Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points and the New York Knicks beat reigning NBA champion Miami 104-84 on Friday in the first major sports event in New York since killer superstorm Sandy struck.

A packed house in famed Madison Square Garden cheered the Knicks in their season opener against the Heat. The Knicks had been scheduled to play Thursday at Brooklyn but that game was canceled due to storm damage.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes there is plenty to come from Steven Gerrard as he prepares to make his 600th appearance for the club, against Newcastle at Anfield on Sunday.

Gerrard, 32, is rated as one of Liverpool's greatest players but despite winning the Champions League with the Merseysiders in 2005, he has never enjoyed a domestic title triumph.

Organizers, police and even athletes called Friday's cancellation of the New York Marathon the correct decision in the wake of the devastation caused by killer superstorm Sandy.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg axed what would have been the 43rd annual race after complaints over the timing and the notion of staging the event on Sunday while many people in the area remain without electricity or shelter.

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi announced Friday the birth of his first child, Thiago, although the club say he will still play on Saturday,

Messi's partner, Antonella Roccuzzo, delivered their son at the Dexeus hospital about 700 meters (less than half a mile) from Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium.

Lucie Safarova of holders Czech Republic will take on Serbia's Ana Ivanovic in the first singles rubber of the Fed Cup final here on Saturday, after Friday's draw.

Safarova, the world number 17 and Czech number two, will face world number 12 Ivanovic, who is Serbia's number one, in Prague's O2 Arena from 1230 GMT on Saturday.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini insisted Friday he was comfortable with personnel changes that appear to have undermined his position with the Premier League champions.

The Italian saw Spaniard Txiki Begiristain appointed as director of football by City this week, strengthening a Barcelona connection which began when they made Ferran Soriano their chief executive.

Asian American star Jeremy Lin was a winner in his NBA debut with the Houston Rockets, but it was fellow newcomer James Harden who lifted the squad in a 105-96 triumph on Wednesday at Detroit.

The Rockets obtained Harden Saturday in a deal with Oklahoma City and signed a five-year contract extension worth a reported $80 million with Houston only hours before he took the court with his new teammates.

Former Republic of Ireland coach Mick McCarthy has been appointed as manager of struggling second-tier English Championship side Ipswich Town, the club said on Thursday.

The 53-year-old has signed a contract to keep him at Portman Road until 2015. Terry Connor, with whom he worked at Wolverhampton Wanderers, will be his assistant manager.

LeBron James received his long-awaited NBA championship ring on Tuesday, then he and the Miami Heat launched their bid for another with a season-opening 120-107 victory over the Boston Celtics.

While the Heat were busy signaling their intentions of maintaining their supremacy, the revamped Los Angeles Lakers failed to fire in a 99-91 loss to the injury-depleted Dallas Mavericks.

Arsenal mounted an incredible comeback from 4-0 down to win 7-5 after extra time at Reading in a truly extraordinary League Cup fourth-round tie at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday.

Theo Walcott was the hero, claiming a 95th-minute equalizer to force extra time and then slamming home the decisive goal in the last minute of the extra period to complete 120 unforgettable minutes of football.