What to watch in sports this week: Conference finals, Concacaf and Monaco Grand Prix
To paraphrase Ozzy Osbourne, there's no rest for the watchers. These past few days alone were a doozy — we saw vindication at Madison Square Garden, devastation in Toronto and another career-framing major moment for Scottie Scheffler. There's no time to marinate on all that, though, as another stacked national slate arrives this week.
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Here is our abridged look at the national sports schedule, featuring our best writers across the site. As always, three quick questions to guide us:
Does this cover every big game for the forthcoming week? Nope, just a light day-to-day survey of top-line stuff.
Should you take it personally if your favorite sport is omitted? Never, but drop a comment to let us know what you're hyped for.
Will you get in trouble if you miss any of these matches? That's a clown question.
All ABC and ESPN broadcasts can also be streamed on ESPN+. All CBS broadcasts can also be streamed on Paramount+.
Logline: Paige Bueckers, national phenomenon with league-altering potential, plays just the second game of her fledgling pro career.
From Sabreena Merchant in Dallas: 'Bueckers is naturally gifted at staying in the moment and remaining composed. Coach Chris Koclanes called her 'special in how she's able to handle things with such grace.' Assistant general manager Jasmine Thomas said Bueckers looked like she had already been through 10 training camps during her first preseason.
'With all the hubbub surrounding her debut, Bueckers was at least in her element when the ball tipped, even if the Wings have some work to do to figure out how to maximize her skills. Bueckers brought the ball up more often than she did at UConn, forced into a true point guard role because of veteran Ty Harris' minutes limit. Bueckers' first attempt to create for her teammates led to an easy look at the rim for NaLyssa Smith out of the pick-and-roll, but Smith smoked the finish. Several more potential assists left Bueckers' stat line emptier than expected.'
Logline: Long-anguishing Minnesota goes for its first-ever NBA Finals appearance; top seed Oklahoma City hosts the series opener after Sunday's Game 7.
From Sam Amick in OKC: 'In this age of parity and second-apron hell that has all been by (Collective Bargaining Agreement) design, you couldn't ask for a better flurry at the finish. The Knicks, having reached the East finals for the first time in a quarter century, have all of New York City going bonkers over the possibility of a title that would be their first since 1973. The Pacers, whose turnaround from a 10-15 start to this beautiful basketball has been piloted by renaissance man Rick Carlisle, look capable of winning the franchise's first NBA championship.
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'The Minnesota Timberwolves, who so many believed were mortgaging their future (for financial purposes) when they made the decision to swap Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo last summer, have not only returned to the West finals for a second consecutive time but are on an absolute roll in these past 11 weeks (they're 25-5 since March 2, including playoffs). And then there's the Thunder, who wreaked havoc on the regular season only to come so dangerously close to joining the other ill-fated elites when the second round rolled around.'
Logline: It's Jalen Brunson vs. Tyrese Haliburton in a contentious Conference finals, as Spike Lee and Reggie Miller rejoice.
From Fred Katz in NYC: 'From the win on Monday to tipoff Wednesday, the Knicks lacked the necessary intensity. And it showed that night, when the Celtics sliced their series deficit to 3-2. So on Thursday, the Knicks talked it out. They discussed the communication issues that plagued them, why guys weren't picking up the right Celtics in transition, and why the defensive execution, which had been clean for much of their second-round series, turned into a mess for one night at TD Garden.
'The gist of the discourse? Get it together and compete.
'One day later, the Knicks competed in a way they hadn't this season, this decade, or maybe even this century.'
Logline: Game 2 pits the defending Stanley Cup champs against a Canes crew with just two total losses in their first two rounds.
From senior writer Chris Johnston: 'For any NHL franchise that finds itself down and out, the Panthers are the new gold standard for how swiftly fortunes can be turned around. Consider that when head coach Paul Maurice was hired on June 22, 2022, the Panthers had four series victories to show for their entire 28-year existence.
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'Since then? They've won nine of their last 10 series heading into the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes. Maurice took over a team known for run-and-gun hockey that won the Presidents' Trophy and turned it into the suffocating, forechecking beast it is today. The Panthers have played 303 games over the last three seasons and still they battle on.'
Logline: For a second consecutive year, we get the budding rivalry between Edmonton and Dallas in the Western Conference final.
From Mark Lazerus at Dallas' series-clincher: 'The Stars have gotten this far without Matt Duchene producing. They won't get much farther. The Oilers rarely have trouble scoring, and the Stars will have to keep up. But Mikko Rantanen, who has carried this offense with a league-high 19 playoff points, has noticed something special about this Dallas dressing room since coming over from the Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes. They're always in a good mood, always feeling calm, always projecting confidence. No matter what.'
Logline: The inaugural women's continental tournament comes down to two Mexican clubs (Tigres and América) and two NWSL members (Gotham FC and Portland Thorns).
From NWSL reporter Asli Pelit: 'Bella Bixby entered Snapdragon Stadium Saturday night the same way she has entered every stadium for weeks — not just as Thorns' starting goalkeeper but also mom to toddler Ruby, who was perched happily between her right arm and hip.
'For the 29-year-old, the 2025 NWSL season has been more than just returning to the field after the offseason. It has been a balancing act between being an elite athlete and a new mother — a transformation she does not sugarcoat.'
Weekend watch alternate: New York Liberty at Indiana Fever (WNBA, 1 p.m. ET on CBS).
Logline: Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Lando Norris (McLaren) and Max Verstappen (Red Bull) lead the standings as F1 revs engines in Monte Carlo.
From F1 reporter Luke Smith at the last GP in Imola: 'Much like his remarkable weekend performance at Suzuka last month, this win serves as a firm reminder to the F1 world of exactly why Verstappen is a four-time world champion. And, arguably, the best driver out there right now.
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'It is also an overtake that will go into the lengthy highlight reel of Verstappen passes — maybe even right to the very top. It'll be up there with his wet-weather moves on Charles Leclerc around the outside at Suzuka in 2022, or on Nico Rosberg at Interlagos (also an outside line move) in the wet in 2016.'
Weekend watch alternate: Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets (MLB, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN).
From the archives: Monday — On this date (May 19) in 1973, Secretariat won the Preakness Stakes, setting the stage for his Triple Crown triumph. The famed race horse 'looked like a mine of pure gold today instead of mere $6,080,000,' wrote The New York Times' Joe Nichols.
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(Photo of Matthew Tkachuk: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
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