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Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Jason Goff to discuss Indiana taking a 3-1 series lead on Cleveland in the Eastern Conference semifinals and what the Cavaliers are lacking as they sit one game from elimination. Hear the full conversation on 'Good Word with Goodwill' and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
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NBC Sports
31 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Lane Lambert expects to lead the Kraken to the playoffs
SEATTLE — Lane Lambert said he feels no pressure to turn the Seattle Kraken into a playoff contender. But his own expectation is to do exactly that. Lambert was introduced as the Kraken's coach at the team's practice facility. He was hired on May 29 after spending last season as an associate head coach with Toronto. The Maple Leafs won 52 games and the Atlantic Division title, but were eliminated in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals by Florida, which is currently playing in the Stanley Cup Final. He will become the third head coach in the history of the Kraken, who are entering their fifth season and have made the playoffs just once in their previous four. 'I have an expectation of myself and of my role and of my abilities,' the 60-year-old Lambert said. 'You start on Day 1 and it's a process, it's a journey. If you do the right things through that journey and do the right things every day and look to get better every day and stick with the process, the results will take care of themselves.' Lambert takes over for Dan Bylsma, who was fired on April 21 after one season. Seattle was well outside the playoff picture by the time of the February break for the 4 Nations Face-off and finished 35-41-6 (76 points). That was 20 points below the West's final wild-card spot and five fewer than the Kraken's 81 points in 2023-24. 'It became very evident that Lane presented the attributes we were looking for,' general manager Jason Botterill said. 'The combination of presence and knowledge to work with veteran players, and would also be dedicated to interact with young players.' Seattle ranked in the bottom third of the league on the power play (23rd), faceoff winning percentage (24th) and average shots per game (25th). It was 21st on the penalty kill, an area in which Lambert helped the Leafs improve from 23rd to fourth. 'There are priorities in certain areas, but everything has to be addressed,' Lambert said. 'You can't build Rome in a day, and that's the whole process from Day 1. You start with the process, start demanding, and you start instilling your systems, your structure, your details. But definitely, our special teams have to be better. We'll better in our defensive zone. I know we will be. So that would be the start and the focus.' Lambert has had NHL coaching jobs since 2011. His only head coaching experience came with the New York Islanders, beginning at the start of the 2022-23 season and ending when he was fired in January 2024. In his only full season, the Islanders made the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round. 'You go through an experience like that, you get let go, and you have a lot of time to reflect,' he said. 'If you don't have an ego, you can say, 'Gee, I'd do this differently or that differently. Or I'd do this or that the same.' There's certain little things I'll look at and look into changing.' He was an assistant with Nashville from 2011-14, then with Washington from 2014-18, with the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. The Islanders hired him as associate head coach prior to 2018-19. The teams he has worked for have made the playoffs 10 times. Lambert inherits a roster that includes veterans Jaden Schwartz (a team-high 26 goals last season), Jared McCann (22 goals and a team-leading 61 points), Eeli Tolvanen (23 goals) and Chandler Stephenson (38 assists). The Kraken also have highly regarded young talent such as 2023 Rookie of the Year Matty Beniers (20 goals, 23 assists) and Shane Wright (19 goals, 25 assists). 'When you look at the team and the balance, we have great talent,' Lambert said. 'We have veteran players. The non-negotiables are that we have to play the right way — that's the formula.'
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Havlicek Stole the Pod 4: What the Boston Celtics can crib from the Thunder to get back to the finals with Clemente Almanza
Havlicek Stole the Pod 4: What the Boston Celtics can crib from the Thunder to get back to the finals with Clemente Almanza The Boston Celtics may not be in the 2025 NBA Finals, but both teams that are have ties to Massachusetts through players, coaches, and executives. What can the Indiana Pacers - Oklahoma City Thunder matchup on the league's biggest stage tell us about the future of the Celtics, what can Boston steal from these teams to get back to the finals in the near-term future, and what have we been hearing about their trade plans for this offseason? On this episode of "Havlicek Stole the Pod," host and Celtics Wire editor Justin Quinn sat down with OKC Thunder Wire editor Clemente Almanza to talk all things OKC-Pacers in the finals, the ties to the Celtics and the greater Boston area, and what the future holds for both the Cs and the Thunder. They also get up to speed on the news we are hearing around the Celtics regarding potential offseason moves and overseas signing targets, so be sure to tune in to the pod embedded below.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
"Guys trust me" - Tyrese Haliburton talks about the final moments of Pacers' shocking Game 1 win vs. Thunder
"Guys trust me" - Tyrese Haliburton talks about the final moments of Pacers' shocking Game 1 win vs. Thunder originally appeared on Basketball Network. There's a new king when it comes to clutch shotmaking and his name is Tyrese Haliburton. In Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, he delivered his best one yet, sinking a jumper from the right wing with less than a second remaining to give the Indiana Pacers a stunning 111-110 win over the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder. Advertisement The game-winning basket was Hali's third in what has been a magical postseason for the Pacers. Seconds after his team broke up the Thunder's last offensive possession, Tyrese explained what went into their last offensive possession. Pacers didn't call a timeout As Aaron Nesmith hauled down the rebound after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed a midrange jumper, the Pacers had a chance to call a timeout to set up a play. However, Rick Carlisle opted to let his players, Hali in particular, take control of the game. "Coach trusts us in those moments to not call timeouts, trusts me in those moments. Guys trust me. And I'm just trying to make a play," Tyrese told Lisa Salters after the game. "So — man — basketball's fun, man. Winning is fun. That's a great win for us." Advertisement The Thunder still had one possession to alter the game's result. However, Myles Turner ruined OKC's plans by tipping the ball away — a play that wasn't lost on the All-Star guard. "Big-time play. Myles did a great job at the rim. They tried to do a pin-down to get him out of the action so they could throw the lob. Myles got around it; good tip," Hali said. While Haliburton had 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, five other Pacers scored in double-figures. Pascal Siakam led the team with 19, Turner had 15, Andrew Nembhard added 14, while Nesmith pitched in 10. Obi Toppin also came off the bench and scored 17 points. "It's a total team effort. We had so many guys chip in — Obi was huge off the bench, Myles in the fourth, Andrew Nembhard in the fourth. So many guys stepped up, and I'm just really proud of this group," the two-time All-Star said. "We just had to figure out how to win in so many different ways — all year, the past two years. There's so many weird, different ways, and we just figured it out. We're a resilient group. And I'm just really proud of this group." Advertisement Related: Fred VanVleet once revealed all the ways the Raptors tried to convince Kawhi Leonard to stay: "There is nothing more that we can do" Pacers are not fazed by the moment The Pacers are no strangers to making late-game comebacks. However, their latest escape act on Thursday was their most impressive, as it tied for the largest fourth-quarter comeback in the last half-century. Although many players contributed to the win, it was Hali's high-arcing jumper that ultimately secured the victory. "When I got off the bus, when I put on my shoes, I mean, there was never a disbelief as a group, honestly," Haliburton said. "They have a lot of confidence in me to make that shot. I don't know what you say about it, I just know that this group is a resilient group and we don't give up until there is zero on the clock." Advertisement Siakam chimed in, saying that when he handed the ball off to Tyrese as the seconds wound down, he had complete confidence in his guard to make the correct play. "I was just trying to look for him, find him. We trust him in those situations to make the right play. Today it was a shot, and he made it. But he can also make the pass — he can do anything. So I had 100 percent confidence in him," the All-Star forward said. Indiana drew first blood in the NBA Finals, an unexpected blow to OKC's seemingly impenetrable armor. With Game 2 looming, it will be interesting to see what the next page in this thrilling chapter holds. Related: "They teach you that lesson more than anybody else in the league the hard way" - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reacts to shocking Game 1 loss vs. Pacers This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
