NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Bulls and Grizzlies going for the clincher
UNDATED (AP) — Memphis and Chicago are looking to close out their first round NBA playoff series with Portland and Milwaukee tonight. For the Grizzlies the act of eliminating the Blazers in Portland will be more difficult as starting point guard Mike Conley will miss the game after suffering facial injuries in the previous game in the series.
Conley left Saturday night’s Game 3 in the third quarter after he appeared to be hit inadvertently by Portland guard CJ McCollum’s elbow while going after the ball. Conley, in his eighth NBA season, is averaging 16 points in the series. He averaged 15.8 points and 5.4 assists in the regular season.
Should the Blazers win this evening’s contest the fifth game in the best of seven series will be played Wednesday in Memphis.
The Bulls will attempt to finish off the Bucks with a win in Game 5 this evening in Chicago. Milwaukee kept its slim hopes alive with a two point win on Saturday. The winner of this series goes a second round series against Cleveland, which eliminated Boston yesterday.
Tonight’s final game has Brooklyn and Atlanta squaring off in Game four of their series. The Hawks have the advantage having won the first two games at home before losing to the Nets in New York 91-83 on Saturday.
NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Caps and Islanders to face off tonight
UNDATED (AP) — The first Game 7 of the playoffs this year is being played in Washington as the Capitals entertain the Islanders this evening. Sound familiar? If you were following hockey back in 1987 it probably does, as they met in a Game 7 as well, which took four overtimes to decide. The Islanders got that win as Pat LaFontaine scored the game winner. New York’s Kelly Hrudey (ROO’-dee) had an amazing 73 saves in the game, which still ranks as the longest Game 7 in NHL history.
The Caps could have wrapped things up Saturday as they led the series 3-2, but the New Yorkers won the sixth game, played in New York.
Tonight’s other game could be a clincher as well, as Detroit leads Tampa Bay 3-2 in that best of seven series. This evening’s game is being played in the Motor City and should the Lightning skate off the ice with a win, the seventh and final game would be played Wednesday night in Tampa.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Early starts in Boston and Cleveland
UNDATED (AP) — American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber (KLOO’-bur) of the Indians looks to get in the win column as Cleveland has an early-evening start at home with Kansas City. Kluber is winless after two decisions with a 3.90 earned run average. His biggest problem has been a lack of run support by the Indians’ offense. In another early-evening start the Red Sox are home to the Blue Jays. The Sox have lost two straight while the Jays have dropped their last three in a row.
Houston’s Colin McHugh is gunning for his fourth win of the season against no defeats as the Astros visit San Diego. Since last season the right-hander has won his last 10 decisions. The Padres, the big off-season wheelers and dealers in baseball, are two games over .500 at 11-9 while the Astros are in first place in the AL West at 11-7.
The Mets, who saw their 11 game winning streak snapped Friday night in the Bronx against the Yankees, open up a series tonight in Miami. Despite losing two of three to the Yankees, the Mets remain the winningest team in baseball with 14 wins against 5 defeats. The Yankees, who are off to an 11-8 start, lead the American League East and tonight open a series at home against Tampa Bay. For the Rays, tonight’s game will be their first of the year outdoors after playing their first 19 in domes.
The rest of the card has Baltimore at home to the White Sox, Milwaukee in Cincinnati to play the Reds, the Nationals in Atlanta, the Cubs entertaining the Pirates, Seattle at Texas, the Tigers playing at Minnesota, the Cardinals hosting the Phillies, Colorado at Arizona and the Giants in Los Angeles to once again play the Dodgers.
MLB-CARDINALS
MRI for Wainwright
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adam Wainwright, the ace of the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff, is undergoing an MRI today on his injured left Achilles and left ankle. The two-time, 20-game winner was injured batting in a game Saturday. The Cards have already placed him on the 15-day disabled list and are hoping the injuries won’t mean an end to his season.
The Cards’ general manager said Sunday that there is a possibility Wainwright might be lost for the rest of the season.
