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The GIST: With nine days of rest behind them, the Denver Nuggets held off the Miami Heat 104–93 in last night’s NBA Finals Game 1 win, claiming the series lead at home in high-altitude Ball Arena. Trust the Midas touch.

Last night’s Game 1: Denver’s offense was simply unstoppable. Everyone’s favorite extra-large Horse Girl, aka the Nugs’ two-time MVP Nikola Jokić, put on an elite passing show, notching 14 assists in a 27-point triple-double while his other half Jamal Murray dropped in 26 points and 10 assists of his own.

Sunday’s Game 2: Keeping things in perspective, the Heat had a quick turnaround ahead of the Finals — their clinching Game 7 win was only four days ago.

• While the Floridian squad will never admit they’re tired, they’ll surely accept some help heading into Game 2 — and sharpshooter Tyler Herro, who’s been sidelined with a broken hand, may be ready to make a reappearance by then.

• That said, Denver remains undefeated at home in the postseason, so evening the series will take a lot of Miami firepower. Game 2 goes down Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

The GIST: Yesterday’s Women’s College World Series (WCWS) opening day brought plenty of drama to the diamond, complete with a pitchers’ duel, another broken attendance record, and, unfortunately, a multitude of weather delays. OKC never disappoints.

Day one recap: After taking arguably one of the easiest paths to the WCWS, No. 5 Alabama stumbled hard in the tourney’s opener, narrowly avoiding being run-ruled by No. 4 Tennessee, who won 10–5. The Vols posted their highest scoring WCWS game in program history, but they never had to face Bama’s star pitcher Montana Fouts.

• Next up, No. 9 Stanford sent their Freshman of the Year ace NiJaree Canady to the circle, and she nearly silenced the powerful No. 1 Oklahoma bats. One bad fifth-inning pitch and one error were all the Sooners needed to plate the game’s only two runs and secure the pitchers’ duel dub.

• In another shutout, No. 3 Florida State run-ruled No. 6 Oklahoma State 8–0 in a meteorological two-parter which featured a suicide squeeze and, of course, a masterpiece from ’Noles pitcher Kat Sandercock.

Up next: Though we were promised four games yesterday, the weather had other plans, moving No. 15 Utah vs. No. 7 Washington to ESPN2 today at 1 p.m. ET. After that, the regularly scheduled win-or-go-home Friday action takes place, with No. 5 Bama vs. No. 9 Stanford (and, hopefully, a Fouts and Canady battle in the circle) at 7 p.m. ET, before No. 6 Oklahoma State faces the loser of yesterday’s rescheduled nightcap, both on ESPN.

• Tomorrow is reserved for the victors, starting with the surging Vols facing the Goliath of two-time defending champs Oklahoma at 3 p.m. ET on ABC, followed by Florida State against the winner of Utah vs. Washington on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET. How lucky are we?

P.S. For more NCAA news, check out our three-times weekly college sports newsletter. A true home run.

⚽ Set to join the league in 2024, the NWSL’s Bay Area expansion club announced their team name yesterday: Bay Football Club, or Bay FC for short. Creative.

⛳ Rose Zhang impressed in her LPGA debut yesterday, but it’s American Lauren Hartlage who leads the pack through the first round at the Mizuho Americas Open.

🏒 Team USA captain Hilary Knight won the inaugural IIHF Female Player of the Year award yesterday. Putting the “star” in stars and stripes.

✌️ All the rumors are true, Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi will leave his club team Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires this summer, but his next move is still TBD.

🏈 Legendary quarterback Tom Brady said yesterday that he’s “certain” he won’t play again. We’ll believe it when we see it.

🎾 French Open: Third round — Today and tomorrow — Tennis Channel, NBC, Peacock

• The action keeps swinging from Paris. The can’t miss match? Last year’s runner-up No. 6 American Coco Gauff vs. Russia’s Mirra Andreeva.

🎓⚾️ NCAA baseball: Regionals — Today through Sunday — ESPN Networks

• Take us out to the ball game, because 64 teams begin their journey to the Men’s College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, with this weekend’s 16 double-elimination regionals.

🏀 WNBA: Las Vegas Aces vs. Atlanta Dream — Tonight at 8 p.m. ET — ION/WNBA League Pass

• To no one’s surprise, the undefeated defending champion superteam Aces have been steamrolling the competition. But maybe the upstart Dream can pull off the upset on their home floor?

⚽ NWSL: North Carolina Courage vs. Kansas City Current — Tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. ET — Paramount+

• This tale of two NWSL cities features the Courage, who’ve gone unbeaten since April, and the Current, who haven’t notched a win in over a month. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…