Nuggets land Plumlee
Denver ships Nurkic to Blazers
The Denver Nuggets had high hopes of playing their two young centers side by side this season. It was an experiment that never quite panned out, making Jusuf Nurkic expendable. The Nuggets dealt the bruising big man known as the “Bosnian Beast” to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday for center Mason Plumlee, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The Vertical first reported the deal.
The Nuggets also receive a second-round pick and cash, while the Blazers get a first-rounder.
Heading into the season, Denver’s plan was to incorporate Nikola Jokic and Nurkic into the starting lineup. With more and more explosive games from Jokic, the 22-year-old Nurkic wasn’t always getting the playing time he expected. Nurkic averaged eight points this season.
The Blazers sit a game behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West.
Nurkic was taken with the 16th overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in 2014 but was immediately sent to Denver in a draft-night deal. He was hampered last season by a knee injury. The 26-year-old Plumlee figures to be the perfect backup for Jokic. Plumlee averaged 11.1 points and four assists this season for Portland. He becomes a restricted free agent after the season. The former Duke standout was a first-round pick by Brooklyn in 2013, before he was dealt to Portland two years later.
LINDSEY FINISHES 3RD
lka Stuhec of Slovenia became the new world champion in downhill skiing while Lindsey Vonn took bronze trying to regain a title she last won in 2009. Stuhec confirmed her status as pre-race favorite, finishing 0.40 seconds clear of surprise silver medalist Stephanie Venier of Austria in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Vonn was 0.45 behind Stuhec, who led at all but one time check and clocked the fastest speed of 125.6 kph (78 mph).
The 32-year-old American did set one world championships record. She became the oldest female medalist, taking the mark from Anita Wachter of Austria, who won giant slalom bronze days before her 32nd birthday in 1999. Vonn now has four career medals in worlds downhills, though only one gold eight years ago in Val d’Isere, France.
COCO LEADS WAY
CoCo Vandeweghe won the final 10 games to beat Germany’s Andrea Petkovic, 3-6, 6-4, 6-0, on Sunday and give the United States an insurmountable 3-0 advantage in their Fed Cup quarterfinal match in Kaapali, Hawaii. The U.S. advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2010.
The U.S. will host defending champion Czech Republic in the semifinal to be played April 22-23 at a site to be announced. The Czech Republic beat Spain, 3-2. The final is set for November.