Sports

Play is delayed on the outside courts at the Australian Open on Thursday because of the dust and mud that came down during a rainstorm in Melbourne. […]

Houston saw what potential it could achieve when Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Eric Gordon play well on the same night. Westbrook had 28 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists, Harden added 27 points and the Rockets snapped a four-game losing streak with a 121-105 victory over the short-handed Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. ''If we can get everybody together like tonight - you know, James has a good game, Eric has a good game and Russell has a good game,'' Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. […]

LeBron James spent the first half showing why he will soon pass Kobe Bryant for third place on the NBA's career scoring list. Then this season's assists leader put his own offense aside to help Anthony Davis find his. James scored 19 of his 21 points before halftime to quickly cut into Bryant's shrinking lead over him for the No. 3 scoring spot in NBA history, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks 100-92 on Wednesday night. […]

Jayson Tatum has been the Celtics' savior multiple times this season when his teammates have struggled offensively. Tatum scored 23 points before leaving the game in the third quarter with a groin injury as the Celtics ran past the Memphis Grizzlies 119-95 on Wednesday night. Daniel Theis had 14 points, and Enes Kanter finished with 13 points and eight rebounds to help Boston win its second straight. […]

The Cleveland Browns announced Wednesday night they are retaining three members of Freddie Kitchens' coaching staff to serve under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer, assistant special teams coach Doug Colman and run game coordinator/running backs coach Stump Mitchell are the three holdovers from the previous staff. “(They're) some really good coaches that are going to be important to our success,” Stefanski said, via the team's website. […]

Two of the most exciting young talents in tennis take centre stage at the Australian Open on Friday when 15-year-old American Coco Gauff takes on reigning champion Naomi Osaka. The 38-year-old Serena Williams still reigns over the women's game but Osaka, 22, has been touted as a possible successor in the short term, and Gauff as the longer-term heir apparent. Williams, chasing a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title, could await in the quarter-finals. […]

In his highly anticipated NBA debut, Zion Williamson went on a wild scoring tirade late in the game to left us all wanting more. […]

''There was one time in the Bahamas, playing blackjack, that we sat down for a little while with Matt Damon, and we sat there and played for a little while,'' Walker recalled of a gambling evening where athletes and thespians mixed. A baseball odd couple, they sat on the dais in a penthouse hotel ballroom, baseball's newly minted Hall of Famers. Walker, a youth hockey player who took up baseball at age 16, was elected in his 10th and final try on the baseball writers' ballot, making it with just six votes more than the 75% required. […]

Heartbroken Jelena Ostapenko was knocked out of the Australian Open on Thursday after taking the difficult decision to play despite the sudden death of her father. The 22-year-old former French Open champion, whose father Jevgenijs passed away earlier this month, had said playing in Melbourne was the best way to take her mind off her loss. She pulled out of a tournament in Auckland at the start of the year and flew home to Latvia, but decided to play in the Australian Open where she was beaten by Belinda Bencic in the second round. […]

John Millman is prepared to do anything to get an edge over Roger Federer, and that includes cheekily requesting their crunch Australian Open third round match is played on a court other than Rod Laver Arena. Befitting his status, the Swiss master, making a 21st appearance at Melbourne Park, almost always plays on the centre court where he has won six titles, and Millman is keen to disrupt his momentum. "More so just to throw a spanner in the works for Roger," said the Australian, who memorably beat Federer over four gruelling sets at the US Open in 2018. […]

Dayana Yastremska's coach Sascha Bajin blasted her critics Thursday, saying he wanted to "shut some people up" after former world number one Caroline Wozniacki accused the Ukrainian of faking an injury. The 19-year-old was one game away from defeat against the former world number one at the Australian Open on Wednesday when she called for a medical timeout, and a trainer came on court to strap her left thigh. She managed to save a handful of match points on resumption before the Dane wrapped up a tough 7-5, 7-5 victory. […]

Manchester United were labelled an "embarrassment" as pressure mounted on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following Burnley's shock 2-0 victory, while Tottenham boosted their top four prospects with a 2-1 win over Norwich on Wednesday. Solskjaer's side suffered a third defeat in their last four Premier League games to put the United boss's job security back under the microscope. Burnley's first top-flight win at Old Trafford since 1962, secured by Chris Wood's 39th minute opener and a Jay Rodriguez thunderbolt after the break, exposed the flaws in a lacklustre United side who have made their worst start […]

Martin Keown says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer "will not last as Manchester United manager beyond this season" after the 2-0 home defeat to Burnley in the Premier League. Phil Neville insists the Norwegian should be given more time as "there are some positives" and says the club need to sign at least two players in the January transfer window. […]

The 49ers remain hopeful running back Tevin Coleman will be available when it matters but he is currently unable to practice after sustaining a dislocated right shoulder on Sunday. The 49ers did not practice on Wednesday, but they were required to submit a practice participation report to provide updates on their injury situations for Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami on Sunday, Feb. 2. Coleman would not have practiced on Wednesday after sustaining his injury in the first half of the 49ers' 37-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game. […]

Dallas' starting center Dwight Powell is lost for the season due to a torn Achilles suffered Tuesday night. The Mavs have other centers on the roster, Maxi Kleber and Boban Marjanovic, but they want more depth behind those guys. Sources: The Mavs have touched base with Joakim Noah as they search for center depth in the wake of Dwight Powell's season-ending injury. […]

Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho admitted it hurt to leave out keeper Paulo Gazzaniga for returning Hugo Lloris for Wednesday's Premier League win against Norwich City. France World Cup winner Lloris has been out since dislocating his elbow during a defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion in early October with stand-in Gazzaniga proving a capable deputy in the intervening period. Argentine Gazzaniga even saved a penalty during Saturday's 0-0 draw at Watford, yet found himself back on the bench three days later as Lloris was given the nod. […]

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who led his team to two Super Bowls, announces his retirement. […]

Wide receiver Velus Jones will join Tennessee as a graduate transfer from Southern California. Jones already had said Jan. 9 on social media that he was going to play for the Volunteers. Tennessee announced Wednesday that Jones was joining its program. […]

Head coach Jess Thirlby says England showed a "lot of heart" to beat South Africa 58-54 in the Netball Nations Cup and keep their hopes of reaching Sunday's final alive. […]

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho laments his side's bad luck with injuries after his side edged Norwich to claim their first Premier League win of 2020. […]