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NEW YORK -- Fans at Madison Square Garden saw a shift in their team a little more than halfway through the first quarter Tuesday, when the Knicks began an 18-7 run against the  Pacers to close the period. But guard Miles McBride, whose insertion into New York's starting lineup gave the team a tangible lift, said the boost took place far before that. "I think the shift started in the locker room in Indiana. We talked about it and knew we had to respond," McBride said, referring to the players-only meeting the Knicks held after their embarrassing 32-point loss in Game 4 on Sunday. The result was the polar opposite in Game 5: The Knicks drilled Indiana 121-91 to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. They'll travel to Indianapolis with an opportunity to close out the Pacers and advance to their first Eastern Conference finals since 2000 on Friday night. Jalen Brunson shook off an awful Game 4 showing to again star for the Knicks, notching 44 points and...

They got championship rings and a banner, a pregame talk from Tom Brady and a WNBA season-opening win. It was quite a night for the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces. Las Vegas celebrated its back-to-back crowns ahead of its 89-80 victory over the Phoenix Mercury behind 30 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists from forward  A'ja Wilson. "We're back," team owner Mark Davis told the sellout crowd at Michelob Ultra Arena on Tuesday night. "Not only are we back, we're back-to-back world champions. All I can say is let's three-peat." However, seven-time Super Bowl champion Brady, a minority owner of the Aces, told the team in a locker room visit before the game not to get too caught up in focusing on a three-peat. "He was saying, 'The banners are always going to be there, so you don't have to try to defend that. Just go do what you've been doing,'" Wilson said. "That message made the night for me. Because I feel like we get so caught up in, 'Oh,...

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Jeremy Swayman backed up his victory vow with 28 saves, Charlie McAvoy added to the list of disputed goals in this matchup with the go-ahead score and the Boston Bruins staved off elimination by beating the Florida Panthers 2-1 in Game 5 of their NHL playoff series on Tuesday night. Morgan Geekie also scored for the Bruins, who improved to 2-0 in elimination games this season -- they also won a Game 7 over Toronto in Round 1 -- and finally found a way to hold the Panthers' offense in check. Sam Reinhart scored for Florida, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 26 shots. Florida, which saw its series lead cut to 3-2, had 15 goals on 107 shots in Games 2, 3 and 4 combined, all of them Panthers wins. But on Tuesday, the Panthers were held to 29 shots and Swayman looked in total control the whole way. Game 6 is in Boston on Friday. Game 7, if necessary, would be back in Florida on Sunday. "The reality is that we're going to go...

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Caitlin Clark scored a team-high 20 points but committed 10 turnovers, the most in a career debut in WNBA history, as her Indiana Fever fell 92-71 to the Connecticut Sun in their season opener Tuesday at Mohegan Sun Arena. Clark, NCAA Division I basketball's all-time leading scorer and the No. 1 pick in this year's WNBA draft, didn't get on the board until the 5:24 mark of the second quarter when she converted on a drive to the rim off a steal. "I'm disappointed, and nobody likes to lose, but I don't think you can beat yourself up too much about one game," Clark said. "I don't think that's going to help this team. "Just learn from it and move on." The game had the bustle and energy of a WNBA Finals matchup. Fans donning Sun, Fever and even Iowa gear lined up to get into the arena more than 2½ hours before the tip. The Sun handed out more than 170 media credentials, with ESPN's "WNBA Countdown" desk stationed near the...

What was billed as "the greatest roast of all time" turned out to be anything but for Tom Brady, who expressed regrets at the impact it had on his three children. "I loved when the jokes were about me," Brady said Tuesday on "The Pivot" podcast with Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder. "I thought they were so fun. I didn't like the way it affected my kids. "So it's the hardest part; the bittersweet aspect of when you do something that you think is one way and all of a sudden you realize 'I wouldn't do that again' because of the way it affected, actually, the people I care about the most in the world." Brady's comments came at the end of the 56-minute podcast, when he was asked by Taylor -- his teammate with the  New England Patriots in 2009 and 2010 -- if he learned anything about himself from the roast. Taylor's question was delivered more in the context of his connection with teammates and how it seemed to reflect their bonds formed in the locker room over...

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- Florida State athletic director Michael Alford was asked Tuesday during ACC spring meetings whether any part of the university's future with the league was salvageable, considering it has filed a lawsuit against the conference. "We'll just wait for that to play out," Alford said. "We have great partners in this conference, great relationships. But at the end of the day, we've got to do what's best for Florida State and look at the changing environment of collegiate athletics and make sure we're there to be successful." Alford reiterated that his school has not declared its intention to withdraw from the league, despite a pending lawsuit challenging the ACC grant of rights and withdrawal fee. Both Florida State and Clemson have filed lawsuits against the ACC, while the league has filed lawsuits in defense of the grant of rights -- which gives it control over each of its league members' media rights through 2036. Clemson athletic director Graham Neff did not...

CHICAGO -- As Bronny James leaned back in his chair and surveyed the swarm of media members that had surrounded him Tuesday night at the NBA draft combine, he acknowledged the extra attention that comes with being the son of  Los Angeles Lakers star  LeBron James can be "a lot sometimes." Yet, the 19-year-old USC guard reiterated that his goal is simply to play in the NBA, not necessarily on the same team as his father. "I would be happy about getting to the league instead of me thinking about playing with my dad," Bronny James said. "That's not my mindset or not at all. I'm just trying to put in the work and see where it takes me from there." LeBron James, who at age 39 completed his 21st NBA season in 2023-24, has repeatedly expressed a desire to team with his son before his career ends, even though he said following the end of the Lakers' season that he "hadn't given it much thought lately." Bronny James did not grant interviews during his freshman season at...

What was billed as "the greatest roast of all time" turned out to be anything but for Tom Brady, who expressed regrets at the impact it had on his three children. "I loved when the jokes were about me," Brady said Tuesday on "The Pivot" podcast with Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder. "I thought they were so fun. I didn't like the way it affected my kids. "So it's the hardest part; the bittersweet aspect of when you do something that you think is one way and all of a sudden you realize 'I wouldn't do that again' because of the way it affected, actually, the people I care about the most in the world." Brady's comments came at the end of the 56-minute podcast, when he was asked by Taylor -- his teammate with the New England Patriots in 2009 and 2010 -- if he learned anything about himself from the roast. Taylor's question was delivered more in the context of his connection with teammates and how it seemed to reflect their bonds formed in the locker room over years, but...

Pep Guardiola has told his Manchester City players to "relax" in Sunday's Premier League finale against West Ham and they will lift their fourth consecutive title. A second-half brace from Erling Haaland ensured City won 2-0 at Tottenham on Tuesday to move back ahead of Arsenal and keep the race in their own hands against West Ham on the final day. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, NWSL more (U.S.) City had to wait until the 51st-minute to break the deadlock and Guardiola urged his team to heed lessons from both their own past and Arsenal's narrow 1-0 victory at Manchester United last weekend to stay on course for a historic success. "They were playing for the consequences of the result [in the first half]," said Guardiola. "When you do that you are going to lose the Premier League. You cannot perform to your level. "They are human beings, I understand the pressure. Not even Arsenal played...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Since world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler last carded a competitive golf round -- a 3-shot win at the RBC Heritage last month, a week after securing his second Masters victory by 4 -- Rory McIlroy has won two tournaments, Brooks Koepka has captured one and Scheffler has become a father. The three-week hiatus is longer than Scheffler normally would take during the PGA Tour season but took into account the circumstances of wife Meredith's childbirth. Scheffler said Tuesday that he has been able to practice plenty at home in Dallas and feels ready to get back to competition this week at the PGA Championship. "I'm definitely rested going into this week, for sure. I don't really feel like any rust has accumulated," Scheffler said. "I'm able to do stuff at home to simulate tournament golf, especially on the greens, competing and gambling with my buddies. I don't really want to lose to them, either, so I was able to simulate a little bit of competition...

Erling Haaland's double put Manchester City within touching distance of an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 away on Tuesday. The Norwegian tapped home his side's opener early in the second half and settled City's nerves in stoppage time when he blasted home a penalty for his 27th league goal of the season. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) City had failed to earn a point or score a goal in their first four league visits to Tottenham's new stadium but ended that jinx in timely fashion, to the joy of their supporters. Pep Guardiola's City have 88 points to Arsenal's 86 and will be guaranteed to make history if they beat West Ham United at home Sunday on the Premier League's last day of the season, when Arsenal host Everton. It was far from a vintage City performance, and they almost conceded an equaliser to Son Heung-Min late on,...

Green Bay has hired sports media personality Doug Gottlieb as its next men's basketball coach, it was announced Tuesday. Gottlieb was one of the final candidates for the Green Bay vacancy last spring, but the job ultimately went to Sundance Wicks. After guiding the Phoenix to an 18-14 campaign, Wicks left the program to become the head coach at Wyoming. Athletic director Josh Moon moved quickly to tab Gottlieb as Wicks' replacement. An introductory news conference has been scheduled for Wednesday. "It is an honor beyond measure to be named the 10th men's basketball coach in UWGB history," Gottlieb said in a statement. "Every kid has a dream growing up -- some want to be a firefighter, others want to be president. I have always wanted to be a head basketball coach at the Division I level." Gottlieb doesn't have any college coaching experience, but he has been part of the staff for the United States team at the 2009 and 2017 Maccabiah Games. He was an assistant...

A three-judge panel of Nevada's Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with the NFL against former  Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden, saying that he was subject to arbitration even as a former employee and thus ineligible to sue the league over his 2021 termination. Justices Elissa F. Cadish and Kristina Pickering reversed a district court's order that denied the NFL's motion to force Gruden's complaint into its arbitration process. The case was remanded to the lower court with an order to grant the arbitration motion. Justice Linda Marie Bell disagreed with the majority's interpretation of the arbitration clause in the NFL Constitution, siding with Gruden's attorneys who argued that it does not apply to former employees. "I disagree with their conclusion because the facts of this case do not support survival of the clause past the end of Gruden's employment," Bell wrote in her dissent.   Gruden's lawsuit accuses the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell of "directly...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Four-time PGA Championship winner Tiger Woods will tee off at 8:04 a.m. ET on the 10th tee at Valhalla Country Club on Thursday, alongside Australia's Adam Scott and 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley. Defending champion Brooks Koepka will begin his quest to repeat and win his fourth overall PGA Championship at 8:37 a.m. off the 10th tee with world No. 9 Max Homa and three-time major champion Jordan Spieth. Spieth is not only seeking his first major win since 2017; a win at Valhalla would also complete Spieth's career Grand Slam. Two-time Masters winner and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will play his first tournament as a new father and tee off at 2:13 p.m. off the first tee with two other major championship winners: reigning U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark and reigning Open champion Brian Harman. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy -- who is coming off back-to-back PGA Tour wins --...

Green Bay is expected to hire sports media personality Doug Gottlieb as its next men's basketball coach, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday. Gottlieb was one of the final candidates for the Green Bay vacancy last spring, but the job ultimately went to Sundance Wicks. After guiding the Phoenix to an 18-14 campaign, Wicks left the program to become the head coach at Wyoming. Athletic director Josh Moon moved quickly to tab Gottlieb as Wicks' replacement. Gottlieb doesn't have any college coaching experience, but he has been part of the staff for the United States team at the 2009 and 2017 Maccabiah Games. He was an assistant under Bruce Pearl in 2009 and was the head coach in 2017. Gottlieb also interviewed for the Oklahoma State job when the school hired Mike Boynton, and was a consultant for the Cowboys' program this past season. A media personality since 2002 for ESPN, CBS and Fox Sports, Gottlieb was a standout point guard at Oklahoma State during his...

DENVER --  Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was fined $75,000 for rubbing his fingers together in a money-sign gesture directed at the officials during Game 4 of the Wolves' second-round series with the Denver Nuggets, the league announced Tuesday. Joe Dumars, an executive vice president and head of basketball operations for the NBA, deemed Gobert's actions an "unprofessional gesture that questions the integrity of the league and its game officials" and also said in a statement that the fine "takes into account Gobert's history of improper conduct toward game officials." Gobert took the fine in stride when asked about the NBA's penalty. "Not surprised," Gobert said after Tuesday's shootaround. "Not surprised." Gobert also explained the reason for the gesture he made. "There was no message," Gobert said. "Just emotions. I got to control my emotions. It was a very physical game, an emotional game. So I got to control my emotions." Gobert...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Tiger Woods said progress has been made in the PGA Tour's negotiations with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, but there is a "long way to go still" in bringing the fractured sport back together. Woods' comments came a day after independent director Jimmy Dunne resigned from the PGA Tour's policy board and said talks with the PIF had slowed down. They come less than a week after Rory McIlroy told reporters that other player directors weren't comfortable with him returning to the policy board. PIF finances the rival LIV Golf League, which has poached several top golfers from the PGA Tour over the past two-plus years, including former major champions Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and others. "Well, I think we're working on negotiations with PIF," Woods said Tuesday at Valhalla Golf Club, the site of this week's PGA Championship. "It's ongoing, it's fluid. It changes day-to-day. Has there been...

In his first public comments ahead of his June sexual assault trial, former Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. said Tuesday during the NBA draft combine that he understands the "serious" charges against him. Shannon, once projected as a first-round pick, is being scrutinized as a potential NBA prospect, which could depend on the outcome of his June 10 trial for felony rape and felony aggravated sexual assault charges. Last year, a woman accused Shannon of sexually penetrating her with his fingers at a bar in Lawrence, Kansas. Shannon was arrested, charged and suspended by Illinois amid a school investigation in December. After missing six games, however, Shannon received a temporary restraining order from a federal judge and returned to the court for the rest of the season. The school dropped its investigation in April. "I'm looking forward to my day in court," he said. A Kansas judge decided last week at Shannon's preliminary hearing that there is sufficient probable...

The Boston Bruins won't have captain Brad Marchand in the lineup while trying to avoid elimination in Game 5 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series against Florida on Tuesday. "[Marchand] is not an option," Bruins' coach Jim Montgomery said after Boston's morning skate. This will be the second straight postseason contest Marchand has missed after he suffered an upper-body injury taking a hit from Panthers forward Sam Bennett in Game 3. He is considered day-to-day with the ailment. Marchand appeared to be making an effort to get back in for Game 5 as the Bruins trail the Panthers, 3-1. He did participate in Boston's skate but wasn't part of any special teams work, a late indication he wouldn't be suiting up. It's a tough blow for the Bruins to have Marchand unavailable again. He leads the team in playoff scoring with three goals and 10 points. Now Boston will have to keep its season alive without him. The Bruins were poised to even the...

Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills, the team announced Tuesday. The deal is worth up to $4.5 million, includes a $1.125 million signing bonus, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Chiefs released Valdes-Scantling in February in a move to free up $12 million on their salary cap.  After Stefon Diggs was traded to the Texans and Gabe Davis signed with the Jaguars in free agency, Valdes-Scantling adds another veteran receiver to the Bills' depth chart. He joins free agent acquisitions  Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins and second-round draft pick Keon Coleman as some of the team's notable additions this offseason. Buffalo's acquisition of Valdes-Scantling (6-foot-4, 206 pounds) continues the team's trend of adding size to its receiving corps this offseason. The 29-year-old also provides a downfield threat, averaging...

The two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces are even money to make it three in a row ahead of what sportsbooks say will be the most heavily bet WNBA season ever. The Aces are even-money title favorites at ESPN BET and sportsbooks around the nation. They're followed by the New York Liberty (+245), and the Seattle Storm (+900) have the third-shortest championship odds. The Aces' A'ja Wilson (+110) is the betting favorite to win the regular-season MVP, followed by the Liberty's Breanna Stewart (+650) and Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark (+900). The arrival of Clark has fueled lopsided betting on the long-shot Fever and a significant year-over-year spike of interest on the WNBA overall at sportsbooks. Caesars Sportsbook reported a 385% year-over-year increase in the number of preseason bets placed on the WNBA. A lot of those bets have Clark and the Fever. Only the Aces have attracted more bets to win the title than the Fever at...

The Golden State WNBA expansion team announced Tuesday its name and brand identity: the Golden State Valkyries. The name, which originates from Norse mythology, refers to a "host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering -- flying through air and sea alike," a team release said. "This brand is Golden State's modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce." The team's primary color is "Valkyrie Violet," which signifies "power, ambition, nobility, and women's empowerment, much like purple has been used symbolically in modern history," the team said. "It feels like we've arrived," Valkyries president Jess Smith told ESPN. "As much as I've loved saying 'WNBA Golden State,' that was a placeholder, and this is who we are. To be able to put that stake in the ground and begin building the brand equity and begin bringing our community together around this, it's a really special moment." The Golden State Valkyries will begin competition in the 2025 WNBA season as the...

Kirk Cousins said he doesn't believe it's constructive to have hard feelings with his new team over its surprising first-round draft pick. Cousins, the productive veteran quarterback, signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons in March. Last month, the team stunningly took a quarterback -- Michael Penix Jr. of Washington -- with the No. 8 pick in the draft.  Cousins' agent, Mike McCartney, told ESPN's Pete Thamel at the time that there was confusion and frustration coming from Cousins' camp because the Falcons acquired his successor before he even put on an Atlanta helmet and that the team didn't do anything with its top-10 pick to improve for 2024. Cousins spoke for the first time about the situation in an interview with the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast that published Tuesday. When asked whether there was any beef with the Falcons over drafting Penix, Cousins said, "I don't think there can be." "I don't think it's...

The Golden State WNBA expansion team announced Tuesday its name and brand identity: the Golden State Valkyries. The name, which originates from Norse mythology, refers to a "host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering - flying through air and sea alike," a team release said. "This brand is Golden State's modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce." The team's primary color is "Valkyrie Violet," which signifies "power, ambition, nobility, and women's empowerment, much like purple has been used symbolically in modern history," the team said. "It feels like we've arrived," Valkyries president Jess Smith told ESPN. "As much as I've loved saying 'WNBA Golden State,' that was a placeholder, and this is who we are. To be able to put that stake in the ground and begin building the brand equity and begin bringing our community together around this, it's a really special moment." The Golden State Valkyries will begin competition in the 2025 WNBA season as the...

Aaron Rodgers' comeback season will open in prime time, as the New York Jets will travel to the San Francisco 49ers to face the defending NFC champions Sept. 9 on ESPN's "Monday Night Football," it was announced Tuesday morning. This marks the second straight season that Rodgers and the Jets will play a prime-time game in Week 1. His Jets debut last Sept. 11 turned into a season-altering disaster for the Jets, as the four-time MVP tore his left Achilles on the fourth snap and missed the remainder of the season. It was also announced Tuesday that the Buffalo Bills will play at the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night, Sept. 12, to open Week 2. The game will air on Amazon Prime. The game between the Jets and 49ers will feature a fascinating quarterback matchup, as Rodgers squares off against Brock Purdy, the 2022 Mr. Irrelevant who has turned into one of the NFL's biggest success stories. The 49ers are coming off a crushing defeat in Super Bowl...

Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling plans to sign a one-year deal worth up to $4.5 million with the Buffalo Bills, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday. The deal includes a $1.125 million signing bonus, the source said. The Chiefs released Valdes-Scantling in February in a move to free up $12 million on their salary cap.  After Stefon Diggs was traded to the Texans and Gabe Davis signed with the Jaguars in free agency, Valdes-Scantling adds another veteran receiver to the Bills' depth chart. He joins free agent acquisitions  Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins and second-round draft pick Keon Coleman as some of the team's notable additions this offseason. Buffalo's acquisition of Valdes-Scantling (6-foot-4, 206 pounds) continues the team's trend of adding size to its receiving corps this offseason. The 29-year-old also provides a downfield threat, averaging at...

DALLAS -- The stakes of Game 4 weighed on Oklahoma City superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all day Monday as he waited for the 8:30 tipoff with the  Thunder trailing the Dallas Mavericks in their Western Conference semifinal series 2-1. The 25-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander called it "probably the most meaningful game I've played in my career," but he said he didn't feel pressure when he checked back into the game after a brief rest with 9:30 remaining and the Mavs leading by six points. Gilgeous-Alexander was poised, prepared to seize the moment, but also conscious of not forcing the issue, as he said he had late in the Thunder's Game 3 loss here. "Be aggressive, but be smart," Gilgeous-Alexander told himself. The MVP finalist found that balance down the stretch to lead Oklahoma City to a series-tying 100-96 win at the American Airlines Center, scoring or assisting on 20 of the Thunder's final 30 points. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 34 points, 8...

DALLAS -- The stakes of Game 4 weighed on Oklahoma City superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all day Monday as he waited for the 8:30 p.m. CT tipoff of Game 4 with the  Thunder trailing the Dallas Mavericks in their Western Conference semifinal series. The 25-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander called it "probably the most meaningful game I've played in my career," but he didn't feel pressure when he checked back into the game after a brief rest with 9:30 remaining and the Mavericks leading by six points. Gilgeous-Alexander was poised, prepared to seize the moment but conscious of not forcing the issue, as he felt he had late in the Thunder's Game 3 loss. "Be aggressive, but be smart," Gilgeous-Alexander told himself. The MVP finalist found that balance down the stretch to lead Oklahoma City to a series-tying 100-96 road win at the American Airlines Center, scoring or assisting on 20 of the Thunder's final 30 points. Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 34...

CLEVELAND -- Already heavy underdogs in this Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Celtics, and trailing 2-1 in this best-of-seven affair, the Cleveland Cavaliers were dealt a massive blow after star guard Donovan Mitchell was officially ruled out for Monday's Game 4 with a calf strain. But instead of a routine Boston blowout, this one was anything but, as the Cavaliers gamely hung in there for the vast majority of the 48 minutes before eventually falling 109-102 in front of a sellout crowd here at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. "To be expected, right?" said Jayson Tatum, who led the Celtics Monday with 33 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists in just under 44 minutes. "When the best player goes out, everybody has more freedom, more opportunity. "Obviously, we knew it wasn't going to be easy. It's the playoffs, they don't want to go home. Give them credit ... they played hard from beginning to end and made big plays on both ends....

NEW YORK -- New York Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said their failure to close out the Carolina Hurricanes at home in Game 5 presents an important character test for his team. "I don't think we thought this was going to be a cakewalk," Trouba said after the Rangers' 4-1 loss on Monday night, which narrowed New York's series lead to 3-2. "We've lost two games [in a row]. We're facing a little adversity. We'll see what we're made of going down to Carolina for Game 6." The Rangers entered the third period with a 1-0 lead thanks to Trouba's short-handed goal in the second frame. But the desperate Hurricanes took over the game by scoring three goals in 6:23.  Jordan Staal evened the score with his first goal of the playoffs. Just 3:06 later, Evgeny Kuznetsov netted his fourth of the postseason to give Carolina the lead. Jordan Martinook added a critical third goal before Martin Necas sealed the win with an empty-netter. "It kind...

CLEVELAND -- Already heavy underdogs in this Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Celtics, and trailing 2-1 in this best-of-7 affair, the Cleveland Cavaliers were dealt a massive blow after star guard Donovan Mitchell was officially ruled out for Monday's Game 4 with a calf strain. But instead of a routine Boston blowout, this one was anything but, as the Cavaliers gamely hung in there for the vast majority of the 48 minutes before eventually falling 109-102 in front of a sellout crowd here at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. "To be expected, right?" said Jayson Tatum, who led the Celtics Monday with 33 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists in just under 44 minutes. "When the best player goes out, everybody has more freedom, more opportunity. "Obviously, we knew it wasn't going to be easy. It's the playoffs, they don't wanna go home. Give them credit ... they played hard from beginning to end and made big plays on both ends. They hit big...

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James attended  Cleveland's playoff game against the Boston Celtics on Monday night, an appearance certain to drive conversation about the superstar's future. James, who can opt out of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and become a free agent this summer, played two stints in Cleveland. He led the Cavs to their only NBA championship in 2016 before leaving two years later. The league's career scoring leader, James has maintained a residence near his hometown of Akron. He has come back to Cleveland many times since leaving in 2018, but has not attended any Cavs games. James arrived just as the game began and took a courtside seat along with his wife, Savannah, and agent Rich Paul. He received a thunderous ovation when shown on the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse scoreboard during a timeout. James acknowledged the crowd and then King James mimicked putting a crown on his head. James had a short postseason this year as the...

DENVER -- Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said the pregame news of forward  Valeri Nichushkin being suspended for at least six months was not "an excuse" for his team's 5-1 loss Monday to the Dallas Stars in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series. The Avalanche have lost three straight games since coming back to win the series opener, with the Stanley Cup contenders now facing elimination. "We're not going to use that as an excuse. We can't. We won't," Bednar said. "Again, we treat it just like [ Logan O'Connor] -- injured, done for the year. You get news like that all the time. You continue to play with the players that you have, and we have the ability to play a heck of a lot better than we did today regardless of any news." The news of Nichushkin being placed in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHL Players' Association player assistance program was announced a little more than an hour before puck drop. No further information was given about...

Jimmy Dunne, who last year helped negotiate the PGA Tour's controversial framework agreement with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, resigned from the tour's policy board on Monday. In Dunne's resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, Dunne wrote that "no meaningful progress has been made towards a transaction with PIF" and that "my vote and my role is utterly superfluous" now that player directors outnumber independent directors on the policy board. Dunne's resignation was effective immediately. "It is crucial for the Board to avoid letting yesterday's differences interfere with today's decisions, especially when they influence future opportunities for the tour," Dunne wrote. "Unifying professional golf is paramount to restoring fan interest and repairing wounds left from a fractured game. I have tried my best to move all minds in that direction." Along with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, Dunne and policy board chairman Ed Herlihy secretly negotiated the...

The WNBA has started to implement its regular-season chartering program for the beginning of the 2024 campaign, with the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx flying private for their opening-day games at Connecticut and Seattle, respectively. But personnel from multiple teams told ESPN they have not received word from the league on when they will be permitted to charter as the WNBA prepares to kick off its 28th season Tuesday. Teams that have started chartering are still waiting to find out if they'll charter for subsequent away games, a source said. "It's a good problem to have because we got here and we're talking about charter travel," WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson told ESPN Monday. "Now, in this moment, the league has found its pathway to yes. It just seems that the pathway has a few more bumps than perhaps were needed." The league officially announced Thursday that a full charter program would be "phased in beginning with the start of the 2024 regular...

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has sustained a toe fracture on her left foot and will be out indefinitely, the team announced Monday. The Mercury said Griner will be reevaluated in the coming weeks, with updates provided as necessary. The WNBA season begins Tuesday, with Phoenix opening at defending champion Las Vegas (10 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The Mercury finished last in the league at 9-31 last season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Phoenix has a new coach, Nate Tibbetts, and new general manager, Nick U'Ren, this season. Despite the Mercury's struggles in 2023, Griner had a good showing in her return after missing the 2022 season, when she was detained in Russia. Griner started all 31 games she played last season, averaging 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds. Griner, 33, has played 10 seasons in the WNBA and has been on the All-WNBA first or second team six times. She has been Defensive Player of the Year twice and on the All-Defensive first or second...

CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell will miss Game 4 of Cleveland's Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Celtics with a left calf strain, the team announced. Mitchell appeared to be limping in the latter stages of the fourth quarter of Cleveland's 106-93 loss to the Celtics on Saturday night, which came after Mitchell played the first 22 minutes and 41 seconds of the second half before being subbed out with 1:19 remaining and Boston leading by 13 points. He appeared on the injury report Sunday with the left calf strain -- a new injury -- and then wasn't visible at any point of the team's morning shootaround Monday ahead of Game 4. The left calf strain is the latest in a series of left leg issues Mitchell has dealt with ever since the All-Star break. Mitchell missed 15 of Cleveland's first 20 games after the break with a couple different issues, including lingering ones in his left quad and knee. He also appeared to be limited by...

NEW YORK -- Knicks center Mitchell Robinson had surgery on his left ankle Monday, his second procedure on the ankle this season, league sources told ESPN. Robinson was already deemed to be out for the rest of the playoffs after imaging found a stress reaction following Game 1 of the Knicks' series against the Indiana Pacers last week. After consultation with doctors, it was decided he needed the procedure. He will be re-evaluated in 6-8 weeks.   Robinson initially re-injured the ankle in the first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. He missed Game 4 of that series to deal with the injury but returned for three more games before being forced to shut it down. Robinson had a surgery on a stress fracture in December and missed 50 games, returning in March with just 11 games left in the season. He averaged 5.6 points and 8.5 rebounds in 31 regular-season games. The Knicks play the Pacers in Game 5 of their 2-2 series on Tuesday at Madison...

CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell will miss Game 4 of Cleveland's Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Celtics with a left calf strain, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Mitchell appeared to be limping in the latter stages of the fourth quarter of Cleveland's 106-93 loss to the Celtics Saturday night, which came after Mitchell played the first 22 minutes and 41 seconds of the second half before being subbed out with 1:19 remaining and Boston leading by 13 points. He appeared on the injury report Sunday with the left calf strain -- a new injury -- and then wasn't visible at any point of the team's morning shootaround Monday ahead of Game 4. The left calf strain is the latest in a series of left leg issues Mitchell has dealt with ever since the All-Star Break. Mitchell missed 15 of Cleveland's first 20 games after the break with a couple different issues, including lingering ones in his left quad and knee. He also appeared...

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla. -- NCAA president Charlie Baker met with coaches and athletic directors Monday at this year's ACC spring meetings, discussing -- among other things -- a potential settlement in the House vs. NCAA case that could reshape the future of college athletics. Baker said settlement talks -- and the revenue-sharing agreement that would accompany any settlement -- was "only a small part" of his presentation, and he reiterated that there are still a lot of moving pieces and no deadline to finalize a deal. But the framework currently being discussed could provide some needed clarity on how schools manage rosters and player acquisition. "I think everybody would like to have to be in a position where they feel like they could plan," Baker said, "and in the current world we live in, planning is very hard to do." Brought by Arizona State swimmer Grant House in 2020, the class-action case claims the NCAA violated antitrust laws by prohibiting athletes from profiting from their...

Major League Baseball announced Monday that it has agreed to an exclusive, multiyear contract with the streaming company Roku, which will air one game each Sunday this season from now until the middle of September. Terms were not disclosed. Roku's package, branded as "Sunday Leadoff," consists of 18 games starting with this coming Sunday's 1:05 p.m. ET contest between the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox and lasting through Sept. 15. With the exception of two West Coast start times, Roku games will be the first ones taking place in varying exclusive windows. Twenty-four teams are part of the package, including the New York Yankees (July 14 against the Baltimore Orioles) and Los Angeles Dodgers (Sept. 1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks). Games on Roku can be watched free through the app, on Roku devices or via Amazon Fire, Samsung and Google TVs, among other outlets. Those with MLB.tv subscriptions can watch the games...

Major League Baseball announced Monday that it has agreed to an exclusive, multi-year contract with the streaming company Roku, which will air one Sunday game from now until the middle of September. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Roku's package, branded as "Sunday Leadoff," consists of 18 games starting with this Sunday's 1:05 p.m. ET contest between the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox and lasting through Sept. 15. With the exception of two West coast start times, Roku games will be the first ones taking place for varying exclusive windows each Sunday. Twenty-four teams are part of the package, including the New York Yankees (July 14 against the Baltimore Orioles) and Los Angeles Dodgers (Sept. 1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks). Games on Roku can be watched for free either through the app, on Roku devices or through Amazon Fire, Samsung and Google TVs, among other outlets. Those with MLB.tv subscriptions can also watch...

Vancouver defenseman Carson Soucy has been suspended one game for cross-checking Edmonton forward Connor McDavid in the face during Game 3 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series on Sunday. The NHL's Department of Player Safety made the announcement following a phone hearing with Soucy on Monday. Soucy's suspension stemmed from an altercation with McDavid late in the third period of Sunday's game. Edmonton trailed 4-3 and was pressuring Vancouver while searching for an equalizing goal. The final buzzer sounded as Soucy and McDavid became engaged behind the net. Despite the game being over, Soucy shoved McDavid, and McDavid responded by slashing Soucy in the leg. Soucy slashed McDavid back -- also in the leg -- then elevated his stick in both hands and shoved it directly into McDavid's face. McDavid was also cross-checked from behind at the same time by Canucks' defenseman Nikita Zadorov, who was fined $5,000, and he fell to the ice. Soucy...

Iowa women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder announced Monday that she is retiring after 24 years guiding the Hawkeyes and 40 seasons in coaching overall, including national championship game appearances the past two seasons. Bluder, 63, is the winningest women's basketball coach in Big Ten history. Associate head coach Jan Jensen, who has been Bluder's assistant her entire time at Iowa, will take over as the Hawkeyes' head coach. Jensen previously was Bluder's assistant at Drake after playing for Bluder with the Bulldogs. An Iowa native who played at Northern Iowa, Bluder finished with an overall career coaching record of 884-396. She had stops as a head coach at St. Ambrose (169-36 in six seasons) and Drake (187-106 in 10 seasons) before taking over at Iowa in 2000. With the Hawkeyes, Bluder was 528-254, with five Big Ten tournament titles. Iowa made 18 NCAA tournament appearances in Bluder's 24 seasons, and she was a three-time Big Ten coach of the year. She went 263-144 in Big...

Fans won't have to wait long for John Calipari's return to Lexington, with Arkansas' road game at Kentucky highlighting the 2024-25 SEC schedule announced Monday. The two teams will face off just once next season. It will be Calipari's first return trip to Rupp Arena since leaving last month to take over at conference rival Arkansas following 15 seasons at Kentucky. Since getting the job, Calipari has signed three members of what was the Wildcats' No. 2-ranked recruiting class, while also landing two Kentucky transfers. Both Calipari and Kentucky's Mark Pope took over empty rosters. Kentucky will return zero players from last season, keeping just one recruit who committed to the Wildcats under Calipari. Arkansas returns no players from the Eric Musselman era, and both high school senior recruits followed Musselman to USC. Alabama, which reached the Final Four this past season, will likely enter 2024-45 as the favorite in the SEC. The Crimson Tide...

The Detroit Lions are signing quarterback Jared Goff to a four-year, $212 million contract extension that includes $170 million guaranteed, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday. The deal makes the 2016 No. 1 pick the highest-paid player in franchise history. The $53 million average annual salary in Goff's new deal makes him the second-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, behind only the Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow ($55 million). Detroit has now rewarded three of its star players this offseason with over $444 million in contract extensions to Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and offensive tackle  Penei Sewell. St. Brown received a four-year, $120.01 million deal, and Sewell signed for $112 million over four years. With those massive deals in place, the Lions are aware that the standards in Detroit have been raised. "We've got a lot of work to do," Goff told ESPN in April. "The expectations are high, but internally,...

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- ESPN NFL rules analyst John Parry is leaving the network to take a job with the Buffalo Bills, multiple sources confirmed. Parry will join the Bills in a new role as the officiating liaison. The Bills did not previously have someone on staff with that title. In this role as officiating liaison, Parry can consult from the perspective of a referee and help the coaching staff have all the proper information for decision making when it comes to reviews during games. He can also assist with rule interpretations. Parry told Football Zebras over the weekend that he was leaving the network to join an NFL team and shared that the Bills reached out during the offseason. Coach Sean McDermott joined the NFL competition committee this offseason, and a new kickoff rule was approved this spring that Buffalo has been preparing for by signing and drafting certain players who fit the new rules and by studying the play over the offseason. In his role with ESPN,...

CHICAGO -- The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to start contacting coaching candidates in the coming days, with an initial concentration on sitting assistants and ex-head coaches with whom they have less familiarity, sources told ESPN on Monday. Lakers VP of Basketball Operations and general manager Rob Pelinka has been gathering information on a number of head-coaching candidates, including ESPN analyst JJ Redick, sources said. The initial wave of requests for interview permission will be with those the organization hasn't met with in previous searches, or simply knows less than other candidates. In Pelinka's conversations with officials across the league, the term "grinder" keeps coming up in the general manager's description of an important characteristic for the next coach, sources said. The initial interview list is expected to include assistant candidates such as Miami's Chris Quinn and New Orleans' James Borrego, sources said. The search is expected to proceed in...

CHICAGO -- The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to start contacting coaching candidates in the coming days with an initial concentration on sitting assistants and ex-head coaches with whom they have less familiarity, sources told ESPN on Monday. Lakers VP of Basketball Operations and GM Rob Pelinka has been gathering information on a number of head coaching candidates, including ESPN analyst JJ Redick, but the initial wave of requests for interview permission will be with those candidates with whom the organization hadn't met with in precious searches, or simply know less than other candidates, sources said. In Pelinka's conversations with officials across the league, the term "grinder" keeps coming up in the GM's description of an important characteristic of the Lakers' coach, sources said. That initial interview list is expected to include assistant candidates such as Miami's Chris Quinn and New Orleans' James Borrego among multiple others, sources said. The search is...

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Antoine Winfield Jr. have reached agreement on a four-year, $84.1 million deal, agent David Mulugheta announced Monday. The deal makes Winfield the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history -- the first time in modern NFL history that a safety has set this mark. Winfield's deal includes $45 million guaranteed, the most ever given to a safety. Mulugheta posted to Instagram a screengrab of his call to Winfield and congratulated his client. "Couldn't be happier to make this call and let @antoinewinfieldjr know he just made HISTORY! The first time that a safety is the highest paid defensive back in the NFL. In a year where the value of safeties has been questioned, the Buccaneer Organization, the Glazer Family and GM Jason Licht have stepped up and taken care of one of their most valuable family members," he wrote in the post. "Congratulations Antoine, you have accomplished something that has never been done before. You will...