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NBA-SCHEDULE
Spurs roll to 18th straight...Miami percentage points ahead of Indiana in the East
UNDATED (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs set a franchise record with their 18th straight victory, and did it breezing. Tony Parker scored 22 points in the Spurs' 103-77 rout of Indiana on the Pacers home court.
Boris Diaw (DEE'-ow) added 14 points for the Spurs, who bettered their previous longest winning streak that was set in 1996.
Paul George scored 16 points for the Pacers, who've lost six of seven and fell six percentage points behind Miami for best record in the Eastern Conference.
In other NBA action:
— LeBron James scored 32 points, Chris Bosh added 18 and the Miami Heat moved into the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 93-83 win over the Toronto Raptors. Chris Andersen scored 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting and Mario Chalmers added 12 for Miami, which was again without Dwyane (dwayn) Wade, Greg Oden and Ray Allen.
— Darren Collison had 28 points and seven assists, and the Los Angeles Clippers didn't miss a beat with Blake Griffin out with a back injury in a 114-104 victory over Minnesota.
— Paul Millsap scored 28 points and Lou Williams added 22 off the bench in rallying the Atlanta Hawks to a 103-95 victory that denied the Philadelphia 76ers their first winning streak in nearly three months. The Sixers were coming off Saturday night's victory over Detroit that ended their 26-game losing streak.
— Greg Monroe had 28 points and 14 rebounds and the Detroit Pistons ended a three-game skid with a 116-111 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
— Charlotte went on a 19-4 run to end the game and rallied for a 100-94 win over Washington. Kemba Walker led the Bobcats with 21.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Devils win a wild one
UNDATED (AP)— Travis Zajac (ZAY'-jahk) scored the first of his career-best three goals just 12 seconds in, and the New Jersey Devils held on for a wild 6-3 victory over the Florida Panthers after nearly blowing an early three-goal lead.
Zajac opened the barrage against Dan Ellis and then netted his second of the night midway through New Jersey's three-goal first period. He completed his first NHL hat trick by putting a rebound past Ellis at 9:37 of the third.
It was also a big night for Zajac's linemates. Jaromir Jagr (YAH'-roh-meer YAH'-gur) had a goal and three assists, and Ryane Clowe added a goal and two assists.
In other hockey action:
— Ottawa nipped Carolina 2-1 in a shootout. With 78 points, the Senators are four points out of the final playoff spot in the East with seven games left.
NHL-NEWS
Extended deal for Nolan...Avs lose top scorer
UNDATED. (AP) — The Buffalo Sabres have signed interim coach Ted Nolan to a three-year contract extension. Nolan returned for a second stint in Buffalo in mid-November, when he was hired to replace the fired Ron Rolston. The Sabres have gone 16-30-8 under Nolan and remain in last place in the NHL.
In other hockey news:
— The Colorado Avalanche will be without leading scorer Matt Duchene (doo-SHAYN') for about four weeks after he hurt his left knee over the weekend. The loss of Duchene is a blow for the Avalanche, who just clinched their first postseason spot since 2010. He likely will miss the first round of the postseason.
MLB-REPLAY
MLB enters full-blown replay era
UNDATED (AP) —Major League Baseball launched the expanded replay era Monday, and saw instant results — a pair of missed calls by umpires got fixed fast, without any arguments.
Opening day showed off the game's newest nod to modern technology in a sport that long relied on the eyes of its umps.
In Pittsburgh, Cubs manager Rick Renteria (rehn-ter-EE'-uh) was the first skipper to challenge a play under the new expanded replay system. After review, which took about two minutes, the decision by the umpires was upheld.
The first overturned call came in Milwaukee. Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez challenged the sixth-inning play at Miller Park in the season opener won by Milwaukee, 2-0. Brewers star Ryan Braun was originally called safe at first base by umpire Greg Gibson on a leadoff infield single fielded by third baseman Chris Johnson. The call was reversed to out after a review that lasted 58 seconds, and Braun ran back to the dugout.
From now on, most every call can be challenged by a manager. When that happens, the final decision will come from a replay booth in New York, rather than the field. And instead of out or safe, fair or foul, disputes will be settled with two words new to baseball's lingo: confirmed or overturned.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Play Ball!
UNDATED (AP) — On the first nearly full schedule of major league games, Yadier Molina's (YAH'-dee-eer moh-LEE'-nahz) homer broke a seventh-inning scoreless tie in the St. Louis Cardinals to a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds were blanked on opening day for the first time since 1953.
That ended the second-longest streak of scoring in at least one run in season openers in major league history. The Phillies went 62 years without being blanked in an opener from 1911-72.
Adam Wainwright and four Cards relievers combined on the three-hit shutout.
Here's are other NL results:
— Neil Walker homered leading off the bottom of the tenth to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 win over the Cubs. It was the first opening-day walkoff homer for the Pirates since Bob Bailey's off San Francisco's Juan Marichal in a 1-0 victory in 1965. Cubs manager Rick Renteria (rehn-ter-EE'-uh) was the first skipper to challenge a play under the new expanded replay system. After review, which took about two minutes, the decision by the umpires was upheld.
— Yovani Gallardo (yoh-VAH'-nee gy-AR'-doh) scattered four hits in six innings to lead the Brewers to a 2-0 win over Atlanta. Ryan Braun returned to the Milwaukee line-up for the first time since serving a 65-game drug suspension last season. He got a standing ovation.
— Anthony Rendon (rehn-DOHN') hit a three-run homer to cap a fourth-run tenth to give Washington a 9-7 win over the Mets. The Nationals' Stephen Strasburg struck out ten while allowing five runs on four hits in six innings.
— Miami routed Colorado 10-1. Marlins ace Jose Fernandez struck out nine and allowed one run in six innings. Marlins newcomer Casey McGehee drove in four runs with two doubles.
— In an interleague game, Jimmy Rollins hit a grand slam to power Philadelphia to a 14-10 win at Texas. Starter Cliff Lee got the win for the Phillies despite giving up eight runs on 11 hits in five innings.
Over in the AL:
— David Price took a shutout into the eighth inning and Matt Joyce drove in three runs to help the Tampa Bay Rays begin the season with a 9-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
— Alex Gonzalez made his Tigers debut memorable with the game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth of a 4-3 win over Kansas City. He also tied the game in the seven with an RBI triple. Gonzalez was acquired by Detroit last week after starting shortstop Jose Iglesias went down with an injury. Gonzalez's hitting heroics made up for a costly error he made in a three-run Kansas City fourth.
—Alejandro De Aza hit two homers, and Jose Abreu had two hits in his major league debut to back Chris Sale and lead the Chicago White Sox to a 5-3 season-opening victory over the Minnesota Twins. Paul Konerko, the White Sox' 38-year-old first baseman who didn't get into the game, got a loud ovation before what was likely his final opener.
— Nelson Cruz celebrated his Orioles debut with a tie-breaking home run in a season-opening 2-1 win over World Series champ Boston.
MLB-RED SOX
Victorino on DL
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have put right fielder Shane Victorino on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained right hamstring. Manager John Farrell says Victorino has a Grade 1 strain and that the injury "is going to require some down time." Victorino was hurt while running the bases Saturday in Boston's final exhibition game. The move is retroactive to Sunday, the day an MRI revealed the strain.
MLB-HIGH COST
Average price of ticket goes up
CHICAGO (AP) — The average price of a ticket to a Major League Baseball game has risen 2 percent this season to $27.93. World Series champion Boston had the highest average, rising 4.8 percent to $52.32.
San Diego has the lowest average at $16.37.
The average NFL ticket price was $81.54 last season, while the the NBA average is $52.50 this season and the NHL average is $61.62.
NCAA WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT
Irish in Final Four for fourth straight year
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jewell Loyd scored 30 points and unbeaten Notre Dame advance to the Final Four for a fourth straight season with an 88-69 win over Baylor.
Natalie Achonwa added 19 points and 15 rebounds for the top-seeded Irish (36-0), who will face either Louisville or Maryland in the national semifinals on Sunday night in Nashville.
Notre Dame became the sixth school to reach the Final Four in four straight seasons, joining UConn, LSU, Stanford, Louisiana Tech and Tennessee.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-ALL AMERICA
AP All America team announced
UNDATED (AP) — Doug McDermott of Creighton (KRAY'-tuhn) is a unanimous choice for The Associated Press All-America team, the first three-time selection in 29 years. McDermott is the nation's leading scorer at 26.9 points a game. The senior is joined on the team by freshman Jabari (JUH'-bar-ee) Parker of Duke and seniors Russ Smith of Louisville, Shabazz (shuh-BAHZ') Napier of Connecticut and Sean Kilpatrick of Cincinnati.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-KANSAS
Wiggins to turn pro
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins has announced that he will leave school for the NBA. The 6-foot-8 forward is expected to go in the top three picks in the June draft. Some believe he could go first overall.
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