Amazon Prime Day is a major shopping event exclusively for Prime members, offering limited-time deals across top categories like tech, beauty, fashion, home, and more. Launched in 2015 to celebrate Amazon’s anniversary, it has grown into one of the biggest online sales of the year, rivaling Black Friday. The event usually lasts 48 hours and features deep discounts, Lightning Deals, and early access offers for Prime members only.
When Is Amazon Prime Day 2025?
Amazon Prime Day will return from July 8th to 11th. The sale typically only lasts two days, however, this year it’s been extended to four days full of unbeatable deals.
What’s on Sale for Amazon Prime Day?
Expect major savings on everything from Amazon devices and smart home gadgets to beauty bestsellers, fashion finds, home upgrades, and more. Limited-time Lightning Deals and daily discounts drop throughout the event.
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Boulter believes a lot of the abuse she is sent is from people who have placed bets on her matches, given it comes after victories as well as defeats.
She says she has become better at moving on from it, or simply not looking at her direct messages, but the impact is clear.
“As far as death threats, it’s just not something you want to be reading straight after an emotional loss,” she says.
“A lot of the time you get it after you win as well.”
Statistics shared exclusively with BBC Sport demonstrate the level of abuse aimed at players through social media, and what is being done to try to address it.
The figures – provided by data science firm Signify, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) – show that in 2024, about 8,000 abusive, violent or threatening messages were sent publicly to 458 tennis players through their social media accounts.
A significant proportion of abuse stems from betting, according to Signify, which has been working with tennis authorities on detecting abuse through an artificial intelligence-led detection system called Threat Matrix.
More than a quarter of all abuse (26%) was targeted at five players.
The most prolific account sent 263 abusive messages, and 15 accounts were escalated to law enforcement.
Nine of the 10 most prolific accounts – the majority of which were related to angry gamblers – were either suspended or had content removed.
Details of 39 account holders were shared with the tennis authorities and betting industry for further action.
Across the year, angry gamblers sent 40% of all detected abuse, with messages clearly related to betting activity because of the timing or content of the abuse.
Asked for a response, a Betting and Gaming Council spokesperson said its members “do not tolerate abuse on social media, which has no place in betting or sport”.
It added: “It is vital social media companies take swift action against users, and remove offensive content.”
Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, declined to provide a comment on the record but has developed various tools to try to prevent people from seeing abuse – including hiding and filtering offensive or unwanted comments or images and technology that tracks and removes abuse.
The Senate Finance Committee on Monday unveiled its portion of President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” containing provisions on Medicaid, taxes and green energy tax credits.
The committee’s text is the final piece of the upper chamber’s version of the bill to be released, and was the most highly anticipated. It contains some of the thorniest provisions that Senate GOP holdouts have expressed concerns about, and the issues that could set the upper chamber on a collision course with the House.
The House narrowly passed its version of the legislation last month. Here’s what’s in the Senate’s bill.
2017 tax cuts
The bill makes many of the core elements of their 2017 tax cuts permanent but scales back additional cuts from what the House passed.
The Senate bill locks in existing federal tax brackets, boosts the standard deduction and maintains the termination of personal exemptions — all without sunsets.
In contrast with the House version, the bill sets a lower increase for the child tax credit, raising it to $2,200 per child as opposed to the House’s $2,500.
Taxes on tips
The bill creates new deductions for taxes on tips, overtime pay and car loan interest — a priority of Trump’s that he campaigned on — but doesn’t make them fully deductible.
Tips are deductible up to $25,000 through 2028. Overtime pay is deductible up to $12,500, or $25,000 for joint filers, through 2028. Auto loan interest is deductible up to $10,000, also through 2028.
Medicaid funding
Senate Republicans are taking a bigger swing at Medicaid in their version of the bill.
The legislation would effectively cap provider taxes at 3.5 percent by 2031, down from the current 6 percent, but only for the states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The cap would be phased in by lowering it 0.5 percent annually, starting in 2027.
Non-expansion states would be prohibited from imposing new taxes, but as was true in the House-passed version, their rates would be frozen at current levels. The lower cap would not apply to nursing homes or intermediate care facilities.
Limiting provider taxes is a long-held conservative goal, as they argue states are gaming the current system and driving up federal Medicaid spending. The policies are designed to inflate Medicaid spending on paper to allow states to receive more federal reimbursement dollars.
The Senate bill also cuts certain existing state-directed payments to hospitals, which would be a significant hit to the hospitals’ bottom line. The House version in contrast limited future payments but grandfathered existing arrangements.
The change in the Senate bill is sure to anger Republicans who were already expressing concerns about the impact of the freeze in the House-passed version, including key holdouts like Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). Provider taxes have become an important lifeline for hospitals, and rural hospitals would be hit hardest by the cuts.
Hawley on Monday night signaled dissatisfaction with the newly unveiled text.
Medicaid eligibility
Like the House bill, the Senate legislation imposes work requirements on Medicaid beneficiaries beginning at 19 years old.
But the Senate version says adults with dependent children older than 14 will also have to prove they work, attend school or perform community service for 80 hours a month, while the House-passed version would exempt all adults with dependent children.
Green energy tax credits
The bill includes changes to green energy tax credits that are more flexible than those passed by the House — but would still be a significant rollback.
The Senate text appears to eliminate the most stringent provision in the House bill, deleting a measure that would have required climate-friendly energy sources to start construction within 60 days of the bill’s enactment to qualify for the credits at all.
Instead, things such as solar panels and wind farms would need to begin construction this year in order to receive the full credit amount.
Projects that begin construction in 2026 would get 60 percent of the credit, while projects that begin construction in 2027 would receive 20 percent. Projects constructed in 2028 or later would not be eligible for the credit.
This, too, appears to be more flexible than the House text, which required projects to not just start construction but actually be producing electricity by the end of 2028 to qualify for the credit.
Nevertheless, the Senate provisions are still a major rollback of the tax credits passed by Democrats in their 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Under that law, the credits would have lasted until either 2032 or when U.S. emissions from the electric sector are 25 percent lower than their 2022 levels, whichever came later.
The Senate text also adds carve-outs for hydro, nuclear and geothermal power, allowing them to receive the full credit if they begin construction before 2034.
SALT
The Senate bill as drafted would keep the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions at $10,000 a year, rolling back the deal that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) painstakingly cut with blue state Republicans to raise the limit on SALT deductions to $40,000 a year for households earning less than $500,000 annually.
It would permanently extend the $10,000 cap, which is scheduled to expire at the end of this year.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Monday afternoon that the $10,000 deduction cap is a “marker” for talks with House Republicans, and that they will find a number in the middle that satisfies both camps.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), a key member of the group, wrote on the social platform X that the proposal was “DEAD ON ARRIVAL” and warned in a statement that a $40,000 deduction cap “is the deal and I will not accept a penny less.”
Debt ceiling
The bill would raise the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, instead of the $4 trillion increase adopted by House Republicans.
The debt-ceiling language is a major problem for Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has told his leadership he won’t support the bill if it includes such a large extension of federal borrowing authority.
LONDON (Reuters) – News of Renault Chief Executive Luca de Meo’s decision to leave the French carmaker and sources saying he is being lined up to take charge at luxury goods group Kering has created a stir across their respective sectors.
Here’s some initial reaction from analysts.
EQUITA ANALYST PAOLA CARBON
“Although he is a newcomer to the world of luxury, Pinault would have chosen De Meo for his change-oriented managerial style, for the combination of Italian origins but with experience already in a French group, for his good relationship with the financial community.”
UBS ANALYST ZUZANNA PUSZ
“He is very well respected in the financial community. According to feedback from our autos colleagues, he is said to be a marketing- and product-driven executive, which seems applicable to luxury, despite having no prior experience in the industry.
“The more cautious feedback centres around the potential downside risk to earnings and the associated balance sheet risk given Kering’s high level of debt … Additionally, some investors noted concern that (he) has no prior experience in the luxury industry, which could be seen as crucial to address the group’s lack of top-line growth amid an unsupportive sector context.”
CITI ANALYST THOMAS CHAUVET
“Execution of luxury brand turnarounds has become more complex, lengthy, costly and far less public market-friendly, reflecting consumer preference for top brands rather than those in transition.
“We believe it’s premature to adopt a more positive stance given the lack of visibility on Gucci’s turnaround.”
JP MORGAN ANALYST JOSE ASUMENDI
“Investors were this year focused on the announcement of Renault’s mid-term plan. With the CEO stepping down, this will naturally provide a setback.
“In terms of potential candidates for the CEO position, we see Renault has a strong bench across its different brand managers including Dacia, but also would envision potential external candidates.”
BERNSTEIN ANALYST LUCA SOLCA
“Brand management and marketing are his forte, which dovetails with what the luxury industry does – for which he seems passionate.
“Time will tell if he manages to hit the ground running and be effective in a different industry. De Meo acted decisively at Renault, reducing capacity and break-even points.
“De Meo has a titanic challenge ahead of him. Critically, investors will need to hear what it is that De Meo plans to do and digest how soon his plans can be realised.”
KEPLER CHEUVREUX
“Hiring someone from outside the luxury sector might be seen as risky, but his profile appears well suited to lead Kering. We would view positively the appointment of an outsider, and Luca de Meo could be the right profile to drive the turnaround.
“His turnaround capabilities, product-focused leadership, and extensive marketing experience would be particularly valuable.
“We see Denis Le Vot (head of Dacia) and other internal candidates as potential successors, as well as Maxime Picat, a French executive from Stellantis.”
JEFFERIES
“His departure leaves Renault leaderless at a time when the group is due to communicate a new strategic plan and further unwind the Nissan alliance.
“His departure may hurt early lobbying (joint with Stellantis) to revive an affordable small car segment in Europe. It will add to concerns about Renault’s ability to be independent, the growing influence of Geely as minority investor (engines, Korea, Brazil) and renewed interference from the French state, now the largest core shareholder at 15%.
“Recent changes at Stellantis may provide a pool of applicants.”
(Reporting by Reuters reporters; Compiled by Josephine Mason; Editing by David Goodman and Tomasz Janowski)
Tinder is no longer just a platform for solo dates. The company has announced a new “Double Date” feature rolling out in the US that will let you invite a friend to find — and match with – another pair.
The feature lives within a new “Double Date” icon in the top-right corner of the app, where you can invite up to three friends to create pairs with. You can both scroll through a feed of paired profiles, which appear side by side with photos and descriptions. A match is created when one person from both pairs swipes right. Tinder will then open up a group chat with all four users.
The update should help Tinder gain an edge over rivals as the dating app industry continues to experience a slump. It will also allow Tinder to compete directly with platforms built for double dates, like Doubble and Fourplay.
Cleo Long, Tinder’s head of product marketing, told The Verge that the platform has been testing the feature in Europe for a “couple of months,” adding that it’s meant to help relieve dating pressure, especially among younger users. “This is a social-first experience that’s really meant to help relieve some of the pressure that we know a lot of Gen Z experiences with dating by making it more social, more fun, and bringing your friends in to help reinforce that comfort piece,” Long said.
Tinder plans on rolling out Double Dates globally in July.
Just 11 days ago, the Thunder dominated the majority of Game 1 of the NBA Finals inside Paycom Center, only to give it away in the closing moments thanks to Tyrese Haliburton‘s game-winning elbow jumper.
With the chance to move to within a single win of the team’s first NBA championship, the same formula appeared to be playing out in Game 5 on Monday night. The Thunder led by as many as 18 points, which had dwindled to a 95-93 edge after Pascal Siakam — playing his latest terrific game in these playoffs for the Indiana Pacers — buried a 3-pointer with 8:30 remaining in regulation.
But rather than letting the game slip away, Oklahoma City — like it did in the fourth quarter of Game 4 — buckled down and delivered its latest knockout blow of these playoffs. With a series of frenetic defensive plays that have come to define this team, plus some remarkable shotmaking from Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, what could’ve been a second devastating loss on their home floor in this series instead became a 120-109 win over the Pacers.
The deciding moments of OKC’s win were played in the style that has led to the Thunder crafting one of the great seasons in NBA history. They forced one turnover after another, flying around and turning the Pacers’ offense into a confused mess. And, at the other end, their two leading scorers — Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points) and Williams (40) made every big shot required down the stretch.
That was in stark contrast to what was happening at the other end. Tyrese Haliburton, dealing with right calf tightness, missed all six field goals he took — and only attempted one in the second half. The Pacers wound up with 22 turnovers on the night for 32 Oklahoma City points, and the Thunder even outshot the Pacers from 3-point range, making 14 to Indiana’s 11.
Over the three games played in Oklahoma City, the Thunder have led for 141 of the 144 total minutes. It’s been the sort of control that had been widely expected from the heavily-favored Thunder when the series began. Things have looked far different in the games in Indianapolis, where the series will shift for Thursday’s Game 6. And while Haliburton’s health will loom large, if Oklahoma City can come anywhere close to replicating its Game 5 performance, the team’s first Larry O’Brien Trophy could finally be in hand. — Tim Bontemps
Jalen Williams drops in tough shot to eclipse 40 points
Jalen Williams crosses the 40-point threshold with this beautiful pull-up jumper.
Dynamic duo of Williams and SGA leads Thunder offense
This might be remembered as the night that Jalen Williams solidified himself as a superstar.
Williams has elevated into that type of territory, earning third-team All-NBA and second-team All-Defense recognition in only his third season. Yet the doubts about the Thunder often focused on whether Williams could be the No. 2 scorer that a championship team needs.
Anyone still wondering if that’s the case? Williams poured in a playoff-career-high 40 points in Game 5 — none more important than the 3-pointer he drilled from the right wing with 8:06 remaining after the Pacers pulled within two points. He was 14-of-25 from the floor, 3-of-5 from 3-point range and had six rebounds, four assists and a steal in a spectacular all-around outing.
It was the third straight game that Williams had at least 25 points and five rebounds. The last player under 25 with that sort of a streak in the Finals: Shaquille O’Neal in 1995, according to ESPN Research.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points, 10 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals) had another MVP-caliber performance. But his sidekick shone even brighter to help put the Thunder on the brink of a title. — Tim MacMahon
Haliburton struggles stifles Pacers production
The Pacers did not get much production out of Haliburton, who went back to the locker room in the first quarter and played through a sore right calf. If they are going to come back in the series to win the championship, they’re going to need way more from their best player. Haliburton re-aggravated the same leg that bothered him after Game 2 when he limped away from the podium with ankle soreness.
Haliburton returned in the second quarter, wearing a wrap around his leg, and played the rest of the game, but his production was limited. He went scoreless in the first half for the first time in his playoff career and finished with four points — matching his playoff career low (Game 3 against the Cleveland Cavaliers), on 0-for-6 shooting. He also had six assists and seven rebounds, but it was the first time in his playoff career he was held without a field goal. — Jamal Collier
What to watch in Game 6
If Haliburton is as limited as he was Monday, there’s only so much Indiana will be able to do with the season on the line. The Pacers were outscored by 13 points in Haliburton’s 34 minutes of action and were only able to hang around into the fourth quarter of Game 5 by virtue of 18 points and four assists in 22 minutes from backup point guard T.J. McConnell.
Haliburton’s injury underscored how fragile the synergy of Indiana’s starting five really is. For Rick Carlisle to play McConnell with Haliburton to juice the offense, as he tried down double-digits in the final minutes, means taking one of the Pacers’ ace wing defensive duo of Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard off the court.
It’s possible, depending on how compromised Haliburton appears during Game 6, that sitting him in favor of McConnell might be the best option for Indiana. Although the Pacers won’t want to extend McConnell’s minutes to the point where he can’t play with the all-out energy that makes him effective, they can also shift Nembhard to point guard. That would mean more playing time for Bennedict Mathurin, whose rebounding made an impact on a night when his shots weren’t falling.
On the Thunder side, it will be interesting to see how hard Mark Daigneault pushes to close this series in Game 6. Again, Daigneault made clear that Alex Caruso is his most trusted fifth option alongside Oklahoma City’s four consistent starters, bringing him in for Isaiah Hartenstein less than a minute into the second half. That group was on the court for the 10-0 fourth-quarter run that sealed the Thunder’s victory.
Oklahoma City has lost consecutive games just twice all season and would have home-court advantage for Game 7, meaning the Thunder are in a commanding position either way. But Oklahoma City should approach Game 6 as a must-win to close out Indiana and avoid the risk of anything happening in what would be the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 2016, when the Cavaliers shocked the 73-win Golden State Warriors on the road. — Kevin Pelton
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SGA after Game 4 win: ‘We played with desperation’
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander breaks down how the Thunder were able to take Game 4 from the Pacers and even up the NBA Finals.
The No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder have almost gone down 3-1 twice in these playoffs.
The first time was Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals, when the Thunder trailed by eight points on the road in Denver. Oklahoma City eventually rallied to tie the series, but needed seven games to outduel Nikola Jokic & Co.
On Friday night, the Thunder found themselves in nearly the same situation: down seven points to the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Once again, OKC survived. But in retrospect, it’s hard to figure out exactly how.
Oklahoma City, 3-for-17 from 3-point range, was outscored by 24 points from deep. The Thunder finished with more turnovers (13) than assists (10). MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a relative nonfactor for most of the game. Coach Mark Daigneault’s return to the two-big lineup didn’t work.
But then the Thunder summoned a remarkable run with their season on the line.
OKC shot 9-for-15 from the field in the fourth quarter, outscored the Pacers 31-17, committed a single turnover and had four offensive rebounds in the final 12 minutes alone. Gilgeous-Alexander, while failing to register a single assist in the game, hit the two biggest shots of his life on back-to-back possessions, banging a 3-pointer from the wing and a baseline jumper to put Oklahoma City in front for what turned out to be the remainder of the game with 2:23 to go.
For a rare time in these playoffs, the Pacers — the team whose identity is making late-game charges and wearing down opponents — did neither, eerily reminiscent of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Knicks, when Indiana allowed Karl-Anthony Towns to match its 20 fourth-quarter points by himself, and New York came back to win the game.
The difference, however, was that the Pacers were up 2-0 in that series and got a chance to go up 3-1 in Game 4 at home — which they did.
This time, with a win Friday the Pacers would be heading to Oklahoma City for Game 5 with a chance to bring the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Indiana for the first time. Instead, a golden opportunity slipped through their grasp. And if Oklahoma City goes on to win the NBA title, a total of 24 minutes — those 12 in Denver, and these 12 Friday night — will be the reasons. — Tim Bontemps
SGA with a statement: He’s the MVP in this series
Nothing came easily for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder in Indiana. But they managed to pull Game 4 out of the mud, evening the series and regaining home-court advantage.
For much of the night, it was a chore for Gilgeous-Alexander just to get the ball, much less make something happen once he had it. Oklahoma City had been outscored by 16 points during Gilgeous-Alexander’s 29 minutes through three quarters. The Thunder trailed by seven entering the fourth, a frightening situation against an Indiana team that was 9-1 in clutch games this postseason.
But the MVP delivered when the Thunder needed it most, just like he did in Game 4 in Denver, when Oklahoma City evened that second-round series before winning in seven.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter. That included 11 in the final 2:58, none more important than his off-dribble baseline step-back jumper to give Oklahoma City the lead for good with 2:23 left. It was the type of tough, gritty performance that makes champions — and legacies. — Tim MacMahon
Counting on repeated clutch magic is not sustainable — especially against OKC
With 3:20 left in the fourth quarter, the Pacers went up 103-99 on a Tyrese Haliburton layup — and a team that has been so good in the clutch all postseason looked primed to seize control of this series.
But the Thunder’s historically stingy defense turned up when they needed it most, and it saved their season. The Pacers scored a single point the rest of the game. The Thunder contested 83% of shots in the fourth quarter, according to ESPN Research, and the Pacers were outscored in the period 31-17.
It spoiled what had been a brilliant defensive game for Indiana, which turned Oklahoma City into an iso-heavy offense for most of the way. The Pacers limited the Thunder to 3-for-17 shooting from 3 and made life extremely difficult for the league’s MVP, who was held without an assist.
Asked postgame how the team fought back, Gilgeous-Alexander said simply, “It starts with stops.” — Jamal Collier
After returning to the starting lineup the Thunder used over the first three rounds of the playoffs, coach Mark Daigneault might be looking at another change for Game 5 despite evening the series.
Starting Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren together ultimately showed why Daigneault went away from that duo preemptively. Oklahoma City was outscored with its starters on the court in both halves, and Daigneault had a quick hook for the group in the third quarter. With the Thunder’s season on the line, he instead went to what has been their best lineup all season, with Alex Caruso in place of Hartenstein alongside the starters.
All Caruso did was score 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting with five steals. Oklahoma City was plus-14 in his 30 minutes of action. Daigneault hasn’t been shy about going to Caruso to start second halves, similar to his crucial games against the Denver Nuggets (Game 7) and Minnesota Timberwolves (Game 4). With a maximum of three games left in the series — and season — there’s no reason to save Caruso.
With two days off between games now, I suspect the Thunder can also do more to unlock Gilgeous-Alexander in an off-ball role with Andrew Nembhard relentlessly supplying pressure when he brings the ball upcourt. It took heroic shotmaking for Gilgeous-Alexander to win the game for Oklahoma City down the stretch. More off-ball screens to try to shake Nembhard off Gilgeous-Alexander, or dribble handoffs to get him the ball with a head of steam, could create easier opportunities.
It’s somewhat more challenging to find adjustments for the Pacers, who seemed to have their game plan dialed in much of the night. Flipping the script, it was Indiana that seemed to tire late in Game 4, when the team’s 3-pointers dried up. The Pacers missed all eight long-distance attempts in the fourth quarter after shooting 39% (11-of-28) over the first three quarters. And Bennedict Mathurin‘s missed free throws in the final minute stalled Indiana’s hope of another late comeback.
Rick Carlisle made extensive use of his bench, as no starter played more than 36 minutes. It’s hard to chalk up the Pacers’ late-game drought to anything more than the elite level the Thunder can get to defensively and bad timing for a team that has been nearly perfect in that situation during the postseason. We’ll see whether Indiana can peak late again in Game 5. — Kevin Pelton
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Mathurin tells SVP how he prepares from the bench
Bennedict Mathurin joins Scott Van Pelt to explain how he mentally prepares from the bench after he put up 27 points in the Pacers’ Game 3 win over OKC.
At halftime of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night, a longtime NBA scout texted one sentence:
“This is the first game that’s felt like a Finals game.”
Yes, the series arrived in the Hoosier State tied at a game apiece thanks to Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton‘s brilliant moment at the end of Game 1. But the Oklahoma City Thunder had led for 94 of the first 96 minutes of the series and looked every bit the heavy favorite they were billed as when the series began.
Then Game 3 happened. And, after a sensational performance by the Pacers in front of their home fans, the result was a very deserved 116-107 victory — and, with it, a 2-1 lead.
As a result, for the first time, this NBA Finals truly feels like a series.
The Pacers took it to the Thunder in many ways. They got a sensational performance from Haliburton, who, after a pair of middling stat lines in Oklahoma City, put together a 22-point, 9-rebound, 11-assist masterpiece that saw all of his flair and showmanship return at the best possible time.
The Pacers, as they have throughout this playoff run, got sensational play from their bench. Bennedict Mathurin had 27 points — outscoring the Thunder’s second unit by himself — while T.J. McConnell had 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals, including a pair of buckets in quick succession early in the fourth quarter, sandwiched around stealing a momentum-shifting inbounds pass.
The Pacers won this game without going wild from the 3-point line, which the conventional wisdom assumed they would need to do to win games in this series, and like they did in Game 1. The Thunder outshot them (10 makes to 9) from deep in Game 3.
But what those series have also shown repeatedly is that when Indiana gets its opponents in a blender, teams have trouble keeping up. The Thunder, normally the best team at taking care of the ball, gave it away 19 times in Game 3, including six turnovers by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Pacers swarmed Thunder big man Chet Holmgren late, repeatedly causing him to drive blindly into the defense and creating a series of ugly Thunder possessions.
And, for the latest time in these playoffs, it was a furious finish from the Pacers — a 32-18 run in the fourth — that led to an Indiana win, bringing the franchise within two victories of its first NBA championship ahead of Friday’s Game 4. — Tim Bontemps
Pacers’ bench delivers big time on offense
The Pacers needed more juice on offense heading into Game 3, and they found it in an unexpected place: a 47-point outburst from their bench unit led by Mathurin and McConnell.
Indiana got improvements from its stars, especially Haliburton, who finished with 22 points and 10 assists, but the combined energy from the bench unit completely flipped the game during a 40-point second quarter, giving Indiana its first halftime lead of the series.
Even when the Thunder made a run to retake the lead in the third, it was the Pacers’ bench that continued to be a spark. Mathurin scored a team-high 25 points, the most off the bench in a Finals game since Jason Terry in 2011, while McConnell put up 10 points, 5 assists and 5 steals. — Jamal Collier
Holmgren struggles to find offensive flow
Holmgren dominated the first quarter, scoring 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting and snaring four rebounds. However, it was a flash and not something the 7-footer could sustain.
Holmgren scored only seven points on 2-of-10 shooting the rest of the game. On a late possession when Oklahoma City desperately needed a basket, Holmgren had a 3-pointer from the left wing stuffed by Pacers big man Myles Turner and was then denied again by Turner on a driving layup.
Holmgren was 1-of-5 in the fourth quarter, when the Thunder’s offense stalled, scoring only 18 points. Then again, MVP Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t any better in the final frame, generating only three shot attempts and hitting one.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault has mostly stayed away from the two-big lineup Oklahoma City started in every game during its run through the Western Conference. The hope was that Holmgren, a big man with some guard skills, would have the advantage when defended by a center. That has rarely been the case so far in the Finals. — Tim MacMahon
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SGA shines with 34 points in Game 2 win
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander puts in 34 points as the Thunder bounce back and take Game 2.
Coming into Game 2 of the NBA Finals, the obvious question was how this young Oklahoma City team would respond to its fourth-quarter collapse in Game 1. Would the Thunder respond with a blowout as they did following Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets? Or would they possibly follow the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ and New York Knicks‘ example, and allow the Indiana Pacers to steal yet another 2-0 lead on the road?
The final scoreboard read 123-107, but in reality, Sunday night’s Game 2 was decided far sooner. This was precisely the response you’d expect from a team that has now spent the past eight months establishing itself as a potentially all-time great squad.
The league’s Most Valuable Player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, looked like it in Game 2, bouncing back from a starring role in that Game 1 collapse with a stellar all-around performance. Chet Holmgren, who struggled in the series opener, immediately set the tone in the first quarter of Game 2, scoring nine quick points and making multiple impact plays defensively.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault, who caught some predictable (if also misguided) criticism for changing his starting lineup in Game 1, stuck with it in Game 2 while also making some subtle — but effective — changes, including playing both big men, Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, on the court together and going away from the minutes for rookie guard Ajay Mitchell.
The Thunder once again throttled the high-octane Pacers offense, preventing any Indiana player from scoring 20 points for a second consecutive game. This was a commanding performance — one that should be expected from a team that won 68 games and outscored its opponents by 12.7 points per 100 possessions in the regular season.
But the Pacers have spent the entire postseason proving they cannot be counted out. Oklahoma City can have cold stretches shooting the ball, as it did in the second half of Game 1, and Indiana will certainly be boosted by hosting its first Finals games in a quarter century later this week.
But on Sunday night, the Thunder showed why they entered the Finals as decisive favorites. And, in this series’ biggest moment yet, this young group had an extremely mature response. — Bontemps
MVP SGA delivers for the Thunder’s offense
After Haliburton and the Pacers stole Game 1, Oklahoma City needed its MVP to answer. Gilgeous-Alexander delivered with the kind of calm, controlled dominance that has come to be expected of him.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored 38 points in the series opener, but he needed 30 shots to do it. His 34 points in Game 2 came with his routinely excellent efficiency: 11-of-21 from the floor and 11-of-12 from the line.
It was also a terrific passing performance by the superstar. Gilgeous-Alexander had eight assists and plenty of other smart passes out of double-teams that started beautiful sequences of ball movement which resulted in open looks for teammates.
It’s hard to beat the Thunder when Gilgeous-Alexander plays at this level. — MacMahon
Pacers need Haliburton to find his rhythm
The credit goes to the Thunder’s defense because Indiana’s offense struggled to find a rhythm for most of the game. The Pacers scored just 41 points in the first half and shot 35% from the field — one of their worst offensive performances of the postseason — putting them in a deep deficit they couldn’t climb out of this time. It’s no coincidence the Pacers were limited on offense on a quiet night from Haliburton, who scored 17 points with six assists after hitting a few baskets in the fourth quarter. He also committed five turnovers, his most in any game this season (regular or postseason).
Haliburton hit the clutch shot at the end of Game 1, but the Thunder have done a good job of limiting his production in the series while holding him to 31 points combined in two games. As the series shifts to Indiana, the Pacers will need to find more ways to keep Haliburton involved in their offense, which is crucial to that unit functioning at its highest potential. — Collier
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Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Game Highlights
Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Game Highlights
For the first 47 minutes, 40 seconds of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander thoroughly outplayed Tyrese Haliburton in a matchup of star point guards.
But as Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said after Indiana’s remarkable comeback to beat the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals: It’s a 48-minute game. And, in those final 20 seconds Thursday night, Haliburton and the Pacers changed the narrative … again.
First, it was Gilgeous-Alexander — who had 38 points but was 14-for-30 shooting — missing a clean midrange jumper, his specialty, that would’ve given the Thunder a three-point lead with 10 seconds left. And then, it was Haliburton again playing the role of road spoiler, hitting a circus shot that might not have been quite as spectacular as his high-bouncing miracle at Madison Square Garden on May 21. But, unlike that shot, this shot won the game for the Pacers in regulation.
As a result, Indiana — which never led until Haliburton’s shot from just inside the 3-point arc dropped through with 0.3 seconds left — somehow left the Paycom Center with a 111-110 victory over the heavily favored Thunder, and injected a massive amount of life into this series.
For much of Game 1, the Thunder were dictating the terms of engagement. They forced Indiana — typically great at taking care of the ball — into a team that was flinging the ball all over the place for 24 turnovers, compared to only six for Oklahoma City.
The Thunder took 16 more shots than the Pacers, but the Pacers hit 18 3-pointers — including 6-for-10 in the fourth quarter — and the Thunder, as they are prone to do, missed a whole bunch of them (11-for-30). That allowed Indiana — a team that has pulled off one remarkable comeback after another in these playoffs — to find itself in prime position again.
And, as he has so many times in these playoffs, Haliburton delivered.
There are still plenty of reasons to think Oklahoma City is the deserved favorite in this series. But the second half of Thursday’s game revealed a blueprint: The Pacers took far better care of the ball, and their high-octane offense took off. Oklahoma City, meanwhile, got into a rut offensively, and Gilgeous-Alexander had a couple of critical misses in the closing moments.
Because of it, as they did in both the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Eastern Conference finals in New York, the Pacers have claimed a Game 1 road victory.
And, as a result, we have ourselves a series. — Bontemps
The Thunder need 48 minutes of their NBA-best defense, not 24
The first half displayed the Thunder’s defensive fury at its finest, forcing 19 turnovers while holding the Pacers to 45 points. But it didn’t hold up in the second half.
Maybe it just took the Pacers a couple of quarters to adjust to the Thunder’s defensive pressure, but Indiana looked comfortable after halftime, putting up 66 points in the second half — 35 in the fourth quarter, punctuated by Haliburton’s winning shot — to pull off the upset.
Indiana also had only five turnovers in the second half, playing their style of fast-paced, under-control offense. — MacMahon
A new guide to another ridiculous Pacers comeback: cut the turnovers
If this postseason has taught us anything, it’s that the Pacers can never be counted out. After trailing by 15 points in the fourth quarter, Indiana stormed back to take Game 1 on yet another winning shot by Haliburton with 0.3 seconds remaining, the Pacers’ only lead.
It has become a series staple for the Pacers during this postseason run: a fourth-quarter Game 1 comeback that has demoralized each of their previous three opponents.
Indiana’s comeback this time was fueled by its usual suspects, some clutch 3-point shots from Myles Turner, Obi Toppin and Aaron Nesmith, and taking better care of the ball after record-setting 19 turnovers in the first half.
And then, of course, Haliburton hit another big shot to seal the deal. — Collier
In fact, the “Cliché” singer was thrilled to see his on-again, off-again girlfriend’s face plastered on a T-shirt during a fan meet and greet at Warped Tour’s June 14 stop in Washington, D.C.
As seen in a video circulating on social media, MGK (real name Colson Baker) noticed a woman clad in a white tee baring the Jennifer’s Body star’s iconic lighter scene from the 2009 flick, telling her, “That’s so sick!”
Nodding his head in approval, the 35-year-old then asked the fan and her friend, “Can I take a picture of both your shirts?”
The UK is expected to unveil new sanctions against Russia designed to “restrict Putin’s war machine” alongside other Ukraine allies on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the measures would increase economic pressure on the Kremlin to show Vladimir Putin “it is in his and Russia’s interests to demonstrate he is serious about peace”.
However, it appeared unlikely that the US would join the move after Donald Trump signalled his opposition to further measures during the G7 summit in Canada, saying the sanctions “cost [the US] a lot of money”.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said 16 people were injured after another wave of drone and missiles struck buildings across Kyiv overnight.
Downing Street said the new sanctions package would aim to keep up “pressure on Russian military industrial complex” but did not provide further details.
In a statement, Sir Keir said he and other G7 partners were finalising the new measures at the Alberta summit, and that they would “squeeze Russia’s energy revenues and reduce the funds they are able to pour into their illegal war”.
“The fact is, Russia doesn’t hold all the cards,” he said.
Asked why limited information had been released about the contents of the sanctions package, a No 10 spokesman said: “It’s just a point of fact that the G7 has only just begun… it would be premature to get ahead of what those sessions will yield.”
Earlier on Monday, Trump – who announced he would leave the summit early due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East – indicated he did not back the sanctions plan.
He said: “You’re talking about billions and billions of dollars. Sanctions are not that easy. It’s not just a one-way street.”
Trump said he was “waiting to see whether or not a deal” could be agreed between Russia and Ukraine to end the war before signing up to a new sanctions package.
During a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump also called Russia’s removal from the G7 group “a mistake” and said it “makes life more complicated”.
In 2014, then-US President Barack Obama and other world leaders decided to expel Russia from the group of major economies after Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said in a Monday interview that he would “probably” vote against President Trump’s tax agenda if it means more deficit spending.
In an interview on NewsNation’s “The Hill,” Chris Stirewalt asked the congressman — who voted reluctantly for the bill when it passed the House last month — whether he thinks he will be able to “get to a yes on what comes back from the Senate,” noting indications so far suggest, “this legislation is not moving in your direction.’
“If it’s more deficit spending, then probably not. I think we need to really take that serious,” Burchett told Stirewalt.
The Senate Finance Committee on Monday released its long-awaited version of the “big, beautiful bill,” which includes provisions to make the 2017 corporate tax cuts permanent, cut hundreds of billions of dollars in Medicaid spending and phase out renewable-energy tax cuts enacted under President Biden.
The Senate version includes several changes to the House-passed version, including a provision to raise the debt ceiling by $5 trillion instead of the $4 trillion increase adopted by House Republicans.
Burchett, in the interview, suggested that the legislation “would slow the rate of growth,” adding, “but it’s still growing.”
“I would hope we can slow it to zero and go the opposite direction at some point. America’s got to take this serious, or we’re going to become a third world country,” he added.
The House-passed bill would cut spending by $1.6 trillion over ten years but, according to the Congressional Budget Office, add $2.4 trillion to the federal deficit.
HELOC interest rates took a small step back today. Meanwhile, according to data compiled by Cotality, the Northeast gained the most equity in the first quarter of 2025. Year over year, New York, N.Y., saw an average home equity gain of $20,600 while Boston, Mass., saw average equity gains of $25,200. A home equity line of credit allows you to draw cash from a home’s value.
House prices in Rhode Island and New Jersey saw the most equity gain, reaching record highs in the first three months of the year.
According to Zillow, rates on 10-year HELOCs ebbed lower by three basis points to 6.70%. The same rate is also available on 15- and 20-year HELOCS.
Meanwhile, VA-backed HELOCs are down two basis points to 6.34%.
Homeowners have a staggering amount of value tied up in their houses — more than $34 trillion at the end of 2024, according to the Federal Reserve. That’s the third-largest amount of home equity on record.
With mortgage rates lingering in the high 6% range, homeowners are not likely to let go of their primary mortgage anytime soon, so selling the house may not be an option. Why let go of your 5%, 4% — or even 3% mortgage?
Accessing some of the value locked into your house with a use-it-as-you-need-it HELOC can be an excellent alternative.
HELOC interest rates are different from primary mortgage rates. Second mortgage rates are based on an index rate plus a margin. That index is often the prime rate, which today is 7.50%. If a lender added 1% as a margin, the HELOC would have a rate of 8.50%.
However, you will find reported HELOC rates are much lower than that. That’s because lenders have flexibility with pricing on a second mortgage product, such as a HELOC or home equity loan. Your rate will depend on your credit score, the amount of debt you carry, and the amount of your credit line compared to the value of your home.
And average national HELOC rates can include “introductory” rates that may only last for six months or one year. After that, your interest rate will become adjustable, likely beginning at a substantially higher rate.
You don’t have to give up your low-rate mortgage to access the equity in your home. Keep your primary mortgage and consider a second mortgage, such as a home equity line of credit.
The best HELOC lenders offer low fees, a fixed-rate option, and generous credit lines. A HELOC allows you to easily use your home equity in any way and in any amount you choose, up to your credit line limit. Pull some out; pay it back. Repeat.
Meanwhile, you’re paying down your low-interest-rate primary mortgage like the wealth-building machine you are.
Today, FourLeaf Credit Union is offering a HELOC rate of 6.49% for 12 months on lines up to $500,000. That’s an introductory rate that will convert to a variable rate later. When shopping lenders, be aware of both rates. And as always, compare fees, repayment terms, and the minimum draw amount. The draw is the amount of money a lender requires you to initially take from your equity.
The power of a HELOC is tapping only what you need and leaving some of your line of credit available for future needs. You don’t pay interest on what you don’t borrow.
Rates vary so much from one lender to the next that it’s hard to pin down a magic number. You may see rates from nearly 7% to as much as 18%. It really depends on your creditworthiness and how diligent a shopper you are.
For homeowners with low primary mortgage rates and a chunk of equity in their house, it’s probably one of the best times to get a HELOC. You don’t give up that great mortgage rate, and you can use the cash drawn from your equity for things like home improvements, repairs, and upgrades. Of course, you can use a HELOC for fun things too, like a vacation — if you have the discipline to pay it off promptly. A vacation is likely not worth taking on long-term debt.
If you take out the full $50,000 from a line of credit on a $400,000 home, your payment may be around $395 per month with a variable interest rate beginning at 8.75%. That’s for a HELOC with a 10-year draw period and a 20-year repayment period. That sounds good, but remember, it winds up being a 30-year loan. HELOCs are best if you borrow and pay back the balance in a much shorter period of time.
