Parker lifts Spurs to win over Thunder
NBA: Tony Parker sank a 21-foot jumper as time expired and the San Antonio Spurs won a thrilling rematch of the Western Conference finals, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 86-84 on Thursday night in San Antonio.
Parker scored the last of his 14 points while Serge Ibaka – the NBA’s leading shot-blocker last season – ran at him full steam. The All-Star guard swished a long jumper from the left wing before screaming in excitement while his teammates mobbed him in front of the Thunder bench.
Kevin Durant led all scorers with 23 points and added a game-high 14 rebounds for OKC.
Tim Duncan scored a team-high 20 and grabbed eight boards for the Spurs.
• Jordan committed to Bobcats: Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan says he’s “in it for the long haul” when it comes to seeing his struggling franchise transformed into a consistent winner.
He knows it won’t be a quick, easy process after Charlotte “hit rock bottom” last season with a 7-59 record and the worst winning percentage (.109) in league history.
Jordan is encouraged by the direction the team is headed under new coach Mike Dunlap.
Donovan’s PK goal propels Galaxy
Soccer: Landon Donovan scored on a penalty kick in the 73rd minute to send the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the knockout round of the MLS playoffs in Los Angeles.
Darren Mattocks staked the Whitecaps to a 1-0 lead with a goal just 3 minutes into the match.
Mike Magee pulled the Galaxy even at 1-1 with a goal in the 69th minute.
Meanwhile, Donovan isn’t sure he wants to play at the 2014 World Cup, a stance that prompted U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann to say he intends to speak with the longtime American star.
The 30-year-old Galaxy midfielder, a veteran of three World Cups, has been sidelined by a string of injuries this year and has appeared in just eight of 20 national team games since Klinsmann became coach.
Donovan said he can picture himself not playing at the World Cup.
He has an American-record 49 goals in 144 international appearances, but his injury layoffs have given him doubts.
Ex-Yankee Pascual Perez slain at home
Baseball: Former major league pitcher Pascual Perez, who had a troubled 11-season career that included two suspensions for drug use, was killed at his home in the Dominican Republic in an apparent robbery, police said.
Perez, who last played in the majors for the New York Yankees in 1991, was found with a severe head wound in a town west of the capital, Santo Domingo, and there was evidence at the scene to suggest that whoever killed him had been searching for money, said Joel Valdemiro, a prosecutor who is involved in the investigation.
Perez, 55, played 11 seasons in the majors and had a lifetime record of 67-68 with the Braves, Pirates, Expos and Yankees.
• LaRoche, Burnett void contracts: First baseman Adam LaRoche and left-handed reliever Sean Burnett are free agents after voiding mutual options in their contracts with the Washington Nationals.
LaRoche bypassed a $10 million option for 2013, while Burnett would have earned $3.5 million next season.
• Giants decline Huff’s option: The World Series champion San Francisco Giants are parting ways with Aubrey Huff, declining to exercise his $10 million club option after two disappointing seasons following a big year during the team’s title run two years ago.
Huff will receive a $2 million buyout as part of the $22 million, two-year contract he signed in November 2010.
• Zimmer returning as Rays’ adviser: The Tampa Bay Rays are bringing Don Zimmer, 81, back for the 2013 season as a senior adviser, marking his 10th with the Rays and 65th season in professional baseball.
Scott, Oosthuizen share tourney lead
Golf: Louis Oosthuizen and Adam Scott shot 7-under-pars 65s to lead the HSBC Champions after the first round in Shenzhen, China.
Oosthuizen played a bogey-free round with seven birdies, while Scott finished his round with two birdies and an eagle on the par-5 ninth hole.
Two-time HSBC Champions winner Phil Mickelson was in a tie for third one shot back, along with Bubba Watson, Peter Hanson and Shane Lowry.
• Blake out in front: Defending champion Jay Don Blake birdied three of the final four holes for a 6-under 64 and the first-round lead in the Champions Tour’s season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Blake had a one-stroke lead over Gary Hallberg.
Janowica upsets Murray in Paris
Tennis: Polish qualifier Jerzy Janowicz saved one match point on his way to a 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-2 upset over third-seeded Andy Murray in the third round of the Paris Masters.
Murray served for the match at 5-4 in the second set, but lost his composure and the ensuing tiebreaker as the 69th-ranked Janowicz evened the match.
• Tsonga, Tipsarevic earn spots in ATP Finals: Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic secured the last two places for the ATP World Tour Finals after reaching the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters.