Year-end exams don’t come much tougher than the one facing Erik ten Hag and Manchester United. The Dutch manager was hired to return the storied club to its former glories after a decade of decline. Against Manchester City in the FA Cup final he will get the chance to show how far United has come in his first season in charge.While a one-off match cannot judge an entire campaign, the contrast in emotions for United’s fans will be stark depending on the outcome.A win on June 3 would not only secure a second trophy for Ten Hag — after the League Cup — but also serve as a statement of intent that he is building a team ready to go head-to-head with City, perhaps as soon as next season.Defeat wouldn’t necessarily alter that, but it would be painful confirmation of Guardiola’s ongoing dominance of English soccer.The potential that City could also be in contention for a treble of trophies — the FA Cup, the Premier League and the Champions League — provides added spice to the occasion.United remains the only English team to have won those three major trophies in one season, in 1999. The chance to directly block City’s attempt to emulate that feat will likely be an extra incentive.“I understand, of course, the feelings from the Man United fans about it,” Ten Hag said Sunday.United beat Brighton 7-6 on penalty kicks after the FA Cup semifinal match at Wembley ended 0-0 through extra time.On Saturday, City made light work of second-division Sheffield United in a 3-0 win, also at the national stadium.This will be the first time the Manchester rivals have played each other in the FA Cup final, but there are parallels to be drawn with the semifinals match between them in the same competition in 2011.After three years under the ownership of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, City had lavished money on superstar signings like Yaya Toure, David Silva and Carlos Tevez, but the club was still waiting for a first major trophy since 1976.Former United manager Alex Ferguson had dismissed the rival as “noisy neighbors” following the influx money from its new owners.But Toure provided a sign of the changing landscape of English soccer by scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win in the semifinals. City went on to lift the FA Cup, with Toure the matchwinner again in the final against Stoke.City has dominated ever since, winning 13 more trophies, including six Premier League titles.United, meanwhile, has suffered one setback after another after Ferguson retired in 2013 and went through four different permanent managers before hiring Ten Hag last year.While the former Ajax coach has had his own difficulties in his first season at Old Trafford, he has sparked hope that the good times could be on their way back. United is on course to qualify for the Champions League and also in contention to win a second cup.“We are on the right track. One trophy, another final and fighting for the top four,” goalkeeper David de Gea said. “It’s not enough but it’s a big step from last season.”After losing 6-3 to City in Ten Hag's first Manchester derby in October, United won 2-1 in January, in what the manager described as the “perfect game.”It is likely to take close to perfection to beat City in the final, with Guardiola's team in relentless form as the season enters the final stages.The win against Sheffield extended its unbeaten run to 16 games in all competitions.“The momentum is key, it doesn’t matter if you play every three or four days if you are winning, winning,” Guardiola said.While Guardiola has assembled possibly the strongest squad in club soccer — star striker Erling Haaland has scored 48 goals already this season — Ten Hag is still in the process building a team in his own image at United.United could not compete with City to sign Haaland last summer, but the improvements over the season could boost Ten Hag's chances of convincing an elite striker — the caliber of Harry Kane, for example — that he could win the biggest prizes at Old Trafford.Win or lose, progress has undoubtedly been made under Ten Hag, even if City's 11-point lead over United is evidence of the gap between the rivals.Victory in the final, however, would be a symbolic statement that may suggest the power balance in Manchester and English soccer could be about to shift again.

While a one-off match cannot judge an entire campaign, the contrast in emotions for United’s fans will be stark depending on the outcome

Man United manager Ten Hag faces ultimate test against City

Barcelona may be lucky Real Madrid has loftier goals than trying to mount a desperate comeback in the Spanish league. If not, then Barcelona would face Sunday’s game against Atletico Madrid with the added pressure of ending its scoring drought to ensure it doesn’t get mired in a late-season slump.Barcelona still has a healthy lead of 11 points over Madrid with nine games remaining. But the team hasn't scored in three straight games after being beaten by Madrid 4-0 in the Copa del Rey and being held to scoreless draws against modest league opponents in Girona and Getafe.So a loss to Atletico combined with a win the previous night by Madrid when it hosts Celta Vigo could stir up fears of a meltdown as Barcelona tries to win its first league title since the departure of Lionel Messi two seasons ago.Madrid, however, has two other titles almost in its grasp. The team will play Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final in Seville on May 6, and three days later it will host Manchester City in the Champions League semifinals. After brushing aside Chelsea this week, Madrid is now only three games away from defending its title and adding to its record 14 European Cups.That alone should mean Barcelona won't face a serious challenge from its top rival as Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti rests his top players — but just to be sure it better beat Atletico.The other Madrid team struggled early in the season, quickly falling out of contention for the league title and finishing its Champions League group in last place. But Atletico has been the hottest team in Spain in 2023. It is unbeaten in 13 matches and takes a six-game winning streak to Barcelona.Barcelona dealt Atletico its last loss back on Jan. 8 when it won 1-0 in the capital. That was João Félix’s last game for Atletico before he joined Chelsea on loan.Since the Portugal forward left, Antoine Griezmann has been playing like he did in his very best seasons during his first stint at Atletico before he spent 2019-21 at Barcelona, where he never fit in.The France forward is now leading his team in scoring with 11 league goals and leading the league with eight assists. Griezmann scored twice in the last match to secure at 2-1 win over Almeria.Atletico is in third place, two points behind Madrid. And while overtaking its crosstown rival won’t add any titles to its collection, it would be a great finish to the season.“We are on a good run and we want to keep it up,” Atletico midfielder Axel Witsel said Thursday. “We are going to be strong defensively just like in recent games, and if we do that, we will surely have a chance to score."

If not, then Barcelona would face Sunday’s game against Atletico Madrid with the added pressure of ending its scoring

Barcelona needs to beat Atletico to avoid fears of meltdown

Czech Republic midfielder Jakub Jankto, who recently came out as gay, is taking time off from soccer following a traffic incident. Jankto's Sparta Prague club said he was not with the team anymore and was given time to deal with his “personal situation.” Sparta declined to give more details and asked the public and media to respect Jankto’s privacy.Jankto said in a statement that his health didn’t make it possible to continue helping Sparta in title and cup races and thanked the club and the fans for their support.Police said he was checked by officers after they were notified by another driver on Tuesday. An alcohol test was negative but Jankto refused to be tested for other drugs.According to media reports, he also didn't have a driver's licence, which was taken from him previously by police. Failure to have a licence was punishable by a prison term.Jankto’s future was not clear.He was playing for Sparta Prague this season on loan from Spanish club Getafe. He has previously played for Italian clubs Sampdoria and Udinese. He scored only once for Sparta and was mostly used as a substitute

Czech Republic midfielder Jakub Jankto, who recently came out as gay, is taking time off from soccer following a traffic incident

Traffic incident sidelines Czech footballer Jankto

A manager in England’s lower soccer leagues had a ban for using discriminatory language toward his players increased to three years Wednesday following an appeal by the Football Association. John Yems, the former manager of fourth-tier club Crawley Town, admitted to one charge and was found guilty of 11 others relating to comments made from 2019-22 that referenced ethnic origin, color, race, nationality, religion, belief or gender.Among the evidence given to a disciplinary panel set up by the FA, the 63-year-old Yems was found to have used anti-Muslim language, as well as racial slurs and stereotypes toward Black players.He was handed a 15-month ban in January but the FA wanted a longer sanction, saying it “fundamentally disagreed” with the findings of a panel which sided with Yems’ lawyers, who argued he was “not a conscious racist” and did not “ever intend to make racist remarks.”An appeal board more than doubled the length of the sanction, which means he is banned from all soccer-related activity until Jan. 5, 2026.The FA said it was the longest ban ever issued in English soccer for discrimination, adding that it was justified because there were “numerous examples of inherent and obvious racist language.”“This is a deeply distressing case for the victims involved, and we hope that the outcome of this appeal will help to bring some closure,” the governing body said. “We also hope that this will encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed discrimination in the game to report it.“Everyone should be able to play the game in an environment that is free from discrimination and know that they can trust those who occupy positions of responsibility and power to lead a safe and positive culture, free from harm.”Former Chelsea player Paul Canoville, who was racially abused during his career, described the ban as “still insufficient” in a post on Twitter.Canoville addresses racism and discrimination through his own foundation, which acts as a youth education and outreach charity.“Whilst this ban may be the longest issued in English football for discrimination, it still doesn’t come close to being equitable to the abhorrence of the offenses," the foundation's CEO, Raphael Frascogna, said in a statement. "Racial stereotypes, slurs and tropes are often the more visible elements of far worse behaviour and beliefs.“People come and go but these detestable ideas will never die so long as they have a voice."In the original disciplinary hearing, the panel said that what it described as Yems’ “banter” had “undoubtedly came across to the victims and others as offensive, racist and Islamophobic.” Yems, the panel said, had “no appreciation that much of the sort of language which might have been in common usage some 40 or 50 years ago has no place in modern society.”A number of Crawley players complained about Yems to the Professional Footballers’ Association, sparking an investigation and leading to Yem’s suspension for 12 days before he was fired in May.Anti-discrimination campaigner Kick It Out described Yems’ language as “simply shocking.”

An appeal board more than doubled the length of the sanction, which means he is banned from all soccer-related activity until Jan. 5, 2026

English soccer coach gets longer ban for discrimination

A look at what’s happening in European soccer on Thursday: <h2>EUROPA LEAGUE</h2>Injuries and a key suspension has left Manchester United with some issues heading into its match at Sevilla in the second leg of the quarterfinals, with the score at 2-2 from last week's game at Old Trafford. Playmaker Bruno Fernandes is banned after an accumulation of yellow cards while first-choice center backs Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane are injured. Forward Marcus Rashford has been nursing a groin injury but was back in training Wednesday. Sevilla might be 13th in the 20-team Spanish league but the club has an aura in the Europa League, having won the second-tier European competition six times since 2006. It leaves the match delicately poised, as are the other three contests in the quarterfinals. Juventus and Feyenoord take 1-0 leads to Sporting and Roma, respectively, while Union Saint-Gilloise and Bayer Leverkusen are locked at 1-1 before their game in Belgium.<h2>EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE</h2>West Ham is locked at 1-1 with Gent as the English team bids to reach the semifinals of a European competition for a second straight year. West Ham, which is fighting relegation in the Premier League, reached the last four in the Europa League last season. David Moyes' team is at home for the second leg. Fiorentina has a comfortable 4-1 advantage from the first leg at Poland’s Lech Poznan, Anderlecht travels to AZ Alkmaar after winning 2-0 in Brussels last week while Nice and Basel split the first leg 2-2.

Juventus and Feyenoord take 1-0 leads to Sporting and Roma

MATCHDAY: Sevilla-United headlines Europa League quarters

Eight health care professionals will stand trial in the death of soccer great Diego Maradona in 2020, an Argentine court has ruled. The date of the proceedings has yet to be set, but they are unlikely to begin before next year, the court said Tuesday.A medical board’s report previously given to prosecutors concluded that Maradona was in agony for more than 12 hours, did not receive adequate treatment and could still be alive if he had been properly hospitalized.Three judges from an appeals court in San Isidro, outside Buenos Aires, confirmed the charges brought by prosecutors of homicide by negligence against the members of Maradona’s medical team.Neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque and psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov are accused of failing in their care for Maradona. Maradona’s medical team also included psychologist Carlos Díaz, doctors Nancy Forlini and Pedro Di Spagna, nursing coordinator Mariano Perroni and nurses Ricardo Almirón and Dahiana Madrid.Maradona, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986, died of a heart attack on Nov. 25, 2020, at a rented residence outside Buenos Aires following brain surgery two weeks earlier. He was 60.Maradona’s autopsy showed he died of natural causes.

The date of the proceedings has yet to be set, but they are unlikely to begin before next year, the court said Tuesday

Maradona's medical team on trial in former great's death

NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars said Wednesday that the decision to suspend Golden State's Draymond Green for Game 3 of the Warriors' first-round series against Sacramento was difficult, and wasn't made without serious consideration of many factors. Dumars, who oversees the league's basketball operations and sanctions for on-court incidents, said Tuesday night that Green would sit a game for stepping on the chest of Kings center Domantas Sabonis. That incident happened midway during the fourth quarter of Game 2 on Monday night.Green was ejected for the play, and the league escalated the punishment a day later.“This was not some snap-of-the-finger decision to do this,” Dumars said. “There was much discussion, and back and forth, looking at the play itself over and over. And then ultimately we came to the decision that the act itself, and repeat offenses, actually did warrant a suspension.”Green spent several moments gesturing at and yelling to the crowd in Sacramento after the play, and Dumars said that also was a factor.“The stuff that happened afterward, that doesn't help the situation,” Dumars said. “But if it was just that alone, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I focused on the act itself, the fact that it's a repeat offense, those were the two main things.”

Green was ejected for the play, and the league escalated the punishment a day later

Dumars: Decision to suspend Draymond Green was "difficult"

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek routed Claire Liu in 65 minutes to win her opening match at the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday. Swiatek, the defending champion who took over the No. 1 ranking nearly a year ago, won 6-0, 6-1. She lost just seven points in the first set.“Tactically and tennis-wise, everything was on point,” she said. “I had so many matches that were going my way in last couple of weeks that I know what to do.”Carlos Alcaraz, the second-ranked men's player, defeated qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis, 6-3, 6-3. Alcaraz reached the semifinals in the desert last year and could return to the No. 1 spot for the first time since January if he wins the title.Taylor Fritz, the defending men's champion, rallied past former NCAA singles champion Ben Shelton, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.Shelton’s biggest serve reached 147 mph.“I expected him to come out serving bombs, playing well,” Fritz said. "I was ready for it, I just had to regroup, just find a way and problem solve. He’s an incredible player and it was an extremely tough first match to come out and play, so I’m happy to get through it.”Andy Murray beat Radu Albot, 6-4, 6-3 in his first straight-set victory of the year to set up a third-round match with Jack Draper. Murray had just 18 unforced errors to 35 for Albot, and never faced a break point on his serve while firing six aces.“Hopefully I can keep pushing myself up the rankings, keep building that confidence, and maybe get a few more straightforward draws, as well,” Murray said.Jannik Sinner defeated Richard Gasquet, 6-3, 7-6 (2). The 21-year-old Sinner fired 20 forehand winners against the 36-year-old veteran.“Obviously it was a tough match today, especially in the beginning I was a little bit tight,” Sinner said on court.Another 21-year-old, Draper, beat No. 24 Dan Evans, 6-4, 6-2. Draper has lost just eight games through his first two matches of his Indian Wells debut.No. 10 Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the third round with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over Pedro Martinez.Emma Raducanu, the 2021 U.S. Open champion, beat No. 20 Magda Linette, 7-6 (3), 6-2. Linette, a semifinalist at the Australian Open, got an early service break, but Raducanu jumped on her serve and tied it, 5-all, before forcing the tiebreaker.“I was so pleased with the way I fought. Because Magda played at a really high level,” Raducanu said. “Like some things that were working in the past weren’t working today, and I adapted.”No. 5 Carolina Garcia outlasted Dalma Galfi, 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-4. Eighth-seeded Daria Kasatkina beat Tatjana Maria, 6-2, 6-1.Karolina Muchova beat two-time Indian Wells champion Victoria Azarenka, 7-6 (1), 6-3 while attacking the net in swirling wind conditions. Muchova is back after injuries curtailed her last year.Other seeded players joining Azarenka on the sidelines were No. 25 Petra Martic and No. 28 Marie Bouzkova.

Tactically and tennis-wise, everything was on point, she said

Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, returns a shot to Thanasi Kokkinakis, of Australia, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Saturday, March 11, 2023

Swiatek dominates at BNP Paribas Open; Murray advances

Stephen Curry knocked down all the dazzling shots everybody has come to expect from him in crunch time night after night — and then a surprising block at the rim that mattered just as much or maybe even more. Curry scored 36 points with 22 of those in the fourth quarter and overtime, shining in his first home game back from a long injury absence and leading the Golden State Warriors past the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks 125-116 on Saturday night.Curry hit a tying 3-pointer with 19 seconds left in regulation, then blocked a layup attempt by Jrue Holiday in the closing moments.“He came out of nowhere. Jrue had a straight line drive to the rim,” Draymond Green said.The Warriors got the ball back with 1.9 seconds remaining and Curry inbounded to Green, who missed from deep though he thought for sure it was “cash.”Holiday had put Milwaukee up on a 3 with 32.7 seconds to play and wound up with 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. But the Bucks (48-19), playing without star Giannis Antetokounmpo, had their three-game winning streak snapped with just their second defeat in 21 games since Jan. 21.“I loved this game. I thought we competed the entire time,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I thought we were really solid for most of the night.”Curry’s 3 with 1:08 remaining in regulation got Golden State within 108-106. A steal by Klay Thompson on the other end moments later led to a tying layup by Curry before Holiday delivered.“Overtime and fourth quarter, he got away from us a little bit,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said of Curry. “Some of them were high level.”Thompson added 22 points, Donte DiVincenzo had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Warriors won at home for the seventh in a row and 11th in 12.Curry loved making a difference on the defensive end.“To hit a couple big shots down the stretch and then find yourself in a position where you can make a play on the other side, it gives everybody a good boost because it's shocking,” Curry said. “I think I got more about that in the locker room than any shot I made tonight, which speaks for itself.”Khris Middleton had 19 points and five assists, Bobby Portis contributed 15 points and 13 rebounds and Brook Lopez 19 points, seven boards and five blocks.Bucks leading scorer and rebounder Antetokounmpo missed his second straight game with right hand soreness and third overall after sitting out March 7 with a non-COVID illness.Golden State used a 16-4 burst out of halftime to go ahead 66-53 but the Bucks fought back to get within 80-77 heading into the fourth.Green went down hard and limped to the locker room midway through the third quarter before returning with 38.7 seconds left. While cutting through the key, Green's left foot got tangled with Holiday's right leg and Green tripped and rolled his ankle.While sore, “I will 100% expect to play,” Green said of Monday's game with Phoenix.Green finished with five points, 13 rebounds and nine assists and Golden State shot better from beyond the arc (41.8%) than it did inside (40.4%).Curry returned March 5 at the Lakers from a left leg injury suffered Feb. 4 that sidelined him for 11 games. He played on the team's three-game road trip.DiVincenzo has learned that anything Curry lets fly has a chance.“It’s super fun to watch,” he said. “Sometimes when it leaves his hand I’m like, ‘No way.’”KLAY'S GIFTThompson presented soon-to-be 16-year-old Braulio Noriega with a birthday surprise: a custom-basketball wheelchair. Noriega had his left leg amputated from above the knee because of cancer as a 6-year-old.The teen hopes to compete playing wheelchair basketball in college and eventually in his home country of Mexico.“I can't even describe how I felt,” an overjoyed Noriega said. “... There's so much emotional energy from him.”TIP-INSBucks: Milwaukee shot just 9 of 25 on 3s in the first half to 10 for 24 by the Warriors. Allen missed his initial five and shot 2 of 9 overall. ... The Bucks managed just seven offensive rebounds to the Warriors' 18.Warriors: JaMychal Green scored 11 of his 18 points in the first quarter for Golden State making three 3-pointers. ... Golden State had 33 assists — its 35th game with 30 or more to tie the Nuggets for most in the NBA. ... G Moses Moody was recalled from the G League Santa Cruz Warriors and grabbed four rebounds in six minutes as the Warriors held a 65-48 advantage on the boards.UP NEXTBucks: Visit Sacramento on Monday night riding a 13-game winning streak against the Kings.Warriors: Host the Suns on Monday night having lost the last two in the series at home.

Curry scored 36 points with 22 of those in the fourth quarter and overtime

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks in San Francisco

Curry, Warriors rally past NBA-best Bucks 125-116 in OT

The celebration surrounding Damian Lillard’s record-breaking performance was short-lived. Lillard set franchise and career marks with 71 points — tied for the most in the NBA this season — and 13 3-pointers in the Portland Trail Blazers' 131 -114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.“I enjoy those moments in the game when I’m just going after people,” Lillard said, “when I’m in attack mode.”But soon after the streamers fell to the court and the crowd headed for the exits, Lillard was summoned for a drug test. Turns out, the seven-time All-Star who's unafraid of taking a 3-pointer from half court is afraid of needles.“I know I’ve got a lot of tattoos, but when you’re doing a blood draw, it’s different from tattoos. It brought me down from here to the floor,” Lillard said gesturing with his hand raised then dropping it.And Lillard got tested on the night he tied Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell for the most points in a game this season after Mitchell also scored 71 in a win over Chicago on Jan. 2. His 13 3-pointers were also one shy of the NBA record set by Golden State’s Klay Thompson in 2018. Thompson’s Warriors teammate Stephen Curry (2016) and Chicago’s Zach LaVine (2019) also made 13 3s.Lillard broke his own franchise mark of 61 points, which he’d done twice, on a 3-pointer with 4:42 left that also topped his previous career record for 3s, which was 11.Known for his humility, Lillard was unsure how to mark the occasion.“I think any hooper enjoys those moments when you're hot, you're in attack mode, you're feeling good,” Lillard said. "But it's the stuff afterward that I struggle with, like when I walked off the court, was I supposed to be overly excited, or what?”In the final minutes of the game, the crowd at the Moda Center was on its feet, phones recording the moment, while chanting “MVP! MVP!"“It really, really was a masterful performance,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “It was a piece of art. That was incredible.”Even Mitchell took notice.“My mom calls me and says @Dame_Lillard tied your record … you gotta get 72 now,” Mitchell posted on Twitter with some laughing emojis.Lillard left the game with 44 seconds left, tied with Mitchell, Elgin Baylor (1960) and David Robinson (1994) for the eighth-most points scored in a game in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain owns the league record with 100 for Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962, at Hershey, Pennsylvania.Lillard had 41 points and eight 3-pointers by halftime. It was a career high in a half for Lillard and the most points in a half for any player in the league this season. He had 50 by the start of the fourth quarter.In the end, he made 22 of 38 shots from the floor and he hit on 13 of his 22 3-point attempts. He was also 14 of 14 from the foul line.Jerami Grant added 13 points for the Blazers, who led by as many as 23. Portland is part of a cluster of eight Western Conference just four wins apart that are vying for playoff spots.Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, sitting in last place in the Western Conference with just 13 overall wins and nine straight losses.“It's not like we didn't give effort, he made some really tough shots,” said Rockets coach Stephen Silas, who sat Sengun midway through the third quarter for the rest of the game. “But we need everyone to give effort on the defensive end.”Houston trailed 102-88 heading into the final quarter, but scored the first six points of the period to close the gap to 102-94. Grant’s 3-pointer for Portland extended the margin to 108-98.Lillard’s 3, his 11th of the night to tie his career high, made it 113-103 with 6:43 left. He added a driving layup and a free throw. Houston could not catch up.Lillard started after resting for Thursday night’s 133-116 loss to Sacramento. He participated in the NBA All-Star Game and won the 3-point contest the previous weekend.The Blazers led 73-58 at the break with Lillard the 10th player since the 1996-97 season with 40-plus points in a half. He has 15 games with 50 or more points, sixth-most in NBA history.SIDELINEDGuards Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. did not play, although Silas said both should be available for the team’s short upcoming homestand. Green missed his second game with a strained left groin. Porter has been out 19 games because of a left foot contusion.TIP-INSRockets: It was the third and final meeting between the teams this season. The Blazers won the previous two. Last season, the series ended 2-2. ... Jae’Sean Tate had four fouls in the first half, but finished with 17 points.Trail Blazers: Portland remained without center Jusuf Nurkic (left calf) and guard Anfernee Simons (right ankle).

I enjoy those moments in the game when I’m just going after people, Lillard said

Lillard set franchise and career marks with 71 points

Blazers' Lillard has 71 pts and 13 3s, then gets drug tested

Nikola Jokic had 40 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 134-124 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers in a matchup of Western Conference contenders Sunday night. Paul George nearly won it for the Clippers with an incredible shot at the end of regulation, but his long heave from just in front of the 3-point line in the backcourt came just after the buzzer.It was the 23rd triple-double of the season for Jokic and his 14th in the past 19 games. Denver is undefeated this season when he has a triple-double.“If you’re looking for a super athlete to win MVP, he’s not your candidate,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “If you’re looking for a great player that impacts winning in every possible way, whose team is first place in the Western Conference, then he’s your man. Frankly, I don’t give a damn what people think. I know he’s the MVP and his teammates know that and all the fans here in Denver and back home in Serbia know that.”Michael Porter Jr. had 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray added 21 points and 12 assists.Kawhi Leonard had 33 points to pace the Clippers — two nights after scoring a season-high 44 in a double-overtime loss against Sacramento. George finished with 23 points.One night after scoring a season-low 94 points in an 18-point loss at Memphis, the Nuggets shot 51% overall — including 63.2% on 2-pointers.“When we get embarrassed, I think we do a really good job of showing up the next game,” Malone said. “One thing we’re always talking about is good teams don’t lose two games in a row. That’s something you strive for. Tonight, we were able to pull it out.”Denver is 4-0 this season against the Clippers, with each victory coming by at least 10 points.Denver led by 18 in the first quarter and had a nine-point advantage entering the fourth, but George's three-point play gave the Clippers their first lead, 109-107, with 4:17 remaining.With his team trailing 118-117, Porter drained a 3-pointer with 26.6 seconds left, but George sank two free throws on the ensuing possession and the game went to overtime tied at 120.“I think we’re right there,” George said. “We’re right where we want to be. We’ve just got to continue to keep working. These late-game losses, we’ll turn these around and we’ll figure out how to win these tough ones.”HOMECOMING FOR HYLANDBones Hyland, a Nuggets first-round draft pick in 2021, played in Denver for the first time since being traded to the Clippers on Feb. 9. He was booed for much of the night and finished with 10 points in 15 minutes.“Just with how things were playing out, I probably knew a little bit,” Hyland said when asked if he was surprised to be traded. “I’ve got so much love for Denver. I thank them for taking a chance on a kid like me.”Hyland averaged 10.9 points in 111 career games with Denver, the fewest played by a Nuggets first-round selection between 2006-21.“Just because you got to play a lot last year because guys were injured doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s going to be a role for you to play a lot this year,” Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth said. “I think that was always going to be a point of friction for him and for the club.”

It was the 23rd triple-double of the season for Jokic and his 14th in the past 19 games

Nikola Jokic had 40 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 134-124

George's heave just late, Jokic and Nuggets top Clips in OT

Legendary football player Sergej Barbarez debuted for the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1998, when they played against Argentina.Since then, he had played 47 matches and scored 17 goals. The last match that the ex-captain played for Bosnia and Herzegovina was on the 10th of July 2006 against Moldova. Exactly 15 years ago, Head coach Meho Kodro visited Barbarez in Germany so that he could persuade him to come back to the national team. At that time, Barbarez played for Bayer Leverkusen and was 37. Journalists that worked in “Avaz” on 25th of February 2008 reported about that. Read what Barbarez had said for our newspaper. Head coach Meho Kodro and his first assistant Elvir Bolić watched Sergej Barbarez play for Bayer Leverkusen against Schalke on Saturday, in a match that they won 1:0.After the game, Kodro and Bolić met with a few players that play for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Alongside Barbarez, they met with Ivica Grlić, as well as Ninoslav Milenković and Mirsad Bešlija who came from Belgium.&nbsp;

“We saw each other after the game. Milenković, Grlić and Bešlija had not had the chance to meet with Kodro. Kodro explained his plans to them. He described what he wants and doesn’t want in detail. He said things that used to happen, won’t happen anymore. Kodro had said that quality is the only measure of getting called up and that there won’t be pressure from outside so some player would play, in the national team”,&nbsp; said Barbarez. There was even a word about the return of Barbarez to the national team. Even though he was 37, Sergej played like a young player. “We talked about everything, not only my return. I, still, am not clear about what to do. I need to think about everything, how long will I play and how will I be able to endure playing. If I continue playing, I will think about coming back” -&nbsp; said Barbarez for our newspaper.

Bosnia and Herzegovinas national team head coach visited Sergej in Germany so that he could persuade him to come back

What Barbarez had said to Kodro 15 years ago

Ben Affleck was 12 years old in 1984 and growing up in the Boston area. The Celtics were NBA champions. The Red Sox and Patriots were respectable. The Bruins got swept in the first round of the playoffs. And that also was when Nike was betting much of its future on Michael Jordan.Part of that tale will be told in the upcoming film “Air,” which Affleck directed and stars in alongside Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman and more. Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Damon plays then-Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro — who was tasked with finding a way of saving what was then the company’s fledgling basketball division.Affleck did it with one key character absent: Jordan is not shown in the movie.“What I wanted to try to accomplish was to have Michael Jordan have the effect in the story that he has in the world, which is that obviously the vast majority of people don’t know and have never met Michael Jordan — and yet they know about him, and they know what he means and they might talk about him,” Affleck said. “So, in a way, he’s like a presence that’s felt and discussed and everybody else around him is there. But you never see his face.”Nike wound up signing Jordan — who had yet to play an NBA game — to a $2.5 million, five-year deal.It was a huge gamble.Spoiler alert, with apologies to the movie that gets released April 5: It worked out.Jordan Brand generated $4.7 billion in revenue in 2021, the Jumpman logo is iconic, Nike has become one of the world’s most powerful and recognizable companies, and Jordan won six NBA championships, became a billionaire, and now owns the Charlotte Hornets.And since most viewers will already know all those things, Affleck took on the challenge of telling lesser-known parts of the story.“The movie has to do realistic, it has to do authentic, and it has to surprise the audience,” Affleck said. “Because if what happens is something that the audience can predict, even if they like it, they go along with it, it’s ordinary, it’s boring. It’s just not what I want to do.”The trailer, released last week, is up to 6 million views. Affleck was at All-Star weekend to help promote Friday’s celebrity game, and ads for the film were shown on the jumbo scoreboards over the court.Affleck said he has met with Jordan about the movie.“Somebody asked me what you’re doing from Boston and making a movie about the Chicago guy,” Affleck said in an interview with a number of media outlets. “Michael Jordan sort of transcends, I think, rivalry.”

And that also was when Nike was betting much of its future on Michael Jordan

Actor, writer and director Ben Affleck addresses the media regarding his new Michael Jordon movie "Air" at an NBA basketball All-Star event Friday

With 'Air,' Affleck tells lesser-known Michael Jordan story

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe's company Ineos confirmed Saturday it has made a bid to buy Manchester United, pledging to make the Premier League team “the number one club in the world once again.” Ratcliffe’s Ineos company will compete with Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, who also submitted a bid on Friday to buy out the Glazer family.The 70-year-old Ratcliffe is one of Britain's wealthiest people with an estimated net worth of 12.5 billion pounds ($15 billion) following the success of his global chemical company.“We can confirm that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have submitted a bid for majority ownership of Manchester United Football Club,” the company said in a statement. “We are ambitious and highly competitive and would want to invest in Manchester United to make them the number one club in the world once again."Ineos also appeared to cast itself as an alternative to foreign ownership, with the Qatari bid coming in the wake of a Saudi takeover of Newcastle last year. Defending league champion Manchester City — United's crosstown rival — has been Abu Dhabi-owned since 2008. Sheikh Jassim's bid has emphasized that only private wealth is being used, in contrast to the Qatari state-backed ownership of Paris Saint-Germain.“We also recognize that football governance in this country is at a crossroads," Ineos said. "We would want to help lead this next chapter, deepening the culture of English football by making the club a beacon for a modern, progressive, fan-centred approach to ownership. We want a Manchester United anchored in its proud history and roots in the North-West of England, putting the Manchester back into Manchester United and clearly focusing on winning the Champions League.”Ratcliffe announced his intention to bid last month. That was a shift in strategy from last year when he launched a last-minute bid for Chelsea, but was not considered because he missed the deadline.Ratcliffe, who already owns French club Nice, last year said he had no interest in another bid for a Premier League club after missing out on Chelsea and receiving little encouragement from the Glazers for United. But he would be a popular choice among fans because of his longstanding support of the club.

The 70-year-old Ratcliffe is one of Britain's wealthiest people with an estimated net worth of 12.5 billion pounds

An anti-Glazer family banner is held up by members of the crowd before the English League Cup semifinal second leg soccer match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford in Manchester

Ratcliffe's Ineos confirms bid to buy Manchester United

With Arsenal's title aspirations in danger, new signing Jorginho came up big for the Gunners. Jorginho's shot from outside the area in second-half stoppage time bounced against the crossbar and off Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez before going into the net to put Arsenal ahead for good in a come-from-behind 4-2 win Saturday that halted a three-game winless streak in the Premier League.Arsenal had to come from behind twice before the lucky bounce from Jorginho's shot made it 3-2 in the third minute of stoppage time. Gabriel Martinelli then tapped in a fourth into an empty net on a quick counter after Martinez — the former Arsenal goalkeeper — had come up the field as Villa searched for an equalizer.The win puts Arsenal three points above Manchester City atop the table ahead of the defending champion's game against Nottingham Forest later Saturday. It also halted an alarming slump for Mikel Arteta's team, which had looked in danger of suffering a fourth loss in five games in all competitions.Villa went ahead in the just the fifth minute through Ollie Watkins, after Oleksandr Zinchenko had given the ball away cheaply. Bukayo Saka equalized with a perfectly struck volley in the 16th, but Villa reclaimed the lead in the 31st through Philippe Coutinho.Zinchenko then scored his first Arsenal goal with a shot from just outside the area in the 61st to level for a second time, and the crucial bounces then all went the visitors' way as Villa's Leon Bailey hit the crossbar with a late chance before Jorginho — the former Chelsea midfielder who joined Arsenal in January — was more fortunate at the other end.

Arsenal had to come from behind twice before the lucky bounce from Jorginho's shot made it 3-2 in the third minute of stoppage time

Arsenal's Jorginho, left, celebrates after scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park in Birmingham

Late goals give Arsenal 4-2 win over Villa to halt slide

Christian Atsu, the Ghana international forward who played for Premier League clubs Chelsea and Newcastle, has died in the earthquake in Turkey. He was 31. Search teams recovered Atsu's body in the ruins of a luxury 12-story building where he had been living in the city of Antakya, Hatay province, his manager said Saturday.“Atsu’s lifeless body was found under the rubble. At the moment, his belongings are still being removed,” manager Murat Uzunmehmet told private news agency DHA.Atsu joined Turkish club Hatayspor in September and scored the winning goal for his new team in a league game at home against Kasimpaşa S.K. on Feb. 5, just hours before the earthquake struck in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 6.Antakya, the city where Hatayspor is based, is in the southern region of Turkey hardest hit by the earthquake.The death toll from the 7.8-magnitude quake in southeastern Turkey and northern Syria passed 43,000 on Friday.Hatayspor said Atsu’s body was being repatriated to Ghana. “There are no words to describe our sadness,” the club tweeted.Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo posted a photo of Atsu on his official Twitter account and wrote: “Ghana football has lost one of its finest personnel and ambassadors, one who will be difficult to replace. He’ll be sorely missed.”Former Ghana captain and teammate Asamoah Gyan tweeted “RIP Brother.”A day after the earthquake there were reports that Atsu had been rescued but Hatayspor, after initially announcing that it had received information that Atsu was alive and on his way to the hospital, said later that the reports of a successful rescue were, heartbreakingly, mistaken and the player was still missing. It had also said the club’s sporting director, Taner Savut, was still missing. Savut has not yet been found.The contractor of the 12-story Ronesans Rezidans building — where Atsu and Savut lived — was detained at Istanbul Airport a week ago, apparently trying to leave the country.Atsu's agent, Nana Sechere, traveled to Turkey with members of Atsu's family in an attempt to find him, holding onto hopes that he might be alive amid the wreckage. Sechere had urged authorities and Hatayspor officials to step up their efforts in the search for Atsu and Savut.In a statement Tuesday, Sechere said rescuers had been able to pinpoint Atsu's exact room location in his collapsed apartment building over a week after the devastating earthquake but the only thing they recovered were two pairs of his shoes.Sechere confirmed Saturday that Atsu’s body was found. He posted a message on Twitter: “My deepest condolences go to his family and loved ones."Atsu played more than 60 times for Ghana and scored on his debut as a 20-year-old in 2012. He was part of the Ghana squad at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and starred at the 2015 African Cup of Nations, scoring two goals to help Ghana to the final, where it lost in a penalty shootout to Ivory Coast.He was named the player of the tournament at that African Cup.Atsu was signed by Chelsea in 2013 but his time there was limited to appearances in exhibition games and he was sent out on loan to various clubs over the next four years. The winger joined Newcastle on loan in 2016 and was part of the team that won promotion back to the Premier League in the 2016-17 season.He signed a permanent deal with Newcastle in 2017 and spent four years there. The club said Saturday it was “profoundly saddened” by Atsu's death.“A talented player and a special person, he will always be fondly remembered by our players, staff and supporters,” Newcastle tweeted.The Ghana Football Association added: “We would like to express our deepest condolences to his wife and children, the family, loved ones and the football community.”Atsu joined Hatayspor last year after a short spell playing in Saudi Arabia.Ibrahim Kwarteng, a friend of Atsu's in Ghana, told The Associated Press in a recent interview that he knew the player as someone who helped people in his West African home country as much as he could.Kwarteng runs an organization that helps people convicted of petty crimes get jobs and put their lives back together after being released from jail and Atsu was its single biggest donor, Kwarteng said. Atsu had also started building an orphanage in Ghana and was helping to fund a new breast cancer screening center, Kwarteng said.___

Man United manager Ten Hag faces ultimate test against City

Barcelona needs to beat Atletico to avoid fears of meltdown

Traffic incident sidelines Czech footballer Jankto

English soccer coach gets longer ban for discrimination

MATCHDAY: Sevilla-United headlines Europa League quarters

Maradona's medical team on trial in former great's death

Dumars: Decision to suspend Draymond Green was "difficult"

Swiatek dominates at BNP Paribas Open; Murray advances

Curry, Warriors rally past NBA-best Bucks 125-116 in OT

Blazers' Lillard has 71 pts and 13 3s, then gets drug tested

George's heave just late, Jokic and Nuggets top Clips in OT

What Barbarez had said to Kodro 15 years ago

With 'Air,' Affleck tells lesser-known Michael Jordan story

Ratcliffe's Ineos confirms bid to buy Manchester United

Late goals give Arsenal 4-2 win over Villa to halt slide

Ghana soccer player Christian Atsu dies in Turkey earthquake

Sports

Man United manager Ten Hag faces ultimate test against City

Barcelona needs to beat Atletico to avoid fears of meltdown

Traffic incident sidelines Czech footballer Jankto

English soccer coach gets longer ban for discrimination

MATCHDAY: Sevilla-United headlines Europa League quarters

Maradona's medical team on trial in former great's death

Dumars: Decision to suspend Draymond Green was "difficult"

Swiatek dominates at BNP Paribas Open; Murray advances

Curry, Warriors rally past NBA-best Bucks 125-116 in OT

Blazers' Lillard has 71 pts and 13 3s, then gets drug tested

George's heave just late, Jokic and Nuggets top Clips in OT

What Barbarez had said to Kodro 15 years ago

With 'Air,' Affleck tells lesser-known Michael Jordan story

Ratcliffe's Ineos confirms bid to buy Manchester United

Late goals give Arsenal 4-2 win over Villa to halt slide

Ghana soccer player Christian Atsu dies in Turkey earthquake