Joe Mazzulla is taking nothing for granted despite seeing his Boston Celtics team overcome the Milwaukee Bucks in what could be a prelude to a playoff game.

The Celtics won 122-119 on Wednesday, with the Bucks - who sit second in the Eastern Conference, but 11 games behind runaway leaders Boston - unable to get over the line in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Jayson Tatum scored 31 points for the Celtics, who have now won seven games on the bounce.

Mazzulla, however, does not necessarily see the win as a preview of what could come in the postseason.

He said: "Nothing's guaranteed in life.

"We may see them; they may see us; we may not. You never know what's going to happen.

"I know both teams are developing an identity and there's obviously a DNA there that both teams have. But you don't want to overthink things. And you don't take anything for granted."

Payton Pritchard chipped in with 19 points for the Celtics, while Derrick White had 23 and Jaylen Brown finished with 21.

"Everybody always had talked about his shooting," Mazzulla said of Pritchard.

"But I think this year, in particular, he’s been impacting by his rebounding, impacting by his defense, his pace.

"He's just becoming a really well-rounded player who knows he can have a positive impact on the game in many different ways, and it's a huge asset for us."

Pritchard, meanwhile, said he was motivated by an insult dished out to teammate Luke Kornet by the Bucks' Patrick Beverley, who seemingly mocked the Boston man for his height.

"It kind of lit a fire under me," said Pritchard.

"He's trying to clown one of our teammates. So I definitely took it a little personally."

Fergal O’Brien’s Dysart Enos is on track to shine at Aintree after a late setback scuppered her Cheltenham Festival hopes.

The six-year-old has a flawless record under rules and capped last season with Grade Two success in a highly competitive renewal of the Nickel Coin bumper at Aintree when beating Jeremy Scott’s Golden Ace.

Her hurdles career has been equally prolific and in three starts over obstacles she has been a straightforward winner every time, making her a real prospect for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival.

An overreach injury prevented her from lining up at the meeting in a totally luckless week for the O’Brien stable, who lost Highland Hunter and were disappointed to see the well-fancied Crambo underperform in the Stayers’ Hurdle.

Dysart Enos’ setback was a minor one, however, and she is now on track to return at Grade One level in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree next month.

“She’s back riding out and she’s got her shoe back on, it was just an overreach the day before the Festival at the bottom of the gallops,” said O’Brien.

“It was nothing major, but it was enough to stop her as she was lame on the bulb of her heel, hopefully now we can roll on to Aintree.

“I do try to be philosophical about these things, as disappointed as I was, it was hard telling Paddy (Brennan) and the owners but sometimes these things happen for a reason and you have to tell yourself that.”

Golden Ace was the winner of the race in the absence of Dysart Enos, a boost to their Aintree bumper form and no surprise to O’Brien as he already held that mare in high regard.

“I did a few previews before Cheltenham and I said I thought Jeremy Scott’s horse would not be far away, I loved her two runs at Taunton and the fact that she didn’t have a penalty like us, she ticked a lot of boxes,” he said.

“It’s the two-mile Grade One we’re going for (at Aintree) and I think that’s where Jeremy’s going with his too, so we’ll get our chance again.”

Crambo will also be given another shot at Aintree as he is headed for the Liverpool Hurdle in a bid to return to the form he showed earlier in the season.

“Crambo will go to Aintree, we couldn’t really make head nor tail of his disappointing run,” O’Brien.

“With the disappointment of Dysart Enos not getting there because she was lame in the morning and Crambo running a bit flat, it wasn’t our finest week.

“Johnny Burke looked after him and he’s won over two and a half (miles) round Aintree, so hopefully with the sun on his back he’ll run more respectably than he did at Cheltenham.”

Katie Boulter reached the third round of the Miami Open for the first time after opponent Brenda Fruhvirtova retired with illness.

The British number one, who received a first-round bye as the 24th seed, was leading 7-6 (5) 1-0 15-0 when 16-year-old wild card Fruhvirtova, who appeared to be struggling with the heat, headed to her chair.

The young Czech, who was short on tennis coming into the tournament having been under the weather, called the doctor for the first time leading by a break of serve at 5-4 in the opening set.

Boulter eventually took the set in a tie-break and had broken to start the second before Fruhvirtova called the doctor again and then decided she could not continue.

She is not the first player to struggle in Miami this week, with Frenchman Arthur Cazaux collapsing on court during a qualifying match, while Matteo Berrettini looked close to fainting against Andy Murray on Wednesday.

Boulter had made a shaky start and admitted she found it hard to concentrate amid her opponent’s difficulties, telling Sky Sports: “I actually think it’s one of the toughest things to do.

“Halfway through the match I’m seeing her coaches telling her to pull and then she’s not, so obviously there’s a lot going on. One minute she’s struggling to put the ball in the court and the next she’s running 10 shots side to side so it’s a tough mental game.

“For me it was challenging today and I probably wasn’t the kindest to myself but we live and learn.”

Michael O’Neill believes 2024 can bring a “rebirth” for Northern Ireland but knows he must also forge a new identity for his young team.

A hugely disappointing Euro 2024 qualifying campaign that was ruined by injuries forced O’Neill to accelerate the rebuilding process Northern Ireland knew was coming, and the next steps will be seen in friendlies now and in June before the Nations League returns in September.

A new generation spearheaded by the likes of Conor Bradley, Isaac Price, Trai Hume and Shea Charles offers great hope – as did November’s 2-0 win over Denmark – but O’Neill knows he must now mould this inexperienced squad into a team that can play to their collective strengths.

“I don’t think it’s a reset, I think it’s a rebirth if I’m honest,” O’Neill said. “This is a new group of players.

“I think we (are in double figures) in our group that have never been capped or are in single figures in caps so they are at the very start of their international careers.

“A lot of them are at the start of their club careers as well. I think this is a new team that’s being developed.

“We really only have what I would say are four experienced players with us and this team has a lot of potential but it needs time.”

When Northern Ireland reached Euro 2016 under O’Neill, they were known for their ability to soak up pressure and then nick a goal, often through set-pieces, to compete against higher-ranked opposition.

O’Neill said that finding an identity for this group was “essential”.

“I think any team that does well requires an identity,” he said. “The players have to buy into that as well and trust the work that we do. They all play in different styles of football at their clubs.

“If you look at Conor Bradley playing for Liverpool that’s going to be different to the style of play Eoin Toal plays at Bolton so it is about bringing all of that into the mix and creating our own identity that works for us.

“Any good Northern Ireland team is good when the opposition has the ball and that’s what we have to work really hard on.

“We demonstrated that in the game against Denmark and the next phase of the development of the team is to always be that but also to be as productive as we can be as well…

“We will ask players to step up in level so we are asking players who play in League One in England to step up against players playing at higher levels across Europe. The most important thing is that our players show they can deal with that. I’ve every confidence they will.”

Sunderland defender Hume, who last week received the award he won in December as Northern Ireland’s player of the year, said there was a high level of confidence in the group after the qualifying campaign ended on a high note with the win over Denmark in Belfast.

“We are a a young squad, we have to keep building,” the 22-year-old said. “The last campaign we lost a lot of games very closely so it’s a tough one to take but beating Denmark 2-0, I hope for a lot of players we can build on that, we can gain confidence going into these games.”

Dan Ballard will miss Friday’s game in Bucharest after becoming a father for the first time but could return for Tuesday’s match against Scotland in Glasgow, when O’Neill also hopes to have Jamal Lewis and Ross McCausland back in the group after injury.

Ollie Sangster’s Shuwari has been ruled out of the Qipco 1000 Guineas after suffering a setback.

The daughter of New Bay advertised her potential when striking at Listed level on just her second start and wemt on to bank plenty of Newmarket experience when second in both the Rockfel Stakes and Fillies’ Mile in the autumn.

Those performances marked her out as a Classic contender and her handler was relishing the prospect of setting her a big-race assignment back on the Rowley Mile on the first weekend in May.

However, a small issue that will take some time to resolve has come to light, putting Shuwari’s three-year-old campaign on hold.

“She’s had a setback and there will be no Guineas,” said Sangster.

“She was training great and had wintered well. She had grown and strengthened up and her work had been very good this spring. She was in very good shape and we were looking forward to it (the Guineas).

“I’m not sure on a timescale, we will just have to see how the rehab goes in the next few weeks and then we will have a better guide on it.”

As well as Shuwari, Per Contra made headlines for Sangster during his first season in the training ranks.

The Wathnan Racing-owned colt impressed in his first two appearances and, although slightly underwhelming in his first try in Group company, the Manton handler is keen to see how he returns at the start of his three-year-old campaign.

“He’s in good form, he’s going galloping tomorrow and Monday and then we will begin plotting a bit of a route for him,” continued Sangster.

“I think he will go up in trip this year. I don’t think he will be a big stayer but he will go up to 10 furlongs anyway. I think he is off quite a nice mark, so we will see.”

George Boughey is working back from the French 1000 Guineas with Chic Colombine following her spectacular reappearance at Saint-Cloud last weekend.

The daughter of Seahenge enjoyed an excellent juvenile campaign last season, winning four successive races in the space of three months before signing off with fourth place in the Group Three Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket in October.

Sent across the Channel for a Listed race on her three-year-old debut, Chic Colombine ran out an impressive six-length winner in the hands of Billy Loughnane and Boughey is excited to see what the rest of the season has in store.

“She was good, I think the fashion of her win was a bit surprising but it didn’t surprise me that she won,” said the Newmarket handler.

“She’s done as well as anything over the winter, she was a frame of a horse last year and she’s going to go back to France for the French 1000 Guineas trial – the Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp.

“She’s come out of her race really good, she’s eligible for French premiums and I didn’t put her in the English Guineas intentionally as we’re working back for the French Guineas.”

While Chic Colombine’s comeback victory was achieved in heavy ground, Boughey does not believe testing conditions are essential.

He added: “She obviously handles slow ground but I look forward to seeing her on some better ground in time. William Buick rode her in her first handicap, he said she was better than a handicapper and it was decent ground that day.

“I think she’s versatile ground-wise, Highclere (Thoroughbred Racing) have got another nice filly and it’s great to get that bold black type early in the season.”

George North will miss the rest of this season after suffering a ruptured Achilles during Wales’ Guinness Six Nations defeat against Italy.

North, 31, went off two minutes from the end as Wales crashed to a fifth successive Six Nations loss this season that meant their first wooden spoon since 2003.

It was the Wales and Ospreys centre’s final appearance before retiring from international rugby.

“Ospreys can confirm that George North will miss the remainder of the season following surgery on a ruptured Achilles injury sustained whilst playing for Wales v Italy,” the Ospreys said on X.

“We’d like to thank George for his time at the club and wish him the best for the future.”

North, who will leave the Ospreys and join ambitious French club Provence this summer, added on X: “Not everyone gets the fairytale ending.

“A ruptured Achilles wasn’t the way I wanted to bow out of international rugby.

“Still, I have loved every second. Can’t thank everyone enough for the support and kind messages. On the recovery train now.”

A ruptured Achilles can mean several months on the sidelines, and it was a cruel way for North to leave the Test arena.

He won 121 caps – only Alun Wyn Jones and Gethin Jenkins have played more times for Wales – and scored 47 tries for his country.

North also helped Wales win four Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams, while he also played in four World Cups.

Nicky Richards’ Famous Bridge is preparing for a Scottish Grand National bid after his fourth-placed effort in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

The eight-year-old runs in the silks of the late Trevor Hemmings and has developed into the classic chasing type associated with those colours.

After taking a good handicap chase at Haydock in November, the gelding returned to the same track to win the Tommy Whittle the following month.

He was pulled up in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster and then parted ways with Sean Quinlan when going well in the Grand National Trial at Haydock last month, but put both runs behind him when lining up at Cheltenham.

A 25-1 chance for the three-mile-one-furlong Ultima, Famous Bridge came home fourth of 21 runners to set up a possible Scottish Grand National run to round off his campaign.

“He seems fine, we’ll just see how he is for the next week or 10 days or so, if he’s all right and the ground’s all right, we’ll go for the Scottish National,” said Richards.

“He ran a decent race in the Ultima, he’s a very tough and consistent horse, we were pleased with him.

“He’s had a busy season running in competitive races, so he’ll go up there to Scotland and that’ll be his last run this time.

“He’s had a grand year, it’s a shame he unseated at Haydock but there you go, he’ll make up for that next year and we’ll train him with the National in mind.”

The Prince of Wales’s Stakes is King Of Steel’s main objective in the first half of the new Flat season, with Roger Varian lining up one run before a tilt at a second Royal Ascot triumph.

The Champion Stakes hero thrived at the Berkshire venue during his Classic season, with both of his victories coming at the track.

He followed up his brave second to Auguste Rodin in the Derby by winning the King Edward VII Stakes at last year’s Royal meeting and although having to settle for third in the King George back at the Berkshire venue in July, he then triumphed on British Champions Day.

The Amo Racing-owned colt finished his campaign with a fifth-placed effort in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita and after a well-earned winter break is back at Carlburg Stables tuning up for the season ahead.

“He’s in great form and has wintered very well. He looks a picture and we’re very happy with him,” said Varian.

“He looks stronger and he’s entitled to be – he’s a big horse with low mileage so he’s entitled to be getting stronger. It looks that way and hopefully with strength comes some improvement, so we will see.”

With Varian eyeing just one outing for King Of Steel before returning to Ascot in June, the Newmarket handler has identified either the Curragh’s Tattersalls Gold Cup on May 26 or a trip to Sandown for the Brigadier Gerard Stakes three days earlier to tune-up for Prince of Wales’s Stakes action.

He continued: “We will be very much looking at the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot with one run before, either in Ireland or here. That will be his primary target for the first half of the season.

“We wouldn’t be looking to get him started before May and I guess closer to the time we will make a decision between going to Ireland for the Tattersalls Gold Cup or staying closer to home and going for the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown.

“The Prince of Wales’s Stakes is the obvious early season race for him, he’s been successful twice at the track and the only time he wasn’t he was a fine third in the King George.”

Although there is still a while for racing fans to wait before King Of Steel makes his return, Varian’s star stayer Eldar Eldarov is set to reappear in the Group Two Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan on World Cup night.

The Classic winner was last seen adding the Irish St Leger to the Doncaster version he landed during his three-year-old season and the son of Dubawi is reported to be in rude health ahead of his slated overseas comeback.

The five-year-old has been partnered throughout his career by David Egan, but there will be a new man in the saddle out in the Middle East with James Doyle beginning what Varian hopes will become a fruitful association with the yard aboard the dual St Leger hero.

Varian added: “He’s scheduled to ship on Saturday and has done all his work now. He’s training well and looks a picture and we’re looking forward to getting his season started out there.

“James Doyle will ride him and a lot of our horses this year when available and when it works out for us and for him. He will be riding Eldar at Meydan and we’re looking forward to that.”

Marlie Packer will make her 100th England appearance on Sunday when she captains the side in their Six Nations opener against Italy in Parma.

Red Roses head coach John Mitchell announced his squad on Thursday and Packer will become the seventh woman to reach the milestone for England.

Mitchell said the 34-year-old Saracens back-row, who made her senior international debut in 2008, “epitomises what it is to be a Red Rose”.

He added: “Reaching 100 caps for your country is an awesome achievement. Talking to Marlie about her journey, she has had to overcome adversity since her Test debut.

“What has been evident since I first met her is that her determination to succeed has been ingrained in her over the past 16 years, helping her achieve what she has in the game.”

Packer is one of only five players who have retained their starting places following England’s 33-12 win against New Zealand when sealing the inaugural WXV1 title in November last year.

The others are Harlequins full-back Ellie Kildunne, Trailfinders wing Abby Dow, Loughborough centre Helena Rowland and Bristol hooker Lark Atkin-Davies.

Saracens fly-half Zoe Harrison, Loughborough centre Emily Scarratt and Bristol second-row Abbie Ward all return to the starting line-up for the first time since England’s 34-31 defeat to New Zealand in the 2022 World Cup final.

Saracens prop Kelsey Clifford is poised for her maiden Test start and Exeter flanker Maddie Feaunati could make her England debut off the bench.

Loughborough flanker Sadia Kabeya and Harlequins scrum-half Lucy Packer will both start against Italy after missing WXV through injury.

England have lost only three of their last 60 Test matches and after completing the Six Nations Grand Slam last year, they finished the 2023 season unbeaten.

Mitchell said: “We are excited to get going in what is an awesome tournament. We are focused on improving our performance.

“We want to get quicker at our game, we want to create more pressure on the opposition and we want to present attacking opportunities. Italy is our first opportunity to put into practice what we are aiming to achieve.”

England team to face Italy: Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins), Abby Dow (Trailfinders), Helena Rowland (Loughborough), Emily Scarratt (Loughborough), Jess Breach (Saracens), Zoe Harrison (Saracens), Lucy Packer (Harlequins), Hannah Botterman (Bristol), Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol), Kelsey Clifford (Saracens), Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury), Abbie Ward (Bristol), Sadia Kabeya (Loughborough), Marlie Packer (Saracens), Sarah Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury).

Replacements: Connie Powell (Harlequins), Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury), Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Maddie Feaunati (Exeter), Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury), Natasha Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury), Holly Aitchison (Bristol), Megan Jones (Leicester).

Nathan Collins has backed the Football Association of Ireland to get it right as they look for a new manager.

Stephen Kenny’s tenure as Republic of Ireland boss ended in disappointment in November last year, since when the FAI has been working to find a replacement with an appointment due to be announced next month.

Former Ireland international John O’Shea has been placed in interim charge for the friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland, with speculation mounting over the identity of the successful candidate after England Under-21s boss Lee Carsley ruled himself out of contention.

Asked about the situation, 22-year-old Brentford defender Collins told a press conference: “I trust them. You have to trust them. If I didn’t, then I wouldn’t be here.

“It’s up to them and I trust who they put in front of us. At the end of the day, they’ll do what’s right for us.”

The FAI’s director of football Marc Canham said after O’Shea was handed the reins that “contractual obligations” prevented him from naming names in the hunt for Kenny’s successor, in the process intimating the former Manchester United defender was unlikely to remain in post.

However, a man who has cut his teeth with both the under-21 and senior coaching set-ups – the 42-year-old served as one of Kenny’s assistant during the latter stages of his tenure – has impressed the squad.

Collins said: “I can’t speak highly enough of him, from what he did with the under-21s, even with Stephen Kenny. He’s been class with us, he’s helped me a lot. It’s an enjoyable experience working with him.

“When a new manager comes in, it’s always going to be a bit different. It’s exciting, I think. It’s a good group of lads, a few new lads as well, a lot of fresh boys, so I’m looking forward to it and we’re all excited.”

O’Shea’s time with the under-21s saw him work under manager Jim Crawford, and he is in little doubt as to the qualities the 118-cap defender will bring to his task.

Crawford said: “John has fantastic knowledge of the game. As a head coach, you need to be able to control your emotions and he certainly can do that. He sees the game in a very clear way and he has the communications skills to be able to transfer his ideas to the player without any problem.

“He is extremely likeable and what underpins all that is the career he had as a player. When you go in as a head coach, it is totally different to being a player. It is a different skillset.

“But the fact John was hugely successful with Ireland and Manchester United will help him in this role. He was massive with us and I do know that John learned a lot when he was with the 21s, just as he did with Reading, Stoke, Birmingham and with the Irish senior team.”

Top-weight Hewick has been officially scratched from the Randox Grand National, with trainer Shark Hanlon instead targeting the Aintree Bowl two days earlier.

Following his thrilling victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, connections had been planning a huge spring double with both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the world’s most famous steeplechase on Merseyside in their sights.

However, Hanlon made the difficult decision to withdraw his stable star from last week’s blue riband due to the rain-softened ground and admitted afterwards he was considering switching his focus at Aintree to give him the best opportunity of having another shot at Gold Cup glory next term.

The County Carlow handler now confirmed that plan, with an appearance in the Bowl potentially set to be followed by an outing in the Punchestown Gold Cup in early May.

“I’m going for the Bowl and then after that it’s quite possible we’ll come back to Punchestown for the Gold Cup there,” said Hanlon.

“I want to go for the Gold Cup next year, so he can go for a National next year, and the Bowl looks the race now as a lot of the horses out of the Bowl have run in the Gold Cup and our lad will be going there fresh.

“What have you going for the Bowl? Paul Nicholls’ horse (Bravemansgame) will probably go again, but he got a hard race in Cheltenham, and you don’t know how Nicky Henderson’s horse (Shishkin) is.

“It’s a £250,000 race, so it’s worth a lot of money, and that’s our aim.”

Hewick’s defection from the Grand National means Gordon Elliott’s Conflated now heads the Aintree field.

Jordan Pickford says speculation over Gareth Southgate’s future makes “no difference” to an England squad fully focused on winning the European Championship.

Having reached the World Cup semi-finals and quarter-finals either side of finishing as Euro 2020 runners-up, the team are favourites to be crowned continental champions this summer.

Euro 2024 could well be Southgate’s fourth and final tournament in charge, with the former England defender’s Football Association contract expiring at the end of the year.

The 53-year-old says contract talks are on the back burner as his focus is on glory in Germany, but background noise has increased this week following talk of Manchester United’s potential interest.

Asked what difference speculation about Southgate’s immediate future makes, England goalkeeper Pickford told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I think there’s no difference. I think there’s one goal and that’s to win a European trophy.

“Us as players, and I think the manager and the staff, that’s all our goal is, to be focused on winning the European Championship.

“I think all the noise around anything else will probably come after that.”

Southgate handed Pickford his England debut in November 2017 and made him number one heading into the following year’s World Cup in Russia.

“His character has not changed,” the 58-cap goalkeeper said. “He’s a top man manager and he’s got a great set of staff around him.

“The training’s always good with the manager and everything we do is good.”

Southgate is currently working with Pickford and his team-mates ahead of England’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, when the Everton goalkeeper could be joined on the pitch by some familiar faces.

Anthony Gordon came through the ranks at Goodison Park and has gone on, in Pickford’s opinion, to become Newcastle’s best player this season.

The 23-year-old was part of the England side that won last summer’s Under-21 European Championship, as was highly-rated Toffees centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite.

“He’s been really good, a bit of a Rolls Royce,” Pickford said of the defender after his first senior call-up. “He’s calm and he makes the right decisions as well.

“He’s been quality this season and it’ll be a massive honour for him and his family to get called up for England, but fully deserved as well, I would say.”

Gordon, Branthwaite and fellow new boy Kobbie Mainoo are desperate to make their England debuts in a camp Ben White opted not to join.

The Arsenal defender went to the last Euros and World Cup, but Southgate revealed last week that he does not currently want to be selected by the national team.

White left Qatar early due to “personal reasons” and reports emerged of a fall-out between him and assistant Steve Holland, although the England boss last week stressed there was “never any issue” between them.

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Asked about White’s decision to snub an England recall, Pickford said: “Nothing’s been said. We just crack on as normal.

“That’s his own decision and you never know what’s happening at home, so you can’t really judge anyone I would say.

“But, for me, I love nothing more than wearing the England shirt and when I get the opportunity I grab it with both hands, which I’ve done for the last six, seven years.

“There’s not a better buzz than putting the England shirt on.”