Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons has a nerve impingement in his lower back and is expected to be sidelined for an extended period of time, league sources told ESPN.

Simmons is undergoing treatment and will be reevaluated in two weeks, but there's little expectation that he will be close to a return to the Sixers' lineup at that 14-day benchmark, sources said.

The Sixers and Simmons plan to be cautious with the guard's back injury, and the organization is preparing to play an extended period of time without him, sources said.

There is no timeline on a return, but doctors are hopeful that treatment can help the nerve impingement over time.

Simmons, 23, left the loss to Milwaukee on Saturday after suffering the injury after scoring a layup with eight minutes left in the first quarter -- an injury that wasn't related to the stiff back that had kept him out of a game last Thursday.

Simmons is averaging 16.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 8.3 assists this season. The 76ers, who are currently the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, finish the regular season April 15.

Without Simmons, the Sixers will continue to rely heavily on Joel Embiid, their remaining All-Star. Embiid had a career-high 49 points to go along with 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and a block while shooting 17-for-24 from the field and 14-for-15 from the foul line in Philadelphia's 129-112 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

"[Embiid] knows it more than I can say it," Sixers coach Brett Brown said after Monday's victory, of the need for Embiid to remain aggressive while Simmons is sidelined. "We talked a little bit about it. With the sort of news of Ben, and him not being there, it's clear he's got to come out and he's got to play like he did tonight for the most part.

"Nobody is asking him to get 50 a night, for the most part, but his mentality is the thing that most impressed me."

Being without Simmons has also created an opportunity for Al Horford to find a level of comfort within Philadelphia's system that, to this point, has been missing since he signed a four-year, $100 million deal to join the Sixers as a free agent last summer.

Horford had been benched for the three games prior to Monday's against Atlanta. But with Simmons out, Horford is the team's best remaining passer, and thus Brown slid him back into the starting five.

He played alongside Shake Milton, the second-year guard who got the first start at the point with Simmons out and finished with 7 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists in 26 minutes, and was tied for a team-high plus-21 against Atlanta.

"I thought it went well," said Horford, who had 7 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in 31 minutes. "I thought we moved the ball, played with a little more pop. It was good."

The Sixers next play in Cleveland on Wednesday, before hosting the New York Knicks on Thursday. They will then head out West for a four-game trip through California, beginning with games at Staples Center against the LA Clippers on Sunday (3 p.m., ABC) and the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

Information from ESPN's Tim Bontemps was used in this report.

Ireland's Six Nations game against Italy in Dublin on March 7 should be postponed because of the coronavirus situation, says Irish Health Minister Simon Harris.

Seven people have died in Italy and 229 tested positive for the virus, while 11 towns in the north are in lockdown.

"This game should not go ahead," Harris told Irish broadcaster RTE.

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said it was seeking an "urgent meeting" with Harris after his comments.

Earlier, Six Nations organisers said they were "monitoring very closely" the coronavirus situation.

This weekend five Serie A matches will be played behind closed doors - including Juventus' match at home to Inter Milan - because of the outbreak.

Meanwhile, Formula 1 team Ferrari says it has taken measures to limit the impact of the outbreak.

Italy's Six Nations matches under threat

Harris said his department will now be contacting the IRFU.

"We've taken a decision in relation to the Ireland-Italy rugby game which was due to be held in Dublin on 7 March," the minister said.

"The very clear view of the Public Health Emergency team is that this game should not go ahead, that it would constitute a significant risk because a very large number of people would be travelling from what is now an affected region.

"I know it will come as a great disappointment to many but it is important we make decisions in relation to public health above and beyond all other considerations."

Italy's men's and women's teams are due play in Ireland in two weeks before hosting England in the final round.

Scotland women's match in Italy on Sunday was called off and is yet to be rearranged.

In a statement, the IRFU said: "The IRFU is seeking an urgent meeting with Minister Harris as to the specific reasoning behind calling for the cancellation of the Ireland v Italy Six Nations fixture in the context of the government's overall travel policy to and from Italy and other affected countries.

"Until such time as the IRFU has had contact with the minister and gets an understanding of the government's strategic policy on travel to and from Ireland and the cancellation of mass gatherings, it is not in a position to comment further."

"Six Nations is aware of today's recommendation from the Irish health minister," a statement from the organisers said.

"The IRFU has sought an urgent meeting with the Irish Government to discuss the matter further and we will remain in close contact with them regarding the outcome of those discussions."

A spokesperson for the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) said that if government advice changes it would consider moving the women's team's next training camp, which is scheduled to take place in Parma, just south of the at-risk Lombardy and Veneto regions.

Serie A takes action

The Serie A schedule this weekend has been disrupted because of coronavirus.

Matches at Udinese, AC Milan, Parma and Sassuolo will take place without fans.

Games at Lazio, Napoli, Lecce and Cagliari will go ahead with supporters as normal, but Sampdoria's match on Monday is yet to be decided upon.

Inter's Europa League last-32 home match against Ludogorets on Thursday will also be played behind closed doors because of fears about the possible spread of the virus.

Inter were one of four Serie A clubs to postpone their games last weekend.

Serie A fixtures to be played behind closed doors: Juventus v Inter (Sun, 19:45 GMT); Udinese v Fiorentina (Sat, 17:00 GMT); AC Milan v Genoa (Sun, 11:30 GMT); Parma v Spal (Sun, 14:00 GMT); Sassuolo v Brescia (Sun, 14:00 GMT)

Serie A matches to be played with fans: Lazio v Bologna (Sat, 14:00 GMT); Napoli v Torino (Sat, 19:45 GMT); Lecce v Atalanta (Sun, 14:00 GMT); Cagliari v Roma (Sun, 17:00 GMT)

Still to be decided: Sampdoria v Hellas Verona (Mon, 19:45 GMT)

Ferrari takes measures

Ferrari has closed its museums in Maranello and Modena, while all external visits and all non-critical business travel have been stopped.

But the situation is so far not directly affecting the Ferrari race team's preparations for the new Formula 1 season.

Ferrari personnel flew to Spain on a chartered jet on Tuesday in preparation for the final pre-season test, which starts in Barcelona on Wednesday.

"The situation is being monitored closely. New measures will be promptly implemented and communicated should they become necessary," the team said.

The Chinese Grand Prix, which had been scheduled for 17 April, has already been postponed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak while there are questions surrounding other early-season races.

A spokesman for F1 said the sport will continue to monitor the global situation but that there were no plans "at the moment" to postpone further races.

The Vietnam International Challenge badminton event, an Olympic qualifier, was shifted from late March to early June, the Badminton World Federation said on Tuesday. That event was due to take place a week before the Vietnam Grand Prix.

Concerns about the spread of the virus in the Middle East have heightened following an outbreak in Iran, which has officially reported 95 cases.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The International Hot Rod Ass’n has announced that Xtreme Raceway Park in Ferris, Texas, has entered into a multi-year sanctioning agreement.

One of the nicest facilities in the country, track owners Clyde and Amanda Scott, along with track operators Gaylen and Celeste Smith designed the facility that opened in 2018 to be racer-friendly.

Their hard work has paid off and the track, conveniently located off Interstate 45 in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, was named the IHRA Division 4 (Renegades) Track of the Year in 2019.

One innovation was the construction of Bull Pens, built on raised platforms behind the starting line. They are under a 40’ x 40’ covered pavilion with picnic tables and commercial fans to provide a unique perspective and to add protection from the blistering Texas heat.

There are showers and several 82-inch televisions throughout the facilities. There is an emphasis on-track with a good racing surface and safety features, other parts of the facility feature reasonably-priced concessions with a good menu of items.

“Track owners Clyde and Amanda Scott and track operators Gaylen and Celeste Smith continue to provide racers with a first-class experience at Xtreme Raceway Park,” IHRA Division Director Frank Kohutek said. “Their emphasis on going above and beyond for the racers makes the International Hot Rod Association proud to have Xtreme as a member track.”

In its first three seasons, Xtreme Raceway Park has fully embraced the IHRA Summit SuperSeries program, the most prestigious national championship in bracket racing. Ronnie Crow (Top), Daryl Hamlin (Mod), Kenny Teer (Sportsman) and Addyson Owen (Junior Dragster) were Xtreme’s 2019 track champions.

LOUDON, N.H. – The Flat Track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will host the King of Dirt Racing Crate Modified Series under the lights on Sept. 11 as part of Full Throttle Dirt, marking the first dirt modified race on the .25-mile flat track.

The two-day Full Throttle Fall Weekend, including Full Throttle Dirt, offers a wide variety of racing on four different track layouts, and the King of Dirt race promises to be one of the most prestigious events in the series’ history.  The 40-lap feature race will pay $2,000-to-win, $200 to start, and offers a guaranteed $100 in tow money to drivers who do not qualify for the feature.  The USAC Dirt Midget Ass’n and the Sprint Cars of New England will also be in action on Friday night at The Flat Track.

The famous 1.058-mile paved Magic Mile takes center stage on Saturday, Sept. 12, with the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Musket 200 presented by Whelen and championship finales for the ARCA Menards Series East and the American-Canadian Tour. The Granite State Legend Cars are also racing both days, on the .95-mile modified road course on Friday afternoon and the .25-mile mini oval on Saturday morning.

The Flat Track is located directly behind the North East Motor Sports Museum on New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s 1,200-acre facility in Loudon, N.H. and first opened in June of 2019.  Exciting improvements are already underway for 2020 which will include added track width, banking in the corners, and 2,000 yards of new natural clay surface trucked in from Devil’s Bowl Speedway in West Haven, Vermont.

The addition of King of Dirt to the Full Throttle Weekend has been almost a year in the making.

“We are excited to enhance our Full Throttle Weekend with events at The Flat Track, including King of Dirt Modifieds, to add even more racing action for our fans,” said David McGrath, executive vice president and general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway.  “We can’t wait to bring new fans and new racers here from New England, New York, Canada, and beyond, and to give our longtime fans a thrilling new race to be a part of.”

King of Dirt Racing officials anticipate a competitive event at NHMS and an influx of Sportsman Modified racers from Vermont, New Hampshire, and elsewhere to join the King of Dirt regulars from New York and Vermont; the event will be King of Dirt’s first in the state of New Hampshire and the farthest east that tour will have ever traveled.

“The timing for this race is great in 2020,” said King of Dirt Racing promoter Mike Bruno. “KOD has great momentum, and New Hampshire Motor Speedway is the largest racing facility in New England, so The Flat Track is the perfect place to bring our exciting dirt track action to.  The new clay from Devil’s Bowl will make a great surface at The Flat Track, and we’re looking forward to something totally new and different.”

Story By Dan Knutson & Luis Vasconcelos

A new age wave is sweeping through Formula One.

It started in 2015 when Max Verstappen, at 17 years and 166 days, became the youngest driver to start a championship F-1 race. In 2017, Lance Stroll, 18 years and 148 days, went into the record books as the second youngest F-1 driver.

The oldest driver to make his debut in a championship F-1 race was Arthur Legat, who was 53 when he started the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix. The FIA now stipulates that the minimum age to race in F-1 is 18, but there is no mention of a maximum age.

Last year, Lando Norris, George Russell and Alex Abon made their F-1 debuts at the respective ages of 19, 21 and 22. This year, 12 of the 20 drivers on the grid for the first race will be 26 or younger.

Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen, meanwhile, at age 40 will be the oldest driver on the grid. Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton, 35, is the second oldest.

So does Raikkonen feel old when he sees all those young drivers?

“No,” he replies, “I don’t really think like that. In the end, age is just a number and as long as I feel I can drive as well as I expect from myself, I’m fine with it. As long as I stay healthy, I don’t feel the age effect.”

Raikkonen might not quite still have the speed and reflexes he did when he won the drivers’ world championship in 2007, but he is still going strong. He won the 2018 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas, and he could have won more races that season but Ferrari’s race strategy often favored his teammate, Sebastian Vettel.

Still, Raikkonen had three second places, eight third places and finished third in the points in 2018.

Raikkonen spent 2007 through ’09 and 2014 through ’18 with Ferrari, and during his second stint he frequently said he would only remain in F-1 if he could drive for a winning team. Yet, when he lost his Ferrari seat to the 21-year-old Charles Leclerc in 2019, Raikkonen moved to Alfa Romeo Sauber, knowing it was a mid-field team. So does that mean Raikkonen loves F-1 more than he thought he did?

“That’s not just for F-1, it’s for racing in general,” Raikkonen said. “I don’t think I’m now thinking any differently than last year or five years ago. I’m still enjoying it, so I’m staying on. The enjoyment comes from driving the car, as the rest — meetings, media, marketing activities, etc. — are really not my thing. I don’t enjoy all the nonsense, only the racing, and as long as the racing is the bigger part of the job it’s fine.”

Fernando Alonso replaced Raikkonen at Ferrari in 2010 and with no top F-1 seats available, Raikkonen spent 2010 and ’11 competing in the World Rally Championship and made several runs in NASCAR competition. He returned to F-1 with Lotus F1 Renault in 2012.

Did he miss being in F-1 during those two years?

“Not really,” he says. “I enjoyed 2010 and ’11 a lot, but rallying is not racing against other drivers and other cars, it’s racing against the clock and I didn’t find it as enjoyable. I did a bit of NASCAR and it was fine. I enjoyed it a lot and that’s what led me to come back to racing here, because F-1 is the best place to be.”

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EDMONTON, Alberta -- Edmonton Oilers winger Kailer Yamamoto is out with an ankle injury and listed week to week by the team.

He was hurt Sunday night in a win over the Los Angeles Kings.

A first-round pick by the Oilers in 2017, Yamamoto has nine goals and 12 assists in 21 games with Edmonton this season. He also has eight goals and eight assists in 23 games with Bakersfield of the American Hockey League.

The Oilers recalled forward Markus Granlund from Bakersfield. Granlund has three goals and one assist in 32 games with Edmonton this season and six goals and nine assists in 17 games with Bakersfield.

Yamamoto's loss comes after the Oilers added Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Ennis at the trade deadline for the stretch run. Edmonton is three points out of first place in the Pacific Division with two games in hand. The Oilers haven't made the playoffs the last two seasons.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.