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OG Anunoby is taking an offensive leap
Toronto Raptor fans are finally seeing OG Anunoby take the leap his young career has promised, particularly on the offensive end of the floor.
Toronto Raptor fans are finally seeing OG Anunoby take the leap his young career has promised, particularly on the offensive end of the floor.
The golf world wore red shirts and black pants to honor Tiger Woods on Sunday.
Alex Ovechkin broke a second-period tie and the streaking Capitals welcomed back starting goalie Ilya Samsonov with a 3-2 victory over the skidding Devils.
Raptors-Bulls postponed as Raptors don't have enough players to play due to COVID-19 protocols.
Giannis scored 36 points and sparked a closing 9-0 run to help the Bucks rally to beat the Clippers 105-100 on Sunday for their fifth straight win.
Oliver Wahlstrom and JG Pageau each scored PP goals as the Islanders finished a strong February with a 2-0 win over the Penguins on Sunday.
Luka Doncic is, once again, shattering records.
Toronto acquired the 27-year-old pitcher from the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday in exchange for cash considerations.
Irv Cross played in the league from 1961-69, and then spent 23 years with CBS as an NFL analyst.
PGA champion Collin Morikawa shook off an early mistake and and closed with a 3-under 69 for a three-shot victory at the Workday Championship.
Mike Tomlin, typically quiet during the offseason, is speaking out about a 'collective failure' in NFL hiring practices.
CALGARY — Kerri Einarson won a second straight Canadian women's curling championship with a 9-7 win over Ontario's Rachel Homan on Sunday. Einarson, third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard and lead Briane Meilleur from Manitoba's Gimli Curling Club defeated Homan in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts final for the second time in as many years. Einarson's team was the first to repeat since Homan in 2013 and 2014. Einarson had to make a draw with her final shot in an extra end to claim her first championship in Moose Jaw, Sask. The skip didn't have to throw her final stone Sunday in Calgary. Einarson lay two counters in the rings when Homan was too deep on an attempted freeze. The COVID-19 pandemic had Einarson's foursome celebrating a second championship in an otherwise quiet arena without spectators. Homan has lost three straight Hearts finals, including a loss to Chelsea Carey in 2019. Einarson's team retained the Maple Leaf as Team Canada for the 2022 national championship in Thunder Bay, Ont., and picked up $100,000 in first-place prize money. But Einarson again won't play for a women's world championship. The World Curling Federation cancelled the March 20-28 tournament in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, because the local Swiss health authority would not support it in a global pandemic. Einarson and her teammates had arrived in Prince George, B.C., for the 2020 world championship and immediately headed home when the pandemic brought international sport to a standstill. The WCF pulled the plug Feb. 8 on this year's championship, so Einarson and company knew before their first game in Calgary they would again be denied the chance to play for a world title if they repeated. Another Einarson versus Homan matchup for the title marked the first time in the 40-year history of the Tournament of Hearts that the same two teams met in the championship game in back-to-back years. Homan and her team struggled to read the ice, but stole two points in the ninth to draw even with Einarson. Ontario was chasing in the fifth end when Einarson scored three for a 5-3 lead. Ontario also trailed 7-4 in the seventh when Einarson scored a deuce. But Homan scored a single point in the eighth and stole the deuce in the ninth when Einarson opted for a tricky raise instead of a hit to concede a single point. Einarson beat Alberta's Laura Walker 9-3 in the afternoon semifinal to earn a showdown with Homan at night. Walker eliminated six-time champion Jennifer Jones of Manitoba with a 9-8 win in a morning tiebreaker. Homan earned prize money of $60,000 as the runner-up, and Walker collected $40,000 for third place. The Hearts was the first of four Curling Canada events shifted to a spectator-free, controlled environment at WinSport's Markin MacPhail Centre in an effort to have a season and get curling on TSN. The Canadian men's championship starts Friday, followed by national mixed doubles and the men's world championship April 3-11. Another two Grand Slam events, which are Rogers Sportsnet properties, are planned for later in April. Tourism Calgary predicts the six curling events in Calgary will inject $11 million into the local economy. Einarson and the 17 other women's teams were the first test of the curling bubble They arrived in Calgary with a few games played this winter, and depending on pandemic restrictions in their region, little practice time at their local clubs. Homan, who is pregnant and due in April, lacked ice time to adapt her stone delivery to her changing body before arriving in Calgary. Ontario also incorporated lineup changes on the fly at the Hearts. Homan dropped longtime lead Lisa Weagle last year to bring Sarah Wilkes on board at second and shift Joanne Courtney to lead. They didn't have the benefit of 50 games to re-establish chemistry and communication. Einarson's advantage was an unchanged lineup from the team that had bested Homan a year earlier. Einarson, Sweeting and Birchard were named to the tournament's first all-star team at their positions with Manitoba lead Lisa Weagle breaking up an Einarson sweep of selections. Homan, Wild Card One third Selena Njegovan, Manitoba second Jocelyn Peterman and Courtney were second-team all-star picks. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2021. Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
DETROIT — Julius Randle scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half and the New York Knicks moved above .500 with a 109-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. The Knicks (18-17) have the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference and have won seven of their last nine games. They had an easy time with the last-place Pistons, taking an 11-point lead into halftime and extending that to 24 in the second half. This is the first time the Knicks have been above .500 this far into the season since they were 54-28 at the end of 2012-13, according to SportRadar. Derrick Rose scored 14 points, less than a month after he was traded from the Pistons to the Knicks. Dennis Smith Jr., who went to Detroit in that deal, started and scored seven. Jerami Grant scored 21 points for the Pistons. They shot just 38% from the field and went 9 of 32 from 3-point range. Detroit has lost six of seven. RJ Barrett scored 21 points for the Knicks, and Alec Burks added 16. TIP-INS Knicks: Taj Gibson (left ankle sprain), Elfrid Payton (right sore hamstring) and Mitchell Robinson (right hand surgery) were out. ... New York shot 51% from the field and 13 of 26 from beyond the arc. Pistons: Detroit has been holding Blake Griffin out while trying to resolve his future. Delon Wright (right adductor strain) also missed Sunday's game. ... The Pistons avoided their lowest point total of the season, which was 86 against Utah on Jan. 10. UP NEXT Knicks: At San Antonio on Tuesday night. Pistons: Vs. Toronto in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday night. Noah Trister, The Associated Press
HOUSTON — Justise Winslow scored 20 points and the Memphis Grizzles pounded Houston 133-84 on Sunday night for the Rockets' 11th straight loss. In just his fourth game back after missing more than a year because of a hip injury, Winslow — playing in his hometown — had his best scoring night since October 2019. Memphis had lost three of four before blowing out the slumping Rockets. Houston has its longest losing streak since a 15-game skid in November and December 2001. The 84 points are the Rockets' lowest total since Nov. 8, 2018, in a loss to Oklahoma City. Houston was 4 of 45 3s on 3-pointers. John Wall and Jae’Sean Tate each had 14 points for the Rockets. Brandon Clarke added 16 points for Memphis, Desmond Bane had 15, De’Anthony Melton 14 and Kyle Anderson and Tyus Jones 13 each. The Grizzlies led 25-18 lead after the first quarter, then outscored the Rockets 38-19 in the second for a 63-37 lead. After the break, the Grizzlies quickly scored two easy baskets, leading to a timeout by Houston just 54 seconds into the third quarter. Memphis outscored the Rockets 35-8 on fast-break points and 74-36 on points in the paint. TIP-INS Grizzlies: SG Grayson Allen (concussion protocol) remained sidelined after taking an elbow to the head on Friday night against the Clippers. Bane started in Allen’s place, scoring 11 points in 23 minutes. . C Killian Tillie made his NBA debut and made down a late 3-pointer to loud cheers from the Memphis bench. Rockets: Center Justin Patton made his first career start. He had 10 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes, and was Rockets' only starter to make a 3-pointer. UP NEXT Grizzlies: At Washington on Tuesday night. Rockets: Hosts Cleveland on Monday night. The Associated Press
After Aaron Rodgers name dropped Jodie Foster during his MVP speech, Foster returned the favor on Sunday night.
MIAMI — The Miami Heat are back at .500, not even a couple weeks removed from being near the very bottom of the Eastern Conference. Kendrick Nunn scored 24 points, Bam Adebayo had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and the Heat extended the NBA’s longest current winning streak to six games by beating the Atlanta Hawks 109-99 on Sunday night. Previous Achiuwa had 14 points in 12 reserve minutes for Miami, which used a 10-0 run late in the fourth to pull away. Tyler Herro had 12 of his 14 points for Miami in the fourth quarter and Goran Dragic scored 13 for the Heat. John Collins led all scorers with 34 points for Atlanta, and grabbed 10 rebounds. Clint Capela finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds for the Hawks, while Trae Young added 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. But Young shot just 3 for 14, and the Hawks have now lost 19 consecutive games when Young doesn’t score at least 20 points. Kevin Huerter scored 13 for the Hawks. The teams play again Tuesday in Miami. The Heat were without Jimmy Butler, out with inflammation in his right knee. Miami led 54-44 at the half, a big part of that because of their defence on Young. He was scoreless until 2:53 remained in the half, the deepest he’s gone into a game this season without a point. Collins was 4 for 4 in the second quarter, helping keep the Hawks within striking distance. He stayed dominant in the third. Collins had 19 in that quarter alone — the second-most any player has had in a quarter against Miami this season, one shy of the 20 that Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid had in the third quarter of the 76ers’ win over the Heat on Jan. 12. Capela added 10 in the third and the Hawks briefly recaptured the lead before going into the fourth down just 78-77. Collins and Capela were 13 for 18 in the third quarter; the rest of the Hawks were 1 for 8 and Young — just as he was in the first quarter — was scoreless. Young had nine in the fourth, but it wasn't enough. TIP-INS Hawks: Young’s scoreless first quarter was his fifth of the season. The Hawks are 0-5 in those games this season and 0-13 in those games since the finale of his rookie year. ... Rajon Rondo’s last seven games in Miami have come with him playing for seven different teams: Boston, Dallas, Sacramento, Chicago, New Orleans, the Lakers and now Atlanta. Heat: Among those in the crowd of about 3,000 was celebrity chef Guy Fieri. ... Adebayo now has six consecutive double-doubles, tying a career-best. ... Miami was just 11 for 37 on 3's, but held Atlanta to an 8-for-35 night from deep. BUTLER’S KNEE The Heat are listing Butler as day-to-day. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Butler was with the team for shootaround Sunday morning and the knee “didn’t loosen up the way he wanted it to.” Spoelstra added that he believes the issue is minor. FLORIDA MEN This game was the first of four consecutive the Hawks will play in Florida — they’re at Miami again Tuesday, at Orlando on Wednesday and vs. Toronto in Tampa to start the second half on March 11. They are scheduled to play four straight in California from March 20-26, and have had only one four-game stretch in Georgia so far this season. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
It’s an endearing title that’s almost synonymous with Black female success and positivity, and it’s now an avenue for Black female athletes to be celebrated and embraced by millions of people.
Feb. 27, 2021 -- Canelo Alvarez vs. Avni Yildirim from the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
TAMPA, Fla. — Aaron Judge tossed several balls into the crowd, just like always. Only this year the fans can't toss them back to the New York Yankees star in a friendly game of catch. So while the souvenirs stay in the seats because of COVID-19 protocols, the slugging right fielder is still getting something in return. A reaction, even for making a routine out. "I hit a groundball but just hearing the fans kind of spark up,” Judge said. “You hear that instant crowd reaction. Kind of had little butterflies getting back to your first at-bat.” On the opening day of the exhibition season, Judge went 0 for 2 in the Yankees' 6-4 loss to Toronto in a game shortened to seven innings, as Major League Baseball is permitting in these early spring training matchups. An announced crowd of 2,637 at Steinbrenner Field — about 25 per cent of capacity — marked the first time the Yankees have played before fans since a spring training game last March 12. “We’re all excited to finally have some fans even though it wasn’t a packed house, but anything is better than nothing," Judge said. The game had most of the normal pomp and circumstance at the Yankees' spring training home opener. New York wore its pinstripe uniforms for the only time during the exhibition season. The jersey top this season has a No. 16 patch on the left sleeve honouring Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, who died last year. Both teams gathered along the infield foul lines for the announcement of the starting lineups. A moment of silence was held for Yankees co-chairperson Hank Steinbrenner, who also died in 2020. The limited crowd size is one of the safety protocols in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We made reference to it a couple times, how nice is it having people in the stands,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I saw a highlight before we walked out of BP. A kid chasing a ball going over the fence and those kind of things. It’s been too long.” But differences from the past remain quite evident. The Yankees’ YES Network play-by-play team of Michael Kay and David Cone both worked from home. Radio announcers John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman called the game remotely as well. Protocols at Steinbrenner Field include a masking mandate, which was flouted by a number of fans. Judge, meanwhile, eagerly awaits a time when he can again play catch with fans in-between innings. In the meantime, he has a plan to overcome the limited interaction. “Just let my play be the connection,” Judge said. “Put on a show. I think that’s all you can really do. ” NOTES: Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and Detroit RHP Kyle Funkhouser are the scheduled starters for Monday’s game at Steinbrenner Field. It will be new Tigers manager and former Houston skipper AJ Hinch’s first game against the New York since the Astros' sign-stealing scandal broke last year — a scheme that many in the New York organization feel cost them a World Series trip in 2017. “We spoke about this at length last year and dealt with it,” Boone said. “I have beyond moved on from it.” ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Associated Press
Dan Dakich started feuding on Twitter with several professors over Duke star Jalen Johnson's decision to opt out of the rest of the season early.
Byron is the third winner in the first three races of 2021.