Leicester City's Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez on Sunday became the first African player to be named English football's Player of the Year, as voted for by his fellow professionals.

The 25-year-old French-born Algerian international, outstanding in Leicester's incredible charge towards the Premier League title, received the trophy at a lavish awards ceremony in London.

The Los Angeles Lakers have decided to part ways with head coach Byron Scott, who led the NBA club to a franchise worst 17-65 record in Kobe Bryant's farewell season.

The Lakers announced Sunday night they would not pick up the option on Scott's contract for the 2016-17 season. His contract included team options for next season and a fourth season.

Leicester City's Thai vice-chairman insisted there was no secret to their miraculous rise after they inched closer to a previously unthinkable English Premier League title.

Hundreds of blue-shirted Thai fans watched Leicester's 4-0 win over Swansea City live on big screens late into the night at an outdoor venue in Bangkok as the Foxes opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the table.

San Antonio and Cleveland punched their tickets to the second round Sunday with the Spurs sweeping past the depleted Memphis Grizzlies and the Cavaliers doing likewise to the brash Detroit Pistons.

The Spurs eliminated the Grizzlies in four games with a 116-95 triumph in Memphis, becoming the first team to reach the second round. They overpowered a Grizzlies team beset by injuries -- most notably to Spanish big man Marc Gasol.

It had been open only three months and cost $12.6 million. And on Thursday it collapsed, sending several people tumbling over the edge and into the sea far below. Two died.

For many in Rio de Janeiro, the deadly accident on the cycle path -- part of an "upgrade" to the Brazilian city's creaking transport infrastructure -- was sadly emblematic of the build-up to the first Olympics in South America, now just 100 days away.

If Manchester City are to outwit Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals, goalkeeper Joe Hart may need to produce another of his bravura displays in the competition.

The 29-year-old England international was decisive in City's quarter-final victory over Paris Saint-Germain, repelling a Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty in the first leg and keeping a clean sheet in the second as City reached the last four for the first time.

Alan Pardew claimed Crystal Palace were inspired by the spirit of 1990 as they beat Watford 2-1 to set up an FA Cup final revenge mission against Manchester United.

Pardew scored the winning goal when Palace shocked Liverpool in the Cup semi-finals 26 years ago and the Eagles manager leaned heavily on that famous giant-killing to mastermind the south Londoners' success at Wembley on Sunday.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon saved a last-gasp penalty from Nikola Kalinic as leaders Juventus put one hand on a record-equaling fifth consecutive Serie A title with a dramatic 2-1 win over Fiorentina on Sunday.

Juventus will claim a fifth straight title in Italy's top flight if second-placed Napoli fail to beat Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday.

In the midst of his best form since joining Real Madrid, Gareth Bale is desperate to end Manchester City's Champions League dream in the first leg of their semi-final on Tuesday.

Without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale led Madrid back from a 2-0 deficit with a double in a hard-fought 3-2 win at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday to keep Real just a point adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Top two seeds Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori will face each other in the final of the Barcelona Open on Sunday after comfortably easing past Philipp Kohlschreiber and Benoit Paire respectively in Saturday's semi-finals.

Nadal continued his perfect start to the European clay-court season having won the Monte Carlo Masters last week with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Kohlschreiber.