Nuggets beat Magic 113-100 as Jokic records triple-double

Nuggets beat Magic 113-100 as Jokic records triple-double
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic goes up to shoot against Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac during the first half of their NBA game on Jan. 19, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (AP)
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Updated 20 January 2025
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Nuggets beat Magic 113-100 as Jokic records triple-double

Nuggets beat Magic 113-100 as Jokic records triple-double
  • The Denver Nuggets rolled to a 113-100 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night

ORLANDO, Florida: Nikola Jokic had 20 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists and three blocks without playing the fourth quarter and the Denver Nuggets rolled to a 113-100 win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night.
Christian Braun added 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, who won their six straight road game. Jamal Murray scored 19 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 15 points and six rebounds.
Wendell Carter Jr. led Orlando with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Anthony Black came off the bench with 14 points and five assists.
HEAT 128, SPURS 107
MIAMI: Rookie Kel’el Ware scored 25 points to match his season high, Duncan Robinson added 21 on 5-of-7 3-shooting and Miami beat San Antonio.
Jimmy Butler had eight points and seven assists in his second game since returning from a seven-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the team.”
Terry Rozier had 20 points, Tyler Herro scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half and Nikol Jovic added 14 to help the Heat snap a three-game losing streak.
Miami closed the first half with an 11-0 run to take a five-point lead at 46-41, then opened the second with a 25-8 run. Jovic’s 3-pointer with 5:45 remaining in the third period ended the spurt and put the Heat ahead 71-52.
Devin Vassell scored 23 points and Victor Wembanyama added 21 for the Spurs. They have lost three straight.
THUNDER 127, NETS 101
OKLAHOMA CITY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 27 points and 10 assists in three quarters, and Oklahoma City beat Brooklyn.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s leading scorer, sat out Friday’s loss at Dallas with a sprained right wrist. He looked fine against the Nets — he made 8 of 14 field goals and all 10 of his free throw attempts. He also had four steals.
Isaiah Joe scored 24 points and made eight 3-pointers for the Thunder.
The Thunder have the best record in the Western Conference, and the victory clinched Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault’s spot as an All-Star head coach. He will coach one of the four All-Star teams and an assistant coach from his staff will be the head coach for another team.
Cam Johnson and Tyrese Johnson each scored 15 points for the Nets, who have lost eight of nine.
BUCKS 123, 76ERS 109
MILWAUKEE: Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points and 15 rebounds to help Milwaukee beat short-handed Philadelphia.
Damian Lillard added 25 points for Milwaukee, which completed a 4-0 homestand. Khris Middleton had 13 points and eight assists in 25 minutes off the bench. Brook Lopez added 12 points, and Taurean Prince had 11.
Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with with 37 points and seven assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 19 points, Ricky Council IV had 13 and Eric Gordon 10. Playing for the second consecutive night, Philadelphia has lost six straightand nine of 11.
The 76ers (15-26) were once again missing several key players — Joel Embiid, Paul George, Kyle Lowry and Guerschon Yabusele among them — due to injuries, but hung with the Bucks until fading late. Milwaukee moved to a season-high seven games above .500 at 24-17.
CLIPPERS 116, LAKERS 102
INGLEWOOD, California: Norman Powell scored 22 points, James Harden added 21 points and 12 assists and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Lakers’ first visit to the new Intuit Dome.
Kawhi Leonard had 19 points and Ivica Zubac had 21 points and 19 rebounds for the Clippers in the first meeting of the season between the former hallway rivals at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
James had 25 points and 11 assists and Rui Hachimura added 19 points. Anthony Davis had 16 points and 10 rebounds in his return after missing a game with plantar fasciitis. The Lakers two-game winning streak ended.
Leonard tied his season high playing 24 minutes but none in the fourth as he continued under a minutes restriction in his fifth game of the season. He scored eight in a row to surpass 14,000 career points in the third, when the Clippers built their biggest lead of 26 points.
TRAIL BLAZERS 113, BULLS 102
PORTLAND, Oregon: Scoot Henderson had 25 points and Portland snapped five-game losing streak with a victory over Chicago.
Zach LaVine had 27 points for the Bulls. They have lost five straight.
Portland stretched its lead to 97-82 on Shaedon Sharpe’s 3-pointer with 7:36 left. Patrick Williams’ dunk got the Bulls within single digits at 110-102 with 1:26 left. Deni Avdija answered with a layup for Portland to end the threat.
Sharpe came off the bench for the Blazers after coach Chauncey Billups told him his defense needed to improve to return to a starting role. Sharpe finished with 23 points.
The Bulls led by as 15 points in the first half. Henderson made back-to-back 3-pointers that got the Blazers to 43-42.
Portland tied it at 45 on Jerami Grant’s 3 and it was even at 53 going into the break.
KINGS 123, WIZARDS 100
SACRAMENTO, California: Domantas Sabonis had 29 points and 18 rebounds, and Sacramento beat Washington.
DeMar DeRozan added 24 points, Malik Monk had 23 and Keon Ellis scored 18 on 6-for-8 shooting on 3-pointers. De’Aaron Fox had 12 points and a season-high 13 assists to help Sacramento win for the ninth time in 10 games.
Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Wizards, who have lost 10 straight.
After allowing Washington to score the first six points, Sacramento never trailed again and built a double-digit lead in the second quarter. The Kings were up by 24 points in the second half.
Sacramento went up by 14 at halftime. Sabonis had 18 points and 11 rebounds at the break, including a stretch of eight straight points on back-to-back 3s and a steal that led to a dunk, helping the Kings take a lead after the game was tied 15-15 in the first quarter.


Spain's Supreme Court clears new soccer chief of malfeasance

Updated 34 sec ago
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Spain's Supreme Court clears new soccer chief of malfeasance

Spain's Supreme Court clears new soccer chief of malfeasance
The decision saves the RFEF from further embarrassment and the need for a new election
The Supreme Court said in its ruling that the decision to grant a new subsidy for works not initially foreseen did not constitute the crime of malfeasance

MADRID: Spain's Supreme Court has upheld an appeal by the new president of the country's scandal-ridden soccer federation (RFEF), Rafael Louzan, against his conviction on charges of malfeasance and a seven-year ban.
The decision saves the RFEF from further embarrassment and the need for a new election.
Louzan was elected in December despite a previous lower court verdict against him after more than a year of turmoil at the football governing body following the downfall of former chief Luis Rubiales and his right-hand man Pedro Rocha.
The Supreme Court, which had taken up Louzan's appeal before his election, said on Thursday it had annulled the lower court ruling that barred Louzan from holding public office for seven years in a case involving a contract to improve a football pitch in the northwestern city of Morana in 2011.
The contractor undertook improvements not initially foreseen and after the works were completed, the provincial authority of Pontevedra, led by Louzan, called a new tender with the intention of awarding it to the company that had already done the job.
The Supreme Court said in its ruling that the decision to grant a new subsidy for works not initially foreseen did not constitute the crime of malfeasance as the authorities were already required to pay for the works done.
The Spanish government had said that were the Supreme Court to confirm Louzan's previous conviction it would seek new elections at the soccer federation.
Louzan, who is leading the RFEF as Spain gears up to co-host the 2030 World Cup, did not immediately answer a request for comment.
The court ruling comes in the same week as Louzan's predecessor Rubiales went on trial at Madrid's High Court, where he stands accused of sexual assault against player Jenni Hermoso after kissing her on the lips at the 2023 Women's World Cup awards ceremony in Australia.
He is also accused of attempting to coerce Hermoso - with the help of three other men - into declaring that the kiss had been consensual.
The episode eclipsed Spain's first women's World Cup victory and has triggered a national backlash against sexism in sport. Rubiales denies those criminal charges.

Australia’s injured Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy

Australia’s injured Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy
Updated 06 February 2025
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Australia’s injured Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy

Australia’s injured Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy
  • Batting allrounder Marcus Stoinis dropped out after surprisingly retiring from one-day internationals on Thursday
  • Australia is in Group B with England, South Africa and Afghanistan, it begins against England in Lahore on Feb. 22

MELBOURNE: Australia captain Pat Cummins and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood were ruled out of the Champions Trophy because of injuries on Thursday.
Also, batting allrounder Marcus Stoinis dropped out after surprisingly retiring from one-day internationals on Thursday.
Allrounder Mitchell Marsh withdrew last week due to back injury.
Cummins couldn’t recover from an ankle issue during the Border Gavaskar Trophy test series against India, and Hazlewood has a hip problem.
“Unfortunately Pat, Josh and Mitch are managing some ongoing injuries and haven’t come up in time for the Champions Trophy,” Australia selectors’ head George Bailey said. “While disappointing, it does present a great opportunity for other players to perform for Australia in a world event.”
Cricket Australia said Cummins and Hazlewood begin an “extended period of rehabilitation.”
Steve Smith and Travis Head are the front-runners to lead Australia in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan starting this month.
Australia is in Group B with England, South Africa and Afghanistan. It begins against England in Lahore on Feb. 22.
Australia is due to play two warmup ODIs in Sri Lanka. Fast bowlers Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson and Ben Dwarshuis along with leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha, allrounder Cooper Connolly and opening batter Jake Fraser-McGurk have been added to the squad for the Sri Lanka ODIs.


Saudi hosts world-class golf tournaments in February

Saudi hosts world-class golf tournaments in February
Updated 06 February 2025
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Saudi hosts world-class golf tournaments in February

Saudi hosts world-class golf tournaments in February
  • LIV Golf Riyadh from Feb. 6-8 and PIF Saudi Ladies International 13–15
  • Players include Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson

RIYADH: This February, Golf Saudi is hosting two of the sport’s biggest men’s and women’s international events.

The tournaments at Riyadh Golf Club will include fan zones, food festivals, fun fairs and concerts by global stars.

It will feature the highly anticipated launch of the 2025 LIV Golf League with LIV Golf Riyadh from Feb. 6 to 8, and the PIF Saudi Ladies International from Feb. 13 to 15.

Known as “The Oasis of the Capital,” Riyadh Golf Club is one of the greenest spots in the city, surrounded by lush landscapes.

The season-opening $20-million LIV Golf Riyadh will include US megastars Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Golf Saudi ambassador, Dustin Johnson.

Using Riyadh Golf Club’s advanced and powerful lighting systems, the tournament will also include nighttime sessions.

The PIF Saudi Ladies International will have top players competing for a share of the $5 million prize money — the biggest non-Major prize fund on the Ladies European Tour.

Golf Saudi’s mission to grow the game is central to these events, with on-site initiatives including free lessons for all ages under professional guidance.


How the ILT20 is building a global brand

How the ILT20 is building a global brand
Updated 06 February 2025
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How the ILT20 is building a global brand

How the ILT20 is building a global brand
  • In 2024, it was the 2nd most-watched T20 cricket league globally, with 348 million unique viewers, of whom 63 percent were from India

In Dubai, last Sunday, from my vantage point overlooking the parking area for coaches carrying spectators to ILT20 matches, it was apparent that there were more coaches than normal. They began arriving around 2 p.m., continuing in a steady stream lasting close to three hours. The match which they had come to watch was between the Dubai Capitals and the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.

These teams occupied the bottom two spots in the ILT20 table. Defeat for the Knight Riders would mean elimination from the competition, whereas the position of the Dubai Capitals was less precarious. The team had two matches remaining in which to secure a top four finish and a place in the playoffs.

In 2024, the Capitals had shown an ability of putting together a late flourish. Then, after eight out of 10 matches in the group stage, it was bottom of the table. Victories in the last two matches, followed by two in the playoff matches, propelled the Capitals to the final. This was despite David Warner returning to Australia to join the national squad, with Sam Billings taking over as captain.

This year the pair arrived late, having played in the final of Australia’s Big Bash League for Sydney Thunders. Warner’s impact against the Knight Riders was immediate. After an uncertain start he adapted to the conditions, batting throughout the innings for 93 in a total of 217 for four. The substitute rule in ILT20 meant that he could recover from his exertions by not fielding. Faced with a daunting target, the Knight Riders set about their task enthusiastically, reaching 96 without loss in 10 overs.

This entertained the almost capacity crowd but not Billings, whose captaincy skills were being tested. Two wickets in two balls brought relief for him, the Knight Riders faltering to lose by 26 runs. Consequently, the Capitals progressed to the playoffs. Even more remarkably, they negotiated these to reach the final via a tense last ball victory against the table-topping Desert Vipers.

There were few people in the stadium to savor this result. One of the stadium’s drawbacks is its lack of connection or even proximity to the metro. This, along with a lack of a cricket-watching hinterland, creates a significant marketing challenge. In recognition of this, the tournament’s management has worked hard to generate interest within the local community and mobilize it through the busing-in policy. It also knows that it needs to be prepared to try out innovative measures.

One eye-catching initiative has been the deployment of a social media influencer, Dolly Chaiwala, for three matches. The Indian, a tea seller from Nagpur, real name Sunil Patel, runs his dolly_ki_tapri_nagpur page on Instagram, which showcases his distinctive style of making tea. Early in 2024, in a scarcely believable moment of serendipity, he was catapulted into a social media frenzy. None other than Bill Gates approached his tea stall. They were pictured side by side, Gates with a glass of tea in hand.

The picture went viral, accompanied by wild speculation that the Nagpur tea seller was to become a brand ambassador for Microsoft. This speculation was fanned following a post by the Bindu Times, a satirical news parody account on Instagram. The account carried an “only for satire” purposes disclaimer, which seemed to escape the attention of readers. Their oversight has done wonders for Dolly’s exposure and, indeed, his whole life. His Instagram site has now achieved a following of some 4.5 million viewers and he is in high demand.

At one of the ILT20 matches in Abu Dhabi queues of people waited to meet him. In Dubai, former Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar met Dolly before a match between the Gulf Giants and MI Emirates. As a former professor in marketing communications, I have observed the extraordinary developments in communications channels over the last decade in amazement. Yet, the spine of marketing remains the same — identify and know the target market, design an appropriate message, select the correct channel(s) of communication, budget accordingly, set realistic, desired, outcomes and monitor performance. All of this must be geared to building or sustaining a brand.

ILT20 is in the process of building a brand. It has a stable name sponsor in DP World. In 2024, it was the second most-watched T20 cricket league globally, with a total of 348 million unique viewers, of whom 63 percent were from India. Almost half of viewers were women and 55 percent were categorized as youth viewership. This Indo-centric appeal, despite no Indian players being part of the franchise teams, is likely to have been enhanced this year by the presence of Dolly Chaiwala.

If generating and sustaining audiences for ILT20 presents a challenge, then the next big event to occur in the UAE and, specifically, Dubai, offers challenges at the other end of the scale. As previously highlighted in this column, India’s matches in the International Cricket Council Challenge Trophy will be played in Dubai. This includes the clash between Pakistan and India on Feb. 23. Tickets went on sale online on Feb. 3. Unsurprisingly, they sold out within an hour. There is no stadium in the world large enough to cater for the demand for such a match and it needs no marketing.

However, the match poses a unique set of operational challenges. The Pakistan Cricket Board is the official country host of the tournament, the ICC is the organizer and administrative body, whilst the Dubai International Stadium is owned by Dubai Properties and tenanted by the Emirates Cricket Board.

All parties must work together to manage the hosting of both this match and the others involving India in the Champions Trophy. Whilst other major ICC tournaments have been held in the UAE in the past, this one has the added dimension of Pakistan as official host. Furthermore, those within the ECB are having to juggle their part in the organization of the Champions Trophy with the ongoing hosting of ILT20, which concludes on Feb. 9. These are hectic times for cricket in the UAE, but additional exposure can only be good for ILT20’s image.


Garland lifts Cavs, Thunder roll behind Gilgeous-Alexander’s 50 points

Garland lifts Cavs, Thunder roll behind Gilgeous-Alexander’s 50 points
Updated 06 February 2025
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Garland lifts Cavs, Thunder roll behind Gilgeous-Alexander’s 50 points

Garland lifts Cavs, Thunder roll behind Gilgeous-Alexander’s 50 points
  • Victor Wembanyama made the game-winning free throw as the San Antonio Spurs celebrated the arrival of star guard De’Aaron Fox with a 126-125 victory over the Hawks
  • The Miami Heat beat the 76ers 108-101 in Philadelphia in a game played as news broke that the Heat had traded disgruntled star Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors

LOS ANGELES: Darius Garland drilled a three-pointer from the halfcourt logo as time expired to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 118-115 NBA victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.

Up by 12 with 9:03 remaining, Eastern Conference leaders Cleveland weathered a Pistons comeback keyed by Cade Cunningham, who scored 21 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter.

Fouled on a three-point attempt, Cunningham hit all three free-throws to tie it at 115-115 with five seconds remaining.

But Garland made sure the Cavs escaped with a win, a day after falling to reigning champions Boston in a battle of the East’s top two teams.

“That’s what great players do, they make big plays,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said of Garland, who finished with 25 points.

Evan Mobley scored 30 points for the Cavaliers, who were without Donovan Mitchell because of a sore shoulder but improved to 41-10.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the star for Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City, pouring in 50 points as the Thunder pulled away ruthlessly in the second half to beat the Phoenix Suns 140-109.

“Just trying to be aggressive, play basketball and take what the defense gives me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after his third 50-point performance in the Thunder’s last seven games.

Down by two at halftime to a Suns team shooting better than 60 percent from the field, the Thunder responded with a vengeance, opening the third quarter on a 20-2 scoring run.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 18 points in the third, when the Thunder out-scored the Suns 43-16 to seize control.

It was just one of the eye-catching performances on a night when Anthony Edwards score 49 points to propel the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 127-108 home victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Edwards drilled six of the Timberwolves’ 20 three-pointers and made 17 of his 18 free-throw attempts as Minnesota avoided a third straight defeat.

It came down to the wire in Atlanta, where Victor Wembanyama made the game-winning free throw as the San Antonio Spurs celebrated the arrival of star guard De’Aaron Fox with a 126-125 victory over the Hawks.

A game that the Spurs led by 20 points early in the fourth quarter nearly got away, but French phenom Wembanyama came through.

His tip-in dunk off a Fox miss gave the Spurs a 125-123 lead with 30.4 seconds left.

Trae Young tied it at 125-125 with 8.5 seconds left, but Wembanyama was fouled at the rim and the Spurs star calmly made the first free throw before intentionally missing the second — leaving the Hawks scrambling unsuccessfully to respond as time ran out.

It was a frantic end to Fox’s first game with the Spurs, who acquired him in a trade from the Sacramento Kings on Sunday in a three-team trade.

Fox and Wembanyama scored 24 points apiece. Fox added 13 assists and three steals and Wembanyama pulled down 12 rebounds.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was a late scratch for the Milwaukee Bucks with tightness in his left calf, but Damian Lillard stepped up with 29 points and 12 assists as the Bucks beat the Hornets 112-102 in Charlotte.

The Miami Heat, fueled by 30 points from Tyler Herro, beat the 76ers 108-101 in Philadelphia in a game played as news broke that the Heat had traded disgruntled star Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors.

Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points to lead Philadelphia, who were without star big man Joel Embiid, who was rested a day after he posted a triple-double in his return from a month-long injury absence.

The Warriors, whose players learned before tipoff that Dennis Schroder and Andrew Wiggins had been traded to Miami in the deal for Butler, came up short in a back-and-forth battle with the Jazz in Utah.

Utah’s Keyonte George hit the go-ahead basket with 26.6 remaining and the Jazz held on for a 131-128 victory.

Jordan Clarkson led Utah with 31 points and George added 26 off the bench. Six Utah players scored in double figures as the Jazz withstood a 32-point performance from Golden State star Stephen Curry.