Doc Rivers loves nothing more than talking basketball. With the scandal involving former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling beginning to fade into the background, Rivers welcomes returning the focus squarely on the team and its performance.

"We're going to talk about basketball and that's very nice," the Clippers coach said Monday. "Last season during the playoffs there were very few questions about basketball."

Kaka is set to be Major League Soccer's highest-paid player with a base salary of $6.6 million from Orlando City, according to figures released Monday by the players' union.

Including a prorated share of compensation not specified to a specific year, the Brazilian attacker's total earnings rise to a league-record $7,167,500.

Asian Games organisers on Tuesday expelled Malaysia's wushu gold medal-winner Tai Cheau Xuen after she became the third doping failure of the giant event.

Tai, 24, tested positive for a banned stiumulant after winning Malaysia's first gold in at the Games on September 20, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said. The Malaysian delegation vowed to appeal.

Critics of a controversial decision to dispense with headguards in amateur boxing headguards were given more ammunition Monday when Pakistan's Muhammad Waseem claimed an Asian Games medal just seconds into his quarter-final.

Flyweight Waseem and Azat Usenaliev accidentally clashed heads moments after the starting bell with the Krygyzstan boxer suffering a nasty gash above his eye.

Senegal-born West Ham striker Diafra Sakho maintained a bright beginning to his English Premier League career by scoring against Manchester United at the weekend.

However, a fourth goal in four matches from the 24-year-old former Metz star could not prevent the 'Hammers' losing 2-1 to the 'Red Devils'.

U.S. Open Champions Serena Williams and Marin Cilic powered through their openers at the $5.4 million China Open Monday, with the women's number one crushing her opponent after being 5-0 down.

Spaniard Silvia Soler-Espinosa looked to be cruising to a memorable victory against the power-hitting American in Beijing as she raced to a five-game advantage within twenty minutes.

Kenyan runner Dennis Kimetto set a new world record in the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, with an unofficial time of 2hr 02min 57sec.

He became the first man to run under 2hr 03min and his time was well inside the previous record of 2:03:23, set over the same course last year by his compatriot Wilson Kipsang.

Arsene Wenger has said his Arsenal side are in the middle of an injury crisis ahead of their Champions League group game with Galatasaray and the meeting with Premier League leaders Chelsea that follows soon after.

On Saturday, the Frenchman saw the Gunners come back from a goal scored against the run of play by Nacer Chadli to share a 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain firing in Arsenal's equalizer.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal refused to discuss Wayne Rooney's suitability to captain the team after the England forward was sent off against West Ham United.

Just a day short of the 10th anniversary of his United debut, Rooney was shown the sixth red card of his career for hacking down Stewart Downing in the 59th minute of his side's 2-1 win on Saturday.

Brendan Rodgers said Liverpool were returning to their best form following a 1-1 draw with Everton in the Merseyside derby.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard scored his 10th goal in 32 appearances against their city rivals shortly after the hour mark in the Premier League contest at Anfield on Saturday.