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.

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!”

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“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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Baseball is humming.

Here are the odds for the 2026 World Series at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 25.

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2026 World Series odds

Dodgers: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)
Yankees: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Braves: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Mariners: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
Rays: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)
Cubs: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Brewers: +1700 (bet $10 to win $180 total)
Phillies: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Blue Jays: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Rangers: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)

Guardians: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Padres: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Red Sox: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Astros: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Athletics: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Tigers: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Mets: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Pirates: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Diamondbacks: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Orioles: +7000 (bet $10 to win $710 total)
Twins: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Royals: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Reds: +12000 (bet $10 to win $1,210 total)
White Sox: +12000 (bet $10 to win $1,210 total)
Cardinals: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Giants: +20000 (bet $10 to win $2,010 total)
Marlins: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)
Angels: +40000 (bet $10 to win $4,010 total)
Rockies: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Nationals: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)

Here’s what to know about this oddsboard: 

The Defending Champs: At the end of last season, the Dodgers became the first back-to-back World Series champs since the Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000. In addition, L.A. won its third championship in the past six years. As for this season? L.A. has picked up right where it left off. As of May 25, the Dodgers are atop the NL West and have the third-best record in baseball (33-20). They have the highest run differential per game in MLB (2), and sit in the top five in batting average, home runs, RBIs, hits, pitching wins, team ERA and quality starts. 

Making Waves: The Rays were not seen as a threat entering the season. In fact, they had the longest odds to win their own division. However, as of May 25, they have the best record in baseball (34-16), behind a pitching staff that is having a dominant year. Tampa Bay is second in wins (34), fifth in team ERA (3.51) and first in saves (23). In terms of World Series odds, the Rays were at +6000 back on April 27.

Wander Franco is guilty of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl in 2023, a judge in the Dominican Republic made clear Monday.

Yet in his next breath, the same judge ruled that the former Tampa Bay Rays star shortstop will not be sentenced to prison because he was a victim of blackmail and extortion by the girl’s mother.

Celebrity justice in the D.R. can be perplexing, and Judge José Antonio Núñez admitted as much. But he also contended that the judicial pardon he granted Franco was the result of “logical and legal reasoning.”

“It seems contradictory to declare criminal responsibility and, at the same time, exempt him from punishment,” Núñez said. “The court has granted Wander Franco a judicial pardon due to the particular circumstances that made him a material victim, but not a legal one.”

The court found that the girl’s mother extorted thousands of dollars from Franco. The woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of commercial sexual exploitation of a minor and money laundering.

The odds are long that Franco will return to Major League Baseball any time soon. The fact that the court found him guilty of repeatedly having sex with a minor puts him squarely in violation of MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

The league is in the midst of an investigation into Franco’s conduct.

“We respect the legal process and the decision issued by the court,” the Rays said in a statement. “This is a serious matter, and our thoughts remain with those affected by the case.

“The Rays will continue to cooperate fully with Major League Baseball as it completes its review under the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Out of respect for the legal process and all parties involved, we will have no further comment at this time.”

Franco’s situation serves as a cautionary tale for MLB teams that hand out long-term contracts years before players become free agents. The Rays signed a 20-year-old Franco to an 11-year, $182 million deal in November 2021 after he batted .288 with 30 extra-base hits in 70 games as a rookie.

Franco appeared on his way to stardom during a stellar 2023 season, but according to court filings he carried on a relationship with the 14-year-old victim for several months.

An investigation was launched in August 2023. Franco was arrested Jan. 1, 2024, after failing to appear before Dominican authorities who sought to interview him.

Tampa Bay placed him on the restricted list early in the 2024 season, voiding his contract.

Franco was found guilty in a June 2025 trial. Although prosecutors sought a five-year prison sentence, he was given only a two-year suspended sentence by Justice Jakayra Veras.

“Look at us, Wander,” Veras said in open court. “Do not approach minors for sexual purposes. If you don’t like people very close to your age, you have to wait your time.”

An appeals court in December ordered a new trial, which took place Monday and resulted in his pardon.

“Thank God for everything,” Franco said as he embraced his mother, Nancy Aybar, after Judge Nuñez announced the pardon.

As he departed the courthouse, Franco was asked by a reporter how he felt.

“I feel calm,” he said.