AP National Sports

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing an eventful offseason following a second straight first-round playoff exit. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is expected to retire after 18 seasons. Who will replace him is one of several key questions Pittsburgh needs to answer in the coming months. The offensive and

By The Assocoated Press Gio Reyna probably won’t play for Borussia Dortmund until after the international break, making it unlikely he will make the roster for the United States’ next three World Cup qualifiers. Reyna has not played in any games since injuring his right hamstring during the Americans’ opening qualifier at El Salvador on

By WILLIAM R. BARNARD AP Sports Writer BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-102 in Game 7 in the first NBA Finals between Boston’s Larry Bird and Los Angeles’ Magic Johnson. Bird averaged 27.4 points and 14 rebounds a game in helping the Celtics win their unprecedented 15th NBA championship.

By The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (AP) — Rookie Earvin “Magic” Johnson steps in and plays center for the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game 6 of the NBA Finals with his Los Angeles Lakers holding a 3-2 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers. Johnson, a 6-foot-9 point guard, finishes with 42 points, 15 rebounds and

By WILLIAM R. BARNARD AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Dominique Wilkins of the Atlanta Hawks outduels rookie Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls in an epic slam dunk contest. Wilkins receives perfect scores on his last two dunks with the first bounced off the floor before slamming it through with the second a two-hand

By The Associated Press Michael Jordan scores 63 points in a 135-131 double-overtime playoff loss to the Boston Celtics. Jordan broke records held by Elgin Baylor, Bob Cousy and Wilt Chamberlain. But Jordan couldn’t stop Boston from making its own bit of history. The Celtics tied a single-season league record of 33 consecutive home victories,

By DARKO BANDIC and DUSAN STOJANOVIC Associated Press BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Novak Djokovic has returned home after being thwarted from defending his Australian Open title only to face a new predicament: He could be barred from the French Open this year, too, if he’s still not vaccinated against COVID-19. A plane carrying the No.

ZURICH (AP) — FIFA says it’s approved an amnesty for yellow cards shown in European qualifying games for the World Cup. It has lifted the threat of suspension from the playoffs in March for dozens of players in the 12 teams involved. European soccer body UEFA had asked FIFA to help clean up players’ disciplinary

By CIARÁN FAHEY AP Sports Writer BERLIN (AP) — Hertha Berlin fans are bracing themselves for yet more disappointment ahead of a daunting week against city rival Union Berlin and Bavarian powerhouse Bayern Munich. Hertha hosts in-form Union in the third round of the German Cup on Wednesday, then league leader Bayern in the Bundesliga

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer Tatiana Calderon will drive for AJ Foyt Racing this season as the first woman to compete regularly in the IndyCar Series since 2013. The Colombian will drive a third IndyCar entry for Foyt on the street and road courses this year alongside Dalton Kellett and Indy Lights champion

By KEN MORITSUGU Associated Press BEIJING (AP) — Former NBA great Yao Ming says he and others had a pleasant talk when they met last month with Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. The Grand Slam champion in women’s doubles had disappeared after making a sexual assault allegation against a former high-ranking Chinese official. Yao played

By DARKO BANDIC and DUSAN STOJANOVIC Associated Press BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Novak Djokovic could be barred from the French Open later this year because he’s not vaccinated against COVID-19. That possibility has raised the stakes for the tennis star just hours after he was deported from Australia and prevented from defending his Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Sofia Kenin climbed to a career-high No. 4 ranking in 2020 when she won the Australian Open title and reached the French Open final, too. She’s going to drop a lot closer to No. 100 after a first-round exit at Melbourne Park on Monday. The 11th-seeded Kenin was beaten by 2017