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Arsenal let a two goal lead slip to draw 2-2 against Watford at Vicarage Road on Sunday.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored two goals in the first half but Watford produced a great comeback in the second half with goals from Tom Cleverley and Roberto Pereyra.
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It was Watford's first match since rehiring Quique Sanchez Flores as head coach after sacking Javi Gracia during the international break and Arsenal boss Unai Emery admitted his countryman's side gave them fits with their physical play.
"They are more stronger than us so we want to break the lines from the goal kick and connect to Mesut Ozil, like we did with the first goal," he said.
"We have young players, we are working to improve and they will gain experience from matches like today. We can grow up and learn with these mistakes."
Arsenal playmaker Mezut Ozil made his first appearance of the season after missing the opening day due to a security incident.
Watford started the game brightly and Gerard Deulofeu and Cleverley forced early saves from Bernd Leno in the opening stages.
But it was the visitors who took the lead when Dani Ceballos won the ball on the halfway line and Sead Kolasinac raced into the box and set up Aubameyang for his first goal.
The Gabon international scored his second with a tap-in 10 minutes later after Ozil and Ainsley Maitland-Niles exchanged passes.
Watford got back into the game after the break through a Cleverley strike after a defensive mistake from Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
After dominating the second half, Watford levelled with less than 10 minutes remaining through a Roberto Pereyra after he was brought down by David Luiz.
Abdoulaye Doucoure had a wonderful chance to win the game in the stoppage time but his shot went straight to Leno.
"I was really happy with the performance of the players," Sanchez Flores said. "We have one point against a very tough team. It's good for our confidence. We are positive."
Victory would have put Arsenal into third place but they ended the day seventh in a cluster of clubs on eight points.
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Arsenal failed to get back to winning ways in the Premier League as they surrendered a two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 with Watford at Vicarage Road. target="_blank">Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in the first 45 minutes to heap the pressure onto the Hornets, but a Tom Cleverley strike and Roberto Pereyra penalty ensured the two sides shared the spoils.
Positives
Arsenal were often able to carve Watford out at the back and whenever they made their way down the wings, there was an ever-present threat of a goal. There was a fluidity to their movement that took their opponents a while to figure out, to the point where you could argue there is no better attacking cohesion on display in the the Premier League.
Negatives
The visitors were incredibly sloppy from a defensive standpoint and were bullied off the ball at will, especially in the first half. They allowed Watford far too much space on the ball and appeared to ride their luck after building a two-goal lead, which came back to haunt them after the Hornets were able to string together some smart passages of play.
Manager rating out of 10
Unai Emery, 6 -- The Spaniard went with a bit more of an experimental formation and line-up, which seemed to pay off for much of the game. Yet he panicked with his substitutions when the Gunners were under pressure and bringing off Ceballos came across as a questionable decision.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Bernd Leno, 6 -- The keeper's finest moment came in the 11th moment when he made a nice save from Tom Cleverley. Struggled with his catching at times, and probably could have shown more power to deny both Watford goals.
DF Sead Kolasinac, 6 -- Carried the ball forward incredibly well for Arsenal's opening goal of the game. Picked up a yellow card in the 43rd minute for a silly challenge on Hughes and seemed to lose his composure from that point.
DF David Luiz, 5 -- Never seemed overwhelmingly eager to close Watford down and always looked like he was in a state of panic when they were surging forward. Gave away the penalty for Watford's second with a needless trip inside the area.
DF Sokratis Papastathopoulos, 5 -- Looked to be on track for a strong performance after the first half, but was responsible for carelessly giving the ball away as Cleverley began Watford's comeback.
DF Ainsley Maitland-Niles, 6 -- Wasn't particularly effective at the back and always seemed to be weak on the ball. Had some great positional play for Arsenal's second goal, which he assisted.
MF Granit Xhaka, 6 -- Looked lazy at points but did his job in the middle fairly well considering the criticism he's been receiving as of late. Had a golden opportunity to steal a victory for Arsenal in the 88th minute but couldn't control the ball.
MF Dani Ceballos, 7 -- His intensity and vision continues to be one of the brightest sparks in Arsenal's starting XI. Won the ball back in vital positions and controlled the pace well. Was surprisingly substituted in the 60th minute.
MF Mesut Ozil, 7 -- Put in the kind of creative display that reminds fans and pundits as to why he can be such a valuable asset for the Gunners. Played a nice through-ball that opened the door for his side's second goal. Was substituted in the 71st minute.
MF Matteo Guendouzi, 5 -- Arguably his worst performance in an Arsenal shirt. Gave the ball away in vital areas of the pitch and picked up an avoidable yellow card for a push off the ball. Was substituted in the 67th minute.
FW Nicolas Pepe, 6 -- Moved around the pitch with such ease and was consistently able to unlock Watford at the back. Allowed the ball to get away from him on a few occasions and lost his cool during a scuffle late in the game.
FW Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 8 -- Scored both of Arsenal's goals and was always a threat. His turn and strike for the first was great, while the second showcased his ability to get into perfect positions.
Substitutes
MF Joe Willock, 6 -- Will go down as a questionable substitution from Emery as Willock, aside from a few moments of joy, looked tense after coming on in the 60th minute.
MF Lucas Torreira, 6 -- Was quite ineffective after taking to the pitch in the 67th minute, and didn't really have enough time to get into the usual rhythm we've seen in the past from the Uruguay international.
MF Reiss Nelson, NR -- Had a few bright moments after being brought on in the 71st minute but lacked the end product that Arsenal desired.
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Pant's shot selection has let the team down sometimes - Shastri
Published in
Cricket
Sunday, 15 September 2019 09:59

With the T20 World Cup just over a year away, Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri, the India captain and coach, have laid out their expectations from Rishabh Pant.
The wicketkeeper-batsman's shot selection has been under the scanner. While reiterating his faith in Pant's talent and destructive ability, Shastri said some of his decisions with the bat had let the team and himself down.
"When you see a shot like the one in Trinidad, off the first ball, [it's disappointing]," Shastri said in an interview to Star Sports, referring to Pant skipping down the track to Fabian Allen in India's third ODI against West Indies in Port-of-Spain, only to mis-time his loft to mid-off.
"He tries to repeat it a couple of times and gets out, he will be told," Shastri said. "There will be a rap on the knuckles there - talent or no talent - because you are letting the team down, forget letting yourself down. You are letting the team down in a situation where you have the captain at the other end [Kohli was at the crease when Pant got out with India needing 164 off 22.3 overs]. You have a target to chase where the need of the hour is some sensible cricket."
That innings was Pant's second first-ball duck of the tour to the West Indies. In the first T20I in Lauderhill, he top-edged a slog sweep off Sunil Narine.
"No one will change his style but match awareness becomes crucial, shot selection becomes crucial in particular situations," Shastri went on. "If he can fathom that out, he could be unstoppable. You mentioned how many games [it would take], it could be one game, it could be four games. I don't see more than that. He will learn. He has played enough IPL cricket. So it's time now for him to step on to the stage and just show the world how devastating he is."
"There will be a rap on the knuckles there - talent or no talent - because you are letting the team down, forget letting yourself down." Ravi Shastri on Rishabh Pant
Kohli said the expectation was not for Pant to change his approach and natural game but to read situations better.
"Expectations are only of reading situations," Kohli said in the same interview. "You don't expect a guy to play according to what you might be thinking. It's about analysing the situation and finding your own way of dealing with the situation. Someone like Rishabh might hit five boundaries in a difficult situation compared to me who likes to take ones and twos and get out of it. So everyone has their own game. But reading the situation and decision-making is the expectation from all the players, including myself."
India's calendar is geared towards preparing the team for the T20 World Cup, and while there is likely to be an effort at widening the pool and giving opportunities to potential candidates, Kohli said that those aiming to make a mark couldn't expect more than about five games to do so.
"Youngsters are being pushed into the side from time to time because you need to figure out who are the people who have the mentality, the mindset and the character to take the [team's] vision forward," Kohli said. "We hope they establish themselves and grab those chances. From the team and the management point of view, we are clear on the fact that you will get about five opportunities and you have to make the most of it. That's the level we are playing at.
"I think the individuals coming in need to have that mindset. The guys who grab those opportunities quickly, they just grab the opportunities. It's a delicate balance to strike but it's necessary because you have 30 matches and you have to figure it out how much time each individual can be given."
Shastri felt that a pool of approximately 18 players to choose from should be the target immediately before the T20 World Cup. "I would say a pool of 18 players [would be ideal]," Shastri said. "We already have 15, so if you get another three from the outside in that span, you have got your pool. But the important thing is to be prepared to invest, not be scared that you might lose an odd game or two."
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Broad and Leach secure series-levelling win despite defiant Wade
Published in
Cricket
Sunday, 15 September 2019 11:25

England 294 (Buttler 70, Root 57, Marsh 5-46) and 329 (Denly 94, Stokes 67, Lyon 4-69) beat Australia 225 (Smith 80, Archer 6-62) and 263 (Wade 117, Leach 4-49, Broad 4-62) by 135 runs
For the first time since 1972 there was a drawn Ashes series as England prevailed by a convincing 135 runs at The Oval with Stuart Broad and Jack Leach taking four wickets apiece alongside two for Joe Root who enjoyed a good day as captain. Matthew Wade struck a fantastic century, which included a compelling duel with Jofra Archer, but England shifted Steven Smith for 23 and Wade could not find anyone to stay with him long enough to bring the target within sight.
After what happened at Headingley just a few weeks ago - and because Australia have the best since Bradman - even with a target of 399 it didn't quite feel like a foregone conclusion when the chase started early on the fourth day. However, with Broad continuing his stranglehold over Australia's openers - getting David Warner for the seventh time in the series - and returning to have Smith caught at leg gully (and plan 774-runs in the making) it was 85 for 4 with the feeling the end could come swiftly.
ALSO READ: How Broad has owned Warner
Wade then added stands of 63 with Mitchell Marsh, 52 with Tim Paine and 44 with Pat Cummins, each time England nabbing the breakthrough before things got troublesome. He and Archer went toe-to-toe during an hour of thrilling cricket after tea - Archer touching 95mph but staying wicketless during an eight-over spell - with Wade reaching his hundred from 147 balls before being stumped off Root which heralded the end. On a day where he saw plans come together, Root had the satisfaction of taking the final catch with a brilliant snare at midwicket.
Broad made the early moves with the new ball as he has done so often during the series. A beauty extracted Marcus Harris' off stump (of course from around the wicket) and then had a skittish Warner sparring outside off to third slip where Rory Burns was again very sharp. The first of those wickets made him the only England bowler to take 20 wickets in four-Ashes series and the Warner scalp put him in a small club of those to remove a batsman seven times in a series.
Getting through the top two has not been a problem for England (today's stand of 18 was Australia's best of the series) but the third-wicket stand has caused more difficulties. Therefore, Leach's first incision, shortly before lunch, was key when he lured Marnus Labuschagne down the pitch, beat him with spin and Jonny Bairstow completed a slick stumping.
It was six overs after the break, though, when England celebrated the wicket they surely presumed would secure victory. England have gone with a leg-side heavy field plenty of times during the series but Smith has endlessly found the gaps. This time, when he went to flick Broad off his hip, he didn't quite keep it down and Ben Stokes took a superb diving catch. Smith walked off to a fully deserved standing ovation, any lingering boos drowned out by loud applause. A personal mission accomplished.
Australia made England work hard for the rest of their success but in a theme of the series starts were not converted. Marsh, who was given a life on 6 when caught at slip off Chris Woakes' first Test no-ball, turned Root lazily straight to short leg and Paine was pinned lbw by Leach from a delivery that just pitched on leg stump. Kumar Dharmasena took an age to raise his finger; England were relieved he did as they had spurned their two reviews.
Around this, Wade dominated with a very fine innings. He had been positive from the start, driving strongly and picking off anything straight through the leg side, but the highlight was when Archer revved things up after tea against a player who has got under England's skin throughout the series. A top-edge six seemed to really get Archer's juices flowing. There was very little pitched in Wade's half - and when there was a full delivery, Wade generally pounced - and he took a stinging blow on the shoulder. Words were exchanged but Archer also responded with an extended starring contest.
Archer survived and Wade spent 14 balls moving from 96 to his century when he worked Broad into the leg side. In the next over from Root, Bairstow missed a tough stumping and next ball Stokes missed a high, fast edge at slip to just suggest that the mood was with Wade as Cummins blocked effectively alongside him. However, Broad then found Cummins' edge with a full delivery and could have had a five-wicket haul if there had been a second slip to Peter Siddle.
Wade had been given caught at slip, driving at Root the ball after Cummins fell, but the DRS showed bat had hit the ground. The England captain kept throwing the ball up outside off, extracting considerable turn from the rough, and eventually beat Wade as he charged down the pitch with Bairstow having plenty of time behind the stumps.
With that, the match was not heading into a fifth day - which was probably a good thing for everyone - and Leach finished off the series with two wickets in two balls. Root was the catcher for both, firstly at square leg and then, with his final act of an historic, draining, dramatic and thrilling summer, plucking out Josh Hazlewood's flick at midwicket. Australia's Ashes, England's match and one heck of a season.
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'I want to be the man to bring the Ashes back to England' - Joe Root
Published in
Cricket
Sunday, 15 September 2019 11:35

Joe Root has said he wants to be "at the front" of England's progression over the next three years, and thinks that he is the man to captain them to an Ashes victory in Australia in 2021-22.
Root's captaincy repeatedly came under pressure during the series. Batting in his unfavoured position of No. 3, he failed to make a hundred and was dismissed without scoring three times, though finished with an average of 32.50.
He was also criticised for turning to Jofra Archer too often when seeking a breakthrough, and seemed to be struggling with the pressures of the role despite repeatedly stating his desire to continue as captain.
ALSO READ: Archer's talent must be protected and nurtured
But after leading his side to a series-levelling win at The Oval, Root told Sky: "I want to be leading this team, and be the man to bring the Ashes back to England."
"We're very much driven towards [that series]" said Root. "We've got two-and-a-half years to prepare very well for it. I think it's going to be a real focus for English cricket to make sure we do everything we can to be in the best possible space for that.
"I want to be at the front of that."
Ben Stokes, who was re-appointed as Root's vice-captain at the start of the Test summer, said that Root was "100 percent" the man to lead England forward, and paid tribute to the players that had come into the side in the past year.
"Everyone who has come into the Test side in the winter and this summer has [put] their hand up and shown that they can compete at the highest level.
"We've been challenged by some seriously good fast bowling as we've always known [we would be], and Rory Burns and Joe Denly as the new guys in the team have shown what they can do.
"I think Rory Burns has been knocking on the door for a long time, and I think we started to see this series what he can offer."
Root echoed Stokes' praise for the new opening pair.
"They played very well throughout the series on very difficult surfaces against a very good attack," he said. "You have to take that all into consideration - it's been hard at the top of the order.
"Guys have got stuck in at times, it's been very difficult. They've stood up to it. You know, they've made some very valuable contributions. They should be very proud of their efforts."
Root also paid tribute to departing head coach Trevor Bayliss, hailing his contribution to England's limited-overs set-up in particular.
"Trev is brilliant," Root said. "He's obviously added a huge amount to this Test team. He's been involved in some fantastic series wins, both home and away.
"And what he's done for white-ball cricket for English cricket is phenomenal. He's very much valued in the dressing room, he's got a great sense of humour. We all played for him this week, and I'm really pleased to send him off in a great fashion."
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Source: Saints ink Payton to 5-year extension
Published in
Breaking News
Sunday, 15 September 2019 11:40

LOS ANGELES -- Sean Payton signed a five-year extension with the New Orleans Saints, a source confirmed to ESPN, meaning one of the NFL's longest-running partnerships will continue well into its second decade.
Only Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots has been with his team longer than Payton, who was hired in 2006 and has a career record of 119-74 in the regular season heading into Sunday's game at the Los Angeles Rams. Payton is 8-6 in the postseason, including a Super Bowl win 10 years ago.
Payton's extension should quash any rumblings that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones might try to pursue Payton after this season. Payton's previous contract, which was worth more than $9 million per year, was scheduled to run through 2020.
Details of the new deal have not been disclosed.
The news was first reported by Fox Sports.
The extension could also mean that Payton will outlast Drew Brees in New Orleans -- though the 40-year-old quarterback has shown no signs yet that he plans to retire anytime soon.
Payton and the Saints did hit a lull in their relationship with three straight 7-9 seasons from 2014 to '16. And Payton briefly considered a possible move before recommitting to the team in January 2016, followed by a contract extension two months later.
Since then, both Payton and the Saints have been rejuvenated with back-to-back NFC South titles in 2017 and 2018. They went 13-3 last year and fell just short of a second Super Bowl appearance, thanks in large part to the controversial missed pass interference call in the NFC Championship Game.
Payton's longevity is a rarity. He is one of just six coaches during the Super Bowl era to have lasted more than 10 years with the same team and to have at least two 11-win seasons after that first decade was over. The others are Belichick (nine), Tom Landry (eight), Don Shula (six), Bill Cowher (two) and Marvin Lewis (two).
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Return of the Pac? Six Pac-12 teams now ranked
Published in
Breaking News
Sunday, 15 September 2019 12:35

California and Arizona State have moved into the AP Top 25 college football poll to give the Pac-12 six ranked teams, the most for the conference in almost four years.
A weekend filled with blowouts left the top half of the AP media poll presented by Regions Bank mostly unchanged.
Clemson remains No. 1, with 57 of the 62 first-place votes, as the top nine held their spots Sunday. Alabama was No. 2, receiving five first-place votes, followed by Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Auburn and Florida.
The ninth-ranked Gators were the only top-10 team to play a competitive game. The others won by a combined 428-97.
Utah, the highest-ranked Pac-12 team, moved up to No. 10. The last time the Pac-12 had six ranked teams was Nov. 8, 2015.
POLL POINTS
The Pac-12 took a fair amount of grief the first week of the season after it suffered a few upsets to Mountain West teams and Oregon let a potentially big victory slip away against Auburn.
Now the conference has had a mini-resurgence, despite issues with some of its typically strong teams.
Stanford started the season ranked but is 1-2 after getting dominated by UCF on Saturday. USC had a brief stay at the bottom of the rankings last week, falling out after losing in overtime at BYU on Saturday.
Overall, the results were OK this past weekend for the Pac-12. The conference went 8-4 in nonconference play, including Arizona State's victory at Michigan State and Arizona beating Texas Tech. Though Colorado's loss to Air Force put the Pac-12 at 4-4 against the Mountain West this season.
Utah is in the top 10 for the first time since November 2015.
OUT
• Michigan State fell from the rankings after its 10-7 loss to Arizona State. The Spartans were swept in a home-and-home by the Sun Devils the past two seasons by a combined 26-20.
• Maryland is out after one week. The Terrapins went from scoring 63 in a victory against Syracuse to losing 20-17 to Temple.
• The next three games for USC are against Utah at home, at No. 22 Washington and at No. 7 Notre Dame.
CONFERENCE CALL
For a second straight week, the Southeastern Conference has three top-five teams and half of the top 10.
SEC -- 6 (Nos. 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 17)
Pac-12 -- 6 (Nos. 10, 16, 19, 22, 23, 24)
Big Ten -- 55 (Nos. 6, 11, 13, 13 (tie), 18)
Big 12 -- 33 (Nos. 5, 12, 25)
ACC -- 2 (Nos. 1, 21)
American -- 11 (No. 15)
Mountain West -- 1 (No. 20)
Independent -- 1 (No. 7)
RANKED vs. RANKED
No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 3 Georgia. Return match from Georgia's 20-19 victory in South Bend, Indiana, two years ago.
No. 11 Michigan at No. 13 Wisconsin. Fox's first Big Noon game, which is both big and starting at noon.
No. 8 Auburn at No. 17 Texas A&M. The whittling starts in the SEC West.
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Brown catches TD pass in first game with Pats
Published in
Breaking News
Sunday, 15 September 2019 12:35

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Wide receiver Antonio Brown made an immediate impact in his New England Patriots debut, catching a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady late in the second quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.
Brown leapt into the stands after the play, as if he was taking a seat among spectators, before he was greeted by Brady. The two shared an embrace.
Brown was charted on the field for 13 of 35 offensive snaps in the first half (including penalties). He initially took the field on the second play and Brady immediately looked his way for an 18-yard gain over the middle.
Brown had two other catches on the opening drive, and then drew a holding penalty to set up the team's first touchdown -- a 1-yard run by Sony Michel.
Brown's touchdown catch made him the 72nd player to catch a regular-season touchdown pass from Brady, which extends an NFL record for the 42-year-old quarterback. On the play, Brown was covered by cornerback Jomal Wiltz and officials deemed he didn't extend his arms to create separation on a beautiful throw from Brady.
The Patriots are mixing use of their receivers, with Josh Gordon and Julian Edelman starting in the two-receiver package. Phillip Dorsett and Brown have rotated as the third receiver, and the team ran two plays with four receivers on the field at the same time in the first half.
Brown is wearing jersey number 17. Veteran tight end Benjamin Watson has Brown's old number, 84, and he is serving a four-game NFL suspension. Brown's father, Eddie, wore the number 17 in the Arena Football League.
Also, Patriots starting LT Isaiah Wynn has been ruled out with a foot injury.
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FIBA All-Stars: Gasol, Giannis and the very best NBA players at the World Cup
Published in
Basketball
Sunday, 15 September 2019 08:59

BEIJING -- A record 54 NBA players took part in the FIBA World Cup over the past 16 days, a true commitment with training camps scheduled to open in two weeks.
The performance of the 12 who played for Team USA was well documented. Though Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell and a few others had some impressive moments, it wasn't a tournament to remember for those players.
But there were some strong efforts by some international players that would be of interest to NBA fans. In all, NBA players represented 17 countries while in China. Here's a look at the NBA players who had the most impactful World Cup:
Ricky Rubio, Spain
Now one of most experienced international players, Rubio played with a vision and aggression befitting his experience. Spain has a number of experienced players, but he drove it to the title, scoring 20 points in the championship game to cement World Cup MVP honors. He shot the 3-pointer better than in the past, 38 percent. If he carries it to training camp, it will be a true boost for the Phoenix Suns.
Marc Gasol, Spain
He took only one week off between the NBA Finals and reporting to the national team, making his strong play even more impressive. He played 39 minutes and scored 33 points in a double-overtime win in the semifinals against Australia, one of his best performances in a long career for Spain, in what turned out to be the vital one in winning the gold.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia
He shot 36 percent from 3-point range for the Sacramento Kings last season but he was relentless throughout the World Cup, nailing 53 percent of his 3s and making an average of four per game. Granted, the line is closer in international play, but everything about his shot looked smooth and his confidence was great. He averaged 22.9 points and was unquestionably one of the best guards in China as he was named to the all-tournament team.
Evan Fournier, France
Here is the kind of guy Fournier is: As soon as he got his bronze medal, he gave it away, saying he already had one from 2014 at home. Then he criticized American friends, like former Orlando Magic teammate Tobias Harris, for not coming to play. He played with the same fearless attitude throughout the tournament. He battered Team USA and even though he didn't shoot great down the stretch, finished at 41 percent from 3-point range and averaged 19.8 points in the event. Still unclear: whether he gave away the watch he got for making the all-tournament team.
Patty Mills, Australia
When suiting up for his national team, Mills plays with tremendous pace and a scoring mindset, like a FIBA combo of Steve Nash and Allen Iverson. He zipped all over the floor, keeping the dribble alive and looking to shoot at any moment. Mills probably could never play that way in the NBA, but he ended up as third-leading scorer in the Cup, averaging 22.8 points.
Rudy Gobert, France
The Utah Jazz center and reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year crushed Team USA with 21 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks in France's quarterfinal victory. He did what he does, finishing second in the Cup in blocks and fourth in rebounds. He was outplayed by 39-year-old Luis Scola in the semifinals, but overall he played like an All-NBA player.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece
The 2019 NBA MVP's numbers were OK -- 14.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.8 steals -- so that's why he made this list. That said, he didn't come close to having the impact that was assumed. The FIBA style of defense and some of the rules bothered him, and he didn't look comfortable. There was only one game where he truly took control (not that this performance defines him in any way).
Aron Baynes, Australia
Following in the path of Brook Lopez, Baynes started shooting 3-pointers for the Boston Celtics last season. He'd made four in his whole career, then made 21 in 2018-19. That conversion is progressing, and he showed this summer that his new team, the Phoenix Suns, could benefit. Baynes nailed 52 percent of his 3s in the Cup and bothered Gobert with five of them in a win over France in the second round.
Tomas Satoransky, Czech Republic
The Czech Republic became one of the surprise teams of the tournament, and Satoransky was a big reason why. He showed tremendous playmaking in China, finishing second by averaging 8.5 assists to go along with 15.5 points per game. His play made the Chicago Bulls' choice to sign him to a three-year, $30 million deal in the offseason look good.
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Braves' Culberson has multiple facial fractures
Published in
Baseball
Sunday, 15 September 2019 10:43

Atlanta Braves utility man Charlie Culberson suffered multiple facial fractures after being hit on the right cheekbone by a 91 mph fastball on Saturday, the team announced Sunday.
Culberson has been cleared to travel from Washington to Atlanta, where he will meet Sunday with the team's doctors to determine the next steps in his treatment, the team said.
Culberson was pinch hitting for starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz with two on and no out in the seventh of a 1-1 game Saturday when he was hit on the first pitch thrown by Washington Nationals reliever Fernando Rodney.
The Braves won Saturday's game 10-1 to clinch a playoff berth.
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