Latest news with #playoffs
New York Times
35 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Knicks vs. Pacers live updates: 2025 NBA playoffs Game 6 start time, picks and predictions
Hello basketball fans and welcome back to The Athletic's live coverage of the 2025 NBA playoffs! Today our focus is once again on the Eastern Conference finals as the series shifts back to Indiana for Game 6. The Pacers lead 3-2 in what has been an absolute thriller of a series featuring multiple epic comebacks and down-to-the-wire finishes in nearly every game. A win tonight and Indiana advances to their first NBA Finals in 25 years, where the Pacers would face the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder. But the Knicks just had their best performance of the series in a dominant Game 5. Can they ride that momentum to a road win in Game 6 and force a Game 7 on Monday in Madison Square Garden? Stick with us as we have you covered with all the insight and analysis you need from our team of writers on the ground in Indiana as we build up to tipoff and take you through the final buzzer and beyond tonight!
Times
43 minutes ago
- General
- Times
Bristol Bears book semi-final against Bath after hammering Harlequins
Just a regal afternoon from Bristol Bears, one in which a monster crowd at Ashton Gate positively revelled. After the game, we were led to believe via a song that cider would be downed in the biggest rugby city in Britain. Bristol will play away against Bath on Friday in the play-off semi-finals and the Recreation Ground is nowhere remotely big enough to accommodate those who would want to go. Such is the rivalry and the intensity for rugby in the West Country that a 50,000 capacity may not be enough either. We all know that Bristol have their daft moments, that occasionally their defence lets them down and here again on Saturday they did throw the odd speculative pass and made the odd error simply through their joyous tendencies to attack with every ball that comes back.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Softball's best in California heading into NorCal playoffs
East Nicolaus High softball and others within the mid-valley region are anxiously awaiting its upcoming placement in the California Interscholastic Federation Northern California state regional playoffs that will be officially unveiled on Sunday. The Spartans (21-6), winners of six straight NSCIF titles under Dustin Massey and Neil Stinson, enter the regional playoffs with at least one game opportunity in Trowbridge when the CIF NorCal opening round gets underway on Tuesday at home sites. Advertisement To get people ready for the upcoming regional playoffs next week, we have compiled a list of some of the best in California in multiple offensive and defensive categories. Batting average 57. Delanie Cloyd (Gridley, NSCIF-D-III) .675 Home runs 13. Delanie Cloyd (Gridley, NSCIF-D-III) 14 102. Arden Vines (Biggs, NSCIF-D-VI/VII) 8 Slugging Pct 9. Delanie Cloyd (Gridley, NSCIF-D-III) 1.636 50. Madyson Jade Quintanilla (S. SF) 1.342 85. Natalie Padilla (Venture Acad., Stockton) 1.224 RBI 6. Jazmarie Roberts (Central Catholic, Modesto) 58 34. Delanie Cloyd (Gridley, NSCIF-D-III) 48 54. Karli Robinson (Fairfield) 46 Advertisement SB 45. Dani Rauscher (Prospect, Saratoga) 35 ERA 16. Ariela Yslava Gilroy) 0.74 31. Stevie Knight (East Nicolaus NSCIF-D-V) 0.96 Strikeouts 35. Ava Garcia (Colusa NSCIF-D-IV) 201 90. Ariela Yslava (Gilroy) 169 Wins 60. Ava Garcia (Colusa NSCIF D-IV) 16 73. Stephanie Garcia (Central Catholic, Modesto) 15 Norco (28-3) is No. 6 – tops in California – in MaxPreps' latest top-25 Stats are compiled via coach submissions on
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cotgreave hat-trick gives Gloucester win over Northampton but no playoff berth
Gloucester did their part. A top-four finish and a place in the playoffs remained tantalisingly within reach for George Skivington's side on the final day, but they didn't just need a win: they also required one of Bristol, Sale and Leicester above them to falter. It wasn't to be. Seven tries in a rousing performance, including a hat-trick for the elusive 19-year-old wing Jack Cotgreave, against a much-changed Northampton delighted their relentlessly passionate fans. Ultimately it meant finishing fifth. It will be Bath, plus the aforementioned three, to fight it out for the Premiership title. Advertisement Related: Ibitoye double fires Bristol past Harlequins to clinch playoff tie at Bath The Saints remain the champions for now and Phil Dowson's 14 changes felt like a suitably low-key way to sign off on a disappointing title defence. They have been injury-plagued and hardly helped by players frequently departing for international duty. Still they produced one of the more memorable performances of recent years by edging out Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-final four weeks ago. They came up short against Bordeaux in Cardiff seven days ago and all four of their British & Irish Lions representatives – Fin Smith, Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman – were absent for this season finale. Music to Gloucester's ears with a playoff berth potentially on the table: official statistics gave them a 34% chance of the top four, and mathematically speaking, there was even a shot at a home semi-final. In a perfect world, perhaps, the Premiership's final day would feature a tense scrap to avoid relegation as well as a pulsating playoff race: not to mention a properly funded, healthy second tier packed with clubs snapping at the heels of the elite. Advertisement That feels like an impossible dream in English rugby (blame the Rugby Football Union, not the clubs) and Dowson's recently stated fear of the competition collectively 'sleepwalking' to another bankruptcy was right on the money, if that is the correct phrase. Hype up a congested playoff race all you like, the finances of the clubs remain in a parlous state, and there is no sign of it changing. Taking the positives, though, there was nothing wrong with the on-field product. The 6ft 4in Cotgreave had scored on his Premiership debut against Newcastle last time out, and crossed three times in the first half alone, although one of those was disallowed for a foot in touch. His first score came after three minutes, converted by Santiago Carreras, only for tries by Northampton's Tom Pearson and Tom Litchfield to demonstrate that the visitors fancied making a game of it. The second row Ed Prowse, captaining Northampton for the first time, was forced off on 17 minutes after an accidental head contact before Cotgreave's flying effort in the corner was disallowed. There was no doubt over another impressively pacy finish on the same wing, by the same player, on 25 minutes. Then, when Christian Wade smartly intercepted a pass around halfway on the Gloucester right, his prodigious pace made the breakaway finish seem straightforward. Wonderful work by the lock Freddie Clarke, skilfully scooping up a loose ball and offloading, soon sent the quicksilver scrum-half Tomos Williams cantering in for the bonus point. It was 22-14 at half-time: the only problem? Bristol led Harlequins 26-12, having run in four tries, with Leicester and Sale also set fair. Advertisement Northampton came out firing. The scrum-half Jonny Weimann forced his way over eight minutes after the break and when Hutchinson confidently stroked over a sweet conversion, his third of the afternoon, there was just a point in it. Gloucester's response was immediate, literally: from the restart Carreras's silky show-and-go set up Cotgreave for his hat-trick. Seb Atkinson's score made it six tries, and was met with one of the day's biggest cheers. Order restored for the Shed faithful. Iakopo Mapu's try for Saints cut the lead to 10 before Wade's second, the game's final act, sent the fans wild. But for Gloucester, the playoffs will have to wait. 'I just hope we can follow up this season, that's what it's about,' remarked a fan as the train from London pulled into Gloucester station an hour or so before kick-off. A sentiment doubtless shared by all those who follow the once-mighty Cherry-and-Whites.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Cotgreave hat-trick gives Gloucester win over Northampton but no playoff berth
Gloucester did their part. A top-four finish and a place in the playoffs remained tantalisingly within reach for George Skivington's side on the final day, but they didn't just need a win: they also required one of Bristol, Sale and Leicester above them to falter. It wasn't to be. Seven tries in a rousing performance, including a hat-trick for the elusive 19-year-old wing Jack Cotgreave, against a much-changed Northampton delighted their relentlessly passionate fans. Ultimately it meant finishing fifth. It will be Bath, plus the aforementioned three, to fight it out for the Premiership title. The Saints remain the champions for now and Phil Dowson's 14 changes felt like a suitably low-key way to sign off on a disappointing title defence. They have been injury-plagued and hardly helped by players frequently departing for international duty. Still they produced one of the more memorable performances of recent years by edging out Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-final four weeks ago. They came up short against Bordeaux in Cardiff seven days ago and all four of their British & Irish Lions representatives – Fin Smith, Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell and Tommy Freeman – were absent for this season finale. Music to Gloucester's ears with a playoff berth potentially on the table: official statistics gave them a 34% chance of the top four, and mathematically speaking, there was even a shot at a home semi-final. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion In a perfect world, perhaps, the Premiership's final day would feature a tense scrap to avoid relegation as well as a pulsating playoff race: not to mention a properly funded, healthy second tier packed with clubs snapping at the heels of the elite. That feels like an impossible dream in English rugby (blame the Rugby Football Union, not the clubs) and Dowson's recently-stated fear of the competition collectively 'sleepwalking' to another bankruptcy was right on the money, if that is the correct phrase. Hype up a congested playoff race all you like, the finances of the clubs remain in a parlous state, and there is no sign of it changing. Taking the positives, though, there was nothing wrong with the on-field product. The 6ft 4in Cotgreave had scored on his Premiership debut against Newcastle last time out, and crossed three times in the first half alone, although one of those was disallowed for a foot in touch. His first score came after three minutes, converted by Santiago Carreras, only for tries by Northampton's Tom Pearson and Tom Litchfield to demonstrate that the visitors fancied making a game of it. The second row Ed Prowse, captaining Northampton for the first time, was forced off on 17 minutes after an accidental head contact before Cotgreave's flying effort in the corner was disallowed. There was no doubt over another impressively pacy finish on the same wing, by the same player, on 25 minutes. Then, when Christian Wade smartly intercepted a pass around halfway on the Gloucester right, his prodigious pace made the breakaway finish seem straightforward. Wonderful work by the lock Freddie Clarke, skilfully scooping up a loose ball and offloading, soon sent the quicksilver scrum-half Tomos Williams cantering in for the bonus point. It was 22-14 at half-time: the only problem? Bristol led Harlequins 26-12, having run in four tries, with Leicester and Sale also set fair. Northampton came out firing. The scrum-half Jonny Weimann forced his way over eight minutes after the break and when Hutchinson confidently stroked over a sweet conversion, his third of the afternoon, there was just a point in it. Gloucester's response was immediate, literally: from the restart Carreras's silky show-and-go set up Cotgreave for his hat-trick. Seb Atkinson's score made it six tries, and was met with one of the day's biggest cheers. Order restored for the Shed faithful. Iakopo Mapu's try for Saints cut the lead to 10 before Wade's second, the game's final act, sent the fans wild. But for Gloucester, the playoffs will have to wait. 'I just hope we can follow up this season, that's what it's about,' remarked a fan as the train from London pulled into Gloucester station an hour or so before kick-off. A sentiment doubtless shared by all those who follow the once-mighty Cherry-and-Whites.
