Basketball

NBA MVP candidate Embiid will spend at least two weeks on the sidelines due to a left knee bone bruise.

The 76ers were sweating on Embiid's fitness after he appeared to hyperextend his knee in a scary fall following a dunk in the third quarter of Friday's 127-101 rout of the Washington Wizards.

But Embiid escaped major damage and the Eastern Conference-leading 76ers crushed the San Antonio Spurs 134-99 in his absence on Sunday.

"We need everybody," Harris – who led the 76ers with 23 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals – said post-game. "Everybody has to stay ready and be ready to step up night after night.

"With Joel being out for some time, it's on us to find different things and make our chemistry even stronger until he comes back.

"We know how important he is and the impact he brings to the game night in, night out with the level he has been playing at. We want to be able to maintain that type of intensity.

"It's a culture and attitude we've been building day after day, a winning-type attitude; next guy up mentality. It's been huge for us all year long, especially tonight and the games without guys."

Goodnight, Sixers Twitter. pic.twitter.com/hWgKZKm6UX

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 15, 2021

Embiid, who posted 23 points before exiting against Washington, is averaging a career-high 29.9 points per game – second only to Wizards star Bradley Beal (32.1) in the NBA.

Philadelphia's Embiid is fourth in the league points, assists and rebounds per game (44.6), behind Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic (46.8), reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (46.7) of the Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (45.8).

The 26-year-old Embiid has also been averaging career highs in field-goal percentage (52.5) and three-point percentage (42.2).

"I was happy with the news," said 76ers head coach Doc Rivers. "It looked bad, but, obviously, we never know and that's what I was saying that night. We had to wait and see and it turned out in our favour, in a lot of ways."

Rivers added: "He's great. I don't think anybody's in great spirits, but he was happy that it wasn't as bad as a lot of people thought it was probably, including himself in that so he was in a pretty good place.

"Now that he knows all it takes is rehab, he has a game plan, we have a game plan, and we're moving forward with it."

Morey, the former Rockets general manager, shared a tweet – which has since been deleted – on December 20 about Harden, a year after the star broke Houston's franchise assist record. 

With Harden having reportedly requested a trade from the Rockets, it fuelled speculation the eight-time All-Star could be heading to Philadelphia after being heavily linked with the 76ers. 

The NBA announced on Monday it had fined Morey for the tweet. 

"The NBA announced today that it has fined Daryl Morey, Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations, $50,000 for violating the league's anti-tampering rule," a statement read. 

"The fine is in response to a since deleted social media post Morey made on December 20 regarding the Houston Rockets' James Harden." 

Harden started the season with 44 points and 17 assists in the Rockets' 128-126 overtime loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday. 

He became the first player in NBA history to post at least 40 points with at least 15 assists in their first game of the season. 

It was the fourth time Harden has had that line in his NBA career and the 17 assists he finished with tied his career high.  

The only time he had scored more with that many assists was when he combined them with 53 points and 16 rebounds against the New York Knicks in December 2016.

After sitting out the second leg of Monday's back-to-back against the Miami Heat, superstar duo Joel Embiid and James Harden should be back in the line-up for the 44-27 76ers as they jostle with the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics for the Eastern Conference two seed.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are fighting to keep their head above water, with their 31-41 record leaving them five games behind the eight seed Los Angeles Clippers as they prepare for the impending play-in tournament.

The Sixers are in the midst of a stylistic metamorphosis since the arrival of Harden at the All-Star break, completely re-shaping their offensive profile.

As was expected, the 76ers' free-throw rate (FTR) skyrocketed when it paired arguably the two greatest shooting-foul magnets of this generation.

Their 0.259 FTR – which means Philadelphia was shooting free throws on nearly 26 per cent of their possessions prior to Harden's arrival – was good for fourth in the NBA, with the Houston Rockets leading that category at 0.291.

While league-wide FTR is significantly up since the All-Star break, primarily due to it being artificially low to start the season as referees cracked down on players milking free throws, the 76ers have taken it to the extreme, leading the league at 0.374 following Harden's arrival – with only Philly and the New York Knicks (0.363) above third-placed Denver's 0.310.

No team has posted a FTR higher than 0.374 since Harden and Dwight Howard's 2013-14 Houston Rockets (0.386)

To say the 76ers have relied on free throws to sustain their scoring production is an understatement – since the trade, their 41.4 points in the paint per 100 possessions is the worst in the league, all while the offense revolves around a seven-foot-two behemoth in Embiid.

As has been the case with Harden's teams, specifically during his tenure in Houston, his offenses will live and die with free throws and three-pointers, with the 76ers upping their long-range attempts from 31.7 per 100 possessions to 35.6, moving from 26th in the league up to 11th.

It is irrefutable that Harden has changed this offense but, while Philadelphia's offensive efficiency has increased from 111 points per 100 possessions up to 115.4, their attack remains the 14th-best as league-wide efficiency is up across the board due to shooting fouls increasing and teams finding their rhythm.

On the other side, the Lakers are learning to live without injured centrepiece Anthony Davis, and the numbers have not been pretty on both ends.

Lacking a true interior presence since the All-Star break, the Lakers' FTR has plummeted from eighth in the league (0.251) to 26th (0.239), and their once-vaunted defense has become one of the league's worst.

As well as being 27th in overall defensive efficiency since the All-Star break, the Lakers are the league's second-worst team when it comes to allowing points in the paint.

So what happens when a movable object – the Lakers' paint defence – meets a stoppable force – Philadelphia's paint scoring?
 

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS 

Philadelphia 76ers – Joel Embiid

While Harden is a former MVP, Embiid is the favourite for this year's award, and his level of play is usually the deciding factor in whether the 76ers win or lose.

In wins this season, Embiid is averaging 31.7 points and 4.6 assists on 51 per cent shooting from the field, with those numbers dropping to 25.9 points and 3.7 assists on 43 per cent shooting in losses.

Los Angeles Lakers – LeBron James

Simply put, since the All-Star break, the Lakers only win when James dominates.

In that period, the Lakers have a record of 4-9 when James plays, with the four-time champion averaging 45 points, 9.3 rebounds and seven assists in the four wins.

KEY BATTLE – Who wants to run?

A glaring weakness of both teams since the All-Star break has been transition defense, with the Lakers dead last, allowing 18.7 fastbreak points per 100 possessions.

The 76ers have not been much better, coming in at 28th, allowing 16.6 per 100 possessions.

Philadelphia have been criticised for being slow, while the Lakers have been criticised for being old, but which team is going to take advantage?

The Lakers appear more equipped to play an up-tempo style, coming in at fifth in the NBA in fastbreak points per game (14.9), and it is worth noting that no player has more fastbreak dunks this season than LeBron James' 36.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The 76ers won this season's only meeting, coming away with a 105-87 home win in a January game where Anthony Davis played, and played well for the Lakers in the critical absence of James.

Philadelphia won both meetings in the 2020-21 season, with the Lakers' last triumph coming on March 3, 2020.

The 76ers were swept 4-0 by rivals the Celtics in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs after Sunday's 110-106 loss in Orlando, Florida.

Afterwards, attention turned to Brown, who is reportedly facing an exit, with championship hopefuls Philadelphia set to make a final decision soon.

Brown was appointed in 2013 and he has overseen three consecutive trips to the postseason since 2017-18, including two Conference semi-final appearances.

But Richardson – who joined the 76ers as part of the deal that saw All-Star Jimmy Butler move to the Miami Heat in the offseason – was forthright in his assessment of the 59-year-old.

"He's a good guy," Richardson said via video conference post-game. "He's a good man. He means well.

"I just think going forward, we've just gotta have some more accountability. I don't think there was much accountability this season and I think that was part of our problem."

Richardson, whose 76ers only qualified for the playoffs as the sixth seeds, added: "It just has to start. There's always gotta be a day one. We've just gotta start from scratch. It's not gonna be easy and we're not gonna be comfortable, but that's what championship teams do.

"[When] guys are not doing their job on or off the court, there's gotta be some kind of consequence — not consequence, but we've gotta be able to talk to each other and listen. 

"And not [just] listen to say something back, but actually hear [each other]. It's a hard lesson to learn for some people, but in order for us to make this playoff run that I think we all want, I know we all want, it's gotta start."

The 76ers were forced to face the Celtics without All-Star guard Ben Simmons due to injury.

Injuries have often hampered Brown and Philadelphia – Simmons, fellow All-Star Joel Embiid and former number one pick Markelle Fultz, now with the Orlando Magic, among others spending time on the sidelines.

Brown lamented the injuries, telling reporters: "Missing Ben will resonate for a long time, especially given what he did to prepare himself to play in the [bubble]. The difficulty of guarding the Celtics' wings [that] you live every time you play them is they've got so much firepower, and you really need to have a stable of able, senior, veteran-type mentality defensive players on a bunch of really good scorers. And I will think of [not having Simmons].

"Obviously, the way our season ended is disappointing. You can't, obviously, phrase it any other way. But really trying to guard those wings was difficult."

All eyes are on Simmons and fellow All-Star Joel Embiid following the arrival of head coach Rivers, who replaced Brett Brown after the 76ers were swept by Eastern Conference rivals the Boston Celtics in the first round of last season's NBA playoffs.

Simmons and the 76ers struggled for consistency, especially inside the Orlando bubble at Walt Disney World Resort, where the 2016 number one draft pick went from point guard to power forward.

But with Rivers now calling the shots courtside, Simmons is poised for a return to his old position in Philadelphia, where the 76ers are eyeing their first championship since 1983.

"Yeah, if you want to put me in that position," Simmons said on Monday when asked if he would be back at point guard this season. "But yeah, facilitator. Just a playmaker.

"Coach wants me to make plays.... There's numerous ways to do that. There's scoring, getting to the rim, drawing defenders, there's setting picks, and just creating options.

"So just me having the ball and being able to create different varieties of options is going to be tough for teams to guard, whether it's me kicking it ahead and setting a pick and setting a back screen for [Joel Embiid], it's going to be tough for guys to guard, especially when we have guys running around knocking down threes."

Simmons averaged 16.4 points, eight assists and 7.8 rebounds during the 2019-20 regular season.

The Australian star is set to be a focal point yet again for the 76ers, who have made moves under new president of basketball operations Daryl Morey – Danny Green, Seth Curry and Dwight Howard have arrived, while Al Horford and Josh Richardson have departed.

Much has been said about franchise pillars Embiid and Simmons, and their compatibility as the 76ers prepare for the opening game of the season against the Washington Wizards on December 23.

When Embiid and Simmons play, the 76ers boast a 119-65 win-loss record, per Stats Perform. But without one or both, they greatly suffer (67-94), Embiid's physicality in the paint and Simmons' superior defensive skills vital in Philadelphia.

The 76ers average 111.7 points, 107.5 opposition points, 47.4 rebounds and 26.4 assists per game with Embiid and Simmons involved, a clear improvement compared to when one or both miss a game – 106.7 points, 109.4 opposition points, 44.5 rebounds and 25.0 assists.

Philadelphia also have a superior field goal percentage (46.9) when Embiid and Simmons both play, with the 76ers shooting just 45.3 per cent without one or both. Opposition numbers also go up in their absence – field goal percentage (44.3 to 46.2) and three-point percentage (34.1 to 35.5).

"The spacing is huge, but it also comes down to us knowing where to be and in the right spots and following our guidelines," Simmons said.

"Somebody is in a certain position and we know the other man needs to cut, that's just going to make it easier. We're just going to read and play off each other, and just continue to make the right plays."

Rivers added: "He's our facilitator, for sure. Unless I have a true, true point guard, like a Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo, I rarely... I don't think I called anybody a point guard the entire year last season [with the Los Angeles Clippers].

"But Ben is clearly our facilitator, and Ben is special, man. When he gets the ball in the open floor, there's very few like him. And we want to get him the ball in the open floor to let him be special."

The much-maligned Westbrook forced a turnover off a Raptors inbound with 0.4 seconds remaining at Scotiabank Arena and drained a triple to tie the game at 116-116.

Inspired by 36-point James, who scored 19 of those points in the fourth quarter and overtime, the Lakers claimed a 128-123 victory to snap a three-game losing streak.

Westbrook has endured a frustrating first season in Los Angeles, who lost 12 of their previous 15 games, with Friday proving to be a rare highlight for the one-time MVP.

"I was actually looking at his feet when he was getting close to the three-point line," James said of Westbrook's key intervention.

"I saw him step on the three-point line and then slide his foot back before he released it. It was big-time IQ there on his part and a big-time shot by a big-time player."

Westbrook registered his 10th triple-double of the season with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Lakers picked up a first road win in 12 attempts.

The 33-year-old now has 1,241 points for the season, which is second only to James (1,542) among Lakers players.

He has 23,098 across his career, meanwhile, and the former Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards point guard has never lost faith in his own ability.

Asked how he has managed to cope with criticism aimed his way this season, Westbrook told reporters: "I got 23,000 points... How about that?
 
"Throughout this whole process, throughout the year, ups and downs, the good and the bad, I lean so much on my faith.

"It's very important that I stay faithful and truthful to that because eventually it will all work out, and nights like tonight was the reason why I stay just true to my faith."

With his 36 points on Friday, James is 20 away from passing Karl Malone as the second-highest points scorer in NBA history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leads the way with 38,387.

Blake was shot seven times in the back by a white police officer on August 23 last year as he leaned into his car in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

In response, several professional sports teams refused to play scheduled matches and, in the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida, the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted their first-round playoff game against the Orlando Magic.

That subsequently led to all NBA games on August 26 being postponed, while there were further boycotts in Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Soccer (MLS).

Many NBA stars, including James, were vocal from the Orlando bubble in their campaigning against racial injustice, and several Lakers players expressed their dismay following Tuesday's confirmation none of the officers at the scene will face criminal charges.

Speaking after the Lakers' 94-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, James said: "To hear what happened in Kenosha today was a blow to the heart and to the gut, not only to that community but to us and to every, I guess, black person that has been a part of this process and seeing these outcomes for so long.

"And not only in the black community but in the white community as well, who see moments like this happen to us, to happen to his family, to happen to [Blake] himself. But we've got to continue to stay strong, continue to believe in each other and continue to push for the greater change and the greater good."

Wesley Matthews, now at the Lakers, was a part of the Bucks side that refused to play against the Magic back in August and was left similarly frustrated by the latest developments but urged the public to not lose heart.

"Truly, it's disheartening," he added. "It's just about right and wrong, but it can't deter those citizens who are trying to do right, who are trying to fight for equality, who are trying to fight for the right things.

"It can't deter us, we can't lose our heads, we can't start rioting, we have to be calculated, we have to continue to keep our foot on the pedal, we have to continue to keep our foot on the gas.

"These are lives right here. It's upsetting as a Wisconsinite. It's upsetting as a human being that justice isn't justice. It's tough. But it can't knock us off our path that we're trying to get to, which is equality and just simply right and wrong."

Anthony Davis said he was left with a sense of failure but will "continue to push the needle for change".

"Obviously it sucks, we as a community try to support the family and try to do everything we can to get justice for him, for that to happen, it sucks," he said. "It's like we let the family down. We continue to honour Jacob Blake and his family, we continue to push the needle for change, it's not going to stop us by playing basketball."

An 11-time NBA champion, a five-time league MVP and a 12-time All-Star during a 13-year professional career with the Boston Celtics, Russell is one of the United States’ most decorated basketball players.

He died on Sunday at the age of 88. His family confirmed the news on social media.

"Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in American sports history, passed away peacefully today at age 88, with his wife, Jeannine, by his side," a statement read.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a tribute that Russell was ''the greatest champion in all of team sports.''

Russell, six feet and 10 inches tall, helped revolutionise basketball, taking a hard-nose, defense-first mentality to the court, frustrating opponents with his vast wingspan. He is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Born in Monroe, Louisiana on February 12, 1934, Russell and his family moved to Oakland, California when he was eight years old. His legend on the court began at McClymonds High School, where his menacing defense helped his team to back-to-back state championships in his junior and senior years.

Lightly recruited by colleges, Russell accepted a scholarship to the nearby University of San Francisco, where his game took off as he led the Dons to consecutive NCAA championships as a junior and senior. He was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1955 and the NCAA National Player of the Year in 1956.

One of the most highly coveted prospects of the 1956 NBA Draft, the Celtics acquired Russell in a draft-day trade with the St. Louis Hawks, who selected him with the second pick. A trade that would shape the NBA landscape for the next 13 years.

Before his Celtics debut, however, Russell helped the United States Olympic men's basketball team win the gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Games.

Once he joined Boston, he made an immediate impact, averaging 14.7 points and 19.6 rebounds during his rookie season in 1956-57 as Boston captured their first NBA title.

In 1958-59, he led the Celtics to the first of an unprecedented eight consecutive NBA championships, culminating with legendary coach Red Auerbach retiring after the last of those titles.

Russell then took over as player-coach, becoming the first African-American coach in the NBA. The Celtics' winning streak was interrupted in the 1966-67 season, before Russell helped guide Boston to two more titles in his final two campaigns in the NBA in 1967-68 and 1968-69, serving as coach in those seasons as well.

Russell ended his career with averages of 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds and his 21,620 total rebounds trail only Wil Chamberlain for the most in NBA history. When he was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on April 28, 1975 he became the first African American to be inducted.

For his postseason achievements, his legacy lives on as the NBA Finals MVP trophy was named the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 2009.

While he may be most remembered for his dominance on the court, he is also regarded as a pioneer in sports activism.

A civil rights advocate during his playing days, Russell used his platform later in life to speak out against social injustices, and in 2011, President Barack Obama awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Russell is survived by his wife Jeannine. He had three children – Karen Russell, William Russell Jr. and Jacob Russell.

The Denver Nuggets held off the Phoenix Suns with a 119-111 road victory on Friday.

That made it a mixed night for Durant, but still a memorable one.

The 35-year-old finished with 30 points but shot 8 of 25 from the field and missed all five shots in the fourth quarter, with Nikola Jokic having 21 points and 16 assists for the Nuggets.

A 30-point total was more than enough for Durant to move into 10th place on the scoring list.

He did so in the second quarter, driving the baseline for a layup to pass Moses Malone, who had 27,409 points, with Durant's total standing at 27,423 at the end of play.

"As a basketball player, I think it's our job to go back and know the history of the game and who paved the way for us," said Durant, per ESPN, as he labelled Malone one of the most underrated players in the sport.

"It's a long journey to be up there, mentioned with the greats.

"It takes a lot of work, a lot of preparation, a lot of people helping me get to this point."

Reggie Jackson added 20 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 19 with 10 rebounds as the Nuggets (14-6) won their fourth straight game with all five starters scoring at least 15 points.

"When we make shots like that, it's much easier for us to have a good game," said Jokic. "I think we create open looks — it's just a matter of if we're going to make it or not."

Denver played without Jamal Murray (ankle) and Aaron Gordon (heel), while Phoenix was without Devin Booker (ankle) and Bradley Beal (back).

The Suns dropped to 11-8 and are 4-5 in home games this season.

LeBron James tops the all-time scoring list with 39,124 points and is the only other active player in the top 25. 

He was quick to congratulate Durant on social media.

Durant will have his sights set on moving further up the list. Carmelo Anthony (28,289 points) and Shaquille O’Neal (28,596) will be his next targets.

Suns forward Durant is a two-time NBA champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP, achieving those feats with the Golden State Warriors.

And the 13-time All Star was the NBA MVP in 2014 as a representative of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The 25-year-old scored 26 points in the fourth quarter and 11 in OT as the Nets came from behind after trailing by 17 through three quarters.

His stunning career-high haul rendered Nets coach Kenny Atkinson almost speechless by what he witnessed at TD Garden.

"It's really hard to even comment," said Atkinson, per ESPN. "I'm still trying to process it all.

"It was just play after play. He got a big deal, he obviously hit the three free throws at the end. It's just a miracle.

"It was just a classic performance. A very great performance."

Team-mate Kevin Durant, out with a ruptured Achilles, tweeted: "That 50 was beautiful, Vert. Thank you for that masterpiece."

The man himself was not even sure he would be given the chance to do his thing in the fourth quarter.

"I thought [the coach] was going to pull [me], too," LeVert said. "[But] he put me back in there, so I just made one more run at it."

And it was his nerves of steel that took the game to OT, LeVert draining three free throws to tie things up at the death.

"Never have I ever [been in that position] before," he said.

"That was very unique, but I was confident when I stepped onto the line that I was going to hit all three."

After a few days of speculation, Brady announced on Tuesday that he was calling time on his long career at the age of 44.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback decided he could no longer commit himself 100 per cent to the sport.

Brady's retirement saw tributes pour in from all over the sporting world, such has been his impact on the NFL – he holds the record for the most Super Bowl wins (seven) and Super Bowl MVP awards (five).

James returned to NBA action on Saturday after a five-game absence, starring with a triple-double as the Los Angeles Lakers sealed an overtime 122-115 win over the New York Knicks, and that gave him the opportunity to join the praise for Brady.

The four-time NBA MVP was almost emotional in response to Brady's retirement, lauding him as one of his inspirations.

"I personally was just so in shock when I saw it," he said post-game. "I was one of the ones who didn't say anything when the first, initial announcement came out. I didn't retweet anything, say anything because I wanted to hear it come from him. Then when he came out with his announcement, I was like… You know?

"As a guy who's kind of been my motivation factor over the last few years, seeing what he's able to do at his age and always kind of being a leader of a team.

"Even at his age, people still gravitate towards him and gravitate towards his energy, and how he prepares and things of that nature.

"So, a small piece of me definitely left when Brady decided to retire, that's for sure."

In all four quarters the Celtics held the Heat to 23 points or fewer, but the offensive side of the ball was also far from clicking early on.

The Heat led 19-17 at quarter-time and after winning the second frame 23-20, they held an incredibly low-scoring 42-37 lead at the long break.

In the first half, both teams shot under 39 per cent from the field and 26 per cent from three-point range, but the Heat were winning the physical battle on the boards, pulling in nine offensive rebounds to just two for the Celtics.

The two teams also combined for just six fast-break points in the first half, illustrating the slow, grinding pace of play as both defences locked in, forcing better ball and man movement.

Back in Game 1, also in Miami, the Heat who came out of the locker room for the third quarter and went on a rampage to swing that game, but this time the shoe was on the other foot.

The Celtics doubled up the Heat in the third period, winning it 32-16 as Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Al Horford found rhythm on the offensive end.

Boston led 69-58 after three quarters, and extended that lead to 23 points in the opening minutes of the final frame, as Brown knocked down three big triples.

After a first half where he was the subject of plenty of criticism for his loose ball handling – with four first-half turnovers – Brown made the difference after half-time, finishing with 25 points on 10-of-19 shooting and five-of-nine from long range. He also had no turnovers in the second half, and the biggest dunk of the game.

Jayson Tatum was also at his playmaking best, with 22 points on a mediocre seven-of-20 shooting, but he added 12 rebounds and nine assists, consistently creating opportunities for shooters off the dribble and showing advanced ability to make reads as play unfolded.

The real story of the Celtics' success was their ability to take away the three-point line for the Heat, though.

With Jimmy Butler's jump shots not falling – finishing with 13 points on four-of-18 shooting – Miami simply had no avenue to reliable outside scoring.

The Celtics' ability to chase hard over the top of screens and dribble hand-offs made life miserable for Max Strus and Duncan Robinson, taking away their catch-and-shoot opportunities and turning them into dribblers, far outside their comfort zones. 

Strus finished zero-of-nine from the field, missing all seven of his three-point attempts, while Robinson was four-of-12, including three-of-10 from long range. As a team, the Heat were just seven-of-45 (15 per cent) from beyond the arc.

Instead, the Celtics dared the Heat to beat them inside, banking on the stoutness of their terrific interior defensive duo of Horford and Robert Williams III. That pairing combined for 17 rebounds, five blocks, two steals and just one foul.

Game 6 will head back to Boston, meaning the first-seeded Heat need to win on the road to save their season and force a Game 7.

The Heat entered Saturday's contest with a three-game losing streak, but fought for a 129-122 victory at the FTX Arena.

That was despite the slumping Mavericks shooting at 61 per cent, marking only the second time the franchise has ever lost when shooting at least 60 per cent including the playoffs (30-2 all time).

Butler led the way with 35 points and 12 assists, while Cody Zeller (20 points), Kevin Love, Max Strus (both 18) and Tyler Herro (15) all contributed.

The Heat are seventh in the East, have a three-game buffer over the Atlanta Hawks for the final play-in spot, and are only a game back of the Brooklyn Nets in sixth to avoid the play-in altogether – although, due to a superior head-to-head record, the Nets only need to go 3-2 at the end of the season to hold on.

After the game Butler, said: "A win is a win. 

"I don't like the fact that they shot 61 per cent, but I do like the fact that we finally won a game."

Head coach Erik Spoelstra added: "I wouldn't necessarily have drawn it up this way."

The Mavericks, like the Heat, made the Conference Finals last season but find themselves in a real battle just to make the postseason this time around.

Defeat leaves them 11th in the West, one game back of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Luka Doncic was once again impressive with 42 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, with Tim Hardaway Jr (31) and Kyrie Irving (23) adding heftily to the tally.

But head coach Jason Kidd was not impressed with his team's performance at the other end of the court.

"Our defense was non-existent. Couldn't get stops," he said.

Hardaway Jr tried to rally his teammates, saying: "[We've] just got to play hard, play with desperation and anything can happen. Anything can happen."

James broke Abdul-Jabbar's record on Tuesday in the Los Angeles Lakers' 133-130 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder, with a fadeaway jump shot late in the third quarter seeing him pass the 38,387 points Abdul-Jabbar racked up with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Lakers before retiring in 1989.

James is also the fourth-highest assist maker in league history and has also won four NBA Championships, yet Abdul-Jabbar believes it is what the 38-year-old has done off the court that makes him so special.

The LeBron James Family Foundation set up a school in his hometown of Akron in Ohio, while also providing rent-free housing for up to 16 families for those in need.

James has also been active in his support of non-profit organisations and vocal on global issues, including the Black Lives Matter movement.

Abdul-Jabbar lauded James for his off-field activities, telling the TNT post-game crew: "What LeBron has done off the court is more important than what he has done on the court.

"He has sent kids to school. He has provided leadership and an example of how to live.

"I was very impressed with his family. His mum, I met her a couple of years ago when they played a couple playoff games in Cleveland. 

"LeBron came out and introduced me to his mum, so he really has the right values. Family, hard work, and all those things lead to success."

On the court, Abdul-Jabbar pointed to James' longevity and his leadership as the keys to his success, adding: "LeBron's career is one of someone who planned to dominate this game. 

"He got out of high school, he had the size and the talent to step right into the NBA, and he immediately started to have his effect.

"It's been going for almost 20 years now, so you've got to give him credit for the way he planned to last, and to dominate.

"He led teams to three world championships, and they didn't get there because of someone else and LeBron tagged along, LeBron led them. He has that indefinable essence that they call leadership.

"When he gets out there on the court and tries to get things done, guys want to get behind him and see that it happens, because they have that much respect for him and his talent."

The Las Vegas Aces star scored her 941st point late in the first half of Wednesday's game against the Indiana Fever to establish a new WNBA single-season scoring record.

Wilson arrived in Indiana 11 points shy of the record, and broke the mark of 939 points set by Jewell Lloyd in 2023 with a jumper from the free throw line with 26.4 seconds left in the second quarter.

The two-time league MVP came into the game averaging 27.3 points and 11.9 rebounds and went into half-time with 12 points and eight boards.

Wilson has plenty of opportunities to add to her scoring mark, as Las Vegas still has four regular-season games scheduled.

Wilson finished with 29 points and reached the 1,000-point mark on a pull-up jumper with two minutes remaining.

Wilson's latest milestone came just four days after she established the WNBA single-season scoring record, breaking the mark of 939 points set by Jewell Lloyd in 2023.

The Aces have won seven of eight games and own a one-game lead over the Seattle Storm for the No. 4 seed in the play-offs and home-court advantage in that series.

Wilson wasn't the only WNBA star with a memorable performance on Sunday, as Caitlin Clark scored a career-high 35 points in the Indiana Fever's 110-109 win over the Dallas Wings.

Clark also added eight assists and combined with Kelsey Mitchell to hit 12 of Indiana's 16 3-pointers.

Clark has already established a WNBA rookie record with 761 points, and her 329 assists are the most by any player in a single season in league history.

The WNBA announced Sunday that the Las Vegas Aces star was unanimously chosen as the league's MVP.

This is the third time Wilson has won the award, after also being selected in 2020 and 2022, to become just the fourth player in league history to achieve the feat, joining Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson.

Wilson received all 67 first-place votes to join Cynthia Cooper in the league's inaugural 1997 season to win the award unanimously.

The MVP selection was the latest milestone for Wilson in the past few weeks.

She established the WNBA single-season scoring record on September 11, and four days later became the first player in league history to score 1,000 points in a season.

Wilson finished the regular season with 1,021 points, 451 rebounds and a league-high 98 blocks, for averages of 26.9 points, 11.8 boards and 2.6 blocks.

The 2019-20 NBA season is set to return on Thursday amid the coronavirus pandemic.

As well as the global crisis, the season's suspension has coincided with a period of protest across the United States and beyond following the death of George Floyd - an unarmed black man - in police custody.

The incident brought the Black Lives Matter movement to the fore, with its message to be painted on the floor for the upcoming games in Florida.

Sports stars across the world have subsequently taken to kneeling before matches, echoing NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's 2016 national anthem demonstration against racial injustice and police brutality.

WNBA players preferred to remain in their locker rooms during the anthem, meanwhile.

Further protests are anticipated in the NBA, starting with Thursday's opener between the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz, but commissioner Silver is understanding of his players' desire to make a stand.

"The NBA has had a rule on its books that preceded [previous commissioner] David Stern, which was standing for the national anthem," he told Good Morning America on ABC.

"Having said that, I respect peaceful protest.

"I'm not sure what our players will do when they come out tomorrow night and we'll of course address it at the time, but I also understand these are highly unusual times."

Silver recognises such demonstrations are especially important in the NBA, a predominantly black league, where he revealed Floyd's death almost halted the season.

"It's been part of our history. I think of it as part of the DNA of this league," he said. "You think of Bill Russell and some of the early players, their activism over the years.

"Now an issue like the killing of George Floyd comes and you have a league, in the case of the NBA, that is roughly 80 per cent black - similarly with the WNBA.

"These are issues in terms of racial inequities in society that are near and dear to their hearts.

"Right at the time that we were making plans to relaunch the season is when the death of George Floyd occurred. It frankly nearly prevented us from relaunching the season, given the turmoil and how emotional people were around the league - and around the country, for that matter.

"It was very important then when we came together to think about what we could do to use this platform to affect change.

"The messaging is just part of it, but the images show the court saying Black Lives Matter on the floor, plus the players will be wearing messages on their jerseys.

"Beyond that, we're working collectively with the 30 NBA teams on a foundation dedicated to economic empowerment, specifically focused on black Americans. This has been a part of the league forever."

Though terms were not officially disclosed when the agreement was announced on Saturday, a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN stated it to be a two-year, $25.2million deal.

The 29-year-old New Zealander has altered his role in recent years, having previously averaged 13.9 points per game in consecutive seasons for the Oklahoma City Thunder between 2017 and 2019.

Last season, he averaged just 6.9 points for the Grizzlies, but had his best campaign ever for both rebounds (10.0 per game) and assists (3.4 per game).

In fact, his 349 total offensive rebounds and 4.6 offensive rebounds per game were the best numbers in the league, breaking the single-season franchise records set by Zach Randolph during the 2009-10 season.

The Grizzlies begin the 2022-23 season at home to the New York Knicks on October 19.

Adebayo stepped up to inspire the Heat at the AmericanAirlines Arena to a thrilling win in the absence of Jimmy Butler, who was ruled out with a sprained ankle.

The 23-year-old centre settled a pulsating contest when he took a pass from Goran Dragic with time almost up and was on target with a baseline jumper from around 12 yards out.

Adebayo finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and two steals in a brilliant all-round performance against a 38-19 Nets side occupying second place in the Eastern Conference.

Dragic said of Adebayo: "He has great potential. I still feel he's not done yet. He's going to hit another level."

The Heat are seventh in the Eastern Conference and Adebayo believes they can put a run together following such a dramatic win.

He said: "A season can turn around after a game. Crazier things have happened in this league."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says Adebayo's all-round contribution should be recognised.

He said: "It's just not about scoring. That's the hard thing in this league, that the main thing people look at is how many points people score.

"Bam has so many things that he does for us that are important for us to be successful."

The Nets also lost Kevin Durant in the opening quarter due to a left thigh contusion.