4:03 am | May 7, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:
106 OR BUST
MLB’s premier flamethrower … The 23(!) fastest pitches of the 2019 season all belong to Cardinals closer Jordan Hicks, who topped out at 104.2 mph on a pitch against the Mets a few weeks back. Hicks hit 105.1 last season and has his sights set on finding out whether 106 is a thing the human arm can handle without imploding. We asked him about the moment he knew — beyond a shadow of a doubt — that his arm was different from pretty much anyone else’s on the planet. Read More
THINGS TO CARE ABOUT
The minutes are adding up … The Warriors’ decision to sign DeMarcus Cousins had the potential to turn them into even more of a juggernaut, but hidden in all the hype was a secret gamble. Now, with Cousins highly unlikely to play again this season, that gamble has left the Warriors uncomfortably thin as they get deeper into the playoffs. Read More
Zeke or Saquon at No. 1? Our fantasy football experts huddled together recently for our annual summit. You should have seen it! Players were rated and valued, sleepers and busts were predicted, friendships were made, and everyone came out of it with a new understanding of themselves as human beings. Also, they came up with the 12-team, 16-round PPR mock draft to end all 12-team, 16-round PPR mock drafts. Read More
Sprint to the finish … Things are coming down to the wire for Liverpool and Manchester City in the title race, and there are still some scenarios to play out for the four teams looking to qualify directly to the 2019-20 Champions League group stage. It’s going to be a pretty frantic conclusion, so we’ve run through what’s left to play to catch you up before the finale. Read More
THINGS TO WATCH
1:35
Texas’ Ki’Audra Hayter gets a big surprise as she sees her brother for the first time in three years because of his service overseas.
0:23
Derek Dietrich entertains the crowd dressed as a beekeeper after a swarm of bees takes over Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park.
1:52
Giannis Antetokounmpo drops 39 points, including multiple big-time dunks, to help the Bucks beat the Celtics 113-101.
OVERHEARD
“His energy was infectious, man. Every possession it seemed like he could make a difference on the outcome of the game.”
— LeBron James on Zion Williamson, via HBO. Read More
REMEMBER WHEN?
On this date in 2002, Allen Iverson was talking about practice in a powerful rant that has become an equally powerful meme. In 2016, we dug a little deeper into the history of the “Practice?” speech and found that there was much more to it than The Answer’s disdain for rehearsals. Read More
WHAT’S ON TONIGHT?
76ers at Raptors (8 p.m. ET, TNT) & Trail Blazers at Nuggets (10:30 p.m. ET, TNT): Joel Embiid’s health is going to be the big question in Toronto, after the ailing 76ers center managed only 11 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in his team’s Game 4 loss to the Raptors. As for the game in the Mile High City, can the Blazers figure out how to stop Nikola Jokic? The only thing that has gotten in The Joker’s way thus far was the microphone he accidentally broke in the Game 4 postgame media conference.
Stars at Blues (8 p.m. ET, NBCSN): It’s Game 7, and there are few better things in sports than a Game 7. Dallas will be trying to continue the wild-card revolution in the Stanley Cup playoffs, while the Blues want to move one step closer to their first Cup final berth since 1970. A lot is at stake in this one.
Marlins at Cubs (8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN+): Caleb Smith has been the lone bright spot in the Marlins’ rotation this season; even if you doubled his ERA, he’d likely still be the team’s best pitcher. Unfortunately for Miami, Smith will be facing Jon Lester, who has been even better this season.
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