UNDATED (AP) β The Houston Rockets closed out their NBA first-round series in five games last night, while the San Antonio Spurs took a three-games-to-two lead in their opening-round scrum with the Los Angeles Clippers. James Harden poured in 28 points and Terrence Jones provided 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter of the Rockets’ 103-94 victory over Dallas. Tim Duncan’s 21 points and 11 rebounds led the Spurs past the Los Angeles Clippers 111-107.
BALTIMORE (AP) β Fans will not be allowed to attend this afternoon’s game between the Orioles and Chicago White Sox in Baltimore following Monday’s riots near Camden Yards. It is believed to be the first game without fans in Major League Baseball’s 145-season history. MLB has also announced that this weekend’s scheduled games between the Orioles and Tampa Bay will now be played in Tropicana Field instead of Oriole Park.
WASHINGTON (AP) β The National Football League is giving up its tax-exempt status. Some members of Congress have criticized the NFL for being tax-exempt while the league generates billions in revenue. Commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL’) says the status has become a “distraction.”
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) β A person familiar with the matter says the NFL is fining the New York Jets $100,000 for tampering because of owner Woody Johnson’s comments in December about Darrelle Revis (deh-REHL’ REE’-vihs), then a member of the New England Patriots. The Pats filed a tampering charge against the Jets after Johnson said he’d “love to have Darrelle back” when asked if there could be a possible reunion during the offseason. The Jets will not lose any draft picks as a result of the fine.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) β NFL prospect Shane Ray has been issued a misdemeanor citation after a trooper found a small amount of marijuana in the defensive end’s car. Ray was the SEC defensive player of the year at Missouri and is expected to be an early pick this week in the NFL draft. He was cited for possession of 35 grams or less of marijuana and for a traffic violation.
