NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Bobcats’ Jefferson out of must-win Game 4
UNDATED (AP) — The defending NBA champion Miami Heat can finish off the Charlotte Bobcats tonight with a win. Miami takes a 3-0 lead into this evening’s game in Charlotte after wins of 11, 4 and 13 points. If the Bobcats win tonight, a fifth game will be played in Miami Wednesday night.
Bobcats coach Steve Clifford says center Al Jefferson will not play because of a lingering foot injury. Jefferson is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder. Clifford says Bismack Biyombo will start for Jefferson.
Jefferson has been hobbled since straining the plantar fascia in his left foot in the first quarter of Game 1.
Jefferson said Monday after the shootaround he feels as if he’s “walking on needles. I wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone. It’s the worst pain I’ve ever dealt with in my career.”
The surprising Dallas Mavericks are looking to go up 3-1 on the San Antonio Spurs, the top seed in the Western Conference. After dropping the first game in San Antonio the Mavs have come back for back to back wins in San Antonio and Dallas. Tonight’s game is once again on the Mavs’ home floor. The fifth game is Wednesday night in the Alamo City.
In the final game of the night the Hawks and Pacers are playing the fifth game in their best-of-seven series. This evening’s game is being played in Indianapolis with the series knotted up at 2-2.
NBA-STERLING
What’s next?
NEW YORK — Here’s the latest in the ongoing scandal involving Donald Sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. The NBA has called a Tuesday news conference to make an announcement about the investigation involving Sterling and those racially charged comments attributed to him. And the controversy is now hitting the team in its pocket book as used car dealership chain CarMax, Virgin Air and Kia Motors of America have pulled their advertising.
Sterling is being investigated over allegations he made racially charged comments in a recorded conversation with a woman. Portions of that conversation were released over the weekend by TMZ and Deadspin.
The players’ union has asked Commissioner Adam Silver to rule quickly, preferably before the Clippers play host to Golden State in the fifth game of their playoff series Tuesday night.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers said in a conference call today that he opted out of a chance to speak with Sterling. Rivers also said that he believes Sterling made the comments. Of declining the chance to speak with the club’s owner, Rivers said, “I just took a pass.”
OBIT-RAMSAY
Hall of Fame coach Jack Ramsay dies
MIAMI (AP) — Hall of Fame basketball coach Jack Ramsay has died. His death, at 89, was announced by ESPN, where he worked as a broadcaster until last season. No cause of death was immediately given, though Ramsay had battled cancer for many years and was placed in hospice care late last week.
Ramsay, known as “Dr. Jack” throughout the league, coached in the NBA for parts of 21 seasons, including leading Portland to the 1977 NBA title. He then began a long career as one of the league’s most revered radio and television analysts.
Ramsay also was an accomplished college coach at Saint Joseph’s in Philadelphia, taking the Hawks to the 1961 Final Four.
“From his coaching tenure to his broadcast work, Dr. Jack left an indelible mark on every facet of our game and on every person he came in contact with, including me,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Gray and Simon looking for win No. 4
UNDATED (AP) — Seven games comprise this evening’s MLB schedule. Two pitchers, Oakland’s Sonny Gray and Cincinnati’s Alfredo Simon, are going for their fourth win of the season. Gray and the A’s are on the road for a game with Texas while the Reds are home to the Cubs.
The top two teams in the National League Central are starting a three-game series tonight as Milwaukee plays in St. Louis. The Brewers are setting the pace with 18 wins in 25 games. Yovani Gallardo (gy-YAR’-doh) is pitching for the Brewers against Michael Wacha (WAH’-kuh) of the Cards.
The remaining games tonight have Tampa Bay in Chicago to play the White Sox, the Indians in Anaheim facing the Angels, Arizona at home to Colorado and the Padres at San Francisco.
NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
The Pens, Avs and Sharks hope to move on
UNDATED (AP) — Three teams, the Penguins, Avalanche and Sharks, can secure a spot in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs with a win tonight.
In Columbus, Ohio, the visiting Pens are looking to close out the Blue Jackets in Game 6 as they lead the best-of-seven series 3-2. If the Jackets win tonight’s game, a seventh and deciding game will be played Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.
The Avalanche are visiting the Wild tonight and with a win the Denver team would advance to the second round. The Avs lead the series 3-2 and if the Wild were to win tonight a seventh game would take place Wednesday night in Denver.
And in Los Angeles, the visiting Sharks can close out the Kings with a win. San Jose leads by the same 3-2 margin and, if they should lose tonight, the seventh game will take place on their home-ice Wednesday night.
NHL-HURRICANES
Front office shakeup
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jim Rutherford has stepped down as general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes and been replaced by Hall of Fame player Ron Francis. Rutherford spent two decades as the club’s GM, and helped orchestrate its move from Hartford to North Carolina. Francis, who holds team records with 382 goals, 793 assists and 1,186 games played, has been the team’s vice president of hockey operations since June 2012.
NFL-RAMS
Rams pick up All-Pro Quinn’s option
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Rams have exercised the fifth-year contract option on All-Pro defensive end Robert Quinn, keeping one of the NFL’s top pass rushers in the fold through 2015.
Quinn set a franchise record with 19 sacks last season, second most in the NFL. He has 29 1/2 sacks the last two seasons, also the second-highest total in the league in that span.
Quinn was a first-round pick in 2011 out of North Carolina and was also a first-time Pro Bowl selection last year.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-MISSOURI
New coach for the Tigers
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri has hired Central Missouri’s Kim Anderson as its men’s basketball coach. Anderson won a Division II championship at Central Missouri this season. Former UCLA coach Ben Howland also had been believed to be a finalist for the job. Frank Haith left for Tulsa earlier this month after three seasons.
DAVIS CUP
Semifinals are set
PARIS (AP) — Roland Garros, the home of the French Open, has been chosen by the team from France to be the site of their Davis Cup semifinal with the Czech Republic. The best-of-five event will be played in September. The winner will advance against the winner of the Switzerland-Italy semifinal which will be played in Switzerland.
