Sports — International

Donovan named new NBA Chicago Bulls head coach

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The Chicago Bulls named Billy Donovan as the team’s new head coach on Tuesday, replacing Jim Boylen who was fired last month after the franchise’s latest failure to make the playoffs. Donovan, 55, joins the Bulls after parting company with the Oklahoma City Thunder by mutual agreement earlier this month after his team were eliminated from the postseason. “We are very pleased to welcome Billy and his family to […]

Celtics closer than ever after Heat meltdown: Smart

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Boston Celtics star Marcus Smart says the locker-room bust-up following last week’s defeat to the Miami Heat has brought the team closer together as they chase a series-levelling victory on Wednesday. Smart reportedly stormed out of the Celtics dressing room after Boston blew a 17-point lead before slumping to a 106-101 loss to Miami in game two of the NBA Eastern Conference finals last Thursday. Boston fought their way back […]

Davis’s buzzer beater lifts Lakers over Nuggets

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Anthony Davis drained a three-pointer as time expired to seal the Los Angeles Lakers’ 105-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets Sunday for a 2-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals. “People talk about (I’ve) never been in this moment before, pressure, am I ready for it,” Davis said. “I want to take those shots.” Davis scored 31 points and pulled down nine rebounds, and LeBron James added 11 […]

Heat burn Celtics again for 2-0 NBA series lead

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — The Miami Heat turned it up in the second half, rallying again for a 106-101 victory over the Boston Celtics and a 2-0 lead in the NBA Eastern Conference finals. Trailing by 17 in the second quarter and down 60-47 at halftime, Miami thrashed the Celtics 37-17 in the third quarter and held on for the victory. Bam Adebayo scored 15 of his 21 points in the Heat’s blistering third […]

Osaka’s third Grand Slam, anti-racism stand, hailed in Japan

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Naomi Osaka’s victory in the US Open was hailed Sunday by media and officials in Japan who broadly welcomed her campaigning for victims of racial injustice and against police brutality. Public broadcaster NHK broke into its regular news programme to flash the news of the 22-year-old’s latest Grand Slam triumph, after she beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to add to winning the 2018 US Open and the 2019 Australian Open. […]

Lakers win game four, put Rockets on the brink of elimination

ORLANDO, United States (AFP) — Anthony Davis had 29 points and 12 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Houston Rockets 110-100 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their NBA Western Conference final series on Thursday. The Rockets were no match for the Lakers’ intensity and skill as Los Angeles outscored them 62-24 in the paint and 19-2 in fast break points in the quarantine bubble at the Disney resort in Orlando, Florida. […]

Raptors outlast Celtics to stay alive in NBA playoffs

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Kyle Lowry scored 33 points and Norman Powell added 23 off the bench Wednesday as defending champion Toronto bagged a series-levelling 125-122 double overtime victory over Boston in the NBA playoffs. An emotional thriller that resembled the intensity of a heavyweight boxing matchup saw the Raptors sustain their repeat hopes and pull level 3-3 in the Eastern Conference semi-final with a winner-take-all game seven set for Friday. The winner advances […]

Heat oust depleted Bucks to reach NBA East finals

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — The Miami Heat punched their ticket to the NBA Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, beating top-seeded Milwaukee 103-94 as injured Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo watched from the bench. Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic scored 17 points apiece as six Heat players scored in double figures and Miami completed a 4-1 series victory in a bruising encounter against the league’s top defensive team. Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 23 points. Reigning […]

Giannis leads NBA All-Defensive team

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 2019-20 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, leads season’s All-Defensive first team announced on Tuesday. Antetokounmpo received 97 NBA All-Defensive First Team votes from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters and earned 195 total points. Joining Antetokounmpo on the roster of this season’s defensive stand-outs was Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons of Australia, Utah Jazz […]

NBA MVP Antetokounmpo uncertain for Bucks-Heat game 5

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo limped out of the Bucks’ 118-115 overtime victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday, and it’s not clear if he’ll be able to play as the Bucks continue their battle to stay alive in the NBA playoffs. Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo had rolled his right ankle in the Bucks’ game-three loss to the Heat, which left the Eastern Conference top seeds in an 0-3 […]

Grizzlies’ Morant scoops NBA Rookie of Year award

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant was a runaway winner for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award announced Thursday, receiving 99 out of a possible 100 first-place votes. Morant became the club’s second player to scoop the award, following in the footsteps of Spain’s Pau Gasol, who won it in 2002. New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, the top overall pick in last year’s NBA draft, claimed the only other […]

Butler free-throws seal win as Heat take 2-0 lead on Bucks

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Jimmy Butler, fouled on a potential game-winner at the buzzer, calmly made two free throws to seal the Miami Heat’s 116-114 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday to stretch their lead over the top seeds in their NBA playoff series. The Heat took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final series in the NBA’s coronavirus quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida. Goran Dragic scored 23 points — his sixth […]