Latest news with #ShaiGilgeousAlexander
Globe and Mail
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still hasn't achieved his main goal for the Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander achieved his short-term goals on Wednesday night and positioned himself to achieve his long-term one. He had 34 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-94 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals for a 4-1 series win and a spot in the NBA Finals. 'I know I wanted two things,' he said. 'I didn't want to go back to Minnesota. And then I wanted the fans to be able to enjoy the moment with us. I wanted them to be able to see it unfold in front of their eyes. I wanted them to celebrate tonight in our building, go home, get drunk, do whatever they do to have fun with the moment.' The league MVP and scoring champion did his part to make those things possible, and now he's got a shot at an NBA title. It was another example of how playoff basketball appears to have slowed down for him. He forced things at times in the first round against Memphis and in the second round against Denver. Against Minnesota, he was back to making the game look easy. He made 14 of 25 shots and committed just two turnovers in Game 5. 'I think he does a great job of playing aggressive and then letting the game tell him what the right play is,' Thunder forward Chet Holmgren said. 'Sometimes that's score, sometimes that's to pass. But you never really feel like watching him or playing with him – you never feel like he made the wrong read.' Gilgeous-Alexander had 12 points and five assists in the first quarter as Oklahoma City took a 26-9 lead. The Thunder led 65-32 at halftime and 88-62 heading into the fourth quarter. 'All we can do is come in at night and control our energy and our effort and our focus level, give these fans what they deserve and families what they deserve,' he said. 'Everyone that's sacrificed for us, they deserve this moment to celebrate at home. We took care of business from the jump. We were focused. We were together. We were energetic, we were aggressive and the game turned out the way it did.' Gilgeous-Alexander's big night went beyond measurables. Coach Mark Daigneault said his leadership helped the Thunder get off to the strong start. 'He just set an unbelievable tone,' Daigneault said. 'I think he understood his role in our mentality. He was a participant in that and he was a leader in that. And he was ready to play from the jump.' For the series, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.4 points, 8.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds a game and received the Magic Johnson Trophy for MVP of the Western Conference finals. None of that will matter when the Thunder play either the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks in the Finals, starting June 5. The Pacers lead the Eastern Conference finals series 3-1 with Game 5 in New York on Thursday night. 'We have to be the best version of ourselves for four nights to reach the ultimate goal,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'We understand that, we know that and that's what we're focused on.'
Associated Press
a day ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Dominant: The Thunder are putting together numbers never seen before on their way to the NBA Finals
The manner in which the Oklahoma City Thunder clinched their spot in the NBA Finals seemed fitting. It was a blowout. Those have been the story of the Thunder season. There hasn't been a team in NBA history with at least 12 wins by 30 points or more in a season — or with four such wins in a single postseason — until now. The Thunder are putting together one of the most dominant years in league history in terms of outscoring opponents. The most recent entry on that list: a 124-94 romp over Minnesota to clinch the Western Conference title, a score that probably could have been a lot worse if the Thunder were so inclined. 'This isn't our goal,' Thunder guard, NBA MVP and West finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'We didn't start the season like we want to win the West. We want to win the NBA championship. Now we are a step closer to our goal and we're happy about that. But it's still four more games to go win, four really hard games to go win and we have to be the best version of ourselves for four nights to reach the ultimate goal.' A look inside the numbers paints a picture of how dominant this season has been for the Thunder: They're winning by 12.2 points per game The biggest point differential per game in NBA history, including playoffs, was posted by the 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks — who outscored teams by 12.6 points per game. The Thunder are winning by 12.2 per game. That's the second-biggest rate in league history, for now. They have beaten 28 of the 29 other NBA teams by double figures at least once this season. The only team to avoid that fate against the Thunder was Golden State, which actually outscored Oklahoma City by an average of 4.7 points per game in their head-to-head matchups. 'They embody everything it means to be a team,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. 'And so, they deserve this. They deserve the opportunity that we have now. I couldn't be happier for them because they invest so much in their own games, but they also invest so much in each other and in the team. And I just think it's a really uncommon thing in professional basketball that they've built.' The 30-point wins There have been 13 games this season involving the Thunder that were decided by 30 points or more. They won 12 of them. Minnesota absolutely throttled the Thunder in Game 3 of the West finals, winning by 42 points. It was a rare blip for Oklahoma City. The Thunder have had a win by at least 30 points in every series — a 51-point win over Memphis in Round 1, wins by 43 and 32 points over Denver in Round 2, and now the 30-pointer that eliminated Minnesota in Round 3. Oklahoma City's eight 30-point wins in the regular season came against teams that all missed the playoffs; Toronto, Washington, Sacramento, Phoenix, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Utah. But to do it four times in the playoffs speaks to the ability the Thunder have to simply run away from quality opposition. 'They're a really good team,' Minnesota star Anthony Edwards said. 'Everyone here knows it. It's no surprise to nobody here that this team is pretty good.' 80 wins Oklahoma City is now at 80 wins this season, including playoffs. It's the 15th time in NBA history that a team has won 80 in a season. If the Thunder win the NBA title, they'll finish with 84 wins — a total that only the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (88), 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (87) and 1996-97 Bulls (84) have reached. 'Happy for the moment, but this isn't our goal,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'This isn't the end of the road. ... One more series to try to go win.' ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What's next for Trump's tariffs after a court blocked them
Good morning, all. If you're about to have your first coffee, consider drinking a glass of water or grabbing a bite to eat first. Here's why. Now, on to the news. Subscribe to get this newsletter in your inbox each morning. The U.S. Court of International Trade blocked President Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs on imports under an emergency-powers law, throwing his signature economic policy into question. Here's what to know. The ruling: The three-judge panel agreed with plaintiffs that Trump doesn't have authority to impose some of the tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The White House, which appealed the ruling, has 10 days to pause them. Read more details. [Time] Stocks rally: European and Asian stocks, U.S. stock futures and the dollar rose after the news broke, though analysts warned about the longer-term economic effects from an extended policy battle, and the uncertainty that comes with it. [Reuters] Tariff impacts: Treasury Department data shows Trump's tariffs generated $22.3 billion in federal revenue this month — higher than in April and March. Altogether, revenue has surged in recent months to about 4%, up from roughly 2% in recent decades. [Yahoo Finance] 🏀 Thunder take the West The Thunder cruised to a 4-1 Western Conference finals win against the Timberwolves, securing a spot in the NBA Finals. Shai Gilgeous Alexander was named the series MVP, though you'd think his dad won it based on his reaction. [Yahoo Sports] ➡️ Musk moves on Tesla CEO Elon Musk has left the Trump administration, capping a turbulent tenure in which the Department of Government Efficiency cut thousands of federal jobs and claimed to slash billions in federal spending. [Reuters/NBC News] 🎓 Chinese student visas Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will begin to 'aggressively' revoke Chinese students' visas, marking the White House's latest move against China in higher education. Nearly a quarter of U.S. foreign students are from China. [AP] 🩺 New marijuana study A new small study found that healthy people who regularly smoked weed or consumed THC-laced edibles had a higher risk of early cardiovascular disease, like cigarette smokers. The research, however, didn't prove causation. [CNN] 📺 'Survivor' 50 cast CBS revealed its cast for the landmark 50th season of Survivor, featuring fan-favorites from past seasons including White Lotus creator and Season 37 runner-up Mike White. See who else is headed to Fiji. [Time] 🏀 In the NBA playoffs, the Pacers will try to secure a spot in the Finals when they play the Knicks at 8 p.m. ET on TNT. [Yahoo Sports] 🏒 In the NHL playoffs, the Oilers are one win away from returning to the Stanley Cup Final when they face off against the Stars at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. [USA Today] ⛹️♀️ On the court, the Sky look for their first victory of the WNBA season when they tip off against the Wings at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video. [Chicago Tribune] ⚾ On the field, the Astros will try to add to their four-game home win streak when they play the Rays at 8:10 p.m. ET on the MLB app. [AP] 📺 Calling all Sex and the City fans: Season 3 of And Just Like That… premieres at 9 p.m. ET on Max. (More on that below.) [Yahoo Entertainment] ☀️ And don't forget to: Read your daily horoscope. Play the crossword. Check the forecast in your area. In 1953, Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide, Tensing Norgay, became the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Thousands of climbers have reached the top since then, though the records for the most ascents go to British climber Kenton Cool (19) and guide Kami Rita (31), who each broke their own records this month. [AP] Carrie and the gang are back today for Season 3 of the Sex and the City spinoff. Yahoo Entertainment reporter Kelsey Weekman popped by to give us a preview. Jessica: Catch me up: Where did last season leave off? Kelsey: Carrie sold her iconic apartment before agreeing to pause her relationship with Aidan for five years. Miranda and Steve agreed to be friends, and word got out that Stanford is staying in Japan to become a monk. Kelsey: We're picking up shortly after the Season 2 finale. Carrie got a new apartment, she's working on a romantasy novel and is keeping things complicated with Aidan, of course. Miranda may have a new love interest, and Charlotte is navigating the world of parenting teens. Kelsey: Che and Nya aren't coming back, which is terrible news for those of us who love mess! Rosie O'Donnell is playing a new character named Mary, and we know Broadway legend Patti LuPone will 'have an arc.' Go deeper: Here's why Sarah Jessica Parker said she's 'never watched' Sex and the City or And Just Like That… Amanda Bellock always wanted to honor her grandfather, Gabriele, by naming a child after him. Earlier this month, he was brought to tears when Bellock introduced him to Gabriella, her newborn daughter. 'I really didn't expect him to get as emotional as he did,' she said. [People] Have a great day. See you tomorrow! 💡 P.S. Before you go, your daily advice: Avoid low-quality, fragmented sleep by ditching the snooze button. Here's what to do instead. [CNN] About The Yodel: The Yodel is a morning newsletter from Yahoo News. Start your day with The Yodel to get caught up on weather, national news, politics, entertainment and sports — in four minutes or less. Did you like this morning's newsletter? Subscribe to have it sent to you on weekdays. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.
CBC
a day ago
- Business
- CBC
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still hasn't achieved his main goal for the Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander achieved his short-term goals on Wednesday night and positioned himself to achieve his long-term one. He had 34 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-94 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals for a 4-1 series win and a spot in the NBA Finals. "I know I wanted two things," he said. "I didn't want to go back to Minnesota. And then I wanted the fans to be able to enjoy the moment with us. I wanted them to be able to see it unfold in front of their eyes. I wanted them to celebrate tonight in our building, go home, get drunk, do whatever they do to have fun with the moment." THE BUZZER Why SGA won MVP The league MVP and scoring champion did his part to make those things possible, and now he's got a shot at an NBA title. It was another example of how playoff basketball appears to have slowed down for him. He forced things at times in the first round against Memphis and in the second round against Denver. Against Minnesota, he was back to making the game look easy. He made 14 of 25 shots and committed just two turnovers in Game 5. "I think he does a great job of playing aggressive and then letting the game tell him what the right play is," Thunder forward Chet Holmgren said. "Sometimes that's score, sometimes that's to pass. But you never really feel like watching him or playing with him — you never feel like he made the wrong read." Gilgeous-Alexander had 12 points and five assists in the first quarter as Oklahoma City took a 26-9 lead. The Thunder led 65-32 at halftime and 88-62 heading into the fourth quarter. "All we can do is come in at night and control our energy and our effort and our focus level, give these fans what they deserve and families what they deserve," he said. "Everyone that's sacrificed for us, they deserve this moment to celebrate at home. We took care of business from the jump. We were focused. We were together. We were energetic, we were aggressive, and the game turned out the way it did." Gilgeous-Alexander's big night went beyond measurables. Coach Mark Daigneault said his leadership helped the Thunder get off to the strong start. "He just set an unbelievable tone," Daigneault said. "I think he understood his role in our mentality. He was a participant in that and he was a leader in that. And he was ready to play from the jump." For the series, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.4 points, 8.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game and received the Magic Johnson Trophy for MVP of the Western Conference Finals. None of that will matter when the Thunder play either the Indiana Pacers or the New York Knicks in the Finals, starting June 5. The Pacers lead the Eastern Conference finals series 3-1 with Game 5 in New York City on Thursday night.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
SGA wins big...by gifting Rollies before tariff hike
NBA commissioner Adam Silver, left, presents the Michael Jordan Most Valuable Player trophy to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander prior to Game 2 of an NBA basketball Western Conference Finals playoff series between against the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) Collectors! We're less than a month away from Fanatics Fest and news is starting to trickle out about what collectors can expect. Last week Michael Rubin + team announced Fanatics Games , a competition (think pitching accuracy and 'closest to the pin'-type challenges) pitting regular Janes and Joes against celebrities like Tom Brady, Druski, Logan Paul and Kevin Hart, with the winner taking home $1M. And just yesterday LeBron James announced that he'll be hosting his podcast, 'The Shop', from the Fanatics Fest show floor, with special guests like the aforementioned Brady, Victor Wembanyama and Kai Cenat. Advertisement If you're planning to be in NYC June 16-23 for the festivities, make sure to come hang with the Mantel team at Bleecker Trading, where we'll be throwing trade nights and more every night after the show closes down. The Baseball Hall of Fame has debuted 'Getting the Nod', a new bobblehead exhibit showcasing highlights from Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria's personal collection. The exhibit features hundreds of nodding likenesses, from legends like Babe Ruth and Satchel Paige to modern stars like Clayton Kershaw and Giancarlo Stanton. A human-sized Willie Mays bobblehead anchors the display, paying homage to the 1999 giveaway that helped reignite the bobblehead craze. A lineup of Hall of Famers are slated to attend the opening, which celebrates the evolution of bobbleheads from kitschy souvenirs to collectible snapshots of baseball history. The Baseball Hall of Fame has debuted 'Getting the Nod', a new bobblehead exhibit showcasing highlights from Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria's personal collection. (Sports Collectors Daily) To fight patch swapping fraud, Upper Deck is introducing tamper-proof encased rookie patch auto cards in its upcoming 'The Cup' NHL set, releasing next week. Each card will be sealed, serial numbered, and linked to a QR code that displays multi-angle images of the original patch for verification. This new verification system, dubbed 'The Authority Authenticator', aims to restore confidence in relic cards, which are sometimes altered with more desirable patches to boost resale value. While grading complications may pop up, the company hopes its 'U' (uncirculated) designation on the sealed cards becomes a value marker. If successful, this approach could reshape collector expectations and fraud prevention across the hobby. Speaking of patches! Topps is expanding its Debut Patch program to include the UFC, with the first patch appearing at ESPN FN 189 this weekend, featuring Andreas Gustafsson. The Debut Patch cards have resonated with collectors by offering a true one-of-one tied to a specific debut moment, something increasingly rare in a market oversaturated with 'one-of-one' variants. After Gustafsson's fight, the patch from his walkout jersey will be embedded into a signed card for a future UFC x Topps release. This move continues Fanatics' strategy of anchoring physical collectibles to verifiable, culturally significant moments in real time. Swiss watch exports surged 18% year-over-year in April, hitting $3B, with the U.S. accounting for a 33% of that total. The spike was largely fueled by new tariffs on Swiss imports, prompting retailers and collectors to stockpile before a potential 10–41% price hike. High-end models made from precious metals and bimetallic materials led the charge. However, outside the U.S., global exports dropped 6.4%, with sharp declines in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The buying frenzy appears to be more about avoiding tariffs than a surge in organic demand. One watch collector who benefitted from buying his Rolexes in April? Newly minted NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who celebrated his award by showering Thunder teammates with expensive gifts. Spotted among the boxes was a two-tone Sea-Dweller, multiple Datejust 36s, a Sky-Dweller, and a Submariner. The rollout, shared on IG by teammate Jaylin Williams, also included iPhones, Beats headphones, and custom Canada Goose jackets celebrating the team's 68–14 season. As usual, Rolex takes center stage as the timepiece of choice for sports icons looking to mark greatness with something tangible… and timeless. Advertisement via The New Yorker A worthy long-read for the music fans among us. A secretive, decades-long quest to preserve America's most iconic guitars has culminated in the donation of nearly 600 vintage axes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Long whispered about in collector circles, the trove includes legendary models like the 1959 Les Paul 'Brock Burst' and a prototype from Leo Fender. This unprecedented collection, built on obsessive curation and deep provenance, will have a permanent place at The Met starting in 2027. Your collection deserves a community. Download Mantel and subscribe to the Above the Mantel newsletter today.
