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NBA Basketball
5 Units on Los Angeles Lakers -5½ -110
The Lakers have not yet clinched their spot in the postseason, but are already playing with a playoff-like intensity. On Thursday, Shaquille O'Neal had 31 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Lakers to a 100-89 road win over the league-leading Dallas Mavericks. ``We approached this as a big game and wanted to win. We accomplished that,'' said Kobe Bryant, who had 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. ``We're not in playoff shape yet, but we're getting there and we'll get there.'' The Lakers now trail the Utah Jazz by one game for the sixth spot in the West and have an outside chance at home-court advantage for the first round. They are 2 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers, who are tied for the conference's fourth-best record. The top four teams in each conference earn home-court advantage for at least one round. The Grizzlies, who lost to the Lakers 110-94 on Monday, have no such concerns about the postseason. With seven games remaining, Memphis is just looking to close the season on a high note. Losers of five straight, the Grizzlies were pounded by the San Antonio Spurs 105-87 on Wednesday. Lorenzen Wright tied his season high with 24 points, but the Grizzlies were outrebounded 49-35 and had trouble containing Spurs forward Tim Duncan. ``They just whipped us and dominated the boards,'' Memphis coach Hubie Brown said.
3 Units on Utah Jazz -7 -110
The Knicks snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday, beating the Denver Nuggets 83-75 in the opener of the trip. Allan Houston scored 27 points to lead New York, which shot just 35 percent through three quarters before making 9 of 14 from the field in the final period. ``We hadn't been playing well as a team for four quarters and we did a much better job tonight,'' said swingman Latrell Sprewell, who had 16 points. ADVERTISEMENT While New York is fighting for a spot in the postseason, Utah is trying to earn home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. Although the Jazz have not officially clinched a playoff spot yet, they are just 1 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers for fourth place in the Western Conference. The top four teams in each conference earn home-court advantage for at least one round. Utah comes in off its eighth win in its last nine, Thursday's 93-88 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Karl Malone had 21 points and nine assists, and John Stockton had 15 points and 10 assists as the Jazz completed a three-game road trip with two wins.
MLB Baseball
3 Units on Philadelphia Phillies -1½ +135 (Suppan - R, Roa - R)
After an active offseason in which they committed to almost $180 million in salary through trades and free agent signings, the Phillies have seen their fans renew their interest in the team as the opener is sold out for just the fifth time in the stadium's 33-year history. The Vet, which opened in 1971, will be torn down after this season and replaced with a new 43,000-seat, baseball-only stadium in 2004. Several members of the Phillies' 1971 team will attend this game, and the Phillies and Pirates will wear retro uniforms throughout the series. ``The crowd will be into it,'' Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins said. ``I'm glad to see them excited about baseball. I've been to the Vet for a couple of football games and there wasn't a seat empty in the house. ``I'm glad to see that for baseball for the opening game, because it'll show the expectations I guess the city has for us to win. To get this kind of crowd early is going to be a lot of fun.'' The Pirates should be ready to ruin the festivities for Philadelphia, after spoiling the opening of the new ballpark in Cincinnati earlier in the week. The Pirates swept a three-game set from the Reds in the opening series at the Great American Ball Park, capped by a 7-5 win on Thursday. Pittsburgh outscored Cincinnati 24-10 in the series, slugging eight home runs. The Pirates are 3-0 for the first time since 1993, and they look like a different team than the one that had the NL's worst offense over the last two seasons. ``That was good baseball for us,'' manager Lloyd McClendon said. ``We had it all going, for the most part.'' Pirates outfielder Reggie Sanders, signed as a free agent in the offseason, got off to a fast start in the three games. Sanders was 4-for-5 with two home runs on Thursday, to complete a stellar series in which he went 7-for-11 with three home runs and seven RBIs.
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NBA Basketball
5 Units on Los Angeles Lakers -5½ -110
The Lakers have not yet clinched their spot in the postseason, but are already playing with a playoff-like intensity. On Thursday, Shaquille O'Neal had 31 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Lakers to a 100-89 road win over the league-leading Dallas Mavericks. ``We approached this as a big game and wanted to win. We accomplished that,'' said Kobe Bryant, who had 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter. ``We're not in playoff shape yet, but we're getting there and we'll get there.'' The Lakers now trail the Utah Jazz by one game for the sixth spot in the West and have an outside chance at home-court advantage for the first round. They are 2 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers, who are tied for the conference's fourth-best record. The top four teams in each conference earn home-court advantage for at least one round. The Grizzlies, who lost to the Lakers 110-94 on Monday, have no such concerns about the postseason. With seven games remaining, Memphis is just looking to close the season on a high note. Losers of five straight, the Grizzlies were pounded by the San Antonio Spurs 105-87 on Wednesday. Lorenzen Wright tied his season high with 24 points, but the Grizzlies were outrebounded 49-35 and had trouble containing Spurs forward Tim Duncan. ``They just whipped us and dominated the boards,'' Memphis coach Hubie Brown said.
3 Units on Utah Jazz -7 -110
The Knicks snapped a three-game losing streak on Wednesday, beating the Denver Nuggets 83-75 in the opener of the trip. Allan Houston scored 27 points to lead New York, which shot just 35 percent through three quarters before making 9 of 14 from the field in the final period. ``We hadn't been playing well as a team for four quarters and we did a much better job tonight,'' said swingman Latrell Sprewell, who had 16 points. ADVERTISEMENT While New York is fighting for a spot in the postseason, Utah is trying to earn home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. Although the Jazz have not officially clinched a playoff spot yet, they are just 1 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers for fourth place in the Western Conference. The top four teams in each conference earn home-court advantage for at least one round. Utah comes in off its eighth win in its last nine, Thursday's 93-88 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Karl Malone had 21 points and nine assists, and John Stockton had 15 points and 10 assists as the Jazz completed a three-game road trip with two wins.
MLB Baseball
3 Units on Philadelphia Phillies -1½ +135 (Suppan - R, Roa - R)
After an active offseason in which they committed to almost $180 million in salary through trades and free agent signings, the Phillies have seen their fans renew their interest in the team as the opener is sold out for just the fifth time in the stadium's 33-year history. The Vet, which opened in 1971, will be torn down after this season and replaced with a new 43,000-seat, baseball-only stadium in 2004. Several members of the Phillies' 1971 team will attend this game, and the Phillies and Pirates will wear retro uniforms throughout the series. ``The crowd will be into it,'' Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins said. ``I'm glad to see them excited about baseball. I've been to the Vet for a couple of football games and there wasn't a seat empty in the house. ``I'm glad to see that for baseball for the opening game, because it'll show the expectations I guess the city has for us to win. To get this kind of crowd early is going to be a lot of fun.'' The Pirates should be ready to ruin the festivities for Philadelphia, after spoiling the opening of the new ballpark in Cincinnati earlier in the week. The Pirates swept a three-game set from the Reds in the opening series at the Great American Ball Park, capped by a 7-5 win on Thursday. Pittsburgh outscored Cincinnati 24-10 in the series, slugging eight home runs. The Pirates are 3-0 for the first time since 1993, and they look like a different team than the one that had the NL's worst offense over the last two seasons. ``That was good baseball for us,'' manager Lloyd McClendon said. ``We had it all going, for the most part.'' Pirates outfielder Reggie Sanders, signed as a free agent in the offseason, got off to a fast start in the three games. Sanders was 4-for-5 with two home runs on Thursday, to complete a stellar series in which he went 7-for-11 with three home runs and seven RBIs.