Digest: Curry dazzles again, Warriors even series with Thunder 1-1
Basketball: Stephen Curry scored 15 straight points in less than 2 minutes during one dazzling third-quarter stretch, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 118-91 on Wednesday night in Oakland, California, to even the Western Conference final at one game apiece.
The MVP scored 28 points, making 5 of 8 3-pointers and shooting 9 for 15 overall, while Klay Thompson added 15 points in a balanced performance by the defending champions to bounce back from just their third defeat all season at Oracle Arena in the series opener two nights earlier.
Kevin Durant scored 29 points but just six after halftime. Russell Westbrook had 16 points and 12 assists for the Thunder, who were outrebounded for the first time in five meetings with the Warriors this season.
Game 3 is Sunday night in Oklahoma City.
Whiteside to be Heat’s top priority: Miami Heat President Pat Riley says that Hassan Whiteside will be the team’s top priority in free agency, noting that the center will be contacted by the team at 12:01 a.m. on July 1. That’s the symbolic start to the free-agent shopping window this summer.
Riley says Whiteside’s upside cannot be ignored. Whiteside averaged 14.2 points and was the NBA’s blocked-shot leader this season.
Riley also says the Heat remain committed to working with Chris Bosh and finding a way for Miami’s highest-paid player to get back on the floor. Bosh’s last two seasons have ended at the All-Star break, both times because blood clots were found.
Knicks look to hire Hornacek: The New York Knicks are working on a deal to hire Jeff Hornacek, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press. President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson has had discussions with the former Phoenix Suns coach and there is mutual interest, but they have not begun negotiations on a contract, the person said on condition of anonymity because details of the coaching search are private.
Fowles leads Lynx: Sylvia Fowles had 24 points and 13 rebounds in the first game against her former team, Maya Moore added 22 points and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Chicago Sky 97-80 in Rosemont, Illinois.
Fowles spent seven seasons with the Sky before signing with the Lynx late last season and was named the 2015 WNBA Finals MVP. Moore was 7 of 12 from the field and Fowles only missed three of 13 attempts for Minnesota, which shot 51 percent. It was Fowles’ second straight double-double and the 101st of her career.
Pittsburgh rallies in the third, leads series
NHL: Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and Chris Kunitz scored third-period goals, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals in Tampa, Florida.
Carl Hagelin snapped a scoreless tie late in the second period and Matt Murray had 26 saves for the Penguins, who took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Game 4 is Friday night at Amalie Arena.
Crosby’s power-play goal restored a two-goal lead midway through the final period. Kunitz also beat goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy from the right circle to make it 4-1.
Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat scored for the Lightning. They have lost two straight after winning the series opener in Pittsburgh. The defending Eastern Conference champions were outshot 48-28, including 38-16 over the last two periods.
Judge denies NHL motion to dismiss lawsuit: A federal judge in Minnesota has denied the NHL’s latest attempt to throw out a class-action lawsuit by former players filed over head injuries.
The league had argued that the suit should be tossed because the issues raised by the former players were covered under the collective bargaining agreement with the players’ union. U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson wrote in a 47-page opinion that the contract does not pre-empt legal action, in part because the players are retired and no longer subject to the CBA. Nelson also wrote that the subjects of the complaint are not spelled out in the CBA.
Finalists named for GM award: Washington’s Brian MacLellan, Dallas’ Jim Nill and Pittsburgh’s Jim Rutherford are the finalists for the NHL General Manager of the Year Award.
Voting by the 30 club general managers and a panel of NHL executives, print and broadcast media at the conclusion of the second round determined the finalists. The winner will be announced June 22.
Grella scores only goal, Bulls blank Fire
Soccer: Mike Grella scored early in the second half after a Chicago turnover and the New York Red Bulls beat the Fire 1-0 in Harrison, New Jersey, for their third win in five games. Luis Robles posted his second shutout of the season in making his MLS record-tying 118th consecutive start.
Grella scored in the 58th minute after Lloyd Sam forced Chicago defender Jonathan Campbell to make a weak back pass toward his goal. Bradley Wright-Phillips intercepted the ball, laid off a pass to Lloyd, who found Grella coming down the middle for his team-high fourth goal on a shot past goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
New York City ties Toronto: Kwadwo Poku scored to help New York City FC tie host Toronto FC 1-1. Poku opened the scoring in the 16th minute for NYCFC (4-3-5). Johnson scored for Toronto (4-4-3) in the 42nd minute.
Sevilla shocks Liverpool: Sevilla stunned Liverpool with a 3-1 comeback win to take a third straight Europa League title in Basel, Switzerland.
Swept aside in the first half yet trailing only 1-0, Sevilla equalized 18 seconds after the restart with Kevin Gameiro’s goal and Coke struck twice in the 64th and 70th minutes.
Records show more violence at Baylor
Miscellany: An ESPN examination of Waco (Texas) police records over a five-year period has found more allegations of violent incidents involving Baylor football players who were not charged and appeared to face little or no discipline from the team even though coaches and administrators knew about the allegations.
The report also found some documents were shielded from public view by officers.
The network obtained a database of assault cases reported to Waco police and matched them against football rosters from 2011 to 2015.
The newly revealed cases involved domestic violence allegations, fights and a 4-year-old sexual assault case that hasn’t been closed even though no charges have been filed.
Officials at the university declined comment on specific cases, but said they are saddened any time a Baylor student acts in a way that’s inconsistent with the school’s mission.
Russia could face range of sanctions: The latest allegations of state-sponsored doping in Russia could lead to suspension of entire national federations, heavy fines and lifetime Olympic bans, IOC President Thomas Bach said Wednesday.
Bach declined to say whether the IOC would consider banning Russia entirely from this year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, maintaining such a move hinges on a choice between “collective responsibility” and “individual justice.”
Sagan wins second stage at Monterey
Cycling: Peter Sagan successfully navigated two brutal climbs at the end of the fourth stage at the Tour of California in Monterey, California, then outsprinted Greg Van Avermaet at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for his second victory in the first four stages.
Julian Alaphilippe finished with the leaders on the 134-mile ride to retain his overall lead.
Ulissi wins: Italian rider Diego Ulissi won a three-way sprint to take his second victory in this year’s Giro d’Italia in Asolo, Italy, as Bob Jungels held onto the overall leader’s pink jersey after the 11th stage.