NBA: Celtics clinch playoff spot
Kevin Garnett scored a season-high 31 points to lead the Celtics to a bruising 90-78 victory over the visiting Pistons last night as Boston became the first team in the NBA to clinch a playoff berth and earned the homecourt tiebreaker over their closest competitor.
* Dirk Nowitzki was suspended for one game by the NBA for his hard foul on Utah’s Andrei Kirilenko. Nowitzki will miss Dallas’ next game, at home tonight against the Rockets.
* Former Suns guard Kevin Johnson announced yesterday he’s running for mayor in Sacramento. He’ll face three-term incumbent Heather Fargo in June.
NFL: Patriots keep Gaffney
The Patriots re-signed veteran wide receiver Jabar Gaffney yesterday . . . QB Joey Harrington was released by the Falcons . . . The Panthers have agreed to terms with former Raiders DE Tyler Brayton on a two-year deal.
GOLF: Els goes for two straight
Ernie Els, who ended an 0-for-47 stretch on the PGA Tour last week, heads the field in this week’s PODS Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are not at Innisbrook.
NASCAR: Edwards, team penalized
Carl Edwards’ Las Vegas victory is tainted, NASCAR decided, then tagged Edwards and his Roush Fenway Racing team with its toughest penalty yet. Edwards was docked 100 points – knocking him out of first place – and stripped of the 10 bonus points he earned for the win. Crew chief Bob Osborne was fined $100,000 and suspended six weeks, and Jack Roush was docked 100 owner points. The penalties stem from post-race inspection Sunday when NASCAR discovered the cover was off the oil tank in the winning No. 99 Ford.