AP Sports Headlines for Sunday, April 30th
AP Report Cards: Texans, Eagles get highest NFL draft grades
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Texans got two of the best players in the NFL draft in the first three picks. The Eagles added three more defensive standouts from Georgia. While it takes two or three years to judge whether players panned out, it's easy to identify the potential winners of the 2023 NFL draft. Houston selected quarterback C.J. Stroud at No. 2 and traded up to get Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. with the third pick. In a 10-minute span, the Texans added two players who could dramatically change the future of the franchise. Defending NFC champion Philadelphia needed to replenish the defense so it looked toward the two-time national champion Bulldogs.
Cowboys get scout's son Deuce Vaughn at RB late in NFL draft
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys have turned the NFL draft into a family affair by taking Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn in the sixth round. Vaughn is the son of Cowboys assistant director of college scouting Chris Vaughn. The younger Vaughn was a dynamic playmaker for the Wildcats, but size is an issue. He's listed at 5-foot-5. The size draws immediate comparison to Darren Sproles, another former Kansas State star. Sproles had a long NFL career as an elite kick returner. Vaughn was one of five picks on the final day of the draft for Dallas.
Rams draft Georgia QB Stetson Bennett in 4th round
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Stetson Bennett will get a chance to deliver for the Los Angeles Rams. Georgia's two-time national championship-winning quarterback was selected by the Rams in the fourth round of the NFL draft. That unites him with coach Sean McVay and fellow former Georgia signal-caller Matthew Stafford on the West Coast. The 25-year-old Bennett's unlikely route from junior college to the heights of collegiate success has been well documented, but the NFL worthiness of the quirky quarterback known as "The Mailman" has been hotly debated for years.
Murray scores 34, Nuggets beat Suns 125-107 in Game 1
DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray scored 34 points, hitting six of Denver's 16 3-pointers, and the Nuggets sprinted past the Phoenix Suns 125-107 in Game 1 of their second-round series. Reigning back-to-back NBA MVP Nikola Jokic had 24 points and 19 rebounds, while Aaron Gordon finished with 23 points. But this was the Murray Show, where he went 6 of 10 from 3-point land and frequently exhorted for more noise from the already raucous crowd. Kevin Durant scored 29 points for the Suns, with Devin Booker adding 27 and Chris Paul 11. Booker averaged 37.2 points in a first-round series win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Kings hope for crowd to carry them in Game 7 vs. Warriors
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors are going to a winner-take-all Game 7 in their first-round playoff series. With spectacular performances on both ends against Stephen Curry and the defending champions, Sacramento gets a chance to extend this special season back home at Golden 1 Center on Sunday. The Warriors must quickly regroup and try to rediscover the energy and efficiency they had in a 123-116 win Wednesday at Golden 1 Center. Curry says it will start with smart basketball despite the challenging atmosphere. Kings coach Mike Brown says he doesn't have "magic dust" to help his team handle the Warriors.
Injured Embiid 'doubtful' for Game 1, says 76ers coach
CAMDEN. N.J. (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers says NBA MVP finalist Joel Embiid is doubtful for Game 1 of the playoff series against the Celtics with a sprained right knee. Embiid was examined by doctors this week and has yet to practice ahead of Monday's Eastern Conference semifinals opener at Boston. The Sixers have had the longest break of any NBA team after they swept the Brooklyn Nets last Saturday. Embiid was hurt in Game 3 and missed the next game.
Tavares' OT goal gives Maple Leafs series win over Lightning
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — John Tavares scored 4:35 into overtime, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 for their first NHL playoff series win in nearly two decades. The Maple Leafs won the best-of-seven matchup in six games, winning three times in overtime on the road and ending an 11-game losing streak in elimination games. They advanced in a series for the first time since 2004, a frustrating drought that included first-round exits each of the past six seasons. The loss, meanwhile, ends Tampa Bay's run of three consecutive appearances in the Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning won back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021, but they lost to Colorado in six games last year.
Oilers advance to second round with 5-4 victory over Kings
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kailer Yamamoto scored his first playoff goal with 3:02 remaining, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Los Angeles Kings 5-4 to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Klim Kostin had two goals and an assist as the Oilers eliminated the Kings for the second straight season. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl also scored in Game 6, and Stuart Skinner stopped 40 shots. Next up for Edmonton is the Vegas Golden Knights in the next round. Kevin Fiala had a goal and two assists for Los Angeles. The Kings have been eliminated in their last four first-round series.
Kreider helps Rangers beat Devils 5-2 to force Game 7
NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Kreider had another power-play goal and two assists as the New York Rangers beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 to force a deciding Game 7 in their first-round series. Mika Zibanejad and Vladimir Tarasenko each had a goal and an assist for New York, which had totaled just two goals while losing the previous three games. Barclay Goodrow and Braden Schneider also scored, and Adam Fox added two assists. Igor Shesterkin stopped 34 shots. Curtis Lazar and Dawson Mercer scored for New Jersey. Akira Schmid, who had stopped 80 of 82 shots over the previous three games, was pulled after giving up five goals on 29 shots.
Machado leads 11-HR Mexico City slugfest, Padres top Giants
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Manny Machado put San Diego ahead in the seventh inning with his second homer and the 11th of the night, and the San Diego Padres outslugged the San Francisco Giants 16-11 in Major League Baseball's first game in Mexico City. Nelson Cruz, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis and Xander Bogaerts also went deep for the Padres, who outhomered the Giants 6-5 and outhit them 17-13 in the thin air of Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú, at 7,349 feet above sea level. San Francisco's Brandon Crawford, Lamonte Wade Jr., Mitch Haniger, Blake Sobol and David Villar went deep.
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