Latest news with #Pacers
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pacers use three words to sum up painful end to 2025 NBA Finals run
The post Pacers use three words to sum up painful end to 2025 NBA Finals run appeared first on ClutchPoints. All good things come to an end, but the Indiana Pacers at least hoped that the ending wouldn't be so bitter. On Sunday night, the Pacers' championship dreams got dashed completely by a dominant Oklahoma City Thunder team that used a powerful third quarter to take a Game 7 lead that they wouldn't relinquish en route to a 103-91 victory. Advertisement For a Pacers team that has overcome so much adversity this postseason alone, the hope was that they had one last miracle run left in them. But they couldn't conjure up one last burst of magic at their darkest hour. Even then, they can hold their head up high knowing they did their best, shocking the world by coming this close to winning the NBA championship. 'what a run 💔,' reads the Pacers' post on their official account on X (formerly) following their defeat. Indeed, this playoff run is filled with so many epic moments that are sure to live long in the memory of not just Pacers fans, but even for the general NBA fanbase. From the first round all the way to the NBA Finals, the Pacers made it clear that they had the heart of a champion, which would have made them one of the most incredible title-winning teams of all-time had they managed to go all the way. Alas, even the clock had to strike midnight for Cinderella. Perhaps in the coming years, they'll manage to make the glass slipper fit for good. Pacers' run to the NBA Finals in 2025 will forever be iconic Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images The Pacers may not have been able to capture the NBA championship in 2025, but (cliché alert) they were able to capture the hearts of millions of fans around the globe. Every round gave fans a lasting memory to hold on to, which, after processing the grief that comes with losing Game 7 of the NBA Finals, will put in perspective just how magical everything that happened truly was. Advertisement In Round 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks, they managed to end the series in Game 5 with an 8-0 run in overtime which was punctuated by a Tyrese Haliburton game-winner. The following round, they stole Game 2 from right underneath the Cleveland Cavaliers, overturning a seven-point deficit with less than 50 seconds left in the game and snatched it all with a Haliburton game-winning triple. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers committed grand larceny in Game 1, storming back from 15 down late in the fourth, forcing overtime thanks to a Haliburton stepback shot (that had him thinking the game was over) and then putting on an offensive clinic in the extra period to put the New York Knicks on the backfoot. And then in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Haliburton had another magical moment, drilling a game-winning midrange shot over the grill of Cason Wallace to give the Pacers a 1-0 lead. These are memories that no one can take away from anyone. The ending may have been bitter for the Pacers, but the road leading up to the end was filled with sweet moments, reminding everyone that sometimes, it's not all about the destination. Related: Rising WWE star's 3-word reaction to Tyrese Haliburton NBA Finals injury Related: Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton seen leaving Paycom Center on crutches
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton teammate who carried him off the floor sounds off on injury
The post Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton teammate who carried him off the floor sounds off on injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. After Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton suffered an Achilles injury early into Game 7 of the NBA Finals, the team ultimately lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but arguably the biggest headline was around the status of the point guard. As the sports world has been reacting to the injury of the Pacers' point guard, there would be more insight from a key teammate on the team. Advertisement In the aftermath of Haliburton straining his calf in Game 5, playing through it in Game 6, he would suffer from a non-contact injury in the first quarter of Game 7 where when play stopped with just under five minutes left, everybody knew it was bad. One player who carried him off the court was James Johnson, who doesn't log a lot of minutes but is seen as the veteran leader in Indiana, as he said how 'heartbreaking' it was, according to The Athletic. 'That was heartbreaking,' he said. 'I know how hard he works, how bad he wanted it, and I know the hours he puts in, day in and day out. … Just to even be here was an honor, to sit courtside and help cheer on these guys was an honor, man. There's a group character that's hard to find. KP (Pritchard) and (Pacers general manager) Chad (Buchanan) did a great job of putting this group together, and getting high-character guys.' Pacers 'hearts dropped' when seeing Tyrese Haliburton's injury Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images. With the painful ending to the Pacers' season in many facets, Haliburton will no doubt be hungry, along with the rest of the team, to head into the offseason determined to get back to the NBA Finals. Still, it's valid to digest the situation on Sunday night as sad, an event that made Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle's heart drop, as he said. Advertisement 'What happened with Tyrese is, all of our hearts dropped,' Carlisle said. '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 (players). That's the beautiful thing about him.' There's no doubt that the Pacers were one of, if not the most exciting, team in the postseason this year, getting huge series wins over the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the New York Knicks to get to the NBA Finals. Even pushing the series to seven games against Oklahoma City showed the fortitude they had as Myles Turner would he will miss the 'process.' 'It was special,' Turner said. 'Just everything we've been through to get to this point, everything that went into it … a journey at that. We talk about the process a lot, not necessarily the end goal, but the process. I'm going to miss the process of this group.' At any rate, Indiana looks to improve after finishing 50-32, which put them fourth in the Eastern Conference. Related: Shams confirms Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles tear in NBA Finals Game 7 Related: Pacers rumors: Will Indiana still be willing to pay luxury tax after Tyrese Haliburton injury?
Indianapolis Star
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Pacers' NBA Summer League schedule filled with playoff rematches
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers' NBA Summer League schedule will include three playoff rematches of sorts. Though few if any players who had significant role in the postseason series will be playing in Las Vegas, the Pacers summer squad will take on those of the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder, the Pacers' opponents in the Eastern Conference semifinals and finals and NBA Finals. The Pacers will also play the Bulls Summer League team, a rematch of playoff series in the distant past. Pacers draft grades: 'A pick destined to make Indiana look smart in a few years' and Round 2's 'biggest stunner' The Pacers open play against the Cavs on July 10 at 5 pm. ET in Las Vegas' Cox Pavilion in a game televised on NBA TV. They then play the Thunder on July 12 at 5:30 p.m., also at Cox Pavilion on NBA TV. They get the Bulls on July 14 at 6 p.m. at Cox Pavilion on ESPN U and then the Knicks at 4:30 p.m. July 17 on ESPN2 at the Thomas & Mack Center. They will play a fifth game either as part of the playoffs or in a consolation game between July 18-20. The Summer League schedule was released on Friday afternoon after the NBA draft concluded with the second round Friday. The Pacers chose Marquette guard Kam Jones with the No. 38 pick and Liberty guard Taelon Peter with the 54th pick. Both players almost certainly be part of the Pacers' Summer League roster as will East Carolina guard RJ Felton, Connecticut center Samson Johnson and Creighton guard Steven Ashworth, who signed undrafted free agent contracts likely to be Exhibit 10 deals on Thursday night. Of the Pacers' returning players, wing Johnny Furphy and forward Enrique Freeman are likely to take part in Summer League after spending their rookie seasons with the Pacers.
Fox Sports
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025-26 NBA Prediction, Pick: Back Cleveland Cavaliers To Win Title
The 2024-25 NBA season concluded with the Oklahoma City Thunder outlasting the Indiana Pacers in a decisive Game 7. The victory was the 80th and most important win of the season for the new champs. The Thunder are quite obviously deserving and worthy champions. However, the game when Tyrese Haliburton got hurt will unfortunately be the first memory for many when they look back at what was set up to be a dramatic and fascinating Game 7. The Pacers were one win away from one of the most remarkable title runs in sports history. At some books, they had 85-1 odds in late April — a sport where long-shot title winners of that magnitude simply don't occur. But with a 68-14 regular-season record, the dominant Thunder have nothing to apologize for. They were the best team all year, and they will have a banner to back it up — even if we fans can't help but feel like we were deprived of what could have been a classic final game. The question now is who's next? It seems like the Thunder should be even better next year, as their entire team is under contract and many of their top players are just entering their prime years. They are the favorite, as they should be. However, two years ago, the Denver Nuggets won it all. And the sentiment of that being the first of many titles was prevalent. Denver hasn't made it out of the second round since. When Boston defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals last June, there was plenty of reason to think more parades were on the horizon for the Celtics. This year, they lost in the second round and have spent this offseason dismantling their roster, while Jayson Tatum recovers from a major injury. Winning is very hard. Admittedly, the Thunder seem more equipped than the previous two champions, but at +225 odds to win the title, is it worth betting this far out? I'd say no. The Cleveland Cavaliers at +850 is the best price considering all options. They play in the Eastern Conference, so that's the first thing. The East was much weaker than the West this season, and now teams in the conference have seen injuries recently to the aforementioned Haliburton and Tatum. This likely eliminates the Pacers and Celtics as possible contenders. The Cavaliers had a bitter ending to what was a great season. They went 64-18 but lost in five games in the second round. However, their playoff disappointment can be forgiven somewhat, considering they were hampered by a number of injuries to key players. Their main competition in the East looks to be the Knicks and Magic. These are formidable foes but not teams that the Cavaliers take a backseat to. Granted, having a path to winning the East doesn't mean I think they would necessarily beat the Thunder if that ends up being the matchup. But at +850 odds, we can worry about that next June. PICK: Cleveland Cavaliers (+850) to win 2025-26 NBA Championship Will Hill, a contributor on the Bears Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
10 hours 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
