In brief: Pacers inch closer to NBA postseason

NBA: C.J. Miles scored 25 points, George Hill added 24 and together they keyed a 7-2 spurt to open the second overtime as host Indiana kept its playoff hopes alive with a 99-95 victory over Washington.

The Pacers (38-43) have won six straight and will make a fifth straight playoff appearance if they win at Memphis – or if Brooklyn loses to Orlando – tonight, the final night of the regular season.

Martin Gortat and Bradley Beal each scored 19 points for the Wizards (46-35).

• Celtics secure No. 7 seed: Jae Crowder hit an off-balance fall-away from deep on the right wing with 0.8 seconds left and host Boston secured the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference with a 95-93 win over Toronto.

Evan Turner and Avery Bradley each scored 14 points for Boston, which will face No. 2 seed Cleveland in the playoffs.

It was the fifth straight win for the Celtics, who clinched a playoff spot on Monday when Brooklyn lost.

Kyle Lowry had 16 points for the Raptors, who are locked into the fourth seed and will face Washington. Toronto beat the Wizards in all three meetings this season.

• LeBron No. 1 again: No matter whose jersey he wears, LeBron James is No. 1.

The NBA said that James’ 23 was the league’s most popular jersey for the 2014-15 season. It’s the sixth consecutive year James has topped the list, and the third time with the Cavs.

The rankings are based on overall retail sales on NBAStore.com since the start of the season.

Golden State’s Stephen Curry was second followed by Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose.

• Celtics, Kings to play in Mexico City: The Boston Celtics will play the Sacramento Kings in Mexico City in December, the NBA’s third regular-season game in Mexico.

It will be the league’s 22nd game in Mexico overall, the most for any country outside the U.S. and Canada.

The Dec. 3 game will be the centerpiece of a trip that will also include community programs and interactive fan events.

Blackhawks Kane ready for Game 1

NHL: Blackhawks star forward Patrick Kane is expected to be in the lineup for Game 1 of Chicago’s opening-round playoff series against the Nashville Predators.

Kane, who broke his collarbone in February, received medical clearance to play on Monday.

Kane missed the final 21 games of the regular season, and the All-Star still finished second on the team with 27 goals and 64 points. He was a candidate for the Hart Trophy for NHL MVP – and tied for the league lead in points – when he was hurt in the first period of a 3-2 shootout win over Florida on Feb. 24.

• Senators assistant dies at 55: Senators assistant coach Mark Reeds has died at 55.

The team had said in March 2014 he had cancer, and coach Dave Cameron had repeatedly asked people to keep Reeds and his family in their thoughts. Reeds had been an assistant in Ottawa since 2011. He played in the NHL for the St. Louis Blues and Hartford Whalers.

• McLellan to coach Canada at Worlds: San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan has been picked as head coach for Canada’s national team at the upcoming World Championship.

Hockey Canada made the announcement that McLellan will run the team for the tournament in the Czech Republic from May 1-17.

McLellan has previous experience with Team Canada. He was an assistant on the bronze medal-winning team at the 2000 World Junior Championship.

Three named to U.S. World Cup roster

SOCCER: American defender Christie Rampone is on the U.S. Women’s World Cup roster for the fifth time, joined by goalkeeper Hope Solo and newcomer Morgan Brian.

Coach Jill Ellis announced her 23 picks for the tournament in Canada. Seeking their third title and first since 1999, the Americans open against Australia on June 8.

Solo was suspended for 30 days in January after her husband was arrested for driving under the influence while in a U.S. Soccer Federation van during a team training camp. Solo also was in the van.

• Champions League: Goalkeeper Jan Oblak made a series of outstanding saves to help Atletico Madrid hold defending champion Real Madrid to a 0-0 tie in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal.

In the night’s other game, Juventus beat visiting Monaco 1-0 in Turin.

Sharapova out of Russia’s Fed Cup semi

TENNIS: Maria Sharapova has pulled out of Russia’s Fed Cup semifinal against Germany this weekend, citing a leg injury.

In comments released by the Russian Tennis Federation, second-ranked Sharapova said she “couldn’t wait” to compete at the match in Sochi, the Russian city where she spent part of her childhood, but added that “the leg injury didn’t allow me to prepare for the match to the full extent.”

• Serena in for long weekend in Rome: Serena Williams has been virtually unbeatable this year.

The top-ranked player could face quite a challenge this weekend, though, when she may have to play three matches in two days before a hostile crowd on slow red clay against Italy in a Fed Cup World Group playoff.

Besides playing two singles matches in the best-of-five series, Fernandez said Serena will also be expected to play doubles if the match is tied 2-2 Sunday.

No verdict in Aaron Hernandez case

MISCELLANY: After six days of deliberating, jurors went home without reaching a verdict in the murder trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, who is accused of killing the man dating his fiancee’s sister.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty in the killing of Odin Lloyd in June 2013. Testimony in the case lasted for more than two months, and deliberations have stretched on for nearly 35 hours.

Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh sent jurors home with reminders to avoid all news on the TV, radio, newspaper or other media and to not to discuss the case with anyone.

• NCAA concussion lawsuit: There is a new proposed settlement in a head injury lawsuit against the NCAA brought by football players and other college athletes.

It’s the second proposal in the case. U.S. District Judge John Lee rejected the initial settlement in December.

The core of the new agreement is the same as the one Lee rejected. The new one also would toughen return-to-play rules after a concussion and would create a $70 million fund to test current and former athletes in contact and non-contact sports for brain trauma.