The Golden State Warriors suspended injured guard Monta Ellis for 30 games without pay yesterday for violating his lucrative new contract by getting into a moped accident in the offseason.
Ellis, who agreed to a six-year deal worth $66 million in the summer, was injured when his ankle was sprained in the accident in August. He recently had surgery to repair a torn ligament, sidelining him for at least the first several weeks of the regular season.
The Warriors counted their four preseason games in the suspension's length, which means Ellis won't return to the club until after Golden State's 26th regular-season game, against Indiana Dec. 17.
Ellis averaged 20.2 points per game last season to earn the new deal.
Miami Heat center Jamaal Magliore will miss at least six weeks with a broken left hand, and could be out even longer if surgery is required to repair the fracture. Magliore was injured in Miami's preseason loss against New Jersey in Paris Thursday.
Top-ranked Jelena Jankovic rallied from a set down to cruise into the final of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow with a 0-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory against defending champion Elena Dementieva. Jankovic, 23, of Serbia, will face Vera Zvonareva. Seventh-seeded Zvonareva ousted Dinara Safina, 6-2, 7-6 (5), in an all-Russia semifinal.
Marat Safin, the brother of Dinara, advanced to his second final at his hometown event when Misha Zverev withdrew. Safin will face Igor Kunitsyn.
Gael Monfils and Philipp Petzschner reached the final of the BA Tennis Trophy in Vienna, Austria. Eighth-seeded Monfils defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (2), and qualifier Petzschner rallied to stop 2004 champion Feliciano Lopez, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Top-seeded David Nalbandian and Robin Soderling routed their opponents to reach the Stockholm Open final in Sweden. Nalbandian cruised past Jarkko Nieminen, 6-2, 6-1, and Soderling outplayed Japanese teenager Kei Nishikori, 6-1, 6-0.
Fourth-seeded Melina Czink of Hungary advanced to the championship matches of the singles and doubles competition at Dick's Sporting Goods Women's Challenger, held at the Oxford Athletic Club in Wexford.
The United States breezed into the final round of World Cup qualifying as DaMarcus Beasley scored two first-half goals, Landon Donovan and Brian Ching padded the lead early in the second, and the Americans routed Cuba, 6-1. With two semifinal-round matches remaining, the Americans (4-0) already have secured a berth in next year's six-nation finals of the North and Central American and Caribbean region. The top three teams in the finals qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
Eight team aces and 13 kills by freshman Kristen Dealy powered Notre Dame to its 600th win in program history while winning all three sets against West Virginia at the Joyce Center. Dealy had four aces and Beth Wildermuth and Megan Fesl added two each in the win.
Pitt men's coach Jamie Dixon, Duquesne coach Ron Everhart and Xavier coach Sean Miller will be among the speakers at a coaches' clinic Thursday at La Roche College. The clinic is open to anyone and cost is $20. Proceeds benefit the Dave Manzer Heart Fund, for the former head coach at Messiah College who is awaiting a heart transplant. For information call, 412-536-1004.