LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Luka Doncic scored 42 points and Kyrie Irving added 40 as the Dallas Mavericks thwarted the Philadelphia 76ers’ late comeback bid Thursday in a wild 133-126 NBA victory. Offensive fireworks were expected in a game featuring the top two scorers in the league in Doncic and 76ers center Joel Embiid. But the seamless blend of Doncic and Irving was a revelation after the Mavs had gone 1-4 with the […]
Sports — International
Tech wars turning cycling into Formula One
by Jacques KLOPP Agence France Presse Paris, France (AFP) — Bike technology has become so important to elite road racing teams that the sport has, one rider said, “become like Formula One”. When the first significant stage race of the season, Paris-Nice, starts on Sunday, riders will be watching their rivals and complaining that others have better bikes. “Everyone is talking about the bike now,” says French rider Axel Laurance. “It’s so fast that the […]
Suns win in Durant debut, Tatum powers Celtics
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant shook off pre-game jitters to score 23 points in his Phoenix Suns debut, helping his new team to a 105-91 victory in Charlotte that halted the Hornets’ five-game NBA winning streak. Durant was acquired from Brooklyn in a blockbuster trade three weeks ago but was sidelined until Wednesday with a sprained knee ligament. As Durant announced his arrival in the Western Conference, back in the East the […]
Short-handed Bucks edge Suns to push NBA win streak to 14
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Milwaukee guard Jrue Holiday scored 33 points as the Bucks shook off the absence of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to edge Phoenix 104-101 and push their NBA winning streak to 14 games. The Sunday matinee was minus some star power as Antetokounmpo sat out with a quadriceps contusion suffered early in Friday’s victory over the Miami Heat. “It’s enough where he can’t play today, but I think we’re also confident […]
Messi beats Mbappe to FIFA Best prize, Putellas claims women’s award
PARIS, France (AFP) — Lionel Messi won The Best FIFA men’s player prize for 2022 on Monday on the back of his World Cup triumph with Argentina and Spain’s Alexia Putellas retained the women’s award at a ceremony in Paris. Messi beat his Paris Saint-Germain teammate, and World Cup final rival, Kylian Mbappe to the men’s gong with Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema having been the other contender to claim the prize. It is the […]
Brilliant Lillard erupts for 71pts as Blazers thrash Rockets
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Damian Lillard erupted for a career-high 71 points as the Portland Trail Blazers thrashed the Houston Rockets on Sunday. In a breathtaking performance in front of a rapturous Portland crowd, Lillard etched his name into NBA folklore to drive the Blazers to a 131-114 victory. It was the first time in Lillard’s glittering career that he has scored more than 70 points in a game, and the second time […]
Japan end skid with 3-0 SheBelieves Cup win over Canada
FISCO, United States (AFP) — Japan snapped a four-match losing streak with a 3-0 victory over Olympic champions Canada in their closing match of the SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday. The Japanese, who had failed to score in defeats to the United States and Brazil in their first two matches of the women’s international football tournament, broke out in a big way with goals from Kiko Seike, Yui Hasegawa and Jun Endo. The top-ranked United States, […]
Tatum scores record 55 to lead Team Giannis in NBA All-Star win
SALT LAKE CITY, United States (AFP) — Jayson Tatum scored an All-Star record 55 points and Team Giannis Antetokounmpo defeated Team LeBron James 184-175 to win Sunday’s 72nd NBA All-Star Game, the first loss for James in six times as captain. Both namesake captains made early exits with injuries, James after bruising his right hand on the rim making a dunk and Greek star Antetokounmpo with a right wrist sprain suffered three nights earlier. That […]
James hungers to avoid second straight NBA playoff miss
SALT LAKE CITY, United States (AFP) — LeBron James has not missed the NBA playoffs in back-to-back seasons since his first two campaigns and the Los Angeles Lakers star really doesn’t want it to happen this year. The 38-year-old playmaker who became the NBA’s all-time scoring leader earlier this month said before Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game that the closing push to reach a playoff spot is among his biggest regular-season quests. “It’s 23 of the […]
Climate change could force ‘decoupling’ of long-distance athletics events – Coe
Sydney, Australia (AFP) — World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said Friday long-distance events could be “decoupled” from major championships due to climate change as concerns mount about competitor welfare in soaring heat. The summer Olympics and the World Athletics Championships have traditionally been held in July-August, but Coe said warming temperatures were increasingly causing problems for endurance athletes. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 many competitors struggled with extremely hot and humid conditions. Organisers had […]
Durant says Suns have ‘all the pieces’ now for title tilt
Los Angeles, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant believes the Phoenix Suns have been transformed into NBA title contenders following his recent blockbuster trade from the Brooklyn Nets. The 34-year-old superstar joined Phoenix last week in a stunning move that has reignited the Suns’ hopes of finally winning their first NBA championship. Durant, who is currently on the mend from a knee injury, was greeted by around 3,000 fans on Thursday at a press conference […]
NBA icon Michael Jordan donating $10 million to Make-A-Wish foundation to mark his 60th birthday
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Thursday 2/16/2023 – 02:10 UTC+1 | 312 words Basketball great Michael Jordan will make a record-breaking $10 million donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation to mark his 60th birthday later this week, a statement said on Wednesday. Jordan’s donation to Make-A-Wish — which aims to fulfill the wishes of children aged between 2-18 battling critical illness – is the largest in the Arizona-based nonprofit’s 43-year history. The six-time NBA […]
