In the NBA, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin helped the Clippers outscore the Pacers 99-91 at Indianapolis last night. Paul scored 29 points on 11-of-18 from the floor while providing eight assists and six rebounds. Griffin chipped in 18 points and 14 boards in the Clippers' third straight win.
Kobe Bryant scored 33 points and the Lakers improved to 4-1 since the All-Star break by defeating Minnesota 116-94. Dwight Howard finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers, who shot 53 percent from the field and pulled within two games of Houston for the Final Western Conference playoff berth.
Checking news on the ice, Boston outscored Ottawa 2-1. The Rangers triumphed over Tampa Bay 4-1. The Islanders lost to Toronto 5-4. Carolina beat Pittsburgh 4-1. Buffalo beat Florida 4-3. Chicago defeated St. Louis 3-0. Winnipeg defeated New Jersey 3-1. Colorado slid past Calgary 5-4. Minnesota beat Phoenix 4-3 and Detroit won against San Jose 2-1.
Checking top 25 college basketball, No.2 Gonzaga beat BYU 70-65. The outcome puts the Bulldogs in position to take over the top spot in Monday's Associated Press poll. Virginia beat third-ranked Duke 73-68. 16th ranked Ohio St. beat Northwestern 63-53. 24th ranked Oregon defeated Oregon St. 85-75 and 25th ranked Louisiana Tech slid past Utah St. 84-61.
Elsewhere, Albany defeated New Hampshire 56-49. Vermont beat Binghamton 78-61 and Hartford beat UMBC 68-56.
In baseball spring training action, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera threw 18 pitches in his first simulated game since knee surgery last year and the Red Sox routed Pittsburgh 16-6.
Finally, Camilo Villegas fired a 6-under-par 64 to take the first-round lead in the PGA Honda Classic.
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