Wade leads James-less U.S. past Canada
With LeBron James out, Dwyane Wade proved he is definitely back.
Wade stepped into the starting lineup and scored 20 points in his first action in more than four months, and the United States beat Canada 120-65 on Friday night in the opener of its exhibition schedule, at Las Vegas.
James, the NBA’s leading scorer, missed the game because of a mildly sprained right ankle, but the Americans have plenty of offense without him.
Carmelo Anthony and Michael Redd also finished with 20 points, and Kobe Bryant added 15.
•Lakers restricted free agent guard Sasha Vujacic has agreed to a three-year, $15 million contract after emerging last season as a key member of the Western Conference champions.
Olympics
Swimmer suspended
In the final days of training camp with her U.S. Olympic teammates, Jessica Hardy was trying to nap between practices when she got the most dreaded of phone calls for any athlete:
She had tested positive for an illicit drug.
“My main emotion at that point was confusion,” Hardy said. “I had never even heard of this drug.”
Hardy professed her innocence and said she has no idea how she tested positive for Clenbuterol during the U.S. Olympic trials. She also talked hopefully about getting the ruling overturned in time to compete at the Beijing Olympics.
She was expected to be a key member of the U.S. women’s team in Beijing with her two individual events, plus likely spots on the 400 freestyle relay and the 400 medley relay.
•Dara Torres’ swim coach is traveling to the National Institutes of Health instead of training camp in Singapore after being diagnosed with a rare, potentially fatal blood disorder.
Michael Lohberg says he’s suffering from aplastic anemia. He told The Miami Herald that “it’s really, really bad,” and that doctors have told him he might only have days to live.
Miscellany
Powell wins 100
Even without his two biggest rivals in the race, Asafa Powell was pushed all the way to the tape in the 100 meters at the London Grand Prix.
He won in 9.94 seconds. Marc Burns of Trinidad and Tobago was second in 9.97. Powell is expected to go up against world champion Tyson Gay and Jamaican teammate Usain Bolt at the Beijing Games.
•Arena Football League commissioner David Baker surprisingly resigned, two days before the ArenaBowl championship game.
The 55-year-old Baker, who spent 12 years on the job and received a contract extension last year, simply told the board he felt it was “time.”
•Johnny Benson survived a late flurry of cautions and held off Ron Hornaday Jr. to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Power Stroke Diesel 200 in Clermont, Ind.
•Venus Williams has withdrawn from next week’s Rogers Cup women’s tennis tournament in Montreal with a knee injury.
•Five-time defending champion Brazil defeated Japan 25-16, 25-23, 25-15 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, to gain a World League volleyball semifinal against the United States.