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New York Times
25 minutes ago
- Business
- New York Times
NBA playoffs results and takeaways: Thunder earn trip to NBA Finals with rout of Wolves
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 after cruising to a 124-94 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals Wednesday at Paycom Center. Reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 34 points and eight assists to lead the Thunder. He was particularly productive in the first half, scoring or assisting on 32 points to match Minnesota's total after two quarters. Gilgeous-Alexander was named Western Conference finals MVP. Advertisement Julius Randle paced the Timberwolves with 24 points while Anthony Edwards contributed 19. After a slow start that generated just nine points in the first quarter, Minnesota struggled to maintain possession and generally looked out of sorts. The Thunder flexed its dominant defense with 14 steals and eight blocks while limiting Edwards to his third sub 40-percent field goal game of the series. A 24-foot dagger from OKC guard Lu Dort with six-and-a-half minutes left in the fourth quarter put an exclamation point on the rout as fans sang 'Hey, hey, goodbye,' to the Timberwolves. Now, the Thunder awaits the result of the Eastern Conference finals with the knowledge that they will host the East champion to open the NBA Finals. The Indiana Pacers hold a 3-1 advantage over the New York Knicks with Game 5 slated for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for June 5. This time, there might be no stopping them. The Thunder advanced through the Western Conference Finals with a 4-1 series win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Oklahoma City will meet the winner between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks when the Finals begin on June 5. It will be the Thunder's first appearance since Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden led the franchise to the NBA Finals in 2012. The Thunder lost 4-1 to the Miami Heat that season, giving LeBron James his first championship. Now, the West's top-seeded Thunder, despite entering the season as the league's youngest team, will be the favorite to win it all. Gilgeous-Alexander is a major reason, and he showed why again with another dominant 34-point, seven-rebound, eight-assist closeout performance. Gilgeous Alexander averaged 31.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 8.2 assists in the series, earning Western Conference Finals MVP. Advertisement With co-stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, the Thunder possess a similar three-headed monster to that trio Thunder fans loved in the franchise's early days. What separates this squad from that one — and will likely be the determining factor in the Finals — is defensive dominance. At halftime in Game 5, the Thunder hounded the Timberwolves into more turnovers (14) than made field goals (12). OKC's lead stood at 33 at that point and swelled to as much as 37. It was the Thunder's sixth win by at least 15 points in their 16 postseason games. Now, they are just four wins shy of capturing their first championship in the Oklahoma City era. — Darnell Mayberry, NBA senior writer This is the second consecutive postseason Anthony Edwards will head home looking like he's out of gas. Once again, the big need for him is to get into world-class shape. Play-until-June shape. Championship shape. Last year, he was completely spent at the end of the West Finals, having been summarily cooked by Kyrie Irving. But his fatigue was understandable after an epic seven-game series against Denver. But this year, the Wolves beat the Lakers and Warriors in 5 — and the win over Golden State didn't require him dealing with Steph Curry. Yet, Edwards has looked gassed since the second half of Game 4. Perhaps his Herculean effort in Game 3 took what he had left out of him. Yes, the Thunder's defense on him is special and designed to wear him down. But it seemed he hit empty trying to drive against OKC's perimeter stalwarts. He's not doing a lot of talking. He's visibly winded, grabbing his shorts. He couldn't even come close to impacting Game 5. He did play this summer in France. But several others did, too — including SGA — so that can't be a good enough reason to be out of energy this time of year. Tired is fine. Too exhausted to impose his will is not going to cut it. He's going to have to figure out this conditioning element. Advertisement He's only 23. So he can take that next step. And after two embarrassing exits, he should have the motivation to do so. But if he wants to win a title, and the Wolves can't make major upgrades, his load doesn't figure to get any lighter. — Marcus Thompson II, columnist A dominant first quarter by the finals-bound Thunder tested every ounce of the Timberwolves' resolve before Game 5's opening period ended. Minnesota opened the night with its lowest-scoring quarter of the season as the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander began the early workings of another masterpiece. The Timberwolves' nine first-quarter points were almost tripled by the MVP's output via scoring and assists by then (24 points). Stacks of missed shots, turnovers and defensive lapses made it impossible for the Timberwolves to get within striking distance. They took almost 20 minutes to crack the 20-point threshold, which should worry a team with a payroll over $200 million. Although Minnesota has clinched more Western Conference finals berths in the last two seasons (well, two) than its 34 years of existence, most of the Timberwolves' series against the Thunder showed the gap between both franchises. Of course, the latter's finals run is another step in separating from the league, but Minnesota must gauge what steps to take to inch closer to the title round. The possible free agencies of two key players (Julius Randle, Naz Reid), the future of an aging Mike Conley and the long-term viability of defensive anchor Rudy Gobert will be key puzzles for the Timberwolves to solve in an effort to get over the hump. — James Jackson, NBA editor (Photo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort: Zach Beeker / NBAE via Getty Images)
Forbes
25 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Trio Of Haliburton, Siakam, Mathurin Meet Moment For Pacers Trio Of Ws
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MAY 27: Bennedict Mathurin #00 of the Indiana Pacers celebrates with his ... More teammates against the New York Knicks during the third quarter in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on May 27, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by) INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers had nobody to blame but themselves for their Game 3 loss to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals, but their response to the loss was going to be more important than the result. The Pacers have dropped Game 3 in every series they played in the postseason so far. They bounced back every time. To keep that trend alive on Tuesday night, several players had to step up. And the work to make that happen began on Monday. With Game 4 approaching, some of the lower-minute players on the roster got together to get in some extra court time. Jarace Walker, Bennedict Mathurin, and Johnny Furphy – three recent draft picks who hadn't been involved much in this Knicks series – linked up for a practice session on Memorial Day. Walker and Furphy haven't played yet in the Eastern Conference Finals while Mathurin's minutes had dropped from 21 to 11 to eight across the first three battles. The youngsters were all finding a way to play and stay ready by working together. Mathurin, in particular, was important in that session. His best game in the regular season came against the Knicks, and he has the capability to be a difference maker in the Pacers' ongoing series. A strong practice featuring the right mentality would put him on a track toward more opportunities, something he has wanted. Furphy, who was a part of that workout, saw Mathurin approach it with aggression. 'He's always aggressive. I feel like that's just who he is as a person, he's always getting in the gym and working,' Furphy said. 'So it's nothing to be surprised about.' When Game 4 came around, Mathurin was ready to go. He entered for the first time with 64 seconds left in the first quarter and scored just four seconds later. He had eight points by halftime, then had a similar flow to his second-half stint. He checked in, scored quickly, and kept applying pressure. Mathurin threw some strong passes and defended capably. Most importantly, he played like himself on offense. The third-year pro, who is currently participating in his first postseason, hit jumpers, attacked the paint, and earned trips to the foul line on his way to 20 points in 12.5 minutes of play. Mathurin became the first player in NBA history to score 20+ points in a playoff game while playing less than 14 minutes. He threw tidy passes and fit in. Mathurin was exactly who the Pacers hoped he could be in Game 4 and was a vital part of the result. 'Proud of Benn Mathurin. The guy has stayed ready. Came in yesterday, got work, got shooting in, got some simulated game shots. Just been encouraging him to stay ready, that we need him, and that the playoffs are just a different animal,' Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. 'Tonight, he was great. Really gave us a huge lift. And hit some really timely buckets.' Furphy, who saw Mathurin's workout up close, was equally impressed. 'It speaks a lot to how professional he is, and how elite he is as well. He gets given an opportunity tonight and just makes the most of it,' the rookie wing said of Mathurin. 'His sort of aggression just brings so much energy to the team, and it shows other people to be as aggressive as him. So I think it's super valuable.' Mathurin had 12 second-half points as the Pacers put the game away. He was tremendous and played well above his postseason expectation. But he wasn't the only player on the Pacers roster to do so. Two others had star-level nights, and all three were key in Indiana's Game 4 victory. Four days after Siakam had his best-ever playoff game, he showed once again why his scoring can feel muted, even when his stats are enormous. Carlisle called Siakam's 39-point explosion against New York in Game 2 quiet. That's hard to do. But the three-time All-Star did it again on Tuesday night, scoring 30 points on a night that few realized he achieved such a high point total. The reason for that? Consistency. Siakam slowly dropped in his points, scoring in every quarter and never having more than 11 in one period. When the fourth quarter began, he had just 19 and scored his 30th point with 22 seconds left in the game. He used the entire final frame to get his last 11 points. Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) and guard Bennedict Mathurin (00) celebrate during the ... More second half of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the New York Knicks in Indianapolis, Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) 'Just taking what the defense gave us and trying to be aggressive,' Siakam said. 'It's going to be different people [on] different nights… I'm just glad to be able to help.' Siakam once again scored in a variety of situations. He canned a trio of three-point shots and ran the floor well in transition. When he had a smaller player defending him, Siakam went to the basket and attacked. His turnaround jumper was falling once again. When the veteran forward has every aspect of his finishing on display, he's almost impossible to cover. It makes life easier for the rest of the Pacers, and it was the second 30+ point game this series for the All-Star forward. He was tremendous as the Pacers won at home. That's a rarity in this series – the road team was victorious in Games 1-3. 32 points and zero turnovers would be a bonkers statline for a player in a playoff game. 15 assists and zero turnovers would be similarly impressive. 12 rebounds and no turnovers is a rare combination. Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers All-NBA point guard, accomplished all three of those statlines in Indiana's Game 4 win against the Knicks. Haliburton's final marks were 32 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists, four steals, and zero turnovers. He had two fewer assists than New York did as a team and was the game's leading scorer, rebounder, and distributor. The star guard was exceptional in every way. 'He was everywhere,' Siakam said of Haliburton postgame, joking that Haliburton stole some of his rebounds. 'He's amazing when he's playing that way. The pace… and also being aggressive.' Carlisle didn't want to make it about the numbers. He's thrilled that Haliburton played a team-focused game that put the Pacers, as a unit, first. And Haliburton spent most of his postgame press conference making it clear that he was happier with the victory than the statistics. But zooming out shows just how historic Haliburton's outing truly was. He joined Baron Davis as the only players in NBA history to have 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in a playoff game without a turnover. Haliburton had more assists and steals than Davis – adding in three steals into the stat qualifiers above removes Davis' game entirely. Nobody has ever done what Haliburton did Tuesday night. He did it just two days after blaming himself for the Pacers struggles in Game 3. And now, Indiana is up 3-1 and one win away from the NBA Finals. 'He was the leader tonight,' Carlisle said. He was later asked about the zero turnovers, perhaps the most impressive number. 'This has become his thing,' the head coach said. Many other players played a significant role in the Pacers Game 4 win over the Knicks. But the Mathurin, Siakam, and Haliburton trio all had an exceptional outing to get Indiana across the finish line. Those three gave the Pacers three wins in the best-of-seven.
Associated Press
25 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Trump pardons rapper NBA Youngboy, who was sentenced for gun-related charges
Louisiana rap artist NBA YoungBoy, who was sentenced to just under two years in prison on gun-related charges, was pardoned by President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The rapper is among a number of high-profile people Trump pardoned this week, including a former New York congressman, a labor union leader and a reality TV star couple. 'I want to thank President Trump for granting me a pardon and giving me the opportunity to keep building — as a man, as a father, and as an artist,' NBA YoungBoy, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, said in a statement posted online. Gaulden's pardon was confirmed Wednesday evening by two White House officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail actions that had not yet been formally made public. In 2024, Gaulden was sentenced by a federal judge in Utah after he acknowledged possessing weapons despite being a convicted felon. He reached an agreement that resolved Utah state charges against him and settled two sets of federal charges against him — one carried a 23-month sentence and the other ordered five years of probation and a $200,000 fine. Gaulden was released from federal prison in March and sent to home confinement after receiving credit for time served, according to his attorney Drew Findling. With home confinement finished last month, the pardon means he won't have to follow the terms of his probation, including drug testing, he said. Findling said he was thrilled Gaulden's legal saga had reached an end. 'From Louisiana to Utah the battles have been endless, and now he can concentrate on first and foremost his family, and then, of course, his amazing career,' Findling said in a statement. The rapper has acknowledged that he possessed a Glock 21 .45-caliber pistol and a Masterpiece Arms MPA30T 9mm handgun while filming a rap video in Baton Rouge. He has also said he had a Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic pistol at his home in Huntsville, Utah. He had agreed to give up the guns. Gaulden had previously been convicted in Louisiana of aggravated assault with a firearm, according to his statement released in advance of the plea agreement. He had also pleaded guilty in November to his role in a prescription drug fraud ring that operated out of his home in Utah. He had to pay a $25,000 fine and was given no prison time. The rapper, whose stage moniker stands for 'Never Broke Again,' is preparing to set out on a major U.S. tour in September. He has achieved four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and one Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. His music includes '38 Baby,' 'Outside Today' and Tyler, The Creator's song, 'Wusyaname,' on which he is featured with Ty Dolla $ign. That collaboration earned them a Grammy nomination in 2022 for Best Melodic Rap Performance. ___ Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.
CBS News
26 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Winners of Young Artists Competition take the stage with the Boston Pops
The winners of this year's Fidelity Investments Young Artists Competition stepped into the spotlight at Symphony Hall Wednesday to perform with the Boston Pops. WBZ is the proud sponsor of this competition event, which has been supporting and showcasing young local artists for 17 years now. "I have so many memories of coming to this stage and seeing my favorite cellists perform amazing concertos. I'm sort of in disbelief still that I got to do the same thing," said Noah Ferris from Amherst Regional High School. More than 70 high schoolers from across the state applied for the incredible opportunity. And like many winners before them, these four have been practicing and preparing since they fell in love with music as toddlers. "When I play, I feel like I'm really free. I express through the piano more than I could ever do with words. It's just something I really connect with. It's almost like my best friend in a way," explained Max Fan from the Groton School. Ending high school on high note This year, all four winners are graduating seniors - closing their high school chapters on the perfect note. "I like felt like I was flying when I was performing; After such overwhelming relief because I was so nervous. I wouldn't know what I was doing with my life if I wasn't doing music," said Margaret King from Wachusett Regional High School. And as they took their bows in front of the dazzled crowd, these young musicians looked for the faces who have always been cheering for them. My school sent us a bus here actually. My headmaster came, his wife came. My college counselor, my music advisor came, my Latin teacher came, my Arabic teacher came. Really appreciative," Fan said humbly. "I'm really grateful for all my teachers and family and everyone who supported me because that's really what has built me up, as a violinist but also as a person as well," said Iris Tian from Boston Latin. Applicants must be full-time students who attend any public, private or parochial school, or are home school registered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Entrants must be legal U.S. residents or in the process of obtaining citizenship and must be between 13 and 19 years of age. Applications for the 2026 competition will open in December 2025.
Forbes
26 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Drag Race's Plane Jane Joins 'House Of Villains'
Originally a contestant on season 16 of 'RuPaul's Drag Race,' Plane Jane was recently announced as a cast member of season 3 of Peacock's 'House of Villains.' Gaining notoriety for its premise of bringing back iconic villains and personalities from reality shows of varying backgrounds, House of Villains lets fans watch their favorite TV bad guys compete against one another for the title of America's 'Ultimate Supervillain.' This marks the second time that a contestant from Drag Race has been cast on the show, with Kandy Muse of Drag Race season 13 and 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' season 8 fame competing on the previous House of Villains season. Known for her strong personality, light-hearted shade, and her quick wit, Plane Jane stormed onto season 16 of Drag Race and earned her title as the season's unofficial 'villain' by fans. Her villain arc wasn't built on cruelty or chaos like the stereotypical reality television villain that fans hate to love and love to hate, instead Plane introduced a new type of archetype to the Drag Race franchise, by revealing her in confessionals that she had a foolproof strategy that would inevitably place her into the final four by proving that she, especially through her confessionals, was a person that had watched the show and understood what it required with surgical precision. Whether it was sabotaging the placements of other contestants through a vote to secure a coveted immunity potion, provoking other contestants without ever having to argue or raise her voice, or even through her getting into the heads of other contestants by placing seeds of doubt that would lead to their elimination, Plane Jane has the exact energy that's needed to compete and entertain on House of Villains. Not only does a competitor need to fit the criteria of being villainous, but they also need to be top of mind, and Plane checks every box. Like Plane Jane, Kandy Muse also had a controversial introduction to Drag Race. Kandy's fiery personality, humor, and looks made her into more than just a competitor on Drag Race; she became a brand. While fans may have argued over who they wanted to win in the end, no one could deny that Kandy kept the season interesting, especially with her unforgettable quotes, heated arguments, and refusal to be belittled by her fellow queens. Drag Race as a franchise has propelled queens to stardom outside of the show, with queens starring on Broadway, releasing albums, acquiring movie roles, and more. Drag Race offers an international stage for queens to showcase their talent, but it also serves as a direct pipeline to the world of reality television, especially after they've proved that they can stand out in an already super-saturated market of personalities. As we head into Pride Month, we can see that the growing presence of queer visibility doesn't only have to be happiness, sunshine, and rainbows. Plane Jane and Kandy Muse remind us that queer visibility doesn't have to palatable to be acceptable; It can be loud, it can be quirky, it can be controversial, and it can be powerful.
