From the Las Vegas Aces’ loss in the semi-finals to the Golden Knights’ goalie decision, here’s everything that happened last week in Las Vegas sports (Aug 22 – 28)!
#6 Kurt Busch drops out of playoffs
Las Vegas native Kurt Busch announced on Twitter that he is relinquishing his place in the 2022 playoffs after suffering a concussion. The injury was the result of a scary-looking July qualifying crash at Pocono Raceway, where Busch seemed to hit the wall at a weird angle going over 180 MPH.
“As much as I wanted and hoped to be able to get back in the No. 45 car to make a playoff run with our team, it’s still not the right time for me,” said Busch in a Twitter statement. “In addition to not being cleared to return to racing, I know that I am not ready to be back in the car. I respect the sport of NASCAR, my fellow drivers, and the fans too much to take up a playoff spot.”
There is still no definite timetable for Busch’s return, but it looks like he will at least be missing the opening playoff race. This could set up a return for the Bristol Night race in September or maybe Texas. At the very least, we hope he’ll be back in action when the NACAR Cup Series returns to Las Vegas. That race is on October 16 and should be a pretty good show, given what happened in the spring.
#5 Becky Hammon wins Head Coach of the Year.
Everyone knew Becky Hammon would make an impact as coach of the Las Vegas Aces. And they were right! The former San Antonio Spurs Coach was awarded WNBA Coach of the Year honors after pushing the Aces to a 26-10 record.
While the ultimate goal is to bring a championship home to Las Vegas, it’s nice to see Hammon getting this recognition. The news comes after she helped the Aces to the top playoff seed, revived the career of Kelsey Plum, and brought a new level of intensity to the game.
#4 Laurent Brossoit and Logan Thompson will share goaltending duties
The Las Vegas Golden Knights are in rebuilding mode, and while that usually means changes, they decided to keep one thing the same. The organization has reportedly agreed to use a “platoon of Laurent Brossoit and Logan Thompson for goal-tending duties.”
“I think that everybody expected us to find a goalie. Internally, we liked these two guys,” Las Vegas Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon told ESPN when asked about his decision, “We had a lot of conversations with our goalie coach, Sean Burke, and head coach Bruce Cassidy. I think these two [goalies] have earned that opportunity.”
Related: Why you need to experience UNLV Football right now!
#3 Las Vegas Aces fall to Seattle Storm
The Las Vegas Aces came into the playoffs on a high but now find themselves with their backs against the wall. The Championship favorites fell to the Seattle Storm 76-73 in a disappointing start to the semi-finals. This puts The Aces in a must-win situation if they lose their next series game on Wednesday night.
The Aces were led by Chelsea Gray, who totaled 21 points, five assists, and one rebound in 35 minutes. Kelsey Plum also helped carry the load for , racking up 20 points, two assists, and four rebounds in 35 minutes. MVP hopeful A’ja Wilson was held to only eight points, three assists, and 12 rebounds during the game.
#2 Davantae Adams sets the record straight
Davantae Adams should be a game changer for the Las Vegas Raiders. Adams and Raiders Quarterback Derek Carr were teammates at Fresno State and developed great chemistry. This is where the duo put up video game numbers and were one of the best combinations in college football.
However, this isn’t some corny reunion. Adams stopped that narrative in its tracks. In an interview with The Pivot Podcast, he clarified that he is there to help the Raiders win games..
According to a tweet from Adam Hill of The Las Vegas Review-Journal, “Raiders WR Davante Adams from The Pivot podcast. His goals for this season: “I didn’t come here to be cute and just hang out with Derek (Carr) and all of that. I want to get that trophy at the end of the year.”
#1 Las Vegas Raiders pile on Patriots 23-6
The Las Vegas Raiders finished the NFL preseason undefeated last week after a blowout victory over the New England Patriots. The final score was 23-6 and showed a lot of potential strength in the Raiders’ defense. The effort was led by Tashawn Bower, who racked up five tackles and two sacks.
The Raiders also totaled two interceptions that evening, which is a promising sign of what this team can do. Las Vegas even got to the quarterback four times, showing an impressive pass rush all game long. Now the question is whether this will translate into the regular season.
The offensive effort was led by rookie running backs Zamir White and Brittain Brown, who both punched it in for a touchdown. White had five carries for 17 yards and 3.4 yards a carry. Brown totaled 28 yards off 11 carries for 2.5 yards a carry. Neither Quarterback Chase Gabers nor Jarret Stidham could reach the endzone but they did help the team move the ball. Could this be the start of something big for Las Vegas?
Next: What former Las Vegas stars had to say about their old teams
