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🏀 Good morning to everyone but especially …
TOM THIBODEAU AND THE NEW YORK KNICKS
Fresh off just their second 50-win season in the last two decades, the Knicks are making sure their coach isn’t going anywhere. New York and Tom Thibodeau agreed to a three-year extension that ties him to the franchise through the 2027-28 season.
Thibodeau’s relentless, no-nonsense coaching style has been a perfect fit for his team full of underdogs, who have in turn maximized their abilities in the Big Apple. Jalen Brunson has become a star while players like Donte DiVincenzo have taken huge steps forward under Thibodeau, who owns a 175-143 record with New York and won Coach of the Year in 2021. The Knicks have won a playoff series in consecutive years for the first time since 1999-2000.
This puts a bow on what’s been an incredible offseason for New York.
- The Knicks acquired standout two-way wing Mikal Bridges from the Nets in the first trade between the two teams since 1983.
- They also kept another standout two-way wing by re-signing OG Anunoby. The Knicks were 26-6 (including playoffs) when Anunoby played last year after they acquired him from the Raptors.
- Brunson signed a team-friendly four-year, $156.5 million extension; had he waited until he was an unrestricted free agent next offseason, he would have been eligible for a projected five-year, $269.1 million deal. Bridges is also expected to take a team-friendly deal.
Sam Quinn handed out offseason grades for every Eastern Conference team, and the Knicks earned a “B+.”
- Quinn: “Was Bridges an overpay from a value standpoint? Maybe, but it made perfect sense in context. This is what you hoard picks to do. The Knicks have a legitimate chance to win the championship right now, and unlike many of their competitors, they are going to have a sustainable financial structure that keeps them in the hunt for years to come. If that’s the outcome of the trade, who cares about the value proposition of a single trade? The Knicks are a center away from getting an ‘A.'”
Sam also gave out Western Conference grades, where the Thunder and Spurs were the only teams to earn an “A.”
😀 Honorable mentions
⚽ And not such a good morning for …
ARGENTINA
The Paris Olympics men’s soccer competition is already a wild one, and the opening ceremony is still a day away. Argentina lost 2-1 to Morocco in one of the most unusual and chaotic situations you’ll ever see in any sport.
- Morocco went up 2-0 behind Soufiane Rahimi‘s brace on either side of halftime before Giuliano Simeone‘s 68th-minute goal halved Argentina’s deficit.
- Cristian Medina then scored what appeared to be the game-tying goal in the 106th minute (16th minute of injury time) after a hectic sequence that included two saves and two shots going off the goal frame.
- This set off pure pandemonium: fans throwing objects (including what appeared to be flares) at the Argentina players, fans on the field, etc. Players were taken off the field, and the match seemed to have ended. Then the Olympic broadcast said that the game had instead been “interrupted.” Video boards inside the stadium instructed spectators to leave. Finally, players re-emerged for the three minutes left to play in front of an empty stadium.
- Two hours after the match had been stopped, video review confirmed Medina had been offside in the build up to the goal, and the goal was waved off. Morocco then held on for the wild win.
- Lionel Messi posted “Insólito” (Spanish for “unusual”) on his Instagram story. Argentina coach Javier Mascherano called it “the biggest circus I have ever seen in my life.”
James Benge provided some background information.
- Benge: “Given that Moroccan immigrants and their descendants make up one of the largest such communities in France, Argentina might always have expected the crowd to be against them in the Stade Geoffrey-Guichard. Events in recent weeks though served to heighten the level of enmity aimed at the Argentine football team. After all, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez had posted a video to social media in which the victorious Copa America side made racist chants about France and the nationality of their footballers.”
Not a great start!
😕 Not so honorable mentions
⚽ USWNT opens Olympic play vs.
The USWNT is set to kick off its Olympic campaign today against Zambia. With no age restrictions in place for the women’s tournament, the stage is set for some big names to shine in Paris. This is a crucial opportunity for the American team to reclaim its position as one of the world’s top contenders, under the leadership of Emma Hayes. Pardeep Cattry has provided an insightful profile on the new coach.
Our experts have weighed in with their predictions, all foreseeing the USWNT securing a medal of some sort. To achieve this, a key player will need to step up, as highlighted by Pardeep. Mallory Swanson’s return to the squad has sparked hope that the team’s attacking prowess can be reignited after a lackluster spell.
In other news, the NBA has inked a lucrative new TV deal worth $76 billion with major broadcasters like ESPN, NBC Universal, and Amazon. This deal, set to commence in the 2025-26 season, will significantly boost the league’s revenue. The agreement includes various provisions such as the NBA Finals remaining on ABC, and Amazon Prime Video streaming special events like the NBA Cup and the Play-In Tournament.
As the NBA gears up for this new chapter, the salary cap is also expected to see a notable increase. However, new regulations will prevent a drastic spike in player salaries, ensuring a more controlled growth rate. The upcoming season will mark the end of an era for TNT, as it concludes its longstanding broadcasting partnership with the league.
Lastly, don’t miss the USWNT’s clash with Zambia at 3 p.m. on the USA Network. It promises to be an exciting match as the American team looks to make a strong start to their Olympic journey. sentence in your own words.