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🏀 Good morning to everybody, however particularly to …

THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

Towards a mile-high stack of information that may have recommended the Timberwolves had been about to be free for that Memorial Day weekend cookout, Minnesota turned in an epic second half Sunday night that nearly defied rationalization. By now, you understand that the visiting Wolves went on to defeat the defending NBA champion Nuggets in Sport 7, 98-90. The very fact that it occurred is gorgeous sufficient, however the way it occurred looks like will probably be talked about — not simply Sunday — however for years to return. The official report will present that the next statements had been precise stats from the sport.

• The Timberwolves had been down by 15 at halftime, they usually trailed by 20 early within the third quarter.
• Anthony Edwards was 6-for-24 taking pictures.
• Nikola Jokic scored 34 factors and added 19 rebounds, whereas Jamal Murray had a game-high 35 factors.

Let’s face it, when you had heard simply a kind of three issues, you wouldn’t have been blamed for pondering that the Wolves had been cooked. However Edwards, who had struggled mightily within the first half, wound up being pulled for a number of essential minutes. Our Colin Ward-Henninger explains how that benching helped him and sure propelled the Timberwolves to victory.

• Ward-Henninger: “Most 22-year-olds would not take kindly to an prolonged bench stint through the greatest recreation of their profession. Edwards virtually definitely did not both, however his skill to place his first-half difficulties behind him helped result in a exceptional second half from each himself and the Minnesota Timberwolves, incomes Edwards a double-boost within the course of.”

The Timberwolves advance to face the Mavericks, who took out the Thunder on a controversial foul name of their Sport 6 Saturday evening. Sport 1 of the Western Convention finals will likely be Wednesday in Minnesota. This must be a enjoyable one.

👍 Honorable mentions

And never such a very good morning for …

THE DENVER NUGGETS AND THE NEW YORK KNICKS

Coming into the weekend, in the case of the NBA playoffs, a kind of time-tested stats we have all the time heard is that the winner of Sport 5 goes on to win the sequence some 82% of time … after which alongside got here Might 19, 2024. That 82% stat was tossed out twice within the span of some hours. The NBA’s defending champion Nuggets and people scrappy undermanned Knicks have joined the ignominious checklist of groups to have taken a 3-2 sequence lead, however failed to shut the deal.

Sure, each squads went 0-2 in Video games 6 and seven, the latter contest on their dwelling flooring, however it’s not precisely like we could not see this coming. The Nuggets hadn’t precisely been clicking on all cylinders on this spherical. They misplaced Video games 1 and a pair of in their very own gymnasium, and received run out of Minnesota in that 45-point loss in Sport 6. If there’s a shock, maybe it is how after Murray and Jokic, no different member of the Nuggets scored greater than seven factors. Oh properly, it is now on to what Denver may do within the offseason. It is also value noting that for a sixth straight season we’ll have a special NBA champion.

Earlier within the day, the Knicks met their destiny, a 130-109 loss that wasn’t precisely a stunner. Credit score New York for getting this far given its depleted lineup. Then add the Jalen Brunson damaged hand, and you might really feel the Thanos-level air of inevitability. However let’s not take something away from the Pacers. They should bottle and promote no matter it was these fellas from Indy had been ingesting earlier than the sport as a result of that stuff labored. The Pacers shot an astounding 67.1% for the sport, which is the high-water mark for group taking pictures in NBA historical past. Spectacular, most spectacular. 

(Knicks followers, chances are you’ll wish to skip this subsequent paragraph.) … Given the historical past between these golf equipment, you needed to determine that the enduring picture of Reggie Miller mocking the Knicks by choking himself after his 25-point fourth-quarter efficiency of their 1994 sequence was going to wind its means into the image. I simply did not see the precise image winding its means onto Tyrese Hailburton’s hoodie after the sport.

Anyway, just like the Nuggets, it is on to subsequent season for the Knicks, in addition to for the Thunder.

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏌 Xander Schauffele exorcises demons to earn first profession main

In yet one more instance of script-flipping sports activities story on Sunday, there could be no late-round stumble for Xander Schauffele, who rode clubhouse leads after the primary three days to assert the PGA Championship, which was his first profession main. However don’t mistake Schauffele’s wire-to-wire victory at Valhalla for not being a nail-biter.

Bryson DeChambeau had the day’s low spherical of 64, and he completed the occasion only one stroke behind. With the win, Schauffele leap frogs Rory McIlroy for the world No. 2 rating, however to say that victory for the La Jolla, Calif., native was anticipated is way from the truth of the state of affairs. Let’s flip to CBS Sports activities golf author Kyle Porter, who can communicate to the historical past of the Schauffele slide higher than most.

• Porter: “Even when Schauffele led after 18, 36 and 54 holes, previous tales persevered of him being allergic to main championship leads and cowering from the lights after they at their most luminous. How may they not? Schauffele had sat in first or second coming into the ultimate spherical of a serious or The Gamers Championship 3 times in his profession; he misplaced all three alternatives. Even worse, he had entered such third rounds inside the highest three on the leaderboard 3 times; he misplaced all three of these alternatives, too.”

In successful the Wanamaker Trophy, Schauffele had the bottom rating to par (21-under) within the historical past of all main play. Nonetheless, the victory got here right down to the 72nd gap, and after Schauffele birdied to complete the day at 6-under 65 — following rounds of 62, 68 and 68 — Patrick McDonald captured simply what was going via Schauffele’s thoughts yesterday.

• Schauffele: “I used to be truly form of emotional after the putt lipped in … It has been some time since I’ve received, and I actually simply saved saying all of it week, I simply want to remain in my lane. Man, was it onerous to remain in my lane at present. I attempted all day to only preserve give attention to what I am making an attempt to do and preserve each gap forward of me. Had some bizarre form of breaks coming into the [club]home, however it’s all good now.”

Listed below are a number of extra attention-grabbing notes from the weekend:

⚾ MLB Energy Rating tiers beginning to solidify

The right way to clarify the divide we have now with MLB groups this season? … If you happen to’re somebody who needed to sit on the children’ desk rising up, consider your self as, maybe, the Angels, Marlins, Reds or Rockies — chances are you’ll get your shot in the future, however not this yr. No, these grown-up spots have been reserved for the Braves, Dodgers, Orioles, Phillies and Yankees, who’ve been crushing issues (within the type of AL Central squads) of late.

The Phillies, Dodgers and Braves, final week’s No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4, are all nonetheless within the high 5, mentioned our Matt Snyder in his newest energy rankings, whereas the Yankees, vaulted from fifth to 3rd on the energy of a 6-0 week through which they outscored the Twins, a group they simply appear to personal, 14-1 and the AL cellar-dwelling White Sox 17-5 with back-to-back three-game sweeps.

📺 What we’re watching on Monday

⚾ Padres at Braves, 12:20 p.m. on MLB Community
🏀 Solar at Fever, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Storm at Liberty, 7 p.m. on ESPN3
🏒 Sport 7: Oilers at Canucks, 9 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. on MLB Community