THE SUNS FOUGHT OFF SPURS

The Phoenix Suns fought off the Spurs for first time in five tries to advance to conference finals leaving a core of 107 to 101 last nigt. Stoudemire led the Suns with 29 points. He is the only Suns player who was on each of those Spurs-ousted teams over the last seven years, but rather than rejoice, Stoudemire coolly walked off the court. The Suns still have work to do. They’ll either play the Los Angeles Lakers or the Utah Jazz in the West finals. The Lakers lead that series 3-0, and no team in NBA playoff history has ever come back from that deficit to win.

CAVS CAN’T REST

The Cavs was expected to have today off after being embarrassed 104-86 by the Boston Celtics on Monday night. But Brown wants his players to watch tape and discuss adjustments in the best-of-seven series, which is tied 1-1. NBA MVP LeBron James scored 24 points but was stunningly lethargic until the fourth quarter. James is playing with a sprained and bruised right elbow, but said he will not use the injury as an excuse.

HOWARD STAYS WITH PHILLIES

Ryan Howard will remain in a Philadelphia Phillies uniform through the 2016 season after agreeing to a five-year extension worth an average of $25 million per year. The $25 million guaranteed average salary in the extension will be baseball’s second-highest behind Alex Rodriguez’s $27.5 million average under a 10-year contract with the Yankees running through 2017. Howard, who is 6-feet-4 and weighs 255 pounds, also received a limited no-trade clause in the contract.

2010 NFL DRAFT

Starting with quarterback Sam Bradford going to the St. Louis Rams, the first NFL draft in prime time was a showcase for the Big 12. The Oklahoma junior became the eighth quarterback since 2001 taken atop the draft.

“You have no idea how excited I am just to have the opportunity to come to St. Louis and play my NFL career there,” Bradford said in a conference call. “It’s just a blessing and I can’t wait to get there and get to work.”

Nebraska’s Suh went to the Detroit Lions with the second pick and was greeted by “SUH, SUH,” as he walked onto the stage holding a Lions jersey. The 6-foot-4, 307-pound Suh was the first defensive player to win the AP player of the year award since its inception in 1998. He had 4½ sacks against Texas in the Big 12 title game and finished with 12 sacks for the season.

The 6-foot-4, 295-pound McCoy wept after his selection by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the third pick. McCoy should boost a Tampa defense that once was feared but flopped last season when it yielded 400 points last season.

GARNETT BANNED FOR GAME 2

After landing an elbow to the face of Miami’s Quentin Richardson in a fourth-quarter fracas during Game 1 on Saturday, the NBA has suspended Garnett for Game 2. The announcement was made Sunday by Stu Jackson, NBA executive vice president of basketball operations. Richardson was fined $25,000 for his role in the altercation.

ARE THE BULLS READY FOR THE MONSTER

The postseason has arrived, and with it another chance at an NBA championship.
“I am serious,” James said about his sober demeanor. “This is the playoffs.”

James and the Cavaliers, who have spent nearly one year trying to get over last season’s disappointing loss to Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals, will begin their run toward a title on Saturday when they host the Chicago Bulls, a team that beat them twice during the regular season and most recently on April 8.

We’re ready for the challenge,” James said. “I think Noah’s a really good player. He’s a really good talent. But, you know, he asked for us a couple weeks ago and he got us. So we’re ready. It’s a different monster they’re going to be playing against on Saturday.”