The Women’s College World Series national championship series is headed for a winner-take-all Game 3.

Canady struck out Kayden Henry to finish off the victory. She allowed two earned runs on six hits and collected six strikeouts in her complete game effort. Meanwhile, Texas did not use its ace Teagan Kavan until the sixth inning, after Citlaly Gutierrez found herself in a jam.

The Red Raiders scored their first run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Alana Johnson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The second run came across on a wild pitch. Mia Scott homered in the top of the sixth inning to bring the Longhorns back into the game.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Texas Tech added two insurance runs, which were all needed as Texas fought back at the end before ultimately coming up short.

The last WCWS Game 3 occurred in 2021, when Oklahoma stormed back after losing the opening game to Florida State to win the last two to win the national championship.

USA TODAY brought you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Check it out.

Watch WCWS finals with ESPN+

Texas vs Texas Tech softball live score

This section will be updated

Texas vs Texas Tech softball live updates

Final: Texas Tech 4, Texas 3

Texas Tech evens WCWS final series 1-1

NiJaree Canady strikes out Kayden Henry to end the ball game as Texas Tech squeaks out the 4-3 victory to force a Game 3 tomorrow night to determine the national champion.

Katie Cimusz drives in another Texas run

Katie Cimusz lines out to left field, but plates a run to make it 4-3. The Longhorns still have a runner in scoring position and one out, for the top of the order.

Leighann Goode double drives in run

Leighann Goode drives in a run on an RBI double and the Longhorns have runners on second and third with zero outs. It’s 4-2 Texas Tech.

Katie Cimusz is pinch hitting.

Texas sends tying run to plate

Texas is sending the tying run to the plate with zero outs following an error and hit by pitch to open the top of the seventh inning.

Leighann Goode is up to the plate with a chance to tie the game with a home run. She has nine home runs on the season.

End of sixth inning: Texas Tech 4, Texas 1

Mihyia Davis single pushes Texas Tech lead to three runs

Mihyia Davis singles to score Victoria Valdez from second base to extend the Texas Tech lead to 4-1. That’s the first run scored on a hit tonight for the Red Raiders.

Bailey Lindemuth extends Texas Tech lead

Bailey Lindemuth greets Teagan Kavan with a flyball to center field to score pinch runner Makayla Garcia from third base to extend the Texas Tech lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Teagan Kavan enters for Texas

Trying to keep it a one-run game going into the seventh inning, Mike White has elected to bring in ace Teagan Kavan with runners on the corners and one out.

Texas Tech threatening to pad lead

An error by Texas first baseman Joley Mitchell has runners on the corners and just one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. Texas Tech is challenging for a potential obstruction at first base as Victoria Valdez ran into second baseman Kaydee Bennett after reaching first base. The call was upheld, no obstruction.

Citlaly Gutierrez in circle for Texas

Citlaly Gutierrez enters the circle for Texas in the bottom of the sixth inning. Texas may lose tonight, but will have a fresh Teagan Kavan tomorrow.

Texas Tech three outs away from tying WCWS finals

NiJaree Canady bounces back from the Mia Scott home run by striking out Reese Atwood for the second time tonight, and then gets Joley Mitchell to foul out to third base.

The Red Raiders are three outs away from trying the WCWS championship series 1-1, forcing a Game 3 on Friday.

Mia Scott homers to cut Texas Tech lead to 2-1

Mia Scott hits a one-out solo home run to get Texas a run back in the top of the sixth inning. That home run had an exit velocity of 80 mph. She’s the career World Series leader with four home runs.

End of fifth inning: Texas Tech 2, Texas 0

Texas Tech scores two in fifth inning

Texas Tech is six outs away from forcing a Game 3 following a two-run fifth inning. The Red Raiders loaded the bases with two outs and were able to plate two runs on a hit by pitch and a wild pitch.

Raegan Jennings led off the inning with a single, with Mihyia Davis adding a one-out double. Lauren Allred walked to load the bases with two outs. Alana Johnson drove in the first run when she was hit by a pitch on her thigh.

The Red Raiders scored their second run on a wild pitch from Camrbia Salmon on a changeup that got past catcher Reese Atwood.

Texas Tech scores second run on wild pitch

A wild pitch by Cambria Salmon gets by catcher Reese Atwood, and that scores the second run of the inning for the Red Raiders.

Alana Johnson hit by pitch scores first run

With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Alana Johnson is hit by a pitch to plate the first run of the game and give Texas Tech a 1-0 lead.

Teagan Kavan warming up for Texas

Teagan Kavan is warming up in the bullpen for Texas in the bottom of the fifth inning. She could be entering when the Red Raiders have the top of their order come to the plate.

NiJaree Canady records first 1-2-3 inning

NiJaree Canady records her first 1-2-3 inning of the evening in the top of the fifth inning. She picks up her fourth strikeout in the process.

Demi Elder recorded a diving catch to start the inning.

End of fourth inning: Texas Tech 0, Texas 0

1-2-3 fourth inning for Cambria Salmon

Cambria Salmon records a 1-2-3 fourth inning, as all three outs are recorded by second baseman Kaydee Bennett. The Red Raiders have just one hit since the first inning.

NiJaree Canady escapes fourth-inning jam

Sandwiched around a pair of strikeouts, Texas has a pair of singles to put runners on the corners with two outs. However, NiJaree Canady gets Victoria Hunter to ground out to shortstop to end the inning.

Canady had just one strikeout entering the inning. She now has three through four innings.

Mike White says Teagan Kavan ‘could’ pitch tonight

In an interview before the fourth inning with ESPN’s Holly Rowe, Texas coach Mike White says Teagan Kavan could be available to pitch tonight. He also said the plan is currently for Cambria Salmon to follow the lead of Mac Morgan to pitch through the lineup once.

End of third inning: Texas Tech 0, Texas 0

Game 2 of WCWS finals is scoreless through 3 innings

We’re through three scoreless innings in Game 2 of the WCWS championship series. Freshman pitcher Cambria Salmon allows a leadoff single to Mihyia Davis, but then gets the next three hitters out to escape any threat.

Texas third baseman Mia Scott made a pair of key putouts in the inning. Her defense in the WCWS has been a major key for the Longhorns.

Cambria Salmon stats

Cambria Salmon has posted a 2.37 ERA in 59 innings in her freshman season. She has struck out 65 and walked 19 batters. Her last outing was May 23 vs. Clemson.

Cambria Salmon takes over for Mac Morgan

Freshman pitcher Cambria Salmon has taken over for Mac Morgan in the circle in the bottom of the third inning.

End of second inning: Texas Tech 0, Texas 0

Ashton Maloney records web gem catch to end Texas Tech second

Defense is taking over in the second inning of Game 2 of the WCWS finals. Texas right fielder Ashton Maloney makes a diving catch to rob Bailey Lindemuth of a potential hit to end the second inning.

Mac Morgan bounces back from a long first inning with a 1-2-3 second inning.

Texas Tech turns double play to end Texas second

NiJaree Canady walks Katie Stewart with one out on a full count, but bounces back to induce a groundball double play off the bat of Victoria Hunter to end the second inning.

NiJaree Canady makes highlight-reel catch

NiJaree Canady lays out for a diving catch on a bunt attempt by Texas catcher Joley Mitchell. That’s the first out of the top of the second inning as Canady dives to the first base side to make the grab.

End of first inning: Texas Tech 0, Texas 0

Mac Morgan escapes bases-loaded jam

Mac Morgan loads the bases with one out, but gets Alexa Langeliers to ground out to first base for a force out at home and then NiJaree Canady to shortstop to escape the jam.

That’s two straight days the Red Raiders load the bases in the first inning but cannot push across a run.

Texas Tech loads the bases in first inning

Texas Tech loads the bases with back-to-back singles and a four-pitch walk against Mac Morgan. The Red Raiders also loaded the bases in Game 1 in the first inning on Wednesday but did not score a run.

Alexa Langeliers is at the plate.

NiJaree Canady pitches scoreless first inning

Texas gets two hits in the inning, but a throw-out at second from catcher Victoria Valdez helps NiJaree Canady escape the first inning unscathed.

The Longhorns had just four hits in six innings off Canady on Wednesday.

Patrick Mahomes in attendance of Game 2 of WCWS finals

Texas challenges for obstruction

After Kayden Henry singles up the middle, she attempts to steal second base. She is thrown out by catcher Victoria Valdez. However, Texas challenges the call for a potential obstruction. The call is upheld and Henry is ruled out.

Game 2 of WCWS final underway

NiJaree Canady induces a ground out from Ashton Maloney on the second pitch to get Game 2 underway from the WCWS championship series.

Pregame

Mac Morgan vs Tennessee in WCWS semifinal, revisited

While Texas Tech hitters may be relieved to not see Teagan Kavan tonight, Mac Morgan won’t be an easy matchup either. Morgan limited Tennessee to three hits in four scoreless innings on Monday in the semifinals. She collected four strikeouts and walked just one batter.

NiJaree Canady stats

Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady has posted a 33-6 record with a 0.94 ERA in 232 innings in 2025. She has struck out 311 hitters this season to just 44 walks.

Canady had seven strikeouts in six innings on Wednesday. She allowed two runs on four hits.

NiJaree Canady gets start for Texas Tech

NiJaree Canady is back in the circle for Texas Tech in the must-win Game 2 of the WCWS championship series. Canady’s one blemish, a misfire on an intentional walk 3-0 pitch to Reese Atwood, was the difference in Game 1.

If Canady can deliver like she has the rest of the postseason, the Red Raiders could be well-positioned to force a Game 3.

Texas Tech starting lineup for WCWS final Game 2

Here’s a look at the Red Raiders’ starting lineup for the win-or-go-home Game 2

Mihyia Davis, CF
Hailey Toney, SS
Lauren Allred, 1B
Alana Johnson, RF
Alexa Langeliers, 2B
NiJaree Canady, P
Demi Elder, LF
Victoria Valdez, C
Bailey Lindemuth, 3B
Brenlee Gonzales, DP

Mac Morgan starting pitcher for Texas

Texas is going with Mac Morgan over Teagan Kavan for Game 2 of the WCWS final. Morgan has a 3.23 ERA in 73 2/3 innings this season. Her last appearance was against Tennessee on June 2.

Mike White is likely saving Kavan for if the Longhorns get a lead to close out the championship. If Texas Tech gets ahead, he has a fresh ace for the winner-take-all Game 3.

Texas starting lineup for WCWS final Game 2

Here’s the Longhorns’ starting lineup for the second game of the WCWS final:

Ashton Maloney, RF
Kayden Henry, CF
Mia Scott, 3B
Reese Atwood, C
Joley Mitchell, 1B
Katie Stewart, LF
Victoria Hunter, DP
Leighann Goode, SS
Kaydee Bennett

Starting pitcher: Mac Morgan

Texas Tech needs win to keep season alive

Texas is just one win away from winning its first national championship in program history, while Texas Tech needs to win today to force a winner-take-all Game 3 on Friday. The Red Raiders are also looking for their first national championship.

First pitch is set for 8:50 p.m. for WCWS finals game 2

First pitch for Game 2 of the WCWS finals between Texas and Texas Tech is set for 8:50 p.m. ET. That means the game will start 50 minutes after the initial scheduled first pitch time.

Texas-Texas Tech enters weather delay

Game 2 of the Texas-Texas Tech matchup in the WCWS finals is delayed from its original first pitch time of 8 p.m. ET due to inclement weather in the Oklahoma City area. First pitch will be no earlier than 8:45 p.m. ET.

You can keep up here for live updates about the WCWS game.

What time does Texas vs Texas Tech softball start?

Time: 8 p.m. ET
Date: Thursday, June 5
Location: Devon Park (Oklahoma City)

First pitch for Game 2 of the WCWS finals is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET from Devon Park in Oklahoma City.

What TV channel is Texas vs Texas Tech softball on today?

TV channel: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+

Game 2 of the national championship series between Texas and Texas Tech will air live on ESPN, with streaming options on the ESPN app (with a cable login) and ESPN+, the latter of which serves as the network’s streaming service.

WCWS finals schedule

Wednesday, June 4: No. 6 Texas 2, Texas Tech 1
Thursday, June 5: Texas vs. Texas Tech | 8 p.m. | ESPN (ESPN+)
Friday, June 6: Texas vs. Texas Tech | 8 p.m. | ESPN (ESPN+) *

* If necessary

His latest heroics came Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, when he gave the Indiana Pacers their first lead of the game with just .3 seconds to go. His 21-foot jumper held up as the winner as the Pacers stole Game 1 in Oklahoma City, 111-110.

Haliburton now has four game-winners in these playoffs, one in every round. Here’s a look at each of his clutch plays to date, in reverse chronological order:

Game 1 vs. Thunder (NBA Finals)

Haliburton probed, drove right and pulled up to splash home the winning shot in the final second, completing the Pacers’ stunning comeback in the Finals opener. Oklahoma City, the league’s best team this season, led at home by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Game 1 vs. Knicks (Eastern Conference finals)

Haliburton’s foot proved to be on the line after review, but he still forced overtime with a big shot against the New York Knicks. While his Reggie Miller-inspired choke celebration was perhaps a tad premature, the Pacers did win the game 138-135 in OT and then won Game 2 to steal the first two contests at Madison Square Garden.

Game 2 vs. Cavaliers (Eastern Conference second round)

Haliburton’s step-back 3-pointer completed the Indiana comeback and put Cleveland, the Eastern Conference’s best team in the regular season, in a 2-0 series hole.

Game 5 vs. Bucks (Eastern Conference first round)

What happened after the game — namely Giannis Antetokounmpo’s confrontation with Haliburton’s dad — overshadowed what Haliburton did on the court: Which was driving past Antetokounmpo to hit the series-sealing layup in overtime.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

If you’re explaining, you’re losing.

I thought about that old Ronald Reagan quote last week at the SEC spring meetings while the conference launched a days-long propaganda campaign explaining why it deserved more respect from the College Football Playoff committee.

The SEC’s best programs lost too often the past few years. Alabama’s four losses last season marked its most since 2007. Georgia lost just twice in three seasons from 2021-23 before losing three times last year. LSU hasn’t lost fewer than three times in a season since 2019. That 2019 season also marks the last time Florida won more than eight games. The less said the better about Auburn’s past five seasons.

We can debate whether the playoff committee would have been wiser to select a three-loss SEC team rather than SMU, but there’s no arguing this: A Big Ten team won the national championship each of the past two seasons, and the SEC didn’t even advance a team to the title game in those years.

The SEC’s consecutive seasons without a champion mark its longest drought since Florida State and Ohio State won the titles in 2013 and 2014.

It’s not that the SEC came unglued. It remains a deep league with few weaklings, but the SEC’s cream wasn’t as sweet as the Big Ten’s last season.

That left the SEC to explain its mightiness with rhetoric and graphs, rather than pointing to the national championship scoreboard.

“This (league) is not like any other,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said on the final day of his conference’s propaganda blitz in Miramar Beach, Florida.

Sankey paired that quote with a packet of paper several pages in length that sought to explain the SEC’s greatness.

NO CUPCAKES: If SEC wants playoff respect, it needs tougher games

BIG DECISION: SEC’s Greg Sankey can be hero or villain in playoff debate

While several SEC coaches and administrators tried to prop up the league with their words, LSU coach Brian Kelly broke ranks and spoke some plain truth.

“Look, the Big Ten right now holds it on the SEC,” Kelly said. “They won the last two national championships. That’s the reality of it.”

Here’s more reality: Big Ten teams went 6-4 in games against SEC opponents last season, including postseason results.

Kelly, a skilled orator, didn’t compliment the Big Ten for no reason. He paired his praise by challenging the SEC and Big Ten athletic directors and commissioners to come to agreement on more interconference matchups between these two super leagues.

Count Kelly among those who favor a Big Ten-SEC challenge.

“As (SEC) coaches – and I can speak for the room – we want to play Big Ten schools,” Kelly said. “You’ve got to get a partner. You’ve got to get a partner who says, ‘We’re in for that, too.’ We’ve made our voice clear. Our ADs know that, as well.”

Kelly exaggerated when he said he spoke for the room of SEC coaches. In truth, some other SEC coaches sounded more squeamish about the idea of an annual game against a Big Ten foe. Kelly is smart to push the envelope, though, because the SEC needs this interconference challenge more than the Big Ten does.

The SEC ruled the four-team playoff, but the conference up north scored the early advantage in the expanded playoff, both in number of qualifiers and bracket advancement.

The SEC might be deeper in number of robust teams, but a 12- or even 16-team playoff works well for the Big Ten’s quest to qualify its top quartet, even if the conference wavers down ballot.

This season, SEC newcomers Texas and Oklahoma will play Ohio State and Michigan, respectively. Alabama’s game against Wisconsin is the only other Big Ten-SEC matchup.

“We want to get challenged (by Big Ten opponents),” Kelly said, in what amounted to chiding a heavyweight belt holder to step into the ring.

The SEC’s most authoritative path to gobbling up at-large playoff spots would be to repeatedly beat Big Ten teams in non-conference clashes.

Consider the SEC’s basketball uprising. It dominated the non-conference schedule last season, including a 14-2 record in the ACC-SEC challenge.

Come Selection Sunday, an NCAA record 14 SEC teams qualified for March Madness. The SEC didn’t need to explain itself, because it owned the scoreboard.

Not too many years ago, that was true of SEC football, too.

This little Big Ten revolution spurred the SEC to double down on talking points. Anyone that spends that much time explaining must be losing a bit too much for comfort.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Indiana Pacers just kept playing.

Kept playing through turnover after turnover. Kept playing through a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Kept playing until they took their first lead of the game late in the fourth quarter. Kept playing until they stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 111-110 victory in Game 1 on Thursday, June 5.

Indiana’s relentless style for 48 minutes allowed them to overcome 25 turnovers and steal the series opener.

Tyrese Haliburton’s 21-foot jumper with 0.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter gave the Pacers a 111-110 lead – and the victory. It was Indiana’s first lead of the game.

Pascal Siakam had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Obi Toppin had 17 points off the bench, and Haliburton added 14 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Pacers who were 18-for-39 on 3-pointers. The Thunder went 0-for-5 from beyond the arc in the fourth, while the Pacers went 6-of-10.

Game 1 was the Pacers’ fifth comeback victory from a deficit of 15 or more points in the 2025 NBA playoffs, the most by a team in a single postseason since 1998.

It was an improbable victory for the Pacers, who had 20 turnovers in the first half and trailed 94-79 with 9:42 left. But the Pacers believe in their system and ability to come back and win.

Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the 2024-25 NBA MVP, scored 38 points. He scored at least 30 points for the 12th time in the playoffs and has reached 30 in eight of his past nine games. Thunder All-Star Jalen Williams had 17 points.

It all added up to a must-see Game 1. USA TODAY Sports provides the highlights, analysis and more. NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt is in Oklahoma City. Follow along:

NBA Finals Game 1 highlights: Pacers 111, Thunder 110

Final: Pacers 111, Thunder 110

Tyrese Haliburton gave Indiana its first lead of the game on a 2-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining as the Pacers stunned the Thunder at home in Game 1. This season, Haliburton is 13-of-15 (86.7%) on shots inside the final two minutes (including overtime) to tie or take the lead. He has scored 32 points on those 15 attempts. Three of them have come in the postseason.

Pacers back in it after 12-2 run

The Pacers, true to their form this postseason, aren’t going away quietly.

Indiana ripped off a 12-2 run to close the deficit to just four points with 6 minutes left. The Pacers have done it with 3-point shooting, flushing a trio of shots from beyond the arc in less than a minute.

The Pacers are 16-of-34 (47.2%) from 3-point range, compared to Oklahoma City’s mark of 11-of-28 (39.3%) — giving Indiana a 15-point edge on shots from deep. They started the quarter 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Thunder run opens largest lead

It may not be an overwhelming run by the Thunder, but it opened up the largest lead of the game.

Oklahoma City, known for its ability to ignite on massive runs, is on a 9-3 run to start the fourth quarter, opening up a 15-point lead with 9:42 left to play.

Not surprisingly, the run was capped by a Jalen Williams dunk that came on yet another Pacers turnover, their 24th of the game. 

What are the most steals in a NBA Finals game?

The Oklahoma City Thunder are closing in on history. The Thunder have 12 steals entering the fourth quarter, six shy of tying the NBA Finals record. The Boston Celtics hold the record after they swiped the ball from the Los Angeles Lakers 18 times during Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals. With the win, the Celtics clinched the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. The NBA has been tracking that statistic since the 1973-74 season.

What are the most turnovers in a NBA Finals game?

The Pacers are up to 22 turnovers in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, leading many to wonder what are the most turnovers a team has surrendered in the Finals? That record belongs to Portland, which turned the ball over 34 times in the Trailblazers’ 107-101 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the 1977 NBA Finals. Despite dropping the first two games of the championship series, Portland went on to win, 4-2. The NBA has been tracking that statistic since the 1973-74 season.

End Q3: Thunder 85, Pacers 76

The Oklahoma City Thunder are not yielding, but the Pacers are making things interesting.

Each time the Pacers have mounted a small charge in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Oklahoma City has responded. But, although the Pacers shrunk the deficit to single-digits, the Thunder are one quarter from taking a 1-0 series lead, holding an 85-76 edge through three periods.

The Pacers did a better job of protecting the ball in the third quarter, turning it over just three times in the period after they had given it away 19 times in the first half. Indiana’s shooting slightly cooled in the third, however, as forward Pascal Siakam is finding more of a rhythm. He leads all Indiana players with 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Tyrese Haliburton has added 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting, along with eight rebounds and five assists.

Thunder forward Lu Dort, typically known for his defense, came into Thursday shooting just 30.4% from beyond the arc in the playoffs. Through three quarters, he has nailed 5-of-7 (71.4%) from deep. His 15 points are second-best for the Thunder, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way with 28 on 12-of-26 shooting.

OKC hangs Western Conference finals banner

The Oklahoma City Thunder wasted little time celebrating its postseason accomplishments, displaying its Western Conference finals banner in the rafters of the Paycom Center before Game 1.

The Thunder won the series 4-1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, after concluding the series with a 124-94 victory in Game 5 on May 28.

Oklahoma City also has a banner hanging for winning the conference championship during the 2011-12 season. The Thunder fell short in the NBA Finals that season to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.

There’s still a banner to play for this season with the Thunder hosting the first two games of the NBA Finals series against the Indiana Pacers.

Halftime: Thunder 57, Pacers 45

There was a stretch in the second quarter when the Indiana Pacers looked like they might go on a run.

The Thunder, however, continued to swarm, continued to force turnovers and a trio of Lu Dort 3s sparked a 9-0 run that helped Oklahoma City open up a 57-45 lead headed into the half.

The Pacers, for the second consecutive quarter, committed at least nine turnovers, to bring their total in the game to 20. The Thunder, not surprisingly, took 18 more shots in the first half than Indiana.

It’s almost remarkable that the Pacers are down just 12, especially when factoring in Indiana’s pedestrian scoring production from its starting five. Backup point guard T.J. McConnell leads all Pacers with nine points in just 11:15 of game time, while All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, the player whom McConnell spells, has just six on 2-of-5 shooting.

For the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is clearly intent on getting to his spots, putting up 18 shots in the first half. He made eight of those and leads all players with 19.

Oklahoma City shot 20-of-54 (37.0%) from the floor, while the Pacers are 15-of-36 (41.7%).

One area where Indiana does deserve some credit, though, is transition defense; depite losing the turnover battle 20-4, the Pacers have yielded just nine points off those giveaways, compared to Indiana’s four points off of Oklahoma City’s four turnovers.

Fathers of Haliburton, Gilgeous-Alexander link up 

The 2025 NBA Finals has offered up an unexpected duo. 

John Haliburton and Vaughn Alexander, the fathers of Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, respectively, posed for a photo together before their sons faced off in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Haliburton donned a yellow shirt featuring the Pacers logo with matching socks, while Alexander opted for blue tie-dye pants and a blue hoodie. 

Both sons were introduced to basketball by their fathers. John Haliburton served as a basketball referee, while Vaughn Alexander played basketball in high school and went on to serve as his son’s youth coach. 

End Q1: Thunder 29, Pacers 20

Though it was not an explosive quarter, the Oklahoma City Thunder have punched first in the NBA Finals.

The Thunder opened a 29-20 lead through one quarter on their swarming, turnover-inducing defense and steady shot making.

Point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player, was ultra-aggressive, attempting 11 shots in the first period, draining five. He finished the quarter with 12 points and a pair of rebounds.

Center Isaiah Hartenstein, who came off the bench after starting every Oklahoma City game this postseason, added seven points in just 4:40.

A few things to watch for the Pacers: All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton missed his first two shots and finished just 1-of-3 in the period, with three points. Thus far in the postseason, the Pacers have struggled when Haliburton fails to assert himself; in losses, he is averaging just 11.5 points per game. In victories, that figure jumps to 21.3.

The other issue facing Indiana is turnovers. The Pacers entered Thursday averaging just 12 turnovers per game in the playoffs. In the first quarter, the Pacers committed nine.

As a result, Oklahoma City took 10 more shot attempts (27) than Indiana did in the period. The Pacers, however, are actually shooting better — 47.1% — than the Thunder are (40.7%).

Pacers forward Pascal Siakam and backup point guard T.J. McConnell lead Indiana with four points apiece.

Local pastor opens NBA Finals with national anthem

Rob Clay sang the national anthem ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Thunder and the Pacers. Clay, a local pastor and singer, is a fan of the Thunder and has sung at OKC home games in the past. 

“Honored. Humbled. Ready,” Clay said in a post on Facebook. “Today, I have the incredible privilege of singing the National Anthem for Game 1 of the NBA Finals – a dream years in the making.”

Clay has been viewed as a good luck charm, performing the national anthem for Game 1 of the first-round series (against the Memphis Grizzlies) and the Western Conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets. He did not perform ahead of Game 1 in the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. — James Williams

OKC hangs Western Conference Finals banner

The Oklahoma City Thunder wasted little time celebrating its postseason accomplishments, displaying its Western Conference Finals banner in the rafters of the Paycom Center.

The Thunder won the series 4-1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, after concluding the series with a 124-94 victory in Game 5 on May 28.

Oklahoma City also has a banner hanging for winning the conference championship during the 2011-12 season. The Thunder fell short in the NBA Finals that season to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.

There’s still a banner to play this season with the Thunder hosting the first two games of the NBA Finals series against the Indiana Pacers. — James Williams

What time is Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder?

The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers for Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.

How to watch Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 1

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City)
TV: ABC
Stream: Fubo, Sling TV

Watch the NBA Finals with Fubo

Where is Game 1 between Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder?

The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. 

NBA expansion progress remains slow going

OKLAHOMA CITY — With the Finals starting in Oklahoma City (where the Seattle SuperSonics relocated in 2008), NBA expansion is a noteworthy topic, especially with Seattle, Las Vegas and other markets trying to land a team if and when expansion becomes a reality.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the topic before Game 1.

“The current sense is we should be exploring it,” Silver said. “I don’t think it’s automatic because it depends on your perspective on the future of the league. As I’ve said before, expansion in a way is selling equity in the league. If you believe in the league, you don’t necessarily want to add partners. On the other hand, we recognize there are underserved markets in the United States and elsewhere, I think markets that deserve to have NBA teams. Probably even if we were to expand, more than we can serve.

“We have an owners’ meeting in July in Las Vegas. It will be on the agenda to take the temperature of the room. We have committees that are already talking about it. But my sense is at that meeting, they’re going to give direction to me and my colleagues at the league office that we should continue to explore it.”

Shaq is in the house – and his empire just keeps growing

TV commercials. Licensing deals. Other partnerships. O’Neal, 14 years removed from his Hall of Fame career that included four NBA championship rings and three Finals MVPs, seems to be cashing in everywhere.

On Wednesday, June 4, Netflix premiered a six-episode docuseries called ‘Power Moves with Shaquille O’Neal’ about the 53-year-old taking over as president of Reebok in 2023. (Shaquille O’Neal’s Jersey Legends Productions partnered with Sony Pictures Television on the show.) He is providing commentary during NBA TV’s coverage of Game 1 and Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. He is at Paycom Center.

Perry Rogers and Colin Smeeton, who have both worked closely with O’Neal for about 20 years, help paint a vivid picture of how O’Neal turned his millions in NBA wages into more millions — and became a household name. Read Josh Peter’s story on how O’Neal ‘flipped the script’ here.

Referees for NBA Finals Game 1

John Goble (Ninth Finals)
Marc Davis (14th Finals)
David Guthrie (Eighth Finals)

Thunder starting five for NBA Finals Game 1

The Thunder have made a change to their starting lineup, inserting Cason Wallace and moving Isaiah Hartenstein to the bench. This move gives the Thunder more options when it comes to defending Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton. Expect Wallace to spend time on Haliburton.

Jalen Williams, F
Lu Dort, F
Chet Holmgren, F
Cason Wallace, G
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G

Pacers starting five for NBA Finals Game 1

Pascal Siakam, F
Aaron Nesmith, F
Myles Turner, C
Andrew Nembhard, G
Tyrese Haliburton, G

Jarace Walker injury update for NBA Finals Game 1

The Pacers will be without Jarace Walker to start the NBA Finals. He was ruled out of Game 1 with a right ankle sprain and the injury will likely keep him sidedlined for Game 2. Walker injured his ankle late in the Pacers’ 125-108 series-clinching win over the New York Knicks in Game 6 on May 31. Walker landed awkwardly on his right ankle after attempting to block a shot from the Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns in the fourth quarter. 

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle shows support for ESPN’s Doris Burke

Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, an hour-and-a-half before his team was set to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, opened his pre-game news conference to offer support for ESPN analyst Doris Burke.

A New York Times report from Wednesday, June 4 indicated that ESPN was evaluating the future of the network’s No. 1 NBA team — namely Burke and fellow analyst Richard Jefferson — after the finals.

“She has changed the game for women in broadcasting,” Carlisle said Thursday, June 5, of Burke. “I have a daughter who just turned 21, who is in her second year at (the University of Virginia). She’s not in the basketball industry, but Doris is a great example of courage and putting herself out there.

“It was just so sad to see these reports leaked, really unnecessarily before such a celebrated event. Doris is a friend. I’ve asked her many times why she doesn’t get into coaching; she has such great knowledge.”

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault jokes he doesn’t have many friends

OKLAHOMA CITY — Asked if he reached out to anyone in the coaching fraternity to discuss coaching in the NBA Finals and handling the spectacle of the series, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said, “I don’t have a lot of friends. I’m embarrassed. Never been more embarrassed in my life.”

He added: “I haven’t, like, scanned the coaching circles. I don’t have Phil Jackson’s number.”

Daigneault did chat with Billy Donovan. Daigneault was an assistant for Donovan at Florida and with the Thunder.

“I talked to Billy Donovan right after we clinched (the Western Conference),” Daigneault said. “He’s somebody obviously I’ve worked with, that’s played on high-level stages (and) got some insight from him.”

Opinion: Stop worrying about TV ratings. This NBA Finals should be appreciated

OKLAHOMA CITY — The email hit my inbox with the subject line “Will viewers watch Pacers-Thunder?”

The headline in the newsletter from Front Office Sports: “History shows Pacers vs. Thunder may draw record-low ratings.” It’s not the first time and won’t be the last time that TV ratings accompany a discussion of this season’s NBA Finals between Indiana and Oklahoma City.

The small-market matchup has generated this idea that there isn’t or won’t be interest. The NBA biosphere seems to thrive on debate and criticism with an emphasis on how some aspect of the game isn’t good enough and can be better.

The reflexive contempt for teams not from the coasts or bigger markets is odd. It’s not my job to sell this series. That’s on the NBA and its TV partner, Disney’s ABC, which is televising the Finals.

The Pacers and Thunder are on the cutting edge of today’s NBA. They emerged as the two best teams in the league ‒ rosters assembled with a savvy eye on making the parts fit. The matchup should be celebrated and appreciated. Read Jeff Zillgitt’s full column here.

NBA 3-pointer reigns supreme for championship teams

The NBA’s 3-point shot has enemies.

Too many 3s, they say. The shot is ruining the game, they say.

And those critics of the 3-point shot found ammunition in the Eastern Conference semifinals of this season’s playoffs when the Boston Celtics attempted 60 3-pointers and missed 45 against the New York Knicks. The guffawing ignored the fact that Boston’s 3-point shooting was instrumental in its 2023-24 championship season and in its 61-21 record this season.

Regardless of your aesthetic view of how basketball should be played and what it should look like, the 3-point shot has turned divisive but remains vital to winning championships.

USA TODAY’s Jeff Zillgitt takes a deeper look at this controversial shot.

Thunder vs. Pacers: Who has the edge?

The Thunder were the best team in the regular season and have been the best team in the playoffs. The Pacers have been impressive the past two seasons, but this has seemed like Oklahoma City’s year since the first game in October.

Find out who has the edge in various categories with Jeff Zillgitt’s NBA Finals breakdown.

Thunder and Pacers NBA Finals X factors

In the NBA playoffs, the outcome often rests on the underrated.

Certainly, the performances of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton will be scrutinized and big games can propel their respective teams to victories. But it’s often the role players, sometimes off the bench, erupting on a scoring streak or clamping down on defense, who can make the difference between winning and losing.

USA TODAY’s Lorenzo Reyes gives three X factors for the Thunder and Pacers in this NBA Finals preview.

NBA Finals matchup: SGA vs Haliburton

The 2025 NBA Finals is, in many ways, a celebration of the point guard.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s Most Valuable Player and the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar, and Tyrese Haliburton, the pass-first point guard with a penchant in the clutch, are each franchise’s hope to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Though they likely won’t match up directly all the time, the responsibility of guarding the other likely falling to more specialized defenders, Gilgeous-Alexander and Haliburton are reshaping the image of the point guard in the modern NBA.

USA TODAY’s Jeff Zillgitt and Lorenzo Reyes look at the Pacers and Thunder’s biggest stars.

Opinion: NBA’s new era of parity – and small-market success – what owners wanted

If the impending NBA Finals matchup of the league’s 23rd and 27th-ranked media markets is supposed to spell doom for the league, it is a doom the NBA’s owners intentionally brought on themselves. 

While two glitz-free Midwestern cities in the Finals might not have the celebrity pull the NBA has largely enjoyed through its historically successful franchises, it was an inevitable outcome once the league designed a collective bargaining agreement that dismantled its traditional cycle of superteams and dynasties. 

Welcome to the new NBA, where championship windows are smaller, the life cycle of a roster is shorter and the number of teams that can win a title in any given year is beyond anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes. — Dan Wolken

Read Wolken’s full column here.

2025 All-NBA team 

Oklahoma City Thunder guard and league Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic were unanimous selections from a panel of 100 global reporters and broadcasters who cover the NBA voted on the squad. View the complete list. 

NBA champions by year

Winners over the past 20 years. For a full list of champions, visit NBA.com.

2023-24 — Boston Celtics 
2022-23 — Denver Nuggets
2021-22 — Golden State Warriors
2020-21 — Milwaukee Bucks 
2019-20 — Los Angeles Lakers 
2018-19 — Toronto Raptors 
2017-18 — Golden State Warriors 
2016-17 — Golden State Warriors 
2015-16 — Cleveland Cavaliers 
2014-15 — Golden State Warriors 
2013-14 — San Antonio Spurs 
2012-13 — Miami Heat 
2011-12 — Miami Heat 
2010-11 — Dallas Mavericks 
2009-10 — Los Angeles Lakers 
2008-09 — Los Angeles Lakers 
2007-08 — Boston Celtics
2006-07 — San Antonio Spurs 
2005-06 — Miami Heat 
2004-05 — San Antonio Spurs 

Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 1 odds

The Oklahoma City Thunder are favorites to take a 1-0 lead over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, according to BetMGM (odds as of Wednesday, June 4):

Spread: Thunder (-9.5)
Moneyline: Thunder (-450); Pacers (+340)
Over/under: 231.5

Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals series odds

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter Game 1 as the favorite to win the 2025 NBA Finals over the Indiana Pacers, according to BetMGM (odds as of Wednesday, June 4)

Series winner: Thunder (-700); Pacers (+500)

Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals picks: USA Today staff predictions

USA TODAY: Every expert picks the Thunder

All of the NBA experts at USA Today Sports picked the Oklahoma City Thunder to beat the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals

Scooby Axson: Thunder in five
Cydney Henderson: Thunder in six
Jordan Mendoza: Thunder in six
Lorenzo Reyes: Thunder in six
Heather Tucker: Thunder in five
James Williams: Thunder in six
Jeff Zillgitt: Thunder in five

OKC Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers predictions: Expert picks for NBA Finals

ESPN: 14 out of 15 experts pick Thunder

14 out of 15 of ESPN’s NBA experts pick the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the 2025 NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers.

NBA.com: Every expert picks the Thunder

John Schuhman writes, ‘The Thunder are, simply, the best team in basketball. Their No. 1 defense has been ridiculously good in the playoffs, holding the Grizzlies, Nuggets and Wolves to 19.6, 15.0 and 4.2 fewer points per 100 possessions, respectively, than they scored in the regular season. (Take away the Game 3 blowout and the Wolves’ discrepancy would also be in the double-digits.) The Indiana offense vs. Oklahoma City defense could be the best one-end-of-the-floor matchup that we’ve seen in the Finals in a long time, but the Thunder should have the edge on that end of the floor and the other.’

NBC Sports: Experts pick Thunder

Kurt Helin writes: ‘Here’s Indiana’s problem: Tyrese Haliburton is outstanding, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just better; Indiana’s defense is improved and can force turnovers, but OKC’s is elite and just better; Myles Turner is good, but Chet Holmgren is just better (especially paired with Isiah Hartenstein); the Pacers bench was good enough for the East, but the Thunder bench is just better. And so it goes down the line. Indiana is a quality team that’s about to get overwhelmed.’

What channel is the NBA game tonight? How to watch Thunder vs. Pacers

The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Indiana Pacers at 8:30 p.m. ET with coverage on ABC.

Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals schedule

Game 1, June 5: Pacers 111, Thunder 110
Game 2, June 8: Pacers at Thunder | ABC, Fubo | 8 p.m.
Game 3, June 11: Thunder at Pacers | ABC, Fubo | 8:30 p.m.
Game 4, June 13: Thunder at Pacers | ABC, Fubo | 8:30 p.m.
Game 5, June 16: Pacers at Thunder | ABC, Fubo | 8:30 p.m.*
Game 6, June 19: Thunder at Pacers | ABC, Fubo | 8:30 p.m.*
Game 7, June 22: Pacers at Thunder | ABC, Fubo | 8 p.m.*

All times Eastern; *-if necessary

NBA playoff bracket 

Eastern Conference finals 

No. 4 Indiana Pacers def. No. 3 New York Knicks, 4-2

Western Conference finals 

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder def. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves, 4-1

NBA Finals

No. 4 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder

Indiana Pacers superstar Tyrese Haliburton did it again.

The Pacers trailed the Oklahoma City Thunder by as much as 15 points in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but Indiana completed an epic comeback to steal the game on the road in Oklahoma City, thanks to a go-ahead shot from Haliburton.

‘We are a resilient group. We don’t give up until the clock hits zero,’ Haliburton said after the game. ‘We do a great job of just staying in the moment… We just walk teams down.’

The Pacers were within one point of the Thunder with 11 seconds remaining in the game, 110-109. The Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith rebounded a missed shot from Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and pushed the ball up the court to Haliburton, who nailed a 21-foot jumper to take a 111-110 lead with .3 seconds remaining. It marked the Pacers’ first lead of the game and Indiana held onto to take Game 1.

The Pacers have overcome five 15-point deficits this postseason alone:

June 5: at Thunder (15-point deficit)
May 21: at Knicks (17-point deficit)
May 13: at Cavaliers (19-point deficit)
May 6: at Cavaliers (20-point deficit)
April 29: vs. Bucks (20-point deficit)

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Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark had the same reaction as most basketball fans on Thursday, June 5, as the Pacers shocked the Oklahoma City Thunder with a late rally to win Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton scored the game-winner with a 21-foot pull-up jump shot before the buzzer.

“You cant make it up,” Clark said in a post on X that was followed up by 17 laughing emojis.

The Fever guard has been at several home games for the Pacers this postseason to witness what she has described as the ‘greatest comeback team’ she has seen. 

The Pacers have staged several big comebacks these playoffs, a few of them capped by Haliburton game-winners.

Clark could potentially be in attendance for Game 3 on Wednesday, following the Fever’s road game against the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday. She is out with an injury, but gave her first public comments Thursday since getting hurt, saying there’s a ‘possibility’ she will play.

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Former LSU gymnast Olivia ‘Livvy’ Dunne stunned spectators at the recent Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show, taking a very unique turn when she stepped on the runway: she broke into the splits.

This wasn’t Dunne’s first run with Sports Illustrated. She was one of four cover girls for the magazine’s recent swimsuit issue. She’s been working with Sports Illustrated since 2023. She even did her photoshoot with the company this year while nursing a patella fracture that kept her from participating on the floor during LSU’s senior night festivities.

Dunne said on social media that she had been dared to do the splits on the stage. However, that might not be the full truth.

Livvy Dunne splits at SI show: Was it a dare?

Following her viral moment, Dunne posted that she was dared to do the splits.

During an interview with USA TODAY’s Meghan Hall, though, Dunne admitted she had not been dared.

‘It was just a joke,’ Dunne said.

She added that it was a ‘spur-of-the-moment decision.’ She consulted with her sister on the matter beforehand, but it was not something she did during the walkthrough, and it was not something that the rest of the models or event organizers expected.

How did Livvy Dunne like doing the show?

Dunne said it was ‘the most fun runway show ever.’

Of course, Dunne is maybe a bit biased — this was the only one she’d ever been to.

‘I had a blast,’ Dunne said. ‘They had me open the show, which I have never even walked on a runway. So, it was pretty surreal to open the Sports Illustrated runway show.’

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It’s time for American sports fans – even American tennis fans – to stop taking Coco Gauff for granted. 

On some level, that’s a crazy sentence to write. For two straight years, she has been the highest-paid women’s athlete in the world, earning $21 million in endorsements alone in 2024, according to Sportico, even though she’s never been ranked No. 1 in the world. Nor has she ever been viewed like Caitlin Clark as a singular breakthrough figure taking her sport to new heights.

You could even argue Gauff has been a bit overvalued relative to her lone Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open. If the theory behind Gauff’s marketability and potential to transcend her sport in American culture was that she could succeed the throne of Serena Williams, it’s a bet that has not – and may never – come close to paying off. 

And yet, shouldn’t it be a bigger deal that she’s going to play in yet another Grand Slam final on Saturday, trying to win the French Open at just 21 years old? 

The problem with being The Chosen One in sports is that there’s rarely much of a payoff that exceeds the intoxication of possibility. LeBron James and Tiger Woods may be the only two American athletes in history who have ever truly conquered the bar that was set for them as teenage prodigies.

When Gauff burst into the public eye in 2019, beating Venus Williams at Wimbledon as a 15-year-old, she was forced to carry that burden – even if she wasn’t really old enough at the time to fully understand what it would mean, and the rest of us didn’t fully appreciate how hard it would be to fulfill even a fraction of it. 

The truth is, someone like Serena Williams is a once-in-a-lifetime figure. Gauff is just a great but flawed athlete who happens to be a really cool person. 

Collectively, we all need to do a better job making sure that’s enough.

And that goes for Gauff’s hardcore fans, too.

If you ever dare to peruse the tennis-loving corner of social media during any of Gauff’s matches, the general vibe among her supporters is often one of disgust that she isn’t routinely dominating players who aren’t perceived to be as talented as her. She’s not this, she’s not that, she’s gotta fix that forehand, what’s wrong with her serve, it’s time for a new coach, how does her mother deal with the stress, etc., etc., etc. 

Maybe that’s just social media doing its thing, but I know it’s real because I’ve felt that way too. I’ve written columns about it. Outside of that incredible run in the summer of 2023 when she truly reached the peak of her powers, watching her navigate match after match has often felt more difficult than you think it should be. 

And yet, when you look up, here’s the résumé pending Saturday’s final at Roland Garros against No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka: 

1 Grand Slam title

3 Grand Slam finals and two more semifinals 

1 WTA year-end championship

2 WTA 1000-level titles and 9 WTA titles overall  

A solid grip on the No. 2 ranking

Finals this year in Paris, Rome and Madrid, the three biggest tournaments of the year on clay. 

If any other American athlete had accomplished this much at 21, every tournament they played would be an event. But Gauff does not get that privilege now and may never have it, even as well-liked and respected as she is, mostly because she is not going to be the best women’s tennis player of all time. 

And that’s too bad because it’s not only remarkable what she’s done at such a young age, the way she’s doing it is perhaps even more inspiring than most people understand. 

The mistake we made with Gauff at the very beginning was the assumption that she possessed this generational ability to win Grand Slams because she was beating grown women when she was 15. 

Now that Gauff has been around for so long, we need to accept a totally different construct for her career. Of course she’s a very talented tennis player, but not in the same way as other prodigies like the Williams sisters, Jennifer Capriati and Martina Hingis, who did the technical things at a level far beyond their years.

Gauff is more of a great athlete than a dominant hitter of tennis balls, and the skill that truly stands out is her ability to beat the person on the other side of the net no matter how many double faults she hits (still way too many) or how easily she loses confidence in her forehand (almost a daily occurrence). In so many matches, even this year during the French Open, you will watch her struggle and struggle trying to figure it all out, play what seems to be sub-standard tennis and look like she’s about to be dismissed from the tournament. But by the end, she somehow finds a way, most of the time, to play a little bit better than her opponent. 

That’s just who she is as a tennis player. It’s also an incredible element of athletic talent that not too many of her peers possess. The fact Gauff doesn’t make it look easy should not be a demerit. Instead, it should be the reason she sells out stadiums, causes TV ratings to spike when she plays and earns $20-plus million in endorsements.

Is that a harder bandwagon to sell a ticket for? Of course. American fans tend to reward dominance. It’s just how we’re wired. 

It would be a mistake, however, to undervalue what Gauff has already done and how she’s done it. She may not be a once-in-a-lifetime tennis player, but she is rare. And even if Gauff is not yet collecting big titles at the rate people might have once envisioned, the way she keeps putting herself in the mix despite very much being a work-in-progress is something we need to celebrate more than we have.