Minnesota's Twins, Wild and Timberwolves all postponed their games scheduled for Monday because of safety concerns following the fatal police shooting of a Black man in a nearby suburb. Daunte Wright was killed Sunday by a police officer in Brooklyn Center after a traffic stop. The Red Sox and Twins were scheduled for a four-game series beginning Monday afternoon at Target Field. There was no word yet about rescheduling or the status of games set for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Wild's game against the St. Louis Blues that was scheduled for Monday night was rescheduled for May 12. The Timberwolves' game against the Brooklyn Nets also was postponed.
Here's what did happen Monday:
NBA
The Knicks picked up their third straight win as Julius Randle had 34 points and 10 rebounds against his former team to lead a 111-96 drubbing of the Lakers. Elfrid Payton scored 20 points and Derrick Rose added 14 off the bench as the Knicks showed plenty of energy on the second night of back-to-back games. Dennis Schroder scored 21 points and Markieff Morris had 17 for the Lakers, who fell to 5-7 since LeBron James sprained his ankle March 20.
The Philadelphia 76ers took a half-game lead over the Brooklyn Nets for first place in the NBA's Eastern Conference. Joel Embiid was 14 of 15 from the line while scoring 36 points in the Sixers' 113-95 romp over the Mavericks. Philadelphia's Furkan Korkmaz was 4 of 7 from 3-point range and matched his season high with 20 points. Ben Simmons had eight points, six rebounds and seven assists for the Sixers, who went 8-4 in a stretch of mostly road games. Luka Doncic scored 32 points but the young Dallas star didn't have enough help with European sidekick Kristaps Porzingis sitting out the second night of a back-to-back
Utah's team-record, 24-game home winning streak is over following a 125-121 loss to the Wizards. Russell Westbrook had 25 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists for the Wizards, who have swept the season series with the Jazz after shooting 52% from the field and 47% from 3-point range. Bradley Beal paced all Washington scorers with 34 points.
Jae Crowder scored 26 points and the Suns tied an NBA record with 18 3-pointers in the first half to build an 81-58 lead in a 126-120 win against Houston. The Suns were 18 of 24 from beyond the arc in the opening half and finished with a team-record 25. Devin Booker had 24 points as Phoenix climbed within 1 1/2 games of Utah for first place in the NBA's Western Conference.
Stephen Curry scored 53 points to pass Wilt Chamberlain for the most in Warriors franchise history, doing it in a 116-107 win over Denver. Draymond Green had 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points and Kent Bazemore added 14 for the Warriors. Nikola Joki? had 27 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists for the Nuggets, who have dropped two straight since an eight-game winning streak.
Jonas Valanciunas delivered 26 points and 14 rebounds to carry the Grizzlies to a 101-90 victory over the Bulls. Valanciunas scored 10 in the fourth as Memphis used an 18-6 run to break open a close game. Dillon Brooks finished with 17 points and Grayson Allen added 14 for the Grizzlies.
DeMar DeRozan scored 19 points in less than three quarters of work and Dejounte Murray added 17 as the Spurs clobbered the Magic, 120-97. The Spurs' wins on Sunday and Monday gave them their first consecutive victories since a three-game winning streak from March 15-19. They led by 60-37 at the half, by as much as 30 in the third period and never allowed their lead fall less than 20 throughout the second half.
Brandon Ingram scored 34 points, Zion Williamson added 30 and the Pelicans held off a furious Kings comeback for a 117-110 victory. Steven Adams had 16 rebounds and Eric Bledsoe scored 13 points for the Pelicans, who saw their 26-point, second-quarter lead trimmed down four in the final minute. De'Aaron Fox poured in 43 points to pace Sacramento.
In NBA news, Sacramento guard De'Aaron Fox has been fined $20,000 for criticizing the officiating following the Kings' 128-112 loss to the Utah Jazz over the weekend. Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell kept Fox from going after the officials after the game in Salt Lake City. The Kings guard had been bothered throughout the second half and Mitchell wanted to save him from a potential fine. Fox scored 30 points during the loss. He's averaging 24.7 points and 7.2 assists for the season.
MLB
Kyle Higashioka homered twice to support Gerrit Cole in the Yankees' 3-1 win over the Blue Jays. Cole allowed one run and three hits in six innings, struck out eight and walked one. He retired his final 15 batters but saw his ERA rise a tick to 1.47.
Kyle Schwarber doubled home a run in his delayed Nationals debut and Andrew Stevenson had a pinch-hit homer in a 5-2 victory at St. Louis. Schwarber, Josh Bell and Josh Harrison were in the starting lineup after being sidelined for Washington's first six games by a coronavirus outbreak that forced the postponement of the team's first four contests. Stevenson's solo shot was just his fourth homer in 221 career at-bats.
The San Diego Padres have continued their strong start to the season. Wil Myers drove in five runs and the Padres improved to 8-3 with a 6-2 victory in Pittsburgh. Yu Darvish allowed three hits over seven dominant innings, striking out six and walking one in San Diego's fourth win in a row. Myers ran his hitting streak to seven games, putting the Padres in front with a two-run homer in the sixth and adding a two-run single.
Garrett Cooper had three RBIs and drove in the go-ahead run in the 10th inning to lift the Marlins past the Braves, 5-3. Brian Anderson followed with an RBI double, and the Braves couldn't muster a rally in the bottom of the inning. Ronald Acuña Jr. tripled and scored two runs for Atlanta.
Pinch-hitter Luis Urías drove in three runs with a go-ahead double while the Brewers scored six times in the sixth inning to beat the Cubs, 6-3. Freddy Peralta struck out 10 over six innings of two-hit ball for the victory. Milwaukee has won five of six, while the Cubs lost for the fifth time in six games.
Joey Votto splashed a home run into McCovey Cove and Jesse Winker hit a two-run homer for the Reds in a 3-0 shutout of the Giants. Winker's first home run of the year marked the first hit off Aaron Sanchez in the third and provided left-hander Wade Miley with some early support. Miley allowed two hits over five innings as Cincinnati bounced back from a two-game skid that followed a six-game winning streak.
Matt Chapman homered and got three hits and the Athletics roughed up Madison Bumgarner in a 9-5 victory over the Diamondbacks. Jed Lowrie doubled home two runs in the third inning and singled and scored in a three-run fifth capped by Chapman's second homer of the season for a 6-2 lead. Bumgarner gave up seven hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Tyler Glasnow struck out a career-high 14 in 7 2/3 innings of the Rays' 1-0 win over the Rangers. Glasnow allowed two hits and got his first win of the season following two strong performances in no-decisions. Willy Adames homered off Taylor Hearn with two out in the seventh, just the third hit yielded by Texas pitchers.
The White Sox scored on a wild play in the ninth inning to beat the Indians, 4-3. First baseman Yu Chang hit Yasmani Grandal with a throw trying to force him at second base as Nick Madrigal raced home with the winning run. Adam Eaton homered in his second straight game and rookie Yermín Mercedes got the winning rally started with a one-out single.
Rookie Casey Mize tossed seven scoreless innings for his first career win, pitching the Tigers past the Astros, 6-2. Akil Baddoo homered again to help manager A.J. Hinch win his first game in Houston since he was fired for the Astros' sign-stealing scheme. Renato Núñez and Grayson Greiner also homered as Detroit jumped on Zack Greinke for six runs to snap a four-game skid.
The Angels rolled to a 10-3 win over the Royals as Shohei Ohtani had three hits and three RBIs. Ohtani hit a two-run double off Scott Barlow in the seventh for a 6-3 lead. Mike Trout added a two-run homer and Alex Cobb struck out 10, his high since he fanned 12 in a July 2014 game for the Rays against the Brewers.
The Mets and Phillies were rained out in New York, as were the Orioles and Mariners in Baltimore. It's the second straight rainout for the Mets, who will make up the game as part of a split doubleheader on Tuesday. The Orioles-Mariners tilt is rescheduled as part of a Tuesday twinbill.
In MLB news:
The Chicago Cubs are concerned about a possible COVID-19 outbreak after two coaches tested positive for the virus and three relievers were placed on the COVID-19-related injured list. The team announced the positive test for bullpen coach Chris Young on Monday, with first base coach Craig Driver already away from the team following his positive test. Relievers Brandon Workman, Jason Adam and Dan Winkler were placed on the COVID-19-related injured list. There was no word on whether their designation was the result of a positive test or contact tracing.
Josh Bell, Kyle Schwarber and Josh Harrison have been reinstated from the injured list by the Washington Nationals. That makes the team's roster nearly whole again after a coronavirus outbreak sidelined nine players and caused postponements of the Nats' first four games on their schedule.
Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon was placed on the 10-day injured list because of a strained groin. Rendon was hurt while making a throw late in a 15-1 loss to Toronto on Saturday. Angels manager Joe Maddon said he hopes Rendon will be sidelined for the minimum 10 days.
Right-hander Zac Gallen is set to return for the Diamondbacks after missing the season's first few games with a hairline fracture in his right forearm. Manager Torey Lovullo says Gallen is scheduled to start on Tuesday against the Athletics.
Rangers right-hander Jonathan Hernandez has had ligament reconstruction surgery on his right elbow. It comes less than two weeks after fellow reliever José Leclerc had the same procedure.
NHL
The Maple Leafs' six-game streak is over after Tomas Tatar scored twice in the Canadiens' 4-2 victory over the North Division leaders. Nick Suzuki and Josh Anderson also scored for the Canadiens, who blew a 2-0 lead before winning for the first time in four games. It was the first loss of the year for Toronto goalie Jack Campbell, who set an NHL record with 11 straight wins to start a season.
The Carolina Hurricanes hosted the cellar-dwelling Detroit Red Wings on Monday with a chance to take sole possession of the NHL's Central Division lead. The Red Wings played spoilers as Adam Erne and Filip Zadina scored two quick third-period goals in a 3-1 victory over the Canes. Sam Gagner added a clinching empty-net and Jonathan Bernier finished with 37 saves. Bernier blanked Carolina until Nino Niederreiter made it 2-1 with 6:06 to play. The outcome keeps the Hurricanes and Tampa Bay tied with 58 points. Each team has 15 games remaining.
Mikko Rantanen had two goals and the Avalanche beat the Coyotes 4-2 for their eighth victory in nine games. Brandon Saad and Nathan MacKinnon also scored as the West Division leaders improved to 12-0-1 in their last 13 games at home. Philipp Grubauer made 35 saves for his career-high 25th win.
Vegas remains four points behind the West-leading Avs after Max Pacioretty scored his 300th career goal and Mark Stone furnished a goal and an assist in the Golden Knights' 4-2 decision over the Kings. Nicolas Roy and Alex Tuch also scored for the Golden Knights, who won their third straight game. Robin Lehner stopped 26 shots.
Anthony Stolarz made a career-high 45 saves for his third career shutout as the Ducks dumped the Sharks, 4-0. Alexander Volkov had two goals to help the Ducks beat the Sharks handily on their home ice for the second time in less than a week. Martin Jones finished with 15 saves for the Sharks, who began the night four points out of the fourth and final playoff spot in the West and lost for the third time in four games.
The Blackhawks beat the Blue Jackets, 4-3 on Brandon Hagel's goal 1:25 into overtime. Duncan Keith, Philipp Kurashev and Brett Connolly also scored for Chicago, and Patrick Kane had two assists in the team's fifth straight win against Columbus. Kevin Lankinen stopped 30 shots as the Blackhawks won for the third time in four games to move within two points of Nashville for the final Central Division playoff berth.
The Senators fell behind 2-0 before Brady Tkachuk scored twice and Evgeni Dadonov provided the tiebreaking tally midway through the third period of Ottawa's 4-2 win over the Jets. Tkachuk began the comeback with a power-play goal in the first period and added the insurance score. Connor Brown extended his franchise-record goal-scoring streak to eight games.
In NHL news:
The Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins picked up forwards as they battle the New York Islanders for the NHL's East Division title. The Capitals made a blockbuster deal to acquire Anthony Mantha from the Red Wings before Monday's trade deadline. Detroit gets wingers Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik, a 2021 first- and a 2022 second-round pick. The Bruins acquired 2018 NHL MVP Taylor Hall in a trade with the Sabres. Boston also gets forward Curtis Lazar in a swap that brings Anders Bjork and a second-round pick. The Pens improved their forward depth by getting Jeff Carter from the Kings for a pair of conditional draft picks. Only 17 trades were completed Monday, involving just 26 players. That's down from the NHL trade deadline day record of 32 deals involving 55 players a year ago.
The NHL-leading Avalanche reacquired forward Carl Soderberg, sending unsigned prospect Ryder Rolston and 23-year-old Josh Dickinson to the Blackhawks. The 35-year-old played four seasons for Colorado from 2015-19 before stints with Arizona and Chicago.
The Blackhawks have acquired Adam Gaudette from the Canucks for Matthew Highmore in an exchange of forwards.
The Lightning have picked up Frederik Claesson from the Sharks for goaltending prospect Magnus Chrona.
The Golden Knights are acquiring center Mattias Janmark from the Blackhawks. A third team could be involved to help salary cap-strapped Vegas make the money work.
The Devils traded defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to the Oilers for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The pick becomes a third-rounder if Edmonton advances to the second round of the playoffs.
Some players rumored to be involved in trades are instead staying with their current team. The Flyers signed forward Scott Laughton to a $15 million, five-year extension. The Kings re-upped forward Alex Iafallo for $16 million over four years and the Sabres are hanging on to goaltender Linus Ullmark in the hopes the two sides can agree on a new contract before he hits the free-agent market this summer.
NFL
One of the most productive wide receivers in NFL playoff history says he has played his final game. Julian Edelman has announced his retirement after failing his New England Patriots physical on Monday. Edelman cited a knee injury that cut his 2020 season short after just six games. It brings an abrupt end to the 11-year New England tenure of the 34-year-old, whose fingertip catch helped complete the Patriots' historic Super Bowl 51 comeback win over the Atlanta Falcons. A seventh-round pick in the 2009 draft out of Kent State, Edelman retires ranked second in team history with 620 receptions, fourth in receiving yards 6,822 and ninth with 36 receiving touchdowns.
Also, former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid has been charged with driving while intoxicated after a crash that critically injured a 5-year-old girl. Prosecutors allege the son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was driving about 84 mph, and he had a blood alcohol level of .113 about a half hour after the crash near Arrowhead Stadium on Feb. 4. Police say his truck slammed into two cars stopped along an entrance ramp to Interstate 435 near the Chiefs' training facility. Five-year-old Ariel Young, who was in one of the cars, suffered a traumatic brain injury.
ALBANY EMPIRE
Albany Empire Head Coach Rob Keefe resigned Monday, just weeks before the arena football team is set to return under the National Arena League. In a statement on Twitter, Keefe calls it an “agonizingly difficult decision,” but says his best career interests lie in other opportunities. Keefe has been head coach and president of football operations since 2017, back when the Empire played as part of the now-defunct Arena Football League. The Empire was expected to open its season against Ontario on May 22nd, with fans in the stands at the Times Union Center. The team tells the Times Union the opener has been pushed back a week, for reasons unrelated to Keefe’s resignation. Co-owner Ron Tridico expects the team to name a new coach soon.
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