The Sports Report: Warriors take 2-0 series lead
Hello everyone. My name is Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.
NBA
Stephen Curry scored 37 points as the Golden State Warriors rallied from a 15-point deficit to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers, 114-111, and take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
CJ McCollum missed a driving jumper with 32 seconds left and Draymond Green scored on the other end for the Warriors, giving Portland one final chance with 12.3 seconds to go. Andre Iguodala then blocked a three-point attempt by Damian Lillard on the left wing.
Curry posted his third straight 30-point performance while Klay Thompson scored 13 of his 24 points in the Warriors’ 39-point third quarter.
McCollum scored 22 points for Portland and Lillard overcame a slow start to add 23 points and 10 assists as the Blazers looked far more in sync than in a 116-94 defeat two days earlier.
Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday night at Portland.
Dodgers
The Dodgers will put Kenta Maeda on the 10-day injured list today with an undisclosed injury, and recall outfielder Kyle Garlick and infielder Matt Beaty from triple-A Oklahoma City, according to our Jorge Castillo.
On Thursday, the club activated pitcher Caleb Ferguson from the injured list while optioning right-hander J.T. Chargois and catcher Rocky Gale to Oklahoma City.
Maeda pitched 6 2/3 dominant innings on Wednesday, striking out 12. The Dodgers, meanwhile, don’t need a fifth starter until May 28 thanks to Thursday’s off-day and two more scheduled off days during their three-city, eight-game, 10-day road trip.
Golf
Sam Farmer on the first round of the PGA Championship:
“All those nostalgic sentiments churned up by Tiger Woods winning the Masters last month? Lost in the unforgiving, shin-high rough of the PGA Championship.
“He shot a two-over-par 72 in the first round at Bethpage Black on Thursday, suddenly finding himself nine shots behind the relentless Brooks Koepka, who glided in with a course-record 63 that featured no bogeys and seven birdies. Woods and Koepka played in a threesome with Francesco Molinari, last year’s British Open winner, and their group started on No. 10.
“Woods revealed afterward that he felt sick the day before, and that’s why he didn’t show up for his final practice round.
“I decided to stay home and rest,” he said.
“Now it’s the PGA Tour brass that feels queasy, considering that as Tiger goes, so goes the popularity of the sport.
“If Woods was a little rusty, that’s understandable. This is his first tournament since Augusta, and he’s had to carefully moderate how much golf his 43-year-old body can handle, especially after four back surgeries.
“As he said earlier in the week, “There’s more days I feel older than my age than I do younger than my age.”
“Meanwhile, Koepka is Drago to Tiger’s Rocky. He’s 29, built like an NFL safety and is fresh off the AT&T Byron Nelson, where he finished fourth at 20 under. He has won the last two U.S. Opens and is the defending PGA champion. What’s more, he finished second to Woods at Augusta by a stroke.
“Personality-wise, Koepka is as flat as a ball marker. He prides himself in never letting his face show what he might be feeling inside, not exactly an emotional pitchman for the PGA Tour. He might have celebrated Thursday after ending his round with a birdie putt that measured 33 feet 7 inches. Instead, he picked apart his performance — one that tied the record for second-lowest round in a major.
“I didn’t take care of the par fives, didn’t birdie any of the par fives,” said Koepka, who also shot a 63 in the second round of the PGA last year at Bellerive. “That was disappointing because I felt like you know those are holes you should be able to birdie.”
NBA playoffs
Western Conference Finals
All times Pacific
at Golden State 116, Portland 94
at Golden State 114, Portland 111
Saturday, 6 p.m., Golden State at Portland, ESPN
Monday, 6 p.m., Golden State at Portland, ESPN
*Wednesday, 6 p.m., Portland at Golden State, ESPN
*Friday, May 24, 6 p.m., Golden State at Portland, ESPN
*Sunday, May 26, Portland at Golden State, ESPN
Eastern Conference Finals
All times Pacific
at Milwaukee 108, Toronto 100
Tonight, 5:30 p.m., Toronto at Milwaukee, TNT
Sunday, 4 p.m., Milwaukee at Toronto, TNT
Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Milwaukee at Toronto, TNT
*Thursday, 5:30 p.m., Toronto at Milwaukee, TNT
*Saturday, May 25, 5:30 p.m., Milwaukee at Toronto, TNT
*Monday, May 27, 5:30 p.m., Toronto at Milwaukee, TNT
*-if necessary
NHL playoffs
Western Conference Finals
All times Pacific
at San Jose 6, St. Louis 3
St. Louis 4, at San Jose 2
San Jose 5, at St. Louis 4 (OT)
Tonight, 5 p.m., San Jose at St. Louis, NBCSN
Sunday, Noon, St. Louis at San Jose, NBC
*Tuesday, 5 p.m., San Jose at St. Louis, NBCSN
*Thursday, 6 p.m., St. Louis at San Jose, NBCSN
Eastern Conference Finals
All times Pacific
at Boston 5, Carolina 2
at Boston 6, Carolina 2
Boston 2, at Carolina 1
Boston 4, at Carolina 0
*if necessary
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Odds and ends
Carli Lloyd scores twice to lead U.S. women’s soccer team to victory over New Zealand…. Carlos Vela continues his scoring ways in LAFC’s victory over FC Dallas…. Angels’ promising start fueled by surprises, roster gambles and a returning star…. Does Anaheim consider Long Beach a legitimate rival for the Angels?… Desmond King is having the ride of his life as an All-Pro with the Chargers…. Rams sign linebacker Ketner Kupp, Cooper Kupp’s younger brother…. Dominic Breazeale knows this could be his last shot at a heavyweight belt…. WBC board supports proposal for five judges at major title fights…. Anothertwistafate has a shot at bringing Preakness glory to Bay Area…. USC’s Gabriela Ruffels credits tennis for bolstering her golf prowess…. There has rarely been a weekend like this in high school sports…. Ashley Massaro, former WWE star, dies at 39.
Today’s local major sports schedule
(All times Pacific)
Dodgers at Cincinnati, 4 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570
Kansas City at Angels, 7 p.m., FSW, KLAA 830
Born on this date
1903: Baseball player Cool Papa Bell
1934: NFL player Earl Morrall
1956: Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard
1966: NBA player Danny Manning
1982: NBA player Tony Parker
1983: NBA player Channing Frye
Died on this date
2011: Baseball player Harmon Killebrew, 74
2013: Golfer Ken Venturi, 82
And finally
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Duran, the rematch. Watch it here.
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