NBA:
In the NBA, Toronto topped Philadelphia 114-103, Brooklyn bested Golden State 110-108, Miami won against Phoenix 115-98, the Clippers beat Minnesota 110-105, and it was Dallas over New Orleans 102-93.
The NBA has suspended Houston star James Harden one game without pay for kicking LeBron James in the groin during yesterday's game. The All-Stars and Olympic teammates made contact during the third quarter, causing Harden to hit the court before he kicked his foot up into James. Harden will miss Tuesday's game against Atlanta.
NHL:
Over on the ice, the Rangers topped Nashville 4-1, Chicago bested Carolina 5-2, and it was San Jose over Montreal 4-0.
The New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres have swapped goalies, with the Isles acquiring Michal Neuvirth for Chad Johnson and a 2016 third-round pick. The Islanders also picked up forward Tyler Kennedy from San Jose for a draft pick.
Pittsburgh gets defenseman Ian Cole from the Blues for defenseman Robert Bortuzzo and a seventh-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Boston acquired forwards Maxime Talbot and Paul Carey from Colorado, forward Brett Connolly from Tampa Bay and forward Zack Phillips from Minnesota. Boston sent forward Jordan Caron and the Bruins' sixth-round pick next year to the Avalanche. The Lightning will get the Bruins' second-round picks this year and next, and the Wild received forward Jared Knight.
MLB:
Alex Rodriguez will skip the New York Yankees' exhibition opener today against Philadelphia in Clearwater, and is slated to make his spring training debut at Steinbrenner Field tomorrow. Yankees manager Joe Girardi intends to give Rodriguez two or three at-bats as a designated hitter in New York's first home exhibition game this year.
Jeff McKnight, a versatile player who spent six seasons with the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles, has died. He was 52.
McKnight's family told the Mets that McKnight died Sunday after having leukemia for 10 years. His father, Jim, who briefly played for the Chicago Cubs in the early 1960s, was born in Bee Branch.
Jeff McKnight made his big league debut in 1989 with the Mets and hit .233 overall with five home runs and 34 RBIs in 218 games. He singled in his final at-bat, for the Mets in August 1994 on the final day before a players' strike wiped out the rest of the season.
McKnight was mostly an infielder, and played every position in the majors except center field and pitcher.
McKnight hit his first big league home run off Jack Morris, an eighth-inning shot that helped rally the Orioles over Detroit at Memorial Stadium.
New York Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka says he's pleased with his first batting practice session. The Japanese right-hander threw 25 pitches yesterday. Tanaka missed 2 1/2 months last season with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
NFL:
The New England Patriots have placed the franchise tag on three-time Pro Bowl kicker Stephen Gostkowski. The team says the move gives the two sides more time to negotiate. If no deal is reached by July 15th, the Patriots will pay Gostkowski $4.126 million in 2015.
The New York Giants have placed the franchise tag on defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul after he rebounded from two injury-plagued seasons. The Giants made the move yesterday, guaranteeing that their first-round draft pick of 2010 will make at least $14.813 million next season unless the two sides reach an agreement on a long-term deal by July 15th.
NCAA:
In top 25 men’s basketball, No.2 Virginia bested Syracuse 59-47.
UAlbany men's basketball head coach Will Brown has won the America East Coach of the Year award for the first time in his 14 seasons with the Great Danes. The Times Union reports the Danes, the top seed in the America East Tournament, put tow players on the all-conference first team (Sam Rowley and Evan Singletary), antoher (Peter Hooley), and another on the third team (Ray Sanders).
In top 25 women’s basketball, No. 1 UConn beat South Florida 88-65.
Golf:
Padraig Harrington has captured his first PGA Tour title in more than six years, winning the Honda Classic on the second playoff hole. Harrington bested 21-year old rookie Daniel Berger, who hit his tee shot into the water to take a double bogey on the final hole. Severe weather wiped out most third round play on Saturday forcing the tournament to finish a day late.
Horse Racing:
Kentucky Derby-winning jockeys Chris Antley, Victor Espinoza and Craig Perret are among the 10 finalists for election to the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.
The field is rounded out by jockey Corey Nakatani, trainers King Leatherbury and David Whiteley, and thoroughbreds Black Tie Affair, Kona Gold, Lava Man and Xtra Heat.
The four with the most votes will be inducted during a ceremony at the museum in Saratoga Springs on Aug. 7.
Antley, who died of a drug overdose in 2000, won the Derby in 1991 with Strike the Gold and in 1999 with Charismatic. Perret won the 1990 Derby aboard Unbridled. Espinoza won the first two legs of the Triple Crown with War Emblem in 2002 and California Chrome last year. Nakatani has won 3,766 races, many at California tracks.
Leatherbury ranks fourth all time with 6,449 wins. Whiteley trained the champions Revidere, Waya and Just A Game.
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