Magic stun Lakers to trim deficit

By Steve Ginsburg
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The Orlando Magic stormed back into contention in the NBA Finals by knocking off the Los Angeles Lakers 108-104 on Tuesday, trimming the deficit in their best-of-seven series to 2-1.
Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis each scored 21 points to lead the Magic, who set a record in the championship round by connecting on nearly 63 percent of their shots.
"Tonight we played more speed, more energy on the offensive end," said Magic point guard Rafer Alston, who scored 20 points. "We were able to get down the floor, push it, a lot of pick and roll, which is our game.
"The bad thing is we shot 62 and a half percent and almost lost the game, so we've got to find a way to defend these guys."
The Magic squandered a nine-point lead midway through the fourth quarter but held on for their first victory of an NBA Finals series.
"I've said it throughout the season and throughout these playoffs, the one thing that you can't question with our team is their resilience in situations like that, whether it's from game to game, minute to minute, our team will keep playing," a delighted Magic coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters.
Two foul shots by Lakers forward Pau Gasol with 2:41 left tied the score at 99-99 but a jam by Mickael Pietrus and a foul shot by Alston gave the Magic a 102-99 lead.
With the Lakers trailing 104-102 Kobe Bryant committed a costly turnover and then fouled Pietrus, who sank two free throws with 28.7 left to clinch the Magic victory.
"It was disappointing," said Bryant, last year's Most Valuable Player who is looking for his fourth championship ring. "I'm used to coming through in those situations, the team trusts me to come through in those situations, and it just didn't happen tonight."
Bryant played his worst game of the series, hitting only 11 of 25 shots while misfiring on half of his 10 free throw attempts. He also committed an uncharacteristic four turnovers.
KOBE SHACKLED
The 30-year-old, 11-times All Star scored 31 points but was shut down for much of the final three quarters after torching the Magic for 17 points in the opening period.
"They really started coming hard to him," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. "Howard was consistently coming at him on shots, making it difficult. He never really got in rhythm again the same way."
Jackson said Bryant's poor foul shooting played a huge part in the loss.
"Those are the kinds of things that change a game," he said. "This is a very unusual thing, Kobe shooting five for 10 after hitting 14 in a row at the end of the game the other night. That's a difference maker." Continued...
Source: Reuters

Tour de France riders face intensive testing

By Julien Pretot
PARIS (Reuters) - This year's Tour de France will be the most scrutinized sports event ever by anti-doping authorities, International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid said on Wednesday.
More than 500 tests will be carried out during the world's greatest stage race featuring 180 riders, with 50 of them set to undergo more tests than the others.
The 50 riders have been targeted because they are either top contenders or because their biological passports have raised suspicions in the UCI.
"The Tour de France will be the most tested event in the history of sports," McQuaid told a news conference, adding the UCI would work in collaboration with the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD). "It is enormous."
"The 50 riders were picked on a sporting basis, among the favorites of the Tour de France, and also from the knowledge we have got from the biological passport.
"What is important is not the number of tests, but the fact that we target riders," said AFLD president Pierre Bordry.
He added the names of the 50 riders would not be made public.
All riders will give two blood samples on Thursday, July 2, two days before the start, which will be analyzed and stored for possible further testing. UCI doctor Mario Zorzoli said eight to 11 riders would be tested every day.
Bordry said the UCI and the AFLD would work closely together to zero in on cheats following a first collaboration during the Paris-Nice stage race in March.
"I want to state that those who dope will have to be very careful because we will be extremely thorough," he said.
In October, 2007, the UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced they would collect blood samples from all professional riders to create a medical profile, or passport, that would be compared to the data registered in doping tests.
The Tour de France has been marred by doping scandals in the past three years.
In last year's edition, top Italian rider Riccardo Ricco was kicked out of the race after failing a test for the new generation of EPO called CERA (Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator).
Austrian Bernhard Kohl, third overall and the race's top climber, as well as Italian Leonardo Piepoli and German Stefan Schumacher were also found guilty of using CERA following retroactive tests carried out in September.
(Editing by John Mehaffey)

Source: Reuters

Flood of problems for Rome organizers

By Paul Virgo
ROME (Reuters) - Turning tennis courts into swimming pools is the least of Rome's worries ahead of the World Aquatics Championships next month.
Many facilities are not ready, prosecutors have been probing alleged irregularities at a related project and the organizing committee president threatened to quit after a row with the swimming federation.
"There's no use denying that we've had problems," Domenico Fioravanti, Italy's double breaststroke gold medalist at the Sydney Olympics and a championship sponsor, told Reuters.
"But adversity can create positive things. It's hard for something to improve if everything runs smoothly from the start."
Trouble began in May when Italian Swimming Federation President Paolo Barelli, a senator with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's party, asked Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno to sack organizing committee head Giovanni Malago.
When the request was rejected by fellow party member Alemanno, Barelli set his sights on having the powers of organizing committee director general Roberto Diacetti transferred to an official nominated by the federation.
A compromise was thrashed out at a board meeting last week, when it was decided that an administrator would be brought in to work alongside Diacetti.
The rift came after months of reports of delays, accompanied by images of structures clearly far from completion with the championships due to start on July 17 and finish on August 2.
Diacetti said this was not an issue at the main competition venue, the Foro Italico complex that includes the Stadio Olimpico soccer ground, as much of the work had not been scheduled to start until June.
This was partly because the installation of temporary pools in two of the complex's claycourt tennis stadiums, one of which is in the process of being rebuilt, had to wait until the end of the Rome Masters and Italian Open tournaments in May.
CRIMINAL PROBE
The preparation of other structures could not start until the Stadio Olimpico had hosted football's Champions League final later that month.
"From an aesthetic viewpoint, things cannot be ready yet," Diacetti told a news conference. "But the championships will take place at a shining Foro Italico that will present a beautiful spectacle of Rome."
While a last-minute flurry was planned for the Foro Italico, organizers are behind schedule with some complexes due to be used for training, including one on the coast at Ostia, where the open-water races will be staged.
"We are slogging away. Some of the worksite chiefs are having crying fits but we'll get there," said Claudio Rinaldi, the government commissioner in charge of approving facilities. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Top golfers boost Games bid

By Karolos Grohmann
HALLE, Germany (Reuters) - Leading golfers and a global audience of more than half a billion people are the sport's biggest assets as it bids to rejoin the Olympic Games, according to the Olympic Golf Committee's executive director.
"Professional golf is televised each week in 231 countries, translated into 30 languages, with the reach of more than 589 million households," Ty Votaw told the Around the Rings website (www.aroundtherings.com) on Wednesday. The committee was set up to promote golf's bid to return to the Olympics.
"From a competitive standpoint, golf would bring many of the most recognizable international athletes to Olympic competition, thus further influencing the relevance and attraction of the Olympic Games throughout the world."
The sport, last played at the 1904 St Louis Games, is one of seven vying for Olympic entry for the 2016 Games as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) seeks to modernize its Olympic program.
Baseball, karate, softball, squash, rugby and rollersports are the other candidates for up to two places on the program with a decision due in October.
The IOC is eager to revamp the program to attract younger fans and viewers and has insisted new sports should assure the presence of their top athletes to attract the largest possible audience during the Games.
Europe's 2010 Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie will plead golf's case in front of the IOC's executive board next week.
Votaw said no new facilities would need to be built for the sport given that all 2016 bid cities -- Tokyo, Chicago, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro -- had courses that with some modifications could host the Olympic golf competition. The host of the 2016 Games will also be chosen in October.
The IOC has said a maximum of two sports can come in but it could also vote to leave the 26-sport program as it is.
(Editing by John Mehaffey; to query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Source: Reuters

Bryant says Magic throws "whole kitchen sink" at him

By Steve Ginsburg
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Kobe Bryant had a simple explanation for his shooting problems during the final three quarters of the Los Angeles Lakers' 108-104 loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
The 2008 MVP said Orlando abandoned single coverage on him and had "four more guys" leaning on him.
"They threw the whole kitchen sink and they did a great job staying on my body," Bryant told reporters. "They brought help from the weak side, simple as that."
Bryant possibly overstated the Magic's obsession with guarding him, but the tactic clearly worked.
Bryant scored 17 points on seven-of-10 shooting in the opening quarter, but he had only 14 points for the remaining three, making only four-of-15 shots.
After the first quarter, Bryant made only two of seven three pointers and four of nine from the free throw line.
He also had a critical turnover with less than a minute left in the game. With the Magic up by 104-102 Bryant lost the ball and then fouled Mickael Pietrus out of frustration.
Pietrus calmly sank both free throws to secure the Magic's first win in the finals and trim the Lakers' lead in the best-of-seven series to 2-1.
"It was disappointing," said Bryant. "I'm used to coming through in those situations, the team trusts me to come through in those situations, and it just didn't happen tonight."
Lakers coach Phil Jackson defended Bryant, but conceded his uncharacteristically poor free throwing shooting played a role in the loss.
"A number of them went in and came back out," Jackson said of Bryant's shooting from the line.
"Those are the kinds of things that change a game.
"This is a very unusual thing, Kobe shooting five-for-10 after hitting 14 in a row at the end of the game the other night. That's a difference maker."
Orlando have turned around their woeful shooting percentage in the first game, where they made just 29.9 percent of shots, and on Tuesday connected on 40 of 64 shots for a 62.5 percentage -- a record for the finals.
"Obviously, you've got to knock down free throws but we lost this game on the defensive end," said Bryant. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Magic stun Lakers 108-104, trim deficit to 2-1

By Steve Ginsburg
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The Orlando Magic stormed back into contention in the NBA Finals by knocking off the Los Angeles Lakers 108-104 on Tuesday, trimming the deficit in their best-of-seven series to 2-1.
Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis each scored 21 points to lead the Magic, who set a record in the championship round by connecting on nearly 63 percent of their shots.
"Tonight we played more speed, more energy on the offensive end," said Magic point guard Rafer Alston, who scored 20 points. "We were able to get down the floor, push it, a lot of pick and roll, which is our game.
"The bad thing is we shot 62 and a half percent and almost lost the game, so we've got to find a way to defend these guys."
The Magic squandered a nine-point lead midway through the fourth quarter but held on for their first victory of an NBA Finals series.
"I've said it throughout the season and throughout these playoffs, the one thing that you can't question with our team is their resilience in situations like that, whether it's from game to game, minute to minute, our team will keep playing," a delighted Magic coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters.
Two foul shots by Lakers forward Pau Gasol with 2:41 left tied the score at 99-99 but a jam by Mickael Pietrus and a foul shot by Alston gave the Magic a 102-99 lead.
With the Lakers trailing 104-102 Kobe Bryant committed a costly turnover and then fouled Pietrus, who sank two free throws with 28.7 left to clinch the Magic victory.
"It was disappointing," said Bryant, last year's Most Valuable Player who is looking for his fourth championship ring. "I'm used to coming through in those situations, the team trusts me to come through in those situations, and it just didn't happen tonight."
Bryant played his worst game of the series, hitting only 11 of 25 shots while misfiring on half of his 10 free throw attempts. He also committed an uncharacteristic four turnovers.
KOBE SHACKLED
The 30-year-old, 11-times All Star scored 31 points but was shut down for much of the final three quarters after torching the Magic for 17 points in the opening period.
"They really started coming hard to him," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. "Howard was consistently coming at him on shots, making it difficult. He never really got in rhythm again the same way."
Jackson said Bryant's poor foul shooting played a huge part in the loss.
"Those are the kinds of things that change a game," he said. "This is a very unusual thing, Kobe shooting five for 10 after hitting 14 in a row at the end of the game the other night. That's a difference maker." Continued...
Source: Reuters

Mickelson set for emotional PGA Tour return

MEMPHIS (Reuters) - World number two Phil Mickelson can expect an emotional welcome from players, caddies and fans when he returns to the PGA Tour for this week's St. Jude Classic.
The American left-hander has not competed since the Players Championship five weeks ago, having suspended his campaign last month after his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Mickelson has long been a fan favorite because of his spectacular shot-making and the amount of time he devotes to signing autographs and handing over golf balls to children.
His wife is also a popular figure on the U.S. circuit and the couple were overwhelmed by the support they received after news of Amy's cancer first broke.
"It is hard to describe how much the outpouring of support has meant to us," Mickelson said after the Tour's Wives Association urged players and their wives to wear pink during last month's Colonial Invitational in a "Pink Out" of breast cancer support.
"We both had tears rolling down our faces. That is such an incredibly thoughtful gesture, not only for Amy but for the 200,000 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer each year."
A three-times major winner, Mickelson is playing at the TPC Southwind in Memphis mainly to prepare for next week's U.S. Open in New York.
STRONG FIELD
The 38-year-old Californian heads a strong field in Memphis with four other players in the world's top 12.
Fourth-ranked Spaniard Sergio Garcia is competing, along with Swede Henrik Stenson (sixth), Ireland's Padraig Harrington (11th) and Colombian Camilo Villegas (12th).
Fellow American Justin Leonard is back in Tennessee to defend his title and, like Mickelson, he is using this week as an ideal warm-up for the U.S. Open.
"It's a good way to get ready," Leonard told reporters in the build-up to Thursday's opening round.
"Par is a good score and you've got to come here this week and grind out a lot of pars. That's certainly going to be part of the task next week.
"And I enjoy coming here," added the Texan, tournament champion in 2005 and again last year after he beat Australian Robert Allenby and South African Trevor Immelman in a playoff.
"It's laid back and obviously I like the golf course quite a bit."
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

Source: Reuters

U.S. judge suggests NHL could charge relocation fee

By David Schwartz and Phil Wahba
PHOENIX/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. bankruptcy judge said on Tuesday that the National Hockey League can probably charge the co-CEO of BlackBerry maker Research in Motion a relocation fee if he moves the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes team to Hamilton, Ontario.
Bankruptcy Judge Redfield Baum said the issue of a potential fee should be settled before deciding on whether the team can be relocated at all. If the fee is too high, the judge said, RIM co-CEO James Balsillie might withdraw his bid and the question would be moot.
Canadian billionaire Balsillie offered to buy the money-losing hockey team for $212.5 million in May when it filed for bankruptcy protection, on condition it be relocated to Hamilton, a city located between Toronto and Buffalo, N.Y.
But Balsillie, and the Coyotes owner, trucking magnate Jerry Moyes, have been facing off in court with the NHL, which has said it wants to keep the franchise in Phoenix by finding a local buyer.
Balsillie's offer is the only formal one submitted so far but the NHL has said there are four potential bidders committed to keeping the team in Arizona.
Balsillie's lawyer told the court the NHL had hinted it could charge as much as $100 million for the right to relocate the team; an amount he called unreasonable.
The NHL is unlikely to negotiate a relocation fee unless its board, made up of the owners of the league's franchises, approve such a move.
"We believe the judge is extremely well informed, and my hope is he comes to the right conclusion," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters.
The case is: in Re: Dewey Ranch Hockey LLC, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Arizona, No. 09-09488.
(Reporting by Phil Wahba in New York, and David Schwartz in Phoenix, editing by Leslie Gevirtz)

Source: Reuters

King of Queen's Roddick still class act on grass

By Kevin Fylan
LONDON (Reuters) - Andy Roddick needed just 55 minutes to swat away Kristof Vliegen at Queen's Club on Tuesday and remind everyone what a class act he is on grass.
The American, four-times champion at Queen's, seamlessly make the adjustment from clay and swept past his Belgian opponent 6-1 6-4 in the second round.
"Coming from clay to grass is one of the happiest days of my year," Roddick told reporters. "I don't have to make a lot of adjustments to my game to play on this surface."
Roddick comes into the grasscourt season on the back of his best performance at Roland Garros, having made it into the second week before losing to Gael Monfils in the fourth round.
The 26-year-old left Paris complaining about poor visibility and the conditions were scarcely any better on a drizzly, overcast day in London.
It must have been the bright green grass that lifted Roddick's mood as he overwhelmed Vliegen, returning beautifully and passing the Belgian seemingly at will.
The second set was scrappier but Roddick's serve was never troubled and he eventually broke for 5-4, thanks to a bad volley from Vliegen, before serving out for the win.
"I just wanted to get it done before it had a chance to rain," smiled Roddick, the world number six.
He will next face either Australian Lleyton Hewitt, another four-times winner at Queen's and Wimbledon champion in 2002, or unseeded Portuguese Frederico Gil.
CLOSE CALLS
Roddick has never won Wimbledon, with two defeats in the final against Roger Federer the closest he has come.
"I'm playing a lot better now than in years past," Roddick said. "I've been getting deeper into tournaments more consistently. And I do love this surface."
Fellow Americans James Blake and Mardy Fish followed Roddick into the last 16. Sixth seed Blake saw off the Croat Ivan Ljubicic 6-2 7-6 and eighth seed Fish beat Michael Llodra of France 5-7 7-6 6-3.
On a good day for the U.S., Sam Querrey overcame South African Kevin Anderson 7-5 6-3 to join his compatriots.
Sebastien Grosjean's comeback from a shoulder injury was cut short when he was forced to retire trailing 6-2 2-1 to Juan Carlos Ferrero in a first-round match. Continued...
Source: Reuters