AP Thursday Sports Roundup

Curry leads Warriors to rout of Thunder

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — It took about two minutes for the NBA's two-time reigning MVP to ruin Oklahoma City's bid to take a two-games-to-none lead in the Western Conference finals.

Stephen went on a personal 15-2 run and the Golden State Warriors evened the series at a game apiece by hammering the Thunder 118-91 last night. The Thunder trailed just 64-57 midway through the third quarter before Curry scored 15 straight Warriors points during a two-minute span, including three 3-pointers. His final trey put Golden State ahead 79-59 with 5:11 left in the period.

Curry drained five of his eight 3-point attempts and was 9-for-15 overall while scoring 28 points, one of seven Warriors in double figures. Klay Thompson finished with 15 points, Andre Iguodala added 14 off the bench and Marreese Speights chipped 13 in a reserve role. Draymond Green contributed 10 points and team highs of eight rebounds and seven assists to the victory.

Kevin Durant had 29 points for the Thunder, who host Game 3 on Sunday following a three-day layoff for the two teams.

NBA-KNICKS-HORNACEK

Knicks want Hornacek

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks are zeroing in on a new head coach.

A person with knowledge of the details tells The Associated Press that the Knicks are very interested in former Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek. The person says that while the two are showing mutual interest, they have not begun negotiations on a contract. However, Bleacher Report first reported that the Knicks would hire Hornacek.

Hornacek went 101-112 in 2 ½ seasons with the Suns, including a 48-34 mark in his first year at the helm. He was let go midway through this season after winning just 14 of their first 49 games.

NHL PLAYOFFS-PENGUINS/LIGHTNING

Penguins go up 2-1

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins got off to a sluggish start before taking a two-games-to-one lead in the NHL's Eastern Conference finals.

Carl Hagelin and Phil Kessel each had a goal and an assist as the Pens downed the Lightning 4-2 in Tampa Bay. The game was scoreless until Hagelin scored with 10 seconds left in the second period following a giveaway by Jonathan Drouin in the Pittsburgh zone. Kessel and Tyler Johnson traded goals early in the third period before Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz beat Andrei Vasilevskiy 2:22 apart to put Pittsburgh ahead 4-1 with 6:48 remaining.

The Lightning buzzed the net early in the game before the Penguins took over. The Pens outshot Tampa Bay 38-16 over the final two periods, including a 21-6 margin in the second.

Matt Murray stopped 26 shots for the Penguins, who stay in Tampa for Game 4 on Friday.

NHL-GM OF YEAR

GM Award finalists announced

NEW YORK (AP) — Washington's Brian MacLellan, Pittsburgh's Jim Rutherford and Jim Nill of Dallas are the finalists for the NHL General Manager of the Year Award. The winner will be announced at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas on June 22.

NHL-CONCUSSIONS

Judge rules against NHL

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge in Minnesota has denied the NHL's latest attempt to throw out a class-action lawsuit by former players filed over head injuries.

The league had argued that the suit should be tossed because the issues raised by the former players were covered under the collective bargaining agreement with the players' union. U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson wrote in a 47-page opinion that the CBA does not pre-empt legal action, in part because the players are retired and are no longer subject to the agreement.

MLB-SCHEDULE

Cubs get relief in ending skid

UNDATED (AP) — The Chicago Cubs managed to earn another victory last night, thanks to a successful tight-rope performance by their bullpen.

Reliever Travis Wood pitched out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam in the 12th and walked with the bases filled in the 13th to lead the Cubs past the Brewers 2-1 in Milwaukee. Wood promptly allowed a leadoff double by Jonathan Villar leading off the bottom of the 13th before Neil Rodriguez uncorked a wild pitch and issued a walk to put runners on first and third with one out. Rodriguez fanned Chris Carter looking for the second out and retired Kirk Nieuwenhuis to end the game.

Cubs relievers combined to pitch seven shutout innings of two-hit ball after John Lackey left trailing 1-0. However, the Cubs were in danger of losing until Addison Russell hit an RBI grounder in the ninth to extend the game.

The Cubs ended a two-game skid and improved to a major league-best 28-10, good for a 7 ½-game lead over Pittsburgh in the National League Central.

Elsewhere in the majors:

— Daniel Murphy collected two RBIs against his former team and Anthony Rendon hit a tiebreaking, two-run single as Washington beat the Mets 7-1 in New York. Gio Gonzalez pitched into the seventh and the Nationals took advantage of 11 walks to end a three-game skid.

— Rookie Tyler Goeddel smacked his first major league home run and Cameron Rupp supplied the go-ahead, two-run single as the Phillies beat Miami 4-2. The Marlins led 2-0 in the third until Andres Blanco lined an RBI double and scored on Rupp's two-run hit.

— The Giants have a seven-game winning streak after Hunter Pence and Johnny Cueto led them to a 2-1 victory at San Diego. Cueto struck out eight in a four-hitter, but San Francisco trailed 1-0 until Pence hit a two-run blast in the fourth inning.

— Mike Trout was 3-for-4 with a solo homer and three runs scored as the Angels thumped the Dodgers 8-1. Rafael Ortega hit a two-run double and C.J. Cron had two RBIs in the Angels' fifth win in six games.

— Colorado's five-game winning streak ended as Adam Wainwright threw six-hit ball into the seventh inning of the Cardinals' 2-0 win over the Rockies in St. Louis. Matt Holliday hit a two-run double in the third inning, and Stephen Piscotty went 3-for-4 with a run scored.

— The Braves are 1-1 under interim manager Brian Snitker after Julio Teheran allowed five hits in 7 2/3 scoreless innings of a 3-1 verdict over the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Tyler Flowers was 3-for-4 with a solo homer as the Braves won for just the third time in their last 13 games.

— Jackie Bradley Jr. has a major league season-high 24-game hitting streak after going 3-for-7 in Boston's doubleheader split with Kansas City. Bradley went 2-for-3 with a solo homer in the nightcap as the Red Sox downed Kansas City 5-2. Mookie Betts also went deep and David Price allowed two runs over 7 1/3 innings to help the Bosox salvage the series final.

— In the opener at Kansas City, Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright went the distance on a five-hitter but suffered a 3-2 loss to the Royals. Eric Hosmer belted a two-run homer and Lorenzo Cain added a sacrifice fly for the Royals.

— Nathan Eovaldi combined with three relievers on a two-hitter and Brett Gardner slammed a two-run homer in the New York Yankees' 4-2 verdict over Arizona. Jacoby Ellsbury added to the win by going 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

— The White Sox made it six losses in seven games as Jose Altuve went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in Houston's 5-3 win at Chicago. Colby Rasmus and Jason Castro hit solo homers to back Doug Fister, who was reached for nine hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings.

— Justin Verlander recorded his 2,000th career strikeout and Ian Kinsler went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBIs as the Tigers earned their fourth straight win, 6-3 against Minnesota. Verlander gave up three runs and six hits with 10 Ks over 7 1/3 innings while joining Mickey Lolich as the only hurlers to amass 2,000 career strikeouts with Detroit.

— Khris Davis homered for the fourth time in two games as the Athletics rolled to their fourth straight win, whipping Texas 8-1. Danny Valencia and Marcus Semien drove in two runs apiece to back Rich Hill, who is 6-3 after giving up a run on three hits over six innings.

— Mark Trumbo and Matt Wieters hit back-to-back homers in the second inning before Wieters added an RBI double in the Orioles'’ 5-2 triumph over the Mariners in Baltimore. Chris Tillman held the Mariners to a pair of runs and four hits over 6 1/3 innings to help the Birds bounce back from Tuesday's 10-0 loss to the M's.

— Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-run homer and Tampa Bay capped a three-game sweep with a 6-3 win at Toronto. Logan Morrison and Desmond Jennings each hit solo shots for the Rays, who outscored the Blue Jays 31-7 in the series.

— Cleveland beat Cincinnati for the third straight night as Francisco Lindor led off the 12th inning with a homer to lift the Indians past the Reds 8-7. Rajai Davis homered twice for the Indians, including a game-tying, two-run blast in the ninth.

MLB-ROCKIES-REYES

Reyes heads to extended spring training

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Colorado Rockies are sending Jose Reyes to extended spring training while he serves a suspension without pay for violating Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy. However, there is no firm plan for when he is eligible to return June 1

Reyes' suspension stemmed from an alleged altercation with his wife at a Hawaii resort last October. He was originally placed on paid leave and was forced to miss the Rockies’entire preseason schedule and the start of the regular season.

The four-time All-Star's future with the Rockies is uncertain given the emergence of rookie shortstop Trevor Story.

MLB-RANGERS

A change in closer

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Shawn Tolleson's fourth blown save has cost him the closer's role in Texas. Tolleson has 11 saves this season, but he was demoted after surrendering a game-winning grand slam by Oakland's Khris Davis with two out in the bottom of the ninth on Tuesday.

The Rangers have absorbed a major league-high six walk-off losses, matching their total from last season.

Sam Dyson becomes the Rangers' new ninth-inning workhorse.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL-CONCUSSIONS

Tide of college football lawsuits starts

NEW YORK (AP) — As many as 50 class-action lawsuits contesting how the NCAA, major college football conferences or individual schools handled concussions will be filed in the coming months by former players seeking damages for lingering brain injuries and ailments.

The first batch of six lawsuits was filed Tuesday by Chicago-based attorney Jay Edelson. He said the next wave will likely be filed within the next two weeks.

PREAKNESS

Derby winner Nyquist in No. 3 slot

BALTIMORE (AP) — Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist has drawn the No. 3 gate in the Preakness and was installed as the 3-5 morning-line favorite. Nyquist started the Kentucky Derby from the 13th post and won the 20-horse race by 1 1/4 lengths.

Derby runner-up Exaggerator has the best Preakness odds behind Nyquist at 3-1 and will start from the fifth post position.

NASCAR-KAHNE

Kahne, crew chief punished

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR has fined the crew chief for driver Kasey Kahne following a failed post-race inspection.

Crew chief Keith Rodden was fined $25,000, Kahne was docked 15 points in the standings, and the No. 5 team lost 15 points in the owners' standings. The No. 5 Chevrolet did not meet specifications on NASCAR's laser platform post-race after Kahne finished fourth at Dover International Speedway last weekend.

FIFA-INVESTIGATION

Soccer fed chief pleads not guilty

NEW YORK (AP) — The former head of the Nicaraguan soccer federation has pleaded not guilty in Brooklyn federal court to racketeering charges, part of the sprawling bribery case involving FIFA.

Julio Rocha is the last of six men, including two FIFA vice presidents, to be extradited to the United States after their arrests in Zurich last May. Another was extradited to Uruguay.

Rocha was freed on $1.5 million bail after he agreed to submit to electronic monitoring and stay at a Florida residence until trial.