PRO BASKETBALL
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Two-time All-Star guard Ja Morant was welcomed back with a standing ovation and cheers throughout the arena in his first action after missing nine games — eight because of an NBA suspension.
Morant, who was not in the starting lineup against the Houston Rockets, entered the game after a timeout with 3:05 left in the first quarter, replacing starter Tyus Jones. The cheers began to build as Morant rose from the bench and made his way to the scorer’s table, adjusting the specially fit mask from a previous nasal fracture.
Morant ended up playing 24 minutes and finished with 17 points on 6-for-13 shooting overall and 5 for 6 from the line as the Grizzlies beat the Rockets 130-125. Morant added five assists and four rebounds.
DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said he plans to protest a two-point loss to Golden State after a confusing sequence led to an uncontested basket for the Warriors.
Kevon Looney had an easy dunk on an inbounds play with the Mavericks lined up on their offensive end after a timeout late in the third quarter of Golden State’s 127-125 victory. The Mavericks thought they had the ball after official Andy Nagy pointed in Golden State’s direction for possession but then quickly pointed to the Dallas bench to indicate a timeout.
Looney protested when Nagy pointed toward the Dallas bench, but Nagy appeared to explain that he was signaling the timeout. The public address announcer also indicated Dallas was awarded possession. After the break, the Mavericks lined up on their offensive end, giving Looney the easy dunk with no defenders around as the Warriors took a 90-87 lead with 1:56 left in the third.
Cuban said he planned to protest after posting on Twitter that he thought the sequence was the “Worst officiating non call mistake possibly in the history of the NBA.”
HOCKEY
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks will not wear Pride-themed warmup jerseys before Sunday’s Pride Night game against Vancouver because of security concerns involving a Russian law that expands restrictions on activities seen as promoting LGBTQ rights in the country.
The decision was made by the NHL organization following discussions with security officials within and outside the franchise, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the move.
The Blackhawks have worn Pride warmup jerseys previously and donned special warmup jerseys on some other themed nights this season. There had been ongoing conversations about a Pride jersey with the players, according to the person who talked to the AP, but the organization made the decision to hold Pride Night without the jerseys this year.
PRO FOOTBALL
NFL tight end Foster Moreau posted on Twitter he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma during a physical with the New Orleans Saints.
“I’m grateful for the support and thankful for people who have stood firm with me,” Moreau tweeted. “There hasn’t been a single step I’ve taken without hundreds of people lighting the path before me, and I will continue to seek their guidance.
The 25-year-old Moreau added he was stepping away from football for now and vowed to beat the cancer “and get back to doing what I love!”
Moreau is a free agent who played the previous four seasons for the Raiders.
SOCCER
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Bidders trying to buy Manchester United have been given more time to submit second offers for the iconic soccer team.
The deadline for the latest round of bids had been set for 9 p.m., but American merchant bank Raine has agreed to an unspecified extension to allow interested parties to fine-tune their proposals.
A person with knowledge of the process confirmed the extension. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has outlined his intention to make a second offer for United and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe is also expected to bid, although neither met Wednesday’s deadline. Both submitted indicative offers last month.
BASEBALL
Houston Astros star Jose Altuve had surgery on his broken right thumb, an injury that occurred in the World Baseball Classic and will significantly delay the second baseman’s 2023 debut.
The Astros announced that the 32-year-old Altuve had the procedure done in Houston and will stay there to begin his rehabilitation, with only one week left in spring training. The Astros will fly there on Sunday following their final Grapefruit League game in Florida, before playing a pair of exhibitions against their Triple-A team, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, in Texas.
Altuve was hit by a pitch on Saturday while playing for Venezuela in the WBC.
OLYMPICS
ESSEN, Germany (AP) — International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach defended his organization’s efforts to create a pathway for Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to competition in a speech in his home country of Germany which took place amid a pro-Ukraine protest.
Bach reiterated the IOC’s position that it would be discriminatory to exclude Russians and Belarusians based on citizenship alone and argued the Olympics can help promote dialogue at a tense time. Public broadcaster WDR reported nearly 200 pro-Ukraine protesters gathered outside the venue calling for Russia to be excluded entirely from the Olympics.
The IOC recommended excluding Russia and Belarus on safety grounds soon after the invasion last year, but now argues for letting the two countries’ athletes compete as neutrals without national symbols ahead of a packed calendar of qualification events for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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