Basketball
Russian athlete Kasatkin accused of cybercrime released in shocking prisoner swap
Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin26, returned to his home country in January this year after being released from a French prison in a prisoner swap. KasatkinMBA-MAI and defender of the Russian national team was exchanged for Laurent Vinatiera convicted French political scientist. Russia He was also charged with spying in violation of the Foreign Agents Act. The agreement, reached after diplomatic and intelligence negotiations, ended the saga of the athlete’s six-month detention.
Kasatkin He was arrested at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Paris June 21, 2025, upon request. united states of americaaccused him of cybercrime. The basketball player has pleaded not guilty, claiming he was the victim of a misunderstanding related to the computer purchase. Despite his explanation, the court Paris Extradition request approved in October 2025 united states of americawhere he faced the possibility of a heavy prison sentence.
As Laurent, VinatierHe was arrested as an employee of a Swiss non-governmental organization. Russia The Russian Ministry of Justice recognized him as a foreign agent and sentenced him to three years in prison on October 14, 2024, for failing to register as a foreign agent. Additionally, on May 21, 2025, Vinatier was charged with espionage. After spending about a year and a half in a Russian prison, he was pardoned by presidential decree. Russian Federation As part of an exchange agreement.
release of Kasatkin was enthusiastically received in Russia. Vladimir DiachokManaging Director Russian Federation A basketball reporter called it “the best news of the new year.” igor KocharyanThe general director of the MBA-MAI club said they are waiting. Kasatkin Training in progress. However, the athlete was unable to practice while incarcerated and complained of poor detention conditions, making his prospects for resuming his professional career uncertain.
Just five days after his release, Daniil Kasatkin I signed a contract with the club.”Enisei‘ of Krasnoyarsk,in VTB United Leagueaway from his previous team, MBA-MAI. This high-profile exchange is not an isolated case and is reminiscent of a precedent with 2022 American basketball player Britney. Greiner The person who replaced it was Russian businessman Viktor. gameAfter being convicted of Russia For drug trafficking.
Source: Mundo Deportivo
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Eight games were played in the NBA regular season on the night of January 23-24.
“Oklahoma” lost to “Indiana” in a sensational home match.
The key point of the game was the first quarter, which the Pacers won with a score of 39:28, and this was enough for them to further secure their lead. The Thunder won the next three quarters but were unable to tie the score. As a result, Indiana won with a score of 117:114.
Even Gilgeous-Alexander’s 47 points couldn’t save the Thunder from defeat. Indiana’s top scorer was Nembhard, who had a double-double with 27 points and 11 assists.
Detroit lost at home to Houston.
Rockets took the lead from the beginning of the game and won the first quarter with a score of 28:20. At the beginning of the second 12 minutes, the Pistons took a lead of 35:34 with a score of 13:1. After that, the game was balanced and the teams finished the long break with a draw at 52:52. The key point of the game was the third quarter, when the Rockets made moves of 8:0 and 9:2 to gain a 14-point advantage – 86:72. Later, the guest team calmly won the match with a score of 111:104.
Durant scored 32 points and Smith had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Milwaukee came close to a comeback at home in a game against Denver.
The first quarter was a balanced contest and the Bucks gained a 6-point advantage in the second quarter and increased this advantage to +15 (78:63) in the third quarter. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the visitors were ahead by 23 points and appeared to have closed out the game. However, Milwaukee made a 15:2 move to get back into the match 97:92. As a result, the game was deadlocked and thanks to free throws, Denver still maintained a 102:100 advantage, but the last attack of the match belonged to the Bucks.
Six Nuggets players scored 11+ points, while Nnaji had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
NBA. Regular season, January 24
Detroit-Houston-104:111 (20:28, 32:24, 20:34, 32:25)
of Detroit: Duren (18 + 7 rebounds), Cunningham (12 + 8 assists + 6 turnovers), Thompson (12 + 8 rebounds), D. Robinson (9), Harris (4) – start; Stewart (16), Holland (13), Jenkins (10), Ivey (8), Green (2).
Houston: Durent (32 + 7 rebounds), Shengyun (19 + 5 losses), Thompson (15 + 9 rebounds + 7 assists), Smith (11 + 10 rebounds), Okogie (7) – start; Sheppard (18), Capela (5+9 rebounds), Tate (4).
Atlanta – Phoenix – 110:103 (27:31, 37:28, 20:32, 26:12)
of Atlanta: Okongwu (25), Johnson (23 + 18 rebounds + 9 assists + 5 losses), Alexander-Walker (13 + 5 losses), Daniels (8 + 8 rebounds), Kispert (8) – starts; McCollum (21), Kennard (9), Koloko (2), Guay (1), Krejci (0).
Phoenix: Booker (31), Gillespie (16), Brooks (11), Williams (6), O’Neal (5) – starter; Allen (16), Ighodaro (8 + 7 rebounds), Green (4), Dunn (4), Goodwin (2).
Brooklyn – Boston – 126:130 Overtime (28:28, 27:21, 26:29, 23:26, 14:14, 8:12)
Brooklyn: Porter (30 + 8 rebounds), Claxton (18 + 9 rebounds), Clowney (15 + 9 rebounds), Demin (6), Powell (6) – start; Traore (21), Z. Williams (14 + 8 rebounds), Thomas (7), Sharpe (5 + 8 rebounds), Wolfe (4).
Boston: Pritchard (32), Brown (27 + 10 rebounds + 12 assists), Hauser (19), Scheierman (6 + 7 rebounds), Keta (6) – start; Garza (12), Simons (10), Gonzalez (10 + 7 rebounds), Walsh (5), Williams (3), Harper (0).
Cleveland-Sacramento-123:118 (35:35, 33:36, 34:22, 21:25)
cleveland: Mitchell (33 + 8 assists), E. Mobley (29 + 13 rebounds + 7 assists + 4 blocks), Tyson (17 + 7 rebounds), Allen (15 + 9 rebounds), Wade (6) – start; Hunter (9), Porter (5), Tomlin (4), Proctor (3), Nance (2).
sacramento: DeRozan (20), Westbrook (11), LaVine (10), Achiuwa (4 + 8 rebounds), Reynaud (0) – start; Sabonis (24 + 16 rebounds + 6 assists), Schroeder (21), Monk (16 + 7 assists), Cardwell (8), Clifford (4).
Memphis-New Orleans-127:133 (30:30, 35:30, 36:33, 26:40)
memphis: Jaren Jackson (26 + 12 rebounds + 4 blocks), Landale (24 + 11 rebounds), Spencer (21 + 11 assists), Coward (13), Wells (11 + 5 turnovers) – starter; Jackson (15), Small (7), Williams (6), Caldwell-Pope (4), Konchar (0).
New Orleans: Bay (36), Murphy (32), Williamson (24 + 11 rebounds), Quinn (8 + 9 rebounds), Jones (0) – start; Fiers (12), Missy (8 + 8 rebounds), Poole (6), Matkovic (5), Peavey (2).
Oklahoma – Indiana – 114:117 (28:39, 25:19, 32:31, 29:28)
Oklahoma: Gilgeous-Alexander (47), Holmgren (25 + 13 rebounds), Wallace (10), Joe (7), Dort (2) – start; K. Williams (12 + 7 rebounds), Jeng (7), Carlson (2), Williams (2), Barnhizer (0).
indiana: Nembhard (27 + 7 rebounds + 11 assists), Walker (26), Siakam (21 + 6 assists), Nesmith (17), Furphy (4 + 10 rebounds) – start; Potter (10 + 10 rebounds), Sheppard (6), McConnell (6), Jackson (0), Huff (0).
Milwaukee – Denver – 100:102 (21:21, 21:27, 21:30, 37:24)
Milwaukee: Y. Antetokounmpo (22 + 13 rebounds + 7 assists), Rollins (21), Turner (17 + 7 rebounds + 6 blocks), Kuzma (11 + 10 rebounds + 6 assists), G. Harris (4) – start; Portis (11 + 9 rebounds), Anthony (9), Coffey (5), Jackson (0), Nance (0).
Denver: Strother (20), Pickett (13 + 7 assists), Gordon (13), Nnaji (11 + 12 rebounds), Jones (5) – start; Hardaway (17), B. Brown (15), Jones (5), Holmes (3), Tyson (0).
Portland – Toronto – 98:110 (12:19, 31:31, 31:26, 24:34)
Portland: Holiday (21 + 7 assists), Sharpe (21 + 7 rebounds), Kamara (16), Clingan (13 + 16 rebounds), Sissoko (3) – start; Love (11), Grant (8), Cook (5), Ruper (0), Yang Hansen (0).
toronto: Mamukelashvili (22), Quickley (20 + 8 rebounds + 7 assists), Ingram (20 + 7 rebounds), Barnes (15 + 9 rebounds + 6 blocks), Barrett (10) – start; Dick (10), Agbaji (10), Bettle (3), Shed (0), Mobo (0).
tournament tables
Western Conference
Eastern Conference
Source: Sport UA
Ralph Bean is a writer for Sportish. Ralph has written about sports news for the last two years, and is currently an author on the site. He enjoys writing about sports, and hopes to cover more stories in the future.
Basketball
Former Miami Heat employee sentenced to three years in prison for stealing 400 game jerseys
A former Miami Heat security officer has received three years in prison for stealing and selling team merchandise, ESPN reports.
Marcos Perez, 62, was convicted in the United States in early January, according to court records. Back in August 2025, he pleaded guilty to selling stolen goods.
Perez spent 25 years with the Miami Police Department before leaving the force and joining the Miami Heat, where he was responsible for security from 2016 to 2025.
According to federal prosecutors and the FBI, over the years, Perez stole more than 400 jerseys and other gaming paraphernalia from a secure warehouse, after which he sold the stolen goods on various online platforms. Among the stolen items were valuable rarities. Perez was one of the few employees who had access to the warehouse where the collection for the Miami Club Museum, which had not yet opened, was being collected.
Perez sold approximately $1.9 million worth of paraphernalia, authorities said. In particular, he admitted to selling LeBron James’ NBA Finals jersey for approximately $100,000. The T-shirt was later sold at Sotheby’s for $3.7 million.
In addition to the three-year prison sentence, Perez was ordered to compensate the club for damages in the amount of the above amount – $1.9 million.
Source: Sportbox
I am a sports journalist who has been writing for a news website since 2015. My work primarily focuses on sports news, but I have also written about other topics such as technology and the arts. I have an extensive background in journalism, having worked as a reporter for a local newspaper before moving to a news website.
The Brooklyn Nets were defeated by the Boston Celtics in a home game of the NBA regular season.
The meeting in New York ended with a score of 130:126 OT (28:28, 21:27, 29:26, 26:23, 26:22) in favor of the guests. The winner was determined in the second overtime.
Celtics forward Jaylen Brown scored a triple-double: 27 points + 12 assists + 10 rebounds. Boston point guard Payton Pritchard scored 32 points, and the Nets’ top scorer was Michael Porter (30).
Brooklyn’s Russian point guard Egor Demin scored six points, made four rebounds and two assists.
Brooklyn (12 wins/31 losses) ranks 13th in the Eastern Conference. Boston (28/16) is in second position.
Results of other matches of the day
Detroit Pistons – Houston Rockets – 104:111
Atlanta Hawks – Phoenix Suns – 110:103
Cleveland Cavaliers – Sacramento Kings – 123:118
Memphis Grizzlies – New Orleans Pelicans – 127:133
Oklahoma City Thunder – Indiana Pacers – 114:117
Source: Sportbox
I am a sports journalist who has been writing for a news website since 2015. My work primarily focuses on sports news, but I have also written about other topics such as technology and the arts. I have an extensive background in journalism, having worked as a reporter for a local newspaper before moving to a news website.
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