The Rundown: 5 Things to Know About the 2016-17 NBA Season

Right when you think you have a handle on the football season and the World Series, the NBA season tipped off yesterday. We’re bringing you exactly what you need to know to slam dunk the sports conversation.

For the three,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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Five things to know about the 2016-17 NBA Season

A quick overview of the NBA:

• There are 30 teams in the NBA. The League is broken down into two conferences, Western and Eastern.
• A regular season consists of 82 games. The games have four 12-minute quarters with a halftime break.
• The Cleveland Cavaliers broke the city’s 52-year championship drought (for all major sports) by winning the NBA title last season.

1. This season will have a different feel as a few star players are no longer on the court. Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett all retired after last season.
2. The Golden State Warriors are heavily favored to win it all, with the Cavaliers in a distant second. Interestingly, the majority of bets made have been placed on the New York Knicks whose odds are roughly 80-1 to win the championship.
3. The NBA is the first of the four major professional sports to begin selling ad space on player jerseys. StubHub is paying $5 million a year for a 2.5-inch patch on the Philadelphia 76ers jerseys. Only $800,000 a square inch. We’ll take two.  
4. The NBA is going global. This season there are a record 113 players from 41 countries or territories on opening game rosters. Mexico City will host regular season games for the first time ever in January with the Phoenix Suns playing the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.
5. There are quite a few players in the NBA with their own signature shoe - Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade to name a few. The rest of the league slums it in name brand shoes - 68% of the league wears Nike, 15% Adidas, 6% Jordan (Michael Jordan’s signature brand) and 3.8% Under Armour. 

MLB (Major League Baseball)

• World Series win. The Cleveland Indians continued their postseason dominance and shut out the Chicago Cubs in Game One of the World Series last night. Game Two will be played tonight. (It has been moved up to a 6 pm EST start time due to weather).
• I bet you. The Governors of Ohio and Illinois kept the tradition of betting on the World Series. Although they’re not wagering moving state lines or changing city names, they’re betting beer and pizza. Boring.

Overtime

• Singer Ciara and her husband, Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson, announced they’re pregnant. The two famously spoke of their abstinence before marriage, but were wed three months ago. That’s going to be one good looking baby. 

Sideline stat

• While the Denver Broncos were playing in Houston, Broncos' DeMarcus Ware’s house was robbed. Among the items stolen were his recently received Super Bowl ring. We’re pretty sure someone will notice the newest addition to the thieves’ jewelry collection – a giant five karat Super Bowl ring featuring 212 diamonds.

Coaches' corner

• Why did Cubs’ catcher David Ross have green fingernails in last night’s game? No, it wasn’t a manicure gone bad. Catchers are responsible for relaying the in-game strategy – which pitch the pitcher should throw, if the infield should go for a double play, etc. They use bright stickers on their nails so it’s easier for the pitcher to see the signs the catcher flashes.

The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up - A Tough Weekend in Sports

It was a tough weekend in sports. There were some big wins but also some big losses that will leave a gaping hole in the sports world.

Happy trails,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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PGA (Professional Golfer’s Association)

• A trailblazer. Legendary golfer and creator of your favorite lunchtime beverage, Arnold Palmer, passed away Sunday at the age of 87. Dominant on and off the course, Palmer was known as the “father of modern-day sports marketing” by starting what we now know as endorsements, including this great ESPN commercial. Thank you Mr. Palmer.     

MLB (Major League Baseball)

• Tragic loss. Early Sunday morning Miami Marlins’ young superstar pitcher Jose Fernandez was killed in a boating accident. At only 24, Fernandez had the potential to end up in the hall of fame. Fernandez, a soon-to-be father, defected from Cuba four times before successfully making it at the age of 15. The Marlins cancelled yesterday’s game.
• Thanks for the memories. Sunday was Los Angeles Dodgers’ longtime broadcaster, Vin Scully’s last home game after 67 years with the team. He couldn’t have scripted it any better if he tried. Dodgers won the game on a walk-off home run and clinched the NL (National League) West Division, securing a spot in the playoffs.

NCAA Football (College)

• See ya. LSU Tigers (Louisiana State University) fired head coach of 12 years, Les Miles. Miles had a winning career record with LSU but some say this play was 10 months in the making. Tigers lost their season opener to unranked Wisconsin and then to unranked Auburn on Saturday. 
• Remember this name. University of Louisville sophomore quarterback Lamar Jackson is leading the pack in the race for the Heisman Trophy. He alone scored seven touchdowns on Saturday. He has 25 touchdowns in four games. Unreal.
• Did your team win? Check all the scores here.

NFL (National Football League)

• Victorious. We’ve wrapped up week three and there are a handful of undefeated teams in the league. The Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings are all without a loss.  
• A little help here? Conversely, there are three teams who haven’t won a game - Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears. 
• Catch the scores from the weekend here. 

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)

• Next! Kevin Harvick won yesterday’s race in New Hampshire. Harvick earned himself a spot in the next round of the “Chase for the Cup” (NASCAR playoffs), joining Martin Truex Jr.

Overtime

• Kevin Garnett announced his retirement after 21 seasons in the NBA (National Basketball Association). Garnett was drafted straight out of high school and made the most money of any player in NBA history, over $330 million. The MVP spent his career playing for Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves, who he helped put on the map.

Sideline stat

• Rory McIlroy was three shots behind the leader with three holes to go in yesterday’s final round of the PGA season. Rory caught up and forced a playoff round, where he won after four holes. McIlroy not only won the tour but the FedEx Cup and its $10 million prize. Take that to the bank.   

Coaches’ Corner

• Can you be drafted to the NBA out of high school? Once upon a time this was true, but not any longer. Kevin Garnett was the leader of the influx of high schoolers drafted (Kobe Bryant and LeBron James among them), prompting the league to add the "one year out of high school" requirement that effectively requires players to play at least one year of college basketball. This is so scouts can see players perform against higher competition before they are considered draft picks.