Sports — International

NBA: Wade to miss third straight game for Bulls

CHICAGO, United States (AFP) — Chicago Bulls shooting guard Dwyane Wade will miss his third consecutive NBA game Thursday against the Boston Celtics, this time with an illness after missing two with a wrist injury. The 35-year-old backcourt star, a three-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat and top scorer for the 2008 US Olympic gold medal squad, was absent from Thursday’s practice. Wade, who joined the Bulls this season, will have another week to […]

Tokyo collects old phones to recycle into 2020 Olympics medals

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) — Over a hundred of people gathered at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building on Thursday (February 16) to donate their old mobile phones, which will be recycled into medals for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee hopes to gather as much as eight tonnes of metal from outdated mobile phones and small appliances. This effort, the first of its kind for the Olympics, will extract 40 kg of gold, 2,930 […]

Boxing: Mayweather quashes rumors of McGregor fight

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Floyd Mayweather has shot down rumors of a deal to fight martial arts star Conor McGregor, insisting he is content to remain retired. The 39-year old American took to his social media Instagram account late Tuesday, telling his fans that he wanted to set the record straight. “There seems to be several rumors floating around media recently however, let the record show, there hasn’t been any deals made in […]

NBA: James shines as Cavs withstand big night from Wiggins

MINNEAPOLIS, United States (AFP) — LeBron James and Kyrie Irving each scored 25 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers withstood a huge night from Andrew Wiggins to record a 116-108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Canada’s Wiggins finished with a game-high 41 points for the Timberwolves which equalled his second-highest point total this NBA season. James also had 14 assists for Cleveland who sealed their 38th win of the season with 1:39 remaining when ex-Timberwolves player […]

NBA: Ibaka heading to Raptors after Magic deal

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Orlando Magic star Serge Ibaka is to join the Toronto Raptors in a trade deal which will see Terrence Ross head in the opposite direction, it was confirmed Tuesday. The Magic will also acquire a 2017 first-round draft pick as part of the deal which delighted Raptors star Kyle Lowry. “I think he’s a great addition to any team, especially ours where we add some shot-blocking, some outside shooting, some […]

NBA: Wizards rout Thunder for third straight victory

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Markieff Morris scored 23 points as the Washington Wizards took advantage of an off night by Russell Westbrook to crush the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-98 on Monday. John Wall had 15 points and 14 assists and Bradley Beal scored 22 points as all five starters scored in double figures for the Wizards, who led by as many as 34 points. The Wizards also made 13 of 21 three-point attempts and […]

NBA: San Antonio eases past Pacers

INDIANAPOLIS, United States (AFP) — Kawhi Leonard tallied a game-high 32 points as the San Antonio Spurs once again avoided back-to-back losses with a 110-106 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 19 points, and Danny Green, David Lee and Tony Parker each scored 12 for the Spurs, who were coming off a surprising 94-90 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday. The Spurs have lost two in a row only […]

NBA: Love seeks second opinion on knee injury

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love is to seek a second opinion on his left knee after undergoing a scan at the weekend, coach Tyronn Lue said Monday. Love, 28, underwent a scan on the knee on Sunday after experiencing pain in the joint during Saturday’s 125-109 win over Denver. The four-time NBA All-Star had already been ruled out of Tuesday’s road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. But Lue said […]

NBA: Knicks stop the rot with win over Spurs

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The New York Knicks’s latest tough week ended on a high note on Sunday as Carmelo Anthony and company shocked the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 at Madison Square Garden. A victory over the second-best team in the NBA was a welcome change of fortune for the Knicks, who are languishing well out of playoff contention in the Eastern Conference amid tensions between Anthony and club president Phil Jackson. A […]

NBA: Westbrook’s Thunder topple Cavs

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The relentless Russell Westbrook produced his 26th triple-double of the season Thursday to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 118-109 triumph over the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Westbrook poured in 29 points with 11 assists and 12 rebounds. Victor Oladipo added 23 points and seven rebounds and center Steven Adams of New Zealand added 21 points and 13 rebounds for Oklahoma City, who improved to 31-23. Kyrie Irving […]

NBA: Bucks’ Parker out for rest of season with torn knee ligament

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker tore a ligament in his left knee and will miss the rest of the NBA season, the team said Thursday. The extent of the injury was confirmed in an MRI exam on Thursday. Parker will require surgery and is expected to be sidelined for approximately 12 months. It’s the second time the 21-year-old has torn his left anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. […]

NBA: Korver finds his rhythm, Cavs dominate Pacers

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Kyle Korver is finding his feet with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The reigning NBA champion Cavs beat the Indiana Pacers 132-117 in Indianapolis on Wednesday with a key contribution from Korver, who arrived in Cleveland last month from the Atlanta Hawks, where he had played since 2012. Korver scored 29 points — his most in a game since February 21, 2007 — connecting on eight of his nine three-pont attempts […]