Grizzlies finish off No. 1-seeded San Antonio
NBA: Zach Randolph had 31 points and 11 rebounds and the Memphis Grizzlies advanced to their first Western Conference semifinals and made NBA history in knocking off the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs 99-91 on Friday night in Memphis, Tenn.
Memphis had been the franchise best known for empty seats and the unenviable NBA mark for playoff futility at 0-12 after being swept in its first three appearances. This time, a third straight sellout crowd cheered every bucket with a couple signs begging the Grizzlies to “Finish Them” in a town in desperate need of a hero.
The Grizzlies became only the second No. 8 seed to upset a No. 1 seed since the NBA expanded the opening series to a best-of-7.
Memphis will play the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday.
Sharks topple Red Wings in overtime
NHL: Little-used Benn Ferriero scored 7:03 into overtime of his playoff debut on a deflected goal that gave the San Jose Sharks a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series in San Jose, Calif.
Ferriero’s shot hit off Detroit defenseman Brad Stuart’s stick and got past Jimmy Howard for the game-winner just seconds after the Red Wings had killed off a 4-minute penalty. Stuart slammed his stick to the ice in disgust after the goal, as the Red Wings again fell behind in their series to the Sharks.
Joe Pavelski scored the tying goal on the power play in the third period for San Jose. Antti Niemi made 24 saves as the Sharks won their fourth overtime game of this postseason.
Howard made 44 saves, and Nicklas Lidstrom scored the only Detroit goal the day after his 41st birthday.
Game 2 is Sunday in San Jose.
• Stamkos, Lightning beat Caps in Game 1: Sean Bergenheim scored early, Steve Downie had a goal and an assist, and Steven Stamkos netted the go-ahead goal on a power play, helping the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning beat the top-seeded Washington Capitals 4-2 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals series.
The fifth-seeded Lightning, who have won four straight games since falling behind Pittsburgh 3-1 in the first round. Game 2 is Sunday at Washington.
Hamlin makes it two wins in two nights
NASCAR: Denny Hamlin grabbed the lead for the first time 44 laps into the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway and dominated the rest of the 250-laps for his 11th career victory in the series.
Paul Menard was second, Justin Allgaier third and Elliott Sadler fourth. Hamlin’s win came one night after he passed Kyle Busch on the last lap to win his charity race at the track.
• Montoya wins 7th career Sprint Cup pole: Juan Pablo Montoya won the pole for tonight’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, turning a fast lap at 128.639 mph on the 0.75-mile oval.
Regan Smith qualified second at 128.352 mph. Clint Bowyer was third, followed by Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, points leader Carl Edwards, Joey Logano and Paul Menard.
Watson leads after 2nd round in Zurich
Golf: Bubba Watson shot a 4-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead over Josh Teater after the second round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Watson had a 10-under 134 total at TPC Louisiana. Teater shot a 66.
John Rollins was in third at 8 under after a 69.
Alex Prugh (Ferris, UW) shot a 1-under 71 for two-day total of 146 and missed the cut by three strokes.
• Gal leads Avnet LPGA Classic: Sandra Gal birdied five of the final eight holes for a 5-under 67 and a one-stroke lead over Amy Yang (68) in the Avnet LPGA Classic at Mobile, Ala.
Gal had a 7-under 137 total. Stacy Lewis had a 71, leaving her two strokes back at 5 under along with Karen Stupples (71) and Song-Hee Kim (72).
Wendy Ward (Edwall, Wash.) shot a 72 for a two-day total of 147 and made the cut.
Court OKs league’s lockout request
NFL: A federal appeals court threw the NFL back into chaos, granting the league’s request to essentially put the lockout back in place.
With a 2-1 decision, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis granted the league’s bid for a temporary stay of a judge’s order lifting the lockout so arguments can be heard on whether that order should be overturned altogether.
The appeals court is expected to rule next week on the NFL’s request for a more permanent stay that would last through its appeal of the injunction. That process is expected to take 6-8 weeks.
Kim leads worlds after short program
Miscellany: Olympic champion Kim Yu-na of South Korea made a dramatic return to competition, taking the lead after the short program at the figure skating world championships in Moscow.
In her first competition since last year’s worlds, Kim scored 65.91 points. Japan’s Miki Ando trails with 65.58 points. Russia’s Ksenia Makarova was third and U.S. champion Alissa Czisny was fourth.
• Settlement reached in TCU suit over rape charges: An attorney for a former Texas Christian University coed who claimed she was sexually assaulted by three Horned Frog athletes in a campus dormitory five years ago says her client has settled her lawsuit against the school.
Attorney Susan Hutchison said that the details are confidential.
The case was scheduled to go to trial in Fort Worth, Texas, on Monday.