What’s the biggest storyline in this year’s NBA Finals battle between Mavericks, Celtics? (2024)

The contrasts between the French Open women's finalists are obvious. Iga Swiatek already owns four Grand Slam titles, including three in Paris. Jasmine Paolini had never been past the second round at any major tournament until this season. Entering Saturday's title match, Swiatek is on a 20-match winning streak at Roland Garros as she pursues a third consecutive championship on the red clay. The Polish star’s career record at the place is 34-2. Italy's Paolini was 3-5 at the French Open until this six-win run over the past two weeks. Swiatek is ranked No. 1. Paolini is ranked 15th.

Friday

A German court has dropped a case against tennis star Alexander Zverev after he agreed to pay 200,000 euros ($218,000) and reached an out-of-court settlement with his former partner. A district court in Berlin ended the trial on Friday with the agreement of prosecutors and lawyers for both Zverev and his former partner, Brenda Patea. Zverev, the world No. 4, was facing a charge of causing bodily harm to Patea during an argument in Berlin in May 2020, with prosecutors alleging that he pushed her against a wall and choked her. Zverev, who faces Norway's Casper Ruud in the semifinals of the French Open, has denied any wrongdoing.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has dropped Barcelona teenager Pau Cubarsí as well as midfielders Marcos Llorente and Aleix García from his final 26-man squad for the European Championship. However, de la Fuente has stuck with Real Betis forward Ayoze Pérez, who is with Spain for the first time, as well as 21-year-old Barcelona midfielder Fermín López. Spain is aiming for a record-extending fourth European Championship. It is in Group B with Italy, Albania and Croatia.

Connecticut’s DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas have found a comfortable work-life balance in the WNBA. They are the unquestioned leaders of the Sun on the court and life partners off of it. The Sun are off to a 9-0 start. Since becoming Sun teammates in 2020, Bonner and Thomas have led Connecticut to three WNBA semifinals and the 2022 Finals. Bonner said her main goal this season is to get Thomas her first championship. Thomas said her goal is to get Bonner a third before she retires. Bonner said playing on the same team can be both a gift and a curse, but they are making it work.

Let other folks fret about whether tennis might lose athletes and audiences to pickleball or padel. The people in charge of tennis in France are embracing those other racket-adjacent sports, figuring, essentially: The more, the merrier. The French tennis federation (FFT) officially brought pickleball under its umbrella and is seeking government approval to hold a sanctioned national championship. French Open tournament director Amélie Mauresmo, a former No. 1-ranked tennis player, and FFT president Gilles Moretton took part in a pickleball demonstration on one of the Grand Slam tournament's courts on Thursday as part of an effort to promote the sport.

American Evy Leibfarth will compete in three whitewater events in Paris. She finished 18th in canoe slalom and 12th in kayak slalom at the Tokyo Olympics when she was 17. Now 20, she’s excited to take a new level of maturity into the Olympics. She's first American woman to qualify in three whitewater events at the Olympics. She believes the lessons learned from Tokyo have helped her prepare for the Paris Games. She will head into her second Olympics with her father, Lee Leibfarth, as her coach.

When the Boston Celtics make a ton of 3-pointers, forget it. They’re probably not going to lose. That was surely something the Dallas Mavericks understood before Game 1 of the NBA Finals — and if they, or anyone else, somehow were unaware of that fact, it was on full display in the opener. The Celtics made 16 3s, outscoring the Mavericks by 27 points from long range, in their 107-89 victory Thursday night. Both teams have an off day Friday and are scheduled to resume practice Saturday. Game 2 is Sunday night in Boston. Jayson Tatum and Derrick White each made three 3s and five others each made two. It was only seventh time in playoff history that seven teammates made at least two 3s.

PINEHURST, N.C. — The U.S. Open has been held three times at Pinehurst, each producing memories of a lifetime.

PITTSBURGH — Caitlin Clark could probably use a teammate or two to defend her, but she certainly doesn't need Pat McAfee, Charles Barkley or an opportunist politician swooping in — at least not the way they all did this week.

The mission statement is clear. You might not agree with the commissioner of Major League Baseball on everything, but you probably would agree with him on this.

OAKLAND, Calif. — One crowd in The Town was buzzing.

MINNEAPOLIS — My hyper-controversial scalding take on the hottest topic in women's sports:

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Paul Maurice was leaving the Florida Panthers practice facility the day of a game when he saw Sergei Bobrovsky lifting weights in a hallway.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — On June 28, 2023, the University of Kentucky paid head swimming and diving coach Lars Jorgensen $75,000 to go away quietly.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Florida junior Parker Valby won the 10,000 meters in a meet-record time and the Gators took the women’s team lead Thursday in the NCAA outdoor track and field championships. Valby finished in 31 minutes, 46.09 seconds for her fifth NCAA title. She pulled away on the third…

This will be no attritional Ashes-style contest between England and Australia when they meet in Twenty20 World Cup cricket on Saturday. This group encounter will be short, sharp and likely all about speed between defending champion England and 2021 winner Australia. England has two of the fastest bowlers in cricket — Barbados-born Jofra Archer, who is returning from a long-term injury, and Mark Wood. They’re likely to be given the job at Bridgetown’s Kensington Oval of unsettling Australia’s top-order batters like David Warner, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. But the Australians also have an arsenal of fast bowlers including Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins just as willing to let the ball do the talking.

Georgia had to wait more than 30 years to play in a major soccer tournament after gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The time has now come at the European Championship and the republic's reward has been fairly spectacular. Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal await in the group stage for Georgia. It is the only debutant at these Euros and the latest underdog to take advantage of the tournament having increased to 24 teams since 2016. Turkey and the Czech Republic are also in Group F, where play gets underway on Day 5 of the Euros.

Age is a big factor in Group E at the European Championship as Belgium grapples with how to move on from its ‘Golden Generation’ and Ukraine looks to its young players for inspiration during wartime. Just getting to Euro 2024 has been a victory for the Ukrainians. It's more than two years since Russia’s invasion. Ukraine will play against neighbors Romania and Slovakia in the group.

Group C at the European Championship boasts two semifinalists from the last Euros, 2021 runner-up England and the team England had to beat in extra time in the semifinals, Denmark. Unlike England, the Danes have won a Euro, one of the most improbable victories in sports. They failed to qualify for the 1992 finals but were given entry when war-torn Yugoslavia was banned. Serbia and Slovenia will be hoping for their own fairytales after qualifying for the Euros for the first time in more than two decades.

Host nation Germany is the heavyweight in European Championship Group A, but Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland are capable of causing an upset. Scotland would relish springing a major surprise on Germany in the tournament's opening game in Munich on June 14. Hungary drew with Germany 2-2 in Munich in the last edition of the tournament, a match overshadowed by LGBTQ protests. It could be an issue again when the countries play in Stuttgart on June 19. Germany was unable to beat Switzerland in their last two meetings. The Swiss led by Bayer Leverkusen star Granit Xhaka face Germany in Frankfurt on June 23.

The Florida Panthers host the Edmonton Oilers to start the Stanley Cup Final.

France and the Netherlands renew their recent rivalry at the European Championship where they meet again in Group D after advancing through the same qualifying group. France won both those games last year. Both also have fresh memories of their hard luck exits at the World Cup 18 months ago. Both were beaten in Qatar in penalty shootouts against Argentina after rallying late from two goals down. Group D also includes Austria and Poland, which also played Argentina at the World Cup. Euro 2024 could be an international farewell for Poland captain Robert Lewandowski.

Spain and defending champion Italy are the juggernauts in Euro 2024 Group B but they can’t underestimate the other two teams. Croatia has a good pedigree at international tournaments and has impressed at the last two editions of the World Cup. Both of which Italy failed to qualify for. Albania has already shown it is capable of pulling off a surprise and will be hoping to do that in just its second-ever appearance at the European Championship. Spain is looking for a record fourth European Championship title. Italy is hoping for redemption again.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Pat Kelsey knew he had to hit the ground running in taking over Louisville's men's basketball program, and he hasn't stopped. The former coach at Charleston has built a Cardinals roster with 12 transfers, including three from his old program, and brought along many of …

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma slugged its way to a record fourth straight NCAA softball title, getting a go-ahead, bases-clearing double from Cydney Sanders and beating Texas 8-4 for a two-game sweep of the Women’s College World Series championship. The Sooners won their eighth title overall…

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State has added former Michigan assistant and Lansing native Saddi Washington to Tom Izzo’s coaching staff. The move was announced Thursday, two months after Mark Montgomery left the Spartans to lead Detroit Mercy. Izzo also promoted Jon Borovich and Austi…

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma slugged its way to a record fourth straight NCAA softball title, getting a go-ahead, bases-clearing double from Cydney Sanders and beating Texas 8-4 for a two-game sweep of the Women’s College World Series championship. The Sooners won their eighth title overall…

THROUGH JUNE 5

INCLUDES GAMES OF WEDNESDAY, JUNE 05, 2024

Minnesota United and Dallas meet in Western Conference action.

A game after shutting out Orlando City 1-0, the New York Red Bulls visit the New England Revolution.

Saint Louis City SC hosts the Portland Timbers in conference play.

Sporting Kansas City will try to break a seven-game slide when it hosts the Seattle Sounders.

The Connecticut Sun host the New York Liberty. Saturday's matchup is the first this season for the two squads. Connecticut is 5- at home, and New York is 4- on the road.

Washington aims to stop its 10-game skid when the Washington Mystics take on Indiana. Friday's meeting is the first this season for the teams. Washington is 0- at home, and Indiana is 1- on the road.

Chicago hosts the Atlanta Dream after Chennedy Carter scored 25 points in the Chicago Sky's 79-71 victory against the Washington Mystics. Saturday's meeting is the first of the season between the two teams. Chicago is 1- at home, and Atlanta is 2- on the road.

All Times EDT

All Times EDT

The Paris Olympics organizers have unveiled a display of the five Olympic rings mounted on the Eiffel Tower as the French capital marks 50 days until the start of the Summer Games. The structure of rings, made of recycled French steel, will be displayed on the south side of the 135-year-old landmark in central Paris, overlooking the Seine River. The hugely popular historic monument in central Paris has seen soaring visitor numbers in the lead-up to the Games in the French capital.