AP National Sports

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer Phoenix hosts New York and Dallas visits Chicago in the first round of the WNBA playoffs. The postseason begins Thursday.

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A person with direct knowledge of Ben Simmons’ plans tells The Associated Press the All-Star guard won’t report to training camp next week. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because discussions of Simmons’ plans with the franchise have been private. The 25-year-old guard from Australia

By JOHN FINERAN Associated Press SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jack Coan admits it’s going to be a little strange this Saturday when No. 12 Notre Dame takes on his old team No. 18 Wisconsin at Chicago’s Soldier Field. “It’s definitely going to be weird,” the 22-year-old grad transfer quarterback admitted as the 3-0 Irish

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH AP Sports Writer Anthony Joshua has never fought a challenger like Oleksandr Usyk. The unbeaten Ukrainian matches slick footwork with a quirky sense of humor. He is notoriously hard to hit. Usyk is fighting Joshua in London on Saturday as the mandatory challenger for the British fighter’s WBO belt. No Ukrainian has

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — Rookie Davis Mills will start at quarterback for the Houston Texans on Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers with Tyrod Taylor out with a hamstring injury. Coach David Culley announced the decision Tuesday and said Taylor would be inactive. Later Tuesday the Texans placed Taylor on

By The Associated Press MLB Calendar

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — Hungary has been ordered by FIFA to play its next World Cup qualifier without spectators as punishment for the latest racial abuse and disorder by its supporters when England played in Budapest. The Hungarian federation has also been fined 200,000 Swiss francs, one of the

FULLERTON, Calif. (AP) — Jo Lasorda, the widow of Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, has died. She was 91. She died Monday night at her home in Fullerton, the team said Tuesday. No cause of death was given. The former Joan Miller met Tommy Lasorda at a minor league baseball game in her hometown

LONDON (AP) — The NFL will stage an international combine for 50 athletes from 14 countries next month in London. The invitational scouting showcase is mirrored after the annual NFL combine usually held in Indianapolis. The idea is to find international athletes who have the skillset and potential to play in the league. It will

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer J.J. Redick, the sharpshooter who was The Associated Press college player of the year at Duke before embarking on a 15-season NBA career, announced his retirement Tuesday. The 37-year-old Redick played with six NBA teams — Orlando, the Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Milwaukee and Dallas. He averaged

By The Associated Press (AP) — The biggest event in golf has nothing to do with money. The Ryder Cup returns after being postponed one year by the pandemic. Europe has won nine of the last 12 and will try to win on U.S. soil for the first time since 2012. The Ryder Cup is

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has suspended eight players from its men’s national junior handball team for behavior likened to “treason” after alleging they had been in contact with bookmakers. The Russian Handball Federation hasn’t specified exactly what the players are accused of doing but says the board will meet to discuss “the fight against unsporting

PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain says Lionel Messi will miss the next French league game against last-place Metz after a knock to his left knee. PSG says the Argentina star underwent a scan which confirmed “the signs of bone contusion.” PSG added a new assessment of Messi’s condition will be made in 48 hours. Messi

INNSBRUCK, Austria (AP) — Ski jumping record-holder Gregor Schlierenzauer has retired only a few months before trying to compete at his fourth Olympics. The 31-year-old Austrian is a two-time winner of both the overall World Cup title and the prestigious Four Hills tournament. He says he made his decision after having time to reflect during

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN AP Sports Writer There has always been a rich tradition of great defenders at Marseille even though the nine-time French champion’s motto of “Straight to Goal” is an ode to attacking soccer. It was defender Basile Boli who scored the only goal in the 1993 Champions League final against AC Milan to

By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer The son of Australia rugby great Michael Lynagh has been included in England’s enlarged training group ahead of the November tests. Louis Lynagh is a 20-year-old winger who was born in Italy, grew up in London, and has come through the English rugby system to play for Harlequins in

TORONTO (AP) — The rear-view mirror is something Toronto stars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are doing their best to ignore as the NHL season approaches. The Maple Leafs’ latest playoff failure was a stunning first-round collapse against the Montreal Canadiens. It happened just four months ago. Both players say they can only look forward.

By The Associated Press A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ PITCH AND POP Kevin Gausman returns to the mound — and plate — as he tries to help the Giants protect their lead in the NL West. Gausman (14-6, 2.78 ERA) is lined up to start at Petco Park against the

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Austin Riley was smacking baseballs all around Chase Field on Monday night. Adam Duvall hit one so hard it left the yard by a long, long way. The Atlanta Braves have ridden the ups and downs of a playoff race for weeks now. It’s safe to