Latest news with #TJMcConnell
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tony Bradley slapped with tech after confrontation with Isaiah Hartenstein
The post Tony Bradley slapped with tech after confrontation with Isaiah Hartenstein appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Indiana Pacers led by double digits and were always in control during Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But even so, things got a little chippy in the third quarter. Pacers backup big man Tony Bradley picked up a technical foul after a minor scuffle with Thunder big man Isaiah Hartenstein. Tony Bradley was attempting to catch an inbound pass from TJ McConnell when he was seemingly fouled by Isaiah Hartenstein, and picked up a technical foul after Hartenstein got in his face to take possession of the ball. When no initial call was made, the ball was ruled out on Bradley and Hartenstein was trying to recover the ball for the next possession. Bradley threw an elbow at Hartenstein and the technical was called. Advertisement While Bradley hasn't featured much in the Pacers' rotation during the regular season and the playoffs, he has had some pivotal moments for the team in the postseason such as Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks. Bradley wasn't even on the Pacers roster to begin the regular season. He signed two 10-day contracts in early March, then was ultimately signed for the remainder of the regular season. During the season, he appeared in only 14 games, and then nine games coming into Game 6 of the Finals. He played six seasons in the NBA before playing in the G League last year. In fact, he had been in the G League with the College Park Skyhawks before being called up by the Pacers. And now, he has a chance at an NBA championship. Bradley's career began during the 2017-18 season as the No. 28 overall pick in the draft by the Utah Jazz. In addition to the Jazz and Pacers, Bradley has also played for the Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls. Advertisement Related: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton makes WWE exception to social media rule Related: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton reveals girlfriend's 'Love Island' plan after Game 6 victory
USA Today
20 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Pair of former Sixers help Pacers beat Thunder to force a Game 7
Pair of former Sixers help Pacers beat Thunder to force a Game 7 Telling my grandkids about Finals TJ McConnell — Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 20, 2025 The 2024-25 season isn't over just yet. Facing elimination at home on Thursday night, the Indiana Pacers responded in a big way and knocked off the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 to force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday night back in Oklahoma. The Pacers received a gutsy effort from All-Star Tyrese Haliburton who played on a right calf strain to deliver 14 points and five assists while Obi Toppin had 20 points off the bench to lead Indiana. A pair of former Philadelphia 76ers made an impact as well. TJ McConnell had 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and four steals and Tony Bradley delivered solid minutes off the bench. McConnell, especially, made a big difference for the Pacers as he was able to help force a Game 7. The Pacers will look to finish off a miraculous playoff run if they can beat the Thunder in Game 7 on Sunday. If they can get it done, a pair of former Sixers will be able to collect their first championship rings.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
3 Simple Keys for Indiana Pacers to Bounce Back in NBA Finals
3 Simple Keys for Indiana Pacers to Bounce Back in NBA Finals originally appeared on Athlon Sports. After their comeback effort fell short in Game 5, the Indiana Pacers are one loss away from losing the NBA Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder. In Game 5, the Pacers rallied to come back from down 18 points, cutting the deficit to two, before the wheels fell off the bus. Advertisement On Thursday, the series will head back to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, allowing Indiana one last do-or-die effort in front of their home fans, hoping to force a Game 7. In Game 5, Tyrese Haliburton failed to make a shot from the floor, although stellar play from the Pacers' bench kept them in the game down the stretch. With no room for error, Indiana will need to be flawless, and there are three keys they must emphasize. 1. Tyrese Haliburton must score No team has won a Finals game when a starting guard goes 0-for-anything, and Haliburton offered a masterclass in ineffectiveness, finishing with only four points with six missed shots from the floor. Advertisement His defense and facilitating remained solid, although when the best player on a team fails to make a single shot, it's impossible to remain competitive. If it wasn't for TJ McConnell scoring 18 points off the bench, the game would have been over long before the final buzzer, although the backup point guard was able to put the team on his back, orchestrating a comeback that barely fell short. In Game 6, Haliburton, who was hobbled with a leg injury, will have to play like he's feeling 100 percent, lest the Pacers lose in the Finals for the second time. 2. Pacers' bench must remain elite In every game so far in these Finals, the Thunder have had at least one bench player score double-digits, with eight total double-digit bench games in the series. The Thunder, meanwhile, have six such games. Advertisement In the postseason, the Pacers' bench has averaged 36.6 points per game compared to OKC's 32.5 points, although Alex Caruso is responsible for more than his fair share. While the Thunder rely on Caruso and Aaron Wiggins to make big plays, the Pacers can call on McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, and even Thomas Bryant and Tony Bradley to make things happen. In Game 6, the Pacers will need Haliburton to be excellent, but when he and the rest of the starters sit, they can't take their foot off the gas. Luckily, the second unit loves to push the pace, and there can't be a single moment of slowing down. 3. Thunder can't have two 30-point scorers The Thunder have two All-NBA players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace are more than capable of getting hot. Advertisement In Game 5, Williams scored 40 points and SGA offered a well-rounded 31 points and ten assists. It's simple, really: if two players manage to combine for 60 points, it's very hard to lose the game. With the Thunder, it's almost guaranteed that one player will score 30 points. Usually, that's Gilgeous-Alexander, who is one of the most unguardable players in the NBA, but if the Pacers can limit the impact of the surging cast while letting him fill up the stat sheet, there's a high likelihood they can push the series to seven games. Check out the All Pacers homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles. Related: Bench Heroics Not Enough for Pacers as Tyrese Haliburton Disappears Related: Magic and Grizzlies Set NBA Trade Market, Could Key Pacers Fetch a Massive Price? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
CNET
a day ago
- Sport
- CNET
How to Watch Tonight's NBA Finals Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 6 for Free
The Oklahoma City Thunder won Game 5, giving the team a 3-2 lead in the 2025 NBA Finals. OKC only needs to win one more game to secure its 2025 NBA championship win. The Thunder hopes to seal that victory in Game 6 tonight. There's plenty to unpack from Game 5. The Indiana Pacers put up a good fight, despite losing to the Thunder 109-120 on Monday. The Pacers' T.J. McConnell led the charge after Tyrese Haliburton's injury left him stumbling through the first quarter. McConnell scored 18 points, with 13 of those in the third quarter. However, it wasn't enough to beat the Thunder's defense and Jalen Williams' 40 points. It was an action-packed game, and Game 6 should be even more intense as the Pacers fight to stay in the finals. The Thunder and Pacers will face off in Game 6 on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT) at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will air on ABC, but even if you don't have a streaming subscription with live TV, there are other ways to watch for free. Here's how. What's the 2025 NBA Finals schedule? Here's when and where the Pacers and Thunder will play for the 2025 NBA Finals. Thursday, June 19 Game 6: Thunder at Pacers, 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT) on ABC Sunday, June 22* Game 7: Pacers at Thunder, 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on ABC *If required. How to watch Game 6 of the NBA Finals for free You can catch the Finals for free on the NBA's YouTube livestream, but you'll need a virtual private network. Since the game is geo-locked to India, you'll need a VPN that can connect to a server in India to watch the game. CNET's VPN experts recommend ExpressVPN if you want watch the NBA Finals. It's a paid VPN that costs $13 a month, but you can test it out with a free trial. We don't recommend free VPNs for streaming region-locked sports games because you generally can't choose the server location. Free VPNs also usually have less-than-ideal speed and you have no control of your privacy or data being shared. ExpressVPN ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month. Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Details See at How to stream Game 6 of the Thunder vs. Pacers with a VPN free trial Sign up for a VPN or a free trial. Install the VPN on your mobile device or computer. Connect to a location server in India if your VPN has a location option. Watch the game via the NBA's YouTube livestream. More ways to watch Thursday's Pacers vs. Thunder game The NBA Finals will air on ABC if you have live TV or a streaming service like Sling or YouTube TV. Depending on where you live, you can use an over-the-air TV antenna. Check out CNET's full list of ways to stream the game.
Reuters
a day ago
- Sport
- Reuters
NBA Finals Game 6: Preview, Props & Prediction
June 19 - The Indiana Pacers return home for Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night trying to stave off elimination while not knowing exactly what they'll be able to get out of star point guard Tyrese Haliburton. Battling a calf strain, Haliburton is expected to try to play against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who hold a 3-2 series lead. Haliburton's uncertain status is a significant wrinkle for odds and props ahead of Game 6. The Thunder were a consensus 6.0-point favorite as of mid-day Thursday. However, the spread was sitting at 5.5 at books including FanDuel, Caesars, DraftKings and BetMGM, where Oklahoma City has been backed by 58 percent of the spread-line bets and 61 percent of the money. The line had moved from 6.5 to 6.0 points at BetRivers, where the Thunder have drawn 83 percent of the spread-line money while the total bets have been almost even. The book reported taking a $57,660 wager on Oklahoma City at -6.5. The 219.5 total points line has seen the Over draw 69 percent of both the total bets and money. Indiana has won eight consecutive home games following a loss, while Oklahoma City has failed to cover the spread in its past six road games following a win. The home team has won the first half in each of the Pacers' past 13 games, according to BetRivers. --T.J. McConnell Over 10.5 Points (-107 at BetRivers): This has understandably drawn the highest percentage of prop money at the book with the uncertain status of Haliburton. McConnell is averaging 11.2 points through the first five games, although 18 of them game in Monday's Game 5 loss in which the Pacers fell behind big midway through the fourth quarter. --Pascal Siakam 20+ Points (-120 at DraftKings): Another market impacted by Haliburton's injury, this has been the most popular play at DraftKings. Siakam is coming off a huge Game 5 in which he poured in 28 points. However, that's the only game in the series in which he has topped 21. As Oklahoma City turned a 2-1 series deficit to a 3-2 advantage, Haliburton has struggled from the field, hitting just 7 of 21 shots from the field over the past two games, including a 1-for-11 clip from 3-point range. He has totaled just 22 points in 70 minutes. "You don't underestimate great players. In the case that he plays, we're expecting his best punch," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "You don't underestimate great teams. In the event he doesn't play, we're expecting Indiana's best." Heroes of the series emerged from almost every segment of the rotation. Haliburton's near-triple-double in Game 3 was underscored by Indiana's 49 bench points, 27 from Bennedict Mathurin and five steals from McConnell. Andrew Nembhard shifted to point guard in Haliburton's place in the Eastern Conference semifinals last year, when the Pacers overcame a 3-2 series deficit to beat the Knicks in Games 6 and 7. "I think obviously Tyrese is a big part of what we do. Whether he plays or not, I think it's going to be a team thing," Siakam said. "We have to together all step up. The importance of the game, we just all have to take a step forward. It's going to be down the line. "I don't think any one of us should feel like one person is going to have to do it," the Indiana forward continued. "It's going to be collective." Siakam put up 28 points and stepped up in the fourth quarter of Game 5 without Haliburton. More of the same is in order if the Pacers wish to keep up with OKC's 1-2 punch. NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a combined 66 points in Games 4 and 5 for the Thunder. But the national spotlight has been shared with Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams, who tallied 67 points over the same span, including a 40-point outburst in Game 5 with the Pacers setting a defense determined to help and force the ball out of SGA's hands. "It makes me sound like a jerk," Williams said of not answering his phone the past week to keep the focus on winning a title. "A big thing for us -- we've done a really good job of focusing on us." Gilgeous-Alexander said being "on the cusp of winning is not winning, and the way I see it, winning is all that matters." He credited the organization for building the culture and environment to make the Thunder a marvel of a turnaround story. Gilgeous-Alexander said he's buoyed at this point in the season by the closeness of the locker room and how much fun the entire team is having. "Focusing on Game 6," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Focusing on just being the best version of myself for this basketball team for whatever it takes -- however many games it is, however many possessions are needed, however many moments. Stay in the moment, and just try to stick to that script." Oklahoma City led 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinals and lost Game 6 to Denver before a dramatic effort to take Game 7. Williams said Oklahoma City didn't "come out ready to play" in that Game 6. Carlisle said the Pacers are leaning on the experience of trailing the Knicks 3-2 last summer, when Gainbridge Fieldhouse turned into an energy-feeding advantage for Game 6. "Buckle down, stand strong," Carlisle said of his message to the team. But with SGA and Williams both averaging 30 or more points the last three games, Oklahoma City expects nothing less than greatness on Thursday. "Most of the great players are art. They're unbelievably unique," Daigneault said. "That's every great player. Siakam is like that. Haliburton is like that. They're one of one. All the great players are. ... They're great players, but they do it inside the team (concept) and don't suffocate the team." Daigneault isn't yet talking specifically about the spoils at stake Thursday night. "We've tried to take a stack mindset to everything we've done. Even when the team was rebuilding. You can't skip steps in the process," Daigneault said. "We want to win the game tomorrow. "But the most important thing we can do is prepare today, prepare tomorrow. Play the first possession really well. And then the next possession. Win today. The minute you start to drift mentally into the future and into the past, it impacts your ability to stack the next thing." --"We're always trying to put ourselves in our opponent's shoes. Zero and zero mindset. We're not introducing any new concepts right now, we're just relying on the psychological habits we've built over time." -- Thunder coach Mark Daigneault of Oklahoma City's focus with a 3-2 lead. --"I think it depends on who you ask. I have to understand the risks, ask the right questions." -- Haliburton said of how he'll decide to play. "But I'm a competitor. I want to play. I'm going to do everything in my power to play." --Haliburton on his playing status Thursday. He scored 22 points and was one rebound shy of a triple-double in Indiana's Game 3 victory on June 11. This has the feeling of a potential Thunder rout as the Pacers have fought tooth-and-nail to reach this point but are now facing Game 6 with a limited Haliburton at best. --Thunder 120, Pacers 110 --Field Level Media
