LeBron James is putting off retirement talk but the Los Angeles Lakers superstar says he will only be happy to continue playing while he is on a team capable of winning NBA titles.
James scored 27 points and claimed nine rebounds and six assists to lead the Lakers against his former team the Miami Heat on Wednesday, yet his efforts proved fruitless in a 112-98 defeat.
The Lakers have lost five of their last six games and are 13th in the Western Conference with a record of 14-21 for the season.
James, who turns 38 on Friday and is tied to the Lakers through to the end of the 2023-24 season, has seemingly been growing increasingly frustrated with the team's form, and that chagrin was evident again in his post-game media briefing.
When asked if he has paid any thought to his retirement plans, James told reporters: "I know as long as my mind stays in it, I can play at this level for a minute.
"Now, that's up to my mind. My body is going to be okay because if my mind is into it, I will make sure my body is taken care of and I'll continue to put in the work.
"I'm a winner and I want to win. And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships.
"That has always been my passion, that has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio.
"And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA.
"It's not in my DNA anymore. So, we'll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays.
"I think about how much longer I'm going to play the game. I think about that I don't want to finish my career playing at this level from a team aspect.
"I'll still be able to be compete for championships because I know what I can still bring to any ball club with the right pieces."
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham believes James is doing all he can to propel the team.
"He's a fierce, fierce competitor," Ham said of the four-time NBA champion, who leads the Lakers this season with 27.8 points per game.
"The team, we're having our ups and downs right now. We're on the wrong side of the win-loss column.
"So, he's not going to allow himself to be taken out of the mix. He does as great of a job as I've seen ever of making himself available and being able to produce physically at an extremely high level."
Kyrie Irving scored 15 fourth-quarter points to lift the Brooklyn Nets to their 10th straight win – the longest streak this NBA season – with a 108-107 victory over the short-handed Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
Irving finished with 28 points, headlined by 15 in the final period, making five three-pointers with five rebounds and eight assists, as the Nets held on to their three-point three-quarter time lead.
Kevin Durant added 26 points with a season-high 16 rebounds and eight assists, with center Nic Claxton contributing 17 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high six blocks.
The result means the Nets have achieved their longest win streak since 2005-06, moving closer to their franchise record of 14, from 2003-04 and 2005-06.
Brooklyn improved their record to 23-12, having won 14 of their past five games, closing the gap on the top two in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics (25-10) and the Milwaukee Bucks (22-12).
Irving led a 17-3 fourth-quarter run with eight consecutive points as the Nets pulled clear in the last before the Hawks rallied, only for Dejounte Murray to miss a 27-footer on the buzzer.
Murray finished with 24 points and John Collins added 21 for the Hawks, who were without Trae Young and Clint Capela with calf injuries as well as De'Andre Hunter (ankle).
Butler and Bam lead Heat past Lakers
The Miami Heat dominated on offense and defense, keeping the Los Angeles Lakers to their second lowest score of the season, in a 112-98 victory.
Jimmy Butler (27 points and six steals) and Bam Adebayo (23 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks) combined for 50 of the Heat's 112 points, as they improved to 18-17, with all five starters reaching double figures. Tyler Herro added 18 points, including three triples and nine assists.
LeBron James, playing against his former franchise, scored 27 points with nine rebounds and six assists and Russell Westbrook added 15 points on six-of-16 shooting.
DeRozan downs Giannis in OT
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a monster double-double with 45 points and 22 rebounds but could not prevent the Milwaukee Bucks losing 119-113 to the Chicago Bulls in overtime.
Demar DeRozan stuffed his stat sheet too, with 42 points on 15-of-25 shooting, with 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Zach LaVine added 24 points with four three-pointers.
DeRozan made a crucial steal from an Antetokounmpo's inbound with 11.1 seconds of regulation time remaining down 106-104, setting up Ayo Dosunmu's dunk to send it to OT.
Aaron Rodgers was held out of practice on Wednesday by the Green Bay Packers but says he is "feeling a lot better" ahead of Sunday's must-win game against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers quarterback has been banged up throughout this season, nursing a right thumb injury along with sore ribs, picking up a left knee issue in Sunday's 26-20 win over the Miami Dolphins.
That victory, the Packers' third straight win, kept their playoffs hopes alive with a 7-8 record in the NFC North, but losing to the division-leading Vikings will all but put an end to that, with Rodgers' availability likely to be pivotal.
"I got a lot of body weight on my knee," Rodgers told reporters about the injury sustained when defensive tackle Christian Wilkins fell on him.
"Had some extra flexion I haven't known for the last 20 years. So just been doing rehab the last few days and feeling a lot better."
Rodgers did play out Sunday's win but said fluid began to build on his knee during the flight home from Florida to Wisconsin.
The 39-year-old four-time MVP, who hoped to practice on Thursday, said these issues were part and parcel of the NFL.
"You're dealing with something throughout the year whether it's a major or minor, always got to do the body maintenance," Rodgers said.
"But it's a good opportunity for [backup QB Jordan Love] to practice and get his reps in, and it's a good opportunity for me to get some rest."
The Packers would be eliminated from playoffs contention if they lose to the Vikings, and one of the Detroit Lions (7-8) or the Washington Commanders (7-7-1) win their Week 17 games against the Chicago Bears and the Cleveland Browns respectively.
Atlanta Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young will miss Wednesday's clash with the in-form Brooklyn Nets due to a left calf contusion.
Young joins Hawks center Clint Capela (right calf strain) and forward De'Andre Hunter (left ankle sprain) on the sidelines.
The 24-year-old two-time All-Star injured his calf in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's 129-114 defeat to the Indiana Pacers.
The 17-17 Hawks come up against the 22-12 Nets, amid their nine-game winning streak, the best active run in the NBA.
Young is second in the NBA this season for assists, averaging 9.9 per game, while he led the league last season for total points and total assists. The guard is 11th this season with a 27.3 scoring average.
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson wishes he could have played better for head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired earlier this week.
The Broncos parted ways with first-year coach Hackett on Monday following their 51-14 Christmas Day defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, which left them with a 4-11 record.
Denver's record is the joint-third worst in the NFL, with the Broncos set for their seventh consecutive losing season.
The Broncos had high expectations heading into the campaign, with ex-Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Hackett hired in January for his first head coach position, while Wilson was added to their ranks in March in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks.
But neither have enhanced the Broncos' struggling offense, with Denver's points-per-game average of 15.5 the lowest in the NFL.
Wilson is on track for a career-low in touchdown passes (12) and a career-high in sacks (49). The QB leads the NFL in sacks this season.
"The reality is I wish I could have played better for him too," Wilson told reporters after Wednesday's practice. "I wish I could have played at the standard, the level that I've always played at, know how to play at.
"I know I can play exceptionally well. I know what I have in me. Each moment you get out there, you want to play at your best and I haven't been able to do that this year. We have two games to go, I want to go compete at the highest level and try to get us two wins."
Interim Broncos coach Jerry Rosburg confirmed Wilson would start their final two games of the season, firstly against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Broncos general manager George Paton has stated that Wilson's recruitment was with a long-term view.
Wilson added: "You have dark days sometimes. It's been a tough year in a lot of ways. [I'm] used to scoring a lot of touchdowns, winning a lot of games and that hasn't happened, [it's the] first time it's been like this.
"My expectations are higher than everybody else's. The mission is still the same – bring Super Bowls to Denver."
Derek Carr will not start the Las Vegas Raiders' final two regular-season games, marking the possible beginning of the end of the veteran quarterback's nine-year tenure with the franchise.
Coach Josh McDaniels made the announcement on Wednesday, with Jarrett Stidham to make his first NFL start in place of Carr when the 6-9 Raiders host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
McDaniels cited a desire to give younger players a longer look, with Las Vegas essentially eliminated from playoff contention.
"It's more about the opportunity," McDaniels said of the decision. "We're all accountable to where we're at, and I think this is more about an opportunity to see a guy that we haven't seen play in a situation like this against a couple of good teams, really good teams."
Stidham, a fourth-round pick for the New England Patriots in 2019, has seen spot duty in 11 previous NFL appearances. The 26-year-old has completed 32 of 61 passes (52.5 per cent) with two touchdowns and four interceptions.
Carr has started all but two of the Raiders' 144 regular-season games since winning the starting quarterback job as a rookie in 2014.
Both he and the offense have struggled lately, however.
The three-time Pro Bowler was intercepted three times as the Raiders were held to 201 total yards in last week's 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Carr has been picked off nine times in his last six starts and has completed 55 per cent or less of his pass attempts in four straight games for the first time in his career.
Carr compiled a 68.7 per cent completion rate over the course of the 2018 to 2021 seasons, second only to Drew Brees among quarterbacks with at least 1,000 pass attempts during that time frame.
"It's never on one person," McDaniels said following the Pittsburgh loss. "I know that statistic gets applied to one person, but certainly there's other factors.
"Look, that's not good enough. And for us to be able to win at this time of the year and be productive, offensively you have to throw the ball better than what we've thrown at times here in the last month and a half."
Speculation will now turn to whether Carr has played his final game in a Raiders uniform. His $32.9million base salary becomes fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster three days after the Super Bowl, while the team can save over $29m by releasing him before then.
McDaniels said Carr will be inactive as the third quarterback for Sunday's game, with rookie Chase Garbers to be promoted from the practice squad to serve as Stidham's backup.
"Derek was great," McDaniels said when asked how Carr handled the decision. "He understands the scenario that we're in and the situation and is very supportive of the two young guys. He'll do anything he can to help them."
Devin Booker will miss at least four weeks of action after suffering a groin strain.
The Phoenix Suns star pulled up just four minutes into the 128-125 overtime defeat to the Denver Nuggets on Christmas Day.
Booker had missed the previous three games with groin soreness, and he appeared to suffer a recurrence early on at Ball Arena before leaving the court.
The Suns confirmed on Wednesday that Booker will miss at least four weeks, at which time he will undergo further evaluation.
The 26-year-old has been in fine form this season, averaging a career-high 27.1 points per game, and he scored 58 points against the New Orleans Pelicans in his previous appearance prior to the brief cameo against the Nuggets.
Booker will have to wait to surpass Steve Nash to claim top spot for franchise three-pointers, needing to add just seven more to his current total of 1,045.
Novak Djokovic's imminent return to the Australian Open will be good for tennis, according fellow great Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic arrived in Australia this week and will compete in the first of two Adelaide International tournaments before the opening grand slam of 2023 begins on January 16.
In January this year, the 21-time grand slam winner was deported from Australia after being prevented from participating at the last edition of the event, having initially been granted a medical exemption to enter the country despite not being vaccinated against COVID-19.
There were concerns Djokovic would then be banned from entering Australia again, but a change in border entry rules means travellers are no longer obliged to provide evidence of their vaccination status.
While Djokovic's presence may represent a blow to Nadal's hopes of defending the title he clinched in the Serbian's absence last year, the Spaniard is pleased to see him taking part.
"Novak is here, it's good for tennis, probably good for the fans," Nadal said. "Let's see. [Having the] best players on court is always better."
Meanwhile, 22-time grand slam champion Nadal saw his former long-time rival Roger Federer retire this year, but he is not looking to follow suit despite being plagued by injuries in recent months.
Asked whether his upcoming appearance at the Australian Open could be his last, the 36-year-old said: "As a professional, you never know. Hopefully not.
"I mean, when you are at the age of 36, you never know when it's going to be the last one. It's obvious, but I don't like to talk about that because I am not in that mood now.
"I'm just focused on trying to play at the highest level possible and giving myself a possibility to keep being competitive, to fight for anything.
"That's my goal now, I'm not thinking about it being my last time here. If that's the last time, let's try to enjoy it as much as possible and try to create something special.
"I am happy doing what I am doing. I'm looking forward to still doing this."
For most fantasy leagues, Week 17 brings the end of the campaign.
The number of players traditionally held out of action to protect against injury in the raft of games with no playoff implications in Week 18 means it is too risky to hold fantasy championships on the final week of the regular season.
Hence, most fantasy title games will take place this week, and those involved may spend the days prior to the upcoming kick-offs agonising over which players to put in their line-up.
Often players who appeared unlikely fantasy stars at the start of the year emerge as league winners, and here Stats Perform picks out four such players and a defense whose contributions could decide the destination of fantasy titles.
Quarterback: Justin Fields, Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions
The dynamism Fields brings as a runner always gave him potential fantasy upside and he has harnessed that spectacularly in 2022. Fields had been a top-10 fantasy quarterback every week since Week 6 before he was held in check by the Buffalo Bills last Saturday.
While the Lions are in the mix for a playoff spot, their defense, which gave up an astonishing 320 rushing yards to the Carolina Panthers last week, is not well-equipped to slow down Fields, who should be expected to bounce back and deliver a championship-game tilting display.
Running Back: Brian Robinson Jr, Washington Commanders vs. Cleveland Browns
Robinson was frustrated by the San Francisco 49ers' outstanding defense last time out, but he is unlikely to meet much resistance from a Cleveland defense that is allowing the seventh-most yards per rush (4.87) in the NFL.
Between Weeks 12 and 15, only Miles Sanders (5.98) averaged more yards per carry than Robinson (5.69) among running backs. He hit a large speed bump in the Bay Area but, back in the friendly confines of FedEx Field against an opponent already eliminated from playoff contention, Robinson is in a good position to get back on track in a must-win game for the Commanders.
Wide Receiver: Garrett Wilson, New York Jets @ Seattle Seahawks
Wilson's production was submarined by the struggles of namesake Zach Wilson against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week.
In a game the Jets cannot afford to lose, they will have Mike White back at quarterback in Seattle, setting Wilson up for a bounce-back game against an opposing defense that is very amenable to passing attacks.
Since Week 12, Wilson has racked up 24 receptions for a first down, tied for the third-most in the NFL. The Seahawks have allowed the seventh-most passing plays of at least 20 yards (49) and, despite possessing some talented rookie cornerbacks, do not have the means to stop White and Wilson rekindling their rapport.
Tight End: Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans
Engram received one of the more modest deals during the Jaguars' free agency splurge, but his signing has paid dividends over the last three games, in which only two players – Justin Jefferson and A.J. Brown – can claim to have tallied more receiving yards than his 337.
The Texans are playing hard down the stretch and claimed only their second win of the season in Tennessee last weekend, but their defense is still the 10th-worst by yards per pass play allowed. Look for Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence to take advantage with an aerial attack that will heavily involve Engram.
Defense/Special Teams: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos
Despite being very inexperienced in the secondary, the Chiefs' defense sits an impressive 11th in the NFL by yards per play and, as Kansas City look to keep pace with the Buffalo Bills in the race for the one seed in the AFC, gets a favourable matchup with Denver's dismal offense.
The Broncos' 33.9 per cent Success Rate on offensive plays is the worst in the NFL and a Chiefs defense that has forced the third-most negative plays (103) in the league should relish going against Denver's beleaguered attack.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts could yet return this week after missing his team's defeat to NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys.
The first-time Pro Bowl selection and MVP contender sprained his shoulder in a game against the Chicago Bears earlier this month.
Gardner Minshew started in his place as the Eagles lost to the Cowboys on Christmas Eve, although head coach Nick Sirianni had been reluctant to rule out Hurts, "the toughest guy I know", early in the week leading up to the game.
And Sirianni is giving Hurts the opportunity to prove his fitness again ahead of taking on the New Orleans Saints, with the Eagles still one win shy of guaranteeing the division title and the NFC first seed.
"Does he have a chance? Of course he does," Sirianni said. "We'll see what happens as the week progresses."
The Eagles coach was also asked to explain his previous claim that Hurts "heals fast".
"If you and him went up, and you shot baskets together, he'd whoop you," Sirianni said. "If you guys went out, and you raced against each other, he'd whoop you.
"If you guys went out and tried to throw the football, to see who's more accurate, he'd whoop you. And so his body heals faster than yours."
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has suffered a concussion, head coach Mike McDaniel has confirmed, with Teddy Bridgewater set to start against the New England Patriots on Sunday.
McDaniel told reporters on Wednesday that they reviewed film from last Saturday's defeat to the Green Bay Packers and questioned Tagovailoa on how he felt after a particular hit, sending him to see the doctors after some inconsistencies in the quarterback's behaviour caused concern.
The Dolphins are 8-7 for the season following the loss to the Packers, in which Tagovailoa threw three interceptions, and have now suffered four losses in a row, but have the head-to-head edge over the Patriots (7-8) in the race for the final playoff spot in the AFC. The Dolphins beat the Patriots at home in Week 1.
Despite the significance of the Dolphins' two remaining regular-season games, McDaniel made it clear that Tagovailoa's health holds more importance.
"This is a private time for him to focus on his health. This is a human being. His health is the first and only priority," he said.
The injury marks Tagovailoa's second diagnosed concussion this season and the third time he has been evaluated for a concussion this season.
Tagovailoa missed two games in October after a previous concussion, where he was hospitalised during a 27-15 Week 4 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals after being whipped around and flung to the ground by the Bengals' Josh Tupou, causing his head to snap back onto the turf.
The Dolphins were heavily criticised for having the quarterback on the field just four days after an incident in a 21-19 win over the Buffalo Bills, where he was pushed to the ground by linebacker Matt Milano, causing Tagovailoa's helmet to slam into the turf. He managed to get back on his feet quickly, but after shaking his head and looking woozy, he appeared to lose his balance as he stumbled back to the ground.
After heading to the locker room, the Dolphins said he was questionable to return, but he missed just three snaps and returned for the start of the third quarter – which prompted the NFL and National Football League Players Association to conduct a joint review of how the decision was made to allow Tagovailoa to return.
McDaniel maintained the proper protocols were followed but the neurotrauma consultant who evaluated and cleared Tagovailoa was later fired by the NFLPA.
The NFLPA has initiated a joint review into the application of the concussion protocol for Tagovailoa surrounding this latest head injury.
Matt Fitzpatrick would welcome the inclusion of Sergio Garcia in Europe's Ryder Cup team despite the Spaniard switching to the LIV Golf tour.
Europe's preparations for the 2023 tournament in Rome have been badly affected by the sport's ongoing civil war since the inception of the controversial LIV Golf in 2021.
Henrik Stenson was stripped of the Europe captaincy in July after joining the Saudi-funded circuit, while it remains to be seen whether his replacement Luke Donald selects players who made the switch.
As such, Ryder Cup veterans like Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are among those in danger of being ruled ineligible, with the United States ruling out the selection of LIV Golf players.
But U.S. Open champion Fitzpatrick sees no problem in selecting the likes of Garcia – who is Europe's all-time leading points scorer at the Ryder Cup with 28.5 – so long as they do not enter PGA Tour or DP World Tour events.
"It might be some players from other places in the world," Fitzpatrick told Sky Sports News. "I think there definitely are a few personal relationships that have been dented by this. I'm not bothered, I just want to win, and I'm sure those boys do too.
"Sergio would be the one that would stand out for me, particularly. I'm happy to share a room with him, if that's going to be the case. I can corner him off for everyone else.
"It was a tough one because [Stenson] had started gearing up for Rome, making notes and putting plans together. And then it's like, 'sorry, lads, I'm off.'
"As long as you go and don't come back, I don't have an issue. Go take the money, go play wherever you want, I could not care less, just don't come back and then take spots from other guys that want to play.
"I understand that there are the likes of Westy [Westwood], Poulter and Sergio that have played a lot in Europe over the years and have done their bit, and they have. I can't ever knock them for that, they've done way more than I have for the European Tour."
The Washington Commanders are benching Taylor Heinicke and returning to Carson Wentz as their starting quarterback for the Week 17 game with the Cleveland Browns.
At 7-7-1, the Commanders still occupy the final Wild Card place in the NFC playoff race, with other results going in their favour in Week 16, which saw Washington brushed aside 37-20 by the San Francisco 49ers.
That was only Heinicke's third defeat in nine starts this season after a finger injury to Wentz saw him take the helm of the offense in Week 7. However, it followed disappointing outcomes in back-to-back games with the New York Giants in which they played to a tie on the road before losing in contentious fashion at home.
Heinicke lost a fumble and was intercepted as he was limited to 166 yards passing on 13 completions by San Francisco, though he did throw two touchdowns, before being replaced by Wentz in the fourth quarter.
Wentz went 12 of 16 for 123 yards and a touchdown after coming into the game and, according to multiple reports, will reassume the position of starter for a potentially decisive clash at FedEx Field.
Wentz, whom the Commanders acquired in an offseason trade with the Indianapolis Colts, is 2-4 as a starter this season.
The Commanders will clinch a playoff berth for the second time in three seasons if they beat the Browns and the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers all suffer defeats in Week 17.
Wentz has delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 75.6 per cent of his pass attempts this season, below the NFL average of 81.1 per cent. However, Heinicke's pickable pass rate of 7.82 per cent is the worst among quarterbacks with at least 100 passes in 2022.
The Commanders will hope Wentz can take better care of the football than his team-mate and put a Commanders team with plenty of talent on both sides of the ball in position to reach the postseason.
Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the United Cup on the eve of the inaugural edition of the tournament, with Australia team captain Samantha Stosur admitting "it's news to all of us."
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist, who has been struggling with an ankle injury, was due to line up alongside the likes of Alex De Minaur and Ajla Tomljanovic in the new team event.
However, Kyrgios surprised team-mates with his decision to pull out of the event, in which Australia face Great Britain in their opening match on Thursday, reportedly switching his focus to achieving full fitness for next month's Australian Open.
"I'm not going to speak for Nick’s summer, we've got to leave that for him," Stosur said at a press conference. "He was here. We literally just found out 10 minutes ago, so it's obviously news to all of us.
"But we just move forward now. We're all happy to be here and keen to get out there. Now that's out there, and we move forward with the placings of the team and do our best on the day.
"As far as the men's side of this team goes, we're in very capable hands still, so I'm not concerned that our chances have just diminished greatly or anything like that. We're out here to do everything we can possible to try and win this competition."
De Minaur added: "We've all just heard. Ultimately, we're just going to get ready. We’ve got a great team, and we're all going to be out there doing our best. So ultimately, the only thing that changes is match-ups and that's about it."
Rafael Nadal is aiming to "recover positive feelings" ahead of launching his 2023 season at the inaugural United Cup.
The Spaniard became the most successful male player in grand slam history last season as he took his title tally to 22 after landing the Australian Open and French Open.
Only Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz (both five) won more events on the ATP Tour than Nadal (four) in 2022, but his campaign ended with early exits at the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals.
The 36-year-old will return to action this week at the United Cup, where he lines up alongside the likes of Paula Badosa and Pablo Carreno Busta for Spain, before defending his Australian Open crown.
"The beginning of the season is always exciting," said Nadal, who plays Great Britain's Cam Norrie on Saturday.
"Even if I don't know how many seasons I have on the tour, the start of each year is always different.
"I have the highest motivation to try to start well. It's always important to start well for me, for the confidence.
"The past few months haven't been easy for me. I just try to have the right practice here before the tournament starts. Then of course, try to help the team.
"[The main thing for me now is to recover the positive feelings on court, being competitive. I hope to.
"I am ready to make that happen, but let's see. Only thing that I am focused now is to try to put myself in a competitive level."
Luka Doncic earned plaudits from the great and the good of the NBA after recording the league's first 60-point, 20-rebound triple-double.
Doncic improbably led the Dallas Mavericks to an overtime win against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, requiring an historic performance to overturn a big late deficit.
The Knicks were up by nine points in the final 35 seconds, but Doncic brought the Mavs back, tying the game with a second to play after sensationally seizing the rebound from his own missed free throw.
In OT, the 23-year-old moved to another level entirely – not just for his career but for the NBA as a whole.
No player had previously had 60 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in the same game; indeed, since Wilt Chamberlain retired in 1973, no player had achieved each of those three statistics in separate games across a single season.
Doncic finished with 60, 21 and 10, prompting Mavs owner Mark Cuban to post on Twitter: "We are watching greatness @luka7doncic. I've never seen anything like that ever."
"The history of the game is written by the players, and it was written again tonight," said coach Jason Kidd.
Kristaps Porzingis, Doncic's former Dallas team-mate, wrote: "60/20/10?? This guy is not normal."
It was not just those with connections to the Mavs who were marvelling at the record-setting Slovenian, however.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau rued coming up against a "monster player", while former MVP Kevin Garnett referenced the recent unveiling of a Dirk Nowitzki statue in Dallas as he said: "It'll be another statue in Dallas... Luka is like that!"
Paul Pierce, Garnett's team-mate on the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, added: "Luka is the best offensive player in the league. I said offensive. Think about it."
Nets superstar Kevin Durant compared Doncic's display to the sort you might see on NBA 2K: "That was a MyCareer type performance from Luka tonight. Some video game s***."
J.J. Watt is still going out at the top of the game even if it is "bittersweet" that he will end his NFL career without a Super Bowl title.
That is the view of Carolina Panthers defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, who believes Watt has been a long-time inspiration to many younger players.
Arizona Cardinals pass-rusher Watt announced his impending NFL retirement on Monday.
He posted on Twitter that Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the first NFL game his son attended but also his final home game before retiring after the 2022 season.
Already eliminated from the playoffs, the Cardinals play their final two games on the road – at the Atlanta Falcons this week and at the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18.
"If it is the end, it is kind of bittersweet," Gross-Matos said to Stats Perform about Watt, whose 2021 move to Arizona did not produce the long postseason run he craved.
"For someone who has done so much for the sport, you kind of want them to go out with the championship, especially for all he has done.
"But he has still had a great career. He is still getting double-digit sacks and he was able to get three in a game [against the Denver Broncos in Week 15].
"So I mean, he's still going out on top and I am hoping for the best for him.
"He did right by the shield and set a great example for a lot of great defenders coming after him
"He was definitely a huge inspiration for me, someone I looked up to a lot. He is someone I've watched over the years and continue to watch to this day.
"And, when I was in college he definitely convinced me to get in the weight room when he was throwing guys around [in the NFL]."
One of the NFL's most feared pass-rushers early in his career, Watt battled through some major injuries in the past few seasons and also revealed in October he was playing through a case of atrial fibrillation.
A first-round pick by the Houston Texans in 2011, the 33-year-old is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a five-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection.
The future Hall of Famer led the league in sacks in 2012 and 2015, and his 111.5 career sacks rank fourth among active players. His 9.5 sacks this season are his most since recording 16 in 2018.
"Koa's first ever NFL game," Watt wrote in his announcement. "My last ever NFL home game.
"My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It's been an absolute honour and a pleasure."
Luka Doncic moved to a "whole different level" in the view of Dallas Mavericks team-mate Dwight Powell after hitting a historic 60-point triple-double against the New York Knicks.
The three-time NBA All-Star ended with figures of 21-for-31 shooting, 21 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and a block in one of NBA's all-time great individual showings.
Doncic's magic inspired the Mavs to a 126-21 home win over the Knicks on Tuesday in a contest his side trailed 112-103 with less than 30 seconds to go in the fourth quarter.
He scored seven of the Mavericks' 11 points in the overtime period to complete the comeback en route to topping Dirk Nowitzki's franchise record of 53 from December 2004.
"Guys say all the time that we see it and we know his greatness, but he's showing up on a whole different level in a whole lot of different ways," Mavs center Powell said.
"This tonight, there's not really any way to accurately describe that. It's hard to believe – what he's done is different."
Doncic is the only NBA player in the post-Wilt Chamberlain era to have a 60-point game, a 21-rebound game and a 10-assist game in the same season – let alone the same game.
The 23-year-old tied the record for the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA history, level with James Harden's 60 for the Houston Rockets against the Orlando Magic in 2018.
Chamberlain, who did so twice, and Elgin Baylor are the only others to have registered at least 20 rebounds during a 50-point triple-double game.
Reflecting on the highest-scoring individual performance of the season, Mavs coach Jason Kidd said: "To do something that's never been done before, that's hard to do.
"There's been some great players before him. Elgin Baylor and Wilt... he was in that class, and then he separated himself and made his own class."
Dallas became the first team in at least two decades to win a game in which they trailed by at least nine points in the final 35 seconds with their comeback against the Knicks.
With four seconds on the clock and still trailing by three points, Doncic was sent to the line for two free throws.
He made the first, before intentionally missing the second, tracking down his own rebound and putting it back in to tie the game, which Dallas won to go 19-16 for the season.
"I thought we won the game," Doncic said of his late heroics in regulation time. "Then I see it's tied. I was like, 'Oof.' I didn't know what to do.
"The whole team just keeps going. Everybody just kept it together. We believed. But now I'm tired as hell and need a recovery beer."
LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham were complimentary of Russell Westbrook after he recorded another triple-double to help snap their four-game losing streak on Tuesday.
Westbrook played 29 minutes off the bench, scoring 15 points on six-of-11 shooting while adding 13 rebounds and 13 assists – finishing with a plus/minus of plus 18 as the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 129-110.
It was his third triple-double off the bench this season, tying three-time All-Star Detlef Schrempf for the most triple-doubles off the bench in NBA history.
Speaking to the media after the win, Westbrook said he is just focused on playing his role.
"I'm a hooper," he said. "I can do anything, anytime, anywhere. I'll continue to do whatever is asked of me until further notice."
James was also terrific, scoring a team-high 28 points on 12-of-24 shooting with seven rebounds and five assists.
He told reporters how Westbrook's ability to rebound as an undersized guard is crucial with Anthony Davis set for an extended stint on the sidelines.
"We all have to play a little bit more, and do a little bit more," he said. "Russ has definitely picked up, obviously with the rebounding. We're a team that lacks a lot of size, a lot of length.
"We try to make it up by being fundamentally sound, and also being athletic, and rebounding out of your position.
"Russ has always done that in his career – he's always rebounded outside of his size and length. It was very key for us to get stops, clean the glass and not allow offensive rebounds.
"I know when I'm out on the floor with him I just need to run. When he gets the rebound, and he gets on the break, I have to run with him. He sees pretty much everything that's going on on the floor, so just run and make yourself available.
"Tonight we were against a team that has been playing extremely well – they were winners of their last eight out of nine or something like that.
"They're playing exceptionally well here. They beat Boston twice on their home floor – and we know how great that team is – so it's a good win for us."
When asked if Westbrook's strong play would see him reinserted into the starting lineup, Ham made it clear the starting lineup does not necessarily mean the five best players.
"An NBA lineup has to have balance," he said. "It’s not so much 'can he start' or 'are his starting days over?'
"It’s not about that. It’s about him being able to bring a counter punch, a new extra wave off the bench... I know it’s been hard at times, but kudos to him for doing everything that was asked of him in that role."
Of the Lakers' three back-to-backs this season, James has only played in both legs once. When asked if he will be able to suit up against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, he said "I'll know tomorrow when I get up".
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