Sports News

Defending women's singles champion Simona Halep has pulled out of Wimbledon because of injury, the world No. 3 Romanian said on Friday. In May, Halep exited the clay-court event in Rome after suffering a calf injury during her second-round match against Angelique Kerber and subsequently  missed the French Open. "It is with great sadness that I'm announcing my withdrawal from The Championships as my calf injury has not fully recovered," the 29-year-old, who won the title when Wimbledon was last held in 2019, said on Instagram. "I gave it everything I had in order to be ready to play Wimbledon and after having such special memories from two years ago, I was excited and honored to step back on these beautiful courts as defending champion. "Unfortunately, my body didn't cooperate and I'll have to save that feeling for next year." Halep was denied a chance to defend her title when Wimbledon was canceled last year because of the COVID-19...

ATHENS, Aug 24 - The Super League derby between AEK Athens and champions Olympiakos Piraeus, postponed on Sunday because of the wildfires raging on the outskirts of the Greek capital, has been rescheduled for Sept. 23. The match between Panionios and PAOK was also rearranged for the same date, league organisers said on Monday. (Reporting by Graham Wood; Editing by Sonia Oxley; To comment on this story: sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

LOS ANGELES -- Returning from a two-game absence because of the NBA's health and safety protocols to a 106-92 loss in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul wasn't in the mood to reflect on the latest setback he has had to navigate on the playoff stage. "S--- happens, and it did," Paul said of his eight-day isolation period from the team because of testing positive for the coronavirus, even though he was already vaccinated. "I'm here now. So I'm cool." He was less content with his performance on Thursday, going 5-for-19 from the floor and finishing with 15 points, 12 assists and three steals as the LA Clippers drew within 2-1 in the series. "I got to be better. I shot terrible," Paul said. "I've got to pick up the pace. We'll be ready Game 4." He was not ready to play at the start of the conference finals because of COVID-19, as he recalled the moment he received the bad news from Suns senior director of health...

LOS ANGELES -- Not long after the LA Clippers touched down from Phoenix at Los Angeles International Airport at 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday, head coach Ty Lue got in his car and immediately called Paul George. Lue wanted to touch base with his players, starting with George, his All-Star guard who missed two costly free throws late in the Clippers' heartbreaking loss in Game 2 in Phoenix. Lue let George know the crushing defeat was behind them and that the Clippers would not be where they are without him. On Thursday, George bounced back by delivering a near triple-double with 27 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in 43 minutes to lift the Clippers to a season-saving 106-92 win over the Phoenix Suns. The victory was not only the Clippers' first ever in the Western Conference finals but their third straight Game 3 win this postseason after falling behind 2-0. The Clippers will attempt to do what they did in the previous two rounds by evening this...

LOS ANGELES -- Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker said he received eight shots of a numbing agent when his broken nose was put back in place between Games 2 and 3 of the Western Conference finals. Then, wearing a clear mask to protect his face, Booker went out and missed twice that many shots in Thursday's 106-92 loss to the LA Clippers in Game 3. Booker, who came into the night averaging 28.3 points in the playoffs, went just 5-for-21 from the field (1-for-7 from 3) and finished with 15 points as the Clippers snapped the Suns' nine-game postseason winning streak to draw within 2-1 in the series. It was just the third time in Booker's career that he played 40 or more minutes and scored 15 points or fewer, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Despite his struggles, the All-Star guard wouldn't blame his scoring woes on his nose, which he broke in three places during a head-on collision with Clippers guard Patrick Beverley in Game 2 on...

The Chicago Cubs threw their first combined no-hitter in franchise history as four pitchers shut down the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 on Thursday night. It's the seventh no-hitter in baseball this season, the most ever before July 1 and tied for the most in a season since 1900, when the modern era began. The twist on Thursday night's no-hitter is that the three relievers who finished the game, after starter Zach Davies came out after six innings, didn't know the Dodgers were hitless until after they pitched. "The whole bullpen had no idea," lefty Andrew Chafin said afterward. "It was completely oblivious. In our defense, from that bullpen, our perspective on the field, all we can see is like batting averages and the count and stuff like that." Davies pitched the first six innings without giving up a hit but was pulled for a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh inning after 94 pitches. His pitch count was simply too high to complete what he started,...

The Dallas Mavericks are finalizing a deal to make Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd the franchise's new head coach, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is also close to hiring longtime Nike executive Nico Harrison to a front-office leadership position, sources said. Cuban and Harrison, who is close to Kidd, have had in-depth discussions about the coaching candidates and identified Kidd as the target, sources said. Sources said that Kidd has begun the early stages of assembling a coaching staff. The Mavs are optimistic that vice president of basketball operations Michael Finley will remain with the franchise and work alongside Harrison, sources said. Harrison, who has been pursued by other teams for front-office roles, has well-established connections with players throughout the NBA stemming from his two decades with Nike. He has a strong relationship with Luka Doncic, having played an instrumental role in the Mavs star shifting...

The Montreal Canadiens are going to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993. Montreal defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in Game 6 at home in overtime on Thursday to continue its improbable run. Artturi Lehkonen scored the winning goal 1:39 into OT. No Canadian team has hoisted the Stanley Cup since Montreal won in 1993. Few predicted the Habs would be the last Canadian team standing this year. Ahead of the postseason, Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill listed Montreal at +3500 to win the Cup. Montreal had the worst regular-season record (.527 points percentage) of any team in the playoff field. "Honestly, we wouldn't be here right now if we didn't believe," goaltender Carey Price said. "We always kind of stuck with it, not doubting ourselves." The last Canadian team to reach the Stanley Cup Final was the 2011 Vancouver Canucks. Before this current 28-year title drought, the longest the NHL had gone without awarding a...

The NFL has approved a plan in which teams can wear alternate helmets with their throwback uniforms starting in 2022, according to league spokesman Brian McCarthy. McCarthy tweeted Thursday that teams must tell the NFL of their plans for an alternate-color helmet for the 2022 season by July 31, even though they won't be used for another year. The use of a second helmet was dropped in 2013 over concerns that wearing more than one helmet might not be safe for players. As those concerns have eased, clubs have lobbied for a second helmet because options for alternate jerseys were expanded in 2018, the league said in a memo sent to teams and obtained by The Associated Press and other media outlets. The second helmet can be worn only with so-called classic, alternate or Color Rush jerseys, and all players must be fitted for both helmets before training camp, the league wrote in the memo. But an additional helmet design would likely be most popular with throwback looks, which...

LSU has reached a deal with Arizona coach Jay Johnson to be the Tigers' next head baseball coach, sources confirmed to ESPN. Johnson guided Arizona to two College World Series appearances in his six seasons in Tucson, including a trip this season where the Wildcats lost to Vanderbilt and Stanford. An official announcement by LSU is expected Friday. Johnson replaces Paul Mainieri, who resigned after 15 seasons at LSU. The Tigers lost in the Super Regional this season to Tennessee. Their last College World Series appearance came in 2017. Johnson was 208-114 at Arizona. He led the Wildcats to the national championship game in his first season, where they lost to Coastal Carolina. He takes over an LSU program that has won six national championships, the last coming in 2009. D1Baseball.com first reported the hire.

The Dallas Mavericks are progressing in talks to make Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd the franchise's new head coach, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is also close to hiring a new general manager, who has signed off on the Kidd candidacy, sources said. Cuban and the soon-to-be hired executive have had in-depth discussions about the coaching candidates and identified Kidd as the target, sources said. The Mavericks have offered longtime Nike executive Nico Harrison a front-office leadership position and are optimistic that vice president of basketball operations Michael Finley will remain with the franchise, sources said. Harrison, who has been pursued by other teams for front-office roles, has well-established connections with players throughout the NBA stemming from his two decades with Nike. He has a strong relationship with Luka Doncic, having played an instrumental role in the Mavs star shifting from Nike to the Jordan brand in the...

LSU is set to hire Arizona's Jay Johnson as its next baseball coach, according to multiple reports. He replaces Paul Mainieri, who retired after 15 seasons in Baton Rouge. Johnson, 44, had a 208-114 record in six seasons at Arizona and guided the Wildcats to the College World Series twice. Arizona lost to Coastal Carolina in the 2016 championship series and went 0-2 in Omaha this season. Arizona finished the year 45-18 overall, and 21-9 in the Pac-12, winning the conference title and earning Johnson Pac-12 coach of the year honors. Mainieri, meanwhile, retired after LSU fell to Tennessee in the NCAA Super Regionals earlier this month. He coached 39 seasons total in college, including the last 15 at LSU. D1Baseball.com first reported the hire.

Giannis Antetokounmpo should have been whistled for a 10-second violation on each of his two free throws with 5.3 seconds left in the Bucks' 116-113 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 in Milwaukee on Wednesday, meaning the two made shots should not have counted, the NBA said in its Last Two Minute Report on Thursday. With Atlanta leading by three, Hawks forward Solomon Hill fouled Antetokounmpo by wrapping him up rather than letting him get an easy basket. After Antetokounmpo made both free throws to bring the Bucks to within one, Trae Young made a pair of his own at the other end. Milwaukee's Khris Middleton then missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer, and the Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. The length of Antetokounmpo's free throw routine has been a hot topic throughout the playoffs. He was called for a 10-second violation in Milwaukee's Game 1 victory in the first round over the Miami...

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Thursday that they released six-time Pro Bowl guard David DeCastro.  DeCastro was released with a non-football injury designation. The Steelers later agreed to terms with former Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner on a one-year deal, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told ESPN's Adam Schefter. DeCastro told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Thursday that he needs ankle surgery. "I have to get surgery on my ankle a third time," DeCastro told the newspaper. "I tried to fix it last year but the bone spurs kept coming back. It nagged me pretty bad all last year." When asked by the outlet if he still wants to play, DeCastro said, "Gotta see how the surgery goes, but I'd have no problem calling it a day and moving on with my life." DeCastro didn't participate in minicamp recently. When asked a week ago about DeCastro, coach Mike Tomlin said, "If I thought injury circumstances or reasons why people were not participating were...

The Dallas Mavericks are progressing in talks to make Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd the franchise's new head coach, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is also close to hiring a new general manager, who has signed off on the Kidd candidacy, sources said. Cuban and the soon-to-be hired executive have had in-depth discussions about the coaching candidates and identified Kidd as the target, sources said. Kidd, who had two stints with the Mavericks during his playing career and starred on the 2010-11 championship team, has had the support of Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki and others who have been advising Cuban. Nowitzki recently returned to the franchise as a special advisor to assist Cuban in the searches for a new lead basketball executive and head coach in the wake of the departures of Donnie Nelson and Rick Carlisle.   Carlisle, who resigned after a 13-season tenure in Dallas, offered an unsolicited endorsement of Kidd as his...

MIAMI -- Heat guard Tyler Herro was working out Thursday morning with assistant coaches Chris Quinn and Eric Glass when they were told there was a more pressing need. Before long, Herro, Quinn and Glass had left the team's arena for the short drive north to Surfside, Florida, where a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed around 1:30 a.m. At least three people were killed, nearly a hundred were unaccounted for and teams of rescuers were searching the rubble with hope of finding anyone alive. The Heat trio helped load a truck with water, food and other essentials. The Heat weren't the only Miami-based professional sports franchise to offer help. The  Miami Marlins announced that they sent three vans filled with meals and water for rescue workers and essential items for residents displaced by the collapse.  "This is 12 miles from our arena," said Steve Stowe, Heat vice president and charitable fund executive director. "We heard about this, and...

The Pittsburgh Steelers released six-time Pro Bowl guard David DeCastro on Thursday, the team announced.  DeCastro was released with a non-football injury designation. The 31-year-old has been battling ankle issues and evaluating whether surgery is required, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, adding that retirement is a strong option for him. He didn't participate in minicamp recently. When asked a week ago about DeCastro, coach Mike Tomlin said, "If I thought injury circumstances or reasons why people were not participating were significant, I would share them with you." The Steelers also brought in Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner for a visit last week, and while they continue to have interest in him, sources told Fowler that nothing is imminent.  DeCastro was in the final year of his contract with a $14.2 million cap hit. Releasing him saves the Steelers $8.75 million in cap space. He was the Steelers' first-round pick (24th overall) in the 2012...

Six-time Stanley Cup champion Mark Messier is joining ESPN on a multiyear agreement to contribute to the network's NHL coverage beginning next season. Messier will be a studio analyst when NHL games return to ABC, ESPN, ESPN+ and Hulu for the 2021-22 season. "The game of hockey, and the NHL, have afforded me enormous opportunity, success and experiences on the ice and in my life," Messier said in a statement announcing the news. "My passion for the game is as strong as it has ever been and I am looking forward to sharing that passion, plus my insights and analysis with the sport's incredible fans. The NHL is beginning a new era with ESPN and The Walt Disney Company -- with an exciting, evolving game and phenomenally talented players -- and I am thrilled to be a part of the team." Messier was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007 after a 25-year NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. He is ninth all time...

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced on Thursday they've released six-time Pro Bowl guard David DeCastro. DeCastro was released with a non-football injury designation. He was in the final year of his contract with a $14.2 million cap hit. Releasing him saves the Steelers $8.75 million in cap space. DeCastro didn't participate in minicamp recently, and the Steelers also brought in Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner for a visit last week. DeCastro was the Steelers' first-round pick (24th overall) in the 2012 draft. "David was without a doubt one of the premier offensive linemen during his time with us," Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement. "He helped us win a lot of football games, but it was David's consistency, reliability and professionalism that stood out more than anything else. We wish him the best moving forward in his career." When asked a week ago about DeCastro, coach Mike Tomlin said: "If I thought injury circumstances or reasons why...

The NFL has approved a plan where teams can wear alternate helmets with their throwback uniforms starting in 2022, according to league spokesman Brian McCarthy. McCarthy tweeted Thursday that teams must tell the NFL of their plans for an alternate color helmet for the 2022 season by July 31, even though they won't be used for another year. The use of a second helmet was dropped in 2013 over concerns that wearing more than one helmet might not be safe for players. As those concerns have eased, clubs have lobbied for a second helmet because options for alternate jerseys were expanded in 2018, the league said in a memo sent to teams and obtained by The Associated Press and other media outlets. The second helmet can only be worn with so-called classic, alternate or color rush jerseys, and all players must be fitted for both helmets before training camp, the league wrote in the memo. But an additional helmet design would likely be most popular with throwback looks, which...

The NFL on Thursday approved that teams can wear alternate helmets with their throwback uniforms starting in 2022, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Teams have been limited to one helmet since 2013, when the rule was put in place for safety reasons. According to ProFootballTalk, the second helmet could also be used with an alternate or Color Rush uniform. But allowing an additional helmet design would likely be most popular with throwback looks, which could include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' white helmet with an orange buccaneer logo, the New England Patriots' Pat Patriot look and the Tennessee Titans' Oilers throwback.

Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul is officially available for Game 3 against the LA Clippers, the team announced Thursday. Paul had been in the league's health and safety protocols since June 16 and missed the first two games of the Western Conference finals against the Clippers. Phoenix leads the series 2-0. Game 3 is Thursday night in Los Angeles. Before being sidelined, the 36-year-old Paul had averaged 25.5 points on 62.7% shooting while dishing out 41 assists against five turnovers in a four-game sweep of the Denver Nuggets in the second round. Meanwhile, Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for Thursday's game. He hasn't played since June 14 because of a sprained right knee.

A week after resigning from the Dallas Mavericks, Rick Carlisle has agreed to a four-year deal to return to the Indiana Pacers as head coach, he told ESPN. The deal is worth $29 million plus incentives, sources said. The Pacers announced Carlisle's hiring on Thursday afternoon but did not disclose terms of his contract. Carlisle spent 13 seasons in Dallas, becoming the franchise's winningest coach with a 555-478 record and leading the Mavs to the franchise's only championship in 2010-11. His resignation came a day after the franchise parted ways with longtime president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, but Carlisle said the front-office changes in Dallas had nothing to do with his decision. "You never want to get to a point where you ever feel like you're overstaying your welcome, and I just felt like this is the right time," Carlisle said Thursday. "I just have such great respect for [Mavs owner Mark Cuban] and everyone there, and I'm...

A week after resigning from the Dallas Mavericks, Rick Carlisle has agreed to a four-year deal to return to the Indiana Pacers as head coach, he told ESPN. The deal is worth $29 million plus incentives, sources said. Carlisle spent 13 seasons in Dallas, becoming the franchise's winningest coach with a 555-478 record and leading the Mavs to the franchise's only championship in 2010-11. His resignation came a day after the franchise parted ways with longtime president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, but Carlisle said the front office changes in Dallas had nothing to do with his decision. "You never want to get to a point where you ever feel like you're overstaying your welcome, and I just felt like this is the right time," Carlisle said Thursday. "I just have such great respect for [Mavs owner Mark Cuban] and everyone there, and I'm fortunate to move on to another great opportunity." Cuban has said that he plans to hire a new head of basketball...

Rick Carlisle is returning to Indiana after agreeing to a four-year deal to become the head coach of the Pacers again, he told ESPN. The deal is worth $29 million plus incentives, sources said. "It's a team of skilled, unselfish guys that play hard. It's always possible that moves could be made before the season, but I think [GM Kevin Pritchard] and I are both very excited about getting the roster healthy and seeing what this team can be," Carlisle said. The Pacers are hiring Carlisle a week after he resigned as the Dallas Mavericks' head coach. Carlisle spent 13 seasons in Dallas, becoming the franchise's winningest coach with a 555-478 record and leading the Mavs to the franchise's only championship in 2010-11. Carlisle previously coached the Pacers for four seasons (2003-04 to 2006-07), compiling a 181-147 record and making the playoffs three times, including an Eastern Conference finals appearance in 2003-04. He also was a top assistant under Larry...

Rick Carlisle is returning to Indiana after agreeing to a four-year deal to become the head coach of the Pacers again, sources told ESPN. The deal is worth $29 million plus incentives, sources said. The Pacers are hiring Carlisle a week after he resigned as the Dallas Mavericks' head coach. Carlisle spent 13 seasons in Dallas, becoming the franchise's winningest coach with a 555-478 record and leading the Mavs to the franchise's only championship in 2010-11. Carlisle previously coached the Pacers for four seasons (2003-04 to 2006-07), compiling a 181-147 record and making the playoffs three times, including an Eastern Conference finals appearance in 2003-04. He also was a top assistant under Larry Bird for three seasons (1997-98 to 1999-2000). He replaces Nate Bjorkgren, who was fired earlier this month after one season. The Pacers' five-year playoff streak ended this season when they lost to the Washington Wizards in a play-in tournament...

The Seattle Kraken have named Dave Hakstol as their first head coach. "I view it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of something that we have an opportunity to build from the ground up," Hakstol said Thursday. "Communication is going to be very, very important, not only over the next few weeks of building the roster, but from there, it's planning on how everything fits together." Hakstol, 52, was an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs for the past two seasons. He previously coached the Philadelphia Flyers for three and a half seasons before he was fired in the 2018-19 season. When he was hired by Philadelphia in 2015, Hakstol -- a longtime coach at the University of North Dakota -- became the first head coach to jump from the NCAA to the NHL in 33 years. The Kraken begin play next season as the NHL's 32nd franchise. They will hold their expansion draft on July 21, using the same rules as when the Vegas Golden Knights joined the league in...

Discussions on Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons' future with the franchise started in Chicago this week and included Simmons' agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, and Sixers management, sources told ESPN. Paul met with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand at the pre-draft combine to begin evaluating the next steps in Simmons' Sixers career, sources said. Paul engaged the Sixers on whether it makes sense to work together to find a trade before the start of next season, but no request was made and the sides are expected to continue talking ahead of the July 29 NBA draft and August free agency, sources said. The 76ers are committed to keeping Simmons as a central piece of their franchise, sources said. Simmons, 24, has four years and $147 million left on his contract. After Simmons' season ended with a frustrating performance in a seven-game Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Sixers...

Discussions on Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons' future with the franchise started in Chicago this week and included Simmons' agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, and Sixers management, sources told ESPN. Paul met with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand at the pre-draft combine to begin evaluating the next steps in Simmons' Sixers career, sources said. Paul engaged the Sixers on whether it makes sense to work together to find a trade before the start of next season, but no request was made and the sides are expected to continue talking ahead of the July 29 NBA draft and August free agency, sources said. Simmons, 24, has four years and $147 million left on his contract. After Simmons' season ended with a frustrating performance in a seven-game Eastern Conference semifinals loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Sixers are remaining publicly committed to a summer of work on his shooting and a reexamination of...

Chris Nikic, the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman triathlon, will be honored with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at The ESPYS on July 10 (8 p.m. ET/ABC). The award is given to a person in the sporting world who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance and determination. In November 2020, Nikic, then 21, finished a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile marathon run at the Ironman Florida competition in Panama City Beach in 16 hours, 46 minutes and 9 seconds -- 14 minutes under the 17-hour cutoff time. Throughout his training and completion of the race, Nikic inspired others to follow in his footsteps: spreading his message to be "1 percent better" every single day, in every aspect of life. Nikic also is a nominee in the " Best Athlete with a Disability, Men's Sports" category. "Wow, what an honor to receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance and to be included with such an amazing group of people," Nikic said. "As...

Through Aug. 23 YTD Top Last Week Rank Name Points Wins 10's Finish Change 1. Tiger Woods 3,431 5 11 DNP - 2. Steve Stricker 2,155 2 8 DNP - 3. Zach Johnson 2,019 2 7 DNP - 4. Kenny Perry 1,993 2 7 DNP - 5. Lucas Glover 1,742 1 5 T24 - 6. Phil Mickelson 1,630 2 6 DNP - 7. Y.E. Yang 1,621 2 4 DNP - 8. Geoff Ogilvy 1,603 2 4 DNP - 9. Brian Gay 1,540 2 4 DNP - 10. Sean O'Hair 1,474 1 6 DNP - 11. Retief Goosen 1,459 1 4 DNP - 12. David Toms 1,394 7 T24 +1 13. Nick Watney 1,388 1 3 DNP -1 14. Hunter Mahan 1,282 6 DNP - 15. Stewart Cink 1,225 1 4 DNP - 16. Jim Furyk 1,188 7 DNP - 17. Rory...

MILWAUKEE -- Trae Young shook free from Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, one of the NBA's best defenders, and found himself with acres of space between himself and Bucks forward Bobby Portis. And then the superstar guard for the Atlanta Hawks, with more time than he knew what to do with, decided to do a little shimmy before he let a 3-pointer fly, like so many of Young's other shots in the Hawks' 116-113 win in Wednesday's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, that softly settled into the bottom of the net. "I mean, I had a lot of time," Young, who finished with 48 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists in 41 minutes, would say later with a smile. "I had a lot of time. "I was kind of tired a little bit, so I had a little second to get a deep breath, and knock it down." That Atlanta has made it this far has surprised practically everyone. That it has become only the fourth team in NBA history to win three Game 1s on the road in...

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- The Tampa Bay Lightning had no update on the health of leading scorer Nikita Kucherov, who was injured on his first shift of their Game 6 loss Wednesday night. The Islanders won the game, 3-2 in overtime, to force Game 7 on Friday night in Tampa, Florida. "It sucks to lose Kuch like that early," Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said of Kucherov, who leads all playoff scorers with 27 points in 17 games. "Guys battled. We played short the rest of the game." In the first period, Kucherov was cross-checked by New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield in front of referee Chris Lee, who didn't whistle a penalty on the play. Kucherov continued his shift, throwing a check on Islanders forward Mathew Barzal. He eventually doubled over in pain, and then left the ice for the trainers' room. Kucherov did not return, having played only 46 seconds in the Lightning loss, leaving the ice just 2:22 into the...

Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul is listed by the team as probable for Game 3 against the LA Clippers. Meanwhile, Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for Thursday's game in Los Angeles. He hasn't played since June 14 because of a sprained right knee. Paul has been in the league's health and safety protocols since last Wednesday and missed the first two games of the Western Conference finals against the Clippers. ESPN's Dave McMenamin and Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday that there was optimism within the Suns organization that Paul could return for Game 3. Phoenix leads the series 2-0. Before being sidelined, the 36-year-old Paul averaged 25.5 points on 62.7% shooting while dishing out 41 assists against five turnovers in a four-game sweep of the Denver Nuggets in the second round.

Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul is listed by the team as probable for Thursday's Game 3 against the LA Clippers. Paul has been in the league's health and safety protocols since last Wednesday and he's missed the first two games of the Western Conference finals against the Clippers. ESPN's Dave McMenamin and Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday that there was optimism within the Suns organization that Paul could return for Game 3. Phoenix leads the series 2-0. Before being sidelined, the 36-year-old Paul averaged 25.5 points on 62.7% shooting while dishing out 41 assists against five turnovers in a four-game sweep of the Denver Nuggets in the second round.

NEW YORK -- On-field exams of pitchers started Monday, a week after Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announced a crackdown on unauthorized grip substances. How's it going so far? Depends on who you ask. While players throughout baseball have offered several different takes -- many have been outspoken and demonstrative, both in their media availabilities and in their mannerisms on the field -- one person is unfazed by the fallout, and is as determined now as he was last week. That's the man in charge of it all. In an interview with The Athletic this week, in fact, the commissioner expressed satisfaction with early returns ... or lack thereof. "My view is the first two days have gone very well," he told the website on Wednesday. "We've had no ejections [for foreign substances], players in general have been extremely cooperative, the inspections have taken place quickly and between innings. Frankly, the data suggests that we are making progress with respect to the...

The NFL has informed its teams that it will accept bids from cities other than Indianapolis to host its annual scouting combine beginning in 2023, a source confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday. According to the source, all NFL teams will have the opportunity to let the league know whether they have interest in hosting the combine as well as upcoming NFL drafts and Super Bowls. The combine has been held in Indianapolis since 1987, though only the medical portion was held this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2022 combine is scheduled to be held there as well. Indianapolis is expected to make a bid to continue hosting the event, but starting in 2023, it will have competition. The Indianapolis Business Journal was the first to report the development, which is the result of the NFL's continued push to evolve its marquee events. The success the league has had in rotating the location of the draft in recent years is part of the motivation for trying the same thing with the combine....

New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso will defend his Home Run Derby title in Colorado on July 12, but Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who fell short by one home run in 2019, said Wednesday that he is sitting out the event. Guerrero, who is tied for the major league lead with 23 home runs, told reporters he wanted to "take care of myself physically and mentally" in order to stay fresh for the second half of the season.  "I feel good physically,'' Guerrero said through an interpreter. "Everything is going well. There is a long way to go still. I just want to keep it that way.'' Alonso won the Home Run Derby the last time it was held, in 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Alonso edged Guerrero by a score of 23-22 in the final round to capture the Derby title. There was no Derby last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alonso, 26, has 11 home runs this season, but he has three career homers in six games at Coors Field in Denver. "I had so...

USA Basketball finalized its star-laden roster for the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday, getting pledges from Chicago Bulls guard  Zach LaVine and Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant, while Brooklyn Nets star James Harden had to withdraw because of a hamstring injury, USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo told ESPN. The team will be highlighted by Kevin Durant, who will go for his third gold medal. He and former Golden State Warriors teammate Draymond Green are the only returning members of the 2016 team that won gold at the Rio Olympics. But the roster is stacked with All-Stars playing in their first Olympics, including Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, Bam Adebayo and  Jayson Tatum. Kevin Love, who was on the 2012 gold-medal-winning squad in London, is also on the team. Three players on the roster -- Milwaukee Bucks stars Khris Middleton and ...

The Boston Celtics are finalizing an agreement with Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka to make him the franchise's new coach, sources told ESPN. Udoka will replace Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who stepped down as coach earlier this month to replace Danny Ainge running the franchise's basketball operations. Udoka, 43, separated himself quickly in the search process, sources said, and his candidacy was boosted with strong recommendations from key Celtics stars -- including Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart -- who played for Udoka on Team USA in the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Udoka was an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs for seven seasons under coach Gregg Popovich. He left San Antonio to join Brett Brown's staff in Philadelphia two years ago and moved on to Brooklyn under Steve Nash this season. He spent several years in pro basketball as a player, including stops with the Lakers, ...

UFC fighter Luis Pena was arrested Friday on charges of robbery by sudden snatching, battery and criminal mischief after a fight with his girlfriend, a spokesperson for the Coral Springs (Florida) Police Department said. The fighter remains in the Broward County Detention Center, awaiting transport to Palm Beach County. He cannot be released on bail until after he's transported. According to a domestic violence probable cause affidavit, obtained Wednesday by ESPN from the Boca Raton Police Department, Pena and his girlfriend had an altercation June 14. The woman told police that Pena accused her of looking at other men on Instagram, then grabbed her iPhone and threw it down on the ground, causing it to shatter and break. Robbery by sudden snatching is a potential felony in Florida. After that, Pena and the woman got into a physical fight that included pushing and punching each other, she told officers. The woman ended up with a small laceration on the left side of her lip...

The coach condemned the incident as "unacceptable and racist in nature."

New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso announced Wednesday that he will defend his Home Run Derby title in Colorado on July 12. Alonso won the Home Run Derby the last time it was held, in 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Alonso edged  Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. by a score of 23-22 in the final round to capture the Derby title. There was no Derby last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alonso, 26, has 11 home runs this season, but has three career homers in six games at Coors Field in Denver. The first baseman will be joined by  Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani, who shares the MLB lead of 23 homers this season with Guerrero, who is not participating in this year's Home Run Derby.

Former Washington Football Team running back Derrius Guice had four misdemeanor charges, including three counts of assault and battery, against him dropped Wednesday morning after a settlement was reached with his ex-girlfriend. Guice had been arrested on domestic violence charges in Loudoun County, Virginia, in August, stemming from three separate incidents earlier in 2020 at his home in Ashburn, Virginia. Guice had allegedly pushed the woman to the ground three different times. If convicted, Guice could have served jail time. Washington released him two hours after his arrest.  Details of the settlement were not disclosed. According to Virginia law, some charges can be dropped if the victim states in writing that they are satisfied with the injury compensation. A release by the commonwealth's attorney's office said that this "process permits the parties to control the direction and outcome of such matters." Both Guice and the woman appeared in court and...

Former Washington Football Team running back Derrius Guice had four misdemeanor charges, including three counts of assault and battery, against him dropped Wednesday morning after a settlement was reached with his ex-girlfriend. Guice had been arrested on domestic violence charges in Loudoun County, Virginia, in August, stemming from three separate incidents earlier in 2020 at his home in Ashburn, Virginia. Guice had allegedly pushed the woman to the ground three different times. If convicted, Guice could have served jail time. Washington released him two hours after his arrest.  Details of the settlement were not disclosed. According to Virginia law, some charges can be dropped if the victim states in writing that they are satisfied with the injury compensation. A release by the Commonwealth Attorney's office said that this "process permits the parties to control the direction and outcome of such matters." Both Guice and the woman appeared in court and requested...

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Philadelphia Phillies manager Joe Girardi was playing games when he spurred the umpires to check Max Scherzer for foreign substances on Tuesday night and embarrassed everyone in the process. "It's embarrassing for Girardi, it's embarrassing for the Phillies, it's embarrassing for baseball," Rizzo said Wednesday during an interview with The Sports Junkies on 106.7 The Fan. Girardi became animated and pointed toward Scherzer in the middle of the fourth inning on Tuesday after the Nationals' ace struck out Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm and then took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair, which was saturated with sweat. That spurred the umpires, led by plate arbiter Tim Timmons, to confer on the field. They then approached Scherzer, who had been watching them and laughing ironically, and requested a mid-inning inspection. Scherzer responded by tossing his cap and glove onto the...

* Flintoff brilliantly runs out Ponting * Three wickets fall for 16 runs By John Mehaffey LONDON, Aug 23 - Two dramatic run-outs in the space of six balls accounted for Australia's two best batsmen on the fourth day of the fifth and final Ashes test against England on Sunday. Captain Ricky Ponting was brilliantly run out by Andrew Flintoff for 66 with a direct hit on the stumps while Michael Clarke failed to score after straying out of his crease. At tea Australia, set a world record 546 to win, were 265 for five. The Australians, who need at least a draw to retain the Ashes, battled to 217 for two in the afternoon session when Michael Hussey pushed Steve Harmison to mid-on where Flintoff grabbed the ball and threw down the stumps at the striker's end with a magnificent throw. Ponting was narrowly short of his ground after hesitating briefly. The Australian skipper, playing probably his last Ashes test in England, had added 127 for the third wicket with Hussey in a stubborn...

PHOENIX -- Deandre Ayton couldn't stop smiling after the Phoenix Suns' 104-103 win on Tuesday gave them a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals over the LA Clippers. The big man wore a permagrin as he basked in the joy that came from dunking home the go-ahead bucket in the game's final second, finishing one of the most dramatic alley-oops in NBA playoff history, but he didn't want any of the credit. "I'll start off by saying that's definitely Jae [Crowder's] game winner, making a great pass for a 7-footer," Ayton said after his dunk with 0.7 seconds left lifted his final line to 24 points on 12-for-15 shooting and 14 rebounds. Seemingly no one on the Suns wanted the solo spotlight as the franchise drew within two wins of its first NBA Finals appearance since 1993. Not Suns coach Monty Williams for drawing up the play. He said he stole parts of former Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown's and former Phoenix coach Joe Prunty's...

LAS VEGAS --  Marc-Andre Fleury said he doesn't think "there's any panic" with his team, but the Vegas Golden Knights are now facing elimination and something is not quite right. "Obviously, not where we want to be, right?" Fleury said after a dismal 4-1 loss at home on Tuesday to the Montreal Canadiens. "But I don't think there's any panic. We all wanted to do better tonight, and it's disappointing. But I put it in the past." With the Game 5 loss -- Montreal's second win at Vegas' vaunted home arena in three tries -- the Golden Knights have fallen behind 3-2 in the best-of-seven semifinal series. Game 6 is Thursday in Montreal. Coach Peter DeBoer turned back to Fleury after benching him in Game 4 in favor of Robin Lehner. While Fleury allowed three goals on 25 shots, goaltending is far from Vegas' biggest issue. On Tuesday, the Golden Knights had trouble connecting on passes or even getting through the neutral zone -- which Montreal was...

Two days into Major League Baseball's revamped enforcement of a crackdown on sticky stuff, a couple of things are clear. First, no one, no matter his stature, is above suspicion. Just ask Cooperstown-bound ace Max Scherzer. Second, if MLB expected a smooth integration of its newest guidelines into the flow of its games, that appears to be unlikely. Just ask anyone who saw Tuesday's game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Nationals. Scherzer was inspected three times for the use of foreign substances on the baseball during his five-inning outing against Philadelphia. The first two inspections, coming after the first and third innings, were ostensibly part of the new normal, as starting pitchers have been told that they can expect two inspections per outing. It was the third inspection, which was instigated by Philadelphia manager Joe Girardi, that set off a firestorm. "These are Manfred rules," Scherzer, referring to MLB...