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Thunder push Spurs to brink with dominant Game 5 win as Wembanyama posts series-low 20 points
The Oklahoma City Thunder are just one win away from a second consecutive NBA Finals berth. The Western Conference Finals shifted back to Oklahoma City on Tuesday night, with the defending league champions pulling away in the second half for a 127-114 victory in Game 5.
The reigning two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points and nine assists Tuesday night.
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Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 24 points and five rebounds, while Victor Wembanyama finished with a series-low 20 points.
Entering Tuesday, the Spurs appeared to follow a relatively simple formula for success in the Western Conference Finals: When Wembanyama was the best player on the floor, they won. When he wasn’t, they lost.
Wembanyama, who delivered 41- and 33-point performances in the Spurs’ two wins earlier in the series, never appeared to fully find his rhythm in Game 5. He was 4 for 15 from the floor, missing all five of his 3-point attempts.
He offered an impassioned speech to teammates during a timeout barely two minutes into the third quarter, after the Thunder opened an 18-point lead. And it worked — to a point. Oklahoma City scored again to get the lead up to 20, but the Spurs closed within eight later in the third.
Elsewhere, the New York Knicks will have to wait until at least Thursday to find out which team emerges from the Western Conference.
Even before Game 5 of the Spurs-Thunder series tipped off, San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson was asked about Knicks fans in Manhattan chanting, "We want Wemby! We want Wemby!"
"I know New York’s on fire. They won so that city is obviously enjoying it and they’ve had a heck of a playoff run," Johnson said. "But unfortunately, I’ve been pretty locked-into what we’ve got going right here in front of us."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Ex-NFL linebacker poised to return to Congress after Texas runoff win with Jasmine Crockett endorsement
Former Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, is poised to secure a comeback bid for Congress after winning a hotly contested Democratic primary Tuesday.
Allred defeated Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Texas, in a runoff election for a recently redrawn House seat Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
The victor is almost certain to win the November general election for the deep-blue district. Republicans redrew the Dallas-based seat to make it even more Democratic last year while passing a new congressional map designed to help the GOP flip as many as five seats.
The primary contest turned negative as both candidates fought to keep their political careers alive in one of the few remaining Texas House seats where Democrats still hold an advantage.
REDISTRICTING HELPS REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS FLIP HOUSE SEATS
Democratic Texas Rep. Marc Veasey, the district’s incumbent, chose not to run for re-election, prompting Johnson to join the race after Republicans effectively drew her out of her district.
Johnson, a freshman lawmaker, succeeded Allred in Congress after he vacated the seat to mount a failed bid to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2024.
Allred decided to challenge Johnson for the open House seat in late 2025 after suspending his 2026 Senate campaign when it failed to gain traction.
The former NFL linebacker later endorsed Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, during the final months of the Senate primary contest after accusing state Rep. James Talarico, Crockett's opponent, of making a racist remark about him that he allegedly said during a private phone call with a party activist.
Talarico, the Democratic Party's Senate nominee, vigorously denied calling Allred a "mediocre Black man" and said his private remarks referred to the former congressman's campaign style.
TEXAS DEM SENATE CANDIDATE'S 'MEDIOCRE' COMMENT ROCKS RACE
Crockett endorsed Allred in April and appeared with him on the campaign trail. Meanwhile, Talarico publicly supported Johnson’s campaign.
Johnson was also backed by House Democratic leadership, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the pro-abortion group EMILY’s List and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, among other groups.
Allred likely benefited from higher name recognition due to previous statewide runs and a significant fundraising advantage.
He emerged as the top vote-getter during the March 3 primary, leading Johnson by an 11-point margin. However, the former congressman failed to secure more than 50% of the vote, sending the race to a runoff election.
Trump-backed Air Force veteran wins GOP runoff in newly-redistricted House district
President Donald Trump’s endorsed House Republican candidate for Texas’ 35th Congressional District is projected to win his race against longtime San Antonio state lawmaker John Lujan.
Carlos de la Cruz, an Air Force veteran, is the brother of Trump ally Rep. Monica de la Cruz, R-Texas, in a nearby district.
The de la Cruzes could be the next in a rare historical line of siblings serving together in the House of Representatives.
One of America’s first congressional leaders served with his brother as well.
Inaugural House Speaker Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania served alongside Rep. John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania in the 1780s and 1790s.
The three Washburn brothers — Israel of Maine, Elihu of Illinois and Cadwallader of Wisconsin — all served together in the 1850s and 1860s, while more recently sisters Loretta and Linda Sanchez — both California Democrats — found themselves in the same chamber in the early part of this century.
De La Cruz and Lujan are competing for the newly redrawn district, which is currently represented numerically by "Squad" member Rep. Gregorio Casar of the Austin area.
Casar, however, chose to run in an adjacent district that encompasses part of his current district after that officeholder, fellow Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, elected not to run for re-election contingent on Texas’ new map passing legal muster.
The new district stretches south to San Antonio and is considered much more Trump-friendly than in past elections.
Lujan originally won the March primary 33%-27% over De La Cruz, who finished second and advanced to Tuesday’s contest.
De La Cruz was deployed to the Middle East and Mexican border, and also has the endorsement of both his sister and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
WATCH: HOUSE DEMS UNLOAD ON TEXAS DEMOCRAT OVER ‘DEMENTED’ ANTISEMITIC COMMENTS
Lujan is a longtime state lawmaker with deep familiarity in the district, while the real controversy is on the Democratic side of the ticket.
Democratic primary candidate Maureen Galindo, who lost Tuesday night, received nationwide backlash, including from her own party, for floating the idea of using an ICE detention center in her district to instead imprison wealthy "Zionists."
The rhetoric and plans were called out as grossly antisemitic by Democrats ranging from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the far left to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both Democrats from New York City.
Democrats are still reportedly bullish on their prospects in the more Trump-friendly seat, which is also majority Hispanic, come November.
U.S. military kills alleged narco-terrorist in lethal strike on drug-trafficking vessel in Eastern Pacific
The U.S. military carried out a lethal strike Tuesday on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing an alleged narco-terrorist, according to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
"On May 26, at the direction of #SOUTHCOM commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations," SOUTHCOM said in a post on X.
"Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations," the post continued.
The military said one alleged narco-terrorist was killed in the strike and two others survived.
SOUTHCOM said it immediately notified the U.S. Coast Guard to begin search-and-rescue operations for the survivors.
No U.S. forces were injured, the military said.
SOUTHCOM did not immediately release additional information about those targeted in the operation.
US MILITARY KILLS 3 IN LATEST STRIKE ON A SUSPECTED DRUG VESSEL IN THE PACIFIC
The U.S. military has carried out multiple strikes in recent months targeting suspected drug-smuggling vessels as part of a broader campaign aimed at dismantling cartel-linked trafficking operations.
Tuesday’s strike followed similar operations earlier this month.
SOUTHCOM said it targeted another vessel in the Eastern Pacific on May 8, killing two male narco-terrorists and leaving one survivor. Days earlier, the military conducted another strike in the Caribbean that killed two suspected traffickers.
The Eastern Pacific and Caribbean are major corridors for narcotics trafficking, with cartels often using small, fast-moving vessels to transport drugs toward the United States and Central America.
SOUTHCOM oversees military operations in Central and South America and the Caribbean, including counter-narcotics missions focused on disrupting drug trafficking networks tied to organized crime groups.
Kirby Smart supports SEC leaving NCAA if there aren't major changes: 'I'm not afraid to break away'
As with everything else in the world of modern college football, there's debate and disagreement over how to handle NIL and other major issues around the sport.
There's the hope for more structure and consistent rules around things like roster limits, construction, spending, oversight and enforcement. The NCAA, weakened over time, has become an almost cosmetic body that primarily impacts individual player waivers.
There continues to be hope for national legislation to create some guardrails around college football. But with the difficulties in getting things done in D.C. and the compressed timeframe before the season starts, there's very little likelihood of new rules coming into effect soon. Which raises the question, what to do next?
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Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has his opinion, and it's a surprising one: let the SEC break away and govern itself.
"I’ve said this for a long time to our president, I’ve been a huge advocate that if we can’t find rules that everybody plays by, then we should play on our own," Smart said to reporters at SEC spring meetings in Florida this week. "I’m not afraid of that. I’m not afraid to break away and say that our conference is strong enough to go out and play.
"If we could actually function financially, it would make our programs more stable. We could support things financially. I’m talking about all the sports and do our own rules – I’d be all for that."
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has said something similar, explaining that there's "frustration" about the lack of clarity moving forward.
"The fact that we’re talking about our own rules isn’t anything new," Sankey said earlier this week. "What you’re hearing is the expression of frustration about the lack of progress, and I’ll go back to March 6. I was in the White House, and I spoke about the need for national standards. We still believe we need national standards. If those can’t be achieved, then we’ll have to look at more conference-led regulation, but that’s the reality we’re facing."
Could this actually happen? Well, one Big 12 athletic director seemed to think it's not too far fetched, even saying he'd be fine with the Big Ten and SEC breaking away. Kirk Herbstreit, a prominent voice within the sport, also said he'd support the Power Four leaving the NCAA.
When this many big voices are saying the same thing, suddenly it becomes a lot more likely. As hard as it may be to believe, the NCAA's governance of college football might not be long for this world.
Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright and wife share story of 2017 crash that left her permanently paralyzed
Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright says his wife, Sherri, has always been more than just his partner.
"She’s not only my wife, she’s my best friend," Wright says in a newly released video from The American Border Story. "We were never apart. We do better together than we do apart."
The couple is publicly sharing for the first time the story of the 2017 crash that left Sherri permanently paralyzed, describing how a normal morning changed nearly every part of their lives.
Sherri Wright recalled first meeting Jim while working in San Antonio, where her desk happened to sit directly in front of the men’s restroom.
EXCLUSIVE: NOEM BACKS TRUMP'S 'DALILAH LAW' AFTER CRASH LEAVES YOUNG GIRL UNABLE TO WALK, TALK
"Everybody would always talk to me except for Jim," she said in the video.
Jim Wright said he immediately noticed her.
"I remember meeting her there and thinking to myself that’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes on," he said.
After weeks of small conversations, the two became close friends before eventually marrying in Las Vegas during the National Finals Rodeo.
"It started out as being a friend turning into my best friend and then turning into my wife," Jim Wright said. "It’s just been amazing."
Then came Jan. 9, 2017.
WOMAN WITH 5% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL AFTER SKI ACCIDENT MAKES 'MIRACLE' RECOVERY
"It was a normal day," Sherri Wright said.
She had just dropped the couple’s youngest son off at school and was driving home when the crash happened about a mile from their house.
Sherri Wright recalled the moment of impact and waking up trapped inside the wreckage.
"I remember my breath letting go," she said. "I just remember looking up and glass was going in my eyes."
"My son, he was trying as hard as he could to bend the metal to get me out," she added.
Jim Wright said he rushed to the scene before later learning his wife had been paralyzed.
AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT KILLED MY DAUGHTER — LEFTISTS MARCH FOR RENEE, NOT FOR KATIE
"And I just told him I didn’t want to live," Sherri Wright said.
"My whole life I worked. I took care of my kids," she said. "It changed everything. Basically took away more than half of my life."
The couple said the crash forced them to adapt to in-home care while Sherri Wright struggled with the loss of independence that came with her injuries.
Sherri Wright also described the emotional toll of feeling invisible in public.
"You know, I go places and they talk to whoever’s beside me rather than talk to me," she said. "Just because my hands and my legs don’t work doesn’t mean that I’m not a person. You deserve the respect that everybody else gets."
After describing the impact the crash had on their family, both Jim and Sherri Wright connected their experience to concerns about illegal immigration and border security.
"Families affected by illegal immigrants passing through this border should never have had to endure this," Sherri Wright said. "We do not not want you here. Just come here legally."
Jim Wright said he believes the broader issue goes beyond a single crash.
"That’s the root of the cause," he said. "Until we can figure out how to get a better grasp on controlling that cartel activity that’s going on in Mexico, I don’t think we’re ever going to be out of the dramatic expense that we’ve had to pay."
Still, the couple said they have focused on moving forward with the support of their family.
"I think there’s so many people out there like me," Sherri Wright said. "I’m just fortunate that I have a family that have all come around me and helped me and we can do things together as a family instead of me sitting in a nursing home."
"You can’t stay in and try to lay blame on everybody else," Jim Wright said. "You’ve got to make the best of that situation and it gets easier over time."
Controversial Democrat who called for ‘Zionists’ to be imprisoned toppled after backlash
Democrat Maureen Galindo, a South Texas sex therapist who drew nationwide ire from Democratic Party leaders, was defeated in her primary runoff against Bexar County Sheriff’s Office official Johnny Garcia, according to the Associated Press.
The seat, newly drawn following Texas Republicans’ redistricting effort, is currently represented by "Squad" member Rep. Gregorio Casar. However, the liberal lawmaker is running in an adjacent district being vacated by Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, leaving the now red-leaning seat up for grabs.
Galindo became a national flashpoint when she was accused of antisemitism for floating a plan to imprison "American Zionists" at an ICE detention center in the district while pushing back on suggestions she was trying to create an "internment camp."
Galindo shocked observers when she edged out Garcia in the original March primary, which led to Tuesday’s runoff.
WATCH: HOUSE DEMS UNLOAD ON TEXAS DEMOCRAT OVER ‘DEMENTED’ ANTISEMITIC COMMENTS
Garcia, meanwhile, condemned Galindo’s comments and partially blamed Republicans for bolstering her name recognition.
Garcia is a San Antonio native and has experience working as a police deputy, a SWAT hostage negotiator and a public information officer — the official tasked with speaking to the press and making public appearances.
His campaign was framed around his self-description as an old-school Democrat and was viewed as the more moderate choice in Tuesday’s contest.
Two Republicans are also vying for the seat in the Republican primary — one of whom is a relative of nearby GOP Rep. Monica de la Cruz.
With the 35th District redrawn in Republicans’ favor, Democrats appeared to view Galindo’s candidacy as a catastrophic liability.
Her rhetoric has since been condemned by members of the far left of her party, including Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
"This vile language by her is disqualifying and has no place in American politics, and certainly not in the Democratic Party," Jeffries and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said in a joint statement, adding, "To embrace and uplift a fringe candidate with antisemitic — and extremely dangerous — rhetoric and views in order to win an election is beyond the pale."
"Texans will not be fooled and will reject her at the ballot box next week," they added.
Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Joe Mazzulla wins NBA Coach of the Year after calling the award 'stupid' just months earlier
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla called the Coach of the Year award "stupid."
Now, he’s won it.
"I don’t need it. I think it’s a stupid award," Mazzulla said back in March after being asked about the possibility of winning it due to the Celtics’ regular-season success without some of its stars, including Jayson Tatum, for most of the year.
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The award’s winner was announced on Tuesday night, as Mazzulla helped lead the Celtics to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record, finishing four games behind the top-seeded Detroit Pistons.
But Mazzulla wasn’t just calling the award stupid for the sake of it – he believed it should be a "coaching staff of the year" honor rather than one person getting hardware.
CELTICS COACH JOE MAZZULLA QUIPS THAT HE WISHED REF A 'MERRY CHRISTMAS' IN IRATE POSTGAME OUTBURST
Mazzulla, discussing the honor on Tuesday night, told NBC as much.
"The long nights, the trips, game plans, the video guys that are clipping up the film and coding it, the assistants who are putting in the game plan, I think there’s so much that goes into winning one game," Mazzulla explained. "It starts with the players, but it goes to our staff. I feel bad that they’re not here — but forever indebted to the guys that we have that give up time with their families and their time to give us a chance to win every day."
Mazzulla is the fourth Celtics coach to win the award, which is named after the legendary Red Auerbach, who won it in 1965. Tom Heinsohn (1973) and Bill Fitch (1980) have also received the Red Auerbach Trophy in their careers.
Auerbach helped lead the Celtics to nine NBA titles, including eight in a row from 1959-66, during his Hall of Fame career.
Mazzulla was able to capture that glory in 2024, as the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 4-1, to notch yet another Larry O’Brien Trophy for Boston’s mantle.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, they were unable to make it far in these playoffs despite their stars getting healthy late in the season. They were shockingly bounced in the first round after losing Game 7 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
But Mazzulla, 37, is now the youngest head coach to receive the Coach of the Year award since the legendary Phil Jackson won it in 1975, per the NBA.
While Mazzulla wanted to point at his staff, Celtics president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, praised his fourth-year head coach.
"This is well deserved recognition and a testament to both Joe and his staff," Stevens said. "With all of our unknowns entering the season, Joe did a fantastic job building and growing a team. He pours everything he has into competing at a high level, while helping players find the best versions of themselves within the framework of a team."
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff finished in second place, which is the same spot he found himself in after last season, and San Antonio Spurs leader Mitch Johnson finished in third place.
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Texas MAGA battle ends with Middleton victory as Chip Roy falls short in AG Race
A Republican state senator who spotlighted his support for President Donald Trump and his MAGA agenda is one step closer to succeeding Ken Paxton as Texas attorney general.
State Sen. Mayes Middleton on Tuesday defeated Rep. Chip Roy, one of the most conservative members of the U.S. House, for the Republican attorney general nomination in Texas, the Associated Press reports.
Roy conceded the race shortly after the results came in, saying he had called Middleton to congratulate him.
"Just a little while ago, I called and congratulated @mayes_middleton for his victory in our race for the Republican nominee for Attorney General. I will have a full statement tomorrow. Onward," Roy wrote on X.
The ballot-box battle between Roy and Middleton, the president of an independent oil and gas company, turned bitter and expensive, and partially became a test of which candidate was more of a fighter for Trump and his America First and MAGA movements.
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Middleton, who edged Roy in the March primary, dished out roughly $17 million of his own money to back his campaign. But Roy, a former Texas assistant attorney general and former chief of staff to conservative Sen. Ted Cruz, received a late surge in fundraising from major backers.
"We've gotten the financial support necessary to compete with my self-funder opponent, who's got his inheritance money that he can just spend," Roy highlighted in a Fox News Digital interview on the eve of the runoff.
Roy argued that Middleton's lack of courtroom experience would make him a poor attorney general.
"Having been the first assistant attorney general makes me ready on day one, but it's also that I've been a prosecutor, I've been in court, I've sat in front of a judge, stood in front of a judge, argued cases, and he has never done any of those things. And we think those things should matter," Roy emphasized.
TED CRUZ ENDORSES CHIP ROY FOR TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: 'NO ONE BETTER'
Middleton pushed back, questioning Roy's conservative credentials and running ads claiming Roy's "betrayed MAGA" as he pointed to the times the congressman has broken with Trump over policy.
"Chip Roy is someone that has spent a decade fighting the president. He actually said President Trump committed impeachable conduct on the House floor," Middleton told Fox News Digital. "Instead of spending 10 years fighting President Trump, what have I done? I've spent 10 years fighting to defeat the left, which is what matters the most in this race."
TEXAS REP CHIP ROY ANNOUNCES RUN FOR STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO REPLACE KEN PAXTON
But Roy, in response, said, "Everyone knows that I'm a longtime defender and supporter of the president's agenda, of the America First agenda, the MAGA agenda, but I'm also an independent thinker who will stand up and make the case."
And pointing to Middleton, Roy charged, "MAGA is not something you just buy. My opponent thinks you can buy the brand."
Middleton returned fire, arguing, "Chip Roy is putting out there that he is a top ally to President Trump when the exact opposite is the case."
Trump stayed neutral in the runoff showdown.
Middleton will likely face Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson, who came close to clinching his party's nomination in the primary. Johnson was facing off against former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski.
Paxton decided against seeking re-election, as he ran for the Republican Senate nomination against longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn.
Trump flexes endorsement power as Army combat vet wins Texas GOP runoff
Alex Mealer, an Army combat veteran and energy executive backed by President Donald Trump, is one step closer to winning election to the House.
Mealer defeated state Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Texas, in a GOP primary runoff election for a Houston-based congressional seat Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
The matchup in the solidly Republican district was another test of Trump’s endorsement power, which has proven to be decisive in several high-profile races this year.
The president endorsed Mealer shortly before the first round of voting in March, during which she emerged as the top vote-getter with 36% of the vote.
TRUMP-BACKED CANDIDATE WINS CROWDED GOP PRIMARY IN BATTLE FOR VACANT HOUSE SEAT
Mealer notably received a boost from the conservative Club for Growth, which is frequently one of the top spenders in GOP primaries. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, also backed her campaign.
Because Mealer did not secure a majority of the vote, the race went to a runoff election against Cain, who came in second and notched 31% of the vote.
Cain has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2017 and was endorsed by Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas. He is viewed as one of the most conservative members of the state legislature and has touted endorsements from the National Rifle Association (NRA), Concerned Women for America, Young Republicans of Texas and the Texas Homeschool Coalition PAC, among other Republican-aligned groups.
HOUSE DEMOCRAT WHO HAS REPEATEDLY TRIED TO IMPEACH TRUMP HEADS TO RUNOFF ELECTION AMID TIGHT PRIMARY
The primary winner will face environmental activist Leticia Gutierrez in the general election.
The newly redrawn seat is widely expected to flip to Republican control and is rated noncompetitive by the Cook Political Report. Trump would have carried the district by nearly 20 points in 2024.
Republicans redrew the Democratic-heavy seat last year as part of a GOP-friendly gerrymander that effectively ousted Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, from the district he had represented for more than two decades.
Green ultimately chose to challenge Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas, for Houston’s lone Democratic seat, which also went to a runoff election Tuesday.
Mealer narrowly lost a bid for Harris County Judge in 2022 against Judge Lina Hidalgo. She also received the president’s backing during that campaign.