SPORTS DIGEST
BASKETBALL
Marc Gasol and Jamychal Green had double-doubles as lowly Memphis stunned Minnesota with a 101-93 victory. The playoff-chasing Timberwolves now sit eighth in a tight race in the Western Conference after they were outscored 23-11 in the final quarter by a Grizzlies side who claimed only their 20th win of the season. Gasol shone for Memphis with 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, while Green added 11 rebounds and as many assists and Wayne Selden got 23 points in 26 minutes off the bench – including 14 in the fourth. Selden signed off the win with a diving dunk with seven seconds left on the clock. The Charlotte Hornets kept their very slender hopes of post-season basketball alive with a 137-128 overtime victory over the New York Knicks, with Kemba Walker scoring 31 and adding seven assists. The Detroit Pistons, one place above Charlotte in the Eastern in ninth, also got a win, outscoring the LA Lakers 111-106 for their fourth victory in five. Will Barton scored 25 for the Denver Nuggets, but the side went down to the Philadelphia 76ers 123-104, while Al Horford had 19 points and nine rebounds as the high-flying Boston Celtics beat the Phoenix Suns 102-94. NBA: Charlotte Hornets 137 NY Knicks 128 (OT), Detroit Pistons 112 LA Lakers 106, Minnesota Timberwolves 93 Memphis Grizzlies 101, Philadelphia 76ers 123 Denver Nuggets 104, Phoenix Suns 94 Boston Celtics 102.
GOLF
WOMEN’S WORLD RANKINGS: 1 Shanshan Feng (Chn) 7.05pts, 2 Lexi Thompson (USA) 6.81, 3 So Yeon Ryu (Kor) 6.20, 4 Sung Hyun Park (Kor) 6.09, 5 In Kyung Kim (Kor) 5.53, 6 Anna Nordqvist (Swe) 5.52, 7 Cristie Kerr (USA) 5.37, 8 Ariya Jutanugarn (Tha) 5.32, 9 Inbee Park (Kor) 5.05, 10 Hye Jin Choi (Kor) 4.99, 11 In Gee Chun (Kor) 4.95, 12 Jessica Korda (USA) 4.35, 13 Michelle Wie (USA) 4.16, 14 Brooke M. Henderson (Can) 4.11, 15 Lydia Ko (Nzl) 4.04, 16 Minjee Lee (Aus) 4.01, 17 Jin Young Ko (Kor) 3.88, 18 Amy Yang (Kor) 3.85, 19 Sei Young Kim (Kor) 3.85, 20 Danielle Kang (USA) 3.65, 21 Moriya Jutanugarn (Tha) 3.56, 22 Eun-hee Ji (Kor) 3.55, 23 Stacy Lewis (USA) 3.37, 24 Lizette Salas (USA) 3.28, 25 Jiyai Shin (Kor) 3.10.
ICE HOCKEY
The Vegas Golden Knights have reached the Stanley Cup play-offs in their inaugural season. The side needed a win to ensure they made it to the post season and they scored two goals in each of the second and third periods to beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1. William Karlsson netted his 40th of the campaign with an empty-net goal to round off the victory. Alex Ovechkin is the league’s top scorer and bagged his 45th of the season as the Washington Capitals won their fourth game in a row, beating the New York Rangers 4-2. The Capitals scored all their goals in the first period to put the home side on the back foot. Lias Andersson and Mats Zuccarello replied for the Rangers. The Tampa Bay Lightning – one of the league’s best sides – went down 4-1 to one of the worst, the Arizona Coyotes. Two goals in quick succession in the second period put the Coyotes ahead, with Nikita Kucherov scoring the consolation for the Lightning. The Florida Panthers kept alive their hopes of a wild card spot with a 3-0 win over the New York Islanders. The Panthers are one spot off the second, and final, wild card position and have won 10 of their last 14 games to put themselves into contention. Goals from Keith Yandle, Nick Bjugstad and Evgenii Dadonov helped Florida triumph at the Barclay Center. Elsewhere, the Buffalo Sabres edged the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2, the Carolina Hurricanes saw off the Ottawa Senators 4-1 and the Detroit Red Wings went down to the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. A shootout was needed to split the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks, with the Sharks winning 4-3, while the Los Angeles Kings shutout the Calgary Flames 3-0. NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE: Carolina Hurricanes 4 Ottawa Senators 1, Chicago Blackhawks 3 San Jose Sharks 4 (SO), Los Angeles Kings 3 Calgary Flames 0, Montreal Canadiens 4 Detroit Red Wings 2, New York Islanders 0 Florida Panthers 3, New York Rangers 2 Washington Capitals 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 1 Arizona Coyotes 4, Toronto Maple Leafs 2 Buffalo Sabres 3, Vegas Golden Knights 4 Colorado Avalanche 1.
SPEEDWAY
FIXTURES Tonight: Challenge – Birmingham v Coventry (7:30pm). Tomorrow: Premiership – Swindon v Leicester (7:30pm). Friday: Premiership KO Cup quarter-final 1st leg – Poole v Somerset (11am); 2nd leg – Somerset v Poole (7:30pm); Championship Shield – Ipswich v Lakeside (2:15pm); Lakeside v Ipswich (8pm); Travel Plus National League – Belle Vue v Coventry (1pm); Scottish Cup 2nd leg – Edinburgh (40) v Glasgow (50) (7:30pm); Easter Chase 1st leg – Kent v Eastbourne (1pm).