June 2025

There were 1,837 posts published in June 2025 (this is page 65 of 184).

Three Places I Hid My Merach Mini Stepper in My Small Apartment (and Three That Failed)

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When I first received the Merach Mini Stepper, I had visions of yet another bulky piece of exercise equipment taking over my already cramped Brooklyn apartment. You know the drill—another “compact” fitness gadget that somehow still manages to become the uninvited focal point of your living room, judging you silently from the corner.

As I wrote in my initial review of the Mini Stepper, I think this device is best viewed as an “anti-sedentary tool,” rather than legitimate exercise equipment—perfect for those modest fitness goals or anyone trying to sneak in gentle movement throughout the day. But here’s the real question: Does it actually disappear into your living space without becoming an eyesore? At 14.57″L x 13.39″W x 7.28″H and weighing 14.3 pounds, it’s certainly portable enough to move around.

After living with this little guy for several weeks, I put it to the ultimate small-apartment test: finding hiding spots that actually work. If you’re going to grab one of these devices but aren’t sure whether it’ll integrate into your space, maybe this will help.

Successful hiding spots for the Merach Mini Stepper

After some trial and error (more on the errors below), I found five sweet spots where my little stepper device fits well.

Between my living room furniture

My mini stepper, my roommate’s ornate chair.
Credit: Meredith Dietz

The living room turned out to be my go-to home for this guy. The Mini Stepper slides perfectly into that awkward gap between furniture that usually just collects dust bunnies. It’s easily accessible when I want to get some steps in while educating myself on some classic movies. When I’m done, it’s out of the way. The narrow profile means it doesn’t interfere with foot traffic, and I can pull it out one-handed when the mood strikes.

Under the bed (Storage bed edition)

Behold all my crap.
Credit: Meredith Dietz

My bed lifts up for storage, so this might not work for everyone. But if you have a platform bed or decent clearance, the Mini Stepper slides underneath surprisingly well. The 7.28-inch height means it fits under most standard bed frames with room to spare. It’s completely out of sight and easily retrievable when needed.

Under my desk

Full disclosure, I did move my trash can out of the way for this photo.
Credit: Meredith Dietz

This is where the Mini Stepper really shines as an office-adjacent tool. It fits perfectly under my desk, and if I had a standing desk, I could actually use it while working—though I wouldn’t recommend trying to type anything important while stepping. The compact footprint means it doesn’t interfere with my desk chair’s movement, and it’s right there when I need a break from sitting.

Where the Mini Stepper couldn’t hide

A few of the hiding spots in my apartment were promising, but not quite up to the task of storing my Mini Stepper.

Next to my roommate’s PS4

You can see the Mini Stepper juts out way too far here.
Credit: Meredith Dietz

I had high hopes for this one, but the Mini Stepper is just slightly too wide and tall for most entertainment center cubbies. It looked awkward and blocked access to gaming systems and cable boxes. Unless you have an unusually spacious media console, skip this spot entirely.

Next to my roommate’s shoes

This just doesn’t look right.
Credit: Meredith Dietz

The idea seemed logical—it’s foot-related equipment, after all. But the Mini Stepper’s bulk was too much for my modest my shoe rack. It also looked a little ridiculous, like I was trying to exercise my footwear.

The mysterious gap next to my refrigerator

My white whale…
Credit: Meredith Dietz

Known as “the crevasse,” this gap between the refrigerator and kitchen wall is my white whale. This maddening sliver of space seems designed for storing something useful. That something is not the Merach Mini Stepper. It’s about two inches too wide to fit—so close, yet so far.

The verdict on hiding your Mini Stepper

The Merach Mini Stepper does live up to its space-saving promises. It’s genuinely easy to move around and tuck away.

Merach Mini Stepper


$49.99
at Amazon
$59.99
Save $10.00

So, yes, for the $50 price point, it delivers on portability and storage convenience. Just remember what you’re getting: a tool for gentle, anti-sedentary movement rather than serious exercise equipment. If your fitness goals are modest and you primarily want something to counteract extended sitting, the Mini Stepper’s hide-and-seek capabilities might justify the investment.

For anyone with more substantial fitness ambitions, that $50 might be better saved toward adjustable dumbbells, quality resistance bands, or a month’s gym membership. But if you’re committed to the mini stepper life, at least you know it won’t completely take over your small apartment.

Sammy Sosa gets standing ovation, cheers from Cubs fans in return to Wrigley Field for first time in 21 years

It took 21 years, but Chicago Cubs legend Sammy Sosa finally returned to Wrigley Field. The former MVP and seven-time All-Star received a standing ovation and loud cheers from fans as the team celebrated his career on Friday.

Ahead of the third inning, the Cubs played a video on the scoreboard in tribute to Sosa. Once fans realized what was going on, they stood up and clapped for the franchise icon. After the video finished, Sosa was welcomed back by the team. 

Fans continued to stand and cheer for Sosa as he mimicked his old home run celebration.

The team also tweeted pictures of Sosa multiple times during the contest.

The team teased Sosa’s appearance ahead of Friday’s game, showing footage of the former MVP arriving at the park and hugging team chairman Tom Ricketts.

Sosa also met with Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong prior to the game and shared some celebratory words with manager Craig Counsell. During a radio appearance Friday, Crow-Armstrong said he thought it was “important” to have Sosa back at Wrigley Field. 

Sosa, now 56, starred with the team for 13 seasons in the ’90s and early 2000s. After being traded to the Cubs in a cross-town deal with the Chicago White Sox, Sosa emerged as a superstar and one of the game’s premier sluggers.

From 1993 through 2004, Sosa hit .285/.360/.576 in 7,607 plate appearances. He averaged 45 home runs, 116 RBI and 100 runs scored during that period. Sosa made seven All-Star teams, won six Silver Slugger awards and was named the 1998 National League MVP during his time with the Cubs. 

Sosa gained recognition across the entire league in 1998, when he and St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire competed to break the single-season home run record. Their rivalry became a massive story and is credited with reigniting fan interest in baseball following the 1994-95 MLB strike. Both McGwire and Sosa broke the single-season home run record that year, with McGwire smashing 70 home runs and Sosa finishing with 66. McGwire’s record was then broken by San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds, who hit 73 home runs in 2001.

But Sosa’s departure from the franchise wasn’t smooth. Before the final game of the 2004 season, he reportedly told a team trainer that he was injured and wasn’t going to play in the contest. He allegedly arrived at the ballpark just 70 minutes before game time and left right after first pitch, never putting on his uniform. Sosa was fined by the Cubs for his actions.

At least one of Sosa’s teammates was furious about how things went down. A Cubs player is alleged to have smashed Sosa’s boombox with a baseball bat after the game. The identity of that player remains a mystery to this day. 

The contest marked Sosa’s last “appearance” with the Cubs. Sosa was traded to the Baltimore Orioles the following January, ending his tenure in Chicago. His numbers declined with the Orioles before he experienced a brief one-year resurgence with the Texas Rangers in 2007 before his retirement.

Sosa’s exit from Chicago — combined with his alleged involvement in baseball’s steroid era — resulted in a two-decades-long feud with the organization. Sosa was alleged to have used steroids during his playing career. He appeared at a 2005 congressional hearing in which a lawyer read a statement from Sosa denying past steroid use.

When the Cubs reached the World Series in 2016, Sosa was not invited back to take part in any festivities. His No. 21 was never retired by the team. He has never thrown out a first pitch or sung “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at Wrigley Field.

In order for Sosa to return, the slugger reportedly had to make amends, a team spokesperson said in 2014. He didn’t do that until 2024, when Sosa released an apology letter to the team and its fans. In response, Ricketts invited Sosa to the team’s fan fest in 2025. At the event, the team announced Sosa would be inducted into its Hall of Fame. 

While Sosa represented the team at its fan convention this year and served as a guest instructor with the Cubs in spring training, Friday marked the first time he had returned to Wrigley Field on positive terms since his unfortunate exit in 2004.

What’s the 2025 NBA Draft order? Here’s an updated list of all 59 picks

What’s the 2025 NBA Draft order? Here’s an updated list of all 59 picks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There have been some changes to the 2025 NBA Draft order as the two-day event nears.

The most recent deal involving picks in this year’s draft was between the Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans. The Pacers reacquired their 2026 first-rounder from the Pelicans in exchange for the No. 23 selection and the rights to guard Mojave King, who was a 2023 second-round pick.

That Pacers-Pelicans deal followed a blockbuster trade between the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic. Orlando paid a steep price to acquire standout guard Desmond Bane from Memphis, sending out four first-round picks — including No. 16 this year — and one pick swap along with guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony.

Who has the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft?

The Dallas Mavericks are picking first overall thanks to one of the most unlikely draft lottery wins in NBA history. Months after controversially trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas moved up 10 spots in the order to No. 1 despite boasting 1.8% lottery odds.

The Mavs are widely expected to kick off the draft by taking Duke forward Cooper Flagg, the consensus top prospect in this year’s class.

What’s the 2025 NBA Draft order?

The rest of the top five, in order, includes the San Antonio Spurs, Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz.

Here’s an updated look at the full draft order:

  1. Dallas Mavericks
  2. San Antonio Spurs
  3. Philadelphia 76ers
  4. Charlotte Hornets
  5. Utah Jazz
  6. Washington Wizards
  7. New Orleans Pelicans
  8. Brooklyn Nets
  9. Toronto Raptors
  10. Houston Rockets (from Phoenix through Brooklyn)
  11. Portland Trail Blazers
  12. Chicago Bulls
  13. Atlanta Hawks (from Sacramento)
  14. San Antonio Spurs (from Atlanta)
  15. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Miami through LA Clippers)
  16. Memphis Grizzlies (from Orlando)
  17. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Detroit through New York, OKC and Houston)
  18. Washington Wizards (from Memphis)
  19. Brooklyn Nets (from Milwaukee through New York, Detroit, Portland and New Orleans)
  20. Miami Heat (from Golden State)
  21. Utah Jazz (from Minnesota)
  22. Atlanta Hawks (from LA Lakers through New Orleans)
  23. New Orleans Pelicans (from Indiana)
  24. Oklahoma City Thunder (from LA Clippers)
  25. Orland Magic (from Denver)
  26. Brooklyn Nets (from New York)
  27. Brooklyn Nets (from Houston)
  28. Boston Celtics
  29. Phoenix Suns (from Cleveland through Utah)
  30. Los Angeles Clippers (from OKC)
  31. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Utah)
  32. Boston Celtics (from Washington through Detroit and Brooklyn)
  33. Charlotte Hornets
  34. Charlotte Hornets (from New Orleans through San Antonio, Phoenix and Memphis)
  35. Philadelphia 76ers
  36. Brooklyn Nets
  37. Detroit Pistons (from Toronto through Dallas and San Antonio)
  38. San Antonio Spurs
  39. Toronto Raptors (from Portland through Sacramento)
  40. Washington Wizards (from Phoenix)
  41. Golden State Warriors (from Miami through Brooklyn and Indiana)
  42. Sacramento Kings (from Chicago through San Antonio)
  43. Utah Jazz (from Dallas)
  44. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Atlanta)
  45. Chicago Bulls (from Sacramento)
  46. Orlando Magic
  47. Milwaukee Bucks (from Detroit through Washington)
  48. Memphis Grizzlies (from Golden State through Washington and Brooklyn)
  49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Milwaukee)
  50. New York Knicks (from Memphis through OKC and Boston)
  51. Los Angeles Clippers (from Minnesota through Atlanta and Houston)
  52. Phoenix Suns (from Denver through Charlotte and Minnesota)
  53. Utah Jazz (from LA Clippers through LA Lakers)
  54. Indiana Pacers
  55. Los Angeles Lakers
  56. Memphis Grizzlies (from Houston)
  57. Orlando Magic (from Boston)
  58. Cleveland Cavaliers
  59. Houston Rockets (from OKC through Atlanta)

What are the 2025 NBA Draft dates?

The NBA draft will take place over two days for the second straight year. The first round, which includes the first 30 picks, is on Wednesday, June 25, followed by Round 2 on Thursday, June 26.

What is the 2025 NBA Draft location?

The Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets in New York, is hosting the entire draft.

Why are there only 59 picks in the 2025 NBA Draft?

There are typically 30 picks per round in the NBA draft, but the New York Knicks were docked their 2025 second-rounder after the league found they had violated tampering rules before signing Jalen Brunson in 2022 free agency.

Is $10 billion sale price good or bad for Lakers? Yes. Mostly it highlights changing NBA.

The NBA without the Buss family owning the Lakers sounds… weird.

Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers when Ronald Reagan was entering the White House and he proceeded to transform both the team and the league. There is the on-court success, where the Lakers have won 11 championships since Buss bought the franchise, while boasting a parade of “face of the game” level players: Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and now LeBron James, with Luka Doncic.

Beyond that, Dr. Buss changed how the sport was packaged as a product — this was entertainment. This was an event. It was the Laker girls and music pumped in the arena (not just an organist), it was Dancing Barry and celebrities sitting courtside. The modern fan sporting experience started with Buss’ vision.

Now, Lakers ownership is changing. Once approved this summer by the Board of Governors, it will be Mark Walter, the CEO of global investment firm Guggenheim Partners, who will have bought the franchise at a $10 billion valuation. Jeanie Buss reported will stay on as the team’s governor (she and the Buss family will retain 18% ownership, according to reports).

Sale about change

Is the sale of the Lakers good or bad for the franchise? Is it good or bad for the NBA?

Yes. The answers are nuanced. It’s also not the right question,

Is this the end of family ownership in the NBA?

Yes

This is the real takeaway from the sale. The days of an NBA team as a family-run operation — especially where the team is the primary source of income, as it was for the Buss children — are gone. Big-time professional sports are now an investment for the ultra-wealthy.

Fans look at the Lakers’ brand, the superstar players, how often they are on national television, the purple-and-gold jerseys in the crowd at road games, and with all that comes a perception that the Lakers were a free-spending, do-whatever-it-takes-to-win organization.

They were not even close. Behind the scenes, this was a relative mom-and-pop operation because it had to be — and if it wasn’t for a very generous local television contract it would have been much more noticeable (but betting on cable television to keep funding the team is a losing proposition long term). The Lakers did not spend top dollar on coaches (remember Ty Lue going across town?). They did not spend to beef up basketball operations and staff — Oklahoma City has a larger scouting and basketball operations team.

That’s what Walter’s ownership changes and why Lakers fans should feel positive. Under Walter’s ownership, the Dodgers have unashamedly acted like the richest kids on the block, and have been rewarded for it on the field. For a Lakers team going into summer negotiations with Doncic and LeBron, having a deep-pocketed owner willing to spend matters, even if the NBA’s tax structure limits that spending.

What Walter did with the Dodgers was spend — not just on players, he also upgraded Dodger Stadium, he beefed up the team’s front office (stealing the GM from another team), its analytics department, and he spent big on player development. He turned the Dodgers into Goliath and has a couple of World Series wins to show for it.

Walter can’t just spend to buy players under the NBA’s punitive salary cap/luxury tax system, but his Lakers will start acting like a rich team off the court. Expect the Lakers’ front office and scouting teams to grow. Expect a focus on player development. Expect facility upgrades (not at Crypo.com, which is owned by AEG, but other team facilities).

The Lakers didn’t act like the richest kids on the block — that other team in Los Angeles did — and around the Lakers there are a lot of little stories that highlight things. As noted at ESPN: “An assistant coach was not approved to stay at the same hotel as the player he was traveling to work out with in the offseason because the room was too expensive.”

All that is about to change.

Something lost

With that, a connection between the fans and the owner is lost. Jeanie Buss will remain the team governor and in some ways face of ownership, but Walter and his investment team will have the final say. A much more corporate entity runs the Lakers now, whatever face they put on it.

The same was true in Dallas, where part of the loss in Mark Cuban selling the Mavericks was not having him as the recognizable owner fans to relate to (and talk to). The same is true in Boston, where Wyc Grousbeck was always a rich, corporate owner, but one fan saw, who a year ago was carrying the Larry O’Brien Trophy around the streets of Boston during a parade, high-fiving fans.

The trend toward corporatization and private equity/investment banking touching everything is not just a sports thing, it’s a societal thing. It’s the way of the world.

It’s just going to feel a little different for the NBA. At least Jeanie Buss will still be around and have a voice in the Lakers, but it’s not going to be the same.

Not that it will matter to Lakers fans if they start winning like the Dodgers.

Former Laker Vlade Divac has emergency surgery after breaking hip in motorcycle accident

Former NBA star Vlade Divac, left, sits with Sasa Doncic, father of the Lakers’ Luka Doncic, during the team’s game against the Golden State Warriors on April 3 at Crypto.com Arena. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Basketball Hall of Famer and former Lakers fan favorite Vlade Divac broke his hip Thursday when he fell from his motorcycle while riding near the Adriatic Sea coast in Montenegro.

On Friday, a spokesperson for a hospital in Risan said the 57-year-old Serbian basketball legend now has an artificial hip after emergency surgery.

“During the day, a surgical procedure was performed,” hospital spokesperson Ljubica Mitrovic said of Divac. “He is in a stable general and physical condition and is under a careful supervision of the medical staff.”

Divac, a 7-foot-1 center, was drafted by the Lakers in 1989 after leading the Yugoslavia men’s basketball team to an Olympic silver medal the previous year. He became a full-time starter during his second season as a Laker and soon emerged as a fan favorite, with frequent appearances in commercials, sitcoms and late-night talk shows.

Read more:How the Buss family made the Lakers a Hollywood marvel

After seven seasons with the Lakers, Divac was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for the recently drafted Kobe Bryant on July 1, 1996. (The Lakers would sign another 7-1 center, Shaquille O’Neal, as a free agent later that month.)

Divac played two seasons with the Hornets and signed with the Sacramento Kings as a free agent in 1999. He spent six years there — a stint that included his only All-Star season, in 2000-01 — before returning to the Lakers for the last of his 16 NBA seasons in 2004-05.

After finishing his career with 13,398 points, 9,326 rebounds, 3,541 assists and 1,631 blocked shots, Divac had his No. 21 jersey retired by the Kings in 2009. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Divac was the Kings’ general manager from 2015 to 2020.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Game 7 NBA Finals history: LeBron James, Bill Russell and Jerry West highlight best-ever performances

With their backs against the wall — and their best player dealing with a tough injury — the Indiana Pacers rallied Thursday to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The win not only kept the Pacers’ championship hopes alive, but set up just the 20th Game 7 in NBA Finals history.

On Sunday, Pacers and Thunder players will have the chance to live out every kid’s basketball fantasy. In a do-or-die situation, with a championship on the line, who will rise to the occasion and sink the biggest shots?

A select few players have elevated their game to the highest level when their teams needed it the most. Below is a list of the best performances by a player on a winning team in NBA Finals Game 7 history.

Player

Team

Year

Points

Rebounds

Assists

Arnie Risen

Royals

1951

24

13

2

George Mikan

Lakers

1952

22

19

4

Jim Pollard

Lakers

1954

21

N/A

N/A

Dolph Schayes

Nationals

1955

13

12

3

Tom Heinsohn

Celtics

1957

37

23

2

Bill Russell

Celtics

1960

22

35

4

Bill Russell

Celtics

1962

30

40

4

Bill Russell

Celtics

1966

25

32

1

Jerry West

Lakers

1969

42

13

12

Walt Frazier

Knicks

1970

36

7

19

Dave Cowens

Celtics

1974

28

14

4

Wes Unseld

Bullets

1978

15

9

6

Larry Bird

Celtics

1984

20

12

3

James Worthy

Lakers

1988

36

16

10

Hakeem Olajuwon

Rockets

1994

25

10

7

Tim Duncan

Spurs

2005

25

11

3

Kobe Bryant

Lakers

2010

23

15

2

LeBron James

Heat

2013

37

12

4

LeBron James

Cavaliers

2016

27

11

11

Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West holds the record for most points scored during a Game 7 of the NBA Finals on a winning team, with 42. LeBron James and Tom Heinsohn sit behind him on that list, with both players dropping 37 points to lead their teams to titles.

When it comes to rebounds, no one can match the great Bill Russell. The Boston Celtics superstar snagged 40 rebounds in 1962, 35 rebounds in 1960 and 32 rebounds in 1966. He’s the only player to appear on the above list three times. Russell’s excellence is never a question — he did win 11 championships — but his presence above offers more proof that he stepped up when his team needed it the most. 

James is the only other player to appear twice on the list. James’ 37 points and 12 rebounds for the Miami Heat in 2013 led them past the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7. James then turned in an equally impressive performance in 2016, when he scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out 11 assists while leading his home-town Cleveland Cavaliers to a title. 

Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan does not appear on the above list, though that only speaks to his greatness. Jordan’s Bulls never played in a Game 7 of the NBA Finals. He made sure Chicago closed out those series before a do-or-die game was necessary. The Bulls were pushed to a Game 6 in the NBA Finals five separate times during Jordan’s era. They won every single one of those games. 

Which player from the Pacers or Thunder will join that list Sunday night? On the Thunder side, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should have the edge after leading the NBA with 32.7 points per game in the regular season. He’s maintained that performance during the Finals, where he’s averaging 30.5 points in six games.

Tyrese Haliburton’s injury makes it a more wide-open race for the Pacers. Haliburton seemed like a solid pick prior to his calf injury. During the first four games of the series, he was averaging 17.8 points per game. That number dropped to 9.0 following the injury.

That could set the stage for Pascal Siakam to shine if the Pacers pull out the victory. Siakam averaged 19.8 points over the first six games in the Finals, and turned in a double-double to extend the series Thursday night. 

While there are exceptions, the stars usually shine the brightest with the season on the line. With each team one huge performance away from a championship, which player will step up and will their team to a title Sunday?

Game 7 NBA Finals history: LeBron James, Bill Russell and Jerry West highlight best-ever performances

With their backs against the wall — and their best player dealing with a tough injury — the Indiana Pacers rallied Thursday to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The win not only kept the Pacers’ championship hopes alive, but set up just the 20th Game 7 in NBA Finals history.

On Sunday, Pacers and Thunder players will have the chance to live out every kid’s basketball fantasy. In a do-or-die situation, with a championship on the line, who will rise to the occasion and sink the biggest shots?

A select few players have elevated their game to the highest level when their teams needed it the most. Below is a list of the best performances by a player on a winning team in NBA Finals Game 7 history.

Player

Team

Year

Points

Rebounds

Assists

Arnie Risen

Royals

1951

24

13

2

George Mikan

Lakers

1952

22

19

4

Jim Pollard

Lakers

1954

21

N/A

N/A

Dolph Schayes

Nationals

1955

13

12

3

Tom Heinsohn

Celtics

1957

37

23

2

Bill Russell

Celtics

1960

22

35

4

Bill Russell

Celtics

1962

30

40

4

Bill Russell

Celtics

1966

25

32

1

Jerry West

Lakers

1969

42

13

12

Walt Frazier

Knicks

1970

36

7

19

Dave Cowens

Celtics

1974

28

14

4

Wes Unseld

Bullets

1978

15

9

6

Larry Bird

Celtics

1984

20

12

3

James Worthy

Lakers

1988

36

16

10

Hakeem Olajuwon

Rockets

1994

25

10

7

Tim Duncan

Spurs

2005

25

11

3

Kobe Bryant

Lakers

2010

23

15

2

LeBron James

Heat

2013

37

12

4

LeBron James

Cavaliers

2016

27

11

11

Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West holds the record for most points scored during a Game 7 of the NBA Finals on a winning team, with 42. LeBron James and Tom Heinsohn sit behind him on that list, with both players dropping 37 points to lead their teams to titles.

When it comes to rebounds, no one can match the great Bill Russell. The Boston Celtics superstar snagged 40 rebounds in 1962, 35 rebounds in 1960 and 32 rebounds in 1966. He’s the only player to appear on the above list three times. Russell’s excellence is never a question — he did win 11 championships — but his presence above offers more proof that he stepped up when his team needed it the most. 

James is the only other player to appear twice on the list. James’ 37 points and 12 rebounds for the Miami Heat in 2013 led them past the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7. James then turned in an equally impressive performance in 2016, when he scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out 11 assists while leading his home-town Cleveland Cavaliers to a title. 

Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan does not appear on the above list, though that only speaks to his greatness. Jordan’s Bulls never played in a Game 7 of the NBA Finals. He made sure Chicago closed out those series before a do-or-die game was necessary. The Bulls were pushed to a Game 6 in the NBA Finals five separate times during Jordan’s era. They won every single one of those games. 

Which player from the Pacers or Thunder will join that list Sunday night? On the Thunder side, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should have the edge after leading the NBA with 32.7 points per game in the regular season. He’s maintained that performance during the Finals, where he’s averaging 30.5 points in six games.

Tyrese Haliburton’s injury makes it a more wide-open race for the Pacers. Haliburton seemed like a solid pick prior to his calf injury. During the first four games of the series, he was averaging 17.8 points per game. That number dropped to 9.0 following the injury.

That could set the stage for Pascal Siakam to shine if the Pacers pull out the victory. Siakam averaged 19.8 points over the first six games in the Finals, and turned in a double-double to extend the series Thursday night. 

While there are exceptions, the stars usually shine the brightest with the season on the line. With each team one huge performance away from a championship, which player will step up and will their team to a title Sunday?