The NBA complaint department has been hard at work this season. If someone prompted ChatGPT to write a report for the 2022-23 product it would be titled “The National Load Management Association: How street clothes became more noticeable than basketball uniforms.” Throw in an All-Star Game with the intensity of a shootaround, and the pre-playoff NBA product was giving serious clearance rack vibes. People who have paid for regular-season games in which stars were resting, and for an all-star event that was a game in title only won’t get refunds for those tickets, but NBA fans across the nation received restitution from the players with an outstanding weekend of action. It started with a Thirsty Thursday teaser, with the Boston Celtics defeating the Indiana Pacers in overtime, and the Philadelphia 76ers enduring a torrential early 3-point shooting performance from the Memphis Grizzlies to pull out a victory. Friday’s first nationally televised game was a dud with the Milwaukee Bucks walloping the Miami Heat 128-99 and the second was a decent watch. The Phoenix Suns held off the scrappy Oklahoma City Thunder sans their all-star — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The late game though, that 10:30 p.m. est Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Clippers matchup turned out to be a game for the record books. The Kings won in double overtime —176-175 — in what was the second-highest-scoring in NBA history. Malik Monk threw down a double-pump slam in traffic on his way to 45 points on the night. Russell Westbrook dished out 16 assists in his Clippers debut. Kawhi Leonard played the most regular-season minutes of his NBA career and was still able to play 33 minutes in another overtime game two nights later in a 134-124 loss to the Denver Nuggets. It was more of the same throughout the rest of the weekend. The 76ers and Celtics played in a thrilling potential playoff preview in the NBA’s featured Saturday night post-football season slot. The Celtics eked out a 110-107 victory once Joel Embiid’s ¾ court heave was waved off. In another nationally televised game on Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers overcame their largest deficit in 20 years to defeat the Dallas Mavericks 111-108, bringing them within a game of the final play-in spot. Oh, and Damian Lillard scored 71 points during the Portland Trail Blazers’ 131-114 victory. An Impressive feat even if it happened against the hapless Houston Rockets. Once again the NBA showed that at its best, it is an entertainment product that can go toe to toe with any other one. With great crowds in Philadelphia and Dallas, and individual greatness by Leonard, Monk, and Lillard, the NBA was truly FANtasic over the last few days. That level of play, however, does give credence to good-faith criticisms about the product that has put out for fan consumption on a regular basis this season. Of course, it’s unrealistic for the NBA to be at its high-flying, clutch-shot-making best throughout an entire 82-game schedule. Humans can’t be expected to be at their best all of the time, and most of us don’t jump and land on hardwood courts for six-eight months every year. Still, the way that the league roared out of the All-Star break, if the NBA wants to solve any issues with television ratings that is certainly a great way to do so. Sure there will still be millions of young people out there who consume the sport through TikTok and gossip blogs but there is always a market for thrilling television. Last weekend showed that the NBA can still thrill with the best of them. Of course, it won’t last with star players surely on their way out of uniform and back to their unique wardrobes for select nights, as certain teams gear up for the postseason and others for the May draft lottery. But for one weekend, whether intentional or not, at least the NBA acknowledged that it needed to put in some literal overtime to show some fan appreciation. Especially after that bonfire gathering disguised as an All-Star Game.
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Ivica Olic has ended speculation over his future by penning a new two-year deal with Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg.
The Croatia striker had been heavily linked with a move to Premier League outfit Stoke City, with manager Mark Hughes openly admitting the Staffordshire club were pursuing a deal.
However, 34-year-old Olic who would have been a free agent at the end of the season has opted to extend his stay at the Volkswagen Arena.
He told the club s official website: I am very happy that I now have clarity about my future and I will continue to play at Wolfsburg.
We want to attack fully in the Bundesliga and in Europe in the coming season.
It s gives me an incredible amount of (happiness) to be a part of this team and my family feels very comfortable here.
Rafael Benitez has confirmed discussions have taken place with Napoli to extend his contract beyond the end of the season.
The former Liverpool boss was appointed at the San Paolo in 2013 and guided the club to third place in Serie A in his first season, as well as their fifth Coppa Italia title.
Napoli have continued to prosper under the Spaniard and sit third in the table after 11 games of the current campaign, seven points behind early leaders Juventus.
Benitez s current deal is due to expire in June, but he has revealed talks have already taken place with president Aurelio De Laurentiis to prolong his stay in Naples.
I have one year left this year and the future you never know, but I am talking with the chairman, thinking about the future with Nap…
Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Oezil was delighted to surpass Germany legend Gunter Netzer s mark of 100 appearances for the club.
The 23-year-old also commented on his constant presence in Jose Mourinho s starting line-up this season, and said he was proud to hold a place in a team laden with so many high-quaity players.
Gunter Netzer was a great player, who everyone at Real Madrid still respects, Oezil told Kicker.
Therefore, I am honoured to have played as many games as he did with the club. Such comparisons are secondary to me though as I m more concerned with my performance on the pitch.
Oezil said Real s disappointing loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final had been a motivational factor in helping them clinch the La Liga title.
Hull City have the opportunity for revenge after being drawn against Arsenal in the FA Cup third round in a repeat of last season s final.
After also being paired together in Monday s rehearsal draw, the Premier League duo will meet at the Emirates Stadium in early January thanks to a curious quirk of fate.
Steve Bruce s men found themselves 2-0 up after just eight minutes in the 2013-14 Cup final at Wembley in May, with defenders James Chester and Curtis Davies getting the goals.
But Arsenal battled back and forced extra-time as Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielny drew Arsene Wenger s side level, before Aaron Ramsey netted the winner with 108 minutes on the clock ending the club s nine-year wait for a trophy.
Three of the five non-league sides left i…
World Cup runners-up France utterly destroyed Netherlands in the opening round of the Euro 2024 qualifications in Group B at the Stade de France on Friday, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice after Antoine Griezmann and Dayot Upamecano already had the home side two goals up. At the very end, Memphis Depay failed to get a consolation goal for the visitors from the spot, providing a fitting end to an overall woeful Netherlands performance.
Some of the mistakes made by the Dutch defence are truly hard to understand.
…
Cristiano Ronaldo suffered his first Saudi Pro League defeat on Thursday as Al Ittihad claimed a 1-0 win to replace Al Nassr at the top of the table.
Al Nassr had not lost any of their five league games since Ronaldo s debut on February 3, drawing his first match before racking up four successive wins.
But that run came to an end against their title rivals at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
Romarinho got the only goal of the game in the 80th minute, rounding off a devastating counter-attack.
The forward brilliantly brought down Ahmed Sharahili s right-wing delivery on the edge of the box, his first touch taking a defender out of the game before a cool finish sparked jubilant celebrations.
Congratulations tigers
We are the ones
Alittih…
Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is closing in on a return to first-team action, amid reports linking him with a move to LA Galaxy.
The MLS club were reportedly keen on signing Ibrahimovic at the end of his four-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain in 2016, only for the former Sweden international to join the Premier League giants.
Ibrahimovic struck 28 goals in all competitions in his first season at Old Trafford, including a brace in United s EFL Cup final triumph against Southampton.
An ACL injury ruled the veteran out of the end of the campaign, including the Europa League final victory over Ajax, but Ibrahimovic signed another one-year United deal in August and has since made seven appearances in all competitions.
However, he has not played …
Competition: Premier League
Market: Manchester United to beat Huddersfield
Odds:
The Premier League continues this weekend for another massive round of games that will surely only bring more goals and excitement. The matches in midweek saw a number of surprising results as the world s most competitive league continues to simmer away nicely. With all of this in mind, Manchester United host Huddersfield on Saturday.
Manchester United have been in good form this season and they are looking to tighten their hold on the Champions League places. In their last 25 games they have won 16, drawn five and lost four, scoring 49 and conceding 18 times. In their last five games they have been fairly good, winning three, drawing once and losing once, which ha…
Germany coach Joachim Low is expecting his players to improve when they face Greece in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.
The 52-year-old admitted that his side struggled against Denmark despite running out 2-1 winners, and confirmed political issues will not play a part in their upcoming clash against Fernando Santos men.
I m calm, we ve reached nine points, that s perfect, our first goal. (German Chancellor) Angela Merkel and I have a good relationship – we ve come to an agreement: She doesn t interfere with football issues and I don t talk about politics, Low told reporters.
“In the beginning we played well against Denmark, but after we conceded we slackened a bit and had problems. We ran less, our pressing decreased, so did our passing.
The gaps…
Laurent Blanc has been coy on his coaching future after his France side were eliminated from Euro 2012 by title holders Spain.
The former Manchester United defender took the reins of the French national team in 2010 after winning the Ligue 1 title with Bordeaux, succeeding Raymond Domenech, who had a tumultuous six-year tenure which culminated with an early, shambolic exit at the 2010 World Cup.
Although Blanc brought stability back to the national side and guided them to a 23-game unbeaten streak as well as a place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012, his future remains up in the air as his contract is due to expire.
He had a disagreement with France Football Association chief Noel Le Graet before the tournament as Blanc wished to see his contract extended befor…