The NBA's unbelievable second round continues, plus a Champions League classic

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Good morning! Be overrated today. The Upside Down: Home-court advantage is for suckers
Each spring, NBA rights holders bless us with melodramatic ads for the playoffs. Big drama! Every night! Tune in for every second and consume every ad! Please!
Most of the time, each game isn't a must-watch, especially this early in the postseason. We still have eight teams left. Flukes can still linger at this point.
And yet, this year? The ads were correct. The second round is cooking. No home team has won a game. Even down to the minutiae, nothing has gone as expected. Teams with long breaks look lost. Teams with no rest look fresh. Nothing is real.
Last night's slate was the best we've had so far: In the late game, the Warriors outpaced the Timberwolves 99-88 in a contest that wasn't as close as that 11-point margin suggests. And they did it largely without Steph Curry , who left the game in the first half with a hamstring injury. Minnesota scored just 31 points in the first half. Draymond Green hit four 3-pointers, Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield were electric and Anthony Edwards — the prince who was promised — came out flat. Golden State 1, Minnesota 0.
The earlier game was even more shocking. The top-seeded Cavaliers entered the game missing three key contributors and still opened up a massive early lead over the Pacers, who had already stolen Game 1 in Cleveland on Sunday. Donovan Mitchell had 48 points, but it wasn't enough to stop Tyrese Haliburton, Mr. Overrated , from swiping a Game 2 win with what can only be conveyed in video form.
Just look at the situation here: Pacers down two, 12 seconds left, Haliburton at the line with a chance to make it a one-point game with plenty of time to foul. Instead, this happens:
TYRESE HALIBURTON WINS GAME 2 FOR THE PACERS 😱🤯
WHAT. A. WILD. PLAY. pic.twitter.com/rFsjZmtrBz
— NBA (@NBA) May 7, 2025
With that, the Pacers are up 2-0 . Unbelievable. This is the first time in NBA history all road teams have won Game 1 in the second round.
Let's move on to our other playoff sport: News to Know
Oilers, Canes surge
The NHL also put on some excellent playoff action last night, with two impressive comebacks to boot. In Las Vegas, Edmonton — in true Oilers fashion — overcame an early deficit with three third-period goals in a 4-2 win over the Golden Knights to take a 1-0 series lead. Ditto for the Stanley Cup favorite Hurricanes, who needed overtime to outlast Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals, 2-1.
Inter stuns Barca in CL classic
In what is already one of the best Champions League matches ever played, Inter Milan topped FC Barcelona 7-6 on aggregate yesterday, despite blowing two separate 2-0 leads over both legs of this semifinal matchup. I thought it was over after Raphinha punched in an 87th-minute goal, which gave Barca a 6-5 aggregate lead with mere minutes to play. Instead, Francesco Acerbi tied it in the 93rd to force extra time, where Davide Frattesi ended it in the 99th. Just an incredible game I wish I could watch again.
Akron ineligible for postseason
The Akron football team will not play in a bowl game next year, the NCAA said, as a result of the program's poor Academic Progress Rate score. It's the first time in over 10 years a program has incurred such a penalty. The Zips have not played in a bowl game since 2017. Read more .
More news Defense attorneys in the ongoing Hockey Canada sexual assault trial grilled the complainant yesterday. We had multiple writers on scene in Ontario.
Sue Bird is the new managing director for the USA women's national basketball team , sources told The Athletic .
An F1 surprise: Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes resigned yesterday, effectively immediately. More details here .
The Yankees designated Carlos Carrasco for assignment yesterday. They have a few candidates to take his spot in the rotation.
Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur will play their next match two days earlier after discussion with the Premier League. Read our full report.
📫 Love The Pulse? Check out our other newsletters. Pulse Polls: A new AI slant?
From a PR perspective, NBC was doing everything right. After reacquiring NBA rights last summer, the network retooled its once-beloved coverage by hiring smart talent and, of course, bringing back 'Roundball Rock,' which is a home run.
And then yesterday, news trickled out of a possible snag: In trying to truly harness the nostalgia of all this, NBC said it will use AI to recreate Jim Fagan's voice for promotional materials. Fagan, who died in 2017, was the classic voice of the network's 1990s promos.
There's a lot to parse here. Feelings on AI, nostalgia for the 90s, etc. Before I opine, I want to know how you feel about it.
Do we think this is: Harmless and cool. You're overreacting, Branch.
Lazy and cheap. Stop living in the past, NBC.
Make your voice heard here . We'll publish the results tomorrow. What to Watch
📺 UCL: Arsenal at Paris Saint-Germain
3 p.m. ET on CBS/Paramount+
If this is anything like yesterday's Inter-Barca match, it's must-watch stuff. And don't forget about Declan Rice's heroics against Real Madrid in the quarters. PSG is up 1-0 on aggregate right now. A win puts them through to the Champions League final.
📺 NBA: Knicks at Celtics
7 p.m. ET on TNT/Max
We are back with both upset series tonight, and I'm choosing this one because I am most curious if New York's Game 1 performance was a fluke. In Oklahoma City, I know Nikola Jokić will keep Denver in the series. Boston still feels like the favorite here, but the moxie of this Knicks group is unimpeachable.
📺 NHL: Stars at Jets
9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Yes, I'm picking against the No. 1 series in our power rankings, but I do this to help you plan your night. Panthers-Maple Leafs airs simultaneously with our pick above, so turn on ESPN early if you care more about the pucks. Either way, a stellar night of TV. This is Game 1 of what should be a great series.
Get tickets to games like these here . Pulse Picks
Thousands of you clicked on this wonderful story about George Karl yesterday … which actually published this morning. Apologies for that. You can read it here now, I promise .
Just call him Mr. Nugget: Aaron Gordon has been Denver's most clutch player in this surprising playoff run. Behind him, the Nuggets won't go quietly against the NBA's best team.
The Magic and Rockets are not so different, as John Hollinger writes — both full of promise and both dealing with the same problems .
James Mirtle thinks Panthers center Sam Bennett should be suspended for his hit on Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz . I agree.
Aaron Judge may be the best right-handed hitter in modern history, as Jayson Stark detailed . We're expanding on this tomorrow, too.
Here's a name to remember for next year's Premier League campaign: Liam Delap , the Ipswich Town star every elite club wants .
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday : Jeff Zrebiec's column on the Justin Tucker saga. Read it here .
Most-read on the website yesterday : The Champions League live blog .
Ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Top photo: AP Photo / Abbie Parr)

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Yahoo

26 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Best NFL wide receivers 2025: Ranking 10 best NFL receivers right now

Who is the best wide receiver in the NFL? The National Football League is more pass-happy than ever before and it's coincided with arguably the greatest pool of receiving talent in league history. That's why, when ranking the best NFL wide receivers, it's difficult to narrow it down to just 10. Let's dive into our list of the 10 best NFL wide receivers right now as we head into the 2025 season. 1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Justin Jefferson is the best wide receiver in the NFL and he's on a trajectory to be one of the best receivers ever. The Minnesota Vikings' sensation enters 2025 with the NFL record for receiving yards per game (96.5). Putting that into greater perspective, the next closest player (Ja'Marr Chase) is at 87.5 receiving yards per game. Even with Jefferson only playing 10 games in 2023, he has the NFL record for most receiving yards through five seasons (7,432). The second-closest player, Torry Holt, had 6,784 receiving yards in 80 games. We should all wait another decade before calling him one of the best receivers ever, but he's certainly the best wide receiver in the NFL right now. Advertisement Justin Jefferson stats (2024): 103 receptions, 1,533 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns, 14.9 yards per reception, 62 first downs, 90.2 receiving yards per game, 10.0 yards per target Read More: Best NFL coaches 2025 2. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images The Cincinnati Bengals made wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase one of the highest-paid NFL players ever and for good reason. Chase ranks second among career leaders in receiving yards per game (87.5), performing even better than Calvin Johnson (86.1) and Antonio Brown (84.3). The reigning first-team All-Pro selection is also coming off a season where he led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. We've even seen Chase produce elite numbers – 100 receptions and 1,216 receiving yards in 2023 – in seasons where Joe Burrow missed seven-plus games. Coming off a campaign where he led the NFL in yards after catch (787) and placed fourth in yards per team pass attempt (2.62), Chase has consistently proven he's in the cream of the crop. Advertisement Ja'Marr Chase stats (2024): 127 receptions, 1,708 receiving yards, 17 touchdowns, 13.4 yards per reception, 100.5 receiving yards per game, 75 first downs, 9.8 yards per target 3. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Philadelphia Eagles' All-Pro wideout A.J. Brown is putting together a Hall of Fame-caliber resume. With a Super Bowl ring now in his trophy Case, Brown boasts three Pro Bowl selections with three consecutive second-team All-Pro selections. Brown has shown his 'Inner Excellence' since being traded to Philadelphia, averaging over 1,300 receiving yards per season with 25 touchdowns in 47 games played. While he doesn't see the volume on a run-heavy team that some of the other best NFL wide receivers do, Brown's track record and what he forces defenses to do make up for it. A.J. Brown stats (2024): 67 receptions, 1,079 receiving yards, 7 touchdowns, 16.1 yards per reception, 51 first downs, 83.0 receiving yards per game, 11.1 yards per target Read More: Best NFL general managers 2025 4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the most consistent producers in football. He's averaged 108 receptions and 1,212 receiving yards per season since entering the league as a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. In 66 career games, St. Brown has 23 games (34.8 percent) with at least 8 receptions and 23 games with 90-plus receiving yards. He also had the second-highest passer rating when targeted (129.4) among players with 80-plus receptions last season. Coming off consecutive first-team All-Pro selections, St. Brown is just entering his age-26 season. Advertisement Amon-Ra St. Brown stats (2024): 115 receptions, 1,263 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns, 11.0 yards per reception, 73 first downs, 74.3 receiving yards per game, 9.0 yards per target 5. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Los Angeles Rams wideout Puka Nacua continues to be one of the best draft-day steals in recent years. It seemed unlikely that Los Angeles could magically replace Cooper Kupp, but Nacua has filled that role perfectly. In 2023, he broke the NFL records for receiving yards by a rookie (1,486) and receptions in a game by a rookie (15). While an injury limited him to just 11 games in 2024, Nacua still recorded 990 receiving yards and 47 first downs, even raising his receiving yards per game average (87.4 to 90.0) from his rookie season. The only disappointing thing with Nacua, who led the NFL in yards per route run (4.07) last season, is that he plans to retire after turning 30 years old. So, football fans should enjoy the 24-year-old receiver while they still can. Puka Nacua stats (2024): 79 receptions, 990 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns, 12.5 yards per reception, 47 first downs, 90.0 receiving yards per game, 9.3 yards per target Related: Best NFL running backs 2025, ranking 10 best running backs in NFL 6. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images Even with his own injuries and Dak Prescott missing significant time in 2024, Dallas Cowboys CeeDee Lamb still showcased why he is one of the best NFL receivers right now. Lamb comes into 2025 with 6,339 receiving yards through his first 81 career games, nearly identical to Larry Fitzgerald (6,335 receiving yards on 461 receptions) through his first 81 games. Lamb wasn't quite as explosive last season as his All-Pro 2023 campaign – 102.9 receiving yards per game to 79.6 receiving yards per game – but he still earned second-team All-Pro honors for the third consecutive year. With the improvements made to the Cowboys' offensive line, Lamb has a legitimate shot at delivering 100-plus receptions and 1,300-plus receiving yards this fall. Advertisement CeeDee Lamb stats (2024): 101 receptions, 1,194 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns, 11.8 yards per reception, 54 first downs, 79.6 receiving yards per game, 7.9 yards per target 7. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is a future Hall of Famer on the verge of breaking the NFL record held by Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons (11). What's even more remarkable about the feat is that he's delivered 11 consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns since entering the league, an NFL record. What makes that streak even more meaningful is that he reached the 1,000-yard mark in just 14 games last season. Evans is entering his age-32 season, but we see no reason at this point to suspect Father Time will prevent him from breaking Rice's record. Even if Evans has never been viewed as the No. 1 receiver in football at any point in his career, he's proven to be one of the 10 best NFL wide receivers in the last 10 years. Mike Evans stats (2024): 74 receptions, 1,004 receiving yards, 11 touchdowns, 13.6 yards per reception, 53 first downs, 71.7 receiving yards per game, 9.1 yards per target 8. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Washington Commanders finally gave Terry McLaurin a great quarterback and he immediately proved why he is one of the best NFL wide receivers right now. Playing with Jayden Daniels, McLaurin led all qualified receivers in quarterback rating when targeted (133) last season. That's especially impressive because he had the second-highest average depth of target (13.4) among players with 60-plus receptions. Heading into a second season with Daniels in Kliff Kingsbury's system, McLaurin has a shot at his first 1,200-yard season and he could deliver double-digit touchdowns for the second consecutive year. Advertisement Terry McLaurin stats (2024): 82 receptions, 1,096 receiving yards, 13 touchdowns, 13.4 yards per reception, 56 first downs, 64.5 receiving yards per game, 9.4 yards per target Read More: NFL power rankings 2025, evaluating all 32 teams 9. Nico Collins, Houston Texans Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images The Houston Texans landed Nico Collins in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Since entering the league, the 6-foot-4 wideout has proven to be one of the best vertical threats in football. He has missed some time over the last two seasons – 7 games inactive – but he still has 2,303 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns despite that. He finished last season with the third-highest yards per route run (2.92) and the fourth-best win rate versus man coverage (42.7 percent). If the Texans' offense can get a full 17-game season out of Collins, he's got a chance to hit 1,400 yards with double-digit touchdowns as C.J. Stroud's No. 1 receiver. Advertisement Nico Collins stats (2024): 68 receptions, 1,006 receiving yards, 7 touchdowns, 14.8 yards per reception, 83.8 receiving yards per game, 48 first downs, 10.2 yards per target 10. Malik Nabers, New York Giants Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images In his rookie season, New York Giants standout Malik Nabers demonstrated why he can be one of the best NFL receivers for years to come. He was the only option in the Giants' offense last season, demonstrated by receiving 170 targets in 15 games. While the second-highest target share (31.2 percent) in the NFL inflated his numbers some, he also had to overcome some of the worst quarterback play in the NFL. The Giants' quarterback situation is at least marginally better this season, which is why we believe Nabers will prove to be one of the 10 best wide receivers in the NFL this season. Malik Nabers stats (2024): 109 receptions, 1,204 receiving yards, 7 touchdowns, 11.0 yards per reception, 55 first downs, 80.3 receiving yards per game, 7.1 yards per target Read More: NFL defense rankings 2025, evaluating all 32 defenses Related Headlines

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National media offer projections on Clemson's Viktor Lakhin being taken in 2025 NBA Draft

The 2025 NBA Draft is fast approaching, and Clemson Tigers big man Viktor Lakhin is among the players hoping to hear his name called Wednesday night at Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. Lakhin, a 6-foot-11, 245-pound center from Russia, transferred to Clemson from Cincinnati ahead of the 2024-25 season and started 33 of the Tigers' 34 games. He averaged 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 23.6 minutes a night while helping Clemson to a school-record 27 victories, including an 18-2 ACC record. Lakhin averaged 1.5 blocks and 1.5 assists per game. The 2025 NBA Draft will consist of two rounds with 59 total selections. Duke guard Cooper Flagg is the consensus favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick. The draft will be held June 25 beginning at 8 p.m. ET and will be televised on ABC and ESPN. Here's where national media outlets have Lakhin ranked among the top 100 draft-eligible prospects and in mock drafts on the final weekend before the 2025 NBA Draft. ESPN projects Clemson's Viktor Lakhin as second-round pick by Clippers ESPN unveiled its final big board rankings of the top 100 prospects on Saturday. NBA analyst Jonathan Givony ranks Lakhin as the 51st best draft-eligible player this year. The latest mock draft from Givony and ESPN's Jeremy Woo have Lakhin being selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 51 overall pick. CBS Sports' draft prospect rankings have Lakhin much lower at No. 75 overall. Yahoo Sports NBA Draft analyst sees Lakhin as potential second-round pickup Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor has Lakhin at No. 59 on his NBA draft big board. O'Connor's latest mock draft has Lakhin going to the Utah Jazz with the 53rd overall pick. Part of Yahoo's scouting report on Lakhin describes him this way: "He's a great positional defender at the rim, even though he doesn't block a ton of shots. And he's quite mobile on the perimeter with the ability to step out and recover to his man, or hold his own when defending shooting bigs." Clemson basketball: recent NBA Draft history There's a chance Clemson could have a new player in the NBA for the third straight season. Last year, the Denver Nuggets signed forward P.J. Hall to a two-way contract as an undrafted free agent. He made his NBA debut on Nov. 17 and played in 19 regular-season games for the Nuggets. Hall played in 13 games for the Grand Rapids Gold in the G League this past season and averaged 19.2 points and 12.5 rebounds a night while adding 1.1 blocks and 1.8 assists per game. Two years ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected Hunter Tyson in the second round with the 37th overall pick as part of an agreed-upon trade with Denver. Tyson played in 51 games for the Nuggets in 2024-25. He had 13 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes during the Nuggets' Western Conference semifinals series against the Thunder. Prior to Tyson, Clemson hadn't had a player taken in the NBA Draft since forward Jaron Blossomgame was selected in the second round at No. 59 overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 2017. Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.

USA Today

an hour ago

• USA Today

Legacies on the line in NBA Finals Game 7: What's at stake for Thunder, Pacers

All that's at stake is legacy. The victor of Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will shape the narrative, the frame through which the winning team is remembered. If it's the Thunder... Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will go down as having an all-time great season. He will have notched a regular season Most Valuable Player award — and probable Finals MVP — and will have led Oklahoma City, which tied for the fifth-most victories in a regular season (68), to its first NBA championship since moving to the city and the franchise's first since 1979, when it was the Seattle SuperSonics. Jalen Williams will emerge as a legitimate star whose Game 5 heroics in a 40-point masterpiece lifted the Thunder. And Mark Daigneault, 40, will reinforce his position as one of the premier coaches in the NBA, leading the second-youngest team to win a Finals in NBA history — which implies OKC could be in position to repeat. If it's the Pacers... Point guard Tyrese Haliburton will obliterate the 'overrated' narrative that has unfairly followed him since The Athletic published a player poll that labeled him the most overrated player in the league. He will wrap an unprecedented run of clutch postseason play with a title. Pascal Siakam will become a two-time champion and see his profile raised further. Rick Carlisle will become just the fourth coach — joining Phil Jackson, Pat Riley and Alex Hannum — to win championships with two different teams. His status as an innovative and adaptable coach who entrusts his players will be unquestioned after leading the decided underdog Pacers to an NBA title, their first in franchise history. Game 7s in the Finals are special, with this marking just the 20th in history. Just the very nature of the games — the magnified stakes, the drama — can define legacies. 'Respect isn't something that we can just talk about and receive — it's an earned thing,' Haliburton said in a Saturday, June 21 news conference. 'No matter what happens, it's still probably not going to be where necessarily it 'should' be or what we think it should be. 'It doesn't really matter, though. I think from our standpoint — teams we compete against, they respect us. I think that's the most important thing. … We are in a great, great point right now in our organization's history and for our team specifically. You've got to be really excited about the chance to compete in one game to win a championship.' It becomes a very different story with a loss — for both squads. The Thunder suddenly will be framed as front-runners and Gilgeous-Alexander's greatness and efficiency will likely be overshadowed. Detractors will get louder with their 'foul merchant' critiques and almost certainly will say the Thunder got a favorable whistle and still couldn't do anything with it. Similarly, a defeat would likely only strengthen the barbs hurled at Haliburton. Indiana's up-tempo, free-flowing offense may be discounted as a gimmick and an operation — despite Indy's success this postseason — not suitable to win when it counts. Critics will likely say the Pacers still need a true star. The reality, however, is that it serves teams no use to consider narrative and legacy before a Game 7. While players and coaches certainly do reap future profits from championship runs, Game 7s are — in their most distilled terms — just another game. Forty-eight minutes for a team to top another. The glory cannot come without the actual victory. The secret to success, therefore, likely requires some willful ignorance, some intentional blocking out of the context of the game. 'You try to make it as binary as possible,' Thunder guard Alex Caruso, a champion with the 2020 Lakers, said Saturday. 'You're either going to win or lose. That is literally what's going to happen. The season is going to be over and you're going to be champion, or you're going to lose and start from square one. You might as well go out and put your best forward and compete your (butt) off and play hard for your teammates and try and win.'