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Good morning! Do one thing fishy immediately. Inside:
Superlatives: Wemby, Canadiens win a busy Sunday
The NBA and NHL mixed to play eight playoff video games yesterday. The subsequent two weeks will function an analogous quantity. Many necessary video games are occurring without delay.
To recap all this with out shattering your inbox, let’s play with some superlatives:
Yeah, He’s an Alien: This complete class belongs to Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio’s wunderkind who made his playoff debut final night time. The outcome? Thirty-five factors in an easy Spurs win over the Trail Blazers.
How do you cease a 7-foot-4 participant who can do that?
WEMBY IN TRANSITION IS UNFAIR 👽
Behind the again.
Spin.
SLAM.He’s as much as 9 PTS halfway by way of the 1Q in his postseason debut! pic.twitter.com/3XHnoIrxBR
— NBA (@NBA) April 20, 2026
Maybe the Lights Were Too Bright: The Pistons land right here after a gutting 112-101 loss to the Magic at residence. Detroit loved a dream common season that landed the No. 1 seed within the East. This is the perfect Pistons workforce in many years. Maybe the strain was just a little a lot.
- The Sabres almost earned a spot right here, too, however a late comeback at residence towards the Bruins saved it. What a game.
Yeah, They’re Awesome: Congrats to the Avalanche, Thunder and Celtics for his or her locations right here. On the ice, Colorado had a nervy time placing away the Kings, however all indicators level to an excellent end result for the NHL’s greatest workforce.
On the hardwood, Oklahoma City and Boston left little doubt as to who the title favorites must be. The Suns didn’t stand a chance towards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Philadelphia looked lost towards Jayson Tatum.
- Honorable point out goes to the Golden Knights, who staved off the Mammoth late final night time in a 4-2 win. It’s humorous to comprehend Mitch Marner is right here with Vegas, wanting superior, whereas his former workforce is in shambles.
Bangers Incoming: This goes to Montreal and Tampa Bay, who staged perhaps the best playoff game throughout each sports activities yesterday. The Canadiens snuck an additional time winner previous Andrei Vasilevskiy to steal a Game 1 win.
Whew. More insanity incoming tonight. Let’s transfer south of the border:
Existential: LIV needs to reside, however how?
Hector Vivas / Getty Images
There could also be no extra attention-grabbing skilled sports activities league than LIV proper now, and I imply that in essentially the most cynical of phrases. The brash, startup rival to the PGA Tour is now on the point of insolvency thanks partly to the continuing conflict within the Middle East. What?
It’s attention-grabbing sufficient that The Athletic despatched Brody Miller to Mexico City final week to search out out solutions. To what questions? Well, all of them. And by studying his story, it was a harrowing time.
Two tidbits I wish to relay:
- LIV’s complete existence orbits the way forward for Bryson DeChambeau, whose contract is up this yr. He is exploring his choices, which apparently embody simply turning into a YouTube golfer and enjoying within the 4 majors yearly. His price ticket to re-sign with LIV may strategy $500 million, too.
- There are, one way or the other, causes for LIV optimism in a post-Saudi-funding world. As Brody reported, crowds are displaying as much as the group’s worldwide occasions. And LIV claims 4 occasions will flip a revenue in 2026.
I nonetheless don’t understand how this goes on, however right here we’re. Make some time for Brody’s story, which incorporates safety guards and fiery, secretive chats between stars.
News to Know
Roberts shoots down ‘fishy’ claims
A day after Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing referred to as some at-bats from the Rockies “fishy,” his supervisor Dave Roberts dismissed the declare, which got here after Los Angeles’ 4-3 loss to Colorado on Saturday. In the sixth inning, Rockies hitters pounced on Dodgers reliever Will Klein to take the lead, which led to Rushing’s postgame implication. “I saw some bad breaking balls,” Roberts stated yesterday. Catch up on the whole story here.
Man City and the all of the sudden tight EPL race
Manchester City beat Arsenal yesterday, 2-1, to make actuality what each Gunners fan has feared all season: a nervous race to the top of the Premier League season. Just a couple of month stays till the schedule finishes, and after having fun with a snug lead within the desk for many of the yr, Arsenal — which final received the Prem title in 2003-04 — is simply three factors up on City, which has a sport in hand, too. Even exterior of the circumstances, the match yesterday was wild, too.
More information:
- The Mets have misplaced 11 in a row. Vibes are horrendous.
- Fever star Caitlin Clark stated she plans to be “smarter” together with her enjoying time this yr after accidents hindered her sophomore season. Read her full comments.
- The Nationals threw their first shutout of 2026 yesterday and, as Spencer Nusbaum described it, in the weirdest way possible.
- Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman is heading out on paternity go away. Taking his place: a 28-year-old first-time major leaguer.
- Golfer Matt Fitzpatrick has had an unimaginable yr, going from profession nadir to peak in that span. His playoff win over Scottie Scheffler yesterday on the RBC Heritage felt like a star-making moment.
- Police arrested former Georgia large receiver Zachariah Branch, a probable NFL Draft choose this week, on two misdemeanor fees in Athens, Ga., over the weekend. More details here.
Watch Guide
📺 NBA: First spherical
7 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBC
Three extra playoff video games tonight: Raptors-Cavaliers, Hawks-Knicks and Timberwolves-Nuggets in that order. I’m most intrigued by our nightcap.
📺 NHL: First spherical
7 p.m. ET on ESPN networks
Same story right here: Flyers-Penguins, Senators-Hurricanes, Wild-Stars and Ducks-Oilers, in that order. I’m intrigued by our nightcap right here, too, largely to see how Leon Draisaitl appears to be like after a month away because of damage.
📺 MLB: Orioles at Royals
7:40 p.m. ET on FS1
Both of those groups had dark-horse power coming into this season, and it hasn’t panned out but, notably in Kansas City, the place the Royals are tied for MLB’s worst document.
Get tickets to video games like these here.
Pulse Picks
The NFL Draft is that this week. Bruce Feldman gathered some ultimate whispers from scouts concerning the prospects. Is Fernando Mendoza a better prospect than Cam Ward?
Molly Keshin has a pleasant story on the genius advertising and marketing tactic employed by the AUSL, a brand new professional softball league. Golden tickets for everyone.
I cherished this: At Vermont, the ladies’s and males’s basketball head coaches are married, which is believed to be a primary. If you wish to smile immediately, read this.
Three Athletic employees members performed “MLB The Show 26” for a month. Here’s their review.
Our pal Dan Shanoff has a ballot forward of the NFL Draft with a easy query: Which broadcast do you watch? Make your vote here.
Most-clicked within the publication yesterday: The New York Times essay on how the affordable car is disappearing.
Most-read on the web site yesterday: Nick Baumgardner’s latest NFL mock draft, which shifts after the large Dexter Lawrence commerce.
📫 That’s all for now! Say hiya at thepulse@theathletic.com, try our other newsletters and connect with me on Instagram for extra.
