Celtics clutch in victory over Knicks
NBA: Kevin Garnett sank the go-ahead basket with 14 seconds left, then stole the ball as the Boston Celtics overcame Carmelo Anthony’s 42 points and beat the depleted New York Knicks 96-93 in Boston, to take a 2-0 lead in their playoff series on Tuesday night.
The Knicks played the entire second half without Amare Stoudemire, who had back spasms. Chauncey Billups missed the game with a sore left knee.
Garnett hit the decisive jump hook after backing Jared Jeffries into the lane. The Knicks then got the ball to Anthony in the left corner, where he was double-teamed by Paul Pierce and Glen Davis. Anthony passed inside to Jeffries, but Garnett stole the ball and called timeout with 4 seconds remaining.
Rajon Rondo led the Celtics with a career playoff-high 30 points.
• Blazers lose, down 2-0 in series: Peja Stojakovic tied his career playoff best with five 3-pointers and had 21 points, and Jason Kidd continued showing off a surprising scoring touch with 18 points, powering the Mavericks to a 101-89 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Dallas, and a 2-0 lead in their first-round series.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 14 of his 33 points in the final quarter for Dallas, which hadn’t won the first two games of a playoff series since the 2006 NBA finals.
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 24 for Portland.
• Orlando evens series with Hawks: Dwight Howard had 33 points and 19 rebounds, Jameer Nelson added 13 points and eight rebounds and the Magic held off the Atlanta Hawks 88-82 in Orlando, to even the best-of-7 series at 1-1.
• Odom wins Sixth Man award: Lakers forward Lamar Odom won the NBA’s Sixth Man award as the league’s top reserve.
Odom averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game this season while playing in every game for the Lakers.
Sharks upend Kings to take lead in series
NHL: Devin Setoguchi scored 3:09 into overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a 6-5 victory over the Kings, who blew a four-goal lead at Los Angeles, in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.
The Sharks lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 at Staples Center on Thursday.
• Blackhawks win, avoid series sweep: Dave Bolland returned to the Chicago lineup after missing 17 games with a concussion and had a goal and three assists as the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks avoided being swept, routing the Vancouver Canucks 7-2 in Chicago.
Marathon officials want record certified
Miscellany: One day after Geoffrey Mutai won the Boston Marathon in 2 hours, 3 minutes, 2 seconds – the fastest time ever for the 26.2-mile distance – race officials said they will ask track’s international governing body to certify his time as a world record even though the course is technically ineligible.
With temperatures in the 50s and a steady, significant tailwind – perfect marathon weather – Mutai ran almost a minute faster than the official world record of 2:03:59 set by Haile Gebrselassie in Berlin in 2008. But Mutai’s mark is doomed to be recognized only as a “world best,” not a “world record,” because the Boston course is too downhill and too much of a straight line to meet IAAF standards.
• NCAA won’t recognize North Dakota law: A new state law requiring the University of North Dakota to keep its Fighting Sioux nickname won’t shield the school from penalties for continuing to use a moniker the NCAA considers hostile to American Indians, an NCAA executive told the school.
The law, which says UND must use the nickname and a logo featuring the profile of an American Indian warrior, “cannot change the NCAA policy” against using American Indian nicknames, logos or mascots that are considered offensive, said Bernard Franklin, an NCAA executive vice president.
• RCR’s Burton signed to extension: Richard Childress Racing has signed Jeff Burton to a multiyear contract extension.
The team also said it has signed Caterpillar to continue as sponsor of the No. 31 Chevrolet that Burton drives.