Bulls defeat Hawks, inch closer to Celts
NBA: Derrick Rose came on strongly after a slow start to finish with 34 points, and the Chicago Bulls ran away with their 12th win in 14 games, beating the visiting Atlanta Hawks 94-76 on Friday.
Rose had 18 points in the third period as the Bulls outscored Atlanta 24-10 to turn a two-point halftime deficit into a 72-60 lead, and Chicago pulled within a half game of Eastern Conference leader Boston.
• 76ers top Celtics: Spencer Hawes had 14 points and 10 rebounds, Elton Brand scored 14 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the visiting Boston Celtics 89-86.
• Jackson helps Bobcats beat Wallace, Blazers: Stephen Jackson scored 18 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead three-point play, and the Bobcats beat the Portland Trail Blazers 97-92 at Charlotte, N.C.
• Van Gundy hushes up: Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said before Friday’s game against the Golden State Warriors that he has been told – he didn’t say by who – that he can’t comment anymore in the ongoing dispute with NBA Commissioner David Stern that had escalated into personal jabs.
Van Gundy was defending Dwight Howard after the center picked up an automatic suspension for reaching 16 technical fouls, saying “this is the system David Stern and his minions like.” He also insinuated that Stern was acting like dictators who don’t “tolerate other people’s opinion or free speech or anything.”
Price matches Tour record with 60
Golf: Nick Price matched the lowest round in Champions Tour history, eagling two of final four holes for a career-best 11-under 60 in the Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach, Calif.
Seeking his fourth victory on the 50-and-over tour, Price eagled the par-5 15th and 18th holes and had seven birdies in a bogey-free round at Newport Beach Country Club.
• Tidland shoots 63, shares Puerto Rico Open lead: Chris Tidland shot a 9-under 63 for a share of the second-round lead in the Puerto Rico Open with James Driscoll and Troy Matteson at Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
Spokane native Alex Prugh shot a 71 and was at 140, six strokes back of the leaders. Former Pullman resident Kirk Triplett finished at 145 and missed the cut.
• Mahan loses his cushion, keeps lead at Doral: Hunter Mahan had a four-shot lead and appeared to be in control at the Cadillac Championship until two bogeys in a three-hole stretch that forced him to settle for a 1-under 71 at Doral, Fla.
PGA champion Martin Kaymer, in his second week at No. 1 in the world. The German played bogey-free and added a late birdie for a 70 that put him one shot behind.
Ovechkin, Hendricks score for Capitals
NHL: Alex Ovechkin and Matt Hendricks scored in the third period and goalie Braden Holtby made 40 saves in the Washington Capitals’ 2-1 comeback victory over the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.
• Kopitar’s 3 goals carry Kings: Anze Kopitar had his second career three-goal game and Jonathan Bernier stopped 32 shots to lead the visiting Los Angeles Kings to a 4-2 victory over Columbus at Columbus, Ohio.
• Premier, sponsors assail NHL for on-ice violence: Criticism of the NHL’s handling of on-ice violence mounted, with Quebec’s premier and major sponsors joining those who already have told the league that it needs to do more to protect its players.
Jean Charest, Quebec’s premier he’s shocked by the level of brutality in the sport and the lack of effort by the league to stop it.
Sponsors Via Rail and Air Canada have also voiced their displeasure.
Lawyer Cicero receives threats
Miscellany: The Columbus lawyer who tipped off Ohio State coach Jim Tressel that two of his players were involved in a federal drug trafficking case has received death threats and now says he regrets contacting the Buckeyes coach.
Tressel has admitted he violated NCAA rules for not disclosing information attorney Christopher Cicero e-mailed to him. He repeatedly refrained from telling Ohio State’s compliance department or his superiors about potential NCAA bylaw violations involving some of his players.
• NCAA rules Arkansas State must forfeit wins: The NCAA threw out more than 30 Arkansas State victories in football and basketball from the 2005-07 seasons, saying the school used ineligible players.
• Swiss skier Feuz wins WCup downhill: Swiss skier Beat Feuz earned his first World Cup win, beating favorites Didier Cuche and Erik Guay in the downhill at Kvitfjell, Norway.
• Rebensburg wins women’s WCup giant slalom: At Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany won the next-to- last women’s World Cup giant slalom of the season, while Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. finished third and narrowed the overall World Cup lead of Maria Riesch of Germany.
• Neff reaches Anvik checkpoint: Hugh Neff leads the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on a day when he also dined on a gourmet meal and was awarded $3,500 in cash.
Neff was the first musher to arrive in Anvik. That meant he was treated to a meal whipped up by chefs from a luxury Anchorage hotel.