The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox.
Good morning! Be mindful of the second apron today.
Celtic Slide: What does Boston do now?
Two weeks ago, the Celtics were the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference. They were the defending NBA champions. And if they didn’t win another Larry O’Brien Trophy this June, there was no reason they wouldn’t be a front-line contender again in 2026.
Now, though? Does anyone know? The Celtics’ second-round series against the Knicks was a disaster. It began with consecutive 20-point blown leads at home. Then Boston frittered away a 14-point advantage in Game 4, when Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles during a last-gasp attempt. That one play might have cost the Celtics two seasons.
The Celtics met a merciful end at Madison Square Garden last night, 119-81, and now have a lot to figure out:
- Tatum will miss a consequential period in his career. The best player on maybe the NBA’s best team missing not just a playoff run now, but much or all of his age-27 season? That’s not common. As Jared Weiss wrote: “It’s rare that this caliber of player suffers this devastating an injury at this catastrophic a time of year in this seminal a moment for a marquee franchise.”
- Without Tatum, the Celtics have to find wins elsewhere. Some quick math: Tatum has been worth between 9.5 and 10.5 win shares in each of the past four seasons, per Basketball Reference. The Celtics will try to mitigate his loss, but there aren’t many Tatums out there. Even if there were, backfilling would be tricky, because …
- The Celtics are in salary-cap hell. Boston may be able to get some cap relief in light of Tatum’s injury, but for the most part, the Celtics remain on the hook for his $54 million cap hit. As John Hollinger explained a while ago, the Celtics are above the NBA’s second-apron tax penalty threshold — and are poised to pay more penalties, the longer they keep their championship core together.
- It’s unclear if management will want to keep paying those bills. Boston is in the middle of an ownership change, with a new group taking over gradually for current boss Wyc Grousbeck. But Grousbeck, even as he’s agreed to sell the team at a record $6.1 billion valuation, is still the governor for three more seasons. This is an unusual sale.
The Celtics could walk a number of paths now. They could hold their noses and keep paying enormous tax penalties, make do without Tatum and pray to the hoop gods that he comes back soon as an effective version of himself. (It’d be hard to just punt on a season when you still have Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard in their primes.) But what if the Celtics, in the middle of a sale and a tax crunch, would like to free up some dollars? What if they see the specter of a Tatum-less season as a chance to get younger?
It’s a legitimate fork in the road. Is there a real chance that the Celtics could take apart this roster as soon as this offseason? And given the ownership transition, who would even decide that? I asked Jay King, who covers the Celtics for The Athletic:
💬 Thanks to their financial situation, the Celtics were staring at possibly significant roster decisions anyway. Tatum’s injury could force the front office to consider more of a drastic shakeup.
Much to figure out. That’s why GM Brad Stevens makes the big bucks.
News to Know
Jury discharged in Hockey Canada trial
Judge Maria Carroccia dismissed the jury in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial for the second time yesterday. The decision comes after a juror sent a note to Carroccia accusing defense lawyers of inappropriate conduct.
What else to know as the Hockey Canada trial moves on:
- The case will now proceed as a judge-only trial, with Carroccia responsible for hearing evidence and coming to a verdict. Our reporters have much more on yesterday’s significant development in the trial.
- The jury dismissal also prompted the lifting of a publication ban on previously unreported details. Katie Strang and Dan Robson have all those details here, including a member of the public recording proceedings with Ray-Ban Meta glasses and a lawyer leaking the location of the complainant on a radio station.
Purdy cashes in
The combined career earnings of every Mr. Irrelevant picked from 2001-2024 not named Brock Purdy: $51.6M. Purdy’s new AAV: $53M. The 49ers quarterback agreed to a five-year, $265 million contract extension yesterday in a deal San Francisco simply had to get done. We’ll have much more on Purdy’s deal in our NFL newsletter on Monday. For now, watch Dianna Russini and Michael Silver react live to Purdy’s extension.
Advertisement
Toronto forces Game 7
Auston Matthews had yet to score in the Leafs’ second-round series vs. the Panthers. Last year’s Rocket Richard Trophy winner was saving it for Game 6, of course. Matthews broke a 0-0 tie in the third period and silenced the Panthers’ crowd in an eventual 2-0 road win. More takeaways from Florida ahead of an epic Game 7 in Toronto tomorrow.
More news:
What to Watch
📺 MLB: Mets at Yankees
1:05 p.m. ET, free on MLB.TV
This Subway Series has a lot of juice. Juan Soto is back at Yankee Stadium, where his ex-fans are booing him loudly. Aaron Judge is batting .727. (Don’t fact-check me.) This is not a hard sell.
📺 Horses: The Preakness Stakes
7:01 p.m. ET, NBC
That’s the post time. Coverage starts at 4. Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty is not running. See a detailed field analysis to be a proper horse-knower. The favorite is Goal Oriented at 6-1, but 👀 on Journalism, who’s next down the list: “His speed figures tower over those of most of his rivals, and it would seem that the race is his to lose.” Rain is expected around Pimlico earlier in the day, but Journalism ran well at a muddy Derby.
📺 NHL: Jets at Stars, Game 6
8 p.m. ET on ABC
Dallas leads 3-2 and can close it out at home. Connor Hellebuyck pitched a Game 5 shutout to extend Winnipeg’s season. Hellebuyck goes back and forth a lot these days between “completely lost” and his more typical “best goalie in the world” status. Goalies are weird.
Pulse Picks
The Athletic’s weekly news quiz.
The Eurovision Song Contest — the Aussies got on board, so why not the Americans? — Phil Hay
In honor of Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson’s breakout season, I present my favorite defensive play his dad, Jack, ever made for the Pirates. There’s no bond like the one between a Pulse writer and his boyhood team’s glove-first infielders. –– Alex Kirshner
Dana O’Neil’s feature on the future of the Preakness. Insightful.
My favorite extremely American Chinese takeout choice is always General Tso’s chicken. I’m making it this weekend via this recipe. I might be too excited. — Chris Branch
From the post-“Andor” rewatch: Imagine fighting the Empire every day for a decade, then seeing Han Solo get a medal three minutes after signing up. — Jason Kirk
Josh Johnson is having a moment right now. I went to see him a couple weeks ago in Manhattan: 10/10 on the LMAO scale! His new half-hour video on YouTube breaks down the 100 Men vs. Gorilla debate. (He also has a fantastic set on the Super Bowl halftime show.) — Hannah Vanbiber
Ken Rosenthal came in hot with this piece on the Angels’ reminder this weekend of their embarrassing Shohei Ohtani missteps.
Using your local public library’s full slate of offerings. — Torrey Hart
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Brendan Quinn’s heartwarming story on Luke Donald’s caddie.
Most-read on the website yesterday: The news from the Hockey Canada trial.
Ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Top photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Felipe Melo banca candidato ao G-6 do Brasileirão: “Time para brigar”
Felipe Melo, ex-jogador e comentarista (Reprodução) Felipe Melo, em análise sobre Vasco x Fortaleza, avalia que Fernando Diniz trouxe um forte impacto nos poucos dias de trabalho à frente do Cruz-Maltino. Após o período turbulento com Fábio Carille e Felipe ocupando o cargo, o atual comandante, segundo o ex-jogador, tem o potencial de conduzir o clube carioca na briga pelo G-6 do Brasileirão, objetivo capaz de ser traçado através da subida na tabela. “Vitória super importante do Vasco! Dando uma resposta para o torcedor… uma reestreia muito boa do Diniz sob o comando do Vasco.”, disse Felipe Melo, em vídeo nos stories do Instagram. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “O Vasco demonstrou que é um bom time. Eu acho que essas peças que o Vasco tem são boas. Não é time para brigar por Campeonato Brasileiro, mas não é para brigar na zona […]
PGA Championship 2025: Bryson DeChambeau’s late collapse put him behind Scottie Scheffler
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Striding off the 15th green Saturday after taking the outright lead in the PGA Championship, Bryson DeChambeau was waving his arms and encouraging the fans at Quail Hollow to get louder.It looked like DeChambeau was ready to make a charge and grab the tournament by the throat heading into the final day. Then the Green Mile happened, and just like that DeChambeau’s lead was gone.AdvertisementThe popular Texan stumbled home Saturday with a bogey at 16 and a double bogey at 17, and will start Sunday six shots behind Scottie Scheffler after the world’s top-ranked player fired a 6-under 65 to take control of the tournament. DeChambeau settled for a 2-under 69 and is 5-under-par for the tournament. But a combination of gusting winds and Quail Hollow’s tough, three-hole finishing stretch left him wanting more.“Yeah, I’m three back […]
‘Scratch and claw until we win’: Comebacks are the difference for the 2025 Blue Jays
TORONTO — The 2025 Toronto Blue Jays are adamant they’re different.Toronto added a switch-hitting slugger, a Gold Glove second baseman, a Hall of Fame pitcher, and two new hitting coaches in the offseason. It was the kind of roster change required after a 74-88 season that saw Toronto finish last in the American League East.AdvertisementBut the biggest contrast isn’t on the 26-man roster or the coaching staff, the players say. It’s a feeling. Daulton Varsho calls it “mojo.” For Eric Lauer, it’s a “blue-collar mentality.” Whatever that difference is, the Blue Jays showed it in Saturday’s 2-1 walk-off win over the American League-leading Detroit Tigers. It was Toronto’s 12th comeback win of the season, third-most in baseball. It’s a fight the 2024 Blue Jays didn’t have, and one the 2025 team needs.“I think last year, it felt like we’d go […]
Torcedores do River Plate elegem o maior clube do Brasil
Argentinos apontam clube top-1 do Brasil - Divulgação Os torcedores do River Plate elegeram qual é o maior clube do Brasil. Nos arredores do estádio Monumental de Núñez, os hinchas de Millonarios foram desafiados a responder uma pergunta que costuma ser bastante polêmica. Entrevistados por Larissa Jardim, criadora de conteúdo nas redes sociais, os hermanos diversificaram na resposta. O São Paulo, maior campeão mundial entre os times brasileiros, sequer foi mencionado. Assim como o Botafogo, atual detentor do título continental. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE Os torcedores do River Plate mencionaram o Palmeiras, maior campeão nacional, Grêmio, copeiro e respeitado pelo seu tricampeonato da Libertadores, além de Botafogo e Flamengo, outros dois tradicionais clubes do Brasil também com muita história. Um argentino, porém, não considera o Rubro-Negro como o principal clube do futebol brasileiro e justificou sua opinião. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “Muitas pessoas falam […]
2025 PGA Championship odds, predictions: Surprising Sunday picks from golf model that called 14 majors
Getty Images Scottie Scheffler has never won a major other than the Masters, but that very well could change on Sunday. Scheffler is 11 under and in solo first on the 2025 PGA Championship leaderboard entering Round 4 after shooting a third-round 65 on Saturday, the lowest score of any golfer in Round 3. Alex Noren (-8), J.T. Poston (-7), Davis Riley (-6), Jhonattan Vegas (-6), Jon Rahm (-6) and Si Woo Kim (-6) are the only golfers within five strokes of Scheffler. Scheffler is the -450 favorite (risk $450 to win $100) in the 2025 PGA Championship odds entering Sunday. He's followed on the odds board by Noren (+1800), Rahm (+2200), Poston (+3000) and Bryson DeChambeau, who is 5 under for the tournament, at +3300. Before locking in any 2025 PGA Championship Sunday picks, be sure to see the 2025 […]
2025 PGA Championship final round tee times: Scottie Scheffler holds a 3-shot lead entering Sunday at Quail Hollow
Scottie Scheffler is 18 holes from winning the iconic Wanamaker Trophy.At 11-under, Scheffler is three shots clear of the field at the PGA Championship. He will, of course be in the final pairing at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina on Sunday, where he'll be joined by Sweden's Alex Noren (-8). Noren is playing in just his second tournament of the year after battling injury. He's not won yet on the PGA Tour.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIf Scheffler can pull off the win, it will mark just his third major championship victory, and his first outside of the Masters.Here is a look at the tee times for the final round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow:Final Round tee timesAll time ET8:10 a.m. — Sergio Garcia, Chris Kirk8:20 a.m. — Ben An, Bud Cauley8:30 a.m. — Brian Campbell, Elvis Smylie8:40 a.m. — Brian Harman, […]
Related
Felipe Melo banca candidato ao G-6 do Brasileirão: “Time para brigar”
Felipe Melo, ex-jogador e comentarista (Reprodução) Felipe Melo, em análise sobre Vasco x Fortaleza, avalia que Fernando Diniz trouxe um forte impacto nos poucos dias de trabalho à frente do Cruz-Maltino. Após o período turbulento com Fábio Carille e Felipe ocupando o cargo, o atual comandante, segundo o ex-jogador, tem o potencial de conduzir o clube carioca na briga pelo G-6 do Brasileirão, objetivo capaz de ser traçado através da subida na tabela. “Vitória super importante do Vasco! Dando uma resposta para o torcedor… uma reestreia muito boa do Diniz sob o comando do Vasco.”, disse Felipe Melo, em vídeo nos stories do Instagram. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “O Vasco demonstrou que é um bom time. Eu acho que essas peças que o Vasco tem são boas. Não é time para brigar por Campeonato Brasileiro, mas não é para brigar na zona […]
PGA Championship 2025: Bryson DeChambeau’s late collapse put him behind Scottie Scheffler
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Striding off the 15th green Saturday after taking the outright lead in the PGA Championship, Bryson DeChambeau was waving his arms and encouraging the fans at Quail Hollow to get louder.It looked like DeChambeau was ready to make a charge and grab the tournament by the throat heading into the final day. Then the Green Mile happened, and just like that DeChambeau’s lead was gone.AdvertisementThe popular Texan stumbled home Saturday with a bogey at 16 and a double bogey at 17, and will start Sunday six shots behind Scottie Scheffler after the world’s top-ranked player fired a 6-under 65 to take control of the tournament. DeChambeau settled for a 2-under 69 and is 5-under-par for the tournament. But a combination of gusting winds and Quail Hollow’s tough, three-hole finishing stretch left him wanting more.“Yeah, I’m three back […]
‘Scratch and claw until we win’: Comebacks are the difference for the 2025 Blue Jays
TORONTO — The 2025 Toronto Blue Jays are adamant they’re different.Toronto added a switch-hitting slugger, a Gold Glove second baseman, a Hall of Fame pitcher, and two new hitting coaches in the offseason. It was the kind of roster change required after a 74-88 season that saw Toronto finish last in the American League East.AdvertisementBut the biggest contrast isn’t on the 26-man roster or the coaching staff, the players say. It’s a feeling. Daulton Varsho calls it “mojo.” For Eric Lauer, it’s a “blue-collar mentality.” Whatever that difference is, the Blue Jays showed it in Saturday’s 2-1 walk-off win over the American League-leading Detroit Tigers. It was Toronto’s 12th comeback win of the season, third-most in baseball. It’s a fight the 2024 Blue Jays didn’t have, and one the 2025 team needs.“I think last year, it felt like we’d go […]
Torcedores do River Plate elegem o maior clube do Brasil
Argentinos apontam clube top-1 do Brasil - Divulgação Os torcedores do River Plate elegeram qual é o maior clube do Brasil. Nos arredores do estádio Monumental de Núñez, os hinchas de Millonarios foram desafiados a responder uma pergunta que costuma ser bastante polêmica. Entrevistados por Larissa Jardim, criadora de conteúdo nas redes sociais, os hermanos diversificaram na resposta. O São Paulo, maior campeão mundial entre os times brasileiros, sequer foi mencionado. Assim como o Botafogo, atual detentor do título continental. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE Os torcedores do River Plate mencionaram o Palmeiras, maior campeão nacional, Grêmio, copeiro e respeitado pelo seu tricampeonato da Libertadores, além de Botafogo e Flamengo, outros dois tradicionais clubes do Brasil também com muita história. Um argentino, porém, não considera o Rubro-Negro como o principal clube do futebol brasileiro e justificou sua opinião. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “Muitas pessoas falam […]
2025 PGA Championship odds, predictions: Surprising Sunday picks from golf model that called 14 majors
Getty Images Scottie Scheffler has never won a major other than the Masters, but that very well could change on Sunday. Scheffler is 11 under and in solo first on the 2025 PGA Championship leaderboard entering Round 4 after shooting a third-round 65 on Saturday, the lowest score of any golfer in Round 3. Alex Noren (-8), J.T. Poston (-7), Davis Riley (-6), Jhonattan Vegas (-6), Jon Rahm (-6) and Si Woo Kim (-6) are the only golfers within five strokes of Scheffler. Scheffler is the -450 favorite (risk $450 to win $100) in the 2025 PGA Championship odds entering Sunday. He's followed on the odds board by Noren (+1800), Rahm (+2200), Poston (+3000) and Bryson DeChambeau, who is 5 under for the tournament, at +3300. Before locking in any 2025 PGA Championship Sunday picks, be sure to see the 2025 […]
2025 PGA Championship final round tee times: Scottie Scheffler holds a 3-shot lead entering Sunday at Quail Hollow
Scottie Scheffler is 18 holes from winning the iconic Wanamaker Trophy.At 11-under, Scheffler is three shots clear of the field at the PGA Championship. He will, of course be in the final pairing at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina on Sunday, where he'll be joined by Sweden's Alex Noren (-8). Noren is playing in just his second tournament of the year after battling injury. He's not won yet on the PGA Tour.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIf Scheffler can pull off the win, it will mark just his third major championship victory, and his first outside of the Masters.Here is a look at the tee times for the final round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow:Final Round tee timesAll time ET8:10 a.m. — Sergio Garcia, Chris Kirk8:20 a.m. — Ben An, Bud Cauley8:30 a.m. — Brian Campbell, Elvis Smylie8:40 a.m. — Brian Harman, […]
Be the first to leave a comment