Sports News Roundup: Murray accepts Delray Beach Open wildcard to begin 2021 season; NHL plans to have Canadian teams play in home venues and more

NBA roundup: Irving, Nets prevail in Boston Kyrie Irving scored 37 points, Kevin Durant added 29, and the visiting Brooklyn Nets enjoyed a successful return to the NBA's Christmas Day schedule by pulling away in the second half for a 123-95 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Murray accepts Delray Beach Open wildcard to begin 2021 season

Andy Murray will begin his 2021 season at the Delray Beach Open next month after accepting a wildcard for the ATP 250 tournament, the men's tour said on Saturday. The former world number one, whose has slipped to 122nd in the rankings, will join defending champion Reilly Opelka, top-ranked American John Isner and Canada's Milos Raonic in the Florida field.

NHL plans to have Canadian teams play in home venues

The NHL anticipates the league's Canadian teams will be able to play games in their home venues when the season starts on Jan. 13. "On the basis of our discussions (with provincial health authorities) in the past week, as well as our exchange of correspondence over the last 24 hours, we believe we are aligned and in agreement on the conditions on which each of our Canadian franchises can begin play in their own buildings for the start of the 2020-21 NHL season," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement. NBA-Celtics legend K.C. Jones dead at 88

K.C. Jones, one of the most dominant forces in basketball history who won eight NBA champions as a player and four as a coach, died on Friday. He was 88. In NBA history, only his Boston Celtics teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones have more championship rings during their playing careers. Olympics-Domestic sponsors agree to extend contracts for delayed Tokyo games

Tokyo 2020 organisers said on Thursday that all 68 domestic sponsors for the Summer Olympics have agreed in principle to extend their contracts for the delayed games, as growing coronavirus infections in Japan overshadow the event. The Tokyo Olympics had originally been scheduled for 2020 but were postponed by a year because of the pandemic. Swimming-Sun's doping ban referred back to CAS after appeal

Chinese swimmer Sun Yang has had his eight-year ban for doping violations referred back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the Swiss Federal Supreme Court upheld his appeal against the ban on the grounds of bias by one of the CAS panel. The decision could potentially clear the way for Sun to compete at next year's delayed Tokyo Olympics, depending on when the case is heard. Silver defends Harden punishment: "It's Christmas"

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday said a $50,000 fine was sufficient discipline for James Harden after the Houston Rockets guard broke the league's COVID-19 protocols by attending a recent party, adding a suspension would have been too harsh. The Rockets' season opener at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder was postponed on Wednesday after three of Houston's players returned tests that were either positive or inconclusive for COVID-19. Harden was unavailable as he isolated after attending the social event, which was caught on video. Saints' Kamara scores six rushing TDs, equals single game record

New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara tied the National Football League (NFL) record for rushing touchdowns in a single game when he crossed the line six times in the Saints' 52-33 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Friday. Kamara equalled the record of Ernie Nevers, who achieved the feat in 1929, with a three-yard run with less than two minutes remaining in the blowout. NBA roundup: Irving, Nets prevail in Boston

Kyrie Irving scored 37 points, Kevin Durant added 29, and the visiting Brooklyn Nets enjoyed a successful return to the NBA's Christmas Day schedule by pulling away in the second half for a 123-95 victory over the Boston Celtics on Friday. In his first regular-season game in Boston since joining the Nets, Irving made 13 of 21 shots, hit seven 3-pointers, and handed out eight assists. Irving scored 17 by halftime, but the Nets trailed by three before outscoring Boston 72-41 in the second half in their first Christmas Day game since facing Chicago in 2013. Another big Christmas for James as Lakers defeat Mavs

Anthony Davis had 28 points and eight rebounds as the host Los Angeles Lakers coasted to a 138-115 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Davis converted 10 of 16 shots and 3 of 5 3-point attempts. LeBron James had 22 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds while Montrezl Harrell contributed 22 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers. Golf: Australian great Norman in hospital with COVID-19 symptoms

Australian golfing great Greg Norman has been hospitalised in the United States showing COVID-19 symptoms. Norman, whose two major titles came at the British Open in 1986 and 1993, had earlier tested negative for the novel coronavirus but on Friday he posted a picture on social media of him wearing a mask and lying on a hospital bed, using an expletive to suggest he had tested positive.