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UNDATED (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers each have three-games-to-two leads in their respective NBA conference semifinal series. LeBron James finished with 38 points, 12 rebounds and six assists as the Cavs downed the Chicago Bulls 106-101. The Houston Rockets avoided elimination as James Harden delivered 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 124-103 rout of the Clippers.
METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Head coach Monty Williams has been fired by the New Orleans Pelicans despite leading the team to 45 victories and its first playoff appearance in four years. The decision came only weeks after owner Tom Benson congratulated Williams and the entire basketball operations staff for "a job well done." Williams was 173-221 with two playoff appearances in five seasons with the franchise.
TAMPA BAY, Fla. (AP) — Nikita Kucherov (KOO'-cheh-rahv) scored twice and had an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat Montreal 4-1 to advance to the NHL's Eastern Conference finals. Steven Stamkos and Ondrej Palat (pah-LAHT') provided second-period goals that put the Lightning ahead 3-0. Ben Bishop turned back 18 shots and blanked the Canadiens until Max Pacioretty scored with 4:59 remaining.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch will return in NASCAR's All-Star race this weekend. He has been sidelined since a Feb. 21 crash in the Xfinity Series opener in which he broke his right leg and left foot in an accident that spurred safety reviews throughout NASCAR. Busch credited therapy sessions that sometimes spanned six hours for being able to heal ahead of schedule.
NEW YORK (AP) — Ted Wells has answered criticism from the agent of Tom Brady, saying he found direct evidence to show quarterback the New England Patriots quarterback knew team employees were deflating footballs. Wells was the investigator whose findings led the NFL to suspend Brady for the first four games of the upcoming season, fine the Patriots $1 million and strip the team of two draft picks, including a first-rounder next year. Brady's agent said Monday that he was very confident the Wells Report will be exposed as an incredibly frail exercise in fact-finding and logic.
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