Jimmy Butler says the Miami Heat must play with more energy and like their backs are against the wall when they next face the Boston Celtics.

The Heat missed the chance to progress to the NBA Finals as they lost 116-99 to the Celtics on Tuesday.

Miami now hold a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals, ahead of Game 5 in Boston on Thursday.

But for Butler, who scored 29 points and added nine rebounds and five assists, there is no reason to be downhearted.

"If anything, it will build momentum for us knowing that we have to play with a lot more energy," Butler said.

"We've got to play like our backs are against the wall.

"I think all year long, we've been better when we've had to do things the hard way.

"We'll be OK. Let's get back to doing what we've always done to get us to this point, continually have belief in one another, knowing that we are going to win, and we will. We've just got to play harder.

"There's not too much to say with this group because we already know. So we've just got to go out there and execute."

Butler's sentiment was echoed by Miami coach Erik Spoelstra.

"At some point, this is great competition. You know, sometimes it can get skewed, because, whatever, the 3-0," he said.

"But we have great respect for Boston, what they are capable of. They are a dynamic offensive team that takes extraordinary efforts and commitment to get the job done. Our guys really want this.

"A lot of what we've done this year has been the hard way. We've been able to figure out ways to win, even if teams are playing well, if we are not in a perfect flow.

"They got us tonight. You have to give them credit for that."

"It's definitely disappointing," said Heat guard Caleb Martin.

"That would have been a perfect world, perfect situation. But as we know and everybody else knows, we don't typically get things the easy way over here.

"So like I said, this is right up our alley. This is the way it goes for us and guys like us. Again, I think it's only going to prepare us for the long run. This could be good for us."

Ruud Van Nistelrooy has resigned as manager of PSV Eindhoven ahead of their final game of the season, the Dutch club have announced.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker had been in charge for just one year at the Philips Stadion and won the Dutch Cup earlier this month.

PSV will secure a second-place finish in the Eredivisie if they take a point from their last game at AZ Alkmaar on Sunday.

A statement from the club on Wednesday said Van Nistelrooy, 46, did not feel he had sufficient support following several recent discussions about “internal affairs”.

The club wanted him to see out of the season but he has opted to leave immediately. Fred Rutten will take charge for the trip to Alkmaar.

The statement read: “Van Nistelrooy reported this morning that in his opinion there was not enough support within the club to continue longer.

“He immediately explained this to the players and staff.

“PSV regrets Van Nistelrooy’s decision and is grateful to him for winning the Johan Cruyff Shield and the KNVB Cup this season and hopes to close the football year with second place.”

Owner-breeder Imad Al Sagar is targeting the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and a possible Arc bid with Nashwa ahead of her reappearance at Saint-Cloud this weekend.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Frankel filly enjoyed an excellent three-year-old campaign, claiming Classic glory in the French Oaks under Hollie Doyle before doubling her Group One tally in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

She subsequently finished second in the Prix de l’Opera and fourth at the Breeders’ Cup, and with an initial plan to bring her back in last week’s Middleton Stakes at York shelved, Nashwa instead makes her return in the Group Two Prix Corrida on Sunday.

“Nashwa is in great form,” Al Sagar told Sky Sports Racing.

“We were targeting the Middleton at York as a prep race for main target, which is the Prince of Wales’s at Royal Ascot, but she is a big filly and takes a lot of time to come to hand, which she has now. Her work is superb and we’re heading to Saint-Cloud on Sunday, hopefully.”

The prominent owner said he had no doubts about bringing Nashwa back into training as a four-year-old and is hopeful there may even be more improvement to come.

He added: “It was a very simple decision as I know the family.

“Her dam (Princess Loulou) was at her best at four, so they thrive with age, and Nashwa is definitely no exception – she’s a stronger and bigger filly this year.”

Although his star filly seemingly failed to see out the mile and a half when third in the Oaks at Epsom, Al Sagar hopes her stronger physique will give her a chance to do so this season, giving him hope of a potential tilt at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris in October.

Considering future plans, he said: “She’s entered in the Eclipse and the Irish Champion Stakes. It is premature at the moment and we will have a better idea after the Prince of Wales’s if all goes well.

“Going back to the Oaks last year we went into unknown territory and she didn’t stay the mile and a half, but this year, being stronger, we think she might reach that target and she’s entered in the Arc.

“Nashwa is a very special filly with a great cruising speed and her temperament is phenomenal.”

Directors of cricket from the 18 first-class counties have come together to demand a bigger voice in the future running of the sport.

Representatives from each county met at the Kia Oval on Monday to discuss their apparent loss of influence in the corridors of power and appeal for greater recognition.

A joint statement was issued on Tuesday making the case, with a reference to “new leadership at the helm of the English game” seemingly a direct appeal to England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould and chair Richard Thompson.

The pair previously held matching positions at Surrey and are seen as friends and advocates of the domestic game, particularly in contrast to their predecessors Tom Harrison and Colin Graves.

The recent departure of the influential Sir Andrew Strauss, who was a strategic adviser and chaired the ECB’s performance cricket committee, has left a gap in expertise.

A number of specific issues are raised by the DOC group, which includes experienced former internationals like Alec Stewart (Surrey), Darren Gough (Yorkshire), Paul Downton (Kent) and Marcus North (Durham).

Most pressing was the encroachment of the global franchise circuit on the county calendar.

Where previously only a handful of elite players were in demand at high-level tournaments like the Indian Premier League, the proliferation of lucrative competitions in South Africa, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates – with the United States and Saudi Arabia poised to enter the market – has increased pressures considerably.

“The cricket landscape has changed significantly in the last couple of seasons and, following our meeting, the DOC feel they have lost some influence in many of the key decisions that have been made within the game recently,” the statement read.

“Whilst understanding the challenges of recent years, particularly post recovery from Covid, we sense there has been a recent void where there was previous DOC representation contributing to the shape of domestic cricket.

“With a new era commencing and new leadership at the helm of the English game, we would like to propose that the DOCs have a representative to sit on any future performance committees or other appropriate working groups.

“The DOCs discussed several agenda items, but perhaps the most significant was an acknowledgement across the board of the urgent need for a review of the standard player contract.

“The current arrangement leaves the clubs with little control over their players movements in the off-season, often leading to increased medical and staffing costs to ensure players are suitably prepared and rehabilitated, and there is clearly now the need for more flexibility in this area to suit both clubs and players.

“The number of players involved in winter tournaments has risen exponentially in the last four to five years and, with the US Major League on the horizon, this is becoming a very real challenge for all involved.

“The group understands that the ECB, PCA (Professional Cricketers’ Association) and county CEOs also recognise the need for this review, and we would welcome the opportunity to have a direct input into these discussions.”

Also debated were recent changes to the points system in the LV= County Championship, overseas players, umpiring and the Second XI cricket.

“There were various viewpoints considered, but despite the differing perspectives there was a strong collective feeling that the DOCs can offer very valuable input into future discussions in such areas,” it continued.

“We would ask those closest to the current decision-making processes to include the DOCs more in the future and take advantage of our many years of amassed experience.”

Erik ten Hag expects Marcus Rashford to be ready to face Chelsea on Thursday night but admitted he is not sure whether Manchester United’s top scorer is fully fit.

Rashford has missed United’s last two fixtures, first with a leg injury and then through illness, but has returned to training this week.

Asked if the 29-goal forward was ready to play, Ten Hag said: “It looks like (it). Yesterday, he returned to training, he looks quite fit but we have to see today what is the outcome of the training, how did we recover and then we will make our choices.”

Rashford’s absence against Wolves and Bournemouth – both games United won without him – once again brought into focus United’s lack of depth in the forward positions.

Anthony Martial was handed a rare start on the south coast on Sunday, but headed straight down the tunnel when he was withdrawn after an hour before later returning to the bench.

Martial’s reaction led to fresh speculation over his United future. The 27-year-old, who finished last season on loan at Sevilla, has scored eight times in 27 appearances for United this season, but has struggled at times with injuries.

“If you are not available, you can’t score,” Ten Hag said. “When he was available we played better, the team is winning games, he’s also scoring goals but he has to be available.”

And Ten Hag also batted away a question about speculation linking United with Paris St Germain’s Brazil forward Neymar by offering his stock answer on transfer rumours, saying: “When we have news, we will tell you.”

United will secure a top-four place and a return to the Champions League for next season if they take at least a point against Frank Lampard’s side.

“It’s clear, we want to win every game,” the Dutchman said. “That is what we do all season so tomorrow we want to do the same, we want to win the game, play dominant football and get the job done…

“First, we have to win the game tomorrow and get the job done. Then, it’s about judgement from others if it’s a good, bad or normal performance.

“We are in a project, we want to go back and win trophies, we win one trophy but we want more trophies, compete with the best, we are still in a journey but we think we are in the right direction but it can always be better. Because good is not good enough.”

With the League Cup trophy already in the cabinet, booking a return to Europe’s premier competition would be another significant marker for Ten Hag in his first season at Old Trafford.

“If we want to compete with the best, then you have to be in the Champions League,” he said.

“We want to compete with the best and be in the Champions League. In the Premier League, you have to be one of the first four, that’s not easy, many are competing for it, many think they should be in and we are one of them.”

Fran Jones’ hopes of making a first French Open appearance are over after she was forced to retire during her second qualifying round.

The Briton, who suffers from a congenital condition which means she has three fingers and a thumb on each hand, three toes on one foot and four toes on the other, was left in tears as she had to retire due to an apparent shoulder injury during the first set of her clash with Ylena In-Albon at Roland Garros.

Jones, currently ranked 316 in the world, had beaten former grand slam semi-finalist Coco Vandeweghe in her opening round and had enjoyed some encouraging results on the ITF circuit prior to the main clay-court in Paris.

She joins Heather Watson and Katie Swan in heading out of qualifying as the British pair lost in Tuesday’s first-round qualifying.

A host of other Brits are in action later on Tuesday as they hope to continue their journey towards the main draw.

Fran Jones’ hopes of making a first French Open appearance are over after she was forced to retire during her second qualifying round.

The Briton, who suffers from a congenital condition which means she has three fingers and a thumb on each hand, three toes on one foot and four toes on the other, was left in tears as she had to retire due to an apparent shoulder injury during the first set of her clash with Ylena In-Albon at Roland Garros.

Jones, currently ranked 316 in the world, had beaten former grand slam semi-finalist Coco Vandeweghe in her opening round and had enjoyed some encouraging results on the ITF circuit prior to the main clay-court in Paris.

She joins Heather Watson and Katie Swan in heading out of qualifying as the British pair lost in Tuesday’s first-round qualifying.

A host of other Brits are in action later on Tuesday as they hope to continue their journey towards the main draw.

Mark Cueto believes that the Sale Sharks forwards hold a key to unlocking success in Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership final against Saracens.

It is 17 years since Cueto and company stormed Twickenham, mauling Leicester Tigers 45-20 and being crowned champions for the first time.

Sale have not been part of English rugby’s showpiece domestic occasion since then, but Alex Sanderson’s class of 2023 have given themselves every chance to emulate household names in the club’s history like Cueto, Jason Robinson, Charlie Hodgson and Sebastien Chabal.

“I am really chuffed for everyone involved,” former England and British and Irish Lions wing Cueto, 43, told the PA news agency.

“It is so hard to win a trophy, and it is not until you have finished and you look back on your career that you realise how hard.

“We won the title in 2006, and we should have won it more than once. We were good enough to at least get to another final, but we fell short a couple of times, unfortunately.

“Rugby doesn’t change. You have got to keep on top of the opposition, and you have got to get on top up-front first.

“I think we are probably one of the only packs that can at least go head-to-head with the Saracens pack, if not get on top, and if we do that then we have got a really good chance.”

Rugby director Sanderson has proved a driving force behind Sale once again mixing it with the heavyweights of English rugby.

And Cueto added: “Alex and I were the same school year, and he was already a bit of a rock star when I pitched up at Sale.

“He had played for England at 22, then he carved out another career after playing and spent 10-plus years coaching at Saracens, the most successful club in Europe.

“Where better to earn your stripes, as it were, and it was a natural step for him to take a director of rugby job.

“He wears his heart on his sleeve, he is a grafter and he cares. He has got the skill, knowledge and attitude.

“When we lost Faf (de Klerk) and Lood (de Jager) at the end of last season, I was really apprehensive of how it was going to go this year, but how little do I know?”

Cueto and his family will be at Twickenham to witness Sale’s latest bid for silverware, and he admits that the heroics of 2006 are a vivid memory.

“I remember in 05, we had five or six Lions from Sale. It is big news when Saracens and Leicester have got five or six players in a Lions squad, and that was us 18 years ago,” he said.

“We just had such a good team – Charlie at 10, Jason Robinson, Mark Taylor in the centre, Chabal, Jason White, and we were just so confident.

“We had a simple game-plan – Robbo only scored one more try than he kicked drop-goals that season we won the league, and I was the club’s top try-scorer with six.

“It’s crazy to think that was the way we played, considering we were led by a maverick of a French winger in Philippe Saint-Andre. You would think we would be fast, open and loose, but the focus was the opposite.

“It was very structured, very efficient. If we got in the opposition third and three or four phases went by and we weren’t making decent ground, it was back in the pocket and take a drop-goal.

“It was rare that we left the opposition third without any points, and it was effective. Would I rather score 20 tries and come second, or six and win the league? You know the answer to that.

“It was the first time that a club had finished top of the domestic league and won the title through the play-offs.

“We had a forward pack that could beat anybody up, and sat behind that we had two of the best tactical kickers in the game in Charlie Hodgson and Richard Wigglesworth. We scored 45 points in a final. It was mega.”

Julie Camacho’s Shaquille is Royal Ascot bound after his smart success in the Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury.

The Charm Spirit colt has done little wrong in six runs so far, winning five of those outings and looking to takes strides forward each time.

He began this year with a handicap victory at Newmarket, prevailing by two and three-quarter lengths despite a less than perfect run, and he was then a comfortable victor when making the running in the Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury.

Having taken that Listed race by two lengths, another step up in class beckons as the colt is likely to to take his place in next month’s Group One Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Steve Brown, Camacho’s husband and assistant, said: “He taken his exertions well from the weekend, he’s had a few quiet days but he’ll be back in full exercise by the end of the week.

“The next obvious option is to go to Ascot with him for the Commonwealth Cup, we’re pleased with what he’s doing as he seems to be settling into his racing and showing a bit more maturity.

“He keeps finding a bit of improvement, so at the minute we feel as though that’s the right option. We’ll ask him for a little bit more and see what he’s got to say.

“Saturday will be informative at Haydock (the Sandy Lane Stakes), we’ll see what comes out of that.”

Shaquille, who was bred by one of his co-owners and is by a Galileo mare in Magic, has impressed connections not only in his ability on the track but also with a constitution that seems to thrive on racing.

Brown said: “The fascinating thing with this horse is that he never comes home tired, he always comes home and says ‘well that was OK, what are we doing next?’.

“He had a long day, he travelled down to Newbury and back in a day and within an hour he’d eaten his tea up and he was ready to do whatever you asked of him next.”

Wales great Alun Wyn Jones will captain Eddie Jones’ Barbarians in their fixture against the World XV at Twickenham on Sunday.

Jones announced he is retiring from the international game on Friday having amassed 170 caps, including 12 for the British and Irish Lions, in a decision that means he will miss this autumn’s World Cup.

The 37-year-old Ospreys lock captains a side that includes Australia stars Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi.

World XV coach Steve Hansen has pressed ahead with the controversial selection of Israel Folau on the right wing.

The Rugby Football Union has decided to raise the pride flag at Twickenham for the game after Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 because of a series of anti-gay posts on social media.

Italy flanker Michele Lamaro skippers the side in the final fixture of the 2022-23 season.

Barbarians team: G Anscombe, A Radwan, S Tamanivalu, S Kerevi, T Li; Q Cooper, J Maunder; A Waller, N Dolly, E Pieretto, AW Jones (capt), S Lewies, A Wainwright, K Yamamoto, S Luatua.
Replacements: H Thacker, T West, C Sadie, R Simmons, S Vailanu, F Hougaard, A Cruden, S Johnson.

World XV team: C Piutau; I Folau, S Radradra, N Laumape, Sbu Nkosi; Adam Hastings, Nick Phipps; W Jones, F Brown, O Kebble, A Ratuniyarawa, H Hockings, S Negri, M Lamaro (capt), V Mata.
Replacements: E Dee, A Dell, M Street, N Cannone, J Murphy, B Hall, R Patchell, K Rasaku.

Adin Hill stopped 34 shots and the Vegas Golden Knights scored three first-period goals in a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Jonathan Marchessault, Ivan Barbashev and William Carrier all scored in the first 7 1/2 minutes and Hill took care of the rest as Vegas moved a win away from a sweep and the franchise's second Stanley Cup Final appearance in its six-year existence.

Hill has won five consecutive starts with a 1.98 goals-against average and will try to make it six in a row in Game 4 Thursday in Dallas.

In the history of the NHL playoffs, teams with a 3-0 lead have advanced in 200 of the previous 204 occurrences.

Stars captain Jamie Benn received a five-minute major for a cross-check on Vegas captain Mark Stone less than two minutes into the game, with his team already down 1-0. Barbashev extended the lead to 2-0 with a power play goal just over four minutes later and assisted on Alex Pietrangelo's goal in the second period.

Dallas' Jake Oettinger was pulled after giving up three goals on five shots in the shortest start of his career. He was replaced by Scott Wedgewood, who stopped 10 of 11 shots the rest of the way.

Club professional Michael Block admits he is hoping to avoid a return to reality for as long as possible after his US PGA Championship heroics.

Block almost stole the show from winner Brooks Koepka at Oak Hill, making a hole-in-one during the final round while playing alongside Rory McIlroy and finishing in a tie for 15th place.

The 46-year-old’s display captured the imagination of the spectators and his tie for 15th secured a place in next year’s US PGA at Valhalla, followed soon after by invites for this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge on the PGA Tour and June’s Canadian Open.

“I’ve said it a lot, but it’s just a dream,” Block told a pre-tournament press conference at Colonial.

“I’m just cruising. I’m actually kind of glad that at this point I haven’t come to the reality about what’s happening so I can actually play pretty good golf.

“I think if I sit down and think about it too much, I’m not sure I could swing the club on Thursday.

“There’s a lot going on and I really apologise to all my friends and fans and PGA members out there that have texted me. I’m sorry I haven’t gotten back to you.

“I literally scroll and scroll and scroll and it’s never ending. I can’t even get to the bottom of any of my feeds to even see how many or who’s seeing me. So it’s been crazy.”

Among the messages Block has been able to reply to was one from his hero Michael Jordan, the former basketball star telling Block that his performance was “why he loves the game of golf so much”.

“I’m a big Jordan guy my whole life,” Block said. “I was a little kid in Iowa saving 100 bucks for a pair of Jordans back in the day. Pretty darn cool, to say the least.”

Block also revealed he became friends with baseball star Albert Pujols after being paired with him in a golf tournament in California and will be attending his wedding in the Dominican Republic in December.

And although he, understandably, has never received such attention before, he has been around the professional game for long enough to get a sense of how it works.

“I’ve been around it in a weird kind of small way in little bits here and there over the last 10 years,” the Block said. “So I’m somewhat comfortable with it.

“It’s just weird now where I come up through a gate and the guys at the gate are screaming ‘Block Party’ when I’m going through – and the guy making me an omelette gave me knuckles and said I did awesome last week.

“I mean, that’s the part where it’s a little beyond me at this point. So it’s cool, but I’m trying to enjoy it.

“I don’t really know what the future is going to hold whatsoever. I’m not trying to guess what’s going to happen. I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing.

“I just show up on Thursday and tee it up with Min (Woo Lee), which is a buddy of mine, which is great – so super comfortable pairing – and just have fun. Whatever comes of it, comes of it. I’ll enjoy it one way or the other. I’ve got a great life both ways so it’s good all the way.”