The impact of Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, who averaged 18.7 points, 13.7 assists and 7.7 rebounds against the Heat in the regular season, is so big that Mario Chalmers has been called Miami’s most important player.

The Miami Heat proved it could beat the Indiana Pacers without Chris Bosh. Miami thinks it can beat the Boston Celtics without him, if necessary. Miami may face a serious challenge against San Antonio or Oklahoma City in the NBA finals without him.

It’s fitting that the Celtics player who tormented the Heat the most this season is the one most openly bullish about his team’s chances in these Eastern Conference Finals." We feel we can beat Miami,” says Rajon Rondo.

Melky Cabrera tied a career high with four hits, including a home run, and scored all three runs Sunday for the San Francisco Giants to help Matt Cain beat the Miami Marlins 3-2.

Dario Franchitti stamped his name in the record books by winning his third Indianapolis 500 on Sunday while honoring his friend, the late Dan Wheldon.

Already uneasy about the idea of letting her 7-year-old son Jason start playing tackle football, Elizabeth Giancarli made up her mind when former NFL star Junior Seau committed suicide.

Andy Lee has made every punt and held every field goal and extra-point attempt - minus a few in the preseason - for the San Francisco 49ers since 2004.

Mark Sanchez smiled for a split-second when a reporter labeled him as the most scrutinized guy in the New York Jets' locker room.

The lockout was easier than all this.

Former UM players Lamar Miller and Olivier Vernon bring speed and potential play-making ability to the Dolphins.

Peyton Manning's two biggest targets are a pair of promising young receivers who have already made their mark in the NFL despite spending lots of time on the sideline.

The impact of Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, who averaged 18.7 points, 13.7 assists and 7.7 rebounds against the Heat in the regular season, is so big that Mario Chalmers has been called Miami’s most important player.

Friendly circumstance and the other-worldly level of play achieved by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have combined to afford the Heat an unusual luxury as the NBA Eastern Conference finals commence here Monday night versus Boston.

The Oklahoma City Thunder almost did it: Almost stopped one of the longest winning streaks in NBA history, started the Western Conference finals with an upset and finally shed their underdog label.

Trailing in the fourth quarter, Gregg Popovich snarled an order in the huddle that the NBA Coach of the Year punctuated with a sharp and angry sweep of his hand.

After their win over Philadelphia on Saturday, the Boston Celtics are Miami’s foe in the Eastern Conference finals, which start Monday night.

Days after his hit on Tyler Hansbrough got him suspended, Udonis Haslem admitted it was all for an earlier foul on Dwyane Wade. ‘I can’t imagine anything I wouldn’t do for Dwyane,’ he said.

Melky Cabrera continued his hot-hitting ways Sunday with a homer and three singles, and scored all three Giants runs.

The Atlanta Braves aren't blaming their free-fall toward .500 on a troubling string of injuries and illnesses.

Miami improved to a majors-best 18-7 this month despite another meltdown by closer Heath Bell, as Mark Buehrle earned the win.

The Colorado Rockies' starting pitchers have developed a habit of working just seven innings. The overworked bullpen couldn't bail them out this time.

How things have changed for the Seattle Mariners in a matter of four days.

Hiroki Kuroda pitched eight scoreless innings and Andruw Jones hit a solo homer that helped the New York Yankees win their season-high fifth straight game, 2-0 over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.

Jeff Francoeur and Billy Butler hit home runs, and Alcides Escobar had two hits to lead the Kansas City Royals over the Baltimore Orioles 4-2 on Sunday.

Moments after sending the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 2003, Adam Henrique skated to the corner and waited to be mobbed by his teammates.

Whether the New York Rangers truly believed they could overcome a 3-2 playoff series deficit earlier this year doesn't matter now.

The Phoenix Coyotes avoided a sweep with a gutty performance in Los Angeles. They couldn't do it again back home in the desert, though the disappointment shouldn't linger too long.

A great road playoff run has the Los Angeles Kings in a place they haven't been since the Great One was skating in Southern California.

The New Jersey Devils never could have imagined they would have a three-goal lead on the New York Rangers less than 10 minutes into Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals at hostile Madison Square Garden.

University of Miami athletic director Shawn Eichorst said the school has not reached out to other conferences, and will continue to ‘call the ACC our home.’

Vanderbilt pulled off a triple steal in a five-run ninth inning that included six stolen bases as the Commodores ran their way to an 8-6 victory over Florida in the Southeastern Conference tournament Saturday.

UM football signee Duke Johnson of Norland and track star Robin Reynolds of Miami Jackson headlined the All-Dade Awards breakfast.

Paul Hunter Clark was among the many members of Norland High School recognized with All-Dade honors from The Miami Herald.

Carl Pierre-Louis, who survived Haiti’s devastating earthquake, didn’t know what football was when he started at Felix Varela High School. Now, he’s on his way with a football scholarship.

Shayla Sanders, who led Boyd Anderson to its first girls’ track title, was named Female Athlete of the Year in the large school category, and Miramar’s Tracy Howard notched the male award.

Maybe Bishop Verot really is that good.

Zach Johnson had already shared celebratory hugs and kisses with his two young sons and talked about his Colonial victory on television.

Roger Chapman admits he may have underachieved at times during his career.

Ernie Els has apologized for his expletive-laced outburst about the condition of the greens at Wentworth at the BMW PGA Championship.

Luke Donald replaced Rory McIlroy at No. 1 in the rankings for the third time in 10 weeks, successfully defending his title in the BMW PGA Championship. It also lifted his hopes of finally capturing a major at the U.S. Open next month.

Zach Johnson won the Colonial for his first victory since also winning at Hogan's Alley two years ago, pulling ahead Sunday when Jason Dufner finally faltered.

Roger Chapman won the Senior PGA Championship, holding on for a two-stroke victory after leading comfortably throughout the final round Sunday.

Ernie Els has launched an expletive-laced attack on European Tour officials and greenkeepers at the BMW PGA Championship for failing to water the putting surfaces enough for the third round at Wentworth.

Luke Donald put himself in position to regain the world's No. 1 ranking, shooting a 3-under 69 to take a two-stroke lead after the third round of the BMW PGA Championship on Saturday.

Rick Hendrick says he made a mistake last year, something the owner's teams haven't done much lately.

Danica Patrick emerged from her bright green No. 10 car Sunday night with a smile.

In the early going of the Indianapolis 500, Bobby Rahal advised his driver to show a little patience.

It was an hour before the Indianapolis 500, and Dario Franchitti and Tony Kanaan found a quiet corner to prepare for the race. They were interrupted by Parnelli Jones, Bobby Unser and Johnny Rutherford, three of the greatest drivers in IndyCar history.

Kasey Kahne was starting to feel a little guilty.

IndyCar points leader Will Power and Mike Conway were both knocked out of the Indianapolis 500 in the first crash of Sunday's race.

Tony Kanaan was feeling lucky Sunday.

Fans sought shade under the grandstands and beneath umbrellas. Misting stations got a healthy workout. But Sunday's Indianapolis 500 won't go down in the record books as the hottest in the 101-year history of the race.

Italian authorities swept through the Italy national team training site near Florence Monday and made more than a dozen arrests, including Lazio captain Stefano Mauri, elsewhere as part of a wide-ranging investigation into match-fixing in soccer.

Now that they've made peace with their international partners on the financial front, leaders at the U.S. Olympic Committee must decide whether to try to bring an upcoming Olympics to America.

Barcelona provided Pep Guardiola with the perfect sendoff by routing Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in the Copa del Rey final on Friday night, the club's 14th trophy in four seasons under its most successful coach.

International and U.S. Olympic leaders finalized a new revenue-sharing agreement on Thursday that ends years of acrimony between the powerful bodies and clears the way for future American bids for the games.

Roger Federer tied Jimmy Connors' Open era record of 233 Grand Slam match wins by beating Tobias Kamke of Germany 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 in the first round of the French Open on Monday.

Defending champion Li Na won her opening match at the French Open, beating Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-2, 6-1 on Monday.

Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka turned it on when she had to Monday, winning 12 of the final 14 games to reach the second round at the French Open.

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic advanced to the second round of the French Open by beating Potito Starace of Italy 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-1 on Monday.

Qualifier Lauren Davis, an 18-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla., knocked off 30th-seeded Mona Barthel of Germany 6-1, 6-1 in the first round of the French Open on Monday.

With a victory in this year’s French Open, Spaniard Rafael Nadal would

Just playing at this year's French Open was an accomplishment for Venus Williams. Winning was a bonus.

Junior Dos Santos flattened Frank Mir with a huge right hand and finished him on the ground at 3:04 of the second round Saturday night, emphatically defending his heavyweight title at UFC 146 on Saturday night.

Ryder Hesjedal became the first Canadian to win one of cycling's three major tour races, capturing the Giro d'Italia on Sunday by overtaking Spain's Joaquin Rodriguez in the final stage.

Athletes in the Cuervo Series hope beach volleyball can sustain fan interest once the Olympics have concluded.

Empire Builder won the inaugural race that pays homage to the euthanized horse that trained and won nine stakes at Calder.

Phil Gleaves has been preparing for Saturday’s inaugural Mambo Meister Stakes with a mixture of high hopes and memories.

The Oklahoma City Thunder almost did it: Almost stopped one of the longest winning streaks in NBA history, started the Western Conference finals with an upset and finally shed their underdog label.

Johnny Tapia, the five-time boxing champion whose turbulent career was marked by cocaine addiction, alcohol, depression and run-ins with the law, was found dead Sunday at his Albuquerque home. He was 45.

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic advanced to the second round of the French Open by beating Potito Starace of Italy 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-1 on Monday.

Rick Hendrick says he made a mistake last year, something the owner's teams haven't done much lately.

Defending champion Li Na won her opening match at the French Open, beating Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-2, 6-1 on Monday.

Qualifier Lauren Davis, an 18-year-old from Boca Raton, Fla., knocked off 30th-seeded Mona Barthel of Germany 6-1, 6-1 in the first round of the French Open on Monday.

Roger Federer tied Jimmy Connors' Open era record of 233 Grand Slam match wins by beating Tobias Kamke of Germany 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 in the first round of the French Open on Monday.

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