LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Anthony Davis limped out of the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers’ season-ending loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, a sight that the star forward and teammate LeBron James said summed up their season. “I think health played a big part in the position we were in,” Davis said after the Suns beat the Lakers 113-100 to wrap up a 4-2 triumph in their best-of-seven Western conference first-round playoff […]
Sports — International
Suns oust NBA champion Lakers in first round of playoffs
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The Phoenix Suns, fueled by 47 points from Devin Booker, beat the Los Angeles Lakers 113-100 Thursday to eliminate the reigning NBA champions in the first round of the playoffs. Superstar LeBron James scored 29 points to lead the Lakers, but they were unable to dig themselves out of a 29-point first-half hole and lost the best-of-seven Western Conference series four games to two. © Agence France-Presse
Nuggets eliminate Trail Blazers in NBA playoffs
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Serbian center Nikola Jokic scored 36 points and the Denver Nuggets advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs Thursday by defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 126-115. The 7-footer went 13-of-22 from the field and added eight rebounds and six assists for the visiting Nuggets, who won the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series four games to two. Denver will face either the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers or […]
Sixers, Hawks advance in NBA playoffs
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks advanced to an Eastern Conference semi-final showdown on Wednesday, wrapping up emphatic series victories over the Washington Wizards and New York Knicks. Seth Curry’s 30-point display helped the Sixers shrug off the injury absence of Joel Embiid as the top seeds completed a 4-1 playoff series win with a 129-112 defeat of the Wizards in Philadelphia. In New York, the fifth-seeded Hawks brought […]
10,000 Olympic volunteers quit ahead of Games: organisers
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Around 10,000 of 80,000 planned Tokyo 2020 Olympic volunteers have quit, organisers have revealed as they battle persistent doubts over the Games with just 50 days until the opening ceremony. Tokyo 2020 chief Seiko Hashimoto ruled out a further postponement of the Games, speaking to a Japan sports paper, and said cancellation would only happen in catastrophic circumstance such as most delegations not being able to come to Japan. Organisers will […]
Suns defeat leaves LeBron, Lakers on brink of NBA playoffs exit
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Devin Booker scored 30 points as the Phoenix Suns left LeBron James and the depleted Los Angeles Lakers facing elimination from the NBA playoffs on Tuesday with a crushing 115-85 victory. Phoenix took full advantage of the injury absence of the Lakers’ Anthony Davis to dominate the defending NBA champions from early in the first quarter before romping to a comfortable win. The Suns victory leaves Phoenix 3-2 ahead […]
Harden fires as ‘Big Three’ lead Nets past Celtics
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — James Harden erupted for a 34-point triple-double as the Brooklyn Nets wrapped up their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series over the Boston Celtics with a 123-109 victory on Tuesday. Harden added 10 rebounds and 10 assists while Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant also weighed in with big contributions as the Nets completed a 4-1 victory in the best-of-seven series. Second seeds Brooklyn will now face the third-seeded Milwaukee Bucks […]
Wizards stave off elimination against top-seeded 76ers
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal proved to be too much to handle Monday as the Washington Wizards stayed alive in the NBA playoffs by beating the Philadelphia 76ers 122-114 in game four at Washington. Westbrook finished with 19 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists, while Beal delivered a game-high 27 points for the Wizards, who avoided being swept in four straight in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series. Beal scored […]
Davis questionable for Lakers’ game five against Suns
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have listed star forward Anthony Davis as questionable for the next game of their first round Western Conference playoff series against the Phoenix Suns. Lakers coach Frank Vogel said team doctors looked at Davis on Monday and will re-examine him on Tuesday leading up to game five of the best-of-seven series on Tuesday in Arizona. Davis suffered a strained groin in game four, missing the […]
Tokyo Olympics fans to need vaccination or virus test: report
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Tokyo Olympics fans may have to be vaccinated or test negative for the coronavirus before being allowed into venues, a Japanese newspaper report said Monday. Cheering, eating, high-fives and drinking alcohol would also be banned under controls now being considered, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily said, citing unnamed government officials. Organizers are set to decide in June how many spectators — if any — will be allowed to attend the pandemic-postponed Games. […]
Donaire knocks out Oubaali in the fourth to reclaim WBC title
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Nonito Donaire used a powerful left hook and three knockdowns to become the oldest fighter to win a bantamweight title with a fourth round knockout of WBC champion Nordine Oubaali on Saturday night in Los Angeles. The 38-year-old Donaire reach up and turned back the hands of time at the Dignity Sports Health Park venue as he reclaimed the WBC title that he held in 2011. The Filipino fighter […]
Suns bounce back to level West series with Lakers 2-2
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Chris Paul overcame an injured shoulder and Jae Crowder busted out of a playoff slump Sunday as the Phoenix Suns took a 100-92 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, who lost Anthony Davis to another injury. Paul had 18 points and nine assists while Crowder delivered 17 points as half a dozen players finished in double figures for the Suns, who clawed their way level at 2-2 in the […]