Victor Wembanyama scored 33 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 103-82 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, levelling the Western Conference finals at 2-2.
The 7-foot-4 French centre also recorded eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks in a dominant performance.
San Antonio’s stifling defence restricted the visitors to their second-lowest points total of the postseason.
Shooting struggles hamper Oklahoma City
The Thunder endured a miserable shooting night, converting just 33% of their overall field-goal attempts.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander top-scored for the visitors with 19 points, but his team-mates struggled to find any offensive rhythm.
Oklahoma City were particularly poor from beyond the arc, making just six of their 33 three-point attempts.
Spurs bounce back from heavy defeat
The Texas franchise produced an immediate response to their disappointing 123-108 loss in Friday’s game three.
De’Aaron Fox secured a double-double for the hosts with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell each contributed 13 points.
The San Antonio bench also delivered a much-improved display, adding 30 points after managing just 23 in their previous outing.
Fast start sets the tone
San Antonio established their dominance early, orchestrating a 16-0 scoring run in the opening quarter.
A spectacular alley-oop dunk from the French international, set up by Vassell following a block on Jared McCain, ignited the home crowd and built an early 15-point advantage.
The crucial game five will take place in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, before the series returns to Texas on Thursday.
Lionel Messi suffered a suspected thigh injury during Inter Miami’s record-breaking 6-4 victory against the Philadelphia Union on Sunday evening.
The Argentine captain immediately requested a substitution after clutching his left leg following a 70th-minute free-kick at Nu Stadium.
He walked directly down the tunnel towards the dressing room without assistance, raising concerns ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
Record-breaking goalfest
The alarming withdrawal overshadowed an extraordinary comeback from the home side in the highest-scoring first half in Major League Soccer history.
Philadelphia initially raced into a two-goal lead through Milan Iloski before Germán Berterame converted a cross from the former Barcelona forward.
Bruno Damiani quickly restored the visitors’ advantage following a deflection from goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
However, a breathtaking attacking display saw Luis Suárez score twice and Berterame add his second to flip the match entirely.
The frantic opening period concluded level at 4-4 when Iloski completed a first-half hat-trick from the penalty spot following a VAR review.
Suárez secures victory
Torrential rain slowed the tempo after the restart, but the veteran Uruguayan striker eventually completed his own hat-trick to seal the points.
Rodrigo De Paul added a late sixth for the hosts to tie the second-highest scoring regular-season match in league history.
World Cup fears
The dramatic triumph leaves the Florida franchise sitting second in the Eastern Conference on 31 points, trailing leaders Nashville by two points as the domestic campaign pauses.
Attention now turns to the fitness of the defending world champion, with Argentina scheduled to begin their group stage campaign against Algeria on 16 June.
The national team has yet to announce its final tournament squad, though the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was fully expected to lead his country.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has defended a failed tyre gamble at the Canadian Grand Prix that left driver Oscar Piastri claiming the team looked “like idiots” after failing to score any points.
Both Piastri and team-mate Lando Norris started Sunday’s race in Montreal on intermediate tyres amid light rain and cold conditions.
The McLaren duo were the only drivers in the top 10 to gamble on the wet-weather compound.
However, a delayed start caused by a mechanical issue for Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad allowed the track to dry significantly.
The seven-minute delay meant the intermediate rubber quickly overheated, forcing both drivers to pit for slick tyres by the end of the second lap.
Fine margins in Montreal
Norris had briefly surged into the lead from third on the grid before the bold strategy rapidly unravelled.
The miscalculation ultimately ruined the afternoon for the Woking-based outfit, with neither driver managing to secure a point.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, the Australian driver admitted the changing weather made the initial grid walk challenging.
“Getting to the grid on slicks was not easy, getting to full throttle was tough,” Piastri explained.
“Unfortunately for us, it stopped raining. If it rained a little bit more we would have looked like heroes. It didn’t, so we looked like idiots.”
Stella points to hindsight
Despite the brutal assessment from his young star, the McLaren team boss stood by the original call.
Stella argued that the double extra formation lap unfairly penalised those who had already committed to the intermediate compound.
“At the time that you had to make a decision as to what tyres to fit, and with not necessarily a clear idea as to when the rain would stop, the track was greasy and the right tyre at that time was the intermediate tyre,” the Italian insisted.
The former Ferrari engineer added that the pit lane visibly dried during the unexpected delay before lights out.
“I think we always have to be a bit careful in judging decisions simply from the outcome. I think you have to judge decisions at the time that they need to be made.”
The scoreless weekend is a bitter blow for a squad that had confidently locked out the second row during qualifying behind a resurgent Mercedes team.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic have been unanimously selected to the All-NBA First Team, joined closely by San Antonio Spurs standout Victor Wembanyama.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic and Detroit Pistons playmaker Cade Cunningham complete the prestigious five-man line-up.
The announcement arrives as the Spurs and Thunder battle in the Western Conference finals, with Oklahoma City currently holding a 2-1 series lead.
Gilgeous-Alexander, recently crowned the league’s most valuable player for a second consecutive year, secures his fourth straight first-team appearance.
Wembanyama makes history for San Antonio
Wembanyama narrowly missed out on becoming a unanimous selection by a single voting point.
The French sensation is the first San Antonio player to feature on the primary squad since Kawhi Leonard achieved the feat during the 2016-17 campaign.
Jokic earns his sixth first-team nod, extending his record for the most All-NBA honours in Denver franchise history.
Meanwhile, both Doncic and Cunningham required special league exceptions to qualify after falling one game short of the 65-game eligibility threshold.
The Lakers star previously secured the scoring title with a formidable average of 33.5 points per game.
Durant sets unique milestone in Second Team
The All-NBA Second Team features a wealth of elite talent, spearheaded by Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant.
The veteran scorer becomes the first player in history to receive All-NBA recognition with five different franchises.
He is joined by Boston Celtics winger Jaylen Brown, New York Knicks talisman Jalen Brunson, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and LA Clippers stalwart Leonard.
Brunson’s Knicks currently command a dominant 3-0 lead over Mitchell’s Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
New faces dominate Third Team selections
The Third Team is entirely composed of first-time honourees, highlighting a shifting landscape across the association.
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey make their debut appearances on the end-of-season roster.
They are accompanied by Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren, Nuggets guard Jamal Murray and Pistons centre Jalen Duren.
The inclusion of Duren alongside Cunningham marks the first time a Detroit duo has featured in the same season since Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace in 2006.
Manager Antonio Conte has confirmed his departure from Napoli this summer, stepping down just 12 months after guiding the club to the Serie A title.
The former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss delivered a historic fourth top-flight championship during his debut campaign in 2024.
However, the Italian tactician could only manage a second-place finish this season, ending up 11 points behind champions Inter Milan.
The Campania-based outfit also suffered early disappointment in Europe, failing to progress past the Champions League group stages.
A mutual farewell following domestic struggles
The decorated coach announced his exit during a joint press conference alongside club president Aurelio de Laurentiis following Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Udinese.
It’s been an honour, really special to coach Napoli. It’s been two great seasons, an exceptional experience.
It was my decision, I told the chairman a few weeks ago. Napoli will always be home.
He had appeared close to walking away last summer before De Laurentiis convinced him to remain for another demanding season.
Title defence derailed by injuries
Despite bolstering their squad with high-profile signings like Kevin de Bruyne and Rasmus Hojlund, the team’s domestic campaign was severely hampered by persistent fitness problems.
Inconsistent league form ultimately proved fatal to their hopes of retaining the scudetto against a dominant Inter side.
When questioned about potentially taking over the Italian national team, the departing manager offered a rather surprising suggestion.
My advice would be to hire Pep Guardiola.
Cesc Fabregas has navigated Como into the Champions League on a dramatic final day in Serie A, while AC Milan and Juventus dropped into the Europa League.
The Italian top flight witnessed an extraordinary conclusion as the newly-promoted side secured European football’s ultimate prize.
A commanding 4-1 victory over Cremonese guaranteed top-tier continental action for the Lombardy outfit next season.
The fixture descended into chaos in the 72nd minute when Cremonese received three red cards, including two dismissals from the substitutes’ bench.
That heavy defeat ultimately confirmed relegation for the visitors, with Lecce winning their respective fixture to secure top-flight survival.
AC Milan and Pulisic suffer heartbreak
AC Milan needed a straightforward victory against bottom-half Cagliari to retain their top-four status.
However, the Rossoneri suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat, condemning United States international Christian Pulisic and his teammates to Europe’s second-tier competition.
Roma capitalized on that spectacular collapse, beating Hellas Verona to leapfrog the seven-time European champions into the final qualification spots.
Crowd trouble mars Turin derby
Elsewhere, the fiercely contested derby between Juventus and Torino was delayed by approximately an hour following serious clashes outside the stadium.
One supporter sustained severe injuries during the violent exchanges and remains in hospital, though their condition is not believed to be life-threatening.
Juventus ultras initially demanded the match be postponed in a show of public solidarity for the injured fan.
The organized supporter groups threatened a pitch invasion if proceedings went ahead, ultimately choosing to abandon the stadium entirely before kick-off.
Despite holding a lead against their city rivals, the Bianconeri will also have to settle for Thursday night football next term.
Victories for both Como and Roma ensured the Turin heavyweights could finish no higher than fifth in the final league standings.
Aaron Judge ended a career-worst 11-game streak without an RBI by hitting a dramatic ninth-inning walk-off home run to secure a 2-0 victory for the New York Yankees against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Drought ends in spectacular fashion
The towering outfielder struck a first-pitch sinker from Kevin Kelly into the right-centre field seats to claim his 17th blast of the season.
It was the American League MVP’s first home run since 10 May, snapping a dismal stretch that saw him manage just one hit in his previous 24 at-bats.
His crucial two-run drive broke a scoreless deadlock and brought an abrupt end to the fastest Yankees game of the current campaign.
Bellinger’s defensive brilliance
Before the late-game heroics, both pitching staffs dominated proceedings in an intense divisional battle.
New York starter Ryan Weathers and Tampa Bay counterpart Drew Rasmussen matched each other perfectly, both tossing seven flawless shutout innings.
However, the hosts relied on a phenomenal defensive play by left fielder Cody Bellinger in the eighth inning to preserve the stalemate.
The former National League MVP gunned down Junior Caminero at third base just moments before a decisive run could cross the plate.
Division race tightens
Sunday’s triumph held significant implications for the divisional standings, cutting the Rays’ lead at the top of the AL East to four and a half games.
The hard-fought victory also halted a three-game losing slump for the Bronx Bombers while simultaneously ending a five-game winning streak for their Floridian rivals.
Reliever Tim Hill ultimately earned the pitching win after successfully stranding two runners in the top half of the ninth inning.
Arsenal are close to agreeing a new long-term contract with defender Jurrien Timber as Mikel Arteta looks to secure the core of his Premier League-winning squad.
Talks are progressing well between the north London club and the 24-year-old over fresh terms.
The Dutchman’s current deal runs until 2028, but the Gunners hierarchy are keen to avoid any future standoffs by tying down the influential right-back.
Vital component of Arteta’s defence
Since arriving from Ajax for an initial £34m fee in 2023, the versatile defender has established himself as a critical asset at Emirates Stadium.
Despite his debut campaign being heavily disrupted by a severe anterior cruciate ligament injury, he has gone on to make 94 appearances for the club.
The former Eredivisie star has contributed six goals and 11 assists, providing a crucial balance of defensive resilience and attacking threat down the right flank.
High praise from team-mates
His impressive partnership with Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard has created a formidable attacking triangle that opposition sides struggle to contain.
His recent absence in the latter half of the campaign has highlighted his importance to the team’s overall defensive structure.
“He is so, so good. One against one, it is impossible to beat him, and offensively, he is so good,” William Saliba told CBS Sports when asked if his team-mate was the best right-back in world football.
“I hope he will keep going like this, and he is a top, top player. He is one or two, for sure!”