Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Spurs hold off Thunder for 2-1 series lead

Spurs’ LaMarcus Aldridge shoots over Thunder’s Andre Roberson. (Alonzo Adams / Associated Press)
From staff and wire reports

NBA: Kawhi Leonard had 31 points and 11 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 100-96 on Friday night in Oklahoma City to take a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and eight rebounds, and Tony Parker added 19 points and eight rebounds for the Spurs, who regained the home-court advantage they had surrendered with a loss in Game 2.

Russell Westbrook scored 31 points for the Thunder, but he made just 10 of 31 shots. He also had nine rebounds and eight assists. Kevin Durant scored 26 points for OKC.

Game 4 will be Sunday in Oklahoma City.

Cavaliers up 3-0 on Hawks: Channing Frye scored a career playoff-high 27 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers kept up their 3-point barrage, pulling away in the closing minutes for a 121-108 road victory over the Atlanta Hawks and a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Two nights after setting an NBA record with 25 baskets beyond the arc, the Cavaliers were nearly as good in a 21-of-39 performance from long range.

Game 4 is Sunday in Atlanta.

Curry practices but unlikely to play: Golden State superstar Stephen Curry zipped around the court bouncing from spot to spot during his typical extensive post-practice shooting routine.

Curry looked much like his healthy self except for a brace covering his injured right knee.

He returned to practice to test his sprained knee and was strong in his lateral movement though the team didn’t scrimmage at all. And the Warriors still considered him doubtful to play in Saturday’s Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Portland.

Griffin won’t play in Olympics: Blake Griffin won’t play for the U.S. Olympic team this summer after a recent procedure on his left quad tendon.

Jazz extend Snyder’s contract: The Utah Jazz have extended coach Quin Snyder’s contract. No terms were released.

Lightning edge Islanders in OT

Hockey: Jason Garrison scored 1:34 into overtime to give the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders and a 3-1 series lead.

Garrison took a pass from Andrej Sustr and fired a slap shot from the right faceoff circle past goalie Thomas Greiss to give the Lightning their second straight OT win and move them one win away from reaching the conference finals for the second straight year.

Nikita Kucherov scored his NHL-leading eighth of the playoffs for Tampa Bay, and Ben Bishop made 27 saves.

Game 5 of this best-of-7 series is Sunday in Tampa, Florida.

Canada routs USA: Canada pounded the United States 5-1 in their opening game of the world ice hockey championship in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The U.S. held the lead for less than a minute in the first period thanks to Patrick Maroon’s power-play goal, before Taylor Hall leveled for Canada. Brendan Gallagher’s wrist shot put Canada in front at the end of the first.

Brandon edges Seattle in OT: Tanner Kaspick scored 6:22 into overtime and the Brandon Wheat Kings pulled out a 3-2 victory over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds in the first game of the Western Hockey League Finals.

Game 2 is Saturday at Brandon.

Tunsil, Dolphins agree to contract

NFL: Laremy Tunsil and the Miami Dolphins were quick to agree on his value in the wake of his NFL draft freefall.

The offensive lineman from Ole Miss signed his rookie contract before joining the Dolphins’ rookie minicamp which began Friday. Terms weren’t disclosed.

Touted at one time as a potential No. 1 overall choice, Tunsil was taken 13th last week after a video was posted on his Twitter account shortly before the NFL draft showing him smoking from a gas mask connected to a bong. Another post on his Instagram showed an alleged text exchange with an Ole Miss football staff member that included Tunsil’s request for money. The school is investigating.

Loupe holds one-shot lead at Wells Fargo

Golf: Andrew Loupe took a 1-stroke lead over Roberto Castro at 8-under-par after the second round of the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, while Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler were close behind heading into the weekend.

Loupe shot a 1-under 71. Castro had a 66 for the best round of the day.

Fowler shot a 68, and Mickelson had a 70 to reach 5 under.

Daly makes Champions debut: John Daly shot a 2-under 70 in his PGA Tour Champions debut, leaving him four strokes behind leader Mike Goodes at the Insperity Invitational in The Woodlands, Texas.

Daly had four birdies and two bogeys at The Woodlands Country Club, playing alongside friend Fuzzy Zoeller and Peter Jacobsen. The two-time major champion was tied for 12th. He turned 50 on April 28.

Ryu two shots in front: So Yeon Ryu birdied five of her last eight holes for a bogey-free 7-under 65 and a two-stroke lead at the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic in Prattville, Alabama.

Minjee Lee, Morgan Pressel and Ryann O’Toole were tied for second.

Murray, Nadal square off in Madrid semis

Miscellany: Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal will meet again in the semifinals of the Madrid Open on Saturday, a rematch of last year’s final won by the British player.

The second-ranked Murray defeated Tomas Berdych 6-3, 6-2, while Nadal slipped past Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.

Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia reached the women’s final by beating American qualifier Louisa Chirico 6-1, 6-1 in less than an hour. She will play either Simona Halep or Samantha Stosur.

Chastain, MacMillan, Garber elected to Hall: World Cup champions Brandi Chastain and Shannon MacMillan, and MLS commissioner Don Garber have been elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Soccer player dies: Dinamo Bucharest player Patrick Ekeng died after he collapsed during a match in Bucharest, Romania, doctors said. He was 26.

Doctors tried for an hour to resuscitate the Cameroon midfielder but failed. The cause of death was not known.

Dumoulin wins time trial: Home favorite Tom Dumoulin won the opening individual time trial of the Giro d’Italia by the finest of margins in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. The Dutchman beat Primoz Roglic of Slovenia by one-hundredth of a second.