Reuters Sports News Summary

76ers Portland Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard has been ruled out of Thursday's road game against the Philadelphia 76ers due to an abdominal strain.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. NFL: Hometown routine critical in Bucs' Super Bowl bid, says Arians

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are making the most of their hometown advantage in the run-up to Sunday's Super Bowl, settling into a routine after a chaotic National Football League (NFL) season where virtually nothing felt like business as usual. After numerous delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but no outright cancellations, the NFL is barreling toward its season finale with the Bucs taking on the Kansas City Chiefs at home - the first time in the Super Bowl's 55-year history that a team has competed in the championship in their own stadium. Pats owner Robert Kraft: 'I'm rooting for Tom Brady'

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wants his former franchise quarterback to win ring No. 7 on Sunday. "I'm rooting for Tom Brady," Kraft said in an interview to air Sunday on CBS. Nearly all Australian Open players cleared of COVID-19, 12 wait results

Nearly 500 Australian Open players and staff who stayed at a quarantine hotel where a worker contracted COVID-19 have tested negative for the coronavirus, with 12 awaiting results, tournament director Craig Tiley said on Friday. Tiley told Australian radio that 495 people among the Australian Open cohort of 507 who stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne had been cleared. Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard ruled out vs. 76ers

Portland Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard has been ruled out of Thursday's road game against the Philadelphia 76ers due to an abdominal strain. Lillard has been dealing with the issue in recent days and considered sitting out Tuesday against the Washington Wizards before opting to play. He recorded 32 points and eight assists in 39 minutes in a 132-121 road victory. Olympics: Mori's 'jaw-dropping' comments show system needs a shake-up - WST head

Sexist comments by Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori are further evidence that the whole sporting system needs a shake-up, Women's Sport Trust chief executive Tammy Parlour said on Thursday. Former Japanese Prime Minister Mori, 83, apologised for saying women talked too much in meetings but said he would not resign despite a storm of criticism on social media. Blue Jackets put G Elvis Merzlikins on IR

The Columbus Blue Jackets put goaltender Elvis Merzlikins on injured reserve Thursday after he suffered an upper-body injury in practice the day before. Joonas Korpisalo will get the start Thursday night against Dallas. NFL: More work to be done on head coach diversity, says Goodell

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he was not satisfied with this year's head coaching hiring cycle, a year after he pledged to increase diversity in the role. Just one of the league's vacant head coaching positions went to a diverse candidate this year, with the New York Jets hiring former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. The league unveiled a plan in November to boost diversity among head coaches and executive staff. Timbers sign Eryk Williamson to multiyear extension

The Portland Timbers announced Thursday that they agreed to a multi-year contract extension with midfielder Eryk Williamson. Williamson, 23, was a surprise contributor last season when he recorded three goals and five assists in 21 matches (17 starts). Spectacular' Beijing 2022 Games will transform winter sport - Bach

The Beijing winter Olympics next year will be spectacular and will transform winter sports "for ever" by introducing some 300 million Chinese people to them, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on Thursday. In a video address to China, Bach said Beijing, which will become the first city ever to have staged both summer and winter Games after also staging the Beijing 2008 Olympics, was ready to deliver 'spectacular Games'. NFL: Chiefs' Duvernay-Tardif watching Super Bowl from COVID-19 frontline

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif built an NFL career around protecting others but a deeper passion for healthcare convinced him to give up a shot at defending a Super Bowl championship with the Kansas City Chiefs to join the frontline battle against COVID-19. Less than three months after helping the Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory last February, Duvernay-Tardif put his medical degree to use by working as an orderly in a Montreal long-term care facility amid the COVID-19 pandemic.