NBA postseason a changing of guard

FINALLY, IT'S almost time to pay attention to the NBA. The NCAA tournament is behind us, as is baseball's opening day. Once the Masters champion slips on his green jacket tonight, about the only other interesting diversion between now and summer will be the NFL draft, where players are picked for a season that may never come to pass. So let's savor the upcoming NBA playoffs. If you're a fan of a certain age (or at least a fan of players of a certain age), the next two months may be your last chance to enjoy an era that's ending soon. Shaquille O'Neal is 39 and may or may not suit up for the Boston Celtics as he chases a fifth ring. Shaq returned...

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Red Sox Beat Yankees, Snap Six-Game Losing Streak; Mets Lose Home Opener

Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a run- scoring double in the fifth inning as the Boston Red Sox won their first game of the season with a 9-6 home-opening victory against the New York Yankees. At Citi Field in New York, the Mets lost their Major League Baseball home opener 6-2 to the Washington Nationals. The Red Sox, who lost their first six games, avoided matching the 0-8 record they set in 1945. “I just came in here thinking, ‘We need to find a way to win. I don’t care how we do it. I don’t care if it’s the ugliest win of all time. We need that win,’” Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia said. “But we played great, man.” Robinson Cano doubled...

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Being Dwight isn't easy

While an MVP showdown between Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard and Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose would have been nice for the fans of Orlando to see, Sunday's off day might not be such a bad thing for Howard. After his 18th technical foul of the season netted him a one-game suspension, Howard won't be available for the 1 p.m. ET tip, but it's probably best for the superstar big man and his team that he gets an afternoon off, anyway. Because being Dwight Howard isn't easy. Howard has played 2,862 physically taxing minutes in 76 games this season, for an average of 37.7 minutes per game. He is 10th in the NBA in total minutes played...

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