NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA Finals are back in New York and the hype is unavoidable.

The Knicks are two wins from their first championship since 1973 and it seems everyone in the city wants the chance to see it. Even President Donald Trump will be on hand Monday night at Madison Square Garden for Game 3, along with fans who will pay exorbitant prices and endure lengthy lines to get in.

It feels like more of a major event than any basketball game, and Victor Wembanyama was asked if the chaos could be a distraction for his San Antonio Spurs.

“Not really,” he said. “I think it could be, but isolating myself is something I’ve practiced over the years. I think I’m good at it. So it’s not a problem.”

The Spurs have a big enough problem with their 2-0 deficit.

No team has recovered to win the championship after losing the first two games of the NBA Finals at home, and no team in the 80-year history of the league has won any series after falling behind 3-0. So the Spurs need to win Monday.

They had good chances in both games at home. San Antonio led by 14 points midway through the third quarter of Game 1, then erased a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take the lead in the final minute of Game 2 before the Knicks rallied for a 105-104 victory.

That was New York’s 13th consecutive victory, the second-longest winning streak in postseason history.

Back at home, even the Knicks don’t know quite what to expect of the atmosphere for the first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999. But they know what to expect from the Spurs.

“I mean, their best,” center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Every single game you expect their best. That’s how you don’t get caught in a way lacking. You go out there and you expect their best, so you want to bring your best. This is the NBA Finals. There’s no time to take any game easy or to take any game lightly.”

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

“Amazing. 10x better than my Samsung watch.”

Just a couple of weeks remain until Father’s Day, with people across the UK keeping an eye out for the perfect gift. While there are plenty of options out there, getting a catered gift for Father’s Day is easier said than done.

Fortunately, a versatile gift can cover all bases, such as this Garmin Forerunner 55 Smartwatch, which is currently on sale for 25% off on Amazon. Dropping from £149.99 to £112, now could be the perfect opportunity to get your dad a handy smartwatch that is easy to use for even those who aren’t tech-savvy.

The watch can be paired with both iPhones and Android phones and helps track a wide variety of health metrics. This includes step tracking, calorie count, sleep, and more.

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If your dad’s the sporty type or simply enjoys going on a walk or hike, all they have to do with the watch is press one button and it will immediately begin tracking their relevant workout. The watch also comes with Garmin’s on-screen Coach, which can provide curated guidance for exercise.

The watch also comes with a black case and a black watch strap, providing a more subtle style and making it much easier to pair with a variety of outfits without clashing. However, if Garmin’s watch doesn’t seem right for your dad, there are plenty of other options out there.

For example, you could opt for the Motast Smart Watch, which is currently on offer from £79.99 to £29.99 on Amazon. This smart watch can be connected on Android phones and iPhones and is capable of heart rate tracking and more while also being IP68 waterproof rated.

If you would prefer something more rugged, you could opt for the Blackview Military Smart Watch, which is discounted on Amazon from £39.99 to £25.46. The watch is built with aerospace aluminium and is designed to meet military standards for both shock and scratch resistance.

The Garmin Forerunner has earned a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with over 11,000 reviews, with one happy customer writing: “What can I say. Well, definitely cheaper and better than a Samsung. I have been using a Samsung for many years and have not got on well with them. Started to use this Garmin, which is their cheapest one, but it’s fantastic and works perfectly with Strava.”

Another added: “Pleased with it, having had a Garmin before, I knew my way around it and didn’t want to pay a lot of money either and this was a good price for what I need it for.” A third added: “Amazing. 10x better than my Samsung watch. Nobody needs a touch-screen watch, and this one is brilliant for just having buttons.”

A fourth said: “Great fitness tool, easy to use app is really good and easy to set up. The watch is very light but well-made. I’ve had a Fitbit, and this is miles better.”

A fifth added: “Fantastic watch with so many different modes and gadgets, I still haven’t worked out everything. Very accurate for a runner like me, but clocks walks, swimming, running, treadmill running, weights, and cardio. If you know someone else with a Garmin watch, you can set up an alert if you have an abnormal heartbeat or something’s wrong, it will alert whoever you decide to send it to. Very clever watch at a great price.”

However, one slightly less pleased customer added: “Seems accurate, but takes ages to connect to GPS, which is annoying.” While another added: “Smartwatch allows tracking your heartbeat during exercise.

“Very lightweight and comfortable to wear. A bit expensive compared to other similar products.”

England were criticised for their off-field conduct during the 4-1 defeat in Australia, particularly a boozy mid-series holiday to the coastal town of Noosa.

In the aftermath of the trip to Noosa, a video of Ben Duckett was posted on social media, with the opener appearing to be intoxicated.

Director of cricket Rob Key investigated the time in Noosa, but denied the team had a drinking culture.

At the end of the Ashes series in January, details of the incident involving Brook in October were revealed.

Brook initially claimed to have been alone at the nightclub in Wellington, only for it to emerge that he was alongside team-mates Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue.

The midnight curfew was first imposed for the limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka in January and the T20 World Cup that followed, both when Brook was captain.

It has remained in place for the start of the Test summer, when Stokes, 35, has returned to lead the side.

After the conclusion of England’s win at Lord’s on Sunday, Stokes said: “I’m not going to lie, I’m very, very happy that we’ve won this week. I knew how big this game was in terms of the result and how it was going to be perceived externally if it didn’t go well.

“I won’t be really happy until I get to share a beer with the boys.”

In 2017, Stokes was involved in an incident outside a Bristol nightclub that resulted in him being charged with affray.

He subsequently missed the Ashes tour of 2017-18 before he was cleared of the charge the following summer.

England are due to name a squad for the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval, beginning on 17 June.

But the result of the investigation could have an impact on the squad, including the possible omission of Stokes and Atkinson.

Atkinson, 28, took seven wickets in the match, including 5-30 in the second innings as England completed a 115-run win.

Stokes, however, suffered a frustrating Test with the bat – scoring 12 in his first innings before a three-ball duck in the second.

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day.

The UK could be set to see another heatwave

The Met Office has issued a verdict on when the UK could see its next heatwave, with the weather agency warning that temperatures could reach, or soar past, 30C towards the end of the week.

Following record-breaking temperatures during late May’s heatwave, the UK has been experiencing a spell of unsettled weather, with rain and showers expected to continue through to Friday (June 12) for most of the country. However we could see a sharp change in the weather as we approach the weekend, as the Met Office forecasts “much warmer” temperatures.

The Met Office has suggested that the weekend could bring temperatures which exceed the seasonal average, which is placed at around 21C for southern England. With the UK expected to see warmer conditions across Saturday (June 13) and Sunday (June 14), forecasters have added that there is potential for the country to see another heatwave.

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Dan Stroud, meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “We’re looking at temperatures climbing into the weekend, particularly on Saturday and Sunday, so feeling much warmer than recent days, with temperatures quite widely above average, especially across the south come Saturday, and even more so on Sunday.”

Mr Stroud added that current indicators suggest temperatures may hit, or exceed, 30C in some places. He said: “How high the temperatures gets is still open to a fair amount of debate. There is growing signal that temperatures will be heading comfortably into the high 20s, perhaps breaking 30 degrees again.

“There is definitely a chance of temperatures scraping into the above 30 degrees on Sunday, and then more so on Monday. We keep close tabs on it because there is always the potential for hitting heatwave criteria again.”

He continued: “End of this week, high pressure starts to build from the south, with clearing skies and rising temperatures over the continent. It’s just a perfect recipe for temperatures to actually start climbing.”

Temperatures are expected to be highest in the south and across South East England, according to the Met Office. However in the run up to the weekend, conditions are expected to remain unsettled.

Tuesday (June 9) is set to bring sunny spells and showers for most, with Thursday (June 11) set to be wet and windy for many. From Friday, conditions are expected to turn drier and increasingly settled.

Mr Stroud said: “Thursday is likely the wettest day of the week, with an organised band of rain moving across us. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

Curtis Rogerson, 45, has now been jailed

A driver who pepper sprayed two men after a row over a parking space in a leafy Cheshire village has been jailed. Curtis Rogerson, 45, left his victims with ‘burning’ faces after launching the ‘terrifying’ attack in Lymm last Autumn.

The men were in a van which had begun reversing into a parking space near Eagle Brow, in the centre of the village, when Rogerson drove his car into it first. One of the men ‘shouted his annoyance’, police said, prompting Rogerson to fly into a rage.

The men were were still the in the van, which had now found another space, when Rogerson pulled his car up alongside them, hitting the driver’s side wing mirror.

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He then sprayed a then unknown substance through the open window into the men’s faces before driving off. “Both men felt burning to their faces and were helped by passers-by” Cheshire Police said.

The substance was tested and identified as Capsaicinoids, which are typically found in pepper sprays. The two men have thankfully since made a full recovery, the force added.

An investigation was launched and Rogerson’s car was identified before he was traced and arrested.

He pleaded guilty to administering a noxious thing with intent to injure/aggrieve/annoy, possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid/gas, and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was also sentenced for two offences of intimidating a witness, which were committed in Trafford and which police said were unrelated to the Cheshire case.

Rogerson, of Chaise Meadow, Lymm, was sentenced to three years and four months by a judge at in prison at Chester Crown Court on Thursday (June 4).

In a statement issued following the hearing, Detective Constable Kelsie Sherratt from Cheshire Police said: “Rogerson let a small annoyance over a car parking space spiral out of control, purposefully spraying a substance into the faces of the two victims with the intent of causing them harm.

“The victims were merely sat inside their vehicle, and this must have been terrifying to suddenly be in pain with no knowledge of what they had been sprayed with and if they would be left with any lasting damage.

“Thankfully, both made a full recovery and Rogerson was held accountable for his actions and is now facing time behind bars.”

When it comes to meeting up with friends, many of us feel that life, work and commitments at home get in the way. 

But new research has found that the perfect catchup doesn’t need to be lengthy and can be slotted into the average week. 

The ideal time is 84 minutes – which gives ample opportunity to cover key topics such as family (51%), work updates (45%) and relationships (43%), according to research by beer company Madrí Excepcional.

It’s great news for those who feel getting together is increasingly hard, with just 18% managing a casual drink with mates once a week.

People place the blame on obstacles such as packed schedules (43%), feeling too tired after work (30%), and travel times (20%).

Despite this, 73% of Brits wish they had more casual catch ups with friends.

Madrí Excepcional is bringing the sunny spirit of Madrid to London with a pop-up micropub outside Boxpark, Shoreditch.

The Squeeze It Inn will serve Spanish-style snacks and complimentary samples of Madrí Excepcional 0.0% and the new lemon-flavoured Madrí Excepcional Limón.

Anca Secara, marketing controller for the brand, said: “Our research shows nearly three quarters of Brits are craving more casual catch-ups with friends, alongside the big, planned get-togethers. 

“And that feeling only grows in summer, with 67% saying the warmer weather makes them more open to impromptu plans. 

“That’s exactly what inspired The Squeeze It Inn in celebration of the new Madrí Excepcional Limón – a nod to Madrid’s vibrant social scene and a celebration of easy-going summer meet-ups, great conversation, and those simple moments of connection.’”

You can win a four pack of the new beer and an Ultimate Garden Catch-Up Kit by following @Madríexcepcional on Instagram.

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Guards at HMP Lindholme near Doncaster found the device when Peter Harris, 45, was detained there on October 9 last year, York Magistrates Court heard.

Harris, of James Street, central York, was also before the court for other offences committed following his release from the prison.

He pleaded guilty to having a forbidden item while in prison, having a bag of cannabis at St Saviourgate in central York and stealing four cans of Martini from the Co-op in Stonebow worth £16, both on May 2, theft of items worth Marks and Spencer in York on May 24, and theft of items worth £151.85 from a Spar shop in York on May 31.

He was jailed for six weeks and ordered to pay £151.85 compensation to the Spar shop, £16 to the C-op and a £154 statutory surcharge.

North Yorkshire Police have responded to the “distressing” incidents, which happened on Wednesday (June 3) in Filey.  

One bird, police confirmed, was found near to Muston Road and the other near Reynolds Street.

A force spokesperson said: “We’re appealing for information about these distressing incidents, as we believe that someone may have seen or heard something that could assist our enquiries.

“You can call North Yorkshire Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

“Please quote reference 12260102718 when passing on information.”

Kevin Hubbard was driving a heavy goods vehicle on the A19 southbound near Sunderland when he collided with a Ford Transit van, on November 5, 2014.

Keith Jameson was attempting to open the bonnet of the van in the nearside lane after it had broken down, when he was struck by the lorry.

The emergency services attended the scene and found Mr Jameson suffering serious injuries, before rushing him to hospital in a bid to save him.

Lorry driver sentenced for second time at Newcastle Crown Court following death of collision victim almost a decade after the incident (Image: The Northern Echo)

A further vehicle was also damaged in the incident, but the driver was not badly injured.

Mr Jameson survived the crash but suffered life-changing injuries after being diagnosed with quadriplegia, leaving him paralysed in all four limbs.

After nearly ten years of receiving around the clock care, he died as a result of his condition at the age of 71, on April 16, 2024.

Members of Northumbria Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit re-opened the case following his death, leading to Hubbard being charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

The now 67-year-old defendant, of Lichfield Road in Sunderland, admitted causing Mr Jameson’s death by dangerous driving at Newcastle Crown Court in December 2025.

He appeared before the same court today (Monday June 8) when Judge Tim Gittins sentenced him to an additional 20 months in prison, following his original 24-month custodial sentence when he was initially convicted after trial, in February 2016.

In a victim impact statement read out at the hearing, Keith’s family shared their pain after watching him suffer for more than a decade before his death.

Sergeant Russell Surrey, who led the investigation in the force’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “First and foremost, I would like to express my sheer admiration for Keith and his family, who have undeniably suffered for such a long time following the collision.

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“Had Hubbard been driving his vehicle in the way that was expected of him in 2014, Keith would have gone on to live a full and normal life with his loved ones.

“When we became aware that Keith had tragically died as a result of his injuries, we immediately re-opened the investigation in a bid to secure further justice in his name.

“Unfortunately, no outcome can undo the suffering Keith endured in his final years, or the unimaginable pain experienced by his family and loved ones.”