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Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
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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.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had hole-by-hole reports.
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.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
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AP
SALT LAKE CITY - The Los Angeles Lakers got to celebrate the end of a nine-game road losing streak and something that’s much, much bigger.
Kobe’s back.
Out for six games because of a sprained right shoulder, Kobe Bryant returned from the injured list with 21 points and six assists and the Lakers beat the Utah Jazz 93-86 Saturday night.
“I was ready to play. Especially coming back to a challenge, playing on the road,” Bryant said. “Coming back on a home game is too easy.”
It certainly wasn’t easy Saturday. Bryant was booed nearly every time he touched the ball, jeered loudly every time he missed and was knocked down several times before gingerly getting up without putting much pressure on his right shoulder.
Bryant made his first shot and three of his next four to show that he was far from rusty despite sitting out since being injured Jan. 12. The Lakers sent Utah to its season-high fifth straight loss.
Bryant felt good during the team shootaround earlier in the day and was activated.
“I think we were truly energized by the return of Kobe. He helped us get going, shoot the ball well at the beginning of the game,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. “He brought an energy and a cockiness to the game that gave them a confidence level that they hadn’t played with in the last two road games.”
The Lakers had last won on the road Dec. 4, beating Dallas 114-103.
Slava Medvedenko tied his career high with 26 points and Gary Payton scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer that sealed it with 13 seconds remaining.
But the night belonged to Bryant, who finally gave the Lakers some good news regarding injuries.
“I’ve been ready to play for a while. Just waiting to get off the injured list,” Bryant said. “If it’s good enough to play, suit up and go.”
A healthy Bryant and Payton give the Lakers half of their Big Four that many expected at the beginning of the season to carry the Lakers to the NBA title. But the other half is still going to be out for a while.
Karl Malone, who’s out with a knee injury, didn’t travel with the Lakers for what would have been his first game in Utah since leaving the Jazz as a free agent last summer. Shaquille O’Neal (calf) is out until at least next week.
The Lakers don’t play again until Wednesday’s home game against Seattle.
“There’s a good possibility that we won’t have Shaquille, even though he has mouthed the fact that he’d like to come back on Wednesday,” Jackson said.
The Jazz, who fell below .500 for the first time this season at 21-22, have been hit just as hard by injuries, dressing just 10 players. Leading scorer Andrei Kirilenko missed his fourth straight with a sprained ankle.
Utah twice cut a 19-point lead to three, but couldn’t quite catch up.
“It’s tough to deal with the injuries, but you have to play with what you’ve got,” said Carlos Arroyo, who had 16 points and six assists for Utah.
Utah led several times in the first half and made two huge runs in the second half, including once in the final minutes.
Arroyo cut the Laker lead to 87-81, Jarron Collins made a free throw and Arroyo added two more from the line with 1:01 remaining to make it 87-84, but Medvedenko and Payton ended the Jazz comeback.
Medvedenko pulled in a rebound — one of his seven on the offense boards — and the ball got outside to Payton at the top of the arc and Payton made it a six-point game.
Michael Ruffin had 15 rebounds, DeShawn Stevenson scored 17 and Greg Ostertag had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Jazz.
Notes: The Jazz were coming off a 93-82 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers the night before. ... LA’s Rick Fox was activated for the first time this season, but did not play.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
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