On the court: : Paul Pierce hit the winning jumper, scored 31 points and hindered Philadelphia's shot at the Eastern Conference's sixth seed in the visiting Celtics' 100-98 win over the Sixers (40-41). Pierce made seven three-pointers for Boston (61-20), which did not have Allen and Kevin Garnett (strained knee) in the lineup. ... Flip Murray scored 17 points to lead the host Hawks (47-34) past the Heat (42-39), 81-79.
Fla. International hires I. Thomas
col. hoops
Isiah Thomas has agreed to a five-year contract with Florida International to coach the men's basketball team, a move that gives the Hall of Fame player and former NBA coach a chance to revive his career. Financial terms weren't immediately released. Thomas replaces Sergio Rouco, who was reassigned Monday after posting a losing record in each of his five seasons as coach.
Connecticut: : Women's coach Geno Auriemma is set to become coach of the U.S. women's basketball team for the next three years through the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, a person familiar with the hiring told the AP. ... Co-Big East Player of the Year Hasheem Thabeet, a 7-foot-3 center, has decided to enter the NBA draft.
Et cetera: : The school promoted assistant Chris Mack to succeed Sean Miller as men's coach. ... Services for former Morgan State and NBA star Marvin Webster, who was found dead last week in a Tulsa, Okla., hotel, will be held today through Friday. There will be public viewings at Vaughn C. Green Funeral Home, 8728 Liberty Road, Randallstown, today from 5 to 8 p.m. and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be 11 a.m. Friday at Greater New Hope Baptist Church in Baltimore.
NHL PLAYOFFS
Washington Capitals vs. N.Y. Rangers
What: Eastern Conference first-round series (best of seven)
Game 1: 7 p.m. Wednesday; Verizon Center, Washington
Capitals overview: Alex Ovechkin, the NHL's leading goal-scorer, leads the second-seeded Capitals (50-24-8), who possess the league's third-most-productive offense. Mike Green (31 goals, 42 assists) leads a young defense, but Tom Poti has been hampered by a groin injury. Goaltender Jose Theodore is 4-0 as the starter in the first round with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche.
Rangers overview: No. 7 seed New York (43-30-9) has struggled offensively as Chris Drury, Nikolai Zherdev and Scott Gomez have been inconsistent. All but one of the Rangers' defenseman has a minus in front of his plus-minus rating. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has been a finalist for the Vezina Trophy the past three seasons.
Prediction: Capitals in five games.
Tarik El-Bashir The Washington Post
