NBA PLAYOFFS
Bulls win on Rose’s Trey
UNDATED (AP) β Last night’s NBA playoff schedule consisted of a nail-biter in Chicago and a blowout in Los Angeles.
Derrick Rose banked in 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Bulls a 99-96 victory and a two-games-to-one lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bulls guard scored the last of his 30 points after J.R. Smith drained a trey with 10.8 seconds left.
Rose also had seven rebounds and seven assists to help the Bulls overcome James’ 27 points, 14 assists and eight boards.
Jimmy Butler finished with 20 points and eight rebounds for the Bulls, who won despite shooting under 38 percent.
Game 4 is Sunday afternoon in Chicago.
The Clippers ripped the Houston Rockets 124-99 to take a two-games-to-one lead in the Western Conference semifinals. J.J. Redick led the assault by hitting five of his six 3-point attempts and scoring a game-high 31 points.
Los Angeles outscored the Rockets 35-19 in the third quarter to carry a 23-point edge into the final period, giving Chris Paul and Blake Griffin a chance to rest. Paul played 23 minutes and finished with 12 points and seven assists after missing the first two games of the series with a strained left hamstring. Griffin contributed 22 points and 14 rebounds to help the Clippers keep control of home-court advantage.
James Harden had a team-high 25 points for the Rockets, while Dwight Howard added 14 and 14 rebounds.
Game 4 is Sunday in L.A.
NBA-WIZARDS-WALL
Wall’s Game 3 status unknown
WASHINGTON (AP) β Washington’s John Wall doesn’t know if he will be available for Game 3 or the remainder of the playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks.
The All-Star guard has five non-displaced fractures in his left wrist and hand suffered in Game 1 of the series.
Wall missed the Wizards’ Game 2 loss. He says his play depends on an improvement in swelling and pain.
Wall is the NBA playoff leader with 12.5 assists per game.
NBA-FINES
Barnes, Noah fined
NEW YORK (AP) β Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes has been fined $50,000 by the NBA for directing inappropriate language at a courtside fan who turned out to be the mother of Houston star James Harden.
The league also has fined Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah $25,000 for pushing a fan at halftime of the Bulls’ loss to Cleveland in Game 2 on Wednesday night.
NHL PLAYOFFS
Rangers stay alive, Ducks in command
UNDATED (AP) β The New York Rangers were about two minutes away from the start of their summer vacation. Instead, they rallied to beat the Washington Capitals in Game 5 of the NHL’s second-round series.
Ryan McDonagh scored at 9:37 of overtime to complete the Blueshirts’ comeback in a 2-1 triumph over the Caps. The Rangers trailed 1-0 and were about to pull Henrik Lundqvist from the net for an extra attacker when Chris Kreider scored with 1:41 left in regulation.
Derek Stepan (STEP’-ahn) assisted on both Rangers goals and Lundqvist finished with 28 saves.
Curtis Glencross put the Capitals ahead midway through the third period, but his giveaway led to the game-winning goal.
Braden Holtby stopped 41 shots for the Caps, who host Game 6 on Sunday.
The NHL’s other No. 1 seed also won on Friday as Anaheim took a 3-1 series lead with a 4-2 downing of the Flames in Calgary. Matt Beleskey broke a 2-2 tie with a power-play goal 71 seconds into the third period before Patrick Maroon scored into an empty net.
Jakob Silfverberg also scored and assisted on the game-winner as the Ducks bounced back from a loss to the Flames in Game 3.
Sean Monahan and Michael Ferland scored 1:07 apart to put the Flames ahead 2-1 early in the first period, but the Ducks tied it on Andrew Cogliano’s goal late in the second.
Game 5 is Sunday at Anaheim, where the Ducks will try to close it out in front of the home fans.
NHL-RED WINGS-BABCOCK
Babcock can test market
DETROIT (AP) β The Red Wings have given coach Mike Babcock the okay to speak with other teams. The highly-respected coach’s contract runs out this offseason.
Babcock has coached Detroit for 10 seasons, guiding the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup in 2008 and another finals appearance the following year. But this season was Detroit’s third first-round exit from the playoffs in the last four years.
General manager Ken Holland has said although the team had exclusive negotiating rights with Babcock until the end of June, it wasn’t in anyone’s best interest for the process to linger that long.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Harper continues to crush homers
UNDATED (AP) β Bryce Harper was hitting just .245 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in his first 28 games heading into Wednesday’s matinee against Miami. He’s gone 6-for-8 with five homers and 10 RBIs in his last two games to help the Washington Nationals reach the .500 mark.
The Nats right fielder was 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and a two-run blast in a 9-2 rout of Atlanta tonight. The Nationals trailed 2-1 until he hit a two-run shot in the sixth inning. His second homer turned the game into a laugher.
Danny Espinosa also homered twice and had three RBIs after Jayson Werth hit a solo shot.
Gio Gonzalez struck out eight while limiting the Braves to two runs and five hits in seven innings.
The Nats have won eight of their last 10 since a six-game losing streak.
Elsewhere in the majors:
β Pitcher Yohan Pino (YOH’-hahn PEEN’-you) threw away Ian Kinsler’s bunt attempt in the bottom of the ninth, allowing Anthony Gose (gohs) to score the winning run in Detroit’s 6-5 decision over Kansas City. Gose began the winning rally with a double and Kinsler finished with four hits as the Tigers moved back atop the AL Central, a half-game ahead of the Royals.
β Minnesota won for the eighth time in nine games as Torii Hunter went 4-for-4 with a solo homer and a three-run double to lead a 9-3 pounding of Cleveland. Mike Pelfrey is 3-0 with a 2.62 ERA after yielding two runs and six hits in seven innings.
β Kolten Wong and Matt Holliday socked three-run homers to power St. Louis to its 10th victory in 11 games, 8-5 at Pittsburgh. Jhonny Peralta (JAH’-nee peh-RAHL’-tah) also went deep and Michael Wacha (WAH’-kah) improved to 5-0 by holding the Pirates to two earned runs in six innings.
β Ryan Howard hit a tiebreaking solo homer and Cole Hamels outpitched Matt Harvey in Philadelphia’s 3-1 triumph over the New York Mets. Hamels fanned eight and gave up just a run and four hits in seven innings as the Phillies handed Harvey his first loss since a 5-0 start.
β Brian McCann smacked a two-run homer and Carlos Beltran added a two-run double while the New York Yankees built an early 5-0 lead in a 5-4 triumph against Baltimore. Dellin Betances (beh-TAN’-sehs) retired four straight batters and was credited with the Yankees’ 16th victory in 21 games after Adam Warren failed to get out of the fifth inning.
β Jered Weaver was 0-4 with a 6.29 ERA before firing a six-hitter in the Angels’ 2-0 shutout of Houston. It was Weaver’s first shutout since August 6, 2012 at Oakland.
β Toronto clobbered Boston 7-0 as Aaron Sanchez limited the Red Sox to two hits in seven innings. Josh Donaldson and Chris Colabello hit solo homers and Ezequiel Carrera laced a two-run single as the Blue Jays dealt the Red Sox their sixth loss in seven games.
β Brandon Guyer hit a three-run homer and David DeJesus (deh-HAY’-soos) hit a solo blast as Tampa Bay crushed Texas 8-2. Nathan Karns was sharp over seven innings, striking out nine and allowing two runs and four hits.
β Homers by Dexter Fowler, Anthony Rizzo, Jorge Soler (soh-LEHR’) and Starlin Castro powered the Chicago Cubs past the Brewers 7-6 in Milwaukee. Kris Bryant’s RBI single in the ninth gave the Cubs a 7-3 lead and allowed them to withstand Ryan Braun’s three-run blast in the bottom half.
β The Rockies absorbed their eighth straight loss by losing 2-1 to the Dodgers in a game that was called by rain in the top of the sixth. Winning pitcher Brett Anderson held the Rockies to an unearned run and six hits in five frames.
β Tim Lincecum (LIHN’-seh-kum) scattered three hits in six innings before Yusmeiro Petit (yoos-MEHR’-oh peh-TEE’) worked the last three frames of San Francisco’s 6-0 shutout of Miami. Casey McGehee (mih-GEE’) belted a grand slam before Justin Maxwell added a pair of RBI singles.
β The Diamondbacks had won three straight until Will Venable went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and the go-ahead single in San Diego’s 6-5 verdict over Arizona. Wil Myers went 4-for-5 with a homer to help the Padres overcome homers from Chris Owings, A.J. Pollock, Paul Goldschmidt and David Peralta (peh-RAHL’-tah).
β Logan Morrison homered in the bottom of the 11th to give Seattle a 4-3 win over Oakland. The A’s led 3-1 until Brad Miller and Robinson Cano (kuh-NOH’) hit RBI doubles in the seventh inning.
β The White Sox and Cincinnati Reds were rained out in Chicago. The rainout will be made up in a traditional doubleheader on Saturday.
MLB-NEWS
Not the Wright move…Rays hurler Cobb done for year
UNDATED (AP) β Injured New York Mets third baseman David Wright has developed back pain and his rehabilitation program has been put on hold.
The Mets didn’t give a timetable for the seven-time All-Star resuming baseball activities.
Wright went on the 15-day disabled list April 15 because of a strained right hamstring. The 32-year-old had been doing his rehab at the Mets’ spring training complex in Florida.
The Mets also placed starting pitcher Dillon Gee (jee) on the 15-day DL and will call up highly-regarded prospect Noah Syndergaard (SIN’-dur-gahrd), who is scheduled to make his major league debut Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. Gee injured his groin in his last start.
In other baseball news:
β San Diego Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso will go on the disabled list with a deep shoulder bruise. Alonso is batting .333 in 26 games this season.
β St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter is missing this weekend’s series in Pittsburgh because of fatigue and an accelerated heart rate. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny blamed Carpenter’s condition on the grind of the season as the team nears the end of a stretch of playing 20 games in 20 days.
β Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton is scheduled to join Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday. The 34-year-old Hamilton has been on the 15-day disabled list while recovering from right shoulder surgery on Feb. 4.
β Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg says he feels much better after visiting a chiropractor on Wednesday. Strasburg threw just 64 pitches before leaving his last start with what manager Matt Williams termed an “alignment issue” under his shoulder blade.
β Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Alex Cobb will have season-ending elbow ligament replacement surgery. Cobb said several doctors have told that the ligament has a full tear. Surgery may be next week.
β The Royals placed left-hander Jason Vargas on the disabled list with a left flexor strain. Vargas allowed two runs over five innings Tuesday night and spent a long time in the trainer’s room after the game. The team said then his back was being treated.
β Major League Baseball has upheld a 14-game suspension for Toronto Blue Jays hitting coach Brook Jacoby. He was accused of pinning umpire Doug Eddings against a wall in a dugout tunnel at Fenway Park, putting his forearms up near the ump’s neck following Toronto’s loss at Boston on April 29.
GOLF-PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
Na, Kelly share lead
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) β Kevin Na (nah) and Jerry Kelly share a two-stroke lead through two rounds of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
Kelly moved up the leaderboard with a 7-under 65 that leaves him at minus-8. Na followed Thursday’s 67 with a 3-under 69 to match Na.
Rickie Fowler, Branden Grace, David Hearn and Chris Kirk share third, one stroke ahead of six others.
Rory McIlroy is four strokes back as he comes off last weekend’s victory at the Match Play Championship. Tiger Woods barely made the cut at even par, but Masters champion Jordan Spieth (speeth) and Phil Mickelson were among those missing the cut.
NASCAR-KANSAS CITY
Qualifying at Kansas
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) β Joey Logano posted a fast lap of 192.397 mph to easily beat the speed of Kasey Kahne (kayn) and win the pole for Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway.
Kahne had a lap of 191.911 mph. He was followed by Brad Keselowski (kehs-LOW’-skee), Martin Truex Jr. and local boy Carl Edwards.
The soon-to-be-retired Jeff Gordon has three wins at the track in his career.
Kevin Harvick heads into the weekend with a 40-point lead over Truex in the driver’s standings.
INDYCAR-INDIANAPOLIS
Power on the pole
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β Defending IndyCar champion Will Power won the pole for Saturday’s Grand Prix of Indianapolis with a qualifying record time.
The Australian star completed the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course Friday in 1 minute, 9.4866 seconds, breaking a mark he set a few minutes earlier in the second of three rounds of qualifications.
Scott Dixon will start second Saturday after finishing in 1:09.7156.
NFL-NEWS
Johnny Football is a backup…Jags’ top pick tears ACL
BEREA, Ohio (AP) β Browns coach Mike Pettine (PEHT’-ihn) says Josh McCown will enter training camp as the presumptive starting quarterback. Pettine says he wants Johnny Manziel (man-ZEHL’) to focus on getting well after he spent 10 weeks in rehab.
Pettine says the Browns are comfortable with McCown, who went 1-10 as a starter with Tampa Bay last season but has been productive in the past.
The Browns have been pleased with Manziel’s progress, and Pettine says the 22-year-old seems to understand the team does not want to “push” him back onto the field.
In other NFL news:
β Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent is retiring again. It’s the second time Brent has ended his career since his conviction for intoxication manslaughter in the crash that killed teammate Jerry Brown in 2012.
β Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. is likely out for the season after tearing his ACL knee ligament during his first practice. Fowler was the third player taken in the NFL draft.
