INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jeff Teague scored a playoff career-high 28 points and Paul Millsap added 25 as eighth-seeded Atlanta rolled past top-seeded Indiana 101-93 on Saturday night, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Golden State Warriors stumbled out of the gate, missing their first eight shots while falling behind by 11 points and forcing coach Mark Jackson to call two timeouts to steady his young team.

TORONTO (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets made a case for the important of playoff experience in their opening victory over the Toronto Raptors.

TORONTO (AP) — Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri let loose a profanity about the Brooklyn Nets during a pregame address meant to pump up a group of fans outside Air Canada Centre before Saturday's opening game of the NBA playoffs.

BOSTON (AP) — Shalane Flanagan grew up in nearby Marblehead with a reverence for the Boston Marathon and dreamed, like many locals and foreign runners alike, that she would win the race someday.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko and St. Louis were in trouble Saturday before a vicious hit by Chicago defenseman Brent Seabrook provided an opening for the Blues.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bryce Harper hit the ball to the mound, jogged to first base and took a right turn to the dugout before getting halfway down the basepath.

MIAMI (AP) — If the Miami Heat are going to watch their season and reign atop the NBA end at the hands of the Charlotte Bobcats, then fates of the franchises will have to change in a hurry.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Luke Donald believes he's got the right game on the right course — and is ready to make up for so many near-misses at the RBC Heritage.

TORONTO (AP) — Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri let loose a profanity during a pregame address meant to pump up a group of Raptors fans outside Air Canada Centre before Saturday's opening game of the NBA playoffs.

Hilton Head Island (United States) (AFP) - England's Luke Donald fired a five-under par 66 to take a two-shot lead after three rounds of the US PGA Tour's Heritage. Donald went into the round with a share of fourth place behind the leading trio of K.J. Choi, Jim Furyk and Ben Martin, who topped the leaderboard after the storm-disrupted second round was completed on Saturday morning. Donald, who has two runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes in his past five starts in the $5.8 million event, had an eight-under total of 205 going into Sunday's final round. American John Huh carded his second straight 68 at Harbour Town Golf Links to move into second place on 207.

(Reuters) - Former world number one Luke Donald, back in form after revamping his swing, closed strongly to earn a two-stroke lead after the third round at the $5.8 million RBC Heritage in South Carolina on Saturday. Donald, who has a dazzling record of consistency at the post-Masters event, birdied the par-three 17th and had a tap-in par at the last to card an impressive five-under-par 66. I just felt I was going to play well and obviously I did," the quiet Englishman told Golf Channel after posting an eight-under 205 total. Americans Jim Furyk, Nicholas Thompson and Ben Martin and South African Charl Schwartzel are three strokes behind, while Matt Kuchar is in contention for the fourth successive week among a five-strong group on four under and ready to pounce if Donald stumbles on Sunday.

* Comfortable Donald looking to finally win at Heritage * Kuchar in contention, again (Updates to end of third round) April 19 (Reuters) - Former world number one Luke Donald, back in form after revamping his swing, closed strongly to earn a two-stroke lead after the third round at the $5.8 million RBC Heritage in South Carolina on Saturday. I just felt I was going to play well and obviously I did," the quiet Englishman told Golf Channel after posting an eight-under 205 total. Americans Jim Furyk, Nicholas Thompson and Ben Martin and South African Charl Schwartzel are three strokes behind, while Matt Kuchar is in contention for the fourth successive week among a five-strong group on four under and ready to pounce if Donald stumbles on Sunday.

April 19 (Infostrada Sports) - Scores from the U.S. PGA Tour Heritage Classic at the par-71 course on Saturday in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 205 Luke Donald (Britain) 70 69 66 207 John Huh (U.S.) 71 68 68 208 Jim Furyk (U.S.) 71 66 71 Ben Martin (U.S.) 69 68 71 Nicholas Thompson (U.S.) 70 70 68 Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 70 70 68 209 Brian Stuard (U.S.) 69 72 68 Brian Harman (U.S.) 69 71 69 Matt Kuchar (U.S.) 66 73 70 Matt Every (U.S.) 69 70 70 Russell Knox (Britain) 69 72 68 210 Scott Brown (U.S.) 70 69 71 Ted Potter Jr. (U.S.) 70 69 71 Richard Lee (U.S.) 70 69 71 Jason Kokrak ...

The Golden State Warriors overcame 21 turnovers to edge the Los Angeles Clippers 109-105 on Saturday and snatch home court advantage in their NBA Western Conference first-round series. Klay Thompson scored 22 points and pulled down seven rebounds as the Oakland, California-based Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. David Lee added 20 points for the Warriors and Stephen Curry added 20. The game was tied 52-52 at halftime, but the sixth-seeded Warriors outscored the Clippers 35-27 in the third quarter and led by as many as 11 in the fourth period.

By Steve Keating TORONTO (Reuters) - Sparked by a stinging expletive the NBA playoffs got off to an explosive start as the Brooklyn Nets landed the first blow in a suddenly bitter Eastern Conference first round match-up with a 94-87 win over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. Out of the playoffs since 2008, Toronto's return to the postseason was both eventful and controversial, upping the ante in the best-of-seven series. With A list celebrities, including rappers Drake, Jay-Z and Beyonce, occupying courtside seats, an embarrassing technical malfunction and a jaw-dropping expletive delivered by Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri to thousands of frenzied supporters at a pre-game pep rally, the first game of the NBA postseason offered a little bit over everything. A super-charged atmosphere greeted players and fans after allegations that the experienced Nets had tanked their final few regular season games to get a preferred match-up with the youthful Raptors rather than face the Chicago Bulls.

Toronto (Canada) (AFP) - Toronto general manager Masai Ujiri apologized Saturday for a foul-mouthed, fan-baiting speech at a rally prior to the Raptors' NBA playoff opener against the Brooklyn Nets. Ujiri, a Nigerian who was the first African-born general manager in the NBA and earned GM of the Year honors while with Denver, said he was trying to whip up the crowd outside the Air Canada Centre prior to Saturday's Eastern Conference clash when he concluded his remarks by shouting "F--- Brooklyn!"

Toronto (Canada) (AFP) - Paul Pierce found his form in the final minutes, sparking the Brooklyn Nets over the Toronto Raptors 94-87 Saturday in the opening game of their NBA first-round playoff series. Pierce scored nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter as the Nets took a road win to launch the best-of-seven Eastern Conference matchup. Kevin Garnett, who won an NBA crown with Pierce in Boston and joined him in being traded to Brooklyn, scored his first basket of the game with 3:38 remaining to give the Nets a 79-76 lead. Pierce followed with a 3-pointer and the 36-year-old playmaker added a layup and a pair of jumpers, scoring nine Nets points in a row as part of a game-ending 19-11 run for the triumph.

Leading outfielder Frederich Cepeda has become the first player from the Cuban baseball league to sign for a Japanese professional team since the communist government relaxed its player rules last year. The 34-year-old Cepeda, who has played in three World Classics, is set to travel to Tokyo next month after signing a one-year contract with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Central League, Cuban state Radio Rebelde said on Saturday. "During the national series, the (Japanese) team's manager (Tatsunori Hara) saw me playing here as an outfielder.

(Reuters) - Americans Jim Furyk and Ben Martin joined South Korean K.J. Choi in the lead when the second round of the $5.8 million RBC Heritage was completed on Saturday. Furyk and Martin, among half the field unable to finish the round on Friday before bad weather struck, took advantage of favorable scoring conditions at Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island. With the course softened by torrential rain Friday and overnight and with the wind down, 2010 champion Furyk carded a bogey-free five-under-par 66, while Martin shot a 68. They matched Choi, who finished his round on Friday, at five-under 137, two shots ahead of a large group including joint first round pacesetter Matt Kuchar and England's Luke Donald (69).

Americans Jim Furyk and Ben Martin joined South Korean K.J. Choi in the lead when the second round of the $5.8 million RBC Heritage was completed on Saturday. Furyk and Martin, among half the field unable to finish the round on Friday before bad weather struck, took advantage of favorable scoring conditions at Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island. With the course softened by torrential rain Friday and overnight and with the wind down, 2010 champion Furyk carded a bogey-free five-under-par 66, while Martin shot a 68. They matched Choi, who finished his round on Friday, at five-under 137, two shots ahead of a large group including joint first round pacesetter Matt Kuchar and England's Luke Donald (69).

Hilton Head Island (United States) (AFP) - Americans Jim Furyk and Ben Martin matched South Korea's K.J. Choi for the lead on Saturday after the conclusion of the storm-halted second round of the $5.8 million US PGA Heritage tournament.

April 19 (Infostrada Sports) - Scores from the European Tour Malaysian Open at the par-72 course on Saturday in Kuala Lumpur 202 Lee Westwood (Britain) 65 66 71 203 Andy Sullivan (Britain) 70 67 66 206 Julien Quesne (France) 68 69 69 207 Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) 66 69 72 208 Rikard Karlberg (Sweden) 72 69 67 Ricardo Santos (Portugal) 67 71 70 Masahiro Kawamura (Japan) 68 70 70 Danny Willett (Britain) 70 66 72 Eduardo De La Riva (Spain) 69 68 71 Garth Mulroy (South Africa) 71 68 69 209 Tom Lewis (Britain) 70 71 68 Scott Jamieson (Britain) 68 71 70 Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 72 68 69 210 ...

Nick Calathes, a Greek rookie backup guard for the Memphis Grizzlies, was suspended 20 games without pay Friday by the NBA for a doping violation, the league announced. Only minutes before the opening day of the playoffs, the NBA revealed that Calathes would be banished after testing positive for tamoxifen, a banned substance found in a supplement he had been taking. The suspension for Calathes will begin with Saturday's playoff opener for the Grizzlies at Oklahoma City. Last season, Memphis upset Oklahoma City in the playoffs.

LeBron James and his Miami Heat teammates seek their third title in a row and fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals starting with their playoff opener Sunday against Charlotte. But it will be the league-best San Antonio Spurs and Eastern Conference pace-setter Indiana that carry the top seedings and home-court edges throughout the NBA playoffs that begin Saturday. Attention will focus on four-time NBA Most Valuable Player James and Miami's bid to defend the crown once again.

(Reuters) - South Korean K.J. Choi wielded a hot putter to vault into the lead before torrential rain and strong winds halted the second round at the $5.8 million RBC Heritage in South Carolina on Friday. Choi made use of his advantageous early tee time, holing out three times from outside 20 feet on his way to a four-under-par 67 to post a five-under 137 halfway total at Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island. Australian Robert Allenby was best of those whose rounds were interrupted, one stroke behind Choi after completing just five holes. His halfway score was two shots better than Englishman Luke Donald (69) and Americans Billy Hurley (69) and Scott Langley (73).

By Mark Lamport-Stokes LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Considered by many to be the 'Renaissance man' in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Spanish forward Pau Gasol is delighted finally to be the sole architect of his 'revival' as he eyes his playing future. The 33-year-old from Barcelona has faced more than his fair share of trade rumors since joining the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2008 but now he can plot his own way forward with free agency looming in July. Gasol has long been regarded as one of the most skilled and versatile players in the league but he endured a frustrating 2013-14 campaign during which he and Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni repeatedly disagreed on team strategy. "I'm in charge of my future and destiny and I will listen to the possibilities on the table," double NBA champion Gasol, who had his Lakers exit interview at the team's El Segundo practice facility on Thursday, told reporters.

For the first time in NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks are all absent from the playoffs in the same season. While that will not break any hearts for the 16 clubs who begin their championship quests this weekend, it does leave three of the most iconic franchise in NBA history struggling in search of a new direction. "As a whole, the season was very disappointing for everybody," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. The Lakers went 27-55, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2005 and only the sixth season in team history.

Lee Westwood stretched his lead at the Malaysian Open on Friday, putting on a clinic with his irons as the Englishman moved closer to ending a nearly two-year title drought. Westwood notched a six-under 66 on day two to move to 13-under at the tournament's half-way point, four strokes clear of Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts and Antonio Lascuna of the Philippines. Precise wedge play put Westwood in position to sink five birdie putts from within four feet (one metre) on the front nine at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. "I'm playing a lot better since I started working with Mike Walker about six or seven weeks ago.

(Reuters) - Lee Westwood surged four shots clear at the halfway stage of the European Tour's Malaysian Open on Friday after an eventful second round where Spain's Pablo Larrazabal was forced to dive into a lake to avoid a swarm of hornets. Filipino Antonio Lascuna and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts were his nearest challengers at nine-under. Westwood matched his eight-birdie opening round again on Friday but was pulled back by a double-bogey on the 11th hole at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club with his tee-shot ending in the water. The water proved a haven for Spain's Larrazabal, though, as he encountered the "scariest" moment of his career when he had to dive into a lake after being attacked by hornets on the fifth hole.

Lee Westwood surged four shots clear at the halfway stage of the European Tour's Malaysian Open on Friday after an eventful second round where Spain's Pablo Larrazabal was forced to dive into a lake to avoid a swarm of hornets. Filipino Antonio Lascuna and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts were his nearest challengers at nine-under. Westwood has been without a win since claiming the 2012 Nordea Masters in Sweden and the trophy-less spell has seen his world ranking slip to 36. Westwood matched his eight-birdie opening round again on Friday but was pulled back by a double-bogey on the 11th hole at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club with his tee-shot ending in the water.

Kapolei (United States) (AFP) - Angela Stanford nabbed eight birdies in an eight-under par 64 to grab the second-round lead at the LPGA Lotte Championship. Stanford, a five-time LPGA Tour winner, improved her score from the first round by eight shots, her eight-under par total of 136 giving her a one-stroke lead over fellow American Michelle Wie. World number one Park In-Bee of South Korea, seeking her first title of 2014, carded a 68 to head a group on 138 that also included seventh-ranked South Korean Ryu So-Yeon, 16-time LPGA winner Cristie Kerr and South Korea's Kim Hyo-Joo, who is playing on a sponsor's exemption. Stanford strung together five straight birdies on the third through seventh holes, then bagged another three straight birdies at 11, 12 and 13 en route to the halfway lead in the $1.7 million tournament.

(Reuters) - Seattle Mariners prospect Choi Ji-man has been suspended for 50 games after the first baseman tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug, Major League Baseball said on Thursday. South Korean Choi was on the Mariners' 40-man roster and was hitting .394 with one home run and five RBIs in 10 games for the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate Tacoma this season. The 22-year-old, who signed with the Mariners in 2009, tested positive for methandienone and his suspension was effective immediately, MLB said. "I do not know what I could have taken that caused me to test positive," Choi said in a statement.

Hilton Head Island (United States) (AFP) - Matt Kuchar carried on his good form from the Masters to fire a five-under par 66 for a share of the first-round lead at the $5.8 million US PGA Heritage. Fellow Americans Scott Langley and William McGirt, each seeking a first tour triumph, were level with Kuchar after 18 holes at Harbour Town, two shots ahead of Harris English. Jordan Spieth, the 20-year-old talent who shared second-place honors at Augusta National last week, was in a pack of 15 players on 69. Four days after briefly sharing the lead in the final round of the Masters with Spieth and eventual winner Bubba Watson, world number six Kuchar was back in contention just a few hours down the road.

By Mark Lamport-Stokes LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The title of the historical novel "Quo Vadis" is an apt question for frustrated Los Angeles Lakers fans to ask of players and coaches after the team's nightmare 2013-14 NBA campaign came to an end. Written by Pole Henryk Sienkiewicz in 1895, the novel borrows its title from the biblical query "Quo vadis Domine?", Latin for "Where are you going, Lord?", and the future destination of the Lakers franchise is certainly up for debate. Granted the team were severely hampered by multiple injuries throughout the season but, as 16-time NBA champions, they are held to a lofty standard by their supporters who could not believe their eyes as one low after another was posted. The Lakers plunged embarrassing new depths as they finished the regular season well under .500 with a 27-55 record, having never before lost so many games in a single campaign, and they were eliminated from playoff contention a month ago.

(Reuters) - Matt Kuchar shrugged off his Masters near-miss last week to share the lead after the opening round of the RBC Heritage in South Carolina on Thursday. Kuchar, who contended in Sunday's final round at Augusta National before slipping back into a tie for fifth, put that disappointment behind him and shot a five-under-par 66 on a cool, breezy morning at Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island. "Once I got out there this morning, I was ready to go," the six-times PGA Tour winner told Golf Channel after finishing in style with a 15-foot birdie on his final hole, the par-four ninth. Kucher ended the round level with fellow Americans William McGirt and Scott Langley, both of whom played in the warmer and less difficult conditions of the afternoon.

* Kuchar fires a 66 for three-way tie at the top * Is only morning starter to break 69 (Updates at end of round) April 17 (Reuters) - Matt Kuchar shrugged off his Masters near-miss last week to share the lead after the opening round of the RBC Heritage in South Carolina on Thursday. Kuchar, who contended in Sunday's final round at Augusta National before slipping back into a tie for fifth, put that disappointment behind him and shot a five-under-par 66 on a cool, breezy morning at Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island. "Once I got out there this morning, I was ready to go," the six-times PGA Tour winner told Golf Channel after finishing in style with a 15-foot birdie on his final hole, the par-four ninth.

Seattle Mariners first baseman Choi Ji-Man was suspended for 50 games without pay by Major League Baseball on Thursday after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance. Choi was added to the Mariners' 40-man roster in November but has started this season with Seattle's top developmental club, the Tacoma Rainiers, based near the Mariners in Washington state. In 10 games this season, Incheon-born Choi batted .394 with one home run and five runs batted in while walking seven times and striking out six in 33 plate appearances. The Mariners fell to 7-8 this season with an 8-6 loss Thursday at Texas, their third loss in a row to the Rangers.

US college freshman stars Jabari Parker and James Young said Thursday they will skip their final three seasons of collegiate play and declared themselves eligible for June's NBA Draft. Parker, a forward, led Duke University to a 26-9 season, averaging 19.1 points, 8.7 rebounds 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocked shots a game. He became the first freshman to lead the Blue Devils in scoring and rebounds for a season. He is the epitome of what you would want a basketball player to be," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

A man in Florida has been charged with witness tampering and obstruction of justice in a gun-trafficking case linked to the murder trial of ex-National Football League star Aaron Hernandez, authorities said on Thursday. Oscar Hernandez, who is not related to former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, was arrested on Wednesday and will be brought to Massachusetts to face the charges, the U.S. attorney's office in Boston said in a statement. Aaron Hernandez has been in jail since June on charges he and two associates fatally shot semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd near his home in North Attleboro, Massachusetts. Authorities investigating Lloyd's murder found three guns that they determined were bought in Florida in April 2013.