PHOENIX (AP) - The upstart Los Angeles Kings continue to be the surprise team in the NHL playoffs. The eighth-seeded Kings, who knocked off Vancouver and St. Louis in the first two rounds, went on the road and beat Phoenix 3-2 in the opener of the Western Conference finals to improve their road record to 6-0 in this year's playoffs.
MIAMI (AP) - The Miami Heat rode a 32-point, 15-rebound effort from league MVP LeBron James to beat the Indiana Pacers 95-86 in the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinal playoff. Chris Bosh scored 13 points for Miami, but left late in the first half with a lower abdominal injury and was scheduled for an MRI to determine the extent of the problem.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - For just the third time in their 41-year franchise history, the L.A. Clippers have won a playoff series. Kenyon Martin scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter in the Clippers' 82-72 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 7 of their opening round series to send the Clippers into a second-round matchup against top-seeded San Antonio.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Matt Kuchar (KOO'-char) is this year's winner at The Players Championship, and the $1.7 million first-place check at the so-called fifth major of the golf season. Kuchar stayed out of the water at TPC Sawgrass to post a two-shot victory over Martin Laird, Rickie Fowler, Ben Curtis and Zach Johnson for his fourth career title, and first in two years.
UNDATED (AP)-- For the first time since 1998, there were two walkoff grand slams in the major leagues yesterday. Joey Votto capped a three-homer game with a walkoff in Cincinnati's 9-6 win over Washington and Giancarlo Stanton also hit a game-ending slam in Miami's 8-4 win against the New York Mets.
