"Why not go to a statue contract? People are saying, 'Oh, too many years.' But I just love what I'm seeing, what we're going to do. I want that statue on one team. I want to stay on one team and build my legacy over here in San Diego."
Fernando Tatis Jr. will have the chance to do exactly that – build a legacy – after signing an eye-popping 14-year, $340million contract with the San Diego Padres.
The Padres – winners of two National League pennants – are pinning their hopes on MLB's new poster boy delivering a first World Series to San Diego.
Not only is Tatis' deal the longest contract in MLB history, but also the largest contract awarded to a player not yet eligible for arbitration after he won a Silver Slugger award, having hit .277 with 17 home runs and 45 RBIs in the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season.
Tatis joins an exclusive club. The powerful 22-year-old shortstop's contract is the third largest in league history, only behind Mike Trout's 12-year, $426.5m extension with the Los Angeles Angels and Mookie Betts' $365m deal over 12 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"I'm just the same kid on the field. Nothing's going to change," Tatis said. "I'm playing the game I love. And I feel when you do the things with passion and with love, I feel like it's going to reward you. And I feel like when people ask me how I'm going to play this game, I'm just going to be the same kid every single time."
As Tatis and the Padres embark on an historic partnership, we take a look at the numbers behind the generational superstar using Stats Perform data.
Padres have struck (stolen) gold – just ask the White Sox
If you want to talk about steals, look no further than the James Shields trade in June 2016.
The Padres gave up Shields – who had signed the richest free-agent contract in franchise history the two offseasons prior – acquiring a pair of Minor Leaguers from the Chicago White Sox in return.
A certain 17-year-old Tatis was among them. The Dominican – son of former third baseman Fernando Tatis, who spent some 13 years in the majors – was unranked as a prospect in nearly every publication.
"He's got the big-league pedigree," Padres general manager A.J. Preller said at the time, with San Diego also sending a significant amount of cash to the White Sox to pay for part of Shields' contract. "He's a very intelligent kid, he's got good feel for the game. He's a shortstop, and he's a bigger-bodied player that's a pretty good athlete."
A pretty good athlete? Safe to say Preller and the Padres got it right.
In his debut season with the Padres in 2019, Tatis tallied 61 runs, 22 homers and 53 RBIs after hitting .317 in 84 games.
Tatis became the youngest Padres player to debut on Opening Day (20 years and 85 days), while he managed the most homers (22) by any MLB shortstop before turning 21.
He really took baseball by storm in 2020. Tatis became the fastest player in Padres history (24 team games) to reach the double-digit home run mark after hitting his 10th and 11th homers of the season in August.
In the postseason, Tatis homered twice against the St Louis Cardinals in October, becoming the youngest Padre to ever homer in a playoff game (21 years and 273 days) and the third-youngest player in MLB history to homer twice in a postseason match, behind Carlos Correa (21 and 20 days old) and Andruw Jones (19 years, 180 days old)
Tatis also finished fourth in the National League (NL) MVP race last season as the Padres returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
"I love this city," Tatis said. "I love the fans. I love the culture. I love the vibe. And I'm all about winning, and I'm all about winning in San Diego."
He is the first player in MLB history to have at least 35 home runs and 25 stolen bases within the first 150 games of his career.
Tatis packs a punch with the bat – he led the majors in average exit velocity (95.9 mph), hard hit percentage (62.2), and balls hit 95-plus MPH (102).
He also enjoyed a remarkable rise defensively following an erratic rookie season at shortstop.
Tatis went from minus-13 outs above average (OAA) to plus-seven – his plus-20 improvement the largest of any player across that period.
When it comes to on-base plus slugging, Tatis stacks up well. Since 1920, Tatis (150.8) is only behind Juan Soto (153.9 – 2018-20), Albert Pujols (159.3 – 2001), Jimmie Foxx (160.0 – 1925-29), Ted Williams (161.5 – 1939-40) and Trout (165.0 – 2011-13) for highest OPS-plus up until the age of 21.
Using the same timeframe, but for wins above replacement (WAR) among shortstops, Tatis (5.6) ranks ninth. Alex Rodriguez is top (13.6 – 1994-97).
Future Hall of Famer?
Tatis has only played 143 games – less than the equivalent of one season in MLB – but he is putting up serious numbers.
Derek Jeter and Cal Ripken Jr. are two standout names to have made the shortstop position their own. Both are Hall of Famers.
Tatis has said he aspires to become "the Dominican Derek Jeter".
Jeter spent his entire 19-year career with the New York Yankees, winning five World Series titles, as many Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards, plus 14 All-Star honours.
"I was already thinking about that since I got to the big leagues," Tatis said of one-team player Jeter. "In my dreams, the players I admire the most, they stay on one team, they build a culture, and they become winners with that team. I'm over here trying to do the same."
Tatis is on track to emulate, and potentially even exceed Jeter.
Comparing the pair through 143 games, Tatis tops Jeter when it comes to homers (39 to eight), runs (111 to 80), RBIs (98 to 63), hits (168 to 154), triples (eight to five), stolen bases (27 to 10), walks (57 to 46), slugging percentage (.582 to .414) and on-base percentage (.956 to .774).
It is a similar story with World Series winner, 19-time All-Star and two-time American League (AL) MVP Ripken.
Through the same amount of games, Tatis sits ahead of Ripken in all the above categories: homers (19) runs (62), RBIs (65), hits (124), triples (four) stolen bases (two), walks (32), slugging percentage (.439) and on-base percentage (.738).
At the end of this mammoth deal, Tatis will be 36. By that time, he would have spent 16 years in San Diego – a tenure matching Trevor Hoffman for second place in franchise history, only adrift of Tony Gwynn's 20 years.
Like Jeter and Ripkin, Gwynn did not enjoy a Tatis-like start to his career after 143 appearances: he stood at two homers, 70 runs, 56 RBIs, 152 hits, four triples, 15 stolen bases, 39 walks, a slugging percentage of .378 and .727 in terms of on-base percentage.
Everything points to a place among the greats at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for Tatis.
"He's got a chance to set his mark by winning World Series," said Padres manager Jayce Tingler. "It starts with one, and then you build on that."
Teen stars Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff earned Adelaide International victories on Tuesday, but third seed Johanna Konta is out.
French Open champion Swiatek secured a 6-3 6-4 triumph over Madison Brengle to set up a last-16 tie against home favourite Maddison Inglis, who beat veteran Sam Stosur in a three-set epic.
"Inside I'm the same person, but I realise that everybody's kind of treating me differently," Swiatek said after the win, as she reflected on the attention she now receives as a grand slam champion.
"So it's something you have to adjust to, and also keep yourself down to earth and the same as you were.
"We did a great job last year and hopefully this season will also be successful.
"Tennis-wise it also changes - I’m not an underdog anymore, so I start my matches with a different attitude, and that’s the kind of thing you have to learn to do.
"Madison is the kind of player who uses her opponent's power, so I had to stay cool.
"I tried to calm myself down, stay low in the legs, and sometimes play longer rallies to get in the rhythm, because the first round is always tough at any tournament."
Gauff also progressed, saving eight of the 11 break points she faced to defeat Jasmine Paolini 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 in a match lasting over two-and-a-half hours.
A tough test against Petra Matric is up next for Gauff in the last 16 after the Croatian sixth seed recovered from a set down to win against qualifier Ludmilla Samsonova.
Gauff's fellow American Shelby Rogers is the first player to reach the quarter-finals.
Konta had a bye in the opening round and had no answers for Rogers as she played her first match of the WTA 500 tournament.
Rogers won 6-2 6-2 in just 76 minutes, never dropping serve in the contest.
Melbourne City held off a late comeback attempt from Sydney FC to win 3-2 and end a three-match A-League losing streak.
Hosts City came into the contest – a rematch of last year's Grand Final, which Sydney won in extra time – out of form with five defeats in their last six.
But any lack of confidence was not reflected as they stormed into a three-goal lead after 53 minutes courtesy of two goals from Australia striker Jamie Maclaren and another from Adrian Luna.
Milos Ninkovic got one back and another Sydney substitute, Patrick Wood, scored in the 90th minute to prompt a few nerves in stoppage time but Melbourne held on.
Maclaren was constantly involved, racking up nine shots for the victors, while Andrew Nabbout had a game-high five key passes including a fine assist for the third goal.
A first loss in four means Sydney stay fifth, with City now just two points behind them in ninth.
Russell Westbrook believes the Washington Wizards sticking together prevented the team from coming apart after an awful start to the NBA season.
The Wizards continued their revival as they earned a 127-124 overtime win against defending champions the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.
They trailed by 17 points in the second half but rallied impressively, with Westbrook racking up 32 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists.
The Wizards have now won five straight games, having previously not even put together a run of four consecutive victories since February 2018.
Wins against the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers and Lakers have turned the season around.
The Wizards started 6-17 in Westbrook's first year since his trade from the Rockets, but they are now surging ahead of another huge test at the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
"It has been tough, but we have been sticking together," Westbrook said, per ESPN, amid the team's best run in three years.
"That's the main thing. If you get caught up with everything else going on, teams and players tend to come apart.
"But we have been sticking together and communicating on how to become a better team, and it's been paying off for us."
Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal also shone with 33 points, including six on three straight possessions during a pivotal spell in overtime.
"It feels different, in a great way," he said. "It feels great, but at the same time, we still haven't done a damn thing.
"We realise that, and we keep telling each other that.
"We've still got bad habits we need to break, but we don't discount what we did."
LeBron James had 31 points for the Lakers, who have now lost four of their last five, with Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder out injured.
"It takes a whole team to collectively get wins, and right now we have two of our main rotation guys out," Kyle Kuzma said after registering 14 points in the loss.
"Obviously there are no excuses. You don't want to lose to an under-.500 team like that, but this is the NBA and anybody can win. We just have to figure it out."
LeBron James insisted he does not believe in rest after the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a frustrating loss to the Washington Wizards.
Defending NBA champions the Lakers have lost three games in a row and four of their last five after going down 127-124 in overtime on Monday.
James missed a free-throw with 10 seconds left in regulation time and did not connect with his last four three-point attempts in the fourth quarter and OT as the Lakers surrendered a 17-point lead.
The 36-year-old played for over 43 minutes. He has not missed a game this season and has clocked up over 200 minutes more than anyone on the Lakers roster, with star team-mate Anthony Davis out injured.
James still had 31 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds in a productive outing, but acknowledged he had not been at his best.
The Lakers (22-10) have gone to OT four times in the last 17 days, losing this one as Bradley Beal (33) and Russell Westbrook (32) combined for 65 points.
"This whole narrative of 'LeBron needs more rest' or I should take more rest or I should take time here, it's become a lot bigger than what it actually is," James told reporters after the game, per ESPN.
"I've never talked about it, I don't talk about it, I don't believe in it.
"We all need more rest, s***. This is a fast turnaround from last season, and we all wish we could have more rest. But I'm here to work, I'm here to punch my clock in and be available to my team-mates.
"And if I'm hurt or if I'm not feeling well then we can look at it then, but I have nothing but honest people around me [advising me].
"I'm also honest with myself as well, and me having a love for the game and me being able to be available to my team-mates is more important than anything.
"Obviously I take full responsibility [for] missing that free throw. I got to make the free throw up there, it's an easy point for us.
"We didn't lose the game there, but I take that responsibility for sure, and I got to be better."
James added about his workload: "I'm not pushing myself. I'm doing my job and I'm trying to do it at a high level, but that's been a narrative around the league.
"I have never asked for time off or time throughout the season. And it's growing to a point where it's not even coming from me anymore. I've been hearing it for five, six, seven years now and I'm still going strong.
"So, I don't need a handout, I'm not looking for a handout, my job is to go out when I'm available, when I'm healthy to go out and play and that's what it's all about."
"It's something I've done before," James added about the packed schedule and an upcoming All-Star game. "I can continue to do it, but I would much rather us be whole."
Lakers coach Frank Vogel called James "a workhorse" and said he would make decisions about the veteran on a game-by-game basis.
A game at Western Conference leaders the Utah Jazz is next on Wednesday.
Fernando Tatis Jr. is reaching for the stars in San Diego, saying he wants to one day see himself immortalised in bronze at Petco Park.
The 22-year-old star shortstop has penned a life-changing 14-year, $340million contract with the Padres and is already declaring himself a one-franchise man.
Tatis has only pulled on a Padres jersey 143 times but has already proven his value, last year leading them to a first MLB playoff appearance since 2006 and a long-awaited first postseason win since 1998.
After finishing third in the 2019 National League (NL) rookie of the year balloting and fourth in the NL MVP race last year, the Padres declared their commitment to Tatis and Dominican ace did not hesitate to reciprocate.
"Why not go to a statue contract?" Tatis said after inking the third biggest deal in competition history.
"People are saying, 'Oh, too many years.' But I just love what I'm seeing, what we're going to do.
"I want that statue on one team. I want to stay on one team and build my legacy over here in San Diego."
For Tatis to achieve his dream of being forged into a legend, there is no doubt the Padres need to do a lot more winning and significantly more trophy lifting.
The team have only ever twice been to a World Series, falling to the Detroit Tigers in 1984 and the New York Yankees in 1998, but the 2020 Silver Slugger Award winner envisions a much different future.
"I was already thinking about that since I got to the big leagues," Tatis said.
"In my dreams, the players I admire the most, they stay on one team, they build a culture, and they become winners with that team.
"I'm over here trying to do the same."
The Padres have made moves to surround Tatis with talent this offseason, bolstering their pitching ranks by trading for the likes of Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove.
The challenge for president of baseball operations A.J. Preller, and manager Jayce Tingler, is fitting the rest of the puzzle together.
It seems clear they already have their main piece in place until at least 2034.
"I love this city," Tatis added. "I love the fans. I love the culture. I love the vibe.
"And I'm all about winning, and I'm all about winning in San Diego."
Western Conference leaders, the Utah Jazz, bounced back from their first loss in 10 games by draining a franchise-record 28 threes while crushing the Charlotte Hornets 132-110.
Donovan Mitchell top scored with 23 points, while three players – Joe Ingles, Jordan Clarkson and Georges Niang – came off the bench to post 20 points or more to send the Jazz to 25-6.
Ingles and Niang each shot seven from downtown, while Clarkson added five.
Utah became the fastest team in NBA history to record 500 three-pointers in a season, setting the record at 31 games.
Chris Finch has been announced as the new Minnesota Timberwolves head coach.
The 51-year-old, who was serving as Nick Nurse's assistant at the Toronto Raptors, has more than 24 years of NBA and G League experience.
Minnesota dismissed Ryan Saunders on Sunday after a loss to the New York Knicks saw the Western Conference's bottom-placed team slip to a 7-24 record, following only one win in their past nine games.
With a reputation as one of the most innovative minds in the game, Finch has previously worked with stars including Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, James Harden, Nikola Jokic, Zion Williamson and Kyle Lowry.
After making his name in Europe and the D-League, the Ohio native was given his NBA break as an assistant in 2011 by the Houston Rockets, where he served for five years, before moving on to an associate head coach role alongside Mike Malone with the Denver Nuggets.
After one season in Colorado in 2016-17, Finch spent three years as the New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach with Alvin Gentry, before reuniting with Nurse in Toronto. Nurse was Finch's assistant with the Great Britain national team between 2009 and 2012.
"Chris brings a wealth of basketball experience from his time in the NBA, G League and Internationally," said Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas.
"He is one of the most creative basketball minds in the NBA, has success maximising players, and I am excited to see him bring our team to the next level and beyond."
Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez has lifted the lid on his acrimonious exit from Barcelona and revealed he was told he was past his best.
Suarez has scored 16 goals in 20 league appearances this season, firing Diego Simeone's side to the top of LaLiga, and is the competition's joint top goalscorer alongside former Barca team-mate Lionel Messi.
After the 34-year-old was allowed to join the Catalans' title rivals on a cut-price deal, Atleti have opened up an eight-point advantage over fourth-placed Barca, and hold a three-point lead over Real Madrid, with a game in hand.
The Uruguayan netted 198 goals in six seasons at Camp Nou but, after new coach Ronald Koeman was hired, Suarez revealed he was told he was no longer up to their standards.
"What really bothered me was that they told me that I was old and that I could no longer play at the top level, be up to a great team. That's what displeased me," Suarez told France Football.
Although Suarez found it difficult to move away from the close bonds and friendships he and his family had formed in Barcelona, the two-time European Golden Shoe winner had no intention of staying where he was not wanted.
"On the one hand, this change was welcome because, after everything I had experienced at Barca, and given the way it went, I wanted to change," added Suarez.
"The hardest part is when you have a family that for six years has been used to living in the same place.
"Having to explain to my children that we are going to change when they have their friends and their habits in Barcelona, that was the most difficult.
"All the more so during a pandemic, with the current difficulties, in particular to socialise with people here, in Madrid.
"This complicates things, it's impossible to do extra-curricular activities with the children, we have to stay at home. They miss their friends, as they miss my wife's family in Barcelona.
"But you also have to see the positive side: I was not going to be happy where people no longer wanted me. Now my family feels that I am happy and that is the main thing."
Suarez is set to feature for Atleti against Premier League club Chelsea in their Champions League last 16 first leg at the National Arena in Bucharest, Romania, on Tuesday.
The next generation of tennis players are not close to knocking world number one Novak Djokovic off his mantle, according to three-time grand slam winner Andy Murray.
Djokovic’s big-match experience shined through while cruising to a straight-sets win over Russia’s Daniil Medvedev to seal his ninth Australian Open win and 18th career grand slam title.
The Serbian has lifted six of the last 10 slams, with 20-time slam-winner Rafael Nadal claiming three and Dominic Thiem capturing his first major honour at the 2020 US Open.
The draw opened up for the Austrian in Flushing Meadows when Djokovic was eliminated after defaulting in the fourth round when hitting a line judge with a stray ball.
Thiem is the only first-time winner of a major in the past 24 events over a six-year period, and Murray cannot see a changing of the guard anytime soon.
"The younger guys, for me, they've not shown that they're particularly close," Murray said.
"I expected the [Australian Open] final to be closer but it's a different standing to return or to serve in a grand slam final than a quarter-final or a semi.
"When you're coming up against someone who's won 17 of them, it's pretty intimidating.
"Obviously at the US Open, Dominic Thiem did what he had to do to win the event. But if Novak hadn't put a ball through the line judge's throat, it would have been the same outcome, I think."
Preparing for his first tour event of the season, an ATP 250 tournament in Montpellier, France, Murray has kept his distance from the grand-slam scene while rehabbing a long-term hip injury.
The 33-year-old admits he didn't even watch any of the action from Melbourne Park as he aims to rebuild his fitness and return to the highest level.
"I didn't watch any because I wanted to be there myself. It was a struggle to be honest," Murray added.
"I stopped following all the tennis players on social media and stuff because I just didn't really want to see it."
Murray goes up against world number 83 Egor Gerasimov of Belarus in the round of 32 on Tuesday, after finishing as runner-up to Ukraine's Illya Marchenko in an ATP Challenger event last week.
Andrea Pirlo vowed Juventus will "fight until the end" to retain their Serie A title after Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Crotone.
Ronaldo had gone three games without goal but headed home a first-half double as Juve claimed a first win in four matches.
Weston McKennie was also on target as the champions dominated sorry bottom side Crotone, registering 27 shots in a one-sided encounter at Allianz Stadium on Monday.
Victory for Juve moved them up to third place, eight points behind leaders Inter with a game in hand.
Head coach Pirlo was pleased with the way the Bianconeri got back on track and says they are ready to roll up their sleeves and battle in the title race.
He told Sky Sport Italia: "The last two games had left us with some nerves, then luckily we managed to straighten the situation and we managed the game well."
Pirlo added: "All the teams chasing [Inter] are genuine rivals, we will try to fight until the end."
Ronaldo was among the Juve players who were guilty of wasting glorious chances, the Portugal captain only hitting the target with four of his 11 shots, and Pirlo expects the Turin giants to be more clinical in their pursuit of more trophies.
The former Italy playmaker said: "We have created a lot, it's a pity we didn't take so many chances. The important thing is to create, the goals will come."
Pirlo picked out Rodrigo Bentancur for praise after he gifted Porto an early goal in a 2-1 Champions League defeat for Juve last week.
"The midfield did well. Bentancur played without training," the Juve boss said. "Those who played tonight did well with a positive and proactive attitude.
"Bentancur was good and deserves applause because it was not easy to return to the field after the mistake against Porto."
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a first-half double as Juventus ended a run of three games without a win by beating bottom side Crotone 3-0 to go third in Serie A.
Ronaldo had failed to find the back of the net in those three winless matches, but normal service was resumed as the prolific forward took his tally for the season to 25 goals at Allianz Stadium on Monday.
The Portugal captain headed home twice in the first half and should have had a hat-trick prior to the interval as Crotone were outclassed by the champions.
Weston McKennie added a third in the second half as Juve moved eight points behind leaders Inter with a game in hand, while Crotone look destined for relegation following a fifth consecutive defeat.
Crotone almost took a stunning early lead when Arkadiusz Reca volleyed wide at the far post after Danilo slipped while attempting to deal with Junior Messias' cross.
Ronaldo drilled a free-kick from just outside the penalty area into the wall and cut a frustrated figure once again when he failed hit the target from point-blank range after Alex Cordaz got a fingertip on Federico Chiesa's dangerous cross.
Matthijs de Ligt volleyed narrowly wide and Aaron Ramsey headed an inviting centre from the lively Chiesa against the crossbar before Ronaldo finally opened the scoring.
The former Real Madrid man headed home Alex Sandro's pinpoint cross 38 minutes in, then rose to powerfully nod in Ramsey's delivery in first-half stoppage time before somehow firing wide of an open goal moments later with Crotone all at sea defensively.
Ronaldo wanted a penalty when he felt Lisandro Magallan had upended him as he shot tamely wide of the near post before Gianluigi Buffon prevented Junior Messias from pulling a goal back.
Cordaz kept out Ronaldo’s drive with his feet, but he had no chance when McKennie rifled home a loose ball as Crotone failed to deal with a 66th-minute corner.
Ramsey should have added a fourth but the busy Cordaz saved with his feet again and Federico Bernardeschi fired just over the bar against his former club as Juve put sorry Crotone to the sword.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga suffered defeat in his first match since last year's Australian Open as he was beaten in straight sets by Sebastian Korda at the Open Sud de France.
Tsonga last played in the first round in Melbourne last January, when he retired from his clash with Alexei Popyrin, owing to a back injury.
And the former Australian Open finalist was unable to make it a winning return at a tournament where he lifted the trophy in 2019.
Korda eased to a 6-4 6-2 win, with the only home success of the day coming from Ugo Humbert while Lorenzo Sonego saw off Hugo Gaston.
Popyrin, who stunned David Goffin in the first round at this year's Australian Open, was a winner over Christopher Eubanks at the Singapore Tennis Open.
Lloyd Harris beat Popyrin in the second round in Melbourne, but they will not meet again in this tournament after the South African was undone by wild card Adrian Andreev.
Yoshihito Nishioka, Maxime Cressy and Taro Daniel also prevailed.
The races for the top seeds in each conference in the NBA are getting more interesting.
It was a fascinating seven days of action in the NBA, which saw the Brooklyn Nets surge even with Kevin Durant on the sidelines.
They are on a six-game win streak and trail the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers by only half a game.
However, the Sixers can be encouraged by the form of their top two stars, who each enjoyed extremely productive weeks.
The Los Angeles Lakers are on a two-game losing streak and are two and a half games back of the Utah Jazz in the race for the top seed in the Western Conference.
They will be out to get back to their best this week, and an improvement in three-point shooting from the MVP frontrunner would be beneficial to them doing that.
Here we take a look at some of the best and worst performers across the past week, aided by Stats Perform data.
RUNNING HOT...
Ben Simmons
Simmons missed two games last week due to stomach flu but he was excellent in the pair of games in which he did feature for the Sixers.
He dropped 42 points in the loss to the Utah Jazz and, after a brief spell on the sidelines, was back with 28 in the defeat to the Toronto Raptors.
His points per game average for the week ballooned to 35, Simmons having entered the week putting up 14.13. Philadelphia will need more of the same the rest of the way if the Sixers are to clinch top spot in the East.
Jamal Murray
The Nuggets are in the thick of a crowded playoff race in the Western Conference, and their hopes of reaching the postseason will be boosted if Murray can maintain his form of the past week.
Having come into the week scoring 18.54 points per game, he averaged 35 last week, with that number inflated by a stunning 50-point game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which saw him shoot 84 per cent from the field and go eight of 10 from three-point range.
He went from putting up just over two triples per game to averaging five and, with a game against a Portland Trail Blazers team two and a half games ahead of them in the standings next up, Murray's success from deep will be pivotal.
Joel Embiid
Arguably the closest challenger to LeBron James for the league MVP award this season, Embiid was a monster on the boards for the Sixers this week.
His 50-point game in the win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday was also the first of two successive outings with 17 rebounds.
Embiid's rebounds per game average jumped from 10.77 entering the week to 15 over the past seven days.
He will need to continue making that kind of all-round impact in scoring and rebounding if Embiid is to have any hope of denying LeBron the MVP.
GOING COLD...
Derrick Rose
Rose's second week as a New York Knick did not go to plan.
The 2011 MVP had come into the week registering 14.28 points per game, but that dropped to just 5.33 over the course of the last three games.
He endured a dismal week from the field, hitting just five of his 27 shots. Having gotten him out of a bad situation in Detroit, the Knicks will want a lot more from Rose in the coming weeks as they look to cement their grasp on a playoff spot.
Nikola Jokic
While Murray has been outstanding for the Nuggets, their MVP candidate had a down week in one key area of his game.
Denver lost three of their four games last week, and the Nuggets will look for improved play on the boards from Jokic as they target a reversal in fortunes.
Jokic had been recording 11.5 rebounds per game but that dipped to 8.75 over his past four outings, failing to put up double-digit rebounds in back-to-back games against the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards.
He was back in double figures in each of Denver's last two games, and Jokic will aim to carry that momentum into this week and a key matchup with Portland.
LeBron James
This season has seen LeBron hit threes at his highest rate since joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
He has converted on 36.2 per cent of his attempts from beyond the arc but he suffered a decline from deep last week.
Having entered the week hitting 2.57 threes a game, he averaged just one over the course of the Lakers' last three matchups.
James has not made more than one three in a game since the second meeting in a back-to-back with the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 10.
With LeBron, though, drop-offs are only ever temporary. The MVP frontrunner should resume normal service from three-point range sooner rather than later.
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