NBA'S gambling probe leads to lifetime ban

Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was banned for life from the NBA on Wednesday after a league probe found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors and wagered on games, even betting on the Raptors to lose.

Porter is the second person to be banned by Commissioner Adam Silver for violating league rules. The other was now-former Clippers owner Donald Sterling in 2014, shortly after Silver took office.

In making the announcement, Silver called Porter’s actions “blatant.”

“There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment,” Silver said.

The investigation started once the league learned from “licensed sports betting operators and an organization that monitors legal betting markets” about unusual gambling patterns surrounding Porter’s performance in a game on March 20 against Sacramento.

The league determined that Porter gave a bettor information about his own health status prior that game and said that another individual — known to be an NBA bettor — placed an $80,000 bet that Porter would not hit the numbers set for him in parlays through an online sports book. That bet would have won $1.1 million.

Porter took himself out of that game after less than three minutes, claiming illness, none of his stats meeting the totals set in the parlay. The $80,000 bet was frozen and not paid out, the league said, and the NBA started an investigation not long afterward.

• Klay Thompson has provided so many memorable moments during his decade-plus run as Stephen Curry’s Splash Brother running mate for the Golden State Warriors dynasty.

But those were distant memories as Thompson had one of his worst games ever at a big moment, missing all 10 shots he took Tuesday night in a 118-94 loss to the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament that was Thompson’s last game before an uncertain summer of free agency.

“Everybody’s going to talk about one game,” Curry said. “I know he wanted to play better . ... I know he’s a true champion. We all prepare ourselves to play our best when the lights are bright. When it doesn’t happen, nobody needs to tell you anything.

Thompson went scoreless for the first time since his rookie season and had the most missed shots without a make in a playoff game by a Warriors player in at least 50 seasons.

The Warriors must decide how much they are willing to pay a 34year old whose best seasons are in the past after a pair of serious injuries.

“We need Klay back. I know he had a tough night tonight,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I know I speak for everyone in the organization, we want him back. Obviously there’s business at hand and that has to be addressed. ... But what Klay has meant to this franchise, as good as he is, we definitely want him back.”

• Zion Williamson has been ruled out of the New Orleans Pelicans’ Western Conference play-in game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday night because of a left hamstring injury — and is expected to miss up to two weeks should New Orleans advance to the NBA playoffs. He was injured late in Tuesday’s 110-106 loss to the Lakers.

NHL Surreal as Capitals eliminate Flyers, clinch playoff spot

T.J. Oshie scored into an empty net in the rare situation of a team pulling its goaltender in a tie game, and Washington is in the playoffs after beating Philadelphia, 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Flyers coach John Tortorella pulled goalie Samuel Ersson for an extra attacker because his team needed to win in regulation to keep its hopes alive. The result allowed the Capitals to clinch a berth and eliminate the Pittsburgh Penguins — rivals for both teams finishing the regular season in Philadelphia — in improbable fashion with Oshie’s goal with exactly 3 minutes left.

The surreal scene played out after the Flyers and Capitals slogged out much of the third period 5 on 5 — and perhaps a minute after Detroit went to overtime in Montreal, eliminating Philadelphia.

Tortorella may not have known his team had no chance of winning when he sent Ersson to the bench and opened the net for Oshie.

Washington will face the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers in the first round beginning this weekend.

• With Florida’s 5-2 victory over Toronto and Boston’s 3-1 loss to Ottawa, the Panthers clinched the Atlantic Division title.

• Vegas beat Chicago 3-1 to move into third place in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Kings.

If Vegas beats the Ducks tonight, the Knights will clinch that spot and face Edmonton in the first round of the playoffs.

• Vancouver beat Calgary, 4-1, to clinch the Pacific Division title for the first time since 2013.