Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery has learned to normalise the success of his team this season, even as they made NHL history on Thursday.
In beating the Buffalo Sabres 7-1, the Bruins improved to 48-8-5 and 101 points for the year.
The Bruins passed 100 points in their 61st game, beating the previous record set by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens, who reached that mark in 62 games.
But Montgomery was relatively unmoved by the achievement, having grown used to his brilliant team setting the benchmark over the course of the campaign.
"For me personally, it doesn't mean that much," the Boston coach said. "We try to stay in the moment, and we've been doing that.
"We started off 11-1, and I was like, 'man, that's unreal,' and then you catch yourself and you go back into the moment, and we've probably gone 11-1 every 12 games to have the record we have.
"It's been really amazing to watch them want to be great, because with the schedule and everything, it's really impressive."
The latest win came on an eventful day for the Bruins, who tied David Pastrnak to an eight-year, $90million extension earlier on Thursday.
Pastrnak then had a goal and two assists against the Sabres just hours later.
The Bruins also traded for forward Tyler Bertuzzi from the Detroit Red Wings ahead of Friday's deadline.
The surging Denver Nuggets (44-19) host the struggling Memphis Grizzlies (38-23) on Friday in a clash between the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Since the turn of the year, only the 22-5 Milwaukee Bucks have boasted a better record than Denver's 21-7, and the Nuggets have surged to a five-game lead atop the West.
Their closest challengers are the Grizzlies, who have been flailing since starting center Steven Adams suffered a knee injury on January 22, going 7-8 in the 15 games since.
Adams is only averaging 8.6 points per game in his 27 minutes of action, while shooting a league-worst 36.4 per cent from the free-throw line, but his impact on the Grizzlies' success has proven to be immense.
During the first 46 games of the season – prior to Adams' injury – the Grizzlies owned the best defensive rating in the NBA, while also boasting the second-best rebounding rate, and a top-10 offense.
Since then, Memphis have held up surprisingly well defensively and have been fourth in defense over the past 15 games, but their offense has cratered – becoming the 24th-ranked unit – and their ability to rebound has fallen off a cliff.
Adams leads the team at 11.5 rebounds per game, but his value goes far beyond just the rebounds he hauls down himself, as he is almost universally considered the physically strongest player in the league, and he uses that to wreak havoc on the offensive boards.
The Grizzlies have been 27th in rebounding rate since his injury, falling from the second-best offensive rebounding team to 18th in that category, while also dropping from 15th in defensive rebounding to 28th.
While it is easy to point to some recent cold shooting from Memphis as the reason for their recent struggles – 29th in three-point percentage (31.7 per cent) since Adams' injury – it is their failure in the rebounding department that is ruining a lot of their good work.
It is great to have a top-five defense, but when you are only gathering 68.2 per cent of opponents' misses, it means that even your strength is no longer a strength.
It goes to show that while Jaren Jackson Jr is Memphis' best defensive player – and a strong favourite to win Defensive Player of the Year – Adams may be their most important piece on that end.
That is even more true when the other team rolls out a center like Nikola Jokic.
Jokic, the reigning back-to-back league MVP and favourite to earn the first three-peat since Larry Bird from 1984-86, is essentially unguardable, but it is incredibly helpful to have a physical presence like Adams who is impossible to push around and can at least dictate Jokic's catch positions.
With Adams out, Jackson will likely assume the responsibility, and while that is a mouth-watering matchup between arguably the league's most gifted players on each side of the ball, the Grizzlies ace will need to be on his most disciplined behaviour.
Leading the league with 3.3 blocks per game, Jackson also sits sixth in fouls per game (3.4), and could leave his team without an anchor on the defensive end if the crafty Jokic draws a couple of early calls and puts his opponent in foul trouble.
But Jokic, while almost flawless on the offensive end, still has his own exploitable warts defensively.
The Serbian has shed the reputation of being a poor defender – leading all centers with 1.3 steals per game – but remains a liability when it comes to protecting the rim, with Denver ranking 25th when it comes to preventing points in the paint.
That is where the Grizzlies will see their greatest advantage as the league leaders for points in the paint, with Ja Morant's 14.8 points per game in that area trailing only Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (15.5) for the most among all guards.
Denver's plan of attack will likely be the complete opposite, as Memphis are the fourth-best team at preventing points in the paint but allow the fourth-most made three-pointers per game, while the Nuggets lead the league in three-point percentage (39.2 percent).
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Memphis Grizzlies – Ja Morant
Sometimes it is complicated to see whose impact will have the greatest effect on their team's success, and sometimes it is painfully obvious.
Morant is the Grizzlies' franchise player, leading scorer (27.1 points per game), leader in assists (8.2) and the heartbeat of their fast-paced, rim-attacking offense.
It will be his responsibility to exploit Jokic's defensive deficiency and generate high-quality looks inside for himself and team-mates, as Memphis are likely doomed if they have to rely on outside shooting (24th in three-point percentage).
Denver Nuggets – Jamal Murray
The Nuggets know what they are going to get from the metronomically consistent Jokic on a nightly basis, but the contributions from second star Jamal Murray are often what make or break their results.
In the 35 wins he has played in this season, Murray is averaging 21.7 points and 6.1 assists per game while shooting 48.3 per cent from the field, 41.6 per cent from deep and 85.5 per cent from the free-throw line.
In 14 losses, those figures plummet to 16.3 points and 5.5 assists on dismal shooting splits of 38.2/29.7/76.9 – illustrating that when it is not Murray's night, it is usually not the Nuggets' night either.
KEY BATTLE – Can Denver capitalise on the absence of Adams?
While Jokic is one of the best defensive rebounders in the league, having the third-best rate among players averaging at least 20 minutes, he is not even close to the same kind of threat on the offensive boards, where Adams' absence will be felt.
If Memphis can figure out how to limit Denver to one shot per possession and secure the defensive glass, it will not just limit second opportunities, but it will ignite the Grizzlies' fast-break offense and allow Morant to operate in the open floor with a runway.
Another key factor is that while Denver have been shooting the lights out, and Memphis have been struggling from distance, three-point percentage is often a stat that regresses to the mean over time, meaning at some point their fortunes will likely reverse.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
These sides have split their two meetings this season, with Denver securing a 14-point home win in December, before Memphis evened the ledger with an 18-point home win of their own in January.
It fits with their evenly matched recent history, with a 2-2 record from their past four meetings, and a 5-5 record dating back to January 2020.
Kyrie Irving feels he has finally "joined the party" after partnering with Luka Doncic to make franchise history in the Dallas Mavericks' 133-126 win against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The pair became the first Mavs team-mates to score at least 40 points each in the same game, with Doncic shooting 13-of-22 for his 42 points and Irving 15-of-22 for 40.
It is the third time Irving has reached the 40-point mark this season, and the first time since making a high-profile trade from the Brooklyn Nets on February 6.
The eight-time NBA All-Star spoke about "scaling back the pressure" earlier in the week in order to "show up to the party", and he did just that with his display against the Sixers.
"Like I said last time I was sitting up here, I just had to join the party and just make sure my team-mates were going to follow along," he said.
"Luka was ready for the party, I was ready for the party tonight, and it was one of those games where we had some special performances. I'm grateful that the work translated.
"I've got to keep it up. I've just got to keep it up and stay consistent in terms of just being prepared for when he's going to pass and get used to his flow in the game."
Irving has averaged 27 points across his 48 games for Dallas and Brooklyn this campaign, while fellow superstar Doncic leads the way in the NBA with 1,801 points overall.
The duo also combined for 18 assists, eight rebounds and four steals in Thursday's win against Philly at American Airlines Center, while hitting 13-of-21 from three-point range.
"I enjoyed watching those two working off of each other," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. "As much as we play the game on paper, it's still played on the court.
"They've got to work through the kinks, but I think at the end of the day, we'll be happy with what we have."
Irving is the only player in NBA history to be part of a team-mate duo scoring 40-plus points each in regulation for two different teams.
The 30-year-old previously did so with LeBron James during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and it is now Doncic who is starting to build a strong partnership with Irving.
"Playing with him is so easy," said Doncic on the back of his sixth 40-point, 10-assist showing of the season. "He helps me a lot.
"The offense I don't think is a problem. I think offensively, we're good. It's just the defensive end. We've got to get stops."
The 33-31 Mavs are sixth in the Western Conference ahead of facing the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
When Jon Jones returns to the cage on Saturday to challenge Cyril Gane for the vacant UFC heavyweight championship, he will be coming off the longest layoff of his professional career.
It is shaping up as the most unique test of 35-year-old Jones' career, and a chance to strengthen his resume as arguably the greatest talent in the history of the promotion.
Standing at six-foot-four with a seven-foot wingspan, Jones was blessed in the genetic lottery with an enormous frame for his weight division, coming from a family where both of his brothers (Chandler and Arthur) were college football stars who secured decorated careers in the NFL.
Instead of sticking with football, Jones wrestled in college, and he quickly combined those skills with his physical gifts to earn his UFC debut just five months after his first professional MMA fight at 20 years old.
Jones immediately emerged as a special talent in the light heavyweight ranks, which at the time was considered the most glamourous division in the company thanks to the legacy left behind by the era of Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture.
Less than three years after his first professional fight, Jones was given the chance to become the youngest champion in UFC history, and he took the opportunity with both hands.
He finished Hall-of-Famer Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua in the third round, claiming the belt at 23 years old – a record that may stand the test of time.
That was in 2011, and 12 years later the immortal Jones is still yet to legitimately lose a cage fight, with the only blemish on his record coming from an accidental disqualification in a fight he was dominating in every aspect.
But it is fair to say he has not looked truly impressive since his 2019 unanimous decision over Anthony Smith, with his two fights since both ending up unexpectedly close.
Jones was pushed to the limit by Thiago Santos, emerging with a split decision victory despite Santos suffering a serious knee injury early in the contest, and a number of pundits felt Jones actually should have lost his most recent decision against Dominick Reyes as he struggled against an opponent his own size.
After 15 consecutive wins in fights for the Light Heavyweight Championship, Jones took a hiatus as he continued to tease a potential heavyweight move – at one point supposedly against Brock Lesnar – and although many felt it may never eventuate, he is now set to try his hand at joining the short list of fighters to ever reach the mountaintop in two divisions.
A win this weekend would again spark conversations about the greatest fighter in UFC history, and could potentially narrow the discussion down to Jones and Khabib Nurmagomedov – who never won a second belt, but was also never threatened in his 29 unbeaten fights.
The only thing standing in his way is the conundrum of Gane – and perhaps Jones' own ego.
Jones' route to victory
While Jones is a terrific size for the heavyweight division, this will be the first time that he will fight someone taller, and likely heavier, than he is.
Size is not everything, but when that size is partnered by an elite skill set, it presents the most dangerous striking matchup of Jones' career.
Whenever Jones has been made to look uncomfortable in the cage, it has come from long strikers who mostly negate his physical advantages, namely Alexander Gustaffson, Santos and Reyes – but those experiences should provide the template of how to succeed.
Having only rematched against one of those three fighters who gave him serious trouble (Gustafsson), Jones showed exactly how he can make life miserable for a dangerous striker – wrestling.
One of only two fighters to ever take down Olympian Daniel Cormier in the cage, Jones' wrestling chops are legit, and it is reasonable to assume his skill in this department is at a level too great for the 32-year-old Gane to bridge at this stage in his career.
But Jones has always been an elite wrestler, and outside of a few occasions (rematch against Gustafsson, late against Anthony Smith), he has neglected to rely on it, showing a clear preference to keep things standing where he can show off his creative striking.
Jones never wants to appear 'afraid' to throw hands with his opponents, but that is exactly what Gane will be hoping.
Gane – who was an undefeated muay thai fighter before transitioning to MMA – has just one loss on his record, but it was a telling defeat.
It came in his first crack at the heavyweight championship against feared striker Francis Ngannou, who decided to expose Gane's lack of takedown defense and inability to get back to his feet, instead of giving the crowd the exciting back-and-forth stand-up war they anticipated.
Gane will have been obsessively preparing for those exact situations in the 14 months since, but the wrestling gap could become clear, and insurmountable, if Jones swallows his pride and comes out grappling in the opening minutes of their fight.
Gane's route to victory
First and foremost, Gane needs to stay on his feet, and his entire game plan needs to revolve around ensuring that is the case.
That means instead of trying to control the middle of the cage and dictate the pace, the smarter strategy is likely to play a more conservative style with his back closer to the fence. That way if a takedown is landed, he can use the cage to help himself back up, instead of being stranded in the centre of the octagon flat against the mat.
If he can turn this into a kickboxing match, Gane's chances skyrocket, as he possesses the size (six-foot-five) and length (six-foot-seven wingspan) to both hurt and put fear into Jones.
However, Gane runs into his own difficult conundrum in the striking arena, as he is still at a reach disadvantage and Jones has shown the ability to point-fight as well as anyone to ever step in the cage.
Gane's advantage will come in the power department, and the fact that his strikes will hurt Jones more than vice-versa, but to draw Jones into the kind of exchanges where he can do damage, he will have to put himself in a position where is risking being taken down.
A win for Gane would earn him not just the Heavyweight Championship, but the chance to be forever known as the one man who beat Jon Jones – and jumpstart his own legendary reign as king of the heavyweights.
A new Formula One season is upon us and the 2023 campaign will be the longest in the history of the elite motorsport class.
The number of races is rising to 23, with Las Vegas joining the show, though drama will not be limited to the track.
Two seasons ago, the controversial conclusion to the campaign in Abu Dhabi was a dominant story, while last year saw Red Bull's budget cap breach and an Oscar Piastri fight between Alpine and McLaren, as well as frustrations with governing body the FIA, notably over the drivers' freedom of expression.
Get set for sporting theatre to unfold over the course of the season ahead, though the biggest talking point centres around whether anyone can dethrone Red Bull.
Red Bull gives you wins
Max Verstappen finished at the front in 15 of 22 races last season, setting a record for the most triumphs in a single campaign, and he has won over half of the events in the past two years (25 wins from 44 races).
While pre-season testing never offers a full indication of what lies ahead, Red Bull's strength was still evident and the consensus is that the defending champions will begin the campaign with an advantage over their rivals.
If that gap cannot be reduced, the biggest threat to a third consecutive crown for Verstappen may come from team-mate Carlos Perez. Should that happen, tempers may flare as they did in Sao Paulo in November when Verstappen refused a team order to allow the Mexican through.
One aspect that may provide hope to Red Bull's rivals is the punishment issued for the budget cap breach, which included a 10 per cent reduction in aerodynamic testing allowance for 12 months. While it came too late to have a major implication on the overall develop of this year's car, it could restrict the team's ability to fix any issues that arise.
Ferrari's fight to the front
A season that offered so much promise for Ferrari last term ultimately fell away through mistakes in race strategy and engine failures, the latter of which resulted in the team having to run in a low-power mode to avoid further woes.
Charles Leclerc certainly has the ability to go head to head with perennial rival Verstappen, who he has raced since his junior days, while Carlos Sainz got his long-awaited maiden F1 win at Silverstone last year.
The appointment of Fred Vasseur as team principal, replacing Mattia Binotto, hands the Scuderia an experienced head on the pit wall and may result in fewer questionable calls in race strategy.
Ferrari are confident they can mount a challenge this season and, even though Leclerc has conceded Red Bull may start with an advantage, he believes the Prancing Horse can respond.
"The target is still [to win the title]. Even if we are starting a bit of the back foot compared to them in terms of performance, I'm sure we can come back," Leclerc told Sky Sports.
Mercedes on a mission
Any hopes of a Mercedes revival in 2023 appear to have stalled already, with testing performances suggesting the team may have to look over their shoulders at those chasing from behind rather than competing at the top.
Mercedes' design continues to divide opinion, with a zero-pod approach being vastly different to their rivals and leading to questions about whether they have stuck to their guns out of pride rather than sporting merit.
With Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel, there is always a chance and the Briton will be determined to come back and add to his record 103 race wins having failed to secure a victory last season – the first campaign in his career when he has not registered a win.
The seven-time world champion was outperformed by team-mate George Russell last season, however. Russell secured a maiden race win in the penultimate race and offered consistency throughout the campaign.
Best of the rest
The biggest surprise of the testing weekend in Bahrain was the pace shown by Aston Martin who, with the addition of Fernando Alonso, have a driver who could mount a serious threat to the bigger guns on the grid.
Though a third world title for the Spaniard may be a stretch, regular podiums and dethroning one of the big three in the constructors' championship is certainly an achievable goal.
At Alpine, great care will be taken to ensure French compatriots Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon do not find themselves butting heads, with a frosty relationship over the years, while McLaren have already admitted they missed their development targets and start on the back foot as a result.
Andreas Seidl, now at the helm of Alfa Romeo-Sauber, enters with high expectations ahead of the team's transition into Audi in 2026, while AlphaTauri's long-term future continues to be questioned despite assurances Red Bull will not sell their second-string team.
Expect the season to also see further rumblings regarding new additions to the grid, with Porsche and Andretti among those pushing to join.
As ever, there is plenty to watch out for in F1 and from the first corner to the last there are likely to be surprises along the way.
Caroline Garcia is now three wins away from her first title of 2023 after defeating Nuria Parrizas-Diaz 6-3 6-2 in Thursday's second round of the Monterrey Open.
France's Garcia, the world number five and top overall seed, needed just 63 minutes to see off her Spanish challenger. She controlled the contest with her serve, taking the ace count eight to two while winning 75 per cent of her total service points (33-of-44).
She will now face Egypt's Mayar Sherif in the quarter-final after the seventh seed survived a tough 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 test from China's Wang Xinyu.
Fourth seed Elise Mertens emerged the 6-3 3-6 6-2 victor against Romania's Elena-Gabriela Ruse, while rising 22-year-old Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto prevailed 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3) against Germany's Tatjana Maria.
North of the border in Austin's ATX Open, Danielle Collins ripped off a 67-minute 6-1 6-1 drubbing of Caty McNally to advance to the quarter-final.
Collins will meet Russia's Anna Kalinskaya next after the 24-year-old's convincing 6-3 6-1 victory over veteran CoCo Vandeweghe.
Eighth seed Marta Kostyuk is one of only three seeded competitors remaining after storming home in a 6-3 3-6 6-0 battle with Madison Brengle, and Germany's Anna-Lena Friedsam won the longest match of the day in a 7-5 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (10-8) three-hour war of attrition against 18-year-old Russian Erika Andreeva.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving made some franchise history during the Dallas Mavericks' 133-126 home win against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
It was the first time ever two Mavericks team-mates scored at least 40 points each in the same game, with Doncic shooting 13-of-22 for his 42 points, while Irving was 15-of-22 for 40 points.
The duo also combined for 18 assists, eight rebounds and four steals, while hitting 13-of-21 from three-point range.
It was a close contest through a high-scoring first half, but after Dallas came out of the locker room leading 71-67, they put their foot on the gas.
Dallas put together a 39-24 third period to jump out to a 20-point lead, and the final score was flattering for the 76ers, who trailed by 14 with under three minutes remaining before a garbage-time run.
Philadelphia's failure was no fault of their top trio, with Joel Embiid putting together 35 points (13-of-21 shooting), eight rebounds and two steals, while James Harden had 27 points (eight-of-12 shooting) with 13 assists, and Tyrese Maxey added 29 points (12-of-21).
The win gets the Mavericks back on the right foot after dropping five of their past six, now sitting sixth in the Western Conference at 33-31.
Philadelphia fell to 40-22, but remain well clear in the Eastern Conference's third seed.
Poole goes for a splash
A 34-point Jordan Poole eruption led a second-half trouncing by the Golden State Warriors in their 115-91 home blowout against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Poole finished nine-of-20 from the field, five-of-12 from deep and 11-of-12 from the free throw line, and all five of his three-pointers came in the second half as Golden State took the third and fourth quarters by a combined margin of 70-35.
Kawhi Leonard played an efficient game despite his side's struggles, shooting eight-of-12 from the field for 21 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
The win is the Warriors' fourth in a row, and they now sit fifth in the West at 33-30 on the back of the NBA's fourth-best home record (26-7).
Wizards stay in the hunt
The Washington Wizards fended off the resurgent Toronto Raptors 119-108 to keep themselves in the thick of the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament placings.
Kyle Kuzma led the way against a Raptors team that came into the contest with 10 wins from their past 12, scoring a game-high 30 points on 10-of-24 shooting with five rebounds and five assists.
Kristaps Porzingis added 25 points (eight-of-12 shooting) and two blocks, while defensive specialist Delon Wright flashed some ability as a starting point guard, racking up 11 assists to go with his six rebounds and three steals.
The Wizards have now won six of their past nine, improving to 30-32 to create a 1.5-game buffer between themselves and the Chicago Bulls in the race for the 10th seed.
World number five Taylor Fritz showed why he is the highest seed still standing at the Mexican Open after a strong 6-3 6-4 win in Thursday's quarter-final.
Fritz, the third seed, faced sixth seed and world number 15 Frances Tiafoe, and did not allow a single break of serve en route to the 96-minute victory.
He will now face compatriot Tommy Paul in an all-American semi-final after the world number 23 prevailed 6-2 6-2 against Mackenzie McDonald.
The win was Paul's 10th from his past 12 matches, with one of those two losses coming against Novak Djokovic.
Australia's Alex De Minaur is through to the other semi-final after making light work of Japan's Taro Daniel 6-2 6-2 in a surprisingly one-sided contest, considering Daniel was coming off a victory over world number four Casper Ruud.
De Minaur will face Holger Rune after the 19-year-old capitalised on Matteo Berrettini not being at 100 per cent, jumping out to a perfect 6-0 1-0 start before the Italian retired hurt.
Meanwhile, Chile Open second seed Francisco Cerundolo missed out on a potential chance to face his younger brother after going down 6-3 3-6 6-3 against Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
He was one win away from doing his part to set up a quarter-final showdown with Juan Manuel Cerundolo, but the 21-year-old Argentine also did not hold up his end of the bargain, falling 6-2 2-6 7-6 (7-2) to Serbia's Dusan Lajovic.
Laslo Djere ensured it would be a good day for the Serbians with a 7-5 7-5 handling of Italy's Riccardo Bonadio, and he will face third seed Sebastian Baez in the quarter-final after he eliminated hometown hero Cristian Garin 6-4 6-3.
The Golden State Warriors are hoping to get Stephen Curry back in their lineup as soon as Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Curry, who suffered an injury to his left lower leg on February 4, has participated in multiple team scrimmages, including one Thursday morning.
After Thursday's shootaround, reporters asked Warriors coach Steve Kerr if Curry could be available Sunday in Los Angeles.
"I suppose," Kerr replied.
Curry has already been ruled out for Golden State’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.
Entering play Thursday, the Warriors are 12-12 this season without the two-time league MVP, but his return will be welcome news for a team in the thick of the jumbled Western Conference playoff picture.
Before Thursday’s games against the Los Angeles Clippers, the defending champion Warriors sat in fifth place in the West at 32-30, just 2.5 games up on the 11th-place Lakers.
Despite dealing with shoulder and leg injuries in his 14th NBA season, Curry is having one of his best individual campaigns, scoring 29.4 points per game on 42.7-percent shooting from beyond the arc.
The Warriors' season has been a rocky one – especially given the team's 7-23 road record – but they remain contenders when healthy.
One development of note has been the reemergence of Curry's 'Splash Brothers' running-mate Klay Thompson, who has averaged 26.2 points in 21 games since January 2.
Jon Rahm lived up to his billing as the hottest talent in professional golf after starting his week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a seven-under 65 on Thursday.
Rahm, the world number one, boasts five wins from his past nine starts worldwide and has not finished an event outside the top 10 since finding himself in a tie for 15th in August's Tour Championship.
Coming off a victory in his most recent outing at the Genesis Invitational, Rahm is looking to secure another of the PGA Tour's new elevated events, with the increased prize pool drawing 44 of the world's top-50 players to the famous Bay Hill course.
He certainly made a promising start in Florida, heading into day two with a two-shot lead at the top of the leader board.
Rahm began his day with three consecutive birdies and finished with another two on 17 and 18 having carded an eagle on the par-five 16th.
His sole bogey came on hole eight, failing to recover a par after a wayward tee shot.
Another competitor coming off a win in his most recent start, last week's Honda Classic champion Chris Kirk is tied for second at five under with Cameron Young and Kurt Kitayama.
Not a single player finished their round bogey-free, but Kitayama and Max Homa (two under) made it through 17 holes before their first blemishes came on the 18th.
The group tied for fifth at four under includes some of the game's biggest stars, with world number two Scottie Scheffler joined by three-time major winner Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and resurgent fan favourite Rickie Fowler.
Carolina Panthers founder Jerry Richardson has died aged 86.
Richardson brought the Panthers to Carolina and the NFL in 1995, reaching Super Bowls in the 2003 and 2015 campaigns.
He left the franchise in 2018 after allegations of sexual and racial workplace misconduct.
Panthers owners David and Nicole Tepper paid tribute to Richardson after his death was announced on Thursday, saying: "Jerry Richardson's contributions to professional football in the Carolinas are historic.
"With the arrival of the Panthers in 1995, he changed the landscape of sports in the region and gave the NFL fans here a team to call their own.
"He was incredibly gracious to me [David Tepper] when I purchased the team, and for that I am thankful.''
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also saluted Richardson, saying in a statement: "The NFL community is deeply saddened by the passing of Jerry Richardson.
"The Carolina Panthers are a testament to his extraordinary and tireless dedication to the community. But his league-first attitude as seen through his leadership of numerous NFL committees... helped pave the way for a series of public-private stadium partnerships throughout the country, and collective bargaining agreements that continue to support the growth of the game.
"As a former player himself, Jerry cared deeply about the welfare of players and the labour agreements he helped negotiate have led to improved pay and benefits for generations of players. From a personal perspective, he was a wise and caring advisor to me, his fellow owners, and many Panthers players and coaches over the years."
New Panthers head coach Frank Reich was the franchise's first quarterback under Richardson, and said: "I will always be thankful to Mr Richardson for the Panthers. Being a part of the inaugural [season] is something that I will never forget.
"It was truly a special experience to play a part in the culmination of his efforts to bring football to the Carolinas."
Novak Djokovic clinched a 20th win in a row and maintained his perfect year to date with victory against Hubert Hurkacz at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The world number one cruised in the opening set, before Hurkacz put up more of a fight in the second.
Djokovic eventually prevailed to seal a 6-3 7-5 win, successfully seeing off his opponent despite Hurkacz valiantly throwing everything at him.
The 35-year-old Serbian has now won 15 consecutive matches in 2023, with his latest impressive display including just seven unforced errors, less than half Hurkacz's 15 as Djokovic's clinical edge proved decisive.
Fifteen successive victories is the fourth-best start to a season in Djokovic's career, though he remains some way off the 41-0 record he began 2011 with.
A semi-final clash against Daniil Medvedev awaits following the Russian's comfortable 6-3 6-2 victory against Borna Coric, which clocked in at one hour and 21 minutes.
Medvedev is also in the midst of an impressive winning streak, rattling off 12 consecutive successes since being eliminated by Sebastian Korda at the Australian Open in January.
Andrey Rublev booked his spot in the final four with a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) victory over Botic van de Zandschulp to maintain his title defence.
He will face seventh seed Alexander Zverev in the semi-final, the German having seen off Lorenzo Sonego 7-5 6-4.
LeBron James' foot injury will be reassessed in three weeks, the Los Angeles Lakers have confirmed.
The 38-year-old sustained the injury in the third quarter of Sunday's victory over the Dallas Mavericks and subsequently missed the defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies and the victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Reports on Thursday stated that James would not require surgery and, although not confirmed by the team, the Lakers have said it is a right foot tendon injury.
A team statement said: "LeBron James has been evaluated by Lakers team physicians and medical staff, and it has been determined that he has sustained a right foot tendon injury.
"James will be reevaluated in approximately three weeks."
There is just over a month remaining of the regular season, with the Lakers facing a battle to secure a spot in the playoffs, sitting 11th in the Western Conference on a record of 30-33.
Charles Leclerc is confident Ferrari can compete with Red Bull for both titles in the new Formula One season.
Ferrari failed to capitalise on their strengths last year and compete with Max Verstappen, who waltzed to a second consecutive championship title.
Early signs ahead of the 2023 season suggest Red Bull remain ahead of their rivals, with Leclerc admitting that is a perception he holds.
However, he believes Ferrari can mount a threat over the course of the season due to the developments from last year.
"From what I can see, it seems Red Bull is a bit ahead. But it's a long season, our goal is still to win the championship," he told Sky Sports.
"I am confident. We have great guys in Maranello, I think we have shown it with the big step forward from 2021 to 2022.
"There were too many mistakes in 2022, we know that, but we've been very honest with ourselves in order to get better for this season.
"The target is still [to win the title]. Even if we are starting a bit of the back foot compared to them in terms of performance, I'm sure we can come back."
Leclerc's assessment that Red Bull begin the campaign ahead of their rivals is shared by Mercedes' George Russell, who expects them to dominate the opening weekend in Bahrain.
"It probably wasn't the smoothest three days we could have hoped for at testing. But the learning we found is going to put us in better stead for this weekend," he said in Thursday's press conference.
"I think it’s definitely fair to say Red Bull are in a league of their own this weekend. But it'll probably be a nice fight for second between Ferrari and Aston Martin."
Lewis Hamilton rebuffed suggestions the 2023 season will be his final year in Formula One and is adamant he will be at Mercedes next season.
The seven-time champion is in the final year of his contract with the team, who are expected to be off the pace of rivals Red Bull in the hunt for the championship.
Speculation that Hamilton will walk away from the sport has persisted ever since a controversial conclusion to the 2021 season, when Max Verstappen pipped him to the title in Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton returned to the grid for 2022, although Mercedes struggled and lost their constructors' championship crown to Red Bull, and is set for a 17th season in F1 in 2023.
The Brit is not set for a swansong, as he hit back at claims from former F1 drivers Jenson Button and Damon Hill that he will retire following the campaign.
"It is ultimately people creating rumours without facts, and it is never helpful. You would have thought that they [Hill and Button] would both know me by now," he told reporters ahead of the opening race of the season in Bahrain.
"I have been with Mercedes since I was 13, and last year we had a difficult year, but I am still here, and whether or not we have a difficult year this year, I will still be here.
"I am a fighter, and we fight as a team. I love the challenge of finding solutions and I still believe I am able to put the car in places that perhaps others are not able to. I love that challenge.
"Of course, I wish we started the season with a great car, but it is the journey that really counts."
Negotiations over a new contract for Hamilton are continuing, with the 38-year-old confident an agreement will be reached.
"There is no hold-up with our contract. I have always been very, very relaxed and I don't feel like I have to get it done right this second. I am in a very fortunate position," he added.
"It will get done when we are ready. I have a great relationship with Toto and with Mercedes and we fully support each other.
"I am really excited about the future together and really proud of the work we are doing, on and off the track and the potential of new things that we can do moving forward.
"We will get there, unless something catastrophic happens between me and Toto [team principal Wolff] and we get in the [boxing] ring, but other than that we are good."
LaMelo Ball will be out for the rest of the NBA season after the Charlotte Hornets point guard underwent surgery on a fractured right ankle.
Ball suffered the injury during the Hornets' 117-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
The 21-year-old went down awkwardly with the ball during the third quarter.
Charlotte revealed Ball has undergone a successful operation and further updates will be provided on his recovery.
The third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Ball averaged 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.3 steals in the 36 games he played this season.
He became the fourth-youngest All-Star in NBA history when he featured in the 2021-22 showpiece.
Ball was named the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2020-21 season, having averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.6 steals.
Lance Stroll has been passed fit to race at this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix after recovering from a wrist injury that threatened to derail Aston Martin's plans for the season opener.
Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich was put on standby after Stroll hurt his wrist in a freak cycling accident and had to miss pre-season testing.
There had even been speculation of a Sebastian Vettel comeback, after team principal Mike Krack initially refused to rule out the possibility of the German coming out of retirement.
However, that idea was knocked on the head eventually, and now Drugovich can stand down, too, with Canadian Stroll cleared to take part after undergoing surgery.
The team announced Stroll's involvement in a statement on their website, with the 24-year-old driver saying: "It was frustrating not to be out in Bahrain for the pre-season test and I was disappointed to miss the three days of running. However, given the injury to my wrist, the team and I felt it was best to focus on recovery so that I would be ready for this weekend and the long season ahead.
"It was an unfortunate accident – I fell from my bike when my tyre caught a hole in the ground – but thankfully the damage was not significant and a successful minor surgery on my right wrist fixed the problem very quickly. Since then, I've been working hard with my team to ensure that I am fully fit to compete this weekend.
"Now I'm ready to get my head down and concentrate on racing this weekend – something I'm really looking forward to."
Stroll will be entering his seventh season in Formula One and hoping for a first top-10 finish in the drivers' championship. He finished 15th overall last year, three places behind then team-mate Vettel.
Two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso will be Stroll's team-mate in the new campaign, having switched from Alpine.
Kevin Durant felt he "fit in pretty well" during an impressive Phoenix Suns debut against the Charlotte Hornets but still feels under pressure to prove himself.
Durant scored 23 points in his first appearance for the Suns in a 105-91 win over the Hornets on Wednesday following his blockbuster trade from the Brooklyn Nets last month.
Returning to the court after recovering from a knee injury that had kept him out since January 8, the 13-time NBA All-Star was 10-of-15 shooting and racked up his points haul in just 27 minutes.
Devin Booker scored 37 points, claimed six rebounds and provided seven assists as Phoenix – fourth in the Western Conference – snapped the Hornets' five-game winning streak to go 34-29 for the season.
Durant said: "I feel like I fit in pretty well, everybody out there was trying to make me as comfortable as possible.
"I just got to keep grinding, man, and this jersey on me will look normal as games go on."
Despite all he has achieved over the years, Durant was nervous prior to his Suns bow.
He added: "New environment, new situation, new team-mates, I mean I always feel I got to prove myself to my team-mates and my coaches every single day no matter what I've done in the league. So I feel like there's pressure to be who I am every day."
Booker was pinching himself over being on the same side as Durant.
He said: "This is one of those moments that doesn't really feel real. I mean, it's just every time he shoots the ball, it's just so effortless.
"You can see defenders trying their hardest to contest or fight over a screen and he just looks unbothered, unfazed."
Suns head coach Monty Williams wants Durant to focus on playing to the best of his ability rather than feel he must be a leader.
"I think there's too many players in the NBA that get too much pressure to lead," Williams said. "I just don’t think it's necessary. It’s my job to lead.
"The players do it in spots, but that's the one thing I told him, I said, 'I'm not looking for you to lead. We just want you to be yourself and hoop,' and I think that's where he's the most free to be himself."
Second seed Casper Ruud suffered a shock three-sets second-round defeat to Japan's Taro Daniel at the Mexican Open in Acapulco on Wednesday.
The 2022 US Open and French Open runner-up had struggled past Guido Andreozzi in the first round and followed up that up with a 7-5 2-6 7-6 (7-5) loss to Daniel.
The Japanese qualifier, ranked 125th in the world, won in just under three hours, winning the final three points of the deciding tie-break after Ruud led 5-4.
Ruud had more winners (38-32) but committed 30 unforced errors compared to Daniel's 12.
Taylor Fritz cruised into the last eight with a 6-4 6-4 win over Canada's Denis Shapovalov, setting up a quarter-final with sixth seed Francis Tiafoe, who eased past Feliciano Lopez 6-2 7-6 (8-6).
Fourth seed Holger Rune was too strong for Nuno Borges 6-0 6-2 inside an hour, while eighth seed Alex De Minaur crushed Jacopo Berrettini in just over an hour 6-1 6-0.
Top seed Lorenzo Musetti was a surprise second-round loser at the Chile Open with Jaume Munar triumphing 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 31 minutes.
Fourth seed Diego Schwartzman also bowed out, going down 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7-2) to local Nicolas Jarry.
Jarry will face Yannick Hanfmann in the quarter-finals, while Munar will take on Thiago Monteiro.
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