Nadal's bad back offers off-court drama at French

The closest thing to intrigue or drama involving Rafael Nadal on Saturday came after his 31st consecutive French Open victory concluded.

That's when the eight-time champion revealed that a painful back is slowing his serves - and, all in all, giving him more trouble than his opponents so far.

For now, leave the on-court theatrics to others. Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, for example, was clutching at aching hamstrings while being taken to 7-all in the fifth set by No. 28 Philipp Kohlschreiber before their third-round match was suspended for fading light. No. 23 Gael Monfils acknowledged tanking a set en route to a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 victory over No. 14 Fabio Fognini, who was docked a point for chucking his racket near a ball boy.

''They make a good show for the crowd,'' Nadal said. ''Long match. Crowd involved. Good for tennis.''

Well, aside from the fact that Monfils and Fognini combined for more than twice as many unforced errors, 137, as winners, 66.

Nadal's play was much, much cleaner: During the entire course of his 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 win against 65th-ranked Leonardo Mayer of Argentina, the No. 1-seeded Spaniard made 10 unforced errors - two in the first set, three in the second, five in the third.

He's dropped a total of 19 games through three matches.

More worrisome would be his back, which also acted up in January during a loss to Stan Wawrinka in the Australian Open final.

''During my career, I had (a) few problems. ... Hopefully will not be (the) case'' the rest of the way in Paris, Nadal said.

Against Mayer, Nadal averaged only 102 mph (165 kph) on first serves, with a top speed of 114 mph (184 kph).

That was down from an average of 111 mph (179 kph) and top of 122 mph (197 kph) in the first round last Monday.

Through two matches, Nadal faced five break points and lost serve twice. He dealt with eight break points Saturday, losing two.

The last time Nadal won 31 matches in a row in Paris, he failed to get No. 32, losing in the fourth round in 2009 to Robin Soderling - a defeat that later was blamed, in part, on injured knees. That remains the Spaniard's lone setback in 63 matches at the tournament.

Next for Nadal is 83rd-ranked Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, who beat Jack Sock of the United States 6-4, 7-5, 6-3. Another American, Donald Young, lost in five sets to Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain, leaving No. 10 John Isner as the last U.S. man.

Before this French Open, Lajovic had a 10-21 career record in tour-level matches, never winning two in a row.

''I saw him play a few times on TV. Sure, it's great to have new players on tour, young players on the tour that are coming strong. Hopefully not too strong,'' Nadal said with a smile. ''We'll see on Monday. I hope to be ready.''

Asked whether he would seek advice from another Serbian, No. 2 Novak Djokovic, before facing Nadal, Lajovic joked: ''Yeah, I will try to ask everybody (for) some tips.''

That won't help if Nadal produces shots of the sort he did when Mayer served at 5-all in the second set - a stretching, scooping backhand lob to break.

As Mayer watched the shot sail overhead, he waved his left hand to signal to the ball to go out, then rolled his eyes when it curled in. Nadal pumped his fist, ahead 6-5 and on his way to reaching the fourth round for the 10th time in 10 French Opens.

Monfils will take on Garcia-Lopez for a quarterfinal berth. Whoever emerges from Murray-Kohlschreiber meets the winner of another suspended match scheduled to resume Sunday: No. 24 Fernando Verdasco led No. 12 Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-2, 2-2.

Women's fourth-round matchups set up Saturday were No. 4 Simona Halep against No. 15 Sloane Stephens, 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova against Lucie Safavora, 2012 runner-up Sara Errani against Jelena Jankovic, and Andrea Petkovic against 148th-ranked qualifier Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands.

As the sun came out and the temperature topped 70 degrees (20 Celsius) after several days of overcast skies and occasional rain, Stephens eliminated No. 22 Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 6-3, 6-4, while Halep beat 55th-ranked Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor of Spain 6-3, 6-0.

Halep is the highest seeded woman left, following losses by No. 1 Serena Williams, No. 2 Li Na and No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska.

Said Halep: ''That's a surprise for everyone.''

Kyle Busch 2 for 2 at Dover with Nationwide win

Kyle Busch heard the critics who said he was too good, too dominant, too loaded with the best equipment to keep dropping down levels and routinely romping his way toward victories.

His response from Victory Lane, too bad.

Busch raced to his second victory of the weekend at Dover, taking the checkered flag Saturday in the Nationwide Series race to set himself up for a tripleheader sweep.

''I do it for the pure love of the sport and just wanting to be out there,'' Busch said. ''I'll keep doing it as long as we can do it.''

Busch followed his dominant win Friday night in the Truck Series with another stellar run in Nationwide. He led 124 of 200 laps for his 66th career victory in NASCAR's second-tier series. He has 134 wins spread over NASCAR's three major series, though he has yet to win a Cup championship or marquee races such as the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Coca-Cola 600 or All-Star race.

''I've got a 134 of 'em now and none of them mean nothing,'' Busch said. ''Hopefully, someday, the big ones come.''

Busch had a three-race sweep in 2010 at Bristol, which he called the highlight of his career. He'll start second behind pole-winner Brad Keselowski on Sunday in the 400-mile Sprint Cup race. He has one Cup victory this season.

''We unloaded fast and I think we'll be OK tomorrow,'' Busch said.

Former Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne was second. Bayne finished strong a week after he reached a deal to race fulltime next season for Roush Fenway Racing. Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth and Chase Elliott round out the top five. Series points leader Regan Smith was 10th.

Logano, the pole winner, had won the last four Nationwide races at Dover and would have tied a Nationwide record for consecutive wins at the same track with a victory.

''All good things must come to an end and we'll give it another shot in the fall,'' Logano said. ''Maybe a couple of years later we'll be sitting here going for five again.''

This race belonged to Busch. The only driver to sweep a weekend, Busch has been in this position before, but is just 1 for 8 in Cup races after winning the first two.

''It seems like the last one is always the hardest one,'' he said. ''That's due to just the competition.''

Busch was annoyed after rough practice and qualifying sessions left him feeling as if he didn't have the car to win. Once the green flag dropped, Busch was behind the wheel a No. 54 Toyota he called ''awesome.''

''I didn't think it was, but it was,'' he said. ''I never got the feel I was looking for during practice.''

Busch, who won for the third time this season, found it when it mattered on the mile concrete track.

His brother, Kurt, failed last weekend in his attempt to complete The Double - drive all 1,100 miles of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Kyle Busch hoped he could complete his Triple, though the Cup race is the traditional roadblock in his date with racing history.

Busch also was the first driver to win the Truck and Nationwide race at Dover on the same weekend.

Busch and Brad Keselowski own Truck teams, and NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. owns a Nationwide team.

And with sponsorship key to funding those operations, corporations often agree to sponsorship deals with the guarantee that the driver/owners will get behind the wheel in a handful of races or more.

Tracks, television rights holders and NASCAR also all benefit from the draw of racing's top drivers.

''I know there's a lot of naysayers that say I don't belong or shouldn't be there,'' he said. ''Until the rules change ... I'll keep running.''

Proposed $40 million settlement set for players

A $40 million settlement has been completed that will pay college football and basketball players dating to 2003 for the use of their likenesses in NCAA-branded videogames.

The payouts could go to more than 100,000 athletes, including some current players, who were either on college rosters or had their images used in videogames made by Electronic Arts featuring college teams. Lawyers for the plaintiffs say it would be the first time college athletes will be paid for the commercial use of their images.

Depending on how many athletes apply for the settlement, the payments could range from as little as $48 for each year an athlete was on a roster to $951 for each year the image of an athlete was used in a videogame.

''We're incredibly pleased with the results of this settlement and the opportunity to right a huge wrong enacted by the NCAA and EA against these players and their rights of publicity,'' said Steve Berman, one of the lead attorneys in the case. ''We've fought against intense legal hurdles since filing this case in 2009 and to see this case come to fruition is a certain victory.''

The settlement is with Electronic Arts and Collegiate Licensing Co., which licenses and markets college sports, and does not include the NCAA. The case against the NCAA is scheduled for trial early next year.

Plaintiffs in the case, which dates to 2009, contend the NCAA conspired with Electronic Arts and Collegiate Licensing Co. to illegally use their images in videogames.

U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken still must approve the proposed settlement, which comes on the eve of a major antitrust trial against the NCAA that could reshape the way college sports operate. That case, featuring former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon and others as lead plaintiffs, goes to trial June 9 in Oakland, California.

According to documents filed with the court late Friday, attorneys for O'Bannon and 20 other plaintiffs say they have already run up legal fees exceeding $30 million and expenses of more than $4 million in pressing their case. They are seeking an injunction that would stop the NCAA from enforcing rules that prohibit athletes from profiting from their play in college.

O'Bannon, who led UCLA to a national title in 1995, is also part of the group settling with EA Sports and Collegiate Licensing Co. Also covered by the settlement are suits brought by former Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller, former West Virginia football player Shawne Alston and former Rutgers player Ryan Hart.

According to the filing, a pool of money will be available to players after attorneys take 33 percent of the proposed settlement and up to $2.5 million in expenses. Named plaintiffs like O'Bannon and Keller will receive $15,000, while others who joined the suit later would get $2,500 or $5,000.

The majority of the money, however, will go to athletes who file for claims, a group that attorneys say could contain between 140,000 and 200,000 players who were on football and basketball rosters from 2003 on. The final payouts will depend on how many of those athletes file claims in the class-action case.

EA Sports announced last year it would stop making the long-running NCAA football videogame series because of the litigation and other issues in securing licensing rights.

Oscar Taveras homers in MLB debut, receives curtain call from Cardinals fans

It didn't take Oscar Taveras long at all to announce his arrival in Major League Baseball. The St. Louis Cardinals top prospect officially got the call up on Saturday morning, and in his second career plate appearance on Saturday afternoon, he launched his first career home run off San Francisco Giants right-hander Yusmeiro Petit.

The solo shot broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning and was an absolute no-doubter to right field at Busch Stadium. The 21-year-old phenom, who many say is the Cardinals best hitting prospect since Albert Pujols, connected with one of the prettiest swings you'll see from a player at any level. And he definitely enjoyed it, too, holding on to the bat for a couple steps before releasing and going into a home run trot that will likely become very familiar in St. Louis.

Really, the entire sequence was picture perfect and almost felt like a scene straight out of "The Natural." Just prior to Taveras stepping up to the plate, the skies opened up and the rain began to fall, sending many fans scampering for cover. It didn't serve as a deterrent for Taveras though. Instead, it provided a cool backdrop as he rounded the bases.

Then, as he entered the Cardinals home dugout, his new teammates stood together in a perfect single file line to greet him. Sometimes you'll see the rookie get the silent treatment. Other times teammates all gather at the steps waiting to smack him on the helmet. The Cardinals set up was a little different, and it almost seemed like a collective sign of respect for what Taveras had just accomplished.

Of course, Cardinals fans also appreciated the accomplishment. They remained standing in the rain and wouldn't sit down until Taveras emerged from the dugout for a curtain call.

Taveras obliged, and just a couple minutes later, the game actually went into a rain delay.

The game has since resumed, so Taveras' first hit and home run won't serve as a pseudo walk-off home run. The chance to add to his already special day does exist though, and we'll certainly keep you updated as to how the rest of his afternoon plays out.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - MAY 31ST

1859 - Philadelphia A's organize to play "town ball" became baseball 20 years later.

1914 - Chicago White Sox Joe Benz no-hits Cleveland Indians, 6-1.

1935 - Babe Ruth grounds out in his final at bat.
1937 - Brooklyn Dodgers snap NY Giant Carl Hubbell's 24-game winning streak.

1943 - Joe Namath, PA, NFL QB (NY Jets), $400,000 man (1969 Superbowl) is born.

1950 - Indianapolis 500: Due to rain, race shortened to 345 miles, Johnny Parson wins.

1955 - "Wild Bill" Vukovich, killed in Indy 500.

1983 - Jack Dempsey, former Heavyweight boxing champ/actor, dies at 86.

Phil Jackson asks Carmelo to delay free agency

Phil Jackson lost out on his preferred coach, but he's working hard on keeping his star player.

The New York Knicks president said Friday he has talked to Carmelo Anthony about postponing free agency, and the All-Star forward responded that he'll think about it.

''I told him it might be a good idea to hang in here and see what it's like for a year, and go out the next year,'' Jackson said.

Anthony can opt out of the final year of his contract, which would pay him $23.3 million, and has repeatedly said that was his plan. But Jackson said there are financial benefits to Anthony waiting, for both sides, and told him that during a dinner about a month ago.

''He opened the door and I stuck my foot in it and said this is what we can do,'' Jackson said to the team's beat writers.

Jackson also told Anthony that Steve Kerr would be coming in to coach, a plan that didn't work out.

Kerr was his first and only known candidate to replace Mike Woodson, and Jackson said Kerr had essentially committed to leave the TNT broadcast booth to take the job. But then the Golden State job opened up when the Warriors fired Mark Jackson, and Kerr preferred that one to remain close to his family in California.

''Unfortunately for him, he committed to me the day before the job opened with Golden State. So I had to kind of release him to actually go to this job and say you have to do what's right for yourself,'' Jackson said. ''I understood entirely the process he was going through to have that job open up. That was something he kind of thought would be a good fit for him. So that's good, we're happy for him.''

Jackson said he's been doing some interviews, though wouldn't name those candidates. He's interested in talking to Derek Fisher, who played for him in Los Angeles, after Oklahoma City's season is finished, but ruled out Brian Shaw, his former player and assistant who just completed his first season as Denver's first coach. The Nuggets have said they are happy with Shaw - and Jackson doesn't want to give them any compensation even if they would consider letting him leave.

''Brian is under contract with Denver,'' Jackson said. ''Denver has everything that we owned for the last few years, so there's nothing else I want to give them.''

He was referring to the exorbitant price the Knicks paid to acquire Anthony from the Nuggets in 2011. It is still costing them even now, as Denver owns the Knicks' first-round pick next month in Jackson's first draft in charge.

The deal would hurt even more if Anthony left this summer. But perhaps Jackson, who is a little more than two months into his job, won't have to worry about it after giving Anthony something to think about that he previously wasn't considering.

''I'm not losing sleep over it, but I'm definitely concerned about the idea of a guy going into free agency,'' Jackson said. ''It only takes one bidder out there that has the ability and can ruin your hopes and your chances.

''We will survive it. That's what I've said and we'll go forward. But this is a guy we recognize his talent and his skill is the kind of skill and talent that gets you through playoff games where things get sticky, grind out and basketball becomes a force game and suddenly you need to have a player who has the capabilities of scoring with someone hanging on them in a situation that's critical.

''He's one of those players, one of the few players who can do that.''

NFL suspends Cardinals' Washington for 1 year

The NFL has suspended Arizona Cardinals standout inside linebacker Daryl Washington for one year for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

The punishment, announced Friday, was for substance abuse and did not mention his recent guilty plea to assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

Washington, in a statement released by his agent, said the penalty was for marijuana, and that he takes responsibility for the violation. He said he ''is committed to making changes'' in his life that will allow him to return to the NFL.

Considered among the best in the NFL at his position, Washington was suspended the first four games of last season for violating the substance abuse policy.

''It is completely unacceptable that Daryl has once again put us in this position,'' Cardinals general manager Steve Keim said in a statement released by the team. ''We all know what the consequences are and will deal with them.''

Washington, the team leader in tackles in 2011 and 2012, will lose $2.9 million in salary due to the suspension.

In March, Arizona exercised a $10 million option to keep him on the roster. Washington received $5 million then and the deals calls for him to get the other $5 million next March.

Washington said the NFL ''policy is very strict, and I have chosen to take responsibility.''

''I will work extremely hard to stay in top football shape,'' he said, ''and will work equally hard to ensure that my life off the field meets the high level of maturity and responsibility to which I am committed.''

With the loss of inside linebacker Karlos Dansby to free agency, the Cardinals find themselves without the dynamic combination that was a big part of their strong defense last season.

Second-year player Kevin Minter is slotted to take Dansby's place. Just what the team will do to try to replace Washington is unclear.

''Our approach is the same as it's always been: next man up,'' Keim said. ''We talk a lot about how critical depth is to a team because situations always arise whether by injury or other circumstances such as this one.

''One player's absence is another's opportunity. That approach has served us well in the past and we will rely on it now.''

After leading the team with 111 tackles in his second NFL season, Washington signed a six-year contract, adding four years and $32 million to his existing deal.

In 2012, he led the team with career highs of 140 tackles and nine sacks and made the Pro Bowl. But in April of last year, the NFL suspended him four games for violating the substance abuse policy. A month later, he was arrested on accusations of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, the mother of the couple's child.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault earlier this year.

A suspension for the criminal conviction had been expected. The penalty for substance abuse came as a surprise to some, but apparently not to Washington's teammates.

''Old news to us, new news to y'all,'' defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said in a tweet.

Keim said ''our hope is that this suspension will give Daryl the opportunity to accept the necessary help and guidance to get his life back on track,'' Keim said, ''and we will certainly support him however we can.''

When OTAs resumed this week, coach Bruce Arians said he hoped the team could pick up another outside linebacker.

The Cardinals signed veteran Larry Foote in the offseason, and outside linebacker Lorenzo Washington also can play inside.

Minter, a second-round draft pick, played almost entirely on special teams as a rookie.

Another player Arizona has at inside linebacker is Kenny Demens, an undrafted rookie free agent a year ago who spent last season on the Cardinals' practice squad.

''I sincerely apologize for the effect of my actions on my teammates, coaches and other colleagues at the Cardinals,'' Washington said. ''I also apologize to Cardinals fans for the time I will miss. I will work diligently during this suspension to return as a better man and football player.''

Giants cut QB Josh Freeman

Josh Freeman's career keeps spiraling.

The New York Giants released the quarterback Freeman on Friday, five weeks after signing him.

Freeman's stock has plummeted since the beginning of last season, when he was Tampa Bay's starting quarterback. He was benched and then cut by the Buccaneers, signed with Minnesota and started one game. That was in a lopsided loss to the Giants when he appeared unprepared for the assignment, going 20 of 53 for 190 yards with an interception.

New York signed him as its 15th veteran free agent in the offseason, adding Freeman to the roster in part because starting quarterback Eli Manning and backup Curtis Painter had undergone surgery.

But Manning was back at practice this week, Painter is expected back before training camp, and second-year QB Ryan Nassib will get a long look for the second-string job behind Manning.

So Freeman was expendable, and his work in recent organized team activities was not impressive enough for the Giants to keep him.

Freeman's quarterbacks coach in Minnesota was Craig Johnson, now the Giants' running backs coach.

Freeman went 0-3 as a starter in 2013 with the Buccaneers before being cut on Oct. 3. He signed with the Vikings five days later, but other than his start against the Giants, he was a nonfactor in Minnesota.

He was the Buccaneers' first-round draft pick in 2009 out of Kansas State. He became a starter in November of that year and started 60 games for Tampa Bay.

The Giants also were awarded offensive lineman Rogers Gaines off waivers from the Bears.

Gaines, 6-foot-6 and 334 pounds, entered the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in May 2013. He played in all four preseason games for Baltimore last summer but was waived on Aug. 30. Gaines signed on with Chicago's practice squad on Sept. 24 and spent the rest of the season there.

Lawyer: Donald Sterling to sue NBA for $1 billion

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling plans to file a $1 billion lawsuit against the NBA, his lawyer confirmed to Yahoo Sports on Friday afternoon.

Sterling's decision comes one day after his wife Shelly Sterling reached agreement to sell the franchise for $2 billion to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Donald Sterling is "looking … separately" at possible legal action to stop the team's sale to Ballmer, Donald Sterling's attorney, Max Blecher, told Yahoo Sports.

The purpose of the $1 billion lawsuit against the NBA, Blecher said, is to seek damages for Sterling's lifetime ban and termination of ownership.

The NBA remains confident it has the legal grounds to stave off any lawsuits from Donald Sterling and install Ballmer as owner of the Clippers, league sources said.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned Donald Sterling from the league for life, fined him $2.5 million and is seeking termination of Sterling's ownership of the Clippers after TMZ published an audio recording of Sterling telling his girlfriend he didn't want her bringing African-Americans to Clippers games. The league is proceeding with plans to hold a Tuesday hearing where the other 29 franchise owners will vote on whether to oust Sterling.

Shelly Sterling's attorneys produced a document signed by Donald Sterling on May 22 in which he agreed to allow Shelly to negotiate the sale of the franchise. Working to get a deal done ahead of Tuesday's hearing, Shelly Sterling selected Ballmer's $2 billion bid over reported bids of $1.6 billion by David Geffen and members of the Guggenheim Group, which own the Los Angeles Dodgers; and $1.2 billion by a group that included former NBA player Grant Hill and Los Angeles investors Tony Ressler and Bruce Karsh.

Blecher and Donald Sterling's other attorneys have said he has since changed his mind and did not want to sell the team.

Shelly Sterling and Ballmer signed the agreement of sale late Thursday. The Sterlings co-own the Clippers through a family trust, and Blecher disputed reports Friday that alleged Donald Sterling is "mentally incapacitated" and unable to make decisions on whether to sell the franchise.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - MAY 30TH

1894 - Bobby Lowe is first to hit 4 HRs in one baseball game.

1911 - First Indianapolis 500 car race, Ray Harroun wins at 74.59 MPH (120 KPH).

1922 - Cubs swap Max Flack for Cards Cliff Heathcote during middle

of doubleheader. Both play for both teams that day.

1927 - Walter Johnson records 113th & last shutout of his career.

1931 - Phillies Chuck Klein homers off Ben Cantwell (Braves) in both ends DH.

1935 - Babe Ruth's final game, goes hitless for Braves against Phillies.

1937 - 61,756, 2nd-largest crowd in Polo Grounds history, sees Dodgers

ends Carl Hubbell's consecutive-game winning streak at 24.
1938 - Yanks sweep Red Sox 10-0 & 5-4 in front of 83,533 at Yankee Stadium.

1939 - Floyd Roberts, Auto racer, killed during 1939 Indianapolis 500 (b. 1904).

1943 - Gale Sayers, NFL running back (Chicago Bears) is born.

1946 - Braves Bernard Malamud HR shatters Bulova clock in Ebbets Field.

1948 - Schenectady Blue Jays Tom Lasorda strikes out 25 in 15-inning game.

1949 - P.J. Carlesimo, American basketball coach is born.

1952 - Charlie Grimm succeeds Tommy Holmes as manager of Boston Braves.

1953 - First major league network baseball game-Cleveland 7, Chicago 2.

1955 - Jake "The Snake" Roberts, American wrestler is born.

1967 - Yankee Whitey Ford, nearing 41, announces his retirement from baseball.

1970 - Baseball All-Star voting is returned to fans.

1971 - Willie Mays hits his 638th HR, sets NL record of 1,950 runs scored.

1972 - Manny Ramirez, Santo Domingo Dom Rep, outfielder (Boston Red Sox)

& new player/coach for the Chicago Cubs AAA Iowa Cubs is born.

1981 - LA Dodgers are quickest to get 1,000,000 attendence (22 games).
1982 - Closest Indy 500, Gordon Johncock beats Rick Mears by 0.16 seconds.

1992 - NY Yankee Scott Sanderson becomes 9th to beat all 26 teams.

1997 - Ken Dryden becomes president of NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs.

Rookie Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Packers agree to terms

Rookie Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and the Green Bay Packers have agreed on a four-year deal, with a team option for a fifth season, that will pay about $8.34 million, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Clinton-Dix was the 21st overall pick of the NFL draft and the second safety taken overall behind Louisville's Calvin Pryor, who was picked 18th by the New York Jets.

In his sophomore and junior seasons at Alabama, Clinton-Dix made seven interceptions, five of them coming in the 2012 national title season which led the Crimson Tide.

AP Source: Former Microsoft CEO wins Clippers bid

Shelly Sterling reached an agreement Thursday night to sell the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion, according to an individual with knowledge of the negotiations.

The individual, who wasn't authorized to speak publicly, told The Associated Press that Ballmer and the Sterling Family Trust now have a binding agreement. The deal now must be presented to the NBA.

Shelly Sterling negotiated the sale after her husband, Donald Sterling, made racist remarks that were made public. Donald Sterling must also approve the final agreement as a 50 percent owner.

Ballmer beat out bids by Guggenheim Partners and a group including former NBA All-Star Grant Hill.

It's unclear if the deal will go through. The individual said that though Donald Sterling was not involved in the negotiations, ''at the end of the day, he has to sign off on the final process. They're not going to sell his 50 percent without him agreeing to it.''

Donald Sterling's attorney says that won't happen. ''Sterling is not selling the team,'' said his attorney, Bobby Samini. ''That's his position. He's not going to sell.''

That's despite a May 22 letter obtained by The Associated Press and written by another one of Sterling's attorneys that says that ''Donald T. Sterling authorizes Rochelle Sterling to negotiate with the National Basketball Association regarding all issues in connection with a sale of the Los Angeles Clippers team.'' It includes the line ''read and approved'' and Donald Sterling's signature.

Samini said Sterling has had a change of heart primarily because of ''the conduct of the NBA.'' He said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's decision to ban Sterling for life and fine him $2.5 million as well as try to oust him as an owner was him acting as ''judge, jury and executioner.''

''They're telling me he should stand back and let them take his team because his opinion on that particular day was not good, was not popular?'' Samini said. ''That his team should be stripped from him? It doesn't make sense. He's going to fight.''

The person with knowledge of the deal said that any buyer would have to ensure the team remains in Los Angeles and be someone Shelly Sterling could work with if she decides to retain a small stake. An attorney representing Shelly Sterling declined to comment.

Franchise sale prices have soared since the current collective bargaining agreement was ratified in 2011. The Milwaukee Bucks were just sold to New York investment firm executives Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens for about $550 million, an NBA record.

Last year, Vivek Ranadive's group acquired a 65 percent controlling interest in the Sacramento Kings at a total franchise valuation of more than $534 million, topping the previous record of $450 million that Joe Lacob and Peter Guber paid for the Golden State Warriors in 2010.

The bid for the Clippers, purchased by Sterling in 1981 for a little more than $12 million, blew right past those.

Stephen Curry speaks out on Warriors' coaching change

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry received the NBA's yearlong community assist award, spoke passionately about his charitable works, then dished out another assist to his former coach.

In his first extended public comments since Mark Jackson was fired, Curry said Thursday that he voiced his support for the coach but the team ''made a decision otherwise.'' He also said the ''semi-quick hire'' of Steve Kerr was ''kind of a shock'' to most of his teammates.

''There's no sugarcoating it - it was a weird, expedited situation that we didn't see coming,'' Curry said. ''And guys are human. You have to be able to adjust to it and have some time to respond. That's kind of what happened. I think we'll be fine once we have a clear picture of what's going on next year.''

Curry had been the strongest supporter of Jackson before the Warriors dismissed the coach May 6 after a 51-win season and back-to-back playoff appearances. Golden State agreed to a five-year, $25 million deal with Kerr on May 14 and introduced him at a news conference in Oakland on May 20.

Even with owner Joe Lacob and general manager Bob Myers going against Curry's request, the All-Star point guard insists he still believes in the franchise's commitment to winning.

''One thing I can say about this organization, they want to win,'' Curry said. ''Each decision is geared toward winning. That's something that flies well with a lot of players - that they're going to try to put us in the best position to win. Obviously, I had a certain opinion of Coach Jackson that they made a decision otherwise, and I heard the reasons, but I won't dwell on it.

''As long as we're focused on winning and taking advantage of the roster we have and the opportunity we have with this window to try to continue to get better, I'm just looking forward to next year and getting back to making that happen,'' Curry said. ''I haven't lost faith in that at all. As much as I supported Coach Jackson and loved everything about playing for him, I think they're about winning.''

Curry said he has spoken to Kerr three or four times by phone already. He said the conversations have been more informal than any basketball strategy, and he's looking forward to in-person meetings after Kerr finishes his job as a broadcast analyst for TNT in the Western Conference finals.

Curry said his support of Jackson stems from their bond off the court and his memories of the organization before the coach arrived: a lot of losses - and two ankle surgeries - under Don Nelson and Keith Smart.

''He was a sign of stability for me,'' Curry said. ''I had three coaches in three years, and he embodies what I know is good around here with the Warriors - winning and that kind of feel. It was a lot different in my first few years.''

But Curry said he will adjust, learn Kerr's style and play just as hard for him as he did for Jackson. And he has no doubt his teammates will, too.

''At the end of the day, all of the guys in the locker room are trying to win,'' Curry said. ''I know Steve Kerr has that mentality and that mission as well. Those two things will align, and we'll be fine.''

Earlier, Curry was awarded the NBA's 2013-14 Kia Community Assist Seasonlong Award in front of a crowd on Golden State's practice floor that included many of the individuals and groups he impacted.

Curry's charity of choice, ThanksUSA, will receive $25,000 from the NBA and Kia Motors. ThanksUSA provides college, technical and vocational school scholarships for children and spouses of active-duty military personnel. Curry has served as a spokesman for the charity since 2010.

Curry's other charitable works included distributing 38,000 bed nets in Tanzania last summer with the ''Nothing But Nets'' campaign. He also helped raise money for the fight against malaria in Africa by donating three bed nets for every 3-pointer he made.

Curry called the award a ''huge honor'' and a team effort. He thanked his family, agents, members of the Warriors, the NBA, and several organizations for partnering with him.

Seattle, WR Doug Baldwin agree to extension

After the Super Bowl celebration wrapped up, Seattle general manager John Schneider laid out his contract plans to Doug Baldwin.

First on the agenda was getting an extension done with All-Pro safety Earl Thomas. Next was figuring out a deal with All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman.

And lastly was getting Baldwin locked up.

''It was kind of surprising at the end when he said it,'' Baldwin said. ''I didn't believe him, to be honest with you. But here it is and it actually happened the way he said it would happen.''

The former undrafted wide receiver out of Stanford got his reward on Thursday when he signed an extension that will keep him with the Seahawks through the 2016 season. Baldwin will play the 2014 season under the second-round tender he received as a restricted free agent then will receive two additional years.

The deal, first reported by ESPN.com, is expected to be worth up to $13 million over the three seasons. The second-round tender for 2014 is worth $2.18 million.

''It all comes back down to what you value. In this game, your value is determined on the amount of money that they give you, but necessarily for me, the value that I wanted to get out of it, that varied,'' Baldwin said. ''It wasn't necessarily just the money. It was the fact that I was able to stay here with an organization that I love, and teammates that I love.''

Much like Sherman, his teammate going back to college and close friend, Baldwin got his moment in the limelight, posing for pictures holding his jersey and thanking everyone who has helped along the way.

Baldwin said he didn't want the attention of a formal news conference. But he did have a bottle of apple cider ready to pop in celebration.

''To me this is just part of the process,'' Baldwin said. ''This is not the end goal.''

Baldwin has proven to be invaluable for the Seahawks throughout his brief career. He was Seattle's leading receiver as a rookie and after being slowed by injuries in 2012, bounced back with a standout season during the Seahawks' title run.

Baldwin had 50 catches in the regular season and five touchdowns in 2013 and was especially reliable on third downs.

In the playoffs, Baldwin again came up big at key moments. He had a 24-yard, third-down reception in the NFC divisional playoff game that came one play before Marshawn Lynch's clinching 31-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of the 23-15 victory over New Orleans.

In the NFC championship game against San Francisco, Baldwin had one of the best games in his career. He finished with six receptions for 106 yards and had an important 69-yard kickoff return in the third quarter that helped swing momentum.

Baldwin added another five catches for 66 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl blowout of Denver.

It's been a rapid rise for Baldwin, who went undrafted coming out of Stanford in 2011 and has used that slight as motivation throughout his career. Whether it was the talent of the Seahawks wide receiver corps being questioned or questions about whether he could be more than a receiver playing in the slot, Baldwin has not struggled to find motivation.

He could be moving into an expanded role in Seattle's offense in 2014. With the departure of Golden Tate in free agency, the Seahawks need to find a replacement to play outside. While most of Baldwin's success has come as a slot receiver, he has played on the outside and was in that role earlier this week during the Seahawks' first organized team activity.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll took it one step further on Thursday by saying that Baldwin would be his starting split end.

''He'll be all over the field,'' Carroll said. ''You'll have a hard time tracking him down because he's capable of playing all the positions and all of the spots.''

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - MAY 29TH

1911 - First running of Indianapolis 500.

1922 - US Supreme Court rules organized baseball is a sport &

not a business & thus not subject to antitrust laws.

1939 - Al Unser, auto racer (Indianapolis 500-1970, 71) is born.
1957 - NYC Mayor Robert Wagner says he plans to confer with the

Giants & Dodgers about the proposed move to the west coast.
1965 - Phillies Dick Allen hits 529' HR out of Connie Mack Stadium.

1977 - Indianapolis 500: A J Foyt wins for a record 4th time.

1977 - Sue Press is 1st woman golfer to hit consecutive holes-in one.

1980 - Larry Bird beats out Magic Johnson for NBA rookie of year.

1984 - Boston Red Sox retires #9 (Ted Williams) & #4 (Joe Cronin).

1984 - Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks basketball player is born.
1985 - Amputee Steve Fonyo completes cross-Canada marathon

at Victoria, British Columbia, after 14 months.

1985 - 39, die at Heysel Stadium in Liverpool in a riot prior to soccer match.
1987 - Robin Ventura set a college baseball record with hits in 57 games.

1989 - Phillies 3rd baseman Mike Schmidt, 39, retires.

1990 - Rickey Henderson steals record 893rd base, breaking Ty Cobb's record.

1992 - White Sox Tim Raines swipes his 700th career base.
1993 - Texas Ranger Jose Canseco pitches 8th inning in 15-1 loss to Red Sox,

he gives up 3 runs on 2 hits & 3 walks, he damages his arm.

2001 - U.S. Supreme Court rules that disabled golfer Casey Martin

can use a cart to ride in tournaments.

Man U and NFL team owner Glazer dies at 85

Malcolm Glazer, a self-made billionaire who shunned the spotlight while leading the takeover of English soccer's Manchester United and transforming the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers into Super Bowl champions, died Wednesday. He was 85.

The reclusive Palm Beach businessman had been in failing health since April 2006 when a pair of strokes left him with impaired speech and limited mobility in his right arm and leg.

He was not involved in day to day operations of either of his sports franchises and was rarely spotted at games in recent years, instead remaining at his mansion in South Florida while entrusting leadership of the Bucs to three of six children, sons Bryan, Joel and Ed.

While some disgruntled fans blame ownership for a stretch of futility that has seen the Bucs miss the playoffs the past six seasons, the elder Glazer generally will be remembered for making the commitment necessary to keep the team from moving to another city in the 1990s.

Glazer raised his profile in 2005 with a $1.47 billion purchase of Manchester United that was bitterly opposed by fans of one of the world's richest soccer clubs. Before that, his unobtrusive management style helped transform the Bucs from a laughingstock into a model franchise that won the franchise's only NFL title 12 years ago.

''The thoughts of everyone at Manchester United are with the family tonight,'' Manchester United said in a statement.

Born Aug. 25, 1928, in Rochester, New York, the son of a watch-parts salesman, Glazer began working for the family business when he was 8 and took over the operation as a teenager when his father died in 1943.

As president and CEO of First Allied Corp., the holding company for the family business interests, he invested in mobile-home parks, restaurants, food service equipment, marine protein, television stations, real estate, natural gas and oil production and other ventures. Forbes ranked him this year, along with his family, as tied for No. 354 on the world's richest people list with an estimated net worth of $4.2 billion.

He purchased the Bucs for a then-NFL record $192 million in 1995, taking over one of the worst-run and least successful franchises in professional sports. And while Glazer once said he probably overpaid by $50 million, the value of the team has more than quadrupled.

''Malcolm Glazer was the guiding force behind the building of a Super Bowl-champion organization. His dedication to the community was evident in all he did, including his leadership in bringing Super Bowls to Tampa Bay,'' NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. ''Malcolm's commitment to the Bucs, the NFL and the people of the Tampa Bay region are the hallmarks of his legacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Linda, their six children and the entire Glazer family.''

In an era when many owners of professional teams attract nearly as much attention as the athletes, Glazer was content to allow three of his sons handle daily operation of the Bucs and rarely granted interviews or visited the team's offices and training facility.

But he was a fixture at games before his health became an issue, and he spent generously to acquire players and provide coaches and front office personnel with the resources to do their jobs. To fans accustomed to the frugal ways of original Bucs owner Hugh Culverhouse, Glazer was a savior.

''With our major investment here, we didn't come in here to have a loser,'' Glazer said after acquiring the Bucs.

In one of its boldest moves as NFL owners, the Glazer family fired Tony Dungy as coach after the 2001 season and paid a hefty price - four draft picks and $8 million cash - to the Raiders for the opportunity to sign Jon Gruden to a contract.

The move paid off right away. Gruden led the Bucs to their first NFL title the following season, and Glazer joined in the celebration in the locker room.

''He came from heaven and he brought us to heaven,'' Glazer said. ''We were waiting for the right man and the right man came - Jon Gruden.''

The Glazers didn't get a warm reception in the United Kingdom, where Man U fans protested and burned Glazer's likeness in effigy because they feared the American was acquiring the storied British soccer franchise purely for financial gain.

At the time, Mark Longden of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association, said his group was ''calling on all supporters to wear black. If they can get hold of black flags, they should wave them because it represents what is happening to the club.''

The club, though, has had success on the pitch, winning the League Cup in 2006, 2009 and 2010, the English Premier League from 2007-09, 2011 and 2013 and European Cup and Club World Cup titles in 2008.

Within a year of the leveraged buyout, Glazer had two strokes and his children ran the 20-time English champions, with all of them sitting on the board of directors and owning the remaining 90 percent of the club that was not listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012.

Although United's debt has dropped from a high of high of $1.1 billion in 2008-09 to $590 million, anger toward the Glazers has remained among sections of the fan base. The family's divisiveness in Manchester has been exacerbated by its reluctance to engage with any supporters or speak publicly about the club.

Despite its worst league finish in 24 years this season, United has been generating record revenue, each quarter, with income set to exceed $700 million in the 2013-14 financial year.

Before he bought the Buccaneers, Glazer made failed bids to land an NFL expansion franchise for Baltimore and purchase the New England Patriots, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates. He also tried to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers from Rupert Murdoch before turning his attention to Manchester United.

''I will remember Malcolm Glazer as someone whose influence made a lasting impact on both ends of the Atlantic in the world's two greatest sports leagues, the National Football League and the Barclays Premier League, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan said.

''But his greatest legacy may be in the state of Florida, where I am now fortunate to own the Jacksonville Jaguars. Malcolm brought to our state the Bucs, Super Bowls and of course a world championship in 2002. In essence, he helped turn a good football state into a great football state. He will be missed but always admired.''

Tiger Woods will miss the U.S. Open at Pinehurst

Some bad news for golf fans, even though most suspected this would be the case, as Tiger Woods announced he will not be at the U.S. Open as he continues to recover from back surgery.

Woods made it official on his website Wednesday, citing continued health issues and recovery from the back surgery he underwent on March 31.

"Unfortunately, I won't be there because I'm not yet physically able to play competitive golf," Woods said. "I'd like to convey my regrets to the USGA leadership, the volunteers and the fans that I won't be at Pinehurst. The U.S. Open is very important to me, and I know it's going to be a great week. Despite missing the first two majors, and several other important tournaments, I remain very optimistic about this year and my future."

Woods, who turns 39 in December, will miss a second straight major championship for the third time in his career after having to pull out of the Masters for the same back issues. The other two times occurred in 2008 when Woods missed the the British Open and PGA Championship because of knee surgery after his U.S. Open win that year, and the 2010 Opens that Woods missed because of knee and Achilles issues.

While the news is big in terms of what to expect with the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, it shouldn't be shocking. Woods didn't sound optimistic earlier this month when he spoke to the media for the first time since his back surgery, saying the rehabilitation is, "not a lot of fun. There are a lot of tedious exercises. It is slow, and I just have to make sure I do it right."

The conversation now moves to Hoylake and the British Open, and the hope of a Woods return on a golf course where he won at the last time this championship was held there.

The Open Championship kicks off July 17, just over a month after the U.S. Open wraps up, so if his back improves between then, maybe we will see Woods go for a fourth claret jug, but even if he does make his return there, the question remains if he will be good enough to not just win a major championship, but compete at one considering he hasn't played a professional round since March 9.

Prosecutor: Hernandez killed 2 over spilled drink

A spilled drink in a Boston nightclub led former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez to kill two people in a drive-by shooting because he felt he'd been disrespected, prosecutors said Wednesday.

''I think I got one in the head and one in the chest,'' Hernandez said to a friend as they fled the intersection where the victims were shot in their car, prosecutors said at the former gridiron star's arraignment.

Hernandez, already charged with killing another man last year, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to seven charges - including two counts of first-degree murder - in the 2012 shooting that killed Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. A third man was wounded.

In the months before the killings, Suffolk County First Assistant District Attorney Patrick Haggan told the court Hernandez had become increasingly convinced that people ''had been testing, trying or otherwise disrespecting him when he frequented nightclubs in the area.''

The night de Abreu and Furtado were killed, Haggan said Hernandez and a friend drove from Connecticut to a Boston nightclub called Cure. They were standing at the edge of the dance floor when de Abreu accidentally bumped into Hernandez, smiled at him and did not apologize, according to prosecutors. Haggan said de Abreu and his friends did not appear to recognize Hernandez and had no idea he was upset.

Hernandez became increasingly agitated and told his friend that de Abreu had deliberately bumped into him and ''was trying him,'' Haggan said.

Surveillance video outside the club shows Hernandez pacing back and forth on the sidewalk as his friend tried to calm him down, Haggan said. Hernandez and his friend then crossed the street to another nightclub, where Hernandez thought he saw de Abreu and his friends come in, according to Haggan.

Hernandez then told his friend he believed he was ''being targeted and being disrespected,'' Haggan said. In fact, de Abreu and his friends had not left the other club.

Haggan said Hernandez later drove around with his friend until he saw de Abreu, Furtado and others going to their car, then followed them and pulled up alongside their car at a red light.

''At this time, the victims were completely unaware there was any problem with the defendant,'' Haggan said.

Hernandez leaned out the driver's side, said ''Yo, what's up now,'' followed by a racial slur, then fired at least five shots into the car, killing de Abreu and Furtado, and injuring a man sitting in the back seat, Haggan said.

Hernandez's attorney, Charles Rankin, objected, saying the prosecutor's account of the shooting was an attempt to poison the jury pool. Clerk Magistrate Gary Wilson dismissed the objection, saying it is standard procedure for prosecutors to describe evidence during arraignments in murder cases.

Family members of the victims filled four rows in the courtroom. One woman sobbed loudly as Hernandez entered his not guilty pleas.

De Abreu and Furtado were close friends who attended school and served in the military together in Cape Verde before coming to the United States, according to the attorney who represents their families in a $6 million civil suit against Hernandez.

The two men were shot about six weeks before Hernandez signed a five-year, $40 million contract with the Patriots. He went on to catch 51 passes and score five touchdowns that season, his last in the NFL.

Hernandez, 24, was released by the Patriots last summer after he was charged in the June 17 killing of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd, who was dating a sister of Hernandez's fiancee. Lloyd's body was found in an industrial area near Hernandez's home in North Attleborough.

Hernandez's lawyers have said he is looking forward to proving his innocence.

Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley would not comment when reporters asked if Lloyd's killing was linked to the earlier killings of de Abreu and Furtado. He said Lloyd was not the friend who was with Hernandez the night the two men were killed.

Hernandez will continue to be held without bail. He is due back in court June 24 for a scheduling hearing.

AP Source: Shelly Sterling reviewing Clippers bids

Shelly Sterling is reviewing bids from five groups interested in buying the Los Angeles Clippers, and a deal could be struck before next week's owners meeting provided both she and her estranged husband Donald relinquish total ownership in the team.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Wednesday if an agreement to sell is reached before next Tuesday, the league's owners wouldn't meet in New York to vote on terminating Donald Sterling's ownership. The individual wasn't authorized to speak publicly because the NBA is not commenting on the process.

The individual wouldn't specify the interested buyers, but says they are major players with considerable financial means. The person told the AP the sale price ''appears to be increasing to an unbelievable number,'' and that it could soar past $1.5 to $2 billion, and possibly more.

'13 French champ Serena Williams loses; Venus, too

Wind was whipping, rain was falling, and thick gray clouds overhead were foreboding as Serena Williams double-faulted, then raised her hands in despair and wailed, ''I can't serve!''

As if to prove the point, Williams double-faulted again moments later, before pushing a routine backhand wide to get broken at love.

Truth is, the French Open's defending champion couldn't do much properly on this particular afternoon, absorbing the most lopsided loss of her 288-match Grand Slam career. Unable to figure out how to get herself going or counter her unheralded opponent's aggressive game, Williams was beaten 6-2, 6-2 Wednesday by 35th-ranked Garbine Muguruza of Spain in the second round.

''Nothing really worked,'' said Williams, whose older sister Venus also lost. ''I don't know anything that actually worked.''

Ever since last week's draw, there was talk about a possible all-Williams match in the third round, which would have been their first Grand Slam meeting since the 2009 Wimbledon final. So much for that: Exactly one minute before Serena's match began on Court Suzanne Lenglen, the 29th-seeded Venus' 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 defeat against 56th-ranked Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia wrapped up in the main stadium.

''I felt like this was a match that I was most likely going to win,'' Venus said. ''I don't know how Serena felt, but I'm sure she feels like that every time she goes on the court. So I think our expectation was to play in the next round.''

Instead of the 25th Williams vs. Williams encounter on tour, it'll be the 20-year-old Muguruza vs. 19-year-old Schmiedlova.

Serena's exit came a day after a loss by No. 2 Li Na, the first time in the Open era, which began in 1968, that the top two women were gone before the third round at any major tournament.

''Nobody's safe,'' summed up Patrick Mouratoglou, the coach who began working with Serena after the 2012 French Open.

''Usually when she's in trouble, she always finds a way,'' Mouratoglou said. ''But she's a human being, so today she couldn't.''

The biggest beneficiary might be Maria Sharapova, who won the 2012 French Open, lost to Serena in last year's final and potentially faced a quarterfinal against the American this time. Sharapova beat 42nd-ranked Tsvetana Pironkova 7-5, 6-2 in a drizzle.

Alize Cornet of France, seeded 20th, was surprised 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 by 18-year-old Taylor Townsend, an American wild-card entry ranked 205th and making her Grand Slam debut. On the men's side, No. 15 Mikhail Youzhny and No. 20 Alexandr Dolgopolov were sent home, while No. 2 Novak Djokovic, No. 4 Roger Federer and No. 8 Milos Raonic won in straight sets.

If an early stumble by seven-time major champion Venus is no longer big news - a month shy of 34, and slowed by an energy-sapping autoimmune disease, she's lost in the first or second round at eight of her past nine Slams - Serena's departure was shocking for many reasons.

She owns 17 major titles, including two in Paris; Muguruza was playing in her 13th career Slam match. Serena was 54-2 on clay over the past three seasons; Muguruza was 1-1 at the French Open until this week.

''I was like, 'Oh, my God, I'm winning,''' Muguruza said, noting that she grew up watching Serena on TV.

''Since I was a child, I thought, 'Oh, I want to play against Serena on center court.' And today was the day,'' Muguruza said. ''And I think I did very good.''

Sure did.

Most striking of all was the brevity, 64 minutes.

Serena never before failed to win at least five games in a match at a major, but Muguruza regularly pounded serves topping 100 mph (160 kph) and held her own during baseline rallies. Serena had 29 unforced errors and only eight winners.

''She played really smart,'' Serena said. ''I didn't adapt.''

So she'll remain one major singles trophy shy of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, who each won 18.

And make no mistake - it's the majors that matter most to Serena, who lost in the fourth round at the Australian Open in January.

She's 24-4 with a tour-high four titles in 2014, but when asked to sum up her season, she said: ''I haven't gotten past the fourth round of a Grand Slam this year. I have a couple words to describe it, but I think that would be really inappropriate, so I'm going to leave it at that. Thank you.''

With that, she left her news conference. And the tournament.

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - MAY 28TH

1888 - James Francis Thorpe, Shawnee OK, decathelete (Olympic-gold-1912).
1888 - James Francis 'Jim' Thorpe, Prague Oklahoma,

versatile American athlete (Olympic gold 1912) (d. 1953) is born.
1896 - Warren Giles, baseball's National League president is born.

1938 - Jerry West, W Virginia, NBA superstar (LA Lakers, Olympic-gold-1960) is born.

1941 - NY Yankees nip Wash Senators 6-5 in 1st night game at Griffith Stadium.
1951 - After going 0-for-12, Willie Mays connects for his 1st major league home run.
1955 - 81st Preakness: Eddie Arcaro aboard Nashua wins in 1:54.6.

1957 - NL approves Brooklyn Dodgers' & NY Giants' move to west coast.

1957 - Kirk Gibson, Mich, outfield (Tigers, Dodgers, 1988 NL MVP) is born.

1962 - Wide World of Sports with Chris Schenkel premieres on CBS radio.
1968 - NL grants San Diego Padres a franchise.

1978 - Indianapolis 500: Al Unser became 5th to win the race 3 times.
1980 - Joe Darby does a standing Long Jump of 12'5".
1986 - White Sox Joe Cowley sets record striking out 1st 7 Rangers he faces.

1995 - White Sox (5) & Tigers (7) combine for record 12 HRs at Tiger Stadium.

Pacers' Paul George fined $25K for comments

The NBA fined Indiana Pacers forward Paul George $25,000 on Tuesday for his public criticism of the officiating in the Eastern Conference finals Game 4 loss to Miami.

Rod Thorn, the league's president of basketball operations, said George made his comments in the postgame news conference following the 102-90 loss to the Heat on Monday night.

Miami was 30 of 34 from the foul line in the game. Indiana was 11 of 17.

George said his team couldn't overcome a ''20-point differential'' that came through foul calls. He said Miami won the game at the free-throw line.

Miami leads the series 3-1 and can advance to the NBA Finals for the fourth straight year with a win in Indiana on Wednesday night.

Australian Open champ Li 1st-round loser at French

Much to her dismay, Li Na is familiar with this feeling.

She earns a Grand Slam championship, is heralded at home, then shows up at subsequent major tournaments and seemingly forgets how to win.

Happened in 2011, after her French Open triumph made her China's first player with a Grand Slam singles title. Happened again Tuesday, when Li was seeded second at Roland Garros but lost to someone ranked 103rd in the first round, not quite four months removed from winning the Australian Open.

''I didn't follow the game plan,'' Li said. ''Didn't have any idea how to play.''

Her 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 exit against Kristina Mladenovic of France in front a partisan crowd on a cloudy, windy Day 3 came about 16 hours after the men's Australian Open champion, third-seeded Stan Wawrinka, was beaten in Paris - making this French Open already unlike any Grand Slam tournament in history.

It's the first time that the men's and women's singles champions from the previous major lost in the first round.

''Nobody say if you (are) No. 2 in the world, you have to win all the matches. I mean, this is tennis,'' said Li, who works with Carlos Rodriguez, former coach of four-time French Open titlist Justine Henin.

For an opening match at a major, the ''tension is different,'' she added. ''Always tough to pass the first round.''

Top players, even the likes of Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, frequently talk about being particularly jittery at the start of a Grand Slam tournament, even against clearly outclassed competition.

They notice, to be sure, when folks such as Li or Wawrinka depart quickly.

''Regardless of what's happened to the other players,'' said reigning Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, who won in four sets Tuesday, ''I still hoped that I would try or be able to find ways through my first match and negotiate my way through a tricky opponent in these conditions.''

This French Open has seen some rough going for several past major champions and other highly seeded players, and the second round has yet to begin.

No. 13 Caroline Wozniacki, the 2009 U.S. Open runner-up, was beaten Tuesday, less than a week after her planned wedding to golf star Rory McIlroy was called off; No. 11 Grigor Dimitrov, considered an up-and-coming threat by many, lost to Ivo Karlovic; two seeded men, No. 16 Tommy Haas and No. 21 Nicolas Almagro, quit during the first set because of injuries; past Grand Slam titles winner Lleyton Hewitt also lost.

One person pleasantly surprised to finally feel what it's like to win in the first round is 66th-ranked Marinko Matosevic of Australia, who was 0-12 at Grand Slam tournaments before beating Dustin Brown of Germany 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-7 (1), 7-5.

''Huge relief,'' said Matosevic, who now meets No. 7 Murray. ''It got pretty demoralizing at some stages. I had some tough draws. When I did have my chances, I just couldn't quite do it.''

Li hung her head when she sailed a stroke long on match point for her 37th unforced error, 12 more than Mladenovic. At the opposite baseline, Mladenovic raised both arms, then covered her mouth with her trembling left hand, trying to process what had just happened. Soon, the 21-year-old Mladenovic was choking back tears.

''It's never normal when you beat such a big name, big player,'' said Mladenovic, who had been 1-5 at the French Open before Tuesday, including a loss to Li in 2010.

She faced two set points in the opener while trailing 5-4 but erased both and took three games in a row to nose ahead.

''This is really big,'' Mladenovic said. ''You don't beat Li Na every day.''

Unless, that is, you catch her coming off one of the true highs in her inconsistent career. Three years ago, after the big breakthrough in Paris, Li lost in the second round at Wimbledon, then the first round at the U.S. Open.

Her analysis of this defeat was not all that charitable toward Mladenovic - ''doesn't matter who plays today against me ... I gave it away'' - but Li insisted the result was ''not about technique.''

''Important thing is in my mind,'' she said. ''I think I should find out what happened.''

Grizzlies sign coach Joerger to contract extension

Grizzlies owner Robert Pera has followed through with his promise to open up his checkbook by signing Dave Joerger to a contract extension just days after allowing the coach to speak to the Minnesota Timberwolves about their vacancy.

The Grizzlies announced Joerger's extension Tuesday. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed by the team, but Joerger said on ESPN 92.9 FM in Memphis that owner Robert Pera guaranteed the fourth year of his contract with a fifth year a team option.

''He put his money right where his mouth is, and I put my money right where my mouth is ...,'' Joerger said. ''It's good for both parties. Mike Conley and I were talking about we've been together for a long time brother. Now we've got another three, four, five year run on this deal.''

Pera wrote on Twitter that he finally had talked one-on-one with Joerger after his return from Minnesota where the coach interviewed twice in three days with the Timberwolves.

''Following an open and honest dialogue with Dave, it became clear that Dave was fully committed to Memphis and we are committed to him,'' Pera said. ''I look forward to seeing Dave build upon the foundation he helped establish over the last seven years, and we are both committed to bringing a championship to Memphis.''

Joerger went 50-32 for the best record among 10 first-year coaches and helped Memphis earn the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference during his first season on the job after being an assistant the previous six seasons. The Grizzlies lost in seven games to Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoffs.

But he was the Western Conference coach of the month in January and April, the only first-year coach to win the award twice since the NBA split into conferences in 20002-03. Joerger said three other teams called for permission to talk to him last week only to be turned down. The Minnesota native was allowed to talk to the Timberwolves and now is thanking Pera for believing in him.

''I am 100 percent committed to leading the Grizzlies and I could not be more proud to call Memphis home,'' Joerger said.

Pera still has to decide who will be running the Grizzlies. General manager Chris Wallace currently is in charge temporarily, and the Grizzlies hold the No. 22 pick overall in the NBA Draft in a month. Zach Randolph has an option for the next season and signing him to an extension would give Memphis more space with the salary cap.

Joerger said Pera wants to be more involved in the franchise and knows exactly what he wants to do moving forward.

''I'm here to tell you this thing is going to be very positive,'' Joerger said.