The Sports Report: Kings and Rob Blake part ways

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Kevin Baxter: The Kings and long-embattled general manager Rob Blake have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced Monday, four days after the team’s fourth consecutive first-round playoff loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

“On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Rob for his dedication to the L.A. Kings and the passion he brought to the role,” president Luc Robitaille said in a statement. “Reaching this understanding wasn’t easy and I appreciate Rob’s partnership in always working toward what is best for the Kings.

“Rob deserves a great deal of credit and respect for elevating us to where we are today. He has been an important part of the Kings and will always be appreciated for what he has meant to this franchise.”

The search for a new general manager will begin immediately, the Kings said.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Kings coach Jim Hiller said he hadn’t talked with Robitaille yet regarding his future. Hiller, 55, signed a three-year contract with the Kings last May.

Robitaille is scheduled to to speak Tuesday about the coaching situation and the search for a new general manager.

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DODGERS

From Jack Harris: The Dodgers’ biggest player waited for their smallest one in the visiting dugout at LoanDepot Park on Monday night.

There, in a moment of joy captured by television broadcast cameras, the two shared a celebratory mid-game embrace.

Like many Asian-born players of his generation, Hyeseong Kim has long looked up to Shohei Ohtani. At first it was from afar, Kim following the Japanese superstar closely while beginning his own career in the Korean Baseball Organization. Then, this winter, the pair became coincidental training partners, occasionally working out at the same Southern California facility together as Kim (who, like Ohtani, is represented by Creative Artists Agency) prepared for his own move to the major leagues.

In the Dodgers’ 7-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Monday, Kim shared a starting lineup with Ohtani for the first time since being called up to the big leagues last week.

And during the top of the fifth inning, the two co-starred in a sequence that put the game out of reach — Kim collecting his first MLB hit on a leadoff single, before Ohtani launched a home run that made the score 5-0.

After Ohtani rounded the bases, Kim was the first to greet him, sharing a high-five near the on-deck circle. Back in the dugout, it was Ohtani’s turn to return the favor, putting his hands on his new teammate’s helmet while cracking a wide smile and jumping up and down.

“Even [though] he hit his home run, he celebrated for me, he gave me congratulations,” Kim said through interpreter Joe Lee, after going two for four with a stolen base. “It was a great honor.”

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‘Couldn’t deliver.’ How Dodgers’ lacking lineup depth was exposed in loss to Braves

Dodgers box score

MLB scores

MLB standings

CLIPPERS

From Broderick Turner: Clippers All-Star James Harden has been highly criticized for another dismal playoff performance against the Denver Nuggets, but he does have a supporter in the organization.

President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank views Harden as having done a “great job leading the way” while Kawhi Leonard sat out the first 34 games because of right-knee injury management and liked how the team responded to the 16-year veteran.

Frank spoke with reporters at a season-ending news conference Monday about how Harden played in 79 games this season, played the fifth-most total minutes in the NBA (2,789), was fifth in the league in assists (8.7), averaged 22.8 points per game and was the only player this season with 1,500 points, 500 assists, 100 steals and 50 blocks.

Frank did not mention how Harden was underwhelming in the postseason, averaging just 18.7 points per game in the series the Clippers lost to the Nuggets and how he scored just 33 points combined in Games 4, 5 and 7 losses, including seven points in Game 7.

“When it was James this year with no Kawhi, with Norm [Powell] and [Ivica] Zubac and the rest of the group, we really asked James to do a lot,” Frank said via Zoom because he was away with his family at a New York hospital because of a family medical issue.

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NBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE, RESULTS

All Times Pacific

Conference semifinals

Western Conference

No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 4 Denver Nuggets
Denver 121, at Oklahoma City 119 (box score)
Wednesday at Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Friday at Denver, 7 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Denver, 12:30 p.m., ABC
Tuesday, May 13 at Oklahoma City, TBD, TNT*
Thursday, May 15 at Denver, TBD, ESPN*
Sunday, May 18 at Oklahoma City, TBD*

No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 7 Golden State
Tuesday at Minnesota, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Thursday at Minnesota, 5:30 p.m., TNT
Saturday at Golden State, 5:30 p.m., ABC
Monday at Golden State, 7 p.m., ESPN
Wednesday, May 14 at Minnesota, TBD, TNT*
Sunday, May 18 at Golden State, TBD*
Tuesday, May 20 at Minnesota, 5:30 p.m., ESPN*

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 4 Indiana
Indiana 121, at Cleveland 112 (box score)
Tuesday at Cleveland, 4 p.m., TNT
Friday at Indiana, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Indiana 5 p.m., TNT
Tuesday, May 13 at Cleveland, TBD, TNT*
Thursday, May 15 at Indiana, TBD*
Sunday, May 18 at Cleveland, TBD*

No. 2 Boston vs. No. 3 New York
New York 108, at Boston 105 (OT) (box score)
Wednesday at Boston, 4 p.m., TNT
Saturday at New York, TBD, ABC
Monday at New York, TBD, ESPN
Wed., May 14 at Boston, TBD, TNT*
Friday, May 16 at New York, TBD, ESPN*
Monday, May 19 at Boston, 5 p.m., TNT*

*if necessary

OLYMPIC MEDALS

From Chuck Schilken: Gary Hall Jr. won 10 Olympic medals with the U.S. swimming team from 1996-2004, then lost them all in January when the house he was renting in the Pacific Palisades went up in flames.

He now has all five golds, all three silvers and both bronzes back in his possession again, after the International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach presented him with replicas Monday during a ceremony at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In a phone interview with The Times, Hall admitted he got “emotional” at the ceremony over what he considers to be a tremendous gesture by one of the largest governing bodies in sports.

“Just the appreciation — ‘one of our own’ was kind of the sense that I was embraced with,” Hall said. “When tough times happen, you find out who your friends are. And to see this response from the highest level of sport, it makes you feel special. It makes you feel supported, which is so needed at this time. And with the rebuilding process and dealing with incredible loss, that value is tremendous.

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NHL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE, RESULTS

All times Pacific

Conference semifinals

Pacific 1 Vegas vs. Pacific 3 Edmonton
Tuesday at Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Edmonton, 6 p.m., TNT
Monday at Edmonton, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Wednesday, May 14 at Vegas, TBD, ESPN*
Friday, May 16 at Edmonton, TBD, TNT*
Sunday, May 18 at Vegas, TBD, TNT*

C1 Winnipeg vs. C2 Dallas
Wednesday at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Friday at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Dallas, 1:30 p.m., TBS
Tuesday, May 13 at Dallas, 5 p.m., ESPN
Thursday, May 15 at Winnipeg, TBD, TNT*
Saturday, May 17 at Dallas, TBD*
Monday, May 19 at Winnipeg, TBD, ESPN*

Eastern Conference

Atlantic 1 Toronto vs. Atlantic 3 Florida
at Toronto 5, Florida 4 (summary)
Wednesday at Toronto, 4 p.m., ESPN
Friday at Florida, 4 p.m., TNT
Sunday at Florida, 4:0 p.m., TBS
Wednesday, May 14 at Toronto, TBD, ESPN*
Friday, May 16 at Florida, TBD, TNT*
Sunday, May 18 at Toronto, TBD, TNT*

Metro 1 Washington vs. Metro 2 Carolina
Tuesday at Washington, 4 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Washington, 4 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Carolina, 3 p.m., TNT
Monday at Carolina, 4 p.m., TNT
Thursday, May 15 at Washington, TBD, TNT*
Saturday, May 17 at Carolina, TBD*
Monday, May 19 at Washington, TBD, ESPN*

* If necessary

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1895 — African American jockey James “Soup” Perkins guides Halma to a wire-to-wire victory in the Kentucky Derby. The 15-year-old joins fellow African American jockey Alonzo Clayton as the youngest jockey to ride a Derby winner.

1944 — Pensive, ridden by Conn McCreary, wins the Kentucky Derby going away by four and a half lengths ahead of Broadcloth. Pensive, who clocks 2:04.2, is third entering the stretch and wears down Broadcloth and Stir Up.

1967 — 93rd Kentucky Derby: Bobby Ussery on Proud Clarion wins in 2:00.6.

1970 — European Cup Final, San Siro, Milan: Feyenoord beats Celtic, 2-1; first time title won by a Dutch club.

1973 — The New England Whalers beat the Winnipeg Jets 9-6 to win the first World Hockey Association championship.

1976 — Philadelphia’s Reggie Leach ties an NHL playoff record, scoring five goals in the Flyers’ 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins. Maurice Richard and Darryl Sittler also accomplished the feat.

1978 — Affirmed, ridden by Steve Cauthen, holds off Alydar’s late charge for a 1½-length victory in the Kentucky Derby. This is Affirmed’s easiest race against Alydar en route to the Triple Crown.

1988 — Rick Stiner is 6-for-8 with 11 RBIs and three home runs and Matt Hyde is 6-for-9 with two homers and seven RBIs as Grand Canyon College sets a college scoring record with a 45-15 victory over Denver.

1987 — Mario Andretti sets one-lap speed record at Indy at 218.204 MPH.

1991 — Sergei Bubka of the Soviet Union breaks his world outdoor pole vault record and Seppo Raty of Finland smashes the world javelin record during the Toto International Super Track and Field Meet in Japan. Bubka clears 19 feet, 11 inches, breaking his outdoor record of 19-10½. Raty hurls the javelin 301 feet, 9 inches, breaking the world record of 298-6 set.

1992 — Werder Bremen of Germany win 32nd European Cup winner’s Cup against AS Monaco of France 2-0 in Lisbon.

1994 — Lennox Lewis TKOs Phil Jackson in 8 for heavyweight boxing title.

2000 — Fusaichi Pegasus, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, is the first favorite to win Kentucky Derby since 1979. Fusaichi Pegasus pays $6.60, becoming the first favorite to win the race since Spectacular Bid.

2001 — Scott Dixon, a 20-year-old rookie, becomes the youngest winner in major open-wheel racing when he holds off Kenny Brack by 0.366 seconds to capture the CART Lehigh Valley Grand Prix.

2006 — Barbaro storms into the lead at the top of the stretch and wins the Kentucky Derby victory convincingly. Barbaro, ridden by Edgar Prado, wins his sixth consecutive race 6½ lengths ahead of Bluegrass Cat and is the sixth undefeated winner of the Derby.

2006 — Phoenix is the eighth team in NBA history to win a series after trailing 3-1 with a 121-90 victory over Lakers in Game 7 of its Western Conference opening-round series.

2010 — Johan Franzen scores a natural hat trick in a 3:26 span of the first period, scores a fourth goal in the third, and sets a Red Wings playoff record with six points as Detroit stays alive with a 7-1 rout of the San Jose Sharks in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals.

2011 — James Hylton, at age 76, becomes the oldest driver to make the field in NASCAR’s top three series by qualifying for the Nationwide event at Darlington Raceway. Hylton surpasses his own mark for racing longevity set three years ago when the then-73-year-old started the Nationwide event at Daytona.

2012 — Dustin Brown scores two goals and the eighth-seeded Kings finish an improbable four-game sweep of the St. Louis Blues with a 3-1 victory, advancing to the conference finals. The Kings become the first No. 8 seed in NHL history to eliminate their conference’s top two seeds in the same postseason. After steamrolling past top-seeded Vancouver and second-seeded St. Louis with eight wins in nine games.

2018 — Marc-Andre Fleury makes 28 saves in his fourth shutout of the playoffs and the expansion Vegas Golden Knights are headed to the Western Conference Final in their inaugural season after beating the San Jose Sharks 3-0 in Game 6 of their second-round series. Vegas becomes the third team in NHL history to win multiple series in its first season.

THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

1917 — Bob Groom of the Browns duplicated teammate Ernie Koob’s feat of the previous day by pitching a 3-0 no-hit victory against the Chicago White Sox in the second game of a doubleheader in St. Louis.

1934 — Carl Reynolds, Moose Solters, Rick Ferrell and Bucky Walters hit four consecutive triples in a 12-run fourth inning for the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, en route to a 14-4 win over the Detroit Tigers.

1941 — In his last game before entering the U.S. military, Detroit’s Hank Greenberg hit two home runs with three RBIs to help the Tigers to a 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees.

1951 — Cliff Chambers of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitched a 3-0 no-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader against the Braves in Boston.

1953 — Bobo Holloman of the St. Louis Browns pitched a 6-0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Athletics in his first major league start. He never pitched another complete game in the majors.

1955 — Roberto Clemente crashes Willie Mays’s birthday party in his second visit to the Polo Grounds, by banging a 430-foot triple over the birthday boy’s head in the midst of a decisive rally in a 3-2 Pirate win over the Giants.

1968 — San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Lindy McDaniel sets a National League record playing his 225th consecutive game without committing an error. The streak includes 108 chances handled successfully since June 16, 1964.

1974 — Oakland Athletics pitcher Paul Lindblad’s major league streak of 385 consecutive games without committing an error comes to an end when he makes an errant throw in a 6-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

1982 — Gaylord Perry of the Seattle Mariners became the 15th major league pitcher with 300 victories when he defeated the New York Yankees 7-3 at the Kingdome.

1984 — Cal Ripken of the Baltimore Orioles hit for the cycle in a 6-1 win over the Texas Rangers. Ripken completed the cycle with a solo homer in the ninth.

1994 — Anthony Young won as a starter for the first time in more than two years as the Chicago Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-1. The win ended Young’s 29-game losing streak as a starter. Young’s previous win as a starter came on April 9, 1992 with the New York Mets.

1998 — Rookie Kerry Wood tied the major league record with 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game, pitching a one-hitter to lead the Chicago Cubs over the Houston Astros 2-0.

2005 — San Diego’s Trevor Hoffman became the third pitcher in major league history to reach 400 saves in the Padres’ 6-5 victory over St. Louis. Hoffman joined Lee Smith (478) and John Franco (424) in the 400-save club.

2007 — Hideki Matsui doubles to left in an at-bat against Jarrod Washburn. It is his 2,000th hit between Major League Baseball and Nippon Pro Baseball.

2012 — The Baltimore Orioles completed a three-game sweep at Boston with a 9-6 win in 17 innings. In the first major league game since 1925 in which both teams put a position player on the mound, Baltimore designated hitter Chris Davis overcame an awful 0-for-8 day at the plate by pitching two scoreless innings and getting the win over Darnell McDonald, an outfielder Boston called upon once the Red Sox bullpen was also depleted. Adam Jones hit a three-run homer in the top of the 17th off McDonald.

2012 — Albert Pujols finally hits his first American League homer, breaking the longest homerless drought of his career, when he connects off the Blue Jays’ Drew Hutchison with a runner on in the 5th inning of the Angels’ 4-3 win.

2015 — OF Bryce Harper has the first three-homer game of his career in leading the Nationals to a 7 – 5 win over the Marlins.

2021 — The Angels designate for assignment veteran slugger Albert Pujols, for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release. Pujols is in the last season of a ten-year, $253-million contract, but his production has declined significantly in recent years and he has become a bench player of late. The 41-year-old Pujols is the active leader in games played, hits, home runs and RBIs. He states that he hopes to find another team that will give him a shot at a starting job. The Dodgers will take him on board in a few days.

Compiled by the Associated Press