BASKETBALL great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin have partnered to form a new single-car NASCAR Cup Series team that will feature Bubba Wallace as its driver, the trio said on Monday.

ROME — World number one Novak Djokovic overcame a sluggish start to lift his fifth Italian Open title on Monday, defeating Argentine Diego Schwartzman 7-5 6-3 for a record 36th ATP Masters crown.

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino confirmed on Tuesday that he will run anew in elections set for November.

NATE LOWE hit the decisive solo homer Monday night, and six Tampa Bay Rays pitchers combined on a four-hitter as the Rays moved closer to clinching the American League East with a 2-1 win over the host New York Mets.

ATLANTA third baseman Austin Riley had a crucial run-scoring double and made a late game-saving defensive play to help the Braves hang on for a 5-4 win over the visiting Miami Marlins and trim their magic number to win the National League East to three.

ROME — Top seed Simona Halep gave her French Open preparations a boost when she claimed the Italian Open in Rome on Monday after second seed Karolina Pliskova retired from the final with injury when she was down 6-0 2-1.

PAUL GEORGE’S pleas for players to remain committed and return to the franchise next season didn’t go over well with all of his Los Angeles Clippers teammates, according to a report by The Athletic.

Not a few quarters saw fit to write the Nuggets off in the wake of their disconcerting loss to the Lakers the other day. It wasn’t simply that the outcome put them two down after two contests in the West Finals. More crucially, it was that they appeared quite overmatched for long stretches at a time in both encounters. And while they made enough adjustments after Game One to nearly snatch victory in Game Two, that they succumbed, anyway, speaks volumes of their status as vast underdogs. In a series where they don’t have the two best players, they need no small measure of good fortune to survive.

ANTHONY DAVIS’ 3-pointer at the buzzer lifted the Los Angeles  (LA) Lakers to a 105-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday near Orlando.

PHILIPPINE AZKALS goalkeeper Neil Etheridge began his journey with Birmingham City FC in the English Football League Championship in steady fashion, helping his club to a 0-0 draw against Swansea City in his debut at the weekend.

WHILE they are excited over possibly getting back to action beginning next month, the Terra Firma Dyip recognize that being in the Philippine Basketball Association  (PBA) “bubble” will be a challenge and, thus, the need for them to be on the same page to succeed.

APART from seeing themselves compete as professionals, teams taking part in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 President’s Cup will see the stakes get higher with the prize money increased.