The NBA season is now in full swing as the playoffs take centre stage this weekend. At the same time, Formula 1 zooms into Saudi Arabia, the Dutch Cup final is on the cards, and Real Madrid be in action amid a couple of pivotal matchups in Europe’s top leagues.
Here’s what our team will be keeping an eye on this weekend:
Saturday, April 19th
Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Clippers – 21:30 CET
The NBA playoffs are finally upon us, and the most anticipated matchup of the opening round doesn’t necessarily feature the most prominent names, depending on your sports media preferences. Instead, the Nuggets and Clippers will square off for the first time since their epic showdown in the 2020 Western Conference semi-finals.
The two teams ended the regular season with a 2-2 split, with the Nuggets emerging victorious in their last two encounters. Both sides come into the playoffs on a high note, as the Clippers boast a seven-game winning streak, while the Nuggets have strung together three wins following the dismissal of head coach Michael Malone.
Denver will rely heavily on their superstar Nikola Jokic, who’s arguably enjoying one of the greatest offensive seasons in NBA history with averages of 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game, breaking records along the way. Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray can be unpredictable; hence, Aaron Gordon must step up to cover any gaps. Yet, as long as Jokic performs to his potential, the Nuggets will always have a chance at securing a series victory.
The Clippers have three starters contributing over 20 points per game in James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Norman Powell. However, as a unit, they rank just 20th in the league for points per game, while Denver sits comfortably in third.
Centre Ivica Zubac, averaging a double-double with 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds, will be crucial in attempting to force Jokic into early foul trouble. If his teammates can feed him the ball enough to draw some fouls beneath the basket, it could set the stage for a challenging outing for the Nuggets. If not, expect Denver to capitalise right from the start.
Eric Himmelheber
Sunday, April 20th
Formula 1, Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – 19:00 CET
Formula 1 concludes its first tripleheader of the season in Saudi Arabia, with last year’s top two drivers in urgent need of a strong finish.
Lando Norris heads into the race with a slim three-point lead over teammate Oscar Piastri, after a stellar performance from the Aussie in Bahrain, both in qualifying and the race. Norris must regain momentum quickly to reaffirm his position as McLaren’s frontrunner or risk facing a tough title challenge.
Max Verstappen, meanwhile, couldn’t keep pace with either driver in the last race and voiced his frustrations at Red Bull, who provided him with a lacklustre car and botched his pit stops. This has intensified speculation regarding his future, and another disappointing weekend at a circuit he usually dominates could lead to further doubts—having taken two wins in the previous three races there.
Both McLaren and Red Bull will introduce updates in hopes of boosting performance for this Grand Prix, as will Ferrari, making for an intriguing showdown if the Italian team can close the gap to Norris’s crew at the front.
Finley Crebolder
AC Milan vs Atalanta – 20:45 CET
If you’re searching for a thrilling match to catch on Easter Sunday evening, look no further than Serie A, where AC Milan is set to take on Lombardy rivals Atalanta at the iconic San Siro.
Currently sitting ten points behind league leaders Inter, Gian Piero Gasperini’s side from Bergamo has likely missed the Scudetto boat, but they are striving to secure a Champions League spot for next season. With Juventus and Bologna closely trailing in the standings, their position is still up for grabs.
Sergio Conceicao’s Milan side, on the other hand, hasn’t had the greatest of seasons, languishing in ninth place, but they’ve only lost once in their last six matches, remaining in the race for European qualification. Milan are just five points adrift of sixth-placed Lazio, making this a competitive section of the table.
In essence, there’s plenty on the line for both teams, and a win for the hosts could significantly shake up the Champions League race while propelling Milan into the European contention. This is bound to be an exciting encounter!
Pat Dempsey
Real Madrid vs Athletic Club – 21:00 CET
Real Madrid and Athletic Club have experienced vastly different fortunes in Europe lately. While Real suffered a devastating exit from the Champions League at the hands of Arsenal, Athletic secured their spot in the Europa League semi-finals following a victory over Rangers. The two sides will clash in a vital LaLiga fixture this weekend.
Los Blancos find themselves four points behind Barcelona in the league table, and despite swirling speculation regarding manager Carlo Ancelotti’s future, they need to find their winning form again. Having secured just one win in their last five matches across all competitions, they can’t afford to let Barcelona increase their lead, especially with only seven league games remaining.
While Athletic have enjoyed a remarkable European campaign, their LaLiga form has been equally impressive. Remarkably, no side has lost fewer matches than them this season (only 4), positioning them well for a top-four finish and a Champions League spot for the 2025/26 season. However, Villarreal is just six points behind with a game in hand, so their task is far from complete.
A match-up featuring two of Spain’s top teams, with so much on the line, is one you absolutely cannot miss!
Tolga Akdeniz
Monday, April 21st
AZ Alkmaar vs Go Ahead Eagles, KNVB Beker final – 18:00 CET
All eyes will be on Rotterdam this Monday as AZ Alkmaar and Go Ahead Eagles prepare to clash in the final of the Dutch KNVB Cup.
AZ, with eight final appearances and four titles to their name, is no stranger to cup glory, but they face the underdogs, Go Ahead Eagles, who are aiming for their first-ever prize in club history in their inaugural final in 60 years. The Eagles have demonstrated incredible form over the past two seasons and could bring a wave of excitement to their city of Deventer as they look to mark a monumental day in the club’s history.
AZ enters De Kuip without two key players: Alexandre Penetra (suspended) and captain Jordy Clasie (injured), which could impact their performance in their first final since 2018, when they were defeated 3-0 by Feyenoord, a match partially marked by a goal from the now-manager Robin van Persie.
The Eagles will also be without two of their own stars, as left-back Dean James and forward Jakob Breum are both out due to injury. Nevertheless, their dreams remain alive thanks to an impressive record of just three losses in their last 19 matches.
The Eagles aim to soar to new heights – a victory would see them qualify for the UEFA Europa League’s League Phase, marking their return to European competition for the first time since 1965.
With a potential fairytale in the making, missing this year’s KNVB Cup final would be a mistake. And let’s be honest: what could possibly surpass a cup final on a Monday night?
Paul Winters
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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