SAN DIEGO (AP) - With Magic Johnson and Frank McCourt watching from next to the dugout, the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 5-3 Thursday even though reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw left after three innings with the flu.
OAKLAND (AP) - By the time Oakland gets through its first eight games, the Athletics will already have faced Mariners ace Felix Hernandez three times.
PHOENIX (AP) - The game between the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks has just about everything a season opener needs.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Florida Panthers ended one of the longest playoff droughts in major North American sports Thursday night despite a 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals, who also earned a postseason bid to complete the eight-team field for the Eastern Conference.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Joe Pavelski scored the only shootout goal, and the San Jose Sharks beat the Kings 6-5 Thursday night to pull even with Los Angeles atop the Pacific Division with two days left in the regular season.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Carmelo Anthony scored 19 points, Tyson Chandler had 12 points and 12 rebounds and the New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic 96-80 on Thursday night.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - With his words and then his play, Lee Westwood shot down the notion Thursday that this Masters was a two-horse race.
SACRAMENTO (AP) - Blake Griffin made three straight jumpers in the closing minutes to finish with 14 points and nine rebounds, lifting the Los Angeles Clippers to a 93-85 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.
NFL GOODELL HEARS APPEALS FROM SAINTS' PAYTON, LOOMIS: NEW YORK (AP) - Sean Payton slipped out a back entrance from NFL headquarters and directly into to a waiting car. The New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl-winning coach now must wait for Commissioner Roger Goodell to decide whether he will reduce any of the penalties in the team's bounty scandal. <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: ...
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - On the same day the NFL heard the Saints' appeals in their hits-for-cash scandal, a recording of Gregg Williams emerged that purports to capture the disgraced defensive coordinator telling players to "put a lick" on 49ers receiver Kyle Williams to see if he had lingering effects from a concussion.
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Johan Franzen scored on consecutive shots in the third period to end Brian Elliott's shutout streak after more than 3 1-2 games, and Todd Bertuzzi netted the lone goal in a shootout as the Detroit Red Wings rallied to beat the St. Louis Blues 3-2 on Wednesday night.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Josh Donaldson is starting to show signs that he might be a reliable replacement for Scott Sizemore.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Rookie Hector Sanchez spent the winter back home in Venezuela fine-tuning his swing while turning most of his attention to becoming a better defensive catcher. Day after day, he fueled his improvement with thoughts of making the Giants' opening day roster.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timberwolves don't appear to have much left in the tank.
MIAMI (AP) - LeBron James had 34 points and 10 assists, Dwyane Wade scored 19 points and the Miami Heat avenged a loss at Oklahoma City last week, rallying to beat the Thunder 98-93 on Wednesday night for their 17th straight home victory.