Mavericks' Luka Doncic scores 24 in return from sprained ankle

Mavericks forward Luka Doncic scored 24 points in his return from a sprained right ankle Thursday night, lifting Dallas to a 102-98 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Doncic, who also had 10 rebounds and eight assists in 33 minutes, missed the past four games and was listed as questionable before he started Thursday's game, as per iSports API basketball livescore data.

(Start free trial with your long-term reliable sports data partner, visit iSports API.)

It felt good to be back," Doncic said after the game. "It was like I was running a marathon. I was so tired. It's different when you miss four or five games. It was great being back."

Entering the day, he ranked third in the NBA with 29.3 points and 8.9 assists per game, and he also averages 9.6 rebounds, according to iSports basketball API.

He was a full participant in the Mavericks' practice Tuesday, and the team wanted to monitor how his ankle responded before inserting him in the lineup.

The Mavericks went 2-2 in Doncic's absence.

Doncic injured the ankle when he stepped on the foot of Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn while driving to the basket in the opening minutes of the Mavs' double-overtime loss on Dec. 14. The ankle rolled over so far that it touched the hardwood, and the Mavs felt fortunate that X-rays were negative and Doncic was diagnosed with a lateral ankle sprain.

More articles, please follow iSports blog.

Martin Ødegaard set to return to Real Madrid in 2020

Martin Ødegaard has been one of the most beautiful surprises in all of world football in 2019, with the Norwegian finally showing off his quality with the ball in LaLiga.

Nearly every single weekend with Real Sociedad, Ødegaard has put on a show with his goals, assists, and individual moments of magic.

(Start free trial with your long-term reliable sports data partner, visit iSports API.)

With Real Madrid suffering from injuries and below-par performances in the midfield, AS is now reporting that Los Blancos will cut his two-year loan short and Ødegaard will return to the club in the summer.

The loan contract is officially for one season (the current one), but there is a second year verbally agreed between the clubs.

Due to prior business dealings (Asier Illarramendi, Diego Llorente, Theo Hernandez), the relationship between the two clubs is understood to be ‘magnificent’ and it’s not believed there will be any problem with Madrid recalling the Norway international a year early.

Transfermarkt currently valued the 20-year-old Ødegaard at a whopping €50m.

More articles, please follow iSports blog.

Mario Mandzukic leaves Juventus for Qatari side Al Duhail

Mario Mandzukic has joined Qatari side Al Duhail, leaving Juventus after four years at the Serie A club.

Mandzukic reached the World Cup final in 2018, and at club level he previously played for Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich, winning the Champions League with the latter in 2013, according to iSports API football data.

(Start free trial with your long-term reliable sports data partner, visit iSports API.)




"The team's management succeeded today in contracting with the Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic of Juventus in a free transfer deal after the end of his contract with his Italian team," Al-Duhail said.

Mandzukic, 33, was linked with Manchester United in the summer, but sources told ESPN the Premier League side backed out of a move due to Juventus' asking price and the forward's wage demands.

The former Croatia international, who did not make a single appearance under new Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri this season, joins former Juve teammate Medhi Benatia at Al Duhail.

The Doha-based club are coached by Rui Faria, former assistant coach to Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho.

More articles, please follow iSports blog.

Napoli and AS Roma want Sead Kolasinac to reinforce their squad

Napoli and AS Roma want to sign Arsenal left-back Sead Kolasinac, in January and the summer respectively.

AS Roma also want the Arsenal left-back, but they want a transfer next summer. Aleksandar Kolarov is 34 and out of contract next year, according to iSports API football data, so they need a replacement.

News report that Napoli are keen on signing Sead Kolasinac in the January transfer window. The club are going into their first window under new head coach Gennaro Gattuso, as he tries to make the team his own.

(Start free trial with your long-term reliable sports data partner, visit iSports API.)

Napoli are also in terrible form, as they’ve won just one league game in 9(as per iSports API). They’ll be considering anything they can do to turn that around.

Napoli could have an advantage given recent rumours of Arsenal interest in Dries Mertens. If the reports are true, a swap deal with the Serie A club could work for both parties.

For now, Kolasinac is recovering from an injury. Even when he’s back, Arsenal probably won’t consider a January sale unless they have a replacement ready. Kieran Tierney is out until March, so Mikel Arteta needs Kolasinac back as soon as possible.

More articles, please follow iSports blog.

Thomas Müller makes Bundesliga history in first half of season

In a turbulent opening half of the season for Bayern Munich, Thomas Müller has been a big positive.

Despite the German champions having to change coach, the 30-year-old has been a key and constant presence.

So much so that he has set a Bundesliga record for the opening half of a season.

No player before had ever managed to register 11 assists in the first 17 games until Müller this year, as per iSports API football data.

(Start free trial with your long-term reliable sports data partner, visit iSports API.)



His latest assist came on Saturday in the 2-0 win over Wolfsburg as he provided for Joshua Zirkzee to open the scoring.

In addition to his double-digit assists, the forward has also scored twice in the Bundesliga.

He is followed closely in the league assist charts by Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, who has 10.

More articles, please follow iSports blog.

Getafe president confirms Carles Aleñá talks with Barcelona

Getafe barely missed out on Champions League qualification last season, falling two points short of the task and qualifying for the Europa League for just the third time in the club’s history, as per iSports API.

The azulones have proved last season’s campaign was no fluke and are currently in fourth place domestically, with a mouthwatering Europa League round-of-32 tie against Ajax on the horizon.

Currently just 6 points behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, Getafe president wants to make a splash in January and has confirmed he will speak with Barça to discuss the future of midfielder Carles Aleñá.

Aleñá has made 38 appearances for Barcelona, scoring three goals, currently values the player at €30m, according to iSports API football data.

(Start free trial with your long-term sports data partner, visit iSports API.)

Aleñá nearly joined Getafe 2 years ago when Rafinha fell victim to injury just before the January window opened up.

With Barcelona’s congested midfield, it may be time for the club to let the 21-year-old embark on his own journey.

“I’ll speak with them this afternoon, or tomorrow, to see whether or not the kid will stay there. I like Carles Aleñá and wanted him two years ago.

“He could cover the place if somebody else left. If no one leaves, no one will come in.

“But Markel is tired of suffering and if he retires, we’ll have a spot open. He wants to retire and we’ll need to replace him.

“The market is open and there are players who want to join us. We’re in the Europa League and any deal which could improve us now, or for the future, is something we’ll value.”

Earlier this month, AS reported that the two sides had agreed to a six-month loan deal for the player.

More articles, please follow iSports blog.

Knicks hire ex-Cavaliers coach David Blatt as consultant

The New York Knicks announced that they hired David Blatt as a basketball operations consultant.

"I look forward to the next step in my career as I officially retire from coaching," Blatt said, in part, in a statement released by the Knicks. "I've long been intrigued by working in a front office."

Blatt was personal friends with Knicks president Steve Mills when the two were in college at Princeton. Blatt is also close with Craig Robinson, who is also working in the Knicks' front office. Blatt, Robinson and Mills all played on the basketball team at Princeton together, as per iSports basketball API.

"David Blatt is a great basketball mind and we look forward to adding him to the organization," Mills said in a statement.

Blatt was hired as the Cleveland Cavaliers coach in 2014 after an extensive search before the franchise knew that LeBron James would be leaving the Miami Heat to return to Cleveland.

After coaching the team to an NBA Finals berth in 2015, the Cavs were in first place in the Eastern Conference (30-11) the following season when Blatt was fired in January 2016. Tyronn Lue replaced Blatt as coach of the Cavaliers and that group went on to win the NBA championship, according to iSports API basketball API.

(Start free trial with your long-term sports data partner, visit iSports API.)

After leaving the NBA, Blatt went to Europe and coached in the Turkish Super League and then coached in the Greek Basket League. Blatt left his post as coach of Olympiakos in October, two months after announcing he had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Blatt announced in August he had been diagnosed with MS, which attacks the central nervous system, a few months earlier.

Blatt was in attendance at Knicks practice on Wednesday.

More articles, please follow our blog.