By Josh Whittemore, PSO Sports Operations Executive
Feb 18, 2021

The ‘Best of the Day’ is a daily PSO original series showcasing the most significant stories, highlights, and facts going on in the land of the NFL, NBA, & MLB every day. Get a recap on EVERYTHING that happened on 2/17 here

The San Diego Padres and young superstar SS Fernando Tatis Jr. agreed to a massive 14y/$340M extension on Wednesday. The deal is the longest in sports history and will keep him in San Diego for most, if not all of his career. Also, despite their ugly start to the season, the Wizards still have a great shot to make the postseason as long as Bradley Beal receives help from his supporting cast after their first three-game winning streak in a while, and Damian Lillard continues to prove why he’s the most clutch player in the game.

Here is the best of the day from February 17, 2021:

San Diego Padres handed SS Fernando Tatis Jr. a historic 14y/$340M extension

The San Diego Padres and superstar SS Fernando Tatis Jr. have come to terms on a historic 14y/$340M extension. The deal is the third largest contract based on total value in MLB history, behind only Mike Trout (12y/$426M with the Angels) and Mookie Betts (12y/$365M with the Dodgers). The 14-year deal is the longest contract in sports history, breaking Giancarlo Stanton‘s 13y/$325M deal in 2015 and Bryce Harper‘s 13y/$330M deal in 2019. The deal will keep Tatis Jr. in a Padres uniform through his age-35 season. 

Since being promoted to the majors on opening day in 2019, Tatis Jr. has blossomed into a star. The young slugger is well on his way to being the face of baseball, owning a .301 BA with 39 HRs and 98 RBIs in 143 career games. In 2020, Tatis Jr. won the Silver Slugger and finished fourth in NL MVP voting. Most notably, he helped snap San Diego’s 13-year postseason drought, where they won their wild-card series against the Cardinals before being swept by the rival Dodgers in the NL Division Series.

The deal sets up the Padres to compete with the Dodgers for the foreseeable future, as both clubs are building the two best rosters in baseball. Each has their cornerstones under contract for the next decade and have stockpiled talent around them. Their rivalry should be an exciting one to watch in the years ahead led by the two most electrifying players in baseball in Tatis Jr. and Betts. 

Related: Stories of the Day

WIZARDS ARE STILL VERY MUCH IN THE EAST PLAYOFF RACE

When the Wizards were decimated by COVID and off to the worst record in the NBA, many people counted DC out due to their dismal defense. However, the Wiz are 6-5 over their last 11 games, starting with the near 300-point thriller over Brooklyn. The nation’s capital is playing their best basketball in a while with their first three-game winning streak in over 150 games. They have struggled stringing wins together, but now they boast a victory over Denver, Boston, Miami, and Brooklyn over their last 11 outings. 

The Bradley Beal-led squad now sits only three games back from a playoff spot in the East and just two games away from a 10th seed play-in game opportunity. They’ve played the least games in the East so far (9-17) but benefit from a conference that has an 8th seed boasting an impressive 13-15 record. 

Despite Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic‘s best efforts to cool down the heating up Wizards, Scott Brooks’ squad is making the right plays when it matters to win games and finally saw Davis Bertans break out of his slump with a career-high 35 points on an efficient 9-11 FG/3PM night. Russell Westbrook chipped in with his seventh triple-double (2nd most in Wizards history) while Rui HachimuraAlex Len, and Raul Neto were also in double-digits with Neto not missing a single shot (5-5 FG). 

This could all end up just being a flash in the pan, but the Wizards have the talent to compete in a weak East with two All-Stars in the backcourt, a rising star in Rui, an elite shooting 6th man, and an offense that’s among the best in the league. If their recent run sparks a buying approach at the trade deadline and WAS can add a premier defender like Myles Turner to their roster, this team could really have a chance to turn a horrendous season into one full of growth, development, and optimism. 

COLORS KEY | FULL WIZARDS FUTURE OUTLOOK 

Related: NBA Takeaways of the Day

Money Murray forces OT

Related: NBA Highlights | Denver Nuggets Highlights

PG Damian Lillard, POR (W @NOP): 43 PTS (14-28 FG | 7-16 3P), 16 AST, 4 REB, 1 BLK, 1 STL, 4 TO

Related: Players of the Day

Miami Heat (112) vs. Golden State Warriors (120) [OT]

 [Highlights] @WARRIORS (-104; $8.66) d. HEAT (+104; $6.79) 120-112 (OT) [GSW -1.5 | o222.5]

Related: Games of the Day

Nobody is better in the clutch than Damian Lillard

  • Most career game-tying or go-ahead FGM (25) within the final 20 seconds of the 4th Qtr/OT since entering the NBA in 2012
 

Related: Facts of the Day 

5 Most Interesting Facts About Tom Brady’s 2020 NFL Season by Arlan Ubul

The GOAT’s first season in Tampa exceeded all expectations, from incredible individual stats to winning yet another Lombardi Trophy that extends some remarkable records

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