HOUSTON (AP) — Blake Griffin recorded his second straight triple-double and the Clippers took Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series by downing the Rockets 117-101 in Houston. Griffin finished with team highs of 26 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists as the Clippers earned their third consecutive win. Matt Barnes shot 8-for-11 in scoring 20 points for the Clippers, who were without Chris Paul because of a strained left hamstring.
CLEVELAND (AP) — The Chicago Bulls have won the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinal series as Derrick Rose scored 25 points and Pau Gasol (pos gah-SAHL’) added 21 and 10 rebounds in a 99-92 triumph at Cleveland. Jimmy Butler added 20 points and banked in a contested jumper with 30 seconds left as the Bulls closed it out. Kyrie Irving scored 30 points and LeBron James added 19 and 15 rebounds in the Cavaliers’ first game since losing Kevin Love to a dislocated left shoulder.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen (STEH’-fehn) Curry has won the Maurice Podoloff (POH’-dah-lahf) Trophy as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. He received 100 of 130 first-place votes to outdistance runner-up James Harden of the Houston Rockets. Curry drained an NBA-record 286 3-pointers and averaged 23.8 points, 7.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds in helping the Warriors finish with a league-best 67 wins.
NEW YORK (AP) — Braden Holtby stopped 30 shots and Jay Beagle scored the only goal as the Washington Capitals beat the New York Rangers 1-0 to take a two-games-to-one lead in the second-round series. Holtby’s second career playoff shutout came two years to the day of his first, also against the Rangers. Beagle scored on a deflection as the puck bounced off the skate of Rangers defenseman Keith Yandle and into the net 7:31 into the second period.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Craig Counsell was a winner in his first game as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers as they scored three times in the eighth to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3. He received a three-year package to replace Ron Roenicke (REHN’-ih-kee), who compiled a 342-331 record with one division title in a little more than four seasons. The Brewers made the change after opening the year 7-18 following a September meltdown that cost them a National League playoff berth.
