From friends to foes: Glen Davis and Tyrus Thomas have been friends since they were 8 years old. They were stars of LSU’s 2006 Final Four team. But now they find themselves on opposite sides of NBA playoff teams. Thomas is a starter for the Chicago Bulls, and Davis has had to step up for the Boston Celtics after Kevin Garnett’s injury. The Bulls-Celtics series is tied up 1-1 and game 3 tips off at 7 p.m. tonight on TNT. No matter what happens with the series, Thomas says he’ll remain close friends with Davis. “We’re brothers,” he told the Chicago Tribune. To read the Boston Globe’s coverage of the Davis-Thomas matchup, click here. For the Tribune’s take, click here.
Goodbye ‘Canes, hello Tigers: Since 1995 at least one University of Miami player has been taken in the first round of the NFL draft. But that streak will probably end this weekend, the New York Times says. LSU will take over with the nation’s longest streak. At least one Tiger has been taken in the first round for the past five years and Tyson Jackson is expected to continue that string. The defensive end is pegged as a mid-first round pick. Four other Tigers are picked by Scouts Inc. as among the 150 best players in the draft: wide receiver Demetrius Byrd (93rd), defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois (97th), linebacker Darry Beckwith (136th) and guard Herman Johnson (140th). Byrd’s status could be up in the air because he was seriously injured in a car accident Sunday. He’s in a Miami hospital, but expected to make a full recovery. Draft analyst Mike Detillier told Louisiana Gannett News four other Tigers could go in the final rounds: defensive tackle Marlon Favorite, safety Curtis Taylor, defensive end Kirston Pittman and center Brett Helms.
On the clock: Draft experts are weighing in on whom the New Orleans Saints will choose with their first round NFL draft pick Saturday. Chris “Beanie” Wells, a running back from Ohio State, is who ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper predicts the Saints will take. But Malcolm Jenkins, a cornerback from Ohio State, is the Buckeye that Scouts Inc.’s Todd McShay thinks the Saints will choose. Don Banks of Sports Illustrated also thinks the Saints will take Jenkins. Brian Cushing, a linebacker from Southern Cal, is the player that Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager thinks the Saints will choose with the 14th pick. Sean Payton, the Saints’ head coach, told the Associated Press he also likes Vontae Davis, a defensive back from Illinois, and Knowshon Moreno, a running back from Georgia.
Now batting for the red, white and blue:Two LSU baseball players, catcher Micah Gibbs and pitcher Anthony Ranaudo, have been invited to try out for the 2009 USA Baseball National Team. Gibbs and Ranaudo were two of the 17 initial players invited to the trials, which will be in mid-June in North Carolina. Thirty-six players will compete for spots on the 22-man roster. Gibbs played on last year’s National Team. This year’s team will play in the 37th Annual Japan vs. USA Collegiate Championships and in the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia.
