NBA: LeBron triple-double leads Heat
LeBron James had 16 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his 35th career triple-double, and the Heat cruised to their 10th straight win, 114-90 over the 76ers last night in Philadelphia. The defending NBA champions (39-14) have a 5 1/2-game lead over the Pacers in the Eastern Conference. … David West scored 16 points to help the Pacers rip the Pistons, 90-72 in Auburn Hills, Mich. … Caron Butler scored 21 points to lead the Clippers to a 107-94 win over the Jazz. … Dwight Howard told ESPN.com he attributed his recent struggles to being out of shape.
NCAA: ESPN retains Big East rights
ESPN is set to retain the television rights to the Big East after matching a contract offer that the conference had from another network. Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco said in a statement the conference presidents still must approve the deal.
Nadirah McKenith scored 21 points and Briana Brown added 13 to lead St. John’s to a 61-48 win over Rutgers in Queens, denying Scarlet Knights coach C. Vivian Stringer her 900th career victory. … Kelly Faris and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis each scored 18 points to help No. 3 Connecticut bounce back from its loss to No. 1 Baylor with a 90-30 rout of Seton Hall in Storrs, Conn.
NHL: Tests for injured Malkin
Reigning MVP Evgeni Malkin still was undergoing tests following a scary crash into the boards during Friday night’s 3-1 win over Florida. The Penguins star, who has what the team is calling an “upper body” injury, will miss at least today’s game against the Lightning.
MLB: Marlins’ Mathis breaks collarbone
Marlins catcher Jeff Mathis
broke his right collarbone in the team’s spring training opener and is expected to be out six weeks. Mathis was injured in the fourth inning yesterday when he was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Cardinals slugger Matt Holliday.
The Phillies traded reliever Michael Schwimer to the Blue Jays for minor league first baseman Art Charles. … The Pirates reached agreement with 41-year-old pitcher Jose Contreras on a minor league contract.
Embattled sluggers Jason Bay and Ryan Braun started spring training off with a bang. Bay, battling for a roster spot in Seattle after three miserable seasons with the Mets, hit a line-drive, two-run home run in his first at-bat of the spring in the Mariners’ 8-6 win over the Padres in Peoria, Ariz. Braun, linked to the Biogenesis clinic, also homered in his first spring at-bat to lead the Brewers to a 2-1 win over the Athletics in Phoenix.
ETC.: Schilling bloody sock on block
The bloody sock worn by Curt Schilling during the 2004 World Series is set to be sold off — a casualty of the high-profile collapse of the former Red Sox pitcher’s video game company — and was expected to fetch at least $100,000 in bidding last night at the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion.
The world’s oldest marathon runner has run his last race at the age of 101. Fauja Singh finished the Hong Kong marathon’s 6.25-mile race Sunday in 1 hour, 32 minutes, 28 seconds.