Briefs | No surgery for Lakers' Kobe Bryant

NBA

Bryant says he won't have surgery on finger: Superstar guard Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers said he will not have surgery on the little finger on his right hand because recovery would take too long.

Bryant, 30, has played with damaged ligaments in the finger since February.

"When the doctors told me recovery from a procedure could be 12 weeks, I just decided now was not the time to have surgery," said the league's most valuable player for the 2007-08 season.

Frye has ankle surgery: Portland forward Channing Frye, 25, had surgery to remove bone spurs from his left ankle and is likely to miss the start of the regular season.

Cheeks gets another extension: The Philadelphia 76ers gave Maurice Cheeks, 52, his second contract extension in seven months. Terms were not disclosed.

Rivers reportedly has new deal: Coach Doc Rivers, 46, and the champion Boston Celtics have agreed on a contract extension through the 2010-2011 season, a source told Yahoo! Sports.

League fines Chalmers: League officials informed the Miami Heat that guard Mario Chalmers of Kansas will not be suspended for his role in an incident that led to last week's expulsion from the Rookie Transition Program. Chalmers' penalty will be a $20,000 fine, as well as the requirement he repeats the program next year.

Chalmers was expelled on the eve of the four-day symposium in Rye Brook, N.Y., for an incident involving outside guests at the league hotel. The scent of marijuana reportedly was noticeable in a room where Chalmers and fellow ex-Kansas player Darrell Arthur were present. Both players have denied smoking marijuana in the room.

NHL

Chelios returns to Red Wings: The champion Detroit Red Wings re-signed 46-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios for one season at $750,000. He enters his 25th league season and his 10th with the Red Wings.

Golf

Wie plans to play first stage of Q-school next week: Unable to earn her card through sponsor exemptions this year, 18-year-old Michelle Wie has entered the LPGA Tour qualifying school and will play the first stage next week at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Tennis

Querrey replaces Blake on U.S. team for semifinal against Spain: Sam Querrey replaced James Blake on the U.S. team for a Davis Cup semifinal against Spain.

Blake, ranked 11th in the world, helped the Americans win their first title in 12 years in December. The semifinal, which starts Sept. 19 in Madrid, will be the Davis Cup debut for the 20-year-old Querrey, who is ranked 40th in the world.

"James is just physically and mentally exhausted after a grueling summer," U.S. team captain Patrick McEnroe said. "He said he needed a break and we respect that."

Querrey's teammates include No. 8 Andy Roddick and the doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan. Spain's team features top-ranked Rafael Nadal.

Ratings drop: Television ratings were down for the U.S. Open men's final after rain moved the event from Sunday to Monday.

Roger Federer's straight-sets victory over Andy Murray, which started at 2 p.m. PDT on CBS, drew a 1.9 national rating. That is down 49 percent from last year's 3.7 rating for Federer's victory over Novak Djokovic.

Paralympics

Pistorius earns gold: One gold medal down and two to go for South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius at the Beijing Paralympics.

Despite a slow start, the double amputee who races on carbon-fiber blades won perhaps the most difficult of his three races — clocking 11.17 seconds to take gold in the 100 meters. His world record is 10.91. Pistorius is a favorite to win the 200 and 400.

College athletics

Nevada AD says no gambling problems found: NCAA investigators have cleared Nevada of the most serious allegations that sparked a probe of the university, including issues related to gambling, according to athletic director Cary Groth.

Groth said the issue won't be resolved until the NCAA's Committee on Infractions acts. But she said investigators determined there had been no lack of institutional control and no gambling issues at the school in Reno.

Those claims were made by ex-women's soccer coach Terri Patraw, who claimed she was fired in retaliation for reporting such violations. Patraw said sports bets had been placed by Nevada men's golf coach Rich Merritt, who since has resigned.

Sailing

Boat will be shipped from Anacortes: BMW Oracle Racing plans to ship its massive trimaran from Anacortes to San Diego for two months of training on the Pacific Ocean.

Wrestling

Angle is found not guilty: Pro wrestler Kurt Angle, also a 1996 Olympic gold medalist, was found not guilty of driving under the influence in suburban Pittsburgh. Angle, 39, was charged in September 2007.

Seattle Times news services