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2B Daily News – Thursday, May 23, 2013 OLYMPIC BASKETBALL NHL PLAYOFFS Source: Coach K returning to US men's team Penguins rout Senators 7-3, take 3-1 By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer Mike Krzyzewski had decided to remain coach of the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team. Krzyzewski will try to lead the Americans to a third straight gold medal, a person with knowledge of the decision said Wednesday. Originally expected to step down, Krzyzewski will hold a news conference to confirm his return Thursday at Duke, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no official announcement has been made. The Hall of Fame coach has led the Americans since 2005, winning gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, and the 2010 world basketball championship. His return was first reported by Sports Illustrated. ''I think it's great,'' said two-time gold medalist LeBron James, when told of the news Wednesday night before the Miami Heat faced Indiana. ''What he means to USA Basketball is beyond just what we do on the court. It's what we stand for as Americans and being proud of the red, white and blue every time we step off the bus or practice or talk to the media or whatever the case may be. I think it's great.'' Krzyzewski repeatedly said he planned to end his international coaching career following the Americans' victory last summer in London. Yet USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo preferred to hold off any discussion until after Coach K finished his season with the Blue Devils, and he got the answer he wanted. The 66-year-old Krzyzewski will lead the Americans next summer at the renamed World Cup of Basketball in Spain, where a victory would series lead AP photo United States coach Mike Krzyzewski signals to players during a preliminary men's basketball game against Lithuania at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. qualify them for the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil. They are 62-1 over the last seven years. Krzyzewski's return could help land commitments from some of the top NBA stars who have enjoyed playing in the program he and Colangelo revamped in 2005. James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony are among the All-Stars who have won multiple gold medals under Krzyzewski. ''I've got the utmost respect and trust in Coach K,'' James said. ''And whatever he decision was going to be, I think we all would support that.'' James has said he would like to be there in 2016 as well. ''It would be great,'' James said. ''First, I've got to make sure I stay healthy. If I'm fortunate enough to be healthy I would love to represent my country again, but that's a long time from now. So we'll see.'' The U.S. team had been led by an NBA coach from the time NBA players were first used in the 1992 Olympics through the 2004 Games, when the Americans lost three times and finished third. They managed only another bronze in their first tournament under Krzyzewski, the 2006 world championship, but haven't lost a game since while restoring the U.S. as the top team in the world. Krzyzewski said he expected the Americans to name a successor this summer, but Colangelo believed Coach K wanted to stay if his family and Duke were comfortable with it. Krzyzewski, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, has been on the staff of 13 U.S. teams since 1979 and joined Henry Iba as the only coaches in Olympic history to win back-toback men's basketball gold medals. Heat forward Shane Battier, who played for Krzyzewski at Duke, said he wasn't surprised that his former coach decided to head back to the USA Basketball sideline. ''He's one of the most competitive people I've ever been around,'' Battier said. ''That's what makes him great.'' Colangelo never even talked to another candidate, insisting Krzyzewski had earned the right to take as much time as needed. The Americans wanted to have a coach in place before holding a minicamp in July in Las Vegas. The person said there were expected changes to Krzyzewski's staff, which had included NBA coaches Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan, and Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. son — both stats among the top five in the NFL. He has bounced back the past two seasons from several injuries. After a 71-day contract stalemate as a rookie, Crabtree was sidelined during the 2010 preseason with a neck injury. Again a year later he was out with a broken foot sustained while working out in Alex Smithorganized practices during the NFL lockout. In 2011, Crabtree led the team in catches (72) and yards receiving (874), but San Francisco came up short of a Super Bowl. While he had four catches for 25 yards and a 4-yard touchdown reception in a 36-32 victory against Drew Brees and the favored Saints in the NFC divisional playoffs, it was the NFC championship game Crab- tree remembers as a most disappointing day. today,'' Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. ''Really it was their defense in (Continued from page 1B) the eighth that won the game. They made nice tying RBI single for San plays on Pence and Belt. Francisco in the eighth. We ran into a well-pitched Marco Scutaro went 0 for game.'' 3 with two walks, ending his 19-game hitting streak. Both teams failed to He flied out to deep left to muster much offense in a end the game. nice pitchers' duel ''We played well again between Gio Gonzalez of the Nationals and Bumgarner. ''It's never easy to give it up like that but I think we'll be OK,'' Bumgarner said. ''They have a good team over there and they have as good a shot as anybody to be there in October.'' Gonzalez was charged with one run and four hits over 7 1-3 innings, throwing a season-high 116 pitches. Harper said he was excited about facing Bumgarner. ''The kid is unbelievable,'' Harper said. ''He's one of the best I've faced all year. He's a tough match up for me. It was a lot of fun facing him.'' A'S perfect ninth for his 14th save in 14 chances. Andrus snapped an 0for-10 slump with a leadoff single in the first, and Murphy followed with a homer about 10 rows into the lower porch in right field. Two batters later, Beltre hit his 10th of the season halfway up the lawn in center. Jarrod Parker (2-6) was down 3-0 just four batters into the game, but went seven innings for Oakland, which had a five-game winning streak snapped. The right-hander retired 11 of the next 12 Rangers after Beltre's homer and allowed six hits with five strikeouts and one walk in seven innings. ''He threw a couple of early count heaters that they squared up,'' Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. ''In the past, early in the season, that game gets away from him. It looks like he's more comfortable now.'' 49ERS (Continued from page 1B) moments sailed over Crabtree. Harbaugh and the 49ers argued that Crabtree got held, bumped by cornerback Jimmy Smith with safety Ed Reed trailing the play. Crabtree also had five TDs and 30 catches on third-down plays last sea- GIANTS (Continued from page 1B) ter. He beamed in front of the cameras afterward and said ''awesome'' a lot after escaping trouble in the fourth and fifth and getting a big boost from Neal Cotts when he was replaced in the sixth. A year ago, Wolf (1-0) had a pregnant wife on bed rest and a boy who missed him at home while be bounced between Double-A Frisco and Round Rock in the Texas farm system. He spent 2011 in the Houston organization after refusing a minor league assignment with Oakland at the end of the 2010 season. ''It tests your patience,'' said Wolf, who was making his first big league appearance since Oct. 1, 2010, as a reliever for the A's. ''My wife gets a lot of the credit. She told me to stick with it, and thank God I did.'' Cotts, pitching a day after getting three outs on six pitches in his first game in the majors since May 25, 2009, struck out the side when he came on for Wolf with two runners on and no outs in the sixth. The left-hander whose best season came with the Chicago White Sox when they won the World Series in 2005 escaped trouble again in the seventh, getting Rosales on a lineout and Crisp on a foul pop with a runner at third. ''He may have been here in Texas a short time, but he hasn't been at the major league level being successful for a short time,'' Rangers manager Ron Washington said. ''He's throwing the ball the way I remember him throwing with Chicago.'' Joe Nathan pitched a San Francisco's receivers had just one catch for 3 yards — yes, it was by him — and Crabtree was targeted four times in a 2017 overtime loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Crabtree said that performance helped fuel him last year. Wolf, who had 25 career relief appearances, retired the first nine hitters and gave up one run with three strikeouts and two walks in five innings. It was the second time in three days a Texas pitcher has made his first major league start after previous stints as a reliever with other teams. Josh Lindblom lost to Oakland on Monday. The A's scored their only run on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Moss with runners at second and third and one in the fourth against Wolf, who was 1-2 with a 2.02 ERA in Round Rock, including a 1.85 ERA in six starts. ''He really kept the ball down today,'' Rosales said of Wolf. ''His changeup was working really well. He seemed to go at hitters. He was aggressive.'' OTTAWA (AP) — Jarome Iginla and James Neal each scored twice and the Pittsburgh Penguins routed the Ottawa Senators 7-3 on Wednesday night to take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series. Sidney Crosby, Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis also scored for Pittsburgh, and Tomas Vokoun made 30 saves. Down 2-1 after the first period, the Penguins scored twice in a 40-second span early in the second and added four goals in the first 10 minutes in the third. Milan Michalek, Kyle Turris and Daniel Alfredsson scored for Ottawa. Senators goalie Craig Anderson was benched after Pittsburgh's sixth goal, and Robin Lehner finished the game. Game 5 is Friday night in Pittsburgh. The Senators, coming off a double-overtime victory Sunday night in Game 3, opened the scoring on Michalek's short-handed goal at 2:29 of the first period. With defenseman Sergei Gonchar in the penalty box, Alfredsson fed the puck up the middle to a streaking Michalek, who broke through the defense and beat Vokoun low on the glove side for Ottawa's second short-handed goal of the series. It was the Senators' first lead of the series. It wouldn't last. Neal tied it with 5:04 left in the period, picking up the loose puck in the slot and putting it in the back of the net. Turris put Ottawa back in front off a rebound with 3:45 left in the first. Pittsburgh tied it early in the second when Kunitz got behind the defense and went in alone to beat Anderson. Less than a minute later, Anderson gave up a rebound on Kris Letang's shot that landed on the tape of Iginla's stick to make it 3-2. Neal started the third-period flurry with a power-play goal at 1:59. Dupuis added a short-handed goal at 8:07, Crosby followed at 8:39, and Iginla scored on a power play at 9:53. Alfredsson finished the scoring with a late power-play goal for his 100th career playoff point. HEAT the end of regulation, and to overtime the teams went. (Continued from page 1B) The Pacers kept landing the first punches. George made a pair of free throws to open the extra session, and Andersen tied it with a pair of his own. Hibbert scored from close range, and Wade answered with an easy one after a runout for the 16th tie of the night. history after dropping a Game 1. The final few seconds of regulation were stunning, with Ray Allen — the sixth-best free-throw shooter in NBA history — missing one that proved big, and George making a miracle happen. Trailing by two with 17.7 seconds left, the Pacers had to foul Allen, who surely would have been their last choice. But he missed one of the two free throws, and it remained a one-possession game. Indiana brought the ball into the frontcourt, called time, and then seemed to have nothing really working as the final seconds of regulation ticked away. So George simply made something happen. From 32 feet — from the newly applied Eastern Conference finals sticker on the side of the court, technically — George connected with 0.7 seconds left, tying the game and giving Indiana life. Allen didn't get much of a desperation shot off at George was far from done. He went past James, got into the lane, tossed up a shot after contact and started what became a three-point play that put the Pacers up 99-96. Miami had three chances at the tie — a desperation 3-pointer by Shane Battier as the shot clock was expiring, then a 3-point try by Battier and another 3 attempt by Battier. All missed. But Bosh grabbed the rebound of the last Battier shot that bounced off the rim in that sequence, scored while being fouled by George with 49.7 seconds left, calmly swished the free throw and the teams were — what else? — tied again at 99-all. MLB MLB NATIONAL LEAGUE Atlanta Washington Philadelphia New York Miami Central St. Louis Cincinnati Pittsburgh Chicago Milwaukee West AMERICAN LEAGUE East East W 28 24 23 17 13 L 18 23 24 27 34 Pct GB .609 — .511 4.5 .489 5.5 .386 10 .277 15.5 W 29 29 28 18 18 L 16 18 18 27 27 Pct .644 .617 .609 .400 .400 GB — 1 1.5 11 11 W L Pct GB Arizona 26 21 .553 — Colorado 26 21 .553 — San Francisco 26 21 .553 — San Diego 21 24 .467 4 Los Angeles 19 26 .422 6 —————————————————— Wednesday's Results Atlanta 8, Minnesota 3 Cincinnati 7, N.Y. Mets 4 L.A. Dodgers 9, Milwaukee 2 Colorado 4, Arizona 1 Washington 2, San Francisco 1, 10 innings Pittsburgh 1, Chicago Cubs 0 Philadelphia 3, Miami 0 St. Louis at San Diego, late Today's Games Chicago Cubs (E.Jackson 1-6) at Pittsburgh (J.Gomez 2-0), 9:35 a.m. Friday's Games Philadelphia at Washington, 4:05 p.m. Atlanta at N.Y. Mets, 4:10 p.m. Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati, 4:10 p.m. Miami at Chicago White Sox, 5:10 p.m. Pittsburgh at Milwaukee, 5:10 p.m. San Diego at Arizona, 6:40 p.m. St. Louis at L.A. Dodgers, 7:10 p.m. Colorado at San Francisco, 7:15 p.m. New York Boston Baltimore Tampa Bay Toronto Central Cleveland Detroit Kansas City Chicago Minnesota West W 28 28 25 24 19 L 18 19 21 22 27 Pct .609 .596 .543 .522 .413 GB — .5 3 4 9 W 26 24 21 21 18 L 18 19 22 24 25 Pct .591 .558 .488 .467 .419 GB — 1.5 4.5 5.5 7.5 W L Pct GB Texas 30 17 .638 — Oakland 25 23 .521 5.5 Seattle 20 27 .426 10 Los Angeles 19 27 .413 10.5 Houston 14 33 .298 16 —————————————————— Wednesday's Results Atlanta 8, Minnesota 3 Texas 3, Oakland 1 Toronto 4, Tampa Bay 3, 10 innings Baltimore 6, N.Y. Yankees 3 L.A. Angels 7, Seattle 1 Detroit at Cleveland, 7:05 p.m. Boston 6, Chicago White Sox 2 Houston 3, Kansas City 1 Today's Games Baltimore (Gausman 0-0) at Toronto (Morrow 1-3), 4:07 p.m. Minnesota (Diamond 3-4) at Detroit (Porcello 2-2), 4:08 p.m. Cleveland (McAllister 3-3) at Boston (Dempster 2-4), 4:10 p.m. L.A. Angels (Blanton 0-7) at Kansas City (E.Santana 3-3), 5:10 p.m. Friday's Games Baltimore at Toronto, 4:07 p.m. Minnesota at Detroit, 4:08 p.m. Cleveland at Boston, 4:10 p.m. N.Y. Yankees at Tampa Bay, 4:10 p.m. L.A. Angels at Kansas City, 5:10 p.m. Miami at Chicago White Sox, 5:10 p.m. Oakland at Houston, 5:10 p.m. Texas at Seattle, 7:10 p.m.