Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points and Amare Stoudemire added 16 and 11 rebounds as the New York Knicks kept the Philadelphia 76ers winless after 13 games with a 91-83 victory on Saturday.
Jose Calderon made his season debut for the Knicks, who were on a losing streak but had an easy time against a team who were every bit as bad as their record for most of the game. The 76ers are the first team to drop their first 13 games since the 2009-2010 Nets lost 18 straight in the worst start in NBA history. Philadelphia are nearing their club-worst start of 0-15 in 1972-1973, when they finished 9-73 for the worst-ever 82-game mark.
Meanwhile, Gerald Green led all scorers with 23 points as the Phoenix Suns remained one of the peak teams in the NBA after a 106-83 road win over the Indiana Pacers.
Markieff Morris added 13 for Phoenix, Goran Dragic had 11 and Isaiah Thomas pitched in with 16 points off the bench for the Suns.
Indiana were led by Rodney Stuckey, who scored 14 points.
Elsewhere, Miami’s Chris Bosh scored 14 of his season-high 32 points in the fourth to lead Miami 99-92 over the Orlando Magic.
Bosh’s two free-throws with 6 minutes, 45 seconds left pulled the Heat out of a 77-77 tie and started a 14-4 run that put them in charge of their 10th straight win against their state rivals.
In Cleveland, Lou Williams scored a career-high 36 as the Toronto Raptors turned an 18-point deficit into a 110-93 win that sent the Cavaliers to their fourth straight loss.
The Raptors, who have won four in a row and are off to their best start, trailed 26-8 less than 4 minutes into the game, but showed why they have the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Also on Saturday, the Wizards defeated the Bucks 111-100 after Paul Pierce scored 25 points and John Wall added 19, while Tony Parker netted 22 to lead the Spurs 99-87 over the Brooklyn Nets.
In other games, Houston edged Dallas 95-92, Sacramento defeated Minnesota 113-101 and New Orleans beat Utah 106-94.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely