Donovan Mitchell is right: We're going to write the Cavs off
Good morning, Winners! This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Here’s Mike Sykes.
Watching the Cleveland Cavaliers in these playoffs has been so painful. These playoffs have been full of surprises, but I didn't expect this one. Not here.
The Cavs had a lead as large as 19 points early in the action of Game 5. Once again, Cleveland looked like a team intent on keeping its season alive. And, once again, Indiana punched the Cavs in the mouth. No response. Womp womp. The 64-win No. 1 seed in the East is headed home and Indy is returning to the Eastern Conference Finals.
This was supposed to be the best team in the East. When it had a lead — even when it was 20-points — it never felt secure. When it didn't have a lead, it felt hopeless. Last week, I said we were about to find out if the Cavaliers were cooked. Turns out the answer was unequivocally yes. Now we know it.
Donovan Mitchell said the Cavaliers will be back after the loss.
"Get in the gym, weight room, nutrition, whatever it is. Get back at it because...Y'all gonna write us the [expletive] off, man. But we'll be back. We let the city down. We let each other down. We'll be back."
We'll be back? Ehhhh. Don't know if I agree there. But one thing I can certainly agree on is this: We are definitely writing the Cavaliers off.
After watching this team lose like this again, how could you not? It was like they weren't even playing playoff basketball out there. Where was the intensity? Where was the grit? Where was the pushback? It was all good when they were pushing Tyler Herro and the Heat around. Now, the Cavs get pushed, and they fold entirely.
Injuries are a valid excuse for this team. They lost three key players in the middle of this series. That matters. But, last I checked, everyone played in Game 5. Same for Game 4. And, if you're out there on the court, then you'd best be ready to brawl. The Cavs clearly weren't.
The lights were too bright again. Cleveland wasn't ready. After three straight years with this core, it's reasonable to question if this version of the team will ever be ready to take that next step.
I don't know the answer. But I'll tell you what: I certainly won't be waiting on it.
Pete Rose probably still won't get in
Pete Rose has been a baseball pariah for decades for good reason. He's an accused rapist who went to prison for tax fraud in addition to gambling on baseball.
Now, he's also technically Hall of Fame eligible.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred formally announced on Tuesday that permanent ineligibility expires upon death, opening the door for previously permanently banned players to have their names enshrined in Cooperstown. Rose is among that cohort, which should be pleasant news to our pesky president's ears.
But Rose still may never appear on the ballot. Blake Schuster explains why:
"MLB does not control nor influence the Hall of Fame, whose members are voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Not even President Donald Trump's tantrums on social media can change that. As for Rose, an accused rapist who went to prison for tax fraud in addition to gambling on baseball, Manfred flat out refused to even say whether or not one of MLB's most controversial figures belongs in the hall."
Considering Rose's reputation and how baseball's purists never seemed to back his case when he was still with us, I can't imagine that changing in a few years when he's finally eligible in 2028. We'll see.
But I wouldn't hold my breath.
Nicolas Cage as John Madden is perfect
I did not know I needed a movie about John Madden, Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders. I certainly didn't know that Christian Bale and Nicolas Cage would be perfect to play the part of Davis and Madden, respectively.
Alas. Perfection exists.
Caroline Darney has deets on this:
"The movie follows Madden as he is forced out of coaching and sets off to create the would-be iconic Madden NFL video game. Kathryn Hahn is signed onto the project as Virginia Madden, with Sienna Miller and John Mulaney also part of the David O. Russell (American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook) movie."
I will be seated no matter what.
Quick hits: A new big 3? ... WNBA trade candidates ... and more
— Here's Prince Grimes on a potential new big 3 coming to the NBA if Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the move.
— Cory Woodroof has 10 WNBA trade candidates to watch for this season.
— Dwight Howard asking Charles Barkley if he played with Wilt Chamberlain is pure comedy. Bryan Kalbrosky has more.
— Here's Meg Hall on how a PWHL playoff game had players refueling with...MUSTAAAAAAARD.
— Here's Charles Curtis on the Jayson Tatum torn Achilles. This sucks.
— The Mavericks are afraid of controversial trades now so they'll just draft Cooper Flagg.
That's a wrap, folks. Thanks for reading. Peace.
-Sykes ✌️