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Garnett honored as top defender
NEW YORK: Kevin Garnett, who helped boost the Boston Celtics to the National Basketball Association's best record, was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday.
Garnett averaged 19.0 points and a team-high 9.2 rebounds a game in his first season with the Celtics after a trade from Minnesota. He also averaged 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocked shots a game.
In voting by a North American media panel, Garnett received 493 points, including 90 first-place votes, with Denver's Marcus Camby second on 178 and Houston's Shane Battier was third with 175 points.
The Celtics made the greatest one-season turnaround in NBA history, finishing 66-16 with 42 more triumphs than a season earlier, six more than the old mark set by San Antonio in 1998.
Lahm on the move
MUNICH, Germany: German international defender Philipp Lahm is free to leave Bavarian giant Bayern Munich after the club announced on Tuesday that talks over his contract extension have broken down.
"Talks between Bayern and Philipp Lahm over the extension of his contract which expires on June 30, 2009 have been inconclusive," the club said.
"As a result, Bayern has withdrawn the offer of a contract extension."
The 24-year-old had indicated recently he would remain with the club and that it was only a matter of days before the deal was done.
But he told the weekly news magazine Stern on Tuesday that "it was possible" that he would leave the Bavarian club this summer.
"I've played for two years with Stuttgart, I'm finishing my third year at Bayern, the top German club, so the logicial progression is to go abroad," he explained.
Smoltz posts 3,000th strikeout
ATLANTA, Georgia: The Washington Nationals spoiled John Smoltz's night with a 6-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.
The 40-year-old Smoltz became the 16th pitcher in major league history to register 3,000 career strikeouts, recording 10 in all while allowing just one run and five hits in seven innings.
The stellar performance did not translate into a victory for Smoltz (3-1), who became the fifth active pitcher to reach the 3,000 mark and saw his ERA rise from 0.56 to 0.78.
Brodeur won't play for Canada
HALIFAX, Canada: Team Canada suffered a blow Tuesday when three-time Stanley Cup winning goalie Martin Brodeur decided not to play in the 2008 World Championships which are being held on his home soil.
The New Jersey Devils netminder declined an invite claiming fatigue from the National Hockey League playoffs and regular season.
The Devils were eliminated four games to one in their opening round NHL series by the New York Rangers.
Brodeur was the best player for Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy. Canada struggled to score and was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Canada was hoping to build their team around Brodeur for next month's Worlds which are being held in Quebec and Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Alexander released by Seattle
SEATTLE, Washington: Former league most valuable player Shaun Alexander was released by the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday.
The 2005 National Football League MVP, Alexander has been hampered by a variety of injuries over the last two seasons.
Last month, Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said the team could not release Alexander until his left wrist had healed.
The all-time rushing leader in Seahawks franchise history, Alexander appeared in 13 games - 10 starts - last season, rushing for just 716 yards and four touchdowns.
Trotz extends contract
NASHVILLE, Tennessee: Barry Trotz, who guided the Nashville Predators into the playoffs for the fourth season in a row, will remain the coach of the National Hockey League team next season.
The Predators announced Tuesday that they were extending the contract of the 45-year-old Canadian, the only coach the club has ever had. His 738 consecutive regular-season games trail only Buffalo's Lindy Ruff among NHL bench bosses.
Terms of the extension were not announced. The deal was to expire in June. Trotz has a record of 324-308 with 106 overtime losses in Nashville.
(China Daily 04/24/2008 page22)
