Sports
Sydney’s spinning pitches prepare Australia for India
Australia has not been victorious in a Test series in India since 2004, therefore they are hoping that the carefully prepared pitches they have at home will assist them to overcome one of the most difficult difficulties they will face when playing abroad.
The team decided against having a longer build-up on the ground in India, so there will not be a warm-up match. Instead, they opted for a shorter pre-series camp, during which the curator of the North Sydney Oval, Kieran Meurant, provided the type of surface that head coach Andrew McDonald was hoping for during two days of intense training for those players who were not involved in the Big Bash League.
One of the pitches at the Bon Andrews Oval, which is located adjacent to the main North Sydney Oval, was scarified and scuffed up, in addition to having some significant cracks, in an effort to try and replicate what is anticipated to be on offer in India. However, nothing can be certain until the first test of each series begins, and SG balls were also used during these practise sessions.
They have been informed that the practise wickets will be close enough to the Test pitches to provide value, but one of the reasons for the short build-up is the belief that conditions they can control at home are of just as much value. Australia will arrive in Bengaluru, where they will be based for five days before heading to Nagpur for the first Test on February 9.
McDonald said that Kieran and the other members of the groundstaff had done an outstanding job in providing them with precisely what was desired. “We feel as though out there the surfaces we received are very similar to what we’re going to meet in India, which is extremely tough to reproduce, but we feel as if we’ve gotten close to that, so the ground crew have done a tremendous job,” said the team. There is often no meaningful relationship between that practise game and the first test match that is played. We have the impression that we can exert some degree of control on the surfaces here. [We] get a little more control in Bangalore to duplicate what we’re going to come up against, and then we go into Nagpur fresh, and hopefully it pays benefits at the back end. [We are] looking forward to it.
“[In regard to pitch opportunities in Bengaluru], promises have been provided. We’ll get there eventually, and the vast majority of ground employees anywhere in the globe are really nice about letting us get what we want from them. We won’t know anything till we wait and see.”
This time around, however, the expectation is for the pitches to provide sharper, quicker spin – closer to how the two Tests against Sri Lanka in Galle played out. Australia prepared for their trip to Pakistan the same way they did before their trip to Pakistan the year before, by holding a camp in Melbourne rather than adding extra days on tour.
McDonald said that his team has “gone through a number of those situations.” “I believe that the new ball is the one that causes more of that slide, and when the hitters do get done on the inside…we’re ready for that slide to happen.
“In the training setting, we will anticipate that the spinners will bowl early against our opening batsmen while also using the new ball. This will ensure that every aspect of this strategy is covered. There, having a clear approach is the most important factor in determining whether or not we will be successful, and this method will be individualised and adjusted according to the circumstances we are faced with.”
A return to form Ravindra Jadeja, who made his return in the Ranji Trophy last week and grabbed eight wickets, looms as a huge danger after he was named Player of the Series in the 2017 series and claimed 25 wickets. Jadeja’s performance in that series earned him the award. In recent years, it has been difficult for visiting teams to compete against India’s left-arm spin bowlers, whether they be Jadeja or Axar Patel.
According to McDonald, “We’ve got a comparable bowler in Ashton Agar who can help prepare, and also [assistant coach] Dan Vettori, a left-arm thrower.” “We are going to make an effort to ensure that the participants are clear on their technique. It is going to be a personalised approach… They’ve got a pretty solid game plan for the next Test matches against Sri Lanka in Galle, and it’s been shown in some of those matches.”
Although the senior batsmen in the team have not been present at the camp, all of the frontline spinners have been there, and Nathan Lyon, Agar, Mitchell Swepson, and the uncapped Todd Murphy have participated in some very particular work. With the assistance of the pre-ordered pitch, the foursome has been working on the lines, lengths, and release locations, and they have even gotten as far as debating field settings.
One of the most important reasons for bringing the bowlers into camp was so that they could raise their workloads. Those bowlers who had been participating in the BBL needed to make the transition swiftly from bowling four-over periods.
McDonald said that they were “starting to get into that very tactical layer” as well as “physical preparation.” “Due to the fact that they would be expected to bowl a significant number of overs, and the reality that you cannot just transpose T20 cricket into test match cricket.
“It has been one of the most difficult obstacles. The transition from the Big Bash League (BBL) to the Shield, and how challenging it may be, is something that I’ve heard state coaches discuss year after year. Everyone understands how challenging it is, which is precisely why we are gathered here at this moment. There is some speculation that we may go to India in the not too distant future, but in the meanwhile, we will continue to make preparations here. We still have the impression that we have two weeks to be ready for the first test.”
Sports
Juventus worried as Mireti stretched
After Juventus player Fabio Merte was taken off on a stretcher while in excruciating pain, the club now has more injury concerns. This is particularly concerning given that there does not seem to have been much contact.
After having his heel clipped from behind by Hans Nicolas Caviglia during tonight’s match against Salernitana at the Stadio Arechi, the product of the junior academy was awarded a penalty that was ultimately used to break the tie.
However, as a result of an inadvertent collision with Lesana Koulibaly, he fell to the ground gripping his left ankle in a great deal of discomfort.
While the Salernitana player was leaping with his back to Merty, it looked that there was some contact between his shins and the shin of the Juve man; nevertheless, this contact was not sufficient to do any substantial harm.
Merty was temporarily knocked unconscious while being treated, attempted to get up, and then soon dropped back down to the ground. This caused some unsettling situations.
After that, he was carried out on a stretcher while in an obviously distressed condition and with his hands covering his face, making room for his fellow teammate Niccol Faggioli.
Initial indications from DAZN say that it is a sprained ankle, and during the halftime break, it was already considerably swollen.
The medical team had also contemplated transporting him to a nearby hospital for X-rays, but they have decided to hold off on that for the time being.
Merty, who is just 19 years old but has already made 25 appearances for the Bianconeri in competitive play, has been a revelation for the team this season.
Sports
LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to break the NBA’s all-time scoring record
LeBron James has already scored more points in an NBA regular season than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ever did in the league’s history.
During the third quarter of Tuesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the star player for the Los Angeles Lakers clinched his spot in the record books in front of the roaring crowd at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The game was played on Tuesday. James broke the record with a fadeaway jump shot that he made with 10.9 seconds remaining in the third quarter
James grinned while spreading his arms wide, then tossing both of his hands into the air. Abdul Jabbar got up from his seat and clapped after the performance. The game was put on hold when members of James’ family, including his mother, wife, and children, walked the court for a ceremony to mark the occasion and acknowledge the significance of the event.
James, who seemed to be overcome with emotion, was honoured at midcourt by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“Congratulations, LeBron, on becoming the all-time scoring leader in NBA history,” Silver remarked to James.
After then, James spoke into the microphone and said, “Thank you for being loyal. You are in a class all by yourself.”
After that, he requested that everyone rise up and applaud Abdul Jabbar for his accomplishments.
James said that it was a really humbling experience to be able to be in the same room with such a legendary figure as Kareem. “I ask that you please offer a standing ovation to the captain.”
James’ record-breaking night was tinged with disappointment as the Lakers were defeated by the Thunder 133-130 despite James’ incredible performance. James ended the game with 38 points, pushing his career total to 38,390 points scored during the regular season.
At the age of 38, James now has the coveted record, which has long been believed to be one of the most unachievable in the NBA. James now sits in second place behind Lakers hero Abdul-Jabbar and Utah Jazz veteran Karl Malone, who hold the respective positions of second and third. On the other hand, the list of all-time scorers. In 1984, Abdul-Jabbar passed Wilt Chamberlain as the league’s all-time top scorer, and his career total of 38,387 points has been the benchmark ever since 1989.
James, who was born in Akron, Ohio, took his first shot in the National Basketball Association (NBA) on October 29, 2003. He did so while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the club that selected him, and scored his first points in a game against the Sacramento Kings. According to Basketball-Reference, despite the fact that he does not consider himself to be a conventional scorer, he has managed to post a career scoring average of 27 points per game throughout the course of his 20 seasons in the NBA.
He passed Abdul-Jabbar as the only player in NBA history with a point total more than 38,000 only a month ago. However, James is still a long way behind Abdul-Jabbar, who, incredibly, never made a three-point shot in his whole career.
Danny Green, a forward for the Memphis Grizzlies and a former teammate of James’, described the 6-foot-9 James as a “unicorn” in an interview with CBS News. Green said that James can defeat you offensively in a variety of ways.
Before James’ moment of historical significance, he warned, “He’s like a freight train coming at you.” “And is able to use his physical capabilities and coordinate. When he leaps, which may be up to 40 inches in the air, he is almost difficult to keep an eye on.
The previous week, James made his way up the all-time assists leader list, moving into fourth place. Green has said that his ability to pass makes it harder to tackle him on the court.
Green said, “He’s going to burn you in a lot of other ways beyond scoring goals because he’s capable of doing that.” “He’s going to burn you in a lot of different ways beyond scoring goals.” “I believe that it makes it simpler for him to score and makes it more difficult to protect him.”
According to VividSeats, the price of a pair of tickets to witness James play on Tuesday against the Thunder hit $69,000, while the price of a pair of tickets for Thursday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks above $106,000. Both games were played this week.
Green said in an interview with CBS News that he did not believe anybody else would be able to break James’ record, just as he did not feel anyone else would be able to beat Abdul-Jabbar.
According to what he had to say, “You have to see someone else play at a high level again for 20 years,” which is something that “I don’t believe we’ll see.” Since of the contracts that we have in place, individuals are going to retire because it is no longer required of them to play for 20 years.
During the month of October, James entertained the idea of setting a new record for scoring in the preseason.
“To sit here and know that I’m probably on the brink of breaking the most coveted records in the NBA, things that people said would probably never happen, I think it’s extremely embarrassing for me,” James said. “I think it’s extremely embarrassing for me to think that I’m probably on the verge of breaking the most coveted records in the NBA.” ” Lakers media day.
In the previous year, Abdul-Jabbar said to ESPN that he would be “extremely thrilled for him” if James were to break the mark.
He said that LeBron should take some time to celebrate his accomplishments since “the game is always better when records like these are broken.” “In order to get here, he has put in a lot of effort. And for that, he will have to wait and see who will have the good fortune to break his record, assuming there is any chance that it will be broken at all.
James said to ESPN in January that he would want to continue playing until his elder son, Bruney Jr., enters the league. This indicates that the record for most points scored might be broken by the time James’s son joins the league. Perhaps once he has finished hanging his shoes up. According to the terms of the current collective bargaining agreement, Bruni Jr. will become available for the draught during the 2024-2025 season.
James has become as one of the NBA’s most prominent figures since his debut in the competition in 2003, during which time he has won four championships and amassed four rings. He has had professional basketball careers with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Miami Heat, and the Cleveland Cavaliers on two different occasions. James will leave behind a résumé worthy of the Hall of Fame and will be generally acknowledged as one of the finest players who have ever competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Sports
+130 Odds of LeBron Breaking Scoring Record Tonight
It has been a foregone conclusion for a number of months now that LeBron James would ultimately surpass Kareem Abdul-mark Jabbar’s of 38,387 points held by the NBA scoring record books. The King is now 35 points behind Kareem as of the 7th of February, 2023, and the LeBron Lakers are scheduled to play tonight against the defensively vulnerable OKC Thunder.
Since a few weeks ago, DraftKings has begun providing odds on when LeBron James will become the first player to shatter the record. The game against the Thunder tonight was classified as a +130 second favourite on Tuesday, when those odds were posted. As of this morning, the matchup versus the Thunder is now the second favourite, with odds of +130. (Name and shame those who like to cause trouble.)
The matchup on Thursday versus the Milwaukee Bucks is a prohibitive favourite with odds of -200, while all of the other possibilities on the board have odds of +850 or higher. Any scenario that goes beyond Saturday’s game against the Warriors would likely necessitate LeBron James to sit out at least one of those games.
The over/under for LeBron James’s point total for tonight has been set at 31.5, and the over is favoured by a little margin (-118o/-104u).
The Los Angeles Lakers are known for their high-scoring contests.
If you haven’t been keeping up with the NBA this season and are content to just watch LeBron smash records, you should be aware that the Los Angeles Lakers are now 25-29 and have a point difference of -1.3 for the season.
Recent years have been kind to LA. The club had a rough start, starting off with a record of 2-10, but they finished their schedule playing better than.500 in all four of their remaining games. They have fared much better at home (13-12) than on the road (12-17), but LeBron has inverted his scoring distribution, averaging 31.0 points per game while playing away from home and just 28.8 points per game when playing at home.
They often play games with a high point total. They are ranked 20th in defensive rating and give up the fourth most points per game. In terms of scoring average, their attack is ranked sixth, but in terms of offensive rating, they are only ranked 18th.
OKC is a quick squad that ranks 20th in scoring defence (116.4 PPG), but they rank 12th in above-average defensive rating, so they should be a formidable opponent tonight.
The likelihood of LeBron James scoring more than the OKC Thunder is low, according to his scoring average.
LeBron James, who is now 37 years old, continues to impress with a staggering scoring average of 30.0 points per game. Even though his Player Efficiency Rating (PER) is just 24.8, which is his second lowest in the previous 15 years and places him outside of the top 10 in the NBA, he still ranks sixth in the Association in terms of use percentage (33.2%). Is.
Only 10 times out of his 43 games played this season has he scored more than 35 points (a percentage of 23.2% of the time). The implied likelihood of breaking his record tonight is 43.48 percent based on the odds of +130 to do so. Betting on a game involving the Thunder seems to provide excellent value at first glance.
Context is something that is not taken into consideration by averages. Since a few weeks ago, James and the rest of the Lakers squad have been setting new records for the most points scored in a game. There is going to be incentive coming from inside as well as from the outside to do it.
It’s also conceivable that LeBron would like to shatter the record at home. The current homestand for the Los Angeles Lakers will conclude with one more game (vs. Milwaukee on Thursday). Therefore, there is not always a feeling of urgency to accomplish it tonight in front of the audience that will be cheering for you at home.
To summarise, it’s not the kind of wager I’m keen to make. I don’t feel comfortable betting -200 on a game involving Milwaukee, when the implied probability is 66.7%. In addition, I do not want to wager on James scoring 36 points tonight at an odds of +130 since it is something he has only accomplished 10 times so far this season.
If I had a free bet to spend on the game, I would wager that LeBron would smash records tonight. I think he will. However, I will not be purchasing it with my own money.
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