Basket Ball / Sports

Nikola Jokic becomes 1st player in NBA history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in season

Denver’s superstar big man Nikola Jokic makes history as he continues a statistical dominance the league has never seen before.

Nikola Jokic has crossed a statistical threshold not even Wilt Chamberlain has touched.

With a fourth-quarter basket over a double-team in Friday’s win over Memphis, Nikola Jokic became the first player in NBA history to accumulate at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a single season.

The crowd recognized the achievement with a standing ovation chants of “M-V-P” for the league’s reigning Kia Most Valuable Player, who accomplished the statistical feat despite taking a blow to the head earlier in the game that drew blood and saw him don a headband.

“Dude is really great at basketball,” teammate Bones Hyland said.

Chamberlain came up short by eight points of that specific combination in the 1967-68 season, the year he led the league in assists. He won the league’s MVP award that season, an honor Jokic is jostling to earn for the second straight season despite impressive campaigns from Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid.

“I mean, it’s cool,” Jokic said afterwards. “I like it. Hopefully I can do it a couple of more times.”

Jokic’s late-season surge also saw him become the first player since Chamberlain to register at least 35 points and 12 rebounds in five straight games since Chamberlain.

His big night came after taking an inadvertent elbow from Jaren Jackson Jr. to the right forehead and temple that drew blood in the opening minute.

After having to retreat to the bench twice to stop the bleeding, Jokic donned a red headband for the remainder of the game as he helped the Nuggets (48-33) overcome a shaky start to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Grizzlies.

Jokic was hit in the head on the Grizzlies’ first bucket, a drive by Jackson Jr., and retreated to the bench for treatment. He wasn’t back on the court for long before returning to the sideline for more treatment and a red headband.

“My first …

Football / Sports

Real Madrid lead Chelsea

Well… let’s just say few would’ve predicted that Wednesday afternoon of UEFA Champions League.

Karim Benzema can definitely do it on a rainy night in London, as the French center forward recorded a hat trick as Real Madrid feasted on Chelsea errors and benefited from poor Blues finishing in a 3-1 win.

Benzema bosses Blues backs, Chelsea wasteful in attack

This is not how Thomas Tuchel drew it up.

Karim Benzema scored a pair of first-half goals and completed his hat trick in the second half as Real Madrid rode a 2-1 first-half lead and will take a 3-1 advantage back to Madrid.

This wasn’t the case of supreme domination from La Liga’s leaders, as Chelsea out-attempted Real by more than double but learned what Europe’s seen on a weekly basis: Benzema’s as dominant as any forward In the world right now and that includes names like Mbappe and Kane.

Huge errors from Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, and Edouard Mendy will live in Chelsea fans’ minds deep into the night, but Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech missed huge chances off the bench on a day the European champions will want to forget as quickly as possible.

The Blues will be grateful that away goals don’t matter this season, but toppling Real by two goals at the Bernabeu will be a major ask next week.

Chelsea vs Real Madrid final score, stats

Chelsea 1, Real Madrid 3

Scorers: Benzema (21′, 24′, 46′), Havertz (40′)

Shot attempts: Chelsea 20, Real Madrid 8

Shots on goal: Chelsea 5, Real Madrid 5

Possession: Chelsea 57, Real Madrid 43…

Basket Ball / Sports

Sixers sweep Cavs to clinch playoff berth, Embiid drops 44

The Philadelphia 76ers are in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

Philadelphia clinched a postseason berth Sunday with a 112-108 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Field House. A 44-point performance from Joel Embiid helped the Sixers hold off a late push from the Cavs.

This was a different route to the playoffs for the Sixers than it was in the previous four years.

All of the headlines coming into the season revolved around Ben Simmons’ future with the team. The three-time All-Star requested a trade in August during a meeting with Sixers management.

It took until the Feb. 10 trade deadline, but Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey took advantage of James Harden’s unhappiness with the Brooklyn Nets to add the former NBA MVP in a blockbuster trade involving Simmons.

Even before the trade was made, Philadelphia was firmly in playoff contention thanks to Embiid.

Embiid remains the center around whom everything works. He is having an MVP-caliber season, entering Sunday averaging 30.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 49.4 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from deep.

Tyrese Maxey is in the midst of a breakout season as the starting point guard. The second-year standout entered Sunday putting up 17.2 points and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 41.6 percent from three-point range. And Matisse Thybulle has solidified himself as one of the best wing defenders in the NBA.

After missing eight straight games with a hamstring injury, Harden’s debut for the 76ers was a massive success. He dropped 27 points and dished out 12 assists in a 133-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Feb. 25.

That was probably the most wide-open I’ve ever been in my career,” Embiid joked with reporters after that game, in which he scored 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Bringing in Harden is supposed to be the next step in the process for a 76ers team that is trying to get over the hump in the playoffs.

The Sixers haven’t advanced past …

Basket Ball / Sports

Phoenix Suns tie franchise record for wins with nail-biter over Warriors

One down, one more to go to make history and make a case for the best to ever play basketball in the Valley.

The Phoenix Suns are a win a way from setting the franchise record for victories in a single season after Wednesday’s 107-103 triumph at Golden State before a sellout crowd of 18,064 at Chase Center.

“I’m unbelievably proud of our players and our staff and I’m proud to be a part of Suns history in this way,” Suns coach Monty Williams said.

Devin Booker scored 22 points on 5-for-21 shooting on as his two free throws with 34.2 seconds left put Phoenix up 102-101.

Then after Draymond Green was called for traveling, Chris Paul scored to make the difference three, 104-101, with 13.1 seconds left.

“We feel like we’ve been here before,” Paul said. “Obviously, it’s an exciting environment. playing in here, crowd going crazy and all that, but we’ve played a ton of games like that this year, last year. That trust is what helps us.”

Paul finished with 15 points as all five starters reached double figures with Mikal Bridges scoring 22, Deandre Ayton posting 16 points and 16 boards and Jae Crowder adding 10 points.

“We just stayed together,” Bridges said. “We just stayed together throughout the whole thing. We’ve got CP and Book. That’s how I always feel during those times. They’re going to take us home and we’re going to go out there there and get stops and fight all the way to the end.”

Winners of nine straight, Phoenix (62-14) tied the franchise record for wins set by the 1992-93 team led by Charles Barkley and the 2004-05 “Seven Seconds or Less” squad orchestrated by Steve Nash.

“It means a whole lot,” Booker said. “Being here seven years now and just learning more and more about the franchise and the organization and the people that have came before us and now to be up there with those ones, it feels good.”

The Suns will look to break the record Friday at …

Football / News / Sports

Nigeria vs Ghana: Confusion as CAF doctor collapses, dies after fans invaded MKO Abiola Stadium

Confusion has surrounded the death of Confederation of Africa Football’s doping doctor, Dr. Joseph Kabungo.

Kabungo, a Zambian medical practitioner, was said to have died shortly after Ghana stopped Nigeria from qualifying for the 2022 World Cup on Tuesday.

There are reports that Kabungo died as a result of the stampede that occurred at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja before the commencement of the match.

However, another account blamed fans’ invasion of the pitch after the match for the doctor’s death. It was also reported that the doctor suffered a cardiac arrest.

Neither officials of the Nigeria Football Federation nor CAF have confirmed the doctor’s death.

This is as efforts to reach the officials proved abortive as of the time of filing this report.

British-Nigerian journalist, Osasu Obayiuwana, tweeted that the doctor’s death was confirmed after he was rushed to the hospital.

It was learnt that Kabungo’s family, the Zambia FA and the Government of Zambia had been informed.

Osasu tweeted, “Sad news: I understand that an official for the @NGSuperEagles vs @GhanaBlackstars
match (not a referee or assistant referee) died in #Abuja today.

“His name is Dr Joseph Kabungo from Zambia. He was on duty as Doping officer. He collapsed suddenly and died. Cause of death not confirmed yet. His family, the Zambia FA and the government of Zambia have been duly informed.

“If the death of #Zambian doctor Dr Joseph Kabungo at the #Abuja stadium was caused by being attacked by the #Nigerian fans who invaded the pitch, after the @NGSuperEagles lost the @FIFAWorldCup ticket to @GhanaBlackstars, @thenff would be in terrible trouble with @FIFAcom.”

A Ghanaian sports journalist, Collins Poku, who was also at the venue of the match, alleged that the doctor was beaten to death.

While replying Osasu’s tweet, he posted, “They beat him, he fell and they throded on him. He lost consciousness was rushed to an ambulance closer to the Ghana dressing for CPR. The entire Ghanaian contingent watched on as resuscitation attempts were made with oxygen mask. He was taken …

Basket Ball / Sports

Ball scores 33 points, Hornets spoil Irving’s home debut

Kyrie Irving waited all season for a chance to play in front of his home fans, and this sure wasn’t the way he envisioned it going.

“Not the result we wanted, I didn’t shoot as well as I wanted,” Irving said. “Basically none of the things I had hoped for going well tonight just didn’t happen, and that’s just the flow of basketball.”

It went much better for the other point guard.

LaMelo Ball had 33 points, nine assists and seven rebounds and the Charlotte Hornets spoiled Irving’s first home game of the season by beating the Brooklyn Nets 119-110 on Sunday night.

Irving misfired for 3 1/2 quarters, finally warmed up to give the Nets the lead, and then the Hornets regained control with clutch 3-point shooting to give them a victory that tied them with Brooklyn for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Irving finished with 16 points and tied his season high with 11 assists but shot 6 for 22 from the field. He hadn’t been able to play at home this season until Mayor Eric Adams last week exempted athletes and performers from the New York City’s coronavirus vaccine mandate.

“It was great to see him out there, good to see the fans excited for him,” Kevin Durant said. “Unfortunately we took the ‘L’ though, but we move forward knowing that we have him here and build on what we have and try to get a win next game.”

Miles Bridges scored 24 points and PJ Washington had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets, who won for the seventh time in eight games. They beat the Nets for the second time in three meetings this season, clinching a potential head-to-head tiebreaker.

Durant had 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, playing the entire second half on the second night of a back-to-back. He shot just 9 for 24. Andre Drummond had 20 points and 16 rebounds.

Irving missed 15 of his first 17 shots, but then made two layups and a short jumper to …

Basket Ball / Sports

Bey scores career-high 51 points, Pistons beat Magic 134-120

Saddiq Bey scored a career-high 51 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 134-120 on Thursday night to end a four-game losing streak.

Bey tied the franchise record with 10 3-pointers in 14 attempts. He was 17 for 27 overall.

Two nights after being torched for 16 points in the first quarter by Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving on his way to a 60-point game, the Magic gave up 21 points in the first quarter to Bey.

“I saw those highlights and it was just very efficient. It was within the flow of the game,” Bey said. “That was a great performance to watch, and I think just throughout the NBA there’s been a lot of great performances in the past two weeks. I’m just grateful to be in this league to have the opportunity.”

Marvin Bagley III added 20 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit in the matchup of the bottom two teams in the Eastern Conference. Franz Wagner led Orlando with 26 points.

“Rebuilding is always ugly,” Detroit coach Dwane Casey said, “but there’s a lot of beautiful moments like tonight.”

Bey finished the first half in spectacular fashion, scoring five points in less than five seconds. He hit a 20-footer while falling out of bounds with 8.8 seconds left, came up with a back-court steal and made a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left, leaving the Pistons with a 73-62 lead.

“He had 30 points at half so we were definitely expecting 50,” said Pistons center Isaiah Stewart, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The Magic scored the first nine points of the game, but that lead was quickly erased by Bey. The Pistons moved ahead for keeps on a dunk by Stewart that broke a 50-50 tie midway through the second quarter.

“I think it was just the flow of the game,” Bey said. “I didn’t come into the game saying this is what I’m going to do, but you catch a rhythm and you get in a zone. My teammates did a great job of …

Basket Ball / Sports

Durant, Nets rout 76ers in Simmons’ return to Philadelphia

The 76ers fans came to boo Ben Simmons. They left booing their own team.

Kevin Durant scored 18 of his 25 points in Brooklyn’s dominating first half in the Nets’ 129-100 blowout victory over the 76ers on Thursday night in Simmons’ much-hyped return to Philadelphia.

Seth Curry added 24 points, and Kyrie Irving had 22 for the Nets. They entered in eighth place in the East, but looked like a legitimate conference contender while badly outplaying the third-place 76ers.

Joel Embiid had 27 points and 12 rebounds for the 76ers, and James Harden finished with just 11 points. It was the first loss for Philadelphia in six games with Harden in the lineup.

The game was dubbed as ”Boo Ben” night, but the raucous fans instead turned their displeasure on the home team when the 76ers went to the locker room trailing 72-51 and again when Brooklyn built a stunning 32-point lead in the third quarter.

”I think all of us look at Ben as our brother,” Durant said. ”We knew this was a hostile environment. It’s hard to chant at Ben Simmons when you’re losing by that much.”

Simmons, wearing a designer hockey jersey and flashy jewelry, watched from the bench, likely taking delight in the vitriol deflected away from him. The three-time All-Star is continuing to recover from a back injury that has sidelined him since being swapped for Harden in a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline.

”We definitely felt like Ben was on our heart,” Irving said. ”If you come at Ben, you come at us.”

While Simmons hasn’t taken the floor yet, Harden had been a boon for the 76ers unlike his time in Brooklyn, where the so-called Big 3 of Harden, Durant and Irving managed to play just 16 games together following Harden’s trade to Brooklyn last January that was billed as a potentially championship move. Harden exchanged fist bumps with Nets staff members just before tip before a shockingly poor performance from the 10-time All-Star and former MVP.

Harden missed 14 of 17 …

Basket Ball / Sports

Tatum dominates as Celtics fend off Hornets

ayson Tatum scored 16 of his 44 points in the fourth quarter, and the Boston Celtics defeated the Charlotte Hornets 115-101 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight win.

Tatum, coming off a 54-point performance against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, made 16 of 24 shots from the field and 6 of 9 from beyond the 3-point arc. He also made all six free throws.

He was also effective on defense, helping limit the red hot Terry Rozier to just 14 points on 5-of-17 shooting.

The Celtics are looking like a championship contender, having won 15 of their past 17 games as they continue their rise up the Eastern Conference standings.

“Defense, defense, defense — that’s been the key,” Tatum said.

Jaylen Brown had 15 points, while Robert Williams chipped in with 11 points and 11 rebounds and Al Horford added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics (40-27), who were in control most of the game.

Miles Bridges and P.J. Washington each had 17 points to lead the Hornets, who fell to 1-12 on the second night of back-to-back games.

It was the second straight night the Hornets have been victimized by a star player on their home court. They allowed Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving to score 50 points in a 132-121 loss on Tuesday night.

“He made six highly contested 3s,” Hornets coach James Borrego said of Tatum. “We double-teamed him, we trapped him. He is a hell of a player and is playing as well as anyone right now.”

Tatum began to got hot at the end of the third quarter, helping Boston build an 87-78 lead.

Tatum opened the fourth quarter with a fall-away 3 from the right corner and a long 3 from right wing as the lead increased to 18 points. A few minutes later he canned another 3 from the other wing, even as his body was shifting to the left.

The Hornets mostly played zone against the Celtics in an effort to contain Tatum, but it didn’t work.

“Not be stagnant and …

Basket Ball / Sports

Suns drop Heat, become 1st team to clinch playoff spot

Not that there was any doubt about this, but the Phoenix Suns are going to the playoffs.

The Suns didn’t leave any doubt in a matchup of conference leaders, either.

Devin Booker scored 23 points, Mikal Bridges added 21 and the Suns shook off a slow start to beat the Miami Heat 111-90 on Wednesday night — becoming the first team this season to clinch a postseason berth.

“I told the guys it was one of the best defensive performances I’ve ever seen,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “I’ve been around for a little bit.”

Booker, returning from a four-game absence for virus-related issues — he said he was asymptomatic and didn’t have any problems — flirted with a triple-double, finishing with nine assists and eight rebounds.

His first trip to the playoffs last season ended with a loss in the NBA Finals. He’s looking for a bit more this time.

“We know what we’re working for,” Booker said.

Phoenix improved the NBA’s best record to 53-13, and the reigning Western Conference champion Suns have now beaten all other 29 teams this season — the first time they’ve done that since 2006-07.

The Suns also avenged a 23-point loss to Miami in January.

“I’m sure they remembered that,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “They wanted to really make a statement tonight. They just outplayed us.”

Coming off a victory Tuesday night at Orlando, Phoenix improved its NBA-best road mark to 25-6. The Suns have an 8 1/2-game lead over Memphis and are nine games ahead of Golden State and East-leading Miami.

Deandre Ayton had 19 points on 9-for-10 shooting and 10 rebounds for the Suns, who got 11 points and 15 rebounds from JaVale McGee, and 11 points apiece from Jae Crowder and Cameron Payne.

Duncan Robinson scored 22 points for Miami, which lost for just the third time in its last 15 games.

“They were first to the ball a lot,” Robinson said about the Suns. “They were the aggressor. … Unacceptable.”

Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro each scored …

Basket Ball / Sports

Joel Embiid’s 42 points and a balanced scoring attack power 76ers past Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, 123-120

Joel Embiid was back to his dominant self Thursday night, finishing with game-highs of 42 points and 14 rebounds to go with five assists. This marked his ninth 40-point, 10-rebound game this season.

With the win, the Sixers (35-23) moved up to third place in the Eastern Conference standings. They head into the NBA All-Star break 2½ games behind the first-place Miami Heat.

“I’m playing at such a high level, I don’t want to stop,” Embiid said of the All-Star break. “I want to keep on going. I feel really good. I’m not gonna just not work or take a couple days off.”

But this game wasn’t decided until the Bucks’ Khris Middleton missed a 31-foot three-pointer at the buzzer.

All this comes after the Sixers suffered one of their worst defeats in franchise history.

On Tuesday, the game against the Celtics seemed more like an afterthought. Most of the focus of that day went to the introductory press conference for Harden and Paul Millsap, who were acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks. Then came the excitement associated with Harden ringing the bell prior to the game. And more attention was paid to Harden’s outfit than the barrage of three-pointers the Celtics were raining early.

All that led to a humbling 48-point loss to Boston.

“There was a lot of stuff going on,” Georges Niang said. “But I hate to put any blame on that. You know what I mean? We are professional athletes. It’s not like this is our first rodeo. So like I said before, I don’t want to say it happens. We got popped. It is what it is.”

Doc Rivers knows the perfect time for Sixers to win an NBA championship is this season

With Harden still sidelined with left hamstring strain, the expectation was the Sixers would suffer the same fate against the Bucks.

But Embiid and the Sixers’ balanced attack didn’t let that happen.

Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris both had 19 …

Basket Ball / Sports

Detroit snaps C’s nine-game win streak

The Boston Celtics’ nine-game win streak was snapped Wednesday night with a 112-111 home loss to the Detroit Pistons.

After Tuesday’s 48-point win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston found itself in a dogfight with Detroit. The Pistons went 16-for-30 (53.3%) from 3-point range and drilled seemingly every clutch shot down the stretch. Jayson Tatum couldn’t get the game-winning buzzer-beater to fall, and Detroit was able to escape with a hard-fought victory.

Jerami Grant paced the Pistons with 24 points while Saddiq Bey and rookie Cade Cunningham chipped in 20 apiece. Jaylen Brown led the C’s in scoring for the second consecutive night with 31 points. Tatum added 22, and Grant Williams stepped up with 17 in a starting role.

Here are three instant takeaways from the Celtics’ first loss since Jan. 28, which brings their record to 34-26 heading into the All-Star break. Their next game will take place Feb. 24 in Brooklyn.

Pistons play their hearts out

The Pistons (13-45) are dead-last in the Eastern Conference and have won only two of their last 14, but you wouldn’t know it by watching Wednesday night’s game.

Detroit’s physicality and red-hot 3-point shooting were the keys to its improbable victory. It didn’t let off the gas pedal in the fourth quarter despite the C’s going on a 13-0 run. Jerami Grant’s go-ahead shot with 19.1 seconds remaining proved to be the dagger, followed by Isaiah Stewart’s clutch swat of Jaylen Brown’s shot attempt.

The Pistons outrebounded the Celtics 18-2 on the offensive glass and forced 15 Celtics turnovers, including seven from Tatum.

 …

Basket Ball / Sports

Nuggets’ Monte Morris nails buzzer-beating 3 to sink Warriors

After missing the Denver Nuggets’ three previous games while in concussion protocol, Monte Morris returned to action and gave Denver a huge win in dramatic fashion.

Morris nailed a buzzer-beating three — with a very quick release — to give Denver a 117-116 road victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Denver superstar big man Nikola Jokic was double-teamed in the paint, and with under two seconds remaining, he decided to pass to Morris on the perimeter.

Morris caught the pass with 00.9 seconds remaining and proceeded to beat the buzzer for the game-winning three. That came after Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry made a go-ahead and-one jumper with 5.9 seconds remaining. Denver improves to 33-25 with the win (their third straight), while Golden State falls to 42-117. The Warriors have lost four of their last five games, and they’re now 6.5 games behind the Phoenix Suns for the Western Conference’s top seed.…

Football / News / Sports

DeMar DeRozan stays hot, leads Bulls over Spurs

DeMar DeRozan poured in 40 points and continued his historic scoring run as the Chicago Bulls outlasted the visiting San Antonio Spurs 120-109 on Monday to win their fourth straight game.

The Bulls trailed by six points entering the fourth quarter but then DeRozan took charge, scoring 11 of Chicago’s next 13 points to give the Bulls the lead. The Bulls never trailed again, as DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic dominated the stretch.

San Antonio had two huge turnovers on successive possessions down by four points in the final 1:53 to hamper its comeback attempt.

 

DeRozan has scored 30 or more points in seven consecutive games (improving on a career-high) and established a franchise record with his sixth straight game of at least 35 points, supplanting the mark set by Michael Jordan in the 1996-97 campaign.

 

Vucevic added 25 points and 16 rebounds in the win, with Coby White scoring 24 points and Ayo Dosunmu hitting for 12. Chicago got just 12 points from its bench but shot 52.3 percent from the floor and earned a 58-41 edge on the boards.

 

Lonnie Walker IV led San Antonio with 21 points off the bench. Doug McDermott and Dejounte Murray added 19 points each – Murray also had 11 assists — and Keldon Johnson and Jakob Poeltl scored 13 apiece for the Spurs.

 

The Bulls led 29-27 after a back-and-forth first period as Vucevic (12 points) and White (11) combined for all but six of Chicago’s points.

 

San Antonio swept to the front at 34-29 by scoring the first five points of the second period, after which there were nine lead changes and five tied scores before DeRozan’s two free throws with 48.1 seconds left in the quarter gave the Bulls a 59-57 advantage at the break.

 

White led all scorers with 16 points in the half with DeRozan and Vucevic adding 15 each for Chicago over the first 24 minutes of play. McDermott paced the Spurs with 14 points while Walker IV had 11 and Murray …

NFL / Sports

Matthew Stafford leads Rams in late drive to overcome Bengals, 23-20

The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, in Super Bowl LVI on their home turf at SoFi Stadium, proving that their “Super Bowl or bust” attitude can be successful. Since acquiring Matthew Stafford in the offseason, the Rams have prioritized winning now over future draft picks and acquisitions. Today, the risk paid off as the Rams won their first Super Bowl since 1999 and their second in franchise history.

The Rams were trailing, 20-13, in the third quarter. But the defense stepped up, recording a record-tying seven sacks in the second half alone to stifle Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense. Stafford got the ball back with just over six minutes left to play in the game and led the Rams all the way down the field in a 15-play drive before connecting with Cooper Kupp for a 1-yard touchdown. The Bengals got the ball back with 1:25 left in the game, but the Rams defense managed one more stop to secure the victory.

This was the Bengals’ first Super Bowl appearance since the 1988 season. They are now 0-3 in Super Bowl appearances.

The Rams are the second team in as many seasons to win a Lombardi Trophy on their home turf. For Stafford, a 13-year veteran, the Super Bowl victory comes in his first season with the Rams and is the first of his career. Sean McVay becomes the youngest coach in history to win a Super Bowl.

Rams vs. Bengals final score, results, highlights

Final score: Los Angeles Rams 23, Cincinnati Bengals 20

4th quarter, 1:25 (LAR): Cooper Kupp Pass From Matthew Stafford for 1 Yard, M.Gay extra point is GOOD, Center-M.Orzech, Holder-J.Hekker.

3rd quarter, 6:02 (LAR): Matt Gay Made 41 Yrd Field Goal

3rd quarter, 10:15 (CIN): Evan McPherson Made 38 Yrd Field Goal

3rd quarter, 14:48 (CIN): Tee Higgins Pass From Joe Burrow for 75 Yrds, E.McPherson extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Harris, Holder-K.Huber.

2nd quarter, 5:47 (CIN): Tee Higgins Pass From Joe Mixon for 6 Yrds, E.McPherson extra point is GOOD, Center-C.Harris, …

Basket Ball / Sports

Giannis scores 44, leads Bucks’ 131-116 win over Lakers

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 44 points on 17-for-20 shooting, and Bobby Portis had 23 points with five 3-pointers in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 131-116 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

Khris Middleton scored all of his 21 points in the first half, and Antetokounmpo added 14 rebounds and eight assists while making his first 11 shots as the defending NBA champions won their fourth straight overall and swept back-to-back games against LA’s two teams.

Milwaukee jumped to a 24-point lead in the first half with 70% shooting and led by 30 midway through the third quarter before surviving the Lakers’ strong late rally. The Bucks hung on for their third win on a four-game West Coast road trip that ends with an NBA Finals rematch in Phoenix on Thursday.

LeBron James scored 27 points and Anthony Davis had 22 points and nine rebounds for the Lakers, who couldn’t catch up to the champs even on a rare night with both superstars in their injury-riddled lineup. LA has lost five of seven to fall back to three games below .500.

The Lakers rallied impressively in the fourth quarter, trimming Milwaukee’s lead to 10 points midway through the period with a 20-5 run. Portis’ fifth 3-pointer stopped the surge, and the Lakers never got closer than 11 again.

Los Angeles dropped to 10-8 with both James and Davis in their lineup during a season totally lacking in continuity due to lengthy absences for its two cornerstones. James looked tired at times in just his second game back from a five-game absence for the Lakers, who haven’t won back-to-back games since Jan. 7.

Malik Monk scored 20 points and Stanley Johnson added a season-high 16 for the Lakers in a reserve role.

After giving up 42 points to the Knicks in the first quarter on Saturday night, the Lakers allowed 38 to the Bucks in the opening period. Milwaukee took a 51-28 lead in the second by scoring seven points on one trip down the floor with a pair of 3-pointers sandwiching …

Basket Ball / News / Sports

Booker scores 38 as NBA-best Suns hold off Bulls

Devin Booker scored 38 points and the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns hung on to beat the Chicago Bulls 127-124 on Monday night.

The Suns led by 27 in the third quarter and withstood a push down the stretch to win for the 13th time in 14 games. They improved to 43-10 overall and a league-best 21-5 on the road.

Booker hit the 30-point mark for the third time in four games. The All-Star guard made 14 of 23 shots, including five 3-pointers.

Chris Paul added 19 points and 11 assists for Phoenix. JaVale McGee finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, and Mikal Bridges scored 15.

DeMar DeRozan had 38 points for the Bulls after scoring a season-high 45 in Sunday’s loss to Philadelphia. Zach LaVine added 32 points after missing two games because of back spasms.

Chicago lost for the third time in four games.

…
Football / Sports

Senegal win Africa Cup of Nations for first time in history

The first Africa Cup of Nations to be played in Cameroon since 1972 sees plenty of stars colliding, and the final is going to be epic.

Liverpool stars Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah will do battle as they try to lead their respective nations to glory.

A tournament ripe with Premier League players and prospects holds sway over an entire continent for nearly a month with the final coming set to be sensational.

Burkina Faso have been the surprise story of the tournament but Sadio Mane’s Senegal but them in the first semifinal. Hosts Cameroon then lost to Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in the other semi.

There has not been a repeat winner or finalist at AFCON since Egypt won at home in 2006 before claiming the 2008 tournament title in Ghana and the 2010 edition in Angola.

Algeria beat Senegal 1-0 in 2019 to triumph in Egypt and become the seventh nation to win multiple AFCONs, following Democratic Republic of Congo (1968, 1974), Ivory Coast (1992, 2015), Nigeria (1980, 1994, 2013), Ghana (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982), Cameroon (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017), and Egypt (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010).

Below you’ll find the tables, schedules, how to watch Africa Cup of Nations live info, and outright odds for the winner.

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Basket Ball / Sports

Curry Drops 40, Including 21 In Fourth, As Warriors Beat Rockets

It was return to top form for MVP candidate Stephen Curry, who scored 21 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter on Monday night, to lead Golden State past the Houston Rockets.

The resultant victory marks a sixth consecutive win for the Warriors, while Houston extended its skid at home to 11 straight games.

Curry made seven 3-pointers, four in the fourth quarter, and had nine assists and five rebounds. His 21 fourth-quarter points were the most of his career.

Andrew Wiggins added 23 points for the Warriors and Klay Thompson had 14.

The Rockets, who lost their fourth straight game overall, were led by Christian Wood’s 24 points and 13 rebounds.…

Football

January 2022 transfer window done deals ( EPL )

See all the done deals from the Premier League

 

Ins

Dele Alli – Tottenham to Everton, £40m

 

Christian Eriksen – Unattached to Brentford, free

Wout Weghorst – Wolfsburg to Burnley, £12m

Julian Alvarez – River Plate to Manchester City – £14m

Rodrigo Bentancur – Juventus to Tottenham, £21.5m

Dejan Kulusevski – Juventus to Tottenham, loan

Matt Targett – Aston Villa to Newcastle, loan

Deniz Undav – Royale Union Saint-Gilloise to Brighton – £6m

Donny van de Beek – Manchester United to Everton, loan

Auston Trusty – Colorado Rapids to Arsenal, undisclosed (starts on July 17)

Benicio Baker-Boaitey – Porto to Brighton, loan

Jean-Philippe Mateta – Mainz 05 to Crystal Palace, undisclosed

Amani Richards – Arsenal to Leicester, undisclosed

Dan Burn – Brighton to Newcastle, £13m

Luke Plange – Derby to Crystal Palace, £1m

Billy Crellin – Fleetwood Town to Everton

 

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