Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant suffered serious injuries in NBA playoff series-opening defeats on Sunday that threatened to disrupt two title contenders.
The Los Angeles Lakers took advantage of Morant’s absence late in the fourth quarter for a late surge that produced a 128-112 victory at Memphis, while the top-seeded host Bucks, who lost their Greek star in the first quarter, fell 130-117 to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat.
Antetokounmpo averaged 31.1 points and 11.8 rebounds a game this season for an NBA-best 58-24 Bucks squad, while Morant averaged 26.2 points for a Grizzlies team that was 51-31.
Photo: AFP
Morant hurt his already-sore right hand midway into the fourth quarter trying to brace a hard landing after contact while driving to the basket.
Morant’s taped right hand took the impact. He rose and ran off to the locker room, grabbing his sore hand and screaming as he exited after scoring 18 points.
“I’m in a good bit of pain,” Morant said after the game, adding that his status was “in jeopardy” for game 2 tomorrow.
Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said after the game that X-rays on Morant’s right hand were negative, but he would likely be kept out of workouts, his status “one game at a time.”
At Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo went onto the floor in the first quarter after defensive contact on a move to the hoop and suffered a lower back bruise that ended his night with game 2 in Milwaukee tomorrow.
“We’ll monitor him,” said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, who added that an X-ray had come back “clear” on Antetokounmpo.
“We have to wait and see what the doctors say ... you’ve got to take it day by day and see how he’s doing and how he feels,” Budenholzer said.
In Sunday’s other openers, Kawhi Leonard scored 13 of his game-high 38 points in the fourth quarter to spark the Los Angeles Clippers to a 115-110 victory over the Phoenix Suns, while the top-seeded Denver Nuggets demolished the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-80 as Jamal Murray picked up 24 points and eight assists.
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
Team Taiwan are set to face Spain in a win-or-go-home match tonight for the final berth at the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), despite losing to Nicaragua 6-0 in the WBC qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Sunday. The home team’s loss on Sunday means Nicaragua finish first in the qualifier round in Taipei with a perfect 3-0 record and advances to next year’s finals. After crushing South Africa 9-1 earlier on Sunday, Spain took second place in the four-team qualifier with a 2-1 record. With a 1-2 record, Taiwan finished third while South Africa placed at the bottom with
Team Taiwan avoided missing the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for the first time by defeating Spain 6-3 in a do-or-die game in Taipei last night. After narrowly escaping a mercy-rule loss to Spain in the WBC Qualifiers opener on Friday last week, the home team — winner of last year's WBSC Premier12 title three months ago — got their revenge against the 2023 European champions at Taipei Dome. "It felt quite different from when we won the Premier12," Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) said after the game, recalling the ups and downs the team has experienced over the past few days. Unlike in
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