Highlights of the week ahead in sports, both here and afar:

AP photos by Mark J. Terrill
Lakers forward Pau Gasol and center Andrew Bynum react to a call in the second half of Saturday's Game 4 loss. The Thunder won 103-100.

THIS WEEK'S BEST BET

NBA Western Conference semifinals: Lakers vs. Oklahoma City:
Game 5: Monday in Oklahoma City, 6:30 p.m., TNT;
Game 6: Wednesday at Staples Center, 7:30 p.m., ESPN; (if necessary);
Game 7: Sunday in Oklahoma City, TBD, TNT (if necessary):

Is it too much to ask for the Lakers' traveling circus to put on a couple more performances before this already tweaked-up season officially ends? They've found very entertaining ways to lose every which way possible to the Thunder in the first four meetings, so at least you get your TV money's worth. Sure, they could be the ones with a 3-1 series lead and in a close-out situation. But that would require Kobe Bryant's fourth-quarter shooting percentage to improve, as well as his coaxing abilities to get Pau Gasol more involved. A comeback wouldn't necessarily be anything of epic proportions, but, considering the birth certificates, it'd be one for the ages. Sit tight, take hold, Thunder road.

MONDAY

MLB: Dodgers at Arizona, 6:40 p.m., Prime:

Chris Capuano (5-1, 2.34 ERA), tonight's Dodgers starter, is just 1-4 lifetime with a 4.14 ERA lifetime against Arizona in six starts. The series continues Tuesday and Wednesday, 6:40 p.m. on Channel 9, after the two teams split their two-game series a week ago in L.A.

MLB: Angels at Oakland, 7:05 p.m., FSW:

Manny Ramirez is supposed to join the A's, but not until the end of the month. By which point, he'll have served out another PED suspension, and perhaps given up on trying to come back at age 40. You can still try to keep foolin' 'em. These two AL West rivals also meet Tuesday (7:05 p.m., FSW) and Wednesday (12:35 p.m., FSW)

NHL Eastern Conference finals Game 4: N.Y. Rangers at New Jersey, 5 p.m., NBC Sports Network:

Rangers coach John Tortorella, when he isn't keeping things in the room, is ripping the Devils for acting devilish on selling penalty calls and skirting the rules. Wait'll he runs into the Kings in the next round. New York can put this series away with wins today and in Game 5 back in New York on Wednesday (5 p.m., NBC Sports Network). The Stanley Cup finals could start at early as Sunday at Madison Square Garden. Or, not until the middle of next week.

NBA Eastern Conference semifinals Game 5: Philadelphia at Boston, 4 p.m., TNT:

With this series tied at two, "it's a swing game, but it's a swing game for both teams," Boston coach Doc Rivers says. "Game 5s and Game 7s are pretty much the same." No, not really.

TUESDAY

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, center, flanked by teammates Trevor Lewis and Jonathan Bernier, has to watch the final minutes of Game 4 tick off while he came off the ice for an extra attacker Sunday. The Coyotes won, 2-0.

NHL Western Conference finals Game 5: Kings at Phoenix, 6 p.m., NBC Sports Network:

It's May sweeps in the TV world, but not again for this Kings' mini-series. Look how spoiled you can get. "That was Coyote hockey," said Phoenix forward Ray Whitney after Phoenix's 2-0 Game 4 win at Staples Center. "A lot of effort, a lot of blocked shots, and some timely goals by Shane Doan. And, of course, Smitty (Mike Smith) in the net. That's kind of the equation for us. When you have nothing to lose you throw it all out there and you see what happens." The Kings' generosity in Game 4 affords them the option to go where they're much more comfortable -- on the road, where they've won seven straight in the post season. If needed, Game 6 is at Staples Center (Thursday, 6 p.m.) with Game 7 in Phoenix (Saturday, 5 p.m.), both on NBC Sports Network. "We are still in a good position," the Kings' Anze Kopitar said. "That's why we have to hit the reset button, refocus and make sure we have a lot of energy for Tuesday."

WNBA: Sparks vs. Seattle, Staples Center, 7:30 p.m.:

The original home opener that was supposed to be played Sunday night is bumped to this date because, well, the team is very accomodating. The Sparks stormed back to win their season opener against the Storm on Friday night.

Seattle Storm's Ann Wauters, left, tries to keep the ball from the Sparks' DeLisha Milton-Jones in the first half of a WNBA opener last Friday in Seattle.
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

WEDNESDAY

MLS: Galaxy vs. San Jose, Home Depot Center, 7:30 p.m., KDOC-Channel 56:

David Beckham celebrated the Galaxy's 1-0 loss to Chivas last Saturday by bringing the family out to the Kings' Game 4 playoff game against Phoenix on Sunday. Five non-wins in a row will force you to attend other team's games where victories are almost nearly certain.

THURSDAY

MLB: Angels at Seattle, 7:10 p.m., FSW:

A Chone Figgins update: He's hitting just .180 with as many homers (2) as stolen bases. Do the Angels want him back? The teams also go at it Friday (7:10 p.m., FSW), Saturday (4:15 p.m., Channel 11) and Sunday (1:10 p.m., FSW). Saturday is a turn-back-the-clock promotion, where the Angels will wear their old Pacific Coast League uniforms while the Mariners wear Seattle Rainiers duds. How rustic. Eddie Bauer should sponsor it.

FRIDAY

MLB: Dodgers vs. Houston, Dodger Stadium, 7:10 p.m., Prime:

Clayton Kershaw (4-1, 1.90) goes for back-to-back shutouts in the opener, but the highlight of the weekend series might be the fact you can bring your dog to the park on Saturday (6:10 p.m., Prime). No reflection on the opposing team. Probably. Or the IR-bound Juan Uribe. Dodger Dogs can be consumed in moderation as well for the finale (Sunday, 1:10 p.m., Prime).

College baseball: USC at UCLA, Jackie Robinson Stadium, 6 p.m.:

It's strange, but their only previous meeting was a 7-2 Bruins' victory in the Dodgertown Classic at Dodger Stadium, when both were ranked in the top 25. USC, which finally ended a nine-game losing streak last weekend, has dropped below .500 and can't even think about the post season, so this three-game road series will end the year (they also play Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.). The Bruins, who had won nine of 10 going into last Sunday's game at Cal, are likely headed to the regionals June 1-4, which could lead to the super regionals (June 8-11) and College World Series (June 15-26).

SATURDAY

MLS: Galaxy at Houston, 11:30 a.m., NBC Sports Network:

They're the two teams that made it to the finals a year ago. Don't bank on a repeat.

SUNDAY

Motor sports: Indianapolis 500, 8 a.m., Channel 7:

The 96th running of the world's most famous auto race will go without 81-year-old Jim Nabors singing "Back Home Again in Indiana" - Gomer is on the DL needing heart surgery soon. We'll power through with Long Beach Grand Prix champ Will Power going after his fourth straight IRL victory, starting from the No. 5 spot behind pole sitter Ryan Briscoe. He has a commanding lead in the IRL standings with 180 points and he's collected 15 career victories -- but no bottle of milk yet at the Indianapolis finish line. Three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves is second in the standings with 135 points.
JR Hildebrand (right), who as a rookie last year was one last turn away from an Indy 500 win before he hit the wall and slid across the finish line second, is tied for seventh with 83 points, with Ashley Judd's husband, Dario Franchitti, who won the race two years ago, limping in at 10th with 82 points. Tragically, the defending champion won't be back. Dan Wheldon won the race in 2011 -- his second after doing it before in 2005 -- but it was the final win of his racing career, as he was killed in the final IRL race of the season in Las Vegas.

NASCAR: Sprint Cup Coca-Cola 600, Charlotte Motor Speedway, 2:30 p.m., Channel 11:

Kevin Harvick ended up winning last year when Dale Earnhardt Jr. ran out of gas a half-mile from the finish line and coasted across in seventh place. They ended up running 402 laps and 603 miles -- the longest event in NASCAR history.

In our blog post last week (linked here) about the Jim Rome CBS Sports Network set that the view out the "window" on the new set had to have come from a shot taken either from the towering Ritz Carlton across the street from Chick Hearn Court, or even from the Convention Center to the west.

It wasn't until we got off the Metrolink on Saturday and noticed this view (above). This is looking at Staples Center from Flower Street, near 12th Street -- the south east side of the arena. With that larger building to the left, it would make more sense that the shot in "Rome" comes from this angle, just higher up. There's an abandoned 10-plus story building right behind us here that would be perfect to shoot from and could account for the "Rome" backdrop.

But then again, it's not real to the "Rome" studio. "Rome" has far too many "other" buildings in the vicinity, which aren't there. Oh, well, we tried. Again.

Yup, the grayish beard is for the hockey playoffs, and the chat with Chick was for my own well being. He's a good listener.

You gotta wonder what Chick Hearn would have said about this whole L.A. sports weekend spectacle.

We pretty much know what Hearn would have said about that.

It better. It's how you must navigate around the Tour of California, Kings' Game 4 or Clippers' Game 4 Sunday in downtown L.A.

On top of that, thousands are expected to participate in a "ride before the pros" event, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., along the 5-mile cycling circuit.

Here are the street closures:
= Figueroa Street from Pico Blvd. to Olympic Blvd
= Chick Hearn Court from Flower Street to Georgia Street
= Pico Blvd. from Flower Street to Figueroa Street
= Flower Street from Pico Blvd. to 11th Street
= Olympic Blvd. from Figueroa Street to Olive Street
= Olive Street, North of Olympic Blvd.
= 11th Street from Flower Street to Hill Street
= Hill Street, North of 11th Street

All of the streets will be re-opened prior to the end of the Kings' game. Whenever that happens.

Getty Images
Orel Hershiser, left, and Tommy Lasorda chat with Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson before a game at Dodger Stadium last Tuesday. All three were key parts to the Dodgers' 1988 World Series victory over heavily favored Oakland.

If Orel Hershiser were to dig through his socks draw and find the baseball that was used to record the final out that gave him the record-breaking 59th consecutive scoreless inning in 1988, what would it be worth on the open market?

It's something we won't know, at least for now.

The Dodgers' Cy Young Award winner once had that item as part of a personal collection of uniforms, bats and other things commissioned to Grey Flannel Auctions to sell off the highest bidder (the auction is at this link and runs through May 30). But when he realized that ball was something he didn't want to part with - it accidentally got put in with everything else he was cleaning out - he talked the company into having it retracted.

But then again, is that really the ball that Dodgers right fielder Jose Gonzalez caught in the 10th inning at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego during a scoreless game to clinch the record?

Former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda has long told the story that Gonzalez, in a moment of brain cramping, tossed the ball into the stands.

We checked in with Hershiser, who happened to be with Lasorda at a Dodger Stadium suite last Tuesday night after he threw out the first pitch on his bobblehead giveaway night, to find out what's really going on here:

Odds to win 2012 NBA Championship, posted today by www.Bovada.lv:

San Antonio Spurs 7/4
Oklahoma City Thunder 2/1
Miami Heat 10/3
Boston Celtics 7/1
Indiana Pacers 12/1
Los Angeles Lakers 25/1
Philadelphia 76ers 50/1
Los Angeles Clippers 100/1

Odds to win 2012 NBA Championship, posted on May 14:

Miami Heat 11/10
San Antonio Spurs 3/1
Oklahoma City Thunder 15/4
Boston Celtics 8/1
Los Angeles Lakers 9/1
Los Angeles Clippers 40/1
Indiana Pacers 60/1
Philadelphia 76ers 65/1

In light of the profile we did of Fox Sports West/Prime Ticket reporter Patrick O'Neal four months ago (linked here) -- which included a poignant discussion of his work from his dad, actor Ryan O'Neal -- comes this 2,137-word guest column on the Huffington Post (linked here) called "In Defense of Dad."

Hang onto this one if you need something to read on Father's Day.

It starts off with some boxing references, a sport Ryan O'Neal keeps close to the heart:

"I'm sick of the low blows, the kidney punches, and the shots after the bell and on the breaks. I'm sick of all the trash talking. From Vanity Fair, The Today Show and The View just to name a few. From mean spirited bloggers who say my father is an awful man, and would be better off dead. ... All this nasty criticism you throw at my dad reminds me of the guy that throws the sucker-punch. The weakling that hits someone when they aren't looking, and then disappears into the crowd because they're scared they might get punched back ..."

"I haven't been a perfect son or brother. I have been busy trying to be a good father to my girls, and do the best job I can as a broadcaster. I haven't always been there for my dad or my brothers, sister, nieces and nephews. For that I'm sorry. I believe in family, and I believe in our family. That's why I wrote this, it's about FAMILY. I love you all. And Dad, thanks for everything you have done for me over the years. I'm sorry I disappeared from time to time. I was trying to make my way in this world -- not always easy. I made mistakes, and hurt your feelings along the way, and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry you are going through a tough time right now. I know you miss Farrah and you're dealing with some physical and emotional pain. Please hang in there because we still make a good paddle tennis team, even if I have to carry us. Team O'Neal forever!"

Read the comments posted here as well. It's worth it.

What's included in this week's media column (linked here):

How Staples Center accomodates not just NBC, ESPN/ABC and TNT for its six NBA and NHL playoff games this weekend, but how the Canadian production trucks are also mashed in there, and how the pieces all come together .... plus more on the MLB Network's power play to secure some post-season live telecasts, and the pros and cons from the network "up front" presentations in New York this week.

What's not included:

== The 18th annual "Smack-Off" commences today (linked here) on Jim Rome's syndicated radio show (9 a.m. to noon, KLAC-AM 570). Brad in Corona is back to defend his title, having also won it in a rookie effort in 2009 that became what we determined to be a gamechanger in the event's history. Someday, Jay Mohr may just pull it off. A history of the event has its own Wikipedia page (linked here, apparently in dire need of additional citations for verification by reliable sources). Keep it clean, boys and girls.

== The Sparks launch their 16th WNBA season with Larry Burnett and Tracy Warren calling their games on the Time Warner Cable-produced telecasts that'll be seen, outside the TWC subscriber base, on KDOC-Channel 56 starting Friday night when the team opens in Seattle. Burnett is in his 15th season calling Sparks games. Warren did games for ESPN, the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports Net. TWC does 13 Sparks this season, with 11 appearing on KDOC. Tuesday's rescheduled home opener for the Sparks will be on the NBA Network.

== The New York Times has declared the Kings as champions of NHL Twitter feeds (linked here) based on snarkiness that, by sheer coincidence, drives up their numbers. Deadspin.com seconds that (linked here).

== "You probably don't know Bob Miller, but I do," writes an Edmonton Journal columist (linked here)

== A quote to remember when you're in search of a Kings' playoff game:
ESPN president John Skipper said during the upfront presentations in New York that he doesn't see the NBC Sports Network as much of a threat. "We've been doing this for 32 years, and there is a little too much respect paid to their brand name. They don't look like we look. We have more viewers in an average minute on ESPN mobile then they have on all of NBC Sports Network."
An ESPN spokesman confirmed: During the average minute in the TV daytime, there's 93,999 people using ESPN Mobile and apps compared to 82,421 watching NBC Sports Network.
NBC Sports Network, which is in about 20 million fewer homes than ESPN, responded (linked here): "The NBC Sports Group brands are among the most powerful brands in sports. We don't look like anyone else and we're very proud of that fact. They've been at this a long time and at a significantly higher cost to consumers. Our audience and market share are increasing as evidenced by the NHL playoffs and at great value to our viewers."

== Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch interviews Skipper about this, that and other things (linked here), including this Magic Johnson-related question, in light of him recently saying on an ESPN NBA show that Lakers coach Mike Brown would surely be fired if the team lost its Game 7 first-round match up against Denver:

Q: Magic Johnson is now a part owner of the Dodgers. He has long been a vice president with the Lakers. How should viewers view an analyst who has business ties with sports that you cover?

Skipper: I think it has worked great. It has been fun. We are trying to do things different. TNT, of course, has a fabulous show. They have been tough to compete with. It's a great show and Charles Barkley is a unique personality. We decided not to be a second version of what they do. We try to do something different and that's what you do. When you have a tough, pre-eminent competitor, you have to do something different.

== Max Bretos and Taylor Twellman call the Galaxy-Chivas SuperClasico match on Saturday (7:30 p.m., ESPN2) from Home Depot Center. Studio analyst Alexi Lalas will be on site for studio segments as well.

== Then there's this phantom tweeter that has since disappeared has been making network suits a little uneasy about how much information he knows, and knows how the networks can manipulate the numbers (linked here).

== And finally: From Deadspin.com (linked here), a screen grab of a graphic during an Angels' recent broadcast against Oakland in the seventh inning that pretty much sums up the team's performance lately. What is there left to say? Something else... This was actually done intentionally. We heard analyst Mark Gubicza keep referring to the George Harrison song, "Something," as the night went on...

== CBS Sports Network has "Dangerous Game: Inside PBR," where pro bull riders Ty Murray, Luke Snyder, Shorty Gorham and Jeff Robinson sit around discussing why the heck they do this thing. It debuts Sunday at noon.

There are no Southern California theatres scheduled to be part of the limited release Friday of the new lacrosse-based movie "Crooked Arrows." Most of the cities that will have it, in hopes of creating a buzz, are in the the sport's hotter hotbeds of New York, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Colorado and Connecticut.

Feel left out?

The official website (linked here) reports that it'll be in SoCal venues such as AMC Burbank, Winnetka 24 in Chatsworth, Archlight Beach Cities in El Segundo, Rave 18 in L.A., AMC Rolling Hills and Muvico Thousand Oaks 14 starting June 1.

Can't hardly wait.

The movie's premise: A fictional Native American high school lacross team hires a new coach (Brandon Routh), who pulls them together to get to the state prep school championship game. Cameos are from several top college players in the country.

Writer Todd Baird and producers Mitchell Peck and Adam Leff came up with the story as a "Mighty Ducks"-type movie produced by the big studios in the late 1990s, but it wasn't really embraced at the time. The financing of the film was spearheaded by former Syracuse All-America Jeffrey McCormick, who met Peck and independent producer J. Todd Harris, who Peck brought aboard.

UPDATED: THURSDAY 5 p.m.:

It's been six weeks since Jim Rome's new half-hour afternoon sports show launched on the CBS Sports Network, and aside from getting used to a new-ish format, there's one other slight thing that's a little harder to adjust to: Where does it originate?

CBS and Rome made it fairly common knowledge that "Rome" is taped at a studio in an undisclosed Orange County location -- the exact spot is incidental, but it's not far from the radio studio where Rome does his syndicated radio show from 9 a.m. to noon each day, and close to his O.C. home.

So is it a bit disingenuous when viewers tuning into "Rome" see Staples Center in the background? It's a one of those vistas where you'd have to be ... standing on the Harbor Freeway, or the roof of the L.A. Convention Center. Maybe a corner window at the Ritz Carlton Hotel across the street? Or, ironically, it's something that could be seen from the studio offices of ESPN, the company who Rome used to work for (but resisted doing his "Jim Rome Is Burning" show from those 12,300-square-foot L.A. studios built in 2009, preferring to again stay in the O.C.).

Granted, Jay Leno's NBC "Tonight Show" out of Burbank has an L.A. skyline as a backdrop. Most viewers surely realize it's there for set decoration, not even an accurate outline of Hollywood and L.A. landmarks. CBS' Letterman does the same with a New York cityscape for "Late Show."

But Leno and Letterman are also doing a variety and entertainment show. It's not one where viewers come for some entertainment but also to be informed, take in news and listen to guests offering educated opinions.

More than a few emailers have wondered how CBS could take such journalistic liberties to make it appear that Rome is L.A. adjacent.

"The show backdrop showcases the great sports city of Los Angeles and is not meant to be a literal indication of where the show originates," said Mike Antinoro, the executive VP of programming for Dick Clark Productions, which handles production of the show.

Antinoro also said he doesn't think it comprises the integrity of the show. Rome, via email, said he had nothing to add to Antinoro's quote.

Where things get a little squishy is a case recently when Rome did a live, split-screen interview with Lakers coach Mike Brown. On one side of the screen, Brown was shown at his home, with the graphic underneath indicating he was in "Anaheim, Calif." On the other side was Rome, above the graphic that read "Los Angeles."

Truth is, Rome was much closer to Anaheim than he was L.A.

Listen, if Arte Morenois open to criticism for calling his team the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim when all he's only after is the L.A. affiliation, this seems fair game as well.

Aside from all that, do we even address the fact that the view of Staples Center and the surrounding downtown L.A. buildings make it appear to be nighttime, while the show is taped at 3 p.m. local time?

Maybe we'll revisit this all again next time we're watching the show while working out at our local 24 Hour Fitness that isn't really open 24 hours.

Got any thoughts about whether this bothers you or not as a viewer? Please leave comments on this one....

UPDATE: On today's show, Rome came on at the top and said he was "coming to you from Southern California," not Los Angeles as he normally says, and in a split screen interview with Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, who was graphically described to be in Tempe, Ariz.., the graphic under Rome's live shot said simply "ROME Studios."

How do you explain the Kings' playoff run so far?

We happened upon ESPN's "Around The Horn" this afternoon when the question was posed by host Tony Reali to the four panelists.

Based on their answers, it's apparent none of them has even seen a game of the Kings' 10-1 playoffs so far, but could have been able to were able to quickly graze upon some information through a quick Google search and a predictable tap dance.

Michael Smith: "Real simple. They're getting contributions from everyone. Every line is scoring. They're getting great defense in front of Jonathan Quick. You mentioned how great he's been in between the pipes. And the Coyotes right now are coming apart. Game misconducts . . . really fell apart in the second period. And 0-for-9 on the power play this series."

Reali gave him two points.

Bob Ryan: "Quick is an obvious starting point, but I'll must this, over the last two years, if you go back to last year, you could have had eight or nine different teams win with a different bounce of the puck here or there. That's exactly the same thing this year. Eight (seed) is not that far from one (seed). Whoever one is."

Reali gave him two points.

Tim Cowlishaw: "Even by NHL Stanley Cup standards, this is a remarkable run to see teams from the bottom of the bracket going deep into the playoffs, but they are 7-0 on the road against 1, 2 and 3 seeds. They're beating the top teams in the West time after time."

Reali actually gave him four points for that, along with the remark: "Not an answer. You didn't explain it. At least you remarked about it."

Kevin Blackistone: "In 10 of 11 playoff games, they've allowed two or fewer goals. That is absolutely amazing! That means they're in every game. They're never out of every game. They never have to chase. The goaltending - it's all about goaltending in the second half of the season."

Reali gave him two points and remarked "I think that counts as an explanation."

So what did we learn from these four? That we'll never get those three minutes of our life back.

Photo credit: SCP Auctions

A Yankees' Babe Ruth jersey from 1920 -- just after he was purchased from the Boston Red Sox, and once displayed at the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum in Baltimore -- has reached a record $1,528,993 during bidding at SCP Auctions that ends this weekend.

The Ruth "New York" wool jersey has already eclipsed the record for a game-worn jersey sale and could pass the $2.8 million paid in 2007 for a pristine T-206 Honus Wagner tobacco baseball card, said SCP Auctions president said David Kohler. There have been 18 bids submitted as of this morning.

The Robb Report pointed out that when Ruth was sold to the Yankees in December, 1919, the price was $125,000 -- equal to about $1.6 million in today's figures.

Lot No. 741 (linked here), which was before players wore numbers and is stitched with Ruth's name on the collar, will run through Saturday.

SCP Auctions (linked here), which recently handled the sale of the Kirk Gibson 1988 bat and jersey from the Game 1 World Series home run and the last bat used by Lou Gehrig to hit a home run, is also auctioning the Ruth's 1930s Yankees game-worn cap owned (and worn in a game) by former Yankees' pitcher David Wells. That is currently at $208,868 but it has not reached its reserve price (linked here).

The auction also includes an extensive baseball collection of nearly 500 cards owned by the Detroit Tigers' Dmitri Young, which ends Friday. Young's collection includes what's said to be the only 1955 Roberto Clemente Topps rookie card ever graded PSA 10 Gem Mint ($185,030) (linked here).

The sale includes a 1954 Hank Aaron Topps Rookie card PSA 10 Gem Mint ($139,015) and the only 1963 Pete Rose Topps rookie card ever graded PSA 10 Gem Mint ($98,525).

Young collected every Baseball Hall of Fame rookie card from 1948 to 1990, as well as other well-known rookies, and wants part of the auction proceeds to go to the Dmitri D. Young Foundation that will host baseball and softball camps and clinics, support of Boys and Girls Clubs and sponsor programs and scholarships for student athletes and their families in Ventura County.

The auction also includes the cap worn by Bobby Thomson in 1951 when he hit his "Shot Heard 'Round the World" home run for the New York Giants against the Brooklyn Dodgers (current high bid: $74,022) and a 1938 Babe Ruth Brooklyn Dodgers game-word road uniform (current high bid: $73,205)

Highlights of the week ahead in sports, both here and afar:

THIS WEEK'S BEST BET

(AP Photo/Matt York)
Phoenix Coyotes' fans have their white-out shirts ready during the first period of Sunday's Game 1 of the NHL Western Conference finals against the Kings in Glendale, Ariz.

NHL Western Conference finals: Kings vs. Phoenix:
Game 2 at Phoenix, Tuesday at 6 p.m., NBC Sports Network;
Game 3 at Staples Center, Thursday at 6 p.m., NBC Sports Network;
Game 4 at Staples Center, Sunday at noon, Channel 4:

The local Phoenicians are understandably proud of their Coyotes' ability to fight and claw their way to the next-to-last round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The former Winnipeg Jets, once coached Wayne Gretzky and without an owner at the moment, could otherwise be a franchise wandering in the desert. This is no mirage. "It's definitely getting crazy out here, especially after the games. Everyone's rooting for them," Aaron Hernandez, manager of McFadden's restaurant and bar across from Jobing.com Arena, told the Associated Press this week. "It's kind of like a Cinderella story. You don't hear as much about them as some of the other teams, but they're making up ground." It's a team ranking last in league attendance, but first in the Kings' vision of a trip back to their first championship battle in 19 years, against either the New York Rangers or New Jersey Devils. As the Kings have a 1-0 series lead and having won nine of their 10 playoff games so far, they're the fifth team in Stanley Cup history to win their first six games on the road. The heat will be turned up even more for Games 3 and 4 back at Staples Center that comes with another rare national TV appearance on Sunday afternoon amidst the crowd already there for the final stage of the Tour of California bike race.

MONDAY

NBA Western Conference semifinals: Lakers at Oklahoma City, Game 1: 6:30 p.m., TNT:

Metta World Peace is on another peace mission: Trying to quiet the OKC crowd who'll welcome him back with open elbows for the first time since his elbow came thundering down up on the Thunders' James Harden in the next-to-last regular-season game, leading to a seven-game suspension. Maybe Derek Fisher can be the peace-maker in all these negotiations? Meanwhile, Mike Brown is back on the clock, saving his job after that Game 7 win against Denver. Right, Magic? Game 2 is back at Oklahoma City on Wednesday (6:30 p.m., TNT), followed by a ridiculous back-to-back Games 3 and 4 at Staples Center (Friday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., TNT).

MLB: Dodgers vs. Arizona, Dodger Stadium, 7:10 p.m., Prime:

A matchup of the top-two vote-getters from last year's NL Cy Young -- Clayton Kershaw and former USC star Ian Kennedy -- are brought together on the mound for the opener. The Dodgers then send out Orel Hershiser for Tuesday (7:10 p.m., Channel 9) for a game that's more likely to be a sellout. Oh, it's only a bobblehead version. That's bulldog.

MLB: Angels vs. Oakland, Angel Stadium, 7:05 p.m., FSW:

Former Angels Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon, trying to keep his career alive in Oakland these days, faces his old team in Tuesday's game (4:05 p.m., FSW).

Series: "Feherty," Golf Channel, 7 p.m.:

David Feherty, with Bill Clinton. What's off limits? "You obviously don't have as many advisors as you had when you were in office," Feherty says when greeting Clinton as he comes onto the set. "My first question is, 'What the hell would possess you to do this (interview)?'"

NHL Eastern Conference finals Game 1: New Jersey at N.Y. Rangers, 5 p.m., NBC Sports Network:

This series have your attention now? Game 2 is back at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday (5 p.m., NBC Sports Network), with Games 3 and 4 in New Jersey (Saturday, 10 a.m., Channel 4, and Monday, May 21).

TUESDAY

NBA Western Conference semfinals: Clippers at San Antonio, Game 1, 6:30 p.m., TNT:

The battered Clippers have a short respite after a Game 7 win to escape the first round, playing their sixth game in 11 days. The Spurs, winners of 14 in a row, will have had eight days off before this one. "We earned ourselves this break," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said Sunday. "Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't." The Clippers lost two of three meetings in the regular season, but won their last meeting 120-108 on March 9 when Chris Paul had 36 points and 11 assists, but the Spurs were without Tony Parker. That win in San Antonio was also the Clippers' first in a decade, ending a stretch of futility that spanned 18 games. Game 2 at San Antonio is set for Thursday (6:30 p.m., ESPN), but the Clippers got the short end of Games 3 and 4 back-to-backs at Staples Center. The first is crammed into the 12:30 p.m. slot Saturday for Channel 7 (while the Lakers get the prime-time slot) and the second is at 7:30 p.m. Sunday -- unless the Kings-Coyotes playoff game doesn't run long into overtime.

WEDNESDAY

MLB: Dodgers at San Diego, 3:35 p.m., Channel 9:

Why bother? The Dodgers have already won six of seven against the Padres, which helped produce a 9-1 start to the season. Interestingly, Padres starter Clayton Ricard (1-5) has his only win of the season against the Dodgers -- that single loss they suffered in their first 10 games -- and he is back to start the first of this brief two-game series on a strange Wednesday afternoon first pitch. These early starts must be some kind of consilatory response to the players whose long fly balls almost always get knocked down by the heavy marine layer at night. That is an issue, although Padres third baseman Chase Headley has denied a report that he and former teammate Ryan Ludwick engaged in a clubhouse altercation with pitcher Mike Adams last season after Adams told them in a team meeting to quit complaining about the Petco Park dimensions. ESPN.com's Tim Keown did a story last week about changing ballpark dimensions and said Adams "lashed out in a postgame rant" against Headley and Ludwick, with a scuffle resulting from it. Headley denied that any argument ensued, and San Diego manager Bud Black backed Headley's account. Thursday, the Dodgers-Pads go back to a 7:05 p.m. first pitch (on Prime), as the Padres come into the week with the NL's worst record (12-23), 11 1/2 games behidn the Dodgers in the West Division, a major-league worst 109 runs (barely more than three runs a game) and 29th in all of baseball with a team .221 batting average.

MLB: Angels vs. Chicago White Sox, 7:05 p.m., FSW:

A gorgeous Peter Bourjos bobblehead is offered up to those attending. And the center fielder may even be starting in this one. Or, could he be traded, according to the rumors? "We constantly field calls about players, but we are not actively shopping Peter Bourjos or looking for a fit for him," Angels GM Jerry Dipoto said. "We believe he's an asset to us." The two-game set ends Thursday with a day game (12:35 p.m., FSW).

THURSDAY

Golf: PGA Byron Nelson Championship, first round, noon, Golf Channel:

The tournament's late host would have turned 100 a couple of months ago. A year ago, it was then-24-year-old Tour rookie Keegan Bradley who made a name for himself by winning this event in a playoff, foreshadowing his PGA Championship title four months later. Bradley's top finish this season: Second at the Northern Trust Open at Riviera last February. CBS has the final two rounds.

Golf: LPGA Sybase Match Play Championship, Day 1, 3:30 p.m. (delayed), Golf Channel:

A year ago, Suzann Pettersen held off Cristie Kerr for a 1-up victory, sinking a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole. Golf Channel has this whole coverage from the Hamilton Farm Golf Course in Gladstone, N.J., leading up to the final day (Sunday, 1 p.m.).

FRIDAY

WNBA: Sparks at Seattle, 7 p.m., KDOC-Channel 56, NBA TV:

No need yet to stop wearing your jersey supporting Candace Parker (left) with one for rookie and next-biggest-thing Nneka Ogwumike. New free-agent guard and four-time All-Star Alana Beard might end up as the biggest off-season acquisition anyway, even thought she sat out the last two seasons with foot and ankle problems. The Sparks start their 16th season in the 12-team WNBA. Where has all the time gone? This marks the second consecutive year that the Sparks will play in the league's only opening night contest, with other WNBA teams in action starting Saturday. The season starts earlier than usual so the top players can compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The WNBA takes a 33-day midseason break from July 14 through Aug. 15.

MLB: Angels at San Diego, 7:05 p.m., FSW:

Interleague already? It shapes up as an all-Valley battle, as Simi Valley native Jered Weaver faces former Crespi High standout Jeff Suppan (2-1, 1.69 ERA), who has revived his career at age 37 after 16 seasons with the Padres. Suppan was recalled from Triple-A Tucson on May 2, after signing a minor league deal during the offseason following a season with Kansas City's Triple-A affiliate in Omaha. Last week in Phiadelphia, Suppan made his 415th career start and ranks fourth among active pitchers behind Jamie Moyer (635), Livan Hernandez (474) and Kevin Millwood (421). Check in on the rest of the series Saturday (7:05 p.m., FSW) and Sunday (1:05 p.m., FSW)

MLB: Dodgers vs. St. Louis, Dodger Stadium, 7:10 p.m., Prime:

The only NL-vs.-NL matchup of the weekend, and something here makes no sense, these defending World Series champion Cardinals rid themselves of Albert Pujols, have manager Tony LaRussa retire, and then have one of the NL's best starts to the 2012 season. Must be that reliable guy still playing shortstop -- Rafael Furcal -- plus Carlos Beltran filling in the void in the lineup. The Cards, 12-7 on the road, have outscored opponents by 65 runs coming into this week, more than 30 runs better than any other NL team. The series also goes Saturday (7:10 p.m., Channel 9) and Sunday (5 p.m., ESPN).

SATURDAY

Horse racing: The 137th Preakness, 3 p.m., Channel 4:

New York Times horse racing reporter Joe Drape wrote about I'll Have Another a day before the Kentucky Derby: "Santa Anita winner has overachieved but there won't be any magic here." Then I'll Have Another won the race. d of I'll Have Another, who of course went on to win the Derby. "I did hear about that particular prediction," said owner J. Paul Reddam. "At first when you read what the pundits say it can kind of be a little bit unnerving because it will be different from your own opinion and you wonder how much bias you have. But if you go and you look, you'll see that that particular writer had him last, but somebody else had him first." Added trainer Doug O'Neal: "How do you win the Santa Anita Derby and not be one of the top five choices?" Here's another chance for I'll Have Another to take a Triple Crown victory at Pimlico in Baltimore, with Mario Gutierrez aboard -- after he's already been to Dodger Stadium to throw out a first pitch coming off a Kentucky Derby victory. Will Mike Smith and Bodemeister give up the lead this time?

MLS: Galaxy vs. Chivas, Home Depot Center, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2:

After their White House visit on Tuesday, the Galaxy limp home with a record that looks like a bad area code (3-5-2). Maybe David Beckham takes everyone out for real fruit smoothies and frappes at Burger King afterward?

SUNDAY

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Peter Sagan celebrates his Stage 1 win next to second-place finisher Heinrich Haussler, left, during the Tour of California start in Santa Rosa.

Cycing: Amgen Tour of California, final stage, 10 a.m., Channel 4:

Stage eight of the annual bike ride across the state starts near Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, up Santa Monica Blvd., north on Doheney through West Hollywood, hang a right on Sunset, and then head past the entrance to Dodger Stadium over to Grand and Caesar Chavez avenues, where a five-mile circuit begins through Chinatown, past L.A. City Hall, the Biltmore Hotel, Disney Hall, the Music Center, and a finish at LA Live. Come early (8 to 9:30 a.m.) and you can pedal your own bikes on the course. For real. The winner will likely be treated to the Kings-Coyotes Game 4 across the street at Staples Center afterward, and maybe will hang around for the Clippers-Spurs Game 4.