SAN ANTONIO — Becky Hammon scored 35 points, making four free throws in the final 36 seconds, as the San Antonio Silver Stars advanced to their first WNBA Finals with a 76-72 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals Sunday.
The Sparks led 72-67 when Temeka Johnson made two free throws with 1:57 remaining, but Hammon tied it on a 3-pointer with 1:03 left.
Los Angeles lost the ball the next trip down the floor and Hammon followed with four free throws on the next two possessions.
The former Colorado State star was 10-of-18 from the field, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range, and made all nine free throws.
• Deanna Nolan scored nine of her 22 points in the fourth quarter as the Detroit Shock staved off elimination with a 64-55 victory over the New York Liberty in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Beckett’s start likely pushed back
BOSTON — Josh Beckett probably will miss the opener of Boston’s first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Angels and have his start pushed back, a person in the Red Sox organization with knowledge of the plans has told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced its rotation.
Roddick, Jankovic prevail
BEIJING — Second-seeded Andy Roddick defeated Dudi Sela 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3 to win the China Open.
It was Roddick’s 26th career ATP title while Sela was the first Israeli to reach an ATP final since Harel Levy in 2000.
In the women’s final, top-seeded Jelena Jankovic defeated No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-2. It was the Serb’s second title this season and the seventh of her career. It was Kuznetsova’s fifth final this season — and her fifth loss.
• Jo-Wilfried Tsonga upset No. 3-ranked Novak Djokovic 7-6 (4), 6-4 to win the Thailand Open in Bangkok, clinching his first career title and avenging his loss to the top-seeded Serbian in the Australian Open final.
• Top-seeded Maria Kirilenko rallied to claim the Korea Open title in Seoul with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 win over Australia’s Samantha Stosur.
Ballan wins cycling road race
VARESE, Italy — Alessandro Ballan gave Italy its third straight world championship road race cycling title, finishing off a dominating performance with a late breakaway victory.
The Italian held off a chasing group, led by compatriot Damiano Cunego, who finished second. Denmark’s Matti Breschel surprised with a bronze medal by edging a third Italian, veteran Davide Rebellin.
Footnotes.
Haile Gebrselassie smashed his marathon world record by 27 seconds, winning the Berlin Marathon. The 35-year-old Ethiopian took advantage of excellent conditions on a flat course to finish in 2 hours, 3 minutes, 59 seconds. Irina Mikitenko of Germany won the women’s race in 2:19:19.
• The Anaheim Ducks signed right wing Teemu Selanne to a two-year, $5.25 million contract.
• Jeff Cunningham, Andre Rocha and Kenny Cooper scored in FC Dallas’ 3-0 victory over D.C. United in MLS.The Associated Press
