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Bring the Houston Comets back. I love the @WNBA I’d b interested in ownership

The GIST: Though the league MVP has already (reportedly) been crowned, there’s still lots of conference semifinal basketball to be played. Let’s ride.

Last night’s games: In the Eastern Conference, the top-seeded Miami Heat notched a huge 120–85 win, bouncing back from two straight losses to take a 3-2 series lead over the No. 4 Philadelphia 76ers. The Heat are now one win away from their second conference finals appearance in the last three years and could clinch it tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET. Caliente.

• In the West, the No. 1 Phoenix Suns took a 3-2 series lead of their own with a 110–80 win over the No. 4 Dallas Mavericks. Can Coach of the Year Monty Williams lift his Suns to a second straight conference finals? He’ll have a chance tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Tonight’s games: No time to lie around, because it’s about to be an epic Game 5 between the East’s No. 2 Boston Celtics and No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks. The Celtics evened the series with Monday’s 116–108 comeback win and will have the Boston faithful behind them for tonight’s 7 p.m. ET contest.

• Then in the West, the No. 3 Golden State Warriors (leading 3-1) will have a chance to punch their conference finals ticket when they take on the No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies at 9:30 p.m. ET.
  

• Memphis star Ja Morant is doubtful to return after missing his squad’s narrow Game 4 loss with a knee injury and the Warriors will likely still be without head coach Steve Kerr, who tested positive for COVID-19 before Monday’s tilt.

🏒 NHL: While every other postseason squad continues to battle it out in the first round of the playoffs, the Colorado Avalanche turned their homework in early. After completing a four-game sweep of the Nashville Predators on Monday, the Avs became the first NHL team to clinch a second-round playoff berth. Procrastination? The Avs don’t know her.

🎾 Tennis: Over on the tennis court, “get well soon” cards are in high demand after both rising star Emma Raducanu and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka pulled out of the Italian Open due to a back injury and sore Achilles, respectively.

🏀 WNBA: Supercharged by forward Myisha Hines-Allen’s out-of-this-world stats, the Washington Mystics rallied to hand the Becky Hammon–led Las Vegas Aces their first L of the season.

The GIST: The first few days of the WNBA season have more than lived up to the hype and so has Under Armour’s support of women in sports. 

The work: Under Armour understands the assignment, and it’s never been clearer on the court. Exhibit A? Their UA HOVR™ Breakthru shoe, the first basketball performance footwear designed specifically for female athletes.

• Exhibit B? Their multi-year deals with young WNBA stars Bella Alarie and Tyasha “Ty” Harris of the Dallas Wings, and the Connecticut Sun’s Kaila Charles.

The why: Whether it’s through their Access to Sport initiative or their support of WNBA athletes, Under Armour really is leveling the playing field for generations to come. Truly ballin’.

⛳️ LPGA: Founders Cup — Tomorrow through Sunday — Golf Channel

• The 11th annual LPGA Founders Cup — which honors the LPGA’s 13 founding members — tees off in North Jersey tomorrow, and world No. 1 and two-time defending champ Jin Young Ko is expected to win the $3 million purse, the largest outside of the five LPGA majors and season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.

🎓🥎 NCAA softball championship — Continues through Saturday — ESPN+ and conference networks

• And they’re off. The 64-team NCAA softball championship began yesterday with conference championship games held on Saturday. Brackets prepped, fly balls caught, bows secured.

🏀 WNBA: Phoenix Mercury vs. Seattle Storm — Tonight at 10 p.m. ET — Amazon Prime

• Whatever the temperature, it’s hoodie weather tonight because the Phoenix Mercury host the Seattle Storm. While the Mercury’s Diana Taurasi and Seattle’s Sue Bird are known to have cocktails off the court, there’s no niceties between two besties on it.

The latest episode of The GIST of It podcast. Join co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz as they detail F1’s recent jewelry ban and discuss how this and similar rulings target and police BIPOC athletes. Wave the red flag.

Mikyla Grant-Mentis — the reigning PHF MVP — who just became the highest-paid professional women’s hockey player in history after signing a one-year, $80K contract with the PHF’s Buffalo Beauts.