playoffs Page 172 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Deion Sanders May Have Found A New Football-Playing Host Upon Which He Can Attach
Your morning roundup for April 29, the day "special cookies" in zip-lock freezer bags got real....

Your NHL Playoffs Open Thread
There's single second-round game on the lineup. The Nashville Predators visit the Vancouver Canucks. It may not mean a lot to you, but it means a lot to the Green Men....

Your NBA Playoffs Open Thread
In tonight's games, the Orlando Magic, New Orleans Hornets and Portland Trailblazers have an opportunity to extend their opening-round series to a seventh, and decisive, game. Orlando visits Atlanta at 7:30 p.m. eastern. The Hornets host the Lakers a half-hour later. The Blazers welcome the Maveric...

How Kevin Durant's Jump Shot Knocked Denver Out Of The Playoffs
Kevin Durant, regular-Joe wunderkind, came down the court and drilled a three-pointer from the top of the key with about 3:30 remaining in last night's Game 5 between Oklahoma City and Denver. Then, on his own, the third-year forward personally outscored Denver 14-6, including his team's final nin...

Here's How Gary Neal's Buzzer-Beater Sounded To San Antonio
The Memphis Grizzlies announcers left something to be desired (mainly, any commentary whatsoever) after Gary Neal tied the game at the buzzer last night. Here's what it sounded like on the other side....

Here's A Beautiful Animation Of The First Of Five El Clásicos This Year
Your morning roundup for April 28, the day we learn that God's advice for ending a 46-day beer-only fast is with a bacon smoothie, forever and ever, Amen....

Gary Neal's Buzzer-Beating Three Keeps The Spurs Alive
Gary Neal, everyone's favorite 26-year-old rookie/former Turkish basketball star/mystery man, was naturally the one to rescue the Spurs' season with this buzzer-beating three-pointer over O.J. Mayo on Wednesday night....

Your NBA Playoffs Open Thread
The Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder can all advance to the next round of the playoffs with Game 5 victories this evening....

Your NHL Playoffs Open Thread
Let's look at tonight's pair of Game Sevens through the lens of potential second-round match-ups....

"People Are Going To Start Punching Babies": Among The Almost-Thugs In Vancouver
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Watching Canucks fans raise hell last night in downtown Vancouver reminded me of the guys who get paternity-tested on Maury, learn they're not the father and launch into the Ickey Shuffle. Some people are so beat-down that mere relief tastes like a miracle. The Canucks ...

The Chicago-Indiana Five-Game Shoving Match Is Finally Over
The Pacers-Bulls series, now mercifully complete after Chicago did what they should have done all along and put together a 27-point victory last night, regressed into a shoving, name-calling match with one ejection and two technical fouls in Game 5. After the game, Danny Granger called out Joakim ...

Your NBA Playoffs Open Thread
The ESPN homepage suggests this evening that we might have to "rewrite the script" for the 2011 playoffs, what with the Magic just one game from elimination, the Hornets even with the Lakers, and the Bulls barely escaping multiple games with the Pacers to lead the series, 3-1....

Your NHL Playoffs Open Thread
There are two game sevens on the bill tonight, with the Canucks-Blackhawks and Sabres-Flyers series both tied up, 3-3. The Bruins, meanwhile, have come back from two games down against the Canadiens and now lead 3-2. They'll play in Montreal tonight, which means Zdeno Chara can once again look forwa...

Jeff Foster And The Brutal Art Of The NBA's Playoff Foul
Indiana's veteran forward Jeff Foster told the Indianapolis Star this week that he knows he'll be considered the "villain" after a series of hard fouls against the Bulls in the first round. The video above gives an idea of what he's talking about; he's yoked Derrick Rose a couple times, in Games 1...

Tony Allen Shaved A Glittery Grizzly Into His Hair Last Night
For a brief time yesterday, Memphis guard Tony Allen had this haircut, featuring a barber's rendition of the Grizzlies mascot and highlighted by the staples of any middle school girl's make-up routine: glitter and white eyeliner. Allen trimmed it before the game started (he had 12 points in the win)...

Chris Paul's Shake-Up Of Andrew Bynum Is Pretty Close To A Point Guard's Masterpiece
In a big-to-little defensive switch in basketball, the advantage usually goes to the taller forward who can easily back down a misplaced guard for an easy basket in the paint. It's a simple, dependable play off of a switched screen or miscommunication on the defenders' side....

Lakers Player Arrested For Allegedly Assaulting Pregnant IHOP Waitress (Pregnancy Update)
But don't worry, it's not a Laker that you've heard of, or matters....

The Knicks Come Home
Your morning roundup for April 25, the day that we were just five days away from ceasing to hear about wedding plans for people none of us know....

Your NHL Playoffs Open Thread
The Sabres, Predators and Canucks all have a chance to win their series 4-2 today. Buffalo hosts the Flyers at 3 p.m.; Nashville hosts Anaheim at 6 p.m. and Vancouver visits the Chicago Blackhawks at 7:30 p.m. All times eastern....

Your NBA Playoffs Open Thread
Today, the Heat can sweep the Sixers and the Celtics can do the same to the Knicks. Tonight, the Hawks and Lakers can take 3-1 leads over the Magic and Hornets respectively....