Latest news with #NBAFinalsGame5
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jalen Williams calls Kobe Bryant the NBA's GOAT
Considering how vocal he's been about his fandom, it shouldn't be shocking to learn Jalen Williams believes Kobe Bryant is basketball's greatest of all time. The NBA champion trended on social media this past week for a side-by-side photo. Williams answered questions of whether he was a good enough second-best player on a title contender with a resounding yes during the playoffs. The 24-year-old stepped up to help Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. His championship run was highlighted by a 40-point performance in the 2025 NBA Finals Game 5. What makes Williams' run even more mythical is the quiet battle he endured. After he sustained torn wrist ligaments late in the regular season, he played through swelling and pain for two months in the playoffs. He'd receive pain-numbing shots before every playoff contest. It was obvious Williams was playing through an ailment. His wrist was heavily wrapped. But the 24-year-old kept quiet about the injury. Anytime he was asked about it, he'd have a strong poker face. After Sam Presti announced his wrist surgery, he finally talked ad nauseam about the grueling day-to-day process. Earlier this week, Williams took a photo of himself in pajamas, attempting a one-handed free throw with his hand cast. It's the same pose Bryant hit when he dealt with a hand fracture in 1999. The 24-year-old posted both photos on social media. It caused some backlash, but none of substance. After Williams fired back at his haters by saying he's closer to Bryant than they are to him, he also proclaimed that he thinks Bryant is the best of all time. Williams wrote in a reply: "he da goat." That's a popular opinion among some basketball circles. Bryant brought home five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. That type of success on the NBA's biggest franchise will create a huge following. Even if there are a handful of players with better resumes, Bryant's fans will argue to the end of time that he's the greatest ever. Add Williams to that group. he da goat
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Injury Report, How to Watch, Odds for NBA Finals Game 5
Injury Report, How to Watch, Odds for NBA Finals Game 5 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Both the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder have hosted two games so far, and the NBA Finals are tied at two games apiece. Both teams have already showcased elite depth and solid play from their stars, and both teams have had a game stolen from them at home. Advertisement As the series heads back to Oklahoma City, the Pacers are just two wins away from their first NBA title in franchise history, although they are two mistakes away from giving the Thunder the exact same prize. With Game 5 set for Monday night, the small-market-driven, pure basketball Finals that have enchanted fans are set to take the sporting world by storm. Keep it posted to All Pacers for all the latest news, ranging from odds (via FanDuel), injury reports for both teams, and TV information. Injury Report Pacers Isaiah Jackson, Achilles (OUT) Jarace Walker, ankle (OUT) Thunder Nikola Topic, ACL (OUT) How to Watch Time: 8:30 PM EST Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City, OK) Channel: ABC Advertisement Streaming: ESPN+, YouTube TV Betting Odds Spread: Pacers +9.5 (-110)/Thunder -9.5 (-110) Money line: Pacers (+320)/Thunder (-405) Over/under: 224 Indiana is yet to be favoired at all in this series, although they have closed the -700 gap to -400, which still doesn't inspire much confidence. The 9.5 point spread is the largest since the 11-point divide in Game 2, which the Thunder were able to cover. While it's impossible to count the Pacers out, the Thunder have been favoired all postseason long for a reason, and Indiana will need an excellent game to turn the series back in its favor. Check out the All Pacers homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles. Advertisement Related: How Pacers 'Stole' $1 Million from Rapper Jay-Z Related: Tyrese Haliburton Praises 'Perfect' Indiana Pacers' Bench Player This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
