🏀 Cambage's Costly Comment

Welcome back, it's Monday, 9 May

🔊 Sport Today Podcast

This morning, Sam Ferris and Martin Gabor are at the mic.

Today's listen time: 10 minutes.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

📺 What we're watching

🏀 10.00am - NBA Playoffs - 76ers v Heat - Wells Fargo Centre, Philadelphia - Foxtel, Kayo

🏀 12.00pm - WNBA - Aces v Storm - Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas - Foxtel, Kayo

⚽ 7.05pm - A-League Men - Melbourne City v Phoenix - AAMI Park, Melbourne - Paramount+

All times are in AEST

🏀 Cambage's career cut by controversial comment 

One of the big stories before the Tokyo Olympics was why Liz Cambage didn’t play for the Opals. It started in a warm-up game and we now know what went down.

Golden points: Cambage is perhaps Australia’s best basketball player but she didn’t play in Tokyo and it looks like she’ll never represent her country again.

• Things got heated in a warm-up game against Nigeria just days before the Olympics. According to former teammate Jenna O’Hea, Cambage had told the Nigerians to “go back to your 3rd-world country" when things got physical.

• That caused a stir with Basketball Australia, who investigated the incident but didn’t fine or suspend her. Instead, Cambage withdrew from the Games because of mental health concerns.

• The Aussies were expected to win a medal in basketball last year but they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by the USA.

They said it: “I’m living my best life. I’m supported. I’m protected on a level that the Opals or the Australian team never gave to me.” - Cambage is loving life in the WNBA.

What are the chances... Cambage plays for Australia again? It's looking unlikely. Cambage said last year she has "zero interest" in playing for the Opals at this year's World Cup, and O'Hea says Cambage is done playing for her country.

What’s next: The Women’s World Cup starts in Sydney in September.

🏀 Kings getting close to crowning moment

It looks like not all fairy tales have happy endings.

The score: Kings 90 defeated JackJumpers 86.

Golden points: The JackJumpers have been the Cinderella story this season in the NBL, but they need a massive plot twist to win this year’s title.

• That’s because they lost to the Kings at home on Sunday, which means they’re 2-0 down in the series.

• Hang on, it’s best of 5. It’s not over! Yeah, that’s true. But history isn’t looking good because no team has come back from 2-0 down to win in the NBL.

• Even without injured MVP Jaylen Adams, the Kings were able to fight back from an early deficit to win game 2 thanks to a clutch 3 by Dejan Vasiljevic.

They said it: “I don't shy away from moments like this. I'm going to enjoy this with my teammates, but we're trying to close this out in game three.” - Vasiljevic wants to end it on Wednesday at Qudos Bank Arena.

Watch it: Here are the highlights, including that triple treat from deep.

⚽ Super Sam saves the day

Don’t worry, Thirsty Merc. Sam Kerr has given us 20 good reasons why she is one of the best footballers in the world.

The score: Chelsea 4 defeated Manchester United 2.

Golden points: It just had to be Kerr. With her team needing to beat Manchester United to win the Women’s Super League, the Aussie star scored 2 outrageous goals to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 win.

• Kerr has scored some beauties for the Matildas, but these will be hard to top. Her 2nd goal was her 20th of the season and maybe her best of all time.

• It was the 2nd year in a row she finished as the league’s leading scorer, and what a time to do it.

• Chelsea finished one point clear of Arsenal who beat West Ham 2-0. Another Aussie killed it, with Steph Catley finding the back of the net.

Watch it: These goals will be replayed a few times today.

🎾 King Carlos is so hot right now

We’re getting some pretty strong Hansel vibes from Carlos Alcaraz. We’re not sure if he’s seen Zoolander, but Mugatu would describe him as “so hot right now”.

The score: Carlos Alcaraz defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3 6-1. 

Golden points: No one on the men’s tour seems to be able to escape from Alcaraz after he won his 4th title of the year in Madrid this morning.

• He was way too good for 2nd seed Alexander Zverev. Turns out he was way too good for everyone else he played.

• That included wins over Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Ever heard of them? Yeah, they’re pretty good. Alcaraz is the 5th person ever to beat them in back-to-back matches.

• The 19yo isn’t the only one making the news. Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur is the first African woman to win a WTA 1000 event - those are the big ones - after she also won in Madrid.

What’s next: Bring a change of clothing because things are about to get messy on clay at the French Open. It all starts next Monday.

🏉 Sharks snatch victory from jaws of defeat

Nothing will ever beat Cronulla’s drought-breaking NRL premiership in 2016. But when it comes to regular season wins, yesterday’s might be their best ever.

The score: Sharks 29 defeated Warriors 10.

Golden points: Sure, this was a game the Sharks were supposed to win easily. But that all changed in the 16th minute when fullback Will Kennedy was sent off for a high tackle on Reece Walsh.

• Playing with 12 men for more than an hour is really hard. It’s nearly impossible when you’re down to 11 as the Sharks were for 10 minutes when Jesse Ramien was sin-binned in the 2nd half.

• Hard, but not impossible. The Sharkies scored 23-straight points to become the first team since Manly in 2008 to win a game after a player was sent off in the first half. 

Watch it: The Sharks are back in the top 4 thanks to yesterday’s win. Look away Warriors fans.

👀 Quick singles

⚽️ Manchester City move 3 points clear at the top of the English Premier League ladder. City had been ahead by one point, but their 5-0 win over Newcastle and Liverpool's draw with Tottenham has them in the box seat to win the title.

🥊 Canelo Alvarez is boxing’s biggest star right now, but even he’s human. Alvarez moved up in weight divisions and was no match for Dmitry Bivol who beat him by unanimous decision.

⛳ Golfer Thorbjørn Olesen pulled off an epic comeback to win the British Masters this morning. He hit an eagle and a birdie on the final 2 holes to win by one stroke.

🏏 Indian superstar Virat Kohli got out first ball of the match, but Bangalore still won by 67 runs in the Indian Premier League overnight. It’s the 3rd time he’s been out for a golden duck this season but his bowlers saved him this time.

🏉 Carlton fans are starting to believe after their side moved into the AFL’s top four. The Blues smashed the Crows on Sunday by 48 points thanks to 6 goals to Charlie Curnow.

⚽ The A-League Men’s minor premiership will be decided tonight. Melbourne Victory are 2 points clear, but Melbourne City can leapfrog them if they beat Wellington.

🙃 Left of field...

If you’re an omen punter and like the number 21 then you may have won a few bucks over the weekend.

Golden points: The Kentucky Derby is a pretty big deal over in the States for horse racing fans. There have been some shock results over the past 148 years, but not many bigger than Rich Strike’s win yesterday.

• You’d be striking it rich if you backed it because it was paying 250-1. That makes it the second-longest odds in the race’s history.

• Not bad for a horse that got into the field a day before the Derby.

• The win was soured when Rich Strike got agitated and started biting other horses. One of the stewards punched it in the head and could be in some trouble.

What’s next: American racing is all about the triple crown. That means people are already talking about the Preakness Stakes in 2 weeks and then next month’s Belmont Stakes.

Watch it: How on earth did it win?

📽 The highlight reel

Another day, another wild play by Ja Morant in the NBA. The Memphis star beat the half-time buzzer with this epic shot. But he is injured and the Grizzlies now trail the Warriors 2-1.

📸 Photo finish

Mother's Day came early in the Trbojevic household. The game on Saturday was supposed to be about Tom's return from injury. Instead, younger brother Ben stole the show with the first 2 tries of his NRL career.

🏃‍♀️ The finish line

🏆 Today's trivia answer

Nadal has won it 13 times. That's not a misprint.