Sport shorts

The Boston Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 97-92 on Sunday to reach the NBA's Eastern Conference finals where they will meet the Detroit Pistons. Boston hung on for victory in a thrilling game seven to clinch a 4-3 series triumph. The Celtics were 50-40 up at half-time but the game got down to a single point during the fourth quarter after LeBron James led a Cleveland fightback. James scored 45 points while Paul Pierce was Boston's hero with 41 points.

Olympics

Olympic champion Xing Huina will not defend her women's 10,000 metres title on home soil at the Beijing Olympics in August because of a leg injury, the Chinese Athletics Association confirmed yesterday. The 24-year-old Shandong native would not take part in this week's China Open Athletics meeting at Beijing's "Bird's Nest" National Stadium, her last chance of qualifying for the Aug. 8-24 Olympics, a CAA spokeswoman said.

Women's tennis

Russia's Maria Sharapova was confirmed as world number one yesterday after Belgium's Justine Henin asked to be removed from the rankings following her retirement last week. The Australian Open champion starts her 15th week at the top having last held the position in March 2007. Ana Ivanovic, of Serbia, returns to number two, followed by compatriot Jelena Jankovic at number three.

Rugby

The 2009 Heineken Cup final will be held at Edinburgh's Murrayfield stadium, tournament organisers said. The Scottish stadium will host the final for the second time following Toulouse's victory in the capital in 2005. The French side aim to win the trophy for the fourth time against Irish province Munster in this year's final in Cardiff on Saturday.