Suns win lottery for No. 1 pick
WASHINGTON, May 16, (RTRS): The Phoenix Suns were awarded the No. 1 pick in next month’s NBA draft via the lottery held Tuesday in Chicago.
The Suns, an NBA-worst 21-61 this season, had the highest odds at the No. 1 pick at 25 percent entering the drawing. The Sacramento Kings, with an 18.3 percent chance to select in the top three, will pick second, and the Atlanta Hawks (42.6 percent at top three) will make the No. 3 pick.
The Memphis Grizzlies (55.8 percent at top three) and Dallas Mavericks (42.6 percent) were bounced from the top three with the drawing. They will pick fourth and fifth, respectively.
Milwaukee Bucks ownership is meeting with two finalists, Mike Budenholzer and Ettore Messina, in their search for the team’s next head coach, according to an ESPN report.
Budenholzer reportedly remains the front-runner for the job, but he is also still in talks with the Toronto Raptors, who dismissed Dwane Casey last week after seven years with the team. However, Messina “has gathered significant momentum” during the interview process.
Froome again lost steam in the final climb with the four-time Tour de France winner finishing in 42nd position, some 40 seconds behind Yates.
Italy’s Davide Formolo was third, a further three seconds behind, after the 156km hilly route from the central city of Assisi across to Osimo near the Adriatic coast.
Team Sky rider Froome has struggled at key moments since the start of the race — falling twice — and is now over three minutes off the lead.
He needs a miracle to revive his attempt to become the first rider to win three Grand Tours in a row since Frenchman Bernard Hinault in 1982/83.
He had been reduced to a spectator’s role in the battle for the pink jersey which for now is a two-horse race between Yates and Dumoulin.
“It was a tough day, it wasn’t as long as yesterday, but it was another pretty brutal finish,” said Froome.
“I’m not going to lie, it took a whack out of me that crash before the start in Jerusalem and in this game if you’re not at your absolute best there’s nowhere to hide.
“I’m going to keep fighting, it’s good to get this racing in the legs.”
The stage crossed through the home town of Italian cyclist Michele Scarponi who was killed in a road accident a year ago.
Three breakaway riders Alessandro De Marchi, Luis Leon Sanchez and Fausto Masnada were caught five kilometres from the line before two steep climbs to the finish.
Yates, who is competing in his first Giro, has worn the leader’s jersey since the arrival at the volcanic Mount Etna in Sicily last Thursday.
“We decided before the stage that we wouldn’t chase because normally on such a finale there are faster guys like Tim Wellens,” explained Yates.
“Other teams did that for the stage win. The plan was that if it came back I would, of course, try.”
Thursday’s 214km ride will be over a flat route from Osimo to Imola, two days before a gruelling mountain stage with a summit finish on Monte Zoncolan.