BASKETBALL
Cavs reviewing deal
The blockbuster deal between Cleveland and Boston is stuck. The Cavaliers have some concerns about guard Isaiah Thomas' health and are doing a "deep and thorough" review of the deal that brought him over from the Celtics, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Saturday. On Tuesday, the Cavaliers rocked the NBA by honoring All-Star guard Kyrie Irving's trade request and dealing him to the Celtics -- one of their biggest rivals -- for Thomas and a lucrative package that included an unprotected 2018 first-round draft pick. The two people said the trade has not been completed and the Cavs are continuing to do a medical evaluation on Thomas, who injured his right hip last season and had to drop out of the Eastern Conference finals against Cleveland. They spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team is not publicly discussing its plans. After Irving demanded to be traded in July, the Cavaliers entertained numerous offers before striking a deal with Boston. In exchange for Irving, the Celtics agreed to send Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and the first-round pick they acquired from the Brooklyn Nets to Cleveland. ESPN reported Friday night that the Cavaliers are "considering possible ramifications" after Thomas took his physical. According to the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, a trade can be voided if a player fails his physical. The Cavaliers and Celtics have until Wednesday to finalize the trade, pending the completion of physicals. It's common practice for teams to perform comprehensive medical exams on players with prior medical issues, and the Cavs were well aware of Thomas' history. If Cleveland isn't satisfied with its findings on Thomas, the club could scrap the trade. That seems unlikely, however, because the three-time defending conference champions were determined to deal Irving before training camp, and the Cavaliers coveted a high draft pick they can use to acquire another star next season or select a top-tier talent in the draft. The Cavs could also request the Celtics alter the trade by giving them another player or pick.
GOLF
Daly moves up
John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) rolled back the years with a 6-under 65 on a day of low scoring at the Made in Denmark tournament to sit three shots off the lead after the third round on Saturday. The two-time major winner birdied four of his first eight holes, and slipped up only on the 16th, where his putt up the hill rolled back to his feet. Daly was in a tie for third in a group of four, including Gregory Havret (65), and Englishmen Chris Paisley (65) and Robert Rock (66) at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort at Farso, Denmark. Another English golfer, David Horsey, led the field by two shots after the low round of the day, 64. Horsey hit every green in regulation and moved into the lead from the 15th. After an approach within eight feet of the 17th hole gave him another birdie and a two-shot lead, Horsey was at 14 under overall. He won the Made in Denmark in 2015, and seeks a fifth European Tour title. Two shots back was Julian Suri of the United States.
Spieth leads by 3
Jordan Spieth needed only three holes to leave a strong cast of challengers wondering what it's going to take to catch him in The Northern Trust. Spieth ran off three consecutive birdies on the back nine at Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, N.Y., and finished with a pair of pars for a 6-under 64, matching the low score of the tournament and building a three-shot lead over Dustin Johnson. Paul Casey, who seems to play his best golf this time of the year, and defending champion Patrick Reed each had a 66 and were next in line at five shots back, along with Jon Rahm (67) and Matt Kuchar (68). Missing from the mix are Jhonattan Vegas and Rickie Fowler, who started the third round as part of the four-way tie for the lead that included Spieth and Johnson. Vegas shot a 72 to fall eight shots behind. Fowler, playing with Spieth, opened with five bogeys in six shots and fell 10 shots behind after a 74. David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) is 3 under after a 68.
Henderson closes in
Brooke Henderson made a big move Saturday in the Canadian Pacific Women's Open at Ottawa to the delight of her many home fans. The 19-year-old major champion from Smiths Falls, Ontario, shot an 8-under 63 to get into contention at Ottawa Hunt, finishing before the most of the other leaders even teed off. A day after birdieing the par-5 18th to make the weekend cut on the number, Henderson had eight birdies in her bogey-free round to reach 7 under -- leaving her three strokes behind third-round leaders Nicole Broch Larsen and Mo Martin. Larsen, an LPGA Tour rookie from Denmark, birdied two of the last three holes for a 66. Martin birdied the final two holes for a 67. Second-round leader In Gee Chun was a stroke back after a 70. Cristie Kerr (68) and Mirim Lee (66) were 8 under. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) is tied for 6th at 7 under after a 69. Gaby Lopez (Razorbacks) is even after a 71.
Four share lead
Keith Mitchell, Brice Garnett, Abraham Ancer and Denny McCarthy shared the lead Saturday at 12 under after the third round of the Portland Open at North Plains, Ore. Mitchell shot 9-under 62, Garnett had a 63, and Ancer and McCarthy each had 64s. Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 5-under 66 and is tied for fifth with Aaron Wise at 11 under. Sebastian Cappelen (Razorbacks) is 7 under after a 66. Andrew Landry (Razorbacks) is 4 under after a 70. Taylor Moore (Razorbacks) is even after a 74.
Kelly by 3
Jerry Kelly shot a 6-under 66 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead in the Boeing Classic at Snoqualmie, Wash., putting him in position for his first PGA Tour Champions title. Tied for the first-round lead with Australian David McKenzie, Kelly saved par with a 12-foot putt on the par-5 18th at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge to remain 13 under. Billy Mayfair (65) and Jerry Smith (66) were tied for second. Defending champion Bernhard Langer (65) was another stroke back along with Colin Montgomerie (65). Glen Day (Little Rock) was 1 under after a 71.
TENNIS
Bautista Agut wins
Top-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut beat Damir Dzumhur 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday in the Winston-Salem Open for his second ATP World Tour title of the year and the sixth overall. Bautista Agut, the Spaniard ranked No. 15 in the world, became the first player in the seven-year history of the tournament to not lose a set in any of his six matches. He won a year after losing the final to countryman Pablo Carreno Busta. The unseeded Dzumhur was the first player from Bosnia-Herzegovina to reach an ATP World Tour final.
Gavrilova takes title
Australian Daria Gavrilova won her first WTA tournament title Saturday, upsetting second-seeded Dominika Cibulkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the Connecticut Open at New Haven. The demonstrative 23-year-old, who was born in Russia, finished her comeback from a set down by breaking the 11th-ranked Slovak in the final game, hitting a forehand winner, throwing her racket and jumping into the air in jubilation. The match was extremely close, with Gavrilova winning 105 points and Cibulkova taking 102.
HORSE RACING
West Coast beats 3 Triple Crown winners at Travers
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — West Coast invaded the East to win the $1.25 million Travers Stakes at Saratoga against all three winners of this year’s Triple Crown races.
Ridden by Mike Smith and trained by fellow Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, West Coast paid $14.20, $7.60 and $5.30 on Saturday.
Gunnevera was second and Irap was third. Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, Preakness winner Cloud Computing and Belmont winner Tapwrit finished out of the money in the 12-horse field.
Tapwrit was fourth, followed by Good Samaritan, Giuseppe the Great, McCraken, Cloud Computing, Always Dreaming, Lookin At Lee, Girvin and Fayeq.
West Coast didn’t race as a 2-year-old and didn’t run in this year’s Triple Crown series. But the 3-year-old colt has won four of six starts in 2017, including four in a row.
West Coast led all the way, with Baffert watching on television back at Del Mar racetrack north of San Diego.
“When Bob texted me before the race he said, ‘Listen, he is yours, you ride him however you want,’ ” Smith said. “So that kind of made me think I could get a little aggressive with him, and that is what I wanted to do with no pace in the race.”
Smith and Baffert won last year’s Travers with Arrogate, who broke a 37-year-old track record and won by 13 ½ lengths.
Earlier on Saturday’s card, Smith and 2-5 favorite Songbird were stunned by Forever Unbridled in the $700,000 Personal Ensign.
However, Smith, 52, won the $600,000 Forego Stakes for Baffert with Drefong, and the jockey and trainer teamed to finish third in the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes with American Anthem.
Sports on 08/27/2017