LeBron James scored 33 points and shut out Kobe Bryant when the two superstars guarded each other in the final 2 minutes, 23 seconds, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 94-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
James, the NBA's leading scorer, added 10 rebounds and five assists. But it was his pressure on Bryant in the final minutes that helped the Cavs bounce back from a dismal defensive effort in a loss at New York on Wednesday night.
Bryant finished with 21 points, but missed two shots with James chasing him and the Lakers went none-for-eight from the floor in the final 4 minutes.
PHOTO: AP
Lamar Odom added 19 points for the Lakers and Andrew Bynum had 17 points.
Nets 107, Heat 103, OT
In Miami, Vince Carter scored 31 points, Richard Jefferson added 29 and New Jersey overcame a seven-point deficit late in regulation before winning in overtime.
Carter was 10-for-10 from the line, including four in overtime.
Former Miami forward Malik Allen scored a season-high 18 points on nine-for-11 shooting, Jason Kidd had 11 rebounds and 10 assists and Josh Boone scored five of his 11 points in overtime for the Nets.
Dwyane Wade had his second season-high scoring effort in two nights for Miami -- and saw both wasted in overtime losses. He scored 41 points.
SS Lazio on Monday fired the far-right sympathizer who handles their eagle mascot after he posted online a series of videos and pictures of his erect penis. Falconer Juan Bernabe, who has been present at Lazio home matches with Olimpia the eagle since the 2010-2011 season, posted the footage on social media after having surgery on Saturday to implant a penile prosthesis to improve his sexual performance. Lazio said that they had “terminated, with immediate effect” their relationship with Bernabe “due to the seriousness of his conduct,” adding that they were “shocked” by the images. The Serie A club added that Bernabe’s dismissal
‘TOUGH TO BREATHE’: Tunisian three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur suffered an asthma attack in her 7-5, 6-3 victory over Colombia’s Camila Osorio Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei yesterday cruised into the second round of the women’s doubles at the Australian Open, while Iga Swiatek romped into a third-round women’s singles showdown with Emma Raducanu and Taylor Fritz was just as emphatic in his pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam title. Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, the third seeds, defeated Slovakia’s Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls of Britain 7-5, 6-2 in 90 minutes in Melbourne. Ostapenko and Hsieh — who won the women’s doubles and mixed doubles at the Australian Open last year — hit 25 winners and converted five of nine break points to set
Dubbed a “motorway for cyclists” where avid amateurs can chase Tadej Pogacar up mountains teeming with the highest concentration of professional cyclists per square kilometer in the world, Spain’s Costa Blanca has forged a new reputation for itself in the past few years. Long known as the ideal summer destination for those in search of sun, sea and sand, the stretch of coast between Valencia and Alicante now has a winter vocation too. During the season break in December and January, the region experiences an invasion of cyclists. Star names such as three-time Tour de France winner Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe
AGING WELL: Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, 22, was sent packing after being dispatched by world No. 97, Laura Siegemund, the second-oldest player in the draw at 36 Novak Djokovic yesterday created a slice of Grand Slam history on his way into the Australian Open third round, but last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen was knocked out in the biggest shock so far. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, in-form Coco Gauff, two-time Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all victors on a rainy day four. Play was suspended on the outside courts for a couple of hours in the early evening because of the wet weather. That led to the rescheduling of a women’s doubles match between wild-cards Tsao Chia-yi of Taiwan and Thailand’s Peangtarn Plipuech and 11th
RSS