Maine Celtics win final home game and qualify for G League playoffs

basketball

The Maine Celtics took control with a 14-2 run midway through the second quarter and defeated the Westchester Knicks 122-118 in their final regular-season home game Thursday night at the Portland Expos. They qualified for the G League playoffs.

Drew Peterson had 23 points to lead six players in double figures for Maine (19-12). Brandon Slater and DJ Steward each had 21 points, while Jordan Walsh (19 points, 11 rebounds) and J.D. Davison (17 points, 12 assists) each recorded double-doubles.

Duane Washington Jr. paced Westchester (9-21) with 40 points.

Both losses to the Motor City and Cleveland ensured Maine will make the playoffs, but it means the Celtics cannot finish lower than sixth in the Eastern Conference. With three games left, they are tied for second place with Delaware and Indiana.

NBA: Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter will be sidelined for an extended period of time due to a dislocated left shoulder and torn labrum.

The team said it was evaluating treatment options and did not give a timetable on when Hürtel would be able to return.

Sacramento is currently in a tight race to avoid the Western Conference play-in tournament, vying for sixth place with a half-game lead over Dallas and Phoenix heading into Thursday's game.

hockey

ECHL: The Maine Mariners sent forward Austin Albrecht to the Tulsa Oilers before Thursday's ECHL trade deadline in exchange for future considerations.

Albrecht is in his second year with the Mariners and has six goals and 15 assists in 44 games this season.

soccer

Concaf Nations League: An own goal just before the end of regulation gave the Americans new life, and second-half substitute Haji Wright scored twice in overtime to lead them to a 3-1 victory over Jamaica in the semifinals in Arlington, Texas.

The Americans fell behind just 30 seconds into the game and posed little threat despite heavy possession until the final minute of second-half stoppage time, when a corner kick was headed in by a Jamaican defender.

Wright scored two goals in overtime to put the United States ahead. Both goals were scored by Giovanni Reyna, another substitute.

EURO 2024 Qualifying: Israel lost 4-1 to Iceland and was eliminated from the European Championship qualifying play-offs, but Ukraine scored two goals in the closing stages to defeat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-1.

Ukraine will play Iceland on Tuesday in Wrocław, Poland, with a spot at Euro 2024 in Germany on the line.

Poland defeated Estonia 5-1 and next faced Wales, who defeated Finland 4-1.

After Georgia defeated Luxembourg 2-0, Greece comfortably defeated Kazakhstan 5-0, scoring four goals in the first half. Georgia will host a game against Greece on Tuesday.

Brazil: Former soccer star Robinho has begun serving a nine-year prison sentence in his native Brazil, more than a decade after he was first accused of raping a woman in Italy.

golf

PGA: Kevin Streelman hit 10 consecutive one-putt greens for a 7-under 64 and a one-shot lead at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Kevin Roy, who lost his PGA Tour card last year and is playing on a sponsor exemption, had a round of 65 with eight birdies.

European tour: Gavin Green, Kiradek Afibanrat and Jordan Smith shot an eight-under 64 to share the first round lead at the Singapore Classic.

He was one stroke behind France's Hugo Cousard and two strokes behind Andrea Pabon, Grant Forrest, Richard Mansell and Freddie Schott.

football

NFL: A lawsuit alleging that the NFL's disability plan violated its obligations to retired players by routinely denying valid injury claims can proceed to trial in most cases, a federal judge in Maryland says. ruled.

The lawsuit, filed last year, accuses officials overseeing the program of bad faith and serious violations of federal law. U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin said the lawsuit could proceed against the board, but not against Commissioner Roger Goodell or the trustees individually because they have not been accused of wrongdoing. He said he could not.

Lawyers for 10 retired players who signed on to the potential class action lawsuit said the ruling was a “huge victory” for players who have been subjected to what they called “systemic injustice.”

• The Detroit Lions release Cameron Sutton as authorities continue to search for the defensive back to serve a domestic violence warrant in Florida.

The warrant against the seven-year professional player is for domestic assault by strangulation, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

tennis

Miami Open: Angelina Kalinina saved a match point in the second set and cruised to a 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory over former Top Rank player Caroline Wozniacki in the second round.

On the men's side, Canadian hard court specialist Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Adam Walton 7-5, 6-4.