OKLAHOMA CITY — The reporter called out Rick Carlisle.

His Indiana Pacers had staged yet another improbable come-from-behind victory in the playoffs, this one in an epic Game 1 of the NBA Finals — a series they entered as overwhelming underdogs. In the first few questions, Carlisle matter-of-factly had downplayed the frenetic pace of Indiana erasing a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter against a Thunder team that rarely squanders leads, especially at home.

“I know you’re being Cool Hand Luke and all that,” the reporter began, “but at any point did you stop and say: ‘Damn, that was a hell of a comeback?’ ”

The way Carlisle opened his answer, in essence a shrug, was quite revealing.

“No, no,” Carlisle began. “Listen: I’ve been through too much of this, you know, over the years.”

In what is a fascinating NBA Finals matchup of contrasts, Carlisle, 65, is a mainstay, a proven commodity and hoop lifer, a coach with a deep mental archive. But what makes Carlisle unique is the way he has engaged with modern disruptions in the NBA, the way he has reimagined his philosophies to suit different teams playing in different eras.

And now, Carlisle’s Pacers will try to pull off another improbable feat Wednesday, June 11, and go up 2-1 on Oklahoma City (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

“He’s got unbelievable endurance in the league,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Wednesday, June 4. “What I’d also say is, he’s kind of out in front of some trends in the NBA right now. To be somebody that has the experiences that he has, that’s very impressive that he’s been able to evolve and be a trendsetter even as he’s been one of the longest-tenured people in the NBA.”

Carlisle has been a head coach 23 seasons. He was an assistant 11 seasons before that and a player the five years prior, though his first year as an assistant was unique. He began the 1989-90 campaign as a 30-year-old shooting guard for the Nets. However, he played just 4.2 minutes per game across five contests before he switched over to the coaching staff, becoming an assistant to the very players he had just called teammates.

During his four decades in the NBA, Carlisle has played alongside legends like Larry Bird, only to later serve as an assistant under him in his first stint with the Pacers; coached Hall of Famers Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki to a NBA title with the Dallas Mavericks; and is 11th all-time in coaching victories, with 993.

Carlisle always has had a strong aptitude for offense. It helped that he played for the great Boston Celtics coach K.C. Jones and with Bird and Kevin McHale. Their offensive acumen shaped Carlisle’s offensive philosophy.

Still, despite that influence, Carlisle has seen offenses evolve. Not only has he adapted over the years, but his offensive vision has put him at the forefront of innovation, including the pace and effort in which his teams play.

Throughout his coaching career, Carlisle was adamant about making offensive calls from the bench, instructing the point guard what play to run. Pacers center Myles Turner recalled a game in 2021-22, which was Carlisle’s first season in his second stint with Indiana.

‘Rick was a coach that he used to like to call a play every single possession,’ Turner said. ‘Even Rick’s first year here, we had a game where he did that. He stopped us and called a play every single possession.

‘In the dawn of this new NBA, especially in the playoffs, that stuff doesn’t work. It’s easy to scout. But when you have random movement on offense, guys that are someone like Tyrese (Haliburton) who wants to pass the ball, it makes the game a little bit easier, especially for a guy like myself who thrives with space.’

It was with Kidd that Carlisle’s philosophy of player empowerment began to take root and he ceded some control.

“What I learned my first year in Dallas was to give J-Kidd the ball and get out of the way, let him run the show, let him run the team,” Carlisle said Thursday, June 5, before Game 1.

With the Pacers, Carlisle has entrusted Haliburton, an All-Star point guard in 2023 and 2024, to dictate the pace and structure of Indiana’s offense. Haliburton is able to operate with significant freedom, choosing when to push up the floor off of rebounds and how quickly.

And while the Pacers do have plenty of set plays, they most often rely on flow and feel, allowing players to instinctively move without the ball and play off each other — almost always with Haliburton taking lead.

“It’s pretty clear, when you have a player of that kind of magnitude, that kind of presence, that kind of knowledge and vision and depth, you got to let them do what they do,” Carlisle continued.

Throughout the playoffs, regardless of score, the Pacers have played their game, which has allowed them to secure multiple comeback victories, including their thrilling 111-110 victory against the Thunder in Game 1. During a replay challenge with 22.5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Carlisle made the decision not to call a timeout following Oklahoma City’s possession.

‘If we get a stop and get the rebound, we’re going to go,’ he explained to reporters. ‘Hopefully get the ball in Tyrese’s hands and look to make a play.’

Carlisle let Haliburton create, which led to the winning shot with 0.3 seconds remaining.

Carlisle’s imprint, no matter what happens in the rest of the series, will undoubtedly be palpable. In the 2025 playoffs, the Pacers are No. 2 offensively (117.1 points per 100 possessions), No. 1 in 3-point shooting percentage (40.5%), No. 1 in field goal percentage (49.6%), No. 1 in assists per game (27.8) and No. 3 in pace, which is possessions per 48 minutes.

‘The skill aspect is the thing that’s the most compelling part of the game, and we’re getting to a point now where everybody on the floor, not a 100% of the five men, but all the guys, one through four, can make 3, drive it, make plays,’ Carlisle said. ‘And we’re getting to a point now where more of the five men can do that than not. It’s made the game a lot more difficult to defend, obviously.

‘But the skill aspect of it is, to me, always going to be the most compelling part about the beauty of watching the game and the challenge and the beauty of teaching the game.’

It’s Carlisle’s eye for beautiful offense — and his composed assurance to entrust his players — that now has the Pacers three victories from their first NBA title.

The Stanley Cup Final is shifting to the Florida Panthers’ home arena in Sunrise, Florida, for Games 3 and 4.

And that means the return of the barrage of plastic rats being thrown onto the ice after a Panthers victory at Amerant Bank Arena.

The team also is embracing the rat legend for Game 3 by putting towels on each seat that read, ‘Rats Rule.’

An octopus (representing the eight wins once needed to win the Stanley Cup) occasionally lands on the ice during Detroit Red Wings games. Nashville Predators fans sometimes sneak in a catfish and toss it on the ice. And, of course, the ice gets littered with hats when someone scores a three-goal hat trick.

But why plastic rats? Here’s a look at the history:

Origin of plastic rats at Panthers games

It stems from the 1995-96 season when Florida’s Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the old Miami Arena. He scored two goals that night, which a teammate called a “rat trick.”

Fans picked up on the story and started throwing plastic rats on the ice after the Panthers scored goals that season, a magical one in which the team went to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final in the franchise’s third year of existence.

The Panthers were swept in the championship round with Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy telling teammates ‘no more rats’ after he gave up a goal in Game 3. He shut out the Panthers the rest of the way, including a 1-0 triple-overtime win in Game 4.

The NHL, which didn’t appreciate the long cleanup needed after each Panthers goal, changed rules that offseason to make throwing items on the ice after a goal subject to a delay of game penalty. So now rats get tossed after victories.

Panthers championship rings

When the Panthers won their first Stanley Cup title last season, they included a rat on their championship rings.

Brad Marchand adds to the history

The Panthers acquired Brad Marchand from the Boston Bruins in March in a shocking move at the trade deadline.

He has played a big role in the team’s playoff success, including the double-overtime goal in Game 2 against the Edmonton Oilers.

His nickname is Rat, so teammates shoot plastic rats at his legs before he leaves the ice after a win.

‘Rats Rule’ towels

The ‘Rats Rule’ towels that are going on every seat for Game 3 have a special touch, per TSN.

Hidden on the towels are the logos of the three teams – Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes – that the Panthers defeated to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

How to watch Panthers vs. Oilers Game 3

• Date: Monday, June 9
• Location: Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• TV: TNT, truTV
• Streaming: Max, Sling TV

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Now that was a lead that was safe.

After dropping the first game of the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder thoroughly controlled the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, June 8, in Game 2, 123-107.

Indiana, which has posted five comebacks this postseason of at least 15 points, could never seriously threaten Oklahoma City, which had five players score at least 15 points.

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton did finish with 17 points, though he had scored just five through three quarters.

Here are the winners and losers from Game 2 of the NBA Finals:

WINNERS

Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins

It wasn’t just his defense, Thunder backup guard Alex Caruso also poured in 20 points — including four drained 3-pointers — in just 27:04 of playing time. He was steady and aggressive on the offensive end, cutting into the lane when gaps opened up.

Throw in fellow backup guard Aaron Wiggins, whose 18 points — including 5-of-8 from 3 — in just 20:32 also lifted the Thunder. That Caruso and Wiggins accounted for nearly 65% of Oklahoma City’s 14 made 3-pointers, is a testament to the Thunder’s depth.

Chet Holmgren

This was exactly the bounce-back game that the Thunder needed from center Chet Holmgren. Three nights after scoring just six points on 2-of-9 shooting, Holmgren got to work, though most of his production came early. Nine of his 15 points came in the first quarter.

The Thunder go big

After opting to play mostly small in Game 1, Oklahoma City leaned much more on its double-big lineup with its pair of centers, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, on the floor at the same time. The result was instant, with the Thunder dominating points in the paint in the first half, 26-12.

“It takes discipline, but we try to really use these early games in the series to learn what are options are and what our tradeoffs are — not assume anything,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. “That was the intent tonight: just to get a little more information.”

LOSERS

Tyrese Haliburton waits way too long

Through the first three quarters, the most important player of the Pacers had scored just five points on just 2-of-7 shooting. Through the first three and a half minutes of the fourth, Haliburton had scored nine points, making all four of his attempts.

While Haliburton’s rep as a closer cannot be questioned, his inexplicably slow starts could become costly. The Thunder will clog the paint and gameplan to slow Haliburton’s attacks into the paint. He needs to find ways to score regardless.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle downplayed Haliburton’s sluggish production, saying that Indiana’s team is an ‘ecosystem’ and that it doesn’t matter where points come from.

“There’s a lot more to the game than just scoring,” he said after the game. “Everybody’s got to do more.”

Regardless, Haliburton is the team’s most gifted player and the one who can score easiest.

The Pacers have no answer for OKC’s intensity and physicality

After the game, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was asked his thoughts on how the Pacers responded to Oklahoma City’s ramped up defensive intensity. Carlisle answer was curt and straightforward.

“Not well,” he said.

The Thunder excel at crowding the paint when opposing players attack, collapsing, swarming and swatting at the ball. That is magnified particularly when Oklahoma City uses its double-big lineup with Holmgren and Hartenstein roaming down low. In the regular season, the Thunder ranked first in opponent points in the paint per game (42.5).

Indiana’s inability to attack the paint hurt its spacing and hurt its ability to get open looks from 3.

“The paint is our emphasis and the paint is our friend. The more that we’re able to attack the paint, usually better things happen for us,” Carlisle said.

Key players on Pacers bench no-show

Obi Toppin scored 17 points in Game 1. Thomas Bryant had five. Both players combined Sunday night to score 4 on 1-of-9 shooting.

Guards T.J. McConnell and Benedict Mathurin did combine for 25, but the Pacers will need much more balance from their contributions.

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The 2025 WNBA season hasn’t been the best start for the Chicago Sky. And now, the team was dealt a major blow to a star.

Guard Courtney Vandersloot suffered a torn right torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during Saturday’s loss to the Indiana Fever, the Sky announced. She will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season.

The injury happened in the first quarter against Indiana in the first ever WNBA game at the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls. Vandersloot was driving to the basket when she immediately went down and was in visible pain as she grabbed her right knee. Her teammates huddled around her, and she was eventually taken back to the locker room with the help of medical staff. She didn’t return for the remainder of the contest. The Fever won the game 79-52.

It’s a brutal injury as the WNBA veteran was playing her first season back with the team that selected her No. 3 overall in the 2011 draft. Vandersloot spent the first 11 seasons with Chicago and was instrumental in the team capturing its first WNBA title in 2021. She signed with the New York Liberty in 2023 and spent two seasons with the team, helping the Liberty win their first championship last year.

A five-time WNBA All-Star, Vandersloot is second in league history in assists with 2,887 career dimes, trailing Sue Bird’s 3,234 assists. She also owns several franchise records in Chicago, including most games played, points, assists and steals, while ranking in the top five of several other categories. She re-signed with the team in February.

‘She’s our engine,’ Sky coach Tyler Marsh said following the game against Indiana. ‘She’s our captain and our leader out there, so obviously, it’s a huge blow.’

Vandersloot averaged 10.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and a team-high 5.3 assists per game in seven games played.

Chicago is 2-5 on the season, standing in 11th place in the league as the team tries to get back to the postseason after missing it in 2024.

‘It’s heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking to watch anybody, but especially one of our teammates and someone that means as much as Sloot does to this team and organization,’ Hailey Van Lith said postgame. ‘Whatever is in store in the future for this team, I trust we will find a way to make this moment mean something in the end.’ 

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault called the Indiana Pacers an acquired taste.

“We haven’t played them a ton,” Daigneault said. “They’re not in the West obviously. They play a very distinct style on both ends.”

After wasting an opportunity to win Game 1, the Thunder were left with a bitter aftertaste against the never-quite Pacers.

The Thunder devoured the Pacers in Game 2 Sunday, June 8, evening the NBA Finals with a 123-107 victory.

While the Pacers stole home-court advantage, they haven’t played great and it’s starting to become an issue as the series moves to Indianapolis for Games 3 and 4.

“Another bad first half,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “Obviously, it was a big problem, and we just played poorly. A little bit better in the second half but you can’t be a team that’s reactive and expect to be successful or have consistency.”

At this stage, the Pacers cannot rely on their ability to complete a comeback. They need to start better, and now, it’s on Carlisle and his staff to figure that out. Indiana trailed by as many as 23 points, and while the comebacks have been compelling, it’s not a recipe for playoff success.

“We’re going to have to be a lot better on Wednesday,” Carlisle said.

The Pacers have led for just one minute and 53.3 seconds of the 96 minutes in two games and their biggest lead is three points. It’s tiresome to play from behind for that long.

The Thunder were more physical, dominated the paint for the second consecutive game and limited Tyrese Haliburton to a quiet 17 points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter when Oklahoma City had control of the game and was not in the mood to blow another double-digit lead.

How did the Pacers handle Oklahoma City’s physicality?

“Not well,” Carlisle said.

“They were the best in the league during the year at keeping people out of there (paint). They are great at it. We have to find ways to get the ball in there, and you know, it’s just there are so many things that have to go right on a set of two possessions to get the ball into the heart of their defense.”

Throughout the season and especially the playoffs, the Thunder’s top-ranked defense finds a way to take away or limit the opponent’s strengths. They did it against Denver and Minnesota in the Western conference semifinals and finals.

“Our offense is built from the inside-out, and we have to do a better job getting downhill,” Haliburton said. “They collapse and make plays from there. I thought we could improve a lot there. But yeah, they are flying around. They have got great point-of-attack defenders and great rim protectors. We can do a better job, watch the film, and see where we can get better going into Game 3.”

What about Haliburton’s performance?

“There’s a lot more to the game than just scoring. … People shouldn’t just look at his points and assists and judge how he played, or judge how any of our guys played just on that,” Carlisle said. “That’s not how our team is built. We are an ecosystem that has to function together. We’ve got to score enough points to win the game but who gets them and how they get them, not important.”

Pascal Siakam found no consolation in getting a split and grabbing home-court advantage in the series.

“You want to win every game you play, so we are not happy with how the game went today, and that’s it,” he said. “We’ve just got to turn the page, focus on Game 3. That’s the biggest game of the year.”

This series is much closer to being a 2-0 Thunder lead than a 2-0 Pacers lead, and between Game 1 and 2, Carlisle compared a playoff series to a book.

“Each game in this series is going to look different,” he said. “A playoff series is a series of seven chapters, and each one takes on a different personality.”

If the Pacers don’t find a way to start the next chapter better than they have, the book is going to close quickly on their championship aspirations.

Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

So, tennis fans, how’d you like another decade or so of that?

After Sunday’s French Open men’s final – a 5-hour, 29-minute epic that somehow ended with Carlos Alcaraz holding up the trophy for a second consecutive year – we can now officially close the book on the so-called Big Three era. 

There’s a new game in town. And it’s as spectacular to watch as anything tennis has ever seen. 

Yes, Alcaraz’s improbable comeback to beat Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (10-2) is the story of the day. Not only did Alcaraz win his fifth Grand Slam title at just one month into his 22nd year of life – an absurd accomplishment on its own – but he did it by summoning a competitive aura only the all-time greats possess.

He is, already, a legend. And that might have been the greatest match in the history of the sport. 

But the best part of Sunday’s match is that it’s not the end of the story. In many ways, it’s just the beginning.

The first Slam final between Alcaraz and Sinner not only exceeded every possible expectation, it sets an entirely new narrative for the sport. 

As Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal faded into retirement – most likely followed by Novak Djokovic in the next year or two – there was deep concern about what would come next after a 1½-decade battle between arguably the three best to ever hold a racket. 

Now we know definitively. Tennis is in the safest of hands. And barring something unforeseen, these two spectacular athletes are going to be doing battle in Grand Slam finals for many, many years to come. 

If you managed to watch the whole thing, or even just the last couple sets, it was easy to understand why that’s such a tantalizing possibility.

Let’s start with the level of play. In a word, spectacular. 

Though Sinner and Alcaraz are each elite individually, combining to win the last six Grand Slam titles, the greatness they manage to draw out of each other is unique. Though different players stylistically and tactically, they have now twice played matches that could be considered among the best in the history of the sport in terms of ballstriking, endurance and the high standard it took to win a single point. 

When they played a US Open quarterfinal deep into the night in 2022, with Alcaraz emerging after 5 hours, 15 minutes, it showed the possibility of a friendly rivalry between two generational talents that had stretched back to childhood. It has widely been considered the best match of the decade, not just for the length of the match but the drama and the quality they both laid on the line.

It only took three years to exceed that standard. 

Which leads to the second element of this ongoing story. 

What it took for Alcaraz to win that match – to beat Sinner on this particular day – was a sustained effort that few players in history could have managed. Maybe Djokovic. Maybe Nadal. Maybe. 

Because even though the all-time greats have all come back from two sets down and saved match points on the way to Grand Slam titles, few have had so little help from an opponent. Sure, there may be a shot or two that Sinner would want back after failing to convert three match points in the fourth set, then failing to serve out the tournament in the next game. But mostly, from that point until the final winner came off Alcaraz’s racket, it was mostly about his greatness and his relentless shotmaking.

Even in the fifth set, with Sinner clearly tiring more quickly than his opponent, he summoned enough energy to erase Alcaraz’s early break of serve and send the match to a final tiebreak where – guess what – Alcaraz continued to pound clean winners off impossible angles. 

Sinner did not lose this match. Alcaraz just got up off the clay and stole it. 

We can debate where this final ranks among the 2008 Wimbledon final between Nadal and Federer or the 1980 Wimbledon final between John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg when you factor in all the intangibles. But if we’re just talking about the quality of tennis played by two men over that length of time? It would be difficult to say there’s ever been a better match. 

If the world was watching Sunday, it had to love what it saw. 

And when you realize what’s ahead between them – more finals, more trophies, more history – this one felt like a moment to mark in time. 

One chapter of tennis closes, another begins. And it’s going to be as entertaining as any we’ve seen. 

OKLAHOMA CITY — Losing two consecutive games is a rarity for the Oklahoma City Thunder. It happened just twice during the 82-game regular season, and it has not happened in the 2025 NBA playoffs.

The Thunder rebounded from their painful loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals with a dominating 123-107 victory in Game 2 on Sunday, June 8, tying the series at 1-1.

Oklahoma City was much better in Game 2, protecting a double-digit lead and getting improved performances from Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams and another 30-point effort from NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Holmgren scored 15 points (more than doubling his six points in Game 1), Williams had 19 points, five rebounds and five assists and Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high 34 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals. It was the 13th time in the playoffs that he has scored at least 30 points, including nine times in his past 10 games.

Oklahoma City’s bench outscored Indiana’s 48-34 – Aaron Wiggins (18 points) and Alex Caruso (20 points) combined for nine of the Thunder’s 14 3-pointers.

Oklahoma City’s top-ranked defense limited Indiana’s high-paced offense and quieted Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton’s playmaking. Haliburton had 17 points but 12 came in the fourth quarter when the Thunder were in control. He also had just six assists.

“We just get ourselves to neutral – understand every game is different, every game is unwritten,” Thunder coach Mark Daignault said before Game 2. “That’s been a mental habit for us over time, and we try to carry that over to every situation.”

Oklahoma City avoided becoming the third team in Finals history to lose the first two games at home.

Game 3 is Wednesday, June 11, in Indianapolis (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC), and teams that win Game 3 of a 1-1 Finals win the series 80.5% of the time (33-8).

USA TODAY Sports — including NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt from Oklahoma City and NBA reporter Lorenzo Reyes — provided the latest updates, highlights, analysis and more throughout the game. Read what you missed:

NBA Finals Game 2 highlights

Final: Thunder 123, Pacers 107

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had another MVP performance as Oklahoma City shut down Indiana in Game 2 to even the best-of-seven series at 1-1.

ABC changes digital graphics mid-game

Late in the fourth quarter of Oklahoma City’s Game 2 victory over the Pacers, the ABC broadcast swapped the digitally imposed graphics of the Larry O’Brien trophy to one of the NBA Finals logos.

This followed complaints from fans on social media who griped that the court in Game 1 lacked signage commemorating the NBA Finals. Throughout the first three quarters, the broadcast showed a pair of smaller O’Brien trophies on opposite sides of the floor, near midcourt.

Then, late in the game, the broadcast removed the trophy graphics in lieu of ones with the Finals logo, which is just the word Finals in a cursive script.

End Q3: Thunder 93, Pacers 74

The Pacers are once again in familiar territory.

Indiana, which has five comebacks this postseason in games in which it faced a deficit of at least 15 points, finds itself down 19 headed into the fourth.

The Thunder are up 93-74.

The Thunder, who are getting a steady and efficient showing from NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are shooting 51.6% from the floor. But it has been their physical, handsy and persistent defense that has made the difference.

Indiana continues to struggle from the field, shooting just 38.7%.

For the Pacers to have any shot at a comeback, they will need far more from star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has just five points on only 2-of-7 shooting. The Thunder have done a tremendous job of clogging the paint when Haliburton has threatened to gash into it. In Pacers losses this postseason, Haliburton is averaging just 11.5 points per game; in victories, that figure jumps to 20.7.

Four out of the five Pacers starters have reached double figures in scoring; Haliburton is the exception.

Gilgeous-Alexander leads all players with 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting. He has added seven assists, four rebounds and four steals. — Lorenzo Reyes

Halftime: Thunder 59, Pacers 41

The Indiana Pacers did finish the second quarter decently well, but they may nonetheless be in trouble in Game 2.

Indiana, just minutes after going down 23 points, responded with a 10-0 run late in the second quarter, though Oklahoma City charged right back. The Thunder outscored the Pacers by 12 in the second quarter and are holding a 59-41 edge headed into intermission.

The Pacers are doing a far better job of protecting the ball than they did in the first half of Game 1, when they committed 20 turnovers before halftime. Tonight that figure was nine, but Indiana still does not appear comfortable with its offense, with shot creation coming with more difficulty.

The Pacers are shooting only 34.9% from the floor and just 31.8% from 3. Indiana made just a pair of 3s in the second quarter and doesn’t have a single player scoring in double figures; both Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard have nine points apiece.

The Thunder, meanwhile, are shooting 51.1% from the field. NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads all players with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting. — Lorenzo Reyes

OKC avalanche opens up big lead

On a 9-0 run midway through the second quarter — their second 9-point spurt in the game — the Thunder have opened a 15-point lead. It was their biggest of the game.

Then, minutes later, the Thunder continued to force turnovers, continued to make baskets and extended it even further, to 23 with the Thunder up 52-29.

Oklahoma City is dominating in the paint, topping Indiana by an 22-6 margin. Thunder center Chet Holmgren continues to have a solid game with 11 points, while guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads all players with 13.

Suddenly, this might turn into a deficit that even the Pacers will have a hard time overcoming. — Lorenzo Reyes

Where is sideline reporter Lisa Salters?

ESPN NBA sideline reporter Lisa Salters missed ABC’s broadcast of Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers due to a ‘personal matter.’

During its telecast Sunday night, ESPN disclosed that Salters’ mother is dealing with “serious health issues.’ In an earlier statement, ESPN revealed Salters would miss Sunday night’s game in Oklahoma City and said, “We send her our best.” 

Jorge Sedano, who had been the sideline reporter for ESPN radio during the finals, replaced Salters. Vanessa Richardson stepped in for him on the radio call. The network has not yet disclosed plans for Game 3, which is scheduled for Wednesday, June 11, in Indianapolis. — Mike Bumbaca

End Q1: Thunder 26, Pacers 20

In Game 1, there was a single lead change and it came with 0.3 seconds remaining. In the first quarter of Game 2 on Sunday night, there were already six.

Still, both teams had sluggish offensive starts to the game, as the Thunder have taken a modest 26-20 lead after one.

The Thunder shot 10-of-21 (47.6%) from the field, while the Pacers lagged behind, making just a third (7-of-21) of their attempts. Just like in Game 1, Indiana’s 3-point shooting proved to be a stabilizing force; the Pacers hit five from beyond the arc in the first period.

After having a slow start in Game 1, Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton once again had difficulty getting going, hitting just 1-of-4 tries for three points. Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard leads the team with six points, though six different Pacers have scored.

One good sign for the Thunder? Center Chet Holmgren, who struggled significantly in Game 1, already surpassed his output from Thursday night (six points) with nine on 4-of-5 shooting.

The Thunder have deployed their double-big lineup early, with Holmgren and backup Isaiah Hartenstein getting extended minutes together.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished the quarter with six points on 2-of-5 shooting. — Lorenzo Reyes

NBA Finals fans unhappy with ABC’s pre-game coverage

There was a level of frustration on social media in the final moments before the start of Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the OKC Thunder.Fans expressed disappointment at the ABC/ESPN broadcast for not showing the National Anthem being performed or the starting lineups being announced. Some have cited that it takes away from the big- game feel of the event.The Oklahoma City Philharmonic took part in performing the National Anthem ahead of Game 2 on Sunday.Rob Clay, a local pastor and singer, sang the anthem before Game 1 on Thursday. — James Williams

ABC digitally adds the Larry O’Brien trophy onto the court

After fans on social media griped about the lack of NBA Finals signage on the floor during Game 1, ABC appears to have taken a swing to appease the criticism.

Minutes into Game 2’s broadcast Sunday night, fans likely noticed a pair of Larry O’Brien trophies digitally imposed on opposite ends of the floor, near midcourt. The graphics are rather small and nowhere near the ones that dominated midcourt that fans may recall from some years ago.

In 2014, the NBA opted to remove the NBA Finals and Larry O’Brien decals because of safety concerns. — Lorenzo Reyes

What time is Thunder vs Pacers game today?

The Oklahoma City Thunder hosts the Indiana Pacers for Game 2 of the NBA Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

Where to watch Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 2

• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City)
• TV: ABC
• Stream: Fubo (free trial) | Sling TV

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Where is Game 2 between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder?

The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City for Game 2 of the NBA Finals. 

Don Nelson honored with Chuck Daly Award

OKLAHOMA CITY — Basketball Hall of Famer Don Nelson, one of the great offensive innovators in basketball history, was honored with the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award before Game 2.

He showed up wearing Luka Doncic’s new signature Nike shoes – in protest of the Dallas Mavericks trading Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I think it was a tremendous mistake by the Dallas franchise to trade him, and I want everybody to know that,’ Nelson said.

Nelson, 85, is the NBA’s second all-time winningest coach with 1,335 victories in stints with Milwaukee, Golden State, New York and Dallas. He was named Coach of the Year three times (1983, 1985 and 1992), and his knack for playing fast, smaller, 3-point shooting lineups was a precursor to how the game is often played today.

“Well, when I played with the Celtics and I played for Red Auerbach for one year, and then Tommy Heinsohn and Bill Russell after that, we always played a game, bigs against smalls,” Nelson said. “And in the full-court game, bigs never won. Smalls always won. You play a half-court game, bigs always won. But you get them in a full court, they didn’t dribble, can’t pass, make plays. So the small teams always won. I always thought in a full-court game, if you made it a fast game, not a slow game, you could beat the bigger teams.

‘I also figured out that there are hundreds of small guards who can just shoot the (expletive) out of the ball.’ — Jeff Zillgitt

Opinion: Pacers teach Thunder tough lesson in Game 1. Don’t count them out

OKLAHOMA CITY — Discouraged and encouraged. Angry and optimistic.

Those were the emotions the Indiana Pacers felt throughout Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Discouraged and angry about their inability to protect the basketball, which led to 20 first-half turnovers.

“They are a menace defensively,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said.

Tyrese Haliburton’s 21-foot jump shot with 0.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter gave the Pacers a 111-110 victory Thursday, June 5, and a 1-0 series lead. It left the Thunder and their fans stunned. Read Jeff Zillgitt’s full column here.

Pacers coach gave Thunder GM advice that helped him reach NBA C-suite

OKLAHOMA CITY — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle first met Thunder general manager Sam Presti 25 years ago, and Carlisle told reporters that after the Pacers fired him in 2000, he spent time around the Spurs, where Presti got his start.

“He is from the Boston area. So, he had grown up a Celtics fan,” Carlisle said. “He actually remembered when I played, which was miraculous to me. Seemed like he was probably way too young for that. We had a couple of dinners together. He asked me, ‘What can I do? I got to somehow get a job out of this.’

“I said, ‘Just become a guy they can’t live without.’ ”

Presti has done that – first with the Spurs and now during nearly two decades with the Thunder. He has an expert eye for talent, a special knack for roster construction and a clear understanding of the collective bargaining agreement/salary cap machinations. He has the vision to see where the league is headed. Read Jeff Zillgitt’s full column here.

Opinion: Thunder’s Chet Holmgren cannot repeat Game 1 disappearing act

OKLAHOMA CITY — At 7-foot-1, it’s difficult to go unnoticed.

But for the majority of his 23 minutes, 31 seconds in Game 1, Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren was invisible, a non-factor in the Indiana Pacers’ stunning 111-110 victory Thursday, June 5.

Holmgren scored a playoffs-low six points on 2-for-9 shooting, including a miss on his only 3-point attempt. It was also his third-fewest minutes on the court in the playoffs. He also had just 28 touches offensively compared to 40 touches in the series clinching Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against Minnesota. He had 47 touches in Game 4 against the Timberwolves. Read Jeff Zillgitt’s full column here.

NBA Finals Game 2 referees

• Zach Zarba (12th Finals)
• James Williams (fifth Finals)
• Ben Taylor (first Finals)

Thunder keep Cason Wallace as starter for Game 2

OKLAHOMA CITY — Thunder coach Mark Daigneault is sticking with the same starting lineup as Game 1. There was speculation Daigneault would go back to Isaiah Hartenstein in the starting lineup for Game 2, but that’s not the case. Cason Wallace remains a starter, and Hartenstein will come off the bench.

During the first three rounds of the playoffs, Holmgren and Hartenstein shared the court an average of 12 minutes per game. They didn’t play a minute together in Game 1 against the Pacers.

“I think we are pretty familiar with the archetypes of our lineups and what the tradeoffs are, and one of the strengths of our team is we can deploy those at different times, different times in a game, different times in a series,” Daigneault said before Game 2. “I obviously opted to go away from that in Game 1. That’s not necessarily predictive of the rest of the series. That’s just where we started the series. That lineup has been very good for us and has very strong strengths and if we think it can help us in a game or in a portion of a game, then we’re to going to it.”

During the regular season, the starting lineup of Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was 6-0. — Jeff Zillgitt

Thunder trace ties to tight-knit fan community to 1995 Oklahoma City bombing

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault was just 10 years old at the time of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995.

Just two players on the Thunder’s roster had been born at that time – Alex Caruso had just turned 1, and Kenrich Williams was 4 months old.

But they all have knowledge of the crime and tragedy because every Thunder employee – from the business side to basketball operations, from first-round draft pick to a player on a two-way G League contract – visits and tours the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.

“I was on that tour within a month of working here,” said Daigneault, who was hired as the franchise’s G League coach in 2014. “There’s literally no one that’s ever put a logo on their chest that has not been through there because it’s just such a big part of the story of the city and the kindness, the compassion that the city has and this community has not only for the team but for one another.” Read Jeff Zillgitt’s full story here.

Tyrese Haliburton NBA postseason heroics renew debate. Does ‘clutch’ play exist?

Tyrese Haliburton has triggered discussion and renewed a debate. The discussion: Does the Indiana Pacers star deserve to be ranked among the most clutch shooters in NBA playoffs history? The debate: Does “clutch’’ play even exist?

Well, one problem, according to a 2019 research paper entitled, ‘Clutch performance in sport and exercise: a systematic review,” is the following: ‘Multiple, conflicting definitions of clutch performance were identified in the literature, which consequently led to the adoption of two distinct approaches to examining clutch performance …”

So, for the purposes of this story, let’s stick with the conventional definition: making big shots with the game on the line.“When we looked at the data, we couldn’t find real evidence of clutch players,’’ Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist at Duke who disclosed his findings in 2010, told USA TODAY Sports. “But we found lots of evidence that people believed that clutch exists.’’

That evidence is mounting thanks to Haliburton. Read Josh Peter’s story on the clutch play debate here.

Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals Game 2 starting lineups

Pacers

• Aaron Nesmith
• Pascal Siakam
• Myles Turner
• Andrew Nembhard
• Tyrese Haliburton

Thunder

• Lu Dort
• Jalen Williams
• Chet Holmgren
• Cason Wallace
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

NBA Finals matchup: SGA vs. Haliburton

The 2025 NBA Finals is, in many ways, a celebration of the point guard.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player and the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar, and Tyrese Haliburton, the pass-first point guard with a penchant in the clutch, are each franchise’s hope to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Though they likely won’t match up directly all the time, the responsibility of guarding the other likely falling to more specialized defenders, Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton are reshaping the image of the point guard in the modern NBA.

USA TODAY’s Jeff Zillgitt and Lorenzo Reyes look at the Pacers’ and Thunder’s biggest stars.

Indiana Pacers are no ‘fluke’

The Indiana Pacers’ run to the Eastern Conference finals last season was a fluke. They beat up the injury-riddled Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks to reach the Eastern Conference finals.

Jeff Zillgitt dives into Tyrese Haliburton’s thoughts on the Pacers’ remarkable run this year.

Pacers forward Jarace Walker remains out

OKLAHOMA CITY — Pacers second-year forward Jarace Walker (sprained right ankle) is out for Game 2, and Indiana coach Rick Carlisle it not sure if he can return for this series.

‘He’s doing better but he’s not close to playing,’ Carlisle said. ‘He’s on one crutch. Hopefully going to be off crutches in the next day or so. I mean, it’s a long series. It’s 18 days. He’s young. There’s a possibility he could get back. But right now, it’s been nine days, I think, since it happened. He’s not there yet.’ ‒ Jeff Zillgitt

NBA Finals logo: Why isn’t the iconic logo on the court?

As Game 1 of the NBA Finals began at Paycom Center, discerning fans on social media asked: “Why aren’t there NBA Finals logos on the court?”

For the most part – there are two exceptions – the NBA has not placed Finals logos on the court since the 2014 Finals.

Some fans clamored to see a court that matched the magnitude of the event – meaning they didn’t want to see a court that was no different than a regular-season game. It was pointed out that the league’s NBA Cup court has logos on it for the in-season tournament.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took note of the comments and explained.

USA TODAY Sports’s Jeff Zillgitt breaks down why the logo is absent from the court this series.

NBA 3-pointer reigns supreme for championship teams

The NBA’s 3-point shot has enemies.

Too many 3s, they say. The shot is ruining the game, they say.

And those critics of the 3-point shot found ammunition in the Eastern Conference semifinals of this season’s playoffs when the Boston Celtics attempted 60 3-pointers and missed 45 against the New York Knicks. The guffawing ignored the fact that Boston’s 3-point shooting was instrumental in its 2023-24 championship season and in its 61-21 record this season.

Regardless of your aesthetic view of how basketball should be played and what it should look like, the 3-point shot has turned divisive but remains vital to winning championships.

USA TODAY’s Jeff Zillgitt takes a deeper look at this divisive shot.

Thunder vs. Pacers: Who has the edge?

The Thunder were the best team in the regular season and have been the best team in the playoffs. The Pacers have been impressive the past two seasons, but this has seemed like Oklahoma City’s year since the first game in October.

Find out who has the edge in various categories with Jeff Zillgitt’s NBA Finals breakdown.

NBA’s new era of parity

If the impending NBA Finals matchup of the league’s 23^rd and 27^th-ranked media markets is supposed to spell doom for the league, it is a doom the NBA’s owners intentionally brought on themselves. 

While two glitz-free Midwestern cities in the Finals might not have the celebrity pull the NBA has largely enjoyed through its historically successful franchises, it was an inevitable outcome once the league designed a collective bargaining agreement that dismantled its traditional cycle of superteams and dynasties. 

Welcome to the new NBA, where championship windows are smaller, the life cycle of a roster is shorter and the number of teams that can win a title in any given year is beyond anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes. — Dan Wolken

Read Wolken’s full column here.

Thunder vs. Pacers odds: Game 2

The Oklahoma City Thunder are favorites to even the series 1-1 with the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals, according to BetMGM (odds as of Saturday, June 7):

• Spread: Thunder (-10.5)
• Moneyline: Thunder (-625); Pacers (+450)
• Over/under: 228.5

NBA championship odds 

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter Game 2 as the favorite to win the 2025 NBA Finals over the Indiana Pacers, according to BetMGM (odds as of Saturday, June 7)

• Series winner: Thunder (-350); Pacers (+275)

Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals picks: USA TODAY staff predictions

USA TODAY: Every expert picks the Thunder

Ahead of the series opener, all of the NBA experts at USA TODAY Sports picked the Oklahoma City Thunder to beat the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals

• Scooby Axson: Thunder in five
• Cydney Henderson: Thunder in six
• Jordan Mendoza: Thunder in six
• Lorenzo Reyes: Thunder in six
• Heather Tucker: Thunder in five
• James Williams: Thunder in six
• Jeff Zillgitt: Thunder in five

Thunder vs. Pacers predictions, expert picks for NBA Finals Game 2

USA TODAY: Nearly every expert picks the Thunder in Game 2

• Scooby Axson: Pacers 124, Thunder 117
• Jordan Mendoza: Thunder 104, Pacers 92
• Lorenzo Reyes: Thunder 111, Pacers 102
• Heather Tucker: Thunder 117, Pacers 110
• James Williams: Thunder 115, Pacers 95
• Jeff Zillgitt: Thunder 120, Pacers 109

2025 All-NBA team 

Oklahoma City Thunder guard and league Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were unanimous selections from a panel of 100 global reporters and broadcasters who cover the NBA voted on the squad. View the complete list. 

NBA champions by year

Winners over the past 20 years. For a full list of champions, visit NBA.com.

• 2023-24 — Boston Celtics 
• 2022-23 — Denver Nuggets
• 2021-22 — Golden State Warriors
• 2020-21 — Milwaukee Bucks 
• 2019-20 — Los Angeles Lakers 
• 2018-19 — Toronto Raptors 
• 2017-18 — Golden State Warriors 
• 2016-17 — Golden State Warriors 
• 2015-16 — Cleveland Cavaliers 
• 2014-15 — Golden State Warriors 
• 2013-14 — San Antonio Spurs 
• 2012-13 — Miami Heat 
• 2011-12 — Miami Heat 
• 2010-11 — Dallas Mavericks 
• 2009-10 — Los Angeles Lakers 
• 2008-09 — Los Angeles Lakers 
• 2007-08 — Boston Celtics
• 2006-07 — San Antonio Spurs 
• 2005-06 — Miami Heat 
• 2004-05 — San Antonio Spurs 

Thunder vs. Pacers Game 2 TV channel

The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers at 8 p.m. ET with coverage on ABC.

How to stream NBA Finals Game 2: Thunder vs. Pacers

Game 2 between the Thunder and Pacers is available on ABC. Fans also can stream the action with Sling TV and Fubo, which offers a free trial for new users.

NBA Finals schedule: Pacers vs. Thunder

• Game 1, June 5: Pacers 111, Thunder 110
• Game 2, June 8: Thunder 123, Pacers 107
• Game 3, June 11: Thunder at Pacers | ABC, Fubo | 8:30 p.m.
• Game 4, June 13: Thunder at Pacers | ABC, Fubo | 8:30 p.m.
• Game 5, June 16: Pacers at Thunder | ABC, Fubo | 8:30 p.m.
• Game 6, June 19: Thunder at Pacers | ABC, Fubo | 8:30 p.m.*
• Game 7, June 22: Pacers at Thunder | ABC, Fubo | 8 p.m.*

All times Eastern; *-if necessary

Updated NBA Finals MVP odds

Odds via BetMGM on Saturday, June 7.

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-300)
• Tyrese Haliburton (+340)
• Pascal Siakam (+1300)
• Jalen Williams (+6600)
• Chet Holmgren (+15000)
• Myles Turner (+15000)
• Andrew Nembhard (+15000)

How many Finals have the Thunder won?

The Oklahoma City Thunder have one NBA Championship. It came in 1979 when the franchise was located in Seattle as the SuperSonics. It has not won a title since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.

How many Finals have the Pacers won?

The Indiana Pacers have not won an NBA Championship. It has two Eastern Conference titles (2000, 2025).

Full OKC Thunder roster for NBA Finals

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• Chet Holmgren
• Jalen Williams
• Luguentz Dort
• Alex Caruso
• Isaiah Joe
• Cason Wallace
• Jaylin Williams
• Aaron Wiggins
• Kenrich Williams
• Isaiah Hartenstein
• Ousmane Diang
• Nikola Topic
• Ajay Mitchell
• Dillon Jones

Full Indiana Pacers roster for NBA Finals

• Tyrese Haliburton
• Pascal Siakam
• Myles Turner
• Benedict Mathurin
• Obi Toppin
• Andrew Nebhard
• Aaron Nesmith
• T.J. McConnell
• Isaiah Jackson
• Jarace Walker
• Ben Sheppard
• Johnny Furphy
• James Johnson
• Thomas Bryant

Who are the referees for Thunder vs Pacers NBA Finals Game 2?

Official assignments are announced at 9 a.m. on the day of the game. Here are the referees assigned to the 2025 NBA Finals.

• Tony Brothers (14th Finals)
• David Guthrie (eighth Finals)
• James Capers (13th Finals)
• Ben Taylor (first Finals)
• Marc Davis (14th Finals)
• Josh Tiven (sixth Finals)
• Tyler Ford (first Finals)
• James Williams (fifth Finals)
• Scott Foster (18th Finals)
• Sean Wright (second Finals)
• John Goble (ninth Finals)
• Zach Zarba (12th Finals)

NBA playoff bracket 

Eastern Conference finals 

• No. 4 Indiana Pacers def. No. 3 New York Knicks, 4-2

Western Conference finals 

• No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder def. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves, 4-1

NBA Finals

• No. 4 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder (Pacers lead series 1-0)

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BRISTOL, Mich. — Denny Hamlin’s life hasn’t been easy recently. He’s waiting on the birth of his baby and his team is dealing with a lawsuit that could have profound impacts on how they race.

But on Sunday afternoon, none of that seemed to affect him at Michigan International Speedway in the FireKeepers Casino 400 as he claimed his 57th career NASCAR Cup Series victory, ranking him 11th on the all-time list.

Hamlin passed William Byron with three laps remaining in the race and held on as Byron ran out of fuel. Hamlin, himself, had just enough gas left for a burnout. It was Hamlin’s third career win at Michigan and his first since Aug. 21, 2011.

During his celebration after the race, Hamlin taunted a crowd – which was offering a mixture of boos and cheers – by breaking out Ohio State’s ‘O-S-U’ chant, leaning into his role as a provocateur.

Chase Briscoe led on pole at the start of the race, but it wasn’t long before William Byron took the lead. Stage 1 was a clean affair with no cautions – a statement that would not be true for the remainder of the race. Chris Buescher, who started in sixth, pursued Byron for much of the stage, eventually overtaking him at Lap 35. Buescher won Stage 1.

In Stage 2, anarchy broke out on the track. Lead changes abounded as yellow flag after yellow flag waved from the finish line. The starting order was mixed at the start as teams pitted, and one notable jump was from Carson Hocevar, a native of Portage, Michigan, who moved from 10^th at the end of Stage 1 to third at the beginning of Stage 2.

Ultimately, though, that wouldn’t matter. A yellow flag followed by a red flag on a crash on Turn 2 at Lap 67 that took out Alex Bowman and Cole Custer, along with the pit changes drivers opted for, scrambled the order again and again. Byron proved steady again, winning Stage 2 as well despite all the cautions.

At one point, Michigan native Brad Keselowski was in the top four, but lost it after Ryan Blaney spun into the fence for the final caution of the second stage. Exiting that caution, Hocevar executed one of the best passes of the day, slingshotting himself into third place around both Tyler Reddick and Ross Chastain to claim third at the end of the stage.

The Portage native wasn’t done, either. More cautions came in Stage 3, but Hocevar took the lead after a rear-tire blowout from Todd Gilliland gave the field the seventh caution of the day. As fuel concerns became more prescient, Byron seemed content to sit behind Hocevar until late in the race.

He wouldn’t need to, though. On Lap 182, Hocevar suddenly began slowing, dropping place after place at Turn 3 as his tire blew out. Byron retook the lead as Denny Hamlin loomed behind him, pushing the No. 24 car to use more and more fuel.

As the laps ticked down, Hamlin kept pushing Byron, and at Lap 196, the two of them battled for the lead for an entire lap. Hamlin eventually made the pass and took the lead with three laps remaining in the race.

And with just enough gas, Hamlin crossed the finish line to win the day.