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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder beat the rested Timberwolves 114-88 in Game 1 of West finals
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 of his 31 points in the second half, and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-88 in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP finalist, had nine assists. He made 8 of 14 field goals after halftime. Julius Randle scored 28 points for Minnesota, but just eight in the second half. Anthony Edwards, who had been averaging 26.5 points per game in the playoffs, was held to 18 points on 5-of-13 shooting. Oklahoma City was just two days removed from eliminating Denver in Game 7 of the conference semifinals. Minnesota hadn’t played in a week.
Reigning Stanley Cup champ Florida Panthers beat Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in Eastern final opener
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carter Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad scored two tone-setting first-period goals while Sergei Bobrovsky remained strong in net as the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in Tuesday night’s opener of their Eastern Conference final series. A.J. Greer added a goal by finishing off a perfect 2-on-1 transition chance in the second period for Florida. Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen scored in the third period. Sebastian Aho and Jackson Blake scored Carolina’s lone goals in the opener of a series that is a rematch of the 2023 Eastern final. Game 2 is Thursday night at Carolina.
NFL owners unanimously approve player participation in Olympic flag football for 2028
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — NFL owners unanimously approved player participation in flag football for the 2028 Olympics at their spring meetings on Tuesday. The vote authorized the league to negotiate safety provisions and scheduling logistics with the NFL Players Association and relevant international and national team governing bodies before it becomes reality during the Summer Games in Los Angeles. No more than one player per NFL club would be permitted. Olympic rosters will be selected by the national committees for each country.
Panthers look every bit like reigning Stanley Cup champs in routing Hurricanes to open Eastern final
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Florida Panthers showed their championship mettle from last year’s run to the Stanley Cup by taking control early in their 5-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes to open the Eastern Conference final Tuesday night. Florida scored two tone-setting goals in the first period and never trailed. They also got goals from five different players. That came roughly 48 hours after they had to win a Game 7 on the road to advance here. They beat a Hurricanes team that had won all five of their home games in the playoffs so far.
Knicks and Pacers set for Round 9 in their playoff rivalry, with the winner going to the NBA Finals
GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — When Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton glared at each other in a WWE wrestling ring last summer, it seemed like a fitting next step in the rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks that’s already featured headbutts and chokes. The teams go at it again starting Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Knicks’ first trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 25 years, with the winner of their ninth playoff matchup headed to the NBA Finals. The Knicks and Pacers met six times in an eight-year span starting in 1993, then again last year when Indiana won Game 7 at Madison Square Garden in the second round.
Zakai Zeigler, SEC’s 2-time defensive player of year, suing NCAA to play 5th season in 5 years
Two-time Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year Zakai Zeigler is suing the NCAA over rules limiting him to four seasons in a five-year window. The lawsuit argues that rule is an unlawful restraint of trade under both federal and Tennessee laws. Zeigler played four seasons at Tennessee before graduating in May. He helped the Vols to consecutive Elite Eight berths. A statement from his attorneys says Zeigler has asked for an injunction allowing him to start preparing for next season. The lawsuit estimates that Zeigler could earn up to $4 million by playing a fifth season.
NBA playoff guide: Who plays when, how to watch, what the odds are
For the first time in 25 years, there’s going to be an Eastern Conference finals game at Madison Square Garden. The NBA conference finals continue Wednesday night when New York plays host to Indiana in Game 1 of the East title series. The Knicks have now made the conference finals four times since 1994; all four times, the Pacers have been the opponent. The Knicks won those matchups in 1994 and 1999, and the Pacers won in 2000. Game 2 of the Western Conference finals is Thursday at Oklahoma City, after the Thunder rolled past Minnesota in that series opener.
Judge homers late and Yankees beat Rangers 5-2 behind Warren and Rice
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer, rookie Will Warren struck out a career-high 10 and the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 5-2. Ben Rice also went deep for the Yankees in the opener of a three-game series between the past two American League champions. Anthony Volpe blooped an RBI double after Rice drove in the first two runs. New York has won nine of 12 to move a season-best nine games over .500. Texas manager Bruce Bochy was ejected by plate umpire Carlos Torres with Judge batting in the sixth inning, and the Rangers lost for the third time in four games following a six-game winning streak. Jonah Heim’s two-run homer off Ian Hamilton with two outs in the ninth prevented a shutout.
Scottie Scheffler brings a Grand Slam back into view with PGA Championship win
Scottie Scheffler is the PGA champion and two majors away from the career Grand Slam. He’s not thinking that far ahead. But the way he won at Quail Hollow and the way he has dominated golf for the last three years doesn’t make it that much of a stretch that he could win the next two. Scheffler wasn’t even at his best at the PGA Championship. What separated him were a pair of brilliant stretches. He played the final five holes in 5 under on Saturday, and the first six holes of the back nine Sunday without missing a shot.
Ohtani mixes in breaking pitches for 1st time as he rehabs from elbow surgery
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has mixed in breaking pitches for the first time in a throwing session. The right-hander had been limited to fastball and splitters previously as he works to return to pitching this season following elbow surgery. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed Ohtani is getting closer to facing live hitting for the first time since he underwent his second Tommy John procedure in September 2023. Ohtani’s return to the mound has been expected to come near the All-Star break in July
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