Latest news with #Basketball
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
GAME 7 Locked In! Pacers Dominate OKC
NBA: The Indiana Pacers have smashed the OKC Thunder in a dominant game 6 to set up the first NBA Finals game 7 since 2016.
India.com
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Sitare Zameen Par movie review: Aamir Khan and his ‘sitare' shine in this perfectly balanced comic-emotional ride
Sitaare Zameen Par review: Aamir Khan's one of the most anticipated films of this year, Sitaare Zameen Par , has finally hit the big screens, which introduces 10 actors with disabilities, who have down-syndrome. The film is based on a failed basketball coach whose rude behaviour lands him in trouble, for which he was sent to teach Basketball to these specially abled folks who are normal for themselves (like the tagline says 'sabka apna apna normal' ) but not for the coach. Later, the story delves into emotional depth along with the essence of humour and a life lesson that perfectly summarises the quote, 'Every catastrophe is also an opportunity.' The Plot Gulshan Arora (played by Aamir Khan ) is a junior basketball coach who is notorious for his arrogant behaviour, especially around those who are close to him. The starting shot of the film establishes Gulshan and his problem as he has to face trolling due to his short height, which lands him in big trouble. After getting expelled from the Basketball Academy, he is also charged in drinking and driving case. Later, Gulshan is assigned to a sports academy to train students who are specially-abled, to fulfill his community service instead of going to jail. Upon agreeing to coach them and reach the Basketball Championship Finals, Sunil (Ashish Pendse), Satbir (Aroush Datta), Lotus (Aayush Bhansali), Sharma Ji (Rishi Shahani), Guddu (GopiKrishnan K Verma), Raju (Rishabh Jain), Bantu (Vedant Sharma), Golu (Simran Mangeshkar), Kareem (Samvit Desai) and Hargovind (Naman Misra) ultimately impart to him the essence of individuality within a lesson of teaching him what is normal, along with a lesson that completely changes him as a human being. The Performances This film is not an Aamir Khan film; it's more like a film that is dependent on the new-age talent that has been given a perfect space and limelight to showcase themselves and their potential to the cinema lovers, as every character tries to portray its generic emotions in the purest form. What makes the film set apart from other stories, is that the characters are not presented sympathetically. But, it delves into the portrayal of normal human beings who just have to function the same in their special ways. Aamir Khan's character has its side and nature, a guy who hails from Delhi and has a short temper just because people mock him for his height, and this is why he is rude to others, but the change that comes later truly shows why Khan is known as Mr. Perfectionist of the cinema. While watching him on the big screen, he does not make you feel his star power, but a man who has kept himself as a child in front of other grown-ups. The supporting actors including Dolly Ahluwalia , Brijendra Kala and Gurpal Singh completely shine in their forms, where Dolly and Brijendra's comical timings will make you laugh with joy, Gurpal's kindness and teachings will make you stay with the kids and with their beautiful lives that do not convert into struggle but a sense of living. Genelia Deshmukh (Sunita) lights up the screen with her presence as she manages to pull off without being too dramatic, which makes it into a compelling narrative. Despite becoming a mother to each one of them, Genelia plays the role of a companion and a strong pillar for Gulshan in his messed-up life while fighting her own battles. Music And Background Scores It has always remained constant in an Aamir Khan cinema that quality and choices of music will never be compromised. It stays the same with Sitaare Zameen Par because the background scores done by Ram Sampath are so beautifully transitioned that will keep you hooked with the film. All four songs, including Good For Nothing, Sar Aankhon, Sitaare Zameen Par and Shubh Mangalam , portray different stories that do not look like forced or pushed scenes to make it commercially relevant, especially when it has been done by stalwarts of the music industry such as Shankar Ehsaan Loy and Amitabh Bhattacharya. Cinematography and Editing The cinematography and editing were handled by G Srinivas Reddy and Charu Shree Roy, who have been associated with projects like Lipstick Under My Burkha, Chhichhore, and Haraamkhor. Know how to blend the perfect mix of colour and black screens so as not to make it look like a forced jump between sequences. The colour grading and shots have been so beautifully synced that it will make you fall in love with each sequence, especially the interval block and climax sequence, which makes it a clap-worthy moment and hands down one of the finest in Bollywood. What Works For Sitaare Zameen Par As some of you may know this film is an Indian adapted version of the 2018 Spanish film Campeones and while watching it you may feel like you are looking at it as a copy-paste, but that's not the case because the way it has been beautifully helmed and written by RS Prasanna and Divy Nidhi Sharma. Sitaare Zameen Par and team clearly hits out the ball out of the park for its engaging and hard-hitting screenplay with a special message and lines that stays with you 'Basketball Sikhaane Aaya Tha, Insaaniyat Seekh Ke Jaa Raha'. Final Verdict Overall, Sitaare Zameen Par is a true example of how one should deal with sensitive topics such as Down syndrome. While some try to make a mockery of such subjects, this film does not just keep its focus on the characters but also gives a life lesson. This film is a typical Aamir Khan-style film that perfectly balances humour and emotions and does not feel like a forced sequel at all ; instead raises the bar high for its remarkable legacy. Rating- 4 /5
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Caitlin Clark Hypes Fever's Lexie Hull for Major WNBA Award
Caitlin Clark Hypes Fever's Lexie Hull for Major WNBA Award originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Over the past season, the Fever have made it clear that they intend to vault from an also-ran with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA in back-to-back years to a franchise that is pointed directly at a league championship. Certainly, adding a star like Caitlin Clark to the mix goes a long way toward that goal. Advertisement But having the right role players, too, has been a key in how this team has been reconstructed. And one of those role players formed a tight bond with Clark almost immediately in Indiana last year: Lexie Hull. On Thursday, ahead of Indiana's showdown in San Francisco against the expansion Valkyries, Clark was asked about Hull, who was a standout at nearby Stanford before going to the Fever with the No. 6 overall pick in 2022. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) and Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull (10)© Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images "The game is different when Lexie is on the floor," Clark said. "Her energy, her tenacitythe way she affects the game--whether she's scoring or she's not, she's our best defensive player, I think she is one of the best defensive players in the league. She's active, she's aggressive and also she shoots the ball really well. She's made a lot of 3s for us, she's shooting at close to 60% which is really unheard of in all of basketball, you just don't see that. Advertisement "So, I am just really proud of her, she always just puts her head down and keeps working. In my eyes, she is probably the top player in this league for Most Improved. I think she has improved in almost every statistical category. I am really happy for her and lucky to have a teammate like her, honestly." Hull has improved, no doubt. She is playing more--30.3 minutes per game--and is averaging career highs with 9.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals. Hull is shooting 48.8% from the field and, incredibly, 56.7% from the 3-point line. Hull has a whopping plus-34.7-point on/off rating, too, according to as the team is 18.3 points better offensively when she is playing and the opponent is 16.4 points worse. That leads the Fever, by far. (Clark, at plus-15.0, is No. 2 among the regulars.) This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Tyrese Haliburton Inspires, Pacers' Defense Swarms, Indiana Forces Game 7
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JUNE 19: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers celebrates a basket ... More against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter in Game Six of the 2025 NBA Finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) The Oklahoma City Thunder raced out to a 10-2 lead. What came next was the Indiana Pacers' refusal to let the visitors even think about holding a championship coronation at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. After not making a field goal until the eight-minute mark in the opening frame, the hosts caught fire. They outscored their guests 24-15 from that point until the buzzer blew at the period's conclusion. That set the tone for a second-quarter haymaker. Indiana put 36 points on the board. Oklahoma City mustered less than half of that [17]. By halftime, concerns about Tyrese Haliburton's calf strain converted to admiration. Once the Pacers' star guard found his rhythm, it became impossible for the Thunder to get him out of his groove. Haliburton danced his way to three-point makes from well beyond the arc. He was a fearless facilitator, firing bold passes to produce points for his teammates. And he refused to let his calf strain impede his commitment at the defensive end. The two-time All-NBA selection finished with 14 points, five assists, and two steals. His +25 plus-minus rating was second to teammate Aaron Nesmith, a +27. "It's the Finals," Haliburton replied when asked about the resolve he showed in Game 6 in his on-court interview post-game with ESPN's Lisa Salters. "It's the Finals. All of us got to give everything we have. I'll give everything I have for this group and this locker room. So, [I] As for how his calf felt in the immediate aftermath of Indiana's 108-91 victory: "It's ok. It's ok," Haliburton told Lisa Salters. "[We've] got a couple [of] days now to take care of it, get it right and be ready. We've got one game, all cards on the table; it's gonna be a lot of fun." Tyrese Haliburton's performance was inspirational. What Indiana's defense did was suffocating. With the hosts' season on the line, they used that desperation as a jetpack. The Pacers flew around defensively. Every time Shai Gilgeous-Alexander thought he gained an edge on his primary defender, another one was there to ensure nothing came of it. The league MVP finished with eight turnovers. That's the most he's had in a playoff game. It matches the most he's had in his career. It's a testament to the job Andrew Nembhard did and the help provided by his teammates. Gilgeous-Alexander wasn't the only member of the visitors who struggled to take care of the ball. Oklahoma City finished with 21 turnovers. That led to 19 points for Indiana. Much of that damage came in the first half as the Pacers expanded the gap on the scoreboard. The Thunder entered intermission with 12 giveaways. That led to 16 points for Thursday's victors, who had a 22-point advantage at the break. "The turnovers in the first half, that's uncharacteristic for us to turn it over like that," said Oklahoma City head coach Mark Daigneault after the loss. "That led to fast-break points. I thought that's what ignited them. A lot of it was an offensive issue tonight, especially in the first half. I thought we were really stagnant." The situation worsened in the third quarter. Understanding what was at stake, the Pacers kept their foot on the gas. They followed the blueprint from the first half to grow their lead to 30 entering the final frame. For the hosts, a 90-60 edge represented a seemingly insurmountable advantage with 12 minutes remaining. For the Thunder, it was the fewest points they've scored through three quarters this season. The Thunder went 35-6 at home this season, the best mark in the NBA. They're 10-2 at the Paycom Center in the playoffs. They also have history on their side entering Sunday's contest with the Larry O'Brien Trophy on the line. Road teams are 4-15 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The last visitor to prevail in that situation was the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. The LeBron James chase-down block on Andre Iguodala and Kyrie Irving's side-step three from the right wing that propelled Cleveland are indelible moments in the league's history. That 73-win Golden State Warriors team James' Cavaliers went through was historic. The Pacers will also have to topple a giant, albeit one just rising to power. "You've got to flush this one," T.J. McConnell told NBATV after the victory. "Obviously, happy that we won, and we'll look at the film and see what we did well. But Game 7, especially on the road, is a whole different animal. And we've got to be locked in on both ends and just be super together because we're all we're going to have on the road." As for Oklahoma City, like home dominance, the ability to bounce back after a loss is one of the team's hallmarks. The Thunder are 18-2 after a defeat in the regular or postseason this year. It also helps to have already experienced a Game 7. That's what advancing past the Denver Nuggets, a prideful former champion, required. Perhaps there's something from that trial they can call on with the stakes at their highest. "We have the same opportunity Indiana does on Sunday," said Daigneault at the podium post-game. "The score will be 0-0 when the ball goes up in the air. It's a privilege to play in Game 7s. It's a privilege to play in the Finals. "As disappointing as tonight was, we're grateful for the opportunity. And we put in a lot of work this season to be able to play that game at home, which is exciting, to be able to do it in front of our fans. So, obviously, [we're] disappointed tonight, but we'll regroup. Get back to zero. Learn from it with clear eyes, like we always do. Get ourselves as ready as we can be to play Game 7 on Sunday." Like the Thunder, the Pacers know what they have to hang their hat on. "It's about the margins," stressed Haliburton. "It's about taking care of the ball and rebounding. Those are the most important things. You've got to control the controllables and let the cards fall where they may. "It's a one-game series now, and we believe. We've got a lot of faith in this group. So, take care of our bodies, get ready, and Game 7 NBA Finals, what more can you ask for?"
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
For Isaiah Hartenstein and OKC Thunder, Game 1 vs Pacers 'felt like we lost the game' Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein breaks down how the Indiana Pacers seized Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and the similarities to this and Game 1 vs Denver.
