Off the wire

BASKETBALL Curry’s status unclear

Stephen Curry’s status for Golden State’s playoff opener Saturday against Denver remains unclear as he rehabs a sprained ligament in his left foot. The reigning scoring champion has been doing individual work on the court in recent days and could be integrated into full practices and scrimmages sometime this week. The Warriors said Tuesday that, “his eventual return to game action — and the possibility of playing this weekend — is undetermined and will be based on his continued progress.” Curry was injured March 16 at home against Boston and Golden State went 6-6 without him, finding some rhythm to win the final five regular-season games.

Tide sign transfer guard

Former Ohio point guard Mark Sears, who averaged nearly 20 points a game last season, has transferred to Alabama. Crimson Tide Coach Nate Oats announced the signing of Sears on Tuesday. The 6-1, 185-pounder was a two-time All-Mid-American Conference performer who was a finalist for the Lou Henson Award given to the nation’s top player at a mid-major program. Sears averaged 19.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game last season. A native of Muscle Shoals, Ala., he shot 40.8% from three-point range and 88.5% from the free-throw line. Alabama guards Jaden Shackelford, Jahvon Quinerly and Keon Ellis are exploring turning pro. Freshman JD Davison is also projected as a potential firstround pick.

FOOTBALL Vandy OT headed to Bama

Vanderbilt offensive tackle Tyler Steen said he is transferring to Alabama. The three-year starter, who played both tackle positions, announced his plans Tuesday on Twitter. Steen could immediately compete for a starting job in the fall with Alabama replacing left tackle Evan Neal and right tackle Chris Owens. The Crimson Tide have already brought in former LSU cornerback Eli Ricks, former Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs and former Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton.

Chargers add defensive depth

The Los Angeles Chargers have signed linebacker Troy Reeder, who spent three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams. The team announced the deal on Tuesday. Reeder was originally a restricted free agent, but the Rams decided not to offer him a contract extension, which made him an unrestricted free agent. The 6-3, 245-pound Reeder adds depth at linebacker along with experience and versatility on special teams. He started seven games in 2020, when Chargers Coach Brandon Staley was the Rams’ defensive coordinator, and a career-high 13 last season when the Rams won their first Super Bowl title since the 1999 season. Reeder set career highs in tackles (91) and tackles for loss (six) last season. The Chargers also signed wide receiver Jalen Guyton and tight end Donald Parham, who were exclusive rights free agents. Guyton had 31 receptions for 448 yards and 3 touchdowns last season. Parham had 20 catches for 190 yards and 3 touchdowns, but suffered a scary season-ending injury during the Dec. 16 game against Kansas City.

BASEBALL Walker placed on IL

New York Mets right-hander Taijuan Walker was put on the 10day injured list Tuesday because of bursitis in his pitching shoulder, the latest setback to the team’s rotation. Walker threw two perfect innings Monday night at Philadelphia in his season debut, then was pulled after 30 pitches. Walker was 7-11 with a 4.47 ERA last season, his first with the Mets, and was picked for the NL All-Star team. The Mets already were missing two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom. He was sidelined before opening day because of inflammation around his shoulder blade, a problem that could keep him from pitching in the majors until June. Three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer is set to pitch today against the Phillies. He had a hamstring issue during spring training, but was able to start last weekend at Washington.

MOTOR SPORTS Johnson to drive injured

Jimmie Johnson doesn’t intend to let a fractured right hand keep him off the track. On Tuesday, the seven-time NASCAR champion who has become an IndyCar Series regular announced on Twitter he had surgery Monday night in Charlotte, N.C., to repair the injury he suffered in a practice crash last weekend. “From Long Beach to the operating room,” Johnson wrote before citing his plan to test next week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “Good news is I plan to be ready for the IMS test in 9 days and Barber on May 1st. Thank you to all the medical staff involved.” Testing is to be held on the Brickyard’s historic 2.5-mile oval next Wednesday and Thursday. The series won’t race again until stopping at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. Johhnson made 663 consecutive starts in Cup Series cars, the fifth-longest streak in NASCAR history. It ended with a positive covid-19 test that kept him out of the 2020 Brickyard 400. Johnson returned the next week following two negative tests and he started every other race of his final season. It was the only start he missed as a full-time Cup driver.

TENNIS Djokovic loses at Monte Carlo

Novak Djokovic opened his clay-court season with a surprising loss to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday. Fokina stunned the topranked Serb 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1 in the second round to hand Djokovic another setback as he tries to move on from the controversy surrounding his refusal to get vaccinated against covid-19. It makes for rare back-toback losses for Djokovic, who had not played since being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships in February — his only previous tournament this year after he was barred from playing at the Australian Open. Djokovic struggled from the start as the 46thranked Spaniard broke him early to pull ahead 4-1 before another break handed him the first set. Fokina kept up the pressure and led 3-0 in the second before Djokovic clawed back. But the Serb continued to struggle on his serve and was broken three times in the decider. Djokovic had beaten Fokina in straight sets twice last year, in Rome and at the Tokyo Olympics.

GOLF Original LPGA founder dies

Shirley Spork, one of the 13 founders of the LPGA Tour who learned two weeks ago she would be inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame, died Tuesday, the LPGA said. She was 94. The LPGA said she died in Palm Springs, Calif., where she had been living and taught into her 90s. While she never won on the LPGA Tour — her best finish was runner-up in the 1962 LPGA Championship at Stardust Country Club in Las Vegas — Spork’s impact stretched across seven decades of starting the tour and teaching the game. She was behind the creation of the LPGA Teaching & Club Pro Division, which began with six members and now has more than 1,700 women professionals. The LPGA Hall of Fame is among the most stringent in sports, requiring 27 points accrued through victories, majors and top awards. The tour voted last month to add Lorena Ochoa, who had not achieved the minimum 10 years on tour; and all the founders who didn’t get in through their performance on the golf course. A longtime resident of Palm Desert, Calif., Spork showed up regularly for the first major of the year at Mission Hills. She also attended the Founders Cup, often greeting players with a handshake and a swing tip off the 18th green.