Nets win against Heat but lose Durant to injury; 76ers cruise past Pistons

Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant looks to drive on Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler during the third quarter of their NBA game at FTX Arena on Sunday. (USA TODAY Sports)
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Updated 09 January 2023
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Nets win against Heat but lose Durant to injury; 76ers cruise past Pistons

  • Desmond Bane scored 24 points and handed out nine assists as the Grizzlies, missing their top scorer Ja Morant, beat Utah Jazz 123-118

LOS ANGELES: The Brooklyn Nets eked out a 102-101 NBA victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday on Royce O’Neale’s game-winner but saw superstar Kevin Durant limp out with a knee injury in the third quarter.

Durant, averaging 30 points per game for the surging Nets, was hurt with little more than a minute remaining in the third when Australian teammate Ben Simmons rose to block a shot by Jimmy Butler, who fell back into Durant.

Durant sat on the floor for several moments, tried to rejoin the contest and then departed for the locker room.

“He’ll get evaluated tomorrow and then hopefully I’ll have more info,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. “Most likely it will include imaging, just to make sure we’re good.”

Immediately after the game Vaughn said he hadn’t yet discussed the injury with Durant, who was congratulating teammates as they came off the court.

Kyrie Irving led the Nets with 20 points. Durant finished with 17 in 30 minutes on the court and O’Neale came through after the Heat led by nine with 9:24 to play.

Miami were up 101-100 after a pair of baskets from Butler but when Irving missed a three-pointer with 5.5 seconds left O’Neale got the rebound and delivered what proved to be the game-winner.

Butler led Miami with 26 points but missed a layup at the buzzer.

Despite the concerns over Durant, Vaughn was happy with what he saw from the Nets, who improved to 27-13, one game behind the Boston Celtics atop the East.

“You’ve got to give our guys credit for staying with it,” he said. “I think we were down eight or nine — to finish the game and stay together, pretty impressive.”

Durant’s former Nets teammate James Harden delivered a 20-point triple-double to help carry the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers to a convincing 123-111 victory over the Pistons in Detroit.

Harden added 11 rebounds and 11 assists in his second triple-double of the season and had plenty off support despite the continued absence of star center Joel Embiid and P.J. Tucker.

Embiid missed his third straight game with a sore left foot while Tucker was out with a sinus infection.

“He was terrific,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers said of Harden but noted it was a “good team performance.”

Montrezl Harrell scored a season-high 20 points and combined seamlessly with Harden to keep the Sixers offense clicking.

Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points, and the 76ers reserves scored 48 points as Philadelphia pushed their lead to 23 points midway through the fourth quarter.

Harden reached a career milestone during the game, becoming the 27th NBA player to score 24,000 career points.

There were varying fortunes for the Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks as they played without their stars.

In Memphis, Desmond Bane scored 24 points and handed out nine assists as the Grizzlies, missing their top scorer Ja Morant, beat the Utah Jazz 123-118.

Morant was a late scratch with a sore right thigh. In his absence, the offense flowed through Tyus Jones who scored 21 points with six assists as the Grizzlies grabbed a sixth straight win.

Memphis, who were also without ailing center Steven Adams, improved to 26-13, tied with Western Conference leader Denver.

Meanwhile the Mavericks, with Luka Doncic sidelined by a sore ankle a day after his triple-double in a win over New Orleans, fell 120-109 to the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points for the Thunder, who weathered a hot start by the Mavs and never trailed in the second half.

In Houston, the Minnesota Timberwolves trailed by as many as 20 in the first half and were down by four going into the fourth quarter, but they rallied to beat the lowly Rockets 104-96.

D’Angelo Russell scored 22 points and Anthony Edwards added 21. Center Rudy Gobert scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, upping the intensity in the second half as the Timberwolves battled back.


England coach Tuchel extends contract through to Euro 2028

Updated 58 min 2 sec ago
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England coach Tuchel extends contract through to Euro 2028

  • Thomas Tuchel has signed a new contract that will see him remain head coach of the England national football team through to the end of Euro 2028 in the UK and Ireland

LONDON:Thomas Tuchel has signed a new contract that will see him remain head coach of the England national football team through to the end of Euro 2028 in the UK and Ireland, the Football Association announced on Thursday.
Tuchel was confirmed as the successor to Gareth Southgate in October 2024 and has overseen an unbeaten qualification run to this year’s World Cup in North America, with England winning all eight group games under their German boss.
“I am very happy and proud to extend my time with England,” said the 52-year-old former Chelsea manager in an FA statement.
“It is no secret to anyone that I have loved every minute so far of working with my players and coaches, and I cannot wait to lead them to the World Cup.
“It is an incredible opportunity and we are going to do our very best to make the country proud,” added Tuchel, whose previous England deal ran only until the end of this year’s global showpiece.
The FA said that the new agreement with Tuchel would provide “clarity and full focus” amid speculation about his future after the World Cup.
Tuchel had been previously touted as a possible permanent successor to sacked former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, even though the English giants have experienced an upturn in form under caretaker boss Michael Carrick.
But in signing a new England contract, Tuchel appears to have ruled himself out of a post-World Cup move to Old Trafford.
The FA added that Tuchel’s senior backroom team — Anthony Barry, Henrique Hilario, Nico Mayer and James Melbourne — had all also agreed contract extensions through to the end of Euro 2028.
“I have had so much support from (FA chief executive) Mark (Bullingham), all my colleagues at the FA and from fans wherever I go that I did not hesitate when asked to continue in this dream job,” said Tuchel.
’No better candidate’
Extending his contract ahead of this year’s World Cup in North America is a clear sign of the FA’s confidence in Tuchel, looking to guide the England men’s team to their first major trophy in six decades.
“I am delighted Thomas has committed to stay with us through to the Euros in 2028,” said Bullingham.
“He was the right person for the job when he joined us for the World Cup campaign, and has only strengthened his reputation across the qualifiers...There is simply no better candidate available in world football.”
Tuchel, due to attend the Nations League draw in Brussels on Thursday, said in his first interview after succeeding Southgate that he wanted to add a “second star” to the England shirt by winning the 2026 World Cup.
The only major international tournament won by the England men’s team was when they triumphed on home soil at the 1966 World Cup, defeating the then West Germany in a Wembley final.
But they twice came close to ending that barren run under Southgate, losing in both the Euro 2020 and 2024 finals.
Tuchel’s England team eased through qualification, winning all eight matches in a group which also featured Albania, Serbia, Latvia and Andorra.
Tougher tests, however, await at the World Cup, with co-hosts Mexico in line to face England on home ground in the last 16 should Tuchel’s men top their group, with a possible quarter-final against five-time world champions Brazil to follow.