(Basketball)
...The surging LA Lakers, (31-4) since acquiring Pao Gasol in a trading deadline deal, head into Salt Lake City tonite, to face an upset Utah Jazz team, and a raucous crowd of 19-thousand fans. The Lakers are (6-0) in postseason, have won 14-of-15 games since mid-April, and have 1-of the best road records in the NBA (29-14). But they play a Utah team that is an NBA-best (39-5) at home this season.
...Utah has been shutoff from running their pick and roll, and Carlos Boozer is just (9-24) shooting from the floor, and the Jazz have not hit outside shots, just shooting 41-percent from the floor..
...The Lakers defense has been exceptional. They have 17-blocked shots in 2-games. And the Lakers are (73-89) from the freethrow line. The Lakers won by 24-in Utah and lost by 24 in that building this season.
...San Antonio climbed back into their series, getting 62-points from Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli, in beating New Orleans last nite. The Spurs trail 2-games to 1.
...The Cleveland Cavaliers are in trouble. Lebron James cannot score, Cleveland cannot win. King James is (8-42) shooting, 19-percent, has 17-turnovers, and is (0-10) from the arc.
...Cavs center Ben Wallace did not suffer a seizure on the bench last nite; he was taken to a hospital with a migraine and allergy problems.
...Steve Nash, leader of the Phoenix Suns, has met with team ownership, and asked them to keep Coach Mike D'Antonio from leaving. Nash wants a private meeting also with the coach. The Knicks and Bulls have both interviewed D'Antoni, who is feuding with GM-Steve Kerr about the makeup of the coaching staff.
...Reports out of Dallas are the Mavericks have reached agreement on a 4-year deal with Rick Carlisle to take over as coach.
...Kiki Vandeweighe has been named General Manager of the New Jersey Nets; he rebuilt the Denver Nuggets in a 6-year span as GM.
...Indiana coach Tom Crean is upset with what appears to be tampering by Detroit Mercy in the transfer of 6-9 center Eli Holman. The player had indicated he wanted to go to a Pac 10-team, then got into a shouting match and threw temper tantrum to get his release. The next day he committed to Detroit Mercy, coached by fired IU-assistant Ray McCallum. Crean called the whole episode 'staged'.
...LSU's top recruit, 6-10 -275-pound center J'Mison Morgan has asked for his release, to transfer to UCLA. He was signed by fired LSU-Coach John Brady.
(Baseball)
...Angry Padres fans are expected to dominate Petco Park tonite as San Diego opens a weekend series with the Colorado Rockies. Jim Edmonds won't be there for the game. The Padres released him today and called up 300-hitting outfielder Jody Gerut. In the process, San Diego eats Edmonds 6-million dollar contract, and has to face the criticism, they traded hot young hitting 3rd baseman David Freeze, who is batting .294 at Memphis, to get Edmonds.
...The Padres have lost (17-of-21) and are in last place at (12-23). Jake Peavy (4-1) will start tonite against Aaron Cook (5-1) in a matchup of aces. Peavy has an (0.87-ERA) at home; Cook has a 1.54-ERA.. The Padres have an anemic .214-batting average at home this season. The San Diego bullpen now has a (1-11) record this season.
...The Padres desperate need for a bat could lead them to Cincinnati. They could acquire veteran Ken Griffey, who is owed about 8-million on this years contract and a 4-million buyout of a 16-million package for next season. Cincinnati wants pitching in any deal.
...In the farm system, Jody Gerut i****ting .308, Chase Headley 205-at Portland. At San Antonio, 2nd baseman Brett Dowdy i****ting .360-with 3-homers, outfielder Chad Huffman is batting .325 with 3-homers and 19-RBIs and lst baseman Kyle Blanks has a .306-average and 10-extra basehits.
...The Dodgers, who have won 10-of-12, open a weekend series with the Houston Astros with Derek Lowe starting.
...The Angels are in Tampa Bay tonite. Jon Garland (4-3) starts for the lst place Halos.
...David Wells, who has 230-career victories, has contacted the Yankees about coming in as a free-agent. New York's back end-rotation, led by Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes and Kei Igawa has struggled all year.
...The Giants, upset at the (0-7) start of pitcher Barry Zito, criticized their batting order today also; the Giants are batting .218 with Zito on the mound.
...Seattle Manager Jon McLaren is under fire; the M's are (14-22) and have scored just 1-run in 29-innings.
...Kansas City outfielder Jose Guillen is ailing with neck problems. He is in a (1-22) hole and batting .165.
...Arizona pitcher Doug Davis, coming back from thyroid cancer surgery, will make 2-rehab starts in Tucson. Tests show he is cancer-free.
...The A's are activating starter Rich Harden from the DL. He has pitched 7-games in 2-years because of shoulder woes. He had an 0.82-ERA in April before shoulder woes shut him down.
...Alex Rodriguez, coming back from a quad injury, took 57-swings and 31-grounders at the Yankees camp in Tampa
...Washington catcher Paul Loduca is on the DL with a broken hand; he will be out 8-weeks.
...Atlanta reliever Peter Moyland will miss the year with elbow ligament surgery; he had a 1.59-ERA.
...Toronto shortstops David Eckstien and John McDonald are both on the DL.
...The Pirates have acquired outfielder Jason Michaels, cut loose by the Cleveland Indians.
(Football)
...NFL teams opened their 2nd weekend of minicamps today.
...The Raiders moved running back Michael Bush to their number 1-kick return and punt return job. Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden rotated with the number 1-offense.
...Dallas opened its minicamp today with an impressive performance from Tashard Choice, the running back who had 3300-yards at Georgia Tech.
...Miami quarterback Josh McCown continued to take all the lst string snaps at quarterback in the Dolphins camp.
...Atlanta' lst round pick, quarterback Matt Ryan and big-money free-agent running back Michael Turner debuted today in the Falcons camp.
...Baltimore began a major project today, overhauling the mechanics of quarterback Joe Flacco, the number l-pick from Delaware; he is working under center for the first time in 3-years.
...The Indianapolis Colts have signed free-agent running back Dominic Rhodes, released by the Raiders.
...The Bengals will decide this weekend whether to offer a contract to running back Shaun Alexander.
(Hockey)
...The Pennsylvania Turnpike series starts tonite, with the Pittsburgh Penguins meeting the Philadelphia Flyers. The game matches the explosive goal scoring of Sidney Crosby and Evgenyi Melkin against the Flyers Broad Street Bully tactics led by Daniel Brier, Jeff Richards and Mike Carter. The columnists are calling it a Highway of Bad Blood; a Gladiator series; Athens vs Sparta; and Gettsyburg. The Penguins are (8-1) in playoff games this year.
...The Flyers have lost star defenseman Kimmo Timonen for the year with a blood clot in his ankle.
...The Detroit Red Wings stormed the net all nite in beating the Dallas Stars last nite; goalie Marty Turco is now (0-8-2) at Detroit.
...The Colorado Avalanche fired Joel Quennville this afternoon after back to back playoff failures. Quennville becomes a hot candidate for the vacant Toronto Maple Leafs job.
...The San Jose Sharks have denied the Leafs permission to talk to Doug Wilson about the vacant Toronto GMs job.
...The Dallas Stars have won the bidding war to sign Swedish goal scoring star Fabian Brunnstrom.
(General)
...Speed-tire wear-hard to handle cars. Those are the storylines going into tomorrows Dodge 500-at Darlington. Dale Earnhardt has gone 74-races without a win; Tony Stewarts streak is at 24-races; and Jeff Gordon at 14-races in a row. The repave job, harder Goodyear Tires, and fish-tailing cars could lead to a wild nite tomorrow nite. 10-cars today broke the track record in practice this morning.
...It rained for the 3rd day in a row, leading to a green track tomorrow for qualifying for the Indy 500. New Zealand's Scott Dixon ran a 227-lap before they shutdown practice today. Helio Castroneves, Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan, and 9-drivers from the IRL will highlite tomorrow's trials.
...Another crash today with another rookie; Alex Lloyd hit a wall wrecking the back end of his car.
...Fernado Massa and Kimmi Raikkonen led qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix.
...In golf, Jeff Maggert pulled out of the TPC-tourney at Sawgrass after his brother was killed in a plane crash in Vail, Colorado on his way to family graduation at Colorado University.