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Lakers Speak to Jackson About Return

The Los Angeles Lakers spoke to 11-time NBA champion coach Phil Jackson on Saturday about returning for a third stint on their bench.
The Lakers confirmed on their website that Jackson discussed the job with owner Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak. They’ll meet again early next week.
Los Angeles fired coach Mike Brown on Friday after a 1-4 start to a season of enormous expectations, AP wrote.
Interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff led the Lakers to a blowout win over Golden State later that night, and the Lakers said Bickerstaff will coach the club in a home game against Sacramento on Sunday night.
Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard have voiced their interest in playing for Jackson, and the legendary coach’s return to the 16-time champion franchise seems probable as long as Jackson decides he’s up to another stint in the prestigious job with a team that won five titles and reached seven NBA finals in his 11 seasons on its bench.
‘’Knowing him the way I do, I think it’s really just a matter of health, if he feels physically up to doing it,’’ Bryant said Friday night. ‘’He’s a perfectionist. We all know he’s a perfectionist. If he feels like he can come in here and give what he demands from himself, then I think he would be interested.’’
After several chants of ‘’We want Phil!’’ broke out in the Staples Center crowd on Friday night, the Lakers had the day off Saturday.
Jackson walked away from the Lakers in 2011, eager to improve his health by avoiding the constant grind of NBA travel. The former Knicks forward spent nine seasons on the Chicago Bulls’ bench, winning six titles with Michael Jordan before moving to the Lakers in 1999.
Jackson left the Lakers in 2004 after the club lost to Detroit in the NBA finals, but he returned for a second stint after Rudy Tomjanovich and Frank Hamblen led Los Angeles to a 34-48 record in his one-year absence. After a rough start to his second stint, the Lakers reached three NBA finals and won two titles after acquiring Pau Gasol.

Klitschko Sees Off Wach Challenge

Wladimir Klitschko retained his IBF, IBO, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles by recording a unanimous points decision over Poland’s Mariusz Wach in Hamburg.
Klitschko landed at will for nearly five rounds but Wach’s huge right at the end of the fifth sent him reeling, BBC wrote.
The Ukrainian managed to survive, though, and showed no lasting effects before stepping up his punishment.
The judges’ scores of 120-107, 120-107 and 119-109 reflected Klitschko’s domination in his 13th title defense.
This was the first time Klitschko had fought without the legendary Emanuel Steward, who died last month aged 68, in his corner.
He paid tribute to the trainer after the fight and said: “I want to remember one man, who can’t be here today unfortunately. We miss you, we love you, you are always here in the ring, thank you Emanuel.”
Aspiring heavyweight contender Johnathon Banks has been appointed as Klitschko’s interim new trainer.
Klitschko landed several one-two combinations in the first, with the pattern continuing in the second.
However, the previously unbeaten Wach attempted to spoil his opponent’s work by tying Klitschko up.
In the fifth, the Pole brought the crowd to its feet with an overhand right that sent Klitschko into the ropes, although the Ukrainian showed his experience by covering up and avoiding any further damage as Wach sloppily went in for the kill.
But Klitschko, who has not been beaten in eight years since being stopped by Lamon Brewster in 2004, did not seem to be affected at the start of the sixth and landed a straight right that temporarily stunned Wach.
The punishment continued in the seventh and Klitschko looked to stop the fight with perhaps only the bell preventing him from doing so, with Wach sent into the ropes after yet another right hand.
Wach’s lack of defence seemed to prove his undoing and he came in for severe punishment in the eighth before Klitschko settled into a rhythm in the ninth.
By the 10th Wach had marks over his eyes and nose and his lack of head movement was giving Klitschko all the encouragement he needed.
Wach did land another rare right in the 11th that opened up a cut on Klitschko’s left eye but the champion closed strongly to seal victory.

Hernandez Inspires Man Utd Win

Manchester United produced a rousing second-half display to recover from two goals down and snatch a famous win from a breathless encounter at Villa Park.
The Premier League leaders found themselves 2-0 behind after 50 minutes, with Aston Villa’s Andreas Weimann striking either side of half-time.
The introduction of Javier Hernandez at half-time changed everything, however, BBC wrote.
Sandwiched by a Ron Vlaar own goal, the United striker scored twice to complete a remarkable turnaround.
Hernandez, who has now found the net seven times in his last five matches, was enveloped by his team-mates at the final whistle after United’s 14th victory in their last 16 matches, a result that leaves Sir Alex Ferguson’s side four points clear at the top of the table.
Incredibly, the Old Trafford club have won 15 points from losing positions this season. And yet these late United comebacks retain something of a jack-in-the-box quality. Everyone suspects they are on the cards and yet still catch their opponents by surprise. This was no exception.
At 2-0 down, United had created for themselves an utter mess. And yet somehow they rose to find hope, and with it, power and effectiveness to turn around a lost match in seven impossible minutes and finished the job with three minutes of normal time remaining.
It was tough on Villa after a brave performance but history was always on United’s side. The last time United lost here in the league was August 1995. On that day Ferguson threw David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and the Nevilles into the mix and Alan Hansen had warned him he wouldn’t win anything with kids.
But it is Villa who are fielding the fledglings these days - seven of Lambert’s side were 23 or younger, including 22-year-old Enda Stevens who made his full league debut.
United had all the experience. Scholes, who started in that United team 17 years ago, turned in another vintage midfield performance, sitting deep and spraying his trademark laser-guided passes to all corners of Villa Park. But for all of United’s possession they lacked cohesion, confidence and sustained threat for 50 minutes.

ATP Finals Defeat Frustrates Federer

Roger Federer has vowed to bounce back from his second successive defeat against a man who has gained a recent edge over the 17-time grand slam champion.
Juan Martin del Potro made his name by beating Federer in the 2009 US Open final, and won again at that year’s ATP World Tour Finals, but lost seven in a row before toppling the then world No. 1 in the final of his home event in Basel last month, CNN wrote.
The Argentine, who towers over most opponents at six foot six inches tall, followed that up on Saturday with a 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-3 victory to qualify for the semifinals of the season-ending showpiece in London.
“It’s disappointing,” said defending champion Federer, who was already assured of a place in Sunday’s semifinals after beating David Ferrer on Thursday.
“I had a good feeling going into the match, definitely the right game plan. It’s indoor tennis, he has a big serve and all those things. But still I expect myself to get more returns into play.
“But it’s important to move on right now. Mentally, it’s important to look ahead and rest because it’s a quick turnaround.
“I tried everything I could and was a bit frustrated at times, but it shouldn’t affect me tomorrow.”
By losing the first set, Federer ended the hopes of 2007 runner-up Ferrer--who beat Janko Tipsarevic 4-6 6-3 6-1in the final match of the round-robin stage on Saturday.
Ferrer’s victory means that Federer faces world No. 3 Andy Murray on Sunday in a rematch of the Wimbledon and Olympic finals, while Del Potro plays No. 1 Djokovic--who won all three of his Group A games.
World No. 5 Ferrer is one of the ATP Tour’s in-form players this season, with a leading seven titles--including his last two outings in Valencia and Paris, where Federer relinquished his title and the No. 1 ranking when he decided to skip the season’s final Masters event.
The Spaniard now has a tour-leading 74 match wins this year, one more than Djokovic.

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