NBA-SCHEDULE
Warriors, Grizzlies in Game 2
UNDATED (AP) β Newly crowned NBA MVP Stephen (STEHF’-ehn) Curry leads the Warriors into their Western Conference semifinal meeting against Memphis tonight. He’ll be honored with a ceremony before tip-off.
Golden State is 42-2 on their home court including a victory in the series opener.
The Grizzlies could welcome back guard Mike Conley, who’s been recovering from broken bones in his face. He’s been upgraded from doubtful to questionable, and could start.
The Eastern Conference top-seeded Hawks find themselves in a tough spot heading into Game 2 of their series against Washington tonight. The Wizards won the opener to become the first team in NBA history to capture four straight Game 1s in the other team’s arena.
Atlanta shot 25 percent in the second half despite getting good looks to squander a 10-point halftime lead.
Wizards guard Bradley Beal sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter, but says he’ll be ready to go tonight.
NBA-CAVALIERS-BULLS
James may take on more for Cleveland
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) β LeBron James says he may be more aggressive when the Cavaliers host Chicago in Game 2 of their NBA playoff series Wednesday night. Cleveland was missing two starters in the Game 1 loss Monday. Kevin Love is done for the season with a shoulder injury and guard J.R. Smith will sit out the second of a two-game suspension in Game 2.
Love’s absence creates an offensive void that may require James and All-Star guard Kyrie Irving to do more.
Cavs coach David Blatt is considering lineup changes for Game 2.
Meanwhile, Bulls star guard Derrick Rose says he has no pain in his right shoulder and is expecting no problems in Game 2. He suffered a stinger late in the Game 1 win.
GOLF-TIGER WOODS
Woods sleepless over Vonn split
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) β Tiger Woods says he’s feeling the effects of his weekend break up with skier Lindsay Vonn. Woods and the Olympic ski champion jointly announced on Sunday they were splitting up after more than two years because of their hectic schedules as athletes.
The break-up coincides with the anniversary of Woods’ father’s death, making it even more difficult to deal with.
The 14-time major winner says he hasn’t slept.
Woods says his game continues to improve as he heads into The Players Championship this weekend. The 2013 winner abruptly took time off from competition earlier this year because his game was so bad. In his first start since the break, Woods tied for 17th at the Masters.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Astros try to get back to winning
UNDATED (AP) βHouston continues its home series against Texas and former teammate Wandy Rodriguez tonight, a day after having their 10-game winning streak ended. The Astros’ 18-8 mark is the best 26-game start to a season in franchise history. The Astros are only 8-6 at home this season. The Rangers have lost eight of their last 11 games and have six fewer wins than at the same point last season when they finished with an American League-high 95 losses.
The Cardinals boast the longest current winning streak in the majors at seven games. That’s vaulted St. Louis to 19-6, for the best start to a season in 115 years. The Cardinals continue their series against the Cubs at home, where they are 12-2.
Chad Billingsley makes his first start in more than two years when the Phillies take on Atlanta as part of a 15-game major league schedule. It will be Billingsley’s first start since April 15, 2013, for the Los Angeles Dodgers against San Diego. Billingsley had Tommy John surgery followed by an operation to repair a partially torn flexor tendon. The Braves go with right-hander Shelby Miller.
The Red Sox hope for good news about left fielder Hanley Ramirez, who sprained his left shoulder Monday night against Tampa Bay. Ramirez ran into a padded side wall while attempting to catch a fly and came out of the game at Fenway Park. Ramirez missed the final two months of the 2011 season after spraining the same shoulder with the Marlins.
One night after winning their first game under new manager Craig Counsell, the last-place Brewers look to make it four in a row overall. Milwaukee faces NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers and right-hander Zack Greinke (GREHN’-kee), who tries to improve to 5-0. Milwaukee fired Ron Roenicke (REHN’-ih-kee) on Sunday night.
MLB-MOVES
A’s cut Ross…Marlins cut Salty
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) β Outfielder Cody Ross has cleared waivers and been released after his short stint with the Oakland Athletics. The move came three days after Ross was designated for assignment.
The A’s signed Ross on April 8 following his release by Arizona four days earlier. It was a cost-efficient move for Oakland, which was only responsible for $499,180, a prorated portion of the $507,500 league minimum. Ross was guaranteed $8.5 million this year as part of his contract with the Diamondbacks.
Ross batted .091 with no home runs and three RBIs in nine games with the A’s.
In other baseball moves:
β The Miami Marlins have released catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (sahl-tah-lah-MAH’-kee-ah), making him a free agent. The move came eight days after Saltalamacchia was designated for assignment. The Marlins parted ways with the veteran even though he has nearly two seasons left on the $21 million, three-year contract he signed before the 2014 season.
β The Atlanta Braves have designated left-handed reliever Donnie Veal for assignment and recalled right-hander Brandon Cunniff from Triple-A Gwinnett. The move leaves Luis Avilan as the only left-hander in Atlanta’s bullpen.
β The Cleveland Indians activated Nick Swisher from the disabled list and optioned fellow outfielder Tyler Holt to Triple-A Columbus before Tuesday night’s game in Kansas City. Swisher spent the first month of the season on the DL while recovering from surgery on both knees that ended his season last August.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Ducks, ‘Hawks look to go 3-0
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) β Anaheim is a perfect 6-0 this post-season including a pair of wins over the Flames in the Western Conference semifinal series. The scene shifts to Calgary tonight for Game 3, after the Ducks won twice on their home ice. Anaheim has outscored the Flames 9-1 in the series so far.
Minnesota is going to have to pull its game together to keep from being eliminated from the playoffs for the third straight year by Chicago. The Wild get the home ice advantage when they host Game 3 tonight. After Sunday’s 4-1 loss, the Wild didn’t practice Monday, instead getting together for a film session to help them make some adjustments to the way the Blackhawks play. The Wild have looked a step slow at times in dropping the first two games in Chicago.
NHL-CANADIENS-PRUST
Prust apologizes for ref comments
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) β Montreal Canadiens forward Brandon Prust has apologized to referee Brad Watson for his comments following Game 2.
Prust said after Montreal’s 6-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday night that Watson insulted and cursed him. Prust said after practice Tuesday he wants to “apologize to Brad Watson and the rest of the officials in the NHL. It was uncalled for.”
Prust said the two got into a “heated exchange and that should have stayed between us.” He adds that he considers himself a “pretty honest player” but “crossed the line” Sunday.
Prust expects to speak with NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell. He says he did not reach out directly to Watson. It’s not clear if Watson will work Game 3 of the second-round series Tampa Bay leads 2-0.
BASKETBALL-LIBERTY-THOMAS
Bringing Isiah back
UNDATED (AP) β Isiah Thomas is working for Madison Square Garden Chairman James Dolan again β this time to run the WNBA’s New York Liberty.
Thomas will serve as the Liberty’s president, with responsibility for basketball and business operations, the team said Tuesday. He also has an ownership interest in the franchise.
Dolan’s Knicks didn’t win a single playoff game during Thomas’ stint as team president from December 2003 to April 2008, despite regularly owning the NBA’s highest payroll. Thomas also went 56-108 in two seasons as their coach before being fired.
Thomas was the target of a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by former team employee Anucha Browne Sanders, which cost MSG $11.6 million. Thomas maintained his innocence and was never found personally liable.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-TRADEMARK
VCU gets to keep “Havoc” trademark
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) β While VCU lost its basketball coach to the University of Texas, its trademarked “havoc” label is staying in Virginia.
Officials at Texas say they have withdrawn attempts to federally trademark “HORNS HAVOC” and “HOUSE OF HAVOC.” The attempts to trademark the phrases came after the Longhorns hired Shaka (SHAH’-kah) Smart as their men’s basketball coach in early April.
“Havoc” is the name Smart gave to the Rams’ 94-foot style of intense pressure defense in his six years at VCU. The team’s warmup jerseys have the word emblazoned on the back, and new coach Will Wade has said he plans to employ a similar style under the same name.
VCU registered “havoc” as a trademark with the State Corporation Commission in Virginia, but did not register it on a federal level.
