| US improves to 5-0 at worlds with rout (AP) |
| Eric Gordon scored 21 points and the United States pulled away after a sluggish first half to beat Tunisia 92-57 on Thursday in its final game of pool play at the world championship. With nothing to play for, the Americans sleepwalked through most of the early start, leading the winless team by only four points early in the third quarter before turning it into a rout over the final 15 minutes. |
| Fernandez helps reigning champ Spain win (AP) |
| Spain finished Group D play at the basketball world championship with consecutive strong games, routing Canada 89-67 on Thursday. The defending champions started slowly but won their final two games by a total of 56 points. Spain will finish as either the six-nation group's second- or third-seeded team going into the knockout rounds. |
| Suspended G West returning to Celtics (AP) |
| Delonte West is returning to the Boston Celtics. The team announced Wednesday that it has signed the 6-foot-3 guard, who was suspended for the first 10 games of the 2010-11 season after pleading guilty to weapons charges in Maryland. West played his first three seasons with Boston before being traded to Seattle in 2007 in the deal that brought Ray Allen to the Celtics. |
| Krstic returns from ban as Serbia wins (AP) |
| Nenad Krstic returned from a three-game suspension for a brawl and had a double-double in Serbia's 94-79 victory over Australia at the basketball world championship on Wednesday. Krstic scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds, Milos Teodosic added 19 points and Novica Velickovic contributed 18 points and nine rebounds for Serbia, which clinched a place in the single-elimination round. |
| Barea, Puerto Rico ousted from worlds (AP) |
| Charles Abouo scored 19 points to lead Ivory Coast to an 88-79 win over Puerto Rico on Thursday at the basketball world championship, but it was China that advanced to the knockout round on a three-team tiebreaker. Mohamed Kone had double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Ivorians and Mamadou Lamizana added 17 points. |
| Varejao returns but Brazil falls (AP) |
| Jaka Lakovic scored 20 points, hitting consecutive 3-pointers to halt a furious Brazil comeback, and Slovenia blew nearly all of a 17-point lead before holding on for an 80-77 victory Wednesday. Slovenia (3-1) took sole possession of second place in Group B, while Brazil (2-2) came up just short again after losing by two to the United States on Monday. |
| Nuggets devising plan to keep Anthony (AP) |
| Now that the Denver Nuggets have their management team in place, they're developing a strategy to keep All-Star Carmelo Anthony in powder blue and gold. At his introductory news conference Tuesday, Masai Ujiri, the team's new vice president of basketball operations, said he's been in contact with Anthony and will meet with him soon. |
| Scola scores 30 again, Argentina now 4-0 (AP) |
| Top-ranked Argentina won its fourth straight game at the basketball world championship by defeating winless Jordan 88-79. Luis Scola scored 30 points, his third straight game with 30 or more, and had 13 rebounds. Carlos Delfino added 18 points. Rasheim Wright had 22 for Jordan and Ayman Idais scored 20. |
| Kleiza lifts Lithuania to top group spot (AP) |
| Jonas Maciulis had 19 points and Linas Kleiza added 15 points as Lithuania beat France 69-55 Wednesday to clinch top spot in Group D at the basketball world championship. 'It's a big step,' Lithuanian coach Kestutis Kemzura said. 'But all the interesting things are just starting.' Lithuania (4-0) handed France (3-1) its first defeat and, after playing Lebanon (1-3) on... |
| Tickets go on sale for games in London (AP) |
| Tickets have gone on sale for the first regular-season NBA games in Europe. The New Jersey Nets and Toronto Raptors will play a pair of games at the O2 Arena in London on March 4-5. The NBA is planning a week of activities across Britain, including basketball clinics and 3-on-3 competitions. Nets guard Devin Harris says 'everyone involved in bringing the games to London is excited about playing... |
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