New York Giants have reached a new four-year contract with quarterback Daniel Jones and put a franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley. The Giants confirmed the deal with Jones on Tuesday night. The team reached an agreement with Jones' representatives with the deadline for a franchise tag minutes away. The team announced that Barkley received a nonexclusive franchise tag, which means he’s able to negotiate a contract with other teams. He will earn more than $10 million this season if he does not agree to a long-term deal before training camp.
The Baltimore Ravens say they are designating Lamar Jackson as their franchise player. That prevents him from becoming an unrestricted free agent this month after the expiration of his rookie contract. The nonexclusive franchise tag means Jackson can negotiate with other teams, but the Ravens would have a chance to match any agreement. If they choose not to match, they’d receive two first-round draft picks in return. If Jackson plays this season on the franchise tag, he’d make $32.4 million. Jackson becoming available could shake up NFL free agency, which opens later this month.
NBA
Mikal Bridges scored 30 points, Spencer Dinwiddie added 23 and the Brooklyn Nets had a big third quarter to beat the Houston Rockets 118-96 on Tuesday night for their third straight victory. Bridges has scored 30 or more points in three straight games and five times overall since coming over from Phoenix on Feb. 9 in the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Suns. Bridges also had five assists, two blocks and a steal. Brooklyn has its longest winning streak since a season-high 12-game run from Dec. 7-Jan. 8. The Nets also had their third double-digit win in a row. Jalen Green had 25 points for the Western Conference-worst Rockets, who were coming off consecutive wins over San Antonio.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 27 points, Terry Rozier added 25 and the Charlotte Hornets snapped the New York Knicks’ nine-game winning streak with a 112-105 victory. Gordon Hayward had 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and made the tiebreaking basket with 1:50 remaining as the Hornets won for the first time in four games since point guard LaMelo Ball’s broken ankle that required surgery. RJ Barrett scored 27 points for the Knicks, who were trying for their first 10-game winning streak since winning 13 straight late in the 2012-13 season. Julius Randle scored 16 points but shot just 5 for 17 from the field.
Joel Embiid scored 39 points, Tyrese Maxey added 27 and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-94 despite playing without star James Harden. Harden, the team’s second-leading scorer and NBA assist leader, was held out with left foot soreness. Embiid made up for Harden’s absence, scoring 22 points in the third quarter as Philadelphia pulled away and wrapped up its five-game road trip with a 4-1 mark. Anthony Edwards had 32 points for Minnesota. The Timberwolves shot a season-low 39.5% from the field and were 11 of 36 from 3-point range.
The Los Angeles Lakers have retired Pau Gasol's No. 16 jersey. They hung it in the rafters of their arena alongside the No. 24 worn by Kobe Bryant. The two teamed up to reach three straight NBA Finals and to win two championships after Gasol joined the Lakers in 2008. The Spanish 7-footer says he was overwhelmed with emotions about his seven years with the Lakers. Gasol’s versatile game complemented Bryant’s scoring prowess perfectly when Gasol decided to be a supporting player. The two also formed a deep off-court friendship that endured to Bryant’s death.
NHL
Josh Bailey and Hudson Fasching each had a goal and an assist in the third period, and the New York Islanders beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2. Casey Cizikas also scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin made 22 saves as the Islanders improved to 10-3-3 in their past 16 games. New York is in position for the first wild-card playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Dylan Cozens and Kyle Okposo scored and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen finished with 36 saves for the Sabres, who have lost four of five.
Auston Matthews scored on a power play with 2:53 remaining and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-3. Michael Bunting tied the game on a rebound with 4:50 to play, and Calle Jarnkrok and Mitch Marner also scored for the Leafs. Ilya Samsonov was outstanding, making 30 saves. Erik Haula had two goals and an assist and a stitched-up Ondrej Palat had a goal and two assists for New Jersey, which is now 17-4-3 since Jan. 7. Vitek Vanecek had 21 saves for the Devils.
Alex Killorn and Nikita Kucherov each had two goals and an assist and the Tampa Bay Lightning triumphed over the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2 on Tuesday night to snap a five-game losing streak. Ross Colton also scored, Mikhail Sergachev had two assists and Alexei Vasilevskiy made 33 saves for the Lightning. They had been 0-4-1 since a 3-0 victory in Detroit on Feb. 25. Morgan Frost and Brendan Lemieux scored for Philadelphia, and Carter Hart made 34 saves. The Flyers have lost five of six.
Sidney Crosby’s power-play goal 2:45 into overtime finished off a frantic rally as the Pittsburgh Penguins slipped by the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4. The Penguins trailed the Blue Jackets by four early in the second period but found a way to win for the fifth time in six games. Jake Guentzel, Jason Zucker and Danton Heinen scored in a 3:38 span early in the third period to pull the Penguins even. Crosby’s 28th goal of the season allowed Pittsburgh to escape. Patrik Laine scored his 20th for Columbus but it wasn't enough to give the Blue Jackets their first win in Pittsburgh since November 2015.
World Baseball Classic
The 20-team World Baseball Classic got underway after a six-year absence with the Netherlands defeating Cuba 4-2 in a Group A game in Taiwan to open the tournament. Play in Group B begins on Thursday in Tokyo with South Korea playing Australia and host Japan — led by Angels star Shohei Ohtani — up against China. Play in Groups C and D begins Saturday in Phoenix and Miami. Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Japan’s Shohei Ohtani and Venezuela’s Miguel Cabrera and Jose Altuve are among seven Major League Baseball MVPs on 30-man rosters. The United States won the last tournament in 2017 and is among the favorites with the Dominican Republic and Japan. Japan has won it twice (2006, 2009) and the Dominicans once (2013).
The New York Racing Association has announced the summer stakes schedule at Saratoga Race Course, led by the 154th running of the Grade I Travers on August 26th. Other highlights include the Whitney on August 5th and the Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 2nd. The 40-day meet begins July 13th and winds up on Labor Day, September 4th.
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