Good Morning! Today is Monday, April 21. We’ve got something a little different the next two weeks at The Remix…

Today’s issue is an NBA/NHL playoff preview, written before most of the Game Ones took place over the weekend. This is because I am out of the country– for the first time since this publication’s inception, I will not be writing The Remix each day. But don’t worry! While I’m away, our first-ever Remix Guest Writers are taking over. This trio is the best in the business, and I know you all will support them as you do me each morning. I can’t wait to see their unique and insightful versions of our morning newsletter! They’ll begin with daily recaps starting tomorrow, but first, I’ll leave you with these playoff previews…

NBA PLAYOFF PREVIEW

TIER FIVE: You won the play-in! Congrats!

16. Memphis Grizzlies (lost game one to OKC by 52 POINTS!) | 15. Miami Heat

TIER FOUR: A year early, building in the right direction

14. Orlando Magic | 13. Detroit Pistons

Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are an all-star duo, and the Magic’s lengthy defense could pose problems for Boston in round one. Similarly, Cade Cunningham is developing into a superstar, and it was no fluke that the Pistons led the Knicks late in game one. But you have to earn your stripes in the NBA, and these teams just aren’t there yet.

TIER THREE: Not quite there

12. Indiana Pacers | 11. Milwaukee Bucks | 10. Houston Rockets | 9. Minnesota Timberwolves | 8. New York Knicks

Indiana-Milwaukee should be a fantastic series, but neither team rises to the level of the top tier in the East (more on those teams later). As the number two seed in the West, Houston is too good for tier four. But there’s a reason the oddsmakers have favored Golden State in round one– would you rather have Steph Curry or Jalen Green/Fred Van Vleet/Alperen Sengun in clutch time? Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards and Minnesota showed with a game one victory against the Lakers that this may be a tier too low, but I don’t think that three-point percentage is sustainable. And the Knicks? Sure, they beat up on every team ranked below them this year, but they got killed by every team better above them. That earns you a pretty low ceiling.

TIER TWO: The Western Conference is super scary

7. Golden State Warriors | 6. Los Angeles Lakers | 5. Los Angeles Clippers | 4. Denver Nuggets

First of all, Clippers-Nuggets is appointment television. How about Russell Westbrook in game one! Super clutch. Anyway, these four teams each have legit superstars and winning pedigrees. No one should be surprised if Steph and Jimmy, LeBron and Luka, Harden and Kawhi, or Jokic carry their teams back to the Finals. The only reason they’re a tier behind is because I have no idea how to separate them from each other. Each showed flaws throughout the season, while the top three earned the right to be called the favorites…

TIER ONE: Title Favorites

3. Cleveland Cavaliers | 2. Boston Celtics | 1. Oklahoma City Thunder

It’s a pick ‘em between Cleveland and the defending champs in the East. I cannot wait to watch them face off in the Eastern Conference Finals. And as dangerous as the tier two squads look, this is Oklahoma City’s year. They have the likely MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plus a deep and versatile team surrounding him. It’s no accident they won 68 games this season. And yet, my gut is picking the Celtics over the Thunder in the NBA Finals. Whether that’s right or wrong, these playoffs should be pretty fun!

NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW

We’re going matchup-by-matchup in the NHL, because I have no idea how these games will play out…

WEST

(1) Winnipeg Jets vs (8) St. Louis Blues

In 2019, the St. Louis Blues went on a crazy second-half run and won the Stanley Cup. Their first round matchup? The Winnipeg Jets. I’m not saying the Blues have that magic again, but you never know… Also, this series gives us a goalie rematch of the 4 Nations Final, as Team USA’s Connor Hellebuyck leads the top seeded Jets against Canada’s Jordan Binnington. Binnington was incredibly clutch in that battle a few months ago– the Blues will need that performance again to pull off the upset.

GAME ONE: Winnipeg wins 5-3 behind an explosive three-goal third period

(2) Dallas Stars vs (3) Colorado Avalanche

Either one of these teams could win the Stanley Cup, and it’s remarkable that one will be going home in round one. Forward Jason Robertson is out for Dallas, which is a big loss, but keep an eye on former Avs star Mikko Rantanen to step up. Also, the Avalanche won the Cup the last time I was in Europe, so that may be a sign they win again. This hasn’t been my best in terms of on-ice analysis, but if there’s anything to takeaway here, it’s that this series will be a fun one.

GAME ONE: Colorado dominated 5-1 and Nathon MacKinnon scored twice

(1) Vegas Golden Knights vs (7) Minnesota Wild

After an up-and-down season, Minnesota is finally healthy. Unfortunately for the Wild, they got a tough draw against the Golden Knights. Vegas still has a lot of pieces from their Stanley Cup win two years ago, and their journey this postseason will not be ending in round one.

GAME ONE: check the score here

(2) Los Angeles Kings vs (3) Edmonton Oilers

This is the FOURTH year in a row that we’ve seen this first-round matchup, and the Oilers have beaten the Kings every time. Once again, I don’t think LA has enough to beat Connor McDavid.

EAST

(1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs (7) Ottawa Senators

Will the Maple Leafs finally exorcise their playoff demons? They’ve run it back this season again with the same core as before, but because of expiring contracts and waning patience, this will be their last chance. However, Toronto’s path to a postseason victory won’t be easy: Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews take on Brady Tkachuk in the Battle of Ontario. Anything can happen in a series between two rivals, especially as neither side has a proven playoff goalie. I’ll take Toronto, but this one’s closer than the seeds will tell you.

GAME ONE: check the score here

(2) Tampa Bay Lightning vs (3) Florida Panthers

On to the Battle of Florida! The defending champs have quite a tough first round test against Andrei Vasilevsky and the Tampa Bay Lightning. This one feels similar to the Colorado-Dallas series in the West, as either side could flame out here or go on a deep run to the finals. Keep an eye on Matthew Tkachuck, who is returning from injury and teaming up with new Panthers teammate Brad Marchand.

(1) Washington Capitals vs (8) Montreal Canadiens

Can Washington keep Alexander Ovechkin’s magical season alive? I expect the Caps to at least win this round, as the Canadiens were the last team in the league to earn a playoff spot. Ovi will need another star to step forward, though, if Washington is going to win it all.

(2) Carolina Hurricanes vs (3) New Jersey Devils

Could this finally be Carolina’s year? They still lack a superstar scorer, but the Hurricanes have everything you need to be a Stanley Cup champion. They’ve been so close the last few seasons and it just hasn’t gone their way. Early signs are Carolina’s puck-luck may be changing– they’re the favorites in round one against a beat-up Devils team missing star forward Jack Hughes.

GAME ONE: Carolina rolls to a 4-1 victory. Trade-deadline acquisition Logan Stankoven provided the aforementioned scoring punch with two goals.

SIGHTS FROM EL BERNABÉU

You thought I’d go an entire issue without a single recap?

I was fortunate enough to take in last night’s game at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, the enormous arena of Real Madrid. Here are my takeaways from a 1-0 home victory over Athletic Club Bilbao:

• First of all, shout out Pablo, the six-year-old kid who sat behind me. He shrieked every player’s name during introductions and celebrated every moment with as much passion as humanly possible.

• On to the game– even at 39, Luka Modric is a maestro in midfield. He’s super impressive. No player, however, was more electric than Vinicius Jr. Every time he touched the ball you could feel the crowd move to the edge of their seat. The closest comparison I have is when Steph Curry catches a pass in space on the three-point line. You just anticipate something magical…

• And on that note, no one was surprised when Vini scored late in the second half. Except he didn’t, because after a three-minute video review, the goal was overturned. Imagine your favorite Steph Curry three called back because someone set a moving screen. The crowd was NOT happy.

• Finally, when it seemed a scoreless draw was an unfortunate but unavoidable outcome, there was a breakthrough. Enjoy this spectacular goal by Federico Valverde. Hala Madrid!

TODAY’S BIG GAMES (all times Eastern)

NBA:

• Pistons @ Knicks, 7:30 PM on TNT/Max

• Clippers @ Nuggets, 10 PM on TNT/Max

NHL:

• Canadiens @ Capitals, 7 PM on ESPN

• Blues @ Jets, 7:30 PM on ESPN2

• Avalanche @ Stars, 9:30 PM on ESPN

• Oilers @ Kings, 10 PM on ESPN2

And that’s all I’ve got for you– excited to turn things over to our first guest author tomorrow… adios amigos!

Olé! Caballero is Spanish for gentleman, but Rays infielder José looked more like a matador with this nifty play: