Update on the latest sports
NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Bucks blow out Heat
UNDATED (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks are one win away from advancing to the second round of the NBA playoffs following a blowout win over the Miami Heat. And the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets have 2-1 leads in their respective series.
Khris Middleton scored 22 points, and Jrue (jroo) Holiday and Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH’-nihs an-teh-toh-KOON’-poh) had double-doubles as the Bucks rolled to a 113-84 victory over the Heat. Holiday finished with 19 points and 12 assists, while Antetokounmpo added 17 points and 17 rebounds. Brook Lopez chipped in 13 points for the Bucks, who have won their last two games by a combined 63 points.
Jimmy Butler scored 19 points and Bam Adebayo (ad-eh-BY’-oh) had 17 for the Heat.
Miami will try to avoid elimination when it hosts Game 4 on Saturday.
The Lakers celebrated their first home playoff game in more than eight years with a 109-95 victory over the Suns.
Anthony Davis and LeBron James continue to round back into shape after both missed significant action in the second half of the regular season. Davis scored 18 in the third quarter while staking the Lakers to a 17-point lead. Davis finished with 34 points and 11 rebounds, while James added 21 points and nine assists.
Dennis Schröder (SHROO’-dur) added 20 points in the Lakers’ second straight win.
Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the second-seeded Suns, who are in an early hole in their first postseason series in 11 years. Devin Booker scored 19 points on 6-of-19 shooting, and the star guard was ejected with 35.4 seconds to play after committing a flagrant foul against Schröder.
In Portland, Nikola Jokic (nih-KOH’-lah YOH’-kihch) had 36 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets in a 120-115 victory over the Trail Blazers.
Austin Rivers hit four consecutive 3 pointers during a crucial stretch in the final quarter. He finished with 21 points for third-seeded Denver, which had 20 3s overall.
Rivers’ third straight 3-pointer put the Nuggets up 102-94 with 3:49 left.
Blazers guard Damian Lillard led all scorers with 37 points.
Game 4 is Saturday in Portland.
NBA-FAN BEHAVIOR
Knicks, 76ers ban fans for unruly behavior
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers each banned a fan and issued apologies for actions directed at opposing players during playoff games on Wednesday.
The Knicks said they have barred a fan from Madison Square Garden for spitting on Atlanta guard Trae Young. The Sixers banned the fan who threw popcorn on Washington guard Russell Westbrook. The 76ers also revoked the fan’s season tickets.
In addition, the Utah Jazz said three of their fans were banned indefinitely following a verbal altercation during last night’s win over Memphis. The Jazz did not detail the specifics of what happened.
NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Habs beat Leafs in OT
UNDATED (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes have advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are still looking for the clincher.
Sebastian Aho’s (AH’-hohz) second goal of the game came 66 seconds into overtime, giving the Hurricanes a 4-3 victory over the Predators and a playoff meeting with the Lightning.
The Predators led 3-1 in the second period before losing what was the fourth straight overtime game in the series. Aho sparked the comeback by scoring in the second. Dougie Hamilton tied it with 6:28 left in regulation.
Slavin, Hamilton and Brock McGinn each finished with a goal and an assist.
The Montreal Canadiens have forced Game 6 in their Stanley Cup first-round series by beating the Maple Leafs, 4-3 in overtime. Nick Suzuki scored 59 seconds into OT after the Habs blew a 3-1 lead in the third period.
Jake Muzzin (MUH’-zuhn) extended the game by scoring twice in a 5:02 span.
Joel Armia (joh-EHL’ ahr-MEE’-uh) provided two goals for the Canadiens, who will host Game 6 on Saturday.
Montreal’s Carey Price finished with 32 saves.
NHL-NEWS
Tavares skating
TORONTO (AP) — Maple Leafs captain John Tavares was back on the ice for a skate on Thursday, one week after suffering a concussion and a knee injury in a scary collision.
Tavares was checked to the ice by Montreal’s Ben Chiarot (shih-RAHT’) before his head made contact with Corey Perry’s knee last Thursday. Tavares was eventually stretchered off the ice.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Rays win for 13th time in 14 games
UNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays have earned back-to-back victories since their 11-game winning streak came to an end on Tuesday.
Austin Meadows and Shane McClanahan led the Rays to a 7-2 win over the Royals this afternoon. Meadows belted a two-run homer and a two-run triple to back McClanahan, who limited Kansas City to three hits over five shutout innings.
Joey Wendle, Taylor Walls, Randy Arozarena (ah-roh-zah-RAY’-nah) also had RBIs for the Rays, who have scored six runs or more in 10 of their last 14 games,
In other major league games:
— Blue Jays hurler Alek Manoah (mah-NOH’-ah) dominated the Yankees with six innings of two-hit ball to win his major league debut, 2-0 in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette (bih-SHEHT’) hit back-to-back homers in the third inning off Domingo Germán to help Toronto improve to 6-3 versus New York this season.
— The Yankees rebounded to win the second game, 5-3 behind Aaron Judge’s tying, two-run homer in the third inning and Gary Sánchez’s go-ahead solo drive in the fourth. Bichette wound up homering in both games, giving Toronto a 3-1 lead with a three-run blast in the third.
— Dylan Cease (sees) struck out 10 while throwing a career-high 111 pitches over six innings of the White Sox’s 5-1 win over the Orioles. Yermin (yur-MEEN’) Mercedes homered and had three RBIs as Chicago handed Baltimore its 10th straight loss.
— Eddie Rosario homered and Shane Bieber struck out 12 while pitching one-hit ball over seven innings of the Indians’ 5-2 win over the Tigers. Bieber no-hit Detroit until Jonathan Schoop (skohp) led off the seventh with a home run.
— Chris Flexen threw seven shutdown innings and was backed by home runs from Tom Murphy and Jacob Nottingham in the Mariners’ 5-0 decision over the Rangers. The big right-hander scattered three hits, and only Willie Calhoun advanced past first base when his slicing triple evaded Jarred Kelenic’s (keh-LEH’-nihks) diving attempt in the sixth inning.
— The Athletics also earned a 5-0 win over the Angels as Chris Bassitt pitched a two-hitter for his first career complete game. Oakland took advantage after Bay Area traffic kept Shohei Ohtani (SHOH’-hay oh-TAH’-nee) off the mound for Los Angeles.
— Marcus Stroman ended a six-start winless streak by allowing three hits over six innings of the Mets’ 1-0 win over the Rockies in Game 1 of a twinbill. José Peraza homered leading off the third inning.
— Pereza later drove in two runs as the Mets completed a sweep of their twinbill, 4-2. He laced an RBI single in the fourth to put New York ahead to stay.
— Odubel (oh-DOO’-bul) Herrera tripled leading off the ninth inning and scored the tiebreaking run on a comebacker to lead the Phillies to a 3-2 win over the Marlins and a split of the four-game series. Ronald Torreyes (tohr-AY’-ehs) beat second baseman Isan Díaz’s throw to first to avoid an inning-ending double play as Herrera came home.
— Trea Turner and Josh Bell hit run-scoring singles in the sixth inning to help the Nationals win the completion of their suspended game with the Reds, 5-3. Joe Ross and Starlin Castro singled in runs Wednesday, and Alex Avila drew a bases-loaded walk.
— The Reds were 3-0 winners in the nightcap as Sonny Gray held Washington to two hits over six innings. Eugenio (eh-oo-HEH’-nee-oh) Suárez hit his 11th homer and first leadoff shot of his career.
— Javier Báez provided heads-up base-running and first baseman Will Craig’s blunder helped the Cubs beat the Pirates. Wilsson Contreras was on second when Báez hit a grounder to third for what should have been the third out. Craig took the off-line throw and chased Baez back to home plate instead of stepping on the bag, giving Contreras enough time to score from second before Baez reached first base safely.
— The Cardinals coughed up a 4-0 lead before Yadier (YAH’-dee-ehr) Molina’s RBI double gave them a 5-4, 10-inning win at Arizona. Carlos Martinez carried a no-hitter into the seventh and St. Louis handed the Diamondbacks their 11th straight loss.
— The Brewers pulled out a 6-5 win over the Padres on Jackie Bradley Jr.’s two-out hit off the right-field wall. Willy Adames (ah-DAH’-mehs) had a big game for Milwaukee, going 4-for-5 with a three-run homer and four RBIs.
— Max Muncy (MUHN’-see) hit a go-ahead solo shot leading off the sixth to send the Dodgers to their 13th win in 15 games, 4-3 versus the Giants. DJ Peters led off the fifth with his first major league homer and Justin Turner added a two-run blast as Los Angeles improved to 4-0 against San Francisco this season.
MLB-NEWS
Setback for Thor
UNDATED (AP) — Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard (SIHN’-dur-gahrd) has suffered a setback as he tries to come back from Tommy John surgery.
Syndergaard won’t throw for six weeks after experiencing right elbow inflammation during a minor league rehab start with Class-A St. Lucie. The Mets initially hoped to have him back sometime next month.
Syndergaard usually throws in the mid-to-high 90s, but he was clocked in the mid-80s by the end of his stint Tuesday.
In other major league news:
— Reds utility player Nick Senzel is scheduled to have knee surgery on Friday and could miss four to six weeks. Senzel was placed on the 10-day injured list with left knee inflammation last Friday and hasn’t played since May 17. Cincinnati also announced that right-handed starter Jeff Hoffman has been put on the 10-day injured list with a sore shoulder.
NFL-NEWS
Mahomes “full go” in OTAs
UNDATED (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (mah-HOHMZ’) has been “full-go” during the first week of voluntary workouts, three months after surgery for turf toe and a full month ahead of the original schedule.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Thursday that Mahomes has been “doing everything” while players worked out in shorts at the team’s facility near Arrowhead Stadium.
Mahomes was hobbled by the toe throughout the playoffs last winter, though he never acknowledged the severity of the injury.
In other NFL news:
— Texans coach David Culley refused to say if quarterback Deshaun Watson was with the team this week as Houston began on-field practices. Watson’s future with the team is in question after 22 women filed lawsuits alleging that he sexually assaulted or harassed them. He’s also been unhappy with the direction of the team and requested a trade earlier this year.
PGA-COLONIAL
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Jordan Spieth (speeth) and Sergio Garcia each fired bogey-free, 7-under 63′s to create a first-place tie in the Colonial.
Spieth closed with a tap-in for his third birdie in a row, and seventh overall. Garcia had a 15-foot birdie attempt on the 18th hole that circled the edge of the cup but didn’t go in.
Phil Mickelson is 10 strokes back after a 73 that ended with the 22-foot birdie. The 50-year-old Mickelson is back in action four days after becoming the oldest major champion.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS-SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Cejka has clubhouse lead
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Alex Cejka (CHAY’-kuh) was the clubhouse leader when the first round of the Senior PGA Championship was suspended on Thursday.
Cejka led the morning wave with a 3-under 67 at Southern Hills Country Club. He beat Steve Stricker in a playoff in the Regions Tradition for his first major title.
Stricker also was 3 under on Thursday, but had only played seven holes when a line of storms forced the afternoon wave off the course at 3:48 p.m.
Miguel Angel Jimenez, Mike Weir and John Riegger each shot 68.