National Digest
Spurs down 0-2
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Chris Paul had 30 points and 12 assists, leading the New Orleans Hornets to a 102-84 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night and a 2-0 lead in their second-round series.
Peja Stojakovic hit five 3-pointers and scored 25 points for the Hornets, who’ve won both games by wide margins in becoming the first team to put San Antonio in an 0-2 playoff hole since 2001, when the Spurs were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals.
Game 3 is Thursday in San Antonio.
Tim Duncan led San Antonio with 18 points and eight rebounds, far better than his miserable Game 1, when he tied a career playoff low with five points and three rebounds. Manu Ginobili had 13 points for the Spurs and Tony Parker 11. Brent Barry added 14, some of it when the game was out of reach in the fourth quarter.
Pistons win
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Chauncey Billups scored 28 points, three coming on a disputed shot at the end of the third quarter, and Detroit got past Orlando for a 2-0 lead in the second-round series.
Billups officially made a 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left in the third, ending a play that started with 5.1 seconds and seemed to take a fraction of a second longer using replays the officials didn’t use during a 5-minute delay.
Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince scored 17 points apiece, and Prince added 10 rebounds and five assists. Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night in Orlando.
Trainer talks
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The trainer of euthanized filly Eight Belles adamantly defended the way jockey Gabriel Saez handled the Kentucky Derby runner-up.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, Larry Jones said Saez applied the whip only to prevent Eight Belles from crashing into the rail.
“This filly in every race has tried to drift toward the rail,” Jones said. “It’s her comfort zone, and Gabriel knows this. This kid made every move the right move, and I hate it that they’re wanting to jump down his throat. He did not try to abuse that horse to make her run faster. He knew he was second best, that she wasn’t going to catch Big Brown.”
Jones spoke while traveling from Churchill Downs to Delaware with his other prized filly, Kentucky Oaks winner Proud Spell. Jones is scheduled to have a news conference Tuesday morning near the paddock at Delaware Park.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called for Saez to be suspended, contending he should have noticed an injury and pulled the horse up rather than applied the whip. The organization also announced plans to protest the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority on Tuesday, arguing for major changes, including a ban on using the whip or racing horses younger than 3.
OLYMPICS
DENVER (AP) — The International Olympic Committee clarified its protest rules Monday, saying that athletes’ external appearance, clothing and gestures would be scrutinized at Olympic venues.
The IOC sent a six-point letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, to the national Olympic federations in response to their request for interpretations of Rule 51.3 of the Olympic charter. That rule states “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”
The letter expanded on the rule, saying: “The conduct of participants at all sites, areas and venues includes all actions, reactions, attitudes or manifestations of any kind by a person or group of persons, including but not limited to their look, external appearance, clothing, gestures, and written or oral statements.”
There were no guidelines about possible punishment.
HORSE RACING
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The trainer of euthanized filly Eight Belles adamantly defended the way jockey Gabriel Saez handled the Kentucky Derby runner-up.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, Larry Jones said Saez applied the whip only to prevent Eight Belles from crashing into the rail during the race on Saturday.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called for Saez to be suspended, contending he should have noticed an injury and pulled the horse up rather than applied the whip.
PETA also announced plans to protest the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority on Tuesday, arguing for major changes, including a ban on using the whip or racing horses younger than 3.
BASEBALL
NEW YORK (AP) — Roger Clemens apologized for unspecified mistakes in his personal life, a statement Brian McNamee’s lawyers intend to use to attack the pitcher’s credibility at trial.
The Daily News reported last week Clemens had a relationship with music star Mindy McCready that began when she was 15 and an aspiring singer. The newspaper also linked Clemens to former Manhattan bartender Angela Moyer and Paulette Dean Daly, a former wife of golfer John Daly.
“Even though these articles contain many false accusations and mistakes, I need to say that I have made mistakes in my personal life for which I am sorry,” Clemens said in a statement issued by spokesman Patrick Dorton. “I have apologized to my family and apologize to my fans.”
The apology was first reported by the Houston Chronicle.
PRO BASKETBALL
PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns granted permission for coach Mike D’Antoni to talk to other teams, with the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks apparently the leading suitors.
General manager Steve Kerr confirmed that D’Antoni can speak with other NBA teams about coaching vacancies but indicated he still wants to persuade the coach to stay with the Suns.
The coach met Friday with Kerr and team owner Robert Sarver for two hours and there reportedly were more conversations over the weekend. Kerr has acknowledged some differences with D’Antoni but has repeatedly said he wants the coach to stay if they can resolve their issues. PRO FOOTBALL
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bears running back Cedric Benson believes officers used excessive force against him and plans to fight charges he operated a boat while intoxicated and resisted arrest on a Texas lake Saturday night.
Benson is scheduled to appear in Travis County Court on May 19.
Benson failed a sobriety test while operating a 30-foot boat on Lake Travis near Austin and resisted arrest before being hit with pepper spray, Travis County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Roger Wade said Sunday.
He was released from jail early Sunday on a $14,500 bond. The charges are class B misdemeanors, each punishable by up to six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Falcons linebacker Michael Boley was charged with battery after his wife accused him of becoming “physical” after an argument.
Boley, 25, was arrested Saturday and released on $1,200 bond for the misdemeanor, according to the Gwinnett County Police Department. Officers were called to the home following a verbal argument between Boley and his wife, Chantelle.
TENNIS
ROME (AP) — Guillermo Canas rallied past Italian wild card Gianluca Naso 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-2 Monday to set up a clay-court meeting with Roger Federer, who had a first-round bye.
The tournament began with an upset when ninth-seeded Richard Gasquet lost to Peruvian qualifier Luis Horna 6-4, 6-1 in the first match on center court.
Steve Darcis beat Ivan Ljubicic 7-5, 7-6 (5) and will next play Novak Djokovic. Also winning Monday were American Mardy Fish, No. 13 Juan Monaco and No. 16 Andy Murray.
BERLIN (AP) — Teenager Sabine Lisicki upset 14th-seeded Shahar Peer of Israel 7-5, 6-1 Monday in the first round of the German Open.
Tenth-seeded Agnes Szavay advanced to the second round when Milagros Sequera of Venezuela retired. Former champion Nadia Petrova defeated Katarina Srebotnik, and Aravane Razai of France advanced when former No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo withdrew because of a rib injury.
HOCKEY
Minnesota Wild prospect Julien Sprunger scored two power-play goals Monday to lead Switzerland to a 2-1 win over Belarus at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.
Sprunger put Switzerland (2-0) ahead 1-0 in the first period in Quebec City. His shot from the right circle beat Belarus goalie Vitaly Koval and went in off the crossbar.
The left wing broke a 1-1 tie with his second of the game and third of the tournament. He deflected Thibault Monnet’s point shot at 14:36 of the second period.
