U.S./World Sports category, Page 21
Donovan Mitchell, top-seeded Cavaliers ready to face Heat
Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers go into the NBA playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the highest-scoring offense during the regular season and one of the favorites for the championship. However, Mitchell knows this season’s accomplishments will be hollow if the Cavaliers can’t make a deep...
Celtics have tunnel vision on Magic as they begin repeat attempt
BOSTON — It’s been six months since Celtics star Jayson Tatum stood at center court in Boston’s TD Garden and addressed fans minutes after receiving his 2024 championship ring and watching the franchise’s 18th banner raised into the rafters. Tatum welled with emotion as he thanked fans for their support...
NBA playoff guide: Who plays when, how to watch, what the odds are
It’s go time. The race for the Larry O’Brien Trophy is finally beginning. The 2025 NBA playoffs started Saturday with four games: Indiana-Milwaukee, Denver-Los Angeles Clippers, New York-Detroit and Los Angeles Lakers-Minnesota. The other four Game 1s are Sunday: Oklahoma City-Memphis, Boston-Orlando, Cleveland-Miami and Houston-Golden State. Miami and Memphis claimed...
Boston Marathon and city insist all are welcome. But some runners say politics will keep them home
BOSTON — The Boston Marathon and Mayor Michelle Wu insisted on Friday that international runners and other foreign visitors remain welcome in the city and said there is no evidence that travel for this year’s race has fallen off in the face of increased border scrutiny. “Regardless of what’s happening...
Kawhi Leonard is fresh as streaking Clippers open playoffs
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Kawhi Leonard is fresh in mind and body this year, no longer relegated to watching from the sideline when the Los Angeles Clippers begin the postseason. After appearing in just two playoff games over the last two years, the 33-year-old two-time Finals MVP is healthy and looking...
Luka Doncic eager to start playing big games for Lakers
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Luka Doncic has been with the Los Angeles Lakers for 2 1/2 months now, and he’s feeling fairly comfortable in his new home. He is building chemistry with his new teammates, who are getting used to his brilliant passes, prolific scoring outbursts and fiery competitiveness. But...
NBA playoffs might be wide-open race to title again
There was Toronto in 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Milwaukee in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Denver in 2023 and Boston in 2024. Six seasons, six champions. A run of parity like none other in NBA history. And now the Celtics get their turn at bucking that trend....
A sweet 16 for Dude Perfect, from college trick shots to trusted sports and entertainment brand
FRISCO, Texas — The five buddies who now comprise Dude Perfect had no intention of creating a brand or even a business 16 years ago when they started making a video of basketball trick shots while they were attending Texas A&M. “My dad would say we were procrastinating studying for...
Hilary Knight gets assist record as U.S. shuts out Switzerland at the women’s hockey worlds
CESKE BUDEJOVICE, Czech Republic — Hilary Knight set an assist record as the United States wrapped up the group stage at the women’s ice hockey world championship by beating Switzerland 5-0 on Tuesday. The U.S. topped Group A with a perfect record of four wins from four and will face...
Play-in time as NBA postseason begins with Magic-Hawks, Warriors-GrizzliesVideo
Steve Kerr, the basketball fan, raves about the play-in tournament and the drama it creates down the stretch of the NBA’s regular season and leading into the official start of the playoffs. Kerr, the basketball coach, doesn’t like it so much. “I haven’t loved it because we’ve been on the...
Paige Bueckers is No. 1 pick in WNBA Draft, going to Dallas Wings
NEW YORK — Paige Bueckers is headed to Dallas as the first pick Monday night in the WNBA Draft. The versatile UConn star is the latest Huskies standout to go No. 1, joining former greats Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart. “Dallas I’m so excited, a new...
Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin renew rivalry at Bristol with 1-2 finish
A second consecutive victory at Bristol Motor Speedway was especially sweet for Kyle Larson, and one reason loomed large in his rearview mirror. The Hendrick Motorsports star fended off several challenges for the lead by Denny Hamlin as they ran in the top two positions for 251 of 500 laps...
Kyle Larson dominates in emotional Cup victory at Bristol Motor Speedway
With added motivation to honor a late friend, Kyle Larson seemed to have an extra gear Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Hendrick Motorsports star led 411 of 500 laps in a victory that was dominant as it was emotional. Larson, racing just days after the death of Jon Edwards,...
Oscar Piastri cruises to win at Bahrain Grand Prix, with Lando Norris 3rdVideo
In a race with plenty of drama, Oscar Piastri made sure to stay ahead of trouble. Piastri took his second win of the Formula 1 season in dominant style at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, slashing the points gap to his teammate Lando Norris, who could only manage third...
Bub Carrington hits game-winner as time expires to lift Wizards past play-in bound Heat 119-118Video
MIAMI — Tristan Vukcevic had 28 points and 11 rebounds, Justin Champagnie added 27 points and Bub Carrington banked in a game-winner as time expired to put the Washington Wizards over the Miami Heat 119-118 on Sunday in both teams’ regular-season finale. Carrington had 15 points, nine assists and seven...
Paige Bueckers has had busy week since helping UConn win national championship
NEW YORK — It’s been a whirlwind week for Paige Bueckers since she won her first national championship with UConn. The Huskies star player has been going back and forth between Connecticut and New York doing morning and night time talk show appearances. Bueckers stopped by “The Tonight Show with...
Former LSU receiver Kyren Lacy dead at age 24, university confirms
BATON ROUGE, La. — Former LSU receiver Kyren Lacy, who was facing criminal charges stemming from a fatal car accident in December, has died at age 24, a university athletics spokesman said Sunday. While the LSU Athletic Department confirmed Lacy’s death, it did not confirm the cause. WAFB-TV in Baton...
Game 82: The end of the line for some in the NBA, decision day for othersVideo
Game 82 for every team in the NBA has arrived. For 10 clubs, it’s the end of the season. For 13 others, it’s one last game before the postseason. And for seven teams in the Western Conference, Game 82 might feel like Game 7. The NBA regular season ends Sunday,...
Denny Hamlin goes for 3 consecutive wins amid history at Bristol
At a track where he has enjoyed more success than any active NASCAR driver, history awaits Denny Hamlin at Bristol Motor Speedway. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver will make his 400th consecutive start in the Cup Series and the 36th of his career at the 0.533-mile oval in Bristol, Tenn....
Nuggets fire coach Michael Malone, oust GM Calvin Booth in stunning moveVideo
Michael Malone, who coached the Denver Nuggets to the NBA title in 2023 and has led the team to eight consecutive winning seasons, was fired Tuesday in a stunning move that comes with less than a week in the regular season. Also out: general manager Calvin Booth, whose contract will...
Denny Hamlin holds off William Byron in OT to win at Darlington
DARLINGTON, S.C. — Denny Hamlin took the lead coming out of the pits before a final overtime finish and held off William Byron to win the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday. Hamlin won for a second straight week after his success at Martinsville and for the fifth time...
Denny Hamlin looks for 5th win at Darlington Raceway
DARLINGTON, S.C. — Denny Hamlin is continually questioning his confidence as he navigates his latest try for a NASCAR Cup Series title. Hamlin’s win last week at Martinsville has him in the field of 16 when the playoffs come around in about five months. And he’s prepping to run the...
Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Sue Bird highlight Basketball Hall of Fame class
Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard are going into the Basketball Hall of Fame later this year, not once but twice. And LeBron James and Chris Paul are part of the group that’s headed to the Hall as well, even before their playing careers end. Anthony and Howard were announced Saturday...
Duke freshman star Cooper Flagg named AP men’s college basketball player of the year
SAN ANTONIO — Cooper Flagg and his Duke teammates were days away from clinching a spot in the Final Four, and the Blue Devils’ freshman star was planning ahead. It wasn’t about anything on the court, though. It was to be ready the next time teammates Khaman Maluach and Patrick...
UCLA coach Cori Close uses lessons learned from time with UConn’s Geno Auriemma over a decade agoVideo
TAMPA, Fla. — When Cori Close was starting out at UCLA 14 years ago, she called Geno Auriemma and asked if she could fly across the country to watch his UConn team practice during the NCAA Tournament because her team wasn’t playing in March Madness. It was Close’s first head...
