Durant won’t return soon
Kevin Durant is yet to progress to on-court work in his recovery from a strained right calf and won’t be ready to return for Golden State in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on May 30.
Big man DeMarcus Cousins might be healthy for the series opener against either Milwaukee or Toronto. Both players were re-evaluated Thursday and the Warriors expect they each will be ready at some point during the team’s fifth straight finals.
Cousins is working back from a torn left quadriceps muscle sustained in Game 2 of the first round against the Clippers. He practiced for the first time Thursday since getting hurt April 16 in just his second career playoff game.
Golden State took two days off after completing a sweep of the Trail Blazers on Monday night in Portland. Durant was injured during Game 5 of the conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets.
AUTO RACING
Charlotte native William Byron became the youngest driver ever to capture the pole for the Coca-Cola 600.
The 21-year-old Byron, who grew up a short drive from Charlotte Motor Speedway, turned a lap of 183.424 mph in his No. 24 Chevrolet on Thursday night to start out front Sunday in NASCAR’s longest race.
Aric Almirola will start alongside Byron on the front row in his No. 10 Ford. It is one of six Fords starting in the top 10.
BASEBALL
CC Sabathia’s ailing right knee landed him on the 10-day injured list, although the New York Yankees don’t expect the star lefty to be sidelined for long.
Sabathia has right knee inflammation, a problem he’s been dealing with for a long time.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The bowl season will begin on a Friday this season and several minor bowls have been pushed back on the calendar to fill 15 days between the playoff semifinals and national championship.
In recent years, the bowl season has begun on a Saturday before Christmas with several games. This season, bowls begin Friday, Dec. 20 with the Bahamas Bowl at 1 p.m. Milwaukee time. The Frisco Bowl is later that day.
The College Football Playoff semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 28. The championship game is set for Jan. 13. Fifteen games will be played in between, including the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Jan. 3 and Mobile Alabama Bowl on Jan. 6.
TENNIS
Rafael Nadal will start his campaign for a record-extending 12th title at the French Open against a qualifier. And if he makes it to the second round of the clay-court Grand Slam, another qualifier will be waiting.
In the women’s draw, Simona Halep will open the defense of her title against Ajla Tomljanovic. Serena Williams was drawn into the top half of the draw and will take on Vitalia Diatchenko in the first round.
HOCKEY
Former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach D.J. Smith is the new head coach of the Ottawa Senators.
Smith signed a three-year contract with the club. He replaces interim head coach Marc Crawford, who also interviewed for the position.
Guy Boucher was fired as Ottawa’s head coach last season, a year in which the Senators finished last in the NHL standings.
Smith, 42, spent the past four seasons as an assistant on Mike Babcock’s staff in Toronto.