Shiffrin equals slalom record
U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin extended a commanding first-run lead to win a World Cup slalom by a huge margin Sunday in Zagreb, Croatia. The Olympic champion posted the fastest time in both runs to finish in an aggregate 1 minute, 56.66 seconds and lead second-place Kathrin Zettel of Austria by 1.68 seconds. Ni
na Loeseth of Norway was 2.79 back in third for her first career podium finish, while the rest of the field trailed Shiffrin, 19, by more than three seconds. It was Shiffrin’s 12th career World Cup win and 11th in slalom, matching a World Cup record set in 1980 by France’s Perrine Pelen for most slalom wins by a teenager. CAVALIERS LOSE IRVING FOR AT LEAST ONE GAME Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie
Irving won’t make the trip for today’s game at the Philadelphia 76ers because of lower back tightness. He left Sunday’s 109-90 home loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the third quarter and didn’t return. Irving scored a season-low six points, shooting 2-for-9 in 25 minutes. Irving, who will remain in Cleveland, said he hurt his back in Friday’s game at the Charlotte Hornets. He missed two games last week because of a sore left knee. The Cavaliers played their fourth consecutive game without LeBron James, who is out with knee and back soreness. James could return during the team’s five-game West Coast trip that begins Friday. uLos Angeles Lakers guard
Kobe Bryant will miss today’s game at the Portland Trail Blazers to rest. Bryant, 36, missed three consecutive games last month after feeling worn down. Today’s game is the middle of three in four nights for the Lakers. ... New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Gordon, who missed 21 games with a left shoulder injury, returned to practice. He said he could play in today’s home game against the Washington Wizards. Gordon said his status likely would be decided shortly before tip-off, after he has had a chance to participate in a shootaround and pregame warmups. STEWART, TUCK LEAD NO. 2 UCONN TO VICTORY
Breanna Stewart had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead No. 2 Connecticut to a 70-54 women’s basketball win vs. St. John’s on Sunday at the Maggie Dixon Classic in New York. Morgan Tuck led the Huskies with 23 points, and Moriah Jefferson added 16. Connecticut led by seven at the half before Tuck fueled a 13-2 run, scoring 11 consecutive points. Her three-pointer made it 51-33 with 16:09 left in the game. St. John’s didn’t get closer than 11 the rest of the way. The doubleheader at Madison Square Garden honors former Army coach
Maggie Dixon, who died of heart arrhythmia in 2006 at age 28.