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Good Morning 👋
If you’re having a rough week, remember that Travis Kelce missed out on $100k in the Kentucky Derby's photo finish. Chin up, team.
Yesterday’s sports news cycle was fun. Nikola Jokic won the NBA MVP (again). The Canucks compiled a comeback for the ages. A Champions League encore was the stuff of legend (sorry, Bayern fans). Plus, Paul Skenes’ phone finally rang. He’s joining The Show. Next…
Letter Rip! |
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JOK3R: Nikola Jokic Wins 3rd MVP 🏆 |
Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images |
Nuggets’ Big Man Nikola Jokic Joins Elite Company With 3rd MVP Award in 4 Seasons
In a season of rising teams with budding young stars, a familiar face hoisted the hardware in early May. Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets’ walking triple-double, captured his third MVP in four seasons on Wednesday night. Jokic tallied 25 triple-doubles this season while playing in 79 regular-season games. His availability was important, too. It was the first season the NBA implemented a game limit to MVP eligibility, effectively eliminating Joel Embiid and Donovan Mitchell from the race. The two young stars in the West, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic, finished second and third, respectively. Those two and Anthony Edwards might be next in line, but 2024 belongs to the Joker. All in all, the vote totals weren’t as close as many expected.
Nikola Jokic’s 2023-24 Season 79 Games | 26.4 PPG | 12.4 REB | 9.0 AST | 58.3 FG% NBA MVP Voting Totals 1. N. Jokic (DEN): 926 votes 2. S. Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC): 640 votes
3. L. Doncic (DAL): 566 votes 4. G. Antetokounmpo (MIL): 192 votes 5. J. Brunson (NYK): 142 votes
Others Receiving Votes: J. Tatum (BOS), A. Edwards (MIN), D. Sabonis (SAC), K. Durant (PHX) 3 MVPS: Few Players Like This
Jokic is the first center since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1974-77) to win three MVPs in four seasons. And if that doesn’t illuminate his new stratosphere, he's just the ninth player in league history with three MVPs. The other eight are all-time greats — Abdul-Jabbar (6), Michael Jordan (5), LeBron James (4), Bill Russell (4), Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. What a list.
Congrats to the Joker, the only three-time MVP in the 21st century not named LeBron James. Now we'll see if his team can rally from an 0-2 deficit against the T-Wolves. Read More NBA: Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic Named 2023-24 NBA MVP
Yahoo! Sports: Nikola Jokic, Now a Three-Time MVP, is an All-Time Great Facing His Greatest Challenge Yet
CBS Sports: Nikola Jokic Just Won His Third MVP, And the Nuggets Need Him to Play Like It |
Yesterday, we asked readers to vote on the MVP. Our vote totals lined up with the official results, but there was a tighter gap between first and second. Personally, I would’ve liked to see SGA win it, but Jokic’s ridiculous numbers continue to be MVP-worthy.
Nikola Jokic — 39% Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 36% Luka Doncic — 25% |
Gm 2: Knicks def. Pacers (130-121)
The Knicks slammed the brakes on the Pacers in the second half last night to take a commanding 2-0 series lead. New York used a 14-0 run in the third quarter to surmount a double-digit deficit before stretching the lead in the 4th. O.G. Anunoby (28 pts) had a huge night in just three quarters before leaving with a hamstring injury. New York's 'Big 3' of Jalen Brunson (29 pts), Donte DiVincenzo (28 pts), and Josh Hart (19-15-7) were also great. Pacers’ star Tyrese Haliburton (34-9-6) hit seven 3s and Indiana got 46 from the bench, but it’s an 0-2 hole heading back to Naptown. NYK Leads Series (2-0)
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Magic & Mayhem at the Bernabeu |
Photo: David Ramos / Getty Images |
Real Madrid Rallies Late to Stun Bayern Munich (2-1) & Advance to 6th Champions League Final in 11 Years
Magic at the Bernabeu! If you thought Tuesday’s Champions League semifinal was chaos, yesterday was bedlam. Real Madrid — the all-time Champions League record-holders with 14 titles — punched another ticket to the finale on Wednesday, using a psychotic comeback in the final moments to beat Bayern Munich (2-1). Bayern struck first and broke a scoreless match with Alphonso Davies’ right-footed rip in the 68th minute. While it looked like an all-Bundesliga final was coming, Los Blancos had other plans. One Real Madrid goal was called off for offsides in the 79th minute, but Jose Luis Mato Sanmartin — known as ‘Joselu’ — scored two tap-in finishes inside the six in the waning minutes. Those goals (88’ & 90+1’) sent a shockwave from the Bernabeu through Western Europe. Bayern actually found the net in the 99th minute, but another offsides call led to the game’s final whistle. Crazy…
Offsides, Officials & Overturned Calls
Amid the chaos, both clubs had one goal in the late stages called offsides. Bayern’s last-ditch strike couldn’t be reviewed because of an early whistle that seemed to halt play. Nearly five of the final 20 minutes were spent in replay review. Real Madrid Royalty The win marks Real Madrid’s sixth trip to the Champions League final in the last 11 seasons. They won each of their last five finals appearances since 2013. They’re also the all-time record-holders for most UCL crowns with 14 total. Blancos, back again!
Watch: Real Madrid def. Bayern Munich (2-1) Real Madrid Advance on Aggregate (4-3)
Champions League Final Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund Saturday, June 1 (3:00 pm ET, CBS/Par+) Read More
B/R: Bayern Manager Thomas Tuchel Says Ref Admitted Mistake on Late Offsides Call
CBS Sports: Ranking Real Madrid’s Craziest Champions League Comebacks
EuroSport: Carlo Ancelotti Hails ‘Best Squad I’ve Ever Had’ as Real Madrid Return to Champions League Final |
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A Game-Changing Meal Kit — Let 👏 Them 👏 Cook 👏
I always loved how that phrase infiltrated sports — “Let Them Cook!” — and now, it’s infiltrated my kitchen. Late night sports games leave me little time to cook healthy meals, and Gobble has changed my meal game. Gobble’s chefs do the prep work, like simmering, measuring, and marinating, so I can have a homemade dinner without all the hassle. Their meal kit was voted No. 1 by Parents Magazine, too. So if you have kids, you can trust the parents who’ve tried it (and loved it).
You can personalize your plan and choose from a menu of 15-minute recipes, freshly prepared and delivered straight to your door. I don’t love to cook every day, but Gobble has cooked me right into being a loyal subscriber. You can also get your first six meals for just $36. If you’re good at math, that’s $6 a meal. How do you beat that? Spoiler: You can’t.
Stop cooking so hard and enjoy your meals with Gobble.
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🏒 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Gm 1: Canucks def. Oilers (5-4) VAN Leads Series (1-0)
Canucks Rally From Down 4-1, Score 4 Unanswered Goals in Final 26 Minutes (2 Goals in 39 Seconds)
Gm 2: Panthers def. Bruins (6-1) Series Tied (1-1)
Aleksander Barkov (2G, 2A) & Sam Reinhart (4 Assists) Lead Game 2 Blowout… Brawl Breaks Out After Panthers Tack on 6th Goal |
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🏀 The ‘Players Era Festival’ is Coming
A one-of-a-kind revolutionary regular-season men's basketball event to be staged later this year in Las Vegas is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks. The NIL-driven event will include eight teams with millions paid to schools. (CBS Sports)
🏈 NFL Sophomores Ready to Explode
Some NFL rookies take the league by storm. Others from the same class build like a cell over time before unleashing their full fury. Don’t forget, both Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson captured MVP in their second seasons. (Bleacher Report)
⚾️ Every MLB Team’s Expectation Meter
May is a fascinating month in baseball. Patterns have formed, but some will prove fleeting. Others will end up foreshadowing what lies ahead in the 2024 MLB season. Here’s how all 30 teams have met — or not met — expectations. (ESPN+) |
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🏀 NBA Playoffs Gm 2: Cavaliers at Celtics (7:00 pm ET, ESPN) Gm 2: Mavericks at Thunder (9:30 pm ET, ESPN) 🏒 Stanley Cup Playoffs Gm 3: Rangers at Hurricanes (7:00 pm ET, TNT)
Gm 2: Avalanche at Stars (9:30 pm ET, TNT) ⚾️ MLB Mariners at Twins (1:10 pm ET, MLBTV) Astros at Yankees (5:05 pm ET, MLBTV) Cardinals at Brewers (7:40 pm ET, MLBTV) |
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Hype Projector: Paul Skenes |
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