This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning. Charles Curtis is filling in for Andy Nesbitt today.
Look: the Memphis Grizzlies are a GOOD team. Ja Morant is one of the most thrilling and explosive young players in the NBA. Jonas Valanciunas, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Brandon Clarke are part of a fun supporting cast. Dillon Brooks’ breakout is a story we’re not talking enough about. Their future is bright, to say the least.
But when they play the Golden State Warriors on Friday night in the final play-in of 2021 for the No. 8 seed in the West, I’ll be rooting for the Dubs.
There’s no way we can have a playoffs this year without Steph Curry, among the MVP finalists thanks to winning a scoring title at age 32 and carrying this team nearly to the postseason.
Sure, the Utah Jazz and their all-world defense might have the best shot at stopping the Warriors in the first round. But I should also mention that the Warriors beat the Jazz twice in three tries in the regular season … hmmmm.
What if Curry can continue his magic — even against constant double-teams — and push the No. 1 seed to the edge? We’re talking about the greatest shooter in the game, a player who can go on a heater at any time and drop one of those 40-point games with a handful of dimes, steals and threes from everywhere.
Heck, we may see that Friday night!
The Warriors might not be the dynasty version we saw in the last decade, but Curry’s having an otherworldly year that I don’t want to see end yet.
Quick hits: Tebow time! … PGA Championship highlights … Knicks fans are roasting Nets fans … and more
— Here’s the first footage of Tim Tebow in a Jaguars uniform … and he looks bulked up!
— Some PGA Championship highlights: Bryson DeChambeau hit a pitching wedge nearly 200 yard, Sebastian Munoz hit a tee shot into a trash can, and John Daly had the lead for about one minute.
— The Nets appear to be struggling to sell playoff tickets and Knicks fans are having fun with that.
— A group of NASCAR drivers break down the challenges of the first race at Circuit of the Americas.
— Why are the Falcons shopping Julio Jones??