NBA:
In the NBA playoffs, Oklahoma City beat San Antonio 95-91 to lead the series 3-2.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry is the first player in NBA history to be unanimously voted the Most Valuable Player. Curry captured his second straight MVP after leading the league in scoring, free throw percentage and 3-pointers made while guiding the Warriors to a league-record 73 victories. San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard was second in the balloting, followed by Cleveland forward LeBron James and Oklahoma City teammates Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
The Miami Heat say injured center Hassan Whiteside did not accompany the team to Toronto for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series, which tips off tomorrow night. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says Whiteside remained home to continue getting therapy on his injured right knee. He was injured in Game 3 of the series and didn't play Monday night as Miami knotted the series at two games apiece.
Mavericks guard Devin Harris has undergone surgeries to repair his left big toe and left thumb. Harris was bothered by a toe injury much of the season, and he played with his thumb heavily taped during the playoffs. The 12-year veteran averaged 7.6 points and 1.8 assists for the Mavs this season.
NHL:
In the NHL playoffs, Pittsburgh skated past Washington 4-3 to advance to the Eastern Conference finals against Tampa Bay.
AHL governors have given conditional approval to the sale of the Springfield Falcons by the Arizona Coyotes and to move the team to Tucson. The Coyotes must still work out a deal with officials in the Arizona city before the franchise would be able to make the move next season.
MLB:
In baseball, in the American League, the Yankees beat Kansas City 10-7, Boston topped Oakland 13-5, Texas bested the White Sox 13-11, Baltimore defeated Minnesota 5-3, Cleveland blanked Houston 4-0, and it was Seattle over Tampa Bay 6-4.
In the National League, the Dodgers beat the Mets 3-2, Arizona bested Colorado 5-1, the Cubs won against San Diego 8-7, Milwaukee blasted Miami 10-2, and it was Philadelphia over Atlanta 3-2. The Pittsburgh at Cincinnati game was postponed.
In interleague play, Detroit beat Washington 5-4, St. Louis won against the Angels 8-1, and it was Toronto over San Francisco 4-0.
The Chicago Cubs are a major league-best 25-6 following their eighth consecutive win, an 8-7 decision over San Diego. Addison Russell doubled twice, hit a triple and drove in three runs to help Jon Lester improve to 4-1. Ben Zobrist had four hits, two RBIs and three runs scored for the Cubs.
In other major league news:
One high-profile member of the Washington Nationals has received a lucrative contract extension, while another could face disciplinary action by Major League Baseball. The Nationals have formally announced their seven-year contract extension with pitcher Stephen Strasburg. A person familiar with the negotiations says the agreement calls for total payments of $175 million starting in 2017, but it includes $70 million in deferred money.
Meanwhile, MLB says it is reviewing slugger Bryce Harper's confrontation with an umpire to decide whether he should be disciplined. The outfielder and reigning National League MVP was ejected by plate umpire Brian Knight while Harper was in the dugout during the ninth inning of the Nationals' victory over Detroit on Monday night. Moments later, Harper ran onto the field following teammate Clint Robinson's game-ending homer before pointing and cursing at Knight. Players who are ejected must leave the dugout.
— The Nationals have traded infielder Brendan Ryan to the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations. The deal comes after Angels shortstop Andrelton (AN'-drul-tuhn) Simmons tore a ligament in his left thumb on Sunday.
— Royals pitcher Chris Young said he will return to Kansas City on Wednesday to have an MRI on his right forearm. Young is 1-5 with a 6.88 ERA this season after surrendering five home runs in Monday's loss to the New York Yankees.
— Michael Bourn will now try to revive his major league career as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, signing a deal with the team after being released by Toronto on Saturday. The outfielder has a .266 batting average and 326 stolen bases over parts of 10 major league seasons with Philadelphia, Houston, Atlanta and Cleveland.
— Miami Marlins right-hander Nefi Ogando has been placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a broken rib on his right side. He was injured Sunday in a collision at first base.
— The Atlanta Braves have placed right-hander Jim Johnson on the DL with a right groin strain and recalled left-hander Ian Krol from Triple-A Gwinnett. Johnson is 0-4 with a 7.90 ERA.
— The San Diego Padres have claimed left-handed reliever Keith Hessler off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hessler has an 8.22 ERA in 20 big league appearances over two seasons.
— Kansas City Royals infield prospect Raul Mondesi (MAHN'-deh-see) was suspended for 50 games following a positive test for Clenbuterol. The punishment usually comes with an 80-game ban, but the suspension was reduced after Mondesi provided evidence he ingested the drug in an over-the-counter medication.
NCAA:
UConn's women's basketball team visited the White House yesterday, where President Barack Obama personally congratulated the Huskies for winning their fourth straight national title. UConn went undefeated and won their games by an average of 40 points, with Obama saying they defied the saying that you can't win them all.
Former St. Bonaventure basketball coach Jim Crowley has been hired to lead Providence College's women's program. Crowley replaces Susan Robinson Fruchtl, who left in April to become athletic director at Pennsylvania's Saint Francis University.
A former Massachusetts Institute of Technology basketball player has been indicted on rape and other charges for allegedly entering a Boston University dorm room and sexually assaulting a woman as she slept. The Suffolk County district attorney's office announced Tuesday that Samson Donick is charged with aggravated rape and related crimes. Prosecutors say Donick was visiting friends Oct. 18 when he entered the victim's dorm room and assaulted her. His lawyer didn't immediately return a message.
NASCAR:
Watkins Glen International reportedly has become the frontrunner to host an IndyCar Series race over the Labor Day weekend. The Indianapolis Star reports the upstate New York track's operator and IndyCar have been talking about a possible deal for a race after the Grand Prix of Boston vacated the weekend date, with an announcement possible as soon as this week. Watkins Glen was last a stop on the IndyCar circuit in 2010. The Watkins Glen race would come in the series schedule between the August 21 race at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania and the season-ending road race in Sonoma, California.
A handful of NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers this week are taking a test drive around the track at Watkins Glen International after the track was repaved. Five drivers and their teams -- Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Trevor Bayne, Carl Edwards and Joey Logano -- are taking part in the two-day test of the track for Goodyear tires yesterday and today. The entire 3.4 mile circuit has been repaved for the first time since 1989. Watkins Glen is one of just two road courses hosting Sprint Cup events with the Cheez-It 355 set to run in early August.
NFL:
The Buffalo Bills have claimed running back Dri Archer a day after he was released by the New York Jets. Listed at 5-foot-8 and 173 pounds, Archer spent his first two NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers before being waived in November. The Jets then signed him to a reserve/future contract in February.
Archer was a multiple threat at Kent State, where he was used as a running back, receiver and kickoff returner. In four years at college, he combined to score 24 touchdowns rushing, 12 receiving, four on kickoff returns and even had one passing. Archer had difficulty earning a regular role with the Steelers, managing 40 yards rushing, 23 yards receiving and returned 23 kickoffs for 515 yards in 20 games.
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