Local Sports Report with Rob Dreher:
AP Sports Summary for April 23rd, 2024.
Jamal Murray sinks shot at buzzer to cap 20-point comeback and lead Nuggets past Lakers 101-99
DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray sank a 15-foot step-back jumper at the buzzer and the Denver Nuggets wiped out a 20-point second-half deficit to stun the Los Angeles Lakers 101-99 Monday night and take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference playoff series. Murray's fadeaway, falling-down game-winner provided the Nuggets with their first lead since 5-3 in the opening minutes and gave Denver its 10th consecutive win over the Lakers.
Donte DiVincenzo caps desperate rally with 3-pointer, Knicks beat 76ers 104-101 to take 2-0 lead
NEW YORK (AP) — Donte DiVincenzo made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 13 seconds remaining after a desperate scramble, and the New York Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 104-101 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series. The Knicks trailed by five points within the final 30 seconds, on the verge of losing home-court advantage before a stunning rally, starting when Jalen Brunson finally got a shot to fall during an otherwise miserable night. Brunson finished with 24 points despite going 8 for 29 from the field. Josh Hart had 21 points and 15 rebounds, and DiVincenzo scored 19 points.
LeBron James rants at NBA's replay center for calls, Lakers lose on buzzer-beater, trail Denver 2-0
DENVER (AP) — LeBron James' anger boiled over after the Los Angeles Lakers' latest loss to the Denver Nuggets. His anger wasn't centered on the Lakers and blowing a 20-point lead in the second half or at Jamal Murray's game-winning buzzer beater to give Denver a 101-99 win. No, James was upset about the NBA's replay center reversing a foul call on the Nuggets in the second half. James said Michael Porter Jr. clearly hit D'Angelo Russell in the face and that the call shouldn't have been reversed. The Lakers are down 2-0 with the series heading to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Thursday.
76ers plan to file grievance about officiating during first two games of series against Knicks
NEW YORK (AP) — A team spokesman says the Philadelphia 76ers plan to file a grievance related to the officiating during their series against the New York Knicks. The 76ers lost both games in New York, with the Knicks rallying in the final 30 seconds for a 104-101 victory on Monday night. 76ers center Joel Embiid believed Tyrese Maxey was fouled when the Knicks stole the ball from him on the possession that led to the go-ahead 3-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo. Embiid also said coach Nick Nurse and some players were trying to call timeout on the play.
NFL teams often misfire on drafting QBs. But how often do they fail? And why?
NFL teams are using premium draft picks on quarterbacks at an increasingly high rate. The draft this weekend is slated to be the eighth in the past nine years with at least three QBs taken in the first round. That will match the number of times that happened in the first 38 years of the common draft era. But finding a capable starter is still essentially a coin-flip proposition. Half of the first round QBs from 2011 until 2022 left their original teams without reaching the relatively low bar of receiving a second contract.
Jets trade quarterback Zach Wilson to the Broncos, AP source says
A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press the New York Jets have traded quarterback Zach Wilson to the Denver Broncos. The Jets are sending Wilson and a seventh-round pick in this week's draft to the Broncos for a sixth-rounder, the person said. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the teams haven't announced the deal. NFL Network first reported the trade. The Jets are parting ways with Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft, after just three disappointing seasons. New York is also expected to pay a portion of Wilson's $5.5 million salary for this season.
Orlando's Jalen Suggs says he's ready for Game 3 after shaking off knee injury in loss to Cavs
CLEVElAND (AP) — Jalen Suggs made a stunning comeback for Orlando in Game 2. The Magic need to make one of their own to save their season. Suggs shook off what appeared to a serious injury to the guard's left knee and played most of the second half as the Magic lost 96-86 to the Cleveland Cavaliers to fall behind 0-2 in their Eastern Conference playoff series. Unable to put any weight on his leg, Suggs was carried off the floor in the first quarter in pain and crying. He played in the second half with a sleeve on his leg and says he expects to play in Game 3 at Orlando on Thursday.
Aho, Martinook cap Hurricanes' late rally to beat the Islanders for a 2-0 playoff series lead
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sebastian Aho and Jordan Martinook scored 9 seconds apart late in the third period to help the Carolina Hurricanes complete a comeback from three goals down to beat the New York Islanders 5-3. That gave Carolina a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series in improbable fashion. Aho struck first by redirecting Andrei Svechnikov's shot at the right post behind Semyon Varlamov with 2:15 remaining to tie the game at 3. Then Martinook scored off Varlamov's left skate for the 4-3 lead. Kyle Palmieri, Bo Horvat and Anders Lee scored as the Islanders led 3-0 early in the second period.
Matthews scores as Maple Leafs beat Bruins 3-2 to tie their series at 1 game apiece
BOSTON (AP) — Auston Matthews scored on a breakaway to snap a third-period tie and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Boston Bruins 3-2 to knot their first-round playoff series at one game apiece. Ilya Samsonov stopped 27 shots for Toronto. The Leafs had lost eight straight games to Boston over 534 days dating to November, 2022. Max Domi and John Tavares also scored for the Maple Leafs. They haven't beaten the Bruins in a playoff series since 1959. Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak scored for Boston. Linus Ullmark started as part of a goalie rotation even though Jeremy Swayman won Game 1 on Saturday. Ullmark made 30 saves.
Sabres hire Lindy Ruff as coach. He guided Buffalo to the playoffs in 2011
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Lindy Ruff is returning to Buffalo for a second stint as coach of the Sabres. General manager Kevyn Adams announced the hiring Monday. Ruff coached the Sabres from 1997-2013 and was the last person to guide them to the playoffs. Buffalo fired Don Granato after missing the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season with him in charge. The Sabres haven't made the playoffs since 2011, the longest drought in the league. Ruff coached the New Jersey Devils the past three seasons before being fired in March.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Oakland 2 N.Y. Yankees 0
Final Detroit 7 Tampa Bay 1
Final Minnesota 7 Chicago White Sox 0
Final Toronto 5 Kansas City 3
Final Baltimore 4 L.A. Angels 2
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 7 Cincinnati 0
Final Pittsburgh 4 Milwaukee 2
Final Atlanta 3 Miami 0
Final St. Louis 5 Arizona 3
Final San Diego 3 Colorado 1
Final San Francisco 5 N.Y. Mets 2
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Final Cleveland 96 Orlando 86
Final New York 104 Philadelphia 101
Final Denver 101 L.A. Lakers 99
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final Toronto 3 Boston 2
Final Carolina 5 N-Y Islanders 3
Final Vegas 4 Dallas 3
Final Edmonton 7 Los Angeles 4
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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INTERLEAGUE
Houston at Chi Cubs 7:40 p.m.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston at Cleveland 6:10 p.m.
Detroit at Tampa Bay 6:50 p.m.
Oakland at N-Y Yankees 7:05 p.m.
Chi White Sox at Minnesota 7:40 p.m.
Toronto at Kansas City 7:40 p.m.
Seattle at Texas 8:05 p.m.
Baltimore at L-A Angels 9:38 p.m.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Milwaukee at Pittsburgh 6:40 p.m.
Philadelphia at Cincinnati 6:40 p.m.
L-A Dodgers at Washington 6:45 p.m.
Miami at Atlanta 7:20 p.m.
Arizona at St. Louis 7:45 p.m.
San Diego at Colorado 8:40 p.m.
N-Y Mets at San Francisco 9:45 p.m.
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
Phoenix at Minnesota 7:30 p.m.
Indiana at Milwaukee 8:30 p.m.
Dallas at L.A. Clippers 10 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Washington at N-Y Rangers 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Florida 7:30 p.m.
Colorado at Winnipeg 9:30 p.m.
Nashville at Vancouver 10 p.m.
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