NBA OFFERS CLARITY ON TIEBREAKERS WITH UNEVEN SCHEDULE
MIAMI» The NBA has told teams that playoff seeding will be based on winning percentage, and that any tiebreakers necessary after that will follow the usual procedures.
It was an issue that needed clarity because the 22 teams that will be going to the Disney complex near Orlando, Florida, for the planned resumption of the season next month will not have played the same number of games.
Based on the league plan for the restart, with games starting again in late July, Dallas will end up playing an Nba-high 75 contests. Most others will play between 72 and 74; the low total will be 71, which San Antonio and the Los Angeles Lakers will finish at if the NBA’S plans for teams to play eight games at the Disney complex before the playoffs begin comes to fruition.
CHSAA staff working on plan to resume all athletics this fall.
In a tweet Saturday morning, CHSAA commissioner Rhonda Blanfordgreen announced that the staff “will begin constructing safety and implementation guidelines to resume ALL athletics and activities, including football, beginning this fall.” On Wednesday, CHSAA’S Resocialization Task Force classified sports into three risk categories that raised some doubt as to whether higher-risk activities such as football, competitive cheer/dance, ice hockey and wrestling would be allowed to compete during their traditional seasons.
Allmendinger wins on NASCAR oval for 1st time. HAMPTON, GA.»
A.J. Allmendinger finally won on an oval. Taking advantage of mistakes by the three leaders, the 38-year-old Californian cruised to victory by nearly 2 seconds over pole-sitter Noah Gragson in the Xfinity Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Allmendinger, who first came to prominence in open-wheel racing, claimed a single victory during more than a decade in the top-level Cup series, and he had three previous Xfinity wins — all on road courses.
Enfinger takes advantage of late caution to win Trucks race. HAMPTON, GA.» Taking advantage of a late caution, Grant Enfinger passed local favorite Austin Hill on the final lap to win the NASCAR Truck Series race in overtime at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
In front of empty grandstands, Hill appeared to be cruising to his first win of the year, building a 4 ½ -second lead after several miscues ruined Kyle Busch’s chances of winning for the sixth time in 12 truck races in Atlanta.
Suddenly, everything changed. Cup star Chase Elliott lost control on worn-out tires coming off turn 2 with three laps to go, sending all the leaders to the pits for tires and setting up a green-white-checkered finish.
Honor A.P. wins Santa Anita Derby. ARCADIA, CALIF.» Honor A.P. won the $400,000 Santa Anita Derby by 2 ¾ lengths to move into the Kentucky Derby picture. Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Honor A.P. ran 1k miles in 1:48.97 and paid $6.40, $2.60 and $2.20. It was Smith’s third straight win and fourth overall in the West Coast’s major prep for the Kentucky Derby.
Undefeated Charlatan to miss Derby with minor ankle issue. ARCADIA,
CALIF.» Undefeated Charlatan will miss the rescheduled Kentucky Derby this fall after being sidelined by a minor ankle issue. Trainer Bob Baffert said that the colt has a filling, or swelling, in a front ankle. As a result, Charlatan will not be ready to race in time for the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5, but Baffert said the Preakness on Oct. 3 is a possibility.
Players suspended for 6 months for breaking virus curfew. BEIJING»
The Chinese Football Association says six members of the national under-19 have been suspended for six months for violating coronavirus control measures by leaving training camp at midnight to go drinking. The 35-player camp began May 17 and ended Saturday. — The Associated Press