Giants vs. Patriots II worth 4-year wait

INDIANAPOLIS - Four years after what many consider the best finish in Super Bowl history, the Giants and Patriots are facing off once more for the NFL championship. While there are no perfect records on the line this time, this matchup could be equally enticing.

Sports briefs

MAJORS

Rookie coach looks to reverse Raiders’ near-decade long stretch of losing

ALAMEDA - Reggie McKenzie started researching Dennis Allen as a potential coaching candidate this past season when he first heard the Oakland Raiders might hire him as a general manager.

NBA Capsules

MIAMI (AP) - LeBron James scored 35 points, reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose wasted two chances in the final 23 seconds and the Miami Heat escaped with a 97-93 win Sunday over the Chicago Bulls.

Sports briefs

SOCCER

Tiger falters as Rock wins Abu Dhabi Championship

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Tiger Woods talked all week about his improved ball control - then it let him down when he needed it most.

Snedeker wins a shocker during Torrey Pines play

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Brandt Snedeker sat in the media center, resigned to the fact that his 67 in the final round Sunday at Torrey Pines would not be good enough to catch Kyle Stanley in the Farmers Insurance Open.

Allmendinger leads Michael Shank Racing to Rolex 24 victory

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - The little team with no pedigree knocked off the big boys with all those championships.

Djokovic wins Australian Open in nearly six-hour final match

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Novak Djokovic ripped off his shirt and let out a primal scream, flexing his torso the way a prize fighter would after a desperate, last-round knockout.

Gaborik's trick leads Team Chara to All-Star hockey win

OTTAWA (AP) - Marian Gaborik got the best of New York Rangers teammate Henrik Lundqvist, and Zdeno Chara scored the winning goal for the NHL All-Star team named after him.

A's remain open to signing Ramirez but not aggressively so

OAKLAND (AP) - The Oakland Athletics are open to signing slugger Manny Ramirez but the team is not actively pursuing the free agent.

Raiders announce hiring of coach Dennis Allen

ALAMEDA (AP) - Hiring a new coach has become almost commonplace for the Raiders, who will have their seventh coach in the past 10 seasons in 2012. As the first coach hired in the post-Al Davis era in Oakland, Dennis Allen will have a much different task than his predecessors.

Thunder top Warriors to start road trip

OAKLAND (AP) - Kevin Durant had 37 points and 14 rebounds, Russell Westbrook dazzled with 28 points and 11 assists and the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder started a critical road stretch with a 120-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.

Sports News Brief

LINCECUM PASSES PHYSICAL, SIGNS CONTRACT: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum has passed his physical and officially signed his $40.5 million, two-year contract.

Pats' line has tough job against Giants' pass rush in Super Bowl

NBA owners vote to keep Kings in Sacramento

DALLAS (AP) - The Kings are staying in Sacramento, and Seattle will have to wait for another NBA franchise.

Spurs try to close out Warriors in Game 6

OAKLAND (AP) - Forgive the San Antonio Spurs if they aren't that excited about holding a 3-2 series lead over the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals.

Alex Smith already becoming leader of Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - It hasn't taken long for Alex Smith to become the leader of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Arencibia, Lind homer as Blue Jays beat Giants

TORONTO (AP) - Ryan Vogelsong's 100th career start might have been his last for a while.

A’s drop series to Rangers with loss in finale

OAKLAND (AP) - When everything is rolling for the Oakland Athletics, Brandon Moss' line drive with two runners on in the sixth falls perfectly in the gap for a key hit. On Wednesday, Nelson Cruz ran down the ball and snagged it for a spectacular diving catch.

LA’s Stoll likely to miss Game 2 against Sharks

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Raffi Torres spent the past year in Phoenix and San Jose trying to shake his reputation as a dangerous player.

Blackhawks edge Red Wings 4-1 in series opener

CHICAGO (AP) - Maybe it was the extra rest, or another raucous crowd at the United Center. Maybe it was just the resumption of one of the NHL's biggest rivalries.

NBA Playoff capsules

HEAT 95, BULLS 91

Sports news briefs

FOOTBALL

Parker leads Spurs past Warriors for 3-2 series lead

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Tony Parker had 25 points and 10 assists, and the San Antonio Spurs held the Golden State Warriors' starting backcourt to 13 points for a 109-91 victory Tuesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Quick leads Kings past Sharks in opener

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jonathan Quick made 35 saves in his sixth career playoff shutout, and the Los Angeles Kings opened their second-round series with a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

Zito struggles as Blue Jays beat Giants

TORONTO (AP) - Barry Zito battled as long as he could, though he had already buried the San Francisco Giants with a brutal first inning.

Rangers beat A’s on 2 homers in 10th inning

OAKLAND (AP) - Adrian Beltre hit a tiebreaking home run in the 10th inning, Mitch Moreland followed with his second of the game and the Texas Rangers held off the Oakland Athletics 6-5 Tuesday night.

Kings saga faces possible final chapter in Dallas

SEATTLE (AP) - Inside the small club on Seattle's Capitol Hill late Monday night, the chant would not be contained by the walls, drifting out onto the street with every urging scream from the performers on stage.

Sagan takes Stage 3 of Tour of California

SANTA CLARITA (AP) - Peter Sagan of Slovakia sprinted to the Stage 3 win and Colombian Janier Acevedo maintained the race lead Tuesday as strong winds replaced the heat at the Tour of California.