SPORTS - Johnson, Hawks stun Magic 103-93 in Game 1 (AP)

SPORTS - Johnson, Hawks stun Magic 103-93 in Game 1 (AP)

AP – Atlanta Hawks' Joe Johnson (2) takes the ball to the basket as he is guarded by Orlando Magic's Quentin …

By KYLE HIGHTOWER, Associated Press Kyle Hightower, Associated Press – 2 hrs 9 mins ago

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Atlanta Hawks' dominance over the Orlando Magic this year is not just a regular-season phenomenon.

For now, it also includes the postseason.

Joe Johnson scored 25 points, Jamal Crawford finished with 23 and Atlanta beat Orlando 103-93 in Game 1 of their playoff series on Saturday, overcoming a monster night by Dwight Howard.

Atlanta was eliminated by Orlando in last year's playoffs in the most lopsided four-game sweep in NBA history, but this one was much different. The Hawks led by as many as 18 points while running multiple bodies at Howard all night, and the rest of the Magic failed to step up.

"It's a seven-game series and anything can happen," Hawks coach Larry Drew said. "All I wanted us to come in here and do is play hard and maintain our composure. ... I could tell our guys were ready for tonight's game."

Howard tied a career high with 46 points, to go along with 19 rebounds. Jameer Nelson had 27 points but no other Orlando player reached double figures.

The Hawks had five players with at least 13 points, earning their fourth straight victory against the Magic and erasing the sting of a six-game losing streak to close the regular season. Al Horford scored 16, Josh Smith had 15 points and eight rebounds and Kirk Hinrich added 13 points.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Orlando.

"I think we just had to be excited about where we were," Johnson said. "We understood that we played this team four times this year and we won three of them. We're a confident group. I think the last six games of the season people kinda looked down on us because we lost all six. But now we have a plan. It's coming to fruition and we just have to go out and play together."

After shooting a dismal 36 percent in the first quarter, the Hawks connected on 30 of their final 52 attempts from the field. They also shot 6 of 14 from the 3-point line.

"No question it's different (from last year)," Horford said. "We're a different team this year. This year we feel much more confident."

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said Atlanta's strong shooting was too much to overcome and will be the focus of his adjustments going forward, along with reducing turnovers. The Magic had 18 giveaways that led to 21 Atlanta points.

The Hawks were in control throughout. They carried an 85-71 lead into the final period and caught a break when Howard was whistled for his fifth foul with 10:58 to play.

But even with Howard playing less aggressively underneath on defense, Orlando put together a 10-1 run that cut it to 92-83 with 4:40 left.

Howard banked in a hook shot with under two minutes remaining to make it 98-90. But a steal by Smith and 3-pointer by Crawford put the Magic back into scramble mode and Atlanta was able to play keepaway the rest of the game.

The Magic came out with some renewed offensive spirit in the opening minutes of the third, cutting Atlanta's lead to 57-53. The Hawks responded with an 11-0 run, aided by a string of Orlando possessions that produced either fouls or turnovers.

To compound matters, a few trips later Howard was hit with his fourth personal and a technical foul at the 5:37 mark for pulling Zaza Pachulia to the floor on a rebound attempt. Three straight free throws by the Hawks made it 71-54.

Nelson kept the Magic close, scoring Orlando's next 15 points to trim the edge to 80-69 with under two minutes to play in the period. He said there are no quick fixes to their woes in Game 1.

"I can't really put a finger on it right now," Nelson said.

The Hawks took a 55-48 advantage into the break, relying on hot shooting to keep them out in front for most of the half. Atlanta shot 55 percent overall, including a 14 of 17 from the field in the second quarter alone.

Howard went 16 for 23 from the field and 14 of 22 from the free-throw line, but he also had eight turnovers. Howard and Nelson combined for 26 of Orlando's 34 field goals.

Howard scored the Magic's first 12 points of the game and had 31 in the first half. His fellow starters and reserve Ryan Anderson combined to miss their first 10 field-goal attempts.

Hedo Turkoglu finally broke the scoring drought for Howard's teammates with a free throw at the 1:20 mark in the first quarter. And J.J. Redick picked up the first non-Howard field goal of the night a few trips later, dropping in a reverse layup off a behind-the-back pass from Gilbert Arenas in transition.

"It's frustrating that we lost," Howard said. "But it's the first game. ... We just need to keep playing."

NOTES: Howard's 31 points in the opening 24 minutes was a new first-half scoring high for the season. His previous best was 26 in the first half at Portland on Dec. 9, when the Magic lost 97-83. ... The 38 points the Magic gave up to the Hawks in the second quarter were the second-most points scored by an Orlando opponent in a half this season. ... During one stretch in the second and third quarters, Atlanta hit 18 of 24 shots from the field.

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SPORTS - Rose, Bulls rally past Pacers 104-99 in opener (AP)

SPORTS - Rose, Bulls rally past Pacers 104-99 in opener (AP)

AP – Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose drives to the basket against the Indiana Pacers during the first quarter …

By ANDREW SELIGMAN, AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman, Ap Sports Writer – Sat Apr 16, 5:27 pm ET

CHICAGO – Never mind what everyone else was thinking, Derrick Rose insisted he didn't expect the Chicago Bulls to roll over the Indiana Pacers.

They certainly didn't in Game 1.

Rose scored 39 points and found Kyle Korver for a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 48 seconds left, helping top-seeded Chicago stage a late rally to beat the Pacers 104-99 in their playoff opener on Saturday.

"We knew it was going to be a hard game," Rose said. "From the beginning I guess we weren't prepared for it. Next time I think we'll be ready."

For the Pacers, the loss was tough to accept. They controlled most of the game, but couldn't put it away.

They'd make little runs, Chicago would come back, and the Pacers would pull ahead again. With Rose staring at them, Danny Granger never felt safe.

"With Derrick Rose on the other team? No," Granger said. "With Derrick Rose on the other team, no. It's like a crazy stalker ex-girlfriend. Everytime you tell her you don't want to talk to her, she'll show up at your door again."

Trailing 98-88 in the final period, the Bulls showed the resolve that carried them to a league-best 62-20 record, closing with a 16-1 run over the final 3:38.

Rose scored seven during the impressive finish, including a three-point play and a floater that tied it at 99 with 1:27 left. He then hit Korver with a cross-court pass for a 3 that gave the Bulls their first lead at 102-99.

Danny Granger then missed a 3 and Joakim Noah got the rebound. Rose eventually hit two free throws with 14.8 seconds remaining.

Game 2 in this best-of-7 series is Monday night at the United Center.

Rose again showed why he is an MVP favorite even though he was off target. He missed each of his nine 3-point attempts but made 19 of 21 at the foul line and finished with six rebounds and six assists.

Luol Deng added 18 points and Korver finished with 13, no shot bigger than that 3.

Rose said an open 3 is "like a layup" for Korver, who credited the dynamic point guard for finding him.

"Derrick made a great read," Korver said. "If my man helps, he's going to kick it out to me. If he doesn't help, he's going to drive into the lane. That's why it's set up that way."

Granger led Indiana with 24 points, and Tyler Hansbrough shook off an elbow from Kurt Thomas to finish with 22. Darren Collison scored 17, but had just two in the second half, and the Pacers came up just short in their first playoff game in five years.

Even so, they gave the Bulls all they could handle.

With the Pacers leading by 10, Deng hit two free throws with 3:28 remaining to start the comeback. Noah followed with a tip-in and dunk to make it a four-point game, and the Bulls were on their way.

Exactly how far they'll go remains to be seen, but they're certainly aiming high after securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They won nine straight and 21 of 23 down the stretch, and anything less than a big run would be a big disappointment.

Meanwhile, the Pacers will try to shake this one off and figure out how a game that looked so promising ended in defeat.

"We put forth a good effort, but who cares?" Granger said. "It's 0-1."

The Pacers were concerned late in the third quarter when Hansbrough was elbowed by Thomas as he was trying to rebound a miss by Rose. Hansbrough stayed down for several minutes and, still woozy, had to take a seat in the tunnel.

He eventually walked to the locker room on his own power. He returned with 5:33 remaining, and it looked as if he might lead the Pacers to a win.

Instead, the Bulls came surging back, erasing that deficit after Hansbrough hit back-to-back jumpers and converted a three-point play to make it 98-88. Now, they can breathe a little easier after a hard, physical game.

"Right now I'm feeling good and can't wait to go eat," Rose said.

For Indiana?

"This one hurts real bad," Roy Hibbert said.

NOTES: Chicago held a 49-34 rebounding advantage. ... The Bulls went 53-12 after a 9-8 start. ... Former Bulls assistant Johnny Bach presented the game ball before the opening tip.

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SPORTS - Michael comes back strong in A&M spring game (AP)

SPORTS - Michael comes back strong in A&M spring game (AP)

AP – San Jose Sharks right wing Dany Heatley (15) is unable to score past Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan …

By JOSH DUBOW, AP Sports Writer Josh Dubow, Ap Sports Writer – 44 mins ago

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Drew Doughty had two goals and two assists, Jonathan Quick made 34 saves and the Los Angeles Kings beat the San Jose Sharks 4-0 in Game 2 on Saturday night to even their first-round series at one game apiece.

Jack Johnson and Kyle Clifford also scored for the Kings, who bounced back from an overtime loss in Game 1 to seize home-ice advantage heading back to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Tuesday night.

The Sharks took too many undisciplined penalties and were unable to generate many good offensive chances against Quick, drawing the ire of their usually supportive fans who booed the home team sporadically throughout the game. Antti Niemi allowed the four goals on 23 shots to lose for the first time in four postseason starts at the Shark Tank.

The Kings came into the game reeling a bit, having lost the opener 3-2 and then having talented center Jarret Stoll suspended for a hit from behind on Sharks defenseman Ian White in Game 1. That left Los Angeles without two of its top centers in Stoll and injured Anze Kopitar against one of the deeper teams in the NHL up the middle.

But Joe Thornton and the rest of the Sharks were unable to take advantage and San Jose was shut out in the playoffs for the first time since an overtime loss at Colorado in Game 3 of the first round to Craig Anderson and the Avalanche last season.

Quick did a good job stopping the initial shots by San Jose and gave the Sharks few rebound opportunities. The shutout by Quick was the first in the postseason for the Kings since Felix Potvin beat Colorado 1-0 in Game 5 of the first round in 2002.

Coach Terry Murray knew it would take contributions from many players for the absence of Stoll and Kopitar. Murray got that from Quick and a pair of talented, young defensemen who were inconsistent at times this season who came up with the biggest plays.

Johnson and Doughty each scored power-play goals in the first period and the Kings took control when Doughty blasted a forehand from just inside the blue line through a screen and past Niemi to make it 3-0 with 4:18 left in the second period.

Doughty became the first Los Angeles defenseman to score two goals in a playoff game since Hall of Famer Paul Coffey did it against Edmonton twice in 1992.

Clifford added a goal early in the third period, shortly after the Kings killed off a power play chance for San Jose.

After scoring just one power-play goal in the final seven regular season games, the Kings struck twice on the man advantage in the opening period after a pair of offensive zone penalties on the Sharks. Both times, the player who drew the penalty, responded with the goal in the ultimate form of payback.

The first undisciplined play came when Ben Eager slashed Johnson in a retaliatory move. Johnson capitalized with a blast from the point through a screen by Ryan Smyth to beat Niemi for his first career postseason goal.

Just a few minutes later, Ryane Clowe was called for elbowing Doughty, who responded with a blast from the high slot that gave the Kings a 2-0 lead with 4:17 remaining in the period.

NOTES: This was the fourth time the Sharks have been shut out at home in the playoffs, with the most recent coming against Anaheim in 2009. ... Dustin Penner, a big midseason acquisition by Los Angeles, has gone 14 straight games dating to the regular season without a point. ... D Justin Braun made his playoff debut for the Sharks in place of White. ... Oscar Moller got the nod for the Kings after the team was unable to get John Zeiler through re-entry waivers in time to be called up from the minors.

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SPORTS - Hall of Fame voters wait their turn to judge Bonds (AP)

SPORTS - Hall of Fame voters wait their turn to judge Bonds (AP)

AP – Former baseball player Barry Bonds leaves federal court Wednesday, April 13, 2011, in San Francisco, …

By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum, Ap Sports Writer – Sat Apr 16, 1:52 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO – While eight women and four men sat in the jury box preparing to judge Barry Bonds, another group that will evaluate the home run king was watching and listening in the federal courtroom, sitting on the wooden benches in the last five rows. Their votes will not be cast for 20 more months.

Several members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America attended the trial, myself among them. I was joined on nearly all the trial days by Gwen Knapp of the San Francisco Chronicle, Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News, T.J. Quinn of ESPN.com and Michael Martinez of Foxsportswest.com. Shortly after Thanksgiving 2012, we and the other 10-year veterans of the BBWAA will receive Hall of Fame ballots in the mail that for the first time will have Bonds' name with a small box next to it.

The jurors' evaluation was limited to the three weeks of testimony, and they had to decide whether Bonds was guilty of making false statements to a grand jury about his use of performance-enhancing drugs and whether he obstructed justice. They debated their decision with each other over four days, and unanimity was required. The standard they were required to use was "beyond a reasonable doubt," and they were given 14 pages of instructions. Ultimately, they convicted baseball's all-time home runs leader of obstruction and deadlocked on the other counts.

The writers' upcoming assessment is less structured.

The only specified standard is "Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played," with the addendum: "No automatic elections based on performances such as a batting average of .400 or more for one year, pitching a perfect game or similar outstanding achievement shall be permitted." While voters have the chance to speak with each other at ballparks, there is no formal forum for debate. Voters define the standards in their own ways, based on the limited guidance. A 75 percent vote is needed to gain election.

"The trial itself shouldn't really have changed anything for anybody," Quinn said. "I think if people are looking for a guilty verdict or an acquittal to give them some sort of a guide, that's a mistake. The reality is, he admitted to taking the drugs. The question is only whether he knowingly did it. A guilty verdict wouldn't have made it worse, and an acquittal wouldn't have erased that reality."

Bonds, a seven-time MVP, will appear on the ballot for the first time with seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens, who is scheduled for trial in July over his own drug denials. The results of the Hall vote will be announced in January 2013. Factoring in whether performances were boosted by steroids and human growth hormone — and by how much? — has complicated evaluations for the Hall of Fame electorate.

Mark McGwire has been the most prominent of the Steroids Era sluggers on the ballot so far.

He received 23.5 percent of the vote when he appeared for the first time in 2007 and then hovered at about the same level with 23.6 percent in 2008, 21.9 percent in 2009 and 23.7 percent in 2010. In the first vote after McGwire admitted using steroids and HGH on and off for a decade, his box was marked on 19.8 percent of this year's ballots.

Knapp thinks players might be better suited to make the Hall of Fame decisions, given what went on in the Steroids Era.

"This whole episode has convinced me even more that a group of veterans should be brought together to vote for the Hall of Fame," she said. "Even the athletes who have taken the stuff, even McGwire and Bonds knew there wasn't something right about this. I think it would be better to have all those guys in a room discussing it."

Major League Baseball and its players didn't jointly agree on drug rules from October 1985 until August 2002. In the years leading to the 2002 agreement, use of performance-enhancing substances was rampant and accepted in major league clubhouses.

Six of the top 14 home run hitters in baseball history have been tainted by steroids in some form or another. Bonds, first with 762, was positive for the designer steroid Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) when his urine in the 2003 MLB anonymous survey was retested three years later by the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory after it was seized by federal investigators.

Alex Rodriguez, sixth with 617 homers heading into the weekend, admitted two years ago he used steroids from 2001-03 after Sports Illustrated reported he tested positive in the 2003 survey.

Sammy Sosa, seventh with 609 homers, tested positive in the 2003 survey, The New York Times reported two years ago. McGwire, 10th with 583, admitted his steroids use. Rafael Palmeiro, 12th with 569, was suspended for 10 days in 2005 following a positive test. And Manny Ramirez, 14th with 555, was suspended for 50 games following a positive test in 2009 and then retired this month rather than face a 100-game suspension following another positive test.

Palmeiro appeared on the ballot for the first time this year and was on just 11 percent of the ballots. Players are eligible for BBWAA consideration starting in the sixth year following their retirement and can remain on the ballot for up to 15 times.

"My attitude about it is it is a great thing that there's a 15-year window, because I want to get as much information on the Steroids Era before I vote for anybody," Purdy said. "In that sense, the trial was interesting — the other players, when they came in were really interesting, apparently how easily steroids were obtainable for these guys."

While Hall voters have observed Bonds for more than two decades, the jurors were given only a small subset of information. Because trainer Greg Anderson refused to testify, prosecutors were barred from showing the jury three additional urine tests the government alleged were positive for performance-enhancing drugs — without Anderson's testimony, prosecutors couldn't authenticate the samples were taken from Bonds.

Outside the courtroom, there is far more evidence available about the slugger for Hall voters.

"For me, it didn't really affect my thoughts about him because I always felt he was certainly under a cloud of suspicion," Martinez said. "I was hesitant to vote for him in the first place, and this just kind of confirmed my belief, that my feelings are where they should be. If there's anybody that has either admitted to it or where there's a strong, strong suspicion — particularly A-Rod, Palmeiro, McGwire — I'm just not going to vote for them. Right or wrong, I'm not going to vote for them."

It's less obvious for others.

"He's tricky. He more than any other was such a clear-cut case before he was alleged to ever have taken anything," Quinn said. "We're in a period of time right now where the governing view seems to be if a guy doped, he's out, and I don't know if this is going to change. Things like this seem to move in cycles on what the collective wisdom is."

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SPORTS - Day 2 of NFL mediation ends; talks resume Tuesday (AP)

SPORTS - Day 2 of NFL mediation ends; talks resume Tuesday (AP)

AP – New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, left, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, right, leave the federal …

By DAVE CAMPBELL, AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell, Ap Sports Writer – Fri Apr 15, 4:37 pm ET

MINNEAPOLIS – Negotiators for the NFL and its locked-out players wrapped up a second day of court-ordered talks Friday with no signs of significant progress. They plan to sit down again next week.

The two sides left the federal courthouse in Minneapolis after about four hours of talks, following nine hours of meetings on Thursday. They will meet again Tuesday.

Hall of Famer Carl Eller, who is representing retired players in the antitrust lawsuit against the league, said he thinks the two sides are "moving forward" but the process "slowed a little bit" Friday.

"There is progress, but it wasn't like we're right around the corner," Eller said. "We could resolve it if we had met on the weekend, but maybe not."

U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, who is overseeing the sessions, assigned some weekend homework, according to Michael Hausfeld, an attorney for the players.

"The judge has asked us to provide answers to over a half-dozen questions that he's asked," Hausfeld said, declining to provide details. "There's a lot of work."

With the 2011 season in jeopardy, Boylan is overseeing this round of talks after 16 days of mediated sessions in Washington failed to secure a new labor pact.

"We need to have some productivity," Eller said. "We need to come out of here with something, and I think that there is a sense of realism on the judge's part. It's not just talk. Just getting together to talk is not productive."

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson, who ordered the mediation, is still considering a request from the players to lift the lockout imposed by the owners. After an April 6 hearing, she said she planned to rule on the injunction request in a couple of weeks — which would mean next week.

Players including MVP quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning filed the request along with a class-action antitrust suit against the league. The lawsuit has been combined with two other similar claims from retirees, former players and rookies-to-be, with Eller the lead plaintiff in that group.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, four team owners and several league executives and lawyers left the building without speaking to reporters. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, via e-mail, declined to comment.

DeMaurice Smith, the NFL Players Association executive director, also refused to talk. He left the courthouse with lawyers and linebackers Ben Leber and Mike Vrabel, two other plaintiffs in the antitrust suit filed March 11 when the last collective bargaining agreement expired, the union dissolved and the lockout began.

At least the mood appeared light.

Reporters staking out the closed-door session were greeted with smiles and goodbyes from negotiators and attorneys as they departed. In a packed elevator on the way down to the lobby, Smith needled Vrabel by deadpanning to media members inside, "All right, in all seriousness, Mike is going to have a statement. You ready?"

Silence.

Then laughter.

The NFL's first work stoppage since the 1987 strike, of course, is no joke for either side — especially for the fans who pay to sit in the seats at sparkling new stadiums, buy replica jerseys to show their support and watch out-of-market games on satellite television.

"I'm a fan, too," Eller said earlier this week. "We would like to ease their minds. We can't tell them the outcome, but we are very interested in having a football season."

That's one shared goal between the two sides. With the dispute now in court, public relations is a major part of the effort for each side — through press releases, links and comments on Twitter, and communicating directly to the public in the push to get the message out.

"We're going to make sure we have football, and more of it," Goodell said this week in a conference call with Cleveland Browns season-ticket holders.

Said Smith after the April 6 hearing in Nelson's court: "Keep rooting for the players, and keep rooting for football."

Spin and rhetoric has been intense at times from both corners, but Aiello said the league doesn't view this as a public relations battle with the players.

"Our job always is to keep fans informed," Aiello said. "That is what we're doing in this situation."

NFLPA spokesman George Atallah didn't return messages this week.

The players have a website, nfllockout.com, that highlights community outreach and charitable efforts by the players and includes talking points for their side.

The NFL website, nfllabor.com, is a similar version for the league. Lead negotiator Jeff Pash recently wrote an op-ed column in the Chicago Tribune, stressing concessions the NFL has made with a list of highlights of its latest offer before talks broke down.

Eller sounded optimistic, not only about the progress but the opportunity to represent his fellow retired players, who have pushed for better benefits and care from the league for years.

"We don't drive this. We need them both," said Eller, referring to the current players and the league owners. "Our needs hinge on both of them. It's not an either-or situation for us. ...

"What I want the retirees to understand is that we are carving a unique situation. ... We're at the table, and I think this is something that they ought to be able to rejoice at an early stage, because where we go from here, it's going to be a major move."

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SPORTS - Nowitzki 28 for Mavs in Game 1 win over Portland (AP)

SPORTS - Nowitzki 28 for Mavs in Game 1 win over Portland (AP)

AFP/File – Spain's controversial three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, pictured in 2010, won …

– Sat Apr 16, 12:23 pm ET

MADRID (AFP) – Spain's controversial three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador won the fourth stage of the Tour of Castilla y Leon on Saturday, a day after slipping down the overall standings after suffering flat tyres.

His compatriot Xavier Tondo, of the Movistar team, took over the leader's jersey from Dutchman Bauke Mollema after the individual time-trial in the northern town of Zamora.

Contador covered the 11.2 kilometres in 13 minutes, 42 seconds. Second was his Saxobank team-mate Richie Porte of Australia, 01sec back, and third Tondo, 03sec behind the winner.

Contador had been the hot favorite to take his third straight overall victory in the event, having already won the Tour of Murcia and the Tour of Catalonia this year.

But on Friday he lost almost three minutes after suffering two punctures.

After Saturday's stage, he is in 23rd position overall, 2min 37sec behind Tondo, who has a 09sec advantage over Mollema.

Contador is racing under threat of a ban from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and/or the International Cycling Union (UCI) following a positive test for trace amounts of clenbuterol during last July's Tour de France, where he claimed his third victory in the race.

He was cleared to compete in February when the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) rescinded an initial decision to hand down a one-year competition ban.

It accepted the rider's claim that he had unknowingly consumed drug-contaminated meat and was therefore not negligent.

The UCI and WADA announced separately last month they plan to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne over the acquittal.

The five-day Tour of Castilla y Leon concludes on Sunday with a relatively flat 167.7km ride from Madrigal de las Altas Torres to Medina del Campo.

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SPORTS - Doughty leads Kings past Sharks 4-0 in Game 2 (AP)

SPORTS - Doughty leads Kings past Sharks 4-0 in Game 2 (AP)

AFP/Getty Images/File – Victor Ortiz (pictured in 2010) on Saturday dethroned previously unbeaten World Boxing Council welterweight …

– 42 mins ago

MASHANTUCKET, Connecticut (AFP) – Victor Ortiz dethroned previously unbeaten World Boxing Council welterweight champion Andre Berto Saturday in an action-packed 12-round fight that saw both men on the canvas.

Ortiz emerged with a convincing unanimous decision, improving to 29-2-2 with 22 wins inside the distance as he captured the WBC belt.

Ortiz knocked down Berto for the first time in the first round, and Berto responded by sending the off-balance challenger to the canvas in the second.

Ortiz rattled Berto in the third and punished the champion in the middle rounds.

The sixth was a thriller as Berto, standing his ground in the middle of the ring, knocked down Ortiz, only for Ortiz to drop the champion later in the same round. It was Berto's first defeat in 28 professional fights.

The ringside judges scored it 115-110, 114-112 and 114-111 for Ortiz, who had a point deducted in one round for hitting behind the head.

"I fought like a possessed man, because that's what the world and the crowd of boxing made me," said Ortiz, who said he was stung by predictions that he couldn't beat Berto.

Berto had made five successful title defences since he knocked out Miguel Rodriguez in June 2008 to take the belt.

But he looked like he might not make it out of the first round on Saturday. Ortiz stunned him with a right followed by a left hook that appeared to put the champion down, although referee Michael Ortega ruled it a slip.

Ortiz produced another knockdown before Berto made it out of the first.

Ortiz was in control in the second when Berto backed him up with a short right. The challenger stayed on his feet and took a brief count from Ortega.

Ortiz piled on more pressure in the following rounds but in the sixth Berto woke up, punishing Ortiz before knocking him down with a right.

Seconds before the bell, however, Ortiz sent Berto down with another left hook.

"I think I was very highly underrated," the 24-year-old Ortiz said. "I knew I carried as much power as him, if not more."

Berto said he wanted a rematch.

"Ortiz did a great job," he said. "I wasn't there tonight -- nothing was falling into place."

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SPORTS - Tampa's Damon downs Twins again with late rally (Reuters)

SPORTS - Tampa's Damon downs Twins again with late rally (Reuters)

AP – Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Jason Terry (31) goes up for a shot against Portland Trail Blazers' LaMarcus …

By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins, Ap Sports Writer – 21 mins ago

DALLAS – Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter and the Dallas Mavericks defeated Portland 89-81 Saturday night in Game 1 of their Western Conference first round series.

Even though Nowitzki struggled from the field most of the night, making only 7 of 20 shots, he came through when the Mavericks needed him most.

Nowitzki scored 12 consecutive points in the game-turning spurt in the closing minutes when Dallas tied the game and eventually went ahead to stay.

Jason Kidd added 24 points, including a playoff career-best six 3-pointers.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points for Portland and Andre Miller had 18.

Soon after Portland had its largest lead of six points, the Mavericks got back within 72-70 when Nowitzki made two free throws with 4:49 left.

After Kidd rebounded a Miller miss, Nowitzki got fouled and hit two more free throws to tie the game.

Miller scored with a finger-roll, but Nowitzki hit a 3-pointer from the right side to put the Mavs ahead to stay with 3:40 left.

Even after he was fouled hard to the floor and rubbing his left elbow before getting up on the next possession, Nowitzki made two more free throws.

Aldridge then had a scooping shot before Nowitzki spun between two defenders at the free throw line and made the shot while being fouled. His free throw made it 80-76.

Dallas, the No. 3 Western Conference seed, survived in Game 1 against a fiesty bunch of Trail Blazers who have become a chic pick for a first-round playoff upset. Partly because the Mavericks have been knocked out in the first round three of the last four years since taking a 2-0 lead in the 2006 NBA Finals.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Dallas.

The 38-year-old Kidd, in his 122nd playoff game over 15 NBA postseasons, was 9-of-14 shooting — including six 3-pointers. He also had four assists and two steals.

Portland built its lead to 72-66 when Brandon Roy turned and saw Nicolas Batum charging along the baseline and passed him the ball for an easy dunk.

That came during a span with Dallas missed 10 consecutive field goals over a stretch of nearly 11 minutes after building a 10-point lead. Kidd's stepback jumper with 5:28 left in the game ended that miserable spurt before Nowitzki took over.

Aldridge got off to a fast start with 11 points in the first 7 1/2 minutes of the game. That included eight points in a span of less than 2 minutes that he bookended with a pair of alley-oop dunks from Marcus Camby to put the Blazers up 15-14.

A long 3-pointer by Jason Terry put the Mavericks up 33-26. Portland cut the gap to 35-33 on Batum's bounce pass through the lane to Miller for a basket.

A putback dunk by Brendan Haywood ignited a half-ending 12-4 run. That was the first of seven straight points for Dallas before Aldridge had another high-flying dunk with 3 minutes left in the half — this one on a pass from Miller — for his first basket since his early scoring flurry, and only other one before halftime.

After Portland scored the first six points of the second half, cutting the gap to 47-43, Kidd consecutive 3-pointers. Kidd ended up with the ball after miss another from beyond the arc, then got the ball to Shawn Marion for a 16-footer. Less than 2 minutes later, Kidd hit another long jumper for a 57-47 lead.

Less than two weeks ago in Portland, Kidd was scoreless while missing all six of his shots — five of them 3-pointers.

Notes: Portland has lost 14 of its last 16 road playoff games. ... After Rudy Fernandez opened Portland's scoring in the second quarter with a 3-pointer for a 25-23 lead, Peja Stojakovic hit consecutive 3s for Dallas. The second one he front rim and bounced high in the air before falling through the hoop. ... Mavericks G Rodrigue Beaubois was out with a sprained left foot. ... The last time Dallas and Portland met in the playoffs, the Mavericks took a 3-0 lead in their 2003 first-round series before having to win Game 7 to advance.

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SPORTS - With Bonds done, should Armstrong be next? (AP)

SPORTS - With Bonds done, should Armstrong be next? (AP)

AP – Champion cyclist Lance Armstrong works his way through a crowd of hundreds during an event known as CicLAvia, …

By TIM DAHLBERG, AP Sports Columnist Tim Dahlberg, Ap Sports Columnist – Sat Apr 16, 4:20 pm ET

Like most people who spend time thinking about these things, I have never been able to figure out how Lance Armstrong was able to win seven straight Tour de France races while riding clean at a time when many of his competitors were doping.

Doesn't make much sense, which I suppose is why federal agents have been sniffing out clues from Paris to Rome to try and build a case against the now retired cyclist. They apparently don't buy the idea that good genes and hard work got Armstrong to the Champs-Elysees every year ahead of his fellow riders.

They are, however, a little late to the party. While Jeff Novitzky and company were digging through garbage cans at BALCO to get evidence against Barry Bonds and others, Armstrong was irritating the French by dominating their little bike race.

But Bonds is now a convicted felon, Roger Clemens has been exposed and Manny Ramirez is off on permanent vacation. Investigators have pretty much run out of easy targets in baseball, though sharp observers can still find a few players who might not be above suspicion.

So now they're after Armstrong, and who knows what they will find. Already we've learned more about Armstrong and his associates, including the revelation Friday by a high-ranking Italian law enforcement official that the cyclist met repeatedly with a physician who is barred for life by the Italian Cycling Federation after being charged in a doping investigation.

There's a grand jury hearing evidence in Los Angeles, though just what Novitzky and his crew have gathered remains unclear because it's a secret proceeding. Just what charges could be brought against Armstrong are also unclear since doping in a bike race in France is not a prosecutable crime in the United States.

But prosecutors can be creative, and grand juries don't need evidence beyond a reasonable doubt to issue an indictment. Claims by disgraced 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis that Armstrong and his teammates ran a complex doping program — coupled with some circumstantial evidence — might be enough to get Armstrong into court.

After that, all bets are off. Jurors in the Bonds trial showed that when they convicted the former slugger of the least serious count against him while letting him walk on charges he lied to a grand jury about his steroid use.

I was OK with the Bonds' prosecution, even if the end result of years of work and millions of dollars was a conviction on obstruction of justice that will almost surely land him no jail time. Bonds was the poster child for all that was wrong in baseball, an arrogant superstar with a bloated head who made a mockery of the game's most hallowed record and he should be held accountable.

Bonds was the right target for the right time. Had trainer Greg Anderson not been so loyal to his former boss that he spent more than a year in prison for him, prosecutors might have even gotten Bonds sent to prison and made steroid users everywhere nervous.

I'll also be pleased to see Roger Clemens go on trial this summer for lying to a congressional panel examining the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Just because a pitcher wins seven Cy Young awards doesn't mean he can say what he wants without consequences and, besides, I can hardly wait to see his former trainer Brian McNamee on the stand.

I am, however, a little confused about the Armstrong investigation. Yes, he is a big name and, yes, in a perfect world he should have been clean while winning all those races even if his fellow competitors weren't.

But I'm not sure exactly what will be gained by going after Armstrong, other than Novitzky adding another scalp to his celebrity athlete collection. Armstrong is retired now, last won the Tour de France six years ago, and is apparently doing good work in the fight against cancer with his Livestrong foundation.

He's not selling blood doping kits on the Internet, and he poses no threat to the youth of America,

If French authorities have a problem with him, fine, they're welcome to go after him. But for federal investigators to spend time and money chasing after Armstrong for things that allegedly happened years ago in France seems like a colossal waste of resources.

A Georgia congressman certainly thinks so. Rep. Jack Kingston slammed the Food and Drug Administration last month for spending "millions" investigating Armstrong and suggesting the agency was on a "one man tear" against the celebrity cyclist.

Novitzky and his crew should get a lot of credit for helping expose the seamy side of sports. They took down a steroid distribution center, won convictions against some of the biggest names in sports, and played a big role in making baseball realize that it had to institute stricter drug testing and tougher penalties for steroid use.

We get by now that performance-enhancing drugs are bad. The point has been made, and hopefully lessons have been learned.

Chasing Armstrong and the ghosts of the past just seems like overkill.

___

Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org

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SPORTS - Bonds conviction on obstruction: Will it stand? (AP)

SPORTS - Bonds conviction on obstruction: Will it stand? (AP)

AP – Barry Bonds, left, and his attorney Allen Ruby face the media outside a federal court building Wednesday, …

• Slideshow:Barry Bonds

By PAUL ELIAS, Associated Press Paul Elias, Associated Press – Sat Apr 16, 12:32 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO – The Barry Bonds trial may have had a strange ending, but his lawyers still face a tough fight in clearing the slugger's name.

On Wednesday, a jury convicted Bonds of obstruction of justice but deadlocked on whether he committed perjury.

Outside court, Bonds' lead attorney called the outcome "extraordinary," believing the record-setting baseball star could be convicted of obstructing a grand jury only if found guilty of lying to it. Allen Ruby vowed "the case isn't over" and promised to fight to overturn the conviction.

Fighting is one thing, winning is another.

"Appeals are hard," said Vermont Law School professor Michael McCann, who specializes in sports law.

McCann and many other legal analysts said the Bonds defense team has its work cut out in flipping the jury's verdict. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, who presided over the trial, is rarely overturned on appeal and observers said she deftly handled Bonds' three-week trial.

"An appellate court is always reluctant to overturn a trial judge with a good reputation who ran a good trial," McCann said. "Judge Illston was really deliberate on everything she did and the appellate court will recognize that."

Bonds' lawyers will first ask Illston to toss out the jury's verdict. If that fails, they are expected to take the case to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Jurors convicted Bonds of giving a grand jury evasive testimony when he took the witness stand Dec. 4, 2003. In particular, Bonds was convicted of obstruction for giving a rambling answer that he was a "celebrity child with a famous father" when asked if his personal trainer, Greg Anderson, ever gave him a substance that required an injection.

Jurors deadlocked on three other counts that accused Bonds of lying to the grand jury when he denied ever being injected by anyone besides his doctor and knowingly taking steroids and human growth hormone.

The obstruction charge, the last count in the indictment, was viewed by the defense and many legal observers as being inextricably tied to the other charges and couldn't stand alone as a conviction.

Immediately after the verdict was read, Bonds lawyer Dennis Riordan jumped to his feet and demanded dismissal of the conviction. Riordan also objected to the instruction explaining what jurors needed to conclude to find Bonds guilty of obstruction before the jury began deliberating.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday, Riordan said prosecutors have to show that the answer mattered — was "material" — to the grand jury's investigation.

"He has been convicted at this point by the jury on count 5, on the basis of one remark," Riordan said. "The government, in order to sustain this, is going to have to prove that this admittedly meandering response led to him not giving answer to the material question."

Riordan is also going to argue that Bonds directly answered a follow-up question by denying he received any "liquid" to inject.

"The question is repeated and answered very directly," Riordan said. "It is impossible to find he evaded or impeded justice by the 'celebrity child' answer when the same question is put twice in a row and answered directly."

Prosecutors declined comment. But legal analysts said the government expected to argue that the jurors had a transcript of Bonds' entire grand jury testimony during deliberations.

Jurors said after the verdict that Bonds' testimony was evasive throughout his entire grand jury appearance.

"When you're in front of a grand jury you have to answer. ... He gave a story rather than a yes-or-no answer," said Fred Jacob, the 56-year-old jury foreman. "

What's more, the defense has several other obstacles to overcome in their attempt to wipe out Bonds' conviction.

Stanford Law School professor William Gould said it will be difficult to say persuasively that the obstruction conviction is incompatible with the other charges just because the other lack verdicts.

"It's hard to argue there are mutually exclusive charges when you have only a verdict on a single charge," Gould said.

Still, Bonds does have the benefit of being represented by one of California's top appellate attorneys.

Even before the trial started, Riordan succeeded in getting a trove of evidence tied to Bonds' personal trainer excluded from the trial because Anderson refused to testify. Riordan also was instrumental in compelling prosecutors to rewrite the Bonds indictment three times and streamlining the charges against his client. Finally, Riordan persuaded Illston to dismiss a perjury charge before the trial began March 21.

His success makes him a busy man. On Tuesday, while the jury deliberated, Riordan flew to Los Angeles so he could appeal the murder conviction of music producer Phil Spector.

___

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

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SPORTS - Nadal survives Murray battle to reach final (AFP)

SPORTS - Nadal survives Murray battle to reach final (AFP)

AP – Will Power, left, of Australia shakes hands with Ryan Hunter-Reay after qualifying for the Grand Prix …

By JOHN MARSHALL, AP Sports Writer John Marshall, Ap Sports Writer – Sat Apr 16, 8:24 pm ET

LONG BEACH, Calif. – The Power of Will is overtaking IndyCar through the early part of the season.

Points leader Will Power earned the pole at the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Saturday, edging defending champion Ryan Hunter-Reay to go 3-for-3 on poles this season.

"He's the man right now," Hunter-Reay said.

He sure is.

The Australian road-and-street specialist opened the season with the pole and a second-place finish at St. Petersburg, and followed that up with a wire-to-wire win at Alabama last week. That gave him 94 points for the season, seven ahead of Dario Franchitti, the man who overtook Power for the series championship on the final race of the 2010 season.

Power has been fast all weekend at Long Beach, among the leaders in practice and second after the initial round of qualifying. Hunter-Reay had the lead over in the Fast Six final segment before Power hit the gas late with a lap of 1 minute, 9:06 seconds around the 11-turn, 1.968-mile circuit through the streets of downtown.

It was Power's third straight pole at Long Beach, though he hasn't won on the seaside circuit since the final Champ Car race at the layout in 2008.

"I would mean a lot (to win)," said Power, who hit 102.582 mph in qualifying. "It's one of my favorite tracks. I love it around here. I've been trying to win it the last couple years, I've been knocking on the door. In racing, as you know, everything has to be perfect and that's what we've got to do tomorrow."

Hunter-Reay might have Power right where he wants him.

Driving as a part-timer last season, RHR qualified second and won, a big victory not just because it helped him land a full-time gig with Andretti Autosport this season, but also because he grew up in Southern California. He qualified 0.8 seconds behind Power and will start on the front row next to him.

"Best thing is it's a repeat of last year," said Hunter-Reay, who proposed to his wife, Beccy, at a local restaurant last year. "We're starting second and we won from there last year, so hopefully we can repeat."

Mike Conway, who missed most of last season after a horrific crash at the Indianapolis 500, qualified third and Oriol Servia was fourth.

The 85-lap race Sunday figures to be filled with excitement.

The tight course is tough to pass on and there are usually plenty of collisions and cars into the wall. IndyCar's new double-file restarts on road courses figure to add to the excitement, particularly with a barely-get-through first corner and nowhere to run off.

"It's trying to predict how many cars you can get lined up at a certain point and what's acceptable and what's not," said Justin Wilson, who qualified fifth and will start next to Helio Castroneves. "No one wants the team owners to spend $2 million at Turn 1, so it's a fine line."

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SPORTS - FA Cup can spur title bid, says Mancini (AFP)

SPORTS - FA Cup can spur title bid, says Mancini (AFP)

AFP – Manchester City's midfielder Yaya Toure (3rd R) scores during their FA Cup semi-final football match …

by Rob Woollard Rob Woollard – Sat Apr 16, 8:01 pm ET

LONDON (AFP) – Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes victory in the FA Cup can be a launchpad for success in the Premier League after his side ended Manchester United's treble dream on Saturday.

But while Mancini believes victory in the FA Cup could be a turning point for City, the Italian warned that the club still had to win a final against Bolton or Stoke if they are to end a 35-year trophy drought.

"For us it's important to win the first trophies. If we can win the FA Cup, probably next year we can play for the title," Mancini said.

"Yes, first we have to play another game. And probably the final will be harder than this."

City clinched victory on 52 minutes after Yaya Toure pounced on a sloppy mistake by Michael Carrick to score the decisive goal.

Victory was no less than City deserved after an inspired second-half display that came after United striker missed two golden chances early on.

Mancini said he believed his team had suffered from stage fright in the opening exchanges as United got on top against their success-starved rivals, playing at Wembley for the first time since 1999.

"Maybe we suffered in the first 20-25 minutes," Mancini said. "But in the last 10 minutes of the first half we started to play high, we started to press. "And in the second half we dominated the game. United played very well in the first 25 minutes but after that I felt we deserved to win."

Mancini revealed that City's players had vented their frustration at half-time after a patchy opening 45 minutes.

"All the players were emotional at half-time because we knew we could play better and we knew we could win if we played better," Mancini revealed.

The prospect of City returning to the FA Cup final 30 years after their last appearance -- in the 1981 'Ricky Villa final' against Tottenham -- will buy Mancini valuable breathing space as he aims to secure his future at Eastlands.

However, the City manager denied that Saturday's win eased the pressure on his position.

"I don't get pressure. I started this career 11 years ago. I know this job is difficult. If you win you are the best, if you lose you are the worst manager," he said.

"But I like football. For me today was important, but I want to win this trophy for this club, the supporters, for everybody who works at Manchester City. For these people."

Mancini also insisted he was not giving priority to City's bid to assure themselves of Champions League football.

Currently the club are in fourth spot in the league with Spurs just three points behind in fifth.

Asked which he would prefer -- the FA Cup or Champions League qualification -- Mancini replied: "We want both.

"I think we deserve to play Champions League. We have spent one year between first and fourth spot. Everything is in our hands. But if we have the same spirit we had today, we will get fourth spot.

Meanwhile, Mancini brushed off suggestions that temperamental striker Mario Balotelli was to blame for the ugly melee that marred the final whistle, when United defender Rio Ferdinand had to be restrained from confronting the City striker.

"I didn't see it. But I want to wait because every time it is Balotelli's fault. Every time," Mancini said.

Balotelli was believed to have celebrated at the final whistle by clenching his shirt in front of United's fans, incensing the Red Devils players.

But Mancini was unimpressed.

"Maybe we can put him in jail? Next week. For this," Mancini said.

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SPORTS - Heat get a late scare, top 76ers in Game 1, 97-89 (AP)

SPORTS - Heat get a late scare, top 76ers in Game 1, 97-89 (AP)

AP – Miami Heat's LeBron James celebrates as the Heat scores three points against the Philadelphia 76ers during …

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds, Ap Sports Writer – Sat Apr 16, 7:44 pm ET

MIAMI – Chris Bosh and LeBron James watched from afar when Dwyane Wade controlled the final portions of games during the Miami Heat's championship run in 2006.

They got a closer look Saturday, when Wade helped save Miami from a Game 1 collapse.

Bosh had 25 points and 12 rebounds, James added 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Wade scored five of his 17 points in the final 1:34 as the Heat held off a huge Philadelphia comeback try and beat the 76ers 97-89 in the opener of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

"The only number that matters right now is 1-0," Wade said. "That's all it's about."

Game 2 is Monday night.

Thaddeus Young had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers, while Jrue Holiday added 19 and Elton Brand finished with 17. It was the second time in 22 days that Philadelphia blew a big second-quarter lead in Miami: On March 25, the 76ers led by 16, and on Saturday, the margin was 14.

The Heat won both, and are now 4-0 against the 76ers this season.

"Second time in three weeks that we had a big lead and let it slip," Brand said. "Right now, it's the playoffs. Win these games or go home. So it's more of a discouraging feeling knowing that we could have won these games."

Also much like that March 25 game: Philadelphia gave itself a shot down the stretch.

The 76ers scored 12 straight points in the fourth quarter, closing to 88-87 — but never getting the lead back. Bosh made two free throws and Wade hit a tough bank shot to give Miami a five-point edge. And after Young scored Philadelphia's final points with 1:24 left, Wade sealed it with a pair of foul shots 14 seconds later.

"We'll take this first win," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, whose team has won 16 of its last 19 games overall. "Hopefully who we've been the last few weeks will be more who we'll be the rest of the series, particularly offensively. We were not very efficient tonight."

Wade, Bosh and James all were held under 50 percent shooting and Miami won anyway, in large part because the Heat held big edges in rebounding (52-39) and free throws.

Sixers coach Doug Collins spent much of Game 1 pointing out the game's free-throw discrepancy to the officiating crew — Miami finished 31 for 39, while Philadelphia was only 12 for 15.

Afterward, he craftily took the high road.

"I could," Collins said, when asked to explain the more-than-2-to-1 difference. "My grandkids would lose their college fund. So I'll have to dance around that one. I can't respond to that."

What was clear, however, was that Philadelphia's fouls in the second quarter helped change the game.

"It's kind of discouraging," Holiday said, "But at the same time, we know we just have to keep at it. ... Calls are made and we have to fight through that."

Just like the teams' last regular-season meeting on March 25, the 76ers came out flying. They made eight of their first 10 shots, eventually running out to a 25-11 lead. At period's end, it was still 31-19 Philadelphia, on 61 percent shooting compared to 32 percent by Miami.

Miami outscored Philadelphia 35-18 in the second quarter, and kept the lead — though far from easily — the rest of the way.

"No team is just going to lie down," Bosh said. "You're not going to play an 82-game season and work this hard just to lie down when you get there. They're a very gifted team. ... We do expect this series to have all close games. As long as we prepare for that and get that in our minds, we'll be fine."

Since the NBA went to best-of-seven opening rounds in 2003, No. 2 seeds that win Game 1 of their quarterfinal series have advanced 12 of 13 times, the lone exception being Dallas against San Antonio last year.

And when James and Wade get to enjoy 1-0 series leads, things tend to work out for them. The Heat have advanced all five times when taking a 1-0 lead with Wade on the team; the Cleveland Cavaliers won seven of eight series with James after winning Game 1s.

"It's the postseason," James said. "Just try to do whatever it takes to win."

Brand's rebound and short jumper with 7:58 left got Philadelphia within seven — the margin had been 16 late in the third quarter. And Wade went to the bench 38 seconds later with his fifth foul, but Miami stretched its cushion to 88-75 on a 3-pointer by James Jones, followed by James extending both arms skyward.

It was far from over, though Miami found a way to escape.

"It looked like they were going to run us out," Collins said. "But we fought back."

NOTES: Udonis Haslem (foot) was inactive for the Heat, though there is hope he will return in these playoffs after being sidelined since November. "That's probably, for me, the biggest disappointment of this regular season, was the fact that our warrior, our heartbeat, had to miss so much of it," Spoelstra said. ... Collins said he saw Heat owner Micky Arison on Saturday, who told him the franchise had been waiting since summer for these playoffs. "For us, this is the moment we've earned," Collins said.

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