Sports in brief

Times wires
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

pro basketball

nba owners give ground on hard salary cap

NEW YORK — Saying it reflects a "desire to go as far as we can to avoid a lockout," NBA commissioner David Stern said Tuesday owners moved off their insistence on a hard salary cap. But players don't see it that way.

The cap system appears to be the biggest obstacle to a new collective bargaining agreement before the current one expires June 30.

The league has proposed a "flex cap," in which teams would target a uniform dollar amount to spend but would still be permitted to exceed it up to an unspecified level, Stern said. Players argue it's still a hard cap because the ceiling would eventually kick in.

Though both sides believed progress was made in what Stern had said was an important day in negotiations, a sizable gap remains.

"We're still just really far apart on the largest issue of hard salary cap, and still some economic issues," union president Derek Fisher of the Lakers said.

Raptors: Former Mavs assistant Dwane Casey was introduced as coach.

WNBA: Reserve guard Shavonte Zellous scored a season-high 21 and Indiana held off host Washington 89-80. … Angel McCoughtry scored 14 to lead host Atlanta past Chicago 71-68.

et cetera

autos: NASCAR fined Joe Gibbs Racing's three crew chiefs $50,000 each for taking unapproved oil pans to Michigan last week. Mike Ford, Dave Rogers and Greg Zipadelli also were placed on probation through the end of the year, as was competition director Jimmy Makar and car chiefs Chris Gillin (Denny Hamlin's car), Wesley Sherrill (Kyle Busch's) and Jason Shapiro (Joe Logano's).

arena football: Storm defensive back Jarriet Buie was named the league's defensive player of the week for his six tackles, 4.5 sacks and forced fumble against Orlando on Friday.

soccer: The United States faces Panama at 6:30 (FSC) and Mexico plays Honduras at 9:30 (Univision) in the Gold Cup semifinals in Houston tonight.

cycling: The doctor for Juan Mauricio Soler's team says the rider's life is no longer in danger after sustaining head injuries in a crash during the Tour of Switzerland last week.

golf: Matt Kuchar and Zach Johnson won the Charity Classic with a two-round total of 24-under 118 at Barrington, R.I. The winners split $300,000.

Times wires

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/sports-in-brief/1176618

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