Aldridge's double-double halts Rockets' win streak
LOS ANGELES • LaMarcus Aldridge posted a double-double in the San Antonio Spurs' 100-83 National Basketball Association (NBA) win over the visiting Houston Rockets on Sunday.
The Spurs averted a season-series sweep and snapped league leaders Rockets' 11-game winning streak in the process, holding them to 33.8 per cent shooting.
Aldridge finished with 23 points and 14 rebounds for the Spurs, who are fourth in the West, a half-game up on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
REUTERS
Pardew exits bottom club West Brom after poor run
LONDON • Alan Pardew has left his job as West Brom's manager after just over four months. The Premier League football club said it was a mutually agreed decision following nine straight defeats.
West Brom won only one league match in 18 attempts under Pardew - who took over in November - and Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Burnley left them 10 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table with six games remaining.
The Baggies' first-team coach Darren Moore has been placed in temporary charge.
THE GUARDIAN
C'wealth organisers lend a hand with free condoms
SYDNEY • Organisers of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, which begin tomorrow, hope to make the athletes' village as comfortable and safe as possible for the 6,600 athletes and team officials - and that includes their sexual health.
About 225,000 free condoms are to be distributed while competitors can play virtual reality computer games, rest in lounge by a man-made waterfall, play the piano or sample the free ice cream with about 300 chefs staffing the 24-hour dining room.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Underwhelming Atletico win as they chase Barca
MADRID • Atletico Madrid beat LaLiga strugglers Deportivo La Coruna 1-0 at home on Sunday without starting first-choice strikers Diego Costa and Antoine Griezmann, cutting the deficit behind leaders Barcelona down to nine points.
French forward Kevin Gameiro scored the only goal of the football game from the penalty spot in an underwhelming display against relegation-threatened Deportivo, who despite having yet to win this year, created the better chances against Diego Simeone's men.
REUTERS
