(Brooklyn, NY)  --  Gonzaga stars Jalen Suggs and Corey Kispert and Oregon's Chris Duarte were all picked in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft.  Suggs went to the Orlando Magic at number five overall, Duarte went to the Indiana Pacers at pick 13 and Corey Kispert was taken by the Washington Wizards at 15.  Former Gonzaga star Filip Petrusev was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round after winning the MVP of the Adriatic League last season.  Gonzaga's Joel Ayayi signed with the Los Angeles Lakers after not being drafted and Oregon's Eugene Omoruyi signed with the Dallas Mavericks after being undrafted.

(Arlington, TX)  --  The Mariners begin a three-game series with the Rangers in Texas tonight.  Logan Gilbert will get the start for Seattle and Kolby Allard will toe the mound for Texas.  The Mariners enter the series with a 55-and-48 record, while the Rangers are 36-and-66.

(Brooklyn, NY)  --  The Blazers picked Greg Brown out of Texas with the 43rd pick in the second round of the NBA Draft.  Portland entered the draft without a draft pick but traded a future second round draft pick and cash considerations to the New Orleans Pelicans for the 43rd pick.  The 19-year-old is 6-foot-9 and averaged 9.3 points per game last season.

(Anaheim, CA)  --  Frankie Montas struck out 10 batters as the Athletics beat the Angels 4-0 in Anaheim.  Montas pitched seven shutout innings to earn his ninth win of the year.  Ramon Laureano drove in two runs for Oakland, which has won two straight.  The A's held Los Angeles to three hits.  Shohei Ohtani walked three times at the plate.  Dylan Bundy was hit with his eighth loss, allowing three runs over four-and-one-third innings.  The Angels have lost two of their last three.  The series continues tonight.  

(San Francisco, CA)  --  Johnny Cueto got his seventh win on the mound as the Giants blanked the Dodgers 5-0 at home.  The right-hander struck out five over five-and-two-thirds scoreless frames.  San Francisco's bullpen didn't surrender a hit over three plus innings.  Brandon Crawford knocked in a pair of runs.  The Giants capture the series and have won three of their last four.  AJ Pollock had two hits for Los Angeles.  Southpaw David Price took his first loss, giving up four runs.  The Dodgers have lost five of their last eight.  

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  The Los Angeles Lakers made a blockbuster trade on NBA Draft night.  ESPN reports the Lakers have agreed to a deal for nine-time All-Star Russell Westbrook.  L.A. will send the Washington Wizards Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and the 22nd pick in the NBA Draft.

(Tokyo, Japan) -- Damian Lillard led the U.S. men's basketball team to a 120-66 rout of Iran for its first win in Tokyo. Lillard made seven three-pointers on his way to 21 points for the Americans, who will face the Czech Republic on Saturday to wrap up preliminary round play. On the women's side, Team USA will be back on the court to take on Japan on Friday. The ladies have won 50 straight after beating Nigeria in their opener.

(Portland, OR) -- The Blazers summer league schedule is out. Portland opens its summer league schedule on August 8th against the Charlotte Hornets. The Blazers then play the Clippers on August 10th, the Pacers on the 12th and finish out summer league against the Suns on the 14th. All the games will be in Las Vegas.

(Seattle, WA) -- The Mariners lost to the Astros 11-4 in Seattle. Yusei Kikuchi struck out seven, but allowed three earned runs in five innings. Abraham Toro launched a two-run blast and Kyle Seager mashed a solo homer. Seattle is off today before starting a road series against the Texas Rangers tomorrow night.

(San Diego, CA) -- Matt Chapman homered and drove in three runs as the Athletics took down the Padres 10-4 in San Diego. Elvis Andrus finished with three hits and drove in two runs for Oakland. Sean Manaea pitched six scoreless innings and struck out nine to get the win for the Athletics, who snapped a four-game slide. They start a road series with the Angels tonight.

(Anaheim, CA) -- Shohei Ohtani homered for the second straight day as the Angels beat the Rockies 8-7 at home. Ohtani launched his 37th homer of the year with a three-run shot in the fourth. Max Stassi and Justin Upton also went deep for Los Angeles, which nearly blew a four-run lead. The Angels have won four of their last five. They start a series with the A's tonight.

(San Francisco, CA) -- Walker Buehler dazzled on the mound as the Dodgers routed the Giants 8-0 in San Francisco. The right-hander pitched seven scoreless frames, struck out eight for his 11th win. Cody Bellinger homered to break his recent hitting slump. Will Smith and Max Muncy each knocked in two runs for Los Angeles, which has won three of its last four. The teams wrap up the series today.

(Green Bay, WI) -- Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is revealing he considered retirement as his standoff with the team dragged on. However, Rodgers told reporters he still has a "big, competitive hole" in his body. Rodgers was drafted by the team in 2005 toward the end of the first round. Rodgers elaborated on his dispute with the team that was the subject of much speculation this offseason. He said he wanted to help the Packers learn from previous mistakes they made. Rodgers explained that involved not keeping who he described as "high characters guys" like Charles Woodson and Jordy Nelson.

(Brooklyn, NY) -- The 2021 NBA Draft takes place tonight in Brooklyn. It will be a chance for dreams to come true for some of the brightest young basketball hopefuls across the country. The Detroit Pistons will hold the first overall selection in the draft. They have been widely linked to prospective top pick and Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham. The Rockets have the second pick in the draft. The Cavaliers, Raptors, and Magic round out the top five.

(Oakland, CA) -- The Oakland A's are making a splash ahead of Friday's trade deadline with the acquisition of outfielder Starling Marte. Oakland is sending pitcher Jesus Luzardo to the Miami Marlins in exchange for the speedy center fielder. The 32-year-old Marte will become a free agent at the end of the season. He is batting .306 with a .407 on-base percentage and 22 stolen bases. The 23-year-old Luzardo has been inconsistent since he joined the A's in 2019. He broke the left pinky finger of his pitching hand in May when he banged his hand against a table while playing video games.

(San Francisco, CA) -- Buster Posey batted in a run as the Giants beat the Dodgers 2-1 at home. The catcher was 2-for-3 at the plate, but made his biggest impact scoring on a error to give San Francisco the lead in the eighth. Tyler Rogers got his second win in relief. Jake McGee secured his 21st save as the Giants won their second straight. The Dodgers have lost four of their last six. The series continues tonight.

(Los Angeles, CA) -- Oregon football head coach Mario Cristobal said that Anthony Brown will be the Ducks starting quarterback entering the fall. Cristobal said at Pac-12 Media Day that Brown's experience and practice performance made him the leader at QB. Brown had played three seasons at Boston College before transferring to Oregon in 2020.

(Seattle, WA) -- The Mariners fell behind 8-2 to Houston lost to the Astros 8-6 in Seattle. Chris Flexen gave up seven runs in four innings in his start. Kyle Seager hit a two-run homer in the first, and Abraham Toro's first hit as a Mariner was a two-run bomb in the ninth inning. The series wraps up this afternoon.

(San Diego, CA) -- Sean Murphy knocked in two runs as the Athletics fell to the Padres 7-4 in San Diego. The team surrendered seven straight runs after taking a 3-0 lead in the third. The A's have dropped four straight. They wrap up the road series today.

(Anaheim, CA) -- Shohei Ohtani homered in a losing effort as the Angels got smacked 12-3 by the Rockies at home. Ohtani launched his 36th homer of the year with a two-run shot in the fifth. Outfielder Adam Eaton pitched a clean ninth for Los Angeles, which had a three-game winning streak snapped. They wrap up the series tonight.

(Anaheim, CA) -- Two-way star Shohei Ohtani led the way on the mound as the Angels beat the Rockies 6-2 at home. The right-hander allowed only one run over seven frames to earn his fifth win. He also chipped in a RBI single for Los Angeles, which has won three straight. Jack Mayfield added a two-run bomb in the seventh. The Angels are back over .500 and continue the series tonight.

(Undated) -- Former 49ers offensive lineman Daniel Kilgore is announcing his retirement from the NFL. Kilgore was a fifth round pick of San Francisco in 2011 and spent 10 seasons in the league. He most recently played for the Chiefs last season, making his second trip to the Super Bowl. Kilgore made 60 starts in 98 games with the Niners, Dolphins and Chiefs.

(Flushing, NY) -- The Braves and Mets traded wins to split their doubleheader in Flushing. Atlanta won Game One 2-0, behind a pitching gem from Kyler Muller. The southpaw allowed just four hits in five scoreless frames for the Braves. Joc Pederson and Orlando Arcia each knocked in a run, while Will Smith collected his 20th save. New York took Game Two 1-0 to split the day. Jeff McNeil recorded two hits, doubling in the lone run of the game in the fifth. Trevor May got his third win and Edwin Diaz secured his 22nd save. The Braves have split their last four games and the Mets have won four of their last six games.

(Kansas City, MO) -- The Kansas City Chiefs will be keeping their name, but they plan to retire their mascot. Organization president Mark Donovan says the mascot named "Warpaint" will be officially retired. The team has previously banned fans from wearing Native American headwear and garb. It comes just after the Cleveland Indians announced they would become the Cleveland Guardians next year. The Washington Football Team retired the name Redskins before the 2020 season.

(Irving, TX) -- The Big 12 is responding after the Universities of Texas and Oklahoma moved forward with their effort to leave the conference. Commissioner Bob Bowlsby released a statement saying the remaining members are "disappointed" with Texas and Oklahoma deciding not to renew their media rights once they expire in 2025. However, the conference admitted college athletics is dealing with a "rapid change." The move by the bitter arch-rivals comes amid heavy speculation that both will move to the Southeastern Conference, more commonly known as the SEC. The statement from Bowlsby described the other schools as the "remaining eight institutions," further suggesting that Texas and Oklahoma are on their way out.

(St. Paul, MN)  --  The Timbers fell to Minnesota United FC 2-1 in St. Paul.  Felipe Mora scored Portland's only goal.  The Timbers have 19 points and play the LA Galaxy on the road on Friday.

(Tempe, AZ)  --  One of the NFL's best pass rushers wants out of the desert.  According to ESPN, Cardinals superstar Chandler Jones has requested a trade.  Jones is reportedly unhappy with his contract as he enters the final year of his deal.  The Cardinals reportedly expect Jones to report for training camp on Tuesday.  Jones missed much of the 2020 season with a torn bicep.  He is expected to be paired with the team's latest pass rushing acquisition, J.J. Watt, this upcoming season.

(Blaine, MN)  --  Cameron Champ lived up to his last name in the 3M Open, winning the tournament with a 15-under score.  Champ shot a 66 in Round Four to secure the tournament win.  Louis Oosthuizen, Jhonattan Vegas and Charl Schwartzel ended in a three-way tie for second place with 13-under finishes.  Keith Mitchell rounded out the top five with a 12-under score.

(Boston, MA)  --  The Yankees blew a 4-0 lead and lost to the Red Sox 5-4 in Boston.  Domingo German [[hurr-MAHN]] recorded 10 strikeouts, one hit and one run in seven innings, but Yankee reliever Jonathan Loaisiga surrendered four runs in the eighth inning to let the Red Sox take the lead.  Christian Vázquez drove in a run and Hunter Renfroe and Kiké Hernández each hit RBI doubles in the eighth.  Boston has won four of five and New York has dropped three of four.

(San Diego, CA)  --  The Padres are adding a big bat to their lineup.  According to multiple reports, the Padres are acquiring All-Star second baseman Adam Frazier from the Pirates.  The second baseman entered Sunday with a .327 average, which was second best in Major League Baseball.  In return, Pittsburgh will receive three prospects, including outfielder Jack Suwinski in the deal.

(Arlington, TX)  --  The Americans are moving on to the Gold Cup semifinals in men's soccer.  Matthew Hoppe scored the 83rd minute winner as the United States Men's National Team beat Jamaica 1-nil in the quarterfinals in Arlington, Texas.  The 20-year-old California-native was making just his third appearance for the U.S. when he scored his first international goal.  The Americans will play Qatar in the semifinals in Austin, Texas, on Thursday.  

(Seattle, WA)  --  Sean Manaea tallied a career-high in strikeouts as the A's took down the Mariners 4-1 in Seattle.  Manaea struck out 13 batters over seven innings to clinch his seventh win.  He allowed just three hits and one run.  Ramon Laureano knocked in a pair of runs for Oakland.  Lou Trivino secured his 16th save as the A's won their third straight.  They continue the series tonight.  

(Undated)  --  October 12th will be a banner night for the N-H-L.  The Tampa Bay Lightning will raise their championship banner as they host the Pittsburgh Penguins to kick off the regular season while the expansion Seattle Kraken will visit the Vegas Golden Knights.  On New Years Day, the Winter Classic will be hosted at Target Field in Minneapolis as the Minnesota Wild host the St. Louis Blues.  The league will pause on February 3rd for All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas and the Olympic break in Beijing and resume on February 22nd.  On February 26th, the Lightning will visit the Nashville Predators for an outdoor game at Nissan Stadium.  The regular season will wrap up April 29th.

(Florham Park, NJ)  --  Former 49ers coach Greg Knapp is dead following a cycling accident near his home in California.  The 58-year-old had been in critical condition since Saturday.  He was set to serve as the Jets' passing coordinator after previously working with Hall of Fame quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Steve Young.  Reports indicate Knapp had been preparing to head east for training camp in the days leading up the accident.  Knapp began his NFL coaching career in San Francisco, working for the team in a variety of roles from 1995-to-2003.  

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  Lebron James is the first NBA player to reach one-billion-dollars in career earnings while still playing in the league.  The Los Angeles Lakers star earned 330-million in playing salary and 700-million in off the court endorsements.  This comes as "Space Jam 2" starring James brought in over 31-million-dollars in its opening weekend in North America.

(Tokyo) -- The opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games is  today, in the shadow of the pandemic. COVID is a big part of these Olympics, taking its toll on Team USA. Several Olympic stars, including tennis phenom Coco Gauff and NBA star Bradley Beal tested positive, putting an end to their Olympic hopes. Tight COVID restrictions also include empty seats, as no fans will be allowed inside the venues as the competition begins.
 

(Blaine, MN)  --  Rickie Fowler and Jhonattan Vegas shot matching bogey-free, seven-under 64s to jump to the top of the leaderboard at the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota.  Also tied for the lead is Troy Merritt, who tallied eight birdies, but bogeyed the ninth hole to fall back.  Scott Stallings and Adam Schenk are a stroke back at six-under, as is Roger Sloan, but he only finished 16 holes on Thursday.  Defending champion Michael Thompson had a rough go of it, shooting a one-over 72 in the first round.

(Los Angeles, CA)  --  Wilmer Flores mashed a go-ahead home run as the Giants stunned the Dodgers 4-2 in Los Angeles.  Flores help San Francisco eliminate a one-run deficit with his two-run homer in the ninth.  Curt Casali drew a bases-loaded walk to extend the Giants' lead.  Jose Alvarez picked up his third win in relief.  Tyler Rogers bounced back with his 11th save.  San Francisco has won two of its last three.  Chris Taylor homered for Los Angeles.  Kenley Jansen suffered his third loss and fourth blown save.  The Dodgers have lost three of their last four.

(Denver, CO)  --  The Mariners lost to the Rockies 6-3 in Denver, splitting the two-game bout with Colorado.  Relief pitcher Keynan Middleton gave up five runs in one inning in his start.  Reliever Darren McCaughan allowed one run over five innings.  Kyle Seager, Luis Torrens and Mitch Haniger each hit solo homers.  
 

(Portland, OR)  --  Felipe Mora's header in extra time lifted the Timbers over Los Angeles FC 2-1 in Portland.  Diego Valeri scored for the Timbers two minutes into the game and Mora broke up the 1-1 draw with his goal in the 93rd minute.  Portland now has 19 points in the standings.  The Timbers play Minnesota on the road on Saturday.

(Seattle, WA)  --  The A's start their three-series road trip, visiting the Mainers tonight in Seattle.  Oakland swept the Angels and has won five of its last seven.  They send left-hander Sean Manaea to the mound for the opener.  He holds a 6-and-6 record with a 3.28 E-R-A.  Opposite him is Chris Flexen for Seattle.  The righty owns a 9-and-3 record and a 3.35 earned run average. 

(Minneapolis, MN)  --  The Angels hit the road tonight as they take on the Twins in Minneapolis.  Los Angeles has lost its last three and was swept by the A's in its most recent series.  The Angels are sending lefty Andrew Heaney to the mound for the series opener.  He carries a 5-and-7 record with a 5.56 E-R-A.  Opposite him is Kenta Maeda for Seattle.  He sports a 4-and-3 record with a 4.71 earned run average.  

(Santa Clara, CA)  --  The San Francisco 49ers are shelling out big bucks to make Fred Warner the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL.  Reports say Warner has agreed to a five-year contract extension for 95-million-dollars.  More than 40-million-dollars of the contract is guaranteed.  The 24-year-old Warner has averaged more than 120 tackles a year over his first three seasons with the 49ers.  He was named an NFL First-Team All-Pro linebacker in 2020.

(Pullman, WA)  --  Washington State football head coach Nick Rolovich says he will not attend Pac-12 Media Day because he chose not to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  Rolovich will participate in Media Day remotely.  He did not give a specific reason why he did not get the vaccine.  The Pac-12 required all in-person participants of Media Day to be vaccinated for COVID-19.  Pac-12 Media Day is on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
 

(Portland, OR)  --  The Timbers host Los Angeles FC tonight in Portland.  The Timbers enter the match with 16 points, while LAFC is ahead of them with 21.  Portland defeated FC Dallas 1-0 on Saturday.
 

(Undated)  --  Oregon guard Chris Duarte will be in the green room at the 2021 NBA Draft.  Duarte is a projected top-20 pick.  Duarte averaged 17.1 points and shot 42-point-4 per-cent from three with the Ducks last season.

(Portland, OR)  --  Norman Powell is declining his player option and will become an unrestricted free agent.  Powell's player option would have paid him 11-point-6 million dollars and the Blazers are making it their "top priority" to re-sign him.  Portland acquired Powell in March in a trade with the Toronto Raptors.

(Denver, CO)  --  The Mariners topped the Rockies 6-4 in Denver.  Dylan Moore hit a two-run bomb, while Cal Raleigh and Ty France each hit two-RBI doubles.  Marco Gonzales gave up two runs in five innings and got the win.  The series wraps up this afternoon.

(Washington, DC)  --  President Biden is paying tribute to the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Hosting a White House ceremony, Biden said the team made a strong late-season run and "stormed through the playoffs."  The Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in February's Super Bowl.  Biden singled out 43-year-old quarterback Tom Brady for praise and noted that Brady was the oldest QB to win the Super Bowl.

(Milwaukee, WI)  --  The Bucks are NBA champions for the first time in 50 years after beating the Suns 105-98 in Game Six of the NBA Finals in Milwaukee.  Giannis Antetokounmpo went off for 50 points and 14 rebounds, earning NBA Finals MVP honors.  The Bucks become just the fifth team to win a title after trailing 2-0 in the Finals.  It's just their second championship and first since 1971.  Khris Middleton netted 17 points and Bobby Portis posted 16 off the bench in the victory.  Chris Paul scored 26 points and Devin Booker had 19 for Phoenix, which was seeking its first-ever title.  The Suns were making just their third NBA Finals appearance in franchise history, but first since 1993 when they lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

(Tokyo)  --  The U.S. women's gymnastics team is leaving the Olympic Village.  This comes as two members of the team are in quarantine after testing positive.  Seventy-one COVID cases have already been connected to the summer games including in the Olympic Village.  The team will stay in a hotel as they feel like they can "control the athletes and our safety better in a hotel setting."

(Milwaukee, WI)  --  The Bucks will look to claim their second championship in franchise history when they host the Suns for Game Six of the NBA Finals in Milwaukee tonight.  It would be 50 years apart for the Bucks, who claimed their first title in 1971.  Milwaukee is on the brink of a championship following three straight wins and a 3-2 series lead.  The Suns are hoping to force a Game Seven on the road.  Devin Booker is the first player in history to scored 40-plus points in back-to-back NBA Finals games and lose both.  A loss would cement the Suns with the most NBA Finals appearances of any active franchise without a championship.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Timbers host the Los Angeles FC tomorrow night in Portland.  The Timbers enter the match with 16 points, while LAFC is ahead of them with 21.  Portland defeated FC Dallas 1-0 on Saturday.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Blazers have hired Edniesha Curry as an assistant coach to Chauncey Billups' staff.  Curry was hired after being an assistant coach for the University of Maine men's basketball team.  Curry also played in the WNBA.

(Cincinnati, OH)  --  Luis Rojas is being suspended for two games for his "excessive" argument with the umpires during Sunday's come-from-behind win against the Pirates in Pittsburgh.  The Mets manager was tossed following a bizarre play when starter Taijuan Walker swiped his glove at a ball he thought to be foul.  Three Pirate runners would score on the play.  Rojas came out and was demonstrative with the umpires, leading to his third ejection of the season.  He served the first game of the suspension Monday night and will serve the second game Tuesday night while the team's in Cincinnati.  

(Undated)  --  The NHL is expected to take a break during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing when the schedule is announced later this week.  The break in the schedule will reportedly last from February 5th through the 27th of next year so the professional hockey players can compete. 

(Pittsburgh, PA)  --  The Pirates scored six runs in the first against the Mets, but three came in a very strange way.  The Bucs scored three runs on a wild play after Kevin Newman hit a slow roller down the third-base line, which Mets starter Taijuan Walker swiped away, thinking it was foul.  However, the home-plate umpire called it fair, as replay showed it was on the line, and the play allowed the three runners on base to score as Walker proceeded to argue with the umpire.  New York manager Luis Rojas was also ejected after the play.  However, New York crawled back into the game, and took the lead on a ninth-inning, two-run homer from Michael Conforto.  They won 7-6.  

(Sandwich, England)  --  Collin Morikawa shot a bogey-free four-under on Sunday to take home his second Major championship, winning the Open Championship at Royal Saint George's.  The Los-Angeles native shot 15-under for the tournament, beating out his closest competitor, Jordan Spieth, by two strokes.  Louis Oosthuizen, who led going into the final round, shot a one-over 71 to fall to into a tie for third at 11-under with Jon Rahm.

(Bronx, NY)  --  The New York Yankees are banning a fan for life after he hit a player with a baseball at Yankee Stadium.  The incident took place Saturday night when a fan threw a baseball from the stands and hit Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo in the back.  The fan was ejected from the game, but wasn't arrested.  The MLB announced the fan will be banned from all other 29 league ballparks, in addition to Yankee Stadium.  Yankees manager Aaron Boone described the incident as "awful, embarrassing, unacceptable." 

(Kansas City, KS)  --  Shaq Moore scored 20 seconds into the United States' match against Canada to lift them to a 1-nil win at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas on Sunday.  Moore's goal was the fastest in Gold Cup history and the fastest American goal since Clint Dempsey's 30 seconds in against Ghana in the 2014 World Cup.  With the win, the U-S Men's National Team win the group and advance to the knockout stages on July 25th in Arlington, Texas.  The Canadians finished second in the group and will also advance. 

(Loudon, NH)  --  It's a new day in New Hampshire for Aric Almirola.  The Ford number 10 outlasted the field to pick up the NASCAR Cup Series win at Loudon.  The win snaps a 98-race winless streak for Almirola.  Christopher Bell finished second while Brad Keselowski took third.  Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five.

(Paris, France)  --  Tadej Pogacar is the winner of the 2021 Tour de France.  The 22-year-old Slovenian cyclist won three of the trek's 21 stages, and never gave up the yellow jersey after the eighth stage.  It's Progacar's second-straight Tour victory.  

(Denver, CO)  --  The Dodgers kick off the second half of their season as they play the Rockies today in Denver.  Los Angeles enters with a 56-and-35 record and sits second in the N-L West.  The Dodgers send southpaw Julio Urias to the mound for the series opener.  He sports a 11-and-3 record with a 3.64 E-R-A.  Opposite him is Antonio Senzatela for Colorado.  He owns a 2-and-8 record with a 4.58 earned run average.  

(Undated)  --  The Sounders and Timbers are back in action this weekend.  The Timbers host FC Dallas tomorrow night while Seattle plays Minnesota United on the road on Sunday.  Seattle leads MLS with 29 points.  The Timbers have 13 points.

(Oakland, CA)  --  The A's start the second half of their season as they host the Indians tonight at home. Oakland enters with a 52-and-40 record and sits second in the A-L West. The A's send righty Chris Bassitt to the mound for the series opener. He sports a 10-and-3 record with a 3.28 E-R-A. Opposite him is Eli Morgan for Cleveland. He owns a 1-and-3 record with a 8.44 earned run average. 
 

(St. Louis, MO)  --  The Giants hit the road to start the second half of their season as they play the Cardinals today in St. Louis.  San Francisco leads the N-L-West with a 57-32 record, sitting two games ahead of the Dodgers.  The team sends Kevin Gausman to the mound for the series opener.  He enters with a 9-and-3 record and a sparkling 1.73 E-R-A.  Opposite him is Adam Wainwright for St. Louis.  He owns a 7-and-5 record with a 3.58 earned run average.  

(Anaheim, CA)  --  The Angels open their second half of the season as they host the Mariners today at home.  Los Angeles enters with a 45-and-44 record and sits fourth place in the A-L West.  The Angels send lefty Andrew Heaney to the mound for the opener.  He carries a 5-and-6 record with a 5.38 E-R-A.  Opposite him is Chris Flexen for Seattle.  He owns a 8-and-3 record with a 3.51 earned run average.  

(Milwaukee, WI)  --  The NBA Finals is all tied up at two-games apiece.  The Bucks outscored the Suns by 12 in the fourth quarter to rally for a 109-103 win in Game Four in Milwaukee.  Khris Middleton dropped in 40 points while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who won both games at home to even the series.  Devin Booker poured in a game-high 42 points to lead Phoenix, which will host Game Five on Saturday.

(Sandwich, England)  --  For the first time in a decade, the Open Championship returns to Royal Saint George's in Sandwich, England.  The field is highlighted both by who's there and who's not there as COVID continues to affect the world.  U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm returns to the field for the first time since winning at Torey Pines last month, while the world's number one golfer, Dustin Johnson, is in action along with Bryson DeChambeau and his new arch-rival Brooks Koepka.  So is Darren Clarke, who last won the open when it was at Royal Saint George's back in 2011.  However, Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, Bubba Watson, and Zach Johnson have all withdrawn for various reasons.  

(Undated)  --  The unofficial second half of the MLB season begins Thursday, as the Yankees and Red Sox meet in New York.  The Red Sox lead the AL East at 55-and-36.  The Yankees are eight-games back at 46-and-43.  The rest of the league resumes action this weekend, with the Dodgers in Denver to take on the Rockies, and Astros and White Sox having a pivotal battle in Chicago.  The Giants will visit the Cardinals in St. Louis.

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has entered health and safety protocols at Team USA practice.  According to The Athletic, his return to the court for the Tokyo Olympics is uncertain.  He started the team's first three exhibition games against Nigeria, Australia, and Argentina.  He has 31 points as America has compiled a 1-and-2 record. 

(Undated)  --  2K has announced its cover athletes for NBA 2K22.  The Standard Edition cover features the Dallas Mavericks' Luka Donc?ic´ and a special version of the Standard Edition cover features six-time WNBA All-Star Candace Parker.  The Standard Edition with the Chicago Sky's Parker is only available in North America.  There is also a premium NBA 75th Anniversary Edition that features NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, former Maverick Dirk Nowitzki and the Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant on the cover.

(Barcelona, Spain)  --  The world's best footballer is staying with the club he's spent his entire career with, and he's reportedly taking less money to do so.  E-S-P-N is reporting that Lionel Messi will re-sign with Barcelona after flirting with both Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.  The 34-year-old has been with the club since 2000, making more than 500 appearances with the senior team and scoring 474 goals.  The Argentine's last contract was worth more than 594-million dollars over four years.  

(Portland, OR)  --  According to a report from Oregon Public Broadcasting, the Blazers investigation into the 1997 sexual assault allegations against new head coach Chauncey Billups did not including contacting the accuser.  The report also says that the Blazers did not contact the accuser's attorney or the prosecutor who oversaw the 1997 civil case.  Portland GM Neil Olshey said the franchise thoroughly vetted the incident but the accuser's attorney said "It's news to us that they conducted an investigation."

(Denver, CO) -- The American League emerged victorious in baseball's midsummer classic, beating the National League 5-2 in Denver. Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. took the MVP trophy, homering and batting two runs in. Rays catcher Mike Zunino also went deep for the A-L. Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani earned the win, pitching a spotless opening frame. White Sox closer Liam Hendriks secured the save, despite allowing two hits. 

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  The United States Men's Olympic basketball team is finally in the win column.  Team USA defeated Argentina 108-80 on Tuesday in Las Vegas in its preparation for the Olympics in Tokyo this month after dropping its first two games.  Brooklyn's Kevin Durant led the way with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while Washington's Bradley Beal added 17 points.  The Americans will take on Australia on Friday. 

(Milwaukee, WI)  --  The Bucks and Suns are set for Game Four of the NBA Finals in Milwaukee tonight.  Giannis Antetokounmpo will look to keep his dominant reign rolling following back-to-back 40-plus point and 10-plus rebound games.  He is the first to accomplish the feat since Shaquille O'Neal.  His performance paved the way for a 120-100 win at home in Game Three this past Sunday.  Devin Booker will look to help the Suns bounce back.  Booker finished with just 10 points in the game.  The Suns still lead the series 2-1.

(London)  --  Multiple Wimbledon matches are being investigated for allegedly being fixed.  The allegations come after a number of suspicious and very specific bets were placed on matches during the tournament in the earlier rounds.  Large bets were reportedly placed on a men's doubles duo at "irregular times."  A second match had bets placed on the exact the number of games played, which those wagers ended up being winners.  The International Tennis Integrity Agency has not released any information involving the match fixing investigations.

(Undated)  --  One of the most successful tennis players of all time won't compete in the upcoming Olympic Games.  Roger Federer announced on Twitter he's withdrawing from the Games that begin later this month.  He blamed a "setback" with his knee following two surgeries on his right knee.  The Swiss superstar said the issue happened during the recent grass court season.  He played at the just-completed Wimbledon tournament, but lost in the men's quarters.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Portland Winterhawks will be changing their main logo away from Native American imagery.  The old logo looked very similar to the Chicago Blackhawks logo.  The WHL team will make its rebranding official tomorrow

(Denver, CO)  --  Three Oregon Ducks players were picked in rounds two-through-ten of the MLB Draft.  Aaron Zavala, Robert Ahlstrom and Cullen Kafka were all taken out of Oregon on day two.  Oregon State players Chase Watkins and Kevin Abel were picked, along with Washington State players Kyle Manzardo and Zane Mills, and Gonzaga players Brett Harris and Ernie Yake.

(Denver, CO)  --  Shohei Ohtani and Matt Olson were both eliminated in the first round of the MLB Home Run derby.  Ohtani took Juan Soto to two extra periods, after tying things at 22, then 28 homers.  He eventually lost to the slugger 31-to-28, exiting in the first round.  Olson was paired with Trey Mancini, losing 24-to-23 to the right fielder.  Mancini would advance to the finals, losing to Pete Alonso.  

(Denver, CO)  --  The Dodgers are well represented for tonight's MLB All-Star game.  First baseman Max Muncy, third baseman Justin Turner and outfielder Chris Taylor are all set to appear off the bench for the National League.  Walker Buehler was the lone Los Angeles pitcher to be named an All-Star.  Mookie Betts was originally named to the game, but decided not to play due to some nagging injuries this year. 

(Denver, CO)  --  Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani will be leading off both on the mound and at the plate in the 2021 MLB All-Star Game.  Ohtani was announced as the starting pitcher for the American League and will bat leadoff for the group.  Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer was tabbed as the starter for the National League, with San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. batting leadoff.  Ohtani is the second Japanese player to be tabbed as the starting pitcher for an All-Star Game, following in the footsteps of Hideo Nomo, who did it in 1995 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

(Denver, CO)  --  The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Louisville catcher Henry Davis with the first pick in the MLB Draft.  Davis is the first catcher taken number one overall since Baltimore took Adley Rutschman out of Oregon State in 2019.  The Rangers took Vanderbilt pitcher Jack Leiter with the second pick, followed by the Tigers picking high school pitcher Jackson Jobe at number three.  

(Undated)  --  Marlins pitcher Pablo Lopez is setting a new MLB record on the one year anniversary of his father's death.  Lopez struck out nine straight to begin the game, which broke the previous big league record of eight held by three pitchers.  The Marlins went on to beat the Braves 7-4 in Miami. 

(Milwaukee, WI)  --  The Bucks are striking back in the NBA Finals after blasting the Suns 120-100 in Game Three in Milwaukee.  Giannis Antetokounmpo [[ YAHN-iss ah-dedo-KOON-bo ]] posted 41 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bucks, who now trail two-games-to-one in the best-of-seven set.  Jrue Holiday added 21 points and Khris Middleton had 18 in the victory.  Chris Paul recorded 19 points and nine assists to pace Phoenix, which won the first two games at home.  Deandre Ayton and Jae Crowder both scored 18 points, but star Devin Booker was held to just 10 points on 3-of-14 shooting.  Game Four is Wednesday in Milwaukee.

(Silvis, IL)  --  Lucas Glover fired a seven-under 64 in the final round of the John Deere Classic to win by two strokes at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.  After bogeying 11, Glover birdied five of six to shoot four-under on the back nine to win his first tournament of the year.  He finished at 19-under to beat out Ryan Moore and Kevin Na, who finished at 17-under.  Adam Schenk led a group of four at 16 under, three strokes back.  

(London)  --  Novak Djokovic is tying two of men's tennis best with his 20th Grand Slam victory after claiming the Wimbledon title Sunday.  Djokovic defeated Italy's Matteo Berrettini in four sets to tie Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in Grand Slam wins.  It is his third Grand Slam title this year, having already won the Australian and French opens.  The last time a men's tennis player arrived at the U.S. Open with victories in the other three major championships was 1969 when Rod Laver did it. 

(Andorra la Vella, Andorra)  --  Sepp Kuss is the first American since 2011 to win a stage at the Tour de France.  The 26-year-old cyclist won the 15th stage of the historic race, to break a ten-year drought for Americans in the event.  Tyler Farrar was the last American to win a stage, when he did it in 2011.  Kuss is a Durango, Colorado, native and finished with a time of five hours, 12 minutes and six seconds in Stage 15.  Overall, he ranks 49th in the field. 

(Atlanta, GA)  --  Kurt Busch outraced the field and his own brother to take the Quaker State 400 in Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  Busch passed his younger brother Kyle with 25 laps remaining to clinch a spot in the 16-driver Cup playoff field.  Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top-five.  The race was the final one at Atlanta Motor Speedway before it undergoes renovations for the 2022 season. 

(Undated)  --  Bubba Watson is withdrawing from this week's Open Championship after being identified as someone who came in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID.  While the two-time Masters champion has been vaccinated against the virus, he said in a statement that not "enough time has passed to comfortably join the charter flight and risk exposure to the other players and personnel on board."  Thirteen golfers have withdrawn after former Open champion David Duvall withdrew on Sunday.  The 149th Open Championship will be held at Royal St. George's starting on Thursday. 

(Denver, CO)  --  For the first-time ever, the MLB Draft will be held as part of the All-Star festivities.  It will start on Sunday in Denver.  The draft order is determined by inverse order of the 2020 standings.  The Pirates own the first overall pick, with the Rangers selecting second, followed by the Tigers, the Red Sox, and the Baltimore Orioles. 

(Phoenix, AZ)  --  The Suns have taken a two-games-to-none lead in the NBA Finals after beating the Bucks 118-108 in Game Two in Phoenix.  Devin Booker lead the way for Phoenix with 31 points while Mikal Bridges had 27.  Chris Paul chipped in 23 as all five starters were in double-figures.  Giannis Antetokounmpo [[ YAHN-iss ah-dedo-KOON-bo ]]  lead Milwaukee with 42 points and 12 rebounds.  Game Three is Sunday in Milwaukee. 

(Silvis, IL)  --  Chesson Hadley shot a bogey-free eight-under on Thursday to tie for the lead after the first round of play at the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois.  Sebastian Munoz had nine birdies, but bogeyed eight to tie for the lead after 18.  Hank Lebioda, Chez Reavie and Camilo Villegas are all one-stroke back.  Defending champion Dylan Frittelli is five-strokes back at three-under.  

(London, England)  --  The women's final at Wimbledon is set after Thursday's quarterfinal action.  Ashleigh Barty beat Angelique Kerber 6-3, 7-6 to advance to Saturday's final while Karolina Pliskova upset the second-seeded Aryna Sabalenkoa 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.  Both women are looking to take home the title at the All England Club for the first time.  On Friday, top-seeded Novak Djokovic will take on Canadian Denis Shapovalov in one semifinal while Matteo Berrettini takes on Hubert Hurkacz.  The men's final is scheduled for Sunday. 

(Undated)  --  In soccer action this weekend, the United States Men's National Team will begin its pursuit of a championship in the CONCACAF Gold Cup when they take on Haiti in Kansas City, Kansas.  Their groupmates, Canada and Martinique, will play earlier in the day.  In other major soccer action, the Copa America final is Saturday when Lionel Messi and Argentina take on Neymar and Brazil in Rio de Janeiro.  On Sunday, the Euro Final will be held as Harry Kane and England take on Giorgio Chiellini and Italy at Wembley Stadium in London.  

(Atlanta, GA)  --  NASCAR's Cup Series rolls into Georgia on Sunday as they ready for the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  Chase Elliot will look to make it two-in-a-row and his third of the season after winning the road race at Road America in Wisconsin last weekend.  Elliot will start the race at the front, with Kyle Busch next to him.  Busch finished third in Plymouth last Sunday. 

(Tokyo)  --  Spectators are being banned from the Tokyo Olympics.  The decision comes after a COVID-19 state of emergency was ordered in Tokyo, which will run through the entirety of the Games.  The Olympics opening ceremony is scheduled for July 23rd and the Games end August 8th.  Medical experts believe having no spectators is the best option to prevent further spread of the virus.

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Former Oregon State men's basketball coach Eddie Payne has passed away at 69.  Payne was the Beavers coach from 1995 to 2000.  He also coached at East Carolina, Greensboro College and South Carolina Upstate.

(Miami, FL)  --  Four Dodgers homered as the team fell to the Marlins 9-6 in Miami.  AJ Pollock, Mookie Betts and Justin Turner all went deep in the third.  Zach McKinstry tied the game at six-apiece in the ninth with a solo shot.  The Dodgers lost their third straight.  They look to avoid the sweep tomorrow in the series finale.  

(Seattle, WA)  --  After falling behind 5-1, the Mariners fell to the Yankees 5-4 in Seattle.  Yusei Kikuchi took the loss after allowing eight hits and five runs in five innings.  Jake Fraley drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning and Tom Murphy hit a three-run bomb in the sixth.  The series continues this afternoon.

(Houston, TX)  --  Matt Olson and Elvis Andrus each went deep as the A's fell to the Astros 4-3 in Houston.  Olson hit his 21st home run of the year in the first.  Lefty Sean Manaea went six-and-two-thirds innings on the mound, allowing four runs and striking out six.  He took his sixth loss for Oakland.  The A's have dropped three straight and five of their last six.  They wrap up the series with Houston today.  

(San Francisco, CA)  --  Alex Wood threw seven innings as the Giants beat the Cardinals 5-2 at home.  The lefty allowed only three hits and struck out six to earn his eighth win.    Jake McGee shut down the ninth for his 17th save.  The Giants have won four of their last six and sit a game-and-a-half ahead of the Dodgers in the NL West.  They welcome the Nationals at home tomorrow night.  

(Anaheim, CA)  --  Shohei Ohtani homered as the Angels beat the Red Sox 5-4 at home.  Ohtani added to his major league lead with his 32nd homer of the year.  That's the second most by an American League player before the All-Star break.  Jared Walsh went deep twice for Los Angeles.   The Angels have won eight of their last 10.  They hit the road to start a series with the Mariners tomorrow night.

(Undated)  --  The Los Angeles Dodgers are pulling Trevor Bauer merchandise and cancelling his scheduled bobblehead night.  The team will remove all merchandise associated with the pitcher from both its team and online store.  Los Angeles also nixed the Bauer bobblehead giveaway that was scheduled for August 19th.  In a statement, the organization said it "did not feel it was appropriate" to promote those items while Bauer is under investigation over alleged domestic violence. 

(Silvis, IL)  --  The PGA will make its next stop in Silvis, Illinois at the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run starting today.  Dylan Frittelli will look to defend his title from last season.  It is the only win on the 31-year-old South African's PGA resume.  Meanwhile, Cam Davis will look to carry his momentum from last week's Rocket Mortgage Classic playoff win into this week.  
 

(Tampa, FL)  --  The Tampa Bay Lightning are the Stanley Cup champions, having defeated the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in Game Five in Tampa, Florida.  Tampa Bay are the first team since the 2016-17 Pittsburgh Penguins to successfully defend their championship.  Ross Colton scored the only goal of the game, which came in the second period.  Andrei Vasilevskiy -- the Conn Smythe Trophy winner -- made all 22 saves in the win.  Carey Price made 29 saves in the loss for the Habs. 

(London, England)  --  Soccer is almost home.  England defeated Denmark 2-1 in extra time on Wednesday at Wembley Stadium in London.  They will now advance to the Euro Final on Sunday at the same location.  There they will meet Italy, which beat Spain on Tuesday in penalties.  The English are in their first international tournament final since the 1966 World Cup Final when they beat West Germany, also at Wembley Stadium. 

(Houston, TX)  --  Matt Olson drove in two runs as the A's fell to the Astros 9-6 in Houston.  Olson and Oakland jumped out to a 6-2 lead, before allowing seven unanswered runs to Houston.  Elvis Andrus was 3-for-5 at the plate, driving in a run.  Chris Bassitt took a no-decision, allowing six runs in four-and-one-third innings.  J.B. Wendelken suffered his first loss.  The A's lost their second straight and fourth in their last five.  They continue the series today. 

(Seattle, WA)  --  The Mariners were blown out by the Yankees 12-1 in Seattle.  Justus Sheffield surrendered six runs in one-and-two-thirds innings to take the loss.  Ty France put Seattle on the board in the sixth inning with an RBI single.  The series continues tonight.

(Corvallis, OR)  --  A trio of Beavers players have pulled their names from the NBA Draft and will return to Oregon State.  Warith Alatishe [[War-eeth Ala-tee-shay]], Maurice Calloo and Roman Silva will return to college.  Those three players were important members in Oregon State's run to the Elite Eight this spring.

(San Francisco, CA)  --  Brandon Crawford knocked in three runs as the Giants lost 6-5 to the Cardinals at home.  Crawford had four hits to drive in three scores for San Francisco.  Mike Yastrzemski also tallied three hits in five plate appearances.  The Giants rallied in the eighth to cut the lead to one, but faltered in the ninth.  San Francisco drops its second straight.  They wrap up the series with St. Louis tonight.  

(Anaheim, CA)  --  Shohei Ohtani starred on the mound as the Angels beat the Red Sox 5-3 at home.  The right-hander allowed five hits over seven frames to pick up his fourth win.  Max Stassi hit a two-run homer in the first for Los Angeles.  David Fletcher was 4-for-4 at the plate, driving in and scoring a run.  The Angels have won five of their last six.  They wrap up the series with Boston today.  

(Miami, FL)  --  Will Smith batted in a run as the Dodgers fell to the Marlins 2-1 in 10 innings in Miami.  Smith plated the only run for Los Angeles, but committed a throwing error in the 10th to give Miami a walk-off win.   The Dodgers have dropped their last two.  They continue the series today.  

(Miami, FL)  --  Chris Taylor had two hits as the Dodgers fell to the Marlins 5-4 in Miami.  Taylor went 2-for-4 at the plate, driving in a run for Los Angeles.  The Dodgers put together an eighth inning rally, scoring two runs to tie the game at 4-4.  Walker Buehler took a no-decision, throwing five frames and allowing four runs.  Victor Gonzales was charged his first loss.  The Dodgers had a nine-game winning streak snapped.  The team continues the series today.  

(Portland, OR)  --  Major League Soccer announced that it was not able to corroborate an allegation that a Minnesota United player made a racist comment to Timbers midfielder Diego Chara.  Minnesota United will not face any sanctions.  MLS said in a statement that it interviewed match official and players and examined audio and video footage from the match.  The incident came up on June 26 when the Portland fell to Minnesota 1-0 at home.

(Eugene, OR)  --  Ducks baseball coach Mark Wasikowski has agreed to a five-year extension with Oregon.  Wasikowski is 47-and-23 in two seasons with Oregon.  Wasikowski was an assistant coach with the program from 2012 to 2016.

(San Francisco, CA)  --  Alex Dickerson homered as the Giants lost to the Cardinals 5-3 at home.  Dickerson came in as a pinch hitter in the eighth, mashing a solo shot for his 8th home run of the year.  Kevin Gausman was handed his third loss, despite giving up only three hits and striking out eight.  He allowed two runs over seven frames for San Francisco.  The Giants' three-game winning streak was snapped, but they remain a half-game ahead of the Dodgers for first in the NL West.  San Francisco continues the series tonight.

(Anaheim, CA)  --  Jose Rojas went deep as the Angels fell short against the Red Sox, losing 5-4 at home.  Rojas was 3-for-4 at the plate, driving in two runs.  His RBI single in the ninth brought Los Angeles within one, before the rally fell short.  David Fletcher and Juan Lagares each knocked in a run.  Left-hander Jose Suarez was dealt his second loss, allowing two runs over three innings.  The Angels' four-game winning streak was snapped.  They continue the series tonight. 

(Houston, TX)  --  The A's hit the road to take on the Astros today in Houston.  Oakland comes off a series loss to the Red Sox and has lost four of its last six.  They sit three-and-a-half games back of Houston for first in the AL West standings.  The A's send righty Chris Bassitt to the mound.  He sports a 9-and-2 record with a 3.04 E-R-A.  Opposite him is lefty Framber Valdez for the Astros.  He has a 5-and-1 record with a 2.18 earned run average.

(Austin, TX)  --  The Timbers were defeated by Austin FC 4-1 in Texas.  Jeremy Ebobisse scored Portland's only goal in the first half.  The Timbers have 13 points on the season.

(Portland, OR)  --  Michael Beasley has agreed to play for the Blazers summer league team.  The 11-year NBA vet last played in the league for the Lakers in 2019.  Beasley was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft.

(Portland, OR)  --  The Trail Blazers will have a jersey patch of Storm X, a Seattle-based cryptocurrency company.  According to Geekwire, Portland will wear the Storm X patches for the next five years beginning next season.  The Blazers will be the first NBA team to wear a cryptocurrency ad patch.

(London, England)  --  Roger Federer became the oldest man to advance to the third round in 46 years at Wimbledon on Thursday, as he defeated Richard Gasquet 7-6, 6-1, 6-4.  Seventeen-year-old American Coco Gauff also advanced to the third round as she defeated Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-3 on Centre Court at the All-England Club while third-seeded Elina Svitolina lost 6-3, 6-4 to Magda Linette.  On Friday, Andy Murray will be in action in the third round against tenth-seeded Denis Shapovalov while American Madison Keys takes on Elisa Mertens.  

(Montreal, Quebec)  --  The Lightning will look to put the Canadiens on the brink of elimination tonight in Game Three of the Stanley Cup Final in Montreal.  Tampa Bay won Game Two 3-1 and Game One 5-1 in Florida to take a two-games-to-none lead in the series.  The Habs are looking to become the first Canadian team to win Lord Stanley's cup since they won the whole thing in 1993.  On Wednesday, Quebec public health officials denied the club's request to expand capacity in the arena of the Bell Centre. 

(Milwaukee, WI)  --  Brook Lopez scored 33 points as the shorthanded Bucks beat the shorthanded Hawks 123-112 in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals in Milwaukee.  The Bucks were without former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo [[ YAHN-iss ah-dedo-KOON-boh ]] while the Hawks were without guard Trae Young.  Khris Middleton added 26 points and 13 rebounds for Milwaukee.  Jrue Holiday pitched in 25 for the Bucks, who take a 3-2 series lead.  Bogdan Bogdanovic led the Hawks with 28 points.  Game Six is Saturday.

(Plymouth, WI)  --  NASCAR's Cup Series is set for fireworks on Sunday as they race Road America in Wisconsin.  The road course will offer yet another challenge to drivers as they chase a playoff spot.  The races comes a week after a wild couple of days of racing in Long Pond.  Alex Bowman and Kyle Busch split last week's doubleheader at Pocono. 

(Detroit, MI)  --  Davis Thompson came out hot on the first day of the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.  In just his third PGA Tour event as a pro, Thompson shot a bogey-free nine-under 63 to jump to the top of the leaderboard at Detroit Golf Club.  Brandon Hagy is among a group two-strokes back at seven-under.  Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau is nine strokes back at even par. 

(Tampa, FL)  --  Blake Coleman scored while diving head first toward goal with two seconds left in the second period to put the Lightning ahead for good as they won 3-1 over the Canadiens in Game Two of the Stanley Cup Final in Tampa.  Andrei Vasilevskiy made 42 saves in the win as Tampa Bay took a two-games-to-none advantage in the series.  Anthony Cirelli and Ondrej Palat both scored for the Lightning in the win.  Nick Suzuki scored the lone goal for Montreal.  Carey Price made 20 saves for the Habs in the loss.

(Austin, TX)  --  The Timbers are back in action against Austin FC tonight in Texas.  Portland lost its most recent game 1-0 to Minnesota United on Saturday.  The Timbers are seventh in the MLS Western Conference with 13 points while Austin has just 10 points this season.

(Portland, OR)  --  Fifteen-year-old Olivia Moultrie is now the youngest NWSL player ever after signing a three-year deal with the Portland Thorns.  Moultrie had been training with the Thorns since she was 13 and was offered a scholarship to the University of North Carolina when she was just 11 years old.  In May, Moultrie filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NWSL and its rule of only allowing players 18 and over.  The lawsuit argued that the NWSL's rule impeded her career development and violated the Sherman Antitrust Act.
 

The Phoenix Suns are going back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.  Chris Paul scored 41 points as the Suns defeated the Clippers 130-103 in Game Six of the Western Conference Finals in Los Angeles.  Devin Booker added 22 points for Phoenix.  Tonight, the Eastern Conference Finals shift back to Milwaukee with the series tied at two-games apiece.  The status of both of the series superstars -- Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Atlanta's Trae Young -- are up in the air because of injuries.  The Suns will face either the Bucks or Hawks in the NBA Finals next week.

(Undated)  --  LeBron James' time with Team USA may be over.  USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo told ESPN he doesn't expect to see the 36-year-old NBA star wear red, white and blue again.  James decided against playing at the Tokyo Olympics this summer after opting out of the 2016 Games.  Colangelo said James "put in his time" and that "Father Time takes its toll."  Since joining Team USA in 2004, James has played in 68 games and won a bronze medal and two gold medals.  
 

(Omaha, NE)  --  The Mississippi State Bulldogs are the winners of the College World Series.  The Bulldogs took down Vanderbilt nine-to-nothing in game three on Wednesday.  It's the school's first national championship in a team sport.  MSU starter Will Bednar pitched six scoreless innings, allowing no hits and three walks.  Bulldogs' pitcher Landon Sims closed out the game with three scoreless frames and surrendered Vanderbilt's only hit. 

(London)  --  Novak Djokovic breezed past Kevin Anderson on Centre Court in straight sets at Wimbledon on Wednesday.  The world's number one beat the South African in a rematch of the 2018 Wimbledon final.  Meanwhile, two-time winner Andy Murray survived a five-set scare against Oscar Otte to win on Centre Court.  Americans Coco Vandeweghe, Sloane Stephens, and Madison Keys won their second-round matches while Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin lost in straight sets.  On Thursday, Roger Federer will be in second-round action as he faces France's Richard Gasquet. 

(Detroit, MI)  --  The Rocket Mortgage Classic will tee off this week in Detroit.  Bryson DeChambeau will look to continue his surge up the P-G-A money list this season as he will attempt to defend his championship at the Detroit Golf Club.  He'll be playing with Cameron Champ and Kramer Hickok, who was in that epic duel last weekend with Harris English at the Travelers Championship.  Another fun group to keep an eye on is the pairing of Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, and Hideki Matsuyama.