Update on the latest sports

NBA-SCHEDULE

UNDATED (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers have extended their winning streak and expanded their lead in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

Joel Embiid (joh-EHL’ ehm-BEED’) had 34 points in just 25 minutes as the Sixers whipped the Rockets, 135-115. Embiid also had 12 rebounds and made 14 of 16 free throws to help the 76ers move two games ahead of second-place Brooklyn in the conference race.

Shake Milton provided 19 points off the bench, helping Philadelphia win the season series from Houston for the first time in 10 years.

Checking out Wednesday’s other NBA action:

— The Celtics rolled to a 132-96 win over the Magic as Kemba Walker tied a season high with 32 points in his return from a four-game injury absence. Jayson Tatum shook off a slow start and finished with 27 points for Boston, which beat Orlando for a sixth straight time over the past two seasons. Evan Fournier (FOHRN’-yay) had 18 points in his first game back in Orlando since being traded by the Magic.

— Clint Capela scored 18 points and the Hawks pulled away in the fourth quarter of a 135-103 pounding of the Suns. Atlanta led 97-88 before scoring the first 14 points of the final period. Devin Booker dropped in 30 points for Phoenix, which began the day tied with the Jazz for the Western Conference lead.

— The Trail Blazers posted their highest point total of the season in a 141-105 thumping of the Cavaliers. Damian Lillard scored 16 points in the first quarter and 14 points in the third before finishing with 32 and nine assists. Enes Kanter had 18 points and 13 rebounds as Portland finished 5-1 on its six-game road trip.

NHL-SCHEDULE

Capitals win battle with Rangers

UNDATED (AP) — The New York Rangers weren’t too happy when Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson avoided a suspension for his role in Monday’s brawl at Madison Square Garden. They demonstrated their displeasure by engaging Wilson in a couple of melees, but the Caps rode TJ Oshie’s (OH’-sheez) hat trick to a 4-2 victory over the Blueshirts.

Oshie’s first two goals came with Pavel Buchnevich (booch-NEH’-vihch) in the penalty box, two days after he was crosschecked in the back by Wilson.

Wednesday’s game had six fights in the first period, commencing with a center-ice brawl right off the opening faceoff. Wilson was involved in a fight in the opening minute and received a 10-minute misconduct later in the period.

The outcome puts the Capitals in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the East Division. The Caps have three games remaining, one more than the Penguins.

Elsewhere on NHL ice:

— Defenseman Erik Cernak (CHUR’-nak) had a goal and two assists in the Lightning’s sixth win in seven games, 6-2 over the Stars. Brayden Point and Alex Killorn (kih-LOHRN’) each had a goal and an assist for Tampa Bay, which pulled into a tie with the Panthers for second place in the Central Division. The Stars remained alive for the fourth and final spot in the Central Division after Nashville’s loss in Columbus.

— The Predators failed to wrap up a playoff berth as Mikhail Grigorenko scored the go-ahead goal in the third period of the Blue Jackets’ 4-2 victory against Nashville. Oliver Bjorkstrand (BYOHRK’-strand) had two goals, including an empty-netter with less than a second remaining, and Jack Roslovic (RAHS’-lioh-vihch) also scored for the Blue Jackets, who stopped a two-game skid and won for just the second time in 12 games.

— Erik Brannstrom had three assists, Shane Pinto scored his first NHL goal and the Senators stalled the Canadiens’ playoff charge with a 5-1 win. The Canadiens entered the game looking for their first four-game winning streak of the season after reeling off three straight come-from-behind victories. Brady Tkachuk (kah-CHUHK’), Nick Paul, Connor Brown and Alex Formenton also scored for the Senators, who improved to 8-2-1 over their past 11 games.

NHL-NEWS

Rangers dump Davidson, Gorton

UNDATED (AP) — The New York Rangers have stunningly fired president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton with three games left in the season. The dismissals come after Davidson and Gorton assembled an excellent collection of young talent that makes the team’s future look very promising.

The news also comes less than 24 hours after the team ripped the league for fining but not suspending Washington’s Tom Wilson for his role in a scrum Monday night that injured Rangers star Artemi Panarin (ahr-TEH’-mee pah-NAH’-rihn).

It was not immediately clear if the front office shakeup had any connection to the criticism of the league.

In other NHL news:

— Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (GAHS’-tihs-behr) has received a two-game suspension for boarding Penguins defenseman Mark Friedman during Pittsburgh’s 7-3 victory on Tuesday.

— The Devils have signed goaltender Nico Daws to a three-year, entry-level contract starting in the 2021-22 season. He was the team’s third-round pick in the 2020 draft.

MLB-SCHEDULE

Birds’ Means no-hits M’s

UNDATED (AP) — The Major League Baseball season is barely a month old, and there already have been three no-hitters thrown, four if you include Madison Bumgarner’s seven-inning gem.

Baltimore Orioles ace John Means has authored the third while facing the minimum 27 batters in a 6-0 shutout of the Mariners in Seattle. The Mariners’ only baserunner reached first by striking out on a wild pitch that got away from catcher Pedro Severino, but the runner was thrown out at second.

Means struck out 12 and threw 79 of his 113 pitches for strikes.

Means lowered his ERA to 1.37 and became the first individual Orioles pitcher to toss a no-hitter since Jim Palmer in 1969.

Trey Mancini provided the big blow with a three-run shot off reliever Aaron Fletcher in the eighth inning.

Also on Wednesday’s major league schedule:

— Jesse Winker’s walk-off single in the 10th inning gave the Reds a 1-0 victory over the White Sox. Starters Sonny Gray and Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kul) each allowed just two hits over seven scoreless innings.

— Jon Gray poked an RBI single while allowing two runs and four hits over six innings of the Rockies’ 6-5 win against the Giants. Charlie Blackmon and Raimel Tapia delivered two-run singles while Colorado put together a six-run fourth to take a 6-2 lead.

— Marcell Ozuna (oh-ZOO’-nah) clubbed the Braves’ third grand slam in four games to carry them to a 5-3 win over the Nationals. Max Fried (freed) allowed one run and four hits, over five innings to lower his ERA from 11.45 to 8.44.

— Adam Duvall crushed a three-run homer and had four RBIs while the Marlins allowed just five hits in an 8-0 rout of the Diamondbacks. Miguel Rojas was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and three runs scored for Miami.

— Didi Gregorius (DEE’-dee greh-GOHR’-ee-uhs) launched his eighth career grand slam as the Phillies beat the Brewers, 5-4 for their third straight win. Enyel De Los Santos left two runners stranded to end the eighth before José Alvarado notched the save.

— The Cardinals ran their winning streak to six games as Paul DeJong (deh-YUHNG’) smacked a two-run homer and Paul Goldschmidt added a solo shot off Marcus Stroman, powering St. Louis to a 4-1 win over the Mets in Game 1 of a doubleheader. New York was held to two hits after hitting coach Chili Davis was fired and replaced by Hugh Quattlebaum.

MLB-NEWS

DeGrom eyes Sunday start

UNDATED (AP) — Mets ace Jacob deGrom could return to the mound on Sunday against Arizona at Citi Field.

DeGrom first felt soreness in a back muscle after his previous outing against Boston on April 28 and was scratched from a scheduled start against St. Louis on Tuesday night.

In other major league news:

— The Indians placed catcher Roberto Pérez on the 10-day injured list with a fractured right ring finger. The two-time Gold Glove winner had been playing with the injury, which he sustained when he got crossed up on a pitch by reliever James Karinchak in Chicago on April 13.

— Yankees second baseman Rougned Odor (ROOG’-ned oh-DOHR’) has been put on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left knee. Odor was hurt Tuesday night when his knee slammed into Houston catcher Martín Maldonado’s head as he scored in the sixth inning of New York’s 7-3 win.

— Cubs reliever Pedro Strop (strohp) has opted for free agency after spending most of the season at Chicago’s alternate site. The 35-year-old Strop was a key member of the Cubs’ bullpen from 2013 to 2019 before signing with Cincinnati prior to the 2020 season.

— The Blue Jays will go back to playing home games in Buffalo next month, and they’ll have a limited number of fans in attendance. Forced from Canada by that government’s coronavirus travel restrictions, the Blue Jays will be back at Sahlen (SAY’-lehn) Field, the regular home of the Blue Jays’ Triple-A farm team.

— The Yankees and Mets can increase capacity from 20% to 100% at their ballparks for home games starting May 19 provided fans are vaccinated against COVID-19. Both teams will be giving away free tickets along with vaccinations. Sections for unvaccinated ticket holders will be capped at 33%.

NFL-NEWS

Cowboys release Woods

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys have released defensive tackle Antwaun Woods less than a week after drafting two potential replacements.

Dallas drafted a pair of defensive tackles in UCLA’s Osa Odighizuwa and Quinton Bohanna of Kentucky.

Woods’ release won’t cost anything against the salary cap.

Elsewhere in the NFL:

— The Lions have signed tight end Darren Fells, giving the team another veteran at the position to go with Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson. Fells has 123 catches with 1,483 yards receiving and 21 touchdowns in 102 NFL games.

SOCCER-CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Chelsea reaches title game

LONDON (AP) — The Champions League final has become an all-Premier League matchup.

Chelsea has earned the right to take on Manchester City by defeating Real Madrid on a 3-1 aggregate. Timo Werner and Mason Mount did the scoring on Chelsea’s 2-0 victory on Wednesday.