’tis the damn season
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Oh, hi!
The NFL-leading Kansas City Chiefs aren’t the only ones benefiting from “Tayvoodoo.” Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which officially ended on Sunday, left an enchanted impact on countless sports teams.
- On that note, let’s dive head first, fearless into today’s sports news.
— TIME Athlete of the Year and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark, acknowledging her privilege as a white person in the WNBA and affirming her role in ensuring equal investment for all players. Say it loud and proud.
NBA Cup quarter-finals
🏀 It’s a sprint, not a marathon
The GIST: With the four-game NBA Cup group stage in the rearview mirror, we’re in the midst of four do-or-die quarter-final matchups. Swap your holiday countdown cal for a basketball — ’tis the (NBA) season after all.
Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder secure semifinal berths: Starting in the Eastern Conference (EC), the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks booked the first ticket to Saturday’s semis, beating the shorthanded No. 4 seed Orlando Magic 114–109 last night as Giannis Antetokounmpo (pronounced ah-det-oh-KOON-boh) and his partner-in-hoops Dame Lillard dropped a combined 65 points.
- The second game of the night was a rematch of last year’s Western Conference (WC) finals — but the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder had the last laugh this time around, topping the No. 4 seed Dallas Mavericks 118–104 behind 39 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Previewing tonight’s games: The plucky No. 3 seed Atlanta Hawks weren’t expected to even make it out of EC group play, but anything can happen on these kooky Cup courts. The Hawks will look to keep flying in what should be a high-scoring affair against the No. 2 seed NY Knicks and their league-best offense tonight at 7 p.m. ET. Defense? Never heard of her.
- On the flip side, D will be the name of the game in tonight’s 9:30 p.m. ET WC matchup between the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets and No. 3 seed Golden State Warriors, two of the staunchest defenses in the league. Forget Eras Tour tickets, this is the great war.
🏊 Olympic gold medal–winning swimmer Summer McIntosh broke the 400m freestyle world record at yesterday’s Short Course World Championships in Budapest, just before winning Canada’s Northern Star Award, awarded to the nation’s athlete of the year. Eh-mazing.
- But wait, there’s more: McIntosh also earned a bronze medal yesterday as a member of Canada’s 4x100m free relay team alongside Mary-Sophie Harvey, Ingrid Wilm, and Penny Oleksiak.
🦕 Toronto Raptor Scottie Barnes wore a walking boot to practice yesterday after suffering a right ankle sprain during Monday’s 113–108 loss to the NY Knicks. Barnes, who missed multiple weeks earlier this season due to an orbital fracture, is expected to undergo imaging to rule out further injury.
🏒 Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko returned to the ice last night for the first time since injuring his knee during last year’s playoffs, saving 21 shots in his Canucks’ 4–3 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues.
⚾ The Toronto Blue Jays are swinging into offseason action, finalizing a trade to acquire Gold Glove and 2022 All-Star second baseman Andrés Giménez from the Cleveland Guardians.
⛳ Tiger Woods and his son, Charlie, will play in the upcoming PNC Championship for the fifth straight year, marking Woods’ first competition since missing the cut at July’s British Open and undergoing his sixth back surgery in September.
🏆 In more news from the putting green, Scottie Scheffler was named the PGA Tour Player of the Year yesterday, his third consecutive honor. The only other golfer to achieve the three-peat? Tiger Woods.
🎓🏈 This year’s Heisman Trophy finalists were announced on Monday. Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Oregon quarterback (QB) Dillon Gabriel, and Miami QB Cam Ward are in contention for college football’s MVP, which will be announced on Saturday.
🎓🏀 NCAA women’s basketball: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 8 Notre Dame — Tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET — TSN+
- The Huskies will be without injured grad student Azzi Fudd for tomorrow’s highly anticipated top-10 throwdown, but there’ll still be starpower aplenty on the court, with UConn icon Paige Bueckers squaring up against junior Olivia Miles, another shining collegiate standout who’s expected to declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft.
🏒 NHL: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets — Tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET — TSN3
- Thanks in large part to goaltender Adin Hill, the Pacific Division–leading Golden Knights are riding a three-game win streak heading into tomorrow’s contest against a Jets squad who started the season hot, but have lost six of their last 10 games. Is a
takeoffturnaround in sight?
🏈 NFL: LA Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers — Tomorrow at 8:15 p.m. ET — TSN
- The NFC West is the most thrilling division in football right now, with just two games separating the first- and last-place teams. That means there’s a lot on the line when the bottom-of-the-division (and injury-plagued) 49ers host QB Matthew Stafford and the second-place Rams. No pressure.
Together With Canadian Women & Sport
Knowledge is power, and that’s exactly why Canadian Women & Sport is teeing up a pair of data-driven resources to help level the playing field — they’re not the country’s leading voice on gender equity in sport for nothing.
- 1️⃣ The “It’s Time” insight reports, presented by Canadian Tire Corporation, collected data from thousands of pro women’s sports fans across Canada to learn about their fandom and what makes them tick.
- 2️⃣ In partnership with Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, The 2024 Rally Report lays out the need-to-know numbers about Canadian girls’ sports participation while highlighting ways to keep girls in the game.
Whether you’re a savvy investor looking to expand your business’ reach, a passionate sports advocate, or just curious about the women’s sports landscape, Canadian Women & Sport has your back.
Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
🎥 What to watch
This ESPN 30 for 30 doc on the infamous 2011 Vancouver riots. Equal parts sports drama and social reflection, it’s a must-see.
🎁 What to gift
Sports tix. Surprise a special someone in your life with the gift that keeps on giving.
📕 What to read
The Christmas Clause: A Sweet Holiday Hockey Romance by Meg Easton. Read this warm and cozy novel along with The GIST Book Club on Fable.
Question of the Day
So many platforms, so little time. Today we want to know, what’s your favorite social media platform to follow athletes?
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