NBA PLAYOFFS
Spurs handle Thunders in opener
SAN ANTONIO (AP) β The San Antonio Spurs weren’t able to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder during the regular season, but that was before Serge Ibaka (ih-BAH’-kah) got hurt.
Tim Duncan scored 27 points and the Spurs captured Game 1 of the NBA’s Western Conference finals by pounding the Thunder 122-105 in San Antonio. Manu Ginobili (MAN’-oo jih-NOH’-blee) had 18 points for the Spurs, who dominated inside while Ibaka sat out with a calf injury that will force him to miss the rest of the postseason.
San Antonio scored 66 points in the paint and shot nearly 58 percent from the field. The Spurs weren’t bad from outside, either, as Danny Green shot 4-for-5 from 3-point range and finished with 16 points. Kawhi (kah-WY’) Leonard also had 16 points.
Tony Parker finished with 14 points and 12 assists while showing no signs of a hamstring injury suffered in Game 5 of the conference semifinals.
Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 28 points and Russell Westbrook added 25, but the rest of Oklahoma City’s starters combined for just five points on 2-for-10 shooting. Nick Collison and Thabo Sefolosha (TAH’-boh seh-feh-LOH’-shuh) were both scoreless.
NBA-STERLING
League continues to move in on Sterling
NEW YORK (AP) β The NBA has initiated a charge against Donald Sterling, setting up a June 3 hearing after which owners could vote to terminate his ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers. The charge asserts that Sterling has damaged the NBA and its teams, disparaged African-Americans and that his actions “significantly undermine the NBA’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion.”
Sterling, who has been banned for life by Commissioner Adam Silver after the release of a recording in which he made racist remarks, has until May 27 to respond to the charge, and the right to appear at the hearing in front of the board of governors.
If three-fourths of the owners vote to sustain the charge, Sterling will be forced to sell the team he has owned since 1981.
NBA-GRIZZLIES
Shakeup in Memphis
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) β The Memphis Grizzlies’ early exit from the playoffs has claimed a couple of suits in the front office.
The Grizzlies have parted with team CEO Jason Levien and director of player personnel Stu Lash in a front-office shake-up that follows the Grizzlies’ elimination in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace assumes interim responsibility for basketball operations.
NHL PLAYOFFS
Rangers take 2-0 lead in conference finals
MONTREAL (AP) β The New York Rangers have won just one Stanley Cup since 1940, the fewest among the Original Six teams during that span. But they are just two victories away from reaching the finals for the first time since winning it in 1994.
Henrik Lundvist made 19 of his 40 saves in the third period as the Blueshirts downed the Canadiens 3-1 in Montreal to take a two-games-to-none lead in the Eastern Conference finals. The Canadiens dominated play in the first period but left the ice trailing 2-1 following goals by Ryan McDonagh and Rick Nash. Martin St. Louis (mahr-TAN’ san loo-EE’) added a power-play goal in the second period, one day after attending his mother’s funeral.
Nash has scored once in each of the last two games after going 17 straight without one.
Lundqvist blanked the Canadiens after Max Pacioretty (pash-uh-RET’-ee) put the Habs ahead 1-0 6:14 into the game, a lead that lasted just 17 seconds.
Rookie goaltender Dustin Tokarski was chosen to start the game for the Canadiens with Carey Price expected to miss at least the rest of the series with a lower-body injury. Tokarski finished with 27 saves.
Game 3 is Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
NHL-BLUES
Blues re-sign Elliott
ST. LOUIS (AP) β Ryan Miller’s time with the St. Louis Blues is over.
The Blues say they won’t pursue a new contract with the goaltender, who becomes a free agent on July 1. General manager Doug Armstrong says the team took a calculated risk acquiring Miller from Buffalo in March, hoping he could lead the franchise to its first Stanley Cup. The Blues were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, although Armstrong says the early ouster isn’t a reflection on Miller.
Meanwhile, the Blues have re-signed goalie Brian Elliott to a three-year contract. Elliott was 18-6-2 with four shutouts, a 1.96 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.
Armstrong says the 29-year-old Elliott will compete for the starting job with Jake Allen, the team’s top goalie prospect.
NHL-DUCKS
New pact for the GM
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) β General manager Bob Murray has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Anaheim Ducks. The move was announced three days after the Ducks were eliminated from the playoffs.
NHL-OVECHKIN
Ovi injury not serious
MINSK, Belarus (AP) β Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin will miss at least one game at the ice hockey world championship after sustaining a right leg injury in a collision during Russia’s game against Germany.
Ovechkin needed hospital treatment Sunday after taking a hit to his right knee. A medical scan of the Russia captain’s knee ruled out torn ligaments.
Ovechkin led the NHL with 51 goals this season but also recorded the league’s third-worst plus/minus at -35.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Tigers fall to Cleveland after long night in Boston
UNDATED (AP) β It was a pretty tough day for the Detroit Tigers on Monday.
They were forced to spend an extra night in Boston because of mechanical problems with the team plane and didn’t get to Cleveland’s Progressive Field until shortly after 4 p.m. Hours later, Michael Brantley launched a walkoff homer in the 10th to give the Indians a 5-4 win over Detroit.
The Indians were two outs from a 4-3 win until J.D. Martinez belted a solo homer to extend the game. Victor Martinez also homered and Rajai (RAH’-zhay) Davis added a two-run double for the Tigers, who ended a six-game winning streak.
Yan Gomes (yahn gohmz) went 3-for-4 and Jesus Aguilar (HAY’-soos AG’-ee-ahr) had two RBIs to lead Cleveland’s 14-hit attack
Also in the majors:
β Freddie Freeman, Justin Upton and pinch-hitter Ryan Doumit (DOH’-mit) homered as Atlanta thumped Milwaukee 9-3 in a matchup of National League division leaders. Mike Minor allowed two runs and five hits over 6 2/3 innings to help the Braves win their second straight since a 5-12 stretch.
β Kansas City put together a five-run first inning before Alexei Ramirez, Dayan Viciedo (day-AN’ vih-see-AY’-doh) and Paul Konerko homered to power the Chicago White Sox past the Royals 7-6. Konerko’s two-run blast in the fifth inning capped the scoring.
β Cincinnati blew a 2-1 lead in the ninth before Todd Frazier smacked a two-run homer in the 15th inning to give the Reds a 4-3 triumph at Washington. Frazier also scored twice and Chris Heisey (HY’-see) doubled three times as the Reds halted a two-game skid.
β Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kul) came within one out of his second consecutive shutout, holding the Angels to five singles and striking out eight in Houston’s 5-2 win at Anaheim. Keuchel had thrown 20 2/3 scoreless innings until he was charged with two runs in the ninth on Howie Kendrick’s two-run triple off reliever Josh Zeid (zyd).
MLB-MARLINS
Miami signs Tejada
MIAMI (AP) β Suspended infielder Miguel Tejada (mee-GEHL’ tay-HAH’-dah) has signed a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins. Tejada is serving a 105-game suspension he began last year for testing positive for an amphetamine.
He would be eligible to play in the Marlins’ 65th game, which would be June 10 at Texas if they don’t have any other games rained out and postponed until after that date.
BELMONT STAKES
California Chrome gets the green light
NEW YORK (AP) β Officials at Belmont Park have cleared Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome to wear a nasal strip when he goes for the Triple Crown next month. Stewards have cleared the horse to use the strip he wore while winning the Derby and Saturday’s Preakness. New York tracks have a rule prohibiting any equipment not specifically approved by stewards, and nasal strips were not on the list.
The strip worn by California Chrome during his six-race winning streak is thought to improve airflow through his nostrils.
GOLF-WOODS
Woods updates condition
BETHESDA, Md. (AP) β Former World No. 1 Tiger Woods met reporters outside Washington, D.C., at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., to promote his annual tournament there. During the interview session he addressed his health and said there is no timetable for his return to competitive play. Woods underwent back surgery earlier this year.
INDY/NASCAR
Busch suffers setback
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) β Kurt Busch’s attempt to complete “the double” may have gotten tougher. Busch crashed hard into the outside wall at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as his No. 26 car went through the second turn during practice for Sunday’s Indianapolis 500. Busch was checked at the infield medical center and cleared to drive.
He is attempting to become the fourth driver to complete the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. He will start 12th for the 500 if the car can be repaired. If Andretti Autosport uses a different car, Busch would start from the back of the 33-car field.
