HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden scored 28 points and the Houston Rockets advanced to the NBA’s Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2009 by downing the Dallas Mavericks 103-94. Terrance Jones scored 10 of his 15 points in the final period and helped the Rockets stay ahead after the Mavericks got within three with five minutes remaining. Dwight Howard had 18 points and 19 rebounds for Houston, while Josh Smith delivered 20 points.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs have grabbed a 3-2 lead in the NBA’s Western Conference quarterfinals by downing the Clippers 111-107 in Los Angeles. Tim Duncan had team highs of 21 points and 11 rebounds to help the Spurs win their second straight in L.A. since dropping the series opener. Blake Griffin hit a short jumper that would have given the Clippers a 109-108 lead with about five seconds remaining, but the basket was waved off by an offensive goaltending call on DeAndre Jordan.
BALTIMORE (AP) — The rioting in Baltimore is prompting the Orioles and Chicago White Sox to play Wednesday’s game in what is believed to be the first contest without fans in major league baseball’s 145-season history. The unrest caused the first two games of the Orioles-White Sox series to be postponed and will lead the Birds to play their three-game weekend series against the Rays at Tropicana Field instead of Camden Yards. Schools were closed Tuesday and the mayor imposed a 10 p.m.-to-5 a.m. curfew following Monday’s riots a few miles northeast of Oriole Park.
DETROIT (AP) — Former Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kirk Gibson has announced he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The 1988 National League MVP was hired to broadcast Tigers games for Fox Sports Detroit after being fired as manager of the Diamondbacks last September. He had not been in the broadcast booth since opening day April 6 while undergoing tests.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Washington Nationals pulled off Tuesday’s best major league comeback by turning a 9-1 deficit into a 13-12 win over the Braves in Atlanta. Dan Uggla (UHG’-lah) capped his five-RBI performance by belting a go-ahead, three-run homer with one out in the ninth. Jose Lobaton (LOH’-bah-tohn) also smacked a three-run homer, and Denard Span was 5-for-6 with a solo shot and four runs scored to help the Nationals end a six-game losing streak.