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NBA-SCHEDULE

Thunder halt skid, Spurs keep pace

UNDATED (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder still top the NBA's Western Conference by 1 ½ games over San Antonio following another great finish by Kevin Durant.

The MVP candidate scored 30 of his 37 points in the second half as the Thunder held off Memphis 113-107. Durant got it going in the opening minutes of the third quarter with a 3-pointer and a dunk to help Oklahoma City take a 65-47 lead.

Russell Westbrook had 21 points and six assists in 28 minutes, his best game since he came back from knee surgery. Serge Ibaka (ih-BAH'-kah) had 16 points and nine rebounds for Oklahoma City, which ended a three-game skid that began when Westbrook returned to the lineup.

San Antonio kept pace as Tim Duncan had 17 points and 16 rebounds in the Spurs' 92-82 triumph over Charlotte. Manu Ginobili (MAN'-oo jih-NOH'-blee) added 15 points, while Marco Belinelli and Patty Mills each had 14.

Charlotte held a 34-20 lead early in the second quarter before the Spurs picked up their second consecutive win.

Checking the rest of the NBA scores:

— Chicago made it eight wins in nine games as Taj Gibson had 20 points and 15 rebounds in the Bulls' 100-91 win against Dallas. Mike Dunleavy hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and finished with 17 points and eight rebounds.

— Stephen (STEH'-fehn) Curry had 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in just three quarters of Golden State's 126-103 pounding of New York. Klay Thompson added 25 points in the Warriors' fifth victory in six games.

— Kyrie Irving recorded his first career triple-double with 21 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to lead Cleveland's 99-79 win rout of Utah. Luol Deng (LOO'-ul dehng) scored 16 points as the Cavaliers placed five players in double figures.

NBA-CLIPPERS/GRANGER

Granger goes to Clippers

UNDATED (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers have acquired depth up front by signing free-agent forward Danny Granger, two days after his contract was bought out by Philadelphia.

Granger was acquired by the 76ers in a trade with Indiana last week. He had spent his entire nine-season NBA career with the Pacers, leading the team in scoring five straight years before injuries trimmed his playing time since last season.

Also in the NBA:

— The New Orleans Pelicans say starting point guard Jrue Holiday has undergone surgery for a stress fracture in his right tibia and will miss the rest of the season. Holiday averaged 14.3 points, 7.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 34 games before coming off the active roster in early January.

NHL-BLUES/SABRES TRADE

Blues get Sabres' Miller in multiplayer swap

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Sabres netminder Ryan Miller had been among the most sought-after players heading into next week's NHL trade deadline. Not anymore.

Miller and captain Steve Ott have been shipped to the St. Louis Blues for goalie Jaroslav Halak (hah-LAHK'), forward Chris Stewart, prospect William Carrier, a 2015 first-round pick and a 2016 third-round pick. Miller's future in Buffalo had been in doubt due to his pending free agency and the team's poor season.

Miller won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goalie in 2010, the year he was the Most Valuable Player of the Olympic tournament in Vancouver. He's the franchise leader with 284 victories and 540 games.

Also in the NHL, the New York Rangers have worked out a reported six-year, $33-million contract with defenseman Dan Girardi, taking him off the trading block and keeping him away from unrestricted free agency this summer. The Rangers are still trying to work out a new package with captain Ryan Callahan, who can become an unrestricted free agent in July. The two sides have been unable to reach terms on a long-term deal, making the U.S. Olympian a prime candidate to be dealt before next week's trade deadline.

NHL-SCHEDULE

New-look Sabres down Sharks

UNDATED (AP) — The Sabres did pretty well in their first game since sending Ryan Miller and Steve Ott to St. Louis.

Jhonas Enroth turned back 36 shots and Tyler Myers collected three points as Buffalo doubled up San Jose 4-2. Enroth blanked the Sharks until James Sheppard tied the game midway through the second period.

Brian Flynn and Matt Moulson scored about three minutes apart early in the third period to put Buffalo ahead 3-1. Myers added an empty-netter to secure the Sabres' third straight victory, their longest winning streak since last April.

Elsewhere on ice:

— Gabriel Landeskog (LAN'-dehs-kahg) had a goal and two assists and Semyon Varlamov (SEHM'-yahn vahr-LAH'-mahv) turned back 40 shots in Colorado's 4-2 win against Phoenix. Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist to help the Avs win for the second time in their last four games.

NFL-MOVES

Saints' Graham, Jets' Folk franchised

UNDATED (AP) — Unable to work out a contract, the New Orleans Saints have placed the franchise tag on one of their best offensive weapons.

Tight end Jimmy Graham has received the franchise tag after leading the Saints with 86 receptions, 1,215 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.

He has topped the Saints in catches in each of the past three seasons, while leading the club in yards receiving and touchdowns in two of the last three years.

Barring a holdout, Graham will almost certainly play for New Orleans next season for no less than the tight end franchise tag of $7.04 million. The move was expected as the two sides attempt to work out a long-term deal.

In other NFL news:

— Philadelphia Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin has agreed on a one-year contract, preventing him from becoming a free agent next month. Maclin missed the entire 2013 season after tearing his right ACL in training camp. He's one of eight receivers in NFL history to have at least 55 catches and 750 yards in each of his first four seasons in the league.

— The New York Jets have placed the franchise tag on kicker Nick Folk after he had perhaps the best season of his seven-year NFL career. Folk made $780,000 last season, but the franchise tag estimate for kickers is about $3.4 million for this year. Folk made 33 of 36 field-goal attempts last season, including three winning kicks.

— Kicker Graham Gano (guh-NOH') has agreed to a new four-year contract with Carolina. The 26-year-old converted 24 of 27 field goal attempts last season while helping the team to a 12-4 record and the NFC South title.

— The Panthers have put the franchise tag on defensive end Greg Hardy, who tied the franchise record with 15 sacks last season. He'll make $12.45 million in 2013.

— The Baltimore Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta have reached agreement on a five-year contract. Pitta missed most of 2013 while recovering from a dislocated and fractured hip. He had 61 catches for 669 yards and seven touchdowns during the 2012 regular season and then added 14 catches for 163 yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs in helping the Ravens win the Super Bowl.

— Super Bowl champ Seattle has released wide receiver Sidney Rice and defensive end Red Bryant, giving the Seahawks additional salary cap space as free agency approaches. Seattle should save more than $12 million in salary cap space with the moves.

— The NFL's salary cap for this season has been set at $133 million, the highest amount in league history. Each team must be compliant with the cap number by March 11, when the league's free agency period begins. The cap is up from $123 million last season and surpasses the previous high of $127,997,000 in 2009.

MLB-SPRING TRAINING

Tigers' shortstop out of action

UNDATED (AP) — Detroit Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias (ih-GLAY'-see-uhs) is expected to be out for about a week because of a recurring shin problem. Iglesias finished second in last year's American League rookie of the year vote, hitting .303 in 109 games. He was acquired from Boston just before the 2013 trade deadline.

Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke (GREHN'-kee) is scheduled to undergo treatment after straining his right calf after four pitches during his first spring training start Thursday. Dodgers' manager Don Mattingly is hopeful Greinke will be able to throw a scheduled bullpen session Saturday.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-FLORIDA ATLANTIC/JARVIS

Jarvis will step down

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Florida Atlantic's Mike Jarvis will resign at the end of the season, his 25th as a head coach and his sixth with the Owls.

The 68-year-old Jarvis said he wants to pursue other basketball opportunities. He had one year left on his contract.

Florida Atlantic lost at Tulane on Wednesday to fall to 10-19 overall and 5-9 in Conference USA with two games left in the regular season.

Jarvis previously took Boston University, George Washington and St. John's to the NCAA tournament, but the Owls had losing records in five of his six seasons.

PGA-HONDA CLASSIC

McIlroy tops the field

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Rory McIlroy is the leader at the midway point of the Honda Classic, the first time in 18 months he's been ahead through 36 holes of a PGA Tour event. McIlroy reeled off six birdies in a 10-hole stretch en route to a 4-under 66 that leaves him minus-11, one shot ahead of Brendon de Jonge. Tiger Woods just made the cut after a 1-under 69 left him even for the tournament.

Phil Mickelson has the weekend off after missing the cut at plus-1.

LPGA-HSBC

Webb remains on top

SINGAPORE (AP) — Karrie (KAHR'-ee) Webb has a two-shot lead after two rounds of the LPGA's HSBC Women's Champion's tournament in Singapore. She followed an opening-round 66 with a 3-under 69 to lead Angela Stanford of the U.S. by two shots.

NASCAR/PHOENIX POLE

Keselowski has pole

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Brad Keselowski has earned the pole for Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway after making it through NASCAR's new knockout-style qualifying.

Keselowski had a fast lap of 139.384 mph, turning the mile oval in 25.828 seconds to earn a spot on the front row next to Joey Logano. Jamie McMurray qualified third, defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson was fourth and Daytona 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start fifth next to Greg Biffle.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-BRAWL

WAC punishes New Mexico State players for brawl

UNDATED (AP) — New Mexico State junior guard K.C. Ross-Miller has been suspended two games and senior forward Renaldo Dixon will miss one for violating the Western Athletic Conference's sportsmanship rules in a postgame brawl at Utah Valley.

Ross-Miller hurled the ball and hit the leg of Utah Valley's Holton Hunsaker seconds after the Wolverines' 66-61 victory Thursday night. Some of the fans who stormed the court following the victory got caught up in the chaos and punches were thrown.

New Mexico State already had suspended guard Ross-Miller indefinitely for actions.

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

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