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NBA-SCHEDULE
Heat loss gives Pacers top seed in East
UNDATED (AP) — The Indiana Pacers have wrapped up the top seed in the NBA's Eastern Conference playoffs without playing tonight.
The Washington Wizards did all the work for the Pacers by hammering the Miami Heat 114-93. Trevor Ariza scored 25 points for the Wizards, who shot 59 percent and made 14 3-pointers.
Michael Beasley scored 18 points while the Heat rested LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
In other NBA action:
— Chandler Parsons scored 21 points and Houston clinched home-court advantage for its first-round series with Portland by downing San Antonio 104-98. Dwight Howard and Terrence Jones each added 20 points for the Rockets.
— Toronto picked up its team-record 48th win as Greivis Vasquez scored 25 points and Kyle Lowry added 24 in the Raptors' 110-100 decision over Milwaukee. Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and 13 rebounds to help the Raptors win for the sixth time in seven games.
— Charlotte overcame a 15-point deficit in the final period and beat Atlanta 95-93 on Chris Douglas-Roberts' jumper as time expired. Al Jefferson had 27 points and 15 rebounds for Charlotte, which remained one game behind Washington for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
— Michael Carter-Williams had 21 points and 14 rebounds in Philadelphia's 113-108 triumph over Boston.
NBA-KINGS/COUSINS
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The NBA has suspended Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the season. The NBA said Cousins will serve his suspension during Wednesday's season finale against Phoenix. He was called for a technical foul in Sacramento's 106-103 win over Minnesota last night after waving his arm at an official.
NBA-PISTONS
Dumars resigns
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Joe Dumars (DOO'-marhz) is stepping down as president of basketball operations for the Detroit Pistons. The move comes a day after the Pistons lost their home finale and dropped to 29-52 with one game remaining in the season. Detroit will miss the postseason for a fifth consecutive year.
Drafted by the Pistons in 1985, Dumars spent his entire 14-year playing career with the franchise, winning NBA titles in 1989 and 1990.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Zim, Nats bounce back from lost weekend
UNDATED (AP) — The Washington Nationals bounced back after absorbing a three-game sweep in Atlanta over the weekend.
Jordan Zimmermann worked seven innings and the Nats banged out 11 extra-base hits in a 9-2 pounding of the Marlins in Miami. Zimmermann allowed two runs and struck out seven in his first start since lasting a career-low 1 2/3 innings against the Marlins last week.
Bryce Harper doubled twice and hit an RBI triple, giving him a .520 average over his last seven games. Anthony Rendon (rehn-DOHN') drove in three runs with a double and a triple, and catcher Sandy Leon hit his first career homer as the Nats dealt the Marlins their seventh consecutive loss.
Washington is 1-5 against the Braves this season but 7-0 versus the two other teams they've faced, including a 4-0 mark against the Marlins.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— Wei-Yin Chen (way-yihn chen) took a four-hitter into the seventh and Baltimore built a 6-0 lead in the first three innings of a 7-1 rout of Tampa Bay. Matt Wieters (WEE'-turz) and J.J. Hardy each had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run as Orioles produced two more runs than they totaled in their three-game series with Toronto over the weekend.
MLB-NEWS
Yankees hurting...Oriole Hall of Famer sues for $9.9 million
UNDATED (AP) — The Yankees say X-rays on the right hand of catcher Brian McCann were negative after he was hit by a thrown pitch Sunday. Another Yankee catcher, Francisco Cervelli, was playing at first base because of injuries to others, but he left Sunday's game in the fourth inning after getting hurt running to first.
In other baseball news:
— Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson is seeking a settlement of $9.9 million from the Seminole Indian tribe over injuries he suffered in a 2012 fall from a stage at the tribe's South Florida casino. Attorney Jack Hickey says the 76-year-old Robinson will sue unless a settlement is reached. The case is complicated by the tribe's lawsuit immunity protections, which generally limit damages to $200,000.
— Reds closer Aroldis Chapman threw off a mound on Monday for the first time since he was hit in the forehead by a line drive during spring training. The left-hander threw 25 pitches in the bullpen before Cincinnati opened a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Reds hope to have him back sometime in May.
— The San Diego Padres think so much of second baseman Jedd Gyorko (JUR'-koh) that they gave him a hefty raise and he's only 13 games into his second full big league season. Gyorko's agreement, announced Monday, is a six-year deal that adds $35 million over five seasons through 2019. It includes a team option for 2020.
— Blue Jays second baseman Maicer Izturis (MY'-sur ihz-TOOR'-ihs) needs left knee surgery that could force him to miss the rest of the season. The 33-year-old Izturis was put on the disabled list Sunday with what the team said is a complete tear of the lateral collateral ligament.
NHL-COACHES
Preds can coach...Capuano stays
UNDATED (AP) — Barry Trotz had been the only coach in the Nashville Predators' 15-year history, going 557-479-160 with seven playoff appearances. But the Predators are making a change after missing the postseason for the second straight year, dismissing Trotz and offering him a position in the team's hockey operations department.
General manager David Poile (poyl) called the firing a wakeup call for the entire organization, including himself.
Trotz was the NHL's longest tenured head coach with one team, coaching 1,196 games with Nashville. That put him second only to Greg Popovich of the NBA's San Antonio Spurs for longest active coaching tenure in the four major sports.
Also in hockey, the New York Islanders have announced that Jack Capuano will be back for a fifth season. The Isles missed the playoffs at 34-37-11 but went 10-4-2 over their final 16 games while playing between 8-11 rookies each game.
NHL-MAPLE LEAFS
Surgery for Bernier
TORONTO (AP) — Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier (burn-YAY') will undergo surgery on Wednesday to repair a sports hernia. He says he will be ready in time for the start of training camp in September. Bernier missed five games in March due to the injury. He then aggravated the problem April 3 against the Boston Bruins and finished the season on the sidelines.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-NEWS
Michigan State's Harris entering draft
UNDATED (AP) — Michigan State shooting guard Gary Harris is leaving school two years early to enter the NBA draft.
Harris averaged a team-high 16.7 points last season to help the Spartans win 29 games, including the Big Ten tournament championship.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo (IH'-zoh) told reporters after the season that he would advise Harris to make the jump to the league if his research led him to believe Harris would be among the top guards drafted in June.
Meanwhile, Duke freshman Jabari Parker says he'll announce Wednesday whether he will enter the draft. Parker was the first Duke freshman to lead the team in scoring and rebounding.
NFL-BROWNS
Fullback signs with Cleveland
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The Browns have signed fullback Chris Pressley. He is viewed as a potential lead blocker to open holes for new running back Ben Tate. Pressley, who missed all of last season with Cincinnati because of a knee injury, has made 20 career starts in the NFL for the Bengals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
SWIMMING-PHELPS
Phelps coming out of retirement for Rio Olympics
UNDATED (AP) — Michael Phelps, the winner of 22 Olympic medals, is coming out of retirement with an eye on competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Phelps will compete for the first time since the 2012 London Olympics at a meet in Mesa, Ariz., on April 24-26.
Phelps returned to training last fall and re-entered the U.S. drug-testing program. He has completed his six-month waiting period to be eligible for competition by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Phelps turns 29 in June and is the winningest and most decorated athlete in Olympic history.
NASCAR-F1
Haas to enter Formula One
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR team owner Gene Haas says he plans to field an American-based Formula One racing series team within the next two years. He says the team will be called Haas Formula and that he should know within the next four weeks if the team will begin racing in 2015 or wait until 2016.
OBIT-SMITH
Former St. Louis catcher passes away
FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — Former major leaguer Hal Smith has died. Smith was a native of Barling, Ark., who signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as a catcher in 1949. He played for the Cardinals from 1956-61 and was named to three National League All-Star teams. He later played briefly for Pittsburgh in 1965 before becoming a scout and coach for several teams.
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