Raptors fire Casey after playoff flop
Masai Ujiri believes Dwane Casey deserves to be recognized as the coach of the year in the NBA, but the Toronto team president doesn’t think Casey should be leading the Raptors.
So Ujiri fired Casey yesterday, praising him on his way out the door. It came just days after the team was swept in the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second straight season.
Casey led the Raptors to a franchise-record 59 wins this season as Toronto earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time. Casey posted a 320-238 record in seven seasons and is the franchise’s winningest coach.
On Tuesday, Casey was named coach of the year by the National Basketball Coaches Association, an award voted on by NBA head coaches. A media panel voted for the NBA’s coach of the year award, which will be announced June 25.
Under Casey, the Raptors won four Atlantic Division titles and advanced to the playoffs in five consecutive seasons. But Toronto couldn’t get past Cleveland, losing to the Cavs in each of the past three playoffs . . . .
The Atlanta Hawks are giving Lloyd Pierce his first head coaching job in the NBA, choosing a man who has been an assistant with Philadelphia and Memphis to rebuild the franchise. Pierce, 42, replaces Mike Budenholzer who left last month after the Hawks went 24-58 this season.
NFL: Falcons sign veteran DT McClain
The Atlanta Falcons agreed to terms with free agent defensive tackle Terrell McClain, who started two games for the Washington Redskins in 2017. McClain, 29, started 29 of 74 games with five teams . ...
The Carolina Panthers signed free agent running back Kenjon Barner from the Philadelphia Eagles to a one-year contract. Barner, 29, was drafted by Carolina in the sixth round of the 2013 draft and was traded to Philadelphia in 2014 . . . .
First-round choice Quenton Nelson was one of nine draft picks who signed with the Indianapolis Colts. Nelson was selected No. 6 overall out of Notre Dame and is expected to start at left guard.
NASCAR: Harvick wins KC pole
Fresh off his fourth win of the season last week at Dover, Kevin Harvick turned a best lap of 188.811 mph to easily claim the top starting spot for tonight’s KC Masterpiece 400 in Kansas City, Kan.
Ryan Blaney was a distant second in 187.825 mph, with Kyle Busch, Aric Almirola and Chase Elliott rounding out the top five.
It was Harvick’s fourth pole at Kansas, his most at any track on the Cup Series circuit.
Misc.: Nadal loss to cost No. 1 ranking
Dominic Thiem beat top-ranked Rafael Nadal 7-5, 6-3 in the Madrid Open quarterfinals, breaking the defending champion’s run of 21 straight wins on clay courts. Nadal will lose his world No. 1 ranking to Roger Federer because of the defeat . . . .
Ireland’s Sam Bennett timed his sprint to perfection to win the seventh stage of the Giro d’Italia in Praia A Mare, Italy. British rider Simon Yates remained in the overall lead.