Knicks stay alive; Oilers set for Stanley Cup Final rematch with Panthers; previewing Champions League final

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Good morning to all but especially …

THE NEW YORK KNICKS AND THE EDMONTON OILERS

They’re still down, but they’re certainly not out. And if they can reproduce their efforts in Game 5, they’ll certainly have a chance to pull off a comeback for the ages. The Knicks beat the Pacers 111-94 to cut their series deficit to 3-2 and send it back to Indiana for Game 6.

But the biggest difference, by far, was the defense. Tyrese Haliburton had just eight points and attempted just seven shots. Indiana had 20 turnovers and 94 points — both its worst this postseason — after scoring at least 100 in each of its first 14 games of these playoffs. New York extended its pressure, limited Haliburton’s space and protected the paint with aplomb (60-34 paint points advantage). 

The Knicks are the 298th team to go down 3-1 in a seven-game series. Only 13 have finished the comeback. But if Brunson can outplay Haliburton twice more, New York has a chance, Matt Norlander writes.

In the NHL, we do have our Final matchup, and it’s a rematch at that. The Oilers finished off the Stars with a 6-3 Game 5 win and will face the Hurricanes with Lord Stanley’s Cup on the line. Florida beat Edmonton in a seven-game thriller last year.

• This one was over shortly after it started: Corey Perry scored just 2:31 in, and Mattias Janmark and Jeff Skinner tallied within the next six minutes. Peter DeBoer controversially pulled Jake Oettinger after the third goal.
• The Stars would twice cut the deficit to one, but the Oilers had answers: Connor McDavid in the second period and Evander Kane in the third. Kasperi Kapanen‘s empty netter ended it.
• The Oilers are looking to be the first Canadian team to lift the Stanley Cup since the Canadiens in 1993.

Honorable mentions

Not so honorable mentions

UEFA Champions League final: Picks, preview for PSG vs. Inter Milan

The largest UEFA Champions League field ever has been winnowed down to two: PSG faces Inter Milan in the Champions League final tomorrow at 3 p.m., airing on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. It’ll be the first time since 2010 that a team outside Spain, England or Germany lifts this hallowed trophy, and Francesco Porzio says that’s good for the sport.

Though PSG is a considerable favorite, Inter has shown remarkable spirit and has a trophy-collecting striker in top form, Francesco writes.

• Porzio: “Lautaro Martinez showed to be one of the best strikers around the world this season and drastically improved since the 2023 final, becoming a much more central figure of the team, where he’s now the captain. The Argentinian player, the heartbeat of the Nerazzurri, made an incredible comeback after a muscular injury sustained in Barcelona to return for the crucial second leg … Having already won the 2022 World Cup and the 2021 and 2024 Copa America with Argentina, the Champions League remains Lautaro’s latest ambition.”

But PSG … my goodness. Les Parisiens boast a tremendous attack, led by the headliners of James Benge’s five players who could define the final.

• Benge: “One of the three or four best players in the world this season, Ousmane Dembele has been the star who best defines PSG’s remarkable season. … In 19 games leading the PSG line since the turn of the year, Dembele has 18 goals and four assists … Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a one-man defense buster, the sort who can drive defenders into paroxysms of frustration … There is magic in the Georgian’s boots.”

Chuck Booth has a bevy of best bets, and our experts have made their picks. Here’s more:

NCAA to discuss expanding NCAA Tournament

The NCAA is discussing expanding the NCAA Tournament as early as the upcoming season, according to president Charlie Baker.

I’m not a fan. At all. The “First Four” is a perfect way to tide us over between Selection Sunday and that frantic, beautiful opening Thursday of the first round. Expansion is an unpopular idea among fans (though the NCAA has shown over and over it’s not particularly concerned about fans’ wants), and the financial gain isn’t actually that large.

Matt Norlander used those reasons and more last summer to explain why March Madness should stay at 68 teams.

Should Pirates trade Paul Skenes?

Paul Skenes is absolutely dominant. One year after winning NL Rookie of the Year and coming in third in the Cy Young Award race (despite not being called up until May!), he’s in the midst of another excellent year.

He also just turned 23 on Thursday. A bonafide ace at an extraordinarily young age, under control until 2029? Who wouldn’t want that?

The problem is the Pirates stink. In fact, they have a 5-7 record in his starts this season, even though he has a 2.15 ERA. The Internet has conjured up the theory that they should consider trading Skenes to receive what would surely be a historic windfall.

So we asked our baseball experts that exact question: Should the Pirates trade Paul Skenes? The answer, unanimously and resoundingly, was “no.” Matt Snyder doesn’t mince words.

• Snyder: “Absolutely not. He’s under team control through the 2029 season. If the Pirates traded him, it would be a signal to the fans that they definitely don’t think they can contend through 2029 or, really, even 2030 or 2031. If you’re doing that, you should be contracted. It’s pathetic the Pirates didn’t try to do more this past offseason to surround Skenes while he’s cheap, but even thinking about trading him would be malpractice to previously unseen levels.”

What we’re watching this weekend

Friday

Reds at Cubs, 2:20 p.m. on MLB Network
Red Sox at Braves, 7:15 p.m. on Apple TV+
Yankees at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m. on Apple TV+

Saturday

Reds at Cubs, 2:20 p.m. on MLB Network
UEFA Champions League final: PSG vs. Inter Milan, 3 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
Brewers at Phillies, 4:05 p.m. on FS1
USWNT vs. China, 5:30 p.m. on TBS
Yankees at Dodgers OR Twins at Mariners, 7:15 p.m. on Fox
 Knicks at Pacers (Pacers lead 3-2), 8 p.m. on TNT/truTV
Nationals at Diamondbacks, 10:10 p.m. on FS1

Sunday

Red Sox at Braves, 1:35 p.m. on MLB Network
Yankees at Dodgers, 7 p.m. on ESPN2