OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Kobe Bryant's game-high 42 points were not enough for the Los Angeles Lakers as the Oklahoma City Thunder trounced them 106-90 to reach the NBA's Western Conference finals against San Antonio. Russell Westbrook scored 28 points, including a pair of three-point plays in a 14-3 spurt that put the Thunder ahead to stay in the third quarter. Kevin Durant contributed two three-pointers during a 10-0 run to start the final period before finishing with 25 points and 10 rebounds.
BOSTON (AP) - Brandon Bass led a third-quarter charge and the Boston Celtics took a 3-2 lead in the NBA's Eastern Conference semifinals by whipping the Philadelphia 76ers 101-85. Bass scored 18 of his postseason career-high 27 points in the third quarter, eight coming during a 14-2 run that put the Celtics ahead to stay. Kevin Garnett finished with 20 points, while Rajon Rondo (RAH'-zhahn RAHN'-doh) added 13 and 14 assists.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The Orlando Magic are searching for a new head coach and a general manager after dismissing Stan Van Gundy and Otis Smith. Van Gundy compiled a 259-135 record in five seasons as head coach, and Smith molded playoff teams in each of his six seasons as GM. The Magic reached the NBA Finals three years ago, but there was friction between Van Gundy and Dwight Howard before the All-Star center suffered a back injury that required season-ending surgery.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - The NHL's Eastern Conference finals are tied at two games apiece after Zach Parise (pah-REE'-see) scored twice and had an assist to lead New Jersey's offense in a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers. Martin Brodeur set up Parise's empty-net goal, stopped 27 shots and blanked the Rangers until Ruslan Fedotenko (fed-uh-TEHN'-koh) beat him with 5:05 remaining. New Jersey never led by fewer than two goals after Bryce Salvador and Travis Zajac (ZAY'-jak) scored 3:49 apart midway through the first period.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Brian McNamee finally got to name names in front of the jury handling the Roger Clemens perjury trial, saying yesterday that he enabled former Clemens teammates Andy Pettitte, Mike Stanton and Chuck Knoblauch to receive human growth hormone. McNamee is Clemens' former strength coach and the only person to claim firsthand knowledge of Clemens using steroids and human growth hormone. McNamee was initially barred by Judge Reggie Walton from naming names for fear that such information would prejudice the jury, but Walton changed his stance after McNamee's credibility was attacked by Clemens' attorney last week.
