For most Southland sports fans, all other...

For most Southland sports fans, all other weekend sporting events will be taking a back seat to the Laker telecasts today and Sunday on Channels 2 and 8.

By Sunday afternoon, the Lakers will have regained the home court in their NBA Western Conference semifinal series against the Phoenix Suns. Both games begin at 12:30 p.m.

CBS will also broadcast two Eastern Conference semifinal games. The New York Knicks face the Detroit Pistons at 10 a.m. today while the Philadelphia 76ers play host to the Chicago Bulls at 10 a.m. Sunday.

There also is plenty of televised baseball this weekend in what is shaping up to be a disappointing season for all three Southland teams. The Dodgers visit the New York Mets at 10:30 a.m. today and Sunday on KTTV Channel 11 and cable station WWOR. The underachieving Angels, one of many teams threating to become the Bart Simpsons of baseball, are on SportsChannel tonight for a 7 p.m. telecast against the Boston Red Sox. The Padres, continuing their tradition of slow starts, meet those recent Dodger tormentors, the Montreal Expos, at 7 p.m. tonight on San Diego Cable Sports.

Two races also receive plenty of air time this weekend. ABC begins three weekends of coverage of the Indianapolis 500, with time trial telecasts today (1 p.m., Channels 7, 3 and 42; noon, Channel 10) and Sunday (1 p.m., Channels 7, 3, 10 and 42). ESPN will also carry the time trials Sunday at 2 p.m.

The Tour de Trump, modestly billed by organizers as America’s premier cycling event, concludes this weekend. NBC has telecasts today (1 p.m., Channels 4 and 36, noon Channel 39) and Sunday (1 p.m., Channels 4, 36 and 39).