SPORTS HEADLINES

‘We were attacking Harden’: Knicks, Brunson go after Cavs veteran to key their improbable comeback

NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden’s struggles to defend Jalen Brunson down the stretch stuck out as a big factor in the Cleveland Cavaliers blowing a 22-point fourth-quarter lead and losing Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in overtime. Brunson scored on several possessions in a row off the dribble with Harden guarding him. Coach Kenny Atkinson said he trusts Harden and never considered sitting the 11-time NBA All-Star on defense. Harden also struggled with the ball in his hands, shooting 5 of 16 overall and 1 of 3 from 3-point range and turning the ball over six times.

Jalen Brunson leads Knicks back from 22 down in the 4th for 115-104 win over Cavs in OT in Game 1

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson sparked one of the NBA’s greatest postseason comebacks, a rally from a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter, and he finished with 38 points as New York beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. After a record-setting run through the first two rounds, the Knicks were going nowhere for 40 minutes, trailing 93-71 with 7:52 to play. But Brunson relentlessly attacked James Harden to spark an 18-1 run that made it a ballgame, and he tied it at 101-all on a basket with 19 seconds remaining in regulation.

On Basketball: Game 1s in the NBA’s conference finals were beyond belief

If the NBA had screenwriters, not even they could come up with a start this good to the conference finals. Victor Wembanyama has 41 points and 24 rebounds. San Antonio goes into Oklahoma City and beats the defending champion Thunder. New York trails by 22 points with about eight minutes left in regulation, then beats Cleveland. Both games go to overtime, in a conference finals first. And the score at the end of regulation in both games was 101-101. The best player on the winning team took over in crunch time: Wembanyama for the Spurs and Jalen Brunson for the Knicks.

Former Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich gets an opportunity in NFL’s revamped accelerator program

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jeff Ulbrich hopes his brief tenure as interim head coach of the New York Jets doesn’t prevent him from leading his own team. Daronte Jones is making sure he’s ready for the opportunity for a promotion. Both defensive coordinators were among 34 participants in the NFL’s revamped coaching and front-office accelerator program that was held Monday and Tuesday. The league created the accelerator program in 2022 as an extension of the Rooney Rule to increase diversity among coaches and front office executives. It was paused last year and now includes nonminority participants. More than half of this year’s group were white men, including Ulbrich.

Shirtless fans the stars at MLB stadiums as ‘Tarps Off’ trend sweeps baseball world

Major League Baseball is experiencing an epidemic of (mostly) guys being dudes. At ballparks all across the country, groups of largely young men are joining in on the “Tarps Off” trend that’s loud, goofy, infectious and new to the baseball world. Joining in on the fun is simple: Go to the section where the party is happening, take off your shirt and start twirling it above your head. After getting its start in St. Louis last Friday, it has spread across the league to places like Detroit, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia and Anaheim.

Jason Kidd is out as coach of the Mavericks, 2 weeks after the hiring of team president Masai Ujiri

DALLAS (AP) — Jason Kidd is out as coach of the Dallas Mavericks after five seasons, and two weeks after the club hired former Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as team president and governor. The team says it is parting ways with Kidd, describing the move as a mutual decision. The Hall of Fame point guard led the franchise to its only championship as a player in 2011. When asked about the future of Kidd at his introduction on May 5, Ujiri was noncommittal, saying he would talk to Kidd while evaluating all aspects of the team.

World Cup host Boston has lobster rolls, American history and Fenway Park: Things to know

BOSTON (AP) — After more than 30 years, the World Cup is back in Boston. Or at least, it’s nearby. World Cup games will be hosted in the small town of Foxborough — about 30 miles south of “Beantown” — for the first time since 1994, when the now-demolished Foxboro Stadium hosted eventual runner-up Italy’s 2-1 win over Spain in the quarterfinals. Massachusetts was one of the original 13 colonies for what would become the United States. So, Boston is rich in American history. Top tourist spots include American Revolution-themed sites like the Boston Tea Party ships, as well as the Old North Church and Paul Revere’s house. Sports venues like Fenway Park and TD Garden are also popular.

FRENCH OPEN ’26: Coco Gauff has a new mindset for title defense and more confidence on her serve

Coco Gauff has a new approach for her second time around attempting to defend a Grand Slam title. The American’s strategy heading into the French Open that starts Sunday goes something like this: Don’t think about it as defending something. Gauff says “I realize that the ‘defending’ means nothing in a way” and adds “I don’t really look at it as defending anymore.” Gauff’s first Grand Slam title defense at the U.S. Open two years ago ended in the fourth round with 19 double faults. She says “at the U.S. Open I was like, ‘I need to defend, defend.’” And she adds “that’s why I just say now it’s just another tournament.”

British PM Starmer congratulates Arsenal as title celebrations go deep into the night

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken time out from dealing with his own sticky political situation to congratulate his favorite soccer team Arsenal on winning the Premier League. Starmer posted on X soon after the title was clinched: “22 long years for the Arsenal. But finally, we’re back where we belong. Champions!” Starmer is a lifelong Arsenal fan. The victory was rare good news at a time when he is clinging to power after woeful results for his Labour Party in local and regional elections on May 7. The new champions celebrated into the night, with midfielder Eberechi Eze posting pictures on his Instagram account up to 5 a.m. local time.

The goal for road teams in the NBA playoffs is to enjoy the quiet. In some arenas, it’s hard to find

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — San Antonio Spurs coach Mitch Johnson sounds like he’s been yelling a lot. He has been. And he will again on Wednesday when the Spurs play Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Paycom Center, home of the Thunder, is known for its deafening noise levels, often reaching around 110 decibels. This makes communication challenging for visiting teams. Thunder fans are known for their enthusiasm and energy, creating a raucous environment. Spurs forward Julian Champagnie noted the difficulty of hearing himself on defense. It’s part of the road challenge of the playoffs.