OU FOOTBALL
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
No Box arrests expected
Too late for this edition
El Reno Police Chief Ken Brown said he does not expect to make arrests in the death last week of University of Oklahoma football player Austin Box. PAGE 2C
The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat were headed into overtime at press time. Go to NewsOK.com for game results.
SPORTS
MORE THUNDER
C THE OKLAHOMAN | NEWSOK.COM
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2011
OKC’s failure to launch Berry Tramel btramel@ opubco.com
LIVE CHAT ON NEWSOK I Join columnist Jenni Carlson for the Power Lunch live chat at 11 a.m. I Find out what they’re saying in Dallas with Mavericks beat writer Eddie Sefko at noon. I Thunder beat writer Darnell Mayberry gives his take at 3 p.m. I Join other fans and our writers in live coverage of the Western Conference Finals as part of the NewsOK Thunder live chat at 7:30 p.m.
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
COMMENTARY
Follow our Thunder coverage team on Twitter I Darnell Mayberry @darnellmayberry I Berry Tramel @berrytramel I Jenni Carlson @JenniCarlson_OK I Mike Sherman @mikesherman I NewsOKSports @newsoksports I NewsOK Thunder @newsokthunder
D
ALLAS — Disaster and embarrassment and infamy filled the Thunder rearview mirror as the Mavericks threatened to post a comeback for the ages Monday night. Twentysomething seconds left, the Thunder up two after leading by 15 less than five minutes previous, needing a basket to stave off an epic collapse, Kevin Durant passed the ball. To Thabo Sefolosha. And I have no problem with that. You know the rest. Thabo missed an open corner jumper, Dallas forced overtime and the Mavs won 112-105 to effectively end the Western Conference Finals. Coronation is set for Wednesday night with Game 5. Will such a meltdown have lasting impact on this franchise that could/ should run at least this deep in the NBA
GET FACEBOOK UPDATES Follow all the news and conversation on the Thunder via facebook at I Facebook.com/ newsoksports I Facebook.com/ Michael.O.Sherman
SEE TRAMEL, PAGE 8C
FOLLOW THE THUNDER ON YOUR PHONE
GAME 5
THUNDER AT MAVERICKS When: 8 p.m. Wednesday Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas TV: ESPN (Cox 29, HD 720) Radio: WWLS 98.1-FM, 640AM
OKC’s James Harden stands on the court after fouling out of the game in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against Dallas on Monday. Dallas won in overtime, 112-105. PHOTO BY NATE BILLINGS, THE OKLAHOMAN
Get breaking news on the go with Thunder text alerts by texting ‘NBA’ to 65360
BIG 12 BASEBALL
Odds aren’t good, but Thunder still has a chance DALLAS — Trailing 3-1 in
John Rohde jrohde@ opubco.com
THUNDER | NBA
a best-of-7 playoff series is no place to be, but it beats being eliminated. Barely. The Oklahoma City Thunder faces a must-win situation against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Game 5 of
the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder played once inside American Airlines Center during the regular season and won, and also won Game 2 of the series there. Making the challenge particularly daunting is
the fact OKC just got swept at home against the Mavs in Games 3 and 4. The Thunder is fresh off a devastating 112-105 overtime loss on Monday night when it led by 15 points with less than five minutes remaining in regulation and was outscored 28-6 in
the final 9:49 of play. Had the Thunder hung on and won Game 4, it would have guaranteed Game 6 inside Oklahoma City Arena. OKC now must win Game 5 in order to play again in its home
As the Sooners absorbed a wild Bedlam series loss to the Cowboys, a frustrated Sunny Golloway said that his guys could only hope to see OSU again in the Big 12 Tournament. “Hopefully, God’s gonna allow us to play them in the Big 12 Tournament,” Golloway said at the time. The title game, perhaps? Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are together
John Helsley jhelsley@ opubco.com
COLLEGE BASEBALL again as true contenders in the 2011 event, which opens Wednesday with first-round games at RedHawks Field at Bricktown. That’s good for them
and good for the tournament, which has dealt with the absence of the Cowboys the past two years. Big 12 regular-season co-champions Texas and Texas A&M are the favorites, yet parity has marked this season in the league, with the Longhorns and Aggies each suffering eight conference losses. The SEE BIG 12, PAGE 4C
Big 12 Baseball Championships on the go. Text Big 12 to 65360 to sign up for Big 12 Baseball Tournament text alerts.
CONTACT US
SEE THUNDER, PAGE 8C
BIG 12 BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
OU, OSU back as true contenders
TEXT ALERT
BIG 12 BASEBALL TOURNAMENT I When: Wednesday through Sunday I Where: RedHawks Field at Bricktown I Tickets: Packages available ranging from $67 for weekend terrace tickets to $202 for all-session club seats. Single session tickets: $37 for club-level, $22 for field box, $17 for terrace reserved, $16 for field bleacher and $13 for general admission. Tickets are available at or by phone at the Oklahoma City RedHawks box office at 405218-1000.
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES I OSU vs. Baylor, 9 a.m. I Texas vs Missouri, 12:30 p.m. I Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech, 4 p.m. I OU vs. Kansas State, 7: 30 p.m.
The Oklahoman Sports Department P.O. Box 25125 Oklahoma City, OK 73125 Phone: (405) 475-3313 (800) 375-6397 ext. 3313 Fax: (405) 475-3315 Website: NewsOK.com Email: sportsdesk@ oklahoman.com
› › › ›
Mike Sherman, Sports Editor (405) 475-3164 msherman@ opubco.com