LONDON — Lionel Messi was denied a potentially money-spinning move away from Barcelona this month after a contract-dispute, but the Argentine maestro remains the world’s richest soccer player.

Tom Brady clearly wanted to get off to an auspicious start. He was bent on proving in his first time out as the Buccaneers quarterback that he remains at the top of his game, and that he continues to possess exactly the tools they required to meet outsized expectations. And, as far as motivations go, the fact that he faced the Saints — division rivals led by longtime foil Drew Brees — served only to provide even more fodder. Which was why he looked sharp as he took to the field with 12:20 left in the first quarter. He promptly led a charge of 85 yards through nine plays that, fittingly, had him calling a keeper for a touchdown. How important was it to him? He punctuated the unusual play with an even more uncharacteristic celebration, spiking the ball for effect.

NIKOLA Jokic totaled 34 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, and the Denver Nuggets overcame a 19-point second-half deficit in a 111-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers to force a Game 7 in their Western Conference semifinal series near Orlando.

FACTBOX on Austria’s Dominic Thiem, who beat German Alexander Zverev 2-6 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-6(6) to win the US Open title on Sunday.

THE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has calendared key meetings with stakeholders this week as the league looks to fortify further plans for the resumption of its currently suspended season.

ITS accreditation as the country’s national sports association for esports questioned the Philippine eSports Organization (PeSO) on Monday moved to assert that it went through the process and fulfilled all the requirements needed for application as an NSA.

AFTER some uncertainty on his status with the men’s basketball team of the University of Santo Tomas (UST), spitfire guard Mark Nonoy confirmed on Monday that he was leaving the school, with De La Salle University as the likely destination.

HOUSTON coach Mike D’Antoni said farewell to the Rockets on Sunday after four seasons.

LEBRON JAMES had 29 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the Houston Rockets from the NBA playoffs with a 119-96 victory in Game 5 on Saturday at the NBA bubble near Orlando.

DEEMED a talent who got away, Filipino-American player Chris Koon has had a change of heart and is now excited to play for the reigning three-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball champions Ateneo Blue Eagles.

FACTBOX ON JAPAN’S NAOMI OSAKA, WHO BEAT VICTORIA AZARENKA OF BELARUS 1-6 6-3 6-3 TO WIN THE US OPEN TITLE ON SATURDAY.

HAD its 2020 AFC Cup campaign abruptly cut by the coronavirus pandemic, local football club Kaya FC-Iloilo now channels its focus in its bid in the Philippines Football League (PFL) where it hopes to win its first-ever league title.