LeBron James scored 32 points and assisted on Drew Gooden's game-winning shot on Wednesday night to lead Cleveland over Detroit 86-84 -- the Cavaliers' third straight win en route to a 3-2 lead in the second-round series.
The Pistons, on the brink of elimination after two straight trips to the NBA Finals, have not been giving much respect to the Cavs, who are in the second round for the first time since 1993.
Game 6 of the series is tonight in Cleveland, and if the Pistons force a Game 7, they will be back on their home court on Sunday.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 14 before fouling out, Donyell Marshall had 14 points and 13 rebounds off the bench and three other players added at least six points apiece.
Tayshaun Prince scored 21, Chauncey Billups had 17 before fouling out, Richard Hamilton scored 15, Rasheed Wallace added 10 while battling foul trouble and reserve Antonio McDyess chipped in with 11 points.
Spurs 98, Mavericks 97
At San Antonio, Tim Duncan tied an NBA postseason record by making his first 12 shots and scored 36 points, Tony Parker added 27, and the Spurs withstood losing two jump balls in the final 6.3 seconds to keep their title defense alive.
The Spurs still trail 3-2, but the way they played this game -- shooting more than 60 percent into the fourth quarter -- anything is possible. The Mavericks will get a second chance at advancing to the conference finals tonight at home. If they can't do it, the Spurs will host Game 7 on Monday night.
Dirk Nowitzki scored a series-high 31 points for Dallas, including his first 3-pointer, which tied it at 95.
HSIEH ADVANCES: In the women’s doubles, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei was to play in the second round last night, but Taiwan’s Ray Ho exited in the men’s doubles It is more than 10 years since Grigor Dimitrov reached his sole Wimbledon semi-final and back then it still seemed a reasonable bet that the Bulgarian once dubbed “Baby Federer” would win a Grand Slam title. There were semi-final runs at the US Open and Australian Open after that, but it has never quite happened and despite him still being ranked No. 21, it most likely never will. Dimitrov, 34, remains one of the most stylish players on the circuit though, with his elegant single-handed backhand and smooth all-court game a rare reminder of how tennis was before the power merchants turned
Spain are the favorites to win the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, but star player Aitana Bonmati’s illness ahead of the tournament raises another question mark around a side which, despite their obvious quality, are not unstoppable. Having claimed the last two Ballon d’Or awards, Barcelona midfielder Bonmati is the game’s biggest star at present, so her absence in the final days before the start of Euro 2025 is a major setback. The 27-year-old came down with a fever in training last week, and was subsequently hospitalized and diagnosed with viral meningitis. Bonmati was discharged on Sunday and joined up with
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Real Madrid’s FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final against Borussia Dortmund had taken three crazy turns during nine minutes of second-half stoppage time when Marcel Sabitzer chested the ball and sent a right-footed volley toward Thibaut Courtois’ post. Courtois leapt to his right, extended the long arm on his 2m frame and just managed to get his gloved fingertips on the ball, knocking it down. Courtois hit the ground as the ball bounded up. He looked skyward, planted his right hand to regain his balance, grabbed the ball with both hands on the second bounce and fell onto it with his chest. Sabitzer turned