Chris Paul wants the Phoenix Suns to "keep this train moving" after they ended a five-match losing streak by beating the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Suns stopped the rot on their travels on Thursday, seeing off the depleted Clippers 111-95.

Los Angeles were without Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Norman Powell, Reggie Jackson and Ivica Zubac as they were beaten in their own backyard.

Mikal Bridges scored 27 points, while Paul weighed in with 15 and also provided 13 assists in a win that moved them to 17-12.

Phoenix sit fourth in the Western Conference and point guard Paul is eager to get on a roll.

"I'm happy we finally got a win out of this road trip, and we're going to try to keep this train moving," he said.

Suns coach Monty Williams praised Bridges for the manner in which he responded to an off day against the Houston Rockets.

"He's a prideful player," Williams said. "He needed a forklift to get his lip off the ground the other night, he was so down about his performance.

"When he's shooting the ball like (tonight), we're a pretty good team."

The Clippers are 17-14 and occupy eighth spot in the Western Conference.

Tyler Herro was not thinking about earning a share of franchise history after another sensational display in the Miami Heat's 111-108 victory over the Houston Rockets.

A day after draining nine three-pointers against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Herro went one better against the Rockets on Thursday.

In doing so, Herro became just the fourth Heat player to land 10 threes in a game, the last to do so being Duncan Robinson in 2019.

Herro is only the third player to shoot at least nine threes in consecutive games, alongside Steph Curry and James Harden, and is the first to do it on back-to-back days.

"I didn't know it was the record until last night when I hit nine, and they said I was one short," Herro said. 

"I didn't have any intention of coming in to tie the record, but I was just trying to get threes up. I think shooting more threes is helping."

Herro's tally of 41 was a career high, with 25 of those coming in the first half.

Aged 22 years and 329 days, Herro surpasses Dwayne Wade as the youngest Heat player to put up a 40-point game, while he is the first Miami star since LeBron James in 2014 to have at least 35 in consecutive outings.

Asked about Herro's threes heroics, head coach Erik Spoelstra said: "The last couple of games, that's been really the scheme against him. That's been open. 

"But regardless, he's too good of a shooter for us to not take threes off the catch. He has to continue to be assertive in those opportunities. 

"He's just a brilliant shooter. He can do it off the dribble and off the catch."

The Heat have won three straight games and sit eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 15-15 record.

Kyle Shanahan called the performance of rookie quarterback Brock Purdy "unbelievable" after he fought through injury to help the San Francisco 49ers clinch the NFC West title in Thursday's 21-13 win against the Seattle Seahawks.

Purdy, who was the very last pick of this year's NFL Draft, started his second consecutive game after taking over following the injury to Jimmy Garoppolo.

For the second game in a row, Purdy did not commit a single turnover, finishing with 17 completions from 26 attempts for 217 yards and two touchdowns.

He also helped star tight end George Kittle have his best game of the season, catching four passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns, after entering the contest with only four touchdowns in 11 games.

With the victory, the 49ers clinched the NFC West and at least one home playoff game, improving their record to 10-4 on the back of a seven-game winning streak.

Purdy was questionable during the week due to oblique and rib injuries, but 49ers head coach Shanahan believes his young quarterback levelled up in the eyes of the locker room as he battled through it.

"It was definitely another level," he said. "It was another level for me, just watching someone do it. 

"The injury he had last week, and for him to be ready to go today – and you could tell in pre-game warmups there were a number of things that were really tough for him. We had a number of plays we weren't going to call today because of where he was at.

"So for him to be able to play, let alone play the way he did… this team had a lot of respect for him before this game, but they have a lot more now."

Shanahan was not finished there with his praise, calling him "the most poised rookie I've ever had".

"From what I hear about him in college, he was very similar, starting as a freshman," he said. "He's been great, he was poised all week even when he was unsure about whether he could go or not.

"I think that was uneasy for him, because he didn't know what to expect until he got in the game.

"Under our circumstances, we didn't have any other options, or choices. We were going to see how long he could last, and we were ready to go with [backup quarterback] Josh [Johnson], but he got comfortable, and got better as the game went on – it was pretty unbelievable."

Purdy himself did his best to deflect a lot of the positive sentiments towards his teammates, particularly injured quarterbacks Garoppolo and Trey Lance.

"It's special and everything, but honestly, I'm just another component," he said. "I'm another piece to this team, in terms of a guy coming in, just doing what [is asked of him]. 

"I'm the quarterback, I have to make decisions. I trust in how the coaches teach me throughout the week, and I just try to get the ball out to the guys on time.

"Honestly, man, I don't think Jimmy and Trey get enough credit for what they've done. I'm just now coming on the scene where these guys have been here, throughout the offseason for Trey, and Jimmy coming in and leading these guys, and winning.

"So, for me to come in, I just want to continue what they got rolling. So a big credit to Jimmy and Trey for what they've done, especially in the quarterback room, for the team, and I'm just trying to do my part in terms of where we're at now in the season."

Kyle Shanahan described Brock Purdy as 'the most poised rookie I've ever had" after he fought through injury to help the San Francisco 49ers clinch the NFC West title in Thursday's 21-13 win against the Seattle Seahawks.

Purdy, who was the last pick of this year's NFL Draft, started his second consecutive game after taking over following the injury to Jimmy Garoppolo.

For the second game in a row, Purdy did not commit a turnover, finishing with 17 completions from 26 attempts for 217 yards and two touchdowns.

He also helped star tight end George Kittle have his best game of the season, catching four passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns, after entering the contest with only four touchdowns in 11 games.

With the victory, the 49ers clinched the NFC West and at least one home playoff game, improving their record to 10-4 on the back of a seven-game winning streak.

Purdy was questionable during the week due to oblique and rib injuries, but 49ers head coach Shanahan believes his young quarterback levelled up in the eyes of the locker room as he battled through it.

"It was definitely another level," he said. "It was another level for me, just watching someone do it. 

"The injury he had last week, and for him to be ready to go today – and you could tell in pre-game warmups there were a number of things that were really tough for him. We had a number of plays we weren't going to call today because of where he was at.

"So for him to be able to play, let alone play the way he did… this team had a lot of respect for him before this game, but they have a lot more now.

“He's definitely the most poised rookie I've ever had. He's been like that since he got here. From what I hear about him in college, he was very similar, starting as a freshman. He's been great, he was poised all week even when he was unsure about whether he could go or not.

"I think that was uneasy for him, because he didn't know what to expect until he got in the game.

"Under our circumstances, we didn't have any other options, or choices. We were going to see how long he could last, and we were ready to go with [backup quarterback] Josh [Johnson], but he got comfortable, and got better as the game went on – it was pretty unbelievable."

Purdy himself did his best to deflect a lot of the positive sentiments towards his team-mates, particularly injured quarterbacks Garoppolo and Trey Lance.

"It's special and everything, but honestly, I'm just another component," he said. "I'm another piece to this team, in terms of a guy coming in, just doing what [is asked of him]. 

"I'm the quarterback, I have to make decisions. I trust in how the coaches teach me throughout the week, and I just try to get the ball out to the guys on time.

"Honestly, man, I don't think Jimmy and Trey get enough credit for what they've done. I'm just now coming on the scene where these guys have been here, throughout the offseason for Trey, and Jimmy coming in and leading these guys, and winning.

"So, for me to come in, I just want to continue what they got rolling. So a big credit to Jimmy and Trey for what they've done, especially in the quarterback room, for the team, and I'm just trying to do my part in terms of where we're at now in the season."

Captain Pat Cummins will make his return for Australia's first Test against South Africa at the Gabba.

The paceman was absent for Australia's series-sealing second-Test win over the West Indies last week, a match that saw Steve Smith stand in as skipper, due to a quad injury.

Cummins is ready to face Dean Elgar's men, though, and will replace Michael Neser in the only change to the XI.

With Josh Hazlewood still out with an ongoing side strain, Cummins will form part of a bowling attack that includes Scott Boland, Mitchell Starc, all-rounder Cameron Green, and spinner Nathan Lyon.

Speaking on Friday, Cummins said about a Gabba pitch that looks favourable for pace bowling: "A couple of the boys said it's similar to what they've seen here in the past. It looks like there's a bit of grass. So, we'll see how it looks tomorrow.

"They'll give it a final cut. It always looks pretty green here a couple of days out, then on the morning of day one it looks a bit different."

The series is the first time South Africa have played Test cricket in Australia since the 2018 ball-tampering scandal, which led to bans for Aussie trio Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

The first Test starts on Saturday, with two more contests scheduled to begin at the MCG and SCG on December 26 and January 4 respectively.

The Miami Heat needed a career night from Tyler Herro on Thursday to avoid becoming the Houston Rockets' third big-name scalp in a row.

Herro scored a game-high and career-high 41 points on 13-of-20 shooting, hitting 10-of-15 from three-point range in the 111-108 victory.

His All-Star teammate Jimmy Butler was terrific in a supporting role, chipping in 20 points (seven-of-13 shooting), 10 rebounds, seven assists, four steals and three blocks.

For the Rockets, who were coming into the game off consecutive wins against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns, Jalen Green top-scored yet again with 22 points (eight-of-21), while Kevin Porter Jr was more efficient on his way to 21 points (10-of-17), five assists and four steals.

The Heat are now on a three-game winning streak to pull their record even at 15-15, and they have a golden opportunity to rise above .500 when they finish their four-game road trip on Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs.

Morant dominates the Bucks

The Memphis Grizzlies led by 46 points after three quarters of their blowout win against the Milwaukee Bucks, allowing the starters to ride the bench down the stretch on the way to a 142-101 final score.

Last year's Most Improved Player, Ja Morant, was at the center of the Grizzlies' success with 25 points (nine-of-21), 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while eight Memphis players reached double-figures.

With the win, the Grizzlies improved their record to 19-9 and now sit alone atop the Western Conference.

Jazz fight off the Pelicans in overtime

The Utah Jazz continue to win at home, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 132-129 to improve their record at Vivint Arena to 11-5 this season.

It is the second game in a row the Jazz have defeated the Pelicans after Tuesday's 121-100 triumph, with Jordan Clarkson proving the hero this time around.

Clarkson scored a season-high 39 points on 15-of-26 shooting, adding eight rebounds and two steals, including the first four points of overtime after Pelicans youngster Trey Murphy III forced the extra period with a three-pointer in the dying seconds of regulation.

The San Francisco 49ers are officially NFC West champions with three games to spare after a 21-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday.

It was another strong start at quarterback for the last pick in this year's NFL Draft, as Brock Purdy remained without a turnover through his first two starts.

Purdy completed 17 of his 26 passes for two touchdowns and no interceptions, leading a touchdown drive in each of the first three quarters.

He was helped out with some terrific performances from his skill-position players, with tight end George Kittle getting on the receiving end of both touchdown passes, finishing with four catches for 93 yards.

Elite running back Christian McCaffrey was at his best as well, handling 26 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown on the ground, while also adding six catches for 30 yards through the air – with five of those catches coming in the first quarter.

The Seahawks scored their only touchdown of the game when Geno Smith connected with Noah Fant on an 11-yard pass with 3:35 remaining to cut the margin to one score, but the 49ers could have added another touchdown of their own in the final seconds, instead deciding to kneel it out from the two-yard line.

With the win, the 49ers improved their record to 10-4, continuing their incredible run of seven consecutive wins after opening the season 3-4.

The New York Yankees have added a key piece to their rotation by agreeing with left-handed free agent Carlos Rodon on a six-year, $162million contract.

The move bolsters the Yankees' starting rotation, which already had Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes and Luis Severino – along with a variety of other depth options.

Rodon, 30, was named an All-Star in each of the past two seasons and played last year for the San Francisco Giants. He opted out of his deal with the Giants – which would have paid him $22.5m in 2023 – and declined the $19.65m qualifying offer a few days later to become a free agent.

Rodon played seven seasons with the Chicago White Sox, the first six of which were marred by inconsistency and injury. Rodon broke out in 2021, his final year on the South Side.

Over the past two seasons with Chicago and San Francisco, Rodon has amassed a 27-13 record with a 2.67 ERA, averaging 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings.

Rodon has a career 3.60 ERA and 56-46 record in 147 starts.

The Yankees are hoping that Rodon can help them improve on a 2022 season that produced a 99-63 record and an American League East title, but ended in the ALCS against the Houston Astros.

With the exception of Rodon, the Yankees plan on fielding largely the same team that fell just short of the World Series last season, with most of this offseason’s attention going toward retaining AL MVP and home run champion Aaron Judge for nine years and $360m.

Clint Capela will miss one to two weeks after an MRI on Thursday revealed the Atlanta Hawks center had suffered a strained right calf in Wednesday's loss to the Orlando Magic.

Capela, 28, is currently third in the NBA for rebounds per game (12.0), and his 63.3 per cent field goal percentage is the seventh-highest mark in the league.

His injury adds to a troubling list for the Hawks, who have been without starting forward John Collins for the past seven games as he deals with an ankle injury, while starting guard Dejounte Murray has missed a week of action with his own ankle injury.

Franchise centerpiece Trae Young was also absent for Monday's loss against the Memphis Grizzlies due to lower-back tightness, but returned to the lineup for Wednesday's loss.

With Capela and Collins still out, it will be a real opportunity for former top-10 draft pick Onyeka Okongwu to play starter's minutes.

Okongwu, 22, is averaging 21 minutes per game and has only made three starts from his 28 appearances this season, but he boasts per-36 minute figures of 14.0 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.

The Boston Celtics will welcome back their defensive anchor on Friday when Robert Williams III makes his season debut against the Orlando Magic.

Williams, 25, is coming off a breakout campaign where he started all 61 of his appearances, averaging the fourth-most blocks in the league at 2.2 per game.

With Williams protecting the rim, the Celtics emerged as the best defense in the NBA, conceding just 106.2 points per 100 possessions, although that number rose to 109.8 in the 21 games he missed.

For his stellar play, Williams was awarded a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, but he is yet to suit up this season as he recovers from offseason surgery on his left knee, having played through a torn meniscus in the playoffs.

His return will be a welcome addition for the Celtics, who have seen their defense fall to the eighth-ranked unit in the league in his absence, but have remained the best team in the NBA – based on both record (22-7) and net-rating (plus 7.0) – due to their top-ranked offense.

Without Williams, the Celtics have leaned into their three-point shooting. They are tied for the league-lead with 16.3 made three-pointers per game, so it remains to be seen how new head coach Joe Mazzulla will incorporate a non-shooter like Williams into his system and what effect he will have on the offense.

Croatia forward Andrej Kramaric has dismissed the idea Saturday's third-place playoff with Morocco is an empty contest, suggesting the winner will become "immortal".

The two teams will meet at Khalifa International Stadium following their respective semi-final defeats to Argentina and France.

For Zlatko Dalic's side, they fell short of a second successive final, having been beaten by Les Bleus at Russia 2018, while Walid Regragui's men saw their underdog story come up short of the showpiece game as well.

But Kramaric says there will be no short-changing their bronze-medal match despite their heartbreak, arguing the winner stakes a place in history and becomes entrenched in sporting folklore.

"I think if you ask this question to Moroccan players, I don't think they will look that way," he said

"They're fighting for their lives because if you win a medal at a World Cup you become an immortal hero in your country. That's the same thing we are going to do.

"Eight of us from [the tournament in] Russia understand that feeling of winning a medal at the World Cup.

"We have a lot of players who haven't experienced that and would love to do that because it's something that will stay with you for the rest of their life."

Croatia – whose prior best performance in a World Cup had been third at France 1998 before Russia – are looking to claim a third tournament medal in their history.

For Morocco, regardless of their result, they will already go down as the greatest World Cup side in African history, having become the first from the continent to make the semi-finals.

Los Angeles Clippers All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will both sit out Thursday's highly anticipated home game against the Phoenix Suns on the second night of a back-to-back.

The duo, who have a combined 11 All-NBA selections, both played in Wednesday's 99-88 home win against the Minnesota Timberwolves in a game where George posted his first triple-double in a Clippers uniform.

Leonard is yet to play in both legs of a back-to-back since returning from his long-term ACL injury, while George has played in all six games – including a back-to-back – since returning from his brief absence with a hamstring strain.

As a team, the Clippers sit sixth in the Western Conference with a 17-13 record, but they are 14-8 in games George is playing in, and an even more impressive 8-2 in games Leonard suits up for.

They will face a Suns team dealing with their own absences as starting center Deandre Ayton and backup point guard Cameron Payne are both out with injuries, as well as starting wing Cam Johnson, who has not played since November 4.

The Suns, at 16-12, are one spot ahead of the Clippers in the fifth seed, but are on a five-game losing streak after what was a promising 15-6 start to the campaign.

After this game, the Clippers should have their star tandem back for home games against the Washington Wizards on Saturday and the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, before embarking on a five-game road trip.

Teenager Rehan Ahmed is in line to become England's youngest men's Test debutant as the tourists prepare for their third and final red-ball clash with Pakistan.

The 18-year-old, who was added to the senior squad after impressing in an Abu Dhabi camp ahead of the team flying out, was passed over for the first two matches.

With Liam Livingstone having suffered a tour-ending injury in the opener, however, Ahmed is the only recognised wrist-spinner England have ahead of their last match in Karachi.

Having favoured the additional slow options of Joe Root and Will Jacks on flat pitches so far, captain Ben Stokes has revealed Ahmed could well figure as the tourists look to complete a clean sweep. 

"We've been thinking about it," he said. "We can't go into too much detail until me and Baz [head coach Brendon McCullum] have had a look at the wicket.

"When we spoke about having Rehan into the squad, it was more than just bringing him in and integrating him into the squad. We did speak about us having no issues with selecting him if we felt it was the right option.

"I don't think this is a case of, if he was to play, of giving caps away. We picked him in the squad not just because of his talent, but because we thought it would be a good opportunity to play if we thought it was necessary."

Ahmed was not originally in the squad named for the tour, but a maiden cap would round out a breakthrough year that saw him impress in the Under-19 World Cup and earn a spot with Southern Brave in the Hundred.

"Having a wrist-spinner is always exciting, especially for England," Stokes added.

"But [we are] not getting too carried away with the potential that he has, because he is only young, and you've still got to nurture talent, even how exciting it is."

If Ahmed were to play, he would be 18 years and 126 days - surpassing legendary captain Brian Close who was 18 years and 149 days when making his debut in 1949.

The youngest ever England Test debutant was Holly Colvin, who was 15 years and 336 days when playing for England women against Australia in 2005.