A thrilling NBA and NHL playoff night, plus the Mavericks' latest blunder

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Good morning! Tie your series today.

There is no better time for flaming hot takes that could soon become irrelevant than right now.

In both basketball and hockey, we are done with Game 2s in multiple playoff series.

For teams down 2-0, it feels like all is lost, though weve seen plenty of groups come back emphatically.

For those series tied 1-1, a fluke here could make us think its an even series when its not.

Advertisement Thus we play a game for each matchup: Its So Over/Were So Back, with confidence votes in each take.

Lets start in the NBA: Were So Back: Pistons 100, Knicks 94 This was a mean game , and thats a compliment.

Playing the Pistons seems like no fun, and they were determined to actually maintain a late lead in this one.

Cade Cunningham looked like a postseason star with 33 points and 12 rebounds.

This series is tied 1-1.

I honestly think Detroit might have a leg up here after its first postseason win since 2008 .

How back are we? Extremely.

This is a great series.

Were So Back: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102 Another fantastic first-round series, and both of the first two games have come down to the final seconds.

We dont talk enough about the Clips, who didnt have Kawhi Leonard for most of the season and still ended up with 50 wins.

Theyre playing as well as anyone right now.

How back are we? Preposterously so.

I hope this goes seven.

It was a busier night in the NHL: COLIN BLACKWELL FOR THE WIN His OT winner ties the Stars-Avalanche series at 1-1.

@BR_OpenIce pic.twitter.com/1vP6LbGcRI The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 22, 2025 Were So Back: Stars 4, Avalanche 3 Again, there is nothing like playoff hockey, especially when said hockey goes into overtime.

Dallas and Colorado tiptoed along the precipice of our game for more than 75 minutes, then Stars center Colin Blackwell flipped in a close shot to help the Stars get all the way back here.

What a game .

How back are we? Very back.

Another great series brewing.

Its So Over: Jets 2, Blues 1 Winnipeg remains the best team in the NHL, but has needed two late goals to go up 2-0 in this series.

I think they prevail, but this isnt a blowout.

How over is it? Not at all, at least not yet.

We also had two Game 1s last night: Lets move on to some news: Mavs GM keeps talking Im not really sure what PR recommendations anyone could give the Mavericks at this point, but having general manager Nico Harrison say the following quote would not be on that list: I did know that Luka (Doncic) was important to the fan base.

I didnt quite know to what level.

Its hard to fathom both trading Doncic and not knowing his standing in Dallas, four years into the job .

Hoo boy.

See his full comments here .

Advertisement Flagg officially entering draft Cooper Flagg, widely expected to be the No.

1 pick in Junes NBA Draft, officially declared yesterday .

Hell find out who is likely picking him May 12, when the league holds its annual lottery.

I still cant believe Flagg was both college basketballs best and second-youngest player this year.

The lottery will be tense.

Hockey Canada trial starts today Five players from the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team are on trial starting today, regarding charges of sexual assault following a fundraiser in the same year.

The allegations became public in 2022, when it was reported that Hockey Canada settled a lawsuit with a woman accusing Alex Formenton, Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of assault.

Read everything you need to know here .

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EPL: Aston Villa at Man City 3 p.m.

ET on USA Villa has been excellent of late, largely thanks to Ollie Watkins , and have a real chance at piercing the top of the Premier League table with a win here.

City could use the points and have a motivated Kevin De Bruyne playing.

Fun match.

NHL: Senators at Maple Leafs 7:30 p.m.

ET on ESPN2 Were back to Toronto for the Battle of Ontario .

Enough said, really.

NBA: Timberwolves at Lakers 10 p.m.

ET on TNT/Max Minnesota showed some mettle in Game 1, and a Game 2 win here would mean scary hours for L.A.

This could be the most important game of the first round thus far.

Get tickets to games like these here .

A troubling yet important read: Carson Kessler on athletes and the pursuit of consent in the digital age.

Make time for this .

NFL Draft confidential is back, and everyone agrees: Its a tough year to need a QB .

McLarens Lando Norris was supposed to be the F1 title favorite.

And yet it is his teammate, Oscar Piastri, shining through via calm steel, leading the standings.

Luke Smith wrote about his remarkable season .

Advertisement Ken Rosenthal writes that in calling out Braves manager Brian Snitkers double standard, Ronald Acuna Jr.

might have a point .

Its hard to keep up with whatever the College Football Playoff is doing.

Chris Vannini fills us in on the battles happening this week to determine the events future.

Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday : Our story on that wacky Yankees-Rays game .

Most-read on the website yesterday : Tess DeMeyers recap of the Boston Marathon, where both winners came away with great stories .

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