Indiana Pacers vs Miami Heat May 30, 2013

 Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat are heading back to South Beach for Game 5 on Thursday. After Miami played a nearly perfect Game 3, it appeared that the plucky Pacers were finally going to succumb to the Heat team that ran roughshod over the NBA during the 2012-13 regular season.

Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat: Game 5 Preview and Predictions

Deadlocked in a 2-2 tie, the Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat are heading back to South Beach for Game 5 on Thursday. After Miami played a nearly perfect Game 3, it appeared that the plucky Pacers were finally going to succumb to the Heat team that ran roughshod over the NBA during the 2012-13 regular season.

Now, the Heat will have to sort out a couple of critically problematic areas if they hope to regain the upper hand.

Of course, they do technically have an edge in that two of the series' final three games are slated to be played in Miami. But from what we've seen so far, home-court advantage hasn't counted for much. And regardless of where the games take place, if the Heat can't find a way to at least be competitive in the paint and on the glass against the bruising Pacers, Indiana could very well win this series.

That's the long view of things, anyway.

More immediately, the Heat will need more than six combined field-goal makes from Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The duo, along with the rest of Miami's supporting cast, basically abandoned LeBron James in Game 4—a somewhat surprising disappearance after a solid effort in Game 3.

If the Heat reserves show up, knock down shots and help out on the glass, Miami can push Indiana to the brink by winning Game 5. But if the Pacers continue to dominate on the interior, the Heat could be in serious trouble.

USA vs Belgium May 29, 2013

Several downtown streets are closed to film scenes for “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” set for spring 2014 release. No sign of Scarlett Johansson. Crews, cranes, stuntmen, extras and smashed-up police cars — just another day on the banks of Lake Erie. (I kid because I love — Wife of Insider’s hometown.) A few blocks north at FirstEnergy Stadium, America’s team (with captain Clint Dempsey) will begin the busiest stretch of an important year with an 8 p.m. ET friendly against Belgium. Washington is the next stop for Sunday’s tune-up against Germany, then World Cup qualifiers at Jamaica on June 7, vs. Panama in Seattle on June 11 and vs. Honduras in Utah on the 18th. Coverage tonight has moved to ESPN from ESPN2, and will appear on UniMas in Spanish as well.
The United States and Belgium face off in a high-profile friendly ahead of key World Cup qualifying matches next month. Both sides are in the process of reincorporating players as their European club seasons come to an end.

 June will be a busy month for the American squad. It starts with a friendly against Germany, and three qualifiers follow, including two at home. Building some chemistry and momentum ahead of those important clashes is the biggest key Wednesday night.





Ecuador vs Germany May 29, 2013

When Germany and Ecuador meet on Wednesday afternoon, two of the top 10 teams in FIFA's rankings (Germany is currently No. 2, while Ecuador is No. 10) will do battle. However, this friendly will mean very different things for the two countries.

For Germany, this is the first game in a U.S. tour and a chance for several younger players to make their mark. For Ecuador, this game is more like a warm-up for the team with big World Cup qualifiers against Peru (June 7) and Argentina (June 11) on deck.

Any way you look at it, this is an intriguing matchup between two very strong countries. Let's break down this international friendly.



When: Wednesday, May 29 at 2:30 p.m. ET

Where: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida

England vs Ireland May 29, 2013

For the first time since 1995, England will face Ireland in an international match, this one a friendly being played at Wembley Stadium.

When these teams last met inside Dublin's Lansdowne Road stadium, the game was halted after 28 minutes amidst riots. The hope is that history won't repeat itself.

While England won't have key players such as Tom Cleverley, Jack Wilshere, Steven Gerrard and Andy Carroll for this match, the team will have some of the game's biggest stars, including Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole.

But don't expect Ireland to just roll over and concede defeat because England has more talent. This game is going to be fun, folks. Let's break it down.



Where: Wembley Stadium, London, England

When: Wednesday, May 29 at 3 p.m. ET

Spurs vs Grizzlies May 27, 2013

The San Antonio Spurs are on the brink of their first NBA Finals since 2007, and they will look to finish off the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday at the FedExForum.

More: Spurs coverage at Pounding The Rock Grizzlies coverage at Grizzly Bear Blues NBA playoff coverage
The Spurs appeared in danger of letting the Grizzlies back in the series early in Game 3, falling behind by 18 in the first quarter. But things quickly turned around in the second quarter, and the deficit was just four at halftime. The game remained close the rest of the way, with the game going to overtime after Mike Conley missed a shot as time expired.

Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter dominated the overtime period, with the two big men combining for 13 of the Spurs' 18 points to grab a 104-93 victory. Duncan had 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the game.


Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers May 26, 2013

It's official, folks: The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers are going to make the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals interesting.

After LeBron James drove to the rim and stole Game 1 from the Pacers—a win Indiana thought it had locked up—there was the sense it might not get that close again. The underdogs pushed the defending champs and the Heat still pulled it out. Was that as close as Indy was going to get?

That concern flew out the window in Game 2.

Conspicuously missing inside when LeBron hit the game-winner in the opener, Roy Hibbert responded with 29 points and 10 rebounds, disrupting the Heat at both ends of the floor as Indy bullied its way to a four-point win.

As the Heat travel to the unfriendly confines of Bankers Life Fieldhouse, they are playing without home-court advantage and without a sure strategy on how to beat the Pacers.

James is certainly doing his job. He was spectacular in Game 2, pouring in 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting, even as Paul George challenged him with his second-team All-NBA defense.

That said, LeBron received a troubling lack of support in the loss. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh did not live up to their star reputations, and no other Heat players scored in double digits. With so little else to fear, Indy was able to overcommit to LeBron and force him into two late victory-clinching turnovers in Game 2.

Can LeBron and company put it together on the road, where their opponent has yet to lose this postseason? Or are the Pacers about to defy all expectations and wrest control of the series from the Heat juggernaut?

UFC 160 May 25, 2013

Nurmagomedov weighed in at 158.5 for his lightweight bout with Abel Trujilo. He will forfeit 20 percent of his purse, so maybe that's why he was angry when he faced off with Trujilo. He got in his opponent's face, first bumping Trujilo's head and then pushing him back. He was quickly escorted off stage by the UFC's Burt Watson.
The best part of the scuffle? Mike Tyson was on stage and loved every minute of it. Look in the upper right-hand corner of the video to see his reaction.

Here is how MMA fans can tune in to watch every portion of the UFC 160 fight card.
YouTube Prelims—6:30 p.m. ET

Stephen Thompson vs. Nah-Shon Burrell
Brian Bowles vs. George Roop
Jeremy Stephens vs. Estevan Payan

FX Prelims—8 p.m. ET

Mike Pyle vs. Rick Story
Dennis Bermudez vs. Max Holloway
Colton Smith vs. Robert Whittaker
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Abel Trujillo

Contact your cable provider for more information on how to watch FX on your television.

UFC 160 Pay-Per-View—10 p.m. ET

Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva
Junior dos Santos vs. Mark Hunt
Glover Teixeira vs. James Te-Huna
Gray Maynard vs. T.J. Grant
Donald Cerrone vs. K.J. Noons

San Antonio Spurs vs Memphis Grizzlies May 25, 2013

One year ago, the San Antonio Spurs were in this exact same position, as they took the first two games of the Western Conference Finals at home. However, this time around, the opposition has transitioned from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Memphis Grizzlies.

After those two wins, the tables started turning rapidly. The Thunder won the next four straight, earning a spot in the finals. The Spurs were left scratching their heads, trying to figure out what went wrong.

This year, the Grizzlies will be trying to befuddle those same Spurs. After falling down 0-2 in the series, Memphis returns home to FedExForum, where it is 5-0 this postseason.

San Antonio simply torched the Grizzlies in Game 1. Memphis clearly wasn't prepared for the level of competition, and fell, 105-83. Zach Randolph stood out in a bad way, going just 1-of-8 for two points. Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard had their way on offense, shooting a combined 16-of-24 for 38 points.

Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund May 25, 2013

Bayern Munich is trying to playing things down as the title favourite, while outsider Borussia Dortmund is eager to play up its chances.
Even before a ball is kicked in the Champions League final, the German rivals are at odds in their approach to the biggest game in club football.
Bayern is approaching its third final in four years with the self-assured calm of a team fully in control after a season of dominance, while Dortmund is enjoying the role of underdog with everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Bayern winger Thomas Mueller summed up his side's mood, saying that the showdown is just "a normal Champion League game."
"Of course you get goose bumps when you're on the pitch and we know what's at stake. We won't let it drive us crazy though," the 23-year-old said.
There was a similar sense of focus from Bayern captain Philipp Lahm, who sees victory for his side as a matter of progression ahead.

As much as Saturday's Champions League final might look like a classic underdog up against a giant type of matchup, it doesn't quite deserve that kind of billing. Borussia Dortmund's financial mismanagement in the 2000s put them in a situation where they needed to build up players just to sell them, and they needed a coach to get the most out of the solid, but unspectacular talent that they had. They've cast off numerous stars and will cast off more.

"The players are the right age now, the right character. There's nothing against us winning tomorrow," said Lahm, who added that he wouldn't be surprised if Bayern was to play a fourth final in five years next season.
Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp is happy with one.
"If this is the only final in my life, this is the perfect place for it, and this is the perfect opponent," said Klopp, who spoke of the honour of playing at Wembley Stadium.
Klopp said it was clear his side was the rank outsider, but he added that his players were determined to make the most of their opportunity.
"We will approach the game with unbridled enthusiasm, with huge motivation for the task, and with the knowledge it can all go to pieces," Klopp said. "But people have climbed Mt. Everest knowing that they could fall three meters from the top and yet they still tried it. And that's why we're going to try too, and hope for good weather."

Borussia Dortmund gegen Bayern München 25.05.2013

Der Countdown läuft...

Dortmund, der Deutsche Meister auf den Ex-Double-Gewinner, Heynckes auf Klopp, Ribéry auf Reus.
Es ist das Finale in der Champions League. Ein Jahrhundert-Spiel.

Dortmund-Trainer Jürgen Klopp gestern: „Mein Gefühl wird immer besser." Es ist das erste Champions-League-Finale seiner Karriere.

Gaaanz breite Brust bei den Bayern. Trainer Jupp Heynckes: „Das war die beste Saison einer Mannschaft in 50 Jahren Bundesliga. Und wir haben vor, in der Champions League so weiterzumachen."
DEUTSCHES ENDSPIEL UM EUROPAS KRONE – DAS GAB'S NOCH NIE!

BILD ist für Sie vor Ort! Unsere Reporter versorgen Sie mit allen Infos, Fotos und Videos rund um das Spiel der Spiele.
Mit BILD.de sind Sie auf dem neuesten Stand. Hier bekommen Sie alle Infos zum Mega-Finale – inklusive Abstimmung:
Dortmund/München. Es kann nur einen geben! Borussia Dortmund und der FC Bayern München stehen sich im Finale der Champions League gegenüber. Zwei Klubs aus der Bundesliga duellieren sich um Europas Fußballkrone, das gab es zuvor noch nie. Während die Bayern nach der Meisterschaft den zweiten Titel unter Dach und Fach bringen möchten, haben die Schützlinge von Jürgen Klopp so richtig Lust, dem Rivalen von der Isar in die Suppe zu spucken.

Samstag (20.45 Uhr, live im ZDF, bei Sky und im BILD.de-Ticker) trifft Bayern München auf Borussia Dortmund, der Deutsche Meister auf den Ex-Double-Gewinner, Heynckes auf Klopp, Ribéry auf Reus.
Es ist das Finale in der Champions League. Ein Jahrhundert-Spiel.
Das Fehlen von Mario Götze kann BVB-Trainer Jürgen Klopp verschmerzen. „Das wird uns nicht schwächen. Seit drei Wochen war alles darauf ausgerichtet, dass Mario nicht spielen kann.” Die Zuversicht des Fußball-Lehrers ist ungebrochen: „Jetzt ist die Zeit gekommen, Träume zu erfüllen. Wenn man als Außenseiter genauso viel Druck verspüren würde, wie der Favorit, wie blöd wäre das den.“

WWE Extreme Rules 2013 May 19, 2013


Extreme Rules is the pay-per-view where the rules are overlooked for three hours each year in the WWE. Even Vince McMahon recently tweeted, "Because of the risk of injury, I will be crossing my fingers until Extreme Rules is over on Sunday." This year, Extreme Rules will air on Sunday, May 19.
Take a closer look at my predictions for WWE Extreme Rules 2013.

WWE Extreme Rules 2013 emanates from St. Louis, Mo. tonight.  A plethora of wrestling history has happened under St. Louis' watch.  So by comparison, Extreme Rules may come off like Madison Square Garden hosting the Butte County Fair.

Not to fear.  Nothing a few dangerous, career-threatening stunts can't solve.  And when it comes to dangerous stunts, WWE made sure to line up the best in the business for this one.

During One Night Stand in 2008—the pay-per-view which would eventually be replaced by the Extreme Rules franchise—Triple H countered an RKO by throwing Orton over the top ropes.  This led to a shoulder injury that shelved Orton for several months.

Billboard Music Awards May 19, 2013


We always have our calendars marked down for the Billboard Music Awards, a night when the biggest, most popular names in music all come together under one roof. This year’s festivities, held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., might go down as the best award show of the year! And it all kicks off live from the blue (yes, blue) carpet — watch it below!

The 2013 Billboard Music Awards: A Night To Remember
Just listing the performers at this year’s Billboard Music Awards makes our heads spin – Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Chris Brown, Taylor Swift – you’ve gotta be kidding! Justin is actually slated to perform twice — once solo, and once along with Will.i.am for the song “That Power.” Not to mention, Miley Cyrus has been teasing that big news will break about her new single, “We Can’t Stop” at the awards show. Has there ever been an awards show more star-studded than this one?

Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez Together At The Billboard Music Awards
Besides all the amazing performances we’ll be getting, this year’s Billboard Music Awards may mark an important moment in Justin and Selena’s relationship. This could be their first time walking a red carpet together since they broke up in late 2012. The two stars reunited in April, and have seemingly been making their way back to being a couple. And we know they’re sitting together — right next to Taylor Swift — so there’s a great chance we’ll see Jelena in action yet again.

It all kicks off with the blue carpet, which begins at 6:30 PM ET. You can live stream the carpet below until the show officially starts at 8 PM.

West Ham Vs Reading May 19, 2013


West Ham manager Sam Allardyce sent out a warning to the club’s fans not to expect too much next season after the Londoners’ successful campaign this time around.

A victory against already-relegated Reading on Sunday would ensure a top 10 finish for the Premier League new boys but Allardyce says that doesn’t mean they will suddenly be pushing for European qualification in 12 months time.

“It’s more consolidation,” he said when asked about next season’s ambitions.

“For me, in our first season, this is like finishing in the Champions League places. To finish 10th in your first year, it’s like Everton getting in the Champions League. I think that’s the size of it. It’s not an easy task to do.

“Next year becomes difficult because the West Ham fans and everyone at the football club will expect us to get better than 10th and I am saying that’s going to be a difficult challenge.

“I am saying now that 10th is the target again, before we get into a new season thinking we should be finishing closer to Europe. If we do, it depends on how big the buys are this summer.

“I think the financial restrictions and the new restrictions on the finances will make it difficult to do that, so to finish in that particular area would be fantastic for us and it brings stability to the club.

“That’s what this club needs – it needs a long spell in the Premier League to bring stability and then look to go on from there in years three, four or five.

“Then we can look for cup finals and for a European place.

“As frustrated as fans might get, that’s what you’ve got to do as a manager because it’s then sustainable and sustainable success is what we’re all about.”

Venue Upton Park, Sunday 4pm

Tickets Here

Last season n/a

Referee Mike Dean

This season’s matches 27 Y100, R3, 3.81 cards per game

Manchester City vs Norwich City May 19, 2013


Last season Man City 5 Norwich 1

Referee Mark Halsey

This season’s matches 17 Y38, R2, 2.35 cards per game



Manchester City

Subs from Pantilimon, Wright, Maicon, Richards, Nastasic, Kolarov, Razak, Milner, Rodwell, García, Dzeko, Guidetti

Doubtful Agüero (knock)

Injured Sinclair (blod clot, Aug), K Touré (knee, Aug)

Suspended None

Form guide WWDWLW

Disciplinary record Y62 R3

Leading scorer Dzeko 14


Norwich

Subs from Bunn, Camp, Steer, Whittaker, Jackson, Fox, E Bennett, Becchio, Tettey, Barnett, Tierney, Butterfield, Francomb

Doubtful None

Injured Surman (knee, Aug), Turner (groin, Aug)

Suspended None

Form guide WLLWLD

Disciplinary record Y60 R1

Leading scorer Holt 7

STAT-ATTACK

Head-to-head

There have been 20 goals in the last three meetings between the sides, with Manchester City scoring 15 of them.

Norwich have only beaten Manchester City once in the Premier League (W1, D4, L6). That victory came at Carrow Road back in February 1993.

Liverpool vs QPR May 19, 2013


Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits there is no way that Jamie Carragher will bow out quietly when he plays his final game before retirement against QPR on Sunday.

Carragher, 35, has spent his whole career at Anfield, winning the Champions League, two FA Cups and three League Cups, and the Merseyside-born star will fittingly bow out as captain for his 737th and last appearance for the Reds.

The former England defender started the season behind Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger in Rodgers’ plans. But in recent months he has played his way back into the team and has finished the season in impressive form.

And Rodgers claims Carragher has been training as hard as ever despite the imminent end to his career.



“He’s in the final week of his career, going into the game against QPR at 35 years of age,” Rodgers said.

“He knows he’s retiring, but after training on Thursday he was still in the gymnasium, preparing himself with the same commitment that he has shown his entire career.

“He could have had a lazy day. He could have had a bit of lunch and then shot home, but he was in the gym preparing his body and doing his core work, his flexibility and preparing himself to the maximum to be his best.

“And that says it all about him; that at the end of his career, he is still preparing as if it was his first game.

“He knows the intensity and the passion and the quality that is needed because he has been there.”

Luis Suarez is suspended and defenders Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger and Martin Kelly are all set to miss out through illness and injury, while Raheem Sterling, Joe Allen and captain Steven Gerrard are also absent.

Swansea vs Fulham May 19, 2013


Last season Swansea 2 Fulham 0

Referee Lee Mason

This season’s matches 23 Y78, R3, 3.52 cards per game


Swansea

Subs from Cornell, Tremmel, Bartley, Tate, Monk, Lamah, Shechter, Moore, Rangel, Davies, Agustien, Donnelly

Doubtful Vorm (concussion)

Injured Ki (hip, Aug)

Suspended None

Form guide LWDLDD

Disciplinary record Y57 R2

Leading scorer Michu 18

Fulham

Subs from Etheridge, Riise, Rodallega, Manolev, Baird, Frimpong, Senderos, Frei, Na Banga, Petric, Banya, Donegan


Doubtful None

Injured Davies (hip, Aug), Dejagah (ankle, Aug), Diarra (knee, Aug), Richardson (hamstring, Aug)

Suspended Sidwell (last of four)

Form guide LLLLLD

Disciplinary record Y47 R3

Leading scorer Berbatov 14

STAT-ATTACK

Head-to-head

Swansea have beaten Fulham in all three of their Premier League meetings, conceding just one goal.

Prior to that, the Swans had beaten Fulham just once in 13 meetings in all competitions dating back to 1990.

This is the 63rd meeting between the sides. Fulham have won 30 times, Swansea 22 and there have been 10 draws.

Wigan vs Aston Villa May 19, 2013


Venue DW Stadium, Sunday 4pm

Last season Wigan 0 Aston Villa 0

Referee Neil Swarbrick

This season’s matches 17 Y58, R0, 3.41 cards per game


Wigan

Subs from Habsi, Caldwell, Beausejour, Redmond, Henríquez, Fyvie, Golobart, López, Campabadal, Jones, Di Santo

Doubtful Beausejour (hamstring)

Injured Crusat (knee, Aug), Figueroa (groin, Aug), McManaman (ankle, Aug), Pollitt (thigh, Aug), Ramis (knee, Aug), Stam (ankle, Aug)

Suspended None

Form guide LLWDLL

Disciplinary record Y64 R2

Leading scorer Koné 11

Aston Villa


Subs from Given, Ireland, El Ahmadi, N’Zogbia, Holman, Bowery, Dawkins, Bannan, Stevens, Lichaj, Williams, Gardner

Doubtful El Ahmadi (thigh), Lowton (thigh)

Injured Albrighton (ankle, Aug), Clark (foot, Aug), Dunne (groin, Aug), Herd (ankle, Aug)

Suspended Benteke (one match)

Form guide LWWLDW

Disciplinary record Y73 R3

Chelsea Vs Everton May 19, 2013


"Parting is such sweet sorrow." No, the oft repeated Romeo and Juliet quote doesn't quite fit such a strange day of farewells.
Rafa Benitez has created history with Chelsea, the first club to hold Champions League and Europa League trophies at the same time, but there'll be few tears at his departure. Everton fans however will lift the rafters as they say their goodbyes to David Moyes after 11 years.
LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Benitez has achieved his targets - a European trophy and Champions League qualification. More than that, he's improved certain players. David Luiz has learned about responsibility and team structure. Fernando Torres has regained his zest for football and goals.
He's managed his squad thoughtfully through 68 gruelling games - this the 15th in 51 days - and he has one last task to achieve.
A win will guarantee automatic Champions League qualification. Anything less and Arsenal could pip them for third place.
There's even the possibility of a play-off against the Gunners if the two clubs finish level on points, goal difference and goals scored.
Benitez has behaved with dignity and great professionalism. Will he finally have squeezed some affection from hardened Shed Enders?
It'll be an emotional day for Moyes. In 11 years he has amassed nine top-eight finishes. This year they'll be above Liverpool for the second year running.
He's worked miracles with pennies and farthings. His team now is as typically difficult to beat as it has been for years.
There will be tears at full-time. "Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation." No, poet Kahlil Gibran won't do either because Everton fans should celebrate the Moyes era and wish him well.
Let's make a song and dance of it instead with that wonderful Broadway lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz:

"I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led to those who help us most to grow
If we let them and we help them in return."
It won't be sung on the terraces but it'll do for me. Good luck Rafa. Good luck Mr Moyes.

West Brom Vs Manchester United May 19, 2013


English football will witness the end of an era on Sunday when Alex Ferguson takes charge of Manchester United for the 1,500th and final time in their last game of the season at West Bromwich Albion.

Having waved goodbye to Old Trafford in an emotional 2-1 win over Swansea City last weekend, Ferguson will close the door on his managerial career at The Hawthorns — 26 years, six months and 11 days since his first game at the United helm, a 2-0 loss at Oxford United on November 8, 1986.

It promises to be a day rich in nostalgia for Ferguson, who will be succeeded by Everton manager David Moyes on July 1.

In his final pre-game press conference, he cast his mind back to the very beginning of his journey as a manager, with Scottish minnows East Sterling in 1974.

“I have had 39 years as a manager,” said the 71-year-old.

“On that day in 1974 when I started at East Stirling, I had eight players and no goalkeeper. Today I have six goalkeepers and about 100 players.

“I remember the old chairman, Willie Muirhead. He was a great chain smoker. When I asked him for a list of players, he started to shake. His cigarette was going 100 miles an hour.

Ferguson will retire with 49 trophies to his name, 38 of which he has amassed during a record-breaking stint at United in which he established himself as one of the most successful coaches in the history of professional sport.

However, for all the inevitable emphasis on his past, Ferguson has pledged that his final team selection will be forward-thinking.

The Scot says he intends to field Phil Jones and Jonny Evans at centre-back, while he has also promised to honour a vow made to second-choice goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard that he would start the game.

“I stand by that. Anders will be in goal,” Ferguson said.

“I will play one or two younger players, and I want to play Jonny Evans and Phil Jones at centre-half because they are the future. Nemanja (Vidic) and Rio (Ferdinand) will just have to make do with a place on the bench.”

Paul Scholes could make one last appearance for United, having announced his retirement last week.

The 38-year-old is only the third player to have made more than 700 appearances for the club, after Bobby Charlton and Ryan Giggs, and turned out for the 717th time in United’s colours against Swansea.

Ferguson must also decide whether or not to hand a start to Wayne Rooney, having left him out of the squad for the Swansea game after the unsettled striker submitted a transfer request.

United have taken 35 points from a possible 39 against West Brom since the Midlands club were promoted to the top flight in 2002, but manager Steve Clarke wants his side to finish the season on a high.

Despite a run of just one win in eight games, West Brom are guaranteed to finish no lower than ninth, which will be their best performance in the Premier League era.

“We must have done something right in the early part of the season in that we never looked close to being dragged into the relegation tussle and there were a lot of teams involved this season and we were nowhere near it. And we’ve finished in the top half of the table again,” Clarke said.

French forward Marc-Antoine Fortune returns from suspension for West Brom, but right-back Steven Reid is an injury doubt after picking up a knock in last weekend’s 4-0 defeat at Norwich City.

Newcastle United vs Arsenal May 19, 2013


Arsene Wenger insists he would have been happy to see Arsenal’s Champions League hopes go to the final day when his side appeared out of the race for a top four finish earlier this season.

Wenger’s side trailed Tottenham by seven points in March, but now play their final fixture at Newcastle on Sunday knowing victory will guarantee they finish at least fourth and secure a spot in the Champions League qualification rounds.

Should Chelsea fail to beat Everton, they could yet finish third, possibly via a play-off if the two clubs finish level on points, goal difference and goals scored.

The uncertainty ensures there will be some nerves at St James’ Park. But Gunners boss Wenger said: “I know for a long time that for us, when we were seven points behind, we would all be happy that it goes to the last day.

“We are in a position where nobody expected us to be. We have our destiny in our hands, our fate in our hands and that’s what you fight for in the game.

“It is a game that we will now want to win but at least we fought back to be in a position where we master our own fate.”

Asked about the prospect of a play-off with Chelsea, he added: “I would fancy that. A play-off exists only if win our game, so let’s win the game and see what happens.

“The biggest task is to win the game and not speculate too much on what happens after because the first compulsory thing we face is to win the game on Sunday.”

Wenger also revealed he is close to signing Auxerre forward Yaya Sanogo.

“We are advanced with him, but it is not done,” he said. “I am very confident.

“He is a young striker who is promising, and has a big talent.”

Arsenal’s Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta is set to miss the game with a calf problem suffered against Wigan in midweek, while Wenger remains unsure whether Jack Wislhere is ready to complete a full 90 minutes, with the England midfielder due to have an ankle operation at the end of the season.

However, French striker Olivier Giroud returns for the Gunners after serving a three-match suspension.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has challenged his players to end a turbulent season on a high by playing a part in frustrating Arsenal’s Champions League hopes.

Pardew’s side have conceded nine goals in their last two home games, and were humbled 7-3 at the Emirates Stadium in December.

They only sealed their Premier League future with victory last weekend at QPR, but could finish as high as 10th if they inflict the Gunners’ first defeat on Tyneside since 2006.

“It’s very important to go out by putting in a good performance for our fans,” Pardew said.

“The last couple of home games have been tough for us, and there’s something riding on the game for Arsenal which I think is good for us.”

Pardew was forced to clarify his comments after suggesting tongue in cheek this week that he didn’t mind if his side suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Wenger’s men.

“I’ve had a few Tottenham fans remind me about that comment, but it was made purely out of relief after the victory at QPR, and was definitely tongue in cheek,” he added.

Steve Harper, the 38-year-old goalkeeper who will leave in the summer, plays his 199th and final game for Newcastle as he brings the curtain down on a near two-decade spell at the club.

“He’s been a great servant of this club and an absolutely superb professional,” Pardew said.

Venue St James’ Park, Sunday 4pm

Tickets Here

Last season Newcastle 0 Arsenal 0

Referee Howard Webb

San Antonio Spurs vs Golden State Warriors May 16,2013

The Golden State Warriors are 4-0 following a loss during the 2013 NBA playoffs, which is important to consider when making your picks Thursday, as they take on the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena.

San Antonio Spurs vs Golden State Warriors NBA Basketball
Date: May 16, 2013
Time: 10:30 PM ET
Place: ORACLE Arena, Oakland, California
Contest: NBA Playoffs

Benfica 1-2 Chelsea May 15, 2013


Would be a huge result for Chelsea if they won, considering they won Champions League last year and then became the first reigning champions to be knocked out in the Group Stages (and then parachuting down into this years Europa League).

For Benfica, the Portuguese side has been the bridesmaid in this competition more times than they’d like to remember….

Chelsea – Fernando Torres – 60th minute

Benfica – Oscar Cardozo PENALTY KICK – 68th minute

Chelsea – Branislav Ivanovic – 90+2nd minute


On the injury front, though, manager Jorge Jesus doesn't have any problems to contend with. Fighting game between Benfica vs Chelsea is very important. These two giants are facing a great fight UEFA final.

Never before has a club followed up a Champions League win with victory in UEFA’s second-most prestigious competition, but that’s exactly what Chelsea will be out to do when they face Benfica in Wednesday’s Europa League Final in Amsterdam.

It’s not exactly the ideal pattern.

No doubt the Blues would have preferred to put together a more serious defense of last spring’s European Cup triumph, but after an early Champions League exit and difficult start to the season that had them outside the Premier League’s top four, they have managed to right the ship and will conclude the campaign with both a third-place finish and European final.

It could certainly have been worse, and Chelsea fans can take heart that things are trending upwards for their club.

Benfica, meanwhile, come into Wednesday’s final on the back of their first Portuguese Primeira Liga defeat of the season—a 1-0 loss away to Porto that now has them trailing the reigning champions by a single point with one match to play.

With the title now out of their hands the Europa League will now have added importance for the Lisbon giants, and following six straight defeats in European finals they’ll be looking to start a new streak at Amsterdam Arena.

This may not be the continent’s showcase event, but with clubs as esteemed as Benfica and Chelsea contesting Wednesday’s match, this year’s Europa League Final may just seem bigger than it really is.



Arsenal vs Wigan May 14, 2013


After Tottenham won 2-1 away at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday, Arsenal have dropped below their North London rivals and into fifth place. Their two point deficit means that they need to win against Wigan this weekend to move back above Spurs and into a Champions League place again.

However, Wigan must win at all costs too, and will be hoping their shock FA Cup win against Manchester City on the weekend will have given them new impetus to pick up a victory. A defeat against Arsenal will mean they are relegated immediately, while a draw would only prolong the inevitable, leaving them needing to with their final game of the season and Sunderland to lose theirs, with a combined 12 goal swing on goal differential. And that's not going to happen.

Arsenal have Abou Diaby out with a serious knee injury and Olivier Giroud through suspension, though Łukasz Fabiański and Kieran Gibbs are both available again after their injury problems. Wigan have Ronnie Stam, Jean Beausejour and Maynor Figueroa all unavailable with injuries.

Arsenal injuries and suspensions

Out: Abou Diaby (knee), Olivier Giroud (suspension) In doubt: None

Wigan Athletic injuries and suspensions

Out: Ronnie Stam (ankle), Jean Beausejour (hamstring),Maynor Figueroa (groin). In doubt: None

Match Date\Time: Tuesday, 7:45 p.m. local, 2:45 p.m. ET

Venue: Emirates Stadium, London, England

Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls May 13, 2013


CHICAGO -- So much for South Beach style. The Miami Heat showed again they can get down and dirty.

LeBron James came on strong down the stretch to finish with 25 points, Chris Bosh added 20 points and 19 rebounds, and the Heat followed up the most lopsided playoff win in franchise history with a 104-94 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Shaking off a shove to the court that earned Nazr Mohammed an ejection and James an accusation of flopping from Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, the four-time MVP came through down the stretch, scoring 12 in the fourth quarter.

In the end, it was the Heat grinding out the victory.

"You can't win a championship being pretty and shiny," Bosh said. "You're going to have to get dirty. You're going to have to play physical. You're going to have to dive on the floor. You're going to have to do things that are extremely tough.

"I think people forget just two years ago we were a half-court, grind-it-out kind of team that was trying to beat you down. Just because we've moved to more of a free-flowing offense, we're more spread a little bit, that doesn't mean that we are just a run-and-gun team."

The Heat prevailed on a night when James was off target most of the way, hitting just 6 of 17 shots and even getting blocked on a layup by Nate Robinson in the third quarter.

But he and Cole hit two big 3-pointers. Bosh perked up after two quiet games, finishing one rebound shy of the club playoff record, and Miami's bench outscored Chicago's 36-8.

"For (Bosh) to have 19 rebounds, and for Norris to come off the bench and defend the way he did against Nate and also contribute offensively -- a big-time drive in the fourth and a big-time 3 as well," James said. "Those two guys were the reason we won the game."

Carlos Boozer led Chicago with 21 points. Robinson and Jimmy Butler each scored 17. Joakim Noah added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Marco Belinelli had 16 points, but the Bulls couldn't pull this one out.

They were within 85-83 when Cole scored on a finger roll with about four minutes left, and Miami started to take control from there. James answered a 3-pointer by Belinelli with one of his own, and after Boozer hit a jumper for Chicago, Cole buried another 3 for the Heat to make it 96-88 with 1:48 remaining.

Finally, the Heat could breathe a little easier. Nothing about this one was easy, though.

Playing in Chicago for the first time since their 27-game win streak ended there, the Heat got all they could handle.

The Bulls made it clear early on they were going to put up a fight, and that had nothing to do with all the pushing and shoving.

Everton vs West Ham May 12, 2013


Everton

Subs from Mucha, Heitinga, Jelavic, Stones, Hibbert, Oviedo, Vellios, Duffy, Barkley, Naismith, Francisco, Hitzlsperger

Doubtful None

Injured Neville (knee, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide DWLDWD

Disciplinary record Y59 R3

Leading scorer Fellaini 11

West Ham


Subs from Henderson, Spiegel, Spence, Pogatetz, Noble, Collison, Maïga, C Cole, Taylor, Chamakh, Wellington, J Cole

Doubtful None

Injured Tomkins (calf, 19 May), McCartney (knee, Aug)

Suspended None

Form guide DLWDDD

Disciplinary record Y70 R1

Leading scorers Carroll, Nolan 7

STAT-ATTACK

Head-to-head

West Ham are without a win in nine league matches against Everton.

The Hammers have won only six of their 33 Premier League matches against the Toffees.

And they have won just twice at Goodison Park in that time.

No side has conceded more goals in the opening 15 minutes of games than Everton and West Ham United (both 11) this season.

This is the 126th meeting between the sides. Everton have won 62, West Ham 36 and there have been 27 draws.

Everton

Everton have drawn 15 matches this season – the most in the Premier League, but only the two Manchester clubs have lost less than their six matches.

The Toffees have kept clean sheets in four of their last five league games.

Leighton Baines is the only outfield player to play every minute (3150) of every league game this season.

Marouane Fellaini committed his 77th and 78th fouls of the season against Liverpool last weekend, which is the most in the top flight.

Leon Osman has completed more dribbles (58) than any other player in the Premier League this campaign.

West Ham

West Ham have drawn four of their last six Premier League games.

The Hammers have lost just one of their last eight Premier League home games (W4 D3 L1), but won just one of their last eight away from Upton Park.

Andy Carroll won the same number of aerial duels (nine) as the whole Newcastle team put together last Saturday, but the striker has hit the target with just four of his last 19 shots on target.

Fulham vs Liverpool May 12, 2013


Fulham vs Liverpool
Sunday, 12th May 2013 at 3pm
Premier League
Craven Cottage

- Fulham are five points clear of the relegation zone with two games to play, but need to be cautious of complacency after relegated Reading beat them 4-2 last weekend.

- Two goals from Bryan Ruiz were not enough to distract from the fact that Fulham now have just one point from six games, and still have an outside chance of being dragged into the relegation fight. Ruiz is 3/1 to score at any time with 888sport.com.

- However, Fulham fans can take heart that against a different keeper the scoreline could have been different. Alex McCarthy made 13 saves against Fulham, the most by any keeper in the last round of games.

- At their own defensive end, Aaron Hughes holds the second cleanest defensive record in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, having averaged 541 minutes and 15 seconds between fouls this season, committing just four in total.

- Brede Hangeland, meanwhile, is one of five players in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index to have made 200 or more interceptions so far this season. Hangeland has 203 to his name in total. Hangeland is also ranked third for blocks with 37 this season, and second overall for defensive contributions with 338.

- Behind Hangeland, Mark Schwarzer will become the third goalkeeper in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index to make 200 saves this season. He’s made 199 to date.

- Liverpool battled out a 0-0 draw in the Merseyside derby in their last league outing.

- Pepe Reina can be thanked for keeping a clean sheet in that game, making 12 saves in total, the second busiest keeper in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for the last round of games.

- Glen Johnson has impressed going forward this season, but he may wish to concentrate on setting up colleagues rather than going for goal. He has the most ‘expensive’ goal in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, having required 44 shots at goal to score once, more than any of the other players in the Premier League to be stuck on one goal.

- That’s 8 more shots at goal than any other defender in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, ahead of second placed Daniel Agger who has had 36 shots at goal in total, scoring three goals in the process.

- Liverpool’s defenders may feel they can get forward and have an attempt on goal with a midfielder of the defensive quality of Lucas in front of them. Lucas is one of 22 players in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index to have attempted 100 or more tackles this season, and one of five to have done so maintaining a tackles won percentage of 60% or over (62.1%).

- Even more impressive is how quickly Lucas has got to that milestone. He has attempted 100 tackles in just 1862 minutes this season. To put that in context, Lucas has made 111 tackles in 1862 minutes, while Mohamed Diame of West Ham, who has made the next highest number of tackles, has taken 759 minutes longer to attempt just two more tackles.

Norwich vs West Brom May 12, 2013



West Bromwich Albion

Subs from Myhill, Dawson, Tamas, Brunt, Odemwingie, Morrison, Thomas, Brown, Reid, Popov, Roofe, Allan, Hurst, Daniels

Doubtful Brunt (knee)

Injured Gera (knee, Aug), Thorne (knee, Aug)

Suspended Fortuné (last of three)

Form guide LLWDLL

Disciplinary record Y62 R4

Leading scorer Lukaku 14

STAT-ATTACK

Head-to-head

West Brom have won on their last three visits to Carrow Road – once in the Premier League and twice in the Championship.

This is only the sixth match they have played against each other in the Premier League, both sides have won two games each.

This is the 57th meeting between the sides. Norwich have won 17 times, West Brom 24 and there have been 15 draws.

Norwich

Norwich have scored 16 fewer goals than they had at the same stage of last season.

The Canaries have conceded more goals (13) from outside the area than any other team in the Premier League this term.

Norwich have won fewer games (two) in 2013 than any other top-flight side.

West Brom

West Brom had seven shots on target against Man City, the most by an away team at the Etihad in the league this season.

Only Reading (six) have conceded more goals to counter attacks than West Brom (five) this season.

West Brom have already secured successive top-flight top half finishes for the first time since the 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons.

Romelu Lukaku is the youngest player to score 10 or more goals in Europe’s big five leagues this season. This game comes the day before his 20th birthday.

Last season Norwich 0 West Brom 1

Referee Howard Webb

This season’s matches 28 Y103, R4, 3.82 cards per game

Norwich

Subs from Bunn, Camp, Steer, Whittaker, Jackson, Fox, Kamara, E Bennett, Tettey, Becchio, Barnett, Tierney, Francomb

Doubtful Ruddy (match fitness)

Injured Turner (groin, 19 May), Surman (knee, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide LLWLDL

Disciplinary record Y58 R1

Leading scorer Holt 6



New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers May 11, 2013


The New York Knicks had to deal with a lot of media criticism after a poor effort in Game 1 against the Pacers, but they responded with an impressive victory in Game 2. New York outscored Indiana by 20 points in the fourth quarter, going on to win the game 105-79. Anthony might be getting some more help in the form of Amar’e Stoudemire, who has been out since March 7 following knee debridement surgery, and is expected to play 10-15 minutes in Game 3. Stoudemire gives the Knicks another big body to bang around with Roy Hibbert and David West on the inside. Anthony scored 16 of his 32 points during the decisive run in Game 2 as New York reached 100 points in a postseason game for the first time since 1999 with the 105-79 triumph. Anthony’s shooting was key, but coach Mike Woodson was quick to highlight the defensive effort. “The fourth quarter, we just defensively, we picked up,” he said. “We kept getting stop after stop and then we would rebound the ball and get it up and our offense began to flow like old times. It was kind of nice to see.” The scene was much different from Game 1, when the Knicks were outworked on the inside and outscored 59-38 in the middle two quarters.

The Indiana Pacers have had three days to get over the mental hurdle of Game 2’s breakdown. The Pacers dominated the Atlanta Hawks in Indiana during the first round and had no problem bouncing back from some tough losses in that series. The Knicks are winless in their last three games in Indiana, who were 22-19 ATS when playing at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in the regular season. After stealing Game 1 in New York, the Pacers got away from the game that won it for them. Indiana allowed the Knicks to play at a fast pace and it really hurt the Pacers, who are an interior based team. Paul George was one of the only noticeable players for Frank Vogel’s team, as he finished the game with 20 points (8-of-16 FG). George did, however, turn the ball over seven times. Indiana as a team turned the ball over 21 times, which is something that can not be done in the playoffs. David West was the Pacers second leading scorer and he only had 13 points (4-of-7 FG) in the game. The Pacers starting five has been playing big minutes in this series and they have gotten little production from their bench.



Pick: I like the Pacers in this game. I know that Stoudamire is back for the Knicks but this team may be better without him and he will only play 10 to 15 minutes anyway. Indiana really played at home vs the Hawks in the playoffs, winning each game by at least 15 points and they are 2-0 on this floor vs the Knicks this year, winning the two games by 5 and 34 points. the Knicks controlled the pace in game two and it got Indiana out of their game plan. The Pacers don't let teams dictate the pace on this floor and I feel they will get back to a grind it out, pound the ball inside kinda game and behind their defense that allows just 89.9 ppg at home they should walk away with a win of at least 7 points.

Espanyol vs Real Madrid May 11, 2013


There is less than one hour until kick off in Catalonia!

Definitely the biggest news entering this match is that Cristiano Ronaldo will start the game on the bench.

The hosts will be without Cristian Alvarez, Felipe Mattioni and Simao (via Goal). But facing a Real Madrid side that is resting stars will likely make this competition closer than normal.

Real Madrid has only won twice in their last five away matches, but Espanyol is yet to win at home in their last four competitions.

This match has excitement written all over it. I will be right here to give you live coverage from start to finish, so meet back here an hour before kickoff for all the pregame information.


Espanyol: Casilla; Lopez, Colotto, Moreno, Capdevila; Forlin, Sanchez; Stuani, Verdu, Wakaso; Sergio

Real Madrid: Lopez; Varane, Carvalho, Albiol, Nacho; Essien, Modric; Di Maria, Kaka, Higuain; Morata

Benfica vs Porto May 11, 2013


It had to come down to this – an O Classico match, a week before the end of the season, with a chance for Porto to sneak back up to the top spot in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, or for Benfica to finally get rid of their Dragao demons and possibly clinch the title a week early.


It’s been a Porto kind of world over the last few years, with the Dragons winning eight of the last 10 seasons, and Benfica settling for the other two. The record at the Dragao for Benfica when they come and visit is quite disappointing for the most successful club in the history of Portuguese football, winning only one league match there since 1991, and that was back in 2005. Since then? Four losses and two draws, including a 2-2 draw the last time these two teams met there (September 2011) and the last time they met in general, on January 13 in Lisbon.


Benfica come into the match a little less confident than they should have been. Holding a four point draw for quite some time, they slipped up at home against Estoril, drawing 1-1, and allowing Porto a chance to make it a two point lead once again. Both teams are still undefeated this season, which tells of their quality and also the overall weakness of the league in Portugal, but it also means Porto can turn this thing on its head by winning at home, while Benfica can settle for a draw and be comfortably set to win the title next week, or simply clinch it in Porto.


In terms of form, there isn’t much separating the two teams. Before the draw against Estoril, the only time Benfica dropped points in 2013 was that 2-2 draw at home against Porto and another one facing Nacional. They won nine straight matches before Estoril, including a 2-0 over Sporting in the derby.
For Porto, it was similar, although with one more draw to lament. They finished in a 0-0 with Sporting, after dropping points against Olhanense and before dropping two more against Maritimo. They beat Nacional 3-1 away last week to reclaim their chance of climbing to the top spot with a win over Benfica.
In terms of missing players, Benfica are stressed about the fitness of Enzo Perez, who has a thigh strain that might keep him out of the match. Porto have problems at their defensive line, with both Alex Sandro and Maicon questionable for the match.

Aston Villa vs Chelsea May 11, 2013


Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has challenged his side to finish the season in triumphant style as they aim to qualify for the Champions League and win the Europa League in their remaining three games.

The midweek failure to beat Tottenham means Rafael Benitez’s side must win at Aston Villa on Saturday if they are to go into the Europa League final against Benfica with a top four finish already secured.

Anything less could mean the trip to Amsterdam on May 15 is overshadowed by continuing uncertainty about their chances of playing in next season’s Champions League.

The odds are stacked in favour of the Blues, with the 2-2 draw against Spurs ensuring they sit third, three points ahead of Andre Villas-Boas’s side in fifth, and two points clear of Arsenal in fourth.

And while Villa have shown improved form to move clear of the bottom three, Benitez’s side would expect to overcome a team that has struggled for form and confidence for much of the season.

Victory in their two remaining Premier League games – they play Everton at Stamford Bridge on the final day of the season – and over Benfica will mean Chelsea finish third, guaranteeing passage to the Champions League group stage, and again collect silverware.

And England centre-back Cahill said: “There are three games left in total and they will determine our season.

“It is a huge game on Saturday followed by the Europa League final which is obviously massive. So we go again and we are in a good run of results at the moment and decent form.”

Chelsea’s search for a new manager is attracting almost as much attention as their efforts on the pitch with Frank Lampard adding his support for the return of former manager Jose Mourinho.

Lampard, who has not been offered a new contract to remain at the club, said: “I think it would be a great thing for the club. He is a successful manager and he would be a great thing for any club.

“It’s hard to comment with the season still ongoing and with the manager not here or chosen yet. It would be easy to speculate.

“But he is certainly one of the greatest, if not the greatest, manager in world football.”

Villa have won five of their last eight matches, which has lifted them to 13th on 40 points and the verge of safety.

Golden State Warriors vs San Antonio Spurs May 8, 2013


SAN ANTONIO -- Manu Ginobili's 3-pointer from the wing with 1.2 seconds left in double overtime lifted the San Antonio Spurs to a thrilling 129-127 victory over the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry's 44 points in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals Monday night.

The Spurs trailed by 16 points with 4 minutes left in regulation before going on an 18-2 run to close the fourth quarter and force overtime.

They trailed 127-126 with 3.9 seconds left in the second overtime before Ginobili hit his 3-pointer off a cross-court inbounds pass from Kawhi Leonard.

Tim Duncan finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes. Duncan, who is battling a stomach bug, left the game with 3 minutes left in regulation and played only the final seconds of each overtime.

Curry had 11 assists and was 18-for-35 from the field and 6-for-14 on 3-pointers for Golden State, which has lost 30 straight in San Antonio dating back to Feb. 14, 1997. Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes each added 19 points, Jack had 15 and Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Golden State trailed by five with 1 minute left in the second overtime before the Warriors scored six straight points to take a one-point lead on Kent Bazemore's reverse layup that gave the Warriors a 127-126 advantage with 3.9 seconds left.

The Warriors missed eight of their final nine shots in regulation, including a desperation heave by Curry at the buzzer against several defenders.

The Spurs slowed Curry early in the fourth quarter by putting the 6-foot-7 Leonard on him in the fourth quarter. Curry scored only six points in the fourth quarter, helping fuel San Antonio's rally behind Parker and Leonard.

Curry had 22 points in the third quarter, including 14 straight late in the period. Curry's run gave Golden State a 90-72 lead with 37.5 seconds left in the third.

Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat May 8, 2013


The Chicago Bulls have put together two of the more improbable wins in recent postseason memory. After besting the Brooklyn Nets in Game 7 at Barclays Center, the Bulls went down to South Beach and stole Game 1 from the Miami Heat.

To make those road victories even more impressive, Chicago did it without the services of Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich. But beating the Nets and Heat are two very different animals.

Brooklyn played inconsistently all year, while Miami has been a well-oiled machine. After getting smacked in the mouth in Game 1, the Heat will be eager to come roaring back and swamp the short-handed Bulls.



Time: Wednesday, May 8, 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, Fla.

Series Record: 1-0 Bulls

Real Madrid vs Malaga May 8, 2013


Where: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
When: 20:30 BST

Real Madrid take on Malaga CF in La Liga, and the two sides are amongst the most exciting to watch in Spain.

Still, there is rather less riding on the match than might initially appear.

Looking at the table, Malaga are in contention for the European places, with a slim chance of reaching the Champions League and highly realistic hopes of finishing within the Europa League qualification spots.

However, thanks to their financial issues of recent times, they will be banned from all UEFA competitions next season, and so are playing for position and pride for the remainder of the season.

Real Madrid have more to play for.

Los Meringues need to maintain their advantage over city rivals Atletico Madrid, as well as attempt to finish within a respectable distance from El Clasico adversaries FC Barcelona when the campaign is concluded.

With Jose Mourinho’s future very much up in the air at the end of the season – and strong links to both confirmed managerial vacancies at Manchester United and Chelsea this summer, Real Madrid’s motivation for their remaining fixtures will be high.

Cristiano Ronaldo will seek his 200th goal for the club in his 194th appearance – a frankly ludicrous scoring record – and will be aided by the likes of Mesut Ozil, Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso in his quest for the milestone.

Malaga’s danger men include Joaquin and Isco, and will hope to cause an upset.

Chelsea vs Tottenham May 8, 2013


Juan Mata's late winner at Old Trafford on Sunday put the Blues three points clear of fifth-placed Spurs, and another similar result would put Rafael Benitez's men within touching distance of a guaranteed top-four finish.

Chelsea's superior goal difference gives them a further edge in the battle for a Champions League spot, but a Tottenham win would throw the race wide open.

Chelsea v Tottenham
May 8, 2013 7:00pm

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However, Andre Villas-Boas takes his side to his former employers trying to break one of the longest-standing records in Premier League history.

In 20 visits to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League era, Spurs have never emerged victorious.

No other club has such a record in the top flight, and despite enjoying a successful debut season at White Hart Lane, Villas-Boas could end up missing out on Champions League if they do not pick up something in west London.

As ever, Gareth Bale is likely to be Tottenham's main threat on Wednesday night.

He has netted 11 in his last 11 matches, and has scored 13 goals away from home this season - more than any other player.

Wigan vs Swansea May 7, 2013


Wigan will climb out of the bottom three for the first time since the end of March if they defeat Martinez’s old side at the DW.

Three points would also give the Latics the psychological boost of knowing they will walk out at Wembley for Saturday’s FA Cup Final above the safety line.

“Being out of the bottom three on Tuesday night, that’s not going to have a major say on where we end the season,” said the Wigan boss.

“We’re not viewing the game simply as a chance to move out of the bottom three. Each week the table has its twists and turns so, for me, the only thing to focus on is the opportunity to add more points to our tally.

“When May 19 comes around, that’s when we’ll focus on the table with a points tally that will help us achieve our aims.

“If you win against Swansea and lose the next two games, you’re not going to achieve the aim of staying in this league.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re out of the bottom three or not. I think what’s important is that we carry on performing in the manner that we did against West Brom on Saturday, and with that mentality, to make sure we get as many of the nine points that are left.”

Manchester City vs West Brom May 7, 2013


Manchester City vs. West Brom

Date: Tuesday May 7, 2013.

Start time: 2:45 p.m. ET (7:45 p.m. British time).

Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England.



With the FA Cup final coming up next Saturday, Manchester City take on West Bromwich Albion at the Etihad Stadium in a Premier League encounter with little at stake for either side.

Both managers, though, are unlikely to see it that way, with pride at stake for both in a high league finish. City hope to confirm second place, while West Brom challenge for eighth.

The odds are stacked in the favour of the home side on the night, with City's impressive home record matched by a West Brom side who have been poor away from home in 2013.

Indeed, the Midlands outfit have won just one of their last six games in a recent run of disappointing form.

What the Baggies do have in their favour is a forward line capable of scoring goals on the counterattack, something their opponents must watch for throughout the 90 minutes.

Manchester City were undoubtedly poor in a 0-0 draw with Swansea on the weekend. Will Mancini's boys offer an improved showing on Tuesday evening, or will the lingering spectre of the cup final see West Brom to an unlikely victory? All will soon be answered.

Golden State Warriors vs San Antonio Spurs May 6, 2013


The Western Conference semifinals continue to roll on today with game one of the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. Golden State was able to upset the Denver Nuggets in the quarterfinals, while the Spurs ran through the Los Angeles Lakers.


It should shape up to an entertaining series,but the real story will be how the Warriors are able to handle Tim Duncan down low without any significant contributions from big man David Lee. That will be the match up to watch.


What time do the Warriors and Spurs tip off? We’ve got all of the information you will need to know to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action.
Start time: 9:30 p.m. ET
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Venue: AT&T Center
Series Score: 0-0
TV Info: TNT

Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat May 6, 2013


SEASON RECORDS

Chicago: 45-37, five seed in the East

Miami: 66-16, one seed in the East, best record in the NBA

PLAYOFF RECORDS

Chicago: Beat the Brooklyn Nets 4-3

Miami: Swept the Milwaukee Bucks 4-0

SEASON SERIES

The teams split the four meetings with two wins apiece. The Bulls snapped the Heat’s 27-game winning streak on March 27.

KEY INJURIES

The Bulls are likely to be without Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng at least to start the series, just as they were for their Game 7 win in Brooklyn over the Nets. There is no change to the status of Derrick Rose, who is expected to continue to be out for the rest of the playoffs.

Dwyane Wade missed Game 4 against the Bucks with a sore knee, but will have had eight days to rest by the time Game 1 against the Bulls tips off on Monday. He’s expected back.

OFFENSE/DEFENSE RANKINGS (points per 100 possession) – PLAYOFFS ONLY

Chicago: Offense 102.3 (9th in the postseason), Defense 104.9 (Tied-10th in the postseason)

Miami: Offense 108.6 (4th in the postseason), Defense 91.5 (3rd in the postseason)

THREE KEYS TO THE SERIES:

Rest or rust for Miami? The Heat have been so dominant in winning 41 of their last 43 games that sadly, it’s come to worrying about whether or not an eight-day layoff between the first and second round of the playoffs should be cause for concern. It isn’t. If Miami shows any signs at all of being out of sync, it won’t last beyond the first quarter of Game 1. The Bulls would be wise to maximize that opportunity to the fullest should it actually present itself.

For the Bulls, it’s all about defense: In order for the Bulls to have a shot in this series, they’ll need to contain LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, while still managing to get out and contest Miami’s three-point shooters. (Oh, is that all?) It starts with scoring enough so that Miami is taking the ball out of the net instead of off the glass, where the Heat can be as dangerous as any team in the league if they’re able to get out in transition. Even containing Miami’s scoring on the secondary break can be a problem for defenses to stop, so finding that balance between crashing for offensive rebounds and getting back to limit fast break opportunities will be critical for the Bulls, who will have the best chance to slow the Heat while defending them in traditional halfcourt sets.

Miami was second in the league during the regular season in three-point shooting percentage (trailing only the Golden State Warriors), and was sixth in the league in attempting more than 22 shots per game from beyond the arc. A lot of that comes from drive-and-kick actions from James and Wade, so playing team defense on the slashers with the interior players while staying at home on the shooters (or at least making sure to close out on them with purpose) is going to be another area of concentration defensively for the Bulls.

For the Heat, it’s all about intensity: The Bulls play extremely hard, all night,  every night, no matter who is or is not in their lineup. The intensity with which Chicago approaches every single possession is the reason that despite the multitude of injuries the team has dealt with this season, it was still able to win a Game 7 on the road to advance to the second round of the playoffs.

Barcelona vs Real Betis May 5, 2013


Barcelona look to get back on a winning track against Real Betis. Barca is coming off a forgettable three-match stretch that featured two big Champions League losses to Bayern Munich and a La Liga draw with Athletic Bilbao.

The best thing Tito Vilanova's squad can do is put those results in the rear-view mirror and refocus on capturing the league title. The last thing Barcelona wants to happen is for the slump to suddenly reignite the title chase for rival Real Madrid.

Betis is trying to lock down a European spot for next season as well. Earning a point (or more) at Camp Nou would not only help in that quest, but would also give the club a well-timed boost of confidence heading into the season's stretch run.



Where: Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain

When: Sunday, May 5 at 3 p.m. ET

Liverpool vs Everton May 5, 2013


Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has played down the significance of Sunday’s Merseyside derby by claiming that it does not matter if his team finish below Everton in the Premier League this season.

Everton visit Anfield on Sunday knowing that victory will guarantee they finish above their city neighbours for the second season in a row.

Venue Anfield, Sunday 1.30pm

Buy Everton match tickets from season ticket holders who can’t make it. StubHub – the official secondary ticketing partner of Everton FC.

Last season Liverpool 3 Everton 0

Referee M Oliver


  1. The Merseyside derby has seen more red cards than any other Premier League fixture, with 20.
  2. Liverpool have scored nine goals in their two league games without Luis Suarez this season.
  3. Of the 10 midfielders included in the last England squad, only Frank Lampard has scored and assisted more goals per minute than Jordan Henderson this season (one every 132 minutes).
  4. Lucas Leiva (pictured right) has made more tackles per minute than any other player in the league this season (one every 14.9 minutes).
  5. Everton have only won one of their last 12 Premier League games against Liverpool, drawing four and losing seven.
  6. The Toffees are without a win at Anfield in 12 Premier League games, losing five of the last eight.
  7. David Moyes is yet to win a single one of his 44 away games against the traditional "big four", taking just 17 points from a possible 132.
  8. The visitors have won 56 per cent of their games this season with Johnny Heitinga in the side and just 10% without him.


This season’s matches 20 Y56, R1, 2.85 cards per game


Manchester United vs Chelsea May 5, 2013


Sir Alex Ferguson has few regrets – but failing to buy Frank Lampard still haunts the Manchester United manager.

Ferguson began tracking the ­England midfielder when he was a teenager breaking through at West Ham.

But when United failed to make a move, Chelsea stepped in with an £11million bid – and 12 years later Lampard stands on the threshold of breaking Bobby Tambling’s long-standing goals record for the ­Blues.

Ferguson, who has been linked with a move for the 34-year-old this summer following Chelsea’s failure to offer him a new contract, ­admitted: “Lampard is fantastic, he’s an incredible player.

“If he gets to the 202-goal record at Chelsea it will be a fantastic achievement. I don’t think there will be another midfield player who will do that again.

“I looked at him when he was at West Ham as a young player – and I have regretted not doing the deal ever since. Where else could I have got 200 goals from midfield?

“Lampard is quite phenomenal.

“He has the great knack that Bryan Robson had of timing when to arrive in the box. John Wark at Ipswich was another one. They can time their runs – and that has brought Frank more than 200 goals.

“On top of that, I can’t ever ­remember him being injured. That part of it is down to luck, but he has had a great career, all right.”


Mayweather vs Guerrero May 4, 2013



The one opponent who came close to beating Floyd was Jose Luis Castillo. Many felt that Castillo won their first meeting and the rematch was competitive, with two judges giving Floyd a 7-to-5 edge in rounds, though a more clear victory for Mayweather.

When Floyd Mayweather and Robert Guerrero step into the ring later this evening on Showtime pay-per-view, few will give Guerrero a chance to pull off the win. That isn't a knock on Guerrero's skills, he's proven himself a top-tier fighter in multiple divisions over his career. It's simply that Mayweather is going to have to either lose or start looking very bad due to age before the expectation isn't a comfortable win for the 43-0 pound-for-pound champion.

Mayweather is a rare talent, a once in a generation type of fighter with reflexes, speed and underrated power. Those natural abilities combined with a strong work ethic in the gym have pushed Floyd to his perfect 43-0 record.

It's not just that Floyd has never lost that leaves one wondering if Guerrero has a shot, but the relative ease with which Mayweather has stayed perfect throughout his career. It was a shock that Miguel Cotto, one of the best fighters of his generation, was able to win three rounds against Mayweather the last time Floyd stepped into the ring. That's how dominant "Money" has been over his career.

Chelsea vs FC Basel May 2, 2013


Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez has refused to discuss the prospect of Jose Mourinho rejoining the Blues.
Real Madrid boss Mourinho hinted at a possible return on Tuesday, saying he plans to be "where people love me to be" next season.
But Benitez, busy preparing for Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg against FC Basel, insisted: "It's not my business."

Chelsea won the first leg 2-1 in Switzerland, but the build-up to their return clash with Basel has been dominated by Mourinho's comments.
Following Real Madrid's Champions League semi-final defeat by Borussia Dortmund, the Portuguese said: "I know in England I am loved. I know I am loved by some clubs, especially one."
Some perceived those comments to mean the 50-year-old would be returning to Stamford Bridge, where he remains the club's most successful manager with two Premier League titles and three domestic cup wins.
As well as targeting Europa League success, Benitez said his focus was on qualifying for the Champions League.

"We know it's our priority and we'll try to do it," said the former Liverpool and Valencia manager. "I like to think in a positive way. We will be there."
Chelsea squad to play FC Basel: Cech, Turnbull, Hilario, Ivanovic, Bertrand, Luiz, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Ramires, Oscar, Mata, Mikel, Moses, Lampard, Hazard, Torres, Benayoun, Marin, Ake, Ferreira.

Barcelona 0-3 Bayern Munich May 1, 2013


90+' --- Full time. Barcelona 0-3 Bayern Munich. Bayern win 7-0 on aggregate. Goals on the night courtesy of Arjen Robben, Gerard Pique (OG), and Thomas Müller.
90+' --- The clock's ticking down with Bayern on the front foot. This will be the club's third win at Camp Nou, a record for non-Spanish teams (who of course get regular domestic attempts to do so).
86' --- Barca sub out defender Batra for defender Montoya. This margin was so clear that it seems Vilanova sees no need to even risk a fragile Messi. He's good, but only a worker of minor miracles.
85' --- David Villa puts another shot down Manuel Neuer's throat. Pretty build-up, no end-product - story of Barca's difficult night.
82' --- Barca sub Thiago heads towards goal, but gets no purchase on his effort. Manuel Neuer jogged across to collect. Meanwhile, van Buyten is nursing a knock after challenging Thiago for the header. He will have to soldier on, Bayern have used their three subs.
81' --- Batra heads just off target from a Barcelona corner. The hosts have ten minutes and change to salvage at least a goal against Neuer and friends.
79' --- Barcelona have not lost at the Camp Nou since Rubin Kazan came to town in 2009. They'll do well to avoid defeat here.


'76 --- One more sub, one more spared starter for the final. Captain Phillip Lahm - a booking from suspension again - makes way for Brazilian ex-Schalke fullback Rafinha. All missions very much accomplished for Jupp Heynckes at Camp Nou - including keeping key players off the suspended list.
'75 --- GOAL! 3-0 Bayern. Ribery again makes the running down the left, and Thomas Müller rises to head home from point-blank range at the back post. Bayern's wing-based attacking strategy is working wonders - yet again.
73' --- Sub Bayern: Javi Martinez off for Anatoliy Tymoshchuk. Another player in danger of suspension is spared. The Spaniard, once a Barcelona trasfer target, will play at Wembley.
72' --- GOAL! Own goal Pique. Bayern 2-0 up on the night and 6-0 on aggregate. Sub Luiz Gustavo played Ribery in down the left flank; his dangerous cross needed to be dealt with. Pique swung a boot at it, miscued, and knocked it into his own net.
71' --- Pedro hits another comparatively lame distance shot at Manuel Neuer's feet. They'll need to conjure up better than that against Joachim Löw's number 1 keeper.
69' --- Van Buyten and Boateng - neither of them first choice options in central defense - are mopping up everything in the danger zone. Barca are looking increasingly unlikely even to score a consolation goal.
65' --- Sub Bayern: Luiz Gustavo replaces Bastian Schweinsteiger. Schweini was a yellow away from suspension - but now he will play in the final. His Brazilian replacement, also one card from suspension, must mind his manners too.
61' --- Goal-creator David Alaba again shows that Bayern have attacking fullbacks too. His long-range shot, however, did not cut the mustard and bobbled well wide.
59' --- A Bayern attack comes to nothing down the left. Nevertheless Bastian Schweinsteiger's look-away pass with the outside of his right boot was so sumptuous it deserves documenting.
57' --- Thomas Müller ran out of steam in another promising break. The attacking midfielder checked up and looked for support when his best option might have been to shoot first time - even with his weaker left foot.
55' --- Another chance goes begging for Bayern. Meanwhile, Barcelona start changing to attack. Midfielder and captain Xavi makes way for attacker Alexis Sanchez. Cesc Fabregas, playing up top, could probably drop back into the middle.
51' --- David Villa fires wide of Manuel Neuer's post as a shellshocked Barca seek to salvage first some pride in front of home fans. The pre-match stadium choreo spelled out the Catalan for "Barca pride" in giant letters, and the fans are still cheering for some.
48' --- GOAL for Bayern!!!! David Alaba with a mouthwatering cross-field pass to Arjen Robben, who did what he does best. The flying Dutchman danced in from the right, before curling it into the top corner with his left peg. 1-0 Bayern, and 5-0 on aggregate. Book your tickets, Bayern fans.
47' --- Bayern's first breakaway breaks down. Thomas Müller did well to get clear, but then made a howler of a decision, trying to play a pass through traffic on the left, and ignoring the wide-open Mandzukic on the right.
46' --- Slovenian ref Skomina again purses his lips to start the second half. Bayern have 1.95 feet in the final at Wembley; Barcelona need four unanswered goals just to force extra time, or five to win.
-----------------Half time: Barcelona 0-0 Bayern (4-0 Bayern agg.)---------------------------
45+' --- Referee Skomina blows the whistle for half time as midfield maestro Bastian Schweinsteiger is treated for a nasty knock. He now has half time to recover. Dani Alves was booked for the foul on "Schweini."
45' --- Heynckes and Bayern would surely settle for 0-0 at the break. Barca coach Vilanova said he was aiming for 2-0 at the half. He doesn't have long to achieve that.
41' --- The final ball is missing for Barcelona, confronted by a collective defensive effort from Bayern. The work rate of wingers Robben and Ribery is particularly impressive at the back; nicknamed "Robbery," they're stealing nothing today.
39' --- Left back Adriano breaks forward for Barcelona and hits a long, low shot that doesn't trouble Neuer.
34' --- Arjen Robben runs and runs on the break (should he have passed instead?) before himself firing off a shot that was blocked. Bayern are now basically resigned to counter-attacks, though that's still a dangerous avenue for the Bavarians.
33' --- Veteran van Buyten to the rescue after a snaky dribble from Andres Iniesta. The Belgian blocked his shot.
31' --- Arjen Robben booked for a loose tackle, going in late against Alexandre Song. He was not threatened with suspension - provided he doesn't get a second yellow, he could play at Wembley.
29' --- Manuel Neuer, often the best paid unemployed German in the world with the way Bayern tend to defend, has work to do today. Most recently, mopping up a cross from Pedro that was a little to close to the blond beast between the Bayern sticks.
26' --- Xavi volleys over from close range, seconds after Barca wanted a penalty. Tito Vilanova's side are starting to turn the screw. Were it not for some crossed Spanish wires between David Villa and Cesc Fabregas, that past attack might have been even more dangerous.
24' --- Save Manuel Neuer from Pedro's long shot, the German international really had to stretch to get his fingertips to it and concede the corner. The set piece fizzled out. Bizarrely, Bayern have had more possession (45 percent) than they had in the home leg (34 percent).
18' --- Yummy! Robben and Schweinsteiger dance down Barcelona's right flank, breaking into the box. Only a last-ditch tackle from Spaniard Pique disrupted the move. As in the first leg, Bayern are avoiding Barcelona's beloved center of the pitch, trying to concentrate their attacks down the wings.
14' --- Barcelona and Dani Alves in turn found acres of space down the right against Bayern. The Brazilian's low cross was imprecise, squandering a promising move.
11' --- Arjen Robben misses a one-on-one! Bayern's beautiful one-touch football released the winger over the top after several slick passes. On his favored left, Robben went for precision. Victor Valdes got his gloves to it.
9' --- First clearcut opportunity to Barca! Xavi swung in a free kick - dubiously given for handball by Robben - but central defender Batra's header was a long way off the mark. Goalless at Camp Nou.
7' --- Both sides are flirting with scoring chances without quite creating them. Barca's David Villa was stopped in the Bayern box, while Franck Ribery had his shot blocked as the Bavarians hit back on the counter.
4' --- Bayern looking the more incisive in the opening minutes, a couple of promising moves have broken down on the edge of the box at the feet of front man Mario Mandzukic. At the other end, goalie Manuel Neuer has had only a wayward cross to deal with thus far.
1' --- The match has begun at Camp Nou, the penultimate game of this Champions League season. Who will be playing the last one?

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