NBA players received a memo Wednesday from the league and NBA Player Association officials urging for solutions to create ‘‘positive change’’ in communities around the country, a move that comes in response to protests in other sports about racial oppression and other social matters. The league and union announced they were ‘‘working together, [and] have begun developing substantive ways for us to come together and take meaningful action.’’ It did not remind players of the NBA’s rule saying players must stand for the national anthem, something athletes in other pro sports have chosen to protest in recent weeks. ‘‘These ideas are based on the actions many of you have already taken or supported, including convening community conversations in NBA markets to engage young people, parents, community leaders and law enforcement in a candid dialogue,’’ read one excerpt of the memo, signed by both NBA commissioner Adam Silver and union head Michele Roberts. They also said the game should continue bringing ‘‘people together and build bonds of trust in our communities.’’
Bucks’ Middleton sidelined Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton, 25, who averaged a career-high 18.2 points and 4.2 assists in 79 games last season, suffered a left hamstring injury in a workout Tuesday that will require surgery, sidelining the team’s best outside shooter for about six months, the team announced . . . The Minnesota Timberwolves are working on a buyout of Kevin Garnett’s contract, which has $8 million next season remaining, ESPN reported. Garnett, 40, averaged 3.2 points and 3.9 rebounds and 14.6 minutes in 38 games last season . . . Christian Laettner could avoid bankruptcy after reaching a deal with his creditors to dismiss the involuntary bankruptcy proceedings against him . . . In single-elimination games in the WNBA playoffs, Diana Taurasi scored 20 points and the Phoenix Mercury beat the host Indiana Fever, 89-78. At Atlanta, Angel McCoughtry scored 37 points and the host Dream beat the Seattle Storm.
McGary displeases ThunderOklahoma City Thunder forward Mitch McGary, who will be with the team when training camp begins Saturday, did himself no favors after drawing a minimum 10-game NBA drug suspension last week on top of his five-game ban this summer. McGary had drug issues in college when he tested positive for marijuana his sophomore year at Michigan and faced a suspension, prompting him to enter the 2014 draft. ‘‘For me, I’m disappointed in the fact that he’s in that situation,’’ Thunder general manager Sam Presti said in his first statement since the league’s suspension was announced. ‘‘We’re not privy to the NBA’s program, so I don’t have a whole lot of information. All I can say to you is that I’m disappointed.’’ . . . The Los Angeles Lakers signed veteran forward Thomas Robinson, who spent last season in Brooklyn. The fifth overall pick in the 2012 draft, Robinson played for five teams in his first four NBA seasons, averaging 4.9 points and 4.8 rebounds for his career.
Hockey
North America loses in Cup
Nathan MacKinnon deked Henrik Lundqvist (45 saves) out for a highlight-reel overtime goal to lift Team North America to a 4-3 victory over Sweden, but it wasn’t enough to get the most exciting show on ice, the 23-under Team North America (2-1-0), into the semifinals at the World Cup of Hockey at Toronto. Team North America will need Finland to beat Russia Thursday to advance. Auston Matthews, Vincent Trocheck and Johnny Gaudreau scored in regulation for North America. . . . Also at Toronto, Jonathan Toews had two goals and an assist and Team Canada easily beat Europe, 4-1, in its final preliminary round game. Canada won Group A and will face North America or Russia in the first semifinal Saturday night . . . Former defenseman Richie Dunn died Tuesday at his home in Akron, N.Y. He was 59. Dunn, from Boston, played 12 NHL seasons with Buffalo, Calgary and Hartford . . . The Washington Capitals re-signed restricted free agent defenseman Dmitry Orlov to a $2.57 million, one-year contract.
Olympics
Rome mayor nixes 2024 bidRefusing to put up with more debt in a city besieged by corruption and poor public services, Mayor Virginia Raggi rejected Rome’s bid for the 2024 Olympics on Wednesday, effectively dooming the capital’s candidacy for the second time in four years. ‘‘This city is unlivable,’’ said Raggi, a 38-year-old lawyer who was elected as Rome’s first female mayor. ‘‘We need to focus on that. We have a much more ambitious project for Rome than the one for the 2024 Games,’’ Raggi added.
‘‘We want to upgrade the services, give back to citizens a city that is as worthy as any other European capital.’’ If approved by Rome’s city assembly, Raggi’s motion to withdraw the bid would leave only Los Angeles, Paris and Budapest, Hungary, in the running for the 2024 Games. The International Olympic Committee will decide on the host city in September 2017Raggi’s rejection comes after then-Premier Mario Monti stopped Rome’s plans to bid for the 2020 Olympics because of financial concerns
Golf
Pleat wins N.E. Sr. Amateur
Phil Pleat of New Hampshire captured the NEPGA Senior Amateur Championship at Crestwood CC in Rehoboth. Pleat, the 2011 US Senior Amateur runner-up, shot a final-round 2-under-par 69 . . . Ellen Port of St. Louis moved into position for her third US Senior Women’s Amateur title and seventh USGA championship, winning two matches on her 55th birthday to reach the final at Wellesley Country Club, where she will face 55-year-old Andrea Kraus of Baltimore.
Colleges
QB duo earn Gold HelmetsDartmouth quarterback Jack Heneghan and WPI quarterback Dan Eckler were named Gold Helmet winners for Week 3 by the New England Football Writers. Heneghan, a junior from Atherton, Calif., guided the Big Green to a thrilling 22-21 victory at No. 22 New Hampshire, snapping a 20-game winless streak against the Wildcats, by completing 22 of 46 passes for 249 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Eckler, a senior from Stoughton, Mass., completed 13 of 18 passes for 342 yards and 4 TDs (to four receivers) in a 40-17 victory at Norwich.
The Ivy League proposed tightening NCAA rules to prevent coaches from recruiting high school athletes before their junior years. The NCAA already has rules against coaches making early contact with prospective athletes’ pre-junior year, but loopholes in the regulations have accelerated the recruiting process and led to nonbinding scholarship offers, contact during camps and unofficial campus visits . . . A federal judge in Austin, Texas, dismissed former Baylor football coach Art Briles and athletic director Ian McCaw from a lawsuit brought by woman who said they and the school ignored her claims she was raped by a former football player who was later convicted . . . Rutgers athletic director Pat Hobbs apologized after a video of him downing a beer at a school-sponsored tailgate party Saturday was posted onlineThe Harvard men’s basketball team remained in the running for blue-chip prospect Wendell Carter Jr., a 6-9 power forward from Atlanta who announced Tuesday on Twitter he had pared his choices to four schools: Georgia, Georgia Tech, Duke and Harvard.
Miscellany
Braves’ Ramirez accepts ban
Atlanta Braves reliever Jose Ramirez dropped the appeal of his three-game suspension for throwing a pitch near the head of Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez. Ramirez began serving his penalty Wednesday . . . Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto could miss his next scheduled start because of a groin strain . . . Lionel Messi left Barcelona’s match against Atletico Madrid with an apparent right-leg injury, clutching his thigh when he substitued in the 58th minute of a Spanish league match.
New York City will get its first FIA-sanctioned open-wheel race when Formula E visits Brooklyn next year. The all-electric racing series will race through Red Hook around Pier 11 and the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.
