Los Angeles - After years of frustration, Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets are celebrating a Rocky Mountain High.

Anthony scored a career-playoff high 34 points, J. R. Smith added 20 and the Nuggets rocked the New Orleans Hornets 107-86 at home on Wednesday to wrap up their Western Conference opening-round playoff series in five games.

Denver had lost five consecutive first-round series before advancing for the first time since 1994.

Abu Dhabi (UAE), Apr. 30 : Australian fast bowler Brett Lee, who has 310 wickets at 30.81 from 76 Tests and an equal number of wickets in one-day internationals, is hoping to convince selectors of his fitness ahead of the selection of touring parties for both the World Twenty20 and the Ashes.

After this series, he will fly back to South Africa for the final week of the Indian Premier League, where he has been training with the Kings XI Punjab.

London, Apr 30 : World 100 and 200-metre record holder Usain Bolt has been admitted to hospital, following a motor car accident along the Vineyard Toll section of Highway 2000 in Jamaica.

Bolt's car had been travelling into Kingston from Clarendon when the accident occurred. The road was slippery from afternoon showers.

Bolt and a female passenger were taken to a hospital in Spanish Town, near Kingston, where the Jamaican sprinter was treated before being sent home.

Rio de Janeiro - Former FIFA president Joao Havelange on Wednesday asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to choose Rio de Janeiro as the host city of the 2016 Olympics.

"At my age, unfortunately, I no longer have ambitions in sport. But I do have one wish, which is to offer Brazil and South America the organization of the Olympic and Paralympic Games," said Havelange, one of the most important sports personalities in Brazil.

Havelange, 92, made his speech in French before members of an IOC evaluating commission currently visiting Rio.

IOC inspectors led by Moroccan former athlete Nawal El Moutawakel on Wednesday held closed-door consultations with Brazilian authorities to hear about Rio's plans for the 2016 Games.

Bremen, Germany - Werder Bremen have held talks with Italian Serie A giants Juventus over their Brazilian playmaker, Bremen sports director Klaus Allofs has confirmed.

Allofs told Wednesday's local Kreiszeitung Syke newspaper that there had been discussions by phone with Juventus but "no negotiations."

"When a club has an interest (in a player) it's normal that you telephone each other," he was quoted as saying.

Hamburg - German referee Wolfgang Stark Wednesday defended his performance in Tuesday's Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Chelsea after coming in for criticism from the Spanish side.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola criticised Stark for some of his decisions, saying the referee should have sent off fellow German Michael Ballack for a foul which he claimed warranted a second yellow card.