Pick And Pop To The Pantheon šļø
Weāre watching legends in the makingā¦ and weāre using legendary words to describe them.
A Herculean effort. An Achilles heel.
The way we talk about sports today? Itās built on stories that are thousands of years old. Stories weāre ready to dive into today!
But first, letās hit the 3 things you need to know. šš
1ļøā£ Thunder vs. Wolves: Second-Half Surge
OKC dominated Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 114ā88.
SGA was smooth as ever, scoring 31 points and handing out 9 assists. But like OKCās Game 7 win over the Nuggets, the real storm came after halftime...
Thatās when the Thunder turned a tight game into a tidal wave, outscoring Minnesota 70ā40 in the second half.
2ļøā£ Knicks vs. Pacers: Big-Time Rematch Tonight
Two teams. Two stars. A big Game 1 chance to take the lead in a playoff rivalry that goes way back.
š½ Jalen Brunson is calm under pressure and has been scorching hot all postseason.
š Tyrese Haliburton is pure pace with fast breaks, fast passes, and a fast mind.
Itās a rematch of last yearās Eastern Semis, when the Pacers knocked the Knicks out in 7 games. And it echoes a classic era: in 1999, the Knicks beat Indiana to reach the Finals. In 2000, the Pacers returned the favor, and reached the Finals themselves.
š¬ Wanna see more history?
Now, 25 years later, these two are back. And both believe itās their turn again.
šÆ Experts sayā¦ 52% chance Knicks win Game 1
š¤ Who you got for Game 1: Brunson and the Knicks or Haliburton and the Pacers?
3ļøā£ Pick-and-Pop, Please!
Back in the 1990s, when the Knicks and Pacers were battling it out, one play ruled the NBA: the pick and roll. Big guys would set a screen, roll to the basket, and look for a layup. It was all about power.
Today? Weāve got a remix.
Itās called the pick and popā¦ and itās a perfect fit for the modern game. After setting a screen, instead of rolling in, a big pops out behind the three-point line. That stretches the defense and gives the ballhandler a wide-open teammate ready to shoot.
š” Think of it like this:
The roll is about muscleā¦ sprinting to the rim, ready to dunk.
The pop is about spaceā¦ stepping back, ready to shoot.
Teams use the pop when their bigs are great shooters. It forces bigger defenders to guard in space, way outside their comfort zone.
š Here's the difference, side-by-side:
š¬ Want to see it in action?
It takes teamwork and timing. Ballhandlers need to draw the defense, and poppers need to be shot-readyā¦ feet set, shoulders square.
Why does it keep coming up now?
Because the remaining playoff teams are full of great players like Karl-Anthony Towns (KAT) who are perfect for the pick and pop.
Now, Smallball-ers, itās time to trade basketball shoes for sandalsā¦ weāre heading to ancient Greece.
šļø Deep Dive: Myths Meet Sports
Last week, we watched 5 of the unluckiest bounces in sports history.
Today, weāre going even further backā¦ all the way to ancient Greece. Modern sports are filled with influences from Greek history and myths.
So weāre counting down our 5 favorite myth-meets-sports moments.
And the best part? You donāt need a toga to keep reading.
5ļøā£ Herculean Effort šŖ
In Greek mythology, Heracles (who the Romans later called Hercules) was no ordinary hero. He had to complete 12 impossible laborsā¦ things like wrestling lions, cleaning giant stables, and catching monsters.
It wasnāt just about being strong. It was about being relentless.
In sports today, we still use his name. Not just for big muscles, but for big moments that feel impossible:
š An epic last-minute comeback.
ā½ A miracle shot that hits the back of the net.
š„ A perfect race to win gold.
We donāt just say itās impressive. We say itās Herculean. Speaking of impressiveā¦
4ļøā£ From Olympia To Paris šļø
Todayās Olympic Games are huge: over 200 countries, thousands of athletes, sports from swimming to skateboarding.
But where did it all begin?
šļø Ancient Greece, nearly 2,800 years ago.
The first Olympics were held in a city called Olympia, in honor of Zeus, the king of the gods.
Back then:
There was only one winner per event.
Athletes competed naked! (We do not recommend that today.)
The prize wasnāt a gold medalā¦ it was a wreath made of olive branches.
So whatās stayed the same?
š„ The tradition.
š„ The glory.
š The idea that the world can come together to celebrate courage, effort, and dreams.
When we say the Olympics are historic, we donāt just mean old. We mean meaningful.
Which brings us to a great Olympic eventā¦
3ļøā£ The Marathonās Mythic Start š
Why do marathon runners go exactly 26.2 miles?
Because of a story from ancient Greece.
Legend says that after the Battle of Marathon, a Greek soldier named Pheidippides ran all the way to Athens ā about 26 miles ā to deliver news of victory.
He said one word: āĪĪµĪ½Ī¹ĪŗĪ®ĪŗĪ±Ī¼ĪµĪ½.ā (neh-nee-KEE-kah-menā¦ translation: We have won.)
Then he collapsed.
Today, every marathon is a tribute to that run.
š” Fun fact: The ā.2ā part was added laterā¦ to finish in front of the Queenās box during the 1908 London Olympics!
Our feet hurt just thinking about itā¦
2ļøā£ Achillesā Heel š¦¶
Youāve heard the phrase. Youāve seen the heartbreak. A torn Achilles tendon can sideline even the mightiest stars.
It just happened to Bostonās Jayson Tatumā¦ one of the best players in the world. His postseason ended not with a missed shot, but with a stepā¦ and a snap.
Why do we call it an Achilles?
Because in Greek myth, Achilles was an unbeatable warriorā¦ except for one tiny spot on his heel. One weakness. One arrow. One fall.
Now, modern legends on the court and on the field have the same weak spot.
Better lace up some good shoesā¦
1ļøā£ More Than a Swoosh š
Remember the Aāja Wilson Nike ad we watched last week?
Before it was a global sports brand famous for shoes, Nike was a winged goddessā¦ the spirit of victory.
The Greeks believed she flew into battle and crowned the champions. She moved fast. She moved silently. And when she showed up? It meant someone had won.
That swoosh on your sneakers? Itās her wing. (Smallballās rocking them too.)
Every sprint. Every jump. Every last-second shot still carries her magic.
Nike didnāt invent greatness. But it gave greatness a symbol.
And now, every time someone laces up to chase victoryā¦ theyāre chasing her.
š” What We Learned Today
Sports arenāt just about stats. Theyāre about stories.
And some of those stories are REALLY old.
The Achilles heel. The wing of Nike. The effort of Hercules. The torch of Olympus. The grueling marathon.
These myths arenāt just memoriesā¦ theyāre alive in some of the legendary moments we get to watch every single day.