In Brief: OKC advances to Western Conference Finals
NBA: Kevin Durant scored 37 points, Russell Westbrook added 28, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the San Antonio Spurs 113-99 on Thursday night to win the Western Conference semifinal series 4-2, in San Antonio.
Oklahoma City lost 124-92 in Game 1, but first-year coach Billy Donovan led the Thunder to victory in four of the next five. Oklahoma City will face defending NBA champion Golden State in the Western Conference finals, starting Monday in Oakland.
Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points and Tim Duncan had 19 for the Spurs. San Antonio lost just once at home during the regular season, but the Thunder beat the Spurs twice in San Antonio during the series.
Carroll questionable for game 6: In an injury-filled series, the Toronto Raptors announced forward DeMarre Carroll is questionable for Friday night’s Game 6 against the Miami Heat.
Carroll left Wednesday’s game due to a left wrist contusion he sustained in the third quarter.
Pop Warner eliminates kickoffs
football: Pop Warner said it is eliminating kickoffs in its three youngest football divisions, another safety-focused rules change sure to be noticed and discussed at higher levels of the game.
The ban will begin this fall. Instead of kickoffs, the ball will be placed at the 35-yard line to start each half and following scores in the Tiny Mite (ages 5-7), Mitey Mite (7-9) and Junior Pee Wee (8-10) divisions.
Teen dies from complications: Donnovan Hill, the California teenager whose paralyzing football injury led to increased safety protections for young players after he sued a youth league, has died.
Hill died Wednesday at an Orange County hospital of complications from surgery related to management of his injury, according to attorney Robert Carey. He was 18.
Hill was 13 when he fractured his spine during a 2011 Pop Warner championship game in Laguna Hills, south of Los Angeles.
Sharks advance to Western Conf. Finals
NHL: Captain Joe Pavelski got San Jose off to a fast start in Game 7 with his franchise record-tying ninth goal of the playoffs to send the Sharks to their first Western Conference final in five years with a 5-0 victory over the Nashville Predators, in San Jose.
Joel Ward, Logan Couture, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau also scored as San Jose bounced back from a lackluster loss in Game 6 to thoroughly dominate the Predators to reach the conference final for the fourth time in franchise history.
Russia, Kenya track teams may miss Rio
Miscellany: The powerhouse track teams from Russia and Kenya are in serious jeopardy of missing this summer’s Olympics after the World Anti-Doping Agency delivered stinging rebukes in attempts to clean up drug-addled programs in both countries.
Day ties course record: Jason Day putted for birdie on every hole and made half of them for a 9-under 63 that tied the course record and gave him a two-shot lead at The Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Federer not concerned after loss: Roger Federer was not concerned about losing to 15th-ranked Dominic Thiem 7-6 (2), 6-4 in the third round of the Italian Open.
After withdrawing from last week’s Madrid Open with lower back pain, Federer was just glad he was able to play two matches on the clay in Rome.
US beats France at Worlds: The United States moved a step closer to qualifying for the quarterfinals of the hockey world championship by beating France 4-0, in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Americans, who were coming off a loss to Finland, have a 2-2 record and ended the day in third place in Group B behind Canada and Finland.
Football Hall to find home in Canton: The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced it will create a permanent home on its campus for the Black College Football Hall of Fame, which honors those who played and coached at historically black colleges and universities.
WCC announces 3 year contract: The West Coast Conference and Boyd Gaming have announced a three-year contract extension that will keep the WCC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas through 2019.