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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Chris Paul’s basket ousts Spurs in Game 7 win

Clippers guard Chris Paul puts up winning shot over Tim Duncan. (Associated Press)
From Staff And Wire Reports

NBA: Chris Paul banked in a shot over Tim Duncan with a second left to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to a 111-109 victory over the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 on Saturday night in Los Angeles for a wild finish to an entertaining first-round series.

After Duncan made two free throws to tie it with 8.8 seconds left, Paul drove the right side and put up a one-handed shot over the 39-year-old Spurs star that went in as he was falling away.

The Clippers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals for just the fourth time in franchise history.

The Clippers, who faltered at home in Games 2 and 5, move on to face the Rockets starting Monday night in Houston.

Paul returned from an early hamstring injury to help keep the Clippers in the game. He scored 18 of his 27 points in the second half, including four 3s.

Duncan had 27 points and 11 rebounds, his sixth double-double of the series.

Blake Griffin had 24 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for Los Angeles.

Rangers even series with Capitals

Hockey: Chris Kreider scored 38 seconds after the opening faceoff and the New York Rangers bounced back from a tough, last-second loss and defeated the visiting Washington Capitals 3-2.

The series is tied 1-1. Game 3 is Monday at Washington.

• Americans edge Norway: The United States made it two wins in two games by edging Norway 2-1 at the ice hockey world championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Trevor Lewis and Brock Nelson scored for the Americans.

Darkness halts McIlroy-Casey match

Golf: Rory McIlroy had his own fight on his hands in the Match Play Championship against Paul Casey. It was such a battle that they have to return today to see who keeps playing in San Francisco.

McIlroy missed a 12-foot putt on the 18th hole and a 6-footer on the third extra hole that would have sent him into the semifinals. It was too dark to play another hole at TPC Harding Park. Jim Furyk awaits the winner.

Gary Woodland beat John Senden to reach the semifinal against Danny Willett of England, who beat Tommy Fleetwood on the 15th hole.

• Allen leads by a stroke: Michael Allen birdied the final two holes for a 4-under-par 68 and a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Champ- ions Tour’s Insperity Invita- tional in The Woodlands, Texas. Allen had a 10-under 134 total. Joe Durant was second after a 68.

• Thompson, Park share lead: Lexi Thompson finished a round of 3-under-par 68 with a birdie after a fortunate ricochet to share the third-round lead with Inbee Park in the LPGA Tour’s North Texas Shootout in Irving.

Federer, Cuevas advance to final

Tennis: Top-seeded Roger Federer rallied past Diego Schwarzman 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 to reach the Istanbul Open final after a near two-hour match.

Federer recovered from a sloppy start against the eighth-seeded Argentine to remain on course for an 85th title and third this year.

The 17-time Grand Slam winner will face third-seeded Pablo Cuevas in the final after the Uruguayan upset second-seeded Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-4 at the clay-court tournament.

• Murray wins twice to land in finale: Top-seeded Andy Murray will face two-time former champion Philipp Kohlschreiber in the BMW Open final after both players won two matches in Munich.

Murray fired nine aces and saved five of six break points to defeat Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-4, 6-4, while Kohlschreiber needed 1 hour, 37 minutes to beat Gerald Melzer of Austria 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the other semifinal.

U.S. defeats Bolt, Jamaica in 4x100

Miscellany: The United States, anchored by Ryan Bailey, won the 4x100 relay, defeating Usain Bolt’s Jamaica at the IAAF World Relays meet in Nassau, Bahamas.

The Americans, with Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay and Mike Rodgers also running, clocked 37.38 seconds with Jamaica finishing in 37.68.

• Logano notches victory: Joey Logano picked up his third Xfinity Series win of the season by throwing a big block on the final lap at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama.

• New Zealand rows to victory: The defending under-23 world rowing champions from New Zealand pulled ahead early in the race and edged Washington in the men’s final of the Windermere Cup in Seattle.

In the women’s race, Washington – ranked No. 4 in the country – knocked off No. 3 Virginia by more than 3 seconds.