Update on the latest sports

OLYMPICS

Valieva “happy” following doping hearing

BEIJING (AP) — Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva says she’s happy but worn out after a grueling doping hearing ended with her being allowed to skate at the Beijing Games.

The 15-year-old tells Russian state broadcaster Channel One that the past few days have been very difficult for her. Valieva is the favorite for the gold medal in the women’s competition.

There won’t be a medal ceremony if Valieva finishes in the top three because the International Olympic Committee is concerned she could still be banned over a failed drug test from Dec. 25. That test was not revealed until after she won team gold with the Russian Olympic Committee last week.

Also in Beijing:

— Eileen Gu took home another medal with a second-place finish in the women’s ski slopestyle competition. That means she could still become the first action-sports athlete to capture three medals at the same Winter Games. Gu’s bid for another gold medal was thwarted by Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland.

— Anna Gasser of Austria has won her second straight Olympic gold medal in women’s snowboarding big air. The 30-year-old Gasser held off a field with an average age of 21, including slopestyle winner Zoi Sadowski Synnott of New Zealand. Sadowski Synnott took silver Tuesday.

NBA-SCHEDULE

Nets end slide

UNDATED (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets’ 11-game losing streak is over, thanks in part to one of their newcomers.

Seth Curry scored 23 points in his Nets debut, a 109-85 rout of the Kings. Curry was one of five Nets who finished in double figures. Bruce Brown set season-highs with 19 points, six assists, and five steals. LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 19 points, Cam Thomas added 14 off the bench and Andre Drummond contributed 11 in his first game for Brooklyn.

Curry, Drummond and Ben Simmons were acquired in the deal that sent James Harden to the 76ers. Coach Steve Nash says Simmons’ Nets debut won’t be immediate.

Checking out Monday’s other NBA action:

— Anfernee Simons scored 31 points and the Trail Blazers capitalized on the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH’-nihs an-teh-tah-KOON’-poh) to beat the Bucks, 122-107 for their third straight victory. Simons has averaged 30 points and has shot 18 of 39 from 3-point range during this winning streak. Antetokounmpo didn’t play for the Bucks due to a sore left ankle.

— DeMar DeRozan scored 19 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter of the Bulls’ fourth straight victory, 120-109 over the Spurs. It was DeRozan’s seventh straight game with at least 30 points, extending his career high. Nikola Vucevic (VOO’-seh-vihch) had 25 points and 16 rebounds for Chicago, while Coby White made five 3-pointers and finished with 24 points.

— CJ McCollum delivered 23 points and the Pelicans shot a season-best 58.4% to defeat the Raptors, 120-90. Brandon Ingram had 10 points and 11 rebounds and eight assists in just 29 minutes, leaving him two short of his first triple-double. Jonas Valanciunas (YOH’-nuhs val-ehn-CHOO’-nahs) had 18 points and nine rebounds in the rout.

— Kyle Kuzma (KOOZ’-mah) scored 17 of his 23 points in the third quarter of the Wizards’ 103-94 victory against the Pistons. Deni Avdija had 12 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as Washington sent Detroit to its eighth straight loss. Saddiq Bey (sah-DEEK’ bay) led the Pistons with 24 points.

NBA-NEWS

Cavs’ replaces Harden as All-Star

UNDATED (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen will replace James Harden at this year’s All-Star Game.

Allen is an All-Star for the first time and will join teammate Darius Garland for this year’s event in Cleveland, giving the Cavs two All-Stars for the first time since 2018.

Harden is dealing with a left hamstring issue that is delaying his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers after being traded by the Brooklyn Nets. Harden was chosen by coaches as an All-Star reserve.

Also in the NBA:

— Bulls guard Zach LaVine (lah-VEEN’) is slated to visit with doctors in Los Angeles on Tuesday, looking for more answers about periodic soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. LaVine is missing his second straight game tonight as the Bulls host the Spurs, Coach Billy Donovan said LaVine also will miss Wednesday night’s matchup with Sacramento.

— Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (YAH’-nihs an-teh-toh-KOON’-poh) is getting the day off to rest his sore left ankle as the team takes on the Trail Blazers. Antetokounmpo appeared to hurt his left ankle while stepping on Jae Crowder’s foot during a drive to the basket Thursday in a 131-107 loss at Phoenix, though he did remain in the game.

— Tyreke Evans (ty-REEK’) is eligible to return to the NBA after being reinstated by the league and the National Basketball Players Association. The fourth player taken in the 2009 draft by Sacramento was dismissed and disqualified from the league in 2019 for testing positive for a prohibited substance under the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program. Evans will become an unrestricted free agent Friday, meaning he can negotiate a contract with any team.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL POLL

Gonzaga is back at number one

UNDATED (AP) — Gonzaga has reclaimed the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.

The Bulldogs earned 56 of 60 first-place votes to swap places with Auburn, which had spent the past three weeks at No. 1. The Tigers fell to No. 2 after losing at Arkansas.

This is the Zags’ third stint at No. 1 this season.

Providence climbed to No. 8 for its highest ranking since January 2016.

Wyoming, Arkansas and Alabama were the week’s new additions. The No. 22 Cowboys are in the poll for the first time since 2015.

NHL-NEWS

Flames acquire Toffoli with Canadiens

UNDATED (AP) — The Calgary Flames have acquired forward Tyler Toffoli (tah-FOH’-lee) from the Montreal Canadiens for two players and two draft picks.

Toffoli has nine goals and 26 points in 37 games this season. The 29-year-old Toronto native has appeared in 614 career NHL games with Montreal, Los Angeles and Vancouver, recording 182 goals and 370 points.

Montreal receives forward Tyler Pitlick, prospect Emil Heineman, a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL draft and a fifth-round selection next year.

In other NHL news:

— Jack Eichel (EYE’-kul) will make his debut with the Golden Knights on Wednesday. It will be his first action following his trade from Buffalo and subsequent artificial disk replacement surgery on his neck in November. The 25-year-old was cleared for full contact last week and will return in time to face the league’s hottest team, the Avalanche.

HORSE RACING-BAFFERT

Baffert reps meat with KHRA

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — An attorney for Bob Baffert believes the Hall of Famer trainer and embattled Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit “will be fully exonerated” after stating to Kentucky racing stewards that the colt’s failed drug test for a steroid resulted from a prescribed topical salve rather than an injection.

Medina Spirit’s derby win is in jeopardy following the failed postrace drug test last May. Churchill Downs has suspended Baffert for two years following the latest in a recent series of failed tests by his horses. Representatives for Baffert and the horse met Monday with Kentucky Horse Racing Association stewards and contended there was no violation because state rules allow the use of topical salves.

TRUMP-WASHINGTON HOTEL

A-Rod, once scorned by Trump, in group buying his D.C. hotel

UNDATED (AP) — Donald Trump once called former Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez a “druggie” unworthy of wearing the pinstripes. A-Rod could turn into Trump’s angel as a key part of an investment group seeking to buy the rights to the ex-president’s marquee Washington, D.C., hotel. That’s according to two people familiar with the deal who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

A-Rod’s involvement in the $375 million purchase would make the athlete-turned-entrepreneur an unlikely financial savior for Trump. The purchase would allow Trump to recoup millions he invested and perhaps even emerge with a profit from his money-losing hotel. The sale could close within weeks.