Sports News Roundup: James Harden's triple-double keeps Nets rolling; Stefanos Tsitsipas advances in Acapulco and more

Japan to allow athletes, coaches in under COVID-19 rules: Kyodo Japan will allow professional athletes and coaches, including those with soccer and baseball teams, into the country if they undergo strict anti-coronavirus measures, the Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NBA roundup: James Harden's triple-double keeps Nets rolling

James Harden totaled 40 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets rallied in the fourth quarter and continued their surge with a 124-115 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night in Indianapolis. Brooklyn won its sixth straight game, extended its franchise-record road winning streak to eight games and beat Indiana for the second time in its 14-1 tear since Feb. 9. The Nets overcame a 16-point, second-quarter deficit and chipped away at it before surging ahead in the final 12 minutes.

Athletics: Olympic hammer throw champion Nazarov gets two-year doping ban

Olympic hammer throw champion Dilshod Nazarov of Tajikistan has been handed a backdated two-year doping ban, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Thursday, and will be unable to defend his title at this year's Tokyo Olympics. The AIU said in a statement the 38-year-old's samples from the 2011 world championships in Daegu, South Korea, in which he finished 10th, had been re-tested and contained a prohibited substance. He has been banned starting from Sept. 24, 2019.

NHL roundup: Rangers' Mika Zibanejad enjoys record night in 9-0 win

Mika Zibanejad collected a natural hat trick and tied an NHL record by producing six points during a seven-goal second period outburst Wednesday night as the host New York Rangers routed the Philadelphia Flyers 9-0. The seven goals were one shy of the franchise's record for a period, set when they scored eight in a 12-1 win over the California Golden Seals on Nov 21, 1971. The Rangers hadn't scored seven goals in a single game since a 7-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Nov.

15, 2016. No queue, reduced crowds at Wimbledon as COVID-19 causes ticketing change

Wimbledon's famous ticket queue will not operate this year and the number of fans inside the grounds at the grasscourt Grand Slam is likely to be reduced, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) said on Thursday. The queue, which has become part of Wimbledon folklore, with fans lining up from the early hours and even camping overnight to snap up tickets for the showcourts and grounds, will be abandoned for this year's tournament in favour of online sales.

ATP roundup: Stefanos Tsitsipas advances in Acapulco

Top-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece outserved big-hitting American John Isner on Wednesday en route to a 6-3, 6-2 win in the second round of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco, Mexico. Tsitsipas won 24 of his 25 first-serve points and never faced a break point. Isner won just 19 of 32 first-serve points and had his serve broken three times.

Basketball: Lin fears calling out anti-Asian racism could encourage hate

Former New York Knicks star Jeremy Lin said he feared that calling out racially motivated violence in the United States could fuel further attacks on Asian-Americans. Taiwanese-American Lin's comments come after a shooting spree at three spas in and around Atlanta on Tuesday left eight people dead, including six Asian women.

Japan to allow athletes, coaches in under COVID-19 rules: Kyodo

Japan will allow professional athletes and coaches, including those with soccer and baseball teams, into the country if they undergo strict anti-coronavirus measures, the Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter. Japan has temporarily suspended exemptions allowing foreign athletes into the country as it closed its borders to contain a surge in COVID-19 cases.

NBA adds freedoms for fully vaccinated players, staff

NBA players and staff who become fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are being granted freedoms from quarantine, permitted to host family and friends, and allowed to dine outdoors at restaurants. In a release issued Thursday, the NBA outlined changes to its health and safety protocol related to the coronavirus pandemic. The new rules would go into full effect for individuals two weeks after a final dose of the vaccine is received.

Not winning but getting out of bubble the only goal, says Paire

Playing tennis is currently not the priority for Benoit Paire and the temperamental Frenchman said he was content to hop from one tournament to another, lose in the first round and earn some money in the process. A win against Chile's world number 1,165 Nicolas Jarry in Cordoba, Argentina, last month is the only victory the 31-year-old Paire, who reached a career-high ranking of 18th in 2016, has managed this year.

Olympics: Tokyo 2020 main organising bodies to discuss spectators on Saturday -Kyodo

Organisers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, including local government officials and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), plan to hold a meeting on Saturday and discuss whether to allow overseas spectators, Kyodo News reported on Thursday. The meeting will be held by the five main parties involved in Tokyo 2020, including Tokyo organisers, the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee, the Tokyo metropolitan government and the central government of Japan, the report said.

(With inputs from agencies.)