Oklahoma City Thunder dropped into a tie for the NBA’s best record when they lost 121-118 at the Denver Nuggets in overtime on Sunday.
Kenneth Faried scored the go-ahead layup in overtime, dropping the Thunder equal with the Los Angeles Clippers on 32-9 records.
Also on Sunday, Detroit returned from a trip to London and beat Boston, the Los Angeles Lakers’ dire season got even worse with a defeat by the lowly Toronto Raptors, and Dallas hung on to edge Orlando.
Denver’s Corey Brewer scored 26 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, as the Nuggets reversed a 20-point loss to Oklahoma City last Wednesday. Danilo Gallinari added 18 points.
The Thunder lost for the first time in five overtime games this season despite 37 points from Kevin Durant and 36 from Russell Westbrook.
The game was a difficult one emotionally as well for Thunder coach Scott Brooks, whose mother, Lee, died on Saturday.
The Detroit Pistons showed no sign of weariness as they returned to US shores following a loss in London and beat the Boston Celtics 103-88.
Rookie Andre Drummond had 16 points and seven rebounds, while also making six of eight free throws for Detroit, who blew an 18-point second-quarter lead, but pulled away again in the second half.
Kevin Garnett scored 16 points for Boston, who never led.
The Toronto Raptors won 108-103 to hand the struggling Lakers their fifth consecutive defeat on the road.
Landry Fields had a season-high 18 points and 10 rebounds while Jose Calderon had 22 points and nine assists for the Raptors, who had lost their previous four against the Lakers.
Kobe Bryant scored 26 points for Los Angeles, whose road skid is their longest in six years.
Dallas’ Shawn Marion had 20 points, and O.J. Mayo and Vince Carter scored 15 apiece as the Mavericks held off a late Orlando Magic surge and won 111-105.
The Mavericks led by 13 in the fourth quarter, before the Magic pulled within a basket in the final minute.
Dallas earned their seventh straight road victory in their series against Orlando.
Glen Davis’ 24 points led Orlando, who had lost seven straight games against opponents with a sub-.500 record.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two