Sports — International

Johnson blasts Lakers GM after shock exit

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Former Los Angeles Lakers executive Magic Johnson said Monday a breakdown in relations with the team’s general manager Rob Pelinka contributed to his shock exit from the NBA franchise. Johnson stunned the NBA on April 9 after dramatically quitting from his post as president of basketball operations at the struggling former powerhouses. The move caught the team’s ownership and star player LeBron James by surprise, with Johnson giving no […]

New Lakers coach Vogel calls for ‘togetherness’

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said forging a sense of “togetherness” would be crucial as he attempts to halt six years of failure at the franchise. Vogel, who was chosen to replace the fired Luke Walton, arrives at the Lakers with the club reeling from the shock departure of executive Magic Johnson last month. Johnson on Monday blamed a culture of “backstabbing” for his departure in comments […]

China demands apology for ‘very dirty’ taekwondo disqualification

  SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — China has demanded an apology and called for a life-time ban on a referee who controversially awarded gold to a British competitor at the World Taekwondo Championships. China labelled it “a scandal” and “bizarre” after their Olympic champion Zheng Shuyin was disqualified from the women’s +73kg heavyweight final in Manchester on Friday. Despite the home fighter Bianca Walkden winning, boos rang out when the prizes were awarded — and Zheng, […]

Leonard stars as Raptors claw back with win over Bucks

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Kawhi Leonard scored eight of his 36 points in the second overtime period Sunday to lead the Toronto Raptors to a gritty 118-112 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Eastern Conference finals. The Raptors, who dropped the first two games of the best-of-seven series in Milwaukee, clawed their way back to 2-1 in front of home fans and will try to level the set when they host […]

Warriors’ Iguodala ‘questionable’ for game 4 with calf injury

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Golden State swingman Andre Iguodala is “questionable” for game four of the NBA Western Conference finals on Monday, when the Warriors will be seeking to complete a sweep in Portland. Iguodala, the 2015 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player for the Warriors, exited in the third quarter of Saturday’s 110-99 comeback victory over the Trail Blazers, which gave the Warriors a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. He played […]

Blazers star Lillard playing with separated ribs

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Portland’s star guard Damian Lillard confirmed Sunday that he’s playing with painful separated ribs and wore protective padding in the Trail Blazers’ loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Lillard told reporters he was hurt in game two of the NBA Western Conference finals against the defending champion Warriors, speaking about it after the injury was reported by The Athletic. “I don’t think it’s something that’s affecting my […]

Curry to the rescue as Warriors down Blazers for 2-0 lead

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Stephen Curry scored 37 points as the Golden State Warriors fought back to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 114-111 and take a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference finals series on Thursday. Curry sparked a 14-3 run for the Warriors as the NBA champions overturned a 108-100 deficit with just over four minutes remaining in a pulsating battle at the Oracle Arena. Earlier, the Trail Blazers had surged […]

Lopez to the rescue as Bucks down Raptors in opener

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Brook Lopez scored 29 points as the Milwaukee Bucks staged a late rally to defeat the Toronto Raptors 108-100 in the opening game of their NBA Eastern Conference finals clash on Wednesday. Lopez helped spark a run of 10 unanswered points in the final three minutes as the Bucks fought back from 100-98 down to claim a crucial victory in front of their home fans at the Fiserv Forum. […]

Johnson and Bird to get joint NBA lifetime honour

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Former rivals Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are to receive a joint Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2019 NBA Awards, the league announced on Wednesday. Johnson and Bird forged an epic rivalry during the 1980s when the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics were locked in a long-running battle for basketball supremacy. The NBA said the duo would be honoured with the award at a ceremony in Los Angeles […]

Curry powers Warriors over Blazers in series opener

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Stephen Curry drained nine three-pointers on the way to 36 points Tuesday to propel the Golden State Warriors to a 116-94 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in game one of the NBA Western Conference finals. Curry added seven assists and six rebounds as the Warriors led all the way over a Trail Blazers team coming off a game-seven victory over Denver in the second round on Sunday. Klay […]

New Orleans Pelicans will pick first in NBA draft

CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — The New Orleans Pelicans won the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday and will have the chance to make collegiate superstar Zion Williamson the top pick on June 20. The New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns each had a 14 percent chance of landing the number one selection under a system that gives equal chance of winning the lottery to the teams with the three worst records in the […]

Leonard, Raptors finish off Embiid, Sixers in Game 7 thriller

By Tennie Sumague EBC New York Bureau TORONTO, ON (Eagle News) – An epic Game 7 between the Toronto Raptors and the Philadelphia 76ers provided an unforeseen dramatic closing to a hard-fought series, which can best be described as ‘poetry in motion.’ With 4.2 seconds left in regulation and the score tied at 90,  Kawhi Leonard dribbled an inbound pass from Marc Gasol to the baseline and shot a fadeaway jumper over Joel Embiid that bounced on […]