Sports Briefs April 19, 2010
Basketball
Kevin Garnett has been suspended by the NBA for the Boston Celtics second playoff game against the Miami Heat.
The one-game suspension was imposed Sunday for hitting Quentin Richardson of the Miami Heat in the head with an elbow with 40 seconds left in Boston's 85-76 win in Game 1 on Saturday night.
The league also fined Richardson $25,000.
• Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said center Mehmet Okur has a torn left Achilles' tendon and is out for the remainder of the playoffs.
• For the second time in just over one year, Missouri coach Mike Anderson has turned down a hefty raise and the chance to revive a moribund power conference program to remain with the Tigers.
The latest suitor was Oregon, which fired Ernie Kent a month ago after a 16-16 season and ninth-place finish in the Pac-10. Anderson confirmed that the job was his if he desired.
Brian Davis called a two-stroke penalty on himself on the first playoff hole to give Jim Furyk a victory at the Verizon Heritage at Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Davis, an Englishman who has never won on the PGA Tour, birdied the 72nd hole to force the extra hole. However, Davis' approach rolled off the green and, when he attempted to play it, his wedge moved a loose reed in the marshy area.
• Bernhard Langer won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am when the final round was rained out at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, Fla.
Langer opened with rounds of 67 and 66 to finish at 9-under 133. Mark O'Meara and Mike Reid tied for second.
Football
St. Louis Rams general manager Billy Devaney would love to keep 'em guessing until the draft day reveal the team's No. 1 pick.
Releasing Marc Bulger earlier this month all but cinches it that St. Louis will take a quarterback if it keeps the first pick, and it'll be a huge surprise if it isn't Oklahoma's Sam Bradford.
• Upgrading the offensive line will be among Trent Baalke's first tasks as the new man making the big draft decisions with the San Francisco 49ers. Idaho guard Mike Iupati - the top guard in the draft - and Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis are on his radar. The 49ers will pick twice in the first round of Thursday's NFL draft, first at No. 13 and again at No. 17.
The Niners need another tackle, but Baalke also has stressed that he is all about picking top talent no matter the position. He wouldn't reveal whether the Niners believe Iupati could make a smooth transition to tackle.
"We value Mike as a good football player and a good offensive lineman. Where he fits within the offensive line - whether it's tackle, whether it's guard - we're going to keep that opinion to ourselves at this point," Baalke said. "But we think he's an awfully good football player."
Auto racing
Ryan Hunter-Reay took advantage of an early mistake by Will Power and was never really challenged, cruising to his second career Indy Racing League title at the Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach, Calif.
Hunter-Reay started second and took the lead on the 18th lap when Power, the pole sitter, slowed and had to pull to the outside.
A part-time driver for Andretti Autosport, Hunter-Reay's teammate Danica Patrick started in the back after a poor qualifying effort and finished 16th.
• Persistent wet weather Sunday forced the postponement of the Sprint Cup and Nationwide events at Texas Motor Speedway.
The Sprint Cup race was called Sunday about 75 minutes after its scheduled 12:16 p.m. start because of persistent drizzle and the forecast for misty conditions until late in the evening. The race was rescheduled for this morning (9 a.m., KAYU). The Nationwide race will follow (2 p.m., ESPN2).
Tennis
Rafael Nadal won his first tournament in nearly a year, defeating Fernando Verdasco 6-0, 6-1 in an all-Spanish final at the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco.
• Samantha Stosur earned her first title on clay, overwhelming Vera Zvonareva 6-0, 6-3 to win the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, S.C.
- The Associated Press