AP Sports Summary for April 4th, 2025:
Grizzlies' Ja Morant, on criticism: 'I feel like I've been the villain for the last two years now'
MIAMI (AP) — It was the sort of moment that Ja Morant craves. He hit a game-winning jumper at the buzzer to lift the Memphis Grizzlies past the Miami Heat, then skipped down the court listening to the silence he created. He was the villain. And he doesn't mind. Morant has certainly spent plenty of time in that role. His ability to take over games was on display Thursday night; the game-winner capped a 30-point night and helped Memphis snap a four-game losing streak. That could have been the story. It wasn't. At least, not the whole story.
Curry scores 37 points and Warriors beat Lakers 123-116 in a potential first-round playoff preview
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 37 points, Brandin Podziemski added 28 and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 123-116 for their fourth win in a row in a potential first-round playoff preview. LeBron James had 33 points and nine assists to lead the Lakers. Austin Reaves added 31 points, including nine 3-pointers, Rui Hachimura had 24 points and Luke Doncic had 19 points, missing all six of his 3-point attempts. Podziemski had a career-high eight 3-pointers on a night when Curry was 4 of 11 from long range.
F1's Japanese GP has storylines that may be as fleeting as the country's cherry blossoms
SUZUKA, Japan (AP) — The Japanese Grand Prix is only the third Formula 1 race of the season, but several storylines are developing that promise a few twists. And they could be as fleeting as the cherry blossoms seen all over Japan at this time of the year. Watch McLaren, which has won the first two races of the season. Keep an eye on Lewis Hamilton as he chases his first win with Ferrari. And Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda will be the crowd favorite as he drives for Red Bull's main team for the first time.
Once pariahs, now winners, Final Four coaches Pearl, Sampson a reflection of a changing game
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A decade ago, Bruce Pearl of Auburn and Kelvin Sampson of Houston were looking to resurrect their careers after being handed show-cause penalties by the NCAA for recruiting violations. This week, they're coaching at the Final Four. Their return is a sign of the success they've enjoyed since their comebacks but also the shifting priorities that have overtaken college sports. These days, when coaches go job hunting, they need the school to not only be able to pay them, but the players they hope to land for their rosters.
USC star JuJu Watkins is the AP Player of the Year and just the fourth sophomore to earn that honor
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — JuJu Watkins, the sensational sophomore who led Southern California to its best season in nearly 40 years, is The Associated Press women's college basketball Player of the Year. Watkins, whose Trojans won the Big Ten regular-season title for their first conference crown in 31 years, received 29 votes and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo got the other two. Watkins is the first USC player to win the award and just the fourth to do it as a sophomore, joining Oklahoma's Courtney Paris and UConn stars Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart.
Trump again says he wants to see PGA Tour, LIV Golf merged
DORAL, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump arrived at his Doral resort Thursday for a LIV Golf event, shortly after reiterating to reporters aboard Air Force One that he wants to see the two men's professional tours united. The president has spoken out on the subject before, and Trump has been involved in some of the talks that may eventually unify the PGA Tour and Saudi-funded LIV. Those talks have gone on for at least a year and how — or if — a deal can be struck is unclear. Trump told reporters that "having them merge would be a great thing."
Giannis' NBA 1st of 35 points, 20 assists, 17 rebounds sends Bucks past 76ers 126-113
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo became the first player in NBA history to have 35 points, 17 rebounds and a career-high 20 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 126-113. Brook Lopez scored 17 points, Kyle Kuzma had 16 and AJ Green hit four 3-pointers for 12 points for the Bucks. Rookie Adem Bona led the 76ers with a career-high 28 points on 13-for-15 shooting. Quentin Grimes had 24 points with 10 assists, and Guerschon Yabusele added 22 points.
Judge gets 500th extra-base hit, 3rd-fastest Yankee to reach mark behind DiMaggio, Gehrig
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge became the third-fastest New York Yankees player to reach 500 extra-base hits with a three-run homer in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks, trailing only Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig. Judge lined a 1-1 fastball from Merrill Kelly to the opposite field and into the Yankees bullpen for a 3-0 lead. The two-time AL MVP has five homers and 15 RBIs in six games this season. Judge has 320 homers, 175 doubles and five triples in 999 games. DiMaggio reached 500 extra-base hits in 853 games and Gehrig in 869.
Demand for viral 'torpedo' baseball bats has sent a Pennsylvania factory into overdrive
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (AP) — Torpedo bats drew attention over the weekend when the New York Yankees hit a team-record nine homers in one game. Using a strikingly different model in which wood is moved lower down the barrel after the label and shapes the end a little like a bowling pin, the bat has become baseball's latest fad. All-Star and even amateur hardball players all want to take their swings with the bat. The torpedo bat took the league by storm in only 24 hours, and days later, the calls and orders, and test drives -- from big leaguers to rec leaguers -- are humming inside Victus Sports. The company is the official bat of MLB and has seen sales and interest spike in the bat.
Patriots trade QB Milton to Cowboys, giving Dallas a new backup behind Dak Prescott
DALLAS (AP) — The New England Patriots have agreed to trade quarterback Joe Milton III to the Dallas Cowboys. Milton confirmed the trade via a social media post. ESPN, which first reported the deal, said that the Cowboys will receive Milton, along with a seventh-round pick in exchange for a fifth-round pick. The acquisition of the 25-year-old Milton, who the Patriots drafted in the sixth round in 2024, gives the Cowboys a young backup behind starting quarterback Dak Prescott after Cooper Rush signed with Baltimore in free agency. Rush started eight games for the Cowboys last season while Prescott was injured.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
___
INTERLEAGUE
Final N.Y. Yankees 9 Arizona 7
___
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Boston 8 Baltimore 4
Final Houston 5 Minnesota 2
___
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 3 Colorado 1
Final Milwaukee 1 Cincinnati 0
___
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Milwaukee 126 Philadelphia 113
Final Orlando 109 Washington 97
Final Portland 112 Toronto 103
Final Minnesota 105 Brooklyn 90
Final Memphis 110 Miami 108
Final Golden State 123 L.A. Lakers 116
___
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Ottawa 2 Tampa Bay 1
Final Montreal 4 Boston 1
Final Colorado 7 Columbus 3
Final Dallas 5 Nashville 1
Final OT St. Louis 5 Pittsburgh 4
Final Los Angeles 4 Utah 2
Final Calgary 4 Anaheim 1
Final Winnipeg 4 Vegas 0
Final Edmonton 3 San Jose 2
___
TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
___
INTERLEAGUE
St. Louis at Boston 2:10 p.m.
Toronto at N-Y Mets 3:10 p.m.
Athletics at Colorado 4:10 p.m.
N-Y Yankees at Pittsburgh 4:12 p.m.
Seattle at San Francisco 4:35 p.m.
___
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Chi White Sox at Detroit 1:10 p.m.
Baltimore at Kansas City 7:40 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Texas 8:05 p.m.
Cleveland at L-A Angels 9:38 p.m.
___
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Diego at Chi Cubs 2:20 p.m.
Arizona at Washington 6:45 p.m.
L-A Dodgers at Philadelphia 6:45 p.m.
Miami at Atlanta 7:15 p.m.
Cincinnati at Milwaukee 8:10 p.m.
___
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Sacramento at Charlotte 7 p.m.
Utah at Indiana 7 p.m.
Detroit at Toronto 7:30 p.m.
Phoenix at Boston 7:30 p.m.
Cleveland at San Antonio 8 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Houston 8 p.m.
Portland at Chicago 8 p.m.
Denver at Golden State 10 p.m.
Dallas at L.A. Clippers 10:30 p.m.
New Orleans at L.A. Lakers 10:30 p.m.
___
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Carolina at Detroit 7 p.m.
Chicago at Washington 7 p.m.
Minnesota at N-Y Islanders 7:30 p.m.
___