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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-MVP

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OKLAHOMA CITY – (Wire Service Report) – Named NBA Finals MVP following Oklahoma City’s 103-91 Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has earned the crown jewel of one of the NBA’s most decorated seasons at only 26 years old.

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Gilgeous-Alexander won the regular-season MVP and Finals MVP this season, becoming the ninth player in league history to accomplish that feat and the first since LeBron James in 2012-13 with the Miami Heat.

“It’s hard to believe that I’m part of that group. It’s hard to even fathom that I’m that type of basketball player sometimes,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after Game 7. ” … I’m just glad and happy that my dreams have been able to come true.”

The 6-foot-6 guard was the clear favorite to win the award if the Thunder captured the championship, averaging 30.3 points, 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game in the seven-game series.

Gilgeous-Alexander had a tough shooting night (8 for 27 from the field) to close out the series in Game 7, but as he’s done all season, he produced from the free-throw line. The league leader in drives made 11 of 12 attempts from the stripe and had his best playmaking performance of the Finals, notching a playoff-career-high 12 assists.

“Coming off of Game 6, I obviously had a lot more turnovers than assists. That’s not a recipe for a win, and I wanted to do whatever it took tonight to get a win,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Whether that was me playing in space, or it was … some of my teammates open and just trying to make the right basketball play.”

With a record 72 points over his first two career Finals games, Gilgeous-Alexander started hot and never looked back. His 34-point performance in Game 2 to prevent a 2-0 Thunder deficit and 35 in Game 4 to avoid falling down 3-1 kept Oklahoma City step-for-step with a relentless Indiana Pacers team.

The Thunder proved to be equally as tough. They lost consecutive games only twice in the regular season and never lost back-to-back games this postseason.

“We have a team full of competitors, we did what it took this year to be champions, and we deserve this,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We rose to the moment, here we are.”

The Toronto native won regular-season MVP by leading a 68-win Thunder team — the highest regular-season win total since the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors — and pacing the league in scoring at 32.7 points per game.

Alexander had among the most efficient volume scoring seasons of any guard in NBA history, posting 51.9/37.5/89.8 shooting splits, and was a solid defensive piece on one of the stingiest defenses in recent league history.

The No. 11 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 draft, Gilgeous-Alexander was traded on draft night to the Los Angeles Clippers. After his rookie season, the Clippers shipped the Kentucky product to Oklahoma City in a package for Paul George, tipping the first domino in what would become one of the league’s most successful rebuilds.

Gilgeous-Alexander was a fringe All-Star caliber player for three seasons, in two of which the Thunder won fewer than 30 games, until he burst into the forefront of the NBA in the 2022-23 season, averaging 31.4 ppg.

Last season, he was the runner-up for MVP while Oklahoma City fell short of a title in a second-round exit.

A year later, Gilgeous-Alexander hoisted the first Larry O’Brien and Finals MVP trophies that Oklahoma City has ever seen.

— Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Notebook | June 22

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While We’re Young (Ideas) at TPC River Highlands

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CROMWELL (Connecticut) – As your trusty columnist plunges in a pool of “Coppertone,” (that’s OG for sun block), blows in the wind gusts that made Friday’s round at the 2025 Travelers Championship golf tournament hit a low average a 70.68, and while we agonize over the Moving Day results for tournament leaders – Justin Thomas, and Scottie Scheffler – there’s no better time than today to set golf aside for a paragraph or three and a review great Game 7s in NBA history.

Game 7s

Here’s a look at all of the Game 7s in NBA history:

Year, Result

2016 Cleveland Cavaliers def. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 93-89

2013 MIAMI HEAT defeat San Antonio Spurs 95-88

2010 LOS ANGELES LAKERS def. Boston Celtics 83-79

2005 SAN ANTONIO SPURS def. Detroit Pistons 81-74

1994 HOUSTON ROCKETS def. New York Knicks 90-84

1988 LOS ANGELES LAKERS def. Detroit Pistons 108-105

1984 BOSTON CELTICS def. Los Angeles Lakers 111-102

1978 Washington Bullets def. SEATTLE SUPERSONICS 105-99

1974 Boston Celtics defeat MILWAUKEE BUCKS 102-87

1970 NEW YORK KNICKS def. Los Angeles Lakers 113-99

1969 Boston Celtics def. LOS ANGELES LAKERS 108-106

1966 BOSTON CELTICS def. Los Angeles Lakers 95-93

1962 BOSTON CELTICS def. Los Angeles Lakers 110-107 (OT)

1960 BOSTON CELTICS def. St. Louis Hawks 122-103

1957 BOSTON CELTICS def. St. Louis Hawks 125-123 (2 OT)

1955 SYRACUSE NATIONALS def. Fort Wayne Pistons 92-81

1954 MINNEAPOLIS LAKERS def. Syracuse Nationals 87-80

1952 MINNEAPOLIS LAKERS def. New York Knicks 82-65

1951 ROCHESTER ROYALS def. New York Knicks 79-75

That’s a total of 19 Game 7s with the home team going 15-4. Not too shabby for the home squads.

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TL TENURE: In my tenure at NBA HQ, there were only three Game 7s over the 26 years. They came in 1984, ‘88 and 1994. (Look who is in far right corner of the photo above from ’84)

Without a doubt, the 1984 “NBA World Championship Series” (that’s pre-NBA Finals lingo), was the best game and the best series I’ve ever seen in person. I worked a then-record 135 consecutive Finals games with Game 1 of the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers sweep over the LA Lakers – Moses Malone called it “Fo, fo, and Fo,” but it went “Fo, Five and Fo” – in a disappointing quick series that Moses, Dr. J and Company just dominated. That next year – 1984 – were were primed for greatness.

The Celtics and LA Lakers delivered with the Cs taking Game 7 on the parquet in the old Boston Garden, 111-102. It was an epic series with Hall of Famers deep on each team’s roster.

LA Lakers:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Michael Cooper

Earvin “Magic Johnson

Bob McAdoo

Jamaal Wilkes

James Worthy

Boston Celtics:

Larry Bird

Dennis Johnson

Kevin McHale

Robert Parish

Both team coaches, KC Jones of the Celtics (enshrined as a player) and Pat Riley of the Lakers (enshrined as a coach) were at the respective helms of their legendary clubs.

In Game 7 back in ‘84, the Boston Garden indoor temperature that was an issue in Game 5 was not as bad (indoor temperatures hovered around 91°F rather than 97 during the game, due to additional fans brought in to attempt to cool the air). The Celtics were led by Cedric Maxwell who had 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Larry Bird (Indiana State) avenged the 1979 NCAA Final Four loss to Magic Johnson (Michigan State) and Bird won the MVP honors for the series.

Earlier Celtics teams lived by the motto, “No rebounds, no rings.” The great Bill Russell ecelled in Game 7s, snagging 40 rebounds in 1962, 35 rebounds in 1960 and 32 rebounds in 1966.

In 1988, “Big Game” James Worthy has 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the LA Lakers to a 108-105 Game 7 victory. In the 2-3-2 format for home games, the series switched back to LA with the Lakers trailing the Pistons 2-games-3, but the Lakers prevailed, taking the last two games of the series. Game 6 is remembered for Detroit’s Isiah Thomas spraining his ankle, badly, but still scoring 25 of his 43 points in the third quarter, gimping on the ankle. Worthy won the MVP of the series.

One item of note: The 2025 NBA Finals are a turning point for the league. An age of parity in the league has brought about two incredibly talented teams, one the model for the other. Get ready for more of these type match-ups, as the strong, long, fast, deep, versatile NBA clubs will outlast the traditional types. Since the 2018 NBA Finals, there’s been a different champion each and every year, including 2025. That defines a new era in NBA basketball and it’s … FAN-tastic.

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HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Seattle Mariner’s catcher Cal Raleigh is on his way to a record-breaking season. Raleigh broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench‘s 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major-league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners’ 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Looking ahead, Raleigh will attempt to break these numbers for a single season:

2021 – Sal Perez (Kansas City Royals) – (48)

1970 – Johnny Bench (Cincinnati Reds) – (45)

2003 – Javy Lopez (Atlanta Braves) – (43)

Mike Piazza (Dodgers and Mets) is the all-time leader for career home runs with 427 (396 hit as a catcher). Raleigh has 122 dingers on his career.

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AT THE TRAVELERS: World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had a rough round on Friday, playing in wind gusts of 30 mph. After shooting a scorching (62) on Thursday, Scheffler followed with a (69) on Friday, including a double-bogey on No. 17 as he came in at 35. Scheffler began the third round with a triple bogey on Saturday and later experienced a double bogey on No. 8. He had five birdies on the day but shot a 2-over, 72, and will tee-off Sunday as a player T-8.

Thomas was worse. He had a bogey on No. 2 and a dreaded quadruple bogey (9) on No. 13 and finished 3-over, 73 and enters Sunday play T-14.

Between the two leaders, they hit for the cycle with bogey – double bogey – triple bogey and quadruple bogey.

On the other hand, Tommy Fleetwood did some moving on “Moving Day,” shooting a 7-under, 63, and leads Russell Henley by three strokes. Henley shot a best-of-week (61) on Saturday to sit T-2 and three back.

New England native Keegan Bradley – captain of the USA Ryder Cup team this Fall – shot a (63) with seven birdies and a bogey free round.

Digital Sports Desk and sister e-news PGA Tour Brunch will be on site at TPC River Highlands, just south of Hartford, Connecticut where we write from on Saturday and Sunday.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Sam Coffey, daughter of former NY Daily News columnist Wayne Coffey, was named to the active roster for the upcoming threesome of friendlies for the US Women’s National Team. The product of The Masters School in Westchester County, Boston College and Penn State will take her place against No. 25 Ireland (June 26 & 29) and No. 8 Canada (July 2). … Those games will be broadcast on Turner (TNT/TruTV).

The 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be staged on Friday, June 27 (7:00pm ET, ESPN) and Saturday, June 28 (12 Noon ET, NHL Net). The event will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

RAFA and RAFAEL: When Rafael Devers was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants, it broke up a strong bond between teammates – CeddanneRafaela and the discarded Devers. The MLB scheduling gods brought them back together on Friday night.

“He’s like my big brother. I really looked up to him when I was coming up,” said Rafaela. “So it’s always a pleasure for me to watch him play and watch him perform. I think, yeah, it was fun.”

Yes, it was fun for Rafaela and Boston as the Red Sox took a 7-5 victory at SF’s Oracle Park. Rafaela came through with a rally-starting double, an RBI single and a towering solo homer while Devers had a rough 0-for-5 night at the plate. Devers enjoyed some revenge on Saturday when he homered off former teammate Brayan Bello in the third inning of his SF Giants’ 3-2 win over the Sox.

PHIL STEELE and COLLEGE FOOTBALL: WWYI has written of the great College Basketball preview publication called Blue Ribbon Basketball. For College Football, it’s Phil Steele’s 2025 College Football Preview. The 75-page bible for college footy is already in mailboxes all around the nation and it’s available for purchase by clicking HERE.

Boston College fans can read about the fact their football team will face a Top 25 of toughest schedule in 2025. BC comes in at No. 11 in the country for that tough schedule dictating the chance to have a drop-off from their (7-6) 2024 record when they lost to Nebraska in the Pinstripe Bowl.

THIS JEST IN: The Stanley Cup got a little “banged up” this week, thanks to the Florida Panthers’ celebration of back-to-back titles. The greatest trophy in all the world is cracked and the bottom is dented, but it’s not the first time and likely not the last.

The Panthers won their second consecutive championship on home ice Tuesday night, beating Edmonton in six games. The team, following decades of tradition, partied with the Cup into the wee hours and kept the revelry going in Fort Lauderdale well into Wednesday afternoon. After the damage was done, a spokesperson for the Hockey Hall of Fame said the keepers of the Cup are taking appropriate measures and plan to have it repaired by the city-wide celebration parade today. Made of silver and a nickel alloy, the 37-pound Cup is relatively malleable, and has a history of dealing with the reckless abandon days of lore.

In 1906, a year after being drop-kicked into a canal in Ottawa, Canada, the Montreal Wanderers took possession of The Cup by defeating Ottawa in a rematch. After a night of revelry, the players decided to take the Cup for an official picture at JimmyRice’s photography shop. Pleased with their photo, the players then exited Rice’s and crossed the street for a cold beer, but they did so without Lord Stanley’s Cup.

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: The University of Wisconsin sued the University of Miami on Friday, formally accusing the Florida school of tampering with a football player under a “financial contract” with the Badgers.

The decision to sue could become a watershed moment in the current era of college athletics. Never before has a university accused another of tampering with one of its athletes, who did not have contracts before the dawn of name, image and likeness rights this decade.

“While we reluctantly bring this case, we stand by our position that respecting and enforcing contractual obligations is essential to maintaining a level playing field,” the school said in a statement.

Though Wisconsin’s lawsuit only refers to the player as Student Athlete A, the subject of the case is cornerback Xavier Lucas, who left Wisconsin and enrolled at Miami over the winter without ever entering the transfer portal.

There was no word on college basketball coaches walking across the gym during conference games and handing an opponent a check for $1.2 million.

Sports Biz: Devers, FSG, Yanks and Cape

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By JAMES GUMINA, (Special to Digital Sports Desk)

As a young person in an age of limitless information, there are always a lot of things on my mind, mostly sports-related, and often focused on what’s happening off the field. From marketing campaigns to broadcasts to business strategy, it’s a lot to process. So, to clear some space, here are a few things from this week that have stuck with me more than most. Whether you’re in the business, a media nerd, or someone who can’t stop thinking about how the game is packaged, I hope something here sticks with you, too.

Red Sox Trade Rafael Devers to San Francisco

As an avid Red Sox fan, the only thing on my mind for much of the past week has been the Rafael Devers trade debacle. I was just as stunned when I found out the news on Sunday night as I was about the Luka trade, except this was my favorite player leaving my favorite team. Thousands of words have already been written on the locker-room aspect of this trade, so I won’t delve into those rumors here. But the transaction, and the reaction to it, show some of the unique things about baseball’s changing ownership structure. Strictly from a baseball perspective, Devers, who commands over a 250 million dollar price tag, was traded in what essentially was a salary dump. The Red Sox got some interesting players back, but none of the Giants’ best players or prospects were included in the deal; a fact that vastly increased the Boston fan outrage. The number one asset going back to Boston was financial flexibility. Most production and valuation models have the Devers contract as a net negative over the course of the deal, so the Red Sox were put in the unique position of having only a few teams aggressive enough to take it on. Thus, they were left with a bad return.

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This newfound flexibility comes at an interesting time for Red Sox ownership group and Fenway Sports Group (FSG), which recently completed one of the largest transfer buyouts in Premier League history. At the same time, they’re preparing a bid for a La Liga team and are in the process of offloading a stake in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fenway Sports Group’s history tells a tale of how sports ownership is being transformed from a luxury status symbol to a piece of an investment portfolio. In the days after buying the Red Sox, FSG rapidly increased spending and was frequently bidding for top players in search of winning championships. In recent years, however, the Red Sox have floundered and shifted away from investing in top dollar signings. As FSG has begun to expand its portfolio, the Red Sox have faded from prized possession to revenue driver. Teams across the country are increasingly viewed as solid investments. With private equity money flooding into ownership groups, operations are being reshaped, often at the expense of fans, as clubs cut costs and trade stars like Rafael Devers, just two years into a ten-year deal. It may be boosting the team’s bottom line, but it’s harming fans and making the product less enjoyable. I wonder if this callous attitude will damage fan trust and turn people off the product in the long term. Time will tell, but for now I will be tuning into more Giants games.

Yankee Stadium

On Tuesday, I went to Yankee Stadium to watch them play the Angels. After Joon Lee’s piece on rising sports prices in the New York Times this week, I have been thinking about how rising costs have reshaped community building around sports. I found the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium to be enjoyable. But after spending a substantial amount of time this summer with USL League One team Westchester SC, I found the contrast to be remarkable. At Yankee Stadium no one was talking with one another, whereas it seems like people are constantly making new friends at the WSC games. The piped-in sound effects at Yankee Stadium make it hard to hear yourself think, let alone strike up a conversation with the person next to you, again, a totally different vibe than any smaller scale team or league. Thinking back on my favorite sports memories, many revolve around Cape Cod League baseball and its free tickets, another example of community-first sports. Aside from the obvious note of lowering prices, stadiums would do better to let the game breathe, get rid of artificial noise, and allow for community to be formed in the stands. After all, that is what sports are all about.

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Stray Thoughts: Former NFL star Jimmy Graham taking to the ocean, Club World Cup struggles, J.J. Spraun’s improbable win, Boston Marathon qualifying changed.

Yes, ‘Cers

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Indiana’s Obi Toppin scored 20 off the bench to lead a balanced offensive effort as the Indiana Pacers evened the NBA Finals with a 108-91 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 on Thursday in the heartland.

The Finals will go to a winner-take-all seventh game for the first time since 2016.

Game 7 is Sunday in Oklahoma City.

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There was little drama Thursday, as Indiana jumped ahead in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead.

Andrew Nembhard added 17 points while Pascal Siakam had 16 points and 13 rebounds to move the Pacers within one win of their first NBA title. Tyrese Haliburton, playing through a calf injury, had 14 points and five assists, and T.J. McConnell contributed 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals.

Indiana forced 21 turnovers.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points, but had a playoff career-worst eight turnovers and just two assists. Jalen Williams, who scored 40 points in Game 5, finished with just 16 points.

Trailing by 30 entering the final quarter, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault pulled his starters, opting to save them for Game 7.

Oklahoma City shot just 8-for-30 (26.7 percent) from beyond the arc — 1-for-11 in the first half.

The Pacers took control in the second quarter, turning the tables on the Thunder.

Oklahoma City won Games 4 and 5 the same way it had plenty of others this season — by turning up the pressure on defense and using that to fuel its offense.

Over the final eight-minutes plus before halftime, Indiana’s defense led the way on a 30-9 run to go into halftime with a 64-42 lead.

The Pacers scored 11 of their 36 second-quarter points off the Thunder’s seven turnovers.

Haliburton, who had struggled early in games for much of the series even before straining his right calf early in Game 5, helped set the defensive tone for Indiana.

In the final minute of the half, Haliburton elevated near the sideline for a steal off a Williams’ pass, then quickly fired to Siakam as he was falling out of bounds.

Siakam finished off the play with an emphatic dunk to stretch the lead to 20, then grabbed a rebound off a Chet Holmgren miss on the other end and buried an 18-footer just before the buzzer to send the Pacers into the locker room with a commanding lead.

Indiana, which committed 23 turnovers in Game 5, had just two first-half turnovers on Thursday.

The Pacers were slow-to-get-started on offense, going nearly four minutes into the game without a field goal and missing their first eight field goals while falling behind 10-2.

But it didn’t take long for Indiana to close the gap, scoring eight consecutive points to tie the game less than a minute after hitting its first field goal.

Moments later, the Pacers took the lead for the first time and what proved to be for good.

After going without a field goal in Game 5, Haliburton missed his first four shots Thursday before taking a quick feed from Myles Turner off an offensive rebound and burying a 3-pointer with just more than four minutes remaining in the first quarter to put Indiana up 24-17.

The Pacers continued to stretch their lead in the third, holding Oklahoma City to just 18 points.

Indiana’s James Johnson was ejected in the final minute after an altercation with Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Joe.

–Field Level Media

Jalen Rose Wins Impact Award

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SPRINGFIELD – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and popular rap star, film producer and actor, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the BIG3 basketball league, Ice Cube, have announced that former player, TV analyst, and philanthropist Jalen Rose will be honored with the 2025 Ice Cube Impact Award.

“It’s truly an honor to be recognized by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame with the Ice Cube Impact Award,” said Jalen Rose. “Cube is family, and we share an unwavering dedication to giving back to the communities that raised us. Basketball created opportunities for us in different ways and has allowed both of us to make a lasting impact beyond the court. I’m grateful for this recognition and proud to be celebrated in the Hall’s museum.”

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Rose’s impact extends well beyond the basketball court through his unwavering commitment to education and community development in his hometown of Detroit. In 2011, he founded the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA), an open-enrollment, tuition-free public charter high school focused on academic excellence and family. JRLA prides itself on being a 9-16 model, to and through college, and offers AP courses, college tours, summer programs, and dual enrollment opportunities. Rose remains hands-on as the president of the Board of Directors and is actively fundraising to bridge the funding gap, raise dollars for college scholarships, and support a $20 million capital campaign to expand the school. Jalen also has a scholarship endowment at the University of Michigan.

Beyond education, Jalen serves as a volunteer Board Member for the National Basketball Players Association Foundation and partners with New Era Detroit, a community organization that focuses on community engagement, resource distribution, and safety initiatives. His dedication to Detroit and beyond is reflected in the time, resources, and leadership he continues to invest in the city where he was raised.

“Throughout his entire career, Jalen has consistently been a force for good,” said Ice Cube, who was recognized last year with the inaugural award. “Not only does he give back to his communities through fundraising, education, and, most importantly, through basketball, but he leads by example, championing the exact values this award was created to celebrate. His impact can be felt deeply in Detroit, and his commitment to building up the next generation is inspiring. I could not be more honored that we have named Jalen Rose this year’s Ice Cube Impact Award recipient and thank him for his tireless dedication to lifting up communities through the beautiful game of basketball.”

The Ice Cube Impact Award was created in 2024 to recognize individuals making substantial contributions to their communities through basketball. As the eponymous recipient, Ice Cube was honored with the inaugural award for his creation of the BIG3 basketball league alongside Jeff Kwatinetz in 2017. The league plays the premier global version of professionalized 3-on-3 basketball and is committed to increasing the opportunity, entertainment, diversity, and growth of the 3-on-3 game. The Ice Cube Impact Award is permanently housed in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s museum and recognizes honorees through a dedicated exhibit and in-depth storytelling.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see Ice Cube and the Hall of Fame come together for something this impactful,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “Ice Cube’s influence goes way beyond entertainment—he’s a cultural icon who’s using his platform to uplift communities through education and philanthropy. This partnership represents a modern, meaningful opportunity for the Hall to celebrate not just basketball excellence, but the power of the game to drive real change. Jalen Rose is a remarkable selection for the Ice Cube Impact Award, embodying the values this honor was created to recognize.”

The Ice Cube Impact Award will be presented to Jalen Rose at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame during Enshrinement Weekend festivities on Saturday, September 6, in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Reinhart’s Four Goals Clinch The Cup

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SUNRISE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Florida’s Sam Reinhart scored four goals to help the Florida Panthers clinch their second straight Stanley Cup Final with a 5-1 victory against the visiting Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 on Tuesday night in South Florida.

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Reinhart scored on all four shots he took to become the first player with four goals in a Stanley Cup Final since Montreal’s Maurice “Rocket” Richard in 1957. Reinhart finished with seven goals in the last four games of the series.

Matthew Tkachuk also scored for the Panthers, who are the third team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions in the past 10 years.

Sergei Bobrovsky came within 4:42 of his fourth shutout of the 2025 playoffs before Vasily Podkolzin scored for the Oilers. Bobrovsky finished with 28 saves.

Stuart Skinner made 20 saves for the Oilers, who also lost to the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final last season.

A team from Canada has not won the Cup since 1993.

The Panthers scored the first goal for the fifth straight game.

Edmonton was outshooting Florida 5-0 when Reinhart stole the puck from defenseman Evan Bouchard at his own blue line. He then juked past Mattias Ekholm at the top of the right circle before scoring over Skinner’s glove for a 1-0 lead at 4:36.

The Panthers added to their lead in the final minute of the opening period. Eetu Luostarinen pulled up above the right circle in the Edmonton zone off a rush and waited for Tkachuk, who had just jumped onto the ice.

After receiving Luostarinen’s pass, Tkachuk brought the puck to the high slot before hitting the top right corner of the net with a wrist shot, giving Florida a 2-0 lead with 47 seconds left in the period.

Florida outscored the Oilers 13-4 in the opening period during the series.

Florida made it 3-0 at 17:31 of the second.

Carter Verhaeghe took a wrist shot from along the boards and above the right circle that hit Skinner in the chest. The rebound came out diagonally to Aleksander Barkov cutting through the left circle, and his feed to Reinhart cutting to the opposite post went off his left skate blade and into the Edmonton net.

The Oilers pulled Skinner with about seven minutes left and Reinhart scored into the empty net for a 4-0 lead with 6:24 remaining, giving him the first playoff hat trick in Panthers history.

He wasn’t finished, as Edmonton pulled Skinner again and Reinhart scored into the empty net to make it 5-0 with 5:05 left.

–Field Level Media

Sox Turn to Crochet in Rubber Game

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SEATTLE – (Wire Service Report) – Thanks to batterymates Cal Raleigh and Bryan Woo, the Seattle Mariners will have a chance to win their three-game series against the visiting Boston Red Sox.

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Raleigh hit his major-league-leading 27th homer of the season, a grand slam, and added a two-run double while Woo pitched seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball as the Mariners leveled the series with an 8-0 victory against the Red Sox on Tuesday night.

The series’ decisive game is set for Wednesday afternoon, when Red Sox ace left-hander Garrett Crochet (6-4, 2.24 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound against Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo (4-4, 3.29).

Raleigh snapped out of a 4-for-27 slump when he singled in the first inning, then belted a slam against Walker Buehler in a five-run second inning. He doubled home two more runs in a three-run fourth.

The homer moved Raleigh above the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge for the top spot in the majors.

“What can you say about Cal … he’s been incredible,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “And caught a shutout to boot.”

Woo, who was 0-3 in his previous four starts, gave up only a leadoff single to rookie Marcelo Mayer in the fifth. He walked two and fanned six while again pitching at least six innings, something he has done in all 14 of his starts this season.

“He’s that stopper when we need a big game from our starter,” Raleigh said of Woo. “And he’s showing up every time — Mr. Consistent.”

As for Raleigh’s own accomplishments?

“It’s great, but you know, just trying to keep the head down,” Raleigh said. “The minute you look up and start to admire (it all), that’s when the game will come around and put you in your place.”

Despite winning six of their past seven games, the Red Sox haven’t scored more than four runs during any contest in that stretch. Their offensive output doesn’t figure to improve after trading disgruntled slugger Rafael Devers, a three-time All-Star, to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

“(The lineup) feels good,” Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran said. “We won (2-0 Monday), and (Tuesday) was just one of those days where you run into a great pitcher and he does his thing.

“I don’t think anybody is thinking too much about (Devers). We’re just focused on the team we have now, and we’re going to keep rolling.”

Crochet didn’t get a decision on Friday against the New York Yankees in a game the host Red Sox won 2-1 in 10 innings. He allowed one run on four hits in 8 1/3 innings, with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Crochet, who had won his previous two starts, is 0-2 with a 4.96 ERA in five career appearances (three starts) vs. Seattle. He lost to the visiting Mariners on April 24 after permitting four runs on five hits and five walks with nine strikeouts in five innings.

Castillo is winless in four starts since May 19, though he is just 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA in that span. He didn’t get a decision in Seattle’s 7-2 victory against the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Friday despite allowing just two runs on three hits over six innings. He walked three and logged a season-high seven strikeouts.

Castillo is 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA in four lifetime starts against Boston.

–Field Level Media

SPORTS BIZ: Secret to a Great Summer

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By JAMES GUMINA

MOUNT VERNON, NY – One of the great opportunities of this  summer has been working as an intern for  Westchester SC at home games. For anyone not familiar, Westchester SC is a first year expansion club in USL League One that holds the record for quickest turnaround from franchise announcement to fielding a team on opening day, and it’s already one of the fastest growing professional clubs in the United States. They compete in USL League One, a professional league two tiers below MLS, as well as in multi-league tournaments like the Jägermeister Cup.

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Home games are played at Mount Vernon’s Memorial Field. Don’t let the number of multipurpose lines on the field fool you, the stadium and club are run extremely well and quite professionally. Easy entry, musical bands, numerous concession stands, and food trucks from across the local community make taking in Westchester games a great experience for the family.

In an era where going to see a pro sports game has become financially burdensome, local professional teams like this are a breath of fresh air. Ticket prices start at $15, and you can get a full, delicious meal and drinks from a food truck for under $20. Add in free parking, and you’ve got a proposition that’s hard to beat. This isn’t your local rec league. These are professional players, many with long careers in academies and clubs both in the U.S. and abroad.

WSC may be new to the league, but its roster is anything but inexperienced. The team pulled on local pipelines and talent to form a dynamic and competitive squad in its inaugural season. From MLS Veterans like Andrew Jean-Baptiste, to USL League one standouts like Steven Payne, to dynamic young goal scorers like JC Obregon, the roster spans experience levels and makes the product on the field a treat to watch.

From the way this team is run, you would have no idea it was a first year club. The stadium experience is smooth and seamless, with a European-style “Ultra” section, dubbed the 914th Infantry, leading chants and energizing the crowd.

I spent a long time in the stands prior to the recent game against AV Alta FC asking where people were from and what brought them to the stadium. As to where people were from, I heard just about every town within a 30 minute drive and a number of people who made the trip up from New York City. With free parking across the street and just a 15-minute walk from Metro-North train line, Westchester SC has drawn fans from across the region.

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Where there was a wide variety of answers to the first question, nearly everyone had the same answer to the second; community.

From members of the 914th infantry, to kids who had heard about the team from one of their friends at school, to family of the players and employees of the team, WSC has made strong inroads into the fabric of the local community. It’s a community of people that love sports, especially soccer, and with the New York City professional teams being hard physically and financially to access, Westchester SC can capitalize on the shortcomings of the more established teams and Westchester can better serve the fans.

Between all these facts, and the raucous 2,000+ person crowd against AV Alta FC, it was easy to forget that the team has only been in existence for closer to 10 months, rather than 10 years. This season is only the beginning for this franchise, and what a well executed start it has been. I look forward to attending more games over the course of the summer of 2025 and to watching the team grow, develop, and prosper within the Westchester community.

Rafael Devers, Meet Luka Dončić

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Considering the major difference of a trade in MLB with no Salary Cap and the NBA with significant trade restrictions from the long-standing cap (maximum team salary), the recent trade of Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants reminds this columnist of the decision by the Dallas Mavericks to trade Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers this past winter.

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They’re both trades that shocked their respective leagues and fan base. They are both trades that left fans scratching their heads and wondering, ‘Why?”

They are both trades that left critics thinking, “They could’ve gotten more in return for such superstar players, as Doncic was an All-NBA player who led the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals when they lost to the Boston Celtics and Devers is a Top 10 hitter in all of Major League Baseball.

The Mavericks received once All-NBA center Anthony Davis along with Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick.

The Lakers received Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris from the Mavericks. There was also some collateral swappings with the Utah Jazz.

With the Devers trade to San Fran, the Red Sox received pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, along with outfield prospect James Tibbs and minor-league right-hander Jose Bello.

In both cases, the GMs of each team (Dallas (Nico Harrison) and Boston (Craig Breslow) dealt with – pretty much – just one opponent to come to terms on a deal. The shock value of the trades had much to do with the fact nothing leaked from Dallas-LA nor Boston-SF.  There was one report that Boston bounced an idea or two off the Atlanta Braves, but nothing came of it.

That left the dealmakers – so let’s look a bit deeper into these two trades?

For the Mavericks, there was trouble with Doncic’s injury history, namely lower body strains that kept him on the NBA’s Injured List from Christmas to the trade date of February 2, 2025. Although Doncic led an upstart Mavericks club to the NBA Finals, there was some belief his weight and lack of conditioning might catch up with him sooner than later. In addition, he might simply walk from the Mavs when he was eligible for free agency,

For the Red Sox, the spring of 2025 saw Devers head south when the team went south for spring training. Boston obtained golden glove third baseman Alex Bregman and it prompted the Sox to ask Devers to switch to be their Designated Hitter for the current season. Devers went to the DH role reluctantly.

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When young first baseman Tristan Casas was injured and out for the season, the Sox asked Devers to consider a switch to first to give manager Alex Cora some flexibility and depth. From Devers there was more pouting and even an outburst to the media to communicate back to Cora and the Sox management team.

Also, Devers began the 2025 regular season in a ditch, but he recently broke from that slump in a big way and was among the American League leaders in walks, RBI, On Base Percentage, runs scored, doubles, extra base hits, home runs and total bases. After ending the slump in late April, Devers was batting .325, with 12 home runs, 33 base-on-balls, and was leading the majors with 43 RBI.

While his on-field performance was booming, Devers’ was clearly not rowing in the same direction as the rest of the organization in terms of introducing the three top prospects into active, everyday duty.

In a June 16 conference call with media, Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy and head of baseball operations Breslow expressed their disappointment in not getting on the same page with Devers and shared their point of view of frustration and ultimately the decision to move Devers, with the buzz words of “because they could not find “alignment” with their star.”

In the 24 hours after the trade rumors leaked and became fact, there was more talk of “alignment,” and lack thereof, than at every Town Fair Tires store in New England.

Of course, not hidden in the deal is the fact the Red Sox will save some $250 million over the next eight-plus years as they drop the weight of Devers’ ten year $313.5 million contract, of which two years of the deal was in the bank. For that reason, Red Sox fans and season ticket holders have little patience as ticket prices remain amongst the highest in MLB while stars such as Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Chris Sale were all shipped out of Boston in cost savings moves, each with little return of on-field run producers.

In the end, the Red Sox will speak of alignment while the Mavericks won the Lottery – literally – when they lucked into the rights to draft Duke University star Cooper Flagg next Wednesday night.

The Mavericks will be redeemed on June 25.

The Red Sox will remain in limbo.

OKC Takes Control of NBA Finals

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OKLAHOMA CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – OKC’s Jalen Williams scored 40 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 120-109 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

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The Thunder lead the series 3-2, moving themselves within a game of the franchise’s first NBA title since the team moved to Oklahoma City.

The series resumes Thursday in Indianapolis.

Even without much offensive production from Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers cut what was an 18-point first-half deficit to two on Pascal Siakam’s 3-pointer from the wing with 8:30 remaining.

The Thunder immediately responded, though, with Cason Wallace grabbing the rebound on Williams’ missed layup and flipping it to Lu Dort, who found Williams for a 3-pointer.