Oilers-Avalanche gets off to crazy start, plus Rafael Nadal takes down Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros
Oilers #Oilers
Happy Wednesday and happy June, everyone! Hope you’re doing well.
Let’s get right to it.
Good morning to everyone but especially to…
ALL OF US, FOR BEING FEWER THAN 100 DAYS AWAY FROM THE NFL BEING BACK!
Rejoice, NFL fans! Yesterday marked 100 days until the NFL season kicks off with what should be an absolutely awesome game between the Bills and Rams. And what better way is there to celebrate than by reading our NFL expert Cody Benjamin’s 100 things to know for the upcoming season? I would say there’s no better way.
There is a ton of great stuff in Cody’s piece, so picking just a few is really hard. Here’s the headline for the AFC:
I absolutely love what Buffalo has done this offseason, from extending Stefon Diggs to signing Von Miller to drafting Kaiir Elam (and plenty of other good moves), and I wouldn’t be surprised for another Bills-Chiefs thriller in the playoffs. Just remember, though, the AFC is much deeper than just those teams: there’s the defending conference champion Bengals as well as the Ravens, Chargers, Broncos, Raiders, Dolphins and plenty of other contenders who made big win-now moves this offseason.
Meanwhile in the NFC, the Packers have a new look, but that might not be a bad thing.
Cody’s article was a fun read and a great way to catch up on anything you may have missed this offseason.
… AND ALSO A GOOD MORNING TO RAFAEL NADAL
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Rafael Nadal took a huge step in his quest for an absurd 14th French Open title yesterday, beating top seed Novak Djokovic in four sets 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) to advance to the semifinals.
Up next for Nadal: world No. 3 Alexander Zverev on Friday, which is also Nadal’s 36th birthday.
Honorable mentions NBA Finals preview: Can Celtics’ defense slow down Warriors? Plus why Boston can pull off the upset 🏆 CBS Sports
We’re now just a day away from the NBA Finals tipping off, and as promised in yesterday’s newsletter, we have plenty of preview content for you. Let’s start with what this series likely hinges on: Can the Celtics’ outstanding defense slow down the Warriors’ high-powered offense?
Boston has the second-best defensive rating this playoffs — only behind Milwaukee — while Golden State has the postseason’s top offensive rating. Our NBA scribe James Herbert examined that exact question.
Overall, the Warriors are slight favorites to win it all, but Boston certainly has the versatility, personnel and toughness to pull off the upset. NBA expert Brad Botkin detailed three specific advantages the Celtics have, including…
Avalanche take wild Game 1; plus, our experts’ conference final picks 🏒
If you like scoring, Oilers-Avalanche is going to be the series for you. Colorado took Game 1 last night 8-6 with 13 different players lighting the lamp at least once.
The Eastern Conference Final between the Rangers and Lightning gets underway tonight, and our NHL experts have made their picks. Our Chris Bengel is rolling with the two-time reigning champs.
Key players making NBA Draft decision today 🏀 USATSI
The deadline for players to decide whether they will stay in the 2022 NBA Draft or not is here, and while most players have announced their intentions, there are some big names who have not.
Our college basketball expert Kyle Boone identified seven players facing tough stay-or-go decisions, and that list has already been cut down to six after Arizona standout Dalen Terry decided he will remain in the NBA Draft pool. Two of the players on Boone’s list could vault their team to a preseason No. 1 ranking if they decide to return.
You can see Boone’s entire list here.
What we’re watching Wednesday 📺
⛳ The Match 2022: Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers vs Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, 7 p.m. on TNT⚾ Angels at Yankees, 7:05 p.m. on FS1⚽ USMNT vs Morocco, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN 2🏒 Eastern Conference Final Game 1: Lightning at Rangers, 8 p.m. on ESPN