NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Spurs to entertain Thunder
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The opening game of the NBA’s Western Conference final is being played tonight in San Antonio as the Spurs entertain the Thunder. These teams finished 1-2 in the Western Conference standings this season with the Spurs clinching the top-overall seed. In short, that means they have home court advantage for as long as they stay alive in the playoffs.
The Thunder qualified for the conference final by eliminating the Clippers in six games while the Spurs needed five to knock out Portland.
During the regular season the Spurs and Thunder met four times with Oklahoma City coming out on top in every game.
This is a series of youth meeting age as the Spurs feature 38 year old Tim Duncan, 36 year old Manu Ginobili (MAN’-oo jih-NOH’-blee) and 32 year old Tony Parker as their key players. The Thunder are led by a pair of 25 year old stars, Kevin Durant, the league MVP, and Russell Westbrook. The San Antonio trio is playing in its seventh Western Conference final together while the duo of Durant and Westbrook is averaging 31.4 and 26.6 points a game during these playoffs.
Game 2 in the best of seven series will be played Wednesday, once again in the Alamo City.
NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Canadiens hope to get a home-ice win
MONTREAL (AP) — After being blown out in the first game of the NHL’s Eastern Conference final the Montreal Canadiens are looking to even things up with the Rangers tonight. New York won the opening game over the weekend 7-2 and Game 2 is taking place this evening once again in Montreal.
The status of Montreal goalie Carey Price remains up in the air. He was injured early in the second period of Saturday’s loss when a New York player crashed into him skates-first after missing the net on a breakaway. Price briefly tested his right knee Sunday before the Canadiens’ optional practice. He spent about five minutes on the ice with the teams goaltending coach, mostly moving side to side in the crease.
Members of the Rangers spent their off day Sunday attending the funeral of the mother of teammate Martin St. Louis (mahr-TAN’ san loo-EE’).
His mother died suddenly three days before Mother’s Day in the middle of the Rangers’ series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. St. Louis didn’t miss a game and provided a lift to his teammates as they battled back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series.
The series shifts to New York for the third game Thursday night.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Start of big series of Cleveland
UNDATED (AP) — Any chance that the Cleveland Indians have to contend for the American League Central Division title could end over the next three days. The first place Detroit Tigers are in town, leading the last-place Indians by 10 ½ games.
Atlanta and Washington, the top two teams in the National League East, have a home game tonight. The first-place Braves are hosting the Brewers while the Nationals, who are a half-game out of first, are home to the Reds.
The remaining games on a light Monday schedule feature the White Sox in Kansas City and the Angels home to the Astros.
OBIT-BRABHAM
Former Formula 1 racing great dies
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Jack Brabham (BRAB’-ihm), a three-time Formula One champion, has died at the age of 88. He won his first title when he pushed his car to the finish line in 1959. Other titles followed in 1960 and 1966. He retired from F1 racing at the age of 44.
