ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche made a change in net for the first time this postseason, pulling Scott Wedgewood early in the second period of Game 3 of their second-round NHL playoff series on Saturday night after he allowed three goals to the Minnesota Wild.

The Wild went on to win 5-1 and hand the Avalanche their first loss of this postseason.

“I thought Wedgie was playing hard. I think maybe he looked a little like too aggressive on a couple of those,” coach Jared Bednar said. “It just felt like they had all the momentum and the steam early in that game, and we needed to do something to kind of get our guys fired up and going, and I was hoping that would be part of it.

Wedgewood made nine saves before yielding to Mackenzie Blackwood, whose last game action was on April 14. With Wedgewood getting 43 starts and Blackwood making 36 starts, the Avalanche goalies shared the William M. Jennings Trophy given to the team with the best goals against average during the regular season.

Wedgewood, a career backup who took advantage of an early-season injury absence for Blackwood and wound up leading the league with a .921 save percentage and a 2.02 goals against average, entered Game 3 with a 6-0 record and a 2.12 goals against average with a .923 save percentage in the playoffs.

But some defensive breakdowns and undisciplined play in front of him set Wedgewood up for a struggle.

Kirill Kaprizov scored on a four-on-four situation after Colorado’s Parker Kelly and Minnesota’s Ryan Hartman took roughing penalties for their scuffle.

Then a hooking penalty on defenseman Devon Toews gave the Wild more than a minute of four-on-three play that Quinn Hughes capped with his slick toe-drag goal from the top of the slot, when he circled around the left wing before sliding into the wide-open middle.

In the second period with the Wild on another power play after Kelly was called for holding Hughes, Hartman batted in an airborne shot to make it 3-0 and prompt Bednar to make the switch.

Blackwood, who played the whole first-round series for the Avalanche when they lost to the Dallas Stars in seven games last year, finished with 12 saves.

So now what? Back to Wedgewood for Game 4 in Minnesota on Monday? Bednar wasn’t ready to declare.

“We’ll have a decision to make, but there’s a decision to make every night. Some of them are easier than others,” Bednar said.

After backstopping the Wild to a six-game win over the Stars in the first round this year, rookie Jesper Wallstedt was the natural pick to start this series against the Avalanche. After the Wild lost the wacky opener 9-6 on Sunday, coach John Hynes went to Filip Gustavsson for Game 2.

Gustavsson, who has been the team’s primary goalie for the last three seasons and made 49 starts during the regular season to Wallstedt’s 33, didn’t look sharp in the 5-2 loss on Tuesday. So the Wild went back to Wallstedt for Game 3 — with a favorable outcome. Wallstedt made 35 saves.

“I had no doubt he was going to be back — just kind of who he is,” Hynes said. “He’s a competitor. He’s got confidence. He’s been very solid, and I just thought he got right back to his game tonight. He’s proven throughout the playoffs that the moments don’t get too big for him.”

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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Everybody knows the Oklahoma City Thunder’s depth is the envy of the league and the backbone of their aspirations for a second straight NBA championship.

The next impressive player to rise from the Thunder’s bottomless depth and onto the national stage is Ajay Mitchell, who has seized the spotlight while replacing injured teammate Jalen Williams during these playoffs.

After delivering career playoff highs of 24 points and 10 assists with no turnovers in the Thunder’s 131-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night, the Belgian guard is the latest cog in general manager Sam Presti’s formidable machine to prove he’s ready to contribute to Oklahoma City’s aspiring dynasty.

Perhaps only his teammates aren’t surprised.

“Yeah, he’s a gamer,” MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Works super hard. He’s never shaken by the moment. It might be a shock to the world, but it’s no shock to us. We knew who Ajay Mitchell was the day he stepped foot in our building, and he’s just showing it to the world.”

The Thunder are unbeaten in the postseason after taking a 3-0 series lead in the second round, seemingly making their advancement to the Western Conference finals a mere formality.

That’s largely thanks to Mitchell, who swiftly stepped up to shoulder an increased offensive load five games ago following Williams’ hamstring injury. In the second round, Mitchell has also stepped up to make up for the Lakers’ strong defensive effort against Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been limited and erratic by his formidable standard.

“I know what I can do, and when I go out there, I just want to compete and help this team win and play freely,” Mitchell said. “Every time I step on the court, I want to be a winning player and help my team. That’s really what’s been on my mind every time I play.”

Mitchell did that impressively in the second half of Game 3, with 18 points and seven assists in the half while largely taking charge of the game at the start of both quarters. He led the Thunder’s 21-6 run out of halftime on the way to a third straight blowout.

Mitchell is averaging 20.7 points per game against the Lakers while hitting 53.3% of his shots and committing only three total turnovers. He has 20 assists while also playing strong defense.

After Williams went down in Game 2 of the first round against Phoenix, Mitchell moved into the starting lineup for Game 3 and promptly went 5 for 20. His teammates remained solidly behind him — and Mitchell has been outstanding ever since.

“He’s just finding his footing,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s his first run in the playoffs, and it’s obviously a different ballgame. He’s just getting more and more comfortable as the game goes on, as the series goes on. … I was never worried that he wasn’t going to figure it out, and he’s shown that.”

After growing up in Europe, Mitchell spent three collegiate seasons about an hour away from downtown Los Angeles at UC Santa Barbara, and he was a second-round pick in 2024.

Mitchell played as a rookie last season, albeit sparingly: He contributed 6.5 points per game in 36 regular-season contests, earning an early role in the Thunder’s rotation before missing nearly the entire second half of the regular season with turf toe.

He averaged just 8 minutes per game during the postseason title run, but Presti and coach Mark Daigneault saw enough to re-sign Mitchell to a three-year, $9 million contract — a deal that looked like a ridiculous steal even before this playoff emergence.

Mitchell has proved he can be a creator and a scorer, but he earned Daigneault’s trust by contributing on defense. Daigneault recognizes Mitchell’s inexperience in the postseason, but it hasn’t stopped the coach from putting Mitchell at the center of their effort.

“He doesn’t have a ton of basketball (playing time) in the NBA,” Daigneault said. “The growth curve of players young in their career is steep, and he’s a guy that’s hungry, (but) he’s also humble. So he grows from all of his experiences. He’s been great in the postseason so far, but he hasn’t been wholly efficient yet. I think that’s a little bit the intensity of the games, the physicality, the length. … And yet he stays aggressive and he just keeps playing.”

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

The Carolina Hurricanes joined an exclusive group when Jackson Blake scored at 5:31 of overtime on Saturday evening to give them a 3-2 win against the host Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference second-round matchup.

When the 22-year-old winger took a feed from Taylor Hall and banked his wrist shot off the left shoulder of Flyers goalie Dan Vladar and across the goal line, the Hurricanes completed their second straight series sweep of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and became the first NHL team since the 1985 Edmonton Oilers to win their first eight playoff games.

“We’re getting some huge performances, but everybody is doing it,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “That’s how we have to get it done and, go down the list, every guy has had his hands in these two series wins.”

The Hurricanes advanced to the conference finals, where they’ll enjoy a lengthy break as they await the winner of the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens. That best of-7 series is tied 1-1 heading into Game 3 on Sunday in Montreal.

“There’s positives and negatives to it,” Hall said of the long layoff between rounds. “The big positive is we’re on to the third round relatively unscathed and healthy.”

Blake also scored in the first period and assisted on Logan Stankoven’s goal in the third. Hall assisted on all three goals, and Frederik Andersen made 15 saves for Carolina.

“We are playing well and it’s great to get the sweeps, but I think we do have another level to get to,” Stankoven said. “I’m sure if you asked any of the guys, they would agree with me.”

Tyson Foerster and Alex Bump scored and Vladar made 37 saves for the Flyers, who went 1-for-19 on the power play in the series.

“We squeezed as much juice from this team. I can’t ask for more,” Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet said. “We hung in there. That’s a good hockey team over there. They roll four lines, they were flying.”

Foerster scored his first goal of the playoffs to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead at 7:50 of the first period.

Porter Martone fed a pass ahead to Trevor Zegras, who had more speed as they both crossed the Carolina blue line. Zegras pulled up along the wall and saucered a centering pass to Foerster entering the zone. He brought the puck to the right hash marks before scoring with a wrist shot.

Blake took a wrist shot from near the wall above the right faceoff circle and the puck hit the midsection of Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale as he battled Stankoven in front of the crease, causing it to be redirected into his own net and tying it at 12:35 of the second period.

The Hurricanes briefly thought they moved ahead on a goal by Mark Jankowski at 13:03 of the second, but the Flyers successfully challenged for goalie interference on William Carrier as he jostled with Oliver Bonk in front of the crease.

Hall made a centering pass to Stankoven on a 3-on-2 rush and he redirected the puck into the net for his NHL-leading seventh goal of the postseason, giving the Hurricanes their first lead of the game, 2-1, at 4:13 of the third period.

That lead didn’t last long as Travis Konecny forced a turnover below the Carolina goal line and passed the puck out front to Bump, who scored with a one-timer from between the hash marks to tie it at 5:52.

“Bumper, he makes a mistake on the second goal, he gets the tying goal,” Tocchet said. “He gets right back out there. That’s the stuff you want to see. He’s not on the bench sulking. He knew he made the mistake. He goes out there and, bang, it’s in the net. That’s the growth you like to see.”

–Field Level Media

Josh Jung and Justin Foscue each hit solo homers and the Texas Rangers ended the Chicago Cubs’ 10-game winning streak with a 6-0 victory on Saturday in Arlington, Texas.

Jung went 3-for-4 with two runs, Alejandro Osuna had two hits and two RBIs, and Joc Pederson added two hits and an RBI for the Rangers. Starter Jack Leiter allowed three hits with a season-high five walks and six strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. Jalen Beeks (2-1) replaced him and threw the next 1 1/3 innings with no baserunners allowed.

The Cubs had won 20 of their last 23 games before being shut out for the fourth time this season. They went 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base.

Chicago starter Edward Cabrera (3-1) gave up five runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts over five innings.

Braves 7, Dodgers 2

Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson each delivered two-run singles in the second inning and visiting Atlanta spoiled the season debut of left-hander Blake Snell with a victory over Los Angeles.

Right-hander Spencer Strider (1-0) allowed just one hit over six innings with eight strikeouts and two walks in his second start of the season as the Braves improved to 5-3 on a nine-game trip. Michael Harris II tacked on an RBI double in the fifth and Drake Baldwin had a run-scoring single in the eighth.

Snell (0-1) allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits over three innings with five strikeouts and two walks as he returned from lingering shoulder fatigue. He was pitching for the first time since recording four outs in Game 7 of the World Series when Los Angeles defeated the Toronto Blue Jays. Andy Pages hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning to end Atlanta’s shutout bid.

Reds 3, Astros 1

Chase Burns worked six strong innings, and Cincinnati took advantage of a critical fifth-inning fielding error to top visiting Houston and snap a season-worst eight-game skid.

The Reds set the table for a rubber match on Sunday for this three-game interleague series. Cincinnati did so by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth against Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (4-1), who suffered his first defeat in five starts this season.

Burns (4-1) retired the side in order only once, doing so in the top of the third, and he matched his season low with two strikeouts. But he induced Isaac Paredes to ground into an inning-ending double play in the first and stranded runners in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

Blue Jays 14, Angels 1

Brandon Valenzuela hit a three-run homer to cap a seven-run fifth inning and Toronto defeated visiting Los Angeles.

Valenzuela had four hits and Ernie Clement recorded his second career five-hit game, including a solo homer as Toronto rapped out 20 hits to take their second straight in the three-game series.

Jesus Sanchez added a solo homer as the Blue Jays padded statistics against infielder Adam Frazier, who pitched a four-run eighth for the Angels, who have lost four of five to Toronto this season.

Royals 5, Tigers 1

Michael Wacha allowed two hits over seven scoreless innings, Bobby Witt Jr. sped his way to a two-run inside-the-park homer and Michael Massey broke things open with a conventional three-run shot, as host Kansas City beat scuffling Detroit.

Wacha (4-2), who turns 35 in July and boasts an ERA of 2.63, yielded only a single to Kerry Carpenter and a double from Spencer Torkelson to help the Royals take the first two of this three-game set. Kansas City, which secured its series win over Detroit since August 2024, is 12-5 since losing eight in a row.

Riley Greene had an RBI double in the eighth inning for the Tigers, who managed just four hits while matching a season high with their fifth consecutive loss. Detroit swept a three-game home set during the Royals’ extended skid last month but is in danger of that favor being returned this weekend.

Athletics 6, Orioles 2

Brent Rooker hit a three-run homer and the Athletics won their third game in a row by defeating host Baltimore.

Aaron Civale (4-1) had his third consecutive strong start, pitching five scoreless innings despite allowing six hits and three walks. He struck out six. Hogan Harris, Scott Barlow and Joel Kuhnel each pitched one shutout inning while Mark Leiter Jr. was charged with Baltimore’s two runs.

Pinch hitter Colton Cowser provided a two-run single for the Orioles, who lost their third in a row and eighth in their last 10. Baltimore starter Shane Baz (1-4) was chased after 4 2/3 innings. He was charged with five runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts.

Phillies 9, Rockies 3

Alec Bohm hit two home runs and drove in four runs in his return to the lineup as the host Philadelphia evened the weekend series with a win over Colorado.

Bohn, who had been homerless since March 26, led off the third and fourth inning with homers, tacking on a two-run double in the eighth. Kyle Schwarber broke a 1-1 tie in the third with a three-run homer, his third in as many nights.

Willi Castro had a home run and Kyle Karros hit a two-run double for the Rockies, who saw starter Kyle Freeland (1-4) allow seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits over five innings.

Marlins 8, Nationals 7

Jakob Marsee hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning and host Miami held on to beat Washington.

With the score tied 4-4, Kyle Stowers led off the eighth with a single against Mitchell Parker (2-1) and Connor Norby walked. After both runners advanced on a wild pitch, Marsee homered. Xavier Edwards also homered, Andrew Nardi (3-2) pitched a 1-2-3 inning and John King earned his first save.

Luis Garcia Jr. had three hits and two RBIs, James Wood homered and doubled and CJ Abrams added two RBIs for the Nationals, who had won three straight.

White Sox 6, Mariners 1

Miguel Vargas homered twice and Colson Montgomery also went deep to boost Chicago to a victory against visiting Seattle.

White Sox starter Anthony Kay (2-1) spaced three hits, all singles, and one run in five innings. Relievers Grant Taylor, Bryan Hudson and Tyler Schweitzer combined on four shutout innings to finish a combined four-hitter which snapped Chicago’s three-game losing streak.

Mariners starter Luis Castillo fell to 0-4 after scattering five hits for four runs in four innings. He allowed two homers for the second time in three outings. Seattle’s only run came on a Rob Refsnyder sacrifice fly.

Twins 2, Guardians 1 (11 innings)

Byron Buxton’s RBI double in the 11th inning gave Minnesota a win over host Cleveland in a game where each team managed only two hits.

Buxton had both of the Twins’ hits as he led off the game with his 13th homer, snapping the Twins’ three-game losing streak. The Guardians’ lone run came on a pair of fourth-inning singles, with Kyle Manzardo knocking in the run.

Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee allowed a run on one hit in six innings. Minnesota’s Joe Ryan gave up a run and two hits in six innings.

Brewers 4, Yankees 3 (10 innings)

William Contreras delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Milwaukee a comeback win over visiting New York.

The Yankees scored one in the top of the 10th to go in front 3-2. Fernando Cruz (3-1) relieved to start the bottom half. Automatic runner Garrett Mitchell advanced to third on a wild pitch and Luis Rengifo walked. After pinch hitter Gary Sanchez flied out, Jackson Chourio followed with an RBI infield single to tie it at 3-all.

Tim Hill relieved and Brice Turang bounced back to the mound, but Hill threw wildly to third to load the bases. Contreras then lofted a fly ball to right deep enough to score Rengifo and secure a series win for the Brewers. Aaron Ashby (7-0) pitched the final two innings for his major league-best seventh victory.

Pirates 13, Giants 3

Braxton Ashcraft threw seven innings of one-run ball, batterymate Joey Bart matched his career high with four hits and Pittsburgh used a 20-hit assault to roll past host San Francisco.

Nick Gonzales also collected four hits and Brandon Lowe had four RBIs for the Pirates, who won for the sixth time in their last eight games. Oneil Cruz also scored three times and had three hits, while Lowe and Spencer Horwitz scored twice apiece. Ashcraft (2-2) limited the Giants to six hits, striking out six without walking a batter.

Bryce Eldridge launched his first career home run to get San Francisco on the board in the fifth. Heliot Ramos had a pair of singles and a run for the Giants, who won the series opener 5-2 on Friday night. San Francisco has lost nine of its last 11 games.

Padres 4, Cardinals 2

Ty France and Manny Machado homered, while Fernando Tatis Jr. supplied a tiebreaking hit during a three-run fifth inning that lifted host San Diego past St. Louis.

Starter Randy Vasquez (4-1) scattered six hits over five innings while allowing just one run. The right-hander walked none and fanned six before the Padres’ high-leverage relievers took care of the rest. Mason Miller collected his 12th save in as many chances.

Right-hander Dustin May (3-4) pitched well for the Cardinals aside from the fifth. He permitted three hits and three runs (two earned) over six innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Diamondbacks 2, Mets 1

Ildemaro Vargas had a two-run single, Merrill Kelly delivered his most effective start of the season and Arizona beat New York to even the three-game series in Phoenix.

Kelly (2-3) gave up one run on three hits in seven innings in his fifth start since returning from an early-season back injury. Vargas’ bases-loaded single off Clay Holmes (4-3) in the third followed two-out singles by Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo and a walk to Adrian Del Castillo, giving Kelly the only support he would need.

The Mets (15-24) are one-half game ahead of the Los Angeles Angels (15-25) for the worst record in the majors. They had won four of five. New York had three hits, none after Tyrone Taylor’s two-out double in the fifth.

–Field Level Media

San Francisco Giants right-hander Logan Webb was placed on the injured list with right knee bursitis on Saturday, meaning he will miss a start for the first time in five years.

The move was retroactive to Wednesday. Webb last pitched on Tuesday, allowing a season-high-tying six earned runs along with seven hits and no walks with four strikeouts on 62 pitches in a 10-5 home loss to the San Diego Padres. He left after four innings with knee discomfort.

In a corresponding move on Saturday, the Giants recalled right-hander Trevor McDonald from Triple-A Sacramento.

An All-Star the past two seasons, Webb, 29, has made 157 straight starts for San Francisco since going on the injured list in July 2021.

“I haven’t missed a start in a long time, so it’s been eating at me a little bit,” Webb said on Saturday before the Giants’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. “But I think it’s best for me, best for the team, best for the longevity of my career. That sort of thing. I’ve got a lot of good people in my corner that talked me into it, pretty much. But I’m glad I did.”

Webb said the knee has been an issue for a while and was aggravated when he covered first base during an April 30 game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Giants manager Tony Vitello said that Webb needed to be convinced to take time off to heal the knee.

“It’s a little bit more of a, I don’t want to say day-to-day thing, but a little bit more of a, give it a few days and then see where he’s at,” Vitello said on Saturday. “Better to keep the long run in mind.”

Webb is 2-4 with a 5.06 ERA, 15 walks and 42 strikeouts in 48 innings over eight starts this season.

He is a career 72-57 with a 3.45 ERA, 265 walks and 1,036 strikeouts in 1,110 1/3 innings over 188 regular-season games (185 starts). He also won the Gold Glove for National League pitchers last season.

McDonald, 25, is 1-0 this season for San Francisco with a 1.29 ERA, no walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings in his lone outing, a 3-2 win over the Padres on Monday. The rookie right-hander has appeared in five games (three starts) over parts of three seasons since 2024 and is 2-0 with three walks and 23 strikeouts in 25 innings.

The Giants also selected the contract of catcher Logan Porter from Sacramento. San Francisco traded Gold Glove-winning catcher Patrick Bailey earlier in the day to the Cleveland Guardians.

–Field Level Media

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Steve Kerr is giving it another go with Golden State.

Kerr has reached an agreement in principle on a two-year contract to continue coaching the Warriors, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. Kerr still must sign his new deal, the person told The Associated Press on Saturday night, speaking on condition of anonymity because the contract must be finalized.

The Warriors missed the playoffs for the second time in three years, earning the 10th seed in the Western Conference and eventually losing at Phoenix in the play-in tournament.

Kerr’s 12-year coaching run with the franchise has featured four championships and six NBA Finals appearances alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, including five straight from 2015-19. Kerr shared an embrace with those two stars near the end of the loss in Phoenix, saying afterward he knew it could be their final time together.

He has a career record of 604-353 and a 104-48 playoff mark, with Golden State winning its last championship in 2022.

The Warriors were 37-45 this season while dealing with numerous injuries, including losing Jimmy Butler to a season-ending right knee injury in January and Curry’s 27-game absence with a right knee injury of his own.

ESPN first reported Kerr’s new contract.

Kerr, 60, got his first coaching job in 2014-15 and immediately guided Golden State to the franchise’s first title in 40 years. The Warriors would then begin the next season with a record 24-0 start without him as assistant Luke Walton led the way as Kerr missed the initial 43 games as his team went on to a record 73 victories. Kerr took a leave of absence to recover from debilitating complications following two back surgeries, then missed time again in 2017 with Mike Brown filling in as Kerr underwent a procedure to deal with a spinal fluid leak.

Green had predicted on his podcast once the season ended that Kerr wouldn’t return.

Throughout his coaching career, Kerr has used his platform to speak out against gun violence and social injustice among other prominent issues. He lost his father, Malcolm, president of the American University of Beirut, when he was murdered in Beirut when Kerr was 18 and a freshman at the University of Arizona.

In March 2018, Kerr took part in the Oakland March for Our Lives. Earlier that same month, he joined Democratic Congressmen Ro Khanna and Mike Thompson — then-chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force — and students from throughout the South Bay during a town hall at Newark Memorial High School to discuss gun violence in schools and cheered the efforts of youth nationwide.

Kerr has said it isn’t hard to do double duty as a basketball coach and a voice as a public figure for those who don’t have one.

“I think in some ways the balance is presented to us, given what’s happening around the country,” Kerr said. “I know that when I played, players and coaches were never — maybe not never — rarely asked about politics and voting.”

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Steve Kerr has agreed to a two-year contract to stay with Golden State after coaching the Warriors for the past 12 seasons, according to reports from ESPN and The Athletic.

Kerr, who made $17.5 million this season, will remain the highest-paid coach in the NBA annually, per the reports. His contract expired this offseason.

Kerr, 60, had been meeting for two weeks with Warriors controlling owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy to determine the contract terms, per the reports. ESPN reported that money was secondary to making the best basketball decision in those conversations.

Since his first season at the helm in 2014-15, Kerr has guided the franchise to four NBA titles (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022). He has a 604-353 (.631) regular-season record and 104-48 playoff mark (.684).

However, the Warriors missed the playoffs this season when they lost a play-in game against the Phoenix Suns. It is the second time in three seasons that the team didn’t make the playoff field.

Also, the Warriors were 37-45 to finish below .500 for just the second time in Kerr’s tenure.

He understood that the 111-96 loss to the Suns on April 17 might have been his last game as a coach.

“I still love coaching, but I get it,” Kerr told reporters. “These jobs all have an expiration date. There is a run that happens, and when the run ends, sometimes it’s time for new blood and new ideas.”

Kerr had said if he coaches next season, it will be with superstar guard Stephen Curry and the Warriors.

“That’s part of the equation,” he said. “I don’t want to walk away from Steph. I’m definitely not going and coaching somewhere else next year in the NBA. I would never walk away from Steph. But all this stuff has to be aligned and right. Those are all discussions that will be had.”

Before Kerr coached the Warriors to their first NBA title in 40 years in 2015, he won five as a player with the Chicago Bulls (1996-98) and San Antonio Spurs (1999, 2003).

–Field Level Media

Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller will be reinstated from the injured list and make his season debut on Wednesday against the Houston Astros, manager Dan Wilson told reporters on Saturday.

Miller started the season on the injured list after sustaining an oblique injury during spring training/

The 27-year old was dominant on the mound in 2024, posting a 2.94 ERA, 0.976 WHIP and 171 strikeouts across 31 starts and 180 1/3 innings.

However, that production declined in his injury-shortened 2025 campaign, as he posted a 5.68 ERA, 1.406 WHIP and 74 strikeouts in 18 starts and 90 1/3 innings while missing over two months due to elbow issues.

His return will boost an already talented Mariners’ rotation that ranks 12th in the majors in ERA (4.00). Wilson told reporters that, at least for the time being after Miller’s return, the Mariners will use a six-man rotation.

–Field Level Media

Former NFL linebacker Anthony Wint will fight for a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, per multiple media reports.

Wint played college football at Florida International University, where he was a three-time All-Conference USA selection. He signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2018.

He appeared in two NFL games that season, recording one tackle and a forced fumble.

In 2023, Wint made the shift to mixed martial arts. Thus far, he has collected a 6-0 record with four wins by knockout and one by submission.

The 30-year-old heavyweight is listed at 6’0″ and 224 pounds. He will take on Matt Adams (6-2) on August 11 at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.

–Field Level Media

Bobby Cox, manager of Braves’ teams that ruled National League and won 1995 World Series, dies at 84

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox has died. Cox died Saturday in Marietta, Georgia, according to the Braves. Cox had a stroke in 2019. Cox managed the Braves to prominence during the 1990s and the team’s first championship in 1995. He took over a last-place team in June of 1990 and the next season led the Braves to a worst-to-first finish. Atlanta lost in the World Series to Minnesota in seven games. That was the start of a record 14 consecutive division titles. He managed the Braves for 25 years, retired after the 2010 season and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. Bobby Cox was 84 years old.

Harden hits clutch shots, Mitchell scores 35 and the Cavaliers beat the Pistons 116-109 in Game 3

CLEVELAND (AP) — James Harden hit three clutch shots in the final two minutes, Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat Detroit 116-109 on Saturday to cut the Pistons’ lead to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinal series. Harden bounced back from two mistake-marred performances to finish with 19 points and Jarrett Allen scored 18 for the Cavaliers, who will look to even the series when they host Game 4 on Monday night. Mitchell reached 2,000 career postseason points in his 73rd game. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham had his second career postseason triple-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but also committed eight turnovers. Tobias Harris added 21 points.

Caitlin Clark-Paige Bueckers matchup highlights WNBA’s big opening weekend

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When Indiana Fever fans returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the season opener, it seemed everything was back in place. The street banners dotted the downtown landscape, the handmade signs were visible from any vantage point inside the sold out arena and, of course, Caitlin Clark jerseys and T-shirts remained a trendy favorite. And why not live it up as Clark’s 10-month wait to play a meaningful game on her home court finally ended with the weekend’s featured matchup against Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings. The Wings held on for a 107-104 victory.

The Giants trade struggling catcher Patrick Bailey to the Guardians. Bo Naylor optioned to Columbus

The San Francisco Giants traded struggling two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians. The Giants received minor league left-hander Matt Wilkinson and the 29th pick in the 2026 amateur draft in the trade. Cleveland optioned Bo Naylor to Triple-A Columbus to make room for Bailey. Naylor has been the Guardians’ regular catcher since 2023. Bailey has been regarded as one of the top defensive catchers in the game thanks in part to his elite pitch-framing skills since being called up in 2023. But his hitting has been an issue. Bailey was batting .146 with one homer, five RBIs in 89 plate appearances with a .396 OPS.

John Harbaugh considers his first Giants rookie minicamp a rehearsal more than a competition

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Rookie minicamp is the start of the rehearsal stage of the offseason for the New York Giants under new coach John Harbaugh. Top-10 draft picks Arvell Reese and Francis “Sisi” Mauigoa were among those on the field Saturday. Harbaugh wants this draft class and undrafted free agents to use this experience to prepare them for the next phase of team workouts when veterans are back in the mix. Practices from next week through training camp will include a kicking competition. Michigan’s Dominic Zvada was signed to compete for the job against holdover Ben Sauls and free agent addition Jason Sanders.

UCLA’s Megan Grant sets NCAA softball record with 38th home run this season

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — UCLA slugger Megan Grant has set the single-season home run record for Division I softball. She hit her 38th of the season on Saturday. Grant drove an 0-2 pitch from Nebraska’s Jordy Frahm deep to left-center field for a solo home run, giving UCLA a 2-0 lead in the third inning of the Big Ten Championship Game. The senior broke the record she shared for one day with Arizona’s Laura Espinoza, who hit 37 home runs in 1995. Grant had tied the record on Friday. Nebraska defeated UCLA 7-2 to win the conference championship.

Mercury rout the Aces 99-66 to spoil Las Vegas’ ring ceremony

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Alyssa Thomas scored 20 points and the Phoenix Mercury walloped the the Las Vegas Aces 99-66, making sure the only celebration for the reigning WNBA champions at their season opener would be their pregame ring ceremony. The win Saturday was a measure of revenge for the Mercury, who were swept by the Aces in last season’s WNBA Finals. This was the Mercury’s largest margin of victory since defeating Indiana 95-60 on Aug. 7, and it’s the Aces’ worst defeat since a 111-58 loss to Minnesota on Aug. 3. Las Vegas then finished the regular season with 16 consecutive wins.

Ogunbowale and Bueckers hold off Clark’s Fever as Wings win highly anticipated season opener 107-104

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Arike Ogunbowale had 22 points, Paige Bueckers scored 20, and Caitlin Clark missed a deep 3 with a chance to send the game to overtime as the Dallas Wings beat the Indiana Fever 107-104 to open their WNBA seasons. Odyssey Sims also had 20 points for the Wings, and No. 1 draft pick Azzi Fudd scored three in 18 minutes. Kelsey Mitchell, who also missed a chance to tie the game at the final buzzer, led Indiana with 30 points. Aliyah Boston had 23 points, and Clark finished with 20 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five turnovers.

The NBA’s draft lottery is Sunday, and tankers may prosper. Here’s what to know

CHICAGO (AP) — Washington will emerge with a top-five pick. Brooklyn and Utah may receive a great prize after putting together arguably the least-competitive seasons in their histories. Oklahoma City could win the whole thing without even trying. The NBA draft lottery is Sunday. It could be boring. It may reward tanking. Nobody knows. The story will be told by four ping-pong balls, plucked out of a hopper in a secure room, with sequestered onlookers from each of the involved teams and a few members of the media looking on. Those balls will create a four-digit combination that will match one previously assigned to the lottery teams, and with that, somebody wins the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft.

Shane van Gisbergen will defend NASCAR win at Watkins Glen from the pole position

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) — Shane van Gisbergen celebrated his 37th birthday by earning the fifth pole position of his NASCAR Cup Series career and his first since last July. The New Zealand native will be a heavy favorite in Sunday’s race, having won five of the last six races on road or street courses in NASCAR’s premier series. Michael McDowell qualified second, nearly 0.3 seconds off van Gisbergen’s No. 97 Chevrolet. Austin Cindric will start third, followed by Ross Chastain and Connor Zilisch, van Gisbergen’s Trackhouse Racing teammates.