It’s crunch time in the NBA as teams battle in the Eastern a d Western Conference Finals. While in European football, teams are actively involved in the transfer market as they bid to improve their squad for the new season.
Denver Nuggets Makes NBA History in Thrilling Fight backs
The Denver Nuggets became the first NBA side to recover from 3-1 down twice in the same play-offs by beating the Los Angeles Clippers in game seven to reach the Western Conference finals.
- Jamal Murray scored 40 points as the Nuggets won 104-89 on Tuesday to complete another stunning turnaround.
- The Nuggets needed seven games to beat the Utah Jazz after trailing their series 3-1 in the last round and have repeated their success against the Clippers.
- Speaking at Disney World in Orlando – where games are taking place in the coronavirus quarantine bubble – Nikola Jokic, who scored 34 points in game six to help force the decider, said the Nuggets are “a special group”.
- The Clippers have never advanced to the conference final in their 50-year history.
Arsenal Captain Signs New 3-Year Contract
Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has signed a new three-year deal with the club.
- The 31-year-old striker joined the Gunners in January 2018 and won the Premier League Golden Boot in his first full season in 2018-19.
- Aubameyang’s contract was due to expire at the end of the 2020-21 season meaning he would have been free to talk to other clubs from January.
- The Gabon striker scored in Arsenal’s victory at Fulham on Saturday, the first game of the new Premier League season. He also scored two goals against Chelsea in the FA Cup final in July, securing the Gunners’ place in next season’s Europa League.
European Clubs Bolster Squad Ahead of New Season
Tottenham Hotspur are in talks to re-sign Wales forward Gareth Bale from Real Madrid, and are closing in on a deal for his team-mate Sergio Reguilon.
- Bale, 31, left Spurs to join Real for a then world record £85m in 2013 and has since scored more than 100 goals and won four Champions League titles.
- Spain international Reguilon, 23, came through the youth set-up at Real and made his first-team debut in October 2018.
- Manchester United spoke to Real about him but were put off by the Spanish giants’ insistence on a buyback clause. That has allowed Tottenham to step in, and the expectation is he will now join Jose Mourinho’s squad.
- Barcelona coach, Ronald Koeman has said Barcelona must sell before they can think about signing Lyon captain Memphis Depay as the head coach expects to start the LaLiga season with no additions to the squad.
- Depay has been tipped to reunite with former Netherlands coach Koeman at Barca following his exploits for Ligue 1 outfit and Champions League semi-finalists Lyon.
However, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas – prior to Tuesday’s 2-1 loss against Montpellier – claimed Barca cannot afford to buy Depay due to their finances amid the coronavirus crisis.