4 clinch Olympic berths
ATHENS, Greece - Paced by their NBA stars, Lithuania, Croatia and Yugoslavia joined host Greece in the semifinals of the European Championship and clinched berths at next summer's Atlanta Olympics.
Toni Kukoc of the Chicago Bulls led Croatia over Italy 71-61 Friday, while Arvydas Sabonis, who will play with the Portland Trail Blazers, powered Lithuania past Russia 82-71 and Vlade Divac of the Los Angeles Lakers anchored Yugoslavia's 104-86 victory over France.
Panayiotis Fassoulas and Fanis Christodoulou combined for 37 points and 20 rebounds to pace Greece to a 66-64 victory over Spain.
Kukoc had 24 points and 10 rebounds despite playing with a cut on his right hand.
The four Olympic slots from Europe went to these semifinalists, meaning Russia, the silver medalists at the 1993 European Championship and last year's World Championship, will not play participate in Atlanta.
Knicks courting Nelson
NEW YORK - The New York Knicks are having serious discussions with former Golden State coach Don Nelson about their vacant coaching job, general manager Ernie Grunfeld said Friday.
Grunfeld met Thursday in New York with Nelson's attorney, John O'Connor, but said no job offer had been made. The Knicks are searching for a replacement for Pat Riley, who resigned June 15 with a year remaining on his contract.
The Knicks also have talked with ex-Boston coach Chris Ford, and Grunfeld refused to characterize Nelson as the team's leading candidate.
Rodman acquitted
ATLANTA - A relieved Dennis Rodman signed autographs for jurors and joked about getting a new dye job after a jury Friday found no evidence that he gave herpes to a former Atlanta Hawks cheerleader.
The U.S. District Court jury ruled for the NBA star in a suit brought by Lisa Beth Judd, who was seeking $1.83 million in damages. Jurors deliberated less than four hours after four days of testimony.
Rodman, with his hands tucked in his pockets and his eyes shielded by sunglasses, called the case "a sad situation" and said it made for a very stressful year.
Judd claimed Rodman infected her with the incurable sexually transmitted disease Jan. 14, 1993, while he was in town with the Detroit Pistons to play against the Hawks. He now plays for the San Antonio Spurs.
Bulls send Blount to L.A.
CHICAGO - The Chicago Bulls beat the pending NBA lockout on Friday and traded power forward Corie Blount to the Los Angeles Lakers for future considerations.
Blount averaged 3.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 68 games last season.
Magic at the movies
LOS ANGELES - Magic Johnson welcomed moviegoers to a 12-screen theater Friday that bears his name and described his new business venture as better than basketball.
The former Los Angeles Lakers star's Johnson Development Corp. and Sony Theatres joined forces to build the 3,700-seat Magic Johnson Theatre.
"It's for you, first-run movies, rocking chair seats, all the foods you want, big, big spacious lobby," Johnson told hundreds of guests out front. "So all you've got to do is walk through the door, respect each other, laugh, shout, have a good time inside and take care."
The 60,000-square-foot complex features an atrium lobby with a huge mural depicting Johnson at various stages in his basketball career.
N.Y., Miami in tug-of-war
MIAMI - A day after being accused by the New York Knicks of tampering with their former coach, the Miami Heat faxed a letter Friday seeking permission to talk with Pat Riley.
"We were contacted by the Heat for the first time for permission to speak to Pat Riley about their head coaching position," Knicks general manager Ernie Grunfeld told The Palm Beach Post on Friday.
"At this time, permission was denied," he said. "We informed them that there are charges pending before the commissioner."
Knicks president Dave Checketts filed charges after Heat owner Micky Arison and Dave Wohl, the club's executive vice president, made comments about wanting Riley to coach the Heat.
Wohl refused comment to the Post on the Heat's latest move.