Victor Wembanyama will travel with the San Antonio Spurs to Portland for this weekend’s play-off games despite remaining in the league’s concussion protocol.
The towering Frenchman suffered a head injury during Tuesday’s Game 2 loss to the Trail Blazers and was forced to leave the court in the second quarter.
San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson confirmed his player is making positive strides, but his availability for Friday’s crucial Game 3 remains undetermined.
He is progressing.
Mitch Johnson
Strict return-to-play process
The 7-foot-4 centre must clear several specific neurological milestones before being permitted to return to competitive action.
This rigorous recovery process begins with light exertion, which includes riding a stationary bike, jogging and non-contact agility drills.
Medical staff will continuously compare the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year’s current test results against his pre-season baseline evaluations.
The first-round play-off series is currently delicately poised at one game apiece ahead of Friday’s fixture, with Game 4 following on Sunday.
A pivotal absence for San Antonio
Losing their franchise cornerstone for an extended period would serve as a massive blow to the Spurs’ postseason ambitions.
The team finished the regular season with the second-best record in the standings, driven heavily by their talisman’s historic performances.
During his dominant campaign, the MVP finalist averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game.
However, San Antonio have proven they can remain competitive without him, recording 12 wins and six losses during his regular-season absences.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has agreed personal terms with Italian giants Juventus ahead of a potential summer transfer.
According to journalist Matteo Moretto, the 33-year-old has reached a verbal agreement with the Serie A club, although a transfer fee is yet to be negotiated.
The Brazilian’s potential departure forms part of a massive squad rebuild under manager Arne Slot at Anfield.
Liverpool recently triggered a 12-month contract extension to prevent the world-class shot-stopper from leaving on a free transfer this summer.
End of an era at Anfield
The Merseyside club are bracing for significant turnover following a deeply frustrating domestic campaign.
Slot’s side are currently battling merely to qualify for the Champions League after failing miserably in the defence of their Premier League title.
Long-serving defender Andrew Robertson will depart upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the season.
Forward Mohamed Salah has also reached a mutual agreement to rescind his current deal a year early.
Alisson now appears ready to join the exodus, potentially closing the chapter on his highly successful career in English football.
Injuries open the door for Mamardashvili
The veteran goalkeeper has been sidelined with a persistent hamstring injury since a 4-0 Champions League victory over Galatasaray in mid-March.
Fitness struggles have increasingly hampered the South American over recent seasons, raising questions about his ability to consistently manage the rigorous demands of elite football.
Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili has deputised as the starting stopper during this period.
Mamardashvili was explicitly recruited as a long-term successor and has now benefited from a crucial period of adaptation in the Premier League.
Sanctioning a sale would allow Liverpool to command a respectable transfer fee and remove substantial wages from their books, generating valuable funds to reinvest in other areas of the squad.
Fourth seed Iga Swiatek has launched her Madrid Open campaign with a dominant 6-1 6-2 victory over Ukraine’s Daria Snigur, having recently sought advice from 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.
The former world number one recently parted ways with coach Wim Fissette to hire Francisco Roig.
Roig previously spent years working alongside Nadal before undertaking brief stints with players such as Emma Raducanu and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Informal guidance from a tennis great
To prepare for the European clay-court swing, the Polish star spent a dedicated training block at the Spaniard’s academy in Majorca.
While Nadal does not hold an official coaching role within her team, his accessibility provides significant reassurance.
We’re not in constant touch but I know I can always ask him anything if I want so this is really comforting and it also shows how good of a person he is.
Iga Swiatek
It has been an unusually challenging start to the year for the Warsaw native.
She has failed to progress beyond a tournament quarter-final this season, suffering an exit in the last eight at Stuttgart just last week.
Adjusting the service motion
A key focus under her new coaching setup has been an altered service motion.
This technical adjustment yielded immediate positive results against her Ukrainian opponent on the Spanish clay.
Today I felt like this was it and I just need to keep doing that, keep focusing on it and remembering the right movement. A week in Majorca is not enough for the body to remember the movement, but today for sure was a step forward.
Iga Swiatek
Elsewhere in the draw, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka battled past Peyton Stearns 7-5 6-3 in her first match since winning the Miami Open.
Off the court, the top seeds were left surprised by the sudden resignation of WTA chief executive Portia Archer.
We always had a good relationship, I felt like she listened to what we had to say and was really open-minded.
Iga Swiatek
Millwall have guaranteed a Championship play-off place and remain in the hunt for automatic promotion to the Premier League ahead of Friday’s pivotal match against Leicester City.
The south London club can temporarily climb into second place with a win or a draw at the King Power Stadium.
Securing a positive result would immediately shift the pressure onto automatic promotion rivals Ipswich Town.
The Tractor Boys currently hold the second automatic spot on goal difference with a game in hand, but face a considerably more difficult run-in.
Managerial experience proves vital
The Lions’ unlikely charge up the table has been masterminded by their manager, Neil, despite the club operating on a lower mid-table budget.
Financial backing from chairman James Berylson and a successful recruitment drive led by director of football Steve Gallen have provided a crucial foundation.
However, it is the manager’s vast experience in navigating high-pressure situations that has unified the squad.
Having previously secured three successful play-off campaigns across Scotland, League One, and the Championship, he brings invaluable top-level know-how to The Den.
I never encourage the players to read and listen to what people say.
The experienced coach insists his squad must remain focused purely on the immediate challenges ahead.
We only focus on what’s in front of us. We don’t get carried away with anything.
Defying Championship history
The current playing group is largely unfamiliar with the intense demands of securing top-flight football.
The Bermondsey-based side have finished in the top half of the second tier six times over the past eight seasons but continually fell short of the play-off places.
Their last appearance in the Championship play-offs came an agonising 24 years ago.
Despite the weight of history, the club’s hierarchy are refusing to treat their current league position as a fortunate accident.
But when you work every single day, every single minute to get somewhere, you don’t sit there as if you’ve won the lottery.
The manager added that their success is the direct result of relentless hard graft from every single person connected to the club.
Captain Jake Cooper and the strong bonds forged within the dressing room have also been highlighted as a driving force behind this unprecedented push.
Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka has successfully opened her Madrid Open campaign with a victory over American Peyton Stearns in the round of 64.
The world number two began her quest to retain the title on the Spanish clay with an authoritative performance.
Opening hurdle cleared
The Belarusian star arrived at the tournament looking to replicate the formidable form that saw her lift the trophy last year.
Overcoming her American challenger represents a crucial first step for the two-time Grand Slam winner as the European clay-court swing intensifies.
Stearns provided early resistance but ultimately fell short against the relentless baseline power of the defending champion.
Building momentum on clay
Success in the Spanish capital is traditionally viewed as a vital indicator of physical form ahead of the upcoming French Open.
The reigning Australian Open champion will now look to establish a deep run as she confidently advances to the round of 32.
Chelsea and Manchester United are preparing for a massive summer of managerial upheaval following a turbulent Premier League season that has already seen 10 bosses leave their roles.
Liam Rosenior became the latest casualty when the West London club sacked him earlier this week after just three months in charge.
The Blues, alongside Crystal Palace and the Red Devils, are now actively seeking permanent appointments to lead them into the new campaign.
Bournemouth have already secured their replacement by luring Marco Rose to the south coast.
This swift move leaves former Cherries boss Andoni Iraola on the market and highly sought after by rival executives.
Carrick stakes claim at Old Trafford
Michael Carrick has significantly boosted his chances of securing the full-time role at Manchester United.
The interim boss has impressed fans and pundits alike since stepping up following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim.
Expected Champions League qualification will only strengthen the former England midfielder’s case to permanently take the reins.
Players have responded positively to his methods by recording several standout results during his temporary tenure.
However, senior figures at Old Trafford reportedly want a leader with a larger profile to handle the intense media scrutiny.
Carrick currently lacks the extensive pedigree usually associated with managing a sporting institution of this global magnitude.
Should a proven elite coach become available, the hierarchy could pivot, but the stand-in manager remains a very strong candidate.
Chelsea face search for fifth boss
Meanwhile, the American owners at Stamford Bridge must find their fifth permanent manager since completing their takeover in 2022.
Internal discussions regarding priority targets are already under way behind the scenes.
Despite this, club officials insist they are not currently holding active negotiations with any specific candidates.
Industry sources suggest that recent recruitment struggles under the current ownership model might deter high-profile coaching targets.
Iraola is expected to feature prominently on their final shortlist following his excellent tactical work at the Vitality Stadium.
Fulham head coach Marco Silva could also be discussed if he decides against extending his contract at Craven Cottage.
Uncertainty looms over top coaches
The wider managerial landscape remains highly unpredictable right across the English top flight.
Questions surround the long-term futures of Manchester City mastermind Pep Guardiola and the aforementioned Silva.
Elsewhere, Liverpool manager Arne Slot and Newcastle United counterpart Eddie Howe are currently facing intense public scrutiny.
A wealth of international talent could also soon become available to tempt ambitious club owners.
High-profile figures including former Real Madrid tactician Xabi Alonso and Edin Terzic are actively exploring their next career moves.
Ten Chinese snooker players face lengthy bans after details emerged of an unprecedented match-fixing ring masterminded by Liang Wenbo through fear and intimidation.
The corruption scandal fundamentally shocked the sport when it was exposed three years ago.
Investigations revealed the illicit network was built entirely on a foundation of threats rather than simple financial greed.
Coercion at the British Open
At the 2022 British Open in Milton Keynes, 20-year-old Chang Bingyu received a sinister phone call hours before his second-round match.
Liang demanded the talented youngster lose 4-1 to Welshman Jak Jones, promising a £6,000 payoff alongside severe physical consequences for non-compliance.
Chang deliberately lost the match by the exact scoreline requested, although he never received the promised illicit funds.
Months later, as official investigations began, a known associate of the ringleader intercepted the youngster to demand total silence.
The associate led Chang to a parked car containing Liang’s snooker cue on the back seat, serving as a clear act of physical intimidation.
Isolation and financial struggle
This chilling pattern of coercion was the established modus operandi used for manipulating younger compatriots.
The older professional already possessed a fierce reputation for violence following a 2021 conviction for attacking a woman in Sheffield.
The city’s vibrant Chinese snooker community inadvertently provided the perfect environment for this corrupt network to thrive.
Young professionals living near the renowned Victoria and Ding Junhui academies found themselves deeply isolated during the global pandemic.
Unable to return home for two years, many endured severe financial hardship, with Chang reportedly holding less than £100 in his bank account.
Fear of retaliation
Not all targets succumbed to the immense pressure applied by the former ranking event winner.
Cao Yupeng, who previously served a two-year suspension for corruption, firmly rejected the advances after his wife angrily confronted the instigator.
However, many younger competitors were swept into the deceit, terrified for their personal safety and the wellbeing of their families back in Asia.
People in the West don’t understand. People can go missing off the streets here and nothing will be done about it.
This stark assessment from Chang’s childhood coach, Roger Leighton, highlights the profound cultural fears that allowed the betting ring to operate.
BBC Sport has announced that the iconic Saturday lunchtime programme Football Focus will end after 52 years at the conclusion of the current season due to declining television viewing figures.
The classic pre-match show launched in 1974 to provide fans with weekend previews, interviews, and detailed analysis.
However, modern audiences have increasingly shifted towards digital platforms and on-demand services for their sports content.
Linear viewing figures for the traditional broadcast have gradually fallen since 2018, prompting this difficult operational decision.
Changing viewing habits and digital expansion
Director of BBC Sport Alex Kay-Jelski explained the move reflects a continued shift in how fans engage with the beautiful game.
“Football Focus has been a hugely important programme in the history of BBC Sport and has played a key role in telling the stories of the game for generations of viewers.”
The corporation plans to expand its digital output significantly, creating exclusive programming on platforms like YouTube to reach modern supporters.
Kelly Somers’ show, The Football Interview, will step into the traditional Saturday 12:45 BST slot on BBC One starting next season.
A rich broadcasting history
The historic preview programme originated as a dedicated segment on Grandstand before evolving into a standalone staple of weekend television.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson became an enduring figurehead for the broadcast, presenting for two decades after initially taking the reins.
Other notable broadcasters to occupy the prestigious presenter’s chair include Gary Lineker, Dan Walker, Ray Stubbs, and Steve Rider.
Former England international Alex Scott will serve as the final host, concluding a five-year tenure fronting the television coverage.
Future broadcasting roles for Scott
Despite the cancellation, the former Arsenal defender remains a central figure in the corporation’s future sports strategy.
“Alex Scott is one of our finest presenters, is hugely popular across the men’s and women’s game and is a big part of our present and future.”
She will continue to lead coverage for the Women’s Super League, the upcoming World Cup, and BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Executives are also working on a highly anticipated new project involving the seasoned broadcaster, with further details expected shortly.