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NBA play-offs: San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks win on the road in the Conference semis

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Victor Wembanyama scored 39 points as the San Antonio Spurs moved into a 2-1 lead in the NBA’s Conference semi-finals – while the New York Knicks are one win from progressing from their series with Philadephia 76ers.

France international Wembanyama took 15 rebounds and blocked five shots against Minnesota Timberwolves, helping seal a 115-108 victory on the road.

The 22-year-old scored nine of the Spurs’ first 11 points as they raced into an 18-3 lead, but Anthony Edwards, who scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, dragged his side back into contention and the match was tied at 51-51 at the end of the second quarter.

The Spurs led 106-103 with three minutes to go, before Wembanyama’s third three-pointer and a flurry of free throws helped the Western Conference second seeds pull away from their hosts.

In Philadelphia, Jalen Brunson scored 33 points for the Knicks as they won 108-94 to take a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final.

The visitors had turned around a four-point first quarter deficit to lead 60-52 at half-time.

Quentin Grimes made a pair of three-pointers to bring the 76ers within four points in the fourth quarter, before Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart all scored to set up the victory for the Eastern third seeds.

The two best-of-seven series resume on Sunday, with the Knicks hoping to progress to the Conference final and the Spurs aiming for a third consecutive win.

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After parting ways with Dan Wilson, the Mariners move on from several coaches

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A day after announcing Wilson won’t return, the Mariners made significant changes to their MLB coaching staff.

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What happened at Knicks 'media day? Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart extension questions loom

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The summer of celebration is over for the Knicks. Now it’s time for the team to defend its NBA championship.

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Twins fire pitching coach Pete Maki, assistant Luis Ramirez

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MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins announced on Monday they fired pitching coach Pete Maki and assistant pitching coach Luis Ramirez, two of five holdovers from the former manager’s coaching staff.

Both pitching coaches were inherited by Derek Shelton when he was hired to replace Rocco Baldelli as the Twins’ new manager last October.

The Twins, who fell short of the playoffs for a third straight season, ranked 25th in the majors in ERA in 2026.

Maki took over as the team’s interim pitching coach in July 2022 after Wes Johnson shocked the club by leaving in the middle of the season to become the pitching coach at Louisiana State University. Maki was officially appointed Twins pitching coach ahead of the 2023 campaign.

From 2023-26, FanGraphs ranked the Twins 20th in ERA (4.31), tied-eighth in Fielding Independent Pitching (4.01) and ninth in Wins Above Replacement (66.3).

When Shelton took over ahead of the 2026 season, he had a hand in building out the bulk of his new staff. Under Shelton, the Twins added hitting coach Keith Beauregard, bench coach Mark Hallberg, first-base coach Grady Sizemore, assistant bench coach Mike Rabelo, bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins and field coordinator Toby Gardenhire to the staff.

In addition to Maki and Ramirez, third-base coach Ramon Borrego and assistant hitting coaches Trevor Amicone and Rayden Sierra were the only other coaches retained after Baldelli’s ouster.

Before he took over for Johnson, Maki was the team’s bullpen coach from 2020-22. He also spent two seasons as the team’s minor-league pitching coordinator from 2018-19.

A veteran of the organization for 21 seasons, Ramirez was named the team’s assistant pitching coach in November 2021. Ramirez originally joined the Twins in 2006, spending the first part of his career working with pitchers at the team’s Venezuelan academy.

Before he left the academy, Ramirez was elevated to the Gulf Coast League Twins in 2012. He became the GCL pitching coach in 2014 and then made stops along the way at four different Twins minor-league affiliates, last serving as the team’s Double-A pitching coach in 2021.

The Twins also announced the exit of assistant athletic trainer Jason Kirkman, who was in his seventh season with the club.

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