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New York Times
an hour ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Pacers-Thunder Game 7 means predictions and all-time NBA Finals rankings
The Bounce Newsletter | This is The Athletic's daily NBA newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Bounce directly in your inbox. Maybe you haven't been interested in the Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals. It's possible the markets, stars or stories aren't interesting to you. If you're a big enough basketball fan to subscribe to this newsletter, I implore you to watch Game 7 on Sunday. It's been a phenomenal series, and a fantastic finish is on the way. NBA Finals glory almost a decade in the making Tyrese Haliburton had a bad wheel due to his calf strain. The Thunder smelled blood in the water. And the Pacers were still licking their wounds from blowing a chance to go up 3-1 at home in Game 4, when they allowed the Thunder to give them a taste of their own medicine – dominating fourth quarters for a big comeback. So, it's not a shock that so many people assumed the Thunder would go into Indianapolis last night and make that visiting locker room stink of champagne and stain the hardwood floor on the court with Pacers regret. Advertisement When the Pacers started the game 0-of-8 from the field, it looked like it might be an early wrap, but they settled themselves and started making shots. And then, after a poor close to the first quarter, they went on a monster 30-9 run in the last 8:51 of the second quarter to give themselves a 22-point lead at halftime. It took the Thunder until the 5:03 mark in the third quarter to score their first basket. It was a 30-point lead entering the final period, so Indiana knew it had one more game to play. It's hard to win an NBA title! Who knew?! The Thunder turned the ball over an inordinate amount of times, racking up 21 turnovers to the Pacers' 11 and allowing 19 points off those turnovers to the Pacers' 13. Before the Thunder waved the Ajay Mitchell flag, Indiana's bench was outscoring OKC's 31-6. And the Pacers used timely traps and double teams to force eight turnovers by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder laid an egg so big that it could have filled up every buffet chafing dish in Las Vegas. After the game, SGA mentioned the thought of the opportunity to clinch the first title was in the back of his mind, and he thought he could draw on the experience of not wanting to lose Game 7 against Denver in the second round to persevere on Sunday. On NBA TV, Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas said losing in the second round and losing a Game 7 (1988 NBA Finals against the Lakers) are not even close to the same thing. Perhaps the youth of the Thunder still comes through at certain times, but it's not like the Pacers have much championship experience outside of Pascal Siakam. T.J. McConnell dominated the Thunder for the second straight game. Adding 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals in 24 minutes off the bench might now sound like domination, but he completely controlled the game when he was in. And now, both teams have their backs against the walls in the tiniest octagon in sports: Game 7. Game 7 is on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC (or try FUBO for free!). You can also watch the Pregame Live Show on the NBA App and all of their socials (including YouTube page) with myself, Mo Dakhil, Alexis Morgan and Atlanta Hawk Georges Niang from 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET for a pregame show that doesn't just have a bunch of shouting, incongruent statements! Best prospects in the last two decades 🏀 Measuring up. Cooper Flagg is another highly touted No. 1 pick. How does he look compared to other past prospects? He's higher than you think! 💰 New dawn. The Lakers' sale was a shocking moment and price tag. And it will change how ownership works. 💸 Big extension. The Rockets denied the Knicks and then gave Ime Udoka a new deal. He's one of the highest-paid coaches now. 🏀 They're back? The NBA is looking to expand with a league in Europe. And EuroLeague is re-entering the conversation. 🎧 Tuning in. Today's 'NBA Daily' discusses Pascal Siakam's bizarre pre-game ritual with Shakeia Taylor. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. In 100 riveting profiles, top basketball writers justify their selections and uncover the history of the NBA in the process. The story of the greatest players in NBA history. Can we predict how Game 7 will go? We haven't had a Game 7 in the NBA Finals since 2016, when the Cavaliers went into Oracle Arena and shocked the world by taking down the 73-win Warriors to complete the first 3-1 series comeback in NBA Finals history. The Pacers going into the Paycom Center in OKC on Sunday to face the Thunder will mark the 20th Game 7 in NBA Finals history. The Thunder are 8.5-point favorites in the game and -375 to win the game outright, courtesy of BetMGM. That makes some sense, considering home teams typically win these matchups. Here are some stats from NBA Finals Game 7s to consider: Most of these NBA Finals Game 7s have not happened in the modern era (post-NBA/ABA merger in 1976). Eight of the 19 matchups have happened since the merger, and Sunday will be the fifth one in the last 20 years. These are simply rare, to say the least. Here are the four teams that did the unfathomable and won on the road: Game 7s are so rare in the modern era that Draymond Green is tied with Shane Battier for the most 3-pointers made in an NBA Finals Game 7 with six. That sounds like I could have made up that statistic, but it's true! Green had a massive Game 7 with 32 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists in the losing effort in 2016. Advertisement As you pore over this Game 7 data, there is no rhyme or reason for the road team winning. It just feels random, which is also how the Pacers being in this position feels to a lot of people. Maybe they'll pull it off, or maybe the Thunder will push them around like they did Denver in Game 7 of the second round. How is this NBA Finals shaping up? In the intro, I implored people to drop what they're doing on Sunday and tap into Game 7. I truly believe this has been one of the better NBA Finals we've had in recent memory. The tricky thing about watching and loving so many of these is nostalgia will always creep in. People still pine for the days of the defense of the 1980s and 1990s, but you'll watch some old film, and, aside from the physicality that was allowed, you won't see a ton of good defense being played. Eras and memories are funny that way. Physicality does not equal defense. In terms of the modern finals, I do think it's worth wondering what a dynamic, close, clutch Game 7 in this series could mean for where it ranks in the last 20-25 years. We've had great performances, close games and drama. So, let's try to put into context where this could slot in. First of all, let's eliminate all sweeps and five-game series. No offense to those winners and participants, but we're only looking at six- and seven-game series here. Obviously, seven-game finishes will take precedence over six-gamers here. Regardless of how Game 7 shakes out, if we're getting a down to the final minutes game with either team winning and we're not talking buzzer-beater, I feel pretty confident in this order for me: 10. Heat 4-2 over Mavericks (2006): Dallas fans got their revenge in 2011, and they're still not over the Dwyane Wade free-throw volume from this series. (And Dallas was up 2-0 in this series!) 9. Bucks 4-2 over Suns (2021): Don't underrate this series. Phoenix went up 2-0, then Milwaukee ran off four straight with Giannis Antetokounmpo (50 points, 14 rebounds) putting up arguably the greatest closeout performance ever in Game 6. Advertisement 8. Spurs 4-3 over Pistons (2005): There were two and a half close games in this series, and the first four were unwatchable. It went seven, though. 7. Celtics 4-2 over Lakers (2008): Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen came through over Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, all on their first journeys together. 6. Warriors 4-2 over Cavaliers (2015): Kind of marred by the Cavs injuries, but still very fun. 5. Thunder 3-3 v. Pacers (2025): Is this too high? Is that crazy? Are you just dismissive because of the two markets? (This ranking go up or down based on Sunday's result.) 4. Mavericks 4-2 over Heat (2011): Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs absolutely embarrassed the Heatles. 3. Lakers 4-3 over Celtics (2010): It was an ugly but dramatic ending. This series had it all, plus the two storied franchises. 2. Heat 4-3 over Spurs (2013): The Ray Allen shot that saved the Heat, plus an epic Tim Duncan and LeBron James duel in Game 7. 1. Cavaliers 4-3 over Warriors (2016): The historical significance of the blown 3-1 lead has to make it the top one. Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. ( Photo: Trevor Ruszkowski / USA Today Network via Imagn Images )
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
🎥 Stuck in Bilbao: Bill Murray on Athletic's philosophy?
Soccer has us used to the most unpredictable scenes, but seeing a legend like Bill Murray praising the philosophy of Athletic Club was not something we saw coming... The actor, who is in Bilbao presenting his show New Worlds, was invited by the club to visit the San Mamés stadium and had a lively chat with the legend Jose Ángel Iribar. Bill Murray declares himself signable by Athletic The eternal Txopo showed Murray the connection between soccer and Basque pride, in a very charming encounter. "I accept a blood donation from the Basque Country today to be able to play here," the artist explains in the video released by Athletic. Advertisement "We are a lot of RH negative," the red-and-white legend responds. The scene is priceless... This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. 📸 Rob Carr - 2023 Getty Images
New York Times
4 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Test cricket explained in 60 seconds
Test cricket can be a daunting spectacle for the unfamiliar: a vast field, two sets of wickets and up to five days of play in a single match. But it is also beautiful; a prolonged battle unlike anything else in world sport. So as part of The Athletic's new cricket coverage, which we launched this week, we thought it might be useful for the uninitiated if we put together this explainer on exactly how Test cricket works. If you want to read the cricket articles we have published so far, including our analysis ahead of this summer's Test series between England and India, click here. Strap yourself in. This could take a while, which is exactly what Test cricket is about — patience. Test matches are the traditional and longest form of the sport and are so called because it is considered the ultimate test of skill and endurance in cricket. Tests are played by international teams of 11 players over up to five days. Each team is scheduled to bat — known as an innings, just like in baseball — and bowl twice per game. First there is a coin toss, then the captain who wins the toss decides between volunteering their team to bat first and making the opposition do so, with their choice based on factors such as the climatic conditions, the weather forecast for the days ahead, the state of the pitch and the players at their disposal. A Test cricket captain has to be a mix of a meteorologist, an agronomist and a futurologist. An innings is over when either 10 of the batting team's 11 players are out (there must always be two batters on the pitch — the strip of ground, 22 yards long, that has the wickets, also known as stumps, at either end) or that team's captain decides to 'declare', which means they are confident they have scored enough runs already with players still to take their turns and wants to put the opposition in to bat, so his bowlers can put them under pressure. Each team has 11 players made up of specialist batters and bowlers plus all-rounders (players that can bat and bowl proficiently, or bat and be the wicket-keeper, the player from the bowling team stationed immediately behind the stumps). When batting, the two players most technically skilled at this aspect of the game take a team's first turns. They are known as the openers, because they are opening the innings. As batters are dismissed, they are followed by others, first those known as the top order, then the all-rounders in the middle, with the bowlers — or tailenders — batting last. Each day's play, weather permitting, lasts about seven hours and is divided into three sessions — the morning from an 11am start, the afternoon following a 40-minute lunch break and the evening, which comes after the 20-minute 'tea interval' (as in 'afternoon tea', though these days the professional teams don't just drink tea and eat sandwiches in that break, although that is still how it works at village cricket clubs all across Britain). The bowling team must perform an allotted amount of overs (an over is a set of six deliveries, from the same end of the pitch) or their captain could be fined for slow play. The winners are the team to have scored the most runs in total. That might be after both sides have batted their two full innings, but it can be after only one of them has done that twice — if they scored fewer runs in their two innings than the other side managed in one. Once the team batting last surpasses the combined total of their opponents' two innings, they are described as having won by how many batters they still have who are not out in that second innings — i.e., if they have five batters left, they have won by five wickets. Advertisement If they fail to surpass the combined total, the other team is described as having won by how many runs the opposition has fallen short by. For example, if the team batting last need to score 350 to surpass the other lot's total but only have 274 when their last batter is out, the side then bowling win by 76 runs. Incredibly, after almost a week of play, there can still be a draw, yes. Ultimately, to win, a team must bowl the opposition out twice. If, at the end of the designated number of overs on the last of the five days, one of the teams are still batting and have players left in the order, the match is declared a draw, regardless of whether one side has scored more runs. The weather can also have a big impact on whether a game ends in a draw, with hours or whole days lost to rain — not so rare an occurrence during England's sometimes inclement summers.
New York Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Connections: Sports Edition hints for June 20, 2025, puzzle No. 270
Need help with today's Connections: Sports Edition puzzle? You've come to the right place. Welcome to Connections: Sports Edition Coach — a spot to gather clues and discuss (and share) scores. A quick public service announcement before we continue: The bottom of this article includes one answer in each of the four categories. So if you want to solve the board hint-free, we recommend you play before continuing. Advertisement You can access Friday's game here. Game No. 270's difficulty: 3 out of 5 Scroll below for one answer in each of the four categories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yellow: DIRT Green: SPOTTER Blue: PLAYER Purple: YAMAL The next puzzle will be available at midnight in your time zone. Thanks for playing — and share your scores in the comments! (Illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic)
CNET
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Today's NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints, Answers for June 20 #270
Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today's Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles. Today's Connections: Sports Edition might be tough. Read on for hints and the answers. Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That's a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn't show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic's own app. Or you can continue to play it free online. Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta Hints for today's Connections: Sports Edition groups Here are four hints for the groupings in today's Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group. Yellow group hint: Where games and matches are held. Green group hint: Rev up. Blue group hint: Fore! Purple group hint: ¡Viva España! Answers for today's Connections: Sports Edition groups Yellow group: Playing surfaces. Green group: Parts of a NASCAR team. Blue group: Golfers to complete the Career Grand Slam. Purple group: Famous Spanish athletes. Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words What are today's Connections: Sports Edition answers? The completed NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for June 20, 2025. NYT/Screenshot by CNET The yellow words in today's Connections The theme is playing surfaces. The four answers are dirt, grass, ice and turf. The green words in today's Connections The theme is parts of a NASCAR team. The four answers are crew chief, driver, pit crew and spotter. The blue words in today's Connections The theme is golfers to complete the Career Grand Slam. The four answers are Hogan, McIlroy, Player and Woods. The purple words in today's Connections The theme is famous Spanish athletes. The four answers are Gasol, Nadal, Rahm and Yamal.
