Comment on Duke No. 1 in AP's preseason Top 25

By JAMES ROBSON (AP Soccer Writer) An English study into the causes of knee injuries to women soccer players was launched on Tuesday. ‘Project ACL’ will focus on players in the Women’s Super League in England as part of a three-year study into an injury that is suffered by a disproportionate number of female players compared to their male counterparts. Organizers of the project said women were two to six times more likely than men to suffer ACL injuries. “The players have rightly called for more research into ACL injury, and Project ACL is a response to both their needs and those of the industry more broadly,” said Dr.

By RONALD BLUM (AP Sports Writer) NEW YORK — The U. S. Soccer Federation and its Mexican counterpart dropped their joint bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup on Monday and said they will focus on trying to host the 2031 tournament. The decision left a proposal from Brazil and a joint Germany-Netherlands-Belgium plan competing to be picked for 2027 by the FIFA congress that meets May 17 in Bangkok. The USSF said the 2031 bid will call for FIFA to invest equally in the men’s and women’s World Cups. FIFA said last year it planned to spend $896 million in combined prize money to teams and payments to clubs for releasing players for the 2026 men’s World Cup in the U.

Jamal Murray made another shot. Because of a flick of a wrist, LeBron James is gone. And he took Anthony Davis with him. The Nuggets vanquished the Lakers, beating them for the 12th time in 13 games to advance to the second round of the playoffs. Denver got the win. Los Angeles got the whine. No more stamping of feet, throwing arms in the air and begging for calls.

Michael Porter Jr. didn’t want the Nuggets to go back to Los Angeles for Game 6 of their Western Conference playoff series. He said it might’ve been spooky if they did. So on Monday night when Denver faced a third-quarter deficit against the Lakers, Porter took it upon himself to make sure his team wasn’t preparing for another plane ride. Down by four points, Porter drove to the rim for a layup.

Jamal Murray was responsible for the four most important shots of the Nuggets’ first-round series. He was also responsible for a behind-the-scenes conversation more consequential than any of those shots. Peyton Watson encountered the aftermath by accident. “I think it was almost perfect timing,” he said in the locker room after Denver’s 108-106 Game 5 win to eliminate the Los Angeles Lakers.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope exited Game 5 of the Nuggets’ first-round playoff series with a sprained left ankle, according to the team. He is questionable to return. The injury appeared to occur as he left his feet for a layup attempt in the first quarter Monday night at Ball Arena. Caldwell-Pope checked out of the game with 4:41 remaining in the frame and was immediately examined by athletic trainers next to Denver’s bench.