Warriors star Kevin Durant traveled on the team's charter to Toronto on Tuesday for Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals against the Raptors, even though he has been officially ruled out of Game 1 with a strained right calf.

Game 1 is Thursday (9 p.m. ET, ABC), but the Warriors then have a couple of days off before Game 2 on Sunday.

Durant injured his calf in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets and has not played since.

He was not in Portland when the Warriors swept the Trail Blazers to win the Western Conference finals.

The All-Star forward has been shooting on his own but has yet to do any on-court work with his teammates as he continues the rehab process, coach Steve Kerr said.

The Warriors said Friday that they were hopeful that Durant could return at some point in the series.

The Warriors have gone 5-0 in Durant's absence, but the two-time NBA Finals MVP would be a valuable counter to Raptors star Kawhi Leonard on both ends of the floor.

The Oakland Athletics have released veteran relief pitcher Fernando Rodney, three days after he was designated for assignment.

The A's made the move Tuesday.

Rodney, 42, had seen his ERA balloon to a career-worst 9.42 this season, posting an 0-2 record with 15 hits allowed in 20 innings. He had returned to Oakland for 2019 after the A's exercised a $5.25 million club option.

Rodney has pitched for 10 teams in a 17-year career and ranks 18th in MLB history with 325 saves.

The A's also reinstated outfielder Nick Martini (sprained right knee) from the injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Las Vegas.

The Houston Astros' All-Star double-play combination was being evaluated by team doctors on Tuesday.

Second baseman Jose Altuve, who had been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock because of a hamstring injury this week, returned to Houston because of "fatigue and soreness" in his right leg, and shortstop Carlos Correa was removed from Tuesday's lineup against the Chicago Cubs because of soreness in his ribs.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Altuve's left hamstring is "fine." Hinch noted that Altuve's soreness is to the same leg on which he had surgery -- the second baseman underwent surgery on his right knee last October.

Altuve has been out since May 11 because of his strained left hamstring.

"Injuries suck, no matter what time it happens during the year," Hinch said. "It happens to everybody; this has been a bad week for us. We're going to be fine. We have good players who can win games."

The Astros, who also are currently without All-Star outfielder George Springer (hamstring), led the American League West with a 36-19 record entering Tuesday's games.

Saracens captain Brad Barritt could yet feature in Saturday's Premiership final against Exeter, and will face a fitness test on his hamstring on Thursday.

The 32-year-old centre was forced off after 27 minutes of the semi-final win over Gloucester at the weekend and was expected to miss the Twickenham final.

"To be fair to Brad we want to give him until the end of the week," said director of rugby Mark McCall.

"With a hamstring injury he obviously can't train. He does have a chance."

The Irishman added: "He'll be tested on Thursday to see where he's at and he could be ruled out then, but we might have to wait until we warm up on Saturday to see how it is."

Nick Tompkins scored a hat-trick as Barritt's replacement in the 44-19 win over the Cherry and Whites last Saturday and will start against the Chiefs if Barritt fails to recover from his injury.

However, McCall intends to give the former England international until the last minute to prove his fitness.

"We'll see, but we won't do something foolish that means Brad has to go off after one minute," he said. "That's not the situation we want to be in."

"But given who he is and the efforts he's made this year, it's fair to give him a few more days. It would be a lift to have him available."

Barritt has a history of overcoming injury rapidly, having featured against Leinster last season just days after having a titanium plate inserted following a cheekbone injury, while last month he recovered from ankle ligament damage to face Munster in the European Champions Cup semi-finals.

"Brad does have this habit of coming back from operations - on his eye socket normally - before these kinds of games," added McCall.

"A hamstring's a bit different because even the bravest people can't do anything about that.

"If it's a grade one it's normally seven-to-10 days. That's always pushing it. His is probably a 1.2 rather than a one, so we'll see."

DARLINGTON, S.C. – Roush Fenway Racing unveiled its No. 6 Oscar Mayer Throwback paint scheme during a Tuesday morning event at the famed Darlington Raceway.

The scheme pays homage to Mark Martin’s 1993 scheme that scored Jack Roush’s first Southern 500 win in 1993. Reimagined in Oscar Mayer colors, the iconic Wienermobile was also on hand for the event, proudly wrapped in the same throwback scheme.

“It think the scheme looks great,” said Ryan Newman, who will pilot the Ford Mustang during September’s throwback weekend at the 1.366-mile oval affectionately termed the ‘Track Too Tough to Tame.’ “Darlington is my favorite track on the circuit and the Southern 500 is one of the best events on our schedule. I can’t wait to come back here in September and see if we can put this No. 6 back in victory lane.”

Newman has led 334 laps in his career at Darlington, scoring 13 top-10 finishes; including a runner-up finish in 2002. Roush Fenway Fords have won 20 times at Darlington, leading over 4,500 laps and winning five times in NASCAR’s premier Cup Series.

This will be the 70th running of the famed Southern 500. This season’s throwback weekend at Darlington pays tribute to the years 1990-94. Martin led 178 laps in route to his 1993 Southern 500 win. He also drove the scheme to a second-place finish in the spring event at Darlington that same season, leading 123 laps. Martin led 301 laps during the 1993 season at Darlington.

This will be the fifth season Darlington has hosted the throwback weekend, with the event having grown into one of the most popular races on the NASCAR circuit.

“The Throwback platform has been an exceptional way for Darlington Raceway to connect the past, present and future of the sport, and no better place to do it in my mind than here at Darlington, which I think is the most historic and iconic race track on the circuit,” said Kerry Tharp, President of Darlington Raceway. “This will be year five for us and it’s an opportunity for the people to come back that have been a part of the sport for a long time and reconnect with family and friends. It’s a reunion, and we want that reunion to continue to build.”

Oscar Mayer, who first appeared on the No. 6 back in 2003, was featured on the No. 6 during last year’s race at Darlington.

“We at Oscar Mayer have a rich tradition of making quality meats, and we’re excited to celebrate that tradition this September as part of NASCAR’s Throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway,” said Matt Riezman, Associate Director of Marketing, Oscar Mayer. “We’re even more excited to throw back to one of NASCAR’s most iconic drivers, Mark Martin, in a fun way by wrapping our famed Wienermobile to match our throwback No. 6.”

CHICAGO – The Chicago White Sox will team up with the Straightline Strategy Group to serve as a major sponsor on Clay Millican’s Parts Plus Top Fuel Dragster at the NHRA Route 66 Nationals on May 30–June 2.

“Anytime we can cross-market two iconic brands like the Chicago White Sox and NHRA drag racing, it brings another level of passion and excitement to the fans of both sports,” says Steven Cole, SVP Marketing and Sales for SSG. “From Clay throwing out the first pitch to driving his Parts Plus/Chicago White Sox sponsored Top Fuel Dragster, this program is destined to be a home run!”

The White Sox have an incredible history as they are one of eight charter members of the American League, having played in Chicago since the inaugural 1901 season. Additionally, they have won six American League pennants and three World Series Titles.

This will be the second time Clay has piloted a Chicago White Sox Dragster as his last was back in 1998 during his first ever start at an NHRA event in Chicago. Millican has plenty of history of his own, winning six IHRA World Titles before moving to the NHRA where he currently holds the Top Fuel E.T. record at 3.628 seconds and has three NHRA career wins. Finishing third in the 2018 NHRA Mello Yello Points Series, Millican has his sight set on winning the 2019 NHRA Championship.

“Starting my top fuel career in the White Sox sponsored car at Route 66 Raceway was incredible,” says Millican. “Then winning the event in 2018 on the 20th anniversary of my start and of the opening of Route 66 Raceway was unbelievable. Now we are coming full circle with having the White Sox back with us on the Parts Plus dragster. It’s going to be a special weekend.”

Millican will also have the honors of throwing out the first pitch at the White Sox game against the Cleveland Indians on Thursday, May 30. The Chicago White Sox bannered Top Fuel Dragster will be on display at Guaranteed Rate Field (known as Comiskey Park).

Liam Plunkett knows he can't bowl consistently as fast as he used to but he is determined to turn what could be seen as a shortcoming into a weapon.

After all, there is a World Cup on his doorstep and Plunkett admits he turns into a green-eyed monster if he is not on the big stage.

Even during England's last warm-up, a nine-wicket win against Afghanistan on Monday, he couldn't help himself. Plunkett was officially rested for the match but came on as a substitute fielder, took a catch and was involved in a run-out.

While Plunkett's ability to frustrate opposition teams during the middle overs was his big selling point for World Cup selection, a drop in pace - inevitable at the age of 34 - was also noted as pundits weighed up the possibilities ahead of England naming their final squad last week.

"I find it harder to bowl as quick as I used to consistently," Plunkett said. "But I feel that's something that helps me. I'll try and bowl the same speed and sometimes it will come out at late 80s and sometimes it will come out at 81. So I feel I've got to use that as my variation. If I don't know what speed it's going to come out, the batters won't either."

Plunkett's role is also helped by England's formidable batting line-up which is threatening to become the first team to reach a total of 500.

"I've gone through patches since I came back when I was bowling consistently quick," Plunkett said. "We call our bowlers the ants as they just do the job, go home and let the batters get the glory. We'll take that.

"I just try and go about my business and do the hard yards with the boys in the middle and make it as boring and difficult as possible for the batters.

"Obviously it's been harder now for people as we can score at eight and nine an over so you know the batters will come after you. Maybe that's helped with wickets because people know they need to score and that gives you a chance to get wickets."

Plunkett returns to England's World Cup fold ahead of Thursday's tournament opener against South Africa having last featured in 2007, when he took four wickets in three matches. He has secured his place with 85 wickets at 28.43 from 53 matches since 2015.

He can't remember exactly where he was during the last World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, but he was watching, sometimes.

"I was watching," he said. "When I'm not in the squad I get a bit bitter. I don't like watching England because you're always jealous because you want to be there. So I didn't watch too match to be honest with you.

"At that point I wasn't sure I was going to play in the white-ball team so much. So, to be a couple of years down the line and be on the brink of playing on Thursday is exciting."

Plunkett can empathise with fellow fast bowler David Willey, who missed out when England opted for back-up spinner Liam Dawson for the World Cup. It is a feeling compounded by the squad's closeness, developed under captain Eoin Morgan.

"Even though people were thinking about the World Cup squad and the Pakistan series, the bowlers who didn't play were helping each other out," Plunkett said. "Me down at fine leg, one of the other bowlers would come and say, 'what do you think about this?' which is something that can be hard to do in a team, especially when you know the squad is coming up.

"Do you want to give that guy extra credit or something you know about the batter? So the guys have been really good, because we all get on with each other. But at the end of the day it is international sport.

"You want people to do well. I've never been a person who wanted someone to go out there and fail because I feel that can come round and bite you on the backside. This team, the support we have as a unit, is the best I've ever played in."

Meanwhile, Jofra Archer, whose inclusion also contributed to Willey missing out, wished he could have bowled double the amount of overs he had in preparation for the tournament since making his international debut against Ireland last month.

"I've bowled about 20 overs in the last month in a match situation which isn't really ideal," Archer said. "The flip side of that is you get to rest and I've had a long six months going back to October.

"I was 100 percent fit but I guess they were just trying to rest me. I didn't have any niggles or anything like that. I can get by, but personally I've not played a lot of 50-over cricket in the last year so I just wanted to top up."

The Edmonton Oilers named Dave Tippett as their new head coach on Tuesday.

He takes over a team that has missed the playoffs in 12 of the past 13 seasons, despite picking first overall for three straight years from 2010 to 2012 and again in 2015.

There is pressure to win while superstar captain Connor McDavid is still in his prime -- and under contract. McDavid, 22, has a deal that runs through 2025-26 with a $12.5 million cap hit.

The Oilers fired Todd McLellan in November, and used longtime NHL coach Ken Hitchcock for the remainder of the season.

Ken Holland was named the team's new general manager and president of hockey operations earlier this month and informed Hitchcock that he would not return as coach.

Tippett, 57, has 14 years' experience as an NHL head coach, most recently with the Coyotes from 2009 to '17. He has also coached the Dallas Stars and has a 553-413-28-120 record in the regular season and 21-26 in the postseason. He led the Stars to the Western Conference finals in 2008.

A UFC Hall of Famer is returning after a lengthy absence.

Urijah Faber, a pioneer for lighter-weight fighters in MMA, will fight Ricky Simon in a bantamweight bout at UFC Sacramento on July 13 at Golden 1 Center, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter was the first to report the news.

Faber, 40, is a Sacramento native, so the return location is significant. The bout will not be the main event, sources said.

Faber (34-10) has not fought since UFC on Fox 22 in December 2016, a unanimous decision win over Brad Pickett in Sacramento. Faber announced that would be his retirement bout, but never wrote a letter to the UFC or removed himself from the USADA drug-testing pool to formally retire.

"The California Kid" was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2017. Faber, who became a father for the first time earlier this year, is a former World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight champion who defended the belt a record five times. He is also the patriarch of Team Alpha Male, one of MMA's top teams.

Faber's ability to draw fans with his bouts in the 145-pound division was one of the main reasons the UFC decided to acquire WEC and its lighter-weight classes in 2006. The belief at the time was that weight classes below 170 pounds would never be popular, but Faber's fights garnered big ratings and sold tickets.

Simon (15-1) is a rising star in the bantamweight division. The Washington state native, who trains out of Portland, Oregon, has won eight straight, including his first three fights in the UFC. Simon, 26, is a former Legacy Fighting Alliance bantamweight champion. He trains with the likes of Chael Sonnen and Paige VanZant.

UFC Sacramento does not yet have an announced main event. The card will also feature a bout between strawweight contenders Cynthia Calvillo and Livinha Souza.

Recent highlights from the world of athletics

Separate reports on Götzis Hypomeeting, Manchester BMC Grand Prix, Vitality Westminster Mile and Vitality London 10,000 action on a busy bank holiday weekend can be found by clicking each event name, while other recent highlights are below.

Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10km, May 26

Doug Musson won the men’s title in 30:22 ahead of Leeds City’s Graham Rush with 30:40 and his fellow Notts AC runner Stuart Spencer with 31:05.

Birchfield Harriers’ Chloe Richardson claimed women’s race victory in 34:56 from Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton’s Kirsty Longley with 36:24.

World 10,000m medallist Jo Pavey, who has joined forces with Great Run title partner Simplyhealth to encourage families to exercise more together, was among those taking part and she ran 36:50 to finish third and top W45.

Rush and Longley were the leading masters at an event which included a masters international.

The official race starter was Hayley Carruthers, who hit the headlines and inspired many after cameras captured her crawling over the finish line in a PB performance at the London Marathon.

European Clubs Cup, Castellón, May 25-26

Turkish Enka won the women’s competition and Playas de Castellon the men’s as both British clubs – Birchfield’s men and Thames Valley Harriers’ women – finished fifth.

World champion Ramil Guliyev won the 200m in 20.32 and the 100m in 10.16 as Kyle de Escofet was third in 10.30, while Ivet Lalova-Collio claimed a 11.28/23.10 sprint double and Rachel Miller finished second in the shorter event with 11.49.

"I hope I can go sub-20 many times this year!"

Ramil Guliyev has already broken the 20 second-barrier in 2019 and he continued his excellent early season form with a sprint double at the European Champions Club Cup in Castellon. pic.twitter.com/ifGjQNL0tO

— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) May 27, 2019

Ferguson Cheruiyot beat Marcin Lewandowski in both the 800m and 1500m and European champion Yasemin Can won over 1500m and 3000m.

Amelia Strickler threw a 17.83m PB to win the shot, while Cátia Azevedo won the 400m in 52.44 from Zoey Clark with 53.35.

NCAA East Preliminary, Jacksonville Fl, May 23

Grant Holloway ran 13.10 for the 110m hurdles and Daniel Roberts clocked 13.13.

Jaron Flournoy won his 200m semi-final in 20.09, while Japan’s Hakim Sani Brown won another in 20.13. Nick Gray ran a 20.14 PB in the first round.

BIGish Jumps & Throws Fest, Bedford, May 27

Naomi Ogbeta recorded a UK-leading 13.81m in the triple jump.

Happy to have opened with 13.81m my best season opener and a championship record at Bedford today! #ThankGod pic.twitter.com/ZHJbr28MsH

— Naomi Ogbeta (@NaomiOgbeta) May 27, 2019

Nick Percy also excelled with a 61.68m discus throw while Abigail Irozuru’s 6.57m won the long jump.

Chris Baker achieved a 2.22m high jump.

IFAM International Outdoor, Oordegem-Lede, Belgium, May 25

Seb Rodger won the 400m hurdles in 49.60 for his quickest time in two years, while Alastair Chalmers came close to his own British junior record with 50.14.

Joe Reid finished fourth in the 800m in a PB of 1:47.77, while Isabelle Boffey also ran a PB in the women’s event as she was fifth in 2:03.84, achieving a European U20 qualifying standard.

England U20 and senior Combined Events Championships, Bedford, May 25-26

John Lane won the decathlon with a CBP score of 7786 points, while four athletes scored over 7000 points in the junior event which was won by Jack Turner with 7297 points.

Holly Mills won the under-20 heptathlon with a PB of 5722 points.

Nottwil Grand Prix, Switzerland, May 26

USA’s Daniel Romanchuk improved his own T54 5000m world record to 9:44.33, while Canada’s Brent Lakatos broke the T53 400m world record which had stood for nearly a decade, clocking 47.34 after contesting the 5000m a short while before.

?WORLD RECORD! ? US star Daniel Romanchuk clocks 9:44.33 in the 5000m T54 ????
"It's a wonderful group effort. I certainly could not have done that on my own"
Superb European record 9:44.37 for @MarcelEricHug in second ? #ParaAthletics #grandprix pic.twitter.com/1nRO0TKRB3

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) May 26, 2019

Wow. @BrentLak now holds world records over 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m. Today's came after racing the 5000m T54 this morning too! ? #ParaAthletics #grandprix pic.twitter.com/ablowgdcOR

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) May 26, 2019

USA’s Tatyana McFadden won both the women’s T54 5000m in 10:57.80 and 400m in 52.46, while Britain’s Hannah Cockroft won the T34 400m in 58.56.

Lee Valley, May 27

Lucy-Jane Matthews set a UK age-16 100m hurdles best of 13.53 (-0.4m/sec), improving on the 13.71 mark which had been set by Sally Gunnell.

Edinburgh Marathon Festival, Scotland, May 25-26

The Scottish running festival featured nine races including a full marathon, half-marathon, team relay, 10km and 5km, plus four junior events.

Kenya’s Dan Tanui won the men’s marathon in 2:30:13 from South London’s Ollie Garrod in 2:32:10 and JSK Running Club’s Tom Roche in 2:32:19.

The women’s title was claimed by Winchester’s Melanie Wilkins in 2:42:56 for a huge PB to improve on her 3:17:03 from 2014 as she dominated ahead of Fife’s Megan Crawford in 2:54:02 and Cardiff’s Carys Hughes in 2:54:07.

First Female in the 2019 Edinburgh Marathon is Melanie Wilkins with a provisional time of 02:42:56!#emf2019 #edinburghmarathon pic.twitter.com/cQRogvO8Kh

— Edinburgh Marathon (@MrHairyHaggis) May 26, 2019

“This is my first time in Edinburgh and I’m very happy to win!” said Wilkins.

Karl Darcy (67:40) and Molly Browne (78:27) won the half-marathon, while 10km winners were Ewan Cameron (33:17) and Sarah Cumber (38:26) and the 5km victors were 16-year-old Cameron Bullen (17:40) and Catherine Meyer in a course record (18:37).

European Masters Mountain Running Championships, Janske Lazene, May 25

Britain claimed three individual medals in these uphill championships.

Colin Donnelly won the M55 event by 11 seconds, also beating all the M50 athletes. Guy Whitmarsh claimed M75 gold and Steve Herington won bronze in the M70 race.

Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon, Canada, May 25-26

Kenya’s Albert Korir ran 2:08:03 and Ethiopia’s Tigist Girma 2:26:34 to win the marathon in wet conditions.

Offenburg, 26 May

Germany’s European silver medallist Andreas Hofmann narrowly won with a world-leading 89.40m throw ahead of Bernhard Seifert’s 89.06m.

Salomon GoreTex Maxi-Race, Annecy, France, May 24

Britain’s Andrew Douglas and Kenya’s Lucy Wambui Murigi claimed victory in the first leg of the World Mountain Running Association World Cup.

Douglas clocked 75:10 for the 16.5km event, which took place on a point-to-point course with 945 metres of ascent and 990m of descent.

Murigi won in 1:30:27 ahead of Ireland’s Sarah McCormack in 1:32:33.