In brief: Portland’s season hinges on Oden’s knee
The Portland Trail Blazers’ promising season took an unexpected gloomy turn just three weeks before it officially was set to begin.
Greg Oden, the talented rookie center who was selected No. 1 in this year’s NBA draft, is scheduled to undergo exploratory arthroscopic knee surgery today after enduring lingering pain in his right knee.
The Blazers announced Monday that Oden underwent magnetic resonance imaging last week and results revealed that he might have cartilage problems in the knee.
A team source said the MRI results were inconclusive and that the damage could be as minor as rough cartilage or as major as a ligament tear.
“New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury testified in the case of a fired team executive who has accused coach Isiah Thomas of sexual harassment, calling the lawsuit absurd while downplaying an encounter with a drunken intern.
After hearing about the lawsuit brought by Anucha Browne Sanders, “I laughed,” Marbury said in U.S. District Court. “It was more of a joke than anything.”
“Dirk Nowitzki had 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead Germany over Italy 67-58 and into the quarterfinals of the European Basketball Championship in Madrid, Spain.
Germany will face world champion Spain in the quarterfinals today.
Golf
Woods skips Bermuda
Tiger Woods won’t play in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda, saying he wanted the longest break of his career to spend time with his new daughter.
Woods will be replaced in the four-man field at the Mid Ocean Club by alternate Jim Furyk.
“Hal Sutton was honored with the Payne Stewart Award, and he encouraged every golfer to find the balance in life that Stewart demonstrated before he was killed in plane crash almost eight years ago.
Miscellany
NHL suspends Bell
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mark Bell was suspended for 15 games without pay by the NHL after his plea last month of no contest to drunken driving and hit-and-run charges.
Bell is in Stage 2 of the NHL’s substance abuse program. He was suspended indefinitely Sept. 4, and the suspension will start once he’s cleared to return by the program’s doctors.
“Oklahoma has filed its appeal requesting the NCAA overturn an infractions committee ruling that would strip the Sooners of eight wins because of rules violations involving former starting quarterback Rhett Bomar.
“The United States lost for the second time in five days at the Rugby World Cup in Paris, a 25-15 defeat to Tonga that left the Americans with little chance of reaching the quarterfinals.
“Former pole vault world champion Giuseppe Gibilisco’s two-year doping ban was lifted by the Italian athletics federation.
“Three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten might retire if he fails to play competitive tennis next year.
“Dennis Storer, who founded the soccer and rugby programs at UCLA and later raised the profile of both sports on a national level, died Saturday at his home in Malibu, Calif. He was 75.