Here we go again.

After last season's thrilling seven-game Western Conference finals, the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are back for more in Round 2. A trip to the NBA Finals won't be at stake, but don't let that fool you -- this sequel is a must-see. Here's everything to know for Warriors-Rockets in the conference semifinals, which begin Sunday, 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Jump to: Road to the rematch | The matchup to watch | Top 10 players in the series | 0-for-27: Revisiting Game 7 | Stats you need to know

2019 NBA playoffs: Matchups, schedules, news and more

1. Golden State Warriors

Round 1: Def. LAC, 4-2
BPI odds vs. HOU: 59%

How they got here:
The Warriors were flat throughout Game 5 against the LA Clippers and got beat by a hungrier team, but aside from a quarter-and-a-half stretch in the second half of an epic 31-point collapse Game 2, the proud group still controlled a tough Clippers team throughout much of the series. It took six games, but the defending champs might have gotten the gut check they needed for a fifth consecutive run to the NBA Finals.

The real issue for the Warriors in their first-round win was that DeMarcus Cousins tore his left quad in Game 2 and is "unlikely" to return this postseason. They were banking on him being able to battle down on the blocks against the Rockets.

What has changed since last season?
Aside from the injured Cousins, the Warriors' only key acquisition this season will be on full display against Houston: Andrew Bogut. The Australian center joined the team in March, and head coach Steve Kerr has praised his return every step of the way. With Boogie out, Bogut will be playing big minutes and will be counted on to provide defensive stability.

Biggest question: Is Golden State's defense OK?
The Warriors' issue is more a focus problem than a defensive one. Sure, the Clippers embarrassed them during the historic 31-point comeback in Game 2, and in Game 5 when they hit up Golden State for 71 first-half points. But this has been the same old story all season for the Warriors -- most nights they have it rolling and some nights they don't. This group has built up its habits all season, but the team can still turn it on when it needs it the most. The Clippers, though, didn't have a guy named James Harden.

-- Nick Friedell

4. Houston Rockets

Round 1: Def. UTAH, 4-1
BPI odds vs. GS: 41%

How they got here:
The Rockets made no apologies for winning ugly in the first round. After the Rockets rolled to routs in the first two games of the series, the Utah Jazz figured out how to execute their unique game plan against James Harden, who had his primary defender often playing behind him to prevent him from launching his lethal step-back 3-pointer and daring him to drive and challenge elite rim-protectors. The Rockets scored only 100.3 points per 100 possessions in the last three games of the series, when Harden shot only 32.3 percent from the field. "That's what the playoffs are all about," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It's not playing pretty."

The Rockets, ranked second in the NBA in defensive efficiency after the All-Star break, were particularly proud to win on that end in the playoffs. One potential problem: The Jazz generated the most open looks in the first round, according to Second Spectrum data, but made only 26 percent of their uncontested 3-pointers. Don't count on the Warriors missing so many wide-open looks.

What has changed since last season?
The most significant personnel change for the Rockets was the free-agency departure of Trevor Ariza, their primary defender on Durant last season. An argument can be made, however, that Ariza's absence doesn't hurt Houston at all. According to Second Spectrum data, Durant scored 63 points on 18-of-37 shooting in 230 possessions (113.9 team offensive rating) when defended by Ariza in last season's playoffs.

With PJ Tucker as the primary defender in the Rockets' three wins over the Warriors during the regular season -- Durant sat out the Golden State win -- KD scored 34 points on 13-of-27 shooting in 111 possessions (106.3 team offensive rating).

Biggest question: Is The Beard tired?
Harden's fatigue factor is an annual postseason topic. That's especially true after he carried a historically heavy workload this season, and his poor shooting in the final three games of the first round sure won't hush the speculation.

But let's give the Jazz their due, crediting an elite defensive team for excellent execution (after two terrible games) of a game plan specifically tailored to Harden. And Harden didn't seem too tired when he made nine of his final 14 field goal attempts in the elimination game. The Rockets handling their business in five games also gave them a rest advantage heading into the second round.

-- Tim MacMahon

The matchup: Curry vs. Harden

The Rockets love to isolate Harden, but when they play Golden State, it's more accurate to say that they love to isolate him against Stephen Curry. Over the past three seasons, nobody has switched onto Harden as much as Curry, and that's no accident.

Aside from splashing all those 3-pointers, the defining trait of the Warriors' dynasty might be the tendency to switch defensive assignments. The Rockets try to exploit that tendency by hunting and isolating mismatches more than any other rival.

Dating to the 2016-17 season, more than 2,800 unique NBA player duos have matched up at least 125 times. Within that sample, Harden vs. Curry produces the most extreme stats.

Lest you think we're exaggerating, consider these four factoids, via Second Spectrum tracking:

• No other matchup elicits a higher usage rate by the offensive player

• Only one matchup is more likely to include a drive

• Only two other matchups produce free throws at a higher rate

• No other matchup yields more points for the offensive player

Out of more than 2,800.

Harden vs. Curry is the wildest analytical matchup in the NBA, especially when you consider the stakes involved. After all, these are two MVPs and scoring champs battling for Western Conference supremacy.

When you compare Harden's key matchup numbers with other Golden State defenders, you quickly understand why Houston designs sets to target Curry:

Harden is much more aggressive and much more fruitful against Curry than against any other Warriors player. His usage rate surges to 50.3 -- right around the average for an "NBA Jam" game, but a cartoonish number for any real-life environment.

With Curry on him, Harden is more than twice as likely to drive to the basket and get to the free throw line.

The other guys in that table are either strong enough or long enough to dissuade Harden's aggression, but Curry is slight and short compared to his teammates, and he is much less able to slow Harden's rim attacks.

While it's tempting to interpret the data as an indictment of Curry's defense, there's something else happening here. It just so happens that all of the other defenders in that table are world class, and Houston's tendency to isolate and attack Curry at freakish rates says just as much about its respect for those other dudes as it does about Curry. Isolating Curry isn't Houston's best choice, but it's really the Rockets' only chance.

-- Kirk Goldsberry

The 10 best players in the series

1. Stephen Curry | G | Warriors

Though Durant's scoring received more attention, the Warriors were at their best in last season's matchup with Curry on the court, and -- with ample help from the now-injured Cousins, he led Golden State to this season's lone head-to-head win despite Durant missing the game because of injury. Watch the ankle, though.

2. Kevin Durant | F | Warriors

Durant's size creates matchup problems for the Rockets, who have to shuffle assignments to put PJ Tucker on him at all times. What happens if Tucker gets into foul trouble? Buckets, surely.

3. James Harden | G | Rockets

The league's best regular-season player over the past two seasons, Harden has struggled to maintain his scoring efficiency against the Warriors' defense, posting a .538 true shooting percentage in the 2018 conference finals and .559 in three meetings this season as compared to his season-long .616 mark.

4. Chris Paul | G | Rockets

Paul's hamstring strain late in Game 5 changed last season's conference finals, and he could be a difference-maker in this season's matchup if he stays on the court all five games.

5. Klay Thompson | G | Warriors
6. Eric Gordon | G | Rockets

Thompson and Gordon occupy similar roles for their teams, supplying frequent 3-pointers and versatile perimeter defense. Despite Gordon offering a bit more shot creation, Thompson gets the edge as a shooter and defender.

7. PJ Tucker | F | Rockets

With Trevor Ariza gone, Tucker is Houston's best and perhaps only good option against Durant. If he makes 48 percent of his 3s, as he did in the 2018 matchup, all the better.

8. Draymond Green | F | Warriors

The Rockets have managed to affect Green by laying off and daring him to shoot 3s. Green shot just 2-of-17 beyond the arc in last season's conference finals, and was 0-of-8 in this season's head-to-head series.

9. Andre Iguodala | F | Warriors

Far and away the best reserve on either side now that Gordon has become a starter, Iguodala helped the Warriors to a 2-1 lead last May before going down because of a left lateral leg contusion that sidelined him the rest of the series.

10. Clint Capela | C | Rockets

Capela averaged a double-double (15 points, 14.8 rebounds) against Golden State this season, logging more minutes (35.9 per game) than in last season's series (28.5), when Mike D'Antoni was forced to go to Tucker at center at times to keep up with the Warriors' smaller lineups.

-- Kevin Pelton

0-for-27: When Clutch City became brick city for Game 7

"A hamstring away," they say in Houston, referring to the Chris Paul injury that folks there will always believe denied the Rockets from eliminating Golden State and claiming last season's NBA championship.

If they're shooting straight, though, the Rockets' record-breaking brickfest in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals must be mentioned as well.

With Paul watching from the bench, the Rockets raced out to a 15-point lead over the Warriors in the second quarter to get Toyota Center crowd roaring. Soon thereafter, the most prolific 3-point shooting team in NBA history at the time simply stopped making shots.

Clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank.

Twenty-seven consecutive missed 3s, the most in a row in playoff history. That's no way to close out an all-time great team. The Warriors walked out with a 101-92 win to punch their ticket to their fourth consecutive NBA Finals.

"We had a lot of open shots," James Harden said that night, when he was 2-of-13 from 3-point range, missing his final 11 attempts. "We just gonna keep shooting them."

Some Rockets sources grumble that Harden should have gone to the line on a few of his misses, saying that the league office later acknowledged that the referees missed fouls on at least two. Perhaps fatigue was a factor as well, particularly considering only one Rockets reserve played more than eight minutes.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who grumbled that he "didn't recognize" the Golden State team that spotted the Rockets the big lead in the first half, certainly thought so.

"I knew how tired Houston was," Kerr said. "The way they play with James running so may screen and rolls. That's exhausting, and then he's got to go down to the other end and guard Klay [Thompson] and getting switched off onto Kevin [Durant] or Steph [Curry] -- it's tiring.

"So [Harden] had such a big burden on his shoulders, and we just wanted to maintain our defense, or get our defense going, and hope that the fatigue on their side would be a factor, and I knew our guys would make some shots."

Trevor Ariza definitely looked tired in what ended up being his final game in a Rockets uniform. At age 32, he played 42 minutes and got outscored 34-0 by Durant, missing all 12 of his shots from the field, including nine 3-pointers.

D'Antoni had been criticized for using a short bench after past playoff exits, in Houston and elsewhere, not that he had a ton of options with Paul and Luc Mbah a Moute (shoulder) unavailable. He also had been ripped for relying too much on the 3-pointer, although that's an outdated opinion in the analytics era.

The Rockets certainly haven't responded by scaling back. Houston broke the NBA record for 3s made and attempted this season, just as it did the previous two years of D'Antoni's tenure.

And now Houston gets another shot at Golden State.

"We keep knocking on the door," D'Antoni said after the Game 7 loss. "It'll eventually open."

-- MacMahon

Stats to know for Warriors-Rockets

Rockets in rare company

No team has played the Warriors tougher in recent years than the Rockets. Including the playoffs, Houston is 8-6 against them over the past two seasons, one of only three teams to have a winning record against Golden State.

And this season, the Rockets won three of four meetings, becoming only the second team to beat the Warriors three times in a regular season under Steve Kerr. No other team beat the Warriors three times in the 2018-19 regular season.

The stars were ... out

The Rockets won the season series against the Warriors, but none of the four games featured a full roster on either side. Cousins, who played in two of the four regular-season matchups between the rivals, will be the only star missing this second-round series.

Will Steph's ankle play a factor?

Curry rolled his ankle in Game 6 against the Clippers but said he was fine afterward. Could the Rockets use that to their advantage? In last year's conference finals, Curry switched onto the ball handler 112 times, 49 times more than any other Warriors player.

The Rockets scored 75 points when they switched onto Curry, the most allowed by a Warriors player.

Draymond's triple threat

If Green gets a triple-double, odds are Golden State is getting the W. The Warriors are 27-0 all time when Green records a triple-double, including the playoffs.

That's by far the most wins without a loss by any player in NBA history.

-- ESPN Stats & Information

LOS ANGELES -- Stephen Curry emerged from the Golden State Warriors' locker room an hour after his team finally closed out the gutty LA Clippers 129-110 in Game 6 of a Western Conference first-round series that took more out of the defending champions than anyone expected.

Curry walked briskly past Warriors general manager Bob Myers, but his limp from a sprained right ankle in the first quarter was obvious.

"That's been our season," Myers said with a shrug.

A half hour earlier, shooting guard Klay Thompson had left Staples Center with an even more pronounced limp after spraining his right ankle in the third quarter. Earlier this series, Golden State lost starting center DeMarcus Cousins indefinitely to a torn quadriceps.

Both Curry and Thompson said they'd be fine. But with less than 40 hours until Game 1 of the conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets on Sunday afternoon, there's little time to heal into anything close to whole.

This is the consequence of blowing the 31-point lead against the Clippers in Game 2 of this series and failing to close them at home in Game 5 on Wednesday. Yes, the Clippers had something to do with each of those games, too. But if the ankle injuries to Curry and Thompson or extra energy expended in this series ends up with real consequences in the next round, all history will remember is Golden State's penchant for uneven performances as they battle their own complacency and hubris.

That's been a constant battle for the Warriors the past two seasons. Each season feels longer until the playoffs finally begin. The slog of the regular season dulls the senses.

"The tenure of our run is challenging mentally and physically," assistant coach Bruce Fraser said. "I think everyone is a little tired. We've been at this so long. But I think the playoffs motivates us.

"And the Clippers got our attention. They're a really impressive team."

But will this series end up being the challenge that sharpens the Warriors into championship form for what many believe is the team that has the best chance of dethroning them?

No team has played the Warriors tougher in recent years than the Rockets. Including playoffs, Houston is 8-6 against them over the past two seasons, one of just three teams to have a winning record against Golden State. This season, the Rockets won three of their four games with Golden State.

Or will the extra mileage they accrued and dings they absorbed be the body blows that finally weaken their legs?

"They brought out our best," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said of the Clippers. "One of the things that happens during the playoffs is you can sharpen your game against an opponent that forces you to do so. And so that's what I saw.

"Getting through it now, it's easy to say, yeah, that was good for us. It didn't feel good for us while it was happening. But they brought out the best in us and now we'll move on."

It was fitting, in a way, that Kevin Durant and Draymond Green came together to carry the Warriors to this win in Game 6. Durant had 50 points on 15-of-26 shooting from the field, becoming the sixth player in NBA playoff history with 45 or more points in consecutive games. Green finished with a triple double of 16 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and 4 blocks.

According to Elias Sports Bureau research, Durant and Green's feat marked only the third time in NBA postseason history that teammates had a 50-point game and a triple-double in the same game. The other instances were both in 1960 by former Philadelphia Warriors Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Tom Gola.

The Warriors' season -- and maybe their legacy -- still feels like it'll be defined by the way they responded to the argument between Green and Durant against these same Clippers back on Nov. 12. That argument, which began on the bench, spilled over and escalated in the locker room. It felt like a fracture that could derail this dynasty. It still might prove prophetic.

But on Friday night, the two men seemed as connected as ever on the court.

"It's taken some time, but they're fine," Fraser said of the relationship between the two men. "They're may not be what they were, but they're fine."

Fine enough to play together and win together, at least.

"They just love playing basketball and they want to win," Myers said. "They've been good for a while now.

"You do that when you have to, but also you move through it to get to a place where you are connected. Because it feels good to go through something together and come out the other side."

Twice this season, the Clippers have been the team that pushed Golden State into a gut check. Twice, the Warriors have come out the other side limping, but still standing.

"Honestly, this six games felt like it was two months in terms of all the adjustments and the emotional roller coaster," Curry said. "It tested us. They played amazing. Really made us have to raise our level of play."

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants scored to end the second-longest, first-inning scoring drought at the start of a season in major league history.

Buster Posey's one-out sacrifice fly against the New York Yankees' James Paxton drove in Tyler Austin, who had singled and took third on Brandon Belt's double Friday night. San Francisco had not scored in the first inning of its first 25 games.

The major league record of 28 games at the start of a season was set by the 1948 Chicago White Sox.

San Francisco entered hitting .089 (7-for-79) in the first inning with three walks and 22 strikeouts.

LOS ANGELES -- Cody Bellinger's one mighty swing of the bat was loaded with historical significance.

Bellinger hit a two-run homer in the first inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers set a major league record with homers in 33 consecutive home games in a 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.

Bellinger's blast was noteworthy for other reasons, too. He moved into a tie for the major league lead for home runs with the Milwaukee Brewers' Christian Yelich at 13 and set the major league record for total bases in the months of March-April with 88. He also set a Dodgers record for home runs in March-April, moving past Matt Kemp.

With his total-base mark, he moved past former teammate Chase Utley, who had 85 total bases before the start of May in the 2008 season as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. Utley now works in baseball operations for the Dodgers.

"It feels pretty cool," Bellinger said about passing Utley's mark.

With home runs in their first 14 home games this season, the Dodgers also matched this year's Milwaukee Brewers and the 1962 New York Mets for most consecutive home games with a home run to open a season.

Josh Bell hit a home run for the Pirates, who were otherwise held in check by Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu. The Pirates lost a season-worst sixth consecutive game, a skid that followed a five-game winning streak.

"Like I always say, it's pretty comfortable pitching at home, especially knowing how my teammates will help me in terms of putting up runs early," Ryu said through an interpreter. "That has led to successful results. And seeing that consecutive (home run streak) definitely builds my confidence."

Ryu (3-1) struck out 10 and gave up two runs over seven innings in his second start since returning from the injured list due to a strained left groin. It was the first time the left-hander reached double-digits in strikeouts since July 13, 2014.

"He pitched us basically as we anticipated because he had good stuff, he mixed his pitches well," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "He kept the ball away, he kept the ball down, the cutter played in tight. We had early opportunities we weren't able to get traction with, and that hurt us."

Pirates starter Chris Archer (1-2) gave up six runs on six hits over four innings, the most earned runs he has allowed in an outing since Aug. 26 of last season at Milwaukee. Heading into the game, Pirates starters had given up 11 home runs, the fewest in baseball.

Bellinger's home run in the first was his eighth at Dodger Stadium this season. Austin Barnes added a solo shot in the second inning, his third of the season.

"If I had my slider working like it normally is working, then I'm able to (put away hitters)," Archer said. "Tonight, I didn't. I left a changeup up to Bellinger, which, you know, it happens. Anything that dude sees right now, he's smashing. But other than that, most of the damage was on sliders that I left over the plate or fastballs that I didn't locate well enough."

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Adam Frazier and Melky Cabrera each singled, and Frazier scored when Gregory Polanco grounded into a double play. The Pirates fell to 12-6 when scoring first.

NO WALKING ZONE

Friday's outing was Ryu's third in five tries in which he did not walk a batter. He has given only two free passes in 27 1/3 innings this season.

Both of Ryu's walks this year were on borderline pitches, and he has not walked a batter at home since Aug. 26 of last season. In that stretch, he has struck out 58 batters over 56 innings.

Pinpoint control has always been a priority for the lefty. He's executing that plan well of late.

"I guess it all goes back to how I was taught going back to elementary school," Ryu said. "People around me told me how it's better to give up a homer than a base on balls. Unfortunately, that led to consecutive games of me giving up homers right now. That is the downside, but at least I don't have anybody that gets on base for free. It's just the nature of how I attack hitters."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Pirates: Outfielder Corey Dickerson, who has been out since April 4 because of a shoulder strain, is set to join Triple-A Indianapolis at Charlotte for a minor league rehab assignment.

Dodgers: Catcher Russell Martin, who has been out since April 10 with a back injury, participated in a simulated game at Dodger Stadium and is expected to be in the starting lineup Sunday, manager Dave Roberts said. ... Right-hander Tony Cingrani, who hasn't pitched this season because of shoulder soreness, threw on the side and could be headed on a rehab assignment next week, Roberts said.

UP NEXT

Joe Musgrove (1-1, 1.59 ERA), who has left each of his last two starts with a lead in the seventh inning, will take the mound Saturday at Los Angeles. Clayton Kershaw (0-0, 2.77) will make his third start of the season Saturday, after delivering a quality start at Milwaukee on Sunday despite four walks.

CHICAGO -- In a game that grew more bizarre by the inning, Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox provided the most mad-cap moment of a wild contest by passing teammate Tim Anderson on the bases, erasing a key home run.

The Chicago slugger seemingly gave his club a 12-10 lead with a three-run blast to center field in the bottom of the seventh off Detroit's Reed Garrett. It should have been his second homer of the game and given him six RBIs on the night. Instead, as he jogged around first base, he passed Anderson, who had retreated to the bag to tag up in case Abreu's deep fly was caught at the fence.

"That's the first time I've ever seen it," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "Again, we had a couple of things happen today on the bases. You have to keep your head up and understand the situation. You can't get lost in the emotion. I think he got lost in the emotion a little bit."

Initially, the umpires ruled that Abreu had not passed Anderson, and he rounded the bases. But numerous players and coaches in Detroit's dugout immediately saw what had happened and pointed excitedly toward first base. Manager Ron Gardenhire challenged the call, which was reversed after a replay review, and Abreu was ruled out.

The play was officially scored a rare out-of-the-park, two-run single. Abreu got credit for two RBIs instead of three and was ruled out with first baseman John Hicks getting credit for an unassisted putout. Instead of a two-run advantage, Chicago led 11-10.

After the game, Abreu took full responsibility for the mix-up.

"I just made a mistake," Abreu said via White Sox interpreter Billy Russo. "It was my mistake. When I hit the ball, I just thought it was a regular fly ball to the warning track. I didn't see [Anderson]. It happened. It was my mistake."

Abreu's mistake immediately came back to haunt the White Sox when the Tigers' Ronny Rodriguez led off the eighth with a home run to left, tying the score at 11. Anderson bailed out Abreu in the bottom of the ninth when his two-out solo homer gave the White Sox a 12-11 win.

"It was a crazy game," Abreu said. "All the guys stayed positive and stayed eager about the game. They didn't quit. At the end, we got the win."

While Abreu's unusual miscue will dominate the highlight reels, the play was just the latest twist in a wild contest that featured 23 runs, 36 hits, 11 walks, nine homers and four wild pitches. Add to that list one signature bat flip -- Anderson's firing of his stick after connecting for his game-ending homer off Detroit reliever Joe Jimenez.

"I knew he was going to go first-pitch slider," Anderson said. "I've faced that guy a bunch of times. I kind of knew he was going to go to that pitch and I was ready for it."

The Tigers led 9-2 at one point, but the White Sox ultimately completed their biggest comeback since also coming from seven runs down to beat Detroit on June 13, 2016. Four relievers combined to hold Detroit to three runs over the final six innings after Chicago starter Carlos Rodon was tagged for eight runs over three-plus frames.

"Ultimately, you have to give the credit to all the players," Renteria said. "Because they didn't quit. They kept grinding. That's a big deficit to keep yourself going and motivated and pushing. And they did."

According to the baseball research site retrosheet.org, the last player to lose a home run because he passed a teammate on the bases was Arizona's Deven Marrero, who did it on April 14, 2018, against the Dodgers. The only White Sox player to suffer that fate was Ralph Garr, against the Twins on June 24, 1977.

In both instances, the circumstances were similar to the Abreu mistake -- the homer hitter passed a runner tagging up at first base on a fly ball that ultimately just cleared the wall.

"I've never seen that, that was crazy," Anderson said. "It was different. It kind of shocked me. I didn't expect him to be that far [along the basepath]. But we were able to get the win."

Happy Vladimir Guerrero Jr. day!

The son of the great Hall of Famer made the most anticipated major league debut since -- pick one -- Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg or Alex Rodriguez or Ken Griffey Jr. on Friday in Toronto. After 48 hours of hype to get ready, we finally got to see what the 20-year-old would do on the big stage.

Vladimir Guerrero Sr. set the tone with a heartfelt message to his son:

To Vladdy,
Love, Tu padre pic.twitter.com/mIjj2EkywQ

— MLB (@MLB) April 26, 2019

Let's see how the night unfolded as the Blue Jays hosted the Oakland Athletics.

Jump to each at-bat:
Vlad Jr.'s first at-bat | It's going, going ...
Does this one have the distance? | A hit ... and (spoiler alert) a walk-off blast

First at-bat. Second inning: No outs, nobody on vs. Mike Fiers

The anticipation began much earlier in the day when we saw video of Guerrero arriving to the park wearing his dad's old Expos jersey.

How cool was that? That's just part of what makes Guerrero such a compelling story: born in Montreal, raised in the Dominican Republic, playing America's game in Toronto, the best hitting prospect in the minors often compared to not just his dad, but to Miguel Cabrera and Manny Ramirez and Mike Piazza and other greats.

Before the game, Blue Jays staffers were busy unpacking Guerrero Jr. jerseys -- like his dad, he wears No. 27. The Blue Jays opened the gates earlier than normal to allow fans in to watch Guerrero take batting practice (he hit one bomb off the window above the second deck in left field). The Jays' franchise needs a resuscitation after the playoff runs of 2015 and '16. All that puts a lot of pressure on the young man with the baby face.

He steps in against Fiers and receives the requisite standing ovation. The camera pans to the proud papa up in one of the boxes. The fans chant, "Let's go, Vladdy!" Guerrero Jr. is obviously built differently than dad, shorter and, umm, stockier. His gold-tinted dreadlocks pop out from under his helmet and he wears a shin guard and a protector on his left arm. Everyone is watching:

Bunch of Cubs players watching the Blue Jays waiting for Vlad Jr first AB.

— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) April 26, 2019

Fiers' first pitch is a fastball off the plate (the ball is tossed out, apparently for posterity's sake, as was the first pitch of the game). Guerrero takes a vicious cut at another fastball, fouling it off. The 1-1 pitch is just off the plate, but plate ump David Rackley doesn't help by calling it strike two. After a fastball up, Guerrero swings at another fastball and grounds out to first base.

Second at-bat. Fourth inning: No outs, nobody on vs. Fiers

Some of the prop bets involving Guerrero available at DraftKings on Friday:

--17-1 to homer in his first plate appearance

--40-1 to hit two home runs (umm, only five players have homered twice in their first game)

--Over/under of 2.5 plate appearances for first career hit (over was -124/under was +100)

--Over/under of 12.5 plate appearances for first career home run (both -112)

Leading off the fourth against Fiers, Guerrero takes a slider off the plate then another slider on the corner for a called strike. Fiers throws a fastball in and then a good slider low and away, just off the plate, but Guerrero with an excellent take. That's another big difference with his dad. Senior was a legendary free swinger, albeit with the rare ability to damage pitches off the plate. Junior has much better plate discipline -- he had more walks than strikeouts as a minor leaguer -- a key reason he projects to not only tap into his power potential but perhaps contend for batting titles as well.

The 3-1 pitch is a splitter Guerrero skies to left field. Thanks to shoddy work by the cameraperson, the initial reaction is he hit 500 feet. Instead, A's left fielder Chad Pinder drifts back and makes a leaping grab in front of the wall:

Chad Pinder AKA Mr. Play Anywhere AKA Mr. Steal The Spotlight#RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/SqK5cWeyq9

— Oakland Eh's (@Athletics) April 27, 2019

Almost. Almost.

Third at-bat. Sixth inning: Two out, nobody on vs. Fiers

For the third consecutive time, Guerrero comes up with no runners on base. Fiers starts him out with a curveball that he has to spin away from, drawing some boos from the home crowd. The 1-0 pitch is a slider up in the zone on the outside corner and Guerrero lofts a fly ball to right-center -- for a brief moment, hearts beat faster -- but right fielder Stephen Piscotty makes the catch one step in front of the warning track.

With the Blue Jays up 2-0, there's no guarantee Guerrero even gets a fourth plate appearance unless the Jays can get some runners on in the seventh or eighth innings (or the A's rally). In other words, it's not going to be one of the best debuts in major league history. Just for the heck of it, here are five of the best:

1. Karl Spooner, Dodgers (Sept. 22, 1954): The hard-throwing lefty dominated the pennant-winning Giants in his September call-up, throwing a three-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts. The only other pitcher with 15 K's in his first game: J.R. Richard, in 1971 for the Astros. Spooner then threw another shutout, with 12 strikeouts, in his second and final start that year. Unfortunately, he hurt his arm in spring training in 1955 and that was his final season in the majors.

2. Juan Marichal, Giants (July 19, 1960): Marichal threw a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts, good for a game score of 96, the best for a debut starter (only five have had a game score of 90 or higher, the most recent Steve Woodard of the Brewers in 1997). The only hit Marichal allowed was a two-out single in the eighth. Marichal would throw one no-hitter, but that 96 would be the best nine-inning game score of his career.

3. J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays (Aug. 7, 2010): Five players have homered twice in their first game. Trevor Story was the most recent, in 2016, but Arencibia went 4-for-5 with two homers and a double in a wild 17-11 victory for Toronto. His 11 total bases are the most for a debut game. (By the way, Arencibia was at Friday's game.)

One of my favorite moments today, @jparencibia9 goes over to Vlad's mom (and, of course, Vladdy's grandma) to thank her for all the food she would send to their clubhouse! #VladdyDay #VladdyJr pic.twitter.com/OD79g2DOU4

— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) April 26, 2019

4. Starlin Castro, Cubs (May 7, 2010): Three months before Arencibia, Castro became the first player with six RBIs in his debut. He hit a three-run homer off Homer Bailey in his first at-bat and then a bases-loaded triple later in the game.

5. Cecil Travis, Senators (May 16, 1933). The only player with five hits in his first game, Travis went 5-for-7 in an 11-10 victory over the Indians. Travis had 1,370 hits and a .327 average through his age-27 season, but then missed three seasons due to World War II and never returned to his prewar form.

So Guerrero's debut won't go down among the best first-game performances, but he clearly impressed his teammates from the start. This is what Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman had to say after the game.

"It's like having Zion Williamson on your team; it's like a once-in-a-lifetime kind of talent," said Stroman, who went to Duke. "So just to have the opportunity to play with him, it's amazing to look out there and see him behind me at third base. I think he's gonna give us a huge little edge, and just, like I said, just carry this momentum from this win into every other start."

Fourth at-bat. Ninth inning: No outs, nobody on vs. Yusmeiro Petit

After the A's tied the game on Robbie Grossman's two-run home run in the eighth off Joe Biagini (for some reason, Stroman was removed after just 97 pitches and allowing one hit), the stage is set for some drama as Vladdy Jr. leads off the bottom of the ninth. Could it really end with a walk-off home run? It does ... although not from Guerrero. Still, it's Vladdy who sets up the fantastic finish. Petit fires a fastball up and then Guerrero fouls off a fastball. The 1-1 tailing fastball is maybe off the plate, but called a strike, the second borderline pitch to go against the kid. He lays off a curveball in the dirt and then, protecting the plate, takes a 2-2 fastball just off the plate and grounds it past first base and into the right-field corner for a leadoff double and his first career hit. Dad gets some high-fives and Guerrero leaves for pinch runner Alen Hanson and to a standing ovation.

The first one is always special! @VladdyJr27 | #LetsGoBlueJays pic.twitter.com/34w7sYxn2H

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 27, 2019

It's not a home run, but the hit shows exactly why Guerrero is so special. He shortens up his swing instead of swinging from his heels and slaps the ball to the opposite field (well, it was still 96 mph). After a sacrifice bunt and lineout, Brandon Drury -- the guy losing his starting gig at third base to Guerrero -- then delivers the big blast:

So everyone goes home happy. Vladdy goes 1-for-4 in his debut, shows a good approach and plate discipline and his ghost runner even scores the winning run. After the game, Guerrero would say that in his first at-bat, "I basically just tried to control my emotions. I just wanted to make contact." He would laugh that his teammates were laughing at him after the fans cheered him at one point for picking up a foul ball.

What would he remember about his first game? "That we won in my debut."

World number one Naomi Osaka came from behind in the final set to beat Croatian Donna Vekic and reach the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix semi-finals.

Osaka won 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-4) in Stuttgart and will next face Estonian Anett Kontaveit, who progressed after her opponent Victoria Azarenka retired.

Azarenka had been a game away from the last four but let her advantage slip as she struggled with a shoulder issue.

Petra Kvitova will face Kiki Bertens in the other semi-final.

World number three Kvitova overcame a poor start to beat Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova 2-6 6-2 6-3.

Dutch sixth seed Bertens progressed by beating home favourite and reigning Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber 6-3 6-4.

Rafael Nadal moved a step closer to setting an ATP record as he eased into the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open with a straight-set victory over Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.

Nadal, 32, is bidding to become the first player to win the same event 12 times and breezed through this quarter-final match, winning 7-5 7-5.

The former world number one will next face 2017 finalist Dominic Thiem.

"I'm feeling better in my game," said the Spaniard.

"I hope to keep improving here at home," added Nadal, who last week suffered a shock semi-final defeat to Italian Fabio Fognini at the Monte Carlo Masters - an event he has also won 11 times.

Nadal also had a struggle in the early rounds in Barcelona, losing a set at the event for the first time in four years in his win over Leonardo Mayer on Wednesday.

Austrian Thiem also had a comfortable passage into the semi-finals, overcoming Argentine Guido Pella 7-5, 6-2.

Meanwhile, Japan's two-time champion Kei Nishikori beat Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4 7-5 to reach the semi-finals of the tournament for the fourth time.

Nishikori will take on Russian Daniil Medvedev on Saturday after the seventh seed defeated lucky loser Nicolas Jarry of Chile 6-3 6-4.

Successive Tournament Wins Cement Farag and El Welily Grips on World Ranking Top Spots
By MATT COLES – PSA World Tour

World No.1s Ali Farag and Raneem El Welily took the honours on an all-Egyptian finals night at the El Gouna International, PSA World Tour Platinum event as they beat Karim Abdel Gawad and Nouran Gohar in their respective finals at the spectacular Abu Tig Marina.

Farag avenged his defeat to the former World Champion in December’s Black Ball Open by winning his maiden El Gouna crown.

Farag, who turned 27 this week, finished runner-up to compatriot Marwan ElShorbagy 12 months ago, but he built on a strong start to win 11-9, 12-10, 11-3, picking up his 17th PSA Tour title in the process.

Gawad had his opportunities, leading 9-7 in the first game and 6-2 in the second, but Farag came back both times to take a two-game lead.

An ankle injury suffered by Gawad in the second prevented him from really getting his teeth into the third, and Farag made no mistake to etch his name onto the trophy, his first title on home soil since February 2015.

“I’ve played Karim in so many great finals in Egypt,” Farag said after his win.

“It was really a shame what happened at the end of the second and in the third. I’m sure if he was better physically, it would have been a totally different story. I think he had an amazing week, he’s playing well this season, and it’s great to have him on tour.

“This season has been amazing for me, I couldn’t have asked for a better one. I might have won a lot of big titles, like the World Championships and claiming that No.1 spot at the ToC, but this one is a very special one as I’m sharing it in front of my people.”

World No.1 Raneem El Welily successfully defended her El Gouna International title after overcoming fellow Egyptian Nouran Gohar to lift her third successive PSA Tour trophy.

El Welily beat World No.2 Nour El Sherbini in last year’s final, and was up against the woman who ended El Sherbini’s run in this tournament at the quarter-final stage. The 30-year-old took the opening game, despite being under immense pressure from her hard-hitting opponent.

Gohar, nine years El Welily’s junior, struck back in the second as El Welily went walkabout mentally and surrendered a 5-2 lead to lose 9 of the next 11 points as Gohar levelled.

The momentum then shifted in El Welily’s favour as she came back to take the third 12-10 on the tie-break, and their battle continued into the fourth game where Gohar, sporting heavy strapping on her left knee, required an injury break after a lunge into the front corner to send El Welily 8-6 up.

The World No.7 returned to court, but it was clear that she was having to protect the knee as she lacked the same explosivity in her movement, and El Welily closed out the win to earn the 22nd PSA Tour title of her career.

“I think that the blood injury break turned me down a little bit, so I’m glad I managed to come back after being 6-2 down [in the third],” El Welily said afterwards.

“It’s definitely hard pushing yourself this way, but when you’re in a final of such a great tournament, you do your best to stay in, and you do your best to win. That’s what I was thinking at that point.

“All thanks to [Tournament Promoter] Amr Mansi and his entire for putting on such a great event. It’s always special here in El Gouna, We always love being here, and I think I speak for the players when I say we really enjoy being here.

“Not just for the organisation, but also for the good weather, the great crowd, and there’s nothing better than playing in front of your home crowd.”

This is the second PSA Tour event in a row in which Farag and El Welily have taken silverware, and both players win $22,800 for their triumphs in El Gouna.

Farag, Gawad and El Welily will next be in action at the British Open in Hull between May 20-26, while Nouran Gohar will be playing in the Manchester Open, which starts on May 9th.

Result – Men’s Final: El Gouna International
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt [4] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 12-10, 11-3 (46m)

Result – Women’s Final: El Gouna International
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [8] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6 (61m)

Pictures courtesy of  PSA World Tour