Thursday Sports Update – Rockets Head To Playoffs
(Houston, TX) — With Portland and Denver rallying for victories in their regular season finales, the idle Rockets dropped to a fourth-seed in the Western Conference. Houston will open the postseason at home Sunday against the Utah Jazz. The Rockets finished the regular season with a 53-and-29 record.
>>Thunder Beat Bucks To Snag Sixth Seed In West
(Milwaukee, WI) — Dennis Schroder hit eight three-pointers en route to 32 points as the Thunder beat the Bucks 127-116 in the regular-season finale in Milwaukee. Jerami Grant added 28 points as Oklahoma City secured the sixth seed in the West. Russell Westbrook logged another triple-double for the Thunder with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 17 assists. Tim Frazier scored 29 to lead top-seeded Milwaukee, which rested most of its starters. Khris Middleton and Bonzie Colson added 21 each for the Bucks in defeat.
Nowitzki Logs Double-Double In Career Finale
(San Antonio, TX) — Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavs with 20 points and 10 rebounds in his career finale in a 105-94 loss to the Spurs in San Antonio. The 40-year-old seven-footer confirmed the previous night he was retiring after 21 NBA seasons, all with Dallas. Justin Jackson and Courtney Lee each scored 14 points in the loss. The Mavericks finish with a 33-and-49 record.
NBA
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San Antonio Spurs 105, Dallas Mavericks 94
Indiana Pacers 135, Atlanta Hawks 134
Orlando Magic 122, Charlotte Hornets 114
Memphis Grizzlies 132, Golden State Warriors 117
Oklahoma City Thunder 127, Milwaukee Bucks 116
Philadelphia 76ers 125, Chicago Bulls 109
Detroit Pistons 115, New York Knicks 89
Brooklyn Nets 113, Miami Heat 94
Portland Trail Blazers 136, Sacramento Kings 131
LA Clippers 143, Utah Jazz 137 (OT)
Denver Nuggets 99, Minnesota Timberwolves 95
NBA Playoff Matchups Set
(Undated) — The NBA regular season is over and playoff matchups are set. In the West, the Warriors play the Clippers, the Nuggets face the Spurs, the Blazers battle the Thunder and the Rockets play the Jazz. In the East, the Bucks play the Pistons, the Raptors face the Magic, the Sixers take on the Nets and the Celtics play the Pacers. The playoffs start Saturday.
Stars Win Playoff Opener In Nashville
(Nashville, TN) — Teenager Miro Heiskanen scored two goals to lift the Stars to a 3-2 win over the Predators in Nashville to capture the opener of the Stanley Cup first-round playoff series. Mats Zuccarello’s goal midway through the final period gave Dallas a two-goal cushion. Ben Bishop stopped 30 of 32 shots in the win. They play again Saturday in Music City before the series shifts to Dallas on Monday.
NHL Playoffs
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Columbus Blue Jackets 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3
(Blue Jackets lead best-of-seven East quarterfinals, 1-0)
New York Islanders 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 3 (OT)
(Islanders lead best-of-seven East quarterfinals, 1-0)
St. Louis Blues 2, Winnipeg Jets 1
(Blues lead best-of-seven West quarterfinals, 1-0)
Dallas Stars 3, Nashville Predators 2
(Stars lead best-of-seven West quarterfinals, 1-0)
San Jose Sharks 5, Vegas Golden Knights 2
(Sharks lead best-of-seven West quarterfinals, 1-0)
Rangers Win In Arizona, End Skid
(Phoenix, AZ) — Lance Lynn allowed one run and struck out nine in six innings as the Rangers defeated the Diamondbacks 5-2 in Phoenix. Hunter Pence homered for Texas. Logan Forsythe had two hits and two RBIs for the Rangers, who snapped a four-game skid. The Rangers are off today before returning home tomorrow night to meet the Athletics. Drew Smyly will start for the Rangers.
Astros Hold Off Yankees
(Houston, TX) — Jose Altuve homered twice as the Astros held on for an 8-6 win over the Yankees at Minute Maid Park. Carlos Correa homered, doubled and drove in three Houston runs. Starter Collin McHugh held the Yankees to two runs and struck out nine over six innings to earn the victory. The Yankees scored four in the eighth inning to trim the lead to a run before Ryan Pressly got a four-out save and struck out three. The Astros won their sixth in a row.
Sod Poodles Late Inning Rally Not Enough To Overcome Midland’s Explosive Offense
AMARILLO, Texas – The Amarillo Sod Poodles dropped their second straight series, falling to the Midland RockHounds by a final score of 11-5. The Sod Poodles put together a late rally in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the high powered Midland offense. On Thursday, the Sod Poodles will welcome the Corpus Christi Hooks to HODGETOWN for the first time this season for a four-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
MLB National League
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Atlanta Braves at Colorado Rockies (PPD)
San Diego Padres 3, San Francisco Giants 1
Cincinnati Reds 2, Miami Marlins 1
Washington Nationals 15, Philadelphia Phillies 1
St. Louis Cardinals 7, Los Angeles Dodgers 2
Pittsburgh Pirates 5, Chicago Cubs 2
MLB American League
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Detroit Tigers 4, Cleveland Indians 1
Tampa Bay Rays 9, Chicago White Sox 1
Oakland Athletics 10, Baltimore Orioles 3
Houston Astros 8, New York Yankees 6
Seattle Mariners 6, Kansas City Royals 5
MLB Interleague
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New York Mets 9, Minnesota Twins 6
Texas Rangers 5, Arizona Diamondbacks 2
Los Angeles Angels 4, Milwaukee Brewers 2
The Masters Begins Today At Augusta National
(Augusta, GA) — The Masters Tournament gets underway today at famed Augusta National. Tiger Woods is in the field for the season’s first major but is 14 years removed from his last Masters win in 2005. Patrick Reed returns at the reigning champion. Golf legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player will be honorary starters before this morning’s first round.
Longhorns Will Play Spring Game Saturday
(Austin, TX) — The Longhorns will conclude their spring football practice Saturday with the Orange and White Spring Game at Memorial Stadium. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger returns from a Texas team that went 10-and-4 last season and beat Georgia 28-to-21 in the Sugar Bowl. TCU has canceled its spring game because of a host of injuries and lack of depth.
