Last Week in Las Vegas Sports (Feb 25 - Mar 3)
The Las Vegas Golden Knights take another huge loss, Aja Wilson goes home for a preseason game, and Kyle Larson wins at Las Vegas. Let's talk about last week in Las Vegas sports (Feb 25 - Mar 3).
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Source.Las Vegas Aces[/caption]
The Las Vegas Aces are hoping for a 3-peat in 2024, and that starts with a preseason game against the Puerto Rican national team. The game takes place at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, A’ja Wilson’s hometown. After winning two straight championships, this should be quite the homecoming for the young star. Wilson has this to say about the upcoming matchup on May 11.
"I’m excited and can’t wait to return to Columbia with my Aces team,” said Wilson, “It’s my dream to be able to go back to the place where it all started and showcase what my skills are now. This means the world to me, and I’m very much looking forward to it.”
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Source. YouTube[/caption]
The Las Vegas Golden Knights were dealt another major blow last week after it was announced that Mark Stone is out for the rest of the regular season.
There is talk about him possibly being available for the playoffs, but that is still very much in doubt. Sin City is now facing the final stretch of their 2023 season without several key pieces as they fight for favorable seeding in the postseason. A difficult opponent could mean an early exit.
Las Vegas sits third in the standings with a 33-20-7 record, only three wins ahead of the Los Angeles Kings. The Calgary Flames are also only six games behind the Golden Knights.
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Source. Las Vegas Raiders[/caption]
The Raiders struggled in 2023 and don't have a lot to be proud of as a result. They didn’t make the playoffs, had a losing record, and never found a permanent quarterback. The only good news is that Antonio Pierce is officially the head coach and can shape the team in his image.
Another major victory for Las Vegas came after the NFLPA grades were released for the NFL. The Raiders earned a 9th place ranking among the 32 teams and have some of the best grades in the league. Their lowest grade was given to Josh McDaniels for his subpar coaching throughout the year.
Las Vegas did earn good marks in the poll for travel, team ownership, locker room suitability, and nutrition. This might be a hollow victory for the Raiders after their 2023 season, but it’s something to feel proud about. It’s also something to build on for the future of the team.
More: 5 athletes that might want out of Las Vegas
Kyle Larson hit the jackpot on Sunday after holding off Tyler Reddick to win the Penzoil 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The victory is Larson’s first of the season, which guarantees him a spot in the playoffs. He is also the second Hendrick driver to find victory lane after William Byron won at Daytona.
Runner-up Reddick did manage to chase him down in the final laps but had his line taken away each time. Reddick was even forced to try a different line, which allowed Larson to get to the line first by a few car lengths. The NASCAR Cup Series now heads to ISM Motor Speedway in Phoenix for the fourth leg of the schedule.
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Source. YouTube[/caption]
Antonio Pierce is making waves after hinting about his former boss during an NFL Combine interview. His wording was very interesting and kind of made it obvious who he was referring to. It also points to Pierce not mincing words, which should be fun to see. Above all, he seems to have a distaste for the former management and isn't afraid to talk about it.
"I would hope whoever we draft, that’s the route we go, that’s who the starter becomes," Pierce explained, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. "You don’t want to put a Band-Aid at that position. That’s old … that’s old, man. I think the Raiders … we’ve seen that enough in this organization."
Pierce is likely referring to Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh McDaniels' pick to lead the Raiders. McDaniels' pick quickly came under scrutiny for not disclosing a foot injury to the Raiders staff beforehand. This injury would eventually become a lasting problem for Garoppolo and hurt his passing ability.
Next: What Dive bars to hit off the strip in Las Vegas
#5 Las Vegas Aces set to play Puerto Rico in preseason action
[caption id="attachment_47456" align="alignnone" width="819"]
Source.Las Vegas Aces[/caption]The Las Vegas Aces are hoping for a 3-peat in 2024, and that starts with a preseason game against the Puerto Rican national team. The game takes place at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, A’ja Wilson’s hometown. After winning two straight championships, this should be quite the homecoming for the young star. Wilson has this to say about the upcoming matchup on May 11.
"I’m excited and can’t wait to return to Columbia with my Aces team,” said Wilson, “It’s my dream to be able to go back to the place where it all started and showcase what my skills are now. This means the world to me, and I’m very much looking forward to it.”
#4 Las Vegas Golden Knights lose Mark Stone for the rest of the regular season
[caption id="attachment_47454" align="alignnone" width="900"]
Source. YouTube[/caption]The Las Vegas Golden Knights were dealt another major blow last week after it was announced that Mark Stone is out for the rest of the regular season.
There is talk about him possibly being available for the playoffs, but that is still very much in doubt. Sin City is now facing the final stretch of their 2023 season without several key pieces as they fight for favorable seeding in the postseason. A difficult opponent could mean an early exit.
Las Vegas sits third in the standings with a 33-20-7 record, only three wins ahead of the Los Angeles Kings. The Calgary Flames are also only six games behind the Golden Knights.
#3 Raiders rank 9th in the 2023 NFLPA quality poll
[caption id="attachment_47452" align="alignnone" width="819"]
Source. Las Vegas Raiders[/caption]The Raiders struggled in 2023 and don't have a lot to be proud of as a result. They didn’t make the playoffs, had a losing record, and never found a permanent quarterback. The only good news is that Antonio Pierce is officially the head coach and can shape the team in his image.
Another major victory for Las Vegas came after the NFLPA grades were released for the NFL. The Raiders earned a 9th place ranking among the 32 teams and have some of the best grades in the league. Their lowest grade was given to Josh McDaniels for his subpar coaching throughout the year.
Las Vegas did earn good marks in the poll for travel, team ownership, locker room suitability, and nutrition. This might be a hollow victory for the Raiders after their 2023 season, but it’s something to feel proud about. It’s also something to build on for the future of the team.
More: 5 athletes that might want out of Las Vegas
#2 Kyle Larson comes up aces at Las Vegas
Kyle Larson hit the jackpot on Sunday after holding off Tyler Reddick to win the Penzoil 400 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The victory is Larson’s first of the season, which guarantees him a spot in the playoffs. He is also the second Hendrick driver to find victory lane after William Byron won at Daytona.
Runner-up Reddick did manage to chase him down in the final laps but had his line taken away each time. Reddick was even forced to try a different line, which allowed Larson to get to the line first by a few car lengths. The NASCAR Cup Series now heads to ISM Motor Speedway in Phoenix for the fourth leg of the schedule.
#1 Antonio Pierce comments on former management during Combine interview
[caption id="attachment_47451" align="alignnone" width="686"]
Source. YouTube[/caption]Antonio Pierce is making waves after hinting about his former boss during an NFL Combine interview. His wording was very interesting and kind of made it obvious who he was referring to. It also points to Pierce not mincing words, which should be fun to see. Above all, he seems to have a distaste for the former management and isn't afraid to talk about it.
"I would hope whoever we draft, that’s the route we go, that’s who the starter becomes," Pierce explained, according to Vic Tafur of The Athletic. "You don’t want to put a Band-Aid at that position. That’s old … that’s old, man. I think the Raiders … we’ve seen that enough in this organization."
Pierce is likely referring to Jimmy Garoppolo, Josh McDaniels' pick to lead the Raiders. McDaniels' pick quickly came under scrutiny for not disclosing a foot injury to the Raiders staff beforehand. This injury would eventually become a lasting problem for Garoppolo and hurt his passing ability.
Next: What Dive bars to hit off the strip in Las Vegas