LeBron James is extending his All-Star records. And Giannis Antetokounmpo is the people’s choice, again.
The NBA revealed the starters — some of them, anyway — for the revamped All-Star Game on Thursday night, and there wasn’t much in the way of surprises. James is now officially an All-Star for the 21st year, and Antetokounmpo is now the ninth player to win the fan vote in back-to-back seasons.
The other starters:
— New York’s Jalen Brunson and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell as the Eastern Conference guards.
— Boston’s Jayson Tatum and New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns as the East frontcourt players alongside Antetokounmpo.
— Golden State’s Stephen Curry and NBA leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as Western Conference guards.
— Phoenix’s Kevin Durant and Denver’s Nikola Jokic as the West frontcourt players alongside James.
The starters were picked through a system of weighted balloting: 50 percent was fan voting, 25 percent was a media panel and 25 percent was voting by current players.
There are 14 more All-Stars yet to be announced, and they’ll be chosen in a vote of the league’s head coaches. That list will be revealed on Jan. 30, and the All-Star Game — now games, really — happens in San Francisco on Feb. 16.
Among the candidates for those reserve spots: San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, the Lakers’ Anthony Davis, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Dallas teammates Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, reigning All-Star Game MVP Damian Lillard of Milwaukee, Miami’s Tyler Herro, Atlanta’s Trae Young and Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball — who led East guard fan voting.
There will be at least 15 different players who “start” at the All-Star Game this season. It’s the first year of a new All-Star format, with three games. The 24 All-Stars will be drafted into three teams of eight players apiece by TNT personalities and former NBA greats Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith.
Those three teams will be entered into a four-team tournament, with the remaining squad made up of NBA rookies and second-year players from the Rising Stars event on All-Star Friday. There are two semifinal games, with the winners meeting in a championship game. The games should go quickly; the first team to reach 40 points wins.
Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault and an assistant from his staff will coach two of the teams, and Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson and one of his assistants will lead the others.
The last two All-Star Games rewrote the offensive record books. Boston’s Tatum set an individual record with 55 points in 2023, and last year’s final score was 211-186 — the highest-scoring All-Star Game ever.
LeBron at 40
James is now in line to become the third player to appear in the All-Star Game after turning 40. The others: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who did so at 40 and 41, and Dirk Nowitzki, whose All-Star finale came when he was 40.
James — a pick for 21 straight years — now has two more All-Star selections than anyone else in NBA history (Abdul-Jabbar was a 19-time pick) and is three years clear of anyone else for the longest streak of consecutive selections. Kobe Bryant was picked for 18 consecutive All-Star Games, the second-longest such streak.
James is also set to start for the 21st consecutive year. The second-longest streak of All-Star starts is 13, by Boston’s Bob Cousy.
Antetokounmpo gets 4.4 million fan votes
Antetokounmpo led the way with more than 4.4 million fan votes, giving him the most in that department for the second consecutive year.
The other players who have been the overall top fan choice in back-to-back seasons: James, Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, Vince Carter, George Gervin, Magic Johnson, Grant Hill and Yao Ming.
Kobe Bryant led the fan voting four times and Dwight Howard did twice, but neither of those players ever did it in back-to-back years.
LeBron James picked for 21st straight All-Star Game, extending NBA record
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LeBron James picked for 21st straight All-Star Game, extending NBA record
- James is now officially an All-Star for the 21st year
Foreign cricketers head home as India-Pakistan tension disrupts world’s biggest T20 league
The Pakistan Super League was postponed less than 24 hours after the Pakistan Cricket Board had announced it would try to move the remaining games to Dubai
NEW DELHI: The military tension between India and Pakistan has put the biggest Twenty20 cricket league in the world on hold while another one has been suspended for indefinite period.
The lucrative Indian Premier League was suspended for one week Friday while the Pakistan Super League was postponed less than 24 hours after the Pakistan Cricket Board had announced it would try to move the remaining eight games of the league to Dubai.
Leading foreign cricketers on both sides of the border have already started leaving for their respective countries and the Board of Control for Cricket in India is yet to announce the revised schedule.
There were reports in Indian media on Saturday that IPL organizers have shortlisted three southern cities — Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad — to host the remaining 16 games, provided it gets Indian government approval to resume.
The packed international cricket schedule could see some of the leading foreign players miss the remaining IPL games if the league extends beyond its scheduled May 25 final.
The IPL is the most popular cricket tournament in the world and runs between March and May. This year it has featured 65 international cricketers from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, England and Afghanistan.
Several dozen foreign cricketers who weren’t picked in the IPL auction were drafted into the PSL, which was due to end May 18.
The decision to postpone IPL on Friday came after a night of artillery exchanges between Indian and Pakistani soldiers across their frontier in Kashmir, amid a growing military standoff that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the disputed region.
On Friday night and Saturday, overseas cricketers and broadcast staff were given permission to fly out to their respective home countries, reducing the chance that the tournament would be resumed. There are about 70 overseas players in the IPL this season.
The BCCI said the decision to suspend the tournament was made “in the collective interest of all stakeholders.”
“While cricket remains a national passion, there is nothing greater than the nation and its sovereignty, integrity, and security of our country,” the BCCI statement said.
The suspension came after the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala in northern India was abandoned Thursday evening when the power went out during a government-mandated blackout. Players from both teams returned by train late Friday to New Delhi.
Punjab’s next game against Mumbai Indians had already been moved from Dharamsala to Mumbai because of the closure of several airports in the Indian northwestern corridor.
In Pakistan, foreign players were flown out of Islamabad in a special chartered flight hours before both countries were engaged in missile and drone attacks on each other’s military bases in the most serious confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades.
On Thursday, an Indian drone fell inside the complex of the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium hours before the start of a PSL game in which several cricketers from New Zealand, Australia, West Indies, South Africa and England were due to compete.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also interior minister in the Pakistan government, held meetings with foreign cricketers and six franchise owners of the PSL before initially saying the tournament was being moved to Dubai before suspending it.
“Cricket, while being a unifying force and a source of joy, must take a respectful pause,” the PCB said in a statement.
The PCB said it acted on advice from Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The PCB had earlier confirmed the relocation of eight remaining PSL matches to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, citing growing concerns among overseas players and the need to prioritize their safety. But the latest announcement said the PSL was being postponed and gave no indication whether this year’s edition would resume at some point.
England cricketer Sam Billings, New Zealand’s Colin Munro, South African Rilee Rossouw and Jason Holder of West Indies were among 43 foreign cricketers competing in the PSL.
“We have sincere regard for the mental well-being of participating players and the sentiments of our foreign players, and we respect the concerns of their families who want to see them back home,” the PCB said.
Postecoglou ‘hopeful’ Son will return for Spurs against Palace
- South Korea international Son, 32, has missed the club’s past seven fixtures with a foot injury
- “Half hopeful that we get Sonny some minutes tomorrow so he’ll be the only one that sort of can come back in,” Postecoglou said
LONDON: Ange Postecoglou says he is “half hopeful” that captain Son Heung-min will return on Sunday as he makes plans for Tottenham’s showdown with Manchester United in the Europa League final.
South Korea international Son, 32, has missed the club’s past seven fixtures with a foot injury, including both legs of Tottenham’s 5-1 aggregate win against Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semifinals.
“Everyone got through OK the other night. Half hopeful that we get Sonny some minutes tomorrow so he’ll be the only one that sort of can come back in,” Spurs boss Postecoglou said on Saturday.
“I think what we do know about Thursday night, playing on an artificial pitch (in Norway) takes a lot out of the players, it’s fair to say they were sore.”
Defenders Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie are expected to be rested against Palace.
Tottenham are a lowly 16th in the Premier League ahead of their match against Palace — a point and a place below United.
But they reached the semifinals of the League Cup and have a chance to win their first silverware for 17 years in the Europa League.
The Australian will bring up a century of fixtures as Tottenham boss in the Europa League final against United in Bilbao on May 21.
“It’d be a nice little bow there for that 100 and it’s been a really full 100,” he said. “It’s fair to say I’ve experienced just about every emotion in it and hopefully the one main emotion we’re all after will be the joy at the end of it.
“We have had a ridiculous injury-riddled season coupled by the fact we’ve done really well in two competitions and that is 60 games.
“So, it has felt — and certainly for me personally it has felt — like a really, really long season.
“But you just get energy and realize what happened the other night and you’re so close to achieving something special that it all dissipates into the background, so you get the energy you need.”
Chopra postpones javelin meet amid India-Pakistan conflict
- Chopra’s move came after cricket-mad India and Pakistan suspended their elite Twenty20 leagues on Friday
- Neeraj Chopra Classic on May 24, World Athletics Gold category meet, was set to feature host of international names
BENGALURU: India’s Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra has postponed an eponymous javelin event in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru this month after his country and neighbor Pakistan extended their worst fighting in nearly three decades.
The Neeraj Chopra Classic on May 24, a World Athletics Gold category meet, was set to feature a host of international names including Anderson Peters, Julius Yego, Thomas Roehler and Curtis Thompson.
Chopra’s move came after cricket-mad India and Pakistan suspended their elite Twenty20 leagues on Friday in the wake of the ongoing conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
“This decision has been made after careful thought and consultation, with the wellbeing of athletes, stakeholders, and the broader community as the top priority,” Chopra’s team announced on social media on Friday.
“We believe in the unifying power of sport. But, in this critical moment, standing firm with the nation matters most. All our gratitude and thoughts at this point are only with our Armed Forces, who are at the forefront for our nation.”
Chopra said late last month it was “completely out of the question” that rival and Paris Olympics gold medalist Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan would attend the meet following a deadly Islamist militant attack in Indian Kashmir.
The two countries have clashed since India struck multiple locations in Pakistan on Wednesday that it said were “terrorist camps” in retaliation for the attack in Kashmir, in which it said Islamabad was involved.
Pakistan denied the accusation but both countries have exchanged cross-border firing and shelling and sent drones and missiles into each other’s airspace since then, with dozens of people dying in the violence.
Chopra, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, said a revised schedule for his event would be provided in due course.
Yuri Cesar the hero as Shabab Al-Ahli beat Sharjah to take President’s Cup
- A 2-1 win at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium secures UAE league, cup double for Paulo Sousa’s men
DUBAI: Brazilian winger Yuri Cesar emerged as the hero for all-conquering Shabab Al-Ahli as his brace of goals secured a come-from-behind 2-1 President’s Cup final victory against Sharjah and the fourth trophy of an unforgettable campaign.
Paulo Sousa’s troops walked out at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Friday fresh from securing ADNOC Pro League glory with three matches remaining, adding to their UAE-Qatar Challenge Shield and Emaar Super Cup triumphs.
But their latest pursuit of glory got off to a tricky start when UAE utility player Marcus Meloni slotted in an early cross for The Kings, led by Cosmin Olaroiu.
Ex-Flamengo youngster Cesar levelled in stunning fashion deep into first-half injury time with a superb free-kick, before a dizzying solo run and precise low strike from the edge of the penalty box proved decisive just past the hour mark.
Sousa told Abu Dhabi Sports: “Myself and my staff decided to come here (last summer) because we felt we had the ambition from the club, then we built it up. We deserve all these treasures; it was amazing.
“It’s a very difficult team to play (Sharjah). They are really mature; without too many things they create lots of difficulties because they are really compact and determined in individual challenges.”
Under the guidance of Sousa — and including the likes of Iran’s superstar Sardar Azmoun and emerging UAE goalkeeper Hamad Al-Meqbaali in their ranks — Shabab Al-Ahli have been this term’s dominant force. They were only denied a clean domestic sweep after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Al-Jazira in last month’s ADIB Cup showpiece.
Shabab Al-Ahli are now the President’s Cup’s most successful team with 11 titles, one more than Sharjah.
Friday’s clash represented another near miss for their opponents, who are on course to finish a distant second in the top flight.
Gauff holds nerve to join Sabalenka in Italian Open third round
- Reigning Rome champion Alexander Zverev also strolled into the next round, beating Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-2, 6-1 in the last match of the day on center court
- Sinner will make his comeback from a three-month doping ban on Saturday when he takes on Mariano Navone in front of what will be a partisan crowd
ROME: Coco Gauff survived a scare at this year’s Italian Open, coming back from a set down to beat qualifier Victoria Mboko 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 as Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz both cruised through their opening matches.
World No.3 Gauff will play Magda Linette in the third round in Rome after prevailing despite being far from her best in a match which signalled more progress from her up-and-coming opponent.
Canadian Mboko played with a maturity which defied the 153 places separating her from Gauff in the world rankings in a prime-time clash on center court.
The 18-year-old has risen from 333 to 156 since the start of the year and the Foro Italico crowd quickly took to her confident, and powerful play.
Mboko had Gauff on the ropes in the first set, breaking the former US Open winner four times, but eventually gave way to her more experienced opponent who is one of the favorites for overall victory after losing to Sabalenka in the recent Madrid final.
“It was a tough match, Victoria came out playing some tough tennis, I knew she was going to do from watching some of her previous matches,” said Gauff.
“But overall I’m just happy that I was able to step up my game.”
Current world No. 1 Sabalenka swept past Russia’s Anastasia Potapova 6-2, 6-2 in just over an hour.
Sabalenka will play Sofia Kenin in the next round after the American beat another Russian in Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0.
The 27-year-old Sabalenka has reached the final of her last four tournaments, winning both in Madrid and in another 1000 series in Miami.
“I know that if I bring my best game and my fight spirit on court, I know that I can win this tournament,” Sabalenka told reporters.
Emma Raducanu got off to a flying start with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Jil Teichmann, a lucky loser who replaced Ekaterina Alexandrova following the Russian’s withdrawal with a shoulder injury.
Alcaraz got past Dusan Lajovic 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 23 minutes in his first match since suffering a thigh injury in his Barcelona Open final defeat to Holger Rune last month.
The Spaniard showed some signs of ring rustiness with 22 unforced errors but saw off Serbian qualifier Lajovic and was positive about his comeback display.
“It was a great performance, a great level, which was surprising for me a little bit but I’m just really happy,” said Alcaraz.
Alcaraz will now face Laslo Djere, a 6-0, 6-3 winner over Alex Michelsen, in the third round as he eyes a potential final with world number one Jannik Sinner in the Italian capital.
Sinner will make his comeback from a three-month doping ban on Saturday when he takes on Mariano Navone in front of what will be a partisan crowd.
Alcaraz later told reporters that he would take it easy on his day off, keep an eye on Sinner’s match and go to watch his friend Patric play for Serie A football club Lazio against Juventus at the nearby Stadio Olimpico.
Reigning Rome champion Alexander Zverev also strolled into the next round, beating Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-2, 6-1 in the last match of the day on center court.
Home hope Lorenzo Musetti opened his week, his first in the top 10 of the men’s world rankings, with a 6-3, 6-2 win over qualifier Otto Virtanen.
Musetti, losing finalist in Monte Carlo last month, has the USA’s Brandon Nakashima next and could face Daniil Medvedev in the last 16 after the 2023 Rome champion easily saw off Britain’s Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-2 to set up a third-round clash with Alexei Popyrin.
Ninth-seed Rune will play Corentin Moutet, who went through after fellow Frenchman Ugo Humbert withdrew injured, in the third round after winning a thrilling match with Francisco Comesana 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
