HEAT-BOBCATS
James, Heat complete sweep of Bobcats, 109-98
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — LeBron James scored 31 points, and the Miami Heat completed a first-round sweep of the Charlotte Bobcats with a 109-98 victory Monday night.
James scored 19 points after injuring his thigh in the third quarter. He finished the game 10 of 19 from the field and had nine assists.
Chris Bosh added 17 points and Dwyane Wade battled through foul trouble and finished with 15 as Miami won its 20th straight game over Charlotte.
The Heat will await the winner of Brooklyn-Toronto series, which is tied 2-2.
Kemba Walker led Charlotte with 29 points.
The Bobcats played without Al Jefferson, their leading scorer and rebounder who has been bothered by a foot injury since the first quarter of Game 1
The loss signaled the end of an era for the Bobcats. They will become the Hornets next season.
HURRICANES-FRONT-OFFICE SHAKEUP
Ron Francis takes over as Hurricanes GM
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jim Rutherford is stepping down as general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes and the team has promoted Hall of Fame player Ron Francis to replace him.
In a series of moves announced Monday, the Hurricanes also hired Mike Vellucci as assistant GM and director of hockey operations and promoted Brian Tatum to assistant general manager.
The 65-year-old Rutherford spent two decades as the club’s GM, and helped shepherd its move from Hartford to North Carolina.
He assembled the teams that won one Stanley Cup, played for another and reached the Eastern Conference final in 2009. The Hurricanes haven’t made the playoffs since then.
Francis holds team records with 382 goals, 793 assists and 1,186 games played. He has been the team’s vice president of hockey operations since June 2012.
HAWKS-PACERS
Hawks take series lead with 107-97 win at Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Mike Scott made five 3-pointers during a 30-6 second-quarter run Monday night, and the Atlanta Hawks fended off a furious fourth-quarter rally to beat top-seeded Indiana 107-97 and take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Atlanta can clinch the first-round series at home Thursday.
Scott scored all 17 of his points during an incredible 12-minute stretch when Atlanta went 13 of 16 from the field and outscored Indiana 41-19 to take a 61-40 halftime lead. The Hawks and the 1970 Milwaukee Bucks are the only road teams in the shot-clock era to score at least 40 points and allow fewer than 20 in any quarter of a playoff game.
Shelvin Mack led the eighth-seeded Hawks with 20 points.
Paul George had 26 for Indiana, which got as close as eight points in the final minute.
BRAVES-REVAMPED ROTATION
Braves’ new-look rotation thriving in first month
ATLANTA (AP) — As they entered the season, the Atlanta Braves were hoping to just hang on through the first month while they waited for Mike Minor and Gavin Floyd to join a depleted rotation.
Instead, manager Fredi Gonzalez faces a different problem for the Braves, who were off on Monday: How does he make room for another arm in the majors’ best rotation? There’s no weak link as the starters’ 1.57 ERA easily leads the majors.
The rotation was a big question after Tim Hudson and Paul Maholm departed as free agents. The issue reached crisis stage when Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy needed season-ending Tommy John surgeries in spring training.
Veterans Ervin Santana and Aaron Harang have joined Julio Teheran and Alex Wood as the staff’s new leaders on the first-place Braves.
REDS-REPLAY
Reds waiting to hear from MLB on replay dispute
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Reds are waiting to hear from Major League Baseball about the replay dispute that led to Bryan Price’s first ejection as manager.
Price was ejected during the first inning of Cincinnati’s 1-0 loss in 10 innings at Atlanta on Sunday. Price asked for a replay after B.J. Upton was called safe at first base on Johnny Cueto’s pickoff throw. First baseman Joey Votto made a swipe at Upton’s hand before it touched the base.
The replay was deemed inconclusive and the call stood. Price came out to discuss it further and was ejected.
The Reds sought clarification from MLB on Monday about why the replay was deemed inconclusive. Price wishes managers could talk to umpires after a replay decision. They’re not allowed to challenge a replay decision.
