When you wish upon a star

The GIST: As you read, the legendary Candace Parker might’ve hung ’em up yesterday, but her impact on and involvement in the game will undoubtedly endure. Here’s to her truly game-changing career and even more to come.

On the court: We could fill an entire newsletter with CP3’s on-court achievements. Along with her three WNBA titles and two MVPs, she also boasts two Olympic golds plus two NCAA championships while playing under a fellow legend of the game, Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt.

• Parker’s also the only W player to win a title with three different teams, leading the LA Sparks all the way in 2016, bringing a title to her hometown Chicago Sky in 2021, then hoisting the trophy with the Las Vegas Aces last season. All she does is win, seriously.

The legacy: Playing with unmatched swagger and confidence, Parker helped the game reach new heights over her storied career — including becoming the first woman to dunk in NCAA tournament history. And as high as she leapt on the court, she transcended the game off it, excelling as a mother, businesswoman, and broadcaster. Iconic is an understatement.

What’s next: Already an investor in the NWSL’s Angel City FC, Parker shared her plans to “own both a NBA & WNBA team” in yesterday’s retirement announcement. We can also expect her continued presence in the broadcast booth, where she’s served as an analyst and commentator for NBA and NCAA games since 2018. As she wrote, “This is the beginning…”

The GIST: The Presidents’ Trophy–winning NY Rangers are the first team to advance to the second round after sweeping Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals last night. Here are the Canadian teams on the cusp of advancing (or facing elimination) in the grueling quest for the Stanley Cup.

Edmonton Oilers: The Oilers clearly took last week’s Game 2 loss personally, skating to a 3-1 series lead over the LA Kings, with a dominant 6–1 Game 3 win on Friday and a 1–0 Game 4 win last night in La La Land. Center Connor McDavid and Co. will now have a chance to eliminate their Pacific Division foes when the puck drops in Edmonton on Wednesday.

Toronto Maple Leafs: It’s déjà vu all over again for the Buds. Toronto finds themselves in a 3-1 hole against their archrivals, the Boston Bruins, after Saturday’s 3–1 Game 4 loss at home. And with team-leading scorer Auston Matthews’ status TBD for tomorrow’s do-or-die 7 p.m. ET Game 5, the rest of the squad will need to step up to keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive.

Winnipeg Jets: After soaring to a hot start, the Jets have hit some turbulence and face a 3-1 series deficit following yesterday’s lopsided 5–1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Perhaps a goalie change and a change of scenery back to the ’Peg is the fuel they need heading into tomorrow’s must-win 9:30 p.m. ET Game 5.

Vancouver Canucks: Call an ambulance, but not for them. Two last-minute regulation goals and an overtime (OT) game-winner later, the ’Nucks are one win away from the second round after yesterday’s 4–3 OT victory over the Nashville Predators. Even better, it’s back to Vancouver with a chance to seal the deal in Game 5, tomorrow at 10 p.m. ET.

The GIST: With another weekend of high-stakes hoopla in the books, some superstars are flexing on the hardwood, while others are pre-planning trips to Cancun…or the doctor’s office.

Injury updates: Injuries are still sadly dominating the headlines — especially for the Milwaukee Bucks. Already without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (pronounced ah-det-oh-KOON-boh), the other half of the Bucks’ dynamic duo, Damian Lillard, was sidelined with an Achilles injury in last night’s 126–113 loss to the Indiana Pacers, leaving Milwaukee in a 3-1 series hole.

• It was a different story for the also injured LA Clippers, who’ve won two games without two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, including yesterday’s 116–111 Game 4 win to even their series against the Dallas Mavericks.

Old guard on the brink: It’s not just injuries wreaking havoc on aging superstars. For the first time in more than a decade, the NBA is this close to a second round without hoops icons Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry. Curry’s Golden State Warriors didn’t even make the playoffs, while Durant’s Phoenix Suns were swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves after last night’s 122–116 L.

• And things aren’t looking good for James’ LA Lakers, who are facing a 3-1 deficit heading into tonight’s 10 p.m. ET Game 5 against the defending champ Denver Nuggets. Could this be the end of an era?