Latest news with #EasternConferencefinals
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Michael Cooper believes Magic Johnson deserved the Finals MVP over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1985 Finals: "I'm sure he wanted those"
Michael Cooper believes Magic Johnson deserved the Finals MVP over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1985 Finals: "I'm sure he wanted those" originally appeared on Basketball Network. In the NBA, the spotlight doesn't always land on the team's certified No. 1 option when it comes to their biggest triumphs. Advertisement A perfect example of this could be seen in the Boston Celtics' 2024 title victory, where Jaylen Brown was awarded the Finals MVP over Jayson Tatum. Similarly, in the 2025 Eastern Conference finals, it was Pascal Siakam who walked away with the MVP honor over Tyrese Haliburton. For Michael Cooper, such scenarios bring back memories of his own experience with the Los Angeles Lakers, especially during the 1985 NBA Finals. As, according to the former Defensive Player of the Year, it was Magic Johnson who truly carried the team on and off the court, but it was eventually Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who walked away with the Finals MVP honor. Cooper explained why Magic deserved the '85 Finals MVP award over Kareem A 37-year-old "Cap" was statistically the Lakers' best player during the 1985 NBA Finals when they beat their arch-rivals Boston Celtics, averaging a team-high 25.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists over six games. However, for Coop, Johnson's leadership was the ultimate x-factor for the Showtime Lakers. Advertisement Speaking on his podcast, the 69-year-old former shooting guard recalled how while Kareem might be prejudged as the team's anchor in terms of production, it was Magic who orchestrated the offense and encouraged all the players to find their rhythm, especially after dropping the series opener by 34 points. Moreover, Cooper understood that given that Abdul-Jabbar was in the last leg of his career, the emotional sentiment motivated everyone to crown him the Finals MVP, which made everyone conveniently overlook the fact that the team's point guard had averaged 18.3 points and a staggering 14.0 assists while playing the most minutes for the team in that series. "Magic was very pivotal in the room and for the entire series because he was the one that was firing us up, getting us ready to go. Kareem was a player that you didn't have to talk to much in the locker room. He was reading a newspaper or (was) in his own world," Cooper recalled the behind-the-scenes talks. "Magic was never about individual accolades, although I'm pretty sure he wanted those. We all do, but Magic was about the bottom line, 'How many championships?'... What you don't know is Magic was always in Kareem's ears and fed him the ball constantly," Cooper concluded. Advertisement Related: "He said, 'You the guy that broke all my records in high school, right?" - Shawn Kemp on the time Larry Bird told him exactly what he was going to do before scoring 40 points Magic made sure to bring out the best in Kareem When looking back on Kareem's illustrious resume, which contains six championships and six MVPs, it's impressive how he attained individual as well as team success so thoroughly. There's no denying that his dominance redefined the center position and earned him well-deserved accolades. But as Mike pointed out, without Magic's unselfish play and leadership, some of those titles might not have materialized. In 1980, for example, a young Magic stepped up when Kareem was injured. In the 1982 playoffs, Kareem averaged just 20.4 points, but it was Johnson again who fueled the Lakers' title run. Advertisement Even in 1987 and 1988, during Kareem's final championship runs, he averaged just 16.6 points across those two postseasons, while Magic continued to steer the ship and helped him add more silverware to his resume. Safe to say, had it not been for Magic, who knows, without those Larry O'Brien trophies, many would have found flaws in Abdud-Jabbar's legacy as well. Thankfully, Abdul-Jabbar had a teammate from Michigan who did everything to enrich his name in the basketball lore, and Coop recognized it fully. Related: "It was easy, beautiful basketball" - The moment Spencer Haywood realized what a genius Magic Johnson was This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
06-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Dwyane Wade declares Tyrese Haliburton a ‘superstar' after latest clutch heroics
Dwyane Wade has made his thoughts on Tyrese Haliburton abundantly clear. Like basketball fans across the globe, the Hall of Famer went ballistic as he watched Haliburton hit the go-ahead jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining to give the Pacers an 111-110 win over the Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday. 'Superstar!' Wade declared on a livestream. 'Superstar! Superstar! Superstar!' As Haliburton's pull-up midrange went down, Wade jumped out of his chair and began yelling in disbelief. Countless fans surely had a similar reaction to the insane shot. Except, of course, for the 18,203 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, who were understandably shell-shocked, devastated and silent. 4 Tyrese Haliburton raises for the game-winning shot. AP Haliburton had just 14 points in the win, but Wade's 'superstar' claim is hard to dispute after the clutch shot – and the Indiana guard's remarkable run of big-time moments in this playoff run. The two-time All-Star has hit a tying or winning shot in each of the Pacers' four playoff series – with each new moment even crazier than the last. First was a go-ahead layup with 1.3 seconds left in Game 5 of Indiana's first-round series against the Bucks, which clinched the Pacers' gentleman's sweep of Milwaukee. 4 Dwyane Wade celebrates after Haliburton's shot. @wynetwork/X Next was a game-winning step-back 3 in Game 2 of the second round against Cleveland, after Haliburton intentionally missed a free throw and grabbed his own rebound. Then came the circus shot that sent Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Knicks to overtime, which fell at the buzzer after taking a sky-high bounce off the back iron to cap a ferocious fourth-quarter comeback, before Thursday's heroics in his NBA Finals debut. 4 Tyrese Haliburton hit the go-ahead jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. NBAE via Getty Images Haliburton's 'superstar' status has been a common topic of debate throughout these playoffs. He is the best player on a Pacers team that now finds itself leading the Finals, 1-0, but doesn't have the gaudy stats of some of the league's other headliners. 4 Dwyane Wade dubbed Tyrese Haliburton a 'superstar' after Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Getty Images for The New York Times Haliburton is averaging 18.5 points per game in the playoffs – the 26th-highest mark among postseason performers and the second-highest on Indiana behind Pascal Siakam (20.9). But Wade – a three-time NBA champ and 13-time All-Star – didn't hesitate to stamp Haliburton with the 'superstar' label nonetheless. The shot – which will go down in NBA Finals history – left him with no doubt.
New York Post
06-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Why Thunder aren't fazed by Game 1 NBA Finals choke after history repeats
The Thunder aren't hitting the panic button after dropping Game 1 of the NBA Finals to the Pacers at home Thursday night in stunning fashion. Leading by 15 points in the fourth, Oklahoma City let the game slip away as Indiana rallied to a 111-110 victory after Pacers star and Knicks villain Tyrese Haliburton hit a 21-foot jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining to take a 1-0 series lead — something league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said won't deter the Thunder's quest for the franchise's first NBA title since the Sonics won in 1979. 'How you lose doesn't really matter,' OKC's star guard said, according to ESPN. 'Obviously it sucks — last-second shot, the energy in the arena and stuff like that. But we lost at the end of the day. We lost Game 1. 'We've lost Game 1 before. On the other side of that, we came out a better team. That's our goal.' 5 Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looks to shoot against the Pacers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 5, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images The Thunder choked away Game 1 of their second-round playoff series to the Nuggets last month after Denver stormed back from a 13-point hole to win, 121-119. The Nuggets closed out the series opener with a 3-point shot from Aaron Gordon with 2.8 seconds remaining at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. 5 Tyrese Haliburton (0) and Aaron Nesmith (23) celebrate the Pacers' stunning Game 1 win after rallying in the fourth. AP 5 Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) shoots and sinks a basket in the final seconds of the second half of Game 1 against the Thunder on May 5, 2025. AP However, Denver's victory lap was short-lived when the West's top seed blew out the Nuggets the following game, 149-106. Oklahoma City took the series in seven. Coach Mark Daigneault, who led the Thunder to a 68-14 record in the regular season, stressed Thursday, 'The most important game in the series is always the next one.' 5 Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault looks during Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 5, 2025. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images 'The playoffs take you to the limit,' Daigneault said. 'They put your back against the wall — in games, in series. If you make it this far, you have to endure to do that. It gives you rich experiences that you can draw on. The biggest experience we've had is understanding that every game's a new game. The most important game in the series is always the next one, regardless of the outcome. We would've liked to win tonight, but tonight was a starting point, not an end point.' The Pacers' playoff run has been defined by comeback victories, most recently in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Knicks, when Haliburton forced overtime en route to a 138-135 win. 5 Tyrese Haliburton (0) shot the game-winner to give the Pacers a 1-0 series lead. Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Indiana topped the Knicks in six games. Game 2 of the NBA Finals tips off Sunday at 8 p.m. The series shifts to Indiana for Games 3 and 4 starting Wednesday, June 11.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NBA Reveals Surprising Results From Eastern Conference Finals MVP Voting
NBA Reveals Surprising Results From Eastern Conference Finals MVP Voting originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The 2025 NBA Finals matchup is set. The Indiana Pacers, after eliminating the New York Knicks, will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder for the NBA championship. The Pacers beat the Knicks 125-108 on Saturday night to close out the Knicks in six games. Advertisement The Pacers now find themselves in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. The Pacers went deep into their bench, seeing 14 different players grace the court in this year's Eastern Conference finals. While many contributed significant minutes against the Knicks, none were more valuable than the minutes played by Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton. Siakam averaged 24.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, including three 30-point performances. Haliburton averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game, including a historic performance in Game 4. Advertisement Either Pacers player could have been named the Eastern Conference finals MVP, however, Siakam, took home the award. Following the somewhat surprising announcement, the NBA revealed the votes, showing just how close this decision was. As per NBA Communications on X (@NBAPR), of the nine media panel members who had a vote for covering this series, Siakam edged out his point guard five votes to four. The five media members who voted for Siakam were Tim Bontemps ( Dustin Dopirak (Indianapolis Star), Katie George (ESPN Radio), Fred Katz (The Athletic), and Steve Popper (Newsday). The four media members who voted for Haliburton were Steve Aschburner ( Jamal Collier ( Reggie Miller (TNT), and Joe Vardon (The Athletic). Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) and forward Pascal Siakam (43) embrace after defeating the New York Knicks in game two of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Regardless of who took home the hardware as the Eastern Conference finals MVP, the Pacers will shift their focus to the Thunder and winning their first NBA championship in franchise history. Advertisement In order for the Pacers to take down the NBA's MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Thunder, the Pacers will assuredly need healthy contributions from Siakam and Haliburton. Game 1 of the NBA Finals will tip-off on Thursday, June 5 at 8:30 p.m. EDT on ABC. Related: 50 Cent's Controversial Courtside Statement During Pacers-Knicks Game 4 is Turning Heads This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Post
03-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
NBA world ‘stunned' by Tom Thibodeau's Knicks firing: League insider
The NBA world was reportedly shocked by the Knicks' Tom Thibodeau firing. Minutes after breaking the news, ESPN's Shams Charania revealed that those around the league couldn't believe the move. 'My phone is blowing up right now with executives, everyone around the league [is] just stunned,' Charania said during an appearance on 'SportsCenter' on Tuesday. Knicks brass decided to part ways with Thibodeau after five seasons, during which the team went 226-174 during the regular season and made the postseason four times. New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau yells from the sideline during the first half of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 31, 2025. AP In each of the past two seasons, the Knicks were downed by the Pacers, falling short of their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. 'Clearly, the Knicks did not feel like Tom Thibodeau was going to be the coach to take them over the top,' Charania said of the firing. Knicks president Leon Rose echoed that sentiment in a statement after the decision. 'Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we've decided to move in another direction,' Rose said. 'We can't thank Tom enough for pouring his heart and soul into each and every day of being the New York Knicks head coach. He led us not only with class and professionalism for the past five seasons, but also to tremendous success on the court with four playoff berths and four playoff series victories. Ultimately, we made the decision we feel is best for our organization moving forward. Tom will always be a part of our Knicks family and we truly wish him nothing but the best in the future.' Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns speaks with head coach Tom Thibodeau during the third quarter of Game 5 against the Pacers. Jason Szenes / New York Post After the Knicks' Game 6 elimination loss to the Pacers, Jalen Brunson had zero doubts when asked about Thibodeau's future in New York. Follow The Post's coverage of the Knicks' stunning firing of head coach Tom Thibodeau 'Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe he's the right guy,' Brunson said. 'Yes. Come on.' Josh Hart reacted to the firing on social media mere minutes after learning the news. 'Forever Grateful,' Hart wrote on X. 'Thank You!'
