Lakers hold off Jazz 108-105, reach West finals

By DOUG ALDEN

SALT LAKE CITY - Kobe Bryant scored 34 points and Los Angeles held off a furious rally by the Utah Jazz for a 108-105 victory Friday night, putting the Lakers in the Western Conference finals for the first time in four years.

James scores 32, Cavs beat Celtics to force Game 7

By TOM WITHERS

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Cavaliers packed for a weekend stay in Beantown _ not a few weeks on Cape Cod. They've got at least one more game left, and in the NBA, it's as big as they ever get. Game 7. On Sunday. In Boston.

Patriots' Belichick says Walsh isn't credible

BOSTON - New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick lashed out at the team's former video assistant Friday, saying in a televised interview that Matt Walsh was a low-level staffer who was fired for "poor job performance." "There's not a lot of credibility," Belichick said in an interview broadcast on "CBS Evening News."

Magowan stepping down as Giants' managing partner

By JANIE McCAULEY

SAN FRANCISCO - Peter Magowan, the owner who brought Barry Bonds to San Francisco, built a new ballpark and kept major league baseball in the city, is stepping down as managing partner of the Giants.

NFL owners may opt out of labor deal next week

By DAVE GOLDBERG

NEW YORK - NFL owners could opt out of their agreement with the players union next week, leaving open the possibility of a 2010 season without a salary cap. The labor agreement is on the agenda for the league meetings in Atlanta on Tuesday.

Olympian Montgomery gets 46 months for check fraud

By JIM FITZGERALD

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - Olympian Tim Montgomery had everything he ever wanted. Once known as the "world's fastest man," Montgomery won a silver medal in the 400 relay at the 1996 Olympics and gold in the same event in 2000. In 2002, he set a record of 9.78 seconds in the 100-meter dash.

Werth hits 3 homers as Phillies beat Jays 10-3

PHILADELPHIA - Jayson Werth homered in his first three at-bats and tied a Philadelphia Phillies record with eight RBIs in a 10-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.

Sonnanstine tames Cardinals in Rays' 3-1 victory

By R.B. FALLSTROM

ST. LOUIS - Andy Sonnanstine carried a shutout into the eighth inning and added two singles to a 12-hit outburst in the streaking Tampa Bay Rays' 3-1 victory over the sagging St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.

Amputee runner wins right to try for Olympic spot

By GRAHAM DUNBAR

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius won his appeal Friday and can compete for a place in the Beijing Olympics.

Briscoe and 2 rookies crash in Indy 500 practice

By STEVE HERMAN

INDIANAPOLIS - Ryan Briscoe, a front-row qualifier last week, crashed hard in the second turn but was uninjured during practice Friday for the Indianapolis 500.