Latest news with #QuinnBuckner
Indianapolis Star
4 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
What awaits Pacers in NBA Finals? The league's best team: OKC Thunder
The Indiana Pacers are in the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history, and they will meet the Oklahoma City Thunder starting June 5 in Oklahoma City. The Pacers come in as decided underdogs against the team that had the NBA's best record this season (68-14). These teams met twice in the regular season, with the Thunder winning both (120-114 on Dec. 26 in Indianapolis; 132-111 in March 29 in OKC). Indiana defeated the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers in five games and New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference playoffs in six games. Oklahoma City beat the Memphis Grizzlies (four games), Denver Nuggets (six) and Minnesota Timberwolves (five). Here's what you should know about the Oklahoma City Thunder. It's difficult to find a flaw with the Thunder. They led the NBA in the following categories: They were second in blocked shots (5.6). Quinn Buckner, the analyst on Pacers TV broadcasts, sees similarities between the teams, but that the Thunder have been even better. "The (Pacers) bench has got to be really good because OKC plays 10 to 11 players, and they all contribute," Buckner said. "Everybody may have a specialty, but they star in their roles." Buckner said he'd like to see more consistency from Bennedict Mathurin and more production from Obi Toppin. Defensively, OKC "can really challenge you, and they can run with you in transition. It would be a very difficult series." Father's Day gift: Celebrate the Pacers' amazing season and run to NBA Finals with our commemorative book The Thunder made the 2012 NBA Finals, losing to the Miami Heat in five games. (Miami beat Indiana in the Eastern Conference playoffs that season.) Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook started for that team, while James Harden came off the bench. They combined to average 68.4 points, 12.7 rebounds and 12.7 assists per game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA MVP award after averaging 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. He led the league in games with at least 20 points (75), 30 points (49), 40 points (13) and 50 points (four). He received 71 of 100 first-place votes. The average age of Thunder players is 24.7 years, making them the second-youngest team in the NBA (Portland is 24.3). *-usual starters Mark Daigneault is in his fifth season as Thunder coach, and he owns a 211-189 overall record, 125-39 over the past two seasons. He was voted NBA Coach of the Year in the 2023-24 season.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
With NCAA March Madness brackets out, I need to tell the SEC about the Midwest
Now that the NCAA men's basketball tournament bracket is revealed, there are the usual arguments over seeds and which conference is the best. With this, I don't care about opinions. I care about facts. Have any players ever won a high school state championship, a college championship, an NBA title and an Olympic gold medal? Is that heroic feat even possible? Only three men have accomplished this. Guess what? They are not from Indiana, Kentucky or North Carolina, the three states that seem to historically brag that they have the strongest basketball heritage and legacies. It pains me as a Wolverine and Wildcat to put a Buckeye, Hoosier and Spartan on this pedestal, but they so earned and deserve it. Jerry Lucas: Middletown, Ohio, High School (1956 and 1957), Ohio State University (1960), New York Knicks (1973), Olympic gold (1960) Quinn Buckner: Thornridge, Illinois, High School (1971 and 1972), Indiana University (1976), Boston Celtics (1984), Olympic gold (1976) Earvin "Magic" Johnson: Lansing Everett, Michigan, High School (1977), Michigan State University (1979), Los Angeles Lakers (1980), Olympic gold (1992) What do they have in common? They were boys of the midwest. They played for Big 10 universities. Draw a triangle from Dayton to Chicago to Lansing, 200 to 300 miles on each side. This is the holy ground of basketball. Drop the mic! The SEC and the rest of the country have no response. Ann-Nora Hirami Plymouth Submit a letter to the editor at and we may publish it online and in print. If you have a differing view from a letter writer, please feel free to submit a letter of your own in response. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: With March Madness coming, I believe Midwest is best | Letters
