Bahamas blanked 12-0 by Dominican Republic
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
The Bahamas’ bid to qualify for the Pony 12U World Series came to an end yesterday in the semifinals of the Pony Baseball 12U Latin American and Caribbean Zone Championships in the Dominican Republic.
The winner of the tournament earned the rights to represent the Zione in the World Series in Indianapolis, Indiana in August.
After advancing to the semifinals with a 3-1 win-loss record in the round robin, Team Bahamas was blanked 12-0 by the defending champions Dominican Republic host team in their semifinal game yesterday.
Manager James Clarke said the players showed that pound for pound, they could play against the teams in the tournament, but they just didn’t have it when it counted the most.
“I think playing with them and some calls didn’t
go our way, they realised this is a team that we could beat,” Clarke said.
“We told the guys, when you play someone in their hometown, you have to beat them and you have to beat them badly and not make it close because, at the end of the day, there’s no guarantee that the calls will go your way.”
Despite not advancing to the final, coach Norman Bastian said the players performed as best as they could.
“Over this weekend in these five games, the boys performed very well,” Bastian said. “We threw a lot of strikes, we hit the ball very well and our defence was pretty impressive as well.
“At this age, they are going to make one or two slight mistakes, but that’s alright because they end up picking themselves up. They have a lot of heart, fight and energy. I like the way they played. They played tough and battled right to the very end, even though we fell short at the end.”
Ask some of the players and they will tell you that they were pleased with their effort.
“It feels good to come out here strong,” said outfielder Josiah Filterman. “We made a few errors, but we came back and fought strong. We battled back until it was over.”
Catcher Bosfield Butler III said after losing their first game, they came back strong. But he admitted that it was a tough loss to the Dominican Republic.
“We will see them next time,” he noted. And Gissnno Newball, the shortstop, said the tournament went very well.
“We played some good competition. I love it. It was fun,” he summed up. YOUTH AGE GROUP AWARDS
Yankees’ Jasrado ‘Jazz’ Chisholm Jr has The Seventy Percent Solution
By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr. has The Seventy Percent Solution. While most athletes talk about the urge to give 100% or even 110%, the New York Yankees infielder thinks his success since returning from the injured list has been caused by limiting intensity.
“Just go at 70%. That’s what’s been working for me,” he said Friday night after his three-run, goahead homer in the first inning and four RBIs sparked the Yankees over the Boston Red Sox 9-6 in the opening meeting this year of the AL East rivals.
“Play at 70%: defence, offence, running, everything. Stay healthy. You don’t overswing. You don’t swing and miss as much, and you’re a great player at 70%.”
Chisholm Jr is hitting
.500 (8 for 16) with two homers, six RBIs and three steals in four games since returning Tuesday from a strained right oblique, an April 29 injury that caused him to miss 28 games.
“He’s squaring balls up.
He’s got so much talent and power, and he doesn’t have to go reach for it,” manager Aaron Boone said. “That kind of wiry thing he’s got inside him, he doesn’t have to work too hard to generate it. So nice and easy is always good for Jazz.”
Chisholm Jr raised his season average this week from .181 to .223.
“He’s a game-changer,” Yankees captain Aaron Judge said. “When you step out there in Yankee Stadium, the adrenaline is going to be flowing. It’s really just about slowing everything down and just take a nice, easy approach.”
Solving the mindset issue was credited by Chisholm Jr to assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler.
“Like my coach Six said, he said: ‘At 70% you’re one of the best out there’. At 100%, I might be dog crap,” Chisholm Jr explained, referring to Roessler by the coach’s nickname.
Chisholm Jr prepared for a rehab stint at Double-A Somerset last weekend by joining coaches to review video of his minor league days.
“I’ve really heard that, all my life, is that I need to tone down on the way I play, because it’s really over — it’s electric, but you can be electric while being controlled at the same time,” Chisholm Jr said.
SOME say it’s long overdue, but Fred “Papa” Smith said his recognition by the Bahamas Baseball Federation at the sixth Andre Rodgers Senior National Baseball Championships came at the right time. His wife Catherine Smith concurred, adding that she’s pleased to see that her husband is “finally getting his flowers to smell while he is still alive.”
Over the weekend at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium, Smith was honored by the BBA during the nationals for his contribution to the sport of baseball.
“It’s a pleasure and it’s and honour and I’m elated,” he said. “There’s so many other people they could have chosen to name this tournament after. But they chose me.”
The 77-year-old Smith, however, recalled that while baseball had a profound impact on his life from the time he started at age 10, he became more intrigued playing basketball at 13 at the Priory Grounds.
“I played with St Bernard with my first coach York Rolle, who was out here with me,” Smith said.
“In my career, I had four coaches, Charles ‘York’ Rolle, Penny Bain, the late Deacon Leviticus ‘Uncle Lou’ Adderley and Ronald ‘Ding’ Wood.
“York and Lou Adderley coached me in little league, Penny Bain was junior league and Ronald was my senior league coach. I played with St Bernards, Sydney Shoe Shop and Vat 19 and HG Christie.”
When he started coaching, it was in basketball with the formation of the
By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor bstubbs@tribunemedia.net
ON his return to The Bahamas, Mark Lawrie revealed that the R&A Latin America and
NPSA SOFTBALL
AFTER taking a break for the long holiday weekend, the New Providence Softball Association is scheduled to resume its regular season this weekend in the Bankers Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.
Saturday 6pm - Bowe vs Reloaded Players 7:30pm - Renegades vs Chances Mighty Mitts 9pm - Sunshine Auto
He also mentioned a NASCAR analogy.
“It’s super challenging for me because only thing
“My 70% running is probably faster than a lot of guys in the league, too. So if at 70 per cent I’m hitting balls 108, 109 (mph), playing great defence and out running and having stolen bases. I think that’s where I should stay at.”
Thursday 7:30pm - Gremlins vs
PAGE E2
ON THE MOUND: Team Bahamas’ pitcher Xavier Petit in action. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 4
JASRADO “Jazz” Chisholm Jr warms up before a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians on June 3 in New York.
(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Minister Bowleg gives update on progress of proposed GB Aquatics Centre
Baseball Association will resume the return of its first regular season in almost 20 years this week.
Here’s the fixture on tap:
Wednesday
8pm - Outlawz vs Community Baseball League
Friday 6:45pm - Reapers vs Blue Power
9pm - Sharks vs Community Baseball League
Sunday
3pm - Outlawz vs Blue Power
5:15pm - Repeaters vs Sharks
BASKETBALL
SMILES
IT’S that time again as Basketball Smiles returns to The Bahamas. Scheduled for June 16-18 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, the basketball clinic conducted by veteran American basketball coach Sam Nicholls is designed for boys and girls between the ages of seven and 17 years old.
The girls’ clinic is slated to run from 9am to noon and the boys will follow from 1-4pm. Interested persons are urged to contact coach Patricia “Pattie” Johnson at HO Nash Junior High School or call 565-3675 for more details.
CHARITY GOLF
INVITATIONAL THE Pilot Club International is scheduled to hold a XCharity Golf INvitational Fundraiser on Friday, June
20 at the Ocean Club on Paradise Island.
The event will get started with a shotgun start at 8am, followed by the awards luncheon.
The donation is $1,000 per foursome. For more information. interested persons can call 557-9049.
BASKETBALL
MHB CAMP THE Marvin Henfield
Basketball Summer Basketball Camp is scheduled to run from June 23 to July 11 for players aged 6-17 years old.
The camp will be held in the gym in the back of the old Coca-Cola headquarters, now Love 97, on Thompson Boulevard. There is limited space.
To register, persons can visit www/marvinJHenfield. com or contact Henfield at 828-2353.
VOLLEYBALL
SUMMER FEST
TOURNEY THE Crusaders/ Warhawks Volleyball Club, in conjunction with the Bahamas Volleyball Federation, is slsated to host its inaugural Summer Fest Beach Volleyball Tournament from July 10-13 in Rolleville, Exuma. The tournament, sponsored by Fidelity and Rubis, will feature a men’s 2-on-2 and women’s 3-on-3 format. Cash prizes of $1,000 will be awarded for the winners and $500 for the runners-up in both divisions. Interested teams are urged to call 422-4550 or 801-3131 for more details.
PEACE ON DA STREET FAMILY NIGHT
PLANS are underway for the staging of the Peace on Da Streets’ Basketball Classics’ Road to 30 years of existence. The event, being organised by the Hope Center under the theme “Shooting hoops instead of guns,” will be held from July 14-19 at the Michael ‘Scooter’ Reid Basketball Center.
The highlight of the event will be the Family Night, scheduled for Sunday, July 20 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium when the finals in all of the divisions will take place, starting at 3pm. There will also be the Mr Ship It Three-point shootout and the Joe’s Slam Dunk Contest.
The night will conclude with the exciting Clergy versus Politicians match-up. BASKETBALL BOWLES
ELITE SKILLS CAMP THE International Basketball Association is set to hold the 12th annual Denykco Bowles Elite Skills Basketball Camp at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium from June 23 to July 18. The camp, held under the theme “Developing Champions on all levels,” is designed for boys and girls between the ages of four and 18 and will be held from 8am to 2pm. Interested persons can call 466-0049 for more details.
PHOTO CORRECTION: The Ed Armbrister Baseball Team celebrates its victory over Freedom Farm for the under-23 championship title in the BBA’s Senior National Baseball Championships on Sunday at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium. SEE MORE PHOTOS ON PAGES 4 & 5
Photo: Nikia Charlton
MINISTER of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg gave an update on the progress of the proposed Grand Bahama Aquatics Centre, located at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex, while on the island on June 5. With land clearing complete and the geotechnical phase now underway, the development of the 50-metre swimming pool is one step closer to becoming a world-class aquatic centre, capable of hosting international swimming competitions. Shown, from left to right, are permanent secretary Neil Campbell, head of the division of youth Sandena Neely, Minister Bowleg, construction lab technician
Maya Grant-Giddings, director of sports Kelsie Johnson-Sills and deputy director of sports Norris Bain.
Photo: Andrew Miller/BIS
Fred ‘Papa’ Smith honoured, finally
Cougars,” Smith said. “Basketball was my first love. It came easier to me. “People talk about the no look pass. I think I invented that. It’s just that Magic Johnson and the others just copied it. If I had copyrights, I would have been a rich guy. I was doing it at the age of 10 at the Priory.”
The money didn’t flow in from basketball, but at the age of 19, Smith signed a professional baseball contract with the Celeveland Indians where he ended up playing for about six years, accumulating a batting average of .266.
“In my first year, I batted over 300 and stole 13 bases,” he said. “I only played half of the season because I broke my finger sliding into second base and I had to get an operation in Cleveland.
“My second year, I batted around .297 and I led the league in stolen bases with 48. Then I went to Winter ball and I batted .340, second behind Al McQuay.”
His performances enabled Smith to be promoted to Double A with about a month left in the season. He made good of his opportunity to finish with a .338 average.
During his pro career, Smith made the All-Star as a left fielder and he eventually got promoted to Triple A. But after two years, hampered by a series of injuries, he just missed the opportunity to crack the major league.
“But I had a good career. I travelled the world and was getting paid to travel,” Smith pointed out.
“I always say I wanted to go to Hawaii. I went to Hawaii three times and it didn’t cause me a dime. In fact, they paid me to go to Hawaii. God has been good to me.”
On his return home, Smith said he was eager to get back into coaching and he’s been doing it ever since.
“I have my baseball camp every year for about 4-5 weeks at the Southern Recreation Grounds,” said Smith of this year’s camp that will be staged from June 30 to July from 9:30am to noon Monday to Friday.
“I do it for free. It’s a community thing. I do it for the kids in the community. But we have some kids come in from Freedom Farm and JBLN. I welcome any and everybody.”
Although he’s been recognised for baseball, Smith said basketball was and still is his first love.
But he noted that as a member of the Cougars, everytime they got ready to play in the championships, he had to leave to go to baseball spring training camp.
“So I miss some championships. I would miss one or two games and sometimes I would go late to spring training just so I could play basketball,” he remembered.
Growing up in the era where he played with John Todd and Cynthia ‘Mother’ Pratt on the Priory
‘Jazz’ has The Seventy Percent Solution
FROM PAGE E1
I knew was like how to go fast,” Chisholm Jr said. “Basically I was Ricky Bobby growing up.” Chisholm Jr had three hits, including an RBI single in the second, and stole two bases in three tries — the third was originally called safe but overturned in a video review. Anthony Volpe hit a two-run homer in the first off Walker Buehler, boosting the lead to 7-0.
“In his mind it might be 70%, but I think what everyone in the clubhouse loves and respects about him is that it looks like every night he’s playing with his hair on fire and over 100%,” Volpe said.
Following Oswaldo Cabrera’s broken left ankle and the return of DJ LeMahieu from a calf strain, the Yankees moved Chisholm back to third base from second. He was a middle infielder for the Miami Marlins from 2020-22, was
Grounds, Smith said he’s seen a lot of talent coming from The Bahamas.
“All they want to do is run and dunk,” he said. “In baseball, there’s still a lot of fundamentals that need to be taught, but the youngsters are playing at a high level.”
When he played baseball, Smith said they were in the old Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium, but they had a large crowd of followers with just about every game being sold out.
Sadly, he said the fans are not as supportive as they were in the past.
He said he enjoyed his time growing up, especially with the mentorship he got from the late Andre Roidgers, the first Bahamian to play in Major League Baseball.
“He was quiet and he wasn’t going to put himself on you,” Smith said. “You had to have known him for him to reach out to you. But he was well supportive of all in the game of baseball.”
After 64 years, Smith said he wants to be remembered for the role he played in helping as many players to develop as he could. He has done and continues to do it and was recognised for his efforts.
“Between coaching and my wife, it keeps me young,” Smith pointed out. His wife, Catherine, said she’s very happy for the accolade her husband is receiving.
“I think he deserves it. It was a long time coming,
but he finally got it,” she said. “Like he said, give me my flowers before my eyes close. So I’m happy that he’s getting his flowers to smell them while he is still alive.”
BBA president Clarence ‘CJ’ McKenzie said they could not have picked a more deserving person to honour this year than Smith, who provided excellent leadership and is a great figure in the baseball community. And just as equally so in basketball.
moved to center field from 2023-24, then inserted at third when the Yankees acquired him in a trade last July 27.
Chisholm is happy at any of the infield positions. He just doesn’t want an outfield return. “I’m comfortable
anywhere where there’s dirt,” he said. “Once the ball is on the ground, I’m going to catch it. That’s all I worry about. In the air is a little shaky. It gets a little scary out there.”
Chisholm said Game 5 of last year’s World Series
is a constant reminder. The Yankees led 5-0 the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning and were eliminated with a 7-6 defeat.
“We not only want to win the division but we want to in every category. We want to be the best team in
MLB,” he said. “That’s why we’re out here trying to win the World
“We already went there last year and we thought we had it and we didn’t have it. So this year we’re going to make sure we have it,” said
MAJOR AMATEUR GOLF TOURNEY COULD HIT BAHAMAS ‘VERY SOON’
of Tourism and Clara Storr and Floyd Armbrister of the Ministry of Education.
Lawrie said R&A, the governing body for golf in the world, has always had a long standing relationship with the BGF and they hope to intensify that in the future.
“We always believe in the enormous talent of people in this country, not just in golf, but in many other sports, so we know that the talent is here,” he said.
”It’s just a matter of tapping into it and bringing it to the forefront.”
Lawrie, however, indicated that R&A is responsible for hosting a number of international competitions and while they are always searching for good destinations, The Bahamas is one of them,
“Over the past few years, we’ve been looking at different courses. You’ve been fortunate enough or blessed enough to have a series of new courses incorporated courses on this island, so The Bahamas obviously has become a great golf destination.” With the Latin American Amateur Championships and the Women’s Amateur Latin American
Championships as the R&A signature events, Lawrie said The Bahamas could be a potential site to host one or both events in the short term. “So it’s a bit of a scouting visit because bringing a big championship requires a large footprint with it and hopefully The Bahamas can accommodate that.”
No specific time frame has been announced, but Lawrie said it’s anticipated that there will be about 100 golfers participating and over 250 persons who will be working with the organising, promotion and live television of the event.
Already dubbed “Sports in Paradise,” Bowleg said they welcome R&A in producing another major sporting event to the sunny shores of The Bahamas.
“I’m sure that if the golf courses we have here are not up to par, the government will do all in its power to bring it up to par,” Bowleg said.
“We want the world to know that no matter what sport it is, The Bahamas is the place to be.”
Bowleg said his only wish is that Lawrie, with the assistance of the BFG, will find that “diamond in the rough” and will locate a venue to host the international tournament(s) here.
Also while he’s here during his week-long visit, Lawrie said he will be looking at ways to help with the growth and development of the sport, including the availability of Bahamians to participate on the various golf courses. “I always use The Bahamas
as an example of having a lot of good golf courses, but being a little worried about the local Bahamians having access to these golf courses,” he said.
“This is something that probably runs throughout the region, but particularly in the Caribbean and particularly in The Bahamas. I’m a little more concerned about how easy it is for a young Bahamian to access these golf courses.”
He said R&A will be working with the federation and the local golf courses to ensure that facilities outside of the BGF’s Driving Range are available for Bahamians to participate on.
“We still have a long road ahead, but hopefully we can capitalise on bringing a big championship to The Bahamas, finding more
ways to get the Bahamian youth onto Bahamian golf courses,” he said. He said the R&A will be working with all and sundry to make it happen for golf in The Bahamas.
Bowleg, on the other hand, commended Craig Flowers for the creation of the nine-hole golf course and driving range at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex where hundreds of players from the public and private schools have been able to learn the game of golf. As a result, he noted that there are now many certified instructors in the school system and has contributed well to the increased growth of the sport over the past four years. To a question posed by Flowers, Lawrie said the
R&A, although committed to assisting more than 100 affiliated member countries, will do its part to help by providing some funding and resources to assist in the improvement of the BGF’s driving range in short order.
No figure was released, but Lawrie assured Flowers that something will be done because he’s pleased to have a person like Flowers who is making sure that the sport continues to grow.
“To multiply the efforts of Craig and his great job with the public facility opened up to Bahamian golfers, we need to do more,” Lawrie said.
“We need to get more people involved and to give the Bahamian people more opportunities to integrate into the international community.”
The only way one can do that is by competing at a higher level, according to Lawrie, so that they can achieve improvement in the sport.
“You progress by playing against people who play better.
“You progress by experiencing international travel, playing different golf courses and obviously that experience will put you in a different sphere,” he summed up.
Series.
Chisholm Jr.
FRED ‘Papa’ and Catherine Smith.
Photo: Nikia Charlton
MINISTER of Sports Mario Bowleg and local golfing enthusiasts welcome Mark Lawrie to The Bahamas.
NEW York Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. throws the ball before the start of MLB baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, June 8, 2025, in New York.
(AP Photo/Noah K Murray)
Award winners take the spotlight
The Ed Armbrister and Freedom Farm baseball leagues emerged as champions of the Bahamas Baseball Association’s sixth annual Andre Rodgers Senior National Baseball Championships over the weekend.
In the championship games played on Sunday at the Andre Rodgers Baseball Stadium, the Ed Armbrister Baseball League routed the JBLN 11-3 for the under-23 title, while Freedom Farm squeezed past JBLN 2-1 for the under-16 crown. The two winning teams showed off their championship rings they received, while the runners-up and third-place finishers took home medals.
The tournament, sponsored by the Bruce-Newball Foundation and A Sure Win, was carried live over ZNS television and honoured the legendary Fred “Papa” Smith for his long-time service to the sport of baseball.
Under-16 award winners
Most hits - Tyler Knowles - GABL
Most RBI - Maleek Israel - GBLL
Most stolen bases - Ajay Knowles - JBLN
Best pitcher - Liam Eneas - JBLN
MVP - Cavian Roberts - Freedom Farm
Under-23 award winners
Most hits - Nathan Miller - JBLN
Most RBI - Jordan Miller - EABL
Most stolen bases - Caden Walker
Bestpitcher - Tyler Nairn - JBLN
MVP - Ferron Moss - EABL
THE Red-Line Athletics Track Club made good on its promise to present the winners with the awards from the fourth Red-Line Athletic Youth Classic.
Although the event was held over the weekend of May 3-4 at the Thomas A. Robinson Track and Field Stadium, the winners from the under-7 to the open categories were presented with their divisional awards and medals last week.
Club president Tito Moss and meet organisers took the opportunity to personally catch up with the clubs at their various training sites to present them with their awards.
UNIQUE Athletics members and coach Ramon Miller receive their awards from Tito Moss.
T- Bird Flyers coach Samson Colebrooke and a team member receive their divisional awards from Tito Moss.
XTREME Athletics and coach Keno Demeritte receive their 2nd place overall awards from Tito Moss.
Moss.
RED-Line Athletics & Rising Track Clubs receive their their 3rd place awards from Tito Moss.
BEGINNERS Track & Road Runners head coach Bodie and team receive their awards frrom Tito Moss.
Intriguing Colorado Duo
Ayear a er quarterbacks dominated the top dozen picks, Miami s Cam Ward is the only sure re high pick among premier passers this year Bringing the intrigue into the dra are Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter, who aims to play both cornerback and wide receiver in the NFL like he did in B oulder
Where will Shedeur Sanders land when teams gather in the land of Vince Lombardi to restock their rosters? at s the biggest stor yline of the NFL dra in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with mocks all over the map
Bypassing Colorado’s precision passer could lead to deep regrets among talent evaluators, suggested longtime ESPN dra analyst Mel Kiper Jr Sanders overcame a substandard ground game and at times poor pass protection to throw for 37 touchdowns and more than 4,000 yards last season while completing more than 74% of his throws.
Bypassing on-the- eld workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine and the Big 12 pro day only added to the doubts that suddenly swirled around the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who dr yly wondered how his son ’ s stock could have slipped when he hasn’t thrown an interception since the Alamo B owl
At the conclusion of the year a er 4,000-some yards, all of a sudden his arm is weak, Deion Sanders cracked I don t know when his arm got weak. But he protects the ball He had the highest completion percentage in college football this past year He s the pillar of consistency
Although Cam Ward the consensus pick to go No 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans, arguably brings more electricity to the position, Sanders skillset merits no sco ng He s not creative like Cam He doesn t have the mobility of Cam He doesn’t have the rocket arm of Cam Ward ” Kiper said “But certainly Shedeur in the right o ense with the right personnel around him can be great ” Shedeur Sanders brings some of the same swag that his father, who coached him at Jackson State and Colorado, brought to the football eld in the 1980s and ‘90s when “Coach Prime” was known as “Neon Deion” or “Prime Time ” Some of that, like his ashy watch pose a er touchdowns, may turn o opposing players and fans – and even some NFL scouts -but it shows a bravado that pro teams want and
need in their quarterback. e Cleveland Browns own the second overall pick followed by the New York Giants. e Browns still need a franchise quarterback and the Giants could select their future signal-caller despite signing free agents Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this o season. Other wise LSU o ensive lineman Will Campbell and
By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer
But you ve got to understand when that last name is on your back you ’ re going to be attacked and ridiculed But we ’ re built for that. He was raised for this moment ” Kiper concurred saying Shedeur Sanders is accurate, he s precise –everything ever ybody wants. Decisionmaking, accuracy, toughness, he has Now, he’s 6-foot-and-a-half, can’t change that, right? But six-foot-and-a-half is more than good enough now in this day and age ”
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)
— The Oklahoma City Thunder showed their bounce-back capability in Game 2. The Indiana Pacers know they better do the same in Game 3.
The NBA Finals resume tonight with the series tied at a game apiece, the matchup shifting to Indianapolis for Game 3 and what will be the first finals game in that city in 25 years. And the Pacers know it’s on them to respond after Game 2 wasn’t much of a contest.
It’s obviously possible: The Pacers haven’t lost back-to-back games in three months, going 9-0 after losses in that span. This would be a good time for them to extend that run.
“Biggest game of the year,” Pacers forward Pascal Siakam said.
That’s technically accurate when said before any finals game, but it does ring especially true in this case. Indiana did what it had to do in Oklahoma City; it got a win and stole home-court advantage. Win three games at home over the next week or so, and the Pacers will be NBA champions.
Lose any game at home, and the Thunder get the edge right back.
But the Pacers have shown a penchant for resiliency. It’s much like how Oklahoma City is 17-2 after losses this season (or 18-2, if counting the NBA Cup final); the latest bounceback effort for the Thunder came in Game 2 after Indiana won Game 1 of the finals.
“I think that we try not to dwell on things,” Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said. “As NBA players, just as basketball players in general, it’s easy to make a mistake and dwell on it, give up a bucket or whatever. I feel like we do a great job of getting to the next play.”
When the finals are tied 1-1, the Game 3 winner eventually wins the title 80.5% of the time. It’s a big, big game and everybody knows the stakes.
“I think we just have to keep finding ways to get better as a group,” Thunder guard and NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said.
“If we continue to do that, we’ll be just fine. If we’ve struggled in an area, that’s
an area we can get better at. We have to attack that opportunity. I think Game 3 is a perfect example of that.” Haliburton’s status Haliburton was limping after Game 2 and acknowledged there’s an issue with his lower leg. He didn’t offer much in the way of details, and it doesn’t matter. He’s playing. “He practiced. He went through everything,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “I know he has some discomfort. He feels it. But each day it’s getting better. I don’t think you’re going to hear him making a big deal out of it. This is the time of year where it just doesn’t get any better than this.” Pacers at home
The Thunder have a big home-court edge thanks to their crowd at Paycom Center. The Pacers are hoping for just as much energy — if not more — from their crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Games 3 and 4. And the Thunder know what’s coming.
“That’s one thing we have to be ready for coming in here, is understand they’re going to be playing with a lot of energy,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “They play very well here. They play very comfortable here. We’ve got to level up to that if we want to give ourselves a chance to compete.”
Long time coming
Indiana’s Myles Turner has played in 346 games at home with the Pacers, including playoffs — by far more than anyone else on the team.
No. 347 will be his first there in the NBA Finals.
“I think the city’s been waiting for an opportunity like this. I expect a hell of an environment (Wednesday),” Turner said. “I know it’s going to be. It’s exciting times for everybody, just to experience the finals in Indianapolis.”
Thunder in the first half
The Thunder won the first and second quarters in Games 1 and 2, taking a 12-point halftime lead in Game 1 and an 18-point halftime lead in Game 2. Indiana knows that can’t keep happening. Oklahoma City is 63-9 with halftime leads this season.
“Obviously it’s going to be a different challenge coming on the road,” Thunder guard Alex Caruso
NBA Finals shifting to Indiana, with the Pacers and Thunder tied 1-1 going into Game 3
said. “This place will be rowdy. They’ll be excited to cheer on their team. For us, I think just sticking with the details of the stuff that we’ve talked about as a team that are important to win the game.”
Winning on the road
Road teams are still winning at about a 44% clip in these playoffs, which is on pace to be the best record in 30 years. Entering Wednesday, road teams are 35-44 in this postseason.
Teams won road games at a 45% clip in 1995. That doesn’t count the 2020 COVID-19 “bubble” playoffs, where everybody was in one spot at Lake Buena Vista, Florida and the “road” winning percentage was .518 — 43-40. Oklahoma City is 4-3 on the road in these playoffs. Indiana is 7-3. The best league-wide road record for a playoff season was in 1966 — 14-13, a .519 winning percentage.
Shedeur Sanders
OKLAHOMA City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots against Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard (26) during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series on Sunday in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
INDIANA Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) shoots against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the second half of Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City.
(AP Photo/ Julio Cortez)