Sports

By DAVID BRANDT AP Sports Writer PHOENIX (AP) — The NBA’s long regular season can be tedious, but make no mistake, it matters. Just ask the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns — two teams who have home-court advantage in Game 7 of their respective second-round NBA playoff series on Sunday thanks to superior regular-season records.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Espanyol has been held by Valencia to 1-1 at home a day after the club fired its coach and sports director with just two games remaining in the Spanish league. The result was somewhat meaningless as both sides are destined to finish near the middle of the table. Espanyol fired coach

By ROB HARRIS AP Global Soccer Writer LONDON (AP) — Liverpool beat Chelsea in the first-ever FA Cup final penalty shootout at Wembley to stay in contention for, potentially if unlikely, a quadruple of trophies. Just like in the League Cup final in February, the showpiece ended 0-0 before Liverpool prevailed again. This time the

WOLFSBURG, Germany (AP) — Bundesliga top-scorer Robert Lewandowski wants to leave Bayern Munich. Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić says the Polish star has turned down the club’s offer of a contract extension and “he would like to do something else.” The 33-year-old Lewandowski’s current deal with Bayern runs for another season but he has urged

By TERESA M. WALKER AP Sports Writer MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The NBA’s youngest team to reach a conference semifinal in the past 25 years has wasted little time turning disappointment into motivation. Yes, the Memphis Grizzlies soaked in every lesson to help chase their first NBA championship. Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins says this will

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee officials on Saturday enacted a curfew for young people and added extra patrols after 21 people were injured in three separate downtown shootings near an entertainment district where thousands gathered for an NBA playoff game. Three people were injured in the first shooting, one in the second, and 17 in what

By ANDREW DAMPF AP Sports Writer ROME (AP) — Not since Serena Williams seven years ago has another woman had such a hot streak. Top-ranked Iga Swiatek routed Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-1 to extend her winning streak to 27 matches and reach the Italian Open final. Williams won the same number of consecutive matches over

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Ryan Fox birdied the 18th hole to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Soudal Open in Antwerp. The New Zealander bogeyed early in his third round at Rinkven International to slip further off the pace, but birdied his next hole, and reeled off five more coming home

By DANIELLA MATAR AP Sports Writer MILAN (AP) — Relegation-threatened Salernitana draws with Empoli 1-1 in Serie A but misses an opportunity to gain more ground. Diego Perotti’s late penalty was saved by Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario six minutes from time. Salernitana inched two points clear of the drop zone before Cagliari and Genoa play

By CIARÁN FAHEY AP Sports Writer BERLIN (AP) — Wataru Endo has scored in injury time for Stuttgart to clinch Bundesliga survival at Hertha Berlin’s expense with a dramatic 2-1 win over Cologne in the final round. Endo’s 92nd-minute winner lifted Stuttgart ahead of Hertha on goal difference to set off scenes of jubilation with

NAPLES, Italy (AP) — Belgian cyclist Thomas De Gendt won the eighth stage of the Giro d’Italia on Saturday and Juan Pedro López kept hold of the pink jersey. De Gendt was helped by Lotto–Soudal teammate Harm Vanhoucke and edged out Davide Gabburo and Jorge Arcas in the sprint to the line at the end

By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson posted the fastest lap in the IndyCar Grand Prix’s final practice session. He completed Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course in 1 minute, 11.0839 seconds. Rookie driver Callum Illot of England was second at 1:11.1979. Race organizers moved up the start

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Houston Astros acquired utilityman Mauricio Dubón in a trade with the San Francisco Giants on Saturday. The 27-year-old Dubón is batting .239 with two homers and eight RBIs in 21 games this season. He has big league experience at second base, third base, shortstop and center field. “He really came together

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Even the “Punt God” can’t change Mother Nature. Arriving in Buffalo for the Bills’ rookie minicamp, Matt Araiza was unhappy with the weather. After all, the San Diego native has plenty of experience when it comes to 85 degrees and sunny. “It’s funny because