Last Update on May 21, 2013 22:44 GMT

NBA-CLIPPERS-DEL NEGRO

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Vinny Del Negro (NAY'-groh) is out as coach of the Los Angeles Clippers after their first-round playoff exit.

Del Negro had a 128-102 regular-season record in three years with the team. The Clippers made the playoffs the last two seasons.

This season, the Clippers won a franchise-record 56 games, had a 17-game winning streak and won the club's first Pacific Division title before their early playoff exit.

Del Negro had the highest winning percentage (.557) for a coach in the club's beleaguered history. He is the only coach to have consecutive winning seasons since the Buffalo Braves moved to California and became the Clippers in 1978.

NBA-THUNDER RELIEF

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma City Thunder are giving $1 million for tornado relief, matching a $1 million pledge by star player Kevin Durant. The Thunder say they're giving $1 million to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and other disaster relief organizations helping after Monday's deadly tornado in suburban Oklahoma City.

The NBA and its players' union are combining to donate another $1 million to the recovery cause.

NBA PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE

SAN ANTONIO (AP)-- The San Antonio Spurs hope to match their offensive fireworks they displayed in the series opener when they take on Memphis in Game 2 of that NBA Western Conference final.

The Spurs torched the Grizzlies by hitting 14 3-pointers while shooting 53 percent in their series-opening 105-83 win on Sunday.

By now, the Grizzlies are kind of used to losing series openers. They dropped their last three Game 1's dating back to last year's playoffs.

NBA-LOTTERY

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Orlando Magic have the best odds of winning tonight's draft lottery, which is sort of like the Super Bowl for NBA also-rans. The Magic finished with an NBA-worst 20-62 record.

The Magic have a one-in-four chance to snag the top draft pick in the June 27th draft. That No. 1 pick is expected to be Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel. He comes with a bit of baggage, however. Noel is recovering from a torn ACL and is could miss the first two months of the next NBA season.

NBA-BOBCATS-NAME CHANGE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Bobcats owner Michael Jordan says he's changing his team's name to the Charlotte Hornets. Jordan says he's optimistic the NBA board of governors will approve the name change when they convene in July.

Charlotte will remain the Bobcats next season, but if all goes as planned Jordan anticipates his team will become the Hornets for the start of the 2014-15 season.

The Hornets resided in Charlotte from 1988-2002 before then-owner George Shinn relocated the team to New Orleans.

NFL-MEETINGS

BOSTON (AP) --The San Francisco 49ers are big winners of Super Bowl 50 -- two and a-half years before it will be played.

NFL owners chose the Niners' new stadium being built in Santa Clara as site of Super Bowl 50 to be held in February 2016. The Santa Clara stadium is due to open in 2014.

San Francisco beat out South Florida, which was stymied in its bid to stage an 11th Super Bowl when the Florida Legislature did not support financing to renovate Sun Life Stadium.

The 2017 Super Bowl will be held in Houston, which also beat out Miami for that game.

In other NFL news:

----Owners have approved a $200 million loan for construction of a new $1 billion stadium in Atlanta.

---- The league and Microsoft announced a deal in which Xbox will provide fans new viewing innovations, including the ability to interact with live games, Skype video chat with other fans, and other enhancements.

-- Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will miss at least three weeks of offseason workouts after a procedure to remove a cyst from his back. The Cowboys say Romo will be ready for training camp in July.

MLB-SCHEDULE

UNDATED (AP) -- The Cleveland Indians aim for their sixth straight win tonight, but they'll be facing an unbeaten pitcher from their closest pursuer in the American League Central race.

The Indians start the night with a two-and-a-half-game lead over Detroit following their four-game sweep of Seattle, their first four-game sweep of the Mariners since 1981.

Tonight, the Indians' opposition gets stiffer. The Tigers come to town and manager Jim Leyland (LEE'-lind) is sending out 5-0 Max Scherzer against the Tribe's Corey Kluber, who's 3-2.

The New York Yankees try to run their winning streak to four in the second of their three game series against Baltimore. The Orioles have dropped six in a row to fall five games back of the Yankees. It's Phil Hughes for the Yanks against Miguel Gonzalez.

In Toronto, Ramon Ortiz is coming off his first victory since 2011 and he'll be on the mound for the Blue Jays against Tampa Bay's Alex Cobb.

Oakland is at Texas, trying to close the five-and-a-half-game edge the Rangers have on the Athletics in the AL West. The A's draw a tough pitching assignment as Texas is sending out ace Yu Darvish, who is 7-1. A Darvish win would tie him with Tampa Bay's Matt Moore for most victories in the majors.

Boston is at Chicago to play the White Sox.

Kansas City tries to end its four-game losing streak when it visits Houston, which is tied with Miami for the worst record in baseball at 13-32.

The Chicago Cubs send out Matt Garza, who is making his first start of the season since coming off the disabled list, when they play at Pittsburgh. Wandy Rodriguez takes a 4-2 mark to the mound for the Pirates.

The Cincinnati Reds start the day a game and a-half back of St. Louis in the NL Central race. The Reds start 3-2 Mike Leake against Jonathan Niese, who sports a 3-4 record for the New York Mets.

The Cardinals go with 5-3 Adam Wainwright against San Diego's Edinson Volquez in the continuation of their series. Philadelphia is at Miami tonight.

The L.A. Dodgers send out 2-0 Zack Greinke (GREHN'-kee) in his second start since coming off the disabled list when they visit Milwaukee.

Arizona is at Colorado as the Diamondbacks try to expand their one-game lead over San Francisco in the NL West.

The Giants try for their second straight win over Washington as they host the Nationals. It's Matt Cain for the Giants against 2-5 Stephen Strasburg.

In the interleague matchup, NL East-leading Atlanta tries for its fifth straight victory when it plays Minnesota, which has lost six in a row. It's Mike Pelfrey for the Twins against Tim Hudson.

NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE

UNDATED (AP) -- The Boston Bruins and defending Stanley Cup champion L.A. Kings can take commanding leads in their respective NHL conference semifinal series tonight.

The Bruins are in New York with a 2-0 lead after two games in Beantown. The Rangers are in familiar position -- they dropped the first two games in their first-round series against Washington before winning that series in seven games.

In San Jose, the Kings can take a 3-1 series lead over the Sharks. These teams have been off since Friday when the Kings posted a 2-1 overtime win at the Shark Tank.

GOLF-LONG PUTTERS

UNDATED (AP) -- Golf's governing bodies have outlawed the putting stroke used by four of the last six major champions, effective in 2016.

The Royal & Ancient Golf Club and U.S. Golf Association have ruled that golfers no longer will be able to anchor the club against their bodies to create the effect of a hinge. Masters champion Adam Scott used a long putter he pressed against his chest. British Open champion Ernie Els and U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson used a belly putter, as did Keegan Bradley in the 2011 PGA Championship.

The two bodies have urged the PGA Tour to follow along so the 600-year-old sport is still played under one set of rules. The Tour and PGA of America oppose the rule.