Arsenal caught in second-place syndrome – can Arteta take them any further?
IF you are a fan of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the biggest news last week wasn't the Finals match-up between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers—but rather the firing of New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau.
This is the same coach who brought basketball relevance back to New York City, taking the team to their first Conference Final in 25 years.
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The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Arsenal caught in second-place syndrome – can Arteta take them any further?
IF you are a fan of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the biggest news last week wasn't the Finals match-up between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers—but rather the firing of New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. This is the same coach who brought basketball relevance back to New York City, taking the team to their first Conference Final in 25 years.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Thunder pack a counterpunch in Game 2, even series with Pacers
Game 2 of the NBA Finals tied up the scores between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. (AP pic) OKLAHOMA CITY : Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 123-107 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. The Thunder evened the series 1-1 heading into Wednesday's Game 3 in Indianapolis. Gilgeous-Alexander added eight assists and five rebounds and went 11 of 12 from the free-throw line. After letting a 15-point fourth-quarter leap slip away in Game 1, Oklahoma City didn't give the Pacers such an opening this time around. The Thunder took the lead for good late in the first quarter, and early in the second quarter stretched their lead to 23 with a 19-2 run – fueled by both their defense and Gilgeous-Alexander's finishes on the other end. To that point, Oklahoma City's defense hadn't forced many turnovers and it hadn't take advantage of the few it had caused. But during that big run in the second quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander scored seven of Oklahoma City's last nine points – all off Pacers' turnovers. Indiana quickly answered with a 10-0 run for a 52-39 score but never got closer than that 13-point deficit. After scoring just 11 points on 25 Pacers' turnovers in Game 1, the Thunder scored 14 off 15 Indiana turnovers in Game 2. While Gilgeous-Alexander still led the way, the Thunder also showcased their offensive depth more. In Game 1, Jalen WIlliams and Chet Holmgren combined to go just 8 of 28 from the floor, with Holmgren going just 2-for-9 with six points. Holmgren looked much more settled early on in Game 2, hitting five consecutive shots after missing his first of the game. While William wasn't overly efficient, scoring 19 points on 5-of-14 shooting, he did go 8-for-9 at the free-throw line and added five assists. Holmgren finished with 15 points while Alex Caruso added 20 and Aaron Wiggins 18 off the bench. Tyrese Haliburton, who hit the game-winning shot in Game 1, led the Pacers with 17 points – 12 in the fourth quarter. But by that time, the game was well in hand for Oklahoma City. Indiana had won the first two games in each of the first three rounds. Oklahoma City has yet to lose back-to-back games in the playoffs.
The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
Tennis-Gauff moves fast to ease Spike Lee's NBA pain
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 7, 2025 Film director Spike Lee with his wife Tonya Lewis Lee are seen in the stands during the women's singles final between Coco Gauff of the U.S. and Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes PARIS (Reuters) -When Coco Gauff saw that Spike Lee was attending her French Open final against Aryna Sabalenka, she felt she could cheer up the American film director after the recent NBA heartbreak suffered by his beloved New York Knicks. Gauff upset world number one Sabalenka 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 on Saturday to win her second Grand Slam singles title. "It was honestly the first time I really met him up close," Gauff told a press conference. Having spotted Lee watching her in previous matches, including at the U.S. Open, Gauff was thrilled to see him courtside again during the warm-up against Sabalenka. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, Spike Lee is there'," she said. "I thought, if I win this match, the first person I'm going to see is Spike Lee." And she did, making a beeline for Lee to share a joyful celebration despite the Knicks' painful loss in the NBA's Eastern Conference finals last week. "I wanted to tell him that even though the Knicks didn't win, I gave him something to cheer for," Gauff said. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ed Osmond)
