The beginning of the end of an era

The GIST: The Atlanta Dream aren’t the only ones leveling up — the stakes are sky-high ahead of tonight’s Game 2 doubleheader. These best-of-five semifinal series won’t decide themselves, so let’s hoop to it.

Atlanta Dream (up 1-0) vs. NY Liberty — Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET

• 🗽 What the Liberty need to do: Punish the Dream’s high-risk, high-reward defense. Atlanta loves to gamble (it’s why they lead the league in steals), but if NY can survive that initial pressure, there’ll be opportunities to capitalize on an out-of-position Atlanta D.

• 💭 What the Dream need to do: Step up for the injured Allisha Gray. DeWanna Bonner and Jordin Canada did the heavy lifting in Game 1 — but the Dream need more from Rhyne Howard, who knocked down just 25% of her shots in the opener.

Golden State Valkyries (up 1-0) vs. Las Vegas Aces — Tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET

• 🃏 What the Aces need to do: Win the battle of the boards. A clear injury report helps the cause, but better rebounding is non-negotiable. Vegas was outrebounded 52-25 in Game 1 (A’ja Wilson hauled in just four), surrendering an abysmal 17 offensive boards.

• 💜 What the Valkyries need to do: Rinse and repeat…but that’s easier said than done. Aces head coach Becky Hammon is known for her coaching acumen and will adjust from Game 1. Can the Valks adapt on the fly? In bench boss Natalie Nakase, Ballhalla trusts.

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Are you ready for your next play?

The GIST: The MLB postseason is truly raising the roof, with a quadruple-header of Divisional Series elimination games on deck today. That’s right, these best-of-five showdowns could be wrapped before our next newsletter. No time to waste…

💙🍑 LA Dodger Yoshinobu Yamamoto strikes out 10 Atlanta Braves in 3–1 win: Yesterday’s Game 3 delivered on its pitchers’ duel promise, with Yamamoto and Atlanta’s Chris Sale combining for 17 Ks…until Dodgers Kiké “friend of The GIST” Hernández and Freddie Freeman belted homers in the fourth.

• LA could earn their fifth Championship Series (CS) appearance in seven seasons today at 6 p.m. ET, while Atlanta turns to Wild Card hero Tyler Mahle to force a series-deciding Game 5.

🤎🍻 San Diego Padres embrace home crowd in 4–3 win over Milwaukee Brewers: A fifth-inning homer from second baseman Jake Cronenworth and two clutch innings from hurler Michael King (who had just pitched five frames in Sunday’s Game 2) kept the Dads’ playoff push alive, setting up Game 4 tonight at 10 p.m. ET.

• The Padres might even have a new dad back in the mix with All-Star closer Mason Miller eligible to return after missing last night's tilt.

🧦🛡️ Chicago White Sox host first playoff game since 2021 with chance to sweep: You could call this turnaround a miracle. After losing 100 games or more in each of their last three seasons, Chicago can clinch their first ALCS appearance since 2005 today at 4 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Guardians are a strong road team though, an edge they’ll need to embrace to stave off elimination.

🌴🍎 Tampa Bay Rays (up 2-0) capitalize on NY Yankees’ errors: The Rays’ relentless brand of baseball has them one win away from sweeping their divisional foes and reaching their first ALCS since 2020. NY pitcher Max Fried has quite the night ahead: Try to save the Yankees’ season at 8 p.m. ET, all with a baby on the way. No pressure.

🌴 Away game vacay or tropical getaway? Take 20% off both. Battle 4 Atlantis is back, celebrating its 15th year of bringing college basketball to paradise for a one-of-a-kind tournament.

• 🏀 From November 24th to 27th, rep your school at both the women’s and men’s tourneys, all under one roof.

• 🏖️ After the final buzzer, hit up Atlantis Paradise Island to soak up the many amenities the 154-acre resort has to offer.