Welcome to Wednesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.
WEDNESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
MLB: Braves at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI-FM)
MLB: Padres at Giants, 3:45 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Yankees at Rangers, 8:05 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA playoffs: Hornets at Heat, 8 p.m. (TNT)
NBA playoffs: Trail Blazers at Clippers, 10 p.m. (NBA TV)
NBA playoffs: Rockets at Warriors, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Islanders at Lightning, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)
NHL playoffs: Predators at Ducks, 10 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLS: Timbers at Revolution, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE)
Soccer: UEFA Champions, Bayern Munich at Club Atletico de Madrid, 2:30 p.m. (FS1)
AROUND THE WEB:
— A bad week got worse for the Clippers on Tuesday, as Blake Griffin was ruled out for the rest of the playoffs after aggravating his partially torn left quadriceps tendon, and Chris Paul underwent surgery on his broken hand that will sideline him indefinitely.
Both players were injured in Monday’s Game 4 loss to the Trail Blazers that left the first-round series tied heading into Wednesday’s Game 5. One day after it appeared things might finally be lining up for a long playoff run after three years of disappointing finishes, the team appears headed for another frustrating ending.
“It’s bum’s luck three years in a row,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “What can you do? All you can do is you’ve just got to keep going.”
It seemed likely that Paul would not return this postseason after he got his hand caught in Gerald Henderson’s jersey and suffered a broken third metacarpal in his right hand. However, now there is speculation that he might return in a few weeks, if the team was able to reach the Western Conference finals.
“It’s not as long as I think some may think it would be,” Rivers said. “That’s the good news, but we don’t know how long yet.”
Rivers attempted to stay positive despite the setbacks, insisting: “We have won games before without key guys, and I think we can win games in the future without key guys.”
Added Rivers: “I get down for like five minutes, and I was [Monday] night, but you wake up in the morning and you feel like we’re going to find a way, and it’s my job to try to get them to feel like I feel. If we do that, I think we’ll have a fighting chance.”
— Assuming Tom Brady’s four-game suspension holds, one of the games he’ll miss will be a home game against the Dolphins. But there is no rejoicing in Miami, as the Dolphins have their own issues.
Tuesday was the first day of voluntary veterans minicamp under new coach Adam Gase, and it was marked by a couple of noticeable absences.
Reshad Jones, the highest-paid strong safety in the league, is skipping offseason workouts because he wants a new contract, the Miami Herald reported. Jones is entering the third year of a four-year, $28 million contract, and he wants a raise.
Controversial defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh also was absent, as he apparently prefers to work out at Nike headquarters in Oregon. The Herald reports that his teammates are not pleased with Suh’s approach, a continuation of his behavior from last season, his first with Miami after departing Detroit as a free agent.
“I’m not going to get upset about anything on the first day of voluntary veteran minicamp,” Gase told the Herald when asked about Jones. “We’ll see how everything goes once we get to June.”
— If anyone thought Curt Schilling would go away quietly after his firing from ESPN, the former Red Sox pitcher made it clear this week that would not be the case.
Schilling has continued reposting controversial graphics on social media, usually supporting his conservative agenda and mocking Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
One of his reposts this week featured a picture of Prince with a quote attributed to the recently deceased music star in which he criticizes Democrats and says he votes Republican. However, no one has been able to verify that Prince actually spoke those words. In fact, it’s been widely discredited as a hoax.
Schilling did not immediately respond to the latest round of criticism.
ON THIS DAY TRIVIA (answer below): On April 27, 1950, Red Auerbach was named coach of the Celtics. Which coach did he replace?
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “They put two or three guys on me every time I touched the ball. Their game plan was to let the other guys beat us. It should be a sign of disrespect to my teammates to put two on the ball every time I have it. Other guys have to step up and make plays, that’s what it comes down to.” — Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas, after scoring a season-low seven points in Tuesday’s 110-83 loss to the Hawks
STAT OF THE DAY: 14 — Strikeouts for Red Sox pitcher David Price in Tuesday’s 11-4 win over the Braves, tying his career high
‘NET RESULTS: The Pacers fall to the Raptors as a review determines that Solomon Hill’s game-tying 3-pointer left his hand just after the buzzer.
Miguel Sano lines an RBI single into center field in the ninth inning to give the Twins a walk-off win over the Indians.
Tigers left fielder Justin Upton leaps over the fence and takes away a home run from the A’s, then bobbles the ball but manages to hold on.
Braves second baseman Daniel Castro races back and catches a pop-up with his bare hand after it bounces out of his glove, then turns a double play against the Red Sox.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Alvin “Doggie” Julian
SOOTHING SOUNDS: Cuba Gooding Sr., lead singer of The Main Ingredient, was born on this day in 1944.
