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Kings interested in Jrue Holiday? What to make of latest trade rumor

Kings interested in Jrue Holiday? What to make of latest trade rumor originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

If the Boston Celtics are going to get under the second apron of the luxury tax, that would require trading an important player or two from this past season’s roster.

One player who the C’s could potentially consider trading is Jrue Holiday. He is a tremendous all-around guard and still one of the best wing defenders in the league. He also brings championship experience and great leadership.

But Holiday is also 35 years old, has three more years left on his contract with an average annual salary of around $34 million, and some of his stats declined this past season. He scored only 11.1 points per game — his lowest single-season scoring average since his 2009-10 rookie campaign. Holiday’s 35.3 3-point percentage was his lowest since 2018-19.

The Celtics also have good depth in the backcourt with Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Jaylen Brown, among others.

One team that might be interested in a potential Holiday trade this summer is the Sacramento Kings.

“New general manager Scott Perry, remember, immediately highlighted the Kings’ need for improved playmaking during his introductory press conference and sources have duly linked Sacramento to various guards known to be available this summer,” Jake Fischer reported on The Stein Line Substack (via Bleacher Report). “That list includes Holiday in Boston and (Marcus) Smart in Washington… and stretches to more affordable free agent ballhandlers like Malcolm Brogdon.”

The Kings aren’t the only team that could be interested in acquiring Holiday. Marc Stein reported late last month that the Dallas Mavericks are “expected to at least explore whether there are any feasible trade pathways” to a Holiday deal, while adding “complicated as that would likely be given the three years and $104 million still left on Holiday’s contract.”

There are different Celtics-Mavericks trade packages you could come up with that would make some sense for both sides. It’s much harder to conjure up those deals with the Kings. Frankly, the Kings just don’t have a good roster.

A deal where DeMar DeRozan (and another player or two) goes to the Celtics in a Holiday trade would work financially, but the Kings guard isn’t exactly the type of player who would thrive in Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla’s 3-point focused system. DeRozan has scored 20-plus points per game in 12 straight seasons, but he mostly takes mid-range shots and doesn’t attempt many 3-pointers. He’s a career 30 percent shooter from beyond the arc. He also isn’t an amazing playmaker, he doesn’t rebound at a high level and his perimeter defense is average.

DeRozan is also 35 years old, so he wouldn’t be a long-term fit, either.

There are ways to make a league-compliant trade where Holiday goes to the Kings, but the return for the Celtics likely wouldn’t be as strong as it might be from other potential trade partners.

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Knicks reportedly focus search for new coach on available coaches such as Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins

As the only remaining coaching vacancy, the Knicks feel no pressure to rush their decision on their next head coach, a sentiment echoed by Knicks broadcaster Mike Breen (in the video above) and other reports out of New York.

That hasn't made the coaching search appear any less rudderless.

The Knicks' plan — led by owner James Dolan — was to fire Tom Thibodeau (even though he took them to their first Eastern Conference Finals in a quarter century). That was it. Beyond that, things were a little more vague, as Sam Amick explored at The Athletic. The Knicks had a list of at least five currently employed coaches they checked in on — most notably Jason Kidd of Dallas — and in each case, they were rejected by the teams, which did not give permission to speak with their coaches.

That has the Knicks focusing on coaches not currently employed, Amick reports.

"League sources say there is an increased Knicks focus on two former coaches who don't require permission to pursue: Mike Brown (last with the Sacramento Kings) and Taylor Jenkins (formerly of the Memphis Grizzlies). There could certainly be more names of (available) head coaches emerging soon, as a league source said the Knicks are planning on finalizing that list in the coming days. But Brown, in particular, profiles as an interesting option given the complicated nature of the Knicks' inner circle."

Brown has tight ties with William "Worldwide Wes" Wesley, the right hand of Knicks president Leon Rose and someone reportedly with the ear of Dolan. Brown coached the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference Finals in the LeBron James era, coached the Lakers, then with the Kings broke that franchise's record 16-year playoff drought. He also interviewed for the Knicks job in 2000, when it went to Thibodeau.

Jenkins was the winningest coach in Grizzlies history before being fired with three weeks to go in the season (if the goal was to spark the team into playing better, that failed). He has a good reputation around the league.

How either of them plays with the fan base as an upgrade over Thibodeau... that would be something to watch.

Don't expect New York to make its decision soon. The Knicks know they are the only remaining coaching vacancy and feel no pressure to make a move. This could drag out a while longer.

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O'Connor: C's want to avoid Jaylen or D-White trade, but hearing offers

O'Connor: C's want to avoid Jaylen or D-White trade, but hearing offers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics would prefer not to trade Jaylen Brown or Derrick White this offseason, but what if a team comes calling with an enticing offer for one of their stars?

According to NBA insider Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports, the Celtics have already fielded calls from teams interested in Brown and White. Boston is listening to trade offers for anyone on its roster, with the exception of injured superstar Jayson Tatum.

“Besides Tatum, the Celtics are at least listening to offers for everybody out there, whether it’s Derrick White or Jaylen Brown,” O’Connor said on NBC Sports Boston’s The Off C’season special. “Shams (Charania) said big offers have been made for those guys. How can you not listen? Now, as Shams said, and I’ve heard as well, I don’t think Boston wants to trade Jaylen Brown or wants to trade Derrick White. They want to go the Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Sam Hauser route for getting under the second apron.

“But ultimately, they want to avoid Brown or White trades. That’s what is going around the NBA. That’s what everybody’s talking about. But teams are making offers, so you at least have to listen. If somebody comes over the top with some absurd offer on draft night or the day before the draft, maybe that’s the route that makes more sense for you to go if it seems like it’s too good to be true that it’s actually an offer being made to you.”

On a previous episode of The Off C’season, O’Connor mentioned the San Antonio Spurs as a potential trade partner for Brown. The Spurs have the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — likely Rutgers guard Dylan Harper — and a handful of active players who could pique the president of basketball operations Brad Stevens’ interest.

As for White, the Golden State Warriors reportedly have expressed interest in the two-time All-Defensive guard. For what it’s worth, NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics analyst Brian Scalabrine emphatically stated that “there’s no way in hell” White isn’t on the team next season and beyond.

Regardless, the Celtics will have to make some difficult decisions this summer as they aim to get under the second apron of the luxury tax. They must shed roughly $20 million to make that happen, which will require parting ways with at least one rotation player from their championship core. Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Sam Hauser each are prime candidates to be moved, though our The Off C’season panel argued in favor of keeping Porzingis.

Big moves could be made before the 2025 NBA Draft begins on Wednesday, June 25. The Celtics currently own the No. 28 and No. 32 overall picks.

Watch the full episode of The Off C’season featuring O’Connor, Scalabrine, Chris Forsberg, and Drew Carter below:

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Celtics draft fits: Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. could add scoring depth

Celtics draft fits: Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. could add scoring depth originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics have finished in the top eight in points scored per game each of the last three seasons.

Boston’s depth and outside shooting have been huge reasons for that offensive success. And, of course, it also helps to have two All-NBA caliber players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

But despite this recent success, it might be challenging for the Celtics to maintain their status as one of the league’s highest-scoring teams next season.

Tatum could miss most or all of the 2025-26 campaign as he recovers from Achilles surgery. The C’s also might have to trade away some veteran players to get under the second apron of the luxury tax. If that happens, it’s possible that players such as Sam Hauser or Jrue Holiday could be moved. Holiday and Hauser aren’t elite offensive players, but both of them are very good outside shooters.

If the Celtics do make significant roster changes this summer, how will they bolster their scoring depth?

More Celtics best draft fits:

The 2025 NBA Draft is one of the best options. The Celtics own the No. 28 overall pick in the first round and the second pick (No. 32 overall) in the second round.

One player who fits what the Celtics need off the bench and could be available when they pick in the first round is Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr.

Learn more about Clayton and his potential fit with the C’s below:

Walter Clayton Jr.’s bio

  • Position: Guard
  • Height: 6-foot-3
  • Weight: 195 pounds
  • Birthdate: March 6, 2003
  • Birthplace: Lake Wales, Florida
  • College: Florida

Walter Clayton Jr.’s collegiate stats

  • 2024-25 (w/Florida): 18.3 points, 4.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 44.8 field goal percentage (39 games)
  • 2023-24 (w/Florida): 17.6 points, 2.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 43.2 field goal percentage (36 games)
  • 2022-23 (w/Iona): 16.8 points, 3.2 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 45.5 field goal percentage (32 games)
  • 2021-22 (w/Iona): 7.3 points, 1.6 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 43.4 field goal percentage (32 games)

Walter Clayton Jr.’s collegiate accolades

  • 2025 NCAA champion
  • 2025 NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player
  • 2025 SEC Tournament MVP
  • 2025 Consensus first-team All-American
  • 2025 All-SEC first team
  • 2024 All-SEC second team
  • 2023 MAAC Player of the Year
  • 2023 All-MAAC first team

Walter Clayton Jr.’s highlights

Why Walter Clayton Jr. fits with Celtics

Clayton played fantastic for Florida on its road to a national title this past season. He is a dynamic offensive player who can shoot well from 3-point range, and also beat players off the dribble and finish at the rim. His free-throw shooting is top-tier, too, and he doesn’t shy away from taking shots in high-pressure moments.

Celtics center Al Horford, who won two titles with the Gators, sounds like a huge fan of Clayton.

“He’s such a smart player,” Horford said after the national title game in April during an interview with John Fanta. “He’s a team player. He understood they were gonna double him and he needed to get his guys involved. He was looking to pass early, and then he took his moments late and scored some big baskets for us.

“He’s just a winner. He knows how to play. I know that I’m going to be playing against him next year in the NBA. Maybe he’ll be with us, who knows? I’m sure he’ll be playing in the NBA.”

Our Celtics insider Chris Forsberg views Clayton as a player worth considering with the No. 28 pick, assuming he’s still on the board when Boston is on the clock.

“Clayton won big at Florida. He was the Final Four’s most outstanding player and a consensus first-team all-American, all while guiding the Gators to a national title,” Forsberg said, as seen in the video player above. “A 39 percent 3-point shooter as a senior, Clayton can stick the big shot or create for his teammates. And perhaps most importantly, he can shine in the clutch.

“If Payton Pritchard is going to shuffle up to a starting role as part of Boston’s offseason roster tweaks, maybe Clayton could be the sort of depth scoring option the Celtics need, and maybe his presence would give Al Horford another reason to consider coming back.

“In mock drafts, he’s going right around where the Celtics pick at 28.”

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Report: Warriors a ‘team to monitor' for Portis in free agency

Report: Warriors a ‘team to monitor' for Portis in free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors likely will look to add size this NBA offseason, and there’s one name that could be a fit.

NBA insider Jake Fischer believes Milwaukee Bucks veteran forward Bobby Portis, who declined his $3.8 million player option and will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, could be a Golden State target this summer.

“Team executives expect Portis to have numerous potential landing spots in the midlevel market as well, although Milwaukee would like to bring back the 30-year-old forward, sources say,” Fischer wrote in his latest column. “Golden State has always been a team to monitor for Portis, who has a notable fan in head coach Steve Kerr from their shared days during the 2023 FIBA World Cup competition with USA Basketball.”

The 30-year-old Portis, who won a championship with the Bucks in 2021, missed a portion of the 2024-25 season due to a suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. However, in 49 games (seven starts), he averaged 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game on 46.6-percent shooting from the field and 36.5 percent from 3-point range.

Golden State, for years, has been a team that many believed needs to add size, and Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy indicated in his end-of-season press conference that he would like to do so this offseason.

“That’s always, I know, around here the buzz word is ‘size.’” Dunleavy said on May 22. “I’d love to have an ability to play bigger with Draymond [Green] and Jimmy [Butler III] in the frontcourt, and we can always go to our ace in the hole with Draymond at center, which we did basically from February 8 on.”

Might Portis be the answer?

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How much does home-court advantage matter to players in the NBA Finals?

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers were clearly feeding off their crowd Wednesday night in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Nobody more than T.J. McConnell.

"Every little run, the crowd gets hyped. You get hyped with the crowd," the Pacers' Aaron Nesmith said. "You feed off the energy. Makes it tough for them. They got to fight against 20,000 people in here."

Oklahoma City Thunder players will be quick to tell you the same things about their crowd, how the energy they bring matters.

But how much does having home court really matter in the NBA Finals?

Comforting routines

These are professionals, guys who have played on stages large and small all over the globe since their childhood. It's tempting to think of Coach Norman Dale from Hoosiers measure the court: The basket is still 10 feet high, the free throw line 15 feet from the basket, which doesn't matter if it's in Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, or anywhere else.

Ask the players, and it's as much, if not more, about the routine and comforts of home in their preparation than it is about the energy they get from the fans.

"Just being back, it's good energy, being back in front of our home fans is big," Myles Turner said. "Stick to your regular routine, sleep on your own bed, get your own meals. All that type of stuff is a big factor."

"It's a good reset," Aaron Nesmith said of returning to Indiana. "You get to sleep in your own bed, get back to your home-game routines, kind of take a breather after being on the road for six days."

The NBA cliche is that role players perform better at home, while stars are stars everywhere.

When role players from both teams were asked about that at the Finals, to a man they shot down the idea with some version of "basketball is basketball." Yet, watching the Pacers' dramatic Game 3 victory, it was Bennedict Mathurin and McConnell off the bench that sparked things as much as Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. The Pacers' role players were better at home.

Those players admit being home is an advantage, but both teams are on the NBA Finals stage because they have won big games on the road. Ask players if they prefer the roar of a home crowd after a big bucket or silencing a road crowd with the same shot, most answer silence.

Still, the advantage of being home is a real one.

"It definitely is an advantage. I don't know if it's, you know, it's not the thing that's going to swing the pendulum one way or another," OKC's Alex Caruso said. "Obviously, we've seen them go on the road and win games in hostile environments all playoffs, as well as us…

"I don't think either one of these teams derives their energy and their competitiveness from playing at home, but it is nice to have that comfortability of playing in front of your fans".

The Pacers get that comfort again Friday, and if those fans can help lift them to another win Indiana will have control of the series.

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Elite, up-tempo offense? Sure. But it's Pacers' high-pressure defense that has them up 2-1 in NBA Finals

INDIANAPOLIS — It started on the opening play of the game: Andrew Nembhard met Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, out high on the pick-and-roll and was into his body. When the Thunder star made his move and drove, Nembhard was still right there, drew an offensive foul when SGA hit him in the head with his off-arm.

That play set the tone for the night. As much as the Pacers are known for their free-flowing up-tempo offense, they lead the NBA Finals 2-1 because they played an elite defensive game Wednesday night.

"We've put an incredible amount of work into becoming better defensively," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "We're still not great. But we're way better than we were. It's taken tons of work. It's taken tons of, you know, it's constant relationship building. It's a difficult system. And it just requires a lot of sacrifice."

Nembhard was at the heart of that defensive improvement, spending 8:39 of the game guarding Gilgeous-Alexander and holding him to 2-of-7 shooting in that time. He wasn't alone, Aaron Nesmith had a strong defensive game. One of the quiet sparks of the night was Ben Sheppard coming off the bench in the first half and playing fantastic defense on SGA, holding him to 1-of-4 shooting in the 2:39 he was on him.

Nembhard or whoever was guarding SGA were up in the body of the MVP all night, meeting him much higher on the court than Game 2.

"I didn't think they really changed their schemes very much. I just thought they were sharper with the physicality and the pressure," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "Their physicality was stronger than our force in a lot of those possessions."

"I think in Game 2 specifically, if you watch a lot of my coverages, I did a poor job of being at the level [of the screen]," Haliburton said. "I was back and then he could come off and he had so much space… I thought that was something we really had to clean up coming into today."

"They were aggressive. They were high in the pick-and-rolls," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "They were, like Coach said, more aggressive, more forceful… They were higher tonight in the pick-and-rolls. They were above the screen. When you come off it, you got to go backwards."

It wasn't just the defense on Gilgeous-Alexander. Myles Turner had five blocked shots on the night and dominated his matchup with Chet Holmgren late.

Then there was T.J. McConnell, who fired up the crowd with three hustle-play steals of inbounds passes (and five total steals on the night).

"When T.J. is playing with that type of energy, I mean, obviously the crowd loves him," Pascal Siakam said. "So it's great for us because every time he does something good, they go crazy."

This Pacers defense didn't come out of nowhere. While they struggled on that end (and in general) in the first couple of months of the season, after Jan. 1, they became a top-10 defensive team in the league. After the All-Star break, the Pacers ranked eighth in the league defensively, boasting a 111.5 defensive rating.

In their two wins this series, the Pacers have held the Thunder to an offensive rating of 107.9 and 107.3, in the one loss it was 126.

If the Pacers can bring that same defensive effort in Game 4 and keep Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder on their heels, they have the chance to take command of this series.

It's going to be all about their defense.

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Draymond reveals Pacers' key to winning NBA Finals vs. Thunder

Draymond reveals Pacers' key to winning NBA Finals vs. Thunder originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green believes the Indiana Pacers can win the NBA Finals over the Oklahoma City Thunder if they do one thing.

The Warriors veteran and four-time NBA champion explained what the Pacers need to do offensively to beat the Thunder.

“I believe the Pacers can win this series,” Green told Metta World Peace and Baron Davis on “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.”

“But, my only thing is… the Pacers don’t get Pascal Siakam the ball enough. He is the one guy on their team who, every possession he has the ball, can get to the shot he’s trying to get to.

“And, secondly, every possession he has the ball, he’s the one guy on Indiana’s team that can create a double-team, which makes the next domino fall. And so, when I take a step back and look at this series…I really like Indiana. I think Indiana can win this series. I just don’t know if they will.”

While Siakam has been a big difference-maker for the Pacers, other key players have stepped up to give Indiana a 2-1 series lead. Behind Bennedict Mathurin’s 27 points off the bench and another stellar night from Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers roared back in the fourth quarter of Game 3 to win 116-107.

Still, the series is far from over, considering the Thunder possess one of the most potent lineups in the NBA, capable of quickly turning the series around.

With a pivotal Game 4 set for Friday evening in Indianapolis, expect the Pacers to feed the ball to Siakam and Haliburton as they look to take a commanding 3-1 lead. If Indiana manages to win its first NBA championship, Green won’t be too surprised.

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Fear not, Sixers fans: This is not a ‘2-player draft'

Fear not, Sixers fans: This is not a ‘2-player draft'  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers pick third in the 2025 NBA draft, so you may be dismayed to read numerous sources declaring that superstar Duke forward Cooper Flagg and outstanding Rutgers guard Dylan Harper are the only two sure things in this draft. 

But fear not, Sixers fans. Because I promise you there will be more stars in this draft than Flagg and Harper. 

We’re watching an NBA Finals right now where both teams’ franchise players were drafted outside the top 10 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was 11th in 2018, Tyrese Haliburton was 12th in 2020). While we’re at it, Finals MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard were both picked 15th.  Eight of the 15 players who made the three All-NBA teams this season were drafted outside the top 10.

It’s Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and the front office’s job to evaluate Ace Bailey,VJ Edgecombe, Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel and everyone else and find the future star. Of course, that’s the hard part and smart front offices get these picks wrong repeatedly. That’s the nature of evaluating human beings and the intangibles you can’t measure at a combine. But it is the task at hand. 

The secret sauce in getting the draft right is to separate players thought to be in similar tiers and find the star. Just ask the Minnesota Timberwolves, who had two shots at Stephen Curry in the 2009 draft and took Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn instead.

Someone who gets drafted after No. 2 this season will blossom into a star player. The Sixers just have to find him. And history proves it could be a player outside the top 5 in every mock draft you’ll read. 

So, broaden your horizons a bit and watch some of the players outside that consensus top 5, because chances are that “consensus” won’t look remotely the same in a couple of years.

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Haliburton used Steph film to prepare for physical Game 3 vs. Thunder

Haliburton used Steph film to prepare for physical Game 3 vs. Thunder originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There is a lot Steph Curry can teach young NBA players, both directly and indirectly.

The four-time NBA champion has seen it all. He’s done it all. He’s gone up against just about every type of defensive matchup.

And yet, at age 37, other teams still struggled to contain the Warriors superstar.

Which is why Indiana Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton, per Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, turned to Curry, or his film, to prepare for another physical matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

“After two games of wrestling with Oklahoma City’s defense, of battling waves of defenders that just kept coming, Tyrese Haliburton cracked open his laptop to study someone familiar with it,” Mannix wrote. “Few players in NBA history are as adept at shedding a physical defense as Stephen Curry, the Warriors superstar who has powered Golden State to four championships … and counting.

“Early in the week, Haliburton’s trainer, Drew Hanlen, fired off a file of a decade’s worth of Curry’s postseason field goals, a highlight reel of Curry torching defenders from San Antonio to Houston, Cleveland to Boston. A generation of shooters have been inspired by Curry. In his first NBA Finals, perhaps Haliburton could be, too.”

The result? A near-triple-double, as Haliburton scored 22 points with nine rebounds and 11 assists on 9-of-17 shooting from the field and 4 of 8 from 3-point range in Indiana’s 116-107 Game 3 win.

The Pacers now lead the Thunder two games to one in the best-of-seven series and are two wins away from capping off their storybook 2024-25 NBA season with the franchise’s first-ever championship.

Curry knows a thing or two about closing teams out in the Finals, perhaps Haliburton should continue to take a page out of his playbook.

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Warriors guard Podziemski underwent second surgery of offseason

Warriors guard Podziemski underwent second surgery of offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s been an eventful offseason for second-year Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski.

Golden State announced Wednesday that Podziemski had another surgery on Tuesday, this time to repair a core muscle injury, two weeks after the 22-year-old underwent surgery on his left shooting wrist on May 27.

As the Warriors mentioned in their statement, the surgery was successful and Podziemski is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of training camp in the fall.

Podziemski dealt with abdominal, back and facial injuries throughout the 2024-25 NBA season, and after his pair of offseason surgeries, appears to be addressing any lingering ailments in order to be fully healthy for his third season with the Warriors.

In his second year with Golden State, Podziemski averaged 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game on 44.5-percent shooting from the field and 37.2 percent from 3-point range in 64 games (33 starts).

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Pressure defense, bench sparking runs, Pacers turn tables on Thunder, take Game 3 and 2-1 series lead

INDIANAPOLIS — For the first time these Finals, the Thunder looked shook.

Indiana brought the defensive pressure — like Oklahoma City has done to so many teams this season — and the result was Thunder players trying to do too much on their own and coughing up 19 turnovers. Indiana leaned into its depth, as the Thunder have done all season, and the result was Bennedict Mathurin scoring 27 and the bench as a whole scoring 49, including Obi Toppin doing this.

Indiana turned the tables on Oklahoma City and gave them a taste of what it was like to play themselves.

The result was a 116-107 Indiana win — its first Finals win in 25 years — in front of a raucous home crowd. The Pacers now have a 2-1 series lead, with Game 4 on Friday night in Indianapolis.

After a couple of rough games for the Pacers' bench, things turned back home.

The spark was T.J. McConnell, whose scrappy, hustle plays changed the dynamic in the second quarter. His steals ignited the crowd and a 15-4 Pacers run that put them in the lead for the first time in the game.

Indiana found its offensive groove thanks to the bench and scored 40 points in the second quarter on just 26 possessions. This from a team that scored 41 and 45 in the first halves of Games 1 and 2.

At the heart of the Pacers' bench play was Mathurin, who shot 9-of-12 on his way to those 27 points, including hitting a couple of 3-pointers on a night the Pacers as a whole struggled from beyond the arc (9-of-27).

In the face of the tempo and pressure, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was gassed in the fourth quarter and couldn't lead the Thunder to the win. The MVP finished with 24 points but on 9-of-20 shooting, with eight rebounds and just four assists. Jalen Williams led the Thunder with 26 points. The Thunder shot 10-of-22 from 3, keeping them within striking distance for much of the night.

However, what won the 68 games and got them to the Finals was their defense, and the Pacers torched that for a long stretch of Game 3. Indiana took better shots and capitalized on them, finishing with a 116 offensive rating (9.5 points higher than the Thunder allowed on average during the playoffs coming into the game).

For Oklahoma City, Game 4 on Friday becomes the season. If they go down 3-1 against a Pacers team that is rising to the moment like this, they will not climb out of that hole.

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Indiana bench shines as Pacers overtake Thunder late for 2-1 lead in NBA finals

Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers blocks a shot attempt by Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the fourth quarter.Photograph: Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Leave it to Indiana’s bench to swing the biggest game of the season. With the starters fading and the game hanging in the balance, Bennedict Mathurin and TJ McConnell turned Gainbridge Fieldhouse into a madhouse, leading the Pacers past the Thunder 116–107 on Wednesday night to seize a 2–1 lead in the NBA finals.

Mathurin poured in 27 points off the bench and McConnell was all over the court – diving for loose balls, snatching steals, dishing dimes – as Indiana overwhelmed Oklahoma City with a 32–18 fourth quarter. The Pacers outscored the Thunder 49–18 in bench points and closed the game on a 22–8 run, flipping a five-point deficit into a win that puts them two victories from their first NBA title.

“We just had guys make plays after plays,” said Tyrese Haliburton. “Our bench was amazing.”

Schedule

Best-of-seven-games series. All times US eastern time (EDT). 

Thu 5 Jun Game 1: Pacers 111, Thunder 110

Sun 8 Jun Game 2: Thunder 123, Pacers 107

Wed 11 Jun Game 3: Pacers 116, Thunder 107

Fri 13 Jun Game 4: Thunder at Pacers, 8.30pm

Mon 16 Jun Game 5: Pacers at Thunder, 8.30pm

Thu 19 Jun Game 6: Thunder at Pacers, 8.30pm*

Sun 22 Jun Game 7: Pacers at Thunder, 8pm*

*-if necessary

How to watch

In the US, all games will air on ABC. Streaming options include ABC.com or the ABC app (with a participating TV provider login), as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV, DIRECTV STREAM, and Sling TV (via ESPN3 for ABC games). NBA League Pass offers replays, but live finals games are subject to blackout restrictions in the US.

In the UK, the games will be available on TNT Sports and Discovery+. As for streaming, NBA League Pass will provide live and on-demand access to all Finals games without blackout restrictions.

In Australia, the games will broadcast live on ESPN Australia. Kayo Sports and Foxtel Now will stream the games live, while NBA League Pass will offer live and on-demand access without blackout restrictions.

Haliburton finished with 22 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Pascal Siakam added 21 points and the basket that all but sealed it: a smooth drive to the rim with 1:09 left to stretch Indiana’s lead to 112–104.

The Thunder, who had taken an 89–84 lead into the fourth quarter, were outplayed and out-executed down the stretch. They shot just 35.3% in the final period, went 0-for-4 from three-point range and committed five turnovers. Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 26 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 24 more and Chet Holmgren had 20 points and 10 rebounds, but went 0-for-6 from deep.

Indiana’s bench provided the burst. McConnell tied the game at 95 early in the fourth by intercepting Alex Caruso’s inbounds pass under the basket and flipping in a layup. On the next trip, he fed Mathurin for a corner three to give Indiana the lead.

After a brief rest, Haliburton re-entered, took a handoff at the top of the key and drilled his fourth triple of the night to make it 101–98 with 6:42 left. Then came a barrage: Andrew Nembhard’s elbow jumper, Obi Toppin’s put-back dunk, Aaron Nesmith’s skip-pass three,and another Mathurin floater. The Pacers had turned a track meet into a runaway.

Thanks to Mathurin’s scoring and McConnell’s defensive activity – he finished with 10 points, five assists and five steals – Indiana controlled the tempo and outworked Oklahoma City in the moments that mattered most.

“So many different guys chipped in,” Haliburton said.

McConnell also made plays earlier in the fourth, hitting a running right-handed layup between two buckets from Mathurin to keep Indiana close at 93–91. When the Pacers finally broke through, they never gave the lead back.

Still, Oklahoma City had one last shot. With 2:35 remaining and Indiana up 110–102, Caruso stole a pass and darted into the open court. As he stepped into the paint, Nesmith met him with a hard two-handed foul that sent Caruso sprawling. Officials reviewed the play, but ultimately ruled it a common foul. Caruso made both free throws, and on the next play, Myles Turner lost the ball out of bounds.

But Turner quickly atoned, stuffing Holmgren twice at the rim on the ensuing possession. Indiana got another stop,and Siakam’s layup put the game away for good.

The win extended a remarkable trend: the Pacers are now 10–0 since mid-March in games following a loss.

Oklahoma City had used a late-third quarter burst, highlighted by a Williams step-back three and Holmgren’s and-one baseline dunk, to take their largest lead of the half. But they couldn’t keep Indiana’s bench contained in the Pacers’ first home NBA finals game since 2000.

Game 4 is Friday night in Indianapolis, where the Pacers can take a commanding 3–1 series lead. Historically, teams that win Game 3 of a tied NBA finals have gone on to win the title 80.5% of the time.

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Pacers beat Thunder in Game 3, take Finals lead with Bennedict Mathurin shining

Pacers beat Thunder in Game 3, take Finals lead with Bennedict Mathurin shining originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Bennedict Mathurin could become a cult hero.

The Indiana Pacers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 at home in Game 3 Wednesday to take a 2-1 NBA Finals lead.

Mathurin, the No. 6 overall pick by Indiana in 2022, erupted for a game-high 27 points off the bench. He shot a scorching 9 of 12 from the field to go with 7 of 8 free throws. He added four rebounds, one assist and a block in just 22 minutes. He averaged 16.1 points on 45.8% shooting in the regular season.

Sometimes you need your non-stars to step up and swing a game in a playoff setting, and Indiana just got one from its own draft pick.

Indiana started both halves extremely slow, but blew out Oklahoma City in each of the second and fourth quarters to seize the advantage.

Tyrese Haliburton led Indiana’s starters with 22 points on 9 of 17 shooting to go with 11 assists and nine rebounds, one away from a triple double. He also logged two steals and a block. Pascal Siakam posted 21 points on 8 of 14 shooting, with T.J. McConnell’s 10 points off the bench rounding out the double-digit scorers.

Oklahoma City got better production out of their starters, but lacked enough bench scoring. Jalen Williams led the Thunder with 24 points on 9 of 18 shooting, while league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 24 points on 9 of 20 shooting, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

Chet Holmgren had a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, but went 0-for-6 from deep that stunted OKC’s perimeter statistics. Alex Caruso played 32 minutes off the bench, adding eight points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Isaiah Joe played just four minutes and made both of his 3-point attempts.

The Thunder are now in a precarious situation down 2-1 in enemy territory. Should Indiana capitalize at home, Oklahoma City would be down 3-1, a deficit only 13 teams in league history have turned around.

Only one of those 3-1 deficits were turned around in the NBA Finals, which involved LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers beating Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

Game 4 is set for Friday in Indiana at 8:30 p.m. ET, 5:30 p.m. PT.

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Pacers beat Thunder in Game 3, take Finals lead with Bennedict Mathurin shining

Pacers beat Thunder in Game 3, take Finals lead with Bennedict Mathurin shining originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Bennedict Mathurin could become a cult hero.

The Indiana Pacers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 at home in Game 3 Wednesday to take a 2-1 NBA Finals lead.

Mathurin, the No. 6 overall pick by Indiana in 2022, erupted for a game-high 27 points off the bench. He shot a scorching 9 of 12 from the field to go with 7 of 8 free throws. He added four rebounds, one assist and a block in just 22 minutes. He averaged 16.1 points on 45.8% shooting in the regular season.

Sometimes you need your non-stars to step up and swing a game in a playoff setting, and Indiana just got one from its own draft pick.

Indiana started both halves extremely slow, but blew out Oklahoma City in each of the second and fourth quarters to seize the advantage.

Tyrese Haliburton led Indiana’s starters with 22 points on 9 of 17 shooting to go with 11 assists and nine rebounds, one away from a triple double. He also logged two steals and a block. Pascal Siakam posted 21 points on 8 of 14 shooting, with T.J. McConnell’s 10 points off the bench rounding out the double-digit scorers.

Oklahoma City got better production out of their starters, but lacked enough bench scoring. Jalen Williams led the Thunder with 24 points on 9 of 18 shooting, while league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 24 points on 9 of 20 shooting, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

Chet Holmgren had a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, but went 0-for-6 from deep that stunted OKC’s perimeter statistics. Alex Caruso played 32 minutes off the bench, adding eight points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Isaiah Joe played just four minutes and made both of his 3-point attempts.

The Thunder are now in a precarious situation down 2-1 in enemy territory. Should Indiana capitalize at home, Oklahoma City would be down 3-1, a deficit only 13 teams in league history have turned around.

Only one of those 3-1 deficits were turned around in the NBA Finals, which involved LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers beating Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

Game 4 is set for Friday in Indiana at 8:30 p.m. ET, 5:30 p.m. PT.