Down bad crying at the gym

The GIST: There’s no season like the postseason, with thrillers everywhere you look in both the NBA and NHL Conference Finals. Stakes high, let’s fly.

🏀 No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves overcome another Luka Dončić triple-double, stave off sweep: With their backs against the wall heading into last night’s must-win Game 4, the Wolves (now down 3-1) brought the howl, winning 105–100 to force a Western Conference Finals Game 5 vs. Dončić and the No. 5 Dallas Mavericks tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. ET.

• Prior to fouling out, Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns nailed three fourth-quarter threes, while his rising star teammate Anthony Edwards finally found his stride, posting a team-leading 29 points. Stayin’ alive.

• Meanwhile, the Cs clinched an NBA Finals spot with a 105–102 comeback win against the injury-depleted No. 6 Indiana Pacers on Monday. Jaylen Brown was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP and will be looking to keep it up as the Celtics shoot to snap their 16-year championship drought — the second-longest in franchise history.

🥅 Florida Panthers even up Eastern Conference Final: After two straight overtime (OT) losses to the NY Rangers, the Panthers found redemption last night, winning 3–2 in OT behind a stunner from right winger Sam Reinhart and becoming the first team to beat the Rangers in OT this postseason. All tied up at 2-2, the series returns to MSG for a crucial Game 5 tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET.

• Out in the West, the Dallas Stars (up 2-1) can make it three straight wins over the Edmonton Oilers during tonight’s 8:30 p.m. ET Game 4. Stars left winger Jason Robertson ended his 10-game scoring drought by notching a hat trick in Dallas’ 5–3 Monday victory. Does he have even more up his sleeve?

The GIST: Five months, six world record-setting crowds, and one unforgettable overturned goal later, it all comes down to this — the inaugural PWHL champion will be crowned during tonight’s 7 p.m. ET winner-take-all Game 5 between No. 4 Minnesota and No. 3 Boston. So ready for it.

How we got here: After taking a 2-1 best-of-five series lead with last Friday’s dominant 4–1 Game 3 victory, Minnesota thought they had won the title on a Sophie Jaques double overtime (OT) goal in Sunday’s Game 4. But their celebration was short lived — the play was reviewed and subsequently overturned for goalie interference. Talk about whiplash.

• Just over a minute later, Boston’s Alina Müller capitalized on the second chance, netting this OT game-winner to give her team the 1–0 victory and force tonight’s decisive Game 5 back in Boston.

Game 5 preview: The high-scoring series gave way to the anticipated goalie battle in Game 4, with Boston’s Aerin Frankel making 33 saves while Minnesota’s Nicole Hensley notched 32. Expect both to do their best brick wall impressions once again with everything on the line tonight.

• As for the offense, Boston’s Müller has come alive following a slow start to the postseason, scoring two goals in her last two games. For Minny, keep an eye on Taylor Heise, who leads all playoff scorers with five goals in nine games.

• And no matter who hoists the inaugural Walter Cup, everyone can celebrate this long-awaited moment for women’s hockey. Confetti at the ready.

The GIST: The U.S. Women’s Open — the second of five LPGA majors — takes flight from the Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania tomorrow, featuring a star-studded field and a $12M purse (the largest ever for a women’s golf tournament!).

• And with 11-time LPGA Tour winner Lexi Thompson announcing her impending retirement yesterday, this weekend is bound to be one for the books.

Lexi Thompson: It’s only fitting that Thompson chose U.S. Women’s Open week to share her plans to retire at the end of the season. In 2007, the then-12-year-old became the youngest golfer to qualify for the event before eventually turning pro in 2010. From there, she went on to become one of the most recognizable players in the sport.

• Among her long list of accolades, highlights include her lone major title at the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship (now the Chevron Championship), two Olympics appearances, and becoming the seventh woman to play with men in a PGA Tour event. Truly iconic.

More players to watch: World No. 1 Nelly Korda looks like the one to beat as she seeks her seventh win of the season and third overall major title, but watch for defending champion Allisen Corpuz to come out swinging and break out of her slump.

• Last but not least, Canadian world No. 11 Brooke Henderson certainly has a chance to earn her first win in 2024. She’s notched five top-10 finishes so far this year, including a tie for third at the Chevron Championship, the first major of the season, in April. It’s time to par-tee.