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DALLAS (AP) — Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan have been through so many playoff series, they would be good sources to discuss the prevailing themes in the Western Conference finals, like how valuable experience is at this stage and whether there's such thing as too much rest between rounds.

Only, Bryant and Duncan aren't around. For just the second time since 1998, neither the Lakers nor the Spurs will represent the West in the NBA finals.

Instead, it'll either be Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and the aging-but-rested Dallas Mavericks, or Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the rapidly maturing Oklahoma City Thunder.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Players spent more time in the clubhouse than the golf course Saturday at The Players Championship, a rain-shortened day that left enough time for some high entertainment.
Martin Kaymer made four straight birdie putts that traveled a combined 71 inches.
The tournament staff had to move the cup on the 16th hole a few feet after the 4½-hour storm delay because of damage around the hole that it couldn’t repair.
Ian Poulter was so desperate to finish his third round that he sprinted to the island-green 17th to finish the hole, then ran to the 18th tee and hit his drive to keep himself from having to wake up Sunday before dawn.

PEDRENA, Spain (AP) — To the mournful wail of a lone bagpipe, some of Europe's greatest golfers joined family, friends and local residents Wednesday at the funeral of Seve Ballesteros, paying an emotional final tribute to the dynamic Spaniard who revived the European game.

Ryder Cup captains Nick Faldo, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Woosnam, Sam Torrance and Jose Maria Olazabal and players including Miguel Angel Jimenez marched together in silence as part of the procession from Ballesteros' family home to the church of San Pedro de Pedrena.

Young boys and girls wore replicas of the navy blue outfit that Ballesteros wore for his first British Open win in 1979. They each held a 3-iron, the only club Ballesteros owned when he learned to play golf.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — John Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby by a broken nose.

An injury to Animal Kingdom's regular rider, Robby Albarado, cleared the way for Velazquez to pick up the mount and once he took the reins on Saturday, he rode his good luck all the way to the winner's circle.

Animal Kingdom, who'd never raced on dirt before, reacted to his new rider the way a champion should, charging down the middle of the stretch to win by 2¾ lengths.

Nehro was second and Mucho Macho Man was another neck back in third.

Dialed In went off as the 5-1 favorite, but finished eighth.