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Stephen Curry says he knows patience will be required when dealing with hamstring injury

Stephen Curry says he knows patience will be required when dealing with hamstring injury
Curry is going to be a postseason spectator for at least a few games, his Grade 1 hamstring strain bad enough that it took him out of most of Game 1 of the Warriors’ Western Conference semifinal series on Tuesday. (Imagn Images)
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Updated 09 May 2025

Stephen Curry says he knows patience will be required when dealing with hamstring injury

Stephen Curry says he knows patience will be required when dealing with hamstring injury
  • Stephen Curry sat down after the Golden State Warriors went through their gameday shootaround practice in Minneapolis and quickly announced that he’s feeling great
  • Curry is going to be a postseason spectator for at least a few games, his Grade 1 hamstring strain bad enough that it took him out of most of Game 1 of the Warriors’ Western Conference semifinal

Stephen Curry sat down after the Golden State Warriors went through their shootaround practice in Minneapolis on Thursday, quickly announcing that he’s feeling great.
He was not telling the truth.
“Sarcasm,” the four-time NBA champion with the Warriors quickly clarified, just in case anyone missed the joke.
Curry is going to be a postseason spectator for at least a few games, his Grade 1 hamstring strain bad enough that it forced him out in the second quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinal series at Minnesota on Tuesday night. He missed the lopsided Game 2 loss to the Timberwolves on Thursday night that evened the series and will likely be sidelined for at least Games 3 and 4 in San Francisco, too.
Curry — who is with the team but isn’t allowed to do anything basketball-related yet, even stationary shooting — isn’t exactly sure how or why the injury happened. He’s never had any hamstring issue of significance before.
“It’s hard to really predict this stuff is what I’m learning,” Curry said. “There were no, like, warning signs or any weird feelings. I felt great the whole game up until that point. And then I made a little pivot move on defense and felt something.”
Curry thought he would be able to return to Game 1, then quickly realized that wasn’t the case. Playing with the strain could have made the issue far worse, Curry said. Hamstrings, he’s quickly learning, need time no matter what sort of rehabilitation program he partakes in.
“Obviously, a tough break,” Curry said. “Hopefully, I’ll be back soon.”
Curry scored 13 points in 13 minutes of Game 1 before his exit, and Golden State went on to a 99-88 win. Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green combined for 62 points for the Warriors, who held Minnesota to a 5-for-29 clunker on 3-point tries and limited the Timberwolves to 60 points through three quarters.
“We have a lot of confidence that we can still win the series and guys will step up no matter how it looks,” Curry said. “And it’s obviously a situation where you want to think positively and optimistically that we can win games and buy me some time to get back and hopefully have another series after this and be able to be in a position where I can get back out there safely, where I’m not putting too much risk on the body if it’s not ready.”
Curry, who is averaging a team-best 22 points in these playoffs, can still contribute in small ways even if he’s not playing.
“The guys obviously revere Steph, and they love his presence and that’ll matter to us tonight during the game,” coach Steve Kerr said in his pregame interview. “I’m sure he’ll be talking to the guys on the sidelines and giving some thoughts. He may come into our huddle and make a suggestion, which I always welcome, so it’s good to have him here for sure.”
At one point, when Green picked up his fifth technical foul of the playoffs, two short of an automatic one-game suspension, Curry was concerned enough about his pal getting ejected for a second technical that he went over to the scorer’s table to try to talk Green down and walk him back to the bench.
But not having Curry on the court clearly hurt.
“Everybody knows it’s difficult to recreate or even get close to doing what he does, but we’re going to have to find a way,” Butler said. “So we’ll go to the tapes, talk about it and execute it to the best of our abilities.”


LIV Golf unveils revamped format for 2025 Team Championship in Michigan

LIV Golf unveils revamped format for 2025 Team Championship in Michigan
Updated 07 August 2025

LIV Golf unveils revamped format for 2025 Team Championship in Michigan

LIV Golf unveils revamped format for 2025 Team Championship in Michigan
  • 2025 edition, taking place Aug. 22–24 at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, will see all 48 players from 12 remaining teams compete across three full days of play

LONDON: LIV Golf has announced sweeping changes to the format of its season-ending Team Championship, in what organizers hope will provide a more action-packed spectacle when the event returns to Michigan later this month.

The 2025 edition, taking place Aug. 22–24 at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, will see all 48 players from the 12 remaining teams compete across three full days of play. 

The overhaul removes previous first-round byes and introduces a high-stakes play-in match on Wednesday, ensuring fans get more chances to watch the league’s biggest stars in action throughout the entire week.

In a significant shift, the two lowest-ranked teams entering the week, seeded 12th and 13th based on regular-season standings, will face off in a single-elimination play-in on Aug. 20. 

The winner progresses to the main draw, while the losing team is eliminated.

Friday’s quarterfinals will feature all 12 qualified teams in match play, with pairings selected by the highest-ranked team captains. 

The format, consisting of two singles matches and one alternate-shot (foursomes) match, will be repeated in Saturday’s semifinals, where teams are divided into a Championship Bracket and a Rankings Bracket based on quarterfinal results. 

Each match carries a total of three points, with the first team to earn two progressing.

The Championship culminates on Sunday with a shift to stroke play. 

All 48 players will compete, with each team’s total score made up of all four individual player scores, a format that places equal importance on every shot from every player.

Positions will be finalized across four tiers. The three finalists in the Championship Bracket will compete for the overall title, with other teams ranked based on their respective finishes in the Championship or Rankings brackets.

One of the key tactical tweaks this year gives the higher-seeded team captain in each match the advantage of seeing the opponent’s lineup before finalizing his own, a move that could prove decisive in closely fought contests.

“I think you’ll see a few teams get knocked out that you maybe wouldn’t expect,” said Cameron Smith, captain of reigning champions Ripper GC. Crushers GC captain Bryson DeChambeau added: “More pressure. Each day matters more.”

Ross Hallett, LIV Golf’s executive vice president and head of events, said the updated format was designed with fans in mind.

“The new format reflects the league’s goal to consistently enhance both our competition and fan experiences while producing an exciting and memorable event,” he said. 

“These updates mean fans will get more golf from our top teams and put added pressure on players to perform from start to finish as we look to crown our global team champion. 

“We’re looking forward to putting on a fantastic championship event filled with high-stakes competition, world-class concerts and family-friendly activities to be enjoyed by fans of all ages,” he added.


Pakistan suspends cricketer Haider Ali over UK police criminal investigation

Pakistan suspends cricketer Haider Ali over UK police criminal investigation
Updated 07 August 2025

Pakistan suspends cricketer Haider Ali over UK police criminal investigation

Pakistan suspends cricketer Haider Ali over UK police criminal investigation
  • PCB says probe being conducted over incident that reportedly occurred during Pakistan Shaheen’s recent tour of England
  • Board says it has ensured that Haider Ali has received “appropriate legal support” to protect his rights during the investigation

Islamabad: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Thursday it has decided to place cricketer Haider Ali under provisional suspension, saying it was informed that the Greater Manchester Police was conducting a criminal investigation against the athlete. 

Without sharing details of the investigation, the PCB said the probe relates to an incident that reportedly occurred during the Pakistan Shaheens’ cricket team’s recent tour of England.

The board said in line with its duty to ensure the welfare and legal rights of all its players, the PCB has ensured that Haider Ali has received “appropriate legal support” to protect his rights throughout this process. The cricket board added that it respects the legal procedures and processes of the UK and acknowledges the importance of allowing the investigation to run its due course.

“Accordingly, the PCB has decided to place Haider Ali under provisional suspension, effective immediately, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation,” it added. 

The cricket board said that once the legal proceedings conclude and all facts have been duly established, the PCB reserves the right to take “appropriate action” under its Code of Conduct.

“Until such time as the legal process reaches its conclusion, the PCB will not offer further comment on the matter,” the board concluded. 

Ali, 24, is a right-handed aggressive batter who has featured for Pakistan in only two ODIs but 35 T20Is and 164 T20s. In T20Is, he has scored 505 runs at an average of 17.41 and made three half-centuries. In T20s, the batter has scored 3,141 runs and scored 17 fifties.

He has played for renowned Pakistan Super League franchises such as Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi. 


Frankfurt sign Japan winger Ritsu Doan for its Champions League return

Frankfurt sign Japan winger Ritsu Doan for its Champions League return
Updated 07 August 2025

Frankfurt sign Japan winger Ritsu Doan for its Champions League return

Frankfurt sign Japan winger Ritsu Doan for its Champions League return
  • Doan joins on a five-year contract from fellow German club Freiburg
  • “I’m very happy and honored to be here,” he said in a translated video message to Frankfurt fans

FRANKFURT: Eintracht Frankfurt have signed Japanese winger Ritsu Doan to strengthen a squad depleted by the sale of Hugo Ekitiké as they prepare to return to the Champions League.

Doan joins on a five-year contract from fellow German club Freiburg, where he was top scorer with 10 goals as the team placed fifth in the Bundesliga.

“I’m very happy and honored to be here,” Doan said in a translated video message to Frankfurt fans. “I can’t wait to play in front of the supporters.”

Frankfurt are heading back to the Champions League this season after a third-place Bundesliga finish but will have a new-look attack after striker Ekitiké was sold to Liverpool for a fee of 69 million pounds ($93.5 million).

The 27-year-old Doan will be expected to team up with another new signing for Ekitiké’s center-forward role, ex-Mainz striker Jonathan Burkardt.

Doan won the Dutch Cup with PSV Eindhoven in 2022 and has played 57 games for the Japanese national team. That includes all of its games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and a role in securing qualification for next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Doan could make his Frankfurt debut Aug. 17 in a German Cup game against fifth-tier Engers. Frankfurt’s first Bundesliga game of the season is six days later at home to Werder Bremen.


Ex-international footballer dubbed ‘Pele of Palestine’ dies in Israeli Gaza raid

Ex-international footballer dubbed ‘Pele of Palestine’ dies in Israeli Gaza raid
Updated 07 August 2025

Ex-international footballer dubbed ‘Pele of Palestine’ dies in Israeli Gaza raid

Ex-international footballer dubbed ‘Pele of Palestine’ dies in Israeli Gaza raid
  • Palestinian Football Association mourned the death of Suleiman Al-Obaid on X saying he was killed in an Israeli strike targeting civilians
  • Eric Cantona condemns ‘genocide’ by Israel over the killing on Instagram

BEIRUT: A Palestinian former footballer, who was once nicknamed ‘Pele of Palestine,’ died on Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike at a Gaza aid distribution center while queuing for food for his five children.

The Palestinian Football Association mourned the death of Suleiman Al-Obaid, who played for the national team, Khadamat Al-Shati Club and other local clubs, on their X handle.

“The former Palestine national team player Al-Obaid was killed in an Israeli strike targeting civilians waiting for humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip,” wrote the PFA.

It said in a media statement that 41-year-old Al-Obaid was regarded as one of the most talented attacking midfielders to play in the Gaza Strip League and was nicknamed “Pele of Palestine.”

French former player Eric Cantona condemned the killing of Al-Obaid on Instagram.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“He was named « The Pelé of Palestine » HOW MUCH LONGER ARE WE GOING TO LET THEM COMMIT THIS GENOCIDE??? FREE PALESTINE,” the former Manchester United forward wrote.

Palestinian former national football star Jamal Al-Khatib mourned Al-Obaid’s “saddening death” and paid tribute to his family, former clubmates and PFA.

“Gazans have been suffering a lot because of Israel’s unstoppable atrocities. Thousands have martyred, including many footballers. Al-Obaid’s death is a tragic loss for the Palestinian football community,” Al-Khatib told Arab News on Thursday.

The former Al-Nijme and Al-Ansar forward added that people from all levels of society, including footballers and athletes, have been paying a hefty price for what Al-Khatib described by “murderous Israeli attacks on hungry civilians.”

According to the PFA, Al-Obaid represented the national team 19 times in the Asian Cup, Pan Arab Games, FIFA World Cup qualifiers and other friendlies. His debut was against Iraq in the West Asia Championship in 2007 and his last match was against Qatar in 2013.

Besides playing for Khadamat Al-Shati, he also played for Shabab Al-Amari and Gaza Sport, in positions including centre forward, right winger and right midfielder.

A father of two sons and three daughters, Al-Obaid scored 17 goals when he played for Gaza Sport and won the top scorer title in the Southern Governorates Premier League in the 2015-2016 season.

With Khadamat Al-Shati he won the league’s top scorer title in the 2016-2017 season, scoring 15 goals.

The number of dead from the Palestinian Football Association has reached 321, including players, coaches, administrators, referees, and club board members.


ֱ Snooker Masters set to begin in Jeddah

ֱ Snooker Masters set to begin in Jeddah
Updated 07 August 2025

ֱ Snooker Masters set to begin in Jeddah

ֱ Snooker Masters set to begin in Jeddah
  • Second richest tournament on 2025 World Snooker Tour takes place at Green Halls from Aug. 8-16

JEDDAH: The 2025 ֱ Snooker Masters begins on Aug. 8 at the Green Halls in Jeddah and boasts the participation of 128 World Snooker Tour players.

Joined by 16 wild cards from ֱ, the international field will be competing for a prize fund in excess of £2 million, making it the second-richest tournament on the 2025 WST. It concludes on Aug. 16.

Steve Dawson, WST’s chairman, said: “We are excited to stage the event in Jeddah for the first time and to bring the all-time greatest players to new fans.

“Our expansion into ֱ is a huge step forward for snooker and a key element in our strategy to develop our sport globally. We are working closely with our partners in the region on the ambition to develop our sport at all levels, from the elite major events to grassroots participation. In years to come we would love to see professional players and even tournament winners from ֱ.”

Judd Trump won the first edition of the event last year in Riyadh, beating Mark Williams 10-9 in the final.