While the rest of the NBA exchanges elbows, flagrant fouls and menacing stares in the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking for a fight.

So far, they can't find one.

LeBron James scored 27 points, ending the first and second quarters with last-second baskets, and Mo Williams added 15 points as the untested Cavs overpowered the visiting Atlanta Hawks, 105-85, last night to open a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal.

Now a perfect 6-0 in the postseason, the Cavaliers tied a league record by winning their sixth consecutive playoff game by double digits. The only other team to do it was the 2004 Indiana Pacers.

Maurice Evans added 16 points for the Hawks, who were missing center Al Horford and forward Marvin Williams because of injuries. If that wasn't bad enough, leading scorer Joe Johnson rolled his right ankle in the third quarter and did not return.

X-rays were negative and the Hawks said Johnson is doubtful for Game 3 tomorrow in Atlanta.

In his second game since being named MVP, James dropped a long 3-pointer in the final second of the first half as the Cavaliers opened a 24-point lead that swelled to 36 in the third. James and the Cavaliers starters spent the entire fourth quarter lounging on the bench.

"Defense," James said when asked how the Cavs dominated. "That has been us throughout the whole series and the whole playoffs. When we get D stops it's easy to execute on offense."

NFL

FAVRE REPORTEDLY STAYING RETIRED

The Minnesota Vikings' dalliance with Brett Favre has yet to reach the stage of face-to-face, close-the-deal talks.

Maybe it never will.

Vikings coach Brad Childress remained at team headquarters yesterday despite reports he was to travel south for discussions with the supposedly retired quarterback, who lives in Mississippi. Meanwhile, Yahoo! Sports reported that Favre called Childress sometime Wednesday or early yesterday and told the coach he wants to stay retired.

Yahoo cited an unidentified source close to the team in reporting that the Vikings won't sign the 39-year-old quarterback, who owns many of the NFL's major passing records.

NHL

BLACKHAWKS WIN IN OT, TIE SERIES

Andrew Ladd tipped in teammate Dave Bolland's long shot less than 3 minutes into overtime to lift the host Chicago Blackhawks a 2-1 comeback victory over the Vancouver Canucks last night, tying the Western Conference semifinal at 2.

Martin Havlat tied it at 1 with 2:44 left in regulation after it looked as if Roberto Luongo was going to shut out the Blackhawks.

RED WINGS ROUT DUCKS, TIE SERIES

Johan Franzen and Marian Hossa each scored twice to help visiting Detroit even the Western Conference semifinal series at 2-all with a 6-3 rout of Anaheim.

After Franzen, who also assisted on Hossa's first goal, scored two first-period goals, Hossa broke a 2-2 tie with goals in a 3:05 span of the second period.

NCAA VOLLEYBALL

UC IRVINE, SOUTHERN CAL IN FINAL

Carson Clark had 12 kills and top-seeded UC Irvine returned to the NCAA volleyball championship with a 30-25, 30-25, 30-26 sweep of Ohio State last night in the semifinals at Provo, Utah.

Taylor Wilson had 11 kills, Jordan Dufault added 10 kills for UC Irvine (26-5). The Buckeyes finished 16-11.

The Anteaters, who won the 2007 national title, will play Southern California in the championship match tomorrow.

The Trojans (21-10) advanced earlier by beating defending national champion Penn State (27-4), 27-30, 30-26, 30-26, 30-24.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Rafer Alston of Orlando and Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers have each been suspended for the next game of their playoff series against Boston and Houston respectively. ... Top-seeded Dinara Safina rallied, while fourth-seeded Venus Williams rolled into a semifinal meeting of the Italian Open in Rome. Defending champion Jelena Jankovic lost to Svetlana Kuznetsova, who will play Victoria Azarenka in the other semifinal.