AP - The youthful Los Angeles Lakers maintain they're not close to being a finished product. And yet, they're one win away from earning their first NBA finals berth in four years, with as many as three shots at it if necessary.

AP - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal showed what they can do when challenged.

AP - Lorena Ochoa withdrew from the Ginn Tribute, putting the top-ranked player's duel with tournament host Annika Sorenstam on hold.

AFP - Maria Sharapova almost became the first women's top seed in French Open history to lose in the opening round on Wednesday as Rafael Nadal showed her the way to master a Roland Garros sandstorm.

AP - Sidney Crosby is the Pittsburgh Penguins' leader. Their best player. The franchise figurehead. A player who brings out the best in those who surround him, even if the 20-year-old is half the age of some.

AFP - Football's world governing body FIFA on Thursday "provisionally and conditionally" lifted its 12-month ban on Iraq taking part in international competition.

AP - Alfonso Soriano singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th Wednesday night and the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 to complete a three-game sweep.

AP - Ray Allen raised his arms to fire up the Boston crowd with 4.5 seconds left. The struggling Celtics sharpshooter already had excited the fans by finding his shooting touch Wednesday night and helping Boston move one win away from its first NBA finals in 21 years.

AP - The NBA acknowledged Wednesday that a foul should have been called on the final possession of Game 4 in the Western Conference finals, which would have given the San Antonio Spurs a chance to even the series.

AP - NBA coach of the year Byron Scott and the New Orleans Hornets agreed in principle to a two-year contract extension on Wednesday.

AP - With the light fading on center court and Serena Williams facing the possibility of heading into a third set at the French Open, the eight-time Grand Slam champion started to get a little peeved.

AP - Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins found their offense right where they left it — home in the Igloo. Crosby scored Pittsburgh's first two goals of the Stanley Cup finals, beating previously perfect goalie Chris Osgood, and the Penguins made this a series with a 3-2 victory Wednesday night.

AP - Ray Allen found his shooting touch just in time to put the Boston Celtics within one win of the NBA finals for the first time since the original Big Three.