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Celtics clinch NBA’s best record with runaway win against OKC

Basketball

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April 5, 2024

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Celtics clinch NBA’s best record with runaway win against OKC

Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault likened the Celtics’ performance this season to that of a Ferrari.

Boston’s latest victory over the Thunder earned it yet another luxury with the playoffs fast approaching.

Kristaps Porzingis had 27 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks, helping the Celtics power past the Thunder 135-100 on Wednesday night to secure the best record in the NBA and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Boston, which won its 11th consecutive home game, improved to 60-16 on the season to notch its 14th 60-win season in franchise history. The only other franchise with at least 10 such seasons is the Lakers, who have 11, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

“We deserve it. I think it’s possibly going to matter if we follow through with the vision we have for ourselves,” Porzingis said.

The Celtics, who also were led by Jayson Tatum‘s 24 points and Jaylen Brown‘s 23 points and seven rebounds, trailed for only 62 seconds in the game.

Brown likes the progression the team has been making as the regular season winds down.

“We’re not skipping any steps,” Brown said. “Sixty wins. I think we’re on track. When the playoffs start, it’s back to square one.”

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said the milestone is another achievement his team won’t take for granted. But he also said it isn’t something he wants the Celtics to dwell on.

“It’s very hard to do. We may never be in this position again,” Mazzulla said. “We talked about it as a team. We talked about it before the game, to try to treat this game as the clincher. To kind of put that on ourselves to be able to do that. I think it was important for us to simulate that. … We should enjoy it tonight, and when wake up tomorrow — nobody cares.”

Brown was questionable heading into the game with a sprained left hand. He said he got it examined after Boston’s win at Charlotte on Monday and described it as a sprained ligament.

“I think it’s fine. It’s something I’m not concerned with moving forward,” he said. “But it bothered me a little bit tonight.”

Boston led by as many as 16 in the first half before Oklahoma City cut it to six points in the third quarter. Leading by 10 after three, the Celtics opened the fourth with a 12-4 run to stretch their lead to 105-87.

Josh Giddey led Oklahoma City with 17 points. Luguentz Dort added 15 points. The Thunder finished with 14 turnovers and were just 5-of-24 from beyond the arc.

OKC played without All-Star and leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who sat for the fourth time in five games with a bruised right quadriceps. Jalen Williams missed his second straight with a sprained left ankle.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

IPL 2024 – Kuldeep Yadav advised rest after groin niggle

Cricket

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April 5, 2024

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IPL 2024 – Kuldeep Yadav advised rest after groin niggle

Kuldeep Yadav has picked up a groin niggle, which had ruled him out of Delhi Capitals’s previous two matches in IPL 2024. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Kuldeep has been advised rest as a precautionary move, but there is no confirmation yet on when he will be ready to play again.

The injury is probably not serious, considering Kuldeep has been travelling with the Capitals squad and is currently in Mumbai where they play their next match – against Mumbai Indians on April 7.

Kuldeep played Capital’s opening two matches this season – both away games, against Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals – and picked up three wickets. But he missed their next games in Visakhapatnam, their second home venue: against Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. While the Capitals won against CSK, they sorely missed Kuldeep in their 106-run defeat against KKR, after which their head coach Ricky Ponting said he was “almost embarrassed”.

The Indian selectors will be monitoring Kuldeep’s progress closely, given he is a frontrunner to take one of the spin slots in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup, which starts on June 1 in the West Indies and the USA.

Kuldeep entered the IPL after a successful five-match Test series against England, where he bowled more than one match-turning spell. Kuldeep played from the second Test onwards and finished with 19 wickets, including a five-for in the final Test in Dharamsala, where he was named the Player of the Match.

After Sunday’s game, Capitals’ next match is against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on April 12.

Inflatable domes a big hit for Quebec’s indoor tennis players – Montreal

Tennis

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April 5, 2024

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Inflatable domes a big hit for Quebec’s indoor tennis players – Montreal

It’s not a revolutionary change, but inflatable domes covering outdoor tennis courts are serving up aces with local tennis players.

“This is obviously a great asset for us,” Jean Péloquin, a tennis player at the Club de Tennis François Godbout in Waterloo, Que., told Global News.

The four exterior courts have been temporarily covered with a vinyl-coated polyester dome, allowing tennis to be played in the winter. Inside, it’s heated and well lit.

”The more the better. I mean, people will be able to keep on playing year round,” Péloquin said.

The idea was spearheaded by local teaching pro, Norman Rothsching. He had been working for years to have a facility like this built and finally, he was able to convince Tennis Canada to pay $200,000 in seed money for the $1.6 million structure. The balance came from corporate sponsors, the City of Waterloo and an individual donation.

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”It’s a partnership between a non-profit and the city, so our overhead is very low. Therefore, we can charge the players less. They pay less,” Rothsching, told Global News.

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The dome was installed last fall and is slated to be removed in the spring. It’s the only one of its kind in the province of Quebec sanctioned by Tennis Canada, which has also subsidized similar domes in other cities across the country.

The goal of Tennis Canada is to build 30 domes to cover 160 courts by 2029 and make tennis a lot more accessible and affordable to people who would otherwise have to become members of private indoor clubs, which are more expensive.

”We try to find ways that playing all year round doesn’t cost so much and that’s our mission. We’re trying to get more people on the courts,” Eugène Lapierre, a special adviser to the CEO of Tennis Canada, told Global News.

François Godbout, who is a former top-ranked Canadian player, helped fund the dome and is thrilled with its success.

”It’s beyond my wildest dreams, I tell you. We have over 500 members and it’s booming,” he told Global News.

The covered courts also attract a lot of youths who would normally never pick up a tennis racquet in the winter.

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”We have three schools here that could walk here. About 1,500 students locally” Rothsching said.

His 12 year-old son normally plays hockey in the winter, but thanks to the dome, he too is getting a big hit out playing in the inflatable bubble.

”I like it a lot. I haven’t been in a place like this,” Simon Rothsching said.

It’s a big hit for indoor tennis under a removable dome whose popularity is inflating.

&copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Blue Jays show off stadium renovations

Sport News

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April 5, 2024

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TORONTO – The so-called outfield district got the love last year at Rogers Centre. Now it’s time for a renovated 100-level seating area, new-look dugouts and fresh turf at the home of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Team brass showed off the latest changes to the downtown stadium on Thursday with a media tour that showcased the modernized lower bowl.

“What we really focused on is reimagining this bowl,” said Marnie Starkman, the team’s executive vice-president of business operations. “Changing the seating bowl, making sure that people have a little more width, some more legroom, some cupholders, and just thinking about a modern ballpark.”

The latest renovation is part of the transition from a multi-purpose stadium to a ballpark-first venue, no easy task for an aging domed stadium without natural grass.

The first phase of the renovations was completed for the start of the 2023 season. It featured new bars, social spaces, balconies and new seats in the outfield and 500-level sections.

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There were also significant field-level changes with raised bullpens and a new outfield fence with adjusted dimensions.

The latest renovations forced the Blue Jays to start the 2024 campaign with a 10-game road trip so the finishing touches could be applied. The changes were immediately noticeable upon entry into the 35-year-old facility.

Stats show Milan star Rafael Leao is the most decisive Serie A player in 2024

Football

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April 5, 2024

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Stats show Milan star Rafael Leao is the most decisive Serie A player in 2024

Milan star Rafael Leao has contributed to 13 goals in 17 games across all competitions in 2024, making him the most decisive Serie A player this year.

Rafael Leao has scored seven goals and provided six assists in 17 appearances across all competitions this season and no other Serie A player has more goal contributions than the Portuguese star this year, Il Corriere dello Sport highlights.

Leao’s goal against PSG in a Champions League group stage game in November 2023, was his only strike between September and February, but the Portuguese has been proving his worth in the second part of the campaign.

He has scored three times in four Europa League matches and provided two assists. He also scored against Cagliari and Atalanta in Coppa Italia.

Since the start of 2024, he has delivered four assists and scored two goals in 11 league appearances, resulting in the Serie A player with the most goal contributions across all competitions since January.

Milan sit second in the Serie A table and have qualified for the Europa League quarter-finals, where they’ll meet Serie A rivals Roma. The first leg will be played at San Siro on Thursday, April 11.

Anthony Joshua picks Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul winner | Boxing | Sport

Boxing

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April 5, 2024

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Anthony Joshua picks Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul winner | Boxing | Sport

Anthony Joshua is backing Jake Paul to defeat Mike Tyson in their upcoming boxing match, which will be live-streamed on Netflix on July 20.

Joshua will appear on the Jonathan Ross Show this weekend and was asked to predict the upcoming match at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Speaking about who he thinks will walk away victorious, Joshua said, “He’s [Mike Tyson] older now. I pray that he comes out healthy. I think Jake Paul because of youth—that’s the only thing.”

At 57, Tyson holds a professional boxing record of 50 wins, six losses, and two no-contests, including 44 knockouts. Paul is 27 years old and has a 9-1 record, including six knockouts. In March, his latest came in the first round against Ryan Bourland at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Even Tyson admitted to the media a sense of fear heading into the match. “I have a weird personality; I don’t think it’s weird, though. Whatever I’m afraid to do, I do it. That’s how it is,” Tyson said to Fox.

“I was afraid of the Roy [Jones Jr. fight [in 2020] I was 100 pounds overweight, I was however old, 54, 53, and I said ‘Let’s do it.’ Anything I’m afraid of, I confront it. That’s my personality. Right now, I’m scared to death.”

Tyson further admitted that those nerves lessen the closer the calendar gets to fight night. Against Jones Jr., Tyson fought to a split decision draw through eight rounds in a contest scored by the WBC, although it counted as an exhibition.

Once recognised as one of the most feared boxers ever, fans of the sport still have concerns regarding the potential hazards Tyson might face against a significantly younger opponent like Paul. Tyson’s past physical ailments, including his previous reliance on a cane or wheelchair, add to the apprehension.

Despite these reservations, Tyson’s endless power and boxing IQ have been acknowledged in quarters, which could still pose a formidable challenge to Paul. Predictions from professional athletes for the fight have varied, meanwhile, with some foreseeing Tyson’s capacity to deliver a knockout blow.

UFC Hall of Fame member Chuck Liddell shared his belief that it would only take the boxing legend to land one punch to end the fight, while, like Joshua, UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes Paul’s youth can carry him to victory.

Paul and Tyson will be conducted under exhibition. Due to this difference, regulated sportsbooks in the United States have been unable to release betting odds. However, offshore sites have favored Paul in the contest, with Tyson’s chances being rated significantly lower.

The exhibition will not be scored by official judges and will presumably feature two-minute rounds instead of three. Paul and Tyson are anticipated to wear 16-ounce sparring gloves rather than the classic 10-ounce gloves used in professional fights.

Hamilton ditching Mercedes for Ferrari at the right time

F1

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April 5, 2024

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Hamilton ditching Mercedes for Ferrari at the right time

Lewis Hamilton’s early season woes were compounded by Mercedes confirming that the seven-times Formula 1 world champion has already lost one of his four allotted Power Units, meaning he could face grid penalties later in the 24-race season.

Hamilton, in his final season with the Silver Arrows before he joins Ferrari next year, retired from the Australian Grand Prix after a sudden power unit failure, which was later determined to be terminal. The Mercedes driver is a five-time winner in Japan.

“That one is for the bin,” Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff told a press conference during at Suzuka circuit on Friday. “It is a very highly unusual failure that we have a hardware failure that we didn’t see coming before.

“So yeah, we can’t reuse that. And it depends on how the season develops, whether we need one more or not. I can’t really say at this stage,” added Wolff.

George Russell in the other Mercedes crashed in Melbourne which meant it was the first time two Merc drivers did not finish a race in five years.

Hamilton, who finished third in the 2023 F1 drivers’ standings behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in 2023, is languishing in 10th this season. He was P5 at the end of FP1 at Suzuka today, around half a second behind pacesetter Verstappen.

Hamilton: The car was definitely in a sweeter spot

While it is not that uncommon for drivers to face penalties for exceeding engine quotas, losing one so early in the 24-race F1 calendar is a worrying sign for Mercedes beset with reliability problems in recent seasons.

After the first practice session of the weekend at Suzuka today, reporting in the wake of rain-affected FP2, Hamilton was upbeat: “FP1 was a great session for us. It was the best session for us so far this year and the best the car has felt. I felt very positive and excited heading into FP2 as this is a circuit that every driver loves to drive.

“It was a shame not to get much running in, therefore. In the last two years here, we’ve struggled with a car that has had an inconsistent balance and has been difficult to drive. The team has done a lot of great work since Australia, and we seemed to hit the ground running today.

“The car was definitely in a sweeter spot. We’ve got a better baseline to start from this weekend and hopefully, we can build on that,” reckoned Hamilton, who has not added to his record 103-F1 wins since 2021.

Ahead of Round 4 in Japan on Sunday, Hamilton’s final year with Mercedes could well be his worst, suggesting that the Briton has shrewdly picked a fine time to make his mega-move to Ferrari for 2025.

The Reds won with Carlos Sainz in Australia and are looking closer to the pace-setting Red Bulls than last season, and well ahead of Mercedes in the current F1 pecking order which bodes well for Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari. (Reporting by John Geddie; Additional Reporting Agnes Carlier at Suzuka)

Rose Zhang among four tied for LPGA Match Play lead

Golf

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April 5, 2024

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Rose Zhang among four tied for LPGA Match Play lead

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Rose Zhang watched her 2-stroke lead with two holes to play Thursday turn into a four-way tie for first place, the strong wind playing havoc with her and everyone else who teed off in the afternoon at the LPGA Tour’s T-Mobile Match Play.

Zhang ended the second round of the stroke-play portion at Shadow Creek with two straight bogeys, dropping her into a tie at 4-under 140 with first-round leader Sei Young Kim, Carlota Ciganda and Angel Yin. The latter two played in the morning, when warm temperatures and moderate wind created near-perfect playing conditions.

Then the expected gusts of more than 40 mph hit to provide those on the course with quite a challenge. No one with an afternoon tee time broke par.

“Shadow on its own is always a very difficult golf course and very easy to shoot over par here,” Zhang said. “With the wind, makes it tenfold a lot harder. So when I saw a little bit of the scores and the cut line, it justifies how difficult we played it today.”

The projected cut went from 5-over par to 9 over in about three hours, with 67 players making it through. It’s the highest cut line on the LPGA Tour since the 2020 Women’s British Open.

The top eight on Friday advance to the weekend, and any tie for the final spot will be resolved through a playoff. Then the tournament moves to match play. It was entirely a match-play event the first three years.

Zhang knocked her approach shot on No. 16 to within 3 feet for a birdie and two-shot lead. But she then bogeyed the 17th and hit her drive on No. 18 into the water, leading to another bogey and a second-round 73.

Kim faced her own ups and downs, twice lipping out putts on her back nine to finish with a 74.

“Even [with a] tough golf course and then tough conditions, I kind of enjoyed it,” Kim said. “It’s fun. A lot of factors on the green and it’s challenging every hole.”

Ciganda carried on her strong play from last week, when she tied for third in the Ford Championship in Arizona. She shot a bogey-free 67.

This is Yin’s first tournament since breaking her leg the week after Thanksgiving while in Austria. She carded a 68, crediting ibuprofen for helping get around the hilly, 6,765-yard course.

“I’m just happy to play,” Yin said. “No tournament next week, so I can rest all I want. If I can hash it out this week and see where my game is, because every single round I play I get to improve more.”

Las Vegas resident Danielle Kang began the day tied for second with Zhang, but shot an 83 on her home course and still made cut at 6 over.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda’s hopes of extending her three-tournament winning streak remain alive after she walked off with a 73 for the second day in a row, putting her at 2 over.

Defending champion Pajaree Anannarukarn shot a 79 and was 9 over, just enough to keep her in the tournament.

NBA includes players from G League Ignite for its All-Star Weekend Rising Stars Challenge

Basketball

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February 2, 2022

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NBA includes players from G League Ignite for its All-Star Weekend Rising Stars Challenge

8:51 PM ET

Tim BontempsESPN

The NBA on Tuesday night unveiled the rosters for this month’s Rising Stars Challenge, which featured the presence of G League Ignite players for the first time.

Four top prospects playing for the Ignite — Jaden Hardy, Dyson Daniels, Scoot Henderson and MarJon Beauchamp — joined 12 players from each of the 2020 and 2021 NBA draft classes in making up the 28 players who will participate in the league’s annual showcase for its stars of tomorrow as part of All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.

Beauchamp (14th overall), Daniels (16th) and Hardy (17th) are all projected to go in the top 20 of this year’s NBA draft by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz, who also currently have Henderson projected to go second overall in 2023. All four prospects are part of the league’s initiative to have some of the best future prospects skip playing college basketball and ply their trades in the G League for a season — like Jalen Green, the second overall pick by the Houston Rockets in the 2021 draft, did in the Ignite program’s first year.

Green was one of 12 rookies named to the Rising Stars Challenge, which will have a new wrinkle this season. Rather than two teams playing a traditional game, there instead will be four teams made up of seven-man rosters, with the winners of two semifinal games to 50 points playing a championship game that will go to 25, a nod to the league celebrating its 75th anniversary this season.

Besides Green, the other rookies selected were: Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, the top overall pick in July’s draft; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (third); Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (fourth); Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (fifth) and forward Franz Wagner (eighth); Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey (sixth); Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell (ninth); Indiana Pacers guard Chris Duarte (13th); Rockets center Alperen Sengun (16th); New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones (35th); and Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (38th).

The sophomores selected included Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, the top overall pick in the 2020 draft, along with teammate Jaden McDaniels; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball; Magic guard Cole Anthony; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey; Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton; Cavaliers guard Isaac Okoro; Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate; Pistons forward Saddiq Bey and center Isaiah Stewart; Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane; and Raptors center Precious Achiuwa.

The four teams will be coached by Hall of Famers Rick Barry, Gary Payton, Isiah Thomas and James Worthy, along with an assistant coach from the East and West coaching staffs selected to participate in the All-Star Game this season.

The Rising Stars Challenge will take place Feb. 18, kicking off All-Star Weekend. The annual Saturday night events — including the skills challenge, 3-point competition and slam dunk contest — will take place the following night, with the All-Star Game being held Feb. 20.

2030 Olympics: Indigenous-led bid takes next step to bring Games back to Vancouver

Sport News

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February 1, 2022

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2030 Olympics: Indigenous-led bid takes next step to bring Games back to Vancouver

An Indigenous-led partnership has taken the next step in exploring a potential bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

The agreement announced Tuesday between four First Nations, the City of Vancouver, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee will include a feasibility assessment and initial concept development to bring the Games back to the Vancouver area.

Vancouver and Whistler hosted the Winter Olympics in 2010.

The COC said in a release that it is fully funding the key technical work and local engagement required to complete the feasibility assessment.

Officials from the Lilwat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, along with the mayors of Vancouver and Whistler, started the process on Dec. 10 when they announced their partnership to explore a 2030 bid.

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A full assessment will follow the feasibility and initial assessment stage. A decision on whether to submit a formal bid to the International Olympic Committee is expected in the fall.

It would be the first Indigenous-led bid for an Olympic Games.

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Could Vancouver host another Olympic games?

Could Vancouver host another Olympic games? – Feb 20, 2020

“With this collaboration agreement, our nations have a unique opportunity to work closely with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees to determine the impacts and benefits of bringing the 2030 Winter Games back to our territories,” Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow said in a release.

“We are only at the beginning of determining what an Indigenous-led Games could look like, but through collaboration and mutual respect, we have the opportunity to create a unique Olympic legacy for all of our communities.”