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The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
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Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
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Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
AP
PHOENIX - Kobe Bryant had a below-average game. He’s got so much help on this Los Angeles Lakers team it didn’t matter.
Bryant scored 24 points, Vladimir Radmanovic made all five of his 3-pointers and a host of others made significant contributions to help the Lakers past the Phoenix Suns, 105-92 on Thursday night.
Bryant shot only 8-of-23, but the Lakers overwhelmed Phoenix with their depth. Six players reached double figures as Los Angeles improved its record to a league-best 9-1.
“I was telling Luke (Walton) about 10 minutes ago that this might be the first season I average 31 minutes because we’ve been blowing people out,” Bryant said. “I’ve been sitting the whole fourth quarter. That’s pretty amazing.”
Bryant did make a fourth-quarter cameo, but mostly it was left to the reserves to finish off Phoenix.
Radmanovic scored 15, Lamar Odom 13, Jordan Farmar 11, and Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza 10 apiece for Los Angeles. Pau Gasol scored only four points but had nine assists and nine rebounds.
“They’re the best team,” the Suns’ Shaquille O’Neal said. “They’re 9-1. They’re playing good. Kobe’s playing team ball, keeping everybody involved. He’s got a lot of shooters around him. They’re a very dangerous team.”
Amare Stoudemire scored 21 for Phoenix on 9-for-21 shooting. The Lakers’ reserves outscored their Suns counterparts 42-30.
“It’s the kind of game we need from our bench,” Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson said. “We were able to play them most of the fourth quarter.”
The Lakers had 21 points off 15 Phoenix turnovers. Los Angeles committed just seven turnovers, resulting in seven points for the Suns.
Radmanovic had only five points and was 0-for-2 on 3s in the Lakers’ victory over Chicago on Tuesday night.
“We’d been kidding him that he’d not made a shot the last week,” Jackson said.
O’Neal added 15 points and nine rebounds against a team he helped win three NBA titles. The Suns’ Steve Nash was scoreless in the first half and finished with eight points and 10 assists, leaving the court with back spasms with 4:38 to play.
“I thought Raja (Bell) did a great job on Kobe,” Phoenix coach Terry Porter said. “He goes 8-for-23 and he has other guys step up. That’s what’s made these guys good this year.”
The Lakers made 10 of 21 3-pointers to win in Phoenix for the third straight time.
Los Angeles took the lead for good late in the first half. The Lakers led by 14 in the third quarter and were up 89-71 when Odom sank a 3-pointer with 8:34 to play. Phoenix cut the lead to 10 in the final few minutes but got no closer.
The Lakers went on a 14-0 run to end the first quarter and start the second, taking a 32-24 lead on Bynum’s 10-footer. The Suns responded with a 12-2 spurt to go up 37-34 when Grant Hill made one of two free throws with 7:05 left in the half.
Los Angeles, though, outscored Phoenix 17-7 the rest of the quarter to lead 51-44 at the break. The Lakers padded the lead in the opening minutes of the second half. Bryant’s fast-break basket made it 63-51 with 7:47 left in the third quarter.
The Suns twice cut it to eight before back-to-back 3-pointers by Radmanovic and Derek Fisher gave Los Angeles a 76-62 with 2:21 left in the third. The Lakers led 80-67 entering the fourth.
Notes: Radmanovic was 11-for-30 on 3s going into the game. Foul trouble limited Bynum to 20½ minutes. ... Suns coach Terry Porter went with Sean Singletary ahead of Goran Dragic at backup point guard. Both players are rookies. ... O’Neal gave Jackson a big, sweaty hug in the hallway before the game.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.
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