Desperate to save what has been a disastrous title defense, the Los Angeles Rams have claimed quarterback Baker Mayfield off waivers.
The defending Super Bowl champions made the move on Tuesday, one day after Mayfield was released by the Carolina Panthers.
The former top pick joins a Los Angeles team that has lost six consecutive games and is tied with the Denver Broncos for the NFL's third-worst record at 3-9.
While it was being speculated he would be claimed by a contending team dealing with an injury at quarterback – the San Francisco 49ers or the Baltimore Ravens – he instead joins a Rams team out of the playoff picture.
The quarterback position has been a mess for Los Angeles with Matthew Stafford likely out for the rest of the season with a bruised spinal cord, while backups John Wolford and Bryce Perkins have struggled to generate much offense.
Wolford has one touchdown pass and a 64.6 QB rating in two games played, while Perkins has one touchdown and a 53.7 rating in four contests.
Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 draft by the Cleveland Browns, has not been much better, throwing six touchdowns and six interceptions while registering a 74.4 passer rating in seven games played. Among quarterbacks with at least 75 attempts, Mayfield's 57.8 completion percentage beats out only the New York Jets' Zach Wilson (55.6 per cent).
Mayfield went just 1-6 for the Panthers, who acquired him from the Browns in July and would have been responsible to pay him $1.35million for the remainder of this season had the Rams not put in the claim.
Los Angeles host the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night, and it is not out of the question Mayfield plays.
Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons could be back on court on Friday after missing recent games with knee and calf issues.
Simmons exited the win over the Orlando Magic last week due to left knee soreness, while it later emerged he was also dealing with a left lateral upper calf strain.
Speaking after training on Tuesday, the Australian gave a positive update, suggesting that while he will remain out for Wednesday's clash with the Charlotte Hornets, he is aiming to be back for the Nets' game with the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
"I'm excited where I'm at right now," Simmons said. "So I'm looking for Friday to get back on the court.
"It's a lot of load for coming back from a back injury and then also the knee, so I'm glad I had this time to build some muscle around it, and we'll work on it."
Simmons, who is averaging 8.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists this season, has already missed games against the Washington Wizards, the Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics.
Having missed a lot of basketball in recent times, the 26-year-old suggested he might have the manage his time on the court.
"I think we're definitely going to look at it a lot different," he added. "I don't know if it's measuring minutes, maybe not back-to-backs, whatever it is. I think that's going to be a joint thing with the training staff and myself, and letting them know how I'm feeling."
The best of the East against the best of the West.
No, this is not the NBA Finals yet, though it very well could be at the end of the season as the Boston Celtics head to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
The Celtics have responded to losing last year's Finals to the Golden State Warriors in impressive fashion, made all the more notable given the situation around suspended head coach Ime Udoka.
With star performers Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown firing on all cylinders, the Celtics have raced out to win 20 of their first 25 (80.0 win percentage) games this season, topping the Eastern Conference by some distance (ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks with 73.9 per cent).
It has been quite the run since early November, with Boston on a record of 16-2 since their overtime defeat to the Cavaliers in Cleveland.
The Suns arguably had an even more anti-climactic end to their last campaign.
Phoenix ended the regular season with a fantastic record of 64-18, comfortably the best in the league, but were eliminated in the Western Conference semi-finals against the Dallas Mavericks, losing 4-3.
Like the Celtics, though, the Suns have mostly picked up where they left off this year, sitting on a record of 16-8 to narrowly top the West.
Monty Williams will be hoping his team can get back to their best after losing two of their last three games, with their last outing seeing them haunted by Luka Doncic and the Mavs again, but on Wednesday all they will have to deal with is the form team in the league, including Tatum and Brown.
Perhaps that defeat in Dallas will focus minds, but the Celtics will be looking to further cement their credentials.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Phoenix Suns - Deandre Ayton
Devin Booker may be the main point-getter for the Suns, recently scoring a total of 136 points across three games, but Deandre Ayton's importance in the big games can never be underestimated.
The Bahamian is actually slightly down on his usual rebound average, but his 9.6 per game is still comfortably the best on the Phoenix roster and will be crucial against a team as potent as Boston.
Booker struggled last time out against the Mavs, while Ayton top-scored for his team with 20 points, along with eight rebounds and three blocks.
Boston Celtics - Jayson Tatum
Tatum has been an absolute force of nature so far this season, averaging 30.8 points per game from his 24 appearances, the fourth-best in the league behind only Doncic (33.4), Giannis Antetokounmpo (31.9) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.3).
The 24-year-old has scored 29 or more points in six of his last seven games, while also averaging the most rebounds (8.3) and assists (4.2) for his team this season.
KEY BATTLE - Suns must halt the points at the source
If it were as easy as stopping the opposition from shooting, you would have basketball sussed.
That is basically what Williams' must encourage his team to try though, with only one team having a better field-goal percentage than the Celtics' 49.4 this season (Denver Nuggets, 50.0 per cent).
Perhaps more concerning will be from range, with Boston boasting the best three-point success so far, sinking 40.2 per cent of their attempts from beyond the arc. Either prevent shots or at the very least, do not allow the likes of Tatum and Brown to shoot the ball without pressure.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This has been a tremendously even battle in recent seasons, with Boston and Phoenix clashing twice in each of the last four campaigns.
In every single season, they have both won one each, with the Celtics winning their last meeting at TD Garden 123-108 on December 31 last year.
The Tennessee Titans have fired general manager Jon Robinson, the franchise confirmed on Tuesday.
Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk informed Robinson he was relieved of his duties following a 35-10 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
Although 7-5 Tennessee are top of the AFC South, they have suffered back-to-back defeats and the division stands as the weakest in the NFL – with none of the four sides currently on a winning streak.
Vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden will take the reigns for the remainder of the season, with a "comprehensive search" beginning once the campaign is complete.
Adams Strunk said in a statement: "Since becoming controlling owner in 2015, my goal has been to raise the standard for what is expected in all facets of our organisation.
"I believe we have made significant progress both on and off the field through investments in leadership, personnel and new ideas.
"This progress includes the core of our business, the football team itself, which is regularly evaluated both by results (wins and losses) and team construction/roster building.
"I am proud of what we have accomplished in my eight seasons of ownership, but I believe there is more to be done and higher aspirations to be met."
The Titans host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14, with three of their remaining five games taking place in Tennessee.
Anthony Joshua's camp are in discussions regarding a bout against Otto Wallin, the Swedish fighter's promoter has said.
Joshua seen his stock in the heavyweight division take a significant dip following back-to-back defeats against Oleksandr Usyk, leaving the Brit with only two wins from his past five bouts.
However, Joshua continues to be linked with top-tier opponents, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder among them, but taking on Wallin is set to be his next challenge.
Dmitriy Salita, who represents Wallin, believes the correct approach would be for Joshua to face his client, with the winner then going on to face either Fury - who is expected to meet in Usyk in an undisputed fight.
"I had discussions with Eddie [Hearn] about Otto for a significant amount of time and as late as last week," he told the Sun.
"From what I understand it's really up to AJ. I believe he wants to place himself back in the heavyweight picture.
"Both Otto and AJ want a shot at Fury. By the numbers Otto landed more punches on Fury then anyone else ever.
"I believe the winner of that fight will have legitimate claim to challenge Fury probably after his fight with Oleksandr Usyk."
A bout with Dillian Whyte has been touted as the next test for Joshua but that proposal has been slammed by Salita.
Salita.would instead prefer the Brit to face a rematch with Jermaine Franklin after a majority decision for Whyte at Wembley last month.
"Whyte is 1-2 and in reality 1-3 in his last four fights. A fight with Joshua would be something like Roy Jones vs Mike Tyson or Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor, big names but not much behind it at this point," he added.
"Even if it's not against Jermaine, Whyte needs an impressive showing against someone credible to show that he still got the skills to pay the bills at an elite heavyweight level.
"He had four wins after that including Dominic Breazeale and Travis Kauffman, both credible at time of his victory. Otto is number three in the WBO and is a bona fide top heavyweight in the world.
"There have been lots of big names thrown around with Joshua including Tyson and Wilder. How serious that is will depend on who he fights next."
Odell Beckham Jr's future is not on a timeline for Dallas Cowboys general manager Jerry Jones, after the wide receiver hinted he could yet move to Texas.
The free agent, who has been without a club since winning the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams last season, has spent the past two days in contact with the team.
After undergoing a physical on Monday, Beckham attended a Dallas Mavericks match alongside Cowboys players, where he suggested a move could be a "good possibility."
But Jones says there is no deal on the table yet for the three-time Pro Bowl pick, who has not played since tearing his ACL in the Super Bowl earlier this year.
"By no means are we at a position to say, 'close,' or where we are," he said. "We're just discussing the many options that are there."
Asked if Beckham could play this season if he was to sign imminently, Jones sidestepped a direct answer, adding: "I'm going to keep that one at bay because that's degree.
"It's a lot different if you play one play or if you played or are available for a week and that week be the Super Bowl week, than if he's available the next week.
"I would say that's a point of discussion - a player's own belief of where he is in becoming ready to play is real big.
"I just think this is an opportunity that is rare because of his availability. But one way or the other, there's not a failure here. I'm talking about the actual signing or not signing. There's no disappointment here."
The Cowboys are 9-3 for the season to date, and lie second in NFC East behind the Philadelphia Eagles, with their next match against state rivals the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Karolina Pliskova will reunite with coach Sascha Bajin for the 2023 season, she has announced.
The pair previously began working together in November 2020, with Pliskova going on to enjoy a successful 2021 season that saw her reach the Wimbledon final, as well as the title matches in Rome and Montreal.
However, they parted in July 2022 after the former world number one, who missed the start of the campaign with a hand injury, suffered a surprise second-round Wimbledon exit, having also fallen at that stage of the French Open.
Despite reaching the US Open quarter-finals under the guidance of Czech compatriot Leos Friedl, Pliskova has slipped to 31st in the WTA rankings, but German coach Bajin is confident her fortunes can improve.
"I am returning mainly because I still believe I can help Karolina with my insights," Bajin said.
"Her game has gradually improved since her hand injury and, in my eyes, she has proven that she can still compete with the best in the world.
"We will want to build on these performances and that is why we have decided to renew our connection. I can't wait to sit in her corner again."
Of Friedl, Pliskova added: "Many thanks to Leos, who willingly started working with us immediately. I think that under his guidance, we managed to get some interesting results."
Eddie Jones leaves behind a legacy of "misguided rhetoric and unfulfilled promises" following his dismissal as England coach, says Clive Woodward.
The Australian was sacked nine months out from the Rugby World Cup after overseeing the nation's worst calendar-year record for over a decade, winning just five out of 12 Test matches.
With Jones having led England to the final of the last tournament in Japan in 2019, the Rugby Football Union's (RFU) decision represents a major gamble so close to next year's competition in France.
But Woodward, a frequent critic of Jones over a difficult year, feels he has paid the price for his distractions since defeat to South Africa in Yokohama.
"He's a much better coach than he has shown over the past three years," he wrote in the Daily Mail. "He is a shadow of the Jones I competed with and whose first years with England were so successful and rightfully applauded.
"He became completely focused on the 2023 World Cup and that was a costly error. He lost focus of simply winning the next game and allowed himself to get distracted
"What will [his] legacy be? The semi-final victory over New Zealand was his best performance, but unfortunately, he will be remembered for the misguided rhetoric and unfulfilled promises.
"I don't think history will remember this period of English rugby too kindly."
Leicester coach Steve Borthwick, who steered his side to the Premiership Rugby title last term, has been tipped as a likely successor to Jones in charge of England.
But Woodward says that, if selected, the RFU must allow him to put his own stamp on the team, including bringing his Tigers assistant Kevin Sinfield, the former rugby league playmaker, into the fold.
"If it is Steve Borthwick who comes in, then we've all got to get behind him and I wish him all the best," he added. "He must be given the full support and resources to ensure there are no excuses.
"He must be allowed to bring in his own team, and if I was him, I would bring Kevin Sinfield over from Leicester. The players will have a second chance and there is enough talent out there to go and win next year’s World Cup."
South Africa winger Sbu Nkosi says he has been "curled up in a ball" amid his disappearance, after the World Cup winner was found "safe and sound".
The Bulls, Nkosi's domestic team, confirmed the 26-year-old had been found after discovering his whereabouts on Monday, with the club having had no contact with the player since mid-November.
Nkosi, a member of the Springboks team that claimed victory at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, was not revealed to be missing publicly until his team confirmed they had filed a report over the weekend.
But now he has revealed he has been staying with family, disclosing he has taken time away to deal with mental health struggles.
"I'm a lot better," he told News24. "There's obviously a lot to speak about that I can't say out loud, but my condition is improving.
"It's just been a whole lot of mental pressure. It's been building up for a couple of years now.
"There's too much to go into: the expectations, the fact that by choosing to take care of myself right now, there are people I'm letting down, and that also hurts me.
"There's a lot, but I'm at a point where I need to prioritise the person before the rugby player right now. I just needed time. I've basically been curled up in a ball with my dad, and he's been managing my mental state daily."
Bulls CEO Edgar Rathbone revealed he met with Nkosi on Monday, and said the club would provide their full support to the winger over the coming period.
"We were thrilled to find Sbu and incredibly relieved to see that he was alive," he said in a statement. "Equally, we were saddened to see him in the state that he was in.
"I am however confident that we are in a good position to provide Sbu with the support he needs and that we should acknowledge his incredible courage to even say to us, that he is not okay.
"We are lucky today but tomorrow, our intervention may be too late and that is not something we want to see become a reality."
England have sacked head coach Eddie Jones following a review of recent performances, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has announced.
Jones had been in charge since becoming England's first foreign coach in November 2015 and was due to end his long reign after the Rugby World Cup next year.
However, on the back of a disappointing Autumn Nations Series, the RFU has decided to make a change just nine months before the tournament gets under way in France.
"I am pleased with much that we have achieved as an England team and I look forward to watching the team's performance in the future," said Jones in a statement.
"Many of the players and I will no doubt keep in touch and I wish them all well in their future careers."
RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said after last month's 27-13 loss to South Africa at Twickenham that results "are not where we expect them to be".
England have endured their worst calendar year since 2008 in terms of results, having won just five of their 12 Tests.
The Red Rose were booed off the field after losing to the Springboks at Twickenham, but Australian Jones remained bullish at the time and said he "does not care what other people think".
Despite a 2022 to forget, Jones bows out with a record of 59 wins from his 81 Tests at the helm, with a win rate of 73 per cent – the best of any head coach in England's history.
Next on that list is Jack Rowell (72 per cent), followed by Geoff Cooke and Clive Woodward (both 71 per cent), the latter having regularly called for Jones to be dismissed.
Jones led England to their first Grand Slam in 13 years in 2016, then won the tournament again in 2017 and 2020, while also reaching the 2019 Rugby World Cup final - which was won by South Africa.
He won his first 17 games with England, which was part of an 18-game win streak overall, the joint longest of any Tier 1 nation.
Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick, one of Jones' former assistants, is considered the favourite to land the job, while Richard Cockerill will run the men's performance team on an interim basis.
Aaron Judge remains the New York Yankees' top priority in free agency, says general manager Brian Cashman, as they look to tie down the 2022 American League MVP.
The four-time All-Star has spent his entire MLB career at Yankee Stadium, but failed to agree a new long-term deal ahead of last season, instead penning just a short-term contract.
With the 30-year-old out of contract, his options are open after a season that saw him shatter the single-season American League home run record with 62.
Cashman says owner Hal Steinbrenner has met with Judge over his future, and hopes they will be able to convince the outfielder to re-sign with them sooner rather than later.
"We'd love to have our player back," he said. "We would love to continue to call him our player every step of the way as he follows what looks like a career path that will lead him to [Hall of Fame home] Cooperstown.
"I appreciate being in a position to have a conversation with a player of Judge's magnitude The ownership here has allowed us to stay in the game on a big-ticket item.
"That's great. I'm sure there's a lot of teams that would love to have access to a player of his calibre but can't participate because the asks are going to be so immense."
Cashman acknowledged there are risks to waiting on Judge's call, both for whoever may otherwise sign him and how it will shape the Yankees going forward.
But he believes the wait will be worth it if they can bring him back into the fold, adding: "It's not like we've missed time in my opinion.
"I understand the longer things go, the more at risk you are. It's easier if we are driving, but we're not driving it."
The Green Bay Packers still want Aaron Rodgers to play on next season, says general manager Brian Gutekunst, despite the quarterback's cryptic words over the weekend.
The former Super Bowl champion is in the middle of a three-year contract that runs through the 2024 season, having spent his entire professional career in Wisconsin.
But following Sunday's 28-19 win over the Chicago Bears, Rodgers cast doubt over the subject of his future, stating: "There has got to be mutual desire on both sides."
Amid their bye week, Gutekunst said no discussions have taken place over the 39-year-old's next steps, but stressed they still want the veteran to remain on their books.
"That's an offseason-type kind of decision, but surely, yeah," he stated. "We want all our guys back. We made a big commitment to [Rodgers] this offseason, so that was obviously something that was really important to us.
"But like we've talked about in the past, this is something we'll sit down with him after the season, and it will be something we do together and move forward that way.
"We don't talk about those things during the season very often. We just talk more about our team when we speak. Certainly, that'll be something we get to.
"We went through something in the offseason where it was a very big commitment on our part. It wasn't certainly for one year. B we really haven't had any conversations about that stuff during the season."
Rodgers' comments come amid a difficult season for the Packers, who have posted a 5-8 record and are on the cusp of elimination from playoff contention.
Their next game comes against the Los Angeles Rams in just under a fortnight, with the team facing a fight to recover their campaign.
James Harden said he was "all over the place" on his return from injury but vowed to improve once he finds his rhythm for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 2018 MVP winner was back in the starting line-up having missed 14 straight games after suffering a tendon strain in his right foot on November 2, with Philly going 4-5 in his absence.
However, his comeback failed to yield an upturn as the 76ers went down 132-123 to Harden's former team the Houston Rockets following double overtime.
Harden contributed 21 points but was just 4-of-19 from the field, missing all eight attempts inside the three-point arc. He also chalked up four rebounds and seven assists.
Philly coach Doc Rivers said Harden would be on a minutes restriction, but he still racked up 39. However, the 33-year-old said it was difficult to find fluidity.
"I didn't play well, but I've got to be better and I will," Harden said.
"I was all over the place. I'm not used to it, but I'm not making any excuses. I have to do better."
Harden added that he had to fight his cause to play as much as he did in overtime.
"I had to fight to stay on the court just because there was a certain plan in place before the game started,'' Harden said.
"But once you go out there as a competitor you want to try to win."
The 76ers are on a three-match losing streak and sit seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 12-12 record. They next face the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.
Kawhi Leonard was delighted to be the hero of a grandstand finish as he marked his return from injury with the winning shot in the Los Angeles Clippers' 119-117 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.
Having sat out the last six games with a sprained right ankle, the two-time NBA champion returned to the court alongside fellow All-Star Paul George, with both playing a crucial part at the Spectrum Center.
It was George who led the way with a team-high 19 points, but Leonard seized the last-gasp heroics after sinking an 18-foot jumper with 1.4 seconds on the clock to claim the win.
The small forward, who missed the entirety of last season with a torn ACL, delighted in his moment of triumph on the floor afterwards, stressing his passion for the sport has not diminished during his time on the sidelines.
"It felt good to be back," he stated. "I love this game of basketball. I don't think anybody loves playing more than me.
"Maybe [people love] watching [more]. But I love this game, and it gives me joy when I am able to play.
"That ending is great, [in] that I was able to make that shot. We're [leading by] nine, eight points pretty much the whole game. I would rather close it out than have to [grind it] out like that."
George was full of praise for his team-mate too, focusing on his return rather than his own after he set up Leonard for the game-winning shot.
"Any time you see Kawhi going to the spot, that's where he is comfortable," he added. "That's where we are comfortable. I wanted to get it to him right there, and he took it home with his shot."
With both players having seldom lined up together this year, head coach Ty Lue is hopeful their return can help drive the Clippers higher this season, with the team sixth in the Western Conference.
"Those guys on the floor, it's going to cause teams to double-team," he stated. "[It will make] teams do some things they're not used to doing, and we're going to get open shots. [We] just continue building off this."
Tom Brady added to his own NFL record for career game-winning drives, pulling another rabbit out of his hat to deliver an unlikely 17-16 win against the New Orleans Saints on Monday.
Brady's Bucs had only mustered three points in the first 55 minutes of the 60-minute contest, but produced two clutch touchdown drives late in the fourth quarter to salvage a gutsy win.
He delivered the first touchdown pass to Cade Otton with three minutes remaining, and after getting the ball back 30 seconds later, the two-and-a-half minutes on the clock was more than enough to march down again and find Rachaad White with three seconds to spare.
Brady now has 56 game-winning drives in his career, two more than Peyton Manning in second-place.
It was a crucial win for the Buccaneers, who are now 6-6 and one game clear atop the insipid NFC South.
After the victory, Brady reflected on the rollercoaster of emotions after his initial game-winning touchdown pass to Chris Godwin was negated by a holding penalty.
"Just like we drew it up," he said with tongue-in-cheek to open his press conference.
"It was great. Great route by Rachaad, great catch. [Offensive coordinator] Byron [Leftwich] made a great call.
"We thought we threw the touchdown to Chris – I thought I threw it in a quarter-second. I was like 'how was there a hold? I caught it and threw it'.
"That put us back to the 15 [yard line], but we still found a way. It was a great team win.
"We've been pretty good in no-huddle and two-minute drills. A lot of games come down to those type of plays – and our guys made them. Our guys made the plays this week."
Since arriving in Tampa Bay ahead of the 2020-21 season, Brady has faced the Saints three times at home, and this is both the first win, and the first time the Buccaneers have been able to score a touchdown in any of those games.
"They're a hard team to beat, and I'm glad we won," he said. "They've got a great defense, they played us very physical, like we thought.
"We made some mistakes in there, but we made enough plays in the end to win.
"I wish we could score more points against them, they make it really hard. They've got a really good scheme, really good players, they cover well, rush well, really good linebackers.
"Tough game, but a great win."
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was thrilled with the result, pointing to his team's "guts".
"They showed guts, they showed grit and they played well together," he said. "It was a complete team effort.
"The defense got the ball back, the offense cashed it in. We got it back one more time, they cashed it in one more time. It was a good team effort."
Next up on their schedule is the San Francisco 49ers, who present a golden opportunity for a win since it will be the first start at quarterback for third-stringer Brock Purdy after Jimmy Garoppolo's season-ending injury on Sunday.
Brady played his last college game at Michigan four days after Purdy was born.
The Boston Celtics kept their terrific season rolling on Monday when they utilised a dominant third quarter to defeat the Toronto Raptors 116-110 away from home.
Boston were led by Jayson Tatum, who finished with 31 points on 11-of-24 shooting, hitting five of his 10 three-point attempts while adding 12 rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in his 39 minutes. He helped his side outscore the Raptors 35-18 in the third period, turning around a six-point deficit at halftime.
The 24-year-old is enjoying the best season of his career, averaging a career-high 30.7 points per game while shooting a career-best 48.1 per cent from the field, all while attempting a career-high 9.3 three-pointers per game.
Tatum was supported well by running-mate Jaylen Brown, who chipped in 22 points (nine-of-22 shooting), eight rebounds and eight assists, while reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart posted 18 points (seven-of-14) and seven assists.
While the Celtics were the best defensive team in the league this past season when they went to the NBA Finals, this campaign it has been all about their offense.
Scoring 120 points per 100 possessions, they are two-and-a-half points clear of the second-ranked Phoenix Suns (117.5), and they are getting it done by shooting a league-best 40.2 per cent from the three-point line.
Their win against the Raptors was their 21st game with at least 110 points, helping them to a league-best record of 20-5, while no other team has more than 17 wins.
Harden's rough return to Houston
Playing against his former team, James Harden returned for the Philadelphia 76ers after five weeks on the sidelines, but had a rough outing in a 132-123 double-overtime loss to the Houston Rockets.
Harden, who won the 2017-18 league MVP while playing for the Rockets, scored 21 points, dished seven assists, snagged four rebounds and plucked two steals, but he shot a dismal four-of-19 from the field.
His step-back three-pointer tied the game at 108-108 with 90 seconds remaining in regulation, ultimately forcing overtime, before back-to-back MVP runner-up Joel Embiid fouled out in the first extra period, leaving the 76ers short-handed for the second overtime.
Last year's second overall draft pick Jalen Green was strong for the Rockets, scoring 27 points on nine-of-20 shooting with seven assists, while this year's third overall pick Jabari Smith Jr added 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Gilgeous-Alexander carries the Thunder
Arguably the breakout star of the season so far, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the best player on the floor yet again in a 121-114 win on the road against the Atlanta Hawks.
The 24-year-old is currently third in the NBA in scoring at 31.1 points per game, and that figure got a bump after he put up 35 points against the Hawks, hitting 10-of-22 from the field and all 15 of his free throws.
Of the four other players averaging at least 30 points per game this season (Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum) none are attempting fewer than Gilgeous-Alexanders 3.0 three-pointers per game, and none are shooting better than his 92.4 per cent from the free throw line.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 45-year-old quarterback showed he still has some magic left in the tank as Tom Brady delivered an unlikely 17-16 home win against the New Orleans Saints on Monday.
Brady's offense struggled all game, and they trailed 16-3 with under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, before the seven-time Super Bowl champion conjured some more of his famous late-game heroics.
He mounted a 10-play, 91-yard drive in just over two minutes, with a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cade Otton cutting the margin to 16-10.
Just 31 seconds later he had the ball back after the Buccaneers' defense forced a punt, thanks in large part to a sack from Carl Nassib, giving Brady two-and-a-half minutes to produce another game-winning drive.
Having broken the record for most game-winning drives in the final five minutes or overtime earlier this season, Brady added one more – the 56th of his career – but not without some controversy first.
With 19 seconds remaining, Brady found receiver Chris Godwin for a five-yard touchdown pass that seemingly won the Bucs the game, but a flag for offensive holding negated the play, and meant Brady would have to now figure it out from the 15-yard line.
A nine-yard completion to Godwin got him back down to the six-yard line, and from there, on third-down, he found backup running back Rachaad White leaking out of the backfield to reach the endzone with three seconds on the clock.
Brady ultimately completed 36 of his 54 passes for 281 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, and the win improved the Buccaneers' record to 6-6 – giving them sole possession of first-place atop the underperforming NFC South.
The Philadelphia Phillies and shortstop Trea Turner have agreed to an 11-year, $300million contract, bolstering the lineup and infield of the reigning National League champions.
Turner will be reunited with former Washington Nationals teammate Bryce Harper, and joins a potent lineup that also includes Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and Rhys Hoskins.
With his combination of power and speed, Turner had become one of the top prizes for this offseason’s free agency period and was also being pursued aggressively by the San Diego Padres, according to ESPN.
Turner is expected to become the Phillies' primary shortstop, likely moving touted rookie Bryson Stott to second base.
Turner, 29, is the fourth shortstop in MLB history to sign a contract with a total value of at least $300 million, following Francisco Lindor, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Corey Seager.
A two-time All-Star, Turner hit .298 last season for the Los Angeles Dodgers with 21 home runs, 39 doubles, a career-high 100 RBI and 27 stolen bases.
Since his first full season in the majors in 2016, Turner leads the MLB with 228 stolen bases, and his 85.1 per cent success rate on steals leads all players with at least 100 attempts over that span.
Turner has a career .302 batting average and .842 OPS, tallying 124 home runs, 586 runs scored and 230 stolen bases since his debut in 2015.
His new contract comes as a part of a flurry of deals from the MLB winter meetings, being held in-person for the first time since 2019.
Over $1billion in total contracts have been agreed to so far this offseason, including the blockbuster deal that landed former New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom with the Texas Rangers for up to six years and $222m.
The Mets responded by signing Justin Verlander to a two-year deal worth nearly $87m.
The Dodgers, who retained Clayton Kershaw on a one-year, $20m deal, but lost Turner, will look to be key players in the rest of free agency.
Outfielder and American League home run champion Aaron Judge remains the top free agent on the market, but the Dodgers could look to replace Turner at shortstop with Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa or Dansby Swanson.
Odell Beckham Jr implied there is a strong chance he will be signing with the Dallas Cowboys after being spotted with Cowboys players at a Dallas Mavericks game on Monday.
Beckham, 30, has not played since last season's Super Bowl, where he caught a touchdown in the Los Angeles Rams' 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
His contract expired after that game, and he opted to take his time this season before choosing where he would like to play, waiting to see who would emerge as a Super Bowl contender.
The Cowboys are 9-3 this season and boast arguably the best defense in the NFL, with only the San Francisco 49ers having a case for a superior unit.
Essentially a lock for the playoffs now, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has spoken publicly about meeting with Beckham and trying to convince him to bolster the team's receiving corps, where things get relatively shallow after top option CeeDee Lamb and capable number-two Michael Gallup.
At the Mavericks game, ESPN reporter Tim McMahon claims to have asked Beckham what the Cowboys' chances are of signing him, and he replied "it's a good possibility".
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