Professional sports

Another chapter for old adversaries

Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

NBA playoffs

Celtics, 76ers again come down to wire

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BOSTON - Julius Erving strolled through the 76ers locker room as Philadelphia celebrated beating the Celtics to set up another Game 7 in Boston.

"It brings back all the memories," the Hall of Famer said after the Sixers forced the first seventh game between the old rivals since he teamed with Andrew Toney to lead Philadelphia past Boston and into the 1982 NBA Finals. "It seemed like it always came down to them. ... Coming out of the East, (it) was always Boston or Philly."

Jrue Holiday scored 20 points and Elton Brand had 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead the 76ers to an 82-75 victory over the Celtics on Wednesday night that left the Eastern Conference semifinals tied 3-3. Both teams took the day off yesterday to rest up for Game 7 in Boston tomorrow.

Wade torches Pacers

Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

NBA playoffs

Miami finishes off Indiana in 6 games

INDIANAPOLIS - There was nothing soft about Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.

Wade scored 41 points, LeBron James chipped in 28 and the Heat finished off the Indiana Pacers, locking up a return trip to the Eastern Conference finals with a 105-93 victory in Game 6 last night.

The Heat wrapped up the best-of-7 series and will face either Boston or Philadelphia in the next round starting in Miami on Monday. Of course, nothing less than an NBA title will make for a satisfying summer in South Beach.

Two series down, two to go.

The Heat rallied from an early 11-point deficit, riding the hot hand of Wade in the opening half. He scored 26 points by the break, tying Tim Hardaway's 16-year-old franchise record for most playoff points in the first two quarters. James hit consecutive baskets with just over a minute remaining to close it out.

Sanchez enjoys the competition

Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

NFL

Tebow getting his work at Jets OTAs

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Mark Sanchez smiled for a split-second when a reporter labeled him as the most scrutinized guy in the New York Jets' locker room.

"Nooo," the quarterback said, dripping with sarcasm.

Yep, it's true. And it's been that way for more than three years now, long before Tim Tebow ever got here. But the arrival of the world's most popular backup quarterback means even more attention focused not only on what Tebow does, but every throw Sanchez makes - even if it's only the third day of the Jets' organized team activities.

"His popularity draws a lot of this," Sanchez said yesterday, motioning toward the throng of reporters and cameras around him. "But at the same time, I wouldn't be in this position if I couldn't handle it. I'm prepared for it."

Giants pound Marlins

Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Baseball

Also: Indians cap sweep of Tigers

Melky Cabrera had three hits and drove in four runs last night for the San Francisco Giants, who gave Ryan Vogelsong robust run support for a change to beat the Miami Marlins, 14-7.

Vogelsong (3-2) allowed three runs in 6⅓ innings, which hiked his ERA to 2.50. The Giants had 22 runs in his previous seven starts.

The Giants came into the game leading the majors in stranded runners, but went 7-for-17 with runners in scoring position. Their run total and 15 hits were both season highs. Angel Pagan had four RBI, while Cabrera raised his average to .362.

Giancarlo Stanton drove in three runs and hit another tape-measure home run for the Marlins.

Reds 6, Braves 3

Rookie catcher Devin Mesoraco capped a series full of homers with his first career grand slam, leading Cincinnati over Atlanta.

Nicks breaks right foot at Giants OTA

Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Nfl

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - New York Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks is expected to be sidelined up to three months after breaking his right foot at a team organized activity early yesterday.

Nicks fractured the fifth metatarsal of his right foot as he was running a route during individual drills, the team said in a release later in the afternoon.

Nicks is scheduled to have surgery today to have a screw inserted into the broken bone. The expected recovery time for Nicks is approximately 12 weeks.

No finishing touch

Thu, 24 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Game 6 – Philadelphia 82, Boston 75

Poor shooting dooms Celtics

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PHILADELPHIA - Jrue Holiday scored 20 points, and Elton Brand had 13 points and 10 rebounds to lead the tough-and-determined Philadelphia 76ers past the Celtics, 82-75, last night to send the Eastern Conference semifinals back to Boston for Game 7.

No team has won consecutive games in a series where neither team has played well enough to seize control.

Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo could be playing their last game together Saturday night if they can't find a way to hang onto the ball and put away a Sixers team that won't quit.

Former 76ers All-Star Allen Iverson earned a roaring standing ovation when he presented the game ball. By the end, the fans were on their feet for Holiday, Brand and Andre Iguodala for keeping the eighth-seeded Sixers alive for at least one more game.

Bottom's up for Red Sox

Thu, 24 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Boston 6, Baltimore 5

Nos. 7-9 hitters provide 3 homers

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BALTIMORE - Sporting a lineup top-heavy with sluggers, the Boston Red Sox got the power they needed from the bottom third of their batting order in a feel-good win over the Baltimore Orioles.

Daniel Nava and Kelly Shoppach hit sixth-inning homers to turn a tie game in Boston's favor, and newcomer Scott Podsednik also connected to help carry the Red Sox to a 6-5 victory yesterday.

Nava batted seventh, Podsednik eighth and Shoppach last. The trio won't make anyone forget the home-run power of David Ortiz, Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Youkilis, but on this day they combined to go 6-for-9 with three homers, four RBI and four runs.

The victory enabled the Red Sox to finish a grueling stretch of 20 games in 20 days with an 11-9 record, and thrust them back to .500 (22-22). Boston took two of three from the Orioles, who were seeking to win a fourth straight series against the Red Sox for the first time since 1960.

Devils recover, take series lead

Thu, 24 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Stanley Cup playoffs

NEW YORK - Ryan Carter snapped a tie with 4:24 left, and the New Jersey Devils posted a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers after blowing a three-goal lead in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals last night.

The Devils, who led 3-0 before the first period was half over, have a 3-2 edge in the series and can advance to face the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup finals with a win at home tomorrow night. If the Rangers can stay alive then, Game 7 would be back in Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

The Devils seemed primed for an easy win when Stephen Gionta and Patrik Elias scored within the first 4:13 of the game. Travis Zajac made it 3-0 before the Rangers woke up and began chipping away.

Crowning moment

Thu, 24 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Stanley Cup playoffs

Kings' unlikely run reaches Cup finals

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LOS ANGELES - The crowd was dozens deep and hundreds wide, screaming and chanting and surrounding the Los Angeles Kings' cars as they drove home after writing another improbable chapter in the big, mostly empty book that holds their franchise history.

About 4,000 fans showed up at LAX early yesterday morning to welcome the Western Conference champions back from Arizona. Even Game 5 hero Dustin Penner was awestruck.

"It was like driving down a hallway lined with human flesh," said Penner, who scored the overtime goal that sent the Kings to the Stanley Cup final. "You couldn't see anything except people. ... It's not something that anyone will forget ever on this Kings team. It's something you can only experience when you get to the Cup finals."

Segui could be forced to testify

Thu, 24 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Baseball

Clemens faces potential seteback

WASHINGTON - Prosecutors finally have some momentum in their perjury case against Roger Clemens, even if it means dragging in former major leaguer David Segui, a witness who is apparently so reluctant to testify that the judge threatened from the bench: "If he doesn't show up, he'll be arrested like anyone else."

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton indicated yesterdsay he was leaning heavily toward allowing prosecutors to call Segui and another witness to counter an overall impression left by Clemens's lawyers during the 6-week-old trial. Segui is expected to say that sometime around 2001 he was told by Clemens's strength coach, Brian McNamee, that McNamee had saved evidence from injections of players to placate a nagging wife.