Bryce Harper to report to Phillies camp on Wednesday
LAS VEGAS >> Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper says he will report to spring training on Wednesday as he continues recovering from elbow surgery and then determine when he can return full time.
The two-time National League MVP was injured in April and last played right field on April 16 in Miami. He underwent reconstructive right elbow surgery in November, causing him to miss the beginning of spring training.
The 30-year-old will have some catching up to do when he arrives in Clearwater, Florida. His teammates have been adjusting to new pitch-clock rules, part of Major League Baseball’s efforts to speed up the game.
“It’s going to be a different game, of course, especially with myself and a lot of guys that have been playing for a long time,” Harper said Sunday. “It’s going to be different to see baseball on a time clock, but it’s something we’re going to have to adapt to. We’ll see what happens going forward. I look forward to kind of progressing in that how and when I can.”
Harper was at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to serve as grand marshal for the NASCAR Cup Series’ Pennzoil 400 race. He is a Las Vegas native who makes his offseason home here.
The Oakland Athletics are considering moving to Las Vegas. Their lease at RingCentral Coliseum expires after the 2024 season, and the A’s have been in discussions with officials in both Las Vegas and Oakland.
Harper said he hopes Las Vegas lands a baseball team, but he would prefer it be an expansion club.
“I don’t think a team can come here and thrive like the (NHL’s Vegas Golden) Knights did,” Harper said. “I think having a team like the Knights come in as an expansion is a lot different than having another Major League Baseball team come in here and try to thrive.”
Harper knows about thriving.
He had a platelet-rich plasma injection on his ailing elbow in May and became a full-time designated hitter to finish the season, helping lead the Phillies to their first World Series since 2009.
They lost to the Houston Astros in six games, but Harper batted .349 with six home runs and 13 RBIs in 17 postseason games.
NBA
76ers rally to win 133130, snap Bucks’ 16game streak
MILWAUKEE — Nothing could faze the Philadelphia 76ers.
Not the loss of two starters. Not an 18-point deficit late in the third quarter. Not even the fact they were facing the NBA’s hottest team on the road.
Joel Embiid made a goahead 3-pointer with 41.4 seconds left and the 76ers rallied to beat Milwaukee 133130 on Saturday night, snapping the Bucks’ 16-game winning streak.
“You find something that works and you try to stick with it,” said James Harden, who had 38 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. “We found something late, in that fourth quarter, and we just stuck with it. We got some stops and things changed for us.”
Milwaukee had the longest winning streak by any NBA team since the Phoenix Suns had 18 straight victories early last season. The streak ended because the Bucks got outscored 48-31 during a fourth quarter in which the 76ers shot 12 of 21 overall, 7 of 11 from 3-point range and 17 of 19 from the line.
“They went wherever they wanted to go, scoring from the paint, floaters, isos, offensive rebounds, free throws, 3s,” said Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had 34 points and 13 rebounds. “You name it. They were able to get everything. We’ve got to be able to play 48 minutes of good basketball, defend for
48 minutes. This is a good lesson for us.”
Philadelphia completed the comeback even though Tobias Harris didn’t play in the second half due to left calf soreness and PJ Tucker sat out the fourth quarter with back spasms. 76ers coach Doc Rivers didn’t have an immediate update on either player.
Embiid finished with 31 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. This marked the first time the 76ers had two players collect at least 30 points and 10 assists in the same game since Wilt Chamberlain and Hal Greer did it way back on Oct. 30, 1965.
MLS
Jean, Callender lead Inter Miami to 2-0 victory over Union
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Corentin Jean scored a first-half goal and Drake Callender made it stand up as Inter Miami blanked the Philadelphia Union 2-0 on Saturday night.
Inter Miami (2-0-0) earned its first home win over Philadelphia (1-1-0) after entering play with an 0-2-1 record against the Union.
Jean put Inter Miami ahead for good with his goal in the 32nd minute. Rodolfo Pizarro had an assist on the score.
Robert Taylor scored on a right-footed volley from just outside the penalty area in the 77th minute, beating three-time MLS goalkeeper of the year Andre Blake just seconds after the Finland international entered the match in his season debut.
Inter Miami outshot Philadelphia 11-10, but the Union had a 4-3 edge in shots on goal. Philadelphia had scored three goals in three straight games dating to last season. Inter Miami, which has opened with back-to-back shutout wins at home, had yielded at least one goal in 10 straight home matches entering the season.
UFC
Jon Jones returns to win UFC heavyweight title in 1st round
LAS VEGAS — Jon Jones ended a three-year sabbatical from the UFC, moved up to its highest weight class and then left no doubt Saturday night about his place in the sport’s history.
Already widely considered the greatest UFC fighter, the 35-year-old Jones took Ciryl Gane to the mat just a little more than a minute into the first round and won with a guillotine choke at 2:04 in UFC 285.
“I’m so excited,” Jones said. “I’ve been working for this for a long time. A people thought I wasn’t coming back. I’ve been faithful to my goal, faithful to my mission.”
As short as the fight was, Jones made sure to take his time entering the octagon, playing up to the sold-out crowd of 19,471. UFC President Dana White said the gate was $12.5 million, the highest for a heavyweight match and the fourth-highest ever.
This was Jones’ first fight in three years and his first in the heavyweight division. The former light heavyweight champion said it was important to cement in his own mind that he deserved the honor as the greatest ever.
With another GOAT, Tom Brady, sitting nearby, Jones did just that. Brady flew in the day of the fight from Florida and spent time with Jones’ brother, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones.
“(Jones is) a total freak of nature,” White said, “and he’s the best ever.”