AP Sports Digest
The highlights of Monday's AP Sports report. An up-to-the minute listing of all stories planned, including games and events, is available in Coverage Plan on AP Newsroom, https://newsroom.ap.org/coverageplan. You can also find a link to Coverage Plan on the left navigation of the Newsroom home page, https://newsroom.ap.org. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports.
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AUDIO HEADLINES
Derrick White scores 38, Celtics top Heat 102-88 to take a 3-1 East playoff series lead https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/DerrickWhitescores38CelticstopHeat102-88totakea3-1Eastplayoffserieslead/2c5d859dce0e4511beb8849581103e0f
Williams, Gilgeous-Alexander, lead OKC to a 97-89 Game 4 victory -- and sweep of the Pelicans https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/WilliamsGilgeous-AlexanderleadOKCtoa97-89Game4victory--andsweepofthePelicans/d3e3a9bc230e4eb6b9d52df33ef86b6e
Sergei Bobrovsky makes 31 saves, Panthers beat Lightning 6-1 to advance to 2nd round https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/SergeiBobrovskymakes31savesPanthersbeatLightning6-1toadvanceto2ndround/789da74edf9c4c5cb97743d21c5b7279
Johnston scores again and Stars beat Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 4 to even series https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/JohnstonscoresagainandStarsbeatGoldenKnights4-2inGame4toevenseries/24a1cbce4d554624a623e75217d71119
Murray overcomes calf injury to score 32 and hit game-winner in Nuggets’ 108-106 win over Lakers https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/Murrayovercomescalfinjurytoscore32andhitgame-winnerinNuggets108-106winoverLakers/590fa5a091524054812bd93a279108f5
All times EDT
TOP STORIES
BKN--NUGGETS ADVANCE
DENVER -- Jamal Murray overcame a strained left calf, management’s suggestion he sit this one out and another haymaker from the Los Angeles Lakers to score 32 points and sink the game-winner with 3.6 seconds left Monday night. That sent LeBron James to his earliest playoff exit ever and the Denver Nuggets tottering into Round 2 with a 108-106 win in Game 5 that featured 16 lead changes and 10 ties and was only secured when Taurean Prince’s halfcourt heave fell short as time expired. By Arnie Stapleton. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 6 a.m.
BKN--CELTICS-HEAT
MIAMI -- The good news for the Miami Heat is that the Boston Celtics might not be back in South Florida for a few months. And that’s also the bad news for the Heat. Boston now has full control of this Eastern Conference series, with Derrick White scoring a career-high 38 points on Monday night and leading the top-seeded Celtics past the eighth-seeded Heat 102-88 to take a 3-1 lead in their opening-round NBA playoff series. By AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 750 words, photos.
BKN--THUNDER ADVANCE
NEW ORLEANS -- For all the scoring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does for Oklahoma City, his hustle back on defense after having a shot blocked was a pivotal part of a playoff series-clinching victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. By Brett Martel. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 6 a.m.
SOC-2027-WOMEN'S-WORLD CUP
NEW YORK — The U.S. Soccer Federation and its Mexican counterpart dropped their joint bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup on Monday and said they instead will focus on trying to host the 2031 tournament. The decision left a proposal from Brazil and a joint Germany-Netherlands-Belgium plan competing to be picked for 2027 by the FIFA Congress that meets May 17 in Bangkok. By Ronald Blum. SENT: 360 words, photos.
FBN—CHIEFS-KELCE
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs signed Travis Kelce to a new two-year, $34.25 million contract on Monday, wrapping up their star tight end as they attempt to win an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press. Kelce’s deal with Kansas City includes $17 million guaranteed for 2024 and $11.25 million guaranteed by the third day of the 2025 league year, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because those details hadn’t been released. By Dave Skretta. SENT: 800 words, photos.
NOTABLE
BKN—TIPOFF
NEW YORK — Perhaps neither Milwaukee nor Philadelphia would’ve been good enough to beat a Boston team that ran away to the NBA’s best record. The Bucks and 76ers surely never thought about going out in the first round of the playoffs, though. Both teams will be facing that possibility Tuesday on a night of Game 5s in the Eastern Conference, with the New York Knicks able to eliminate the 76ers and the Indiana Pacers in position to knock out the Bucks. By Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney. SENT: 1,110 words, photos.
HKN--FACEOFF
When Andrew Brunette was playing for Minnesota, the Wild worked their way back from two separate 3-games-to-1 deficits to win playoff series. Now he will try to lead Nashville to a comeback from the bench. The Predators trail Vancouver 3-1 in their first-round series, with a chance for the Canucks to advance in Game 5. The Bruins, Hurricanes and Avalanche can also move on with victories on Tuesday night.. By Jimmy Golen. SENT: 600 words, photos.
HKN--STARS-GOLDEN KNIGHTS
LAS VEGAS — Wyatt Johnston scored his third goal in two games, and the Dallas Stars beat the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 Monday night to even their first-round NHL playoffs series. Evgenii Dadonov, Ty Dellandrea and Roope Hintz also scored for the Stars, and Jake Oettinger made 33 saves. By Mark Anderson. SENT: 500 words, photos.
HKN—PANTHERS-ADVANCE
SUNRISE, Fla. — Before the final minutes even ticked off the clock at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday night, Florida Panthers fans — clad in red jerseys and waving light-up rally towels in the air — were singing goodbye to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa Bay’s season ended there, in a 6-1 loss to Florida in the first round of the NHL playoffs. And the Panthers will march on after beating their in-state rivals in a playoff series for the first time in four tries. By Alanis Thames. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 6 a.m..
FBN—INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The final season of the Pac-12 turned out to be as big a hit in the NFL draft as it was on the field. The conference that is breaking up with 10 schools joining new leagues next season produced a record haul over the draft weekend led by No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams of Southern California. The Pac-12 produced six of the top 15 players, eight overall first-rounders and 43 total players drafted for the most for the conference in the seven-round era that started in 1994. Only the SEC had more players picked with 59. By Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 6 a.m.
BKL--WNBA CAMPS-MORRIS
NEW YORK — Former LSU star Alexis Morris knows firsthand how hard it is to make a WNBA roster. The guard was drafted in the second round by the Connecticut Sun a few weeks after helping the Tigers win the national title in 2023, but was cut before the season started. And when this year’s camps opened on Sunday, Morris wasn’t invited to any of them. That hasn’t stopped her from playing basketball, though. Morris spent time overseas before signing with the Harlem Globetrotters in February. By Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg. UPCOMING: 550 words, photo by 6 a.m.
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Tuesday's Time Schedule
NBA PLAYOFFS
Philadelphia at New York, 7 p.m.
Orlando at Cleveland, 8 p.m.
Indiana at Milwaukee, 9:30 p.m.
NHL PLAYOFFS
Toronto at Boston, 7 p.m.
NY Islanders at Carolina, 7:30 p.m.
Colorado at Winnipeg, 9:30 p.m.
Nashville at Vancouver, 10 p.m.
BASEBALL
NY Yankees at Baltimore, 6:35 p.m.
Colorado at Miami, 6:40 p.m.
St. Louis at Detroit, 12:40 p.m. 2
St. Louis at Detroit, 3:40 p.m. 2
Kansas City at Toronto, 7:07 p.m.
Chicago Cubs at NY Mets, 7:10 p.m.
San Francisco at Boston, 7:10 p.m.
Minnesota at Chicago White Sox, 7:40 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Milwaukee, 7:40 p.m.
Washington at Texas, 8:05 p.m.
Cleveland at Houston, 8:10 p.m.
Philadelphia at LA Angels, 9:38 p.m.
Atlanta at Seattle, 9:40 p.m.
Cincinnati at San Diego, 9:40 p.m.
LA Dodgers at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Oakland, 9:40 p.m.
MLS
Seattle Sounders FC at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.
PWHL
Ottawa at New York, 7 p.m.
