Panthers defeat Leafs in OT, take 3-0 series lead

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The Comeback Cats do it again, winning Game 3, 3-2 in overtime to take a 3-0 series lead

 

The Florida Panthers were back at home Sunday night for Game 3 of their second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Holding a 2-0 series lead after taking both road games in Toronto, the Panthers played another tightly contested game tonight against the Maple Leafs. 

 

Toronto jumped out to an early lead tonight for a second straight game. Sam Lafferty got the Leafs on the board 2:26 into the first period off a 2-on-1 pass from David Kampf. 

 

After giving up the first goal, the Panthers were able to stick to their game, limiting the Leafs to limited scoring chances for the remainder of the frame. 

 

The Leafs held off the Panthers attack to take a 1-0 lead into the intermission. 

 

In Game 2 Florida jumped out of the gates in then second period, scoring multiple goals in the first few minutes to take a lead. Tonight it was a similar story. 

 

Florida didn’t completely flip the script tonight like they did on Thursday, however they were able to even up the game early in the second. 

 

As the Panthers power play was dwindling down, Aaron Ekblad threaded a stretch pass from his own blue line to a streaking Anthony Duclair. At the 2:36 mark, Duclair beat Joseph Woll on a breakaway deke to tie the game at 1-1. Woll had just entered the game in relief for an injured Ilya Samsonov a few minutes before. 

 

Five minutes after Duclair tied the game, the Leafs took their lead back. 

 

A bad defensive breakdown by the Panthers allowed Erik Gustafsson all the time in the world to walk in on Sergei Bobrovksy. 

 

Gustafsson attempted to play a pass to David Kampf across the crease, however Panthers defenseman Marc Staal deflected the puck into his own goal. The Leafs regained the lead. 

 

The feisty Panthers didn’t go away after conceding, as they’ve shown multiple times this playoffs. 

 

12:28 in the second, Radko Gudas attempted to get a puck from the point on goal, instead it banked off of Carter Verhaeghe’s butt into the net, evening the game up at 2-2. 

 

The remainder of the second and the entirety of the third period didn’t have too much more drama. 

 

Both teams had a few chances to take the leading, including a between-the-legs breakaway attempt from Sam Bennett in the dying minutes of the game. 

 

Both goalies dealt with their business for the remainder of regulation. Overtime would be the answer in Sunrise. 

 

Both teams had undefeated OT records in round one. Toronto was 3-0, with all their OT victories coming on the road. Florida was 2-0 in Boston. 

 

In the overtime frame, the hometown cats leapt to victory. 

 

The Lundell, Reinhart, Luostarinen line has been great in these playoffs and they were the answer tonight. 

 

Sam Reinhart started the zone entry by himself. After maneuvering through a few Leafs players, he wrapped the puck around the boards to Anton Lundell. 

 

Lundell quickly fed him back behind the net. Reinhart wasted no time, scoring off a wrap around to seal the game for the Panthers and give them a 3-0 lead. 

 

Toronto’s season will be on the line on Wednesday night as Florida will try to complete the sweep and move on to the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Knicks in Game 3

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The Miami Heat completely took care of business in game 3 from start to finish.

Jimmy Butler looked as healthy as ever, Bam Adebayo held a major impact on the outer lines, and Erik Spoelstra just out-coached the Knicks in this one.

Some takeaways…

#1: Erik Spoelstra opens things up with the adjustments…

The Heat put up a 58 point first half in game 3, and we can walk up and down the roster to talk individual players and how they were utilized. But nothing shined more to me than the Erik Spoelstra game-plan. For starters, we saw a defensive shift in match-ups with Jimmy Butler now on RJ Barrett and Gabe Vincent on Jalen Brunson. They cut off the Knicks early game-plan and fed off their stops. As for the offense in that first quarter, they just simply abandoned the three ball. They shot 1 for 5, but it just felt like a focus to attack the paint more. It wasn’t even just Butler: Adebayo was decisive and Max Strus was rushing the paint. Things were just clicking. As they shrunk the court a bit, that set up some early second quarter success from deep. A blitz on Lowry found Robinson an open three, into a Highsmith triple the following play. Spoelstra didn’t sit back and react: he pressed up.

#2: Kyle Lowry just keeps stabilizing.

As I talk about some of that first half offense from the Heat, it felt like there was somebody that needed to be discussed a bit more: Kyle Lowry. It was clear in game 2 that they needed more, and man did he come out with some burst in this game 3. Getting to the basket, reading the defense, and really setting up others in the process. The more intriguing part of that was the lineup he was in: Lowry-Robinson-Martin-Highsmith-Zeller. That five man unit was getting extended run in a conference semis playoff game, and it looked good. Zeller deserves some credit for his solid minutes of rebounding and rim diving, but it just comes back to Lowry with the way he was setting him up. That version of him makes them look different. A good different.

#3: Jimmy Butler’s ankle looking good, his game looking great.

The big question heading into this game was how Jimmy Butler would look following that ankle injury. Getting almost a week off felt like a big deal in his recovery process, but would he be moving in pre-injury form? Some may argue he looked even better after he decided to go up for a double clutch reverse dunk after the whistle. But all jokes aside, he just kept getting to his spots yet again. The only thing he wasn’t getting was the usual foul calls on many of his contact drives. For some reason, they were letting them play a bit, which is fine once it’s consistent. But as I said after game 2, the biggest change would be on the defensive end. Not only the shifting match-ups, but some of the plays he was making on-ball with contests. There’s also the helping element at the nail that they missed to counter Brunson. Either way, his ankle looked good and he looked great.

#4: Bam Adebayo stepping up in a different way: doing the dirty work.

Bam Adebayo has been a hot topic in these playoffs for the Heat, mostly in the opposite manner of Jimmy Butler. Adebayo’s name keeps coming up due to his offensive production tailing off to start this post-season. With back to back similar defensive looks to start the playoffs, his shots are essentially coming from the same spot on the floor every night. So aside from his high level defensive impact, where can he make his mark? He answered that in game 3. Doing the dirty work, scrapping down low, and absolutely fighting on the boards for extra possessions. When talking impact, he was just flying around out there wherever the ball bounced. As the offense isn’t flowing as smoothly as it once was for him, finding ways to really create positive scoring opportunities is huge. He did that in this one.

#5: Oh, so they don’t need 3 point shooting?

As the Heat hold a 20 point lead early in the fourth quarter with the offense still clicking, one stat would jump off the page while scanning it: the Heat’s 3 point shooting. They were at 27% shooting from deep at that point, and not once did that seem problematic. They had some timely open threes that were created off the constant paint attacks, but this shot profile simply doesn’t make much sense. The one way to add some context is the Knicks on the other end were just taking some horrible shots. That blended into the defense at times, but Heat were dictating at all times no matter the offensive creator. Game 3 can be a big swing in these situations, and man did Miami come with the necessary fire. Onto game 4.

Panthers take 2-0 series lead after Game 2 win against Leafs

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TORONTO — Game 2 of the Panthers-Maple Leafs series was another gutsy performance by the Panthers. After trailing early in the game, the Panthers fought back, scoring three unanswered goals in a 3-2 win on the road.

 

After losing Game 1 at home, Toronto got the perfect start to their Thursday night. 2:20 into the game, Alex Kerfoot cleaned up a rebound before the Panthers and Sergei Bobrovksy could get to it, giving the Leafs an early lead.

 

Moments later, the Leafs went to their first power play of the night. Just 30 seconds into the man-advantage, Mitch Marner hit a wide open Ryan O’Reilly, who buried the one-timer to put the Leafs up 2-0 five minutes into the game.

 

Toronto’s constant pressure had Florida pinned in their own zone for the majority of the opening 10 minutes of the game.

 

It looked like Toronto was about to run away with the game quickly – and to make matters worse for the Panthers, the Leafs went to their second power play less than 90 seconds after O’Reilly made it  2-0.

The Panthers were able to get through the early flurry of Maple Leafs pressure down just two goals… yes, it was that threatening they were lucky to just be down two.

 

At the 11:13 mark of the first, Florida got some life back off a great shift from their third line. A hard forecheck from Eetu Luostarinen allowed Sam Reinhart to get free behind the net. With all the attention drawn towards Reinhart, he laid a slick pass to Anton Lundell in front of the net. Lundell scored his first goal of the playoffs to cut the deficit to one.

 

“We’ve been able to find a game that works right now and we just need to keep going,” said Lundell.

 

Florida got some jump in their step after Lundell’s goal. Aaron Ekblad was inches away from tying the game later in the period, but Toronto’s Ilya Samsonov came up with a few big saves, including a glove save on Ekblad.

After 20, the Leafs led 2-1.

 

While the start of the first was all Leafs, the Panthers completely flipped the script to start the second.

 

19 seconds into the period, Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov fired the puck off the rush past Samsonov, tying the game at 2-2.

 

Less than a minute after Barkov tied the game, Luostarinen forced a turnover at the Leafs’ blueline. He hit Tkachuk, who walked into the zone at the end of his shift and lasered a cross ice pass to Gustav Forsling. Forsling gave the Panthers the 3-2 lead.

 

The remainder of the second period was a more even playing field. Both teams had their fair share of chances, crossbars and missed opportunities.

 

The Panthers went into the break with a 3-2 lead.

 

In the third, Toronto came out of the gates hard. The opening 12 minutes of the period was spent mostly in Florida’s zone.

 

When the Panthers could clear the zone, Toronto quickly transitioned back up the ice through the neutral zone.

 

The Panthers had given up multiple two-on-one chances; the Leafs were piling on the chances.

 

It was a barrage of firepower coming from the Leafs. Quality chances left and right but to no avail.

Sergei Bobrovsky has owned the net for the Panthers since Game 5 against Boston. After the two early goals by Toronto, Bobrovsky stood on his head again – stopping everything he saw.

 

“Bob, he grinds and just continues to work on his game and takes care of himself,” said Matthew Tkachuk. “He deserves it, he’s been the leader for us since he’s come back, we’re very lucky to have him.

 

Florida has won five straight games including three on the road.

 

The Panthers now head back home with a 2-0 series lead. They haven’t played in front of their home fans since their 7-5 Game 6 win against Boston.

CBD and Sports: Can Cannabidiol Improve Athletic Performance and Recovery?

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Nowadays, many people, from individuals struggling with anxiety and stress to athletes, turn to CBD. It’s also called cannabidiol, and pain relief and inflammation are the properties that CBD provides. Many athletes take CBD products to improve their performance, enhance their physical abilities, and accelerate recovery, but there are doubts about their effects. It’s better to learn more about the potential benefits of CBD for athletes. Can it actually improve performance and recovery? 

 

CBD is a compound of cannabis, among other cannabinoids like THC. But unlike THC, it doesn’t produce a high effect, and many people choose it because of the therapeutic effects. Many people notice anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-anxiety benefits after taking CBD. These properties can be highly effective for athletes experiencing pain and inflammation from intense training or competitions. It’s possible to find a variety of such products on the market, and if you decide to look for “stores that sell delta 9 thc near me“, you’ll be able to find many suppliers with a wide selection.

 

The ability to reduce inflammation is one of the most notable therapeutic benefits of CBD for athletes. Basically, inflammation is a natural response to stress or injury. However, it can lead to pain and hinder performance, and that’s why many people turn to CBD. It has anti-inflammatory effects that reduce pain and improve recovery time. Also, CBD helps athletes train harder and recover faster by protecting them against chronic conditions like arthritis.

 

Moreover, reducing anxiety is another reason for people to take CBD products. Many athletes struggle with performance anxiety and pre-game stress that negatively affect their performance. CBD has anxiolytic effects, promoting relaxation and reducing feelings of anxiety. It can help athletes become more confident and focused, leading to better performance.

 

In addition, CBD  has beneficial effects on the quality of sleep, which is essential for athletic recovery. Proper sleep is highly important for mental clarity, energy restoration, and muscle repair. By getting enough sleep, athletes can positively affect their performance, improving their sleep quality and duration. Also, athletes can recover faster with CBD, leading to good preparation for the training session or competition.

 

It’s important to note that there’s not enough research to fully understand the effects of CBD on athletic performance and anxiety. It’s worth mentioning that athletes should ensure that CBD products don’t have any prohibited substances. The World Anti-Doping Agency banned THC and other cannabinoids but removed CBD from the list of prohibited substances. 

 

Also, it’s essential to use CBD with other methods of injury prevention because CBD is not a cure for everything. If you have proper nutrition, hydration, and rest, taking CBD can help you get the best results. Additionally, keep in mind the potential side effects. They may include fatigue, changes in appetite, and gastrointestinal issues.

Conclusion

The number of beneficial effects of CBD is incredible, from improved sleep and better recovery to reducing inflammation and anxiety. But it’s necessary to take this substance responsibly, after making sure that there are no impurities. And it’s better to consult with a healthcare specialist to avoid struggling with any side effects. A proper approach can help you get the best experience and reap all the benefits of CBD.

Five Takeaways from Panthers’ Game 1 win over Maple Leafs

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TORONTO — Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs officially got underway Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena. The Toronto Maple Leafs played host to the Florida Panthers as the two began their first ever  playoff series against one another. 

 

The Panthers walked out of Game 1 tonight with a 4-2 win and a 1-0 series thanks in large part to the hometown Ontario raised Panthers. 


Here’s tonight’s takeaways.

 

Tkachuk, Bennett, Cousins line is on fire

The Panthers are a few games into this new line combination, with Nick Cousins playing alongside the dynamic duo of Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett. 

 

Florida’s second line was the best trio on the ice in the first period. Tkachuk and Bennett are both players who dominate when working the puck down low in the offensive zone. Nick Cousins doesn’t over complicate his game, which makes him a good support player with those two.

 

Nick Cousins scored the first goal of the series tonight just that way. The line went to work down below the net – winning another  puck battle while being outnumbered, eerily similar to the Game 7 OT winning goal in Boston. 

 

Cousins freed himself from his defender in front of Ilya Samsonov’s net, leading to a fairly easy backhand shot for his first goal of the playoffs. 

 

On Florida’s second goal of the game it was much of the same. While Nick Cousins wasn’t on the bench, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett had a sort of double screen in front of Toronto’s net. Aaron Ekblad’s point shot was tipped in by Bennett, giving Florida a  2-0 lead. 

 

Florida gives up another two-goal lead… but survives again

Florida had a 2-0 lead eight minutes into the second period on the road. The Toronto crowd was stun and out of it… for 11 seconds.

 

Immediately following Florida’s second goal,  the Leafs won the faceoff, quickly entered the zone and fed 20-year-old rookie Matthew Knies in the slot. 


Knies calmly waited out Sergei Bobrovsky to tuck away his first career NHL playoff goal, which was also his first ever goal in the NHL.

 

Later in the period, a defensive zone collapse by Florida led to Micheal Bunting having a wide open look at Sergei Bobrovsky. The Scarborough, ON. native tied game with his first playoff goal of the season.

 

Last game in Boston, Florida also had a two goal lead and the Bruins were able to not only tie it at two, but take the lead. 

 

Florida wasn’t going to let that happen again – Toronto didn’t hold the lead once tonight.

 

Sergei Bobrovsky stands tall in fourth-straight win

The Panthers’ goaltender won three elimination games in a row against Boston to get Florida into the second-round.

 

Bobrovsky got the nod again tonight as Florida’s playoff journey shifted to Toronto. 

 

Early into Game 1 Toronto had the Panthers on their heels. The Leafs two early power plays produced a plethora of chances around Bobrovsky, but he was able to close the door on most shots, while the Leafs had a few bounce wide.

 

Toronto peppered Bob in the third, putting 14 shots on goal. In the dying minutes of regulation, the Leafs had sustained pressure in the Florida zone – a goal looked to be coming. 

 

Unfortunately for Toronto, Bob looked a lot more like the goalie who was winning Vezina trophies in Columbus down the stretch. 

 

Bobrovsky finished the night with 34 saves on 36 shots, including all 14 in the third. 

 

Ontario Panther Party

There’s a lot of players on the Florida Panthers with Southern Ontario roots. 

 

Playing against what was many of their childhood team tonight in the playoffs didn’t slow down the Ontario born Cats tonight. 

 

Florida scored four goals – all of which came from players born within a few hours of Toronto.

 

Nick Cousins (Belleville, ON.), Sam Bennett (Holland Landing, ON.) Carter Verhaeghe (Hamilton, ON.) and Brandon Montour (Brantford, ON.) all scored in Game 1. 

 

“We just got a lot of Ontario boys,”  Brandon Monotur said postgame. “We enjoy playing these games, playing in Toronto.”

 

Panthers get the early series lead and another road win

The Panthers haven’t won the first game of a playoff series since 1997.

 

Florida also didn’t lead the Bruins series until they won the whole thing in Game 7 overtime. 

 

Tonight they not only broke that Game 1 winless drought, but they also grabbed that win on the road. 

 

The Panthers have been better on the road in their eight playoff games than they have at home. In their five road games, they won four of them – while their three home games only garnered a single win, which came in Game 6 last round. 

 

For the first time in a very, very long time, Florida doesn’t have to fight back early on in a playoff series, they are in the drivers’ seat.

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Knicks

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No Jimmy Butler, no Tyler Herro. Tough task ahead for the Heat in game 2.

But the Heat show major fight all the way through, but the lack of that fourth quarter closer leaves them short.

1-1, heading back to Miami.

#1: Heat adjusting back to that 2-3 zone.

As there was some potential that the Heat could be playing without Jimmy Butler in game 2, that left me with one adjustment in mind that Spoelstra would lean to heavily: the 2-3 zone. It puts your role player bunch in a much more settling scheme, as you also want to force a team who barely shot 20% from three in game 1 into those exact looks. So the Heat’s first half of game 2 consisted of a heavy dosage of it, while the Knicks knocked down 35% of them. Better than game 1, but the Heat dictated the shots for New York. Win for Miami. The only issue at times with that adjustment is that it can hurt the rebounding, but it was only a 6 board deficit at half and didn’t feel overwhelming at any point. But Love was doings this positionally, Highsmith swarmed, Adebayo anchored, and the guards played their role enough. It was a win for the defense in the first 24 minutes.

#2: Who replicates Jimmy Butler’s rim pressure? We got that answer.

When it came to the offensive side of things, the blueprint was clear: Bam Adebayo and shooting. The one question I had was if they could get decent enough looks without having much rim pressure on the roster tonight, but man did one guy emerge in that range. Caleb Martin not only slotted into Butler’s starting role, but he was slashing with a purpose and getting to the rim consistently. That was the turning point for the offense early. They also had him playing much more of a ball-handling role to free up Vincent at times and pull certain defenders away from the play. His usage was absolutely perfect to start this game, and he was also capitalizing on his looks. We shouldn’t be surprised, since he has been filling in for whatever is needed all year, but this was big time stuff.

#3: Haywood Highsmith minutes…

As Martin got a nightly promotion, so did Haywood Highsmith right behind him. He’s a player that can do his job on the defensive end when you need him to, and man did he do that early. Getting into the body of Julius Randle, even as he hit tough shots, but the point was that he was making him at least semi-uncomfortable. Then as I talked about the zone earlier, that seems to be his happy place. When he can just run around and disrupt, it’s when he looks his best. But his impact didn’t stop with the defensive side of the ball. They were actually using him as an offensive hub early in this game. Setting up handoffs, flipping dunker spots, filling that corner. One play stood out: screen for Robinson into a Adebayo hand-off, both defenders job at Robinson, Highsmith slips down the right slot as Bam hits him. 3-on-2 and they get a score out of it. His minutes are always situational, but man does he impact in that short stint. He still needs to tame the turnovers and rushed on-ball reps, but that’s in due time. Not everything at once…

#4: Outcome aside, one thing is clear: this Heat team is extremely confident.

As I walked out of the Heat’s practice an hour before they got on their flight to New York before game 1, one thing struck me: this team is confident from top to bottom. An 8 seed? With top of the roster injuries? Yes. After taking out the Bucks in that first round, they have this mentality that they can beat anybody, which you simply need to have in this league. Fast forward to the day of game 2, my main thought process to playing without Butler was that this is house money. It’s a trap game potentially for the Knicks that they absolutely need to get, and well, the Heat’s guys can go out there and play freely. An overly confident team getting to play free? That’s always a fun combo. And as the Heat walked out of the third with a 1 point lead, there’s no doubt this team’s role guys are as confident in their individual abilities as ever. The only issue was they don’t have that pure closing ability that Butler, or even Herro, have to put things away late.

#5: The fourth quarter…

As the Heat lead by 1 heading into the fourth, it was clear they were going to need a go-to scorer to settle this group. Hello, Gabe Vincent. Vincent went into a semi-Butler mode over a 3 possession stretch: spot-up three, insanely contested pull-up 3, tough flip shot in the lane. He was channeling an insane version of himself. Now with extra attention the next time down, he finds Martin weak-side for the triple. Past two-way contracts, current playoff saviors. But yet, the Knicks make their run right back into a tie game, behind some favorable calls that they got along the way to extend some plays. Either way, it was 93-93 with 6 minutes left. Vincent answered with another possession of drawing attention, right into a pull-up 3 where he gets fouled. Three free throws. The longest play of all time follows that with Hartenstein’s rebounding, finally into a Hart 3 in the corner. Energy shifting, Heat miss, Brunson pulls up for 3, and the Garden goes nuts. Knicks now up 3. Another missed call doesn’t go Miami’s way as the ball grazes the rim before a Vincent put-back, but called a shot clock violation. Lowry hits a floater, then finds Bam on the roll for a tough lay. 1 point game. But the Knicks respond with a Hart corner triple. Back to four. And well, they ran away from there as they fed off the energy on offense. But it wasn’t completely over yet. They still fought, Vincent lays it in, and Randle commits an over the line violation. Inbound, Robinson catch, Robinson 3. Somehow a 3 point game again with 22 seconds left. Knicks make 2 free throws, Heat miss on other end, and that’ll do it.

How to Get a Job as a Sports Nutritionist

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Are you interested in sports nutrition?

It can be a rewarding career path, but you should plan to ensure you secure the position you’re interested in. Whether you want to work for a professional team or you’re more interested in helping people in your community get healthy. There are steps you can take to secure the job you want, like earning an online nutrition degree and obtaining additional certifications.

Are you wondering how to get a job as a sports nutritionist? When you follow these steps, you’ll secure the sports nutritionist job you want.

Keep reading to learn more about sports nutrition and the career path.

Get a Certification From a Professional

Taking a course with professional accreditation will make the job seeker stand out from other applicants. It allows employers to know that the job seeker is taking the profession seriously. The certification should relate to the specific field of nutrition careers.

Candidates should also update their knowledge by attending conferences and reading relevant literature in the field. If you want to be a certified sports nutritionist, you can get a sports nutrition certification to expand your knowledge in nutrition fields and to make you more qualified.

Having a certification is a great way to build credibility and show potential employers that you’re capable and reliable.

Build up the Qualifications and Skills Required

All sports nutritionists should have a bachelor’s degree in nutrition, dietetics, or a related field. It is also beneficial to be certified in sports nutrition by a reputable organization. Other qualifications and skills include strong interpersonal communication.

It is also an expert in food and customized meal plans. By building up qualifications and skills, you can get a job as a sports nutritionist. It can also increase your chances of being hired.

Do Research Into Job Vacancies

Start by checking sports nutrition listings online while signing up for relevant job boards. There may also be specialist agency websites you can use. After gathering the list of sports nutritionist jobs, identify what qualifications and experience employers are looking for. 

Once satisfied that you meet the job requirements, you can apply directly by email. Make sure to include a professional and compelling cover letter along with up-to-date references.

If your application is successful, you may be invited to a job interview, which is a great opportunity to present your knowledge and enthusiasm for the role.

Reach Out to Potential Employers

Network with professionals in the sports nutrition industry, fitness centers, and sports teams that might need a sports nutritionist. Research organizations in your area and then reach out via website contact forms, phone calls, or e-mails. You can use websites to find potential employers.

Make sure to provide these employers with information about your skill set and sports nutrition experience. If you establish a good relationship with potential employers, this will significantly increase your chances of getting a job as a sports nutritionist.

Consider This Guide to Becoming a Successful Sports Nutritionist 

Overall, becoming a sports nutritionist takes hard work and dedication. It is useful to stay on top of the most current industry trends. Remember to take the necessary steps, such as getting a certification from a professional and building up the qualifications and skills required.

Also, do research into job openings and reach out to potential employers to advance your career and stay organized. Use these tips and put yourself ahead. Start your journey to become a sports nutritionist today!

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Basic Differences between Men’s & Women’s Basketball

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Have you ever wondered about the differences between men’s and women’s basketball? If yes – then you are here at the right place as we are about to go through the details of the differences, including rules and playing style.

Let’s jump into the basic differences between men’s and women’s basketball without further ado.

Keep reading!

 

Size of Basketball

The primary difference between men’s and women’s basketball games starts with the ball itself. In the NBA, professional men’s basketball players use basketballs that measure 29.5 inches. On the contrary, the basketballs that women players use in the WNBA measure 28.5 inches.

 

Playing Style

Starting from the difference in the basketball size, the playing style in the basketball leagues for men and women also differs. In a typical men’s basketball game, you can expect more dunks and, eventually, more scoring.

On the contrary, in women’s professional basketball games, you can expect less scoring and more layups. An interesting fact about the difference in the playing style between men and women is that professional women basketball players are about three percent better than male players regarding shooting the ball from the free-throw lane.

 

Difference in Popularity

The greatest noticeable difference between men’s and women’s basketball leagues is the difference in the game’s popularity – especially in connection to television ratings and the number of people who are attending the games.

WSN reports the difference between the game’s attendances for 2022, where the NBA had an average crowd of more than 20,000 through their home games. The game attendance for WNBA had an average of approximately 10,000 fans for each of their home games.

When comparing the attendance gap between men’s and women’s basketball at a college level, men’s basketball games have approximately 3,000 more fans than women’s games.

Regarding television ratings, the average viewers of men’s games are in the millions, whereas the average viewers of women’s basketball tournaments are in the thousands.

When it comes to women’s top collegiate sports, softball has stolen the spot as it is more popular than basketball among women, which is quite evident in the offering of youth softball training at most colleges.

Nonetheless, if we were to determine the popularity of women’s sports based on television ratings, then basketball clearly takes the crown.

 

The Difference in the Backcourt Rule

According to the backcourt rule in basketball, the player who possesses the ball has a specific timeline to cross the half-court line. In men’s basketball, the player with possession of the ball has no more than ten seconds to cross the half-court line,

On the contrary, in women’s basketball, there are no time-associated rules for the player in possession of the ball to cross the half-court.

 

Playing Time Difference

The playing time for men’s and women’s basketball – both at the college and professional levels – is different. The NBA comprises four twelve-minute quarters, whereas each of the four quarters for the WNBA is ten minutes.

At the college level, men’s basketball has two halves, with each half being of 20-minutes, whereas women’s basketball at a college level comprises four quarters, with each quarter being of ten minutes.

Carter Verhaeghe sends Florida Panthers to second round

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It seemed improbable, maybe impossible. Down 3-1 against the greatest regular season team in NHL history, the Florida Panthers were written off by the hockey world. 

 

The only group that believed in the Panthers were themselves.

 

The Panthers shocked the hockey world tonight, defeating the Presidents’ Trophy winning Boston Bruins in Game 7 overtime, 4-3 to advance to the second round.

 

After clawing back in the series to force Game 7 in Boston, the Panthers once again found themselves in a hole tonight, trailing 3-2 with exactly a minute left in regulation.

 

Brandon Montour kept his team’s season alive, rifling a shot past Jeremy Swayman to tie the  game at 3-3.

 

With the late equalizer, this series went to overtime for the second time – both being elimination scenarios for the Panthers in Boston.

 

Winner takes all overtime in Game 7. Next bounce wins. Losers go home, winners move on. 

 

The extra frame saw both teams get their fair share of chances to win the series, but the two goaltenders kept their nets shut. 

 

Boston had a few early chances on Sergei Bobrovsky, while Florida had two great looks in front of Swayman from Matther Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe. 

 

The final shift of the game came from Florida’s three best players in the series.

 

A great forecheck from Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk prevented the Bruins from breaking out of their own zone. After an aggressive puck battle behind Boston’s net, Bennett fed Verhaeghe at the faceoff circle and the Panthers forward scored his second series clinching ot goal for the Panthers in consecutive years. 

 

The Panthers just snuck into the postseason, clinching their playoff berth before the final game of the regular season. The odds were against them as they took on a Bruins team that set the NHL record for both wins and points.

 

Florida will head to Toronto for the second-round to take on a Maple Leafs team that just got over a 19-year playoff series winless streak.

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Knicks

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The Miami Heat walk into the Garden and take care of business yet again.

Battling through more and more injuries, getting big time contributions down the roster, and a Kyle Lowry fourth quarter masterclass.

Some takeaways as the Heat go up 1-0 in the series.

#1: Taking a look at the Heat’s matchups, and defensive structure.

As I was hinting at before the series, Jalen Brunson is the head of the snake, so they need to try and cut him off early. That means Jimmy Butler should get the assignment, especially since Erik Spoelstra always dares RJ Barrett to beat them with Gabe Vincent defending. With all of that said, the Knicks were having their way on the interior pretty much the whole first half. How? Brunson was doing Brunson type things by getting to his spots in that mid-range and play-making from there. While I mentioned Butler defending him, it didn’t matter since the Heat were giving up switches all over the place. Attacking Max Strus or Duncan Robinson, sliding by Kyle Lowry to get inside. It may not be an individual assignment. It’s about loading up with extra help most likely. We will see the adjustments to come.

#2: So, the bench points?

If there was a positive for the Heat heading into halftime, it was that they only trailed by 5 in a game that felt like a grind on both ends. One of the main reasons for that aside from Gabe Vincent’s shot making? The Heat’s bench coming to play. When I asked Duncan Robinson about that total flip from regular season to playoffs, he told me it’s “rising to the occasion.” Kyle Lowry felt important in that first half to control things on-ball a good bit when Butler went to the bench or when he needed to get the insert pass in the low post. Caleb Martin was their source of instant energy and perimeter defense, but he also did a good job of trying to attack off the help that got sent away from him and onto Butler. Miami had 16 bench points to the Knicks’ 10, which felt like a battle that was going in the opposite direction.

#3: The Knicks eyeing down Jimmy Butler.

While both teams do play a similar base in drop coverage, the defensive structure of the Bucks and Knicks is completely different. The Knicks play higher up to the level, they load up on-ball, and well, they’ll adjust to send more help at the main threat, which in this case is Jimmy Butler. He opened the game 1 for 4, and credit to Josh Hart for digging into him down low in a way he honestly didn’t feel in the first round. But as I said, this was more team wide. Every drive to the basket was met by his defender, the roller’s defender, and the corner shooter’s defender. He was seeing three guys around him consistently, which forced him to play that play-making role with the reliance on shooting. Clearly, that’s what you want as a defense. He still found ways to work through that in his own ways, but this just sets the blueprint for the series. He’s going to be working through some shifting adjustments this time around.

#4: Kevin Love’s timely moments, making the outlet pass.

When it comes to third quarter takeaways as the Heat made a bit of a run, there wasn’t one bigger than the energy shift from Kevin Love. He got things started with a pick and pop with Butler as both defenders flew down, yet Love knocked down the open left wing three to make them pay. Timely. Shortly after, the Heat got in a defensive flow by getting some stops and securing the boards, and Love took things upon himself to make plays. Flings it down the floor to Strus for the layup. A few plays later, overhead pass down the floor to Butler over the top: layup. Then capitalizes on one final one to Butler in stride to force a Knicks timeout. The half-court offense was a grind with the Butler doubles, but Love getting the outlet passes going and playing into the open floor was a game changer. He’s been crucial in this post-season so far.

#5: Kyle Lowry’s fourth quarter masterclass.

As the Heat led by 6 walking into the fourth quarter with Jimmy Butler ready to stay on the floor the entire second half, they needed to find ways to close it out. Kyle Lowry did a good job of settling the offense with the necessary pull-ups that they’re missing without Tyler Herro. He found his shot multiple times at the head of the offense, keeping the Knicks on-ball defense honest to a degree, for somebody not named Jimmy Butler. With 6 and a half minutes left, the Knicks call timeout to settle their group as they trail 93-86. The Knicks made a run, but that’s not why things got dark. Butler drove to the basket, turned his ankle, and went down. He was in clear pain, but eventually got up to shoot his free throws. Better yet, he stayed in the game. Lowry decided to make a pair of game changing plays, making a swiping steal to force an extra possession then forcing a jump ball in the lane. Shortly after, he takes a baseline pull-up out of the timeout and knocks it down yet again. Full Kyle Lowry masterclass on both ends.

 

*****

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