NBA:
In the NBA, Atlanta topped Boston 89-72 to take a 2-0 series lead and it was San Antonio over Memphis 94-68 which gives the Spurs a 2-0 series lead.
Stephen Curry's troublesome right ankle has no serious structural damage. The reigning NBA MVP underwent an MRI exam on his injured right ankle Tuesday in the Bay Area. The Golden State Warriors said nothing of concern came up on the test. Curry remained questionable for Game 3 of his team's playoff series on Thursday in Houston. Curry missed Monday night's 115-106 victory against the Rockets at Oracle Arena. Coach Steve Kerr mentioned there is ample time for Curry to try to get healthy and stay off his feet.
Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford has won the NBA's Sixth Man Award for a record third time, two years after he was the oldest player to receive the honor. The 36-year-old Crawford claimed 51 first-place votes and 341 points from a panel of 130 sports writers and broadcasters in the U.S. and Canada. NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala of Golden State finished second with 288 points.
Earl Watson has a lot more job security in Phoenix. The Suns have announced that he has been named head coach for next season after guiding the team to a 9-24 record following the dismissal of Jeff Hornacek on Feb. 1. The former 13-year NBA veteran is the league's youngest coach at 36.
Dallas Mavericks' coach Rick Carlisle says Dirk Nowitzki has a bruised right knee and might have to miss Game 3 of the Mavs playoff series with Oklahoma City. Nowitzki bruised the knee when he fell early in the Mavericks' 85-84 Game 2 win over the Thunder
NHL:
In the NHL, Pittsburgh beat the Rangers 3-1 to lead series over the Rangers 2-1, Tampa Bay edged Detroit 3-2 to lead the series 3-1, Anaheim blanked Nashville 3-0 the Predators lead the series 2-1, and it was St. Louis over Chicago 4-3 to lead the series 3-1.
The NHL has suspended Flyers forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare for Game 4 of the team's Eastern Conference first-round series tonight against Washington. Bellemare was given a major penalty and a game misconduct for slamming Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov head-first into the boards with about eight minutes left in the Caps' 6-1 rout of Philadelphia on Monday. Orlov was slow to get up but was not injured and returned to the game.
Springfield, Massachusetts, which has been home to an American Hockey League franchise for almost 80 years may soon, be left without a team. The NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, Tuesday announced an agreement to purchase the Springfield Falcons with plans to relocate the AHL franchise to Tucson for the start of the next season. Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said he’s concerned how the loss of 40 hockey games a year at the MassMutual Center will impact vendors and downtown bars and restaurants. The Falcons home attendance this season was less than half the AHL average of almost 6,000 fans per game.
New York's Olympic village is no longer in the running for the title of "Hockeyville USA." First-round voting of the 10 finalists selected for the Kraft Hockeyville USA contest ended last week, and Lake Placid didn't make the cut. Four towns did advance _ Rapid City, South Dakota, and Minot, North Dakota, in the West, and Marquette, Michigan, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in the East.
MLB:
In baseball, in the American League, Oakland beat the Yankees 3-2 in 11 innings, Tampa Bay blanked Boston 3-0 in 10 innings, Boston had to play the game almost completely from its bullpen after starter Joe Kelly left in the first inning with stiffness in his right shoulder -- using six relievers. Toronto beat Baltimore 4-3, Cleveland edged Seattle 3-2, Kansas City bested Detroit 8-6, Texas defeated Houston 7-5, and the White Sox shut out the Angels 5-0.
Former Chicago White Sox player Adam LaRoche says he has no regrets walking away from baseball and $13 million in salary after a dispute with the team over the presence of his young son at the ballpark.
In the National League, the Mets topped Philadelphia 11-1, Cincinnati edged Colorado 4-3, Atlanta bested the Dodgers 8-1, the Cubs slid past St. Louis 2-1, San Diego edged Pittsburgh 5-4, and it was Arizona over San Francisco 3-0.
In interleague play, Milwaukee beat Minnesota 6-5.
OBIT:
Former major league pitcher Milt Pappas has died at 76. His wife said Pappas died Tuesday morning of natural causes at their Illinois home. Pappas won 209 games during his 17-year career with the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs. He threw a no-hitter for the Cubs in 1972 and won a career-high 17 games for Chicago in '72 and 1973. Pappas also was packaged in one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history, going from Baltimore to Cincinnati with two other players after the 1965 season for Frank Robinson.
NFL:
Brian Hoyer has been released by the Houston Texans, a little more than a month after the Texans signed Brock Osweiler to a four-year, $72 million contract. Hoyer signed a two-year contract before last season, but his five-turnover debacle in a 30-0 playoff loss to Kansas City proved to be his undoing. Houston also cut quarterback B.J. Daniels.
NCAA:
UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma is out of a hospital, three days after he was admitted with an undisclosed ailment. The school says Auriemma was taken to a hospital for observation after complaining he wasn't feeling well. UConn says Auriemma is feeling better and spending time at home with his family.
UConn will play a home-and-home football series with North Carolina State. N.C. State officials announced the agreement, with UConn to host the Wolfpack in 2023 and play at North Carolina State in 2022.
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