NBA: Both Chicago and Miami denied their playoff opponents a win for the second time in an as many tries. For the Bulls, it was another slow start. But once again, the NBA's best team managed to pull out a win after struggling out of the gates, beating the Indiana Pacers 96-90 to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series. The Bulls comeback was led by Derrick Rose, who had 36 on the night. The Miami Heat jumped out to a 2-0 series lead after a 94-73 shellacking of the Philadelphia 76ers Monday. LeBron James finished the night with 29 points, tying the combined point total of all five of Philadelphia's starters. Chris Bosh netted 21 points and 11 rebounds and picked up his second consecutive double-double.
Dwight Howard was named the league's defensive player of the year Monday, making him the first player in NBA history to win the award three seasons in a row.
Rick Adelman is no longer the head coach of the Houston Rockets after four seasons with the team. The Rockets announced that the two sides "have mutually agreed to part ways." His contract was set to expire on June 30. Adelman amassed a 193-135 record during his tenure with the team. While he never won coach of the year, he came in second four times.
NHL: Both Pennsylvania hockey teams took a 2-1 lead in their opening-round playoff series Monday night. The Philadelphia Flyers beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-2, behind goalie Brian Boucher's 35 saves. It's the first time that the Buffalo club has suffered consecutive losses since losing three in a row Feb. 16-20. The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 to grab the lead in their first-round series. Pittsburgh has now won six straight Game 3s.
The Phoenix Coyotes are one game away from being eliminated from the playoffs, as they fell to the Detroit Red Wings 4-2, giving Detroit a 3-0 series lead. ... The Boston Bruins picked up their first playoff win and avoided falling into 3-0 series hole with a 4-2 triumph over the Montreal Canadiens.
MLB: Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum struck out 10 batters and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, leading the San Francisco Giants to an 8-1 romping over the Colorado Rockies. His no-no was broken up by a Carlos Gonzalez single with one out in the seventh. Since debuting in 2007, Lincecum has pitched 28 games in which he's struck out a minimum of 10 batters.
Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Mike Leake was arrested Monday on a shoplifting charge and is accused of attempting to steal six shirts, valued at a total of $59.88. The 23-year-old is making $425,000 this season. According to police arrest reports, Leake took the price tags off of six American Rag T-shirts at a Macy's in downtown Cincinnati and tried leaving the department store without paying for them. He was booked and given a first-degree misdemeanor charge of shoplifting, which carries a maximum term of 180 days in jail.
Boston Marathon: Geoffrey Mutai, 29, of Kenya won the Boston Marathon on Monday, finishing in 2:03:02, a record for the marathon distance.
