Mitch Johnson reveals what crushed Spurs in NBA Finals opener originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
For much of Wednesday night, the San Antonio Spurs looked in control of Game 1. They built a double digit lead and forced New York to spend most of the evening playing from behind.
Every time the Knicks appeared ready to make a push, San Antonio found another answer. By the middle of the third quarter, the Spurs had stretched their advantage to 14 points.
That should have been enough to create real separation. Instead, New York remained close enough to keep believing. The reason appeared almost every time the Knicks missed a shot.
San Antonio would force a difficult possession. New York would miss. Then the possession continued when the Knicks grabbed another rebound.

Ismael Saibari is “very close” to completing a switch from PSV to Bayern Munich, according to Fabrizio Romano.
After Bayern’s interest in the Morocco international emerged at the beginning of this week, talks are now moving into the final stages, the Italian transfer expert claims.
Bayern are already understood to have reached an agreement with Saibari, who is preparing to represent Morocco at the World Cup.
According to Romano, the plan is for Saibari to undergo his medical in the United States ahead of the move.
Earlier this week, Eindhovens Dagblad reported that Bayern were planning to submit an initial bid of €48 million, with PSV demanding around €60 million. An agreement is expected to be reached somewhere within that range.

Iowa football’s all-time leading rusher is getting the recognition he deserves.
Sedrick Shaw was a Hawkeye from 1993-96. Shaw rushed for a school-record 4,156 yards and is tied with Tavian Banks for the most career rushing touchdowns with 33.
Despite his name being strung across the Hawkeye football record book, Shaw hadn’t been inducted into the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame. That will change soon.
On Wednesday, Iowa announced its 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class. Shaw joins six other former Iowa athletes in the 2026 Hall of Fame class:
Kim Baker-El Abiad: Women's Gymnastics

I feel for Tony Santillan at the moment. He’s been such a vital part of the Cincinnati Reds bullpen, when healthy, for several years now, but it’s undeniable that he’s been struggling for weeks now to no avail.
Problem is, the more he struggles, the more that’s still being asked of him. Simultaneous with his foibles have come the injuries to Emilio Pagan, Pierce Johnson, and Graham Ashcraft, as well as the latest derailment of Connor Phillips. In other words, opportunities keep falling on his lap based on his reputation at a time when he, like so many relievers before him, needed just a bit more time to work things out.
The Cincinnati Reds have been worse for it, sadly. There just aren’t enough other good options down there to whom Terry Francona can turn.
Cincinnati clawed their way back to a 2-2 tie against the Kansas City Royals thanks to a late 2-run homer by Blake Dunn, a swing that leveled the score after Chase Burns turned in yet another stellar start (6.0 IP, 2 ER, 9 K). The problem, though, is that the more that was asked of Cincinnati’s beleaguered bullpen, the worse things got.
I hate to pile on Santillan here, but the facts are what they are now. In 23.0 IP this season, he’s pitched to a 6.65 ERA while yielding an impossible nine homers in that time. Seven of those dingers have come since May 5th alone. Yet here the Reds were in the 9th inning of a game against a club that was just 23-38 on the season coming in with Santillan on the mound with the game on the line, and things once again simply collapsed in real time.

While the Warriors were linked to Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo at last February's trade deadline, reports this summer have indicated that Golden State is unlikely to be Antetokounmpo's next destination.
Additional reports corroborated this Wednesday as NBA insider Jake Fischer believes that the Warriors are out on acquiring the Greek forward. "I'm not looking at Golden State really as a Giannis team either," said Fischer. "I have been told that Giannis isn't exactly enamored with moving to the Western Conference in general, let alone going and being second fiddle to Stephen Curry."
With this news in mind, Golden State could shift their sights to a more attainable target, perhaps Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers or even LeBron James, who is a free agent this summer.
This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Golden State gets bad news in Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes

It now seems to be just a matter of when and not if Andoni Iraola will be appointed as the new head coach of Liverpool FC.
Almost immediately after the sacking of Arne Slot last Saturday, the former Bournemouth boss was installed as the firm favourite to take the reins at Anfield, and talks have been taking place between the relevant parties over the past few days.
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It was reported that the Reds were aiming to finalise the 43-year-old’s appointment before the World Cup commences in eight days’ time, but it now seems as though an announcement could be made even sooner.
On Tuesday night, The Athletic‘s David Ornstein reported that Liverpool have reached a ‘verbal agreement’ with Iraola to become their new head coach, and he’s expected to take the job on an initial two-year contract.

Aaron Donald's return from retirement to Rams depends on one thing originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Rams, as of a week ago, were already looking at a very promising 2026 NFL season.
And then they traded for Myles Garrett. And now Aaron Donald might come back.
The Garrett trade was unexpected, sort of, but it was one of those deals that after the fact everyone looked at and could make some sense of.
A Donald return from retirement after not playing in the NFL since 2023? That'd be astounding.

Chris Godwin has spent nine seasons in the NFL, all of them with Mike Evans as his teammates. When Evans decided to leave in free agency for the 49ers, Godwin didn't accept it.
"Honestly, I didn’t believe it," Godwin told reporters on Tuesday, via Jenna Laine of ESPN. "I mean, there's a bunch of stuff on the Internet that you can't really believe, a lot of AI stuff. So I didn't really believe it. And then I texted [quarterback Baker Mayfield]. I was like, 'Yo, is this for real?' And he was like, 'Sad face [emoji].'"
Evans and Godwin are first and second in franchise history for catches, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. Now, Evans is gone.
"I think it's part of the game, unfortunately," Godwin said. "Mike is -- I mean, we all know what Mike has been to this community and this organization. That's my brother and I wish him the best and his time in San Fran. I'm sure that they know what kind of player that they're getting.
"I mean, obviously it's going to be difficult that he's not here. And I think anytime you're missing Mike, that's a tough situation. But fortunately we have a room full of guys that are ready to go."

Ludvig Aberg was paired alongside Aaron Rai during the final round of the PGA Championship last month.
Many fancied Aberg to claim his first major, while Rai wasn’t even being spoken about as a potential winner before the event began.
However, the Englishman went on to produce some sensational golf down the stretch, playing his final 10 holes in six-under par to win by three from Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley.
Ludvig Aberg ended up finishing in a tie for fourth at the PGA Championship, four strokes adrift of the eventual champion, Aaron Rai.
At the time, Aberg said he was delighted to see Rai win the PGA Championship at the magnificent Aronimink.