Celtics cool Heat to narrow series deficit

Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce (C) drives to the net between Miami Heat's Shane Battier (L) and Dwyane Wade during the sceond half in Game 3 of their Eastern …

BOSTON (Reuters) - The Boston Celtics ramped up on defense to re-energies their playoff ambitions with a 101-91 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday, their first win in the NBA Eastern Conference finals series.

A win at home was critical for Boston, especially after losing in overtime to Miami on Wednesday. The Celtics still trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven series but could now tie it up in Boston on Sunday.

The raucous crowd energized the Celtics, who surged to a 13-point lead by halftime and a 22-point margin by the end of the third quarter. Center Kevin Garnett top scored with 24 points and captain Paul Pierce had 23 points.

"Kevin does so many little things. He does so many intangibles, he's our best communicator. I could go on and on," Boston guard Rajon Rondo said of his team mate.

Rondo, who played all 53 minutes of Wednesday's overtime loss, chipped in with 21 points and 10 assists, steadying the team in the fourth quarter when Miami mounted an aggressive comeback against the tiring Celtics.

"He stayed with us, stabilized us really," Boston coach Doc Rivers said of Rondo.

The Celtics' tough defense - the decisive factor in their run past Philadelphia and Atlanta to the conference final - was back on track in the win.

"The difference was our defensive energy, which allowed us to run," said Rivers. "We had terrific ball movement for three quarters ... our rebounding was terrific in stretches."

Rivers praised the "phenomenal" effort of his team's second string players, including Marquis Daniels and Keyon Dooling, who each got significant playing time.

"What the second unit did was come in with a defensive energy that just changed the game," Rivers said.

Daniels, who played just 18 seconds in Wednesday's game two, logged more than 17 minutes as a stand-in point guard, adding nine points and five rebounds.

The Heat's Lebron James, in pursuit of his first NBA title, dominated the first quarter and ended up as the game's top scorer with 34 points.

The Heat cut Boston's lead to eight points late in the game, at one point staging an 11-0 run.

"He kept us afloat," team mate Dwyane Wade said of James. "We made a run in the fourth quarter (but) we can't dig that big of a hole for ourselves."

Miami did itself no favors from the penalty line, missing 10 of 20 free throw attempts. James was one of five from the line.

"We know this is a tough place to play but we know we can play a lot better than this," said Miami coach Erik Spoelstra. "We still have a golden opportunity."

(Editing by Nick Mulvenney

Kiprop surges to victory in Kenya's 10,000 trials

Wilson Kiprop (R) of Kenya races against compatriot Matthew Kisorio during the 10,000m men's final race at the 2010 African Athletics Championship at the …

EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - Wilson Kiprop surged to the lead with 50 meters to go and won the Kenyan Olympic 10,000 meters trials in the year's fastest time at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League meeting on Friday.

Kiprop bettered his personal best by 25 seconds by crossing the line in 27 minutes, 1.98 seconds on a drizzly evening to defeat former world bronze medalist Moses Masai.

Masai ran 27:02.25 and Bitan Karoki finished in 27:05.50 to complete the Kenyan team for the London Games.

The Kenyans moved their trials to low-altitude Eugene in hopes of breaking a 44-year drought without an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000. Their last victory in the event came at the 1968 Olympics.

Despite the wet track and sometimes rainy conditions, a classy field also delivered the year's top performances in the men's triple jump and women's 10,000m.

World outdoor champion Christian Taylor outdueled U.S. team mate Will Claye to win the triple jump at 17.62 meters. Global indoor winner Claye bounded 17.48 and British Olympic hopeful Phillips Idowu claimed third at 17.05 with only two fair jumps.

Ethiopian Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba pipped Kenya's Florence Kiplagat in the women's 10,000m, running 30:24.39. Kiplagat clocked 30:24.85, the year's second fastest.

Quick runs also came in the mile and women's 800m.

Kenyan James Magut led 12 runners under four minutes in the mile, clocking 3:54.16, and American Alysia Montano sped to the year's second fastest women's 800 in 1:57.37.

The meeting continues on Saturday with Ethiopian Olympic gold medalist Kenenisa Bekele facing British world champion Mo Farah over 5,000 meters and China's Liu Xiang racing America's top high hurdlers.

(Editing by Nick Mulvenney)

AP Source: NFL has Saints bounty ledger

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Documents gathered in the NFL's bounty investigation of the Saints include a ledger detailing payments for plays such as ''cart-offs'' and ''whacks,'' a person familiar with the probe said.

The person confirmed the existence of the ledger to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday night because the NFL has not publicly discussed it. Yahoo first reported that the NFL has the ledger, which describes $1,000 payments for ''cart-offs,'' or hits which left opponents needing help to the sideline. It noted $400 payments for ''whacks,'' or hard hits, and $100 deductions for mental errors.

Another person with access to Saints records also told the AP of the existence of documents listing payments made for ''cart-offs'' and ''whacks.'' But the person was not aware of any document that identified a bounty placed on an opponent.

''There was no such thing as a bounty where anyone put up money to hurt another player,'' said the person, who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing and related litigation is pending.

''There were stupid names for legitimate plays,'' the person said, referring to the use of the terms ''cart-offs'' and ''whacks.'' The person said the payments listed ''are for big, clean plays,'' and that plays which were penalized usually resulted in fines.

NFL Players Association spokesman George Atallah says the union has not seen the ledger or any other evidence of player involvement in a ''pay-to-injure'' program, including the ledger.

''This supposed coach's ledger, if it does exist, only proves that a fair due process was not afforded to the players,'' Atallah told The Associated Press. ''They were punished before they had the opportunity to review any of the supposed evidence against them.''

The NFL has suspended four players - all of them either current or former Saints - in connection with the bounty probe. Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma was suspended for all of the 2012 season, Green Bay defensive end Anthony Hargrove was suspended eight games, Saints defensive end Will Smith was suspended four games, and Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita three.

The players all have appealed their suspensions. While none of the punished players has denied that the Saints ran a pay-for-performance pool similar to those run by other teams, they have denied that they ever pledged or received cash for injuring a targeted opponent.

Vilma also has filed a defamation lawsuit against NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in U.S. District Court in New Orleans.

The Saints also have been punished harshly as an organization, with head coach Sean Payton serving a suspension that began in April and runs until after the Super Bowl. General manager Mickey Loomis was suspended eight games and assistant head coach Joe Vitt, currently acting as head coach in Payton's absence, must serve a six-game suspension at the start of the regular season.

The team also was fined $500,000 and docked second-round draft picks this year and next, though the NFL has indicated the penalty for next year's draft could be reduced if the club continues to cooperate with the probe.

The NFL has said former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams ran a bounty program for three seasons from 2009 through 2011. Now with the St. Louis Rams, Williams has issued an apology and has been suspended indefinitely. Payton and Loomis also have issued apologies for not doing more to stop a program that Williams ran on their watch.

Clippers' coach Del Negro will return next season

The Los Angeles Clippers announced Tuesday that they have picked up their option on coach Vinny Del Negro's contract, which means he will return as the team's coach next season.

The Clippers had until June 1 to decide whether to bring Del Negro back for his third season with the Clippers, and it was unclear what they would do.

The preseason acquisition of Chris Paul raised expectations considerably, and the Clippers lost in the second round of the playoffs this season, getting swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs.

The Clippers had won their first-round series in seven games over Memphis.

The team's winning percentage of .606 this season was the highest in franchise history.

Goodes takes two-shot lead at Principal Charity Classic

Mike Goodes leads after the first round of the Principal Charity Classic.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Mike Goodes opened the Principal Charity Classic by sticking all of his approaches next to the cup and tapping in for easy birdies.

Knowing such good fortune was unlikely to last, Goodes put it out of his mind and finished Friday's opening round of the Principal Charity Classic nearly as well as he started it.

Goodes shot a 7-under 64 to take a two-shot lead at Glen Oaks Country Club. Jay Haas, who won in Iowa in 2007 and 2008, leads a group at 5-under 66 that includes South African David Frost and former Masters champion Larry Mize.

Goodes opened his round with four straight birdies. He nearly had two more on Nos. 5 and 6 and he closed with back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th holes. Goodes shot a 30 on the front nine and matched his lowest overall score on the Champions Tour.

"Just tried to play after that because you know you don't want to start thinking about how good you are after four (holes)," Goodes said. "You're not going to finish too good then."

Goodes, whose only Champions Tour win came at the Allianz Championship in 2009, stumbled to a bogey on No. 7 before racking up back-to-back birdies.

Goodes and Larry Nelson, who were playing in the same group, went to No. 18 tied at 6 under. But Goodes watched Nelson hit a strong putt that shot past the hole en route to a bogey, which helped him judge his try well enough to sink it from above the hole at just under 20 feet.

"It's like a great shooter in basketball. It's my day, and you just keep shooting and think you're going to make everything," Goodes said. "You're seeing putts go in the hole, there's no reason to think the next one's not going to go."

Haas struggled in his previous two tournaments, tying for 29th at last week's Senior PGA Championship. But he had a 69 in his last round at Harbor Shores in Michigan and he carried it over into Friday.

Haas needed just 23 putts in the opening round, a welcome change of pace after struggling recently on the greens.

"Kind of a product of just working at it a little bit. Hit more solid putts and made some nice mid-range putts," Haas said. "My pace was good on my putts."

Graham Marsh, 68, scored the tournament's first hole-in-one since 2006 when he aced the 203-yard second hole. Marsh, who also had a hole-in-one on a different hole during a pro-am earlier in the week, blew his good fortune with three bogeys and a double-bogey on the final seven holes and finished at 2 over.

"That's an amazing thing when you think about it," Marsh said. "I don't know if I've ever heard of three in one week, but I've still got three days to achieve it haven't I?"

Fuzzy Zoeller and John Harris both aced the 16th hole back in 2006.

Defending champion Bob Gilder opened with a 70. Gilder won at Glen Oaks for the second time in 2011 with a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole as Mark Brooks three-putted for bogey.

Brooks, whose bogey on the notoriously difficult par-4 17th hole precipitated his downfall last year, made par on that one Friday en route to a solid 67.

Tom Lehman, Mark Calcavecchia and Kenny Perry were part of an impressive group at 3 under.

Price, Matsui key Rays win over Baltimore

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) David Price made the most of Tampa Bay's five-run first inning.

Price scattered four hits over 7 1-3 innings, Hideki Matsui homered and the Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-0 on Friday night.

''The offense made it a lot easier for me going out and getting five runs,'' Price said. ''That takes a lot of pressure off our defense and takes a lot of pressure off me.''

Price (7-3), who struck out five and walked two, retired his first 13 batters. He got some defensive help when right fielder Matt Joyce made a full-extension, tumbling backhanded catch on J.J. Hardy's drive to end the fourth.

Price was charged with a fourth hit after a postgame scoring change that gave Wilson Betemit - the left-hander's final batter - a single on a grounder first called an error on second baseman Ben Zobrist.

''He's good, period,'' Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said of Price.

After Luke Scott hit a two-run single and Sean Rodriguez added a run-scoring bunt, Matsui belted a two-run homer off Wei-Yin Chen (4-2) to make it 5-0 in the first. Matsui, who was promoted from Triple-A Durham on Tuesday, has homered in two of his three games with Tampa Bay.

''Not just me, but everybody else was hitting in that inning,'' Matsui said through a translator. ''I was glad I was able to come through in that situation. It was a pitch that caught the inner part of plate, and I was able to put a pretty good swing on it.''

Jake McGee replaced Price and struck out both batters he faced in the eighth. The Orioles loaded the bases with one out in the ninth on three singles against Burke Badenhop, but Fernando Rodney struck out Mark Reynolds and got a grounder from Chris Davis for his 17th save.

Baltimore has lost six in a row and nine of 11.

Matt Wieters, mired in a 3-for-43 slide, got the Orioles' first hit when he grounded a single into right field with one out in the fifth.

''That's the last thing I was thinking about,'' said Price about a perfect game. ''I'm just trying to put up as many zeroes as possible. He hit a good pitch and he did what he could with it.''

Baltimore ran itself out of at least one run and possibly a big inning in the sixth. Hardy hit a fly to deep center with the bases loaded, but before Bill Hall reached home from third, B.J. Upton threw Steve Tolleson out attempting to advance from first to second for an inning-ending double play. Since the third out occurred before Hall crossed the plate, no run scored on the play.

''That's not the game,'' Showalter said. ''The game was Price, the first inning. Stevie is a good fundamental player. He just wanted to make something happen for our club. It's one of those things he knew as soon as he did it (it was a mistake).''

Chen gave up five runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings. The left-hander didn't allow a hit after Matsui's first-inning homer.

''First inning, my fastball, I couldn't command it,'' Chen said through a translator. ''Off-speed pitches were out of the zone. I didn't do my job.''

NOTES: Baltimore placed OF Nick Markakis (fractured right wrist) on the 15-day disabled list and purchased Hall's contract from Triple-A Norfolk. Markakis had surgery on Friday and is expected to be out three to four weeks. ... Rays 3B Evan Longoria (partial tear left hamstring) could be ready to start a minor league rehab assignment by mid-June. ... Orioles CF Adam Jones, hit on the left wrist by a pitched ball Wednesday, was in the starting lineup and went 2 for 4. He had a 20-game hitting streak end on Wednesday. ... Tampa Bay OF Desmond Jennings (sprained left knee) is expected to rejoin the team during a six-game road trip next week.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Johan Santana threw the first no-hitter ever for the New York Mets as he blanked the visiting World Series champion St Louis Cardinals 8-0 at Citi Field on Friday.

Santana struck out World Series MVP David Freese on a change-up in the dirt to end the game with his eighth strikeout and unleashed a huge celebration in the middle of the diamond.

The no-hitter came in the 8,020th game for the Mets, who joined the National League in 1962.

After a massive group hug in the middle of the field, the players returned to the dugout, where team mates poured champagne over the elated Santana's head.

In the ninth inning, Santana retired Matt Holliday on a soft liner to center, got Allen Craig on a fly to left and then fanned Freese to complete the no-hitter.

The lefthander, who missed last season after having shoulder surgery, walked five batters and threw 134 pitches in improving his record to 3-2.

"Amazing," Santana said in an on-field interview.

"Coming into this season I was just hoping to come back and stay healthy and help this team, and now I'm in this situation in the greatest city ... I'm very happy and happy for you guys," he told the fans. "Finally, the first one."

Mets outfielder Mike Baxter helped preserve the no-hitter with a spectacular catch on the run in left-field in the seventh inning on a drive hit by Yadier Molina.

Baxter crashed into the fence after corralling the drive but held on for the out. Shook-up by the play, Baxter had to come out of the game.

"When he hit that ball, I thought 'no'," Santana said when asked whether he thought Baxter would catch Molina's drive. "He made that play, it was great. It was amazing. Saved the game."

(Editing by Nick Mulvenney)

Serena Williams lets big lead slip at French Open

PARIS (AP) — Even after 13 Grand Slam championships and dozens of other titles, Serena Williams is capable of throwing away a big lead.

Williams led 5-1 in the second-set tiebreaker and was two points from victory nine times but still lost to Virginie Razzano of France 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 Tuesday at the French Open — the first time she has ever lost in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament.

"I definitely was nervous. I'm always a little nervous in every match I play, which I think is a little bit healthy," said the fifth-seeded Williams, who had been 46-0 in the first round of majors. "I was definitely a little nervous."

Williams entered the tournament with a 17-0 record on clay this year. And it looked like No. 18 was in the bag late in the second set.

But Razzano won six straight points to take the set and then won five straight games in the third set.

"I just felt I couldn't get a ball in play," Williams said. "You know, when I did, I just felt like I was hitting late and, I mean, how can you hit late on a clay court? It was kind of odd."

Defending men's champion Rafael Nodal had no such trouble, starting his quest for a record seventh French Open title by beating Simone Borelli of Italy 6-2, 6-2, 6-1. Maria Sharapova had an even easier time, scoring a "double bagel" in her 6-0, 6-0 win over Alexandra Cadantu of Romania.

On Wednesday, both Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will play in the second round. On the women's side, top-seeded Victoria Azarenka will be first up in the main stadium.

Williams and Razzano were last up in the main stadium on Tuesday, and they gave the fans a show.

After Williams failed to close out the match in straight sets, Razzano jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the third. The American then reeled off the next three games, and nearly got back on serve.

In the final, 23-minute game of the match, Williams saved seven match points but wasted five break points before losing.

"I just was thinking, 'OK, if I could break here, then we'll be back on serve.' You know, those are the kind of things that are going through your head," Williams said.

For Razzano, the win was one of the biggest of her career. Ranked 111th, the Frenchwoman has never been past the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament.

And it was made even more special considering the personal loss she experienced when her fiance died about a week before last year's French Open.

"Honestly, the past is the past," said Razzano, who lost in the first round last year. "I think now I did my mourning. I feel good today. It took time."

Just before Razzano and Williams walked out onto the clay on Court Philippe Chatrier, Nadal played in the stadium where he has won six of his 10 Grand Slam titles.

One more will break the French Open record he shares with Bjorn Borg.

Nadal was asked whether he expects Borg to make an appearance this year.

"We are in the second round," Nadal said. "I have enough work to do thinking about the next round, and not think about if Bjorn will be here or if I'm going to play the final. That's day-by-day and we'll see."

Nadal improved his record to 46-1 at Roland Garros. His only loss came in the fourth round in 2009, against Robin Soderling.

Sharapova's record on clay is not as impressive. Although she has won three major titles, she still needs a victory at the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam.

Last year, she lost in the semifinals.

"I feel like with every year I have improved," Sharapova said, "and I enjoy it much more."

Stanley Cup finals faceoff: Devils vs. Kings

The Stanley Cup finals are here at last, after 82 regular-season games and three rounds of playoffs, and the matchup is as unlikely they come. The sixth-seeded New Jersey Devils will take on the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings.

Here's a look at how the series breaks down.

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No. 6 (East) NEW JERSEY DEVILS (48-28-6) vs. No. 8 (West) LOS ANGELES KINGS (40-27-15)

HOW THEY GOT HERE: New Jersey beat No. 3 Florida 4-3, No. 5 Philadelphia 4-1, and No. 1 New York Rangers 4-2. Los Angeles beat No. 1 Vancouver 4-1, No. 2 St. Louis 4-0, and No. 3 Phoenix 4-1.

2011-12 SERIES RECORD: Devils 2-0 (one win in shootout).

PLAYOFF HISTORY: None. This is the teams' first meeting in the playoffs.

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NEW JERSEY: The Devils are in the Stanley Cup finals for the fifth time and are looking for their fourth title. New Jersey captured the Cup in 1995, 2000 and 2003, with its only finals loss to Colorado in 2001. ... Martin Brodeur has been there for all the finals appearances, and could call it a career at age 40 once this series is over — win or lose. Forward Patrik Elias has been in all of New Jersey's trips to the finals, except for the first in 1995. ... Brodeur injured his right shoulder against the Kings on Oct. 13 and missed six games. He didn't earn his first win of the season until Nov. 5. Backup goalie Johan Hedberg earned both of New Jersey's wins over the Kings. ... Captain Zach Parise leads the Devils with seven playoff goals and is second with 14 points. He led the way in the conference finals against the Rangers when he had six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in the series. This could be the last hurrah for Parise with New Jersey as he is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

THREE DEVILS TO WATCH: All of these guys have broken out in the playoffs.

Defenseman Bryce Salvador. After scoring no goals and posting nine assists in 82 regular-season games, Salvador has three goals and eight assists in 18 postseason contests.

Fourth-line center Ryan Carter. Carter has scored four goals in 17 playoff games, including first-period tallies in Games 5 and 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Rangers. New Jersey won the final three games of the series.

Center Travis Zajac. Limited to only 15 regular-season games because of a torn Achilles tendon, the Devils' No. 1 center returned to action in late March. He has found his game in the playoffs, and has excelled by tying for the team lead with seven goals. He also has five assists in 18 games.

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LOS ANGELES: The Kings have reached the finals for just the second time in team history. Los Angeles is still looking for its first Stanley Cup championship, having lost in five games to Montreal in 1993. ... The Kings have won an NHL-record eight straight road playoff games — the first team to do it in one playoff year — including three at Phoenix in the Western Conference finals. Los Angeles, which has outscored opponents 30-13 in its road games, has won 10 straight away from home — a record for multiple years. The Kings are the first team to take an undefeated road record into the finals since the conference format started in 1994. ... The Kings are the second No. 8 seed to get to the finals under the current postseason format and the first to eliminate the top three seeded teams in the conference in succession. ... Los Angeles has excelled behind Vezina Trophy finalist Jonathan Quick, who is 12-2 with a 1.54 goals-against average and .946 save percentage in the playoffs. ... On offense, the Kings are paced by their top line of captain Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams.

THREE KINGS TO WATCH: This trio could make a difference for the Kings.

Left wing Simon Gagne. Gagne could be a Kings wild card, having been medically cleared to play for the first time since a concussion sidelined him on Dec. 26. It might take another injury for a lineup spot to open up for Gagne, who made it to the Cup finals two years ago with Philadelphia.

Dwight King. The rookie forward has five goals, including two game-winners in the Western Conference finals. King, the 109th pick in the 2007 draft, was recalled from the minors on Feb. 10 and had five goals and nine assists in 27 regular-season games.

Willie Mitchell. The 35-year-old defenseman, who is the Kings' oldest player, is in the Stanley Cup finals for the first time.

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THE PLAYERS' TAKE:

"Well, I've got five kids now. So, I need to be here." — 40-year-old Devils goalie Martin Brodeur on why he is still playing.

"Most of his ribs at us are more of the sarcastic type than the stern force, yelling at us. He will just say, 'Is this game too hard for you tonight?' or something like that, just to get you angry. He knows what makes hockey players angry." — Kings forward Justin Williams on Darryl Sutter's coaching style.

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CELEBRITY WATCH:

In New Jersey, while Garden State rocker Bruce Springsteen will be on tour in Germany, Spain, Portugal and Italy during the finals, there's always a chance Jersey's other legend, Jon Bon Jovi, shows. He made an appearance in Round 3 vs. the Rangers.

In Los Angeles, expect to see plenty of stars in what they're now calling "Hockeywood." Already, Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Colin Hanks, David Beckham, Rachel McAdams, Alyssa Milano, and Kurt Russell have been bit by Kings Fever, and took in games at Staples Center. Who's left?

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OUTLOOK: The Kings show how they got this far in a highly competitive series, but Brodeur and Devils get the best of Quick and capture the Cup in California. Devils in 6.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs are making this look way too easy.

Parker had 34 points and eight assists, Manu Ginobili added 20 points and the Spurs stayed perfect in the playoffs with a 120-111 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday night.

So far, the Spurs have turned a hotly anticipated matchup between the league's top two scoring teams into a lopsided mismatch more befitting of an early round.

Game 3 is Thursday night in Oklahoma City, and the Thunder can only hope that a change of venue throws San Antonio out of its groove. The Spurs put on an offensive clinic for three quarters on Tuesday night, shooting 60 percent and building a 22-point lead.

"We like to play like that," said Parker, who hit 16 of 21 shots. "That's the way we play."

The Spurs set an NBA record with their 20th consecutive victory bridging the regular season and the playoffs. They came in sharing the longest such streak with the 2000-01 Lakers, who won 19 straight before losing to Philadelphia in the first game of the finals.

Those Lakers went on to win the championship and Parker's performance is yet another reason to think the Spurs will do the same.

"It's great and it is a great run," said Tim Duncan, who had 11 points and 12 rebounds. "But we are only worried about the next two wins in this series. That is all that matters, at this point."

The Thunder made a late surge to get within six points, but Parker, Ginobili and Duncan helped San Antonio finish them off. Oklahoma City is 5-0 at home in the playoffs, but only 14 teams have come back from 2-0 deficits to win a series in NBA playoff history.

"First, we've got to worry about Game 3," Thunder guard Russell Westbrook said. "Regardless of what's going on with this last game or the next game, we've got to worry about Game 3 and come in with the same mindset and try to get a win."

Kevin Durant had 31 points, Westbrook had 27 points and eight assists and James Harden rebounded from a rough Game 1 to score 30 for the Thunder, who have lost two straight for the first time since early April. Oklahoma City dropped to 15-4 in games after losses this season.

"There are no moral victories for us," Durant said. "We were down. We dug ourselves a hole. We did what we normally do, which is fight all game, and we lost."

San Antonio picked up where it left off from the 39-point fourth quarter that turned Game 1 on Sunday. With sharp passes and hot shooting, the Spurs jumped to a 19-9 lead after the Thunder missed six of their first seven shots and had three turnovers in the first 4 minutes.

Durant was on the bench at the start of the second quarter, and Parker and the Spurs put together a 14-4 spurt to stretch the gap to 13 points. Westbrook hammered Parker's arm on a drive and he crumpled to the court. That didn't faze Parker, who scored the Spurs' next seven points to keep San Antonio rolling.

The Spurs shot 58 percent (22 of 38) and had 13 assists in the first half. They also cut down their turnovers, committing only six in the first half after giving away 14 in the first two quarters of Game 1.

"You never go out and say, 'We're going to start out fast,'" San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "You don't know what is going to happen. You just want your team to be aggressive."

After the break, the Spurs resumed picking apart Oklahoma City's defense with precision passes, scoring on five straight possessions. The biggest cheer from the crowd came after Ginobili flipped a behind-the-back pass to Parker in the corner for another 3 and the lead ballooned to 78-58.

Late in the third quarter, the Thunder began intentionally fouling Tiago Splitter, a 32 percent free-throw shooter during the playoffs.

That backfired, too. Splitter went 5 for 10 over a 54-second span before Popovich replaced him with Duncan, and Oklahoma City trailed by the same margin — 16 — that it did when Brooks called for the "Hack-a-Splitter" strategy.

It may not have showed on the scoreboard, but the Spurs seemed to lose their edge after that.

"There's a reason why you do it, to kill the rhythm," Parker said. "I think it got us out of our rhythm."

Parker, Ginobili and Duncan were on the court together at the 8-minute mark, after the Thunder cut the deficit to eight. Ginobili's floater in the lane was only the Spurs' third field goal of the fourth quarter and put San Antonio up 99-89.

The Thunder had the deficit down to six with just over 5 minutes remaining. The Spurs missed 12 of 15 shots during one stretch, but Parker hit an off-balance, high-arcing jumper with 3:39 left for a 107-96 lead and San Antonio controlled the game from there.

Notes: The Spurs' winning streak is the longest in the NBA overall since the Houston Rockets won 22 straight between Jan. 29-March 18, 2008, all in the regular season. ... The Thunder are the first team to reach 100 points against San Antonio in the postseason. ... Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points, including three 3-pointers for the Spurs. ... Duncan blocked four shots to tie Hakeem Olajuwon for second in career blocks in the postseason (472). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the leader (476). ... Oklahoma City's Derek Fisher went 2 for 11 from the field after scoring 13 points in Game 1.

NEW YORK (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay is expected to miss six to eight weeks because of a strained right shoulder, the latest major setback for the five-time NL East champions.

Halladay was put on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, two days after he was hit hard and pulled from a start in St. Louis after just two innings because of shoulder soreness.

The two-time Cy Young winner will be shut down for a minimum of three weeks, then work toward rejoining the rotation, Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said.

Proefrock said tests done in Philadelphia indicated Halladay doesn't need surgery to recover and that the injury doesn't affect his rotator cuff.

"We hate to have him down, but it's nothing that requires anything other than rest," Proefrock said.

Halladay is 4-5 with a 3.98 ERA in 11 starts. He has pitched at least 220 innings in each of the past six seasons, and four times led the league in innings. His 72 1-3 innings this year tied Houston's Wandy Rodriguez for the NL lead.

The move with Halladay, which came two years to the day since he pitched a perfect game in Florida, was made retroactive to Monday. Catcher Erik Kratz was recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Minutes before the injury was announced as a Grade I/Grade II strain of the latissimus dorsi, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said he thought Halladay needed a break.

Halladay has "thrown a lot of bullets over his career," Manuel said, suggesting the 35-year-old pitcher could step back for a bit and still be dominant. The durable Halladay had not been on the DL because of shoulder trouble since 2004.

"He's got to get well," Manuel said.

The injury came with the Phillies at 26-24 and tied with Atlanta for last in the division, four games behind Washington.

Philadelphia has managed to stay close minus All-Star hitters Ryan Howard (Achilles tendon) and Chase Utley (knee), who haven't played at all this season. Manuel said he harbored hope that his slugging first baseman and smooth-fielding second baseman would be back at some point this year.

As for Halladay's absence, "it would hurt us," Manuel said. "How much, I really don't know."

The Phillies have relied on their pitching, particularly their rotation, to stick solidly in contention. Vance Worley, who is on the DL and hasn't started since May 11 because of elbow trouble, threw his first bullpen session since the injury before Tuesday's game.

Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton and Kyle Kendrick remain in the rotation, and there are a few potential replacements at Triple-A, including former big leaguers Dave Bush and Scott Elarton.

Any chance for Philadelphia to sign former Phillies star Roy Oswalt as a possible addition ended when the free agent reached a deal with Texas later Tuesday.

"Yeah, we can always use pitching," Manuel said, while adding, "I'm not telling (GM) Ruben Amaro to get another."

Halladay initially felt discomfort in his shoulder last Tuesday in a start against Washington but worked through it. He cut back on his throwing regimen before his next outing, but was tagged by Yadier Molina's grand slam in St. Louis.

Halladay began the season by throwing eight strong innings in a 1-0 win at Pittsburgh on opening day and seemed fine until blowing a 6-0 lead against Atlanta on May 2. He's 1-3 since then and the Phillies have lost four of his five starts.

The eight-time All-Star came to the Phillies in a trade with Toronto before the 2010 season and got a $60 million, three-year contract. Halladay pitched a perfect game against the Marlins in that first season with Philadelphia, and later that year threw a no-hitter against Cincinnati in his first career postseason outing.

The Phillies won the 2008 World Series and hoped to capture another crown after adding Halladay. But Philadelphia lost to the eventual champion San Francisco Giants in the 2010 NL championship series, then Halladay lost to Chris Carpenter and St. Louis 1-0 in the deciding Game 5 of the 2011 division series.

Texas Rangers ink Oswalt to one-year deal

Roy Oswalt, a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher, has signed a one-year deal with the Texas Rangers, according to a posting on the team's website.

The 34-year-old right-hander is expected to make several starts with developmental-league teams before joining the Rangers, who lost starter Neftali Feliz with a sprained right elbow.

The deal, reportedly worth as much as $5 million, could help the Rangers reach the World Series for the third year in a row. The two-time defending American League champions lost to San Francisco in 2010 and St. Louis in 2011.

Several clubs had shown interest in Oswalt, including the Philadelphia Phillies, for whom he went 9-10 last season with a 3.69 earned-run average in 139 innings over 23 starts.

In 11 major league seasons with the Phillies and Houston, Oswalt is 159-93 with a 3.21 earned-run average.

Kings goaltender Quick to dodge the spotlight

NEWARK, New Jersey (Reuters) - With a baseball cap pushed low over his brow and a hoodie pulled up over his head, Los Angeles Kings' Jonathan Quick looked more like a Hollywood celebrity trying to dodge paparazzi than a seasoned netminder preparing to meet NHL media on Tuesday.

Focused on the New Jersey Devils and Game One of the best-of-seven Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday, Quick admitted that fulfilling his team's media day obligations was not part of his rich playoff experience.

A man of few words, the soft-spoken Quick is about as forthcoming as New York Rangers' tight-lipped coach John Tortorella, deflecting questions like opposition slapshots.

"Well I don't, to be honest, really enjoy this," mumbled Quick. "When I think of the final I don't think of being here in front of you guys (media).

"I think of going and playing a hockey game at the highest level. That's all I think about."

Playing in one of hockey's non-traditional markets, Quick has been able to go about his business in relative anonymity, happily evading the spotlight.

Hidden behind a mask and the traditional playoff beard, the 26-year-old American's face is familiar only to the most dedicated Kings fans.

"On the West Coast we have a little less media coverage," said Kings forward Justin Williams. "It's just the way it works.

LOW KEY

"If Quick was on the East Coast, people would know him a little bit more.

"His demeanor is very low-key. He is not a guy that will come in and say, 'Look at me'. It's more about the team but I think people are starting to find out how good he is."

Quick has made fans and his peers take notice.

He has been the best puck-stopper in the playoffs with a miniscule 1.54 goals-against average, conceding two or fewer goals in 12 of 14 post-season contests.

He had 10 shutouts during the regular season and added two more in the playoffs.

"I wouldn't say I was stealing games," said Quick. "I think it was a team effort.

"We are a great defensive club. We've done that well for years, so I wouldn't look at it as stealing games.

"My job is the same as it was in October, stop the puck. That's it."

Unlike Martin Brodeur, his opposite number in the New Jersey net who has embraced the spotlight as he savors what could be his final playoff appearance, Quick prefers his play on the ice to do most of the talking.

A Vezina Trophy finalist as the NHL's top netminder and a top candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs, Quick has been instrumental in driving the eighth-seeded Kings into the finals for just the second time in the franchise's 45-year history.

"He's a really good goalie, he's played at a high level for a few years now," said Brodeur. "He got himself in a great position with a team and the system they play in. What I like about him is he's an athlete.

"He's a goalie who is going to make saves and not move. The puck is just not going to hit him, he's going to go out and compete like crazy. He's pretty spectacular to watch."

(Editing by Ian Ransom)

UAE face Kazakhstan in crunch A5N rugby tie Hosts aim to bounce back after two losses

UAE Rugby face a battle for survival in the HSBC Asian 5 Nations (A5N) Top 5 competition when they take on Kazakhstan at The Sevens on Friday.
Kick-off is scheduled for 4pm in what is billed as a relegation battle particularly after South Korea pulled off a 21-19 victory against Hong Kong last week.
UAE are aiming to bounce back from the battering they received at the hands of Hong Kong (85-10) and Japan (106-3).

Kazakhstan opened its 2012 season with an 87-0 loss to Japan but had a bye last weekend.

After two rounds of high intensity rugby, UAE will be seeking an improved performance and hope home advantage will work in their favour in this crucial third-round clash after their new-look outfit learned lessons the hard way.


“We have learned to defend better from our first two games, even though the scoreboard doesn’t reflect it, and hopefully we will be able to use that to good effect against Kazakhstan,” said UAE's performance manager Duncan Hall.

Hall has made four changes to the starting XV in a bid to field the best squad.

Graham Murphy steps back into the front row, Tim Fletcher steps into outside Centre, John Fawls at right wing and Imad Reyal takes on full back duties. Starting from the bench is Chris Jones-Griffiths, Sean Hurley and returning to the squad is Sam Cook at no.19.

“The A5N draw to face Hong Kong and Japan in the first 2 weeks (without rest) was playing to achieve wins against impossible odds,” admits Hall.

“We’ve played under enormous pressure, that has led to mistakes on the field during this campaign. We have no excuses and have gained valuable experience. The next match against Kazakhstan is now our time to use these experiences and play with high expectations. We have prepared to deliver confident, effective combinations and having been exposed to playing by far the best two sides in Asia (early in the campaign) has united the players more on and off the field,” he added.

Hall is aware of the immense pressure he and his squad face at home.

“To move forward we need to build on what we have available, we don’t (currently) have the luxury of a deep talent pool. I am proud of the commitment and attitude that has come through in many of the players particularly over the past two weeks, these players have earned their right to represent the UAE,” he said.

“This was always going to be our crucial game,” Hall added. “We knew we would face two challenging games in our opening encounters and last week’s result, where South Korea defeated Hong Kong, makes this game even more critical.”

Korea, returning to the top flight, defeated Hong Kong 21-19 to move up three places in the IRB world rankings to 28th. Hong Kong slipped down to 29.

UAE does not have an official ranking as they have still to play the required number of internationals, but realise that a loss against Kazakhstan will all but shut the door on them in the Top Five next year.

“We can’t assume anyone is going down as yet. We have two games to go and our target when we began was to win two matches. So we are still in with a shout,” Hall said.

“The guys have worked hard. We have struggled so far because we are not used to playing under such intense pressure. The speed at which Japan and Hong Kong played has been incredible.

“We don’t have anyone of the calibre of say the Japanese winger (Yoshikazu Fujita) who scored six tries against us. We are not endowed with speed, but I can see improvement in our side and hopefully that will be translated on to the scoreboard,” Hall added.

UAE has received some words of encouragement from Japan’s new coach Eddie Jones who has said he liked the “commitment” showed by the players.

“They lost on the scoreboard, but in terms of attitude, there are some really good signs there,” Jones told the media after last week’s match.

“We are playing with limited numbers,” admitted Hall. “But all these guys have a lot of heart.”

In this week’s other HSBC A5N Top 5 match, Japan are away to South Korea in a battle of the last two unbeaten teams remaining in this year’s Top 5 competition. The game will be held at Seongnam Stadium in Seoul at 13.00 local time on Saturday.

UAE squad
1. Graham Murphy – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
2. Peter Sampson – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
3. Dan Boatwright – Dubai Hurricanes
4. Greg Thompson – Dubai Hurricanes
5. Simon Osborne – Dubai Hurricanes
6. Brett Williams – Dubai Exiles
7. David Matasio – Dubai Wasps
8. Alistair Thompson (captain) – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
9. Patrick Hegarty – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
10. Murray Strang – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
11. Steve Smith – Dubai Hurricanes
12. Jonathon O’Connor – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
13. Tim Fletcher (vice-captain) – Jebel Ali Dragons
14. John Fawls – Dubai Exiles
15. Imad Reyal – Dubai Exiles
16. Charles Lilley – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
17. Christopher Jones-Griffiths – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
18. Tristan Barnett – Dubai Hurricanes
19. Sam Cook – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
20. Antoine Bertheuil – Dubai Frogs
21. Sean Hurley – Jebel Ali Dragons
22. Mohammed Alsulaiman – Dubai Wasps

Cycling: Cavendish wins stage five of Giro d'Italia

World champion Mark Cavendish of Britain won stage five of the Giro d'Italia from Modena to Fano in a bunch sprint on Thursday.Second behind the Sky rider, who claimed the ninth Giro d'Italia stage of his career, was Australian Matt Goss with Italian Daniele Bennati in third.Lithuanian Ramunas Navardauskas continued to lead the race overall for a second day.The Giro d'Italia finishes on May 27 in Milan.

UAE hold off Kazakhstan in A5N Top 5 battle Hosts bounce back after two consecutive losses

The United Arab Emirates staved a frenzied second-half assault to beat Kazakhstan 46-31 and keep alive their hopes of remaining in the Top 5 of the HSBC Asian Five Nations (A5N) rugby clash at The Sevens on Friday.
After trailing 29-nil at half time, Kazakhstan posted 31 points in the second half to close the gap to 10 points in the final 10 minutes before UAE dashed their hopes of an inspirational comeback.

It was a great comeback by the hosts after the battering they received at the hands of Hong Kong and Japan.

The win by UAE is key to their hopes of staying in the HSBC A5N Top 5 in 2013. Kazakhstan will be ruing a chance to take vital away match points and will now face their second must-win match in two weeks when they host Korea next Saturday in Almaty, before closing out their campaign in Hong Kong on May 26.

UAE performance manager Duncan Hall said: “It’s a relief for the guys definitely. We talked that this was definitely a winnable match and we are very luck we kept our noses in front. Kazakhstan is a proud country. They never let down and they showed that today.”


UAE captain Alistair Thompson said: “Today was a winner take all match in terms of staying up in the Top 5, so there was a lot of pressure on us. The last couple of weeks we have played teams (Hong Kong and Japan) that play expansive and want to play wide, but today it was a completely different game style where guys wanted to take us on up front. We went to sleep for the first 15 minutes of the second half and we ended up needing to score tries and luckily we did that.

“I’m proud of the lads. I think we have done enough to stay up in the Top 5 and if so, we have moulded UAE Rugby for the year ahead. The profile of staying up is vital for continuing to develop the game in the UAE and in the region.”

UAE jumped out to a fiery start in the desert sun as Sevens captain Tim Fletcher crossed over for the first try at the five-minute marker. The tries followed thick and fast as the UAE dominated territory throughout the opening 40.

Flanker Brett Williams, fullback Imad Reyal and scrum-half Pat Hegarty all added tries in the opening half. Flyhalf Murray Strang accounted for nine points in the same half with three conversions and a penalty to send the home side into the changing sheds 29-points to the good.

UAE was poised to be in a controlling position for the final 40, but it was Kazakhstan who struck first in just the second minute through a try to flanker Nikita Trofimov, who finally put the Nomads on the board at 29-5.

Moments later, UAE lock Greg Thompson helped his team regain last ground with a try to extend the lead to 34-5.

Undaunted, Kazakhstan exhibited its famed never-say-die rugby attitude with a second try through Dmitriy Tronin. The conversion by captain and centre Ildar Abdrazhakov narrowed the margin to 12-34.

Less than two minutes later, the Kazakh forward pack had worked the ball back deep into UAE territory, when flanker Nikita Trofimov scored his second try of the match. Abdrazhakov’s conversion brought the score to 34-19, with the Nomads having scored 19 points to UAE’s five in a rampaging second half. With 20 minutes remaining the game seemed to hang in the balance.

Kazakhstan seemed to tilt the match further in their favour as lock Anton Makarenko went over again from close range to bring the visitors within 10 points of an incredible comeback win at 34-24. Makarenko’s try saw Kazakhstan gain its first point of the 2012 HSBC A5N Top 5 as they earned a matching bonus point to that of the UAE for scoring four or more tries in a match.

With 10 minutes remaining, the atmosphere was tense as the UAE faithful pondered the thought of letting a 29-point lead slip through their fingers.

Earlier in the week Hall had lauded his charges saying they “had a lot of heart” and they repaid his faith by scoring a brilliant 50 metre handling try with some great interplay between backs and forwards.

The try was perfectly finished by slippery fullback Imad Reyal who collected a brace for his efforts.

Murray Strang’s boot was again on the mark with the conversion as UAE pulled comfortably back in front at 41-24 with eight minutes remaining on the clock.

Kazakh heads naturally dropped and the UAE again capitalised, this time through captain and No 8 Alistair Thompson giving the UAE a 46-24 lead with five minutes remaining.

As testament to the spirit in the Kazakhstan team, the visitors struck for the final time on the night as reserve scrum-half Evgeniy Romanov scooted over before the final whistle. Abdrazhakov’s conversion brought a thrilling 48-point second half to a close as Kazakhstan bowed out with heads held high at 46-31.

The crucial home win for UAE may have done enough to retain their spot in the HSBC A5N Top 5 in 2013. UAE captured five points for the win on the series table and a sixth (bonus) point for scoring four tries or more. Kazakhstan also earned a bonus point for its scoring spree in the second half. They trail the competition with one point from three matches and now face another must-win match as they host South Korea next weekend in Almaty.

South Korea are the promoted team in this year’s HSBC A5N Top 5 and have shown every indication of sticking in the top flight after a come from behind win against Hong Kong last weekend. Korea currently lie third in the standings on six points and face top-ranked Japan on Saturday in Seoul’s Seongnam Stadium (kick-off at 13.00 local time).

That game will be televised across Asia on ESPN Star Sports as well as into North Africa, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and North America on other international broadcasters. All HSBC A5N Top 5 games are also available for live streaming or video on demand at http://www.ustream.tv/A5NRugby.

F1: Hamilton stripped of Spanish pole Williams' Venezuelan driver Maldonado promoted

Lewis Hamilton's spectacular but often controversial career suffered a new twist on Saturday when he was stripped of pole for the Spanish Grand Prix because his McLaren team failed to give him enough fuel.
As a result, Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado of Williams will start from pole position for the first time after being promoted from second on the grid while Hamilton, the 2008 world champion, will start from the back.


The 27-year-old Briton was excluded from the qualifying results because he did not return to the pits with his McLaren car after setting his fastest lap.

Instead, he followed urgent orders transmitted by the team and stopped out on the track. He required assistance to return to the pits where a one litre fuel sample was to be taken.

A stewards meeting later decided that this was in breach of the regulations and excluded Hamilton, dismissing his team's argument that this had happened under circumstances of 'force majeure'.

"This is such a disappointment. Today's qualifying session was one of the best I've ever driven - the whole car was just rolling so smoothly, it felt fantastic," said Hamilton.

"On my slowing-down lap, my engineers told me to stop on the track, and I didn't know why. Later, to hear that I'd been excluded from qualifying, was of course extremely disappointing.

"It's clear that it's going to be an incredibly tough race. But as I always say, and as I always do, whatever grid position I start a Grand Prix from, I'll always race my heart out."

The race stewards rejected McLaren's argument that the incident was a case of force majeure.

"The stewards heard from the team representative Sam Michael who stated that the car stopped on the circuit for reasons of force majeure," said a statement.

"A team member had put an insufficient quantity of fuel into the car thereby resulting in the car having to be stopped on the circuit in order to be able to provide the required amount for sampling purposes.

"As the amount of fuel put into the car is under the complete control of the competitor the stewards cannot accept this as a case of force majeure."

McLaren accepted the stewards' decision.

"We accept that the stewards did not agree with our interpretation of force majeure. Our aim is now to maximise the points we can score," said a spokesman.

McLaren team chief Martin Whitmarsh declined to explain precisely why Hamilton had been asked to stop.

"There was enough fuel to take a fuel sample, but we stopped the car. There was 1.3 litres of fuel taken out of the car," insisted Whitmarsh.

Hamilton and McLaren were given a reprimand and a $10,000 fine at the 2010 Canadian Grand Prix in similar circumstances.

Whitmarsh said Saturday's drama was due to a problem in the McLaren garage.

"It is a technical problem that happened in the garage that didn't impede the performance of the car in any way and we stopped when it had 1.3 litres of fuel in the car," he added.

He was adamant that Hamilton had enough fuel to complete his lap back to the pit lane and also to supply a one litre sample.

Hamilton had a best lap of 1min 21.707sec to finish half a second clear of Maldonado.

Fernando Alonso was next fastest in a Ferrari ahead of Romain Grosjean and his Lotus team-mate Kimi Raikkonen.

They were followed by Sergio Perez of Sauber, Nico Rosberg of Mercedes and defending champion Sebastian Vettel in a Red Bull.

Maldonado's promotion was a great present for team founder Sir Frank Williams, who was celebrating his 70th birthday in the team garage.

"We have worked so hard to understand these tyres and develop our car around them and this is a great step forward for the team. We have such a good spirit and the car feels fantastic," said Maldonado.

Williams have their first pole since Nico Hulkenberg secured his maiden and sole pole position at the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix.

It is also the first ever for a Venezuelan driver.

NBA: Miami's James named MVP winner again Beat Durant, Paul and Bryant in voting

Miami Heat forward LeBron James was named on Saturday as the National Basketball Association's Most Valuable Player for the 2011-12 season, cementing his place among the game's greatest players.
It was the third time in four years that 'King' James has won the game's most prestigious individual award, elevating him alongside the sport's biggest names.
Only seven other players - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Moses Malone - have won the trophy at least three times.

Abdul-Jabbar holds the record for six MVP wins, one ahead of Jordan and Russell but James, still just 27 years old, has plenty of time on his side.


"I never dreamt about being an NBA Most Valuable Player," an emotional James said in a presentation in Miami broadcast live on national television.

"I never dreamt about doing the things that I do now at a high level.

"Now that it's in me now, and it's happening, it's overwhelming."

James, who twice won the award with the Cleveland Cavaliers before moving to Miami last season, averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists during the 2011-12 regular season, which was shortened to 66 games because of a labor dispute.

He totaled 1,074 points, including 85 first-place votes, from a panel of 121 voters that decided the award.

"We do not take LeBron James for granted, not here in this organization," Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

"He's as committed as ever... and we all respond to his energy on the court."

Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant, the leading scorer for the third season in a row, finished second in the vote, followed by Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers and Kobe Bryant from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Chicago's Derrick Rose, who won the MVP award last year, finished 11th in the voting after missing more than a third of the season because of injury.

James, despite his individual success, has yet to win an NBA title, but has perhaps his best chance this season with Miami.

"This is very overwhelming to me as an individual award," James said.

"But this is not the award I want, ultimately. I want that championship. That's all that matters to me."

The Heat, who finished runners-up to Dallas last year after James left Cleveland to link up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, cruised through the opening round of the playoffs.

They now face the Indiana Pacers in a best-of-seven series, starting in Florida on Sunday, for a place in the Eastern Conference final.

James is sure to feature in the star-studded United States team at this year's London Olympics after being a member of the team that won the gold medal in Beijing four years ago.

RugbyU: New Zealand clinch world sevens crown

New Zealand clinched their 10th IRB world sevens series crown in 13 years on Sunday after downing South Africa 36-0 to advance to the semi-finals of the final leg of the championship at Twickenham.The New Zealanders needed only one more win to be assured of clinching the crown after victories over Russia, Kenya and Argentina on Saturday.

The men in black had looked vulnerable during their win over Argentina, trailing 10-0 before recovering to win 15-10.


But the New Zealanders came roaring back on Sunday morning against South Africa, romping home in style to reach the last four after the opening quarter-final in the cup competition.

"It's an awesome feeling," New Zealand's long-serving coach Gordon Tietjens said.

"I was worried last night because we played very sketchily against Argentina. I woke up at four o'clock this morning and didn't get back to sleep but we played very well today. We're very happy."

Donald surrenders No. 1 spot to McIlroy

England's Luke Donald will surrender golf's World No. 1 ranking to Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy on Monday after a poor showing at the US PGA Heritage tournament.

Donald fired a level-par 71 on Sunday to finish on two-over par 286 for 72 holes, sharing 37th place, 16 strokes behind winner Carl Pettersson of Sweden.

Donald needed to share eighth place or better this week to keep his razor-thin margin ahead of McIlroy in the rankings. He finished six strokes adrift of that mark after matching his highest score in seven Heritage starts.

Once eight players reached the clubhouse ahead of him, Donald was ensured of giving the top spot back to McIlroy, whom he passed last month for the honour.

"Is it a concern? No," Donald said. "I would have liked to have played a bit more consistently this year. I built it up nicely last year through tournaments and winning a bunch.

"As a result there's a little bit of fluctuation in the world rankings now."

Donald, still seeking his first Major title, first claimed the top ranking after winning last year's BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour.

"It's a lot more the focus the first time around," Donald said. "Now my focus is on winning tournaments."

Reigning US Open champion McIlroy, who turns 23 on May 4, claimed the top spot for the first time in his young career last month when he won the US PGA Honda Classic, ending a 40-week run by Donald.

But Donald moved past McIlroy two weeks later, reclaiming the top spot by winning the US PGA Transitions Championship.

McIlroy, who was off this week, is not expected to play again until the US PGA Wells Fargo Championship in May at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Donald will return to PGA play in two weeks at New Orleans starting April 26.

Mena Golf Tour provides platform for emerging talent Second edition will have regional flavour

Shaikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Arab Golf Federation and the Emirates Golf Federation, Mohamed Juma Buamaim, Chairman of the Mena Golf Tour, and Khalfan Al Kaabi, a board member of the Emirates Golf Federation, with the Mena Golf Tour trophy. (FILE)

The Mena Golf Tour fits perfectly into the larger scheme of things if the region’s players, including the UAE, are to realise their ambitions of competing on the bigger stage, especially the Asian Games or even the 2016 Olympics where the sport is making a comeback after a 112-year absence.


The tour, now in its second edition, has assumed a special significance with the UAE National Olympic Committee officially endorsing golf in its portfolio of sports, thus clearing the way for the country’s leading players to start dreaming about the biggest moments of their careers.

"There are hundreds of young golfers in the region who would be proud to represent their country and it would be an honour for anyone who plays this game to be part of the Asian Games and Olympic Games,” said Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour.

“Hard work and exposure to high-intensity competitions are vital ingredients to preparing the players for top flight golf, and the Mena Golf Tour has the strength in depth to provide competition that would challenge the players and fine tune their skills required to compete at this level.

“Our intention is to develop amateurs who represent their country through this Tour because we feel they are the ones who will encourage more people to take up golf – and not Woods and Westwoods,” he said. “The added incentives, of course, are the spots that we offer to top golfers on the Order of Merit - three professionals and one leading amateur - to compete in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

“We have created a springboard for the players to benefit from it and, hopefully, they will set new standards,” said Buamaim, who thanked the UAE NOC for its initiative to recognise golf, which is fast becoming popular among the Emiratis.

The Tour, he explained, is not UAE specific. “It is meant to create playing opportunities for all those keen on playing at the top level or planning on making a career out of golf. It’s a stepping stone to the exciting world of international golf.”

The second edition of the Mena Tour, which is scheduled to kick off in September this year, will have a true regional flavour with stops in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and possibly, Morocco. With more tournaments, more prize money on offer, the tour is expected to attract a strong field with players who have featured on the Challenge Tour and Asian Tour events adding to its strength.

If a Mena Golf Tour player goes on to establish his credentials on the international circuit, it will just be a sign of the times in an ever-changing world. “This calls us to join hands, group our efforts and set off to make this dream come true,” he said.