Latest news with #In-SeasonTournament
NBC Sports
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
How to watch Sunday's Cup race at Pocono: Start time, streaming info and weather
The NASCAR In-Season Challenge seedings will be set Sunday over 160 miles at Pocono Raceway. It's the last Cup Series event before the beginning of an inaugural five-race exhibition for $1 million. Denny Hamlin remains the top seed of the 32-driver field by virtue of his win at Michigan International Speedway. Because Mexico City winner Shane Van Gisbergen failed to qualify for the In-Season Challenge, the next two seeds are Chris Buescher and Christopher Bell. An eligible Pocono winner would clinch the second seed for the In-Season Tournament, which will begin June 28 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Mexico City marked the second of three seeding races for the 2025 In-Season Tournament. Here are the updated seeding positions following Mexico City, with one race remaining: Hamlin, who missed the inaugural race at Mexico City after the birth of his son, will return at Pocono, where he holds the Cup record with seven victories. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who finished runner-up to Ryan Blaney last year, is the only repeat winner in the past eight races at Pocono. Four organizations have combined to win the past 10 Cup races at Pocono: JGR (six wins), Hendrick Motorsports (two), Team Penske and the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing. Dustin Long, Details for Sunday's Cup race at Pocono Raceway (All times Eastern) START: The command to start engines will be given at 2:09 p.m. ... The green flag will wave at 2:20 p.m. PRERACE: The Cup garage will open at 11 a.m. ... Driver introductions are at 1:25 p.m. ... The invocation will be given at 2:01 p.m. ... The anthem will be performed by Generald Wilson, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Retired, at 2:02 p.m. DISTANCE: The race is 160 laps (400 miles) on the 2.5-mile track. STAGES: Stage 1 ends at Lap 30. Stage 2 ends at Lap 95. ENTRY LIST: Click here for the 36 cars entered at Pocono Raceway. TV/RADIO: Prime will broadcast the race starting at 1 p.m. ... Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will have radio coverage. FORECAST: WeatherUnderground — A mixture of sunshine and clouds with a high of 86 degrees and winds from the west at 10 to 15 mph. It's expected to be 83 degrees with a 5% chance of racing for the start of the Cup Series race. LAST TIME: Ryan Blaney led a race-high 44 laps and won by 1.312 seconds over Denny Hamlin on July 14, 2024.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
LeBron Shuts Down The 'No Bag' Talk: "I'm Sitting Here With 50 Billion Points"
LeBron Shuts Down The 'No Bag' Talk: "I'm Sitting Here With 50 Billion Points" originally appeared on Fadeaway World. LeBron James is done listening to people claim he has 'no bag.' On the latest episode of Mind The Game, the all-time NBA scoring king finally addressed the long-running internet narrative questioning his creativity and dribble package. In true LeBron fashion, he didn't raise his voice, he raised the bar. Advertisement "When I was growing up, it wasn't talked about it. The least amount of dribbles to get where you need to get to was what I grew up on." "Michael Jordan wasn't out there dribbling 1,000 times, you know, to get to the spot. He'd get to a spot and raise. Isiah Thomas, as great of a handle that Isiah Thomas had, Isiah would get to a spot and raise." "All these guys that I grew up on, Grant Hill, get to a spot, I'm bigger than you. Big Dog Robinson, I'm bigger than you. Allen Houston, all these great players, that I grew up watching and admiring." "Penny Hardaway, they could dribble the basketball, but there's no... Tracy McGrady, even as great as Tracy's handle was, it was, I'm bigger than you, I'm gonna get to the spot and the least amount of dribbles." Advertisement "Kevin Garnett... Just good footwork, get over the top. If I'm bigger than you and I get you on my shoulder, I get you on my hip, I'm gonna use my size." "I see it all the time. It's like, you know, I'll be on social media, like, LeBron has no bag. LeBron has no bag and I'm sitting over here with 50 billion points." That's not hyperbole. LeBron James has amassed 52,243 career points, a mind-boggling number that includes 42,184 in the regular season and 8,289 in the playoffs. That's over 50,000 points in the NBA alone. Add in his points for Team USA, All-Star Games, the In-Season Tournament, and various exhibition and international games, and the total vaults well beyond the 52K mark. To put it simply, if LeBron has no bag, then basketball doesn't need one. Advertisement What triggered LeBron's subtle roast of the internet critics was a deeper discussion about how offensive basketball was taught and understood in his generation. He pointed out that players he admired growing up like Michael Jordan, Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, and Tracy McGrady, all emphasized efficiency over flash. He mentioned legends like Allen Houston and 'Big Dog' Glenn Robinson, who dominated their matchups by using size, footwork, and precision, not a flurry of crossovers or highlight-reel ankle breakers. Even someone like Isiah Thomas, known for his handle, played within a framework that emphasized getting to a spot with purpose. In that context, LeBron sees himself not as lacking a bag, but simply operating from a different philosophy. Advertisement The comments are a timely reminder that "bag" talk — especially the internet's obsession with flashy dribbling and aesthetic shot creation — often ignores the actual results. LeBron didn't need to dance with the ball. He bulldozed, he glided, he orchestrated, and he dominated. From post fades to downhill drives, from bullet passes to chase-down blocks, LeBron's game is built on control, versatility, and overwhelming impact. And while social media might be fixated on who has the deepest handle or slickest combo, LeBron is focused on the scoreboard and history. Whether or not someone wants to call it a 'bag,' LeBron's point is simple: the man with over 50,000 points, four championships, and a two-decade run of dominance doesn't need to prove his artistry. He is the canvas. Related: Dominique Wilkins Says LeBron James Is A Sidekick For The Lakers After Luka Doncic Trade This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Indianapolis Star
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Doyel: Herb Simon, 'a reluctant receiver of attention,' is on a HOF and NBA Finals roll
Pacers owner Herb Simon is quiet, unassuming to the point of shyness, a charismatic personality trait in anyone, much less one of the richest men in America. But when he does talk, he tends to veer toward a topic that makes him comfortable. He talks about time: How long he's owned the Indiana Pacers (more than 42 years), and how much time he and his brother Mel needed to purchase the franchise back in 1983 (less than an hour). How many years Reggie Miller played for the Pacers (18), and Tamika Catchings played for the Indiana Fever (16). How long Donnie Walsh (22 years), Larry Bird (21) and Rick Fuson (40) worked at his side. And now, in the present tense, the tenures of his two presidents, Kevin Pritchard of the Pacers (14 years with the franchise) and Mel Raines of Pacers Sports & Entertainment (11 years). How old he is becoming. How many years he has waited for this trip to the 2025 NBA Finals. Re-live the Pacers incredible postseason run with our commemorative book It's a wonderful time to be Herb Simon, a victorious run that began 18 months ago when the Pacers reached the final of the In-Season Tournament on Dec. 9, 2023, and continued the next day when the Indiana Fever, the WNBA franchise he'd been urged to shutter over the years, won the 2024 WNBA Draft lottery and the right to select Iowa's Caitlin Clark. The Fever made it official on April 16, which was 10 days after Simon was announced as a member of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame's class of 2024 – and five days before the Pacers embarked on their unexpected postseason run to the 2024 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. In October, joined on stage in Springfield, Mass., by Bird, Miller and Catchings, Simon was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Ten days later he presided over the start of the 2024-25 NBA season. That was Oct. 23, 2024. Also his 90th birthday. Catch Simon at an emotionally vulnerable time – and he doesn't show much, this guy – and he'll note that time isn't necessarily working in his favor these days. His brother, Mel, died in 2009 at age 82. The other landscape-changing professional sports owner our city has been blessed to have, Jim Irsay, died last month at age 65, though Simon didn't know that when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Oct. 13. What he did know that day, what he did say on Oct. 13, was this – and this was at the beginning of his acceptance speech: 'One of the things I realize is I'm still excited for the start of the season,' Simon told the Naismith crowd, then looked up from his prepared notes to wave his hands, trying to make people understand. 'After 41 years I'm still as excited as ever,' he said. 'In fact in just 10 days from now, our 42nd Pacers season will open – and on that day I turn 90.' Simon pauses. Here it comes. 'I'm glad you didn't wait longer to give me this award,' he said 'I mean…' Now everyone's laughing, and on Oct. 13 it was a cute start to an emotional speech where he appreciated Reggie and Tamika for their loyalty – "You honor me," he told them – and showered love on his city and state, and remembered his brother Mel Simon. People giggled, but there was truth behind that jest. I'm glad you didn't wait longer to give me this award. I mean… Think about the honesty behind that comment, and you will understand why people around this franchise, and around this town, are so thrilled about the Indiana Pacers' magical run to the 2025 NBA Finals. They are happy for the Pacers, yes. For the city, yes. Most of all, though, you get the feeling they are happiest for Herb Simon. Herb is 90 and still going strong. Herb is 90, and here to see it. Herb doesn't show much, he rarely does, but this is what joy looks like. Doyel last year: Indiana Pacers owner Herb Simon quietly goes in Naismith Hall of Fame They had to talk Herb Simon into going onto the Gainbridge Fieldhouse floor after the Pacers beat the Knicks to win the Eastern Conference finals. Who's they? Oh, everyone. Front office, family, Reggie Miller, the NBA. People who know Herb Simon – and know he's humble, wanting nothing to do with the limelight. 'A reluctant receiver of attention,' says his son, Stephen Simon, who is next in line to run the family's basketball business. But there was Herb on the floor with his wife, his children, his two presidents and all those players. And he was out there with Reggie Miller, working the game for TNT and chosen as the one to hand Herb the Bob Cousy Trophy as Eastern Conference champions. Simon remarked that it was heavy, then passed it off to veteran center Myles Turner. Was it heavy? Yeah, but that wasn't it. 'He didn't want to get out there and accept that trophy from Reggie,' Stephen says, 'but his joy in lifting that thing up and basking in it – he gives us these moments of his glee. He hugged Reggie, brought the whole family over and gave everybody a hug. That spoke to his joy in the moment.' He doesn't show much, Herb Simon, and he doesn't show his face much either. We've had a visible sports owner in this city – rest in peace, Jim Irsay – and we've had Simon, who doesn't know from social media and makes public appearances only to watch games from his seat in the corner, several rows from the floor. You've seen Mark Cuban and Steve Balmer courtside? That's not Herb's way. Put it like this: He's never stepped foot in the Pacers' locker room. Not in 42 years as owner of the Indiana Pacers. Not as far as Stephen or anyone associated with the team can recall. And understand, this isn't Herb being aloof. This is Herb getting out of the way, leading from behind, conducting the Pacers as he and his brother conducted the real estate business that made them wealthy. 'I would say Herb is super-proud of the longevity of his leadership,' says Raines, now Chief Operating Officer of PS&E. 'Herb places an incredible amount of trust in his leaders to do their jobs, and does not micromanage.' Says Stephen Simon: 'There are different ways to do it, obviously, and there are owners who are embedded with the team,' Stephen says. 'And there are people like Herb who want to let the players have their environment.' I asked two Pacers this week for their thoughts on Herb getting this moment. 'I've never met him,' said one, smiling widely, meaning no disrespect. 'I saw him on the court (after the Knicks game),' said another. 'First time I'd seen him come around like that. He looked happy.' He doesn't show us much, Herb Simon. But he's given us his heart, and more. He's given us Downtown Indianapolis. It was 42 years ago. 'How we got involved with the Pacers in 1983 is a story that is hard to believe,' Simon said during his Naismith HOF acceptance speech, 'and probably couldn't happen today.' The Pacers, kings of the ABA, had become NBA peasants under the neglectful eye of California businessmen Sam Nassi and Frank Mariani. Average attendance had dropped from more than 10,000 in 1979 to 4,800 in April 1983 when owners announced the franchise was for sale. Nassi and Mariani were eyeing two potential ownership groups in California, one featuring Angels slugger Reggie Jackson, when Jim Morris – the quintessential connector of all things Indianapolis – set up a meeting between two groups: Mayor Bill Hudnut and civic leaders including Dave Frick and Ted Boehm … and Mel Simon, then 55, and his younger brother Herb, 48. By then, five other local ownership groups had turned down overtures from Hudnut and Co. The Simons didn't know that. They just knew what Hudnut told them, that a potential buyer was lined up to purchase the team and move it out of Indiana. 'It would be hard to imagine the state of Indiana, where basketball was perfected, for (the Pacers) to be gone,' Herb says. 'It would be tragic. 'We were honored. The mayor and civic leaders came to see us about buying the team and keeping it in the city. The meeting was 20 or 30 minutes. At the end of it, we owned the team. It's incredible. I wouldn't recommend buying a team this way, or anything. I wouldn't recommend buying a stove this way.' All these years later, look at Downtown Indianapolis then and now. Since the Simons purchased the Pacers for the sole purpose of keeping the team in town – in those days, making a profit as an NBA owner, especially in a market of this size, was almost impossible – Downtown has added: The Colts. The NCAA. The Fever. The Indy Eleven. Ten more NCAA basketball Final Fours (seven men, three women). Two NBA All-Star Games. A Super Bowl. A handful of luxury hotels. The expanded Indiana Convention Center, from the modest facility it was in 1972 to the gigantic monolith it is today that attracts international conventions and the NFL scouting combine. 'Without Herb Simon,' says Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, 'I don't believe the Pacers would be in Indiana any longer. And then what else would we have missed? Think about it. The Colts, the NCAA … the list just goes on and on.' As Simon's tenure as owner grows longer – in an industry where NBA teams are now printing money, with owners in Dallas, Phoenix, Boston and Charlotte selling for billions since 2023 – he's the longest-running owner in the NBA. As Hogsett would say, think about that. 'I'm so thrilled Herb is here to watch this marvelous NBA Finals run,' says Nancy Leonard, widow of Hall of Famer and former ABA Pacers coach Bobby Leonard. 'He has been a dream owner, most respected amongst all the NBA team owners. Herb has turned the franchise over to our basketball people, and then stepped aside to give not only his financial support, but his moral support. And the team and coaches love him. 'Kudos for both Mel and Herb, plus Stevie for their faith and love of Indiana and our fan base. We are indebted to all three!' The Pacers have struggled along the way. Show me a small-market city like ours that doesn't struggle in the NBA. The deck is stacked against places like Indianapolis and Oklahoma City, cities that superstars leave on their way to Someplace Bigger. It requires skill (or luck) in the NBA Draft, and years of brilliant front office work to reach the NBA Finals. And in the Pacers' case, it meant refusing to tank. The 76ers tanked for years. The Wizards are doing it now. What have those teams learned how to do, along the way? Lose. Simon refused to tank. No idea if Bird or Pritchard ever broached the topic in the last 20 years, but I do know this: Simon would've said no. 'I don't want to see it,' Simon said a few years ago, when the Pacers were still trying to climb out of the hole created by Paul George's broken leg in 2014 and eventual departure in 2017. 'And if I don't want to see it, the fans don't want to see it. Why would we want to go through a rebuild when we can build on the go? That's the talent. Donnie did it all the time. Larry did it. Kevin (Pritchard) will do it. We can do it.' While insisting that Bird and Pritchard find a way to win – just do it – Simon's loyalty to the city has grown deeper. In 2019 Simon and the Pacers entered into an unprecedented 25-year commitment to the city. Did the city offer hundreds of millions in incentives to encourage the Pacers to stay? Of course. Having an NBA franchise is much bigger than sports. Did you miss that part about the Colts, NCAA, Fever, hotels, conventions, etc.? But the Pacers – Herb Simon – also committed more than $100 million in cash and the construction of the Ascension St. Vincent Center, the team's practice facility across the street from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. And then Herb Simon signed a contract weighed down by penalties that make it almost impossible to break the lease early. Not that Herb has any plan for that. 'Herb's never seen the Pacers as an investment,' Stephen says. 'You have to have a return, and all that? He's never thought of it that way. He owns the team because he loves it. He knows how important it is to the city. It's been in the family forever, and the intention is to keep it in the family, and in the city.' And the goal, right now, is to get that NBA title. The Pacers won those three ABA titles in the early 1970s, but that was a decade before Herb and Mel Simon stepped into the breach to keep the team here. The Pacers reached the 2000 NBA Finals, but lost in six games to Shaq, Kobe and the Los Angeles Lakers. Pacers in 2000 NBA Finals: 25 years later, Pacers back in NBA Finals: 'It's almost a replay of the way it felt in 2000' Here we are, with the 2025 NBA Finals shifting Wednesday to Indianapolis for Game 3. The series is tied at 1-1 after the Pacers swiped home-court advantage from the Thunder by winning Game 1 in Oklahoma City. These are the times when Herb, who doesn't show much, lets his guard down. Says his COO, Mel Raines: 'I talk to him several times a day. He's a FaceTime person – he likes to look at you when he talks to you – and I see the smile on his face. To call him after a couple of those really special away games, to FaceTime him right after Game 1 in New York, you can see: This has been just pure joy for him.' Says his mayor, Joe Hogsett: 'Herb Simon loves Indianapolis. He loves his family first and foremost, but his second love is basketball and his third love is the city of Indianapolis. All three of those things coming together are the reason we're celebrating the NBA finals in Indianapolis. It's a love story. It really is a modern-day love story.' Says his son, Stephen: 'Everyone's thrilled for Herbie.' Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Threads, or on BlueSky and Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar, or at Subscribe to the free weekly Doyel on Demand newsletter.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Spike Lee names his Top 5 New York Knicks villains: "He rolled the dice and nobody did nothing"
Academy Award-winning film director Spike Lee first became a New York Knicks season ticket holder after the Knickerbockers drafted Patrick Ewing first overall in the 1985 NBA Draft. Since then, he's been a regular at The Garden and has seen every opponent the Kicks have faced at the Mecca. During a recent appearance on Carmelo Anthony's "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast, Lee enumerated his Top 5 all-time Knicks villains, and Spike's answers did not disappoint. Advertisement "You got Reggie Miller. You got Mike. You heard it. That double-nickel game, goddamn!" began Lee. He rolled the dice Miller's name coming out of Spike's mouth first was no surprise. It was toward Spike where Reggie made the iconic 'choke' gesture after dropping 25 points in the 4th quarter of a 1994 playoff game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Then as he mentioned, MJ's double-nickel game is one of the best performances by an opponent at the Mecca. Spike also mentioned LeBron James and Kobe Bryant before seemingly running out of names. But when Melo and his co-host Kazeem Fayumide asked him about a current villain named Trae Young, who plays for the Atlanta Hawks, the "He Got Game" film director nodded in approval and became animated while recalling Young's celebration after the Hawks beat the Knicks in the quarterfinals of the 2024 In-Season Tournament. Advertisement "He's a villain ... and he plays into that," Lee told Anthony. "He rolled the dice and Nobody did nothing! ... You know what the Knicks said? They said 'We didn't see him do that.' I don't believe that ... No, that would not have happened with some other Knick teams. Xavier McDaniel? Oakley? Them guys? On the logo, at midcourt! Nobody did nothing!" It all started in the 2021 Playoffs Ice Trae first earned the ire of Knicks fans when his Hawks faced the Knicks in the 2021 NBA playoffs. In his first-ever playoff appearance in Game 1, Young scored 32 points, issued 10 assists, and grabbed 7 rebounds. He hit a running shot with 0.9 left in the game to beat the Knicks and then told the Garden crowd to 'be quiet' after they were chanting "Fu** Trae Young" throughout the game. Advertisement The beef between Knicks fans and Young continued throughout that series. But Trae had the last laugh when hit a 32-foot 3-pointer with 43 seconds left to ice the game. He bowed at center court and waved goodbyes to the stunned MSG crowd. The hostility continued after that but it wasn't until "Ice Trae" rolled the dice to signify his team advancing to the Las Vegas semifinals of the IST that Knicks fans like Spike rekindled the hate again. But as Lee said, it wasn't so much about Young disrespecting the Knicks logo but about the team doing nothing about it. It can be recalled that all Knicks captain Jalen Brunson had to say after the game was if they didn't want to see Trae do what he did, they should've won the game. That reply was politically correct. However, for die hard Knicks fans like Lee and Melo, the players shouldn't tolerate invaders trampling the 'flag of New York.' Related: Spike Lee got a hilarious answer from Michael Jordan when he asked MJ why he was chosen to do his breakout commercial: "Motherfu**** you were wearing my shoes"
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tyrese Haliburton Fires Back at Cavs Fans' 'Overrated' Chants During NBA Playoffs
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton has garnered a lot of attention over the last two seasons despite being one of the most lowkey stars in the league. It began when he led his team to the championship game of the NBA's In-Season Tournament against the Los Angeles Lakers and fans around the league thought it was a fluke. Advertisement After the tournament he struggled mightily and it earned him the title of the league's most overrated player. Even after an Eastern Conference Finals run last year people continued to discredit Haliburton and his team after they beat shorthanded Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks teams. An anonymous player poll was released a couple weeks ago and the most common answer for 'Most overrated player' was Indiana's star. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at Gainbridge Ruszkowski-Imagn Images He clearly took offense to this because after hitting a series-ending game winner on the Bucks in the first round of the playoffs, Haliburton mocked the poll with a tweet full of bravado. After eliminating Milwaukee, the Pacers secured a date with the Cleveland Cavaliers who had the second-best record in the NBA during the regular season. Advertisement They would take the first game against the Cavs but after they went down by 20 points in game two, the Cleveland crowd felt emboldened. They began to pelt the All-Star with 'overrated' chants and the decision just might have sealed their team's fate. Haliburton led a furious comeback and trailing by two with less than five seconds left, he stepped back and drained a three with one second left on the clock and won the game. The two-time All-Star was one of the most mild mannered players in the association, but the criticism he receives has brought out his competitive fire. During his post-game press conference he was asked about the chants and responded with a powerful statement, 'Overrate that.' Advertisement It seems that Haliburton is on a mission to prove that he is one of the premiere players in the league. Carrying a 2-0 lead back home to Indiana, it is a real possibility that the Pacers reach the conference finals in consecutive seasons for the first time in a decade. Related: Cavs HC Sends Clear Message to Team After Poor Performance vs. Pacers
