Sports News Roundup: Nike pins hopes on Olympics in race to take back market share; Baseball-Ohtani's former interpreter is negotiating a guilty plea, New York Times reports and more

Jokic added 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals for the Nuggets, who can secure the West's No. 1 seed for the second straight season by winning road games against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday and the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. MLB roundup: Royals score 7 runs in 3rd to beat Astros Vinnie Pasquantino homered and drove in a career-high five runs, leading the Kansas City Royals to an 11-2 win over the visiting Houston Astros on Wednesday night.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Golf-World's best come together at Masters in bid for Green Jacket

The Masters will bring together golf's best in an increasingly rare gathering of the sport's top talent when opening round play gets underway on Thursday at Augusta National with heavy rain threatening to dampen the excitement. As the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf try to iron out an agreement, the reality that fans are the big losers in a feud that has split the sport have sunk in with even Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley on Wednesday taking notice during his annual pre-Masters press conference.

NBA roundup: Nuggets get past Wolves, sit alone atop West

Nikola Jokic scored 24 of his game-high 41 points in the second half as the host Denver Nuggets took sole possession of first place in the Western Conference with a 116-107 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Jokic added 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals for the Nuggets, who can secure the West's No. 1 seed for the second straight season by winning road games against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday and the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.

MLB roundup: Royals score 7 runs in 3rd to beat Astros

Vinnie Pasquantino homered and drove in a career-high five runs, leading the Kansas City Royals to an 11-2 win over the visiting Houston Astros on Wednesday night. Pasquantino's two-run double in the third opened the floodgates as the Royals sent 11 batters to the plate, scoring seven times to snap a scoreless tie.

Nike pins hopes on Olympics in race to take back market share

Nike is set to unveil new kits for the Olympic national teams it sponsors including the U.S. and Kenya, seeking to bolster its credentials as a performance gear brand for top athletes as well as everyday consumers. After a long stretch of lacklustre sales, this summer's Olympic Games in Paris offer a fresh chance for Nike, official outfitter of Team USA, to direct the world's attention to its so-called performance products like running shoes.

Tennis-Rome win gives Medvedev confidence for claycourt swing

Daniil Medvedev got his claycourt season off to a winning start by beating Gael Monfils 6-2 6-4 at the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday and the Russian said his victory in Rome last year has given him belief he can win any tournament on the surface. Hardcourt specialist Medvedev won his first title on clay by beating Holger Rune in the Rome final, though that victory was immediately followed by a first-round exit at the French Open.

Jaguars pass rusher Josh Allen signs $150M deal

Jacksonville Jaguars Pro Bowl pass rusher Josh Allen agreed to a five-year, $150 million contract after what he said Wednesday was an emotional rollercoaster of negotiations. "We're there. We're happy. We're very happy with what we have in front of us," Allen said of reaching the finish line in contract talks, tearing up discussing the deal and what it means to him and his wife. "Now how do you live up to it? Get back in the lab."

Baseball-Ohtani's former interpreter is negotiating a guilty plea, New York Times reports

Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter, who was fired by the Los Angeles Dodgers amid allegations that he stole from Ohtani to cover gambling debts, is in negotiations with federal prosecutors to plead guilty, the New York Times reported. Ippei Mizuhara has been linked to at least $4.5 million in payments that were transferred from Ohtani's account to an illegal Southern California gambling operation, ESPN reported.

Adam Silver: NBA players manipulating wagers face life ban

With the NBA investigating a player for possibly conspiring to affect gambling results regarding in-game performance, league commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday that such actions could result in a lifetime ban. Toronto Raptors reserve Jontay Porter is accused of exiting two games to ensure that "under" bets on his performance were winners. He hasn't played since the NBA launched its probe in late March.

Report: Ex-Ravens star Terrell Suggs facing assault charge

Former Baltimore Ravens star Terrell Suggs was arrested on an assault charge Tuesday night in Arizona, TMZ Sports reported. Suggs, 41, was booked into the Maricopa County jail on one count of assault and one count of offense against public order, a spokesperson for the Scottsdale Police Department told TMZ Sports. He was later released.

NHL roundup: Coyotes edge Canucks in OT

Dylan Guenther celebrated his 21st birthday by scoring once in a career-best, four-point performance and Logan Cooley scored the overtime winner in a two-point outing to lead the visiting Arizona Coyotes to a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. On a day when reports circulated of a potential plan that would see the Coyotes sold and relocated to Salt Lake City, Vladislav Kolyachonok collected one goal and one assist and Josh Brown also scored for Arizona. Goaltender Connor Ingram made 23 saves.

(With inputs from agencies.)