In brief: Bryant’s 39 points propel Lakers to win
NBA: Kobe Bryant scored 39 points, carrying the Lakers in the fourth quarter when they lost the lead three times, and Los Angeles beat the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 95-92 to take a 2-0 lead in a Western Conference playoff series.
Bryant was 13 of 15 from the free throw line, but just 12 of 28 from the floor in front of his dad Joe, who sat next to the Lakers’ bench.
Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 32 points and Russell Westbrook added 19, making all eight of his free throws.
Pau Gasol had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Andrew Bynum had six points and 10 boards for the defending champions, who failed to sustain their strong start for the second straight game.
The Thunder’s defense kept them in the game, with 17 blocked shots.
• Suns dismantle Trail Blazers: Jason Richardson scored 29 points, Grant Hill made 10 of 11 shots for 20, and the Phoenix Suns rediscovered their high-energy game in a 119-90 home rout of the Portland Trail Blazers to square their first-round playoff series at one game apiece.
Unlike Game 1, Steve Nash pushed the Suns to their preferred tempo from the start and finished with 13 points and 16 assists. Amare Stoudemire scored 18. Martell Webster led the Blazers with 16 points. Andre Miller was limited to 12 after getting 31 in Portland’s 105-100 victory on Sunday night. Nicolas Batum also scored 12 before leaving with a right shoulder strain at the end of the third quarter.
• Celtics excel without Garnett: The Boston Celtics didn’t miss Kevin Garnett at all, not the way Glen Davis filled in to lead them to a 106-77 victory over the Miami Heat and a 2-0 lead in their playoff series.
With Garnett serving a one-game suspension for elbowing Quentin Richardson in Game 1, Davis started and had 23 points and eight rebounds.
• Hawks dump Bucks: Joe Johnson took control in the fourth quarter to finish off a 27-point effort, Josh Smith finished one assist shy of a triple-double and the Hawks ran away from the pesky but outmanned Milwaukee Bucks for a 96-86 victory at home and a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Pavelski’s OT goal lifts Sharks in Game 4
NHL: Joe Pavelski scored 10:24 into overtime and Evgeni Nabokov stopped 33 shots, giving the San Jose Sharks a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Denver and tying the series at two games apiece.
This has been a tightly contested matchup with all four games being decided by a goal, the last three going into overtime.
On his game-winner, Pavelski gathered up a loose puck deep in Colorado’s zone and beat Craig Anderson with a shot into the right corner.
• Crosby leads the way: Sidney Crosby had four points, including two of Pittsburgh’s five goals in the second period, leading the Penguins to a 7-4 victory over the host Ottawa Senators and a 3-1 series lead.
• Legwand comes up big for Predators: David Legwand scored the go-ahead goal and had two assists, and the Nashville Predators beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 in Nashville, Tenn., for the franchise’s first 2-1 lead in an opening-round series.
• Carter, Flyers down Devils: Jeff Carter scored two goals and Danny Briere had one to end their playoff scoring droughts and lead the host Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils and a commanding 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series.
• Wings get shutout: Jimmy Howard had a 29-save shutout and Henrik Zetterberg scored two goals to lead the host Detroit Red Wings to a 3-0 series-evening victory over the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 4.
Jets sign defensive end Taylor
NFL: Former Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor agreed to terms with the AFC East-rival New York Jets on a contract, another bold offseason move by New York that bolsters the league’s No. 1 defense with a fierce pass rusher.
In other NFL transactions, the Pittsburgh Steelers reacquired quarterback Byron Leftwich by dealing a seventh-round draft pick to Tampa Bay. The New England Patriots signed veteran wide receiver Torry Holt, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection who played last season with Jacksonville. The Washington Redskins acquired former first-round pick Adam Carriker from the St. Louis Rams.
• Season opens with rematch: The Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints will get an early test when they host the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL season opener on Thursday, Sept. 9, a rematch of their thrilling NFC championship game.
Study shows lower athletic grad rates
Miscellany: A new study suggests that a statistical flaw relied upon by the NCAA means that graduation rates for major college football and men’s basketball players lag behind those of other students.
A report by the University of North Carolina’s College Sport Research Institute shows 54.8 percent of full-time athletes at 117 Football Bowl Subdivision schools graduated within six years, lower than the 79 percent reported by the NCAA and the 73.7 percent of other full-time students.
• Diving trials in Federal Way: The 2012 Olympic diving trials will be held near Seattle in Federal Way, Wash. Seattle also hosted the event in 2000.