AP Sports Report for May 21st, 2024:
Vikings seek new deal with Justin Jefferson; star WR absent so far from workouts, AP source says
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Justin Jefferson was absent on Monday when the Vikings held their first of 10 allowable organized team activities, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the club was not making details public. Jefferson's absence comes as the Vikings are working to sign him to a contract extension. Tuesday's on-field drills were scheduled to be open to reporters. The spring practices are voluntary. Only minicamp is mandatory.
Analysis: When the 2024 NBA champion is crowned, a young star will likely lead the way
LeBron James will turn 40 in December. Stephen Curry is 36. Kevin Durant will turn 36 and Jimmy Butler will turn 35 by the time training camps start in the fall. They have been stars of the playoffs for years, players who come up biggest at the biggest times. But not this year. The next wave isn't waiting its turn anymore. The NBA's final four is Boston, Dallas, Indiana and Minnesota. And the best players on those teams — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for the Celtics, Luka Doncic for the Mavericks, Tyrese Haliburton for the Pacers and Anthony Edwards for the Timberwolves — are all 27 or younger. Their time is now.
Caitlin Clark overcomes injury, but Harris shines late to give Sun 88-84 win over winless Fever
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyasha Harris scored 13 of Connecticut's final 18 points Monday night, including two free throws with 10.9 seconds left, and the Sun kept the Indiana Fever and rookie Caitlin Clark winless through four games with an 88-84 victory Monday night. Harris finished with 16 points and three 3-pointers for the Sun's second win in a week over the Fever and Clark, who returned in the second half after missing the final 5 1/2 minutes of the first half with an apparent left ankle injury. She returned after warming up with her teammates to start the second half and finished with 17 points.
Oilers beat Canucks 3-2 in Game 7 to advance to Western Conference final
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist as Edmonton scored three times in the second period and held on to beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference final. Zach Hyman and Cody Ceci also scored, and Evan Bouchard had two assists for the Oilers. Stuart Skinner finished with 15 saves. Edmonton, back in the conference finals for the second time in three years, will next face Dallas with Game 1 of that series on Thursday night.
Is Man City's Premier League dominance making soccer's most popular league boring?
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — After the celebrations come the questions. A fourth straight Premier League title for Manchester City marks an unprecedented period of dominance by one team in English soccer. A sixth in seven seasons underlines City's superiority in a league that is widely regarded as the most competitive in the sport. But does City's pre-eminence mean England's top division is in danger of becoming a turn-off for billions of fans around the world? City's run of success bares comparison to the likes of Germany where Bayern Munich had turned the Bundesliga into a one-horse race until its 11-year winning streak was ended by Bayer Leverkusen this season. The German league is not as popular as England's top flight and a lack of competition could be a reason why.
Eastern Conference finals is a matchup of season-long favorite Celtics and proud underdog Pacers
BOSTON (AP) — So much about the journey the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers have taken to the Eastern Conference finals has been about who – they haven't had to face to get to here. Top-seeded Boston didn't face Jimmy Butler in the first round against Miami, or a healthy Donovan Mitchell in the second round against Cleveland. The sixth-seeded Pacers beat Milwaukee without Giannis Antetokounmpo and then outlasted the injury-ravaged New York Knicks, who lost star Jalen Brunson in Game 7. But neither Boston nor Indiana is focused on the narratives surrounding the paths they took to get to this point. They're here. And it's now Finals or bust for both.
Colton Herta shows speed as Honda fights back in penultimate Indy 500 practice session
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Colton Herta and Andretti Global showed some speed in the penultimate Indianapolis 500 practice session as cars reverted to race setups after qualifying. It was a positive development for Honda, which had watched Chevrolet sweep the front row with Team Penske and nail down the first nine spots on the starting grid. The practice was the last until Friday, when teams get on the track for one last shakedown before Sunday's race. The conditions might be wildly different by then. It was hot and sunny Monday, but cooler temperatures and possibly some rain are due to arrive later in the week.
Power conferences, NCAA to vote on landmark $2.7 billion settlement as smaller leagues balk at terms
University presidents around the country are scheduled to meet this week to vote on whether to accept a proposed settlement of an antitrust lawsuit that would cost the NCAA nearly $3 billion. The deal would also create a landmark revenue-sharing system with college athletes. The terms of the agreement have met some pushback from the Division I conferences that do not compete in major college football. They say they are being asked to bear an undue financial burden on the damages portion of the settlement. Attorneys for the defendants in House vs. NCAA gave college sports leaders until Thursday to agree.
Scottie Scheffler's Louisville court date postponed after arrest during PGA Championship
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky court is postponing pro golfer Scottie Scheffler's appearance on charges he injured a police officer and disobeyed commands during the PGA Championship. Scheffler was handcuffed and taken to jail outside the Valhalla Golf Club on Friday. He was due in court Tuesday, two days after finishing in the top ten. Now a judge is postponing the court date until June 3. Scheffler faces four charges, including felony assault over injuries a Louisville police officer suffered. Scheffler's attorney, Steve Romines, says the situation is a misunderstanding and the golfer never disobeyed any officer's orders.
Ricky Stenhouse could face suspension after throwing punch at Kyle Busch after All-Star Race
NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (AP) — The most compelling part of Sunday night's All-Star Race wasn't on the racetrack at North Wilkesboro Speedway but rather in the infield afterward. Ricky Stenhouse confronted Kyle Busch after the race face-to-face, then after a brief exchange threw a right hook at the driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet setting off a brief melee that involved several members of each driver's crew and Stenhouse's father following a race that was dominated by pole sitter Joey Logano. The antics potentially could result in a suspension for Stenhouse.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
___
INTERLEAGUE
Final Cleveland 3 N.Y. Mets 1
Final Washington 12 Minnesota 3
Final St. Louis 6 Baltimore 3
___
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Toronto 9 Chicago White Sox 3
Final Boston 5 Tampa Bay 0
Final Seattle 5 N.Y. Yankees 4
Final Kansas City 8 Detroit 3
Final L.A. Angels 9 Houston 7
___
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final San Diego 6 Atlanta 5
Final Atlanta 3 San Diego 0
Final Miami 3 Milwaukee 2
Final L.A. Dodgers 6 Arizona 4
___
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final Edmonton 3 Vancouver 2
___
WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final New York 74 Seattle 63
Final Connecticut 88 Indiana 84
___
TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
___
INTERLEAGUE
N-Y Mets at Cleveland 6:10 p.m.
Texas at Philadelphia 6:40 p.m.
Minnesota at Washington 6:45 p.m.
Baltimore at St. Louis 7:45 p.m.
Colorado at Oakland 9:40 p.m.
___
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston at Tampa Bay 6:50 p.m.
Seattle at N-Y Yankees 7:05 p.m.
Chi White Sox at Toronto 7:07 p.m.
Detroit at Kansas City 7:40 p.m.
L-A Angels at Houston 8:10 p.m.
___
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Milwaukee at Miami 6:40 p.m.
San Diego at Cincinnati 6:40 p.m.
San Francisco at Pittsburgh 6:40 p.m.
Atlanta at Chi Cubs 7:40 p.m.
Arizona at L-A Dodgers 10:10 p.m.
___
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Indiana at Boston 8 p.m.
___
WOMEN'S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Dallas at Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
Phoenix at Las Vegas 10 p.m.
Washington at Los Angeles 10 p.m.
___