Reuters Sports Schedule at 0001 GMT on Thursday, May 14
Reuters sports schedule at 0001 GMT on Thursday: - - - - NBA Heat one win away from East final LeBron James and the two-time defending champion Miami Heat host the Brooklyn Nets with a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final. (NBA-PLAYOFFS/HEAT (PIX), expect by 0300 GMT/11 PM ET, by Simon Evans, 350 words) - - Spurs seek third straight trip to West final The San Antonio Spurs, holding a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series with the Portland Trail Blazers, need a win to secure their third consecutive trip to the Western Conference final. (NBA-PLAYOFFS/SPURS (PIX), expect by 0530 GMT/1:30 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - NHL Bruins host Canadiens in Game Seven The Boston Bruins host the Original Six rival Montreal Canadiens in a do-or-die Game Seven that will send the winner to the Eastern Conference final. (NHL-PLAYOFFS/CANADIENS (PIX), expect by 0200 GMT/10:00 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - Kings host Ducks with season on the line The Los Angeles Kings will try to avoid playoff elimination when they host the Anaheim Ducks trailing the best-of-seven Western Conference semi-final 3-2. (NHL-PLAYOFFS/KINGS (PIX), expect by 0430 GMT/12:30 AM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 350 words) - - - - BASEBALL Yankees' Tanaka looks to extend unbeaten streak Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka looks to extend his unbeaten record to 6-0 when he takes the mound for the New York Yankees versus the host, and crosstown rival, New York Mets in one of 15 games on the Major League Baseball schedule. (BASEBALL-HIGHLIGHTS/ (PIX), expect by 0330 GMT/11:30 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 975 words) - - - - NORTH AMERICAN SPORTS Roundups of off-field developments in the major North American professional sports leagues. (expect by 0001 GMT/8:01 PM ET, by The Sports Xchange, 400 words) - - - - SOCCER World Cup Socceroos will be no easybeats in Brazil, says Franjic SYDNEY - The Socceroos may have been written off by pretty much everyone ahead of their third successive appearance at the World Cup finals but the national spirit demands they fight every second of every match, according to defender Ivan Franjic. (SOCCER-WORLD/AUSTRALIA-FRANJIC (INTERVIEW, PIX), expect by 0600 GMT/2 AM ET, by Nick Mulvenney, 500 words) - - Oceania Champions League final Payday awaits Oceania champions A payday in excess of $500,000 awaits the winner of the Oceania Champions League final on Sunday with New Zealand's Auckland City holding the slight edge over Vanuatu's Amicale after they secured a vital away goal in their 1-1 draw in Port Vila last weekend. (SOCCER-OCEANIA/CHAMPIONS, expect by 0600 GMT/2 AM ET, 350 words) - - Europa League final Sevilla win shootout to extend Benfica's final misery TURIN - Spain's Sevilla beat Benfica 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw to extend the Portuguese side's losing record in European finals to eight matches. (SOCCER-EUROPA/ (PIX), moved, by Brian Homewood, 600 words) - - Libertadores Cup quarter-finals, second leg San Lorenzo aim to get past twice former winners Cruzeiro BUENOS AIRES - Argentine champions San Lorenzo visit Brazil's Cruzeiro in Belo Horizonte looking to hold on to their 1-0 lead from the first leg and progress to the semi-finals of South America's top club competition. (SOCCER-LIBERTADORES/, expect by 0100 GMT /9 PM ET, by Rex Gowar, 300 words) - - Soccerex Asian Forum Jordan hosts Soccerex as soccer focus turns to Asia AMMAN, Jordan - With the world of soccer increasingly turning its gaze towards Asia with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar never far from the headlines, the developing soccer nation of Jordan is hosting the Soccerex Asian Forum, with formal addresses by leading Asian and global soccer officials, discussions and workshops. (SOCCER-ASIA/FORUM, expect throughout, by Mike Collett) - - English FA Cup final Arsenal out to end long trophy drought LONDON - Arsenal will need no reminder of the pitfalls in store for them at Wembley Stadium on Saturday where they will be favourites to beat Hull City in the FA Cup final on Saturday and claim their first silverware for nine years. (SOCCER-ENGLAND/CUP (PREVIEW), moving at 0200 GMT/10 PM ET, by Martyn Herman, 600 words) - - - - RUGBY Super Rugby Red-hot Crusaders face Sharks in battle for supremacy WELLINGTON - The Canterbury Crusaders have ominously hit the switch in their Super Rugby as they look ahead to hosting the table-topping Sharks in Christchurch on Saturday in a clash that is expected to go a long way to sorting out title favouritism. (RUGBY-SUPER/CRUSADERS/, expect by 0600 GMT/2 AM ET, 500 words) - - - - TENNIS ATP/WTA: Italian Open, Rome (to 18) Copy on merit - - - - CYCLING Giro d'Italia (to June 1) Matthews in pink as Giro heads inland Australia's Michael Matthews takes the pink jersey into the 247-kilometre sixth stage from Sassano to Montecassino. (CYCLING-GIRO/ (PIX), expect by 1430 GMT/10:30 AM ET, 250 words) - - - - (Asia Duty Editor: Ian Ransom)
