AP Sports

Jalen Brunson returns from foot injury, sparks Knicks past Pacers for 2-0 lead in East semifinals

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson returned from a right foot injury to score 24 of his 29 points in the second half, leading the New York Knicks to a 130-121 victory over the Indiana Pacers for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. On the anniversary of Willis Reed’s dramatic emergence from the locker room before Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals to lead the Knicks to their first title, Brunson sent the Madison Square Garden crowd into a frenzy when he came out to warm up at halftime after missing the entire second quarter while the Pacers surged ahead to a double-figure lead. The Knicks moved halfway to their first Eastern Conference finals appearance since 2000.

Jokic wins NBA’s MVP award, his 3rd in 4 seasons. Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic round out top 3

Nikola Jokic did it all again. And the NBA MVP trophy is his again. The Denver Nuggets star from Serbia was announced Wednesday night as the league’s Most Valuable Player. It’s his third time winning the award in the past four seasons, a feat that just six other players in NBA history have accomplished. Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists. Others averaged more in each category, but he was the only player to rank in the NBA’s top 10 in points, rebounds and assists per game this season.

Canucks overcome 3-goal deficit to stun Oilers 5-4 in Game 1

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Conor Garland broke a tie with 5:34 left and the Vancouver Canucks overcame a three-goal deficit to beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the second-round playoff series. Garland took a short pass from Dakota Joshua, faked a slap shot at the right circle and slipped a wrist shot between goalie Stuart Skinner’s legs from a sharp angle for Vancouver’s second goal in 39 seconds and third in 4:48. Game 2 is Friday night in Vancouver. Elias Lindholm got the comeback started with 2:59 left in the second period. J.T. Miller cut it to 4-3 at 9:38 of the third, and Nikita Zadorov tied it with 6:13 remaining.

Aleksander Barkov scores twice, Panthers rout Bruins 6-1 in Game 2 to tie series

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Aleksander Barkov had two goals and two assists, Sam Reinhart added four assists and the Florida Panthers beat the Boston Bruins 6-1 on Wednesday night to tie the second-round series at a game apiece. Brandon Montour had a goal and two assists for Florida, which also got goals from Steven Lorentz, Gustav Forsling and Eetu Luostarinen. The Panthers chased Bruins starter Jeremy Swayman early in the third period after four straight goals, then added two more against Linus Ullmark. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 14 saves for the Panthers. The five-goal margin matched Florida’s biggest ever in a playoff game, tying the mark set against Tampa Bay in another 6-1 win on April 29. Charlie Coyle had the goal for the Bruins.

Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty in betting case

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case. Prosecutors alleged Ippei Mizuhara stole nearly $17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts. Mizuhara’s scheduled arraignment Thursday in federal court in Los Angeles was postponed earlier Tuesday. The scandal shocked baseball fans from the U.S. to Japan when the news broke in March. Mizuhara was initially charged with one count of bank fraud. Authorities say there was no evidence that Ohtani was involved in or aware of Mizuhara’s gambling, and the player is cooperating with investigators.

Real Madrid rallies late to beat Bayern 2-1 and reach another Champions League final

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid has defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 to reach the Champions League final for the second time in three seasons. Joselu scored in the 88th minute and in stoppage time for the record 14-time European champion. Madrid advanced 4-3 on aggregate to set up a final against Borussia Dortmund on June 1 in London. Bayern had taken the lead with Alphonso Davies in the 68th. Joselu’s first goal was a tap in after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer spilled an easy save. It will be Madrid’s record-extending 18th European Cup final, and ninth in the Champions League era.

What will Utah’s NHL team be called? Here are 20 options

Ownership of the NHL’s team in Utah has given fans 20 choices to vote on for the franchise’s new name. Owner Ryan Smith has told The Associated Press the team will be know as Utah something, rather than Salt Lake City. The options given to fans to choose from are Frost, Ice, Powder, Mountaineers, Freeze, Mammoth, Black Diamonds, Blast, Caribou, Blizzard, Swarm, Hive, Outlaws, Yeti, Squall, Fury, Glaciers, Canyons, Venom and HC for Hockey Club. Smith Entertainment Group bought the Arizona Coyotes from former owner Alex Meruelo and relocated the team to Salt Lake City.

After appearing on red carpet at Met Gala, Nelly Korda goes for a sixth straight win on LPGA Tour

CLIFTON, N.J. (AP) — Nelly Korda will try to become the first woman to win six consecutive LPGA Tour starts when play begins in the 72-hole Cognizant Founders Cup on Thursday at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey. The 25-year-old is coming into the event after taking two weeks off following a three-stroke win in The Chevron Championship in Texas. Korda’s streak ties her with Hall of Famers Annika Sorenstam (2004-05) and Nancy Lopez (1978) for most consecutive LPGA tournament wins. Byron Nelson holds golf’s all-time record with 11 straight wins in 1945. Korda missed the cut in this event last year.

Tiger Woods to be lone player on negotiating committee with Saudis

Tiger Woods is the only player on a five-member subcommittee that will be negotiating with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf. Woods is on the PGA Tour Enterprise transaction subcommittee. That group is involved in day-to-day dealings with the Public Investment Fund as the Saudi group tries to become a minority investor. It caps a busy day of tour governance. It started with Rory McIlroy losing the inside track on rejoining the board. Commissioner Jay Monahan says McIlroy’s voice remains important. He says the decision was based more on following the proper process for a player joining the board.

As Patrick Beverley calls his actions ‘inexcusable,’ police announce they’ve opened an investigation

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis police have announced they’ve opened an investigation into an “NBA player and citizen” altercation that happened at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on the night Bucks guard Patrick Beverley threw a ball at a fan in the final minutes of a season-ending loss to the Pacers. Police said in a news release Wednesday the case has been forwarded to detectives, “who are currently investigating this situation and take all accusations seriously.” Cameras showed Beverley sitting on the bench and tossing a ball into the stands, hitting a fan in the head with about 2 ½ minutes left in the game on May 2.