Digital Sports Desk

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Archives for June 2025

Pacers Stun Thunder in OKC

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OKLAHOMA CITY – Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton hit a 21-foot pull-up jumper in the final second on Thursday as the Indiana Pacers completed a stunning comeback for a 111-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

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The Pacers hadn’t led in the game until Halliburton drained the shot with 0.3 seconds remaining.

The best-of-seven series resumes with Game 2 in Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Indiana trailed by 15 early in the fourth quarter before chipping away at the Thunder’s lead. Andrew Nembhard and Myles Turner each scored eight points in the period.

The Pacers cut the deficit to one with 48.6 seconds remaining on Pascal Siakam’s putback following a missed 3-point attempt by Nembhard.

After Haliburton’s shot, Oklahoma City tried to lob inside, but Siakam batted it away as time expired to end the game.

Indiana outscored the Thunder 35-25 in the fourth quarter.

Oklahoma City forced plenty of turnovers, especially early. However, the Thunder couldn’t take advantage often enough, scoring just 11 points on Indiana’s 25 giveaways. The Pacers turned the ball over 20 times in the first half alone.

Siakam led the Pacers with 19 points and added 10 rebounds. Obi Toppin had 17 points off the bench, Turner scored 15 and Nembhard had 14. Haliburton finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 to lead the Thunder, shooting 14 of 30 from the field.

Jalen Williams contributed 17 points on 6-of-19 shooting while Chet Holmgren was just 2 of 9 for six points.

Indiana hit 47.6 percent from the floor to Oklahoma City’s 39.8 percent.

Early in the fourth quarter, Indiana was barely hanging on.

The Pacers, down by 13, missed three consecutive shots on one possession.

After the last of those, the Pacers’ T.J. McConnell was inbounding underneath Indiana’s basket and hurriedly heaved the ball to midcourt.

Instead of a teammate being there to receive the inbounds, Williams raced to the ball, catching it on the run and delivering a thunderous dunk to extend Oklahoma City’s lead to a game-high 15 points. The score was 94-79 with 9:42 remaining.

But Indiana wasn’t about to go away.

The Pacers ripped off a 15-4 run to stay within striking distance, and then they surged ahead late.

Oklahoma City hit just one field goal in the final four minutes, giving the Pacers the opening to come back.

–Field Level Media

NHL: Bruins Name Strum Head Coach

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Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney that Marco Sturm was named the 30th head coach of the Boston Bruins.

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“We’re proud to name Marco as the 30th Head Coach of the Boston Bruins and welcome him, Astrid, Mason, and Kaydie to Boston,” said General Manager Don Sweeney. “Throughout this process, our goal was to identify a coach who could uphold our strong defensive foundation while helping us evolve offensively. We were also looking for a communicator and leader – someone who connects with players, develops young talent, and earns the respect of the room. Marco impressed us at every step with his preparation, clarity, and passion. His path – playing for multiple NHL teams, coaching internationally, and leading at both the AHL and NHL levels – has shaped a well-rounded coach who’s earned this opportunity. As a former Bruin, he understands what this team means to the city and our fans. We’re embracing a new direction with Marco behind the bench and are confident his energy, standards, and commitment to a competitive, hard-nosed brand of hockey reflect exactly what Bruins hockey should be.”
“I’m incredibly honored to be named head coach of the Boston Bruins,” said Sturm. “I want to thank Charlie Jacobs and the Jacobs family, Cam Neely, and Don Sweeney for trusting me with this opportunity. Boston has always held a special place in my heart, and I know how much this team means to the city and to our fans. I’ve felt that passion as a player, and I can’t wait to be behind the bench and feel it again. I’m excited to get to work and do everything I can to help this team succeed.”
Sturm, 46, served as head coach of the AHL’s Ontario Reign for the past three seasons (2022-25). Under Sturm, the team compiled an overall record of 119-80-11-6 and made three consecutive playoff appearances. Prior to his time in Ontario, Sturm spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings from 2018-22. In his final year behind the bench with Los Angeles, the Kings earned their first Stanley Cup playoff berth since 2018 and posted a 99-point regular-season (44-27-11).
Before joining the Kings organization, Sturm served as head coach and general manager for the German Men’s National Team from 2015-18. In 2018, Sturm led Germany to a silver-medal finish in the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, becoming the first German team to ever appear in the gold-medal game and the first German team to make the Olympic podium since 1976. Sturm’s coaching tenure with Germany was additionally highlighted by a Deutschland Cup title in 2015 and back-to-back quarterfinal appearances (2016, 2017) at the IIHF Men’s World Championship, the best final placement for Germany since 2011.
As a player, Sturm skated in 938 career NHL games with Florida, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Boston and San Jose from 1997-2012, recording 242 goals and 245 assists for 487 points with a plus-59 rating. He scored the game-winning overtime goal for the Bruins’ 2-1 win over the Flyers at the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park. The Dingolfing, Germany native was originally selected by San Jose in the first round (21st overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He leads all German players for most NHL games played and ranks second for career goals and career points. Internationally, he represented Germany at three Olympic Games (1998, 2002, 2010), four IIHF Men’s World Championships (1997, 2001, 2004, 2008) and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.

Red Sox Try to Move Forward

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – For manager Alex Cora and the Boston Red Sox, it’s all about moving forward.

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Following a weekend series win in Atlanta, the Red Sox (29-32) look to continue down the right track when they begin a three-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels.

Garrett Crochet pitched the Red Sox to a 3-1 Sunday win to clinch the series over the Braves, striking out a season-high 12 over seven innings of one-run ball. A three-run double by Trevor Story in the first inning proved to be all the support the left-hander would need.

Climbing out of a five-game skid with the series victory was a start, but there’s plenty more room to grow, especially with younger players such as Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell playing everyday roles.

“Now we need more,” Cora said. “We have to be better. I know we’re young, but we expect better from this group. I think the expectations are high for this organization. We’ve got to put everything behind us.”

Richard Fitts (0-2, 2.70 ERA) is back in the Red Sox rotation, having been activated from the injured list (right pectoral strain) to make a Tuesday start against the Milwaukee Brewers. He pitched three innings of scoreless, two-hit ball in Boston’s fourth straight loss at the time.

Monday will mark his fifth start this season and the first of his career against the Angels.

The Red Sox placed another righty on the injured list in Justin Slaten (right shoulder inflammation) before Sunday’s game, recalling Luis Guerrero from Triple-A Worcester.

“Just a matter of getting ahead of it and taking care of it before something major could happen,” Slaten said.

Cora had also planned to give Campbell his first start at first base, but Abraham Toro continued to swing the bat well in Atlanta. He went 6-for-11 in the series.

“Toro’s pushing the envelope,” Cora said. “He’s putting up good at-bats.”

The Angels suffered a 4-2 Sunday loss at the Cleveland Guardians, as they were no-hit through five innings and wound up dropping their third straight series. They now have a series losing streak in Cleveland that dates back to 2013.

Despite another series loss, the return of three-time American League MVP Mike Trout, who missed almost a full month with a bone bruise on his left knee, was a big lift.

Trout went 3-for-4 with an RBI double in Saturday’s 7-5 loss and had a pinch-hit RBI on Sunday. He was hitting just .179 in 29 games before the injury.

“It’s just awesome watching him play,” said Angels starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, who played college baseball in New England at Dartmouth College. “Growing up as a fan of the game, it’s really cool being around him every day.”

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Trout was out of Sunday’s starting lineup after back-to-back days as the designated hitter, but was called upon as a pinch-hitter and delivered an RBI single.

“He’ll be back in there when we get to Boston,” Angels manager Ron Washington said.

The Angels hand the ball to 35-year-old lefty Tyler Anderson (2-2, 3.39), who has made just four career starts against Boston after spending the first seven years of his career in the National League. He is 1-1 with a 5.30 career ERA in the head-to-head series.

Anderson, who has not won since April 18, last pitched on Tuesday against another American League East foe, the New York Yankees. He allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits in six innings but suffered his second loss.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | June 1

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – For the final leg of the great trifecta of Spring Thoroughbred Horse Racing (no Triple Crown hype this season), the horse trailers will detour at the George Washington Bridge and head north to the wonderful, picturesque town of Saratoga Springs.

Belmont Park is currently under a total re-construction – if it were Madison Square Garden, they’d call it a transformation. By all accounts, the work is on schedule and racing will return to Elmont in the Fall of 2026. Until then, the dingy Aqueduct Raceway in Queens will host racing in the city, while Saratoga Race Course will be the jewel of the 1+mile and 1⁄4 (10 furlongs), instead of the traditional mile and a half (12 furlongs).

The 157th running of the Belmont Stakes is this coming Saturday, June 7, 2025 at approximately 6:50pm EDT. Television coverage will be provided (in the USA) by Fox Sports.

Back in December, 2023, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $455 million renovation plan for Belmont Park and the ensuing move of the Belmont Stakes to Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs (UpState NY) for the interim, with construction expected to last into late 2025 or early 2026.

Renovations are well underway, and NY 12 television had an early look at the progress, along with some artists’ renditions of what the “new” Belmont will look like, come 2026.

As a bit of a tease, the sport of thoroughbred horse racing announced this week that new Belmont Park was selected to host the 2027 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, one of Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious international festivals.

The news was released as part of a multiyear announcement that named Keeneland Race Course in Lexington as the 2026 host site for the Breeders’ Cup, underscoring an ongoing commitment from Breeders’ Cup Limited to promote horse racing and invest in its future. Since its founding in 1984, the non-profit organization has given back more than $1 billion to the industry in purses, awards, and charitable donations while conducting the World Championships at 12 elite racetracks across North America.

“The Breeders’ Cup and New York Racing Association (NYRA) share a deep commitment to quality and distinction, making the new Belmont Park a prime venue to host the 2027 Breeders’ Cup World Championships,” said Drew Fleming, President & CEO of Breeders’ Cup Limited. “The return of the Breeders’ Cup to New York has been years in the making, and we thank Governor Hochul for supporting a new Belmont Park and a New York Breeders’ Cup. The re-imagined Belmont Park will provide an exceptional stage for the world’s greatest racehorses and participants as we welcome contenders and fans from around the globe.”

Central to the Belmont Park redevelopment is a 300,000-square foot, five-story building featuring the modern amenities and hospitality offerings sports fans have come to expect, while the new facility will unlock the massive infield to provide fans and the community with more green space than ever before. In addition, NYRA is completely renovating the existing main dirt track and two turf courses while adding an all-weather synthetic surface.

“A new Belmont Park is taking shape on Long Island because of the leadership and vision of Gov. Hochul, whose support for horse racing and understanding of its positive economic impact have paved the way for the return of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to New York in 2027,” said David O’Rourke, NYRA President & CEO. “New York’s racing fans and participants have longed to host this event since it was last held at Belmont in 2005, and we thank the Breeders’ Cup for making that a reality.”

Travers Day (Saturday, August 23) is the centerpiece of the summer season at Saratoga with the $1,250,000 purse awaiting the winners. The Travers is Saratoga’s most famous race, and attracts many of the same elite horses that run in the three Triple Crown horse races.

Then it’s onward to the new Belmont.

In a return more than 20 years in the making, Belmont Park will welcome the Breeders’ Cup in 2027 for a fifth time after hosting in 1990, 1995, 2001, and 2005.

The Breeders’ Cup at Belmont Park will be held Oct. 29-30, 2027, but race dates are pending approval by the New York State Gaming Commission.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The sport of Volleyball has Beach Volleyball. The sport of Rugby (15 players) has Rugby Sevens (obviously, seven players). The sport of Basketball has 3×3. The Sport of American Football has Flag Football and now the sport of Baseball is investing heavily in softball. MLB reportedly purchased a stake in Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) as part of its efforts to grow the league ahead of its 2025 inaugural season, MLB said in a statement. The league will work to help raise the profile of the new softball league and its athletes through editorial, social media activities, marketing, events and game/highlights distribution, airing some AUSL games on MLB Network and streaming on MLB.com. Baseball purchased an equity stake worth more than 20% in the company.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Former Boston Bruins defenseman Zedeno Charawas selected for induction into the IIHF Hall of Fame. … The Boston Red Sox are currently in a stretch during which 18 of their 27 games from May 26-to-June 25 are on the road, including a season-long, nine-game road trip from June 16-25 to Seattle, San Francisco, and LA Angels (three games each series). … The LA Angels stop in to Fenway Park this week for a three game set of Boston’s three-game home stand. … At The Memorial in Dublin, Ohio, Scottie Scheffler birdied four of his last five holes, finishing with a birdie from just inside 15 feet. He took the third round lead when 18-h ole leader Ben Griffin missed a 3-foot par putt on the final hole. Scheffler opened the third round with 13 straight pars. Scheffler is the the reigning (2024) Memorial champion who last year became the fourth winner of the tournament to go on to win the FedEx Cup in the same season, There were three such winners in the last four years: (Viktor Hovland/2023, Patrick Cantlay/2021), and Tiger Woods did it in 2009. A playoff has decided the Memorial Tournament (presented by Workday) in six of the last 11 years, so tune into CBS Sports this afternoon. … Seattle’s Cal Raleigh is on pace for 57 home runs this season, which would be easily the most by a primary catcher in a single season. Kansas City’s Salvador Perez holds the record with 48 homers in 2021. Raleigh’s first dinger Friday night made him the first catcher to hit 20 home runs before the end of May.

JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Paige Bueckers of the WNBA’s Dallas Wings returned to Connecticut and scored a career high 21 points as Dallas won its first game of the season, beating the Sun 109-87 this week. Bueckers, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, shot 8-for-10 from the field and added seven assists and five rebounds. Bueckers kept her perfect record at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena, where the Sun play their home games. The rookie went 15-0 at the Sun’s building in college while playing for UConn, including winning four Big East championships with the Huskies.

Bueckers was placed into concussion protocol after her club’s loss to the Chicago Sky (May 29th). Bueckers, the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA draft, will be reevaluated after this week’s game against the Seattle Storm. She’ll miss at least two games.
Zion Williamson was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the No. 1 pick at the 2019 NBA Draft (Photo by T. Peter Lyons)

The No. 1 pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans has struggled through numerous injuries on the court b ut must now face serious charges in court. A woman has accused the Pelicans forward of alleged rape in addition to “sexual, physical, emotional and financial” abuse over the span of a multiyear relationship, according to a lawsuit submitted to Los Angeles Superior Court this week.

As of publication, neither reps of Williamson nor the team have commented on the charges.

Lower body injuries that have limited Williamson to 30 or fewer games in three of his five NBA seasons and he sat out the entire 2021-22 season due to injury.