How June Produced 2 NFL Blockbuster Trades + Prediction/Betting Markets Are Heavily With Knicks
Plus the 10 players to watch in the World Cup, which starts on Thursday
In Today’s Issue: Myles Garrett, A.J. Brown, Frederik Andersen, Brandon Bussi, Rod Brind’Amour, Napheesa Collier, Olivia Miles, Natasha Howard, Courtney Williams, Cheryl Reeve, Gavin Williams, Will Warren, Caitlin Clark, Latrell Sprewell, Jalen Brunson, and Rick Brunson.
WHAT TO READ
June is usually one of the more quiet times in the NFL, but the first day of the month this year could end up being one of the most impactful of the offseason. Teams that wait until June 1st each year to trade or cut a player get salary cap benefits. The Rams used the opportunity to trade for reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, while the Patriots got wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Eagles. Read how the trades happened, what the teams gave up, and the benefits to each franchise. (Jeremy Fowler, Sarah Barshop, Mike Reiss, Daniel Oyefusi, Tim McManus, ESPN)
The Knicks have won 13 straight games in the playoffs, and a sweep of the Spurs would tie them with the Warriors for longest streak in NBA postseason history. New York hasn’t just racked up wins, they’ve blown out opponents at a historic level (though not in the Finals), with a 273-point win margin — the best postseason streak ever and second-highest total in league history when you include the regular season. Yahoo Sports has the 13 stats that have defined the Knicks’ historic run. (Ben Rohrbach, Yahoo Sports)
Each of the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final has seen comebacks of two or more goals, with the Golden Knights taking two of those matchups. With Game 4 in Vegas tomorrow night, the pre-series favorite Hurricanes still haven’t decided if Frederik Andersen or Brandon Bussi will start in goal in the crucial contest. Read about how Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour is making the decision that could decide who takes the Cup. (Stephen Whyno, Associated Press)
Lynx star forward Napheesa Collier hasn’t played this season due to an ankle injury and the team’s leading scorer is a rookie, yet Minnesota is once again atop the WNBA standings. Olivia Miles, a 23-year-old first-year player out of TCU (she started at Notre Dame for three seasons before that), is scoring 17.2 points per game, good for 14th in the league, with two teammates, Natasha Howard and Courtney Williams, right behind her at 17.1. Read about how coach Cheryl Reeve put together a roster that apparently doesn’t even needs its biggest star to thrive. (Kareem Copeland, ESPN)
More Americans are expected to tune into the World Cup than ever before, as the sport has seen a huge influx of fans in the country since the last time the U.S. hosted the event in 1994. The Associated Press has ongoing coverage to help the casual or non-soccer-watching American audience know what to look for when the biggest event in the world kicks off on Thursday. Read about the 10 players to watch that could have the biggest impact in this year’s edition. (James Robson, Associated Press)
WHAT TO WATCH
6:40pm — Yankees vs. Guardians on FS1: Cleveland’s Gavin Williams is looking to become the first starting pitcher in MLB to get to 10 wins this season (he’s 9-3 with a 3.20 ERA), while the Yankees have only lost two games all season with Will Warren on the mound (7-1, 3.22 ERA). The Yankees have the most wins in the American League and the Guardians are atop the AL Central. (NYY -102, CLE -118)
7pm — Fever vs. Mystics on NBCSN/Peacock: Indiana has lost three of four coming into a Commissioner’s Cup matchup against a team whose coach was ejected and escorted out of the game by police in their last contest, so there could be some focus issues. Caitlin Clark is down to seventh in the WNBA in scoring at 18.7 points per game after putting in 10, 17, 6 and 16 points in the past four games, shooting under 30% in three of those matchups. (IND -5.5, Total: 170.5)
8:30pm — Spurs vs. Knicks on ABC: New York won both games in San Antonio after the young Spurs looked nervous for the first time this season. No team has ever won the NBA title after losing the first two Finals games at home, but if the Spurs want to change that, this is a must-win in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks, who haven’t lost since April 23rd, scored 105 in each of the first two games in the series — their two lowest-scoring outputs of the postseason. (NYK -2.5, Total: 216.5)
WHAT TO TRACK
Kalshi gives the Knicks a 55% chance to win Game 3 in the Finals at home. FanDuel has New York’s spread at -2.5 (-105) and the moneyline at -130, with 66% of the spread money and 57% of the spread bets with the Knicks. The predictions markets also give the Knicks a huge advantage to win the series, 78% (1.26x) to 23% (4.13x). NBA teams are 164-0 when they get a 3-0 lead in the playoffs.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I never thought he’d grow up to be the player he is today. … Jalen’s made for these moments. None of these moments are too big for him.”
— Former Knicks player Latrell Sprewell on Jalen Brunson, whose dad Rick Brunson played with Sprewell the last time the Knicks made the NBA Finals in 1999.
See you tomorrow,
Abe