MILWAUKEE -- Giannis Antetokounmpo admits this isn't how he envisioned the Milwaukee Bucks' season playing out. At the beginning of the season, Antetokounmpo said he couldn't have known his team would advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

The landscape of the Eastern Conference changed drastically in the summer of 2018, when LeBron James, who dominated the East for nearly a decade, signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. James' Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat teams represented the East in the NBA Finals for eight consecutive years. With his move west, the East was suddenly a bit more open.

"I didn't see it as open," Antetokounmpo said Thursday. "But now that I look back and see how everything went, it's definitely open, not having LeBron in the East and not trying to go through him."

The Bucks are one of the teams that could emerge as the new champions of the James-less East. After beating the Toronto Raptors 108-100 on Wednesday night, Milwaukee holds a 1-0 lead over the Raptors in the series.

As the Bucks navigated the first round against the Detroit Pistons, second round against the Boston Celtics and now the conference finals against the Raptors, James wasn't top of mind.

"But any time you don't have to go through LeBron James is going to help your odds," Bucks guard Pat Connaughton said.

The Bucks spent Thursday watching film as a group. Even though they were able to pull away late and win Game 1, coach Mike Budenholzer wanted to highlight some of the mistakes the Bucks made through the first three quarters.

The Bucks' starting lineup won't get a boost from Malcolm Brogdon in Game 2. Even though he played two more minutes than starter Nikola Mirotic, Budenholzer said he doesn't anticipate Brogdon starting on Friday.

Antetokounmpo said that after watching the tape, he didn't think any one individual was outstanding in Game 1, but as a collective, "we had a great game."

"We're happy," Antetokounmpo said. "But at the end of the day, our job is not done. We gotta protect our home; we gotta be able to get Game 2."

SEATTLE -- The Seattle Mariners have recalled outfielder Mallex Smith after a couple of weeks with Triple-A Tacoma to work on his approach at the plate.

Seattle optioned infielder Shed Long to Tacoma to make room for Smith ahead of Thursday's series opener against Minnesota.

Smith was sent to the minors on April 30 after hitting just .165 in 27 games. Smith had just one hit in his final 29 at-bats before being sent down. In his 10 games with Tacoma, Smith hit .333 with three doubles and a home run.

The 26-year-old had a breakout season in 2018 for Tampa Bay, hitting .296 and tying for the American League lead with 10 triples. He also had two homers and stole 40 bases.

Long appeared in three games with the Mariners. He was hitless in nine at-bats and had a pair of walks in his limited opportunities.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

WASHINGTON -- Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez is likely headed to the injured list after leaving Thursday's game in the second inning with a hamstring injury, manager Davey Martinez said.

With one out, Sanchez walked Brandon Nimmo. Immediately after the pitch, the team's medical staff visited Sanchez on the mound. Following a brief consultation, the veteran righty yelled into his glove and then walked gingerly back to the dugout.

He was replaced by reliever Erick Fedde as the Nationals went on to win 7-6.

Martinez said after the game that the 35-year old Sanchez had a hamstring strain, will have an MRI on Friday and likely will wind up on the injured list.

"He tried to walk it off, thinking it was a cramp, but it pulled on him pretty good," Martinez said. "He's dealt with it. He knows he's dealt with it before. He doesn't think this one is really bad. But the MRI will tell us more tomorrow."

Sanchez, who has a 5.10 ERA and is winless in nine starts this season, had two strikeouts and had allowed one hit prior to exiting with a 4-0 lead.

"I'm probably going to miss another start, but I don't know yet," Sanchez said. "I just want to wait for tomorrow. I just got a little twist and after, it's really hard for me to hold my body straight to home plate. I tried to keep it as soft as I can, just to not put too much pressure on my leg, but it's my landing leg. There's nothing I can do. If I've got a leg problem, I can't even throw the ball straight to home plate."

The Nationals are one of three teams that have used only five starting pitchers this season, along with the Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins. If Sanchez misses his next start, his probable replacement would be Fedde, a former first-round pick who has started 14 games for the Nationals over the last two seasons.

Sanchez signed a two-year, $19 million with the Nationals as a free agent in December. He went 7-6 with a 2.83 ERA in 24 starts for the Atlanta Braves in 2018.

The Colorado Rockies will recall top prospect Brendan Rodgers on Friday, according to multiple reports.

Rodgers, an infielder, was ranked as the No. 28 overall prospect in Major League Baseball prior to this season by ESPN's Keith Law.

He is hitting .356 with nine home runs and 21 RBIs this season in 35 games for Triple-A Albuquerque.

Rodgers, 22, has primarily played shortstop during his five seasons in the minors but has played mostly at second base this season, starting 25 games. He also has three starts at third base and six at shortstop.

It is unclear what corresponding move the Rockies will make, but first baseman Daniel Murphy has hit just .212 since returning from a fractured left index finger and possibly could be a candidate to return to the injured list. If that were to happen, second baseman Ryan McMahon would likely move to first base with Rodgers playing second.

Also, shortstop Trevor Story suffered a bruised knee in the ninth inning of Wednesday's 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Boston Red Sox. Story told reporters he doesn't need to go on the injured list, but if the team rests him, Rodgers likely would play at shortstop.

The Rockies selected Rodgers third overall in the 2015 draft.

The news of Rodgers' expected promotion was first reported by MLB.com.

New York Mets right fielder Michael Conforto was diagnosed with a concussion following a collision with teammate Robinson Cano during a 7-6 loss to the Washington Nationals on Thursday.

Conforto and Cano were chasing after a pop fly by Howie Kendrick near the right-field line in the fifth inning when Cano's shoulder connected with Conforto's jaw. Conforto was slow to get up and came out of the game after a long conversation with manager Mickey Callaway and trainer Brian Chicklo.

"He hit the ground hard," Callaway said of Conforto. "He hit his head on Cano's shoulder, he hit the ground. He was kind of dazed. We knew right away we were going to have to get him out of there."

Conforto will not accompany the team to Florida for a three-game series with the Miami Marlins that starts Friday. He will take the train from Washington to New York for further medical evaluation.

Conforto hit a three-run homer to right in the third inning -- his third homer of the week.

Earlier, Mets left fielder Jeff McNeil left in the middle of the third with abdominal tightness. Calloway said he will be evaluated Friday. McNeil has a .354 average, second in the majors, with two home runs and 14 RBIs.

McNeil told reporters he has had four hernia surgeries and sometimes experiences tightness that takes a day or two to go away.

"It's not something I'm worried about," McNeil said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

British number one Johanna Konta reached the Italian Open quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-4 win over Venus Williams - her second match of the day.

Konta, 27, came from a set down to beat world number eight Sloane Stephens before overcoming seven-time Grand Slam winner Williams, now ranked 50th.

Williams was hampered by injury and an assured Konta won in 72 minutes.

She will play Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova or Russian Daria Kasatkina in the last eight in Rome.

Williams received a bye into the third round after sister Serena withdrew because of a knee injury.

Wiliams, 38, had won her past three meetings with Konta, including the 2017 Wimbledon semi-final.

Williams had her right knee strapped and, although she improved as the match wore on, Konta reached the first Premier clay-court quarter-final of her career.

World number one Naomi Osaka recorded consecutive 6-3 6-3 wins over Dominika Cibulkova and Mihaela Buzarnescu to set up a last-eight meeting with world number four Kiki Bertens.

Former French Open and Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza withdrew from her match against Victoria Azarenka with a thigh injury when 6-4 3-1 down.

He's never been one to hold back and now Nick Kyrgios has unleashed a volley of criticism against some of his fellow professionals in an unfiltered interview.

Speaking on the 'No Challenges Remaining' podcast, the 24-year-old branded Rafael Nadal "super salty" and called Novak Djokovic "cringeworthy".

In the 50-minute interview, Kyrgios called Roger Federer the "greatest of all time" but had less warm words for the Swiss' great rival Nadal.

"He's my polar opposite. Literally my polar opposite," Kyrgios said. "And he's super salty.

"When he wins it's fine, he won't say anything bad, he'll credit the opponent - 'he competed well today, he's a great player' - but then as soon as I beat him, it's just like 'he has no respect for me, my fans and no respect to the game'. I'm like 'what are you talking about? I literally played this way that I beat you the other previous times and nothing changed'.

"It's not a good look. And then Uncle Toni [Nadal's coach] came out saying 'he lacks education'. I'm like 'I did 12 years at school, you idiot. I'm very educated. I understand that you're upset I beat your family again'."

The contents of the podcast interview became public on Thursday, the same day Kyrgios was defaulted from the Italian Open after throwing a chair on to the court and walking off.

He was docked a game by the umpire for unsportsmanlike conduct, and as Kyrgios packed his bags and left, the umpire awarded the match to Norway's Casper Ruud early in the deciding set.

Kyrgios on Novak Djokovic

"I just feel like he has a sick obsession with wanting to be liked. He just wants to be like Roger.

"For me personally, I don't care right now, I've come this far, I feel like he just wants to be liked so much that I just can't stand him.

"This whole celebration thing that he does after matches, it's like so cringeworthy. It's very cringeworthy.

"But he is a champion of the sport, one of the greatest you'll see.

"Djokjovic just rubs me the wrong way, always says what feels like he needs to say and never speaks his opinion."

Kyrgios on Andy Murray:

"I feel like his record against Djokovic is embarrassing, I've told him! I just feel like he's so much better than Novak, I've played them both, and I feel like Andy Murray returns better, he's harder to play against, I feel like his serve's better... I've told him 'you should have won so many more Grand Slams'.

"With Murray, he would have ticked all the boxes, it's just sad, it sucks not seeing him around here, in the locker room he was the best, always having bants and everybody was super friendly with him but he also had an opinion of some people too and he wasn't afraid to say things as well which I liked. He was just a lot of fun and I think the sport lost a good one there."

Kyrgios on Fernando Verdasco:

"Verdasco drives me nuts, man. It gets me so vexed, I'm like angry now that I just hear that name. He's the most arrogant person ever. He doesn't say hello, he thinks he's so good, he thinks he's God's gift. Dude, your backhand's pretty average and let's be honest, you hit a ball over a net.

"Guys like that, they drive me insane. There's no humility there, there's no perspective. It's just like 'I'm here, I'm so cool, I'm unbelievable because I hit a ball over the net. Do this for me, do this for me, I won't say hello to you, I'm too important'.

"Guys like that. See how angry I'm getting? It kills me."

World number three Roger Federer saved two break points in defeating 13th seed Borna Coric 2-6 6-4 7-6 (9-7) to reach the quarter-finals of the Italian Open.

Federer, playing in the event for the first time since 2016, beat Joao Sousa in straight sets earlier in the day.

Coric, 22, had not played since beating Cameron Norrie on Tuesday and returned superbly to race 4-0 ahead but Federer, 37, won in two hours, 31 minutes.

There were comfortable wins for Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

It was the first meeting on clay between Federer and Coric, with the Swiss leading 3-2 on previous encounters, having won the most recent 6-2 6-2 in Dubai this year.

Having lost the opening set comprehensively, during which he was treated for a blister, Federer had his first break point opportunity at 3-2 up in the second.

Though it was not taken, a magnificent cross-court forehand created another which led to a succession of exchanges of serve, culminating in another break from Federer to seal the set in 47 minutes.

The Swiss maestro saved a break point in both the fifth and nine games of the decider but a rare wayward forehand saw him slip 3-1 behind in the tie-break.

To tumultuous cheers from the crowd in the late evening, Federer, four times a beaten finalist in the tournament, rallied and served out for victory on his second match point.

He will next face eighth-seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or Italian Fabio Fognini.

Defending champion Nadal, seeking his ninth Italian title, conceded only two games in winning his two matches on Thursday.

The 32-year-old Spaniard, who has lost in the semi-finals of his last four events, took one hour eight minutes to beat France's Jeremy Chardy 6-0 6-1 and six minutes fewer to see off Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 6-1 6-0.

Nadal next plays fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, who defeated 11th-seeded Russian Karen Khachanov 7-5 3-6 6-3.

World number one Djokovic, having beaten 20-year-old Denis Shapovalov 6-1 6-3 earlier in the day, needed only an hour and three minutes to oust German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3 6-0.

The 31-year-old Serb, who won the last of his four Italian titles in 2015, next plays seventh seed Juan Martin del Potro, who saw off Casper Ruud - the Norwegian who had progressed after Nick Kyrgios forfeited their second-round match - 6-4 6-4.

Australia's Nick Kyrgios threw his racquet, kicked a bottle and hurled a chair on the court, then forfeited his second-round match at the Italian Open after walking off court against Norway's Casper Ruud.

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READ MORE: Kyrgios forfeits after storming off court

Nick Kyrgios admitted "emotions got the better of me" after forfeiting his second-round match with Norwegian Casper Ruud at the Italian Open.

The Australian, 24, was in the deciding set when he was given a game penalty, reportedly for swearing, to trail 2-1.

He then kicked a bottle, threw down his racquet, hurled a chair on the court, picked up his bag and walked off.

Kyrgios was fined 20,000 euros (£17,461) for unsportsmanlike conduct and also lost his prize money.

In addition to the prize money of £29,366, he forfeited the 45 ranking points gained during the tournament and was told to cover the costs of his hospitality.

Writing on Instagram, he said: "Very eventful day to say to the least. Emotions got the better of me and I just wanted to say that the atmosphere was crazy out there today, just super unfortunate that it had to end in a default.

"Sorry Roma, see you again, maybe."

Kyrgios has a history of fines for poor behaviour on court and in March clashed with a fan at the Miami Open.

Earlier this week he served underarm during victory over Daniil Medvedev, while his actions on Thursday came as it emerged he told a podcast interview that he "could not stand" Novak Djokovic - who he described as "cringeworthy" - and called Rafael Nadal "super salty".

In the 50-minute interview, Kyrgios, who last year said he was talking to psychologists to address mental health issues, was asked about his opinion on a number of tennis stars.

After branding Roger Federer the "greatest of all time", he went in on Nadal, calling the Spaniard his "polar opposite".

But he had nicer things to say about Britain's Andy Murray, currently out of the game following hip surgery.

"It sucks not seeing him around here, in the locker room he was the best," he said.

Kyrgios' past controversies

Analysis

BBC Tennis correspondent Russell Fuller:

In October 2016, having shown minimal effort in a match with Mischa Zverev in Shanghai, Kyrgios was suspended from ATP tournaments for eight weeks.

A year earlier, in Montreal, Kyrgios had been given a suspended 28-day ban for making a lewd suggestion about Stan Wawrinka's girlfriend.

This time, the Australian can expect at least a heavy fine.

He will be one of the most talked-about people at Roland Garros when the French Open gets under way in 10 days' time. But not because he is thought to have a chance of winning.

Kyrgios is an entertainer, both with a racquet in his hand and when airing his unfiltered views on a podcast, but regularly laments his lack of conditioning.

He is happy to admit he plays too much basketball.

And he knows a coach would probably be a very good idea, but prefers the freedom of only having to answer to himself.