Cavaliers open season 0-2
TORONTO, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Chris Bosh turned away a Cleveland comeback late in the third period Wednesday and Toronto pulled away for a 101-91 win over the Cavaliers.
Cleveland played on each of the first two nights of the NBA season and lost both outings. The Cavaliers fell at home against Boston Tuesday and then saw a rally fade away against the Raptors.
Toronto took an 18-point halftime lead, only to see the Cavaliers rally to tie it at 69-69 with 2:20 left in the third period.
Jarrett Jack missed a layup that would have put Toronto back in front, but Bosh grabbed the offensive rebound and laid it in for a 71-69 advantage. That touched off a 9-2 run to end the third quarter and the Raptors went on to build as much as a 15-point lead in the fourth.
Andrea Bargnani led Toronto with 28 points while making 11-of-16 field goal attempts. Bosh had 21 and Hedo Turkoglu 12.
LeBron James paced Cleveland with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Shaquille O'Neal, winless in a Cavaliers uniform, scored 12 points over 23 minutes.
Serena wins, clinches year-end top ranking
DOHA, Qatar, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Serena Williams defeated her sister Venus Wednesday at the Sony Ericsson Championships and also learned she would end the year as the No. 1 player in the world.
Williams went into the season-ending event ranked second behind Dinara Safina and needed to post more victories this week than Safina to pass her and claim the top spot. Safina, however, retired from her opening round-robin match Wednesday and gave up a chance to end the season as No. 1 for the first time in her career.
It is the second time Williams has concluded a season ranked on top. She also did so in 2002.
The eight players originally entered in this tournament were divided into two groups and Williams improved to 2-0 in her group by defeating Venus Williams 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Serena is 2-0 in group play and Venus is 0-2.
The other two players in the group containing the Williams sisters, Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova, had the day off.
In the other group, Carolina Wozniacki won over Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 in their first appearance of the event and Jelena Jankovic improved to 1-1 when Safina withdrew.
Safina quit after two games of the first set. She later said a bone in her lower back is, "starting to fracture," and that she has been battling the injury for three months. Safina said doctors have told her she will have to miss about six weeks and may not be ready for the Australian Open in January.
Coach says Bradford surgery went well
NORMAN, Okla., Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The surgery on Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford's shoulder was successful, Coach Bob Stoops said Wednesday.
The operation, performed in Birmingham, Ala., by noted surgeon James Andrews, ended Bradford's collegiate career. In announcing last weekend that he would have the surgery, Bradford also said he would pass up his final year of eligibility and make himself available for the NFL draft.
"The report we got was that everything went about as well as it could and obviously we're very happy for Sam and his family," Stoops said. "We look forward to getting him back in Norman so that we can assist with his recovery and rehabilitation."
Bradford, who won the 2008 Heisman Trophy, was injured in the opening game this season and missed three contests after that. He returned Oct. 10, but suffered a more serious shoulder injury against Texas a week later.
NFL scouts have suggested Bradford will be among the first 10 players chosen in the draft. He holds the Oklahoma records for career yards (8,403) and touchdown passes (88).
Chiefs suspend Larry Johnson
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The Kansas City Chiefs announced Wednesday running back Larry Johnson had been suspended for the team's Nov. 8 game at Jacksonville.
Johnson posted demeaning comments about Kansas City Coach Todd Haley on his Twitter account Sunday night following a loss to San Diego. He also used a gay slur in another post and again in comments to media members Monday.
This is Kansas City's bye week and Johnson will not be allowed to participate in team activities or be on the club's premises until next Monday.
Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of disturbing the peace last March stemming from two separate incidents involving women at Kansas City nightclubs.
