Sport shorts

The Los Angeles Lakers edged defending NBA champions San Antonio 93-91 on Tuesday to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals. Kobe Bryant scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who will secure a place in the NBA finals with victory in Game Five in Los Angeles tonight.

Horse racing

Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown got back on the track yesterday for his first workout since being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left front hoof. The Kentucky Derby and Preakness champion has recovered from the injury and jogged at Belmont Park. Big Brown would become the first horse in 30 years to win the Triple Crown with victory in the Belmont Stakes on June 7.

Cycling

German Andrei Greipel won stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia yesterday from Sondrio in Italy to Locarno. Briton Mark Cavendish was second ahead of Italian Daniele Bennati. Alberto Contador, of Spain, kept his overall lead. The Giro finishes in Milan on Sunday.