Latest news with #Game7
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander letting Thunder fans touch Larry O'Brien Trophy goes viral
The post Shai Gilgeous-Alexander letting Thunder fans touch Larry O'Brien Trophy goes viral appeared first on ClutchPoints. On Sunday evening, the Oklahoma City Thunder broke through and won their first NBA championship with a resounding Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won Finals MVP for his efforts in the series, becoming the first player in 25 years to win league MVP, the scoring title, and Finals MVP in the same year. Advertisement On Tuesday, the Thunder got a chance to celebrate the championship victory with their fans as part of the team's parade. At one point during the festivities, Gilgeous-Alexander left his float and took a walk down the street, allowing fans to touch the Larry O'Brien trophy in the process in a moment that quickly went viral on social media (per NBA Latam on X, formerly Twitter). It was just another example of how much Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City community have embraced one another over the last several years, eventually culminating in this year's NBA title. A huge moment for the Thunder Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images While in some respects, Game 7 was overshadowed by the torn Achilles suffered by Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton early in the first quarter, that shouldn't take away from what the Thunder were able to accomplish in 2024-25. Advertisement The Thunder were the best team in the league all season, setting a franchise record with 68 wins and also setting various records during their playoff run. While the series against the Pacers was a bit harder than many anticipated, the young Thunder ultimately got the job done, thanks in no small part to the brilliance of Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder now find themselves in the rare position of coming off of a championship and still having several clear avenues to get better the following offseason. Oklahoma City has 15 first round draft picks over the next seven years at their disposal, and they also have various trade chip pieces on their bench as well as youngsters like Nikola Topic waiting in the wings. Advertisement Whatever route they choose to go this offseason, the Thunder have now officially etched their names into NBA immortality. Related: Thunder news: OKC mayor crowns Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook Related: Isaiah Hartenstein reveals hilarious story of Thunder's free agency recruitment
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
How does one earn a roster spot with Boston's Bill Walton All-Stars? Time well spent and a title in short order.
A scattered few were mercenaries of the most helpful variety. Some had been underestimated and discarded elsewhere, arriving here with scars. Others were acquired because they appeared — and proved to be — The Missing Piece. Most appreciated the passion of the Boston sports scene. Many reveled in it. All of them, in this century anyway, in this ridiculous run of 13 major professional championships since 2001, learned their way around a duck boat. When they return to Boston, it is obligatory to call them 'Champ.' Advertisement This topic popped into mind recently for a few reasons. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up It's been more than a year now since Bill Walton (left) is just one of many athletes to come through the Hub and play a big role in winning a title. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Walton came to mind often over the last several weeks while watching his former teammate Rick Carlisle, who spoke so eloquently about Walton last May upon news of his death, guide the underestimated Pacers to loved the way Carlisle's Pacers played the game. Walton is also connected to the other reason this was on my mind. The Celtics, mere days after their reign as NBA champions officially came to an end with the Thunder's Game 7 victory, began the brutal but necessary business of paring a couple of eight-figure annual salaries from their payroll in order to escape the punitive 'second apron' tax and roster-building penalties. Advertisement Related : It's a shame that Holiday played just two seasons here, because the guy is a born Celtic in all the admirable ways, an amalgam of Dennis Johnson and K.C. Jones, while also answering the question, 'What would it look like if Marcus Smart embraced calm rather than chaos, and also could shoot?' Porzingis was the Walton of this Celtics era. He loved being here, the fans loved him, he had great perspective due to all he has been through, and he gave a champ a superpower when healthy. It's both wild and fitting that Walton played one more game as a Celtic than Porzingis (118-117, playoffs included). Holiday and Porzingis are first-ballot Walton All-Stars, based on our loose parameters of being a short-timer (let's say three seasons in Boston or less) but a major contributor to a champ. There are actually more players that meet the qualifications than you might be able to name without the assistance of one So many, in fact, that we'll keep our acknowledgements today to those who contributed to the aforementioned 13 champions — six Patriots teams, four Red Sox, two Celtics, and one Bruins — since the turn of the century . . . or the arrival of Tom Brady, a far more relevant cultural event. Advertisement Sticking with the Celtics, their other banner-raising team this century had its share of Walton All-Stars. James Posey was the ideal sixth man for the '08 champs, playing lockdown defense, knocking down big 3-pointers, and being an A+ chemistry guy, which included having a different handshake for every teammate. Posey was here just one season, as was big man P.J. Brown. I'll pause while you happily replay his crucial jump shot in Related : How about that other winter team that took up some space of its own in the Garden rafters with the 2010-11 Stanley Cup victory? The Patriots have an abundance of these players. Veterans wanted to come here and board the two-decade dynasty in pursuit of a ring. Darrelle Revis, who proved one man can be an island for the '14 defense, and Chris Long, who won a Super Bowl with the Pats in '16 and then beat them as an Eagle in '17, are textbook examples. Related : The 2004 Patriots — their best Super Bowl winner in my opinion — brought in Corey Dillon, who rambled for a franchise-record 1,635 rushing yards. Advertisement Because 86 years of frustration had been endured before Related : The '13 Red Sox were rejuvenated by veterans who came in and instantly became a team — Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, Ryan Dempster, Stephen Drew . . . There are many more that could have been mentioned by name. But not everyone gets a salute in the first class. Perhaps we'll dig into the pre-2000 Walton All-Star honorees at some point. Chad Finn can be reached at
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
The Oklahoma City Thunder's championship Game 7 ball up for grabs in auction with a whopping price tag
The Oklahoma City Thunder's championship Game 7 ball up for grabs in auction with a whopping price tag (Image Source: Getty Images) Game 7 was a very important moment for the Oklahoma City Thunder. They won by 103-91 against the Indiana Pacers. After a neck-to-neck fight, the series left the fans extremely nervous. However, it was more than a win; it made history. It brought the trophy home. The team and its supporters had been waiting for a really long time for this moment. This last game was the first Game 7 Finals in the league since 2016. Hence, it increased the sporting artifacts' historical value. Speaking of which, the basketball from Game 7 will now head to auction and possibly bring $50,000. NBA fans have a chance to own a piece of history made by the Oklahoma City Thunder Hardcore Basketball fans will now have the opportunity to own a piece of history, thanks to the Oklahoma City Thunder's Game 7. The epic game resulted in the franchise winning its first NBA title. The final was exciting as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers. It eventually ended with wild scenes on and off the court. The players ran a two-mile victory lap and then sprayed each other with champagne in the locker room. Additionally, star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made sure that anybody who showed up at Tuesday's parade had an opportunity to touch the Larry O'Brien trophy. Meanwhile, the court-used basketball from June 22, Sunday's thrilling 2025 NBA Finals game is up for auction now. The auction is being conducted by Sotheby's in New York. As per TMZ, bidding opens on June 26 and wraps up on July 2. The ball is expected to draw significant interest from sports fans and collectors. Given its significance and rarity, it's supposed to go for around $50,000. According to the same source, a representative of Sotheby's addressed the eager Oklahoma City collectors and said: 'It's a rare chance to own a piece of basketball history and we expect strong interest from collectors and fans alike – especially from Oklahoma City.' For the fans and the collectors, the ball is a lot more than just a piece of the game. It signifies victory and an exciting end to a series that had baseball fans on the edge of their seats. However, whether it ends up in a museum or a private vault, this Game 7 ball will forever be famous for making history. Also Read: NBA Draft 2025: Top 7 red carpet looks from Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Cedric Coward, and others Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pacers fans beam with pride despite falling short of Game 7 upset vs. Thunder
The post Pacers fans beam with pride despite falling short of Game 7 upset vs. Thunder appeared first on ClutchPoints. The clock has finally struck midnight on the Indiana Pacers' Cinderella run in the 2025 NBA playoffs, as they saw their championship dreams come to a bitter end in a gut-wrenching 103-91 Game 7 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. They fought tooth and nail even after Tyrese Haliburton went down with an Achilles injury, but they did not have enough in the end to take the squad to victory lane after such a memorable season filled with so many clutch heroics and improbable comebacks. Advertisement Given how nothing is guaranteed in the NBA, this makes the Pacers' near-miss all the more heartbreaking — especially when next season is going to be very different with Haliburton looking likely to miss an extended period of time due to injury. But fans gave this team their due props especially for the way they've battled adversity all season long to come so close to a title, only to come so far in the end. 'Take a minute to show some appreciation to this group of men… This team never quit, no matter how bleak the circumstances. They played with grit and passion every time they took the floor. Thank you for taking us on this magical ride @Pacers 🙏🙏 Proud of you guys,' X user @cruzmartinvoice wrote. 'Pacers entire playoff run was incredible. Full of special moments & memories that'll last a lifetime, hate to see it end like this,' @childishtey added. Pacers fans process gut-wrenching Game 7 defeat vs. Thunder Kyle Terada-Imagn Images For so long, it looked as though this Pacers team had destiny on their side. What else would explain all of those times where they turned a win expectation chart on its head? But the Thunder simply had too much talent, too much defensive prowess that even the league's darlings couldn't muster the juice that was required to get over the hump. Advertisement Nonetheless, the Pacers proved that they can hang with the best of the best, and fans are looking forward to what a bright future this team has, Haliburton injury notwithstanding. 'Pacers are gonna win it all one day. And when they do, Indy won't sleep for a week. What a season,' @STLCards_Colts wrote. 'I love this Pacers team. The greatest basketball I've had the privilege of watching in my entire life. The hardest part isn't even that it ended in a loss. It's that Tyrese is hurt and we didn't even get to see what this game would've looked like if he'd played it,' @DPBogle added. 'So proud of this Pacers team. Went on an incredible run with nearly every single 'expert' doubting them and/or showing their complete ignorance along the way. I hope Ty is able to come back stronger than ever, because that revenge tour is gonna hit hard,' @nerdoftherings1 furthered. Related: Former Pacers guard Victor Oladipo triggers buzz with passionate Tyrese Haliburton injury take Related: Pacers PR tries to project TJ McConnell in heart-wrenching post-Game 7 moment
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Just all of our hearts dropped" - Rick Carlisle on the moment Tyrese Haliburton went down in Game 7
"Just all of our hearts dropped" - Rick Carlisle on the moment Tyrese Haliburton went down in Game 7 originally appeared on Basketball Network. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton started Game 7 like he would have one of those special nights. Playing with a calf strain since the fifth game of the series, Haliburton knocked down three out of his first four three-point shots as the Pacers stood toe-to-toe with the mighty Oklahoma City Thunder team playing on their home floor. Advertisement Midway through the first quarter, with the score tied 16-16, Haliburton went down with a leg injury, and many fear it is an Achilles tear. Without their floor general the rest of the way, the Pacers gave it their all. But after Indiana took a 48-47 lead at the half, Oklahoma City ran over them in the third quarter. It went on to win the game and clinch their first championship. After the game, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle talked about losing Haliburton in the first quarter of Game 7. "What happened with Tyrese was…just all of our hearts dropped. But he will be back. I don't have any medical information about what happened, but he will be back in time," said Carlisle. An incredible postseason by Haliburton While Pascal Siakam led the Pacers in scoring and won Eastern Conference Finals honors, there was no question that Haliburton was the motor that ran the Indiana offense. Sure, he had bad games in the Finals, but in the must-win Game 6, Haliburton inspired his teammates with a 14-point, 23-minute performance. Advertisement Haliburton also won the Pacers Game 1 with his game-winning jumper with 0.3 seconds left in the game. That was Hali's fourth game-winner in the current postseason; he's had one in each series they played. Playing for all the marbles in Game 7, it seemed like he had one final act left. Unfortunately, it ended in injury. "He authored one of the great individual playoff runs in the history of the NBA, with dramatic play after dramatic play. It was just something that no one's ever seen and did it as one of 17. That's the beautiful thing about him. As great a player as he is, it's always a team thing. And so our hearts go out to him. But so proud of everyone," added Carlisle. Related: "He never ever allowed Air Jordan to enter into the locker room" - BJ Armstrong said Michael Jordan was very different behind the scenes Obi was thinking about the injury the whole game But while Carlisle refused to blame the Pacers' Game 7 loss on Hali's injury, forward Obi Toppin admitted that the team needed their best player in the year's most important game. He also said that Haliburton's injury threw him off his game. Advertisement "We needed Ty out there and he's been good for us all year. And for him to go down at the beginning of a game like that, it sucked the soul out of us. I ain't going to say out of everybody. But I don't feel that I played well because I was thinking about it the whole day, and I felt like it was my fault," he said. Toppin, who averaged 11.0 points per game in the series and scored 20 in Game 6, took just four shots and grabbed only two rebounds, both series lows, while going scoreless in 21 minutes of action. While he only spoke for himself, it wouldn't be surprising if the team members felt the same way. Indiana shot an abysmal 31.4 percent from the floor in Game 7, with only T.J. McConnell shooting over 50 percent from the floor. Indy can be proud of the fight they put in in the series and Game 7. However, injuries are part of the game, but the timing of Haliburton's was brutal — both for him and the Pacers. After a postseason run filled with game-winners, inspiring performances, and leadership that elevated the entire locker room, it ended not with a bang, but with silence on the floor and concern in every teammate's eyes. Advertisement Related: Dwyane Wade shares why he became a big Tyrese Haliburton fan: "It's time to go to that next level in the series" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
