- Asian markets track Wall St records after US inflation data
- Pro-Turkey Syria mercenaries head to Niger to earn cash
- FIFA meets to award 2027 Women's World Cup under Gaza cloud
- Iraqi car bomb survivor eyes gold in Paris Paralympics
- The Greatest, the Baddest and the best: six undisputed heavyweight champions
- France deploys troops, bans TikTok to quell deadly New Caledonia unrest
- Coppola's epic 'Megalopolis' finally arrives at Cannes
- French prison van attack takes drug battle to 'worrying' new level
- Chiefs host Ravens in NFL season-opener
- Arab leaders head to Bahrain for Gaza-focused summit
- Without Messi, Miami's winning run ends with derby draw
- Top UN court hears S. Africa calls to stop Israel Rafah offensive
- Celtics overpower short-handed Cavs to reach conference finals
- New Canadian firefighters train for brutal fire season
- Violin village: Artisanal hub in Bolivian Amazon
- What will be the repercussions of Biden's new China tariffs?
- Mission impossible? Next Boeing CEO faces pile of problems
- 'No secret': modest Mexican taco restaurant wins Michelin star
- Slovak PM fights for his life after assassination attempt
- Japan economy suffers worse-than-expected contraction of 0.5%
- Raccoon invades pitch during MLS game
- Verstappen seeks to restore order at Imola as F1 remembers Senna
- Brazil announces aid to families as Lula visits flooded south
- Fury's father offers olive branch to Usyk camp after bust-up
- Griezmann hat-trick fires Atletico into Champions League
- Griezmann treble fires Atletico into Champions League with treble
- US consumer inflation eases slightly in April, sending stocks higher
- Scheffler, McIlroy, Koepka set for PGA showdown at Valhalla
- Chelsea being rewarded for patience, says Pochettino
- Dutch parties reach deal to form government
- IMF approves use of reserve assets for 'hybrid' financial instruments
- Fernandes will leave if he feels unwanted at Man Utd
- PSG put end to Nice's Champions League hopes
- Vlahovic fires Juve to 15th Italian Cup past long-suffering Atalanta
- Google's AI search revamp puts publishers in a quandary
- Juventus win Italian Cup for 15th time
- Troubled Man Utd keep alive European hopes with win over Newcastle
- Putin arrives in Beijing seeking greater support for war effort
- 'Mad Max' tears through Cannes with frenetic 'Furiosa'
- Zverev beats injury scare to reach Rome semis as Collins sets up Sabalenka clash
- Slovak PM shooting suspect named as 71-year-old writer
- Multiple women accuse David Copperfield of sex misconduct: report
- Victoria's Secret reviving fashion show after six-year hiatus
- Redemption for Rodgers as Celtic maintain grip on Scottish title
- Chiefs kicker Butker slammed for 'sexist, homophobic' speech
- Modest Mexican taco restaurant wins Michelin star
- 'Ready to rumble' - Biden, Trump agree to two election debates
- Slovak PM's 'life in danger' after assassination attempt
- Guatemala court opens door to freeing journalist from jail
- Tabilo into Rome Open semis as Collins sets up Sabalenka clash
Timberwolves sweep Suns out of NBA playoffs as Clippers, Knicks win
The Minnesota Timberwolves, powered by 40 points from Anthony Edwards, swept Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns out of the NBA playoffs on Sunday, reaching the second round for the first time in 20 years with a 122-116 game-four victory.
The Timberwolves withstood a combined 72 points from Devin Booker and Durant to become the first team to reach the second round.
They will face either the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Lakers, with the reigning champion Nuggets leading that series 3-1.
With a chance to reach the second round for just the second time in franchise history, 22-year-old Edwards shook off a slow start that saw him score nine points in the first half.
"I knew what was at stake," Edwards told broadcaster TNT.
"I came out, like, man, I got nine points, there's no way we can win this game if I don't get myself going and put my team on my back. And we came out with the win."
Booker scored 49 points and two-time NBA champion Durant added 33 in a game that featured 23 lead changes -- with neither team leading by more than six points.
It was a bitter end to the season for Phoenix, who had high hopes of a deep playoff run after bringing in Bradley Beal to join Durant and Booker in a "Big Three" in Arizona.
- Clippers avert catastrophe -
In Dallas, the Los Angeles Clippers survived an epic Mavericks comeback bid, squandering a 31-point lead but holding on for a 116-111 victory that knotted their Western Conference series at 2-2.
Paul George scored 26 of his 33 points in the first half to help the Clippers build their big advantage despite the injury absence of Kawhi Leonard.
James Harden scored 15 of his 33 in the fourth quarter, when Dallas -- led by the star duo of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic -- threatened to match the biggest comeback win in NBA playoff history.
Irving scored 40 points for Dallas, including a driving layup through traffic with 2:14 to play that gave the Mavs their first lead since the first quarter at 104-103.
Doncic delivered a triple-double of 29 points plus 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but in the waning minutes it was George, Harden and the Clippers who came through.
George made his first basket of the second half, a three-pointer, to put the Clippers back to 107-105 ahead with 1:55 to play.
Harden converted a three-point play and the Clippers held on.
"We can't go home down 3-1," Harden said of the Clippers' resolve.
- Knicks find a way -
In Philadelphia, Jalen Brunson's 47 points broke the New York franchise record for a playoff game as the Knicks took a 3-1 lead over the Sixers.
Brunson added 10 assists in a 97-92 victory as reigning NBA Most valuable Player Joel Embiid and the Sixers were pushed to the brink of elimination.
OG Anunoby had 16 points and 14 rebounds while putting in an impressive defensive effort against Embiid, who led the Sixers with 27 points and 10 rebounds.
With a chance to clinch the series at home on Tuesday, Brunson wasn't interested in reflecting on his record.
"I'll look back when I retire," he said. "Seriously, it's great right now, helped us get a win. But it's not going to do anything for us going forward."
- Pacers barrage -
In Indianapolis, the Indiana Pacers drilled 22 three-pointers in a 126-113 victory over the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks to take a 3-1 series lead.
Myles Turner hit a playoff career high of seven three-pointers on the way to 29 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 24 points for the Pacers, who had six players in double figures.
The Bucks, with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo still sidelined by a calf injury, were also without injured Damian Lillard and saw Bobby Portis ejected in the first quarter after a scuffle with Andrew Nembhard.
Brook Lopez scored 27 points and Khris Middleton, who tweaked an ankle in the third quarter but stayed in the game, had 25 for the Bucks, who will try to stay alive when they host game five on Tuesday.
O.Lorenz--BTB