In Brief: LeBron, Love power Cavs to game 5 rout
NBA: LeBron James scored 23 points then grabbed a seat, Kevin Love scored 25, and the Cleveland Cavaliers unleashed tenacious defense on Toronto to regain control of the Eastern Conference finals with a 116-78 rout of the Raptors in Game 5 on Wednesday night in Cleveland.
Back on their home court following two straight losses in Canada, the Cavs opened a 34-point lead in the first half and never slowed while taking a 3-2 series lead.
They can clinch their second straight conference title and trip to the NBA Finals with a win in Game 6 on Friday night in Toronto.
The Raptors, who came in with momentum and confidence after winning Games 3 and 4, left Quicken Loans Arena shaken and one loss from having their deepest playoff run stopped.
Charges announced against former NBA player: Federal prosecutors in Kansas City announced charges against former NBA player Kermit Washington related to the African charity he founded.
Washington, 64, whose career was marred by a 1977 incident in which he punched and almost killed another player (Rudy Tomjanovich), was arrested Tuesday in Los Angeles.
A federal grand jury in Kansas City indicted him on charges of interfering with internal revenue laws, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, obstruction of justice and aggravated identity theft, prosecutors said.
Murray prevails in French Open start
Tennis: Priority No. 1 now for Andy Murray in Paris: Putting his feet up. After 10 sets of tennis in his first two rounds, he sorely needs the rest.
The Scot, seeded second, came through 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 against Mathias Bourgue, a 22-year-old French player ranked 164th with a wild card to play his first Grand Slam tournament. The second-round win came just a day after Murray completed another five-setter in the first round.
Sharks head to 1st Cup final after win
NHL: Captain Joe Pavelski scored an early goal, Joel Ward added two of his own and the San Jose Sharks advanced to their first Stanley Cup final in franchise history by beating the St. Louis Blues 5-2 in San Jose, in Game 6 of the Western Conference final.
Joonas Donskoi also scored, Logan Couture had an empty-netter and Martin Jones made 24 saves as a Sharks team notorious for postseason letdowns will now play for the championship that has eluded stars like Pavelski, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau for so long.
Coyotes hire Anaheim’s Segal: The Arizona Coyotes have hired Anaheim Ducks executive Ari Segal as chief operating officer.
Segal previously served as a special assistant to Anaheim CEO Michael Schulman and as president of business operations for the Ducks’ AHL affiliate in San Diego.
Washington wins NCAA golf title
Golf: Washington freshman Julianne Alvarez atoned for a three-putt bogey on the 18th hole with two tough par saves to win the decisive match in 20 holes and deliver the Huskies their first NCAA golf title in Eugene, Oregon.
Washington won 3-2, with the final two matches decided in extra holes.
Baxter, Buchanan win US Amateur 4-Ball: SMU teammates Ben Baxter and Andrew Buchanan won the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship in Mamaroneck, New York, beating Brandon Cigna and Ben Warnquist 3 and 2 at Winged Foot.
Cooper, Papp win US Women’s Amateur 4-Ball: Hailee Cooper and Kaitlyn Papp won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship in Bowling Green, Florida, at Streamsong Resort, outlasting 13-year-olds Angelina Kim and Brianna Navarrosa with a par on the first extra hole.
Kluge wins 17th stage at Giro d’Italia
Miscellany: German rider Roger Kluge used his track cycling experience to take the biggest victory of his road career, winning the 17th stage of the Giro d’Italia in Cassano d’ adda, Italy, with a well-timed counterattack.
Nagbe’s goal lifts us over Ecuador: Darlington Nagbe scored his first international goal on a 90th-minute volley, and the United States beat Ecuador 1-0 in a Copa America tuneup in Frisco, Texas.
The U.S. defeated a South American team for just the third time in 21 tries (14 losses, 4 draws) since a March 2007 victory over Ecuador.