NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Game 1 in NBA Eastern final
ATLANTA (AP) β The Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers open up their best-of-seven NBA Eastern Conference final tonight on the Hawks’ court. Atlanta earned the right to host the first two games of the series by having the best overall record in the East this season. The Cavaliers had the second-best mark. The Hawks advanced to the final by eliminating Washington in six games in the conference semifinals while the Cavs ousted the Bulls in six games as well.
Consequently each team is well rested with almost a week off. For the Cavs that was a particularly welcome break as All-Star guard Kyrie (KY’-ree) Irving has been able to rest his various injuries. Atlanta’s Kyle Korver is injury free but battling a shooting slump as the league’s top 3-point shooter has made only 35 of 100 attempts during the post season and was just 1 for his last 12 against the Wizards.
This is Atlanta’s first trip to the conference finals since the NBA switched to the current format in 1970-71. For the Cavs their last time in the conference finale was in 2007.
The second game in the series will be in Atlanta this Friday night before the series shifts to Cleveland
NBA PLAYOFFS
Warriors lead Houston 1-0
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) β The first game of the NBA’s Western Conference final is in the books and the top-seeded Warriors needed a comeback to beat the visiting Houston Rockets 110-106. In losing the Warriors blew a 16-point first half lead. Stephen (STEH’-fehn) Curry capped his 34-point night by hitting two free throws in the closing seconds of the game.
James Harden contributed 28 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and four steals for the Rockets, but Dwight Howard finished with just seven points after bruising his left knee in the first quarter.
The second game will be Thursday night again in Oakland.
NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE
Game 3 in Eastern NHL final
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) β After splitting the first two games of their NHL Eastern Conference final, the Rangers and Lightning are in Tampa for tonight’s game. New York won the opening game in Madison Square Garden with Tampa coming back for a 6-2 win in Game 2. The fourth game will be played this Friday once again in Tampa.
Winning on the road was never any problem for the Rangers this season as they compiled the best road record in the league. New York has also thrived on being tied after the first two games of a series as the Rangers split the first two games in eight of their past 12 playoff series. New York is 6-1 in those series during that span.
And while the Rangers don’t mind playing on the road, the Lightning have enjoyed home cooking all season as they racked up the best home-ice record in the league this season. That said they have lost three times during the post season on home ice.
NHL-BRUINS
New GM for Boston
BOSTON (AP) β The Boston Bruins have elevated Don Sweeney to general manager. Sweeney has spent the past six seasons as the assistant general manager and takes over for his former boss, Peter Chiarelli (shuh-REL’-ee), who was fired last month after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
Sweeney was the Bruins’ eighth-round draft pick in 1984 and played four years at Harvard University before a 16-year NHL career, 15 with the Bruins and one with the Dallas Stars. He still ranks third on the team’s games played list.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Astros entertaining the A’s
UNDATED (AP) β In the lone day game in baseball the Astros are hosting the Athletics. Houston remains the winningest club in the American League, tied with St. Louis for most wins in baseball with 26. While the Astros stand in first place in the American League West, the A’s reside in last place with just 14 wins.
Houston left-hander Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kehl), who began the day with a record of 5-0, has won a career-high seven straight decisions dating to last season. He is the first Astros starter to begin a season 5-0 since Roger Clemens won his first nine decisions in 2004.
A two-game set for the Yankees and Nationals comes to a close this evening in Washington. The home team won the opener last night 8-6 to move into a tie for first place in the National League East with the Mets. By losing last night the Yankees fell into a first-place tie with the Rays in the American East.
As far as the Mets are concerned they’re back in action this evening with a home game against the Cardinals. Toeing the rubber for the New Yorkers is Bartolo Colon (bahr-TOH’-loh kuh-LOHN’), who is enjoying a great start to the season with six wins against just two defeats. A win would make him the first seven-game winner this season.
Longtime rivals the Dodgers and Giants are playing the second of three games in San Francisco tonight. The Giants took the opener last night and this evening are sending former two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum (LIHN’-sih-kuhm) to the mound.
The remaining games tonight feature the Pirates home to the Twins, the Mariners in Baltimore, the Blue Jays home to the Angels, Milwaukee in Detroit, Miami home to the Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay at Atlanta, the Red Sox entertaining the Rangers, the Reds in Kansas City, Chicago’s White Sox home to the Indians, the Phillies in Denver and the Cubs at San Diego.
F1
New pact for Hamilton
MONACO (AP) β Reigning Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has signed a new three-year deal with Mercedes, ending rumors of his potential move to Ferrari. Since leaving McLaren in 2013, Hamilton has competed in 43 races, winning 15 and securing a further 11 podium finishes to replace four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, the only other driver to beat him this season, as the sport’s No. 1 driver.
Hamilton currently leads teammate Nico (NEE’-koh) Rosberg by 20 points after three wins in five races this season.
