LOS ANGELES, United States: Luka Doncic delivered a dominant 32-point performance as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped the Denver Nuggets’ nine-game winning streak on Saturday with an impressive 123-100 victory on the road in Colorado.
Doncic, playing only his fourth game for the Lakers since his blockbuster trade from Dallas, was in scintillating form as the Lakers conjured a statement wire-to-wire win over their Western Conference rivals.
The Slovenian superstar was the standout performer on a night when the Lakers saw four players finish with 20 points or more for the first time this season.
Doncic finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists while LeBron James backed him with 25 points. Austin Reaves added 23 points and Rui Hachimura 21.
“I’m starting to feel a little bit more like myself — that’s why I was smiling the whole game,” Doncic told ESPN afterward.
“There’s still a lot of room for improvement and this is only my fourth game. Chemistry takes time. But you saw today that things are getting better.”
Doncic had signalled he was in the mood for a stellar performance early in the first quarter, arrowing a couple of superb passes to James and Jaxson Hayes to help the Lakers take an 8-3 lead.
A sublime three-pointer from Doncic put the Lakers into a 31-18 lead as the visitors remained firmly on top.
Doncic finished the first quarter with 16 points, four rebounds and three assists and was soon back into the groove in the second quarter.
A delicate lobbed assist to James for an alley-oop dunk made it 60-52 before Doncic unfurled a 24-foot three-pointer to put the Lakers 11 points up.
The Nuggets closed the deficit to 63-54 at the half, but the Lakers remained in control for much of the third quarter, taking a nine-point advantage into the final frame.
The Lakers continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over in the fourth, and Doncic put Los Angeles into a 20-point lead at 117-97 with just over four minutes remaining after another Denver turnover to effectively ice the game.
The Lakers improved to 34-21 with the win and remain fifth in the West. The Nuggets fell to 37-20 with the defeat.
In other NBA action on Saturday, the Phoenix Suns halted their four-game losing streak with a 121-117 road victory over the Chicago Bulls.
Devin Booker finished with 29 points while Kevin Durant added 27 and Bradley Beal 25 as Phoenix fought back from an early 13-point deficit to claim a win that lifts them to 27-29 in the Western Conference.
Australian international Josh Giddey led the Bulls’ scorers with 24 points.
Elsewhere, the Philadelphia 76ers problems continued with a seventh straight defeat as they slumped to an agonizing 105-103 home loss against the Brooklyn Nets.
Sixers ace Tyrese Maxey leveled it for Philadelphia with a three-pointer with 23 seconds remaining.
But Nic Claxton’s tip layup at the buzzer snatched victory for Brooklyn, who improved to 21-35 with the win.
Cameron Johnson led Brooklyn’s scorers with 23 points, while Maxey’s 31-point haul went in vain for Philadelphia.
Sixers star Joel Embiid had another frustrating outing, finishing with only 14 points from 4-of-13 shooting and being benched for the fourth quarter.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse defended Embiid’s contribution as he continues to struggle with a niggling knee problem.
“He’s giving us what he can,” Nurse said of Embiid. “He’s not himself, we all know that. He’s not, certainly, the guy that we’re used to seeing play at a super high level.
“But I commend him for giving us what he can.”
Doncic dominates as Lakers rout Nuggets, Suns gore Bulls
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Doncic dominates as Lakers rout Nuggets, Suns gore Bulls
- The Slovenian superstar was the standout performer for the Lakers
- Doncic finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists
PSG ease past Seattle Sounders and into Club World Cup last 16
- The French champions will now go through to a tie against the Group A runners-up in Atlanta on Sunday
SEATTLE: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Achraf Hakimi scored either side of half-time as European champions Paris Saint-Germain eased to a 2-0 win over Seattle Sounders on Monday to secure their place in the last 16 of the Club World Cup.
PSG needed to bounce back from their 1-0 loss at the hands of Botafogo in their last Group B outing and they were too strong for the MLS side without ever really playing to their full potential.
Kvaratskhelia deflected a wayward Vitinha shot into the net to open the scoring on 35 minutes in front of 50,628 fans at Lumen Field, Sounders’ home stadium.
Hakimi then made it 2-0 just before the midway point in the second half to kill off any prospect of a comeback by the hosts.
PSG are through to the next round and advance as group winners on goal difference, climbing up from second place because of Botafogo’s late defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid at the same time in Pasadena.
The French champions will now go through to a tie against the Group A runners-up in Atlanta on Sunday, as they leave the west coast for the first time since arriving in the United States.
Paris coach Luis Enrique made four changes to his line-up following the defeat at the hands of Botafogo, with captain Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves all coming in.
However Ousmane Dembele, their top scorer during the European season just finished with 33 goals in all competitions, played no part for a third game running after traveling to the tournament with an injury.
The Sounders needed a big win combined with a defeat for Atletico to progress to the last 16, something which was always going to be a big ask for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League winners.
They didn’t have the quality to overly trouble PSG, who saw Desire Doue threaten early on with a powerful shot that was tipped over by home goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
A mistake by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma at the other end gifted a chance to the home side, but it was not an easy one for Jesus Ferreira and he fired off-target.
The UEFA Champions League winners got the opening goal 10 minutes before the interval when the ball came out to Vitinha on the edge of the area and his attempt took a rather lucky touch off the back of Kvaratskhelia to find the net.
The second goal arrived on 66 minutes after Doue played a delightful pass out to the wing for Bradley Barcola and the substitute cut in from the left before setting up Hakimi to control and slot in his 10th goal since the season began.
Atletico Madrid earns 1-0 victory, but Botafogo advances out of Group B
It took nearly the entire second half, but relentless attacks on goal paid off for Antoine Griezmann in the 87th minute on Monday.
After teammate Angel Correa’s shot was blocked by a defender, Griezmann sent a left-footed shot into the net to lift Atletico Madrid to a 1-0 victory over Botafogo in Group B action of the FIFA Club World Cup in Pasadena, California
Unfortunately, it was not enough to send the Spaniards on to the knockout rounds as Atletico Madrid needed to book a victory of at least three goals to advance out of Group B. Paris Saint-Germain, which defeated the Seattle Sounders 2-0 on Monday, and Botafogo — which defeated PSG earlier this week — claimed the group’s top two spots.
In the 10th minute, Botafogo had a prime opportunity to strike first after a through ball to Jefferson Savarino gave the striker a run at goal. Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak, however, stretched out for a score-saving deflection.
Julian Alvarez nearly gave Atletico Madrid the lead just before the half. The forward collected an entry pass just outside the goal area, turned and whipped a right-footed blast, but his attempt was pulled wide to the left to keep the match in a scorelesss draw.
Early in the second half, Atletico again put the pressure on Botafogo with Griezmann settling a lofted ball down the left side and beating his defender along the goal line. Griezmann then attempted to sneak in a left-footed shot by the near post, but it caromed off the post and out of play.
In the 67th minute, Botafogo went on the offensive as Cuiabano lofted a cross into the box that Igor Jesus one-timed on goal. Again, Oblak was there to punch the attempt away to maintain a clean sheet.
Atletico had several chances to build upon its lead following the 87th-minute score from Griezmann, but Botafogo continued to deny the Spaniards.
Oblak finished with three saves for Atletico Madrid, which outshot Botafogo 23-7 (5-3 on goal). Botafogo’s John was credited with four saves.
Alesso releases official remix for Esports World Cup 2025
- Remix of EWC Music’s orchestral theme “Ascension” features cello sensation Tina Guo and merges electronic music with competitive energy in celebration of world’s biggest esports event
GRAMMY-nominated producer and global electronic music sensation Alesso has released an official remix of “Ascension”, the lead track from the original music suite created for the Esports World Cup 2025 – the world’s largest esports and gaming event.
Originally composed by Edouard Brenneisen of Hollywood Scoring and recorded at Abbey Road Studios, “Ascension” features fellow GRAMMY nominee and virtuoso cellist Tina Guo. Alesso’s remix reimagines the orchestral original with his signature euphoric production style. The sonic maven seamlessly fuses his progressive house sound with Guo’s powerful tone, transforming the cinematic piece into a high-energy rework designed to capture the intensity and emotion of elite esports competition.
The track is part of the EWC Music initiative, a new programme creating an original musical identity for the Esports World Cup and celebrating esports’ deep connection with music. Launched in April with a four-track suite by 2WEI and Hollywood Scoring, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, the programme continues with live performances, artist collaborations, and global fan activations. “Ascension (Alesso Remix)” will be featured across tournament broadcasts, live events, and digital content throughout the seven-week competition, which begins on July 7 in Riyadh.
The Opening Ceremony, on July 10, will be headlined by 9x diamond-certified artist Post Malone.
Alesso said of the track, “I was so excited when this opportunity came to me. I’m a huge fan of esports and gaming tournaments – I’m a gamer myself, so combining my two worlds into one on this remix felt so natural. Creating this alongside Tina was incredible. We were able to create something that truly brings listeners into another world. I can’t wait to share this moment with all of you.”
Tina Guo said of the collaboration, "I'm thrilled to have worked with Alesso on this remix and so excited to be a part of the Esports World Cup! This collaboration brings together my passion for music and gaming in a progressive house and cinematic fusion. The energy and creativity that Alesso brings to the table are truly inspiring, and being involved in such a monumental event like the Esports World Cup is a dream come true. I can't wait to share this experience with everyone!"
Ariel Horn, Executive Producer at the Esports World Cup Foundation, added: “Gaming and EDM have moved together for years, from Marshmello’s Fortnite show to major esports collaborations like League of Legends and VALORANT’s work with Zedd. With Alesso and Tina Guo, we’re building another bridge. Tina has scored games, rocked League Worlds, and played on iconic Hans Zimmer soundtracks – including Wonder Woman. Just as EWC is reimagining what global esports can be, this track reimagines the role music plays in connecting players, fans and culture, turning competition into something you don’t just watch – you feel.”
The Esports World Cup 2025 is the world’s premier esports event. Its unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool across multiple platforms and genres – bringing together the best teams, players, and titles under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of competitive gaming.
EWC 2025 will feature 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool. Tickets, including access to the Opening Ceremony, are now available at esportsworldcup.com.
Riyadh to host leaders at New Global Sport Conference 2025
- Event takes place in August at Four Seasons Hotel
RIYADH: Riyadh is to welcome global leaders from sport, electronic sports, and entertainment at the New Global Sport Conference 2025 on Aug. 23-24 at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation, the event coincides with the closing weekend of the Esports World Cup, the world’s largest event of its type.
Called “The Next Game — Building the Future of Gaming, Esports, and Sports,” the conference will bring together more than 1,500 industry leaders for keynotes, strategy sessions, and high-level networking.
Confirmed speakers include Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, president of the Saudi Esports Federation; Casey Wasserman, chairman of LA28; Toshimoto Mitomo, Sony’s chief strategy officer; and World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen. Senior executives from Activision, Sega, Bandai Namco, Disney, and CBS Sports will also participate.
Ralf Reichert, the CEO of EWCF, said the event was occurring at a time of transformation, and added: “As the boundaries between sports, e-sports, entertainment, and technology dissolve, this event becomes the premier global stage for leaders to explore new horizons and create groundbreaking collaborations."
Tickets are now available at www.newglobalsportconference.com. Additional speakers and the full programme will be announced soon.
New Al-Hilal kit unveiled in New York gives a nod to club’s heritage
- The event featured a KidSuper x Puma Football tournament as Saudi giants continue their FIFA Club World Cup campaign
RIYADH: The new 2025-26 season Al-Hilal kit has been revealed by PUMA and American artist, fashion designer and musician KidSuper as the Saudi club continues its FIFA Club World Cup campaign in the US.
The strip pays tributed to the club’s “heritage, artistry and global ambition,” and takes its cue from its name — Al-Hilal means “crescent moon” in Arabic. The symbol is highlighted in toning blues with a glowing lunar graphic, while the goalkeeper’s jersey has an alpine snow base with blue and navy blue details.
To bring a regional flavor to the global collaboration, PUMA Middle East invited Zeynab El-helw — a Dubai-based fashion entrepreneur known for her bold, and distinct style — along with Shouq, a rising Saudi voice recognized for her expressive and forward-thinking fashion content, and Noura Joubran, a content creator celebrated for her fusion of elegance and contemporary style, to New York City for the proceedings.
The three brought the PUMA x KidSuper Al-Hilal collection to life with a content shoot celebrating the fusion of fashion and football, while also highlighting the club’s growing global footprint and milestone presence at the FIFA Club World Cup.
The trio joined PUMA’s global team for an exclusive launch event, attended by creators, media and football fans, and which featured a KidSuper x PUMA football tournament. They also attended one of Al-Hilal’s Club World Cup matches.
Colm Dillane, aka KidSuper, said: “I’ve always wanted to merge the worlds of art and football, and with PUMA, we’re doing just that. This collection is about more than just the game. It’s about expressing yourself, taking risks, and standing out. Whether on the pitch or off, football is an art form, and this collection shows that.”
The collection also features limited-edition kits and lifestyle pieces for six other PUMA-sponsored clubs — Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, FC Salzburg, Mamelodi Sundowns, Palmeiras and Monterrey.
