NBA:
Stephen Curry delivered 37 points and nine assists as the Golden State Warriors crushed the Trail Blazers, 128-103 in Portland to complete a four-game sweep in the NBA first-round series. The Warriors tied a league playoff record for most points in a first quarter to take a 45-22 lead. Klay Thompson finished with 18 points and Kevin Durant had 10 in his first action since missing two games with a calf injury.
Norm Powell poured in a career playoff-high 25 points and the Toronto Raptors took a three-games-to-two lead with a 118-93 trouncing of the visiting Milwaukee Bucks. Powell was 4-for-4 from 3-point range and 8 of 11 from the field overall. Kyle Lowry delivered 16 points and 10 assists for Toronto, which has won two straight since falling behind two games to one in the series.
Dwight Howard had a double-double by halftime and finished with 16 points and 15 boards as the Hawks topped the visiting Wizards, 111-101 to knot that series at two games apiece. Paul Millsap had a team-high 19 points despite a sluggish start, and Kent Bazemore chipped in 16 points while collecting seven assists. Bradley Beal paced all scorers with 32 points, but Washington suffered its second straight loss after taking the first two games.
Meanwhile Louisville junior forward Jaylen Johnson will hire an agent and stay in the NBA draft. Johnson averaged eight points and ranked second on the Cardinals with 5.8 rebounds last season while starting 26 of 34 contests. His 196 boards were just two behind leader Mangok Mathiang (MAN'-goh MATH'-ee-ang), who is graduating, and he had three double-doubles.
North Carolina juniors Joel Berry II and Theo Pinson will join freshman Tony Bradley in declaring for the NBA draft, though they won't hire agents. Berry was the Final Four's most outstanding player as the Tar Heels beat Gonzaga for their sixth NCAA championship April 3. The 6-foot point guard averaged 14.7 points. The 6-6 Pinson averaged 6.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists while also being a top perimeter defender.
The Los Angeles Clippers will have backup guard Austin Rivers at their disposal for Game 5 of their opening-round series Tuesday against Utah. Rivers has been sidelined since March 30 with a strained left hamstring. He averaged career highs of 12.0 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists during the regular season.
NHL:
The Los Angeles Kings have introduced John Stevens as their new head coach. Stevens replaces Darryl Sutter after serving as an assistant to two Kings head coaches over the past eight seasons, which included the franchise's only two Stanley Cup championship runs. Los Angeles has won just one playoff game in three years since its last title in 2014. Stevens also was interim head coach of Los Angeles for four games during the 2011-12 season after going 120-109-34 in three-plus seasons as head coach of the Flyers.
Play in the Stanley Cup playoffs resumes on Wednesday.
MLB:
In Major League Baseball, The Baltimore Orioles own baseball's top record following a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Camden Yards. Meanwhile, the Yankees start a three game series against the Red Sox in Boston and Atlanta is in New York to face the Mets Both games start at 7.
The Baltimore Orioles and Colorado Rockies have the best record in their respective leagues after winning on Monday. Adam Jones snapped a 3-3 deadlock with a two-run homer in the seventh inning of the Birds' 6-3 victory over Tampa Bay. Washington had won seven straight before Charlie Blackmon hit a two-run homer in the seventh and the Rockies' bullpen threw three-plus scoreless innings to complete an 8-4 rout of the Nationals.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have placed pitcher Shelby Miller on the 10-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation, one day after he was forced out of a start against the Dodgers. He had thrown four scoreless innings versus Los Angeles but walked the first two batters in the fifth and allowed a double before coming out of the game one pitch later. Triple-A reliever Silvino Bracho takes the vacant roster spot in place of Miller, who is 2-2 with a 4.09 ERA this season.
Also in the majors:
— Major League Baseball has handed down suspensions to Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano and Boston Red Sox reliever Matt Barnes. Barnes has been given a four-game suspension for throwing a fastball past the head of Orioles infielder Manny Machado. The purpose pitch came two days after Machado made a late slide that injured Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Barnes will be able to pitch until his appeal is heard by Major League Baseball.
— The Pirates have called up Dovydas Neverauskas, who has opened the season by allowing no earned runs over 8 1/3 innings for Triple-A Indianapolis. Neverauskas allowed a run and two hits in 1 2/3 innings on Monday to become the second Lithuanian-born player to appear in a major league game. The first was Joe Zapustas of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1933.
— Tim Tebow had his best week in the minors, showing some consistency at the plate last week with two multi-hit games for the Columbia Fireflies. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback is in his first season with the New York Mets' Class A affiliate. Last week, Tebow and the Fireflies completed two series, the first a three-game set in Rome, Georgia, before returning home for four games with Lexington, Kentucky.
NFL:
The Buffalo Bills have not matched the contract offer tendered by the New England Patriots to restricted free agent running back Mike Gillislee. The team announced the decision Monday, making official the offer sheet Gillislee signed. Terms haven't been disclosed.
NCAA:
Rutgers will dedicate its basketball court at the College Ave Gym to former Scarlet Knights co-captain and school hall of famer Jim Valvano. The dedication at what's affectionately referred to as The Barn will take place Saturday on the university's annual Rutgers Day.
Seton Hall has gotten a national letter of intent from forward Sandro Mamukelashvili. The Big East announced the signing of the 17-year-old from the former Soviet republic of Georgia who played at Montverde Academy in Florida last season.
NASCAR:
Jimmie Johnson has picked up his second consecutive Monster Energy Cup win by taking the rain-delayed race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Monday. Johnson grabbed the lead for good with 20 laps to go and finished 1.2 seconds ahead of Clint Bowyer. Kevin Harvick, was third, followed by Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano and pole-sitter Kyle Larson.
Horse Racing:
Jockey Robby Albarado will miss the Kentucky Derby after breaking his left ankle in a riding accident at Keeneland. Albarado was scheduled to ride J Boys Echo for trainer Dale Romans in the Derby on May 6. He got hurt after his horse stumbled at the start of a race Sunday at Keeneland, unseating Albarado on the turf.
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