Marchand comes clean about his Panthers intermission snack — and it wasn't Dairy Queen
No, the veteran forward was not eating a Dairy Queen Blizzard in the Florida Panthers' dressing room during the second intermission of the team's eventual 6-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final.
So what was on the spoon that cameras caught him with during the intermission?
'Honey,' Marchand said after Florida's morning skate Monday.
The Dairy Queen in question during his postgame interview on SportsNet — specifically his chocolate chip cookie dough Blizzard — was from a trip with a few teammates while they were in Raleigh, North Carolina, for the first two games of the series.
'I was kind of making a joke,' Marchand said. 'I think people took it seriously. The amount of messages I got about people going to Dairy Queen yesterday — I appreciate the support. I love a good Blizzard more than anybody, but it's not something I've had in the middle of a game ... yet.'
As for the honey? There's a story behind that, too.
'I've always loved honey,' Marchand said. 'Actually, when I was growing up, I loved Winnie the Pooh. So I used to have a Winnie the Pooh bear and I would feed him honey. It was covered — covered — and rock hard. I've always enjoyed it.'
So the tale of Marchand with the Panthers continues. He's been stellar on the ice for Florida, entering Game 4 against the Hurricanes with 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 15 games. He quickly integrated into the team culture as well, so much so that the team shoots rubber rats at him on the ice after wins.
He knows how to draw a crowd. That's been known throughout his 16-year NHL career.
And nothing is changing now.
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Indianapolis Star
an hour ago
- Indianapolis Star
A Furphy leap, 3rd PG and final roster spot: What we learned about Pacers in Summer League
The Indiana Pacers weren't an NBA Summer League headliner for obvious reasons. As tends to be the case, the Eastern Conference champions' success meant they weren't sending marquee names to Las Vegas. The Pacers had just two players on the summer roster who will start the season on standard, full-time contracts. Both of them — wing Johnny Furphy and guard Kam Jones — were second-round picks as the Pacers did not have a first-round pick in either of the past two drafts. They didn't have a single first-round pick on the Summer League roster and their leading 2024-25 scorer on the roster was two-way contract guard Quenton Jackson, who played just one summer game before he was effectively shut down with leg soreness. Accordingly, the Pacers played just one of their five games in Las Vegas' Thomas & Mack Center — which has a much larger seating capacity than Cox Pavilion, the alternative court — and that game didn't happen until Thursday when the much bigger crowds from the first weekend had dispersed. Ultimately, little about how the Pacers will function in 2025-26 with All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton injured and stalwart center Myles Turner moved on to Milwaukee was determined in the desert. But that's not to say nothing in Vegas mattered. There were at least a few notable developments that could affect the end of this year's roster and the Pacers' future. They also went 3-2, a good showing for a team that wasn't anywhere near the best in the event. Here are five things we learned about the Pacers in the Summer League: Insider: Ranking Pacers' most important players for 2025-26 Coach Rick Carlisle and the Pacers spent much of this season joking about Johnny Furphy's baby face that makes him look even younger than his 20 years, but they also made a point to note he was progressing quickly and he was tougher than he looks. Furphy didn't get to play much in the way of meaningful minutes outside of November and December when the Pacers were injury riddled and needed wing depth and the season's final two games once they'd clinched home-court advantage in the playoffs' first round. However, the Australian's athleticism and grit flashed and his physical development was clear as the season went on. By the time he went to Vegas, Furphy had put on 20 pounds of muscle according to president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard. The added confidence that came with a bulked up frame made him more aggressive going to the rim throughout the three games he played. That showed up most in his windmill dunk for the ages in which he posterized Bulls lottery pick Noa Essengue in possibly the most impressive slam of Summer League but he had other dunks and other finishes through contact. Furphy averaged 11.3 points per game and shot 52% from the floor, but that number was lower because he struggled from beyond the arc. He made 10-of-13 2-point shots (76.9%) with most of those coming at the rim. He averaged 4.0 rebounds per game and the Pacers would like to see that number higher, but a number of those were boards he had to fight for. Furphy's 3-point shooting still leaves something to be desired as that was considered a strength when he was drafted and hasn't necessarily been one yet. He made just 3-of-12 3s in Las Vegas (25%) after he made just 15-of-50 (30%) in the regular season. Still, Furphy made a case he could be trusted to take on second-unit minutes at one of the forward positions in 2025-26. If everyone outside of Haliburton is healthy when the season starts, he probably won't be in the opening night rotation with Ben Sheppard, Jarace Walker and Obi Toppin likely to be in positions 2-4 on the second unit. However, if there's an injury at any of the wing positions, Furphy could hear his number called and the Pacers will be looking to get him minutes when they can. The Pacers traded back into the draft and took Kam Jones of Marquette in the second round with the No. 38 overall pick in part because Jones played point guard for the Golden Eagles as a senior and the Pacers need depth there after Haliburton's injury. That being said, if the Pacers' had to play an NBA game tomorrow, their third option at point guard behind Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell would be a player on a two-way contract. RayJ Dennis — who appeared in 11 games with the Pacers last year compared to 36 G League games — started at point guard in four of the Pacers' five Summer League games and the comfort he earned in the Pacers system was evident. With him at the helm, the Pacers' Summer squad functioned very similarly to the regular season and playoff edition. He obviously wasn't dealing with nearly the same level of offensive talent or working against nearly the same level of defensive prowess, but he kicked the ball ahead to keep the Pacers attacking in transition and kept it moving from side to side when they were in the half court. The 6-2, 180-pound right-hander has a tight handle and is seemingly no less comfortable going to his left or passing with his left hand than he is with his right and that's helpful in keeping the ball popping. In four games, Dennis posted 29 assists against 15 turnovers. His 7.3 assists per game put him in a tie for first place in the Summer League with Oklahoma City's Nikola Topic as of Friday night. He also averaged 15.8 points per game on 42% shooting, knocking down 40% of his 3-point attempts (10-of-25) showing some serious range on some of those 3s. Defensively, Dennis can still get picked on from time to time, though he does have good hands for steals and registered seven in his four games. Nembhard and McConnell don't have to worry about their jobs, but the Pacers will have more reason to make sure he's dressed for games as an emergency option. The Pacers will certainly hope to develop Jones so they can have a standard contract player ahead of a player on a two-way deal, but if either Nembhard or McConnell miss time while Jones is getting his feet under him, Dennis might be the one running the second unit. The fact the Pacers announced Quenton Jackson's two-way contract at the same time they announced Kam Jones' standard contract seemed to be a sign the Pacers know how important Jackson can be with Haliburton out. The 6-5 guard will turn 27 before the season starts and hasn't been on a standard contract in three seasons since leaving Texas A&M, but he showed last year even on a two-way deal he can make a difference. He started seven games in November when Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and Sheppard were all injured and he posted a 24-point scoring outing against the Rockets and scored 12 against the Pelicans in a four-point win. He also scored 21 in the season's final game, helping to lead a remarkable comeback win over the Cavs in two overtimes to get the Pacers to 50 wins on the season. Jackson played just one game in Las Vegas, but he made it count with 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting to go with three assists and two steals, again leading an comeback win over the Cavs after they were down 16 in the first game of the event. The Pacers still managed to win three games, but they never seemed as dangerous as they did when they had Jackson causing havoc on both ends. Again, he'll still be on a two-way deal and he'll likely make a bigger impact in the G League for the Noblesville Boom than he will for the Pacers, but it's possible to imagine a scenario where he can find himself on a standard contract by year's end. Dennis is better built to handle point guard duties, but Jackson's length and ability to defend still make him the two-way player most likely to be trusted by Carlisle. In Las Vegas, Jones proved to be everything he was advertised to be. The left-hander from Marquette is a natural scorer with a dizzying array of spin moves and pivots and other methods to get into the paint and score. He can finish at the rim with either hand and he has good touch on floaters and pull-ups. He's streaky as a 3-point shooter, but he does have range well above the 3-point arc. He can occasionally get too focused on finding his own shot, but he did grow a lot as a distributor as a senior at Marquette when he took the point guard job with Tyler Kolek moving onto the NBA. That skill set showed up in Vegas as Jones averaged 13.5 points and 5.2 assists per game in four games. That included a 21-point, 11-assist performance in a win over the Knicks when Dennis was not playing and the Pacers were focused on getting Jones work at the point. He was 21-of-43 from the floor (48.8%) and 6-of-18 from 3-point range (33.3%) meaning he was 15-of-25 (60%) inside the arc. All of that suggests his crafty game translates to at least the Summer League level and has potential to translate to the NBA. Still, there were moments when he forced action and made ill-advised shots or home-run passes into traffic. Defensively he had some positive moments and was willing to guard 94 feet, but there were times he was swallowed up on screens or put on skates by opposing ball-handlers. He had seven steals in four games which shows some opportunism, but the ball was on the floor a lot in the Pacers' Summer League games, so that's only so impressive. Jones has some time to work on everything he learned in Summer League and he does have a standard contract which gives him an obvious advantage. That being said, there probably is some time in Noblesville in his future and he does have work to do to to make himself a more trustworthy defender than Jackson and floor leader than Dennis. With Jackson and Dennis' positions assured, there's one two-way contract left and an incumbent and a challenger for it. Forward Enrique Freeman and Taelon Peter are both late second-round picks from mid-major schools with fascinating stories of perseverance and each made a good case to be part of the 18-man roster. Freeman was the Pacers' most consistent player in the Summer League, playing all five games and posting double-doubles in each of the last four. He was effective both rolling and popping off of ball screens and he rebounded on both ends of the floor. He continues to have his limits on defense as he's undersized for a center and not quite sharp enough on the perimeter to keep ball-handlers in front of him, but he dependably scores at the rim and rebounds. The 6-7, 220-pounder finished Summer League play with 16.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game and shot 72.5% from the floor. Meanwhile, the 6-4 Peter showed how he led Division I in true shooting percentage this season at Liberty. He was dynamite in transition and around the rim and showed reliable shooting range. He averaged 9.5 points per game on 57.1% shooting, He was just 4-of-15 from 3-point range but showed a smooth stroke that projects to be much better over time. Both seem deserving of two-way deals, but Peter seems to have an edge because he's this year's second-round pick and because the undersized Freeman functions as a center but with power forward size. Freeman would probably be the more effective of the two for the Boom, but Peter might have a better chance to add something for the Pacers. Of the players not in the mix for Pacers roster spots — be they standard or two-way — forwards Phillip Wheeler and Robert Baker appeared to help themselves the most. Wheeler started all five games and averaged 13.2 points per game, which put him fifth on the squad behind Jackson, Freeman, Dennis and Jones. The long-armed 6-8 forward — who went straight to the G League after high school — effectively used Summer League to show how hard and how relentlessly he could drive to the rim. He put defenses in constant conflict and when he didn't finish, he drew fouls. He made 52% of his field goals (18-of-34) but also got to the line for 31 free throws and made 28 of them. He also showed some defensive value with six blocks and 16 rebounds in five games. Baker, also a G League journeyman who played four years at Harvard, scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the Pacers' fifth game, a win over the Pelicans. The 6-10 big man averaged 11.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in four games. He showed he could finish at the rim with both hands, but also made 6-of-17 3s including 4-of-10 in the fifth game. He also blocked three shots and recorded five steals and showed defensive versatility in the pick-and-roll game, staying in front of ball-handlers when he had to switch. For both Wheeler and Baker, the goal would seem to simply be finding another G League job or perhaps a lucrative overseas opportunity. Both at least proved they could help the Noblesville Boom. Isaac Yacob, the Pacers' assistant coach for player development, took his first turn as the Pacers' Summer League head coach and accelerated his rise on the Pacers' staff. Yacob was a video coordinator with the Kings for three years including Haliburton's two seasons and developed a close relationship with the All-Star point guard there. He joined the Pacers in 2022 as a video coordinator for Haliburton's first full season, and he's still Haliburton's closest confidante on the staff. But he's aided in the development of the rest of the roster as well, which helped him earn this opportunity. He made the most of his Summer League chance by making sure the summer Pacers' style nearly matched the big club's style even with so few varsity players on the roster. Heading into Saturday's action, the Pacers led the NBA Summer League in scoring with 102.0 points per game in games that last 40 minutes instead of the standard 48 in regular season games. They also ranked second in field goal percentage (.488), eighth in 3-pointers (11.0 per game) and third in assists (22.8 per game). They weren't great defensively, allowing 105.0 points per game, but they did average 9.8 steals per game — 11th in the Summer League — showing opportunism that helped them run in transition. The ball movement, player movement, offensive pace and defensive pressure that has made the Pacers such a difficult team to play and prepare for over the past three seasons was all clearly present in a team that had its first practice together on the Fourth of July. Creating that level of buy-in and cohesion on that short of a timeline isn't easy and it speaks well for Yacob and the rest of the Summer League staff that they were able to pull it off.
Fox Sports
4 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Atlanta visits Las Vegas following Wilson's 37-point showing
Associated Press Atlanta Dream (13-9, 9-6 Eastern Conference) at Las Vegas Aces (11-11, 6-6 Western Conference) Las Vegas; Tuesday, 10 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Aces -2; over/under is 163 BOTTOM LINE: Las Vegas Aces takes on the Atlanta Dream after A'ja Wilson scored 37 points in the Las Vegas Aces' 90-86 win against the Dallas Wings. The Aces have gone 6-4 at home. Las Vegas is 4-6 in games decided by 10 points or more. The Dream are 5-6 in road games. Atlanta ranks seventh in the WNBA scoring 35.3 points per game in the paint led by Brionna Jones averaging 9.3. Las Vegas averages 8.1 made 3-pointers per game, 1.3 more made shots than the 6.8 per game Atlanta allows. Atlanta averages 83.8 points per game, 1.7 more than the 82.1 Las Vegas allows. The matchup Tuesday is the first meeting this season for the two teams. TOP PERFORMERS: Wilson is shooting 48.2% and averaging 22.3 points for the Aces. Jackie Young is averaging 14.8 points over the last 10 games. Jones is averaging 13.4 points and 7.8 rebounds for the Dream. Allisha Gray is averaging 15.9 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 35.4% over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Aces: 6-4, averaging 82.1 points, 33.3 rebounds, 18.0 assists, 5.9 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.9 points per game. Dream: 5-5, averaging 83.1 points, 37.0 rebounds, 20.9 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 43.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.4 points. INJURIES: Aces: Cheyenne Parker-Tyus: out (personal). Dream: Rhyne Howard: out (knee). ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. recommended Item 1 of 2
Fox Sports
4 hours ago
- Fox Sports
New York faces Indiana, aims for 4th straight victory
Associated Press Indiana Fever (12-11, 8-6 Eastern Conference) at New York Liberty (15-6, 9-2 Eastern Conference) New York; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Liberty -9; over/under is 165.5 BOTTOM LINE: New York Liberty will try to continue its three-game win streak with a victory over Indiana Fever. The Liberty's record in Eastern Conference games is 9-2. New York leads the WNBA averaging 10.0 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 35.3% from downtown. Sabrina Ionescu leads the team averaging 2.5 makes while shooting 31.1% from 3-point range. The Fever are 8-6 in Eastern Conference play. Indiana averages 12.7 turnovers per game and is 6- when winning the turnover battle. New York makes 45.1% of its shots from the field this season, which is 2.3 percentage points higher than Indiana has allowed to its opponents (42.8%). Indiana has shot at a 45.7% rate from the field this season, 4.5 percentage points above the 41.2% shooting opponents of New York have averaged. The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Liberty won the last matchup 98-77 on July 16. Breanna Stewart scored 24 points to help lead the Liberty to the victory. TOP PERFORMERS: Stewart is scoring 19.7 points per game and averaging 6.9 rebounds for the Liberty. Ionescu is averaging 14.4 points and 4.5 rebounds over the last 10 games. Aliyah Boston is scoring 15.6 points per game and averaging 7.6 rebounds for the Fever. Kelsey Mitchell is averaging 2.7 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Liberty: 5-5, averaging 83.6 points, 33.5 rebounds, 21.0 assists, 7.9 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 43.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 83.7 points per game. Fever: 6-4, averaging 85.5 points, 34.4 rebounds, 21.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 2.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 82.0 points. INJURIES: Liberty: Jonquel Jones: out (ankle). Fever: Caitlin Clark: out (groin). ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. recommended Item 1 of 2
