NBA glue almost becomes a match winner sport

Basketball, NBA: National player Maximilian Kleber made a decisive contribution to the Dallas Mavericks’ fourth win of the season in the NBA with a strong performance. Especially in the fourth quarter and in the extension of the 124: 117 success at the Denver Nuggets, Kleber proved his skills with long-range throws and a strong defense. Kleber scored all of his nine points in the final section and added eight rebounds and two blocks. A praise from the boss followed immediately. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban described the 28-year-old as one of the “most underrated players and defenders in the NBA”.

With only 2.4 seconds left on the clock, the Würzburger Kleber had even provided the supposed game-deciding goal. But superstar Nikola Jokic equalized with the siren and saved the nuggets in extra time. Isaiah Hartenstein also played five minutes for Denver. Mavs top scorer was once again Luka Doncic with 38 points. Things were much worse for Dennis Schröder than for Kleber. The national team playmaker suffered the third defeat of the season with the Los Angeles Lakers after a disappointing performance. At 109: 118 against the San Antonio Spurs, Schröder had six points, his weakest result since he moved to the champions at the beginning of the season.

Tennis, Alexander Zverev: With the start of the new year, Alexander Zverev separated from his trainer David Ferrer. “I want to thank David for the months we’ve shared, the times on and off the pitch, and wish him all the best for the future. I have great respect for the way David played and trained tennis. You are a real inspiration. Thank you very much, “said the world number seven Zverev in a statement on Thursday. Ferrer had previously announced the end of the collaboration in Spanish media. “I spoke to Sascha and told him that I prefer not to continue, that we won’t go into the new season together,” Ferrer told the tennis portal puntadobreak.com.

The coach emphasized that “absolutely nothing happened between us, everything is fine. I am very grateful to him that he gave me the opportunity to go through the season with him”. And he drew a positive conclusion: “We had a good cooperation during these months, everything was perfect.” Zverev also thanked the von Ferrer family “for giving me the opportunity to spend valuable weeks with David during the current pandemic.” Only last summer had Zverev announced that he would work with Ferrer. The duo’s greatest success was their entry into the final of the US Open. For Zverev it was the first ever entry into a Grand Slam final. In October 2020, Zverev was able to win the two ATP tournaments in Cologne. At the ATP final in London, however, the 23-year-old Zverev failed prematurely.

Soccer, England: Arsenal FC has taken out a short-term loan of £ 120 million due to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. As the football club from the English Premier League confirmed on Thursday, the money will flow in the form of Corona aid from the English central bank (Bank of England) and will be repayable next May.

Basketball, Euroleague: The small successful streak of the German master Alba Berlin has already ended. The albatrosses, who recently picked up momentum with victories in the Bundesliga against Bayern Munich and in the EuroLeague against Spain’s title holder Vitoria, had to admit defeat to the Israeli series champion Maccabi Tel Aviv in the premier class 73:85 (28:43). Bitter for Alba: Both teams were tied before the 18th matchday with a record of 7:10 wins. Head coach Aito Garcia Reneses, who suffered from Corona, was still missing from the Berlin hosts. He was again represented by Israel Gonzalez. He had feared even before the game that his protégés would gradually run out of strength. After a break of almost 48 hours after the game against Vitoria, his team fell significantly behind in the final minute of the first period (17:24) and followed it in vain until the end. Jayson Granger was Berlin’s best thrower with 28 points, Tyler Dorsey (27) and Angelo Caloiaro (26) convinced as the best shooters of the guests who celebrated their 14th victory in the 16th duel with Alba.

Bundesliga, Bayern: Coach Hansi Flick has ruled out winter purchases by the German record champions. “Almost all clubs don’t have an easy situation due to Corona. I’m not one who wants new players. We will be together with this squad until the end of the season,” said Flick before the difficult away game at Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday (8.30 p.m. / DAZN). The current team have “very good quality. I don’t see our goals in jeopardy. We have room for improvement, every single player knows that, we have to work on that,” added the Bayern coach. He is “not aware” that there are still departures in January, but he knows “that things can happen quickly”. Recently there was speculation that Joshua Zirkzee and Javi Martinez would change.

The use of national player Serge Gnabry against Gladbach is still very questionable. One has to wait, “he is still in pain,” said Flick on Thursday. Gnabry suffered a bruise with a bruise above his shin in the 5-2 win against Mainz at the start of the year. For this, Bayern can, as hoped, plan again with the last ailing Kingsley Coman, Marc Roca, Zirkzee and Bouna Sarr.

Bundesliga, Schalke: The financially troubled Bundesliga soccer team Schalke 04 apparently waived an offer of help from its former supervisory board chairman Clemens Tönnies. According to consistent media reports from Ruhr news and the TV station Sky parts of the supervisory board are said to have voted against it on Wednesday. The meat manufacturer had offered financial help to support the relegation-threatened club in the urgently needed recruitment. He is said to have stipulated that the board of directors and the supervisory board should vote in favor. According to Ruhr-Nachrichten, two members of the supervisory board spoke out against it.

Tönnies resigned from his club office in the summer after 25 years. This was preceded by an internal three-month ban following a decision by the Honorary Council due to a racist statement. The Schalke press liabilities of at least 200 million euros. In addition, the club has received a guarantee from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Soccer, 2nd division: FC St. Pauli just doesn’t get going despite a show of will in the basement duel of the 2nd Bundesliga. At the bottom of the table, Würzburger Kickers, the hamburgers fought their way 1: 1 (0: 1), but are still waiting for the second win of the season after 14 games. St. Pauli missed the jump to relegation place 16, but was penultimate but at least kept Würzburg at a distance. St. Pauli’s club president Oke Göttlich expressed his confidence in coach Timo Schultz immediately after the game. “We don’t have enough points, we have to show a lot more,” he said Sky: “But we want to keep attacking and act as aggressively as we managed to be outnumbered here. With Timo Schultz, we will continue on the path with him.”