ESPN Daily

The Miami Heat are one win away from being the second team in NBA history to reach the NBA Finals as an 8th seed. It’s one of the most remarkable postseason runs we have ever seen, particularly because Miami lost their first play-in game and barely survived the second game to stumble into the playoffs. So how were they seemingly able to flip the switch like this? The answer is simple: Heat Culture. It’s a mentality, a mantra, call it what you will… but it’s real. And there are numbers that back it up. So today, Kirk Goldsberry dives into the analytics and proves the scientific existence of Heat Culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After stealing the first two games of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Florida Panthers return home tonight for Game 3. The Panthers have a real shot at closing out one of the title favorites, and returning to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in almost 30 years. And we’re reminded of one of the most unusual traditions in all of sports, one that originated in that first Stanley Cup run so many years ago: throwing rats onto the ice. It’s a hair-raising tradition that dates back to the ‘95-’96 season, when a Cinderella-esque Panthers team made the Stanley Cup Final in just their third year of existence. Emily Kaplan explains how the Panthers’ rat throwing tradition started, if it may or may not have contributed to the team’s long misfortunes…and the ways in which this generation’s Panthers are trying to write their own tale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The WNBA is no longer asking nicely for your attention, they’re demanding it as we enter the league’s superteam era. It’s impossible to ignore the New York Liberty, who built a star-studded roster featuring Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Courtney Vandersloot. And don’t forget about the reigning champions, the Las Vegas Aces…who added none other than Candace Parker to their locker room. Oh, and Britney Griner is back too, making her return to the W tonight in Los Angeles as her Phoenix Mercury visit the Sparks. And of course, the serious stuff…as no league is immune to scandal. So ahead of tip-off tonight, LaChina Robinson takes us through all of this season’s can’t miss storylines…and what it means for the future of the women’s game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The college football universe was set on fire last May when Alabama head coach Nick Saban accused Texas A&M of “buying all their players.” Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher, once a Saban assistant, took offense to his former boss’ comments and responded with a fiery rant during a press conference. This war of words dominated college football headlines for the majority of the offseason, and even now, with tempers cooled, the question remains: Why did Nick Saban make those comments? So today, Alex Scarborough breaks down the bad blood, and describes a motivation unfamiliar to the many of the Crimson Tide’s coaches, players, fans, and boosters––fear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Boston Celtics have looked like one of the best teams in the NBA all season, and they’re just one series win away from having a shot at proving it. But first, they’ll need to get past the Miami Heat, who have been playing out of their minds all postseason thanks to some legendary performances from Jimmy Butler. The Heat snuck into the playoffs as the 8th seed, and promptly stunned the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in just five games. They followed that up with a six-game dismantling of the New York Knicks to secure a rubber match with the Celtics, with Miami winning the first ECF meeting in the bubble in 2020 and the Celtics advancing in 2022. Can Miami prevail once again? Or does Boston have too much to prove? Tim Bontemps helps us find that out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LeBron James and the Lakers are one step away from the NBA Finals…but back in October, that possibility seemed almost completely out of reach. The team started out the season just 2-10 and faced an upward climb back to the top of the west, with a 0.3% of even making the playoffs. But thanks to a complete roster overhaul at the trade deadline, the Lakers find themselves in a familiar position: In the Western Conference Finals against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. So today, Ramona Shelburne explains just how impressive the Lake Show’s turnaround has been, and what the Denver Nuggets have to do to trigger an avalanche to come tumbling down on LA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He’s the most talked about NBA prospect since LeBron James, but Victor Wembanyama is unlike any basketball player we’ve seen before. The 7’5 Frenchman is just 19 years old, and dazzles fans and scouts alike with his dynamic movement and impressive eight-foot wingspan. But until now, we hadn’t heard much from Wembanyama himself. Ahead of tomorrow’s NBA draft lottery, Jonathan Givony sat down with Wembanyama for an hour in Paris to talk to him about his life in basketball so far and his upcoming NBA career – and today, he shares his story with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan O’Reilly, center for the Toronto Maple Leafs, has become a hero on the ice for hockey fans across the league. But his mother, Bonnie O’Reilly, became a hero in her own right when she made a choice that ultimately ended up saving the life of a beloved member of their community. When Seaforth, Ontario rink manager Graham Nesbitt was diagnosed with a kidney disorder called Berger’s Disease, Bonnie O’Reilly immediately put herself on the list to be a donor, connecting both of their lives forever. In honor of Mother’s Day, Mike Farrell takes us inside his latest E:60 feature “Little Choices,” and shares a story of selflessness and sports.You can watch “Little Choices” on Sunday, May 14 at 12 P.M. ET on ESPN and ESPN Plus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 2023 NFL Schedule is set to release tonight, and we are once again reminded just how much people love football more than any other sport in the United States. Although the only new parts unveiled tonight are the time slots and dates of each game for every team, it’s the manner in which the 32 schedules are released that makes fans go into a frenzy. The social media and marketing departments of every NFL team will be competing tonight to see who can post the craziest, wittiest, and most viral content…so it’s basically like the Met Gala for the NFL. Field Yates drops by to give us a preview of tonight’s schedule release, and the spectacle it has become. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The second round playoff series between the Lakers and the Warriors has delivered no shortage of storylines, but for many NBA fans, there’s only one that matters: LeBron James vs Steph Curry. Two of the greatest players of all time, who have faced each other four times in the NBA Finals, are battling once again….this time in the Western Conference Semifinals. This time however, their roles are almost juxtaposed: LeBron finally has a supporting cast that doesn’t require him to do the heavy lifting every game, while Steph has had to do everything to keep Golden State’s head above water in this series as they now face elimination. With Game 5 looming, the biggest question is can Golden State still make a comeback, or will the Lakers be the ones advancing to the Conference Finals? So today, Ramona Shelburne joins the show to recap the biggest moments from the series so far… and prepare us for what’s to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices