NBA Finals preview, expert picks; Oilers rally to top Panthers in OT in Stanley Cup opener

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🏀 Good morning to all, but especially to …

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers

The NBA finals are here and they will be an absolute Dandy. Tonight, the Thunder host the Markers in Game 1 Of what should be an exciting clash.

We have already commented on how Oklahoma City arrived here Three wonderful summersAlthough Sam Quinn even he went back to a free departure agent from Seattle Days. (The fans of Seattle, by the way, are torn.)

Jasmine Wimbish examined How did you get the pacers.

• Walkh: “Like thunder, this current pacers can be traced back to Paul George Trade … the return package was two young people inside Victor Oladipo and Domantas soaps. … Indiana trade finally soaps in the Kingsthey were desperate to find a versatile advantage to combine with whom they thought was their central piece in the franchise Of Aaron Fox. Sacramento sent Haliburton to the pacers, in what he was and is still a shocking decision given the ascent of Haliburton with the kings and obviously the other way around. “

Haliburton was not always the star. Matt Norlander detailed The rise of Haliburton into Iowa stateand as Cameron Salern said to his gaze All end players as high school recruitmentHaliburton was not even in the top 175 of his class. Now, it is a superstar that leads team A in the NBA finals.

Haliburton, who fought in two regular season games against Oklahoma City, will have to play well for Indiana to remove what would Very annoying. Our Expert options They are inside, and Jack Maloney says …

• Maloney: “”Thunder in six. The thunder prospered by overwhelming teams defensively and to make the changes, but the pacers take care of the ball very well. The pacers have challenged the odds at each step because no one had a response for their rhythm, approach and depth of five outings, but the thunder welcomes this style of play. … Although the pacers may have a slight advantage at the end offensive with their shot, they have not faced a defense like thunder in their east career. In the end, the thunder’s defensive brightness and the general advantage of the talent will be the difference. “

😃 Honorable Mentions

😕 not so honorable mentions

🏒 End of the Stanley Cup 1: Leon Draisaitl marks the winner of Overtime for Oilers

They will always be these two, right? Leon Draisaitl scored the game of game game game McDavid Connor to lift the Oily to a 4-3 victory over the Panthers In match 1 of the Stanley Cup final.

• Draisaitl opened the score at only 1:06 in the contest, making a rebound at home.
• Only Sam Bennett I arrived at the front of the network and turned off Carter Verhaegheshoots on the net and Brad Marchand He scored a power goal to give Florida a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.
• Bennett hit again, this time ending very well with a strange rush, at the beginning of the second period, only for the oilers to be drawn in a 77 seconds after Viktor ArvidssonShoots through a screen.
• In the third period, McDavid finally started, offering a beautiful hand assistance Mattas ekholm to tie the game.
• With less than a minute in the first extension session, McDavid took a back pass from the back Corey Perry And he found an open Draisaitl, who buried him.

Once again, I couldn’t really have been anyone else. It was the third target of Draisaitl’s extension of these playoffs, tied for most in a single post-season, and it was the 32nd Playoff McDavid game, drawing, tie. Ray bourque, Doug Gilmour and Sidney Crosby third in all time.

The Duo of the Edmonton Superstrel must follow Shining, writes Austin Nivison in his take away. So far, so good.

🏀 NBA All-Star Game to count on the U.S.

Adam Silver Get to know the All-Star game of the NBA has lackedAnd “missing” is very good. At least for a year, it plans to change it. The NBA Commissioner told to USA vs. The world format is in works for the Game All-Star 2026.

• This idea is years in the preparationand several stars – More recently Giannis antekounmpo – have approved a US-VS.-Món format.
• The All-Star 2026 weekend coincides with the Winter Olympics, which makes an international look more appropriate.
• Silver, who pointed to the Success of the 4 nations face-off At the NHL last February, he said that the 2026 All-Star game will be an afternoon thing that will lead to the Olympic coverage in the evening.

All-Star teams are significant in contract negotiations, and the NBA is still overwhelmingly American-19 of the 26 selections/replacements of the 2025 event were Americans, so were the Americans, so Finding an equitable system (or maybe going without one) is an obstacle.

Suns hire Jordan Ott ahead of the low season

After a considerable search, the Sun hired Jordan there As a coach.

• OTT comes from the KnightsWhere he was the assistant coach of the team 64-18 season. Before, was an assistant with the Lakes and the Nets and a video coordinator for the Hawks.
• Ott will be the fourth different coach of Phoenix in four years. The Suns shot Mike Budenholzer This season drops, Frank Vogel the season drops before and Monty Williams The season drops before that.
• Ott continues the Michigan state Influence under the owner Matte ishbiawho played the Spartans. Ott got a master’s degree from Michigan State and served Tom IzzoThe staff staff.

OTT inherits a team that is Is expected to market Kevin during This summer and, given the lack of future assets, it could face a long way ahead.

🏈 Classification of the new new QB/WR and QB/Coach Duos

Off -season practices are mature for exaggerations, especially in the quarterback game. Every interception encounters “it stinks” and “it is only practical; it is time to experiment”. Each touchdown encounters “it looks so good” and “it’s only practical; it doesn’t matter.”

The last one is probably the only one accurate, especially so soon. It is only practical, good or bad. However, it is fun to imagine what could be for new couples and we have done it. Tyler Sullivan ranked the Top 15 New Duos of Quarterback/Recipter broadWhile Cody Benjamin sorted the 13 New Quarterback/Coach Duos.

I, like Tyler, am very excited by number 1 on his list.

• Sullivan: “”1. Matthew Stafford and ADAMS – In its last five games of the regular season, Adams took 36 balls for 510 yards and five touchdowns. This is a rhythm of 122-1,734-17 on a complete season of 17 games. With Stafford, Adams clearly updated the quarterback and with PUKA NACUA aligning —s opposed to him within a Sean McVay-The crime, this pairing should take the league by storm by 2025. “

Adams is Make a positive impact In Nacua, too.

📺 What are we seeing on Thursday

⚾ Diamondbacks in braves12:15 on the MLB network
⚾ Mets to Dodgers16:10 on the MLB network
⚾ Guardians in Yankees19:05 on the MLB network
🥎 Texas vs Texas Tech (Texas leads 1-0)20 Has espn
🏀 Game 1: Pacers to Thunder20:30 in ABC