DENVER — The bling and the banner were nice. What the Denver Nuggets really relished, though, was opening defense of the franchise’s first NBA title with a 119-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

SAN FRANCISCO — Devin Booker scored a go-ahead layup with 4:51 remaining followed by a 3-pointer on the way to 32 points, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Golden State Warriors 108-104 on Tuesday night in a back-and-forth season opener for the Pacific Division powerhouses.

PHILADELPHIA — Merrill Kelly retired Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper in order in the fifth inning, striking out Schwarber and Harper — October’s biggest home run threats.

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev watched featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski enter the octagon inside Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi to the 1981 hit “Land Down Under” by Australian band Men At Work.

PHOENIX (AP) — Zack Wheeler delivered another postseason gem with seven shutdown innings, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmulto homered and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-1 on Saturday night to take a 3-2 NL Championship Series lead.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Lionel Messi played the entire game on artificial turf in Inter Miami’s season finale on Saturday night, and Charlotte FC qualified for the MLS playoffs with a 1-0 victory.

Penn State is still chasing elite under coach James Franklin.

PHILADELPHIA — Bryson Stott crushed the second grand slam in Philadelphia Phillies postseason history and Aaron Nola tossed seven shutout innings in a performance worthy of a playoff ace that led to a 7-1 win and a two-game sweep over the Miami Marlins in their NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday night.

MILWAUKEE — Two years after suffering through a 110-loss season, the Arizona Diamondbacks are spraying champagne and heading to the NL Division Series.

Before NFL tight ends dated pop superstars and before wrestlers were “The Rock ” stars, there was part-time Hawaii resident Russ Francis.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks are one resilient bunch. Staring at an early deficit against Corbin Burnes, they slugged their way to the front of their NL Wild Card Series.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Flip that finger, Nick.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi couldn’t play, and the Houston Dynamo took full advantage to win a trophy on his home field.

English Premier League spending was hurtling toward a staggering $3 billion in a record outlay during European soccer’s summer transfer window on Friday.

Silence fell on Cardiff Arms Park as the first New Zealand rugby team to be called the All Blacks faced Wales before their epic 1905 test.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Caleb Williams passed for 278 yards and four touchdowns in his return from his Heisman Trophy season, and freshman Zachariah Branch made an electrifying debut with a 96-yard kickoff return and a 25-yard reception for touchdowns in No. 6 Southern California’s 56-28 victory over San Jose State on Saturday night.

Late franchise icon Kobe Bryant’s Lakers legacy will physically be immortalized on Feb. 8, 2024 — a date chosen to further honor the Bryant family.