Joel Embiid scored 41 points in a dazzling return from injury on Monday as the Philadelphia 76ers romped past the Houston Rockets 124-115. Kicking off a packed slate of NBA fixtures as the US marked the Martin Luther King Jr. public holiday, the Sixers were always in control as they cruised to victory. Embiid missed the Sixers’ past three games after twisting his left knee in a January 5 defeat to the New York Knicks. […]
Sports
Medvedev, Gauff power through at Australian Open ahead of Osaka comeback
By Martin PARRY MELBOURNE, Jan 15, 2024 (AFP) – Two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev and US Open champion Coco Gauff swept into the second round of the Australian Open on Monday, but Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova was sent packing. On a baking-hot day at Melbourne Park, men’s seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and 16th seed Ben Shelton also tasted victory, ahead of Naomi Osaka’s Grand Slam comeback on Rod Laver Arena in the evening session. Third seed […]
Reigning NBA champion Nuggets cool down red-hot Pacers
LOS ANGELES, Jan 15, 2024 (AFP) – Nikola Jokic was just one of three Denver players to score 25 points on Sunday and the defending champion Nuggets kept Indiana’s high-octane offense in check in a 117-109 NBA victory over the Pacers. Jokic just missed his 13th triple-double of the season, adding 12 rebounds and nine assists. Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray scored 25 points apiece and Aaron Gordon added 20 points and 10 rebounds […]
Five talking points in 2024 cycling season
By Damian MCCALL PARIS, Jan 15, 2024 (AFP) – The 2024 men’s cycling season gets underway at the Tour Down Under this week at the start of a year which will see a potentially spectacular Tour de France and the Paris Olympics. Here AFP Sport takes a look at what to expect in 2024: – Golden dreams – Remco Evenepoel and Mathieu van der Poel are the two favourites to succeed Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz as […]
Pacers battle through Haliburton injury to sink Celtics
The Indiana Pacers overcame a scary injury to star point guard Tyrese Haliburton before beating the in-form Boston Celtics 133-131 on Monday in the NBA. Haliburton, one of the brightest stars in the league, was carried off the court by teammates after a painful tumble near the end of the second quarter at Indiana’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse Arena. The 23-year-old grimaced after inadvertently doing the splits as he attempted to change direction while driving towards the […]
Pelicans upset Wolves 117-106, Heat scorch Lakers 110-96
LOS ANGELES, Jan 4, 2024 (AFP) – Zion Williamson and C.J. McCollum combined for 51 points as the New Orleans Pelicans upset the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves 117-106 in the NBA on Wednesday. Pelicans power forward Williamson led the scoring with 27 points while McCollum added 24 as New Orleans ground out an impressive victory on the road. McCollum’s tally included four three-pointers while Brandon Ingram (19 points) and Herbert Jones (16) also chipped in […]
Ostapenko beats heat to oust defending Brisbane champion Pliskova
BRISBANE, Australia, Jan 4, 2024 (AFP) – Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko ended Karolina Pliskova’s title defence when she downed the Czech star 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to book a quarter-final against Victoria Azarenka at the Brisbane International on Thursday. The 26-year-old former French Open champion needed assistance from the trainer during the third set as she struggled with the heat and humidity. But she managed to recover enough to overcome Pliskova in 2hr 13min. “It was very, […]
Ugandan teen Paralympian enjoys busting stereotypes
By Grace MATSIKO KAMPALA, Jan 3, 2024 (AFP) – At just 14 she was the youngest Paralympian at the Tokyo Games. And Ugandan swimmer Husnah Kukundakwe faces an equally tough test next year in Paris, but the 16-year-old said she is used to smashing stereotypes — starting with her own mum. Born without her right forearm and with an impairment to her left hand, Kukundakwe was three years old when she began paddling in a […]
Gilgeous-Alexander stars as Thunder roll past Celtics
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 36 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder snapped Boston’s six-game winning streak with a 127-123 victory on Tuesday. A heavyweight clash between two of the league’s top teams lived up to its billing as Oklahoma City’s youthful line-up went toe-to-toe with the Celtics, who lead the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Gilgeous-Alexander’s points haul came from 14-of-22 shooting, with the talented point guard adding eight rebounds and six assists on a […]
NBA-best Celtics rout Wemby’s Spurs for sixth win in a row
WASHINGTON, Jan 1, 2024 (AFP) – Jayson Tatum scored 25 points and Jaylen Brown added 24 to lead the NBA-best Boston Celtics over San Antonio 134-101 on Sunday, stretching their win streak to six games. Kristaps Porzingis added 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds for the Celtics, who improved to 26-6. Boston also got 17 points from Derrick White, who spent five seasons with San Antonio before joining the Celtics in a 2022 trade. […]
Ravens crush Miami to take AFC top seed, 49ers grab NFC top spot
WASHINGTON, Jan 1, 2024 (AFP) – The Baltimore Ravens secured the AFC top seed for the NFL playoffs in emphatic fashion on Sunday, crushing the Miami Dolphins 56-19 with Lamar Jackson throwing five touchdowns. The San Francisco 49ers, meanwhile, will have the NFC top seed — and the home field advantage throughout the playoffs that comes with the ranking — after they won 27-10 at Washington. Jackson is the frontrunner to win the league’s Most […]
Browns clinch NFL playoff berth with win over Jets
LOS ANGELES, Dec 29, 2023 (AFP) – Resurgent Cleveland quarterback Joe Flacco threw for three touchdowns in a 37-20 NFL victory over the New York Jets on Thursday that saw the Browns punch their ticket to the playoffs. The post-season was looking unlikely for the Browns after star quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in November. Flacco, a former Super Bowl MVP with the Baltimore Ravens who was without a team at the […]