OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Chris Paul scored 31 points, including the game-winning shot on a layup with 8.8 seconds left, lifting the Los Angeles Clippers to a 100-98 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder that kept them in position for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Western Conference-leading Thunder have lost four of their last six games.
UNDATED (AP) - The Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators and L.A. Kings all won their playoff openers as the NHL second season opened last night. Four more playoff series are scheduled to open tonight, including the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins opening at home against Washington.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Chris Denorfia (deh-NOR'-fee-ah) hit a two-run homer with one out in the eighth inning that carried the San Diego Padres a 2-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, who had been the last unbeaten team in the major leagues. Huston (HYOO'-stuhn) Street pitched a perfect ninth for his first save with the Padres.
WACO, Texas (AP) - The NCAA has slapped Baylor's men's and women's basketball teams with three years' probation after an investigation turned up hundreds of impermissible telephone calls and text messages sent to prep recruits by coaches and assistants on the basketball teams. The violations were considered to be major infractions, and they were announced less than a week after the Lady Bears won the national championship with the first 40-0 season in NCAA history.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Top high school prospect Nerlens Noel announced last night he's joining Kentucky, bolstering the Wildcats' hopes of defending their recent national championship and finishing with a fourth consecutive No. 1 recruiting class. The 6-foot-10 center from the Tilton School in New Hampshire selected the Wildcats over Syracuse and Georgetown.
