NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Sterling not at Clippers game
UNDATED (AP) — Before today’s game with the Warriors the Los Angeles Clippers ran out of the tunnel for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series wearing their warm-up uniforms. They huddled together at center court and tossed their warm-ups to the ground and went through their pregame routine with their red Clippers’ shirts on inside-out to hide the team’s logo.
The Clippers top the Warriors by a 2-1 margin and are looking for their third straight win. Clippers owner Donald Sterling is not in attendance, staying away after TMZ released an audio recording purportedly of him making racial comments.
Magic Johnson has weighed in by saying he will never attend a Clippers game again and that commissioner Adam Silver should “come down hard” on Sterling. Johnson says Sterling should not be allowed to own a team.
Michael Jordan says he’s both disgusted and outraged by the comments allegedly made by Sterling. In a statement the current owner of the Charlotte Bobcats said that as an owner, “I’m completely disgusted that a fellow team owner could hold such sickening and offensive views.” As a former player, Jordan says “I’m completely outraged.”
President Barack Obama, asked to respond to the alleged comments by Sterling, said at a news conference with Malaysia’s prime minister during Obama’s visit to the country, that the comments were “incredibly offensive racist statements.”
In the recording the man speaking urges his girlfriend not to bring black friends to Clippers games. The NBA and the Clippers are investigating, including whether the male voice on the recording is in fact Sterling’s.
Earlier in the afternoon the Wizards took a 3-1 series lead over the visiting Bulls with a 98-89 win. Trevor Ariza (ah-REE’-zuh) had a career playoff-high 30 points in the win, which saw the Wizards score the first 14 points of the game. John Wall added 15 points and 10 assists for Washington, which forced 16 turnovers and committed only six. The Wizards can finish off the Bulls in Game 5 on Tuesday in Chicago.
The Nets and Raptors are squaring off in New York tonight with Brooklyn leading the series 2-1. The fifth game will be Wednesday in Toronto. And in Portland tonight the Blazers are looking to take a 3-1 lead over Houston. This series resumes Wednesday night in in Houston.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Afternoon results
UNDATED (AP) — The Blue Jays snapped a four-game losing streak with a 7-1 win over the Red Sox. Getting the victory was R.A. Dickey who upped his record to 2-3. The loss was absorbed by Jon Lester who fell to 2-4.
— Dillon Gee pitched three-hit ball over eight innings, Chris Young hit a two-run homer and the Mets blanked the Marlins 4-0 to take two of three from the Marlins. The loss went to Tom Koehler.
Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals is trying to become baseball’s first five-game winner of the season as the Cards are playing the Pirates. The right hander entered the game 4-1 with a sterling 1.46 earned run average and 35 strikeouts this season.
In this evening’s lone game the Angels are playing the Yankees in New York with Masahiro Tanaka of the Yanks looking for his fourth win against no defeats. The Angels are countering with Garrett Richards.
The game between the Tigers and Twins has been postponed because of rain. No makeup date has been set.
MLB-DISABLED LIST
O’s, Tigers and Nationals lose players
WASHINGTON (AP) — Another player sliding head-first into a base has been injured and is headed to the disabled list. This time it’s outfielder Bryce Harper of the Nationals, who has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left thumb. The move is retroactive to Saturday. Harper hurt his hand with a head-first slide into third base Friday night after hitting a third-inning, bases-loaded triple in Washington’s 11-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. He stayed in the game for an inning before he was replaced.
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Orioles have put first baseman Chris Davis on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left oblique. Davis left Friday night’s game against Kansas City after four innings. Davis led the majors last year with 53 homers and 138 RBIs. This season he has two home runs and 13 RBIs in 22 games.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Detroit Tigers have put pitcher Anibal (AH’-nih-bahl) Sanchez on the 15-day disabled list because of a blister on his throwing hand. Sanchez left in the third inning of Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Twins with a blister on his right middle finger. He is 0-2 with a 3.13 ERA in five starts this season.
NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Ducks and Blackhawks look to close out play
UNDATED (AP) — New York’s Rangers have taken a 3-2 lead in their best of seven playoff series with the Flyers. Brad Richards and Dominic Moore scored second-period goals, and Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves in a 4-2 win. Game 6 is Tuesday in Philadelphia. If necessary, a deciding seventh game would be back at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
Two teams, Anaheim and Chicago, can advance to the second round of the NHL playoffs with wins today. The Blackhawks are playing host to the Blues this afternoon with a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. This has been an interesting series in that the Blues won the opening two games before dropping the next three. If needed, the seventh game will be played Tuesday in St. Louis.
Tonight, in Dallas, the Ducks are facing the Stars with a 3-2 series advantage. The home team has won every game so far and if need be the deciding seventh game would be Tuesday in Anaheim.
INDYCAR
Open wheel racing in Alabama
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) —The start of the IndyCar race in Birmingham Ala., is being delayed by heavy rain. When the race gets underway Will Power will start from the pole. A two-time winner at Barber Motorsports Park, Power posted the time to beat fairly early in qualifying for IndyCar’s Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. James Hinchcliffe starts second after sitting out the final few minutes, followed by defending champion Ryan Hunter-Reay.
GOLF-ZURICH CLASSIC
Final round underway
AVONDALE, La. (AP) — Seung-Yul Noh has taken a two shot lead midway through the final round of the PGA’s Zurich Classic. He is 1-under for the day and 19-under for the tournament, two shots in front of Jeff Overton.
GOLF-SWINGING SKIRTS CLASSIC
Lewis begins play on top
DALY CITY, Calif. (AP) — Stacy Lewis has a one-stroke lead over Lydia Ko entering today’s fourth round of the Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in California. Lewis is 10-under after she and each shot 4-under 68’s. Jenny Shin was four strokes back following a 68.
