Latest news with #Game5
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
In 2024, game-winner. In 2025, 4 goals. Reinhart thrives again in Cup clincher
Sam Reinhart was the Florida Panthers' hero when they won their first Stanley Cup last year, scoring the game-winning goal in Game 7 against the Edmonton Oilers. So it was only natural that Reinhart would not only be the key player again this year but would find a way to up his performance to a level the Panthers have never seen in the playoffs. Reinhart scored four goals in Florida's 5-1 win over the Oilers in Game 6 of the Cup Final on Tuesday to secure their repeat championship. It was the first time a Panthers player had ever recorded a hat trick in a postseason game, let alone put together a four-goal effort. In fact, only three players in NHL history have had a four-goal game in a Cup Final: Maurice Richard in 1957 for the Montreal Canadiens, Ted Lindsay in 1955 for the Detroit Red Wings and Newsy Lalonde in 1919 for Montreal. Reinhart opened scoring 4:36 into regulation with a beaut of an individual effort. He stole the puck from Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard in the neutral zone, charged forward, beat Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm and let off a wrist shot as he was falling in the slot that beat Stuart Skinner. Reinhart then pushed Florida's lead to 3-0 with 2:29 left in the second period when he tipped in an Aleksander Barkov shot after an excellent shift in the offensive zone from Florida's top line overall. Reinhart then sealed his hat trick and four-goal effort — and the Panthers sealed the game — with a pair of empty-net goals. Reinhart's hat trick is the 36th in a Stanley Cup Final in NHL history but only the second this century. Mark Stone recorded a hat trick in the Vegas Golden Knights' Cup-clinching Game 5 win over the Panthers in 2023. And he did all this while playing through a Grade 2 MCL strain he sustained after taking a low hit by Sebastian Aho in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final against the Carolina Hurricanes that forced him to miss two games in that series. 'It took him a few games to get back to health,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. 'But if you're Sam Reinhart, who gets your story? Scored the game-winner in Game 7 [last year] and then you score four goals here. That's pretty good.'
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
The rest that's built into the NBA Finals can be a good thing, especially now
INDIANAPOLIS — Given the way Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton was limping on his way out of the postgame news conference after Game 5 of the NBA Finals, it's safe to assume he's a fan of the schedule right about now. Put simply, he could use a couple of days off — at least.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jalen Williams writes name in Thunder lore with 40 points in Game 5 win over Pacers
Dancing with Aaron Nesmith, Jalen Williams went to his bag for his final bucket. A little bump and turnaround fadeaway looked as easy as riding a bike. He swished in the mid-range jumper. On the biggest stage of his basketball life, the 24-year-old delivered a performance that'll forever be remembered. Williams finished with 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting, six rebounds and four assists. He shot 3-of-5 from 3 and went 9-of-12 on free throws. He also had a steal. The Oklahoma City Thunder did their job with a 120-109 Game 5 win over the Indiana Pacers. A 3-2 series lead in the 2025 NBA Finals has them on the cusp of their first championship. Holy crap. Talk about having a game that could change your career trajectory. Usually viewed as Robin, Williams stepped up as Batman with everything on the line. He made any pre-playoff concerns about him being a viable enough second option look silly. Williams was unstoppable from the start. He destroyed Indiana's interior defense. The mid-range jumper found a groove. The footwork was impeccable. He bumped multiple defenders off him to create space. On top of all that, he got to the free-throw line at will. That was always the 24-year-old's biggest gripe all year. To get over that hump at the freaking NBA Finals is surreal to see. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle "At the same time, like halfway through the year, this was part of me and Mark talking about what it's going to take. I was figuring out my game a lot of it was not just looking for a foul, being able to finish through contact," Williams said on his free throws. "From there, if you finish through contact and make the shot, you don't really need the foul. That's kind of the way I've been approaching it." As the Pacers cut it to as little as two points, Williams dragged the Thunder to a win. He scored 24 points in the second half alone. Each time Indiana looked on the verge of retaking the lead, he knocked down a big-time bucket to soothe any worries. "Great force. I mean, that's the word. We've used that word with him in his development. When he's at his best he's playing with that type of force," Daigneault said about Williams. "That was an unbelievable performance by him, just throughout the whole game. He really was on the gas the entire night. Applied a ton of pressure. Thought he made a lot of the right plays. We're going to need a similar type of approach in Game 6 from him." If the Thunder win the championship, "Game 5 Williams" will be talked about the same way as some of the all-time great NBA Finals performances. Perhaps those NBA folks who told Brian Windhorst he has some Scottie Pippen in him weren't that far off. But don't tell that to the 24-year-old just yet. He's in all business mode right now. "My answer's going to suck because it's kind of going to negate your question. It's something more that I'll, like, look back on later than worry about what kind statement it makes. I think the only statement we have right now is we're up 3-2 and we have to still go earn another win," Williams said on what a 40-point game in the NBA Finals means. "It will be cool to look back on later on. Hopefully down the line I'll have, like, a more fun answer for you." Williams has come a long way from last year's playoff struggles against the Dallas Mavericks. The 24-year-old has grown up over the last two months. Any fears of being a playoff dropper have been squashed. The Thunder are a win away from showing that. "Every time we play in the Finals, it's the biggest game of your life. You know what I mean? I think that's given me a little more comfort in playing hard, playing aggressive," Williams said. "I think just to understand the opportunity that we have I just try to play as hard as I can. Whatever happens after that is where the chips fall."
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Pacers' Haliburton appears to aggravate lower leg injury in Game 5 of NBA Finals
OKLAHOMA CITY — Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton briefly left Game 5 of the NBA Finals for treatment after apparently aggravating an injury to his lower right leg, grabbing at it in obvious discomfort more than once. He played 10:04 of the first quarter Monday, then left for the locker room area and emerged with a wrap on his lower leg. Haliburton checked back into the game with 8:27 left in the first half.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pacers vs. Thunder: Live updates, highlights from Game 5 of 2025 NBA finals
The NBA Finals series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers is tied at 2-2 and headed back to Paycom Center for Game 5 on Monday night. The Pacers have been a force throughout the playoffs and are proving themselves a worthy match for the Thunder. Indiana and Oklahoma City have traded blows throughout the first four games, with the Thunder staving off panic with a win in Game 4. Advertisement Though Indiana looked to secure a 3-1 lead before leaving the Hoosier State, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had another elite performance to even the series. The Canadian star clocked in 35 points as Jalen Williams supplemented him with 27 to ride a 111-104 win back to Oklahoma City. For Indiana, Eastern Conference finals MVP Pascal Siakam led the way with 20 points, while Tyrese Haliburton contributed 18. Which team will take a commanding 3-2 lead going into Thursday's Game 6? Tune in to find out. Date: Monday, June 16 Time: 8:30 p.m. ET Location: Paycom Center | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma TV channel: ABC Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more from Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals:
