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OKLAHOMA CITY --  Luka Doncic cracked a relieved grin and raised his hands as he glanced toward the rafters when his first shot splashed through the net early in Thursday's Game 2, as if the Dallas Mavericks star was thanking the basketball gods. The soreness in Doncic's sprained right knee was still there, but his shooting slump had suddenly disappeared. A sizzling start by Doncic set the tone for the Mavs' series-tying 119-110 win over the top-seeded  Oklahoma City Thunder. He made his first four shots from the floor en route to scoring 16 of his 29 points in the first quarter. "It was just my mentality," said Doncic, who also recorded 10 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a blocked shot. "I think today was one of the hardest game I had to play. I'm battling out there. I try and do my best to help [the] team win with just my mentality. Have a great start, and then the team's going to follow me." Doncic made 11 of 21 shots from the floor, a normal...

Georgia slugger Charlie Condon slugged his 34th home run of the season Thursday night against South Carolina to set the NCAA record for most home runs in a season in the BBCOR era. Condon launched a solo shot in the second inning to break a tie with Florida's Jac Caglianone, who had 33 home runs last season. BBCOR (bat-ball coefficient restitution) took effect for the 2011 season, when college baseball switched to composite bats. Oklahoma State's Pete Incaviglia holds the all-time single-season record with 48 home runs in 1985. Condon, a redshirt sophomore third baseman/outfielder, is ESPN insider Kiley McDaniel's No. 1 draft prospect and projected as the No. 2 overall pick in this year's MLB draft. Thursday marked his eighth straight game with a home run, one game shy of matching the NCAA record held by Caglianone and Nevada's Tyler Bosetti. Condon has 59 career home runs, the most in Georgia history. The Bulldogs won 14-10 on Thursday.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Player introductions at a WNBA preseason game do not typically elicit thunderous cheers from the assembled crowd. But nothing about the home-court debut of Indiana Fever rookie and No. 1 overall draft pick Caitlin Clark can be considered typical. Clark, the former University of Iowa phenom who has taken the sports world by storm, made her first appearance at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday night and received exactly the kind of reception one would expect given the interest she has generated around the country. From the many fans donning No. 22 jerseys (both from Iowa and the Fever) to the rousing cheers the crowd produced each time Clark scored or reentered the game, the atmosphere in the building suggested this was a meaningful game against the Atlanta Dream, even if it didn't count in the standings. "It was a lot of fun, I thought they were loud, I thought they were into it," Clark said, marveling at the crowd size. "It was fun...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Caitlin Clark walked into her new home arena Thursday night with No. 22 shirts and jerseys peppered from floor to ceiling. She left as a first-time WNBA winner. A late-arriving but louder-than-usual crowd roared during her official introduction to Fever fans and again when Clark made her first basket, a layup with 7:00 left in the first quarter. The cheers grew when she completed a three-point play a few minutes later and hit a crescendo when she finally made a long 3-pointer from the edge of the fieldhouse logo late in the third quarter. Yes, Clark successfully navigated the city's most anticipated rookie debut since Peyton Manning played for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts in 1998, even though this wasn't quite the start most expected. In an 83-80 preseason victory over the Atlanta Dream, Clark had 12 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 turnovers, going 4-of-12 from the field and 2-of-9 on 3s in 31 minutes. "It was a lot of fun, I thought...

BOSTON -- In the opening minute of the fourth quarter Thursday night, Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell came off a screen at the top of the key and fired up a 3-pointer. After the shot, which appeared offline as it left his hand, ricocheted off the backboard and through the net, Mitchell could simply shrug as he backpedaled down the court. It was the same reaction many inside TD Garden had for this one, as Cleveland -- fresh off a 25-point loss in Game 1 -- responded with a stellar second half in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics, cruising to a 118-94 victory and evening this Eastern Conference semifinal series at a game apiece. With it, 12.5-point underdog Cleveland pulled off the biggest playoff victory by a double-digit underdog since 1991, nearly doubling the prior largest winning margin, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. "It's always good to get a win on the road, but at the end of the day, it's one...

BOSTON --  Donovan Mitchell banked in a 3-pointer from a few steps beyond the top of the arc and could only shrug as he backpedaled back on defense. He followed with two baskets in the lane to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a 16-point lead. "Sometimes you get lucky," Mitchell said after scoring 29 points to help Cleveland beat Boston 118-94 on Thursday night. "Shooters shoot." Two nights after losing the opener by 25 points, the Cavaliers answered with a blowout of their own, beating the top-seeded Celtics in Boston to tie their Eastern Conference semifinal series at one game apiece. The teams now head to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday. "We expected them to play better and they did," Celtics center Al Horford said. "They responded and we didn't." Mitchell scored 33 points in the opener but got little help. On Thursday, the Cavs All-Star took just six shots and scored six points in the first half, while handing out five...

ANAHEIM, Calif. --  Mike Trout decided that having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee was a better alternative than postponing the procedure and being a designated hitter the rest of the season. "It was an option they put out there," the Los Angeles Angels slugger said before Thursday night's 10-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals. "It would have been just maintaining the pain level of it. The day I got the MRI and it showed [a tear], I was in a lot of pain, so it would have been a tough road for the rest of the year to bear that. I felt the best option for me was to get it right and be fully healthy to come back soon." Trout has also struggled whenever he has been a designated hitter. In 1,518 career games, he has been the DH only 81 times and has a .214 batting average. Trout -- who is sidelined with a major injury for the fourth straight season -- said he still doesn't know when the latest one occurred. The knee soreness worsened...

Rory McIlroy isn't returning to the PGA Tour's policy board, but he'll still be involved in negotiations with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund regarding a potential multibillion-dollar investment in PGA Tour Enterprises as a member of the newly formed transaction committee, the tour announced Thursday. McIlroy had hoped to rejoin the PGA Tour's policy board, but said he wouldn't replace Webb Simpson because of other player directors' concerns about bringing him back. Former Valero Energy Corp. CEO Joseph W. Gorder has been unanimously elected by the PGA Tour Enterprises board of directors to serve as its inaugural chairman, the tour said in a news release. Gorder, now executive chairman of Valero Energy's board, will also serve on the transaction subcommittee, along with player liaison director Joe Ogilvie, Fenway Sports Group founder and principal owner John W. Henry, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, and golfers Adam Scott, Tiger Woods and...

Mike Budenholzer has emerged as the Phoenix Suns' target to become the franchise's next coach, and discussions are expected to move rapidly toward a deal, sources told ESPN on Thursday. The Suns fired coach Frank Vogel on Thursday afternoon after one season as a coach, and momentum on a Budenholzer deal included him working on building an assistant coaching staff to bring with him, sources said. The looming hiring of Budenholzer comes with significant pressure and expectations for these Suns. The roster has been constructed around Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, bringing championship aspirations and a slim margin for error. Budenholzer is poised to become the franchise's third head coach in three seasons, a run that has included owner Mat Ishbia firing Monty Williams and Vogel in successive years. Vogel had four years left on his contract, and the cost of a $200 million-plus payroll only gets steeper with the $20 million-plus left on Vogel's deal...

As he prepares for his first season at Arkansas, John Calipari said he won't stack his rosters with an abundance of talent, which was his tactic during his lengthy tenure at Kentucky. On the latest episode of his "Ways to Win" podcast with former Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson this week, Calipari said the turnover in college basketball in the transfer portal era has changed his philosophy on assembling rosters. "You may think I'm crazy, but I told my staff I only want to have eight or nine guys," Calipari told Robinson, who is now executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. "They're leaving anyway, and why would I develop a kid for someone else? Why would I do that?" Calipari said he has talked to other coaches who have discussed similar strategies. According to NCAA rules, a team can have up to 13 scholarship players. While most teams rarely utilize every scholarship player on the roster, the idea of using fewer...

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby will miss Friday's Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals with a strained left hamstring, the team announced Thursday. Sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Anunoby is considered unlikely to play in Sunday's Game 4, as well. Anunoby was evaluated before the team left for Indiana on Thursday and that assessment was to continue Thursday night.  He suffered the injury late in the third quarter of the Knicks' Game 2 victory over the Indiana Pacers, when he was planting his leg in an effort to convert a transition layup. He was in immediate pain following the play, and Jalen Brunson was forced to commit a foul to allow Anunoby an effort to sub out and hobble his way to the locker room. Brunson (foot) is listed as questionable for Game 3. Anunoby, who had scored a playoff career-high 28 points at the time of the injury, has averaged 46 minutes per game for the short-handed Knicks in the four contests leading up to...

The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Frank Vogel on Thursday, 11 days after the team was swept out of the postseason's first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Former  Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer is the Suns' target to replace Vogel and talks are expected to move quickly, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Budenholzer has been working to assemble a coaching staff for a return to a head coaching job and that process is also gathering momentum, sources said. "As we said at the press conference on May 1, team leadership including myself, Josh Bartelstein, and ownership would be looking across basketball operations to determine what changes needed to be made," Suns general manager James Jones said in a statement. "After a thoughtful review of the season, we concluded that we needed a different head coach for our team. We appreciate Frank's hard work and commitment." The Suns underperformed in Vogel's lone season at the helm, especially given the...

Bayer Leverkusen staged a stunning late comeback to move into the Europa League final with a 2-2 draw at home against AS Roma on Thursday as they won 4-2 on aggregate and set the longest unbeaten run in all competitions including European matches. Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, who have also reached this month's German Cup final as they chase a treble, played their 49th match without defeat to surpass Benfica's record set from 1963-65, but they had to battle for the second-leg draw. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Xabi Alonso's side, who have 40 wins in their unbeaten run, will face Italian side Atalanta in the May 22 final in Dublin. It will be a third European final for Leverkusen, who won their only continental title when they lifted the UEFA Cup in 1988 and lost in the 2002 Champions League showpiece. "For the mentality we showed again today against a big team to come back like this and go through to the...

The court at Stanford's Maples Pavilion will be named the Tara VanDerveer Court, honoring the recently retired women's basketball coach, the school announced Thursday. VanDerveer coached 38 seasons at Stanford, winning three national championships and going to 14 Final Fours. Overall, she was a college head coach for 45 years, with stops at Idaho and Ohio State before taking over at Stanford in 1985. VanDerveer, who announced her retirement April 9, won an NCAA record 1,216 games. One of the Stanford women's basketball assistant coaching positions also will be named after VanDerveer. It's recently been filled by Heather Oesterle, who was hired by new Stanford head coach Kate Paye, a longtime assistant to VanDerveer and former Cardinal player. The endowment to fund and name the assistant coaching position came from a gift from longtime Stanford benefactors Tashia and John Morgridge. "I have many wonderful memories of leading the women's basketball program at Maples...

PSV Eindhoven will not exercise their option to sign Sergiño Dest permanently after the United States defender tore his ACL in training last month, sources have told ESPN. Dest, 23, has been a mainstay in the PSV side this season as they won the Eredivisie, with coach Peter Bosz recently expressing a desire to keep him beyond the summer. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) However, with Dest now facing months out of action, he will instead formally return to his parent club Barcelona from July to carry out his rehabilitation. PSV signed Dest on a season-long loan last year in a deal which included an option for them to make the move permanent this summer for €11 million. Dest made 36 appearances for the Dutch champions in all competitions before getting injured in training on April 20. The full-back confirmed last week that he had torn his ACL and would need an operation, ruling him out of the Copa...

Bucks guard Patrick Beverley was suspended for four games without pay for throwing a basketball multiple times at fans and for an "inappropriate interaction" with ESPN producer Malinda Adams after Milwaukee's season-ending loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of their first-round series last week, the NBA announced Thursday. Indianapolis police announced Wednesday they were opening an investigation into "an NBA player and citizen" altercation, after Beverley threw a ball multiple times in the fourth quarter of what ultimately became a 120-98 loss to the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse a week ago. Cameras showed Beverley throwing a ball into the stands, where it hit a fan in the head. After he asked for the ball back, and had it thrown back to him, he then fired it back at that fan. Police said in a news release the case has been forwarded to detectives "who are currently investigating this situation and take all accusations seriously," and that the case will be...

NEW YORK -- Former NBA forward Glen "Big Baby" Davis was sentenced by a federal judge Thursday to 40 months in prison, plus three years' supervised release, for his November 2023 conviction in an alleged scheme to defraud the league's health care benefits plan. Twenty-two people -- 18 of them former players, including Terrence Williams and Keyon Dooling -- have been sentenced in the case for filing false medical claims with the NBA Players' Health and Benefit Welfare Plan. Davis, 38, who has maintained his innocence since indictments in the case were handed down in October 2021, was found guilty of multiple fraud charges and conspiring to make false statements. He was ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution. The conditions of his supervised release include attending a financial management class and receiving mandatory drug treatment. Williams, the supposed ringleader of what the Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney's Office has described as a "wide-ranging scheme to steal...

Quarterback Jayden Daniels went four spots ahead of former LSU teammate Malik Nabers in the draft. He's also counting on finishing ahead of him when it comes to being named the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year. Otherwise, it could cost him $10,000. Daniels and Nabers have a bet on who will win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, which Nabers first mentioned on "The Pivot" podcast with Ryan Clark. Daniels confirmed the wager during an interview on the "All Facts No Brakes" podcast with Keyshawn Johnson on Wednesday. It could be a short-lived wager. The  Washington Commanders selected Daniels with the second pick while at No. 6 the New York Giants picked Nabers, Daniels' favorite receiving target last season. "Man, he wasn't supposed to tell nobody," Daniels said of the bet. "We got a little something going on." Daniels also confirmed that it was for "10" when asked by Johnson after Nabers had said "whoever lose gotta pay, I think it's...

UFC pioneer Art "One Glove" Jimmerson died Wednesday at age 61, his daughter said. Jimmerson fought at UFC 1 as boxing's representative. He'd been a successful pro boxer in three different divisions and represented his discipline at UFC 1 on Nov. 12, 1993. He famously wore only one glove into the cage, believing he could jab with that hand and use his power hand, his right, to knock out opponents. But that night, he ran into eventual UFC 1 winner and future MMA legend Royce Gracie. Gracie took Jimmerson down before he could land a punch, and Jimmerson tapped out in 2:18. It was the first submission in UFC history. In later years, Jimmerson trained fighters, ranging from pros to beginners, in the Los Angeles area. "People can say whatever they want about Art Jimmerson," iconic former UFC ref John McCarthy said. "But Art Jimmerson was a man who practiced an art -- the art of boxing -- and became incredibly successful with it. He was brave enough to take that art and test it against...

The Carolina Hurricanes will start rookie goalie Pyotr Kochetkov in Game 3 on Thursday night, trailing the New York Rangers 2-0 in their Eastern Conference second-round series. Starter Freddie Andersen lost Games 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden, stopping 54 of 62 shots (.871 save percentage). That included a 4-3 double-overtime loss on Game 2 on Tuesday. "Freddie's played really well. He's also played a lot. I think giving him a little rest is the best thing," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said Thursday. Although technically a rookie this season, Kochetkov is no playoff novice. He played four games for the Hurricanes in the 2022 playoffs, including two against the Rangers, and appeared in a second-round game against the New Jersey Devils last season. Kochetkov, 24, was 23-13-4 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average in 42 games this season for the Hurricanes. "He's got a different demeanor. That's obvious. Freddie's...

Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft were front and center Sunday in what appeared to be a happy reunion during the live roast of Tom Brady. But according to two former players who attended the roast, the former New England Patriots coach and the longtime team owner also shared some awkward moments offstage. Julian Edelman and Drew Bledsoe discussed the three-hour roast during the latest episode of Edelman's "Games with Names" podcast and described the scene in the green room before the event. "Preshow, we're in the green room -- remember that? Were you in there?" Edelman asked Bledsoe. "Bill's opening up. He's having fun, he's talking war stories, talking rookie skits, talking fun s---, doing s--- we know what Bill's all about, but it was like amplified because he was excited to see you guys because he doesn't have a job anymore." Edelman and Bledsoe said they were both in the green room with Belichick, along with former Patriots stars Rob Gronkowski...

The Indiana Pacers have submitted 78 instances of incorrect or non-calls to the NBA that they felt put them at a disadvantage in Games 1 and 2 against the New York Knicks, a league source told ESPN. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, speaking after Indiana fell behind 2-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 130-121 loss to New York on Wednesday, said the team had identified 29 questionable refereeing decisions from Game 1. The source said the Pacers then identified 49 plays from Game 2 that they felt were incorrectly called or not called at all and submitted them overnight to the NBA office. Carlisle said they had decided not to send the Game 1 calls to the league office for review but reversed that decision after Game 2 had similar officiating issues from their perspective. As part of NBA protocol, the clips will also be shared with the Knicks. "I can promise you that we're going to submit these tonight," Carlisle said after being ejected in the final...

The Toronto Maple Leafs relieved Sheldon Keefe of head-coaching duties Thursday. According to a statement from the club, a search for Keefe's replacement will begin immediately. "Today's decision was difficult," Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said. "Sheldon is an excellent coach and a great man; however, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal. We thank Sheldon for his hard work and dedication to the organization over the last nine years, and wish him and his family all the very best." No determination has been made about the rest of Toronto's coaching staff, which includes assistants Manny Malhotra, Dean Chynoweth and Guy Boucher. Keefe has two years remaining on a contract extension Treliving signed him to in August, which doesn't officially kick in until the 2024-25 season. In a video posted to social media on Thursday, Keefe thanked Maple Leafs' management past and present and said farewell to the fan...

The Philadelphia Union have signed 14-year-old Cavan Sullivan to the largest homegrown contract in Major League Soccer history, with an agreement to transfer the phenom to English Premier League power Manchester City after he turns 18. Philadelphia was not authorized to discuss details about the built-in transfer to Man City, but Sullivan confirmed to ESPN that Man City's involvement contributed to his decision to sign with his hometown club. His older brother, Quinn, 20, has been a first-team player since 2021. "I've always wanted to start my career here because this is my home and I've always been on the sidelines of Quinn's games and I've been in and around the facility when my uncle worked here," Sullivan told ESPN. "So, I've always been inspired and to play in front of this culture, and these fans are special. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) "But I also think the collaboration between the Union and the City...

The New York Giants have signed wide receiver Allen Robinson II, the team announced Thursday. Robinson joins the Giants after one season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who released him March 8 in a cost-cutting move. The wide receiver room in New York gets a bit crowded with the additions of Robinson and Malik Nabers, who was selected sixth overall in the NFL draft out of LSU. The Giants also have Darius Slayton, Jalin Hyatt, Wan'Dale Robinson, Isaiah McKenzie and Isaiah Hodgins, who re-signed earlier this offseason. But Slayton has not been with the team this spring. He has skipped voluntary workouts while he looks for a contract adjustment or extension. The Giants are trying to improve an offense that ranked 31st in passing yards per game last season and had no wide receiver total more than 770 yards or four touchdowns. Robinson, 30, wasn't particularly productive in an overall stagnant offense in...

Boston Celtics lead assistant coach Charles Lee has agreed on a four-year contract to become the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, sources told ESPN on Thursday morning. Lee, 39, had risen to become one of the league's most accomplished assistant coaches and now lands with new executive president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson in Charlotte to preside over the Hornets' rebuild. Lee and Peterson began their NBA careers together with the Atlanta Hawks. Lee will complete the Celtics' playoff run before moving over to join the Hornets on a full-time basis, sources said. Before joining Boston as the top assistant under Joe Mazzulla last summer, Lee spent five years under two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Budenholzer with the Bucks and was a part of Milwaukee's 2021 NBA championship run. Lee replaces Steve Clifford, who stepped down at the end of the season to move into a front office role. Charlotte has a chance to be much improved off a 21-61...

Ownership of the NHL's team in Utah has given fans 20 choices to vote on for the franchise's new name, according to a survey sent out Wednesday by Smith Entertainment Group. The options to choose from are Frost, Ice, Powder, Mountaineers, Freeze, Mammoth, Black Diamonds, Blast, Caribou, Blizzard, Swarm, Hive, Outlaws, Yeti, Squall, Fury, Glaciers, Canyons, Venom and HC, which stands for Hockey Club. Owner Ryan Smith has said the team will have a name starting with Utah. The inaugural season will feature jerseys with the name of the state on them, with a name, logo and colors to debut for 2025-26 after work by the branding company Doubleday & Cartwright. "Utah's NHL team is a community asset, and we want to make sure that the community has a say in what the name is," said Smith, whose group also owns the Utah Jazz. "Utah has shown up for this team from the moment the NHL awarded us the franchise less than three weeks ago, and it is only fitting that our fans get the rare...

The Indiana Pacers have submitted 78 plays that they felt went against them incorrectly during Games 1 and 2 against the New York Knicks, a source told ESPN. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, speaking after Indiana fell behind 2-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 130-121 loss to New York on Wednesday, said the team had identified 29 questionable calls from Game 1. The source said the Pacers identified 49 such plays from Game 2 and submitted them overnight to the NBA office. Carlisle said they had decided not to send the Game 1 calls to the league office for review but changed their mind after Game 2 had similar officiating issues from their perspective. "I decided not to submit them because I just felt like we'd get a more balanced whistle tonight. It didn't feel that way," Carlisle said. "I'm always talking to our guys about not making it about the officials, but we deserve a fair shot." Carlisle received two technical fouls and was ejected late in...

The Indiana Pacers have submitted 78 instances of incorrect or non-calls to the NBA that they felt put them at a disadvantage in Games 1 and 2 against the New York Knicks, a league source told ESPN. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, speaking after Indiana fell behind 2-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 130-121 loss to New York on Wednesday, said the team had identified 29 questionable calls from Game 1. The source said the Pacers identified 49 plays from Game 2, which were incorrectly called or not called at all, and submitted them overnight to the NBA office. Carlisle said they had decided not to send the Game 1 calls to the league office for review but reversed that decision after Game 2 had similar officiating issues from their perspective. As part of NBA protocol, the clips will also be shared with the Knicks. "I can promise you that we're going to submit these tonight," Carlisle said after being ejected in the final minute when he was given two...

NEW YORK -- The Indiana Pacers made an organizational decision to not make officiating an issue either publicly or privately earlier this week when several vital calls went against them in their Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks. But Pacers coach Rick Carlisle abandoned the strategy Wednesday, erupting in the final minute of the Knicks' 130-121 Game 2 victory that gave them a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Carlisle received two technical fouls and was ejected. He was upset about several calls, especially when officials reversed a double-dribble violation that could have given the Pacers a key possession with the game still in doubt. That was the opposite of what happened in Game 1, in which a kicked ball violation was called in error against the Pacers but not corrected, a decision that ended up costing the team three vital points. Carlisle reached his boiling point in Game 2. He said the Pacers identified 29 questionable calls they said went...

NEW YORK -- New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein said he heard the roar from the locker room. Jalen Brunson, who had exited with a right foot injury late in the first quarter of Wednesday night's Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers, had returned to the Madison Square Garden floor during halftime to see if he could push through the pain. The moment he walked through the tunnel, the crowd erupted. It was a noise so loud that Hartenstein and his teammates said they heard it from their lockers, and so intense that Brunson pleaded with fans to tone things down so he could find the mental clarity necessary to test his foot. The MVP chants that the Knicks heard from the locker room, almost like a bat signal, suggested Brunson was back, prepared to lead the way. And indeed, Brunson's return energized the short-handed Knicks in the second half, helping them stage a comeback and push through multiple injuries to beat the Pacers 130-121 to take a 2-0 series lead in...

NEW YORK --  Jalen Brunson left the locker room on an injured leg, walked onto the court and sent the Madison Square Garden crowd into a frenzy, just as Willis Reed had exactly 54 years earlier. As the roars turned into "MVP! MVP!" chants, Brunson tried to block out the pain in his body and the noise all around him as he warmed up at halftime. "It was really cool to hear, but I just knew that I had to get my mind in the right place to figure out how I was going to attack the second half," Brunson said. He shook off his right foot injury to score 24 of his 29 points in the final two quarters, leading the New York Knicks to a 130-121 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. On the anniversary of Reed's dramatic emergence from the locker room before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals to lead the Knicks to their first title, Brunson had missed the entire second quarter while the Pacers surged...

Boston and Florida turned up the heat in Game 2 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series on Wednesday with a heavyweight bout between stars Matthew Tkachuk and David Pastrnak. The visiting Bruins -- who entered with a 1-0 series lead -- were trailing 6-1 with just over seven minutes remaining in the third period when top winger Pastrnak and Panthers forward Tkachuk dropped the gloves in an uncharacteristic fight that Pastrnak was ready to accept when Tkachuk agreed to the challenge. "I'm not afraid of him, to be honest," Pastrnak said. "I can take a punch." The fisticuffs actually appeared to be approved by Bruins coach Jim Montgomery. Cameras showed Montgomery seemingly giving Pastrnak the nod to mix it up with Tkachuk shortly before the two went after one another. Montgomery denied he offered explicit permission, but he wasn't upset over Pastrnak getting physical in the Bruins' eventual 6-1 loss that tied the series as it moves to Boston...

NEW YORK --  New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson returned from injury to the start the second half of Wednesday's Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers after exiting the contest late in the first quarter with a right foot injury. The Knicks, however, lost wing  OG Anunoby to injury in the second half. Brunson could be seen favoring his right foot in the opening minutes of the second half and was playing away from the ball more than he did to start the contest. During timeouts, he appeared to have a heating pad on the foot. But he was still a clear factor in the game, and he prompted the Madison Square Garden crowd to roar when he drew a charge on Myles Turner. Brunson then got MVP chants minutes later when he scored a basket while being fouled. With Brunson back in the game, the Knicks recaptured the lead and maneuvered a 15-point swing in the first 5½ minutes of the third quarter. Brunson missed the final 15½ minutes of the first half after...

Real Madrid forward Joselu said "even my best dreams" couldn't come close to his match-winning Champions League performance on Wednesday, after scoring twice in three minutes to beat Bayern Munich 2-1. Substitute Alphonso Davies had put Bayern ahead in the 68th minute of the semifinal second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, to lead 1-0 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate. However, Joselu levelled in the 88th minute and scored again in the 91st minute -- converting Antonio Rüdiger's cross -- to put Madrid into the final at Wembley in London on June 1, where they'll face Borussia Dortmund. "I don't know about being a hero, but I'm very happy," Joselu told reporters after the match. "You can imagine! It was incredible, spectacular. This team never gives up. Fighting until the end is in its blood." Madrid have now qualified for six Champions League finals in 11 years, having won the competition in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022. They'll have the...

Denver Nuggets superstar  Nikola Jokic continued to add to his legacy as one of the best NBA players ever by winning his third Most Valuable Player trophy on Wednesday. Jokic earned the award for the third time in four seasons, succeeding last season's MVP, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. Jokic topped  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the  Oklahoma City Thunder and  Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, who finished second and third, respectively, in the voting. "It's got to start with the teammates; without them, I cannot do nothing," Jokic said Wednesday on TNT after being named MVP. "Coaches, players, organization, medical staff, strength coaches, development coaches. It is all one big circle. But I cannot be whatever I am without them."  Jokic's third MVP victory wasn't close. He garnered 79 first-place votes and a total of 926 points. Gilgeous-Alexander received 15 first-place votes and 640 points. Doncic claimed four...

CHICAGO -- After attending the Met Gala and playing in a preseason game on back-to-back nights this week, Chicago Sky rookie forward Angel Reese is excited to bring her celebrity and talent to the WNBA. Reese, the No. 7 pick in last month's WNBA draft out of LSU, rubbed shoulders with A-list stars in New York City on Monday, her 22nd birthday. She then traveled back to Chicago on a private plane and scored 13 points in 19 minutes in Tuesday's 101-53 preseason victory over the New York Liberty -- played before only the Sky's season-ticket holders and several prominent athletes, including new  Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. "I took my matchup seriously, I watched film when I was on the plane and I didn't take anything off," Reese said Wednesday during the team's media day. "I wanted to get back. People at the Met Gala were like, 'Are you partying after this?' I'm like, 'No, I've got a game tomorrow. I got to watch film.' I...

Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel said the linesman apologised to him for a late offside call in Bayern's Champions League semifinal exit at the hands of  Real Madrid on Wednesday, while Matthijs de Ligt described the call as a "disgrace." De Ligt thought he had equalised in stoppage time when the ball fell to him in the Madrid box and he struck home, but referee Szymon Marciniak had already stopped play for offside. The match ended in a dramatic 2-1 victory to Madrid minutes later that saw them advance to the final 4-3 on aggregate. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Speaking to TNT Sport, Tuchel said: "It was a disastrous decision from the linesman and the referee. It feels almost like a betrayal in the end because of that decision. It was a huge fight, we left everything on the pitch. We were almost there. Now we have to say congratulations to Real Madrid. "The linesman said sorry ... The referee does not have to flag...

Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel said the linesman apologised to him for a late offside call in Bayern's Champions League semifinal exit at the hands of  Real Madrid on Wednesday, while Matthijs de Ligt described the call as a "disgrace." De Ligt thought he had equalised in stoppage time when the ball fell to him in the Madrid box and he struck home, but referee Szymon Marciniak had already stopped play for offside. The match ended in a dramatic 2-1 victory to Madrid minutes later that saw them advance to the final 4-3 on aggregate. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Speaking to TNT Sport, Tuchel said: "It was a disastrous decision from the linesman and the referee. It feels almost like a betrayal in the end because of that decision. It was a huge fight, we left everything on the pitch. We were almost there. Now we have to say congratulations to Real Madrid. "The linesman said sorry ... The referee does not have to flag...

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, acknowledging that he and his team lost their composure in a Game 2 blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night, said he takes "full responsibility" for his actions. Murray on Tuesday was fined $100,000 for tossing a towel and a heat pack onto the court "in the direction of a game official during live play" in the second quarter of the 106-80 loss. He also avoided a suspension and punishment for making a money sign at an official earlier in the second quarter. Murray on Wednesday didn't have much to say about his actions that endangered players on both teams and Marc Davis' officiating crew or the fine issued by the league. "Nah, I mean it is what it is and I take everything in full responsibility, so on to the next," Murray said when asked whether he had expected the fine and if he felt his punishment was appropriate. "Yeah, on to the next. I mean, two days ago, not much for me to...

The translator allegedly used the money to pay off gambling debts.

Real Madrid showed they remain Europe's comeback kings as Joselu's late double rescued them from the brink of elimination to reach the Champions League final with a dramatic 2-1 second-leg win over Bayern Munich at the Bernabéuon Wednesday. A 4-3 aggregate victorysealed Real's progress to a remarkable sixth Champions League final in 10 years and they will bid for a record-extending 15th title against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on June 1. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) In a repeat of their spectacular semi-final comeback win over Manchester City two years ago, they saw their opponents take the lead after Bayern substitute Alphonso Davies fired home a stunning strike from a counter attack in the 68th minute. But Joselu climbed off the bench to equalise following a calamitous error from Manuel Neuer in the 88th minute and, two minutes later, he shinned a second into the Bayern goal from a...

Ippei Mizuhara agreed Wednesday to plead guilty to federal charges of felony bank fraud and submitting a false tax return after authorities found that he stole nearly $17 million from Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani in order to pay off gambling debts to an illegal sportsbook. Mizuhara, 39, who had been Ohtani's longtime interpreter, is expected to enter his guilty plea in the coming weeks. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. A sentencing date has not been set. The total maximum sentence Mizuhara could receive for both crimes would be 33 years imprisonment and fines of $1.25 million, but in exchange for his plea -- outlined in the agreement released Wednesday -- prosecutors would recommend a reduced sentence. The plea agreement says Mizuhara will be required to pay full restitution, or $16,975,010, to Ohtani. Mizuhara's attorney declined to comment. A spokesperson for Ohtani...

The Pittsburgh Pirates are calling up star prospect Paul Skenes, and the hard-throwing right-hander is expected to debut Saturday at PNC Park against the Chicago Cubs. Considered the best pitching talent in a generation, 21-year-old Skenes will arrive in Pittsburgh after dominating Triple-A, allowing three earned runs in 27⅓ innings and striking out 45 batters. After one of the finest seasons ever for a college pitcher, Skenes went to the Pirates with the No. 1 pick in the July 2023 draft and signed for $9.2 million, the largest bonus for an amateur in baseball history. Pittsburgh limited his workload after a taxing junior season at LSU in which he struck out 209 hitters and walked just 20 in 122⅔ innings while going 13-2 with a 1.69 ERA. Although evaluators believed Skenes to be major-league-ready when Pittsburgh drafted him, the Pirates entered 2024 wanting to build him up slowly and avoid a potential midseason pullback on his innings. By limiting...

Ippei Mizuhara agreed Wednesday to plead guilty to federal charges of felony bank fraud and submitting a false tax return after authorities found that he stole nearly $17 million from Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani in order to pay off gambling debts to an illegal sportsbook. Mizuhara, 39, who had been Ohtani's longtime interpreter, is expected to enter his guilty plea in the coming weeks. His arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. A sentencing date has not been set. The total maximum sentence Mizuhara could receive for both crimes would be 33 years imprisonment and fines of $1.25 million, but in exchange for his plea -- outlined in the agreement released Wednesday -- prosecutors would recommend a reduced sentence. A spokesperson for Ohtani declined to comment, as did the Dodgers. Federal authorities filed the complaint against Mizuhara on April 11, just three weeks after an ESPN...

Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov were named finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award on Wednesday. Voted on by fellow members of the NHL Players' Association, it is presented annually to the most outstanding player in the NHL. Matthews won the trophy in 2021-22 and Kucherov claimed it in 2018-19, while MacKinnon is looking for his first Ted Lindsay Award. Matthews led the NHL with 69 goals and scored a career-high 107 points in 81 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 26-year-old forward became just the 10th player in NHL history to record six or more hat tricks in a season. MacKinnon was second in the league with 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) in 82 games for the Colorado Avalanche. The 28-year-old forward opened the season with a 35-game points streak at home and led the NHL in shots (405). Kucherov set a Tampa Bay franchise record and topped the NHL with 144 points (44 goals, 100 assists) in 81 games for the ...

CLIFTON, N.J. -- History could be beckoning this weekend for Nelly Korda, but the world's current No.1 women's golfer said Wednesday that her busy off-course life has kept those thoughts from entering her mind. "If I'm being honest," Korda said, "I have not thought about it at all." With a win at the Cognizant Founders Cup, Korda would claim her sixth straight tournament victory, setting an LPGA benchmark for consecutive wins. Korda, however, has had plenty to keep her busy to help keep her mind off the record. After catching up on rest after winning the Chevron, Korda hosted her first junior amateur event -- an all-girls tournament last week in her hometown of Bradenton, Florida. On Monday, she was in New York City, walking the carpet at the Met Gala. "I haven't had too much time to think about it," Korda said of the record amid her busy schedule. She said her mind has otherwise been focused on ramping up her training and the course at Upper Montclair Country Club,...

Former Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) chief Luis Rubiales will stand trial for his unsolicited kiss of national team player Jenni Hermoso after a High Court judge admitted the case, the court said Wednesday. Rubiales faces one count of sexual assault and one of coercion for his alleged actions in the aftermath of the kiss. The offences carry prison terms of one year and 18 months, respectively. The High Court said it would also try the former coach of the women's national team Jorge Vilda, the team's current sporting director Albert Luque and the federation's head of marketing Ruben Rivera. All three stand accused of coercing Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual. Rubiales, 46, grabbed Hermoso and kissed her on the lips Aug. 20 during the awards ceremony after Spain's victory in the women's World Cup in Sydney, making global headlines and causing a national debate in Spain about sexism. Hermoso and her teammates said the kiss was unwanted and...

The Milwaukee Brewers reinstated outfielder Christian Yelich from the 10-day injured list ahead of Wednesday's game in Kansas City. Infielder Tyler Black was optioned to Triple-A Nashville to make room for Yelich, who was in the lineup batting third as the designated hitter against the Royals. Yelich, 32, landed on the IL on April 16 with a lower back strain. The 2018 National League MVP has been out of the lineup since April 12 and has periodically dealt with back issues over the past few seasons. He started fast this season, batting .333 with a .422 on-base percentage and .744 slugging percentage in 11 games. He has hit five home runs with 11 RBIs in 39 at-bats. Yelich played for the Miami Marlins from 2013 to 2017 before joining Milwaukee and was an All-Star his first two seasons with the Brewers. He is a career .286 hitter with 198 home runs and 717 RBIs in 1,404 games over 12 years. Black, 23, batted .227 with two doubles and two...

UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley is willing to do whatever it takes to land a fight with Conor McGregor in what could be one of the biggest fights in UFC history. O'Malley appeared on Bradley Martyn's "Raw Talk" podcast and revealed that he would move up from 135 pounds to 155 pounds to secure a fight with McGregor. "He's big nowadays," O'Malley said of McGregor's current weight. A former two-division champion, McGregor will return to the Octagon at UFC 303 after a three-year hiatus to face Michael Chandler. The fight will be contested at a catchweight of 165 pounds. "I'm pretty realistic when it comes to big guys," O'Malley said. "I'm like, 'OK, I'm a 135er. I stay in my lane, and I do my thing.' I could go up to 145; I'd fight [ Alexander Volkanovski], I'd fight Max [Holloway], I'd fight Ilia [Topuria], but I stay in my lane." But the idea of a fight with McGregor is tantalizing enough for O'Malley to swerve out of his...