Lakers-Rockets game 6 draws highest viewers

Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinal series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets was the most watched basketball game ever on ESPN.The Rockets' 95-80 victory on Thursday drew 7.35 million viewers, topping the 6.6 million that watched Miami beat Detroit in Game 6 of the 2006 Eastern Conference finals.

The game earned a 5.4 national rating and a 16.0 rating in Houston, ESPN's highest local rating for an NBA telecast. ESPN's audience for its six conference semifinal games is up 16 percent from last year.

The rating is the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program, while the share is the percentage of all TVs in use at the time.

Nowitzki to stay in Dallas

DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki is the backbone of the Dallas Mavericks, the first MVP in franchise history and the career leader in pretty much every scoring category. All that's missing is a championship, and he's not interested in going anywhere else to get one."After I played here for 11 years -- played hurt, played sick, whatever they needed me to do, basically playing my heart [out] for the last 11 years -- I don't think it would feel the same way somewhere else," Nowitzki said. "It's always been my dream here to finish my career and win a championship. I think my window has not closed yet and I'll still see what we can do."

Nowitzki inadvertently raised the question of how long he was willing to stick with the organization while describing his disappointment over falling short again this season.After the Mavs were eliminated by Denver on Wednesday night, then again during a wrapup interview Thursday, Nowitzki mentioned several times that this was his 11th season and that he'll be turning 31 in a few weeks. He talked about the window of opportunity starting to close, calling every title-less season a waste. He also said he understands that 36-year-old Jason Kidd might sign with another team he considers closer to winning a championship.

So, does all that mean Nowitzki thinks the Mavs are far from winning a title? That time is running out for him? Or maybe that he's running out of patience?

No, no, no.

"I always said I'd love to finish my career here and bring this franchise a championship," he said. "I still feel like I have a good three, four years left of solid basketball. I don't want to feel overanxious and put my pressure on myself. I'm going to be ready to play and I'm going to work hard again this summer and do more of the same again next year."

Nowitzki noted that he could opt out of his contract in 2010 "if I wanted to," but he didn't say it in a threatening way.

In fact, he tempered the thought by adding, "I never really thought about it this way."

Nowitzki is coming off perhaps his best year other than his MVP season of 2006-07.

He averaged 25.9 points and 8.4 rebounds and was first-team All-NBA -- or, as coach Rick Carlisle put it, he was voted "the best power forward on the planet."

His numbers were down in the first round of the playoffs because San Antonio based its defense around slowing him. Then, facing single coverage from the Nuggets, he averaged 34.4 points, scoring 44 in Dallas' lone victory. He did it while dealing with his girlfriend getting arrested at his home, bringing unwanted attention on his very private non-basketball life.

"It takes a strong individual to go through what he did and then carry us on his back through this whole playoffs," teammate Jason Terry said.

Part of Nowitzki's devotion to Dallas stems from his confidence in owner Mark Cuban and front-office boss Donnie Nelson.

"It's pretty obvious [Cuban] wants to win -- getting in fights with people in the stands, being fired up about every loss," Nowitzki said, laughing. "I think he wants to win as much as I do. He made all the right statements that we're trying to improve the team this summer."

If it was up to Nowitzki, the Mavericks' offseason plan would start with keeping Kidd.

"His leadership on and off the floor has been great," Nowitzki said. "He's showed that even though he's a little older that he's a warrior. He played 40-some minutes the last couple of months when we needed to win games."

Next, Nowitzki would make sure to "keep some of the core guys and just add pieces." He'd like better defenders, more 3-point shooters and some young, fast, leapers so Kidd "can actually throw some lobs on the break."

"It really showed in the second round that we need some athleticism," he said. "Denver was just stronger and faster, it felt like, at every position."

As for Nowitzki's offseason, he's expecting the German national team to ask him to play in the European championships. He's not sure he wants to after reaching the pinnacle of playing in the Olympics last summer.

"That was one of the greatest times of my life," he said. "It's hard for me to imagine ... starting all over again. I'll just have to wait and see. The good thing is that it's not until September. By that time, knowing me, I'll probably be in the gym for a couple months anyway." (AP)

Rockets tied series 3-3, force game 7

HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets came up with one more stunning victory to set up a final showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers.Aaron Brooks scored 26 points, Luis Scola added 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the scrappy, undermanned Rockets pushed the top-seeded Lakers to the brink in their Western Conference semifinal series with a 95-80 win in Game 6 on Thursday night.Reserve Carl Landry scored 15 as the Rockets built another huge lead in the first half, then fought off a Lakers rally to force Game 7 on Sunday at the Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant scored 32 and Pau Gasol added 14 for Los Angeles, which lost for only the third time in the last 18 games when it has a chance to close out a series.

The Lakers have one more opportunity to finish off Houston, but they probably didn't expect to need it, three games after Yao Ming exited the series with a broken left foot.

"We still have no chance," Brooks said with a huge smile. "We'll keep playing, though."

The winner will play the Denver Nuggets, who finished off Dallas on Wednesday night and now have a few extra days to rest.

Ron Artest pumped his fist and Scola embraced Brooks near midcourt as the final buzzer sounded and the Lakers walked off the court with their heads down.

Los Angeles won Game 5 by 40 points, matching Houston's worst playoff loss.

The Rockets came out dominant instead of demoralized on Thursday night. They put together a near carbon copy of the first half of Game 4, when they seemed to hit every open shot, smothered the Lakers on defense and built an 18-point halftime lead.

Bryant missed a halfcourt shot at the halftime buzzer in this one and angrily shook his head as he stormed off the court. The Rockets led 52-36 at the break -- one basket shy of the halftime score in Game 4.

On Sunday, Houston stretched its lead to 29 and cruised to a 99-87 win. This time, the Lakers made a game of it, opening the second half with a 16-2 spurt.

But Landry converted a three-point play to break the Lakers' momentum and Brooks sank a 3-pointer to help Houston rebuild its lead.

The Rockets hit their last eight shots in the third quarter and took a 75-65 lead to the fourth. Landry drove down the lane for a one-handed dunk with 6:56 left to put Houston up 81-71 and Bryant checked in after a long rest.

But Bryant missed four of his next six shots and Brooks scored eight points over the next five minutes to secure another surprise over the Western Conference's top seed.

"We got active again against Kobe. He's going to make some shots. We toughed it out in the fourth quarter," Brooks said.

The Lakers outrebounded Houston 45-39, but the Rockets scored 40 points in the paint and held Los Angeles to 36 percent shooting (30-for-84). The Lakers went only 5-for-23 from 3-point range.

Houston opened the game with a 17-1 burst, electrifying another red-clad capacity crowd at the Toyota Center.

Bryant made the Lakers' first field goal near the 6-minute mark, but Scola put in another short jumper to make it 19-3 -- one point better than Houston's opening run in Game 4.

Artest got a nice pass from Chuck Hayes and muscled inside for a layup to make it 21-3. The Lakers missed 14 of 20 shots in the quarter and trailed 27-15.

Shane Battier and Artest sank 3-pointers early in the second quarter, another good sign for Houston. The Rockets made 10 3-pointers in their Game 4 victory, but only five in Game 5.

Von Wafer, averaging only 6.6 points in the series, sank a 3 with 5:51 left in the half to put Houston ahead 42-25 and force Lakers coach Phil Jackson to use a timeout.

But Houston stayed in control and Bryant's frustration boiled over near the 2-minute mark.

With Artest blanketing him near midcourt, Bryant appeared to shove Artest and earned a technical foul. The temperamental Artest, ejected from Games 2 and 3, ran away to avoid a confrontation and Brooks sank the free throw for a 47-31 Houston lead.

Dwight led Orlando to force game 7 in Boston

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Dwight Howard demanded the ball, and delivered when the Orlando Magic gave it to him.Now he needs to back it up, one more time.

Howard had 23 points and 22 rebounds after challenging Stan Van Gundy's coaching strategy, and the Magic beat the Boston Celtics 83-75 on Thursday night to force a decisive Game 7.

"I just tried to be me," Howard said. "I just have to go out there and play and not worry about nothing."

And what did he learn from his comments?

"Biggest lesson?" Howard said. "Keep my mouth shut."

Rashard Lewis had 20 points, and Hedo Turkoglu made a 3-pointer to highlight an 11-2 run to close the game for the Magic, who haven't made it to the conference finals since 1996. But it was Howard who the Magic leaned on after he called out Van Gundy for not getting the ball enough in Game 5."I guess Dwight Howard was right," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "My gosh. He was unbelievable."

Rajon Rondo finished with 19 points, 16 rebounds and six assists, and Paul Pierce scored 17 for the Celtics, who led by 10 points in the second half before falling apart. Game 7 is Sunday in Boston.

The Celtics also failed to close out the Chicago Bulls in Game 6 of their first-round series, a triple-overtime epic. Boston will now go the distance in its first two series for the second straight year.

The two days off before Game 7 should give an older, worn out Boston team a chance to rest its tired legs. It's still not enough for Rivers.

"I would take a week off and do it like the Super Bowl," Rivers joked. "That would be terrific. But that's not going to happen."

Boston had chances.

The Celtics held the Magic scoreless for more than five minutes to start the third quarter, building a 10-point lead on a jumper by Glen "Big Baby" Davis. But Howard led the Magic back, with a backspin alley-oop from Turkoglu that highlighted a spurt to end the third quarter. Orlando took its first lead with 8:38 remaining in the fourth.

Pierce hit three straight jumpers to give Boston a 73-72 lead with about four minutes to play, but the Celtics were done in by their 3-for-18 shooting from 3-point range and 19 turnovers. Ray Allen missed all seven attempts from behind the arc.

"The offense definitely struggled," Pierce said. "But we still played enough defense to win the game. We turned the ball over too much."

Howard blamed Van Gundy for not getting the ball more after the Magic's Game 5 collapse, when they blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.

"You've got a dominant player, let him be dominant," Howard said.

He came out trying to back up his strong words.

Howard scored the first eight points of the game for the Magic, including a pair of dunks that pumped some life into the home crowd. He finished 9-for-16 shooting.

Van Gundy said he didn't change his strategy at all, and compared Howard's comments to an argument between himself and his wife.

"When she gets on me for something, my first reaction is to blame someone else," Van Gundy said. "To make an excuse. To do something else, because I don't like being criticized. And I think when Dwight gets into a game, his first thing is, 'I don't want the blame.' This is just my guess.

"But when you step back and look at it, I usually realize the person who's been on me has a point. And then it's time to step up and do the job."

The Celtics were again the scrappier team for most of the night, diving for loose balls and outmuscling the Magic for rebounds. Pierce's layup capped a 13-2 run that pushed Boston's lead to 31-22 early in the second quarter.

It wouldn't last.

Finding their shots from outside, the Magic scored seven straight points, getting 3-pointers from reserves A.J. Johnson and Mickael Pietrus. Orlando eventually tied the game just before the half on a short jumper by Rashard Lewis, but Pierce's free throws helped put Boston ahead 46-45 at the break.

Lakers can end series against Houston today

For all their follies the last two playoff seasons -- Game 6 in last year's Finals in Boston, Game 4 last Sunday against Houston -- there's one thing the Lakers have done really well.If they are one victory away from ending a series, they take care of it, winning all four of their last "close-out" games against playoff opponents.Thanks to a breezy 118-78 victory Tuesday, the Lakers could finish their Western Conference semifinal tonight in Game 6 against the Houston Rockets.

If they need extra motivation, they could always study video of their last game in Houston. The Rockets found out they'd be without Yao Ming the rest of the playoffs, and the Lakers found themselves inexplicably down 29 points on the way to a 99-87 loss.

Each team had had something in common that day: their centers were missing. Yao was out with a fractured foot and Andrew Bynum went scoreless with three fouls, two rebounds and one turnover in 12 minutes.

The good news for the Lakers was Bynum's semi-emergence in Game 5. He had 14 points on five-for-six shooting, made all four of his free throws and also took six rebounds in almost 20 minutes.

It wasn't perfect, but it was better than his meager playoff averages coming into the game -- 4.3 points and 2.9 rebounds a game.

"I thought he had pretty good energy out there," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "Rebounding was great, I thought his defensive spacing was good."

Jackson declined to say if Bynum would again be in the starting lineup for Game 6, though Lamar Odom (bruised lower back) didn't do much beyond taking a few shots off to the side at Wednesday's practice after playing only 19 minutes Tuesday.

A healthy, productive Bynum might be the key to the Lakers' championship aspirations, seeing how no other playoff team will be employing a 6-foot-6 center.

If the Lakers get past Houston, Denver will be waiting with physical pivot men Nene and Chris Andersen. The teams still alive in the East all have physical post players as well -- Cleveland's Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao, Orlando's Dwight Howard and Boston's Kendrick Perkins.

Any hint of a Bynum rebirth would intrigue just about anybody, including Bynum.

"I definitely got in the flow, started early and kept it going," Bynum said of his Game 5 effort. "It does wonders to be out there and playing with your teammates and being involved."

He had two dunks and a short bank shot in the Lakers' first few possessions and would have played more than 20 minutes if he hadn't sustained a minor heel injury that was fine by Wednesday morning, Jackson said.

Bynum was dripping sweat when he came off the court after taking part in a scrimmage at practice. He was ready to hear that Game 5 might be the beginning of the end of his playoff problems.

"It definitely has a lot to do with rust and just getting the same explosion that you had," Bynum said. "Jumping ability, quickness off the ground, was a good attribute of mine, something that I have to continue to work on and try to get back. And then, obviously, mentally, to go from playing to being on the bench is tough on anybody."

There's still a series to be sewn up, which the Lakers hope to do tonight.

"Houston's going to come out very hard and they're going to try to attack us just like they did [in Game 4]," Bynum said. "We're going to have to go out there and be ready this time, clamp down on defense from the beginning."

Maturity level

Games 4 and 5 showed the best and worst of the Rockets and Lakers.

Houston forward Ron Artest thinks he knows what's happening out there.

"I guess both teams are very immature," he said. "Both teams, they show immaturity. The good thing is that we still got two games left."

Two games left? Well, maybe.

All-NBA

Kobe Bryant was selected first-team All-NBA for the seventh time in his career, the league announced Wednesday.

Pau Gasol earned All-NBA recognition for the first time in his career by being selected to the third team.

Bryant was on the first team in seven of the last eight seasons. He was a second-team selection in 2000 and 2001 and third team in 1999 and 2005.

Bryant was joined on the first team by Cleveland forward LeBron James, Miami guard Dwyane Wade, Orlando center Howard and Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki.

Formula 1: US car might be on track on November

After announcing plans in February for a US-based entry to the 2010 championship, Formula One veterans Peter Windsor and Ken Anderson have been hard at work laying the foundations for their fledgling team.Although they must wait until June to discover whether their entry has been accepted, Windsor and Anderson’s preparations are well underway, with their car scheduled to debut in November.

“We are working very hard behind the scenes, and at the same time from a public point of view, are waiting for everything to be formalised by the FIA,” former Williams team manager Windsor told Formula1.com. “The car is well underway being designed and we start making parts in late June and should have our car on the ground by late September.

“We will torture test the car and the suspension in October/November. Depending on the engine, we will be run the car in the first week of January. But if all falls perfectly into place, we would like the car to be running in November/December.”

With such a short turnaround in mind for their team, Anderson and Windsor have already moved into their American base in Charlotte, North Carolina, and that they have started to hire key team members, ahead of a bigger recruitment push in the autumn.

“Right now (our headcount is) about 20,” explained former Ligier technical director Anderson. “We are setting up the infrastructure, the management and the design department. In June we will be hiring those who will do the manufacturing, so we are moving from design to manufacturing and towards the end of the year be will be setting up our European facility and will start hiring the people who will be working on the team.”

As well as their burgeoning workforce and stateside factory, which will have the benefit of a 100-percent scale wind tunnel, the pair is also considering plans to feature American driving talent in their team.

“We have a shortlist of guys that we are looking at,” said Windsor. “There are some Americans doing quite well right now in single-seater racing from Ryan Hunter-Reay, Jonathan Summerton, Danica Patrick, Graham Rahal and A.J. Allmendinger.

“And then the next generation looks really strong! You’ve got four guys there: Gaby Chavez who is winning a lot of BMW races right now, Alex Rossi who is American and was the World BMW champion last year, Conor Daly, the son of Derek Daly, and Josef Newgarden who is winning in England right now.”

Back at their February launch Anderson and Windsor promised to take advantage of the FIA’s cost-cutting initiatives to run a thrifty, cost-effective team. So news that Formula One racing’s governing body wants to introduce the option of a £40-million budget cap was welcomed.

“It’s not far from what our budget has been anyway, long before the cap discussion came up,” said Anderson. “We’ve been planning on starting from scratch, buying only what we need and having only the people that we need. It’s much easier to start from zero and work your way up, than to run on £300-400 million and work your way down.”

The official entry list for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship - expected to comprise 13 teams - will be published on 12 June, 2009.

New RP Tennis Group formed

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s top five players – Johnny Arcilla, PJ Tiero, Rolando Ruel , Ralph Kevin Barte and Elbert Anasta – and Davis Cupper Pop Sabandon lead the cast in the inaugural tournament of the newly formed United Tennis Players of the Philippines on May 25-31 at the BF Almanza Club in Las Piñas.
The tournament, part of the Johnny Arcilla Tennis Circuit (JATC), is sanctioned by the Philippine Lawn Tennis Association (Philta).

The UTPP hopes to provide Filipino tennis players a circuit where they could hone their skills for international competitions.

The second tournament will be held June 22-27 at Sultan Kudarat with Rep. Pax Mangudadatulined as sponsor. The third will be held July 27-Aug. 1,at Lanao Del Norte with Gov. Khalid Q. Dimaporo as sponsor.

Major sponsor is Babolat.

For inquiries, please call -9233324 or 0916-3413581 or 09159210944 or visit unitedtennisplayersph@gmail.com.

LAS-PINAS - The United Tennis Players of the Philippines, a newly-formed tennis organization whose vision is to enhance the Filipino’s talent and skills in tennis will be holding its first major Tennis Tournament this coming May 25-31, 2009 at the BF Almanza Club in Las Pinas City. Named” Johnny Arcilla Tennis Circuit” (JATC), the tournament is sanctioned by the Philippine Lawn Tennis Foundation (PHILTA).

The United Tennis Players of The Philippines named it to Johnny Arcilla because of his great attributions to the tennis industry.

The major objective of the UTPP is to give opportunity to the Filipino tennis players to become a worldclass tennis players. Congressmen Proceso J. Alcala will file a bill in the congress to fund UTTP.

RP top 5 seeded will compete each again -Johnny Arcilla, PJ Tiero , Rolando Ruel , Ralph Kevin Barte and Elbert Anasta and Davis Cupper Pop Sabandon and all top RP players.

Meanwhile a series of tournaments are in the pipeline to provide the Filipino with the opportunity to enhance their skills and talents, in order to eventually compete in the International Tournaments held by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).

On June 22- 27, the 2nd tournament, sponsored by Congressman Pax Mangudadatu will be held at Sultan Kudarat. And on July 27 to August 1, it will be held at Lanao Del Norte thru the sponsorship of Gov. Khalid Q. Dimaporo.

Major sponsor is Babolat.

For inquiries, please call -9233324 or 0916-3413581 or 09159210944 or visit unitedtennisplayersph@gmail.com.

The second tournament will be held June 22-27 at Sultan Kudarat with Rep. Pax Mangudadatulined as sponsor. The third will be held July 27-Aug. 1,at Lanao Del Norte with Gov. Khalid Q. Dimaporo as sponsor.

Nadal, Roddick win in Madrid

MADRID (AP)—Rafael Nadal powered into the third round of the Madrid Open on Wednesday with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 win over Jurgen Melzer.The top-ranked player made just three unforced errors playing on clay in front of Spain’s Queen Sofia, and converted all four of his break points.

“It’s more difficult to play here than on normal altitude surfaces,” Nadal said of playing 1,970 feet above sea level. “You can do more with the ball with less effort, but your opponent also does it.”

The only break in Nadal’s concentration came when a ball girl fainted and had to be carried off the center court for medical assistance in the second set.

Earlier, Novak Djokovic beat Oscar Hernandez 6-3, 6-3. The third-seeded Serb fell awkwardly on his right knee on the clay surface at Madrid’s new “Magic Box” tennis center in the second set, but was rarely troubled by his opponent.

“I was aware the court was quite wet because I saw they had watered it after the previous match. But I was lucky that I fell in a good way so there is no injury,” Djokovic said. “It looked easy, but it wasn’t. I played just well enough to win.”

Djokovic never faced a break point in the match, while breaking Hernandez once in the first set and twice in the second.

Djokovic recently fell from third to fourth in the rankings, surpassed by Andy Murray despite winning the Serbia Open last week—the country’s first ATP Tour event that he also helped organize.

“I try not to pay too much attention to rankings,” he said. “But I am motivated to win back my third ranking position.”

Nadal agreed with Djokovic that the way the rankings are calculated, players are forced to play too many tournaments.

“The way things are now, you can’t choose which events you would like to focus on, you have to play everything in order to defend your position,” Nadal said. “But it’s the same for everyone.”

Nadal’s next opponent is Philipp Kohlschreiber, who beat 13th-seeded Marin Cilic 6-1, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2).

“He hits the ball very hard and cleanly, so I’d like to make sure my serves are winners against him,” Nadal said.

Sixth-seeded Andy Roddick squeezed past Tommy Haas 1-6, 7-6 (9), 6-4, eighth-seeded Gilles Simon beat qualifier Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-2 and other winners included Nikolay Davydenko, Stanislas Wawrinka and James Blake, who withstood 26 aces from Ivo Karlovic to set up a match with Roger Federer after a 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (4) win.

Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina also advanced when Tomas Berdych was forced to retire with a leg injury. The Czech player, who won his first title of the year at the BMW Open in Munich on Sunday, retired while trailing 6-2, 4-1.

In the women’s event, top-ranked Dinara Safina beat Li Na 6-3, 7-6 (2), Amelie Mauresmo defeated third-seeded Elena Dementieva 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. Victoria Azarenka eased past Peng Shuai 6-4, 6-1, and Vera Dushevina stopped Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.

Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina also advanced when Tomas Berdych was forced to retire with a leg injury. The Czech player, who won his first title of the year at the BMW Open in Munich on Sunday, retired while trailing 6-2, 4-1.

In the women’s event, Amelie Mauresmo defeated third-seeded Elena Dementieva 1-6, 6-4, 6-2. Victoria Azarenka eased past Peng Shuai 6-4, 6-1, and Vera Dushevina stopped Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.

In a later match, top-ranked Dinara Safina was to play Li Na.

RP team succumbs to Iran

JAKARTA - The Smart Gilas Pilipinas National Team badly needs a seven-footer in the lineup. Make that two skyscrapers if you're talking about beating reigning Fiba-Asia king Iran.Mahram Tehran went to its oversized frontline and overpowered Smart Gilas for a 98-87 triumph that gave the Philippines a reality check in the Fiba-Asia Champions Cup.

With two huge imports, the Iranians survived an 11-point deficit in the first half before going full blast, controlling the lanes on both ends of the floor to remove the sting out of the hard-fighting Filipino squad.

CJ Giles fell into early foul trouble and after fetching his fourth with just a few seconds had gone by in the third, RP coach Rajko Toroman pulled the 6-foot-10 banger out of the battlefield and was forced to put up an all-local stand.

Sans Giles in the middle, Smart Gilas became an easy target as Mahram's daunting frontline of Jackson Vroman (6-10), Priest Lauderdale (7-4), Hooman Rezaee (6-10) and Hamed Sohrabnejad (6-9) threw their weight around.

Jackson Vroman, who played for the Phoenix Suns and the New Orleans Hornets in the NBA from 2004-2008, erupted for 42 points, 27 in the second half that wiped out the Philippines' 46-44 halftime lead.

A former NBA journeyman, Lauderdale was also unsinkable and finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds after making the entire Philippine quintet look like a bunch of school kids with his gigantic frame.

”It only showed that we're weak inside,'' said Toroman after Smart Gilas' first defeat in Group A following a convincing win over Sangmu of Korea the other day.

Toroman, who coached the Iranian team to the Beijing Olympics last year and has four players seeing action with Mahram, is convinced that Smart Gilas should get 6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar and two more big men, preferably seven-footers, to have a fighting chance.

``This (Iran) team is stronger than its national team because my best players are here together with two solid former NBA players,'' said Toroman.

But despite the height disparity, the Filipinos didn't let the Iranians blow the game away.

Aldrech Ramos and Jason Ballesteros, both 6-foot-7s, courageously sacrificed themselves to somehow restrain the towering Iranians along with Mac Baracael (6-3) and Dylan Ababou (6-3).

Mark Barocca, Jayvee Casio, RJ Jazul and JR Cawaling were also aggressive on offense from start to finish as the Nationals fired 14 three-pointers to keep pace with the Iranians.

``They (Iranians) played better and used their experience,'' said Toroman of his team also sponsored by ACCEL, Molten, Burlington, Cebu Pacific and Collezione by Rhett Eala.

``But I'm very proud of my players. We showed great character and proved that we can be competitive.''

Successive threes by Giles and Ababou capped by a four-point play by Tiu off Mahdi Kamrany put the Philippines ahead, 18-12.

At one point, the Filipinos even opened up an 11-point lead but the Iranians, stubborn with their pressure defense at the backcourt, trimmed the gap with Vroman and Lauderdale taking turns on wreaking havoc.

Scores

IRAN 98 - Vroman 42, Bahrami 19, Lauderdale 16, Kamrany 8, Sohrabnejad 5, Kabir 3, Veishi 3, Eslameih 2, Nourafza 0, Atashi 0, Rezaee 0.

PHILIPPINES 87 - Barocca 18, Giles 14, Baracael 11, Ababou 11, Casio 9, Jazul 8, Tiu 8, Cawaling 3, Ramos 3, Ballesteros 2, Guevarra 0, Slaughter 0.
Quarters: 16-24, 44-46, 75-63, 98-87

Billups, Anthony lead Denver to West Finals

DENVER -- Chauncey Billups is taking his hometown team to new heights with a big assist from Carmelo Anthony.
Behind 30 points from Anthony and 28 from Billups, the Denver Nuggets beat the Dallas Mavericks 124-110 on Wednesday night to wrap up their semifinal series in five feisty games.So, the Nuggets are leaving all the animosity with the Mavericks' players, fans and owner behind and heading to their first Western Conference finals since 1985.

The Nuggets, who are 8-2 in the playoffs after tying their franchise record with a 54-win regular season, will face either Los Angeles or Houston for the conference championship.

"It's special. We worked hard in the offseason and training camp and throughout," Anthony said. "We stuck to everything, we overcame adversity, we stayed humble and our hard work paid off."

Winners of 16 straight games at the Pepsi Center, where no opponent has won since March 9, the Nuggets would start their next series on the road if the Lakers win, and at home if Houston does. The Lakers lead the series 3-2 with Game 6 Thursday night in Houston.

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said the combination of Billups, a proven winner, and Anthony, "who's just taking quantum leaps as a great player and leader," makes the Nuggets a true title contender.

"These guys are legitimate, a legitimate championship-caliber team," Carlisle said. "They've got a great shot. They've got a real opportunity."

The Nuggets didn't dare dream of this type of success when the season began following the departures of defensive stalwarts Marcus Camby and Eduardo Najera."Sometimes when you're forced to come together and fight together and persevere, your best qualities come forward," Denver coach George Karl said.

The impetus for the transformation came when the team made its biggest trade ever, Allen Iverson to Detroit for Billups, who turned his hometown team from an afterthought into a championship contender after leading the Pistons to six straight Eastern Conference finals and the NBA championship in 2004.

"We love Allen, Allen's family," Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke said. "But as Allen has said many times it's still a business. Chauncey was right for us, with the different personalities we have on the club Chauncey was a really important part."

"He's a leader," Anthony said of Billups. "He came on this team and he brought a businesslike attitude to our team. He brought a defensive mindset we were looking for."

Fired up from the ugliness on and off the court in Dallas in Games 3 and 4, the Nuggets came out in front of their home crowd with a passion and shot 64 percent in the first half while building a 69-55 lead.

The Mavericks wouldn't go down easily, though, making five straight 3-pointers, three by Jason Kidd, to pull within 79-72.

The Mavericks were within 103-97 with 7 minutes left but Anthony took the inbounds pass and with 2 seconds on the shot clock, hit a turnaround 25-foot jumper at the buzzer. Antoine Wright was assessed a technical and Billups' free throw made it a 10-point game with 6:35 left.

"That Melo 3 was a killer," Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki said. "We get the technical on top. Back to 10 points."

"I don't know how he hit that shot," Billups said.

Anthony said it was pure luck.

"Yeah, that was a spark," Anthony said. "If I told you I knew it was going in, I'd be lying to you. That was a lucky shot. It went in. I think that shot right there sparked the momentum for us."

Carlisle called Melo's shot a microcosm of the series, where Denver had an answer to almost everything the Mavericks threw out.

"In the final analysis, Denver's a better team," Carlisle said. "And they showed it throughout the series."

Nowitzki had his usual monster game, scoring 32 points -- he averaged 34.4 in the series -- and Kidd added 19.

J.R. Smith scored 18 points for Denver, which is starting to get recognized as this year's feel-good story.

"It's not over, we're still on the road man," Billups said. "We are moving on to bigger and better things and hopefully we can remain successful."

Karl said it's not too early for the Nuggets to believe they can be champions.

"I think our team is a good basketball team, a very good basketball team. And I have a feeling that we're not going to be messed up by the next round. We're going to make a team beat us," Karl said. "We can live with that. But we're not going to give it to anybody. We're going to go after it."

Karl said that for all Anthony's accolades, including an NCAA championship at Syracuse as a freshman in 2003 and a gold medal at the Beijing Games last summer, Wednesday was a red-letter day in Anthony's career because he was named to the All-NBA team and won another playoff series.

"These two awards tonight solidify how good he is," Karl said.

"You can start to put Melo in that group of winners and not just great players," Billups suggested.

Before the game, the NBA said it wouldn't punish anybody over the ugly incidents that occurred on and off the court in the games in Dallas, which included Mavs owner Mark Cuban throwing a fit after a non-call helped Denver win Game 3, when he also yelled at Kenyon Martin's mother.

Cuban, who skipped Game 5 to attend an awards ceremony in Las Vegas, had written in his blog this week that the Nuggets' families and friends could sit in his private suite "when the series returns to Dallas."

The Nuggets won't be going back to Texas. They have bigger plans, thanks to Anthony and Billups.

Lebron leads all-NBA first team

LeBron James, the NBA's Most Valuable Player, was a unanimous choice for the 2008-09 All-NBA first team, announced Wednesday.

It was the second straight All-NBA first-team selection for James, who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a franchise-best 66-16 regular-season record and finished second in the NBA scoring race with 28.4 points per game. He was also among league leaders with 1.69 steals per game (eighth) and 7.2 assists per game (10th), as well as 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game."It doesn't surprise me at all," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said of James, who in addition to winning MVP finished second in voting for best defensive player. "It comes with being the MVP. He's proven he can do it all."

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando's Dwight Howard, Miami's Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas were also named to the first team, with Wade being chosen for the first time in his career. It was Bryant's seventh first-team selection and fourth in a row.

Named to the second team were Chris Paul of New Orleans and Portland's Brandon Roy at guard, San Antonio's Tim Duncan and Boston's Paul Pierce at forward, and Houston's Yao Ming at center.

On the third team were Denver's Chauncey Billups and San Antonio's Tony Parker at guard, Denver's Carmelo Anthony and the Lakers' Pau Gasol at forward, and Shaquille O'Neal of the Phoenix Suns at center.

Wade led the NBA in scoring with 30.2 points per game and was second in steals (1.7 spg) and eighth in assists (6.7 apg), leading the Heat back to the NBA playoffs. He became only the fifth player in league history to amass 2,000 points, 500 assists and 150 steals in a single season, as well as the only player under 6-foot-4 with 100 blocks in a season since it became an official statistic in 1973-74.

Bryant, the 2007-08 MVP, led the Lakers to a Western Conference-best 65-17 mark and finished third in the league in scoring. Among active players, only Duncan (nine) and O'Neal (eight) have more first-team selections.

Howard, who made the first team for a second straight season, led the NBA with 13.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game, becoming only the fourth player to lead the league in both categories since blocks became an official stat.

Nowitzki, named to his fourth All-NBA first team, was the NBA's fourth-leading scorer with 25.9 points per game and was seventh in free throw percentage at .890. He finished the season by scoring at least 20 points in 25 straight games -- the longest 20-plus points streak in the NBA this season.

"This is a great honor and means that you have played solid basketball for the whole season," Nowitzki said. "This is about being consistent and helping the team night in and night out."

A panel of 122 sportswriters and broadcasters from the United States and Canada chose the teams.

Pacquiao is ambassador for peace

MACTAN ISLAND—What exactly does an ambassador for “peace and understanding” do?

Malacañang Tuesday spelled out—though still vaguely—the latest job description of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao under the Arroyo administration.

To begin with, he would grace a basketball tournament pitting government troops against members of the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) or rightist rebels, said Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.

“There will be events and activities that will be organized that will center on him as a focal person,” Remonde said in a media briefing here. “He will be useful as a symbol, as a rallying point for events, which in the process, would involve national unity.”

Special intel aide also

Remonde said Pacquiao would focus on his new job within the next three to four months when he is not yet training for his next bout. During the period, the boxer would go around the country gracing activities promoting national solidarity.

Besides the title of peace envoy, Pacquiao was named “special assistant on intelligence matters” of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Monday.

Gonzalez said the post would be “honorary,” meaning the boxer would receive no salary.

Remonde said the idea of a basketball tournament was hatched on Friday when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was originally set to meet with Pacquiao.

Ms Arroyo moved the meeting and the “national day of celebration” to Monday on the recommendation of the World Health Organization.

Pacquiao and his team had been advised to go on a five-day self-quarantine since they had stayed in Los Angeles where a case of human-to-human transmission of the deadly A(H1N1) flu virus had been recorded.

Riding on the Champ

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said Pacquiao could easily do the job for Gonzalez. “With all the people adulating him, he can get information.”

Sen. Panfilo Lacson was noncommittal, saying he did not know Pacquiao well enough.

“All I know is that he is good in sports, he’s the best in the world. If he’s appointed as undersecretary for sports, he can do a good job,” Lacson said in Filipino.

But the opposition senator observed that the positions given Pacquiao by the Palace were apparently done because “everybody wants to jump on the bandwagon.”

“He’s very popular and people idolize him and that’s why it’s understandable that there are those who want to ride on and take advantage of the situation,” Lacson said.

Time for politics

Sen. Manuel Roxas II said he believed Pacquiao would be able to help the government and the country as envoy for peace, especially in Mindanao.

“Many people will listen to him,” Roxas told reporters.

But he said people would have to see for themselves how Pacquiao would be able to contribute as an intelligence officer.

He echoed Lacson’s views that Pacquiao was given such positions because it was “a time for politics now.”

“Those seeking to run for office are looking for ways to be close to Pacquiao as their endorser,” Roxas said.

Symbol of unity

The senator said Pacquiao should protect his clean and untarnished name. “If he allows himself to be used, he will be tainted by the corrupt who are coming to him to use him.”

Pacquiao has hinted that he would again run for Congress in next year’s election, much to the dismay of not a few of his fans. He ran and lost in the 2007 elections.

“Right now, he has agreed to be this symbol of unity and of course, we are very grateful for that,” Remonde said. “But of course, when it comes to his decision to go into politics, that is his own decision. We should all respect him.”

Pacquiao to visit Cebu

WORLD boxing pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao will observe another tradition following his gripping conquest of British brawler Ricky Hatton: Visit Cebu next week.
Pacquiao snatched Hatton’s IBO junior welterweight crown last May 3 with a second round knockout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao, according to Cebu City Acting Mayor Mike Rama, will visit the Queen City of the South next week. Last Monday, the six-time boxing superstar had a motorcade around Metro Manila in what Malacanang Palace declared as a Day of Celebration and yesterday he was in his hometown of GenSan.

Pacquiao always makes it a point to visit Cebu after every major fight to thank his Cebuano fans and to pray at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino.

Rama though, informed, that Team Pacquiao is yet to set a date for the champion’s visit but would prefer to be here either on May 18 or 22.

Rama tasked Councilor Raul Alcoseba and City Administrator Francisco Fernandez to prepare for Pacman’s visit. He also urged the public to get out of their homes and join in greeting Pacquiao along the parade’s route.

Mayor Tomas Osmena is also expected to return on said dates.

Rama also said that he already asked Councilor Arsenio Pacana to draft a resolution recognizing Pacquaio’s victory. He suggested that Pacquiao be conferred the “Mega Tourism Promoter” award for promoting the country worldwide, but wants the national government to give it.

However, Rama is not so keen about the suggestion of erecting a Pacquiao statue saying the boxing hero is still alive and is just 30 years old.

“I’m not against building a statue for Manny but its not good for him. Statues are built for those who are already dead,” he added.

Lakers rout Rockets to lead series 3-2

Kobe Bryant needed only three quarters to score 26 points and the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back from their Game 4 flop, routing the Houston Rockets 118-78 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.The top-seeded Lakers did everything they didn't do in Sunday's 99-87 loss at Houston -- hustled, rebounded and played tight defense on Houston's smaller lineup, keeping Aaron Brooks in check and limiting wide-open shots.

On Sunday the Lakers trailed by 29 points. On Tuesday night, they had a 29-point lead by late in the second quarter, on a 3-pointer by Bryant, who led seven Lakers in double figures.

The Lakers can wrap up the series Thursday night in Houston.

Bryant looked more like himself after being held to 15 points on Sunday. With the Lakers far ahead after holding the Rockets to only 15 points in each of the second and third quarters, he sat out the fourth period.

Pau Gasol had 16 points and 13 rebounds, Andrew Bynum 14 points, Trevor Ariza 13 and Jordan Farmar 12. Lamar Odom and Josh Powell had 10 apiece.

Brooks was held to 14 points after scoring a career-high 34 on Sunday. Ron Artest had a horrible night shooting, 4-of-15 for nine points. The Rockets shot only 32 percent.

The Lakers fell behind by six points midway through the first quarter, but it didn't take them long to answer the question of whether they'd show up.

Los Angeles gained control by outscoring Houston 23-6 during the final six minutes of the first quarter. Bryant had eight points, making three straight shots at one point. Odom sank a 3-pointer and Farmar another 3 at the buzzer for a 35-24 lead.

With Bryant sitting out at the start of the second quarter, the Lakers didn't lose any of their intensity, going on an 8-0 run to push the lead to 43-24. Gasol made a hook shot and two free throws, Odom made two free throws and Sasha Vujacic blocked a shot by Von Wafer, raced down the court and took a pass from Gasol for a slam dunk.

With Houston going cold, the Lakers piled it on, taking a 64-35 lead on Bryant's 3-pointer with 1:31 before halftime. It was 64-39 at the break.

Boston escapes game 5 to lead 3-2 series over Orlando

BOSTON -- Ray Allen's 3-pointer with 1:20 left gave Boston its first lead since the opening minutes and the Celtics beat the Orlando Magic 92-88 on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.Stephon Marbury scored all of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, keeping the Celtics in the game after a lackluster 36 minutes that left them trailing by 14 with 8:49 to play. Orlando led 85-75 with 5:39 left, then Boston scored the next 13 points to open an 88-85 lead before Rashard Lewis' free throws with 7.3 seconds left.

Paul Pierce had 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Kendrick Perkins grabbed 11 rebounds, and Game 4 hero Glen "Big Baby" Davis scored 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. Davis also grabbed the rebound and hit a pair of free throws after Dwight Howard intentionally missed a free throw with 5.9 seconds left.

"It's all about never giving in and having the heart of a champion," Pierce said.

Howard had 12 points and 17 rebounds for Orlando, which needs a victory in Game 6 on Thursday night to force the series back to Boston for a decisive seventh game.

Lewis scored 19 and Hedo Turkoglu had 18 with seven assists for the Magic, who almost blew a 28-point lead in Game 1, then lost Game 4 on Sunday when Davis hit a 21-foot buzzer-beater.

Davis hurt them again on Tuesday, but he didn't wait quite as long.

Howard dunked on an alley-oop from Rafer Alston to make it 77-63 with 8:49 left, Orlando's biggest lead of the game, and Celtics coach Doc Rivers disgustedly called a timeout.

But Marbury hit a 3-pointer, then another jumper, and after Davis sank a pair of hook shots, Marbury converted a three-point play to make it 83-75. Turkoglu made a jumper to extend the lead to 10 points before Rivers put Pierce, Perkins and Rajon Rondo back in the game with 4:55 left.

Two jumpers by Davis, a layup by Pierce and a reverse from Perkins made it 85-83. Davis missed a potential game-tying shot with 1:55 left, but Allen made up for it by putting Boston ahead with a 3-pointer -- just his third basket of the game.

Orlando had a chance to take back the lead when Rondo's 3-pointer as the 24-second clock expired seemed to skim only the net as it came down, and the shot clock buzzer went off. But Perkins, who had grabbed the rebound, argued vociferously that the ball tipped the rim, and the referees overruled the call, giving the ball back to Boston with just 37 seconds left and allowing them to run the clock down to the final seconds.

Pacquiao's motorcade causes traffic snarls in Manila

Boxing champ began his Metro Manila-wide motorcade on Monday morning, causing traffic snarls as crowds cheered the local boxing hero.The motorcade passed through main roads in Quezon City, Manila, Pasay City and Makati City this morning.

Everyone young and old seemed to pause at what they were doing to cheer Pacquiao, who was riding in a truck adorned with Philippine flags.

Some motorists stopped and got out of their cars to wave at Pacquiao. A group of nuns was also seen from among the crowd cheering in his direction.

Uniformed employees were also seen on the streets, taking a break from work to take a peek at the ongoing celebration.

One FX driver, meanwhile, stopped and even went on top of his vehicle to wave as chants of “Manny! Manny!” echoed all throughout.

The streets were littered with placards while some have their own confetti prepared and ready to be thrown. People were simultaneously waving and taking pictures from their mobile phones and cameras.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, basked at the adoring crowd, throwing away Team Pacquiao t-shirts.

With him is Bernabe Concepcion, a member of Team Pacquiao who won in an undercard fight during the title bout with Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas earlier this month.

The motorcade, which started some 20 minutes behind schedule, left the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) at around 8:15 a.m. and began a slow cruise along Visayas Avenue.

Earlier, a festive atmosphere greeted Pacquiao at DENR.

Wearing a black polo shirt, a gray vest, khaki pants, brown shoes and a gray golfer’s hat, Pacquiao arrived at the DENR office just before 8:00 am and participated in the department’s flag-raising ceremony on board a black SUV.

He was welcomed by a marching band, an explosion of red, blue and white confetti, around 300 employees of the DENR and the usual coterie of environment officials led by DENR secretary Lito Atienza.

He was immediately mobbed by local and international media and a cheering crowd.

In a short speech after the flag-raising, Pacquiao thanked God and Filipino people for the support and prayers in his May 3 fight against British champ Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas.

He will make a short call on Vice President Noli De Castro before proceeding to Malacanang were the boxer is due to make a 10:45 a.m. call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Atienza, a long-time and rabid supporter of the Filipino boxing champ, said Pacquiao considers the DENR as his “second home.”

"Manny (Pacquiao) is like a sponge who accepts what he needs to learn making him d best fighter," Atienza said in an earlier interview.

"Ang payo ko sa kanya wag muna isipin ang politika (My advice to him is not think of politics for now)," Atienza said, when asked about Pacquiao's rumored plans to run for public office in next year's elections.

"He's at the pinnacle of his boxing career. He should focus on his career first," he added.

Atienza said they have been coordinating with the Philippine National Police for security and the Metro Manila Development Authority, which is in charge of traffic flow.

Federer said he can beat Nadal in Madrid

Jelena Jankovic beat Nuria Llagostera Vives of Spain 6-2, 6-1 Sunday to reach the second round of the Madrid Open, a joint ATP and WTA Tour tournament.

Agnes Szavay of Hungary upset 12th-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-2 in the first round of the clay court event at Madrid’s new “Magic Box” tennis center.

On the men’s side in the first round, 16th-seeded Tommy Robredo rallied to defeat Nicolas Kiefer of Germany 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, and Spanish wild card Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Igor Kunitsyn of Russia 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

Meanwhile, Roger Federer said he could still beat Rafael Nadal, even on the Spaniard’s favorite surface.

“I know I can beat him on clay after having played so many matches against him on this surface,” Federer said.

Sharapova is back in tour

Maria Sharapova plans to be back on tour next week.

Sidelined by shoulder surgery, Sharapova wrote on her Web site Monday that she will play her first competitive singles match in nearly 10 months at the May 18-23 clay-court tournament in Warsaw, Poland.

The posting makes no mention of the French Open, the major championship played on clay that starts May 24.

“I know it is going to take me a while to get back into the groove of playing tournaments and matches, but I am so excited to be competing again,” Sharapova said.

The three-time Grand Slam title winner was sidelined in August by a torn rotator cuff in her right shoulder and had surgery two months later.

Sharapova has played one doubles match since then, losing at Indian Wells, Calif., in March.

“It has not been an easy process these last few months,” Monday’s posting reads.

Ranked as high as No. 1, the Russian is now No. 65.

She was forced to miss the last two Grand Slam tournaments, the U.S Open and Australian Open.

“My family and coach have been a tremendous part of this comeback, and I think it’s important to acknowledge that without their drive, daily laughs and endless belief in my ability, I would be sipping a pina colada on a deserted island (not that there’s something wrong with that, but playing tennis is just so much more exciting at this stage of my life),” the posting says.