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🏀 Good morning to all, however particularly to …
THE GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS AND THE REST OF THE GAME 1 WINNERS
There can be a day when “inconceivable” really means, , “not doable.”
However till that day, Stephen Curry will proceed to make the supposed “inconceivable” doable, and there is no protection for that. The Warriors famous person poured in 31 factors on 12 for 19 taking pictures (together with 5 for 9 from 3) to guide the Warriors to a 95-85 win over the Rockets.
- It is Curry’s forty first profession playoff sport with at the least 30 factors and 5 3s, most all-time. James Harden is second … with 19.
- In his Warriors playoff debut, Jimmy Butler had 25 factors, seven rebounds, six assists and 5 steals. It is the primary 25/5/5/5 sport by a Warrior within the playoffs since Curry in 2016.
- The Rockets shot 39.1% from the sphere, 20.7% from 3 and 55% from the free throw line. The final staff to have splits that dangerous in a playoff sport was the 2003 Mavericks.
- Houston’s 85 factors had been a season low.
Colin Ward-Henninger has winners and losers from Recreation 1s throughout the playoffs, and Curry, Butler and Golden State as an entire are among the many former.
- Ward-Henninger: “The 37-year-old Curry, who on this collection is especially reminded of his age as a result of he coached each Jalen Inexperienced and [Amen] Thompson at his camp a number of summers in the past, additionally did all of this with a wrap on his thumb roughly the scale of a catcher’s mitt.”
Additionally catching our eye over the weekend …
- The No. 1 seeds impressed: The Thunder beat the Grizzlies, 131-80, the 51-point margin the largest ever in a Recreation 1, and Ty Jerome sparked the Cavaliers‘ 121-100 win over the Warmth.
- The Knicks used a 21-0 run within the fourth quarter to beat the Pistons, 123-112. After a gradual begin, Jalen Brunson got here up huge within the greatest moments, and this sport reveals how harmful the playoff Knicks may be, Brad Botkin writes.
- Kyle Kuzma‘s traditionally terrible Recreation 1 within the Bucks‘ 117-98 loss to the Pacers illustrates how little assist Giannis Antetokounmpo has. He could possibly be getting some assist in the type of a Damian Lillard return quickly, although.
- The Celtics cruised previous the Magic, 103-86, and Jayson Tatum does not appear too apprehensive about his wrist harm.
- The Nuggets beat the Clippers, 112-110, in time beyond regulation, and we obtained the complete Russell Westbrook expertise.
😄 Honorable mentions
🏀 And never such a great morning for …
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THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Effectively, that actually wasn’t the playoff opener the Lakers had in thoughts. The Timberwolves throttled Los Angeles, 117-95, behind a exceptional three-headed monster of Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Anthony Edwards combining for 70 factors on 13 for 21 (62%) taking pictures from 3.
That was one main theme of the night time: Minnesota made a playoff franchise-record 21 3-pointers. The opposite? The Timberwolves overwhelmed the Lakers, who weren’t remotely prepared for his or her degree of physicality. LeBron James and JJ Redick even admitted as a lot.
An enormous situation for that’s the Lakers’ lack of a middle. Luka Dončić had 37 factors however, tellingly, just one help, and Minnesota dominated on the glass. That flaw is not one thing they’ll repair, Sam writes.
- Quinn: “They don’t seem to be constructed to win slugfests. Their objective is to make use of their star ball-handlers to search out and torture your weakest defenders. That is not going to be straightforward with no heart to power these inconceivable decisions. … Saturday was a reminder of simply how unexpectedly this staff was put collectively. The Lakers did not plan to enter the playoffs this fashion. Circumstances demanded it.”
😧 Not so honorable mentions
🏈 Nico Iamaleava transfers to UCLA
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The wildest switch saga of the NIL period of school sports activities has come to an in depth. Nico Iamaleava signed with UCLA, simply over per week after his tumultuous exit from Tennessee.
- On April 11, Iamaleava missed the Volunteers’ remaining follow earlier than their spring sport, reportedly as his camp sought $4 million yearly in NIL, almost double his authentic deal.
- Tennessee rapidly moved on, with Josh Heupel saying, “Nobody is greater than this system.”
- Iamaleava was instantly the No. 1 participant in our switch portal rankings. In spite of everything, he was the No. 2 total highschool recruit within the 2023 class, and even in an up-and-down 2024 season, he helped Tennessee make the Faculty Soccer Playoff and confirmed a tantalizing upside.
- UCLA rapidly emerged as a potential suitor — Iamaleava is from Southern California — and now the Bruins have their new quarterback.
It’s totally a lot definitely worth the threat, Cameron Salerno writes.
- Salerno: “Regardless of the Tennessee baggage, gamers like Iamaleava do not develop on bushes. He was one of many high recruits popping out of Southern California in 2023, and the upside continues to be there for him to be an elite quarterback at this degree. … The Bruins ranked fifteenth in yards per sport (328.8) and No. 16 in factors per sport (18.4) amongst all Massive Ten groups.”
🤼 John Cena wins seventeenth world title at WrestleMania 41
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John Cena was already a legend, however on Sunday he added yet one more line to his unimaginable resume. Cena broke the skilled wrestling file along with his seventeenth world championship, defeating Cody Rhodes to win the undisputed WWE championship.
Cena obtained some assist from Travis Scott, and used a kick to the groin and an enormous shot to the top — with the championship belt, no much less — to beat Rhodes. Cena’s 17 world championships at the moment are yet one more than Ric Aptitude on the all-time record. Our Brent Brookhouse weighed in with grades on each match.
- Brookhouse: “The match was not nice and was at all times going to come back right down to how WWE put collectively the end. Scott interfering adopted by a really apparent low blow and belt shot end was only a disappointing approach for issues to finish, particularly contemplating the expectations for an look from The Rock.”
Listed here are our ideas from Night time 1 and Night time 2.
⚾ MLB Energy Rankings, weekend roundup
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For the primary time this season, now we have a repeat atop Matt Snyder’s Energy Rankings. This is the highest 5:
- Padres (earlier: 1)
- Dodgers (6)
- Mets (2)
- Cubs (3)
- Yankees (10)
The Yankees’ leap was the second-largest in MLB, solely behind the Braves, who’ve gone 8-6 since a dreadful 0-7 begin to the season. Nonetheless, all isn’t effectively in Atlanta: Ronald Acuña Jr. known as out Brian Snitker‘s double normal after Snitker defended Jarred Kelenic‘s lack of hustle.
This is extra from the weekend.
📺 What we’re watching Monday
⚾ White Sox at Pink Sox, 11:10 a.m. on MLB Community
⚾ Padres at Tigers, 6:40 p.m. on FS1
🏒 Canadiens at Capitals, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Pistons at Knicks (Knicks lead 1-0), 7:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV
🏒 Blues at Jets (Jets lead 1-0), 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2
🏒 Avalanche at Stars (Avalanche lead 1-0), 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Brewers at Giants, 9:45 p.m. on MLB Community
🏀 Clippers at Nuggets (Nuggets lead 1-0), 10 p.m. on TNT/truTV
🏒 Oilers at Kings, 10 p.m. on ESPN2