OKC moving on...Hornets-Heat all even...Clippers lose game and Paul to broken hand

UNDATED (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder are moving on to meet the San Antonio Spurs in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Dallas Mavericks v Oklahoma City Thunder - Game Five
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The Thunder went on a late 11-0 run in the final three and a-half minutes and eliminated the Dallas Mavericks in five games, 118-104. The Thunder's Big Two had a huge night -- Russell Westbrook led the way with 36 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Kevin Durant added 33 points and seven rebounds.

Oklahoma City shot 50.6 percent from the field and outrebounded the Mavericks 42-35. Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points in a losing effort for the Mavs, who were hampered by injuries and lost the final three games of the series.

In other NBA playoff series:

— Kemba Walker scored a playoff career-high 34 points, Jeremy Lin added 21 and the Charlotte Hornets beat the Miami Heat 89-85 to even that first-round series at 2-2. Courtney Lee sank two free throws with 4.6 seconds left to seal the win. Lee finished with 11 points and helped hold Heat star guard Dwyane Wade to 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting. Game 5 is Wednesday night in Miami.

— Portland and the L.A. Clippers are also tied 2-2. The Trail Blazers evened the series with a 98-84 win. Al-Farouq Aminu scored a career-high 30. C.J. McCollum added 19. It was a costly loss for the Clippers. All-Star guard Chris Paul broke a bone in his right hand midway through the third quarter after scoring 16 points. In addition, Clippers center Blake Griffin left with six minutes left after appearing to aggravate a left knee injury that sidelined him much of the season. Game 5 is Wednesday night in L.A.

NBA-WARRIORS-CURRY

Curry out for Warriors

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State star Stephen Curry will miss at least two weeks with a sprained ligament in his right knee. He suffered the injury near the end of the first half of Sunday's win over the Rockets in Houston. The Warriors said an MRI on Curry's knee determined he had a Grade 1 sprain of the MCL in his right knee that will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Curry will miss the rest of the first round of the playoffs and likely at least four games in round two if the Warriors advance.

Golden State leads Houston 3-1 in its first-round series. Game 5 is Wednesday night in Oakland.

NBA-PACERS-MAHINMI

Pacers center sits out practice

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers starting center Ian Mahinmi was limited to non-contact drills at practice Monday because of a lingering lower back injury. Game 5 is Tuesday night in the series tied 2-2.

Mahinmi has been listed as questionable for most of the playoff series against Toronto but has started all four games, with the series tied 2-2. On Saturday, Mahinmi scored a career-high 20 points and had 10 rebounds and five assists, which were both playoff career highs.

After practice, Mahinmi told reporters that he was feeling better and has been getting treatment on the back since the end of Game 4. Mahinmi also said he is getting accustomed to playing with the injury.

NBA-LAKERS

Scott canned

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Byron Scott is out as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. He coached the 16-time NBA league champion franchise for two seasons and racked up a record of 38-126. This past season the Lakers finished 17-65.

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told the team's official television network that he has a large list of candidates to be the Lakers' fourth full-time coach since 2011, but expects to narrow the field quickly.

NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE

Blues eliminate Blackhawks in 7...Predators win to force a Game 7

UNDATED (AP)— The defending Stanley Cup champions are out of the NHL playoffs.

The St. Louis Blues edged the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 to win a Game 7 that decided that opening round NHL playoff series. Troy Brouwer tapped in his own rebound to snap a third-period tie. Brouwer played for the Blackhawks Stanley Cup-winning team in 2010.

Chicago also won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. Chicago just missed a chance to tie it when Brent Seabrook's shot went off both posts with about 3:30 left.

In other NHL first-round series:

There will be a Game 7 Wednesday night to decide the Anaheim-Nashville first-round NHL series. James Neal scored the winning goal late in the second period, and the Predators held on to beat the Ducks 3-1.

Shea Weber had an empty-net goal with 10 seconds left off an assist by Neal. Mattias Ekholm also scored a goal. Pekka Rinne made 26 saves for the win.

MLB-SCHEDULE

Zimm 4-0...Mattingly gets win in return to L.A.

UNDATED (AP) — — The Oakland Athletics were the first team to break through to score against Jordan Zimmermann and strung together 10 hits against the Detroit Tigers.

That wasn't enough.

Miguel Cabrera hit two home runs, Zimmermann's scoreless innings streak ended after 24 and a-third innings and Detroit snapped a four-game skid with a 7-3 win over the A's. Zimmermann's ERA is a microscopic 0.35 after four starts.

Tigers center fielder Tyler Collins directed an obscene gesture at booing home fans in the Motor City after losing a ball in the lights Monday night. Collins extended a finger on his left hand and waved it from right to left, and also appeared to yell an obscenity at the fans. Afterward, he apologized and said he was "absolutely embarrassed" by his antics.

In other baseball:

— Nathan Eovaldi lost his no-hit bid in the seventh inning but pitched the New York Yankees past Texas 3-1. The Rangers were without a hit until rookie Nomar Mazara, a day before his 21st birthday, led off the seventh with a clean single. Jacoby Ellsbury and Starlin Castro had solo homers for the Yankees.

— Giancarlo Stanton homered, doubled and drove in two runs to lead the Marlins past the Dodgers 3-2 in Miami manager Don Mattingly's return to Los Angeles. Mattingly, who managed the Dodgers from 2011-15, received a mix of boos and cheers before the start of his first game against his former club.

— Albert Pujols hit two homers and Mike Trout added another, powering the Los Angeles Angels to a 6-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Pujols has 565 home runs, moving past Reggie Jackson into 13th place on the all-time list.

— Chris Archer struck out 10 over 6 2/3 innings to end a 10-start winless streak, and the Tampa Bay Rays blanked the Baltimore Orioles 2-0. Archer is 1-4. He allowed five hits to get his first win since beating the Orioles on Aug. 31. The Rays' opening day starter was 0-7 during the winless stretch.

— Boston blanked Atlanta 1-0. Rich Porcello and three relievers combined on a four-hitter. Jackie Bradley Jr.'s home run was all the scoring.

— Neil Walker hit his seventh home run in 10 games, a tiebreaking shot in the seventh inning that gave the New York Mets a 5-3 win over Cincinnati. Michael Conforto and Lucas Duda also homered for the Mets, who've won four straight.

— Matt Joyce hit a three-run homer, Jeff Locke threw six scoreless innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 6-1.

__ The Seattle Mariners edged Houston 3-2 for their eighth win in 11 games. Taijuan Walker tied his career-high with 11 strikeouts over seven innings. Leonys Martin and Kyle Seager hit solo homers.

— The San Francisco Giants held off San Diego 5-4 to move within one game of .500. Buster Posey and Hunter Pence homered.

— Jean Segura had four hits, including a go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth inning, to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 12-7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Oswaldo Arcia led off the ninth inning with a home run off of Zach McAllister to lift the Minnesota Twins to a 4-3 victory over Cleveland.

— Todd Frazier doubled home the go-ahead run in a five-run seventh and the Chicago White Sox beat Toronto 7-5.

MLB-INDIANS-CARRASCO

Indians Carrasco is sidelined

CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians starter Carlos Carrasco could miss six weeks because of a strained left hamstring. The right-hander was injured while covering first in Sunday's game against Detroit. Carrasco had a breakout season in 2015 with 14 wins.

Trevor Bauer is expected to fill in while Carrasco recovers.

NFL-DEFLATEGATE

Court rules Brady must serve 4-game suspension

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court in New York has ruled that Patriots quarterback Tom Brady must serve the four-game "Deflategate" suspension imposed by the NFL. The ruling overturns a lower judge and sides with the NFL in a battle with the players union.

The decision by a three-judge panel may end the legal battle over the scandal that led to months of football fans arguing over air pressure and the reputation of one of the league's top teams and players.

The ruling can be appealed to the full 2nd Circuit or to the U.S. Supreme Court, but it would likely be a steep and time-consuming climb even if the courts took the unusual step to consider it.

The NFL Players Association says it is disappointed in the ruling. The union says it will "consider all" its options in the matter.

NFL-MANZIEL

Indictment may be coming for Manziel

DALLAS (AP) — An attorney for Johnny Manziel says he expects his client to be indicted today on allegations that he attacked his ex-girlfriend in January. Robert Hinton tells The Associated Press that prosecutors have notified him they expect a local grand jury to sign off on a misdemeanor assault charge for family violence. Conviction of a Class A misdemeanor carries a sentence up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

An indictment would further imperil Manziel's chances of playing pro football. He was cut by the Cleveland Browns, dropped by two agents and no longer has endorsements.

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

More allegations against Carolina

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — A spokesman for the North Carolina athletics department has confirmed that the school has received a new document from the NCAA outlining violations connected to UNC's long-running academic fraud scandal. Steve Kirschner says the new Notice of Allegations has arrived and that the school will release it publicly as soon as possible.

The NCAA first sent a Notice of Allegations last May, hitting the school with five potential top-level violations that included lack of institutional control. UNC had 90 days to respond, but that process paused in August when the school reported additional information to the NCAA for review.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Former UNLV coach staying in state

UNDATED (AP) — Fired UNLV men's basketball coach Dave Rice has reportedly landed a new job with Nevada. A person with knowledge of the situation confirms that Rice has been hired as an assistant with the rival Wolf Pack. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the school had not officially announced the hire.

Rice, a member of the Runnin' Rebels' 1990 national championship team, was let go at UNLV in January during the middle of his fifth season. He was 98-54 as UNLV's head coach, leaving Las Vegas with the third-most wins in program history.

SPORTS-MEDIA

AP source: Tirico bolts ESPN for NBC

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Mike Tirico is leaving ESPN and ABC Sports this summer when his contract expires to work for NBC. That's what a person familiar with the move tells The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because neither network had made an announcement about the broadcaster. SportsBusiness Journal was first to report the news.

Tirico began working at ESPN in 1999. He became its "Monday Night Football" play-by-play announcer a decade ago.

 

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