Kevin Durant says the Brooklyn Nets treated Friday's 118-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks as "bigger than a regular season" after extending their win streak to eight games.
The Nets claimed a confidence-boosting victory over the 2021 NBA champions, moving Brooklyn to a 21-12 record, while the Bucks are only slightly ahead in the Eastern Conference with a 22-10 record.
Durant scored 24 points, extending his run of games with plus 50 per cent field-goal shooting to 12, while Nic Claxton added 19 points with eight rebounds, five assists and three steals.
There were contributions all round for Brooklyn, with Kyrie Irving scoring 18 points with nine rebounds and six assists, while Ben Simmons had 12 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and three steals. T.J. Warren chipped in 12 points and six rebounds off the bench.
All five Nets' starters reached double figures, marking the sixth time they have achieved that this season.
After a tumultuous start to the season where they commenced with a 1-5 record and had off-court issues involving Irving to deal with, the Nets have rallied to become genuine contenders.
"It's good for us," Durant told reporters. It's good for us to keep stacking days. We respect Milwaukee, we understand how dominant they've been this season.
"We wanted to come out and we understand everyone is watching this game, everybody looked at this as bigger than a regular season game, so I think we tried to approach it that way.
"I know those guys play extremely hard every night, we tried to match that. They play playoff style basketball every game so it was on us to match it and play our brand as well.
"We've been trying to stay at their level as consistently as we can. It's tough to do in the regular season with injuries and the ebb and flow of the season but we tried to stay locked in as much as we can."
Durant called the victory a "great team win" for the Nets given the raft of contributions, creating 30 assists compared to the Bucks' 17, and forcing 18 turnovers.
"We were locked in all night on both sides of the ball," Durant said. "We were able to get a nice cushion early.
"They're a championship quality team so they're going to fight back and get into the game. We were able to make big shots and get big stops. Great team win for us."
The Nets kept Giannis Antetokounmpo scoreless in the final quarter, led by Simmons, as they weathered any late challenge, pulling away to win by 18 points after leading 85-75 at the final change.
"I thought overall the mental approach from guys, we knew they'd make some threes and we didn’t panic," Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said.
"Giannis is going to get through us sometimes and we're not going to over-react. But we be steady throughout the night to put multiple bodies in front of him? That's tough to do, because he's coming downhill at you with force and you're going to get hit. I thought overall our guys responded extremely well."
Draymond Green has labelled the Golden State Warriors as "very fragile" after their 1-5 road trip which left the reigning champions 11th in the Western Conference and below .500.
The Warriors had started the six-game road trip with an outstanding 16-point win over last season's NBA Finals opponents, the Boston Celtics, but lost their next five to be 3-16 on the road this season.
Golden State, who lost reigning NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry to a shoulder injury during the road trip, have lost seven of their past nine games.
"Right now, I think we are very fragile," Green told reporters on Friday after practice.
"You start going through these things and then you start believing them. Once you start believing them, it becomes who you are. The only way to break them is by being mentally tough."
The Warriors suffered back-to-back 30-point losses for the first time since 2001 to round out the road trip.
"I think this is a team that has struggled from the spirit perspective since [the road trip started]," Green said.
"It's a bit more frustrating. You can make what you want of it being on the road versus being at home, but it's mental. It's a team struggling mentally and that makes it hard to overcome anything else.
"It's not something that's going to be fixed with the snap of a finger. You've got to work through these issues to get that confidence.
"It's just not showing up. As much as you'd like to think, 'Oh, we'll be fine and this guy will come back.' No, no, no. You've got to work [for] positive outcomes, positive feelings, that ultimately give you that boost of confidence."
Despite their struggles, Green remained confident that the Warriors could make an impact in the playoffs, even without the benefit of a high seeding.
"I feel sorry for the one or two seeds if we're in that situation," Green said. "Is Steph Curry still on this team? Klay Thompson? Me? I think we would be fine."
Brendan Rodgers anticipates Leicester City will rebuff any offers tabled for James Maddison in the January transfer window.
The England international has been a standout performer for the Foxes this term, and has been their brightest light amid a poor 2022-23 campaign to date.
Maddison was crucial to the pre-break revival enjoyed by Leicester, earning a recall to the Three Lions fold and a spot in Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad too.
His rising stock, therefore, is likely to attract bids during the new year, but Rodgers expects the club to keep hold of their man and knock back any approaches.
"I've been given no indication that we have to do anything with James in January," he stated. "He's someone I want to keep here.
"When you have good players, it's a good sign. They'll always be coveted by other teams. That's OK, I'm confident those players will be here. My focus is on improving the squad. That's what I want to do."
Maddison himself is only just returning to action with Leicester following a post-Qatar 2022 breather, after England were edged by ultimate finalists France in the last eight.
Speaking at the World Darts Championship as a guest of Sky Sports, the 26-year-old acknowledged Southgate's men felt they could go the distance, while hailing the squad the latter has put together.
"The World Cup came to a disappointing end, in the end," he added. "There was a real feel we were going to go all the way and win it, to be honest. It wasn't to be - we lost to a very good France side.
"The group's so good. I've had a few years out of the squad, so there's a few faces I didn't know. It's quite a young group, so it was easy to transition back in.
"It's such an easy group to go into and be yourself, express yourself. That's why, even though I didn't get any minutes, when we went out, I was devastated. You build up such a bond."
Sam Curran was "absolutely overwhelmed and incredibly humbled" to become the most expensive player in IPL history.
The England all-rounder, fresh from a standout white-ball performance at the T20 World Cup that saw him named Player of the Tournament, is returning to Punjab Kings for 2023.
Curran was the subject of a record bid from Punjab, eventually selling for an all-time high 18.5 crore (£1.85million) in Friday's auction.
"I'm absolutely overwhelmed and incredibly humbled to receive that bid," he told Star Sports. "Punjab is where I did my debut season a few years ago.
"I feel confident going into this tournament. We had a fantastic World Cup. I'm incredibly excited to come to India for this big opportunity.
"There's so many things running through my mind. I knew this morning about the auction, but I was struggling to find a stream. It wasn't on TV.
"I saw the bids coming from Mumbai, then Chennai. Having played for Chennai earlier, it was cool to see them, [and then] I got a call about joining Punjab."
Emiliano Martinez's "stupid" celebrations "took away" from Argentina's World Cup success, according to France and Arsenal great Patrick Vieira.
Martinez saved Kingsley Coman's attempt and watched Aurelien Tchouameni roll wide as La Albiceleste overcame France 4-2 on penalties following an entertaining 3-3 draw in Sunday's Lusail Stadium final.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper was criticised for his gamesmanship during the shoot-out before his subsequent celebrations were thought to cross the line after appearing to repeatedly taunt Kylian Mbappe.
Martinez called for a "moment of silence" for Mbappe after his hat-trick proved in vain, while he was seen holding a bizarre puppet with the France forward's face on during homecoming celebrations.
Former Gunners captain Vieira, who won the 1998 World Cup with Les Bleus, labelled ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Martinez's action as unnecessary.
"When you talk about the abuse and the comments that [Mbappe] received after the World Cup, I think that is damaging the game and himself," the Crystal Palace manager said on Friday.
"Some of the pictures that I saw from the Argentina goalkeeper took away a little bit from what Argentina achieved at the World Cup.
"I don't think they really needed that. Sometimes, you can't control people's emotions or decisions, but that was a stupid decision from Martinez to do that. I was really disappointed.
"I want to have a picture of the Argentina fans with the passion and the love they showed during those games. Of course, they won the World Cup, but in the stands, they were the best as well.
"I want to keep that in my mind and not think about those stupid fans who put some darkness on top of what Argentina achieved on and off the field. This is the dark side of the Argentina World Cup win."
Emiliano Martinez's "stupid" celebrations "took away" from Argentina's World Cup success, according to France and Arsenal great Patrick Vieira.
Martinez saved Kingsley Coman's attempt and watched Aurelien Tchouameni roll wide as La Albiceleste overcame France 4-2 on penalties following an entertaining 3-3 draw in Sunday's Lusail Stadium final.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper was criticised for his gamesmanship during the shoot-out before his subsequent celebrations were thought to cross the line after appearing to repeatedly taunt Kylian Mbappe.
Martinez called for a "moment of silence" for Mbappe after his hat-trick proved in vain, while he was seen holding a bizarre puppet with the France forward's face on during homecoming celebrations.
Former Gunners captain Vieira, who won the 1998 World Cup with Les Bleus, labelled ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Martinez's action as unnecessary.
"When you talk about the abuse and the comments that [Mbappe] received after the World Cup, I think that is damaging the game and himself," the Crystal Palace manager said on Friday.
"Some of the pictures that I saw from the Argentina goalkeeper took away a little bit from what Argentina achieved at the World Cup.
"I don't think they really needed that. Sometimes, you can't control people's emotions or decisions, but that was a stupid decision from Martinez to do that. I was really disappointed.
"I want to have a picture of the Argentina fans with the passion and the love they showed during those games. Of course, they won the World Cup, but in the stands, they were the best as well.
"I want to keep that in my mind and not think about those stupid fans who put some darkness on top of what Argentina achieved on and off the field. This is the dark side of the Argentina World Cup win."
Kalvin Phillips returned from World Cup duty with England "overweight" and not ready to feature against Liverpool, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
The midfielder has endured a frustrating season hampered by injury issues after moving to the Etihad Stadium from boyhood club Leeds United in the last transfer window.
Phillips was still selected by Gareth Southgate for Qatar 2022 but played just 40 minutes across the tournament before England suffered quarter-final heartbreak against France.
The 27-year-old, who has been restricted to just one substitute appearance in the Premier League for City, missed the EFL Cup fourth-round win over Liverpool on Thursday.
While England team-mates Jack Grealish, John Stones and Phil Foden all featured in the first game after the World Cup, Guardiola suggested Phillips' fitness was far below the standards expected.
"He's not injured. He arrived overweight. I don't know [why]," Guardiola said when asked about Phillips' omission.
"He didn't arrive in the condition to do training sessions and to play."
Guardiola is not giving up on Phillips yet, though, adding: "When he will be ready, he will play, because we need him, we need him a lot."
As for Guardiola's disappointment with him, he said: "It's a private conversation with Kalvin."
Guardiola confirmed Ruben Dias joined Phillips on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury in Portugal's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Morocco.
City visit Phillips' former side Leeds on Wednesday as Guardiola's men aim to cut Arsenal's five-point lead at the top of the table.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys face off on Christmas Eve with the former on the brink of claiming the NFC East title.
Having compiled a 13-1 record across their first 14 games, the Eagles are three games ahead of the Cowboys in the division.
They will claim the title from the Cowboys with victory in Dallas but face the challenge of sweeping their rivals without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Hurts is out with a sprained shoulder, meaning the Eagles will be hoping for backup Gardner Minshew to reprise 'Minshew Mania' and lead them to triumph.
The absence of Hurts may remove the downfield passing element from the Eagles' offense and will also have a negative impact on the Philadelphia ground game.
Hurts rushed for three touchdowns in last week's win over the Chicago Bears, taking his tally to 26 for his career. The only Eagles quarterbacks with more are Randall Cunningham (32) and Donovan McNabb (28).
Still, the Eagles do have one of the most productive running backs in the NFL this season in the form of Miles Sanders, who has averaged 5.16 yards per carry in racking up 1,110 rushing yards. That number ranks fifth in the NFL, as do his 11 rushing touchdowns.
Sanders may be the focal point for the offense for Philadelphia in Week 16, with the onus potentially on him to increase the Eagles' tally of eight rushing touchdowns of 10 yards or more, one which trails only the Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks (both nine).
Yet there is the distinct possibility that both teams find it tough sledding on the ground. The Eagles and the Cowboys have each allowed only three rushing touchdowns of at least 10 yards.
With Dallas able to complement a running game led by the exciting tandem of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard with a passing attack overseen by Dak Prescott, the Cowboys have a greater number of avenues towards offensive success. Prescott is fourth among quarterbacks with at least 200 attempts in well-thrown rate. He has delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 85.4 per cent of his passes.
The change from Hurts to Minshew makes the Eagles' offense more of an unknown, but if they can survive their starting quarterback's absence and prevail, it will underline their status as the top team in the NFC, if not the NFL.
Jordan Pickford and Anthony Gordon are "very close" to committing their future to Everton amid transfer speculation, manager Frank Lampard claimed on Friday.
The Everton goalkeeper was again an integral figure as England reached the World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar, while Gordon was repeatedly linked to Chelsea in the last transfer window.
A Stamford Bridge move never materialised for the 21-year-old winger, who has scored three times in 14 Premier League appearances this season.
Tottenham are reportedly interested in Pickford, but Lampard does not expect the pair – along with the rejuvenated Alex Iwobi – to leave Goodison Park in the near future.
"We're in a situation where we want them to stay, and they want to stay – that's always been the feeling – so we are very close," Lampard said ahead of Monday's Premier League clash with Wolves.
"I don't want to speak for him, but Jordan feels very happy at this club. That's the impression I get. We are a huge club with a big history and big ambition, and he is a big part of that.
"Maybe, I was fortunate to play in the Champions League a lot, but when I felt comfortable at a club, I came in with a smile on my face every day and I looked forward to every game.
"If Jordan feels like that, and we can match each other's ambitions, I don't see that as a problem."
While Lampard does not envisage any key players departing in January, the former Chelsea midfielder wants to make Conor Coady's move to Everton a permanent deal.
Coady is ineligible to face parent club Wolves, with the centre-back and Pickford still reeling from England's World Cup exit at the hands of France.
"Conor has been brilliant since he's been here in every possible way," Lampard added. "I would like to make that permanent at some point. That's not happening right now, but we will keep looking at that one.
"Conor and Jordan are great because they are low maintenance. It will have hurt them – as it did the whole nation – to leave the tournament because we felt we were doing well.
"There's not much worse than that moment [when you go out]. But the beauty of this tournament being in mid-season is that they come straight back to their clubs and the Premier League, and they know how highly we regard them.
"Obviously, Conor can't play on Monday, but they've come back with a really good attitude."
Oleksandr Zinchenko expects "true warrior" Gabriel Jesus to return "much strong than before" after his injury but has backed Eddie Nketiah to step up for Arsenal in the meantime.
Mikel Arteta's side will resume their Premier League campaign five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table after impressing before the World Cup break.
Arsenal host West Ham on Monday, but they will do so without Jesus after the Brazil forward underwent knee surgery following an injury in Qatar.
Zinchenko, who joined Arsenal with Jesus from Manchester City in the last transfer window, vowed his team-mate will return stronger as he encouraged the Gunners to step up in his absence.
"He's one of the leaders in our team. He's a true warrior," the Ukraine international told the club's official website.
"I have no doubts he'll be back much stronger than before, knowing him personally and knowing his character. As a team, we need to stick together."
Nketiah is likely to lead the line in Jesus' absence after largely playing a back-up role within Arteta's squad.
The 23-year-old scored five goals in the final seven league games of last season, though, and Zinchenko believes he will prove a capable replacement.
"I have no doubts that Nketiah is going to do his job amazingly, and everyone trusts him," the defender added. "We have such a great group of people. We have this feeling of togetherness."
Zinchenko is no stranger to pressure after winning four Premier League titles with City, and he insists Arsenal will not run out of steam this season.
"I'm just trying to do my job as well as I can. On the pitch, I am giving my 100 per cent," he continued.
"The fans have welcomed me so warmly at this club. I can't be grateful enough for everything they have done and the support I've received from them.
"What I've seen in the past [is] if you have the right attitude and the right behaviour on and off the pitch, you can't be tired physically. You can be only tired in the head – everything is coming from your head.
"If you do all the things right in your routine – your sleep, your food, look after yourself well – and you do everything to prepare your body fresh, if you do everything right, you can't be tired physically."
The Jaffna Kings are champions of the Lanka Premier League after securing a hard-fought two- wicket win over the Colombo Stars in the final at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday.
The Stars made 163-5 from their 20 overs after the Kings won the toss and elected to field first. Dinesh Chandimal (49), Ravi Bopara (47 not out) and Charith Asalanka (31) all continued their good form from yesterday’s second qualifier to propel the Stars to their score.
Needing 164 to win, Avishka Fernando (50), Sadeera Samarawickrama (44) and Rahmanulla Gurbaz (36) led the way as the Kings reached 164-8 off 19.2 overs to win their third straight LPL title.
Suranga Lakmal (3-23) and Benny Howell (2-17) tried their best for the stars while Dominic Drakes went for 14 runs from his two overs.
Novak Djokovic wants to play for as long as his body is able as he aims to emulate Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer after coming through a challenging 2022 campaign.
Djokovic began last season in somewhat controversial circumstances after he was barred from the Australian Open for his stance on vaccination for the global coronavirus pandemic.
The 21-time grand slam champion lost his world number one spot after failing to defend his French Open crown but roared back to glory at Wimbledon.
A record-matching fifth ATP Finals title took him level with the recently retired Federer and 35-year-old Djokovic has no intentions of slowing down in the new year.
"I would like to play as long as I possibly can," he stated in Dubai on Friday. "I don't have really any number in my head.
"Things are progressing so far pretty well for me. I can't complain. So as long as I play at this level, as long as I have the fire, I'll keep going."
Djokovic may have been unceremoniously deported from Australia earlier this year amid the fallout over his vaccination status but he has enjoyed playing at the first grand slam of the year in recent seasons.
At no other grand slam event has the Serbian been more prolific, with nine titles to date, and he is relishing the chance to start his season in Melbourne once more.
"I'm just glad to have a chance to start there," he added. "My record has been pretty decent over the years in Australia. So I look forward to going there.
"I always ask for the best for myself. Over the years, I've been really fortunate to start very strong in Australia and love playing there.
"After obviously what happened earlier this year, hopefully, I can have a decent reception there, and that can help me play some good tennis."
We are firmly in the business end of the 2022 NFL season.
Seven teams have already clinched their place in the postseason and a further seven will join them in the final three weeks of the campaign.
This is the time of year when room for error is diminished in games that have a huge bearing on how the final playoff field shakes out.
As such, festive feeling will be thin on the ground for those teams playing in such encounters during this weekend's Christmas schedule who come up short.
So often, though, these contests are decided by the game within the game, and here Stats Perform looks at three of the most important Week 16 clashes and the personnel matchups that could decide them.
New England Patriots @ Cincinnati Bengals
Win Probability: Patriots 52.0 per cent
Key Matchup: Matthew Judon and Josh Uche vs. Bengals offensive line
The Patriots' hopes of claiming a Wild Card berth took a massive blow in bizarre circumstances last week as Jakobi Meyers' inexplicable last-second lateral landed in the grateful arms of Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Chandler Jones, who stiff-armed Mac Jones into the turf and raced into the endzone to deny New England a chance of an overtime win.
At 7-7, they are still just a game behind the Miami Dolphins and must climb off the mat, though they are this week tasked with doing so against one of the hottest teams in football.
The 10-4 Bengals have a one-game edge over the Baltimore Ravens in the race for the AFC North division title, yet there is a matchup the Patriots can look to exploit in this one.
While Cincinnati's offensive line has improved in terms of preventing pressure on Joe Burrow, it remains in the bottom half of the NFL in pass block win rate, in which the Bengals rank 24th.
In Judon and Uche, the Patriots possess a pair of pass rushers who can cause the Cincinnati O-Line huge problems. Judon is second in the NFL in sacks (14.5), behind only Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers, while Uche has 10.5, all of which have come across his last seven games.
Both Judon (40.08 per cent) and Uche (42.38 per cent) possess pass rush win rates way above the average for edge players of 28.74 per cent, and if they are at their best, they could help eradicate the advantage the Bengals have at quarterback and tilt the game in New England's favour.
Seattle Seahawks @ Kansas City Chiefs
Win Probability: Chiefs 80.4 per cent
Key Matchup: Seattle defensive backs vs. Chiefs receivers
Like the Patriots, the Seahawks' prospects of reaching the postseason are in significant jeopardy.
Their hopes of winning the NFC West are gone after the 49ers clinched the division title in Seattle by completing their first sweep of the Seahawks since 2011 in Week 15.
That leaves Seattle fighting for a Wild Card, and the odds are very much against them in this one against a Chiefs team who are in a battle for the AFC's one seed with the Buffalo Bills.
Part of the reason why the Seahawks are still in the mix is the play of their young but talented secondary, which ranks 13th in the NFL in pass coverage win rate according to Stats Perform's matchup data.
Rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen has enjoyed an outstanding first season for Seattle, with his combined open percentage allowed across man and zone coverage of 22.75 the seventh-best among corners with at least 100 total matchups.
The Chiefs' pass-catchers are 13th in terms of winning their coverage matchups in 2022, a year in which the loss of Tyreek Hill has undoubtedly had an impact.
Yet with 82.1 per cent of Patrick Mahomes' throws this season going to an open target, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid continues to excel at scheming receivers into space.
For the Seahawks to have any hope of pulling off a sizeable upset, their secondary must limit the chances for the Chiefs' receivers to enjoy such freedom.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys
Win Probability: Cowboys 59 per cent
Key Matchup: Eagles offensive line vs. Cowboys pass rush
This NFC East matchup may have lost some of its lustre with the Eagles needing a meltdown to surrender the division title to the Cowboys and Jalen Hurts out because of a shoulder injury.
But that should not take away from the true heavyweight fight this game provides in the trenches.
Micah Parsons may be losing ground in the Defensive Player of the Year race, but he remains the headline act for a defense that is first in the NFL in pass rush win rate.
That would normally give the Cowboys a clear edge in a matchup with every offensive line, but not with this one.
Philadelphia's O-line leads the league in pass block win rate, with the Eagles allowing a pressure rate of 32.9 per cent that is the fourth-best in the NFL.
The Eagles maintaining their strength up front against Parsons and Co. will obviously be critical to Philadelphia as they seek to overcome the absence of Hurts.
There is no substitute for the value Hurts brings in the run game, but the Cowboys' defense has shown enough vulnerability to suggest backup quarterback Gardner Minshew can have success against Dallas, provided the offensive line wins the battle up front and allows the Eagles to stay on schedule.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis will remain on the sidelines indefinitely after testing revealed a stress injury in his right foot.
The team announced the news on Friday on Twitter to update the status of their star big man, who has been out since landing awkwardly during a game against the Denver Nuggets on December 16. The Lakers had previously listed Davis on the injury report with right foot soreness.
A stress injury is part of a spectrum of ailments, the most severe of which is considered a stress fracture.
The club did not comment on the severity of Davis' condition or give a timetable for his return, saying only that further updates "will be provided when appropriate."
The news is devastating for a 13-18 Lakers team that faces an uphill battle just qualify for the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.
After a 2-10 start to the season, the Lakers followed with a 10-6 surge, thanks largely to MVP-quality production from Davis. The eight-time All-Star averaged 30.8 points and 13.3 rebounds over that stretch while shooting 63.9 per cent from the floor.
Amid that stretch, Davis scored 55 points in a win over the Washington Wizards, his most since joining the Lakers in 2019 and the second most of his career.
Already with a top-heavy roster, Los Angeles will now rely even more on 37-year-old LeBron James and 34-year-old Russell Westbrook.
The Lakers host the Charlotte Hornets on Fridat and will be part of the NBA's annual Christmas Day lineup when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
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