Memorial Day weekend marks the start of summer as we fire up the Kingsford coals and enjoy evenings on the patio. There’s nothing better… well, that’s not true. The loaded weekend of sports this Memorial Day weekend is better.
You can still do all your grilling and lawn-mowing — there is plenty of time — but let’s squeeze in some sports while we’re at it.
It’s a playoff weekend across the board and I, for one, will be locked in from Friday evening to the wee hours of Memorial Day. You can pick and choose what to watch on the tube this weekend, but let’s take a look at all the options.
Friday, May 28:
Stanley Cup Playoffs:
Game 7 in the NHL Playoffs is as good as it gets, right? Any answer other than “yes” will not be accepted.
The Minnesota Wild and the Vegas Golden Knights will play in a winner-take-all Game 7 Friday night at 9:00 p.m. EST on NBCSN. Minnesota has won the last two games, outscoring Vegas 7-2 after being down 3-1 in the series. According to ESPN, home teams have a 105-76 advantage in Game 7’s. The winner will match up with the Colorado Avalanche and, if we’re being selfish, we want to see a Vegas vs Colorado matchup.
NBA Playoffs:
It will be an interesting night in the NBA as two of the three series could essentially be over by the end of the evening.
Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets returns to Boston for the first time — with fans in the stands — since he ditched the Celtics in free-agency. His recent comments on the city of Boston should make his reception even more interesting as the Nets attempt to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series at 8:30 p.m. EST. The Celtics don’t stand a chance in this series without Jaylen Brown.
The LA Clippers thought they were a dynasty in the making when they acquired Kawhi Leonard in free-agency and traded the farm for Paul George. The dynasty may be over before it ever started. The Clippers are in danger of going down 3-0 to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, effectively ending their season. We’ll see what the Clippers are made of Friday night at 9:30 p.m. EST. Leonard is a free-agent after this season.
The New York Knicks take on the Hawks in Atlanta at 7:00 p.m. EST in the swing game of the series.
Saturday, May 29
Get your errands done early folks, because Saturday’s sports slate is loaded.
Stanley Cup Playoffs:
The Toronto Maple Leafs failed to close out the Montreal Canadiens Thursday night and will play game six in Montreal at 7:30 p.m. EST. The New York Islanders and the Boston Bruins start their second round series at 8:00 p.m. EST.
NBA Playoffs:
There are four games on the docket for the NBA on Saturday. The Milwaukee Bucks will look for a swift sweep of the defending Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat at 1:30 p.m. EST, and the Philadelphia 76ers look to take a 3-0 lead over the Washington Wizards at 7:00 p.m. EST.
The Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers continue their thrilling series at 4:00 p.m. EST as the Nuggets attempt to take a commanding 3-1 lead, while the number one-seed Utah Jazz look to find a way to contain Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies at 9:30 p.m. EST.
Major League Baseball:
Looking for the American pastime on Memorial Day weekend? We have that for you as well.
The San Diego Padres have the best record in the National League and are playing a three-game series against the Houston Astros. First pitch for game two of the series is at 4:10 p.m. EST. The LA Dodgers and San Francisco Giants continue their historic rivalry on Fox at 7:15 p.m. EST.
Sunday, May 30:
Stanley Cup Playoffs:
A light day in the NHL, as the Avalanche await their second round opponent for an 8:00 p.m. EST puck drop. If Montreal can force a game seven, it will take place at a time to be determined.
NBA Playoffs:
There are four games on the slate for Sunday, but let’s highlight the most intriguing — LeBron James and the LA Lakers will play game four of their series against the Phoenix Suns at 3:30 p.m. EST. The Suns were awful in game three on Thursday evening— shooting 42.7% from the field — in a 109-95 loss. Chris Paul’s shoulder isn’t right, and if he doesn’t get healthy quickly, the Suns are in a lot of trouble.
Monday, May 31:
Sports on Memorial Day are as American as hot dogs and fireworks. Take the day off and enjoy the freedoms we enjoy thanks to the service and sacrifice of our troops — and watch a game or two while you’re at it.
NBA Playoffs:
Philadelphia could be looking for a first round sweep of the Wizards at 7:00 p.m. EST, and Utah and Memphis will play game four at 9:30 p.m. EST.
Major League Baseball:
Let’s be honest, Memorial Day is for baseball, and we have three nationally televised games to watch.
The Minnesota Twins and Baltimore Orioles play at ESPN at 1:00 p.m. EST, the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros begin a four-game series at 4:00 p.m. EST, and the Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates end the evening for an 8:00 p.m. EST first pitch.
In case you were looking for even more sports action, the road to the Women’s College World Series is taking place with Super Regionals all over the country, and conference tournaments are under way in college baseball as well.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.