Update on the latest sports
APNBA PLAYOFFS
Clippers look for win on home court
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers find themselves in familiar territory — down 2-0 in their second straight playoff series and seeing one player outplay their two superstars.
While the Clippers proved they could work their way out of a deep hole before, the challenges are steeper as they prepare to face the Utah Jazz on Saturday as the scene shifts to Staples Center for Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
The downtown Los Angeles court, which has been the franchise’s home since 1999, has not given them any advantages when it comes to the postseason. They have lost nine of their last 11 home playoff games.
Last Sunday’s 126-111 victory over Dallas in Game 7 snapped a eight-game home playoff losing streak.
MLB SCHEDULE
Double-header and a bunch of matinees
UNDATED (AP) — The Giants and Nationals get the day’s baseball action started in Washington this afternoon.
Right-hander Kevin Gausman (7-0) is unbeaten in 12 starts and takes an NL-best 1.27 ERA into his outing for San Francisco. Erick Fedde (4.35) goes for Washington. The two teams will reconvene at Nationals Park this evening, for the second game.
In New York, Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove faces Mets righty Marcus Stroman in a showdown of veteran pitchers who are with their hometown teams.
Musgrove was traded to San Diego in the offseason and has taken a star turn after growing up in nearby El Cajon, California. He threw the franchise’s first no-hitter in April.
Stroman, from nearby Long Island, has returned to peak form since joining New York during the 2019 season. He’s 9-6 with a 3.03 ERA in 23 starts overall with the Mets.
In Tampa Bay, Rays left-hander Rich Hill looks to keep up his impressive run when the 41-year old faces the Baltimore Orioles. Hill is 4-1 with an 0.68 ERA (three earned runs, 39 2/3 innings) in his last seven starts. It’s the lowest ERA by a Rays traditional starter over a seven-start span in franchise history.
The Yankees and Phillies meet in Philadelphia in an unusual Saturday start to a series of only two games. New York sends right-hander Jameson Taillon (1-4, 5.09) to the mound against Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez (2-1, 4.33).
Other day games have Kansas City at Oakland, Toronto at Boston, the L.A. Angels in Arizona, Cincinnati hosting Colorado, Seattle visiting Cleveland, the Chicago White Sox in Detroit, Miami getting a visit from Atlanta and Milwaukee home against the Pirates.
Tonight, it’s Houston at Minnesota, St. Louis versus the Cubs at Wrigley and the Dodgers facing the Rangers in Chavez Ravine.
FRENCH OPEN
Navratilova to present women’s trophy at French
PARIS (AP) — Martina Navratilova will present the French Open trophy to the winner of the women’s final.
The former top-ranked Navratilova won Roland Garros twice in singles, in 1982 and 1984, and lost four times in the final. She also won the doubles title seven times.
The women’s final pits unseeded Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic against 31st-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia. Both are playing in their first Grand Slam final.
