SPORTS SHORTS

NBA: Rockets lose Yao for playoffs

Yao Ming will miss the rest of the playoffs because of a broken left foot.

The Houston center limped off the court late in the Lakers’ 108-94 victory over the Rockets on Friday night. Yao missed yesterday’s practice to get treatment and the team said the 7-foot-6 All-Star would be re-evaluated today.

But the Rockets announced later last night that further examination of Yao’s injury revealed a hairline fracture. The Rockets say Yao will need 8-12 weeks to recover, though no surgery is required.

In other news, the NBA downgraded a flagrant foul called against Ron Artest, determining yesterday that the play should not have been severe enough to warrant an ejection. League spokesman Tim Frank confirmed the foul was downgraded.

* Celtics center Kendrick Perkins will not face a suspension for an elbow that hit Orlando’s Mickael Pietrus in the chin and throat and drew a flagrant one foul.

* The Suns are sticking with coach Alvin Gentry. hoenix removed the interim tag attached to his title since he took over the club in February.

STEROIDS: Driver Mayfield fails drug test

Jeremy Mayfield was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for failing a random drug test, becoming the first driver to violate a toughened new policy that went into effect this season.

Mayfield tested positive for an undisclosed banned substance last weekend at Richmond International Raceway.

BOXING: Dawson takes decision vs. Tarver

Chad Dawson retained his IBF and IBO light-heavyweight titles with an unanimous, 12-round decision over fellow-American Antonio Tarver last night in Las Vegas.

Undefeated Dawson used a battery of powerful body shots to keep Tarver at bay and the 26-year-old champion consistently outworked his 40-year-old opponent.

CYCLING: Armstrong team third in time trial

In Venice, Italy, Lance Armstrong‘s Astana squad finished third in the team time trial to start the Giro d’Italia — cycling’s most important race after the Tour. Only two American-owned teams — Columbia-High Road and Garmin-Slipstream — were faster. It was Armstrong’s first major race since winning his seventh consecutive Tour de France in 2005