Sports News Roundup: Nets' James Harden stars in return to Houston; Pacers aim to slow Nuggets' Nikola Jokic and more

NBA roundup: Nets' James Harden stars in return to Houston James Harden recorded his eighth triple-double of the season in his return to Houston, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 132-114 win and handing the Rockets their 13th straight loss.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NBA roundup: Nets' James Harden stars in return to Houston

James Harden recorded his eighth triple-double of the season in his return to Houston, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 132-114 win and handing the Rockets their 13th straight loss. Harden finished with team highs in points (29) and assists (14) while adding 10 rebounds and three steals. Two nights after becoming the first player to record a 30-point, 10-rebound and 15-assist triple-double without a turnover, Harden committed eight giveaways against Houston.

Pacers aim to slow Nuggets' Nikola Jokic

The Indiana Pacers began the season strong, but that 8-4 record seems long ago. A 114-111 win at Cleveland on Wednesday ended a four-game skid and stopped a string of nine losses in 12 games. Things don't get any easier for the Pacers, who host the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. Denver has won three straight, including a blowout victory at Milwaukee on Tuesday night that put Nikola Jokic in rare company.

Schumacher name gives me motivation every day, says Mick

Taking the Schumacher surname back into Formula One this season will be more a source of pride than pressure, Michael's son Mick said on Thursday. The 21-year-old German, whose Ferrari great father won seven world championships including five with the Italian team, makes his F1 race debut with Haas in Bahrain on March 28.

Investigators probe 'black box' in car crashed by golfer Tiger Woods

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department is examining data from the "black box" recorder of the car driven by Tiger Woods last week when the champion golfer lost control of the vehicle and seriously injured his leg and ankle in a one-car crash. Investigators would not say what they were looking for, but in the days after the crash have been trying to determine what caused Woods, 45, to lose control of the gray Genesis sport utility vehicle.

Knicks look to get past ugly loss as Pistons visit

The New York Knicks might get Derrick Rose back for their final game before the All-Star break after all. The Knicks were without the veteran point guard on Tuesday due to the NBA's health and safety protocols as they took a 119-93 road loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Rose was forced to sit out because of an inconclusive COVID-19 test prior to the game.

Aston Martin boss Stroll has big plans for F1 team and brand

Lawrence Stroll is new to Formula One team ownership but when he says he is in it to win it with Aston Martin, and believes he can, he speaks as someone who has been around the sport for decades. The Canadian billionaire, who made his fortune in fashion, told Reuters the introduction of a budget cap this season and a fairer distribution of revenues could make the dream come true.

South American World Cup qualifiers in doubt as clubs take hard line

This month's World Cup qualifiers in South America are in serious doubt, with European clubs unlikely to release their players to travel amid concern over the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine restrictions. World soccer's governing body FIFA has relaxed its normal rules about player-release for internationals because of the pandemic and worries about the impact of long-distance travel to areas with high case-rates. Clubs are expected to keep their players at home.

Murray sees silver lining in Rotterdam exit

Andy Murray admits he came up short in the big moments in his 7-5 6-2 second-round defeat by Andrey Rublev in Rotterdam, but the former world number one departs with encouraging signs for his future as he continues his recovery from injuries. Murray, a three-time Grand Slam winner who claimed his first tour-level victory since August in the first round against Robin Haase, held his own against Rublev in a tight first set that lasted 62 minutes before the Russian raced away with the second.

Few pro athletes suffer heart disease after mild COVID: study by North American sports leagues

There are few cases of inflammatory heart disease among professional athletes who suffer mild cases of COVID-19, according to a study authored by medical experts from Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other major North American sports leagues. Medical personnel from MLB and the NBA, along with the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) pooled data from athletes from May through October 2020, as professional sports in North America slowly returned to action after coronavirus-linked lockdowns.

Palace's Van Aanholt racially abused on Instagram after Man United draw

Crystal Palace left back Patrick van Aanholt was subjected to racist abuse on Instagram following Wednesday's Premier League draw at home to Manchester United. Van Aanholt tweeted "Why we kneel..." with a photo of the racist messages he received on Instagram after the goalless draw at Selhurst Park, where he missed a 90th-minute sitter.

(With inputs from agencies.)