Slammed by UEFA chief Michel Platini for allowing Euro 2012 hotel prices to sky-rocket, embattled co-host Ukraine has tried to make good on a pledge to try to ease the burden on fans' pockets.

"We've seen that there is now more on offer, so prices have gone down," UEFA spokesman Thomas Giordano told Agence France Presse. "It's clear that there is still overpriced accommodation out there but nobody's going to book it," he added.

Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose, the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player, could be out between eight and 12 months following knee surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the NBA team said.

Bulls team doctor Brian Cole said Tuesday that Rose's rehabilitation will involve a series of progressive steps.

Tim Duncan finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds as San Antonio cruised past the Los Angeles Clippers 108-92 in game one of the Western Conference semi-finals on Tuesday, extending the Spurs' win streak to 15 games.

San Antonio tied a franchise playoff record with 13 three-pointers, opening up a 19-point lead in the third quarter to win the first game of their best-of-seven series.

David West scored 16 points and George Hill had 15 as the Indiana Pacers defeated the Miami Heat 78-75 Tuesday to even their Eastern Conference second round series at one game each.

Hill also nailed a key free throw with 14.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give the Pacers a 78-75 lead.

Britain's world number four Andy Murray celebrated his 25th birthday on Tuesday with a hard fought 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 victory over veteran Argentinian David Nalbandian to reach the third round of the Rome Masters.

The day session match which ended well into the intended start of night play for top-seeded holder Novak Djokovic, was a struggle for survival on the clay between the pair, with Murray recovering from a break down in the third.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt, who is battling back from foot surgery, was Wednesday handed a wildcard into the main draw of this month's French Open.

The 31-year-old, who reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in January, has made a speedier recovery than expected from the operation in February and has been training well on clay.

Japan international Shinji Kagawa revealed Wednesday that he had met Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, as rumors swirl that the Borussia Dortmund star is eyeing a move to the Premier League.

The midfielder said the Scot, one of football's most successful managers, had "good words" to say about him during two hours of talks in Manchester this week.

The president of the Syrian Olympic Committee says the war-torn country will send 20 sports officials and 10 athletes to the London Games.

Gen. Mowaffak Joumaa says 10 Syrian athletes have either qualified or received wild-card invitations to compete in swimming, track and field, weightlifting, boxing, equestrian, and shooting during the games.

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh has been sidelined indefinitely with a strained abdominal muscle and his teammates are not expecting him to return in their ongoing NBA playoff series against Indiana.

The NBA team announced Bosh's status on Monday after the results of an MRI exam were studied.

Carlos Tevez landed himself in fresh controversy when he was pictured waving a mocked-up tombstone for Sir Alex Ferguson during Manchester City's Premier League title celebrations.

The 28-year-old Argentina striker held up a banner designed to look like a gravestone and bearing the words 'RIP Fergie' as City celebrated their title triumph over Manchester United during an open-top bus parade.