LDN - Sports

National Basketball Association roundup

[December 16, 2016] Dec 15 (The Sports Xchange) - Turner Sports NBA sideline reporter Craig Sager has died at the age of 65, the network announced Thursday.

Sager waged a public battle with cancer over the past two years after originally being diagnosed with leukemia in 2014.

The cancer went into remission after a bone marrow transplant but returned in March 2015.

Sager, who was always recognizable on TNT's NBA broadcasts by his colorful wardrobe, re-entered the hospital last month.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that teams will be observing a moment of silence in Sager's memory prior to games.

Earlier this week, Sager was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

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New Orleans Pelicans swingman Tyreke Evans, who has not played in a game since last January because of knee and calf injuries, is expected to make his season debut in Thursday's game against the Indiana Pacers.

Evans, who missed all 26 games this season, is officially listed as probable for the game. His last game was Jan. 25, 2016.

Evans, 27, is in the final year of a four-year, $44 million contract. He averaged 15.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 25 games last season before being sidelined.

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Russell Westbrook is tired of hearing about his triple-doubles.

The star Oklahoma City Thunder point guard became agitated when asked about the feat after failing to record a triple-double for the third straight game in Wednesday night's 109-89 loss at the Utah Jazz.

"Honestly, man, people and this triple-double thing is kind of getting on my nerves," Westbrook said, via ESPN.com.

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"People think if I don't get it, it's like a big thing. When I do get it, it's a thing. If y'all just let me play. ... If I get it, I get it. If I don't, I don't. It is what it is. I really don't care. For the 100th time, I don't care."

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Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors unleashed a series of tweets Wednesday night to signal his apparent disapproval after a deal between owners and players was reached.

"Deal? (Shaking my head)," Green wrote in one tweet, calling the new CBA a "heartbreaker" in another tweet.

"Stand for something ... or fall for anything," Green wrote.

"One day we will get it right ... maybe."

It is unclear what specific issues Green has with the new agreement.

Owners and players came to an agreement one day before the Dec. 15 deadline to opt out of the current CBA. The new deadline is Jan. 13, 2017 as both sides review the agreement before ratifying it. (Editing by Andrew Both)

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