Ducks force Game 7 against Red Wings

Remember that phrase "I went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out"?

Well, the Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks broke out the boxing gloves for a few minutes after Game 6 ended, setting up....

Game 7! Up 3-2 in their second-round Western Conference Series, the Red Wings misfired, per ESPN, allowing the No. 8 seed Ducks to force a decisive game back in Michigan with a 2-1 win on Tuesday night.

Anaheim scored two goals-- one by Ryan Getzlaf, one by Corey Perry-- to keep their upset-minded playoff run alive.

Johann Franzen had the lone goal for Detroit, with just a few minutes left in the third period.

Quack-quack went the Twitterverse:

1. 
   c_rosa Getzlaf-Perry-Ryan = phenom. Loving this game. 13 May 2009 from mobile web
2. 
   hititupCHELS I think I'll have children with Ryan Getzlaf so my kids will have absolutely fantastic eyebrows. 13 May 2009 from txt
3. 
   michelelyl AMAHEIM DUCKS WON!!! And Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are boxing!!! Datsuk and Neidermeyer are boxing too!!! Hockey at it's best! 13 May 2009 from web
4. 
   kmpeer Seriously. Ducks I love you for taking on those wings to a game 7. Thank you Ryan Getzlaf, etc. 13 May 2009 from TwitterBerry
5. 
   Mr_Bevo Anaheim Ducks get a Game 7 in Detroit. Good momentum, but tough arena. #nhl #ducks 13 May 2009 from web
6. 
   keithcavey Niedermayer of the Anaheim Ducks will likely be suspended for an elbow he threw at the end of regulation... not smart. 13 May 2009 from web

Octupus-throwing fans from a down-trodden city tweet support:

1. 
   richarddeitsch Serious brawling at the end of Game Six between the Red Wings and Ducks. Game 7 Thur. in Detroit: The Red Wings first Game 7 in seven years. 13 May 2009 from web
2. 
   vikki89 So the Red Wings are doing what they can for the Detroit economy and spirit.... they are bringing game 7 home... 13 May 2009 from TweetDeck
3. 
   brutalbrian And for the record, even if Detroit doesn't win, it's ok. I am proud to call myself a Red Wings fan. 13 May 2009 from txt
4. 
   JasonPratt That was one hell of a fight after the Red Wings/Ducks game!! Ducks win 2-1. Sux! But now they've gotta face the #RedWings back in Detroit. 13 May 2009 from Tweetie

A Detroit Red Tweeter captured this twitpic of Franzen in the penalty box:

(Twitpic by @trentvanegas)

Ducks force Game 7 against Red Wings

Lakers blow out Rockets by 40 in Game 5

Even Jack Nicholson left early.

That was the story, per ESPN, as the Lakers emptied seats as early as halftime with a 118-78 romp over the despondent Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the Western Conference playoffs to take a 3-2 lead in the series.

A game after stunning the Lakers behind Aaron Brooks' 36 points, the Rockets appeared disinterested allowing the Lakers to run out to a 40-point lead at halftime and GM Jeanie Buss (@jeaniebuss) to start Tweeting about the billions of celebrities around her (seriously, the whole night).

1. 
   JeffMadsenobv Are we at the oscars? Sooo many celebs here. Lakers just killing like they should 13 May 2009 from Tweetie
2. 
   russbengtson I wish Jeannie Buss would at least post entertaining celebrity news: "Wow, I really wish my dad would stop hitting on Miley Cyrus." 13 May 2009 from TweetDeck

Kobe Bryant scored 26 points for L.A. which is now a win away from facing the Nuggets-Mavericks winner in the Western Conference Finals.

1. 
   Chris20901 Ladies and gentlemen, the Los Angeles Lakers have FINALLY arrived to the NBA Playoffs! Watch out! #Lakers 13 May 2009 from TwitterBerry
2. 
   jyetownend double victory tonight... Lakers and the Ducks win!!! 13 May 2009 from web
3. 
   Caralvarez24 Lakers Win! 40 point beatdown! 13 May 2009 from Tweetie
4. 
   kilodelasoul Lakers win by 40... Kyle still not satisfied....I wanted someone dead 13 May 2009 from TwitterFon
5. 
   Sirkobemvp #LAKERS AND #KOBE ARE PHENOMENAL ! 40 POINT VICTORY WAY TO SHOW THEM WHO'S COURT THEY WERE ON. 13 May 2009 from web

Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist Flea played the Star Spangled Banner to open the night:

(Twitpic by @ryangoodman)

LIVE TWEET LOG:

Important game in the City of Angels tonight as Kobe Bryant and the Lakers attempt to take Game 5 of their Western Conference second-round series against the Yao-less Houston Rockets.

Find out what everyone's thinking on our Live Tweet Log, @BTsports:

END OF THIRD QUARTER:

Lakers are still dominating, 94-54. It will be interesting to see what happens when the Rockets return to Texas.

For today, there's only one real brightspot for the Rockets and that is second-year point guard Aaron Brooks' play (two games in a row) .

Yet Tweeters aren't giving him respect except for, umm, intangibles:

1. 
   Ken_Do_ @SimplyPatsy aaron brooks has a career high and I doubt he will ever score 30 points again. We have legit players!! 13 May 2009 from UberTwitter in reply to SimplyPatsy
2. 
   ohmrwilson Ayo...aaron brooks looks like chris rock! Lmao 13 May 2009 from TwitterBerry
3. 
   ush1978 @Treste2 girl watching this game and watching Aaron Brooks. I love his lil short butt. 13 May 2009 from web in reply to Treste2

END OF SECOND QUARTER:

Lakers' GM Jeannie Buss was star-watching, USC coach Pete Carroll was tweeting, and many others were loving what Kobe was up to. Houston? We have a problem.

Kobe has 20 points on just 13 shots. Lakers lead 64-39.

1. 
   JeanieBuss Denzel Washington and his gorgeous wife Pauletta are sitting in front of me on the floor. They are great fans love them. 13 May 2009 from mobile web
2. 
   PeteCarroll Lakers are rolling early!! 13 May 2009 from TwitterFon
3. 
   JeanieBuss Adam Sandler and Rob Schnider are on floor together. Adam puts him in all his movies and brings him to Lakers games too! 13 May 2009 from mobile web
4. 
   dbowe44 I'm so disgusted with the Houston Rockets right now...at least give the Lakers a fight. 13 May 2009 from txt
5. 
   OhAlisa @Uncle_Trav pray for the Houston Rockets LOL 13 May 2009 from TwitterFon in reply to Uncle_Trav
6. 
   ShadCharleston @YungStreetz Owww,Looks like Kobe Swag Surfin' on them Boys. 13 May 2009 from TwitterBerry

(twitpic by @LAMase)

END OF FIRST QUARTER:

Jordan Farmar hits a three-pointer at buzzer giving the Lakers a nine-point lead heading to the second-quarter. Kobe Bryant already has 12 points.

1. 
   DavidWesleyBlum Jordan Farmar is hitting buzzer-beaters. This game looks over already... 13 May 2009 from TweetDeck
2. 
   lakersfanweb Jordan Farmar hits from downtown at the buzzer! LAKERS 35, ROCKETS 24 at the end of 1st. 13 May 2009 from web
3. 
   LAMase Jordan Farmar with the EXCLAMATION POINT! Started out slow, but Lakers lead by 11 end of 1. Crowd went nuts when Farmer hit that 3. 13 May 2009 from TweetDeck
4. 
   ROCtheSHO Shout out to Jordan Farmar w/ the 3 from Jerusalem. You cool w/ my boy Dave so u def cool w/ me. OK lakers. 13 May 2009 from TinyTwitter

PREGAME:

USC head football coach Pete Carroll (@PeteCarroll) did some Tweeting with @Lakers about the nuances of the NBA and living and competing in L.A.

1. 
   PeteCarroll @Lakers basketball's cool because youre almost like another player... youre so close and you can make calls... it might be more fun to coach 12 May 2009 from web in reply to Lakers
2. 
   PeteCarroll @Lakers it's a championship town... expectations are high and everyone's counting on winning... its the only way to be... and the beach too 12 May 2009 from web in reply to Lakers
3. 
   Lakers @PeteCarroll It has to be easier dealing with 15 players as opposed to 80 right? 12 May 2009 from web in reply to PeteCarroll

A Tweeter was lucky enough to be on the Staples Center court during pregame:

(twitpic by @duranla)

Lakers blow out Rockets by 40 in Game 5

Boston one game from advancing with win over Orlando

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

With weary legs struggling for three quarters, the Boston Celtics again showed why experience is so valuable coming back from 14 down in the fourth-quarter against the Orlando Magic to win 92-88. The series heads back to Orlando for Game 6 with Boston holding a 3-2 lead.

The KG-less Celts are doing what the San Antonio Spurs dead-legged veterans couldn't do -- string together back-to-back wins on tired appendages.

Glen "Big Baby" Davis led Boston with 22 points.

What kind of Tweets came from Beantown tonight?

1. 
   JJHAR10 We are the Boston Celtics and we are tougher than you. Orlando, "You got no marbles!" 13 May 2009 from TweetDeck
2. 
   jamiejai How bout dat ray Allen!! Go boston! But umm... All roads lead to KING JAMES! 13 May 2009 from TwitterFon
3. 
   caa1000 So, it looks like Boston Celtics are still full of lucky charms (Not the cereal!) as they beat the Orlando Magic. Now Boston is 3-2! 13 May 2009 from web
4. 
   TehCheapOne Congrads to Boston Celtics for winning the chance to lose to LeBron James in the East Finals. 13 May 2009 from TweetDeck

Orlando, however, must be dejected having blown double-digit leads in the last two games:

1. 
   V1CMAC1AS Magic should have closed out Boston tonight. Game 4 & 5 belonged to Orlando. Now this series is over. Celtics & Cavs!! 13 May 2009 from mobile web
2. 
   BenRealHD TO THE ORLANDO MAGIC: You live by the 3pointer, You die by the 3pointer!!! 13 May 2009 from web
3. 
   gregcote Weird. I just Googled the phrase "blew it" and saw a team photo of the Orlando Magic. 13 May 2009 from web
4. 
   goldieonice Orlando magic choked big time. Now they have To win 2 in a row and game 7 in boston. Thought the magic were the better team 13 May 2009 from TwitterBerry

One lucky Tweeter captured this Twitpic of the parquet floor in the Garden (yes, I know, the TD North Bank whatchamacallit Garden) as viewed from the upper deck:

(twitpic by @adampieniazek)

Boston one game from advancing with win over Orlando

Halladay's complete game victory against Yankees draws record attendance

It feels good to hope.

This time last season, the World Series-bound Tampa Bay Rays were in second place with a 22-16 record. And tonight, after a dominating 5-1 victory over the vaunted New York Yankees, the under-the-radar Toronto Blue Jays stand alone atop the AL East by 1.5 games (pending the Red Sox game at Anaheim later tonight) at 23-12.

Per bluejays.mlb.com, the "Doc," Roy Halladay, threw his first complete game of the year to improve to 7-1 on the season. Facing former rotation mate A.J. Burnett, who signed a 5-year-$82.5 million contract with the Yankees this off-season, Halladay surrendered only 1 run on 5 hits while striking out a handful and lowering his ERA to 2.95. Yet again, Halladay's early-season efforts make make him a Cy Young front runner.

Per ESPN.com, the Jays ranked 27th out of 30 in home attendance this season with 20,014. However, Jeff Blair, a general sports columnist for @globeandmail, Canada's national newspaper, Tweeted from the game and confirmed a much-deserved spike in attendance:

1. 
   GloBlair Jays were estimating 25,000-30,000 ... looks like might be more. 12 May 2009 from TweetDeck
2. 
   GloBlair Update on attendance: Jays officials saying walkup "crazy." Could be 37,000-38,000 ... yeow! 12 May 2009 from TweetDeck
3. 
   GloBlair Blue Jays say they sold approximately 12,500 walkup tickets alone today. 13 May 2009 from TweetDeck

Others who were at the Rogers Centre, and liveblogging in Toronto, shared their thoughts on the resurgence of baseball North of the border:

1. 
   BlueJayHunter Liveblogging right now at the Score. Doc vs. AJ: http://bit.ly/17dPgw 12 May 2009 from web
2. 
   BlueJayHunter Sounds like Burnett and A-Rod are hated equally at the Rogers Centre. We don't discriminate in Toronto. 12 May 2009 from web
3. 
   MLBastian Honestly, this is the loudest this place has been in a long time. Bases loaded, no outs against Burnett right now with Rolen up. 13 May 2009 from TweetDeck
4. 
   MLBastian A fan just threw a foul ball back on the field because it came off A-Rod's bat. Nice. 13 May 2009 from TweetDeck
5. 
   TaoofStieb Is it just me, or could a packed loud Dome be a big advantage for the Jays. Let's have more of this please! 13 May 2009 from web
6. 
   TaoofStieb Roy Halladay is the single greatest carbon-based entity on the planet. 13 May 2009 from web

This was the scene postgame as the Jays celebrated on the mound with Halladay (per @e453753):

Halladay's complete game victory against Yankees draws record attendance