DALLAS (AP) - The Dallas Mavericks have reached the NBA Finals
for the first time since 2006 by defeating the Oklahoma City
Thunder 100-96 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals. Dirk
Nowitzki and Shawn Marion each scored 26 points and combined for 24
of the Mavs' 28 points in the final period. Russell Westbrook had a
game-high 31 points for the Thunder, who led 90-83 with 5 1/2 minutes
remaining.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Mike Brown is an NBA coach once again after
agreeing in principle to a four-year deal with the Los Angeles
Lakers. Brown led the Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA finals and went
272-138 in five years with Cleveland before his dismissal last
spring. A person with knowledge of the negotiations says Brown
accepted a contract worth about $18 million to succeed 11-time NBA
champion Phil Jackson, who retired after the season.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Teddy Purcell (PUR'-sul) and Martin St. Louis
(mahr-TAN' san loo-EE') each scored twice as the Tampa Bay
Lightning beat Boston 5-4 to force a Game 7 in the NHL's Eastern
Conference finals. Purcell and St. Louis trumped David Krejci's
(KRAY'-cheez) hat trick and prevented the Bruins from advancing to
the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 1990. The Bruins
led 2-1 until St. Louis and Purcell scored power-play goals 5:40
apart in the second period.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The NFL Coaches Association has filed a brief
with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals expressing support for
the players and saying that the lockout is putting their jobs in
jeopardy. No individual coaches were identified in the brief, which
said that the eight new coaches hired this year face particularly
daunting odds of success if the lockout is not lifted soon. The NFL
grants new coaches two extra summer minicamps to get players
familiar with the new staff, and the elimination of those camps
puts them at a competitive disadvantage heading into the season.
PARIS (AP) - Top-ranked Rafael Nadal (nah-DAHL'), fourth seed
Andy Murray and No. 5 Robin Soderling (SOH'-dur-lihng) are among
the featured players scheduled to play second-round matches at the
French Open today. The women's bracket is highlighted by
second-seed Kim Clijsters (KLYS'-turz), fourth seed Victoria
Azarenka (ah-zah-REHN'-kah) and No. 7 Maria Sharapova.
