SPORTS BRIEFS
by Evansville Courier & Press
Danny Granger scored 32 points and led Indiana back from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit, and Troy Murphy's buzzer-beating tip-in completed an improbable 118-117 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. The Lakers (14-2) got 28 points from Kobe Bryant, but it wasn't quite enough. Indiana trailed 101-86 at the start of the fourth quarter, but chipped into the lead. Murphy finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds, and T.J. Ford added 17 points as all five starters scored at least 16 points for the Pacers (7-10).
AWARDS
Phelps is SI's 'Sportsman'
Michael Phelps achieved another unprecedented feat: the first swimmer honored as Sports Illustrated's sportsman of the year. Phelps broke Mark Spitz's iconic record with eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in August and became the winningest Olympian ever with his 14 career victories. Olympians in other sports have earned the award before in its 54-year history, but never a swimmer. In 1972, the year Spitz won his medals, UCLA Basketball coach John Wooden and tennis great Billie Jean King were honored by the magazine.
AUTO RACING
Indy Lights crossing border
The Indy Racing League's developmental Firestone Indy Lights series will have 15 races next season, including two in Canada for its first events outside the United States. The Indy Lights schedule announced Tuesday includes races in Toronto on July 11 and Edmonton on July 26, both on temporary street circuits. The April 4 opener at St. Petersburg, and the season finale at Homestead-Miami will be held on the day before the companion IndyCar race. The May 22 Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is scheduled two days before the Indy 500.
GOLF
Ballesteros has more surgery
Five-time major champion Seve Ballesteros underwent more surgery Tuesday, this time to drain fluid from his brain. Ballesteros was in stable condition in the intensive care unit after the operation to implant a valve in his brain, La Paz hospital in Madrid, Spain, said. An official declined to say if the lsurgery meant the 51-year-old Ballesteros had taken a turn for the worse in his recovery. He had been released from intensive care Nov. 18.
Champions Skins field set
Greg Norman and Bernhard Langer have joined the eight-man field of four teams in the Wendy's Champions Skins Game at Kaanapali Beach Resort in Hawaii at the end of February. Langer will be partners with Gary Players, while Norman will pair with Jay Haas. Fuzzy Zoeller and Peter Jacobsen are the defending champions, with the other team Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson.
BROADCASTING
Ten are finalists for Frick
Dizzy Dean and Tony Kubek are among 10 finalists for the annual Ford C. Frick Award for baseball broadcasting excellence. The other finalists are Billy Berroa, Tom Cheek, Ken Coleman, Jacques Doucet, Lanny Frattare, Graham McNamee, Joe Nuxhall and Dave Van Horne. The Hall of Fame will announce the winner on Dec. 9 in Las Vegas.
HOCKEY
'Crass comment' brings ban
The NHL suspended Dallas Stars forward Sean Avery indefinitely Tuesday for making a crude reference to former girlfriends while talking with reporters. He used a crass term to refer to ex-girlfriends now dating other people. Avery's ex-girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert, is dating Calgary defenseman Dion Phaneuf and had been romantically linked to Mike Komisarek of the Montreal Canadiens. Avery also dated model and actress Rachel Hunter, the girlfriend of Los Angeles Kings center Jarrett Stoll.
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