Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) celebrates with guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) after a 3-pointer during the first half of Game 2 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

OKLAHOMA CITY — The MVP looked like the MVP again, and the NBA Western Conference finals are knotted up.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander bounced back from a subpar series opener to score 30 points, Alex Caruso added 17 off the bench and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 122-113 on Wednesday night in Game 2.

Chet Holmgren scored 13 points and reserves Jared McCain and Cason Wallace each had 12 for Oklahoma City. The Thunder finished with a 57-25 edge in bench scoring, plus a 27-10 edge in points off turnovers.

Stephon Castle scored 25 points for the Spurs, who got 22 points from Devin Vassell and a 21-point, 17-rebound, six-assist, four-block night from Victor Wembanyama.

Game 3 is Friday in San Antonio.

“The guys brought it tonight. Knowing what it would have meant if we lost this one, we brought the energy from the jump,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, right, and guard Dylan Harper (2) defend against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the first half of Game 2 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series Wednesday, May 20, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Isaiah Hartenstein — who barely played in Game 1 — had 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who improved to 14-5 after a loss this season — and beat the Spurs for just the second time in seven meetings.

The win was not without cost for the Thunder, who lost guard Jalen Williams — who had already missed six games in these playoffs with a left hamstring strain — in the first half with a recurrence of the hamstring issue. The Thunder said it was tightness, but even that would figure to put his availability for Friday into doubt.

And the Spurs got banged up as well. Already without All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox because of ankle soreness, San Antonio lost his replacement in the starting lineup — Dylan Harper — to a right leg injury after he took a couple of awkward falls in the third quarter.

San Antonio was down by 11 at the half and trailed by eight going into the fourth quarter, then got within 99-97 off a corner 3-pointer by Harrison Barnes with 9:06 left.

The next 2 1/2 minutes saved the Thunder. An 11-0 run by the defending champions — including a banked-in 3-pointer by Jared McCain midway through the burst — pushed OKC’s lead to 13.

But the Spurs were far from done. Wembanyama scored down low to make it 118-113 with 1:25 remaining, but Gilgeous-Alexander got one last basket to settle things down and send the series to San Antonio tied.

Ed Orgeron is back in Baton Rouge.

LSU announced Wednesday night that Orgeron, who won the 2019 national championship at the school, is returning as a special assistant to recruiting and defense. 

Orgeron has been out of football since being fired from LSU in 2021 following a 51-20 record over six seasons. He’ll forever be remembered for that 15-0 LSU team, that has an argument as college football’s best, which featured quarterback Joe Burrow and receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. 

Beyond the obvious connection to LSU, Orgeron has deep ties to first-year LSU head coach Lane Kiffin. 

Orgeron and Kiffin first worked together as part of Pete Carroll’s USC staff in 2001, winning two national championships together. When Ed Orgeron left after the 2004 season to become Ole Miss head coach, he even tried to hire Kiffin as his offensive coordinator. Kiffin would later arrive in Oxford as Ole Miss head coach for the 2020 season, spending six seasons as the Rebels’ coach before leaving for LSU last December. 

Kiffin hired Orgeron as his recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach for the infamous one-season experience at Tennessee. Orgeron was a brilliant recruiter, enforcer and motivational speaker as Kiffin’s top lieutenant in Knoxville. For the quieter, more analytical Kiffin, the boisterous and aggressive Orgeron is a nice counterbalance, especially when it comes to getting a team fired up before a game. The stories of Orgeron ripping off his shirt and getting the team fired up have followed him every step of his coaching journey. It’s part of his charm, and his players love him for it. 

Orgeron went with Lane back to USC for three-and-a-half seasons and succeeded him as the interim head coach after Kiffin was famously fired at a Los Angeles-area airport tarmac. He went 6-2 in 2013 as Kiffin’s replacement but was upset when he didn’t get the permanent job and left the program. 

While Orgeron’s title is ambiguous, recent NCAA rule changes allow for him to get out on the road and recruit for the Tigers if Lane wants him to — which he obviously should. Coach O knows and loves LSU and can authentically sell its merits to both Louisiana natives and others around the South. Lane has mastered the art of transfer portal recruiting as the “Portal King” but could use someone like Coach O. Orgeron’s bread-and-butter was going into family homes and selling parents and grandparents, a critical skill in a state like Louisiana.

“I’m excited to bring Coach Orgeron back to LSU,” Kiffin said. “He brings us tremendous value with his ability to recruit elite players nationally, but especially the impact he can have for us recruiting the great state of Louisiana. Coach O understands my expectations and commitment to being a championship program. I look forward to seeing him with recruits and his intensity working with our defensive players.”

ENGIE Stadium will play host to Sunday’s
Round 11 AFL game between GWS Giants and
Brisbane Lions. The game kicks off at 12:30 pm with Brisbane Lions heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the GWS Giants vs.
Brisbane Lions
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday May 24, 2026 at 12:30 pm

Where: ENGIE Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

GWS Giants vs Brisbane Lions Odds

GWS Giants vs Brisbane Lions Preview

GWS and Brisbane will both look to rebound from disappointing losses when they clash at ENGIE Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Giants’ defeat to West Coast highlighted their ongoing struggles away from home, although returning to Sydney should provide a timely boost given their strong record at ENGIE Stadium. Brisbane’s heavy loss to Geelong was only its second defeat in eight matches, but the Lions will be wary of a recent trend against the Giants after losing three of the last four meetings between the clubs. GWS prevailed in an entertaining clash at the Gabba last season, powered by a dominant combined haul from Jesse Hogan and Aaron Cadman. However, Hogan’s continued absence through injury leaves a significant hole in the Giants’ attack and could tilt the balance towards Brisbane in a match that shapes as crucial for both clubs’ top-eight ambitions.

A new development could once again put the Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao rematch in doubt.

It was revealed back in February that Mayweather and Pacquiao were set to meet for the second time, over 10 years on from their initial fight and eight years from when Mayweather last competed professionally.

Several problems then emerged that raised concerns that the bout wouldn’t actually take place, with Mayweather claiming that the fight would be an exhibition rather than a fully sanctioned contest. The announced date and venue was then also disputed.

It appeared those issues had been resolved earlier this month when the pair reportedly agreed to new terms for their fight, but now Mayweather looks set for another outing in the same timeframe, leading to a potential clash.

His planned exhibition fight with Mike Tyson has now been officially pushed back, with CIS Sports revealing the legendary duo are set to meet this Autumn after ‘Iron Mike’ recovers from the injury that delayed their bout.

“Global superstars Mike Tyson and undefeated Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather (50-0), who signed to get in the ring in an exhibition this Spring, will have a short moment to wait while Tyson fully recovers from a broken hand he injured during training.

“Tyson, who was seen sporting a cast while he continues to work through a smooth recovery, is looking forward to the fight that will be rescheduled to a date in the Fall of 2026. The date, venue and FIGHT SPORTS® broadcast plans will be announced shortly.

“The Legend vs Legend exhibition, per agreements with CSI Sports™/FIGHT SPORTS®, was originally scheduled for May 30 and will only see a short postponement.

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“CSI Sports™/FIGHT SPORTS® exclusive deals with Tyson and Mayweather positions the company at the forefront of major global sports events, reinforcing its commitment to delivering marquee events and historic matchups to fans worldwide.”

Along with the rescheduled fight with Tyson, Mayweather is also set for an exhibition against Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis in June, so it seems there could be even more hurdles to overcome if the rematch against Pacquiao is indeed set to happen.

A regular visitor to Villa Park, Prince William was spotted in the crowd celebrating as Villa beat Nottingham Forest earlier this month to secure their place in the Europa League final.

So it was only right that the prince made the trip to Turkey to witness Villa history.

Television cameras picked up on the prince soaking it all in before kick-off, before celebrating with those close by as Villa got a grip on the trophy.

The prince also made sure to capture the historic moment when John McGinn hoisted the trophy high above his head.

Villa captain McGinn labelled Prince William as “just a normal guy” after the win.

McGinn told TNT Sports: “He’s a classy man, he was in the dressing room before the game.

“He’s a massive Villa fan, he was never going to miss it. He’s just a normal guy, it’s great to have his support.”

The prince started supporting Villa during his school days in Berkshire, choosing a team further afield as he did not want to follow the crowd.

“A long time ago at school, I got into football big time. I was looking around for clubs. All my friends at school were either Manchester United fans or Chelsea fans and I didn’t want to follow the run-of-the-mill teams,” he told the BBC in 2015.

“I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments.”

William was born 26 days after Villa’s European Cup final win against Bayern Munich on 26 May 1982.

He has spoken previously about the joy he gets from following a club with the ups and downs that Villa have experienced.

“Aston Villa‘s always had a great history. I have got friends of mine who support Aston Villa and one of the first FA Cup games I went to was Bolton v Aston Villa back in 2000. Sadly, Villa went on to lose to Chelsea [in the final],” he added.

“It was the atmosphere, the camaraderie and I really felt that there was something I could connect with.”

The Minnesota Vikings might have a slight roster deficiency at outside linebacker after trading Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles last month, and Fansided says the best way to fix that is a trade for New York Giants defender Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The price may be manageable if New York ever shops the former No. 5 pick.

Several free-agent EDGE rushers are also on the open market, but Jake Beckman claims Thibodeaux is the way.

Brian Flores Could Use Another Young EDGE Piece

For the most part, Vikings fans would approve of this transaction.

Fansided: Thibodeaux to Vikings via Trade Makes Sense

Beckman identified one trade candidate per team this week, and on Thibodeaux to Minnesota, he wrote, “The Vikings traded Johnathon Greenard to the Eagles during the draft, and now they’re going to be missing out on a whole lot of snaps and even more production. Luckily for them, the Giants are sitting there with a plethora of defensive ends and edge rushers.”

“New York might be saying that they’re not going to trade Kayvon Thibodeaux, but that’s what every team says, so they don’t lose leverage in any potential trades. If the Vikings wanted to go and get him, they’d definitely be able to… However, if you’re a Vikings fan, that’s probably not what you want.”

Four years ago, Thibodeaux was considered one of the next big things in the NFL.

Beckman continued, “Sure, Thibodeaux would end up being awesome, but I don’t necessarily want my team to make any trades when they don’t have a general manager. Especially after they just traded a player like Greenard for the low price of two third-round picks.”

Thibodeaux’s Production

Curious about Thibodeaux’s track record? We’ve got it. These are the numbers:

And his Pro Football Focus scorecard since 2022:

• 2022: 72.5
• 2023: 58.4
• 2024: 69.0
• 2025: 66.0

It’s worth noting that Thibodeaux’s tackling has waned over the last two seasons; he’ll need to improve it before too long.

Possible Trade Price

NFL trade packages notoriously vary, but for Thibodeaux, an interested team might have to pony up the equivalent of a 3rd- or 4th-Rounder. The man does pressure quarterbacks, and he’ll always have the fifth overall draft pick stock from 2022.

For example, if Minnesota wanted him, a deal might have to look like this:

Minnesota notably doesn’t have a 4th-Round pick next year because of its ill-fated Adam Thielen trade in 2025. What’s more, the Vikings have an extra 3rd-Rounder in 2027 because of the aforementioned Greenard trade to the Eagles last month — perhaps more firepower to land a notable EDGE via trade.

The Athletic‘s Dan Duggan noted on Thibodeaux’s trade price in April, “The Saints were the team most interested in trading for Thibodeaux, however, according to a league source. The problem was the sides weren’t close on potential compensation.”

“The Saints’ best offer is believed to have been a fourth-round pick (No. 132), while the Giants were seeking a second-round pick — the Saints had the 42nd selection. The Saints moved on, instead sending a fifth-round pick to the Raiders for defensive end Tyree Wilson and a seventh-round pick.”

In-House Options at OLB

If the Vikings do not consult a trade for a third pass rusher, they have a few options behind the starters, Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner. The first is rookie Jake Golday. Minnesota drafted him as an off-ball linebacker, but he played some EDGE in junior college before taking the plunge at ILB in Cincinnati. Flores could deploy Golday like Van Ginkel, a hybrid OLB-ILB.

Flores also has two undrafted free-agent outside linebackers: Bo Richter and Tyler Batty. One of those men could be ready for a breakout, at least in OLB3 terms, and if so, Minnesota would need no Thibodeauxs.

Otherwise, the free-agent market has names like Denico Autry, Derek Barnett, Joey Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney, Marcus Davenport, A.J. Epenesa, Leonard Floyd, Cameron Jordan, Von Miller, Haason Reddick, and Kyle Van Noy.

Thibodeaux will turn 26 in December. He’s right in the middle of his prime. He’ll also need a new contract between now and next March.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Real Madrid are confident of signing Rodri from Manchester City amid Pep Guardiola’s departure, Bayern Munich plan a shock move for John Stones, while Atletico Madrid want Marc Cucurella.

Pep Guardiola’s impending exit from Manchester City opens the door for 29-year-old Spain midfielder Rodri to join Real Madrid this summer. (Marca – in Spanish), external

Bayern Munich are considering a shock move for England defender John Stones with the 31-year-old set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season. (Mail), external

Atletico Madrid are weighing up moves for Manchester City‘s 31-year-old Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva and Chelsea‘s 27-year-old Spain defender Marc Cucurella. (Sky Sports), external

Inter Miami are closing in on the signing of Manchester United‘s Brazil midfielder Casemiro with the 34-year-old set to leave the club at the end of the season. (Athletic) , external

Liverpool‘s 33-year-old Brazil goalkeeper Alisson wants to join Juventus this summer even if the Serie A side fail to qualify for the Champions League. (Gazzetta – in Italian), external

Barcelona have agreed personal terms with 28-year-old England forward Marcus Rashford as they look to make his loan deal permanent, but are yet to agree a transfer fee with Manchester United. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Liverpool have formally registered their interest in 20-year-old Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Toure but they face competition from Manchester United, Aston Villa and Newcastle who also admire the Ivorian. (Teamtalk), external

Manchester United are monitoring Borussia Dortmund left-back Julian Ryerson, 28, with the Norway international being lined up as a possible replacement for Noussair Mazraoui. (Sky Sports Germany), external

Manchester United could take advantage of Southampton’s Spygate controversy by moving for 22-year-old Northern Ireland midfielder Shea Charles. (Mirror), external

Liverpool could make a move for 21-year-old Norway winger Antonio Nusa should a deal for his RB Leipzig team-mate Yan Diomande become too difficult. (Football Insider), external

Fenerbahce have emerged as a surprise contender to sign 33-year-old Egypt forward Mohamed Salah from Liverpool this summer. (Caught Offside), external

Chelsea are weighing up a move for Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba, 27, with the Burkina Faso international having previously worked under incoming boss Xabi Alonso. (Teamtalk), external

Borussia Dortmund are unlikely to bring Manchester United‘s 26-year-old England winger Jadon Sancho, who is on loan at Aston Villa, back to the club for a third spell. (Bild – in German), external

Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin delivered a humorous take while praising batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the 15-year-old guided Rajasthan Royals to an emphatic win over Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday in Jaipur. Chasing a daunting target, RR were put under pressure after conceding 220 runs in 20 overs, with Mitchell Marsh top-scoring with 96 off 57 balls for LSG. However, the hosts turned things around in spectacular fashion as Sooryavanshi played a sensational knock, smashing 96 off just 57 balls to take RR home with five balls to spare and seven wickets in hand.

His innings was studded with seven boundaries and ten sixes, underlining his fearless approach. As the Bihar-born youngster dispatched LSG bowlers to all parts of the ground, Ashwin took to X (formerly Twitter) and jokingly described him as an “alien from Area 51,” lauding his extraordinary hitting ability.

“Area 51 has a lot of mystery associated to extra terrestrial existence. Let’s put an end to that debate, there is one super natural person living amongst us earthlings & he opens the batting for Rajasthan Royals and is on duty now at Jaipur. It’s also on Live TV,” wrote Ashwin.

Area 51 has a lot of mystery associated to extra terrestrial existence.

Let’s put an end to that debate, there is one super natural person living amongst us earthlings & he opens the batting for Rajasthan Royals and is on duty now at Jaipur.

It’s also on Live…

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) May 19, 2026

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Courtesy of Sooryavanshi’s brilliance, Rajasthan Royals completed the chase in 19.1 overs and climbed to fourth place on the points table.

“Nothing much. I was just thinking because I was sitting outside during the bowling innings and the wicket looked good. I was thinking that today I shouldn’t rush too much at the start, I should take some time and if I bat for a longer period, it’s going to help the batter at the other end as well. (on starting slowly but still reaching fifty quickly) That was the mindset. I know I can hit two or three boundaries or sixes anytime, so I can take a little more time and not rush too much and try to take the game till the end,” said Sooryavanshi during the post-match presentation.

With 14 points from 13 matches, RR remain firmly in contention for a playoff berth and can still reach 16 points to strengthen their chances of progressing to the next stage.

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Lane Kiffin is bring back a familiar face.

LSU has finalized a deal to hire former head coach Ed Orgeron as an assistant on head coach Lane Kiffin’s staff, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The deal brings Orgeron back to his home state, and reunites with him Kiffin after working under him at USC and Tennessee.