Victor Wembanyama produced a dominant 27-point performance as the San Antonio Spurs thrashed the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-97 on Tuesday to take a 3-2 lead in their second-round playoff series.
The French sensation added 17 rebounds and three blocks to push his team within one victory of the Western Conference finals.
San Antonio will now have the opportunity to secure a series win when they travel to Minneapolis for Game 6 on Friday.
If successful, the five-time NBA champions will advance to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round.
Redemption for ejected star
Wembanyama entered the contest seeking atonement after receiving the first ejection of his professional career during Sunday’s defeat.
The 7-foot-4 centre was dismissed with a Flagrant 2 foul in Game 4 following an elbow to the throat of Naz Reid.
However, he responded emphatically by shooting 6-for-8 from the field to score 18 points in the opening quarter alone.
Tensions remain high in physical series
The combative nature of the matchup continued as Reid received a technical foul for shoving Wembanyama during a first-half free throw.
Despite trailing by 18 points early on, the Timberwolves fought back with a 14-2 run at the start of the third quarter to briefly level the contest.
Anthony Edwards finished as the top scorer for the visitors with 20 points, having been restricted to just eight before the interval.
Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels also contributed 17 points apiece for Minnesota, but it was not enough to halt a renewed San Antonio surge.
Supporting cast delivers for San Antonio
Keldon Johnson proved instrumental in restoring the home side’s double-digit advantage during the decisive third quarter.
The forward executed a crucial block on a Rudy Gobert dunk attempt before bullying Edwards under the rim for a short jumper.
Johnson finished the night with 21 points to complement the efforts of their towering talisman.
De’Aaron Fox added 18 points, while Stephon Castle contributed 17 points to complete a comprehensive team victory.
Arsenal have confirmed the permanent sale of defender Jakub Kiwior to Porto for an initial £14m, while midfielder Declan Rice has been tipped for an emergency defensive role following Ben White’s season-ending injury.
The Gunners are currently just three victories away from securing a historic Premier League and Champions League double.
Mikel Arteta’s side secured a vital 1-0 victory against West Ham on Sunday to keep their domestic title hopes alive.
White injury forces tactical rethink
The narrow triumph came at a significant cost with White sustaining an MCL injury that rules him out for the remainder of the campaign.
This absence, coupled with ongoing fitness concerns surrounding Jurrien Timber, leaves the north London club extremely short of defensive options.
Rice was temporarily deployed on the right side of the defence during the first half against the Hammers before returning to his preferred central station.
Scholes suggests permanent switch
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes believes the England international should sacrifice his midfield position for the crucial title run-in.
“Declan Rice looks like he would suit playing at right-back to me. He can play there. He’s not a big creator anyway,” Scholes told The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast.
Nicky Butt, Scholes’ former Old Trafford team-mate, compared the proposed positional shift to Roy Keane’s willingness to play in defence during his prime.
First summer departure confirmed
Away from their on-pitch injury concerns, Arsenal have quietly begun their summer transfer business.
Polish centre-back Kiwior has completed a permanent move to Portugal following a successful season-long loan spell.
The Primeira Liga side activated a purchase option last week, agreeing a fee that could eventually rise to £19m with add-ons.
Historic double in sight
Arteta must now quickly solve his defensive dilemma ahead of Monday’s crucial home fixture against Burnley.
Two further league victories would guarantee Arsenal their first domestic championship since the famous Invincibles season of 2004.
The league leaders will then travel to Budapest on May 30 to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.
Daryl Morey has stepped down as president of the Philadelphia 76ers following a Tuesday evening meeting with ownership, while head coach Nick Nurse will remain in charge for a fourth season.
The decision to part ways was finalised after the 52-year-old executive met with franchise owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer in Pennsylvania.
Bob Myers, who built four championship-winning rosters with the Golden State Warriors, will oversee the basketball department in the interim.
The current president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment will immediately launch a search for a permanent head executive.
Playoff ceiling and costly decisions
The former Houston Rockets general manager oversaw five playoff appearances and compiled a 270-212 win-loss record during his six-year spell with the franchise.
However, the team persistently stalled under his leadership, failing to advance past the second round of the NBA postseason.
His marquee transactions included trading for former Most Valuable Player James Harden and bringing in highly-paid forward Paul George to form a superstar trio.
That strategy backfired spectacularly due to persistent injuries, with George, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey managing just 43 games together over the past two campaigns.
Financial burden and drafting successes
The underperforming trio produced a disappointing 21-22 record when sharing the court and are owed a combined $153m (£120m) next season.
Further compounding the front office issues was the recent trade deadline departure of Jared McCain, who has since flourished as a rotation regular for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
There were some minor successes in the draft, notably selecting highly-rated guard VJ Edgecombe with the third overall pick in 2025.
The promising prospect eventually finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel.
Nurse retains coaching role
Despite the sweeping executive changes, the current coaching setup has survived the immediate front-office cull.
The 57-year-old tactician has navigated a turbulent three seasons, holding a 116-130 overall record that was heavily marred by a dismal 24-win campaign last year.
He did manage to engineer a remarkable playoff comeback this term, guiding Philadelphia back from a 3-1 deficit to eliminate the Boston Celtics in the first round.
The incumbent coaching and backroom staff will now face a comprehensive evaluation by Myers before a permanent basketball official is appointed.
The NBA has concluded its investigation into the Milwaukee Bucks regarding the handling of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s season-ending knee injury and determined no further action is required.
The league launched a formal probe last month after conflicting accounts emerged regarding the player’s fitness to return to the court.
The two-time MVP hyperextended his left knee on 15 March and did not make another appearance during the regular season.
Conflicting accounts over fitness
Antetokounmpo repeatedly stated he was physically capable of playing before the campaign ended, but claimed the franchise refused to provide medical clearance.
Milwaukee subsequently informed the league that they did not believe the Greek forward possessed a genuine desire to take to the floor.
The Eastern Conference franchise told investigators that their star player declined to participate in mandatory 3-on-3 scrimmages as part of his rehabilitation.
However, the 29-year-old strongly disputed this version of events during his end-of-season press conference.
“From my understanding, coming back to play, which I don’t think I ever had any return-to-play protocol, but to my understanding was I had to play 3-on-3 to be able to be available to play,” he said. “I did that multiple times. I’ve never in my life denied participation of practice.”
Uncertain future in Milwaukee
Despite the conclusion of the league’s investigation, tensions appear to remain high between the player and the organisation.
The former NBA champion now faces an uncertain off-season amid growing speculation regarding his immediate future.
Reports suggest Milwaukee are officially open for business and are willing to entertain trade offers for their franchise cornerstone.
Lionel Messi remains the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer after an October contract extension with Inter Miami guaranteed him an annual compensation of £20.9m.
Figures released by the MLS Players Association show the Argentina captain’s base salary currently sits at £18.5m.
This remarkable figure is more than double the earnings of the North American league’s second-highest paid player.
Son Heung-min trails in second place
Los Angeles FC forward Son Heung-min is the next highest earner with a base salary of £7.7m.
The former Tottenham star, 33, currently takes home slightly more than Inter Miami midfielder Rodrigo de Paul.
San Diego FC winger Hirving Lozano completes the top bracket of the division’s premium earners.
Commercial deals boost overall earnings
These official salary figures do not account for lucrative individual endorsement deals.
They also exclude the World Cup winner’s unique option to acquire a future ownership stake in the Florida franchise.
Inter Miami is notably co-owned by former Manchester United and England captain David Beckham.
A period of unprecedented dominance
The South American superstar joined the American league in 2023 and has since scored 59 goals in 64 regular-season appearances.
His prolific form helped the Herons secure the prestigious MLS Cup in 2025.
The veteran attacker led the division with 29 goals last season.
He was subsequently crowned the league’s Most Valuable Player for a second consecutive year.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr have missed the chance to secure the Saudi Pro League title after a spectacular own goal from goalkeeper Bento gifted rivals Al Hilal a crucial equaliser.
The Portuguese forward was visibly frustrated as the late error prevented his side from confirming their championship triumph on Tuesday.
A victory would have guaranteed the Riyadh-based club their first domestic league crown since the 2018-19 season.
Costly error shifts momentum
The disastrous mistake occurred when the Brazilian shot-stopper inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
This pivotal moment completely shifted the atmosphere within the stadium, leaving the home supporters in sheer disbelief.
The resulting draw means the five-time Ballon d’Or winner must wait even longer to lift his first league trophy in Saudi Arabia.
Title race remains alive
Al Hilal will view this fortunate point as a vital lifeline in their own pursuit of domestic glory.
The defending champions have consistently pushed the current league leaders throughout a grueling campaign.
Al Nassr must now regroup rapidly and overcome this profound psychological blow as they prepare for the final fixtures of the season.
Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy has been released from hospital after being shot in the leg during a concert in Mississippi early on Sunday.
The 20-year-old plans to travel immediately to the Tigers’ campus to begin his physical rehabilitation.
Sources indicate the highly-rated prospect retains the goal of playing college football this year despite the severe setback.
Concert shooting investigation underway
The standout collegiate athlete underwent surgery at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg following the incident in his native state.
Laurel police confirmed that at least two individuals sustained injuries during the event and three persons of interest are currently in custody.
“There had been a scheduled concert there of some rappers, or maybe a couple of different rappers,” Laurel police Sergeant Macon Davis told local media.
“It drew a large crowd, and then gunshots rang out at the end.”
A stellar debut season for the Tigers
The dynamic ball-carrier established himself as one of the premier offensive threats in the country last season.
He amassed an incredible 1,649 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, finishing second overall among all top-tier players in the category.
His impressive production earned him Associated Press All-America honours and the prestigious SEC Newcomer of the Year award.
The former UL Monroe player had previously rushed for 1,351 yards at his former school before making the high-profile switch to the Southeastern Conference programme.
UConn and South Carolina will meet at the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase on 24 November in their first fixture since a heated sideline altercation between their respective head coaches.
The highly anticipated matchup takes place at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, as part of a neutral-site double-header.
Reigning national champions UCLA are set to face St. John’s in the event’s accompanying fixture.
Final Four fallout and apologies
Tensions between the two powerhouse programmes peaked during the NCAA tournament semi-final on 3 April, when South Carolina secured a 62-48 upset victory over a previously undefeated Huskies side.
In the closing seconds of that high-stakes encounter, a visibly frustrated Geno Auriemma appeared to chastise his opposing counterpart.
Assistant coaches were forced to separate the pair before the veteran Connecticut boss departed for the locker room without the customary post-match handshake.
“I lost myself,” Auriemma admitted four days later, adding that he had apologised for the tense spat.
Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley subsequently insisted she was ready to move past the uncharacteristic incident.
“One moment doesn’t define a career,” the triumphant manager stated as she looked to turn the page on the controversy.
Recent dominance shifts
These two collegiate basketball giants have established a fierce rivalry, squaring off 15 times since the start of the 2014-15 campaign.
The Huskies hold a historical 9-6 advantage across those encounters, a record which includes four high-profile NCAA tournament battles.
However, the momentum in this marquee matchup has shifted recently, with the South Carolina outfit emerging victorious in five of their last seven meetings.