The Sports Report: Lakers defeat Warriors in Game 1

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Dan Woike: When you get to this stage of a Hall of Fame career, a space that LeBron James shares with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr, you learn to savor the firsts.

James versus these guys on the road to the NBA Finals? Never happened.

The Lakers and the Warriors, L.A. and the Bay, in the NBA playoffs? It hadn’t happened since 1991 when Magic Johnson and James Worthy shut down Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond.

But even though this was new, it didn’t feel forced. None of it was awkward. Game 1s in the NBA playoffs are classically considered to be “feel out” games, but this, Tuesday night at Chase Center, felt so right, so familiar, the exact kind of big-time basketball when you combine all these ingredients.

The Lakers and Golden State Warriors slipped into the game like a perfectly broken-in pair of sneakers, the Lakers announcing exactly what they wanted to do while the Warriors did the same.

The end result? The Lakers’ size, physicality and force were more effective than the Warriors’ three-point shooting, the Lakers winning 117-112 to snatch the home-court edge.

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Photos | Lakers golden in Game 1 playoff victory over Warriors

NBA PLAYOFFS
Results, schedule
All times Pacific
Conference semifinals

Western Conference

No. 6 Golden State vs. No. 7 Lakers
Game 1: Lakers 117, at Golden State 112
Thursday at Golden State, 6 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Lakers, 5:30 p.m., ABC
Monday at Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT
*Wed., May 10 at Golden State, TBD, TNT
*Friday, May 12 at Lakers, TBD, ESPN
*Sunday, May 14 at Golden State, TBD

No. 1 Denver vs. No. 4 Phoenix
Game 1: at Denver 125, Phoenix 107
Game 2: at Denver 97, Phoenix 87
Friday at Phoenix, 7 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Phoenix, 5 p.m., TNT
*Tuesday at Denver, TBD, TNT
*Thursday, May 11 at Phoenix, TBD, ESPN
*Sunday, May 14 at Denver, TBD

Eastern Conference

No. 2 Boston vs. No. 3 Philadelphia
Game 1: Philadelphia 119, at Boston 115
Today at Boston, 5 p.m., TNT
Friday at Philadelphia, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Philadelphia, 12:30 p.m., ESPN
*Tuesday at Boston, TBD, TNT
*Thursday, May 11 at Philadelphia, TBD, ESPN
*Sunday, May 14 at Boston, TBD

No. 5 New York vs. No. 8 Miami
Game 1: Miami 108, at New York 101
Game 2: at New York 111, Miami 105
Saturday at Miami, 12:30 p.m., ABC
Monday at Miami, 4:30 p.m., TNTFlorid
Wed., May 10 at New York, TBD, TNT
*Friday, May 12 at Miami, TBD, ESPN
*Monday, May 15 at New York, 5 p.m., TNT

*-if necessary

NHL PLAYOFFS

Results, schedule
All times Pacific

Second round
Western Conference

Vegas [P1] vs. Edmonton [P2]
Tonight at Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Vegas, 4 p.m., TNT
Monday at Edmonton, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
Wed., May 10 at Edmonton, 7 p.m., ESPN
*Friday, May 12 at Vegas, TBD, TNT
*Sunday, May 14 at Edmonton, TBD, TBD
*Tuesday, May 16 at Vegas, TBD, TBD

Dallas [C2] vs. Seattle [WC1]
Game 1: Seattle 5, at Dallas 4 (OT)
Thursday at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Seattle, 6:30 p.m., TBS
Tuesday at Seattle, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
*Thursday, May 11 at Dallas, TBD, TNT
*Saturday, May 13 at Seattle, TBD, ESPN
*Monday, May 15 at Dallas, TBD, ESPN

Eastern Conference

Carolina [M1] vs. New Jersey [M2]
Today at Carolina, 4 p.m., ESPN
Friday at Carolina, 5 p.m., TNT
Sunday at New Jersey, 12:30 p.m., TBS
Tuesday at New Jersey, 4 p.m., ESPN
*Thursday at Carolina, TBD, TNT
*Saturday, May 13 at New Jersey, TBD, ESPN
*Monday, May 15 at Carolina, TBD, ESPN

Toronto [A2] vs. Florida [WC2]
Game 1: Florida 4, at Toronto 2
Thursday at Toronto, 4 p.m.,TNT
Sunday at Florida, 3:30 p.m., TBS
Wed., May 10 at Florida, 4 p.m., ESPN
*Friday, May 12 at Toronto, TBD, TNT
*Sunday, May 14 at Florida, TBD, TBD
*Tuesday, May 16 at Toronto, TBD, TNT

*-if necessary

DODGERS

From Jack Harris: Julio Urías snapped off a slurve. Bryce Harper swung right through it. And Dodger Stadium organist Dieter Rhule immediately pounded at his keys.

As Harper returned to the dugout, the catchy “Welcome Back Kotter” theme song echoed around Chavez Ravine.

It was directed toward Harper, who was making his season debut Tuesday night just six months after an offseason Tommy John surgery.

The jingle, however, worked as a fitting tune for Urías’ performance in the Dodgers 13-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, too.

In a resounding return to form for last year’s Cy Young Award finalist, who was coming off one of the worst two-start stretches of his career, the old Urías was welcomed back by an awe-struck crowd and appreciative dugout in a seven-inning, one-run gem.

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Scoreboard! Former Angel Brandon Marsh has been a big hit with Phillies

ANGELS

Taylor Ward capped a four-run first inning with a three-run homer, Patrick Sandoval combined with three relievers on a four-hitter, and the Angels beat St. Louis 5-1 on Tuesday night to extend the Cardinals’ losing streak to four.

St. Louis (10-20), facing the Angels (16-14) for the first time in four years, has lost eight of its last 10 games and is 0-10 in series openers.

LAFC

From Kevin Baxter: LAFC has proved itself to be the best team in MLS. Now it gets another chance to see how it measures up against the best in Mexico.

A 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Union on Tuesday night in the second leg of the teams’ CONCACAF Champions League semifinal series gave LAFC a 4-1 aggregate victory and a spot in the tournament final against the winner of the other semifinal matchup between Liga MX clubs Tigres UANL and Club León. That series concludes Wednesday in León, with Tigres leading by a goal.

LAFC has been here before, reaching the CCL final in 2020, when it lost to Tigres. By returning, it’s set to become the first MLS team this century to play in the region’s most prestigious club championship game twice. And it got there behind goals from Timothy Tillman, Mahala Opoku and Denis Bouanga and another clean sheet from goalkeeper John McCarthy, winning by a 3-0 score for the fourth time in six CCL games this year. LAFC has outscored opponents 14-3 in the tournament.

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1902 — Alan-a-Dale wins the Kentucky Derby by a nose over Inventor, giving jockey Jimmy Winkfield his second straight Derby victory. Winkfield is the last Black rider to win the Kentucky Derby.

1936 — Joe DiMaggio makes his major-league debut, gets 3 hits.

1941 — Whirlaway, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, has an easy start to the Triple Crown with an eight-length victory over Staretor in the Kentucky Derby.

1952 — CBS is the first network to televise the Kentucky Derby, with Hill Gail winning by two lengths over Sub Fleet. Jockey Eddie Arcaro wins a record fifth Derby and Ben A. Jones wins a record sixth for a trainer.

1969 — Jockey Bill Hartack wins his fifth Kentucky Derby. His victory aboard Majestic Prince tie Eddie Arcaro’s record. Majestic Prince overtakes Arts and Letters at the mile pole and holds on by a neck.

1977 — 1977 NFL Draft: Ricky Bell from USC first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

1979 — 1979 NFL Draft: Tom Cousineau from Ohio State first pick by Buffalo Bills.

1979 — MLB Cleveland Indian Bobby Bonds hits his 300th HR (2nd to have 300 HRs & 300 stolen bases).

1980 — Genuine Risk, ridden by Jacinto Vasquez, becomes the second filly to win the Kentucky Derby, beating Rumbo by a length.

1981 — The Boston Celtics wipe out an 11-point deficit in the second half to beat Philadelphia 91-90 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals and become the fourth NBA team to recover from a 3-1 deficit.

1986 — The 54-year-old Bill Shoemaker wins his fourth Kentucky Derby, riding long-shot Ferdinand to a last-to-first dash for a 2¼-length win over Bold Arrangement.

1992 — NY Met Eddie Murray is 24th to hit 400 HRs.

1997 — 123rd Kentucky Derby: Gary Stevens aboard Silver Charm wins in 2:02.3.

2001 — Dallas, with an 84-83 win over Utah, becomes the sixth NBA team to win a five-game series after trailing 0-2. The Mavericks rally from double-digit deficits in all three wins, including 17 in Game 5.

2003 — Funny Cide becomes the first gelding since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929 to win the Kentucky Derby.

2007 — Golden State is the first No. 8 seed to capture a best-of-seven playoff series with a 111-86 victory over the NBA-best Dallas Mavericks in Game 6. The Warriors are only the third eighth seed to upset the No. 1 and the first since the opening round went from best-of-five to the current format.

2008 — Big Brown, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, scores a 4 3/4-length victory in the Kentucky Derby. Big Brown is the first horse since the filly Regret in 1915 to win the Derby after just three career starts and the second to win from post position No. 20.

2012 — LeBron James scores 32 points and Miami takes a 3-0 series lead, sending New York to an NBA postseason-record 13th straight loss, 87-70. The Knicks break the record set by Memphis from 2004-06.

2014 — California Chrome, ridden by Victor Espinoza, pulls away down the stretch for a dominant win at the 140th Kentucky Derby. The 5-2 favorite stretched his winning streak to five and Art Sherman becomes the oldest winning Derby trainer at 77.

2014 — Marian Gaborik scores with seven seconds left in regulation to force overtime, and then scores 12:07 into the extra period to lift the Kings to a 3-2 win against the ucks in the opener of the first playoff series between the Southern California teams.

2015 — Chelsea wins the 2014-2015 English football Premier League.

2018 — Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan becomes NFL’s first $30 million per season player after agreeing to $150-million contract extension.

—Compiled by the Associated Press

And finally...

The Kings defeat the Ducks in Game 1 of a 2014 NHL playoffs series. Watch and listen here.