Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving each scored 33 points to send the Dallas Mavericks a win away from reaching the NBA Finals with Sunday's 116-107 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
WIth its star guard tandem leading the way, the fifth-seeded Mavericks dominated the game's final five minutes to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Dallas can eliminate the third-seeded Timberwolves and earn its first trip to the Finals since 2011 when it hosts Game 4 on Tuesday.
No team in NBA history has come back to win a best-of-seven play-off series after losing the first three games.
That's the challenge now facing Minnesota, which clung to a 104-102 lead with five minutes left before the Mavericks seized control for good with a 14-1 run.
Anthony Edwards finished with 26 points for the Timberwolves, but just four of those came in the pivotal fourth quarter. Minnesota's other All-Star, Karl-Anthony Towns, was held scoreless in the final period after recording 14 points over the first three quarters.
Irving had 14 fourth-quarter points and six during the deciding spurt, which he began with a driving layup that tied the game at 104-104 with 4:35 left. P.J. Washington then sent Dallas ahead by knocking down a 3-pointer on its next possession, and the Mavericks held Minnesota without a field goal until Edwards scored the game's final points on a layup with 15.3 seconds left.
Dallas built a lead as large as 12 points in the first half and went into the break with a 60-52 advantage behind Doncic's 15 points and 14 from Irving. The Mavericks were up by 10 near the midway stage of the third quarter before Minnesota reversed momentum with an 13-1 run.
Edwards had eight straight points during the flurry, along with an assist on Naz Reid's layup that gave the Timberwolves a 79-77 edge with 3:54 left in the third.
Three-point shooting also played a part in Dallas' victory, as the Mavs finished 14 of 28 from beyond the arc. The Timberwolves were 9 of 30 from 3-point range, with Towns missing all eight of his attempts.
The Atlanta Braves announced that star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. will miss the remainder of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Sunday's win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Acuna, the 2023 National League MVP, was injured attempting to steal third base in the first inning of Atlanta's 8-1 victory. Though he was able to walk off the field under his own power and the Braves initially termed the injury as left knee soreness, subsequent tests revealed a complete tear of the ACL that will require surgery at a yet-to-determined date.
The four-time All-Star previously tore the ACL in his right knee on July 20, 2021 and missed the remainder of that season, as well as the Braves' first 19 games of the 2022 season.
“I saw the catcher throwing the ball back to the pitcher very slow,” Acuña told reporters afterward. “I was timing that so I could steal third. But in that moment, he threw it hard. So I had to come back, and that’s when I felt (his knee buckle).
Acuna unanimously won the NL's MVP award with a monster 2023 campaign in which he became the first player in Major League Baseball history to record 40 home runs and 60 stolen bases in a season. The 26-year-old led the majors in stolen bases (73) and runs scored (149), ranked second with a .337 batting average, and produced 41 homers and 106 RBIs in 159 games.
Though Acuna's numbers were down so far in 2024, he still entered Sunday's game tied for fourth in the majors with 16 stolen bases. The 2018 NL Rookie of the Year was hitting .250 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 49 games at the time of the injury.
Atlanta, which has won the last six NL East titles, is already dealing with another season-ending injury to a top player with ace pitcher Spencer Strider undergoing surgery in April to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
The Braves are currently six games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies in the division standings.
Alex Wennberg scored 5:35 into overtime to give the New York Rangers a 2-1 series lead on the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final with a thrilling 5-4 win on Sunday.
Wennberg deflected a shot from teammate Ryan Lindgren past Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky to move the President's Trophy-winning Rangers within two victories of the Stanley Cup Final, despite the Panthers recording a 37-23 shot advantage for the game.
New York was able to get another standout performance from Igor Shesterskin, however, as well as two goals each from Alexis Lafreniere and Game 2 hero Barclay Goodrow. Shesterskin made 33 saves to outplay Russian counterpart Bobrovsky, who stopped just 18 of 23 shots.
Sam Reinhart had a pair of power-play goals for the Atlantic Division-champion Panthers, who trailed 4-2 after two periods before forcing overtime on goals by Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling in the third.
Florida will attempt to even the series when it hosts Game 4 on Tuesday.
The Rangers registered the two lone goals of the second period - a highlight-reel score from Lafreniere and a short-handed tally by Goodrow - to snap a 2-2 tie, but the Panthers roared back with a dominant third period in which they outshot New York by a 13-4 margin.
Barkov tipped in a shot from Carter Verhaeghe 5:04 into the period to get Florida within 4-3. Less than two minutes later, Forsling skated in untouched before ripping a shot by Shesterskin to tie the contest.
After the series opened with a pair of low-scoring games, each team scored twice during the first period Reinhart began by depositing a backhand into the Rangers' net with Florida on a power play 2:50 in.
Lafreniere and Goodrow scored 25 seconds apart to send the Rangers ahead with under eight minutes elapsed, but Reinhart knocked in another backhander with the Panthers on the power play to forge a 2-2 tie with 5:14 left in the period.
New York regained the lead when Lafreniere split two Florida defenders before slipping a shot under Bobrovsky's pad with 4:37 left in the second. The Panthers had a golden chance to pull even soon afterward, though, when Rangers' defenseman Jacob Trouba was called for a double-minor penalty 2:25 before the second intermission.
Florida failed to control the puck on the ensuing power play, however, and Vincent Trocheck fed Goodrow - who scored the game-winner in New York's 2-1 overtime victory in Game 2 - for a one-timer that extended the lead to 4-2.
West Indies completed a perfect 3-0 T20I series with an eight-wicket victory over South Africa on Sunday to boost morale ahead of the approaching World Cup.
Brandon King’s side had already secured an unassailable lead after a 16-run victory in Kingston on Saturday but ensured they finished on a high in their final game.
South Africa were limited to just 163 runs, with Rassie van der Dussen contributing 51 off 31 balls, as they struggled against an inspired bowling performance led by Obed McCoy (3-39) and Gudakesh Motie (2-21).
With the ball, South Africa could not limit West Indies’ threat as Johnson Charles plundered a quick 69 off 26, while captain Brandon King added 44.
Kyle Mayers’ 36 not out saw West Indies over the line with a little help from Alick Athanaze to reach 165-2 with 37 balls remaining.
Data Debrief: Clean sweep
Charles hit West Indies' third-fastest T20 fifty, reaching his half-century after just 20 balls - in total, he hit nine fours and three boundaries before being caught.
Having won only one of their previous four men's T20Is against South Africa at home (L3) prior to this series, West Indies have now won each of the last three.
Max Verstappen reflected on a "really boring" Monaco Grand Prix during a "weekend to forget" for Red Bull.
The world number one failed to improve on his sixth-place start, after struggling to catch George Russell as he failed to finish on the podium for just the second time this season.
Verstappen fared better than team-mate Sergio Perez though, as the Mexican was involved in a huge crash just seconds into the race, forcing him out of it after an already poor qualifying.
Despite being underwhelmed by their performance in Monaco, Verstappen said there were still positives to take from it.
After the race, he said: "This has been a really tricky challenging weekend with a lot of damage [to Perez's car]. Probably a weekend to forget, but also one to learn a lot from.
"The only positive to come out of this weekend is that we understand what our big weakness is and that's what we really have to work on. I think if we can solve that and make it decent, we can gain a lot of lap time and we need to do that.
"We finished where we started. The strategy got ruined with the red flag, so we had to back it up on the medium [tyre]. From lap one on the restart, it was driving four seconds off the pace. Just really, really boring.
"Naturally we will [see more excitement in Canada]. It still won't be the easiest weekend because of the curbing - our cars aren't very good at that. They've resurfaced the track though, so that might bring something unexpected.
Barcelona ended the season with a 2-1 victory at Sevilla in LaLiga on Sunday, making departing coach Xavi's farewell bittersweet after a trophy-less season.
La Blaugrana came out all guns blazing from the start and took the lead in the 15th minute through Robert Lewandowski who scored from close range after latching onto Joao Cancelo's cross.
Sevilla levelled with Youssef En-Nesyri's strike in the 31st minute and went close again but failed to beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen before Barca got the winner on the hour through Fermin Lopez.
Barca were already guaranteed second place going into Xavi's final game. The Spaniard was sacked on Friday, after a disappointing campaign in which they lost the Spanish Supercopa final to Real Madrid and were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-final.
Data Debrief: A legend departs
Xavi never lost any of his six games as a manager against Sevilla in LaLiga (W5 D1), making them just the third opponent that he faced six times without defeat (also W5 D1 against Real Mallorca and Osasuna).
Fermin got the all-important goal to ensure Xavi's tenure ended on a high note. He has scored seven goals in LaLiga in 2024, a record surpassed by only one other Spanish player in Europe's top five leagues this year: Iago Aspas (eight).
Andy Murray bowed out in the opening round of what is likely to be his final French Open appearance, following a straight-sets defeat by Stan Wawrinka.
The Swiss ran out a commanding 6-4 6-4 6-2 victor in two hours and 19 minutes on Court Philippe-Chatrier, and could play Murray's compatriot Cameron Norrie in round two.
Murray was facing Wawrinka for a third successive match at Roland Garros, having lost out to the latter in the 2020 first round and 2017 semi-finals.
The 2015 champion stole an early advantage this time around, too, breaking in the opening game and subsequently holding to win the first set.
A single break was also enough in the second set as Wawrinka doubled his lead.
Murray has repeatedly said he is approaching the end of his career, revealing in February that he does not "plan on playing much past this summer".
However, the 2016 runner-up's chances of extending what is potentially his French Open swansong were all but ended as Wawrinka broke twice in the third set for a 4-0 lead, before the 39-year-old rounded off a dominant win.
Data Debrief
Wawrinka (39) and Murray (37) locked horns in the second-oldest match-up at Roland Garros this century, behind the 2019 first-round showdown between Ivo Karlovic (40) and Feliciano Lopez (37).
And the Swiss was not to be denied, as he became the oldest man to win a match at the French Open since compatriot Roger Federer three years ago.
Champions Inter end their Serie A season with a 2-2 draw against Verona thanks to a Marko Arnautovic double.
The Austrian opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a neat finish, but Inter were soon pegged back as Tijjani Noslin equalised six minutes later.
The Dutchman then set up Tomas Suslov for their second to turn the game on its head, but another smart finish from Arnautovic on the stroke of half-time ensured they would salvage a point.
Simone Perilli proved the hero for Verona in the end, pulling off a string of fine saves to keep his side level.
Data Debrief: Landmark for Inzaghi
Simone Inzaghi has now earned 250 points as a coach in Serie A with Inter, an achievement only Roberto Mancini has reached so far with the Nerazzurri in the three-points-per-win era (436). This draw takes him up to the landmark after 77 wins and 19 draws (18 losses).
After winning the Scudetto with five games to go, Inzaghi has led Inter to 94 points in Serie A, with only three teams ever earning more points in a single campaign in the competition in the three-points-per-win era: Inter in 2006-07 (97) and Juventus in 2013-14 (102) and 2017-18 (95).
Naomi Osaka admits it would be "a very big honour" to play Iga Swiatek at the French Open, ahead of a potential second-round showdown at Roland Garros.
After a 15-month maternity break, the four-time major winner marked her return to the French capital with a hard-earned three-set victory over Lucia Bronzetti in the opening round.
That potentially sets up a meeting with Swiatek in round two, should the reigning champion overcome Leolia Jeanjean on Monday.
And Osaka is thrilled by the prospect of facing the world number one, who has lifted Coupe Suzanne Lenglen three times in the past four years.
"I'm really excited," she told reporters during her post-match press conference.
"I watched her a lot when I was pregnant. I think it's an honour to play her in the French Open, because she's won more than once here. It's a very big honour and challenge for me."
After beating Bronzetti 6-1 4-6 7-5, Osaka (75.3 per cent, 58-19) now only trails Swiatek (81.4 per cent, 70-16) among active players, for the highest winning percentage in women’s singles matches at major events.
The Japanese was made to work hard for her victory. After a dominant opening set, Osaka was taken to a decider, in which she was pegged back from 4-0 up, but eventually got over the line.
"The match really was like a rollercoaster," she added. "I felt like I was extremely focused in the first set, and maybe I let it go a bit.
"I came back in the third, but then I let it go a bit, and I just got really tight from there. I'm really glad I was able to regroup and win."
Pat Cummins conceded Sunrisers Hyderabad "were outplayed" in their Indian Premier League final defeat by Kolkata Knight Riders.
KKR enjoyed a dominant eight-wicket victory in Chennai - just as they did in the first qualifier on Tuesday - as SRH were bowled out for 113.
It was the lowest run total registered in an IPL final - SRH's third as they squandered the opportunity to land a second title after first lifting the trophy in 2016.
KKR were inspired with Mitchell Starc (2-14) and Andre Russell (3-19) preventing their opponents from establishing any momentum, before chasing down their total with relative ease.
Cummins, who top-scored with 24 off 19 balls, was disappointed to come out on the losing side, but praised his team-mates' efforts throughout the campaign.
"I thought they bowled fantastically. We did not have enough on the board," the SRH skipper said. "We were outplayed tonight. They gave nothing away, just like the last game in Ahmedabad.
"It was a tricky track to figure out. [It] didn't feel like a 200-plus wicket; 160 would have given us a chance.
"The style of our play, particularly with the bat, scoring 250 three times is a good feat. So, it was a great season.
"I had not worked with many of the guys before, but it was great working with them. A great squad and the staff were amazing. [I've] had a great time."
Leonardo Bonucci has called time on his glittering career, after playing his final game for Fenerbahce.
The decorated defender announced on Saturday that he would retire at the end of the Turkish Super Lig season, which concluded with Ismail Kartal's side inflicting a 6-0 rout on Istanbulspor.
However, it was not quite enough to snatch the title from Galatasaray, who finished three points clear after a 3-1 victory at Konyaspor on the final day.
Bonucci, who signed from Union Berlin in January, was given a wonderful reception as he was presented with a plaque before the game, in which he came on as a 64th-minute substitute.
The 37-year-old enjoyed the most success during his career with Juventus, where he won eight Serie A titles and reached two Champions League finals, while he helped Italy to glory at Euro 2020.
"It was a pleasure for me to be a part of this wonderful family," he said of his time at Fenerbahce on Saturday. "I tried to show my best on and off the field.
A statement on the club website paid tribute to Bonucci, reading: "It was an honour to see a legend like you in a Cubuklu jersey.
"At this special moment of your career, we would like to thank you on behalf of the entire Fenerbahce family. We wish you successful and healthy days in which you will be a part of football in your future life."
Kolkata Knight Riders' Andre Russell says he has "no words" to describe the feeling of winning the Indian Premier League title.
KKR dominated the final, beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets after stifling them with an excellent bowling display in the first innings.
Russell took three wickets as SRH were limited to just 113 runs before KKR surged to the win with 57 balls remaining.
Asked how he was feeling after such a strong performance, Russell told reporters: "No words to explain right now.
"It means so much with all the fans that have been supporting us throughout the season. We are the players who go game after game and make sure that we get the job done. And it's the first time we're actually celebrating our victory and I think it's the right moment.
"I'm happy that all of us, we are very disciplined and want the same goal. This franchise has done so much for me, with the fitness and everything. This is a big gift from all of us to them, so I'm happy."
To Star Sports, he added: "I'm kind of lost for words, emotions is all over. It's my first final for KKR and to get three wickets as well, it means a lot to me, and all the bowlers did their job.
"I just mentioned to [Mitchell Starc], I said, 'Hey, big man, you saved the best for last,' and I'm happy with that because he started on the rough side and I kept feeling that he's still a world-class bowler, he doesn't take a few bad games to decide the destiny."
Nitish Rana quickly turned the focus to Gautam Gambhir's work in leading KKR to the title, saying: "When Gautam Gambhir was signed as our mentor, I had congratulated him on WhatsApp.
"I wrote a long message to him, and he thanked me, but he also said he'll be the happiest when we'll lift the trophy at the podium. Today is that day and I'll remember that message forever."
Napoli missed out on their slim chance to participate in Europe next season after being held to a 0-0 home draw by Lecce in their final Serie A game of the campaign on Sunday.
After a lacklustre first half, Napoli had chances to win the game in the second, with Cyril Ngonge coming closest when he rattled the crossbar.
Patrick Dorgu had already given the Azzurri a scare just nine minutes in, firing Lecce's first shot off Alex Meret's post.
Napoli had to win to climb to ninth place, but instead, finished below Torino, who lost 3-0 to recently crowned Europa League champions Atalanta, due to their head-to-head record.
Torino could now earn a Europa Conference League play-off spot if Fiorentina beat Olympiacos in that final on Wednesday.
Data Debrief: Napoli's season fizzles out
Napoli finished the season on 53 points - it is the second-worst return for a team that started the season as Serie A reigning champions in the three-point-per-win era after Milan in 1996-97 (43).
After scoring in each of their 12 home matches against Lecce in Serie A prior to Sunday's match, Napoli failed to find the back of the net against them for the first time at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Charles Leclerc says he has fulfilled his dreams after winning the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time.
After claiming pole for the third time on home soil, Leclerc was able to hold onto first and finish on the Monaco podium for the first time.
Despite an early red flag forcing a restart, the Monegasque was in control throughout, finishing seven seconds ahead of second-place Oscar Piastri.
It is Leclerc's first win of 2024, and Ferrari's second of the season after Carlos Sainz’s victory at the Australian Grand Prix in March.
Speaking after Sunday's victory, he said: "No words can explain that. It's such a difficult race. I think the fact twice I've been starting on pole position, and we couldn't quite make it makes it even better in a way.
"It means a lot, obviously. It's the race which made me dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver one day.
"Fifteen laps to the end you're hoping nothing happens, and the emotions are coming.
"My dad has given everything for me to be here, and it was a dream of ours for me to race here and win here, so it's unbelievable.
"A huge thank you, the parade laps were special and seeing so many of my friends and people I know in the balcony, it was just very special. This one means a lot."
Piastri put in an assured drive to finish second, holding off Sainz to prevent a Ferrari one-two and was pleased with the way the race turned out.
"Thanks to the team. It's been a great weekend all-round. Nice to put a result on the board. I've been strong the last few weekends but didn't have the result to show for it. Nice to have a podium," he said.
"Charles has been mega all weekend. They have been quick from the very first lap.
"I'm happy with P2. A good result for the team. Very, very happy."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
