The cheapest seat at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs today went for $US9,000 ($AU14,000).

And that was for the worst seats in the house.

Two courtside seats reportedly sold for a combined $US280,000 ($AU392,000).

Unfortunately for those New York fans, the Knicks lost by four. They still lead the series 2-1, and presumably, many of the same faces will be in the crowd for Game 4 at the same venue on Thursday (AEST).

$40 million
The amount of money donated by Queensland construction magnates Quentin and Kylie Birt to FightMND as part of the annual ‘Big Freeze’ fundraiser at the MCG yesterday. The couple built the BMD Group, one of Australia's largest construction and engineering companies. FightMND, founded by the late Neale Daniher, funds research into motor neurone disease (MND). MND is a terminal neurological condition that causes a gradual loss of muscle strength and function. There is currently no cure. The Big Freeze centres around an annual King’s Birthday AFL match between the Collingwood Magpies and Melbourne Demons, with the Demons winning yesterday’s edition 83-75. 

"This is a tragedy; people say that motorsport is dangerous and very sadly, that happens occasionally."
Finke Desert Race committee president Antony Yoffa after a motorcyclist died on the first day of the off-road event in the Northern Territory. Matthew Bielefeld crashed on the course between Alice Springs and the outback town of Finke on Sunday. Riders held a minute's silence before racing resumed on Monday at the event’s 50th anniversary, with David Walsh winning the motorcycle category for a record-equalling sixth time and Travis Robinson taking out the cars category. Bielefeld’s crash is under investigation.

American golfer Nelly Korda won the US Women's Open on Sunday, her fourth golf major. But she’s not the only athlete in the family. Both of her parents were professional tennis players, and her father Petr Korda won the 1998 Australian Open. Her brother Sebastian Korda is also a tennis pro and is currently ranked 60th in the world, while her older sister Jessica Korda is a golfer and has won six titles of her own on the LPGA tour. Talk about a sporty family. 

🏊 Australian swimmer Sam Short has come within a second of the men’s 400m freestyle world record, clocking 3:40.67 at the Australian swimming trials on Monday night. The 22-year-old was just 0.71 seconds outside German Lukas Märtens' world mark of 3:39.96 and just over half a second shy of Ian Thorpe’s longstanding Australian record of 3:40.08. Short’s time is the fastest in the world this year. The trials are Australia's selection meet for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and run until Saturday, with racing to continue tonight.

⚽ One of Africa’s top football referees will miss the upcoming FIFA World Cup after being refused entry to the United States. Somalia’s Omar Artan, who would have been the first from his country to referee at a World Cup, was turned away at Miami airport on Saturday over what U.S. authorities called "vetting concerns". Somalia is on the Trump administration's travel ban list. FIFA said it could not intervene as host nations control who is or isn’t admitted. The tournament kicks off on Friday (AEST).

🛶 Aussie Olympic champion Jess Fox has marked her comeback from surgery with a golden double. Fox won both the women's K1 (kayak) and C1 (canoe) titles on back-to-back days at the Canoe Slalom World Cup in Prague – her first gold medals since surgery last year to remove a benign tumour from her kidney. The three-time Olympic champion had returned to the international stage only a week earlier, taking silver in Slovenia.

🏀 The San Antonio Spurs have kept their NBA Finals hopes alive, beating the New York Knicks 115-111 in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was San Antonio's first win of the best-of-seven series after losing the opening two games at home, with the result ending the Knicks' 13-match winning streak. The result means the Knicks now lead the series 2-1. French star Victor Wembanyama produced his best game of the Finals for the Spurs with 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Both teams will remain in New York for Game 4 on Thursday morning (AEST).

What if that match went differently?

We've all been there after a result that stings. EA SPORTS FC™ 26's "The World's Game" update lets you go back in - 53 fully licensed national teams including Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, France, and dark horses like Cabo Verde and Uzbekistan, all in a full 48-team tournament mode.

A feature we’re loving is the Path to Glory mode, where player ratings update live alongside real tournament results. So the better someone performs out there in real life, the better they get in the game.

In FC 26, History is Playable.. 

The squads for State of Origin Game Two have been named, with both teams making major selection calls.

The announcement comes after NSW produced one of its biggest comebacks in Origin history in Game One, recovering from a 20-0 deficit to defeat the Maroons 22-20.

The teams will meet at the MCG on Wednesday 17 June.

NSW coach Laurie Daley has made several changes for State of Origin II after Stephen Crichton was ruled out with a shoulder injury.

19-year-old Casey McLean has been promoted to start at centre, while Roosters back Mark Nawaqanitawase has been called into the squad and named on the interchange. It could see the former Wallaby, who is set to return to rugby union at the end of the season, make his Origin debut. 

Manly Sea Eagles forward Haumole Olakau'atu has been dropped, while the Knights’ Dylan Lucas is set to make his debut in the second row. Broncos prop Payne Haas is also set to return to the starting side after being sidelined with injury for the opener.

Nathan Cleary has kept his place in the halves alongside Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses, who has been given until Thursday to prove his fitness after a hamstring problem ruled him out of Game One. Should he fail the test, Ethan Strange will move into the starting side.

1. Tedesco, 2. To’o, 3. McLean, 4. Staggs, 5. Koula, 6. Moses, 7. Cleary, 8. Haas, 9. Robson, 10. Barnett, 11. Young, 12. Lucas, 13. Yeo (C). Interchange: 14. Murray, 15. Radley, 16. Fonua-Blake, 17. Koroisau, 18. Strange, 19. Nawaqanitawase, 20. Olakau’atu

Coach Billy Slater has recalled Reece Walsh and Murray Taulagi as Queensland looks to level the series after its Game One defeat.

Pat Carrigan (ankle) and Gehamat Shibasaki (knee) miss out through injury, while Ezra Mam was also left out of the squad. 

Dolphins forward Kulikefu Finefeuiaki is set to make his Origin debut, having earned selection on the bench after a strong run of NRL form.

The starting side remains anchored by Kalyn Ponga, Cameron Munster and Sam Walker, while Heilum Luki has been named as the 20th man.

Queensland is aiming to keep its hopes of retaining the Origin shield alive after winning last year's series 2-1, capped by a 24-12 win in the Sydney decider.

1. Ponga, 2. Cobbo, 3. Toia, 4. Tabuai-Fidow, 5. Fifita, 6. Munster (C), 7. Walker, 8. Flegler, 9. Grant, 10. Fa'asuamaleaui, 11. Nikora, 12. Capewell, 13. Cotter. Interchange: 14. Plath, 15. Collins, 16. Finefeuiaki, 17. Loiero 18. Walsh, 19. Taulagi, 20. Luki

Reporting by Pavitra Ravi.

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Former NRL star Kane Evans has publicly come out as gay, becoming the first male player to do so since Ian Roberts in 1995. 

Speaking with Nine’s 100% Footy, Evans also revealed his battle with substance abuse, homelessness and years of suicidal thoughts as he struggled to come to terms with his sexuality.

Here’s what happened.

Evans played 131 games for the Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels and New Zealand Warriors between 2014 and 2021. He represented Fiji in 13 Tests. 

He later joined Hull FC in England's Super League, but his contract was cut short.

After retiring from rugby league, Evans opened a cafe with a friend. When the business failed, he was left with about $50,000 in debt and began sleeping rough in Sydney parks, turning to drugs and alcohol. Evans alleges people tried to blackmail him over his sexuality during that period.

Speaking on Nine's 100% Footy, Evans explained her realised he was gay at around 15-year-old but spent decades concealing his sexuality, a struggle he said contributed to years of suicidal thoughts.

A turning point came when former Penrith premiership winner Joe Galuvao (who now works in the Rugby League Players Association past players program) found Evans sleeping rough in a Sydney park.

Galuvao encouraged him to seek help and helped get him into rehab. 

Roosters coach Trent Robinson also reached out, paying four weeks’ rent and arranging for the club to cover part of Evans’ mental health treatment.

Evans celebrated four months of sobriety in May. He also revealed he planned to come out to his parents before the interview aired.

He said: “I started questioning; ‘Maybe death isn’t the plan for me yet. Maybe I do deserve to go and get help’... I’m here today to show people that you don’t have to live like that. Even now I feel a bit more free, just by saying it out loud, I’ve brought it to the light.”

Openly queer athletes remain rare in men’s professional sports. 

In recent years, those who have publicly come out include footballer Josh Cavallo, basketballer Isaac Humphries, former Wallaby Dan Palmer and former AFL player Mitch Brown. 

Roberts, the first Australian rugby league player to publicly come out as gay, told Code Sports he was moved to tears by Evans’ interview and wanted to meet him in person. 

“I just want to give him a hug,” he said.

If you or someone you know is struggling, Lifeline is available on 13 11 14.