BOSTON - MAY 18: Paul Pierce #34 of the Boston Celtics celebrates with teammate Kevin Garnett #5 in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs at TD Banknorth Garden on May 18, 2008 in Boston, MA. © Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Steve Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
NBA
PIERCE, CELTICS ADVANCE TO FINALS
Same old, same old. Home team wins. For the Boston Celtics, that is all they have to do to win the NBA title this year. Just win at home. They can mail in the away games if they want to, because they have homecourt advantage all the way through.
That was the answer in both of their opening round series as they edged their opponents four games to two. In Round 2, the Celtics polished off the Cleveland Cavaliers with a tough 97-92 win in a game that was undecided until the final few seconds. The difference in this game from the others was the magical clash between Paul Pierce and LeBron James, which was a welcome relief from the scoring deficiencies shown by both in earlier games.
Paul Pierce was the offensive difference for Boston as he poured in 41 points-and he made a couple of key free throws at the end to ice the game. It was a good thing Pierce had 41 because one-third of the Boston Big Three, Ray Allen, had just four points. Kevin Garnett had 13 points and 13 rebounds.
On the Cavalier side of the ledger, LeBron James had his best game of the postseason in defeat. He scored 45 points-hitting 14 of 29 shots from the field and 14 of 19 free throws. Delonte West chipped in with 15.
Boston escapes Round 1 with a not impressive 8-6 playoff record as they await the rested Detroit Pistons for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in Boston on Tuesday.
NBA PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
BOSTON VS. CLEVELAND
Game 1: Boston 76, Cleveland 72
Game 2: Boston 89, Cleveland 73
Game 3: Cleveland 108, Boston 84
Game 4: Cleveland 88, Boston 77
Game 5: Boston 96, Cleveland 89
Game 6: Cleveland 74, Boston 69
Game 7: Boston 97, Cleveland 92
Boston wins 4-3
Next game: Detroit at Boston Tuesday
DETROIT VS. ORLANDO
Game 1: Detroit 91, Orlando 72
Game 2: Detroit 100, Orlando 93
Game 3: Orlando 111, Detroit 86
Game 4: Detroit 90, Orlando 89
Game 5: Detroit 91, Orlando 86
Detroit wins 4-1
Next game: Detroit at Boston Tuesday
WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
LOS ANGELES LAKERS VS. UTAH
Game 1: LA Lakers 109, Utah 98
Game 2: LA Lakers 120, Utah 110
Game 3: Utah 104, LA Lakers 99
Game 4: Utah 123, LA Lakers 115 (OT)
Game 5: LA Lakers 111, Utah 104
Game 6: LA Lakers 108, Utah 105
LA wins 4-2
Game 6: Friday at Utah
NEW ORLEANS VS. SAN ANTONIO
Game 1: New Orleans 101, San Antonio 82
Game 2: New Orleans 102, San Antonio 84
Game 3: San Antonio 110, New Orleans 99
Game 4: San Antonio 100, New Orleans 80
Game 5: New Orleans 101, San Antonio 79
Game 6: San Antonio 99, New Orleans 80
Series tied 3-3
Game 7: Monday at New Orleans
NHL
PENGUINS MARCH TO THE STANLEY CUP FINALS
It was not even close.
After the Philadelphia Flyers grabbed a little hope with a win in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, they hoped to ride the momentum of that win-Dallas Stars-style-into Game 5 and try to sneak out another win over Pittsburgh on Sunday at the Mellon Arena.
The Pittsburgh Penguins would have none of that. They stole the momentum early in the game when Ryan Malone scored on a power play with just 2:30 expired after the opening puck drop. Seven minutes later, Evgeni Malkin scored again, and the party was over for Philly.
In the second period, Marian Hossa got into the act, then Malone scored on another power play, and Jordan Staal made it 5-0 in the final minute of the second period.
With 4:03 gone in period three, Pascal Dupuis put an exclamation point on the Eastern Conference finals with his second postseason goal, and the Pens coasted home with a 6-0 win.
The Penguins now wait to see if they will play Detroit or Dallas in the finals. This marks the first time since 1992 that the Pittsburgh Penguins will skate in the Stanley Cup finals. They won that year behind Conn Smythe Trophy winner Mario Lemieux.
CONFERENCE FINALS
East
Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia
Game 1: Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 2
Game 2: Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 2
Game 3: Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 1
Game 4: Philadelphia 4, Pittsburgh 2
Game 5: Pittsburgh 6, Philadelphia 0
Pittsburgh wins 4-1
West
Detroit vs. Dallas
Game 1: Detroit 4, Dallas 1
Game 2: Detroit 2, Dallas 1
Game 3: Detroit 5, Dallas 2
Game 4: Dallas 3, Detroit 1
Game 5: Dallas 2, Detroit 1
Detroit leads 3-2
Game 5: Monday at Detroit
MLB
CUBS-BASEBALL'S HOTTEST TEAM
They have recaptured the NL Central Division lead. They have won eight of their last 10 games. They have a home record of 19-8. And they won Sunday over the improving Pittsburgh Pirates at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field. The Cubs' 4-3 win over Pittsburgh gives them eight wins in nine games with the Pirates this year.
The Cubs managed only four hits against Pittsburgh pitchers, but those pitchers were extremely generous with walks. Phil Dumatrait walked seven Cubs batters in 4 2/3 innings. He gave the Cubs all four of their runs before turning the ball over to the bullpen in the fifth inning.
Jason Marquis picked up the win for Chicago while Kerry Wood struck out two in his one inning of work to pick up his 10th save of the season.
No Chicago hitter had more than one hit. Pittsburgh got a home run from Adam LaRoche and two hits from former batting champ Freddy Sanchez.
INTERLEAGUE SCORES
NY Mets 11, NY Yankees 2
Seattle 3, San Diego 2
Kansas City 9, Florida 3
Cincinnati 6, Cleveland 2
Arizona 4, Detroit 0
Toronto 6, Philadelphia 5
Atlanta 5, Oakland 2
Boston 11, Milwaukee 7
Washington 2, Baltimore 1
St. Louis 5, Tampa Bay 4
Houston 5, Texas 4
Chicago White Sox 13, San Francisco 8
LA Angels 10, LA Dodgers 2
SPORTS SPECTRUM INSIDER
Getting to the heart of what matters in life -- in the words of an athlete in the news.
TODAY'S FEATURE:
TODD HELTON, first baseman, Colorado Rockies
BIO NOTE: Helton is in his 12 season with the Rockies. He has 1,102 career RBIs and is nearing the 2,000 hit mark with 1,923. His career batting average is an astounding .330.
RECENT NEWS: On Sunday, Helton went 2 for 4 with three RBI to help the Rockies beat the Minnesota Twins.
FAITH QUOTE: "The thing that sometimes gets overlooked is that, as athletes, we still have the same problems that everybody else does in life. My faith helps with my marriage first and foremost. When you have a kid, things change a lot. I wanted my daughter to grow up and see her dad doing the right things. You also want them to grow up and walk with Christ and know Him at an early age."
-Sports Spectrum magazine
MINI MEMOS
Putting the SS spin on today's sports news
LPGA
OCHOA RETURNS TO FORM
What started out in the first round as a true showdown between golf's leading ladies turned out to be a return to form for reigning golf queen Lorena Ochoa. After the first round, Annika Sorenstam led the Sybase Classic in Clifton, New Jersey, with Ochoa just one stroke back. But Sorenstam faltered in the second round with a 73, and Ochoa took over. She beat five players who were just on stroke back. With the win, Ochoa, who is a faithful participant in LPGA Tour Bible studies with Cris Stevens and several golfers, zoomed past the $12 million mark in career winnings.
NBA
WADE JOINS REDD, STACKHOUSE
There is a growing fraternity of NBA players who have done something both unusual and godly for their parents: They have bought churches for their mom or dad. First, Jerry Stackhouse purchased a building for his minister-mama. Then, Michael Redd bought a church building for his dad to move his congregation into. And now Dwyane Wade, whose story is the most astounding of all. Wade's mom, Jolinda, was just a few years ago a drunken drug addict living in any old building she could get into. But when Dwyane's sister Tragil took Mom to church, Jolinda decided that she had had enough of her wasted life. She turned herself over to God, got straight, and then turned herself over to authorities for crimes she had committed. She went to prison, grew in her faith, and came out a minister for God. And now she has a renovated building for her congregation. On Sunday, the NBA star was there to help his mom dedicate the building as hundreds praised God.
INDYCAR
Scott Dixon is good at poles. He now has three of them. With a speed of 226.355 miles an hour, Dixon captured the pole position for next Sunday's Indianapolis 500. He edged out Dan Wheldon, who came in at 226.110. The next spots on the grid are held by Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves, Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti, Vitor Meira, Hideki Mutoch, and Ed Carpenter.
MLB
TIGER TALES
Jim Leyland has his work cut out for him. His GM gave him everything he ever wanted in a baseball team and more, but this team is just one game removed from having the worst record in baseball. On Saturday, they finally won a game in which they didn't score at least five runs-after 23 such defeats. And the next day they went out and listlessly lost to a 44-year-old pitcher. The time is getting close for this team to call it a season, blow the whole superstar-filled experiment up, and start anew. Maybe it is time to stop watching the painful spectacle of a once-great hitter like Gary Sheffield flair away hopelessly at pitches. Perhaps it is time to forget the whole Guillen to third, Cabrera to first attempt ever happened. Stick Brandon Inge at third, put Guillen back at short, ask for Cabrera's glove so he can DH, and bring up Jeff Larish from Toledo to play first base. And that's just for starters. This team looks old and unable to keep up in the new, youth-oriented majors. It needs some major changes before 2008 starts to look like 2003 in Motown.
SPRINT CUP STANDINGS
We are 11 races into the 2008 NASCAR season. The next race is Saturday is the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Challenge at the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. This is not a points race, so the standings will stay the same until May 25 when the Coca-Cola 600 takes place at the same speedway. The Chase for the Cup looks like this.
1. Kyle Busch 1,690
2. Jeff Burton 1,611
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1,556
4. Denny Hamlin 1,500
5. Clint Bowyer 1,490
6. Jimmy Johnson 1,442
7. Carl Edwards 1,400
8. Tony Stewart 1,397
9. Kevin Harvick 1,396
10. Jeff Gordon 1,326
11. Greg Biffle 1,308
12. David Ragan 1,266
THIS JUST IN
Notes of significance from the Christian sports community
New Book: The Mulligan
By Wally Armstrong
After ending a successful career as a PGA golfer, Wally Armstrong began a venture of teaching golf and of using gold analogies to teach biblical principles. One of his latest ventures is teaching timeless truths through golf is a book called The Mulligan. It's a book that can be used by the Christian for edification, and it can be given to the non-Christian as an outreach tool. Find out more about the book at www.wallyarmstrong.com.
