Bulls will visit Sixers in their season opener
The Bulls will begin the second year of their rebuild on the road.
The NBA shared a glimpse of the team’s 2018-19 schedule when it announced the opening-week and holiday schedule Wednesday. The Bulls are slated to open the season at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 on the road against the 76ers. The game will be on TNT.
Elsewhere, LeBron James’ Lakers will face the Warriors on Christmas and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The other games on Christmas are Bucks at Knicks, Thunder at Rockets, 76ers at Celtics and Blazers at Jazz.
In the opening week, the Rockets will appear on national TV three times, and the Lakers, Warriors and Celtics will be featured twice.
♦ The Pelicans signed free-agent center Jahlil Okafor to a two-year deal.
♦ The Mavericks signed guard Devin Harris to a one-year, $2.4 million deal.
NHL Mikita visitation at UC
The Blackhawks announced a public visitation for Stan Mikita from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday in the United Center atrium. Mikita, who died Tuesday at 78, will lie in repose. Visitors can park in Lot C, on the north side of the UC between Madison St. and Warren Blvd.
MISCELLANEOUS Fire fall in Cup semifinals
Corey Burke scored twosecond-half goals as the Philadelphia Union blanked the Fire 3-0 in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup in Chester, Pennsylvania. The Union outshot the Fire 22-8, including a 7-1 edge in shots on target. The Fire have lost six consecutive MLS matches.
♦ Jesus Aguilar, Travis Shaw and Eric Thames hit back-to-back-to-back homers in the Brewers’ 8-4 win against the Padres. The Brewers haven’t done that since 2015 (Ryan Braun, Adam Lind, Aramis Ramirez) and it was the first time they did it in Milwaukee.
♦ Starting pitcher German Marquez threw an immaculate inning (nine pitches, three strikeouts) in the Rockies’ 4-3 loss to the visiting Pirates. It was the third time the feat was performed this season (Max Scherzer, Kevin Gausman), the second-ever by a Rockie (Rex Brothers, 2014) and the first at Coors Field.
♦ In the wake of a corruption scandal, the NCAA approved multiple rules changes for basketball, including allowing players to have NCAA-certified agents while considering the NBA draft. If a player isn’t drafted, he can return to school. High school players will now be able to take 15 official visits rather than five.
♦ Iowa suspended tackle Alaric Jackson and defensive lineman Cedrick Lattimore for its opener against NIU.