England’s preparations for the Rugby World Cup have been further hit after winger Anthony Watson was ruled out of the tournament because of a calf injury

Jimmy Butler scored 24 of his 36 points in the second half, and the Miami Heat overcame a career-high 44 points from Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton to beat the Pacers 142-132 on Thursday night

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips is uncertain all 18 teams in the supersized league should play in the men's or women's basketball tournament come March 2025

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Andy Murray continued his losing streak against Alex de Minaur, as the Australian rallied back in the final

The Sacramento Kings had one of the best players in the NBA’s Summer League last season in Keegan Murray, and the second-year forward is back – and dominating – in the California Classic this summer.Murray scored 29 points on Monday in a six-point win over the Golden State Warr...

Netherlands has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup after a 2-0 win over South Africa

The Denver Nuggets won their first NBA championship with a 94-89 victory over the Miami Heat in game five of the NBA finals. In a back-and-forth affair, the Nuggets were able to hold off a late rally from Miami and claim the Larry O’Brien trophy in front of their home fans. Nikola Jokic again led the way for Denver with 28 points, while Jimmy Butler finished with 21 after a late flurry brought the Heat agonisingly close to forcing a game six back in Miami. Some early struggles from deep gave the Heat a seven-point lead at half-time, with the Nuggets missing their first 22 attempts from beyond the arc. However, Denver were finally able to get a few threes to fall and clamped down defensively in the second half, holding Miami to just 38 points over the final two quarters. Eight-straight points and a pair of clutch free throws from Butler put the Heat back in front by one with less than two minutes remaining, but the visitors were ultimately unable to claw their way back again after Denver’s Bruce Brown grabbed an offensive rebound and tip-in. Jokic, who ended the season as the first player in history to lead the playoffs in points, rebounds and assists, had his history-making postseason rewarded by being named Finals MVP. “The job is done, we can go home now,” said Jokic, whose trophy case also includes two NBA MVP Awards. “It was an amazing effort by the team. “That is why basketball is a fun sport, it is a live thing, you cannot say this going to happen, there are so many factors. “I’m just happy we won the game.” Read More Miami Heat mascot hospitalised after Conor McGregor punch Denver Nuggets with one hand on NBA trophy after taking 3-1 finals series lead Denver stars rewrite the record books as Nuggets take series lead

Brighton and Hove Albion were taught a harsh lesson on their Europa League debut as Greek champions AEK Athens ran out 3-2 winners after a pulsating encounter at the Amex Stadium. Substitute Ezequiel Ponce struck the winner on the counter attack six minutes from the end of normal time as Roberto De Zerbi’s side failed to heed the signs after falling behind twice previously in the first half. Joao Pedro equalised from the penalty spot in the first period then again in the second, both times after VAR had intervened in Brighton’s favour. The hosts had the better of the play but they lacked the clinical edge of AEK, who scored with two excellent finishes from set-pieces. The first goal was a superb header from Djibril Sidibe, followed by a sliding finish from Mijat Gacinovic as Brighton were undone by nerves and their own naivety. The opening goal came after 11 minutes and was against the early run of the play. AEK’s first attack saw them win a corner on the left after a low cross was turned behind. As the ball was whipped in, no one had picked up the lurking Sidibe who with a late dash into the box caught Brighton out with a superb 15-yard diving header that whistled past Jason Steele. De Zerbi’s side had been badly caught out, and seconds later it could have been two. Levi Garcia, who would torment Brighton in the first period with pace and clever movement, raced beyond the defence and went through on goal, but Garcia’s tame finish was too close to Steele. Garcia wasted another glorious chance to double the lead from an almost identical position, this time slipping his effort just beyond the far post. Pedro nodded wide from a free header inside the six-yard box as Brighton finally put together an attack to concern the AEK defence, but within a minute he had made amends for his profligacy. When defender Ehsan Hajsafi dangled a leg as Pedro looked to cut inside to shoot the referee initially booked the striker for diving. But after a pitchside VAR review the booking was rescinded, Pedro stepped up and coolly rolled his penalty beyond Cican Stankovic to score Brighton’s first European goal. At that stage it appeared that they had had their reprieve for the way they had left themselves vulnerable to AEK’s threat, but five minutes before the break there was another fine delivery from a set-piece and another critical lapse in concentration. Brighton held a high line on the edge of their own box as a free-kick was whipped in from 40 yards out, but as blue shirts charged back towards their own goal none could prevent Gacinovic from sliding to get a foot on the ball to turn it beyond Steele. There was still time for Jan-Paul Van Hecke to deny Orbelin Pineda what would have been a deserved third for AEK on the stroke of half-time. There was relief then around the Amex when the referee was directed pitch-side for another VAR review after Pedro’s tumble inside the box under Damian Szymanski’s challenge had at first been waved on. As in the first half, the decision was overturned, and Pedro got to his feet to replicate his earlier composed finish to draw Brighton level again. De Zerbi was booked for remonstrating too forcefully on the touchline, before Pedro was handed the chance to seal his hat-trick and an opening night win when he spring the offside trap and went one-on-one with Stankovic. This time the goalkeeper got the better of their duel. Then came AEK’s final sting. A raking ball from the back was nodded out wide by Ponce to Niclas Eliasson, who returned the ball to his fellow substitute. Although Steele blocked Ponce’s shot, the rebound ricocheted off the Argentinian and into the net for the winner. Read More Abdallah Sima fires Rangers to victory in Europa League clash with Real Betis West Ham storm past minnows Backa Topola after early scare in Europa League Liverpool produce another comeback win to beat LASK in Europa League Rangers vs Real Betis LIVE: Latest Europa League updates LASK vs Liverpool LIVE: Latest Europa League updates Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool better prepared for Europa League now than in 2016

The identity of the teams playing in the 2023 UEFA Europa League final has been confirmed.

French financial prosecutors are conducting searches at the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympic Committee and the Games’

There have been some significant events lately to help boost the profile of the women’s soccer game.Combined with a nail-biting end to the season to decide the women’s soccer league title, the excitement is definitely building in Scotland. April saw the first Scottish Womenȁ...