The league announced Cano’s suspension Chase Allen Jersey , a stunning development for the stalwart in the middle of the Mariners’ lineup and a club expected to contend for a postseason spot in the American League. Cano tested positive for Furosemide, a diuretic. In a statement released through the players’ association, Cano said, ”This substance was given to me by a licensed doctor in the Dominican Republic to treat a medical ailment.” He said he didn’t realize it was banned.

Cano is the most prominent player to be busted since Melky Cabrera was suspended in 2012 while leading the National League in hitting. There have been 36 players suspended this year under the minor league drug program and six in addition to Cano under the big league program: Houston pitcher Dean Deetz, Washington catcher Raudy Read, Pittsburgh pitcher Nik Turley, Kansas City outfielder Jorge Bonifacio, Toronto pitcher Thomas Pannone and Minnesota shortstop Jorge Polanco.

BOSTON (AP) – Oakland Athletics outfielder Stephen Piscotty homered in his first at-bat on Tuesday night after returning from the bereavement list and saluted his late mother when he crossed home plate.

Piscotty patted his heart with his right hand in tribute to Gretchen Piscotty , who died May 6 after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Piscotty, who hadn’t played in a week, drove an 0-2 pitch from Eduardo Rodriguez over the Green Monster in left field. It was his third home run of the season and put Oakland up 3-0.

BASKETBALL

CHICAGO (AP) – Phoenix has won the No. 1 pick in next month’s NBA draft.

It’s the first time the Suns will have the chance to make the first overall selection. The Suns had the right combination of pingpong balls pop up for them at the draft lottery on Tuesday night, a reward of sorts after a season where Phoenix had the NBA’s worst record at 21-61.

Phoenix lost a coin flip for the top pick in 1969 to Milwaukee. The Bucks took Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Suns took Neal Walk.

Sacramento will pick No. 2 and Atlanta got the No. 3 pick – both of them moving up to get there. The top three spots were determined by the lottery, and then spots 4-14 fell in line of reverse order of record.

The rest of the slots Kareem Hunt Jersey , in order, went to No. 4 Memphis, No. 5 Dallas, No. 6 Orlando, No. 7 Chicago, No. 8 Cleveland, No. 9 New York, No. 10 Philadelphia, No. 11 Charlotte, No. 12 and No. 13 Los Angeles Clippers, and No. 14 Denver.

The draft is June 21 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

GOLF

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) – The wife of former U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover is facing a domestic violence charge stemming from an altercation with Glover and his mother after he missed the 54-hole cut at The Players Championship.

Krista Glover was arrested Saturday night and taken to the St. John’s County Jail. She was released the next day after posting $2,500 in bonds.

She faces a May 31 court date on misdemeanor charges of domestic violence battery and resisting arrest without violence.

According to the offense report, Glover and his wife were having an altercation after the third round of The Players Championship Lester Hayes Jersey , where Glover shot 78. The report said that when his mother, Hershey Glover, tried to intervene, Krista Glover began attacking her.

The arresting officer noticed cuts and blood on the arms and clothing of Glover’s mother. Hershey Glover also told the deputy she had been hit in the chest.

Glover confirmed on Twitter there was an altercation.

SOCCER

BERLIN (AP) – Russia has granted entry to the World Cup for a German journalist who exposed systematic doping in Russian athletics, reversing a decision last week that angered German officials.

However, Hajo Seppelt will face questioning if he goes to the tournament, Russian law enforcement said on Tuesday.

German public broadcaster ARD said Seppelt’s visa to report on the World Cup was declared invalid last week on the grounds that he was on a list of people who are ”persona non grata.” Officials including Foreign Minister Heiko Maas publicly pressed Russia to reconsider.

On Tuesday, Maas tweeted: ”Russian side has just informed us that (at)hajoseppelt can enter the country at least for the World Cup. Still pushing for free reporting.”

They know they aren’t going to get the right playoff mindset by losing.

”If you have that mentality it kind of carries over to the postseason and you become a complacent basketball player,” forward Jabari Parker said.

Eric Bledsoe had 22 points and 10 assists, and the Bucks moved into a tie for sixth place in the East with a 115-102 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday night.

Khris Middleton also scored 22 points for the Bucks, who joined Miami with a 43-37 record. The Heat were blown out by the Knicks at Madison Square Garden a night earlier but the Bucks avoided the same fate despite playing without All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo because of a sore right ankle.

The No. 6 seed would be looking at facing Philadelphia, which has won 13 straight games, or LeBron James and Cleveland. The team that ends up seventh draws a second-seeded Boston team that has lost All-Star guard Kyrie Irving for the season.

”They got a great a basketball team and a great coach Germain Ifedi Jersey ,” Bledsoe said. ”Obviously they’re missing a couple of key players but at the same time they were playing well without those guys in the lineup.”

Parker made his second start of the season in Antetokounmpo’s place and finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds. John Henson had 15 points and 12 boards for the Bucks, who hoped to get point guard Malcolm Brogdon back but will have to wait a little longer as they try to become the dangerous team they think they can be.

”We know how good we can be and we’ve shown it,” coach Joe Prunty said. ”We’ve shown it in games and over stretches of games, but similar to what we were talking about earlier, we have also had lulls or games where we haven’t played as well as we’d like to or need to, and that’s what we’re trying to build on every day.”

Jarrett Jack scored 18 points and Kyle O’Quinn had 15 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and four blocks for the Knicks, who beat Miami 122-98 on Friday but fell short in their hopes of beating another playoff-bound team.

The Knicks were without Tim Hardaway Jr. (sprained left ankle), Enes Kanter (lower back, right wrist) and Emmanuel Mudiay (concussion). Michael Beasley started after leaving Friday’s game with a bruised left knee.

Jack was the starter earlier in the season before falling out of the rotation entirely while the Knicks turned to young guards Trey Burke, Frank Ntilikina and Mudiay.

”The job is 82 games,” Jack said. ”If you’re not in, you cheer for everybody else. But if he calls your number Jerry Hughes Jersey , be ready to come in there and be ready to come in there and contribute as best you can.”

The game was close most of the way until the Bucks, trailing by one, took control with a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter. Middleton’s basket gave Milwaukee the lead for good, Tony Snell and Parker made 3-pointers, and Bledsoe made four free throws as the Bucks surged to a 106-95 advantage with 2:17 to play.

Snell left a little more than five minutes into the game when he turned an ankle when he stepped on a teammate’s foot while chasing a Knicks player around a screen. He returned in the second quarter and had 10 points.

TIP-INS

Bucks: Prunty said Brogdon (left quad) was evaluated Saturday and it was determined he wasn’t ready to go. The Bucks hope last season’s Rookie of the Year can play Monday. … Parker had averaged 20 points in his last three games.

Knicks: Coach Jeff Hornacek said he expected that Kanter and Hardaway would play again this season if healthy, refusing to rule them out for the final two games. ”Those guys are all competitors and that’s what we like about them,” Hornacek said. … Knicks starters had no turnovers in the first half and the team had just two total, both by Luke Kornet.

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

The Knicks held Latvian heritage night in celebration of Latvia’s 100th anniversary. The New York Latvian Concert Choir sang the national anthem and Latvia President Raimond Vejonis was presented with a personalized jersey by Knicks All-Star Kristaps Porzingis, who is from Latvia.

UP NEXT

Bucks: Host Orlando on Monday.

Knicks: Host Cleveland on Monday.

TAMPA Archie Manning Jersey , Fla. — The way the schedule lined up, the Tampa Bay Lightning knew they’d be facing the Boston Bruins three times in the final 12 games of the regular season.

And now, having lost the first two games by a combined score of 7-2 and trailing the Bruins in the standings in the final week of the season, there’s much on the line when the teams meet Tuesday night at Amalie Arena.

“It’s going to probably have a big determination of which team comes first, let’s be honest,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of the divisional implications. “We win the game, we’re right back in it. They win it, they’ve probably got it. It’s Game 80, but it’s big Game 80.”

Boston (49-17-12) has picked up points in nine straight games and now has a two-point lead in the standings — with a game in hand — over the Lightning (52-23-4), who led the Atlantic Division most of the season.

Tampa Bay is reeling, having gone 1-4 in its last five and having star Steven Stamkos questionable with a lower-body injury sustained in Saturday’s loss to Nashville.

Boston is 4-0-2 in its last six, and now stands as the only NHL team ranking in the top five in scoring Desmond Trufant Jersey , goals allowed, power-play percentage and penalty-kill percentage.

“It’s fun to play together — we have each other’s backs,” Boston’s Torey Krug said after the Bruins rallied from 3-1 down Sunday, getting a tying goal with 3.8 seconds remaining to salvage a point in an overtime loss to Philadelphia. “It doesn’t matter what the time or the score is. It’s good to get that point.”

The Atlantic champion will face a wild card from the other division, either Columbus, Philadelphia or New Jersey, all within a point in the standings.

The runner-up will likely face third-seeded Toronto — the Lightning are 3-1 against the Maple Leafs this season — but it would still mean a tougher playoff path and losing home-ice advantage should they eventually meet the Bruins again.

Boston has won the last two meetings with Tampa Bay on the strength of its special teams. The Bruins have killed off the NHL’s No. 2 power play on six of seven opportunities in the two games, and their power play has converted three of five chances.

Cooper said whether to rest Stamkos this week or keep him on the ice to build momentum for the postseason will depend on his health, but the team has a long-term focus as the playoffs approach.

Beat Boston on Tuesday and their final two games are against non-playoff opponents Buffalo and Carolina for a shot at four points in the final two days of the regular season.

“We need (Stamkos) feeling his best a week and a half from now, and not necessarily right now,” Cooper said. “However, we can help that Amara Darboh Jersey , we will. We want to get better as a team in the next three games. We want to make sure we’re ready as a group.”

On June 7, the Colorado Rockies were tied for first place in the National League West and riding high. In the week since, the Rockies have lost five straight games and come to the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Friday with as many questions as answers about themselves as the season heads into the dog days of summer.

Colorado begins a three-game interleague series with the Texas Rangers, a team also in search of answers, at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

The Rockies will send right-hander Chad Bettis (4-1, 4.40 ERA) to the mound for the opening game and the Rangers will counter with Yohander Mendez (0-0, 0.00).

Colorado activated right-handed reliever Adam Ottavino from the disabled list Thursday, and manager Bud Black said Ottavino would go right back into his late-game role.

Ottavino had a 0.95 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings before going to the disabled with a left oblique injury. The team went 5-9 without him in the lineup.

“Otto feels that he wants to jump right back into the mix of pitching deep in the game,” Black told mlb.com. “He’s ready for that. He doesn’t necessarily want to ease back in. Physically, he made it a point of emphasis to get his body in the best shape possible in the offseason. The year before, it wasn’t the case.”

Ottavino did not see action in the Rockies’ 9-3 loss at Philadelphia but will be ready when Colorado takes on hapless Texas.

The Rangers will attempt to end a six-game losing streak that included a heartbreaking 3-2 loss in 11 innings in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

With one out and the bases loaded Dwayne Allen Jersey , the Dodgers‘ Austin Barnes dribbled what appeared to be a sure out at home in front of Rangers reliever Matt Bush. However, Bush’s throw to home for the force pulled catcher Carlos Perez off the plate, allowing Enrique Hernandez to score the deciding run.

Texas is now a season-worst 18 games back of the first-place Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros in the American League West after suffering a two-game sweep by the Dodgers.

Bettis gave up three home runs and lasted just four innings in his last start, a home loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The good news is his velocity returned after a dip for three starts. He is a Lubbock, Texas, native who pitched at Texas Tech University.

Bettis will make his 14th start of the season and his eighth on the road. He has no-decisions and a 7.67 ERA in his past six starts since May 11.

Bettis has pitched against Texas only once, getting a no-decision on Aug. 11, 2016, in Arlington, a 12-9 Rockies win.

Mendez will make his first big league start Friday. In 10 minor league starts this season, he has an 0-6 record with a 5.26 ERA. In one relief appearance with the Rangers this year, he didn’t allow a run in two-thirds of an inning.

Mendez E. J. Manuel Jersey , who is ranked the Rangers’ seventh-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, has joined the ballclub from Triple-A Round Rock. He has been a September call-up for Texas each of the past two seasons, and featured with the Rangers earlier this season when he was called up May 3.

In 10 career major league appearances — all in relief — Mendez has posted a 0-1 record with a 7.31 ERA (13 earned runs in 16 innings).

“It’s going to be multiple starts,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said Wednesday about Mendez’s upcoming major league stint. “He’s going to have the opportunity to show us what he can do as a starter.

“We’re still in the business of winning baseball games,” Banister added. “It’s about development, but it is the big leagues, and you still develop and still give yourself the opportunity to win baseball games.”

PHOENIX — Give Arizona left-hander Robbie Ray an “A” in self-evaluation.

Ray won his final six regular-season decisions in 2017 after missing a month with a concussion suffered when he was struck in the head by a line drive in St. Louis on July 28. Then last Wednesday Derek Rivers Jersey , he spun six scoreless innings in a 2-1 victory over Florida in his first start after missing 58 days with an oblique injury.

Ray will face the Cardinals again on Monday, in the first game of a three-game series at Chase Field. Right-hander Carlos Martinez will start for the Cardinals.

“Obviously, I’m not going to go out there if I don’t feel 100 percent,” said Ray, a first-time All-Star in 2017.

“There is a constant line of communication between me and Torey (manager Lovullo). He was open with me. He wanted me to make another rehab start. I made it clear that I felt like I was ready. It felt good to be back on the mound and to be good to put up some zeroes for this team and help us win.”

Both Arizona and St. Louis enter the series after being swept, the Diamondbacks losing three to NL West rival San Francisco and the Cardinals dropping three to NL East-leading Atlanta.

That was only a slight hiccup for the Diamondbacks, whose 19 victories in June tied for the most in the majors. They led the majors with 11 triples and were second in runs in the month. Starting pitchers had 15 victories, also the most in the majors, capped by wins by Ray and Zack Greinke in the final two games of a four-game series in Miami early last week.

The D-backs have lost only two of their last 10 series, both to San Francisco, while recovering from a 2-15 skid in May.

“You are going to have ups and downs,” Ray said. “That was a little bit of an extended down, but good teams find a way to break out of that. I feel like we’ve done that this month.

“It’s another thing we have going on. The dynamic in this clubhouse, we are never down on ourselves. Guys were in here playing music every single day. Nothing has changed. We understand that there is a process, and you have to stick with it. The second that you start changing who you are and over-analyzing a little bit Solomon Thomas Jersey , it can weigh on you.

“We just come in there every day like it’s a new day. We prepare every day the same way, and we don’t change anything.”

The Cardinals have been careening a bit. They have lost four in a row after winning four straight, a run that ended another three-game losing streak. They have lost 12 of 18 since peaking at eight games over .500 on June 11.

St. Louis has scored 11 runs in their last four games after clobbering Cleveland’s Corey Kluber, scoring six runs off his in 1 2/3 innings, the shortest outing of his major league career.

Martinez (4-4) won that game, his first in five starts since returning from the disabled list, giving up two runs with eight strikeouts in six innings. He had a 1.62 ERA in eight starts before going on the disabled list and has 6.75 ERA in five starts since returning. His issue has been walks, 43 in 72 2/3 innings.

The Cardinals have considered moving first baseman Jose Martinez to the outfield in an attempt to increase their run production, but Martinez started at first again Sunday.

“The bat has to be (in the lineup),” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told reporters over the weekend. “You’ve got a guy who’s been as consistent as anybody we’ve had all season. So you’ve got to find a place for him.

“We’ve never ruled out the outfield. None of that is out of the question. We haven’t featured that yet but it’s something that has been in the conversation. He’s been doing work out there, too. But, right now, it’s how do we improve at first base?”

Carlos Martinez has had good success against Arizona, with a 2.88 ERA in eight appearances. That ERA ranks 20th among active major leaguers with at least 30 innings against the Diamondbacks. Martinez has been even more successful at Chase Field, with a 2.11 ERA Willie Snead IV Jersey , fifth among those with at least 20 innings.

Martinez has given up one homer against the Diamondbacks, that coming to Gerardo Parra in their first meeting. Since then, he has gone 33 1/3 innings without giving up a homer to them.

Ray (3-0) is 1-2 with a 4.60 ERA in four career starts against the Cardinals. He was removed after being struck by Luke Voit liner in the second inning of the July 28 start last season.

It was a new routine that caused him to miss Jacksonville's offseason conditioning program.

The All-Pro cornerback has no regrets, though, about the time away from coaches and teammates.

"How do I put this the nicest way possible?" Ramsey said Tuesday after the first of a mandatory, three-day minicamp.

"I don't think any of my teammates had an issue because they know I was going to come back ready. But at the same time, if they did, I don't think I would care 'cause once I get out here I know what I was doing was the right thing for me."

Ramsey worked out in Jacksonville before his first two NFL seasons and fell behind both times because of injuries.

"It was an offseason of getting back to the basics for me, kind of doing what got me to the position I'm in right now," he said. "It was also an offseason for me that I kind of labeled as 'no-setback season,' just 'cause in the previous two years I haven't even made it this far."

He had surgery in May 2016 for a torn meniscus in his right knee. He had surgery last June for a sports hernia.

Ramsey still managed to become the best player on a stout defense.

The fifth overall pick in the 2016 draft emerged as one of the top defensive backs in the league last year, locking down No. 1 receivers on a weekly basis. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in his second season and made the more exclusive All-Pro team.

"I thought I was good in the past two years, and stay tuned," he said.

Ramsey already has matchups circled months before the season, beginning with Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants in the opener and continuing a few weeks later against Kansas City's Tyreke Hill. The list also includes familiar faces such as former teammate Allen Hurns Armani Watts Jersey , Houston's DeAndre Hopkins, Philadelphia's Alshon Jeffery, Indianapolis' T.Y. Hilton and Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown.

"It's what I love, but I can't just love it," Ramsey said. "I've got to prepare for it, too, so that's what I've been doing this whole offseason. That's what I'll continue to do."

The Jaguars welcomed Ramsey back for minicamp, but coach Doug Marrone planned to work him in slowly.

"Jalen has worked extremely hard with training with his dad. He's anxious to go out there and say, 'I'm ready to go. Let's go,'" Marrone said. "I'm more like, 'OK, listen, we're going to get you in there for a couple and take you out. We just want to see where you are.

"The worst thing you can do as a coach is put someone out there that maybe is not ready. Not to say that Jalen is not ready, but we want to make sure that we are doing the right thing for all of the players."

Ramsey had 107 tackles, 31 pass breakups and six interceptions in his first two seasons. He's earned the respect of opponents as well as teammates Ty Montgomery Jersey , which made his decision to skip Jacksonville's offseason program an easier one.

"I know what I was doing is going to get me prepared as best as anything for the season," he said. "Once I put that out on the field, there won't be any issues. I have a good relationship with all my teammates anyways, so if they did they would hit me up. I did it respectful. ... I hit up people. I was like, 'Hey, yo, look, this is my plan for the offseason.'

"And it's not that I felt like I owed anybody an explanation. It's just that's how we vibe. That's the locker room. ... I was like, 'Yo, I know y'all fixin' to start it up. I'm not coming. I'm doing my thing. No worries.' They said it right back: 'You good, bro.'"

General manager Dave Gettleman Mackensie Alexander Jersey , who is undergoing treatment for lymphoma, made the announcement Wednesday. Abrams has been with the Giants since 1999.

Mark Koncz, brought in by Gettleman as a consultant before the draft Marquise Goodwin Jersey , becomes the director of player personnel. Koncz was with the Carolina Panthers from 1994-2017 and was their director of pro scouting from 2000-17. He worked under Gettleman when Gettleman was Panthers general manager from 2013-16.

Chris Pettit has been appointed director of college scouting after spending the previous 13 years as an area scout. He joined the Giants’ scouting staff in 2005.

Patrick Hanscomb will be an area scout whose concentration will be the Mid-Atlantic states. Hanscomb spent the previous 10 seasons in the team’s pro personnel department.

Marcus Cooper has been hired as an area scout who will focus in the Southeast. Cooper spent the previous seven seasons with the Buffalo Bills.

John (Jackie) Miles is the team’s new head equipment manager.

—

The Arizona Cardinals have signed safety Tre Boston to a one-year contract.

The deal was announced Friday as players reported for the start of training camp.

Boston played in all 16 games, 15 as a starter, with the Los Angeles Chargers last season Vincent Valentine Jersey , when he set career highs with 79 tackles, 61 solo, five interceptions and nine passes defensed.

Boston Y.A. Tittle Jersey , entering his fifth NFL season, is very familiar with new Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks. A fourth-round selection in the 2014 draft out of North Carolina, Boston played his first three seasons with Carolina Justin Vogel Jersey , where Wilks was the defensive backs coach.

The 25-year-old Boston joins Antoine Bethea and Budda Baker as safeties expected to see considerable action in the Cardinals' new defensive scheme.

Arizona released African-born defensive end Moubarak Djeri, who is trying to make the NFL after playing in the German Football League.

Tom Straschnitzki – whose 19-year-old son De'Anthony Thomas Jersey , Ryan, was badly injured in the junior hockey team’s bus crash – was in a waiting area at Royal University Hospital on Friday night when a large box was wheeled in.

Recognizing the box from Stanley Cup presentations, he immediately suspected what was inside, and his suspicions were confirmed when someone wearing white gloves lifted the trophy from the case.

Tom Straschnitzki said Ryan’s bed was the first stop, and he says his son’s eyes grew wide as it was carried in. Ryan asked to see name of Jonathan Toews, the Chicago Blackhawks forward who visited the hospital earlier in the day to deliver jerseys the Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets wore last weekend with Broncos nameplates on them.

Tom Straschnitzki says Ryan was asked if he wanted to touch the cup, but he wanted to wait until he wins it someday.

”They know the tradition,” Tom Straschnitzki said Mike Williams Jersey , noting the other injured players didn’t want to touch the trophy, either.

The Straschnitzki are from Airdrie, Alberta. The family said 19-year-old Ryan couldn’t feel his legs after the crash.

Sixteen people have died as a result of a crash last week when the Broncos’ bus collided with a semi-truck just south of Nipawin. Another 13 people were injured.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Two teams that could be first-round opponents in the upcoming NBA playoffs square off Saturday night when the New Orleans Pelicans take on the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors (57-22) are locked into the No. 2 seeding in the Western Conference. They will have the home-court advantage against the seventh seed in the first round starting next weekend.

The Pelicans (45-34), meanwhile, are among six teams battling for the final five playoff spots in the West. They will begin the day Saturday tied with San Antonio (45-34) and Oklahoma City (45-34) for fifth place, with Minnesota (45-35) and Denver (44-35) close behind.

One of the five won’t make the postseason.

New Orleans, which is seeking its first playoff spot since 2015 Coby Fleener Jersey , will be playing the second day of a back-to-back, having won 122-103 at Phoenix on Friday.

The Pelicans have lost three straight to Golden State this season by an average of 11 points.

New Orleans has a tough finishing schedule. The Pelicans will visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, then host San Antonio in a game that could have huge playoff implications on Wednesday.

In a virtual must-win against their final weak opponent, the Pelicans took care of business on Friday night, riding 33 points from Anthony Davis and 31 from Nikola Mirotic without burning any starter for more than 35 minutes.

Davis has averaged 30.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in two straight wins for the Pelicans after they had slipped in the playoff chase with four consecutive losses.

The Most Valuable Player candidate insisted recently that having meaningful games in April is enjoyable.

“I haven’t been to the playoffs in three years,” he noted. “This whole process is fun for me and the whole team, knowing that we, one Weston Richburg Jersey , control our own destiny, and, two, have a chance to go in the playoffs and make some noise.”

New Orleans could certainly help its chances and send a message at the same time with a win Saturday. The Warriors have dominated the matchup, winning 10 straight and 20 of 21.

And that doesn’t count the 2015 playoffs, when the Warriors swept the Pelicans in four straight.

This time around, the Warriors almost surely will open their first series without star point guard Stephen Curry, who is out with a sprained MCL. He is scheduled for a re-examination on the eve of the start of the playoffs next week.

The Warriors have had their other three All-Stars — Klay Thompson Justin Evans Jersey , Kevin Durant and Draymond Green — healthy for their last four games. But while they’ve won three of those four, coach Steve Kerr was especially bothered by a 126-106 drubbing his club suffered Thursday night at Indiana, labeling the effort “pathetic.”

Veteran Shaun Livingston agreed.

“We’ve got to be better,” he said. “Tonight, we were off. But we can’t be off as far as our effort, our intensity. That’s what we’re playing for going into the playoffs.”

The Warriors do have one piece of unfinished business in the regular season. They are currently tied with Toronto (57-22) for the second-best record in the league.

Regular-season records would determine the home-court advantage should the Warriors and Raptors meet in the NBA Finals.

Now that Le'Veon Bell and the Steelers have passed Monday’s deadline without a contract in place Bart Starr Jersey , Bell appears headed for unrestricted free agency in March. And he’ll hope to follow in the footsteps of someone he knows well: Kirk Cousins.

Bell and Cousins were teammates at Michigan State, and now Bell is slated to do the same thing Cousins did: Play out his rookie contract, then play two years on the franchise tag Nathan Peterman Jersey , then cash in as a true unrestricted free agent.

The value of the running back and quarterback positions means that, obviously, Bell won’t get anything close to the contract Cousins got from the Vikings this year. But Bell will hope that having the ability to shop himself to all 32 teams will put him in a position where he’s able to command more guaranteed money than any running back has previously received.

Bell will need to stay healthy in 2018 and not show any signs that he could be losing a step. If he does that Joe Montana Jersey , he could re-set the running back market.

The two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback will serve as honorary pace car driver for the 60th running of the Daytona 500. Manning will be behind the wheel of the Toyota pace car and lead the 40-car field to the green flag to start "The Great American Race" on Sunday.

Manning joins a list of Daytona 500 celebrities that includes Academy Award winner Charlize Theron (honorary starter), retired NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. (grand marshal), country-music group Rascal Flatts (infield concert) and Navy Band Southeast (national anthem).

Other notable honorary pace car drivers for the Daytona 500 in recent years: Jay Leno (2006) Chandler Catanzaro Jersey , Cal Ripken Jr. (2007), Tom Cruise (2009), Brad Paisley (2011) and John Cena (2016).

Manning retired from the NFL following the 2015 season Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Jersey , which he capped by leading the Denver Broncos to a Super Bowl victory over the Carolina Panthers. Manning also led the Indianapolis Colts to the 2006 championship during his 18-year career.

Gerald McCoy loves the signing of Jason Pierre-Paul and the drafting of Vita Vea in the first round. He hates that some are saying the additions of five defensive linemen were to help him.

“It’s not about me. It’s about the team Doug Flutie Jersey ,” McCoy said, via Allana Barefield of the Tampa Bay Times. “Stop saying it’s about Gerald got help. No, the Bucs got help.”

Three of the Bucs’ defensive linemen — Vinny Curry and Beau Allen last year in Philadelphia and Pierre-Paul with the Giants — have Super Bowl rings. Despite being in his ninth season, McCoy is learning something from his new teammates.

“Three of them won it, so they know what it takes Justin Houston Jersey ,” McCoy said. “They’ve been where I want to go, so they’re teaching me.”

On paper, the Bucs got better this offseason. That means nothing, McCoy said, as the Bucs seek to have a player with double-digit sacks since 2005.

“That help means nothing. There’s a lot of work to be done Walt Aikens Jersey ,” McCoy said. “People think well we brought JPP in; we brought this guy and that guy in; there’s no reason he shouldn’t get double digits [in sacks]. This is the NFL. This is the best of the best. The game evolves every year.”

Duffy drove in Mallex Smith, who doubled with one out and moved to third base on a ground ball.

Diego Castillo (1-0) got his first major league win after pitching two innings of relief.

Ryan Tepera (3-2) pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for the Jays, who were swept in the three-game series and have lost five of six to the Rays this season. It was the 12th time the Blue Jays have scored one run or none this season.

Curtis Granderson had the first three of Toronto’s five hits, leadoff singles in the first, third and fifth innings and was the only runner to reach third base until Smith in the ninth.

With two outs in the Toronto ninth Trent Taylor Jersey , Aldemys Diaz hit a line drive that was caught by left fielder Johnny Field near the top of the wall.

Toronto starter J.A. Happ, who was 3-0 in his five previous starts, gave up one hit and three walks in five innings.

Rays starter Wilmer Font gave up two hits in 3 1/3 innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: 3B Josh Donaldson (left calf tightness) will run the bases Thursday and if all goes well could join Triple-A Buffalo on Friday.

Rays: OF Johnny Field was back in the lineup after missing two games with a sprained knee.

SIXTEEN NOT-SO SWEET

Thursday’s game at New York marks the start of a 16-game stretch in which the Rays will play only the Yankees, Astros and Nationals. ”We’re going to really see what kind of team we have here against the best in the league,” Blake Snell said.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Aaron Sanchez (3-5 Justin Britt Jersey , 4.33 ERA) will pitch Friday night against the Washington Nationals in the opening game of a five-game homestand.

Rays: LHP Blake Snell (8-3, 2.30 ERA) will start in Thursday night’s opener of a four-game series at Yankee Stadium against Domingo German (0-4, 5.32). Snell is 3-0 with a 0.38 ERA in his past four starts.

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Vegas forward William Karlsson is among 43 NHL players seeking salary arbitration after he finished third in the NHL in scoring with the expansion Golden Knights last season.

Two more Golden Knights Robbie Gould Jersey , defenseman Colin Miller and forward Tomas Nosek, also are on the list of players electing to have an arbitrator determine their contracts, the NHL Players’ Association announced on Thursday.

The number was 44 before the Carolina Hurricanes agreed to a $4.6 million, two-year contract with defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, a restricted free agent. Van Riemsdyk will make $2.1 million next season and $2.5 million in the final year of the deal.

Karlsson had a career-best 43 goals and 78 points, putting himself in position to earn a considerable raise after completing a two-year, $2 million contract.

Winnipeg has five players on the list, including goalie Connor Hellebuyck and defenseman Jacob Trouba. Hellebuyck tied for the NHL lead for most wins with a 44-11-9 record, and was eighth with a 2.36 goals-against average.

Ottawa forward Mark Stone is seeking arbitration after leading the Senators with 62 points.

The Minnesota Wild have two of their top five point producers on the list in forward Jason Zucker and defenseman Matt Dumba.

Newly acquired Flames forward Elias Lindholm is one of five Calgary players seeking arbitration. He was dealt to Calgary in a multiplayer trade two weeks ago after failing to negotiate a long-term extension with Carolina.

Players are allowed to negotiate and sign contracts before appearing at their arbitration hearings Devonta Freeman Jersey , which will be held in Toronto from July 20 to Aug. 4.

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More NHL hockey: The Golden State Warriors are in the unfamiliar position of opening on the road as they prepare for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals with the top-seeded Rockets in Houston on Monday night in the series that many have been waiting for all season.

It’s the first time the No. 2 Warriors have been in a playoff series without home-court advantage since 2014 when they lost to the Los Angeles Clippers 4-3 in the opening round.

For a team that has matched the Chicago Bulls’ NBA record with 15 straight home playoff victories, the feeling is a bit unsettling.

”It’s different,” coach Steve Kerr said. ”I think our guys, they are taking the challenge and they’re embracing it. They feel like, `OK, we don’t have home court for the first time,’ but we seem to be at our best when we are threatened. That’s been kind of the M.O. of this team. We’re definitely threatened. We’re on the road for Game 1, we’ve never felt that.”

The Rockets, who earned the top seed for the first time in franchise history by winning 65 games in the regular season Ty Montgomery Jersey , are certainly happy to be opening at home, but aren’t sure if it’s that much of an advantage in this series.

”It’s better to have it than not … it’s important but they’ve shown they can win away from home, we can win away from home,” coach Mike D’Antoni said.

”This might be a series where you lose one or two and then win four in a row – either side. Because they’re capable of it.”

This will be the third playoff meeting between these two teams in the past four years, with the Warriors winning both previous meetings. They downed the Rockets 4-1 in 2015 in Houston’s previous trip to the conference finals and ousted the team from the playoffs in the first round in 2016.

The defending champion Warriors are looking to reach the NBA Finals for the fourth straight year. For the Rockets, a win in this series would put them in the Finals for the first since 1995 when they won the second of their back-to-back titles.

D’Antoni was asked if he thinks the Warriors have seen a team as talented and dangerous as the Rockets are this season.

”I hope not,” he said. ”We did win 65. They’re the ones always winning and getting home-court advantage so hopefully we gained a little ground.”

However, he knows that his team is the perceived underdog in this series despite nabbing the top seed because of what the Warriors have done over the past few years.

”These guys are champions for a reason and they’ve shown on the big stage that they can perform at a very, very Sterling Shepard Jersey , very high level – as good as anybody ever,” he said. ”And we haven’t shown that yet and that’s the doubt in most people’s minds, until you show it they don’t know … so we’ve just got to beat them and show them we can do it.”

Some things to know about the Warriors-Rockets series.

CURRY FACTOR

Stephen Curry certainly feels back to his spot-on self with the swagger that goes with those dazzling drives and way-back 3-pointers.

Curry returned from nearly six months sidelined with a sprained left knee to play the final four games of a five-game semifinal series against New Orleans. The two-time MVP scored 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting in his most minutes yet since the March 23 injury – 37 – in the Game 5 clincher last Tuesday night.

His minutes have increased each game he plays and he was 32 for 67 with 15 3s in the Pelicans series.

HOUSTON’S X-FACTOR

While the spotlight for Houston in this series is certainly MVP front-runner James Harden and fellow point guard Chris Paul, the Rockets insist that center Clint Capela is just as important to their success.

”Everybody always wants to point out me and James, but he’s the X-factor,” Paul said.

Houston is 50-5 this season in games where all three have played, and during the regular season the Rockets outscored their opponents in those games by an average of 11.5 points.

D’Antoni believes the 6-foot-10 Capela’s ability to switch on guards as well as defend in the paint will be a key in this series.

”It’s a must that you have to have (someone like him) against Golden State or they’re going to get you,” he said.

”This will help. They’re still going to get us to a certain degree, but hopefully we can lessen it more than if we just had a traditional center that can’t guard on the perimeter.”

THE CHAMPS ARE THE CHAMPS

Sure Rakeem Nunez-Roches Jersey , the Warriors might not be the top dogs in the West from the regular season.

They still have the hardware.

Paul has never reached a conference final and neither James Harden nor D’Antoni has a championship either. Kevin Durant captured his first title last season while winning Finals MVP honors.

Golden State’s other three All-Stars – Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson – has a pair of championships from the past three seasons.

”I like where we are,” Kerr said. ”Our guys have rings. That’s a good position to be in. To me the hardest championship is the first one, as an individual player or as a team because you don’t know. You don’t quite know if you can do it.

”Once you get the first one, there’s a little bit of house money, but you want it again because it’s an unbelievable feeling. I like our position. We’re going to go in here knowing we’re the defending champs, knowing we’ve got a couple championships here t Authentic Womens Tyquan Lewis Jersey

Maybe even the play of the year in the Comerica Park outfield.

Jones’ twisting, backhanded catch in the sixth inning took a home run away from Adrian Beltre in Detroit’s 7-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

The Tigers scored all their runs in the first, chasing Cole Hamels before that inning was over. It was still 7-0 when Jones made his spectacular catch in left-center field.

Beltre’s drive was headed toward the Texas bullpen, but Jones came over from center and jumped, reaching over the wall with his left hand and backhanding the ball. Jones’ momentum spun him around a bit, and he fell forward onto the ground, holding on for the out.

”You have to time it,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”As you saw, his whole arm went over the fence Solomon Thomas Jersey , and he snagged it behind. It’s a timing thing, and you have to be athletic to be able to do some of those things.”

Jones did not stay in the clubhouse to talk to reporters afterward.

Hamels (4-8) retired only two batters for the Rangers in his shortest start since 2010.

Mike Fiers (6-5) allowed a run and five hits in six innings. He struck out six with one walk.

Rougned Odor hit a solo homer for Texas immediately after Beltre was robbed by Jones. Shin-Soo Choo doubled twice for the Rangers to extend his on-base streak to 46 games, tying Julio Franco’s club record set in 1993.

Niko Goodrum had four hits for the Tigers.

Nicholas Castellanos opened the scoring with a solo homer with one out in the first. John Hicks added an RBI single, and Jose Iglesias hit an infield single with two outs and the bases loaded to make it 3-0.

Hamels still would have made it out of the inning, but center fielder Delino DeShields misplayed a line drive by Jones for an error , allowing three more runs to score.

”It just knuckled on me,” DeShields said. ”I was trying to stay with it, but it swerved on me at the last second. It’s frustrating, because you are doing everything you can to make the play Star Lotulelei Jersey , but he hit it right on the screws and right at me, and that’s when a ball will take off on you.”

Mikie Mahtook followed with an RBI double, and Hamels was replaced after allowing five hits, two walks and three earned runs. He threw 41 pitches.

LOOKING BACK

It was the shortest start for Hamels since June 1, 2010, when he also lasted two-thirds of an inning for Philadelphia at Atlanta. That start was shortened because of a rain delay.

Hamels had gone at least five innings in each of his first 17 starts this year.

”By the time he gave up the double, he was pushing 40 pitches, and that’s my limit,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said. ”Once you get to 40 in one inning Kellen Winslow Jersey , you are pitching fatigued, and it is too much of a risk to leave him out there. I’m not going to do that to one of my pitchers.”

ON A ROLL

Goodrum had his second four-hit game in a week. He also went 4 for 4 at Toronto on July 1.

He’s hitting .464 (13 for 28) over his last seven games.

”I didn’t know that,” he said. ”The only stats I can see is what they show on the board of everyone.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: SS Elvis Andrus appeared to foul a pitch off his left leg in the fifth but remained in the game. He was taken out in the eighth.

UP NEXT

Michael Fulmer (3-7) takes the mound for Detroit against Austin Bibens-Dirkx (1-2) in the series finale Sunday.

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Duane Brown's future a year ago at training camp was filled with uncertainty during a holdout. Ever since his trade to Seattle in the middle of last season, he's been "at peace" with whatever was going to take place.

"Last year at this time I was very anxious and uncertain," Brown said Sunday, a day after signing a three-year contract extension with the Seahawks. "This whole year I've been at peace. I wasn't worried about anything when I showed up for workouts or OTAs. I wasn't worried about what was going on behind the scenes and just controlling what I could control."

The extension means the big left tackle will likely be protecting Russell Wilson's blindside for the rest of Brown's career. He'll turn 33 next month and has spoken repeatedly of wanting Seattle to be the final stop of his career.

Brown's current deal was set to expire after this season, part of the reason he was a holdout from the Houston Texans until Week 8 of last season before being traded to Seattle. Brown said it became clear soon after arriving in Seattle the intensions were to make sure this was his last stop. Those indications were part of why Brown was committed to being part of Seattle's offseason program.

"They communicated that early on and there was no doubt in any of our minds that we would get it done," Brown said. "I wanted to show my commitment to the team and our future by being here. Coming here halfway through the season you want to be here during the offseason, for me John Matuszak Jersey , to learn the team more, to have my impact in the locker room, my leadership skills and it was great to do that."

Brown was the first to get an extension among a number of key contributors whose contracts expire after the 2018 season. That group includes linebacker K.J. Wright, defensive end Frank Clark and, most notably, holdout safety Earl Thomas. There have been no signs of a softening between Thomas and the Seahawks as the former All-Pro has sought either a new deal in Seattle or a trade from the Seahawks.

NOTES: Seattle signed WR Marvin Bracy on Sunday. Bracy represented the United States in the 100 meters at the 2016 Rio Olympics and is a three-time U.S. indoor champion in the 60 meters. Bracy returned to football last year signing with Indianapolis during training camp but was released before the season.

With Delaware and New Jersey already taking bets on sporting events Alex McGough Jersey , two more states will soon be doing the same.

Per multiple reports, Mississippi and West Virginia have moved closer to launching their sports wagering programs.

Mississippi plans to start taking bets in late July, and West Virginia hopes to have its system in place when football season launches.

In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down a federal law that prohibits individual states from offering sports betting, it was estimated that six to 10 states will have programs in place before the start of the 2018 NFL season.

The states that have gotten a head start surely will attract bettors from neighboring states, allowing those states to make plenty of money unless and until border states catch up. Which gives those states added incentive to catch up.

Which will cause sports betting to spread throughout the country, quickly rather than slowly.

He’s not done playing.

He’s just done in San Antonio.

Parker agreed to a two-year, $10 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, ending a 17-year run with the Spurs. And he’s not the only veteran on the move, with Oklahoma City and Carmelo Anthony having mutually agreed they will part ways and Dwight Howard set to sign with the Washington Wizards once he clears waivers.

All of those deals were confirmed Friday to The Associated Press by people involved in the negotiations. Each of the people spoke on condition of anonymity because none of the moves were finalized – but the Parker move was confirmed by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich Laquon Treadwell Jersey , who thanked his now-former point guard in a statement released by the team.

”It’s difficult to put into words how important Tony Parker has been to the Spurs franchise over the past two decades,” Popovich said. ”From his first game in 2001 at age 19, TP has impressed and inspired us – day-after-day, game-after-game, season-after-season – with his passion, dedication and desire. We are grateful to Tony for 17 years of truly amazing memories.”

The move reunites Parker with new Charlotte coach James Borrego, who most recently was an assistant in San Antonio. And Parker is close friends with Charlotte’s Nicolas Batum, who predictably was thrilled by the news.

”Number 9, I see you soon in Buzz City my big bro,” Batum wrote on Twitter.

Parker averaged career lows of 7.7 points and 19.5 minutes last season Jimmie Ward Jersey , when he lost his starting job. He was part of 137 playoff wins with Popovich, the second most by any coach and player in NBA history. Popovich and Spurs star Tim Duncan combined for 157 playoff wins.

Parker told ESPN that it was a difficult decision, ”but I had to move on.”

Parker was part of the Spurs’ Big Three with Duncan and Manu Ginobili. Duncan has retired, Parker is now gone and Ginobili’s status for next season is unknown.

”The biggest joy for me has been to have the pleasure of watching TP grow up before our eyes,” Popovich said. ”All of us in the Spurs organization will miss having Tony in our program and wish him and his family the best as he continues his remarkable career in Charlotte.”

Parker has also appeared in 17 consecutive postseasons; only Karl Malone and John Stockton’s run of 19 straight playoff trips are longer.

He has his rings.

Anthony and Howard will be on the move, seeking theirs.

Anthony has likely played his last game for the Oklahoma City Thunder – with the sides having mutually decided that he will not be on the team next season. It remains unclear how that departure will actually happen, as in whether it will be through a buyout, the Thunder waiving him or a trade.

Anthony is due to make $28 million this season, his last in a five-year, $125 million contract he signed with New York before getting moved to Oklahoma City. He has said he will not accept a reserve role Patrick Chung Jersey , and by parting with him – somehow – the Thunder could save more than $90 million in luxury tax payments.

Anthony averaged 16.2 points on 40 percent shooting last season, both career lows. But there will be suitors for him, with the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat all believed to have interest.

Howard started Friday on Charlotte’s roster, then was traded to Brooklyn – a deal agreed to days ago, but one that couldn’t be completed until Friday when the league’s offseason moratorium on player movement ended. The Nets will buy him out, which will pave the way for Howard to eventually sign with the Wizards.

A person familiar with the terms told AP that Howard would play on a one-year, $5.3 million deal. Later Friday, ESPN reported that Howard will actually be signing a two-year deal in Washington – with the second year at his option.

Buyout terms with Howard, who was due to make $24 million this season Jake Ryan Jersey , were progressing Friday and Nets general manager Sean Marks said they should be wrapped up quickly.

”This is something that we mutually want,” Marks said. ”Neither one of us is trying to have this drawn out. I think we’re going to leave on good terms. It’ll hopefully work out for both sides.”

The lifting of the moratorium meant a slew of moves that have been agreed to in recent days could be finalized, such as Paul George’s four-year deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Rajon Rondo’s signing to play with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Rondo agreed to join the Lakers earlier in the week, but couldn’t sign until Friday.

”I love shake-ups in the summertime, as far guys switching teams or the NBA looking a little bit different,” Rondo said not long after putting his signature on his one-year, $9 million deal to join the Lakers – a team he faced twice in the NBA Finals when he played for Boston. ”It’s going to be very interesting this year and I look forward to a lot of exciting basketball.”

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