Bucks forward Khris Middleton had a surgical procedure on his right knee after Milwaukee was upset in the first round by the eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, sources confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.

Middleton, 31, dealt throughout the season with issues with his right knee, which he injured last season during the Bucks' first-round playoff victory over the Chicago Bulls. The injury caused Middleton to miss all of Milwaukee's seven-game loss to the Boston Celtics during the 2022 Eastern Conference semifinals. He then played only 33 regular-season games this season because of a combination of issues, including the right knee and recovery from the left wrist surgery he had last offseason.

The three-time All-Star averaged 15.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists during the regular season, before jumping up to 23.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists during Milwaukee's five-game upset loss to Miami in the first round of the playoffs. Middleton also shot 46% from the field and 40% from 3-point range on over six attempts per game against the Heat.

Middleton can opt into a $40.3 million player option for the 2023-24 season or become an unrestricted free agent if he chooses to opt out. Assuming he declines his option, Middleton and Bucks center Brook Lopez will be two of the most talented and intriguing free agents on the market this summer.

After losing to Miami in the first round, Milwaukee fired coach Mike Budenholzer, replacing him with former Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin. The Bucks also can offer superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo an extension in September, as he enters the offseason with two guaranteed years left on his contract.

Middleton's surgery was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma's historic run through the softball season culminated with a 3-1 win over Florida State and a third straight national championship on Thursday night.

It was the Sooners' NCAA-record 53rd consecutive victory. They became the first team to win back-to-back-to-back titles since UCLA in 1990.

"Right now what you feel from us is freedom. Because it was absolutely suffocating as we were going along, and the expectations were overwhelming," Sooners coach Patty Gasso told ESPN. "But they handled it like champions, and that's why we're here right now."

After falling behind 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, Oklahoma's prolific offense answered with back-to-back home runs off ACC Pitcher of the Year Kathryn Sandercock to start the fifth.

It was the first multiple-home run game for Sandercock since Feb. 19.

Oklahoma All-American pitcher Jordy Bahl then came out of the bullpen in relief of Alex Storako, who gave up one earned run and three hits in four innings, improving to 18-0. Bahl pitched three scoreless innings, securing her fourth save of the season.

Bahl, who is one of five First Team All-Americans on her team, scored two runs as a pinch runner during the Women's College World Series.

She also threw 24 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings during the WCWS, which is the third most all-time behind Oklahoma State's Amy Day (27 2/3 in 1994) and UCLA's Lisa Fernandez (26 in 1992).

This is the Sooners' sixth championship in the last 10 years and seventh overall. Only UCLA (12) and Arizona (8) have more championships.

The last time the Sooners lost was 109 days ago on Feb. 19. During their 53-game winning streak, they rattled off 23 wins vs. ranked opponents and posted an overall run differential of +371. This season, they set a program record with 35 shutouts, and never trailed by more than 3 runs at any point.

Oklahoma stated its case as the most complete team of all-time, leading the country in fielding percentage, batting average, home runs and earned run average. Four batters hit over .400. Three pitchers had an ERA of less than 1.00.

Oklahoma and coach Patty Gasso, who is responsible for all seven championships, will look to win four straight next year.

But it will have to do so without redshirt seniors Storako, Haley Lee and Grace Lyons.

The Sooners return all five All-Americans, however, in Bahl, center fielder Jayda Coleman, second baseman Tiara Jennings, third baseman Alyssa Brito and catcher Kinzie Hansen.

Florida State, which won the ACC, finishes the season with 58 wins - the most since the 2018 season when the Seminoles won the national championship.

Oklahoma Sooners softball made history on Thursday night, defeating Florida State 3-1 in the Women's College World Series Championship Series.

The win clinched the Sooners' seventh national title, concluding a dominant 61-1 regular season and extending a NCAA Division I softball-record 53-game winning streak. The triumph also extended a remarkable run of dominance by Oklahoma softball over the last several years. The Sooners have now won the last three Division I national titles, part of a larger run of five championships in seven seasons.

In NCAA history, Oklahoma joins elite company. Just 27 Division I teams have gone-back-to-back-to-back in their respective sport since 2000. Here are some of the other teams that have accomplished the feat over the last two decades and change.

Women's basketball

UConn (2013-2016)

Under the leadership of Geno Auriemma, UConn women's basketball dominated much of the 2000s and 2010s, with perhaps the Huskies' most dominant stretch coming in the form of their only four-peat. Playing a central role in the feat was current New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart, who enrolled as a freshman heading into the 2013 season. Stewart would go on to win four consecutive Final Four Most Outstanding Player awards, three Naismith Player of the Year awards, and two Wooden awards. Included in UConn's run of four championships was two undefeated campaigns, 2014 and 2016.

Other three-peats: UConn (2002-2004)

Football

North Dakota State (2011-2015)

A consistent FCS powerhouse, North Dakota State football is one of just two programs (more on the other later) to appear on this list twice. The Bison were perhaps at the peak of their dominance in the early 2010s. Losing just four games in a five year stretch of championship seasons, North Dakota State's average margin of victory across their five postseason runs was 20.25 points. The Bison's excellence started on the sidelines - with eventual FBS head coaches Craig Bohl (Wyoming) and Chris Klieman (Kansas State) leading the way.

Other three-peats: North Dakota State (2017-2019), Appalachian State (2005-2007)

Men's gymnastics

Stanford (2019-Present)

Aside from Oklahoma softball, Stanford men's gymnastics has the only other active streak of three or more titles. Stanford has thrice beaten Oklahoma on the mat in their four-season, five-year stretch (there was not a 2020 champion due to the COVID-19 pandemic), with the Sooners themselves preceding Stanford's run with a four-peat of titles from 2015 to 2018. Remarkably, 2012 was the last time Division I men's gymnastics had a national champion that wasn't part of a streak of at least two consecutive victories.

Other three-peats: Oklahoma (2015-2018)

Women's hockey

Minnesota-Duluth (2001-2003)

The first Division I three-peat to occur entirely within the 21stt century, Minnesota-Duluth's title run came in the first three NCAA women's hockey national championship games. After triumphing over St. Lawrence and Brown in 2001and 2002, the Bulldogs' most dramatic title was their third. Playing on home ice, it would take two overtime periods to separate the Bulldogs and Harvard. Future Finnish international Nora Tallus scored the winner to complete the three-peat. Among the stars for Minnesota-Duluth during their run was Jenny Schmidgall-Potter, a four time All-American winner and the all-time leading scorer in Bulldogs history.

Women's lacrosse

Northwestern (2005-2009)

Northwestern fans are no stranger to women's lacrosse success, with the Wildcats capturing the 2023 national title just a month ago. Northwestern's greatest stretch of success, however, was a dominant run from 2005-09. Under the leadership of coach Kelly Amonte Hiller, who was hired in 2002, the Wildcats enjoyed a rapid rise to the top of the women's lacrosse world. During the run, the Wildcats, lost just three games in the five year stretch. Hannah Nielsen led the way on the field, capturing two Tewaaraton awards and graduating as Northwestern's all-time and single-season leader in both assists and points.

Men's soccer

Stanford (2015-2017)

One of just six teams in NCAA Division I history to win consecutive men's soccer titles, Stanford accomplished the feat with a three-peat from 2015-2017. The run of success had a number of common threads linking the seasons. MLS talent led the lines - most notably including a Hermann trophy-winning season from Seattle Sounders staple Jordan Morris in 2015 and a combined 48 goals across the three-year stretch by future Portland Timber Foster Langdorf and current Houston Dynamo forward Corey Baird. The defense was rock solid, with the Cardinal never allowing more than 15 goals per year. Perhaps the biggest constant of all was a flair for the dramatic, with seven of the team's 15 postseason victories in the span coming in either overtime or on penalties.

Men's tennis

Virginia (2015-2017)

NCAA Division I tennis has frequently been dominated by a trio of California schools. USC, Stanford, and UCLA account for 68% of the sport's national titles in the NCAA era. But in the last decade, Virginia has exploded onto the scene as a powerhouse in its own right. Claiming their first title in 2013, the Cavaliers ripped off three consecutive championships from 2015 to 2017, beating Oklahoma twice and North Carolina once. Virginia will have a chance to repeat the achievement next spring, having taken home both the 2022 and 2023 national titles.

Other three-peats: USC (2009-2012)

Women's tennis

Stanford (2004-2006)

No other school has come close to matching Stanford's prowess in women's tennis, with the Cardinal boasting a Division I-high 20 titles. The next closest team has just seven. Stanford has had several stretches of dominance across the sport's 40-plus years of NCAA sanctioning (including a run of six consecutive titles in the late 1980s and early 1990s), but it's most recent streak came in the form of a three-peat in the early 2000s. The Cardinal haven't slowed since, capturing five more titles since the end of said run.

Women's volleyball

Penn State (2007-2010)

The Nittany Lions ruled the collegiate volleyball world for a four-year stretch, breaking several records in the process. The 2008 Penn State season, in particular, was one of the best in NCAA volleyball history. That team didn't just go 38-0 - they didn't lose a single individual set all regular season either. They finished the year 114-2 in individual sets. Not to be outdone, the 2009 squad went undefeated en route to the title as well. In 2010, Penn State faced a steeper climb than prior years. Their 109-match win streak was snapped in nonconference play against Stanford. They lost more than three times in conference play for the first time since 2002. But the Lions rallied come tournament time, losing just one set in postseason play en route to a fourth consecutive national title, concluding NCAA Division I volleyball's only four-peat.

Men's water polo

USC (2008-2013)

Of all these programs, USC water polo boasts the longest streak of titles. The men's water polo Division I national championship has been passed around the state of California since its advent as an NCAA title sport in 1969. All seven of the teams that can boast men's water polo titles hail from the Golden State. While USC may not have the most total titles - an honor belonging to defending champion Cal - they do have the most dominant stretch of any one program. Following back-to-back title game losses at the hands of the Golden Bears in 2006 and 2007, the Trojans ripped off six consecutive titles, with championship game wins over four different schools (Stanford, UCLA, Cal, and Pacific).

TORONTO -- Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez left the 3-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays after one at-bat Thursday night because of discomfort in his right oblique.

Alvarez grounded out to first base in the first inning and was replaced at DH by Corey Julks when his turn came up again in the third.

Alvarez came in batting .274 with 17 home runs and 55 RBIs in 56 games.

The AL Rookie of the Year in 2019, Alvarez was an All-Star for the first time last season, when he hit .206 with a career-high 37 home runs and 97 RBIs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CLEVELAND -- Jose Ramirez homered in his first three at-bats -- and from both sides of the plate -- to power the Cleveland Guardians to a 10-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.

Ramirez connected for a solo shot in the first inning off Matt Dermody (0-1), belted a two-run shot -- his 200th career homer -- in the third and added another solo blast in the sixth when the Guardians hit for the cycle, had eight straight hits and scored five times.

Ramirez came up a second time in the sixth bidding for a rare four-homer game but struck out swinging. The four-time All-Star third baseman had another chance in the eighth but grounded to third.

It was Ramirez's first career three-homer game, and it was the seventh time in his career that he's hit a home run from both sides of the plate, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Ramirez also showed off some of his defensive prowess in the sixth by backhanding Justin Turner's hard shot and throwing off balance across the diamond to get Boston's third baseman while backpedaling in foul territory.

Will Brennan added a homer as the Guardians won the series and handed the Red Sox their fifth loss in six games.

Aaron Civale (2-1) had his second solid outing for Cleveland after spending 46 games on the injured list with an oblique strain.

The right-hander pitched five scoreless innings last week at Minnesota, and kept the Red Sox off the scoreboard until the fifth, when Reese McGuire hit a two-out RBI double.

Triston Casas chased Civale in the sixth with his seventh homer to pull Boston within 3-2.

But Cleveland, whose offense has awakened after a slow start, pounded former teammate Corey Kluber in the sixth. After Ramírez homered, Andres Gimenez hit a two-run double, Myles Straw hit an RBI triple and Brennan singled home a run as the Guardians opened an 8-2 lead.

Kluber, who was recently demoted to the bullpen, was tagged for seven runs and 11 hits in 3⅓ innings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- The Nevada Senate adjourned Thursday without voting on a financing bill for a proposed $1.5 billion Las Vegas Strip stadium for the Oakland Athletics, extending the special legislative session into next week amid negotiations over whether to contribute $380 million in public funding to the project.

The measure can be amended by lawmakers, and if it passes the Senate it would still need approval from the Assembly before going to the desk of Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who has expressed support for it. Both the state Senate and Assembly are adjourned until Monday.

In a hearing that began Wednesday and stretched into the early morning hours Thursday, lawmakers questioned tourism officials and a representative from a firm partnering with the ballclub about the feasibility and benefits of financing such a deal.

The A's reached an agreement with Bally's and Gaming & Leisure Properties on May 15 to build a potential 30,000-seat stadium on the 35-acre Tropicana hotel site along the Las Vegas Strip.

Public funds for the stadium would mainly come from $180 million in transferable tax credits and $120 million in county bonds. Backers have pledged that the creation of a special tax district around the stadium would generate enough money to pay off those bonds and interest. The plan would not directly raise taxes.

The A's would not owe property taxes for the publicly owned stadium. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, would also contribute $25 million in credit toward infrastructure costs.

A's representatives and some tourism officials say a deal would further expand Las Vegas' developing sports scene and act as an economic engine, but a growing chorus of economists and some lawmakers warn that the project would bring minimal benefits for the hefty public price tag.

"I feel bad for RBC and the Canadian Open." 

That was Rory McIlroy Wednesday ahead of his RBC Canadian Open three-peat bid, because for the second straight year, the focus at the event hasn't been the golf itself. 

The 2022 RBC Canadian Open — which was being contested for the first time since 2019 due to COVID — ran concurrently with the inaugural LIV Golf event in London, essentially the first time in modern history a rival circuit was competing against the PGA Tour. That Thursday, the Tour suspended its 17 members who teed it up that week in the Saudi-backed league. 

Now, less than 365 days later, the Canadian Open is again being contested under a cloud of controversy in the sport, as on Tuesday the Tour announced it's joining forces with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV. It's a complete 180 from last year in Canada, when PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan vehemently denounced LIV on CBS during the final-round telecast, asking, "Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?"

"To think about what went on this time last year and then the bombshell that was dropped (this week)," McIlroy said, "I mean, RBC has been one of the biggest supporters of the PGA Tour over the last 10 years. ... having this stuff sort of dropped on you two years in a row is very unfair."

Matt Fitzpatrick, who won this year's RBC Heritage, added: "A lot of sympathy (for RBC). Obviously, arguably the best sponsor for the PGA Tour. ... I'm sure it was a tough one to take."

Last year, however, the tournament — and McIlroy — rose to the occasion. And though the Tour's stance has since completely flipped, the feeling surrounding this Canadian Open is eerily similar. 

The pre-tournament pressers the past two years weren't about the shape of a player's game or what they thought about the venue, but rather their thoughts on the state of the sport. In 2022, most were pledging their fealty to the Tour. A year later, players were reacting to the shocking news that once again changes the sport's landscape. 

"The most uncomfortable I've felt in the last 12 months was my press conference yesterday," McIlroy, one of the Tour's staunchest defenders, said Thursday about his pre-tournament presser in which he said he felt "like a sacrificial lamb."

Then, as players hit their opening tee shots in Toronto, the elephant in the room was again prevalent as ever. 

The focus in the media area after last year's first two rounds wasn't a player's performance, but mostly about LIV and the Tour's suspensions (McIlroy even called Monahan "transparent" — that didn't age well). 

As players walked into the interview area this Thursday, reactions to the developments over the last 48 hours were sandwiched into questions about the first 18 holes. McIlroy noted it was difficult to focus solely on golf at first. 

"(Justin Rose and I) started to get in a conversation walking down the first and we're like, 'No, let's stop this. Let's just focus on our golf and we'll say what we want to say when we get inside,'" McIlroy said. "So it was nice to play a round of golf and focus on something else for those five hours we were out there."

But as last year's tournament went on, the golf stole back the spotlight. McIlroy, the Tour's de facto spokesperson, held off Tony Finau, Justin Thomas, Sam Burns and Justin Rose, who had a chance at shooting sub-60. 

"That's as top-notch (a tournament) as you're going to get," McIlroy said afterward. "It was a pleasure to be a part of and I'll look back on this week and this, especially today, with very, very fond memories."

That sentiment still holds true — and the tournament is hoping for a repeat. 

"It was a year ago that we were running the return of the 2022 RBC Canadian Open to St. George's and we had some news and developments — and we had the greatest event in our history," Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum said Wednesday.  

"So we come back into 2023 and again some news that was unexpected and for us, we will continue to stay focused on running a great PGA Tour event, a great national championship and to welcome what we hope will be well north of 125,000 people on-site will be a spectacle to behold."

And the players teeing it up this week are determined to direct the focus back on the course as another contentious year in golf sits on the horizon. 

"There's been some crazy news this week and we still got to go out there and provide a good show," Canadian Taylor Pendrith said Thursday. "RBC's been a tremendous sponsor to the Tour for years and it kind of sucks that it happened to them last year as well. So, the importance now is on golf and providing everybody a great tournament."

TORONTO — Corey Conners shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 on Thursday to share the first-round lead at the RBC Canadian Open, the first PGA Tour event since its announcement of an alliance with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Conners is seeking to become the tournament’s first Canadian winner in 69 years. Also at 67 were Aaron Rai, Justin Lower and Chesson Hadley.

Two-time defending champion Rory McIlroy opened with a 71 at Oakdale. Matt Fitzpatrick, who will seek to defend his U.S. Open title next week at Los Angeles Country Club, was one of nine players at 68.

At No. 29 in the world, Conners is the highest-ranked of 21 Canadians in the field. The last player from Canada to win the event was Pat Fletcher in 1954 at Point Grey in Vancouver.

Conners did not speak to reporters after his morning round because he was dealing with an urgent personal matter. His two PGA Tour victories both came at the Valero Texas Open, including this year.

“Really disciplined off the tee, we didn’t try to do too much,” said Danny Sahl, Conners’ caddie. “But he had tons of fairways, missed maybe a couple in the first cut.

“Corey’s just tee-to-green hitting greens in regulation, made some good putts, just strong all around.”

Mike Weir in 2008 was the last Canadian to lead after the first round. The 53-year-old Weir shot 72 Thursday in his 30th Canadian Open appearance.

“I think he’s experienced enough to know that it’s so early, that it doesn’t really mean much yet,” Weir said of Conners. “He just wants to, I’m sure, just keep doing what he’s doing.”

Canadians Mackenzie Hughes, Taylor Pendrith and Roger Sloan were among the group at 3 under.

“You can’t win it on Thursday, but you can lose it,” Hughes said. “So definitely nice to be in a good spot after Thursday but it’s going to take four quite nice rounds and some steady golf.”

McIlroy, an outspoken defender of the PGA Tour during its battle with LIV Golf, said in a pre-tournament news conference he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” after the Tour changed course and aligned itself with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. However, he also said Saudi investment in the tour was inevitable and that the deal could be good for the sport long-term.

“At the end of the day, this is business and my job is playing golf,” said McIlroy. “The more that I can focus on that and focus on the birdies and the bogeys instead of the stuff that’s happened in the boardroom, I’ll be much happier.”

An air quality advisory was in effect due to wildfires across Ontario and Quebec that have led to postponements of sporting events in the northeastern United States. There was some rain during the afternoon, but play was never delayed.

Italy will face Uruguay in the final of the 2023 Under-20 World Cup on Sunday after both teams won their semifinal matchups on Thursday in Buenos Aires.

Both matches took place Unico Diego Armando Maradona Stadium at La Plata, which will also host the final and third-place game.

Uruguay beat surprise last-four side Israel 1-0 earlier in the day before Simone Pafundi scored a spectacular free kick to hand Italy a late 2-1 win over South Korea and a first appearance in the U20 title game.

Cesare Casadei opened the scoring for Italy in the 14th minute, but the game was back on level terms shortly after when Lee Seung-Won converted a spot kick following a VAR decision that awarded South Korea a penalty.

With the game seemingly headed to extra time, Italy were handed a free kick just outside of the penalty area in the 86th minute and Pafundi curled an unstoppable free kick over the wall to hand his team a spot in the final.

Before the winner, both teams had squandered golden opportunities to get ahead, including one for Italy that required goal line review. The Italian lineup has been resurgent in the knockout rounds with wins over England and Colombia after placing third in its group.

In the first match of the day, Anderson Duarte scored the only goal of the match for Uruguay -- who reached the U20 final in 1997 and 2013 before losing -- from close range in the 61st minute from with one of the few opportunities either team had during the match.

Israel goalkeeper Tomer Zarfati deflected a shot by Alan Matturro and it hit his left post, but Duarte was quicker than the Israeli defenders to put the ball in the back of the net.

After the goal, Israel had few opportunities to equalize in the remaining 30 minutes.

Uruguay also reached tournament final in 1997 and 2013. The Celeste lost those to Argentina and France, respectively.

Israel, which is playing in the competition for the first time, will play the third-place match Sunday against South Korea.

Protests in Muslim-majority Indonesia against hosting the Israel team forced FIFA into a very late switch of venues, with Argentina stepping in late to stage the tournament.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.

Luis Suarez will not be joining his friend and former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, the Uruguayan striker said Thursday.

In a stunning announcement Wednesday, Messi revealed his intention to join the MLS club following the expiration of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain on June 30.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Speculation immediately followed that Miami could look to surround Messi with some other familiar faces. Suarez, who was linked with a transfer to Miami before he left Europe to return to South America -- first with Uruguayan giants Nacional and then with Brazilian club Gremio -- was one of those tipped for a potential move.

But the 36-year-old, who spent six seasons alongside Messi at Barcelona, said his contract with Gremio means a move to Miami is not on the cards.

"This is false, it is impossible," Suarez told Uruguayan newspaper El Observador about the reports. "I am very happy at Gremio and I have a contract until 2024."

Suarez signed a two-year deal when he joined the Porto Alegre team in December 2022, subsequently scoring 11 goals and adding eight assists in 24 appearances.

Another former Messi teammate could be on his way to South Beach, however.

Sources told ESPN on Wednesday that Sergio Busquets has held talks with Inter Miami over a free transfer. The midfielder, who last month announced he will not renew his contract with Barcelona when it expires on June 30, is also in talks with Saudi Arabian sides Al Nassr and Al Hilal.

Sources added that Busquets' next club, save any late twists, is expected to come from one of those three.