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Good morning! You’re off the table in James Harden trade talks.
Rings: A’ja Wilson builds a dynasty
So much of the conversation after Las Vegas’ Game 3 loss in the WNBA Finals was focused on players the Aces would be without. Starters Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes were hobbled, and so was the Aces’ chance at another title, even if they were up 2-1 on New York.
Last night was a reminder to focus on the players they still had — most notably, A’ja Wilson, the person many thought should’ve been WNBA MVP this year. She looked the part last night. The Aces are champions for the second straight year because of it.
- The game itself was incredible. The Liberty held a lead for most of the contest until an Aces surge in the third quarter. Vegas had every chance to let up in the fourth quarter, even when a six-point lead evaporated in the final minute, and never did. It’s hard to top a title-clinching game coming down to the last possession. Aces 70, Liberty 69.
- Wilson scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, earning Finals MVP. Breanna Stewart, who won league MVP over Wilson, shot just 3-for-17 from the floor. The juxtaposition came on Stewart’s home floor, too. Yeesh. Plus Wilson stifled Jonquel Jones, who scored below double digits for the first time all postseason. Disappointment was high in the New York locker room.
The Aces are officially a dynasty, the first team to win consecutive WNBA titles since the Los Angeles Sparks did it in 2001-2002.
Here’s Aces owner Mark Davis dancing for good measure:
Mark Davis celebrating the Las Vegas Aces win… 😅
🎥 @WNBA | #WNBAFinals pic.twitter.com/bAdqmhpsrK
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 19, 2023
Rooting for a Raiders title now, only to see how he follows this up.
The Empire Strikes Back: We have a series
We didn’t really expect the Astros to saunter away into the offseason, right? This team has been to seven straight ALCS and won a ring last year. Their gutty, 8-5 win over the Rangers last night, bringing the series to 2-1, was thus unsurprising.
A few impressive notes from a heady night:
- Houston raced out to a 5-0 lead on Rangers starter Max Scherzer, who was making his first appearance in 36 days. Maybe he shouldn’t have started, but it’s hard to say no to Scherzer.
- Before last night, the Rangers had trailed for just three plate appearances over seven postseason games, as Jayson Stark noted in his excellent Weird and Wild column. They trailed the entire contest last night.
- Houston is now 7-1 at Globe Life Field this season. Maybe we’ll get one of those bizarre series in which the road team wins every game. Advantage: Rangers?
Thing is, the Rangers showed plenty of moxie last night. Josh Jung hit two massive home runs, and Texas never really felt out of it. Then, Jung was up with one out and a man on base in the ninth, hoping to make it a one-run game. A double play ended it.
This series is officially fun, and maybe we should hope it goes the distance, especially if the Phillies win later. Schedule for today:
- Phillies at Diamondbacks
5 p.m. ET on TBS - Astros at Rangers
8 p.m. ET on FS1
News to Know
The Harden conundrum
Despite James Harden’s notably drama-free appearance at Sixers training camp a couple of weeks ago, he continues to be a no-show for preseason games and now practice. Sources told The Athletic’s Shams Charania that Harden has only participated in one five-on-five competition since training camp started. At what point does all of this feel like too much for a 34-year-old guard quickly exiting his prime? It sounds like trade talks are getting chippy, too.
Hardman goes home
The Jets agreed to trade Mecole Hardman back to the Chiefs, where the speedy wideout spent his first four seasons before signing in New York this offseason. Hardman has just one catch for six yards this year, a striking departure from the productive player he became in Kansas City. Sounds like the right move for everyone.
More news
- Former Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones was arrested again for violating a temporary restraining order. Police arrested him on two counts of the same charge late last month.
- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell signed a new three-year contract extension. No surprise, considering the league’s growth since he took over in 2006. He’s also been an adept punching bag, which is part of the job.
- 76ers superstar Joel Embiid is close to becoming a Skechers athlete, our Shams Charania reports.
- The Red Sox are targeting rising Cubs executive Craig Breslow for their top job. A weird reality: Does Breslow even want the job?
Primers: The Clippers’ immense pressure
We are less than a week away from the opening tip of the NBA season, and John Hollinger published a tantalizing list of bold predictions this morning. The entire list is worth reading, but I want to dig into a particularly interesting batch:
1. Minnesota wins a playoff series.
Sounds tame, right? But the Timberwolves haven’t won a full postseason series in 20 years, and in a crowded Western Conference, this would be a massive success. The pieces are there: Anthony Edwards looks primed for a leap, while Karl-Anthony Towns is still an elite big man and Rudy Gobert remains a top-tier defender. Something just always seems to falter with this crew. Maybe it’ll work this time.
2. The Clippers overhaul the plan.
As always, the L.A. teams will occupy a lot of our attention. Sure, this one has the Harden thing, but there are more pressing long-term issues here. The team is moving to a shiny new arena next season — are Paul George and Kawhi Leonard going to be there? Both (aging) stars are still elite players, and they’re both eligible for contract extensions right now, but we’ve heard zilch about a new deal for either. This all comes with the feared “second apron” looming in 2024. John calls it a “tricky dance,” and he’s right. An early Clips swoon could lead to tough conversations.
3. Boston is winning it all.
This is bold and not bold at the same time. The Celtics are a perennial top-tier contender at this point, plus they added two big pieces — Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday — this offseason. They’ll face salary cap issues of their own down the line, but this season is an all-in affair. John picks them to edge the Bucks in the East and beat the Suns in the Finals. Sounds about right to me.
Read the rest of John’s predictions to see his pick for MVP, the team that will blow it up and more.
Pulse Picks
The Mac Jones era in New England could end after the season, understandably. Chad Graff has ideas for his replacement.
Kalyn Kahler investigates the spread of the “tush push” and whether it’s actually working for teams not named the Philadelphia Eagles. I live for tush push content.
Some MLB teams have replaced the default PitchCom voice with their own custom versions. There are cuss words and funny accents. I loved everything about this story.
This was fun: A panel of The Athletic’s experts ranked Premier League stadiums from No. 20 to No. 1. All so, as in their words, “you could shout at us.” See the full list here.
Harman Dayal has an interesting look at the NHL’s top seven player-role experiments happening so far this season.
College volleyball gets a No. 1 vs. 2 match today: Nebraska vs. Wisconsin. These two are nemeses, as Mitch Sherman writes, and standing-room-only tickets are going for a minimum $284. It’s going to be a fun night.
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