The Lakers said last month that Bryant likely would have surgery this summer to clean up his knee. It wasn’t considered urgent, and he made a trip to South Africa for the World Cup before getting it done.

Through July 23
ATLANTA HAWKS_Re-signed G Joe Johnson to a six-year contract. Signed F Josh Powell (L.A. Lakers) to a one-year contract.
BOSTON CELTICS_Re-signed F Paul Pierce to a four-year contract. Re-signed Gs Ray Allen and Nate Robinson to two-year contracts. Re-signed F Marquis Daniels to a one-year contract. Signed C Jermaine O’Neal (Miami) to a two-year [...]

The Lakers and Celtics, the NBA’s premier teams for much of the league’s history, will meet in the finals for the 12th time with Game 1 Thursday night in Los Angeles. They are the NBA champions each of the last two years _ Boston beat the Lakers two years ago, and Los Angeles topped Orlando last season.

Iverson, who returned to the Philadelphia 76ers in December, has played only 20 games this season and his 14.4 scoring average was well off his career mark (27.0). The former NBA MVP still has a loyal fanbase and he received 1,269,568 votes to earn a spot in the East lineup with Cleveland’s LeBron James, Miami guard Dwyane Wade, Orlando center Dwight Howard and Boston forward Kevin Garnett.

Luanda, Angola – Gunmen in an area plagued by separatist violence used machine guns to open fire Friday on a bus carrying Togo’s national soccer team to a tournament in this southwest African country, killing the driver and wounding at least nine people, including two players.

World News Brief: US Attorney investigating gun allegations against Washington Wizard NBA player Gilbert Arena.

The confrontation with al-Qaida’s branch in Yemen gained new urgency after the failed attempt on Christmas Day to bomb a U.S. airliner headed to Detroit.