Belmont softball will rely on pitcher Maya Johnson in its first NCAA Tournament appearance
Knicks vs Celtics Game Highlights
The Knicks ended the game on a 23-6 run to defeat the Celtics, 91-90, in Game 2 of the Conference Semifinals. The Knicks outscored the Celtics, 30-17 in the 4Q. The Knicks now lead the series 2-0. Top Performers – New York Josh Hart led the Knicks with 23 points, 6 rebounds and, 2 blocks3 assists Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and 17 rebounds Jalen Brunson – 17 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists Mikal Bridges – 14 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals 6-10 FG for 14 PTS in the 4Q. Top Performers – Boston Derrick White led the Celtics with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists 8-23 FG Jaylen Brown – 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals 6-17 FG Jayson Tatum – 13 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals 5-19 FG Shot 34-94 overall and 10-40 from 3PT NOTABLE STATS Tonight's game marks the 26th 20-PT comeback in the Playoffs in the PXP era. The Knicks join this year's Pacers as the only teams to have two 20-PT comebacks in the same Playoff run. The Knicks re the ONLY TEAM in the PXP era (1998 Playoffs) to have two 20-PT comebacks IN THE SAME SERIES. FIRST TIME w/ 20-PT COMEBACKS IN THREE STRAIGHT DAYS in PLAYOFFS With the Knicks securing another 20-PT comeback tonight, the Pacers doing so yesterday, and the Knicks doing so on Monday, it's THE FIRST TIME the NBA has seen 20-PT comebacks in three straight days in the Playoffs since tracking in the PXP era (1998 Playoffs). Road team are NOW 6-0 in the Semifinals.
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USA Today
41 minutes ago
- USA Today
4 things OKC Thunder must do to win Game 2 against Pacers in 2025 NBA Finals
4 things OKC Thunder must do to win Game 2 against Pacers in 2025 NBA Finals The 2025 NBA Finals is only a game old, but the Oklahoma City Thunder have already found themselves cornered. Tyrese Haliburton shocked the NBA world when he drained a Game 1 game-winner to give the Indiana Pacers the early 1-0 series lead. All the pressure of the world is on the Thunder already. After being viewed as the heavy title favorite, they enter Game 2 in a must-win scenario. You can't afford to fly across the country on the road in a 0-2 deficit. That would put them at risk of being on the wrong side of one of the biggest upsets in league history. Here are four things the Thunder must do to ensure they leave OKC with a 1-1 series tie: Stick to your Game 1 starters The Thunder threw a curveball before the batter even reached the batter's box. They abandoned their double-big lineup in favor of a more traditional starting five. Cason Wallace started over Isaiah Hartenstein for Game 1 of the series. The sudden lineup change was met with approval. But then the result played out. The Thunder lost a heartbreaker. They were killed on the boards. In a results-oriented business, expect fans to double-guess your moves with the benefit of hindsight. That said, the starting lineup successfully achieved its goal of creating perimeter disruption. The Pacers committed 25 turnovers. 17 in the first half. The tight ball-security squad looked lost against the Thunder. That stat should've been enough to secure a Game 1 win for OKC. Instead, an abnormally bad transition offense destroyed that advantage and allowed Indiana to hang around. You have to stick with Wallace. The plan worked. Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard were relatively quiet for the first three quarters. This was the lineup that won the Thunder their two games against the Pacers in the regular season. You can't overreact and return to Holmgren-Hartenstein or risk messing up the team's mojo. Complete steal-and-score sequences Throughout the first three quarters, everybody had the same lingering thought in the back of their mind. The Thunder had a double-digit lead, sure, but they should've blown the game wide open by halftime. 25 created turnovers is an unreal number that likely won't get matched again. But only 11 points scored off them nullified the advantage. The Thunder learned their lesson the hard way, just like the Bucks, Cavaliers and Knicks. You can't give the Pacers hope. After Williams' transition dunk gave OKC a 15-point lead in the early stages of the fourth quarter, it felt like that would've been enough to squeeze by with an ugly win. Nope. The Pacers stayed within striking distance. Unreal shot-making by Indiana's role players flummoxed the Thunder. Nembhard looked like prime James Harden when he shook Gilgeous-Alexander off him for a stepback 3-pointer. The Thunder only had half measures with their bread and butter. All year, they've buried their opponent on the scoreboard with avalanche runs snowballed by steal-and-score sequences. They only did the first half of that against the Pacers. That wasn't enough. Williams, Holmgren bounce back For all the overanalyzing of a weird Game 1, you can simplify everything back to Williams and Holmgren. Gilgeous-Alexander had 38 points on 14-of-30 shooting. It was one of the most dominating NBA Finals debuts ever. The MVP winner did enough to secure a win. But Williams and Holmgren no-showed. And you can't win playoff games if two of your three best players disappear. Williams had 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting. Holmgren only had six points and six rebounds. That's rough. For comparison, the Pacers had an even-scoring attack with six players in double-digit points. This has been a theme in most of the Thunder's playoff losses this year. Williams and Holmgren struggle. Gilgeous-Alexander does his best to carry them to the finish line but falls just short. They will need both to be a lot better in Game 2. OKC can't afford just flashes. It needs a consistent four quarters. SGA has first signature NBA Finals moment Despite all the Game 1 talk that followed the next two days, none of this would matter or be discussed ad nauseam if the Thunder scored one extra bucket. Such is life in the NBA. A one-point loss puts every small mistake under a microscope. For Gilgeous-Alexander, it's his missed mid-range jumper with 11 seconds left that would've put the Pacers in a tough spot. Instead, his attempt hits the rim and sparks Haliburton's game-winner and Indiana raced down the floor in the final seconds without a timeout. While Gilgeous-Alexander was the best player with 38 points, it wasn't on his usual efficient volume. He earned his points the blue-collar way with tough shot-making. He only went 7-of-8 on free throws. It's a little ridiculous on the surface to ask for better, but that's the standard the MVP has set for himself over the last three years.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Pacers vs. Thunder odds, predictions: NBA Finals Game 2 picks, best bets
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. As we often hear, the NBA playoffs are about adjustments within a series. Thus, sports bettors must learn to anticipate them and understand how they will impact the betting market and potentially offer value. The Pacers delivered yet another improbable comeback to steal home-court advantage in the NBA Finals. The Thunder are now 11-point home favorites in Game 2 with an Over/Under total of 228.5. I expect Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault to change his starting lineup and revert to the one he used all postseason, after he mysteriously benched center Isaiah Hartenstein in favor of Cason Wallace. In fact, the double-big lineup of Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren didn't log a single minute together, after each had started every game this postseason. The move looked wise in the first half, forcing 19 turnovers. Daigneault afterward said the smaller Wallace provided more defensive flexibility against guards Tyrese Haliburton and Andrew Nembhard. Though that logic makes sense, it also allowed a poor rebounding Pacers team to dominate the glass with a 56-39 edge. Indiana also finished with 13 offensive boards, which is their most this postseason. For context, the Pacers ranked third worst in rebounds per game and rebounding percentage throughout the regular season. The glass was supposed to be an Indiana weakness and the relatively inexperienced Daigneault unnecessarily and inexplicably made it an advantage. Isaiah Hartenstein grabs a rebound during the Thunder's Game 1 loss to the Pacers on June 5, 2025. Getty Images I think the coach realizes the mistake and starts Hartenstein. Even if that adjustment does not occur, he still figures to play him more than the 17 minutes he logged in Game 1. Even still, Hartenstein managed to grab nine rebounds in that limited play. Betting on the NBA? So any way you slice it, Hartenstein's rebounds prop of 6.5 feels too low. OKC needs his presence, especially because Holmgren seems allergic to rebounds lately. The 7-footer has gone under his rebound prop in six straight games. I am 46-40-1 ATS in this Post sports section and my next play is Hartenstein Over 6.5 rebounds in Game 2. BEST BET: Isaiah Hartenstein Over 6.5 rebounds (-165, BetMGM) Why Trust New York Post Betting Doug Kezirian is a New York Post contributor who has over two decades of experience in the betting space, including spending 11 years at ESPN as a host, columnist and betting analyst. He's also the rare personality who has documented success – 14th place in 2023 Circa Million and Las Vegas SuperContest ($37K), two top-10 finishes in 2022 William Hill College Football Challenge ($58K) and also grabbed headlines with a $297K win on the 2021 NFL Draft.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
When Don Nelson collects Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, he'll throw shade at Doncic trade
Don Nelson never coached by the book, maybe because he never read the book, having had no intention of coaching in the first place. So the man honored Sunday at the Pacers-Thunder NBA Finals game in Oklahoma City with the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award had to write his own virtual book on coaching. Here is a snippet, which might bring back fond memories for long-time fans of the Golden State Warriors. It takes place in early 2007 at Smitty's, an Oakland dive bar near Lake Merritt. Nelson, coach of the Warriors, arrives with two of his players, Stephen (Stack Jack) Jackson and Baron (Boom Dizzle) Davis. The Warriors hired Nelson that season, an eyebrow-raising move because he was 66 and had been out of coaching a year, seemingly retired. This was his second go-round with the Warriors, having coached them for seven seasons, starting in '88. The Warriors had just traded for Jackson, who came with baggage. The previous season, while on probation for an assault-and-battery charge, Jackson got into a beef at a strip club and fired several shots from his handgun. Davis had a rep for not getting along with coaches, including the previous Warriors coach, Mike Montgomery. At Smitty's, Nellie, Stack Jack and Boom Dizzle played shuffleboard, drank scotch and talked basketball for a couple hours. Finally, Nelson told his two players, 'You guys are going to be my captains. You run this team, and we're going to have fun.' And so it was. The Warriors scrapped and swashbuckled their way into the playoffs and pulled off the 'We Believe' miracle, a No. 8 seed defeating the No. 1 seed Dallas Mavericks. Yes, Nelson had a style. Still does. He said for Sunday's on-court award presentation he would wear a tuxedo jacket, out of respect for the honor; a black t-shirt and blue jeans, because he doesn't take himself too seriously, and a Hawaiian necklace, because he is an adopted son of Maui, his long-time home. And shoes. More on those in a moment. The award is a big deal to Nelson. He hasn't left Maui in six years. He was lured away from paradise by the Chuck Daly honor, the culmination of Nelson's lifetime love affair with basketball that began in a chicken yard in rural Illinois, on his parents' hog farm. 'My uncle Walt put up a basket (a bicycle tire rim) in the chicken yard, and the chickens just (pooped) all over your court, of course,' Nelson says. 'It was a mess. One day I was playing against the guy next door, I dropped my gum, I thought I found it three or four times.' With Nelson's stories, sometimes you have to ponder the punch line for a moment. When Nelson was in seventh grade, pork prices slumped and the family lost the farm. That was fortuitous for young Don, because the one-room schoolhouse with six kids back on the farm wasn't going to lead him to college. The family moved to big-city Rock Island, where Don, big, strong and smart, became a star in high school. At Iowa, he was a third-team All-American as a junior, and in those pre-NIL days, he took a summer job at the International Harvester factory in Rock Island, operating a punch press. 'I looked to my right and to my left, and both guys working those machines had fingers missing,' Nelson said, laughing. 'They got 'em lopped off on the machines. They had these protective sleeves you're supposed to wear, but this was piece-work, and the only way you could make money was to take the sleeves off so you could go faster. I'm looking over, their goddamn fingers are missing and I'm going, 'Holy s—t, it's going to be hard to be a basketball player with fingers missing.' ' Nelson survived the factory, and after Iowa he went on to a 12-year NBA career, earning five rings with the Boston Celtics. He played one season under coach Red Auerbach, before Auerbach moved to the front office. Nelson made it a routine on game days to arrive at the arena several hours early and drop by Auerbach's office. 'I would sit there and talk basketball with him,' Nelson said, 'and I just learned so much from him. That's how I really got deep into the game. Things like how to run a team, how to get your team ready, get after guys at halftime.' That reminded Nelson of a story. 'One game we were down by about 15 at halftime. Red got on my old friend, Tom (Satch) Sanders. He said, 'Goddammit, Satch, you're not playing worth a s—t. If you don't get going, we're going to lose this game.' Satch says, 'Coach, I haven't been in the game yet.' ' After retiring, Nelson needed a job, so he decided to become an NBA ref. He worked the Summer League in Los Angeles and was told he'd need a year of seasoning in the Eastern League. Then he got a call from Milwaukee Bucks' GM Wayne Embry, offering him the assistant coaching job under Larry Costello. Back then (1976-77), NBA coaches had one assistant coach. 'I had a family of five and no job, so at least I was working,' Nelson said. Eighteen games into the season, the Bucks were 3-15 and the frustrated Costello quit. 'I begged him not to, because I thought I'd get fired,' Nelson said. Team owner Jim Fitzgerald offered the head job to Nelson, who turned it down twice before giving in. 'He said, 'Look, give it a try, we don't have anybody, we've got a game tomorrow.' So I said, 'OK, I'll try it and see what happens.' So I went from being a $25,000 assistant coach to being a $50,000 head coach.' At Milwaukee, out of pure expediency, Nelson developed his style of position-less basketball, which he would later bring to the Warriors, creating Run TMC. With the Bucks, Nelson was coach and general manager, and for that first season, the team's only scout. 'Being the GM, that gave me a tremendous advantage, I could pick players I thought we could work with and be good with. So I always picked the best player (regardless of size) and kind of made it work.' He made it work for 1,335 wins, second on the NBA's all-time list to Greg Popovich. Nelson coached the Warriors three seasons after We Believe. Then Joe Lacob bought the team and fired him. The Chronicle reported that Lacob wanted "a young, up-and-coming coach." 'I was a little surprised with the way things happened, but I think it is for the best for everybody,' Nelson said back then. Next — and last — stop for Nellie: Maui. He and wife Miss Joy fell in love with Hawaii during his playing days and bought a vacation house on Maui in '95, then bought more property. 'There was a good time to buy property on Maui,' Nelson once told me, 'and during that time, I bought a lot of it.' The Nelsons' beautiful waterfront home in Kihei is a base for Miss Joy's competitive Hawaiian canoe paddling, and for Nellie's poker. Years ago, Nelson became famous for his regular poker games with a group of Maui neighbors, including Willie Nelson and Owen Wilson. Times change. Nellie still plays poker with the boys every Wednesday, but Willie retired from poker after he got COVID. Too risky, although he still tours and performs, and has a new album out. Don Nelson still plays golf two or three times a week, and says he is feeling good. 'I quit smoking cigars and pot, and quit drinking alcohol,' said Nelson, noting he also smoked cigarettes for 30 years, a habit he picked up with the Celtics, who would light up at halftime. 'I quit weed about six months ago. I haven't drank alcohol in five years or so, so I'm pretty boring, but I'm pretty healthy. I don't participate in that stuff anymore, I do OK without it.' Boring, but with style. Nelson said his outfit for the Sunday ceremony would include special shoes, a tribute to Luka Doncic. 'I'm wearing a pair of Luka's shoes,' Nelson said. 'He's my dear friend, this is in protest of the trade (the Mavericks traded Doncic to the Lakers in midseason). I get 15 seconds on national TV. I don't have to say anything. Look for those shoes, goddammit.'
