Blazers’ Lillard has 71 pts and 13 3s, then gets drug tested
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard set franchise and career highs with 71 points which tied for the most in the NBA this season and 13 3-pointers and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a two-game losing streak with a 131-114 victory over the Houston Rockets. Lillard tied Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell for the most points in a game this season after Mitchell also scored 71 in a win over Chicago on Jan. 2. Lillard broke his own franchise mark of 61 points, which he’d done twice, on a 3-pointer with 4:42 left that also broke his career record for 3s in a game with 11. Lillard’s 13 3-pointers were one shy of the NBA record set by Golden State’s Klay Thompson in 2018.
Beyond Kane, much uncertainty ahead of NHL trade deadline
A handful of big moves already have been made well ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Plenty more are expected before Friday at 3 p.m. Eastern. Patrick Kane going from Chicago to the New York Rangers is the most highly anticipated deal on the docket. Aside from that, there is plenty of uncertainty and additional big-name players who could change places. Sunday alone brought Timo Meier getting traded from San Jose to New Jersey, Tanner Jeannot going from Nashville to Tampa Bay and Ivan Barbashev from St. Louis to Vegas. In the next few days, Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun is likely to be traded, too.
Rangers’ Miller ejected for spitting at Kings’ Doughty
NEW YORK (AP) — Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller was given a match penalty and ejected after spitting at Kings defenseman Drew Doughty late in the first period of Sunday’s game. Miller’s absence left the Rangers with just five defensemen the remainder of the game — the second time in two days they’ve had to finish a game a player short at the position. Ryan Lindgren left New York’s game at Washington on Saturday with an apparent left shoulder injury after a hit into the boards from T.J. Oshie in the first period.
Jake Paul takes first ring defeat by split decision to Fury
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — YouTube star Jake Paul has suffered the first defeat of his professional boxing career. He lost a split decision Sunday night to Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia. Paul knocked down the unbeaten Fury with a short left hand early in the final round of their cruiserweight bout, but the younger half-brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury controlled long stretches of the eight-round meeting at Diriyah Arena. Two judges scored the bout 76-73 for Fury, while the third favored Paul, 75-74. The 23-year-old Fury is the first true professional boxer fought by Paul.
Mets’ Scherzer loves ‘cat-and-mouse’ game of MLB’s new rules
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — New York Mets right-hander Max Scherzer described pitching under Major League Baseball’s new rules as a “cat-and-mouse” game. Contrary to previous years, Scherzer feels the pitcher finally has control of the tempo because of the new pitch clock. In his first start of the Grapefruit League schedule, Scherzer was touched for a run in the second inning but struck out five while working the first two innings of the Mets’ 6-3 win over Washington. The average game time through three days of spring training is 2 hours, 39 minutes, down from an average of 3:01 for all of spring training last year.
Klinsmann hired to coach South Korea’s national soccer team
SEOUL (AP) — Former Germany great Jurgen Klinsmann has been hired to coach South Korea’s national soccer team. The 58-year-old Klinsmann won the World Cup as a player with West Germany in 1990. He replaces Paulo Bento. The Portuguese coach left the team after leading South Korea to the second round at last year’s World Cup in Qatar. Klinsmann says “I know well that the Korean national team has been … constantly improving and producing results.” Klinsmann signed a contract through the 2026 World Cup. Klinsmann coached Germany to the World Cup semifinals in 2006 and then led the United States to the round of 16 in 2014.
Machado rips RBI double after agreeing to $350M deal
PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Manny Machado continues to be a very rich man. He also is still a very good hitter. Machado ripped an RBI double on the same day he agreed to a new $350 million, 11-year contract that will keep him with the San Diego Padres through 2033, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because Machado must pass a physical before the deal is finalized. Machado got a big cheer from Padres fans on a chilly afternoon in Arizona before a spring training game against the Diamondbacks.
Man United targets more trophies after winning League Cup
LONDON (AP) — What else can Manchester United achieve in a season that is shaping up nicely for manager Erik ten Hag? United’s four-pronged challenge is still on after beating Newcastle 2-0 in the League Cup final on Sunday. A team that had become all too accustomed to failure in recent years is quickly getting a taste for success after the impressive turnaround overseen by Ten Hag. He needed just 10 months to deliver his first trophy as United manager and end a six-year silverware drought for the 20-time English champion. Now thoughts turn to more prizes this season. Tottenham beat Chelsea 2-0 in the only Premier League game on Sunday to put more pressure on Blues manager Graham Potter.
Nicklaus says PGA National will have stronger field in ’24
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jack Nicklaus thinks the Honda Classic, by whatever name it’ll be known as next year, should have a chance at a stronger field because of looming changes to the PGA Tour schedule. Nicklaus said the schedule will change in 2024 and give South Florida’s lone tour event a chance at attracting some higher-ranked players. None of the top 17 players in the current world rankings were in this year’s Honda field. Nicklaus said the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational will be elevated tournaments next year, with the Phoenix Open losing that status. Honda is ending its title sponsorship of the tournament at PGA National.
Verstappen again the man to beat in F1 in 2023
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was so far ahead last season that catching the Formula One champion may feel like scaling a mountain.So that’s exactly what Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc did to get himself ready for the challenge, which starts next Sunday at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The 25-year-old from Monaco headed up to the Italian Dolomites for some “extreme training” that left him “fully recharged and ready for” another crack at Verstappen, his former junior karting rival. And while Lewis Hamilton has long been a perfectionist when it comes to physical fitness, this time the Mercedes veteran tried something new: a week in Antarctica whale-spotting.
