Latest news with #Game1
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Charles Barkley Makes Serious Plea to Adam Silver Over Pacers Punishment
The Indiana Pacers have stolen home-court advantage from the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals. This comes after Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers secured an incredible 138-135 overtime victory in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. A win in Game 2 on Friday will put the Pacers up 2-0 in this series before it shifts to Indiana for Games 3 and 4, and that will, without a doubt, make them heavy favorites to progress to the NBA Finals. Advertisement NBA on TNT's Charles Barkley is already looking ahead to those two games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Hall of Famer went on the air on Wednesday night to send a clear message to NBA commissioner Adam Silver with one particular request in mind. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) drives to the basket against New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) and guard Cameron Payne (1).Brad Penner-Imagn Images Barkley pleaded with Silver to let Haliburton's father, John Haliburton, attend Game 3 to watch his son. "I want to reach out to Adam Silver tomorrow," Barkley said. "Me and Draymond (Green) were talking. It's time to let Mr. Halliburton back in the building. Yes, it is. "Adam, I'm asking you. Hey, my man paid his dues. He did something really, really stupid, but he's been punished. And I'm asking you and the Indiana Pacers to let Mr. Halliburton back in the building for Game 3 and 4." Advertisement Barkley was referencing John Haliburton's altercation with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the aftermath of the Pacers' series-clinching Game 5 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. John Haliburton was seen taunting Antetokounmpo on the court as soon as the game ended, which led to the Bucks superstar confronting him moments later. The Pacers subsequently announced the team's decision to ban John Haliburton from attending home games "for the foreseeable future." He was not present in any of Indiana's games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in their second-round series against the Boston Celtics. According to Barkley, this was punishment enough for John Haliburton, which is why he wants Silver to intervene and lift the ban. Advertisement "I mean, listen, he paid his dues," Barkley continued. "It shouldn't be indefinite. He's been punished enough. He would never do anything that stupid again. "So, Adam, you know how much I love you. And my man (Pacers president) Kevin Pritchard, y'all, let Mr. Halliburton back in the building for Game 3." For what it's worth, Game 3 in Indiana isn't scheduled until Sunday, which gives the NBA and the Pacers a few days to make their decision. However, whether they will listen to Barkley's plea here remains to be seen. Related: Charles Barkley Left in Disbelief by 'Stupid' Steph Curry Declaration Related: Shaquille O'Neal's Real Reason for Missing NBA Playoffs Revealed by Charles Barkley Related: Shaquille O'Neal Had Words for Charles Barkley After Blunt Accusation
New York Post
7 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Aaron Nesmith has been Pacers ‘warrior' as he battles through injury
The various forms of around-the-clock treatments began almost immediately after Game 3 had ended, and they continued nearly until tipoff two nights later. Aaron Nesmith was determined to 'do whatever it takes' to play Tuesday in Game 4 against the Knicks after suffering a sprained ankle in the third quarter of the game. The red-lights therapy, the stim-machine treatment, the time spent in a hyperbaric chamber and constant ice-bag changes from his visiting mom appeared to work for Nesmith, who scored 16 points with a plus-20 rating as Indiana seized a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals with a 130-121 win. 'It was a long 24-to-36 hours. But I couldn't wait for tipoff. That's all I could wait for,' Nesmith said after the game. 'When I got hurt, they came up to me and said, 'We want to see how you feel.' I was like, 'I don't care how I feel.' 'This is what we all live for. We prepare for this all year long, for our entire lives. … I can't miss these moments.' Aaron Nesmith slams home a dunk past Josh Hart during the Pacers' Game 4 win over the Knicks. NBAE via Getty Images Nesmith is listed as questionable again for Game 5 on Thursday at the Garden, after originally having the same designation for Game 4 after returning from the third-quarter injury for the final period two nights earlier. 'I was concerned what [Tuesday] would look like [for Nesmith],' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 'He got a lot of treatment [Monday]. Fortunately, we didn't have to travel. You get in a plane with an ankle and the thing has a tendency to blow up. 'He did a lot of treatment and has all kinds of electronic devices hooked up to him. I know his mom is in town helping him with ice and things like that. He was determined to be in this game.' Aaron Nesmith slams home a dunk during the third quarter of the Pacers' Game 4 win over the Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Nesmith, who nailed six 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the fourth quarter of the Pacers' Game 1 comeback victory, sank two 3s and threw down a dunk in Indy's 43-point opening quarter Tuesday night. Follow The Post's coverage of the Knicks in the 2025 NBA Playoffs Sports+ subscribers: Sign up for Inside the Knicks to get daily newsletter coverage and join Expert Take for insider texts about the series. 'Making the first couple shots helps you get into the game and the rhythm of the game,' Nesmith said. Teammates Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin both invoked the Paul O'Neill nickname to describe Nesmith. 'Double-A is a warrior,' Toppin said. 'He's going to go out there until he can't. He was able to go out there and play like he wasn't even hurt today.'
News.com.au
28-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
‘He was in doubt' – The truth on Critta
State of Origin: NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley spoke to the media following their Game 1 victory against the QLD Maroons at Suncorp Stadium.
Indianapolis Star
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
The latest on Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith's injury; what we know
INDIANAPOLIS -- Pacers wing Aaron Nesmith will be available to play in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, a league source confirmed to the IndyStar, after Nesmith sprained his ankle in Game 3. Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reported it first. Nesmith returned to action and played the last seven minutes of the fourth quarter after spraining the ankle in the third quarter of Sunday's game, but Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said he was feeling sore on Monday morning and he was listed as questionable on the injury report. Carlisle said Monday he expected Nesmith's status to be a game-time decision. Nesmith averaged 12.0 points per game on 50.7% shooting including 43.7% from the 3-point arc during the regular season and has been even better in the playoffs. He's averaging 15.1 points per game on 52.3% shooting including 53.5% from 3-point range. He scored 30 points in the Pacers' Game 1 comeback win over the Knicks, making eight of nine 3-pointers including all six of his attempts in the Pacers' wild fourth-quarter rally. He's also averaging 6.2 rebounds per game and is the Pacers' most versatile defender. He has been guarding Knicks All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson in the series.
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
How Thunder's 'intensity and aggressiveness' is already wearing down Timberwolves
How Thunder's 'intensity and aggressiveness' is already wearing down Timberwolves Show Caption Hide Caption West finals X-factors: Reid, Dort, Randle Naz Reid's versatility, Lu Dort's defense and Julius Randle's mismatch potential could shape the west finals. OKLAHOMA CITY — Jaden McDaniels' fourth-quarter flagrant hardly required a body language specialist. Two hands and a thrust is a shove, the universal sign for frustration — the most telling league wide symptom that the Thunder defense has seeped into the bloodstream. Other symptoms include but are not limited to: hands flailing or shoulders shrugging in the direction of Scott Foster, seeing six heads instead of the three-headed snake that OKC's big 3 was on Thursday, a 118-103 Game 2 Thunder win, and a convincing two-game deficit in these NBA Western Conference finals. Through two games, the toxicity of the Thunder's all-time defense has bubbled. Third quarters have come strapped in, delivered by lethal injection. The runs, crushing when they happen, feel inevitable for OKC, even so deep into these playoffs. They know it. They've weaponized it. 'Our intensity and aggressiveness can wear on you,' veteran Alex Caruso said. 'Whether you're physically aware of it or mentally aware of it. 'By the time we bring in our second unit, first unit's already pushing. And then you bring in me, Cason (Wallace), and keep one of the bigs out there. It's like you have a whole new starting five defensively.' MORE: Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins first NBA MVP award ANALYSIS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's wild stat that Durant, Westbrook and Harden don't have with OKC The margin of error in this series is seemingly as small as it's ever been vs. this Thunder squad. Thursday's third quarter run was 25-6, a third quarter with all the same furiously forced turnovers. Strips from Minnesota's helpless hands. Nothing tipped the building over quite like Wallace's late quarter lob to Chet Holmgren, who leaped as if he swung from a branch in order to extend his frame and slam it home. Of all the things that the Wolves' odds are hinged on, very little is swinging their way. It was meant to outrebound the Thunder; OKC's 14-12 edge in second-chance points isn't helpful. Not an exemplary ball control team entering the series, its best bet was to inch closer to the median; the Thunder leads the points-off-turnovers count 52-20 this series. Minnesota digested the Game 1 film and seemingly set out to force the Thunder into more jumpers. OKC attempted 12 more 3s (making just 27.3% of them), and notably depended on an abundance of midrange jumpers. MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lives there, fully licensed. Jalen Williams has similar credentials, though he bordered on audacious Thursday. He was 10 of 14 on 2-pointers. The wrist snapped in all the right ways en route to 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Between the barrage of jumpers, OKC still managed to torment Minnesota on the interior: 22 more points on 2s, and 16 more points in the paint on 69% shooting. The world is seeing just exactly how SGA and Williams live. Minnesota's defensive intentions have mostly been pure, too. It played its zone with the conviction of a truck driver already five Modelos in. It still feels mighty in man coverage. Rudy Gobert still leaps toward the top of the arc when the finger is wagged at him. But the Thunder's intentions have been sinister. They've trained their noses like airport canines for the aroma that came with the third quarter. You smell blood in the water, you follow the scent. In this case, that meant forcing Julius Randle turnovers and flipping Minnesota on its head. Through two wins, OKC is outscoring Minnesota by 28 points in the third quarter. Even when Minnesota threatened a 24-point lead, trimming it to 10 in the fourth, the Thunder budged about as far as Foster would on a coach's challenge. Second halves versus the Thunder have become wastelands. It has these playoffs — and Denver specifically — to thank for that. Caruso admits that Game 1 of the West semifinals, as well as the late-February meltdown versus the Wolves, both float atop the memory bank at this juncture. 'I don't know if we get the due credit we deserve for how we've learned and how we've grown as a team,' Caruso said. Stepping into Oklahoma City means being prepared for the blender. Nikola Jokic was. His hide even dulled the blade at times. He provided OKC a dilemma it hadn't seen in the series before or since, a player needing the attention of at least two defenders at most times. Stellar outside shooting has long been wishful thinking for these Thunder during its postseason run. It hasn't needed it, anyway. And Minnesota has yet to make OKC truly budge. To change Gilgeous-Alexander's gravitation toward the line. To change the Thunder's La-Z-Boy comfortability in running the Wolves' pockets. McDaniels seemingly feels all of it. He'd have maybe flipped a table over. But Gilgeous-Alexander was right there. 'Just wanted to foul him, for real,' McDaniels said postgame. 'I wasn't even mad. I just had fouls to use.' 'That's frustration,' Caruso said. 'Like, that's clear as day. That's just him being frustrated. So yeah, for sure, being able to use that. I mean, playoffs are emotional ups and downs, and usually the team that can stay the most even keel throughout the series and playoffs has the upper hand.' Lu Dort mostly seemed understanding of the sequence. Of McDaniels' experience. 'It was a good foul,' Dort said when relayed McDaniels' words, smirking through the giggles in the room. The expression of a man with empathy. Joel Lorenzi covers the Thunder and NBA for The Oklahoman. He can be reached at jlorenzi@ or on X at @joelxlorenzi.
