Kobe Bryant has food poisoning
SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 20 (UPI) -- All-Star guard Kobe Bryant, who has taken his already fabulous game to yet another level this postseason, has contracted food poisoning and may be scratched from the lineup Monday night when the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers play the Sacramento Kings in Game Two of the Western Conference finals.
According to Lakers' spokesman, John Black, Bryant missed the team's morning shoot around because he was too ill.
A report by the Sacramento Bee indicated that Bryant ate a cheeseburger and a piece of cheesecake from hotel room service.
"He began vomiting about 11 p.m. and it continued through the night," Black said. Several Los Angeles media outlets reported that Bryant would be on the sidelines Monday night, but Coach Phil Jackson said his availability would be a "game-time decision."
Bryant was outstanding in the conference semifinals against San Antonio. He averaged 26.2 points per contest, and began this series with 30 points, 16 of which came in a dominant first half in Saturday's opener, which the Lakers led from tap-to-buzzer and won, 106-99. He also had six rebounds and five assists.
Woods wins Deutsche-SAP Open again
HEIDELBERG, Germany, May 20 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods wore down Colin Montgomerie on Monday to successfully defend his title at the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open.
Woods won on the third playoff hole when a visibly weary Montgomerie found water with his second shot out of the bunker. Montgomerie settled for a double bogey on the hole and Woods sank a short par putt to give him his third win in the tournament in four tries.
Woods, the top-ranked player in the world, entered the final day of the tournament one shot behind Montgomerie before firing a 4-under-par 68 to finish regulation play at 20-under 268.
Montgomerie was seeking his 27th career title on the European PGA Tour. The 38-year-old Scot, who has battled lingering back problems, was able to keep up with the 26-year-old Woods through 74 holes at St. Leon-Rot Golf Club, but finally faltered when the two golfers played the 18th hole for the fourth time.
Justin Rose shot a 66 to take third place at 267 and fellow Englishman Greg Owen was one shot back after firing a 68.
Kings try to rebound against Lakers
SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 20 (UPI) -- After snatching home-court advantage from the Sacramento Kings in the opening contest of the NBA Western Conference finals, the Los Angeles hope to put them in a serious 0-2 hole Monday night when they play Game Two at the Arco Arena.
Kobe Bryant scored 30 points and Shaquille O'Neal added 26 Saturday as the Lakers extended their road playoff winning streak to 12 games with a 106-99 victory. Los Angeles, which swept Sacramento in the conference semifinals last year on the way to its second straight NBA title in 2001, never trailed in its fourth victory in five games against the Kings this season.
Los Angeles made nine of its first 10 shots, capped by a jumper by Rick Fox that made it 19-10, and led, 36-22, at the break. Sacramento pulled to within five points four times in the final two minutes, but Los Angeles had an answer each time.
Chris Webber had 28 points and 14 rebounds for Sacramento, which fell to just 3-3 at home in the playoffs. The Kings had the league's best home record in the regular season at 36-5.
The Kings played without All-Star forward Peja Stojakovic, who also is expected to miss Game Two, as he continues to recover from a severely sprained right ankle. Hedo Turkoglu got the start in Stojakovic's place, but missed all eight shots from the floor and did not score.
Colorado tries to get even at Detroit
DETROIT, May 20 (UPI) -- Colorado will need veteran goalie Patrick Roy to continue his career trend of bouncing back from bad games with a good one Monday night when it visits Detroit for Game Two of the NHL Western Conference finals.
On Saturday, rugged right wing Darren McCarty recorded his first career hat trick and six-time Vezina Trophy winner Dominik Hasek made 27 saves as the Red Wings beat the Avalanche, 5-3, in the series opener. It was the 10th time that Roy has surrendered at least five goals in a playoff game with Colorado. The previous nine times he has followed up with a win, with the Avalanche outscoring their opponents, 45-9.
Most recently, Roy allowed at least five goals in three games against the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference semifinals and bounced back with wins each time.
Hasek stopped 12 of Colorado's 13 shots in the second period and faced only seven shots in the third when McCarty exploded, scoring three times in the first 15:55 to give the Wings a three-goal advantage. Hasek, who is seeking his first Stanley Cup, has won nine of his last 10 starts. He stopped both of Peter Forsberg's shots Saturday as the Red Wings contained the NHL's leading playoff scorer. Forsberg had a nine-game points streak snapped, but his 19 points are tied with Toronto's Gary Roberts for the most in the league.
On Sunday, defenseman Niclas Wallin scored his second overtime goal of this year's playoffs to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 2-1 win and a split of the first two games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Eastern Conference finals.
Garcia loses sixth straight
MADRID, May 20 (UPI) -- Former champion Gala Leon Garcia of Spain suffered her sixth straight loss Monday in the first round of the Madrid Open.
Emilie Loit of France moved into the second round with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Leon Garcia, who has not won a match since the first round at the Sarasota Open in early April and fell to 3-12 this season. She won this event in 2000, but has suffered consecutive first-round losses.
American Chanda Rubin also advanced, posting a 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) victory over Rossana Neffa-De Los Rios of Paraguay.
Spain's Marta Marrero overcame Germany's Bianka Lamade, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 and will face top-seeded Monica Seles in the second round. Fabiola Zuluaga of Colombia, a finalist in 2000, eliminated Canadian Vanessa Webb, 6-4, 6-3, and Alicia Molik of Australia defeated American Amy Frazier by the same score.
Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain is the defending champion and second seed. Sanchez-Vicario beat countrywoman Angeles Montolio, 7-5, 6-0, to win last year's event.
Bucs sign Oben
TAMPA, May 20 (UPI) -- Roman Oben, who started 29 games at left tackle for the Cleveland Browns over the last two seasons, Monday signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Contract terms were not disclosed.
The 29-year-old Oben, who spent his first four NFL seasons with the New York Giants before signing with the Browns in 2000, was the only Browns lineman to stay on the field for every regular season snap. He has played in 82 NFL games with 77 starts. He was released in February.
Oben, a collegiate star at Louisville, joins an offensive line that will return both tackles from 2001 -- Kenyatta Walker and Jerry Wunsch.
The signing continues the revamping of the Bucs' offense under new Coach Jon Gruden. Tampa Bay already has added quarterback Rob Johnson, guard Kerry Jenkins, tight ends Ken Dilger and Marco Battaglia and receivers Joe Jurevicius and Keith Poole this offseason.
Haas leads Germany past Russia
DUSSELDORF, Germany, May 20 (UPI) -- Tommy Haas got a rare win over Yevgeny Kafelnikov, leading Germany to a 2-1 victory over Russia in Monday's round-robin action at the ATP World Cup.
Haas had lost five straight matches to Kafelnikov before posting a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 victory. Kafelnikov has won just three matches on clay courts this year.
Nicolas Kiefer clinched the win for Germany with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) triumph over Marat Safin, who lost the final of the Tennis Master Series--Hamburg to Switzerland's Roger Federer on Sunday. Kafelnikov and Safin registered a doubles win, 6-1, 6-1 over Lars Burgsmueller and Karsten Braash.
Argentina defeated Sweden, 2-1, in Monday's other tie. Thomas Enqvist posted a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) victory over Argentina's Jose Acasuso. The Argentines got even when Guillermo Canas registered a 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 win over Thomas Johansson, who just fell from No. 1 to No. 3 in the ATP Tour Champions Race. Lucas Arnold and Gaston Etlis defeated Jonas Bjorkman and Johansson, 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (11-9).
Titans sign center Jeff Smith
NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 20 (UPI) -- Veteran center Jeff Smith has signed as a free agent with the Tennessee Titans.
The 28-year-old Smith, who played collegiately at the University of Tennessee, started all 16 games for the Jaguars last season. He spent his first four NFL seasons with Kansas City before joining Jacksonville in 2000. He started 28 games in Jacksonville and played in 31 games with five starts in Kansas City from 1996-99.
Smith, a 6-3, 326-pounder from Decatur, Tenn., also plays guard and will be one of only two players on the roster with NFL experience at center. Tennessee is also considering re-signing veteran center Kevin Long.
Shaughnessy stops six-match slide
STRASBOURG, France, May 20 (UPI) -- Meghann Shaughnessy snapped a six-match losing streak Monday with an opening-round victory at the claycourt Strasbourg International.
Shaughnessy, the third seed, defeated fellow American Jennifer Hopkins, 7-5, 6-0, for her first win since reaching the semifinals at the Sarasota Open the first week of April.
Sixth seed Lisa Raymond of the United States rebounded from three straight losses as she rallied for a 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 victory over wild card Cecline Beigbeder of France.
The struggle continued for No. 7 Daja Bedanova of the Czech Republic as she was ousted by Croatia's Jelena Kostanic, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. Bedanova has failed to advance past the second round in four straight tournaments.
Also Monday, Anca Barna of Germany defeated France's Virginie Razzano, 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 and Slovakia's Tina Pisnik cruised past American Lilia Osterloh, 6-4, 6-2.
Clemens named AL Player of Week
NEW YORK, May 20 (UPI) -- New York Yankees righthander Roger Clemens, who tied Bert Blyleven for 22nd on the all-time wins list, was named American League Player of the Week on Monday.
Clemens won both of his starts last week, including the 287th of his career in Sunday's 3-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins that tied him with Blyleven. In two starts spanning 14 2/3 innings, the six-time Cy Young Award winner allowed one earned run and seven hits.
Clemens struck out 21 batters in the two starts, including 13 on Sunday for his 99th career double-digit strikeout game.
Bonds NL PLayer of Week
NEW YORK, May 20 (UPI) -- San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds, who hit three more home runs during the period, Monday was named National League Player of the Week.
In six games, Bonds was 10-for-17 with two doubles, a triple and scored seven runs. The 10-time All-Star is tied for the NL lead with 15 homers and leads the league in batting (.386), runs (36), walks (55), slugging percentage (.921) and on-base percentage (.615).
