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Panthers earn strong home victory in Game 3, take first series lead of Stanley Cup Final

A little home cooking sure did the Florida Panthers some good.

Hosting their first game of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, Florida jumped all over the Oilers early and often, skating to a resounding 6-1 win in Game 3.

Florida now leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.

It didn’t take long for the Panthers to send the home fans into an early frenzy.

Right off a faceoff in the Oilers zone, Anton Lundell took the puck behind the net and tried a spinning centering pass.

The puck bounced around the slot and found its way to Brad Marchand, who wired a shot past a down and out Stuart Skinner to give Florida a 1-0 lead just 56 seconds into the game.

Both teams ended up with multiple power plays during the opening 20 minutes, but after three man advantages apiece, neither team could cash in.

That was until Florida’s fourth power play, which came on a goaltender interference penalty against Viktor Arvidsson.

Carter Verhaeghe found some open ice in the right circle and sent a laser of a wrist shot just inside the near post that went over Skinner’s blocker and into the net, giving the Cats a 2-0 lead that they would take into the first intermission.

Thanks to a penalty by Lundell at the end of the first period, Edmonton went on their fourth power play of the game to open the middle frame.

Cory Perry picked up his own rebound after deflecting a shot by Evan Bouchard and quickly fired the puck over Bobrovsky’s pad to get the Oilers on the board.

Just 80 seconds later, Sasha Barkov forced a turnover in Edmonton’s end, and the puck quickly found its way to Sam Reinhart who picked up his first goal (and point) of the Final to put the Cats back up by two.

They weren’t done there.

Sam Bennett scored on a breakaway less than five minutes later, extending Florida’s lead to 4-1 and sending the Amerant Bank Arena crowd into jubilation.

Florida would go on their sixth power play of the game early in the third period, and it led to their fifth goal of the game.

A pretty passing play that saw the puck go from Matthew Tkachuk to Reinhart to Aaron Ekblad ended with the blueliner beating a sprawling Skinner to make it 5-1 Panthers.

The goal would send Skinner to the showers early as Calvin Pickard came in to replace him after the starter allowed five goals on 23 shots.

As the game got later, the penalties came fast and furious.

Evan Rodrigues added a power play goal with under four minutes left to put the Panthers up 6-1 while the Oilers just seemed to be taking chap shots wherever they could.

Edmonton finished the game with 85 penalty minutes while Florida logged 55 of their own. 

This series is getting heated, people.

On to Game 4.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Marchand has scored a goal in every game of the Stanley Cup Final so far. He's up to four goals in three Final games.

He’s also racked up eight goals and 18 points through 20 playoff games.

Bennett also has goals in each Final game. He’s scored in four straight overall, but all but two of his 14 playoff goals have come on home ice.

Anton Lundell picked up the primary assist on Marchand’s goal, his third helper over his past two games.

Reinhart’s goal and assist were his first points of the Final.

Nate Schmidt picked up an assist on Verhaeghe's goal, his fifth helper of the Final. He's got at least a point in each game so far.

Evan Rodrigeus extended his point streak to four games after assisting on Verhaeghe’s goal. He has points in three straight and 12 points over his past nine games.

Speaking of Verhaeghe, he’s also picked up points in four straight, with two goals and six points during the streak.

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Photo caption: Jun 9, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand (63) celebrates scoring against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the first period in game three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

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The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Reacting To The Panthers And Oilers' Physical Game 3

Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After each game of the Stanley Cup final, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Emma Lingan, Michael Traikos and Michael Augello react to the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers' going at each other in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final.

Join the conversation in the comment section and send in your questions. They may end up on the post-game show.

Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers Game 3 - Playoff FrenzyFlorida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers Game 3 - Playoff FrenzyWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

Stay tuned to The Hockey News and Playoff Frenzy Live throughout the Stanley Cup final.

Check out the show here.

Promo image credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

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Australia’s Olympic swimmers reveal struggles after life in Paris Games fish-bowl

  • ‘I was in a really dark place mentally,’ says Kaylee McKeown

  • Mollie O’Callaghan speaks of ‘immense pressure’ during Games

Kaylee McKeown was in a dark place and Mollie O’Callaghan suddenly realised she had no friends outside of her sport. They were two lost souls after swimming in the fish-bowl of the Paris Olympics.

“Coming off the Olympics, I was in a really dark place mentally,” McKeown said. “When you go from such a high, straight back to such a low, and you’re left scrambling for ideas on what you’re going to do next, it is hard to find your feet once again.”

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Mets Notes: Ronny Mauricio impressing on both sides of ball, Luisangel Acuña’s role

Here are some notes from Mets manager Carlos Mendoza following this weekend's three-game sweep in Colorado…

Mauricio strong on both sides of ball

We knew what Ronny Mauricio was capable of offensively.

The young slugger had been tearing the cover off the ball since making his return to Triple-A -- hitting an incredible .515 with a double, three homers, four stolen bases, eight RBI, and a 1.382 OPS in just nine games. 

After a bit of a slow start at the plate, he’s carried that success over to the big-league level -- reaching base seven times with a homer and a double during the three-game weekend series in Colorado. 

But the skipper has also been impressed with what he’s seen defensively, as Mauricio has made three appearances at the hot corner and one at second base (and the most recent at DH) over his first five big-league appearances this season. 

“He’s been really good,” Mendoza said. “A guy that came up as a shortstop, you know the actions and the hands are going to be there -- but the arm has been pretty impressive too. He made a throw yesterday that I was like wow, looking at Sarbaugh it was like that kid’s special.

“There’s a lot of tools there and we’ve seen that overall. And it’s not easy because he missed a whole year last year and here we are asking him to play short, third, second -- but the guys in the minors prepared him and he’s going a good job.”

Jeff McNeil on a tear

McNeil was square in the middle of Sunday's commanding victory as well, lifting two of the team's six homers on the afternoon to continue his red-hot stretch at the plate.

He also ripped a leadoff double in the top of the seventh, giving him a three-hit day.

The sweet-swinging lefty now has knocks in nine of his last 10 games and he's batting an impressive .324 with three doubles, four home runs, seven RBI, and a 1.096 OPS over that span. 

He’s quickly lifted his OPS to a strong .888 over 33 games since returning from the IL.

"It's really good when he's driving the ball the ball like that," Mendoza said. "There's a lot of different versions of Jeff, but this version is the one that we're looking for and it's the one that he wants to be."

Acuña’s decreasing role 

With the Mets receiving that type of production from McNeil, Brett Baty's hot stretch in May, and now Mauricio's arrival it's led to Luisangel Acuña seeing less and less playing time.

The 23-year-old also hasn't helped himself -- hitting just .190 with one extra base-hit and a .235 on-base percentage in 63 at-bats since taking home NL Rookie of the Month honors in April.

Eight of those at-bats have come since the calendar flipped to June, and he has just one hit to show for it.

Still, the skipper says the team will continue to find ways to utilize his skillset and he expects he’ll be back in the lineup for Tuesday's series opener against Washington southpaw Mackenzie Gore. 

“There’s a good chance we’ll see him against the lefty,” Mendoza said. “And we’ll continue to work the balance. What’s best for the team, what’s best for the player, his development -- he continues to help us win baseball games, and we’ll continue putting him in positions.”

It'll be interesting to see how the Mets handle things moving forward with their infield/DH mix.

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Otto Kemp finally experiences Citizens Bank Park, enjoys a flood of firsts

Otto Kemp finally experiences Citizens Bank Park, enjoys a flood of firsts  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Otto Kemp wanted a flood of firsts at Citizens Bank Park.

He got everything he envisioned and then some Monday night. 

Kemp, the undrafted 25-year-old in the middle of the Phillies’ 4-3, 11-inning victory over the Cubs, had never before to the stadium before. 

“I just tried to keep it special,” he said. “I just tried to keep it something that I get to do on the first day I get to the big leagues. It was kind of a little bit of motivation to keep me pushing and get to this point.”

Kemp traveled a very improbable route to the major-league spotlight. He played college baseball for Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California, signed with the Phillies three years ago as an undrafted free agent, and became impossible to ignore in the minor leagues. Kemp hit .313 this season in 58 games with Triple A Lehigh Valley and had a 1.010 OPS. 

He then went 0 for 5 over two weekend losses to the Pirates. 

Phillies manager Rob Thomson often opts for straightforward, brief responses to reporter’s questions, but he offered substantial pregame praise for Kemp. 

“He’s great; he’s a pro,” Thomson said. “He’s got some swagger to him. He’s played good defense. And I liked his at-bats against (Paul) Skenes yesterday. … I’ve liked watching him since last year in the Arizona Fall League. I just like his demeanor and his presence.”

Kemp didn’t exactly have a fairytale start to his Monday night.

For one, he needed to navigate to the clubhouse. 

“Luckily, I got in and J.T. (Realmuto) was walking in,” he said. “I kind of just walked with him and let him take me. But I was wandering around for the first probably 20 minutes. People were a little bit (questioning), ‘What is this guy doing?’ 

“Just trying to enjoy it and get a lay of the land; every clubhouse is different. Enjoy the day, enjoy the moment.”

Kemp committed an error in the top of the second inning. He missed a chopper to third base … because he lost the ball in the lights. 

“The third level is a little sneaky, a little bit different with the vision, but got to make that play,” Kemp said.

Eventually, his fortunes shifted. Kemp lined his first MLB hit to left-center field in the fifth and, with assistance from an errant Matthew Boyd pickoff attempt, came around to score his first run. 

Kemp’s second hit was a ninth-inning swinging bunt. The third was a proper, perfectly executed bunt in the 11th that did not betray his complete lack of recent bunting credentials.

The last time Kemp bunted in a game?

 “I think summer ball in St. Cloud, Minnesota in 2021,” he said. “I popped it up straight to the catcher.”

With college coach Justin James on hand, Kemp did a lot better in much higher stakes.

“I had my dad, my wife, three baseball buddies,” he said. “And my college baseball coach and his daughter, and one of his friends. It was cool to execute that bunt, get it down and thank him for raising me in a West Coast baseball program.”

Two pitches later, Brandon Marsh drove a walk-off hit to deep left-center and cemented Kemp’s first win. Minutes later, he soaked in a surprise Gatorade shower. 

As first impressions go, not too shabby. 

“It’s unbelievable,” Kemp said of Citizens Bank Park. “The energy that I felt today — the support from all these fans and the buzz — is crazy. 

“That was another reason why I didn’t want to experience it before my first big-league game. It was awesome. I’m excited to be a Phillie.”

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NBA Trade Rumors Roundup: Knicks' path to Antetokounmpo long and winding, might they return to Durant talks?

Teams ideally want to have any deals lined up before the NBA draft in a few weeks, which has the NBA trade rumor mill speeding up daily.

Knicks’ path to Antetokounmpo

Of course the Knicks are interested in trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. If he decides it's time to move on from Milwaukee (a decision likely to come closer to the NBA draft), 29 other teams are going to call Bucks GM Jon Horst and kick the tires on a deal.

There is a hypothetical path for the Knicks to land Antetokounmpo, but it's a long and winding one: New York hires Jason Kidd away from Dallas, then Antetokounmpo tells the Bucks he only wants to be traded to the Knicks to reunite with his former coach and still friend Kidd, then the sides work out a deal.

Good luck with that.

First, Dallas needs to give New York permission to speak with Kidd, which is no lock. One source told NBC Sports that approval was unlikely, and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reported the "expectation" is that the Knicks would deny the request.

That said, Kidd and the Knicks share a "mutual intrigue," ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported. Kidd did not like being out in front of the Luka Doncic trade (can you blame him?), Edwards reported. Is that frustration enough to leave coaching Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving (out much of next season recovering from a torn ACL), and Anthony Davis? Even if the Mavericks give permission for the talks and Kidd agrees to go to New York, he is still under contract with the Mavericks, which means the sides need to figure out what draft compensation to send back to Dallas in this deal (typically a first-round pick). The Knicks are not exactly flush with future picks.

Even if the Knicks land Kidd, Antetokounmpo then would have to decide he wants a trade out of Milwaukee — something other teams are increasingly convinced may not happen, or if it does he won't hit the open market for a bidding war. Other front offices are very much in a "wait and see" mode while making a "Plan B" if he is not available, a handful of league sources have told NBC Sports.

The Knicks need Antetokounmpo to decide he wants a trade and only to New York (to play with Jalen Brunson and Kidd). There is a rumor that New York is putting together a massive offer for Antetokounmpo, but what is that going to look like? A Karl-Anthony Towns-based trade could be constructed (KAT and Giannis make within half a million of each other) with a third team, but if the Bucks move on from Giannis they are going to rebuild and will want a massive haul of picks and younger players, not a Towns-based package. The Knicks don't really have young players and picks to offer, while other teams do (including that team across the bridge in Brooklyn). Finding a trade that gets Antetokounmpo to Madison Square Garden and makes sense for the Bucks is... challenging. To put it kindly.

Still, this rumor persists and is not going away.

Durant to the Knicks? It’s complicated, too

Assuming the Antetokounmpo dream is just that, the Knicks would have interest in Kevin Durant — they made an offer for him at the trade deadline but it went nowhere, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.

Is this a trade the Suns would want? Again, the easy Knicks trade for Durant involves Towns (they have similar salaries, although a third team would be brought in), but the well connected John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 says the Suns would want a trade to be based around one of the Knicks' wings, OG Anunoby or Mikal Bridges. For a Knicks team looking to add depth for next season that could be complicated, but that would be the path to a deal.

Durant to Raptors?

If Antetokounmpo becomes available by trade, the Toronto Raptors are a team to watch. They want him and there is some level of mutual interest from the Greek Freak, something we have reported before.

But what if Antetokounmpo doesn't hit the open market? Then expect the Raptors to pivot and be one of the teams in the Durant trade market, something Marc Stein reported at The Stein Line.

"The Raptors, furthermore, would figure to have a more realistic shot at assembling a competitive trade offer for Durant compared to the mammoth offers that the Bucks would inevitably seek for Antetokounmpo's services."

Cavaliers “open minded” about Garland trade?

If one thing was clear in the Cavaliers' second-round loss to the Pacers, it was how much Darius Garland means to Cleveland's offense and the team's title chances. He played in just three games against the Pacers and was clearly slowed by the toe injury he tried to play through (he shot 34.2% for the series, 16.7% from 3). The Cavaliers needed him healthy to have a chance against the Pacers.

Which makes the idea that the Cavaliers would trade Garland a strange one. Add in Garland undergoing surgery to repair that toe injury, which likely has him out for the start of next season, and a Garland trade seems to be an even longer shot.

However, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said it's possible on ESPN Cleveland.

A number of teams, including Orlando (where he would be a fantastic fit) are reportedly interested.

The Cavaliers won 64 games and may believe it will be a more wide-open East next season, following the Jayson Tatum injury in Boston. The Cavs may think, "If we run it back and stay healthy this time, we can make the Finals." However, if a big enough trade presented itself (Antetokounmpo?) and that was the price, then Cleveland would have to consider including Garland in the deal. Also, the Cavaliers will be into the second apron next season and ownership could look to trim some money from the bottom line.

Most likely though, Garland is a Cavalier next season.

Suns want to trade Beal

Another note from Gambadoro in Arizona, the Suns would like to trade Bradley Beal this summer but, just like at the deadline, the combination of his no-trade clause and the fact he is owed $110.8 million over two more years may make that impossible.

Don't be surprised if Beal gets a fair amount of run for new coach Jordan Ott at the start of next season, as they try to rebuild his trade value.

Spurs open to trading No. 14 pick

As if the San Antonio Spurs haven't had enough lottery luck in recent years, they jumped up to get the No. 2 pick in this year's NBA draft. The expectation in league circles is that the Spurs will not trade that pick and will use it to select Rutgers' point guard Dylan Harper, forming a talented but crowded backcourt with De'Aaron Fox (who will receive an extension this summer) and Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. It would take an Antetokounmpo-level trade for them to give up the No. 2 pick.

The Spurs also hold the No. 14 pick and are open to packaging that pick with a player to acquire someone who can help the team start winning now, reports Kevin O'Connor at Yahoo Sports. It would be a smart move by San Antonio, the question is who is that wing player (the team is pretty set at guard and center)?

• Another draft note: Look for the Thunder (picks 15 and 24) and the Nets (8, 19, 26 and 27) to try and package those picks to move up in the draft, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line.

Celtics taking Jrue Holiday calls

This isn't a surprise — we know Boston is trying to trim payroll heading into a largely Tatum-less next season and Jrue Holiday was one of the names mentioned as on his way out — but the Celtics are listening to calls, reports Fischer.

There are a lot of playoff teams Holiday would help, but at age 35 next season, and owed three years and $104 million, the market for him may not be as robust as the Celtics hope.

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Former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins involved in wild fan confrontation in Puerto Rico

Former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins involved in wild fan confrontation in Puerto Rico originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Cousins, now 34 and playing for the Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico’s Baloncesto Superior Nacional league, was ejected from their 101-91 loss to the Vaqueros de Bayamon and got into a tense confrontation with fans in the opposing arena as he walked toward the tunnel.

While there was plenty of trash talk as Cousins walked off the court, he appeared to throw up the middle finger in a fan’s face, which prompted that fan and others to grab at the big man and even throw food and drinks on him. As Cousins attempted to go after the fans who were throwing things at him, he was tackled to the ground by arena workers and security.

Warning: Below videos show NSFW gestures

In a prior scuffle that seemingly led to his ejection, Cousins and a courtside fan nearly exchanged blows after a brief back-and-forth.

Cousins hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2021-22 season, where he appeared in 17 games with the Milwaukee Bucks and 31 with the Denver Nuggets. He was selected No. 5 overall in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Kings and played with Sacramento until the team traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans in February 2017.

The two-time All-NBA performer also suited up for the Golden State Warriors (2018-19), Houston Rockets (2020-21) and Los Angeles Clippers (2021) during his 12-year NBA career.

Cousins first joined the Mets de Guaynabo in 2023 and led them to the playoffs that season before signing with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in Taiwan’s T1 League last year. He’s back with the Mets de Guaynabo this season, and it’s unclear what kind of discipline he might face for Monday’s actions.

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Yankees at Royals: 5 things to watch and series predictions | June 10-12

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees and Royals play a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium starting on Tuesday at 7:40 p.m.

5 things to watch

NY’s early season sweep

Even with Carlos Carrasco starting the opener and a rusty Clarke Schmidt making his season debut, the Yanks rolled through Kansas City earlier this season. 

New York put up four runs in all three games, and they held the Royals to only five runs total as they easily secured the three-game series sweep. 

Carrasco provided five strong innings to kick off the series, Jasson Dominguez delivered a three-run knock in the middle game, and then Aaron Judge came through with a go-ahead homer late in the finale.  

They’ll look for much of the same, this time on the road. 

The Yanks, of course, are coming off a disappointing three-game home series loss to the Red Sox but they still hold a 4.5 game lead on the red-hot Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.

Kansas City has the unfortunate fate of being stuck in the same division of the surging Detroit Tigers -- they currently sit in fourth and are 1.5 games back of the Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot. 

Max is back. 

Max Fried suffered his first rough outing of the season against the Dodgers, allowing six runs on eight hits across five innings of work in a series opening loss.

It didn’t take the left-hander long to return to his dominant form, though.  

Fried bounced back tremendously his last time out -- allowing just three baserunners as he cruised through six shutout innings in a win over the Guardians during Thursday’s series finale.

He's now won eight of his first 13 contests in pinstripes, pitching to a stellar 1.78 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. 

The southpaw has stepped in masterfully for the Bombers with ace Gerrit Cole sidelined, and continues making a strong case to potentially be the All-Star Game starter for the AL.

He’ll look to keep that rolling against rookie Noah Cameron in the opening match of this three-game set.

AL Player of the Month vs. AL Pitcher of the Month

The middle game of this set brings an intriguing matchup of two of baseball’s best to this point. 

With Kris Bubic taking the mound in the middle game for the Royals, the American League Pitcher of the Month will have his opportunity to face-off with the AL Player of the Month, Aaron Judge.

Bubic has been one of the most unexpected risers this season and he was spectacular last month -- allowing just two earned runs while striking out 33 batters in 32.1 innings of work over five outings. 

He carried that success over to his first June start, giving up just one run on four hits and two walks while striking out nine in a tough-luck loss to the Tigers.

Jun 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Jun 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts after hitting a two-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / © John Jones-Imagn Images

And we know what Judge has done during his historic start to the season.

With a pair of opposite-field homers during Sunday's series finale loss to the Red Sox, the star outfielder is now hitting an incredible .396 with a .493 on-base percentage and 1.264 OPS on the year.

In a relatively small sample size, Judge has gotten the best of the matchup of the two thus far -- hitting .571 with a two-run homer over seven career at-bats against the 27-year-old southpaw.

First look at baseball’s next young star

The Royals added another huge big to their lineup last week, calling up top prospect Jac Caglianone. 

Caglianone was selected out of Florida with the sixth overall pick in last years draft and he quickly established himself as one of the top young talents in the minor leagues. 

The sweet-swinging lefty produced nine doubles, 15 homers, 56 RBI, and a .982 OPS in just 50 games between Double-A and Triple-A before receiving the call. 

He had gotten off to a bit of a slow start at the plate but has been hitting the ball with authority and finally saw the results on Sunday -- recording four knocks during the series finale victory over the White Sox. 

He became the first Royal since Bo Jackson (Sept. 1986) to put together a four-hit showing within their first six MLB contests -- some seriously strong company. 

Caglianone will certainly be looking to do more damage in his first games at Kauffman Stadium.  

Watch out for the Pasquatch 

Royals slugger Vinnie Pasquantino was off to a bit of a slow start the last time the Yanks saw him -- but he's on an absolute tear right now.

The 27-year-old was handed AL Player of the Week honors on Monday evening.

He hit an even .500 (13-for-26) with two homers, seven RBI, a double, a walk, four runs scored, a .769 slugging percentage and a .536 on-base percentage in six games against the Cardinals and White Sox.

Pasquantino is now riding a nine-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in 24 straight -- the longest stretch by a Royal since Nicky Lopez in 2021.

It'll be up to Fried, Clarke Schmidt, and Will Warren to keep him in check.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Aaron Judge.

The Captain has 14 homers and a 1.066 OPS in 40 career games against the Royals.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Max Fried.

Coming off back-to-back losses, the Yanks need Fried to pitch like the ace he's been.

Which Royals player will be a thorn in the Yanks' side?

Bobby Witt Jr.

The star SS loves to see the pinstripes coming, and he's hitting .345 over his last seven games.

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Pacers vs. Thunder Game 3 Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for June 11

On Wednesday, June 11, the Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14) and Indiana Pacers (50-32) are all set to square off from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

Oklahoma City rolled Indiana in Game 2, 123-107 behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 34 points, plus 34 more from Jalen Williams (19) and Chet Holmgren (15).

The series heads back to Indiana tied at 1-1 and the Pacers will need more than an all-around effort from its starting five after every starter scored in double-figures for Game 2.

Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 17 points and 6 assists, while Pascal Siakam led Indiana in rebounding with 7.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Thunder vs. Pacers live today

  • Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2025
  • Time: 8:30PM EST
  • Site: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
  • City: Indianapolis, IN
  • Network/Streaming: ESPN / ABC

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Thunder vs. Pacers

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Odds: Thunder (-218), Pacers (+180)
  • Spread: Thunder -5.5
  • Over/Under: 228.5 points

That gives the Thunder an implied team point total of 116.5, and the Pacers 111.5.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Wednesday’s Thunder vs. Pacers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the value on long shots in the series assist leader market:

"As someone who has a Jalen Williams ticket at +6500 odds, I am pulling for him as he is +1300 to +2000 at most markets for the NBA Finals series assist leader.

This is a five-player race with Tyrese Haliburton (-200) leading he charge at 12 assists. Behind him with 11 is Williams (+1300) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+155). With 10 assists is Andrew Nembhard (+5000) and T.J. McConnell (+7500).

The value on Williams and Nembhard is worth betting and so is McConnell after Haliburton shows signs of an injury or some pain in the post-game presser of Game 2.

If Haliburton misses anytime, then there is value on Nembhard and McConnell in this market, so I think taking anyone but Haliburton or SGA is the smart move."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Thunder & Pacers game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Oklahoma City Thunder at -5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 228.5.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Thunder vs. Pacers on Wednesday

  • Oklahoma City is 1-2 on the ML and 2-1 ATS in Game 3's this postseason
  • Indiana is 0-3 on the ML and ATS in Game 3's this postseason
  • The O/U is 1-1 in the series so far
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 72 points is the most through a players first two NBA Finals games in history
  • Isaiah Hartenstein and Pascal Siakam are tied for the series lead in rebounds (17) and are +140 and +145 to finish as the leader
  • Aaron Nesmith leads the series in three-pointers made (7) and is +135 to finish as the leader
  • Andrew Nembhard leads the series in assists (14) and is +5000 to finish as the leader

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Watch A's rookie Denzel Clarke make jaw-dropping catch to rob Angels homer

Watch A's rookie Denzel Clarke make jaw-dropping catch to rob Angels homer originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Athletics rookie Denzel Clarke has done it again.

The 25-year-old outfielder added to his already dazzling highlight reel in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, leaping over the center-field wall at Angel Stadium to rob Nolan Schanuel of a home run.

It’s a catch that had to be seen to be believed, and A’s starting pitcher Grant Holman certainly was thankful for the effort.

Clarke made his big league debut with the A’s on May 23 just a few years after the team drafted him in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He has flashed the leather countless times during his two weeks in The Show, so, somehow, Monday’s catch wasn’t too surprising.

Clarke also robbed Alejandro Kirk of a home run in the A’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 30.

The A’s have to like what they have seen so far from their young center fielder, and he’s sure to provide even more jaw-dropping highlights in the years to come.

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Retired NHL Scorer T.J. Oshie's Career Highlights Range From The Incredible To The Heartwarming

Playing 16 seasons in the NHL is no small feat. But when you’ve had a career like longtime Washington Capitals star right winger T.J. Oshie, you’re especially fortunate – and you’ve done more than enough to assure you of a prominent place in the history of hockey’s top league. 

Oshie announced his retirement in a special event in Washington D.C. on Monday. A retrospective of his on-ice days underscores the impact he had, not only as a Stanley Cup champion but on the international stage as well.

The 38-year-old Oshie spent his first seven years with the St. Louis Blues, which drafted him 24th overall in 2005. He established himself as a dangerous scorer and a shootout specialist in particular. In six of his seven years with St. Louis, Oshie posted at least 34 points, and the one season he didn’t, it was because injuries limited him to only 30 games. When the Capitals traded for him in 2015, they knew they were getting a player who could produce.

Capitals Forward T.J. Oshie Announces Retirement After 16 NHL SeasonsCapitals Forward T.J. Oshie Announces Retirement After 16 NHL SeasonsWASHINGTON — After 16 historic seasons in the NHL, Washington Capitals winger T.J. Oshie is hanging up the skates.

Oshie also proved to be a clutch performer, particularly in his international career. 

At the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games, in a round-robin game against Russia, Oshie was used five straight times in the shootout and six times in total, scoring four times and potting the game-winner in the eighth round to give Team USA a 3-2 win. 

Oshie represented America six times – once at the world juniors, three times at the men’s World Championship, once at the Olympics and once at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He was never held off the scoresheet in any of those tournaments, posting eight goals and 15 points in 28 senior Team USA games.

Meanwhile, Oshie was an instant hit in Washington, posting a then-career-high 26 goals and 51 points in his first season with the Capitals. For four of the next five years, he posted at least 22 goals – and in 2016-17, he had a career-high 33 goals and 56 points in only 68 games.

But his most clutch performance came in the Capitals’ Stanley Cup-championship run of 2017-18, when he amassed eight goals and 21 points in 24 playoff games to help steer the Caps to their first-ever Cup victory.

Immediately after the Cup win, Oshie memorably referred to his father, Tim Oshie, who had been afflicted with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. 

“My dad’s here in the crowd,” Oshie said of his father, who passed away in 2021. “He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and he doesn’t remember a lot of stuff. But…you bet your ass he’s going to remember this one.”

Oshie frequently honors his father by supporting Alzheimer fundraising and awareness initiatives. The Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation presented him with a $10,000 donation to the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation on Monday as a result.

T.J. Oshie (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)

The other highlight of the Capitals’ Cup run was Oshie and some of his teammates diving into Washington Harbour’s fountain, taking the Cup into the fountain with them. So it was only fitting that Oshie’s retirement announcement Monday took place at that same spot. It was a moment that will live in the minds of Caps fans forever, and Oshie earned a key place in that memory.

In 1,010 career regular-season NHL games, Oshie put up 302 goals and 695 points. In 106 career NHL playoff games, he posted 34 goals and 69 points. And as a player with Ojibwe roots, his accomplishments are something Indigenous peoples can aspire to follow. 

In the end, injuries took their toll on Oshie, as he was limited to 207 games in his final four NHL seasons. But his heart and persistence carved out a special place for him in hockey history, and his incredible moments are bound to stand the test of time.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Wheeler makes strong return and Phillies end slide with 11-inning win

Wheeler makes strong return and Phillies end slide with 11-inning win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Zack Wheeler’s strong return from paternity leave helped the Phillies snap a five-game losing skid Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. 

Wheeler didn’t pick up a win, but he was excellent in the Phillies’ 4-3, 11-inning win to open their series vs. the Cubs. 

Brandon Marsh delivered the walk-off hit, an 11th-inning knock to the base of the left-center wall off of Daniel Palencia. 

The last of Wheeler’s seven strikeouts was his 1,000th as a Phillie. He pitched six innings in his first start since May 29 and allowed three hits, one walk and one run. 

Cubs starter Matthew Boyd went six innings and conceded eight hits and two runs. The southpaw struck out no Phillies and walked two. 

Kyle Tucker spoiled Wheeler’s first inning by smashing a 1-2 fastball into the right-field seats. 

In the velocity department, Wheeler appeared well-rested out of the gates. He threw 13 four-seamers in the first and averaged 97.5 mph with his heater. Wheeler’s final four-seam average was 96.6 mph, which is 0.8 mph above his season average. 

Several long Cubs at-bats prevented Wheeler from a truly deep outing. The righty’s pitch count rose considerably in the top of the fifth. After a two-out Matt Shaw single, Ian Happ took nine pitches to strike out. 

Boyd pounded the strike zone and kept the Phillies scoreless through three innings. 

The Phils didn’t boost their cause on the bases. Edmundo Sosa wanted a double on his second-inning jam shot down the right-field line, but Tucker rifled him out at second base. Boyd picked Trea Turner off first base to finish the third. 

The Phillies evened the game up in the fourth.

Kyle Schwarber came back from an 0-2 count to begin the frame with a walk. Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos each followed by lacing first-pitch singles to left field. 

J.T. Realmuto’s grounder to third drove in Schwarber and put runners on the corners with one out. A pitch later, the inning was over. Sosa rolled a routine double-play ball to Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson. 

The bottom of the fifth was all about Otto Kemp. The 25-year-old notched his first MLB hit on a leadoff knock to left-center. He then sprinted to third base after a wayward Boyd pickoff attempt and scored his first big-league run on an opposite-field Weston Wilson single, giving the Phillies a 2-1 edge. 

Despite leadoff hits in the sixth and seventh innings, the Phillies couldn’t add to their lead. A single swing tied the contest in the eighth. Ian Happ ripped a 3-2 Matt Strahm sinker 424 feet to left field.

The Phillies should’ve had a leadoff runner in the eighth, but Castellanos tried to stretch a single to left into a double and wasn’t close to successful in his high-risk venture.

Kemp reached to kick off the bottom of the ninth, hustling to first base after a squib just in front of home plate. Cubs manager Craig Counsell was ejected for arguing that Kemp should’ve been called for runner’s interference on the play. The inning then fizzled out; Brandon Marsh, Max Kepler and Turner all came up empty.

Jordan Romano pitched a 1-2-3 top of the 10th, but the Phillies again failed to find a timely hit in the bottom of the inning. Following Bohm’s double play, Castellanos’ ground out sent the game to the 11th.

The Cubs pulled ahead in the 11th on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s one-out RBI double off of Carlos Hernandez. The Phils bounced right back, though.

Realmuto lined a game-tying single to right. Bryson Stott and Kemp then both legged out bunt hits, loading the bases with no outs. Marsh handled the rest.

The scheduled starters Tuesday night are the Phils’ Mick Abel (1-0, 0.79 ERA) and the Cubs’ Colin Rea (4-2, 3.59 ERA). Wednesday’s pitching matchup is Jesus Luzardo (5-2, 4.46 ERA) vs. Ben Brown (3-4, 5.37 ERA). 

Thomson’s message for slumping Stott 

Turner led off against a lefty and Stott sat until pinch-hitting for Sosa in the eighth inning.

Asked whether Turner would stay at the top of the Phils’ lineup vs. righties, Phillies manager Rob Thomson didn’t reveal anything.

“We’ll see tomorrow,” he said. “I think we’ve got a righty tomorrow.”

Stott’s been in a major funk of late. Entering Monday, he’d been 2 for 26 (.083 average) in June with no extra-base hits and two walks. 

“Start controlling the strike zone again, try not to do too much, think left field — because that’s who he is,” Thomson said. “I don’t think he’s thinking about hitting home runs, but he’s certainly pressing to get hits and get on base. He’s got to relax and just be himself.”

Injury updates 

Aaron Nola (right side soreness, right ankle sprain) had a doctor’s appointment Monday.

“I talked to him and he said he’s feeling a little better, but he’s going to get checked out by a doctor,” Thomson said.

Bryce Harper (right wrist soreness) also had a Monday night doctor’s appointment. Thomson was unsure whether Harper’s absence will extend beyond his 10-day injured list stint. 

“He was tolerating it early in the year,” Thomson said. “It just kept going worse. That’s why we shut him down. Get him in with the trainers on a daily basis, get treatment every day and try to knock this thing out.”

Kemp and Bohm might swap soon 

Without Harper, Bohm has been manning first base. Thomson indicated there’s a decent chance that will change in the near future. 

“The plan really is to get Otto a little bit of work at first base, and then we’ll be flipping them,” he said. 

Kemp has 13 career starts in the minor leagues at first base, including seven this season for Triple A Lehigh Valley. While third base has been Kemp’s primary position, he also started Triple A games this year at second, first and left field.

“I would think in the next week … sometime in that area,” Thomson said of when Kemp could slide to first. “(Infield coach Bobby Dickerson) is going to get him some extra work and we’ll see how it goes. I’ll lean on Bobby for that, too.”