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NBA-SCHEDULE
Celtics take advantage...Sixers streak hits 22 down...Spurs win 11th in row
UNDATED (AP) — LeBron James sat out Miami's game against Boston with back spasms last night, and it showed. The Boston Celtics took advantage of the superstar's absence and scored a 101-96 victory over the Heat. Avery Bradley led the Celtics with 23 points. Point guard Rajon Rondo (RAH'-zhahn RAHN'-doh) just missed a triple double with 9 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds.
The Heat fell to 2-1 in games without James, who poured in 43 points in the Heat's 100-96 win at Cleveland on Tuesday night. Against Boston, the Heat placed six players in double figures, but nobody with more than Dwyane (dwayn) Wade's 17 on 7-of-17 shooting.
In other NBA action:
— The beat goes on for the Philadelphia 76ers. They lost their 22nd straight game -- four shy of tying the NBA record for longest single-season losing streak -- as D.J. Augustin scored 20 in the Chicago Bulls' 102-94 win over the Sixers.
— The San Antonio Spurs are the hottest team in basketball. The Spurs won their 11th in a row, 125-109 over the L.A. Lakers. Tony Parker led the Spurs with 25 points and five assists.
— Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points and the New York Knicks opened the Phil Jackson era by beating the Indiana Pacers 92-86 for their season-high seventh straight victory. Jackson, their new team president, was watching from a midcourt seat.
— Kevin Love scored 35 points, including the go-ahead basket in overtime, and the Minnesota Timberwolves hung on for a 123-122 victory over Dallas. Ricky Rubio had a triple-double with 22 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds.
— Aaron Brooks had 27 points and a career-high 17 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets past the Detroit Pistons 118-109 for their fourth win in five games.
— Zach Randolph scored 21 points, Marc Gasol (guh-SAWL') added 20 and the Memphis Grizzlies maintained their hold on the final Western Conference playoff spot with a 96-86 victory over the Utah Jazz.
— Deron (DEHR'-ihn) Williams scored 23 points, Joe Johnson added 20 and the Brooklyn Nets overcame a late deficit to win their 10th straight home game, 104-99 over the Charlotte Bobcats.
— Atlantic Division-leading Toronto scored a 107-100 victory over New Orleans. DeMar DeRozan was high man for the Raptors with 31.
— The Phoenix Suns ran away from Orlando 100-93. Goran Dragic (GOHR'-uhn DRAH'-gitch) led the way with 18.
NBA-KNICKS/WOODSON
Woodson says he can teach the triangle
NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Woodson isn't mad the New York Knicks wanted Phil Jackson for his job. And if Jackson wants a coach to run the triangle offense, Woodson knows someone who could do it.
Woodson says he "absolutely" could teach it, though he said he could do it better if Jackson helped him. It's the coach's first remarks since Jackson was installed as Knicks president.
Jackson said he wouldn't insist on the triangle, the offense he used to win 11 championships as a coach. But he spoke passionately about the offense and its principles, so it may be his hope.
NCAA-FIRST FOUR
Vols outlast Hawkeyes in OT...Cal Poly advances to play unbeaten Shockers
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Tennessee and Cal Poly have played their way into the second round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
James Stokes had 18 points and 13 rebounds in Tennessee's 78-65 overtime win over Iowa. That sends the Vols to play sixth-seeded Massachusetts in Friday's second round. The Vols outscored the Hawkeyes 14-1 in OT. That ended a hectic and stressful day for Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. McCaffery started the day in Iowa with his teenage son Patrick, who had surgery to remove a thyroid tumor, and then flew to Dayton in time for the game.
Cal Poly is the most surprising participant in the NCAA field. The 14-19 Mustangs shot 54 percent and beat Texas Southern 81-69, after making an unlikely three-game run to the Big West Conference tournament title. Chris Eversley had 18 for Cal Poly, which now moves on to play unbeaten Wichita State, No. 1 in the Midwest, in a second-round game on Friday.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Leafs lose game and defenseman...Kane hurt in 700th win for Quenneville
UNDATED (AP) — Steven Stamkos had a natural hat trick and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat Toronto 5-3 in a game that included a frightening injury to Maple Leafs defenseman Paul Ranger.
Ranger left the ice on a stretcher after his head hit the boards following a first-period hit from Alex Killorn. The Maple Leafs said Ranger was "stable, conscious and alert," after being taken to the hospital for what the team called a "precautionary assessment."
In other NHL action:
— Corey Crawford made 23 saves and the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks gave coach Joel Quenneville (KWEHN'-vihl) a milestone victory with their 4-0 shutout of the St. Louis Blues. It's the 700th career victory for the veteran coach, which places him third on the all-time NHL list. There was a downside to Chicago's victory as Patrick Kane, its leading scorer, is expected to be out about three weeks due to a lower body injury
— Blake Wheeler scored in overtime on a shot through the crowd in front of the goal to give the Winnipeg Jets a 5-4 win against Colorado.
— Vancouver blanked Nashville 2-0. Nicklas Jensen and Alexander Edler scored 1:13 apart in the third period to break a scoreless tie.
NHL-INJURIES
Ericsson to miss rest of regular season...Ducks lose Fowler 3-5 weeks.
UNDATED (AP) — Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson has undergone surgery on the middle finger of his left hand and is expected to be out 4-6 weeks, keeping him out the rest of the regular season. He broke his finger and partially tore a tendon in it during Tuesday night's win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Wings already were without forwards Pavel Datsyuk (DAHT'-sook) and Henrik Zetterberg as they try to make the Stanley Cup playoffs for the 23rd consecutive season.
In other NHL news:
— Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler will be out 3-5 weeks with a sprained ligament in his left knee. Fowler is enjoying a breakout season with six goals and 30 assists in 67 games.
— The Dallas Stars say Rich Peverley has undergone successful surgery to correct an abnormal heart rhythm, just more than a week after the forward collapsed on the bench during a game. Peverley is expected to return to Dallas on Thursday and may require further treatment. The 31-year-old Peverley chose less invasive treatment after an irregular heartbeat was diagnosed during training camp.
MLB-DODGERS DOWN UNDER
Dodgers tab Lee for exhibition
SYDNEY (AP) — Right-hander Zach Lee, who is 1-0 in one start with a 5.79 ERA in two games in spring training, will be the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday against Team Australia in the first exhibition baseball game at the revamped Sydney Cricket Ground.
The Diamondbacks and Dodgers open the MLB regular season with games on Saturday and Sunday.
MLB-SPRING TRAINING
Medlin to miss season after elbow surgery...Reds' Chapman felled by liner
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Atlanta pitcher Kris Medlen has undergone elbow-ligament replacement surgery for the second time. The Braves say that Dr. James Andrews reconstructed the ulnar collateral ligament in Medlen's right elbow Tuesday. Medlen is expected to miss the entire season.
Medlen tore his right UCL and had the same surgery in August 2010
The 28-year-old right-hander was 15-12 with a 3.11 ERA last year. Medlen has a 34-20 record with a 2.95 ERA in five big leagues seasons and is 30-13 in 61 starts.
SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman was hit in the face by a line drive and taken off the field on a cart.
Chapman was struck by Salvador Perez's drive with two outs in the sixth inning of the Reds' game against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night. The pitcher crumbled to the ground, face down and flailing his legs. Medical personnel, including Royals Dr. Vincent Key, rushed the field. The game was called with KC leading 6-3.
NFL-MOVES
Titans boot Bironas
UNDATED (AP) — Tennessee is cutting ties with longtime kicker Rob Bironas (bur-OH'-nas), who spent his entire nine-year NFL career with the team. The 36-year old is the second leading scorer in franchise history behind fellow kicker Al Del Greco. Bironas has made 85.7 percent of his career field-goal attempts (239 of 279) to rank fourth in NFL history in accuracy. He was successful on 25 of 29 field goal attempts last season.
The Titans have come to terms on a multiyear contract with defensive tackle Antonio Johnson. The 29-year-old played in all 16 games last season, starting in six. Johnson recorded 35 tackles and career best three sacks.
In other NFL matters:
— Veteran tackle Eric Winston has been elected president of the NFL Players Association succeeding Domonique Foxworth, who did not seek re-election. Winston has played for Houston, Kansas City and Arizona since being a third-round draft pick in 2006 by the Texans. He has been an active union member since 2010 and was a leading spokesman for the players during the 2011 lockout.
— Former NFL Players Association president Troy Vincent has been promoted to executive vice president of football operations for the league. Vincent's areas of responsibility will include officiating and on-field discipline.
— NFL owners likely will consider expanding the playoffs by two teams when they hold their spring meetings in Orlando next week, but a vote on the subject is uncertain. A groundswell for raising the number of playoff qualifiers to seven in each conference figures to get plenty of support from the 32 owners. Such an expansion could occur as early as next season.
— The Oakland Raiders have signed free agent offensive lineman Donald Penn to a two-year contract. NFL Network reported that the contract is worth $9.6 million with $4.2 million guaranteed.
— The New York Jets re-signed veteran guard Willie Colon to a one-year deal. The 30-year-old Colon will return after starting at right guard in all 16 games last season. He is recovering from a torn right biceps suffered in the season finale, but is expected to be OK by training camp.
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