That is an article model of the CBS Sports activities HQ AM E-newsletter, the final word information to every single day in sports activities. You may signal as much as get it in your inbox each weekday morning right here.

🏀 Good morning to everybody however particularly …

THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER AND THE BOSTON CELTICS

The Thunder are rising up shortly, proper in entrance of our eyes. Oklahoma Metropolis thumped Dallas 117-95 to open their second-round collection.

After sweeping the Zion Williamson-less Pelicans with relative ease, the Thunder knew they might get a a lot harder problem in opposition to the battle-tested Mavericks, and when Kyrie Irving nailed a third-quarter 3-pointer to attract inside one, that very a lot seemed the case. However after a timeout, the hosts completed the quarter with a 3-point barrage to revive the result in 10 and by no means let up from there.

• Everybody contributed, however the largest star led the best way: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 29 factors and barely missed a triple-double. Chet Holmgren added 19 factors, and Jalen Williams scored 18, 10 of which got here in a mesmerizing one-minute, 36-second span early within the fourth quarter that put issues away.
• Oklahoma Metropolis’s bench outscored Dallas’ 42-23.
• The Thunder protection flexed its muscle, forcing 16 turnovers. Maybe most impressively, it held Luka Doncic to only 19 factors, snapping his streak of 24 straight playoff video games with at the very least 20 factors.

Dallas was coming off an absolute battle of a collection in opposition to the Clippers and has misplaced its previous 5 Recreation 1s. It will not panic. I nonetheless anticipate a extremely good collection.

I can not say the identical about Celtics-Cavaliers, particularly after Boston pummeled Cleveland 120-95 in Recreation 1. Jaylen Brown‘s 32 factors led the best way, however it was its second-leading scorer who not solely exhibits the massive distinction in these groups however exhibits why Boston is the title favourite, Sam Quinn writes.

• Quinn: “Derrick White is making a championship leap — If Boston does certainly win the championship this season, White is clearly going to wind up being their model of Aaron Gordon, Andrew Wiggins and Brook Lopez. They received him for one first-round choose and a swap deep sooner or later. Now? He is principally a max participant, the kind of star-in-his-role guard that virtually by no means turns into obtainable on the commerce market. Brad Stevens has gotten virtually the whole lot proper since he took over Boston’s entrance workplace. White is his biggest victory.”

👍 Honorable mentions

• What an evening within the NHL. The Rangers beat the Hurricanes 4-3 in double additional time on Vincent Trocheck‘s winner to take a 2-0 collection lead, and the Avalanche rallied from 3-0 right down to beat the Stars 4-3 in additional time on Miles Wooden‘s Recreation-1 winner.
• The NFL schedule might be launched one week from now.
• The Sharks gained the NHL Draft lottery.
• Cody Bellinger is again!
• There is a new, NIL-driven occasion in males’s faculty basketball: the “Gamers Period Pageant” in Las Vegas. Seven of the eight groups have been chosen, per our Matt Norlander.
• Meet Arkansas‘ 28-year-old walk-on broad receiver who performed three MLB seasons and has a brother who performed within the NBA.
• Utah landed Sam Huard.
• The Senators employed Travis Inexperienced and the Blues prolonged Drew Bannister.

⚽ And never such a great morning for …

PSG

The woodwork could be type. It can be merciless. For PSG, it was very a lot the latter. Les Parisiens hit the objective body 3 times — and noticed a fourth bounce off after an enormous Gregor Kobel save — as their UEFA Champions League run got here to a devastating finish in a 2-0 mixture loss to Borussia Dortmund.

Mats Hummels nodded dwelling a nook kick within the fiftieth minute for the lone objective after Dortmund gained the primary leg 1-0 final week.

Let’s give all of the credit score on the planet to Dortmund, who’re probably the most unlikely finalists ever, Jame Benge says.

• Benge: “The final quarter century has produced simply two new winners of the Champions League: one the plaything of a Russian oligarch, the opposite a mushy energy car for Abu Dhabi. Borussia Dortmund have confirmed to be wealthy pickings for these wealthier than them, invariably struggling to repeat the brilliance of the early 2010s … Dortmund have been the aspect everybody needed within the final eight and a good few would have taken within the final 16 too.”

Kobel’s unimaginable play is a microcosm of Dortmund’s run, Chuck Sales space notes.

Nevertheless it’s a brutal method for PSG’s season to finish. They’re going to virtually definitely see celebrity Kylian Mbappe go away this summer time, and this was a golden alternative to ship him out a champion of Europe — and his membership the champion of Europe for the primary time ever. Whereas this is not PSG’s most devastating Champions League loss in an extended line of them, it is up there, Jonathan Johnson writes.

Now, what’s subsequent? Jonathan has that reply, too.

• Johnson: “Luis Enrique additionally has inquiries to reply relating to his over-frequent chopping and altering of his beginning XIs and the unbalanced nature of a few of his staff alternatives however the reality is that the Spaniard introduced a largely younger and inexperienced group additional than anticipated. … Mbappe, although, is maybe the largest loser of all going with out a objective and far involvement over the 2 legs forward of his anticipated transfer to Actual Madrid, who could effectively attain the ultimate … in opposition to Bayern Munich regardless of him.”

👎 Not so honorable mentions

⚽ Preview, picks for Actual Madrid-Bayern Munich UEFA Champions League semifinal

At this time, both Actual Madrid or Bayern Munich be a part of Borussia Dortmund within the UEFA Champions League last. There’s the whole lot to play for in Madrid after an exciting 2-2 draw final week in Munich. Here is a full preview and how you can watch as we’ll have you ever lined all day lengthy.

This one, frankly, is larger than one match. A lot larger, in reality. Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, Bayern’s Harry Kane and the now-eliminated Mbappe are all battling for the game’s largest honors, James notes.

Kane is greatest recognized for his lack of trophies. Actual Madrid has extra Champions League titles than anybody. Who will get one step nearer? Francesco Porzio says …

• Porzio: “Match prediction: Actual Madrid 2, Bayern Munich 1 – Regardless of the unimaginable efficiency of Thomas Tuchel‘s staff within the first sport in Munich, taking part in in opposition to Actual Madrid on the Santiago Bernabeu the second leg is at all times the very last thing you wish to do on this sport. That is why I am anticipating Carlo Ancelotti and his staff do it as soon as once more.”

Here is Tom Fornelli’s Nook Picks.

🏆 Rudy Gobert named Defensive Participant of the Yr

Grow to be a father someday, make NBA historical past the following — that is been Rudy Gobert‘s week to date. After the delivery of his son on Monday, Gobert was introduced as Defensive Participant of the Yr on Tuesday. It is his fourth such award, tying Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo for many all-time; he joins Mutombo as the one gamers to win the award with a number of groups.

• Gobert, 31, is the primary participant in Timberwolves historical past to win the award. He additionally gained it in 2018, 2019 and 2021 as a member of the Jazz. This season, he led the NBA in particular person defensive ranking (104.4) and anchored the NBA’s greatest protection.
• Opponents shot simply 43% on the basket with Gobert defending, the third-lowest charge allowed amongst any middle this season who defended at the very least 500 pictures.
• Gobert provides to what’s been an exceptional awards season for Minnesota: Naz Reid gained Sixth Man of the Yr and Mike Conley gained Teammate of the Yr.
• Gobert beat out fellow finalists Victor Wembanyama (who gained Rookie of the Yr) and Bam Adebayo. Anthony Davis completed fourth.

Gobert missed Minnesota’s Recreation 2 win over the Nuggets for the delivery of his son however will return for Recreation 3 on Friday, when Minnesota hopes to take a commanding 3-0 collection lead.

📺 What we’re watching Wednesday

⚽ Actual Madrid vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. on Paramount+
⚾ Diamondbacks at Reds, 6:40 p.m. on FS1
🏒 Recreation 2: Bruins at Panthers, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Recreation 2: Pacers at Knicks, 8 p.m. on TNT
🏒 Recreation 1: Oilers at Canucks, 10 p.m. on ESPN