Update on the latest sports
APNBA-PACERS-WIZARDS
Wizards host Pacers for chance to face top seed Philadelphia
WASHINGTON (AP) — Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards will host the Indiana Pacers in a win-or-go-home game in the NBA’s play-in round.
The team that wins Thursday night’s game will move on to face the No. 1 seed Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The team that loses is done for the season.
Westbrook’s record-breaking triple-double ability and Beal’s scoring pushed Washington to a 17-6 run to close the regular season.
The Pacers are without Caris LeVert but hope to count on Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon to lead them to a fifth consecutive playoff appearance. Washington swept the teams’ season series 3-0.
NHL-PLAYOFFS
Three Game3s and a series opener on tap
UNDATED (AP) — Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has stopped 63 of 65 shots from the Minnesota Wild over the first two games of their West Division playoff series. They’re tied 1-1 heading into Game 3 Thursday night in Minnesota.
In other Game 3s on Thursday, the Tampa Bay Lightning host the Florida Panthers with a 2-0 lead in their Central Division matchup. The Pittsburgh Penguins play at the New York Islanders with that East Division series tied.
In the North Division, the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens for Game 1 and the first postseason meeting between the teams in 42 years.
NHL-AVALANCHE-KADRI SUSPENDED
Avalanche’s Kadri suspended for hit vs Blues pending hearing
DENVER (AP) — Colorado’s Nazem Kadri was suspended indefinitely Thursday pending a video hearing with NHL officials over his illegal check to the head of St. Louis defenseman Justin Faulk in Game 2 of the teams’ playoff series.
Kadri clipped Faulk in the head with his right elbow midway through the third period Wednesday night. Faulk left the game, and Kadri was thrown out with a match penalty.
Kadri has three previous playoff suspensions on his record in addition to a four-game ban late in the regular season in 2015 for an illegal check to the head. He was suspended four games for cross-checking in 2016, three games for boarding in 2018 and the rest of the first round for cross-checking in 2019. All those transgressions were with Toronto, which traded him to Colorado in July 2019.
The Avalanche lead their series with the Blues 2-0. Game 3 is Friday night in St. Louis.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Will no-hit streak continue?
UNDATED (AP) — After no-hitters on consecutive nights by Detroit right-hander Spencer Turnbull and Yankees newcomer Corey Kluber (KLOO’-bur), baseball fans will be watching to see if there’s a pitcher on the docket who can make it three days in a row.
Kluber fired the sixth no-hitter in the majors already this year, leading New York over the Texas Rangers 2-0 on Wednesday. That marks the most this early in a season — seven in one year is the modern-era record — and four have come in a 15-day span. The two-time Cy Young Award winner came within a four-pitch walk to Charlie Culberson in the third inning of throwing a perfect game.
It was the first time there were no-hitters on consecutive days since 1969, when Cincinnati’s Jim Maloney threw one on April 30 and Houston’s Don Wilson on May 1. There were two no-hitters on June 29, 1990, by the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela and Oakland’s Dave Stewart.
The four no-hitters in May are the most in a month since June 1990. It is also the first time three teams have been no-hit twice in one season, with the Rangers joining Cleveland and Seattle.
Some highlights of Thursday’s schedule:
— Johnny Cueto starts for San Francisco at Cincinnati, where he spent his first eight seasons and earned the first of his two All-Star selections in 2014. Tyler Mahle goes for the Reds.
— Red Sox right-hander Nick Pivetta, who is 5-0 in seven starts this season, opposes Toronto at Dunedin, Florida, in a series finale. Steven Matz pitches for the Blue Jays after winning one of his last four outings following a 4-0 start.
— Rich Hill has tossed 17 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings for Tampa Bay going into his start against Baltimore and Dean Kremer.
NFL-JAGUARS-TEBOW
Reunited: Tebow signs with Jags, rejoins Meyer as tight end
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer are together again. But this time in the NFL and with Tebow playing a new position.
The former Florida star and 2007 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback has signed a one-year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars and will attempt to revive his pro career as a tight end. The move also reunites two of college football’s most polarizing figures over the past 15 years.
The 33-year-old Tebow is returning to the NFL after five years in the New York Mets’ organization and he’ll be playing for Meyer for the first time since his senior year in 2009.
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
PGA Championship underway
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — The opening round of the PGA Championship is underway on the Ocean Course at Kiawah (KEE’-uh-wah) Island, South Carolina.
Among those playing Thursday morning were Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who opened with two birdies, then made bogey on four straight holes.
McIlroy won at 13-under 275 in 2012 the other time the PGA Championship was at Kiawah.
Francesco Molinari has withdrawn from the tournament. The 2018 British Open champion cited a back injury in pulling out of the championship Thursday morning.
