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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In Brief: Hill paces Pacers past Trail Blazers

Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger, right, drives on Portland Trail Blazers guard Wesley Matthews in the Pacers 118-113 victory. (Associated Press)
From Staff And Wire Reports

NBA: George Hill had a career-high 37 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, leading the Indiana Pacers to a 118-113 overtime victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Indianapolis on Friday night.

David West scored a season-high 30 points and had 10 rebounds and Paul George added 17 points for the Pacers, who have won five of six games.

Damian Lillard had 38 points and 11 assists and LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points for the Trail Blazers.

Pacers forward Lance Stephenson was out with a sore lower back. Pacers coach Frank Vogel doesn’t expect him to miss many games.

• Harris slam lifts Magic: Tobias Harris slammed home a fast-break pass from Maurice Harkless at the buzzer to give the Orlando Magic a 103-102 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Orlando, Fla.

With the Thunder leading 102-101 in the closing seconds, Kevin Durant missed a jumper to set up the last-second play, which was reviewed by officials and upheld.

• Davis replaces Bryant in All-Star Game: New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen to replace injured Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city.

The 2012 U.S. Olympian ended up getting into the Feb. 16 game at Smoothie King Center when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver chose him to replace Bryant, who was voted by fans to start but is still recovering from a broken knee.

Force sets Funny Car record in Pomona

Auto Racing: John Force had a Funny Car-record time of 3.966 seconds at 324.12 mph to top qualifying in the season-opening NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, Calif.

Antron Brown led the Top Fuel field, and Allen Johnson topped the Pro Stock racers.

Brown had a 3.731 at 326.00. Defending series champion Shawn Langdon was second at 3.746 at 328.70.

Johnson finished in 6.517 at 212.53.

Walker, Spieth sit tied atop AT&T Pro-Am

Golf: Jimmy Walker and Jordan Spieth are tied going into the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach (Calif.) National Pro-Am, with a slight advantage to Walker.

Walker played bogey-free in the wind and rain at Spyglass Hill for a 3-under-par 69. Spieth, down the coast at Monterey Peninsula, made a birdie on his last hole that he described as the best of his young career. That gave him a 4-under 67.

Walker was at 9-under 135 and heads over to Monterey Peninsula, which has played the easiest of the three courses. Spieth was at 9-under 134 and goes to Pebble Beach, which can be brutal in nasty weather. And the forecast today is not pleasant.

Chris Williams (Moscow High) shot a 70 and sits at 140 after two rounds. Alex Prugh (Ferris HS) shot a second-round 75 and sits at 149.

• Allen matches record: Michael Allen matched the Champions Tour record with a 12-under 60 in the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton, Fla., finishing the first round with an eagle and 10 birdies.

The 55-year-old Allen became the ninth player in the history of the 50-and-over tour to shoot 60 and the first to accomplish the feat on a par-72 course.

Allen birdied two of his final three holes in calm conditions on The Old Course at Broken Sound.

Rangers defeat Penguins in shootout

NHL: Brad Richards and Mats Zuccarello scored in a shootout, and the visiting New York Rangers beat Pittsburgh 4-3 to hand the Penguins a rare loss in the tiebreaker.

The Penguins had won all four of their previous shootouts this season and 14 of their past 15 overall.Evgeni Malkin beat Henrik Lundqvist to extend the game but Richards flipped a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury to end it.

• Stroke sidelines Letang: Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang will be out for six-plus weeks after having a stroke.

Penguins general manager Ray Shero announced that Letang had a stroke last week. Shero says Letang will be treated with blood thinners, adding the stroke is not expected to threaten his career.

New Jersey wins in OT: Devils defenseman Jon Merrill scored his first career goal 2:34 into overtime, and New Jersey defeated the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 in Newark, N.J.

Cory Schneider made 19 saves and Andrei Loktionov scored in regulation as the Devils snapped a two-game skid.

Taylor Hall had the goal for the Oilers, who lost for only the second time in seven games (5-1-1).

Phoenix hands Chicago first shutout: Mike Smith stopped 29 shots and the Phoenix Coyotes became the first team to shut out Chicago this season with a 2-0 victory over the Blackhawks in Glendale, Ariz.

Keith Yandle scored 69 seconds in and had an assist on Radim Vrbata’s goal late in the second period. Smith made it stand up with some tough saves late in the third period, closing out his second shutout of the season.