LOS ANGELES, United States: Cade Cunningham scored 40 points to lead the Detroit Pistons, who withstood a career-high 53 points by Anthony Edwards to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 119-105 on Saturday.
Edwards, who had voiced frustration after averaging just 16.3 points over the last three games in the face of strong double team defense, found plenty of ways to score.
He connected on 16 of his 31 shots from the field, including 10 of 15 from three-point range, and made 11 of his 12 free-throw attempts.
But he had little scoring support and the Timberwolves trailed virtually all the way against a Pistons team powered by Cunningham, who notched his season high in points and added six rebounds and nine assists.
Unlike Edwards, Cunningham had plenty of support. Malik Beasley added 23 points off the bench for the Pistons, Tobias Harris scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Ausar Thompson finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and six steals.
In San Antonio, Nikola Jokic scored 46 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Denver Nuggets, who spoiled Victor Wembanyama’s 21st birthday with a 122-111 overtime victory over the Spurs.
Wembanyama scored 20 points and grabbed 23 rebounds with three assists and four blocked shots.
But the French star — whose late-game heroics sealed the Spurs’ win over the Nuggets in Denver on Friday — was scoreless in overtime.
Harrison Barnes scored 22 points for San Antonio and Devin Vassell added 19. Vassell tied it at 108-108 with a put-back basket with 14 seconds left in regulation.
Jokic missed a potential game-winner but dominated with nine points in the extra session, when the Nuggets out-scored the Spurs 14-3 to pull away.
The Serbian star, who claimed a third NBA Most Valuable Player award last season, added 10 assists, two steals and a pair of blocked shots.
In Brooklyn, Joel Embiid scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to power the Philadelphia 76ers in a 123-94 victory over the short-handed Nets.
Tyrese Maxey finished with 18 points while Paul George and Caleb Martin scored 17 apiece for the Sixers, who led by 64-47 at halftime.
The Portland Trail Blazers, led by 28 points from Anfernee Simons, snatched a 105-102 victory over the Bucks in Milwaukee.
Simons came through in the clutch, converting a three-point play with 23.5 seconds left to put the Trail Blazers up by one.
After former Blazer Damian Lillard turned the ball over Simons made a pair of free-throws with 5.4 to play to seal the win.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 31 points and 11 rebounds. Lillard scored 16 but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer in the final second.
The Golden State Warriors, fueled by 24 points from Andrew Wiggins and 17 from Dennis Schroder, shook off the absence of superstar Stephen Curry to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-113.
With Curry resting because of knee tendinitis, the Warriors saw Jonathan Kuminga depart with a sprained right ankle late in the first half.
The close game got testy late, with Golden State star Draymond Green assessed a flagrant foul and a technical foul in the fourth quarter.
In Chicago, Coby White made nine three-pointers on the way to 33 points and Nikola Vucevic added 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls in a 139-126 victory over the New York Knicks.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 44 points and grabbed 16 rebounds and Jalen Brunson added 33 for the Knicks, but New York dropped their second straight a day after the Oklahoma City Thunder halted their nine-game winning streak.
It was an emotional night for the Bulls, who honored Derrick Rose at halftime — three months after the former NBA MVP and Bulls star announced his retirement.
Pistons top Timberwolves despite Edwards’s 53 points
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Pistons top Timberwolves despite Edwards’s 53 points
- In San Antonio, Nikola Jokic scored 46 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for the Denver Nuggets to beat the Spurs
- The Golden State Warriors shook off the absence of superstar Stephen Curry to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-113
Chelsea win race to sign Ipswich striker Delap
LONDON: Chelsea beat off competition from Premier League rivals to sign English striker Liam Delap from Ipswich on Wednesday for a reported fee of £30 million ($41 million)
Delap, 22, scored 12 Premier League goals during his sole season at Portman Road but could not prevent Ipswich making an immediate return to the Championship.
Manchester United and Everton were also reportedly willing to meet the buyout clause in the England under-21 international’s contract.
But Chelsea have won the race for the former Manchester City forward, bolstering their attacking options ahead of the Club World Cup in the United States, starting later this month.
“I understand the stature of this club and can see the trajectory it is on with these players and the head coach,” said Delap, who has signed a six-year contract, in a Chelsea statement.
“It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies.”
The Blues finished fourth in the Premier League and will return to the Champions League next season after a two-year absence.
And Enzo Maresca’s men last week beat Real Betis 4-1 in the Conference League final to secure a trophy in the Italian manager’s first season in charge.
In mid-December Chelsea were within touching distance of eventual Premier League champions Liverpool before hitting a rocky patch.
They finished the season strongly, securing a top-five spot on the final day of the season but were hamstrung by their lack of a clinical number nine.
Senegal international Nicolas Jackson scored just 10 times in 30 Premier League appearances, while Christopher Nkunku looks set to leave the club after an underwhelming two-year spell.
Delap, the son of former Stoke midfielder Rory Delap, began his career at Manchester City but struggled to break into Pep Guardiola’s star-studded first team.
After loan spells in the second tier with Stoke, Preston and Hull, he was snapped up by Ipswich in a deal worth up to £20 million after they won promotion to the Premier League a year ago.
Delap was one of the few success stories for the Tractor Boys during a difficult season as they were relegated back to the Championship with just 22 points.
Chelsea will face Flamengo, LAFC and ES Tunis in the group stages of the Club World Cup, which gets underway on June 14.
Emmy-winning director R. J. Cutler’s docuseries ‘Esports World Cup: Level Up’ starts June 6
- The 5-part series on Prime Video takes a behind-the-scenes look at the inaugural Esports World Cup, an 8-week, $60m competition in Riyadh in 2024
- ‘What drew me to the EWC was the compelling human stories unfolding within this high-stakes arena,’ Cutler says
RIYADH: “Esports World Cup: Level Up,” a new, five-part documentary series from Emmy-winning director R. J. Cutler begins on Jun. 6 on Prime Video, with new episodes released weekly.
It offers viewers a look behind the scenes of the inaugural Esports World Cup that took place in Riyadh in 2024. Described as a defining moment in global electronic sports, with more than $60 million in prize money up for grabs, it ignited a high-stakes, multinational battle to land the title of the world’s top esports club.
The makers of the series, which is produced by This Machine, part of Sony Pictures Television, describe it as a rare look inside a global competition that is redefining what it means to be a champion for a new generation of athletes and fans.
They said Cutler and his team embedded themselves at the eight-week tournament, which was watched by more 500 million fans worldwide, to uncover the personal sacrifices, rivalries and high stakes driving the digital action.
Shot in cinema verite style, with minimal interference from the filmmakers, the series reportedly combines visits to the homes of competitors around the world with on-the-ground coverage of the event. It follows a wide range of participants, from club CEOs attempting to orchestrate million-dollar strategies, to rising stars chasing a life-changing win.
“What drew me to the EWC was the compelling human stories unfolding within this high-stakes arena,” Cutler said.
“‘Level Up’ isn’t just about the incredible competition and prize money; it’s about the dedication, the passion and the sheer will of these athletes and teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
“Under high pressure, we discover the true character of the competitors who vie for $60 million but who also expose their humanity in the process.”
Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, said: “A win might make the headlines but the real story is the people behind it.
“’Level Up’ dives into the human side of e-sports: the pressure, the ambition, the sacrifices. It’s about what it really takes to compete at the highest level and why it matters. R. J. is the best at bringing those stories to life, and this one captures the heart of what we’re building.”
Cutler’s previous work includes the 2009 documentary movie “The September Issue,” about American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her team as they prepare to publish a particularly significant edition of the magazine, and films about celebrities including Marlon Brando, John Belushi, Billie Eilish, Elton John and Martha Stewart.
Bahrain game ‘crucial’ for Saudi World Cup qualification hopes, says coach Herve Renard
- With 2 games left to play in 3rd round of the qualifiers and the Green Falcons sitting 3rd in Group C, he warns that 6 points are a ‘must’
- The squad’s final preparations are going well, he adds, with a renewed spirit and clear determination among the players to perform well
MANAMA: Saudi Arabia’s match against Bahrain on Thursday is “crucial” to their bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, coach Herve Renard said on Wednesday.
The away game will be followed by a showdown with Australia at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on Tuesday, as the third round of the qualifiers draws to a close.
The Saudis are sitting third in the six-team Group C, 10 points behind already qualified Japan and trailing Australia by three. The top two in the group qualify automatically for the finals, while those who finish third and fourth will fight it out with four other teams for the last three spots. At this point no outcome is certain for the Green Falcons, who are just four points ahead of bottom-of-the-group China.
Speaking at the prematch press conference in Manama, Renard said the Saudis must take maximum points from their remaining games.
“We have to win the six points in the next two matches,” the Frenchman said. “Knowing the outcome of the Australia-Japan match (on Thursday) in advance gives us an important psychological boost ahead of the Bahrain match, and it may also determine my final message to the players.”
The squad’s final preparations for the game were going well, he added, with a renewed spirit and clear determination among the players to perform at a level worthy of the team, despite the difficult task ahead.
The position they are in reflects the team’s stumbling start to this phase of the qualifiers, Renard said, but everyone is determined to restore balance to the team and win.
Boisson ‘going for the dream’ at French Open after injury nightmare
- Boisson swept past world number six Mirra Andreeva in a thrilling two-set battle 7-6 (8/6), 6-3
- The 22-year-old had already eliminated US third seed Jessica Pegula two days ago
PARIS: Lois Boisson has “resilience” tattooed above her right elbow and the 361st-ranked Frenchwoman demonstrated she had plenty as she stormed into semifinals of the French Open on Wednesday.
Boisson swept past world number six Mirra Andreeva in a thrilling two-set battle 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 in just over two hours on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The 22-year-old had already eliminated US third seed Jessica Pegula two days ago.
A wildcard entry, Boisson is making her Grand Slam debut in Paris after seriously injuring her left knee a week before Roland Garros 12 months ago.
On Wednesday, the French national anthem rang out in the crowd as Boisson and 18-year-old Andreeva warmed up.
“It gave me the chill, I have to say,” said Boisson. “But it was extraordinary to have the crowd supporting me so much.
“Even though sometimes it’s a bit raucous and there is a lot of noise between two points.”
Boisson had trailed 3-1 and 5-3 in the first set but saved set points to turn the match in her favor.
She kept her cool as last year’s semifinalist Andreeva unraveled from a 3-0 lead in the second set to win the last six games.
A frustrated Andreeva received a warning from the umpire for blasting the ball into the crowd. She was then booed when she argued with the umpire over a line call.
“Obviously I expected it,” said the Russian of the partisan home crowd.
“I think that in the first set I managed it pretty well.. but obviously with nerves and with pressure, it became a little harder.”
Andreeva struggled with the pressure, hitting nine double-faults in total, and made 43 unforced errors to Boisson’s 27.
She conceded the final game to love as Boisson wrapped up victory on her first match point.
The player from Dijon advances to meet US world number two Coco Gauff, who battled back from a set down to beat Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-1.
“For sure I will go for the dream, because my dream is to win it, not to be in the semifinal,” warned Boisson.
“My routine won’t change, it’s been the same since the start of the tournament,” she added of her preparation for Thursday’s semifinal.
Former US Open winner Gauff, 21, said she would just pretend the home crowd was “cheering for me.”
“Just using it and not letting that get to you.”
Boisson becomes the lowest-ranked major semifinalist in the last 40 years.
Winner of the Saint Malo tournament on the secondary circuit in 2024, she was ranked 152nd before her injury.
“(It) was the toughest moment of my life,” said Boisson, who had only won one match on the main circuit before Roland Garros — at the modest WTA 250 event in Rouen on clay in April.
Her earnings this year have been 18,470 euros ($21,100) for a career-total 130,000 euros ($148,000).
Reaching the singles semifinals at Roland Garros will earn her a paycheck of 690,000 euros.
The winner receives 2.55 million euros and the runner-up half that.
“She’s probably a better player than her ranking right now,” said Andreeva.
“I think that if she keeps playing like this, freely and not being scared or afraid... I think everyone can win.
“It’s going to be pretty interesting to watch. I think if maybe she believes in herself enough, maybe she can.”
Boisson is the third player to reach the semifinals in her Grand Slam main-draw debut since 1980, following Monica Seles and Jennifer Capriati who also did it at Roland Garros in 1989 and 1990.
She becomes the first French semifinalist at her home Grand Slam event since Marion Bartoli in 2011 — and the first in the Open Era to do it as a wildcard.
Saudi footballer Abdulmalik Al-Jaber shines on European stage
- Al-Nassr star’s performances in Bosnia put him at top of list of 9 Saudi players across 7 of Europe’s football leagues
- Faisal Al-Ghamdi played as key midfielder for Beerschot in Belgium
BEIRUT: Midfielder Abdulmalik Al-Jaber has been a guiding light among Saudi players making their mark in Europe following his impressive spell at Bosnia’s FK Zeljeznicar.
Al-Nassr announced on Monday the capture of 21-year-old Al-Jaber on a four-year contract after his strong season with FK Zeljeznicar where played 33 times, scored three goals and assisted in three more.
Al-Jaber’s performances put him at the top of a list of nine Saudi players who played across seven different European leagues last season.
Faisal Al-Ghamdi, 23, played 29 times for Belgian club Beerschot where he was a key player in midfield, scoring one goal and assisting in the creation of another.
Clubmate and forward Marwan Al-Sahafi also impressed, the 21-year-old scoring six times and making one assist across 28 games.
Mohanad Al-Saad, 21, played for Dunkerque in France and scored four goals in 15 matches — one of them against Paris Saint-Germain in the French Cup semifinal, a proud moment despite the 4-2 defeat.
Saud Abdulhamid, 25, got some valuable minutes with AS Roma in Italy where he played eight matches, scoring once and making one assist. Four of his appearances were in Serie A, the top tier.
Midfielder Mohammed Al-Rashidi, 23, boasted eight appearances for Greece’s Panserraikos and a total of 184 minutes on the pitch.
Three other young players had a taste of European football. Hussain Al-Taha, 19, played three matches for Croatian side Vukovar, while Mishal Haddad, 20, appeared in two games for Vinkovci, also in Croatia. Yazan Madani, 20, played twice as left-back for Albania’s Egnatia.
With more Saudi players heading to Europe, it is clear that the future looks bright for talented footballers from the KIngdom.
These youngsters are gaining experience, growing in confidence, and helping to raise the profile of Saudi football on the international stage.
