INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana: Lance Stephenson scored a career play-off-high 25 points yesterday to lead the Indianapolis Pacers to a 106-99 victory over the New York Knicks and into the NBA Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers withstood 39 points by Knicks star Carmelo Anthony to win the best-of-seven Eastern Conference second-round series four games to two and will now battle reigning NBA

NEW YORK: Mike Krzyzewski, who coached US NBA stars to Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012 but said he was stepping down, is in talks to return through the 2016 Olympics, Sports Illustrated reported yesterday. “There’s a chance. That’s correct,” Krzyzewski told the magazine in a report posted on its website. Krzyzewski said that while he has not made a final decision,

Tony Parker (9) of the San Antonio Spurs congratulates Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors after Game Six of their Western Conference semi-finals during the 2013 NBA play-offs at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, yesterday.  Spurs won 94-82 to take the series 4-2. OAKLAND, California: The San Antonio Spurs booked a return trip to the NBA Western Conference finals

MIAMI: The Miami Heat reached their third straight Eastern Conference final after a 94-91 win over Chicago yesterday secured a 4-1 series victory for the defending NBA champions. Miami will face the winners of the series between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. Indiana currently lead 3-1 going into today’s Game Five in New York. A series that began with a Chicago upset

Miami Heat’s LeBron James dunks the ball against the Chicago Bulls during the first half of Game 4 in their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final game in Chicago, Illinois, yesterday. RIGHT: Kevin Durant (35) of the Oklahoma City Thunder jokes with Mike Conley (11) of the Memphis Grizzlies during Game Four of the Western Conference semi-finals of the 2013 NBA play-offs at FedExForum in Mem

San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker (left) loses control of the ball against Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry during Game 4 of their NBA Western Conference semi-final play-off game in Oakland, California, yesterday. OAKLAND, California: The Golden State Warriors delivered a dominant performance in  extra time to complete a 97-87 come from behind win over San Antonio yeste

Indiana Pacers’ centre Roy Hibbert (55) holds the ball guarded by New York Knicks’ centre Tyson Chandler during the second half of their NBA Eastern Conference second round play-off basketball game in Indianapolis, Indiana, yesterday. INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana: Roy Hibbert finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds and George Hill hit five three pointers as the Indiana Pacers beat t

CHICAGO: LeBron James scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter yesterday to lead the Miami Heat to a 104-94 victory over Chicago in another bruising contest in their NBA Eastern Conference play-off series. Reigning NBA champions Miami took a 2-1 lead over the Bulls in the best-of-seven series, which continues tomorrow at Chicago. Chris Bosh added 20 points and a playoff car

Klay Thompson (11) of the Golden State Warriors makes a three-point shot against Kawhi Leonard (2) of the San Antonio Spurs during Game Two of the Western Conference semi-finals of the 2013 NBA Play-offs at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, yesterday. MIAMI: Ray Allen scored 21 points as Miami rebounded from a game-one loss to rout Chicago 115-78 yesterday, handing the Bulls their m

New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony (third left) reacts with JR Smith, Raymond Felton and Kenyon Martin after dunking the basketball in the third quarter in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game 2 in the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City, yesterday. The Knicks defeated the Pacers 105-79 and tied the best of seven series at 1-1.

OSAKA, Japan: Japan’s Ryo Miyazaki stopped Mexican challenger Carlos Velarde by technical knockout to retain his World Boxing Association minimumweight title in Osaka yesterday. The scheduled 12-round contest ended two minutes and 22 seconds into the fifth round when the 24-year-old Japanese floored the No.7 WBA contender with a lightning counter left hook to the face after a close fi

SAN ANTONIO, Texas: Manu Ginobili’s three-pointer with 1.2 seconds left lifted San Antonio to a 129-127 double overtime win over Golden State as the Spurs rallied from a 16-point deficit in the fourth to win the series opener. Ginobili’s late heroics capped a furious comeback by the Spurs and spoiled a 44-point performance from Warriors’ Stephen Curry in yesterday&rsq

Miami Heat’s forward LeBron James (centre) holds the trophy as he stands with head coach Erik Spoelstra (left) and team president Pat Riley, after being named NBA Most Valuable Player at a ceremony in Miami, yesterday. It was the fourth time in five years that the 28-year-old James had won the game’s most prestigious individual award, elevating him among the sport’s greates

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma: Kevin Durant scored 12 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter yesterday as Oklahoma City rallied for a 93-91 win over Memphis in game one of their second round NBA Western Conference playoff series. Durant delivered the Thunder’s final three baskets from the floor, including a go-ahead jump shot with 11.1 seconds remaining that gave Oklahoma City a 91-90 lead.

Chicago Bulls’ centre Joakim Noah (13) and Chicago Bulls’guard Marco Belinelli celebrate after they beat the Brooklyn Nets to advance to the next round in Game Seven of their NBA Eastern Conference quarter-finals play-off series in New York, yesterday. NEW YORK: Joakim Noah scored 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds yesterday to lead the injury-ravaged Chicago Bulls to a 99-93

BOSTON, Massachusetts: The New York Knicks turned back a furious late charge by the Boston Celtics yesterday, holding on for an 88-80 victory to reach the second round of the NBA play-offs. The victory gave the Knicks a four-games-to-two triumph in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series. They advanced to a second-round clash with the Indiana Pacers, who downed the Hawks

NEW YORK: Kevin Garnett finished with 16 points and 18 rebounds and Jason Terry had 17 points as the Boston Celtics staved off elimination with a 92-86 win over New York in game five yesterday. Paul Pierce scored 16 points and Terry went five-of-nine from beyond the arc for the Celtics, who now trail in the best-of-seven first round playoff series three games to two. “We have got

DENVER, Colorado: The Denver Nuggets kept their NBA play-off hopes alive but touched off a controversy over dirty tactics yesterday while the Memphis Grizzlies moved one victory shy of reaching the second round. Andre Iguodala scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Denver downed Golden State 107-100, but Warriors coach Mark Jackson accused the Nuggets of deliberately trying to inj

Houston Rockets’ centre Omer Asik steps over Oklahoma City Thunder’s forward Serge Ibaka, who sprawled on the floor, as the Thunder lost to the Rockets in the final seconds of Game 4 of their NBA Western Conference quarter-finals basketball play-off series in Houston, yesterday.  HOUSTON, Texas: Chandler Parsons scored 27 points to spark Houston over the Oklahoma City Th

New York: NBA player Jason Collins , who became the first gay man to come out while playing in one of America’s major professional leagues, said he has been startled by the positive reaction. “Its incredible, you just try to live an honest genuine life and the next thing you know, you’ve got the president calling you,” he told ABC’s Good Morning America yesterd