GSW (7)Golden State’s Draymond Green vows to lead with poise in Game 7 and deliversIn a team meeting before Sunday's clinching win Draymond Green explains he was 'embarrassed' after losing his poise in Game 6 Draymond Green talks with the media following his team's win over the Rockets in Game 7 HOUSTON (AP) — Golden State’s Draymond Green spent the last two days embarrassed after losing his poise early in a Game 6 loss to the Houston Rockets He told the team in a meeting before Game 7 that he’d set a much better tone on Sunday night He did just that, keeping his cool to help the Warriors advance to the Western Conference semifinals with a 103-89 win “He said: ‘I’ve got to be poised and I have to be better and we’re gonna come in here tomorrow and get it done,’” coach Steve Kerr said just his poise from the start I thought it set a great tone.” Green picked up an offensive foul at the 8:53 mark of the first quarter for shoving Jalen Green The play went to review and the foul was determined to be a flagrant-1 The four-time NBA champ believes that play contributed to how things went down in the 115-107 loss Friday night and said that was the reason they got “bullied.” “I pouted way too much last game,” Green said I spent the last two days embarrassed just at what I gave to the game Stephen Curry adds 22 points and the Warriors take Game 7 at Houston to survive and advance To make sure he kept his emotions in check this game the notoriously fiery player spent time at the spa meditated and listened only to slow music in the last two days Only songs from artists such as Brent Faiyaz SZA and 90s R&B stars were on his playlist leading up to this game “I know I can ratchet my intensity up,” he said He said he was dying to get back on the court and show that he could be a much better leader as the Warriors tried to advance to the next round And Green delivered a strong defensive performance with no emotional lapses that cost the team Sunday night “I wanted to come out and prove again just who I am with poise but with the same fire and same tenacity,” he said “I think I delivered that and gave our guys something to follow.” Kenny & others reveal their picks for the conference semifinals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs Warriors veteran forward Draymond Green is the recipient of the 2024-25 NBA Hustle Award All eyes will be on Anthony Edwards as he and the Wolves try to slow down Stephen Curry and the Warriors in the semifinal matchup Golden State's star guard wins the award which recognizes the player deemed the best teammate on and off the court Aaron Gordon comes up clutch again for the Nuggets while the Thunder face the 1st big test of their 2025 playoff run Boston's reliance on the 3-ball backfires while New York's defenders come through in the clutch to pull off massive comeback for series-opening win Celtics announce Porzingis was questionable to return with an illness that they specified was non-Covid Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones glamour up alongside Angel Reese for the annual fashion event Kenny Atkinson experienced a setback on his coaching journey it fueled the 2024-25 NBA Coach of the Year There’s a major difference between contenders and pretenders a difference that was evident in both Vegas’ and Edmonton’s first-round series the Golden Knights and Oilers showed exactly why they’ve been frequent fliers past the first round — and why the Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings were first-round fodder once again Now comes the true test: a battle between two teams equally equipped to win it all The Oilers start with a modest 52-48 edge in this series but there are a lot of variables that could tilt the scales in either direction The main one is the status of Pavel Dorofeyev which is one reason the Oilers are favored the Golden Knights’ odds would improve to 49 percent There’s also the matter of Edmonton’s goaltending situation As admirable as Calvin Pickard’s performance was against the Kings he’s still far from a safe bet as a career backup but his game has higher highs — enough to be considered a stronger option but more starts for Skinner would increase Edmonton’s odds further The teams weren’t all that different at five-on-five this year They both hovered around the 54 percent mark in expected goals to round out the top five in the league Their expected goal creation and suppression weren’t far off each other either — Vegas just had better results on both ends of the ice Scoring goals wasn’t a problem for Edmonton in Round 1 The Oilers poured chances on the Kings with a league-high rate of 3.44 xGF/60 (and scored 2.83 per 60 Vegas generated some good looks against Minnesota there may be an opportunity to do more damage at five-on-five which was one of the highest-scoring power plays in the regular season were red hot on the advantage in the playoffs so this may come down to whose penalty kill can return to form after a leaky first round The Oilers’ and Golden Knights’ expected goals against each jumped by more than three goals per 60 in Round 1 compared to the regular season The difference was Vegas’ goaltending controlled chaos with only three goals against in six games Can Vegas’ defense slow down Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl It stands to reason that having Minnesota as their first-round opponent was an ideal bit of practice for the Golden Knights the Wild have sublime offensive talents at the top of the forward group and then Vegas should hope its top pair learned a lesson With Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin on the ice together at five-on-five Vegas was outscored 5-2 and controlled just 43 percent of the expected goals That’s probably not going to work against McDavid and Draisaitl It’s also a bit of deviation from Pietrangelo/Hanifin’s regular-season numbers; in more than 770 minutes together they solidly controlled the run of play with an expected goal share of about 55 percent Vegas was outscored 38-32 with them on the ice but that had plenty to do with goaltending If the Games 3-5 version of Adin Hill shows up for the Golden Knights What should be a bit more concerning for Vegas is that it wasn’t always Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy doing the damage against Pietrangelo/Hanifin A lot of it came with Ryan Hartman on the ice — Minnesota held a 3-1 goal edge and 60/40 expected goal share with him on the ice against Pietrangelo The Shea Theodore-Brayden McNabb pair also got plenty of minutes against the top line and did an OK job territorially — playing to about an even split in expected goals — but was outscored 4-2 with Kaprizov on the ice even if it’s only forced upon the Golden Knights when they’re on the road and Theodore individually was outstanding against Minnesota It’ll also be interesting to see if Bruce Cassidy sticks with the pairings he rolled out for Game 6 against Minnesota but was chasing the puck for most of the night Pietrangelo’s most frequent partner was Zach Whitecloud; in about 10 minutes together Minnesota outshot Vegas 8-2 and scored a goal Theodore-McNabb was the only pairing to win its minutes overall but still lost in scoring attempts (8-5) and shot attempts (21-12) It’s ultimately a two-pronged issue for the Golden Knights Stopping McDavid and Draisaitl is one thing; we know teams can survive simply by not letting those two run wild taking their lumps and truly handling business with the rest of the forwards group showed real signs of scoring depth in the first round against one of the best defensive teams in the league but it’s fair to wonder whether it’s equipped to handle a team with two of the world’s best at the top of the lineup and a handful of competent players dotting the rest of it Are we witnessing a John Klingberg renaissance who do you think had the highest average Game Score for Edmonton in the first round If you guessed someone — anyone — other than John Klingberg whether it was a flash in the pan or a legitimate sign he’d turned back the clock finished the series against Los Angeles with three really strong outings Edmonton outscored the Kings 4-1 with Klingberg on the ice and controlled more than 63 percent of the expected goals When Klingberg was paired with Jake Walman The two of them (or even just Klingberg) managing something similar against the Golden Knights would be a major development That Klingberg is contributing at all to a playoff team in 2025 is a development in itself; he missed more than a year after double hip surgery and spent years in decline before that he was a force as a skater and playmaker along the blue line injuries and chaotic defensive play seemingly took their toll and Edmonton’s signing of him in January seemed like a Hail Mary We all know exactly why the Oilers win games The two best players in the world are an unstoppable force capable of dragging an otherwise middling (if that) roster to some very high places Edmonton’s top duo has a combined projected Net Rating of plus-51 If you ever wondered how good a team would be with the two best players in the world and an otherwise average lineup their combined plus-5.9 Net Rating in six games translates to plus-81 per 82 games As gruesome as the rest of the roster looks on paper they actually delivered when it mattered in the opening round That’s sparked some real optimism in Edmonton Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins finally looked closer to their usual selves with five points apiece and Hyman earning 66 percent of the expected goals Evander Kane provided a vital offensive spark after a year on the shelf Corey Perry and Vasily Podkolzin all found the scoresheet at least three times with Brown earning a surprising five points Mattias Janmark scored as many goals in six games as he did in 80 games this season And Adam Henrique was a stabilizing defensive presence in the bottom six For a team whose top concern was forward depth going into the playoffs the Oilers couldn’t have scripted a better opening round for the entire group While the expectation should still be that the depth is probably a weakness their ability to rise to the occasion and elevate their games when it matters most is extremely notable It makes the Oilers much more difficult to game plan against as they’re starting to prove they are capable beyond McDavid and Draisaitl It was especially true in the final two games; those very depth players combined for eight goals while McDavid and Draisaitl sat back and relaxed with a single assist between them That duo may have brought the Oilers back from the brink but the team’s depth put them over the top where the depth stepped up in Mattias Ekholm’s absence; Walman Klingberg and Brett Kulak all played incredible hockey against the Kings The new concern: Can Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse handle the heat at the top of the lineup that pair has been on the ice for seven goals in 58 minutes with a middling xG percentage The Oilers allowed only seven goals in 254 minutes otherwise (1.65 GA/60) Bouchard at least added enough individual offense to make up for it the team’s top pair has not been good enough allowing 3.24 xGA/60 is a recipe for disaster given each player’s penchant for adventurous chaos but their performance so far shows just how valuable Ekholm is — as a stabilizing presence next to Bouchard and as someone who allows Nurse to thrive in secondary matchups Vegas’ top four is as solid as it gets with four legit top-pair options Where Vegas’ blue line differs from Los Angeles’ is in the amount of offense coming from the back end the Golden Knights have the horses to go toe-to-toe with Edmonton’s dynamic blue line They can keep up with the run-and-gun hockey in a way the Kings couldn’t and are also stable enough defensively to hold the fort it’s noticeable how defensively sound everyone is from top to bottom Mark Stone and William Karlsson — are complete players The difference between Vegas’ best and Los Angeles’ best up front is that their offensive game is more reliable Eichel is obviously a massive part of that a true franchise player capable of putting up 90 points It’s not just about slowing down Edmonton’s best Eichel is better equipped for that than any Kings player Eichel and Stone struggled early in the series at five-on-five but were dynamite once Karlsson moved up to the top line Can Vegas afford to stack the deck like that against the Oilers That probably depends on how the Oilers line up and whether they choose to split up McDavid and Draisaitl the Golden Knights do have real depth down the lineup Tomas Hertl is still an effective top-line player anchoring the second line while Ivan Barbashev Brandon Saad and Nicolas Roy provide an edge in the middle six It’s those players that need to be the difference in this series for Vegas They need to be able to make up for whatever damage McDavid and Draisaitl do The top guys can only do so much in that battle the biggest question mark for Vegas right now might be between the pipes The Oilers made a Vezina finalist look mortal and Adin Hill hasn’t exactly been sharp in these playoffs His .880 save percentage and minus-1.3 GSAx ranked third last in the playoffs among starters Vegas has the goaltending edge no matter who starts for the Oilers the Golden Knights will need Hill’s best self The last time the Oilers and Golden Knights faced off in the playoffs Eichel and McDavid didn’t see much of each other at five-on-five Neither team opted for a power-versus-power matchup Eichel’s all-around game has taken strides over the last couple of years and now he takes on matchup minutes for the Golden Knights McDavid always sees his opponents’ best shutdown talents but few have the offensive game that Eichel brings These are elite skaters in transition who can play end-to-end against each other It should make for a star-powered battle between two of the West’s best centers If you’re more about depth and “heavy hockey,” you’re with Vegas Stylistic differences can make for great entertainment and everything about this series suggests it’ll deliver in a big way How these projections work Understanding projection uncertainty  Evolving Hockey Natural Stat Trick Hockey Reference NHL All Three Zones Tracking by Corey Sznajder (Top photo of Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel: Ethan Miller / Getty Images) every moment from the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round series between the Minnesota Wild and the Vegas Golden Knights Gm 1: Knies fires a backhand over Bobrovsky to extend the Maple Leafs lead in the 3rd Mic Drop: The best mic'd up moments from the first round Take a look at the first ever live draft lottery Watch every overtime goal from the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Gm1: Nylander wrists it into the cage to put the Maple Leafs up by 2 Gm 1: Balinskis rips home a wrister to cut the lead down to 1 in the 3rd Gm1: Jones drills in a PPG to put the Panthers on the board Gm1: Rielly blasts it into the cage to put the Maple Leafs back up by 2 Gm1: Nylander goes five-hole to put Maple Leafs on the board Senators and Maple Leafs clash in First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Stars conclude back-and-forth series in do-or-die Game 7 Gm7: Lowry lifts the Jets to victory in double overtime Top 10 Goals from Week 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Wild and Golden Knights battle in First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Gm7: Perfetti ties it in waning seconds with his second goal Gm7: Jets and Blues exchange handshakes at center ice Gm7: Binnington makes a game-saving stop in overtime Gm7: Faksa restores two-goal lead late in the 2nd Gm7: Kyrou nets one-handed shot for opening goal Gm 7: Johnston reacts to scoring the game-winner in Game 7 Gm7: Stars and Avalanche shake hands at center ice following Stars' victory Gm7: Rantanen notches first postseason career hat trick for 4-point game Gm7: Johnston rips it home from a tough angle to the put the Stars on top on the power play Gm7: MacKinnon doubles the lead early in the 3rd Gm7: Manson rings one off the post and in for a short-handed goal to open scoring EDMONTON — There’s an old story in the sports writing business when his team was getting beaten roundly by some opponent If you could ever see the copy that doesn’t make it to the end of a game The things that get written when it’s 10:15 p.m and they haven’t even started the third period yet when us writers “pound in a few ‘graphs” for a game story that we think we’re going to be filing in a couple of hour's time After the podium interviews and the TV hits with Gene when our poor editor is sitting by their laptop at 3 a.m Eastern awaiting something resembling cogent prose Let’s go back to Game 3 of the Edmonton-Los Angeles series The Oilers had allowed 12 goals in losing Games 1 and 2. Their penalty kill had surrendered five goals in 10 opportunities, and other than a spasm of Connor McDavid brilliance in the third period of Game 1 the Kings had completely controlled the series the Kings are leading 4-3 on a couple more power-play goals and the words coming off this keyboard were every bit as bleak “You just can’t win with this goaltending.” but you can’t figure out a way to kill penalties then how can the path lead to anywhere else but the golf course?” and the writer did the ol’ define and delete boogie setting up a second-round series between Vegas and an Oilers team that has an entirely different vibe than the one we almost wrote about that night “(We didn’t know) what our lines were going to be like Who was going to be playing well…” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch especially in Vegas (where) they’ve got last change I’ll have a better understanding than I did two weeks ago.” Edmonton gets on a plane bound for Vegas Monday as a vastly superior team to the one that opened Round 1 in L.A (Edmonton scored nine goals in Games 5 and 6 v They’ve found chemistry that simply did not exist here in Edmonton for the past three months, and enough defensive structure that their backup — Calvin Pickard — has become the only goalie in these Stanley Cup playoffs with a 4-0 record. “This group is finding its identity. For the first time in a while, we’re healthier than usual, though still missing a big piece (in Mattias Ekholm),” said Zach Hyman. “But up front, we have a lot of different lines that we can run, different lineups. We’re finding what our identity is, and what makes us successful. “I think we’re rounding our team into form at the right time.” In the space of one round, the Oilers have transformed from a dinged-up team that hadn’t performed like a true contender, to a team that deserves another look. Maybe, as it enters its 11th playoff round in the past four springs, this reigning Stanley Cup Finalist is just taking a different road to the same place. “We’ve got as good a chance as anyone,” said McDavid, who looks back on a Round 2 loss two years ago to a Vegas team that went on to win the Cup. It’s three years running now that the Oilers have been eliminated by the eventual Cup winner. “We’re certainly more experienced. If that puts us in a better spot, great,” he said. “Experience isn’t everything, but it’s definitely helpful when you’re going against a veteran team like Vegas, that is also very experienced and has played in big moments.” How can the first 10 series’ help a team win the 11th one? “Managing the game better, understanding certain situations,” said McDavid, looking back to that six-game loss to the Golden Knights in ’23. “It’s years ago now, but I think about that Game 5 — we have the lead, and find ourselves (defending) a five-on-three. We gave up three in (1:29) there, and the game is flipped. “All lessons learned along the way, and hopefully we use them moving forward in this series.” Everywhere we wrote “I think?” Can you change that to “I thought? Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2 Preview: Oilers vs. Golden KnightsOilers’ Mattias Ekholm doubtful to play in Round 2COMMENTS When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines Should you violate our submissions guidelines we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time GREEN BAY – With the No. 2 chain still hanging around his neck, Matthew Golden walked into the Lambeau Field interview on Friday morning with "22" proudly displayed across his chest It's the number the Packers' first-round pick chose as he readies to make the leap to the NFL and one that sits close to Golden's heart her favorite number was '2' growing up," said Golden "She told me she wanted me to represent that number." Despite his draft status, Golden didn't inquire about taking the No. 2 off veteran quarterback Malik Willis he opted to double it after talking with the Packers' equipment staff His selection of "22" not only pays tribute to his grandma Penny – whom Golden refers to as his "best friend" – but also acknowledges the last time Green Bay selected a receiver in the first round: 2002 191-pound wideout has never been short on motivation with his family serving as a driving force in his ascent to the game's highest level Grandma Penny's Texas home – the one Golden has vowed to buy back for his family – served as a haven for him and his mother Golden also stayed in hotels and occasionally slept in a vehicle parked at the local Walmart in Brenham it wasn't easy getting here and I know what I did the people that I had around me that helped me get to this point – now I'm here Gold was a four-star recruit out of Houston who initially committed to play at Texas Christian. In fact, Packers third-round pick Savion Williams hosted Golden on his visit to TCU Golden chose to stay close to home and played two seasons for the Cougars before transferring to Texas as a junior Despite Golden's credentials, nothing was given to the 21-year-old upon arrival. Former Longhorn defensive lineman Barryn Sorrell whom the Packers drafted in the fourth round recalls how initially Golden "wasn't a priority" in Texas' power-packed offense Golden quickly became a go-to target for quarterback Quinn Ewers He averaged 19.7 yards per catch over his last six collegiate games including a virtuoso performance (seven catches for 149 yards and a touchdown) in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Arizona State "I feel like nothing is stopping me from where I'm going It's definitely something that's keeping me motivated and keeping me grinding." Golden declared for the NFL Draft after leading Texas with nine touchdown receptions and 987 receiving yards which were just one yard shy of his two seasons combined at Houston Golden cemented himself as a first-round pick after leading all receivers at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.29-second time in the 40-yard dash with a 1.49 10-yard split It earned Golden an invite to attend the draft with his mother and grandmother But he wasn't the only Longhorn to make the trip to Green Bay The two reminisced about their football journeys in Sorrell's hotel room the night before the first round Sorrell stayed in the lobby of Golden's hotel until 1 a.m Green Bay would draft Sorrell less than 48 hours later Golden was one of the first to reach out and congratulate him "Everybody loves a good underdog story," said Sorrell of Golden The things that he has is what got him here Packers quarterback Jordan Love and receiver Jayden Reed immediately reached out to Golden after the draft and offered a warm welcome Golden said he's enjoyed meeting his new teammates and reconnecting with Williams The Packers conducted a light practice with their rookies inside the Hutson Center on Saturday Although the receivers didn't catch any passes the weekend did whet Golden's palette for playing at the game's highest level I've been waiting for this moment my whole life and to be here," Golden said but I'm gonna let my presence be known and I'm gonna come in here and compete." Golden acknowledges it may be time to add an extra "2" to his chain "I definitely do," said Golden with a smile 2023 first-round pick eager to get going with new position coach in Year 3 Packers tight end has made himself at home in Green Bay Deep position group buoyed Jeff Hafley's defense in Year 1 Versatile defender willing to play wherever he's needed General Manager Brian Gutekunst discusses Green Bay's quarterback depth All-Pro kick returner remains highly appreciated on special teams "Dynamic" impact could only grow with better health Former college free agent sparked Packers' pass rush in second half Packers defensive lineman overcame ankle injury to notch another season with at least five sacks Game experience in Week 18 invaluable for 2024 draft pick after difficult rookie year Rookie combined smarts with athleticism to make strong first impression The threat actors known as Golden Chickens have been attributed to two new malware families dubbed TerraStealerV2 and TerraLogger suggesting continued development efforts to fine-tune and diversify their arsenal "TerraStealerV2 is designed to collect browser credentials, cryptocurrency wallet data, and browser extension information," Recorded Future Insikt Group said It uses a common low-level keyboard hook to record keystrokes and writes the logs to local files." Golden Chickens, also known as TA4557 and Venom Spider, is the name given to a financially motivated threat actor linked to a notorious malware family called More_eggs It's known to be active since at least 2018 offering its warez under a malware-as-a-service (MaaS) model Campaigns distributing More_eggs entail the use of spear-phishing emails to target hiring managers using fake resumes, allowing attackers to steal confidential data. Other campaign waves have singled out professionals on LinkedIn with weaponized job offers to deliver the malware Recent attack chains documented by Arctic Wolf have used phishing emails as a ploy to lead recipients to an actor-controlled website from where they can download a decoy resume which is nothing but a Windows Shortcut (.LNK) file that uses a batch script to launch the lure document while running a JavaScript malware in the background The JavaScript payload acts as a conduit to deploy a More_eggs_Dropper a DLL file that's designed to launch another JavaScript malware called TerraLoader This malware is then used to decrypt and load More_eggs "The threat actor has demonstrated a continued investment in the development and maintenance of its backdoor infrastructure over time," Arctic Wolf Labs said "This is evidenced by the use of sophisticated code obfuscation and code encryption which improve its stealth and evasiveness against defenders." As of 2023, Golden Chickens has been attributed to an online persona known as badbullzvenom, an account that's believed to be operated jointly by individuals from Canada and Romania Some of the other malicious tools developed by the e-crime group include More_eggs lite (oka lite_more_eggs) Late last year, Zscaler ThreatLabz detailed new Golden Chickens-related activity involving a backdoor called RevC2 and a loader referred to as Venom Loader both of which are delivered via a VenomLNK The latest findings from Recorded Future show that the threat actors are continuing to work on their offerings releasing an updated version of their stealer malware that's capable of harvesting data from browsers TerraStealerV2 has been distributed via various formats the stealer payload is delivered in the form of an OCX (short for Microsoft's OLE Control Extension) payload that's retrieved from an external domain ("wetransfers[.]io") "While it targets the Chrome 'Login Data' database to steal credentials, it does not bypass Application Bound Encryption (ABE) protections introduced in Chrome updates after July 2024 indicating the malware code is outdated or still under development," the cybersecurity company said The data captured by TerraStealerV2 is exfiltrated to both Telegram and the domain "wetransfers[.]io." It also leverages trusted Windows utilities it does not include functionality for data exfiltration or command-and-control (C2) communication suggesting it is either in early development or intended to be used in conjunction with another malware part of the Golden Chickens MaaS ecosystem "The current state of TerraStealerV2 and TerraLogger suggests that both tools remain under active development and do not yet exhibit the level of stealth typically associated with mature Golden Chickens tooling," Recorded Future said "Given Golden Chickens' history of developing malware for credential theft and access operations these capabilities will likely continue to evolve." It also follows the discovery of an updated version of the StealC malware with support for streamlined command-and-control (C2) communication protocol and the addition of RC4 encryption "The malware's payload delivery options have been expanded to include Microsoft Software Installer (MSI) packages and PowerShell scripts," Zscaler ThreatLabz said in a report published last week "A redesigned control panel provides an integrated builder that enables threat actors to customize payload delivery rules based on geolocation Additional features include multi-monitor screenshot capture and server-side brute-forcing for credentials." has been observed being distributed via another malware loader called Amadey The control panel also supports Telegram bot integration for sending notifications and allows customization of message formats a streamlined communications protocol with encryption and a redesigned control panel that provides more targeted information collection," Zscaler said It's not just StealC that has received an update. Cybersecurity researchers have also detected a reworked version of Lumma Stealer that's written in C++ and is distributed via the prevalent ClickFix social engineering technique when users search for cracked software "LUMMAC.V2 is an infostealer malware that targets a wide range of applications, including browsers, crypto wallets, password managers, remote desktop applications, email clients, and instant messaging applications," Google Security Operations said "It steals information such as credentials subsequently sending this data over HTTP in a ZIP archive." and SOC security to respond quicker and stop breaches early AI agents boost business—but create risks and strategies from industry leaders – all for free with Greg Abel poised to lead Berkshire Hathaway ensuring a smooth succession and continued strong earnings.Berkshire Hathaway's operating earnings annualize to nearly $40 billion with a P/E ratio in the low double-digits after accounting for cash and equity holdings.The company shows strength across segments notably in BNSF and Berkshire Hathaway Energy which is a major investment focus with over $10 billion in annual capex.Despite some variability in insurance underwriting Berkshire Hathaway remains well-positioned for robust shareholder returns The Retirement Forum provides actionable ideals all to help you maximize your capital and your income We search the entire market to help you maximize returns Recommendations from a top 0.2% TipRanks author and you only get once chance to do it right Don't miss out because you didn't know what was out there Click for our discounted 2-week free trial! The Value Portfolio specializes in building retirement portfolios and utilizes a fact-based research strategy to identify investments He invests real money in the stocks he recommends Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of BRK.B I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha) I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer broker or US investment adviser or investment bank Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body President Donald Trump’s first 100 days back in office have been a whirlwind of action and change not seen in Washington The president won a decisive Electoral College victory in November to carry out his campaign promises of securing our southern border and ending the radical policies of the last four years he has been doing precisely that — and at a blistering pace And voters have had a favorable view of the president showing that the post-election honeymoon will stretch beyond the first 100 days Trump gets the highest marks with voters for securing the southern border From record highs under President Joe Biden as would-be illegal immigrants know that we now have a president who will carry out his constitutional duty to enforce the law As the president said in his speech to Congress it didn’t take more laws to fix the border; it just took a different president Americans suffered greatly from the cost-of-living crisis under Biden.While four years of harm cannot be fully reversed in 100 days Trump has embarked on the most ambitious deregulatory agenda of any president in history pledging to cut 10 regulations for every new regulation put in place This will dramatically reduce the costs of gas and housing for families and significantly reduce the compliance burden on small businesses and the economy The administration’s adoption of minimal necessary regulation and an abundance-minded approach to energy production will help achieve voters’ demands to reduce inflation and bring jobs back to our country Trump’s forceful termination of the Biden administration’s era of crushing overregulation has sent a powerful positive signal to the business community to plan and invest freely and abundantly Trump has already achieved something every Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan promised: He has dismantled the federal Department of Education Some core functions of the department have been distributed to other agencies Trump already defunded the teaching of critical race theory in our schools; dismantled the diversity and inclusion bureaucracy; and threatened the tax exemptions of schools that fail to protect the civil rights of Jewish students or that violate the Supreme Court’s ruling ending affirmative action At a time when higher education has lost prestige and enrollment this is precisely what our education system needs at the Department of Health and Human Services and Brooke Rollins at the Department of Agriculture with a mission to make America healthy again banning harmful food additives and working to cut off taxpayer funding for the soda and junk foods that are so often used in welfare fraud and that contribute to America’s crisis of obesity and chronic disease While the president is living the make-America-healthy-again life trimming 30 pounds in his first few months in office and brought business-world efficiencies to the bureaucracy Adviser Elon Musk has exposed endemic wasteful and even potentially corrupt spending across various federal agencies Trump has taken on the mighty federal employees’ union and his Schedule F order is making thousands of federal employees accountable to elected officials for the first time in decades While the first 100 days of this administration have been historic if Congress doesn’t lock the Trump agenda into law through the “one big it will be easily undone by future presidents Trump has spent 100 days taking executive action; now he needs Congress to turn those orders into bills he can sign to ensure that his first 100 days launch America into its next golden age Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The seventh-seeded Warriors, who led the series 3-1 through four games, had dropped their last two to the No. 2 Rockets, allowing them to tie the series. "They have a great team and they had a great season." The Warriors outshot the Rockets 47.6% to 40.5%. They were 18 of 43 (41.9%) from 3-point range, compared to the Rockets' 6 of 18 (33.3%) clip. The Rockets held a 52-38 edge in rebounding, but totaled 14 assists, compared to the Warriors' 24. The Warriors also logged just seven turnovers against the Rockets' 11. The Warriors went up 8-2 through the first two minutes of Game 7. The Rockets later used a 6-0 surge to take a 19-17 lead, but trailed 23-19 to start the second quarter. Hield and the Warriors went on a 16-5 run, which started at the end of the first quarter and carried into the second, for a 33-24 edge. The veteran forward scored 14 points in the second quarter to help the Warriors secure a 51-39 lead at the break. Warriors forward Jimmy Butler scored 20 points in the victory. Center Draymond Green chipped in 16 points. Thompson scored 24 for the Rockets. Center Alperen Sengun chipped in 21 points and 14 rebounds in the loss. The Warriors will take on the No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals at 9:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday in Minneapolis. The winner of the Timberwolves-Warriors series will face the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder or No. 4 Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals. Game 1 of the Thunder-Nuggets series will tip off at 9:30 p.m. Monday in Denver. 3:29 pm UTC • 5 minAn overwhelming sense of arrogance permeated the Toyota Center corridor that leads to the visitors’ locker room in the minutes following the Golden State Warriors’ series-clinching 103-89 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of their first-round playoff matchup First came Stephen Curry and Draymond Green the longtime pillars of the Golden State dynasty grinning like a movie villain you love to hate minutes after playing the game of his life skipping through a sea of relieved staffers “Couldn’t be more proud of our guys,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the win. “That was an incrediblely impressive display of resolve.”  The Warriors have been here before—and they carry themselves like it, leading almost wire to wire in a win-or-go-home game on the road against a hungry opponent. Despite all the new faces who’ve joined the team since even the 2022 title—let alone the 2015 one—Golden State retains its championship DNA. Everything still flows from Curry. The Curry-Green offensive mind meld still opens everything up for a bevy of role players. And the defense still clamps down when it needs to. Are the Houston Rockets Really Just a Superstar Away? The Denver Nuggets Are Thin, Flawed, and Dangerous The effects of the war of attrition were magnified by Green, who accumulated two flagrant fouls in the first six games, routinely disrupting Golden State’s flow. But even as his behavior devolved to familiar lows, Green summoned his best in important moments, including a Game 4–sealing stop on Sengun, setting up a series-clinching game in Houston—the importance of which he then seemed to minimize.  “It’s not the end of the world,” Green said following Game 4 when asked how important winning a closeout Game 5 would be for the team. “When you have an opportunity to close, you want to do that. But it’s not like if we go in there and we’re not able to get the job done, we’re pulling our hair out. You just move on to the next one.”  The next two games showed the consequences of Green’s mindset. In Houston, the Rockets delivered a 131-116 beatdown that led Kerr to pull Golden State’s starters for the entire fourth quarter. Two days later, at Chase Center, the Rockets embarrassed the Warriors 115-107. In the second half of that Game 6 loss, Green threw Rockets guard Jalen Green to the ground, earning a flagrant foul.  “I spent the last two days embarrassed just at what I gave to the game,” Draymond said Sunday night. “I know I can ratchet my intensity up. I know I’m gonna be [intense] … and I felt like I was going too far.” The losses prompted a night of self-reflection from Green, whose college coach, Tom Izzo; best friend, Travis Walton; and wife, Hazel, took turns taking the mercurial forward to task well into dawn.  “People I trust most had a heart-to-heart after the game,” Green said. “I spent the last two days embarrassed.”  The following evening, during a team dinner, Green stood up to acknowledge his mistakes and promise to be better.  “‘I’ve got to be poised and I have to be better, and we’re gonna come in here tomorrow and get it done,’” Kerr recalled Green saying. On Sunday, Green turned in a 16-point, six-rebound, five-assist performance, drawing praise from his coach. “I think his emotional stability tonight, just his poise from the start, I thought it set a great tone,” Kerr said. In the Warriors’ most important game of the season, they rediscovered their balance and their winning formula. Golden State outscored Houston 33-27 in the fourth quarter, winning its fifth straight playoff series against the Rockets and throwing salt on a Rockets wound that’s been open since the beginning of Golden State’s run.  Meanwhile, the Warriors limp into the series facing three harsh realities: They’re old, they’re small, and most of the country doesn’t give them a chance. The Warriors themselves are confident, but unlike in past seasons, this team has little to no margin for error.  “They’re hot right now,” Curry said of the Wolves. “They’ve been playing some great basketball [over] the last couple of months, and we’re excited to have some more basketball to play.”  The next 48 hours will be filled with predictable story lines: of Butler’s return to Minnesota, the team he requested a trade from in 2018, and of whether Green can keep his hands to himself while sharing the court with Rudy Gobert. But Golden State’s biggest challenge may be finding the right balance between confidence and arrogance and enabling its collective experience to outweigh the grueling toll that playoff basketball takes on older teams.   For years, the Warriors have had the goods to routinely rule the rest of the league, using superior talent to overcome their mistakes. Now an underdog against the young Timberwolves, the Warriors will attempt to once again play the hits. But how far this group can follow its groove remains to be seen.  “One thing about this league,” Green said Sunday evening, “you’re never done proving who you are until you’re done. Completely finished.” ArchiveWe’ve been around since Brady was a QB but now they'll have to accomplish something they haven't done in over a decade: win a playoff series as an underdog The No. 7 seed Warriors are +150 underdogs at BetMGM in their second-round series against the No Anthony Edwards' Wolves upset LeBron James Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in Round 1 and will have home court and a significant rest advantage against the Warriors The Warriors became only the second No. 7 seed to be favored to win a series in Round 1 since 1988 and the first to actually win the series. The last time Golden State won a playoff series as an underdog was all the way back in 2013, when the Warriors (+355) beat the Denver Nuggets in six games. This is also rare territory for the Timberwolves, as it's only the third time in Minnesota's playoff history the Wolves have made the second round — and the first time since 2004 they are favorites in a Round 2 series. By contrast, the Warriors have made it to the second round eight times in Curry's career. Minnesota is a 6.5-point home favorite in Game 1, which tips off at 9:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday night on TNT. EmailMaine Gov Paul LePage speaks at a town hall meeting in March Paul LePage announced Monday that he's running for the state's 2nd Congressional District seat LePage served two terms as Maine's governor and left office in 2019 the same year Democratic Congressman Jared Golden kicked off his first term Now LePage is seeking to challenge Golden for a seat that the Democrat has managed to hold despite skewing conservative since President Donald Trump was first elected in 2016 LePage's candidacy marks the second time that he's tried to get back into politics Janet Mills in 2022 and blamed his defeat on the contest's focus on abortion rights The Republican was also criticized for retiring to Florida before briefly returning to challenge Mills LePage is a Lewiston native whose rough upbringing was a central feature of his campaigns he aggressively pursued tax and welfare cuts and an antagonistic approach to political opponents He has often been described as a Trump prototype Bruce Poliquin in the first congressional raced decided by ranked-choice voting but added "stolen election" alongside his signature Republicans have criticized and vowed to repeal Maine's ranked-choice voting law ever since The election system will be used again in 2026 LePage will be a formidable opponent for Golden The Republican has solidly carried the 2nd Congressional District in all three of his gubernatorial campaigns a former state legislator who won a four-way Democratic primary in 2018 has faced fierce criticism from Democratic activists in recent years He continues to draw their ire over a column he wrote last year arguing that Democrats were "pearl-clutching" over Trump's threat to democracy and the rule of law adding that Congress would act as a check against his impulses The Democrat remains a supporter of Trump's erratic and unilateral deployment of import taxes LePage confirmed he's challenging Golden without mentioning him by name he said he was running because "entrenched interests" are fighting Trump "at every turn as he works to fight problems." The Warriors, who have won four championships in the last decade, are arguably the most battle-tested team in the league. They know how to win, and they see how the Rockets can emerge into those winners as well someday down the line. “Gained a lot of respect for them,” Warriors veteran Draymond Green toldThe Athletic insider Kelly Iko but you don’t really know someone until you play them in a playoff series I think we got to know those guys very well You go through a playoff series against somebody one of two things happen — you completely lose respect for them or gain a lot of respect believing that the Rockets are on the rise “They’re on their way,” Curry toldThe Athletic postgame it’s hard to win in the regular season — building that confidence matters and (building) an identity of how you do it it doesn't take away from the sting of defeat The Rockets will have to use it as motivation to ensure this doesn't happen again next year The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Once again conducted under Maine’s ranked choice voting (RCV) system the race is expected to draw national attention in one of the country’s most competitive congressional districts Golden first won in 2018, defeating Republican incumbent Bruce Poliquin in the nation's first RCV runoff for a congressional seat After trailing in the first round of tabulation Golden secured the seat when second-choice votes were counted LePage, then governor, wrote “stolen election” in handwriting on the official certification of Golden’s election win Golden has won three more times since then Maine voters ratified RCV via two ballot initiatives in November 2016 and June 2018.  IVN recently recognized Golden as one of the most independent members of Congress “Jared Golden’s independent voting record is shaped by the political realities of his rural working-class district,” the article noted.  Golden represents a working-class, rural swing district, and his voting record frequently reflects a willingness to break with party leadership. Specifically, in March 2021, Golden was one of just two House Democrats to vote against the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan citing concerns about the bill’s scope and cost.  Later that year, in November 2021, he was the only Democrat to vote against President Biden’s Build Back Better Act a sweeping $1.7 trillion social spending bill particularly the expansion of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction which he said disproportionately benefited wealthy taxpayers.  Golden’s independence extends to presidential politics. In a 2024 op-ed in the Bangor Daily News, he wrote: “While I don’t plan to vote for him, Donald Trump is going to win. And I’m OK with that.”  In 2025, Golden was the sole Democrat in the House to vote for a Republican-sponsored stopgap spending bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown.  He recently joined just three other House Democrats in voting for the Republican-backed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.  Axios reported in April that Golden is “perhaps the only Democrat on Capitol Hill willing to defend President Trump's new tariffs to the hilt.” Golden dismissed the stock market turmoil that has accompanied Trump's tariffs: "The vast majority of Americans have no stocks." "I remember Dems being outraged by the World Trade Organization even as recently as TPP," Golden told Axios it's like a complete 180-degree flip here where we're staunchly defending the importance and relevance of the stock market to the American economy and defending free trade deals." brings decades of name recognition to the race he served as Waterville's mayor and was general manager of Marden’s Surplus & Salvage LePage won the governorship in 2010 with 37.6% of the vote in a three-way race and was re-elected in 2014 with 48.2% Barred by term limits from running in 2018 LePage said he was finished with politics and took up residence in Florida LePage later challenged Governor Janet Mills in 2022 When asked for a reaction by the AP to LePage’s campaign announcement on May 4, Golden responded “I thought Paul was doing his best work in retirement." The Independent Voter Project (IVP) and its sister organization the Foundation for Independent Voter Education (FIVE) published IVN to be a new kind of news network and provide unfiltered political news and policy analysis from across the political spectrum the updated Golden State app will feature information and resources for the Warriors playUdoka: Game 7 loss 'going to sting for a minute' (1:26)Rockets coach Ime Udoka breaks down what went wrong in the Rockets' Game 7 loss to the Warriors The 2024-25 NBA playoffs are in full swing and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game in the march to the Finals On Wednesday, the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off an upset by eliminating the No. 3 seed Los Angeles Lakers in a Game 5 win Saturday, the No. 4 seed Denver Nuggets beat the No. 5 seed LA Clippers in a Game 7 showdown to advance to the second round, where they will face the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday, the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets fell to the No. 7 seed Golden State Warriors in Game 7 in Houston The Warriors move on to play the Timberwolves in the second round here's what matters most and what to watch for in all four series Buddy Hield and the Golden State Warriors busted Houston's box-and-one-like zone defense to seize a 12-point halftime lead that proved insurmountable in a 103-89 win in Game 7 of the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs It was only a matter of time before the veteran-laden Warriors found effective counters for Houston's zone. For the most part, Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry found it difficult to generate good looks in the first half -- the Rockets held Curry scoreless until the final minute of the first half But Curry and Butler consistently hit open teammates combining for eight assists in the first two quarters as Hield carried the Warriors' offense The Rockets double-teamed Curry seven times in the first half and Golden State still scored 21 points on 5-of-5 shooting off his passes Hield scorched Houston for a game-high 33 points, shooting 8 of 9 from the field in the first half, including 6 of 7 from 3. Hield's nine made 3s tied Donte DiVincenzo (2024 Eastern Conference semifinals) for the most 3-pointers in a Game 7 in NBA history The damage Hield inflicted early left Houston trailing by 12 points at intermission the Rockets had never overcome a halftime deficit of 12 points or more in their postseason history and fell to 0-29 in that scenario They pulled within three points in the third quarter Golden State had made more 3-pointers (13) than the Rockets had attempted (12) Curry and Butler each contributed 20 points in the win The Warriors point guard added 10 rebounds and seven assists Golden State had three players score at least 20 points in a Game 7 for the first time in franchise history The Warriors discovered that they can survive the pressure of a do-or-die game despite Stephen Curry struggling for three quarters missed seven of his first eight shots to open the game and had just three points with under six minutes to go in the third quarter Buddy Hield -- who opened this season on fire, leading many to believe he was a perfect fit for Klay Thompson's old role -- hit six 3-pointers in the first half the most 3s in a first half of a Game 7 in NBA history Draymond Green helped set the tone with two 3-pointers and energetic defense early on and Butler was a calming influence when Golden State watched a 15-point lead shrink to three in the third He hit a corner 3 and then found Green twice inside for baskets attacking the rim and finishing with 22 points The Warriors exerted their will and experience on the Rockets to beat Houston on its home court they head to Minnesota to face a much different Timberwolves team than the last time they played Minnesota Golden State goes into Game 1 with little time to recover while Minnesota has been resting since closing out the Lakers on May 1 the Warriors have a shot to win this series Game 7: Nuggets 120, Clippers 101 But they clearly ran out of gas in Game 7 and have few assets to improve the team in the offseason Former Thunder star Westbrook returns hoping to play another spoiler role Game 5: Timberwolves 103, Lakers 96 Lakers coach JJ Redick decided to not start a center, and Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves absolutely feasted on the interior to take the series in five games The Lakers played with grit, blanketing Minnesota's shooters into a 7-for-47 (14.9%) night from 3 (including 0-for-11 for Anthony Edwards) -- marking the worst 3-point shooting percentage in a playoff game in NBA history (minimum 40 attempts) Luka Doncic (back) and LeBron James (left knee) both logged 40 minutes to give the Lakers a chance combined with the points-in-the-paint battle (56-40) proved too much which has won 21 of its past 26 games dating back to the last quarter of the regular season will be a formidable challenge to either Golden State or Houston head into the offseason in dire need of a big man Redick will trust in a playoff game Game 4: Thunder 117, Grizzlies 115 the Grizzlies couldn't handle the Thunder's tenacious defensive pressure committing 22 turnovers that Oklahoma City converted into 32 points the Thunder will get some rest and await the winner of the Nuggets-Clippers series The lights are going out at Morris Golden’s laundromat.  The lights in the neon sign for the Golden Coin Wash ‘N’ Dry are literally burning out as the struggling business fights against a rising financial tide following the Great Recession.  thoughtful and overwrought new play “Golden,” directed by Tyrone Phillips and now running through May 11 at ACT Contemporary Theatre Morris (Ty Willis) and the folks who hang around the laundromat are all as underwater as the business fighting to keep their own lights on as they’re ground down by a financial and social system that never wanted them to succeed a painting contractor who’s struggled to find work since the housing market collapsed; Quikk (Kaughlin Caver an academic overachiever who couldn’t get loans to attend college and now seems to have a new business idea every day; Jazmine (Elena Flory-Barnes) struggling to support her 10-year-old daughter Zora (Mesgana Alemshowa) after losing her job in real estate; and Morris’ ex-wife Rheeda (the always-excellent Tracy Michelle Hughes) a natural caretaker who recently completed a nursing degree and now works at the convenience store next to the laundromat (Morris blames her aspirations for the split; Rheeda sees it very differently.) All these folks are flailing in the wake of the financial crisis that kneecapped the American economy for years as we all do when we’re acting out of desperation the people who keep robbing the Golden Coin Many Americans were impacted by the Great Recession. But according to data from the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances and synthesized by The Brookings Institution as recently as 2022 “for every $100 in wealth held by white households let’s not pretend everyone was impacted equally After the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake Morris can’t bring himself to care about faraway people when he’s drowning right here at home keeps suffering folks fighting one another for scraps and angry at the wrong people.  Creech’s plays are deeply researched and loaded with historical context and it’s both charming and alarming to see how much has changed in some 16 short years since the recession Everyone needs coins to use these laundry machines and the concept of carrying cash now seems as dated as the bootleg DVDs that Quikk carries around in his backpack.  Center stage in this space (all credit to Parmida Ziaei’s outstanding scenic design) hangs a beat-up change machine with semi-mystical origins that Morris credits with his successes and refuses to replace He feeds dollar after dollar into a machine that never gives anything back hoping each time that the results will be different “Golden” is part of Creech’s Legacy Plays Project, a planned nine-play cycle that examines pivotal moments in the lives of Black Americans throughout U.S. history. His 2023 play, “The Last Drive to Dodge,” explored the lives of Black cowboys in 1884 Texas and showcased his talent for deftly poetic language.  “Golden” likewise bursts with gorgeous language but that poetry sometimes gets in the way of clarity — and there was I don’t mean that the story was hard to follow; I mean that things felt emotionally static throughout the piece which made the characters’ choices and responses baffling Some judicious pruning could help: What’s beautiful on paper isn’t always effective as spoken language particularly when several performances in this ensemble could use a bit more rehearsal.  “Golden” is ACT’s 49th world premiere play and the last play ever for the company in its current incarnation. ACT’s merger with Seattle Shakespeare Company will be finalized July 1; this season’s final play “Twelfth Night,” is a premerger coproduction between the two companies This feels like a fitting final play before a new collaborative venture begins Many of the Golden Coin’s regulars are hesitant to accept help but one message in the play rings crystal clear: We cannot survive without one another The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser Ryan YoungStaff writerMay 5 2025 at 3:27 AM UTC·4 min readThe Golden State Warriors didn’t make it easy on themselves but they are moving on to the next round of the playoffs after huge halves from Buddy Hield and Stephen Curry put the Houston Rockets away Sunday night to close out their opening-round Western Conference series The Warriors grabbed a 103-89 win over the Rockets in Game 7 at the Toyota Center giving them the 4-3 series win that sends them into the conference semifinals for a third time in the past four seasons The win also allowed the Warriors to avoid becoming the 14th team in NBA history to blow a 3-1 series lead something they famously did in the 2016 NBA Finals against LeBron James and the Cavs Buddy Hield dropped 22 points in the first half to help stun the Rockets and close out the series Sunday night (AP/Ashley Landis) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)After a tight first quarter and a poor first half offensively from Curry the Warriors jumped ahead to a 12-point lead at the break who was just about unstoppable on a night when he matched an NBA record in a Game 7 for most made 3-pointers (nine) Hield put up 22 of his playoff career-high 33 points in the first two quarters while shooting 6-of-7 from behind the arc All but one of those made 3-pointers came in the second quarter and he hit his series high in points before halftime Hield helped the Warriors mount a 16-2 run in the second quarter Curry didn’t hit his first bucket until the final minute of the period when he finally got a deep 3-pointer to fall As Hield’s hot streak came to an end in the third quarter The Rockets mounted a quick 14-4 run early after halftime to get the game back to single digits and then they made it a one-possession contest after Jabari Smith Jr That was as close as the Rockets came to completing their comeback The Warriors ended the third quarter on a 7-2 burst and didn’t give up a field goal the rest of the period to push their lead back to eight He opened the fourth quarter on a solo 5-0 run in the first 71 seconds of the period to suddenly put the Warriors up by 13 points again and force a quick Rockets timeout Hield hit again in the second half with a 3-pointer midway through the fourth — which pushed the Warriors back to a double-digit lead after a little Rockets push this time in the form of a 12-0 burst capped by another Hield 3-pointer That sealed the deal and allowed Golden State to cruise to the 14-point win The Warriors have won 20 of their past 25 games against the Rockets Amen Thompson led the Rockets with 24 points and nine rebounds Alperen Şengün added 21 points on 23 shots and had 14 rebounds They were the only three Rockets players to hit double figures The Rockets went 6-of-18 from behind the arc falling 3 triples short of what Hield produced himself for the Warriors and Jimmy Butler finished with 20 points and eight rebounds The Warriors outscored Houston by 36 points from behind the arc All but three of Golden State's total points came from its starters Kevon Looney was the only bench player to score The Warriors will now take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the next round starting Tuesday night in Minneapolis The Timberwolves rolled over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to grab a 4-1 series win to reach the semifinals EDMONTON -- Connor McDavid said he believes the Edmonton Oilers are better equipped to face the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Second Round than they were two seasons ago The six-game loss to Vegas in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs stung the Oilers and their captain considering they had the lead in Game 5 with the series tied 2-2 and let it slip away to the eventual Cup champions Edmonton is looking forward to its shot at redemption starting with Game 1 of the best-of-7 series at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday (9:30 p.m “It’s definitely helpful when you’re going up against a veteran team like Vegas who is also more experienced and played a lot of playoff hockey and played in big moments In 2023, Game 5 in Vegas proved to be the turning point in the series. Edmonton led 2-1 on first-period goals from McDavid and Zach Hyman and were in control through the middle of the second However, a holding penalty assessed to defenseman Philip Broberg at 12:49 and a high-sticking minor to forward Mattias Janmark 44 seconds later put the Golden Knights on a two-man advantage Forwards Mark Stone and Reilly Smith then scored power-play goals 29 seconds apart to give Vegas a 3-2 lead. A goal by forward Nicolas Hague a minute later made it 4-2 going into the third period McDavid scored on the power play at 2:40 of the third to make it 4-3 but that was as close as Edmonton would get The Oilers were eliminated with a 5-2 loss at home in Game 6 two nights later Vegas then defeated the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final and the Florida Panthers in the Final to win the Stanley Cup “It’s difficult anytime you lose in the playoffs especially when you feel you had a good team,” McDavid said and obviously they had a great team as well We feel like we have another good team this year and we have as good a chance as anyone We look forward to getting to Vegas and getting started.” Edmonton advanced by defeating the Los Angeles Kings in six games in the first round and Vegas also needed six games to eliminated the Minnesota Wild Edmonton has played five playoff series since losing to Vegas in 2023 advanced to the Stanley Cup Final last season where they lost 2-1 in Game 7 to the Panthers “You learn from your failures and that [Vegas loss] was one of them,” McDavid said “Definitely we changed some things systemwise from that series The Oilers applied the lessons from the loss to the Golden Knights last season and are looking to put that knowledge to good use again Edmonton was able to battle back from 2-0 series deficit against Los Angeles and win four consecutive games understanding certain situations,” McDavid said “I think about that Game 5 (against Vegas) we had the lead and we found ourselves in a 5-on-3 and we can’t put ourselves in that position We had to grab it there and gave up three in however minutes and the game kind of flipped Those are all learning lessons along the way and hopefully we can use them moving forward in this series.” Edmonton was a playoff savvy team going into the series against Vegas in 2023 having made it to the Western Conference Final the previous season before being swept by the Colorado Avalanche The Oilers are now a battle-hardened team after nearly winning the Stanley Cup last season “They’re a division rival and they beat us and went on to win the Cup so we definitely want to even things up,” Hyman said “It’s different teams and different players but when you lose against a team you want to win it the next time.” Vegas is expected to present a different challenge to Edmonton than Los Angeles did in the first round The Golden Knights are expected to press the issue a little harder “They’re both really good teams and completely different so we have to be really careful at the [blue] lines and make sure we have guys going back They also play a completely different [defensive] zone one plays man-on-man and the other kind of zone Edmonton had a number of players recovering from injury heading into the series against Los Angels and it took a while for the team to find its rhythm Going into Vegas, Edmonton is healthy, with the exception of defenseman Mattias Ekholm who was ruled out of the series by coach Kris Knoblauch because of an undisclosed injury “I think Games 1 and 2 were definitely clunky with a lineup that hadn’t played together a whole lot,” McDavid said “I think we’re getting more in the rhythm of things guys are getting healthier and healthier and getting their timing back It’s starting to look a little bit more like it’s supposed to look and I expect our best coming into this series.” Rockets head coach Ime Udoka sounded off after the game, expressing his discontentment to seeing the team's season come to an end. “A poor ending,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said following Houston’s 103-89 loss via The Athletic insider Kelly Iko “To play one of our worst games in the playoffs and in Game 7 — we had a few bad ones early and corrected ourselves on both sides of the ball that’s going to leave a sour taste in our mouth for sure you have the blueprint for where we want to be and it’s a standard on a yearly basis but all of that doesn’t matter when you go out with a chance to move on and advance Laid an egg in our last game; there’s sting from it.” there was also some pride from the team's on-court leader in Fred VanVleet “I’m extremely proud of these guys,” VanVleet said via Iko “I look at all of these guys like my baby brothers They grew up a lot this year and made huge strides It’s a tough way to end the season — it’s always tough Game 7 can go either way and it wasn’t our best performance But I’m not going to sum up the whole experience based on one night One of my favorite seasons I’ve been a part of Everybody should be excited about the future and what’s to come.” the Rockets will take that excitement for the future coupled with the disappointment of a premature exit to fuel what could potentially be another deep run next year for Houston The No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves will face the No. 7-seeded Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs Here's a look at how the second-round matchup is projected to play out: More: NBA playoff bracket: 2025 schedule, times, scores, TV for second-round series Golden State struggled when Houston went big with Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams It's now tasked with facing a Minnesota team that has Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert The Timberwolves' size will present problems Anthony Edwards is more than capable of taking over down the stretch More: NBA MVP race between SGA, Nikola Jokic is mere subplot for Thunder vs Nuggets series Minnesota is a -180 favorite to beat Golden State in the second round of the playoffs More: NBA playoff predictions: Are Boston Celtics, OKC Thunder still favorites after Round 1? Odds via BetMGM as of Sunday More: Russell Westbrook Experience returns to OKC for Thunder-Nuggets in NBA Playoffs: Buckle up ESPN gives Minnesota a 71.5% chance to win in Game 1 on Tuesday More: Gregg Popovich 'literally changed' the Spurs and NBA forever, including OKC Thunder More: When will 2024-25 NBA awards be announced? Schedule set for most winners We occasionally recommend interesting products and services If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently Sign up for the Breaking Defense newsletter As part of its post-bankruptcy restructuring plan Ligado has signed an agreement with AST SpaceMobile to lease some of its spectrum for satellite-to-phone communications Every band of spectrum — the invisible radio waves that enable modern communications — is valuable but often overcrowded Debates about spectrum policy frequently devolve into a tug-of-war between federal agencies and the wireless industry It isn’t a battle over how to split the pie it’s a golden opportunity to grow the pie by investing in technologies to enable greater sharing to protect the critical operations of the United States military and commercial users alike The airwaves used by our warfighters make the difference between success and failure In more than three decades in special operations on three continents I saw firsthand how crucial having secure and resilient communications are to mission success From coordinating air support to tracking mobile targets across multiple theaters our men and women depend on wireless tools to execute quickly RELATED: All you need to know about the spectrum battle The nation is determining how to best defend against hostile air threats, while policymakers are simultaneously considering whether to use spectrum auction revenues to help fund the budget reconciliation bill but by considering these issues separately It is time to stop pitting federal and commercial spectrum needs against each other and invest in technologies that allow us to do more with the spectrum we have. And that solution is spectrum sharing the military shares spectrum across the services and with other federal agencies Commercial users and commercial operators also share spectrum with each other What has changed is the technology that enables dynamic sharing across multiple users simultaneously Smart systems can play “air traffic controller” and direct spectrum use in real-time based on activity and need ensuring bandwidth is available for all national security requirements we will need to invest in both hardware and software designed for a shared-spectrum world — radios chips and systems that can sense and operate across crowded spectrum bands This is where the federal government can lead — by investing in the R&D that makes spectrum work harder for us without compromising key national security equities This should include public-private partnerships that develop and test spectrum-sharing technologies with industry We will also need federal spectrum policies that reward cooperation and accelerate this development RELATED: NORTHCOM commander: ‘Strong concern’ spectrum auctioning could jeopardize Golden Dome  This isn’t a zero-sum game: The commercial wireless industry and our national defense both stand to benefit from better spectrum-sharing tools. The same technologies that could make a Golden Dome possible can also help supercharge our transition to 6G And if America doesn’t lead on new-generation technologies adversaries like China will quickly catch and surpass us Whether the priority is warfighting readiness ubiquitous 5G or technological competitiveness the solution is the same: Invest in spectrum sharing a more competitive telecom industry and a safer General Thomas Trask served for 33 years in U.S most recently as Vice Commander of the Headquarters U.S He now consults and serves on several non-profit and corporate boards Sign up and get Breaking Defense news in your inbox The Warriors will play Minnesota in a Western Conference semifinal series Hield scored 22 of his playoff career-high 33 points in the first half and was 12-for-15 from the field and 9-for-11 on 3s Curry finished with 22 points after scoring just three in the first half OPINION: Nuggets should hire David Adelman now. He proved himself with win against Clippers. That made up for Curry who missed his first five shots and didn’t score until he made a 3-pointer with 33.3 seconds left in the second quarter Golden State’s collective experience with Curry Jimmy Butler and coach Steve Kerr outmaneuvered the Rockets The heart of a champion continues to beat in the 2025 NBA playoffs A 12-0 Warriors run late in the fourth quarter extended their lead to 94-74 and Curry found enough offense in the final two quarters Golden State outscored Houston 54-18 on 3-pointers and shot 41.9% from that range Rockets forward Amen Thompson scored a team-high 24 points and center Alperen Sengun had 21 points and 14 rebounds But Jalen Green’s offensive issues continued with just eight points and Dillon Brooks had eight points as the Rockets shot 40.5% from the field and 33.3% on 3s The home team had won 113 of 152 Game 7s headed into Sunday’s Warriors-Rockets series finale there has been a Game 7 road winner in the past eight NBA playoffs Teams that led a best-of-seven series 3-1 won the series 279 of 292 times before Sunday’s game and the Warriors avoided becoming the 14th team to lose a series after leading 3-1 The Warriors became another road team to win Game 7, and it is also just the third time in the past 16 seasons that a seven seed has knocked off a two seed (San Antonio over Dallas in 2010 and the Los Angeles Lakers over Memphis in 2023). Fans react during the Game 4 of the playoff series on Sunday at Target Center in Minneapolis on April 27.Kerem Yücel | MPR News filePlayListenPlayoff preview: Minnesota Timberwolves taking on Golden State WarriorsGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories where late Sunday night that city's NBA playoff run came to an end The Rockets lost 89 to 103 to the Golden State Warriors And that means the Warriors are coming to Minnesota They'll play the Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs Joining Minnesota Now with some context on this matchup Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors will lock horns in the Western Conference semifinals after a dominating performance against their higher-seeding rivals 6) outclassed the Lakers (No .3) 4-1 and the Warriors (No 2) 4-3 in the first round of the NBA playoffs A 6-seed and a 7-seed are meeting in the playoffs for the third time in NBA history It’s an inspiring story for both teams The Warriors slipped to the Play-in tournament for the second straight year and defeated the Grizzlies to qualify for the playoffs The Dubs faced the second seeded Rockets in the first round and in the playoff history the 7th-seeded teams failed to cross the line majority of the time Also Read: “I Want to Play the Warriors” – Anthony Edwards’ 2023 Wish Finally Comes True as GSW and Timberwolves Lock Horns in Semis the Warriors held a 3-1 advantage in the series but lost two consecutive games to force a Game 7 were under pressure in winner-take-all game and they knocked out the Rockets 103–89 Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler have provided a great support to Curry in the journey to the conference semifinals The Golden State Warriors advance to the Western Conference Semifinals!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google pic.twitter.com/gjQ1I0bBR3 the Wolves had no chance against the Lakers before the first-round series they were defeated by the Lakers in Game 2 to find the scoreline 1-1 All the experts and former players put Los Angeles favourites but Minnesota surprised everyone Anthony Edwards led the Wolves for a remarkable victory against the Lakers in the playoff series A 4-1 series win against Luka Doncic and LeBron James showcase the strength of the Timberwolves It would be a great battle between Stephen Curry and Anthony Edwards The Warriors made errors in a couple of games against the Rockets but they cannot repeat the same in the conference semifinals the Warriors won the regular-season series 3-1 against the Timberwolves Minnesota’s performance in last one month has been outstanding and this series might finish in seven games The winner will take on with the winner of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets series in the Conference Finals.  Wolves. Warriors. see y’all Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/HhQiHlI3tq let’s see what their schedule looks like- Also Read: NBA Playoffs 2025: Fourth Quarter Rally Helps Pacers Stun Cavaliers in Eastern Conference Semifinals Image Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports Gulshan Sharma is a passionate writer with a love for storytelling he aim to craft engaging and thought-provoking content that resonates with readers Get the biggest stories delivered straight to you - for free you consent to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy nad to receive marketing and account-related emails from The Playoffs The Playoffs has been a go-to source for sports and sports betting enthusiasts Our mission: To help bettors make the best choices with in-depth analysis Our motto: Share our passion for sports and betting our editorial teams work to deliver the most accurate and relevant information so you can place bets with confidence—and most importantly and understand that betting is a form of entertainment—not a way to earn money If gambling stops being enjoyable or starts affecting your life negatively don’t hesitate to seek support or take advantage of self-exclusion tools provided by betting platforms responsible betting is the key to a safe and enjoyable gaming experience DISCLAIMER: This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting COPYRIGHT © 2025 - THE PLAYOFFS - SHARE THE PASSION FOR SPORTS AND BETTING 1A) opened the scoring for Vegas in his 100th postseason appearance as a Golden Knight 1A) recorded the game-winning goal in the win Victor Olofsson: Olofsson assisted on Theodore’s goal for his first career postseason point Brayden McNabb: McNabb (2A) assisted on both Stone and Eichel’s goals the Golden Knights have reached the Second Round for the fifth time and have earned 12 series victories—second only to the Lightning’s 13 over that span the Golden Knights hold the highest series winning percentage of any team in NHL history Mark Stone became the second Golden Knights player to score multiple series-clinching goals with the franchise by Martha Cruz Las Vegas (KSNV) — The National Hockey League has released the schedule for the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs The Pacific Division champion Vegas Golden Knights are set to take on the Edmonton Oilers in round two of the best-of-seven series MORE ON NEWS 3 | Oilers a deeper team than the one the Golden Knights beat in the 2023 NHL playoffs Fans in the United States can catch the series on ESPN or TBS while Canadian viewers can tune in via Sportsnet or TVA all seven games will be available on the VGK Radio Network A limited number of tickets for the games at T-Mobile Arena are available For more information, click here In the just-completed first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings the Edmonton Oilers ran the best roster players on the same line for 75 minutes at five-on-five The total represented about 65 percent of the overall playing time for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the game state over the course of the series Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch often mentions that the team has the freedom to roll four lines and make the opponent worry about how Edmonton deploys its lines the next opponent is the Vegas Golden Knights has more than one outscoring line and plays a difficult suppression style Should Knoblauch play McDavid and Draisaitl together at five-on-five in the Vegas series The Oilers faced the Golden Knights in the 2023 second round Draisaitl delivered monster performances early in that series but Jack Eichel owned the heart of that heavyweight six-game set Math remains convinced the coaching staff erred by not playing Ryan McLeod’s line against Eichel despite a small sample The eye test identified a phantom hook in Game 5 by Philip Broberg A high-sticking call followed immediately against Mattias Janmark The lesson for the Oilers from that series It’s going to be close and everything is important He may use a controversial option in an effort to sway the series Jay Woodcroft was the coach in the 2023 series against the Golden Knights and McLeod is now a member of the Buffalo Sabres Fans may wonder if Eichel is the key to the series and hope for a hard match of the McDavid line with the top Vegas unit Knoblauch may run the league’s best line (McDavid with Draisaitl) heavily during the coming series McDavid-Draisaitl (in 75 minutes) delivered a 5-3 goal advantage versus Los Angeles the coaching staff should be able to count on a goal per game from the top line when both are deployed Knoblauch did tweak a little during the first round moving Evan Bouchard and his partner in and out of the five-on-five minutes with the No Here’s what happened with three different partners alongside Bouchard: The Nurse-Bouchard minutes were riddled with coverage issues but the expected goal share across all three pairings suggests success What the three defensive combinations have in common is mobile defencemen partnered with Bouchard The key to the scoring success of the line against Los Angeles came from not playing as much in the defensive zone skate the puck out or pass it effectively all mean the top line is not in the Oilers zone often Knoblauch and his coaching staff had real success with a pairing that did not include Bouchard had a 1-0 goal edge and 78 percent expected goals in 14 minutes five-on-five during the Los Angeles games Mobile defencemen took precedence when looking at McDavid-Draisaitl’s minutes at five-on-five If Knoblauch can deploy a built-in five-on-five combination that looks like a power play that could be key for Edmonton against the Golden Knights McDavid-Draisaitl with all defencemen (and assorted right wingers) outshot the Kings 54-22 (71 percent) The average SA-60 for the two men at five-on-five was 2.39 McDavid played 33 minutes at five-on-five away from Draisaitl against the Kings with Edmonton getting outscored 3-1 (expected goal share just past 50 percent) Draisaitl without McDavid played 35 minutes going 0-1 goals and also producing about 50 percent of the expected goals This speaks to the possibility that one or both men need each other to keep the handsome outscoring results at five-on-five played well enough for the coach to roll Draisaitl-McDavid-Corey Perry at five-on-five When the big line was needed for a big shift to change momentum (or to find the tying goal) there was enough left in the tank due to the impressive support lines: All four lines scored at 50 percent or better against Los Angeles The top two lines were deployed more often but all four lines were present in each game and gave Knoblauch the kind of depth Woodcroft didn’t enjoy against Vegas in 2023 In the first round of this year’s playoffs McDavid-Draisaitl were fire on the power play Five power-play goals in six games (17.54 GF-60) is an outstanding number against a playoff team helping the Oilers to a 3-2 shot advantage while surrendering one goal In a series that projects to be tight and close McDavid on the penalty kill could be an interesting weapon against the Golden Knights Oilers fans have been discussing McDavid-Draisaitl at five-on-five for a decade running the two best players on the team isn’t the smart play Giving Vegas one line to focus on makes the job of suppressing the Oilers’ offence easier There are two items that may swing the balance in favour of running the captain and Draisaitl together at five-on-five Knoblauch can check down and split his two best players Edmonton needs at least two lines that flourish in the desert both men are all-time greats but are also exiting what can be considered their peak performance The idea of running these two men together has always been attractive It’s like having a power play at even strength it may become necessary in order to have the edge in goal share with the roster healthy and all four lines firing Knoblauch and his staff may try to get the jump on the opposition by loading up the roster It runs counter to established best practices but the Oilers are a different crew this year and the improved depth might finally allow the Oilers to run the best line on the planet at five-on-five Allan Mitchell is a contributor to The Athletic's Oilers coverage. Veteran radio broadcast. His blog, Lowetide, has chronicled the team since 2005. Follow Allan on Twitter @Lowetide The beloved caramel brand is giving candy lovers a chance to win personalized storybooks – transforming memories into a heartfelt masterpiece This special contest brings the power of multi-generational family bonds with an opportunity for people to have their cherished family memories turned into a personalized Because the sweetest stories deserve to be shared and honored all year long Just like a Werther's Original passed from one loved one to another these stories are the threads that connect generations — and Werther's has always been a key part of creating those sweet Werther's Original Golden Stories celebrates family memories preserving them with the same warmth as their timeless caramels The book becomes a treasured piece of lasting legacy — one that can be passed down through generations much like the candy itself — and inspires meaningful moments of togetherness along the way we believe the most lasting legacies often begin with a simple story shared from one loved one to another," said Kelly Cook "With the Werther's Original Golden Stories contest we are inviting families to submit special stories so that we can create a storybook crafted with the same warmth and care as Werther's Caramels — ultimately becoming a treasured piece of their family's lasting legacy." Beginning Monday, May 5 until Monday, May 26, consumers can visit WerthersGoldenStories.com and choose from four prompts designed to capture the heart of their favorite story Entrants must submit a 250-400 word story — which will be translated and shortened into storybook format — accompanied by photos to be considered to win Submissions will be graded against specific judging criteria that emphasizes: originality and alignment with Werther's Original brand themes of generational connection The top 20 first place winners will receive a custom print storybook keepsake with the 25 second place winners receiving an e-book version of their personalized storybook While inspired by the spirit of Mother's Day this contest is for anyone who has played a meaningful role in a family story – from grandparents and siblings to lifelong friends Winners will be selected the week of June 13 and the Werther's Original Golden Stories contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington Each participant is limited to one (1) entry during the Entry Period regardless of the number of email addresses they may have Candy-maker Gustav Nebel first introduced his delicious iconic caramel recipe in 1909 in the small European village of Werther Using only the best ingredients — real butter a pinch of salt and a lot of time — he created a treasure worthy of being wrapped in gold and named the candy Werther's Original in honor of his little village creamy caramel became a family tradition handed down through generations Media Contact:Anna McAndrew[email protected]  is kicking off National Caramel Month with a surprise sweepstakes: Werther's.. one of America's most beloved caramel brands is introducing limited-edition Caramel Apple Hard Candies to its seasonal.. Retail Food & Beverages New Products & Services Do not sell or share my personal information: If you had told someone who had watched Games 5 and 6 of the Warriors-Rockets first-round series that in Game 7, on the road, that Golden State would be up by 12 at halftime with Stephen Curry having just three points you would've been laughed out of whatever room you happened to be standing in But that's what happened. Curry didn't make his first shot until there were 33 seconds left in the first half, and somehow the Warriors were, indeed, up by 12 against a Rockets team that had not just beaten them but had outright dominated them the previous two games committing just seven turnovers (big props to Curry for managing this game in such disciplined fashion even when he couldn't get his own offense going) They played incredible defense; huge props to Steve Kerr for waiting until he really needed to throw a wrinkle at the Rockets to unleash a zone The young and shooting-compromised Rockets had no chance of reacting to that on the fly and they couldn't make a thing But mostly, Buddy Hield played the game of his professional life Hield poured in six 3-pointers en route to 22 first-half points accounting for nearly 50% of Golden State's offense through the first two quarters and what could only be described as a sigh-of-relief halftime margin Hield wasn't done. He scored 11 more points in the fourth quarter to give him 33 for the game on nine 3-pointers, that mark tying Donte DiVincenzo's NBA record for the most ever in a Game 7 all NINE Buddy Hield threes 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Xn2xN8N6TO Hield basically did chest compressions on a Warriors offense that had flatlined over the previous two games The 42-footer he hit to beat the first-quarter buzzer felt like it finally brought Golden State back to life It still wasn't a typically comfortable offensive showing for the Warriors but somebody had to make the Rockets pay for all the attention they were paying to Curry almost single-handedly carrying the scoring load until Curry was able to flip the switch with 19 second-half points Hield has been up and down all season for the Warriors at times damn near losing his spot altogether It's a perfect testament to the confidence of a world-class shooter after missing 12 of your last 15 3-pointers in the series and all six over the past two games to come into a Game 7 on the road firing away like you've been on a heater all along Hield fell completely out of the rotation for three playoff games with the 76ers last year Isn't that funny how you put him alongside Curry and Green and the absolute best version comes out of him at a time when the margin for error had shrunk to nothing "We had a very emotional meeting led by Draymond, Steph and Jimmy" Buddy Hield touched on a meeting that the @warriors held after their Game 6 loss 🤝 pic.twitter.com/EhyUvWnZiW "I thought his defense was tremendous tonight," Kerr said of Hield. "One of the keys to the game was Fred VanVleet only got two free throws Fred just destroyed us the last three games .. and I thought Buddy did a great job on him and on [Jalen] Green (who only managed eight points on eight shots) So this was not just a lights-out shooting performance from Buddy they're alive and into the second round of the playoffs That's all a team that was under .500 at the trade deadline can ask for and they have Buddy Hield to thank for a big part of it Natural gas price transparency & key data for the N Learn More: EOD natural gas forward price curves at 70+ key North American trading locations Forward curve prices of natural gas in North America Mexico natural gas pricing data & fundamentals Insight into tomorrow's natural gas prices and historical data Pricing and market developments for shale and unconventional plays and market developments for shale and unconventional plays ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy’s Golden Pass LNG project on the Texas coast could begin commercial operations before the end of the year slightly earlier than envisioned a few months ago Woods reiterated his belief during a conference call Friday to discuss first quarter performance Carolyn Davis joined the editorial staff of NGI in Houston in May of 2000 she covered regulatory issues for environmental and occupational safety and health publications She also has worked as a reporter for several daily newspapers in Texas the Temple Daily Telegram and the Killeen Daily Herald She attended Texas A&M University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Houston Global natural gas prices continued to slide on Monday following oil lower as energy demand remains weak amid the trade war has completed a major Mexico natural gas pipeline and is waiting on one permit to start flowing gas the first natural gas export project in the country remains on track to begin commercial operations by mid-year A prolific natural gas well drilled in the Haynesville Shale in Texas may deliver some extra points in future exploration targets for Comstock Resources Inc. has secured a $3 billion loan from 19 banks for development of its CP2 export terminal in Louisiana Eni SpA is betting big on natural gas investments to build a robust international LNG portfolio from South America to the Middle East that can help buoy its long-term cash flows Already an NGI Subscriber? Sign in Believing that transparent markets empower businesses Natural Gas Intelligence (NGI) provides natural gas price transparency and key news and data for the North American energy markets GSW (7)Rockets-Warriors: 5 takeaways as Houston dominates to force Game 7Fred VanVleet stays locked in Golden State crashes in the 4th quarter and Houston's 2-headed center delivers in Game 6 Fred VanVleet delivers a huge performance to help the Rockets stave off elimination and send the series back to Houston for a Game 7 going against an opponent with plenty of big-game postseason experience … what could go wrong This was especially — and shockingly — true down the stretch of Game 6 at Chase Center It was almost as if they switched personas with the veteran Warriors who went quietly and quickly into the night So it was Rockets 115, Warriors 107, and now more importantly, a Game 7 on Sunday (8:30 ET, TNT) between these teams in this suddenly suspenseful first-round series The Warriors were ready to close out the series Fred VanVleet showed the way for three quarters and then the Rockets stepped aside and let the Warriors beat themselves with an anemic fourth quarter This raises all sorts of possibilities Sunday at the Toyota Center in Houston The Rockets will be at home and swollen with confidence after falling behind 3-1 and fighting off elimination twice The Warriors do have Stephen Curry and Draymond Green and Playoff Jimmy Butler and now must travel two time zones to play in 48 hours Here are five takeaways as the best-of-seven series shifts back to Houston with a berth in the West semifinals on the line: 1 player on the floor is the one who went undrafted who just hit another 3-pointer while you started reading this story 25 and 29 points and drilled open 3s constantly — 18-for-27 from deep over that stretch And it’s coming at the right time here in the playoffs This is why the Rockets emptied the wallet for VanVleet a few summers ago in free agency and his unflappable approach in tense moments The Warriors have been helpless against him and while VanVleet can be streaky at times He had his way against Curry in the 2019 NBA Finals and is doing it again now Golden State needs to huddle up and come up with a plan against him two players in particular: Curry and Butler Here’s the data for Curry’s five such appearances: 32.6 points That was blistering — he dropped a dramatic 50-piece on the Kings in Sacramento a few years ago (and that city has been haunted ever since) Over Butler’s four appearances: 22 points and four rebounds on average this doesn’t begin to tell the impact of his most recent two averaging 31 points and eight rebounds and almost sent the Celtics home twice missing a jumper in the final seconds of one game although the Warriors famously blew a 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals they have a pair of players who have handled the urgency and the unforgiving nature of these games That doesn’t mean postseason experience will definitely win — it didn’t Friday — but it gives the Rockets a reason to be concerned The Rockets’ leading scorer has been a ghost much of this series and was once again Friday after delivering a whimpering 12 points in 32 minutes otherwise scored 47 points over the other five games (including three in single digits) His body language is sagging along with his confidence a sure sign of someone who’d rather pass up shots than miss them but perhaps an understandable one for someone like Green who’s 23 and lacks a rich postseason history But all it takes is one massive game to erase everything And odds suggest this slump won’t last forever The first quarter will be telling and important If he’s tossing bricks and his shoulders slump Houston was up only by two points when the fourth quarter began Then astonishingly with just under five minutes left The expanded deficit was mostly self-inflicted by the Warriors protecting the rim or covering the Rockets on the perimeter and with minutes remaining the outcome was no longer in doubt They missed 13 straight shots at one point the stunning part is this was the more experienced team This normally doesn’t happen in such situations Golden State had to fight through the play-in tournament This appeared to be the case of a younger team using their athleticism The Rockets throw an evolving series of looks at the Warriors winning 3 of 4 quarters and forcing a Game 7 in Houston Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams overwhelmed the Warriors this was the decisive factor Friday that pushed this series to a Game 7 And there was nothing the Warriors could do to prevent it Sengun hasn’t always had his way against Draymond who won the one-on-one battle a few nights ago in the final seconds But the Rockets’ young center keeps charging ahead He brings tricky moves in the post and keeps Draymond but delivered throughout his season-high 31 minutes off the bench calming leadership and surprising ability to draw fouls was big In this series the Rockets are a plus-53 when he’s on the floor will both need to raise up another level against the Rockets’ duo Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA The 2025 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament took place April 15-18 The NBA Playoffs continue with the Conference Semifinals starting on May 4 innovation and sometimes curmudgeonly comments Mitchell describes his love for basketball Let's check out the final points of Brunson's 40-point performance in Game 6 Gm 6: Stone bats it in past Gustavsson to put the Golden Knights up by 2 ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Jack Eichel scored his first goal this postseason and had an assist for the Vegas Golden Knights who eliminated the Minnesota Wild with a 3-2 win in Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday Mark Stone and Shea Theodore each also had a goal and an assist for Vegas, which is the No. 1 seed from the Pacific Division. Adin Hill made 29 saves who won the final three games of the series will play the Edmonton Oilers in the second round and we haven’t had the lead a lot,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Sometimes it can change the way a team like Minnesota will play They were tough to play against with the lead because they protect the middle and don’t give up a lot." Ryan Hartman scored twice for Minnesota, which was the first wild card from the West. Filip Gustavsson made 21 saves “It's a little raw right now,” Wild coach John Hynes said “I thought we worked enough and were playing well enough to be able to continue to push the series It’s obviously disappointing right now because you feel like you deserve a little bit better Eichel put Vegas ahead 2-1 at 16:12 of the second period. Stone sent a lead pass past the diving stick of Kirill Kaprizov in the neutral zone and Eichel beat Gustavsson glove side on a breakaway “It’s great. He lets me skate right into it,” Eichel said. “It was a great play him, great play by [Brayden McNabb] in our own zone Gm 6: Eichel rips it in to put the Golden Knights on top Stone then made it 3-1 at 16:02 of the third period when he batted McNabb's centering pass out of the air in front Hartman responded 31 seconds later to cut it to 3-2 you hate to see that last goal go in to make it tight our top guys were a lot more productive and impactful than in the first three games That’s probably the biggest story right there Theodore gave Vegas an early 1-0 lead at 3:30 of the first period He scored blocker side with a shot through traffic from above the circles on the power play Hill kept it a one-goal game when he denied Marcus Foligno on the doorstep at 9:40 and I thought (Noah) Hanifin blocked the pass so just kind of a desperation reach with my leg,” Hill said Hartman tied it 1-1 with four seconds left in the first period scoring on a one-timer through traffic from above the right circle “Two overtime losses [in Games 4 and 5] and a close one tonight but we felt like we had what it took to go forward “The confidence we had in our group for a deep run -- I think years past we had some pretty good teams this one feels like we could have gone deep.” Gm 6: Hartman blasts in a one-timer to tie it up at 1 NOTES: The Golden Knights have won 12 series since their inaugural season in 2017-18, the second-most in the NHL in that span, behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning (13). ... Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury dressed for the final NHL game of his decorated 21-season career Round 1 | Full Coverage🔹Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs 🔹Florida Panthers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning 🔹Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals 🔹New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes 🔹St. Louis Blues vs. Winnipeg Jets 🔹Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars 🔹Minnesota Wild vs. Vegas Golden Knights 🔹Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings