Latest news with #StephenCurry
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
A look at the NBA Finals Game 7 history and home court advantage as the Indiana Pacers take it down to the wire
The Indiana Pacers dominated Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, forcing a Game 7. The Pacers came into Game 6 needing to win at all costs to keep the series alive. The team managed to pull off a stunning and dominant win, meaning that the fans will see a first NBA Finals Game 7 in nearly a decade. There will be many firsts to look forward to in the upcoming NBA Finals Game 7. First of all, it will be the first Game 7 in the Finals since LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers played it out with Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors back in 2016. It will also be the first NBA Finals to go into Game 7 without LeBron James on the court in 15 years. The last time it happened was when Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Boston Celtics in the 2010 finals. Whoever wins Game 7 will become the champion for the first time in their history. The last time it happened was in 2023, when the Denver Nuggets won the championship. Ten teams are still looking for their first NBA title, but the list will shrink down to nine on Sunday. The Oklahoma City Thunder will have home-court advantage in the NBA Finals Game 7. The finals have gone to full stretch 19 times in the past, and the home team has come out on top on 15 of those occasions. So, the odds are heavily in the Thunder's favour. The Indiana Pacers hope to defy those odds and join the Celtics, the Washington Bullets, and the Cleveland Cavaliers in winning Game 7 on the road. The Celtics won it twice, in 1969 and 1974, while the Bullets and the Cavaliers triumphed in 1978 and 2016, respectively.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warriors Projected to Make 'Bold' 2025 NBA Draft Decision
Warriors Projected to Make 'Bold' 2025 NBA Draft Decision originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Despite the fact that the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers are still competing in the NBA Finals, the rest of the league is in full offseason mode. Nothing quite proved that like the Desmond Bane blockbuster that just took place. Advertisement The Golden State Warriors are undoubtedly planning away methodically as well. They have certainly had more than enough time after their second-round exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves. One of the biggest dates on the offseason calendar will be the NBA Draft set for June 25th and 26th. The Warriors have are preparing to add to a team looking for another championship with Stephen Curry. The Warriors will not have a huge hand to play, possessing only the 41st overall pick in the draft via the Miami Heat. However, what they do with that pick will still be an important and calculated decision. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30).© Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report offered a bold prediction for what the Warriors do with their 2025 draft pick. The NBA writer confidently believed in what Golden State's plans for the event should be. Advertisement "Finding a new starting center to help preserve Draymond Green should be a priority this summer, although the Warriors won't find one this late in the draft," Swartz mentioned off the top. The Bleacher Report writer continued: "This team lacks a backup point guard behind Stephen Curry and should be eyeing older college players who can step in immediately to the back end of the rotation. West Virginia senior point guard Javon Small could be an option as he averaged 18.6 points and 5.6 assists this past season." -Greg Swartz The Warriors do not currently have a proper point guard projected to be on the roster for the 2025-26 season past Curry. Adding a ready-made option to help run the offense in Golden State next season is more 'obvious' than it is 'bold.' Related: Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga Named 'Fallback Option' For Kevin Durant Suitor Related: Warriors Urged to Land 21.2 PPG Wing in 'Ambitious' Move This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warriors Predicted to Go International in NBA Draft to Address Key Need
Warriors Predicted to Go International in NBA Draft to Address Key Need originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Golden State Warriors have a few pivotal roster holes that need to be filled before entering into next season. The NBA Draft will provide them with an excellent opportunity to address at least one of those needs. Advertisement The Warriors will not have a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. That was handed over to the Miami Heat as a part of the trade that brought Jimmy Butler to the Bay Area. Their draft fortunes will be heavily tied to what they do with their lone selection at 41st overall. There are certainly a number of avenues for them to explore. May 4, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates with forward Draymond Green (23) after a play during game seven of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.© Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Many have prognoses the Warriors to use pick number 41 to address the backup point guard position. A reliable presence off the bench would certainly help Golden State's offense next season. However, another standout need for the Warriors is the frontcourt. Running Draymond Green as the starting center moving forward will quickly wear out the aging star. Advertisement ESPN's most recent mock draft projected the Warriors to ensure that does not happen. ESPN had Golden State selecting Rocco Zikarsky out of the NBL with the 41st overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Zikarsky was once thought of as a potential lottery pick in the early-goings of the draft process for this season. However, an uneventful season, apart from injuries, led to his stock plummeting with the draft date in sight. Zikarsky played 20 games this past season. The Australian big man averaged 4.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 12.1 minutes per game. This potential selection would represent a gamble on the upside that was originally thought to be there with the 7-foot-4-inch giant. Not only that, but the Warriors would be counting on the injury problems to not persist. Advertisement It would ultimately be a high risk, high reward move for Golden State. Related: Warriors Projected to Make 'Bold' 2025 NBA Draft Decision Related: Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga Named 'Fallback Option' For Kevin Durant Suitor This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Associated Press
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Caitlin Clark eager to move forward after Indiana's scuffle with Sun
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Caitlin Clark has no interest in rehashing Indiana's physical, testy win against Connecticut when she was shoved to the floor by Marina Mabrey. Mabrey's hit on Clark in Tuesday night's game was upgraded to a flagrant 2 on Wednesday. 'I think (Coach) Steph talked about it plenty after the last game and it is what it is, you move on,' Clark said Thursday before playing the Golden State Valkyries in her first visit to San Francisco. 'My focus is just on tonight.' Jacy Sheldon poked Clark in the eye in the third quarter and the Fever star cringed while grabbing at her face. Sheldon then chest bumped her before Clark pushed back and Mabrey got involved by bumping Clark to the floor. A sellout crowd has been anticipating Clark's stop in the Bay Area with the game circled on the calendar for the expansion team from the day the schedule was released. It comes two days after the Fever's 88-71 home win against the Sun featuring three late ejections and further discipline. Clark has been studying Stephen Curry from afar and taking notice of how the Warriors superstar deals with swarming, physical defenses and regular double teams — much like what Clark sees every night. Part of it, she said, has been a commitment to getting stronger. She increased her weight lifting regimen coming into her second WNBA season. Clark realizes she will face a top defender and her share of hits with all attention on her. 'Steph is somebody I've watched and watched a lot of film, I try to watch as many Warriors games as I can just because I love the way he plays and there's so much I can learn from him,' she said. 'But I think when you look at Steph and something I remember from the first time I actually watched him in person is how strong he is physically. He's built, he really is. I think that also kind of showed me going into Year 2 is how much time I really needed to put into the weight room to be able to play at this level of physicality and also not get tired through the course of a game.' Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase planned to put a body on Clark at every chance to make things tougher on her, even from way out. Clark is averaging 21.3 points and 8.7 assists while shooting 40% from 3-point range. 'Obviously you've got to pick her up higher, she shoots from the logo so you can't pick her up at the logo just because again that's a super comfortable shot,' Nakase said. 'It's almost like a layup to her. You'll see her going to her left so we've just got to be aware.' ___ AP WNBA:
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Me personally, wanted to see the Golden State again" - LeBron James admitted he was only waiting to battle it out against the Warriors in 2016
"Me personally, wanted to see the Golden State again" - LeBron James admitted he was only waiting to battle it out against the Warriors in 2016 originally appeared on Basketball Network. When people talk about the 2015-16 NBA season, the focus is almost always on the Golden State Warriors — the team that shattered records by registering a 73-9 record, becoming just the second squad to win 70 or more games in a regular season campaign. Moreover, with the Dubs having Stephen Curry, with two other All-Stars and All-NBA selectees in Draymond Green and Klay Thompson also on their roster, there seemed no reason for anyone to believe in the championship prowess of anyone else but theirs. Advertisement But while the Dubs commanded the spotlight, the Cleveland Cavaliers were quietly dominating the Eastern Conference, finishing with the best record and enduring just two losses en route to reaching the championship round. For LeBron James, however, none of that mattered. His sole mission was revenge. "The King" was only keen on facing the Warriors on the grandest stage Despite their top spot in the East, the Cavaliers faced their share of turmoil throughout the regular season. At times, they looked like a team without an identity, especially when Kyrie Irving wasn't part of their first 24 games. That uncertainty led to the dismissal of head coach David Blatt, and Tyronn Lue was promoted to steer the ship. From there, the team began to find its rhythm, developing a dual threat: a top-10 offensive and defensive force heading into the postseason. The playoffs were where the Cavs started to look unbeatable. They clean-swept both the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks before facing a slightly tougher test in the Toronto Raptors, who pushed the series to six games. Yet, through it all, the four-time MVP was unmoved by the stats or form, as he wasn't chasing dominance for the sake of numbers. Instead, he had one clear target - the Warriors. Advertisement "Me personally, wanted to see the Golden State again," the 21-time All-Star admitted. Related: "Dad, you at 17, me at 17, who was better? I said, 'Listen, son...'" - Dominique Wilkins on the moment he realized his son didn't know how great of a player he was James rose to the occasion when the going got tough for the Cavs To the public, it was the 6'9" forward's sheer determination to deliver Cleveland its first-ever NBA championship that fueled his legendary performances, dropping back-to-back 41-point games to force a Game 7 and surviving three straight elimination games. But to LBJ, it wasn't just about making history for Cleveland. It was personal. He wanted to silence the hype around the Warriors and settle the score from the 2015 NBA Finals, where Golden State had denied him the title in six games. Advertisement In that historic 2016 NBA Finals, "The Akron Hammer" led both teams in virtually every possible statistical category: minutes played, played, assists, rebounds, blocks, and steals. Put simply, it was a masterclass in two-way dominance. He knew who the real obstacle was, and when the opponents were confirmed to be the Warriors, he kept his energy reserved for the final act, refusing to burn out like the year before. That time around, James was ready. Without mincing his words, he even admitted that he already had his sights and motivation set on battling it out against the most hyped and in-form team on the grandest stage. And sure enough, he pulled off the ultimate comeback, leading the Cavs from a 3-1 deficit to win it all, cementing his legacy in picture-perfect fashion. Related: "LeBron has no bag and I'm sitting here got 50 billion points"- LeBron James pushes back on "no bag" talk, breaks down his scoring style This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
