John Wroblewski, 41, leaves Los Angeles Kings organization to take over as coach of U.S. national women's hockey team

John Wroblewski, who coached the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate the past two seasons and has had success guiding the men's development program, was named coach of the U.S. national women's hockey team Tuesday.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Riding the momentum of a return to the NBA playoffs, the leaders of the Minnesota Timberwolves are determined to further elevate a franchise long mired among the dregs of the league.

Tim Connelly is the first big catch. They're counting on others to follow.

"There's a reason these coastal cities have a leg up, but what you can help develop and help add credence and definition to is your culture and the organization and the wins and losses," said Connelly, who was formally introduced Tuesday as president of basketball operations after nine seasons in that role with the Denver Nuggets. "Hopefully word spreads that this is where you're going to come if you want to be treated right."

Connelly agreed last week to a five-year, $40 million contract, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski; Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor confirmed it includes bonuses for team performance. Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who are in the process of incrementally purchasing the club for $1.5 billion from Taylor, made it a priority to aggressively pursue one of the NBA's most accomplished and respected leaders.

"We have full confidence and trust in Tim, and he's going to be empowered to build a first-class, world-class organization. Full stop," Lore said.

Taylor, 81, initiated the sale in 2021 with the intention of staying on as sort of a mentor to the incoming owners, who plan to finish the purchase in 2023.

"We feel like we've made good decisions together as a group," Lore said. "We just feel really good about the partnership and where we've been and where we're going."

Connelly left behind a Nuggets team that has the back-to-back NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic, and a still-promising roster that went 48-34 in the regular season -- two games ahead of the Timberwolves -- without injured standouts Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Connelly also had to uproot his young family.

"I wasn't looking for this. It was such a unique opportunity that was presented to me. The last nine years for me have been the best nine years professionally I could have ever imagined," Connelly said. "As you had those sleepless nights, it makes you dig even deeper internally, even more introspective, and ask yourself if it's something you want to do. It's a leap of faith, certainly."

With Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards emerging as elite players and Chris Finch drawing rave reviews for his guidance in his first full season as coach, the Timberwolves pushed the No. 2-seeded Memphis Grizzlies hard over six games in the first round.

Minnesota also became the first team in NBA history to lose multiple games in a series with double-digit fourth-quarter leads, doing so a staggering three times.

"I hope that as we continue to build a winning foundation and develop, this is a place that you want to come to win," Connelly said. "It's not about the weather. It's not about having some of these flashier markets. You're going to come here to win, to be treated fairly and have a lot of fun."

Connelly has become the seventh person in nine years to oversee the basketball side since Flip Saunders returned for his second run. When Saunders died of cancer in 2015, Milt Newton filled in for one season. Then Tom Thibodeau was handed the top job in the now-outdated dual role of head coach and lead executive.

After Thibodeau was fired midway through the 2018-19 season, his deputy, Scott Layden, was the interim replacement. Three years ago, Gersson Rosas was hired, but after a sudden dismissal, Sachin Gupta was put in charge. He is expected to remain in the front office under Connelly.

Finch was an assistant with the Nuggets in 2016-17 before being hired away by the New Orleans Pelicans. Connelly called him "Finchy" throughout his news conference Tuesday -- a sign of the relationship they've already built and the relative security Finch will have under the new boss.

"He has great faith in us and what we're doing here, me in particular, and he has a lot of existing relationships with people on our staff and in this building. That always helps," Finch said. "He is first and foremost about people. Doesn't take himself too seriously. Fits right in with our culture."

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro wants to be a starter next season.

The freshly minted Sixth Man of the Year award winner made that clear Tuesday during his exit interview with the media.

"Yeah, for sure," Herro said. "In some way, I would like to start. I think it's my fourth year, so I think I've earned it, and we'll see what happens."

Herro averaged 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists this past season while helping the Heat to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Herro, who is in line for a big contract extension this offseason, said he is unsure whether a deal will happen before the October deadline.

"I'm not sure yet, honestly, what's going to happen," Herro said. "We'll see what happens this summer. My agent [Jeff Schwartz] will talk to who he needs to talk to, and we'll see what happens."

After playing very well throughout the regular season, Herro struggled to find consistency in the postseason, averaging 12.8 points in the quarterfinals against the Atlanta Hawks, 14.7 points in the semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers and just 9.3 points in the conference finals against the Boston Celtics -- a series in which he continued to deal with a lingering groin injury that forced him to miss three games and be very limited in Game 7.

"The playoffs for me were kind of a weird ride," Herro said. "Ups and downs throughout the whole thing, but I think it was a learning curve for me. I think people forget I just turned 22 and it's still only my third playoffs, and as I made a jump this year I continue to get better and I think throughout my career there's gonna, especially early on throughout my career, there's going to be small setbacks where I learn.

"It motivates me, it gets me better and teaches me what I need to work on to get better, and next time I'm in that situation I'll be more prepared and better."

Herro said the key for him will be to continue to add strength to his frame over the summer as he continues to recover from the groin injury. Herro played just seven minutes in Sunday's 100-96 Game 7 loss.

"Going into Game 7, I was kind of on the fence whether I should play or not," Herro said. "And I felt like I was healthy enough to play. Me and [Heat coach Erik Spoelstra] had a good conversation, and he just felt like it was all hands on deck and whether I was going to play or not just depended on how the game was going.

"But we liked the way that my groin [rehab] was progressing and we thought we'd get Game 7 and I'd be close to 100 percent for Game 1 of the Finals, so just unfortunate the way that the season ended, but I thought I'd be ready to go for Game 1."

The Heat dealt with a variety of injuries to key players at the end of the season, including a hamstring injury that limited veteran point guard Kyle Lowry throughout the playoffs.

"I think Kyle will come back in the next training camp in the best shape of his career," Spoelstra said Tuesday. "That certainly is important as you get further along in your career and into your 30s, conditioning and keeping your body right. That's your ultimate opponent is Father Time, and Kyle understands that as well as anybody. He trains hard -- he really works at it behind the scenes, and he does that during the season as well."

Lowry, 36, averaged 13.4 points a game over 63 regular-season contests. The Heat don't have much choice other than to hope he can stay on the floor and produce more, given that he still has two years and $58 million left on the deal he signed before last season.

"You have to take into context everything," Spoelstra said. "The missed games, injuries, it's not all apples to apples. And then trying to ramp up as quickly as you possibly can in the middle of a series -- these are not excuses, it's just the reality. I thought Kyle was in an incredible groove about six weeks before the playoffs; I think, for his example, if we could have started the playoffs, then it would have been a perfect, perfect time for him. And then next year, all our vets, the challenge will be how they can each come back better, maybe add a couple different things to their game."

For his part, Lowry admitted after Sunday's game how frustrating it was to be dealing with the hamstring injury throughout the playoffs.

"I wish I would have been able to play a little bit better, at a higher level, but I didn't," Lowry said. "It just adds fuel. You don't know how many more opportunities you will have to get back to this, so for me, honestly it was a waste of a year.

"I only play to win championships. It was fun, and I appreciate the guys, my teammates, and I appreciate the opportunity. But for me, it's a waste of a year. You're not playing for a championship -- you're not winning a championship -- it's a wasted year."

The Philadelphia 76ers announced Tuesday morning that Joel Embiid spent his Memorial Day undergoing surgery to repair the right thumb he sprained during the team's first-round playoff series, and that he also had a procedure done to fix an injury to his left index finger.

Neither issue is expected to impact Embiid's availability for the start of training camp in September.

The thumb surgery was not a surprise, as both the 76ers and Embiid said it would happen from the moment he suffered the injury during Philadelphia's victory in Game 3 of its series against the Toronto Raptors.

The left index finger injury, however, wasn't previously disclosed.

Embiid isn't expected to need surgery on the other injury he suffered in the playoffs, the facial fracture that happened late in the fourth quarter of Game 6 in the Toronto series when he caught an elbow from Raptors forward Pascal Siakam.

"I don't regret it because it's life," Embiid said after Philadelphia's season ended in a loss at home to the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, when asked if he regretted not making it through the playoffs healthy due to a pair of fluke injuries.

"It happens. You just got to deal with it. It sucks. Not, not looking for any excuses. But those are just the facts. It sucks. I don't think anybody will believe that I was 100 percent. So it does suck to get to the stage and not be yourself, not being able to do what you want and your body not allowing you to just be yourself. So it sucks, but I have no regrets."

Embiid finished second to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the voting for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for a second straight season after becoming the first center to lead the NBA in scoring since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000, finishing with a career-high 30.6 points per game while also playing in a career-high 68 games.

The playoff injuries, however, helped stop the 76ers from getting out of the second round for the fourth time in five years, extending the team's streak of not making it to the Eastern Conference finals or beyond since 2001.

Max Strus still can't believe his 3-pointer early in the third quarter of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals was overturned by the NBA's replay center. Speaking for the first time since Sunday's 100-96 loss to the Boston Celtics, the Miami Heat guard admitted that the call is still bothering him.

"Thank you for pissing me off again," Strus said during a season-ending news conference in Miami. "But yeah, I don't know how that was called that after I've seen the video. They say they have that rule to take the human error out of the game, and the human error makes an error on the video. So I don't know -- hopefully I don't get fined."

The call in question came with 11:04 remaining in the third quarter, when Strus knocked down a 3-pointer deep in the corner that cut the Celtics' lead, which had been as many as 17 earlier in the first half, to 56-54.

After several minutes of game action -- during which the Celtics put together another run of their own -- the call was overturned by the NBA replay center in Secaucus, New Jersey. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after the game that he was "in shock" after the points were taken off the board.

"I'm obviously not happy about it," Strus said. "But it is what it is at this point, I guess we can't really do anything. But it definitely changed the game and the momentum. I think it went from a six-point game to an 11-point game with no time coming off the clock, so yeah -- it is what it is, I guess is the best I can put it. I'm not happy about it, but I guess you just got to move on."

Speaking after Sunday's game, Spoelstra said the play, which appeared to show Strus' feet just touching the out-of-bounds line -- and will forever be ruled as a turnover -- would be a "case study" in future league meetings.

Spoelstra made it clear several times that the call isn't the reason the Heat lost, but he was upset with the timing with which it was handled.

"I'm sure they will look at that, and we'll probably be the case study for it," Spoelstra said. "I'm OK if it happens the way it used to. They would look at it at the next foul or break and look at it and notice it, but it was probably 10 minutes of real time -- somebody check on that."

"That was so unusual for us to be grinding and then start to get some momentum, and then it was like, 'Oh, hey, by the way, take away that 3,' with no explanation," Spoelstra said. "That's the human side of it. That's not the complaining side of it. Who knows if that would have changed anything anyway."

Golden State's Stephen Curry has never won an NBA Finals MVP award, but oddsmakers believe this is his year.

Curry is the consensus favorite to be named MVP of the Finals between the Warriors and Boston Celtics at sportsbooks around the nation. He's the even-money favorite at Caesars Sportsbook.

Boston's Jayson Tatum is the second favorite at +180, followed by Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown (+1000). Golden State's Klay Thompson (+1500) and Draymond Green (+1800) are next. The bulk of the action, though, is on Curry, who has not won MVP in his five previous Finals appearances.

Curry has attracted the most bets and nearly half (44%) of the total money that's been wagered at Caesars Sportsbook, including a pair of $2,500 wagers that were placed by a bettor in Colorado when the Warriors point guard was 10-1 to win MVP. Curry also has garnered the most bets and most money wagered to win MVP at BetMGM sportsbooks, where he is the bookmaker's largest liability.

The largest payout on a single MVP bet at Caesars Sportsbook, however, is on Golden State's Jordan Poole. On April 16, as the playoffs were beginning, a bettor in Colorado bettor placed a $500 bet on Poole to win Finals MVP at 200-1 odds. Poole's odds have shortened to 30-1 entering the Finals, which tip off Thursday in San Francisco.

Around the same time, a bettor in Colorado with sportsbook PointsBet placed a $3,333 bet on Thompson to win MVP at 100-1 odds. That bet would pay a net $333,300 if Thompson wins in his return to the Finals.

Curry was named MVP of the Western Conference finals, and with a Finals MVP would join an illustrious list of seven players who have been named MVP of the Finals and regular season and won a scoring title: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal and Wilt Chamberlain.

But Curry now faces one of his toughest defenders in Boston's Marcus Smart. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Warriors have their second-worst offensive efficiency when Smart guards Curry. Smart is +3500 to win Finals MVP at Caesars Sportsbook.

Golden State began the week as a 3.5-point favorite over the Celtics in Game 1 on Thursday (9 p.m. ET, ABC).

NEW YORK -- Nationals right-hander Joe Ross will have season-ending Tommy John surgery, clouding his future with Washington in his final year under contract.

Washington manager Dave Martinez said Tuesday that Ross had opted for the surgery. The 29-year-old starter has been out since spring training with right elbow issues, and he exited a minor league rehab start last week with renewed soreness.

"He got different opinions, and they all came back to say that he needed surgery," Martinez said before a game against the New York Mets.

Ross was a member of the Nationals' 2019 championship team and appeared in two games during the World Series against Houston. Acquired as a minor leaguer in 2014 along with shortstop Trea Turner from San Diego, Ross is set to become a free agent for the first time this offseason.

Martinez had rosier news on injured starter Stephen Strasburg, who will make his first minor league rehab start with Triple-A Rochester on Friday. Strasburg has been out since last June following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.

The 33-year-old right-hander could return to the majors in the next couple of weeks, depending on how he feels at Triple-A.

"I can see the light at the end of the tunnel," Martinez said.

Star slugger Nelson Cruz was out of the Nationals' lineup with a left ankle contusion, but Martinez said he was available to pinch hit.

Washington also called up right-hander Jordan Weems and left-hander Francisco Perez from Triple-A, optioned righty Andres Machado to Rochester and designated right-hander Austin Voth for assignment.

Minor league left-hander Evan Lee was in the Nationals' clubhouse and could make a spot start Wednesday against the Mets. It would be the 24-year-old's big league debut.

TORONTO -- Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is expected to miss at least three weeks because of a strained right groin, manager Tony La Russa said Tuesday.

"The good news is that it could be worse,'' La Russa said, "which means that whatever the minimum was -- you know, three weeks and not six weeks -- is realistic, maybe. He heals fast. It's still three long weeks for us.''

The White Sox put Anderson on the 10-day injured list before facing the Blue Jays in Toronto, and activated outfielder Luis Robert off the COVID-19 injured list. Anderson's IL stint is retroactive to May 30.

The 2019 AL batting champ left Sunday's win over the Cubs, going down in the outfield after fielding P.J. Higgins' fifth-inning grounder and throwing to first for the out.

A first-time All-Star in 2021, Anderson ranks among the league leaders with a .356 batting average. He has five home runs and 19 RBIs in 40 games.

"He's our ignitor,'' La Russa said.

Yasmani Grandal was in the leadoff spot as the DH Tuesday.

Anderson is accompanying the White Sox on their trip to Toronto and Tampa Bay so he can undergo treatment. He was riding a stationary bike in the visitor's clubhouse before batting practice Tuesday.

The struggling White Sox have been hit hard by injuries this year. Right-hander Lance Lynn (right knee) and outfielder Eloy Jimenez (right hamstring) are also on the injured list.

Robert last played May 22 against the Yankees. He's batting .285 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 33 games.

DETROIT -- Carlos Correa was placed on the COVID-19 injured list by the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, a day after the team said the shortstop had tested positive.

Correa missed 11 games at the beginning of May while on the 10-day IL with a bruised right middle finger. The 27-year-old is hitting .279 with a .751 OPS in his first season with the Twins. He left the Houston Astros after seven seasons and signed a $105.3 million, three-year contract in March, a deal that allows him to opt out after the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Royce Lewis replaced Correa the last time he missed time, but Lewis is also now sidelined after suffering a bone bruise in his right knee after colliding with the outfield wall on Sunday while making a catch. Lewis, a natural shortstop who was placed on the 10-day IL Monday, was recalled from the minors Sunday after the Twins had him work at multiple positions so he could better contribute to the major league club. Lewis was starting in center field on Sunday.

Minnesota selected the contract of infielder Jermaine Palacios from Triple-A St. Paul before Tuesday's day-night doubleheader at Detroit. Palacios, 25, hit .262 with eight doubles, three homers and 17 RBIs for St. Paul.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

DETROIT -- Roger Clemens has had some big baseball moments in the city of Detroit. Not many of them had him as fired up as the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins.

Clemens flew into town from Texas to see his son, Kody, make his major league debut for the Tigers. He was called up by Detroit on Monday.

A third-round pick in the 2018 amateur draft, Kody Clemens was hitting .283 at Toledo with eight homers and 31 RBIs in 45 games. Drafted as a second baseman, he has played first, second, third and in left field this season.

"I'm just really happy for him -- he's worked really hard to get here and it has finally happened for him," the 59-year-old Clemens said. "We got everyone into scramble mode yesterday to get up here."

Clemens went 11-8 in 26 career starts against the Tigers in Detroit, but has a few special memories.

"This is like a second home to me, because I had an aunt who lived here, and I always stayed in her basement when we were here instead of the team hotel," he said. "And I went for my 300th (win) here, and of course, down the road (at Tiger Stadium), I had my 20-strikeout game."

Kody Clemens is going to wear No. 21, one of the numbers his father wore. He also wore No. 22 with the Yankees and the Astros.

Roger Clemens pitched 18 minor-league games before sticking in the big leagues. Kody has played 325.

"We've had very different experiences, but we discussed the same thing we always talk about -- if you are going to be in the major leagues, you might as well win," Clemens said. "Find a way to do it."

Roger Clemens knew how to do that. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner posted a 354-184 record with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Astros and Yankees. The 11-time All Star was a member of two World Series champions. A power pitcher, he struck out 4,672.

Kody Clemens doesn't have to worry about any comparisons to his father's hitting. The older Clemens insists he was a really good bunter, but his son doesn't hesitate to tell him he knows nothing about hitting and politely tells him to be quiet.

"What's cool is when he got the news, he got texts from several of my major-league teammates, so I was able to step back as a dad and let them impart some wisdom," Roger Clemens said. "Derek Jeter is giving him advice and Jeff Bagwell is giving him advice."