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Since returning from elbow tightness, Johan Santana has been saying he's on track to make his opening-day start for the New York Mets.He backed that up on Sunday.In his second Grapefruit league start this spring, Santana tossed five strong innings and the Mets scored nine runs in the seventh for a 12-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.'I felt pretty good out there,' said Santana, who didn't make his first exhibition start until March 12 and then faced minor leaguers last Tuesday.

By DAVID MOORE DALLAS — Conventional wisdom states the Dallas Mavericks want no part of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs.The logic is irrefutable, because no team in the Western Conference wants to open against the Lakers.But here’s the problem when people say the Mavericks must do all they can to avoid the No. 8 seed. It implies if they move up a spot or two or three, they will win.It might be a more competitive series, which in theory gives Dallas a better chance to win, but that doesn’t assure that it will advance.Say the Mavs finish with the fifth, sixth or seventh seed and open on the road.Will they be favored to beat San Antonio? New Orleans? Utah?No.Are the Mavericks playing better basketball than Houston or Denver these days?No again.The Mavs swept the season series from Portland and probably would be favored if the two teams met, but that would require they finish as the fourth and fifth seed.That scenario is unlikely. Avoid th

VETERAN Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello believes his new team Brawn GP can win the opening race of the F1 season in Melbourne next Sunday.

Galaxy's Donovan nets pair in draw with United

For LeBron, it's just another day at the office. James gets 30 points, 10 boards and eight assists to lead the Cavs past the Nets 96-88. Don't forget the supporting cast, Ken Berger says.

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Chris Paul scored 27 points and David West added 23 points, leading the New Orleans Hornets to a 99-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.

Ivan Rodriguez looked right at home with the Houston Astros.Making his spring training debut with his new team, Rodriguez stroked a single to center field in his first at-bat and helped Houston to a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.The Astros plugged Rodriguez into the No. 2 spot in the lineup and the 14-time All-Star catcher finished 1-for-3 at the plate.'I feel good out there,' Rodriguez said. 'I'm just trying to get used to my new teammates, and so far it was good.

The Tampa Bay Rays aren't budging on their stance that a decision on where top pitching prospect David Price begins the season will not necessarily be based on the left-hander's spring training performance.The No. 1 pick in the 2007 amateur draft worked four scoreless innings in a 5-0 victory Sunday that snapped the New York Yankees' nine-game exhibition winning streak.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- David West and the Hornets knew they could not let up against the Warriors.A...