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The Oklahoma City Thunder are NBA champions.

Oklahoma City capped a thrilling NBA Finals Sunday night with a dominant second half in Game 7 to secure a 103-91 win over the Indiana Pacers and the franchise’s first NBA title since it moved from Seattle to Oklahoma City in 2008.

The win caps a brilliant season in which the Thunder posted a league-best 68 wins and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named league MVP for the first time. Gilgeous-Alexander powered the Thunder effort Sunday night to put away a Pacers team that pushed them to the brink.

The swarming defense that has become Oklahoma City’s trademark took over after halftime as the Thunder repeatedly turned Pacers turnovers into transition points.

For the game, Oklahoma City won the turnover battle 21-7 while securing 14 steals. The result was a 32-10 advantage in points off turnovers for the Thunder.

The game was marred by a significant injury to Haliburton in the first quarter. Haliburton had hit three quick 3s and appeared on pace for a big game with a team-high nine points early on. But Haliburton fell to the floor injuring his leg and could not return. 

The Florida Panthers are once again Stanley Cup champions.

Thanks to a historic four-goal night from Sam Reinhart, the Panthers rolled over the Edmonton Oilers and grabbed a dominant 5-1 win in Game 6 on Tuesday night at Amerant Bank Arena in South Florida. That officially closed out the series 4-2 and gave the Panthers back-to-back titles and their second championship in franchise history.

The Panthers also beat the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final last season in seven games. They are now the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Tampa Bay Lightning did so in 2020 and 2021. The Oilers’ loss also ensured that Canada’s 32-year dry spell — the country hasn’t had a team win a Stanley Cup since 1993 — continues.

Though he didn’t score on Tuesday night, Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe trophy. He had 15 goals throughout the postseason, including five in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Oilers haven’t won a title since the 1989-90 campaign, which marked their fifth championship in seven seasons. This was their third Stanley Cup Final appearance in the past two decades.

Ford announced a recall of nearly two million Ford Explorer SUVs. The recall impacts all Ford Explorer models from 2011 to 2019.

The company said that A-pillar trim retention clips that run up the sides of the front windshield may not be adequately secured. As a result, the trim could fly off, creating a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

Owners may notice gaps around the A-pillar trim or hear rattles and excessive wind noise if the trim is loose.

Ford said it has received 14,337 warranty claims over the issue but has not received any reports of injuries or crashes due to the problem.

Owners can bring their SUV to a dealership where technicians will inspect and replace the trim if necessary.

Barry Bonds is at peace with his MLB legacy. The longtime Giants slugger and the league’s all-time home run leader no longer is eligible to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after falling short of the required vote threshold for 10 consecutive years from 2013-2022.

However, Bonds is the newest member of the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame after he, former manager Jim Leyland and catcher Manny Sanguillen were enshrined in a ceremony at PNC Park.

In speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Bonds admitted he finally is at peace with his Baseball Hall of Fame fate after his latest honor.

“I don’t have to worry about those things no more in my life,” Bonds said. Those hopes of making the Hall of Fame, I don’t have them anymore.” 

This is a different tone from Bonds, who has criticized Hall of Fame voters numerous times in the past for his exclusion from Cooperstown.

And while the latest honor is not the highest that Bonds is deserving of, the Home Run King is content settling for immortalization in both the Pirates and Giants franchises.

Panda Express has teamed up with Hot Ones for the introduction of new Blazing Bourbon Chicken.

The American Chinese fast food restaurant announced a collaboration with popular YouTube series Hot Ones to unleash what’s being dubbed the “spiciest dish to date.”

Blazing Bourbon Chicken features crispy boneless chicken bites and fresh veggies all wok-tossed in a spicy and sweet bourbon sauce alongside the signature Hot Ones Last Dab Apollo hot sauce, and is topped with sesame seeds.

You can find Blazing Bourbon Chicken at participating locations nationwide.