Update on the latest sports

MLB-NEWS

Mets-Nats postponed as MLB strips Atlanta of ASG

UNDATED (AP) — There will be no baseball played in Washington this weekend, and no All-Star Game in Atlanta this summer.

A COVID-19 outbreak affecting more than a third of the Nationals’ roster has caused the postponement of their season-opening, three-game series against the visiting New York Mets.

General manager Mike Rizzo says four of Washington’s players have tested positive for the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, and another five were quarantining after contact tracing determined they might have been exposed. The Mets plan to spend the weekend practicing at Nats Park before heading to Philadelphia to play their new season opener on Monday. The Nationals still hope to open their scheduled series with the Braves on Monday.

Meanwhile, Major League Baseball is pulling this year’s All-Star Game from Atlanta over objections to sweeping changes to Georgia voting laws that critics have condemned as being too restrictive.

The decision to move the July 13 game from Truist Park amounts to the first economic backlash against Georgia for the voting law that Republican Gov. Brian Kemp quickly signed into law last week.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred made the decision to move the All-Star events and the amateur draft from Atlanta after discussions with the Major League Baseball Players Association, individual players and the Players Alliance.

MLB-SCHEDULE

Orioles’ Means means business in opener, beats Red Sox 3-0

UNDATED (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have won their weather-delayed season opener in Boston, thanks to a brilliant starting pitching performance.

John Means surrendered just one hit over seven innings of the Birds’ 3-0 shutout of the Red Sox. Means gave up a leadoff single and retired the last 18 batters he faced.

The game was scoreless until Ryan Mountcastle doubled in two runs in the sixth.

NBA-SCHEDULE

Mavs top Knicks with Carlisle out

UNDATED (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks won a game while their head coach dealt with COVID-19.

Luka Doncic (DAHN’-chihch) scored 26 points and the the Mavericks earned their third straight win by downing the Knicks, 99-86.

Jalen Brunson had 15 points for the Mavs, one more than Kristaps Porzingis (KRIHS’-tahps pohr-ZIHN’-gihs) and Tim Hardaway Jr. scored against their former team.

Alec Burks scored 20 points to lead the Knicks, who have lost three in a row.

The Mavericks were without head coach Rick Carlisle for the game after testing positive for the coronavirus. The 61-year-old Carlisle says he has been fully vaccinated since January and was hoping it was a false positive, allowing him to coach.

Checking out Friday’s other NBA action:

— Robert Williams had a career-high 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Celtics in a 118-102 downing of the Rockets. Jayson Tatum scored 26 points and Williams shot 9-for-9 from the field as Boston stopped a two-game skid. Trade deadline acquisition Evan Fournier hit a career-best seven 3-pointers to finish with 23 points for the Celts, while Jaylen Brown provided 22.

— Toronto posted the most lopsided victory of the season as Pascal Siakam (see-A’-kam) scored 36 points in three quarters of the Raptors’ 130-77 dismantling of the Warriors. Toronto shot 53.4% in the game and won for just the second time in 15 games. The Raptors pushed their lead to 61 points when Malachi Flynn hit a short jump shot with 6:29 remaining.

NBA-NEWS

Mavs coach tests positive for COVID-19

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has fined Nets forward Kevin Durant $50,000 for his offensive and derogatory language in social media messages to actor Michael Rapaport. Rapaport released images of the private messages Tuesday on his Twitter account, and they included homophobic and misogynistic language from the All-Star. Durant has since apologized for the language he used, saying it wasn’t what he wants people to see and hear from him.

NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

Stanford advances to title game

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — There’s something about San Antonio that brings out the best in the Stanford women’s basketball team.

Haley Jones scored 24 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 32 seconds left to lead the Cardinal to a 66-65 win over South Carolina at the Alamodome. The win puts Stanford in the title game for the first time since 2010, which also was in San Antonio.

Trailing 65-64 with 32 seconds left, Jones hit a jumper from the corner that gave the Cardinal a one-point lead. Aliyah Boston had her shot blocked, but got her own rebound. Then, with 15 seconds left, Destanni (DEHS’-tah-nee) Henderson threw a pass that was stolen by Ashten Prechtel (PREHK’-tul).

The Cardinal will play the winner of UConn and Arizona for the title on Sunday night. Coach Tara VanDerveer will be looking for her third national championship at the school and first since 1992.

NHL-SCHEDULE

Caps top Devils in OT

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The Washington Capitals have regained sole possession of first place in the NHL’s East Division, but it took overtime before beating New Jersey for the seventh straight time this season.

The Capitals pulled out a 2-1 win over the Devils as Dmitry Orlov scored on a length-of-the-ice rush with 21 seconds left in OT. Vitek Vanecek (VEE’-tehk VAN’-eh-chehk) made three outstanding saves in the extra period, including a close-in redirection attempt by Travis Zajac (ZAY’-jak) seconds before Orlov ripped a shot over Mackenzie Blackwood.

John Carlson scored for the third time in two days as the Capitals bounced back from Thursday’s embarrassing 8-4 loss to the Islanders.

Washington is two points ahead of the Isles and Penguins with 19 games remaining.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS

NHL alters Jets schedule

UNDATED (AP) — The NHL has moved Winnipeg’s home game against Ottawa that was originally scheduled for the first week in May to Monday. The league says the change is the result of recently postponed games affecting the Jets and Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks have had their games postponed through Tuesday after two players and a member of the coaching staff entered the league’s COVID protocol.

In other pandemic-related news:

— The president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee says no decision has been made about rerouting the torch relay later this month around the city of Osaka. The mayor of Osaka and the governor of the prefecture want relay legs on April 14 through the city of Osaka to be canceled because of rising cases of COVID-19.

— The World University Games that were due to open in China in just over four months have been postponed until next year. The Switzerland-based FISU governing body said COVID-19 and travel restrictions prompted the postponement. A new date wasn’t announced.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NEWS

Self gets perpetual contract from Jayhawks

UNDATED (AP) — Kansas basketball coach Bill Self has agreed to a new contract that will keep him with the Jayhawks until he retires. The five-year contract guarantees him just over $5.4 million per season and automatically adds one additional year after the conclusion of each campaign. The deal was struck even as the school awaits the decision from an independent panel investigating five serious infractions charges alleged by the NCAA.

In other college basketball news:

Auburn freshman point guard Sharife Cooper says he plans to enter the NBA draft and give up his remaining eligibility after playing just 12 games. Cooper averaged 20.2 points, 8.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds after being declared eligible by the NCAA. Cooper is one of just seven players nationally to average 20 points and eight assists per game in the last 25 years.

NCAA-DRUG TESTS

AP Sources: NCAA has not tested for drugs at championships

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA has not tested players for performance-enhancing drugs at March Madness and other recent college championships, The Associated Press has learned. Three people with direct knowledge of NCAA testing protocols said full-scale testing has not resumed since the coronavirus pandemic shut down college sports a year ago.

Although athletes may have been tested on campus, either through the NCAA program or those run by schools, the NCAA has not ramped up its usual testing program at national championships such as the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

PGA-TEXAS OPEN

Tringale halfway to first win

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Cameron Tringale (trihn-GAH’-lee) made a move for his first PGA Tour victory with a 3-under-par 69 and a two-shot lead after two rounds of the Valero Texas Open.

The 12-year veteran was at 9-under 135 after a round that included five-straight birdies.

Jordan Spieth (speeth) and Englishman Matt Wallace share second, two ahead of Kyle Stanley also shot 68 and was at 5-under with Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Stadler and Erik van Rooyen.

First-round leader Camilo Villegas (vee-JAY’-gas) shot a 76 to fall five shots back in a group that includes Matt Kuchar (KOO’-chur), who shot his second 70.

NFL-JAGUARS-WILSON

Damien Wilson signs with Jaguars

UNDATED (AP) — Veteran linebacker Damien Wilson has signed with Jacksonville and gives the Jaguars an experienced option as they transition to a 3-4 defensive scheme. Wilson spent the last two years with Kansas City and started 13 games in 2020, missing three contests late in the season because of a knee injury. He returned in the postseason and started all three games, including the Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay.

Elsewhere in the NFL:

—The Eagles have turned Lincoln Financial Field into a COVID-19 vaccination site for members of the autism community. More than 1,000 individuals, their caregivers and families were vaccinated last Saturday.