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Good morning! Be professional today. Inside:
- 🤠 Spurs survive Knicks, MSG
- 😵💫 A CFB breaking point?
- 🏆 USMNT’s pressure
Survival: Spurs, Wemby come of age
Games like last night’s thriller trigger one of my favorite debates, which focuses on young teams playing in big moments: Are these players just impervious to pressure? Built different? Or are they too inexperienced to even understand the full stakes of what’s going on?
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It doesn’t matter, really, when the result is the same. The San Antonio Spurs occupied that liminal space with glee last night in a season-saving 115-111 win at Madison Square Garden in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Instead of staring down an impossible 3-0 hole, this is a 2-1 series that can still go either way.
Thoughts from me:
- The arena and atmosphere lived up to the hype, which makes the Spurs’ win even more impressive. Victor Wembanyama found himself on the biggest stage, scoring 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting. He was who the Spurs needed him to be: versatile, physical, aggressive. Each finals game for the young Wemby feels like a big moment in his career, but tonight’s win will make his bio forever.
- The Knicks had every chance to win this game and essentially close out the series early. Jalen Brunson also scored 32, but Karl-Anthony Towns sputtered to just 11 points after a strong start in this series. San Antonio’s defense stifled in the second half, particularly during a brutish stretch in the middle of the fourth quarter.
With it, the Spurs’ season is saved for at least two more games. It’s also the Knicks’ first loss since April 23. Game 4 is tomorrow.
P.S. President Trump did show up to this one and got roundly booed. See more on that here.
Quandaries: Is college football cooked now?
The college football world is still ablaze this morning, with smoke coming from Lubbock, Texas, after the news that Brendan Sorsby — Texas Tech’s new quarterback under scrutiny for betting on football — will be allowed to play next season, per a judge.
To call it seismic is an undersell. In an era when players sue to play more years than the NCAA allows, this is new. But it is not merely an employment/eligibility case; Sorsby, by his own admission, committed what most thought before yesterday was an unforgivable offense by betting on his own team.
Two quick notes before we get to a broader discussion:
- The NCAA, in defeat, filed for an “accelerated appeal” with the Court of Appeals in Amarillo, Texas. All four judges who preside over said court are Texas Tech graduates. More on that here.
- Sorsby will miss the first two games of the season (against Abilene Christian and Oregon State), per the decision, but will be eligible for the rest of the year.
It’s everything else that has enraged most of the sport. The Big Ten is even talking about banning its schools from playing Tech in all sports. Gambling on your own sport, your own team, has long been considered an original sin of sports in general. Pro sports leagues have been particularly stringent, even as gambling sponsors have entered the industry in full force.
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The NCAA appears feckless in comparison, thanks to the ruling. There will be plenty of levels to discuss in the coming days on this case, but I want to do a temperature check on how we’re feeling. How do you feel about the NCAA and college football after this? Comment to share your opinion.
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We’ll discuss the results tomorrow. For now, read Matt Baker’s full explanation of why this is so important.
News to Know
Oilers want Babcock
Edmonton is interested in hiring controversial coach Mike Babcock as the team’s next head man, nearly three years after Babcock got the boot in Columbus before even coaching a game due to violations of privacy. The 63-year-old does have a Stanley Cup title and two other final appearances. This story from 2024 on his behavior is instructive.
- In other NHL coaching news: The Kings are expected to hire Peter Laviolette to be their new head coach.
Iranian team wears #168 pin
The Iranian men’s national soccer team wore pins that read “#168,” which commemorates the number of children killed in an attack on the first day of the Iran-U.S. conflict, while traveling to its hotel in Mexico last weekend. The New York Times reported that a military investigation determined the U.S. was responsible for the attack. It’s unclear whether the team will be allowed to wear the pin during the World Cup.
More news:
- Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is back with the Chiefs on a one-year deal. More here.
- Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from a domestic violence incident.
- Norway men’s soccer coach Stale Solbakken called Scotland’s national team “unprofessional” for canceling a pre-World Cup friendly. Harsh words.
- David Sullivan, the largest shareholder in Premier League club West Ham, has been accused of sexually predatory behavior by seven women. Read more.
- Women’s hockey star Hilary Knight will play for the expansion PWHL team in Detroit as part of a sign-and-trade. Read our full story.
- Milan Lucic announced his retirement from the NHL after 17 seasons. I feel old.
- Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman took blame for the team’s recent swoon, calling his play “terrible.” Read his full comments.
- A record five SEC teams are going to Omaha for the Men’s College World Series. See the full lineup.
Watch Guide
📺 WNBA: Dream at Sky
7 p.m. ET on ESPN
Angel Reese returns to the Windy City to play the team that traded her this offseason. Atlanta is in much better shape than Chicago right now. Good game.
📺 NHL: Hurricanes at Golden Knights
8 p.m. ET on ABC
I’m just hoping for more bedlam. Vegas is up 2-1. Put it on.
📺 Women’s soccer: USWNT vs. Brazil
8:30 p.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max
Your warmup for the men’s World Cup is a glance at two of the top teams to play in next year’s women’s World Cup. The Americans will try to avenge Saturday’s 2-1 loss.
Pulse Picks
Speaking of the World Cup: Despite some negative headlines, don’t be mistaken — the USMNT should absolutely win its group.
Former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel said no to FIFA and the World Cup during the planning stages. He doesn’t regret it, apparently.
The NHL trade market got turned over by Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin’s request to play elsewhere. It means there’s a new No. 1 in our trade board.
Why don’t more NCAA hockey coaches jump to the NHL? Fascinating.
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Also relevant outside of New York is our latest NBA mock draft, with new intel pointing to AJ Dybantsa going No. 1. See the picks.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Our investigative piece on Brandon Clarke’s death and its possible connection to kratom.
Most-read on the website yesterday: Our writers’ World Cup predictions.
📫 That’s all for now! Say hello at thepulse@theathletic.com, check out our other newsletters and connect with me on Instagram for more.