Keep calm and hoop on

The GIST: The No. 1 NY Liberty are one win away from their first-ever championship following Wednesday's stunning comeback 80–77 Game 3 win over the No. 2 Minnesota Lynx. This Finals series has been downright unpredictable, but here’s what we do know ahead of tonight’s 8 p.m. ET Game 4 and a potential Game 5 on Sunday.

Liberty superstar Sabrina Ionescu inked her name in WNBA history: Much like the Lynx in Game 1, the Libs were down bad in Game 3, trailing by as many as 15 points — but that all changed in the fourth quarter.

• Breanna Stewart went on a tear, finishing with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks and would have undoubtedly been the game MVP…had Ionescu not made that shot.

• Guarded by Minnesota’s ultra-tough Kayla McBride, sharpshooter Ionescu had only made one three-pointer before the game’s final minute, where she sunk not one, but two crucial threes, including the incredible game-winner. Playing like she had something to prove.

But Napheesa Collier and the Lynx aren’t done yet: Game 3 was played in front of 19,521 rowdy fans, the largest-ever Lynx crowd — and they’ll be back out there for Game 4.

• Though league MVP runner-up Collier is facing her toughest matchup of the playoffs yet in Stewie, she was only one rebound shy of a double-double on Wednesday, and has already broken the legendary Diana Taurasi’s record for most points in a single postseason.

• TL;DR — Collier is on fire, and Minnesota had the edge until they ran out of gas in Game 3. This darn good team may not be super, but they should never be underestimated.

The GIST: From the soaring viewership numbers to the down-to-the-wire on-field action, these MLB playoffs have already been a true home run. One swing of the bat can change the tide in these best-of-seven Championship Series — let’s step up to the plate with the latest.

Cleveland Guardians walk-off NY Yankees to avoid a three-game deficit: “It’s not over ’til it’s over,” the Guards, probably. Down to their final out, Cleveland’s Jhonkensy “Big Christmas” Noel blasted a two-run, game-tying home run to send things to extra innings.

• That’s where David Fry delivered a clutch walk-off two-run shot, giving the Guardians the 7–5 win and bringing the series to 2-1 in favor of the Yanks heading into tonight’s 8:08 p.m. ET Game 4 from Cleveland. These boys might’ve just found their wings.

High-powered LA Dodgers one win away from World Series: LA superstars Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts blasted one home run apiece in last night’s dominant 10–2 Game 4 win over the NY Mets, putting the Blue Crew just one victory away from a 22nd franchise trip to the Fall Classic.

• The Mets have home-field advantage for a must-win Game 5 tonight at 5:08 p.m. ET, but they’ve had no answers for this explosive Dodgers offense and LA is sending lights out hurler Jack Flaherty to the mound.

• It’s going to take a whole lot of luck — and probably some Grimace Magic — to dig out of this hole.

Did you know that the most distinctive shift in sports in the last 50 years has been the rapid rise in the importance, influence, and value of female fans?*

Did you know that 80% of all consumer spending is controlled by women?**

Did you know that The GIST reaches one million newsletter subscribers, 85% of whom identify as women or nonbinary?

Did you know that you could grow brand love and affinity by aligning with a women-founded business that’s challenging the male-dominated sports industry?

If this sounds intriguing to you or your company, let’s talk.

The GIST: With four weeks passed since McLaren’s Lando Norris won the Singapore Grand Prix and only six races left in the season, F1 lands in the Lone Star State for the United States Grand Prix from Austin’s Circuit of the Americas (COTA) this weekend. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the speedy action.

The standings: Unlike last season’s runaway by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, this year is a completely different story. Verstappen won six of the first 10 races in 2024 and is first in the Driver Standings, but the Dutchman hasn’t found the top of the podium since.

• The aforementioned Norris won the first three races of his career this season, propelling the British driver to second place in the Driver Standings, only 52 points behind and well within striking distance of Mad Max.

• McLaren’s recent success also powered them to the top of the Constructor Standings, ahead of reigning two-time champs Red Bull. Palms are sweaty, indeed.

The track: Switching, ahem, gears to the course, COTA's 5.5km track debuted in 2012 — then the first US Grand Prix since 2007 — and has been a mainstay on the F1 calendar ever since.

• But before Sunday’s 3 p.m. ET, 56-lap race gets underway, the drivers will embark on a shorter, more dynamic Sprint race tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET, with points awarded to the top eight finishers.

Zooming out: Austin’s one of a handful of races revved up for North American fans. Thanks to the success of the Drive to Survive Netflix series, F1’s American fan base grew exponentially, prompting the addition of the Miami Grand Prix in 2022 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023. The second is slated for later this month, where drivers will race the famous Las Vegas Strip. Start those engines.

🏐 Athletes Unlimited (AU) Volleyball: Team Abercrombie vs. Team Drews — Tonight at 10:30 p.m. ET — Bally Sports Regional Networks

• Team captain Brittany Abercrombie is off to a hot start, going 3-0 in her captaincy debut last week and ascending to the top of the AU leaderboard — but can the rookie keep it up against veteran Dani Drews? The Week 3 drama is bumpin’.

🎓🏈 NCAA football: No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 1 Texas — Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET — ESPN

• This SEC battle is all about the quarterbacks (QB). Texas QB Quinn Ewers is fighting to keep his team’s undefeated streak alive, while Georgia QB Carson Beck arrives in Austin fresh off a career-high game against Mississippi State.

⚽ NWSL: Racing Louisville vs. Portland Thorns — Tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET — ION

• Tomorrow’s MLS Decision Day (aka the last day of the regular season), but we’re also keeping an eye on the NWSL, where the never-say-die spoiler Thorns can secure one of two remaining playoff spots with a W or draw against Louisville.

🏈 NFL: Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers — Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET — FOX

• The Super Bowl rematch we’ve been waiting for won’t see reigning Offensive Player of the Year, injured SF running back Christian McCaffrey, take the field, but it will feature standout KC QB Patrick Mahomes. Super, indeed.

It’s starting to get a little colder out there, so now’s the time to spoil yourself with a stay for two in one of the world’s most unique and gorgeous destinations: Tulum, Mexico. Vamos!

• Win a three-night stay in Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya’s beach resort and get swept away by their beautiful beaches, picture-perfect palm trees, and crystal-clear waters.

No time to waste — enter to win today.