Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS ó Dahntay Jones smiled and shook his head when asked about the flagrant fouls he picked up for Denver during the playoffs this past season, including one for tripping Kobe Bryant during the Western Conference finals.
The defensive stopper won’t hesitate to commit a few more with the Indiana Pacers if necessary.
“It comes as a part of the territory in this game of basketball and with taking the betterment of my team personally and trying to win basketball games and doing my job,” Dahntay said Tuesday.
That job will be with the Pacers for the next four years at $11 million, according to his agent, Aaron Mintz.
Jones’ solid work against Bryant and New Orleans guard Chris Paul were among the reasons Pacers president Larry Bird made signing him his first free agent priority. Jones will join a team that has been among the league leaders in points scored and points allowed in two seasons under coach Jim O’Brien.
Jones, heading into his seventh season out of Duke, will also have a little rivalry going internally. He’ll join the Pacers’ top draft pick Tyler Hansbrough out of North Carolina.
– SALT LAKE CITY ó Carlos Boozer doesn’t expect to be playing for the Utah Jazz this season.
Just two weeks ago, Boozer opted to remain with the Jazz for the final year of his contract. But the two-time All-Star told a Chicago radio station Tuesday he expects the Jazz to trade him.
“The Jazz told me they want to go in a different direction and I respect their decision,” Boozer said.
Boozer had an option to void the final year of his contract, but decided on the final day to stay with the Jazz for the guaranteed $12.7 million rather than risk losing money in a tight free agent market.
The Jazz already appear headed above the luxury tax threshold, especially if they match Portland’s four-year, $32 million ó including $10.3 million up front ó offer to restricted free agent Paul Millsaps.
– LAS VEGAS ó Los Angeles Clippers center Blake Griffin didn’t wait long to show why he was the top pick in last month’s NBA draft.
Griffin scored seven points in the opening 75 seconds of the Clippers’ first NBA Summer League game and finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds in a 93-82 victory over the Lakers.
NASCAR
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ó Martin Truex Jr. has been penalized by NASCAR for a rules violation during Saturday’s race at Chicagoland Speedway.
NASCAR announced Tuesday that Truex was docked 25 points in the Sprint Cup Series driver standings because his right rear quarter panel was found to be too high at the post-race inspection. Truex is 24th in the standings. His No. 1 Chevrolet finished 16th on Saturday.
Crew chief Kevin Manion was fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Owner Teresa Earnhardt was penalized 25 points in the Sprint Cup Series owner standings.
COLLEGE HOOPS
PROVIDENCE, R.I. ó Providence men’s basketball coach Keno Davis has been given a contract extension after his first season in which the Friars won 19 games.
Davis, the 2008 AP Coach of the Year at Drake, guided Providence to a 19-14 overall record ó and a 10-8 Big East mark. The win total was the most by a Providence coach in his first season.
– LAS VEGAS ó Spinal surgery for former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian has been delayed.
The 79-year-old coach had a 509-105 record at UNLV from 1973 to 1992, including the 1990 NCAA title.
NFL
KANSAS CITY, Mo. ó Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.
After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract.
Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
WNBA
PHOENIX ó Mercury star Diana Taurasi faces three drunk-driving related charges, including extreme DUI, for a July 2 incident in which she also was cited for speeding.
A Phoenix police report released Tuesday shows Taurasi’s blood-alcohol level was 0.17 percent, or more than twice the Arizona legal limit of 0.08 percent.
The 27-year-old guard was cited hours after she scored 22 points in the Mercury’s 93-81 victory over the Seattle Storm.
NHL
RALEIGH ó The Carolina Hurricanes have agreed to a three-year deal with right wing Tom Kostopoulos.
The deal is worth more than $2.7 million.
TOUR de FRANCE
ISSOUDUN, France ó Mark Cavendish has won the 10th stage of the Tour de France, with Astana teammates Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong remaining second and third in the overall standings.
HORSES
LEXINGTON, Ky. ó Preakness-winning filly Rachel Alexandra will run against the boys again in the $1 million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 2 at New Jersey’s Monmouth Park.