The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox.
Good morning! The Pulse is buying at the trade deadline.
The Good Game: The beauty of tomorrow’s WNBA All-Star Game
We have piled on All-Star Games this week. I almost feel bad. But, tomorrow, a savior emerges: an All-Star Game with real personal stakes. One that matters, at least to the players involved:
- The WNBA All-Star Game airs at 8:30 p.m. ET tomorrow on ABC, and the setup is a doozy: Team USA will play Team WNBA, aka the all-stars that didn’t make the Olympic roster, in a “tuneup” dripping with angst
- Per BetMGM, Team USA is a slight favorite (-225, -5.5 spread) to win, though our women’s basketball writer Sabreena Merchant told me the line feels off. Yes, the national team has the better topline, but there are other factors at play here.
- Team USA is a little banged-up and needs to be cautious with the Olympics so close. Team WNBA won’t play for another month due to the Olympic break. Let it rip, right? Especially when you’re trying to prove a point.
- Caitlin Clark is playing for Team WNBA and told Fever coach Christie Sides the snub from the Olympic team “woke a monster.” Arike Ogunbowale, who won All-Star Game MVP…
