Giants suspend troubled Burress for rest of season

Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress is done for the year.

The New York Giants fined and suspended Burress on Tuesday for four games – the rest of the regular season – after he accidentally shot himself in the right thigh over the weekend at a Manhattan nightclub. The team also placed him on the reserve non-football injury list, which means the receiver couldn’t come back for the playoffs, either.

The team punished Burress a day after he was charged with illegal weapons possession, which carries a penalty of 31/2 to 15 years in prison if he’s convicted.

•Six players suspended: Six players were suspended for four games without pay by the NFL for violating the league’s anti-doping policy. All six were punished for using a diuretic, which can serve as a masking agent for steroids.

The suspended players are Deuce McAllister, Charles Grant and Will Smith of New Orleans; Kevin Williams and Pat Williams of Minnesota; and Bryan Pittman of Houston. A lawyer for Pat Williams said he will file a motion in federal court to put off the suspension.

•Jones returns: Cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones had his suspension lifted and will be able to play this week for the Dallas Cowboys.

Award

Phelps honored

Swimmer Michael Phelps was named the 2008 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, the first Olympian to earn the honor since speedskaters Bonnie Blair (USA) and Johann Olav Koss (Norway) shared it in 1994.

Baseball

Trade in works

Pitcher Javier Vazquez is likely headed from the Chicago White Sox to the Atlanta Braves in a multiplayer trade.

The teams reached a tentative agreement that could happen today if Vazquez passes a physical. It was unclear whom the Braves would send to Chicago.

•Citi Field it is: Citi Field will remain the name of the New York Mets’ new ballpark following a government bailout the team believes will help struggling bank Citigroup survive its economic crisis.

•World Series shares announced: A full World Series share was worth $351,504 for the Philadelphia Phillies, less than the record $362,173 set by the St. Louis Cardinals two years ago. A full share for the Tampa Bay Rays, who lost in five games, was worth $223,390.

College basketball

Lady Vols win

Glory Johnson scored 16 points and No. 7 Tennessee cruised to a 71-59 victory over George Washington in Washington.

Former University High star Angie Bjorklund came off the bench to score eight points in 17 minutes for Tennessee.

•Duke men roll: Kyle Singler had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 4 Duke beat No. 9 Purdue 76-60 in West Lafayette, Ind., to remain unbeaten in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Jon Scheyer scored 20 points and Nolan Smith added 12 for the Blue Devils.

•Miami upset: Jon Diebler scored 20 points and the Ohio State Buckeyes men erased a 14-point second-half deficit en route to a 73-68 win over the 21st-ranked Miami Hurricanes in Coral Gables, Fla.

NBA

Pacers upset Lakers

Danny Granger scored 32 points and led Indiana back from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit, and Troy Murphy’s buzzer-beating tip-in completed an improbable 118-117 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Indianapolis.

The Lakers came into the game with seven straight wins and the league’s best record.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 28 points.

•Roy leads Blazers: Brandon Roy scored 23 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 104-97 win over the New York Knicks in New York for their fifth straight victory.

NHL

Sharks match best start

Joe Thornton had a goal and three assists in the first period, and the San Jose Sharks (21-3-1) matched the best start in league history through 25 games while defeating Toronto 5-2 at San Jose, Calif.

Devin Setoguchi, Dan Boyle and Marc-Edouard Vlasic also scored in the first 17:07 for the Sharks. The Montreal Canadiens also had 43 points through 25 games in the 1943-44 season, going 20-2-3.