Off the wire
BASKETBALL
All- Stars announced Stephen Curry won a tiebreaker to join Golden State teammate Kevin Durant in the lineup, while LeBron James and Kyrie Irving also gave Cleveland two starters in the NBA All- Star Game. Curry and Houston’s James Harden beat out Russell Westbrook for the two Western Conference backcourt spots in the new voting system that included players and media for the first time this season. They will join frontcourt choices Durant, Anthony Davis of New Orleans and Kawhi Leonard of San Antonio. The rest of the East lineup for the Feb. 19 game in New Orleans is Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee and Jimmy Butler of Chicago in the frontcourt and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto in the backcourt. He beat out Boston’s Isaiah Thomas in another tiebreaker. Fan voting accounted for 50 percent in the new system, while current players and a media panel each made up 25 percent.
GOLF
Rookie leads by 4 Phil Mickelson shot a scrambling 4- under 68 Thursday in the CareerBuilder Challenge at La Quinta, Calif., leaving him four strokes back in his return from two sports hernia surgeries. Mickelson, 46, had surgery Oct. 19 — three days after tying for eighth in the season- opening Safeway Open — and again Dec. 12. He opened the three- course event at La Quinta Country Club. Tour rookie Dominic Bozzelli shot a 64 on the Stadium Course at PGA West — the most difficult of the courses — to top the leaderboard. He holed out from 115 yards for eagle on the par- 4 14th. Jhonattan Vegas, the 2011 champion, was a stroke back at 65 along with Harold Varner III, Hudson Swafford and Patton Kizzire. Vegas and Kizzire played PGA West’s Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course, and Varner and Swafford were at La Quinta. Rain fell off and on in the morning and more is expected today. Ken Duke ( Arkadelphia, Henderson State), Bryce Molder ( Conway) and David Lingmerth ( Arkansas Razorbacks) each shot a 3- under 69 and is tied for 34th. Tag Ridings ( Razorbacks) shot a 1- over 73.
Three lead in Hawaii Marco Dawson, Duffy Waldorf and Bernhard Langer each shot an 8- under 64 Thursday to share the lead in the first round of the PGA Champions Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Ka’upulehuKona, Hawaii. John Daly ( Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks), Olin Browne, Gene Sauers and Fred Couples were in a four- way tie at 7 under. Lee Janzen, David Frost and Doug Garwood were next at 6 under.
Stenson in lead Henrik Stenson chipped in from 30 yards and had seven more birdies Thursday to open the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with an 8- under 64 in his first competitive round of 2017. Showing no rustiness from an offseason of little practice, the fourth- ranked Stenson led by two strokes midway through the first round. Three- time winner Martin Kaymer, Oliver Fisher, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Marc Warren were tied for second with 66s. Dustin Johnson, at No. 3 the highest- ranked player in a strong field after Rory McIlroy’s withdrawal Monday, shot 72 in his first appearance in Abu Dhabi. Defending champion Rickie Fowler also was at even par.
FOOTBALL
Raiders file papers The Oakland Raiders have filed paperwork to move to Las Vegas. Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak told The Associated Press on Thursday that he spoke with the Raiders. Sisolak is part of an 11- member panel that was appointed by Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval to study plans for a proposal backed by billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson’s company, Las Vegas Sands Corp., to build a domed stadium to lure the Raiders to town. The proposed 65,000- seat domed stadium is expected to cost $ 1.9 billion, which includes $ 750 million from hotel tax revenue, $ 650 million from Adelson and $ 500 million from the Raiders and the NFL. Any relocation to Las Vegas must be approved by three- fourths of NFL team owners. The NFL confirmed the filing in a statement. Raiders owner Mark Davis committed to moving to Las Vegas when the stadium project was approved. The Nevada Legislature has backed the project, though no location for the stadium has been determined.
BASEBALL
Marlins get Straily The Miami Marlins gave up two of their top pitching prospects Thursday to acquire immediate help for the rotation. Miami obtained right- hander Dan Straily from the Cincinnati Reds for three minor leaguers. The Reds acquired right- handers Luis Castillo and Austin Brice, both highly regarded prospects in Miami’s thin system. Outfielder Isaiah White also was dealt to Cincinnati. Straily had the best year of his career in 2016, when he went 14- 8 for the last- place Reds with a 3.76 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 34 games. The Marlins earlier acquired another former Reds pitcher, Edinson Volquez. Their revamped rotation will include holdovers Wei- Yin Chen, Adam Conley and Tom Koehler following the death last September of ace Jose Fernandez in a boating accident. The roster now includes at least nine starting candidates for Manager Don Mattingly to assess in spring training.
Trumbo, Orioles agree The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a $ 37.5 million, threeyear contract to keep major league home run champion Mark Trumbo, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday night because the ag reement is contingent on Trumbo passing a physical. Trumbo hit 47 home runs last year and became a free agent. The 31- year- old did not accept the Orioles’ qualifying offer of a $ 17.2 million, one- year contract, wanting to test the market. Uncertain whether he would return, the Orioles acquired outfielder Seth Smith from Seattle earlier this month. With Trumbo leading the way, the Orioles earned an AL wild- card berth last season, then lost to Toronto in 11 innings. Trumbo played in 159 games last season, batting .256 while setting career highs for home runs and RBI ( 108). He had 157 hits, 51 walks and a .316 on- base percentage.
FIGURE SKATING
Off to rough start Tarah Kayne and Danny O’Shea’s defense of their pairs title got off to a crushing start Thursday in the U. S. figure skating championships at Kansas City, Mo., when a rough fall derailed their routine. Kayne did not complete her throw triple lutz rotation and crashed face- first on the ice when O’Shea tossed her during the short program. Kayne and O’Shea, back to defend the title they won in St. Paul, Minn., sit in fifth place and will need plenty of help and a flawless performance in the free skate Saturday. Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc topped the board with 69.33 points in the first day of competition at the Sprint Center. Cain and LeDuc nailed their split triple twist, solo triple loops and throw triple flip to take the top spot. Haven Denny and Brandon Frazier were second with 65.39 points and Deanna Stellato- Dudek and Nathan Bartholomay were third with 65.39 points.