Magic Oust Cavs, Rockies Fire Hurdle, Diamondbacks Win In Extras

In Orlando, the Orlando Magic beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-90 to win the Eastern Conference Finals four games to two and advance to the NBA Finals. This will be the Magic's first trip to the NBA Finals since 1995, where they were swept by the Houston Rockets. Dwight Howard had his best game of the series and the playoffs, scoring a team-high 40 points and a team-high 14 rebounds. Rashard Lewis contributed 18 points in the win. Lebron James led the Cavaliers with 25 points and seven assists, but it was his worst game of the series. The Magic will now play the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, with Game 1 on Thursday June 4.

In Arizona, the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 in 11 innings. Javier Vazquez was the starter for the Braves and he gave up one earned run in six and a third innings pitched. Doug Davis was the starter for the Diamondbacks and he gave up two runs in seven innings. Kelly Johnson and Garrett Anderson had RBI doubles in the third inning to put them ahead 2-0. The Diamondbacks tied the game in the seventh inning with RBIs from Ryan Roberts and Chris Young. Eric Byrnes had the game-winning RBI with his single in the 11th inning.

Colorado Rockies' manager Clint Hurdle was fired, just two years after leading the Rockies to the World Series in 2007. The Rockies started this season 18-28 from failed starting pitching and unreliable hitting. The Rockies best hitter last year, Matt Holliday, was traded to the Oakland Athletics in the offseason. Their best pitcher, Jeff Francis, is missing the entire 2009 season with shoulder surgery in March. Except for that 2007 season, when their record was 90-73, the Rockies have had losing seasons with Hurdle as their manager. Bench coach Jim Tracy will take over as the manager.

Lakers Advance To Finals, Mets Win in Extras

In Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 119-92 to win the series four games to two in the Western Conference Finals and advance to the NBA Finals for the second straight year. Kobe Bryant had a double-double, leading the Lakers with 35 points and 10 assists. Pau Gasol contributed 20 points and a team-high 12 rebounds and Lamar Odom also scored 20 points. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 25 points and J.R. Smith had a good game with 24 points, but it wasn't nearly enough to handle the Lakers, who were effective throughout the whole game. The Lakers will play either the Orlando Magic or the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

In New York, the New York Mets beat the Florida Marlins 2-1 in 11 innings. Mike Pelfrey, the starter for the Mets, and Sean West, the starter for the Marlins were very effective. West pitched seven innings and gave up one run, and Pelfrey pitched seven and two-thirds innings and gave up one run as well. The one run from the Marlins came from a sacrifice fly from Dan Uggla in the fourth inning. Omir Santos produced both runs for the Mets. In the fifth inning, he hit a solo home run, and in the 11th inning, he hit the game-winning RBI single. The Mets' record improves to 27-20.

Cavs Stay Alive, Dodgers Edge Cubs

In Cleveland, the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Orlando Magic 112-102 in Game 5 to bring the series within 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Game 5 started the way Games 1 and 2 started. The Cavaliers jumped out to an early big lead, but the Magic stormed back very quickly. This time around, however, the Cavaliers were able to close the game out. Lebron James had a triple-double for the Cavaliers, scoring 37 points, grabbing 14 rebounds, and dishing out 12 assists. Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic with 29 points and grabbed six rebounds. Dwight Howard scored 24 points and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds before fouling out. Game 6 is Saturday in Orlando.

In Chicago, the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 in a rematch of their NLDS matchup last postseason. With the win, the Dodgers improved their record to 34-15, which is the best in the majors. The Dodgers got an early 2-0 lead on RBIs from Rafael Furcal and Casey Blake. Dodgers' starter Randy Wolf pitched a good game, only giving up one run and six hits in seven innings. The one run given up by Wolf was a home run by Bobby Scales in the eighth inning. Dodgers' reliever Ramon Troncoso came in to relieve Wolf and pitched two innings for the save. Cubs' pitcher Randy Wells was good as well, giving up two runs in seven innings. However, those two runs were enough for the Dodgers and Wells got the loss.

Lakers Take 3-2 Series Lead, Orioles Rally To Beat Blue Jays

In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 103-94 to take a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference Finals. Lamar Odom had a great game for the Lakers, scoring 19 points and a team-high 14 rebounds. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers in points with 22 points and in assists with eight. Andrew Bynum was the only starter not in double figures, and overall, five players were in double figures. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 31 points, and also had four rebounds and four assists. Nene led the Nuggets in rebounding with eight. Game 6 is Friday in Denver.

In Baltimore, the Baltimore Orioles beat the Toronto Blue Jays 12-10 in 11 innings after trailing for much of the game. The Blue Jays led 8-3 entering the bottom of the eighth inning when the Orioles rallied with five runs in the inning to tie the game at eight. The game went into extra innings tied at eight. In the 11th inning, Aaron Hill hit a two-run home run to put the Blue Jays up 10-8. In the bottom half of the 11th inning, the Orioles came right back. Luke Scott made it a one-run game with his RBI single, and then Nolan Reimold ended it with a game-winning three-run home run. Brian Wolfe gave up the game-winning home run and therefore got the loss for the Blue Jays, despite a good outing from Roy Halladay.

Magic Take Commanding Series Lead, D'Backs and A's Win Close One

In Orlando, the Orlando Magic took a commanding 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-114 in overtime in Game 4. The Cavaliers were up 98-97 when Rashard Lewis of the Magic hit a three-pointer with about five seconds remaining. Lebron James of the Cavaliers extended the game into overtime after he was fouled and hit two free throws to tie it. Dwight Howard led the Magic with 27 points and 14 rebounds, and Rafer Alston scored 26 points for the Magic. Lebron James led the Cavaliers with 44 points and 12 rebounds in defeat. Game 5 is Thursday in Cleveland.

In Phoenix, the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 6-5, after almost blowing a big lead. The Diamondbacks went into the top of the eighth inning leading 6-0 when the Padres' bats came alive. Chris Burke, Chase Headley, and Kevin Kouzmanoff all had RBIs in the eighth inning when they scored four runs. In the ninth inning, Scott Hairston hit into a double play but it scored the run to bring the game to 6-5. Juan Gutierrez was able to stop the Padres' rally and get the save for the Diamondbacks.

In Oakland, the Oakland Athletics beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 after trailing for most of the game. The Athletics were down 3-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Mike Sweeney and Russell Branyan had RBI hits in the first inning and Ichiro Suzuki had an RBI hit in the seventh inning. However, the Athletics were able to score four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the game-winning RBIs coming from Jason Giambi. Giambi hit a two-RBI single with the Athletics trailing 3-2 to give them the 4-3 lead, which ended up being the final score.

Nuggets Even Series, Indians Rally To Beat Rays

In Denver, the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 120-101 to even the Western Conference Finals at two games apiece. Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith led the Nuggets with 24 points each, and seven players altogether were in double figures. Kenyon Martin led the team with 15 rebounds, and Chris Andersen grabbed 14 rebounds and Nene had 13 rebounds. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 34 points and also grabbed seven rebounds. Pau Gasol scored 21 points and had a team-high 10 rebounds. Game 5 will be Wednesday in Los Angeles.

In Cleveland, the Cleveland Indians rallied in the ninth inning to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 11-10. The Indians entered the bottom of the fourth inning down 10-0. It looked as if all hope was lost at that point. They were able to score two runs in that fourth inning, and two more in the eighth inning. They went into the bottom of the ninth down 10-4 when they were able to score seven runs for the incredible win. Ryan Garko hit a three-run home run down 10-5 to make it a 10-8 game, and Garko had 5 RBIs altogether in the game. Victor Martinez hit a two RBI single with the Indians down a run to win the game for them. Jason Isringhausen, who gave up the winning hit to Martinez, was hit with the loss.

Magic Beat Cavs, Phils Top Yanks, Marlins Beat Rays

In Orlando, the Orlando Magic beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 99-89 to take a two games to one lead in the Eastern Conference Finals. Dwight Howard led the Magic with 24 points, and also grabbed nine rebounds. This was the first time this playoffs he didn't grab at least ten rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic in rebounds with ten. Lebron James led the Cavaliers with 41 points, and also had seven rebounds and a team-high nine assists. Zydrunas Ilgauskas had a team-high nine rebounds. Game 4 is Tuesday in Orlando.

In New York, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Yankees 4-3 in 11 innings to win the three-game series. The game went into the bottom of the ninth with the Phillies ahead 3-2. Brad Lidge of the Phillies came in again and blew a save. He gave up an RBI single to Melky Cabrera that scored Ramiro Pena to tie the game at three. The Yankees had a chance to win the game in the 10th inning but they didn't get it done. Carlos Ruiz had an RBI double in the top of the 11th inning for the winning run.

In Miami, the Florida Marlins beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 in 11 innings off of Ross Gload's RBI single. The Rays were down 4-3 in the eighth inning when Jason Bartlett hit a solo home-run to tie the game at four. James Shields of the Rays and Josh Johnson of the Marlins were serviceable in their starts for their teams. Shields gave up four runs in six and two-thirds innings, striking out seven. Johnson was better, giving up three runs in seven innings and also striking out seven as well.

Lakers Go Up 2-1, Yankees Rally To Beat Phillies

In Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 103-97 in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals to go up two games to one. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 41 points and also had a team-high five assists. Pau Gasol also contributed 20 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 21 points, and Chauncey Billups had 18 points and a team-high seven assists. The game was close throughout, and mental mistakes cost the Nuggets a potential victory. Game 4 is Monday in Denver.

In New York, the New York Yankees beat the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 after rallying in the ninth inning off of Phillies' closer Brad Lidge. The Phillies entered the bottom of the ninth inning leading 4-2. John Mayberry hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning to put them ahead 4-1. The Phillies brought in Lidge in the ninth and he gave up a two-run home run to Alex Rodriguez to tie it at four. Melky Cabrera later hit the game-winning single to win it. Lidge got the loss for the Phillies, while Jose Veras got the win in relief for the Yankees.

Cavs Top Magic In Thriller, Braves and Rangers Win Close One

In Cleveland, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Orlando Magic 96-95 in Game 2 to tie the series at one game apiece. With the game tied at 93, the Magic's Hedo Turkoglu gave the Magic a 95-93 lead with a jumper with one second remaining. It was looking as if Orlando was going home up 2-0. The next play, Lebron James of the Cavaliers hit a game-winning three pointer as time expired to give them the win. James led the Cavaliers with 35 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 15 rebounds and 12 points. Rashard Lewis led the Magic with 23 points and Dwight Howard grabbed 18 rebounds. Game 3 is Sunday in Orlando.

In Atlanta, the Atlanta Braves beat the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 in a good pitching battle. Roy Halladay was the pitcher for the Blue Jays, and he tossed seven shutout innings and striking out six. Kenshin Kawakami was the starter for the Braves and he pitched eight innings of shutout ball and struck out seven batters. The lone run of the game came in the eighth inning, when Casey Kotchman hit a sacrifice fly that drove in Matt Diaz. Jesse Carlson got the loss and Kawakami got the win.

In Houston, the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 6-5 in 10 innings. Nelson Cruz hit a solo home run in the 10th inning for the Rangers to put them ahead and provide the winning score. Elvis Andrus, who is a rookie, hit a home run and scored a run in the game for the Rangers. Rookie pitcher Derek Holland pitched five and two-thirds innings, giving up three and striking out five. LaTroy Hawkins, who gave up the home run to Cruz in the 10th inning, was hit with the loss. Frank Francisco pitched a scoreless 10th for the save.

Nuggets Stun Lakers, Twins Rout White Sox

In Los Angeles, the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 106-103 to tie their series up at one game apiece. This game ended similarly to Game 1, but this time, the Nuggets came out on top. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 34 points and nine rebounds. Chauncey Billups contributed 27 points and Linas Kleiza scored 16 points off the bench after not playing in Game 1. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 32 points, and Pau Gasol scored 17 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. Game 3 is Saturday in Denver.

In Chicago, the Minnesota Twins routed the Chicago White Sox 20-1 in the worst defeat in White Sox history. Joe Mauer of the Twins hit a grand slam and had six RBIs altogether. Matt Tolbert had four RBIs, including a three-run home run that got the Twins their 20th and final run of the ball game. Bartolo Colon was the pitcher for the White Sox, and he was dismal. He only lasted two innings and gave up eight runs, although only one of them was an earned run. The White Sox finally scored in the eighth inning from Carlos Quentin's RBI single. After the game, San Diego Padres' pitcher Jake Peavy rejected a trade from the White Sox. The White Sox record fell to 17-23. The Twins' record improved to 19-23.

Magic Stun Cavs, Vick Released From Prison, Yankees Hit Three Consecutive Home Runs in Win

In Cleveland, the Orlando Magic beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 107-106 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals to take a 1-0 series lead. It was the first postseason loss for the Cavaliers and the third home loss all season for the Cavaliers, including regular season. Dwight Howard led the Magic with 30 points and 13 rebounds, and Rashard Lewis came up huge with 22 points and the game-winning three point field goal with 14 seconds left. Lebron James scored a playoff-high 49 points, but the rest of his teammates didn't come through. Game 2 is Friday in Cleveland.

Michael Vick, former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, was released from prison after serving 21 months of his 23 months in a prison in Leavenworth, Kansas. Vick was sent to prison for his role in a dogfighting ring, which was investigated in 2007. Vick last played in the NFL for the Falcons in the 2006 season, and then he missed the 2007 and 2008 season dealing with the case and serving his time in prison. Vick will now be under home confinement until July 20, and then he will be free from federal custody.

In New York, the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 11-4 to win their eighth straight game. In the second inning of the game, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano, and Melky Cabrera hit three consecutive home runs off of pitcher Jeremy Guthrie to jump-start the Yankees eventual victory. Phil Hughes pitched well for the Yankees, having nine strikeouts in five innings for the win. Guthrie pitched seven innings, but gave up five runs for the loss. The Yankees improved their record to 23-17 with the win, while the Orioles fell to 16-24.

Lakers Take Game 1, Weeks Out For Season

In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 105-103 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Kobe Bryant was dominant, with 40 points to lead the Lakers to victory. 18 of his 40 points came in the fourth quarter. Carmelo Anthony scored 39 points to lead the Nuggets, and Chauncey Billups scored 18 and dished out eight assists. Anthony was very aggressive against the Lakers, but it wasn't enough to get them a victory. Game 2 is Thursday in Los Angeles.

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks is supposedly out for the season with a torn tendon is his left wrist. The injury happened in their weekend series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers wasted no time finding Weeks' replacement. They recalled Hernan Iribarren from the minor leagues to be Weeks replacement. Weeks is an important piece to a Brewers team who is in first place in the National League Central division. Weeks was also important in the Brewers' playoff appearance last year, their first since 1982.

Lakers and Magic Advance, Yankees Win Another Walk-Off

In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 89-70 in Game 7 to win their second round matchup 4-3. The Lakers jumped on the Rockets from the beginning of the game and the Rockets were never able to recover. Pau Gasol was overwhelming the Rockets, scoring 21 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. Trevor Ariza contributed 15 points and Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum scored 14 points. Aaron Brooks was the leading scorer for the Rockets, with only 13 points, which explains their offensive woes. The Lakers will play the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

In Boston, the Orlando Magic shocked a lot of people by beating the defending champion Boston Celtics 101-82 to win their second round matchup. The Magic took control early, but the Celtics were in striking distance for most of the way. The Magic further distanced themselves from the Celtics in the fourth quarter. Hedo Turkoglu had 25 points and 12 assists, while Dwight Howard grabbed 16 rebounds. For the Celtics, Ray Allen scored 23 points and Kendrick Perkins grabbed 15 rebounds. The Magic will now play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

In New York, the New York Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins again 3-2 in walk-off fashion, making it the third straight game that has happened. The game went ten innings, with Johnny Damon hitting the game-winning solo home run. The Yankees have won the first three games of this series by walk-offs, and the Yankees will go for the sweep on Monday. A.J. Burnett and Kevin Slowey pitched effective games, and the game went into extra innings tied at two. Alex Rodriguez homered again for the Yankees, giving him his third of his short season. The Yankees improved their record to 20-17, while the Twins' record fell to 18-20.

Yankees and Cubs Win Close One, Brewers Outduel Cards

In New York, the New York Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-4 in 11 innings. This was the second straight game between the two teams that ended from a walk-off hit. This time, Alex Rodriguez ended the game with a walk-off two-run home run. For the Twins, Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer, their two best players, each hit home runs. Mark Teixeira had four RBIs for the Yankees, including a three-run home run early in the game. Nick Blackburn got the start for the Twins and gave them seven and two-thirds innings, giving up four runs, while Joba Chamberlain of the Yankees gave them six innings and gave up two runs.

In Chicago, the Chicago Cubs beat the Houston Astros 5-4 off of a walk-off base hit from Alfonso Soriano. The Cubs went into the top of the ninth inning leading 4-0 when they blew the lead. Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee both homered for the Astros in the ninth, and Ivan Rodriguez had a two RBI single to tie the game. However, the Cubs were able to regroup and come back to win the game. Roy Oswalt got the start for the Astros, pitching six innings and giving up three runs. Randy Wells got the start for the Cubs, holding the Astros scoreless in his six innings pitched.

In St. Louis, the Milwaukee Brewers won a pitching duel, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0. The Brewers only had two hits the entire game, on the brilliant pitching of Adam Wainwright. The lone mistake he made, a home run given up to Corey Hart, was the difference in the game. Jeff Suppan pitched for the Brewers and he pitched seven scoreless innings, while scattering six hits. The Brewers' relief pitchers were also good, not giving up a single hit in two innings of work to preserve the win. The win for the Brewers puts them ahead of the Cardinals at 22-14, while the Cardinals' record stands at 21-15.

Tisdale Dies, Yankees and Rays Rally In Wins

Wayman Tisdale, who was just inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame this past year, has died. He was only 44 years old. Tisdale was drafted in the first round by the Indiana Pacers, after having a successful college career with the Oklahoma Sooners. He went on to have a 12-year NBA career with the Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. Tisdale retired in 1997, at the age of 33 to focus on his music career. Tisdale has been battling the cancer that took his life since 2007, and he got his left leg amputated in 2008.

In New York, the New York Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 5-4. The Yankees were down 4-2 going into the ninth inning against Joe Nathan, arguably the best closer in the game. The winning hit came from Melky Cabrera, who hit a two RBI double to drive in the final two runs. The win gave the Yankees their fifth win in seven games, and they're showing signs of climbing the standings after getting off to a rough start. Phil Hughes was the starter for the Yankees and he wasn't effective, giving up three runs in five innings. Francisco Liriano started for the Twins and only gave up one run, but threw a lot of pitches in six innings.

In St. Petersburg, the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Indians 8-7. Going into the bottom of the fourth inning, the Indians were ahead 7-0, and it was looking like they were cruising to victory. However, the Rays chipped away, scoring runs in the last four innings. The game-winning hit came from B.J. Upton, who hit a solo home run with the game tied at seven to win it. Scott Kazmir was the starter for the Rays, and gave up seven runs in only three innings. Anthony Reyes was the starter for the Indians, and he pitches five and a third, giving up three runs. Luis Vizcaino, who gave up the home run to Upton, was saddled with the loss.

Magic and Rockets Force Game 7, Angels Beat Red Sox in Extras

In Orlando, the Orlando Magic survived and forced a Game 7 against the Boston Celtics by winning 83-75 in Game 6. Dwight Howard was huge for the Magic, scoring 23 points and grabbing 22 rebounds. Rashard Lewis was also a main contributor for the Magic, scoring 20 points and grabbing six rebounds. Rajon Rondo came up huge for the Celtics, scoring 19 points and dishing out 16 assists. The Celtics were in control for most of the game, but they folded in the fourth quarter, only scoring 13 points. Game 7 will be in Boston on Sunday.

In Houston, the Houston Rockets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 95-80 to tie the series at three games and force a Game 7. Aaron Brooks led the Rockets with 26 points, and Luis Scola was a huge contributor with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Carl Landry scored 15 points off the bench for the Rockets. For the Lakers, Kobe Bryant led the team with 32 points, but wasn't as effective as he needed to be. Lamar Odom led the team with 14 rebounds, and also scored eight points. Game 7 is Sunday in Los Angeles.

In Anaheim, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 in 12 innings. David Ortiz was dreadful for the Red Sox, going 0-7 in the game and leaving 12 runners on base. His struggles in the season continue. Torii Hunter was productive for the Angels, with three RBIs. Jeff Mathis contributed the other two RBIs for the Angels, including the game-winning RBI with a single that drove in Reggie Willets. Ervin Santana and Brad Penny were the starters for the game, but none of them got decisions. Manny Delcarmen got the loss for the Red Sox, while Jason Bulger got the win.

Nuggets Advance, All-NBA Teams Announced, Twins Win In Extras

In Denver, the Denver Nuggets advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1985, beating the Dallas Mavericks 124-110 to win the series 4-1. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets with 30 points, and Chauncey Billups scored 28 points, dished out 12 assists and grabbed seven rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki was the Mavericks' best player again, scoring 32 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Jason Kidd also contributed 19 points and nine assists and Brandon Bass scored 17 points off the bench. The Nuggets will now play the winner of the series between the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers.

In Minnesota, the Minnesota Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 14-10 in 13 innings off of a walk-off grand slam from Joe Crede. The game went into extra innings tied at 9. In the top half of the 13th inning, it appeared the Tigers would win because Curtis Granderson scored a go-ahead run on Twins' pitcher Jesse Crain's balk. The Twins tied the game in the bottom half off of Matt Tolbert's RBI single. The bases would later be loaded, and Crede ended the game with his home run. Crain ended up being the winning pitcher, while pitcher Brandon Lyon was saddled with the loss.

The NBA announced their All-NBA First, Second and Third teams. MVP Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks, and Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic all were on the first team. Selected to the second team were Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets, Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers, Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs, Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics, and Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. Shaquille O'Neal of the Phoenix Suns was the only player selected to any team who didn't make the playoffs. O'Neal was selected to the third team.

Celtics Rally, Lakers Trash Rockets, Granger Wins Most Improved

In Boston, the Boston Celtics beat the Orlando Magic 92-88 to take a 3-2 series lead in their second round matchup. The Magic had a 10-point lead with 5:39 left in the fourth quarter when the Celtics stormed back and took the lead and take the game from the Magic. Glen "Big Baby" Davis led the Celtics with 22 points, and Paul Pierce contributed 19 points and nine rebounds. Kendrick Perkins led the Celtics with 11 rebounds. For the Magic, Rashard Lewis led the Magic with 19 points, and Hedo Turkoglu and Dwight Howard were valuable contributors also. Turkoglu had 18 points and seven assists, and Howard had 12 points and 17 rebounds. Game 6 is Thursday in Orlando.

In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Lakers trashed the Houston Rockets, beating them 118-78 to also take a 3-2 series lead in their matchup. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 26 points, in which he only scored in three quarters. He sat out the fourth quarter after the game was already in hand. Pau Gasol was also instrumental, scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. For the Rockets, Aaron Brooks led the Rockets with a paltry 14 points, which was one of the reasons they lost by so much. Luis Scola scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Game 6 is Thursday in Houston.

Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers has won the NBA's Most Improved Player award, beating out Devin Harris of the New Jersey Nets and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Granger averaged a career-high 25.8 points per game, which was fifth in the NBA. He also appeared in his first NBA All-Star Game this past season, being voted in by the coaches. Granger has improved his scoring average every year since he's been in the NBA, going from 7.6 points per game to his career best this year. Granger's success did not translate to success for the Pacers, who didn't make the playoffs this season with a 36-46 record.

Cavs Sweep Hawks, Mavs Survive, Braves Storm Late For Win

In Atlanta, the Cleveland Cavaliers completed another sweep, beating the Atlanta Hawks 84-74 in Game 4 of their second round matchup to win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Regular season MVP Lebron James had a good game for the Cavaliers, scoring 27 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dished out eight assists. Anderson Varejao was active on the boards, grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds. Josh Smith had a good game for the Hawks, scoring a team-high 26 points and also grabbing a team-high eight rebounds. The Cavaliers now await the winner of the second round matchup between the Orlando Magic and the Boston Celtics.

In Dallas, the Dallas Mavericks survived to play another game, beating the Denver Nuggets 119-117 to win their first game of the series. They now trail three games to one. Dirk Nowitzki carried the Mavericks to the finish, scoring 44 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, leading his team in both. Josh Howard also contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds. For the Nuggets, Carmelo Anthony was huge, scoring 41 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Chauncey Billups scored 24 points for the Nuggets. Game 5 is Wednesday in Denver.

In New York, the Atlanta Braves came up huge late in the game to beat the New York Mets 8-3. Johan Santana of the Mets and Derek Lowe of the Braves pitched good games for their teams, but the game was tied at one going into the seventh inning when the Braves scored four runs off of RBI hits from Casey Kotchman and Matt Diaz. The Braves scored seven runs in the final three innings to pull away from the Mets in the game. The Braves improved their record to 16-16, while the Mets' record now stands at 17-14.

Celtics Win Thriller, Rockets Top Lakers Without Yao, Blue Jays Go Atop AL

In Orlando, the Boston Celtics beat the Orlando Magic 95-94 in a thriller to even the series at two games apiece. Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 27 points and Rajon Rondo led them in rebounds with 14, but it was Glen "Big Baby" Davis who was heroic. Davis hit the game-winning jumper as time expired to give them the win, after relinquishing a nine-point lead with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter. Dwight Howard led the Magic with 23 points and 17 rebounds. Rashard Lewis also had a good game for the Magic, scoring 22 points. Game 5 is Tuesday in Boston.

In Houston, the Houston Rockets played surprisingly well in their game against the Los Angeles Lakers, beating them 99-87 to also even their series at two games apiece. Yao Ming, the Rockets' superstar, missed the game and will miss the rest of the playoffs with a broken foot. Rockets' guard Aaron Brooks led the Rockets with 34 points, and Luis Scola led them in rebounds with 14. Pau Gasol of the Lakers had a very productive game, leading his team in points with 30 and rebounds with nine. Kobe Bryant, Lakers' superstar, only scored 15 points in easily his worst game of the playoffs. Game 5 is Tuesday in Los Angeles.

In Oakland, the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Oakland Athletics 5-0 to win their 22nd game of the season, which gives them the best record in the American League. Brett Cecil of the Blue Jays pitched an excellent game, pitching eight innings and only giving up five hits and no runs in his second major league start. Alex Rios drove in three runs for the Blue Jays, as the Athletics struggle. Dallas Braden got the loss for the Athletics, whose loss brings their record to 11-18.