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OKC Thunder Beat Pacers in Game 7 to win NBA Finals

OKC Thunder

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The Oklahoma City Thunder capped an extraordinary season by defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday to win the franchise’s first title since relocating from Seattle in 2008.

League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the scoring in front of a raucous home crowd at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center with 29 points and 12 assists.

He was also crowned the best player of the Finals, marking the first time since Shaquille O’Neal in 2002 that the same player had won the scoring title, regular season and Finals MVP honors.

The Pacers suffered a huge blow early on when they lost star point guard Tyrese Haliburton midway through the first quarter with an Achilles injury and saw their title hopes dashed by a stifling Oklahoma City defense in the second half.

“It doesn’t feel real,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “So many hours, so many moments, so many emotions, so many nights of disbelief, so many nights of belief.

“This group works hard. This group put in the hours and we deserve this,” he added.

NBA Finals: Pacers Beat OKC Thunder To Force Game 7 Decider

 

The championship capped an extraordinary run for the Thunder, who ended the regular season with a 68-14 record, good for the fifth-most wins in a single NBA season.

The Finals between two small-market teams was light on star power but delivered on thrills, as the surprise Eastern Conference champions Pacers pushed the best team in the league to the winner-take-all finale.

The Pacers got off on the right track as Haliburton drained his third three-pointer five minutes into the game but the night took a terrible turn for Indiana when he slipped and fell two minutes later.

The two-time All Star was in tears as his team’s medical staff rushed to his side and a hush fell over the building packed with Oklahoma City fans.

Haliburton was helped to the locker room but did not return, and while there was no official update from the team a TV broadcast reported he had suffered an Achilles injury.

The resilient Pacers kept the game tight through a physical second quarter, putting up a terrific defensive effort to end the half up by one.

However, the Thunder took soon control with Gilgeous-Alexander, who went 0-5 behind the arc in the first half, lighting the fuse with a 25-foot three-point jumpshot four minutes into the third quarter.

The Pacers were masters of the late comeback in the postseason but without Haliburton they were unable to claw back the deficit with the Thunder opening the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run.

  • Reuters

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Tottenham 1–2 Aston Villa: Buendia Strikes Late as Villa Climb into Premier League Top Half

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Tottenham 1–2 Aston Villa: Buendia’s Winner Lifts Villa into Premier League Top Half
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Tottenham Hotspur’s miserable home form in 2025 continued on Sunday as Aston Villa came from behind to claim a 2–1 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Emiliano Buendia struck a superb curling effort late on to seal all three points for Unai Emery’s side, who moved into the top half of the Premier League table with the win.

Spurs had made the perfect start when Rodrigo Bentancur pounced on a loose ball inside the box to fire home after just five minutes. But Villa hit back before the interval, with Morgan Rogers producing a composed finish to level the score.

Despite periods of pressure in the second half, Tottenham failed to regain control, and Buendia’s winner punished their defensive lapses.

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The defeat leaves Spurs with only three home league wins in 2025, continuing a poor run that began under former manager Ange Postecoglou and has persisted under Thomas Frank.

Adding to their woes, captain Cristian Romero was withdrawn during the warm-up due to injury, disrupting the team’s defensive setup just before kick-off.

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Mason Greenwood Nets Four Goals in Marseille’s 6-2 Ligue 1 Triumph Over Le Havre

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Mason Greenwood (24) with 4 goals for Marseille tonight.
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Mason Greenwood produced a sensational performance as Olympique de Marseille crushed Le Havre 6-2 at the Orange Vélodrome on Saturday, with the English forward scoring four times to propel his side to the top of the Ligue 1 table.

The 24-year-old attacker was in unstoppable form, equalizing from the penalty spot before adding a spectacular curling effort to give Marseille control of the match. Greenwood completed his hat-trick with a precise finish and capped off his night with a composed strike to make it four goals, becoming the first Marseille player to achieve such a feat in Ligue 1 since 1991.

His four-goal display also ended a 22-month drought for any player scoring four times in a single French top-flight game.

The victory lifted Marseille to 18 points from eight matches, keeping them firmly in the title race and showcasing the attacking potency of manager Roberto De Zerbi’s side.

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Greenwood’s outstanding form continues to turn heads across Europe he now boasts seven goals and four assists in all competitions this season, underlining his resurgence since joining Marseille.

Le Havre managed two consolation goals but were ultimately overwhelmed by Marseille’s relentless attacking play and clinical finishing.

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Arsenal Reclaims Premier League Lead with 1-0 Win Over Fulham

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Arsenal reclaimed the Premier League top spot with a 1-0 win over Fulham, as Leandro Trossard scored from a set-piece. Bukayo Saka starred with six chances created and 14 duels won.
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Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League table with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday, thanks to Leandro Trossard’s second-half strike from a well-worked set piece.

Leandro Trossard scored the decisive goal in the 58th minute, converting a clever corner routine initiated by Bukayo Saka and flicked on by Gabriel Magalhães. The goal secured three vital points for Mikel Arteta’s side, who now sit three points clear at the top of the table.

The win also extended Arsenal’s remarkable defensive record — the Gunners have now gone two consecutive matches without conceding a shot on target, a feat they last achieved during their 2003–04 “Invincibles” season.

Arsenal’s dominance from set pieces continues to pay dividends, with 10 of their 15 league goals this season coming from dead-ball situations.

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Bukayo Saka delivered another standout performance, winning 14 duels and creating six chances, underlining his growing influence in Arsenal’s title charge.

Fulham, meanwhile, struggled to find attacking rhythm throughout the contest, as Arsenal’s high press and disciplined backline restricted them to speculative efforts from distance.

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Cristiano Ronaldo’s Stunning Equalizer Powers Al Nassr’s 5-1 Win Over Al-Fateh

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Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, including a stunning 25-yard equalizer, as Al Nassr defeated Al-Fateh 5-1 in the Saudi Pro League. João Félix netted a hat-trick in the commanding victory.
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Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a vintage performance as Al Nassr cruised to a dominant 5-1 victory over Al-Fateh in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Al Awwal Park.

The Portuguese superstar scored twice including a thunderous 25-yard equalizer to inspire Al Nassr’s comeback after an early setback, bringing his career tally to 949 goals.

João Félix was the night’s standout performer with a brilliant hat-trick, ensuring Al Nassr’s emphatic win and maintaining their chase at the top of the Saudi Pro League table.

Ronaldo, who missed a penalty in the 60th minute, quickly redeemed himself with a powerful long-range strike that swung the game’s momentum in Al Nassr’s favor.

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The five-time Ballon d’Or winner later celebrated the victory with American streamer IShowSpeed, who was in attendance at the stadium. The pair were seen sharing smiles post-match, with Ronaldo even following Speed on Instagram a moment that set social media abuzz.

Al Nassr’s latest triumph further solidifies their attacking form this season, with Félix and Ronaldo forming a potent partnership in front of goal.

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Nottingham Forest Sack Ange Postecoglou after losing 3-0 to Chelsea.

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Nottingham Forest sack Ange Postecoglou after Chelsea defeat
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Chelsea cruised to a convincing 3–0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday, extending their Premier League winning streak to two matches.

Goals from Pedro Neto, Josh Acheampong, and Reece James sealed the Blues’ dominance, piling pressure on Forest, who remain in the relegation zone after yet another disappointing display.

Just 19 minutes after the final whistle, Nottingham Forest announced the sacking of head coach Ange Postecoglou, ending his brief 39-day spell in charge. The Australian manager oversaw eight winless games since his appointment, with the club citing “disappointing results and performances” in its official statement.

“Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that after a series of disappointing results and performances, Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect. The club will make no further comment at this time,”the statement read.

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Forest have yet to name a successor, but interim management is expected to be announced in the coming days.

The result lifts Chelsea to 6th place in the Premier League standings, with confidence visibly growing under Mauricio Pochettino’s leadership.

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