MVP James scores 34, Cavaliers beat Hawks 99-72

Over in the Eastern Conference semifinal, the Cleveland Cavaliers took on the Atlanta Hawks in their playoff opener. Before the match, Lebron James accepted the Maurice Podoloff Trophy from David Stern as the NBA's newest MVP.

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AtlantaHawksRonaldMurray(L)andAcieLawduringthesecond
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basketballseriesinCleveland,OhioMay5,2009.REUTERS/Aaron
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Despite not playing a game for nine days, James exploded at the start of the match, scoring 16 points in the first quarter to give the Cavs the lead for good.

In an exhibition of why he was voted the league's best player by a landslide, James added 10 rebounds, three assists and four steals.Mo Williams added 21 points, as the top-seeded Cavs finally won their fifth straight lopsided game 99-72.

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Bryant absent from practice prior to Lakers vs. Rockets series

WASHINGTON, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Kobe Bryant stayed away from practice with a sore throat on Sunday, but set to be ready for their NBA playoff series opener against Houston on Monday.

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'Diddy'CombsbeforeGame5ofanNBAbasketballfirst-round
playoffseriesbetweentheLakersandtheUtahJazzinLos
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The Lakers host the Rockets in game one of the Western Conference semi-final series.

"We know when it's game time he's going to come out and be ready to play no matter what's going on," Shannon Brown said. "It's definitely going to take more than a sore throat.

"He's got to be missing some limbs for him not to come out there and be ready to play the game."

The Lakers have had a week off since eliminating Utah in five games in the first round, while the Rockets defeated Portland in six games to reach the second round for the first time since 1997.

Los Angeles won all four regular-season games against the Rockets, with Bryant averaging 28.3 points.

Rockets coach Rick Adelman said it might not be possible to contain Bryant, but that Houston has to at least make him work for his points.

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Venus starts Rome Masters with a hard win

ROME, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Venus Williams was taken to three sets in her opener on Monday at the Rome Masters but managed to beat Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

The 28-year-old American, who won the clay court event in 1999, said she didn't mind the extra effort.

Williams appeared in control of the match in the first set, firing eight aces and as many winners in 28 minutes. But as her service level dropped Safarova started playing deep powerful ground strokes and broke Williams in the third game of the second set. Williams was unable to break back and Safarova served out the set 6-4.

In the decider, the fourth-seeded Williams held serve in a crucial third game after saving four break points. She went on to break in the following game, as a forehand by the 22-year-old Czech player went wide, and then again to close out the match.

In the end, Williams had 22 winners, the same as Safarova, and 26 unforced errors to Safarova's 33.

The match was a second-round encounter as the top eight seeded players all have first-round byes in this warm up for the French Open, which begins in three weeks' time.

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Kuznetsova ends two-year title drought, winning Porsche Gp Stuttgart

In the women's game, Svetlana Kuznetsova has ended a two-year title drought by winning Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

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Stuttgart,May3,2009.Kuznetsovawonthe
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The final was an all-Russian affair, with Kuznetsova facing off against Dinara Safina. Both players held their opening service games. But Safina missed three quick break points in Kuznetsova's second service game. Safina then blasted a backhand into the net to give Kuznetsova the first set 6-4.

Safina threw some powerful and accurate ground-strokes at her opponent, forcing some break points but not being able to convert therm. Kuznetsova was in a more clinical mood as she built up a 4-2 lead.

A forehand smash helped Kuznetsova wrapped up a 6-4, 6-3 victory.

Soccer player banned for swine flu related spitting

Special Report:World tackles A/H1N1 flu

MEXICO CITY, May 4 (Xinhua) -- A Mexican soccer player has been banned for spitting and blowing nasal secretions at an opponent then telling him he had swine flu.

Guadalajara defender Hector Reynoso has provisionally been suspended from all matches in the Libertadores Cup following last week's game at Everton of Chile in South America's top club competition.

The South American Football Confederation (CSF) said the length of the ban would be determined in the next 72 hours.

"At around the 90th minute of the aforementioned game, Reynoso, following an incident in the game, reacted by spitting at Everton player Sebastian Penco and then releasing nasal secretions at the face of the player," said the CSF in a statement.

Reynoso was widely quoted as saying in the media that he had told Penco he had the disease (swine flu).

Guadalajara players complained that their opponents taunted them with remarks about swine flu during the game which ended 1-1.

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Baseball: Defending champions suffer loss in opening game

In baseball, the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 to start the 2009 Major League season on Sunday.

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PhiladelphiaPhilliesleftfielderRaulIbanezinthefifth
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TheBraveswon4-1.(APPhoto/TomMihalek)

The Phillies began the defense of their World Championship with a matchup against the Braves. Brian McCann gave Atlanta an early 2-0 advantage.

Jeff Francoeur had just 11 home runs in a disappointing 2008 season, but made it a 3-0 game against the Phillies.

In his first at-bat of his rookie season, Jordan Schafer hit a high shot to left center field that made it over the wall to give Atlanta a four-run lead. Atlanta finally won the game 4-1 and handed Philadelphia their fourth straight opening day loss.

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