Comment on Five storylines to watch at the U.S. Open

The MLK Jr. African American Heritage Rodeo took to the Denver Coliseum on Jan. 20, 2024, as part of the National Western Stock Show in Denver. The rodeo honors the legacy of legendary cowboy Bill Picket and his influence on Black Western heritage, and features events from bull riding and barrel racing, to mutton bustin’.

Out of sight, out of pined. Who needs Joel Embiid? Nikola Jokic-vs.-Victor Wembanyama is the NBA’s best big man tussle now, by default. The fault, in this case, being Embiid’s bum left knee. “I always say this: I think the No. 1 thing for players that you can measure them on (is not) wins, losses, stats — but availability,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said before Denver took on Philadelphia, minus Embiid, late Tuesday night at Ball Arena.

The adage about quarterback competitions might apply to NBA rivalries, too. If you have two, you have none. And evidently, the Nuggets have two. That’s according to the league, which scheduled 10 games in a five-day window to be advertised as “NBA Rivals Week.” Denver is featured in a pair of those games: Tuesday against the 76ers at Ball Arena, and Saturday afternoon against the Timberwolves in Minneapolis. Tenth-year Nuggets coach Michael Malone isn’t buying any of it. “What do you mean, ‘rivalry week?’ Is that what this is?” he asked before the Philadelphia game, before offering a sarcastic quote: “Really stoked.” Malone went on to say he has never viewed any opponent as a rival during his Nuggets tenure, including the Sixers and the Wolves. “It’s so hard because the landscape of the NBA has changed,” he said.

The Colorado Avalanche has hit a snag on its potential climb to the top of the Central Division, and the most surprising part is what’s currently the biggest issue. When the Avs stumbled to a 14-13 start, there were two obvious culprits: the goaltending and the injuries. When Colorado has struggled in recent seasons, it’s often been a lull in the performance without the puck. But an unlikely obstacle has popped up after this Avs team looked ready to take off with a 10-2 run and two new goaltenders.

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NEW YORK — Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese player chosen for baseball’s Hall of Fame, falling one vote shy of unanimous when he was elected Tuesday along with CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner. Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Sabathia was on 342 ballots and Wagner on 325, which was 29 more than the 296 needed for the required 75%. The trio will be inducted into the Hall at Cooperstown on July 27 along with Dave Parker and Dick Allen, voted in last month by the classic era committee. Mariano Rivera remained the only player to get 100% of the vote from the BBWAA, appearing on all 425 ballots in 2019.