Orl wins another game and has Boston flustered, Game 6 Fri in Boston

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Not ready to go home just yet, the only place the Orlando Magic are headed is back to Boston.

Halfway to history.

Taking another step toward overcoming an improbable 3-0 series deficit, Dwight Howard had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Magic to a 113-92 victory over the Celtics on Wednesday night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

A series that looked like a sweep a few days ago now has the Celtics taking a slim lead into a pressure-packed Game 6 in Boston on Friday night. The Celtics are facing the possibility of playing it without Kendrick Perkins after their starting center picked up his seventh technical foul of the playoffs, a mandatory suspension unless it is overturned.

A potential Game 7 would be in Orlando.

No NBA team has won a series after losing the first three games.

The Magic, seemingly lifeless after a blowout defeat in Game 3, suddenly have hope to be the first. They broke out of their series-long shooting slump, making 13-of-25 3-pointers.

"I just feel that if we keep believing in each other and trusting one another and playing as hard as we can, anything's possible," Howard said.

Jameer Nelson scored 24 points, and J.J. Redick had 14 to help the Magic to a frenetic pace that the Celtics couldn't sustain. Howard added five blocks as Orlando built an early 14-point lead that was never seriously challenged.

Rasheed Wallace had 21 points, and Rajon Rondo scored 19 for a Boston team that once seemed on its way to another NBA Finals.


Now? The Celtics are stunned and dazed -- and Boston fans who just watched their NHL team blow a 3-0 lead are getting uneasy.

Howard's elbow inadvertently came down on Glen "Big Baby" Davis' face near the basket in the third quarter, giving the Celtics forward a concussion. Davis tried to get up as play continued on the other end, wobbling his way to midcourt, almost falling flat as referee Joey Crawford kept him from tumbling to the hardwood.

Davis did not return. Reserve Marquis Daniels also was hit with a similar inadvertent elbow from Howard, leaving him dizzy, and Wallace "tweaked" his back.


Making His Mark

Dwight Howard led the Magic with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots. He's the first player to have five games with five-plus blocks in a single postseason since Tim Duncan had seven en route to the 2007 NBA title.

Most 20-Pt, 10-Reb, 5-Blk
Postseason Games, Since 2004-05
Tim Duncan 6
Dwight Howard 4
Shaquille O'Neal 3

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Davis "blacked out" on the court, and the training staff will examine the forward Thursday.

"I don't know what kind of tests they're going to do with Baby. He's a little delirious anyway," Rivers said, chuckling.

Give the Magic a little more than a puncher's chance.

Redick provided a big boost off the bench, making a pair of 3-pointers to highlight a 20-8 run that put Orlando ahead 51-37 in the second quarter. His swishes and crisp passing kept the Celtics scrambling, and it filled a major hole with starter Vince Carter continuing to struggle.

Amid an amped-up Amway Arena, Wallace picked up his third foul during the spurt and taunted Orlando fans all the way to bench. Wallace shouted and screamed to the stands, pointing at his ring finger for the championship he already won with Detroit -- a title that has long eluded Orlando.

Things got even worse for the Celtics when Perkins was ejected after he picked up his second technical of the game and seventh of the postseason for arguing with officials. Perkins and Marcin Gortat were whistled for double technicals a few minutes prior after they got tangled up.

That means Perkins, one of the best defenders in the league on Howard, will be suspended for Game 6 unless the NBA rescinds the technical. NBA spokesman Tim Frank said a final review of the technicals was expected to be announced by mid-to-late morning Thursday.

"I didn't think he deserved either one. But he got them," Rivers said.

The Celtics are two games from infamy, and the pressure is mounting.

Only four times in the history of North American major pro sports leagues has a team won a playoff series after losing the first three games. Such comebacks are something Boston fans know all too well.

It has happened three times in the NHL -- most recently by the Philadelphia Flyers over the Boston Bruins earlier this month -- and once in baseball, when the Boston Red Sox came back to beat the New York Yankees in the 2004 AL championship series.

In 93 tries, it has just never been done in the NBA.

Here's the Magic's chance at history.

"We just all believe," Nelson said. "We all believe. We know we can do it."

Associated Press

Phil Jackson says he has no interest in coaching the Bulls or the Nets

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson, meeting with reporters in Phoenix before Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, announced Tuesday night that he has no interest in a second stint coaching the Chicago Bulls.

But Jackson also repeatedly passed on the opportunity to commit to a Lakers-or-retirement stance for next season and quash rising speculation about his future plans.

"I have no, at all, desire to go back to Chicago and coach the Bulls," Jackson said, responding to an ESPN.com report from Monday night that the Bulls had reached out to Jackson through back channels to gauge his interest in a return.

Interest in Jackson from teams planning to chase LeBron James in free agency is the latest wrinkle in James' highly anticipated foray onto the open market July 1, which is already dominating discussion leaguewide after Cleveland's second-round elimination.

Earlier Tuesday, ESPN.com reported that the New Jersey Nets had made similar back-channel inquiries to assess the possibility of luring Jackson away from Los Angeles to enhance their appeal to James, with Lakers owner Jerry Buss determined to reduce Jackson's $12 million annual salary.

"Those channels have not reached me," Jackson said, insisting that he has "not entertained any conversations" about coaching elsewhere.

Asked specifically about New Jersey, Jackson joked that he'd like to "have a vodka" with new Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, saying Prokhorov seems "like a very interesting young man." But Jackson added that he is likewise not interested in coaching the Nets, pointing out that he has never lived in Brooklyn or Newark.

Jackson, however, said he couldn't go any farther than insisting that "the probabilities are great" that he'll be back on the Lakers' bench next season.

When asked at Tuesday night's pregame news conference if he'd either be with the Lakers or home in retirement come October, Jackson said: "Home is where the heart is, right?"

When asked later why he was being cagey, Jackson joked: "I've always had problems committing."

Told by one reporter that he could shut down all the speculation right now, Jackson said: "I'll leave it open and just say, as of now, I have not made up my mind about coaching or not coaching next year. ... That's all I can say really. Truthfully."

"I just can't imagine [coaching another team]," Jackson continued. "Not to say that it's beyond your wildest dreams, [or] that it never would happen, [because] the strangest things do. But it's just not part of my conscious thought. Right now we're down this path [against] Phoenix."

After 11 seasons and two championships as a player with the New York Knicks, Jackson's first coaching experience came with the Nets during the final two seasons of his active career in 1978-79 and 1979-80, when he served as a player-assistant under Kevin Loughery. He went on to win six championships in nine seasons coaching the Bulls from 1989-90 through 1997-98.

ESPN.com reported Monday night that, while there had been no direct contact between Bulls officials and Jackson, sources close to both parties had spoken and come away with the belief that Jackson would be open to a potential reunion in Chicago next season.

Bulls general manager Gar Forman refused to comment on the club's coaching search when reached Monday night by telephone.

Nets president Rod Thorn, meanwhile, denied any form of contact with Jackson in an interview Tuesday afternoon with AOL Fanhouse. And Lakers spokesman John Black told the Los Angeles Times that the team is not aware of Jackson being contacted for any coaching vacancy.

"Not to my understanding," Black told the newspaper. "Obviously, if they were to contact him, it would be tampering."

Said Thorn to Fanhouse: "It's not true. We've never approached him. We haven't made any backdoor dealings or whatever it was called."

Asked if the Nets would pursue Jackson should he leave Los Angeles at season's end to become a coaching free agent, Thorn said: "I anticipate he's going to stay with the Lakers. He's got a great situation there."

Earlier Tuesday, ESPN.com reported that the Nets privately acknowledge the long-shot nature of tempting Jackson away from L.A., given the 64-year-old's insistence earlier this month that he's "90 percent" certain he'll coach the Lakers if he coaches anywhere next season. Yet sources with knowledge of New Jersey's thinking have maintained for weeks that Prokhorov is determined to make the splashiest hire he can to enhance the Nets as part of the quest to sign marquee free agents such as James.

Chicago, meanwhile, is on the verge of its most pivotal offseason since the Michael Jordan era, when Jordan and Jackson led the club to separate three-peats from the 1990-1991 through 1992-93 seasons and the 1995-96 through 1997-1998 seasons.

With roughly $23 million to spend in free agency, Chicago is widely regarded as the biggest threat to Cleveland's hopes of re-signing James. The Ohio native is intrigued by the possibility of playing with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, according to sources, and if any team managed to unite the coach with a record 10 championship rings and the league's two-time reigning MVP, Jackson would have the unprecedented opportunity to have coached Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and James.

The Bulls and Nets are two of six teams in the league with a coaching vacancy, along with New Orleans, Atlanta, Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Jackson publicly acknowledged last week before the Lakers' Game 2 victory over Phoenix in the Western Conference finals that Buss wants him to take a pay cut from the $12 million salary he's receiving this season. Should Jackson decide to leave the Lakers and opt for retirement -- despite the fact that longtime girlfriend Jeanie Buss is the owner's daughter and a Lakers vice president -- it's a given that other teams will attempt to convince him to keep coaching, depending on which clubs have openings at that stage.

The focus on Jackson's uncertain future has steadily increased in L.A. over the past two months, especially since his two best players -- Bryant and Pau Gasol -- signed contract extensions during the season.

Jackson's address Tuesday, however, marked the second time this month that he publicly shot down the idea of coaching the Bulls again. In early May after Vinny Del Negro's firing, Jackson said: "No, I'm not [interested]. I think it's a wonderful job for whoever takes it. It's a team on the rise and there's some young talent that showed their ability to come back after probably a devastating first two months. Then from January on they played pretty well."

The Nets' association with Jackson certainly doesn't compare to what he achieved with the Bulls, but Prokhorov's presence and presumed willingness to pay top dollar would seemingly give New Jersey -- along with Cleveland's free-spending owner Dan Gilbert -- more hope of meeting Jackson's salary demands than the Bulls, who are regarded leaguewide as reluctant spenders.

With the help of part owner Jay-Z, one of James' closest friends, New Jersey intends to pursue James as hard as Chicago in free agency despite last week's disappointment in the draft lottery. The Nets, after going 12-70, only landed the No. 3 overall pick and lost the opportunity to draft Kentucky's John Wall, another James pal. But New Jersey realizes, like the Bulls and Cavaliers, that prying Jackson away from L.A. could be as valuable in the recruitment process as signing another marquee free agent to play alongside James.

Thorn, though, told the Newark Star-Ledger in Tuesday's editions that he has yet to schedule an interview for New Jersey's coaching opening. When the Nets finally complete the fact-finding phase of their coaching search, Thorn told the newspaper he intends to interview "four to six" candidates, with sources saying that ESPN analyst Avery Johnson and Boston Celtics assistant coach Tom Thibodeau are already on that list. The Star-Ledger reported that the Nets are also likely to reach out to Mike Brown, who was fired Monday as coach of the Cavaliers.

The New Orleans Hornets have made a formal offer to Thibodeau, known as the architect of Boston's stout defense, sources with knowledge of the talks said Tuesday.

In his Fanhouse interview, Thorn dismissed the link to Jackson by saying: "There's been a lot of publicity about our new owner and that we want to have a good team and we want to be in the hunt [and] that we're willing to do a lot of things monetarily."

It remains to be seen how much of a pay cut Jackson is willing to accept for next season and how much pressure Jerry Buss will feel to bring him back, with so much invested in a star-filled roster that also features Lamar Odom and the unpredictable Ron Artest alongside Bryant and Gasol. Whether the Lakers can repeat as champions will also be a factor, as one source close to the situation acknowledged Tuesday that the owner-coach tension will only rise if L.A. fails to win it all.

Jackson, though, insisted that the ongoing uncertainty about how much longer he'll be coaching the Lakers is not affecting his team in this series with Phoenix, even though L.A. has been dragged into a 2-2 tie thanks to two losses in Phoenix after looking invincible at home.

"It"s not a distraction," Jackson said. "Not to me. Not to the players, either."

Jackson scoffed at the idea that he should be flattered by the increasing links to various jobs and added: "It's a distraction, I think, to other teams and I think a disservice to coaches that are really seeking jobs and have an opportunity to go to those towns."

Associated Press

USA Soccer announces final roster for upcoming World Cup

BRISTOL, Conn. -- The phones started ringing at 2 a.m., and players were told to come down to the third floor for a meeting. As Herculez Gomez pressed the elevator button on 17, his mind raced.

Were his dreams about to be fulfilled -- or crushed?

This is the way the U.S. World Cup team was finalized, in the dead of night in a Hartford hotel.

"It's been such a crazy and unbelievable journey," Gomez said.

And the big trip hasn't even begun.

For Gomez, it was good news. He and Edson Buddle went from long shots to the American roster Wednesday, joining veterans Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley and Tim Howard on the 23-man U.S. team headed to South Africa.

While there was joy and relief for the chosen, there was only heartache and anguish for the seven players called downstairs a few minutes earlier, the players leaving the group selected May 11 for the preliminary roster, only to be cut four days before departure.

Donovan consoled Brian Ching when his roommate found out he wasn't going. Ching was on the 2006 World Cup roster but never got into a match. Having turned 32 on Monday, this was his last chance.

"It's hard to imagine your lifelong dream not coming true, someone telling you that it's not going to happen," Donovan said.

Players on the bubble were nervous before and after Tuesday night's 4-2 loss to the Czech Republic, the first of three exhibitions ahead of the U.S. team's World Cup opener against England on June 12. Before the game, the squad scheduled a nationally televised announcement for Wednesday afternoon at the ESPN campus.

After the final whistle, coach Bob Bradley still wasn't ready to tell players, wanting to first review the DVD with his coaching staff.


U.S. World Cup Roster
Forwards
• Jozy Altidore, Villareal (Spain)
• Edson Buddle, Los Angeles Galaxy
• Robbie Findley, Real Salt Lake
• Herculez Gomez, Pachuca (Mexico)

Midfielders
• DaMarcus Beasley, Rangers (Scotland)
• Michael Bradley, Moenchengladbach (Germany)
• Ricardo Clark, Frankfurt (Germany)
• Clint Dempsey, Fulham (England)
• Landon Donovan, Los Angeles Galaxy
• Maurice Edu, Rangers (Scotland)
• Benny Feilhaber, Aarhus (Denmark)
• Stuart Holden, Bolton (England)
• Jose Torres, Pachuca (Mexico)

Defenders
• Carlos Bocanegra, Rennes (France) (captain)
• Jonathan Bornstein, Chivas USA
• Steve Cherundolo, Hannover (Germany)
• Jay DeMerit, Watford (England)
• Clarence Goodson, IK Start (Norway)
• Oguchi Onyewu, AC Milan (Italy)
• Jonathan Spector, West Ham (England)

Goaltenders
• Brad Guzan, Aston Villa (England)
• Marcus Hahnemann, Wolverhampton (England)
• Tim Howard, Everton (England)

"Bob told us to give him some time and he'd give us a call," Gomez said. "It was one of the most nerve-racking couple hours of my life."

Then Pam Perkins, the team's general manager, started calling players. She only told those who sounded awake they had made it. The groggy-sounding ones, Gomez included, were left in the dark until they reached the meeting room and Bradley greeted them.

"He congratulated each and every one of us," Gomez said. "He definitely made us sweat it out, that's for sure."

On Thursday morning, Gomez will be with the team at the White House to receive personal congratulations from President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton ahead of Saturday's sendoff game against Turkey in Philadelphia.

At the start of the year, Gomez and Buddle weren't even afterthoughts. One named after a hero of Greek mythology and the other after soccer's greatest player -- Pele's real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento -- each played themselves onto the team with outstanding club seasons. Neither was listed in the team's 2010 media guide.

A 28-year-old from Las Vegas, Gomez scored 10 goals for Puebla to tie for the Mexican scoring lead, becoming the first American to top a foreign league. The 29-year-old Buddle leads Major League Soccer with nine goals for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Before Tuesday, Buddle's only national team appearance was 11 minutes in 2003. Gomez, who scored the second goal against the Czechs, had played in just two games, both three years ago.

Buddle, whose father Winston played professionally in Jamaica, didn't believe he made it even when Bradley congratulated him.

"I thought he was messing around," Buddle said.

Gomez only went to Mexico after the Kansas City Wizards made no effort to re-sign him after the 2009 season.

"I wasn't good enough for the Wizards last year, so to be where I am today is amazing," he said.

They were chosen over Ching, who only returned May 13 from a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Houston on April 1.

"Plain and simple, Edson and Herculez have had real good stretches, scored a lot of goals," Bradley said. "Brian has been such an important player, but it's tough when you have an injury at an inopportune time."

Beasley also had a remarkable turnaround and will be going to his third World Cup. He teamed with Donovan to spark the Americans to a quarterfinal appearance in 2002, their best finish since reaching the semifinals at the first World Cup in 1930. Then he was part of the disappointing team eliminated in the first round four years ago.

He was exiled from the national team after poor play at the Confederations Cup last June, but returned for the March exhibition at the Netherlands.

"I like being one of the old guys. I get called grandpa now," said Beasley, who turned 28 on Monday.

Beasley made a strong showing at the training camp that began May 17.

"He certainly had to prove himself," Bradley said. "He needed to make a renewed commitment to the team, a renewed commitment to doing things as a player that make his team better. We've seen that."

Bradley selected three goalkeepers, seven defenders, nine midfielders and four forwards -- one midfielder more and one defender fewer than the average.

Seventeen players are based in Europe, with just four from Major League Soccer and two from Mexican clubs. Of the European group, eight play in England, three in Germany, two in Scotland, and one each in Denmark, France, Italy and Norway.

Forward Jozy Altidore at 20 is the youngest player, and backup goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, who turns 38 next month, is the oldest. The average age is just under 27, down from 28.5 at the 2006 tournament.

Donovan, with a U.S. record 42 goals in 121 appearances, is the most experienced player and Buddle the least, becoming the 92nd player to appear for America since Bradley replaced Bruce Arena as coach in December 2006. Of the 43 players in qualifying, 19 made the roster.

Cut in addition to Ching were defenders Chad Marshall and Heath Pearce; midfielders Alejandro Bedoya, Sacha Kljestan and Robbie Rogers; and forward Eddie Johnson.

Donovan, Beasley and defender Steve Cherundolo earned their third World Cup trips, although Cherundolo got hurt in South Korea in 2002 and didn't make it into a game.

Injured players can still be replaced up until 24 hours before the U.S. opener.

"It doesn't stop here," Beasley said. "We have a lot of work to do."

Associated Press

Orlando survives to play another day

BOSTON -- Put away the brooms. Hold off on those "Beat L.A.!" chants. The Boston Celtics still have some work to do before they can play for their second NBA title in three years.

Dwight Howard had 32 points and 16 rebounds, and Jameer Nelson made back-to-back 3-pointers in overtime to lead the Orlando Magic to a 96-92 victory over Boston on Monday night to avoid a four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference finals.

Dressing in the same locker room where the Philadelphia Flyers celebrated their comeback from a 3-0 deficit against the Boston Bruins in the NHL's East semifinals, the Magic avoided elimination and sent the series back to Orlando for Game 5 on Wednesday night.

The Bruins also lost Game 4 in overtime.

"We know that we were down 3-0, and we didn't want to go home [for the season]," Howard said. "It starts with me and Jameer. Me and Jameer showed our leadership by playing hard. We've got to be the leaders for this team. It's not about points, but just showing everybody, 'Hey, follow us and we'll lead the way.'"

No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.

"At some point, somebody is going to come from 3-0 down and win a series. The only thing I knew for sure was it would start by winning Game 4," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I figured that one out. You have to win Game 4. ... This was a must-win."

Paul Pierce had 32 points and 11 rebounds, and Kevin Garnett had 14 points and 12 boards for Boston. Ray Allen hit consecutive 3-pointers in overtime, but Pierce missed two tries in the final minute as the Celtics failed to complete the sweep.

"They don't want to leave. We're going to have to throw them out," said Celtics forward Glen "Big Baby" Davis. "It's just like somebody renting a house."

Nelson finished with 23 points and nine assists for the defending Eastern Conference champions, who led by 10 in the second quarter and were up 85-78 with 2:24 left in regulation before Boston scored eight of the next nine points to force overtime at 86-all.

Neither team scored for the first 2:18 of the period before Nelson hit a 3-pointer and then added another 43 seconds later. Allen made a 3-pointer and, after Howard dunked and drew a foul -- but missed a free throw -- Allen hit another 3 to make it 94-92.

Howard followed up Nelson's miss with 53 seconds left to make it 96-92, then Garnett sailed a pass over Pierce's head and into the crowd. Pierce missed a pair of 3-point attempts in the closing seconds.

"There were a couple of plays down the stretch offensively that we botched, plain and simple. We're kicking ourselves. We had a great opportunity," Allen said. "There's no need to panic. We like the position we're in. But it's a lesson: We have to take care of the small things and we'll get to where we want to be."

Orlando's revival came just in time to avoid a Celtics walkover that had fans in the new Boston Garden chanting "Beat L.A!" early in the second half of Saturday night's 23-point Boston victory. The Lakers lead the Suns 2-1 in the Western Conference finals, with Game 4 on Tuesday night in Phoenix.

But there was no more chanting about the Lakers on Monday night.

"I know they [the Celtics players] heard it. They had no choice but to hear it," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "I don't know if they believed it. We didn't play well, I know that. I hope that wasn't the reason."

Only four times in the history of the North American major pro sports leagues has a team come back to win a playoff series after losing the first three games. It's been done three times in the NHL -- most recently this month by the Flyers in this building -- and once in baseball, when the Boston Red Sox came back to beat the New York Yankees in the 2004 AL Championship Series.

"You never know what can happen," Magic guard J.J. Redick said. "We can be like the Red Sox, coming back from 0-3. You never know."

The Magic's biggest lead of the series had been a three-point edge in the first quarter of Game 2, but they opened with their highest-scoring quarter of the series on Monday to take a 31-26 lead. They made it 42-32 in the second before Boston cut the deficit to four points at the half.

Orlando led 85-78 on Howard's three-point play, but Pierce sliced past Howard for a dunk that cut it to five, then Allen hit a 3-pointer to make it 85-83 with 1:41 left. Nelson made one of two free throws, and then Pierce went to the basket and drew a foul, completing the three-point play to make it 86-all with 1:16 left.

But Pierce missed a jumper with a chance to give Boston the lead, Nelson missed for Orlando and Pierce lost his handle on the ball in the final seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime.

Associated Press

Big win for Red Sox as they beat AL leading Rays at home

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- As much as the Boston Red Sox wanted to play down the significance of beating the Tampa Bay Rays, David Ortiz conceded it did feel good to finally break through against baseball's top team.

"Of course, man. These guys have been giving us a hard time," Ortiz said after he and Kevin Youkilis homered in support of right-hander Clay Buchholz in a 6-1 victory Monday night.

"Not only to us, to everyone," the slugger added. "They have the best record in baseball. So you've got to play your best."

The Red Sox beat the Rays for the first time in five tries, climbing a season-best four games over .500 (25-21) with their third straight win on a difficult road trip that began in Philadelphia.

Buchholz (6-3) won his eighth consecutive road start dating to last August, the longest such streak by a Red Sox pitcher since Roger Clemens won nine in a row from July 18, 1992 to April 20, 1993.

The right-hander allowed one run -- Carlos Pena's eighth homer -- and six hits over six innings. Hideki Okajima and Daniel Bard didn't allow any baserunners the rest of the way.

"We're getting great starting pitching. When you do that, all we have to do is put a couple runs on the board and those guys can take over," Dustin Pedroia said, adding the Red Sox are focused on themselves -- not catching the first-place Rays.

"We're in the middle of the year and just playing," Pedroia said. "We're playing some really good teams and just finding ways to win. That's a real good sign."

Ortiz homered for the fifth time in his last nine games, hitting a solo shot off Wade Davis (4-4) in the second inning. Davis walked in a run and yielded RBI singles to Adrian Beltre and Jeremy Hermida during a three-run third that put the Red Sox up 4-0.

Youkilis, who is batting .400 (12 for 30) with five homers and 12 RBIs over his last nine games, made it 6-0 with a two-run shot off reliever Lance Cormier in the fourth.

Pedroia had three hits after beginning the night in an 0-for-19 slide. Beltre also finished with three hits for the Red Sox, who began their six-game trip by winning two of three against the NL champion Phillies.

"They got us tonight," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "We didn't play badly. They beat us."

At 32-13, the Rays are off to the best start in the major leagues since 2001, in part because of a 19-5 road record that includes a four-game sweep of the Red Sox at Fenway Park in April. The six-game lead they carried into Monday was the largest they've ever held in the AL East.

Buchholz, who's won five of his last six starts, walked one and struck out eight. But it wasn't an easy outing.

The Red Sox starter escaped a bases-loaded jam when John Jaso grounded into an inning-ending double play in the first inning. He wiggled out of another tight situation by striking out Reid Brignac and Jason Bartlett to strand two more runners in scoring position in the second.

"We had our opportunities early," Maddon said, "and we didn't take advantage."

Pena homered with two outs in the fourth.

Boston's Victor Martinez left in the third inning. Bartlett fouled a pitch off the catcher's left big toe in the second, and Martinez had trouble walking -- much less running -- after drawing a walk in the third.

X-rays were negative.

"He's day to day, like we all are," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "But I think it's to the point where I don't think we have to make a roster move."

Associated Press

Mike Brown out as coach in Cleveland, No surprises here

CLEVELAND -- Mike Brown won everything in five years coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers. Everything, that is, except an NBA title.

Brown, the most successful coach in franchise history, was fired after failing to win a championship with superstar -- and soon-to-be free agent -- LeBron James.

The Cavaliers had a midnight deadline Sunday night to fire the head coach or pay him his full $4.5 million salary for next season.

Cleveland was ousted from the playoffs two weeks ago by the Boston Celtics, who upset the NBA's top regular-season team in six games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert made the decision to fire Brown after an organizational review that began following the Cavs' exit from the playoffs.

Cleveland's next move will be an interesting one. Because of James' uncertain future, it's possible the Cavs would want his input into their next coaching hire, assuming the two-time MVP is still considering re-signing with Cleveland when free agency opens after midnight on July 1. The Cavs will have to search for a new coach not knowing if James will be back and would have to go into the draft and free agency without a coach.

James is eligible to opt out of his contract this summer, a move that would make the two-time MVP -- and zero-time NBA champion -- a free agent and set off a scramble for his services from New York to Miami to Los Angeles and, of course, back in Cleveland.

Cleveland, which had the best record in the NBA the past two seasons, had a 2-1 series lead over the Celtics before losing three straight, including the final two at home by a combined 50 points.

"After a long and deep analysis of all of the factors that led to the disappointing early ends to our playoff runs over the past two seasons, we concluded that it was time for the Cavaliers to move in a different direction," Gilbert said Monday in a statement released by the team. "The expectations of this organization are very high and, although change always carries an element of risk, there are times when that risk must be taken in an attempt to break through to new, higher levels of accomplishment.

"This is one of those times."

Brown was not immediately available for comment, according to The Associated Press. No one answered the door at his home in Westlake, Ohio.

The James' family publicist said the All-Star forward was out of town on vacation and not available to comment on Brown's dismissal.

Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas tried to deflect the blame off Brown.

"Obviously, we didn't achieve what we set out to achieve, which is to win a championship," Ilgauskas said, according to The Plain Dealer of Cleveland. "But if you're going to lay all the blame on coach Brown and think that's going to solve everything, you've got another thing coming.

"I think we're all at fault -- the players, everybody. You have to, at some point, accept some of the responsibility. We all have to do that. A coach only can take you so far. At some point you have to do it yourself and we didn't do it. I think coach Brown will be fine. He'll be coaching again, and I'm very sure he'll have success.''

Cavs guard Mo Williams agreed with Ilgauskas' stance, according to the Cleveland newspaper.

"Do I think he deserved it? No,'' Williams said. "My question is: Who's out there that's better? He's not a bad coach. To fire him, that's making a big statement. After him, you have to get a Hall of Fame coach.

"I thought we prematurely acted on our emotions, as an organization. I think he did a good job. If anything, bring in a veteran assistant. I think we just could have gotten better instead of blowing it all up. Now we're starting over.

"I'm hurt, because I like him a lot," Williams added. "He'll be missed. We know how the business of basketball goes. He knows the nature of the business, also. His presence will be missed.''

Brown, who had one year left on his contract, could be quickly scooped up by one of the five other teams looking for head coaches. Brown guided the team to the postseason in each of his five seasons but failed to win an NBA championship. Cleveland's assistants also have one year remaining on their deals.

Duke promptly struck down rumors that Mike Krzyzewski could leave the Blue Devils to coach James and the Cavaliers.

"It has been addressed repeatedly since the Lakers' thing a few years ago," a Duke spokesman told ESPN.com's Andy Katz. "If anything changes, we will let everyone know."

Brown was the league's coach of the year last season when the Cavs won 66 games. Cleveland lost to Orlando in the conference finals, however, and it was assumed Brown would have to get the team closer to a championship to keep his job.

Instead, the Cavs regressed. They were badly outplayed by the Celtics, who won the last two games played in Cleveland by a combined 50 points.

"I have truly enjoyed working with Mike Brown," Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry said on Monday. "Mike has played a huge role in turning around the Cavs organization. Over the past five years, Mike established a work ethic, defensive identity and culture of winning that was not here previously."

It wasn't all his fault, but the 40-year-old Brown, hired by Gilbert to change Cleveland's culture with a foundation based on defense, couldn't deliver a title this season despite having the game's most skilled player and a roster upgraded with the additions of All-Stars Shaquille O'Neal and Antawn Jamison.

The Cavs' defense, suffocating and relentless at times during the regular season, was atrocious in the series against Boston.

Cleveland allowed more than 100 points in six games and couldn't contain Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. When Brown and his staff finally figured out a way to contain Rondo, the Cavs had no answer for Kevin Garnett, who dominated Jamison.

Brown was outcoached by Boston's Doc Rivers, who had his team better prepared and got more from his players. The Cavs were constantly beaten to loose balls and long rebounds, something Brown couldn't help but perhaps a sign that he had already lost his team.

Brown's rotations were a mess in the series, leading to the team's inability to get into any type of offensive rhythm. With James unable to dominate as he so often does, the Cavs' offense was stagnant and players didn't seem to have any sense of their roles.

It was constant scrambling.

There were whispers Brown was in trouble after the Cavs were dumped by Orlando in last year's Eastern Conference finals. It was thought that Brown would have to take his team at least as far this season to save his job, but he couldn't and paid the price.

During his tenure, Brown rarely -- if ever -- criticized James. The opposite wasn't true.

In past seasons, James complained about the team's lack of offensive imagination, saying the Cavs should run more. He and Brown worked through most differences and seemed to have a solid relationship, but it began to fade as this brief postseason unfolded.

Because of a injury to O'Neal, Brown was forced to integrate the center back into the offense during the playoffs, and the Cavs never got into a flow. Also, James and some of the team's other veterans questioned Brown's game plans in both the series against Chicago and Boston.

James publicly questioned why O'Neal only played 49 seconds in the fourth quarter of the Game 4 loss in Boston. In the opening round against the Bulls, James campaigned to get J.J. Hickson more playing time, creating an awkward stand-off between the coach and superstar.

Adding to the drama in Cleveland's final home game was the sight of Kentucky coach John Calipari, a friend of James, sitting in a courtside seat -- next to James' agent -- adjacent to Cleveland's bench.

Associated Press

Doug back in the Coaches Corner

PHILADELPHIA -- Doug Collins helped lead the 76ers from the bottom of the NBA to the Finals as a player.

He gets that shot now as their coach.

All anyone wants to know is, why?

Collins understands why friends and fans keep asking him why he would quit a cozy job calling NBA games on TNT for a job coaching the Philadelphia 76ers. Among the reasons is the one that raced through his mind as his plane touched down.

Philadelphia is home.

With his daughter, who lives in the Philly area, among the scores of family members attending Collins' press conference on Monday, he was reminded of the imprint the city left on him when he played on some of the greatest Sixers teams in franchise history. Collins wants to revitalize the Sixers -- and make them matter again in a city where their popularity has plummeted among all sports teams.

"We're talking about being relevant again," Collins said Monday. "I want the Sixers to be on people's tongues again. ... I want the Sixers to be the basketball team that people want to see. This is a pro town. This city loves pro basketball. This is one of the signature franchises in the NBA."

Yes, but not one of the successful ones.

The Sixers haven't won a playoff series since 2003 or won a championship since 1983. Since Larry Brown left in 2003, the Sixers have discarded six other coaches. The 58-year-old Collins has a four-year deal to build a winner in Philly.

"For the very first time in a long time, I feel very confident this organization is going in the right direction," Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider said.

The Sixers could have hired Collins last summer. He was interested in the job but never got a call from team president Ed Stefanski. Stefanski picked his friend, Eddie Jordan, and the decision backfired almost from the day he was hired.

Jordan's lone season wasn't a total bust -- the Sixers won the No. 2 pick in the draft lottery.

Stefanski admitted his mistake in not reaching out to Collins last year.

"We had a list that we felt comfortable with and we went from there," Stefanski said. "Obviously, it was not the right decision and we rectified it."

Collins was interviewed this year on May 1, and was in constant contact with Sixers management even as other candidates surfaced. Collins had one request of Stefanski: If he found someone better, call him.

Stefanski made a call -- but it was to tell Collins last week he had the job.

The Sixers also shot down speculation that Stefanski's job was on the rocks by letting him hire Collins. Stefanski has seen many of his major moves fail and neither Snider nor chief operating officer Peter Luukko gave him a public endorsement at the end of the season.

Stefanski's job is safe for now as the Sixers overhaul takes shape.

"When did I say I wanted to replace him?" Snider said. "He's the general manager, he's got two more years on his contract. I haven't said anything negative, have I?"

Collins inherits a team that needs backcourt help with the No. 2 pick, and Ohio State guard Evan Turner has emerged as the likely choice. Most of the nucleus was around for two straight first-round playoff exits before last year's flop, giving Collins confidence there is the right developing talent to build around.

He needs to find a way to work veterans Andre Iguodala, Samuel Dalembert and Elton Brand into the mix.

"We've got some players on the team that I'm going to have to revitalize a little bit, get their joy of the game back," Collins said.

Jordan's weakness was implementing a plodding Princeton offense on his up-tempo roster. Collins wants to evaluate his team before deciding what style to play.

Collins played eight seasons with the 76ers and was a four-time All-Star in a career shortened by injuries. He's been here before. Collins was drafted No. 1 overall in 1973 by a Sixers team coming off an NBA-worst 9-73 record. Four years later, the Sixers were in the NBA finals. Collins would love history to repeat itself.

"I'm 18 games ahead of where I started last time," Collins said, laughing.

He went 332-287 in three previous coaching stints with Chicago, Detroit and Washington. Collins, who led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1989, has worked as an analyst for TNT since leaving the Wizards in 2003.

He was introduced only hours before the Flyers had a chance at clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup finals. He shook hands with Flyers coach Peter Laviolette before the press conference, and former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski and Temple coach Fran Dunphy were among the guests at the Wachovia Center.

Collins said he's still assembling his coaching staff, but will retain former Sixers guard Aaron McKie. He'll finish calling the Western Conference finals for TNT. It might be as close as Collins gets to the finals for a few years.

"We're not ready to be a championship team right now," Collins said.

It's his job to make them one.

Associated Press