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The secret of getting ahead is getting started
Ben Remis
May 21, 2025
Thank you to Mark Twain for today’s title… and good morning! Here’s what happened in the world of sports on Tuesday, May 20.
NBA
Western Conference Finals. Thunder vs Timberwolves. Game One. Let’s get right to it–
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 11 points on just 2-13 shooting in the first half… and yet Minnesota only led by four! Seven of his points came at the free throw line as the Thunder’s best player struggled from the field. Anthony Edwards went to the locker room briefly with an ankle injury, but returned quickly.
The home team made their push in the third quarter, as OKC went on a 17-2 run to take the lead and control game one. 76-66 was the score as we entered the final frame.
Our play of the game came with seven minutes remaining. After a loose ball was recovered by OKC, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander converted an incredible three-point play in transition to increase the Thunder’s lead to 14. Minnesota stayed in the fight for a while, but this was the (likely) MVP’s signature moment as he led his team to a game one victory. The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-88.
NHL
And in the National Hockey League, the Stanley Cup semifinals kicked off with the Florida Panthers visiting the Carolina Hurricanes. As big as this game was, there’s really not much to say– even during stretches where the Canes controlled play, the defending champs were the very best versions of themselves, capitalizing on key opportunities and dominating the scoreboard from beginning to end. Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 31 saves as the Panthers won game one 5-2. We did have this entertaining moment, too, so keep an eye on the chippiness as this series goes forward:
MLB
Not a ton from yesterday’s action in the big leagues, but I can tell you about a couple notable moments:
A fiery Walker Buehler was ejected just three innings into his start for the Red Sox last night. Replays show he may have been in the right, but we all know how authorities deal with people named Buehler. Boston beat the Mets 2-0.
Kyle Schwarber hit hist 17th home run of the season, tying Shohei Ohtani for the most in the majors. Both sluggers won last night, as the Phillies beat the Rockies 7-4 and became the first NL team to 30 wins…
…while the Dodgers won the game of the night over the Diamondbacks. After Yoshinobu Yamamoto took a no-hitter into the seventh, Arizona tied things 1-1 in the ninth inning. When Corbin Carroll smashed his 15th homer of the season in the top of the 10th, it looked like the D-Backs had stolen a victory from their division rival. But LA fought back in the bottom half of the 10th, rallying for a 4-3 win to break their four-game losing streak:
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
The NFL owners have voted to allow players to compete in flag football at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. As it currently stands, however, only one player per active roster will be eligible per country. That means (as it currently stands) no Kelce and Mahomes duo or Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb representing the Cowboys together for Team USA. But with the games are still three years away, I’ll wait a little while before putting together a hypothetical 10-man roster.
Tennessee guard Zakai Ziegler is suing the NCAA in order to play a fifth season of college basketball. Ziegler played four years and never redshirted, never missed a year for COVID, and really has no argument for extra eligibility, other than the fact that he wants to play one more season and cash in on lucrative NIL offers. I have no idea of his chances to win the case, but if Ziegler is successful, this could be the end of college sports as we know it. So yeah, something to monitor.
TODAY’S BIG GAMES (all times Eastern)
NBA: Pacers @ Knicks, 8 PM on TNT/Max
NHL: Oilers @ Stars, 8 PM on ESPN
SOCCER: Europa League Finals; Tottenham vs Manchester United, 12 PM on CBS/Paramount+
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