NBA:
It started out as a battle of heavyweights introduced by boxing hype man Michael Buffer. But in the end, Golden State knocked out the Cavaliers 113 to 91 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Warriors, led by Kevin Durant, surged ahead with two 3rd quarter runs and never looked back. Durant led scoring with 38 points. LeBron James racked up 28. The win was the 13th in the playoff season for the Warriors, which ties the record set by the Los Angeles Lakes in 1988 and 1989.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver wants the NBA's draft-eligibility rules changed. To what, he isn't sure. Less than a month away from a draft where about 20 players who completed just one year of college will be welcomed into the league, Silver expects the so-called "one-and-done" rule to be modified — somehow — before too long. But in saying that, Silver also acknowledged that even he isn't certain what makes the most sense going forward. Speaking before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Silver says the current system is "not working for anyone." Silver says college coaches and athletic directors are among those not pleased. And he says NBA teams realize the players coming into the league are not getting the kind of training they would expect to see.
NHL:
The NHL playoffs resume tomorrow when the Pittburgh Penguins take on the Predators in Nashville for Game 3 at 8 p.m. The Penguins lead the series 2-0.
Shawn Thornton is now a Florida Panthers executive. The recently retired forward was announced yesterday as the Panthers' new vice president of business operations. Thornton played for two Stanley Cup winners as part of the Boston Bruins.
The Buffalo Sabres have relinquished the rights to prospect forwards Giorgio Estephan and Gustav Possler by not signing them to contracts before an NHL deadline struck yesterday. Estephan will re-enter the pool of players eligible to be selected in the draft this month. Possler becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Assistant coach Paul MacLean and the Anaheim Ducks have mutually parted ways at the conclusion of his contract. The Ducks announced MacLean's departure after two seasons Thursday. MacLean was hired as an assistant to Bruce Boudreau in 2015, and stayed with Anaheim after Boudreau was fired and replaced by Randy Carlyle in 2016.
PGA:
Something has apparently clicked for Jordan Spieth, who is 1 shot back at the Memorial tournament. Tied at the top at Jack Nicklaus's tournament at Muirfield Village are Jason Dufner and David Lingmerth. They were one shot ahead of Spieth, whose short game is starting to return with the U.S. Open around the corner. Lingmerth's first PGA Tour victory came at the Memorial two years ago.
Jason Dufner putted for birdie on every hole until the last one and shared the lead at 7-under 65 with David Lingmerth at the Memorial. Jordan Spieth wasted no time getting into the mix. One week after he finished a shot behind at Colonial, Spieth closed with a flourish of birdies at Muirfield Village and was among those at 66. Dufner hit every green in regulation until his 7-iron to the 18th came up short and into the bunker. He blasted out 12 feet by the hole and missed the par putt. Lingmerth, who picked up his first PGA Tour victory at the Memorial two years ago, also bogeyed his last hole. Dustin Johnson was on the other end of the spectrum. He didn't make a birdie and shot 78.
MLB:
Chase Anderson pitched seven shutout innings and the Brewers benefited — temporarily, anyway — when a Milwaukee bat boy bumped into Mets infielder Wilmer Flores on a foul popup in a 2-1 victory over New York. NL Central-leading Milwaukee won the last two at Citi Field to salvage a four-game split.
Meanwhile the New York Mets say someone else worked as the team mascot at Thursday night's game against Milwaukee. Mr. Met was caught on video at Citi Field last night making an obscene gesture at a fan. Mr. Met has been around for more than five decades, long popular with New York fans for his oversized baseball head. They seem to be in a forgiving mood. One fan said Mr. Met just got upset and his reaction was "a New York thing."
CC Sabathia won his fourth consecutive start, Aaron Hicks had a career-high six RBIs and Gary Sanchez homered twice to lead the New York Yankees over the Toronto Blue Jays 12-2 on Thursday night. Sabathia (6-2) allowed one run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings, struck out seven and walked none. He has won four straight starts for the first time since April and May 2012. He had been 0-5 in seven starts against Toronto since beating the Blue Jays on April 6, 2014.
Wade Miley allowed one run in seven innings, Mark Trumbo hit the first of Baltimore's four home runs off Eduardo Rodriguez and the Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 7-5 last night. Chris Davis and Adam Jones went deep for a second straight night and Jonathan Schoop capped the outburst with a three-run drive in the sixth that made it 7-1.
NFL:
The New York Jets have signed former Steelers safety Shamarko Thomas and waived linebacker Jevaris Jones. The moves yesterday came several hours after the Jets traded safety Calvin Pryor to Cleveland for linebacker Demario Davis. Thomas was a fourth-round draft pick by Pittsburgh out of Syracuse in 2013. He played in 51 games, including three playoff games, in four seasons with the Steelers.
Linebacker Demario Davis is on his way back to the New York Jets after the Cleveland Browns traded him for safety Calvin Pryor. Davis spent four seasons with the Jets. He signed a two-year, $8 million contract with Cleveland as an unrestricted free agent before the 2016 season. Pryor is a former first-round pick from Louisville. He made 38 starts for the Jets over three seasons.
The Eagles and first-round pick Derek Barnett have agreed on a four-year contract. Barnett was selected with the 14th overall pick after the defensive end broke Hall of Famer Reggie White's school record with 32 sacks in three seasons at Tennessee. All of Philadelphia's draft picks are now signed.
The Massachusetts town where Aaron Hernandez lived is seeking more than $93,000 in unpaid real estate taxes from the late New England Patriots player's estate. North Attleborough Treasurer Christopher Sweet says the unpaid taxes date to 2014. The home is currently on the market for $1.3 million. Hernandez was serving a life sentence for a 2013 killing when he killed himself in prison in April.
NCAA:
In the NCAA baseball tournament, Florida will face Marist at 7 p.m. tonight in a double elimination bracket in Gainesville. St. John’s will take on Vanderbilt at noon in the Clemson regional.
The United States and Japan collegiate baseball teams are going head to head in Massachusetts this summer, and officials say it will be a "battle." The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports the teams will eat, sleep and train at Worcester State University when they play two games in the city. The game between the two teams is scheduled for July 13th.
Olympics:
The mayor of Los Angeles is talking to Olympic leaders about having his city wait until 2028 to host the Summer Games in exchange for funding for youth sports programs. At a news conference this week, Mayor Eric Garcetti said he and Olympic leaders have discussed "what it would take for us to consider one of us going first and the other going second" — a reference to the contest between Paris and Los Angeles for the 2024 Olympics. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach wants to award both the 2024 and 2028 Games and, while each city has repeatedly stressed its bid is only for 2024, Garcetti is now acknowledging discussions with the IOC about 2028. The IOC meets next week to discuss the possibility of awarding both Olympics later this year.
Obit:
Jack McCloskey, the general manager who built the Detroit Pistons' "Bad Boys" championship teams, died Thursday. He was 91. The Pistons said McCloskey died in Savannah, Georgia. He had fought Alzheimer's disease.
Horse Racing:
It sounds like the ultimate sure thing — or the ultimate sucker's bet: Wagering money on horse races that have already happened. It's called historical racing. The date and place of the pre-recorded races and the names of horses and jockeys remain secret until after the money is plunked down and the videotape starts. New Jersey, whose horse racing industry is struggling, is considering legalizing such betting. It would offer struggling horse tracks a new product and a potential lifeline. This is particularly true in the absence of slot machines or other casino games. And though the industry has had an uneven experience in several states, it would clearly offer a new revenue stream to racetracks that say they are barely holding on.
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