largest in the world. Americans Julia Marino, Hailey Langland, and Jamie Anderson are strong contenders for medals.
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10. Men’s Mass Start Final
> Sport: Olympic long track speed skating
> Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
> Time (ET): 9:30 a.m.
> Where to watch: NBCSN
> Why it’s exciting: “NASCAR on ice”
The mass start is another new entry in the Winter Olympics, and it sounds like mayhem on ice. In this speed skating event that covers 6,400 meters, 24 skaters line up to race on a course designed for six skaters. They are arranged in rows of six and are not allowed to pass on the first lap. After that, they can jockey for position in a tight space. Joey Mantia is a medal contender for the United States. Historically, the U.S. has done well in long track speed skating, winning 67 medals, 29 of them gold.
11. Syracuse Orange at Duke Blue Devils
> Sport: NCAA basketball
> Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
> Time (ET): TBD
> Where to watch: ESPN3
> Why it’s exciting: Blue-blood showdown
Ever since Syracuse decamped to the ACC from the Big East four years ago, the Orange have forged a strong rivalry with the Duke Blue Devils. The two teams, helmed by coaching icons Jim Boeheim and Mike Krzyzewski, have each taken three games in the series. Duke is 21-5 this year and will get a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Syracuse, at 17-9, could probably use a statement-making win to improve its chances of getting into the Big Dance. That won’t be easy with the “Cameron Crazies” in full-throated roar in Durham, North Carolina.
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12. Kansas Jayhawks at Texas Tech Red Raiders
> Sport: NCAA basketball
> Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
> Time (ET): 4:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: Local TV
> Why it’s exciting: Fight for the Big 12 championship
The Kansas Jayhawks are clearly the class of Big 12 basketball, winning at least a share of the conference’s regular season title 13 years in a row. If they want to keep it going, they’ll need a win against the upstart Texas Tech Red Raiders, who currently sit as the seventh-ranked team in the NCAA and lead the Big 12 standings. Tech pulled off a rare win at Kansas in early January. Now the Jayhawks have a chance to avenge the loss.
13. Boston Bruins at Toronto Maple Leafs
> Sport: NHL Hockey
> Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
> Time (ET): 7:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: Local TV
> Why it’s exciting: Unstoppable offense meets immovable defense
As two of the NHL’s original six teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins have been playing each other for decades. The upcoming meeting between the two offers an intriguing matchup, as the Leafs score the second most goals in the NHL, while the Bruins allow the fewest. This game could prove huge in the final standings, as both teams are chasing the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Eastern Conference.
14. Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
> Time (ET): 8:30 p.m.
> Where to watch: ABC
> Why it’s exciting: Grudge match
The Thunder have blown out the Warriors in their two previous meetings this season. Golden State had won every regular-season game between the two teams in the past two years. The defending NBA champions are a lock to make the playoffs, while the Thunder needs to improve a sub-.500 road record to secure a postseason spot.
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15. Team Event Big Final
> Sport: Olympic alpine skiing
> Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
> Time (ET): 10:34 p.m.
> Where to watch: NBC
> Why it’s exciting: Solo riders team up
This team event is debuting at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. The event starts with 16 mixed teams of two men and two women, and the winners of each heat advance to the next round. The event pits women against women and men against men. Skiers from each country go head-to-head on parallel slalom courses. Each race lasts about 25 seconds. Teams score one point for every victory. The French are the reigning world champions.
16. Men’s Gold Medal Game
> Sport: Olympic ice hockey
> Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
> Time (ET): 11:10 p.m.
> Where to watch: NBCSN
> Why it’s exciting: Unknown players compete for glory
Men’s ice hockey produced one of the greatest moments in Olympics history when the U.S. team upset the Soviet Union in 1980 in Lake Placid. History won’t likely repeat itself in Pyeongchang, as for the first time in 20 years, there are no NHL hockey players at the Olympics. However, stranger things have happened. As for these Winter Olympics, prognosticators forecast Canada and the team of athletes from Russia as favorites to win the gold medal. Finland and Sweden are also medal contenders.
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17. Chelsea FC at Manchester United
> Sport: Premier League
> Date: Sunday, Feb. 25
> Time (ET): 9:05 a.m.
> Where to watch: NBCSN
> Why it’s exciting: Crucial clash for top-four position
With Manchester City solidly in the Premier League lead this season, the other major clubs are left to duke it out for the remaining positions in the top four. That makes this match between Chelsea and Manchester United a crucial one for a potential berth into the UEFA Champions League. With a win, Chelsea would draw level with Manchester United, who currently sit in second. If Chelsea lose, they’re likely to drop out of the top four as Tottenham seem to have found their form, going unbeaten in their last nine Premier League matches.
24/7 Wall St.
18. St. Louis Blues at Nashville Predators
> Sport: NHL Hockey
> Date: Sunday, Feb. 25
> Time (ET): 12:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: NBC
> Why it’s exciting: Defensive struggle
As the saying goes, “offense wins games, but defense wins championships.” If that’s truly the case, the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators have a good chance to win the Stanley Cup. The Nashville Predators allow the fewest goals per game in the Central Division, and the Blues are in second. The Western Conference is tight at the top, and a win over the predators could set up the Blues for a much better playoff position.
19. San Antonio Spurs at Cleveland Cavaliers
> Sport: NBA basketball
> Date: Sunday, Feb. 25
> Time (ET): 3:30 p.m.
> Where to watch: ABC
> Why it’s exciting: New blood vs. consistency
The Spurs defeated the Cavaliers 114-102 on Jan. 23, but that was before the Cavaliers injected new blood into the team via trades. San Antonio All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge, whose sore knee sidelined him before the All-Star game, scored 30 points to lead the Spurs over the Cavaliers earlier this year. The Spurs, helmed by tactician Gregg Popovich, are battling the Minnesota Timberwolves for the third seed in the Western Conference. The Cavaliers appear to be taking to their new look, having won two straight with newly acquired players George Hill, Larry Nance Jr., Rodney Hood, and Jordan Clarkson.
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20. Pyeongchang closing ceremony
> Sport: Olympics
> Date: Sunday, Feb. 25
> Time (ET): 8:00 p.m.
> Where to watch: NBC
> Why it’s exciting: Pageantry and celebration
NBC hopes the closing ceremony for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang will garner high ratings. The closing ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi averaged about 15.1 million viewers, well below the 21.4 million who watched the last night of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada four years earlier. The 2018 Winter Olympics were the first to be held in South Korea, where more than 2,900 athletes from 92 nations are competing in 102 events. The host country of the Winter Olympics spares no expense for the closing ceremony, which is a lavish celebration of sport and sportsmanship.
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