Bucks take down Knicks in London
NBA: The Milwaukee Bucks seized the moment at the O2 Arena.
Playing before a sellout crowd enthused to see a regular-season NBA game, the Bucks jumped on the Knicks in the opening minutes and cruised to a 95-79 victory in London.
The Bucks extended the Knicks’ losing streak to 16 consecutive games and held off a fourth-quarter push by the New York reserves after Carmelo Anthony had left the game.
O.J. Mayo scored 22 points off the bench to pace the Bucks, while Brandon Knight added 20 points, six assists and five steals.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 16 points and Khris Middleton 14 for Milwaukee, which improved to 3-0 against the Knicks this season. Center Zaza Pachulia contributed 11 points and 14 rebounds with an energetic performance.
Anthony showed he had not lost his scoring touch as he led the Knicks with 25 points while playing just three quarters.
• LeBron’s Cavs hold off Kobe’s Lakers: LeBron James scored 36 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped their six-game losing streak with a 109-102 victory over the host Los Angeles Lakers despite Kobe Bryant’s 19 points and career-high 17 assists.
Kyrie Irving added 22 points for Cleveland, which had lost nine of 10 before James held off Bryant down the stretch in an entertaining duel between two basketball icons.
• Multimillion-dollar fraud involved Miami Heat: A federal judge handed down a six-year prison sentence for a man convicted of two multimillion dollar frauds, including one involving former Miami Heat players.
The government alleged that Haider Zafar defrauded players Mike Miller, James Jones and Rashard Lewis in 2013 by promising to invest $7.5 million in various business opportunities.
• Austin Rivers traded to Clippers in 3-team deal: Austin Rivers joined the Los Angeles Clippers to play for Doc Rivers in the first father-son, player-coach combination in NBA history.
The Clippers acquired Austin Rivers from the Boston Celtics in a deal that included the Phoenix Suns.
• Hornets’ P.J. Hairston fined $5,000 for flop: Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Hairston was fined $5,000 by the NBA for violating the league’s anti-flopping rules for the second time this season.
The incident occurred with 11:04 remaining in the fourth quarter of Charlotte’s 98-93 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday.
Bruins hand Rangers another shutout loss
NHL: Tuukka Rask stopped 30 shots for his second shutout, Patrice Bergeron scored a first-period goal, and the host Boston Bruins won their fifth straight by beating the New York Rangers 3-0.
The Rangers have lost 3-0 in consecutive games after winning five straight and 13 of 14.
David Krejci and Loui Eriksson also scored for Boston, which has earned points in nine consecutive games (6-0-3). Torey Krug added two assists. It was Rask’s 25th NHL shutout.
• Penguins goalie Fleury selected to All-Star game: Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was selected to the All-Star game for the second time on Wednesday.
The NHL tabbed Fleury as an injury replacement after Detroit’s Jimmy Howard and Nashville’s Pekka Rinne were injured.
No. 7 Wisconsin defeats Nebraska
Men’s basketball: Frank Kaminsky scored 22 points in his return from a concussion that sidelined him for a game to help No. 7 Wisconsin beat Nebraska 70-55 in Madison, Wisconsin.
It was the first full game for the Badgers without starting point guard Traevon Jackson, who injured his ankle Sunday. Bronson Koenig filled in well with 11 points for the Badgers (16-2, 4-1 Big Ten). Nigel Hayes scored 13 points, and Dekker added 11.
Terran Petteway led Nebraska (10-7, 2-3) with 27 points. He had 20 in the first half.
No. 7 Irish women beat North Carolina
Women’s basketball: Freshman Brianna Turner had 29 points and a season-high 18 rebounds and No. 7 Notre Dame shot 63 percent after halftime to beat No. 12 North Carolina 89-79 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
The 6-foot-3 forward matched her season high in points and also in blocked shots with seven in a huge performance for the Fighting Irish (16-2, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who rallied from 11 down in the first half then blew nearly all of a 14-point lead in the second before holding off the Tar Heels (15-3, 2-2).
• No. 8 Maryland tallies a win against No. 24 Rutgers: Laurin Mincy scored a season-high 24 points to lead No. 8 Maryland to a 71-59 win over 24th-ranked Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey, for the Terrapins’ eighth straight win.
Maryland (14-2, 5-0 Big Ten) blew an 18-point first-half lead before pulling away midway through the second half.
The Terrapins have now beaten three Top 25 teams on the road in conference, also collecting wins over No. 17 Nebraska and 23rd-ranked Minnesota.
Kahleah Copper scored 16 to lead the Scarlet Knights (12-5, 3-3).
Casey, Simpson lead in Honolulu after 62s
Miscellany: Paul Casey made nine birdies on a day that felt like paradise at the Sony Open in Honolulu and was tied for the lead with Webb Simpson at 8-under-par 62.
Casey is playing Waialae for the first time in a decade. He typically is in the Middle East this time of the year. But he gave up his European Tour membership and decided to start his year in Hawaii. So far, it looks like a smart choice.
There was hardly any wind along the shores down from Waikiki Beach, and scoring was low. Simpson shot 28 on the front nine to join Casey in the lead.
Camilo Villegas had a 63, shooting 29 on the front nine before he cooled on the back nine. Jason Day and Matt Kuchar were among those at 65. Alex Prugh (Ferris) shot a 69.
• Jurors watch video in Vanderbilt rape trial: Crime scene investigators have testified at a rape trial for two ex-Vanderbilt football players, saying part of a campus dorm room had been cleaned by the time they arrived to investigate the scene.
Officers Felicia Evans and Sharon Tilley said the middle of an otherwise messy dorm room looked as if it has been cleaned. One officer testified that detectives told them to look for evidence on the floor.
Four former football players are accused in the rape of an unconscious 21-year-old female student in 2013.