Blue Blazes to Red Flags
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SPORTS D SUNDAY,APRIL 14,2019 :: LATIMES.COM/SPORTS ‘Everyone wanted him to be that good player. He just saw it as he was just going to show up and do whatever he wants.’ Warriors flip —Justin Turner, Dodgers third baseman, on Yasiel Puig switch and it’s lights out underdogs — were showing Clippers hang around their resilience was not lim- ited to the regular season. for almost a half, then And then, as it happens defending champions so often against Golden State, the Warriors dis- deliver the knockout. missed any potential of a Game 1 postseason upset in GOLDEN STATE 121 mere minutes. Technically, CLIPPERS 104 3minutes 21 seconds. The Western Confer- By Andrew Greif ence’s top seed turned a 51-51 tie with that much to play in OAKLAND — The early the second quarter at Oracle run had been withstood, the Arena into a 13 -point half- 11-point hole erased, and in- time lead. Twenty-four min- stead of gasping for air to utes were left to be played, keep pace with the super- but the game was never charged Golden State War- again so close or contested riors, the Clippers instead in what became a121-10 4War- were gaining steam as Sat- riors victory. urday afternoon became “The end of that half, that evening. swing was huge,” Clippers Freed by screens above coach Doc Rivers said. the three-point line, Lou For the Clippers, Harrell Robert Gauthier Los Angeles Times Williams dribbled un- (26 points) and Williams YASIEL PUIG’S SIX SEASONS with the Dodgers were full of highlights and “Did he really do that?” touched for layups and float- (25) were brilliant. They be- moments. He is off to a slow start with Cincinnati as he returns to Dodger Stadium on Monday night. ers. Montrezl Harrell, his came the only bench duo running mate from the since bench statistics were bench, was everywhere in first recorded in 1970-71 to the process of scoring 22 each score 25-plus points in first-half points. aplayoff game, according to BLUE BLAZES The Clippers — the 10 0-1 [See Clippers, D10] TO RED FLAGS Puig left behind a complicated legacy with Dodgers By Andy McCullough Hours later — after Bregman scored, the Dodgers blew a lead and forfeited control of the series to the Astros — sev- On the broadcast, Yasiel Puig appears as a blur. He eral members of the organization did. sprints toward the right-field line at Dodger Stadium. His The footage revealed issues the team had spent years eyes pierce the gloaming to trace a sinking drive struck by trying to correct. Puig wasn’t ready for the pitch and got a Houston’s Alex Bregman. His legs resemble pistons until late jump. He was out of position, shaded too far toward he lunges, blue glove extended in desperation, trying to center field. He often ignored the positioning card distrib- Ezra Shaw Getty Images end a 29-year championship drought. uted to Dodgers defenders before games; according to six STEPHEN CURRY shows the effort that helped him The baseball skims the webbing of Puig’s glove and people familiar with the situation, he on several occasions outrebound DeMarcus Cousins — and everyone else. bounces into the stands for a ground-rule double. He ripped up the card in front of outfield coach George Lom- skids to his feet, spikes his mitt in the dirtand punches the bard and left the pieces on the ground. In the eyes of Dod- air. The attempt looks noble but futile, aplay even a gifted gers officials, Puig was unprepared at a time when negli- fielder like Puig cannot complete. gence might mean the difference between a title and “This,” says Fox broadcaster John Smoltz during the heartbreak. Clippers have eighth inning of Game 2 of the 2017 World Series, “is an un- “There were always things like that,” manager Dave believable effort by Puig.” Roberts said one day this spring. “Taking plays off.” The baseball had sizzled down the line, and “I don’t re- Roberts was trying to explain the gap between what member looking at it like, ‘Oh, that’s a ball that should the public saw of Puig and what the Dodgers saw during have been caught,’ ” said Brandon Morrow, the Dodgers his six years in Los Angeles. The gap became a chasm, no answer for pitcher at the time. But Morrow never studied the replay. [See Puig, D6] champion’s stars UCLA HELENE ELLIOTT last two years, no question, have been arduous. There’s OAKLAND — no other way to put it. It gets must pay Reaching the more difficult as you go.” top of the Whatever problems NBA moun- they’ve faced along the way tain for the were banished to their past price in first time in on Saturday, when they 2015 was novel opened pursuit of a third and fun for straight championship and the Golden fourth in five seasons with a scandal State Warriors and coach 121-10 4 victory over the stub- Steve Kerr. But then came born but not-nearly-good- the business of staying on enough Clippers at a rollick- DYLAN HERNANDEZ top with a changing cast, ing Oracle Arena. which has had its chal- Only the physicality that The respons- lenges. allowed Montrezl Harrell to es were curi- “For me, these last two score 26 points and the ous then. years have felt different opportunities seized by Lou They sound than the first three,” Kerr Williams in scoring 25 points downright said. “The first three felt a —both of them off the suspicious lot fresher. Felt like we were bench — seemed to give the now. on the climb and we were on Warriors any trouble, but “This is not the cusp of something even Golden State had the depth the appropri- David J. Phillip Associated Press after winning our first one. and determination to shrug ate time to talk about the TONY FINAU HITS out of a bunker to the 13th green. Finau, who tied the course That next year we won 73 that off with a minimum of admissions scandal,” UCLA record with a 30 on the front nine, has been torching the par-fives all week. games, it was a joyride. The anxiety. And when Durant athletic director Dan Guer- following year, Kevin [Du- took Patrick Beverley’s rero said. rant] arrives. Got a new toy. trash-talk bait and jawed That was Guerrero on “Everything was just sort back at the Clippers’ gregar- Wednesday at basketball They’re making idol threats of new and fresh, and these [See Elliott, D10] coach Mick Cronin’s intro- ductory news conference. Asked when would be the As for Francesco Moli- appropriate time to talk Molinari and Finau, The Masters nari, who was 14 that spring, about the federal case, he’s not even sure he stayed No relief from Rossi takes Indy Guerrero replied, “It may who were both THIRD-ROUND LEADERS up until the wee hours of the Dodgers bullpen pole for today never be appropriate, at this Augusta National G.C., morning in Italy to watch a inspired by Woods, The Dodgers’ parade of The race’s defending point in time.” Augusta, Ga. golf hero in his country, relievers is not enough champion gets a big What has been revealed try to hold him off. Par 72 | 7,475 yards Costantino Rocca, get to slow the Brewers, advantage in today’s since then is that years 3rd Total smoked by 15 shots in By Tod Leonard who won for the second Acura Grand Prix of [See Hernandez, D2] Molinari 66 203 -13 Woods’ record-setting win. night in a row 4-1. D7 Long Beach. D2 “We all knew how it was Finau 64 205 -11 AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tony going to end,” a grinning Woods 67 205 -11 Angels survive Linebackers look UCLA knew Finau may not have slept Molinari said Saturday eve- Cubs, late drama better in L.A. back in 2014 that mid-April Sunday night Koepka 69 206 -10 ning of the 83rd Masters. in1997 after he’d watched Ti- Two men who were but The Angels start off The Rams and School was aware of ger Woods blitz the field in a7-year-old kid of Tongan boys when Woods turned strong and survive a Chargers already have cash-for-admissions the Masters to take his first and American Samoa de- golf upside down will stand wild ninth inning in a upgraded that area as deals in the athletic de- major championship. scent, growing up in Utah, next to the 43-year-old on 6-5 victory over the the NFL draft partment, according to It was a transcendent dream of wearing his own the first tee Sunday morning Chicago Cubs. D4 approaches. D13 an internal report. A1 sporting moment that made green jacket someday. [See Masters, D14] D2 SUNDAY,APRIL 14 ,2019 S LATIMES.COM/SPORTS PRO CALENDAR SUN.MON.TUE. WED. THU. Confident, cool Rossi 14 15 16 17 18 at MILW. CIN. CIN. CIN. Milwaukee 1 7 7 Noon 5 SNLA ESPN, SNLA SNLA SNLA Ch. 5, SNLA grabs Long Beach pole DODGERS at Chicago at Texas at Texas at Texas SEATTLE Cubs “Growing up, my dad, 5 5 5 7 11:15 a.m. [Peter], taught me from a FSW FSW FSW FSW The street race’s FSW IndyCar facts very young age that in rac- ANGELS defending champion ing, when you have a bad at Golden GOLDEN edges Dixon with day, outwardly you don’t What: Grand Prix of Long Beach State* STATE* show anyone” your anger, Power starting third.