Friday’s Sports in Brief – News & Observer

PRO BASKETBALL

TORONTO (AP) — LeBron James scored 33 points, Kevin Love had 20 points and 12 rebounds and the Cleveland Cavaliers secured their second straight trip to the NBA Finals by beating the Toronto Raptors 113-87 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Friday night.

It’s the third finals appearance in team history for the Cavaliers. Cleveland lost to Golden State in six games last year and got swept by San Antonio in 2007.

For James, it’s his sixth straight trip to the finals, including four with Miami. He finished with 11 rebounds and six assists.

Kyrie Irving had 30 points and J.R. Smith had 15 for the Cavaliers, who will face the winner of the Golden State-Oklahoma City series on June 2.

Cleveland would open at home against the Thunder but would be on the road against the 73-win Warriors, who trail 3-2 against Oklahoma City heading into Saturday’s Game 6.

BASEBALL

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Rougned Odor’s suspension for punching Toronto’s Jose Bautista has been reduced from eight to seven games, and the Texas second baseman will begin serving it in Friday night’s series opener against Pittsburgh.

The Rangers promoted former top prospect Jurickson Profar from Triple-A Round Rock, and he was in the lineup against the Pirates as the leadoff hitter playing second base. Odor has been leading off for Texas.

Odor’s penalty was cut by Major League Baseball executive vice president John McHale. The appeal over Odor’s role in a May 15 brawl between the Rangers and Blue Jays was heard Tuesday. The league disciplined 14 players and staff over the melee in Arlington.

The team has also placed right-handed pitcher Shawn Tolleson on MLB’s Family Medical Emergency List.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Braves’ dismal season took another turn for the worse Thursday when outfielder Hector Olivera agreed to accept a suspension through Aug. 1 for his arrest on domestic violence charges.

The suspension, announced by commissioner Rob Manfred, is without pay and covers 82 games, retroactive to April 30.

Olivera was arrested April 13 at a hotel outside Washington, D.C., charged with assault and battery of a woman and he was immediately placed on leave.

Agreeing with the police report filed in Arlington, Virginia, Manfred’s office finished an investigation that concluded Olivera was responsible for visible bruises on the woman’s body. A police spokeswoman said at the time that Olivera and the woman were acquainted.

Losing the 31-year-old Olivera was a big blow to the Braves, who have the second-worst record in the majors and rank last in homers, RBIs and runs scored. SOCCER

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi left the field with a back injury in the second half of a 1-0 victory over Honduras in a friendly Friday night.

The Argentine team captain and Barcelona star was hit on an apparently inconsequential play and immediately went to the locker room. He was replaced at the 62-minute mark by Sevilla midfielder Ever Banega and never returned to the field.

“Messi suffered a trauma to the left side of his lower back and rib cage,” the Argentine Football (Soccer) Association said in a statement, adding that doctors were looking at the injury.

Messi is not a player who leaves the field with minor injuries like he did Friday at San Juan’s Bicentenario stadium.

“I would not dare to venture a diagnosis,” said a concerned Argentine manager, Gerardo Martino.

Gonzalo Higuain, who scored for Argentina, said it “was an important win and here’s hoping that what happened to Leo is nothing.”

Messi was scheduled to fly to Spain to resolve a tax issue and then rejoin the team in Santa Clara, California.

PRO FOOTBALL

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced Friday that former Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds and fullback Chris Swain can defer their military service to play in the NFL.

Carter made the announcement during his graduation speech to the academy in Annapolis. As students cheered the news about their graduating classmates, Carter said: “Go get’em.”

Reynolds was drafted in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens. He is the NCAA’s career leader in touchdowns and finished his career with 88 TDs and 31 touchdown passes while leading Navy’s triple-option offence. The Ravens plan to use him as a running back, receiver and kick returner.

Swain has signed with the San Diego Chargers.

Ravens general manager and executive vice president Ozzie Newsome applauded the decision, calling it “good news,” and congratulating Reynolds on his graduation.