Nowitzki out for opener after surgery

NBA: Dallas Mavericks star forward Dirk Nowitzki had arthroscopic surgery on his ailing right knee Friday. Dallas opens the regular season in 11 days, but the 11-time All-Star isn’t expected to resume on-court activities for about six weeks.

The 34-year-old Nowitzki has experienced swelling in the knee most of the preseason, twice having the knee drained since training camp started Sept. 29.

The knee didn’t improve after rest, ice and light conditioning work, leading to the decision to have surgery.

Kahne takes pole with track record

NASCAR: Championship contender Kasey Kahne shattered the track record at repaved Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., turning a lap of 191.360 mph to take the pole for Sunday’s race.

Michael Waltrip Racing teammates Mark Martin and Clint Bowyer were next fastest, and all 43 cars in the field broke the previous record of 180.856 set by Matt Kenseth in 2005.

Love in the hunt at own tournament

GOLF: Arjun Atwal shot a 63 over the Sea Island course for a two-round total of 130 to lead the PGA’s McGladrey Classic by one shot over Davis Love III and Jim Furyk at St. Simons Island, Ga.

Goodell appoints Tagliabue for appeals

NFL: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appointed predecessor Paul Tagliabue to hear the appeals of four players suspended in the New Orleans Saints’ bounty scandal.

Goodell said he notified Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove, as well as the players’ union, that Tagliabue would decide the appeals.

• Browns’ Pinkston in hospital: Cleveland Browns starting left guard Jason Pinkston is hospitalized with blood clots in his lungs.

• Steelers’ former team doctor indicted: A former Pittsburgh Steelers doctor who left the team after investigators questioned his bulk purchase of anabolic steroids has been charged in an indictment of illegally prescribing the muscle-building aids and other drugs. Federal authorities don’t list the team or its players as having received the substances from Dr. Richard Rydze.

Posey, Rodney win comeback awards

MLB: San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey and Tampa Bay Rays closer Fernando Rodney were selected comeback players of the year.

• Red Sox ask to speak with Jays’ Farrell: A baseball official familiar with the discussions says the Red Sox asked the Toronto Blue Jays for permission to talk with manager John Farrell about the opening in Boston.

UCI will respond to Armstrong report

Cycling: The final word on Lance Armstrong’s seven Tour de France titles could come Monday when cycling’s governing body gives its response to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that paints the American as a longtime drug cheat.

Armstrong says he’s been through a “difficult couple of weeks” and urged supporters of his cancer-fighting charity to stand behind its mission.

Armstrong gave the welcoming remarks at the 15th anniversary celebration for Livestrong, the charity he founded in 1997.

Russians lead pairs at Skate America

Miscellany: Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov took the Skate America pairs lead, scoring 65.78 points in the short program in Kent, Wash. Americans Caydee Denney and John Coughlin were third at 60.75.

• NHL cancels more games: The NHL wiped out the third week of the regular season as the lockout dragged on, leaving no more wiggle room if the league hopes to play a full 82-game schedule.

A day after the NHL turned down three counterproposals from players, the league canceled 53 more games. A total of 135 games through Nov. 1 have been scratched, which amounts to 11 percent of the season.

• CONCACAF teams ask for draw: Unable to agree on a schedule for the final round of World Cup qualifying, the United States and five other nations in the hexagonal have asked FIFA to conduct a draw. The teams asked for the draw at a CONCACAF meeting.

The draw may be Nov. 7.

• Speedskating record set: Canada’s Valerie Maltais broke the world short-track speedskating record in the 1,000 meters, winning her qualification heat at the ISU World Cup in Calgary, Alberta, in 1 minute, 27.653 seconds.

• NAIA moves football championship: The NAIA and sports officials in Rome, Ga., have agreed to contract changes, paving the way for the league’s national championship football game to be moved out of Rome after 2013. Rome has been the site of the championship since 2008. There had been plans to continue holding the game there through 2015.