NBA PLAYOFFS
Jalen Brunson returned from a right foot injury to score 24 of his 29 points in the second half, leading the New York Knicks to a 130-121 victory over the Indiana Pacers for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. On the anniversary of Willis Reed’s dramatic emergence from the locker room before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals to lead the Knicks to their first title, Brunson sent the Madison Square Garden crowd into a frenzy when he came out to warm up at halftime after missing the entire second quarter while the Pacers surged ahead to a double-figure lead. The Knicks moved halfway to their first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000. Game 3 is Friday night at 7.
Elsewhere, the Cavaliers take on the Celtics at 7 tonight on the road. Boston leads the series 1-nothing.
Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic did it all again. And the NBA MVP trophy is his again. The Denver Nuggets star from Serbia was announced Wednesday night as the league’s Most Valuable Player. It's his third time winning the award in the past four seasons, a feat that just six other players in NBA history have accomplished. Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists. Others averaged more in each category, but he was the only player to rank in the NBA’s top 10 in points, rebounds and assists per game this season.
Indianapolis police have announced they’ve opened an investigation into an “NBA player and citizen” altercation that happened at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on the night Bucks guard Patrick Beverley threw a ball at a fan in the final minutes of a season-ending loss to the Pacers. Police said in a news release Wednesday the case has been forwarded to detectives, “who are currently investigating this situation and take all accusations seriously.” Cameras showed Beverley sitting on the bench and tossing a ball into the stands, hitting a fan in the head with about 2 ½ minutes left in the game on May 2.
NHL PLAYOFFS
Aleksander Barkov had two goals and two assists, Sam Reinhart added four assists and the Florida Panthers beat the Boston Bruins 6-1 on Wednesday night to tie the second-round series at a game apiece. Brandon Montour had a goal and two assists for Florida, which also got goals from Steven Lorentz, Gustav Forsling and Eetu Luostarinen. The Panthers chased Bruins starter Jeremy Swayman early in the third period after four straight goals, then added two more against Linus Ullmark. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 14 saves for the Panthers. The five-goal margin matched Florida’s biggest ever in a playoff game, tying the mark set against Tampa Bay in another 6-1 win on April 29. Charlie Coyle had the goal for the Bruins. Game 3 is Friday night at 7.
Conor Garland broke a tie with 5:34 left and the Vancouver Canucks overcame a three-goal deficit to beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the second-round playoff series. Garland took a short pass from Dakota Joshua, faked a slap shot at the right circle and slipped a wrist shot between goalie Stuart Skinner’s legs from a sharp angle for Vancouver’s second goal in 39 seconds and third in 4:48. Game 2 is Friday night in Vancouver. Elias Lindholm got the comeback started with 2:59 left in the second period. J.T. Miller cut it to 4-3 at 9:38 of the third, and Nikita Zadorov tied it with 6:13 remaining.
Ownership of the NHL's team in Utah has given fans 20 choices to vote on for the franchise's new name. Owner Ryan Smith has told The Associated Press the team will be know as Utah something, rather than Salt Lake City. The options given to fans to choose from are Frost, Ice, Powder, Mountaineers, Freeze, Mammoth, Black Diamonds, Blast, Caribou, Blizzard, Swarm, Hive, Outlaws, Yeti, Squall, Fury, Glaciers, Canyons, Venom and HC for Hockey Club. Smith Entertainment Group bought the Arizona Coyotes from former owner Alex Meruelo and relocated the team to Salt Lake City.
Elsewhere, the New York Rangers take on the Hurricanes on the road at 7 tonight. The Rangers lead the second-round series two games to none.
MLB
Juan Soto homered and drove in five runs, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton also went deep and the New York Yankees beat the Houston Astros 9-4. It was the first time the power trio all connected in the same game for the Yankees, who won their fifth straight and improved to 6-0 against the Astros this season. Stanton hit a 119.9 mph rocket into the second deck at Yankee Stadium that was the hardest-hit ball in the majors this year. New York starter Carlos Rodón bounced back from his worst outing of the season last week in Baltimore. He allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings. Kyle Tucker and Jeremy Peña homered for the Astros, who lost their fourth in a row and dropped to 12-24.
Marcell Ozuna kept up his torrid start with two more homers and Chris Sale pitched six innings against his former team, leading the Braves to a 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox. Ozuna hit a three-run shot in the first inning and added a solo shot in the third off Nick Pivetta, who was roughed up in his first start coming off the injured list. Sale improved to 5-1 and fanned 10 for the 82nd double-digit strikeout game of his career. Braves left fielder Jarred Kelenic had the defensive play of the game, leaping above the yellow line at the 385-foot mark to snatch away a potential homer by Garrett Cooper.
Jo Adell hit his fifth homer of the season and added an RBI single and the Los Angeles Angels slipped by the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4. Brandon Drury added two hits, including an RBI double during a three-run outburst in the sixth by Los Angeles. The Angels won a series for the first time in more than a month by taking two of three from the Pirates. Oneil Cruz had two hits and three RBIs, including a two-run double in the fifth for Pittsburgh.
Chris Bassitt tossed three-hit ball and struck out six over 6 2/3 innings and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three hits and an RBI to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-3 victory that ended the Philadelphia Phillies’ home winning streak at 11 games. The Phillies snapped an overall seven-game winning streak and fell shy of the franchise-record 12 straight victories at Citizens Bank Park, which opened in 2004. The Blue Jays used five hits to score three runs in the sixth inning that sent the Phillies to their lone loss on a six-game homestand. The Phillies had outscored opponents at home 77-26 over the home winning streak that started on April 15.
Bobby Witt Jr. hit a home run and scored three times to lead the Kansas City Royals over the Milwaukee Brewers 6-4. Both starting pitchers struggled out of the gate Wednesday but settled down and limited the damage. The Royals’ Brady Singer allowed one run on five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four. Joe Ross allowed three runs on three hits in five-plus innings, walking two and striking out two. James McArthur picked up his eighth save after blowing his last two chances.
Jorge Mateo drove in the go-ahead run with a 12th-inning single, and the Baltimore Orioles survived another shaky outing by closer Craig Kimbrel to beat the Washington Nationals 7-6 and avoid being swept for the first time in nearly two years. The Orioles blew two-run leads in the ninth and 11th. In the 12th, Mateo led off with a base hit to score automatic runner Jordan Westburg and later scored on a wild pitch by Jordan Weems. Jacob Webb allowed one run in the bottom half but held on for his second save. Kimbrel blew a save for the third time in his last five outings.
Brayan Rocchio singled home automatic runner Ramón Laureano with one out in the 10th inning, giving the Cleveland Guardians a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Cleveland forced extra innings on David Fry’s solo homer in the ninth against Andrew Chafin, then completed its comeback when Rocchio sharply smacked a pitch from closer Alex Lange into center field. Rocchio also scored an unearned run in the eighth off Joey Wentz to pull the Guardians within 4-3. Emmanuel Clase earned the win with a scoreless inning as Cleveland moved into a tie for the second-best record in the American League at 24-13.
Shea Langeliers hit a two-run homer on his way to a career-high five RBIs in the first game of a doubleheader and drove in another three runs in Game 2 as the Oakland Athletics split the two games with the Rangers. Langeliers topped Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson for the Oakland record for RBIs in a doubleheader. Jackson drove in seven on Aug. 24, 1969, against Baltimore. The A’s beat the Rangers 9-4 in the first game before Texas’ 12-11 win in the nightcap.
Chris Flexen pitched six sharp innings, Paul DeJong homered again and the Chicago White Sox avoided their seventh sweep this season by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1. The AL-worst White Sox won the season series 4-2. Chicago swept a three-game home set with the Rays from April 26-28. Flexen struck out eight while surrendering one run and three hits. Michael Kopech handled the ninth for his third save in four chances, finishing a four-hitter.
Josh Rojas and Ty France each hit an RBI single during Seattle’s four-run ninth inning, and the Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins 10-6. Cal Raleigh connected for a pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh for Seattle, which has won three of four. Mitch Haniger hit a solo homer and a sacrifice fly. Ryne Stanek got two outs for the win after fellow reliever Taylor Saucedo got hurt while covering first base. Andrés Muñoz handled the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances. Minnesota reliever Jorge Alcala issued two walks and threw a wild pitch during Seattle’s ninth-inning rally.
Dylan Cease struck out 12 and combined with two relievers on a one-hitter, and the San Diego Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 3-0. Cease went seven innings in a triumphant return to Chicago after the White Sox dealt him to San Diego in March. He allowed the Cubs’ lone hit when he deflected Yan Gomes’ comebacker and the ball ricocheted toward second baseman Xander Bogaerts, whose throw to first was late by a slim margin. Cease walked two and hit a batter while matching a career high with 113 pitches. Robert Suarez worked the ninth for his 12th save. Luis Arraez singled twice and scored twice, helping San Diego win for the sixth time in eight games.
Teoscar Hernández hit a two-run homer in the sixth, Gavin Stone continued the run of solid Dodgers’ starts and Los Angeles beat the Miami Marlins 3-1 to complete an unbeaten six-game homestand. Hernández drove in all three Los Angeles runs on Wednesday. Bryan De La Cruz went deep for the second straight game, accounting for Miami’s only run with a solo shot to left in the fourth inning. Stone went seven innings and allowed only one run on six hits with four strikeouts. Five of the Dodgers’ starters during the homestand went at least six innings and posted a 2.33 ERA with 31 strikeouts and only four walks.
Jordan Montgomery allowed two runs through seven innings, Eugenio Suárez homered and the Arizona Diamondbacks held on to beat Cincinnati 4-3, extending the Reds skid to a season-high seven. The Diamondbacks won their third in a row and got another solid outing from a starting pitcher. Montgomery (2-2) scattered seven hits, struck out two and walked two. On Tuesday night, Zac Gallen threw six shutout innings as the Diamondbacks took the first game of the series. Christian Walker, Gabriel Moreno and Pavin Smith also drove in runs for Arizona.
Michael Conforto homered and singled in a six-run second inning that sent the San Francisco Giants past the struggling Colorado Rockies 8-6. Blake Sabol and Conforto each finished with three of San Francisco’s 13 hits. Jordan Hicks pitched five effective innings and the Giants won their second in a row after a four-game losing streak to secure the series win against Colorado. Mike Yastrzemski had two hits, including a triple, and Sabol delivered an RBI double. Sean Bouchard had three hits for the Rockies, who have lost four straight and nine of 10. They own the worst record in the majors at 8-28 and remain the only club without a series victory or successive wins this season.
The Mets’ 5:15 game at St. Louis was postponed due to rain, and will be made up in St. Louis at 4:15 on August 5th.
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case. Prosecutors alleged Ippei Mizuhara stole nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts. Mizuhara’s scheduled arraignment Thursday in federal court in Los Angeles was postponed earlier Tuesday. The scandal shocked baseball fans from the U.S. to Japan when the news broke in March. Mizuhara was initially charged with one count of bank fraud. Authorities say there was no evidence that Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara’s gambling, and the player is cooperating with investigators.
SOCCER
Real Madrid has defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 to reach the Champions League final for the second time in three seasons. Joselu scored in the 88th minute and in stoppage time for the record 14-time European champion. Madrid advanced 4-3 on aggregate to set up a final against Borussia Dortmund on June 1 in London. Bayern had taken the lead with Alphonso Davies in the 68th. Joselu’s first goal was a tap in after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer spilled an easy save. It will be Madrid’s record-extending 18th European Cup final, and ninth in the Champions League era.
GOLF
Nelly Korda will try to become the first woman to win six consecutive LPGA Tour starts when play begins in the 72-hole Cognizant Founders Cup on Thursday at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey. The 25-year-old is coming into the event after taking two weeks off following a three-stroke win in The Chevron Championship in Texas. Korda's streak ties her with Hall of Famers Annika Sorenstam (2004-05) and Nancy Lopez (1978) for most consecutive LPGA tournament wins. Byron Nelson holds golf’s all-time record with 11 straight wins in 1945. Korda missed the cut in this event last year.
Tiger Woods is the only player on a five-member subcommittee that will be negotiating with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf. Woods is on the PGA Tour Enterprise transaction subcommittee. That group is involved in day-to-day dealings with the Public Investment Fund as the Saudi group tries to become a minority investor. It caps a busy day of tour governance. It started with Rory McIlroy losing the inside track on rejoining the board. Commissioner Jay Monahan says McIlroy's voice remains important. He says the decision was based more on following the proper process for a player joining the board.
LACROSSE
The University at Albany men's lacrosse team has advanced to the first round of the NCAA tournament after felling Sacred Heart 13-7 Wednesday night. The Great Danes will play top-seed Notre Dame at 5 p.m. Sunday.
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