NBA:
The Houston Rockets have found a way to stop Russell Westbrook from getting triple-doubles - by ending the Oklahoma City Thunder's season. The Rockets have advanced to the NBA's Western Conference semifinals by knocking off the Thunder, 105-99 in Game 5. James Harden had 34 points and Lou Williams added 22 to help Houston reach Round 2 for the second time in three seasons. Williams scored the last eight points in a 10-2 spurt that put the Rockets ahead 86-81 with nine minutes remaining.
The Rockets next face either San Antonio or Memphis in the second round. The Spurs own a three-games-to-two lead in their series after Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points in a 116-103 win over the Grizzlies. San Antonio was 14-for-28 from 3-point range, with Patty Mills hitting 5 of 7 while scoring 20 points.
Like the Spurs, the Jazz own a 3-2 series lead following a 96-92 win over the Clippers in Los Angeles. Gordon Hayward dropped in 27 points after missing most of Game 4 due to food poisoning that caused him to lose weight and energy.
Drake will host the NBA's first-ever awards show this June. The Canadian rapper will preside over the June 26 ceremony in New York, which will be televised live on TNT. The Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man Award, Most Improved Player and Coach of the Year will be announced during the show.
NHL:
In the Stanley Cup playoffs, the conference semifinals begin tonight when Nashville faces St. Louis 8 p.m. and Edmonton takes on Anaheim at 10:30 p.m.
Tomorrow the Rangers go head-to-head with Ottawa at 7 p.m. and Pittsburgh plays Washington at 7:30 p.m.
NCAA:
North Carolina point guard Joel Berry II has done an about-face and withdrawn from the NBA draft. The most outstanding player in this year's Final Four says he had reversed course after conferring with his family, adding that he can prepare for the NBA by playing "against the best college competition in the country." Berry averaged 14.7 points and 3.6 assists in 38 games as a junior for the Tar Heels the past season.
An attorney for former Ohio State football star Gareon Conley says the player denies an accusation made in a police report that he sexually assaulted a woman. No charges have been filed. A Cleveland police report released Tuesday says the 23-year-old woman told officers that Conley sexually assaulted her in a hotel bathroom this month. The 21-year-old Conley started at cornerback for Ohio State for two years and was a team captain last season. He was expected to be chosen in the first round of the NFL draft that begins Thursday.
NASCAR:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has announced that he is retiring as a NASCAR driver at the end of the season, saying he wants to go out on his own terms. Earnhardt missed much of the 2016 season due to concussion-like symptoms, and he acknowledged Tuesday that the time off played a role in his decision. Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he is committed to participating in two Xfinity Series races next year and wants to remain active in NASCAR for many years to come.
NFL:
Round 1 of the NFL draft begins tomorrow night at 8 p.m. The selection process continues through Saturday.
Running back Adrian Peterson has accepted a two-year deal with the New Orleans Saints after playing his first 10 NFL seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Peterson has played just 21 games over the last three seasons, although he had 1,485 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing in 2015. Peterson will have a chance to face his old team in Week 1 of the upcoming season, Sept. 11 at Minnesota.
Lawyers for former NFL star Aaron Hernandez are formally asking that his first-degree murder conviction be dismissed in Massachusetts now that he has died. The motion was filed by defense attorneys Tuesday in Superior Court. Prosecutors say they'll oppose the motion. Hernandez hanged himself at a maximum-security state prison last week. He was serving life without parole.
An attorney for former Ohio State football star Gareon Conley says the player denies an accusation made in a police report that he sexually assaulted a woman. No charges have been filed. A Cleveland police report released Tuesday says the 23-year-old woman told officers that Conley sexually assaulted her in a hotel bathroom this month. The 21-year-old Conley started at cornerback for Ohio State for two years and was a team captain last season. He was expected to be chosen in the first round of the NFL draft that begins Thursday.
MLB:
The opener of the three-game series between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park has been postponed because of rain. The game has been rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader on July 16.
The series opener between the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets has been postponed by rain. The game was rescheduled Tuesday as part of a single-admission doubleheader on Sept. 25 at 4:10 p.m. The twinbill will mark the start of New York's final home series during the regular season.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has shot down a Bloomberg report that says a group led by former Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter and ex-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush have won an auction to buy the Florida Marlins. Manfred says multiple groups have submitted bids, but added that none have been accepted. Bloomberg said the Bush-Jeter bid was $1.3 billion.
Completion of any sale by Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria could take months and would require approval by at least 75 percent of the major league teams. MLB's debt service rule could require that more than half of the winning bid involve cash, meaning the Bush-Jeter group would need to raise a lot of money. Bush and Jeter initially had competing interests in efforts to buy the team before joining forces.
In other major league news:
— Giants ace Madison Bumgarner doesn't need shoulder surgery and is scheduled to begin light rehab activities in four or five days. Bumgarner suffered bruised ribs and a sprained AC joint in his pitching shoulder from a dirt bike accident during last Thursday's off day in Colorado.
— Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter is serving a one-game suspension for making contact with an umpire following his ejection during Sunday's game against the Brewers in Milwaukee. Carpenter threw his bat and was ejected after being called out on strikes by plate umpire John Tumpane.
— Twins reliever Ryan O'Rourke will have surgery for a partially torn ligament in his left elbow. There is no timetable for his return. O'Rourke has compiled a 4.98 ERA in 54 games for the Twins over the last two years.
— Astros outfielder Jake Marisnick has been placed on the seven-day concussion list after running into a wall. Marisnick was chasing a fly ball on Sunday at Tampa Bay when he hit a fence and fell to the ground.
Tennis:
Maria Sharapova returned to professional tennis on Wednesday after a 15-month doping ban, completing a one-hour training session on an empty center court less than 10 hours before her first competitive match since January 2016. Handed a much-debated wild card, Sharapova will play Roberta Vinci in the opening round of the Porsche Grand Prix. The five-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 hasn't played since losing to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of last year's Australian Open. Wednesday's match will be her first on clay since the 2015 French Open.
U.S. Tennis Association lead national coach Tom Gullikson is retiring from full-time coaching with the group's development program. The USTA announced Tuesday that Gullikson, a former professional player and U.S. Davis Cup captain, will leave the post on June 2. The USTA expects to hire a replacement later this year.
Bowling:
A New York bowler has rolled a perfect 300 game in less than 90 seconds. Ben Ketola hit 12 straight strikes in 86.9 seconds on April 5 at 281 Bowl in Cortland. The 23-year-old Preble man raced from one lane to the next at the 10-lane facility and registered the strikes using a different ball on each lane. He used Lanes 1 and 2 twice.
Olympics:
Organizers of the 2020 Olympics signed a collaborative agreement with the organizers of the 2019 Rugby World Cup on Wednesday, aiming to maximize the benefits and impact of the global events. The Rugby World Cup will be staged in Japan as Tokyo is finalizing preparations to host the Summer Games for the first time since 1964. The two organizations will share knowledge and resources in areas including security, transport, venue management, volunteer programs and anti-doping programs. "There are many synergies between the hosting of these two events," World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said. "We look forward to working with all parties to deliver on this opportunity." The 2019 edition will be the first Rugby World Cup held in Asia. The new Olympic stadium was originally the centerpiece of the Rugby World Cup but construction delays meant a venue change, with the final now to be played in Yokohama.
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