Leading Off: Al Playoff Positioning Down To Last Day

The Rockies lost their mojo in San Francisco, where their offensive woes are as predictable as the fog. They arrived in the City by the Bay riding a seven-game winning streak, their longest in nearly five years. But the Giants polished off a three-game sweep on Sunday afternoon at Oracle Park with a 4-1 victory. It was San Francisco’s first sweep of the season. The Rockies produced a mere three hits.

The Western Conference semifinals between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves is down to this: Game 7 inside Ball Arena. Stick here for live updates and analysis as the two teams battle for a spot in the conference finals. Live updates Ant control (7:35 p.m.): The Nuggets have Anthony Edwards entirely out of whack.

The DU Pioneers are Final Four bound. Surging ahead with a six-goal third quarter, the University of Denver men’s lacrosse team beat Syracuse, 10-8, at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md., to secure a spot in next weekend’s NCAA Tournament Final Four. The fifth-seeded Pioneers (13-3) will take on top-seeded Notre Dame (14-1) on Saturday, May 25, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Like many hot-shot prospects, Zac Veen figured he’d rocket to the big leagues. Instead, once rated as the 29th overall prospect by MLB Pipeline, the 22-year-old outfielder has ridden a roller coaster. Maybe that’s a good thing. “There’s a blessing in this somewhere,” Veen said. “It all depends where you look.” The Rockies selected Veen with the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft out of Florida’s Spruce Creek High School.

Adhir Ravipati heard rumblings about a kid from East Palo Alto who had taken over the California youth football scene. But it wasn’t until he attended an eighth-grade all-star game that he put a face to Troy Franklin’s name. At Silver Creek High School in San Jose in 2017, Ravipati became a believer in Franklin, a tall and slender wide receiver who did wonders every time he touched the ball.

The lasting image from one of the most hectic Game 7 endings in NBA history was of two young guards embracing in mutual admiration. Donovan Mitchell had collapsed to the floor, devastated, after Utah’s final 3-point attempt spun out of the cylinder as time expired, leaving Mitchell with only an 80-78 loss to show for his Herculean effort in the bubble: 36.3 points per game on 52% outside shooting in the seven-game saga.