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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cattle Futures Turn Higher as Tuesday Progresses
Nearby August and October delivery cattle futures were fading Monday's gains on Tuesday, but have turned higher at midday. Overall, prices are up 17 to 67 cents. Heat stress is a concern, with heat index readings as high as 110 projected for today or tomorrow in some feedlot areas. Live cattle futures were $1.67 to $1.95 higher on Monday. Preliminary open interest was up 4,462 contracts on Monday, suggesting new buying interest. Cash trade on Friday saw KS at $230-231 and $240-242 northern action. Activity thus far has been limited to accumulating show lists. Feeder cattle futures were up $3.50 to $3.70 on Monday. As of midday on Tuesday, they are again trading higher, by $.80 to $1.00. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was back up $3.52 to $325.80 on July 18. Monday's OKC feeder cattle online auction showed 4,500 head sold, with prices listed $4-8 higher. Feeder heifers were listed steady to $3 lower, with calves up $5-10. More News from Barchart Brazil Coffee Harvest Pressures Slam Coffee Prices Brazil Coffee Harvest Pressures Hammer Prices Cocoa Prices Rally as the Pace of Ivory Coast Cocoa Exports Slows Our exclusive Barchart Brief newsletter is your FREE midday guide to what's moving stocks, sectors, and investor sentiment - delivered right when you need the info most. Subscribe today! USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were mixed in the Tuesday AM report. Choice boxes were quoted $1.23 higher at $373.30, while Select prices on average dropped $2.32 to $347.73. USDA estimated cattle slaughter for Monday at 105,000 head. That was down 7,000 head from last week and 8,887 head lower vs. the same early week figure in 2024. Aug 25 Live Cattle are at $225.600, up $0.375, Oct 25 Live Cattle are at $221.825, up $0.200, Dec 25 Live Cattle are at $222.400, up $0.650, Aug 25 Feeder Cattle are at $328.600, up $1.000 Sep 25 Feeder Cattle are at $329.000, up $1.300 Oct 25 Feeder Cattle are at $327.275, up $1.300 On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Isaiah Hartenstein calls Nuggets Round 2 series the Thunder's toughest playoff test
Despite cruising to a historic 68-14 regular-season record, the Oklahoma City Thunder had to truly roll up their sleeves and earn an NBA championship with a grueling playoff journey. While two of their four playoff series went the distance, only one left a lasting impression. Count Isaiah Hartenstein as another Thunder player who recalls their Round 2 series win over the Denver Nuggets as their toughest test. It went the distance as OKC blew out Denver in a decisive Game 7. The back-and-forth classic saw the eventual NBA champion fall behind twice in the series before getting the win. Hartenstein appeared on "Podcast P with Paul George" to talk about the Thunder's championship run. The 26-year-old played an important role as he was mostly a starter throughout the two months of high-intensity basketball. It was a group effort to limit Nikola Jokic that was mentally and physically taxing. All hands were on deck to limit him. Hartenstein had his turns against Jokic to match up size with size. Chet Holmgren did the same when the three-time MVP winner tried to bully his way to the basket. It resulted in some pretty ugly shooting performances from Denver's best player. Finally, Alex Caruso matched up against him despite the size disadvantage in a curveball move that helped the Thunder win Game 7. "I think the only series where we were kinda a little bit on the ropes was Denver. Just Jokic and the way they play. They've been there before," Hartenstein said. "That was the only series we were like, 'Even if we do everything right, they probably still have a chance.' Every other series was like, 'If we do the right things, we're good.'" It shouldn't be a shocker to see the Thunder feel that way. It certainly felt like it at the time. Even though it was a Round 2 series, everybody thought the eventual NBA champion would come out of that series as the winner. Battling last year's ghosts, OKC showed why this season was different compared to last. The Thunder had to learn how to win close playoff battles. They did that against the Nuggets. It paid dividends a few weeks later when they went through a similar song and dance against the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals. This time, they were prepared for the moment and won the Larry O'Brien trophy because of it. "The Nuggets were the only series we were like, 'Even if we do everything right, they probably still have a chance.''Isaiah Hartenstein shares why Jokic & the Nuggets were OKC's biggest threat during their Finals run.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jalen Williams reflects on Round 2 series win over Nuggets, how Thunder grew from it
Ask anybody who followed the Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff journey to an NBA championship. The moment the fork met the road was against the Denver Nuggets. The Round 2 playoff series was anything but its official name. As the series went the distance, most came away thinking the title winner will likely come from that series. That wasn't just outside noise, either. Jalen Williams felt the same way. He discussed the grueling seven-game series in his "The Young Man and The Three" podcast episode, which was recently published. Nearly two months removed from a blowout Game 7 win, the 24-year-old said OKC shattered through its ceiling with that series victory. "I'm not gonna say we thought, 'Oh, we can win it if we get past Denver,'" Williams said. "It's just more like let's get over the hurdle that we were challenged with last year to show that we got better." There were several moments throughout the playoff series that frightened Thunder fans. Entering as the heavy favorite, the Nuggets served the first punch when Aaron Gordon handed OKC its first playoff loss with a Game 1 game-winner that stunned the crowd. While not as dramatic, the Nuggets delivered again with their Game 3 overtime win. Suddenly, they had a couple of series leads through three games. Up 1-0 and 2-1. All the pressure was on the Thunder not to suffer a catastrophic collapse. A lot of bad memories from last year's Round 2 exit against the Dallas Mavericks resurfaced. "I think last year, that would have devastated us," Williams said. "Once you've been through the playoffs one time, it forces you to be a different person. There's so many emotional swings and ups and downs of the playoffs that it didn't really phase us too much... It sucked, but you can't feel sorry for yourself and lock back in." And the Thunder did that. In a tight back-and-forth Game 5, Williams' catch-and-shoot 3-pointer gave the Thunder the go-ahead lead in the final moments. In a championship run, that was probably the 24-year-old's best singular moment from the run. He screamed at his injured wrist in celebration as OKC held a 3-2 series lead. It was a big-time moment that saw the Thunder mature from a young, up-and-coming squad to the team to beat and eventual NBA champion. They'll now enter next season as every other team's top date. That happens when you have one of the most dominating seasons in league history.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Player grades: Thunder drop 109-80 Summer League loss to Hornets in playoff semifinal
Hoping to get greedy and bring home a second championship ring within the month, OKC fans were served a nice slice of humility pie. It's the first time the fanbase has received a piece in a while after they experienced the greatest month in franchise history. The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a 109-80 Summer League semifinal loss to the Charlotte Hornets. The 29-point humiliation was part of the four-team SL playoff that will determine the winner of the July extravaganza. Even though Nikola Topic and Ajay Mitchell were out, Kon Knueppel still suited up. That gave this playoff matchup some pazzazz. It was a nice surprise to see the 2025 No. 4 pick still playing this deep into the Summer League, especially since Tidjane Salaun was out. Without a true playmaker, the Thunder endured another slow start. They couldn't buy a bucket as they faced a 23-16 deficit against the Hornets after the first quarter. The halfcourt offense was about as messy as you'd imagine. It only got worse from that point. Branden Carlson was called for a clear-path foul as he turned it over midcourt. The Thunder hoped to change the call with a challenge that didn't go their way. A few plays later, Knueppel swished in a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer to blow it open as Charlotte opened the frame on a 12-1 run. The Thunder only scored 17 points in the second quarter. They entered halftime in a 52-33 deficit. That only grew to start the second half. Any faint hopes of a comeback were quickly erased. Knueppel caught Jazian Gortman behind his hip to draw the 3-point shooting foul. The savvy transition move made the rookie look like a veteran. The Thunder scored 29 points in the third quarter, but it was ineffective. They entered the final frame in an 87-62 deficit. Already dwindling in crowd size, most folks likely changed channels as the rest of the game had zero stakes involved and played out of necessity. It was another snoozefest frame. The Thunder only scored 18 points in the fourth quarter as the end of their bench subbed in and logged minutes. As the broadcast crew talked about the NBA's 2025-26 season, they trailed by as many as 34 points. The Thunder shot 32% from the field and went 13-of-40 (32.5%) from 3. They shot 13-of-18 on free throws. They had 13 assists on 27 baskets. Four Thunder players scored double-digit points. Barnhizer finished with 10 points and three rebounds. Carlson had 12 points and seven rebounds. Malevy Leons tallied 10 points. Erik Reynolds II took advantage of the playing time with 16 points off the bench. Meanwhile, the Hornets shot 53% from the field and went 13-of-35 (37.1%) from 3. They shot 18-of-23 on free throws. They had 27 assists on 39 baskets. Five Hornets players scored double-digit points. Knueppel had 17 points and three rebounds. Jaylen Sims scored 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting. MJ Walker had 13 points and seven rebounds. PJ Hall had 12 points. A couple of players almost had triple-doubles. Damion Baugh had 10 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. KJ Simpson had eight points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Well, that was a sour ending to a sweet two-week experience. The Thunder saw their top players shine in Utah and Las Vegas. But with a chance to bring home a Summer League championship, the lack of scoring talent finally caught up to them against a stacked Hornets squad who still had their best player suit up. Let's look at Thunder player grades: Brooks Barnhizer: D Daring Barnhizer to beat them from deep, the Hornets' strategy to leave the 23-year-old unbothered from the perimeter paid off. A productive two-week stint was poorly ended as his limitations were shoved straight into the viewers' faces. Barnhizer finished with 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting, three rebounds and two assists. He shot 1-of-6 from 3 and went 3-of-4 on free throws. He also had a steal. The Thunder needed Barnhizer to step up as their top scorer. It was a tall task that bordered on unfair. After all, he's only been a role player for most of his basketball life. To ask him to take that next step in this environment was too high an order. After being drafted, most Thunder fans had no clue about Barnhizer. He was an unknown who wasn't on anybody's radar. But a quick glimpse of his Northwestern highlights with what he did in the Summer League was a textbook crash course on his profile. While the defense is a real talent, Barnhizer's NBA ambitions will likely be decided by whether he can hit his outside looks. The ugly side of that was fully displayed in this playoff game. It's not new information to most, but this lackluster performance was a tangible example of why that'll be necessary. Branden Carlson: C-minus Grabbing the ball at midcourt, Carlson couldn't save the possession. He had the ball knocked out of his hands after a couple of dribbles. Out of pure frustration, he grabbed Baugh's shorts to prevent the fastbreak but ended up committing a costly clear-path foul that didn't get overturned after a challenge. Carlson finished with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, seven rebounds and two assists. He shot 1-of-3 from 3 and went 1-of-2 on free throws. These last two Summer League games showed Carlson's limitations. While he's a legitimate catch-and-shoot threat, he needs playmakers to set him up. The 26-year-old can't really create his own looks. Even his sole highlight of a forgettable outing was an alley-oop he connected on with Barnhizer. Nothing wrong with that. If Carlson carves out an NBA career, it'll be because he's a stretch center. Just wouldn't take much away from two straight flat outings after he returned from an ankle sprain. He's still worth a two-way spot and has shown enough flashes to warrant another season. Chris Youngblood: C-minus Camping in the paint, Youngblood was called for a defensive three-second violation. Tough luck. It was another moment that highlighted a game filled with lowlights. He couldn't make up for the scoring vacuum with Topic and Mitchell out. Youngblood finished with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, five rebounds and three assists. He shot 2-of-3 from 3. He also had one steal. The Thunder hoped Youngblood could continue his hot outside shooting. He's been their best threat from beyond the perimeter during the entire Summer League. Instead, foul trouble kept him off the court and a lack of kick-out passers made him invisible. Even though Youngblood delivered a nothing-burger, he was still the biggest standout among the Thunder's undrafted rookies. The 23-year-old was a great off-ball movement shooter whose quick motion required less than a second to attempt a look. If the Thunder add somebody from their Summer League roster to the third two-way player spot, Youngblood made the most compelling case. You always need outside shooting. He's shown enough variety to be more than your standard catch-and-shoot threat. Erik Reynolds II: B-minus As most of the second half turned inconsequential, Reynolds II made the most of the extra minutes. He was on a mission to leave Las Vegas for being more than just the guy who scored on his own basket in a brain fart moment. The 22-year-old got hot as most fans turned this game into background noise. Reynolds II finished with 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting and one rebound. He shot 5-of-11 from 3. He also had one steal. He made three triples in the fourth quarter. Diving for a loose ball, Reynolds II left it all on the floor. He crashed into a set of vacant chairs despite the game being unofficially over. While Thunder fans weren't interested, the players on the court were. The undrafted rookie wants to leave a good impression to at least get a G League contract. Let's see if this late-game explosion is enough. If not on the Thunder, at least somewhere else. Reynolds II went undrafted out of Saint Joseph's. He was a high-volume outside shooter during his college career. Those are always needed at any level. Highlights:
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Thunder star Chris Paul ranked No. 30 in NBA history
As we enter the sizzling summer months, we're approaching the point in the calendar year when the NBA takes a couple of months off. That allows for plenty of time to be perspective and reflect on what's happened in the past. The Bleacher Report NBA staff took advantage of the downtime. They ranked the top 100 NBA players of all time. The extensive project had an all-hands-on-deck approach. They conjured up the votes and released a naturally controversial ranking. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's exclusion might be one of the biggest snubs, there were other players who represented the Oklahoma City Thunder among the 100 players. One is Chris Paul. He came in at No. 30 spot in the rankings. Paul spent a sole season on the Thunder in 2019-20. He rejuvenated his career there. He earned an All-NBA honor and led OKC to the playoffs. He's played an eye-popping 20 seasons and hopes to have one more year left in him before retirement. "Second on the all-time assists and steals list, Paul is still playing productive basketball nearly a full decade after his prime years," Bleacher Report wrote. "In 2024-25, he became the first player in his 20th season or later to start in all 82 of his team's games." The Thunder acquired Paul from the Houston Rockets in a trade that sent Russell Westbrook away for the future Hall-of-Famer and a package of draft picks. He helped mentor Gilgeous-Alexander as the two spent their first season together in OKC. "Paul is best known for being the catalyst on the Lob City Clippers in the mid-2010s," Bleacher Report wrote. "He racked up five top-10 MVP finishes during that run, making first-team All-Defense six straight times." Paul spent his best years on the Clippers. He's also had stops with the then-New Orleans Hornets, Thunder, Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. The 40-year-old has taken a step back in recent years as a bench player.
