The China Mail - Sports (English)

Mavericks top Celtics in NBA Finals rematch

Klay Thompson's scorching start carried the Dallas Mavericks to a 127-120 victory over the NBA champion Boston Celtics, the new-look Mavs turning the tables in the NBA Finals rematch.

Read more

Bills' Allen wins NFL Most Valuable Player award

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was voted the NFL's Most Valuable Player on Thursday pipping Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson for the award.

Read more

Tokyo world athletics party can make up for Olympic lock-out, says CEO

Full crowds in Tokyo for this year's World Athletics Championships can make up for fans being locked out of the city's pandemic-postponed Olympics in 2021, the event's CEO told AFP.

Read more

How to stop Barkley? Chiefs know they face ultimate test

If there is one question that will define Sunday's Super Bowl it is this - can the Kansas City Chiefs stop the Philadelphia Eagles' explosive running-back Saquon Barkley?

Read more

Baghdad's first skatepark offers boarders rare respite

Rukaya al-Zubaidi placed a cautious foot on a skateboard and then struggled to find her balance as others glided back and forth at Baghdad's first park dedicated to the sport.

Read more

Trump, Swift join Super Bowl party as Chiefs chase 'three-peat'

The Kansas City Chiefs chase a historic hat-trick of Super Bowl titles when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles here Sunday as New Orleans hosts the NFL showpiece just five weeks after a deadly attack in the city's party district.

Read more

Barkley picks global lineup for NBA All-Star tournament

First-time All-Star Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo will be NBA All-Star tournament teammates after being selected for the same roster by Charles Barkley in Thursday's All-Star Draft.

Read more

Ohtani's ex-interpreter sentenced to nearly five years in betting-linked theft

The former interpreter to Shohei Ohtani, who admitted stealing almost $17 million from the Japanese baseball star to pay off illegal gambling debts, was sentenced to 57 months in prison on Thursday.

Read more

Madsen, Kupcho share lead at LPGA Founders Cup

Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen and American Jennifer Kupcho each fired a six-under par 65 to share the lead after Thursday's first round of the LPGA Founders Cup.

Read more

Rashford doesn't see football 'way I see it', says Amorim

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim believes Marcus Rashford was unable to see football "the way I see it" before the unwanted England striker was shipped out of Old Trafford.

Read more

Liverpool 'too good' for sorry Spurs, says Postecoglou

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou conceded his under-strength squad were no match for a rampant Liverpool as the Reds progressed to the League Cup final with a 4-0 win on Thursday.

Read more

Torres treble powers Barca past Valencia into Copa del Rey semis

Ferran Torres hit a hat-trick as Barcelona routed Valencia 5-0 on Thursday to cruise into the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Read more

Liverpool thrash Spurs to reach League Cup final

Liverpool overturned a first leg deficit to reach the League Cup final with a 4-0 win on Thursday and ramp up the pressure on Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou.

Read more

Fiorentina honour Bove by sweeping aside Inter Milan

Fiorentina honoured Edoardo Bove in perfect fashion on Thursday by defeating Inter Milan 3-0 in a match which was stopped in December for the midfielder's on-pitch heart attack.

Read more

It's all business for Eagles quarterback Hurts at Super Bowl

Jalen Hurts has held a press conference every day this week in the build-up to the Super Bowl and the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has somehow managed to keep his name out of the headlines.

Read more

Cavs add Hunter, Nurkic to Hornets at NBA trade deadline

Cleveland added forward De'Andre Hunter and Phoenix traded Bosnian big man Jusuf Nurkic to Charlotte, according to multiple reports, as Thursday's NBA trade deadline passed.

Read more

Alcaraz cruises, Tsitsipas scrapes through in Rotterdam

Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz eased into the quarter-finals of the Rotterdam Open on Thursday with a comfortable straight-sets win over Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori.

Read more

Monahan, Scott implore Trump to help finalize PGA-LIV deal

US PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Adam Scott have implored President Donald Trump to help complete a Saudi Arabian investment deal and reunite golf's top players in one series.

Read more

Cavs add Hunter, Nurkic to Hornets as NBA trade deadline nears

Cleveland added forward De'Andre Hunter and Phoenix traded Bosnian big man Jusuf Nurkic to Charlotte, according to multiple reports, as Thursday afternoon's NBA trade deadline approached.

Read more

PSG's crushing domination leaves no hope for domestic rivals

Paris Saint-Germain head into the Champions League knockout phase in rude health, with their crushing domination against domestic opposition making a Ligue 1 and French Cup double look highly likely and leaving them in a strong position to keep advancing in Europe.

Read more

England captain Itoje says 'non-negotiable' physicality key to France clash

England captain Maro Itoje has insisted physicality is "non-negotiable" as his side look to revive their Six Nations campaign against France at Twickenham on Saturday.

Read more

NFL Bears owner McCaskey, oldest in US sport, dead at 102

Virginia Halas McCaskey, principal owner of the NFL Chicago Bears and the daughter of team founder George Halas, died Thursday at age 102, the Bears announced.

Read more

England to play Afghanistan in Champions Trophy despite boycott calls

England will play Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy later this month despite calls from British politicians to boycott the match over the Taliban regime's curtailment of women's rights.

Read more

Spain's Fernandez won't return as Canada basketball coach

Spaniard Jordi Fernandez, head coach of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets, will not return as coach of Canada's men's national team, Canada Basketball announced on Thursday.

Read more

Williams to Lakers, Raptors land two as NBA trade deadline nears

Charlotte center Mark Williams joined the Los Angeles Lakers and the Toronto Raptors made two late moves, according to multiple reports, as Thursday afternoon's NBA trade deadline approached.

Read more

Tsitsipas battles past valiant Griekspoor in Rotterdam

Stefanos Tsitsipas saved a match point and battled from a set down to advance into the quarter-finals of the Rotterdam Open Thursday with a gruelling win over local hope Tallon Griekspoor.

Read more

Movie night to batting blitz: Iyer turns India hero

India's Shreyas Iyer on Thursday said star batsman Virat Kohli's late injury call cut short his movie night before he turned hero in the team's opening ODI win over England.

Read more

Rybakina battles past Jabeur, into Abu Dhabi semis

Defending champion Elena Rybakina edged out Ons Jabeur in a deciding-set tie-break on Thursday to reach the semi-finals of the Abu Dhabi Open.

Read more

England pair playmaker Smiths for France Six Nations clash

England coach Steve Borthwick says the "exciting partnership" of Fin Smith and Marcus Smith can ignite their Six Nations campaign against France after he paired both playmakers in the backline.

Read more

Man Utd players 'fighting' for jobs, says Amorim

Ruben Amorim says he and his Manchester United players are "fighting" for their jobs in the final months of the season after a chastening campaign so far.

Read more

Gill helps India down England in ODI opener

Shubman Gill led India to a four-wicket victory over England in the first one-day international on Thursday after a strong bowling performance from the hosts in Nagpur.

Read more

Vonn vows to bounce back in downhill after super-G flop

A cold-ridden Lindsey Vonn vowed to bounce back in Saturday's downhill after her eagerly-awaited return to world championship skiing came to a disappointing, premature end in the super-G.

Read more