Good Morning! Today is Monday, May 19. Here’s what happened over the weekend in the world of sports.

NBA

The big news coming into game seven in Oklahoma City yesterday was the status of Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets versatile big man was diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain– an injury that takes multiple weeks to heal. Somehow, Gordon fought through the hammy and took his spot in the starting lineup for Denver. It still wasn’t enough to beat the number one seed. The Thunder were absolutely relentless, playing a swarming defense that was too much for Denver to overcome. Five OKC players scored in double-digits, but none were as impressive as their MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the way with 35. After battling past Nikola Jokic and this gritty Nuggets squad, the young Thunder have established themselves as the title favorites.

And how about those New York Knicks! It felt like Boston delayed the inevitable after their game five win, as the full-strength Knicks crushed the Celtics on Frida night by a score of 119-81. A very one-sided conclusion to the rivalry matchup, and the city celebrated the victory in style. New York takes on Indiana in the Eastern Conference finals…

NHL

Jets star Mark Scheifele scored an emotional goal to start game six on Saturday, just hours after his father passed away unexpectedly. Our thoughts go out to Scheifele and his family during an emotional weekend. Unfortunately for top-seeded Winnipeg, their season is over. Thomas Harley buried a game-winner in overtime and the Dallas Stars advanced to their third consecutive Western Conference finals.

What happened to Toronto last night in game seven??? After an impressive game six victory on the road, the Maple Leafs got destroyed at home by the Florida Panthers. The defending champs scored three goals in the second period on their way to a dominant 6-1 win. Big changes are coming up North, as Toronto crashes out of the postseason for third year in a row. Meanwhile, the Panthers will take on Carolina in the Eastern Conference finals.

GOLF

Of course it was Scottie Scheffler… the number one golfer in the world rose up the leaderboard each day until he had commanding control of the PGA Championship. While every other golfer faltered, Scheffler was consistent all weekend, and good enough to win his third career major tournament. By the time it was all over, Scottie held a five shot lead and a trophy. Shots like this one (and an incredible 65 on Saturday) were all the difference–

MLB

Let’s run through some highlights, shall we? There were some very impressive individual performances from this weekend:

• Rafael Devers doesn’t care about off-field controversy– he’s just hitting. The Red Sox DH walloped his first career walk-off home run on Saturday and then hit Boston’s first grand slam since 2023 yesterday.

• Reds outfielder Will Benson has homered in four straight games, including two yesterday!

• Phillies top prospect Mick Abel became the third starter in the modern era to pitch six or more shutout innings, walk no one, and strikeout nine or more batters in their Major League debut. Abel was incredible yesterday, outdueling Paul Skenes and leading Philly to a 1-0 victory. Speaking of Paul Skenes– this graphic celebrating their ace is incredibly embarrassing for the Pirates, who keep finding new ways to lose:

• The surprise of the weekend? How about the Los Angeles Angels sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers! It’s the first three-game sweep for the Angels over their SoCal rivals since 2010.

• And we’ll conclude today with something positive for the last-place Miami Marlins:

WNBA

Kelsey Plum dropped 37 points in her Sparks debut, leading LA to an 84-67 victory over the Golden State Valkyries in the first-ever game in franchise history. It may be a rough inaugural season for Golden State as they build a roster for the future.

The weekend wouldn’t be complete without the biggest star in women’s basketball. Caitlin Clark began her season with a triple-double and the Indiana Fever took down the Chicago Sky 93-58. As usual, there was some drama between Clark and the Sky’s Angel Reese, but these two teams are in different classes right now in terms of competitiveness. The Fever look like a legit title candidate this season.

TENNIS

Jasmine Paolini became the first Italian to win the Italian Open in 40 years. She defeated Coco Gauff in Rome 6-4, 6-2. Both players are favorites to make deep runs at next week’s French Open.

And the rivalry is renewed on the men’s side. Carlos Alcaraz upset the home favorite Jannik Sinner with a 7-6, 6-1 to capture the men’s title. Alcaraz is the only player to beat Sinner multiple times since the beginning of 2024. I can’t wait to (hopefully) see the rematch in the final of the French.

Wake Forest are your 2025 Men’s National Champions! It’s the second title for the Demon Deacons in men’s tennis, after the first win back in 2018. They beat TCU 4-2 last night to complete a dominant 40-1 season. Congrats to Wake and go Deacs! Earlier in the evening, Georgia won the women’s title. But they win a lot and I didn’t go to school there, so please forgive me if I’m not as excited.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Brock Purdy is getting paid… the 49ers QB agreed to a five-year, $265 million deal. From 2001-2024, all other last picks in the NFL draft have made a combined $51.6 million. Purdy, purdy good for Brock.

We didn’t get a Triple Crown winner this year, but the Preakness delivered us one of the most thrilling horse races in recent memory. What a spectacular win for Journalism!

Some miscellaneous baseball news… the Baltimore Orioles have parted ways with manager Brandon Hyde. After an offseason where the team spent little money, Hyde is taking the fall for a disappointing start… Phillies closer Jose Alvarado has been suspended 80 games for PEDs. According to Alvarado, it was a result of a contaminated weight-loss drug. Either way, a huge blow to Philadelphia’s World Series hopes… and the Los Angeles Dodgers have released longtime utility man Chris Taylor. It’s the end of an era in LA.

Finally, I have to give a shoutout to the world of professional pickleball. 18-year-old Anna Leigh Waters won women’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles at the Atlanta Slam this past week. It’s her 33rd career “triple crown” and an unbelievable run of domination. Say what you want about pickleball as a professional sport, but there’s no doubt that ALW is a world-class competitor. It takes something special to win a competition that many times, but then to continue winning… wow. Check out Pickleball TV to see more.

TODAY’S BIG GAMES (all times Eastern)

MLB:

• Mets @ Red Sox, 6:45 PM

• Guardians @ Twins, 7:40 PM

An interesting theme emerged from this weekend’s top quotes…

“Things didn't go our way this year, and it's unfortunate. But we hold our head up regardless. Losing to the Knicks feels like death. But I was always taught that there's life after death, so we'll get ready for whatever's next in the journey," –Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown

"I don't care. I'm not afraid. If I'm gonna die, I'll die right there," –St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras, when asked about his aggressive positioning in front of the plate to protect against a potential bunt

And then there’s Nikola Jokic…