The Sportsletter - Luka Launching 🚀

BY JEFF YODER

MAY 31, 2024 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Happy Friday 🙌

The month of May has come and gone, and what a month it was. June has trophy ceremonies in the works, so get your champagne ready. We’ll gear up for the month of champions before recapping last night and previewing another busy weekend.

What happened last night? Luka… Luka happened (keep scrolling).

Letter Rip!

COMING UP...

The June Champions Watch 🏆

The calendar flips to June tomorrow as sports nears a change in seasons. If you're tired of the playoff coverage, we're almost through. This coming month will crown at least eight champions across high-profile college and pro leagues. Here are most of those championship moments on the horizon:

⚽️ Champions League Final (June 1)

⛳️ LPGA U.S. Women’s Open (June 2)

🥎 College Softball World Series (June 6-7)

🎾 French Open Finals (June 7-8)

⛳️ USGA U.S. Open (June 16)

🏀 NBA Finals (Next 3 Weeks)

🏒 Stanley Cup Finals (Next 3 Weeks)

⚾️ College Baseball World Series (June 22-24)

NBA PLAYOFFS

Luka Launches Mavs to Finals 🚀

Photo: David Berding / Getty Images

Luka Doncic's Legend Grows (36 pts), Leads Mavs Back to NBA Finals With 20-Point 1st Quarter in Game 5 Blowout (124-103)

Holy horses… Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals last night in Minnesota was close for about six minutes. Then it was over in a blink, and Luka Doncic made sure of it. Doncic scored 12 points in 180 seconds right out of the gate. Despite that instant haymaker, the Mavericks and T-Wolves were tied 18-18 before Dallas went on a 17-1 run to end the quarter. Doncic single-handedly outscored the Wolves in the first (20-19), including four 3s, and the rout was on. Dallas led by as many as 36 while Doncic and Kyrie Irving poured in 36 points each. And with that overwhelming result, the Mavs are heading to the NBA Finals for the first time since the duo of Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki beat the Miami Heat in 2011.

Luka & Kyrie — A Backcourt of Legend

It was Feb. 6, 2023, when the Mavs traded for Kyrie Irving following the superstar’s failed stint in Brooklyn. Many questioned the move by the Dallas brass and failed to see how Ky and Luka would gel. Fifteen months later, this is how. Don’t forget, Irving also played two seasons for the Celtics, so there’s a spicy NBA Finals storyline to follow. But above all, a 25-year-old Doncic seems to be officially launching towards a legendary career.

Game 5 Top Scorers

L. Doncic (DAL): 36 pts, 10 rebs, 5 asts

K. Irving (DAL): 36 pts, 4 rebs, 5 asts

A. Edwards (MIN): 28 pts, 9 rebs, 6 asts

K. Towns (MIN): 28 pts, 12 rebs

Western Conference Finals

Gm 5: Mavericks def. T-Wolves (124-103)

DAL Wins Series (4-1)

NBA Finals Game 1

Mavericks at Celtics (Mon. 8:30 pm ET)

SI: Mavericks Advance to NBA Finals After Routing Timberwolves in Game 5

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

Panthers Put Rangers in Danger

Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images

Panthers Take Pivotal Game 5 With 2-Goal 3rd Period (3-2), 1 Win Away From Returning to Stanley Cup Finals

Flipped the script! The Panthers trailed the series 2-1 at the beginning of the week. It’s now 3-2 heading back home for Game 6 after a 3-2 win last night in Madison Square Garden. As expected in this series, Game 5 was another teeter-totter outcome. Chris Kreider (Rangers) opened the scoring in the second period. Gustav Forsling (Panthers) answered. Anton Lundell (Panthers) and Sam Bennett (Panthers) found the net twice in the final 10 minutes of the third period to ice the win. The Rangers found one in the final minute, but it was too little too late. Florida is now 6-2 on the road in this year’s postseason run.

Florida Man-Handle

The Panthers are 11-5 in the playoffs, but their defense has held strong every time it mattered most. Florida has held opponents — the Lightning, Bruins, and Rangers — to two goals or less in 12 of their 16 games. Big Bob (Sergei Bobrovsky) the goaltender is giving his skaters every chance. The Panthers are one win away from winning the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season.

Top Skaters

S. Bennett (FLA): 1 Goal, 1 Assist

C. Kreider (NYR): 1 Goal, 1 Assist

Goalies

S. Bobrovsky (FLA): 25 Saves

I. Shesterkin (NYR): 34 Saves

Eastern Conference Finals

Gm 5: Panthers def. Rangers (3-2)

FLA Leads Series (3-2)

ESPN: Panthers Have Rangers on the Ropes: Takeaways From Game 5

HIGHLIGHTS 🎥

⚾️ MLB

Francisco Lindor Ignites Mets With 4-for-4 Night

Tigers’ Jack Flaherty Fans 9 in Shutout Win

Jose Siri Hits 2 HRs, Rays Get 12th-Inning Walk-Off

🎾 French Open

W: #2 A. Sabalenka def. M. Uchijima (6-2, 6-2)

W: #14 M. Keys def. M. Sherif (6-0, 7-6)

W: O. Danilovic def. #11 D. Collins (6-7, 7-5, 6-4)

M: #1 N. Djokovic def. R. Carballes Baena (6-4, 6-1, 6-2)

🥎 Softball World Series

#1 Texas def. #8 Stanford (4-0)

#2 Oklahoma def. #10 Duke (9-1)

#6 UCLA def. #14 Alabama (4-1)

#4 Florida def. #5 Oklahoma State (1-0)

⛳️ LPGA (U.S. Women’s Open)

Yuka Saso (-2) Leads All Scores After R1

Nelly Korda Shoots Brutal 10 on Par-3

Isi Gabsa Hits Bird With Tee Shot

🏀 WNBA

Sky def. Sparks (83-73)

Marina Mabrey (20-7-7) Hits Six 3s

Storm def. Fever (103-88)

Jewell Loyd (22 pts), Caitlin Clark (20 pts)

STORYLINES

⚽️ Champions League Final Stats

A mere 124 games after the competition proper began in Milan and Bern, the Champions League concludes Saturday night at Wembley Stadium with Dortmund and Real Madrid. Let’s recap the drama, plot twists, and stats. (CBS Sports)

🍺 French Open Alcohol Fan Ban

The tournament at Roland-Garros has seen a raucous atmosphere with incidents throughout the week, including gum-spitting and security improvements. Now, the French Open has banned alcohol from the stands. Calm down, Paris. (CNBC)

🏀 Updated NBA Mock Draft

The NBA Draft withdrawal deadline has passed, and teams now know the official field of NCAA prospects. The Draft (June 26) is just four weeks out. Here’s our latest full two-round mock, Bronny James included. (B/R)

NEWS 📰

🏈 Dolphins & WR Jaylen Waddle Agree to 3-Year, $84 Million Contract Extension (ESPN)

🏀 Breanna Stewart & Napheesa Collier Launching Women’s 3-on-3 League (SI)

🩺 Former Penn State Director of Sports Medicine Awarded $5.25 Million in Lawsuit (CBS Sports)

🏀 Alex Karaban Announces Return to UConn for Junior Season (FOX Sports)

⛳️ Cop Who Arrested Scottie Scheffler Says Police Department ‘Has Us Buying Freaking $80 Pants’ (USA Today)

🏈 Bears & Top Pick Caleb Williams Set for HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ This Summer (ESPN)

🧀 Aby Lampe Wins 2nd Title in Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling Competition (Yahoo! Sports)

🔤 Florida 12-Year-Old Bruhat Soma Rides Unbeaten Streak to Scripps National Spelling Bee Title (NBC News)