LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Lakers rode a 38-point effort from Kobe Bryant to beat Denver 104-100 to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series. Lakers center Andrew Bynum had another big game with 27 points and nine boards.
ATLANTA (AP) - The Boston Celtics rallied from 11 down in the second half to stun Atlanta 87-80 and even that NBA playoff series at a game apiece. The Celtics won without point guard Rajon Rondo (RAH'-zhahn RAHN'-doh), who was suspended for this game after bumping a referee in the series opener on Sunday.
CHICAGO (AP)- The Philadelphia 76ers took advantage of the season-ending knee injury to reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose in Chicago to blitz the Bulls 109-92. The Sixers shot a torrid 59 percent from the field with Jrue (zhroo) Holiday leading the way with 26 points, his career playoff high.
NEW YORK (AP) - There was a minor baseball milestone reached in New York where Baltimore's Buck Showalter got his 1,000th victory as a major league manager in the Orioles' 7-1 win over the New York Yankees 7-1. Showwalter joins Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy (BOH'-shee), Davey Johnson, Jim Leyland, Mike Scioscia (SOH'-shuh) and Bobby Valentine among active managers in the 1,000-win club.
PHILADELPHIA (AP)- In the only NHL playoff game last night, Adam Larsson and David Clarkson scored their first goals of the postseason, and the New Jersey Devils rode a four-goal outburst in the final period in a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. That evens that Eastern Conference semifinals at a game apiece heading into Thursday night's Game 3 in New Jersey.
