Sports News

What’s up, weekend!

Share

The GIST: The No. 1 Las Vegas Aces ended the season the same way they started it: on top. The reigning champs defeated the No. 2 NY Liberty 70–69 in Wednesday’s Game 4, becoming the first team to go back-to-back since the LA Sparks did it in 2002.

• To celebrate this historically excellent season, here’s a quick recap, by the numbers.

889K: Average number of viewers who tuned in to Wednesday’s electric finale, making this the most-watched WNBA Finals in 20 years. “Build it and they will come?” More like, “Stream it in primetime and they will watch.”

40: The number of regular-season games each squad played this year, the longest WNBA regular-season on record. Exhausted just thinking about it.

13: The total number of WNBA teams come 2025 — for now. An expansion squad partnered with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors will tip off in the Bay Area in just two years, plus, a 14th WNBA franchise is in the works.

$25K: The steep fine the runner-up Libs are facing after declining to speak to the media after Wednesday’s loss. Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and Betnijah Laney will all face additional $2K fines for saying no to individual interview requests.

2: Someone please find her a wagon, because the aforementioned Wilson walked away with two trophies on Wednesday: the ’ship and the Finals MVP award. Just six seasons into her W career, Wilson’s already a five-time All-Star, two-time champ, two-time league MVP, and now a Finals MVP. “Signature shoe coming!”

The GIST: From almost sweeps to suddenly serious, we’re one week out from the World Series and the Fall Classic tickets are still anyone’s for the taking. Go MLB, baby.

Houston Astros even series with Texas Rangers: The ’Stros scored early and often, tagging the Rangers’ pitching staff for 11 hits in last night’s 10–3 win, none louder than first baseman José Abreu’s massive three-run home run in the fourth inning. That ball might still be soaring.

• With the series now knotted at two, both teams will send their aces to the mound in hopes of grabbing a 3-2 lead — Houston’s Justin Verlander and Texas’ Jordan Montgomery toe the rubber for Game 5 today at 5:07 p.m. ET.

Arizona Diamondbacks hiss back at home: Call an ambulance, but not for them. After being routed by the Philadelphia Phillies in Tuesday’s Game 2, the Snakes walked off with a 2–1 Game 3 win yesterday, courtesy of this clutch hit from second baseman Ketel Marte and a stunning nine-strikeout performance from rookie pitcher Brandon Pfaadt.

• The stress fun continues tonight at 8:07 p.m. ET, where Arizona has a chance to stay undefeated at home in the postseason and tie this thing up.

🏆 NWSL: No. 5 Angel City FC vs. No. 4 OL Reign — Tonight at 10 p.m. ET — Paramount+

• Brew an afternoon cup of joe because the quest for the NWSL Championship kicks off tonight. The legendary Megan Rapinoe will take the pitch for one last home game as her Reign look to, well, rein in an Angel City side that buried five goals in their regular-season finale.

⚽ MLS: Decision Day — Tomorrow starting at 6 p.m. ET — Apple TV

• It all comes down to this: 28 of the league’s 29 teams battling it out on the last day of the regular season, with postseason tickets, playoff seeding, and the Golden Boot on the line. With seven games kicking off at 6 p.m. ET, followed by seven more at 9 p.m. ET, it’s sure to be pure chaos.

🏎️ F1: United States Prix — Sunday at 3 p.m. ET — ESPN

• Even though Red Bull’s Max Verstappen already has the World Driver’s Championship locked up, the fun is far from over with the grid set to lap the Circuit of the Americas this weekend.

• Plus, as discussed on the latest episode of The GIST of It, the F1 Academy gals will also be in action this weekend, with two races set for tomorrow and one on Sunday. Lights out and away we go.

🏈 NFL: Miami Dolphins vs. Philadelphia Eagles — Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET — NBC

• It’s a battle of former Alabama quarterbacks as the Birds’ Jalen Hurts and the ’Phins’ Tua Tagovailoa (pronounced TUNG-o-vai-LOA) look to keep their squads atop their respective divisions. Roll Tide, indeed.

The best athletes never back down from a challenge — an attribute you want in your research hospital, too. Boston Children’s Hospital has been taking on the toughest cases in pediatric medicine for decades, and they’ve gotten pretty darn good at it.

• From rare diseases to ACL repair, Boston Children’s is finding answers to the most complex questions. Learn more about their work, and you’ll see why they’re one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals. Wicked trustworthy.