News+Notes: 76ers set to hire Doc Rivers as its new head coach, according to a source,
PHILADELPHIA » There’s a new Doc in Philadelphia — one charged with reviving a 76ers organization that fell far short of NBA championship expectations.
The 76ers reached an agreement Thursday with Doc Rivers to become the latest coach to try and lead the Sixers to theirfirst NBA championship since 1983, a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press.
Rivers takes over forBrett Brown, who was fired after the 76ers were swept in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Rivers was fired about twoweeks after theLos Angeles Clippers wasted a 3-1 series lead and lost to the DenverNuggets in theWestern Conference semifinals.
Tennis
KENIN TAKES A WHILE TO
WIN, DJOKOVIC BREEZES INTO 3RD ROUND » Fourthseeded American Sofia Kenin started slowly under a closed roof on Court Philippe Chatrier before pulling out a 3- 6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Ana Bogdan in the second round of the French Open.
It was far easier for topranked Novak Djokovic when he followed Kenin on Chatrier and routed Ricardas Berankis 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
Inotherwomen’smatches, two-timeWimbledon champion Petra Kvitova beat Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 6-3. Also, No. 8 Aryna Sabalenka beat Daria Kasatkina 7-6 (6), 6-0, but Danish teen Clara Tauson’s surprise Roland Garros run ended when she lost to unseeded American Danielle Collins 6-2, 6-3.
College football
STANFORD CB ADEBO OPTS OUT OF SEASON » Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo is opting out of the 2020 season to prepare for next year’s NFL draft.
Adebo was projected as one of the top cornerbacks in the country after leading the nation with 38 passes defensed to go along with eight interceptions his past two seasons for theCardinal.
Golf
MUNOZ SHARES LEAD IN MISSISSIPPI » Defending champion Sebastian Munoz nearly holed a wedge on his opening hole as part of his fast start, ran in four straight birdies on the back nine and wound up with an 8-under 64 to share of the lead with Jimmy Walker, Kevin Chappell and Charley Hoffman at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Sixteen players were at 67 or better.
Hoffman made nine birdies in his round of 64.
Baseball
MCLAIN SELLING OFF MEMORABILIA » Former Detroit Tigers pitching ace and two-time Cy Young award winner Denny McLain wants to part with baseball bats, pennants, trading cards and a few thousand other pieces of sports memorabilia.
They will be sold during an estate sale at McLain’s Wixom home, northwest of Detroit. The sale runs through the weekend.
McLain said his wife died recently and its time to downsize their home.
McLain, a hard-throwing righthander, won 31 games in 1968 and led the Detroit Tigers to the World Series championship. He won 131 games and lost 91 during 10 seasons in themajor leagues, according to Baseball-Reference.com. He spent eight seasons inDetroit.
MLB’S FIRST RETAIL STORE
OPENS INNEWYORK CITY » Inside a formerManhattan television studio, the scaffolding has come down and Major League Baseball’s first retail store opens Friday across fromRadio City MusicHall in a part ofMidtown Manhattan largely emptied by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Flagship Store at street level is about 10,000 square feet.