OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Hundreds of confident Oklahoma City fans who flocked to the Paycom Center expecting to celebrate the Thunder's first NBA championship on Thursday night headed for the exits when their team fell behind by 30 points.
The Thunder brought a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series into Game 6 in Indianapolis, and Indiana's star guard, Tyrese Haliburton, was hobbled. Thunder fans with high hopes watched the game together on the big screen at Oklahoma City's home arena.
The Pacers rolled to a 108-91 win, and now Thunder's passionate fans will wait anxiously for Game 7 on Sunday in Oklahoma City while facing the possibility that their team might not win the title after all.
Negeen Sobhani, her husband, Victor, and their two children stayed until the end, and they are looking forward to the deciding game.
“Every journey has its ups and downs," Sobhani said. “It’s got its peaks and it’s got its valleys. And how you make it through those peaks and valleys is how far you progress. So we’re with them when they’re at their best and we’re with them in their valleys. But we know they’ll pull through.”
Thunder fans expected their nearly two-decade wait to already be over. The lower two levels at the Paycom Center were nearly filled before the tip, and the big screen was lowered for a better view. The crowd roared early when Jalen Williams dunked to give Oklahoma City an 8-2 lead.
Indiana dominated from there and led 64-42 at halftime. Fans remained hopeful, but the energy dissipated when the Thunder failed to score for the first five minutes of the third quarter. The crowd gained some hope when Indiana's Tony Bradley was called for a technical foul against Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein.
Indiana maintained control, though, and fans finally started to file out after Ben Sheppard hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the third to put the Pacers up 90-60. Those who stayed stood and cheered as time ran out.
It's been a long wait for Thunder fans. The city first hosted an NBA team during the 2005-06 season, when the New Orleans Hornets relocated after Hurricane Katrina. Oklahoma City’s fans fell in love with the team and young point guard Chris Paul, who would be named rookie of the year.
The Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, and Oklahoma City's fans feverishly supported their new team despite its early struggles. The Thunder had contending teams with young stars Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
Even with all that talent, they couldn’t break through. They lost to LeBron James’ Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in 2012. Durant left for the rival Golden State Warriors in 2016. A team with Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony couldn't get out of the first round.
The end of Oklahoma City's misfortune seemed to have arrived this season, when the Thunder had the league's best record. Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander helped the Thunder put the Pacers on the brink of elimination with wins in Games 4 and 5. Now, the misery will continue if Oklahoma City doesn't win Game 7.
Victor Sobhani believes the Thunder will bounce back.
“I think at the beginning, after a few turnovers, the Thunder were a bit de-motivated or they were not with their heads in it,” he said. “But that was not the team. The team on Sunday — they will they will show who they are. Everybody’s very positive they will win for sure.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Oklahoma City Thunder fans who went to the Paycom Center to watch Game 6 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Indiana Pacers on the big screen file out after their team fell behind after three quarters Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Cliff Brunt)
Fans attend Paycom Center in Oklahoma City to watch Game 6 of the NBA Finals basketball series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers on the big screen Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Cliff Brunt)
The FA Cup delivered another fairytale result on Saturday when sixth-tier Macclesfield — managed by Wayne Rooney's brother — knocked out titleholder Crystal Palace in one of the competition's greatest upsets.
The teams were separated by 117 places in the English soccer pyramid but Macclesfield won 2-1 which, given the difference in league positions, goes down as the most unlikely result in the FA Cup's 155-year history.
At the other extreme, Manchester City overwhelmed third-tier Exeter 10-1 in a match featuring a goal on debut by $87 million signing Antoine Semenyo.
City tying the record for its biggest ever win wasn't the story of the day in the third round, though.
That belonged to Macclesfield, a tiny club from England's north west that was relaunched after its predecessor, Macclesfield Town, was liquidated in 2020 because of debts.
The team, placed 14th in National League North, is still coming to terms with the loss of its 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod, who was killed in a car crash travelling back from a match he played in at Bedford Town on Dec. 16. A banner bearing his name hung behind the dugouts at the Palace game and his family were in the stands to watch.
It made for an emotionally draining afternoon for John Rooney, the younger sibling of England and Manchester United great Wayne Rooney, who was at the match working for the BBC.
“We finished the game and then I walk in the office and see Ethan’s mum and dad in there, that’s very special to me,” John Rooney said. “Just knowing they were here with us, and I’m sure Ethan was looking down on us today.”
Macclesfield took the lead just before halftime through captain Paul Dawson, before Isaac Buckley-Ricketts made it 2-0 in the 60th following a scramble in the penalty area.
Yeremy Pino’s last-minute free kick for Palace left Macclesfield facing a nervous six minutes of stoppage time as home fans chanted “Silkmen! Silkmen!” — the club’s nickname.
Macclesfield survived, their players adding their names to the competition's lore.
Fans sprinted onto the field at Moss Rose — Macclesfield's modest 5,900-capacity stadium — in celebration at the final whistle while Dawson and Duffy were carried aloft.
“I didn’t think it was possible but there is that little bit of hope that anything can happen on the day,” said Rooney, who started and ended his playing career as a midfielder with the club and is in only his first season coaching.
“I can’t believe it. We were incredible from the first minute."
The last time Palace played in the FA Cup, it beat City in the final for its first ever trophy.
Palace's dismal afternoon was summed up when U.S. defender Chris Richards did a foul throw in the final minute of stoppage time. Richards played for the first time since he was stretchered off during the Dec. 23 League Cup quarterfinal against Arsenal because of a cut on his right foot.
“I have no words for this performance,” Palace manager Oliver Glasner said.
Palace captain Marc Guéhi spoke with the team’s traveling fans after the defeat.
Semenyo was handed a start by City manager Pep Guardiola a day after joining from Bournemouth and was among nine scorers for City. Right back Rico Lewis netted twice.
In a classy gesture, Semenyo thanked Bournemouth fans “for all the memories” in a full-page advertisement printed in the local Bournemouth Echo newspaper before the game.
“He is a humble guy,” City assistant manager Pep Lijnders, who was directing affairs in the technical area as Guardiola served a one-match touchline ban, said of Semenyo. "He brings something to the front line that we really want and we need.
“He can attack quick, he wants to chase, he is a guy who doesn’t stop."
Semenyo's former club lost at Newcastle 7-6 on penalties following a 3-3 draw in an all-Premier League contest at St. James' Park.
Anthony Gordon equalized for Newcastle with a penalty deep into stoppage time. Harvey Barnes grabbed his second goal for Newcastle two minutes before the end of extra time, only for Marcus Tavernier to level for Bournemouth with seconds remaining to take the game to penalties.
In the shootout, Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale saved from Bafodé Diakité in what proved to be the final kick.
Chelsea marked new coach Liam Rosenior’s first match in charge by beating second-tier Charlton Athletic 5-1.
Defender Jorrel Hato and Tosin Adarabioyo scored either side of halftime for a heavily rotated Chelsea before Marc Guiu and substitutes Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez added more goals.
Rosenior was hired on Tuesday on a six-year deal as the replacement for Enzo Maresca and joined from Strasbourg, which is part of the same ownership group as Chelsea.
Tottenham completed a miserable week by losing to Aston Villa 2-1.
On Wednesday, Spurs conceded in stoppage time to lose at Bournemouth in the Premier League and some of its disgruntled fans were involved in a row with players, including Micky van de Ven. Cristian Romero also let rip at the club on social media.
Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers scored for Villa in the first half and Wilson Odobert replied for Tottenham.
In another all-Premier League matchup, Sunderland beat Everton on penalties after the match finished 1-1 following extra time.
Premier League sides Brentford, Fulham, Burnley and Wolverhampton all beat lower-level opposition.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Chelsea's Tosin Adarabioyo celebrates scoring his team's second goal of the game during the English FA Cup third round soccer match between Charlton Athletic and Chelsea in London, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (John Walton/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Josh Kay celebrates with fans following the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, second left, and Tottenham Hotspur's Joao Palhinha, right, clash after the FA Cup third round soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in London, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
Manchester City's Jeremy Doku substitutes Antoine Semenyo during the FA Cup third round match between Manchetster City and Exeter City in Manchester, England Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammates, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield FC goalscorers Paul Dawson, right and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrate following the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Paul Dawson scores the opening goal, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrates scoring his side's second goal, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Josh Kay celebrates with fans following the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Macclesfield Town's Isaac Buckley-Ricketts scores his side's second goal during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Crystal Palace's Yeremi Pino and Macclesfield Town's Rollin Menayese vie for the ball, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, England, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
Crystal Palace's Kaden Rodney, center right, and Macclesfield Town's Paul Dawson vie for the ball, during the FA Cup third round soccer match between Macclesfield Town and Crystal Palace, at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macclesfield, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)
