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MORE: Must-see conference finals photos It was another dominating performance by the East’s top squad, which looked fresh as ever after having nine days between games. The Raptors, meanwhile, looked like a team that had played back-to-back seven-game series. MORE: Classic photos of LeBron James Kyrie Irving (27 points) and LeBron James (24 points) led the way for the Cavs, who took control by outscoring the Raptors 33-16 in the second quarter and taking a 66-44 lead into halftime....

It was midway through the first quarter at that point, but the bucket was part of a 13-0 Cleveland run that let an anxious crowd relax. All the fans had to do was look down at their free T-shirts to know how the Cavaliers would get back in the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday: “It takes CLE.” Well, that and the 3. The Cavaliers used the comforts of Quicken Loans Arena to ignite a 116-86 blowout victory over the Celtics in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals to cut the Celtics’ advantage to 2-1....

The Spain international midfielder has been out of action since October 2016, when an Achilles problem forced him onto the treatment table. dabblebet: Arsenal 12/1 for PL title He would sit out the remainder of the 2016-17 campaign as he struggled to edge his way back to full fitness, and will still be missing when the 2017-18 season kicks off in a matter of weeks. Cazorla admits he is no nearer to being able to put a timescale on his recovery, but he is pleased with the progress being made in his rehabilitation....

The game went to the final minute, with the Crimson Tide nursing a 30-24 lead and needing a defensive stand against Lane Kiffin’s high-powered offense. The Rebels drove down to the Alabama 20, but a Jaxson Dart pass on fourth-and-16 fell incomplete in the end zone. Unfortunately, college football fans in Bowling Green, Ky., didn’t get to see any of it. That’s because the local CBS affilate there inexplicably cut away from the game to show an episode of “Funny You Should Ask” (per media journalist Timothy Burke) at 7 p....

No. 15 Middle Tennessee State defeated second-seeded Michigan State 90-81 in the first round of the NCAA tournament in a game the Blue Raiders never trailed. The game will go down as one of the biggest upsets March history, bursting brackets from East Lansing to Murfreesboro. MORE: Most humiliating choke jobs in Big Dance history | NCAA tournament scores No one experienced the agony of the defeat more than Spartans coach Tom Izzo and his players, led by senior star Denzel Valentine, but notable Michigan State alums couldn’t protect their mentions from the onslaught of Twitter shade they received in the aftermath of the loss....

Game 5 Line: Atlanta -6.5, Total: 199.5 Series score: 2-2 Some Las Vegas books currently have this spread at Atlanta -7. The home team has won each game this series, going 3-1 ATS. MORE: NBA playoffs live scoreboard Boston (50-36 SU, 44-40-2 ATS) helped turn this series around by making a lineup change before Game 3. Guard Evan Turner and forward Jonas Jerebko were inserted into the starting lineup; Marcus Smart and Jared Sullinger were sent to the bench....

While singer Chaka Khan might not have been as bad as Fergie — or drawn the same bemused reactions from players — her dragged-out performance was nonetheless an iffy version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It took nearly three minutes to complete. MORE: How new NBA All-Star format works Here is a dose of the online reactions to Khan’s performance: Chaka Khan draws Fergie comparisons with shaky anthem

He took the opportunity to say something in his Hall of Fame speech Saturday that needed hearing. He wants everyone to “listen.” “Tonight, I thanked many people who supported my career and many of you are my closest friends,” Bailey said. “Some of you are also considered experts of the game as much as I am. Out of the people I mentioned tonight, most of you are black men. My brothers....

The chaos led to the kickoff time being pushed by 38 minutes as the match finally kicked off at 9:38 p.m. local time. With kickoff set for 9 p.m. local time in France (8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET), the game was primed for a massive crowd and plenty of excitement all around the outskirts of Paris. Unfortunately, the traveling support was so large that stadium crew and local police had trouble dealing with the large crowd, causing delays outside the stadium for fans trying to enter the venue....

Lippi, who like Conte formerly managed Juventus and Italy, does not believe the prospect of taking the Inter job would appeal to the Stamford Bridge boss at this early stage of his career in England. Despite the 47-year-old’s continued denials, speculation still links him with a move to San Siro, while Diego Simeone is another rumoured candidate to replace Stefano Pioli as the Serie A club’s Chinese owners Suning target a big name....

Gailey joins the staff of new head coach Todd Bowles, who was hired Jan. 14. He is the team’s fourth offensive coordinator in the past five years. MORE: Coaches fired, hired, resigned, retired | Jaguars tab Olson to run offense | Trestman lands with Ravens | Kubiak: Broncos opening a game-changer Gailey’s pro resume dates to 1985, but his previous NFL experience was in 2012 as head coach of the Bills....

New York receives center Samuel Dalembert, as well as guards Jose Calderon, Shane Larkin and Wayne Ellington along with the 34th and 51st picks in the draft. MORE: Anthony opts out | Wolves to target Bulls, Rockets after Melo decision The move appears to help the Mavericks, who pair Chandler, a defensive-minded center, with franchise star Dirk Nowitzki. The two played together on the 2010 Mavericks team that won and NBA title at the expense of LeBron James’ Miami Heat....

Frye, who missed the 2012-13 season with the Suns because of a heart issue, returned to Phoenix last season to post 11.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. HEAT: Granger accepts two-year deal | McRoberts makes verbal agreement | Free-agent tracker One of the better shooting big men in the league, Frye maintained a 37.0 percent average from the 3-point line last season. The Magic will be Frye’s fourth NBA team over a nine-year NBA career....

The results? Mixed, at best. And after Los Angeles (8-6) lost 34-28 in overtime, Staley’s hard-charging ways were scrutinized. MORE: Highlights from KC’s OT victory He went for it on fourth down five times in the first three quarters, with the offense converting two times. Twice, it failed to convert near the goal line, including on the game’s opening drive and at the end of the first half. Staley doesn’t care about any of the second-guessers, or any of the first-guessers, for that matter....

Gates, an eight-time Pro Bowler entering his 13th NFL season, realizes he’s near the end of his career and is preparing for life after football — as a boxing promoter. MORE: David Wilson aims for Olympics as pro track career begins | Diabetes didn’t stop Kyle Love “I grew up in a boxing world. It was always a passion of mine,” Gates told USA Today. “My grandfather would take us out in the yard and show us how to throw right hands, left hooks, but to me boxing was so time consuming....

The Chiefs will host the Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, gearing up for a showdown between two 1-0 teams in the loaded AFC West. The Chiefs are coming off of a commanding win over the Cardinals, where star quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 360 yards and five touchdowns as Kansas City hung 44 points on the road in its season opener. LIVE: Follow Chargers vs. Chiefs on ‘Thursday Night Football’...

Former 76er Charles Barkley’s practice routine included eating as much as it did working on his skills, at least according to former Philadelphia teammate Jayson Williams. MORE: Ranking best players to change teams in their prime “My second day of practice we’re out there running up and down. Charles Barkley comes in about five minutes late. He comes in and he has a big McDonald’s bag. And he goes and he sits down on the bike,” Williams told Vice....

“It’s been very awful basketball this year. Awful. I mean just bad,” he said. “I’m not no old guy hating. But unless Golden State is playing the Clippers, the Cavs, Oklahoma City or the Spurs, I’m not gonna watch a full [game]. It’s not very good basketball, and I love basketball. There’s probably five games (that are worth) watching top-to-bottom.” MORE: Every NBA team’s worst single season since 1990...

“As a black person, I’m against any form of discrimination, against whites, Hispanics, gays, lesbians, however you want to phrase it,” Barkley said during an interview with CNN. “It’s my job, with the position of power that I’m in and being able to be on television, I’m supposed to stand up for the people who can’t stand up for themselves. So I think the NBA should move the All-Star Game from Charlotte....