Sportsnet.ca http://sportsnet.ca/author/associated-press/feed/ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 21:05:37 EDT en-US hourly 1 CP168587745 Dodgers deferred payroll total rises to $915.5M after adding $50M more in Will Smith deal Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:44:37 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:44:39 EDT Associated Press Catcher Will Smith’s $140 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers includes $50 million payable from 2034-43, raising the team’s deferred compensation liability to $915.5 million owed five players.

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Catcher Will Smith’s $140 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers includes $50 million payable from 2034-43, raising the team’s deferred compensation liability to $915.5 million owed five players.

Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández also are due deferred payments extending from 2028-44.

Smith receives a $30 million signing bonus under the deal announced Wednesday, half payable on Nov. 15 and the rest on Jan. 15, 2025, according to contract terms obtained by The Associated Press.

He gets salaries of $13.55 million this year. $13 million a year from 2025-27, $9.5 million annually from 2028-32 and $9.95 million in 2033.

Los Angeles will defer $5 million annually, to be paid in equal installments of $500,000 each July 1 from 2034-43.

If Smith is traded, remaining salary will be paid in-season and deferrals eliminated for the remainder of the contract.

Smith gets a hotel suite on road trips and will made an annual charitable contribution.

Ohtani is due $680 million from 2034-43, Freeman $57 million from 2028-40 and Hernández $8.5 million from 2030-39. Betts is owed $115 million in salaries from 2033-44 and the final $5 million of his signing bonus payable from 2033-35.

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Baseball MLB LAD sn-article
Barcelona Barcelona beats Brann to set up Women’s Champions League semifinal against Chelsea Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:17:23 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:17:43 EDT Associated Press Aitana Bonmatí led Barcelona to its sixth Women’s Champions League semifinals on Thursday, scoring the opening goal in a 3-1 win over Brann that sets up a last-four clash with Chelsea.

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BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Aitana Bonmatí led Barcelona to its sixth Women’s Champions League semifinals on Thursday, scoring the opening goal in a 3-1 win over Brann that sets up a last-four clash with Chelsea.

The Ballon d’Or winner put the Catalan team in the driver’s seat with a curling shot in the 24th minute before Fridolina Rolfo made it 2-0 from close range in the second half. Defender Tomine Svendheim cut the deficit 20 minutes from time before Patri Guijarro sealed Barcelona’s win with two minutes left.

Defending champion Barcelona advanced 5-2 on aggregate after winning 2-1 in the quarterfinal first leg in Norway.

Chelsea reached the semifinals Wednesday following a 1-1 draw with Ajax. Chelsea advanced 4-1 on aggregate after winning the first leg 3-0 in Amsterdam.

Later Thursday, Paris Saint-Germain defends a 2-1 lead from the first leg against Häcken and could set an all-French semifinal against Lyon if it progresses.

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Soccer sn-article
baseimage(10)(1) Giants release fan favorite Pablo Sandoval from his minor-league deal Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:42:53 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:42:56 EDT Associated Press The San Francisco Giants released infielder Pablo Sandoval from his minor-league contract on Thursday, hours before season opener against the San Diego Padres.

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SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants released infielder Pablo Sandoval from his minor-league contract on Thursday, hours before season opener against the San Diego Padres.

That ended Sandoval’s attempt at a third stint with the club. He batted .250 in 28 spring at-bats with two RBIs.

The 37-year-old Sandoval — a fan favourite nicknamed Kung Fu Panda who was the 2012 World Series MVP — was trying to get back to the big leagues for the first time since 2021, when he batted .178 with a .302 on-base percentage, four homers and 11 RBIs in 69 games with the Atlanta Braves.

Sandoval is a two-time All-Star who played for the Giants’ 2010, 2012 and 2014 championship teams.

Sandoval played for the Giants from 2008-14 before signing a $95 million, five-year contract with the Boston Red Sox, who released him in the summer of 2017. Sandoval then rejoined the Giants for a second stint from 2017-20. He was with the Braves from 2020-21.

The Giants released him in September 2020 after he’d come back in the spring from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow from September 2019. That year, then-manager Bruce Bochy — a father figure to the Venezuelan slugger — gave him one last at-bat despite the injury in what turned out to be his San Francisco farewell.

Sandoval has a .278 batting average, .330 on-base percentage, .443 slugging percentage, 153 homers and 639 RBIs in 1,380 career regular-season games while primarily playing third base.

Sandoval has batted .338 with a .921 OPS in 42 post-season games, including a .426 average and 1.162 OPS in 12 World Series contests.

Also Thursday, the Giants included recently signed left-hander Blake Snell on their opening day roster. Manager Bob Melvin said he’s not sure when Snell will make his first start but that he will throw Friday at the team’s spring training complex in Scottsdale, Arizona. Snell won the 2023 NL Cy Young Award with the Padres before leaving as a free agent.

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Baseball MLB SF sn-article
(Isaac Hale/AP Photo) Nembhard Michigan lawmaker claims that buses carrying March Madness teams are ‘illegal invaders’ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:42:07 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:42:09 EDT Associated Press A right-wing Michigan state lawmaker who has been tied to former President Donald Trump and his election denials is being widely criticized after making claims that buses carrying college athletes to Detroit for March Madness were immigrant “invaders” being shuttled into the city illegally.

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FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (AP) — A right-wing Michigan state lawmaker who has been tied to former President Donald Trump and his election denials is being widely criticized after making claims that buses carrying college athletes to Detroit for March Madness were immigrant “invaders” being shuttled into the city illegally.

Michigan state House Rep. Matt Maddock made the claim Wednesday night in a social media post accompanied by photos of three buses near an Allegiant plane at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Maddock wrote that the buses “just loaded up with illegal invaders.”

“Anyone have any idea where they’re headed with their police escort?” Maddock wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Four college basketball teams travelling to Detroit for the second weekend of the NCAA basketball tournament arrived by plane Wednesday evening, the Wayne County Airport Authority said in a statement. The “buses seen in a photograph circulating online were transporting the basketball teams and their respective staffs,” the statement added.

Maddock’s post drew swift criticism on social media, with multiple accounts noting that an earlier post on the Gonzaga men’s basketball team’s social media page had indicated their departure for Detroit, featuring an Allegiant plane.

“A sitting State Representative sees a group of buses at the airport and immediately yells ‘illegal invaders’ which is a pretty rude (and also, frankly, dangerous) way to greet the Gonzaga Men’s Basketball Team arriving for March Madness,” state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, a Democrat, wrote on social media.

Maddock doubled down on his posts Thursday, adding that hundreds of thousands of “illegals are pouring into our country,” and into Michigan. In a text response to The Associated Press, Maddock declined to acknowledge that the buses were transporting basketball players.

“I haven’t heard a good answer yet,” Maddock wrote. “I took a tip and asked because this is happening in many places and it is well documented.”

Some Republicans who had initially echoed Maddock’s claims made in his original post, such as Michigan GOP chairman Pete Hoekstra, quickly backtracked.

A Republican representing parts of metro Detroit, Maddock has a history of being among the most far-right members in the Michigan Legislature. His wife, Meshawn Maddock, the former co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party, is one of 15 Republicans charged for acting as fake electors for then-President Trump in 2020.

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Basketball NBA sn-article
Ryan Sun/AP Paxton B.C.’s James Paxton gets spot on Dodgers’ active roster, $2M bonus Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:45:14 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:46:17 EDT Associated Press James Paxton is getting a $2 million bonus for being on the Los Angeles Dodgers’ active roster for their home opener Thursday, raising his guaranteed pay to $9 million with the chance to earn another $4 million based on starts.

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James Paxton is getting a $2 million bonus for being on the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ active roster for their home opener Thursday, raising his guaranteed pay to $9 million with the chance to earn another $4 million based on starts.

The 35-year-old left-hander from Ladner, B.C. was on the Dodgers’ roster announced before they faced the St. Louis Cardinals. Los Angeles already played its first two games of the regular season in South Korea last week.

Paxton wasn’t on that roster because he wasn’t slated to pitch, but he was added to the 26-man group after the team returned stateside, triggering the bonus in his one-year contract with the Dodgers.

Paxton signed with Los Angeles in late January for a guaranteed $11 million with $2 million in bonus opportunities, but the pitcher and the team reworked his contract shortly afterward. They lowered the guarantee to $7 million while still allowing him to earn up to $13 million if he is healthy during the early part of the season and starts at least 20 games.

Paxton still got a $3 million signing bonus, but revised deal lowered the salary to $4 million and increased the roster bonus to $2 million if he was on the active roster by the date of the Dodgers’ U.S. opener.

He could earn $4 million in performance bonuses for starts: $600,000 each for six, eight, 10, 12 and 16, and $1 million for 18.

Paxton is expected to be a part of the back end of the Dodgers’ rotation at least until other pitchers return from injury. Starters Walker Buehler, Dustin May, Emmet Sheehan, Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin are all beginning the season on the injured list.

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Baseball MLB LAD sn-article
(Kyusung Gong/AP) CP168915204 Bills replenish defensive line by signing Austin Johnson and DeShawn Williams to one-year deals Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:41:57 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:41:59 EDT Associated Press The Buffalo Bills replenished their depleted defensive line needs by signing tackles Austin Johnson and DeShawn Williams to one-year contracts on Thursday.

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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills replenished their depleted defensive line needs by signing tackles Austin Johnson and DeShawn Williams to one-year contracts on Thursday.

The 29-year-old Johnson has eight seasons of NFL experience, including the past two with the Los Angeles Chargers where he started all 17 games last season. He’s listed at six-foot-four and 314 pounds and was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2016 draft.

Overall, Johnson has two forced fumbles, eight sacks and 17 tackles for a loss in 116 games, including 55 starts, which included a two-year stint with the New York Giants.

The 31-year-old Williams spent last season getting 10 starts in 16 games with Carolina in an NFL career that’s taken a circuitous route since being signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2015.

After appearing in four games with the Bengals in 2016, Williams spent the next three years as a practice squad player with Denver, Miami and Indianapolis — plus a failed bid to play in the CFL once its 2020 season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic — before resuming his NFL career with the Broncos in 2020. Overall, he has nine sacks, 11 tackles for losses and an interception in 66 games, including 44 starts.

The two begin shoring up a defensive front that lost regulars Linval Joseph, Tim Settle and Poona Ford to free agency, and with Jordan Phillips contemplating retirement.

Both are expected to fill backup roles behind Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones, who is being reunited with Johnson after the two played at Penn State.

Speaking at the NFL owners meetings this week, general manager Brandon Beane re-emphasized the priority he places on his offensive and defensive fronts even it means cutting into the team’s limited salary cap space.

“We’re going to always look there. And if we’re going to stretch ourselves financially, that’s the spot I’m always going to do it,” Beane said. “I’m not going to ever hold back if it’s something that I think can get us over the top.”

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Football NFL BUF sn-article
Charlie Neibergall/AP cole_gerrit1280 Yankees place ace Gerrit Cole on 60-day IL with right elbow inflammation Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:34:45 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:40:08 EDT Associated Press The New York Yankees placed ace Gerrit Cole on the 60-day injured list due to elbow inflammation, the team announced Thursday.

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The New York Yankees placed ace Gerrit Cole on the 60-day injured list due to elbow inflammation, the team announced Thursday.

The earliest the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner can pitch in the major leagues is May 27. The team announced on March 16 that the right-hander won’t throw for three to four weeks due to nerve irritation and edema in his throwing elbow.

The Yankees said earlier in the spring that Cole was experiencing issues bouncing back following spring training starts.

The 33-year-old travelled to Los Angeles to be examined by Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache, an elbow expert.

Cole is entering the fifth season of a $324 million, nine-year contract that pays $36 million annually. He has the right to opt out after the season and become a free agent, but if he opts out the Yankees can void the opt-out by adding a guaranteed $36 million salary for 2029.

The Yankees open their season against the Houston Astros on Thursday. With Cole unavailable, Nestor Cortes gets the Opening Day start for New York.

New York placed infielder DJ LeMahieu on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, with a bruised right foot. With LeMahieu out, manager Aaron Boone moved Gleyber Torres to the leadoff spot to face left-hander Framber Valdez.

The Yankees also placed infielder Oswald Peraza on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, with a right shoulder strain and added infielder Jon Berti to the active roster a day after he was acquired from Miami.

Also placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, were right-handers Tommy Kahnle (right shoulder inflammation) and McKinley Moore (right knee bursitis).

Right-hander Luis Gil was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and the Yankees selected the contract of right-hander Nick Burdi from Scranton.

— With files from Sportsnet

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Baseball MLB NYY sn-article
clark Caitlin Clark invited to play with U.S. national team during training camp at Final Four Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:31:59 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:33:09 EDT Associated Press Caitlin Clark was invited to participate in the USA Basketball national team training camp during the Final Four in Cleveland, contingent on Iowa’s season being over.

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Caitlin Clark was invited to participate in the USA Basketball national team training camp during the Final Four in Cleveland, contingent on Iowa’s season being over.

The NCAA’s all-time Division I scoring leader has earned three gold medals with USA Basketball junior teams, most recently as a member of the 2021 under-19 squad.

Clark is expected to be the No. 1 draft pick in the WNBA Draft on April 15 by the Indiana Fever and has been a ratings boon for college basketball. Nearly 5 million people watched the Hawkeyes second-round game against West Virginia.

Five-time Olympic champion Diana Taurasi is one of nine former Olympians who will participate in the camp training camp that will take place from April 3-5. The others are Ariel Atkins, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young.

Former WNBA Rookie of the Year winners Aliyah Boston and Rhyne Howard will also be participating.

The U.S. went 3-0 last month in a FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgium. The Americans beat the host nation 81-79 on a last-second shot by Stewart. They went on to beat Nigeria and Senegal.

The Americans will face Belgium again in pool play at the Olympics. The Americans also will face Japan in a rematch from the gold-medal game of the Tokyo Olympics. Germany is also in the group.

The U.S. is expected to name its roster some time later this spring.

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Basketball sn-article
David J. Phillip/AP ball_lamelo1280 Hornets shut down LaMelo Ball for remainder of season with ankle injury Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:41:46 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:43:31 EDT Associated Press The Charlotte Hornets are shutting down guard LaMelo Ball for the season.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Hornets are shutting down guard LaMelo Ball for the season.

Ball has not played since Jan. 27 for the Hornets (18-54), who’ve been eliminated from postseason competition. Charlotte has missed the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest drought in the NBA.

The 22-year-old Ball, who signed a five-year max contract extension in July, has had repeated problems with ankle injuries since coming into the league and has played in just 58 games over the last two seasons.

Ball had been playing well before going out, averaging a career-high 23.9 points per game this season. Ball was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021 and an All-Star the following season.

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Basketball NBA CHA sn-article
(Jim Mone/AP) CP135026272 Glen Taylor announces that Timberwolves are no longer for sale Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:39:41 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:15:12 EDT Associated Press The Minnesota Timberwolves will evidently remain in the control of owner Glen Taylor, after he announced Thursday that a deal where Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez would have acquired the controlling stake in the team has expired.

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The ownership transfer of the Minnesota Timberwolves slammed to a halt when Glen Taylor declared on Thursday he won’t take the final step of his drawn-out $1.5 billion deal to hand Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez the majority stake because they didn’t meet all of the deadlines in the sale conditions.

Lore and Rodriguez, who agreed to the purchase nearly three years ago, strongly disputed Taylor’s stance. They said he simply had cold feet about letting go.

“We went through the process, and I spent a lot of time. We’ve got a really good team, we’ve got a lot of good things going for us, I enjoy it and I’m healthy enough to do this,” Taylor said in an interview with The Associated Press after the announcement. “I don’t need the money, so I think I’ll just keep running it and enjoy it. I like my coach. I like my staff. This way everybody gets to keep their jobs, and I’ll be happy.”

Lore, the e-commerce entrepreneur, and Rodriguez, the former Major League Baseball star, issued a joint statement expressing disappointment in Taylor and contending that they’ve upheld their end of the deal that was to also include the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. Lore and Rodriguez already own a 40% stake.

“We have fulfilled our obligations, have all necessary funding and are fully committed to closing our purchase of the team as soon as the NBA completes its approval process,” the partners said. “Glen Taylor’s statement is an unfortunate case of seller’s remorse that is short sighted and disruptive to the team and the fans during an historic winning season.”

The Timberwolves (50-22) beat Detroit on Wednesday to reach the 50-win mark for just the fifth time in the 35-year history of the franchise. They’re tied for second place in the Western Conference with Oklahoma City, a half-game behind Denver.

Taylor, who turns 83 on April 20, bought the Timberwolves for $88 million in 1994 to keep them in his native Minnesota after a deal the previous owners struck to move the team to New Orleans fell through. He’s a self-made billionaire who grew up on a farm and became a printing magnate after a job at a wedding invitations shop he got to put himself through college took off.

Before Lore and Rodriguez entered the picture, Taylor had flirted with selling multiple times only to pull the club off the market. After reaching the agreement, Taylor raved about the connection he made with them and how comfortable he felt handing over the reins to them. They bought 20% of the franchise in 2021 and another 20% in 2023.

The unique and deliberate transfer was orchestrated by both parties, giving Taylor the opportunity to not only ease his way out of a role he has treasured since rescuing the struggling franchise but to serve as a mentor to the incoming owners about the business of the league and the culture of the community.

Lore previously served as Walmart’s e-commerce chief and left that post shortly before the purchase agreement with Taylor. He is currently the CEO of Wonder, a food delivery startup in New York.

Rodriguez ranks fifth on baseball’s all-time home run list and has become an investor in a variety of businesses since his playing career. He’s also a trustee at the University of Miami.

Lore and Rodriguez unsuccessfully tried to purchase the New York Mets before Steve Cohen bought the MLB club in 2020. In an interview with the AP in 2022, Rodriguez said the NBA had welcomed him into the ownership world with open arms.

“It’s all about the fans in Minnesota. I think they deserve a winner,” Rodriguez said in that interview.

The partners exercised their option on Dec. 28 to buy another 40% and become controlling owners, and the agreement gave them a 90-day window to close the sale that expired on Wednesday. Taylor said he decided to void the contract for this third and final portion of the sale because Lore and Rodriguez missed certain deadlines related to the closing process.

“So we just said, ‘Let’s just leave it the way it is,’” Taylor said. “They’re limited partners, and that’s fine with me. They’ll make well on their investment, and we’ll just keep it the way it’s been.”

Forbes valued the Timberwolves at $2.5 billion in its latest projections for NBA clubs published at the beginning of the season.

Lore and Rodriguez regularly sit courtside at games, not far from Taylor’s usual seat next to his wife and the Wolves bench. What becomes of their relationship now remains to be seen. Taylor said he’s greeted Lore and Rodriguez in passing at recent games but spoken little with them about the sale of the club.

“He solicited me for investing into his new company, but we haven’t talked Timberwolves,” Taylor said.

Taylor said he’d work with them just as he does his other investors, as far as access and influence, but he acknowledged the likelihood of pushback from the pair through mediation or other means.

“I’m open to that, because I think in any legal thing that’s the way you resolve things,” Taylor said. “If they choose to do that we certainly would honor that and talk to somebody about it, but I think we’re pretty firm in our position.”

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Basketball NBA MIN sn-article
baseimage(9)(1) Rays’ Wander Franco placed on administrative leave through June 1 as sexual abuse probe continues Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:10:13 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:51:09 EDT Associated Press Tampa Bay All-Star shortstop Wander Franco was placed on administrative leave through June 1 under an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association while the investigation continues in an alleged relationship with a minor.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay All-Star shortstop Wander Franco was placed on administrative leave through June 1 under an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association while the investigation continues into an alleged relationship with a minor.

Administrative leave is not disciplinary under the sport’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, and a player continues to be paid. Franco, who has a $2 million salary this year, has remained in his native Dominican Republic while authorities there investigate and he did not report to spring training.

The Rays opened the season Thursday against Toronto, forcing MLB and the union to make a decision on Franco’s roster status.

“I don’t have any comment. … I’m really focused on the guys that are here,” manager Kevin Cash said before Thursday’s game at Tropicana Field.

Franco has not played since Aug. 12. He was placed on the restricted list for a week on Aug. 14 while MLB launched an investigation following social media posts suggesting Franco was in a relationship with a minor. The Associated Press has not been able to verify the reported posts.

Franco was moved to administrative leave on Aug. 22 and remained there through the end of the season. There is no leave during the offseason.

MLB is likely to wait until the Dominican investigation is concluded before deciding whether there will be any discipline.

Originally accused of commercial and sexual exploitation and money laundering — charges that carry up to 30 years, 10 years and 20 years of prison, respectively — Franco stands accused instead of sexual and psychological abuse, according to a judge’s resolution that the AP obtained in January.

Franco had not been formally accused, but if found guilty on the new charge, he could face two to five years in prison.

Franco, who turned 23 on March 1, was in the midst of his third major league season when his career was halted and was hitting .281 with 17 homers, 58 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 40 attempts over 112 games.

Franco agreed to a $182 million, 11-year contract in November 2021.

He earned $706,761 last year in addition to his salary as part of MLB’s pre-arbitration bonus pool, a fund agreed to by the league and players’ association as part of their 2022 labour contract. The bonus pool was created to reward young players, most who earn at or just above the minimum major league salary based on how long they’ve been in the big leagues.

The Rays obtained infielder Jose Caballero from Seattle in a trade this offseason and are giving him an opportunity to be the regular shortstop. The 27-year-old played 104 games for the Mariners in 2023, hitting .221 with four homers and 26 RBIs. He was in Tampa Bay’s Opening Day lineup, batting eighth.

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Baseball MLB TB sn-article
CP168681901(1) Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali charged by the English FA for breaching its betting rules Thu, 28 Mar 2024 10:44:41 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:14:44 EDT Associated Press Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has been charged with breaching English soccer’s betting rules, the Football Association said on Thursday.

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Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has been charged with breaching English soccer’s betting rules, the Football Association said on Thursday.

Tonali is serving a 10-month ban issued by the Italian soccer federation for betting on teams he played for, which has ruled him out of action since October.

Now he could be in more trouble after the FA said he breached its rules on 50 occasions by placing bets on matches from Aug. 12 to Oct. 12 last year.

On Oct. 12, Tonali was sent home from Italy’s training camp after being notified by police of his involvement in a betting investigation.

The 23-year-old Tonali joined Newcastle from AC Milan last July for a fee reportedly worth up to 60 million pounds ($76.3 million). But he made only 12 appearances for the Premier League club after being caught up in a wider betting investigation that saw Juventus midfielder Nicolò Fagioli banned for seven months.

Tonali told prosecutors he bet on Milan and Brescia when he played for those clubs. His agent, Giuseppe Riso, acknowledged his client had a gambling problem.

Tonali agreed to a plea bargain with the Italian federation that included therapy for a gambling addiction.

His ban runs ends on July 14.

Newcastle said last year it would give Tonali and his family its full support.

The FA said Tonali had until April 5 to respond to the charges.

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Soccer Premier League sn-article
baseimage(8)(1) UEFA will listen if Euro 2024 coaches want larger 26-player squads Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:56:40 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:58:40 EDT Associated Press European Championship organizer UEFA said on Thursday it will listen to national team coaches if they want bigger squads of 26 players instead of 23 for the tournament in Germany.

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NYON, Switzerland (AP) — European Championship organizer UEFA said on Thursday it will listen to national team coaches if they want bigger squads of 26 players instead of 23 for the tournament in Germany.

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman said this week the number of injuries in modern soccer meant it was absurd to return to the traditional squad size of 23.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, increased 26-man squads were allowed by UEFA at Euro 2020, a delayed edition played in 2021, and at FIFA’s 2022 World Cup.

If players were isolated for health reasons, their replacements were already in camp and complying with the mandatory protocols.

UEFA decided last year on 23-player squads for Euro 2024.

It will host coaches and officials from the 24 teams in two weeks in Duesseldorf, Germany.

“A workshop with the participating teams will be held on April 8 and on that occasion UEFA will listen to the views of the coaches,” the European soccer body said. “Any idea in this respect will then be considered and assessed.”

Koeman wants his national federation to ask UEFA for an increase and noted this week “you have to deal more with injuries these days.”

“It is about the load-carrying ability of the players,” Koeman said on Tuesday after his team’s 2-1 loss to Germany, suggesting host team coach Julian Nagelsmann agreed.

England coach Gareth Southgate said there had been a “little bit of talk amongst some of the coaches” to ask for 26.

Southgate said he did not plan to pressure UEFA for an increase, though acknowledged the extra numbers would lessen the risk of selecting preferred players who carried injuries.

“We’ve been able to give people time,” said Southgate, who is taking England to his fourth major tournament as the coach, “but with 23 that’s definitely more difficult.”

It is unclear how many of the 24 coaches want a larger squad that would include more players likely not getting game time on the field.

Euro 2024 is from June 14-July 14 in 10 German cities.

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Soccer sn-article
David Zalubowski/AP Porter Michael Porter Jr. says brother Jontay would never risk love for hoops by associating with gambling Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:43:39 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:18:54 EDT Associated Press Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. said Wednesday night that he’s sure his younger brother would never do anything to jeopardize his budding NBA playing career.

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DENVER — Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. said Wednesday night that he’s sure his younger brother would never do anything to jeopardize his budding NBA playing career.

The league announced Monday it has opened an investigation into Toronto Raptors two-way player Jontay Porter amid gambling allegations. ESPN first reported the probe, which it said surrounded Porter’s performance in games Jan. 26 and March 20. In both games, Porter played briefly before leaving citing injury or illness. In both of those games, Porter did not come close to hitting the prop-wager lines for points, rebounds and 3-pointers that bettors could play.

Michael Porter Jr. took the podium following the Nuggets’ loss to the Suns Wednesday night and was asked about the probe involving his brother.

Michael Porter Jr. said he has no more details than the media does but he vouched for his brother, who at 24 is a year younger than him, saying “Jontay loves the game of basketball” and has been thrilled to play for Toronto this season.

“I’ve known my brother my whole life. I know what type of dude he is and I know he’s excited to play basketball and I highly doubt he would do anything to put that in jeopardy,” Michael Porter Jr. insisted.

Jontay Porter hasn’t publicly addressed the situation and he has missed the last couple of the Raptors’ games with the team citing personal reasons.

The younger Porter is averaging 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 26 games, including five starts. The 6-foot-10 Porter also played in 11 games for Memphis in the 2020-21 season.

The NBA has had business relationships with gaming companies for years, and lists FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings as official gaming partners. The league also has relationships with at least 24 other gaming operators.

Last week, Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff revealed he received threats from gamblers last season and reported it to the NBA. Bickerstaff was asked the question after All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers indicated days earlier that he’s grown tired of regularly hearing criticism from people on social media about their prop bets.

Michael Porter Jr. offered a similar appraisal Wednesday night, saying he and others regularly hear how their on-court performance affects bettors.

“Yeah, especially the last few years you hear people in the crowd saying what they need you to score tonight or what they don’t want you to score,” Michael Porter Jr. said. “Every night you’re disappointing someone. You’re disappointing people if you score too much because they may have bet on the under, and you’re disappointing people if you didn’t score enough.

“So, it’s a part of the game now. I think that it’s obviously a dangerous habit. It’s a dangerous vice for people,” Michael Porter Jr. added. “You know, the love of money is the root of all evil. So, I think that even though it is a thing, we as players just have to accept that. We get paid a lot of money to play this game and I know these people, these fans, they want to make some money, as well. …

“It’s definitely something that has kind of taken over the sporting world — I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

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Basketball NBA DEN TOR sn-article
Matt Slocum/AP 76ers and Clippers Officials admit to missed call on final play of Clippers win over 76ers Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:46:29 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:58:08 EDT Associated Press Officials said they missed a foul call in the closing seconds of the Los Angeles Clippers’ 108-107 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday night, denying the 76ers a possible victory in their fight for better playoff positioning.

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PHILADELPHIA — Officials said they missed a foul call in the closing seconds of the Los Angeles Clippers‘ 108-107 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday night, denying the 76ers a possible victory in their fight for better playoff positioning.

Referee Kevin Scott said in a pool report sent to reporters by the NBA an hour after the game that the Clippers’ Paul George did make contact with Kelly Oubre Jr. — who had the ball and was driving — before time had expired on the final play of the contest.

“In real time the crew interpreted that play as the defender jumping vertically,” Scott said. “However, in post-game video review we did observe some slight drift to his left by the defender George, and a foul should have been ruled.”

The foul call would have sent Oubre to the line with a chance to win the game with 0.2 seconds remaining.

After the horn sounded, both Oubre and Sixers coach Nick Nurse swarmed onto the floor to challenge Scott and fellow officials JB DeRosa and Brandon Adair.

“I looked it on our computer screen a couple times (and) I thought there was certainly contact,” Nurse said. “Certainly as much as the last two or three that got called and-1s at the other end. And that’s all. I just thought it was enough contact to call. But that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

Oubre felt there was a general imbalance of calls.

“There was absolute contact, but they were calling those calls for those guys,” he said. “They were getting and-1s and they were changing the game in that aspect. And then we get to our side and they didn’t see any contact.”

He also apologized for confronting the officials.

“In the heat of the moment in an intense basketball game of course and we’re not perfect. The refs are not perfect,” he said. “I want to apologize for losing my cool, because that’s something I work on each and every day and trying to represent God in the best way that I can. And that wasn’t it.”

The 76ers are currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference and fighting for better playoff positioning but have struggled without last season’s MVP Joel Embiid.

Embiid, who has averaged 35.3 points and 11.5 rebounds this season, has not played since suffering a meniscus injury on Jan. 30 at Golden State that required surgery on Feb. 6. The Sixers are 10-17 since Embiid’s injury. The team is 13-26 overall this season without him and 26-8 with him.

Embiid has started on-court work, and Nurse said before Wednesday’s game that the team hopes to have him back before the postseason.

“I think there’s a very good likelihood that he will return before the playoffs,” Nurse said.

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Basketball NBA LAC PHI sn-article
lebron james LeBron James has triple-double to help Lakers beat Grizzlies Wed, 27 Mar 2024 22:54:50 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:55:30 EDT Associated Press LeBron James had a triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, Rui Hachimura scored 32 points and the Los Angeles Lakers built a big lead in the third quarter and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 136-124 on Wednesday night.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — LeBron James had a triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, Rui Hachimura scored 32 points as the Los Angeles Lakers built a big lead in the third quarter and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 136-124 on Wednesday night.

Coming off a 128-124 double-overtime victory in Milwaukee without James on Tuesday night, the Lakers won their fifth straight to pull within 2 1/2 games of idle Dallas for the sixth spot in the Western Conference, a spot that would avoid a play-in game.

Anthony Davis sat out against Memphis after having 34 points and 23 rebounds in a career-high 52 minutes against Milwaukee. He hyperextended his left knee late against the Bucks. James said Hachimura’s scoring — including 7 of 8 3-pointers — along with grabbing 10 rebounds was a key with Davis sitting out.

“Rui’s ability to shoot and spread the floor was big time for us,” James said. “He just stayed locked in all night.”

D’Angelo Russell added 23 points for Los Angeles, and Taurean Prince had 15.

Desmond Bane led Memphis with 26 points and a career-high 16 assists. Jake LaRavia scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, and Jaren Jackson added 17. The Grizzlies have lost six of seven.

Despite the extended game a night earlier, the Lakers seemed fine with their shooting legs in the first half, and led 69-61 at the break. Lakers coach Darvin Ham almost predicted the pace of the game, saying it was key for Los Angeles to get their legs in the first half after the Milwaukee win and let the second half play out.

“We started getting a groove into the game,” Ham said. “We knew coming off the (Bucks) game, this was not going to be a walk in the park.”

Los Angeles converted eight of its first 10 long-range shots in the third to stretch the advantage to 27. Memphis closed the third on a 21-4 run to pull to 102-92 entering the fourth.

The Lakers would maintain the double-digit lead through the bulk of the fourth.

“Priority was the paint,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said of Hachimura’s shooting. “Obviously, he was the beneficiary of some great ball movement. We adjusted late, but probably a little late on my part.”

The Grizzlies, limping to the finish after a season filled with injuries, got an emotional boost with the return of Brandon Clarke. The 6-foot-8 forward had not played since March 5, 2023 healing from a left Achilles injury. He finished with six points in almost 21 minutes.

As soon as Clarke got off the bench to enter the game in the first quarter, the Memphis fans began applauding his anticipated appearance. The recognition continued until a standing ovation when he was announced entering the game.

“I’m glad to get that first game over with,” Clarke said, acknowledging he still has work on his stamina. “I’ve been thinking about it for a very long time. I wish we could have won, but it was fun to play.”

The Lakers play down the stretch of the season is reminiscent of their run to make the playoffs last season. They finished the season 9-2 and made the play-in game where they defeated Minnesota before dispatching the Grizzlies in six games.

“Our laundry list has been simplified,” Ham said. “We know that nothing else matters if we don’t take care of our own business. You feel the playoff smell in the air. The playoffs and the postseason are rapidly approaching.”

UP NEXT

Lakers: At Indiana on Friday night.

Grizzlies: At Orlando on Saturday.

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Basketball NBA LAL MEM sn-article
AP/Chris O'Meara Lightning Bruins Vasilevskiy stops 23 as surging Lightning beat Bruins Wed, 27 Mar 2024 22:53:49 EDT Wed, 27 Mar 2024 23:20:26 EDT Associated Press Andrei Vasilevskiy made 23 saves as the surging Tampa Bay Lightning beat Atlantic Division-leading Boston.

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TAMPA, Fla. — Brayden Point scored his 42nd goal of the season to break a second-period tie, Andrei Vasilevskiy made 23 saves, and the surging Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Bruins 3-1 on Wednesday night.

Tampa Bay also got goals from Mitchell Chaffee and Nikita Kucherov as the Lightning improved to 7-0-1 over their last eight games. The Lightning moved within two points of third-place Toronto in the Atlantic Division.

Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman and Point both returned after missing one game with lower-body injuries. Hedman had an assist to become the fourth active defenseman to have three 70-point seasons.

Linus Ullmark stopped 28 shots, and Danton Heinen scored for the Bruins. Boston was coming off a 4-3 win Tuesday night at Florida in a matchup for the division lead.

“I didn’t think either team was really on top of their game, to be honest,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “I think they were traveling back from the West Coast. so I don’t think they were as sharp as they’ve been. The intensity and the emotion in the game was not the same as it was for us last night.”

Point put the Lightning up 2-1 on a wraparound 6:50 into the second period. The center has 10 goals over his last seven games.

“Getting the lead for us was big tonight,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “I thought it was big for us to take advantage of a team that, you know, emptied the tank the night before and I thought we did.”

Kucherov took over the NHL points lead with 124 on an empty-net goal with 27 seconds left. The right wing has a career-high 42 goals.

“They forechecked better than we did, which I think led to more o-zone time for them,” Montgomery said. “I mean, their second goal was a real nice breakout from them but it was a poor forecheck by us.”

Vasilevskiy won his 290th game to tie Ed Giacomin for 46th place on the career list. The goalie, who missed the first 20 games this season after having surgery to address a lumbar disc herniation, said physically he feels “not good, not bad.”

“Trying to take care of myself and I will work on myself,” Vasilevskiy said. “Again, it’s a different season for me, like surgery-wise and all that stuff.”

Tampa Bay appeared to go up 3-1 on what would have given Steven Stamkos his ninth 30-goal season at 5:44 of the third, but a video review found the play was offside.

UP NEXT

Bruins: Play the fourth of a six-game trip Saturday night at Washington.

Lightning: Host the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

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Hockey NHL BOS TB sn-article
Nate Billings/AP Rockets and Thunder NBA Roundup: Green scores 37, Rockets beat Thunder for 10th win in a row Wed, 27 Mar 2024 22:27:51 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 01:27:25 EDT Associated Press Rookie Brandon Miller made seven 3-pointers and finished with 31 points, and Charlotte beat Cleveland 118-111 on Wednesday night to avenge a 23-point loss earlier in the week.

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OKLAHOMA CITY — The Houston Rockets didn’t care that they beat an Oklahoma City squad that was missing its best player, All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Rockets celebrated loudly in the locker room after escaping with a win at one of the toughest venues in the league. Jalen Green scored 37 points and Houston won its 10th straight game, defeating the Thunder 132-126 in overtime on Wednesday night.

“It was lit, it was lit,” Green said. “Everybody was happy, celebrating, screaming. I mean, we fought for that one. We worked hard.”

Rockets coach Ime Udoka said it’s all about stacking victories.

“Ten in a row is 10 in a row, regardless if Shai is out or whatever the case may be,” Udoka said. “But it’s hard to do in the NBA. The guys are proud of that effort, and well deserved.”

Amen Thompson had 25 points and 15 rebounds and Dillon Brooks added 20 points for the Rockets.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who was out with a bruised right thigh, ranks third in the league with 30.4 points per game.

Josh Giddey matched a career-high with 31 points for the Thunder, one night after scoring a season-high 25 in a win at New Orleans. Jalen Williams added 23 points and 10 assists for Oklahoma City, which entered the night a half game behind the Western Conference-leading Denver Nuggets.

CLIPPERS 108, 76ERS 107

PHILADELPHIA — Kawhi Leonard completed two 3-point plays late in the game then made a block at the rim on the final possession to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a controversial 108-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.

Kelly Oubre Jr. was stuffed at the rim by Leonard on a play that Sixers head coach Nick Nurse felt should have resulted in a foul on Paul George.

The officiating crew after the game said a foul should have been called on the last play that would have sent Oubre to the line with a chance to win the game.

Nurse stormed onto the court to dispute the non-call and had to be restrained by his assistants. Oubre also jumped into the mix, pointing at each official before being pulled away after the final horn.

“Well I think, listen, I think he took it in there pretty hard, right?” Nurse said. “I looked it on our computer screen a couple times. I thought there was certainly contact. Certainly as much as the last two or three that got called and-1’s at the other end. And that’s all. I just thought it was enough contact to call. But that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

The game officials agreed.

“On the last play on the floor, in real time the crew interpreted that play as the defender jumping vertically,” referee Kevin Scott said to a pool reporter. “However, in post-game video review we did observe some slight drift to his left by the defender George, and a foul should have been ruled.”

Leonard bounced back from a 1-for-8 shooting first half to score 17 points and grab 10 rebounds.

“We had to stay focused if we were going to stay in the game,” he said.

George had 22 points to lead Los Angeles while James Harden, in his return to Wells Fargo Center, had 16 points and 14 assists for the Clippers, who had lost six of nine.

“I liked our fight when we got down 15 points,” Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said. “It’s a tough game for a first game of a road trip. … I just liked us staying with it and attacking the paint and getting to the rim.”

Tyrese Maxey had 26 points for the 76ers while Oubre added 17 points.

NUGGETS 104, SUNS 97

DENVER — Kevin Durant had 30 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks and the Phoenix Suns won in Denver for the second time this month, beating the defending champion Nuggets 104-97 on Wednesday night.

The Suns, with the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA, moved a half-game ahead of Sacramento for the seventh spot in the Western Conference as they try to move up to sixth to avoid a play-in game. Dallas is No. 6, a half-game ahead of Phoenix.

The Western Conference-leading Nuggets struggled without starting point guard Jamal Murray, who missed his third straight game with a sprained left ankle.

Nikola Jokic had 22 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists as he fought through lower back pain and left hip soreness.

The Nuggets, a half-game ahead of Oklahoma City and Minnesota, lost for just the third time in 18 games since the All-Star break, and two of those losses have come at home to the Suns, who prevailed 117-107 in overtime at Ball Arena on March 5.

Denver won six straight games at home after that, but Wednesday night were again victimized by terrific long-range shooting from the Suns, who made 16 of 33 shots from behind the arc. Denver was 10 of 40 on 3s.

Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon each added 18 points for Denver, but the Nuggets’ bench shot just 5 of 19.

Jusuf Nurkic was out for Phoenix with a sprained right ankle after the center was hurt in the third quarter of the Suns’ 104-102 loss at San Antonio on Monday night.

Bradley Beal left that game with a sprained right ring finger, but he started Wednesday night and sank a trio of 3-pointers in the first quarter, setting the tone for another sizzling shooting performance by the Suns, who sank 15 3-pointers at Ball Arena in their last visit.

BULLS 125, PACERS 99

CHICAGO — DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points and Nikola Vucevic added 22 with 12 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls past the Indiana Pacers 125-99 on Wednesday night to snap a three-game skid.

Coby White had 18 points to help Chicago take the season series from Indiana 3-1.

All five Chicago starters reached double digits in scoring, but this victory was about defense. The high-scoring Pacers were held under 100 points for the first time this season. Their previous low was 101 against Boston in a loss on Jan. 6.

“As a team, I thought we were very connected defensively,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “I really thought the way they helped each other was very important … with (Indiana) being such a hard team to guard offensively, the number of points they score.”

Andrew Nembhard scored 18 points for the Pacers, who concluded a five-game trip at 3-2 and remained in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers were held to 40% shooting, while the Bulls shot 50% in an often sloppy game.

Chicago limited Pascal Siakam to 14 points after the two-time All-Star had scored 25 or more in four straight games and 36 and 31 in his last two, respectively.

“I thought we didn’t have the sense of urgency early to get into the paint, as much as we usually do,” said Siakam, who often was double-teamed. “Obviously we weren’t making shots and I said we didn’t have no juice, no real energy, like kind of flat.”

Ayo Dosunmu scored 17 on 7-for-11 shooting, including 3 for 5 on 3-pointers. Andre Drummond added 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for Chicago, ninth in the East.

TIMBERWOLVES 106, PISTONS 91

MINNEAPOLIS — Naz Reid had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Jaden McDaniels added 20 points to help the Minnesota Timberwolves overcome a sluggish start Wednesday night to beat the NBA-worst Detroit Pistons 106-91.

Rudy Gobert had 11 points and 14 rebounds and Kyle Anderson scored 14 points off the bench to help offset a quiet nine points by All-Star Anthony Edwards for the Wolves (50-22), who moved into a second-place tie with Oklahoma City in the Western Conference after the Thunder lost in overtime to Houston.

Denver played later, taking a one-game edge into a home game against Phoenix.

“Why not the first seed? And regardless of whether we do or not, we know the real season starts in mid-April,” Gobert said.

The Wolves hit the 50-win mark for just the fifth time in their 35 seasons, matching the franchise’s third-highest total with 10 games to go. Minnesota’s all-time best record was 58-24 in 2003-04.

“It means a lot. I’ve been here four years now and ain’t got close to 50 wins,” McDaniels said. “It’s a little milestone, but we’ve still got to keep winning.”

Cade Cunningham scored 32 points for the Pistons (12-61), who lost their eighth straight. With nine games to go, they’ve got the fourth-most losses in the franchise’s 76-year history. The ignominious record (16-66) was set in 1979-80.

LAKERS 136, GRIZZLIES 124

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — LeBron James had a triple-double with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, Rui Hachimura scored 32 points as the Los Angeles Lakers built a big lead in the third quarter and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 136-124 on Wednesday night.

Coming off a 128-124 double-overtime victory in Milwaukee without James on Tuesday night, the Lakers won their fifth straight to pull within 2 1/2 games of idle Dallas for the sixth spot in the Western Conference, a spot that would avoid a play-in game.

Anthony Davis sat out against Memphis after having 34 points and 23 rebounds in a career-high 52 minutes against Milwaukee. He hyperextended his left knee late against the Bucks. James said Hachimura’s scoring — including 7 of 8 3-pointers — along with grabbing 10 rebounds was a key with Davis sitting out.

“Rui’s ability to shoot and spread the floor was big time for us,” James said. “He just stayed locked in all night.”

D’Angelo Russell added 23 points for Los Angeles, and Taurean Prince had 15.

Desmond Bane led Memphis with 26 points and a career-high 16 assists. Jake LaRavia scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, and Jaren Jackson added 17. The Grizzlies have lost six of seven.

Despite the extended game a night earlier, the Lakers seemed fine with their shooting legs in the first half, and led 69-61 at the break. Lakers coach Darvin Ham almost predicted the pace of the game, saying it was key for Los Angeles to get their legs in the first half after the Milwaukee win and let the second half play out.

“We started getting a groove into the game,” Ham said. “We knew coming off the (Bucks) game, this was not going to be a walk in the park.”

Los Angeles converted eight of its first 10 long-range shots in the third to stretch the advantage to 27. Memphis closed the third on a 21-4 run to pull to 102-92 entering the fourth.

The Lakers would maintain the double-digit lead through the bulk of the fourth.

SPURS 118, JAZZ 111

SALT LAKE CITY — Devin Vassell scored 31 points, Victor Wembanyama had 19 points and five blocks and the San Antonio Spurs ran past the Utah Jazz 118-111 on Wednesday night.

The Spurs, second in the league in assists behind Indiana, had a season-high 40 on 44 field goals. San Antonio also shot 51.8% from the field and were well above .500 from 3-point range until missing their final four attempts and finishing 16 of 33.

Jeremy Sochan, Julian Champagnie and Malaki Branham all scored 17 points for San Antonio.

Collin Sexton had 26 points and nine assists, while Lauri Markkanen scored 25 points for the Jazz, who lost their seventh in a row.

The Jazz led just once and trailed by double-digits most of the game.

HORNETS 118, CAVALIERS 111

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Rookie Brandon Miller made seven 3-pointers and finished with 31 points, and Charlotte beat Cleveland 118-111 on Wednesday night to avenge a 23-point loss earlier in the week.

Miles Bridges and Tre Mann added 17 points and Grant Williams had 16 for the Hornets, who shot 58% from the field to snap a five-game losing streak. Vasa Micic had 11 points and 12 assists, and Nick Richards added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

But it was Miller who provided the boost — and the knockout blow with a 3 with 25 seconds left — for the Hornets.

Jarrett Allen scored 24 points and Sam Merrill added 17 for the Cavs, who have lost four of their last five games. Allen became the first Cleveland player in four games to top 20 points.

WARRIORS 101, MAGIC 93

ORLANDO, Fla. — Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points, Stephen Curry made the final two baskets of the game on an off-shooting night and Golden State overcame Draymond Green’s early ejection to beat Orlando.

Green, who missed 16 games after being suspended by the NBA in December, was ejected 3:36 in for disputing a foul call on Wiggins. It was Green’s fourth ejection of the season.

Curry made a driving hook shot with 1:09 to go to make it 98-93 and added a 3-pointer with 34 seconds left for the final points. He had 17 points — going 6 of 18 from the field — and 10 assists.

Cole Anthony led Orlando with 26 points and eight rebounds. Paolo Banchero had 15 points and eight rebounds. Anthony’s turnaround jumper brought the Magic within a point with 2:41 left.

The Warriors, holding the 10th spot in the Western Conference, won for the 20th time in 35 road games. They are 18-19 at home.

NETS 122, WIZARDS 119, OT

WASHINGTON — Cam Thomas scored 38 points, including a pair of jumpers in overtime, and Brooklyn held off Washington, snapping the Wizards’ modest three-game winning streak.

Jordan Poole scored a season-high 38 points for Washington, but he missed a 3-pointer that could have tied the game late in overtime. Dorian Finney-Smith had a chance to ice the game for Brooklyn with 4.3 seconds left, but he missed two free throws. The Wizards, however, were out of timeouts, and after securing the rebound, Washington’s Deni Avdija lost control of the ball when he tried to dribble quickly upcourt.

The game began moments after Wizards owner Ted Leonsis spoke at a news conference touting the new agreement keeping his NBA team and the NHL’s Capitals in the District of Columbia. A plan to move them to Virginia had fallen apart.

HAWKS 120, TRAIL BLAZERS 106

ATLANTA — Dejounte Murray had 30 points and seven assists and Atlanta won their third in a row and handed Portland its eighth straight loss.

The Hawks won their third straight game and maintained a hold on 10th place in the Eastern Conference. The Trail Blazers lost their eighth in a row.

Garrison Mathews scored a season-high 21 points off the bench for the Hawks, hitting five three-pointers. It was part of a 41-point effort from the Hawks bench.

Bogdon Bogdonovich had 16 points and five assists and Clint Capela had 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Hawks avenged a 106-102 loss in Portland on March 13.

KNICKS 145, RAPTORS 101

TORONTO — Miles McBride scored 29 points, Jalen Brunson had 26 and New York never trailed in a win over slumping Toronto,, New York’s biggest margin of victory this season.

Precious Achiuwa had 19 points and 13 rebounds against his former team as the Knicks won for the seventh time in eight games, set a season-high for points and swept the four-game season series with Toronto.

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson played for the first time since a left ankle injury in December that sidelined him for 50 games. The 7-footer had not played since he was injured in a Dec. 8 loss at Boston, later undergoing surgery.

Robinson came off the bench and scored eight points in 12 minutes.

Gradey Dick scored a career-high 23 points for Toronto and Gary Trent Jr. had 18 but the short-handed Raptors lost their 12th in a row and fell to 1-13 against Atlantic Division opponents.

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Basketball NBA sn-article
AP/Jeffrey T. Barnes Senators Sabres Hockey Shane Pinto has a goal, three assists as the Senators roll over the Sabres Wed, 27 Mar 2024 22:00:14 EDT Wed, 27 Mar 2024 23:13:37 EDT Associated Press The Ottawa Senators enjoyed a five-goal first-period surge, cruising to a 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Shane Pinto had a goal and three assists, and the Ottawa Senators enjoyed a five-goal first-period surge in cruising to a 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.

Artem Zub opened the scoring 2:37 in an outing the Senators led 4-0 by the 8:49 mark of the opening period, and Pinto closed the scoring with an empty-net goal. Brady Tkachuk, Boris Katchouk, Jakob Chychrun and Drake Batherson each had a goal and assist in a matchup of two Atlantic Division teams all but mathematically out of playoff contention.

Joonas Korpisalo had 34 saves to improve to 5-1 in his past six starts.

“I thought we came out strong,” Pinto said, breaking into an uncontrollable laugh. “When you start like that, it’s just awesome. I think it was fun out there. We had a fun first period.”

It’s not often the Senators could discuss having fun in a season they’ve played well below expectations, and face the likelihood of missing the playoffs for a seventh straight year.

The outcome was another setback for the Sabres, who continue tumbling out of playoff contention and are in jeopardy of extending their NHL-record postseason drought to a 13th year.

“I was pretty shocked. I thought our season’s on the line,” defenseman Connor Clifton said. “They came in and they gave it to us and we had no answer.”

Clifton and JJ Peterka scored second-period goals for Buffalo. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was yanked after allowing four goals on nine shots. Devon Levi mopped up in allowing one goal on 32 shots.

The Sabres’ flat start was indicative of a team still attempting to get acclimated to playing at home after spending much of the past week on a western road swing that closed with a 4-1 win at Calgary on Sunday. Buffalo lost three of five on the trip and sits eight points out of the Eastern Conference playoff race.

The Senators fourth line provided the early spark by scoring the first two goals.

Zub opened the scoring by sweeping in a loose puck that dribbled in behind Luukkonen, after he stopped Katchouk’s shot that was deflected in front by Mark Kastelic. Katchouk scored 2:19 later by deflecting in Parker Kelly’s shot from the right circle.

“Right off the bat, the first two goals, they were the ones that produced it, so I think it really helped,” Senators interim coach Jacques Martin said. “It doesn’t change things, but you need to have some production from different people on different nights. And, I think when you look at some of the wins that we’ve had lately, we’ve been getting some production from other people.”

Luukkonen was pulled after Chychrun made it 4-0 by blasting in a shot from the left circle. Tkachuk capped the surge in the final minute to mark the 17th time the Senators have scored at least five goals in one period — and first time since a five-goal second period in a 6-4 win against Montreal on April 23, 2022.

The team record is six, which came in the first period of a 7-1 win over Atlanta on March 21, 2000.

Martin said defenseman Thomas Chabot will be evaluated after leaving the game with an undisclosed injury in the third period.

UP NEXT

Senators: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.

Sabres: Resume a five-game homestand against the New Jersey Devils on Friday night.

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Hockey NHL BUF OTT sn-article
(Matt Slocum/AP) Embiid 76ers’ Nurse says ‘good likelihood’ Embiid will be back before playoffs Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:27:06 EDT Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:27:08 EDT Associated Press Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse said Wednesday that there is a “good likelihood” that reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid will be back on the court before the postseason.

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PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse said Wednesday that there is a “good likelihood” that reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid will be back on the court before the postseason.

“I think there’s a very good likelihood that he will return before the playoffs,” Nurse said before the Sixers took on the Los Angeles Clippers.

Embiid, who has averaged 35.3 points and 11.5 rebounds this season, has missed 27 games after suffering a meniscus injury on Jan. 30 at Golden State that required surgery on Feb. 6. The Sixers were 10-16 in the games since Embiid’s injury heading into Wednesday.

The club had confirmed two weeks ago that Embiid started on-court work, but has been cryptic about the extent of work he has been doing.

“He’s on the court, as you guys know, but we still don’t have a timeline,” Nurse said, noting that he has had FaceTime calls with his star center but not seen him in person because of Philadelphia’s four-game West Coast trip. “I would imagine that he’s getting better each day. He’s trying to get strong, confident, in shape and ramped up.”

When asked what on-court activities Embiid was doing and if it involved scrimmages against the Sixers’ G-League team, Nurse said only that Embiid was “on the court” and “we’ll let you know when we get there” with a possible return date.

Philadelphia has nine games remaining in the regular season after Wednesday. The 76ers are currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference race.

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Basketball NBA PHI sn-article