Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, right, passes as Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves defends during the second half of Game 4 in a second-round NBA playoffs series May 11 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

SGA repeats

as MVP

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — He’s the best player on the best team. And the voters say he’s the best player in the league, too. Again. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder — the reigning NBA champion and the team with the best record this year — won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player on Sunday for the second consecutive year.

He becomes the 18th player to win at least two MVP awards and the 14th to win them in back-to-back fashion.

Hamlin edges

teammate

DOVER, Del. (AP) — Denny Hamlin avoided trouble by starting from the pole for what turned out to be a caution-plagued event and outdueled Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe for his second victory in the NASCAR All-Star Race.

Hamlin led the final 30 laps at Dover Motor Speedway, which became the sixth track to hold the exhibition event in the Cup Series.

His No. 11 Toyota finished 0.887 seconds ahead of Briscoe’s No. 19 to earn the $1 million prize. It’s the third consecutive win on the 1-mile oval for Hamlin, who won points races at the Monster Mile in 2024 and ’25.

Epic matchup

in the West

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — This is not a one-of-a-kind matchup in the Western Conference finals. And it’s not the NBA Finals, either. It may just seem that way. In one corner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, winners of 64 games this season.

In the other corner, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, winners of 62 games this season — and four wins against the Thunder. That’s the West finals matchup, with Game 1 on tonight in Oklahoma City.

Palou takes

top spot

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Alex Palou had his best qualifying attempt on his final four-lap run Sunday and took his second career Indianapolis 500 pole with an average speed of 232.248 mph. He’s the first defending champion to claim the No. 1 starting spot since 2010.

Palou also is the only starter on this year’s traditional 33-car starting grid with a qualifying average topping 232 mph. Alexander Rossi will start a career-best second after going 231.990. He’ll start between Palou and Team Penske driver David Malukas on the front row. Malukas went 231.877.

Felix Rosenqvist was in position to become Indy’s first pole-winner from Sweden after he posted the fastest averages in the first two rounds of qualifying. But he finished the final round of qualifying at 231.375 and will start fourth.

Rousey wins

in 17 seconds

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Ronda Rousey stopped Gina Carano with her signature armbar just 17 seconds into the iconic fighters’ mixed martial arts comeback bout. The 39-year-old Rousey ended a 9 1/2-year absence from MMA when she took the cage with the 44-year-old Carano, who hadn’t fought in 17 years since 2009.

Rousey wasted absolutely no time when the cage door finally close, charging and tackling Carano an instant after the opening bell. Rousey quickly moved into position and applied her famous finishing move, wrenching Carano’s arm as the fight was stopped.

This improbable double comeback bout united two of the most important fighters from MMA’s past two decades.