BY JEFF YODER

NOV. 10, 2023 | SUBSCRIBE | WEB VIEW

Happy Friday 🙌

You made it, team. It's another big weekend ahead. Yesterday’s highlights included some epic performances on the hardwood and the ice. Another Thursday Night Football crime was committed. And we’re still waiting on the Michigan verdict.

But first, a very special thank you to our veterans! Veterans Day is officially celebrated tomorrow (11/11), but we wanted to take a moment to thank all of our readers who served. Our publisher has a quick note we hope you’ll read.

Letter Rip!

VETERANS DAY

A Message From Our Team

Hi, my name is Tim Hsia and I’m part of the team at The Sportsletter. I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to read about an organization that is near and dear to my heart: Service to School.

I helped cofound Service to School (S2S) over ten years ago. S2S has provided college application resources to over 15,000 veterans. This support is particularly needed as veterans face some complicated challenges navigating the college admissions process, and many struggle to select a school that will set them up for success and convey their unique skills and experiences on their college applications. Since approximately two-thirds of veterans are first-generation college students, many lack the foundational knowledge of the college admissions process and fall victim to for-profit institutions. In fact, one-third of veterans attend for-profit institutions, while only about one in ten attend a college with a greater than 70% graduation rate.

S2S is doing its part to fight these challenges by helping veterans achieve their full potential. Over the past six years, our VetLink program has ensured over 500 veterans matriculated to high-graduation-rate colleges, including MIT, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Stanford, and the University of Chicago. To date, each of these veterans has graduated on time, and our alumni include Marshall, Truman, and Princeton University Sachs Scholars.

These life-changing services are completely free to all veterans. We are raising funds to grow our staff so that we can meet the needs of our fellow veterans and to ensure that each veteran receives the support they need to achieve their fullest potential.

This Veterans Day, the S2S team and I would be grateful for your support. If you would like to make a donation, please do so on our website.

Thank you so very much for your time and consideration,

Tim & The S2S Team

PICKS

🏈 Play The Sportsletter’s NFL Pick ‘Em (Week 10)

*1st Place Gets $50 / Top-5 Make Playoffs

NBA

Zoom Call: The Racing Pacers 🏁

Photo: Dylan Buell / Getty Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo Goes for 54, But Bucks Can’t Keep Up With Indiana’s Record-Setting Pace

The talk of Thursday night’s social media feeds was Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 54-point performance in Indiana. He eclipsed 40 points midway through the 3rd quarter. As impressive as it was — the highest-scoring game of the year through three weeks of NBA action — it wasn’t enough to keep up with Indy's frenetic speed. The Pacers beat the Bucks (126-124) thanks to a late 3 from Tyrese Haliburton (29 pts, 6 rebs, 10 asts), and Indiana is now 6-3 while riding a record start to the 2023-24 season.

Wrong Side of History: Antetokounmpo is the first player in NBA history to have 50+ points, 10+ rebounds, shoot 75% or better, and be on the losing end of a game. (ESPN Stats & Info)

Editor’s Note: In five years of writing The Sportsletter, I don’t think the Pacers have earned the focus in our NBA coverage more than once or twice. This is their second time grabbing the spotlight in the past week. And for good reason. I’m a little biased (I used to work in the building), but not enough to praise the squad if they don't deserve it. Here’s proof…

Zoom Call: The Racing Pacers

Through nine contests, Indiana is averaging 126.0 points per game — the exact number they hit to win on Thursday. For reference, the highest-scoring (team) season of all-time belongs to the 1981-82 Nuggets at 126.5 points per game. Indiana’s 126.0 ppg would be second-best all-time if the season ended today.

Assist This: Pacer Passing

The Pacers’ run-n-gun style is leading to an excess of fast-break opportunities, and that means more assists. Fast-break points usually result in quicker buckets off of a teammate's pass, as opposed to a half-court offense where someone goes 1-on-1. Indiana’s 30.7 assists per game would rank 3rd all-time behind only two Lakers squads from the '80s (31.4 apg & 31.2 apg).

Indy’s fast-break engine is Tyrese Haliburton (11.6 apg, 1st in the NBA). Maybe it’s too early. Maybe they’ll get exposed. Or maybe, the Pacers have the perfect nickname for the fastest team ever.

Watch: Pacers Spoil Giannis’s 54-Point Night (126-124)

Other NBA Highlights

Hawks def. Magic (120-119)

Trae Young Scores 41, Dejounte Murray Hits Go-Ahead 3 to Win in Mexico City

NFL

Draft Kings: Bears Win in Crime-Time 🚔

Photo: Quinn Harris / Getty Images

Bears Beat Panthers (16-13) in Draft-Pick Game on Thursday Night Snooze-Ball

The latest Thursday Night Football game was yet another crime in primetime (on Amazon Prime). Last night’s battle of two hopeless teams — hopeless for at least for the 2023 season — came down to a defensive stop by the Bears that earned them a 16-13 win over the Panthers. Only two touchdowns were scored over 60 minutes, including one punt return TD for Carolina’s only offensive house call. Neither quarterback, Bryce Young or Tyson Bagent, cracked the end zone or the 200-yard mark. And by night’s end, I couldn’t find one statistical standout that earned a spot in our “top performers” category (maybe one, if I had to). The Bears defensive unit earned the win with three sacks.

Top Performers: None

(Maybe) RB D. Foreman (CHI): 23 touches, 92 yards, 1 TD

Jockeying for the Draft

The only real takeaway point from the TNF aftermath was the too-soon-to-call draft implications for Chicago. In case you forgot, the Bears actually own the Panthers’ 1st-round pick in next year’s draft as the result of Carolina trading up with Chicago for the No. 1 pick last April. So last night was a win-win for Chicago when it comes draft positioning. After the TNF result, the 2024 NFL Draft order has the Bears with two top-5 picks.

Current 2024 NFL Draft Order

1. Panthers (1-8) — Pick Traded to Bears

2. Cardinals (1-8)

3. Giants (2-7)

4. Patriots (2-7)

5. Bears (3-7)

One offensive touchdown. One special teams touchdown. Five field goals. A crime in primetime.

Watch: Bears Hold Off Panthers (16-13)

B/R: Bryce Young Isn’t a Bust, But Panthers Must Find a Way to Spark Growth

HIGHLIGHTS 🎥

🏒 NHL: Coyle’s 3Gs Lift B’s

Charlie Coyle’s 2nd Hat Trick of the Season Sparks Bruins’ Win Over Islanders (5-2)

🏀 NCAAW: Clark Still Clicking

Caitlin Clark Drops 44 Points as #3 Iowa Beats #8 Virginia Tech (80-76)

🏈 CFB: #11 Louisville Rallies Late

Louisville Improves to 9-1 With 4Q Comeback Against Virginia (31-24)

NEWS 📰

MLB Cancels GM Meetings After Spread of Stomach Virus at Event in Arizona (SI)
MLB Owners Ready to Vote on Oakland Athletics Moving to Las Vegas Next Week (USA Today)
USMNT Announces Roster for November CONCACAF Nations League (B/R)
Texas QB Quinn Ewers to Return, Start Against TCU (ESPN)
Nets Fans Taunted James Harden With ‘Daryl Morey’ Chant in Return to Brooklyn (CBS Sports)
Vikings’ Justin Jefferson to Wait on Return Until Fully Healed From Hamstring Injury (FOX Sports)
Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard Becomes Youngest NHL Player to Score 4 Points in a Game Since 1944 (SI)
NFLPA President Says the League Fined a Player $50,000 for ‘Faking’ Concussion (CBS Sports)
MLB Announces 2023 Silver Slugger Award Winners (MLB)

WEEKEND SCHEDULE 🗓️

The Weekend Must-Watch List

🏈 NFL Week 10 (Sunday)

Browns at Ravens (1:00 pm, FOX)

49ers at Jaguars (1:00 pm, FOX)

Lions at Chargers (4:05 pm, CBS)

Jets at Raiders (8:20 pm, NBC)

Full NFL Schedule

🏈 College Football (Saturday)

#3 Michigan at #10 Penn State (Noon, FOX)

#8 Alabama at Kentucky (Noon, ESPN)

Miami at #4 Florida State (3:30 pm, ABC)
#18 Utah at #5 Washington (3:30 pm, FOX)

#13 Tennessee at #14 Missouri (3:30 pm, CBS)

#9 Ole Miss at #2 Georgia (7:00 pm, ESPN)

Michigan State at #1 Ohio State (7:30 pm, NBC)

USC at #6 Oregon (10:30 pm, FOX)

🏀 NBA

Nets at Celtics (Fri. 7:30 pm, ESPN)
Lakers at Suns (Fri. 10:00 pm, ESPN)

Cavaliers at Warriors (Sat. 8:30 pm, NBATV)

Pacers at 76ers (Sun. 6:00 pm)

Mavericks at Pelicans (Sun. 7:00 pm)

Full NBA Schedule

🏒 NHL

Hurricanes at Panthers (Fri. 7:00 pm, ESPN+)

Bruins at Canadiens (Sat. 7:00 pm, NHLN)

Blues at Avalanche (Sat. 9:00 pm, ESPN+)

Full NHL Schedule

⚽️ Soccer

MLS: Seattle vs. Dallas (Fri. 10:00 pm) | Series Tied (1-1)

MLS: Houston vs. Salt Lake (Sat. 6:00 pm) | Series Tied (1-1)

MLS: Colombus vs. Atlanta (Sun. 7:00 pm) | Series Tied (1-1)

EPL: Chelsea vs. Man. City (Sun. 11:30 am)

🏀 NCAA Basketball

M: #12 Arizona at #2 Duke (Fri. 7:00 pm, ESPN2)

W: #14 Maryland at #6 South Carolina (Sun. 1:00 pm, ABC)

W: #9 Indiana at #15 Stanford (Sun. 5:00 pm, ESPN)

🥊 UFC 295

Prochazka vs. Perreira (Sat. 10:00 pm, ESPN+)

*All Times ET

Download The Sportsletter's Must-Watch Calendar

POLL 📊

Poll Results

Yesterday, we asked: Do you think Michigan should be punished for sign-stealing?

Sorry, Michigan fans. The majority of college football readers think the Wolverines need disciplinary action. And it wasn't close. Enjoy the weekend!

THE TEAM

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Product Manager: Matthew Cahill

Lead Designer: Joe Stella

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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