The New York Knicks are looking to save their season Thursday night, but will they have their second-best offensive weapon?

Center Karl-Anthony Towns suffered a left knee contusion late in Tuesday night’s Game 4 loss in the Eastern Conference finals against the Pacers when he crashed knees with Indiana guard Aaron Nesmith.

“I’m only thinking about the loss,” Towns said Tuesday night when asked about the injury. “I’m not thinking about that right now. It’s disappointing when you don’t get a win and we didn’t do enough to get the job done tonight.”

New York, which trails 3-1 in the series, will look to stave off elimination Thursday night at home in Game 5 (8 p.m. ET, TNT).

Here’s everything you need to know about Karl-Anthony Towns’ injured left knee and his playing status for Thursday night in the Eastern Conference finals:

Is Karl-Anthony Towns playing tonight?

Towns is going to play in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, according to Knicks.. Towns went through his regular pre-game routine minutes before tipoff and did not appear to be in any obvious discomfort. The Knicks announced shortly before tipoff that Towns would be in the starting lineup along with Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.

Towns had been a game-time decision, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters Thursday around an hour-and-a-half before tipoff. At the time that Thibodeau was speaking, Towns was going through his pre-game warmup, earlier than he typically had done so. By the time media members were allowed on the floor to observe pregame shootaround, Towns was wrapping up his session and

“He’ll be game-time, yeah,” Thibodeau had said before addressing the team’s mindset if Towns would be unable to go. “Next guy get in there, get it done.”

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said he fully expected Towns to play.

The Knicks officially listed Towns as questionable on Wednesday’s injury report with a left knee contusion.

The five-time All-Star has averaged 25.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists through four games of the Eastern Conference finals. He had a team-high 24 points in the Knicks’ Game 3 comeback win, when he scored 20 of his 24 in the fourth quarter as the Knicks overcame a 20-point deficit.

How did Karl-Anthony Towns get hurt?

With a little more than two minutes to play in Game 4, Nesmith fielded a pass and then drove to the basket, where he met Towns, who stepped up to help on defense. Nesmith’s right knee crashed into Towns’ left, sending Towns crumpling to the floor in obvious discomfort.

Trainers examined Towns on the bench during a timeout, as he continued to exhibit pain. Eventually, however, Towns would return and would finish the game, something Thibodeau called a “good sign” for his status for Game 5.

Towns, though, labored up the floor following the injury, clearly favoring his left leg. It is an injury to the same knee he had surgery on to repair a torn meniscus during the 2023-24 season when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He missed a month, but was able to return for the playoffs.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are your 2025 NBA champions.

Well, not officially.

Officially, they are just the 2025 Western Conference champs after eliminating the Minnesota Timberwolves in a five-game conference finals.

But you know where this is headed.

The Thunder were the best team during the NBA’s regular season.

They won the Western Conference in dominating fashion. Game 5 was a demolition – a 124-94 Thunder victory that left no doubt.

They can play the opponent’s best style and play it better. Go big, go small, go deep into your bench, win with offense, including the 3-pointer, win with defense and win with stars, the Thunder can do it better than any team in the league.

Sorry Indiana. Sorry New York. It’s just not your year.

Oklahoma City is in the Finals for the first time since 2012 and is in terrific position to win the franchise’s first title since 1979 when it resided in Seattle and was called the SuperSonics.

“They’re highly professional, consistently professional. They’re high character people. They come from high character circles, they’re unbelievably competitive,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “They put the work in behind it consistently through the ups and downs, and most of all, they’re team-first. They embody everything it means to be a team and so they deserve this.

‘They deserve the opportunity that we have now. I couldn’t be happier for them. They invest so much in their own games, but they also invest so much in each other and in the team and I just think it’s a really uncommon thing in professional basketball that they’ve built.”

While sweeping proclamations can be imprudent endeavors, there is no reason to believe the Thunder won’t be NBA champions within the next few weeks.

Everyone can see it.

The Thunder don’t want to hear that, and they shouldn’t. Before Game 5, Daigneault talked about staying in the present. That is the right thing to say and the right thing to do. What’s in front of you in that second is the most important thing. Reaching a goal is a series of accomplishments that requires meticulous focus.

They’ve been headed for this moment for seasons and the grand plan – building another contender through the draft, trades and free agency – has come to fruition.

Before this season, this group had not won more than one series, and despite the No. 1 seed last season, they lost in the second round. They bypassed some growing pains in this season’s playoffs, learning lessons in real time and figuring out how to finish off games and close out series.

For a squad that had never won a conference finals closeout game, the Thunder answered any lingering questions about resolve.

‘When we’re put up against adversity that you don’t really have during the regular season and it’s like do-or-die moments, I think that’s where we kind of grew up as a team,’ Jalen Williams said. ‘I think that last series was big for us. That was our first Game 7, and getting over the hump of the second round, that was big for us.’

Their top-ranked defense slowed Nikola Jokic in the conference semifinals and put the brakes on Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle in the conference finals. Daigneault and his coaching staff develop and gameplan, and they have the defenders to execute it whether it’s taking away Jokic’s passing lanes or double-teaming Edwards.

If there was any doubt about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP – and there shouldn’t have been any – he erased any uncertainty. It was an MVP performance, and in Game 5, he had 34 points, eight assists and seven rebounds – it was his seventh game with at least 30 points in his past eight. He had a playoff career-high 40 in Game 4 and averaged 31.4 points and shot 45.7% for the series and earned the Western Conference finals MVP.

‘I wanted two things,’ Gilgeous-Alexander said. ‘I didn’t want to go back to Minnesota travel-wise, and then I wanted the fans to be able to enjoy the moment with us. I wanted them to be able to see it unfold in front of their eyes. I wanted them to be able to celebrate tonight in our building, go home, get drunk, whatever they do. I wanted them to have fun with the moment and yeah, it was good. I just wanted to make sure that above all I could give my energy and my effort to try to give these fans what they deserve.’

The Thunder are far from a one-man show. Jalen Williams made his first All-NBA team this season, and Chet Holmgren is headed for an All-Star appearance with his ability to score, rebound and protect the rim. Williams had 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal, and Holmgren had 22 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Lu Dort played outstanding defense, and center Isaiah Hartenstein was a shrewd offseason signing that has added to Oklahoma City’s versatility.

Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Kenrich Williams and Jaylin Williams give Daigneault more options.

They are improving by the game and by the series, looking more and more unbeatable in a series with each victory.

‘Now we are a step closer to our goal and we’re happy about that,’ Gilgeous-Alexander said. ‘But it’s still four more games to go win, four really hard games to go win and we have to be the best version of ourselves for four nights to reach the ultimate goal. And we understand that. We know that, and that’s what we’re focused on.’

It is a team that has 2025 NBA champions written all over it.

(This story was updated with additional information.)

Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

The Women’s College World Series has arrived. The last eight teams standing have gathered in Oklahoma City. Weather permitting, they’ll all be in action Thursday, and in a little over a week, one of them will hoist the NCAA championship trophy.

If you need a quick refresher on the format, the participants are split into two four-team brackets. Similar to the regional round, both brackets will be double elimination, then the two survivors will meet in the best-of-three championship series.

We know at least one SEC team will be in the finals, as one bracket is made up exclusively of teams from that conference. That group includes league newcomers Oklahoma and Texas, though one team from the Big 12 Conference they left behind is also in the field here in the opposite bracket. Here’s your guide to the opening-day slate.

No. 3 Florida vs. No. 6 Texas

Time/TV: noon ET, ESPN

The afternoon session features what one might call the all SEC bracket. As such, there is no lack of familiarity for the teams involved. The Longhorns took two of three from the Gators on the road in March, touching up the Florida pitching staff for 20 runs in the first two contests before the Gators avoided the sweep with a 3-1 win. Both teams are capable of putting up big offensive numbers, with Florida’s Taylor Shumaker (86 RBI) and the Longhorns’ Reese Atwood (85) among the nation’s top run producers.

No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 7 Tennessee

Time/TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Sooners’ bid for a fifth consecutive title begins with a difficult assignment in the familiar Oklahoma City confines near their campus. Tennessee won two of three against at Oklahoma earlier this season as Volunteers pitcher Karlyn Pickens kept Oklahoma’s powerful bats quiet. Should the Sooners mount any rallies this time, All-America outfielder Kasidi Pickering will likely be in the midst of them.

No. 12 Texas Tech vs. Mississippi

Time/TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

While the top eight seeds held in the other half of the bracket, the opposite occurred in this half. Both the Red Raiders and Rebels had to go on the road for super regionals last week but came away victorious. Texas Tech always likes its chances when national ERA leader NiJaree Canady (0.89) is in the circle. Ole Miss, making its first WCWS appearance in program history, has been getting timely deliveries from two-way standout Aliyah Binford and catcher Lexie Brady.

No. 9 UCLA vs. No. 16 Oregon

Time/TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

These longtime rivals from the west coast are perhaps best suited to be playing in the nightcap, although the Bruins accumulated plenty of travel miles for their super regional trip to South Carolina. Now Big Ten foes, the Ducks won their series at home against the Bruins, with Lyndsey Grein getting the better of UCLA’s potent batting order in both Oregon victories. But UCLA is always capable of a big inning when Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery are due up.

The New York Knicks are looking to save their season Thursday night, but will they have their second-best offensive weapon?

Center Karl-Anthony Towns suffered a left knee contusion late in Tuesday night’s Game 4 loss in the Eastern Conference finals against the Pacers when he crashed knees with Indiana guard Aaron Nesmith.

“I’m only thinking about the loss,” Towns said Tuesday night when asked about the injury. “I’m not thinking about that right now. It’s disappointing when you don’t get a win and we didn’t do enough to get the job done tonight.”

New York, which trails 3-1 in the series, will look to stave off elimination Thursday night at home in Game 5 (8 p.m. ET, TNT).

Here’s everything you need to know about Karl-Anthony Towns’ injured left knee and his playing status for Thursday night in the Eastern Conference finals:

Is Karl-Anthony Towns playing tonight?

Towns will be a game-time decision, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters Thursday around an hour-and-a-half before tipoff. At the time that Thibodeau was speaking, Towns was preparing to go through his pre-game warmup and shootaround. How his knee responds will determine his availability.

“He’ll be game-time, yeah,” Thibodeau said before addressing the team’s mindset if Towns would be unable to go. “Next guy get in there, get it done.”

The Knicks officially listed Towns as questionable on Wednesday’s injury report with a left knee contusion.

The five-time All-Star has averaged 25.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists through four games of the Eastern Conference finals. He had a team-high 24 points in the Knicks’ Game 3 comeback win, when he scored 20 of his 24 in the fourth quarter as the Knicks overcame a 20-point deficit.

How did Karl-Anthony Towns get hurt?

With a little more than two minutes to play in Game 4, Nesmith fielded a pass and then drove to the basket, where he met Towns, who stepped up to help on defense. Nesmith’s right knee crashed into Towns’ left, sending Towns crumpling to the floor in obvious discomfort.

Trainers examined Towns on the bench during a timeout, as he continued to exhibit pain. Eventually, however, Towns would return and would finish the game, something Thibodeau called a “good sign” for his status for Game 5.

Towns, though, labored up the floor following the injury, clearly favoring his left leg. It is an injury to the same knee he had surgery on to repair a torn meniscus during the 2023-24 season when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He missed a month, but was able to return for the playoffs.

While Major League Baseball’s draft remains on the horizon, the number of players under the microscope narrows significantly as high school playoffs wrap up and the collegiate postseason gets underway.

Beginning Friday, 64 teams will launch their journeys toward Omaha, as NCAA regional play commences. With a draft board that remains largely unsettled as the July 13 selection party draws nearer, the next three weeks could add clarity to the pecking order as evaluators get their last looks at the very best, particularly a stable of playoff-bound No. 1 starters.

USA TODAY Sports examines six players who will be in action during the NCAA regionals:

JB Middleton, RHP, Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg Regional)

He’s been on the fringes of the first round based on prospect rankings and mock drafts and could benefit from an up-close eye test if the Golden Eagles advance out of Hattiesburg. Middleton, at 6-foot, 178 pounds, does not bring the physical presence of many top pitching prospects but will be attractive to clubs that prioritize strike-throwing. His 0.83 WHIP is tied with North Carolina ace Jake Knapp for second in the nation and first among postseason pitchers.

Middleton’s 114-24 strikeout-walk ratio in 98 ⅓ innings is elite, and while his fastball sits around 95 mph, it’s just his first year as a starter. With Ivy League champion Columbia the No. 4 seed, it will be interesting to see if Southern Miss saves Middleton for the Miami-Alabama winner or unleashes him in a perceived overmatch against the Lions.

Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma (Chapel Hill Regional)

Catch him while you can: The Sooners are in a dogfight of a regional, opening with Big Ten tournament champion Nebraska with No. 5 overall North Carolina looming in the winners’ bracket. The question for Witherspoon is whether he can lock in a spot in the draft’s top 10.

The 20-year-old blew away batters in the Sooners’ first SEC season, striking out 120 in 91 innings with a 0.91 WHIP. His fastball nears triple digits and his slider is his next-best pitch, with a four-pitch offering that will intrigue clubs seeking a quick mover. Oklahoma’s survival may depend as much upon the performance of Kyson’s twin brother, Malachi, who will likely get a starting nod sometime this weekend.

Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona (Eugene Regional)

An enticing prospect given he could likely man all three outfield spots as a pro, Summerhill could use an extended look after a broken hand and hamstring injury limited him to just 168 plate appearances this season. He posted a cartoonish .512 OBP in that span and 19 of his 51 hits went for extra bases.

The Wildcats will likely need to prevail in an old school Pac-12 matchup against the host Ducks, though they’ll have the momentum of a Big 12 tournament title on their side in their first year in the new league. Summerhill will be bidding for the Wildcats’ third first-round selection in four years.

Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest (Knoxville Regional)

With five prep shortstops slated to go in the draft’s top 15, Houston has a chance to show evaluators a more pro-ready skill set in the postseason. He had a decent platform year – a .351/.460/.572 line, with 12 homers and 19 steals – but defensive steadiness might be his calling card.

Still, the postseason can provide Houston a spotlight his prep competition will lack. Houston is a consensus top 20 pick but if he can flash more offensive upside to pair with his glove-first profile, he may edge past some of his younger counterparts on draft day.

Nolan Schubart, OF, Oklahoma State (Athens Regional)

Schubart comes in on a heater, with nine of his 17 home runs in the past 17 games for a Cowboys team that’s just 28-23 but boasts the pitching and power that make them a live dog to put a scare into host Georgia.

At 6-foot-5, 223 pounds, Schubart figures to only get bigger and stronger as a pro, where his primary position will surely be “hitter.” He’s generated a top exit velocity of 116 mph and made modest strides in his strikeout percentage, cutting it from 27.4% his sophomore year to 25.1. That swing-and-miss will keep him out of the first round, but a big postseason could power Schubart into a first-day selection.

James Ellwanger, RHP, Dallas Baptist (Baton Rouge regional)

The Patriots’ pitching factory has a decent chance to produce four picks in the top three rounds over the past two years; 2024 second-rounder Ryan Johnson has already reached the majors with the Angels. Ellwanger, at 6-4, 205 pounds, touches the upper 90s with his fastball but has struggled with control, walking 36 in 59 innings this season.

Still, Ellwanger and fellow projected top-round right-hander Micah Bucknam give Dallas Baptist the sort of pitching profile one needs to survive a regional; perhaps one of them will get matched up with LSU lefty Kade Anderson, a likely top 10 overall pick.

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It was the Joley Mitchell and Teagan Kavan show in Texas’ 3-0 win over Florida in the first round of the Women’s College World Series on Thursday.

Mitchell hit two solo home runs and Kavan went seven shutout innings while only allowing two hits, as the Longhorns took control of the Gators to move into the winner’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament. Texas will next face the winner of Oklahoma-Tennessee, whereas Florida takes on the loser.

Florida’s bats were uncharacteristically cold on Thursday, and it’ll need them to warm up if it wants to stay alive in Oklahoma City. Leadoff hitter Kendra Falby failed to get on base in a game for only the second time all season, as Kavan cruised through seven innings against the Gators.

Texas left fielder Katie Stewart also hit a solo home run, as she went back-to-back with Mitchell in the sixth inning.

Here’s a look at the highlights from Texas’ WCWS win over Florida on Thursday:

Texas vs Florida softball score

Texas vs Florida live updates

Texas moves on with 3-0 win

Texas beats Florida 3-0 behind superb performances from Teagan Kavan and Joley Mitchell, who carried the Longhorns into the winner’s bracket on Thursday.

Florida heads down to the loser’s bracket and will play the loser of Tennessee and Oklahoma.

Texas also goes down in order

Florida heads into the bottom of the seventh down to its final three outs, as it still trails 3-0. The Gators bats have their last chance here to get going against Teagan Kavan.

Florida goes down in order

Texas goes 3-up, 3-down as the Longhorns turn a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the sixth inning.

Florida down to its final three outs while trailing 3-0.

Florida gets out of jam

Kayden Henry grounds into a double play, which Florida converts to get out of a huge jam there. Texas still leads 3-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

Texas loads bases with 1 out

Kaydee Bennett moves both runners to second and third on a sacrifice bunt, before Olivia Miller hits leadoff hitter Ashton Maloney to load the bases for Texas.

The Longhorns could blow this one open here.

Florida turns to bullpen

Keagan Rothrock comes out of the game after allowing back-to-back home runs, first going to Ava Brown, who gives up a pair of hits in the sixth inning. Brown only faces two hitters before Florida turns to Olivia Miller.

Florida hoping to get out of this inning with a 3-0 deficit, as Texas has runners on first and second with no outs.

Katie Stewart goes back-to-back

Texas adds another as Katie Stewart joins the home run barrage, hitting a 252-foot shot to right field to give the Longhorns a 3-0 lead.

Texas might’ve figured out Keagan Rothrock.

Joley Mitchell goes deep again

It’s been the Joley Mitchell show in Oklahoma City so far, as Mitchell launches another solo home run, this time over the center field wall just out of reach of Florida’s Kendra Falby.

Mitchell’s two home runs are the difference so far, as Texas leads 2-0 in the top of the sixth.

Teagan Kavan continues dominance

Teagan Kavan is still dominating, as she gets through her fifth scoreless inning of the game. Kavan has allowed one hit with two walks and a strikeout so far, as Texas leads Florida 1-0 after the fifth inning.

Korbe Otis with nice sliding play

Keagan Rothrock has been outstanding outside of the solo home run she allowed in the second inning, holding Texas scoreless the last three innings. She gets out of the jam in the fifth inning after striking out Texas’ Reese Atwood looking.

Left fielder Korbe Otis helped the cause with a nice sliding catch in foul territory in the frame.

Florida gets first hit

Korbe Otis gets Florida’s first hit, as Otis hits a line drive that just gets past the glove of Joley Mitchell at first base.

Texas still leads 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, as the Gators are having a hard time getting any success against Teagan Kavan.

Texas, Florida, scoreless in 3rd inning

Both Texas and Florida don’t score in the third inning, as Texas still leads 1-0 heading into the fourth inning.

Teagan Kavan still hasn’t picked up a strikeout, but she’s through three innings of work without allowing a hit to the strong Florida offense so far.

Texas leads 1-0 after 2 innings

Teagan Kavan has walked two batters, but otherwise has been quite good so far, allowing no runs or hits. Kavan has yet to pick up a strikeout.

Strike ’em out, throw ’em out for Florida

Florida gets out of the inning as Keagan Rothrock strikes out Adayah Wallace before Jocelyn Erickson throws out Katie Stewart at second base for the third out of the inning.

Nice sequence there for the Gators.

Texas takes 1-0 lead

First run of the 2025 WCWS goes to Texas first baseman Joley Mitchell, who launches a solo home run over the left-field fence to give the Longhorns a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

That one was a no doubter.

Texas-Florida scoreless after first inning

Texas’ Teagan Kavan and Florida’s Keagan Rothrock, both look excellent in the first inning, as Kavan also puts up a zero for the Longhorns. Both pitchers’ fastballs are up to at least 70 miles per hour so far.

Rothrock strikes out 2 in first

Keagan Rothrock works around a single, holding Texas scoreless in the top of the first inning after striking out a pair of Longhorns hitters,

Florida’s 1-2-3 batters coming up in the bottom of the first inning.

Texas-Florida underway

Keagan Rothrock fires the first pitch of the game to Texas leadoff hitter Ashton Maloney, and the 2025 WCWS is underway in Oklahoma City.

Florida softball lineup today

CF Kendra Falby
RF Taylor Shumaker
1B Reagan Walsh
C Jocelyn Erickson
LF Korbe Otis
DP Ava Brown
2B Mia Williams
3B Kenleigh Cahalan
SS Rylee Holtorf

Keagan Rothrock starting in the circle.

Texas softball lineup today

RF Ashton Maloney
CF Kayden Henry
3B Mia Scott
C Reese Atwood
1B Josey Mitchell
LF Katie Stewart
SS Leighann Goode
DP Adayah Walalce
2B Kaydee Bennett

Teagan Kavan starting in the circle.

What time does Texas vs Florida softball start?

Time: Noon ET
Date: Thursday, May 29
Location: Devon Park (Oklahoma City)

What TV channel is Texas vs Florida softball on today?

TV channel: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN app, Fubo

Texas-Florida softball at the WCWS will air live on ESPN, with streaming options on the ESPN app or Fubo, which can be accessed with a free trial.