Harden practices with Rockets; coach says he'll play Tuesday

HOUSTON (AP) -- James Harden practiced with the Houston Rockets on Monday for the first time this season after missing the early part of camp while talk swirls that he wants out. Harden reported to camp late amid reports he is looking to be traded. He was absent for Houston's first two preseason games as he went through the NBA's COVID-19 testing protocols. Coach Stephen Silas said he spoke with the superstar Monday, but they talked strictly basketball and neither addressed a possible trade. ''We had a good conversation and I'm just going to leave it at that,'' Silas said. ''You can ask him about his commitment and all that sort of thing. But we had a good conversation. He was locked in. He was asking good questions. He's bringing up good points.'' So far asking Harden anything hasn't been an option - the Beard hasn't spoken to reporters since reporting to camp. Silas said that Harden will make his preseason debut Tuesday night when the Rockets host the Spurs. The Rockets traded Russell Westbrook to Washington for John Wall and a first-round pick on Dec. 2 to cap a short offseason that was plagued by rumors that both Westbrook and Harden wanted to leave Houston. Some thought the Westbrook trade would change Harden's mind about the Rockets, but the reports that he wants to leave have persisted in the almost two weeks since the deal. Silas, in his first year in Houston after taking over for Mike D'Antoni, has said he expects Harden to be ''all in'' this season. The coach also denied that speculation about the eight-time All-Star's future has been a distraction to the team. ''It's been something that the media has been talking about quite a bit and I've had to answer a lot of questions about it,'' Silas said. ''But as far as our growth and our pushing forward this season, we've been right on pace.'' Veteran P.J. Tucker also practiced Monday after missing the first two preseason games. He is being worked in slowly after he reported to camp a day late. Tucker is in the final year of a four-year, $31.8 million contract and some have suggested he is also unhappy in Houston because he hasn't been given an extension. He did speak to reporters Monday but didn't provide much clarity on the situation. ''It not even just in the contract extension,'' he said. ''That's not the total goal. The goal is to be in a place where you you're wanted, where you want to be ... that's what every player wants. No one wants to be somewhere they don't want them. And there's certain ways to show that and it's not just contract extensions.'' Tucker was asked if he feels the Rockets no longer want him. ''You should ask them. Because you're asking me a question about what they think, and I can't tell you,'' he said. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Messi saves lacklustre Barca, Sociedad reclaim top spot

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Lionel Messi saved Barcelona from another embarrassing result by scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 win over lowly Levante, while Real Sociedad returned top of La Liga on Sunday. Messi struck with 14 minutes remaining of a lacklustre display from Barca at the Camp Nou which will do little to ease fan fears following their 3-0 hammering at the hands of Juventus midweek. Ronald Koeman's side are still way off the pace in the title race, nine points behind Sociedad who reclaimed first place despite only drawing 1-1 with Eibar. Barcelona do however have two games in hand on the Basque outfit. Atletico are level on 26 points with Sociedad and also have two games in hand while Real Madrid are now just three points behind the leaders having played one less after beating their local rivals 2-0 on Saturday. Villarreal are four points off the lead in fourth after drawing 1-1 at Real Betis, who are one point behind Barca in ninth. "The team is working well, they gave the maximum," said Koeman. "We still lack a little confidence in ourselves, in our game, but we had a lot of chances, and I have nothing to say about the attitude of the players in this match." Barca managed to force several saves from Aitor Fernandez, with the Levante goalkeeper doing particularly well to push away a stinging shot from Martin Braithwaite in the 16th minute and Antoine Griezmann's header five minutes later. However the best chance of the opening period fell to Jorge de Frutos in the 12th minute, the Spaniard somehow shooting straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen after the ball broke kindly for him right in front of goal. - Messi saves day - Barca continued to dominate possession in the second half but if anything looked less threatening, with Fernandez being called into action largely for shots that were hit straight at him. However with Levante looking more comfortable than a side of their level should at the Camp Nou, Messi saved his team with a clinical finish off the post after collecting Frenkie de Jong's pass. It was hardly the sort of display to honour Sergio Busquets' 593rd appearance for the club, which takes him level at fourth of all time for matches played for Barca alongside Carles Puyol. However the three points are a boost ahead of the visit of Sociedad on Wednesday, which is then followed up by another home clash with Valencia on Saturday. Earlier Ander Barrenetxea gave Real Sociedad the lead in San Sebastian with a thumping strike in the 20th minute, but Sergi Enrich turned home with 25 minutes remaining to send his team 10th on 15 points. Sociedad would have had a bigger gap between them and Atletico had Igor Zubeldia's 80th-minute tap-in not been ruled out by VAR for an extremely tight offside. Sunday's draw was Sociedad's sixth in as many games in all competitions, and came after another 1-1 draw at Napoli on Thursday which saw them squeeze into the last 32 of the Europa League. Granada won 1-0 at Elche in Sunday's other match, a win that keeps them one point ahead of Barcelona. Football stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

‘If we win, Lionel Messi will renew his contract,’ says Barcelona presidential candidate

Jordi Farre has expressed his confidence in tying down Lionel Messi to a new contract if the Barcelona presidential candidate is to win the club’s upcoming election. Farre is running against Victor Font, Toni Freixa, Joan Laporta and Lluis Fernandez as January’s election approaches, and a key question for each candidate has been how they will solve the issue around Messi’s future. The club captain is entering the last six months of his existing deal and announced in August his desire to leave Barca, with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain touted as potential destinations for the Argentina forward. Messi’s wish to avoid a legal dispute with the club at which he has spent his entire professional career led him to decide to stay this season, though then-president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned following the saga, but an exit could be possible next summer when the 33-year-old’s contract expires. Farre is confident, however, that such a scenario will not arise if he is elected president of the Balugrana. “If we win the elections in January, Leo will renew his contract on the 25th,” Farre is reported as having told Onda Cero. “He is the best player in the history of football and we have to offer him an exciting project. “We will be capable of motivating him and, the day after becoming president, I hope to have him renewed.” Man City manager Pep Guardiola last month signed a two-year contract extension, potentially increasing the chances of Messi moving to the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season. Messi played under Guardiola at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, winning two Champions League trophies, three La Liga titles and two Copa del Reys. Read More

Latest on Nets trade target James Harden: Rockets reportedly want either Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving

The Nets have been connected to Rockets superstar James Harden via trade rumors for a long time now, and though he has shown up to Houston's training camp, it still continues. Here's the latest... Dec. 10, 11:34 a.m. While adding that the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat are now on the list of preferred trade destinations for Harden, The Athletic's Shams Charania said the Rockets want either Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving in a proposed deal. If not, there's no interest there. If that's the case, it would likely turn off Brooklyn from making anything happen. Head coach Steve Nash has already praised Durant and Irving early in training camp, and at the end of the day, the two All-Stars chose Brooklyn for a reason. Dec. 8, 5:52 p.m. Harden is reportedly open to other playoff contenders in a trade – not just the Nets. The 76ers were among his list, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, and a main reason could be due to former Rockets GM Daryl Morey in place there. However, Morey has been adamant about wanting to keep Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid in place in Philly. Given Harden’s status, it would be hard to see the Rockets not wanting one of them in a deal. Dec. 7, 2:08 p.m. Nets head coach Steve Nash downplayed the Harden trade rumors in his recent presser. Addressing the “elephant in the room,” Nash wants to just talk about his current players – not one that isn’t in the building. “I guess we let the elephant be," he said. "I love our guys and hopefully they all feel valued and wanted and respected. We have so many guys that bring so much to the table. When I’m in the gym with them everyday, I feel fortunate. So hopefully they feel that and they don’t feel like we’re looking out the window at greener pastures.” Nov. 16, 9:19 p.m. Harden reportedly turned down a max extension with Houston that would’ve set an NBA record. He would’ve been in the first player to ever make $50 million per season with the extension, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is hearing that he didn’t want it. And on top of that, he’s focused on a trade to Brooklyn. Harden supposedly had conversations with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving about joining the Nets and is now focused on that. The idea of it “resonated” with him and his “focus” shifted recently. Nothing has come out of conversations with the Rockets and Harden regarding a deal. Nov. 15, 5:18 p.m. Harden trade rumors to the Nets have been buzzing lately, but SNY’s Ian Begley is hearing from sources that it isn’t universally accepted by Nets players. Some players were supportive, but not all players contacted about a potential Harden-to-Brooklyn deal were in favor. On Sunday, ESPN reported that a deal to Brooklyn “resonated” with Harden and that was his primary focus at the moment. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Nets' Kevin Durant responds to latest question about Rockets' James Harden

Reportedly disgruntled Houston Rockets guard James Harden continues to be a topic around the Nets. While the Nets have collectively ignored rumors of a potential trade that would bring Harden to Brooklyn, Kevin Durant has been viewed as a key figure in the past month. Asked a two-part question about the Nets' depth from a championship perspective and what he thinks about Harden, his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate from 2009-12, Durant was direct. "I don't think about James Harden at all," Durant said Wednesday. "I mean, he doesn't play on our team. "And the first question, I think it's early in a season. It's training camp and guys are still learning each other, still learning the offense and defense. But I'm very excited about the future of this group, you know? I've never been the one to predict anything, but I like our chances, going out there and competing at that high level every single night. And as tough as that is in this league, I think we're capable of doing it. "And we've got a lot of guys who have experienced so much in this league. We've got champions on this team. We've got guys that been in playoff runs, been in Game 7s. So that's always important, to have that much experience and knowledge within a group, and we'll see where we go from here." SNY's Ian Begley reported Nov. 17 what a Nets trade with the Rockets could look like for Brooklyn. General manager Sean Marks, head coach Steve Nash and Durant twice now have addressed outside chatter of Harden. Durant, who missed the 2019-20 season while recovering from a ruptured right Achilles tendon, keeps the focus on strong debut with Brooklyn's current team. After a year around the Nets, despite not playing, Durant expressed a strong comfort level with the team. "Definitely being here for a year already and rehabbing and kind of getting used to everybody here and a routine, I'm definitely more comfortable," Durant said. "If I would've played last year, I would've probably been a little overwhelmed, I guess, with such a quick change -- switching teams and being in a different environment. But I think having a year under my belt definitely helped me coming into this camp because I know the training staff, the coaches, all my teammates pretty well now. So it's been smoother than I thought." Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Title challenge is Tottenham's new normal as Kane, Son see off Arsenal

Jose Mourinho said Tottenham have "grown up" to become Premier League title contenders after Harry Kane and Son Heung-min combined again to beat Arsenal 2-0 and move back top of the table on Sunday. A crowd of 2,000 Tottenham fans were in attendance for the first time in nine months to enjoy seeing their side inflict another blow to a rapidly unravelling season for the Gunners. Spurs are unbeaten in 10 league games and have taken seven points from a difficult run against Manchester City, Chelsea and their north London rivals over the past three games. "We grew up. I can imagine lots of people can imagine three matches in a row against Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, would be a moment for us to drop points and go back to normality," said Mourinho. "But we didn't go back to normality. We are there. I believe one more week at the top of the table unless Liverpool win by many." Mourinho's men moved two points clear of Chelsea at the summit, but Liverpool can move level on points at the top with victory over Wolves later at Anfield. A first league title in 60 years for Tottenham may depend on keeping Kane and Son fit as they have hit a combined 27 goals in all competitions this season. The South Korean opened the scoring in stunning fashion as he collected Kane's pass down the left and cut inside to curl into the top corner. That was the 10th of Son's 13 goals this season for which Kane provided the assist. By contrast, Arsenal have scored just 10 goals in 11 league games all season and despite plenty of intricate build-up play, Mikel Arteta's men again failed to provide any cutting edge in the final third. "We have to score goals. If not, it's unsustainable" said Arteta, whose side are languishing in 15th after a fifth defeat in seven games. - 'He makes me look good' - The difference between the teams was summed up in first-half stoppage time as from what appeared a dangerous Arsenal attack, one long ball set Spurs on a four against two break as Thomas Partey had already pulled up with an injury. Son took his time before feeding Kane, who smashed in off the underside of the bar from a narrow angle to become the all-time top goalscorer in north London derbies. "That's exactly what we set out for," said Kane. "Sonny and I are feeling good. When he's picking up passes and sticking it top bins, he makes me look good! "For us it's one game at a time, but results like this and the last couple of weeks will only help us." Arteta was angry at Partey for not saying on the field and leaving his side exposed. The Ghanaian came to the side of the pitch waiting to be substituted after suffering a recurrence of a thigh injury as Spurs raced up the field. "I applaud their first goal, it is world class, but the second goal we are a man down, we leave a massive gap and they take advantage. He has to stay on the pitch. It looks like the same injury he has already had." Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still to score a Premier League goal from open play since signing a lucrative new contract worth a reported £55 million ($73 million) over three years in September. The closest the Arsenal captain came to breaking his drought was a header from Kieran Tierney's excellent cross that Aubameyang headed over. Hugo Lloris twice saved from Alexandre Lacazette headers low to his right as Arsenal camped in the Spurs half for the second period without any reward. The visitors enjoyed 68 percent possession and had more shots on goal, but did not have the class in front of goal shown by Kane and Son to make the difference. Football stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .

Anthony Davis won't be getting LeBron James' No. 23 jersey number after all

The Los Angeles Lakers’ jersey number drama will not have a sequel. Many NBA fans will remember that when the Lakers acquired Anthony Davis last offseason, the move came with an enthusiastic promise from LeBron James to cede his No. 23 to his new teammate. James had worn the No. 23 for his entire non-Miami Heat career, while Davis had the same number on the New Orleans Pelicans. The two even held some kind of poorly lit parking lot ceremony to commemorate the transfer on Instagram. The agreement signaled James’ enthusiasm to center the team around Davis, but there was just one problem. Nike had already made a few too many James No. 23 jerseys, and the Lakers had missed the deadline for jersey number swaps by months. Due to the financial hit the apparel maker would take with so many out-of-date James jerseys, Davis eventually had to settle on No. 3, with the plan reportedly being to take No. 23 in a year. However, that plan — which feels like ancient history these days — is reportedly now off. According to Silver Screen & Roll, a team spokesperson confirmed that Davis has warmed to his No. 3 and will not be swapping numbers this offseason. It’s not hard to figure out why that might be; winning a championship will give you some pretty great memories with a new number. So if you bought a James No. 23 jersey or a Davis No. 3 jersey or were just eyeing one, rest easy. Like those players, the numbers are here to stay for the foreseeable future. Unless a third star also wants No. 23 next offseason. Basketball stat collect from isports API, for more details please visit www.isportsapi.com .