Update on the latest sports
NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Nets advance
UNDATED (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets have advanced to the second round of the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinals by closing out the Boston Celtics in five games.
James Harden had 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his first postseason triple-double, leading the Nets to a 123-109 win over the Celtics. Kyrie Irving scored 25 points and Kevin Durant had 24 for the Nets, who will face the Bucks in their first appearance in the second round since 2014.
Brooklyn reeled off an 11-2 burst in less than 90 seconds to take a 108-91 lead midway through the fourth.
Jayson Tatum had 32 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics.
The Nets will host Game 1 of the Bucks series on Saturday.
The Nuggets were able to take a three-games-to-two lead in their series despite Damian Lillard’s franchise playoff-record 55 points.
Michael Porter Jr.’s 3-pointer with 1:33 left in the second overtime sent Denver past the Trail Blazers, 147-140. Porter finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds for the Nuggets, who closed on a 9-0 run.
Nikola Jokic (nih-KOH’-lah YOH’-kih) fell one assist shy of a triple-double, delivering a team-high 38 points and 11 boards. Monte Morris added 28 points off the bench.
Lillard scored 17 of Portland’s 19 points in the two overtimes, but he didn’t score again after his 12th 3-pointer in 17 attempts put the Blazers ahead 140-138 with 3:47 left.
NBA-76ERS EMBIID
AP source: Embiid doubtful for Game 5 with knee injury
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (joh-EHL’ ehm-BEED’) is doubtful for Game 5 tomorrow night because of a sore right knee.
A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press that the MVP finalist had an MRI on Tuesday and his status will be decided before gametime.
Embiid wound up on the floor behind the baseline after having his shot blocked by Washington’s Robin Lopez on a drive to the basket in the first quarter. He eventually headed to the locker room in the last minute of the period.
Embiid came into the game averaging more than a point per minute in the best-of-seven series.
NHL PLAYOFFS-LIGHTNING/HURRICANES
Bolts beat Canes
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Lightning put just 15 shots on goal on Tuesday yet maintained control of their Stanley Cup second-round series.
Andrei Vasilevskiy (va-sih-LEHV’-skee) stopped 31 shots and the Lightning took a two-games-to-none lead by downing the Hurricanes, 2-1. Vasilevskiy’s performance came hours after he was named one of the three finalists for the Vezina (VEH’-zih-nuh) Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender. He blanked Carolina until Andrei Svechnikov (SVEHCH’-nih-kahv) scored with 90 seconds left.
Neither team scored until Alex Killorn (kih-LOHRN’) 7:09 into the second period. Anthony Cirelli provided what became the game-winner just over eight minutes into the third.
Alex Nedeljkovic (neh-DEHL’-koh-vihch) turned back 13 shots for the Hurricanes, who will try to get back in the series on Thursday in Tampa.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Jays win in Buffalo
UNDATED (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays were winners in their return to Buffalo.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. belted his major league-leading 17th homer while going 4-for-4 with three RBIs in the Jays’ 5-1 win over the Marlins.
Guerrero doubled in the first, hit a three-run homer in the third and added two singles for his first career four-hit game. Lourdes Gurriel (gur-ee-EHL’) Jr. had three hits, including a towering solo home run.
Robbie Ray allowed one run on six hits through six innings in the Blue Jays’ first game at Sahlen (SAY’-lehn) Field this season.
Also around the majors:
— The Orioles’ 14-game losing streak is over after Pedro Severino and Maikel (MY’-kehl) Franco homered in their 7-4 win over the Twins. Cedric Mullins got two hits, scored two runs and made a sensational catch in center field as Baltimore beat Minnesota for the first time in their last 17 meetings.
— Luis Garcia threw a career-high seven innings and Jose Altuve (al-TOO’-vay) led off the bottom of the first with a homer in the Astros’ third straight win, 5-1 over the Red Sox. Garcia permitted one run and six hits, retiring 11 of 12 batters over one stretch.
— The Yankees pulled out a 5-3 win over the Rays on Clint Frazier’s game-ending, two-run homer with two out in the 11th inning. Frazier also made a game-saving catch in the ninth before New York handed Tampa Bay just its second loss in 18 games.
— Austin Hedges smacked a tiebreaking, two-run homer and Shane Bieber allowed two earned runs over seven innings of the Indians’ second straight win over the White Sox, 6-5. Chicago scored twice in the ninth off James Karinchak before Jose Abreu (ah-BRAY’-oo) grounded out with the bases loaded to end the game.
— The Royals coasted to a 10-5 win over the Pirates as Andrew Benintendi (behn-ihn-TEHN’-dee) hit a grand slam and drove in five runs. Salvador Perez had two homers and three RBIs to help Kansas City sweep the two-game series.
— Eric Haase and Jonathan Schoop (skohp) each homered twice and Miguel Cabrera had three RBIs for the Tigers in a 10-7 downing of the Brewers, ending Milwaukee’s five-game winning streak. Kolten Wong and Tyrone Taylor also hit two homers apiece for the Brewers in a game that saw nine round-trippers.
— Patrick Wisdom hit his third homer in two games and Willson Contreras also went deep for the Cubs in their eighth win in nine games, 4-3 versus the Padres. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo singled twice for Chicago after missing the previous six games because of back tightness.
— Odúbel (oh-DOO’-bul) Herrera and Andrew McCutchen each hit two of the Phillies’ seven home runs in a 17-3 thrashing of the Reds. Matt Joyce capped the rout with a grand slam in the ninth off Reds infielder Alex Blandino, helping Philadelphia halt a three-game skid.
— Juan Soto was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer, four RBIs and four runs scored to lead the Nationals’ 14-hit outburst in an 11-6 win against the Braves. Ryan Zimmerman also smacked a two-run homer as Washington won despite Stephen Strasburg, who left the game after taking a line drive to his left arm in the second inning.
MLB-NEWS
M’s lose reigning AL Rookie of Year
UNDATED (AP) — The Seattle Mariners have placed outfielder Kyle Lewis on the 10-day injured list with a torn right meniscus that could require surgery.
The reigning AL Rookie of the Year appeared to get injured while trying to run down a fly ball from Sean Murphy in the eighth inning of the Mariners’ victory Monday against Oakland. Lewis made a leaping attempt on the deep drive and left the game before the start of the ninth inning.
Lewis is hitting .246 with five home runs and 11 rebounds in 36 games this year. He batted .262 with 11 homers and 29 ribbies last season.
Also around the majors:
— Padres slugger Fernando Tatis (tah-TEES’) Jr. had to leave tonight’s game against the Cubs because of right oblique tightness. Tatis exited after hitting a fly to left in the sixth inning. He is hitting .293 with 16 home runs.
— The Cardinals have placed pitcher Jack Flaherty on the 10-day injured list with what manager Mike Shildt termed a “significant” oblique injury. Flaherty leads the majors with eight wins and left during the sixth inning of Monday’s 9-4 loss to the Dodgers with tightness in his left side. The right-hander had allowed two runs on two hits with nine strikeouts.
— Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro believes there’s a chance the team could finally return home to Toronto at some point this season, ending their current run in Buffalo. Shapiro cautioned the decision hinges on when Canada will loosen its strict border regulations. He said talks between the Blue Jays and Canadian health officials have become more frequent and “certainly more positive” in recent weeks.
— The major league batting average rose slightly in May, though it remained at its lowest level in 53 years. The Elias Sports Bureau says hitters batted .239 in May, up from .232 in April and the lowest average for May since .237 in 1972. The .236 average for the season through May 31 is the lowest since .229 in 1968, the last season before the pitcher’s mound was lowered from 15 inches to 10.
— The Giants will support Pride Month on the field and on their uniforms and caps during Saturday’s game against the Cubs. The Giants will feature Pride colors in the SF logo on their game caps along with a Pride patch on the right sleeves of their home uniforms, making them the first major league team to do so.
— Former Cy Young Award winner Mike Marshall has died while in hospice care at age 78. Marshall pitched in the majors from 1967 to 1981 for nine teams, compiling a record of 97-112 and 3.14 ERA. He won the NL Cy Young Award in 1974, going 15-12 with a 2.42 ERA and 21 saves while establishing major league records with 104 appearances, 208 1/3 relief innings, 83 games finished and 13 consecutive appearances.
NFL-JUNE 1
June 1st arrival gives NFL teams more flexibility
UNDATED (AP) — Now that the calendar has turned to June, NFL teams can trade or release players and spread the salary cap hit over two years instead of one.
That doesn’t mean Aaron Rodgers is going anywhere, but the Packers couldn’t afford to deal him from a financial standpoint until now. Other star players such as Julio Jones and Zach Ertz are more likely to be moved.
With the salary cap expected to increase up to $208.2 million in 2022, teams have more flexibility to make blockbuster moves now that this important date has arrived.
In other NFL news:
— The Jets have signed defensive lineman Ronald Blair, who was a favorite of coach Robert Saleh from their days together with the San Francisco 49ers. The 28-year-old Blair had 13 1/2 career sacks in 47 games over five seasons with the 49ers, missing time with a series of knee injuries.
TENNIS-FRENCH OPEN
Gauff wins, Nidal advances, Venus Williams loses
PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic (JOH’-koh-vihch), Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff and Ash Barty were among Tuesday’s first-round winners at the French Open.
The No. 1-ranked Djokovic opened his quest for a 19th Grand Slam title and second in Paris by defeating American Tennys Sandgren, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 in just under two hours. Djokovic saved all six break points he faced and compiled a total of 33 winners to improve to 17-0 in first-round matches at Roland Garros.
Nadal’s bid for a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title and 14th French Open crown has started with a straight-set victory. Nadal twice was a point from dropping the third set against Alexei Popyrin before posting a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 victory.
The 17-year-old Gauff won her first match as a seeded player in a Grand Slam event, 7-6, 6-4. The 24th-seeded Gauff fought off set points before earning the right to take on the player she beat for her first WTA title last weekend.
The top-ranked Barty struggled midway through her 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory against Bernarda Pera. The 2019 champ played with her left thigh bandaged and struggled before getting medical treatment at the start of the deciding set.
Other winners on Tuesday include men’s ninth seed Matteo Berrettini and No. 10 Diego Schwartzman, women’s fifth seed Elina Svitolina (eh-LEE’-nuh svih-toh-LEE’-nah), ninth seed Karolina Pliskova (kar-oh-LEE-nah PLIHSH’-koh-vah) and No. 13 Jennifer Brady of the U.S.
Men’s No. 7 Andrey Rublev (ROOB’-lehv) was knocked out in the opening round, as was unranked Venus Williams on the women’s side. Williams has dropped her last four first-round matches.
Also at Roland Garros:
— Leaders of the four Grand Slam tournaments have reacted to tennis star Naomi Osaka’s stunning withdrawal from the French Open by promising to address players’ concerns about mental health. The pledge came in a statement signed by the same four tennis administrators who threatened the possibility of disqualification or suspension for Osaka if she continued to skip news conferences. She was fined $15,000 for not speaking to reporters after her first-round victory, saying she experiences anxiety before meeting with the media.
— Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova (kuh-VIH’-toh-vah) says on Instagram that she has pulled out of the French Open because of an ankle injury. Kvitova says she fell and hurt her ankle during “post-match press requirements” after her first-round victory.
TRANSGENDER ATHLETES-FLORIDA
Florida governor OKs limits on transgender student athletes
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is plunging Florida deeper into the culture wars. With a stroke of his pen on Tuesday,
Florida is now the latest state to bar transgender girls and women from playing on public school teams intended for student athletes born as girls. The measure DeSantis signed at a Christian school was approved by the GOP-led Legislature. Starting July 1, a transgender student athlete can’t participate without first showing a birth certificate saying she was a girl when she was born. Critics call the new law hateful and are preparing to challenge it in court.
