LONDON - Manchester United fans will be in for a treat when Brazilian Anderson joins a star-studded midfield at Old Trafford, according to Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa.

The English champions have agreed deals “in principle” to sign 19-year-old Anderson and winger Nani from Porto and Sporting Lisbon respectively, with Owen Hargreaves’ arrival from Bayern Munich also imminent.

And Pinto da Costa believes that once Anderson gets used to the rough and ready nature of the Premiership - and gets over the psychological scar left by a serious knee injury inflicted by Benfica’s Kostas Katsouranis last season - he will fully blossom into a star of global football.

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By Frank Malley, Special to PA SportsTicker

LONDON (Ticker) - It is not difficult to see why some people find it easy to dislike David Beckham.

Many struggle to see past the tattoos.

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — LeBron James used one of the most spectacularperformances in playoff history to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to the verge oftheir greatest season.

James’ career playoff-high 48 points — including 29 of his team’s final 30 — carried the Cavaliers to within a win of the NBA finals for the first time infranchise history with a 109-107 double-overtime victory over the DetroitPistons on Thursday night.

James made a go-ahead layup with 2.2 seconds left and Detroit’s ChaunceyBillups missed a shot in the lane on the ensuing possession.

It was one of the many driving shots that James made look easy.

“Why should I be surprised? I was making a lot of great moves,” Jamessaid. “They are definitely a great defensive team, but I was determined toattack.”

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CHICAGO — Asjha Jones had a career-high 31 points, including two freethrows with 21 seconds left in overtime, and nine rebounds and the ConnecticutSun beat the Chicago Sky 102-97 on Thursday night.

Katie Douglas had 22 points and seven assists for the Sun (2-2), who snappeda two-game losing streak.

Nykesha Sales and Jamie Carey both had 10 points for Connecticut, which hada league-best 26-8 record last season and reached the Eastern Conference finals.

Candice Dupree had a career-high 31 points, seven rebounds and four assistsfor the Sky (1-3), who led 56-43 at halftime and by as many as 17 points in thethird quarter.

Brooke Wyckoff, who played for Connecticut, added nine points, sevenrebounds and a career-high 10 assists for Chicago, which was withoutsecond-leading scorer Stacey Dales after she hurt her left hamstring in an 82-77win at Minnesota on Friday.

Jones, who also had five assists, made the two free throws with 21 secondsremaining that gave Connecticut a 100-97 lead. Dupree missed a shot with fourseconds left, and Douglas added one free throw for the final margin.

Dupree hit a jumper and Dominique Canty made one free throw to give the Skytheir biggest lead of the game, 62-45 with 9:01 left in the third quarter. TheSun used a 21-8 run to get within 70-66 with 1:57 left in the third quarter.Jones had 12 points in the period.

Le’Coe Willingham of the Sun tied the game at 86 with 1:28 remaining, thelast points for either team in regulation.

The Sky were without center Chasity Melvin, acquired in a trade withWashington on May 24. Chicago did not put her name on the active player list.

SAN ANTONIO — Diana Taurasi, who was ejected for the first time in hercareer in Phoenix’s previous game, scored 21 points Thursday night to lead theMercury to a 97-85 victory over the San Antonio Silver Stars.

Taurasi, who was called for a flagrant foul and given two technicals in thesecond quarter of the Mercury’s 76-75 victory over Sacramento on Tuesday,finished with five rebounds and six assists. She had 18 points in the secondhalf.

Tangela Smith added 22 points, 14 in the first half, on 9-of-12 shooting forthe Mercury, while Cappie Pondexter had 19, Penny Taylor 13 and Kelly Miller 10.The Mercury (4-1) tied the franchise record for best five-game start and pickedup their first road win of the season.

Phoenix, which led 44-31 at halftime, was perfect from the free throw line,going 18-for-18.

The Silver Stars (3-2), whose other loss was to the Mercury 81-72 in theseason opener on May 19 in Phoenix, were led by Becky Hammon’s 25 points. Shewas 4-of-11 from the 3-point line. Hammon has led the Silver Stars in scoring inevery game.

Sophia Young had 22 points for San Antonio and Marie Ferdinand-Harris added10.

The Silver Stars cut the lead to nine points on a layup by Young with 2:19left in the third quarter, but it was as close as they would get.

OTTAWA — Flying cross country is nothing new to the Anaheim Ducks.

So their four-plus hour flight to Ottawa on Thursday was quite familiar tothe NHL’s southwestern-most team that features only three opponents locatedwithin its Pacific time zone.

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PHOENIX — Steve Kerr will be named general manager of the Phoenix Suns, aperson with knowledge of the hiring said Friday.

Kerr can’t officially take the job until he completes his obligations as ananalyst for TNT during the NBA playoffs. He is expected to be introduced at anews conference next week, said a person close to the situation who asked not tobe identified because the official announcement had not been made.

Kerr is a close friend of Suns owner Robert Sarver and owns a small piece ofthe team. He would replace Mike D’Antoni, who held the titles of general managerand head coach. The move will allow D’Antoni to concentrate on coaching.

16 wins. 16 teams. 1 trophy. Tune in to the NBA Playoffs to see who is left standing as NBA champion

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Detroit Pistons forward Antonio McDyess was ejectedThursday night from Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals for a hard foulagainst Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao.

McDyess’ right arm appeared to hit Varejao’s neck as he went in for a layupwith 28 seconds left in the first quarter, leading to a flagrant-two foul and anautomatic ejection.

As Varejao lay on the court, holding his face, LeBron James jumped over histeammate to confront McDyess, but the situation did not escalate and playersdidn’t appear to leave the bench. James was called for a technical.

McDyess shook his head in disbelief as he walked off the court afterpleading his case to stay in the game.

16 wins. 16 teams. 1 trophy. Tune in to the NBA Playoffs to see who is left standing as NBA champion

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Larry Hughes started for the Cleveland Cavaliersagainst the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals Thursdaynight.

The point guard was listed as questionable because he injured his left footin Game 3.

Hughes started in Game 4 on Tuesday night, but was limited to 16 minutes andtwo points in Cleveland’s series-tying victory.

“He doesn’t want to sit out because he feels like he’s been too far to sitout now,” teammate LeBron James said.

16 wins. 16 teams. 1 trophy. Tune in to the NBA Playoffs to see who is left standing as NBA champion

Florida might have been better off had Billy Donovan taken the Kentucky job. At least then, the Gators would have had plenty of replacement options. Now, the two-time defending national champions seemingly have fewer choices. Donovan agreed to a five-year, $27.5 million contract with the NBA’s Orlando Magic on Thursday, according to an NBA official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the…