Update on the latest sports
APNBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
No. 2 Nets open second-round series vs No. 3 Bucks
NEW YORK (AP) — The two highest-scoring teams in the NBA meet Saturday night in New York when the Brooklyn Nets open their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The two teams played three thrillers during the regular season and Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said the potential is there for this Eastern Conference semifinal between the No. 2-seeded Nets and No. 3 Bucks to be a classic.
The series will be the biggest test yet for Brooklyn’s Big Three of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. The trio was never together for any of the three meetings with Milwaukee this season, two of which were won by the Bucks. Milwaukee’s own leading trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH’-nihs an-teh-toh-KOON’-poh), Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday all played in those three games and combined to average 85.3 points against the Nets.
Both teams head into Game 1 rested after cruising through the first round.
NBA-NEWS
Clifford won’t return as Magic coach…Embiid status still uncertain
UNDATED (AP) — Steve Clifford won’t be back as coach of the Orlando Magic next season.
The team said Saturday that it was a mutual decision. Orlando was 21-51 this season, and Magic President Jeff Weltman indicated that Clifford might not have wanted to be part of a long rebuild around young players and draft picks.
Clifford was 96-131 in his three seasons, though that record is a bit misleading given how many injuries the team dealt with this season. Orlando went to the playoffs in 2019 and 2020 under Clifford, its first postseason trips since a run of six straight ended in 2012.
In other NBA news:
— Joel Embiid’s (joh-EHL’ ehm-BEEDZ’) status for Game 1 of Philadelphia’s playoff series against Atlanta is still unknown. The Sixers are set to open their playoff series with the Hawks at home Sunday. The All-Star has a small lateral meniscus tear in his right knee and coach Doc Rivers says no decision has been made on his availability. The Sixers went 2-1 against Atlanta this season. Both wins were in April. The home team won every game.
NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Game 4s for Bruins-Islanders, Hurricanes-Lightning
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Islanders find themselves in a familiar situation heading into Game 4 of their second-round series against Boston down two games to one. They trailed 2-1 against Pittsburgh in the first round before winning three straight to take the series. Now they’ll try to do it again after losing Game 3 in overtime at home.
Carolina is at Tampa Bay in Saturday’s other second-round playoff game. The Hurricanes are coming off a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 3 that cut the Lightning’s series lead to 2-1.
HORSE RACING-BELMONT
Belmont could be most competitive Triple Crown race
NEW YORK (AP) — Saturday’s Belmont Stakes doesn’t have the buzz of a Triple Crown on the line or drama surrounding Bob Baffert. But it’s shaping up to be the most competitive race of the three and one of the best of the entire year.
Preakness winner Rombauer, Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality and third-place finisher Hot Rod Charlie are among the top contenders with the bragging rights for best 3-year-old horse still up for grabs.
The $1.5 million Belmont is the main event for a day of racing that feels like a heavyweight fight at the end of a stellar undercard. The eight other graded stakes races Saturday at Belmont Park combine to be worth just under $4.5 million. Trainer Todd Pletcher called it a preview of the Breeders’ Cup.
Jose Ortiz will replace his injured brother riding Known Agenda. Irad Ortiz Jr. was injured in a nasty fall during a race Thursday when he was thrown off his horse in the stretch. He seemed to escape serious injury but is expected to miss some time after getting stitches on his left arm and head.
FRENCH OPEN-DAY 7
Nadal, Djokovic in 4th round, as usual
PARIS (AP) — Rafael Nadal has advanced to the round of 16 at a Grand Slam for the 50th time by beating Cameron Norrie in the French Open, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. The defending champion won easily despite losing serve twice in a row in the second set. Nadal is trying to add to his record 13 French Open championships and seeks his 21st major title, which would break the men’s record he shares with Roger Federer. Federer and Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich) are the only other men to have reached the fourth round at 50 major events.
Earlier Saturday, the No. 1-seeded Djokovic reached the fourth round for a record 12th consecutive year with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 win over 93rd-ranked Ricardas Berankis.
Djokovic’s streak of appearances in the round of 16 in Paris is now one longer than the previous professional era mark for men that was shared by Nadal and Roger Federer. They each got that far every year from 2005-15. Djokovic is seeking a second French Open championship and 19th Grand Slam title overall.
Also on Saturday:
— Defending champion Iga Swiatek (shvee-AHN’-tehk) rallied from a slow start to beat Anett Kontaveit 7-6, 6-0. The eighth-seeded Swiatek has won 20 consecutive sets at Roland Garros and that streak was in jeopardy when she trailed 4-2. She dominated from there and lost only 12 points in the second set.
— Fourth-seeded Sofia Kenin remains the highest seed in the women’s draw at the French Open after rallying to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 against American countrywoman Jessica Pegula (peh-GOO’-luh). Kenin clinched victory on her third match point against the 28th-seeded Pegula. She is chasing her first title at Roland Garros after losing last year’s final. The 22-year-old Kenin won the Australian Open last year for her first and only major title so far.
— Former French Open doubles champion Barbora Krejcikova upset fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina (svih-toh-LEE’-nah) of Ukraine 6-3, 6-2.
— American teenager Coco Gauff is into the fourth round for the first time after her opponent Jennifer Brady stopped playing because of an injured left foot. The 24th-seeded Gauff took the opening set 6-1 before the 13th-seeded Brady retired from the match.
— Former runner-up Sloane Stephens advanced to the fourth round by beating 18th-seeded Karolina Muchova 6-3, 7-5.
— Lorenzo Musetti rallied to win an all-Italian matchup against Marco Cecchinato, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
— Jannik Sinner, seeded 18th, beat Mikael Ymer 6-1, 7-5, 6-3.
— Matteo Berrettini made it a trio of Italian men who are moving into in Week 2 of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time, joining teenagers Musetti and Sinner. The No. 9-seeded Berrettini beat Kwon Soon-woo 7-6, 6-3, 6-4.
— Jan-Lennard Struff, a 31-year-old German, beat 18-year-old qualifier Carlos Alcaraz 6-4, 7-6, 6-2.
— No. 10 Diego Schwartzman eliminated Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-4, 6-2, 6-1.
MLB-NEWS
Tigers place RHP Spencer Turnbull on IL with forearm injury
UNDATED (AP) — The Detroit Tigers placed right-hander Spencer Turnbull on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a strained right forearm.
Turnbull left Friday night’s 9-8 loss to the White Sox after working four innings of one-run ball. He threw 56 pitches, 39 for strikes. The 28-year-old Turnbull is 4-2 with a 2.88 ERA in nine starts. He pitched a no-hitter May 18 at Seattle.
The Tigers recalled right-hander Bryan Garcia from Triple-A Toledo.
In other baseball news:
— The Yankees have promoted slugging prospect Chris Gittens from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, hoping the hulking 27-year-old can provide a jolt at first base in his first turn in the majors. New York entered Saturday night’s game against Boston with its first basemen hitting .174 with five homers. The group’s .531 OPS ranks 29th in the majors, ahead of only Cleveland. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Gittens was set to bat sixth and make his major league debut against the Red Sox. Luke Voit led the majors as the Yankees’ first baseman in 2020 but has played in just 12 games this season.
HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Canada beats US 4-2 in world hockey semifinals
RIGA, Latvia (AP) — Andrew Mangiapane scored two goals to help Canada beat the United States 4-2 in the semifinals of hockey’s world championship.
With Saturday’s win, Canada heads to the final for the fifth time in the past six tournaments. Canada will face Finland in Sunday’s gold-medal match. It’s a rematch of the 2019 final, which Finland won 3-1. The 2020 tournament was canceled because of COVID-19.
Brandon Pirri also scored for Canada, while Justin Danforth added an empty-net goal in the final minute. Colin Blackwell and Sasha Chmelevsi scored for the U.S.
OLYMPICS-BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Beach veterans Dalhausser, Gibb heading to 5th Olympics
UNDATED (AP) — Jake Gibb is going back to the Olympics for the fourth time after clinching a spot in the Tokyo beach volleyball field with partner Taylor Crabb. The 45-year-old Gibb will be the oldest volleyball player — beach or indoor — in Olympic history.
Beijing gold medalist Phil Dalhausser will also be playing in his fourth Summer Games, teaming with Nick Lucena to earn the other U.S. men’s berth.
April Ross and Alix Klineman had already clinched a berth on the women’s side. Kelly Claes and Sarah Sponcil clinched the other Tokyo berth in Ostrava, Czech Republic, foiling three-time Olympian Kerri Walsh’s bid for a sixth Olympics.
F1-AZERBAIJAN GP
Leclerc on pole for Azerbaijan after crashes halt qualifying
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Charles Leclerc will start the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from the pole position after a crash halted qualifying early and stopped rivals from challenging his time.
Leclerc set a time of 1 minute, 41.218 seconds early in Saturday’s third session. Championship leader Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were among the drivers trying to start flying laps late when Yuki Tsunoda hit the wall and Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz crashed crashed his Ferrari right behind Tsunoda. That brought an immediate end to the session and put Leclerc on the pole for the second consecutive grand prix. He hasn’t won a race since September 2019.
Hamilton was second and Verstappen third.
