Category Sports News

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves to move one point clear of the NBA Finals.

Oklahoma held a three-game lead at the break, 65-57, and 90-85 at the final whistle, but fought back to earn a 3-1 lead after a late Minnesota comeback.

In the final fifteen seconds, Gilgeous-Alexander made five of his final six free throw attempts to earn a 128-126 victory. He scored 40 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and added 10 assists.

The 143-101 thrashing they suffered in game three was impressive for Mark Daigneault’s team.

“We did a good job of staying present tonight,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.

“We simply wanted to control the things we could control tonight because we obviously had a bad taste in our mouth from the last game.” The best way to do this is, in my opinion, to be present.

“We definitely could have been better tonight.” Even though tonight wasn’t perfect, we gave ourselves a chance and received a W.

With the exception of Donte DiVincenzo, who had 21 points and Jaden McDaniels had 22 points, the Timberwolves were able to hold off Oklahoma City.

Alexander-Walker once said, “Everything is out there.

There are no secrets, they say. They are adept at igniting our defeat. We are aware of their tactics. It’s just about going out and doing it, and seeing who wants it more and who is trying to put it into practice more.

“We did that at times throughout this game,” said the manager. “Cont consistency is everything.”

Laura Rafferty, the defender for Northern Ireland, urges her team to prepare for Friday’s crucial Nations League game against Poland at Seaview.

The team’s February defeat to the Euro 2025-bound Poles leaves Tanya Oxtoby’s side with a 2-0 defeat away in February, heading into their final two Group B1 matches three points clear of the leaders with victories at home against Bosnia-Herzogovina and Romania, as well as an away draw against the Romanians.

Northern Ireland could potentially win the group playing Bosnia-Herzegovina in Zenica on Tuesday if they beat Poland, which would give them control over their own destiny.

We talked about our goals from the beginning, and we now know what we need to do in the final two games.

“I believe we need to be more confident [than we did in the defeat by Poland] before going into this game.” We only want a win from this enormous game because it is so important to us.

We’re just dissecting their [Poland’s] games, they say, and we’re looking forward to it. What you do to exploit a team’s strengths and weaknesses is what you do.

On Monday, 18-year-old goalkeeper Kate Smith joined fellow stopper Abbie Smith, Aimee Kerr, Abi Sweetlove, Keri Halliday, and Kascie Weir as the latest youngster to be selected for the NI squad.

Rafferty, one of the squad’s more experienced players, claims that the camp atmosphere is “upbeat” ahead of the double-header, and that the young players are blending in well.

We have a lot of young players who are coming in and thoroughly enjoying it, according to the manager.

The former Chelsea, Brighton, and Southampton player just finished her first season with the Rangers squad. She also spent time on loan with Bristol City.

Her organization agonizedly lost to Hibernian on the final day of the Scottish Women’s Premier League season, but she triumphed over Glasgow City 3-0 to reach the Women’s Scottish Cup final on Sunday, adding that trophy to the Women’s Premier League Cup they won in March.

“I’ve absolutely loved every minute at Rangers,” he said. “There have been some tougher moments with the league recently than with the league.

You have to show that when you play for a club like Rangers, you want to take all three [trophies] [.

We had the opportunity to end the season high before the Glasgow City game, and we wanted to leave no regrets, despite what transpired [losing out on the league], [congratulations to Hibs].

We wanted to keep our name on the trophy because, ultimately, it was ours. We’re pleased that we succeeded.

The 29-year-old centre-back wants to improve during her second season in Scotland.

After wrapping up his second spell as Wales head coach, Warren Gatland has begun a consulting role in the Uruguayan rugby team.

The Super Rugby Americas (SRA) play-off finals will feature the 61-year-old New Zealander joining Uruguay’s professional club Penarol.

After a record-breaking run of 14 Test match defeats, Gatland quit his position as Wales’ head coach in February, two games before the 2025 Six Nations.

Penarol, one of the semi-finalists for the SRA, made the announcement via social media that he would be “Welcome Warren Gatland.”

The legendary New Zealand coach will work with Penarol as an advisor to head coach Ivo Dugonjic and the Penarol staff to put all of his knowledge to use, according to the Montevideo-based club.

Along with a world-class international career that began in 1998 under the leadership of Ireland, Gatland is one of rugby’s most successful coaches. She has also had stints at Connacht, Wasps, Waikato, and Super Rugby side Chiefs.

Four years later, he helped the British and Irish Lions win the series against Australia in 2013 and draw against the All Blacks in 2014.

He led the team to three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-finals during his first tenure as head coach of Wales, which he did from 2007 to 2019.

After a record-equal 14 matches without defeat, Wales even climbed to the top of the world rankings for the first time in August 2019. Gatland won 70 games in his first year in charge, with 53 defeats and two draws, giving it a 56% success rate.

However, he presided over the statistically worst Wales team in their 144-year international rugby history, with 14 successive Test losses, after returning following Wayne Pivac’s dismissal in 2022. In 26 matches, Gatland’s success rate was less than 25%, with only six victories and 20 defeats in its second.

The team still needs to stop a losing streak that began with their October 2023 victory over Georgia. Wales’ record run of Test defeats has been extended to 17 under caretaker Matt Sherratt.

With Scotland’s defense coach and former Ospreys boss Steve Tandy as a top target, the search for a full-time replacement for Gatland is currently under the direction of recently appointed Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) director of rugby, Dave Reddin.

Penarol are the top SRA club and became Uruguay’s first professional rugby team when it was founded in 2019. A victory over Argentina’s Pampas in their final regular-season game will earn them a home semi-final spot.

“I’m in with the bricks and mortar, and I’m happy to shake everyone’s hand and move on.”

Not a man who beats around the bush, David Martindale.

On May 19, 2013, the most open-minded player in Scottish football appeared before the cameras. With new owners acquiring the club and his team being relegated, the Livingston manager had to wonder what the club’s future would hold.

Through hard work and hardship, Livingston’s return to the top was in Martindale’s own image.

With a 4-2 nighttime and a 5-3 aggregate, Ross County’s Premiership play-off victory over them may have appeared convincing, but they had to deal with a late equalizer on Thursday before falling 2-0 behind in the Highlands.

Nothing was straightforward even at this point. Livingston and eventual championship rival Falkirk had been fighting for a while, but they eventually lost when the season came to a home straight to finish three points behind.

After meeting with a Ross County side without a win in 10, Partick Thistle were despatched 4-0 over both play-off semi-final ties.

“I’m really proud of the staff and the players,” he said. Martindale, surrounded by supporters, said, “I get the credit, but this isn’t about me.”

The Premiership’s Martindale’s teams were renowned for having terrible opponents. Physical . aggressive . in your face

Watching silky soccer wasn’t a Saturday staple for the Livi support, especially with the aging plastic pitch.

He has, however, used the opportunity to rebuild and reevaluate since dropping down to the Championship. Qualitative players like Stevie May, Robbie Muirhead, and Lewis Smith, who scored his team’s fine first in Dingwall, were chosen.

Livingston finished the championship with the second-best goal difference of 28 when combined with a strong defensive core.

Former Livingston boss John Robertson on Sportsound stated, “They’ve reinvented themselves, this is what one year in the Championship has allowed them to do.”

“Martindale has selected some very talented football players. You wouldn’t associate them with a Livingston team, who had to find a way to play for six years. They play good football.

He “drives a lot of it,” according to BBC Scotland pundit Michael Stewart, who added, “They play good football, they play well, they have new investment, and you heard it from the man themselves that the club are in a really good position.”

A few football fans will likely be let down by the outcome of Monday’s play-off final.

Livingston’s previously combative style, which they used in their previous top flight appearance, is partially attributable. partially due to how little they back them. partially as a result of Dingwall not having a cracking away day when the football comes back from the summer…

Martindale and his players will not care about anything else.

Henry Ford’s son Calvin Ford, the great-great-grandson of the Ford Motor Company, recently became the club’s majority shareholder. There is a solid foundation here, he said earlier this month, “Let’s build this better, get this club back where it belongs, back in the [Scottish Premiership] and then see where we can go from there because I believe there is a lot of potential there.”

It’s possible that the Livingston will be a much different beast than the one that left 12 months ago, with new investment and also the addition of a brand-new artificial surface being laid.

However, their manager seems to have stayed the same throughout the coming season.

According to Stewart, “David Martindale is a significant member of the club.” You must give him a lot of credit this season,” he said.

You can tell from his own assertion that Calvin Ford has given him new life. David Martindale is such a key player, not just for obvious reasons; last season, it appeared as though his talent had started to fade and they were relegated. If you looked at him this season, you could tell it was once more bubbling away.

“I’m in with the bricks and mortar, and I’m happy to shake everyone’s hand and move on.”

Not a man who beats around the bush, David Martindale.

On May 19, 2013, the most open-minded player in Scottish football appeared before the cameras. With new owners acquiring the club and his team being relegated, the Livingston manager had to wonder what the club’s future would hold.

Through hard work and hardship, Livingston’s return to the top was in Martindale’s own image.

With a 4-2 nighttime and a 5-3 aggregate, Ross County’s Premiership play-off victory over them may have appeared convincing, but they had to deal with a late equalizer on Thursday before falling 2-0 behind in the Highlands.

Nothing was straightforward even at this point. Livingston and eventual championship rival Falkirk had been fighting for a while, but they eventually lost when the season came to a home straight to finish three points behind.

After meeting with a Ross County side without a win in 10, Partick Thistle were despatched 4-0 over both play-off semi-final ties.

“I’m really proud of the staff and the players,” he said. Martindale, surrounded by supporters, said, “I get the credit, but this isn’t about me.”

The Premiership’s Martindale’s teams were renowned for having terrible opponents. Physical . aggressive . in your face

Watching silky soccer wasn’t a Saturday staple for the Livi support, especially with the aging plastic pitch.

He has, however, used the opportunity to rebuild and reevaluate since dropping down to the Championship. Qualitative players like Stevie May, Robbie Muirhead, and Lewis Smith, who scored his team’s fine first in Dingwall, were chosen.

Livingston finished the championship with the second-best goal difference of 28 when combined with a strong defensive core.

Former Livingston boss John Robertson on Sportsound stated, “They’ve reinvented themselves, this is what one year in the Championship has allowed them to do.”

“Martindale has selected some very talented football players. You wouldn’t associate them with a Livingston team, who had to find a way to play for six years. They play good football.

He “drives a lot of it,” according to BBC Scotland pundit Michael Stewart, who added, “They play good football, they play well, they have new investment, and you heard it from the man themselves that the club are in a really good position.”

A few football fans will likely be let down by the outcome of Monday’s play-off final.

Livingston’s previously combative style, which they used in their previous top flight appearance, is partially attributable. partially due to how little they back them. partially as a result of Dingwall not having a cracking away day when the football comes back from the summer…

Martindale and his players will not care about anything else.

Henry Ford’s son Calvin Ford, the great-great-grandson of the Ford Motor Company, recently became the club’s majority shareholder. There is a solid foundation here, he said earlier this month, “Let’s build this better, get this club back where it belongs, back in the [Scottish Premiership] and then see where we can go from there because I believe there is a lot of potential there.”

It’s possible that the Livingston will be a much different beast than the one that left 12 months ago, with new investment and also the addition of a brand-new artificial surface being laid.

However, their manager seems to have stayed the same throughout the coming season.

According to Stewart, “David Martindale is a significant member of the club.” You must give him a lot of credit this season,” he said.

You can tell from his own assertion that Calvin Ford has given him new life. David Martindale is such a key player, not just for obvious reasons; last season, it appeared as though his talent had started to fade and they were relegated. If you looked at him this season, you could tell it was once more bubbling away.