Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone quoted former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich after watching his team level their Western Conference semifinal series on Sunday, saying: "Never underestimate the heart of a champion."

The Nuggets levelled their series with the Minnesota Timberwolves at 2-2 with a dominant road performance, triumphing 115-107 at Target Center.

Denver never trailed after taking a 23-22 lead on Aaron Gordon's three-point play near the end of the first quarter, stretching their advantage to as many as 18 points early in the third.

While Minnesota pulled within seven with just under two minutes remaining, they failed to make another basket as the Nuggets levelled things up ahead of Game 5 on Tuesday.

Gordon amassed 27 points on 11-of-12 shooting while NBA MVP Nikola Jokic had 35 points, with 16 of those coming in the fourth quarter.

The reigning champions are now slight favourites to reach the NBA Finals as they prepare to host Game 5, leading Malone to hail their mentality. 

"What I found is Rudy T is right, man, 'never underestimate the heart of a champion'," Malone said, referring to Tomjanovich's infamous quote in the aftermath of Houston's 1995 championship.

"They were quick to write us off, but these guys, we won a championship a year ago. We went into Miami [in the Finals], won two games in a row. 

"This team has been tested time and time again, and we found a way to solve whatever's been thrown at us.

"This series is a long way from being over. We're not celebrating. It's 2-2, but what I found about our group is that they do believe in themselves. 

"More importantly, they believe in the man next to them. We have a group that is acting as you would hope a championship team would act."

Gordon echoed his coach's sentiments, saying: "I love it when people count us out.

"A lot of these guys have been counted out before in their careers. They've been the underdogs or the dark horse in their careers before. 

"So, I don't think it was anything new to the individuals. It was new to our collective, but I liked the challenge, and I'm glad we accepted it and put ourselves in a good position with home court."

New Zealand captain Sam Cane has announced he will retire from international rugby at the end of 2024, having agreed a three-year contract with Japan Rugby League One team Tokyo Sungoliath.

Cane made his All Blacks debut in 2012 and has represented his country 95 times, including through the team's triumphant run at the 2015 World Cup.

The flanker succeeded Kieran Read as captain in 2020, though his most recent international outing ended with him suffering the ignominy of becoming the first man to be sent off in a Rugby World Cup final, as New Zealand were beaten by South Africa last year.

Cane will be eligible to represent the All Blacks through the second half of 2024 after returning from an initial spell in Japan but will then head there permanently after New Zealand Rugby agreed to release him from his contract. 

"A good opportunity came my way with Sungoliath willing to offer me a three-year contract," Cane said. "I had to weigh up everything and, in the end, with a young family it seemed like the best decision to help set us up for our future.

"I had my time as captain and it was a huge honour and privilege. If I'm fortunate enough to be selected for the All Blacks this year then I'll still be myself. 

"I love that team, and if part of my role is contributing leadership-wise, I'll be happy to support the new captain as best I can to help with a speedy transition."

Rory McIlroy believes "the stars are aligning" for him as he approaches this week's PGA Championship on the back of a fourth triumph at the Wells Fargo Championship.

McIlroy hauled in leader Xander Schauffele to win in Charlotte with a fine finish to his final round, surging clear with a run of four birdies and two eagles within eight holes.

That saw the Northern Irishman – who also won the Wells Fargo Championship in 2010, 2015 and 2021 – card a six-under 65 as he won by five shots.

Max Homa, in 2019 and 2022, is the only other player to have won the Wells Fargo Championship more than once. 

McIlroy has now claimed back-to-back PGA Tour titles, having won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside Shane Lowry last month.

With the PGA Championship beginning at Valhalla Golf Club on Thursday, the course where McIlroy captured his last major crown in 2014, he feels he is building up a head of steam.

"I really got some confidence winning in New Orleans with Shane," McIlroy said after his final round.

"Coming into this week, at a golf course I am comfortable with, my golf swing feels more comfortable than it has done.

"Going to a venue next week where I have won, it feels like the stars are aligning a little bit. But I have a lot of golf to play and a lot of great players to try to beat.

"I am going into the next major of the year feeling really good about myself."

Even with a double bogey on the 18th hole, McIlroy played the final 11 holes at six under, leaving Schauffele with no way to respond.

"He's Rory McIlroy, you know?" Schauffele said. "He hits it 350 yards in the air downwind and he has shorter clubs into firm greens than anyone else. 

"When he's on, he's on. Hats off to him for winning. He played unbelievably well."

Yu Darvish tossed seven scoreless innings and was backed by three San Diego homers as the Padres earned a series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers with Sunday's 4-0 victory.

Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth and Xander Bogaerts all had solo homers to support a third straight winning start for Darvish (3-1). The veteran right-hander yielded just two hits and a walk while striking out seven to extend his streak of consecutive scoreless innings to 18.

The Padres also got three hits from Jackson Merrill as they took two of three games from the National League West-leading Dodgers and improved to 8-3 over their last 11 contests.

Darvish retired the first 14 Los Angeles hitters and was staked to a quick 2-0 lead on back-to-back homers from Tatis and Cronenworth off Walker Buehler in the first inning.

Buehler (0-1), making his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery performed in August 2022, ran into more trouble in the fourth as the Padres loaded the bases with one out on a Merrill single, a walk and a hit batter. Ryan Yarbrough then relieved the right-hander and got Luis Arraez to ground into a fielder's choice that brought home Merrill.

Bogaerts' homer off Gus Varland in the fifth extended San Diego's lead to 4-0.

Buehler was removed after 3 1/3 innings and was charged with three runs allowed on five hits and two walks.

Yankees belt five homers to take series from Rays

The New York Yankees hit a season-high five home runs, including two from Jose Trevino, before holding on for a 10-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in the rubber match of a three-game series between the American League East rivals.

Gleyber Torres added a three-run homer, while Aaron Judge and Jahmai Jones also went deep as New York bounced back from Saturday's 7-2 loss and won for the seventh time in nine games.

The Yankees also received six scoreless innings from Luis Gil (4-1), who allowed just three hits and two walks to win his third consecutive start.

Tampa Bay lost for the third time in four games despite Jose Siri's grand slam and a solo homer from Yandy Diaz.

New York built a 6-0 lead through six innings, with Anthony Volpe starting the scoring by leading off the game with a triple and crossing the plate on Juan Soto's sacrifice fly.

Jones' homer off Tampa Bay starter Tyler Alexander in the third inning extended the margin to 2-0, and Trevino took Alexander's pitch over the left field wall with Anthony Rizzo aboard in the fourth to increase the lead further.

Soto singled in front of Judge's 10th homer of the season to put New York up 6-0 in the fifth, but the Rays got back in it with five runs against the Yankees' bullpen in the seventh.

Tampa Bay loaded the bases against Caleb Ferguson on Richie Palacios' single, a double from Jonny DeLuca and a walk before Siri connected on his first career grand slam.

Nick Burdi then replaced Ferguson and walked the first two hitters he faced before hitting Randy Arozarena to load the bases again. Luke Weaver was then summoned from the bullpen and promptly hit Isaac Paredes with a pitch to force in a run and cut the lead to 6-5.

The Yankees answered, however, by scoring four times in the eighth. 

A Giancarlo Stanton single and Rizzo's double put two on for Torres, who blasted a pitch from Shawn Armstrong into the left field seats for a 9-5 lead. Two batters later, Trevino took Erasmo Ramirez deep for his second career two-homer game.

Ian Hamilton served up Diaz's homer in the ninth before closing out the contest.

Rockies complete stunning sweep of defending champ Rangers

Ty Blach's five solid innings and a two-run homer from Ezequiel Tovar helped the Colorado Rockies finish a three-game sweep of the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers with Sunday's 3-1 win.

Blach (1-1) scattered seven hits while allowing one run in his second start of the season before turning things over to the Colorado bullpen, where relievers Victor Vodnik, Tyler Kinely and Jalen Beeks combined for four scoreless innings to close out the Rockies' season-high fourth straight win.

Colorado had compiled an MLB-worst 8-28 record prior to its current streak.

Texas, which has dropped three straight for the second time this season, did take an early lead when Corey Seager singled in the top of the first inning and later scored on Adolis Garcia's base hit.

The Rockies answered in the bottom of the inning, however, when Charlie Blackmon reached on a lead-off single and Tovar followed with his fourth homer of the season. 

Those were the only runs allowed by Texas starter Jose Urena (1-3), who threw a season-high 6 2/3 innings and permitted six hits and one walk.

The Rangers couldn't generate any further offence, though, and Colorado tacked on an insurance run in the eighth when Ryan McMahon doubled and later crossed the plate on a bases-loaded walk issued to Brenton Doyle.

Beeks worked around a pair of hits in the ninth to record his third save of the season. 

Nikola Jokić scored 16 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as the Denver Nuggets held off the Minnesota TImberwolves to earn a critical 115-107 win in Sunday's Game 4 of a Western Conference semifinal series. 

Aaron Gordon also provided the Nuggets a huge lift by amassing 27 points on 11-of-12 shooting as the reigning NBA champions evened the series at 2-2. Jamal Murray added 19 points, 12 of which came in the third quarter, to help Denver to its second straight victory in Minnesota after the TImberwolves won Games 1 and 2 on the road.

The best-of-seven series will return to Denver for Tuesday's pivotal Game 5.

Denver also overcame another superb performance from Minnesota's Anthony Edwards, who put up a play-off career-high 44 points for his third 40-point effort in this post-season. 

Edwards' All-Star teammate Karl-Anthony Towns struggled, however, as he was held to 13 points on 5-of-18 shooting to go along with 12 rebounds. 

The Nuggets never trailed after taking a 23-22 lead on Gordon's three-point play with 2:39 left in the first quarter. They led 29-24 after one period, then scored the final eight points of the first half to own a 64-49 advantage at intermission.

Murray capped the opening half by draining a 3-point shot from half-court as the buzzer sounded.

Denver's lead swelled to as many as 18 points early in the third quarter, but the Timberwolves gradually chipped away and cut their deficit to 111-104 when Edwards followed teammate Jaden McDaniels' 3-pointer with a running layup with 1:41 left to play.

Minnesota didn't make another basket the rest of the way, though, and Jokic sealed the outcome by scoring off a Gordon feed out of a timeout with 25.8 seconds remaining to make the score 115-107.

Pacers clamp down on Knicks to even series

The Eastern Conference now has a series all even at two games apiece as well after the Indiana Pacers came through with a dominant 121-89 Game 4 rout of the New York Knicks.

Tyrese Haliburton led a balanced Indiana scoring attack with 20 points, but it was the Pacers' defence that provided the biggest reason why the series is now all tied as it heads back to New York for Tuesday's Game 5.

The Knicks shot a meagre 18.9 per cent (7 for 37) from 3-point range, their lowest accuracy rate in a play-off game since 2000, and 33.7 per cent overall in by far their most lopsided defeat of this post-season. Star guard Jalen Brunson, who entered the contest averaging a league-leading 34.6 points per game in the post-season, was held to 18 points on 6-of-17 shooting.

T.J. McConnell added 15 points and 10 assists for Indiana, which immediately assumed control by opening the game on a 19-6 run and shooting 60.9 per cent in the first quarter.

New York, on the other hand, went 6 of 23 from the field in the opening period and trailed 34-14 entering the second. 

The Pacers continued to dominate in the second quarter, building a lead as large as 30 points and taking a commanding 69-41 advantage into the break. Five Pacers scored in double figures in the first half, led by Haliburton's 13 points.

New York failed to mount a challenge in the second half as well, as the Pacers extended the margin to 101-63 after three quarters and led by as many as 43 points in the fourth.

Alec Burks finished with 20 points to lead the Knicks, who played without defensive stopper OG Anunoby for a second straight game due to a left hamstring injury he sustained in Game 2. 

The Atlanta Hawks surprisingly won the NBA Draft lottery for the first time Sunday, giving the franchise the top overall selection for the first time in 49 years.

Atlanta had just a three per cent chance to win the lottery after going 36-46 this season and finishing in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

The Hawks’ campaign ended with a 131-116 road loss to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Play-In Tournament on April 17.

“It’s a significant part of any team building strategies, so this is exciting,” Atlanta general manager Landry Field said Sunday.

Atlanta had never won the Draft lottery and will be picking first for the first time since selecting David Thompson in 1975.

Thompson, however, went on to sign with the Denver Nuggets when they were part of the American Basketball Association.

“It’s been a while,” Fields said. “That turned out a little differently than hopefully what we’ll be expecting here for the future.

“But excited about this (draft) class, excited about continuing to build what we got going in Atlanta.”

The Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards each had the best odds to win the lottery at 14 per cent, followed by the Charlotte Hornets (13.3), Portland Trial Blazers (13.2) and San Antonio Spurs (10.5).

Washington will instead pick at No. 2 followed by Houston, San Antonio and Detroit.

The Spurs selected NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick last June.

This year’s draft will be held June 26-27 in Brooklyn.

Babar Azam was left relieved after Pakistan made light work of chasing 194 to keep their T20I series with Ireland alive and take it to a winner-takes-all-decider.

Andy Balbirnie's 77 helped Ireland to their first victory over Pakistan in this format on Friday, but Babar's side responded in style on Sunday with their own seven-wicket triumph.

Lorcan Tucker's 51 powered Ireland to an impressive 193-7 in Dublin as Shaheen Shah Afridi registered figures of 3-49 and Abbas Afridi managed 2-33.

Yet that total was far from imposing as Pakistan chased the target down with 19 balls to spare thanks to a remarkable partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman.

The pair combined for a 140-run stand off only 78 balls for the third wicket as Fakhar smashed 78 from 40, while Rizwan was unbeaten on 75 after facing just 46.

"I'm relieved, credit to all batters," Babar said after the win. "We lost a few wickets early on but we kept the momentum going.

"Fakhar is very experienced and played according to situation which demanded positive intent. It's a good side, we got positives in this match and will look to give 100 per cent in the next match."

Rizwan added: "They played really well against us. It was not an easy chase because the Ireland bowlers knew their conditions better.

"They gave us a difficult time early on, but we decided that chasing 194, we have to attack. You're always under pressure when you lose especially with World Cup around the corner."

The two sides will meet again in Dublin on Tuesday to settle the three-match T20I series.

Mikel Arteta hailed the "phenomenal" drive shown by his Arsenal side to push Manchester City all the way in the Premier League title race.

The Gunners moved one point clear of City at the Premier League summit on Sunday with a 1-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

City have a chance to restore their advantage when they travel to Arsenal's fierce rivals Tottenham on Tuesday, before then hosting West Ham.

Regardless of what happens in midweek, Arsenal will go into their final game of the campaign at home to Everton with the title battle still alive.

Speaking to BBC Sport after his side's latest win, Arteta said: "It is a phenomenal thing they are doing."

However, Arteta was not entirely pleased with the manner of his side's slender victory, even if they were good value for the win overall.

"We weren't composed, clean enough, consistent enough and were unable to do the simple things right," he said. "That doesn't give you control. 

"Some of the players have not been in this position; they don't know what is at stake and how you feel emotionally to have to win and win and win from December or January."

Arsenal's win was just their second in 17 Premier League trips to Old Trafford, most recently coming out on top in November 2020.

Lenadro Trossard scored what proved to be the winner with 20 minutes played, tapping in from close range after being set up by Kai Havertz.

"We needed a result today in a really difficult place," Arteta added. "Our history was not in favour of a result today.

"There was so much at stake and we're happy with the result. We started the game really well and were dominant. 

"We scored the goal and I think the goal led to slightly bad things because we started to play too safe, too sideways, too backwards with not enough structure.

"We started to give the ball away in good areas and that is a danger against them. But we defended well and didn't concede too much."

Arsenal now find themselves cheering on Tottenham against City, knowing that anything other than a win for Pep Guardiola's men will leave their title fate in their own hands.

Asked if he will be watching that game, Arteta said: "We will be sat watching and it’s true we need the result in order to achieve [the title]. In football there are always possibilities."

Departing Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel opted on Sunday to quietly slip into the changing rooms instead of joining his players to celebrate after the Bavarians beat Wolfsburg 2-0.

Tuchel will be leaving at the end of the season – a year earlier than his contract ends – following a disappointing campaign with no silverware.

The win came four days after Bayern's Champions League semi-final exit to Real Madrid confirmed their first season without a trophy in over a decade.

"These are the moments for the players," he said when asked why he did not join his squad who went in front of the Bayern ultras after their final home game of the season.

"I don't want to be in the spotlight there. That's for the team. I know that the cameras are there.

"I prefer to go in [to the changing rooms]. It is about the team. The fans are there for the team. They need to be celebrated."

There has been little to celebrate for Tuchel in his 14 months in charge, with Bayern having managed to win only the Bundesliga title last season after Borussia Dortmund slipped up on the final matchday.

He said he did not yet know what he would take away from his time at Bayern, who missed out on Bundesliga glory to Bayer Leverkusen this term.

"Last home game and what remains I don't really know," he said. "It will take some time to see what is left.

"It is a privilege to coach at this level. I came to win as many titles as possible. We did not succeed in that."

Juventus snatched a 1-1 draw at home to relegated Salernitana courtesy of a late Adrien Rabiot goal that cancelled out a first-half header from Niccolo Pierozzi in Serie A on Sunday.

Juve are fourth on 67 points with two matches left, six points ahead of Atalanta, who have two games in hand.

Salernitana shocked the Allianz Stadium as unmarked Pierozzi headed home after 27 minutes following a corner.

But Juventus dominated the rest of the match and equalised in stoppage time when Rabiot slid the ball home at the back post after a corner was flicked on.

Bottom side Salernitana were doomed to the drop last month.

Juve play in the Italian Cup final against Atalanta on Wednesday in an effort to save a disappointing season and stop their winless streak at six matches in all competitions.

Data Debrief: Another stalemate for Juve

Juventus were grateful for a point come full-time, albeit it was a poor result in the grand scheme of things. Juve have now draw five successive matches in Serie A for the first time since between April and May 2009.

In fact, only Heidenheim of the Bundesliga (10) have drawn more matches than Juventus have (nine from 18 games) across Europe's top five leagues in 2024.

Kai Havertz joked he will be Tottenham's "biggest fan" as Arsenal look for a helping hand from their fierce rivals when they take on Manchester City.

Arsenal defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday through a first-half Leandro Trossard tap-in that was nicely assisted by Havertz.

That victory lifted the Gunners one point above City, who have an inferior goal difference of three and play their game in hand at Tottenham on Tuesday.

Pep Guardiola's side still have the title in their hands, but dropped points in North London will change that heading into the final round of fixtures, with Arsenal hosting Everton and City at home to West Ham.

Asked by Sky Sports if he is going to back Spurs for the victory against City, Havertz laughed and said: "I am going to be the biggest fan of Tottenham ever. Let's hope for the best."

Arsenal's victory at Old Trafford was their 27th in the Premier League this season - only in 1970-71 (29) and 1930-31 (28) have they won more in a single top-flight campaign.

Mikel Arteta's men could reach 89 points with victory over an Everton side with nothing to play for, yet that may still not be enough if City win both remaining fixtures.

Regardless of the result at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Premier League title race will still go down to the final weekend.

"We have one game and we need the whole club behind us - anything is possible," Havertz said. 

"We prepared for the game very well, we didn’t have our best game but we needed the three points and we have it now so we can be happy.

"We have to win every single game as City are always keeping the pressure on. It is so nice to be in the [title] race and every week you have to play at your best."

Havertz kept up his impressive form by setting up the only goal for Trossard, who has put Arsenal 1-0 up with three of the last four goals he has netted.

An out-of-sorts United side offered little in an attacking sense, a few David Raya saves from distance aside, in what was a deserved victory for the visitors.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Trossard said: "Man Utd are still a good team and they can hurt you in different ways so credit to the boys - we defended really well.

"Obviously we only have one objective to win the league. We have done our job today and it will be up to the last game and that is what we are aiming for.

"Hopefully next week we can celebrate something - you never know, it could be. We can only hope. We have done our job and that is the only thing we could have done."

Second-placed Bayern Munich beat Wolfsburg 2-0 with teenager Lovro Zvonarek scoring on his first start in their final Bundesliga home game of the season on Sunday as they eased towards the end of a trophy-less campaign.

Four days after Bayern's Champions League semi-final exit to Real Madrid confirmed their first season without any silverware in more than a decade, the Bavarians put in a solid performance against the Wolves despite a string of changes to Thomas Tuchel's team.

Zvonarek, the 19-year-old Croatian who had only made a handful of substitute appearances for the team, scored four minutes into his first start, drilling home for the lead.

Leon Goretzka doubled the advantage nine minutes later with the hosts quickly taking full control of the game.

Bayern have 72 points, two ahead of third-placed Stuttgart with one game remaining. Unbeaten champions Bayer Leverkusen, on 84, visit Bochum later on Sunday.

Data Debrief: Clean sheet for Neuer on landmark outing

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made his 500th Bundesliga appearance, 156 of those having come for Schalke and 344 for his current side.

The veteran stopper had two saves to make en route to becoming the fourth goalkeeper in Bundesliga history to reach that 500 mark, after Oliver Kahn (557), Eike Immel (534) and Uli Stein (512).