Thunder stun Mavericks; Celtics up 3-1 | WNBA’s Caitlin Clark era begins

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Good morning everyone, but especially…

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER AND THE BOSTON CELTICS

These young people, very fun and very promising Thunder have their first victory in the playoffs. Oklahoma City, which trailed by as many as 14, took advantage of a final 9-0 run to surprise the Independents 100-96 to even the series and regain home court advantage.

• When almost everyone was struggling offensively, the Thunder leaned on their excellent defense and MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (34 points) to stay within arm’s reach.
• When the lid finally came off the basket, it came at the perfect time: Oklahoma City scored 35 points in the fourth quarter, with Chet Holmgren (18 points) and Lu Dort (17) making big 3-point shots down the stretch.
• Luka Doncic He was 6 of 20 (and 2 of 9 from 3) and, with the Mavs down by two with 10 seconds left, he missed his first free throw attempt after being fouled on a drive to the rim. Kyrie Irving had just nine points. Oklahoma City’s ability to field a plethora of physical, athletic defenders against both It is getting Holmgren to protect the rim is huge.

Many teams – more experienced and more successful – would have collapsed. Not the rising Thunder. What a victory.

O CeltsMeanwhile, they are one game away from their third consecutive Eastern Conference Finals after a 109-102 victory over the KnightsWho were without star DonovanMitchell (calf tension). Boston returns home for Game 5, winning 3-1.

It wasn’t always the prettiest game for the East seed, but Jayson Tatum (33 points) and Jaylen Brown (27) did quite late. As Jack Maloney notes, they were not alone.

• Maloney: “Jrue Vacation He has a title to his name, but he hasn’t always been the most consistent player in the playoffs. The best version of Holiday was in action on Monday, however, as he made an impact in every aspect of the game… He finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block, and made four shots from 3 points and made 6 of 11 shots from the field. In the second half, his defensive pressure at the point of attack was a key factor as the Celtics created much-needed separation.”

Honorable mentions

And it wasn’t such a good day for…

LUKA DONCIC AND THE DALLAS MAVERICKS

The Mavericks lost a winnable game by four points and have no one to blame but themselves. They …

• scored a terrible 42 points in the second half
• committed 13 turnovers, seven of which were by Doncic
• was 12 of 23 from the free throw line
• had a killer goal drought over three minutes late that included several good-looking fouls

But that’s all in the past now. What really hurts is that Dallas led nearly the entire game which, had they held on, would have put them one game away from the Western Conference finals. So you just need one more subscription Luka Doncic game, like Game 2. You just need one more night off in Oklahoma City, like Game 4.

Now, you wasted a golden chance. His biggest star is far from 100% and it feels like it. Their second biggest star has been Jekyll and Hyde this series: two great games, two quiet ones.

Oklahoma City showed its worth. We’ll see if Dallas can do the same.

Not-so-honorable mentions

WNBA season preview: Powerful rankings, top players, Caitlin Clark’s pro debut

Potentially the most anticipated season in WNBA history begins tonight, and one of the biggest reasons for the anticipation helps raise awareness: the No. 1 pick Caitlin Clark makes its debut when the Fever face the Sun. Here’s where to watch.

She’s just one of the many reasons to be excited about the season. How about the Aces chasing a triple peat? Las Vegas is on top Jack Maloney’s WNBA Power Rankings.

1. Aces
2. Freedom
3. Storm
4. Sun
5. Mercury

The Aces also have the best player in the league, according to Jack’s Top 25 Players.

1. Aces FA’ja Wilson – “Although she narrowly missed the opportunity to become the first female player since Cynthia Cooper in 1997-98 to win back-to-back MVP awards, she won her second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year award, then led the Aces to a repeat and was named Finals MVP in the process.
2. Freedom F Breanna Stewart – “His versatility on both sides of the ball remains unparalleled…”
3. Sol F Alyssa Thomas – “Thomas is an insult to himself and an extremely disruptive defensive force…”
4. Lynx F Napheesa Collier – “Like many elite players, Collier’s versatility is what makes her special.”
5. Freedom C Jonquel Jones – “After the All-Star break, and particularly in the playoffs…she reminded everyone why she is a former MVP…”

Here’s more:

We’ll have expert predictions and rookie rankings ahead of tonight’s action, so stay tuned for our WNBA coverage today, tonight and throughout the season!

PGA Championship odds, trends and rooting guide

The PGA Championship is just two days away and it looks like it will be an incredible tournament in Valhalla (an incredible name for a golf course, by the way). O chances speak for themselves, with a loaded upper group:

1. Scottie Scheffler: 4-1
2. Rory McIlroy: 7-1
3. Brooks Koepka: 12-1
4. John Rahm: 16-1
5. Xander Schauffele: 16-1
6. Ludvig Aberg: 16-1

These six – and the other 150 on the ground – face a tough test. Patrick McDonald has a wonderful look at a wonderful golf course.

• McDonalds: “A few years ago, Valhalla changed its fairways from bentgrass to Zeon Zoysiagrass, which is more conducive to firm, fast conditions. Whether that comes to fruition, given the weather forecast, is another question, but let’s keep our fingers crossed. … Get it right fairways will continue to be at a premium, with the golf course expected to be uneven and the golf course to be lengthened by approximately 150 yards compared to 2014.

So it’s a different path than the one McIlroy won a decade ago, but McIlroy being among the top contenders is a testimony to its longevitywrites Kyle Porter, even though the great drought has been frustrating.

McIlroy, unsurprisingly, is at Kyle’s house nine players to support.

Jared Goff receives big extension and becomes the last Lion to be paid

It’s a good offseason to be a Lions star, and Jared Goff is the latest to find out why. The 29-year-old quarterback received a four-year extension worth $212 million this makes him the NFL’s second-highest paid quarterback annually ($53 million). Just Joe Burrowwith US$55 million per year, it yields more.

It’s the latest step in a remarkable resurgence. In early 2021, Goff joined the rebuilding Lions as part of the Matthew Stafford trade, and that first season in Detroit was difficult. But thanks to a strong supporting cast, a perfect matchup with the offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Goff’s own strong play, he is leading the most exciting era of Lions football in a long time.

Using the average annual value, the Lions now have the…

I evaluated agreement winners and losersand a big loser is…

• Pereles: “Loser: Dallas Cowboys – Dallas got caught up in extending Prescott too long, and Goff is now yet another development that gives Prescott leverage in negotiations. …That’s a scary prospect for a Cowboys team that also needs to pay CeeDee Cordeiro It is Micah Parsonsbetween others.

What will we watch on Tuesday

Game 5: Bruins vs. Panthers7pm on ESPN
Fever in the sun7:30 pm on ESPN2
Yankees in Gemini7:40 p.m. on TBS
Game 5: Pacers at Knicks8pm on TNT
Game 4: Canucks at Oilers9:30pm on ESPN
Mercury in Aces10pm on ESPN2
Game 5: Timberwolves at Nuggets10:30 pm on TNT