Kristaps Porziņģis had 16 points in 23 minutes in a successful season debut as the Boston Celtics stayed hot with Monday's 126-94 blowout of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Porzingis' return from offseason ankle surgery helped turn this clash of teams that came in each owning five-game winning streaks into a laugher. Three-point shooting turned out to be the biggest factor, however, as the defending NBA champion Celtics hit 22 shots from beyond the arc while holding Los Angeles to a 7-of-26 effort (26.9 per cent) on such tries.
Payton Pritchard went 6 of 10 from 3-point range while scoring 20 points off the bench for Boston. Jayson Tatum also had 20 points to go along with nine rebounds, while Derrick White added 19 points and seven assists while going 5 of 9 on 3-point attempts.
Ivica Zubac led Los Angeles, which was coming off a win in Philadelphia on Sunday, with 23 points on 11-of-14 shooting as well as 10 rebounds. James Harden flirted with a triple-double in defeat by tallying 19 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
After taking a 27-20 lead after one quarter, the Celtics overwhelmed the Clippers from the perimeter in the second. Boston hit 12 shots from beyond the arc for the period and shot 70.8 per cent overall while outscoring Los Angeles by a 51-29 margin during the quarter.
The scoring barrage sent Boston into the break owning a commanding 78-49 advantage.
Los Angeles never seriously threatened in the second half, as the Celtics never held a lead smaller than 15 points over the final two quarters.
Nets overcome 18-point deficit to stun Warriors
Dennis Schröder scored 23 of his 31 points in the second half to spark the Brooklyn Nets to a surprising 128-120 comeback road win over the Golden State Warriors.
The Nets handed the Warriors a second straight loss after a 12-3 start to the season despite trailing by 18 points midway through the third quarter. Brooklyn was able to rally for its second win in as many nights behind big efforts from Schroder and Ziaire Williams, who had 13 of his 19 points after half-time and finished with 10 rebounds.
Cam Thomas added 23 points for Brooklyn, which was coming off a 108-103 road victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
Golden State received 28 points and seven assists from Stephen Curry and 18 points from Andrew Wiggins, but failed to get late stops on defence while being outscored 41-28 in the fourth quarter.
The Warriors appeared to have the game in control after Curry tallied seven points during an 11-0 run that gave them an 86-68 lead with seven minutes left in the third quarter.
Brooklyn answered with 11 straight points of its own, however, and later got to within 92-87 after Trendon Watford sank a 3-pointer to end the third quarter.
Schroder then scored the first eight points of the fourth, with his 3-ball with 9:43 to go breaking a 92-92 tie.
The Warriors were never able to get the lead back, with the Nets putting the game out of reach with a late 7-2 spurt that put them up 126-115 in the final minute.
Anunoby's 40 points leads Knicks' blowout of Nuggets
OG Anunoby racked up a career-high 40 points and the New York Knicks tied a franchise record with 45 assists to hand the scuffling Denver Nuggets a 145-118 loss.
Jalen Brunson also set a career best by dishing out 17 of New York's 45 assists, which matched a team single-game high set in 1979. The Knicks also shot a season-high 60.9 per cent from the field to win for the fifth time in six games, with Anunoby hitting 16 of 23 shots and Karl-Anthony Towns going 12 of 15 while adding 30 points and 15 rebounds.
New York held Nikola Jokić to a season-low seven rebounds as well as they dealt Denver a fourth defeat in six games. The reigning NBA MVP did manage 22 points and seven assists, while Russell Westbrook scored 27 points off the bench and Jamal Murray had 20 along with seven assists.
The Nuggets also received their second straight loss at home, where they're 5-4 so far this season after producing a 33-8 record at Ball Arena in 2023-24.
Brunson had nine of his 23 points during an 11-4 run to close out the first quarter that staked New York to a 36-24 lead after 12 minutes of play. Towns then put up 15 points in the second quarter as the Knicks stretched the margin to 23 points by half-time, as they entered the break with a 76-53 advantage.
The Knicks continued to pour it on in the second half, as their lead never got under 17 points and reached as high as 30 in the fourth quarter.
Lamar Jackson threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and John Harbaugh got the best of his brother once again as the Baltimore Ravens earned a 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday.
Baltimore (8-4) put an end to the Chargers' four-game winning streak and improved Harbaugh to 3-0 lifetime against his brother, Jim, in matchups between the sibling head coaches. The first two meetings came when Jim Harbaugh coached the San Francisco 49ers, including a 34–31 Ravens victory in Super Bowl 47 in 2013.
Jackson bounced back from a subpar performance in Baltimore's loss to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers last week to complete 16 of 22 passes for 177 yards with touchdown throws to Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews.
The Ravens also dominated on the ground by piling up 212 rushing yards, including 140 from Derrick Henry on 24 attempts. Justice Hill added a 51-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to help Baltimore close within a half-game of the first-place Steelers in the AFC North.
Los Angeles (7-4) lost for the first time since Oct. 21 despite taking a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. The Chargers got a 5-yard touchdown run from quarterback Justin Herbert on the opening drive but largely sputtered thereafter, managing just 285 total yards.
Herbert finished 21 of 36 for 218 passing yards, while Ladd McConkey recorded six catches for 83 yards in the loss.
After going down 10-0 on Cameron Dicker's 42-yard field goal, the Ravens responded with a 7-play, 70-yard drive capped by Jackson's 10-yard touchdown on a designed run to get on the board midway through the second quarter.
Jackson later put Baltimore ahead with 24 seconds left before half-time with a deep pass that Bateman corraled in traffic for a 40-yard touchdown. The Ravens took a 14-13 lead into the break after Dicker hit a 52-yard field goal on the final play of the half to pull Los Angeles closer.
After both teams traded field goals in the third quarter, the Ravens pulled away in the fourth. Jackson engineered a 14-play, 70-yard series culminating in Andrews' 6-yard touchdown pass that staked Baltimore to a 23-16 lead with 12:32 remaining. John Harbaugh opted to try for a 2-point conversion, but Jackson's pass in the end zone was broken up.
Hill then put the game away by breaking free for a 51-yard touchdown with 7:24 left to play. The Chargers did get a touchdown in the final minute when former Raven Gus Edwards crossed the goal line on a 1-yard run.
Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls set up a decisive fourth and final Test match against England’s Vitality Roses after producing a nail-biting one-goal win over the current World number two to tie the series at 1-1 at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston on Monday.
Entering this game on the back of a 49-49 draw and a 47-55 loss in the first two games of the series at the AO Arena in Manchester, England on November 16 and 17, the Girls were looking for redemption in front of an energetic home crowd.
They used the energy of the vibrant crowd packed into the Sports Centre to jump out to a quick 4-0 lead before the Roses used their physicality to claw their way back into the contest early. The score at the end of the first quarter was 12-10 in favour of the hosts.
England came out firing at the start of quarter number two, however, with three quick goals handing them an early one-point advantage and making it seem like the tide was turning in their favour.
With the home crowd rearing them on, the hosts regained their composure and, through some quick and accurate passing and shooting, re-took the lead at 15-13 with 11 and a half minutes left in the period.
Over the next few minutes, Jamaica continued to build momentum sending the home crowd into a frenzy with a seven to three run to lead 22-16 with six minutes left in the first half.
The two rivals continued to trade buckets fir the rest of the second quarter, with England eventually closing the gap to three points at half-time, the Jamaicans leading 26-23.
The second half started like the first, with the hosts extending the lead to 32-25 within the first five minutes of the period.
England stayed strong, however, and, despite some spectacular defensive plays from Jamaica captain Shamera Sterling-Humphrey throughout the rest of the quarter, the gap between the teams heading into the fourth and final stanza was still only three points with Jamaica up 38-35.
The first five minutes of the fourth quarter saw both teams showing why they are so highly ranked globally, producing timely goals and steals throughout. With 10 minutes to go, Jamaica’s lead was just two at 43-41 and the crowd was getting more pensive by the second.
Action continued back and forth and the nerves began to build even more when England made it a one-point game at 47-46 with three minutes to play.
Jamaica hit back, however, with two quick goals to restore the three-goal lead before England, displaying remarkable resilience, hit back once again with two goals of their own to make it a tied game at 49-49 with 50 seconds to play.
That would prove to be the last time England had the ball in their attacking third, however, as the Sunshine Girls strategically passed the ball around for the remaining time before, with one second left, Shanice Beckford hit what proved to be the game-winner, securing a 50-49 win for the hosts and sending the crowd into wild celebrations.
Beckford finished with 19 goals from 23 attempts while goal shooter Romelda Aiken-George had 30 goals from 34 attempts.
For England, Liv Tchine had 26 goals from 27 attempts while Lois Pearson had 18 goals from 21 attempts.
“I’m super happy for this win. Our fans brought us over the line today and we’re very grateful,” said Sunshine Girls captain Shamera Sterling-Humphrey after the game.
“I think we won the game defensively today. We revisited our game plan after the games in England and came back out strong,” she added.
Jamaica head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry praised the performance and poise from her troops.
“I think they were exceptional. I’m quite excited for them. Thy have grown from the second game,” she said.
“Still we have a lot of rough edges that we need to fix but I must commend them. To beat England is a big thing for us right now,” she added.
England coach Jess Thirlby believes early errors cost her team the game in the end.
“I think we made too many errors at the start of the game. Everything we expected from the Sunshine Girls came at us tonight,” she said.
Despite the loss, Thirlby expressed positivity at the way her team played, especially in the final two quarters.
“We drew that third quarter and won the fourth quarter by two. An outstanding performance and huge credit to the Sunshine Girls. In the moments where they needed to be, they were super smart,” she said.
The decisive fourth game of the series will take place at the same venue on Tuesday starting at 7:00pm Jamaica Time.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Kimberly Percival added another accolade to her extraordinary season by winning the Bikini Fitness Category at the Mr Universe Chile IFBB Competition over the November 23-24 weekend. Percival’s victory came just a week after her triumph in the same category in Cancun, Mexico, solidifying her status as one of the sport’s elite athletes in 2024.
Competing in a field of 10, Percival topped a highly competitive lineup that included Franziska Lohberger of Germany, who finished as the runner-up, and Flavia Carneiro Mendes of Brazil, who placed third. Rounding out the top five were Anna Wozniakowska of Poland and Yissel Leon of Mexico, with Jamaica’s Deidre Lewis placing sixth.
Percival spoke passionately about the level of competition in Chile, noting that it was more challenging than Cancun due to the strength of the South American athletes.
“Chile, as expected, was definitely more competitive than Cancun. The South American countries tend to have a very standout lineup and a solid athlete pose,” she explained. “We had eight IFBB pros registered to participate, with two additional athletes earning their pro cards earlier in the day and joining the lineup. It was definitely a competitive pool, and I would say more competitive than Cancun.”
Percival highlighted the rigorous nature of the judging process, which involved multiple comparisons and rotations among the athletes.
Kimberly Percival triumphs in Chile.
“They definitely worked us, they turned us, they rotated us, they compared us, and I think everybody had to bring their best,” she said. “For me, my advantage would have been my aesthetic—being tall and the level of development that I carry, my shape, and general bikini aesthetic. But I still had to work hard, ensuring I showcased and represented my muscularity, development, and elegance as is expected in Bikini.”
The win in Chile marked the end of an incredible season for Percival, who competed in five shows this fall, earning four first-place finishes and one second place. Among her highlights was a victory at the Arnold Classic in October and a win at the Grand Gala St. Vincent in Italy.
“The plan was to come into both of these shows with the intent of adding two more feathers to my cap, rounding out my year on a high note,” Percival said. “I was over the moon that I was able to follow through on that intention and walk away with those two wins, Chile being the last one.”
Percival’s success has been consistent across different countries and judging panels, something she takes immense pride in.
“Different countries, different judging panels, and still consistently being able to have this success is really gratifying and very fulfilling,” she reflected.
Percival celebrates her win in Cancun, Mexico last week.
Beyond her achievements, Percival is driven by the legacy she is building for herself, her country, and the sport of bodybuilding.
“A big part of what pushes me is the consideration of the legacy that I am creating for myself, my name, my country, and my sport,” she said. “Bodybuilding is a little niche, so bringing that notoriety and fanfare to the sport and to a small island is really fulfilling. I am really happy to represent that the way I intended to.”
Percival’s latest victory and the exceptional season she has had underscore her passion, dedication, and drive, making her a true ambassador for bodybuilding and a source of pride for Antigua and Barbuda. As she continues to carve out her legacy, her success serves as an inspiration for aspiring athletes across the Caribbean and beyond.
The Jamaica Squash Association (JSA) is set to host the inaugural Jamaica Invitational from November 27-30, 2024, at the Liguanea Club in Kingston. This highly anticipated event will showcase top squash talent from Jamaica and the Caribbean, with men and women competing for the prestigious title of Jamaica Invitational Champion.
The invitational will feature Jamaica’s best, led by Ashante Smith, the top seed and last year’s All-Jamaica Championship runner-up. Smith will be challenged by Bruce Burrowes, the second seed, who has been a consistent finalist in national and regional tournaments. The third seed, Jerazeno Bell, hails from Guyana and has impressed with his competitive performances while playing in Jamaica. Rounding out the top five are Stephan Morrison, a seasoned national representative seeded fourth, and Jonathan Hope, the fifth seed and the highest-ranked visiting player from The Bahamas.
On the women’s side, the six-player round-robin format highlights emerging and established talent. Mehar Trehan, the U17 Caribbean Champion and reigning local champion, takes the top seed, while Sanjana Nallapati, the third-ranked U19 player in the Caribbean and a Caribbean Girls Doubles Champion, is seeded second. Tracy Binnie, a consistent performer on the local circuit, is the third seed, followed by Elle Wilson, who rounds out the top four.
Mehar Trehan
JSA President Karen Anderson emphasized the tournament’s significance as a platform for player development and future opportunities.
“The inaugural Jamaica Invitational is an opportunity for our players to showcase their hard work and be considered for national representation. The plan is to grow the event to include prize money and invite more Caribbean players to compete,” Anderson said.
She also noted the event’s role in shaping the future of Jamaica’s national teams.
“It’s a 16-person draw. It is being used as a selection event, so players who participate, the top four, can be considered for future national representation at events we may be travelling to. All-Jamaica will be the priority in March (2025), but this will also be one of the events that we will look at and put in the pot for consideration.”
Anderson expressed excitement about the calibre of players in both the men’s and women’s draws, highlighting the depth of talent on display.
This inaugural tournament aims to set a high standard for squash in Jamaica, providing opportunities for local and regional players to excel while contributing to the development of the sport across the Caribbean.
Despite a mid-season wobble allowing McLaren's Lando Norris to make things interesting, Max Verstappen is Formula One's drivers' champion again.
The Red Bull driver may have only placed fifth at Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix, but finishing one place ahead of Norris was enough to wrap up the title with two races to spare.
Only Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, with seven apiece, plus Juan Manuel Fangio (five) have now bettered Verstappen's four world crowns in F1 history.
Speaking after Saturday's celebrations, Verstappen said the difficulties affecting Red Bull in 2024 – from Adrian Newey's exit to reports of tensions between team officials and his father Jos – necessitated laser-sharp levels of focus.
"The beginning was a bit messy but I think I'm quite calm in those situations," Verstappen told Sky Sports F1.
"I think it's very difficult to disturb me with anything. I'm very focused on the racing side of things.
"I know that when I sit in the car, I forget about everything, even positive or negative stuff. I focus on what's ahead of me and that's performance, and I drive the car as fast as I can."
After Verstappen further cemented his place in F1 history, we run through the best Opta facts to emerge from his latest title triumph.
An unconvincing triumph?
Verstappen sent records tumbling with his third title triumph in 2023, winning a remarkable 19 of 22 races to smash his own record for the most victories in a single season (15 in 2022).
This term, he has had to do things a different way. With just two races remaining in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, Verstappen has eight victories to his name. Should he fail to win another race, he will be the F1 champion with the fewest victories in a season since 2012, when Sebastian Vettel only needed five race victories to triumph.
The tight nature of the field – alongside the struggles of Verstappen's team-mate Sergio Perez – means there is a real chance of Red Bull finishing outside the top two in the constructors' championship standings.
They currently have 555 points, with leaders McLaren amassing 608 and Ferrari boasting 584 in second.
Should Red Bull finish third, Verstappen will be the first F1 drivers' champion to not represent one of the top two teams since 1983, when Nelson Piquet triumphed despite Brabham finishing third, behind Ferrari and Renault.
While some may argue Verstappen has benefited from not having one consistent title rival, he also deserves credit for shaking off his team's troubles to come out on top.
The key moments
Several key moments helped Verstappen maintain his stranglehold on the drivers' title.
Seven wins in the first 10 races saw him fly out of the traps, including back-to-back victories in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in the opening two weeks. At the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, he became just the seventh driver to surpass 100 podium finishes in F1 history.
He now has 111, fewer only than Hamilton (201), Schumacher (155) and Vettel (122).
However, Verstappen failed to win from pole at Red Bull's home grand prix in Austria in June, and that race kickstarted a run of 10 without victory for the Dutchman.
His next win arrived in Sao Paulo in early November, and it was certainly worth the wait.
He raced from 17th to take the spoils in a chaotic race, becoming the first driver in F1 history to win from 10 different positions on the grid. It was only the sixth time a driver has climbed at least 16 places to win a race, and the first such occasion since Kimi Raikkonen in Japan in 2005 (also 16).
And where better to seal the title than under the bright lights of Las Vegas?
The F1 drivers' champion has now been crowned in the United States on nine occasions. Only Japan (13) and Italy (11) have played host to more coronations.
Of those nine occasions, three have taken place in the city of Las Vegas: two at the Caesars Palace Grand Prix in 1981 (Piquet) and 1982 (Keke Rosberg), and Verstappen's triumph this year.
More history in the making?
Verstappen's four titles have all come in succession, making him just the fifth driver to achieve that feat and the fourth to do so since the turn of the century.
In 2025, Verstappen will aim to become just the second driver to reign supreme for five years.
Schumacher won five titles in a row between 2000 and 2004 while Vettel (2010-2013) and Hamilton (2017-2020) have achieved four-peats more recently. Fangio previously won four straight crowns from 1954 to 1957.
While Hamilton's move to Ferrari and the continued development of McLaren duo Norris and Oscar Piastri should keep things competitive, few would bet against Verstappen's reign continuing.
James Harden says the Los Angeles Clippers are "understanding who they are" after their emphatic 125-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
Harden returned to Philadelphia and delivered game-highs of 23 points and eight assists as the Clippers cruised to their fifth consecutive win in the NBA.
The 76ers were without the injured Paul George, who left LA in the offseason, and Joel Embiid and struggled as the Clippers built a lead as large as 33 points in the third quarter.
Harden, who moved from Philadelphia to the Clippers just over a year ago, is enjoying the progress his team are making.
"We're coming around, and we're understanding who we are," Harden said. "Understanding that in order for us to have a chance at anything, we know we have to do it every single night. And that's the most exciting part.
"One thing about this team: we're all happy for each other. Literally, it can be anybody's night, on any given night.
"Nobody's going to be upset; everybody's going to be happy for each other. And things aren't always going to be perfect to win games. But even when we lose, we're still happy for each other. Good things will happen most of the time."
The Clippers are still without Kawhi Leonard, who has been out since April with a knee injury, and he is not expected to return in the near future.
However, head coach Tyronn Lue has used the opportunity to set his team up in a different way, something they have benefitted from as the season has gone on.
"It's tough anytime you lose your best player — we all know that," said Lue.
"But going into camp and knowing that we weren't going to have Kawhi for a strong amount of the beginning of the season, we just knew what our team was going to be.
"After the first five, six games, we understood what our rotation was going to be, how we wanted to play, what guys fit well with who. And so, it has been good for us — like, you know, not guys being in and out, in and out."
Joe Mazzulla hailed Jaylen Brown's defensive work after the Boston Celtics fended off the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
The Celtics made it five straight wins as they triumphed 107-105, with Brown playing a key role at both ends of the court.
Brown finished with 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, while he also made a vital intervention to deny Anthony Edwards, who finished with 28 points for Minnesota, the chance to send the game to overtime with just seven seconds left on the clock.
"It's great to have a player of his calibre take defense to another level and take matchups personally," said Mazzulla.
"When your best players are the best defenders it sets a tone for your team and your locker room defensively. He takes pride in individual matchups, and I thought he did a great job of that tonight."
As reported by CLNS Media, Brown reflected: "He's good going to his left hand, but I just wanted to crowd him a little bit, make it tough for him, and waste some time.
"If he did go up to score, I was going to be able to challenge him at the rim.
"I think it was a good defensive possession."
Brown became the second-quickest player in the play-by-play era to sink five 3-pointers in a game, doing so after just three minutes and 34 seconds.
"I feel like I haven't shot the ball to start off the season as well as I would have liked," Brown said. "I feel like I'm due for a lot of makes."
Brown was backed up offensively by Jayson Tatum's 26 points, while Derrick White added 19 as the Celtics improved to 14-3 for the season.
Jannik Sinner believes his Italy team-mates handled the pressure of representing their country well as they retained the Davis Cup on Sunday.
Italy beat the Netherlands in the final, with Matteo Berrettini and Sinner both winning their singles matches in straight sets to clinch the title.
They are the first team to retain the Davis Cup since the Czech Republic in 2012 and 2013, and, after also winning the Billie Jean King Cup last week, they are only the third nation to claim both trophies in the same season in the last 30 years.
Sinner, on the back of an incredible season that saw him win the Australian Open, US Open and ATP Finals, became just the second player in the Open Era to finish a calendar year by winning at least one set in every match throughout a season since Roger Federer in 2005.
"We are very happy to be back here holding this trophy. It feels like we are in Italy," Sinner said.
"You have a different pressure and a different weight of having Italy on your shoulders - I think we handled it really well.
"If it was not important, I would not be here. For me, it means so much to me."
However, Sinner's year has been disrupted by an ongoing doping controversy, which has cast doubt on his immediate future in the sport.
"Of course, it's [the doping case] in the head a little bit," Sinner said.
"The most important part is all the people who know me as a human being trust me - that's why I kept playing the level I have.
"I was emotionally a bit down, a bit heartbroken. Sometimes life gives you difficulties, and you just have to [deal with] it."
Berrettini missed last year's Davis Cup through injury, but still went to Malaga to support his team as they won the title.
"I would tell him 'don't give up'," Berrettini said of his former self from 12 months ago. "Last year was really nice to be here, but at the same time, I remember a moment, like, why did I come?
"But after the whole week, I said it was really important for you to come, because I support them, but also for me. I took so much energy from those matches.
"I once again realised how much I care about the Davis Cup. And living those moments, I took all this energy, and I was like next year, you're going to be here, you're going to be fighting for Italy.
"I used that as an engine for the training sessions and everything that happened afterwards."
Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and the Boston Celtics withstood a late charge from the Minnesota Timberwolves to hold on for a 107-105 win on Sunday.
Brown had seven of Boston's 21 makes from 3-point range to complement Jayson Tatum's 26 points and eight rebounds as the Celtics extended their winning streak to five games. Derrick White added 19 points and nine rebounds for the defending NBA champions, who at 14-3 trail only the 17-1 Cleveland Cavaliers for the league's best record.
Anthony Edwards compiled 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to nearly lead the Timberwolves back from an 84-73 deficit after three quarters. Minnesota could not get a shot off in the final seconds, however, and was dealt a second straight loss and fifth defeat in seven games.
Julius Randle chipped in 23 points for the Timberwolves, who also received 20 rebounds and 10 points from Rudy Gobert.
The Celtics hit four 3-pointers, including a pair from Tatum, during a 14-0 run that extended a one-point lead into a 69-54 advantage with 7:20 left in the third quarter. The margin was still double digits with eight minutes to go before Minnesota began cutting into its deficit.
A 9-3 spurt capped by Jaden McDaniels' dunk with 2:04 left pulled the Timberwolves within 104-102, and Minnesota had a chance at the victory after Brown's miss on a late 3-point try followed Randle's inside layup that trimmed Boston's lead to 107-105 with 33.6 seconds to play.
Brown cut off Edwards trying to drive to the basket, however, and Naz Reid's 3-point attempt came just after the final buzzer as the Celtics hung on.
Butler comes up big as Heat outlast Mavericks in overtime
Jimmy Butler recorded a season-high 33 points and the Miami Heat closed out overtime on a 6-0 run to come away with a hard-fought 123-118 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Miami also got 19 points and 11 rebounds from Bam Adebayo and 18 points and 10 rebounds from Tyler Herro to earn back-to-back wins for the first time since Oct. 26-28.
Butler added nine boards and six assists while finishing 11 of 17 from the field in his second game back from a sprained ankle. The six-time All-Star forced overtime with a dunk off a Duncan Robinson feed that tied the game at 114-114 with 4.3 seconds left in regulation.
Playing its second straight game without Luka Dončić, Dallas had a season-high four-game winning streak halted. Kyrie Irving paced the Mavericks with 27 points, but went 3 of 12 from 3-point range on a night Dallas shot just 25 per cent from beyond the arc.
P.J. Washington chipped in 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Mavericks, while Dereck Lively amassed 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Lively's dunk off Washington's missed shot gave Dallas a 118-117 lead with 3:21 remaining in overtime, but the Mavericks were held scoreless the rest of the way. Adebayo drained a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to put the Heat back in front, and Butler later drove the lane and scored to give Miami a 122-118 edge with 1:38 to go.
The Heat owned an 87-77 advantage late in the third quarter, but Dallas finished out the period on a 7-2 run to get within five. Spencer Dinwiddie then scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to knot the score at 89-89, and neither team led by more than four points over the remainder of regulation.
Harden helps Clippers extend 76ers' woes
James Harden returned to Philadelphia to deliver 23 points and eight assists and help the Los Angeles Clippers continue the host 76ers' season-long struggles with Sunday's 125-99 rout.
The Clippers cruised to their fifth straight victory and dropped the injury-plagued 76ers to 3-13 by dominating from start to finish. Los Angeles shot 58 per cent from the field and built a lead as large as 33 points in the third quarter.
Los Angeles also received 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from Derrick Jones and a 16-point, 12-rebound effort from Ivica Zubac, who missed just two of 10 field goal attempts.
The short-handed 76ers were again without former Clipper Paul George as well as 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid, both of whom continue to be sidelined with knee injuries.
Rookie Jared McCain led Philadelphia with 18 points but missed 12 of his 15 shot attempts. Backcourt mate Tyrese Maxey wasn't much more accurate, as he was held to 17 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
Harden, making his second appearance in Philadelphia since forcing a trade from the 76ers to the Clippers just over a year ago, tallied 12 first-quarter points as Los Angeles opened up a 39-27 advantage after 12 minutes.
The Clippers never trailed thereafter, as they outscored the 76ers by a 33-12 margin over the first nine minutes of the third quarter to take a commanding 95-62 lead. Jones had nine points for the period and Harden eight to go along with four assists.
Austin Seibert missed a game-tying extra point attempt with 21 seconds remaining, leaving Jayden Daniels’ miraculous late touchdown pass irrelevant as the Washington Commanders were handed a 34-26 loss by the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday for their third straight defeat.
Down 27-20 with 33 seconds remaining, Washington (7-5) started a drive at its own 14-yard line. On the first play, Daniels found Terry McLaurin downfield near the right sideline, and the wide receiver outran three Dallas defenders while getting a key block from Noah Brown to spring him for the stunning score.
Seibert booted the extra point wide left after a low snap, however.
Washington then attempted an onside kick, but Dallas’ Juanyeh Thomas returned it 43 yards for a touchdown to pad the final score.
Seibert, who missed the previous two games with a right hip injury, made field goals of 41 and 51 yards but failed to connect on another 51-yard attempt and missed two extra points in the second half.
Daniels’ touchdown pass to McLaurin will likely be forgotten, but was nearly as improbable as his Hail Mary that beat the Chicago Bears on Oct. 27. The star rookie finished with 275 passing yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, plus added 74 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Starting in place of the injured Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns to help Dallas (4-7) end a five-game losing streak, though the Cowboys gave him plenty of help.
The Cowboys returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, including KaVontae Turpin’s 99-yard scamper with under three minutes remaining, and Dallas’ defence forced three turnovers.
Barkley runs for 255 yards in Eagles' seventh straight win
The Philadelphia Eagles expanded their lead over second-place Washington in the NFC East by rolling to a 37-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams behind a historic performance from Saquon Barkley.
Barkley set an Eagles' single-game record with 255 rushing yards and delivered two long touchdown runs to lead Philadelphia (9-2) to its seventh straight win. The standout running back's rushing total is the most in any NFL game since Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs ran for 259 on Jan. 3, 2010.
Barkley ripped off a 70-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter to give the Eagles a 20-7 lead, then put the game out of reach with a 72-yard sprint to the end zone with 2:44 left that staked Philadelphia to a 37-14 advantage. He became the first player with two rushing scores of 70 yards or more in a game since Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars did so in 2009.
The Eagles also got a 13-yard touchdown run from Kenneth Gainwell in the second half, while A.J. Brown racked up 109 yards and a touchdown on six catches on a night where Philadelphia accumulated a season-high 481 total yards.
Matthew Stafford threw touchdown passes to Demarcus Robinson and Cooper Kupp for Los Angeles (5-6), but the Rams couldn't slow down Barkley and the Eagles' high-powered offence in the second half and lost for just the second time in their last six games.
Philadelphia had three touchdowns and a Jake Elliott field goal on its first four drives after half-time to break open a close game. The Eagles had taken a 13-7 lead into intermission on Jalen Hurts' 6-yard touchdown pass to Brown late in the second quarter.
Puka Nacua finished with 117 yards on nine catches for Los Angeles, while Kyren Williams rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Chiefs pull out another late win, edge Panthers on last-second field goal
The Kansas City Chiefs bounced back from their lone loss of the season by doing just what they've done throughout much of 2024.
Spencer Shrader knocked home a 31-yard field goal as time expired as the defending Super Bowl champions moved to 10-1 with a 30-27 victory over the pesky Carolina Panthers.
Coming off last week's 30-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City blew an 11-point lead after three quarters before marching 57 yards in seven plays in the closing stages to set up Shrader, filling in for the injured Harrison Butker, for the tie-breaking kick.
Patrick Mahomes put the Chiefs in position for the deciding points with a 33-yard scramble to the Carolina 22-yard line with 39 seconds remaining. The star quarterback also threw three touchdown passes, including two to tight end Noah Gray, to help give Kansas City its eighth one-score victory of 2024 and fifth in games decided in the final minute.
Carolina (3-8) scored 11 straight points in the fourth quarter but came up just short in its bid for a third straight win. The Panthers tied the game at 27-27 when Chuba Hubbard scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:46 left and then ran in the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 21 of 35 attempts for 263 yards with a third-quarter touchdown pass to David Moore, who recorded 81 yards on six catches.
Seahawks shut down Cardinals, forge first-place tie in NFC West
Coby Bryant's 69-yard interception return for a touchdown highlighted a superb defensive display for the Seattle Seahawks, who moved into a first-place tie in the NFC West by posting a 16-6 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Seattle (6-5) also registered five sacks of Kyler Murray, including 2 1/2 by Leonard Williams, while holding the Cardinals to two Chad Ryland field goals to end a four-game winning streak Arizona (6-5) brought into Lumen Field. The win, the Seahawks' second over an NFC West opponent in as many weeks, tied them with the Cardinals atop the division.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba had six catches for 77 yards for Seattle and scored the game's only touchdown when he hauled in a 3-yard pass from Geno Smith in the second quarter that gave the Seahawks a 7-3 half-time lead.
The defence extended the margin on Arizona's opening drive of the second half, as Bryant picked off Murray's pressured pass and raced down the sideline and into the end zone with 7:12 left in the third quarter. Jason Myers missed the extra point to keep Seattle's advantage at 13-3.
Murray did manage 285 yards on 24-of-37 passing, with Trey McBride accounting for 133 of those yards on a career-high 12 receptions. The Cardinals were just 3 of 12 on third downs, however, and mustered just 49 yards on the ground.
Smith finished 22 of 31 for 254 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Levis leads Titans to upset of AFC South-leading Texans
Will Levis threw for two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 70-yard pass to Chig Okonkwo in the fourth quarter, to help the Tennessee Titans earn a surprising 32-27 road win over the AFC South-leading Houston Texans.
Levis shook off a third-quarter interception that Jimmie Ward returned 65 yards for a touchdown to give the Texans a 24-23 lead by rallying the Titans in the fourth. With 9:35 left to play, the second-year quarterback hit a wide-open Okonkwo in stride on a short pass, and the tight end raced untouched through the Houston defence for a touchdown that put the Titans up 30-27.
Houston (7-5) had a chance to tie it late, but Ka'imi Fairbairn missed a 28-yard field goal attempt with 1:53 remaining. The Texans did get the ball back shortly afterward, but quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked in the end zone by Harold Landry for a safety that extended Tennessee's advantage.
Stroud also threw a pair of interceptions that contributed to the Texans' third loss in four games. The 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year did connect with Cade Stover and Nico Collins for first-half touchdowns while finishing with 247 yards on 20-of-33 passing.
Levis also found Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for a 38-yard touchdown in the first quarter and completed 18 of 24 attempts for 278 yards. Tennessee (3-8) also got a big performance out of Tony Pollard, who rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, to stop a two-game losing streak.
Collins recorded 92 yards on five receptions in his second game back from a hamstring injury that sidelined him five games.
Lions run over Colts for ninth straight win
Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for two touchdowns, David Montgomery ran for another and the Detroit Lions dominated both lines of scrimmage en route to their ninth consecutive victory, a 24-6 triumph over the Indianapolis Colts.
After emerging as the Super Bowl betting favourites earlier in the week, Detroit followed last Sunday's 52-6 drubbing of the Jacksonville Jaguars with another all-around performance to improve to 10-1. That matches the best record in franchise history after 11 games, set in 1934 in the Lions' debut season in Detroit.
Gibbs had 21 carries for 90 yards, while Montgomery logged 37 rushing yards and 36 receiving yards. Jared Goff threw for 269 yards while completing 26 of 36 attempts, while a suffocating Detroit defence held the Colts to just 11 first downs to the Lions' 26.
In his second start back from a two-game benching, Anthony Richardson completed just 11 of his 28 passes for 172 yards against Detroit's stout defence as Indianapolis (5-7) was dealt a fourth loss in five games.
Richardson was Indianapolis’ leading rusher with 61 yards on 10 attempts.
The Colts did play Detroit on even terms through the first 1 1/2 quarters, with the Lions owning a slim 7-6 edge until putting together a nine-play, 70-yard drive capped by Montgomery's 6-yard touchdown run late in the first half.
Detroit's defence then took over in the second half as the Lions began to pull away. Gibbs finished a 10-play, 79-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run to put Detroit up 21-6 late in the third quarter, and Jake Bates tacked on a 56-yard field goal in the fourth.
England ensured they ended 2024 on a high note as they claimed a 59-14 victory over Japan, and coach Steve Borthwick is taking the positives from a difficult Autumn Nations Series.
Borthwick's team lost three matches on the spin, going down to New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, earlier this month.
However, they at least rallied to wrap up their year with an emphatic victory on Sunday, ending a five-match losing streak.
Captain Jamie George crossed twice in the first half, with Ben Earl, Sam Underhill and Ollie Sleightholme also going over before the interval, while Marcus Smith was on form with the boot.
Japan, coached by former England boss Eddie Jones, did score through a fantastic try from Naoto Saito, but England kept their foot on the pedal after half-time.
George Furbank rounded off a slick move after latching onto Tommy Freeman's exceptional pass, while Luke Cowan-Dickie went over twice, either side of Tom Roebuck's maiden international try, with Kazuki Himeno grabbing another consolation for the visitors.
While Borthwick knows England have plenty to improve on, he feels they are not too short of where they wish to be.
He said: "Reflecting on it, the obvious overriding feeling will be one of frustration to have come so close to getting results but not actually be able to convert them, I think that will be one aspect.
"The other aspect would be real positivity around some of the aspects we've seen the team play.
"I want them to be brave with the ball, I want them to play fast. I think we've seen growth in that area over the last four weeks."
Reflecting on Sunday's display, he added: "I'm really pleased with the way the players approached the game and the way they kept their discipline to play the way we want to play.
"You can see the identity they're trying to build as a team, one that moves the ball and can score in different ways.
"Some of the tries were exceptional. Over the past four weeks, we've scored some really outstanding tries. With the skill level that's in the group, I'm really pleased they took it onto the grass."
Jannik Sinner capped his outstanding year by helping Italy retain the Davis Cup, beating Tallon Griekspoor to ensure Italy downed the Netherlands 2-0 in Sunday's final.
World number one Sinner overcame Griekspoor 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 after Matteo Berrettini had registered a 6-4 6-2 win over Botic van de Zandschulp in the opener.
Sinner saved the only two break points of the first set as Griekspoor put up a fight, but the Italian put on a show in the tie-break to inch ahead.
Griekspoor hit back after giving up an early break in the second set, but Sinner immediately responded with two further breaks, with the Dutchman double-faulting for the first then wildly miscuing with a backhand for the second.
Sinner was untroubled from then on, sealing a triumphant end to a spectacular season.
The Italian has only dropped one set throughout that streak, finishing a year that saw him win the Australian Open, US Open and ATP Finals with a 73-6 singles record.
Data Debrief: Sensational Sinner leads the way
This has been a truly remarkable year for Sinner, who has become the first man in the Open Era to win at least one set in every match throughout a season since Roger Federer in 2005.
His victory ensured Italy became the first team to retain the Davis Cup since the Czech Republic triumphed in 2012 and 2013.
Italy also captured the Billie Jean King Cup earlier this week, and they are just the third nation to claim both trophies in the same season in the last 30 years, after the Czech Republic in 2012 and Russia in 2021.
The NHL’s in-season coaching carousel has made another turn.
The St. Louis Blues announced Sunday they have fired Drew Bannister and replaced him with the newly available Jim Montgomery.
Team president and GM Doug Armstrong announced the sudden change Sunday after the Blues’ disappointing 9-12-1 start to the season.
Montgomery, the 2022 Jack Adams Award winner, was fired by the Boston Bruins just five days ago.
Montgomery will join his new team in New York ahead of Monday’s game against the Rangers.
St. Louis fired Stanley Cup-winning coach Craig Berube last season and named Bannister the interim bench boss.
In May, the Blues removed the interim tag from Bannister’s title.
Montgomery spent the last two full seasons leading the Bruins to 100-point seasons and play-off appearances, but both post-season runs ended against the Florida Panthers.
Boston opened the season 8-9-3 under Montgomery before he was fired, and the Bruins have won both their games under new coach Joe Sacco.
Among the NHL’s 32 teams, this is the 23rd coaching change since January 2023.
After missing the playoffs last season, the Blues are 30th in the NHL in scoring this season at 2.36 goals per game. Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer haven’t fared much better in goal with a combined .885 save percentage.
Gregor Townsend insists Scotland can still play better despite ending their 2024 calendar on the high of an impressive 27-13 win over Australia at Murrayfield.
Finn Russell surpassed 400 Test points after scoring one of four Scotland tries and kicking seven points in a game where Scotland led by 21 points at one stage.
Head coach Townsend was delighted to send supporters home happy but was not happy with all aspects of his side's performance on Sunday.
"If you catch me in 10 minutes I'll be in a better mood. There was more in us. We weren't as accurate in the first half," he told BBC Sport.
"It shows we can get a win when we're not playing as well. There were moments in the game that I loved. We saw what it meant to our supporters to get a win against a quality team.
"We're better than some of the aspects today, but I'm proud that the players found a way to win.
"I'm inwardly happy, but if there was a game next week it would be a tough review and there would be a lot of things to improve."
Captain Sione Tuipulotu crossed in the first half for Scotland, who led 7-3 at the break after Noah Lolesio's had put Australia in front.
The hosts took command after the break with Duhan van der Merwe, Josh Bayliss and Russell going over in the second half.
Wing wizard Harry Potter scored on his Australia debut to add some credit to the scoreline for the visitors and Scotland showed great defensive resolve after that to ensure no more points were conceded.
Skipper Tuipulotu collected the Hopetoun Cup in front of his grandmother and said: "It was an amazing moment. When she handed over the cup she said 'you got 'em!'
"I'm super happy and it makes the day all worthwhile, when we win like that. We won playing our rugby, we scored some brilliant tries. We know how dangerous our back three is but it was a group effort today and that's what I'm most pleased about."
Victor Wembanyama said he had flipped a switch upon his return to action on Saturday, as the San Antonio Spurs managed an impressive 104-94 win over the Golden State Warriors.
San Antonio found themselves trailing by 17 points near the end of the third quarter and in danger of seeing their winning streak snapped at two games.
However, they rallied for the biggest comeback win by any team facing the Warriors this season, with Wembanyama the driving force.
Returning after sitting out three games with a right knee contusion, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year had 25 points, seven rebounds and nine assists while also shooting 2-of-3 from 3-point range after half-time.
"I did find my rhythm physically," Wembanyama said afterwards. "It was a little hard to come back in terms of conditioning in the first half.
"There's a switch I'm trying to flip on demand.
"Strong catches, quick moves, not holding the ball, but also taking my time, taking shots with confidence, good feet and good preparation for the shot."
Point guard Chris Paul always knew a tough first half – in which Wembanyama went 2-of-6 from 3-point range – would not impact his team-mate's confidence.
"Vic's confidence never wavers, and it's so dope to see," Paul said. "He's confident. He knows the next one's going in.
"Vic was huge, just being his first game back. The defense, the shots. The plays that he made tonight were all winning plays. He's an alien. He's just so unique."
Golden State coach Steve Kerr was also left in awe of Wembanyama's all-round display, saying: "He was amazing, blocking shots, thwarting others, just being a presence in the paint.
"It was an impressive performance by him and by the whole team, defensively."
George Russell was relieved to see Mercedes' luck turn as the Silver Arrows clinched a stunning one-two at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday.
Russell held off challenges from Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, as well as team-mate Lewis Hamilton, to triumph from pole in Sin City.
He led for 49 of the 50 laps as he sealed his third victory in F1. Only at Sao Paulo in 2022 (66) and Sakhir in 2020 (59) has he led for more laps at a single grand prix.
Russell started at the front of the grid for the third time in 2024, having previously failed to convert poles in Canada and at Silverstone into victories.
Mercedes endured a difficult outing at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix last time out as Russell finished fourth and Hamilton 10th, and they were delighted to rediscover their consistency in Nevada.
"It's going to be a good party, I was planning on flying in a couple of hours but I'm definitely not getting on that flight. I’m going to enjoy this evening with all my team," Russell said.
"It's been a dream of a weekend. I don’t know how we've been so quick but I'm just riding this wave right now.
"To get the victory here, pole position and a dominant weekend, one-two with Lewis as well, we couldn't have chosen a better place to make this happen.
"I was just waiting for something to happen. The two races I've been on pole before it’s always been chaos, rain, dry, always something happening, last race in Brazil with the red flag... there is always something happening. Luck has turned and I'm so happy right now."
Hamilton, meanwhile, took the opportunity to congratulate his great rival Max Verstappen after the Red Bull driver sealed his fourth world championship by finishing ahead of Lando Norris.
"Firstly, congrats to Max winning the championship, still with several races to go," the seven-time world champion, who will join Ferrari for 2025, said.
"If I'd done my job yesterday it would have been a breeze today. But it's okay, I had fun coming from 10th and the team did a fantastic job.
"We don't know why we were quick this weekend but that's the best the car has ever felt. So I'm grateful to be a part of getting to that point.
"If the car drives like that in the next couple of races, then I think we'll be in a good spot to challenge the guys up front. The championship's done, so now it’s just all out, fight for the best positions possible."
New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson has said he wants to see overseas-based players become eligible for the All Blacks after his side laboured to a 29-11 win over Italy.
The visitors recorded their 18th straight win against Italy to wrap up their autumn series, but Robertson's side were made to work for the victory in Turin in flanker Sam Cane's final Test for the team, ahead of his switch to play club rugby in Japan.
Speaking after the game, Robertson said he would ask New Zealand Rugby to follow in the footsteps of world champions South Africa and allow those playing outside domestic competitions to be eligible for the national team.
"We don't want to be a cycle behind or a couple of years behind," Robertson said.
"Professional rugby is always evolving. Let's keep an open mind and see what's next. I'll definitely be presenting.
"Using South Africa as an example, they get the opportunity to use a lot of experienced players who are looked after and managed well into their 30s so they've got a great balance.
"And they've got big squads, they can have two really quality 15s."
Max Verstappen has said that he is hungry for more success after claiming his fourth consecutive Formula One world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver claimed the title by finishing fifth, ahead of championship rival Lando Norris, in the race which was won by George Russell of Mercedes.
Verstappen is now behind only Lewis Hamilton (seven), Michael Schumacher (seven) and Juan Manuel Fangio (five) in terms of world titles won, and the Dutchman has said he will aim for a fifth title in 2025.
"If you look to next year right now, I think it's going to be a proper battle between a lot of cars, but I'm hungry," said Verstappen, who secured the title with two races to spare.
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