Victor Wembanyama sends significant message after the Spurs' emphatic…

Victor Wembanyama sends significant message after the Spurs' emphatic Game 2 victory originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The San Antonio Spurs are now tied up 1-1 in the Western Conference Semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. San Antonio lost in Game 1, which was a surprising loss for the favorites.

Victor Wembanyama and his teammates reaffirmed their favorite status in Game 2 as they won 133-95. It was one of the most dominant results of the Playoffs, and it was further proof that Mitch Johnson's Spurs are formidable.

Victor Wembanyama's resounding message after the Spurs' Game 2 win

The Timberwolves getting a win in San Antonio surprised a lot of people. They proved that they belong in the matchup against the #2 seed, but it might prove to be a lucky win because of how the Spurs performed in Game 2.

Wembanyama and the rest of the Spurs showcased that they are ready for the Timberwolves. It was one of the most dominant results of the Playoffs, nearly on par with the New York Knicks' dominance of the Atlanta Hawks.

MORE: The Spurs get their biggest postseason win since 1983

As the Spurs' best player and leader, Wembanyama was much more focused on being a well-rounded star. He scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. At the same time, he had fewer blocks, as he only got to swat away two shots.

Despite the smaller number of blocks, Wemby showed that he can set the tone for his teammates. The rest of the Spurs played well on both ends, which led to the blowout win.

"I love how everyone had everybody’s back. Tonight looked like a system that worked," Wembanyama said after the dominant Game 2 win.

As long as the Spurs are locked in like how they did in Game 2, this will be a strong series for the #2 seed. Of course, the Timberwolves will be in their element in Games 2 and 3 at home, but the Spurs have proven they can win and dominate on the road in their first-round series.

More NBA news:

• What Victor Wembanyama learned about what to do against Rudy Gobert
• How a Victor Wembanyama defensive masterclass continues to baffle his peers
• The controversy behind Victor Wembanyama's shot-blocking record
• Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves' simple strategy against Victor Wembanyama
• Mike Conley receives his flowers after the Timberwolves' Game 1 win

Slot, Assistant Search and Reijnen Question Dominate Media Matters Debate

Slot under scrutiny

On Media Matters for Anfield Index, Dave Davis and Lewis Steele picked through a Liverpool picture that sounded heavy with doubt. Davis framed the mood by saying, “They kind of linger, these defeats, don’t they?” and added that “there’s just not too much happiness to be found right now.”

Steele’s answer to the wider Slot debate was blunt. When discussing criticism of the manager and the tactical direction, he said one argument from a supporter “basically just completely undermines the role of the manager and the tactics”. His point was clear, the coach matters because, as he put it, managers “are the most important people at the football club”.

On Slot, Steele did not soften the concern. “If people want to defend Slot, then that’s completely fine,” he said, before adding that “some of the rationale behind it is just a bit, all over the place.” Davis then raised the line that there was “zero evidence” to believe next season would improve, and Steele agreed with the substance of that concern.

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Reijnen and coaching refresh

The most intriguing Assistant thread came when Davis raised Etienne Reijnen. “The name Etienne Reijnen won’t go away if I’m pronouncing it right,” Davis said, before noting that Slot “didn’t shut it down” and had said “one had left in our coaching team, so one might have to come in.”

Steele replied: “Yeah, it sounds like Etienne Reijnen, or whatever his name is, is going to be coming to Liverpool, or at least he’s going to be allowed to make the decision to come to Liverpool.” He added: “We know that he wasn’t able to back in 2024.”

There was caution too. “I don’t know much about him other than the conversations I have had about him,” Steele admitted. “People say he’s very good, but then I could get anyone to say that anyone’s very good.”

Coaching staff needs new faces

Steele linked the Reijnen and Assistant discussion to a wider need for movement inside the building. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Van Bronckhorst does end up at Feyenoord,” he said, before asking whether that “still leaves a hole in Liverpool’s coaching set-up, because Briggs left.”

His verdict was pointed: “Everyone in the building could benefit with a couple of new faces.” The reason, in Steele’s words, was that “they’re not learning from mistakes” and “everything’s gone a bit stale this season.” He added: “I think a coaching shake-up can help a team more than maybe people think.”

Summer answers needed

By the end, Steele returned to uncertainty. “There’s loads of questions to answer,” he told Davis. “We think that Slot’s going to be the manager, but we don’t really know. No one’s ever said that for definite.”

For Liverpool, the Reijnen question now sits within a broader Slot conversation. If an Assistant arrives, Steele’s view was simple enough: “That can only be a good thing, surely.”

Manchester United’s pursuit of Myles Lewis-Skelly has taken a sharp turn, despite the Red Devils leading the chase for the Arsenal starlet, according to a new report.

Two Birds One Stone

With Champions League football secured after last weekend’s 3-2 victory over Liverpool, United’s attention now turns to a defining summer window for INEOS.

The most urgent priority is an overhaul of the midfield unit. Casemiro‘s contract will expire in June, while Manuel Ugarte‘s future hangs precariously in the balance.

Two options are expected to arrive to fix the stalling engine room, though a third could be signed if a buyer can be found for the 25-year-old Uruguayan.

The club are also intent on bolstering the left-hand side of the pitch, with both full-backs and wingers on the radar. Luke Shaw has stayed fit this season, but the increased workload of a return to Europe will take its toll on the 30-year-old Englishman’s body next year.

This has led United to plot a bombshell raid on the Emirates to sign Lewis-Skelly, given he is capable of playing in central midfield or at left-back.

TEAMtalk reveals the Red Devils are pushing the hardest out of the 19-year-old dynamo’s suitors. Talks have been held between club officials and intermediaries, with a sense that regular first-team minutes are his biggest priority.

“Sources have confirmed Manchester United remain the most strongly interested club, viewing the England international as a long-term successor to Luke Shaw.

“Intermediaries have spoken about the player to Old Trafford officials, and United appreciate his technical ability and versatility as they seek to rebuild their defence. A move to Manchester would provide the regular first-team football Lewis-Skelly craves, particularly with an eye on securing his place in Thomas Tuchel’s England plans moving forward.”

Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham are also interested, while Spanish rivals Atletico and Real Madrid are both admirers of the Hale End graduate.

Arsenal rule out an exit

If the season had ended a few weeks ago, United’s hopes of striking a deal with Arsenal would have been sky-high, as Lewis-Skelly has been largely ignored by Mikel Arteta this season.

However, the Spanish manager has since entrusted him to start in midfield for two of Arsenal’s biggest matches of the season over the past week — first in the 3-0 win over Fulham that strengthened their grip on top spot in the Premier League, and then in the 1-0 victory over Atlético Madrid that sealed their place in the Champions League final.

The youngster shone in each game, earning standing ovations from the Emirates faithful when being substituted in both after producing excellent performances next to Declan Rice. And while these displays justify United’s interest, they have also virtually killed any chance of an exit from north London this summer, as Arsenal are understood to now be keen to keep their academy starlet.

“Now, having forced his way back into the reckoning, the prospect of a move away looks to have been firmly taken off the menu. Indeed, sources understand that performances like those against Fulham suggest the Gunners would likely prefer to retain and develop the talent, rather than cash in prematurely. With the summer window approaching, Lewis-Skelly’s future remains far less uncertain,” TEAMtalk contends.

Final Thoughts

Lewis-Skelly ticked virtually every box INEOS look for from a recruitment perspective: young, athletic, tactically versatile, ‘cheap’ wages, homegrown, Premier League proven — and the fact it would have dealt a blow to a rival would have been the cherry on top.

The report states there is still a chance United could “intensify” their interest, but it would require an “exceptional” offer to bring Arsenal to the negotiating table. And even if the money was fronted, Arteta’s signal of trust now means Lewis-Skelly is “unlikely to pursue a departure from the club he loves.”

Featured image Clive Mason via Getty Images

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