Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.sports From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: sports Mon, Apr 20 1992 Date: Mon, 20 Apr 92 05:42:18 EDT Message-ID: 04-20 0000 DECISIONLINE: Sports USA TODAY Update April 20, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network CELTICS WIN ATLANTIC DIVISION: The Boston Celtics claimed the NBA's Atlantic Division crown with a 109-93 win over the Miami Heat Sunday. The Celtics and New York Knicks finished with 51-31 marks, but Boston won their season series 3-2. Also, the Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons 103-85 Sunday to wrap up a 67-15 season. The defending NBA champions are only the sixth team to win 67 or more games in a season. HEAT, LAKERS TAKE PLAYOFF SPOTS: The Miami Heat claimed the last spot in the Atlantic Division playoffs Sunday when Cleveland beat Atlanta 112-108. In the Western Conference, the LA Lakers took the last spot by beating the LA Clippers 109-108 in OT. Other NBA scores: Minnesota 130, Charlotte 107; Utah 101, San Antonio 90; Golden State 108, Seattle 106; Phoenix 100, Houston 97; Dallas 104, Denver 92. PIRATES SWEEP PHILLIES: The Pittsburgh Pirates completed a three-game sweep of the Phialdelphia Phillies with an 11-0 win Sunday. Even without Bobby Bonilla, John Smiley and Bill Landrum around this year, the Pirates have a 3 1:2 game lead in the NL East. Other NL games: New York 11, Montreal 6; St. Louis 4, Chicago 3; Houston 1, San Diego 0, 11 ins.; San Francisco 8, Cincinnati 2; Los Angeles 4, Atlanta 2. ORIOLES DOWN TIGERS: The Baltimore Orioles topped the Detroit Tigers 3-2 Sunday as Bob Milacki (1-1) gave up just four hits in eight innings. The Tigers fell to 3-10, last in the AL East. In other AL games: Boston 5, Toronto 4; New York 5, Cleveland 3; Chicago 4, Minnesota 1; Seattle 12, Milwaukee 9; California at Kansas City, ppd., rain; Texas 6, Oakland 4. SABRES TAKE 1-0 LEAD: The Buffalo Sabres came into the NHL playoffs with a losing record, but took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven semifinal Adams Division series with 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins Sunday. In the other Adams Division series, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Hartford Whalers 2-0 to take a 1-0 series lead. Rookie Gilbert Dionne scored twice and Patrick Roy made 32 saves for Montreal. CAPS TOP PENGUINS: The defending NHL champion Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Washington Capitals 3-1 in Game 1 of their Patrick Division playoff series Sunday. Mario Lemieux sat out the game with a bruised shoulder. Also, the New York Rangers edged New Jersey 2-1 in the other Patrick opener. Darren Turcotte and Mike Gartner scored for the Rangers. TREVINO, LOVE, MOCHRIE WIN: Lee Trevino made par-saving putts on the final two holes Sunday to win the PGA Seniors' Championship Sunday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Trevino finished with a 71 for 10-under-par 278, one shot better than Mike Hill. Also, Davis Love III shot a 68 Sunday to win his third Heritage Classic title in six years, and Dottie Mochrie won the LPGA SEGA Women's Championship, shooting a 2-under-par 70. AMERICA 3, NEW ZEALAND GET WINS: America 3 Sunday won the first complete race in the Cup defender finals over Stars & Stripes, skippered by Dennis Conner. In challenger finals, New Zealand took an easy win against mistake-prone Italy. NO. 1'S WIN TOURNIES: No. 1-ranked Jim Courier defeated Michael Chang 7-5, 6-3 Sunday in the final of the Salem Open at Hong Kong. Courier had to play a rare doubleheader, beating Brad Gilbert 6-4, 6-1 in a semifinal Sunday that was postponed from Saturday due to rain. Women's No. 1 Monica Seles defeated Zina Garrison 6-1, 6-1 in the Virginia Slims of Houston. ZMESKAL UPSETS BOGUINSKAIA: Kim Zmeskal of Houston, Texas, upset defending champion Svetlana Boguinskaia in the balance beam Sunday for her second title in the World Gymnastics Championships in Paris. The 16-year-old won the floor exercise Saturday. Zmeskal qualified for the finals in the uneven bars but the U.S. coaches let two others compete to get exposure. ORLANDO, SAN ANTONIO WIN: The Orlando Thunder (4-1), the World League's highest-scoring team, needed Tracy Bennett's three field goals to defeat the Montreal Machine (2-3) at home Sunday 16-8. Orlando leads the North American East division. Also, Sunday: Gary Richard returned one of four San Antonio (4-1) interceptions 53 yards for a touchdown in the Riders' 17-0 home victory against Ohio (0-5). SOCCER TEAM STAYS UNBEATEN: The U.S. national soccer team remained unbeaten in the final round of Olympic qualifications Sunday with a 4-3 victory against Honduras. Alexi Lalas and Steve Snow scored two minutes apart midway through the second half, and Dante Washington scored the winning goal with three minutes left as the USA improved to 3-0. 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Sports Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Sports Editor: Jason P. Smith. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM