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United States women's national team legend Carli Lloyd announced she and her husband, Brian Hollins, are expecting their first child. Lloyd, 41, made 316 appearances for the USWNT, second behind Kristine Lilly (354), during which she won two Women's World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals in women's soccer. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) "It has been a rollercoaster of a journey to get to this point. We are beyond excited to be parents! I couldn't have gotten through this without my amazing husband, Brian. He truly kept me going," Lloyd said in an Instagram post on Wednesday. "We are so grateful for all the love and support we had from our family and friends. "My story is currently a happy one, but I know there are other women who are facing challenges in their pregnancy journey. I see you and I understand your pain. My hope is that more and more women will speak up about this topic, because their stories helped me. I...

RJ Davis, an All-American and Wooden Award finalist last season, is returning to North Carolina for a fifth season. Davis announced his decision in an Instagram post early Wednesday morning with the simple caption: "I'm back." The runaway winner for ACC Player of the Year, Davis averaged 21.2 points and 3.5 assists per game last season while shooting 39.8% from 3. He was North Carolina's first Associated Press All-American since 2017. His anticipated return had the Tar Heels at No. 8 in ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25. North Carolina won the ACC regular-season title in 2023-24 and received a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, reaching the Sweet 16 before falling to No. 4 Alabama. Information from ESPN's Jeff Borzello was used in this report.

RJ Davis, an All-American and Wooden Award finalist last season, is returning to North Carolina for a fifth season. Davis announced his decision in an Instagram post early Wednesday morning with the simple caption: "I'm back." The runaway winner for ACC Player of the Year, Davis averaged 21.2 points and 3.5 assists per game last season while shooting 39.8% from 3. He was North Carolina's first Associated Press All-American since 2017. His anticipated return had the Tar Heels listed at No. 8 in ESPN's Way-Too-Early Top 25. North Carolina won the ACC regular-season title in 2023-24 and received a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, reaching the Sweet 16 before falling to No. 4 Alabama. Information from ESPN's Jeff Borzello was used in this report.

MILWAUKEE -- As the final seconds ticked off the clock of an emphatic 115-92 Milwaukee Bucks victory in Game 5 to avoid elimination, Malik Beasley threw his hands in the air and welcomed the love from the crowd. Patrick Beverley yelled along with fans in the front row near the Bucks bench. Khris Middleton even acknowledged the cheers as he walked up the floor to come out of the game. A sold-out crowd, emboldened by the unlikely performance they had witnessed, chanted "Bucks in seven." The Bucks won Tuesday night with both of their two top scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, out of the lineup, making them the first team in NBA history to win a playoff game while missing their top two scorers from the regular season. Middleton and Bobby Portis led all scorers with 29 points each and, along with Beverley, became the first trio in Bucks history to all post a double-double since 1981, according to research...

NEW YORK -- After the New York Knicks completed a miraculous comeback in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden last week, Sixers guard  Tyrese Maxey vowed to make up for his turnover and missed shot in the closing moments that helped cost his team that game. Tuesday night, with Philadelphia's season seemingly over, Maxey not only made up for it -- he somehow did something even more absurd. Thanks to his seven points in the final 28.9 seconds of regulation -- back-to-back 3-pointers, the first of which he was fouled on by Mitchell Robinson for a four-point play -- the 76ers erased a six-point lead inside the final 30 seconds and went on to claim a 112-106 overtime victory in Game 5, somehow sending this series back to Philadelphia with the Knicks up 3-2. "What was going through my mind was trying to survive," said Maxey, who had 46 points in 52 minutes. "Our season is on the line. I trust...

After their Game 5 victory, Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei noted the key difference between his team and the New York Islanders, the team it eliminated Tuesday night. "Those lucky bounces went our way," he said after the Hurricanes' 6-3 win in Raleigh. The Hurricanes' Jack Drury and Stefan Noesen scored eight seconds apart in the third period, the fastest two goals in a playoff game in franchise history. That broke their previous record of nine seconds between goals, which was set in the third period of Game 2 against the Islanders. Drury's goal came on a deflected puck that the Islanders couldn't clear from their zone. Noesen scored eight seconds later on a bounce off the side boards that sailed directly to the Islanders' net. "It sucks that we're done playing. It's just a tough way to lose a game like that," Islanders captain Anders Lee said. "We were grinding back. Stayed in the fight all night. We believed we were...

MILWAUKEE -- Punches were thrown when a brawl broke out between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers during the eighth inning of Tuesday night's game.  The fracas ensued after Jose Siri grounded out against Brewers pitcher Abner Uribe leading off the inning. Uribe and Siri exchanged words near first base and things quickly became heated. With an umpire standing between them trying to keep the peace, Uribe threw a punch at Siri, who then took a wild swing at the reliever. Siri claimed Uribe escalated the exchange with a shoulder bump. Uribe said it began with some "unnecessary" words from Siri. Milwaukee first baseman Rhys Hoskins tried to break up the fight but was knocked to the ground as both dugouts and bullpens emptied quickly. "I don't know who said something first but I saw them talking to each other somewhat discreetly and then off it went," Hoskins said. The animosity between Siri and the Brewers had been building all night,...

PHOENIX -- A swarm of bees created quite a baseball buzzkill in the desert -- and gave Arizona Diamondbacks fans a new hero. The start of Tuesday night's game between the Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers was delayed nearly two hours after a bee colony swarmed the top of the protective netting behind home plate. Matt Hilton turned into the star of the night for removing the bees, earning a brief slice of stardom and the nod to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Chase Field. "Minor leagues to the big leagues now," said Hilton, branch manager for Blue Sky Pest Control's Phoenix office. "It's pretty cool." The buzz started about five minutes before first pitch. Mike Rock, the Diamondbacks' vice president of baseball operations, got a call from the senior manager of events telling him a growing colony of bees was collecting atop the netting. "She doesn't usually call me about that time. I knew something was odd," Rock said. "She said we have bees...

The series of $500,000 payments Ippei Mizuhara sent from Shohei Ohtani's bank account to an illegal bookmaking operation were forwarded to California and Las Vegas casinos, where the money was deposited in gambling accounts, converted to playing chips and later cashed out to pay the bookie, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the operation told ESPN. The description of what happened to Ohtani's money sheds new light on the ongoing federal probe that drew global attention after his interpreter, Mizuhara, was accused of stealing $16 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger to feed what he has called a gambling addiction. Mathew Bowyer, the California bookmaker who took Mizuhara's bets, was a frequent customer at Las Vegas casino Resorts World. The sources told ESPN that Mizuhara paid his losses to Bowyer's associate, who forwarded the money to his own "marker" accounts at Resorts World and Pechanga Resort Casino in Southern California. The men then...

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos have been busy since they acquired quarterback Zach Wilson in a trade last week to beef up their impending competition for the starting job. Thursday, they selected Oregon quarterback Bo Nix in the first round of the NFL draft (12th overall), and sources said the Broncos have informed Wilson and his representatives that they will not pick up the fifth-year option in Wilson's contract. As the No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft by the New York Jets, Wilson's rookie deal included a fifth-year option for the 2025 season. The option would have been for a guaranteed $22.408 million. By league rules, the deadline to pick up the fifth-year option for 2021 first-round picks is Thursday, and it puts Wilson in a position to try to make the most of the 2024 season with the Broncos before he hits free agency in March. The Broncos have already engaged the fifth-year option on cornerback Pat Surtain II's contract for $19.8...

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Mike Trout, the Angels' superstar center fielder who has been hampered by a litany of injuries in recent years, suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee that will require surgery. The Angels did not announce a timetable for Trout's recovery while revealing the injury Tuesday, but sources familiar with the situation said a best-case scenario could be four to six weeks. A true timeline, however, can't be determined until doctors take a closer look at Trout's knee. Surgery is expected to take place at some point this week, with a source indicating it could happen Friday. Trout, considered one of the game's best players before injuries continually sidelined him over the past three seasons, was on the verge of tears while addressing the media. "It's just frustrating," Trout said, getting choked up. "But we'll get through it." Most frustrating to Trout, 32, is that he can't pinpoint the moment the injury took place. He played the entirety of Monday's...

Vinícius Júnior said Toni Kroos "makes things easy" after the veteran midfielder provided the pass for the first of the Brazilian's two goals in Real Madrid's 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich on Tuesday. Vinicius opened the scoring in the 24th minute, converting Kroos' pinpoint throughball, before goals from Leroy Sané and Harry Kane put Bayern ahead. Vinicius then converted a late penalty to leave the Champions League semifinal all square ahead of the second leg in Madrid next week. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The Brazil international has now scored five goals in eight Champions League appearances this season. But, speaking after the game, he highlighted the contribution of Kroos, 34, instead. "Toni always makes things easy," Vinicius told Movistar. "He gifted me a goal. We practice a lot together in training. I know Toni very well, and he knows me. I'm very happy to have scored two goals. Now we...

ANAHEIM, Calif. --  Angels superstar Mike Trout, hoping for a fully healthy season after being significantly limited by injury the past three years, needs knee surgery, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. The procedure, which is believed to be scheduled for Friday, isn't considered to be season ending. At this point, it is not known how long Trout will be out. Trout played the entire game Monday, a come-from-behind, 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, and even stole a base. A follow-up MRI, however, revealed an issue with his knee.

Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss a minimum of several games with a right soleus strain suffered in Game 4, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday. The Celtics said the star big man will be out for Wednesday's Game 5 in Boston because of the injury but did not offer a timetable beyond that.  The soleus (calf) strain is the same injury that has kept Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo out this postseason.  Porzingis suffered the injury in the first half of Monday's Game 4 win in Miami. He appeared to tweak something after catching a pass from Jaylen Brown late in the second quarter. Upon getting the ball, he started driving toward his left, then grimaced before quickly giving the ball back to Brown and coming up lame in the middle of the play. Porzingis didn't appear to be touched by anyone on the play in which he was hurt. Following the game, he slowly walked out of the visiting locker room area wearing...

HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros will option slumping first baseman Jose Abreu to their spring training facility to try to get the 2020 American League MVP back on track. General manager Dana Brown made the announcement Tuesday, saying that they'd make the move Wednesday. The 37-year-old will report to the Astros complex in West Palm Beach, Florida. Brown said the decision was made after a meeting that included himself, Abreu, coaches and front-office personnel. Abreu, in the second season of a $58.5 million, three-year contract, is hitting .099 with just one extra-base hit and three RBIs. In 77 plate appearances across 22 games this season, Abreu has seven hits. "You know what's been the hardest thing for me? And I say this from the bottom of my heart -- I feel embarrassed," Abreu said in Spanish during last weekend's series vs. the Colorado Rockies in Mexico. "The people in this organization brought me here to do a good job. I haven't done that. The hard...

Real Madrid's  Vinícius Júnior scored twice, including an 83rd minute penalty, to snatch a 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich in an entertaining Champions League semifinal, first leg on Tuesday, leaving the tie wide open. The Brazil international struck against the run of play when he slotted in to give the visitors the lead from Toni Kroos' defence-splitting pass after 24 minutes. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Bayern had struck twice in four minutes early in the second half to turn the game around before Vinícius' spot kick. Facing each other for a record eighth time at this stage of the competition, it was Bayern who got off to a strong start, racking up half a dozen attempts on goal by the 15th minute with Leroy Sané and Harry Kane coming close. Real needed only one chance to score though, stunning the home crowd against the run of play when Kroos sliced open the Bayern defence with a through ball...

New York Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic will miss the rest of the season because of left foot surgery, the team announced. Bogdanovic, who turned 35 last week, had already been dealing with a wrist issue before he injured his foot almost immediately after checking in to Sunday's Game 4 win over the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time at the start of the second quarter. Bogdanovic got tied up with 76ers forward Nicolas Batum while both were chasing a loose ball, and Bogdanovic immediately went to the ground in a lot of pain. He slowly limped off the court and was ruled out a short time later. Bogdanovic was acquired from the Detroit Pistons at the trade deadline, alongside Alec Burks, to bolster New York's depth for the stretch run, and he has played a reserve role for the Knicks throughout the first four games of this series. That included a critical pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter of New York's Game 1 victory at Madison Square...

PLAYA VISTA, Calif. -- LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will miss his second straight game and remain out for Wednesday's Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks, according to coach Ty Lue. Lue said Leonard would not practice Tuesday as he continues to treat the inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. Leonard did not play Sunday when the Clippers won Game 4 in Dallas 116-111 to even the best-of-seven series at 2. Paul George and James Harden shouldered the load, combining for a total of 66 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds. After missing the final eight regular-season games and Game 1 of the series, Leonard returned and logged 35 minutes, scoring 15 points in Game 2. But Leonard said his knee did not respond the way he had hoped. Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Leonard experienced swelling. The two-time Finals MVP gutted out 25 minutes and had nine points and nine rebounds but clearly did not move...

Cornerback  Chris Harris Jr., a four-time Pro Bowl selection in 12 NFL seasons, announced his retirement Tuesday. Harris, 34, last played in the NFL in 2022 with the New Orleans Saints, and he told the Denver Gazette that after not receiving interest from teams this offseason, he made the decision to retire. "I just waited a year, and I stayed in shape, but I realized that everybody was pretty much moving on with the younger players, the younger wave,'' Harris told the Gazette. "So, I thought it would be great to just call it an end." Harris signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and played his first nine seasons with Denver, during which he was selected to his four Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl after the 2015 season. He was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2016 and was named to the 2010s All-Decade Team in 2020. "I was able to accomplish pretty much everything,'' he told the Gazette. "... Getting All-Decade was the top...

NEW YORK -- Both Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre Jr. missed shootaround for the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday ahead of Game 5 of their first-round series against the New York Knicks. Embiid missed it with a migraine, while Oubre had an illness. Embiid, who was already questionable with left knee injury management, remains so, while Oubre was put on the injury report as probable to play. Philadelphia enters Game 5 trailing 3-1 in this best-of-seven series, and on the verge of being eliminated in the first two rounds of the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season, despite being outscored by a total of four points over the first four games of the series, thanks in part to blowing a 5-point lead in the final 30 seconds of Game 2 here last week. Embiid, who is less than a month into his return from a procedure on the lateral meniscus in his left knee, is averaging 35 points, 9 rebounds and 5.5 assists through the first four games, while Oubre has been one...

A clash between former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and undefeated contender Jared Anderson is being planned for Aug. 3 in Los Angeles, Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, announced Monday evening on social media. Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) will first face China's Zhilei Zhang on June 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 39-year-old from Alabama is coming off a lopsided decision defeat to Joseph Parker in December in Riyadh. It was a major upset that cost Wilder a March fight with Anthony Joshua. Wilder is a +190 underdog against Zhang, per ESPN BET. Alalshikh said Wilder will be Anderson's opponent "if he's ready by then to fight." If Wilder doesn't perform well, Anderson could face a different foe on the stacked Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov undercard, Saudi Arabia's first boxing event outside the Kingdom. "I always believe that boxing would be at its peak when you have young American heavyweights like Jared Anderson, which I also...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jaguars released receiver Zay Jones on Tuesday morning, less than a week after drafting a receiver in the first round of the NFL draft. The Jaguars save $4.49 million against the salary cap by releasing Jones, who signed a three-year contract with the team in March 2022. His release was among a list of moves the team made Tuesday, which included releasing kicker Joey Slye. The Jaguars drafted LSU receiver Brian Thomas Jr. with the 23rd overall pick Thursday. Thomas led FBS with 17 touchdown catches in 2023. In addition, veteran receiver Jarvis Landry, a five-time Pro Bowl selection who did not play in the NFL last season, will be participating in the Jaguars' May 10-11 rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. Jones caught 116 passes for 1,144 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons with the Jaguars, including career highs in receptions (82) and receiving yards (823) in 2022. Jones missed eight games in 2023 because of a...

NEW YORK - Both Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre Jr. missed shootaround for the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday ahead of Game 5 of their first round series against the New York Knicks. Embiid missed with a migraine, while Oubre had an illness. Embiid, who was already questionable with left knee injury management, remains so, while Oubre was put on the injury report as probable to play. Philadelphia enters Game 5 trailing 3-1 in this best-of-7 series, and on the verge of being eliminated in the first two rounds of the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season, despite being outscored by a total of four points over the first four games of the series, thanks in part to blowing a 5-point lead in the final 30 seconds of Game 2 here last week. Embiid, who is less than a month into his return from a procedure on the lateral meniscus in his left knee, is averaging 35 points, 9 rebounds and 5.5 assists through the first four games, while Oubre has been one of the...

Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch will undergo surgery to repair a right patellar tendon Wednesday, and it remains unclear whether he'll be able to open the franchise's Western Conference semifinal series against the Denver Nuggets on the bench, sources told ESPN. In the early stages of his rehabilitation, Finch will be required to keep right leg immobilized in a brace. If Finch isn't able to park on the sidelines to start the series, assistant Micah Nori will coach Game 1 on Saturday, with Finch likely communicating to the bench from the locker room, sources said. Barring complications from the procedure Wednesday, Finch -- who finished third in the NBA's Coach of the Year voting -- should be able to travel to Denver with the team Friday, sources said. The Nuggets are the NBA's defending champions and the No. 2 seed in the West; the Timberwolves are the third seed. Finch suffered the injury in the final moments of a Game 4 victory Sunday over the ...

DENVER -- LeBron James said he is undecided on his NBA future following the Los Angeles Lakers' 108-106 loss in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. James, 39, who finished his 21st season with 30 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds and 4 steals in L.A.'s season-ending loss to the Nuggets, said his immediate focus will be on his family and that his sights then will shift to training camp for USA Basketball ahead of the Paris Olympics this summer.  Asked how he would approach his decision about Year 22, James replied, "I don't have an answer ... to be honest. I haven't given it much thought." He said he would eventually sit down with his agent, Rich Paul, and family to evaluate "what's best for my career." "We'll cross that when we need to," James added. When asked if he considered whether Monday's game could be his last with the Lakers, James said, "I'm not going to answer that." James has...

NEW ORLEANS -- Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault took the postgame podium on Monday night with his hair a bit more damp than usual. When the NBA's Coach of the Year walked into the visitors locker room following OKC's  97-89 win in Game 4 to clinch a first-round sweep of the New Orleans Pelicans, he was met by players dousing him with water -- because there was a lot to celebrate. The Thunder became the youngest team in NBA history to capture a playoff series, and they did it in convincing fashion as the top seed in the Western Conference. Daigneault said there's a difference between a young team and a mature team and that his Thunder are a mature group. "We have a committed team," Daigneault said. "I think a lot of times the age of the team, you can make assumptions about the stage that the players are in their careers. But I've said all along, we have an uncommon group of people and players, and I think that's a huge reason why we're able to...

DENVER -- LeBron James said he is undecided on his NBA future following the Los Angeles Lakers' 108-106 loss in Game 5 on their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. James, 39, who finished his 21st season with 30 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds and 4 steals in L.A.'s season-ending loss to the Nuggets, said his immediate focus will be on his family and then his sights will shift to training camp for USA Basketball ahead of the Olympics in Paris this summer. Asked how he would approach his decision about Year 22, James replied, "I don't have an answer ... to be honest. I haven't given it much thought." He said he would eventually sit down with his agent, Rich Paul, and family and evaluate "what's best for my career." "We'll cross that when we need to," he added.  When asked if he considered if Monday could be his last game he ever plays with the Lakers, James said, "I'm not going to answer that." James has until June 29 to...

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper was highly critical of two goalie interference calls that went against his team in its Game 5 loss to the Florida Panthers, which eliminated the Lightning from the Stanley Cup playoffs on Monday night. "This is clearly a turning point in the game. If anyone's going to talk about this game, they're going to talk about the goals that were taken away," Cooper said after the 6-1 loss to Florida, a score inflated by two empty-net goals by the Panthers. The first goalie interference review was a coach's challenge initiated by Florida at 13 minutes of the first period. Video review determined that Tampa Bay's Anthony Duclair impaired Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky's ability to play his position in the crease prior to Anthony Cirelli's goal. Cooper felt that Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling was holding Duclair on the play. "You saw our reaction. It's just one of those ... it's very frustrating," Duclair said....

DENVER -- Jamal Murray overcame a strained left calf, management's suggestion he sit this one out and another haymaker from the Los Angeles Lakers to score 32 points and sink the game winner with 3.6 seconds left Monday night. That sent LeBron James to his earliest playoff exit and the Denver Nuggets tottering into Round 2 with a 108-106 win in a Game 5 that featured 16 lead changes and 10 ties and was secured only when Taurean Prince's half-court heave fell short as time expired. "Shoutout to the Lakers, they gave us a great series," said Murray, who also hit the franchise's first playoff buzzer-beater in Game 2 of the Western Conference first-round series. "Those are shots that you dream of as a little kid," said Murray, who called this one just "a little better." The Nuggets point guard is the first player in the past 25 seasons with multiple go-ahead shots in the final 5 seconds of a single playoff series, according to...

DENVER -- Jamal Murray scored 32 points despite a strained calf and sank the game-winner with 3.6 seconds left as the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets bounced LeBron James from the playoffs again with a 108-106 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 Monday night. James' two free throws tied it at 106 with 26 seconds left and the Nuggets, just as they did in Game 2, eschewed the timeout and Murray took the ball on a high screen and roll to his left, shaking Austin Reaves and he crossed through the lane and swished the 14-footer. It was Murray's buzzer beater that won Game 2. The Nuggets point guard is the first player in the last 25 seasons with multiple go-ahead shots in the final 5 seconds of a single playoff series, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. He's the fourth player to do it multiple times across a single postseason.  "This one was a little better," Murray said as confetti swirled around him and his celebrating...

NEW ORLEANS --  Jalen Williams highlighted a 24-point performance with a backbreaking 3 with three minutes left, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the New Orleans Pelicans 97-89 on Monday night to complete a four-game sweep of their first-round playoff series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 24 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which trailed by five in the fourth quarter before suddenly seizing control with a combination of stifling defense and opportunistic shooting. "Our energy, focus, commitment and togetherness were all on display," said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. "We had never been here. I was curious to see which version of ourselves we would get, and we were very much in character. "It was just a great defensive series by everyone that stepped on the court. I thought throughout the series our defense was consistent. We didn't allow even parts of games to get away from us." New Orleans led 80-75 and had a chance to take what would...

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper was highly critical of two goalie interference calls that went against his team in its Game 5 loss to the Florida Panthers, which eliminated the Lightning from the Stanley Cup playoffs on Monday night. "This is clearly a turning point in the game. If anyone's going to talk about this game, they're going to talk about the goals that were taken away," Cooper said after the 6-1 loss to Florida, a score inflated by two empty-net goals by the Panthers. The first goalie interference review was a coach's challenge initiated by Florida at 13 minutes of the first period. Video review determined that Tampa Bay's Anthony Duclair impaired Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky's ability to play his position in the crease prior to Anthony Cirelli's goal. Cooper felt that Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling was holding Duclair on the play. "You saw our reaction. It's just one of those ... it's very frustrating," Duclair said....

MIAMI -- The Boston Celtics took one more step toward eliminating the rival Miami Heat with a convincing 102-88 Game 4 victory Monday to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. But the win might have come with a cost, as Kristaps Porzingis, the team's starting center, hobbled off the court with a calf injury just before halftime and didn't return. Porzingis will undergo imaging Tuesday, but early indications are that he didn't sustain an Achilles tendon injury, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Following the game, Porzingis slowly walked out of the visiting locker room area wearing a gray walking boot on his right foot. Porzingis appeared to tweak something after catching a pass from Jaylen Brown late in the second period. Upon getting the ball, Porzingis started driving toward his left, then grimaced before quickly giving the ball back to Brown and coming up lame in the middle of the play. Porzingis didn't appear to be touched by anyone on...

MIAMI -- Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis hobbled off the court before halftime of Monday night's 102-88 Game 4 win over the  Miami Heat and did not return with what the team said was a right calf injury. Porzingis will undergo imaging Tuesday, but early indications are that he didn't sustain an Achilles tendon injury, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Porzingis appeared to tweak something after catching a pass from Jaylen Brown late in the second period. Upon getting the ball, Porzingis started driving toward his left, then grimaced before quickly giving the ball back to Brown and coming up lame in the middle of the play. Porzingis didn't appear to be touched by anyone on the play during which he was hurt.   As he walked to the locker room with a support staffer, Porzingis briefly held his jersey over his face in apparent frustration. The Celtics quickly released an update, saying Porzingis was suffering from right calf...

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Aleksander Barkov remembers the disappointment of years past. The Tampa Bay Lightning had eliminated his Florida Panthers from the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of their previous three meetings, and if the Panthers wanted to cement themselves as one of the NHL's best, this year's result needed to be different. "At some point you knew you were going to have them again," Barkov said, "and you've got to be able to get over that hump, and we did it this year." Barkov and  Carter Verhaeghe each had two goals and an assist to go along with 31 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky, and the Panthers beat the Lightning 6-1 in Game 5 on Monday night to clinch the first-round series and advance. Niko Mikkola had a goal and an assist, Evan Rodrigues also scored and Matthew Tkachuk had two assists for the Panthers, who won a playoff series against Tampa Bay for the first time in franchise history and clinched a postseason...

MIAMI -- Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis hobbled off the court before halftime of Monday night's 102-88 Game 4 win over the  Miami Heat and did not return with what the team said was a right calf injury. Porzingis will undergo imaging Tuesday, but early indications are that he didn't sustain an Achilles tendon injury, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Porzingis appeared to tweak something after catching a pass from Jaylen Brown late in the second period. Upon getting the ball, Porzingis started driving toward his left, then grimaced before quickly giving the ball back to Brown and coming up lame in the middle of the play. Porzingis didn't appear to be touched by anyone on the play during which he was hurt.   As he walked to the locker room with a support staffer, Porzingis briefly held his jersey over his face in apparent frustration. The Celtics quickly released an update, saying Porzingis was suffering from right calf...

MIAMI -- Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis hobbled off the court and into the locker room Monday night and is considered doubtful to return after suffering a right calf injury during Boston's Game 4 with the Heat. Porzingis will undergo imaging on Tuesday but early indications are that he hasn't sustained an Achilles injury, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Porzingis appeared to tweak something after catching a pass from Jaylen Brown late in the second period. Upon getting the ball, he started driving toward his left but then grimaced before quickly giving the ball back to Brown and coming up lame in the middle of the play. He didn't appear to be touched by anyone on the play where he got hurt.   As he walked to the locker room with a support staffer, he briefly held his jersey over his face in apparent frustration. The Celtics quickly released an update, saying Porzingis was suffering from right calf tightness and was doubtful to...

The leaders of college sports are involved in "deep discussions" to reach a legal settlement that would likely lay out the framework for sharing revenue with athletes in a future NCAA business model, sources told ESPN. The NCAA and its power conferences are defendants in an antitrust class action lawsuit, House v. NCAA, which argues that the association is breaking federal law by placing any restrictions on how athletes make money from selling the rights to their name, image or likeness. The case is scheduled to go to court in January 2025. If the plaintiffs win at trial, the NCAA and its schools could be liable to pay more than $4 billion in damages, which has motivated many leaders across the industry to seek a settlement. Sources indicated that a turning point in the discussions, which have been ongoing, came last week in the Dallas area, where the power conference commissioners, their general counsels, NCAA president Charlie Baker, NCAA lawyers and the plaintiffs' attorneys...

HENDERSON, Nev. -- The Las Vegas Raiders plan to sign former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup to a one-year contract worth up to $3 million, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler. The pending signing is intriguing in that the Raiders already have a bevy of pass-catchers on the roster. Their receivers include three-time first-team All-Pro Davante Adams, who has at least 100 catches in five of his past six seasons; Jakobi Meyers, who had a career-high eight touchdown catches last season; and  Tre Tucker, who averaged 17.4 yards per catch as a rookie in 2023. They also have a trio of pass-catching tight ends in Michael Mayer, who had 27 catches for 304 yards and 2 TDs as a rookie last season; veteran Harrison Bryant, who signed as a free agent in March after catching 89 passes and 10 TDs in four years with the Cleveland Browns; and first-round draft pick Brock Bowers, who caught 175...

Jason Kelce's post-NFL broadcasting career will start with ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown." Kelce, who retired from the Philadelphia Eagles after a 13-year career, is in line to sign a deal with ESPN in time for next season. ESPN has yet to officially announce the hiring. Kelce participated in last year's NFL Broadcasting and Media Workshop, which used to be known as the Broadcast Bootcamp. He has also appeared on numerous NFL broadcasts, including a stint with Amazon's "Thursday Night Football" during an off week in 2023. "This is all new territory for me," Kelce said at the time. "I have even more respect for it now. It's very hard to do something live, reactive of stimulus that just happened and having something clever and meaningful to say." Kelce is expected to continue doing his "New Heights" podcast with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Travis Kelce signed a two-year deal to remain with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. Also...

Jason Kelce's post-NFL broadcasting career will start with ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown." Kelce, who retired from the Philadelphia Eagles after a 13-year career, is in line to sign a deal with ESPN in time for next season. ESPN has yet to officially announce any hiring. Kelce participated in last year's NFL Broadcasting and Media Workshop, which used to be known as the "Broadcast Bootcamp." He has also appeared on numerous NFL broadcasts, including a stint with Amazon's Thursday Night Football during an off-week in 2023. "This is all new territory for me. I have even more respect for it now," Kelce said at the time. "It's very hard to do something live, reactive of stimulus that just happened and having something clever and meaningful to say." Kelce is expected to continue doing his "New Heights" podcast with his brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Travis Kelce signed a two-year deal to remain with the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday. Also...

The 2024 NBA playoffs are in full swing. The panel discusses who are the favorites to win the champioship.

Speaking to the media for the first time since being announced as the newest member of the Seattle Storm's ownership group, legendary retired player Sue Bird told reporters Monday, "This actually feels reminiscent to my rookie year in a sense." Drafted by the Storm with the No. 1 pick of the 2002 WNBA draft, Bird spent two decades as a player in Seattle before retiring at the end of the 2022 season with four championships and a record 13 All-Star appearances to her credit. Given Bird's close ties to the city and the organization, making the move to team ownership was no surprise. Previously, Bird had invested in NWSL franchise NJ/NY Gotham FC in 2022 while still an active WNBA player. "I feel like it was kind of inevitable in a lot of ways," Bird said. "It was something that I've always wanted, something that I've always had in the back of my head. For whatever reason, this is just when it worked out. I've only been retired not even two years, so give me a...

PHOENIX -- One day after the Phoenix Suns' devastating first-round series sweep by the Minnesota Timberwolves, starting guard Bradley Beal lamented the team's poor health and lack of continuity as key factors that drove their disappointing season to its swift end. "I mean, in retrospect we won 49 [regular-season] games," Beal said Monday at the team's practice facility. "That's a lot of games. And I missed what, 30 games, roughly? That's a lot of games. I'm not saying we'd have won every game if I'd have played, but we would be in a totally different position if I'm healthy the whole year, if everybody's healthy the whole year." Beal began the season with lower back tightness and nerve pain down his legs. He later faced an ankle sprain, hamstring strain, a broken nose and a concussion throughout his first season with the Suns, during which he played 53 out of 82 possible regular-season games. Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Beal played together for...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs gave tight end Travis Kelce a significant raise with a new two-year contract Monday. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the deal is worth $34.25 million with $17 million fully guaranteed for this season and most of the rest to be guaranteed on the third day of the 2025 league year.  "Hard to put in words what Travis means to this organization, this city, and he was certainly a priority to adjust his contract for us and it was something that was important for Clark [Hunt]. So very fitting that Travis [is] now the highest-paid tight end in these two years," general manager Brett Veach said Monday. In a video posted to X by the Chiefs, Kelce said it was "an honor and a pleasure and I can't wait to get after it these next two years ... Chiefs forever.'' Quarterback  Patrick Mahomes celebrated the extension for his favorite target by posting to X, "I told yall I'll never let him leave!! Congrats my guy!...

U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation have withdrawn their bid to jointly host the 2027 Women's World Cup and will instead focus on securing the 2031 Women's World Cup, the federations announced on Monday. The U.S.- Mexico joint bid was one of three finalists for the 2027 World Cup alongside Brazil and a joint bid from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, with the FIFA Congress set to vote on the 2027 host on May 17 in Bangkok, Thailand. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) The hosts of the 2031 Women's World Cup are expected to be decided next year, although formal bidding is yet to begin. Mexico and the U.S. are already co-hosting the 2026 men's World Cup alongside Canada. That tournament will be the largest in history with 48 teams. Los Angeles will then host the 2028 Summer Olympics, meaning the 2027 Women's World Cup would have had to compete for sponsorship dollars and other...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs extended the contract of tight end Travis Kelce for two additional seasons, keeping the veteran tight end signed through the 2027 season. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the deal is worth $34.25 million with $17 million fully guaranteed for this season and most of the rest to be guaranteed on the third day of the 2025 league year.  "Hard to put in words what Travis means to this organization, this city, and he was certainly a priority to adjust his contract for us and it was something that was important for Clark [Hunt]. So very fitting that Travis [is] now the highest-paid tight end in these two years," general manager Brett Veach said Monday. In a video posted to X by the Chiefs, Kelce said it was "an honor and a pleasure and I can't wait to get after it these next two years ... Chiefs forever.'' Quarterback  Patrick Mahomes celebrated the extension for his favorite target by posting to X, "I told...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs extended the contract of tight end Travis Kelce for two additional seasons, keeping the veteran tight end signed through the 2027 season. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the deal is worth $34.25 million with $17 million fully guaranteed for this season and most of the rest to be guaranteed on the third day of the 2025 league year.  "Hard to put in words what Travis means to this organization, this city, and he was certainly a priority to adjust his contract for us and it was something that was important for Clark [Hunt]. So very fitting that Travis [is] now the highest-paid tight end in these two years," general manager Brett Veach said Monday. Quarterback  Patrick Mahomes celebrated the extension for his favorite target by posting to X, "I told yall I'll never let him leave!! Congrats my guy! @tkelce'' "Every now and then you have one of these guys that are outliers and certainly Travis is one of those...

The Seattle Kraken have fired head coach Dave Hakstol after three seasons, the team announced Monday. Hakstol, who was the first coach in the Kraken's short history, was dismissed after the team failed to make the playoffs after finishing with 100 points and advancing to the Western Conference semifinals last season. The club on Monday also announced that assistant coach Paul McFarland would not return next season. "I thank Dave for his hard work and dedication to the Kraken franchise," general manager Ron Francis said in a statement. "Following our end-of-the-season review, we have decided to make a change at our head coach position. These decisions are never easy, but we feel that this is a necessary step to help ensure our team continues to improve and evolve. "Dave is a good coach and a terrific person. We wish him and his family all the best. We will begin our search for the Kraken's next head coach immediately." Francis had hinted that changes could be...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Chiefs extended the contract of tight end Travis Kelce for two additional seasons, a source said, keeping the veteran tight end signed through the 2027 season. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available. The Chiefs announced Kelce's deal but did not disclose details. Quarterback  Patrick Mahomes celebrated the extension for his favorite target by posting to X, "I told yall I'll never let him leave!! Congrats my guy! @tkelce'' Kelce in 2023 fell 16 yards short of his eighth straight 1,000-yard season. He missed the first game of the season with a knee injury and sat out the last game to rest for the playoffs. Seven straight 1,000-yard seasons is a record for his position. Kelce, 34, who has been selected to nine consecutive Pro Bowls and is a four-time first-team All-Pro, had 93 receptions for 984 yards and five touchdowns last season. In the postseason, he added 32 catches for 355 yards and four touchdowns...