A stunning WNBA Finals buzzer-beater, plus Shohei Ohtani’s big day

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Good morning! I tried the Chicken Mac yesterday. Just OK.

A walk-off game-winner, no matter the circumstance, is intoxicating. Put it several games into the WNBA Finals? It’s hard not to love and/or respect it, even if you’re a Minnesota Lynx fan.

Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu did all that last night in New York’s bonkers 80-77 win over the Lynx. Just watch:

SABRINA IONESCU. ICE IN HER VEINS.@nyliberty | #WNBAFinals pic.twitter.com/jk6S70XW9H

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 17, 2024

Imagine doing that on the road. Sheesh. New York is now up 2-1 in the Finals, just one victory away from a ring.

I do not know what to do with the Dodgers.

We are less than a week away from one of the more exciting NBA seasons in recent memory, storyline-wise, just as the WNBA season wraps up.

There has lately been parity across the NBA, which isn’t something we could say often over the previous 40 years. This offseason, superstars like Karl-Anthony Towns and Paul George changed teams. And somehow, no one seems to be talking about the defending-champion Celtics, who completed one of the most impressive title runs in modern history last year.

To help us prepare, I made Zach Harper be nice to me:

It just feels like we have to start with the Knicks. This is an excellent team on paper, right? Yet despite the KAT trade, vibes are off. What can we expect out of them this year?

I think the vibes are pretty good, except Mitchell Robinson has crashed out on social media. I have high expectations for the Knicks! The interior defense will be questionable, but they have so much potential offense. That’s what you need to win the East, which I think they can do. I won’t pick them to do it because I’m a coward, but it doesn’t take a lot of mental gymnastics to see it. They should win 55 games and make the conference finals.

I just have no concept of what the Western Conference hierarchy should be. Who are your top four?

I would rather put my life at stake solving the hardest scientific theories than try to guess how the West will shake out. Why doesn’t Neil deGrasse Tyson do that instead of explaining black holes for the 100th time on TikTok? You’re so smart? Tell me where everybody goes in the West, Neil! Wait, what are we doing? My top four in the West? I’ve got the Thunder first, then the Mavs, Suns and Wolves. I also fully expect Nikola Jokić to make this look dumb.

Last question. You picked Ben Simmons as your Most Improved Player. Just … why?

I did it last season. It wasn’t even my worst prediction. Jordan Poole, WHO GOT BENCHED BY THE WIZARDS, was my pick for scoring leader. I don’t know why I’m doing this to myself or to Ben. I am caught up in a bit, except it feels like a “Saw” movie at this point. But if he ends up winning … I’ll look like a genius. A mad genius, but a genius nonetheless.

Make sure to sign up for Zach’s newsletter, The Bounce, before the season tips off. We’ll circle back on Simmons later, I guess?

Clark’s latest feat

Fever guard Caitlin Clark was named to the All-WNBA First Team yesterday, the league announced, becoming the first rookie to do so since Candace Parker achieved the honor in 2008. It’s just another notch in her metaphorical belt. See the full First Team here.

England hires Tuchel

In a stunner, the England men’s national team is making Thomas Tuchel, formerly of Chelsea and Bayern Munich, its manager starting next year. Tuchel’s addition is a surprise to most, especially with no leaks coming out before the announcement. Oliver Kay has a full breakdown of the hire — and why it’s no guarantee Tuchel wins. Also, Tuchel is sorry he has a German passport.

More news

We linked this story yesterday about the messy launch of NWSL’s new Boston franchise, but the reaction over the last two days has been, well, staggering. A quick recap, starting with an awful tagline:

Meg Linehan, a self-proclaimed “Masshole” and arguably the biggest NWSL expert on the planet, called it “the worst NWSL launch I’ve ever seen in the history of the league” in a searing column yesterday. Read that here.

Oof. Moving on:

📺 MLB: Yankees at Guardians

5 p.m. on TBS/truTV/Max

If the Yankees win to go up 3-0, this series is over. Wait, has any team, perhaps even the Yankees themselves, ever given up a 3-0 lead in the ALCS before? Hold that thought.

📺 MLB: Dodgers at Mets

8 p.m. on FS1

Maybe our biggest baseball night of the year. The Subway Series is on life support.

Get tickets to games like these here.

Nate Taylor has a fascinating story about a different World Series: the first Negro Leagues title matchup, which happened 100 years ago this week. Make time for this today. 

Even if Russell Wilson starts for the Steelers this weekend, Mike DeFabo writes, this won’t be the last we hear from Justin Fields. 

An interesting question from Shayna Goldman: What are NHL goalies worth right now? A summer of movement brings the question to the forefront. 

The USMNT’s loss to Mexico on Tuesday (2-0, of course) showed there is plenty of work to do in the new Pochettino era. 

Last basketball one for today: Sam Amick has an exclusive interview with Giannis Antetokounmpo on why the Bucks should be better than last year’s star-studded disappointment. 

Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Our story on officials wanting to close the 12-man loophole that helped Oregon beat Ohio State last weekend.

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This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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