BASKETBALL

NBA AWARDS 2008 ALL-STAR GAME TO NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans will host the 2008 NBA All-Star Game, the league announced yesterday, providing a boost to a beleaguered city still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

“The award of NBA All-Star 2008 is our vote of confidence in the progress that is being made in the reopening and rebuilding of New Orleans’s tourism infrastructure,” commissioner David Stern said in a statement. “New Orleans will become the basketball capital of the world in February 2008, and demonstrate to a global audience that New Orleans is very much open for business.”

The New Orleans Hornets played their home games in Oklahoma City this season because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.The team returned to New Orleans to play three games, selling out two of them.The Hornets are scheduled to play 35 games in Oklahoma City next season and six in New Orleans.

HOCKEY

LIGHTNING INK RICHARDS TO FIVE-YEAR DEAL

The Tampa Bay Lightning began what figures to be an off-season of change by ensuring their future includes Brad Richards.The 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs MVP signed a new five-year, $39 million contract instead of opting to become a restricted free agent on July 1. The 26-year-old center is the Lightning’s career assists leader with 261. He had 23 goals and 91 points in helping the defending Stanley Cup champions reach the playoffs again this year.

KINGS HIRE CRAWFORD AS NEW COACH

The Los Angeles Kings hired Marc Crawford as their new coach yesterday. Crawford replaces John Torchetti, who coached the final 12 games after Andy Murray was fired.

Terms of Crawford’s multiyear deal weren’t disclosed. He has a regular-season record of 411-285-127 in 12 seasons in the NHL, and a 43-40 playoff mark.The 46-year-old Crawford, who guided Colorado to the 1996 Stanley Cup championship, spent the last seven seasons as coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

– Associated Press