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A'ja Wilson had 28 points as the visiting Las Vegas Aces overcame a sizeable early deficit -- and a career day by Ariel Atkins -- to take down the Washington Mystics 89-77 Sunday.
Wilson added 17 rebounds and was dominating in the second half as the Aces pulled away late. It was her 14th double-double of the season. Kelsey Plum had 22 points for Las Vegas, while Tiffany Hayes had season-high-tying 17 off the bench and a game-sealing 3-pointer with 2:03 left to put the Aces ahead 82-71.
Las Vegas (16-7) has won 10 of its last 11 games and is 8-3 on the road this season. The Aces swept the season series with the Mystics 3-0.
Atkins, in her seventh year in the WNBA, had a career-high 36 points for Washington on 13-of-25 shooting from the floor, including six 3-pointers. The Mystics (6-18) have lost five of their last seven games.
Washington started the game by making its first six shots from the floor. Atkins scored the first seven points for her team and at the 4:57 mark of the first quarter, the Mystics led 16-6.
Atkins finished the first quarter with 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting, including four triples. It was the most points any Mystic had scored in a single quarter this season. Washington led by as many as 15 points.
The two-time defending WNBA champs found their footing in the second quarter and the Mystics went cold, going 5:54 between field goals. Washington still led 40-31 after an Atkins pull-up jumper with 2:53 left, but the Aces scored the next nine points with Hayes, Plum and Jackie Young each sinking 3-pointers.
Washington answered with a 3 by Julie Vanloo and led 43-40 at the half.
Las Vegas surged ahead in the third quarter, taking the lead for the first time since 2-0 on a layup by Plum early in the third quarter that made it 44-43. Wilson went on to score 14 points in the third quarter and Las Vegas led 65-62 going to the fourth.
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Maria Guardiola’s Summer Bikini Photos Have Fans Losing Their Minds (And We Get It)
Well, well, well. It seems like being Pep Guardiola’s daughter comes with its own set of perks – including the ability to break the internet with a simple Instagram post. Maria Guardiola, the 24-year-old content creator and daughter of Manchester City’s tactical mastermind, recently blessed her 907,000 followers with a summer recap that had fans practically worshipping at their phone screens. Guardiola’s Daughter Serves Summer Looks That Put Influencers to Shame Let’s be honest here – while Pep Guardiola is busy orchestrating beautiful football on the pitch, his daughter Maria is orchestrating something entirely different on social media. Her recent Instagram post, captioned with the surprisingly modest “Summer wrapping up,” was anything but modest in terms of impact. The photo dump (because that’s what we’re calling these strategic social media moves now) featured Maria living her best life in ways that would make any 24-year-old jealous. Bikini shots by the pool? Check. Dreamy restaurant visits that probably cost more than most people’s monthly salary? Double check. The kind of effortless glamour that makes you question your own life choices? Triple check. What’s particularly amusing is how Maria has managed to carve out her own empire while her father is out there making grown men cry over football tactics. She’s not just riding on daddy’s coattails – she’s built a legitimate following that hangs onto her every post like it’s the latest transfer news from the Etihad. The Internet Goes Full Meltdown Mode Over Bikini Shots The comment section on Maria’s post read like a love letter convention gone wild. Fans were throwing around words like “angel,” “gorgeous,” and “stunning” with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for last-minute Champions League goals. One particularly creative fan simply commented “Angel,” which, let’s face it, probably took them a solid five minutes to come up with. But here’s what’s genuinely fascinating – Maria has somehow managed to accumulate nearly a million followers without relying on the typical influencer playbook of manufactured drama and controversial takes. Instead, she’s built her brand on lifestyle content, fashion moments, and the occasional glimpse into the Guardiola family dynamics that most football fans would kill to witness. Guardiola’s Family Life Gets the Social Media Treatment What makes Maria’s content particularly interesting is how she occasionally offers glimpses into life with one of football’s most intense managers. Earlier this summer, she and Pep were caught on camera absolutely belting out Oasis classics at a concert in Manchester’s Heaton Park. Watching Guardiola, the man who probably analyzes his breakfast cereal arrangement, letting loose to “Wonderwall” was the kind of humanizing moment that reminds us these football icons are actual people. The fact that Maria conveniently left out any reference to the Oasis concert in her summer recap is almost too perfect. Because nothing says “curated content” like strategically omitting the moment your tactical genius father transforms into a middle-aged man singing along to Britpop anthems. The Content Creator Empire Built on Authentic Glamour Born on December 28, 2000, in Spain, Maria now calls London home – which explains the effortlessly chic European aesthetic that permeates her content. She’s the eldest of Guardiola’s three children with businesswoman Cristina Serra, and watching her navigate the intersection of football royalty and social media stardom has been genuinely entertaining. Unlike many celebrity offspring who seem to stumble through their public personas, Maria appears to have found her groove in the content creation world. Her posts strike that perfect balance between aspirational lifestyle content and relatable moments that keep her audience engaged without feeling completely disconnected from reality. Why Maria’s Success Makes Perfect Sense Here’s the thing about Maria Guardiola’s social media success – it’s not accidental. While her father revolutionized football tactics, she’s quietly revolutionizing how celebrity children can build their own brands without constantly referencing their famous parents. Sure, being Pep’s daughter opened doors, but keeping 907,000 people interested enough to call you an “angel” over bikini photos requires its own set of skills. The irony isn’t lost on anyone that while Pep Guardiola spends his days obsessing over every tactical detail, his daughter has mastered the art of making everything look effortlessly perfect. Those summer photos didn’t just happen – they were curated with the same attention to detail that Guardiola brings to his team formations. In a world where social media success often feels manufactured and desperate, Maria’s approach feels refreshingly authentic. She’s not trying to be controversial or edgy; she’s simply sharing moments from a life that happens to be significantly more glamorous than most people’s reality. So while football fans continue to debate Guardiola’s latest tactical innovations, his daughter continues building her own empire, one perfectly curated Instagram post at a time. And honestly? Good for her.
Micah Parsons had four-word comment on his contract standoff
Micah Parsons is leaving the ball in the Dallas Cowboys’ court when it comes to his ongoing contract standoff. Parsons was once again present for practice in Oxnard, Ca. on Wednesday, but was once again not a participant as he seeks a new contract. When asked for an update on where things stand between himself and the team, Parsons stuck to a simple four-word answer. “My mouth is closed,” Parsons told reporters, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. Presumably, Parsons wants the Cowboys to put up or shut up. He has largely been silent throughout this whole process, aside from a few responses to perceived slights from Jerry Jones. He has publicly lodged a trade request, but there has been very little talk from either side since then. One could take that to mean that the two sides are knuckling down and trying to reach an agreement. However, the pessimistic view is that Parsons and the Cowboys simply are not making progress, and there may be some truth to that. Parsons is entering the final year of his rookie deal and would be in line to make $24 million this season. He wants a new deal, presumably in the $40 million annual range that both Myles Garrett and TJ Watt got earlier this offseason.
Acuña Return Imminent, Braves Deliver More Bad Riley News
Ronald Acuña Jr. is closing in on his return to the Atlanta Braves lineup. Manager Brian Snitker siad via MLB.com's Mark Bowman that the All-Star outfielder is expected to be activated in the next couple of days. However, all news wasn't on the positive side for the team. Third baseman Austin Riley still felt discomfort when he was throwing on Tuesday. It's unlikley he'll be activated this week. The bright side of the Riley update is that it's more a when he will return instead of an if. Acuña has been out with a grade 1 calf strain since the last week of July. It initially looked like it might be an achillies injury, but further evaluation of the ailment revealed a better-case scenario. He's looked like he's been at least pain free for the most part for some time. He's been seen before games taking at-bats and field balls in the field. Last week, we was also seen doing running drills. The Braves have been wise to work him back slowly as he works different parts of his game. Even with the playoff picture long gone, it's always good to get a key bat back in the lineup and have him healthy into the offseason. Acuña can have normal workouts and be ready to participate in Spring Training this time around. In 55 games, Acuña is batting .306 with a 1.005 OPS, a 2.6 WAR, a 180 OPS+, 14 home runs and 26 RBIs. Riley is still dealing with the adomen injury that has gotten him placed on the injured list twice this season. Shortly after his return, he re-aggravated the injury on a diving play during the MLB Speedway Classic. Both times when hr hurt his abs, it came on a play in the infield. What should have been celebrated as one of the highlights of the game just added more frustration to this season. They're going to have to patient and wait to see if the pain lessons as he works out. Like Acuña, it's good to get him back before the end of the season regardless of how it's going. In Riley's case, it would be great simply because he didn't return after his injury last season. That being said, because of how this season is going, the Braves can take their time and make sure Riley is good to go as opposed to rushing him back out there. In 102 games, Riley is batting .260 with a .737 OPS, a 1.4 WAR, a 105 OPS+, 16 home runs and 54 RBIs. More From Atlanta Braves on SI
Is Cameron Heyward serious about his threat toward Steelers?
Longtime Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman and team captain Cameron Heyward raised eyebrows when he recently suggested he could forfeit money by sitting out regular-season games if he doesn't receive a desired pay raise. During the latest edition of the "North Shore Drive" podcast, Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette addressed whether or not Heyward is serious about that threat. "I think his threat is realistic," Fittipaldo said about Heyward, as shared by Jake Brockhoff of Steelers Depot. "I don't know deep down what he and his agents have calculated...Cam's already been paid 90 percent of his salary this year in the form of that roster bonus. He's making $1.3M in salary this year. Have he and his agents calculated that, yeah, he'd be willing to miss [Pittsburgh's Week 1 game at the New York Jets on Sept. 7]? Who cares? It's $85,000, or whatever that is, pro-rated. They could have calculated that in their mind and said, 'Okay, we are willing to do that.'" Similar to the situation involving star pass-rusher T.J. Watt, Heyward chose a great time to pursue some additional financial security. After all, the Steelers became a win-now team after they added wide receiver DK Metcalf, cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tight end Jonnu Smith and quarterback Aaron Rodgers to their roster earlier in the offseason. Meanwhile, Heyward is coming off his fourth first-team All-Pro season of his career. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Heyward's current deal ranks him 22nd among defensive tackles and 36th among all defensive linemen in terms of average annual value. As for Watt, he reset the market for players at his position when he received a three-year, $123M deal that included $108M guaranteed from the Steelers ahead of training camp. Per Josh Carney of Steelers Depot, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported during Tuesday's edition of the "NFL Live" program that Pittsburgh and Heyward have not yet "bridged any of their differences," in part because "it doesn't seem like the Steelers want to pay him right now." "The Steelers have not had a huge appetite to reward him right now," Schefter added about the 36-year-old. Heyward is not fully participating in practices as the Steelers prepare to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a preseason game this coming Saturday. It sounds like he wants Pittsburgh to know that he could remain a spectator through Week 1 if the Steelers don't provide him with additional monetary reasons to take the field at MetLife Stadium on the first Sunday of September.
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