LeBron James drove for a game-winning layup as time expired to give the Miami Heat a thrilling 103-102 overtime win over the Indiana Pacers Wednesday in game one of the NBA Eastern Conference finals.

James, recently named regular season Most Valuable Player for the fourth time, lived up to the billing with his buzzer-beating exploit, ensuring the reigning NBA champions retained home court advantage in the best-of-seven series.

The Formula One circus descends on Monaco for this weekend's showpiece Grand Prix with tensions running high over tires and Bernie Ecclestone telling drivers to stop complaining and use their brains to win races.

After a week of squabbling between the teams and tire supplier Pirelli over the performance of the Italian company's high-degradation tires, Formula One's veteran commercial rights holder waded in to the debate.

If momentum counts for everything in tennis, nothing will stop Serena Williams from winning the French Open for just the second time in her career in Paris on June 8.

At 31, the superstar of the women's game is on an unprecedented winning run going in to the consecration of the claycourt season at Roland Garros.

Rafael Nadal can become the first man to win the same Grand Slam title eight times at the French Open with few willing to risk talking down the rejuvenated Spaniard's chances.

Having pulled clear of Bjorn Borg's record of six wins at Roland Garros with a seventh championship in 2012, the 26-year-old has already confounded the critics who had written him off during a seventh-month injury absence.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mario Gotze will miss Saturday's Champions League final against Bayern Munich after failing to recover from a hamstring injury, leaving the team without one of its best players.

Dortmund confirmed Wednesday that Gotze will not be fit in time to face his future club at Wembley Stadium in London. It would have been the 20-year-old Gotze's last game for Dortmund before his 37-million euro switch to Bayern next season.

Seventh-ranked Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina has pulled out of the upcoming French Open because of a respiratory virus.

Del Potro said in a statement Wednesday that he has not fully recovered and is not fully fit to play.

San Antonio bounced back after squandering a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 93-89 in overtime on Tuesday, taking a 2-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals.

Tony Parker had 15 points and a career playoff-high 18 assists while Tim Duncan scored San Antonio's first six points of overtime.

Juventus coach Antonio Conte and captain Gianluigi Buffon have led a club delegation to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican.

Pope Francis is a football lover and an avid fan of Argentine team San Lorenzo, although he is also said to like Juventus because of his family's roots from the Piedmont region.

FC Seoul, Buriram United, Al Shabab and 2012 finalist Al Ahli advanced to the Asian Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Seoul scored three second-half goals to beat Beijing Guoan 3-1 on the night and by the same margin overall to qualify for the quarterfinals for the third time in five years. Buriram drew 0-0 with Bunyodkor but won 2-1 at home last week, becoming the first Thai team to reach the last eight in 10 years.

Sergio Garcia's feud with Tiger Woods has deepened, with the Spaniard denying accusations of racism after "fried chicken" comments during an awards dinner.

Garcia appeared on stage at the European Tour's awards dinner in England on Tuesday and was asked in jest if he would invite Woods to dinner during the U.S. Open.