The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/510942
MICHIGAN IN THE PROS 652‑save master Mariano Rivera when the two were with the Yankees. "I'm trying to have him impart some of that knowledge on to me as I develop that pitch as a third pitch," Putnam told MLB.com. "That was the majority of the conversation. "It was almost surreal listening to him talk yesterday. He was like, 'Mo holds his like this and does this with it,' and I'm like, 'I wish I had a camera to record all this so I have it for future reference.' But I'm trying to learn from him whenever I can." Putnam was 5‑3 with a 1.98 ERA last year. He's given up eight runs in 12 innings this year, with 14 strikeouts against five walks. The NBA JAMAL CRAWFORD'S RETURN HELPS PROPEL CLIPPERS Jamal Crawford didn't repeat as the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year, though he might have had he stayed healthy, but the former Wolverine was on top of his game to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to the cusp of the Western Conference Finals. Crawford and the Clippers beat San Antonio in seven games in the quarterfinals, with Crawford scoring 16 points in game seven, and led Houston 3‑1 heading into game of five of their conference semifinal series May 12. Crawford had been the only Clippers reserve to average double figures in the regular season, finishing with 15.8 points per game, but he got help in the postseason. The Clippers bench outscored the Rockets' reserves 41‑23 in a 128‑95 win May 10 in which Crawford led the way with 13 points. Austin Rivers added 12 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots off the bench, while Spencer Hawes contributed eight points. "Pretty much all year, they said we had one of the worst benches in the league," Crawford told The Los Angeles Times. "Now, at the most important time of the year, everyone is stepping up. Now I can focus on other things as far as getting a couple rebounds, get some assists. I'm still scoring but not like I have to stop and pass every single play." Crawford won the Sixth Man of the Year award last season after averaging 18.6 points per game. He missed five weeks because of a severe right calf bruise he sustained in a game March 2 that sidelined him until April 7, but the Clippers still secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a record of 56‑26. Crawford said he finally felt like himself in the Clippers' playoff opener against the Spurs April 19, a 107‑92 win in which he scored 17 points on 7‑of‑10 shooting, including a 3‑of‑4 effort from three‑point range, in 22:34 of playing time. "I thought the days in between the last game and this game I was able to get some work in, get my conditioning right … and it just felt normal," Crawford said. NOTES • Brooklyn Nets point guard Darius Morris played in only one of six games in a playoff series loss to Atlanta in the East- ern Conference quarterfinals going 0 of 1 and failing to score in five minutes of a 111-87 loss in game six. He averaged 2.2 points and 1.3 assists in 7.9 minutes per game after joining the team Dec. 12. ❏