On this day in 1982, the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers lost their 24th straight game and set an NBA record for most consecutive losses.

On this day in 2024, the Cavaliers won their eighth straight game to continue a flawless start to the 2024/25 season.

Strange coincidence? Maybe not, but it feels poetic.

P.S. The record for most consecutive losses is now held by the Detroit Pistons, who lost 28 straight last season.

32
The number of runs, from 33 balls, scored by cricket captain Pat Cummins to help Australia beat Pakistan by two wickets last night. Pace bowler Mitchell Starc also starred with three wickets, limiting Pakistan’s scoring to 203 runs. Australia now leads the three-match series 1-0, with the second match to be played at Adelaide Oval on 8 November. 

"I'm proud of myself. Not only myself, my team. We were able to overcome a lot of things. To be able to show such great tennis and become world number one. It's teamwork, it's not only me.”
Aryna Sabalenka after becoming the first player to secure a semi-final berth at this year’s WTA Finals tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 26-year-old is guaranteed to play in a semi-final after she beat Italian Jasmine Paolini in straight sets. A record amount of prize money is on offer at this year’s WTA Finals. The singles winner will collect $US4.45m ($AU6.7m), and as much as $US5.15m ($AU7.8m) if they remain undefeated throughout. 

At the start of the 2015/16 Premier League season, Leicester City's chances of winning were considered so low that betting company William Hill set their odds at 5000-1. They won, and the company racked up a loss of £2.2 million ($AU4.3m). Gambling Helpline: 1800 858 858

🏉 The AFLW rising star for the final round of the regular season was St Kilda’s J'Noemi Anderson. The 19-year-old had 11 disposals, eight tackles, six kicks and two score involvements in the Saints’ 27-point loss to Brisbane. St Kilda will not play in the finals after finishing 11th on the ladder.

⛳ American golf star Nelly Korda has claimed the LPGA Player of the Year title, with three events left on the 2024 women’s golfing calendar. The 26-year-old world number one has won six events and finished in the top 10 an additional three times. The next event on the LPGA tour is the Lotte Championship in Hawai’i on 6 November (local time).

🏉 Rugby Australia has appointed Liam Barry as the head coach of Australia’s men’s rugby sevens program. Barry is a former assistant coach for New Zealand’s men’s rugby sevens team. He said: "I'm very excited to take the team into the next cycle off the back of what they’ve done at the Paris Olympics”. Barry will lead the team to their first tournament of the season in Dubai in late November.

🏀 The Cleveland Cavaliers have won their first eight games in an NBA season for the second time in franchise history. The only other Cavaliers team to do so was in the 1976/77 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder have also had a historic start, winning seven from seven.

The 2024 Melbourne Cup was won by Knight’s Choice. The Australian-bred horse, ridden by Irishman Robbie Dolan and trained by Sheila Laxon and John Symons, won the race in a photo finish ahead of Japanese horse Warp Speed.

Okita Soushi finished third followed by Zardozi in fourth place. 90,000 spectators were in attendance at Flemington race track in Melbourne.

Knight’s Choice was a rank outsider heading into the Melbourne Cup and managed to win the race by a nose.

It is the second time a horse trained by Sheila Laxon has won the prestigious race. The last time was in 2001, when Laxon became the first female trainer to win the Cup with horse Ethereal.

It is the first time jockey Robbie Dolan, who is also known for competing on ‘The Voice’, has won the Cup.

Dolan said: "Pinch me, I'm dreaming. It is incredible. I can't believe it. I don't even know what to say. I watched every Melbourne Cup for the last 40 years.”

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After ten rounds of the AFLW, the competition has been whittled down to the top eight teams. The first finals games will be played this weekend.

The top four teams will play two qualifying finals. The North Melbourne Kangaroos (1st) will play the Adelaide Crows (4th) on Friday night, and Hawthorn (2nd) will take on the Brisbane Lions (3rd) on Sunday afternoon. The winners of the Qualifying Finals will earn a place in the Preliminary Finals.

The favourites to win the premiership are the North Melbourne Kangaroos. The Kangaroos won the minor premiership after an undefeated season (which featured one draw against the Geelong Cats) and will be determined to go all the way this year after losing the 2023 Grand Final. Meanwhile, Brisbane will be looking to become the first team in the AFLW to go back-to-back.

The teams who finished 5th to 8th will only get one chance to progress as they play in the Elimination Finals this weekend. On Saturday afternoon, Fremantle (5th) will host Essendon (8th). On Sunday afternoon Port Adelaide (6th) will play Richmond (7th). The winners of the Elimination Finals will play the respective losers of the Qualifying Finals next week.

Fremantle, who are returning to the finals for the first time since 2020, are favourites to beat Essendon, who only won six of their 11 regular season matches this season. Meanwhile, Richmond will be looking to snap a three-game no-win streak in the lead-up to the finals, with the confidence of knowing they beat Port Adelaide in week five.

You can watch all matches in the AFLW Finals Series on Foxtel or Kayo.

ICYMI: TDA Sport has a new game on Instagram called Blurdle. IYKYK.
Today’s answer: Ellie Carpenter
Useless clue: Tools of the trade

Boosting Athletic Performance with AI: Insights from Deakin’s Dr. Lyndell Bruce

As a key partner at the recent Sport Tech World Series (STWS) during Australian Sport Innovation Week, Deakin University is leading the charge in harnessing data to revolutionise athletics.

Dr. Lyndell Bruce, a sport scientist at Deakin, believes that real-time data integration is the future of sports technology. This approach empowers coaches with insights that enhance decision-making during training and competitions.

Recent initiatives at Deakin have involved developing tools that combine AI analysis with human intuition. Dr. Bruce emphasises that while technology plays a crucial role, the true advantage comes from blending data-driven insights with the expertise of coaches. This fusion allows teams to adapt strategies on the fly and optimise performance.

Looking ahead, Dr. Bruce envisions user-friendly platforms that streamline data access for all sports professionals, making valuable insights readily available. By fostering this synergy between technology and athletic expertise, Deakin is setting the stage for a new era in sports performance enhancement

Think beyond the field. Study sport at Deakin.