Latest news with #NBAFinalsGame
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Former Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet signs $50 million deal with Houston Rockets for 2 years
Fred VanVleet via Getty Images With the stage set for 2025 NBA draft and trade season started in full swing, popular prospects are making headlines after bagging great deals with reputed basketball teams. Recently, former Toronto Raptors' star Fred VanVleet diverted attention towards himself. According to the latest trade update provided by a prominent NBA insider, VanVleet is expected to sign a $50 million deal with the Houston Rockets for the next two seasons. The Rockets' offseason moves have turned heads especially after roping in Kevin Durant in the team. Houston Rockets re-signs Fred VanVleet for upcoming NBA season According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Former Toronto Raptors star Fred VanVleet signed a two-year extension deal with the Houston Rockets. The deal proposed by the Rockets even has a player option clause for the 2026-27 NBA season with an annual salary of $44.9 million. His return after the addition of Kevin Durant, clearly gives the Houston Rockets the much-needed edge to stand out in the NBA race. With the beginning of the offseason, the Rockets are eyeing one of the best prospects to add the required depth in their team. As almost all the NBA teams are busy revamping their team rosters before the upcoming season, the Houston Rockets have already generated waves in the basketball world after joining hands with Kevin Durant. The former Golden State Warriors star was traded by the Phoenix Suns for Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. Fred VanVleet was introduced to the Houston Roclets in 2023 and his arrival went on to add the much-needed depth into the team. After the addition of VanVleet, Rockets performance went on to improve increasing the winning percentage in that particular year. The 31-year-old talented athlete has averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 60 games. Fred VanVleet also managed to secure All-Star once in his NBA career back in 2019. During his stint with the Toronto Raptors, VanVleet won the 2019 NBA Championship. Also Read: 'Act like they're the smartest dude'- NBA analyst Charles Barkley blasts OKC Thunder's head coach Mark Daigneault for lineup shifts during 2025 NBA Finals Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Irish Examiner
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 29 points and Thunder beat Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 to bag NBA title
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander walked off the court for the final time this season, collapsed into the arms of coach Mark Daigneault and finally smiled. It was over. The climb is complete. The rebuild is done. The Oklahoma City Thunder are champions. The best team all season was the best team at the end, bringing the NBA title to Oklahoma City for the first time. Gilgeous-Alexander finished off his MVP season with 29 points and 12 assists, and the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers — who lost Tyrese Haliburton to a serious leg injury in the opening minutes — 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. 'It doesn't feel real,' said Gilgeous-Alexander, the Finals MVP. 'So many hours. So many moments. So many emotions. So many nights of disbelief. So many nights of belief. It's crazy to know that we're all here, but this group worked for it. This group put in the hours and we deserve this.' Jalen Williams scored 20 points and Chet Holmgren had 18 for the Thunder, who finished off a season for the ages. Oklahoma City won 84 games between the regular season and the playoffs, tying the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for third most in any season. Only Golden State (88 in 2016-17) and the Bulls (87 in 2015-16) won more. It's the second championship for the franchise. The Seattle SuperSonics won the NBA title in 1979; the team was moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. There's nothing in the rafters in Oklahoma City to commemorate that title. In October, a championship banner is finally coming. A Thunder banner. 'They behave like champions. They compete like champions,' Daigneault said. 'They root for each other's success, which is rare in professional sports. I've said it many times and now I'm going to say it one more time. They are an uncommon team and now they're champions.' The Pacers led 48-47 at the half even after losing Haliburton to what his father said was an Achilles tendon injury about seven minutes into the game. But they were outscored 34-20 in the third quarter as the Thunder built a 13-point lead and began to run away. 'Deflated, but proud of everything we've accomplished,' Pacers guard TJ McConnell said. Bennedict Mathurin had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, which still is waiting for its first NBA title. The Pacers — who were 10-15 after 25 games and were bidding to be the first team in NBA history to turn that bad of a start into a championship — had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the series, but they simply didn't have enough in the end. Home teams improved to 16-4 in NBA Finals Game 7s. And the Thunder became the seventh champion in the last seven seasons, a run of parity like none other in NBA history. Pacers forward Pascal Siakam was part of the Toronto team that won in 2019, Thunder guard Alex Caruso was part of the Los Angeles Lakers team that won in the pandemic 'bubble' in 2020, Milwaukee won in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Pacers forward Thomas Bryant and Denver prevailed in 2023, and Boston won last year's title. And now, the Thunder get their turn. The youngest team to win a title in nearly a half-century has reached the NBA mountaintop. The Thunder are the ninth franchise to win a title in NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's 12 seasons. His predecessor, David Stern, saw eight franchises win titles in his 30 seasons as commissioner. 'It really hurts on the one hand,' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 'On the other hand, this team has given all of Pacer Nation something to be very proud of.' Associated Press
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Signs 429 Autographs Before NBA Finals Game: ‘That's Insane'
NEED TO KNOW Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was filmed signing autographs ahead of the NBA Finals Game 2 on Sunday, June 8 After he signed basketballs, jerseys and books for fans, the NBA star revealed he wrote his signature over 420 times The league then told him the total number of autographs signed on Monday, June 16, leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard in shock Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spent his time preparing for the NBA Finals Game 2 signing more than a few autographs. On Sunday, June 8, the NBA star, 26, was filmed in the Oklahoma City Thunder's Paycom Center taking his time to sign his autograph 429 times, according to a video from NBA Central on X. Advertisement In the video, the point guard went down the line of excited fans and signed each and every object, including jerseys, hats and books. He also signed fans' foreheads and babies! Several X users joked that the fans wore him out before he made it on the court. 'They got his wrist tired before the game,' one user wrote. Another added, 'Bro gonna have no wrist left for tonight's game." Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on June 16, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on June 16, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Ahead of Game 5 on Monday, June 16, the NBA social team asked the athlete how many signatures he gave before game 2. Gilgeous-Alexander low-balled the amount and guessed between 50-60. He was then encouraged to aim higher, to which he suggested 100. Advertisement But when Gilgeous-Alexander was told it was "a lot more," he resigned and waited for the official number, saying, "Oh wow. I have no clue then." Once he heard the final number, he replied, "Are you serious? That's insane. It doesn't feel like that much." The most recent NBA Finals game, Game 5, took place on Monday, June 16. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers are currently at 3-2, with the final two games later this week. The Thunder defeated the Pacers on Monday, June 16, with a score of 120-109. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder's final two games will be on Thursday, June 19, at 8:30 p.m. EST, and Sunday, June 22, at 8 p.m. EST. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Signs 429 Autographs Before NBA Finals Game: ‘That's Insane'
NEED TO KNOW Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was filmed signing autographs ahead of the NBA Finals Game 2 on Sunday, June 8 After he signed basketballs, jerseys and books for fans, the NBA star revealed he wrote his signature over 420 times The league then told him the total number of autographs signed on Monday, June 16, leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard in shock Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spent his time preparing for the NBA Finals Game 2 signing more than a few autographs. On Sunday, June 8, the NBA star, 26, was filmed in the Oklahoma City Thunder's Paycom Center taking his time to sign his autograph 429 times, according to a video from NBA Central on X. Advertisement In the video, the point guard went down the line of excited fans and signed each and every object, including jerseys, hats and books. He also signed fans' foreheads and babies! Several X users joked that the fans wore him out before he made it on the court. 'They got his wrist tired before the game,' one user wrote. Another added, 'Bro gonna have no wrist left for tonight's game." Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on June 16, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on June 16, 2025 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Ahead of Game 5 on Monday, June 16, the NBA social team asked the athlete how many signatures he gave before game 2. Gilgeous-Alexander low-balled the amount and guessed between 50-60. He was then encouraged to aim higher, to which he suggested 100. Advertisement But when Gilgeous-Alexander was told it was "a lot more," he resigned and waited for the official number, saying, "Oh wow. I have no clue then." Once he heard the final number, he replied, "Are you serious? That's insane. It doesn't feel like that much." The most recent NBA Finals game, Game 5, took place on Monday, June 16. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers are currently at 3-2, with the final two games later this week. The Thunder defeated the Pacers on Monday, June 16, with a score of 120-109. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder's final two games will be on Thursday, June 19, at 8:30 p.m. EST, and Sunday, June 22, at 8 p.m. EST. Read the original article on People
