AP Sports Summary for Thursday Morning, June 1st.
History says the NBA Finals will end in 6 games, the most common of all outcomes
DENVER (AP) — The NBA Finals will end in six games. At least, that's what history says. Out of the first 76 editions of the NBA Finals — the 77th title series starts Thursday night in Denver when the Nuggets play host to the Miami Heat — the series has ended in six games 30 times. That's by far the most common outcome. The title series has gone to Game 7 on 19 occasions, ended in five games on 18 occasions and wound up as a four-game sweep only nine times.
Butler, Jokic lead Heat, Nuggets into a NBA Finals after unconventional paths
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic wasn't supposed to be here. Neither was Jimmy Butler, for that matter. Jokic was drafted behind 40 other players in 2014. Butler was drafted behind 29 others in 2011. Jokic grew up in Serbia, not even thinking about the NBA. Butler didn't have the easiest upbringing in Texas, then went the junior-college route at the start of his journey toward the pros. And here they are. The NBA Finals. One of them is going to become a champion for the first time, with Jokic leading the Denver Nuggets and Butler leading the Miami Heat — a matchup that starts Thursday night in Denver, with the Nuggets heavily favored to win it all.
French Open hopes AI can help tennis players block death threats, other social media hate
PARIS (AP) — The group that runs the French Open tennis tournament has hired an artificial intelligence company to monitor players' social media accounts in a bid to try to protect athletes from cyberbullying. Several players say they receive death threats via apps after they lose matches. Some say the vitriol is also directed at their family members. Sloane Stephens, the 2017 champion at the U.S. Open and 2018 runner-up at Roland Garros, says she often deals with racist messages directed at her online.
Peyton Stearns, NCAA champ for Texas, beats Jelena Ostapenko, 2017 champ at French Open
PARIS (AP) — Peyton Stearns is playing in the French Open for the first time and now the 21-year-old American is into the third round after knocking off 2017 champion Jelena Ostapenko. A 2022 NCAA champion for the University of Texas, Stearns used her big forehand to put together the 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 victory on Wednesday. That leaves just one past Roland Garros champion in the women's field. The 17th-seeded Ostapenko's exit is also part of a series of early losses by seeded women that also included No. 5 Caroline Garcia's departure on Wednesday. More than half of the seeds already are out of the bracket. That's in addition to the No. 2 man, Daniil Medvedev.
Pistons reach agreement to hire former Suns coach Monty Williams, AP sources say
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons have reached an agreement to hire former Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams, according to two people familiar with the situation. One of the people told The Associated Press on Wednesday night that Williams agreed to a six-year contract. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced. Phoenix fired Williams two-plus weeks ago, two years after reaching the NBA Finals and a year after he won the league's coach of the year honors.
Aaron Rodgers' tweaked calf is 'fine'; Jets hope QB will fully practice Friday
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers could be back fully practicing with the New York Jets on Friday after straining a calf last week. He was injured while participating in conditioning drills last Tuesday. Coach Robert Saleh said Wednesday that Rodgers' calf is fine and the quarterback is rehabilitating the injury. Rodgers wore a sleeve on his calf throughout the practice and was limited. The team hopes he'll fully participate by Friday or next week at the latest. New York acquired Rodgers, the No. 15 overall pick and a fifth-rounder in this year's draft from Green Bay on April 26.
Purdue's Edey returning to school at NBA draft deadline; Kentucky's Tshiebwe stays in
Wednesday marked the deadline for players who were early entrants to the NBA draft to withdraw and return to college basketball. The list of returnees includes Purdue's 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey after being named Associated Press national player of the year. There's also national champion Connecticut getting back guard Tristen Newton. But Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe is staying in the draft as a former AP national player of the year. UCLA returned Pac-12 freshman of the year Adem Bona. Michigan State retained guards Jaden Akins and A.J. Hoggard. Other returnees included Tennessee's Josiah-Jordan James and Illinois' Terrence Shannon Jr.
Betting interest expected to be down with NBA, NHL finals lacking marquee matchups
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The NBA Finals could've featured glamour teams like the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. The conventional thinking before the NHL playoffs stated the dominant Boston Bruins and star-studded Edmonton Oilers were on a near collision course to meet in the Stanley Cup Final. What could've been enormous betting interest has largely waned. The No. 8 seeded Miami Heat will face an NBA Finals newcomer in the Denver Nuggets. The Stanley Cup Final matches up the last team into the Eastern Conference playoffs in the Florida Panthers against a Vegas Golden Knights team that in six short years is making their second championship appearance.
Memorial with a stacked field in crowded PGA Tour schedule; Rahm and Scheffler vie for No. 1
DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — The Memorial has another loaded field. That included the pro-am with a cast of athletes and celebrities. The tournament Jack Nicklaus built already was among the best on the PGA Tour. Now it's an elevated event with a $20 million purse. It's part of a crowded PGA Tour schedule that's going to get more compact next year. Tour officials are developing a schedule with $20 million events and majors all bunched together. That's to give space to the other tournaments. As for the Memorial, Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler resume their battle for No. 1 in the world.
Florida beats Georgia Tech 3-1 to win 5th NCAA men's golf championship
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Individual NCAA champion Fred Biondi beat Hiroshi Tai 1 up with a par on the 18th hole and Florida won its fifth men's national golf title with a 3-1 victory over Georgia Tech on Wednesday. Florida's Yuxin Lin won the opener 4 and 3 over Christo Lamprecht, but the remaining matches went down to the wire in the strongest wind of the week at Grayhawk Golf Club. John DuBois closed out Connor Howe 1 up to put Florida up 2-0. Georgia Tech's Bartley Forrester then beat Matthew Kress on the second extra hole after blowing a 2-up lead with two holes left. Biondi became the first player to win individual and team championships in the same season since Oregon's Aaron Wise in 2016.
AP-Scorecard
TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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INTERLEAGUE
Final Tampa Bay 4 Chicago Cubs 3
Final Atlanta 4 Oakland 2
Final Milwaukee 4 Toronto 2
Final Cincinnati 5 Boston 4
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Detroit 3 Texas 2
Final L.A. Angels 12 Chicago White Sox 5
Final Cleveland 12 Baltimore 8
Final Minnesota 8 Houston 2
Final Seattle 1 N.Y. Yankees 0
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Pittsburgh 9 San Francisco 4
Final Washington 10 L.A. Dodgers 6
Final Miami 2 San Diego 1
Final N.Y. Mets 4 Philadelphia 1
Final Arizona 6 Colorado 0
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Final tie New England 3 Atlanta 3
Final Columbus 3 Colorado 2
Final tie CF Montréal 2 D.C. United 2
Final New York 1 Miami 0
Final Cincinnati 3 New York City FC 1
Final Philadelphia 1 Charlotte FC 0
Final tie Chicago 0 Toronto FC 0
Final Austin FC 2 Minnesota 1
Final Sporting Kansas City 2 FC Dallas 1
Final LA Galaxy 3 Real Salt Lake 2
Final Saint Louis City SC 0 Los Angeles FC 0
Final San Jose 1 Seattle 0
Final Vancouver 6 Houston 2
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