🚀 Luka Launches Mavs to Finals & NHL Series on the Edge! 🏒 June's Champions Await!

Happy Friday Blitzers 🙌

May has come and gone, and what a month it was. June has confetti queued up as championship trophy ceremonies are in the works, so get the champagne on ice. Let’s recap yesterday, prep for the weekend, and take a look ahead of what June has in store for us.

As for what happened last night? Luka…. Luka happened. Scroll on!

WTF Stat: Since January 2022, New York has collected nearly $2 billion in tax revenue from sports betting, thanks to its hefty 51% tax rate on sports betting revenue. That's more than many states collect from all sources of gambling combined!

🏀 Luka and Kyrie each scored 36, sending the Mavs to the NBA Finals to face off against the Boston Celtics. More detail below.

🏒 Florida Panthers took game 5 on the road to take a 3-2 series lead, putting the Rangers on the ropes this weekend. More below.

⚽️ A mere 124 games after the competition proper began in Milan and Bern, the Champions League concludes Saturday night at Wembley Stadium with Dortmund and Real Madrid. Let’s recap the drama, plot twists, and stats. (Champions League Final Stats) (CBS Sports)

🍺 Things at Roland-Garros this year seemingly look more like the waste management open in Phoenix. The raucous atmosphere has caused incidents throughout the week, leading to increased security and banning alcohol from the stands! “Alcohol was until now authorised in the stands. Now it’s over,” said Mauresmo, the tournament director.

NBA PLAYOFFS - 🚀 Luka Launches Mavs to Finals

Luka Doncic's Legend Grows (36 pts), Leads Mavs Back to NBA Finals With 20-Point 1st Quarter in Game 5 Blowout (124-103)

Holy horses… Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals last night in Minnesota was close for about six minutes. Then, it was over in a blink, and Luka Doncic ensured it. Doncic scored 12 points in 180 seconds right out of the gate. Despite that instant haymaker, the Mavericks and T-Wolves were tied 18-18 before Dallas went on a 17-1 run to end the quarter. Doncic single-handedly outscored the Wolves in the first (20-19), including four 3s and the rout was on. Dallas led by as many as 36, while Doncic and Kyrie Irving poured in 36 points each. With that overwhelming result, the Mavs are heading to the NBA Finals for the first time since the duo of Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki beat the Miami Heat in 2011.

 Luka & Kyrie — A Backcourt of Legend

It was Feb. 6, 2023, when the Mavs traded for Kyrie Irving following the superstar’s failed stint in Brooklyn. Many questioned the move by the Dallas brass and failed to see how Ky and Luka would gel. Fifteen months later, this is how. Don’t forget that Irving also played for the Celtics for two seasons, so there’s a spicy NBA Finals storyline to follow. But above all, a 25-year-old Doncic seems to be officially launching towards a legendary career.

 Game 5 Top Scorers

L. Doncic (DAL): 36 pts, 10 rebs, 5 asts

K. Irving (DAL): 36 pts, 4 rebs, 5 asts

A. Edwards (MIN): 28 pts, 9 rebs, 6 asts

K. Towns (MIN): 28 pts, 12 rebs

 Western Conference Finals

Gm 5: Mavericks def. T-Wolves (124-103)

DAL Wins Series (4-1)

 NBA Finals Game 1

Mavericks at Celtics (Mon. 8:30 pm ET)

 Read More

FOX Sports: Luka Doncic’s 36 Points Spur Mavs to NBA Finals

SI: Mavericks Advance to NBA Finals After Routing Timberwolves in Game 5

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

Panthers Put Rangers in Danger - Panthers Take Pivotal Game 5 With 2-Goal 3rd Period (3-2), 1 Win Away From Returning to Stanley Cup Finals.

 Flipped the script! The Panthers trailed the series 2-1 at the beginning of the week. It’s now 3-2 heading back home for Game 6 after a 3-2 win last night in Madison Square Garden. As expected in this series, Game 5 was another teeter-totter outcome. Chris Kreider (Rangers) opened the scoring in the second period. Gustav Forsling (Panthers) answered. Anton Lundell (Panthers) and Sam Bennett (Panthers) found the net in the final 10 minutes of the third period to ice the win. The Rangers got one back in the final minute, but it was too little too late. In this year's postseason run, Florida is now 6-2 on the road.

 Florida Man-Handle

The Panthers are 11-5 in the playoffs, but their defense has held strong every time it mattered most. Florida has held opponents — the Lightning, Bruins, and Rangers — to two goals or less in 12 of their 16 games. Big Bob (Sergei Bobrovsky), the goaltender, gives his skaters every chance every night out. The Panthers are one win away from winning the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season.

 Top Skaters

S. Bennett (FLA): 1 Goal, 1 Assist

C. Kreider (NYR): 1 Goal, 1 Assist

Goalies

S. Bobrovsky (FLA): 25 Saves

I. Shesterkin (NYR): 34 Saves

 Eastern Conference Finals

Gm 5: Panthers def. Rangers (3-2)

FLA Leads Series (3-2)

 Read More

NHL: Rangers Struggle Again on Power-Play in 3rd Period of Game 5 Loss

ESPN: Panthers Have Rangers on the Ropes: Takeaways From Game 5

COMING UP…

🏆️ The June Champions Watch

The calendar flips to June tomorrow as sports nears a change in seasons. If you're tired of the playoff coverage, we're almost through. This month will crown at least eight champions across high-profile college and pro leagues. Here are most of those championship moments on the horizon:

⚽️ Champions League Final (June 1)

⛳️ LPGA U.S. Women’s Open (June 2)

🥎 College Softball World Series(June 6-7)

🎾 French Open Finals (June 7-8)

⛳️ USGA U.S. Open (June 16)

🏀 NBA Finals(Next 3 Weeks)

🏒 Stanley Cup Finals(Next 3 Weeks)

🏀 College Baseball World Series (June 22-24)

More Scores:

MLB

Francisco Lindor Ignites Mets With 4-for-4 Night

Tigers’ Jack Flaherty Fans 9 in Shutout Win

Jose Siri Hits 2 HRs, Rays Get 12th-Inning Walk-Off

🎾 French Open

W: #2 A. Sabalenka def. M. Uchijima (6-2, 6-2)

W: #14 M. Keys def. M. Sherif (6-0, 7-6)

W: O. Danilovic def. #11 D. Collins (6-7, 7-5, 6-4)

M: #1 N. Djokovic def. R. Carballes Baena (6-4, 6-1, 6-2)

🥎 Softball World Series

#1 Texas def. #8 Stanford (4-0)

#2 Oklahoma def. #10 Duke (9-1)

#6 UCLA def. #14 Alabama (4-1)

#4 Florida def. #5 Oklahoma State (1-0)

LPGA (U.S. Women’s Open)

Yuka Saso (-2) Leads All Scores After R1

Nelly Korda Shoots Brutal 10 on Par-3

Isi Gabsa Hits Bird With Tee Shot

WNBA

Sky def. Sparks (83-73)

Marina Mabrey (20-7-7) Hits Six 3s

Storm def. Fever (103-88)

Jewell Loyd (22 pts), Caitlin Clark (20 pts)

On May 31st, 2008, Usain Bolt broke the world record in the 100m sprint with a wind-legal (+1.7m/s) time of 9.72 seconds, making him the fastest man in history, a pretty cool “hidden (or not so hidden) talent”…

Stanley Cup Playoffs

Gm 5: Oilers at Stars (Fri. 8:30 pm, TNT)

Gm 6: Rangers at Panthers (Sat. 8:00 pm, ABC)

Gm 6: Stars at Oilers (Sun. 8:00 pm, TNT)

 Soccer

UCL Final: Dortmund vs. Real Madrid (Sat. 3:00 pm, CBS)

Friendly: USWNT vs. South Korea (Sat. 5:00 pm, TNT)

CC Final: Columbus Crew vs. Pachuca (Sat. 9:15 pm, FS1)

French Open (3rd Round)

French Open Schedule (Subject to Change)

*Stream on NBC Sports / Peacock

College Softball (World Series)

WCWS Bracket & Schedule (All Weekend)

MLB

Cubs-Reds Series

Cardinals-Phillies Series

Yankees-Giants Series

Full MLB Schedule

UFC 302

Poirier vs. Makhachev (Sat. 10:00 pm, ESPN+)

Golf

PGA: Canadian Open (Rounds 2-4)

LPGA: U.S. Women’s Open (Rounds 2-4)

WNBA

Sky at Fever (Sat. Noon, ESPN)

Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese

*All Times ET

Trivia Time Answer

C.  9. The Canadian Open has a long and storied history, dating back to its inception in 1904. Over the years, only nine Canadian golfers have won their national championship. Some of the notable Canadian winners include:

• George Cumming (1905)

• Charlie Murray (1906, 1911)

• Albert Murray (1908, 1913)

• Karl Keffer (1909, 1914)

• Pat Fletcher (1954)

• Nick Taylor (2023)

Before Nick Taylor's recent win in 2023, Pat Fletcher was the last Canadian to win the event in 1954, ending a 69-year drought. It will be tough for a Canadian to repeat this year, with 54-year-old Mike Wier currently tied for 20th at -2, being the top Canadian in the field through Friday’s second round.