The San Antonio Spurs used a harassing, double-team defence to fluster LeBron James and crush the Cleveland Cavaliers 85-76 in the opening game of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

James averaged 26 points in the play-offs but scored only 14 on four-of-16 shooting from the floor.

Appearing in his first NBA finals, James looked uncomfortable with the pressure defence and either launched an ill-advised shot or attempted to offload the ball to a team-mate.

Game Two in the best-of-seven series is tomorrow in San Antonio.

Snooker - Pakistan investigates player

A Pakistani high court has ordered an inquiry into the nationality of snooker player Saleh Mohammad, who has played for Pakistan for the past 12 years but who represented Afghanistan at the last Asian Games.

Saleh, born to Afghan parents in Pakistan, said he had made a mistake by playing for Afghanistan in Doha in December.

"I didn't know it would affect my life so badly. But I just couldn't refuse a request from the Afghan Olympic Council while I was visiting that country," said Saleh, due to represent Pakistan at the Asian championship in Karachi from Monday.

Weightlifting - China team do the job

When the musclemen of China's weightlifting team moved the short distance to their new training centre in Beijing yesterday, officials decided to dispense with a removal firm.

Instead, each weightlifter was given a handcart and ordered to carry a set of barbells to the new 2,000 square metre complex, where they will prepare for next year's Beijing Olympics.

While the 360kg weight of each load was not a problem for the biggest among them, the lighter lifters struggled on a sweltering Beijing day.