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NBA playoffs: Minnesota Timberwolves take advantage of Steph Curry’s absence to level series with Golden State Warriors

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The Minnesota Timberwolves made the most of Steph Curry’s absence to level their Western Conference semifinals series against the Golden State Warriors with a wire-to-wire 117-93 win in Game 2.

Minnesota opened the game on a 13-0 run as it took Golden State almost five minutes to register its first points. The lead quickly swelled to 22 points midway through the second quarter.

The Warriors reduced the deficit to seven in the third quarter on a Jonathan Kuminga three, Minnesota’s smallest lead since the opening minute of the game, but then went on a four-and-a-half-minute scoreless run that ended any hopes of a win.

“We made a really spirited run, got it to seven, and then we just kind of lost a little bit of composure,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, per Reuters.

“We turned it over right out of that timeout a couple of times and gave up a couple threes where we lost connection defensively. But we learned a lot, and I think this game will help us figure out how to move forward.”

Julius Randle powered the Timberwolves to victory with a game-high 24 points to go with seven rebounds and 11 assists.

Star guard Anthony Edwards – who had to be helped to the locker room with an ankle injury in the second quarter, but later returned – and Nickeil Alexander-Walker both added 20 points

“We watched film yesterday,” Edwards said, per Reuters. “We saw that it wasn’t just that we didn’t make shots (in Game 1), it was more so our defensive pressure and intensity.

“We didn’t bring it. So, we knew we had to bring it today.”

Kuminga had a team-high 18 points for the Warriors off the bench, while Jimmy Butler added 17 points.

Trayce Jackson-Davis had 15 off the bench as Kerr used a 14-man rotation in an attempt to find a solution to Curry’s absence.

The Warriors said Curry has a strained left hamstring and will be reevaluated in a week, meaning he could possibly return for Game 5, which is scheduled for May 14.

Golden State struggled in Steph Curry's absence.

“Part of the game plan coming in was to play a lot of people and we did,” Golden State coach Kerr said, per the NBA. “We have to figure out what we’re going to be able to do in this series without Steph. We gave a lot of people a lot of chances and some guys really stepped up.

“We’ve got to figure out rotations and who we start, but they’re going to be a part of it. We’ve got to find some better ways to score.”

The series moves to San Francisco for Game 3 on Saturday.



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Shedeur Sanders aiming to ‘prove himself right’ instead of other ‘people wrong’ as he begins NFL career

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders said his “job here isn’t to prove people wrong” but to “prove myself right” as he spoke to the media for the first time since his dramatic slide and fifth round selection during the NFL Draft.

The 144th pick is among the next generation of NFL players being put through their paces with rookie minicamps taking place across the league.

And, after being one of the main storylines during the NFL draft, the 23-year-old said he is grateful for the opportunity with the Cleveland Browns.

“I’m just thankful for the opportunity. Things could have been a lot worse, but I’m here smiling in front of you all at this facility right now.”

Such was the discussion around Sanders’ slide down the draft, US President Donald Trump even posted on social media in support of the former Colorado star.

Sanders said Saturday he was “truly thankful” for the support from the president, as well as “other fans, people in barber shops, just lots of fans.”

He added that “other people’s opinion of you is gonna be based off their own.”

“Ninety-nine percent of hatred is towards pops and then I’m just his son, so it really just comes from that. And I’ve told him that too,” he said, laughing.

Sanders is the son of Colorado Buffaloes head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.

“It’s the older generation that do it to me rather than the younger people because when I come in person there’s no negativity I see,” he added. “But it’s all over online.”

Elsewhere at Browns practice, No. 5 pick Mason Graham was seen vomiting in his helmet after a workout.

Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski joked that he may have had too many wings before practice.

“He did, that was gross,” Stefanski told reporters, confirming Graham’s struggles. “I think he ate too much. The cooking in the kitchen was too good, a few less wings next time.”

It’s clear that Graham is going to leave it all on the field for the Browns, but the defensive tackle will be hoping for easier days in the future.

Mason Graham left it all on the field during practice.

The top two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft have also been refining their skills in their rookie minicamps.

Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick, has been training with the Tennessee Titans looking to get sharp ahead of the new season.

Ward had an impressive college career, most recently at the University of Miami, and will be hoping his collegiate performances carry over to the NFL.

One of the most exciting picks of the 2025 draft was the No. 2 overall selection, Travis Hunter.

Hunter has the rare ability to play on both sides of the ball and anticipation has been growing as to whether he can do this in the NFL.

Fans will be eagerly waiting to see if the Heisman Trophy winner does play both offense and defense in practice and then in games as the season gets underway.

The schedule for the 2025 NFL season is released on May 14 and these rookies will be hoping to be game ready for the season opener.



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Jannik Sinner has ‘remarkable’ return to tennis at Italian Open after doping ban

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Jannik Sinner enjoyed a winning return to tennis on Saturday after serving a three-month doping ban, as he defeated Mariano Navone in front of a rapturous crowd at his home Italian Open.

The Italian still holds the world No. 1 spot despite his enforced absence from the sport and he lived up to that mantle, overcoming an impressive Navone 6-3, 6-4 in Rome.

But it was the reaction from his home crowd who gave him a standing ovation that “means much more than any result,” he told reporters.

One fan held up a sign that read “Bentornato Jannik (Welcome back Jannik),” others dressed in orange, referencing Sinner’s ginger hair, or hung over the railings while he practiced to take photos of him.

The crowd in Rome gave Sinner a warm welcome.

Sinner was playing in his first match since returning from a three-month ban having twice tested positive for the banned substance Clostebol, an anabolic steroid, in March last year.

The three-time grand slam champion previously escaped a ban when the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled that he wasn’t at fault for the positive tests, accepting that the contamination was caused by a physio applying an over-the-counter spray.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) subsequently lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), leading to Sinner accepting a suspension from February 9 to May 4.

The saga around Sinner has shone the spotlight on the current anti-doping protocols in tennis, with several players raising concerns about possible preferential treatment for the top stars.

As he returned from that ban, just in time for the French Open which begins later this month, Sinner notched up a 22nd consecutive tour win, picking up where he left off after winning the Australian Open in January.

“I’m happy about the win today. It has been very difficult,” he said afterward in his on-court interview. “He is such a great player, especially on this surface. I tried to move around the ball.

“At times it went very well, at times it could be better, yes, but in any case, it doesn’t matter about the result today. It has been a remarkable day for me, so I’m very happy.”

He took the first set with relative ease, producing 11 winners as his typical hard-hitting at times forced Navone off the court. The second set seemed to be unfolding in a similar fashion as Sinner once again broke Navone early on but the Argentine fought back, breaking the world No. 1 as he snatched at a forehand that went into the net.

Sinner will now play Jesper de Jong in the tournament’s third round on Monday.

Elsewhere in the Italian Open, American Danielle Collins upset world No. 2 Iga Świątek, who has dominated this tournament recently, winning it three of the last four years as she has been almost invincible on clay.

Collins, the No. 29 seed, ultimately cruised to a comprehensive 6-1, 7-5 win over Świątek who endured a poor serving display and was broken five consecutive times during the match.

Danielle Collins upset Iga Świątek at the Italian Open.

Following the loss, Świątek will lose her world No. 2 ranking, ending a remarkable run of more than three years when she has occupied one of the top two spots in the world.

For Collins, the result marked just her second win over Świątek in nine meetings and means she will progress to the fourth round where she will face Elina Svitolina.

“After losing to Iga so many times, you obviously learn from those experiences, matchups,” she said afterwards, per the WTA. “Even though the last couple times we’ve played she’s beaten me, I’ve played some of my best tennis in those matches.

“So that gave me confidence.”



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Savy King: Angel City defender ‘responsive’ after collapsing during NWSL game

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Angel City defender Savy King, who was hospitalized after collapsing during Friday night’s National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) match against the Utah Royals, is “responsive,” her club said in a statement.

The 20-year-old fell to the ground in the 74th minute and was attended to by medical personnel, who appeared to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), per Reuters.

Around 10 minutes after collapsing, King was stretchered off the field with an oxygen mask on her face.

Angel City said she was transported by emergency medical services to the hospital and is undergoing further evaluation.

After the game – which Angel City won 2-0 with goals from Christen Press and Alyssa Thompson – both sets of players joined each other in a circle to offer a prayer for King.

Despite some players looking visibly distressed, the match had resumed after King was taken off the field, a decision which was criticized by Royals head coach Jimmy Coenraets.

“I’m not sure if we should have continued the game,” the Belgian said after the game.

“Not only them but also our players were just scared, and I think that’s not the right position, not the right situation to be in. But in the end, we played on, so that’s a decision that other people are making which is fine. But I think it was a really tough moment.”

Medical staff attended to Savy King for about 10 minutes before she was stretchered off the field.

King – who was selected by Bay FC with the second overall pick in the 2024 NWSL draft – has started all eight games for Angel City this season, having joined the club in February.

Prior to entering the NWSL, she played for the University of North Carolina and made multiple appearances for the US youth national teams at the under-17 and under-20 levels.



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