HEAT STAVE OFF ELIMINATION
Jimmy Butler had 47 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and the Heat forced the Eastern Conference finals to a seventh game by beating the Celtics 111-103 on Friday night in Boston. Butler made 16 of 29 shots, hitting 4 of 8 from three-point range and all 11 free throws.
In the most back-and-forth game of the series, the Celtics took a 97-94 lead on Derrick White’s three with under five minutes to play — the first time all series the lead has changed hands in the fourth quarter. Kyle Lowry answered with a three and then added two free throws as the Heats scored 11 of the next 13 points. Lowry finished with 18 points and 10 assists before fouling out with 2:18 left.
† Darvin Ham, 48, reportedly accepted an offer to coach the Lakers. He has been an assistant with the Bucks since 2018.
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS AVALANCHE WIN THRILLER TO ADVANCE
Darren Helm scored with 5.6 seconds left and Darcy Kuemper stopped 17 shots as the visiting Avalanche finished off their second-round series with a 3-2 victory over the Blues in Game 6. J.T. Compher scored twice for the Avs, who advanced to the Western Conference finals for first time since 2002.
CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS
LEIVO’S HAT TRICK PROPELS WOLVES
The visiting Wolves eliminated the Milwaukee Admirals in Game 4 of the AHL Central Division Finals, winning 5-1 behind three goals by veteran forward Josh Leivo. Goaltender Alex Lyon stopped 17 of 18 shots, while Max Lajoie and Josh Jacobs also scored. The Wolves advanced to the Western Conference Finals and own home-ice advantage in the best-of-7 series.
COLLEGES
NU OUSTED IN NCAA LACROSSE SEMIS
Despite five goals by Lauren Gilbert, Northwestern (16-5) dropped a 15-14 decision to North Carolina (21-0) in the semifinals of the NCAA women’s lacrosse tournament in Baltimore. The Tar Heels outscored NU 9-1 in the final quarter, including the winner by Sam Geiersbach.
MISCELLANEOUS
STALLINGS, SCHEFFLER, HOSSLER TIED
Scott Stallings shot a 6-under 64 without a bogey on a relatively calm day at Hogan’s Alley in Fort Worth, Texas. That put the 206th-ranked player in the world at 9-under 131 along with Scottie Scheffler and Beau Hossler, who both had bogeyfree 65s, in the Charles Schwab Classic.
† Scott McCarron fired a 5-under 66, including eight birdies, in the rain and wind at the Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to share the second-round lead at 8-under 134 with Canada’s Stephen Ames, who also shot 66.
† Giants manager Gabe Kapler said he will refuse to take the field for the national anthem in a protest over the nation’s political direction following this week’s school shooting in Texas.
† Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man in the French Open’s fourth round since Novak Djokovic in 2006. Alcaraz, 19, advanced by beating 21-year-old American Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 under the lights in Paris.