Young stars sparkle as OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers seek first NBA titles
OKLAHOMA CITY – Powered by young star talent and deep rosters, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers open the NBA Finals on June 5 (June 6, Singapore time), each trying to bring their city a first-ever crown.
Oklahoma City, fancied by oddsmakers after an NBA-high 68 regular-season wins, will host Game 1 in the best-of-seven championship series.
Both teams are fast-paced squads with young star point guards, 26-year-old NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the Thunder and Indiana's 25-year-old Tyrese Haliburton.
The Pacers seek the first NBA crown in their 58-year history while the Thunder, who moved from Seattle in 2008, took the franchise's only title as the SuperSonics in 1979.
'It's a new blueprint for the league,' Pacers centre Myles Turner said.
'The years of the superteams and stacking, it's not as effective as it once was.
'The new trend now is kind of what we're doing. OKC does the same thing. Young guys, get out and run, defend and use the power of friendship.'
Oklahoma City's only previous NBA Finals appearance was in 2012, when Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook lost to a LeBron James-led Miami.
Indiana's only prior trip to the NBA Finals came in 2000, a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Pacers also won three 1970s titles in the American Basketball Association, which sent four teams into the NBA in 1976.
Gilgeous-Alexander could become the first league scoring champion to win an NBA title in the same season since 2000, when Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers past the Pacers.
'SGA' averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocked shots a game in leading the Thunder to the NBA's best regular-season record at 68-14.
With forwards Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, Gilgeous-Alexander has formed a formidable trio. The Thunder swept Memphis in the first round of the play-offs, outlasted Nikola Jokic-powered Denver in seven games and then dispatched Minnesota in five.
The Pacers went 50-32 behind 20.2 points and 6.9 rebounds a game from Pascal Siakam and 18.6 points, 9.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals a game by Haliburton, who helped the USA win Paris Olympic gold last summer.
'What makes him very good is that he's very confident,' Williams said of Haliburton. 'It makes him a very dangerous individual.'
Indiana eliminated Milwaukee and Cleveland in five games each and took out New York in six.
Oklahoma City beat Indiana twice in the regular season with Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 39 points, eight assists and seven rebounds while Haliburton struggled, averaging 11 points, three rebounds and 5.5 assists.
The Thunder dominate defensively, leading the play-offs with 18 turnovers forced and 10.8 steals a game plus a 42.6 per cent opponent shooting percentage from the floor.
The Pacers, however, average 117.4 points a game in the play-offs and own the top shooting percentage overall at 49.7 per cent and from three-point range at 40.1 per cent.
Each team helped build their current line-up by trading NBA star Paul George.
The Pacers sent him to the Thunder in 2017 for players that were later traded for Haliburton and draft picks that landed Andrew Nembhard and Ben Sheppard.
'This franchise took a chance on me, saw something that other people didn't see in me,' Haliburton said.
The Thunder traded George to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019 in a deal that landed Gilgeous-Alexander and a draft pick that was used on Williams.
Oklahoma City has a player who won an NBA title in Alex Caruso, who helped the Lakers win the 2020 crown, while the Pacers boast Siakam from Toronto's 2019 title run.
'You don't have to do anything special,' Caruso said of winning an NBA crown. 'You just have to be who we are. That has worked for us throughout this whole year.'
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle won an NBA title guiding the 2011 Dallas Mavericks and could become only the fourth coach to win NBA crowns with multiple teams. AFP
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Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Despite limited ice time, Singapore's curlers push on as they look to grow the sport
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – Lionel Loh belongs to a rare tribe of Singaporeans who play a sport that few from tropical climes participate in – curling. It is an unlikely path for someone who once spent more than a decade competing in table tennis, from primary school through to university. After watching curling on TV during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic, Loh was hooked, and today he is among 29 registered curlers from Singapore. When he competes aboard, his fellow competitors are often intrigued to find out that Singapore has a curling team and want to know where the players train. The answer is not an easy one. While they previously trained at Singapore's only Olympic-sized ice rink in JCube, things have become more challenging for Loh and his teammates since the mall's closure in August 2024. The sole ice rink remaining at Leisure Park Kallang is not suited for curling. Despite the scarce ice time and training opportunities, the 30-year-old remains committed to the sport. On what keeps him going, Loh said: 'It's just pure love and passion for curling. Even though I don't have a lot of opportunities to curl and practise, I still watch games quite regularly and keep up with curling news.' Pointing to the diversity and inclusivity in the sport, Loh cited an example at a competition in Poland in 2024, when they played against a team of deaf players. At the Asian Curling Club Championships in South Korea last week, they faced a team comprising curlers in their 60s. He said: 'I feel there is a lot of potential for curling to grow in Singapore – it's a sport that's quite easy to pick up... and is a very inclusive sport.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Curling was first included in the Winter Olympics in 1924, returned as a medal sport in 1998, and appeared as a demonstration event in 1932, 1988 and 1992. It has been in Singapore since at least 1998 and there were at least 10 registered curlers when the Curling Association Singapore (CAS) was formed in 2001. With overseas competitions and training camps now the only opportunities for ice time, growth of the sport has slowed down, said CAS president Somerton Sio. He said: 'That was quite sad because it just means that we can't grow the membership, I can only really maintain the existing numbers, it's hard to have Learn-to-Curl lessons and I would be in a difficult position to sell a Learn-to-Curl course overseas, it's a big commitment. 'It also leads to skill decline because we are now stagnant at a certain level – the members are having to go overseas just to practise and those trips can't happen often.' Curling Association Singapore president Somerton Sio competing at the Aug 15-17 Asian Curling Club Championships in Uiseong, South Korea. PHOTO: CURLING1SPOON But there is a glimmer of hope as it was announced on Aug 4 that CAS had gained conditional membership from World Curling, opening doors to resources that could help develop the sport. To keep interest alive, CAS has continued its efforts through floor curling, an ice-free version played with target mats and stones on bearings. While not a perfect substitute for curling on ice, it helps introduce newcomers to the sport. Participants taking part in a floor curling session held by the Curling Association Singapore in 2024. PHOTO: CURLING ASSOCIATION SINGAPORE The movement is also being nurtured overseas. Daniel Kang, a Singaporean who moved to Vancouver for work in 2020, began curling after watching the 2022 Winter Olympics. While his posting was initially for two years, the 36-year-old stayed on in Canada as he enjoys the life there, with his love for curling among the reasons. He now trains actively, competes in local leagues and organises introductory sessions, hoping to connect with fellow Singaporeans in Canada through the sport. Despite being far from home, Kang, a product manager at a technology firm, feels it is important to stay connected to the community in Singapore. He said: 'I really want the sport to thrive in Singapore, it's something that I have a very strong passion for. Being able to do it well could be something that inspires people to get involved in the sport... It's a good community, I admire each and everyone of them, everybody wants the sport to thrive in Singapore, even under the current situation.' Daniel Kang (front) competing at the Aug 15-17 Asian Curling Club Championships in Uiseong, South Korea. PHOTO: CURLING ASSOCIATION SINGAPORE Back home, Sio is pinning hopes on a new ice rink. The Straits Times reported in February that talks were under way for a new Olympic-sized ice rink to be built at the site of the former Pandan Gardens Swimming Complex. Pointing to how other countries in the region are developing the sport – Thailand sent a curling team to the Asian Winter Games for the first time in 2025 – Sio hopes that Singapore's athletes will also be able to represent the country on that stage. Before hitting that goal, he hopes to see 'a sustainable community of curlers in Singapore'. 'I would like to have more youth have curling as something that interests them – it's a game that is both cerebral and physical,' he added.
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Curling champion Stefania Constantini set to throw rocks at ‘special' hometown Winter Olympics
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox – In six months' time the spotlight will shine on the tiny Alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, which along with the city of Milan, will be staging the Winter Olympics. The Games also took place in the resort in 1956 but for Cortina native and Olympic champion curler Stefania Constantini, the 2026 edition promises to be extra special. 'I think it will be a really big event in a really little mountain village,' Constantini told Reuters via a video call. 'Cortina is a little village, yes, but it's huge for me. I think Cortina is special, it is a really beautiful place, which also survives thanks to the tourists. 'When Cortina will host the Olympics, a lot of people will come and see us compete. People will have the chance to see a really good level of sport, but also to enjoy a great place. It will be a really special moment.' Constantini will be a defending champion at her home Games after teaming up with Amos Mosaner to secure Italy's first curling medal in the mixed doubles 3½ years ago in Beijing. The 26-year-old said her success at the 2022 Games had transformed both the sport's profile in the country, and her own life. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Courier tip-off leads to HSA seizure of Kpods, drugs in Tampines and Grange Road raids Singapore Large flocks of parakeets a spectacle in Choa Chu Kang, but they may affect native species Singapore Singapore students shine in Paris with record medal haul at history Olympiad Singapore Teacher charged over allegedly making student undress in video call, sending her his nude photo Business Changi Travel Services cuts 30 staff amid market shifts Singapore Singapore Parliament releases seating plan for 15th term: Find out who is sitting where Business 7 in 10 employers satisfied with their migrant workers: MOM survey Asia Indonesia's Gaza rescue bid: Help or hype? 'In Italy, curling is not a very big sport,' she added. 'What me and Amos did in Beijing really made a difference. It's really good to see how Italians right now are cheering for us during our tournaments. 'Curling is not very big, but we are growing... My life really changed a lot in one week. Before leaving for China, I was just a normal girl working part-time and playing. 'I came back a week later with a gold medal. We were nobody and now you are someone important in Italy.' As hosts, Italy are guaranteed spots in all three curling events at the 2026 Games, with Constantini saying the nation's curlers would relish the prospect of having a home crowd cheering them on. 'I have lived two different experiences. I played in China, really far from home, where it was easy to focus just on curling,' she added. 'I was just me, my sport, my team. In less than one year, it will be really different, because we will play in Italy. I will play in my hometown with my family, my friends. 'It will be a little weird. Usually we don't have someone that is cheering for us... because we play a lot in Canada. It will be really fun to compete with fans that are cheering for us, making some noise for us.' After parting ways following their Beijing triumph, Constantini once again linked up with Mosaner in 2025 and the pair are favourites to clinch another gold after taking home the world championship title in May. 'It's funny because we played together in the Olympics and then we didn't play together for three years,' Constantini added. 'I think we did great, we didn't practise very much before the world championships. We did just some practise together, throwing rocks and trying to find our dynamics again. 'But it was not a problem at all. I think we really communicate well. We work together. We listen to each other. I think we can really find that perfect dynamic on the ice.' The opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics will be held on Feb 6, though curling will kick off the action two days earlier at the Cortina Olympic Stadium. REUTERS
Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Straits Times
Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif denies 'malicious' claims of retirement
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Algerian boxer Imane Khelif attends the ChangeNOW 2025 summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, April 25, 2025. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo Olympic boxing champion Imane Khelif has denied claims made by her former manager that she has retired from the sport, saying she is still training regularly. Algerian Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting were in the spotlight at the Paris Games last year over their eligibility after they had been disqualified from the 2023 World Championships by the IBA, which said sex chromosome tests had ruled them ineligible. However, they competed in the women's category in Paris after being cleared by the International Olympic Committee, with both winning gold medals in their weight classes. Khelif has not competed since her win in Paris. In an interview with French newspaper Nice-Matin on Wednesday, Khelif's former manager Nasser Yesfah said she had "left the world of boxing". In a follow-up interview with the same newspaper hours later, Yesfah clarified he was only referring to Khelif's boxing commitments in the city of Nice, where she was previously part of the Nice Azur club. Khelif criticised Yesfah's comments in a post on Facebook on Wednesday. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore Parliament releases seating plan for 15th term: Find out who is sitting where Singapore Courier company tip-off leads to HSA seizure of Kpods, drugs in Tampines, Grange Road raids Singapore District judge signals sterner penalties for vaping offences, cites public concerns Singapore Alleged vape seller faces new charge after he was found with more than 190 Kpods Singapore 3 people taken to hospital after fire at Bukit Purmei flat Singapore Police looking for car driver after hit-and-run incident with lorry in Kallang Singapore Fullerton Healthcare Corp co-founder admits approving falsified claims of over $213k Life Bucking sluggish retail, Singapore brands commit to wowing with experience-driven physical stores "It is based solely on statements made by a person who no longer represents me in any way, and whom I consider to have betrayed my trust and my country with his false and malicious statements," Khelif wrote. "I have never announced my retirement from boxing. I remain committed to my sporting career, training regularly and maintaining my physical fitness between Algeria and Qatar in preparation for upcoming events. "The publication of such rumours is intended solely to disrupt and damage my sporting and professional career." Khelif had been due to compete in a World Boxing tournament in the Netherlands in June, but opted to skip it shortly after the governing body initially announced its plans to introduce sex testing for all boxers in its competitions. World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst later apologised after Khelif was named in their announcement on mandatory sex testing, saying her privacy should have been protected. Khelif, 26, has repeatedly said she was born a woman and has a long history in female boxing competitions. In March, she said she would defend her title at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. REUTERS
