Lakers welcome back Bynum with win over Nuggets
Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, Pau Gasol added 27 points and 19 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers welcomed back center Andrew Bynum in a 116-102 win over the visiting Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.
The win was the 63rd for the Lakers, matching the idle Cleveland Cavaliers for the league lead.
Bynum, playing in his first game since tearing the medial collateral ligament in his right knee on Jan. 31, had 16 points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes.
Wearing a black brace on his right knee, Bynum was greeted with cheers when his name was announced in the starting lineup. Another loud eruption came when the Lakers’ announcer asked fans to welcome back the center.
Carmelo Anthony had 23 points to lead the Nuggets, who failed to secure the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
•Rockets move ahead of Spurs: Ron Artest scored 26 points and the Houston Rockets used a big third quarter to pull away from the Sacramento Kings in a 115-98 victory at Sacramento, Calif. It was the Rockets’ third straight win and moved them past San Antonio and into first place in the Southwest Division with three games remaining in the regular season. Houston is third in the Western Conference.
•Thomas, Gordon lead Bulls: Ben Gordon and Tyrus Thomas each scored 24 points, and the host Chicago Bulls closed in on their fourth playoff appearance in five years with a 113-99 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. The seventh-place Bulls reduced their magic number to one over Charlotte, which visits Saturday, and moved a half game ahead of Detroit in the Eastern Conference.
Bulls forward Luol Deng will likely miss the rest of the season because of a stress fracture in his right tibia, unless the Bulls make a long playoff run.
College basketball
Pennell takes job
Former Arizona coach Russ Pennell has been hired as the men’s coach at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. Pennell led the Wildcats to a 21-14 record and their 25th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance while serving as interim coach this season. Grand Canyon University competes at the NCAA Division II level but has plans to build a 6,000-seat arena and move up to Division I in basketball.
•Wake’s Johnson leaves early: Wake Forest sophomore forward James Johnson has declared for the NBA draft and hired an agent. The 6-foot-9 Johnson was the team’s top rebounder with 8.5 per game and second in scoring at 15.8 points. He’s been projected to be a first-round pick in most mock drafts.
UCLA guard Jrue Holiday also plans to enter the NBA draft, but he won’t hire an agent and is leaving open the option of returning for his sophomore season. Big East tournament MVP Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris of Syracuse also plan to enter their names into the draft. Flynn said he would not hire an agent.
•Husky exits program: Seven-foot center Joe Wolfinger has decided to leave Washington’s basketball team before his senior season with plans to transfer to a Division II school so he can play next season.
•Paris to create community fund: Courtney Paris still wants to give back to Oklahoma. The Sooners’ four-time All-American had promised to pay back her scholarship if she didn’t lead Oklahoma to a national title. The Sooners fell short in the Final Four against Louisville, but athletic director Joe Castiglione said Tuesday the university wouldn’t hold Paris to her promise. So instead Paris said she plans to set up a fund that will go to the needy in Oklahoma. “We’re working on something, trying to corroborate and make some kind of fund that kicks back into the community,” Paris said Thursday after being selected by the Sacramento Monarchs with the seventh pick in the WNBA draft.
NHL
Canadiens lose, still clinch
Minutes after Montreal clinched a playoff spot by forcing overtime, Mark Recchi scored his second goal of the game to give the host Boston Bruins a 5-4 victory over the Canadiens. Montreal, now fighting the New York Rangers for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, will finish the regular season Saturday night against Pittsburgh. Boston has secured the top seed in the East, and will face the Canadiens or Rangers in the first round.
•Malkin leads Penguins: Evgeni Malkin picked up two assists to lengthen his lead in the NHL scoring race and the host Pittsburgh Penguins stayed in contention for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs, beating the Islanders 6-1 to assure New York of finishing with the NHL’s worst record.
•Laich paces Caps: Brooks Laich had two goals and the host Washington Capitals secured the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 4-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
•Rangers clinch spot: Henrik Lundqvist made 37 saves, Ryan Callahan had a goal and an assist and the host New York Rangers clinched a playoff spot with a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Rangers’ win over the Flyers also helped New Jersey, giving the Devils the Atlantic Division title.
College hockey
Miami, Boston in final
Miami of Ohio is headed to the NCAA championship game after beating fellow upstart Bemidji State 4-1 at the Frozen Four in Washington.
Miami will face Boston University, which defeated Vermont in the other semifinal.
The championship game is Saturday.
•U.S. women beat Finland: At Hameenlinna, Finland, Natalie Darwitz and Hilary Knight each scored hat tricks to lead the defending champion United States past Finland 7-0 to reach the world championship final. The Americans will face Canada in Sunday’s final.
Miscellany
Armstrong accused
France’s anti-doping agency accused Lance Armstrong of violating its rules for not fully cooperating with a drug tester and says it could punish the seven-time Tour de France champion.
Armstrong has denied misbehaving during a test of his hair, urine and blood on March 17. No banned substances were found.
•Vick in Virginia prison: Suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick was being held in a prison in his home state of Virginia, and it was unclear whether he was still heading back to a Kansas penitentiary to await his transfer to home confinement and eventual release.