National Sports - The Morning Sun

Vegas Golden Knights players Reilly Smith, left, Mark Stone, back center, and Alex Pietrangelo pose with deputy commissioner of the NHL Bill Daly, front, after winning Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference finals against the Dallas Stars, Monday, May 29, 2023, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Vegas, year removed from missing playoffs, gets to 2nd Stanley Cup Final

The Vegas Golden Knights are in their second Stanley Cup Final in the franchise's six seasons a year after the only time they missed the playoffs. Captain Mark Stone credits the front office for … more

By SCHUYLER DIXON | 5/30/23

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra gestures during the second half in Game 7 of the NBA basketball Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics Monday, May 29, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa )

The NBA Finals are set: It's the Heat and the Nuggets for the Larry O'Brien Trophy

Cancel that flight plan, Denver. Turns out, the NBA Finals are starting in the Mile High City after all. And Jimmy Butler was proven right. Finally, we have a title-series matchup: The Miami Heat, … more

By TIM REYNOLDS | 5/29/23

Ryan Blaney smiles in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Monday, May 29, 2023, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Blaney wins Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte to end winless drought

Ryan Blaney pulled away late to win the rescheduled Coca-Cola 600 on Monday at Charlotte Speedway, giving team owner Roger Penske a sweep of the Memorial Day weekend’s top races in the United … more

By STEVE REED | 5/29/23

Atlanta Braves pitcher Michael Soroka throws against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Monday, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Braves pitcher Michael Soroka goes 6 innings against A's in long-awaited return to mound

Atlanta Braves right-hander Michael Soroka has tossed six innings in his long-awaited return to the majors, pitching for the first time since twice tearing his right Achilles tendon. He was called up … more

By JANIE McCAULEY | 5/29/23

Denny Hamlin (11) crashes on the front stretch during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Monday, May 29, 2023, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Hamlin calls for NASCAR to suspend Elliott after crash at Coca-Cola 600

Denny Hamlin called for NASCAR to suspend Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott after a wreck involving both drivers on Monday at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. After Elliott … more

By STEVE REED | 5/29/23

FILE - Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse directs his team during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, April 2, 2023. The Philadelphia 76ers hired Nurse on Monday, May 29, 2023, following his exit from the Toronto Raptors, a person with direct knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond, File)

76ers hire former Raptors coach Nick Nurse, AP source says

A person with knowledge of the decision says the Philadelphia 76ers have hired coach Nick Nurse weeks after he was fired by the Toronto Raptors. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition … more

By DAN GELSTON | 5/29/23

Josef Newgarden and Roger Penske pose with the Borg-Warner Trophy during the traditional winners photo session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, May 29, 2023, in Indianapolis. Newgarden won the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 auto race Sunday. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Column: Indy 500's ending creates controversy and conspiracies

It’s called “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” because the Indianapolis 500 is supposed to be one of the most dramatic and difficult races in the world. Sure, it’s an automobile race. But … more

By JENNA FRYER | 5/29/23

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in action during her match against Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko at the Italian Open tennis tournament, in Rome, Italy, Wednesday May 10, 2023. (Fabrizio Corradetti/LaPresse via AP)

New mom Elina Svitolina beats seeded player at French Open in 1st Slam match in 16 months

New mother Elina Svitolina won her first Grand Slam match in nearly 1 1/2 years by eliminating 2022 semifinalist Martina Trevisan 6-2, 6-2. Svitolina and her husband, French tennis player Gael … more

By HOWARD FENDRICH | 5/29/23

The car driven by Kyle Kirkwood, top, flips over after a crash in the second turn during the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 28, 2023. (AP Photo/John Maxwell)

Penske: IndyCar sure to investigate wheel that flew over stands from Indy 500 wreck

IndyCar owner Roger Penske says he is sure series officials will investigate what led to a wheel coming loose during a crash in the Indianapolis 500. The wheel from Kyle Kirkwood's damaged car ended … more

By DAVE SKRETTA | 5/29/23

Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene slides safely into home plate to score as Chicago White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal (24) waits for the throw in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

As May ends, even some weaker teams have reasons for hope in baseball's playoff chase

As Memorial Day arrives, some of the weaker teams in baseball are still very much within striking distance in the postseason race. In fact, FanGraphs lists only five teams in the major leagues with … more

By NOAH TRISTER | 5/29/23

Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky skates to join teammates for a group photo after the Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals, Wednesday, May 24, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Bobrovsky's end-of-season haircut can wait, with Panthers headed to Stanley Cup Final

Sergei Bobrovsky needs a haircut. The goaltender for the Florida Panthers uses a thin headband to hold some of his hair back these days. Long hair usually isn’t a problem for Bobrovsky at this time … more

By TIM REYNOLDS | 5/29/23

Josef Newgarden kisses the Borg-Warner Trophy during the traditional winners photo session at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, May 29, 2023, in Indianapolis. Newgarden won the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 auto race Sunday. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Josef Newgarden finally relishes an Indy 500 win after so many disappointments

Josef Newgarden walked around Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday as the Indy 500 champion. The years of frustration that had followed the two-time IndyCar series champion were finally relieved. In … more

By DAVE SKRETTA | 5/29/23

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) celebrates after Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, center, missed a layup attempt as time expired in the second half of Game 4 of the NBA basketball Western Conference Final series Monday, May 22, 2023, in Los Angeles. Denver won 113-111 to win the series. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Denver Nuggets perfect the drama-free path to their spot on NBA's big stage

The Denver Nuggets call it beautiful. Their no-drama way of conducting business doesn’t grab tons of headlines. But it has set the franchise up for its first NBA Finals in 47 years in the league. … more

By EDDIE PELLS | 5/29/23

FILE - Czech Republic's Barbora Krejcikova kisses the French Open trophy after defeating Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova during their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday, June 12, 2021. Krejcikova is trying not to think too much about her past two trips to the French Open as she prepares to play her first-round match Tuesday, May 31, 2023 in Paris. Two years ago, she arrived relatively unknown and relatively unaccomplished and left with championships in both singles and doubles, something no woman had done at Roland Garros in more than 20 years. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

2 years after French Open title, 1 year after 1st-round loss, COVID, Krejcikova aims to forget

Barbora Krejcikova is trying not to think too much about her past two trips to the French Open as she prepares to play her first-round match Tuesday in Paris. Two years ago, she arrived relatively … more

By HOWARD FENDRICH | 5/29/23

Sloane Stephens of the U.S. slides t play a shot against Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Monday, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

Sloane Stephens leads 4 American women into 2nd round of French Open

Sloane Stephens looked sharp in her opening match at the French Open with a 6-0, 6-4 win over two-time Grand Slam runner-up Karolina Pliskova. American women were 4-0 through the first few hours of … more

5/29/23

Chelsea celebrate an own goal by Newcastle United's Kieran Trippier, during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle United, at Stamford Bridge, London, Sunday May 28, 2023. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

Chelsea hires Mauricio Pochettino as manager on 2-year deal

Chelsea has hired Mauricio Pochettino as manager on a two-year deal with the option of another year. The Argentine coach is tasked with getting the best out of an expensively assembled squad that has … more

By STEVE DOUGLAS | 5/29/23

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso of Spain, left, is presented his second place trophy by Monaco's Princess Charlene during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix, at the Monaco racetrack, in Monaco, Sunday, May 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

Alonso feels he's far from catching F1 leader Verstappen despite his own remarkable form

Fernando Alonso has five podiums in six races in a remarkable season for Aston Martin yet still feels he’s no closer to catching Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. The two-time Formula One champions now … more

By JEROME PUGMIRE | 5/29/23

Maryland pitcher David Falco lifts the team's trophy after the championship game against Iowa in the NCAA college Big Ten Baseball Tournament, Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Omaha, Neb. (Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen via AP)

SEC lands 8 of 16 regional host sites for NCAA baseball tournament

Eight of the 16 regional hosts selected for the NCAA Tournament are from the Southeastern Conference. The hosts have locked up spots in the national tournament. The rest of the 64-team field will be … more

By ERIC OLSON | 5/28/23

Chicago White Sox's Liam Hendriks talks to reporters before a baseball game between the White Sox and the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Liam Hendriks set to return to White Sox after recovering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Liam Hendriks is ready to rejoin the Chicago White Sox after recovering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The White Sox posted a video on Twitter welcoming Hendriks back to the team and the eccentric closer … more

5/28/23

Race fans walk through the garage area while rain causes a delay to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Sunday, May 28, 2023, in Concord, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Coca-Cola 600 postponed until Monday due to wet weather

Charlotte Motor Speedway has announced the Coca-Cola 600 has been postponed until Monday due to wet weather. The Cup Series race will begin at 3 p.m. ET on Monday. NASCAR has moved the Xfinity Series … more

By STEVE REED | 5/28/23