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)
Short Url
Updated 20 January 2025
Follow

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.


Jessica Pegula criticizes ‘broken’ anti-doping process in wake of Sinner and Swiatek cases

Jessica Pegula criticizes ‘broken’ anti-doping process in wake of Sinner and Swiatek cases
Updated 12 sec ago
Follow

Jessica Pegula criticizes ‘broken’ anti-doping process in wake of Sinner and Swiatek cases

Jessica Pegula criticizes ‘broken’ anti-doping process in wake of Sinner and Swiatek cases
  • Sinner was facing a potential ban of two years after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against his initial exoneration

DUBAI: World number five Jessica Pegula believes the handling of the recent high profile anti-doping cases of Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek has shown that the “process is completely broken.”

Meanwhile, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka admits she cannot trust the tennis anti-doping system and has become “too scared” of it.

Sinner’s long doping saga came to an end on Saturday after he agreed to a three-month ban from tennis, admitting “partial responsibility” for team mistakes which led to him twice testing positive for traces of clostebol in March last year.

Sinner was facing a potential ban of two years after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against his initial exoneration by the International Tennis Integrity Agency , announced in August.

In a surprising move, WADA withdrew its appeal and came to an agreement with Sinner to accept a three-month ban.

In a statement, WADA said “Sinner did not intend to cheat” but that he would serve his suspension as he is responsible for the actions of his entourage.

Pegula, last year’s US Open finalist and a member of the WTA Player Council, said the inconsistencies in the way cases are being processed and judged is creating an unfair environment for all tennis players.

“I think my reaction is that, whether you think he did or you don’t, or whatever side you're on, the process just seems to be completely like not a process,” the American told reporters in Dubai on Sunday.

“It seems to just kind of be whatever decisions and factors they take into consideration, and they just kind of make up their own ruling. I don’t really understand how that’s fair for athletes, how it’s fair for players when there’s just so much inconsistency and you have no idea.”

Pegula added that any emails the players have been receiving regarding anti-doping cases contain explanations that are too easy to come with, and are just ways for anti-doping organizations to justify their inconsistent rulings and processes.

“If you’re clean or not, the process is completely broken,” she stated.

“I think it needs to be seriously looked at and considered.

“I feel like they have so much power to ruin someone's career, as well. I think there needs to be something done about that because it just seems really unfair.

“I don’t think any of the players trust the process at all right now. Zero. It’s just a horrible look for the sport.”

Sabalenka refused to comment on the outcome of the Sinner case but says she has become too wary of falling foul to the sport’s strict anti-doping rules.

“You just start to be more careful. For example, before I wouldn’t care to leave my glass of water and go to the bathroom in a restaurant and now, I’m not going to drink from the same glass of water,” said the Belarusian world number one.

“You just become a bit too much aware of stuff and this thing gets to your head that, like, if someone used a cream on you and you test positive, they’re going to go for you and they’re not going to believe you or anything.

“You just become too scared of the system. I don’t see how I can trust the system.”

American World No. 3 Coco Gauff has not paid much attention to the details of the recent anti-doping cases and is instead sticking to her strategy of avoiding taking any supplements to minimize the risk of testing positive for any banned substance.

“I trust that everyone is doing what they can to protect the sport. As a player, that’s all I can hope for,” said the former US Open champion.

“I just hope it’s more for the protection of the sport and not just out to, like, get players.”


Emma Raducanu to make Dubai debut against two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Maria Sakkari

Emma Raducanu to make Dubai debut against two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Maria Sakkari
Updated 16 February 2025
Follow

Emma Raducanu to make Dubai debut against two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Maria Sakkari

Emma Raducanu to make Dubai debut against two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Maria Sakkari
  • The match is a repeat of 2021 US Open semi-final, while the draw also pits Arab ace Ons Jabeur against Peyton Stearns

DUBAI: The official draw for the 25th WTA 1000 event at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships served up some intriguing first-round clashes, with the tie of the round pitching former US Open champion Emma Raducanu against Greek former World No. 3 and two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Maria Sakkari.

Tunisian ace Ons Jabeur, meanwhile, will take on American Peyton Stearns in the opening round. With the full draw completed during Saturday’s ceremony at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, the stage is set for a week of world-class women’s tennis with 36 of the top 40 players scheduled to take to the courts in Garhoud.

Raducanu, who received a wildcard for the event, is making her Dubai debut and aims to extend her winning run over Sakkari, having previously defeated the Greek No. 1 in the 2021 US Open semi-final on route to her maiden Grand Slam title before following that up with a comprehensive straight sets victory to reach the last 16 of Wimbledon last year.

The 25th anniversary WTA 1000 event will be held from Feb. 16-22 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, with a star-studded line-up featuring nine of the world’s top 10 and 17 of the top 20 players, including reigning champion Jasmine Paolini. The top eight seeds all received first-round byes in Saturday’s draw.

“This year marks the 25th edition of the women’s tournament, which has permanent 1000 status. The competition has grown significantly alongside the men’s ATP 500 event, which celebrates its 33rd anniversary next week,” Ramesh Cidambi, managing director of Dubai Duty Free and chairman of the tournament organising committee, said. 

“As always, the WTA week draws the world’s top female athletes, and this year is no different. We look forward to welcoming back, among others, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek and reigning champion Jasmine Paolini, who reached the French Open and Wimbledon finals before winning Olympic doubles gold in a breakout 2024.”

The official draw was attended by 2024 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship finalist Anna Kalinskaya, now world No. 18, and Sorana Cirstea, a two-time WTA Tour singles champion and Dubai resident, who is making her ninth appearance at the tournament.

Kalinskaya enjoyed a career-defining year in 2024 as she climbed from world No. 77 to just outside the top 10, defeating Coco Gauff, Swiatek and Jelena Ostapenko on her way to last year’s final in Dubai.

“I’m very excited to be back. I have so many good memories from last year’s amazing matches, so I’m really looking forward to playing in front of this crowd. Hopefully, I can put on a great performance and deliver some exciting matches,” the 26-year-old said.

Asked about her plans to improve in 2025, she added: “There’s no big secret, just hard work and improving day by day. Of course, my goal this year is to be even better and reach the top 10.”

Cirstea, who in February reached her highest ranking in more than a decade —just one spot shy of her 2013 career high, said: “I don’t know if many people know, but I live in Dubai. I have residency here, so this is my home. This feels like a home tournament, and again, I’m very, very grateful for receiving the wildcard. I’m very excited to be back. I know the field is extremely tough, but I hope I can have a good week and show my best.

“This is my ninth appearance here. The first time I came, I was 17 years old, and I can see all the improvements the tournament has made. In my eyes, it’s one of the best tournaments on [the WTA] Tour.”

The 25th edition of the annual WTA event takes place a week before the men’s event at the same venue. The women’s competition will run from Feb. 16-22, before the 33rd staging of the ATP Tour 500 tournament from Feb. 24 to March 1.


Three tied for individual lead, Majesticks top team leaderboard at LIV Golf Adelaide

Three tied for individual lead, Majesticks top team leaderboard at LIV Golf Adelaide
Updated 16 February 2025
Follow

Three tied for individual lead, Majesticks top team leaderboard at LIV Golf Adelaide

Three tied for individual lead, Majesticks top team leaderboard at LIV Golf Adelaide
  • Torque GC’s Carlos Ortiz, Fireballs GC’s Abraham Ancer and Majesticks GC’s Sam Horsfield eye last round glory in Australia

ADELAIDE: Sam Horsfield was not sure of the last time his Majesticks GC produced a top-three finish. Told that it was LIV Golf Boston in 2022, he replied: “Yeah, my memory doesn’t go back that far.”

Since then, 33 LIV Golf tournaments have been played, but now the Majesticks are one round away from ending their record drought — and possibly sweeping both trophies.

They enter the final round of LIV Golf Adelaide with a one-shot advantage on the team leaderboard, while Horsfield has a share of the individual lead with Torque GC’s Carlos Ortiz and Fireballs GC’s Abraham Ancer. That trio is three strokes ahead of the rest of the field, while Torque captain Joaquin Niemann and Legion XIII’s Jon Rahm lurk in solo fourth and fifth, respectively.

Sunday could be the biggest day in Majesticks history, with both Horsfield and Henrik Stenson (tied for sixth) in contention. Stenson, a team co-captain along with fellow European stars Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, has the team’s only trophy of any kind, winning individual honors in his LIV Golf debut in 2022 at Bedminster.

“I call them crafty veterans,” said Horsfield, the team’s youngest player. “They’ve been around the block a few times, and they know how to get it done. I think they’re really, really excited. I can feel my phone vibrating in my back pocket, so I’m sure it’s them in a group chat.”

They will have to conquer The Grange course that has proved quite formidable this week, especially with swirling winds that created plenty of challenges. The stroke average for the field on Saturday was more than half a stroke over par (72.611) and played almost a stroke higher than the opening round.

The Majesticks were the only team in which all four players shot rounds under par on Saturday, with Horsfield shooting a three-under 69, Poulter and Westwood shooting two-under 70s, and Stenson contributing a one-under 71. Their cumulative eight- under total was four strokes better than any other team, and left them one stroke ahead of Rahm’s Legion XIII, the winners last week in Riyadh, and Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC.

The UK-centric lineup believes the new LIV Golf format in which all scores count for every round benefits them. Playing in tricky conditions should also favor a team with three veteran players who possess more than 80 career professional wins.

“Looking back at some of the previous years, I think we’ve been one of the more consistent teams, but we haven’t really had those low rounds getting in there,” Stenson said. “Especially with the conditions being as they are, being tough, then if we can just keep on grinding away and playing solid tee to green, then we should give ourselves some good chances.”

Horsfield, 28, is seeking his first LIV Golf individual win and the fourth since turning pro in 2017. The solo leader after an opening 66, he bogeyed his first hole on Saturday and was one over for his round at the turn but steadied the ship on the back nine and finished with two birdies to grab a share of the lead at nine under.

“It was a real tough test,” Horsfield said. “I was really proud of the way that I hung in there and fought.”

His playing partners for the final round experienced LIV Golf success last season, with Ancer winning in Hong Kong and Ortiz in Houston. Ancer also knows what it’s like to win in Australia, having claimed the Australian Open in 2018. His five-under 67 was the lowest score on Saturday.

“I love this kind of golf,” Ancer said. “I’ve always loved playing in Australia. Seeing the conditions like this is exciting. It’s tough, but it’s really good for me.”

Ortiz had three birdies in a four-hole stretch midway through his round en route to shooting 68. He picked his battles in the tricky conditions and also escaped trouble better than anybody else. On Saturday, he was a perfect seven for seven in scrambling.

“You really have to be respectful of the golf course, almost play a little bit defensive, and I think I’ve done a good job of that,” Ortiz said. “I feel like I’ve taken my medicine when I’ve been out of play. I’ve honestly played quite conservative off the tee and into the greens, and I think that’s paid off.”

Team scores

LIV Golf’s new scoring format now counts all four scores in every round in the team competition. Here are the results and scores for each team after Saturday’s Round 2 of LIV Golf Adelaide.

Majesticks GC -10 (Horsfield 69, Poulter 70, Westwood 70, Stenson 71; Rd. 2 score: -8)

T2. Fireballs GC -9 (Ancer 67, Puig 70, Garcia 74, Masaveu 74; Rd. 2 score: -3)

T2. Legion XIII -9 (Hatton 72, McKibbin 71, Rahm 69, Surratt 73; Rd. 2 score: -3)

Crushers GC -5 (Lahiri 70, Casey 71, DeChambeau 73, Howell III 74; Rd. 2 score: E)

Torque GC -3 (Ortiz 68, Niemann 71, Munoz 74, Pereira 79; Rd. 2 score: +5)

Stinger GC -2 (Burmester 71, Grace 72, Schwartzel 73, Oosthuizen 75; Rd. 2 score: +3)

Ripper GC -1 (Herbert 70, Leishman 70, Jones 71, Smith 73; Rd. 2 score: -4)

4Aces GC E (Varner III 71, Pieters 72, Reed 73, Johnson 78; Rd. 2 score: +6)

Hyflyers GC +2 (Steele 70, Tringale 71, Mickelson 74, Ogletree 75; Rd. 2 score: +2)

Iron Heads GC +4 (Ormsby 71, Jang 72, Na 72, Lee 74; Rd. 2 score: +1)

Smash GC +8 (Koepka 71, Kokrak 73, Gooch 74, McDowell 75; Rd. 2 score: +5)

Rangegoats GC +11 (Campbell 70, Uihlein 72, Watson 72, Wolff 80; Rd. 2 score: +6)

Cleeks GC +18 (Bland 73, Meronk 75, Kjettrup 75, Kaymer 79; Rd. 2 score: +14)

 Wildcards: Lee 76, Kim 77


Indian cricketers arrive in Dubai for Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy

Indian cricketers arrive in Dubai for Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy
Updated 16 February 2025
Follow

Indian cricketers arrive in Dubai for Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy

Indian cricketers arrive in Dubai for Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy
  • India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on Feb. 20
  • Dubai will host India’s Champions Trophy matches due to tensions with Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: India’s national cricket squad arrived in Dubai this week to take part in the Champions Trophy 2025 cricket tournament hosted by Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed this week. 

Led by skipper Rohit Sharma, India will begin their campaign to win the trophy on Feb. 20 against Bangladesh in Dubai. 

India’s government refused to send its team to Pakistan for the tournament due to political tensions and security concerns. As a result, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), BCCI and the International Cricket Council (ICC) agreed that India will play all of its matches in Dubai as a form of a hybrid model. 

“Touchdown Dubai,” BCCI wrote on its Instagram profile on Saturday. “Indian cricket team has arrived for Champions Trophy 2025.”

A video uploaded by the BCCI shows Indian cricketers Sharma, Virat Kohli and others embarking their tour bus and arriving at their hotel. 

India will take on Pakistan in Dubai on Feb. 23 in what is being touted as one of the most anticipated cricket clashes of the year.

India’s matches with Pakistan draw thousands of spectators to stadiums across the globe while millions tune in from their homes.

Defending champions Pakistan beat India in the final of the Champions Trophy tournament in 2017 by 180 runs to lift the trophy.

Pakistan share Group A with India, New Zealand and Bangladesh. They take on New Zealand in the southern port city of Karachi on Feb. 19. 


The new NBA All-Star format is here, and Sunday night will show whether it works

The new NBA All-Star format is here, and Sunday night will show whether it works
Updated 16 February 2025
Follow

The new NBA All-Star format is here, and Sunday night will show whether it works

The new NBA All-Star format is here, and Sunday night will show whether it works

SAN FRANCISCO: This will be an actual All-Star matchup. On one side, there’s a team with 86 combined All-Star selections, $2.7 billion in on-court earnings and where every single player on the team is either an NBA champion, an Olympic gold medalist, or both.
On the other, there’s a bunch of young guys without much in the way of resumes yet.
Welcome to the reimagined NBA All-Star Game, a single-elimination mini-tournament: four teams of eight players, three games, first to 40 points wins and a David vs. Goliath element thrown in there for good measure. It happens Sunday night in San Francisco, the NBA’s latest way of trying to make the midseason showcase event competitive again.
“It’s definitely different, definitely interesting,” New York’s Jalen Brunson said. “We’ll see. I’m just as interested as you.”
There’s no more Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference. There are four teams with new names: Shaq’s OGs, Kenny’s Young Stars, Chuck’s Global Stars and Candace’s Rising Stars, all a nod to TNT analysts and basketball greats Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Candace Parker.
It’ll be Smith’s team against Barkley’s team in the first semifinal. The second one is the one with all the intrigue: O’Neal’s team of some of the biggest names in basketball history — LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
They’re going up against this group of first- and second-year players that earned their way into the All-Star mix by winning Friday’s Rising Stars competition: San Antonio’s Stephon Castle, Utah’s Keyonte George, Phoenix’s Ryan Dunn, Memphis teammates Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells, Golden State’s Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Dalton Knecht and Houston’s Amen Thompson. Fine players, for sure, but they’re not All-Stars — at least, officially.
And yet, they could win the All-Star Game.
“I think that’s probably why they put this type of format in, to kind of heighten that sense of pride and not wanting to be on the wrong end of that,” Lillard said. “I mean, we’ll see. I think one thing about a team full of young players is they’re going to come out there and they’re going to play with some energy. They’re going to play fast. I think that’ll probably heighten the competition.”
The Rising Stars team is, by far, the long shot to win this thing, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. It’s fair to say that they won’t have much expected of them. But that said, Mac McClung — who went up against that team in the Rising Stars competition title game Friday night — said he wouldn’t count them out.
“They’re still NBA basketball players. They’re still really good basketball players,” McClung said. “And I think everybody’s vibe is just joy right now. We’ll see how competitive the game is. I’m excited to watch it myself.”
That’s the whole reason for the change: Competition, or at least the hope of having some.
The All-Star Game last year set all sorts of records: a 211-186 final score, almost everything 3-pointers or dunks, and it didn’t sit well with Commissioner Adam Silver and the rest of the NBA decision-makers. They don’t want Game 7-type mayhem. They want a better product.
So, the tournament idea became reality.
“I like taking chances on something different, knowing that the game had kind of stalled out for a couple of years,” Curry said. “I think it’ll work just because it’ll be something new for everybody.”
At least one player is vowing to play defense in this All-Star Game. San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, a top defensive player of the year candidate who is in the All-Star Game for the first time, said he’s bringing his best.
“That’s the goal,” Wembanyama said. “The goal is not to chill, for sure.”
Inside the numbers
To illustrate the size of the mismatch — on paper — in the second semifinal, consider this:
Shaq’s OGs have the No. 1 (James), No. 8 (Durant), No. 13 (Harden), the No. 27 (Curry), No. 37 (Lillard), No. 81 (Irving), No. 220 (Tatum) and No. 337 (Brown) scorers in NBA history.
The Rising Stars’ leading scorer: That would be George, tied for 1,813th on the all-time scoring list.
The format
It’s fairly simple: untimed games, first team to 40 points wins, no fouling out, regular rules pretty much apply. There is no consolation game.
Players on the winning team get $125,000 each. Players on the team that finishes second get $50,000 each. The other two teams get $25,000 per player.