Nets Stay Alive, Hawks Square Series – NBA Roundup For April 30th

UNDATED (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets were able to stave off elimination in the NBA's conference quarterfinals Monday night.

Brook Lopez and Deron Williams each had double-doubles as the Nets downed the Chicago Bulls 110-91. Lopez finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Williams delivered 23 points and 10 assists to help the Nets win for the first time since the series opener.

Andray Blatche (AHN'-dray blach) provided 10 of his 13 points while the Nets outscored the Bulls 33-18 in the final period, one game after Brooklyn blew a 14-point lead over the last four minutes of regulation and lost in triple-overtime. This time, the Nets closed on a 15-1 run to force a Game 6 Thursday in Chicago.

Bulls guard Nate Robinson had team highs of 20 points and eight assists while starting in place of Kirk Hinrich (HYN'-rihk), who sat out with a bruised left calf.

The Rockets avoided a four-game sweep by outlasting the Oklahoma City Thunder 105-103. Chandler Parsons came within two assists of a triple-double, finishing with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Omer Asik had 17 points and 14 boards for the Rockets, who won despite failing to score after taking a 105-98 lead with 2:20 remaining.

Oklahoma City had two chances to tie it in the final seconds, but Serge Ibaka (ih-BAH'-kah) grabbed a rebound off a Reggie Jackson jumper and missed a layup at the buzzer.

The Thunder failed to close out the series despite Kevin Durant, who shot 12-for-16 and finished with 38 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Game 5 is Wednesday at Oklahoma City.

Atlanta has evened its Eastern Conference quarterfinal series by winning two straight on its home court.

Josh Smith scored 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Hawks beat Indiana 102-91. The Pacers cut a 17-point halftime deficit to 84-79 with less than five minutes left before Smith swished a rare 3-pointer. He later came up with an offensive rebound to set up a 3 by Kyle Korver, then finished off a fast break with a right-handed dunk.

Korver finished with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting, and Al Horford added 18 points for the winners.

Paul George scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half to lead the Pacers.

The series shifts to Indiana for Game 5 on Wednesday.

NEW YORK (AP) — NBA veteran center Jason Collins has become the first male professional athlete in the major four American sports leagues to come out as gay. Collins wrote a first-person account posted on Sports Illustrated's website.

Mostly a backup in his career, Collins has averaged 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Nets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Hawks, Celtics and Wizards. The 34-year-old is a free agent who says he wants to continue playing.

President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton spoke of Collins' courage, tennis great Martina Navratilova called him a pioneer, Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers compared him to Jackie Robinson and Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash simply tweeted, "The time has come."

NEW YORK (AP) — It appears the Sacramento Kings are staying put after the NBA's relocation committee voted unanimously today to recommend that owners reject the application for the team to relocate to Seattle.

The league's Board of Governors will convene during the week of May 13 to vote on the matter, although the relocation committee's recommendation doesn't guarantee the Kings will stay put. The Kings' current owners sent a letter to the relocation and finance committees saying they preferred to sell to the Seattle group and expressed discontent with Sacramento's latest bid to retain the franchise.