How Far We’ve Come

June 7, 2021

By: Carlos Alvarez

Welcome Back 

Remember this time last year when we couldn’t find a sports highlight? There’s no holding back now. Today’s highlight section is the largest we’ve ever written, and we’re probably still missing something. From “not enough sports” to “not enough room”? Look how far we’ve come.

Letter Rip!

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NBA PLAYOFFS

Kawhi & The Clippers Take Game 7

Photo: Media News Group / Pasadena Star via Getty Images

Clippers Def. Mavericks (126-111), Win Games 6 & 7 to Reach 2nd Round

 

The only first-round NBA series to go to Game 7 was one of the most unique playoff series in league history. For the first time ever, the road team won all six games en route to Game 7, but it was the home-team Clippers who prevailed on Sunday. Los Angeles trailed the series 2-0 to start, and they were down 20 points in Game 3 before coming back to win it in seven. Kawhi Leonard scored 73 points in the final two games of the series, outdueling Luka Doncic’s 46-point performance in Game 7 to close it out. The Clippers get the 1-seed Jazz in the next round, and we’re moving on to the conference semi-finals.

 

Watch Highlights: Clippers-Mavericks Game 7

 

Other NBA Playoff Highlights

 

Gm 1: Hawks def. 76ers (128-124)

Atlanta stunned top-seeded Philadelphia in the series opener on Sunday afternoon. Trae Young (35 points) led the Hawks to a 20-point halftime advantage, but Joel Embiid (39 points) and the Sixers made it a game late in the 4th quarter. The Hawks committed five turnovers in the final few minutes, but they survived to take Game 1. ATL Leads Series (1-0)

 

Gm 1: Nets def. Bucks (115-107)

Game 1 was bittersweet for the Brooklyn Nets in their second-round series with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Nets got the win, but they lost James Harden to a hamstring injury in the first minute of the game. He’ll be out for at least Game 2, maybe longer. Kevin Durant (29 points) and Kyrie Irving (25 points) still led Brooklyn to victory. BKN Leads Series (1-0)

 

Tonight’s Schedule

Gm 2: Bucks at Nets (7:30 pm ET)

Gm 1: Nuggets at Suns (10:00 pm ET)

 

Additional Storylines

CBS Sports: Nets Star James Harden Ruled Out of Game 2 After Aggravating Hamstring Injury

ESPN: Blazers & Head Coach Terry Stotts Part Ways After 9 Seasons

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TENNIS

Serena & Federer Out at French Open

Photo: Aurelien Meunier / Getty Images

(7) Serena Williams Falls to (21) Elena Rybakina in Straight Sets; Roger Federer Withdraws After 3rd-Round Win

 

It’s the end of the road for Serena Williams at the French Open. The 3-time French Open champion was sent home in the 4th round on Sunday morning courtesy of 21-year-old Elena Rybakina in straight sets (6-3, 7-5). Williams — now 39 years old — hasn’t won a major since 2017, and her elusive 24th slam title will have to wait until Wimbledon next month.

 

Watch: Williams Upset by Rybakina at French Open

 

Men’s Big 3: The top names in the men’s singles draw continued to push forward into the later rounds, but (8) Roger Federer decided to withdraw on Sunday morning. All three of the Big 3 — (1) Novak Djokovic, (3) Rafael Nadal and Federer — were winners on Saturday, but Federer made the decision to withdraw due to ongoing medical concerns with his two knee surgeries in the last year.

 

Today’s Schedule

M: (1) N. Djokovic vs. L. Musetti (7:15 am ET)

M: (3) R. Nadal vs. (18) J. Sinner (10:00 am ET)

W: (24) C. Gauff vs. (25) O. Jabeur (6:00 am ET)

W: (4) S. Kenin vs. (17) M. Sakkari (8:15 am ET)

 

Additional Storylines

Yahoo! Sports: ‘What is Happening’: Tennis World in Disbelief After Serena, Azarenka & Vondrusova Crash Out of 4th Round

Reuters: Federer Withdraws From French Open to Protect Body for Wimbledon Run

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NFL

Titans Land Julio Jones

Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images

Atlanta Falcons Trade 7-Time Pro Bowl Receiver to Tennessee Titans

 

Julio Jones has finally found a new home. The Atlanta Falcons agreed to trade their star wide receiver to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday morning in exchange for a pair of future draft picks. The Titans add Jones to an already loaded offense of athletic superstars, including RB Derrick Henry and WR A.J. Brown. Tennessee just boosted their chances of getting back to the top of the AFC.

 

Trade Details

Titans Get: WR Julio Jones, 2023 6th-Round Pick

Falcons Get: 2022 2nd-Round Pick, 2023 4th-Round Pick

 

After the trade became final, several Titans players expressed their excitement on social media, giving shoutouts to GM Jon Robinson for pulling off the trade. The Titans’ saw their Super Bowl odds improve from 35-1 to 30-1 in a matter of hours. Their odds to win the AFC also jumped from 18-1 to 15-1.

 

Jones has spent all 10 of his NFL seasons in Atlanta, amassing 848 catches for nearly 13,000 yards and 60 TDs.

 

Additional Storylines

The Ringer: Julio Jones Creates an Offense of Goliaths in Tennessee

CBS Sports: How the Julio Jones Trade Impacts Fantasy Football Targets for Atlanta & Tennessee

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BOXING

Logan Paul Goes the Distance

Photo: Cliff Hawkins / Getty Images

YouTube Star Goes 8 Rounds With Floyd Mayweather, But We All Know How It Ended

 

Sunday’s pay-per-view spectacle was hard to define — it wasn’t a sanctioned fight, a true boxing match or even a “coming out of retirement” party for Floyd Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs). It was simply entertainment, and a much-hyped event that left a lot to be desired for true sports fans. Even with no official winner in an eight-round exhibition (unofficially scored 78-74 in favor of Mayweather), the YouTube star-turned-boxer did what few have done before — go the distance against Floyd. Both fighters made millions on pay-per-view buys, with the exact payout to be determined, and they both go home winners.

 

The Losers? Viewers.

 

The growing trend of pay-per-view celebrity boxing events continues to gain massive traction in the sports world, with former pro athletes like Chad Johnson making an appearance on last night’s fight card. Paul’s younger brother, Jake, will face Tyron Woodley in August.

 

Watch: Mayweather-Paul Fight Highlights

 

Additional Storylines

USA Today: Floyd Mayweather Unable to Knock Out Logan Paul in Exhibition

The Guardian: Logan Paul vs. Floyd Mayweather Ends in Boos as Each Fighter Makes Millions

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🎥 THE HIGHLIGHTS

🏒 NHL: Canadiens on the Verge of Sweep

Make it six straight playoff wins for the Montreal Canadiens. Joel Armia scored two goals in a 5-1 win over the Jets in Game 3 on Sunday, and Montreal is now up 3-0 in the North Division finals after trailing the Maple Leafs (3-1) in the opening round.

 

🏒 NHL: Golden Knights Even the Series

Las Vegas bounced back from a 2-0 series deficit to win Game 3 (3-2) and Game 4 (5-1) over the weekend. Jonathan Marchessault had a hat trick in Sunday’s Game 4 as the Golden Knights saved their season… for the moment.

 

⚾️ MLB: Jacob deGrom Sets ERA Record

Mets ace Jacob deGrom pitched seven shutout innings with 11 Ks against the Padres in a win (4-0) on Saturday. He dropped his season ERA to a ridiculous 0.62, setting a modern era record for lowest ERA through the first nine starts of a season.

 

⚾️ MLB: Red Sox Sweep the Yankees

Xander Bogaerts hit a two-run single in the 10th inning (6-5) to sweep the Yankees in the Bronx for the first time in 10 years. The Red Sox have won four straight and they’re now third overall in the MLB standings.

 

🏇 HORSE: Essential Quality Wins Belmont Stakes

The Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality won Saturday’s 153rd running of the Belmont Stakes, finishing ahead of Hot Rod Charlie (2nd) and Preakness winner Rombauer (3rd).

 

⛳️ LPGA: 19-Year-Old Saso Wins US Women’s Open

Yuka Saso overcame a troublesome start to defeat Nasa Hataoka in three playoff holes and capture the 76th U.S. Women’s Open title Sunday in San Francisco. Saso, the 19-year-old Filipino golfer, sunk a lengthy birdie putt for the dramatic win.

 

🏀 WNBA: Jewell Loyd’s Epic Buzzer-Beater

Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd gets the highlight of the weekend in the WNBA with her miraculous catch-and-shoot game-winner from 25 feet. Loyd popped the fadeaway as time expired to give Seattle the win over Dallas (105-102).

 

🥎 WCWS: Montana Fouts Pitches Perfect Game

Alabama pitcher Montana Fouts became the first pitcher in almost 20 years to throw a perfect game no-hitter in the College Softball World Series on her 21st birthday. Fouts went 7 innings with 14 strikeouts in a 6-0 win over UCLA. Alabama joined Oklahoma, James Madison and Florida State in the semi-finals.

 

🏅 GYM: Simone Biles Wins 7th All-Around Title

Simone Biles made more gymnastics history on Sunday at the U.S. Championships in Texas, becoming the first female gymnast to win seven all-around titles. Biles is now 7-for-7 in American all-around victories.

 

⛳️ PGA: Cantlay Beats Morikawa in Memorial Playoff

A bizarre Sunday at The Memorial Tournament saw Jon Rahm withdraw due to a positive COVID-19 test while holding a six-stroke lead in the final round. His departure made way for Collin Morikawa (-13) and Patrick Cantlay (-13) to jump atop the leaderboard. They needed a playoff hole before Cantlay’s par putt sealed the victory.

 

⚽️ SOCCER: Pulisic Saves USMNT in Nations League

A thriller in the final! The USMNT was trailing Mexico in the Concacaf Nations League final on Sunday night before Weston McKinnie netted the game-tying goal in the 82nd minute to force overtime. In the second period of extra time, American hero Christian Pulisic delivered the game-winning goal (‘114) on a penalty kick.

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