Benteke struggled for regular first-team opportunities under the German and was subsequently sold to Palace at the start of this season. He has 12 Premier League goals in 30 appearances for the Eagles, and Klopp knows the Belgian’s aerial threat is something his defensive line will have to manage. Mourinho disappointed in Manchester United “Crystal Palace are really strong with unbelievable skills in offensive lines. [Wilfried] Zaha, [Andros] Townsend, Christian, [Jason] Puncheon, they are really good footballers,” Klopp said in Thursday’s media conference....

Anthony will opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, according to the New York Daily News. Anthony has until June 23 to give the Knicks and an official decision on the matter, but he will not opt in to another season with the Knicks unless there is a drastic change of heart, according to the report. Jackson was straight forward with reporters when asked about Anthony's contract situation, revealing that he wanted Anthony to be unselfish and opt in to allow the Knicks more flexibility in the future....

The judge issued a temporary, six-month order of protection that prevents Felton from coming in contact with his wife, Ariane Raymondo-Felton, who had an attorney turn in a loaded weapon to the Manhattan police precinct after stating that she did not want the gun in her home. "Prosecutors request $25,000 bail got Felton, and ask for order of protection against his wife" — Chris Herring (@HerringWSJ) Felton turned himself in at 12:50 a....

After the Knicks selected Porzingis No. 4 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, it’s safe to say the vocal Knicks fan base at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn did not like the pick. MORE: NBA Draft pick-by-pick analysis | NBA Draft photos: Dig those outfits | Porzingis gets his wish | Porzingis scouting report And then there was this kid, drawn to tears by the thought of Porzingis possibly turning into another Andrea Bargnani....

“We are disappointed that it did not work out for Beno and Metta here in New York,” said Knicks general manager Steve Mills. “We thank them for their contributions this season and wish them well.” World Peace and Udrih expressed displeasure with their standing in New York prior to being bought out of their contracts. In separate instances, each player asked out of New York, as World Peace wanted to negotiate a buyout and Udrih sought a trade....

I will discuss how incorporating tax planning into your life is very different than tax preparation, the act of filing your taxes, and how planning properly can potentially save you thousands of dollars in taxes each year. Do you feel like you are on a hamster wheel during tax season; running around and around gathering information and praying that everything works out in your favor? Do you do this every year?...

Directly calling out many of the countries competing in the tournament, Bryant has challenged teams and individuals to assert themselves against their global competition. Bryant’s stature as an athlete in China and elsewhere in the world, combined with his accomplishments as a representative of USA Basketball means he is uniquely positioned to speak about winning on the international stage. For USA Basketball fans it can be easy to overlook the period of (relative) turbulence that the national team went through prior to Bryant’s 26-0 tenure with the team....

As the final weeks of Kobe Bryant’s illustrious basketball career wind down, despite his lack of a college degree, the preps-to-pro former phenom’s future could be as bright as the lights he’s played under for nearly two decades in the City of Angels. Bryant, more so than any other first-ballot Hall-of-Famer of his era, possesses the polish, panache and professionalism to become a true international renaissance man and engage cultures both near and far....

The Lakers guard has been cleared to return to basketball activities, according to Bleacher Report. MORE: Kobe ranked 10th on our list of shooting guards | That time Kobe and Shaq had a fistfight The 37-year-old is prepping for his 20th NBA season after missing much of last season as a result of a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. Each of Bryant’s past three seasons ended in injury....

Kobe spent part of his postgame time lamenting that European basketball players are taught how to better use their skill set at a younger age, putting their development ahead of stateside players (some of whom don’t even play with a shot clock until college). MORE: Kobe’s snit with Jeremy Lin | Melo done for season? | Celtics fans welcome back Rajon Rondo “I just think European players are just way more skillful,” Bryant told ESPN LA on Friday night....

Barca head coach Luis Enrique is under increasing pressure at the LaLiga titleholders and former player Koeman has emerged as a possible contender, should the Spanish giants opt for change. Mou could start Rooney in final Despite the ongoing speculation, Dutchman Koeman - who is less than 12 months into a three-year deal following his arrival from Premier League rivals Southampton - is not interested in renewing his contract at Goodison Park....

There is no more iconic world series photo than the initial celebration shot, the first embrace of pitcher and catcher. Several of the past few World Series have provided us with iconic photos of the elated pitcher and catcher. This year it was catcher David Ross embracing pitcher Koji Uehara. MORE: World Series in photos | Inning-by-inning recap Who will ever forget Brad Lidge falling to his knees in 2008 when he recorded the World Series-clinching out against the Tampa Bay Rays?...

The Premier League leaders and Jurgen Klopp’s men will trade tackles at Anfield for the first leg of their quarter-final fixture. And the 37-year-old who played for both sides before calling time on his football career is anticipating a difficult tie with special praises for ’top managers’ Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. “Absolutely, because both teams have top managers. Guardiola is more tactical while Klopp relies more on the ability of the players,” Toure told Sky Sports....

The whole world is watching as the United States prepares to elect its next president. This man or woman will be chosen by Americans, but his or her choices will affect billions. Let us not take the tree for the forest, however. The current U.S. administration has certainly polarized emotions, but it would be a mistake to think that everything will change on Jan. 20, 2009. For all their differences, and for all the tensions these differences create, the simple fact is that neither the United States nor Europe has another partner with the capability and the political will to act to tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow....

In less than 24 hours, Kozma went from goat to hero. Inserted as a pinch runner in the seventh inning, he stole third base and came around to score the tying run in Game 2 as the Cardinals went on to a 4-2 win to tie the series at a game apiece. He made important defensive plays after remaining in the game at shortstop, proving that his errors were indeed uncharacteristic of one of the National League's best at the position....

The deal begins in the 2015-16 season after the final season of his current contract. Krejci led the Bruins last season with 50 assists and 69 points. He also led the NHL with a 39 plus-minus rating. In eight NHL seasons, all with the Bruins, he has 110 goals, 268 assists and 378 points in 504 regular-season games. The 28-year-old Krejci was the playmaker on the Bruins’ top line last season with right wing Jarome Iginla and left wing Milan Lucic....

Bryant made his MLB debut Friday against the Padres to a standing ovation from the crowd at Wrigley Field. “I really can’t put into words how good of a feeling this is,” Bryant told reporters before the game. “The journey is just starting. This isn’t where I want to end. I want to win a lot of games and win for the Cubs. This is a good starting point.”...

MORE: 2016-17 NBA Awards predictions Ledlow did not provide details of the incident, though Atlanta police corroborated her announcement. According to police (via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution), a group of men got out of a silver sedan and approached her after she pulled into her apartment complex. After holding her at gunpoint, one of the men took her red 2016 Corvette, which was later located using GPS tracking 25 minutes later....

After taking over in January the Frenchman guided Madrid to Champions League glory in 2015-16, but has endured a somewhat indifferent start to this season. Madrid has failed to win any of its past four outings in all competitions, but Kroos is adamant Zidane does not deserve to be criticized for the recent slump. “I have to admit that I do not read the newspapers very often and I do not know how people have criticized Zidane,” Kroos, who signed a new six-year contract at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, said at a news conference....