Cycling
World champion wins the 12th stage of Giro d’Italia
VICENZA, Italy – Alberto Contador extended his overall lead ahead of Fabio Aru to 17 seconds, while Philippe Gilbert won the rainy 12th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Thursday.
It all came down to a brief climb in the final kilometer.
Gilbert, the 2012 world champion, attacked and surged ahead of a couple breakaway riders to cross the line alone. The Belgian rider with BMC clocked nearly 4½ hours over the 118-mile leg from Imola to Vicenza, which featured a hilly finish.
Contador crossed second, three seconds behind, and gained a six-second bonus. Diego Ulisse was third.
Golf
Spieth snatches share of Colonial lead with birdie
FORT WORTH, Texas – Masters champion Jordan Spieth made a 20-foot birdie putt with darkness falling for a 6-under 64 and a share of the first-round lead Thursday in the rain-delayed Colonial.
Spieth just missed the green on his approach at the 18th hole and putted from off the back right fringe. The closing birdie shortly after 8 p.m. put him atop the leaderboard with Kevin Na, Boo Weekley and Ryo Ishikawa.
After missing the cut at The Players Championship two weeks ago, the 21-year-old Spieth is playing the first of consecutive weeks at home in North Texas.
Spieth opened his bogey-free round with a 25-foot birdie putt at No. 1, then started the back nine with another a 22-footer at No. 10.
NBA
Warriors hold off feisty Rockets in Game 2
OAKLAND, Calif. – Stephen Curry scored 33 points to turn back another spectacular performance by James Harden, andGolden State held off the Houston 99-98 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Harden rallied the Rockets from 17 points down in the second quarter and had a chance to finish off the comeback in the final seconds of the fourth. Instead, Klay Thompson and Curry trapped Harden, who lost the ball as time expired.
Harden had 38 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and Dwight Howard overcame a sprained left knee that slowed him down to finish with 19 points and seven rebounds for a Rockets team headed home in a hole.
Curry, James unanimous to the All-NBA first team
NEW YORK – Golden State’s Stephen Curry, the league MVP, and LeBron James are the only unanimous selections to the All-NBA first team.
New Orleans’ Anthony Davis and Memphis center Marc Gasol joined Curry as newcomers. Houston’s James Harden rounded it out with his second consecutive selection.
Curry and James, who are three victories from meeting in the NBA Finals, each received first-team votes on all 129 ballots Thursday.
NHL
Ducks kill 5 power plays, beat Chicago to take lead
CHICAGO – Frederik Andersen made 27 saves, helping Anaheim kill off five power plays, and the Ducks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 on Thursday night for a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Defenseman Simon Despres scored his first career playoff goal in the second period, as top-seeded Anaheim bounced back quite nicely from a triple-overtime loss at home in Game 2. Patrick Maroon had a power-play goal and Ryan Getzlaf added two assists.
Ryan Kesler’s two holding penalties contributed to more than nine power-play minutes for the Blackhawks, but the Ducks’ penalty killers kept most of Chicago’s opportunities to the outside and Andersen stood his ground during a couple of goalmouth scrums.
Associated Press
