Cody Dorman, who was closely associated with dual Breeders’ Cup winner Cody’s Wish, has died.

The teenager, who was born with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome – a rare genetic condition that meant he could not speak and was wheelchair-bound – had been a key part of the Cody’s Wish journey since Bill Mott’s five-year-old was a foal.

The pair first met when the Dorman family visited Gainsborough Farm Stud and the then foal, who would go on to be named Cody’s Wish, approached the wheelchair-bound Dorman and placed his head in his lap.

That was the beginning of an unbreakable bond which would last the duration of the Godolphin-owned colt’s racing career, with Dorman trackside for both of his big victories at the Breeders’ Cup.

Having witnessed Cody’s Wish bow out in style when bravely defending his Dirt Mile title at Santa Anita, Dorman died while travelling home from California to his family home in Kentucky.

A statement released to Godolphin by parents Kelly and Leslie Dorman, read: “We are heartbroken to share the news that our beloved Cody suffered a medical event on our trip home to Kentucky and he has passed away.

“On Saturday, Cody watched his best friend, Cody’s Wish, display his usual perseverance and toughness in winning a second Breeders’ Cup.

“Those are the same characteristics Cody has showed time and again for the 18 years we were blessed to have him.

“We have been completely amazed to experience the impact Cody has had on so many people, through the journey that this wondrous racehorse has taken us all on.

“From Churchill Downs to Keeneland, to Saratoga to Santa Anita this weekend, we could not move 20ft without someone stopping to tell us just that.

“With Cody’s diagnosis at birth, we always knew this day would come, but we were determined to help Cody live his best life for however long we had him.

“Anyone who has seen him at the racetrack, especially around Cody’s Wish, understands that in many ways he taught us all how to live, always keeping a positive attitude and being more concerned about those around him than himself.

“As people of faith, we are comforted in the knowledge that Cody has gone home. We pray that he watch over us all, especially Kylie, the best little sister in the world.

“We are sincerely grateful for all those who have shared this journey with Cody and our family. The joy that his interactions with Cody’s Wish have brought him the last five years is indescribable. We will rely on those memories to help us through an unimaginably difficult time.”

The Breeders’ Cup organisation were also keen to pay their respects and in a statement added: “The entire Breeders’ Cup team is devastated by the news of Cody Dorman’s passing yesterday.

“His story captured our hearts and minds, and his strength, spirit, and determination were fittingly embodied by his namesake’s commanding performances in his honour.

“We send our sincere condolences to the Dormans, who gave our sport so much by welcoming us into their family.”

Sparks Fly may not have won for the final time this year as the unstoppable filly takes aim at a Saint-Cloud return.

Trained by David Loughnane and owned and bred by Dave Lowe, the three-year-old has soared through the ranks this season since making her debut on the all-weather in January.

Synthetic surfaces clearly were not to her liking, but since switching to the turf she has been expertly guided by Loughnane to a superb run of eight victories – and she may not be done just yet.

Her one and only blip was a beaten effort in the Listed Lyric Stakes at York over a mile and two and a half furlongs, but connections still gained something from the experience as it highlighted that her ideal trip was a mile.

With that in mind she journeyed to France for the Prix Isola Bella, a Listed contest at Saint-Cloud in late October, and astonished all involved when bolting to totally unchallenged 12-length success under regular rider Laura Pearson.

The filly barely saw a rival as she cruised up the inside rail and gained black type in emphatic style, potentially booking herself in for a return to the same track for the Prix Tantieme later this month.

“It was an unbelievable moment actually, David was over in France and I was at home watching it,” said Lowe.

“It’s sort of disbelief, we couldn’t even get emotional, normally you’d be cheering your horse on but we were just flabbergasted. Where did that come from? Unbelievable.

“The commentator was joking that they’re going to nickname that rail the Sparks Fly rail.

“Laura gets on so well with her, it was a masterstroke from the start as she just came from that mid-draw and just went over to that rail. She knew she was going to angle that way but that wasn’t the intention, she thought she’d go down the middle of the track and if they hung that way, fair enough, but there’s no point fighting her – she likes getting her own way!”

Lowe and Loughnane make a successful partnership and the owner-breeder is quick to credit the trainer with producing her from a 59-rated maiden to a 102-rated Listed winner.

“He has brought her through really, really well,” said Lowe.

“That race in France was perfect for her, we found out more about her from the York race when she was disappointing.

“We always thought she would get more than a mile but it turns out a mile is the perfect distance for her and the perfect ground is basically bottomless. She will run on good, it’s not out of the question, but that’s the recipe for success by the look of it.

“She’s been on the go since January but she’s come out of the race really well, I dare say she’s never looked better. We’re looking at another run in Saint-Cloud again on the 17th of this month, we’ll enter up for that and if she’s telling us she wants to run again then she’ll run again and if she’s telling us she’s had enough then we’ll put her away.”

A winter break then beckons, after which Sparks Fly will return to training to for 2024 and may set her sights higher as a four-year-old.

Lowe said: “Dave has said to me that he thinks she’ll make an even better four-year-old, which is quite scary. He thinks we can definitely get a Group race with her next year with everything going our way.”

Lowe bred Sparks Fly from the mare Stepping Out, a three-time winner he owned in a partnership and took on when an injury ended her career, a shrewd move that has provided him with three winning offspring; Sparks Fly, Queen Mary third Caroline Dale and four-time winner Baby Steps.

“I only ended up with her by accident, she was a horse I was involved in with three other people and she got injured and the intention was to sell her,” the owner said of Stepping Out.

“I thought, ‘well I can’t just sell her if she’s injured. I don’t want anybody racing her again and causing more problems’, so I took her under my wing and sort of just fell into breeding but now she’s had three very successful foals.

“We thought we’d reached a peak with Caroline Dale coming third in the Queen Mary, but then this one comes along and just blows her away!”

Novak Djokovic could still win three majors next year but Gilles Simon reminded tennis fans the world number one is not "eternal" as he heads towards the end of his career.

Djokovic triumphed in three of the four majors in 2023, with September's US Open success taking him level with Margaret Court's record 24 grand slam triumphs.

Defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final, Djokovic – aged 36 years and 111 days – became the oldest winner of the men's singles title at the US Open, as well as winning a trio of majors in a year for the fourth time.

That saw him surpass Roger Federer – who won three grand slams in a year on three occasions.

Simon, though, warned that Djokovic cannot play on forever.

He told Stats Perform: "I think he can win some [majors, but] I think he's getting to an age where it is going to become difficult.

"Most of the observers want to believe that a player is eternal but none are more eternal than the others.

"I think he can win a lot next year; will he win one, two or three? Next year he can do one more big year, but I also think that it will be his last."

The 36-year-old Djokovic acknowledged the retirement speculation after his US Open victory, asking how long he can continue.

Simon likened the twilight of Djokovic's career to fellow great Federer, whose playing days were curtailed by injury and fitness issues.

"At one point like every player there's going to be a break, that was the case for Roger Federer, remember when he won in Australia at the age of 37 playing incredible tennis," Simon added.

"At Wimbledon, he could have won because he lost against Novak Djokovic on match point. Time never had a grip on him, he had never been injured, he played really well, and then all of a sudden he disappears."

Another of tennis' 'Big Three', Rafael Nadal has not played since January 18 at the Australian Open – again owing to injury problems as years of toiling on the court takes its toll on even the best.

"We have Rafael Nadal who we hope to see again next year, who got us accustomed to more traditional injuries, longer injuries and with doubts," Simon continued.

"Once again he wins the Australian Open, he wins at Roland Garros even with his history with his foot, he again has a semi-final at Wimbledon.

"We say no about Novak because he is more careful, but we said the same about Federer, he expends less energy, he has a more fluid game and technique, he preserved himself from injury.

"I think next year will be very interesting because it’s a year where he can again win, where he still has an advantage [ahead of the rest] but we saw him lose against [Carlos] Alcaraz at Wimbledon.

"I thought he would have more advantage on grass because of the experience he has compared to others and his game works so well on grass – but he is beatable."

Age has shown no sign of slowing Djokovic down yet after he lifted the Paris Masters trophy for a seventh time on Sunday, defeating Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets.

That victory marked his second hard-court ATP-1000 title of 2023, Djokovic managing multiple Masters titles in a single season for the ninth time in his career. Only Federer, having won multiple such events in a year six times in his time, can get near to that feat.

Yet Simon suggested 30 major triumphs may be out of Djokovic's reach due to the emergence of Alcaraz, who won at Wimbledon this year, and a gruelling schedule.

"He's so strong he knows how to prepare himself, but he can't do a series of tournaments," said the Frenchman, who won 14 career titles and reached a high of number six in the ATP rankings.

"If everything was going well he would be playing every week like when he was 25 years old, so that is what is missing.

"He looks after himself, ultra-professional and very strong. The US Open was important for him, I see him maybe doing one or two next year, but I am waiting to see for the next few years after that.

"I can't see him reaching 30 [majors] for example when Carlos Alcaraz could win two or three a year – I wish it for him but I don't see it like that."

The Rolex Paris Masters became the first Masters 1000 to broadcast its qualifying matches on Twitch, live on Rivenzi's channel.

Novak Djokovic immediately set his sights on the next big goal after clinching a record-extending 40th Masters series title in Paris.

The Serbian’s loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final appeared to mark a real shift in men’s tennis but Djokovic has not lost a match since.

He collected a 24th grand slam title at the US Open and has also won titles in Cincinnati and now the French capital, a winning run of 18 matches, six of them against top-10 players.

At 36, Djokovic plays sparingly, but, when he does take to the court, he remains clearly the best player in the world – he has lost only five matches in 2023 and won three grand slam titles.

Next up, Djokovic will aim to win a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title in Turin before trying to lead Serbia to a second Davis Cup crown.

“I try to be a good student of the game and keep track with the numbers but, at the same time, I also want to be able to just direct my attention to the next challenge,” Djokovic told reporters in the French capital.

“As long as I’m an active player, I guess that’s going to be kind of the mentality I will nurture. It’s great, but it’s already behind me.

“This is, fortunately or unfortunately, the way it works for me, and the way I think is the correct mentality moving forward. Because, while I’m still active, I still want to win more and I still want to play at the highest level.

“Obviously grand slams and Masters events are the most valuable tournaments in our sport.”

An insatiable desire to win biggest titles and an almost super-human ability to peak both for the most important tournaments and matches and the key moments within those matches have combined to keep Djokovic at the top of the tree while the sands have shifted around him.

He is nearly a decade older than any other player in the top 13 and struggled with a stomach bug in Paris but was still able to lift the trophy.

This undoubtedly does not reflect particularly well on Djokovic’s rivals, albeit they are taking on one of the greatest athletes of all time, while he again had to confront boos from the crowd on several occasions.

The Serbian’s complex relationship with tennis fans is nothing new, and Parisian crowds have a justified reputation for their willingness to jeer players, which was especially evident at the French Open this year.

Djokovic may wish he was received differently but he has also admitted being portrayed as a villain has driven him on, while it should not be overlooked that he has a sizeable army of devoted fans around the world.

He clearly takes great delight in keeping the young pretenders at bay, and, with his body holding up generally very well, it would be no surprise to see him continue to do so into 2024.

He is only two weeks short of hitting 400 weeks at world number one while he will be the hot favourite to win an 11th Australian Open title in January, which would put him out on his own as the most successful grand slam singles player in history.

Mawj will be prepared for a winter campaign in Dubai following her agonising defeat at the Breeders’ Cup on Saturday.

The daughter of Exceed And Excel provided trainer Saeed bin Suroor with his first British Classic success in 14 years when edging out Tahiyra in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, but subsequently missed the middle part of the season after suffering injury.

She made a successful return from five months off the track in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in October, though, and remained in America to take on the colts in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Mawj looked likely to prevail after taking over the lead approaching the final furlong at Santa Anita under Oisin Murphy, but was reeled in by fellow Godolphin runner Master Of The Seas, with just a nose separating them at the line.

Having had a couple of days to reflect on the narrowest of reverses, Bin Suroor remained typically gracious in defeat.

He said: “She ran a huge race and we thought she was going to win, but she was beaten by a good horse, also a Godolphin horse, and I’m happy for Charlie (Appleby).

“Our filly is tough and hard and it was the first time she ran with the colts. She proved herself good enough to be with them.

“Oisin gave her a very good ride, he did everything right and she ran a huge race.”

Mawj will now head to Bin Suroor’s home country for the winter carnival at Meydan before returning to Britain next season in search of more major prizes.

“Now she is going back to Dubai and we’ll try and find a race for her, maybe the Jebel Hatta and then the Dubai Turf. After that we’ll find races for her in the UK and Europe,” the trainer added.

“I think a mile is her best trip, but sometimes it can be hard to find races for her. I know she won over nine furlongs at Keeneland, but at the mile I think she is at her best.”

Paul Nicholls has indicated there is a possibility Bravemansgame could run in the Betfair Chase at Haydock later this month if conditions prove suitable.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up narrowly failed to defend his Charlie Hall Chase crown at Wetherby on Saturday when a mistake at the final fence allowed Mouse Morris’ race-fit Gentlemansgame to snatch victory.

It was thought that the eight-year-old would head straight to Kempton in search of back-to-back victories in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, but Nicholls is refusing to rule out an appearance at Haydock on November 25 – a race which was originally slated for Bravemansgame’s seasonal return.

“He’s come out of the race really well, he’s actually had a canter today, and there is still a possibility of him running in the Betfair Chase,” Nicholls told Betfair in his Ditcheat Diary.

“It’s a fantastic race and I love supporting it and have done well in it. Plenty of horses I have had have used that as a stepping stone to the King George and in a lot of ways Saturday was a bit of a racecourse gallop for him.

“He had not been anywhere before Saturday and if we were happy with him and the ground was OK – that is key, I don’t want to give him a hard race, a slog in really testing ground before the King George – but if we had a dry week up to it and the ground was good to soft, then it could be tempting.”

Reflecting on his Wetherby defeat, Nicholls added: “He ran a super race and it was probably a better performance than a year ago.

“The ground was testing enough for him and you could probably run the race 100 times and get a different result each time, but if he hadn’t made that mistake at the last and had landing running, it could have been a whole heap different.

“He got beat by a good, improving, young, race-fit horse and we paid for a little mistake. It was his first run of the season and I was going to have him nowhere near his best first-time out. Obviously, we want him to step forward from that and he will do.”

Henrietta Knight, who saddled Best Mate to three straight Cheltenham Gold Cup triumphs, is poised for a return to the training ranks in the new year.

The 76-year-old is best known for her hat-trick of victories in the blue riband event between 2002 and 2004 but was also the trainer of Champion Chase hero Edredon Bleu, who similarly carried the colours of Best Mate’s owner Jim Lewis.

Knight, who was married to former champion jump jockey Terry Biddlecombe, retired in 2012 but has remained involved in the sport by running a pre-training business and also being an active figure at the sales.

However, she will now recommence training under rules from her West Lockinge base, where she hopes to train around 25-30 horses.

Knight will be assisted by Grand National-winning jockey Brendan Powell, who was a trainer in his own right before serving as assistant to Joseph O’Brien and Rebecca Menzies in recent years, and he is excited to link-up with such a distinguished name in racing.

“I’ve known Hen for 30-odd years and was good friends with Terry,” said Powell.

“I came over here to Rebecca’s and it sort of hasn’t really worked out and Hen mentioned to me in the week that she was thinking if she got the horses, she wouldn’t mind training again and asked if I would consider going down and helping out.

“I had a few chats with her and we decided that I would give it a go and see what happens.”

He went on: “I know she has applied for the licence and there should be no reason why she wouldn’t get it.

“It’s a good place there and my son Brendan rides out there along with Paul O’Brien and James Bowen. She’s always busy and always got plenty of horses in and she is hoping to get around 25-30 horses, which would be just a nice number. We will give it a go and see what happens.

“She has been a great trainer over the years and with the horses she has had. It’s obviously not going to be as big as that now, but I’m sure we can get some nice owners together – she has a few already – and we will see if we can build on that.”

Knight told Telegraph Sport: “People will probably think I’m mad starting again when most people are stopping, but I like doing things and I miss the buzz.

“Cheltenham’s where I love and I can’t wait to get back there. The emphasis will be on trying to find a few chasers to take me back to Cheltenham. I’m very excited and want to get going.”

Cheltenham Festival hero Iroko is set to make his chasing debut at Warwick on Tuesday.

Trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, the five-year-old was a real improver over hurdles last season and, after a pair of commanding wins at Wetherby, brought up a hat-trick when scoring in the Martin Pipe at the Festival in March.

Iroko then finished off his season by finishing an honourable third when stepped up to Grade One company for the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle during Aintree’s Grand National Festival.

Having skipped a possible return at Cheltenham recently, he will now start off over the larger obstacles in the Stan Mellor Memorial Novices’ Chase, a race won 12 months ago by Paul Nicholls’ Stage Star.

Greenall said: “We’ve always thought chasing would be his game, he’s been schooling really well and we’re looking forward to getting going with him.

“He will want three miles eventually, but we’re just going to start off at two and a half and then go up in trip as the season progresses.”

Iroko is owned by JP McManus, whose famous green and gold hoops are also carried by Greenall and Guerriero’s smart hurdling prospect Jagwar.

The four-year-old recruit from France pushed the highly-regarded Inthewaterside all the way on his UK bow at Aintree last Sunday and is exciting his training team.

“He does everything well at home, is really relaxed and easy to train,” continued Greenall.

“He’s going to probably want a trip and fences in time but we will stay over hurdles for now obviously this season.

“We feel he will come on for the experience and fitness wise, so we were very happy with the performance.”

Jagwar could now be set for an immediate step up in class, with a return to Aintree for the Grade One Formby Novices’ Hurdle (formerly the Tolworth) on the Merseyside track’s new Boxing Day card and Newbury’s Challow Hurdle both possible options.

“There’s a few options for him and we’ll probably wait until Christmas time with him now,” explained Greenall.

“He can go back to Aintree on Boxing Day for the new fixture or there is Newbury that we are looking at, we’ll just have to wait and see how he is.

“We’ll probably step him up (in class) a bit, which is what we did with Iroko – and if he won, then great, but if he doesn’t, then he’s gaining experience along the way.

“We probably won’t just go for a little novice as I don’t think he will learn a lot and we’re not gaining anything. We would probably prefer to go and have a go at a better race.

“Aintree would mean going back in trip but it could easily be fairly soft ground that day, which would be fine.”

Toto Wolff said Mercedes’ worst performance on his watch as team principal shows they are right to make wholesale design changes for next season.

Lewis Hamilton finished eighth at Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix – more than a minute behind race winner Max Verstappen – while George Russell retired with an engine failure while running in 11th.

Far from being any closer to Verstappen’s all-conquering Red Bull, Mercedes were slower than McLaren, Aston Martin, Ferrari and the mid-table Alpine team in Sao Paulo, with Pierre Gasly embarrassing the former world champions when he batted Hamilton and Russell aside.

“It is totally baffling and unacceptable,” said a beleaguered Wolff.

“We are a proper structure, a solid team but that didn’t look like a solid team today. For me personally, it was the worst weekend in 13 years (in Formula One).

“The development of that car has been about putting plasters on something that was not right and it shows that it is so unpredictable that it can swing either side.

“Fundamentally, we will have a different car next year and today proves that is the right thing to do.

“It feels horrible for the whole team. And I wish we could start the new season concentrating on the new car.”

Performances at the previous two rounds had afforded Hamilton and Mercedes hope that they were closing the gap to Red Bull.

Armed with a new floor in Austin two weeks ago, Hamilton finished second before he was disqualified after his Mercedes failed a post-race scrutineering check. He was runner-up again in Mexico seven days later, this time with a legal car, 14 sec adrift of Verstappen.

But the Silver Arrows were dealt a grizzly reality check at Interlagos – a venue where they expected to perform well after Russell claimed Mercedes’ sole victory there last season.

Wolff continued: “It’s baffling. From having a really quick and balanced car and drivers really happy, to a nightmare. How is that possible?

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we analyse the cars in the next few days and we find out that there is a mechanical issue in the way we set them up.”

Russell was forced to park his machine with 12 laps remaining but the Englishman hopes Mercedes’ abysmal performance was track specific – with rounds to follow in Las Vegas in a fortnight before the concluding race in Abu Dhabi on November 26.

“It was a mind-boggling weekend to understand,” said Russell. “We had high expectations heading into this weekend and we had absolutely no pace at all.

“There are so many question marks. It is the same car that we have had for the last five races which has been capable of podiums.

“This is clearly a substantial one-off event, but we need to understand what we got wrong because right now, we don’t really know.”

A 30-point triple-double from LaMelo Ball was not enough to get the Charlotte Hornets across the line against the Dallas Mavericks.

Ball scored 23 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter of Charlotte’s 124-118 defeat, to go along with 10 rebounds and 13 assists.

A quiet start from Luka Doncic allowed the Hornets to gain an early advantage, but the Slovenian eventually found his groove to lead the Mavericks’ second-half comeback.

He finished with 23 points, while Kyrie Irving added 18.

The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 112-100 on the back of Desmond Bane’s 30-point effort.

The visitors left it until late, launching a 24-point comeback in the final quarter to pick up their first win of the season.

Jerami Grant top-scored for Portland with 27.

The Phoenix Suns snapped a three-game losing streak with a 120-106 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Kevin Durant stepped up in the absence of injured starting duo Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, scoring a season-high 41 points in the 14-point victory.

The Cleveland Cavaliers surprised the Golden State Warriors 115-104, while Scottie Barnes scored 30 points to lead the Toronto Raptors over the San Antonio Spurs 123-116.

Ronnie O’Sullivan announced his decision to step away from snooker due to personal reasons on this day in 2012.

The star’s self-imposed exile did not last long and he would return for the season-ending World Championship and win it.

World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn said at the time: “I have spoken to Ronnie and he has decided to withdraw from any events he has entered, and he will not be playing for the rest of this season. He has some personal issues which he needs to resolve and we wish him all the best for the future.”

In May 2012, after winning his fourth world title, O’Sullivan said he intended to take some time away from the sport.

“I don’t intend to stay in the game long, even though I feel in a lot better place,” he said. “I’ve made that decision and this might – I’m not saying it is – be my last time in this tournament.”

Just a few months later, in 2013, he won a fifth world title – beating Barry Hawkins – although O’Sullivan had to wait seven years for a sixth, before adding a seventh in 2022.

O’Sullivan has continued his hints at retirement having repeatedly said he had fallen out of love with the game but just last year reiterated his focus.

He said: “I feel like I’ve got life in perspective – I spent enough years getting disappointed by the game. I thought let’s try not to get disappointed and it’s freed me up a bit.

“I’m still competitive. If I take up anything I want to be better, it’s just natural and I’ll never lose that, so the players can expect me to keep coming for more.”

Donovan Mitchell led the way with 31 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers earned their first regular-season victory over the Golden State Warriors in nearly seven years with Sunday's 115-104 win.

Mitchell finished 11 of 19 from the field and added seven assists to help Cleveland snap a 16-game losing streak in the series, which included five losses to the Warriors in the NBA Finals.

The Cavaliers' first regular-season win over Golden State since Christmas Day of 2016 also snapped the Warriors' run of five straight victories since a season-opening loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Darius Garland added 24 points and Evan Mobley compiled 13 points and 16 rebounds in the Cavs' second win in three games following a 1-3 start to the season.

Mitchell recorded 17 points in the first half and Garland had 13 by the break as Cleveland took a 57-45 lead into the intermission, then never trailed in the second half.

Stephen Curry went 7 of 11 from 3-point range and amassed 28 points in the Warriors' first defeat in five road games this season. 

Raptors come back from 22 points down to stun Spurs in overtime

Scottie Barnes scored 17 of his game-high 30 points in the fourth quarter to lead a furious second-half rally that catapulted the Toronto Raptors to a 123-116 overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Toronto trailed by 22 points late in the first half and faced an 86-71 deficit after three quarters, but outscored the Spurs by a 23-10 margin to begin the fourth. Barnes later tied the contest at 108-108 with a 3-pointer with 37.9 seconds left in regulation, though Keldon Johnson put San Antonio back ahead with two free throws on the ensuing possession before the Raptors' OG Anunoby forced overtime with a putback with just 1.2 seconds remaining.

The Raptors then opened overtime with an 8-2 run to take the lead for good.

Anunoby and Dennis Schröder each finished with 24 points for Toronto, with Anunoby going 7 of 13 on 3-point tries. Barnes finished 5 of 10 from beyond the arc to go along with 11 rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks.

Rookie sensation VIctor Wembanyama had 20 points, nine rebounds and five blocks for San Antonio, which also received 26 points from Johnson and 21 points and 11 rebounds from Zach Collins.

Grizzlies rally past Trail Blazers for elusive first win

Desmond Bane scored 30 points and the Memphis Grizzlies overcame a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to earn a 112-100 win over the Portland Trail Blazers for their first victory of the season.

Memphis, which posted the second-best record in the Western Conference last season at 51-31, opened the 2023-24 campaign with six straight losses and looked on the way towards a seventh with Portland owning a 98-86 lead with eight minutes remaining.

The Grizzlies held the Blazers without a field goal the rest of the way, however, as they closed the game on a 26-2 run. Bane had nine points and Jaren Jackson Jr. totalled seven during the game-ending spurt.

Jackson finished with 27 points and seven rebounds and Luke Kennard contributed 15 points off the bench for Memphis.

Jerami Grant led Portland with 27 points and both Malcolm Brogdon and Shaedon Sharpe had 18 in the loss. Brogdon added 11 assists and seven rebounds.