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The Vrabel-Russini scandal threatens his future in New England before he ever coaches a game. Philadelphia forces a Game 7 against Boston behind Maxey and George, while the Knicks post the largest playoff blowout in franchise history. Minnesota advan
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Welcome to The Sports Hangover Daily, I'm Michael Benatar. Today on the show: the Vrabel mess in New England keeps getting uglier, Philly forces a Game 7 against Boston, the Knicks just dropped the biggest beatdown in playoff history, and the Timberwolves advance without Ant Edwards. Let's get into it.
So let's start in New England because this Vrabel-Russini story is spiraling. OutKick is now reporting that it is — and I'm quoting loosely here — no longer certain Vrabel will make it to training camp. Think about that. The Patriots just went through the draft, they're trying to build something around Drake Maye, and their head coach might not survive the offseason. Not because of football. Because of photos and a scandal that keeps getting worse. More pictures have come out. Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic weeks ago. Her former editor apologized to staff for how the whole thing was handled. And RG3 is out here on X asking why this isn't getting the same wall-to-wall coverage that Ime Udoka or Sherrone Moore got. Which — yeah. That's a fair question. Drake Maye went to bat for Vrabel at an event this week. Hunter Henry said Vrabel addressed the team and did a great job. Robert Spillane backed him too. So the locker room seems solid for now. But if ownership starts feeling the heat, the locker room won't save him. We've seen this movie before. A coach loses the building before he loses the team. Vrabel might be coaching for his job before he ever coaches a game in twenty twenty-six. And the Patriots — a team that desperately needs stability — might be right back in chaos.
Still in the NFL — George Pickens signed his franchise tag with Dallas on Wednesday. So that's locked in for twenty twenty-six. The Texans gave Azeez Al-Shaair a three-year, fifty-four million dollar extension, which is a lot of money for a linebacker, but the dude made the Pro Bowl. Houston's paying to keep their defense intact. And in Indy, the Colts officially declined Anthony Richardson's fifth-year option. Chris Ballard says Richardson could stay, but come on. Read the room. That guy is gone. The question is whether anyone trades for him or if he just hits the market. Also keep your eye on A.J. Brown — still an Eagle technically, but salary cap math is holding up a trade until after June first. The Patriots want him. Schefter's been all over this. It feels like a matter of when, not if. And Aaron Rodgers got an unrestricted free agent tender from Pittsburgh. A ten percent raise from last year's salary. So the Steelers want him back. Whether Rodgers wants to be back is a whole different conversation.
Now let's talk hoops. Philly — PHILLY — forced a Game 7. Tyrese Maxey dropped thirty. Paul George looked like the guy they traded for, finishing with twenty-three. Embiid added nineteen. And the Celtics just kind of folded. Jayson Tatum had seventeen and eleven boards but didn't even play in the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown was in foul trouble all night and finished with eighteen. The play of the game was a Kelly Oubre block on Brown that turned into a fast break — Maxey to George, behind-the-back pass to VJ Edgecombe for a dunk that put Philly up fifteen. That sequence had the whole building shaking. Game 7 is Saturday at TD Garden, seven thirty on NBC. Boston's been the better team this series, but Philly just showed they can win the most important game of the year. Can they do it twice?
In the other series — the Knicks closed out Atlanta one forty to eighty-nine. That's a FIFTY-ONE point win. Biggest playoff victory in Knicks franchise history. OG Anunoby had twenty-nine in twenty-seven minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns got a triple-double. The Knicks led forty to fifteen after the first quarter — largest first-quarter lead in the shot clock era. They were up forty-seven at halftime. After losing Games 2 and 3 by one point each, New York won the last three by sixteen, twenty-nine, and fifty-one. Atlanta just got progressively more embarrassed.
And Minnesota closed out Denver one ten to ninety-eight WITHOUT Anthony Edwards, DiVincenzo, Dosunmu, and Kyle Anderson. Jaden McDaniels went for thirty-two and ten. Terrence Shannon Jr. had twenty-four as a surprise starter. Jamal Murray shot four of seventeen. The Wolves dominated the paint by twenty-four points and the glass by seventeen. They'll play San Antonio in the second round starting Monday.
Quick NHL note — the Minnesota Wild eliminated Dallas five to two in Game 6. Quinn Hughes had two goals and an assist. The Stars had made three straight Western Conference Finals. Now they're out in round one. Rough.
Here's the Hangover Take. I think the Colts are making a huge mistake with Anthony Richardson. Not because Richardson is good right now — he's not. But declining that fifth-year option is basically telling the league you've given up on the second overall pick after three seasons. And look, I get it. The injuries, the inconsistency, the benching — it hasn't gone well. But this is a twenty-three-year-old with generational physical tools and you're just gonna cut bait? Some team is gonna pick him up for cheap, put him in a better system with real weapons, and Indy's gonna watch him develop into the guy they thought they were drafting. The Colts don't have a better plan at quarterback. That's the part that kills me. You're moving off the upside play without having a replacement. That's not smart roster management. That's just panic.
That's your hangover. Go hydrate. I'll see you tomorrow.