Did you pay attention to these amazing Las Vegas sports moments of 2023? Here’s a rundown of four moments that fans scream.
There are always questions about whether a driver can win again, and Kyle Busch is no different. The Las Vegas native is also entering what many believe to be the twilight of his career, and the parity of the new next-gen car doesn’t help either. Wins are difficult to come by anyway, but things look more dire now.
Despite that early outlook, Kyle Busch won the second race of the 2023 season at Auto Club Speedway. Not only did this serve as Busch’s first Chevrolet victory in a decade, but he would also be the last driver to win at the track before the repave.
The Las Vegas Aces came into the season with their backs against the wall and still fought to the top. It all started with a 105-64 victory over the Seattle Storm that had to feel good. They parlayed that into two straight wins against the Los Angeles Sparks a 94-73 victory against the Minnesota Lynx and a 92-87 win over the Atlanta Dream.
The Aces didn’t stop there and continued to rack up wins. Remember, this happened just weeks after Becky Hammon’s suspension and the Dearica Hamy investigation. Las Vegas didn’t even get slowed down by their two-game road trip to start the season. This wasn’t a team to mess with.
Of course, their winning streak came to an end eventually against the Connecticut Sun, but the Aces already proved their point. No matter what you put in front of them or how many times you stack the odds against them, they will fight. That’s going to be a very important trait come playoff time.
While Derek Carr tried to be the guy for Las Vegas, it never happened. Instead, he piloted the Raiders to nine disastrous seasons, only making the playoffs twice. Furthermore, he had issues holding onto the ball and throwing interceptions. Between that and his $121.5 million price tag, he just made things worse.
Carr isn’t a bad guy, but he struggled. Some experts blamed his head coaches, which included Jon Gruden, Rich Bissacia, and Josh McDaniels. Others think Carr lacks mental toughness, has trouble with turnovers, and can’t stay calm in the pocket.
In the end, Carr now gets to prove himself with the Saints, and Jimmy Garroppollo can lead the Raiders; or maybe the Raiders are doomed for another season of hardship, but they are at least starting to deal with the problem. That’s a start that fans have been wanting for years.
The Las Vegas Golden Knights are now Stanley Cup Finals Champions, and nothing beats that. Between a 16-6 record and knocking out the Florida Panthers in five games, this team was on a mission to win a title. They even defeated their old head coach, Pete Debore, to do so, making for a very personal series.
Despite some adversity, Las Vegas moved past the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Florida Panthers on their way to a championship. The exclamation point on the championship run came in a 9-3 victory over the Panthers in game five that officially clinched the title.
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