Update on the latest sports
NBA PLAYOFFS
Hawks, Nuggets hope home court provides edge in semifinals
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks will attempt to extend their 13-game home winning streak when they play the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal.
The series is tied 1-1. The Hawks’ home winning streak is the longest active streak in the NBA.
The Hawks announced a sellout on Thursday and said only a few seats remain for Monday’s Game 4. Hawks forward John Collins says he wants to continue to build excitement he has seen from local fans.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns will take a 2-0 lead over the Denver Nuggets into Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal in tonight’s other game.
The Nuggets will try to recover from an embarrassing Game 2 blowout loss as the series shifts to their home court. The Suns showed impressive balance by taking a 2-0 lead with their 123-98 win on Wednesday night.
MLB SCHEDULE
DeGrom faces Padres, D-backs coaching changes
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Mets’ Jacob deGrom is 5-2 with a 0.62 ERA going into a series opener against San Diego and Fernando Tatís Jr., who is hitting .277 with 17 homers, 39 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.
DeGrom’s ERA is the lowest through nine starts of any pitcher with at least 40 innings since ERA became an official statistic in both leagues in 1913. His 0.57 WHIP is the lowest since at least 1901 of any pitcher with at least 40 innings. Left-hander Blake Snell (2-2, 4.83) starts for the Padres.
Also in the National League, the Nationals and the Giants will try again to get their series started after getting rained out last night. Right-hander Max Scherzer is 5-4 with a 2.22 ERA for the Nats, and but 4-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 10 starts against the Giants.
The NL schedule has one day game, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, where the Cubs get a visit from the Cardinals. Atlanta is at Miami, Cincinnati hosts Colorado and the Pirates are in Milwaukee to face the Brewers.
Over in the American League, right-hander Aaron Civale (8-2, 3.49) has won three of his last four starts going into his start for the Cleveland Indians against the visiting Seattle Mariners and right-hander Justin Dunn (1-2, 3.18).
The Rays host the Orioles in Tampa Bay, the White Sox visit the Tigers, the Seattle Mariners are in Cleveland, Toronto at Boston, the Astros in Minnesota and Oakland gets a visit from the Royals.
In an interleague matchup, Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw (7-5, 3.66), a Dallas native, will pitch against his hometown team for the second time when the Rangers visit L.A. to begin a three-game weekend series. Kershaw won World Series Games 1 and 5 on the Rangers’ field against Tampa Bay in last year’s neutral site championship. But he has lost consecutive starts going into tonight’s outing. Mike Foltynewicz (1-6, 4.75) starts for Texas. He’s gone 0-3 in six starts since beating the Los Angeles Angels on April 27.
Those Angels are in Arizona to play the Diamondbacks, after shaking up their coaching staff yesterday by firing their hitting coaches. Arizona started the season 15-13 but now has a majors-worst 20-43 record.
FRENCH OPEN
Zverev takes on Tsitsipas in French Open semis
PARIS (AP) — The first men’s semifinal at Roland Garros pits fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas against No. 6 Alexander Zverev.
Tsitsipas, a 22-year-old from Greece, is bidding to reach his first Grand Slam final. It’s his third major semifinal in a row and fourth overall. Tsitsipas is 0-3 so far.
The 24-year-old Zverev has won one of the two major semifinals he has played, making it to the US Open final last year. The German is looking to produce a first victory against a Top 10 rival at a Grand Slam.
On the women’s side, Barbora Krejcikova will try this weekend to become the first woman to sweep Roland Garros titles since Mary Pierce in 2000.
Krejcikova and fellow Czech Katerina Siniakova advanced to the doubles final with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Magda Linette of Poland and Bernarda Pera of the United States.
Krejcikova also made it to the singles final by beating Maria Sakkari 7-5, 4-6, 9-7 after saving a match point on Thursday. She will be up against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Saturday’s title match.
