Jalen Williams had a career playoff-high 40 points, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 and the Oklahoma City Thunder moved one win from a title by beating the Indiana Pacers 120-109 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night. It was the 10th — and by far, the biggest — time the Thunder stars combined for more than 70 points in a game. Williams was 14 of 24 from the field, and Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 assists for the Thunder. Pascal Siakam had 28 points for Indiana, which now trails the series 3-2 and will play host to Game 6 on Thursday night at 8:30.
Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton grabbed at his lower right leg after an awkward fall in the first quarter, briefly leaving Game 5 of the NBA Finals for treatment. He kept playing. He clearly wasn’t right. To his credit, Haliburton gutted his way through 34 minutes — largely playing the role of a facilitating decoy in the second half, hardly ever looking to shoot. He finished with four points, all from the foul line, and the Pacers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-109 on Monday night to fall behind 3-2 in the title series.
LeBron James may be daydreaming about Prime Day deals in his new Amazon commercial, but there’s no fantasy when it comes to his real-life focus: getting his knee healthy in time for training camp. The 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers superstar plans to return for his 23rd NBA season, which would make him the first player in league history to reach that milestone. For now, James is prioritizing rest and recovery after spraining a ligament in April, following the Lakers season-ending playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. James says his left knee is feeling “good" during an interview about starring in a new 60-second commercial called “What’s Next?”
NHL
It's anyone's guess who starts in goal for the Edmonton Oilers when they face elimination in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers on tonight at 8 in Florida . Coach Kris Knoblauch did not say Monday whether it would be Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard. He could be making some other changes judging by practice. The Panthers will be making no such moves thanks to a healthy lineup and a dominant victory in Game 5. Matthew Tkachuk is a big part of the reigning champs being close to full strength.
MLB
Boston 2 Seattle 0
Top prospect Roman Anthony hit his first major league home run and Lucas Giolito struck out 10 in six innings as the Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 2-0. Anthony gave Boston an early advantage during his seventh major league game, turning on a slider from Mariners starter Logan Gilbert — who was making his first appearance since coming off the injured list — for a solo shot in the first. It was Anthony’s second career hit after being promoted to the big leagues June 9. The Red Sox pushed across another run against Gilbert in the third. Jarren Duran smacked a two-out triple and scored on a single from Abraham Toro.
Meanwhile, a day after trading designated hitter Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants, Red Sox President Sam Kennedy told reporters on Monday night that Devers’ refusal to change positions made it untenable for him to remain with the team. The Red Sox sent the three-time All-Star to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday night for pitchers Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison and a pair of prospects. The move comes less than two years after Boston signed Devers to a 10-year, $313.5 million contract.
L.A. Angels 1 N.Y. Yankees 0
Giancarlo Stanton got two hits in his season debut for the Yankees against the Los Angeles Angels after missing New York’s first 70 games because of inflammation in the tendons of both elbows. Stanton received a standing ovation when he came to the plate with two on and two outs in the first inning. Batting fifth, the designated hitter hit a 101.5 mph groundout to third on the first pitch. He then grounded a sinker to left against José Soriano for a 111.1 mph single in the fourth.
Philadelphia 5 Miami 2
Trea Turner hit a leadoff homer and added two singles as the Philadelphia Phillies extended their winning streak to five games with a 5-2 victory over the Miami Marlins in the opener of a four-game series. Max Kepler also went deep and Alec Bohm had two hits and two RBIs for the Phillies. Rookie Mick Abel (2-0) threw five innings of one-run ball in his fourth major league start. The 23-year-old right-hander scattered three hits and struck out three. Orion Kerkering closed with a perfect ninth for his first career save.
The Mets were off last night … they start a series on the road against the Atlanta Braves tonight at 7:15 aiming to continue a three-game road winning streak.
Tampa Bay 7 Baltimore 1
Athletics 3 Houston 1
Colorado 6 Washington 4
L.A. Dodgers 6 San Diego 3
Shohei Ohtani gave up a pair of two-strike hits and a run in his Los Angeles Dodgers pitching debut against the San Diego Padres, which came 21 months after the two-way superstar had elbow surgery. Ohtani threw 28 pitches — 16 for strikes — in the first inning as Dodger Stadium fans hung on every one. They oohed when a fastball was clocked at 100.2 mph — the second-hardest pitch thrown by a Dodgers hurler this season. After getting through the top of the first on the mound, Ohtani struck out swinging at the plate leading off the bottom of the inning against Dylan Cease. Los Angeles reliever Anthony Banda replaced Ohtani in the second. Ohtani finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs as the Dodgers won 6-3.
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
Arkansas’ Gage Wood pitched the third no-hitter in College World Series history and first in 65 years, striking out a record 19 and never letting Murray State come close to getting a hit in the Razorbacks’ 3-0 victory. Wood joined Jim Ehrler of Texas in 1950 and Jim Wixson of Oklahoma State in 1960 as the only pitchers to throw CWS no-hitters. His defense was never really challenged as he dominated a Racers team that was making its first Omaha appearance. The junior right-hander set the CWS record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game.
NFL
The biggest beneficiary of an extended offseason for the San Francisco 49ers just might have been star running back Christian McCaffrey. A year after he was limited to just four games because of injuries to his Achilles tendon and knee, the engine of San Francisco’s high-powered offense was on the practice field for the offseason program and is hoping to get back to the form that made him AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. A healthy McCaffrey would be a key component for San Francisco to rebound from a 6-11 season.
SPORTS BETTING TAX
Louisiana soon could raise taxes on sports betting to help finance the athletic departments at many of its public universities. Legislation pending before Gov. Jeff Landry would make Louisiana the first state to raise taxes for college sports since a judge approved a landmark settlement allowing schools to directly pay athletes for use of their name, image and likeness. Earlier this year, Arkansas became the first state to exempt school NIL payments to athletes from state income taxes. Some sports business analysts expect more states to follow with laws aimed at giving an edge to their college athletes.
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