Kings outlast Clippers 176-175 in double overtime
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Malik Monk scored a career-high 45 points, De’Aaron Fox had the go-ahead basket and finished with 42 and the Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Clippers 176-175 in double overtime in the second-highest scoring game in NBA history. Detroit beat Denver 186-184 in triple overtime on Dec. 13, 1983, in the highest-scoring NBA game. The Kings are third on the scoring list with the 176 points and the Clippers fourth. The Clippers had a 175-169 advantage with 1:57 remaining before the Kings scored the final seven points, including Fox’s jumper with 36.5 seconds remaining. The Clippers had the final shot, but missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 44 points for Los Angeles and Paul George added 34.
MLB catchers wary of looming robo umps amid rules changes
Yankees All-Star catcher Jose Trevino is among big league catchers staunchly against introducing robo umps at the major league level. Trevino says Commissioner Rob Manfred doesn’t have “any idea what’s going on whenever he talks about that kind of stuff.” Manfred cautions the that Automated Ball-Strike System is still in “the evaluation phase.” ABS will receive its biggest experiment yet at Triple-A, where it’ll be used four days per week to call every pitch. On the other three days, umpires will traditionally call balls and strikes with a challenge system in place.
In NIL-era first, NCAA gives Miami probation for violation
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — The NCAA has handed down a name, image and likeness-related penalty for the first time. It involves Miami, which has been placed on probation for one year. The school and the NCAA say women’s basketball coaches inadvertently helped arrange impermissible contact between a booster and two players before they signed with the Hurricanes. Coach Katie Meier already served a three-game suspension at the start of the season in anticipation of the NCAA’s decision. The NCAA did not name neither the booster nor the players involved, but referenced an April 13 tweet posted by booster John Ruiz that included a photo of him and Haley and Hanna Cavinder. The twins are not subject to sanctions.
Padres slugger Machado draws first pitch clock violation
Tick, tock, Manny Machado. Better watch that pitch clock. Baseball’s new pitch clock made its competitive debut during a limited schedule of spring training openers and Machado, San Diego’s All-Star slugger, was called for the first violation. Machado found out the hard way that the pitch clock works both ways. He wasn’t fully in the batter’s box and alert to the Seattle Mariners lefty Robbie Ray as the 15-second clock wound under 8 seconds in the first inning. Umpire Ryan Blakney called time and signaled strike one against Machado. Machado got a hit anyway.
Giannis exits early with knee issue; Bucks rip Heat 128-99
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo left late in the first quarter with a right knee issue to spoil his rapid return from a sprained wrist, but the Milwaukee Bucks still trounced the Miami Heat 128-99 on Friday for their 13th consecutive victory. Antetokounmpo was in the starting lineup just four days after heading to New York to have his right wrist examined. Bucks officials said Antetokounmpo had knocked knees with an opponent. The Bucks still had no trouble extending the longest winning streak in the NBA this season.
Casey, Kokrak share lead as LIV Golf begins season in Mexico
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) — Paul Casey and Jason Kokrak share the lead in Mexico after the opening round of LIV Golf’s first tournament of the season. Casey finished with three straight birdies for a 65. Kokrak played bogey-free at Mayakoba. This is the second season of LIV Golf and the focus is more on team competition. Casey did his part. He players for the Crushers, and they have a three-shot lead. Dustin Johnson opened with a 68. He won the individual points title last year while leading his 4Aces to the team title. Saturday marks the first time LIV Golf is on linear TV.
Suh leads, Kirk fires a 62 in 2nd round of Honda Classic
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — There have been about 7,200 rounds played at the Honda Classic since it moved to PGA National 17 years ago. Only two of those rounds were better than the one turned in Friday by Chris Kirk. Kirk shot an 8-under 62 in the second round, moving him to 9 under for the week and one shot behind Justin Suh at the tournament’s midway point. Kirk had an eagle and six birdies, hitting 16 greens and taking advantage of no wind blowing in the morning. That’s rare for usually breezy PGA National. Suh shot 64 and leads at 10-under 130.
LIV Golf, PGA Tour spar over testimony from Saudi officials
A federal judge is trying to keep LIV Golf’s antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour on track. That’s looking to be increasingly difficult with a flurry of activity in the courts. Saudi Arabia has prepared an appeal of a magistrate’s ruling that the sovereign wealth fund and the fund’s governor should testify. That could lead to an inevitable delay. The PGA Tour claims that Yasir al-Rumayyan is really running LIV Golf. He’s the leader of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which is worth some $600 billion. The tour also argued its lawyers should not be expected to get testimony in Saudi Arabia because of the risks involved.
US savors World Cup berth; Carmelo Anthony named ambassador
USA Basketball put together different rosters for all six World Cup qualifying windows, and coach Jim Boylen noticed the same two things with each of those groups. One, every player beamed when putting on the “USA” jersey for picture day. Two, by the third or fourth day of practice, the players were coaching each other. It took 52 players and more than a year, but the job is done. USA Basketball is going to the World Cup in the Philippines this summer. And when they get there, three-time Olympic champion Carmelo Anthony will greet them as a new FIBA ambassador. He signed on Friday to help with the tournament.
World Baseball Classic in Japan to still feature masks
TOKYO (AP) — Fans of the upcoming World Baseball Classic are going to see two versions, depending if the games are in the United States, Taiwan, or Japan. In the United States and Taiwan, fans can cheer and need not wear masks. Taiwan dropped most of its mask mandates this week. For Japan, it’s slightly more complicated as COVID rules are changing more slowly. Cheering will be allowed but masks are likely to remain in place at the Tokyo Dome.
