AP Sports headlines for Monday Morning, April 17th.
Injuries to NBA stars Giannis, Ja dim start of postseason
Anthony Davis scared Los Angeles Lakers fans by grabbing at his right shoulder and saying he couldn't move his arm. Luckily for the Lakers, Davis worked through a mere stinger in time to return for the start of the third quarter of a big road win over the West's No. 2 seed. Injuries to two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, two-time All-Star Ja Morant and Tyler Herro in the span of a couple of hours knocked them out of their playoff openers. Injuries to some of the league's top stars has dimmed the start of the NBA's postseason. Title hopes may fade just as quickly depending on just how badly they're hurt.
NHL playoffs: Eichel, Hughes among the top players to watch
The NHL playoffs are going on without Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin for the first time since their rookie year in 2006. But that doesn't mean the chase for the Stanley Cup isn't packed with star power. Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche are trying to go back to back. Connor McDavid is hell-bent on winning his first championship with the Edmonton Oilers. And there are a handful of players in the postseason as professionals for the first time. New Jersey's Jack Hughes and Vegas' Jack Eichel are ready to make an impact at the time hockey matters the most.
Fast field gathers for start of 127th Boston Marathon
HOPKINTON, Mass. (AP) — The fastest and most-decorated elite field ever to assemble in Hopkinton is getting ready to cross the start line for the 127th Boston Marathon. The group includes world record holders, Olympic and Paralympic medalists, winners of major marathons from 27 countries and a dozen Boston Marathon champions. World record-holder Eliud Kipchoge is making his Boston Marathon debut. About 30,000 athletes will run 26.2 miles to Copley Square in Boston. The city marked the 10-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing on Saturday. The 2013 race was interrupted when two backpack bombs exploded steps from the finish line on Boylston Street.
Murray leads Nuggets past Wolves 109-80 in NBA playoffs
Jamal Murray scored 24 points and the top-seeded Denver Nuggets routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-80 in the opener of their playoff series Sunday night. This marked Murray's first playoff game since the 2020 NBA bubble. He missed the last two postseasons after tearing his left ACL in 2021. Nikola Jokic added 13 points and 14 rebounds and Michael Porter scored 18 for Denver. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 18 points.
Heat rip Bucks 130-117 in Game 1; Giannis, Herro injured
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored 35 points and the Miami Heat capitalized on Giannis Antetokounmpo's early exit to beat the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks 130-117 in an Eastern Conference playoff opener featuring two notable injuries. The top-seeded Bucks lost Antetokounmpo to a lower back bruise early in the second quarter. Miami's Tyler Herro broke his right hand later in the period. No. 8 seed Miami had built a 68-55 halftime advantage before Herro's departure and stayed ahead by shooting 59.5% from the floor. The Heat were 15 of 25 and the Bucks 11 of 45 from 3-point range.
Hachimura's big 2nd half leads LA past Memphis in Game 1
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Rui Hachimura had a career-best playoff scoring performance with 29 points, including 21 in the second half, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 128-112 in the opening game of their Western Conference playoff series. LeBron James had 21 points and 11 rebounds and Anthony Davis had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 31 points, while Desmond Bane scored 22. Ja Morant had 18 points before leaving in the fourth quarter with an injured right hand. Los Angeles wrested home-court advantage from the Grizzlies, who had the NBA's best home record at 35-6. Game 2 is Wednesday.
Boston Marathon poses new challenge for Kipchoge: slow down
BOSTON (AP) — World record-holder Eliud Kipchoge has the speed to outclass the rest of the field when he makes his Boston Marathon debut. To win, he may have to slow things down. The two-time Olympic gold medalist and 12-time major marathon champion knows that the 26.2-mile route from Hopkinton to Boston's Back Bay isn't like those flat and friendly courses where he established himself as perhaps the greatest distance runner of all time. No matter, he says. Breaking the tape is what's important. Regardless of how long it takes. Kipchoge set the world record of 2 hours, 1 minute, 9 seconds in Berlin in 2019. Boston has always rewarded smart tactics more than pure speed.
Kings probe 'racial bias' claims after rapper E-40 ejected
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Sacramento Kings are investigating allegations from a Bay Area hip-hop star that "racial bias" led to him being kicked out of his seat during a playoff game against the Golden State Warriors. The rapper E-40 said in a statement that he was heckled throughout the game and that he addressed one heckler "in an assertive but polite manner" before security guards came and ordered him to leave the arena. E-40, whose real name is Earl Stevens, is Black. He says his heckler was white. The Kings say they are investigating the circumstances behind his ejection.
Leonard scores 38 to lead Clippers past Durant, Suns 115-110
PHOENIX (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 38 points, including a pair of late 3-pointers, and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Phoenix Suns 115-110 in the opener of their Western Conference playoff series. Eric Gordon added 19 points and hit a late 3 that kept the Clippers ahead. Russell Westbrook shot just 3 of 19 from the floor for Los Angeles but made a pair of free throws with 17.7 seconds left for a three-point lead, then blocked Devin Booker's layup attempt at the other end. Kevin Durant scored 27 points for the Suns, who lost for the first time with him on the floor.
Heat's Tyler Herro breaks right hand in playoff opener
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro broke his right hand late in the second quarter of his team's Eastern Conference playoff opener with the Milwaukee Bucks. Herro appeared to hurt the hand while diving for a loose ball. He was leaning forward and in obvious discomfort while standing in front of the Heat's bench in the final minute of the second quarter. Herro later was ruled out for the rest of the game with a broken hand.
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