LeBron has 42 in Miami’s win over Mavericks
NBA: LeBron James scored a season-high 42 points and the Miami Heat tuned up for a showdown with Oklahoma City by beating the host Dallas Mavericks 117-106 Tuesday night.
James, who had his first 40-point game of the season, scored the first eight points and 10 overall in a 14-0 run that put the Heat up 106-95 after they trailed by one entering the fourth quarter.
Miami came out of the All-Star break by winning for the sixth time in seven games heading into James’ duel with Kevin Durant on Thursday night in Oklahoma City.
• Mills scores 25 for Spurs: Patty Mills scored 16 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, Tim Duncan had 19 points and 13 rebounds during a foul-plagued 38 minutes, and the visiting San Antonio Spurs charged out of the All-Star break with a 113-103 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Blake Griffin had 35 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers.
• Conley returns to lead Memphis: Mike Conley scored 22 points in his return after missing seven games with an ankle injury, Mike Miller added a season-high 19, and the host Memphis Grizzlies weathered New York’s second-half rally to beat the Knicks 98-93.
• George hot for Pacers: Paul George scored 26 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 108-98 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks.
• Injured Parker out indefinitely: Spurs guard Tony Parker sat out against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, and San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich says the six-time All Star will be sidelined for quite some time because of multiple injuries.
Popovich said that Parker would be out of action “for the foreseeable future” because of numerous aches and pains involving his back, groin and calf.
• Aldridge out a week: Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge will be out for a week because of a left groin strain.
No. 14 Virginia rallies for 10th straight win
College men’s basketball: Justin Anderson and Joe Harris made consecutive 3-pointers to cap No. 14 Virginia’s rally from an 11-point, second-half deficit in a 57-53 victory over Virginia Tech at Blacksburg, Vaa.
The Cavaliers (22-5, 13-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) trailed most of the game but outscored the Hokies (9-16, 2-11) 23-6 after falling behind 40-29 with just more than 14 minutes remaining. It was Virginia’s 10th victory in a row.
• Aztecs roll behind Shrigley: Matt Shrigley scored 15 points — including four 3-pointers — and No. 6 San Diego State (23-2, 12-1 Mountain West) used a stifling defense to beat Utah State (15-11, 5-9) 60-45, the Aztecs’ 12th straight home victory.
• Wiggins hits game-winner: Freshman Andrew Wiggins’ layup with two seconds left lifted No. 8 Kansas (20-6, 11-2 Big 12) to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech (13-13, 5-8) at Lubbock, Texas.
• Villanova edges Providence in OT: Ryan Arcidiacono had a three-point play with 3.6 seconds left in the second overtime to lift No. 9 Villanova (23-3, 11-2 Big East) to an 82-79 win over Providence (17-7, 7-7).
• Cyclones blow past Longhorns: Melvin Ejim scored 25 points and DeAndre Kane added 22 to help No. 17 Iowa State (20-5, 8-5 Big 12) beat 19th-ranked Texas 20-6, 9-4) 85-76 at Ames, Iowa, for its fifth victory in six games.
• Game postponed when piece of ceiling falls into seats: Indiana postponed night’s game against No. 15 Iowa after an 8-foot piece of metal fell into the seats from the ceiling at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind.
The accident occurred about six hours before the scheduled tip time at 9 p.m. No makeup date was announced.
Brawl leads to bat bashing in Cuba
Baseball: A bench-clearing brawl in which a ballplayer hit a rival in the face with a bat had disgusted sports fans and pundits bemoaning the state of Cuba’s national sport.
The melee between Matanzas and Villa Clara was broadcast live on national television to shocked viewers Monday night.
Video images show Matanzas’ batter Demis Valdes charging the mound brandishing a wooden bat at Freddy Asiel Alvarez, who rips off his glove and hurls it him. Valdes takes a vicious right-handed cut, though it’s not clear if he misses the ducking pitcher or deals a glancing blow.
But Valdes’ backswing catches Villa Clara captain and first baseman Ramon Lunar in the face, knocking him to the ground.
Lunar was hospitalized overnight for observation, but not seriously injured.
• Masterson signs rich deal: Pitcher Justin Masterson and the Cleveland Indians have agreed to a one-year contract worth $9,762,500 and avoided a salary arbitration hearing.
Masterson, a 28-year-old right-hander, led the Indians in wins last year when he went 14-10 with a 3.45 ERA.
Seahawks sign CFL wide receiver
NFL: The Seattle Seahawks signed a receiver with an intriguing background, 2012 Canadian Football League rookie of the year Chris Matthews.
Matthews, a 6-foot-5, 227-pounder who played at Kentucky, caught 81 passes for 1,192 yards in 2012 for Winnipeg. Injuries held him to just 14 catches in his second season in 2013.
The Seahawks, known to be searching for big receivers, saw enough to give him shot, hoping to hit again with a CFL import as they did a few years ago with cornerback Brandon Browner.
• Falcons’ White arrested: Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White has been arrested on a warrant charging him with failing to appear in court.
White failed to appear in court last March after he was cited for driving a vehicle with tinted windows that were too dark.
Beavers name Garrett offensive coordinator
Miscellany: Former NFL assistant coach John Garrett has been named offensive coordinator of the Oregon State Beavers.
Garrett, who once played for Beavers coach Mike Riley in the now-defunct World League, was wide receivers coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. Before that, he was on the staff of the Dallas Cowboys under coach Jason Garrett, his brother.
• Georgetown upsets St. John’s: Samisha Powell scored 13 points and Georgetown (9-18, 3-12 Big East) came from behind to defeat No. 22 St. John’s 60-57 at Washington D.C. .
Amber Thompson scored 14 points and Aliyyah Handford and Briana Brown each added 13 for the Red Storm (19-6, 12-2).