Roger Federer tops Nicolas Mahut to advance at ABN Amro in Rotterdam - SI.com

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- Top-seeded Roger Federer easily beat Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 6-4 in the first round Wednesday to sail straight into the quarterfinals of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament.

Federer's second-round opponent Mikhail Youzhny withdrew with a foot injury, giving the Swiss star a place in the last eight.

The 16-time Grand Slam winner will face Jarkko Nieminen, who overcame Lukasz Kubot 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (2).

Federer is making his first appearance in Rotterdam since 2005, and said "it's nice to be back.''

Second-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic hit 10 aces to beat countryman Lukas Rosol 6-4 6-2 and earn a spot in the second round.

Third-seeded Juan Martin Del Potro, who is making his Rotterdam debut, beat 2008 champion Michael Llodra 6-4 6-7 (3) 6-4.

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Suns start fast, hold off Lakers - CBSSports.com

CBSSports.com wire reports
Feb. 19, 2012

PHOENIX -- Jared Dudley scored a season-high 25 points, Marcin Gortat had 21 points and 15 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns held on to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 102-90 on Sunday night, ending a four-game losing streak.

The Lakers, who had won three straight, trailed by 23 at halftime and 27 in the third quarter before cutting it to 10 in the fourth.

Kobe Bryant scored 32 points but was 1 of 8 on 3-pointers and committed 10 turnovers, one shy of his career worst.

Grant Hill scored 15 points and Steve Nash had 14 assists for the Suns.

The teams were playing for the second successive game. The Lakers won in Los Angeles 111-99 on Friday night.

Pau Gasol added 17 points and 12 rebounds and Andrew Bynum had 16 points and 10 boards for the Lakers.

Los Angeles had beaten Phoenix twice at home this season.

The loss matched the most one-sided defeat for the Lakers this season. They had never trailed by more than 23.

Bryant, not surprisingly, got the Lakers back within striking distance. The NBA's scoring leader had the last 11 points in a 13-2 run that cut the lead to 80-65 with 51.8 seconds left, including a 16-footer as he was falling down and his first 3-pointer of the night. Phoenix led 82-67 entering the fourth.

With 7:32 to play, Bryant scored inside and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but got the rebound and then found Troy Murphy open in the corner for his second 3-pointer of the quarter to cut the lead to 88-77 with 7:22 to play.

Bryant's two free throws made it 91-81 with 4:21 left, but Dudley sank a 17-footer, then blocked Bryant's shot from behind. Channing Frye made one of two free throws to boost the lead to 94-81, then Dudley's baseline drive put Phoenix up 96-84 with 2:10 to play.

Los Angeles gave up a season-worst 63 first-half points to a Suns team that came in averaging just under 94 points per game. Frye's 3-pointer with 31.9 seconds left gave Phoenix its biggest first-half lead at 63-38. Bryant's 22-footer with 16.2 seconds left made it 63-40 at the break.

Phoenix won from the foul line, going 27 of 32 to the Lakers' 17 of 25, and from 3-point range, where the Suns made 7 of 20 to Los Angeles' 3 of 18.

There was an abundance of statistical evidence to explain the Suns' big halftime advantage.

Los Angeles was 0 of 6 on 3s in the first half and had zero second-chance points to the Suns' seven. Phoenix made 18 of 19 free throws in the first half to 6 of 9 for the Lakers.

The Suns used an 18-2 run against the turnover-plagued visitors in the first quarter to lead 31-14 on ex-Laker Shannon Brown's layup on a pass from Dudley with 1:51 to play. Gortat had nine points and nine rebounds in the quarter, while Nash had seven assists and four points.

The lead reached 41-22 when rookie Markieff Morris blocked Matt Barnes' shot, then sank a 3 at the other end. Bryant stole the ball from Hill and his layup capped a 6-0 spurt that cut it to 49-35 with 4:21 left in the half. But the Suns responded with a 14-5 run to take their 25-point lead, before Bryant's lone long jumper of the half made it a 23-point game at the break.

The Lakers committed seven turnovers in the period, three by Bryant, to the Suns' two.

Notes

The Lakers' previous high for points allowed in a half was 56, in the first half against Chicago in their Christmas Day opener and in the second half at Minnesota on Jan. 29. ... Nash has had 16, 17 and 14 assists in the last three games. ... The Suns have played 12 games in February, more than any other NBA team. ... Phoenix fell four shy of its season high for points in a half, 67 at Milwaukee on Feb. 7. ... The Lakers' Josh McRoberts drew three fouls in 3 1/2 minutes in the first half. Murphy had three fouls in 7:20.

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Heat top Magic for sixth straight win - CBSSports.com

CBSSports.com wire reports
Feb. 19, 2012

MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade hasn't had a shooting streak like this since he was a rookie. The Miami Heat haven't had a winning streak like this all season.

And the team with the NBA's best record insists that better days are ahead.

Wade scored 27 points, LeBron James had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and the Heat returned from a marathon road trip to beat the Orlando Magic 90-78 on Sunday for their sixth consecutive victory, each of them by double digits.

"We want to make sure that we're keeping things in perspective, we're staying humble and understanding that NBA adage -- you're never quite as good as you think you are when you're winning and you're never quite as bad as you think you are when you're losing," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "And we are playing better, more consistent and we have taken another step forward as a basketball team."

With former President Bill Clinton sitting courtside next to Heat managing general partner Micky Arison, Udonis Haslem scored 10 for the Heat, who improved to 25-7, a half-game better than Chicago for the best record in the NBA and the Eastern Conference. The 12-point final margin Sunday was Miami's smallest during its current winning streak.

Wade made 13 of 23 shots from the floor, shooting 50 percent or better for the 10th straight game. He had an 11-game run of those nights as a rookie.

"Taking high-percentage shots," Wade said. "And just in a groove."

J.J. Redick, who was a late addition to Orlando's starting lineup after Jason Richardson was scratched with chest pain that resembled heartburn, scored 17 points. Dwight Howard finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds and Glen Davis -- back in the Magic lineup after a one-game absence to attend his father's funeral -- scored 12.

"They just played harder than us," said Howard, whose team was the last to beat Miami. "They did do well tonight. They clogged the paint. They forced me to pass the ball out. It was a pretty good defensive effort. Every time I caught the ball in the paint, everyone was there."

Quentin Richardson added 10 points for Orlando, which made 11 shots from 3-point range. The Magic had been 12-1 when connecting on at least that many this season.

"There are things we can do to play better," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "And I'm sure Erik feels there are things they can do better as well."

Fueled by Wade scoring 12 points in the first seven minutes, Miami ran out to a 22-11 lead, the second straight game where the Magic faced a double-digit deficit in the opening quarter.

Just as they did two days earlier against Milwaukee, Orlando rallied. The Magic scored the next 13 points, 3-pointers from Redick and Quentin Richardson getting things started. A 3-pointer from Ryan Anderson with 8:57 left in the half gave Orlando what was then its biggest lead at 27-24.

Good thing the Magic had that run. The rest of the half was downright abysmal.

"It was just one of those nights," Quentin Richardson said.

Orlando went more than seven minutes without a point, and wound up missing 11 straight shots and 14 of 15 in one stretch. Howard only had six shots in the first half, the Magic finished with just 12 points in the second quarter, and Miami took a 43-31 lead into intermission.

The Magic seemed to be in position to make a run in the third quarter, even with Wade and James combining for 16 points in the period. Davis' steal and layup with 1:44 left got Orlando within nine.

But the Heat had a quick and decisive answer.

Mario Chalmers made two free throws, Shane Battier hit a 3-pointer -- Miami's third attempted 3 on that possession -- and Udonis Haslem hit a jumper from the right corner with 1.8 seconds left to send Miami into the fourth with a 70-54 edge.

"This can't be [our] top gear right now," Wade said. "We want to go to another gear, and then another gear. Our next gear will be tuning up for the playoffs. Next gear after that will be playoffs. We know we still have ways we can get better."

Chris Bosh's jumper early in the fourth quarter gave Miami a 20-point lead, and the margin was not seriously threatened again, even though the Heat went nearly four minutes without scoring. Haslem missed a foul-line jumper, three Magic players were unable to corral the rebound, which Wade picked up and dunked with two hands for an 84-66 lead with 3:58 left.

James then sealed it with a turnaround jumper and transition dunk 13 seconds apart.

"We've got a strategy going into a game and we've been executing it both offensively and defensively," James said. "And it's resulting in wins."

Notes

It was Heat swingman Mike Miller's 32nd birthday. The Heat stat crew got a first-half scare, when Davis -- listed at 289 pounds -- went airborne over the scorers' table. No one was injured, and Davis used the table as a springboard to get back onto the playing surface. Clinton got his hands on a deflected ball that bounded over a courtside table in the second quarter, James landed on a pair of young kids sitting courtside in the third, and Wade tumbled atop a baseline cameraman in the fourth. Wade left the game in the first quarter to get his left ankle re-taped. Grammy winner Chris Brown was in the crowd, as were Miami Marlins players Emilio Bonifacio, Heath Bell and Josh Johnson. Bonifacio took "batting practice" using plastic balls and bats from Heat mascot Burnie during a timeout. Wright By:kevin,
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Iowa runs by No. 20 Indiana - USA TODAY

IOWA CITY (AP) – Iowa senior Matt Gatens has often been viewed as the steady though unspectacular leader of a rebuilding Hawkeyes program.

By Charlie Neibergall, AP

Matt Gatens, center, hit seven three-pointers, including four during a crucial stretch that put the game away for Iowa.

By Charlie Neibergall, AP

Matt Gatens, center, hit seven three-pointers, including four during a crucial stretch that put the game away for Iowa.

Gatens finally showed how spectacular he can be against No. 20 Indiana on Sunday, burying the Hoosiers with a remarkable second-half shooting display.

Gatens scored a career-high 30 points and the Hawkeyes beat Indiana 78-66 on Sunday, snapping the Hoosiers' three-game winning streak.

Melsahn Basabe had 13 points and five blocks for the Hawkeyes (14-13, 6-8 Big Ten), who beat the Hoosiers in Iowa City for the seventh time in eight tries.

To get the latest sports news from USA TODAY, including game results, columns and features, follow us on Twitter at @USATODAYSports.

Iowa jumped out to an 11-point halftime lead and pushed it to 52-33 midway through the second half. Indiana closed to 10, but Gatens responded with four crucial threes to guide the Hawkeyes to the easy victory.

"Gatens, who was the most determined player on the floor in my opinion the whole day anyway, just took it to another level," Indiana coach Tom Crean said. "When he hit those shots, we just couldn't overcome it."

Freshman Cody Zeller had 15 points and 13 rebounds and Victor Oladipo added 15 points for Indiana (20-7, 8-7), which is now just a game over .500 in the Big Ten and 2-6 in league road games.

"Give credit to Iowa. They came in and played a lot harder than we did. Outrebounded us, outdid us in pretty much everything, so that's all on us," said Indiana guard Jordan Hulls, who was held to two points.

This one quickly turned into a laugher early in the second half.

However, few would have guessed it'd be the Hawkeyes running away with it.

Iowa pushed its lead to 48-32 on a transition layup from Gatens. Seldom-used big man Andrew Brommer then broke through traffic for a tip-in, giving Iowa a 19-point edge with 12:13 to go.

The Hoosiers finally got going by scoring nine straight points to cut it to 52-42. But that's when the steady Gatens broke their momentum with a remarkable stretch of back-breaking 3s.

The first 3 from Gatens stopped Indiana's run, which had threatened to make things interesting. Gatens then rescued a lost possession with a three from at least 25 feet out to put Iowa back on top 58-44 with 6:36 to go.

Gatens also hit one from the corner and finished it off from the top of the key, making it 65-46 with 4:35 left.

"It was a lot of fun, but way more fun winning," Gatens said.

Gatens finished 7-for-10 on threes, earning a serenade from the student section in one of the final home games of his career.

"He's not only one of the better shooters or guards in this league, he is one of the better ones in the country," Crean said. "That is a four-year guy who has been doing it at a high level."

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery and Crean each took issue with aspects of their team's performance after the Hoosiers whipped the Hawkeyes 103-89 three weeks ago.

Crean was upset that his team let Iowa shoot 63% from the floor. McCaffery was upset with pretty much everything after the Hawkeyes got outrebounded on the offensive glass 20-7.

Iowa crashed the offensive boards early and often this time around, matching their total from the last meeting in just over 12 minutes. The energetic Basabe was a big reason for that, as he came off the bench with nine points and six rebounds in the first half.

The Hawkeyes grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and 41 overall, six more than Indiana.

"The overall disappointment was that we didn't rebound or block out the way we needed to," Crean said.

Freshman Josh Oglesby, making just his second career start in place of the injured Bryce Cartwright, buried a deep three to give the Hawkeyes a 30-18 lead. It took a late three from Matt Roth to bring Indiana within 37-26 by halftime, and that was still was less than half of the 54 points the Hoosiers had the last time they faced Iowa.

"We needed to get them back for the one over there. Defense was the key," Gatens said.

Indiana managed just seven points in the first eight minutes of the second half, ensuring a surprisingly lopsided defeat to a team that started just one upperclassman.

Derek Elston had 13 points and Roth scored 12 — on four 3s — for Indiana. The rest of the Hoosiers shot just 2-for-12 from beyond the arc, and they also scored just eight second-chance points against an Iowa team that clearly wanted to atone for its miserable outing in Bloomington.

Despite being just a game over .500, the Hawkeyes are now 3-3 against ranked opponents.

"It's an example of what we're capable of," McCaffery said. "I think we have to look at that and say 'Alright, that's how good we can be.' "

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. Wright By:kevin,
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Carl Edwards earns pole for Daytona 500 - Los Angeles Times

Roush Fenway Racing teammates Carl Edwards, right, and Greg Biffle celebrate in Victory Lane on Sunday after grabbing the top two starting spots for the Daytona 500. (Terry Renna / Associated Press / February 19, 2012)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — After finishing a close second at the 2011 Sprint Cup campaign's conclusion in November in Homestead, Fla., Carl Edwards made sure nobody would be in front of him Sunday at qualifying for the 54th Daytona 500.

With a fast lap of 194.738 mph — the swiftest qualifying speed at Daytona in over a decade — Edwards put his No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford on the pole for this coming Sunday's season opener.

Edwards' speed marked the fastest pole run at Daytona since 1999 when Jeff Gordon took the February pole at 195.067 mph and Dale Jarrett took the summer pole at 194.860 mph.

"It's an amazing feeling," Edwards said. "This is very special. It's not a driving accomplishment; this is a team accomplishment. There's a lot of pride in this for everyone. I'm excited to have all the guys back at the shop this week know they sent the best race cars down to Daytona."

Next Sunday will mark the third consecutive year that teammates will lead the 43-car field to the green flag, but the first time that Roush Fenway Racing will command the front row. Edwards will start alongside teammate Greg Biffle, who posted a lap of 194.087 mph — only .155 seconds slower than Edwards.

"It's a sign of the strength of your team," Edwards said. "It's not that we just have one car up there — to have that whole front row says a lot about Roush Fenway Racing and Ford."

Biffle was the last Roush driver to win the pole for the Daytona 500, doing so in 2004.

The entire top 10 was separated by just .270 seconds, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. third at 194.028, Marcus Ambrose fourth and Casey Mears fifth.

"From the wind, we had a good lap," Earnhardt said. "Credit it a little bit to the win. The team did a great job preparing the car and trying to put a good car under us for qualifying and they did a great job."

Jeff Gordon, who emerged from a frightening crash and roll Saturday night in the Budweiser Shootout, claimed sixth.

"That's the first time I've been upside down and you always worry about when you're rolling like that, what it's going to be like," Gordon said Sunday. "And that was the easiest part of the entire event. The big hit into the wall was much more severe; and that is a true testament to the safer barrier and the HANS device and the structure of the cars and the seatbelts that we're running. It's pretty impressive. I hate that it happened altogether, but we sure were having fun up until that point."

Trevor Bayne, last year's Daytona 500 winner, grabbed ninth on Sunday, and Tony Stewart, last year's Cup Series champ, took 10th.

The results Sunday locked in the first two starting spots for the 500. The other 41 positions will be determined by the results Thursday of the twin 150-mile qualifying races.

But only four starting spots are up for grabs. NASCAR guarantees starting spots to the top 35 teams from last season, three spots go to the fastest drivers in time trials not already locked in and one spot goes to a previous NASCAR champion. The drivers who earned starting spots in qualifying were Bayne, Tony Raines, David Stremme and former NASCAR champion Terry Labonte.

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Odd man out Bill Haas rolls at Riviera - ESPN

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- Bill Haas, the 2011 FedEx Cup Champion and Tour Championship winner, is not an underdog or an overachiever or any of those other adjectives used to describe people who win when they aren't supposed to. He's not like Jeremy Lin, the current poster boy of overachieving athletes. No coach overlooked Haas as he was coming up through the ranks of junior golf and at Wake Forest.

As a son of Jay Haas, a nine-time PGA Tour winner, he was supposed to make it. But on Sunday at the Northern Trust Open, he must have felt like the odd man out in the three-way playoff with Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley. It was Phil's tournament to win and if he didn't win then everybody wanted his protégé, Bradley, to walk away with the trophy.

Starting the day only two shots back of Mickelson and Bradley, Haas was clearly in contention, but before he took the outright lead for the first time at the 17th hole, his name had barely been mentioned as the possible winner of the tournament.

[+] Enlarge Chris Condon/PGA TOUR/Getty ImagesBill Haas clinched his fourth PGA Tour victory Sunday at the Northern Trust Open. Of American players in their 20s, only Dustin Johnson with five owns more wins.

That he got into a playoff by only shooting a 2-under 69 to get to 7-under par proves that all you have to do on a tough golf course is hang around par. Haas didn't really do anything spectacular on Sunday until he made a 43-foot putt on the second playoff hole to beat Mickelson and Bradley. For most of the day, he struggled with his driving. But as he showed at the Tour Championship, he has a penchant for making remarkable recoveries.

"I don't say this in a negative way, but everybody is cheering for Phil. He just won this last week, he's the man, and if I'm at home, I'm cheering for Phil," Haas said. "Everybody is saying, 'Go Phil, go Phil.' Keegan has a big fan base. I'm not saying like fans did anything wrong. I just was somewhat under the radar, I guess.

"I wasn't in the final group with them. They both birdie 18, they certainly had the fans on their side, which if that's the way it is, that's fine, flying under the radar. It was unexpected for me and for the fans maybe the way it ended up."

The Northern Trust Open was a departure from the past three weeks on the PGA Tour, when a player squandered a big lead on the final day. This week was a tightly bunched leaderboard, where par was a good score. Haas might not have been the one expected to win, but he was the last man standing on Sunday afternoon.

Hopefully, 2012 will produce more tournaments like the Northern Trust Open and winners like Haas. Riviera wasn't tricked up or unfair. It was a great test of golf that produced a proven winner. The USGA should consider bringing the U.S. Open here in the future. I'm sure Bill Haas wouldn't mind.

Sunday (Red) Storm
Keegan Bradley accomplished everything on Sunday at the Northern Trust Open, except for winning. That 27-foot birdie putt he made on the 72nd hole to join Phil Mickelson and Bill Haas in a playoff was as clutch as you'll ever see on the PGA Tour. Sure, the 25-year-old 2011 PGA Championship winner was sometimes excruciatingly fidgety and slow in his final round, but he held it together in front of his idol.

ESPN.com senior golf writer Farrell Evans has taken to Twitter. See what he's got to say about all things golf. Follow @EvansESPN

He proved to himself and the world that he's a kid who craves the limelight on late Sunday afternoons. The Woodstock, Vt., native won't be a one-shot wonder. He'll be a contender for many years to come.

I was concerned about how he would fare playing in the same group with Phil Mickelson on Sunday. I wondered if he could distance himself from the aura and reputation of Phil Mickelson and just try to beat Phil the golfer, who he would meet on the first tee on Sunday morning at the Riviera Country Club. After bogeys at holes four and five, I thought that Bradley would fade, but he came back with birdies at holes seven and nine.

The former St. John's University star is a real fighter.

This week probably did more for his confidence than his two wins in 2011, which had to be a surprise to him as a rookie on tour. Like all young players, he'll struggle at some point with his swing or injuries or failures on Sunday afternoons. At the Northern Trust Open he lost in a playoff for the first time, after winning his two previous ones.

"I've got a lot of really good things to take away from this tournament," Bradley said. "I hung tough with Phil Mickelson, one of the best golfers ever to play, in the final group, and when I got off to a pretty bad start, you see a lot of guys kind of crumble away, and I kind of fought back.

"I've got a lot to take away, but I'm also very disappointed."

The kid gets it. Now we just have to wait and see how he does when he gets into this situation again on a pressure-packed Sunday in the final round of a big tournament.

Sergio comes up short
Sergio Garcia fell two shots short of making the three-way playoff at the Northern Trust Open, but no one was better on Sunday on the second nine at the Riviera Country Club.

The 31-year-old Spaniard had two eagles and two birdies on his way to a 6-under-par 30 on that side. Garcia's final-round 64 left him with a 5-under total.

1. Haas (-7)*
T-2. Mickelson (-7)
T-2. Bradley (-7)
T-4. Johnson (-5)
T-4. Garcia (-5)
T-4. Walker (-5)
T-4. Lyle (-5)
* Won with birdie on 2nd playoff hole

??More scores

Garcia was the only player among the leaders to play the crucial stretch of holes 12 through 16 without a bogey. He had just 24 putts on the day.

Perhaps if he hadn't shot a 5-over 76 in Round 2 he might have had an easier time catching the leaders. Still, if he had not made two bogeys on his inward half, he would have finished the tournament at 7-under par.

Heading into this week's WGC-Accenture Match Play, Garcia is playing some of his best golf in many years. His two wins on the European Tour late last year gave him the confidence that he could still win. The old demons might have finally faded.

"This is good momentum for me, and I'm hoping that I can take it into next week and have a couple nice rounds early on and kind of get going as the tournament goes on," Garcia said on Sunday.

No matter how he plays at the WGC-Match Play, Garcia's 30 on Riviera's tough second nine is proof he still has the magic touch.

Perry's prime
Kenny Perry has never been the same since the 2009 Masters, when he let the green jacket slip through his hands on Sunday afternoon. The Franklin, Ky., resident would win later that year at the Travelers Championship, but he never was a fixture again on PGA Tour leaderboards.

Last year he tried to play both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour, where he found real success in the over-50 club. In 10 events, he had a win and seven top-10s. As one of the best players ever over the age of 40 in PGA Tour history, the 14-time PGA Tour winner was expected to dominate on the Champions Tour.

Now at 51, he appears finally to be committed to the senior circuit. On Sunday, he had a 5-shot win at the ACE Group Classic in Naples, Fla. The former Western Kentucky University star only needed to shoot a 2-under-par 70 in his final round for a 20-under par total, after setting the tour's 36-hole scoring record with a 64 and a 62 in his first two rounds at the TwinEagles Club.

How dominating can Perry be in 2012? Who has a chance of stopping him from winning every event that he enters?

There are a lot of very good players on the Champions Tour, all within a few years of Perry's age, including guys that he played with on the regular tour.

Tom Lehman, who was the tour's player of the year in 2011, finished 6 shots back on Sunday at 14-under par. Lehman will stay on leaderboards for the rest of the year. When he plays out there, Fred Couples can reduce almost any course to a pitch and putt. After falling off the PGA Tour in his mid-40s, John Huston restarted his career on the Champions Tour in 2011 and had a win and seven top-10s. Corey Pavin got his first Champions Tour win last week at the Allianz Championship.

But Perry is the best of the group. He'll win several more times before the season is over and solidify his place as one of the best drivers of the golf ball in the world, regardless of the tour.

He might never fully get over what happened at the 2009 Masters, but mastery of the Champions Tour could be the balm he needs to keep playing.

NASCAR laps PGA Tour
Earlier this week, NASCAR told Bubba Watson that it was rescinding its invitation for him to do a parade lap in his General Lee car around the Phoenix International Speedway, prior to the start of a Sprint Cup series race there on March 4. The Daytona Beach-based racing organization had feared a backlash over the Confederate flag that adorns the roof of the 1969 Dodge Charger that was used in the opening scenes of the 1980s television show "The Dukes of Hazzard."

It wasn't surprising that NASCAR took this course of action. While Confederate flags are common at NASCAR races, the circuit has tried through the years to distance itself from the stereotype that its typical fan is a beer-guzzling "good ol' boy."

"The image of the Confederate flag is not something that should play an official role in our sport as we continue to reach out to new fans and make NASCAR more inclusive," NASCAR spokesman David Higdon said in a statement on Friday.

Why didn't the PGA Tour make a similar statement? The tour doesn't condone the bigotry and hate that long has been associated with the flag. It tells its players that they represent the tour on and off the golf course. Through its efforts with the First Tee, the tour has encouraged greater diversity in the game.

Watson drove his General Lee car every day during the Waste Management Phoenix Open. CBS Sports cameras filmed overhead shots of the car, putting on display prominently the Confederate flag. The network treated it all in good fun, just another vignette in a three-hour golf telecast.

It's unimaginable that this could have happened during an NBA or NFL telecast. It's unimaginable that a basketball or football player could get past their league censors by putting on display such a historic symbol of oppression and hate.

Ultimately, the players have to take responsibility for their own actions and insensitivities, but the PGA Tour never should have allowed Watson to bring General Lee on the grounds of TPC Scottsdale during the Phoenix Open. No matter Watson's decent intentions.

Indeed, these are arguably very politically correct times, but racially divisive images are too important to dismiss with the wave of a hand.

In the end, the PGA Tour should be on the forefront of racial progress and equality. It shouldn't be taking lessons from NASCAR on what's right for the betterment of society. Sadly, the Ponte Vedra Beach-based tour got lapped in this race.

Farrell Evans covers golf for ESPN and can be contacted at evans.espn@gmail.com.

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Daniel, Henrik Sedin each score, Canucks cruise by slumping Oilers 5-2 - Washington Post

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Daniel, Henrik Sedin each score, Canucks cruise by slumping Oilers 5-2Text SizePrintE-mailReprints By Associated Press,

EDMONTON, Alberta — Daniel and Henrik Sedin each had a goal and an assist and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 on Sunday to run their winning streak to four and points string to 13.

Sami Salo, Kevin Bieksa and Chris Higgins also scored, and Cory Schneider made 26 saves for Vancouver.

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( The Canadian Press, John Ulan / Associated Press ) - Vancouver Canucks’ Henrik Sedin (33) scores on Edmonton Oilers goalie Nikolai Khabibulin during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Edmonton, Alberta, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012.

The Canucks are 10-0-3 during their points streak to improve to 38-15-6. They are two points behind Detroit for the NHL lead.

Shawn Horcoff and Magnus Paajarvi scored for Edmonton. The Oilers have lost three in row and five of their last six to drop to 22-30-6.

The Canucks opened the scoring 53 seconds into the game. Daniel Sedin sent the puck cross-ice to Henrik Sedin for an easy goal with goalie Nikolai Khabibulin unable to get across in time.

At 6:34 on a 5-on-3 power play, Salo slammed home a one-timer for his 300th career NHL point.

Devan Dubnyk started the second period in the Edmonton net with Khabibulin out with a groin injury.

Horcoff scored at 1:08, but Vancouver restored its two-goal cushion with 4:59 left when Bieksa kept the puck in at the point and scored on a long shot through traffic.

Higgins made it 4-1 with 3:20 to go in the period, and Paajarvi scored with 1:37 left.

Daniel Sedin completed the scoring at 33 seconds of the third with his 26th of the season.

Notes: Oilers associate coach Ralph Krueger directed the team for the second straight game. Head coach Tom Renney sustained a concussion after taking a puck to the head in practice. ... Edmonton was without defenseman Corey Potter (groin) and rookie standout Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (shoulder).

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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NY Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin lives up to the hype in beating Dallas ... - New York Daily News

Standing at the old freight elevator at the Garden, Mark Cuban had a chance to complain about the officiating after Jeremy Lin and the Knicks on Sunday afternoon rode emotion, momentum and timely 3-point shooting and even a big whistle to come away with another impressive win in the Lin era.

The Mavs’ owner was even baited when someone said, “I thought your guy was the Finals MVP last June. I didn’t know it was Jeremy Lin.’’
Wearing a blue Mavs T-shirt and holding a bottle of Vitamin Water, Cuban laughed at the line. Before he held the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time in Miami eight months ago, he might have taken the bait and ripped the officials for favoring the home team.
Like when his own player, Jason Terry, was called for a phantom flagrant foul on Lin early in the game, triggering one of the two key Knick runs in their 104-97 win. Bad call, but Cuban has been to the NBA mountaintop and he’s visited the White House when President Obama honored his 2011 champs. So there was no eruption. All Cuban did was smile and say, “What are you gonna do?’’
Cuban won’t send a tape to the league and it’s no use, anyway. When the Knicks are hitting shots and Lin is executing Mike D’Antoni’s pick-and-roll and they’re doing it at the Garden and sometimes getting the benefit of the whistle, the other team better be able to close the game if it expects to get out of New York with a win.
The Mavs couldn’t close out this game the way they closed out Miami last June. It’s not the same team, of course, but they didn’t complain about Dirk Nowitzki getting hit in front of the Knicks’ bench in the final seconds.
The game was over, really, by then, but Nowitzki had hit a four-point play earlier in the day.
“Hey, I do my fair share of complaining during the game,’’ said the MVP from last June’s Finals, standing in an empty locker room. “But it’s not my style to complain after the game. I don’t think it’s necessary to do that.’’
He made his statement by bolting the court faster than anyone after the final buzzer, as several teammates went over to Lin to congratulate him. Lin deserved the adulation, having solved Shawn Marion’s length and quickness as the Knicks never wilted after taking the lead for good with 8:36 left.
Right after he hit the deck on Terry’s foul, Lin told the Mav guard what everyone in the building knew, that it wasn’t worthy of a flagrant call. But the Knicks used it to their advantage during their 17-0 run. In the fourth, the Knicks went small, Steve Novak made like Ray Allen with four threes and the Knicks outplayed the Mavs in the same critical minutes Dallas outplayed the Heat in reeling off three straight wins last June.
“I really like him,’’ Nowitzki said long after he cooled off in the trainers room, sitting on the table next to another future Hall of Famer, Jason Kidd.
Nowitzki credited Lin with being “crafty,’’ which he certainly was in dishing for six of his 14 assists in the Knicks’ 32-point fourth quarter.
“He has shown what you have to do when you get the opportunity — make the most of it,’’ he said. “It’s inspirational.’’
It’s also a little scary. Even if he sometimes makes too many mistakes or forces a shot that isn’t there, you have to remember where he’s come from. But you can tell all the publicity, all the Linsanity, is starting to get to opponents. Before the Knicks posted their best win since they elevated Lin into the starting lineup, Terry called No. 17 little more than a product of D’Antoni’s system and a product of a hype machine gone out of control. “Playing only eight games doesn’t make a career,’’ he said. “We’ll see when he faces the champs.”
He faced them and sent them up to Boston with a loss. And now he’s 8-1 as Knick point guard.
“I still feel that way,’’ Terry said, getting dressed. “He’s going to put up numbers with the ball in his hands. How can he not? But he surprised me by staying aggressive. I’m proud of him, watching his journey and where he’s come from. He’s persevered and he’s shown a lot of toughness.’’

On Sunday, Lin showed he can put up big numbers against one of the NBA’s top defensive teams. And best of all, those numbers led to another win. That’s not just hype, either.

Standing at the old freight elevator at the Garden, Mark Cuban had a c hance to complain about the officiating after Jeremy Lin and the Knicks on Sunday afternoon rode emotion, momentum and timely 3-point shooting and even a big whistle to come away with another impressive win in the Lin era.

The Mavs’ owner was even baited when someone said, “I thought your guy was the Finals MVP last June. I didn’t know it was Jeremy Lin.’’
Wearing a blue Mavs T-shirt and holding a bottle of Vitamin Water, Cuban laughed at the line. Before he held the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time in Miami eight months ago, he might have taken the bait and ripped the officials for favoring the home team.
Like when his own player, Jason Terry, was called for a phantom flagrant foul on Lin early in the game, triggering one of the two key Knick runs in their 104-97 win. Bad call, but Cuban has been to the NBA mountaintop and he’s visited the White House when President Obama honored his 2011 champs. So there was no eruption. All Cuban did was smile and say, “What are you gonna do?’’
Cuban won’t send a tape to the league and it’s no use, anyway. When the Knicks are hitting shots and Lin is executing Mike D’Antoni’s pick-and-roll and they’re doing it at the Garden and sometimes getting the benefit of the whistle, the other team better be able to close the game if it expects to get out of New York with a win.
The Mavs couldn’t close out this game the way they closed out Miami last June. It’s not the same team, of course, but they didn’t complain about Dirk Nowitzki getting hit in front of the Knicks’ bench in the final seconds.
The game was over, really, by then, but Nowitzki had hit a four-point play earlier in the day.
“Hey, I do my fair share of complaining during the game,’’ said the MVP from last June’s Finals, standing in an empty locker room. “But it’s not my style to complain after the game. I don’t think it’s necessary to do that.’’
He made his statement by bolting the court faster than anyone after the final buzzer, as several teammates went over to Lin to congratulate him. Lin deserved the adulation, having solved Shawn Marion’s length and quickness as the Knicks never wilted after taking the lead for good with 8:36 left.
Right after he hit the deck on Terry’s foul, Lin told the Mav guard what everyone in the building knew, that it wasn’t worthy of a flagrant call. But the Knicks used it to their advantage during their 17-0 run. In the fourth, the Knicks went small, Steve Novak made like Ray Allen with four threes and the Knicks outplayed the Mavs in those critical minutes.
“I really like him,’’ Nowitzki said long after he cooled off in the trainers room, sitting on the table next to another future Hall of Famer, Jason Kidd.
Nowitzki credited Lin with being “crafty,’’ which he certainly was in dishing for six of his 14 assists in the Knicks’ 32-point fourth quarter.
“He has shown what you have to do when you get the opportunity — make the most of it,’’ he said. “It’s inspirational.’’
It’s also a little scary. Even if he sometimes makes too many mistakes or forces a shot that isn’t there, you have to remember where he’s come from. But you can tell all the publicity, all the Linsanity, is starting to get to opponents. Before the Knicks posted their best win since they elevated Lin into the starting lineup, Terry called No. 17 little more than a product of D’Antoni’s system and a product of a hype machine gone out of control. “Playing only eight games doesn’t make a career,’’ he said. “We’ll see when he faces the champs.”
He faced them and sent them up to Boston with a loss. And now he’s 8-1 as Knick point guard.
“I still feel that way,’’ Terry said, getting dressed. “He’s going to put up numbers with the ball in his hands. How can he not? But he surprised me by staying aggressive. I’m proud of him, watching his journey and where he’s come from. He’s persevered and he’s shown a lot of toughness.’’

On Sunday, Lin showed he can put up big numbers against one of the NBA’s top defensive teams. And best of all, those numbers led to another win. That’s not just hype, either.

Wright By:kevin,
Tags:ed hardy ed hardy clothing Christian Audigier

Lester now Sox' main act - Boston Herald

FORT MYERS — Jon Lester [stats] might own the broadest shoulders on the Red Sox [team stats]. And yesterday the big left-hander sounded ready to bear the responsibility of leadership on them.

While there will be much debate today about just how truly sorry Josh Beckett [stats] is or is not for the disaster that befell the Red Sox last September, in truth, Beckett’s a sideshow.

The story with far greater long-term implications is Lester.

In the span of 20 minutes, one of the central figures in the beer and chicken clubhouse scandal managed to brilliantly walk about a dozen fine lines. He expressed contrition without pandering. He firmly set his sights on 2012 without downplaying the significance of 2011. He blamed no one but himself for his performance.

And most importantly, he expressed a willingness to fill a leadership void created by the departure of Tim Wakefield [stats] and presumably Jason Varitek [stats]. The time is now for the next generation of Red Sox leaders to step forward, and the 28-year-old Lester answered the call.

On the position player side of things, this is very clearly Dustin Pedroia [stats]’s team. Now maybe we can say the pitchers are Lester’s.

“I want to try,” Lester said. “You know, it’s something that the guys in my age group have never really had to do. Because we’ve been around guys like Wake and Tek and had veteran guys who have been around a long time, we’ve just kind of sat back and let them do their thing and kind of follow them.

“I think it’s time for us and me to step up and try to feel comfortable in that situation and try to just do the best I can. Hopefully just by me going out and pitching and doing the stuff I do in the weight room and in between starts, people, young kids can do that and say, ‘All right, well, this is what I need to do.’?”

Lester’s comments stood in stark juxtaposition to those of Beckett, who barely admitted culpability despite being the perceived ringleader of the clubhouse shenanigans. Beckett barely could bring himself to admit he failed his teammates in any capacity other than on the field.

Lester harbored no such hangups.

“It’s something I’m not proud of,” he said. “You learn from your mistakes and I’m looking forward to starting new this year and trying to be that leader that we were just talking about.”

Of course, words are wind. True leaders, particularly in baseball, rely on their actions. Judging from the look of the hulking Lester, he didn’t just pay lip service to that idea this winter. And he’ll continue to set what he believes is the proper example.

“I think just being a better teammate,” he said. “A better presence. A guy like Tek, if you ever really watch Tek, he doesn’t say much. But just his presence is enough. I think going out here, we have a lot of young kids in camp, just showing them, hey, the first bullpen means something. The first sprint means something. That first groundball you take in PFPs is important.

“It sets the tone for the season. That was something I learned my first spring training being around Schill (Curt Schilling [stats]) and Josh and those guys, Wake and (Mike) Timlin. Everything they did meant something. I think it’s important to instill in some of these young guys that day one means just as much as day 162.”

Lester is not the most vocal or outwardly emotional guy. He’s been a put-your-head-down-and-do-your-job type. At times, he has appeared aloof.

But yesterday felt different. Lester didn’t just say the right words. It seemed he truly meant them.

Wright By:kevin,
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Durant scores 51 as Thunder top Nuggets in OT - USA TODAY

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Kevin Durant scored a career-best 51 points for the top performance in the NBA this season, Russell Westbrook added 40 and Serge Ibaka had his first career triple-double as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 124-118 in overtime Sunday night.

By Richard Rowe, US Presswire

Kevin Durant's 51 points are a career high and the most in the NBA this season.

By Richard Rowe, US Presswire

Kevin Durant's 51 points are a career high and the most in the NBA this season.

Durant hit a three-pointer and drove for a dunk to tie the game with 4.4 seconds left in regulation, then used the extra period to chalk up the first 50-point game of the two-time scoring champion's career.

He walked slowly over to his mother, seated courtside, and gave her a kiss and a hug when the final horn sounded.

Ibaka added 14 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocks to become the 14th player in franchise history with a triple-double.

To get the latest sports news from USA TODAY, including game results, columns and features, follow us on Twitter at @USATODAYSports.

Arron Afflalo scored 27 points and Andre Miller had 21 points and 10 assists for Denver, which had a shot to win at the end of regulation.

Ty Lawson, who missed a three-pointer with seven seconds left, also couldn't connect on an off-balance jumper from the foul line at the buzzer after pump-faking Westbrook into the air.

Westbrook hit a 3 on Oklahoma City's opening possession of overtime, and the Nuggets committed five turnovers to squander their chances in the extra period.

Fans in the sellout crowd chanted "MVP!" as Durant hit two free throws in the final seconds to surpass 50 points for the first time in his career and put the finishing touches on Oklahoma City's ninth straight win at home.

Reserve Rudy Fernandez (lower back strain) joined starters Danilo Gallinari (ankle) and Nene (calf) on the Nuggets' injury list, and coach George Karl went with his 13th different lineup of the season in 32 games. Denver lost for the eighth time in its last 10 games. The last two have been particularly wrenching, by one point at Memphis and then an overtime thriller at Oklahoma City.

It was a wild back-and-forth game from the start, with big swings in either direction.

The Nuggets took an early lead before allowing a 16-2 Oklahoma City run that featured a pair of three-pointers from Durant and Westbrook's driving dunk. Afflalo then had two jumpers and a finger roll in transition as Denver scored the final 10 points to lead 27-25.

That was only the start of the Nuggets' big run, though.

Reserve Kosta Koufos, forced into action after Al Harrington picked up three fouls, had a three-point play and two layups set up by Andre Miller while Denver outscored the Thunder 29-7 in a span of about 7? minutes. Chris Andersen's fast-break layup made it 46-32 with 6:29 left before halftime — Oklahoma City's largest deficit at Chesapeake Energy Arena this season.

It still didn't take the Thunder long to wipe it away.

Durant and Westbrook scored the next six points, and Oklahoma City went on a 20-0 run spanning halftime to get back ahead. James Harden's three-pointer got the lead down to 58-53 by halftime, and Westbrook scored the first three baskets of the second half to put the Thunder ahead.

Durant added a two-handed slam off Westbrook's alley-oop and a right-handed fast-break jam in a span of three possessions, and Oklahoma City led 65-58 with 6:04 left in the third.

Then it was Denver's turn again, rallying back to take a brief lead on Miller's layup with under two minutes left in the third. The Nuggets kept it going into the fourth, getting back-to-back 3-pointers from Harrington just after Durant and Westbrook re-entered for a 93-84 advantage with 8:50 to play.

Oklahoma City whittled away at the deficit, finally pulling even at 102 when Westbrook connected on a jumper from the foul line with 2:52 to play. Ibaka swatted Lawson's shot 20 seconds later for his 10th block in regulation.

Lawson hit a three-pointer and Harrington two free throws for a 111-106 Denver lead with 43 seconds left, but Durant hit a second-chance three-pointer from the top of the key and a driving dunk with 4.4 seconds left to tie it.

NOTES: Thunder reserve Lazar Hayward was out with a fractured left orbital floor after being poked in the eye late in Oklahoma City's win against Golden State on Friday. … The Nuggets (103.4) and Thunder (101.6) are two of three teams averaging more than 100 points per game, trailing only Miami (103.7) in the NBA rankings. …Lenny Wilkens, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and Jack Sikma are among the 12 players with triple-doubles for the Seattle SuperSonics. Westbrook is the only one other than Ibaka to do it with the Thunder.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com. Wright By:kevin,
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Shaq Hopes Howard Stays - ESPN

Updated: February 15, 2012, 11:59 AM ETvar ESPN_GLOBALS = {"videoPlayers":{"story09":{"src":"http://assets.espn.go.com/espnvideo/mpf32/prod/r_3_2_0_15/ESPN_Player.swf","height":324,"width":576,"adminOver":"3805638","localSite":"chicago","autostart":"true","playerType":"story09"}}};espn.video.embeded.play();

NEW YORK -- Shaquille O'Neal said Tuesday it would be a "travesty" if Dwight Howard leaves the Orlando Magic.

O'Neal also said Howard's situation is not like his was when he left for the Lakers in 1996, because he said he wanted to stay with the Magic but had a better option.

That's no longer possible, because the collective bargaining agreement allows the home team to offer the largest contract. So O'Neal believes there may be an "underlying problem" that makes Howard reluctant to sign a contract extension there.

"I think they have to be a little bit worried that he hasn't committed to signing, so there may be an underlying problem of what's really going on," O'Neal said.

"I don't know if he doesn't like the organization, I don't know if he wants to go to a bigger city where he can get more endorsement deals, he can do movies. No one really knows the problem."

Howard has told the Magic he wants to be traded, and the team has given his agent permission to discuss deals with the Nets, Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.

Do you agree with Shaquille O'Neal's statement that Dwight Howard leaving the Magic would be a "travesty".

??Cast your votes!

The Magic have to decide by March 15, this season's trade deadline, if they will trade Howard or risk losing him for nothing when he can become a free agent in July.

"I'm sure they would probably like to move him so they don't lose him," O'Neal said.

But O'Neal, speaking on a Turner Sports conference call, said the Feb. 26 All-Star Game in Orlando still will be a great event even with Howard's desire to be traded looming over the weekend.

Plus, there's always a chance Howard changes his mind and decides to stay. O'Neal noted that Orlando has become a better city with a better building since it hosted the All-Star Game in 1992, shortly before drafting him.

"You know hopefully he stays, because that arena there is one of the best arenas in the country," O'Neal said. "If he leaves, it'll be a travesty."

O'Neal's departure, and the damage it did to the franchise, is often cited as the reason the Magic may have no choice but to trade Howard. But TNT analyst Steve Kerr, the former Phoenix general manager, said his preference would be to not deal the All-Star center.

"I would be inclined towards playing it out and trying to keep Dwight, because it's so hard to get equal value, and given that Dwight seems to say something new every week, I think there's still a chance that they could re-sign him," Kerr said. "I think you have to exhaust every opportunity or every possibility before you make a trade that you might later regret."

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

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Flashy Moves, a Quick Strike and a Win - New York Times

But after watching defenseman Michael Del Zotto, 21, make a gorgeous pass to forward Derek Stepan, also 21, for a goal 22 seconds into overtime to give the Rangers a 3-2 victory, Howson will also understand why his counterpart, Glen Sather, is reluctant to trade any of his talented, young players for Nash.

Stepan’s winning goal came after some dazzling puck movement by Del Zotto and Marian Gaborik in the opening shift of overtime. With the puck alone to the left of goaltender Steve Mason, Del Zotto surprised the Blue Jackets by sliding it across the ice to Stepan, who snapped it into the unguarded net.

“Gabby set it up and Michael made a great pass,” Stepan said. “They did all the work. I was just in the right spot.”

The first-place Rangers, who play Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, have a 9-point lead over Boston and the Devils in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers and the Bruins each have 25 games left in the regular season. The Devils have 24.

Just as impressive, the Rangers have followed each of their last eight losses with a victory.

“We wanted to make sure we responded after that Chicago game,” the captain Ryan Callahan said, referring to the Rangers’ 4-2 loss Thursday to the Blackhawks. “We wanted to have a strong start and put the loss behind us. I thought we controlled the puck for most of the game.”

The Rangers did, outshooting Columbus, 35-23, and winning a majority of the puck battles. But they failed to protect a 2-1 lead late in the game with Mason pulled for an extra attacker. Nash showed off his offensive skills, sending a wrist shot past Henrik Lundqvist with 1 minute 33 seconds left in regulation.

“We made it a little closer than we should have,” said Del Zotto, who had two assists and was outstanding in more than 25 minutes before his play on the winning goal. “We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times. But we’ll take the two points.”

The speed of the rookie Carl Hagelin, another young player Howson would covet, was the catalyst for Brad Richards’s goal to open the scoring. Richards took a pass from Del Zotto inside the Rangers’ zone and skated toward the Columbus goal. Recognizing that Hagelin had a step on his defender, Richards flipped him a lead pass over the opposing blue line.

Instead of shooting, Hagelin slid the puck back to Richards, who finished the give-and-go by scoring on Mason for a 1-0 Rangers lead with 2:11 left in the first period. Derick Brassard tied the score with a power-play goal at 5:26 of the second period. With Gaborik serving a high-sticking penalty for accidentally hitting defenseman Aaron Johnson in the visor, Brassard — a forward playing the point — accepted the puck after Columbus won the face-off deep in the Rangers’ zone and slapped it by Lundqvist, who was screened.

Although the Rangers failed to score on a five-on-three power play in the middle of the second, Artem Anisimov’s goal two minutes later gave them a 2-1 lead. Anisimov scored when Mason and his teammates were unable to corral a shot from the point by defenseman Dan Girardi that bounced off the boards behind the Columbus goal and landed in front of the crease. The goal, at 13:13 of the second period, was Anisimov’s fourth in his last eight games.

Del Zotto appeared to give the Rangers a two-goal cushion at the end of the second period, but it was ruled that his shot crossed the goal line after time had expired. MSG Network showed the shot entering the goal with a tenth of a second left on the clock, but the referees — after N.H.L. hockey operations officials in Toronto reviewed the play — announced that time had expired on the official timer as the puck was still on the goal line.

“It was frustrating, but their clock said differently,” Del Zotto said. “All you can do is move on.”

Howson is listening to offers for Nash, the team’s captain and best player, because he could receive a package of assets to help start a rebuilding of the club. Nash was tight-lipped in a discussion with reporters before the game. He seemed eager for the rumors to end, while showing respect to the Blue Jackets and claiming not to be bothered by the speculation.

“It’s going to take care of itself,” Nash said. “I just worry about today. Right now, I’m a Blue Jacket. That’s all that matters. I played my whole career here. I don’t fall into any of those rumors. All I’m dealing with is a game that I have to play in a few hours. That’s all I’m worrying about.”

Nash responded with a “no comment” to a final pair of questions — one about his hopes not to see the trade process drag into the summer, another asking if he envisions himself living in a big market like New York — before politely ending the interview and going on to score the second-most important goal of the game.

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Tony Parker scores 34 points, leads Spurs to 9th straight win - ESPN

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TORONTO -- Tony Parker had 34 points and 14 assists, and the San Antonio Spurs extended their season-best winning streak to nine games with a 113-106 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.

Danny Green scored 13 points and matched his career high with seven rebounds, Tiago Splitter also had 13 points and Manu Ginobili added 11 for the Spurs, who have not lost since a 101-100 overtime defeat at Dallas on Jan. 29.

Parker went 12 for 12 from the foul line for San Antonio, which last won nine straight during a 10-0 stretch from Dec. 3-22, 2010. The victory was the sixth straight away from home for the Spurs, their longest run since winning eight straight road games to begin the 2010-11 season.

San Antonio's Tim Duncan failed to extend his run of five straight double-doubles, finishing with eight points and three rebounds.

DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points for the Raptors, who have lost three straight and eight of 10. Jose Calderon added 16 points and 11 assists.

Toronto guard Jerryd Bayless missed his fourth straight game with a sore left ankle, while forward Linas Kleiza was sidelined with a sore left knee. Leading scorer Andrea Bargnani sat for the 18th time in 20 games because of a strained left calf.

"We're a little undermanned," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said before the game. "If anybody is looking for a 10-day (contract), we're looking for bodies."

Toronto trailed by five points to begin the fourth, but used a pair of baskets by Calderon and a driving layup by DeRozan to cut it to one at 97-96 with 4:14 left.

San Antonio answered with a baseline jump shot by Gary Neal and a pair of free throws by Parker, restoring their five point advantage with 3:25 left.

Parker made all eight of his free-throw attempts down the stretch as the Spurs improved to 23-9 all-time against Toronto.

Green got all seven of his rebounds and made three of San Antonio's six 3-pointers in the opening half as the Spurs, who shot 6 for 10 from beyond the arc, led 55-45 at the break.

Toronto battled back by making its first 10 shots of the second half. DeRozan scored 13 points in less than six minutes, including two on a reverse alley-oop from Calderon, and the Raptors followed with a layup from James Johnson that tied it at 66.

San Antonio answered with a 13-4 run over the next four minutes, taking a 79-70 lead and forcing Toronto to call timeout. The Spurs led 83-78 heading to the fourth.

Game notes
Parker's career high in assists is 17, set Jan. 23 at New Orleans. ... The Spurs have four games remaining on their season-long nine game road trip. ... San Antonio rookie Cory Joseph became the eighth Canadian-born player to appear in a game in Toronto. Cavaliers rookie Tristan Thompson, Joseph's college teammate at Texas, also played in his hometown on Jan. 4.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press
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Texans' Cody not surprised at Manning's devotion to return - NFL News

Texans nose tackle Shaun Cody hates playing against Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. He's likely not alone with that sentiment.

So it's with some hesitation that Cody looks back on a Week 16 loss to the Colts and actually wishes Manning would have played. As awkward as that sounds, it's because the Dan Orlovsky-led Colts stunned the Texans 19-16 on a late touchdown.

"I wish (Manning) would have played," Cody admitted during a visit to NFL Network on Wednesday. "Maybe we would have had a little bit better chance. (Dan) Orlovsky beat us that game. Dan-O took it to us. So, if (Manning) would have played maybe we would have had a chance."

Right. But Cody did say it was the first thing he thought of when news broke Wednesday that Manning was reportedly pushing team officials to allow him to play in the home finale against the Texans.

Given the opportunity, Cody says he does empathize with Manning for the way his situation has become a "public car wreck." But he's also not surprised at the lengths to which Manning has gone in order to get back on the field, adding the maniacal, uber-competitive perception of Manning does holds up.

"The guy loves football, he wants to play football. I think he'd saw off his left arm so he could throw with his right," Cody said. "The guy is a warrior out there. I'm sure he'll do anything to try to play, and surgery is just one of those things he's trying to do."

It all points to the business of football, according to Cody. Sure, Manning wants to prove that he can come back from the injury. But there's also money involved.

"I think the fans want to believe it's more than that, that there's so much passion involved for their teams," Cody said. "But most of the time it breaks down that guys have a limited amount of time to make the money they can in this league.

"Fans have to understand that from their perspective, too, and how they would handle it if they were put in the situation. Obviously we love the teams we play for, and we play as hard as we can for them, but at some point it breaks down to being a business decision."

What's left for Manning to determine over the next few weeks is whether or not his decision to return to the Colts is based on business, or his legacy in Indianapolis.

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No. 20 Indiana fends off Northwestern - USA TODAY

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) – Cody Zeller kept Indiana in the game Wednesday night. Verdell Jones' late charge proved to be the difference.

By Michael Conroy, AP

Northwestern guard Reggie Hearn, left, shoots under pressure from Indiana forward Christian Watford during the first half in Bloomington, Ind.

By Michael Conroy, AP

Northwestern guard Reggie Hearn, left, shoots under pressure from Indiana forward Christian Watford during the first half in Bloomington, Ind.

Zeller finished with 23 points and seven rebounds, and Jones overcame a bruised right shoulder to score all six of his points over the final 4:03, helping No. 20 Indiana get past Northwestern 71-66.

The victory gave Indiana coach Tom Crean his first 20-win season in four seasons in Bloomington. The Hoosiers (20-6, 8-6 Big Ten) are 15-1 at home this season.

Northwestern (15-10, 5-8) had won six of the previous seven in this series and needed another victory at Indiana to help make a stronger case to the NCAA tournament selection committee.

John Shurna led the Wildcats with 29 points, and Drew Crawford finished with 18, but they didn't get enough help to pull off the upset — or to keep up with Jones' finishing flurry.

Jones, who missed the previous 2? games with the injury, changed everything in the final 4:03.

He broke the tie with a 15-foot baseline jumper, then drove in for a layup to give Indiana a 67-63 lead. After the teams traded baskets, Jones did it again, this time hitting what appeared to be a 3-pointer from the left corner with 29.4 seconds to go. A replay review overturned the call, making it a 2-pointer, but the shot gave Indiana a 71-65 lead.

This was supposed to be an exhibition of the Big Ten's two top 3-point shooting teams.

Instead, it turned into a real grinder.

Northwestern quickly erased a 37-31 halftime deficit by opening the second half on a 12-2 run. Shurna's tip-in gave the Wildcats a 43-39 lead with 16:51 to go.

But Zeller and Will Sheehey brought the Hoosiers right back. They accounted for all of Indiana's points in a 10-2 run that gave it a 49-45 lead less than 3 minutes later.

The Wildcats answered with two free throws from Crawford, consecutive baskets from Shurna and a 3 by Richie Hearn to retake a 54-49 lead with 11:16 left. Victor Oladipo scored five straight for the Hoosiers to tie it at 54.

It was that kind of night — until Jones swung the game in the closing minutes.

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Selanne tallies No. 656 in Ducks' win over Pens - NHL.com

PITTSBURGH -- Mark another arena off Teemu Selanne's list. And mark another difficult road opponent off the streaking Anaheim Ducks' checklist, too.
Selanne broke a tie with his 656th career goal, tying him with Brendan Shanahan for 12th place in NHL history, and the Ducks rallied for the second night in a row to cool off the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 2-1 decision Wednesday night at Consol Energy Center.
The Ducks trailed 1-0 in the third period Tuesday in Minnesota before coming back for another 2-1 victory, the first time all season all season they came back to win while trailing after two periods. This time, Corey Perry, scoring the final minute of the third period, and the 41-year-old Selanne supplied all the offense they needed.
With the teams tied at 1, the Penguins -- 11-2-1 in their previous 14 games -- pressured in the Ducks' end for three-quarters of a minute only to have Anaheim mount on a 3-on-1 rush the other way. Selanne, who was close to being offside on the play, finished it off with a backhander for his 19th goal of the season.
Playing in his first game in Consol, Selanne scored in his 53rd NHL arena during a superlative career that began 20 years ago. He has scored in every arena except the Prudential Center in Newark, where he plays Friday night, and the MTS Centre in Winnipeg.
The Ducks, seemingly in dire straits after a 6-13-4 start, are 14-2-3 in their last 19 and are 3-1 on an eight-game, two-week road trip. They won in Pittsburgh for the first time in five tries since Oct. 6, 2001 and closed to within six points of the Western Conference's final playoff spot.
And the Ducks' assignment was about as tough as it gets these days in the NHL. They knew they had to slow down the streaking Evgeni Malkin in his own building, and while playing a second difficult road game in as many nights. And the Penguins came in with an 8-1-3 record against the Western Conference
But the Ducks pulled it off, ending Malkin's streak of scoring in eighth consecutive home games as Jonas Hiller made 25 saves to improve to 12-2-3 in his last 17 starts. The NHL scoring leader came in with 69 points on the season and 17 goals in 17 games.
Pittsburgh had rallied in each of its six consecutive wins at home, four times from multiple-goal deficits, so maybe it wasn't the best sign for them when they took the early lead.
Jordan Staal, a force since returning last weekend from a 15-game layoff with a left knee injury, took Pascal Dupuis' pass along the boards in stride and skated in hard from the right circle to beat Hiller at 6:27 of the first.

Giving up the opening goal didn't rattle Hiller on Tuesday and it didn't get to him in this one, either, despite the Penguins' 11-2-1 record in their previous 14 games.
Outshot 13-8 by the fresher Penguins in the first period – Pittsburgh hadn't played since Sunday – the Ducks rediscovered their game legs in the second period and began dominating play. Marc-Andre Fleury needed to make a couple of excellent saves to keep the Penguins in the lead, but finally gave it up in the period's final minute.
Perry, last year's NHL MVP, skated past defenseman Zbynek Michalek to beat Fleury with a wrist shot from in close with 52 seconds left in a period in which the Ducks outshot the Penguins 13-7 and, just like that, it was tied.
Perry's goal was his fifth in three games – he had a hat trick Sunday in Columbus – and his team-high 28th, and the timing couldn't have been much better, either. The Penguins had been 18-0-2 when leading after two periods.
Fleury finished with 27 saves.

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Lin's double-double propels Knicks to 7th win in a row - USA TODAY

Jeremy Lin had 10 points, a career-high 13 assists and five rebounds as the New York Knicks cruised past the Sacramento Kings 100-85 for their seventh consecutive win.

Lin recorded his second consecutive double-double and the third of his career while sitting out the entire fourth quarter as the Knicks held a substantial lead.

The Knicks put seven players into double figures, led by Landry Fields with 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Amar'e Stoudemire tallied 11 points and five rebounds in 27 minutes.

Tyreke Evans led the Kings with 19 points, four rebounds and five assists, and Isaiah Thomas chipped in 14 points, 3 rebounds and four assists while getting booed mercilessly from the New York crowd. Thomas, a University of Washington graduate, is no relation to the former Pistons Hall of Famer and Knicks coach who had a tumultuous tenure in the Big Apple.

The Knicks shot 50.6% (39-for-77) from the field to the Kings 37.9% (33-for-87). The Knicks also out-rebounded the Kings 48-35 and dished out 10 more assists (25 to 15) in a game that was dominated by New York from start to finish.

Fourth quarter

Final score Knicks 100, Kings 85

0:53: Toney Douglas gets on the scoreboard and gets the Knicks to 100 points. Thomas gets booed again after hitting another jump shot.

1:50: Game getting sloppy with a lot of missed shots and turnovers. Thomas finally scores and gets booed again by the MSG crowd.

3:18: Kings guard Isaiah Thomas gets booed by the crowd at MSG after knocking down a jump shot. New York fans not likely to clap for that name any time soon.

4:15: Fredette and Outlaw with back-to-back three pointers by Kings to trim the deficit to 94-75.

5:04: Lin and Fields enjoying the view from the bench. Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni has pulled his starters as this game is basically a fait acompli.

5:43: Television timeout. With the Knicks firmly in control, leading 92-69, Lin could spend the rest of the quarter on the bench.

6:31: Cousins finally stops the bleeding for the Kings, powers to the basket and slams down a dunk with authority as he gets fouled. Cousins hits the and-1. Knicks lead 92-67.

7:50: Jeffries with back-to-back buckets in the paint. Knicks pouring it on 90-64.

9:49: Kings take a timeout after Knicks open quarter on a 6-2 run. Kings shooting just 31.9% from the floor (22-for-69). Knicks shooting 55% (33-for-60). Knicks have also dished 23 assists compared to Kings 12.

Lin has opened the quarter on the bench.

Third quarter

2.0: Isiah Thomas (the Washington grad not the former Knicks coach) misses a jumper to end the third quarter. Knicks still cruising 77-55.

1:33: Novak drains his second three-pointer of the night. Evans matches him with a three on the other end.

2:55: Television timeout and Lin takes a seat on the bench next to Carmelo Anthony, whose status is still day-to-day.

3:33: Thompson to the line as Jeffries commits a foul. Thompson hits 1 of 2. Lin turns it over on the next possession and Fredette draws another foul on Jeffries. Fredette knocks down both free throws. Knicks lead 74-53.

4:58: Lin hits a jump shot to record his second consecutive double-double and third of his career. Lin with 10 points, 13 assists and 5 rebounds.

5:50: Evans drains two free throws but Walker comes back with a 3-pointer; has 14 points. KNicks lead 70-48.

6:18: Lin with his career-high 12th assist on a nice bounce pass to Jeffries who finishes with a dunk.

7:30: Stoudemire goes to the bench after committing his fourth foul. Jeffries checks in. Cousins gets blocked by Walker. Knicks lead 65-44.

8:33: Lin with a beautiful pass to Fields on the backdoor cut. Fields leads all players with 15 points. Lin with his 11th assist, two points away from his third double-double of the season.

9:22: Lin ties up Evans for a jump ball. Kings blow a layup, and Walker hits an interior shot on the other end. Knicks take their biggest lead 63-40.

11:16: Fields continues his hot shooting scoring the first points of the third quarter. Walker drains a 3 and the KNicks lead 59-38.

Halftime stats

Knicks 54, Kings 36

Knicks: Shooting 51.3% from the field (20-for-39) and 84.6 (11-for-13) from the line.

Landry Fields with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists to lead the team. Amar'e Stoudemire with 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block. Jeremy Lin has 6 points, 9 assists, 2 rebounds and only 1 turnover.

Kings: Shooting 32.6% from the field (14-for-43) and 66.7% (6-for-9) from the line.

Marcus Thornton leads all players with 13 points, also has 2 rebounds and 1 assist. DeMarcus Cousins with 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 3 personal fouls.

Second quarter

01.7: Lin penetrates and dishes a great feed to Chandler who slams it home. Knicks take a 54-36 lead into the half.

51.0: Lin fouled on the spin move and heads to the free throw line. Lin makes 1 of 2.

1:42: Fields with a ridiculous alley-oop off a pass from Lin. This marks Lin's fourth alley-oop of the night. Knicks take their biggest lead of the night, 51-34.

2:21: Novak fouled by Outlaw while shooting a 3. Novak hits the deck but the ball hits nothing but net. Chance for a 4-point play after a timeout.

3:26: Chandler connects on an and-1 to bring Knicks lead back to 11 45-34.

3:43: Thornton scores back-to-back baskets for the Kings, the second after stripping Lin.

5:20: Kings with fast-break and Outlaw with the dunk. Knicks come right back as Lin throws his third alley-oop of the game, this time to Chandler. Knicks lead 40-30.

6:07: Television timeout. Knicks continue to dominate. 38-26.

7:38: Lin set to check in as Fredette is called for a blocking foul against Jeffries in the paint. Jeffries hits both free throws to increase Knicks lead to 36-22.

8:53: Walker with a creative feed to a wide-open Jeffries who slams it down for a 34-22 Knicks lead.

9:41: Walker (3-4 from the field) drains another jumper. Knicks lead 32-22.

11:35: Fredette opens the second quarter with a 3. Shumpert matches on the next possession. Knicks 28-20.

First quarter

01.1: Shumpert fouls Thomas with 1.1 on the clock when Chandler likely would have had a clean block. Thomas makes 1 of 2 and Knicks take a 25-17 lead into the second.

52:6: Fredette with a long pass to Green who completes a pretty layup. Knicks lead 25-16 but have missed their last 7 shots.

2:25: Television timeout. Lin takes a seat on the bench with 5 points, 6 assists and 1 rebound. He's shooting 2 of 4 from the field. Knicks still lead 23-13.

3:08: Lin draws the charge as Evans plows into him in the paint. Knicks lead 23-13.

4:24: Stoudemire goes to the line and makes 1 of 2 free throws. Stoudemire leads all players with 9 points.

5:18: Lin dishes his sixth assist of the night as Fields drains a three pointer. Knicks lead 22-11.

6:56: Lin throws a perfect alley-oop to Chandler as the Kings looked clueless on defense. The cluelessness extends to the offensive end as the Kings get called for a 3-second violation.

7:28: Kings call timeout after an 8-0 Knicks run. The crowd at MSG is on its feet. Knicks lead 13-7.

8:53: Lin penetrates again, dribbles in the paint an finishes with the left hand. After a defensive rebound, Lin throws an alley-oop to Fields to give Knicks 11-7 lead.

9:30: The Kings' Marcus Thornton hits a 3 and Stoudemire hits back-to-babk baskets. Tied 7-7.

10:54: Knicks coach D'Antoni calls 20-second timeout to chew out officials who called Stoudemire for an offensive foul as Cousins took the charge.

11:30: Lin on the drive, puts it on the floor, gets the basket and-1. Lin makes his free throw and Knicks take early 3-0 lead.

Tip-off moments away...

Starting lineups

Sacramento Kings: F John Salmons, F Jason Thompson, C DeMarcus Cousins, G Marcus Thornton, G Tyreke Evans

New York Knicks: F Amar'e Stoudemire, F Bill Walker, C Tyson Chandler, G Landry Fields, G Jeremey Lin.

Preview

Spike Lee and the crowd at Madison Square Garden will be roaring for their newly-minted hero Jeremy Lin as the Knicks take their six-game winning streak back to New York when they host the Sacramento Kings at 7:30 p.m ET.

Now the question becomes how will the man that Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni calls "Linderella" top himself in front of the home crowd?

Lin simultaneously wowed and crushed the fans in Toronto when he hit a game-winning three-pointer with less than a second remaining in the game to propel the Knicks (14-15) over the Raptors 90-87. Lin also recorded the second double-double of his career with the 27-point, 11-assist performance.

Lin (12.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 4.5 apg) already made NBA history by tallying the most points in his first five starts (136) since the NBA-ABA merger. If Lin matches last night's scoring total, he would set a new NBA record for most points in the first six starts.

The New York fans will also welcome back forward Amar'e Stoudemire (18.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg), who returned to the court Tuesday in Toronto after missing four games because of his brother's death. Stoudemire had 21 points and nine rebounds against the Raptors.

The Kings (10-18) are last in the Pacific Division and only 3-13 on the road. Sacramento is lead by guards Marcus Thornton (17.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.0 apg) and Tyreke Evans (17.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.2 apg) and center DeMarcus Cousins (16.3 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 1.3 bpg).

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