Westbrook to return against champs
NBA: Injured Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook will return Thursday against the Miami Heat, his teammate Kevin Durant said in a recent interview with Grantland’s Bill Simmons.
Westbrook has missed 27 games since having surgery on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee – his third procedure in nine months.
The three-time NBA All-Star tore the lateral meniscus in his right knee during the second game of the playoffs last April. Westbrook underwent an operation after that injury and had another procedure on Oct. 1 to remove a loose stitch.
Oklahoma City went 20-7 this season without him.
The Thunder (43-12) entered the NBA All-Star break with the league’s best record.
Orioles agree to deal with pitcherJimenez
MLB: A person familiar with the situation says free-agent pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a contract, pending a physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been completed and the club had not made an announcement. The agreement is reportedly for about $50 million over four years.
Jimenez went 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA in 32 starts for Cleveland last season. He turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Indians, so Baltimore would have to forfeit its first-round draft pick (17th overall) to sign him. The 30-year-old right-hander is 82-75 with a 3.92 ERA over eight major league seasons.
• The Orioles and South Korean right-hander Suk-min Yoon have finalized a three-year contract for $5,575,000, a deal that could escalate to $13,075,000 if the pitcher starts 26 or more games each season. The 27-year-old was 73-59 with a 3.19 ERA in nine seasons with the KIA Tigers in the Korean Baseball Organization.
• Hawkins named Rockies’ closer: On the first day of spring training, 41-year-old LaTroy Hawkins was given the closer role for the Colorado Rockies by manager Walt Weiss. Hawkins was a member of the Rockies in 2007 when they lost to Boston in the World Series. He saved 13 games last season for the New York Mets. The 41-year-old has 101 career saves.
• Pedroia good to go after surgery: Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia took batting practice three days before the first official full-squad workout and appears set to return to action after off-season surgery. Pedroia had surgery to repair his torn ulnar collateral ligament 14 days after the Red Sox won the World Series against St. Louis.
The 2008 American League MVP batted .301 last year, despite playing nearly all season with that injury.
Ravens finalize extension with Suggs
NFL: Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs signed a four-year extension with the Baltimore Ravens. Suggs, 31, is now signed through 2018. He was expected to count $12.4 million against the salary cap. With his new deal, that figure becomes a far more manageable $7.8 million. Suggs is the franchise leader with 94 1/2 sacks. He led the team last season with 10 sacks.
FIFA exec hopeful for Brazil stability
Soccer: FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke expressed confidence that Brazil’s continuing violent demonstrations won’t impact the World Cup. He also said he is counting on police to keep protesters seeking to disrupt the tournament at bay.
Anti-government protests hit a fever pitch last June during the Confederations Cup, with around a million people pouring into the streets on a single night demanding better schools, hospitals and an end to corruption. There also were bitter complaints about the billions of dollars being spent on the World Cup.
The demonstrations have shrunk in size in recent months but remain violent, with protesters clashing with police and carrying out vandalism in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
UNC’s Roy Williams reaches milestone
Men’s basketball: Roy Williams earned his 300th win at North Carolina on Monday night with an 81-75 victory at Florida State (15-11, 6-8 ACC) as the Tar Heels (18-7, 8-4) rallied from a 15-point first-half deficit to record their seventh consecutive victory. North Carolina freshman Kennedy Meeks scored a career-high 23.
• Bengals beat Wildcats: Chris Hansen had 27 points and made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:29 left in overtime to lead Idaho State past visiting Weber State 78-75.
Duke flattens Maryland
Women’s basketball: Alexis Jones had 22 points, including a career-high five 3-pointers, and No. 7 Duke (23-3, 10-2 ACC) beat No. 8 Maryland (20-5, 8-4) 84-63 in Durham, N.C.
• Irish shed Jackets: Jewell Loyd scored 27 points, Natalie Achonwa added 21, and No. 2 Notre Dame (25-0, 12-0 ACC) held visiting Georgia Tech (17-9, 7-6) to 31 percent shooting in an 87-72 victory.