NFL-DRAFT
Annual event starts tonight
CHICAGO (AP) β The NFL draft is being conducted in Chicago this year. The first round is this evening with Florida State quarterback Jameis (JAY’-mihs) Winston favored as the top pick by Tampa Bay. Tennessee holds the second pick, with Jacksonville choosing third, followed by Oakland and Washington.
There has been a lot of speculation that Cleveland, which has two first-round picks at numbers 12 and 19, might trade up to get the right to pick Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (mar-ee-OH’-tah).
NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Bulls and Spurs look to advance
UNDATED (AP) β Chicago and San Antonio are playing for a spot in the second round of the NBA playoffs tonight. The Bulls enter tonight’s game with the Bucks in Milwaukee leading the series 3-2 while the Spurs, who are hosting the Clippers, lead their series by the same spread. The Bucks have kept their hopes alive with back-to-back wins after losing the first three games of the series. The Spurs took their lead with a four-point win over the Clippers two nights ago.
If the Clippers win tonight’s game, the seventh game of the series will be played in Los Angeles Saturday. A win by the Bucks tonight would force a Game 7 in Chicago on Saturday.
NBA-ROOKIE OF YEAR
NBA to name annual winner today
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) β A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that Andrew Wiggins of the Timberwolves will be named NBA rookie of the year this afternoon. The forward averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds while playing all 82 games for the Timberwolves this season.
He was drafted first overall by Cleveland last summer before being packaged in a deal that sent Kevin Love to the Cavaliers.
NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Second round play gets going tonight
UNDATED (AP) β Play in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs begins this evening with games in New York and Anaheim. In the Big Apple the Rangers open play against Washington while in Southern California the Ducks are facing the Flames.
New York advanced with a four-games-to-one series win over the Penguins while the Capitals eliminated the Islanders in seven games. Anaheim got this far with a four-game sweep of Winnipeg while the Flames knocked off Vancouver in six games.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Two day games and a good matchup tonight
UNDATED (AP) β There are two day games to check out in Major League Baseball. In St. Louis the 14-6 Cardinals are facing the Phillies while the Angels are in Oakland to play the Athletics.
There’s a good early-season matchup of American League Central rivals tonight as Detroit plays at Kansas City. Detroit currently has the lead in the division with a record of 15-7 while the defending American League Champion Royals are a half game back at 14-7. Detroit starter Alfredo Simon (al-FRAY’-doh SY’-muhn) is looking for his fifth win of the season against no losses.
In other action this evening Cincinnati’s Shelby Miller is gunning for his fourth win against no losses as the Reds visit Atlanta. The Mets are hosting the Nationals tonight while Toronto is at Cleveland, the Twins are home to the White Sox and Seattle is at Houston.
GOLF-WORLD MATCH PLAY
Play resumes today
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) β Today is the second day of play in the Match Play Championship in San Francisco. Masters champion Jordan Spieth (speeth) was a winner on the first day of play yesterday.
Players are competing in a new round-robin format that replaced single elimination.
LPGA-NORTH TEXAS SHOOTOUT
Round 1 today
IRVING, Texas (AP) β The first round of the LPGA’s North Texas Shootout is being contested today in Irving, Texas. The winner of the event a year ago was Stacy Lewis. The player to keep an eye on now is Lydia Ko. The teenager successfully defended her Swinging Skirts title last week and is the winner of two events this season already. Overall the 18-year-old has seven LPGA victories.
