NBA – Season Opens Wednesday
The NBA’s 73rd season has gotten underway with victories by the defending-champion Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics.
The Warriors received their championship rings before Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant led a 108-100 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Curry shot 5-for-9 from 3-point range and finished with 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Durant provided 27 points, eight boards and six assists for the Warriors, who blew a 10-point halftime lead before winning.
Dennis Schroder had 21 points and six rebounds for the Thunder.
Jayson Tatum poured in a team-high 23 points and the Celtics overcame a poor shooting night by Kyrie Irving to beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 105-87 in Boston. Tatum also had nine rebounds, while Marcus Morris chipped in 16 points and 10 boards off the bench to help Boston win despite shooting 43 percent.
Irving shot just 2-for-14 but had a team-high seven assists for the Celtics, who outscored the Sixers by 18 after the opening quarter.
Gordon Hayward scored 10 points on 4 of 12 shooting in his first game since breaking his left leg and dislocating an ankle during last year’s season opener against the Cavaliers. Hayward received a huge ovation when he was announced before the game.
Ben Simmons came within two assists of a triple-double, finishing with 19 points and a team-high 15 rebounds. Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 23 points.
MLB – Playoff Championship Series Games Tuesday
The National League Championship Series is tied at two games apiece after the Los Angeles Dodgers won a marathon against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Cody Bellinger singled home Manny Machado from second with two out in the bottom of the 13th to give the Dodgers a 2-1 triumph over the Brewers. Machado hit a one-out single and moved to second on a wild pitch by losing pitcher Junior Guerra before Bellinger delivered his second hit after coming off the bench. It was the first run since Domingo Santana’s RBI double tied the game for the Brewers in the fifth inning.
Julio Urias worked a hitless inning to pick up the win.
The two teams go back at it today in Los Angeles, 14 ½ hours after this one ended. Wade Miley is the Brewers’ scheduled starter against Clayton Kershaw.
The Boston Red Sox have gained control of the American League Championship Series by hitting two big homers to win Game 3.
Steve Pearce belted a tiebreaking, solo shot and Jackie Bradley Jr. added a grand slam that capped the scoring in the Red Sox’s 8-2 victory over the Astros in Houston.
The Bosox blew an early 2-0 lead before Pearce launched a sixth-inning blast off loser Joe Smith, one inning after Alex Bregman tied the game with an RBI double. Bradley’s home run completed a five-run eighth, one batter after pinch-hitter Mitch Moreland was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Winning pitcher Nathan Eovaldi allowed two runs and six hits over six innings before four relievers finished the combined seven-hitter.
Dallas Keuchel kept the Astros close by holding Boston to a pair of runs and four hits over five frames of the 3-hour, 52-minute marathon.
Game 4 is Wednesday at Houston. Charlie Morton will start for the Astros against Rick Porcello.