Ben Simmons had a triple-double of 18 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds as the 76ers outscored the Nets, 145-123. The All-Star guard was 8-for-12 from the floor, two days after hearing boos while scoring nine points on 4 of 9 shooting. The Sixers busted the game open with a 14-0 run to start the second half and led by 29 before the third quarter was over. Joel Embiid delivered 13 of his 23 points in the third period and finished with 10 boards.
In last night's other NBA playoff game, the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers have evened their first-round playoff series against the two-time defending NBA champions. Landry Shamet nailed a go-ahead, 3-pointer with 16.5 seconds left to complete the Clippers' remarkable comeback in a 135-131 victory over Golden State Warriors. The Clippers trailed by as many as 31 and were down by three in the final minute before scoring the last seven points. Montrezl Harrell finished with 25 points and Danilo Galinari added 24 for Los Angeles. Stephen Curry scored 29 points and put the Warriors up 131-128 with 58 seconds. Golden State finished without DeMarcus Cousins due to a leg injury suffered in the first quarter.
In NBA news, it didn't take Luke Walton very long to find another NBA head coaching job, and he's staying in his home state. Walton has been hired by the Sacramento Kings, just days after he and the Los Angeles Lakers parted ways following three losing seasons. He replaces Dave Joerger, who was let go after a 39-43 season that represents the team's best record in 13 years. The 39-year-old Walton was dismissed by the Lakers on Friday after Los Angeles went 37-45. The former Golden State top assistant never led the Lakers to the playoffs, not even after the arrival of LeBron James last summer.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
The Duke Blue Devils have lost another freshman to the upcoming NBA draft. Zion Williamson has announced that he's leaving the Durham campus after one outstanding season in which he was named the AP national player of the year. The ACC player and rookie of the year tied teammate RJ Barrett for the conference lead in scoring at 22.6 points a game and also averaged 8.9 rebounds. Williamson is widely projected as the first player taken in the draft. Barrett and Cam Reddish have also announced they are forgoing their final three years of college eligibility.
Virginia guards Ty Jerome and De'Andre Hunter are leaving school early for the NBA draft. Jerome helped Virginia win the national championship, leading the Cavaliers with 202 assists and finishing second on the team with 79 3-pointers. Hunter was the national champions' second-leading scorer at 15.2 points per game, an All-ACC first team selection and the league's defensive player of the year.
Gonzaga junior forward Rui Hachimura has declared for the NBA draft and says he will hire an agent as he pursues a professional career. The 6-foot-8 native of Japan led Gonzaga in scoring this season with 19.7 points per game.
NHL
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews had a breakout game on Monday after being bottled up by Boston during the first two games of their Stanley Cup first-round series. Matthews scored his first goal of the playoffs and set up another as the Maple Leafs downed the Bruins, 3-2 to take a two-games-to-one lead. The All-Star center was seeking his first point of the series until he scored a tiebreaking goal on a power play midway through the second period. Matthews later set up Andreas Johnsson's eventual game-winner, also in the middle stanza. Johnsson also had an assist and Trevor Moore netted Toronto's first goal. Frederik Andersen made 34 saves for the Maple Leafs, who host Game 4 on Wednesday. The Leafs won shortly after the learning that forward Nazem Kadri had been suspended by the NHL for the rest of the first round for cross-checking Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk in the head during the third period of Game 2.
The Hurricanes are within two games to one in their series after Warren Foegele and Doug Hamilton each scored twice in a 5-0 rout of the Capitals. Foegele and Hamilton each scored while Carolina outshot Washington 18-1 in the second period. Petr Mrazek needed to make just 18 saves, eight coming in the last two periods of his fourth career playoff shutout. Brock McGinn also tallied for the Hurricanes, who host Game 4 on Thursday.
Also in the Stanley Cup playoffs Monday, Nathan McKinnon scored twice in the first period and reigning Hobey Baker Award winner Cale Makar netted his first NHL goal as the Avalanche blew out the Flames, 6-2 to take a 2-1 series lead. Matt Nieto added a short-handed goal, and Mikko Rantanen and Erik Johnson also scored while Colorado built a 6-1 lead against the top seed in the Western Conference. Philipp Grubauer was credited with 27 saves for the Avs, who fired 56 shots on Mike Smith.
The Predators coughed up a 2-0 lead before beating the Stars, 3-2 on Mikael Granlund's goal with 8:19 remaining. Rocco Grimaldi and Filip Forsberg also scored to support Pekka Rinne, who turned back 40 shots to help Nashville take a 2-1 series lead. Tyler Seguin and Mats Zuccarello scored for Dallas.
In NHL news, the Flyers have hired Alain Vigneault as head coach. Vigneault has led the Rangers and Canucks to the Stanley Cup finals and takes over a Flyers team that missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. He replaces interim coach Scott Gordon.
The NHL has handed down a one-game suspension to Sharks center Joe Thornton for a hit to the head of Vegas' Tomas Nosek during San Jose's 6-3 loss on Sunday. The NHL's Department of Player Safety determined that Thornton's hit on Nosek in Game 3 was avoidable and that the head was "clearly the main point of contact."
MLB
Dwight Smith Jr. delivered a two-run homer and a two-run double as the O's hammered the Bosox, 8-1. Chris Davis added a two-run blast to support Dan Straily, who bounced back from his Orioles debut last week by allowing a run and two hits over five innings.
Juan Lagares scored from second base on Michael Conforto's hard grounder that went off the glove of first baseman Rhys Hoskins for an error in the 11th inning of the Mets' 7-6 verdict over the Phillies. Brandon Nimmo hit a solo homer and Robinson Cano added a two-run double as New York stopped a two-game skid.
Elsewhere around the majors, Christian Yelich flashed his MVP form on Monday to power the Brewers to victory in their series opener with the Cardinals. Yelich crushed three home runs and drove in a career-high seven rebounds as the Brewers topped the Redbirds, 10-7. The reigning NL MVP hit his first three-run homer to cap a six-run second inning, then added another three-run shot in the sixth to put Milwaukee ahead to stay.
Willson Contreras smacked his sixth homer of the season while going 2-for-3 with three RBIs in the Cubs' 7-2 victory at Miami. Yu Darvish (1-2) struck out eight in a season-high 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs to lower his ERA to 6.11.
Teoscar Hernandez capped his three-hit night by belting the go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning to send the Blue Jays past the Twins, 5-3. Toronto rallied after C.J. Cron's three-run blast put Minnesota ahead, 3-1 in the fourth.
Joc Pederson blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to send the Dodgers past the Reds, 4-3. Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw went seven innings in his season debut after returning from shoulder inflammation, allowing two runs on five hits and no walks while fanning six.
Ian Desmond was hitting .140 before supplying a solo homer and a two-run double to lift the Rockies past the Padres, 5-2. Nolan Arenado's also homered to support Antonio Senzatella, who gave up two runs over 6 1/3 innings in his season debut.
Joey Gallo homered and singled home the tiebreaking run to help the Rangers whip the Angels, 12-7. Los Angeles outfielder Mike Trout was 0-for-2 with two runs scored in his return after missing three games with a groin injury.
Trevor Bauer struck out eight and allowed one run while pitching into the seventh inning of the Indians' 6-4 victory at Seattle. Jose Ramirez hit a solo homer to help Cleveland rebound from a three-game weekend sweep by the Royals.
Welington Castillo atoned for an error by slamming a two-run homer in the eighth inning to lift the White Sox past the Royals, 5-4. Chicago shortstop Tim Anderson scored twice and was 3-for-4 to lift his average to a major league-leading .453.
In MLB news, Phillies reliever David Robertson has been placed on the 10-day injured list because of a sore right elbow. He has a 5.40 ERA in seven appearances after working two scoreless innings in Philadelphia's 3-1, 14-inning victory at Miami on Sunday. Right-hander Drew Anderson was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Robertson's spot.
NFL
Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning says the New York Giants kept him in the dark until recently about his future with the team. Manning also says the Giants didn't give him a warning about the trade of star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns. Speaking as organized team activities started, the 38-year-old quarterback said the Giants informed him a month ago that he would be returning for a 16th season. In other areas, Manning expects the Giants to draft a quarterback as he enters the final year of his four-year, $84 million contract.
The Vikings have signed former Rams quarterback Sean Mannion and ex-Denver Broncos wide receiver Jordan Taylor. Mannion will likely replace Trevor Siemian as the primary backup to Kirk Cousins.
Todd Gurley still isn't shedding much light on the injured knee that limited him down the stretch with the Rams. Gurley was in camp for the opening of the Rams' offseason program in their first team activities since their Super Bowl loss to New England. Gurley only says he is "feeling good" after a bit of offseason travel and two months of rest for his left knee.
GOLF
President Donald Trump says he will present Tiger Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Woods won his fifth Masters title Sunday, overcoming personal and professional adversity to once more claim the green jacket. Trump tweeted Monday that he spoke to Woods and congratulated him on "the great victory." Trump didn't say when a ceremony will be held. The medal is the nation's highest honor for a civilian.
BOSTON MARATHON
Lawrence Cherono has won the Boston Marathon for the first time. Cherono needed every bit of his speed to outkick two-time winner Lelisa Desisa in a sprint to the tape, passing him just steps away from the finish line to win the 123rd edition of the race in 2 hours, 7 minutes 57 seconds. Cherono had won marathons in Seville, Prague, Honolulu and twice in Amsterdam but never in a major event before Monday. Worknesh Degefa broke away from defending champion Des Linden and the rest of the women's pack in the Framingham flats and ran alone for the last 20 miles to claim the women's race. Kenya's Edna Kiplagat was second, reducing a gap of more than two minutes to 42 seconds at the finish. Daniel Romanchuk, 20, became the youngest-ever men's wheelchair champion in Boston, finishing in 1:21:36 for the fastest time ever for an American. Manuela Schar won the women's wheelchair race for the second time.
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