SPORTS D

WEDNESDAY,MAY 17,2017 :: LATIMES.COM/SPORTS D

NHL PLAYOFFS | WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS NASHVILLE 2, DUCKS 1 Lakers back PREDATORS LEAD SERIES 2-1 | GAME 4: THURSDAY AT BRIDGESTONE ARENA, 5, NBCSN for seconds in the draft

Instead of losing their selection in lottery, they move up and get the No. 2 pick for third year in a row

By Tania Ganguli

NEW YORK — Finally free from the sequestering room wherehe waited for the NBA’s draft lottery show to 2017 NBA end, Lakers general man- draft order ager Rob Pelinka weaved Lottery results for the through the throng of people NBA draft in June: exiting a hotel ballroom. He wanted to find Lakers Presi------dent of Opera- 1. Boston-a 53-29 tions so they ------could celebrate this thing 2. LAKERS 26-56 over which they had no con------trol, but that wound up 3. Philadelphia-b 28-54 meaning so much to them. ------Pelinka found Johnson in 4. Phoenix 24-58 aside room. They grinned, ------and laughed, and embraced. 5. Sacramento-c 32-50 The Lakers will select ------second in the June draft. 6. Orlando 29-53 Their winning combination ------was 14 , 5, 3, 12. They had the 7. Minnesota 31-51 third-best odds of securing a ------pick in the top three — a 8. New Yo rk 31-51 Mark Humphrey 46.92% chance, and just a ------DUCKS GOALIE John Gibson is on his back, defenseman Sami Va tanen is out of position and Nashville 15.74% chance of getting the 9. Dallas 33-49 forward Viktor Arvidsson watches the puck go into the net on Filip Forsberg’s tying goal in third period. second overall pick. Had the ------Lakers’ pick fallen out of the 10.Sacramento-d 32-50 top three, they would have ------lost it. 11.Charlotte 36-46 “It was just a rush of ex------hilaration,” Pelinka said. “It 12.Detroit 37-45 just felt like such a blessing.” ------In this year’s draft, the 13.Denver 40-42 MOMENTUM Lakers will also have the ------28th pick, from Houston. 14.Miami 41-41 The Lakers traded Lou ------Williams to the Rockets for a-from Brooklyn their first-round pick and b-from Sacramento Corey Brewer. c-from Philadelphia IS BUILDING [See Lakers, D3] d-from This should put Predators rally Gibson great Balls in their court in third period but Nashville behind the position to draft someone Don’t worry about the who can change the fran- energy of fans is for real father: Lakers will be chise. He can take LaVar Ball. improved if they add Sorry, Lonzo Ball. More on the father and By Kevin Baxter Lonzo to the mix. HELENE ELLIOTT his $495 sneakers later. The are NASHVILLE — From the out- NASHVILLE — DYLAN HERNANDEZ expected to take Washing- side, Bridgestone Arena in down- This was the night ton guard Markelle Fultz town Nashville is a handsome, if the Nashville Preda- The last time Magic with the top pick. If they oversized, building surrounded by tors grew up, the Johnson was involved with a determine they’re set in the office towers, a parking lot and the moment they local sports franchise, the backcourt with Isaiah Country Music Hall of Fame. showed enough Dodgers vanished from the Thomas and , In other words, nothing special. perseverance and majority of television sets. they can turn to Kansas But on the inside it’s a magical maturity to forever Don’t worry. Not even he forward Josh Jackson. place, one bathed in yellow and shed their reputa- can mess this up. Either way, the Lakers often louder than a jumbo jet at full tion as being a nice little team that Some fortuitous bounces could and should land throttle. On Tuesday that helped always lacked some ingredient of ping-pong balls Tuesday Lonzo. He’s everything this the Predators pull a little more necessary for success in the rug- granted the Lakers the franchise wants, on the sleight of hand, scoring a pair of ged environment of the Stanley second overall selection in court and off — and, yes, third-period goals to down the Cup playoffs. the upcoming NBA draft. that includes his carnival Ducks 2-1 and take a 2-1 lead in the Stymied time after time by They won’t have to hand barker father. best-of-seven Western Conference Ducks goaltender John Gibson on over their top pick to the He’s a Jason Kidd-like, finals. Frederick Breedon Getty Images Tuesday, denied apparent goals . pass-first guard who Game 4 is Thursday. ROMAN JOSI of Nashville has rea- twice when they too enthusiasti- And as the Lakers presi- can link a collection of tal- “We love playing here,” Nash- son to exult after scoring the win- cally crashed into him, the Preda- dent of basketball opera- ented players who haven’t [See Ducks, D6] ning goal late in the third period. [See Elliott, D6] tions, Johnson is now in [See Hernandez, D3]

They’re along for first ride Sputtering Dodgers mail this one in Mike Smith will be one of four jockeys making their initial “You’ve got to find humor trip on a horse in the L.A. can’t muster an in it,” Roberts said. “Be- Preakness. D2 cause everyone has an opin- offense and falls to the ion, and they’re not afraid to Warriors stay Giants for the sixth share it. And that’s awe- smoking hot some.” time in nine meetings. It will take several days Golden State routs for the mail inspired by San Antonio 136-100 SAN FRANCISCO 2 Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat to the in Game 2 of We st DODGERS 1 San Francisco Giants to finals, improving to reach Dodger Stadium. But By Andy McCullough 10-0 in playoffs. D3 the evening checked all the boxes of fan ire. Lacking its SAN FRANCISCO — In two young sluggers, the line- this era of instant communi- up sputtered. The first re- cation, a time for direct mes- liever Roberts sent into the sages and Slack channels game wore the loss. And the and Whatsapp, Dodgers Dodgers have now dropped ANGELS 7 manager Dave Roberts still four of six games on this trip, 6 receives letters from fans. squandering the progress Gloom in 9th, He riffles through the typed made by a five-game win- joy in the 11th pages of criticism with ning streak heading into this amusement. The writers de- road swing. After White Sox tail how he should be using It will be up to Clayton rally from a 5-2 his bullpen, diagnose how Kershaw on Wednesday to deficit, Maybin ties his hitters should conduct help the Dodgers avoid a it with his fifth hit their at-bats and kvetch Ben Margot Associated Press sweep at the hands of the Gi- and Pujols wins it. D5 about his ever-shifting bat- JUSTIN TURNER of the Dodgers is tagged out by Giants catcher Buster Posey in ants, a middling club with ting order. the fourth inning as umpire Chad Whitson prepares to make the call. [See Dodgers, D5]