Pacers take 2-0 lead over Knicks as Pascal Siakam scores 39 points in 114-109 victory
NEW YORK (AP) -- Pascal Siakam scored a playoff career-high 39 points, and the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 114-109 for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. Myles Turner added 16 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who head home halfway to their second trip to the NBA Finals. They lost to the Lakers in 2000 in their only shot at the title. Game 3 is Sunday in Indiana, though the Pacers might prefer to keep it right where it is. They have won six straight road games since falling at Milwaukee in Game 3 of the first round.
Oilers get even with 3-0 win over Stars in Game 2 of the West final
DALLAS (AP) -- Connor Brown scored after getting hit in the mouth by a skate, Stuart Skinner made 25 saves for his third shutout of the postseason and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Dallas Stars 3-0 in Game 2 on Friday night to even the Western Conference final. Brown put the Oilers up 3-0 with 4:37 left in the second period, connecting 1:13 after defenseman Brett Kulak's deflection for his first goal in 36 games since Feb. 27. It was early in the second period when officials stopped play with Brown bleeding after taking the toe of Mikael Granlund's skate when the Stars forward fell down by him near the boards. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a power-play goal for the Oilers, who go home for Game 3 on Sunday.
Ronald Acuña Jr. hits long homer on first pitch in his return to Braves after missing 1 year
ATLANTA (AP) -- Ronald Acuña Jr. crushed his first pitch 467 feet for a home run in his dramatic return to the Atlanta Braves. Making his first appearance in almost one year, the 2023 NL MV ,was activated from the injured list and restored to the Braves' lineup almost one year after he tore his left ACL. Acuña, in his customary leadoff position in the lineup, turned on a fastball from San Diego right-hander Nick Pivetta' and sent the ball into the seats in left-center. Acuña hesitated briefly on his jog around the bases for a shuffle step.
Ohtani to face hitters Sunday for 1st time in pitching rehab with Dodgers
NEW YORK (AP) -- Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to face hitters this weekend for the first time in his recovery from right elbow surgery. The two-way superstar originally planned to throw live batting practice Saturday afternoon at Citi Field before the Los Angeles Dodgers play the New York Mets. But after the Dodgers needed 13 innings to win 7-5 on Friday night in a rain-delayed game that ended about 1 a.m., manager Dave Roberts told reporters Ohtani decided to push back the session to Sunday because of the long, late night. It's the next step for Ohtani as he works toward returning to the mound. He had right elbow surgery on Sept. 19, 2023, and hasn't pitched in a major league game since Aug. 23 that year for the Los Angeles Angels.
Chet Holmgren to face hometown team when Thunder visit Timberwolves in Game 3 of West finals
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Minneapolis native Chet Holmgren could block his hometown team from winning a championship. Holmgren, a 7-foot-1 forward, has helped the Oklahoma City Thunder take a 2-0 lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals. He scored 22 points in Game 2, a 118-103 Thunder win. Now, he will play Game 3 in the same building where he won his fourth state title for Minnehaha Academy in his final high school game. The 7-foot-1 forward is averaging 16.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in the playoffs.
Guardians' right-hander Ben Lively will have Tommy John surgery and miss rest of the season
DETROIT (AP) -- Guardians pitcher Ben Lively will undergo Tommy John reconstruction surgery on his right elbow and will be sidelined for the rest of the season. The Guardians said before Friday night's game at Detroit that Lively's surgical date has not been set, but it will be performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. The right-hander is expected to miss 12-16 months. Lively has been on the injured list since May 13 due to a strained right flexor tendon. He sought a second opinion on his right elbow with Meister earlier this week. Meister confirmed the presence of a flexor tendon injury while also noting medial elbow joint laxity due to an insufficient ulnar collateral ligament.
Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Antetokounmpo, Tatum, Mitchell All-NBA 1st team. LeBron, 40, is 2nd team
Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver's Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo were the only players to appear on every MVP ballot this season. It only made sense that they would be unanimous All-NBA picks as well. Gilgeous-Alexander -- the league's MVP -- along with Jokic and Antetokounmpo were unveiled Friday night as first-team All-NBA players, along with Boston's Jayson Tatum and Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell. Tatum was another unanimous first-team pick. Mitchell made the first team for the first time.
Ben Griffin, Matti Schmid share Colonial lead with Fowler stalking, Scheffler 10 shots back
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Ben Griffin shot a 7-under 63 in the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial to share the second-round lead with Matti Schmid at 11 under. First-round leader John Pak is two shots back after a 68. Rickie Fowler trails by five after making the turn in 29 and settling for a 64. Scottie Scheffler is coming off his third major win at last week's PGA Championship last weekend and is 10 shots back after shooting 71. The world No. 1 is trying to become the first player to win three consecutive starts since Dustin Johnson in 2017.
Blind tennis champion Naqi Rizvi lobbies for sport's awareness and Paralympic inclusion
LONDON (AP) -- Naqi Rizvi loves the "absolute freedom" he feels on the tennis court. Winning titles is fun, too. The 34-year-old blind tennis champion is on a mission to not only raise awareness but also elevate the sport into the Paralympics in the future. The London resident, fully blind from the age of 7 because of congenital glaucoma, only took up the sport a decade ago and is now the No. 1-ranked men's player in the world for his category. Rizvi noted that there's not much financial backing in the sport. There's no prize money at tournaments and players often fund their own travel.
Josef Newgarden fastest in final Indy 500 practice. Takuma Sato and other contenders have problems
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Two-time defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden had the fastest lap of the 2-hour final practice on Carb Day at 225.687 mph. He will start from the back on Sunday as punishment for an illegal modified part that was found on the Team Penske cars of himself and Will Power. Two-time winner Takuma Sato, who will start in the middle of the first row, had some kind of mechanical problem during practice, as did Rahal Letterman Lanigan teammate Graham Rahal. Meanwhile, Ryan Hunter-Reay had to escape from his vehicle when fire erupted from the back of the No. 23 car late in the session.