Category: Sports

The National Basketball Association continues its examination of the conflict between Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and team officials regarding the former MVP’s fitness to compete, league representatives confirmed Saturday.

The league provided an update on their inquiry one day after Antetokounmpo publicly stated to reporters from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Athletic that his health has returned and he desires to return to action.

The Greek forward last appeared in a game on March 15 during Milwaukee’s win against Indiana, exiting after an awkward landing following a dunk attempt. Team medical staff listed him as unavailable for Sunday’s contest versus Memphis, extending his absence to 11 consecutive games.

According to an NBA representative, the league’s Player Participation Policy review has uncovered conflicting accounts between the parties involved. “The NBA’s Player Participation Policy investigation into the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo is ongoing and certain facts remain in dispute,” the spokesperson stated. “The investigation has found that the Bucks scheduled Giannis to work out last week in three-on-three scrimmages as part of his return-to-play process, but he declined to participate. There is a disagreement as to whether the team requested that Giannis participate in a group workout earlier this week, and the league is continuing to monitor the situation.”

ESPN initially broke news of the league’s investigation.

Milwaukee’s medical staff has continuously listed Antetokounmpo as unavailable due to left knee hyperextension and bone bruising sustained in the Indiana matchup. Despite the injury designation, the star player has participated in pregame preparation activities without visible restrictions.

Speaking to media members prior to Friday’s 133-101 defeat to Boston, Antetokounmpo expressed frustration with the situation. “I’m healthy,” he declared. “I hate it when people force me to do things against my nature. I’m a player. I get paid to play.”

Milwaukee’s postseason hopes officially ended on March 28, breaking their streak of nine consecutive playoff qualifications.

This season marks a career-worst 42 games missed for the 31-year-old Antetokounmpo, who also dealt with multiple calf injuries and an adductor strain earlier in the campaign.

The veteran forward, who has spent his entire 13-season professional career with Milwaukee after being selected 15th overall in 2013, believes team leadership should understand his competitive nature better given their lengthy relationship.

“You know who you’re dealing with,” Antetokounmpo commented Friday. “So, for somebody to come and tell me to not play or to not compete, it’s like a slap in my face.”

This disagreement emerges during widespread discussion about Antetokounmpo’s long-term commitment to Milwaukee.

The star becomes eligible for a four-year extension worth as much as $275 million this October. Without signing such a deal, he could enter free agency following the 2026-27 season, potentially prompting Milwaukee to explore trade scenarios.

Head coach Doc Rivers expressed disappointment that private matters became public knowledge following Monday’s game. “I just don’t like that this is so public,” Rivers commented. “This is where grown men get in a room and they talk it out. Whether they agree or disagree, that doesn’t matter. But this should not be public, and I don’t like that.”

Rivers emphasized his preference for internal resolution, stating “this is a grown man’s game, and it should be handled that way by everybody.”

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. — Taking command of Saturday’s North Carolina Education Lottery 250 Presented by Black’s Tire following a lap 172 restart, 19-year-old William Sawalich dominated the remaining 79 circuits to capture his maiden NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series triumph at Rockingham Speedway.

The teenage driver’s breakthrough performance made him the youngest competitor to claim victory at the 0.94-mile facility across NASCAR’s three premier divisions. Sawalich commanded the race for 80 total laps.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver crossed the checkered flag with a 0.863-second margin over teammate Brandon Jones, halting JR Motorsports’ five-race victory streak while extending JGR’s series record to six consecutive wins.

“It means everything,” Sawalich expressed after advancing three spots to 11th in championship standings. “Honestly, it was a tough year last year and a tough start to the year this year. Gosh, it feels good to get it done here at Rockingham in front of an awesome crowd.”

“Our Supra was on rails today, obviously. Good in Stage 1 (fifth), Stage 2 (second) and obviously amazing in clean air. Lapped traffic took me out last year (in a 25th-place finish), so that was running through my head a little bit, but, man, I just studied the race last year, calmed down—and everything’s fine.”

Sawalich’s triumph secures his spot in next Saturday’s inaugural Dash 4 Cash competition at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Rockingham race’s top four finishers—Sawalich, Jones, plus third and fourth-place drivers Justin Allgaier and Rajah Caruth—will battle for a $100,000 bonus, awarded to whichever driver finishes highest among the quartet.

Caruth earned his Dash 4 Cash berth through a dramatic three-wide maneuver past Sheldon Creed and Carson Kvapil with nine circuits remaining. Kvapil claimed fifth position ahead of Creed in sixth, with Taylor Gray, Parker Retzlaff, Ryan Sieg, and pole-sitter Corey Day completing the top 10.

During the race’s opening portion, Day showcased the strongest machine. The 20-year-old paced the field for a race-best 118 of 250 laps while capturing both opening stages—his first career stage victories.

However, Day surrendered five positions during a sluggish pit stop at the second stage break and couldn’t regain his earlier form. A lap 174 unscheduled stop for a loose wheel forced him to rally from 24th position through the final 70 laps, ultimately securing his seventh consecutive top-10 result.

“We had a couple of bad pit stops,” Day reflected. “We got behind there, and it was hard to dig ourselves out of the hole.”

Runner-up Jones viewed his performance as significant improvement from recent struggles.

“I left Martinsville a little frustrated at myself last week (after finishing 18th),” Jones explained. “We weren’t quite aggressive enough at times, so today, I was super adamant on being super aggressive. I am going to take all of the runs I can get. I’m going to put people in bad situations, if I can, and just move forward.”

“I think we did a really good job of it. We kept fighting both sides of it with balance today. Sam (McAuley, crew chief) did a great job taking all of my feedback and making a car, I think, capable of winning. It was just a matter of trying to get some track position, and he (Sawalich) got such a big restart on that last restart (after the seventh caution on Lap 206) that it was hard to catch him.”

Third-place finisher Allgaier departed Rockingham maintaining a commanding 126-point championship advantage over second-place Jesse Love. Love’s title hopes suffered when he contacted the outside barrier following contact from Caruth, necessitating an unscheduled pit visit on lap 153 that relegated him to a 27th-place finish, two laps behind the leaders.

Canada’s national soccer organization made a bold and playful move this weekend, targeting devastated Italian football fans after their team’s latest World Cup disappointment.

Following Italy’s elimination from World Cup qualifying after losing to Bosnia on Tuesday, Canada Soccer launched a tongue-in-cheek recruitment campaign aimed at the four-time champions’ supporters.

“Dear Italian soccer fans, Don’t wait four more years. Swap your jersey for Canada,” the governing body wrote on social media platform X on Friday, encouraging supporters to meet at Cafe Diplomatico, a well-known establishment in Toronto’s Little Italy district.

The playful outreach came after Italy experienced their third straight failure to reach the World Cup, a devastating blow that resulted in coach Gennaro Gattuso and federation president Gabriele Gravina stepping down from their positions.

Recognizing an opportunity, Canada – which will serve as a co-host nation for the upcoming World Cup along with Mexico and the United States – decided to capitalize on the moment by inviting disheartened Italian fans to join their cause.

According to local news outlets, hundreds of people lined up for the jersey swap event, though the exchange turned out to be more about goodwill than actual trading. Canada Soccer distributed 2026 tournament shirts and promotional materials to attendees without requiring anyone to surrender their Italian jerseys in return.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers announced Saturday that guard Austin Reaves has suffered a Grade 2 oblique muscle injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the regular season, joining teammate Luka Doncic on the sidelines.

Both Reaves and Doncic sustained their injuries during Thursday’s matchup in Oklahoma City, creating a major setback for the Lakers (50-27) as they prepare for the postseason. Doncic will be unavailable for a minimum of two weeks after pulling his left hamstring during the team’s decisive defeat to the Thunder.

The two players were hurt in the opening half of Thursday’s contest but continued playing. Doncic received his diagnosis Friday for what marks his second major hamstring problem, while Reaves underwent an MRI Saturday before the Lakers declared him unavailable. The team faces Dallas on Sunday.

Medical experts typically expect both types of injuries to require a month or longer for complete recovery, though the Lakers have not made any predictions about player availability beyond their next five contests.

Reaves has emerged as a premier NBA offensive threat and has served as a crucial scoring complement to Doncic and LeBron James throughout the Lakers’ championship pursuit of the Pacific Division crown. The previously undrafted player is posting averages of 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds across 51 appearances in his fifth Lakers campaign.

The guard previously sat out 19 contests following a Christmas Day left calf strain. His scoring average would rank him 11th in the league if he had met the minimum games requirement.

Los Angeles has captured 16 victories in their past 19 outings to climb into third place in the Western Conference standings. Playoff action commences in two weeks.

Prior to learning the full extent of Reaves’ condition, Lakers head coach JJ Redick addressed media members in Dallas on Saturday, emphasizing the team’s continued focus despite Doncic’s absence.

“Our mission, it hasn’t changed,” Redick said. “The rest of these guys and my staff, we’re going after the 3-seed, and we’re going to try to win a playoff series.”

Following his breakthrough offensive performance in his first complete season playing alongside Doncic, Reaves will have the opportunity to negotiate a substantial contract extension this summer if he opts out of his player option for the 2026-27 campaign as anticipated. Both Reaves and the Lakers organization expect him to remain with the franchise.

The Lakers will conclude their regular season schedule on April 12 when they host Utah at home.

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts departed Saturday’s matchup with the Washington Nationals early after experiencing discomfort in his lower right back, according to team officials.

The injury appeared to happen as Betts was running the base paths during the opening frame. After drawing a walk, he came home to score on a two-run double by Freddie Freeman, but was seen moving gingerly as he made his way back to the team’s dugout following the play.

Team officials indicated they will provide additional details about Betts’ condition following the completion of the game.

The 33-year-old veteran has struggled at the plate early this season, managing just a .179 batting average with 5 hits in 28 at-bats across eight contests, though he has contributed two home runs and seven RBIs.

Miguel Rojas stepped in to take over shortstop duties after Betts’ departure.

Toronto has completed a transaction with San Francisco on Saturday, bringing infielder Tyler Fitzgerald to their organization in exchange for monetary compensation.

The 28-year-old player had been removed from San Francisco’s roster earlier this week following the start of the current campaign at their Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento. The Giants’ offseason signing of infielder Luis Arraez resulted in Fitzgerald moving further down their organizational depth chart.

Toronto has assigned Fitzgerald to their Triple-A club in Buffalo following the transaction.

This season, Fitzgerald has struggled offensively, going hitless through 12 plate appearances with Sacramento. During his tenure with San Francisco spanning portions of three major league seasons, he compiled a .252 batting average while contributing 21 home runs and driving in 53 runs across 178 games. His removal from the roster came after the Giants completed a deal to bring reliever Dylan Smith over from Detroit.

Miami Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. faces a whirlwind weekend of coast-to-coast travel after receiving approval from coach Erik Spoelstra to support his sister in Sunday’s national championship game.

The former UCLA star will fly to Phoenix to watch Gabriela Jaquez and the Bruins take on South Carolina in the women’s basketball title contest.

While Jaquez won’t miss any Heat games, his travel itinerary will be demanding. Miami hosts the Washington Wizards on Saturday, then travels to face the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday.

The journey requires a 2,000-mile flight from Miami to Phoenix, followed by a 1,900-mile trip from Arizona to Toronto.

The older Jaquez brother had a stellar college career, guiding UCLA to the men’s 2021 Final Four and capturing 2023 Pac-12 Player of the Year honors along with second-team All-America recognition. Miami selected him in the first round of the 2023 draft.

Gabriela Jaquez ranks third on UCLA’s scoring list, averaging 13.3 points per game while contributing 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists. The senior has been instrumental in the Bruins’ remarkable 36-1 season and their second straight Final Four run as they pursue the program’s first women’s basketball championship.

In Friday’s 51-44 national semifinal win over Texas, she contributed 10 points, two assists and four rebounds.

Connecticut basketball coach Geno Auriemma has issued an apology following a heated confrontation with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley during the closing moments of their women’s Final Four matchup in Phoenix. The incident occurred as South Carolina secured a 62-48 victory on Friday night, with an agitated Auriemma approaching Staley and appearing to criticize her actions. Coaching staff from both programs intervened to separate the two coaches. After the final buzzer, Auriemma departed directly to the locker room without participating in the traditional post-game handshakes with South Carolina personnel.

In NHL news, the Buffalo Sabres have finally broken through to end professional sports’ longest active playoff drought. After 14 consecutive seasons without postseason play – an NHL record – the Sabres secured their playoff berth on Saturday when the New York Rangers defeated Detroit in regulation. During their extended absence from the playoffs, Buffalo never finished higher than 19th in league standings. Their drought ranked as the second-longest among major North American sports franchises, trailing only the NFL’s New York Jets, who haven’t reached the playoffs since 2010.

At Augusta National, Colombia’s Maria Jose Marin captured the Augusta National Women’s Amateur championship after California teenager Asterisk Talley suffered a dramatic collapse. The Arkansas junior fired a final-round 68 to establish a tournament record at 14-under 202, becoming the third collegiate champion to win the event alongside Jennifer Kupcho and Rose Zhang. Talley’s chances evaporated during a disastrous sequence at the par-3 12th hole, where she found the water twice from a greenside bunker, resulting in a quadruple-bogey that dropped her five strokes back. Talley finished with a 75 and tied for fourth place.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced its latest class of inductees during Friday’s women’s Final Four festivities in Phoenix. WNBA stars Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne will be enshrined alongside Chamique Holdsclaw and the entire 1996 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team. Additional inductees include former NBA players Amar’e Stoudemire, coaches Mike D’Antoni, Doc Rivers, and Gonzaga’s Mark Few, plus longtime NBA referee Joey Crawford. The formal induction ceremony is scheduled for August at the Hall of Fame facility in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired an unusual new team mascot after manager Pat Murphy’s television interview took an unexpected turn. During Friday’s pregame coverage, Murphy produced a tortoise named Bobby Jr. when told he couldn’t showcase his signature “pocket pancakes” – a reference to his viral moment last season when he pulled pancakes from his hoodie during a game interview. What Murphy believed was a turtle turned out to be a tortoise, and due to airline restrictions on reptiles, reporter Tricia Whitaker had to leave the creature with the team in Kansas City.

Manchester City advanced to the FA Cup semifinals with a commanding 4-0 victory over Liverpool, powered by Erling Haaland’s explosive 18-minute hat trick. The Norwegian striker opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 39th minute, added a header just before halftime, and completed his first hat trick of the season with a 57th-minute finish off the crossbar. Liverpool’s struggles were compounded by Mohamed Salah’s missed penalty, intensifying pressure on manager Arne Slot. City’s semifinal berth extends their record streak to eight consecutive seasons. Chelsea also progressed by demolishing third-division Port Vale 7-0.

Detroit Tigers veteran Justin Verlander’s homecoming has been delayed after the team placed him on the 15-day injured list with left hip inflammation. The 43-year-old pitcher, baseball’s oldest active player, was set to make his first start at Comerica Park in a Tigers uniform since August 20, 2017, when he was traded to Houston. Verlander rejoined Detroit in February on a one-year, $13 million deal after spending last season with San Francisco.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns achieved a rare milestone by becoming just the second NHL player to appear in 1,000 consecutive games. The 41-year-old veteran reached the mark during Saturday’s game against Dallas, receiving recognition from the home crowd and traveling fans alike. Burns’ streak began on November 21, 2013, while playing for San Jose and has continued through stops with Minnesota and Carolina. Phil Kessel holds the all-time record with 1,064 straight regular-season appearances from 2009-2023.

South Carolina returns to familiar territory, reaching the NCAA championship game for the fourth time in five seasons after their defensive masterpiece against UConn. The Gamecocks will face UCLA, making their first-ever title game appearance, as both teams seek basketball’s ultimate prize. South Carolina’s 62-48 semifinal victory ended UConn’s remarkable 54-game winning streak, while UCLA earned their spot with a gritty 51-44 triumph over Texas. The Gamecocks are pursuing their fourth national championship in nine years under coach Dawn Staley.

UCLA secured their historic first NCAA championship game berth with a defensive struggle against Texas, prevailing 51-44 behind Lauren Betts’ 16 points and crucial late-game block. The Bruins (36-1) dominated the team that handed them their only loss this season, effectively neutralizing All-American Madison Booker while building a 13-point fourth-quarter advantage. After being overwhelmed by eventual champion UConn in last year’s Final Four, UCLA has authored the greatest season in program history and now stands one victory away from their first national title.

DALLAS — Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns reached a remarkable milestone Saturday night, becoming only the second player in National Hockey League history to participate in 1,000 straight games during Colorado’s matchup with the Dallas Stars.

The 41-year-old veteran, known for his distinctive beard, received recognition from the Stars organization on the arena’s video display during the early moments of the contest. Both Dallas supporters and traveling Colorado fans applauded Burns for his extraordinary achievement.

The NHL record for consecutive regular-season appearances belongs to Phil Kessel, who participated in 1,064 straight contests spanning from November 3, 2009, through April 13, 2023. Kessel accomplished this feat while suiting up for Toronto, Pittsburgh, Arizona, and Vegas.

Burns’ incredible durability streak began on November 21, 2013, while he was playing for San Jose. Throughout his career, he has also worn uniforms for Minnesota and Carolina before joining Colorado this season.

In his inaugural campaign with the Avalanche, Burns has netted 11 goals, making him and Hockey Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom the only defensemen in NHL history to record double-digit goal totals at age 40 or beyond.

Saturday’s contest marked Burns’ 1,572nd career regular-season appearance. He entered the game having accumulated 941 career points, consisting of 272 goals and 669 assists. The veteran blueliner spent 11 of his 22 NHL seasons with the San Jose Sharks.

DETROIT — A much-anticipated homecoming for veteran pitcher Justin Verlander has been delayed after the Detroit Tigers sidelined him Saturday due to injury.

The 43-year-old hurler, who holds the distinction of being baseball’s oldest active player, was added to the 15-day injured list because of inflammation in his left hip. Verlander had been slated to take the mound Sunday evening for his first appearance in a Tigers jersey at Comerica Park since August 20, 2017.

The veteran pitcher was traded to the Houston Astros during the 2017 trade deadline. Following a stint with the San Francisco Giants last year, Verlander rejoined Detroit in February after signing a one-year deal worth $13 million.

During his initial tenure with Detroit spanning 2005 through 2017, Verlander took the mound for 380 starts. His 2024 season debut against Arizona on Monday proved challenging, as he surrendered five runs on six hits across 3 2/3 innings and was credited with the defeat.

The Tigers have called up right-handed pitcher Keider Montero from their Triple-A affiliate in Toledo, with Montero expected to take the mound for the concluding game of their three-game series against St. Louis.

Canada’s premier soccer league has become the first professional testing ground for a groundbreaking new offside regulation that could transform the sport worldwide.

The Canadian Premier League launched its season Saturday with FIFA’s experimental “daylight” offside rule, designed to eliminate lengthy video reviews and reduce disputes over close calls while giving attacking players an advantage.

“I see this as an opportunity to grow as a coach. It’s going to give me more tools for the future,” Atletico Ottawa head coach Diego Mejia told reporters.

The revolutionary regulation changes how officials determine offside violations. Now, attacking players remain onside as long as any scoring body part stays level with or behind the second-last defender. Officials only call offside when clear space – the “daylight” – exists between the offensive player and defender.

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, currently FIFA’s global football development chief, has promoted this approach for years to minimize frustrating marginal decisions and reduce post-match controversies that can last for days.

Wenger described the Canadian trial as “an important pilot.”

The season opener between defending champions Atletico Ottawa and Forge FC provided the first real-world test, including a video review following a disputed penalty call.

Canada’s modified system permits head coaches two challenges per game for crucial decisions, with referees using video technology to examine each appeal.

The opening review lasted over five minutes, though it didn’t focus on offside positioning. Officials examined two potential offside situations, a possible foul during the buildup, and a goalkeeper-striker collision that resulted in the penalty call.

The challenge was ultimately rejected.

A subsequent offside decision using the new daylight standard proceeded smoothly without disrupting game flow.

Saturday also marked the Canadian league’s first use of video assistance technology. Some analysts noted that officials will need adjustment time for both the modified offside interpretation and the new technology. The system uses FIFA’s streamlined Football Video Support model rather than full VAR.

Canada’s adoption of this rule provides FIFA with a professional testing environment that European leagues have declined to offer.

Some critics worry the change might force defenders, especially center-backs, into more conservative positioning.

Others suggest it could create additional midfield space as defenders maintain deeper defensive lines.

Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman will be sidelined for as long as two weeks while dealing with an injury that team officials have not disclosed, head coach Kris Knoblauch announced to media on Saturday.

The 33-year-old veteran has been battling through the injury while continuing to play, recording 51 points this season with 31 goals and 20 assists across 57 games. Hyman logged 16 minutes and 40 seconds of ice time during Thursday’s 3-1 victory against Chicago at home.

“If this was a playoff game, he’d be playing,” Knoblauch explained following Saturday’s morning practice session. “We feel it’s best to give him some rest and let him be healthy and not aggravate anything.”

“A lot of our players are going through something, but it’s something that wasn’t getting better and we wanted to give him some rest (so he) can heal and then he can be 100 percent for the playoffs. Whether that’s five days or 14 days, something in that window, then we should be good.”

Throughout his NHL career spanning 710 games between Toronto (2015-21) and Edmonton (2021-present), Hyman has accumulated 494 points with 261 goals and 233 assists. The Florida Panthers selected him in the fifth round of the 2010 draft.

Meanwhile, star player Leon Draisaitl, who has been recovering from a lower-body injury since March 15, is scheduled to return to skating practice next week when the team travels for a three-game road series, according to Knoblauch. Initial expectations were that the German forward would remain out for the remainder of the regular season.

The 30-year-old Draisaitl ranks second on Edmonton’s scoring chart with 97 points, including 35 goals and 62 assists in 65 games this campaign. The former Hart Memorial Trophy winner from 2019-20 has earned three All-Star selections during his 12-year career.

Selected third overall by Edmonton in 2014, Draisaitl has amassed 1,053 career points with 434 goals and 619 assists over 855 NHL contests.

The wait is finally over in Buffalo as the Sabres have secured their first playoff appearance since 2011, ending an unprecedented 14-year absence from postseason hockey.

The team officially earned their playoff spot Saturday when the New York Rangers beat Detroit in regulation time. This historic drought spanned an NHL-record 14 seasons, making it the second-longest active streak among major North American sports, trailing only the New York Jets who haven’t reached the playoffs since 2010.

Buffalo locked up their postseason berth with six games remaining in the regular season, ahead of their Saturday night matchup in Washington. Currently sitting at 46-22-8, the Sabres are even positioned to potentially capture the Eastern Conference’s number one seed.

The transformation has been nothing short of extraordinary for a franchise that has endured 5,458 days since their last playoff game – a Game 7 first-round loss to Philadelphia on April 26, 2011, under then-coach Lindy Ruff.

During this lengthy absence from the playoffs, Buffalo has occupied the league’s basement four separate times while cycling through seven different head coaches, including Ruff’s current return, and four general managers, with Jarmo Kekalainen now at the helm.

The team’s dramatic rise coincided with Kekalainen’s promotion from senior adviser to general manager on December 15, taking over after Kevyn Adams was dismissed following more than five seasons in charge.

Buffalo had already strung together three consecutive victories when the management change took place, then proceeded to match a franchise record with 10 straight wins. The momentum has continued unabated, with the Sabres posting a 14-3-2 record since the Olympic break, and their worst stretch since December being just a three-game winless streak.

While the coaching change provided a spark, Buffalo’s improved health also played a crucial role in their success.

The return of Josh Norris and Jason Zucker strengthened the top two forward lines, while goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen overcame early-season injury troubles to split starting duties with Alex Lyon. After a shaky 4-5-1 start, Luukkonen has compiled an impressive 15-4-2 record since December 21.

Kekalainen also bolstered the roster at last month’s trade deadline, bringing in center Sam Carrick, forward Tanner Pearson, and defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn.

Leading the charge are two of Buffalo’s most experienced players: captain Rasmus Dahlin, selected first overall in 2018, and forward Tage Thompson, who arrived via the Ryan O’Reilly trade to St. Louis that same summer.

Dahlin entered Saturday ranked sixth among NHL defensemen with 67 points, while Thompson was tied for 11th league-wide with 38 goals.

Buffalo’s next challenge will be capturing their first playoff series victory since defeating the Rangers in six games during the 2007 second round.

This resurgence has reinvigorated a fanbase that had grown frustrated with consistent losing, multiple failed rebuilding attempts, and watching talented players like O’Reilly and Jack Eichel leave town only to win Stanley Cups elsewhere. Eichel was traded to Vegas in November 2021 after a prolonged dispute over his neck injury treatment.

The Sabres remain without a Stanley Cup championship in their 54-year franchise history.

Fan enthusiasm has returned in full force, with Buffalo recording 21 home sellouts this season, including 15 consecutive games, compared to just five sellouts the previous year.

The team has demonstrated remarkable resilience this season, entering Saturday with 19 comeback victories, tied for seventh in the NHL. Their most dramatic rally came against Tampa Bay last month, winning 8-7 after trailing 7-5 with only nine minutes remaining in regulation.

Tampa Bay also secured their playoff spot on Saturday.

The Los Angeles Lakers face mounting injury concerns as star guard Austin Reaves is scheduled for an MRI examination on Saturday to evaluate his midsection, according to multiple reports.

Reaves sustained the rib and oblique injury during Thursday’s defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The same contest also saw fellow star guard Luka Doncic suffer a left hamstring injury that will likely sideline him for the remaining five regular season games.

“I went back to get a rebound, overextended a little bit and I felt something,” Reaves explained following the Thunder defeat.

While Doncic has been ruled out for Sunday’s road matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, Reaves’ availability remains uncertain. The Lakers may also be without guard Marcus Smart due to an ankle issue.

Los Angeles had entered the Oklahoma City game with momentum and optimism about their playoff chances, having won 13 of their last 14 contests to climb to third place in the Western Conference standings. However, the Thunder matchup proved damaging beyond just the 139-96 defeat.

The 27-year-old Reaves has posted career-high numbers this season, averaging 23.3 points along with 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists across 51 games with 45 starts. He previously missed 19 straight games this season due to a calf problem.

Throughout his five-year career, all spent with the Lakers, Reaves has compiled averages of 15.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists over 331 games with 216 starts.

Doncic currently tops the NBA in scoring with 33.5 points per game while also contributing 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds. He recently earned Western Conference Player of the Month honors for March, during which he averaged 37.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.3 steals.

The head coach of the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team issued a public apology Saturday following a heated confrontation with his counterpart from South Carolina after Friday night’s Final Four matchup in Phoenix.

Geno Auriemma found himself at the center of controversy when his team fell to the Gamecocks 62-48, ending UConn’s perfect season. As time expired, both Auriemma and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley moved toward center court in what appeared to be a customary post-game handshake.

Instead of extending his hand, Auriemma spoke to Staley, prompting an angry response from the South Carolina coach. Staff members from both teams quickly intervened to separate the coaches. After being led away initially, Auriemma returned and walked past Staley again as she continued her animated reaction before her assistants worked to calm the situation.

In his official statement, Auriemma took full responsibility for the incident. “There’s no excuse how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina,” Auriemma said in a statement. “It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I want to sincerely apologize to them.”

When questioned by ESPN immediately after the game about what sparked the disagreement, Staley expressed confusion about Auriemma’s behavior. “I have no idea. But I’mma let you know this: I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity. So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did,” Staley explained.

The South Carolina coach speculated about a possible misunderstanding regarding pre-game protocol. “I guess he thought I didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn’t know. I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff’s hand. I don’t know what he came with after the game. But hey, sometimes things get heated, we move on,” she added.

During her post-game press conference, Staley emphasized that Auriemma initiated the exchange. “You can ask Geno the question — he’s the one that initiated the conversation. I don’t want what happened to dampen what we were able to accomplish today,” Staley stated.

Auriemma’s frustration appeared to stem from officiating concerns during the contest. Speaking to ESPN, he voiced displeasure with the third quarter’s foul distribution. “There were six fouls called that (third) quarter, all of ’em against us. And they’ve been beating the s— out of our guys down there the entire game. Now I’m not making excuses because we haven’t been able to make a shot, but this is ridiculous. Their coach rants and raves on the sideline and calls the referees some names you don’t wanna hear. And now we got six to zero, and I got a kid with a ripped jersey and (the refs) say, ‘I didn’t see it.’”

The victory advances Staley’s Gamecocks to the championship game with a 36-3 record, positioning them one victory away from capturing their third NCAA title in five seasons and Staley’s fourth as head coach. The 55-year-old coach has built South Carolina into a national powerhouse.

For the 72-year-old Auriemma, the loss marked his team’s first defeat of the season, concluding UConn’s campaign with a 38-1 record. Despite the disappointing finish, Auriemma remains college basketball’s most successful coach with 12 national championships, including last year’s title for the Huskies.

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson stepped back onto the ice Saturday during their matchup with the Minnesota Wild after being sidelined for over a month.

The 23-year-old defender had been out of action since March 7, when Ottawa beat Seattle 7-4, due to an upper-body injury that kept him away from the team for 13 contests.

Sanderson’s comeback couldn’t come at a better time for Ottawa, which sits at 39-26-20 with 88 points. While the Senators currently occupy the second wild-card position in the Eastern Conference based on tiebreakers heading into Saturday’s contest, their playoff spot remains uncertain. Detroit, Columbus, and Philadelphia each have identical 88-point totals and are ready to capitalize on any missteps to secure the final postseason position.

This season, Sanderson has compiled 48 points through 62 games, recording 11 goals and 37 assists to lead all Ottawa defensemen in scoring.

Ottawa selected the Montana-born player fifth overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Prior to Saturday’s game, Sanderson had accumulated 175 points across 298 career NHL appearances, including 36 goals and 139 assists.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Milwaukee Brewers have gone from carrying “pocket pancakes” to adopting a pocket reptile as their latest good luck charm.

The unusual story requires some background context.

Last August, Brewers manager Pat Murphy gained internet fame when he was spotted eating a pancake from his hoodie pocket during a live dugout interview against the Washington Nationals. Murphy has a reputation for keeping various snacks nearby during games, including waffles and egg rolls, but the nationally televised moment went viral instantly. The team capitalized on the attention by selling “Murph’s Pocket Pancakes” at Sunday home games.

The latest chapter unfolded before Friday’s rainout against the Kansas City Royals. During a pregame chat with Apple TV reporter Tricia Whitaker, Murphy revealed he’d been warned about his snacking habits.

“This is Bobby Jr.,” Murphy announced, producing what he called a pocket turtle after being told “under no uncertain circumstances, no pocket pancakes” during the interview. He named the creature after longtime friend Bobby Witt and his son, Royals player Bobby Witt Jr. “I didn’t want to pull out pancakes so here we are.”

After Whitaker shared the moment on social media, fans quickly corrected the identification. The reptile was actually a Sulcata tortoise, a species that can reach 100 pounds and live seven decades.

“How am I supposed to fly this home?” Whitaker wondered aloud.

That question proved prophetic. American Airlines maintains a strict policy against transporting reptiles, leaving Bobby Jr. stranded in Kansas City. Whitaker announced on social media that the Brewers would temporarily care for the tortoise.

By Saturday, the reptile had settled into the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium under a warming lamp, though team officials plan to find a permanent home soon. The tortoise won’t be joining road trips for the remainder of the season.

“It was suggested by one player,” Whitaker explained, “that they get to keep the ‘rally turtle’ if they win today. If they lose, I am hoping, consideration will be given to send me the tortoise.”

Detroit Tigers veteran pitcher Justin Verlander will have to wait longer before taking the mound at his home stadium again.

On Saturday, the Tigers moved the accomplished right-handed pitcher to the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his left hip. The roster move takes effect retroactively from Wednesday.

The 43-year-old pitcher was scheduled to make his Sunday appearance at Detroit his first home game as a Tiger since the 2017 season.

To fill Verlander’s spot, the Tigers brought up right-handed pitcher Keider Montero from their Triple-A affiliate in Toledo. Verlander had rejoined Detroit in February after signing a one-year deal worth $13 million.

In his season opener, Verlander struggled against Arizona, giving up five runs and six hits, including a home run, during 3 2/3 innings in Detroit’s 9-6 defeat to the Diamondbacks.

Throughout his major league career, Verlander has compiled 266 wins against 159 losses with a 3.33 earned run average. He has recorded 3,554 strikeouts and issued 1,006 walks across 3,571 1/3 innings in 556 regular-season starts. His career has spanned multiple teams including Detroit (2005-17), Houston (2017-20, 2022, 2023-24), the New York Mets (2023), and San Francisco (2025). He sat out the entire 2021 campaign following Tommy John elbow surgery performed in September 2020.

The veteran pitcher earned American League Rookie of the Year recognition in 2006 and captured both MVP and Cy Young Award honors in 2011. He added two more Cy Young Awards while playing for Houston in 2019 and 2022.

Detroit originally drafted Verlander as the second overall selection in the 2004 MLB Draft from Old Dominion University.

Montero, age 25, recorded five wins and three losses with a 4.37 ERA across 20 games last season for Detroit, making 12 starts among those appearances.

Nine basketball legends will receive the sport’s highest honor when the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame welcomes its 2026 class, officials announced Saturday.

Among the distinguished group are two active head coaches and three former WNBA stars, along with the complete 1996 U.S. women’s Olympic team that captured gold in Atlanta under coach Tara VanDerveer.

The North American Committee chose Gonzaga’s Mark Few and Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers for their coaching achievements. Former NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire, who earned six All-Star selections, also made the cut, alongside longtime NBA official Joey Crawford, who worked 39 seasons in the league.

The Women’s Committee honored the entire 1996 Olympic squad while also selecting three individual players: Elena Delle Donne, a two-time WNBA MVP; Chamique Holdsclaw, a six-time WNBA All-Star; and Candace Parker, who claimed two MVP awards and three WNBA championships.

Additionally, the Contributors Committee recognized Mike D’Antoni, who coached NBA teams for 16 seasons across stops in Phoenix, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston.

Few has led Gonzaga to an unprecedented 26 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the championship game twice in 2017 and 2021. Since the 1999-2000 campaign, his Bulldogs have never won fewer than 23 games in a season.

With 1,191 career wins, Rivers sits sixth on the NBA’s all-time coaching victories list. He led Boston to the 2008 NBA championship during his 27-year coaching career. As a player, Rivers spent 13 seasons in the league, including eight years with Atlanta from 1983-91, and earned an All-Star selection in 1988.

During his 14-year playing career from 2002-16, Stoudemire made six All-Star teams while starring primarily with Phoenix in his first eight seasons. He captured Rookie of the Year honors in 2002-03 and finished with career averages of 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

Crawford officiated 2,561 regular season NBA games, trailing only Dick Bavetta in league history. He also holds the record for playoff games officiated with 374 and worked 50 NBA Finals contests.

Parker claimed three WNBA titles with different franchises during her 16-season career from 2008-23, earning MVP honors in 2008 and 2013. The seven-time All-Star also won back-to-back college championships at Tennessee in 2007 and 2008, plus Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012.

Delle Donne earned WNBA MVP recognition in 2015 and 2019, leading Washington to the 2019 championship. She made seven All-Star appearances across 10 seasons split between Chicago from 2013-16 and Washington from 2017-19 and 2021-23.

The formal induction ceremony will take place August 14-15 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Jose Butto is set to have surgery to remove a blood clot discovered in his throwing arm, following his placement on the injured list Thursday due to arm fatigue.

The right-handed reliever had been dealing with discomfort in his arm prior to making three appearances out of the bullpen this season, posting a difficult 22.50 ERA across just two innings of work. Throughout his five-year major league career split between the New York Mets and Giants, Butto holds a record of 13-10 with four saves and a 3.76 ERA.

The Giants moved Butto to the 15-day injured list earlier this week and brought up right-hander Blade Tidwell from their Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento. Tidwell made an impressive debut Thursday night, throwing three shutout innings in relief against the New York Mets to earn his first major league save.

Both Tidwell and Butto joined the Giants organization last July as part of a trade package that also included outfielder Drew Gilbert, with all three players coming from the Mets in exchange for right-handed pitcher Tyler Rogers.

The University of Georgia has announced that women’s basketball head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson will no longer lead the program, with both parties reaching a mutual agreement to separate on Saturday.

The 59-year-old coach compiled a 69-59 overall record during her four-year tenure leading the Bulldogs. Abrahamson-Henderson took over the program from Joni Taylor, who had succeeded longtime coach Andy Landers following his retirement in 2015.

The Bulldogs concluded this season with a 22-10 record after falling to Virginia 82-73 in overtime during the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Georgia also made a tournament appearance in 2022, where they were eliminated in the second round by Iowa, led by star player Caitlin Clark.

Athletic director Josh Brooks expressed gratitude for Abrahamson-Henderson’s contributions to the program. “We would like to thank Coach Abe for her leadership and wish her well moving forward,” Brooks stated. “We are committed to building on the proud tradition of Lady Bulldog basketball and will continue to support our program with the necessary resources for future success.”

Brooks also outlined the university’s approach to finding a replacement. “We have an outstanding group of alumni and a dedicated fan base. Our search for a new head coach will focus on someone who will carry on this legacy and connect with our student-athletes, alumni and supporters in an impactful way.”

Prior to joining Georgia, Abrahamson-Henderson served as head coach at Missouri State, Albany, and UCF, guiding multiple teams to NCAA Tournament berths throughout her coaching career.

PHOENIX — Basketball legends Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne will join their childhood heroes from the 1996 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team in this year’s Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction class.

Parker expressed her excitement about being enshrined alongside players she grew up admiring, including Chamique Holdsclaw and the groundbreaking 1996 Olympic squad.

“I am so happy for Chamique and I am so happy that she is getting her flowers. She deserves them,” Parker shared with The Associated Press. “Obviously, Elena Della Donne and I grew up battling against one another and the ’96 team, I think we were all inspired by that. So I just think it’s, it’s truly special.”

The 2026 Hall of Fame class also features Amar’e Stoudemire, Mike D’Antoni, Joey Crawford, Doc Rivers and Mark Few, creating what Parker calls an exceptional group of honorees.

“It means so much, just to be in a club of people that I’ve always admired and looked up to and have paved the way. I think it’s super special,” Parker commented.

Parker’s illustrious career includes championships with three different WNBA franchises: Los Angeles, Chicago and Las Vegas. She holds the unique distinction of being the only player to capture both MVP and Rookie of the Year honors in a single season.

Her trophy case also contains two collegiate championships from Tennessee under legendary coach Pat Summitt, two Olympic gold medals and two WNBA MVP awards.

Holdsclaw reflected on how the 1996 Olympic team inspired her own journey, recalling the photos she kept of team members during her youth in New York. That squad launched an unprecedented streak of eight consecutive Olympic gold medals for American women’s basketball and helped establish the WNBA.

“There’s four or five players on that team who I have pictures of at my home, Lisa Leslie, Dawn Staley, Teresa Edwards,” Holdsclaw recalled.

During her time at Tennessee, Holdsclaw achieved three consecutive championships from 1996-98, making history as part of the first team to accomplish that feat. The 1998 title came during an undefeated 39-0 campaign that set NCAA records. Parker later contributed to Summitt’s final two championships in 2007-08.

“She would be so proud right now,” Holdsclaw said of her former coach. “I know she loved us both.”

Following an 11-year WNBA career, Holdsclaw credits the 1996 Olympic team with creating the foundation for professional women’s basketball leagues. The team’s undefeated performance at the Atlanta Games and their nationwide promotional tour generated unprecedented fan interest.

“The ’96 Olympic team was a really incredible group of women that were on a mission and accomplished the mission,” coach Tara VanDerveer explained. “It helped establish the ABL and the WNBA and I think it really was the rocket that was the foundation for the women’s basketball landscape now. I think it’s very exciting for all the players on the team and the coaches.”

Delle Donne earned league MVP recognition in 2015 and 2019, with her second award coming during Washington Mystics’ championship season. She made history by becoming the first WNBA player to achieve the rare combination of shooting above 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range and 90% from the free-throw line.

Among the male inductees, Stoudemire stands as the sole NBA player in this year’s class. The 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year and six-time All-Star spent his first eight seasons with Phoenix, where he played under D’Antoni’s innovative system.

“It means everything from a basketball point of view,” Stoudemire told the AP. “When you look back at my career not only as a pro, but even high school and, and nationally, and since I was a kid playing the game of basketball. I love the game. You play the game because you love it, and then you work to become the best you can possibly be, despite circumstances, and to get into the Hall of Fame, it shows that the voters appreciate it. And now we’re enshrined forever.”

Rivers brings 1,180 career victories to his Hall of Fame resume, ranking eighth all-time. He guided Boston to the 2008 NBA championship and later coached the Los Angeles Clippers during their celebrated Lob City period.

Few has accumulated 773 wins during his tenure at Gonzaga, establishing an NCAA Division I record by winning 81 games in his first three seasons. He led the Bulldogs to national championship games in both 2017 and 2021.

Crawford officiated 2,561 regular-season contests and 50 Finals games across his 39-year NBA career before retiring in 2016.

D’Antoni revolutionized basketball strategy with his fast-paced offensive approach, compiling nearly 1,200 career victories and earning NBA Coach of the Year honors twice.

For the first time, the Hall of Fame celebrated its incoming class during the women’s Final Four on Friday evening. Parker, Holdsclaw, members of the 1996 Olympic team, Stoudemire and D’Antoni all attended the special recognition ceremony.

The official enshrinement ceremony is scheduled for August at the Hall of Fame facility in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Brooklyn Nets have locked in guard Malachi Smith with a multi-year agreement, the team announced Saturday.

Financial details of Smith’s new contract remain undisclosed. The 26-year-old former Gonzaga standout went undrafted but earned his way onto the roster after completing two separate 10-day contracts with Brooklyn.

Coming off the bench in 10 appearances this season, Smith has contributed 7.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while playing an average of 18.2 minutes per game. His standout performance came during Brooklyn’s matchup with Sacramento on March 22, when he posted a personal-best 18 points.

Before joining the Nets, Smith spent the past two seasons developing his skills in the NBA G League. He played for the Rip City Remix during the 2023-24 campaign, followed by stints with both the Wisconsin Herd and Memphis Hustle in 2024.

The Toronto Blue Jays have sidelined catcher Alejandro Kirk for at least 10 days after he suffered a fractured left thumb, the team announced Saturday. To fill the roster spot, the organization has promoted catcher Brandon Valenzuela from their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo.

Kirk sustained the injury when a foul ball struck his glove during Friday night’s matchup with the Chicago White Sox, forcing him to leave the game early. Through the first five contests of the season, the veteran backstop was struggling at the plate, managing just three hits in 20 at-bats for a .150 average, though he did contribute one home run and two RBIs.

The 27-year-old has spent his entire seven-year major league career with Toronto, compiling a .267 batting average along with 52 home runs and 265 RBIs across 569 games. Kirk earned All-Star recognition in both 2022 and 2025 for his contributions behind the plate.

For Valenzuela, this marks his debut in the major leagues at age 25. The Blue Jays acquired him through a trade with the San Diego Padres during the previous season.

During spring training, Valenzuela impressed with a .304 batting average, recording one home run and five RBIs in 11 appearances. In his brief stint with Buffalo this season, he collected three hits in 15 at-bats while adding one homer and four RBIs over four games.

Dylan Holloway found the back of the net twice while Robert Thomas contributed three points to power the St. Louis Blues past the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on Friday night, breathing new life into their postseason chase.

The Blues (32-31-12, 76 points) received additional offensive contributions from Pius Suter and Colton Parayko, who each recorded a goal and an assist. St. Louis now sits just three points behind a playoff berth with seven contests remaining on their schedule.

Jonatan Berggren also lit the lamp for the visiting Blues, while Jake Neighbours and Philip Broberg each contributed two assists. Between the pipes, Joel Hofer turned aside 25 shots to secure the victory.

For Anaheim (41-30-5, 87 points), Ryan Poehling managed a goal and assist while Jeffrey Viel added a single tally. The defeat cost the Ducks sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division, as they now share 87 points with Edmonton, though the Oilers hold the advantage in tiebreakers.

Anaheim netminder Lukas Dostal made 23 saves but couldn’t prevent his team from extending their winless streak to four games (0-3-1).

The decisive moment came late in the opening period when Berggren capitalized on a costly Anaheim turnover. With the contest deadlocked at 2-2, Berggren positioned himself perfectly in the slot and converted the opportunity with just 76 seconds left in the fast-paced first frame.

St. Louis expanded their advantage early in the second period when Suter finished off a beautiful setup from Neighbours and Tyler Tucker at the 3:08 mark, making it 4-2.

Parayko further extended the Blues’ cushion at 16:50 of the middle period, unleashing a wrist shot from the top of the right circle for his second goal of the campaign.

Holloway capped the scoring with a power-play strike just 82 seconds into the final period, blasting home a one-timer from the right circle off a Thomas feed to complete his two-goal performance and establish the final 6-2 margin.

The early stages featured plenty of back-and-forth action. Anaheim struck first when Poehling deflected Mason MacTavish’s long-range attempt past Hofer at the 1:51 mark.

Thomas answered for St. Louis at 5:24, chipping home a close-range shot after Broberg sprung him on a breakaway. The assist extended Broberg’s point streak to a career-high seven games.

Holloway gave the Blues their first lead midway through the opening frame, finding the target from the top of the right circle on the power play.

The Ducks responded by leveling the score when Viel redirected Poehling’s cross-ice feed at 16:01, setting up Berggren’s eventual game-winner.

Despite a record-setting 51-point performance from rookie Cooper Flagg, the Dallas Mavericks couldn’t overcome Orlando’s balanced attack in a 138-127 defeat at home Friday evening.

The Magic spread the scoring load effectively, with Wendell Carter Jr. leading the charge with 28 points while Franz Wagner contributed 18 points in only 17 minutes of action. Desmond Bane added 27 points, and both Tristan da Silva and Jalen Suggs chipped in 19 points each for Orlando, who continues fighting for Eastern Conference playoff positioning.

At just 19 years old, Flagg made NBA history by becoming the youngest player ever to reach the 50-point milestone. The first-year player connected on 19 of 30 shots for Dallas, who have now dropped eight of their last nine contests.

Flagg’s 51-point explosion topped his previous career-best of 49 points against Charlotte last month. Combined with his 42-point performance at Utah in December, he now owns the three highest-scoring rookie games this season.

Hornets 129, Pacers 108

Charlotte continued their strong play with a decisive win over Indiana at home, led by Brandon Miller’s 22 points. The Hornets have captured eight victories in their past 10 outings as they pursue a guaranteed Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Kon Knueppel delivered 20 points, Miles Bridges contributed 19, and LaMelo Ball recorded 18 points with nine assists for Charlotte, who connected on an impressive 24 of 49 three-point attempts (49%).

Indiana got 30 points on efficient 13-of-24 shooting from Pascal Siakam, while Quenton Jackson added 16 points. The loss prevented the Pacers from achieving their second three-game winning streak this season.

Knicks 136, Bulls 96

New York dominated from the opening tip, racing to a 20-1 advantage and never relinquishing control against Chicago at Madison Square Garden. OG Anunoby led the offensive explosion with 31 points, hitting seven of 10 three-point attempts.

Mitchell Robinson recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson added 17 points and 10 assists for the Knicks, who reached 50 victories for the third consecutive season. New York shot 52.7% from the field and converted 28 points off 16 Chicago turnovers.

Collin Sexton paced the Bulls with 19 points off the bench, connecting on four first-half three-pointers. Chicago extended their road losing streak to seven games and overall skid to six straight.

Hawks 141, Nets 107

Atlanta maintained control throughout their matchup with Brooklyn, never trailing en route to a comfortable victory in New York. CJ McCollum paced the Hawks with 25 points as they improved to 18-2 over their last 20 games.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributed 21 points for Atlanta, who opened the game with 10 unanswered points and maintained double-digit leads for most of the contest. Jalen Johnson added 18 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in the Hawks’ fourth consecutive victory.

The defeat moved Brooklyn within half a game of Washington for the league’s worst record. Nic Claxton topped the Nets with 16 points.

Raptors 128, Grizzlies 96

Toronto snapped a two-game slide with a convincing road victory over Memphis, getting 25 points from RJ Barrett. Collin Murray-Bowles added 19 points and Brandon Ingram contributed 17 points with seven rebounds for the Raptors, who have won seven of their past eight games.

Memphis received a season-high 30 points from GG Jackson on 10-of-16 shooting, but couldn’t avoid their third straight loss and eighth defeat in nine games.

Rockets 140, Jazz 106

Houston extended their winning streak to five games with a dominant wire-to-wire victory over Utah at home. Kevin Durant led six players in double figures with 25 points, while the Rockets built leads as large as 37 points.

Amen Thompson recorded 21 points and eight rebounds, and Alperen Sengun added 19 points with five assists for Houston. Utah got 27 points and 11 rebounds from Cody Williams and 20 points from Brice Sensabaugh, but dropped their eighth consecutive game.

Celtics 133, Bucks 101

Boston cruised to an easy road victory in Milwaukee behind Jaylen Brown’s 26 points and Jayson Tatum’s near triple-double of 23 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Six Celtics reached double figures, including Neemias Queta with 19 and Derrick White with 17.

The victory marked Boston’s second straight win and fifth in six games. Milwaukee suffered their second consecutive loss and sixth in seven games, with Taurean Prince leading the way with 18 bench points.

76ers 115, Timberwolves 103

Philadelphia overcame a poor first half to defeat Minnesota at home, with Paul George scoring 23 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. delivering crucial late three-pointers in his 21-point performance. The 76ers have now won eight of their last 11 games.

Joel Embiid recorded 19 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists for Philadelphia. Minnesota got 21 points each from Julius Randle and Bones Hyland, while Anthony Edwards struggled with just eight points on 3-of-15 shooting in his return from a one-game absence.

Kings 117, Pelicans 113

Sacramento held off New Orleans thanks to crucial late defensive plays from Dylan Cardwell, who delivered emphatic blocks on both Zion Williamson and Jeremiah Fears in the final moments. The victory extended the Pelicans’ losing streak to seven games.

Maxime Raynaud led Sacramento’s offense with 28 points, while Nique Clifford added 23. Cardwell finished with five blocks, eight rebounds, and six points. New Orleans got 28 bench points from Jeremiah Fears in the losing effort.

OG Anunoby delivered a spectacular shooting performance, connecting on 70% of his three-point attempts while leading all scorers with 31 points, as the New York Knicks dominated the Chicago Bulls 136-96 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Mitchell Robinson contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds in the commanding victory that saw the home team establish a commanding 20-1 advantage early and maintain control throughout.

The return of Jalen Brunson to the starting lineup provided an additional boost for New York (50-28), as he recorded 17 points and 10 assists. The milestone victory marked the franchise’s 50th win of the season for the third year running. New York displayed exceptional efficiency, converting 52.7% of their field goal attempts (48 of 91) and 89.2% from the charity stripe (25 of 28), while capitalizing on Chicago’s miscues for 28 points off 16 turnovers.

Anunoby’s long-range accuracy was particularly devastating, as he connected on seven of his 10 three-point attempts with multiple makes in each of the first three quarters. The lopsided nature of the contest allowed New York to rest their key players for the entire final period. Anunoby also collected eight rebounds while Mikal Bridges chipped in 12 points.

Chicago’s offensive struggles were evident despite Collin Sexton’s team-leading 19 points off the bench, including four successful three-pointers in the opening half. The Bulls (29-48) continued their road woes, extending their away losing streak to seven games and dropping eight of their last nine contests. Chicago’s road record now stands at a dismal 11-27.

The visitors found themselves trailing by 19 points midway through the opening quarter after managing only three successful shots early on. New York’s dominance was highlighted by an 18-0 scoring run that essentially decided the outcome before the first quarter concluded.

Chicago’s starting unit struggled mightily, with Tre Jones leading their disappointing effort with 13 points and eight assists. The Bulls’ starters were outscored by an embarrassing 84-42 margin against their New York counterparts.

Robinson was particularly effective in the first half, scoring 15 of his 17 total points as the Knicks built a lead that reached 41 points during the second quarter. Brunson, who missed Wednesday’s 130-119 victory over Memphis due to right ankle discomfort, contributed nine first-quarter points and added eight more in the third period.

The Knicks extended their perfect record against teams with losing records to 11 consecutive victories while controlling the glass 54-36. Chicago’s playoff drought will extend to four straight seasons and eight times in the past nine years.

Matas Buzelis provided 11 points and six rebounds for the Bulls, while Leonard Miller added 14 points and six rebounds in the losing effort.

Jeremy Sochan came off the bench to contribute seven points and eight rebounds for New York, which improved to 7-1 in their last eight home contests and won their fifth straight at Madison Square Garden. The victory improved the Knicks’ home record to an impressive 28-9.

The defeat extended Chicago’s current losing streak to six games and marked their eighth loss in nine outings. Five of their six losses during this stretch have come by margins of 18 points or more.

Baseball’s top-rated prospect Konnor Griffin made an impressive major league debut Friday, collecting a double and RBI to help the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 at home.

The 19-year-old Griffin achieved his first big league hit, run batted in, and run scored during Pittsburgh’s explosive four-run second inning. The victory marked the Pirates’ third consecutive win and lifted them above .500 for the first time since August 4, 2024.

Griffin delivered his debut hit by lining a double into the left-center field gap against Baltimore pitcher Kyle Bradish (0-2) in his initial at-bat, driving home Ryan O’Hearn. Griffin later crossed home plate when Jared Triolo, who led Pittsburgh with two hits, singled to right field. Griffin drew a walk in his second plate appearance during the fourth inning and finished 1-for-3 with one strikeout.

Griffin’s debut made him the youngest position player to reach the major leagues since Juan Soto in 2018 and the first Pirate since Aramis Ramirez in 1998. Bradish surrendered four runs on six hits across four innings. Pirates starter Mitch Keller (1-0) earned the victory by allowing two runs on six hits over six innings.

Dodgers 13, Nationals 6

Shohei Ohtani broke out of an early slump with his first home run and four RBIs as Los Angeles erupted offensively to defeat Washington in the Nationals’ home opener.

Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages each launched home runs and contributed two RBIs in the Dodgers’ first road contest of the season. Emmet Sheehan (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, surrendering four runs on seven hits.

Nationals right-hander Miles Mikolas (0-2) was hammered for 11 runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. CJ Abrams homered and drove in four runs for Washington, which suffered its third straight loss after a 3-1 beginning.

Yankees 8, Marlins 2

Aaron Judge launched a home run in his first Yankee Stadium plate appearance of the season and drove in three runs as New York defeated Miami in the Yankees’ home opener.

Ben Rice contributed a home run and two-run double for the Yankees, who improved to 6-1. Will Warren (1-0) surrendered two runs on solo homers by Xavier Edwards and Owen Caissie among four hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Marlins starter Eury Perez (0-1) gave up four runs on two hits in four innings while issuing a career-high six walks. Miami managed just one at-bat with a runner in scoring position.

Red Sox 5, Padres 2

Willson Contreras and Marcelo Mayer each homered in the sixth inning, leading Boston to a home-opening victory over San Diego.

Boston collected nine hits and received a strong six-inning performance from Sonny Gray (1-0) while ending a five-game losing streak. Mayer capped his 2-for-2 performance with a two-out, two-run homer to complete Boston’s three-run sixth. He also doubled to lead off and scored the opening run in the third.

Gavin Sheets went 2-for-3 with an RBI and run for the Padres. Boston College graduate Michael King (0-1) surrendered four runs in a 5 2/3-inning start.

Tigers 4, Cardinals 0

Framber Valdez threw six shutout innings, Dillon Dingler launched a two-run homer and Detroit blanked St. Louis in the Tigers’ home opener.

Valdez (1-0), a key free agent acquisition this offseason, surrendered three hits and two walks while striking out five. Riley Greene collected two hits, a run and an RBI while Javier Baez added two hits and an RBI.

Michael McGreevy (0-1) allowed three runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. The Cardinals, who had won four of their first six contests, managed only five hits.

Mariners 3, Angels 1 (10 innings)

Cole Young ended a scoreless deadlock with a 10th-inning triple as Seattle ruined Los Angeles’ home opener with a victory in Anaheim, California.

Josh Naylor followed with a two-run single off Brent Suter (0-1). Four Mariners pitchers — Bryan Woo, Matt Brash, Andres Munoz and Gabe Speier — combined on a one-hitter. Munoz (1-1) struck out three batters in the ninth to earn the win. Speier worked the 10th for the save, allowing a sacrifice fly to Jorge Soler.

Woo and the Angels’ Reid Detmers engaged in a pitchers’ battle through the seventh inning. Woo completed seven innings, allowing one hit with one walk and six strikeouts, while Detmers gave up three hits in 6 2/3 innings with four walks and four strikeouts.

Braves 2, Diamondbacks 0

Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson connected on consecutive home runs off Paul Sewald to break a scoreless tie in the ninth inning, and Atlanta defeated Arizona in Phoenix.

Albies, leading off the inning, gave the Braves the lead by sending an 0-1 fastball from Sewald (0-1) over the right field wall. Olson followed three pitches later with a 426-foot blast to left-center. Robert Suarez (1-0) threw a perfect eighth and Raisel Iglesias retired the Diamondbacks in order in the ninth for his first save.

Atlanta out-hit Arizona 6-2 in a contest featuring a pitchers’ duel between the Braves’ Grant Holmes and the Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Rodriguez. Holmes allowed one hit over six scoreless innings, while Rodriguez surrendered four hits over seven shutout innings.

Phillies 10, Rockies 1

Brandon Marsh launched a three-run home run and Trea Turner collected two hits in a seven-run first inning as Philadelphia crushed Colorado in the Rockies’ home opener at Denver.

Bryce Harper homered and doubled, Kyle Schwarber also went deep and Turner finished with three hits. Aaron Nola (1-0) allowed just one run over 6 1/3 innings and struck out nine as the Phillies captured their third straight victory.

Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen (0-1) surrendered nine runs on 12 hits over three innings.

Reds 5, Rangers 3

Tyler Stephenson crushed a two-run homer in the ninth inning, helping Cincinnati ruin Texas’ home opener with a victory in Arlington, Texas.

Spencer Steer launched a two-run homer in the second and doubled to lead off the ninth. Stephenson then sent a 3-2 sinker from Chris Martin (1-1) over the wall in right-center to give the Reds a 5-3 advantage. Texas’ Danny Jansen ripped a two-run double and Wyatt Langford added an RBI double.

Stephenson’s first homer of the season made a winner out of Tony Santillan (1-0), who retired the side in order in the eighth, and Emilio Pagan secured his second save. Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz homered to lead off the sixth.

White Sox 5, Blue Jays 4 (10 innings)

Tristan Peters delivered the winning run with a two-out single as Chicago prevailed in its home opener, defeating Toronto.

After the Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 10th on an error by Miguel Vargas, the White Sox won the game with two runs in the bottom of the inning partly because of an error by replacement catcher Tyler Heineman.

Sean Burke surrendered one run on four hits over six innings for Chicago. Former White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits over 4 1/3 innings for Toronto.

Guardians 4, Cubs 1

Rookie Chase DeLauter crushed a two-run, two-out homer off Hunter Harvey in the seventh inning, three batters after Gabriel Arias hit a go-ahead solo shot, as Cleveland beat visiting Chicago.

DeLauter, who singled home Cleveland’s first run in the fifth to tie the score, tied Shea Langeliers of the Athletics for the major league lead with five home runs. He went 3-for-4 in his first regular season home game, having made his debut in the 2025 postseason.

Connor Brogdon (2-0) earned the win with a perfect seventh, while Cade Smith worked a scoreless ninth for his second save. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Miguel Amaya had consecutive doubles in the third, giving Chicago a 1-0 lead. Cubs starter Cade Horton was forced to leave in the second with right forearm discomfort and will go on the injured list.

Twins 10, Rays 4

Tristan Gray launched his first career grand slam and drove in five runs, and Minnesota pulled away for a win over Tampa Bay in Minneapolis.

Gray’s blast highlighted a seven-run seventh inning for the Twins, who won their home opener after playing their first six games on the road. Josh Bell and Royce Lewis drove in two runs each.

Nick Fortes doubled and drove in two runs to lead Tampa Bay at the plate. Junior Caminero and Ben Williamson collected two hits each.

Athletics 11, Astros 4

Lawrence Butler went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs and Max Muncy finished 3-for-4 with a blast and drove in three as the Athletics rolled over Houston in the home opener at West Sacramento, California.

Tyler Soderstrom had two hits and two RBIs and Jack Wilson also had two hits as the Athletics posted 13 hits. All 11 A’s runs scored with two outs. Jeffrey Springs (1-0) gave up one run and two hits in six innings.

Yainer Diaz and Nick Allen had two hits each for the Astros, who had a five-game winning streak halted. Cristian Javier (0-1) allowed six runs on six hits and five walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Mets 10, Giants 3

Francisco Alvarez launched two home runs, Marcus Semien hit the first for his new team and New York overcame the loss of Juan Soto to post a victory over host San Francisco.

Nolan McLean (1-0) combined with four relievers on a five-hitter for the Mets, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Soto left due to right calf tightness after being forced out at home plate during New York’s two-run first inning.

Bichette and Semien had RBI hits in the first off Giants starter Tyler Mahle (0-2), allowing McLean to pitch with a lead during his entire 5 1/3-inning stint. Mahle was pulled after five innings, having allowed five runs and eight hits. Luis Arraez and Willy Adames each had an RBI hit for San Francisco.

DALLAS — When Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg didn’t get what appeared to be an obvious foul call, his coach and teammate were thrown out of the game defending their young star.

The 19-year-old first overall draft pick responded by making basketball history, becoming the first teenager ever to score 50 points in an NBA game during Dallas’ 138-127 defeat to the Orlando Magic on Friday evening.

Following ejections of head coach Jason Kidd and forward Naji Marshall over a disputed non-call involving Desmond Bane’s contact with Flagg, the former Duke standout erupted for 24 fourth-quarter points to reach the milestone.

Kidd received his ejection despite being assessed only one technical foul, while Marshall earned his second technical of the night moments after his coach was tossed. Marshall’s first technical came at halftime.

“It’s great to see,” Flagg commented after shooting 19-of-30 from the field while converting all seven free throw attempts, surpassing his previous career-best 49 points set during a January 29 loss to Charlotte.

“I already know that coach has my back and Naji … I know he has my back for sure out there,” Flagg explained. “Just seeing their emotion, seeing them fight for me and fight for the calls. Definitely some emotion, and motivated me even further.”

Assistant coach Frank Vogel, taking over for the ejected Kidd, briefly pulled Flagg from the game at 45 points during a defensive possession. Vogel used a timeout to return his star player with 3:22 left on the clock.

Flagg reached the historic mark just over a minute later in dramatic fashion. After missing an initial three-point attempt and a follow-up shot on Brandon Williams’ miss, he grabbed his own rebound and connected on a corner three-pointer.

The milestone moment came on Dallas’ next offensive possession when Flagg converted an off-balance shot in the paint while being fouled. He completed the three-point play with the free throw and exited to thunderous applause from the home crowd.

The Mavericks trailed by 30 points when Flagg began his fourth-quarter explosion, extending their home losing streak to 14 consecutive games. This represents Dallas’ longest home skid since dropping their first 19 contests at the former Reunion Arena during the 1993-94 season.

“It’s always fun getting into that type of mode,” Flagg reflected. “The basket feels big. My teammates are looking out for you, helping you out. But I like to win. That was my main focus. It’s hard for me to fully enjoy myself out there when we’re down 20, down 10, down 15, for the majority of the game.”

Regarding the controversial foul call that sparked the ejections, Flagg believed the contact was clear.

“I think it was warranted,” Flagg said about Kidd’s reaction. “I’m not going to lie. I talked to Bane after the play, and he told me he was intentionally trying to foul me. I honestly don’t know how they didn’t see that. Obviously, they must not have had the right view, or they weren’t paying attention. But they missed it.”

From the locker room, Kidd watched his young star’s historic performance on television with a broadcast delay.

“There was a lot of excitement in the back,” Kidd said, describing how he heard crowd reactions before seeing Flagg’s shots on screen. The rookie finished 8-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range in the final quarter.

Flagg’s previous career high came against former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, who was selected fourth overall and is also competing for Rookie of the Year honors.

Kidd, who won the same award with Dallas three decades ago, continues advocating for his player while drawing comparisons to basketball’s greatest player.

“He’s the rookie of the year,” Kidd declared. “It’s unbelievable. The country’s now watching the same thing we get to watch on a daily basis. He’s in rare air. He’s with the GOAT when you talk about MJ and what he did in his rookie year. And as a teenager, to see what Cooper’s doing, just the excitement, the joy, playing the game, win or lose, his spirit, is about winning. Right now we’re not.”

For one evening, the rookie’s achievement overshadowed Dallas’ extended home struggles, even though the losing streak continued.

The National Basketball Association has launched an investigation into the Milwaukee Bucks regarding their management of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to reports from The Athletic and ESPN released Friday.

The controversy centers around a disagreement between Antetokounmpo, who insists he’s physically ready to compete, and the Bucks organization, which claims he remains injured and has benched him for the last 10 contests.

Speaking before Milwaukee’s 133-101 defeat to the Boston Celtics on Friday, Antetokounmpo expressed his frustration with the situation.

“I’m available to play, but I’m not in the game. I’m available to play today. Right now. I’m available. Do I look like I’m not available? … I don’t see myself in the first 12. I don’t see myself in the starting lineup,” Antetokounmpo stated.

“I don’t know what game is being played right here, I just don’t wanna be a part of it,” he added.

The star forward hasn’t appeared in a game since March 15, when he suffered a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise during Milwaukee’s win against the Indiana Pacers. Team officials continue to maintain that Antetokounmpo isn’t medically cleared for game action.

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers found himself caught in the middle of the controversy following Friday’s loss.

“The tough part of all this is I’m in the middle and I have nothing to do with it. Coaches don’t decide any of this but the problem with our league is the coaches are the ones sitting out front. We have to sit here and answer this stuff. And I think there are two sides to this, I will tell you that. But I don’t want to get too involved in it,” Rivers explained.

Earlier this week, the National Basketball Players Association issued a sharp rebuke of the Bucks’ approach to handling the two-time league MVP.

“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union declared. “Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”

Rivers responded to the players’ union criticism on Wednesday, defending the team’s medical assessment.

“He’s just not healthy. He’s progressing. … We’re just trying to get Giannis clear and healthy. That’s our only focus. All the other stuff, we stay above,” Rivers said.

Without their franchise player, Milwaukee has struggled significantly, dropping eight of their last 10 games. The team now sits at 30-47 for the season, officially eliminated from playoff contention. Their current record ranks as the 10th-worst in the NBA, positioning them for just a 3% probability of securing the top overall draft selection.

The 31-year-old Antetokounmpo has posted averages of 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists across 36 games this season. Over his 13-year NBA career, the 10-time All-Star has maintained averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.

SAN FRANCISCO — New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto departed Friday evening’s matchup with the San Francisco Giants during the opening inning after experiencing tightness in his right calf muscle.

The slugger managed to get a base hit against Tyler Mahle during the first inning but visibly slowed down while advancing from first to third base on Bo Bichette’s RBI single. When Brett Baty hit into a triple play that resulted in Soto being tagged out at home plate, Tyrone Taylor took over defensive duties in left field for the remainder of the contest.

The 27-year-old star is currently in year two of his historic 15-year deal worth $765 million with New York. During his first campaign with the Mets last year, Soto delivered 43 home runs and drove in 105 runs.

Soto’s major league journey began with the Washington Nationals back in 2018. His career has also included stints with the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees before joining the Mets.

The outfielder had maintained a perfect hitting streak through the Mets’ first eight games of the current season. Coming into Friday’s contest, Soto carried a .282 lifetime batting average along with 245 career home runs.

New York Mets superstar Juan Soto exited Friday’s matchup against the San Francisco Giants during the opening inning after experiencing tightness in his right calf muscle.

The injury occurred after Soto reached base safely on a hit and advanced to third base on teammate Bo Bichette’s single. Video showed the outfielder wincing in apparent discomfort as he arrived at third base. Despite the visible pain, Soto stayed in the contest but was subsequently tagged out at home plate during a double play before being substituted. Tyrone Taylor took over his position in left field.

The 27-year-old slugger is currently in his second season of a historic 15-year deal worth $765 million that he inked in December 2024. This season, Soto has been performing exceptionally well, batting .354 with one home run and five runs batted in across eight contests. Last year marked his debut campaign with New York, where he compiled a .263 batting average along with 43 home runs.

Soto has maintained remarkable durability throughout his career, avoiding the injured list since 2021. Throughout his six complete major league seasons, he has consistently appeared in at least 150 games each year.

A postgame confrontation between two prominent women’s basketball coaches overshadowed South Carolina’s dominant 62-48 victory over UConn in Friday’s Women’s Final Four semifinal in Phoenix.

As time expired on the Gamecocks’ win, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and UConn’s Geno Auriemma approached each other near midcourt in what initially appeared to be a routine postgame handshake.

Instead, Auriemma declined to offer his hand and made a comment to Staley, prompting an angry response from the South Carolina coach. Officials and staff members quickly intervened to separate the two coaches. After being escorted away, Auriemma walked past Staley again, leading to continued shouting before her assistants surrounded her in an attempt to defuse the situation.

When questioned by ESPN about the incident, Staley defended her character and expressed confusion about what sparked the confrontation. “I have no idea. But I’mma let you know this: I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity. So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did,” Staley explained.

“I guess he thought I didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn’t know, I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff’s hand, I don’t know what he came with after the game. But hey, sometimes things get heated, we move on,” she continued.

During her postgame press conference, Staley redirected questions about the dispute back to Auriemma. “You can ask Geno the question, he’s the one that initiated the conversation. I don’t want what happened to dampen what we were able to accomplish today,” she stated.

Auriemma’s explanation to ESPN focused on his frustration with the officiating, particularly during the third quarter. “There were six fouls called that (third) quarter, all of ’em against us. And they’ve been beating the s— out of our guys down there the entire game. Now I’m not making excuses because we haven’t been able to make a shot, but this is ridiculous. Their coach rants and raves on the sideline, and calls the referees some names you don’t wanna hear. And now we got six to zero, and I got a kid with a ripped jersey and (the refs) say, ‘I didn’t see it,’” Auriemma said.

The victory advances Staley’s Gamecocks to the championship game, where they’ll seek their third NCAA title in four seasons. At 55 years old, Staley has guided South Carolina to a 36-3 record this season and is pursuing her fourth national championship as the program’s leader.

For the 72-year-old Auriemma, the loss marked UConn’s first defeat of the season, ending their campaign at 38-1. Despite the disappointing finish, Auriemma remains college basketball’s most successful coach with 12 national championships, including last year’s title with the Huskies.

Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante, ranked 83rd in the world, staged a remarkable comeback Friday to defeat top-seeded Ben Shelton at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston.

Despite dropping the opening set in a tiebreaker 7-6 (5), Tirante bounced back to claim the next two sets 6-3 and 6-4. The Argentine player dominated on serve, winning all 16 of his service games throughout the match.

The defeat extends Shelton’s recent struggles, as the American hasn’t reached a quarterfinal since capturing the Dallas Open title with a victory over Taylor Fritz on February 15.

Other Friday results from Houston’s clay courts saw Argentina’s Roman Andres Burruchaga eliminate third-seeded Learner Tien 7-5, 6-4, while Tommy Paul took down Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-4, 6-2.

The day’s final match featured second-seeded Frances Tiafoe grinding out a marathon 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6) victory over Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in a contest lasting two hours and 47 minutes. Tiafoe will meet Paul in an all-American semifinal, while the two Argentine winners will battle in the other semifinal.

Grand Prix Hassan II

In Marrakech, Morocco, Argentina’s Marco Trungelliti (ranked 117th) pulled off another upset by defeating third-seeded Frenchman Corentin Moutet 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Trungelliti fired six aces to help offset eight double faults in his victory.

Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli also rallied from a set down to beat France’s Luca van Assche 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the tournament’s other three-set match.

Spain’s Rafael Jodar advanced when France’s Alexandre Muller retired trailing 6-2, 2-0, while Italy’s Luciano Darderi received a walkover against Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.

Tiriac Open

Following a weather-delayed Thursday in Bucharest, Romania, eight matches reached completion on Friday.

Spain’s Daniel Merida Aguilar, France’s Titouan Droguet, Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan and Germany’s Daniel Altmaier all claimed early victories. The Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp, Argentina’s Mariano Navone, Merida Aguilar and Marozsan later secured semifinal berths.

Third-seeded Marozsan eliminated sixth-seeded Altmaier 6-2, 7-6 (5), while Merida Aguilar advanced when Droguet retired trailing 4-6, 7-6 (7), 3-1.

Top-seeded Jessica Pegula continued her pattern of slow starts and strong finishes at the Charleston Open, overcoming a first-set loss to defeat Russia’s Diana Shnaider 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in Friday’s quarterfinal action.

The defending Charleston champion made things even more challenging for herself by falling behind 2-0 in the deciding set before winning six consecutive games to seal her victory. Pegula’s serving proved to be the deciding factor, as she recorded eight aces without a single double fault, while Shnaider managed only one ace against six double faults. This marked Pegula’s third consecutive comeback victory this week, with her tournament matches totaling more than seven hours of court time.

Pegula will now face fellow American and fourth-seeded Iva Jovic in the semifinals. The 18-year-old Jovic advanced with a straight-set victory over eighth-seeded Anna Kalinskaya, winning 6-3, 6-4 in just 81 minutes. This represents Jovic’s third tour-level semifinal appearance since September.

The tournament’s other semifinal will feature American fifth seed Madison Keys against Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva. Keys mounted her own comeback to eliminate third-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, while the unseeded Starodubtseva prevented an all-American semifinal lineup by defeating McCartney Kessler 6-4, 6-4 to reach her first tour-level semifinal.

Meanwhile, at the Copa Colsanitas tournament in Bogota, Colombia, the remaining seeded players advanced smoothly after Thursday’s upsets that eliminated the second and third seeds.

Top-seeded Czech player Marie Bouzkova defeated Latvia’s Darja Semenistaja 6-1, 7-5 and will meet qualifier Jazmin Ortenzi in the semifinals. Ortenzi, playing in just her second WTA main draw, rallied past fellow Argentine Julia Riera 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 to reach her first WTA semifinal.

Eighth-seeded Panna Udvardy of Hungary defeated Poland’s Katarzyna Kawa 7-6 (2), 6-1 and will face local favorite Emiliana Arango, who eliminated Varvara Lepchenko 6-4, 6-3.

Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Cade Horton is bound for the injured list following forearm discomfort that forced him from his appearance against Cleveland after throwing just 17 pitches across one-plus innings.

The team reported that Horton experienced right forearm discomfort and departed the contest alongside the Cubs’ head trainer. He had successfully pitched a clean first inning before issuing a five-pitch walk to Kyle Manzardo to begin the second frame, at which point he exited the game.

“I had some tightness in my wrist and as the game went on, it went into my forearm,” Horton explained. “I wanted to err on the cautious side and not hurt anything else. I just wanted to be smart about it and make a smart decision.”

Cubs skipper Craig Counsell confirmed that Horton will travel back to Chicago for medical imaging and will require placement on the injured list.

The 24-year-old hurler had been performing well this season, most recently reducing his earned run average to 2.45 on Friday following a strong outing against Washington on March 28, where he allowed two runs across 6 1/3 innings during the Cubs’ 10-2 victory over the Nationals. This marks his second campaign in the major leagues.

Cleveland went on to defeat Chicago 4-1 in the contest. Colin Rea stepped in to replace Horton and threw 3 1/3 innings while surrendering only one run, though Hunter Harvey (0-1) later allowed two crucial home runs.

College basketball’s biggest tournament is poised for significant growth, with NCAA officials planning to approve an expansion to 76 teams for both men’s and women’s competitions following this year’s championship games, according to a Friday report from Yahoo Sports.

The proposed structure would allow 52 teams to advance straight to the current opening round, while 24 additional teams would compete in preliminary matchups. These early contests would feature the 12 lowest-seeded conference champions alongside the final 12 at-large selections, playing a dozen games across Tuesday and Wednesday to earn spots in the traditional first round scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

Dayton, Ohio, which has hosted the First Four games for years, would continue serving as one venue for these preliminary rounds, with organizers planning to add a second location to accommodate the increased number of early games.

Officials caution that specific arrangements remain fluid as the NCAA maintains ongoing discussions with television broadcast partners CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery, who hold exclusive rights to air the men’s tournament through 2031.

While the timeline for implementation wasn’t specified in the report, the expansion could potentially debut as early as the 2027 tournaments. Sources indicate the changes “will happen” unless unexpected complications arise in coming days.

This would represent the tournament’s first growth since 2011, when organizers increased participation from 65 to 68 teams by introducing the First Four format. Prior to that adjustment, the field had remained at 64 or 65 teams since 1985.

The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference have emerged as the primary advocates pushing for tournament expansion, according to the report. NCAA President Charlie Baker has also publicly expressed support for enlarging the field.

PHOENIX — Basketball legends Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw, and the entire 1996 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball squad will receive their ultimate honor this summer when they’re inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The announcement took place during the women’s Final Four halftime show, with Parker, Holdsclaw, and several 1996 Olympic team members on hand to witness the moment. Also present were fellow inductees Amar’e Stoudemire and Mike D’Antoni.

Joining them in this year’s class are veteran NBA referee Joey Crawford, NBA coach Doc Rivers, and Gonzaga’s Mark Few.

Parker’s remarkable career includes WNBA championships with three different franchises — Los Angeles, Chicago, and Las Vegas. She holds the unique distinction of being the only WNBA player to capture both MVP and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season.

Her trophy case also features two NCAA championships from her Tennessee days under legendary coach Pat Summitt, a pair of Olympic gold medals, and two WNBA MVP trophies.

Delle Donne earned league MVP recognition twice, in 2015 and 2019, with her second award coming during Washington’s championship season. She made history by becoming the first WNBA player to achieve the elite shooting milestone of 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line.

Holdsclaw led Tennessee to an unprecedented three consecutive championships from 1996-98. The 1998 title came during a perfect 39-0 campaign that established an NCAA record for most wins in a single season. She later enjoyed an 11-year professional career in the WNBA.

Stoudemire represents the NBA in this year’s class, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2003 and six All-Star selections. He spent his first eight seasons with Phoenix, where he played under D’Antoni’s system.

Rivers brings nearly 1,200 coaching victories to his Hall of Fame resume, ranking eighth all-time. He guided Boston to the 2008 NBA championship and later coached the Los Angeles Clippers during their exciting “Lob City” period.

Few has accumulated more than 770 wins during his tenure at Gonzaga, including an NCAA Division I record of 81 victories in his first three seasons leading the program.

Crawford worked 2,561 regular-season NBA games and 50 Finals contests across his 39-year officiating career before retiring in 2016.

The formal induction ceremony is scheduled for August at the Hall of Fame facility in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have locked up defensive end Travon Walker with a massive four-year contract extension valued at $110 million, according to an announcement from his representation on Friday.

The lucrative deal includes $77 million in guaranteed money and provides Walker with $50 million upon signing, his agency revealed through social media. This extension keeps the star pass rusher in Jacksonville through the 2030 season.

Selected first overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Walker has accumulated 27.5 quarterback sacks across 63 career games, starting 60 of those contests. His production peaked with 10 sacks during the 2023 season and 10.5 the following year, though he managed only 3.5 sacks in 14 appearances last season, starting 12 games.

Injuries hampered Walker’s 2025 performance, as he sat out one contest due to a fractured left wrist and missed two additional games because of a knee problem.

Beyond his pass-rushing abilities, Walker has forced three fumbles during his professional career and scored a touchdown after recovering a fumble and returning it 35 yards against Philadelphia in 2024.

Before this extension takes effect, Walker is set to earn $15.196 million in 2026 under his fifth-year rookie option, which Jacksonville exercised in April 2025.

GALLOWAY, N.J. – Salisbury University’s softball team experienced both victory and defeat Friday during a twin bill at Osprey Field against the 19th-ranked Stockton University Ospreys.

The Sea Gulls dominated the opening contest with a commanding 5-0 shutout victory over their highly-ranked opponents. However, the second matchup told a different story as Salisbury fell to the Ospreys 7-3 in a contest that was cut short after six innings when fading daylight forced officials to halt play.

The split results came during Friday afternoon action in Galloway, New Jersey, as the Sea Gulls faced one of the top-20 teams in the nation on the road.

Two NBA head coaches came to Memphis’ defense on Friday after Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James suggested the league would improve if the Grizzlies relocated to Nashville.

Memphis head coach Tuomas Iisalo and Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic, who previously served as an assistant in Memphis before becoming Toronto’s head coach, both contradicted James’ remarks made during a “Bob Does Sports” YouTube interview this week.

During the video, James slammed Memphis and argued the NBA would benefit if the Grizzlies moved 200 miles eastward to Nashville, citing Tennessee’s capital as home to Vanderbilt University, NASCAR events, and the NHL’s Predators. The four-time champion even claimed he might have refused to play in Memphis had the Grizzlies held the top pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

“I can say from my own perspective that I have the complete opposite — 180-degree perspective on that,” Iisalo said. “The Memphis where we have arrived less than two years ago has been very warm. Very welcoming.”

Rajakovic expressed similar sentiments, stating: “I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks. I love the people of Memphis. I love the food. I love every single time I come over here.”

James specifically targeted the lack of entertainment options for visiting NBA players when their teams travel to Memphis for games.

“In Memphis on a (expletive) random (expletive) Thursday,” James said. “I’m not even the first guy to talk about it in the NBA, like, ‘You guys have to move. Go over to Nashville.’”

The Raptors demonstrated Memphis’ appeal by arriving a day early before Friday’s contest to tour St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which provides free treatment for pediatric cancer patients. Rajakovic described the hospital visit as motivating, noting his players expressed gratitude for the opportunity to meet young patients.

Both coaches have relatively brief connections to Memphis, with Iisalo completing just his second season and first as head coach. Despite this, Iisalo praised Memphis for hosting one of the NBA’s most dedicated fanbases and emphasized the city’s strong support for its team.

“All I can say is Memphis is the right place for the Grizzlies,” Iisalo said.

The Los Angeles Lakers announced Friday that their star player Luka Doncic will be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season after suffering a Grade 2 left hamstring strain.

The league’s current scoring champion sustained the injury during Thursday night’s decisive defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Medical imaging confirmed the extent of the hamstring damage.

Doncic has been instrumental in propelling the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference standings this season. With a 50-27 record, Los Angeles has only five remaining games before playoff action begins, with their next matchup scheduled for Sunday against Dallas.

Recovery time for Grade 2 hamstring strains typically spans several weeks, though Doncic has dealt with similar hamstring problems before. Earlier this season, he sat out four games just prior to the All-Star break due to another left hamstring injury, but successfully returned to action following the mid-season break.

The Slovenian basketball star is enjoying an outstanding debut full season with Los Angeles after being traded from the Dallas Mavericks last year. His current averages include 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per contest. March proved particularly impressive for Doncic, earning him Western Conference Player of the Month honors after delivering 13 straight games with at least 30 points, including seven contests where he scored 40 or more.

Head coach JJ Redick explained that Doncic initially suffered the injury during the first half against Oklahoma City but received medical clearance to continue playing. However, the superstar managed only approximately four minutes of additional game time before a spinning motion caused him to collapse in pain, forcing his exit from the contest.

Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton became the top selection when the Portland Fire made their choice in Friday’s WNBA expansion draft, while the Toronto Tempo responded by choosing Julie Allemand as their initial pick.

The 6-foot-2 forward from the Lynx enters unrestricted free agency this offseason, which allows Portland to label Carleton as a “core” player and secure exclusive rights to negotiate a one-year, fully guaranteed maximum contract.

According to ESPN, the Tempo also had interest in Carleton, who hails from Ontario, prompting the Fire to use their top selection to secure the forward’s services.

Throughout her seven-season, 219-game professional career — with 215 contests for the Lynx and four for the Connecticut Sun — Carleton has averaged 5.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest. Her 2024 campaign saw her place third in Most Improved Player balloting after recording personal bests of 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists for Minnesota. She began 36 contests that season and started all 44 games for the Lynx in 2025.

Los Angeles Sparks guard Allemand brings career numbers of 5.5 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game to Toronto. During the shortened 2020 campaign, she connected on 47.8% of her three-point attempts across 22 appearances for the Indiana Fever, though she has divided her playing time between European leagues and the WNBA throughout her career.

Connecticut’s Marina Mabrey represented the most prominent player chosen on Friday, going sixth overall to the Tempo. Mabrey has reached double digits in scoring each season since 2020 but expressed dissatisfaction in Connecticut following the Sun’s rebuilding efforts last offseason, submitting a trade request that the organization declined.

Despite the situation, she produced 14.4 points per game along with 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists across 35 appearances (34 starts) for Connecticut.

The league’s 13 established franchises — including the Golden State Valkyries, who joined as an expansion team last year — were limited to protecting five players from the expansion draft.

Here are the complete expansion draft selections by team, listed in order of choice. Both Toronto and Portland declined one selection each, resulting in 22 total picks:

Portland Fire

—F Bridget Carleton, Minnesota

—G Carla Leite, Golden State

—C Luisa Geiselsoder, Dallas

—F Emily Engstler, Washington

—G Maya Caldwell, Atlanta

—F Chloe Bibby, Indiana

—F Haley Jones, Dallas

—F Nyadiew Puoch, Atlanta

—G Sarah Ashlee Barker, Los Angeles

—G Sug Sutton, Washington

—G Nika Muhl, Seattle

Toronto Tempo

—G Julie Allemand, Los Angeles

—C Nyara Sabally, New York

—G Marina Mabrey, Connecticut

—G Aaliyah Nye, Las Vegas

—G Lexi Held, Phoenix

—F Maria Conde, Golden State

—F Maria Kliundikova, Minnesota

—C Adja Kane, New York

—F Nikolina Milic, Connecticut

—G Kitija Laksa, Phoenix

—G Kristy Wallace, Indiana

A championship boxing match will take place at one of the world’s most iconic locations when British fighter Hamzah Sheeraz faces off against Germany’s Alem Begic for the WBO super middleweight championship belt on May 23rd at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

This title bout will serve as an undercard event for the main attraction featuring Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) defending his WBC heavyweight championship against Rico Verhoeven (66-10, 21 KOs), according to Friday’s announcement from Ring Magazine, the event’s promoter.

Sheeraz, representing Britain with a record of 22-0-1 and 18 knockouts, earned his shot at the world championship by defeating Edgar Berlanga with a fifth-round knockout last July. The fighter previously battled for the title in February 2025, resulting in a draw against then-champion Carlos Adames in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

For Begic, this marks his inaugural opportunity to compete for a world title. The 39-year-old German boxer brings an impressive undefeated record of 30 fights with just one draw to his name.

Additional undercard action will feature Jack Catterall (32-2, 14 KOs) defending his WBA “regular” welterweight title against Shakhram Giyasov (17-0, 10 KOs). The evening will also showcase a heavyweight matchup between Cuban fighter Frank Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs) and American rising star Richard Torrez Jr. (14-0, 12 KOs), who captured silver at the Tokyo Olympics.

DALLAS — Officials at the American Airlines Center have opened an internal probe after video surfaced showing what appears to be four hockey fans making Nazi salutes during a Dallas Stars game.

Arena representatives spoke to WFAA-TV in Dallas, emphasizing their “zero tolerance for any acts of hate and/or discrimination.”

“We strongly denounce the actions that appear to be depicted in the video footage and are conducting an internal investigation,” an arena spokesperson stated. “All fans and attendees are expected to adhere to AAC and, as applicable, NBA or NHL Codes of Conduct when attending events.”

The controversial footage was captured by Stars supporter Courtney Ripley during a late December matchup against Toronto. The 12-second clip depicts four spectators responding to a scoring play by what appears to be raising their right arms in an extended position with straightened hands pointing downward. The video circulated widely on social media platforms this week.

Dallas Stars officials confirmed to ESPN on Thursday that the organization is “fully aligned with the arena’s statement and working with them to find out exactly what happened.”

Hockey’s governing body maintains strict behavioral standards for spectators across all venues. Each NHL franchise presents mandatory segments through video displays and arena announcements outlining expected fan conduct.

The league’s comprehensive behavioral guidelines begin with the principle that “The best hockey experiences happen in environments that are inclusive, safe and respectful.”

According to NHL policy, violations of conduct standards can result in removal from the venue, temporary suspensions, or permanent prohibition from attending future games.

WASHINGTON — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts wasn’t worried about his struggling superstars, and Friday night proved his patience was justified.

The team’s first four batters — Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman — each launched home runs during a dominant 13-6 victory against the Washington Nationals. The performance marked Tucker’s inaugural long ball since becoming a Dodger and delivered Ohtani’s first RBI of the young season.

“Rome isn’t burning,” manager Dave Roberts cracked.

Roberts showed no signs of concern before the contest, despite his top four hitters struggling mightily through the season’s opening six games. Ohtani entered batting .167, Tucker at .174, Betts hitting just .136 and Freeman managing only .208. The team’s first six batters were retired in order early before Los Angeles found their rhythm in the third inning.

Ohtani’s powerful three-run blast to right field evened the score at 3-3, while Betts followed two batters later with a two-run shot of his own.

“It’s a new day. That’s really it,” Betts said. “Nobody in here is panicking or anything. One week, tough week. That probably is not going to be our last week that we don’t hit well.”

Andy Pages contributed a two-run homer in the fourth inning, extending the lead to 7-4, before Freeman added his own two-run blast in the fifth. Tucker capped his three-hit performance with a solo shot in the seventh inning — impressive work from the outfielder who inked a $240 million, four-year contract after leaving the Chicago Cubs for Los Angeles.

“It was nice. First homer — first actual ball I’ve hit in the air well, out in front and everything,” Tucker said. “You can’t complain when you hit a homer.”

Los Angeles’ top four hitters combined for an 8-for-21 performance featuring four home runs, 10 RBIs and six runs scored. The offensive explosion came against Miles Mikolas, who surrendered a career-worst 11 earned runs across 4 1/3 innings.

“I think a little bit of it is we’ve had a lot of history with Mikolas,” Roberts said “We’ve seen him, know some of his tendencies. Outside of that, they were just not missing today.”

Newly released body camera footage from the Martin County, Florida Sheriff’s Office shows Tiger Woods maintaining his sense of humor about golf even while emergency crews responded to his March 27 vehicle rollover, according to multiple reports published Thursday.

The video captures an investigator asking Woods about his tournament plans while responders collected his golf equipment from his overturned Land Rover. When asked, “Are you golfing in the Masters this year?” Woods replied, “Hoping to. It depends on you all.”

The golfer’s response prompted laughter from several people at the scene, with one person responding, “It don’t depend on me.”

Woods had expressed similar sentiments just three days prior to the accident, stating he would “keep trying” to prepare for the Masters tournament, which begins April 9. Following his first TGL match of the season, Woods had said of the major championship, “I want to play. I love the tournament.”

According to Woods’ account, the crash occurred when he was distracted by his phone and adjusting the radio in his Land Rover, causing him to strike the rear of a truck before his vehicle rolled over on Jupiter Island, Florida.

The body camera footage became public one day after a Florida judge approved Woods’ request to travel outside the United States for comprehensive inpatient treatment while he faces misdemeanor DUI charges.

Martin County Judge Darren Steele approved the travel motion filed by Woods’ legal representative, Douglas Duncan, who argued the 50-year-old golf legend required an “intensive, highly individualized and medically integrated program” away from public attention and media coverage.

Woods issued a public statement Tuesday and entered a not guilty plea in Florida court regarding the misdemeanor driving under the influence charges involving property damage.

The arrest report indicated that while a breathalyzer test detected no alcohol presence, Woods declined to submit to a urine test for other substances.

According to the arrest documentation, Woods displayed signs of impairment including “sweating profusely,” “lethargic and slow” movements, “bloodshot and glassy” eyes, “extremely dilated” pupils, and was observed “limping and stumbling to the right” during field sobriety testing.

Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is expected to make his comeback Sunday when his team faces the Houston Rockets, according to an ESPN report released Friday. The veteran guard has been sidelined for 27 consecutive games due to ongoing knee problems.

The 38-year-old has been battling patellofemoral pain syndrome in his right knee, a condition commonly referred to as “runner’s knee,” which was complicated by bone bruising.

Curry’s last appearance came on January 30 during a 131-124 defeat to the Detroit Pistons, where he contributed 23 points. During his absence, Golden State has struggled with a 9-18 record, bringing their season total to 36-41. Despite the poor stretch, the Warriors have secured their position in the play-in tournament.

With just five regular season contests left on the schedule, Curry’s return comes at a crucial time for the franchise.

This season, the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player has posted averages of 27.2 points and 4.8 assists across 39 appearances. Throughout his entire 17-year career spent exclusively with Golden State, he has maintained career averages of 24.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds over 1,065 games with 1,059 starts.

The decorated veteran brings an impressive resume that includes 12 All-Star selections, four NBA championships, and the 2022 NBA Finals MVP award. He also holds the league record for career three-point shots made with 4,233.

Duke University’s first-year forward Cameron Boozer has captured the Associated Press men’s college basketball Player of the Year Award following an outstanding debut season with the Blue Devils.

The 18-year-old power forward posted impressive numbers throughout the campaign, averaging 22.5 points along with 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists across 38 games, starting in every contest. His stellar play helped propel Duke to an exceptional 35-3 overall record.

In the East Regional championship game, Boozer delivered 27 points on 10-of-21 field goal attempts while grabbing eight rebounds, though the Blue Devils fell short in a heartbreaking 73-72 loss to UConn after the Huskies mounted a late comeback.

Duke captured both the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship with a 17-1 league record and claimed the conference tournament title as well.

This recognition makes Boozer only the fifth first-year player in history to receive the AP Player of the Year honor, and marks the second straight year a Duke freshman has claimed the award following Cooper Flagg’s achievement in his lone collegiate campaign.

Both Boozer and Flagg are among nine Duke players who have received this prestigious recognition, giving the Blue Devils the most recipients in college basketball history.

Before joining Duke alongside his twin brother Cayden, Boozer starred at Christopher Columbus High School in Westchester, Florida, where he earned Florida Mr. Basketball honors and was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year.

The twin brothers are the children of former NBA veteran Carlos Boozer, who enjoyed a 13-year professional career that included two All-Star selections during his six seasons with the Utah Jazz. The elder Boozer compiled career averages of 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds over 861 games while also suiting up for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.

NEW YORK — Following his latest two-goal performance that pushed his season total to 49, Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield displayed the same precision with his wit as he does with his hockey stick.

When reporters questioned whether he’s focused on hitting the 50-goal milestone and potentially overtaking Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL’s scoring lead, Caufield initially responded with a straight-faced “No.” Following a moment of silence, he broke into a grin and admitted “Yeah,” sparking laughter from the gathered media.

“We’re focused on our team game and winning games, and I think individual stuff comes with that,” Caufield said. “Doing the right things, you get more chances and opportunities. Obviously, it helps when you’re winning games and stuff.”

Montreal’s recent success has positioned them as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, potentially ending Canada’s championship drought that stretches back to the Canadiens’ 1993 title. Remarkably, the franchise has celebrated a Cup victory more recently than producing a 50-goal scorer, with Caufield poised to become the first Montreal player to reach that benchmark since Stephane Richer achieved it in 1990.

“I didn’t know it was (nearly) 40 years,” teammate Alex Newhook said. “It’s been fun to watch. It seems like he keeps scoring every night. We’re happy for him. We’re pushing for him. Hopefully he keeps this thing rolling.”

Since returning from the Olympic break — following his omission from Team USA’s roster — Caufield has been unstoppable, tallying 17 goals across 17 contests, leading all NHL players during that span. His current 83 points already exceed his previous career-best mark by 13 points.

“He’s on a tremendous heater right now,” Canadiens captain and leading scorer Nick Suzuki said. “He’s just playing the right way, doing the right things and he’s getting rewarded for it.”

The complete player fans see today wasn’t always Caufield’s identity. Standing 5-foot-8 and weighing 175 pounds, the undersized forward faced expectations to produce offensively while battling defensive limitations. His struggles led to a demotion to Laval of the American Hockey League during fall 2021, when he managed just one assist without a single goal through 10 NHL appearances.

“I think it was worth it,” Caufield said, crediting coaches, linemates and others for helping him round out his play. “There’s still a lot more room to grow in my game. I think progressing every year with the team and the staff that we have, it’s pretty easy to kind of find yourself working every day. I think it’s just an addiction to kind of find ways to get better.”

Rival teams have taken notice of Caufield’s development since he turned 25 in January.

“He thinks the game at a real high level,” New York Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. “It’s the combination that gives him the competitive advantage that he has. He’s a really good player.”

Sullivan, who has captured two Stanley Cups as a coach and guided Team USA to Olympic gold, described Montreal as “one of the emerging teams in the league” due to their combination of elite talent and speed throughout their lineup. The Canadiens excel at moving the puck quickly — both around the ice and into opposing nets.

Caufield serves as a crucial component of that system. Among NHL players with at least 100 shots on goal this season, only two maintain a better scoring percentage than his 21.2% rate, frustrating goaltenders while thrilling teammates eager to collect assists.

“I enjoy it,” linemate Juraj Slafkovsky said. “You have a goal-scorer like this, you can always pass to him and there is a big chance it’s going in. That’s what we’re trying to do. I hope he can get (to 50) as soon as possible and get a lot more.”

Caufield understands the historical significance of his pursuit, as he would join an elite group of just seven Canadiens players to score 50 goals in a single season, alongside Richer (twice), Guy Lafleur (six times), Steve Shutt, Bernie Geoffrion, Pierre Larouche and Maurice Richard. Should he surpass MacKinnon to lead the NHL in goals, he would also claim the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, named for one of Montreal’s most legendary players.

Despite his success, Caufield maintains he’s “still hungry.” This individual chase, followed by what he hopes will be an even more significant playoff run, continues to fuel his motivation.

“Certainly it’s a good feeling to be producing, but at the end of the day I think I’ve grown a lot as a player and I’m just going to try and continue to do that,” Caufield said. “For me, right now, I still feel like there’s more out there.”

PITTSBURGH — When 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin received word that the Pittsburgh Pirates were promoting him to the big leagues just one week into the season, he experienced a range of feelings.

Surprise wasn’t among them.

“I’m ready for this,” Griffin declared Friday, mere hours before stepping onto the field for his major league debut against Baltimore at PNC Park.

The Pirates are placing a significant wager on Griffin’s abilities, making him the youngest position player to reach the majors before turning 20 since Juan Soto accomplished the feat with Washington in 2018.

A mere 628 days after Pittsburgh chose him ninth overall in the 2024 amateur draft, the athletic and mustached 6-foot-3 Griffin discovered jersey No. 6 waiting in his PNC Park locker and his name written in the seventh batting order position for the matchup with Baltimore.

While the promotion appears rapid, Griffin systematically met every requirement — and did so with remarkable speed — during his climb through Pittsburgh’s farm system. His final push came this past week when he posted a .438 batting average across several games with Triple-A Indianapolis.

Pirates manager Don Kelly observed that Griffin seemed to be “pressing” during the closing days of spring training, when Griffin launched three home runs but managed only a .171 batting average. The organization cut Griffin among the final roster decisions before opening day. Rather than becoming discouraged, he reported to Triple-A, implemented some modifications, and experienced immediate success.

“He just went right down and hit his stride and was able to reset in a couple of days,” Kelly explained. “Which again, for anybody, is really impressive, especially for a 19-year-old kid whose hopes and dreams were to make the big leagues.”

Griffin’s aspirations mirror those of countless children who first swing a bat during elementary school years. However, everything that followed has distinguished Griffin from his peers. He advanced rapidly through the minor league system last season, connecting for 21 home runs, recording 94 RBIs, and swiping 65 bases while demonstrating the defensive range required for baseball’s most challenging infield position.

Beyond his measurable field performance, Griffin has impressed the organization with his mature demeanor that belies his age. He wed his high school girlfriend, Dendy, during the offseason. She became the first person he contacted after Indianapolis manager Eric Patterson summoned Griffin to his Columbus hotel room Thursday morning to inform him of his major league promotion.

The following day passed in a whirlwind. Griffin made the brief journey from Columbus to Pittsburgh while his Mississippi family rushed to reach the ballpark situated along the Allegheny River in time for Friday’s opening pitch.

Just after midday, Griffin finally found a moment to settle down. He jogged to shortstop for fielding practice, his build and throwing arm suggesting he belonged in the position he’s been honing since age 5.

Griffin’s abilities have earned comparisons to Hall of Fame legend Cal Ripken Jr., lofty praise for someone barely two years past high school graduation. Nevertheless, he remains grounded in his approach.

“Today is the first day of carving out a legacy that I want to build,” he stated. “And I’m ready to do that and try to be right up there with those top guys.”

Griffin represents the newest addition to Pittsburgh’s recent wave of prominent prospects, joining reigning Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, rookie pitcher Bubba Chandler, and catcher Henry Davis.

The promising future that has been discussed since general manager Ben Cherington’s hiring in late 2019 is now materializing. Griffin’s arrival coincides with significant roster improvements, including the acquisitions of All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe, All-Star first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn, and veteran designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.

“This team is loaded,” Griffin observed. “I get to come in here and just be a piece of this puzzle.”

He may prove to be a substantial component for years to come. Pittsburgh and Griffin have begun discussions regarding a contract extension that could secure his services for much of the next decade.

Griffin avoided specifics when questioned about negotiations Friday, though he expressed his desires clearly.

“All I’m going to say is, I want to be a Pirate for a long time,” he said. “This is a special place and I’m thankful to be here.”

Most significantly, his promotion allows him to abandon the “top prospect” designation and shift focus from personal development to contributing toward Pittsburgh’s first playoff appearance since the mid-2010s.

“Now it’s time to take all the skills that I’ve learned,” he concluded, “all the adjustments I’ve made. It’s time to go put them on the field and go win some games.”

Alabama basketball player Aden Holloway plans to return to campus this fall and aims to rejoin the Crimson Tide basketball program for the 2026-27 season, pending the resolution of his legal troubles, according to his lawyer who spoke with ESPN on Friday.

The 21-year-old junior has been banned from campus and suspended indefinitely from the basketball team following his arrest on March 16 for felony drug possession. Police discovered 2.1 pounds of marijuana during a search of his residence, an amount just below the threshold that would have triggered drug trafficking charges under state law, according to authorities.

Holloway faces charges of first-degree marijuana possession (not for personal use), classified as a Class C felony, along with failure to affix a tax stamp, which is also a felony offense. He posted $5,000 bond and was released from custody.

During Friday’s hearing, officials lifted the campus prohibition, allowing him to register for upcoming semesters.

However, his legal challenges remain far from resolved.

“Although it’s not Aden’s call to make, given the opportunity, his intent is to play basketball next year,” his lawyer Jason Neff stated to ESPN.

A grand jury in Alabama issued an indictment against Holloway on Thursday for both felony charges. Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and fines reaching $15,000.

Neff described the indictment as “procedural.”

“This was bound to happen no matter what because it’s a felony,” Neff explained to ESPN regarding the indictment. “This is the normal process or procedure for any felony charge.”

According to Neff, while a trial could be delayed for up to two years, the matter might be resolved through other means within several months. He cited “settlement negotiations or pretrial diversion” as possible alternatives.

Should the case proceed to trial, Holloway plans to contest the legality of the apartment search and the circumstances surrounding it, ESPN reported.

During this past season with the Crimson Tide, Holloway ranked as the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16.8 points per game while shooting 43.8% from three-point range.

His absence prevented him from participating in the NCAA Tournament, where Alabama reached the Sweet 16 before falling to top-seeded Michigan in the Midwest Region.

The Tampa Bay Rays have sidelined left-handed reliever Garrett Cleavinger for at least 15 days due to tightness in his right calf, the team announced Friday.

The injury designation is effective as of Tuesday for the 31-year-old pitcher, who has posted a 1-1 record with a 7.71 earned run average through three outings this season.

Throughout his major league career spanning from 2020 to present, Cleavinger has compiled a 14-17 record with eight saves and a 3.25 ERA across 193 games with three different organizations, including one start.

To fill the vacant roster spot, Tampa Bay has promoted right-handed pitcher Hunter Bigge from their Triple-A affiliate in Durham.

The 27-year-old Bigge has appeared in two games for Durham’s bullpen this year, posting a 4.50 ERA without recording a win or loss.

Golf legend Jack Nicklaus says his concerns about Tiger Woods extend beyond the golf course following Woods’ recent legal troubles in Florida.

The 18-time major champion expressed worry about Woods as a person after the golf star was taken into custody last Friday on charges including driving under the influence with property damage and refusing to comply with a lawful test. While Woods cleared a breathalyzer test, he declined to provide a urine sample. Authorities discovered two hydrocodone pills, a powerful opioid pain medication, in his possession.

Speaking to the Palm Beach Post, Nicklaus shared his thoughts about his fellow golfer’s situation.

“Sometimes you get, you know, too far down the line and you just need somebody to help you,” Nicklaus said about Woods.

“I think he probably needs some help. And we all want to help him. We’re all on his side. Obviously I feel bad for Tiger. I like Tiger. I don’t just like him, I like him a lot.

“He’s been taking painkillers for a long time and I don’t know how much pain he’s in because I just don’t know.

“But I don’t think he’d be taking them if he didn’t need them.”

The 86-year-old Nicklaus has captured 18 major championships and secured 73 victories on the PGA Tour during his illustrious career.

Woods, now 50, has claimed 15 major titles and earned 82 Tour wins, matching the all-time record held by Sam Snead. The Hall of Fame golfer’s last tournament victory came at the 2019 Zozo Championship.

Woods has been absent from competitive golf since the 2024 Open Championship. He suffered a torn left Achilles tendon last spring and had lumbar disk replacement surgery in October.

Texas Christian University announced Friday that football coach Sonny Dykes has received a contract extension, though the university did not reveal specific terms of the new deal.

The 56-year-old coach’s previous contract ran through 2028 and paid him slightly more than $7 million annually last season, according to USA Today reports.

Since Dykes arrived at TCU in 2022, the Horned Frogs have accumulated 36 victories, surpassing all other Big 12 conference teams during that timeframe.

Athletic director Mike Buddie praised the decision, stating: “Competing for national and Big 12 championships requires the right leadership, and Sonny has proven he’s that person. His track record on the field, his standing in the community, and the decisions he’s made to position this program to pursue those goals speak for themselves.”

Dykes brings extensive coaching experience to Fort Worth, compiling a 107-80 career record across multiple programs. His coaching journey included tenures at Louisiana Tech from 2010-12, California from 2013-16, and SMU from 2017-21. At TCU, he has posted a 36-17 record. His bowl game performance stands at 4-4 overall, with a 3-1 mark while coaching the Horned Frogs.

Expressing gratitude for the extension, Dykes commented: “I am appreciative and thankful to Mike Buddie, Chancellor Daniel Pullin, and our administration for their belief and support of our program. The opportunity to pursue a national championship, the College Football Playoff, and Big 12 championships exists right here in Fort Worth, and my family and I, as well as our entire staff, are excited to continue that pursuit as Horned Frogs.”

Dykes made an immediate impact in his inaugural Fort Worth season, leading TCU to victory over Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl before falling to Georgia in the College Football Playoff championship game. His outstanding performance earned him both national Coach of the Year and Big 12 Coach of the Year honors.

Following a 9-4 season last year, the Horned Frogs are scheduled to begin their 2026 campaign with an international matchup against Bill Belichick’s North Carolina team on August 29 in Dublin, Ireland.

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Friday that defenseman Damon Severson will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

The 31-year-old veteran had the surgical procedure performed on Thursday. The injury occurred when Severson took a hit from Zachary Bolduc during the third period of Columbus’s 2-1 defeat against the Montreal Canadiens on March 26.

This season, Severson has been a key contributor for the Blue Jackets, tallying 32 points through eight goals and 24 assists while posting the team’s highest plus-18 rating across 71 games played.

Throughout his NHL career, Severson has accumulated 348 points, including 81 goals and 267 assists, over 855 games split between New Jersey and Columbus. The New Jersey Devils originally drafted him in the second round of the 2012 NHL Draft, and he joined the Blue Jackets organization on June 9, 2023, when Columbus acquired him in exchange for a third-round selection in the 2023 draft.

The National Hockey League imposed a $2,500 fine on Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk on Friday following an incident of unsportsmanlike behavior from the bench during Thursday evening’s 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at home.

The 26-year-old team captain appeared to hit Buffalo’s Beck Malenstyn in the face using his hockey stick while seated on the bench during the middle portion of the opening period. Officials called a minor slashing penalty on Tkachuk for the incident.

Later in the same period, Tkachuk received a five-minute major penalty after engaging in a fight with Buffalo defenseman Logan Stanley. Despite the penalties, Tkachuk contributed one assist to his team’s win.

Following the game’s conclusion, Tkachuk chose not to meet with media representatives.

The veteran forward, who has been selected for three All-Star games, has accumulated 52 points this season through 55 contests, including 20 goals and 32 assists. Since being selected fourth overall by Ottawa in the 2018 NHL Draft, Tkachuk has tallied 456 career points with 211 goals and 245 assists across 567 games.

Weber State University announced Friday the appointment of Kaleb Canales as the new head coach for their men’s basketball program.

The 47-year-old coach brings extensive experience to the position, having served as associate head coach at Troy University this past season when the team earned an NCAA Tournament berth.

Canales boasts nearly two decades of professional basketball experience in the NBA, including a notable period as interim head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2011-12 season.

“I am truly honored and humbled to be named the head coach of Weber State men’s basketball,” Canales stated in the university’s announcement. “I want to thank President Leslie Durham and Director of Athletics Tim Crompton for their belief in me and my vision for this program.”

“We will build a culture that is connected on both ends of the floor, connected in the classroom, and connected to the community. This is a program with a proud tradition, a world-class institution, and a passionate fan base. I’m ready to get to work.”

Canales steps into the role previously held by Eric Duft, who concluded his four-year tenure as the Wildcats’ head coach and moved into an administrative position within the university.

Athletics Director Tim Crompton praised the selection, saying, “Kaleb’s extensive background at the highest levels of the game, combined with his elite ability to evaluate and recruit talent, makes him an outstanding fit for our program. His infectious energy will resonate deeply with our fans.”

The Wildcats, based in Ogden, Utah, concluded this past season with a 16-16 overall record and went 10-8 in Big Sky Conference play. The program has not appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 2016.

A facial injury from an errant stick back in October 2013 knocked Brent Burns out of the San Jose lineup, costing the defenseman several teeth and multiple games on the sidelines.

Ever since his comeback on November 21, 2013, Burns has appeared in every single regular-season contest. The 41-year-old Colorado Avalanche veteran will reach a milestone 1,000 consecutive games when his team faces Dallas on Saturday.

The veteran defenseman has weathered countless injuries and physical punishment that typically sideline players for extended periods. Colorado head coach Jared Bednar looks forward to eventually learning about all the ailments Burns has battled through during his incredible streak.

“He plays through them like it’s not a big deal,” Bednar commented, noting his team currently holds the NHL’s best record with eight contests left, including Saturday’s crucial matchup against Dallas, which trails by six points. “(The streak) is an incredible accomplishment. It’s hard to believe.”

After celebrating his 41st birthday on March 9, Burns signed a one-year contract with Colorado this season, pursuing the only prize absent from his career achievements — a Stanley Cup championship.

Burns has emerged as a veteran leader and mentor for the Avalanche while continuing to contribute offensively alongside stars Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Martin Necas. His 11 goals this season place him alongside Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom as the only NHL defensemen to score double-digit goals after turning 40.

However, Burns’ primary strength remains using his imposing 6-foot-5, 228-pound build to punish opponents in his defensive zone. This physical style makes his consecutive games streak even more impressive, considering the punishment he absorbs and delivers nightly. He’s approaching the all-time record of 1,064 straight regular-season appearances set by forward Phil Kessel between November 3, 2009, and April 13, 2023.

“It’s the same guy that we’ve been watching for a decade-plus, doing the exact thing,” Bednar observed. “To have guys with these ironman streaks get to a certain point … that’s an unbelievable career and accomplishment just to get that as a player total, never mind in a row.”

Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who missed three complete seasons with a knee injury after winning the 2022 Stanley Cup, deeply respects Burns’ durability.

“He comes to the rink with a great attitude,” Landeskog explained. “He wants to be here. He’s excited to come to work.”

Burns arrives at the arena carrying his signature military-style backpack filled with various items to maintain his physical condition. The exact contents remain mysterious, though speculation includes recovery equipment and personal coffee brewing supplies. Whatever the pack contains has proven effective — Burns is completing his 22nd NHL campaign and will play his 1,572nd career game Saturday. The 2016-17 Norris Trophy recipient still logs nearly 19 minutes per game and has blocked 83 shots this season.

Goaltender Scott Wedgewood marvels at Burns’ consistency.

“In my position alone, you’ll do something one game and your hip locks up a little bit,” Wedgewood said. “It’s like, ‘Thank God, I’m not playing the next one. It feels like crap right now.’

“That happens 15 times a year, just on me, let alone taking body checks and slap shots. Playing as much as he does now at that age, keeping that body fresh and everything? He probably wouldn’t be the one to tell you, but he’s probably played through thousands of different nuances.”

Burns entered the NHL on October 8, 2003, with Minnesota after the Wild selected him in the first round. His career included seven seasons in Minnesota, 11 years in San Jose, three campaigns in Carolina, and now his first year in Colorado.

His only Stanley Cup Final appearance came in 2016 with San Jose, where Pittsburgh defeated the Sharks in six games. Burns has participated in 135 playoff games throughout his career.

The current streak began November 21, 2013 — when he played right wing that season — as he returned from injury and immediately scored a goal. During Wednesday’s 999th consecutive game against Vancouver, he recorded a goal and assist, becoming the fifth defenseman in league history to achieve a 30-point season in his 40s.

“It’s just ridiculous,” Makar said about the streak before sustaining an upper-body injury Monday against Calgary that will sideline him briefly. “For him to be able to go out there every night and make an impact, and not just float around and do the minimum, is pretty spectacular, especially at his age.”

Duke University’s Cameron Boozer served as the cornerstone of his team’s success throughout this basketball season.

The towering 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman forward displayed the physical strength to battle through contact while scoring. He possessed the versatility to stretch defenses with his outside shooting ability and demonstrated exceptional court vision when distributing the basketball, whether facing constant defensive pressure as the primary target on opposing teams’ game plans or orchestrating plays from the perimeter.

“You just want to affect winning in whatever way you can,” Boozer said.

The promising NBA draft prospect accomplished exactly that during a campaign in which his squad captured 35 victories, achieved the number one ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, secured the top overall seeding for the NCAA Tournament, and advanced to the Elite Eight round. His efforts have now earned him recognition as The Associated Press men’s college basketball national player of the year, making him just the fifth first-year student to claim this distinction and the second consecutive Duke player to receive the award, extending the Blue Devils’ record as the program with the most winners.

“It just goes to show more about what our team has done, just because I think that really helps awards like this, having great team success,” Boozer told the AP. “It’s really just not me.”

Boozer, who earned unanimous first-team AP All-American recognition last month, captured 59 of 61 votes from AP Top 25 poll participants in Friday’s announcement. BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, another projected high NBA draft selection, collected the remaining two votes following his nation-leading 25.5 points per game average.

The son of former Duke and NBA veteran Carlos Boozer posted averages of 22.5 points (ranking ninth nationally in Division I) and 10.2 rebounds (12th nationally) while sharing the national lead with 22 double-double performances. He also contributed 4.1 assists per contest while maintaining impressive shooting percentages of 55.6% from the field and 39.1% from three-point territory.

He becomes part of an exclusive group of freshman AP award recipients alongside last year’s Duke standout Cooper Flagg, former Blue Devil Zion Williamson (2019), Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (2012), and Texas star Kevin Durant (2007). Each of these players was selected first or second overall in their respective NBA drafts.

“I’m very grateful just that I’m even in those (NBA) conversations,” Boozer said. “I think a lot of people dream of being where I am. Sometimes you’ve got to take a step back and just remember that once upon a time, you were a kid dreaming to be here. So I think it’s very special.”

His coaching staff shares that sentiment about his abilities.

“We’ve been fortunate enough the last two years to have two of the best freshmen to ever play in college basketball back to back,” Duke associate head coach and former Blue Devils player Chris Carrawell said. “And Cam is right up there.”

Boozer represents Duke’s ninth AP winner, with each honor going to a different individual. UCLA ranks second with five recipients, though that total includes multiple awards for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1967 and 1969) and Bill Walton (1972 and 1973). UCLA, Ohio State, and Duke’s conference rival North Carolina are the only other institutions with three or more different players earning the recognition.

Boozer joined Duke alongside his twin brother Cayden after the pair guided Miami’s Columbus High School to four consecutive state championships. By late February, the Blue Devils had begun a four-week stretch at the top of the AP Top 25 rankings that extended into March Madness. Boozer — who describes winning as a learnable skill — consistently delivered his finest performances during Duke’s most significant contests, including throughout a challenging non-conference schedule.

He tied his season-high with 35 points during a November victory over Arkansas. He followed that effort with 29 points against defending national champion Florida. Additional standout performances included an 18-point, 15-rebound showing at Michigan State and a near triple-double (18 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) in February’s triumph over Michigan.

Throughout the season, he persevered through physical confrontations and contact. He concluded Sunday’s season-ending defeat to UConn with 27 points despite playing with a swollen right eye from a first-half injury.

“There’s no agenda other than figuring out a way to win,” Wolverines coach Dusty May said. “I’ve seen him play a number of times this year where there’s six guys in the paint, and it’s not as if he’s jumping 40, 50 inches off the floor. His desire to rebound the ball, to set physical screens, to play to his advantages, is as impressive as any freshman that I can recall.”

Another obstacle involved handling the intense attention that accompanies expectations of excellence. Every errant shot, turnover, and difficult performance — like his 3-for-17 shooting struggle against Virginia shot-blocker Ugonna Onyenso in the ACC championship game while battling mounting frustration.

“He does a great job of flushing it and not letting it dwell on him too much,” Cayden said. “That’s something he’s always been able to do since we were younger. Obviously I talk to him when he needs me to. And I sometimes just understood that, hey, he’s going through something, give him some space for a little bit and he’ll figure it out.”

Cameron explained that finding solitude and stepping away from social media helps him cope. He credits prayer and a recent commitment to reading more books as beneficial practices.

Otherwise, he dedicates himself to continuous improvement as a player. He finds comfort in that consistent approach, as the results have consistently validated his efforts.

“I think just being prepared alleviates pressure,” Cameron said. “Being ready for a game, watching film, working out, knowing you put your time in, being confident in yourself — I think all that takes away a lot of the pressure that people talk about. At the end of the day, pressure really is what you put on yourself.”

A Virginia court has rejected quarterback Chandler Morris’s legal bid to secure an unprecedented seventh year of college football eligibility, dealing a blow to the 25-year-old player’s hopes of returning to the field in 2026.

The court ruling denied Morris’s request for a preliminary injunction after the NCAA had previously rejected both his initial waiver application and his follow-up appeal earlier this year. Morris had filed the lawsuit in Charlottesville Circuit Court this past February.

The NCAA expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling in a statement released Thursday, saying it was pleased the decision would help maintain the integrity of college athletics.

“As additional lawsuits challenging common-sense, academically-tied eligibility rules are filed, the NCAA will continue to defend against attempts to rob high school students across the nation of the opportunity to compete in college and experience the life-changing opportunities only college sports can create,” the organization stated.

“The NCAA and its member schools are making changes to deliver more benefits to student-athletes, but the patchwork of state laws and inconsistent, conflicting court decisions make partnering with Congress essential to provide stability for all college athletes.”

Morris’s legal team had argued that the NCAA improperly rejected his waiver request related to his 2022 campaign at TCU, during which he suffered a knee injury in the opening game. Though he returned to action later that season, appearing in three contests as a reserve player.

His attorneys contended that those limited appearances coming off the bench for the Horned Frogs were actually part of a medically recommended treatment program addressing mental health concerns.

However, the NCAA maintained that Morris had not demonstrated he experienced an “incapacitating physical or mental circumstance” that would warrant the waiver.

During his single season with Virginia in 2025, Morris led the Cavaliers to an impressive 11-victory campaign and a berth in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. He threw for 3,000 yards while recording 16 touchdown passes against nine interceptions across 14 contests.

Throughout his college career, Morris competed in 46 games across four different institutions: Oklahoma in 2020, TCU from 2021-23, North Texas in 2024, and Virginia most recently.

Virginia is now moving ahead with transfer quarterbacks Beau Pribula, who came from Missouri, and Eli Holstein, formerly of Pittsburgh.

This ruling represents another legal victory for the NCAA as it faces mounting challenges to its eligibility regulations. In February, a Tennessee court similarly rejected quarterback Joey Aguilar’s request for a preliminary injunction that would have allowed him to continue playing for the Volunteers.

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic appears destined to capture this season’s NBA scoring championship. However, a hamstring injury may prevent him from earning any major league honors.

This unusual situation highlights how the NBA’s 65-game eligibility requirement continues to impact elite players throughout the league.

The list of top-tier players missing out on awards this season keeps expanding, with Doncic now sidelined by a left hamstring problem. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards will also fail to meet the league’s 65-game threshold after being ruled out Thursday due to illness.

Having appeared in just 64 contests, Doncic would miss the cutoff if his hamstring keeps him benched for the season’s final week-plus. Following Thursday’s injury news, BetMGM Sportsbook removed Doncic from their MVP wagering options.

“Health is wealth. … We’ll see what happens,” Lakers star LeBron James said.

Edwards can now participate in a maximum of 64 games, eliminating him from consideration for most significant NBA awards.

The 65-game rule emerged from collective bargaining negotiations between the league and players’ union, now in its third season of implementation.

This requirement affects eligibility for five major honors: MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, All-NBA Team, and All-Defensive Team. Players must either participate in 65 regular-season games (meeting certain minutes requirements) or play at least 62 games before sustaining a “season-ending injury.”

Even if Doncic’s hamstring sidelines him for the remaining regular season, it wouldn’t qualify as “season-ending” unless a jointly-appointed NBA and players’ association doctor declares him unable to play through May 31.

While grievance procedures and extraordinary circumstance challenges exist, neither option offers easy solutions.

Among the league’s six highest-paid players this season, five won’t qualify for awards: Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Miami’s Jimmy Butler, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Boston’s Jayson Tatum. Denver’s Nikola Jokic remains the sole exception, though another missed game would likely disqualify him too.

Last season’s award winners included 23 players across MVP, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA, and All-Defense categories. At least 10 are now ineligible: Antetokounmpo, Curry, Edwards, James, Tatum, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Indiana teammates Tyrese Haliburton and Ivica Zubac, Utah’s Jaren Jackson Jr., and Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams.

Four additional previous winners – Jokic, Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort, Golden State’s Draymond Green, and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley – haven’t reached 65 games yet but appear likely to qualify.

The players’ union seeks policy modifications, which will certainly arise in future league discussions. However, many players, including players’ association head Andre Iguodala, have endorsed the 65-game requirement.

The league shows little inclination to modify the rule based solely on this season’s unusually high number of disqualified candidates.

“I think it is working,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said last month. “I think if you look at the numbers, the pre-implementation of this rule, numbers were going in the wrong direction. I may have this a little bit off: I think the three years before we adopted this rule, almost a third of the All-NBA players had not played 80% of the games. That was a huge issue for the league.”

While uncommon, scoring champions missing All-NBA selection has occurred twice previously:

In 1968-69, rookie Elvin Hayes captured the scoring title but failed to make All-NBA or win Rookie of the Year.

During 1975-76, Bob McAdoo earned his third straight scoring championship and finished second in MVP voting but missed All-NBA selection. Players voted for MVP then, with McAdoo narrowly trailing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Dave Cowens placed third in MVP balloting but secured the second-team All-NBA center spot, while Abdul-Jabbar took first-team honors.

Doncic was scheduled for an MRI Friday to assess his hamstring injury’s severity. While his scoring title isn’t mathematically guaranteed, preventing it would require extraordinary circumstances.

Currently averaging 33.5 points per game, Doncic leads Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31.6 average. For last season’s scoring champion Gilgeous-Alexander to overtake Doncic, he would need an incredible finishing stretch. For instance, scoring 292 points across the final five games would give him the lead – a feat only Wilt Chamberlain has accomplished.

Among the previous 79 scoring champions, 64 earned first-team All-NBA honors while 13 made the second team.

Jokic will claim the league’s rebounding and assist titles while averaging another triple-double. However, his award ballot eligibility remains uncertain.

Statistical award thresholds differ from major award requirements.

While major awards mandate 65 games, statistical honors typically require 58 games (70% of the season). Some statistical categories have different standards, including field-goal percentage (300 made shots minimum), free-throw percentage (125 made shots minimum), and three-point percentage (82 made shots minimum).

Players can win statistical awards while appearing in fewer than 58 games.

Last season, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama played only 46 games but still captured the blocked shots title. Even if he had played the minimum 58 games without recording any blocks in those additional 12 contests, he would have maintained his lead over runner-up Walker Kessler of Utah.

American chess grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has publicly blasted the International Chess Federation’s stringent security protocols at the current Candidates Tournament taking place in Cyprus, calling the anti-cheating procedures overly aggressive.

The U.S. player is among eight elite competitors vying for the opportunity to face Indian prodigy D Gukesh in this year’s world chess championship match.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Nakamura expressed frustration with the extensive use of scanning equipment and surveillance technology implemented by FIDE as part of their cheating prevention strategy.

“I think it’s all complete nonsense,” he said on his YouTube channel.

“I am just going to be honest… they scan us before the games, they scan us after the game.

“They have the metal detectors, they have the separate scanners, I mean… I feel like what are we all? Mossad agents inside Iran or something. Come on, we are chess players, let’s be real, seriously, let’s be real.”

The International Chess Federation pushed back against Nakamura’s complaints, arguing that strict security protocols are crucial for preserving the credibility of elite chess competitions.

“We find tight anti-cheating measures essential. What’s more, the sentiment is shared by the vast majority of players,” FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky said.

“At the same time, physical check-ups for players hardly changed since Toronto, and it is not that there is any noticeable difference for players.

“No other participant complained about it – and that’s for a good reason: all the extra measures control and intercept signals, whilst not demanding players to be additionally searched.”

Chess cheating scandals gained widespread attention in 2022 when five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen suggested that young American player Hans Niemann might have used unfair assistance after suffering a surprising defeat at the Sinquefield Cup tournament.

Niemann subsequently acknowledged cheating in internet matches at ages 12 and 16 but firmly denied any wrongdoing in face-to-face tournament play. He pursued a $100 million lawsuit for defamation against Carlsen, Chess.com and Nakamura, though a federal judge threw out the case in June 2023.

This high-profile dispute will be featured in an upcoming Netflix documentary titled “Untold: Chess Mates,” set to premiere next week.

Following four completed rounds, Nakamura currently sits in sixth place at the Candidates Tournament, which continues through April 15.

The Oklahoma City Thunder delivered a crushing 139-96 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers at home Thursday night, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge with 28 points.

The victory marked Oklahoma City’s fourth straight win and their 16th triumph in 17 games. Meanwhile, Los Angeles saw their four-game winning streak come to an abrupt end, with the night turning even more sour when star player Luka Doncic injured his left hamstring during the third quarter. Lakers head coach JJ Redick announced postgame that Doncic will have an MRI on Friday to assess the severity of the injury.

Doncic’s injury occurred early in the third quarter as he drove toward the basket and attempted to rise for a mid-range shot. As he left his feet, the superstar immediately grabbed his left hamstring and collapsed to the court. He managed just 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting before exiting the contest.

Oklahoma City seized control immediately, establishing a double-digit advantage within the first four minutes. Their lead never dipped below 23 points after the opening quarter. The Thunder also faced a brief injury scare when Luguentz Dort tumbled to the floor after losing his footing on a drive to the rim. Dort, who contributed 14 points, left the game and did not return. Jalen Williams rounded out the Thunder’s balanced attack with 10 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Pistons 113, Timberwolves 108

Daniss Jenkins delivered 26 points, eight assists and five rebounds as Detroit defeated Minnesota at home, moving the Pistons within one win of securing the Eastern Conference’s top playoff seed.

Jalen Duren contributed a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Duncan Robinson chipped in 15 points for Detroit. The Pistons trailed by a single point entering the final quarter before seizing control with a dominant 18-3 scoring run.

Julius Randle paced Minnesota with 27 points, six rebounds and six assists. Naz Reid provided 19 points and six rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmu matched that scoring output while adding five rebounds and four assists.

Spurs 118, Clippers 99

De’Aaron Fox tallied 22 points and eight rebounds while Stephon Castle added 20 points as San Antonio extended their winning streak to 11 games with a road victory over Los Angeles in Inglewood, California, despite playing without Victor Wembanyama.

Dylan Harper scored 19 points and Devin Vassell recorded 14 points with 10 rebounds as the Spurs improved to an impressive 27-2 record since February 1st. Wembanyama received his second rest day since January 6th to manage ongoing ankle discomfort on the back end of their final back-to-back games of the season.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 24 points, extending his streak to 53 consecutive games with at least 20 points, while Bennedict Mathurin contributed 18. John Collins added 15 points for Los Angeles, which has secured a play-in tournament berth but dropped to ninth in the Western Conference standings.

Hornets 127, Suns 107

Miles Bridges exploded for 25 points as Charlotte pulled away for a convincing home victory over Phoenix.

Kon Knueppel added 20 points and Coby White provided 19 off the bench, while Brandon Miller scored 17 and LaMelo Ball recorded 15 points with 11 assists. The win marked Charlotte’s seventh victory in nine games as they continue pursuing a guaranteed Eastern Conference playoff position.

Jalen Green topped Phoenix with 25 points while Devin Booker scored 22, including 17 in the first half. The Suns struggled to get to the free throw line, attempting just six foul shots until the game’s final moments. Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen each scored 13 points, with Mark Williams adding 12.

Cavaliers 118, Warriors 111

Max Strus capped his 24-point night with two crucial late three-pointers, and James Harden sealed the victory with a driving basket in the closing seconds as Cleveland prevailed in San Francisco.

Harden finished with 19 points while Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 25 for the Cavaliers, who moved within one game of the New York Knicks in the race for third place in the Eastern Conference.

Gui Santos and Brandin Podziemski each matched Mitchell’s 25-point output for Golden State, whose third consecutive loss solidified their hold on 10th place in the Western Conference.

Trail Blazers 118, Pelicans 106

Jrue Holiday and Toumani Camara combined to drain 13 of Portland’s 20 three-point shots as the Trail Blazers rallied in the second half to defeat visiting New Orleans.

Holiday paced Portland with 27 points, connecting on seven of 15 attempts from beyond the arc, including the shot that effectively sealed the victory. The Trail Blazers, currently holding the West’s eighth seed, have won three consecutive games and five of their last six. Holiday teamed with Camara, who scored 23 points, and Deni Avdija, who contributed 26 points, to account for all but 42 of Portland’s total scoring.

New Orleans stayed competitive largely due to Jeremiah Fears’ team-leading 21 points. Reserve teammate Derik Queen added 12 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

The Minnesota Wild guaranteed themselves a postseason appearance with a commanding 5-2 comeback victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday evening in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Matt Boldy and Ryan Hartman both found the net twice to lead the charge.

Kirill Kaprizov contributed one goal and one assist for Minnesota (42-21-12, 96 points), which locked up their playoff position for back-to-back seasons and the sixth time in seven years. Mats Zuccarello recorded two assists, while Filip Gustavsson turned away 30 of 32 shots for the win.

Minnesota found themselves down 2-1 following the opening period but responded with two goals in the middle frame and added two more in the final period to pull away comfortably. The victory made them the third Central Division squad to earn their postseason ticket.

Tom Willander and Jake DeBrusk each tallied once for Vancouver, with Nikita Tolopilo making 34 stops in the losing effort.

Hurricanes 5, Blue Jackets 1

Logan Stankoven found the back of the net twice as Carolina jumped out early and dominated visiting Columbus.

The win secured Carolina’s playoff berth for an eighth straight season. The Hurricanes hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference and have posted a 6-2-0 record over their past eight contests. Sebastian Aho and Taylor Hall each contributed two assists. Alexander Nikishin, Jordan Martinook, and Andrei Svechnikov provided the remaining goals. Frederik Andersen made nine saves on 10 shots.

Columbus has been outscored 19-9 during a five-game winless stretch (0-4-1). This slide has knocked the Blue Jackets out of playoff position in the competitive Eastern Conference race. Denton Mateychuk scored Columbus’s lone goal, and Elvis Merzlikins stopped 16 of 21 attempts.

Golden Knights 6, Flames 3

Mitch Marner recorded a hat trick and added two assists as Vegas mounted a comeback against Calgary in Las Vegas.

The performance marked Marner’s sixth five-point outing and fourth hat trick of his career. Ivan Barbashev tallied one goal and two assists, while Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden also scored for Vegas, which sits three points behind Pacific Division co-leaders Anaheim and Edmonton with six games left.

Shea Theodore registered two assists to reach 400 career points, and Carter Hart, making his first appearance since January 8 after missing 33 games with a lower-body injury, recorded 19 saves. Blake Coleman scored twice and Morgan Frost added another for Calgary, while Dustin Wolf finished with 28 saves.

Canadiens 3, Rangers 2

Cole Caufield scored twice, including the game-winner with 5:05 left in the third period, as Montreal rallied from a blown two-goal lead to extend their season-high winning streak to seven games with a victory over host New York.

Caufield netted his 48th and 49th goals in impressive style as the Canadiens won their seventh consecutive game for the first time since October 18-November 2, 2016. Caufield has scored in four straight games and has nine goals during the winning streak. His next goal will mark Montreal’s first 50-goal season since Stephane Richer scored 51 in 1989-90. Alex Newhook also scored and Jacob Fowler made 22 saves.

Adam Fox and Will Cuylle scored within a five-minute span in the third period to make it a one-goal contest. Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots as New York saw their three-game winning streak end.

Predators 5, Kings 4 (SO)

Jonathan Marchessault recorded a goal and an assist, and Luke Evangelista scored the only goal in an eight-round shootout to lift visiting Nashville past Los Angeles.

Filip Forsberg, Zachary L’Heureux and Steven Stamkos also scored, while Juuse Saros made 29 saves and blanked Los Angeles in the shootout. The Predators snapped a three-game losing streak and moved past the Kings into third place in the Western Conference wild-card race.

Adrian Kempe scored twice, Joel Armia had a goal and an assist, Scott Laughton scored and Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves for Los Angeles, which has dropped six of eight (2-2-4) and sits fourth in the West’s wild-card race.

Panthers 2, Bruins 1

Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 28 shots to guide Florida past Boston in Sunrise, Florida.

Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett scored for Florida, with Samoskevich extending his career-high goal streak to three games.

Fraser Minten scored and Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves for Boston, which saw their four-game winning streak end but remains the top wild-card team in the Eastern Conference.

Senators 4, Sabres 1

Lars Eller broke a tie early in the third period to push Ottawa to a vital victory against visiting Buffalo.

Dylan Cozens, Ridly Greig and Shane Pinto also scored for the Senators, who climbed back into the second wild-card position in the Eastern Conference. Linus Ullmark made 21 saves.

Mattias Samuelsson scored and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 20 saves for Buffalo, which must continue waiting to clinch their first playoff berth since 2011.

Lightning 6, Penguins 3

Anthony Cirelli completed his second career hat trick, Zemgus Girgensons notched his 100th career goal and host Tampa Bay scored five unanswered goals to reach 100 points in a victory over Pittsburgh.

Down 2-1 entering the second period, the Lightning got Cirelli’s short-handed goal, Brayden Point’s tally and Girgensons’ milestone marker to improve to 8-2-2 in their last 12 games and tie Buffalo atop the Atlantic Division with a game in hand.

Pittsburgh’s Egor Chinakhov scored twice, and Rickard Rakell tallied for the seventh time in six games. Stuart Skinner made 27 saves.

Devils 7, Capitals 3

Jack Hughes collected two goals and three assists, and Jesper Bratt also recorded a five-point performance, powering New Jersey to a victory over Washington in Newark, New Jersey.

Hughes increased his point total to 32 (12 goals, 20 assists) in 18 games since the Olympic break. Bratt had a goal and four assists as the Devils posted their 11th win in their last 16 games and damaged Washington’s postseason hopes. The Capitals trail the final wild-card spot by three points in the Eastern Conference.

Dawson Mercer scored twice, Cody Glass and Dougie Hamilton also tallied and Jake Allen made 29 saves for New Jersey. Tom Wilson and Pierre-Luc Dubois each collected a goal and an assist, and rookie defenseman Cole Hutson also scored for Washington. Logan Thompson allowed six goals on 29 shots.

Mammoth 6, Kraken 2

Logan Cooley scored twice and added an assist, and Dylan Guenther had a goal and two assists as Utah overcame an early two-goal deficit to defeat host Seattle.

Nick Schmaltz added a goal and an assist, JJ Peterka and Michael Carcone also scored and Kailer Yamamoto had two assists for the Mammoth (39-30-6, 84 points), who won their second consecutive game to maintain their five-point lead atop the Western Conference wild-card standings. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 25 saves.

Jordan Eberle and Bobby McCann scored for the Kraken (32-31-11, 75 points), who suffered their third straight loss and saw their postseason chances continue to fade. Joey Daccord stopped 25 of 31 shots.

Sharks 4, Maple Leafs 1

San Jose extended their winning streak to four games and continued their playoff push with a victory over visiting Toronto.

Zack Ostapchuk, Collin Graf, William Eklund and Adam Gaudette all scored for the Sharks, who are tied with Nashville for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made 18 saves.

John Tavares scored for Toronto, which has dropped two of three games on their four-game road trip that concludes in Los Angeles on Saturday. Goalie Anthony Stolarz stopped 21 shots.

Red Wings 4, Flyers 2

Alex DeBrincat scored twice and Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists as Detroit earned a crucial road victory over Philadelphia.

Lucas Raymond also scored for Detroit, which had dropped four of its last five games, all in regulation. With the victory, the Red Wings moved ahead of Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Tyson Foerster scored for Philadelphia after missing the previous four months with an upper-body injury. Travis Konecny also scored for the Flyers, while Samuel Ersson made 15 saves.

Stars 3, Jets 0

Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for his 15th career shutout as host Dallas defeated Winnipeg.

The shutout was Oettinger’s third this season and marked the sixth time the Jets have been blanked. Arttu Hyry and Adam Erne each had a goal and an assist, and Matt Duchene also scored for Dallas, which ended their two-game losing streak after going 1-4-2 in their previous seven.

Connor Hellebuyck stopped 18 shots for Winnipeg, which had won four of their last five and is pursuing a Western Conference wild-card playoff spot.

Oilers 3, Blackhawks 1

Surging Edmonton pulled into a points tie for first place in the Pacific Division after earning a home victory over Chicago.

Adam Henrique scored for the first time in 51 games, while Matt Savoie and Vasily Podkolzin also tallied for the Oilers en route to their season-best fifth straight victory. Tristan Jarry made 17 saves for Edmonton, which has played one more game than Anaheim, the other team atop the division.

Nick Lardis scored Chicago’s lone goal. Spencer Knight made 31 saves for the Blackhawks. Arvid Soderblom had four saves in a brief replacement of Knight due to a skate issue.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic suffered a left hamstring injury during Thursday night’s defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder and is scheduled for an MRI Friday to assess the severity of the strain, head coach JJ Redick announced to media following the contest.

The 27-year-old guard, who currently tops the league in scoring with 33.5 points per game, initially injured his hamstring during the opening half before re-aggravating it in the third period. While being defended by Jalen Williams, Doncic planted his left foot and immediately doubled over in discomfort, eventually lying on the floor with his hands covering his face.

The star player managed just 12 points on 3-of-10 field goal attempts before departing the game with 7:39 remaining in the third quarter, walking slowly to the locker room under his own power. Dallas trailed 90-58 when Doncic exited and ultimately fell 139-96, ending their four-game winning streak.

“At this point, at this juncture of the season, it’s the last thing you want to see,” teammate LeBron James told reporters. “When you have an MVP candidate on your team, the last thing you want to see is somebody go down with a hamstring injury. … So, pray for the best, for sure, and a speedy recovery.”

Though Doncic declined to speak with media after the game, he joined his teammates on their flight back to Dallas. Redick explained that the medical staff treated Doncic’s hamstring at halftime and cleared him to continue playing.

“We checked him out,” Redick said. “He got work done. He was cleared. I mean, again, we’re not going to put a player at risk.”

This marks another hamstring setback for Doncic, who previously missed four games in February due to a similar left hamstring strain. Despite the injury concerns, he earned Western Conference Player of the Month recognition for March, averaging 37.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.3 steals per contest.

The six-time All-Star has earned five All-NBA first team selections throughout his career and captured the 2018-19 NBA Rookie of the Year award.

The Atlanta Braves unleashed an offensive explosion Thursday night in Phoenix, crushing the Arizona Diamondbacks 17-2 behind a four-homer barrage that included solo shots from Matt Olson, Dominic Smith and Mauricio Dubon.

While the long balls provided plenty of fireworks, it was an explosive eight-run fifth inning that transformed Atlanta’s season opener on the road into a complete blowout.

The scoring continued late as Jorge Mateo delivered a pinch-hit two-run blast in the ninth, while Olson and Mike Yastrzemski contributed RBI doubles during a five-run final frame that saw Arizona catcher James McCann take the mound to finish the lopsided contest.

Olson paced the Atlanta attack with three hits and three RBIs, while Yastrzemski, Austin Riley and Michael Harris II each drove in two runs as the Braves captured their fifth victory in seven games to start the season.

Arizona’s bright spot came from Jordan Lawlar, who connected for his first major league home run, though it wasn’t enough to prevent the end of the Diamondbacks’ three-game winning streak. Ildemaro Vargas added an RBI double in the ninth inning.

On the mound, Reynaldo Lopez (1-0) earned the victory for Atlanta, surrendering just one run and four hits across five innings while striking out three and walking one batter.

Ryne Nelson (0-1) absorbed the loss for Arizona, giving up seven runs (only two earned) and three hits in 4 2/3 innings of work. He fanned three and issued three walks.

The game-changing fifth inning saw Atlanta manage just four hits but benefited tremendously from four walks and a crucial error by Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado.

The rally began when Ozzie Albies successfully appealed a called third strike and drew a walk instead. After one out, Smith also walked, and Dubon followed with a hard grounder that Arenado mishandled, loading the bases.

Ronald Acuna Jr. then worked a walk that forced home Albies for a 3-1 Atlanta advantage. Drake Baldwin’s fielder’s choice brought home another run before Olson ripped a double to right field, extending the lead to 5-1 and ending Nelson’s outing.

Reliever Kevin Ginkel entered and immediately faced trouble as Riley lined a two-run double down the third-base line. After Yastrzemski drew a walk, Albies dropped a single into shallow left field to push the advantage to seven runs.

Harris capped the inning by driving a line drive the opposite way that struck high off the left-field wall for a two-run double, making the score 10-1.

Dubon opened the sixth inning by taking Joe Ross deep to left-center field for a solo homer. Yastrzemski added another run later in the frame with an RBI groundout, extending Atlanta’s lead to 12-1.

The Braves had struck early when Olson launched a two-out homer to center field in the first inning off Nelson, then Smith opened the third with a blast to right-center for a 2-0 lead.

Arizona managed to get on the scoreboard when Lawler led off the bottom of the third with his milestone homer to left-center off Lopez.

The Atlanta Braves demolished the Arizona Diamondbacks 17-2 Thursday night in Phoenix, with solo home runs from Matt Olson, Dominic Smith, and Mauricio Dubon leading a four-homer assault that turned their season opener on the road into a complete rout.

Atlanta’s decisive moment came during an explosive eight-run fifth inning that broke the game wide open, though none of their home runs occurred during that frame. The Braves added insult to injury with a five-run ninth inning that featured Jorge Mateo’s pinch-hit two-run blast, plus RBI doubles from both Olson and Mike Yastrzemski. Arizona’s struggles became so severe that catcher James McCann took the mound to finish the game.

Olson paced Atlanta’s offensive explosion with three hits and three RBIs, while Yastrzemski, Austin Riley, and Michael Harris II each contributed two RBIs. The victory marked Atlanta’s fifth win in their opening seven contests. Arizona saw its three-game winning streak come to an end, though Jordan Lawlar provided a bright spot by launching his first major league home run. Ildemaro Vargas added an RBI double in the ninth for the Diamondbacks.

On the mound, Reynaldo Lopez (1-0) earned the victory for Atlanta by surrendering just one run and four hits across five innings of work, striking out three while issuing one walk. Arizona’s Ryne Nelson (0-1) absorbed the loss after giving up seven runs, only two earned, on three hits in 4 2/3 innings. He fanned three and walked three.

In other MLB action, the San Francisco Giants defeated the New York Mets 7-2 in their series opener, with six different players driving in runs. Luis Arraez tied the game with an RBI triple in the first inning, and Matt Chapman immediately followed with the go-ahead RBI double. The Minnesota Twins topped the Kansas City Royals 5-1 behind six shutout innings from Taj Bradley, with three home runs coming in the ninth inning from Matt Wallner, Kody Clemens, and Josh Bell.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic sustained a left hamstring injury during Thursday evening’s crushing 139-97 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with head coach JJ Redick announcing that the NBA’s current scoring leader will undergo an MRI examination on Friday.

According to Redick, Doncic experienced hamstring discomfort during the opening half and received treatment during halftime intermission.

“We checked him out, he got work done, he was cleared,” Redick said.

The All-Star guard returned to the court for a brief period before the injury worsened. During what would become his final possession, Doncic executed a spinning move while attempting a shot over Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams. Without any physical contact occurring, he suddenly stopped playing and collapsed to the floor. His night ended with 7:39 left in the third quarter.

“Those things happen,” Redick said.

The injury represents a significant setback for Doncic, who had posted 40 or more points in five of his last seven contests. Thursday’s performance saw him limited to just 12 points on 3-of-10 field goal attempts against Oklahoma City’s suffocating defensive effort.

The hamstring problem compounded what was already a disastrous evening for Dallas. When Doncic exited permanently, his team was trailing by a staggering 90-58 margin.

“I mean, it’s something you never want to see as a teammate,” Mavericks forward Jake LaRavia said. “So especially in a game like this, it was tough to see him go down. All the prayers for him hopefully, but yeah, you never want to see that.”

The injury concerns didn’t end with Doncic, as Mavericks guard Austin Reaves also departed temporarily due to a back problem.

“He was in a weird position, stretching for a basketball, loose ball,” Redick said. “And he just felt something intercostal, somewhere in his back, in between the ribs. He was able to play through it … we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

The two teams are scheduled to meet again when Dallas hosts Oklahoma City on April 7.

INDIANAPOLIS — While North Carolina searches for a new head basketball coach, Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd finds himself mentioned as a potential candidate for the Tar Heels position.

With the Wildcats preparing for Final Four action at Lucas Oil Stadium, Lloyd addressed questions about whether he might leave Arizona for another opportunity.

“Listen, I’ve got my full focus on this team. Nothing is distracting me. That’s just how I’ve decided to approach it. I’m excited. I thought we had a really good practice today. I’m excited to play and for our practice tomorrow,” Lloyd stated on Thursday. “I’m a simple guy. I am kind of just one thing at a time. I’m not a multitasker. You can ask my wife. I’m 100 percent locked in on Arizona basketball right now, and I’m excited to see what this team can do.”

Lloyd emphasized his dedication to his current players, saying, “I have a real strong belief in this team, and this team deserves my full attention, so that’s what I’m giving them.”

This isn’t the first time Lloyd has been connected to major coaching vacancies. He was mentioned for the Villanova position last spring but remained committed to Arizona. After North Carolina dismissed Hubert Davis last month, both Lloyd and Michigan’s Dusty May have emerged as top candidates for the Tar Heels job.

May, who is also coaching in the Final Four for his second appearance in four seasons, rejected the idea that North Carolina represents a “dream job” for basketball coaches. He explained that his actual dream position was coaching high school basketball in Indiana, and he has already surpassed his career expectations.

May expressed satisfaction with his current situation at Michigan, noting this week that he’s content with the Wolverines.

After leading Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023, May anticipated Michigan’s tournament success as early as November.

“To be honest, it felt a lot different than it did at FAU. This felt like something our guys expected, and even our fan base, it felt like they expected it a little bit, as well, and so did I because of the guys we have wearing a Michigan jersey,” May explained. “All along, it’s just kind of felt like mission has not been accomplished yet.”