Next Man Up

Welcome Back 👋 

An epic sports stretch is about to begin. The WNBA season tips off tomorrow before the PGA Championship this weekend. The French Open, Indy 500, and Champions League finale take us from May into June. And then we crown the NBA and NHL champs. We hope everyone enjoyed a fun weekend celebrating Mother's Day. Thanks to all the great sports moms out there.

In today's edition: We'll recap the usual playoff highlights before mixing things up this week. The Hawks won the NBA Draft Lottery, Paul Skenes was as good as advertised and much more.

Today’s WFT Quote of the day: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. - John F Kennedy

🏀 NBA PLAYOFFS - The Champs Fight Back

Nuggets & Pacers Respond From 0-2 Deficits to Tie Both Series (2-2) in Fight-Back Weekend

A full weekend of conference semifinals did little to separate any series in the NBA Playoffs. Things just got tighter across the board. The Mavericks and Celtics now lead their series (2-1), and both the Pacers and Nuggets won two straight weekend games to fight back from 0-2 deficits and send a message. The Pacers led by as many as 43 in an Indiana incineration of New York. Out West, a 44-point Game 4 from Anthony Edwards may have garnered the high score of the weekend, but Nikola Jokic (35-7-7) won the MVP for a reason. The Nuggets scored eight points in the final 20 seconds of the first half in Game 4, concluding with Jamal Murray's half-court buzzer-beater. It looks like some Game 7s could be possible this week. For now, it’s rapid-fire recaps. 

NBA Playoff Highlights (Round 2)

Gm 3: Mavericks def. Thunder (105-101)

DAL Leads Series (2-1)

Gm 3: Celtics def. Cavaliers (106-93)

BOS Leads Series (2-1)

Gm 4: Pacers def. Knicks (121-89)

Series Tied (2-2)

Gm 4: Nuggets def. Timberwolves (115-107)

Series Tied (2-2)

Highlight of the Weekend

Nuggets Score 8 Points in Final 20 Seconds of 1st Half Thanks to Jamal Murray’s Killer Half-Court 3

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ESPN: Pacers Cruise Past Knicks in Game 4 to Tie Series

Yahoo! Sports: Jayson Tatum, Celtics Hold Off Late Cavs Rally to Take Game 3

B/R: Jamal Murray Hits Half-Court Buzzer Beater to Cap 8-0 Nuggets Run in 20 Seconds

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NBA - Hawks Win the Draft Lottery 

Atlanta Hawks Will Get No. 1 Pick in 2024 NBA Draft Despite 3% Chance in Draft Lotto

Jackpot, Atlanta! Sunday’s NBA Draft Lottery fell to the Hawks in a stunning twist of fate. Atlanta (36-46) finished 10th in the Eastern Conference and participated in the play-in before winning the No. 1 pick with just a three percent chance. The Pistons and Wizards both had a 14-percent chance with the worst records in the NBA. As for the selection, the Hawks have options with their first No. 1 pick since 1975. There will be plenty of chatter surrounding the futures of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray in the backcourt, but two rangy French players (Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher) top the mock boards.

NBA Draft Lottery

1. Hawks

2. Wizards

3. Rockets

4. Spurs

5. Pistons

Rest of NBA Draft Lottery Order: 6. Hornets, 7. Blazers, 8. Spurs, 9. Grizzlies, 10. Jazz, 11. Bulls, 12. Thunder, 13. Kings, 14. Blazers

Read More

ESPN: 2024 NBA Draft: Biggest Post-Lottery Questions for the 12 Teams

CBS Sports: NBA Draft Lottery Winners & Losers: Pistons’ Bad Luck Continues, Hawks Overcome Odds for No. 1 Pick

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🏒 NHL PLAYOFFS - None Even, None Over

Hurricanes Avoid the Sweep While Stars, Panthers & Canucks Take Control of Series

Sweepless across the board! There will be no sweeps in the NBA or NHL second rounds. The Hurricanes staved off the Rangers’ bid for a second straight sweep and handed New York their first loss of the postseason on Saturday. Brady Skjei’s late power-play goal lifted Carolina to a 4-3 win, but they’ll still need a miracle to overcome the 3-1 series deficit. The other three series are all interesting after the weekend that was. Tyler Seguin scored twice to lift the Stars. The Panthers scored three unanswered to rally past the Bruins and put Boston on the brink of elimination. And the Canucks held off the Oilers with a pair of goals (each) from Brock Boeser and Elias Lindholm while goaltender Arturs Silovs made a career-high 42 saves. None are even, but none are over. We skate on this week.

Stanley Cup Playoffs (Round 2)

Gm 4: Hurricanes def. Rangers (4-3)

NYR Leads Series (3-1)

Gm 3: Stars def. Avalanche (4-1)

DAL Leads Series (2-1)

Gm 4: Panthers def. Bruins (3-2)

FLA Leads Series (3-1)

Gm 3: Canucks def. Oilers (4-3)

VAN Leads Series (2-1)

Read More

NHL: Panthers Rally, Push Bruins to Brink With Game 4 Win

ESPN: Unlikely Playoff Hero Arturs Silovs Has Vancouver Buzzing

Yahoo! Sports: That’s Not Goalie Interference? Bruins React to Controversial Review

⚾️ MLB

Scorching Skenes

Pirates Rookie Paul Skenes (7 Ks) Tops 100-MPH 17 Times in MLB Debut

Just how it was supposed to happen. Rain clouds disappeared and the sun shined down on Pittsburgh as last year’s No. 1 pick Paul Skenes stepped to the mound for his Pirates debut Saturday against the Cubs. One look at the box score might not drop your jaw (4 IP, 6 Hits, 3 Runs, 7 Ks), but Skenes looked every bit like a batter’s nightmare. His first pitch clocked 101 mph — the fastest pitch in the majors this season. His first pitch! By the end of his four innings, he threw 17 pitches that topped 100 on the gun, including a 102-mph snap. A few of his seven punch-outs were downright filthy. The Pirates held a 6-1 lead after four innings before Skenes began to falter, but they hung on for a 10-9 win. Was it perfect? No. But the Skenes era is here.

Watch: Top Highlights From Paul Skenes’ Pirates Debut

MLB Quick-Hitters

Braves No-No Spoiled: The Braves won 2-of-3 against the Mets this weekend, including a near no-hitter on Saturday that was broken up in the 9th inning by Mets’ DH J.D. Martinez with one out left. On Sunday, Marcell Ozuna made history, becoming the fastest Braves player to 40 RBIs since Hank Aaron.

Cubs Walk-A-Thon 5th: Chicago was on the losing end of that Skenes debut Saturday, but they were the focus of one bizarre inning. The Cubs drew six bases-loaded walks in a wild, seven-run 5th inning after Skenes exited. That’s the most bases-loaded walks in an inning since 1959.

Vintage JV Torches Tigers: At age 41, Justin Verlander isn’t slowing down. The Astros’ veteran ace showed some vintage stuff against his old team in Detroit on Sunday, throwing a scoreless seven-inning, two-hit gem to top the Tigers (9-3).

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OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

NEWS

🏀 Suns Hire Ex-Bucks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer to Replace Frank Vogel (Yahoo! Sports)

🎾 Novak Djokovic Suffers Upset Loss at Italian Open After Getting Hit With Bottle (CBS Sports)

⚽️ Lionel Messi Rips New MLS Sideline Rule After Injury Scare in Inter Miami Win (ESPN)

🏀 WNBA’s A’ja Wilson to Get Nike Signature Shoe ‘A’ONE’ to be Released in 2025 (B/R)

🏈 Free-Agent Linebacker Bud Dupree Signs 2-Year, $10 Million Deal With Chargers (CBS Sports)

🥊 Boxing Announcer Declares Wrong Winner in Women’s Bantamweight Title Fight (SI)

🏀 WNBA Awards Expansion Team to Toronto Beginning in 2026 Season (Sporting News)

On My 13th, 2012 PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: Matt Kuchar wins by 2 strokes ahead of Ricky Fowler, Zach Johnson, Martin Laird and Ben Curtis. Koooooooch!

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NBA Playoffs

Gm 4: Celtics at Cavaliers (7:00 pm ET, TNT)

Gm 4: Thunder at Mavericks (9:30 pm ET, TNT)

Stanley Cup Playoffs

Gm 5: Hurricanes at Rangers (7:00 pm ET, ESPN

Gm 4: Stars at Avalanche (9:30 pm ET, ESPN)

MLB

Phillies at Mets (7:10 pm ET, ESPN+)

Rays at Red Sox (7:10 pm ET, NESN)

Cubs at Braves (7:20 pm ET, MLBTV)

Dodgers at Giants (9:45 pm ET, MLBTV)

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Trivia Time Answer

A. Toronto Raptors. The Raptors defeated two-time defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, 4-2 earning the franchise its first NBA championship as well as the first win by an NBA team based outside the United States.