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RIO DE JANEIRO -- When he wakes up in the morning, Kyrie Irving first looks at the scar stretching across his left knee, an enduring symbol of his journey over the past year.Its been quite a climb.Its crazy to see how its worked out, he said.At this time last summer, Irving, the U.S. Olympic teams ankle-breaking point guard -- and kid brother to his doting teammates -- was at a personal low point.Playing in his first NBA Finals in 2015, Irving shattered his kneecap while banging into Golden States Klay Thompson in Game 1. The freakish injury not only cost the Cleveland Cavaliers a possible championship, but brought more criticism to Irving, who played in just 11 games in college because of a foot injury and has battled assorted maladies during his career.He had been knocked down before, never like this. Bedridden at first, he graduated to crutches and endured grueling hours of rehab.Once he started running again, he never stopped.Irving returned from the injury and, along with LeBron James, led the Cavs to a historic comeback championship -- Clevelands first since 1964 -- this season. And as if lifted from a Hollywood screen play, Irvings game-winning 3-pointer in Game 7 came from just a few feet from where his knee buckled the previous June.Just 24 and maybe only beginning to tap into his potential as a player, Irving is now on the verge of pulling off a rare doubleheader -- an NBA and Olympic title in the same year.It would be great, he said Tuesday following practice. I just want to get it done.It wont be easy. Nothing has been in the Rio Games for the U.S. team, which escaped three close calls while going 5-0 during pool play. The Americans, seeking their third straight gold medal, will face another tough test in Wednesdays quarterfinals against Argentina, the last team to beat them in Olympic competition and an experienced group featuring future Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili and a handful of current and former NBA players.In his first Olympics, Irving knows the stars and stripes on their jerseys are also bullseyes.All the pressure is on us every single time we take the floor, which I happily accept, said Irving, who tied a U.S. record with 12 assists in a win over France. You gotta respect those guys. They make great offensive plays as well as defensively. You gotta be well prepared.Irving has learned there are no shortcuts to greatness.Following his injury, Irving received support from family and friends. However, he realized that if he was going to make it back and be better than ever, there was only one person who could lift him.I just had to figure it out on my own, he said. I was going to be the only one who was going to get myself out of that funk. I just had to climb out of it. It really took a lot of pride, a lot of anger, built-up rage that I just had to let go. I just had to attack my rehab and attack the little things that were going to make the biggest difference when I came back.Irving has been re-united on Team USA with coach Mike Krzyzewski, who recruited him to Duke but only had him on the floor for a fraction of his freshman season. When Irving considered going pro, it was Coach K who encouraged him to take the leap.Theyve remained close and Irving has had to accept his coachs praise and wrath.I dont think we would be able to speak genuinely about each other if we didnt have a genuine relationship, Irving said. Im very fortunate to have a mentor like that and have a guy like that in my corner.His teammates have Irvings back as well.Stars in their own right, theyve watched him mature during his short stint on the national team. They also appreciate the work and sacrifice that went into his recovery.That just shows how relentless he is, U.S. center DeAndre Jordan said. Hes a warrior. I have so much respect for Kyrie. A lot of guys could feel sorry for themselves, but that wasnt him. He came back with a vengeance, had a hell of a season, led his team to an NBA Finals and ultimately to a championship.I have a lot of respect for that guy as a leader.While the past year has been richly rewarding and satisfying for Irving, theres unfinished business.Im glad, but its not over yet, he said. I still have one more thing to do and thats get a gold medal with this great team.Julian Draxler Germany Jersey . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Leon Goretzka Germany Jersey . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. http://www.germanysoccerpro.com/Marvin-Plattenhardt-Germany-Jersey/ . Ronaldo produced a spectacular individual performance on Tuesday, scoring all three goals and guiding Portugal into the next years World Cup in Brazil with a 3-2 victory in Sweden. The Real Madrid forward has scored 66 goals in 2013, but the last three may be the boost he needs to upstage Messi after FIFA unexpectedly extended the voting period for the Ballon dOr to Nov. Timo Werner Germany Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Kevin Trapp Jersey . It was Kerbers third final of the year after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Monterrey in April and to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in Tokyo two weeks ago. The 10th-ranked German improved her record in finals to 3-5. PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Nothing was dull about the way Jason Dufner played golf Friday at the PGA Championship. If anything, it was historic. Dufner holed out from the fairway for eagle, rolled in a putt across the green for par and kept making birdies until he stood 12 feet away from a shot at the lowest score in the 153 years of championship golf. One last birdie attempt didnt even get to the hole, and Dufner had to settle for a record-tying round of 7-under 63. "Probably the worst putt I hit of the day, which is a little disappointing," Dufner said. "But all in all, its a 63, and name on top of the leaderboard. So thats a great position to be playing from." It was the third time in the last seven years at the PGA Championship that a player had a putt at becoming the first player to shoot 62 in a major. Tiger Woods circled the hole at Southern Hills in 2007. Steve Stricker narrowly missed at Atlanta Athletic Club two years ago. Dufner didnt feel disappointed for long. On a rain-softened Oak Hill, where pelt-sized divots were flying and birdies were falling, Dufner surged to a two-shot lead over Masters champion Adam Scott, Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar. At 9-under 131, Dufner tied the 36-hole record at the PGA Championship he now shares with six other players. Dufner was alone at the top, and in the company of some big names in history. His 63 broke the course record at Oak Hill held by Ben Hogan, Curtis Strange and Webb Simpson, who shot 64 about five hours earlier. Dufner became the 24th player to shoot 63 in a major -- Greg Norman and Vijay Singh, both in the Hall of Fame, did it twice. And through it all, he barely cracked a smile. "Hes very calm," said Stricker, who played alongside Dufner. "Im sure he was churning on the inside. He just told me while we were signing our cards, he was like, This is a lot for a Friday." The possibilities were endless on a day that began with three hours of a steady rain until the sun broke through and took all the bite out of Oak Hill. Simpson also had a chance at 63 until he made a bogey on the 16th hole of his round. U.S. Open champion Justin Rose shot 29 on the front nine to get back into contention. When the second round finally ended, 27 players remained under par -- this on a course that is stubborn when it comes to par. In five previous majors at Oak Hill, only nine players have finished the tournament in red numbers. Jack Nicklaus did it twice. David Hearn is the only Canadian remaining in the field. The Brantford, Ont., native sits tied for 50th place, 11 shots back of the lead. The cut was at 143, the lowest at the PGA Championship since 2001 at Atlanta Athletic Club. For all the low scores, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were left behind. Woods couldnt get anything going, exchanging birdies with bogeys during a poor putting round that led to an even-par 70. He was at 1-over 141 and 10 shots back going into the weekend. Woods went to the range with his swing coach, trying to find answers. He has only one score in the 60s in 14 rounds at the maajors this year.dddddddddddd "Obviously, Im going to have to put together a really good weekend," Woods said. "This golf course is pretty soft. Its definitely gettable. Got to hit the ball in play and keep the ball near the hole so I can be aggressive with my putts." Mickelsons swing apparently went missing in the three weeks since he won the British Open. He was all over Oak Hill and still managed a 34 on the back nine until his wild shots caught up with him. Another 71 left him 11 shots out of the lead. Dufner was in prime position to win the PGA Championship two years ago when he had a four-shot lead with four holes to play, only to be tracked down by Keegan Bradley and then beaten in a playoff. Dufner said that day he would only be disappointed "if I never get another chance." And here he is, in record fashion. Dufners popularity has grown the last two years because of his zombie state. He was responsible for the craze known as "Dufnering" in April when someone took a photo of him slumped against a classroom wall, eyes in a daze, during a charity event at an elementary school as the teacher taught children how to relax and concentrate. But there were nerves, no doubt, and Dufner showed them at the very end. A 6-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole put him at 7 under for the round, and his 15-foot birdie putt on the next hole grazed the cup. He followed with two flawless swings on the tough 18th hole, which had yielded only four birdies at that point. That left him about 12 feet below the hole. And he left it short by about 18 inches. There even was a nervous moment on the tap-in, when the ball came off the putter weakly and dove in the right corner of the cup. "Its tough when youre chasing history," Dufner said. "You will be the first one to do something. I dont think Ive been the first to do anything in my life. So it was a little nerve-racking for a Friday. Its usually the pressure you might feel toward the end of the tournament." That part is still to come. Low scores were available to anyone. Even after Dufner finished his round, K.J. Choi had an 18-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole to reach 7 under. It narrowly missed, and Choi made bogey on the next hole to end that threat. Scott is swinging the club beautifully, and his only flaw Friday was not holing enough birdie chances when the rain stopped. Even so, he was in the hunt on the weekend for the fourth time in the last six majors. He will be in the final group with Dufner on Saturday. Henrik Stenson, a runner-up at Muirfield, had a 66 and joined Rose at 6-under 134, only three shots behind. Stricker and Robert Garrigus were another shot behind. Dufner is a student of golf history and was thrilled to part of it. But while that 63 put him in the record book, it doesnt guarantee the trophy. Of the 25 previous times that someone shot 63 in a major, only five players went on to win -- Nicklaus and Johnny Miller in the U.S. Open, Norman in the British Open, and Woods and Raymond Floyd in the PGA Championship. Now thats some elite company. ' ' '