A May Day Double Dribble šā½
Last night gave us basketball stumbles and a season-ending shockā¦but today weāre also celebrating a legend who dribbles with his feet, not his hands.
š First, letās see what Steph, LeBron, Luka, and Ant delivered on the court.
š Golden State Warriors at š Houston Rockets
Rockets win 131-116
The Rockets came out blazing, building a 27-point halftime lead and limiting Steph Curry to only 13 points
Warriors still lead the series 3-2
šŗ Minnesota Timberwolves at āļø Los Angeles Lakers
Wolves win 103-96 despite Ant having only 15 points
The #6 seed Wolves win the series, upsetting the #3 seed Lakers and sending Luka and LeBron into the offseason
But thereās one more score weāve got our eye on today, and itās not from the NBA.
ā½ Smallball FutbĆ³l: Meet Messi
Last night, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami lost 3ā1 to the Vancouver Whitecaps. Messi helped set up a goal in the 9th minute, giving Miami an early 1ā0 lead, but they couldnāt hold on. It wasnāt the ending he wanted last night. But Messiās story is far bigger than one match, and it started thousands of miles away.
Messi grew up in Argentina where his love for soccer started almost as soon as he could walk. His professional career began in Spain with FC Barcelona in 2004, when he was just 17 years old. He burst onto the scene, becoming one of the youngest scorers in Barcelona's history and quickly showing the talent that would make him famous.
Over the years, Messi became a global superstar and led his team to numerous titles. And in 2022, he completed the one missing milestone: leading Argentina to a World Cup title, cementing his place as one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
In 2023, Messi joined Major League Soccerās Inter Miami. Suddenly, stadiums were packed, jerseys were everywhere, and soccer had a new superstar on American soil.
š A Date to Remember
May 1 is a special date in Messi's career. On this day in 2005, he scored his 1st goal for Barcelona. And in 2019, he scored his 600th goal with a stunning free kick.
š¤ How many years passed between Messiās 1st and 600th career goals?
Letās watch them both!
From his 1st goal to his 600th, Messi didnāt just grow up: he transformed the game. And now, in a new home and on a new stage, heās still amazing us all.
š
Todayās games
Now, letās head back to the court because the NBA isnāt done delivering drama. Hereās what weāve got tonight:
š½ New York Knicks at š Detroit Pistons
Knicks lead 3ā2
Can Jalen Brunson and the Knicks close it out on the road, or will the Pistons push this story to a Game 7?
Experts say: 54% chance Knicks win
šļø Denver Nuggets at āµļø LA Clippers
Nuggets lead 3ā2
Will The Wall be enough for the Clippers or will Jamal Murray bring the house down again?
Experts say: 55% chance Clippers win
š” What we learned today
Two sports. One truth: Even the biggest superstars start as kids just dribbling a ball in the driveway or backyard.
š Before we go
One of our favorite Smallball-ers is turning 5 today. Happy Birthday Jake! His favorite player is Steph Curry (fun fact: Steph and Messi are both 37 years old!). Just like Steph, Jake brings joy, hustle, and highlight moments to every game he plays.
See you tomorrow, Smallball-ers!
I hope the Nuggets beat the clippers one more time so the clippers get out of the playoffs. And happy birthday Jake. And I also love Stephen curry too. Love, Rowan.