Latest news with #NBAFinalsMVP
Newsweek
21 hours ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Bet365 Bonus Code WEEK365: Claim $150 Bonus For MLB, NHL Stanley Cup Finals
The bet365 bonus code WEEK365 will claim access to a $150 bonus for MLB and Stanley Cup Finals action this week. The bet365 bonus code WEEK365 will claim access to a $150 bonus for MLB and Stanley Cup Finals action this week. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Take advantage of bet365 bonus code WEEK365 ahead of the NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, MLB and more this week. New players can choose between a $150 guaranteed bonus or a $1,000 safety net bet. All it takes is a $5 bet on any game to secure the $150 bonus. Players who lose on a safety net bet will be eligible for up to $1,000 back in bonuses. Tuesday night is all about baseball, with all 30 teams in action. However, we expect to see a lot of interest in the NBA and NHL later in the week. The puck will drop on Wednesday for a Stanley Cup Finals rematch between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers. On Thursday, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will meet in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. bet365 Sportsbook has tons of ways to bet on the NBA, NHL and MLB. NBA Finals Betting Preview, Odds It doesn't start until Thursday, but we are already looking ahead to the NBA Finals. Oklahoma City is a massive favorite to win the series, but we know to expect the unexpected in these NBA playoffs. bet365 Sportsbook will have a ton of ways to bet on the games. Here is a look at the current odds on Game 1 (odds are subject to change before tip-off): Indiana Pacers: +9 (-105) // Over 231 (-110) // +325 +9 (-105) // Over 231 (-110) // +325 Oklahoma City Thunder: -9 (-115) // Under 231 (-110) // -425 We also recommend checking out some of the bet boosts available for Game 1: Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each to record a double double (+750) Jalen Williams and Pascal Siakam each to record 20+ points and 7+ rebounds (+1200) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton each to record 25+ points and 7+ assists (+900) Alex Caruso, Obi Toppin, Myles Turner and Luguentz Dort each to score 10+ points (+1400) Tyrese Haliburton to win NBA Finals MVP (+800) bet365 Bonus Code WEEK365 Offers $150 Bonus New players who secure this offer can choose from one of two sign-up bonuses. On one hand, players can keep things simple with a $5 bet on the NBA, NHL, MLB or any other market. This will be enough to secure the $150 bonus, no matter what happens in the selected game. As for the safety net bet, this is an opportunity to raise the stakes on a game. Set up a new account and place a cash wager on any matchup. bet365 Sportsbook will back up any losses with up to $1,000 in bonus bets. How to Register With bet365 Bonus Code WEEK365 Creating an account is a quick and hassle-free process on bet365 Sportsbook. Start the sign-up process by inputting bonus code WEEK365 and providing the necessary identifying information. Make sure to make a cash deposit using any of the avaialble payment methods. Finally, start with a $5 bet to win $150 in bonuses or opt for the $1,000 safety net bet. Players will have the chance to start making picks on everything from the NBA and MLB to the NHL and soccer. There should be something for every sports fan. 21+ and present in participating states. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Business
- Newsweek
NBA Finals MVP Odds: OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Heavily Favored
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enters the 2025 NBA Finals as the heavy favorite to win Finals MVP ahead of Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enters the 2025 NBA Finals as the heavy favorite to win Finals MVP ahead of Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. After OKC star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took home NBA regular season MVP and Western Conference Finals MVP, it should come as no surprise that current NBA Finals MVP odds are not exactly wide-open. We'll dive into the odds for this race at various sportsbooks later in this piece, but first, let's quickly highlight why this race is seen as SGA's to lose. SGA Dominating Playoffs Following MVP Regular Season In addition to his excellent counting stats in the regular season (32.7 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game and 6.4 assists per game), his status as the top player on by far the best team in the league put him over the top despite another massive year by Denver's Nikola Jokic. Though Jokic posted absurd numbers of his own for the Nuggets, SGA won this year's MVP vote, 71-29, over the three-time winner ('21, '22, '24). SGA has not slowed down in the playoffs, with postseason averages of 29.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 6.9 apg. With 31.4 ppg and 8.2 apg vs. the Timberwolves, there was never any doubt about who would be named MVP of that series. SGA took home that honor after his team's blowout Game 5 win to clinch its spot in the Finals. NBA Finals MVP Odds: SGA Clear Favorite DK FD bet365 BetMGM Shai Gilgeous-Alexander -600 -550 -600 -625 Tyrese Haliburton +750 +700 +700 +700 Pascal Siakam +1600 +1900 +1600 +1600 Jalen Williams +3500 +3300 +3300 +3000 It's probably going to take either A) an injury to Gilgeous-Alexander, B) a shocking upset by the Pacers or C) a monstrous series by OKC All-Star Jalen Williams due to Indiana selling out to contain SGA for this not to go chalk. To me, that's about all there is to it. Best NBA Finals MVP Longshot: J. Williams Could Jalen Williams Take Over, Contend For Finals MVP? Now, let's take a look at Williams' case -- and the historical precedent, including the 2024 Finals -- of a championship-winning team's "Robin" (as opposed to its Batman) winning Finals MVP. In the last 10 years, below are the Finals MVP winners: 2024: Jaylen Brown, Celtics 2023: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets 2022: Stephen Curry, Warriors 2021: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks 2020: LeBron James 2019: Kawhi Leonard 2018: Kevin Durant 2017: Kevin Durant 2016: LeBron James 2015: Andre Iguodala If anything, that list just makes it that much more difficult to see Williams wining MVP at SGA's expense (assuming the Thunder take care of business as -700 favorites). The most recent winner, Celtics SF Jaylen Brown, probably provides as much reason to consider taking a flier on Williams as any of the results over the last decade, though. Iguodala winning Finals MVP in Golden State's first title run with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green is certainly worth noting, though. In last year's beatdown of the Mavericks, Brown played a huge role in limiting Luka Doncic, and he also averaged 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Tatum, the bigger star of the Celtics' leading duo, finished the 2024 Finals with 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds 7.2 assists per game. But the former Duke star fell behind Brown in the MVP race after scoring less than 20 points in Games 1, 2 and 4. Tatum had a huge performance in Game 5 to help the Celtics close out the Mavericks, but last year's Finals MVP voters appeared to have made their decisions about who they were voting for before that game tipped off. Turning our attention to whether Jalen Williams could follow in Brown's footsteps, there is at least one bit of good news for anyone backing Williams: he's already played at an MVP level in a few of OKC's playoff games. He piled up 26 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists vs. the Wolves in Game 2 of that series. He also finished with 34 points in one of the best games of his career to be sure OKC left Minnesota up 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals. Williams is a tough sell, though, because he's also put up modest numbers in a number of OKC's playoff games. Unfortunately for anyone hoping to take anyone besides SGA in this martet, he balance of the Thunder attack means they can win even on off nights by Williams. That's a great reason to like the heavy favorites to win this series, but it prevents me from recommending anyone other than SGA winning this award. Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Health
- Perth Now
NBA star Steph Curry says he struggles with impostor syndrome
Steph Curry struggles with impostor syndrome. The 37-year-old basketball player is a four-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), an NBA Finals MVP, and a two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP but insisted that he is still "human like everybody" so sometimes has moments of self-doubt. He told CNBC: "I'm human like everybody. "You have doubts about yourself, or you have impostor syndrome at times." Asked if he has impostor syndrome, he added: "At times, yeah." However, Steph - who is married to TV chef Ayesha Curry and has Riley 12, Ryan, nine, Canon, six, and 12-mont-old Caius with her - explained that his idea of "impostor syndrome" is more of a worry that he is doing enough for his loved ones, and if he is maximsing his full potential. He said: "It's an idea of, 'Are you doing everything you can to take care of people that are relying on you?' 'Are you fulfilling your full potential in all different areas that I've set out to do?" Ayesha previously revealed that she has the same struggles when it comes to her own career, which has seen her launch 'Ayesha's Home Kitchen' on FoodNetwork, but has also worked as an actress and recently starred alongside Lindsay Lohan in 'Irish Wish'. She told People: "I have terrible imposter syndrome, and [Steph] is always there to encourage me, remind me, uplift me, me, and be like, 'Hey, what do you need today?' So from that perspective, he's always there and kind of my sounding board. At the time , Steph was promoting her skincare venture and noted that it all took inspiration from "beautiful ingredients" found in her family's native Jamaica. She said: "I felt like what you put in your body you can put on your body, and there has to be some sort of efficacy from all of these beautiful ingredients that come from where my family's from in Jamaica, and so we started to do a deep dive and quickly realized there are a lot of ingredients that aren't mass market right now that are really effective for the skin."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Miami Heat Receive Heartbreaking Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Update
Miami Heat Receive Heartbreaking Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo's ongoing trade saga continues to dominate the basketball landscape. Advertisement With both the Bucks and prospective suitors waiting on baited breath for an announcement on his decision to possibly move forward with a trade request, the trade rumor mill has come alive. The Miami Heat and their uber-aggressive team president Pat Riley were likely to heavily pursue a blockbuster trade for the 2021 NBA Finals MVP, but recent updates have thrown a wrench into that plan. According to a new post from Forbes' Evan Sidery on X, citing DraftKings Sportsbook odds, it seems as though the Heat have fallen out of the race to acquire the generational talent via trade in the coming months. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo drives to the basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage Blaze-Imagn Images With the Bucks leading the charge with -140 odds to have the legendary forward return and the Brooklyn Nets sitting at +2000 to land Antetokounmpo, the Heat were not listed anywhere in between. Advertisement After falling out of the top-8 teams with regard to the likelihood of acquiring the 30-year-old mega-star, the Heat may have to pivot. Other big-time talents such as the Phoenix Suns' Kevin Durant and Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young will still pique the Heat's interest as possible trade targets this offseason. Still, potentially missing out on the chance to bring in one of the most dominant two-way players in league history would be devastating for a franchise looking to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference. In 67 appearances for the Bucks during the 2024-25 regular season, Antetokounmpo contributed 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists while knocking down 60.1% of his attempts from the field. Advertisement Through his incredible effort, the 9-time All-Star earned a third-place finish in MVP voting and a seventh consecutive All-NBA First Team selection. Antetokounmpo's potential partnership with the Heat's fearsome duo of Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo would have a chance to wreck the East, but it may not have a real shot at coming to fruition. Related: Miami Heat's First-Time All-Star Projected to Net Major Contract Extension Related: Giannis Antetokounmpo Causes More Trade Speculation This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton lead fascinating 2025 NBA Finals MVP race
Later this week, we'll finally dig into one of the more intriguing (and surprising?) NBA Finals matchups in recent memory. In one corner, you have reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's historically dominant Oklahoma City Thunder, who have only really been pushed this postseason by Nikola Jokić's Denver Nuggets. These great Thunder will enter the 2025 Finals with over a week's rest. Gulp. In the other corner, you have the scrappy Indiana Pacers, who few saw making a Finals run before they ripped out the New York Knicks' heart. Factor in the small-market aspect between Oklahoma City and Indianapolis, and I'm not really confident about what to expect in this series over the next few weeks. Advertisement Nonetheless, while the Pacers have a chance to win it all after slaying multiple giants in the Eastern Conference, the Thunder are overwhelming favorites for a good reason. It'll probably take a Herculean effort from Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Co. to stave off Gilgeous-Alexander and his friends to win the first title in Indiana's franchise history. That's where this year's NBA Finals MVP conversation comes in. Both the Thunder and Pacers are remarkably deep, with everyone on both rosters understanding and playing to their respective roles to a tee. While there are a couple of obvious choices at the top of this Finals MVP race, the make-up of both of these teams throws a wrench in firmly predicting other possible options. Below is my best attempt at a 2025 NBA Finals MVP ranking with a rationale that considers each individual player's skillsets and their responsibilities to their respective teams. Please note that I'm sticking with the idea that the Finals MVP can only come from the winning team. It's a personal sports preference, but we don't crown second place in any fashion. Advertisement All odds courtesy of DraftKings. 6. C Myles Turner (+20000) May 31, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Ernie Johnson interviews Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) after game six of the eastern conference finals against the New York Knicks for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images I'd be floored if Turner was Finals MVP in a Pacers win. Full stop. But that's not a knock on the 10-year veteran. Turner is one of the NBA's better stretch centers with a good 3-point shot on solid volume. He's a decent rim protector, too. Of course, we're talking about a role player here, but Turner is undoubtedly high-level. His persistence in Indiana has paid off. 5. C/PF Chet Holmgren May 26, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) reacts against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half during game four of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Like Turner, I'd be shocked if Holmgren left these Finals with MVP honors. The second-year big man is a talented young player, but he still has a ways to go (and mature) before he's the veritable best player on the NBA's championship stage. With that said, Holmgren already has plenty of merits. He's an elite shot-blocker, a great rim-runner, and he also shoots well from the 3-point line at a decent clip. Advertisement And who knows? Maybe Holmgren goes off in a few key Thunder wins and puts himself in this conversation. 4. SF Jalen Williams May 26, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) reacts against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half during game four of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Williams is the first truly reasonable bet on this list for this year's Finals MVP. After all, the versatile two-way forward did qualify for an All-NBA team this year. As a great defender and proficient scorer, Williams is one of the few guys in this series who could break a game open on both ends of the court. Depending on who you talk to, he is the third or fourth-best player in these Finals, at worst. However, Williams remains a younger player who has struggled to consistently deliver on the offensive end during this postseason. Ultimately, that might be what keeps him from being a legit Finals MVP candidate. 3. PF Pascal Siakam May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) reacts after shooting a layup during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images As another All-NBA-caliber player, Siakam has been a revelation for the Pacers during these playoffs. Advertisement The veteran forward and 2019 NBA champion had three games of at least 30 points during the Eastern Conference Finals en route to series MVP honors. On the whole in these playoffs, he's averaging roughly 21 points, six rebounds, and three assists with a true shooting percentage of 60.8. Those are exemplary numbers. Those are perfect contributions from a Finals team's No. 2 option. Siakam's path to Finals MVP is continuing this tear, while acting as an X-factor that Oklahoma City's defense has no answer for. It can happen. 2. PG Tyrese Haliburton May 17, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) smiles during game six of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the New York Knicks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports If the Pacers go on to win the title, the clear choice for Finals MVP is Haliburton. Advertisement Haliburton is the straw that stirs Indiana's drink. He is the floor general who makes the Pacers' offense hum. He's the leader and true talisman that the Pacers organization has been missing since the halcyon days of Reggie Miller. Haliburton will face a daunting individual matchup during this series, as the Thunder have more great perimeter defenders to throw at him than anyone else in the NBA. But if he can overcome this hurdle in a moment of glory for Indiana, it's hard to see another Pacers player winning Finals MVP. 1. G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander May 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game two of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images In the event of a Thunder victory, the reigning MVP in Gilgeous-Alexander will likely be the catalyst behind Oklahoma City's first-ever championship. He's just too good and too crafty to say otherwise. Advertisement As an elite defensive team that thrives on live-ball turnovers, the Thunder aren't necessarily slouches in their half-court offense per se, but they do look a lot more mortal if Gilgeous-Alexander doesn't have it going. He is their coherent offensive engine in every fathomable way. In other words, Gilgeous-Alexander is way too important to the Thunder's general operation to assert anyone else should be the frontrunner for 2025 Finals MVP. This article originally appeared on For The Win: NBA Finals MVP 2025: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton, 4 others lead race
