USA BASKETBALL BEATS ARGENTINA FOR FIRST WIN:
The U.S. men’s basketball team beat Argentina 108-80 yesterday (July 13th), getting a win after losing the first of five scheduled exhibition games ahead of the Tokyo Olympics later this month. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal each scored 17 points in the win in Las Vegas. The U.S. lost the first two games to Nigeria and Australia.
CLIPPERS’ LEONARD HAS SURGERY FOR PARTIAL ACL TEAR:
The L.A. Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard had surgery Tuesday (July 13th) to repair a partial tear of his right ACL. Leonard was injured in Game 4 of the Clippers’ second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz. He then missed L.A.’s last eight playoff games, which ended with a loss to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals.
The Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks play game 4 tonight in Milwaukee. The Suns lead the series 2-1.
DUCHARME REACHES THREE-YEAR DEAL WITH CANADIENS:
The Montreal Canadiens announced a three-year contract extension Tuesday (July 13th) with head coach Dominique Ducharme,* who had been the interim coach since taking over in late February after Claude Julien was fired. Ducharme took the Canadiens all the way to the Stanley Cup final, where they lost to the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning 4 games to 1.
PREDATORS’ GOALIE RINNE RETIRING:
Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne announced Tuesday (July 13th) that he’s retiring after 15 seasons, all of them with Nashville. The 38-year-old Rinne, who won the NHL’s Vezina Trophy in 2018 as best goaltender, had three 40-win seasons, tied for second most in NHL history, and he’s one of just seven goalies to reach that mark.
