The Memphis Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins, their winningest coach, on Friday with the team struggling down the stretch and at risk of losing home-court advantage for the postseason.

Still sitting at No. 5 in the Western Conference standings, the Grizzlies decided to dump Jenkins anyway without immediately announcing an interim coach.

Jenkins led the Grizzlies for six seasons. He was let go with the team on the verge of playing three home games in a four-day span starting Saturday — first the Lakers, then Boston on Monday, then Golden State on Tuesday.

That starts a stretch where eight of Memphis’ final nine opponents are either playoff clubs or contending for a play-in spot. But it’s still possible, at least mathematically, that Memphis could get back to No. 2 in the West, and it’s highly unlikely that the Grizzlies will fall into the play-in tournament range.

Still, Memphis decided it was time for a change.

“This was a difficult decision, given the consistent and tangible development of our players and overall success under Taylor’s leadership,” Zach Kleiman, the Grizzlies’ president and general manager of basketball operations, said in a statement.

Jenkins was the fifth longest-tenured coach with his current club in the league, behind only San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, Golden State’s Steve Kerr and Denver’s Michael Malone — all of them having won NBA titles.

College football

Deion Sanders’ contract at Colorado extended through 2029 >> Deion Sanders brought back the glitter — and the wins — to a downtrodden program in just two seasons.

For that, the Colorado Buffaloes rewarded the charismatic coach with a contract extension through the 2029 season, making him the highest-paid football coach in the Big 12 Conference and among the most lucratively paid across the country.

His five-year, $54 million extension includes $10 million in each of the first two seasons, $11 million in the next two and $12 million in Year 5. The deal was reached with three years remaining on Sanders’ existing five-year, $29.5 million deal he signed when he was brought in from Jackson State.

Pro football

Ravens extend coach Harbaugh >> The Baltimore Ravens extended coach John Harbaugh’s contract by three years, taking him through the 2028 season.

The 62-year-old Harbaugh is the Ravens’ all-time winningest coach with a 172-104 record over 17 seasons, not including going 13-11 in the playoffs. He is the second-longest tenured active coach behind Mike Tomlin, who has been with the Pittsburgh Steelers coach for 18 years.

Golf

Scheffler ties his own course record >> Scottie Scheffler opened with two straight birdies and was on his way in the Houston Open, tying the Memorial Park record with an 8-under 62 for a one-shot lead when the second round was halted by darkness after a two-hour storm delay Friday.

It was the most complete round of the year for Scheffler, who missed the first month of the season recovering from a glass puncture in his right palm that required minor surgery.

The only green he missed was on No. 2 — his 11th of the round — and he holed that from just inside 30 feet for birdie.

Scheffler was at 11-under 129.

He led by one shot over Taylor Pendrith of Canada, who shot a 65. Nico Echavarria also was one shot behind until he hit his tee shot into the water on the 17th hole. Echavarria faced a par chip from 45 feet when play resumes Saturday morning.

Tennis

Djokovic advances to Miami Open final >> Novak Djokovic had some company for another Miami Open victory.

With Lionel Messi watching from a suite, Djokovic cruised into the Miami Open final by routing 14th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3 at Hard Rock Stadium.

Soccer

Spanish court overturns Alves’ rape conviction >> Dani Alves won his appeal against a sexual assault conviction as a Spanish court overturned the ruling.

Alves was found guilty in February 2024 of raping a woman in a nightclub in December 2022 and sentenced to four years, six months in prison. He denied wrongdoing during the three-day trial.