Darius Garland was the game's top scorer as his Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Charlotte Hornets 132-122 in double-overtime, but he was more impressed with the work of his young teammate Evan Mobley.
Mobley, 21, was the third overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, entering the league as one of the best defensive prospects in the history of college basketball.
Standing at seven-feet tall, the USC product has shown the ability to guard all five positions, showing at a young age that he can switch onto shifty point guards and hold up stoutly, putting him in rare company with the likes of all-time great defenders Kevin Garnett and Anthony Davis.
In an action-packed game, the Hornets incredibly came back from a 10-point deficit with only 45 seconds remaining in regulation, with three-pointers from P.J. Washington, Kelly Oubre Jr and two from Terry Rozier, including a game-tying bomb with one second on the clock.
That forced overtime, where it was the Cavs' turn to save the game. A potential game-tying three from Donovan Mitchell clanked off the rim, but Mobley was there for the offensive rebound, kicking it out for Garland to tie it.
The Hornets then had a chance to win it with the last shot of the extra period, getting Rozier one-on-one with Mobley, but the young Cavs star held firm and forced double-overtime.
Their defense would lift in the second extra period, holding Charlotte to just two points to seal the win.
Garland top-scored with 41 points on 16-of-26 shooting, adding five steals, but the post-game press conference centered on the brilliance of Mobley, who finished with 21 points (nine-of-14), 18 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal.
"Evan was kind of angry tonight – I loved it," Garland said. "We always tell Evan he's the man, he's him. So I want him to start acting like it, keeping that same fire and same energy.
"He had a huge game tonight, he helped us offensively and defensively, came up with some big rebounds, and he switched onto [Terry] Rozier on that big possession in overtime.
"You don't usually see a seven-footer out there guarding a guard like that, either. He's special, we really need him, and we're happy to have him.
"I feel comfortable with Evan guarding anybody, literally. He moves his feet really well, and he keeps his distance because he's so long.
"I think Evan can guard anybody in this league if he puts his mind to it, and that's what we do. We switch three-through-five, and he guards some threes, some fives. That's what he's here for."
While he is currently a supporting piece on the offensive end, Mobley was urged by his All-Star point guard to try to dominate on that end the same way he does defensively.
"I want him to take more shots," he said. "His one-on-one game is really, really good for his size, and he can get to any shot that he wants to.
"I mean 14 [shot attempts] is a good number, but I think he should take a lot more, in my opinion. I want him to be more aggressive, I want him to really ask for the ball – tell me to give him the ball.
"He's going to get there, he's building his confidence every day."
When asked about his comfort level when getting pulled away from the basket in isolation situations, Mobley said he thrives in it.
"I'm real comfortable [against smaller guards], honestly," he said. "I feel like I have good enough size, and I'm also quick enough to stay in front, so any shot they really take, I'm going to be there.
"I knew [Rozier] likes step-backs, so I was just giving him a good amount of space, using my length. I knew I could slide my feet – I'm pretty fast – so I was just using my length, and when he shot it, just get a good contest."
The win snaps a five-game losing streak for the Cavs, bringing their record to 9-6, and 5-1 at home.
The Miami Heat only had seven available players on Friday, and eventually ran out of steam in a gutsy 107-106 road loss against the Washington Wizards despite a heroic performance from Kyle Lowry.
Miami's top two players, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, were both absent along with a cast of their teammates after a quick succession of injuries, forcing their available players into extended minutes.
Lowry played 46 of a possible 48 minutes in regulation, but a late Kyle Kuzma three-pointer tied the game at 104-104 with 15 seconds left, forcing overtime.
With four of their five starters reaching the 40-minute mark in overtime, fatigue caught up with the visitors as they failed to hit a single field goal in the extra period.
Their only two points came from two Lowry free throws, capping his 24-point, 15-assist, 10-rebound triple double in 51 minutes of play.
Kristaps Porzingis scored the only basket of overtime, giving him 20 points and 17 rebounds, while Bradley Beal top-scored for the Wizards with 27 on nine-of-18 shooting.
The win for the Wizards moves them to 9-7, while the Heat fall to 7-9 as they desperately await healthy reinforcements.
Suggs delivers dagger in Magic win
Second-year point guard Jalen Suggs is beginning to fulfill the potential that saw him as a top-five pick in the 2021 draft, hitting the game-winning three-pointer in a 108-107 win against the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls received polarizing performances from their two star wings, with Zach Lavine struggling mightily on his way to one-of-14 shooting, while DeMar DeRozan stepped up with 41 points on 16-of-30 shooting.
DeRozan's big game had the Bulls up 103-107 with under 30 seconds remaining, but two made free throws for Suggs were followed by two misses by Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, giving the Magic a chance to steal it.
Suggs was determined to be the one taking the last shot, stepping back confidently for a three-pointer and nailing it to finish with 20 points (seven-of-16 shooting) and eight assists. It is the first time this season Suggs has posted back-to-back 20-point games, and he has at least six assists and five rebounds in each.
Embiid finishes Maxey's strong start against the Bucks
The Philadelphia 76ers had a different star in each half of their 110-102 home win against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Tyrese Maxey was the focal point early, putting up 24 points on nine-of-12 shooting, with five assists and four rebounds, before rolling his ankle in the shadows of halftime.
He did not return after the break, and Joel Embiid stepped up in his absence, scoring a game-high 32 points (12-of-26 shooting) with 11 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks. It is the third game in a row Embiid has had at least 32 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey both were forced to leave their respective games early on Friday after rolling their left ankles.
Morant's injury came late in the fourth quarter of a 121-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, immediately needing to be helped off the floor. He finished the game with 19 points on five-of-20 shooting and 11 assists.
After the game, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins said his star point guard "tweaked his ankle" and that there will be no update until scans on Saturday. It is the same ankle he rolled last week that forced him to miss one game, while co-star Desmond Bane remains out for multiple weeks with a toe sprain.
Earlier in the day, Maxey hurt himself late in what was arguably the best half of his young career.
The third-year guard played nearly the entire first half as starters Tobias Harris and James Harden both were absent with their own injuries, putting up 24 points (nine-of-12 shooting), five assists and four rebounds with only one turnover.
He did not return in the second half as his team went on to lose to the Milwaukee Bucks 110-102. The initial X-ray was negative, meaning there will be an MRI scheduled for Saturday to determine the damage.
Matthew Stafford will return to the field for Sunday's Week 11 game against the New Orleans Saints after the Los Angeles Rams quarterback missed Week 10 due to a concussion.
With Stafford out and backup quarterback John Wolford in the game, the Rams lost their third game in a row, and their fifth loss from their past six outings.
Sitting at 3-6, the reigning Super Bowl champions look a long way from being contenders this year, with their playoff chances hanging by a thread when they travel to New Orleans.
Stafford, 34, tossed an equal career-high 41 touchdown passes last season in his first year since being traded from the Detroit Lions, but he has struggled this campaign, with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games.
The Rams are currently last in the NFC West, three games behind the division-leading Seattle Seahawks (6-4). They also have, by far, the worst point differential in the division at minus 52, behind the Arizona Cardinals (minus 28), the Seahawks (plus 16) and the San Francisco 49ers (plus 35).
Jameis Winston has been unable to regain his job as the New Orleans Saints starting quarterback despite being healed from his back injury, and that isn’t sitting too well with him.
"I lost my job due to injury, and the policy has always been you don’t lose your job due to injury," he said. "That’s what happened."
Winston started the first three games of the season for the Saints, but reportedly suffered four fractures in his back in the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.
Although he says he is healthy enough now to return to the field, coach Dennis Allen decided to stick with veteran Andy Dalton for the eighth consecutive game Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
"I’m going to support Andy, I’m going to support this offense, I’m going to support everyone on this offensive staff the best I possibly can, and that’s it," Winston said. "Because, like I said, I wear that shirt that says 'Big team, little me' even though it hurts my heart. It hurts my soul the way things have turned out to be this year, but it is what it is."
Allen said earlier this week that he does not think Winston will return to 100 percent this season, which is likely part of the reason why Dalton has remained the starter. He hinted earlier this week that he was considering a change at quarterback due to offensive struggle, but ultimately decided against it.
Neither quarterback has separated himself from the other in terms of effectiveness.
Winston completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 858 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions as the Saints went 1-2 in his three starts.
Dalton, meanwhile, has completed 65 percent of his passes for 1,559 yards and thrown 11 TDs with seven picks. New Orleans are 2-5 in his seven games.
"I owe it to this team to be in the role that I’m in right now, to this offense, to everyone," Winston said. "I apologise to the fans. I know some of them went to see me out there. But I think winning makes a lot of things better, so we need to go out there and start with this week, get a win as a team."
Through two rounds – one on each of Sea Island Resort's two courses – Cole Hammer, Andrew Putnam and Harry Higgs lead the RSM Classic field with a score of 12 under.
In a unique format, this tournament has half of the field play the par-70 Seaside Course and the other half play the par-72 Plantation Course in the first round, before swapping for the second round.
After earning the solo lead by shooting an eight-under 64 on Thursday's trip around the Plantation Course, Hammer still produced seven birdies on the Seaside Course, but three bogeys on the front-nine allowed others to join him at the top.
Both Higgs and Putnam shot rounds of seven under, albeit on different courses. Higgs went bogey-free for a 63 at the Seaside Course, and Putnam went bogey-free until his final hole, blowing a chance to head into the weekend with the outright lead.
Of the five players to shoot better than seven under on Friday, all five did it on the Plantation Course, including Joel Dahmen with his eight-under 64 to jump up to a tie for fourth at 11 under, where he is joined by Sahith Theegala.
The other eight-under rounds came from South Korea's Noh Seung-yul, tied for fourth at 10 under, as well as Ben Martin and Will Gordon, one further back at nine under.
The round of the day came from Akshay Bhatia, following his three-over 73 with a nine-under 63.
Some of the bigger names in the field will not be participating on the weekend as former world number one Jason Day missed the cut by three strokes, and former Masters champion Danny Willett withdrew after his three-over opening round.
The remaining two rounds will both be played at the Seaside Course.
Andrey Rublev produced a stirring fightback to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas and reach the last four of the ATP Finals for the first time on Friday.
Rublev had failed to make it out of the group stage on each of his first two appearances at the season-ending showpiece.
It initially looked as if he would fall short once again in this winner-take-all clash with Tsitsipas, with both men looking to join Novak Djokovic in progressing from the Red Group.
He was outclassed by Tsitsipas in the first set but showed the grit to recover from 0-30 down in the opening game of the second to find a crucial hold of serve.
That proved the catalyst for a stunning turnaround, as Rublev dominated with his fierce forehand and a series of superb passing shots to seal a 3-6 6-3 6-2 victory in Turin.
He will face Casper Ruud on Saturday for a place in the final.
Rublev told Prime Video of that semi-final encounter: "I'm really looking forward because Casper is such a nice person, great player, great fighter, he has achieved so many things this season, so it's going to be a really good challenge for me."
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Rublev – 10/2
Tsitsipas – 10/2
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Rublev – 36/22
Tsitsipas – 25/12
BREAK POINTS WON
Rublev – 3/5
Tsitsipas – 1/3
The Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings face off in Week 11 in a potentially pivotal NFC clash, and history says it will be a tense game that goes down to the wire.
Having stunned the Buffalo Bills in overtime last week, the 8-1 Vikings are only behind the Philadelphia Eagles in the race for the top seed in the NFC on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Philadelphia's loss to the Washington Commanders on Monday gave hope to the 6-3 Cowboys that they can catch the Eagles in the NFC East.
To bolster their hopes of doing so, the Cowboys will need to come through what will likely be a closely fought contest in Minneapolis.
The last six regular-season games between the Cowboys and Vikings have all been decided by four points or fewer, the longest streak between any two NFL teams since the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers had a six-game streak from 2008 to 2010. The last teams to do so in seven straight meetings were the Carolina Panthers and Washington from 1998 to 2009.
Minnesota have made a habit of winning close games in 2022. Indeed, seven of the Vikings' eight victories have been by one score.
And, even if the Cowboys do take a double-digit lead against the Vikings, they cannot be sure of it being safe.
Dallas gave up a 14-point lead against Green Bay Packers in Week 10 and lost in overtime. That snapped a Cowboys streak of 195 consecutive wins when leading by 14+ points entering the fourth quarter (including postseason). It was the longest such run in NFL history.
Now the Cowboys face a Vikings team that has overturned a fourth-quarter double-digit deficit to win three times in 2022, tying the 1980 Miami Dolphins, 2000 New York Jets, 2003 Indianapolis Colts and 2011 Detroit Lions for the most such victories in a single season.
Dallas will be looking for a significantly better performance in pass defense this week, having allowed a success rate through the air of 52.2 per cent against the Packers. Only six defenses allowed a higher rate of successful plays in Week 10.
If they fail to improve on their struggles in the loss at Lambeau Field, it figures to be a long day for the Cowboys' defense against arguably the top receiver in the NFL.
Justin Jefferson produced an astonishing 10-catch, 193-yard display in the win over the Bills, including his phenomenal fourth-down catch that kept the Vikings' hopes alive in the fourth quarter.
He has 814 receiving yards over his last six games, the most in a six-game span in Vikings history and the most by any NFL player over a six-game span in a single season since Antonio Brown had 868 in 2015.
The level to which the Cowboys are able to restrict his ability to add to that tally may have a significant bearing on whether Dallas can put themselves in the mix to be top dog in the NFC.
Novak Djokovic finished with a perfect group-stage record at the ATP Finals after beating Daniil Medvedev 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-2) in a lengthy three-hour contest on Friday.
Djokovic – who is bidding to equal Roger Federer's record of six ATP Finals titles – sealed his spot in the last four by beating Andrey Rublev on Wednesday, but he was in no mood to do the already-eliminated Medvedev any favours in Turin.
The 21-time grand slam winner dominated the opening set, winning 89 per cent of points behind his first serve and hitting several outstanding cross-court forehand winners.
Djokovic began the second set in similar fashion, but saw his standards dip when he returned to the court following a long stoppage at 5-5.
The rejuvenated Medvedev forced a tie-break with a delightful drop shot before taking advantage of a rare double fault from Djokovic to level the match.
With the exhausted Djokovic visibly shaking ahead of the decider and his semi-final against Taylor Fritz looming, the Serbian's commitment to Friday's dead rubber could have been called into question, but he found a second wind to take the match away from Medvedev.
Djokovic was on the ropes when he saw his serve broken for the first time in the tournament nine games into the third set, but he hit back immediately and then forced another tie-break.
The Serbian was back to his exquisite best from there on as he sealed the win by hitting a huge forehand winner down the line, though the drawn-out nature of his victory could yet play into Fritz's hands.
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 9/3
Medvedev – 16/2
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 53/43
Medvedev – 47/35
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 2/6
Medvedev – 1/6
Eddie Jones says England must "light the crowd" when they do battle with New Zealand in a mouth-watering Test at Twickenham on Saturday.
The All Blacks will be looking for a measure of revenge for a 19-7 defeat to the Red Rose the last time the two heavyweight nations collided in a Rugby World Cup semi-final in Yokohama three years ago.
You have to go back a decade for England's last victory over New Zealand at their headquarters in London.
There was drama before the 2019 semi-final kicked off in Japan, with England crossing the halfway line as they lined up in a V formation while the All Blacks performed the haka.
Owen Farrell, who will win his 100th cap this weekend, was also caught smirking on the big screen as his opponents were laying down the pre-match challenge with their famous ceremonial Maori war dance.
England head coach Eddie Jones expects his players to whip the crowd into a frenzy for their penultimate Test of the year.
"The haka in 2019 had a massive effect on the fans," said the wily Australian.
"On Saturday we've got a responsibility to light the crowd up and we want to, as they can be our 24th player.
"Whether it's during the haka or post the haka I don't really care. We're going to go after them."
Jones is confident England will rise to the challenge of facing the in-form Rugby Championship winners.
"It takes a massive effort to beat New Zealand, our players understand that," said Jones. "It's like if you're a climber going to the top of Mount Everest.
"Traditionally they have bullied teams, so you've got to get on the front foot, be physical. You've got to truly believe you can win; that your strengths are stronger than theirs, that you will expose their weaknesses.
"We believe we've got strength that we can maximise against New Zealand. We believe there are weaknesses we can expose. We're prepared."
Helmut Marko says Daniel Ricciardo will be Red Bull's third driver in the 2023 Formula One season.
Ricciardo is without a seat on the grid next year after his McLaren contract was terminated 12 months before it was due to end.
The Australian paid the price for a disappointing season in which he has finished in the top 10 just six times, sitting 12th in the driver standings.
Ricciardo had stated that spending time away from F1 could be a "blessing in disguise", but Red Bull advisor Marko revealed he will have a part to play after all.
Marko told Sky Germany ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: "Ricciardo will be our third driver.
"We have so many sponsors, we have to do show runs and the like, so of course he's one of the most high profile and best suited."
Ricciardo spent five seasons with Red Bull before joining Renault for the 2019 and 2020 campaigns.
World champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will remain Red Bull team-mates for the 2023 season.
A new Formula One competition for young female drivers will start next year.
The F1 Academy will be introduced in 2023 to develop and prepare drivers with the aim of progressing to competitions such as F1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and W Series.
There will be five teams, run by current F2 and F3 constructors, with three cars each to make up a grid of 15.
The inaugural series will include 21 races, with three taking place at seven events on the calendar.
Drivers will be competing in cars with a Tatuus T421 chassis, with Autotecnica supplying turbocharged engines that will produce 165 horsepower.
CEO of Formula Motorsport Limited Bruno Michel will manage the new series, with F1 to subsidise the cost of each car with a budget of €150,000 - with drivers covering the same costs.
"Everyone should have the opportunity to follow their dreams and achieve their potential and Formula One wants to ensure we are doing everything we can to create greater diversity and routes into this incredible sport,” said F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said.
"That is why I am delighted to announce the F1 Academy that will give young female drivers the best chance to fulfil their ambitions through a comprehensive programme that supports their racing careers and gives them everything they need to move into F3 and hopefully to F2 and then the pinnacle of Formula 1.
"The more opportunity there is the better and this is designed to provide another route for the drivers to succeed."
There are no more perfect teams in the NFL, just some very good ones.
The Philadelphia Eagles lost their 100 per cent record against the Washington Commanders on Monday, and will look to bounce back in Indianapolis in Week 11.
The New York Jets return from their bye week looking to continue to surprise, though they have a tough trip to the New England Patriots to contend with, while the Minnesota Vikings host the Dallas Cowboys in another enticing clash.
Stats Perform has taken a look at some of the more interesting numbers ahead of these and other big games on Sunday.
Philadelphia Eagles (8-1) @ Indianapolis Colts (4-5-1)
Philadelphia possessed the ball for just 19 minutes and 36 seconds of game time in the loss to the Commanders. It was their lowest time of possession in a game since another loss to Washington in Week 4 of the 2015 season (18:52).
Jalen Hurts rushed for a touchdown last week, giving him 20 in his career. At 24 years and 99 days old, he became the second-youngest quarterback in NFL history to reach 20 rushing touchdowns, trailing only Cam Newton (23 years, 199 days).
Matt Ryan had a 39-yard rush in last week's win over the Las Vegas Raiders, the longest run of his career. It was the longest rushing play by a Colts quarterback since Jim Harbaugh ran for 41 yards in Week 4 of the 1994 season.
With a win, Jeff Saturday would join Jim Caldwell (2009) as the only Colts head coaches to win the first two games of their careers.
New York Jets (6-3) @ New England Patriots (5-4)
The Patriots have won 13 consecutive games against the Jets, winning every meeting since the beginning of the 2016 season. That is tied for the longest active win streak against a single opponent for any team (the Chiefs over the Broncos).
The Jets entered their bye week with a 20-17 win over the Bills in which they had 136 net passing yards. They are 5-0 this season when having 250 or fewer passing yards in a game compared to 1-3 when they have more than 250.
Players aged 23 and younger have gained 2002 yards from scrimmage for the Jets this season, the most in the NFL (next most is the Colts with 1336). That is already the most scrimmage yards for the Jets by players 23 and under since the 1990 season (2452).
Jakobi Meyers leads the Patriots with 457 receiving yards this season, one of five New England players with 200+ receiving yards this season. Only the Green Bay Packers (six) have more players with at least 200 receiving yards in 2022.
Dallas Cowboys (6-3) @ Minnesota Vikings (8-1)
Last week was the Vikings' third win this season after trailing by double digits in the fourth quarter, tying the 1980 Dolphins, 2000 Jets, 2003 Colts and 2011 Lions for the most such wins in a campaign in NFL history.
Justin Jefferson has 814 receiving yards over his last six games, the most in a six-game span in Vikings history and the most by any NFL player over a six-game span in a single season since Antonio Brown recorded 868 in 2015.
With his 81-yard rushing touchdown last week, Dalvin Cook has now had a rush of at least 65 yards in five straight seasons, level with Derrick Henry (2017-21) for the longest streak by any player since the 1970 merger.
Last week's loss to Green Bay snapped the Cowboys' streak of 195 consecutive wins when leading by 14 or more points entering the fourth quarter (including postseason), which had been the longest streak in NFL history.
Elsewhere...
The Buffalo Bills take on the Cleveland Browns having had at least 100 rushing yards and 300 total yards in 16 straight games, including postseason, the third-longest streak in the Super Bowl era behind the Seattle Seahawks (19, 2014-15) and the Vikings (18, 2002-03).
The Detroit Lions will need to stop Saquon Barkley, who had a career-high 35 rushing attempts for 152 yards in the New York Giants' 24-16 win over the Houston Texans last week. His 35 rushes were the most in a game by any NFL running back this season and the most by a Giant since Joe Montgomery had 38 against the Jets in 1999.
Ahead of facing the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has completed 76.8 per cent of his passes over his last four games, the fourth-highest by any QB over a four-game span in a single season in NFL history (minimum 140 attempts, excluding overlapping spans) behind Peyton Manning (78.8) and Philip Rivers in 2013 (78.3), and Sam Bradford in 2016 (77.9).
The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2, 27-24. Since 2018, six of the nine games between the Chiefs and Chargers have been decided by seven points or fewer, tied for the third most of any matchup since then (Bears-Lions and Texans-Colts, seven each).
Aaron Judge is resigned to being an intrigued observer when the ball he struck for a record-breaking 62nd home run goes up for auction – declaring he cannot afford to join the bidding race.
The 30-year-old set a single-season Yankees and AL home-run record by reaching 62 to surpass Roger Maris Sr's 61 – set 61 years ago in 1961.
Judge became the fourth major league player to hit 62 or more homers in a single season, and his feat belongs in baseball legend, making the ball that saw him set the record on October 4 especially valuable.
It occurred at the home of the Texas Rangers in Arlington, with the spectator at Globe Life Field that caught the ball striking lucky by guaranteeing himself an apparent fortune.
According to ESPN, that man, Cory Youmans, decided to put the ball in the hands of Goldin Auctions "after weeks of a lot of deep conversations" with his wife and lawyer.
Youmans said: "It seems fair in the sense it gives anyone that is interested and has the means the opportunity to own it. As a fan, I'm curious to see what it's worth, who buys it and what they do with it."
Youmans is said to have already turned down $3million for the ball, with his lawyer, Dave Baron, suspecting the final selling price could be "significantly higher based on New York, the New York fan base and how crazy it could get at an auction".
That rules Judge out of contention, as he said the ball is "out of my price range right now".
The ball is listed with a starting bid of $1million, with the auction due to get under way on November 30.
Judge said of the seller's choice: "He caught the ball, he's the one that made the play out there in left field, so it's his right to do what he wants with it. Hopefully he's making the right decision for him and his family.''
The ball's value will not have been harmed by Judge winning the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award ahead of Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday.
Ben Simmons says people underestimate how hard it is to return from back surgery following his first double-double in almost 18 months in the Brooklyn Nets' 109-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday.
Simmons, who was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Nets in February, enjoyed his best scoring game since his switch, with 15 points along with 13 rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes.
The double-double was the Australian's first in the NBA since June 14, 2021, having not played at all last season before undergoing back surgery in May.
The much-maligned Simmons has struggled for impact upon his return to playing this season, averaging 5.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists, but Thursday was a breakthrough.
"People make it seem like I had a sprained ankle or something," Simmons told reporters. "I had back surgery, that’s not easy to come back from.
"I take it day by day, I stay locked in, I stay focused and continue to build, myself, my body and my game."
Simmons has missed games this season due to injury and soreness, but he is building some momentum after making 11-of-13 from the field in his past two games, where he has posted double-digit scores.
"I'm coming," Simmons said with a grin. "I'm getting there, it's taking a little bit of time. My team-mates have got my back, my coaches."
Kevin Durant, who top scored for the Nets with 35 points, hailed the impact made by his team-mate Simmons.
"He was incredible tonight," Durant said. "I thought he did a good job of commanding the offense, commanding the team on the defensive side of the ball. He controlled the game and was able to get us back into it."
Simmons has been criticised for his free-throw shooting in the past but made three-of-four from the stripe, all coming in the final four minutes of the fourth quarter with the game up for grabs.
"We had no doubts when he walked up there," Durant said. "I felt like we all were confident, just how he was playing. I felt super confident when he went up there, so three-from-four, crunch time like that. That was key for us. We needed those.
"He shot them like he was confident. He ran back down the court like he knew they were going in. When he's playing aggressive like that, when he's downhill, he did it all for us tonight. I'm excited for him because this is the type of the game that we all needed to see.
"I think everybody else on the outside, basketball fans in general, was loving it and couldn’t wait to see this type of performance from him. We expect that from him every night."
Aaron Rodgers felt he threw "a lot of kinda wobblers" in a defeat to the Tennessee Titans and described boos from Green Bay Packers fans as "interesting".
The Packers' playoff hopes took another blow at Lambeau Field, where they were consigned to a 27-17 defeat on Thursday.
After beating the Dallas Cowboys to halt a five-game losing streak last Sunday, Green Bay slipped up again and are 4-7 in second place in the NFC North.
Quarterback Rodgers finished on 24-of-39 passing for 227 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Derrick Henry was a star of the show, rushing for 87 yards to become the first running back to pass the 1,000-yard mark this season.
He also rushed for his 10th touchdown, becoming the fifth player in NFL history to rush for 10 or more touchdowns in five consecutive seasons.
Packers supporters made their feelings clear and Rodgers was clearly puzzled to hear them turn on their side.
"Interesting," Rodgers said when asked about the boos. "That's the best I can give you."
Rodgers, bothered by a thumb problem of late, offered a frank assessment of his performance during Green Bay's latest setback.
"I couldn't tell you, point to one thing [that went wrong]," he said. "I'm not going to make excuses about my thumb, it's been the same since New York.
"I don't know. I've gotta go back and look at it. It felt like fundamentally I was in a good spot. I just didn't have the same type of consistent grip and ball coming out the same way.
"I threw a lot of kinda wobblers tonight. There was some wind. I just missed a few throws I should have had."
He added: "I've got to throw the ball better than I did tonight. Not a lot of margin for error for us and definitely not against a team that gives you some opportunities. We've got to have those plays.
Four-time NFL MVP Rodgers says all is not lost for the Packers.
"We've gotta play up to our potential," Rodgers said. "If we play up to our potential, we can win our last six games. I'm confident of that. Obviously I've gotta play up to my potential; tonight wasn't it."
Kawhi Leonard had a limited statistical impact in his latest return from a knee injury, but Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was delighted with his movement and defensive output.
Leonard returned after 12 games out with stiffness in his surgically-repaired right knee as the Clippers beat the Detroit Pistons 96-91 on Thursday, scoring six points on two-of-eight field shooting with five rebounds and four assists.
The two-time NBA Finals MVP missed all of last season after rupturing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs, when the Clippers reached the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history.
Leonard started and played 25 minutes against the Pistons, having only managed 21 minutes in both of his two games off the bench earlier this season before his 12-game absence.
"He looked pretty good as far as his movement," Lue told reporters, with the win improving the Clippers to 9-7. "His impact defensively is huge for us.
"With him on the floor, we're a different team. It gives us a sense of calmness when he has the ball in his hand."
Leonard's availability going forward will be determined day to day by how he is feeling, but the small forward was content to be back for now.
"It was good to be back," he said. "I felt good.
"It's going to be a long journey. ACL recovery isn't just one year. It's a two-year process."
Reggie Jackson, who top scored for the Clippers with 23 points, said Leonard's presence was a major boost for the side.
"It is going to take a second to figure it out," Jackson told ESPN. "We know his spots, we know the shots he wants to get. He got great looks tonight. The only thing he didn’t have tonight was rhythm.
"His ability to get to his spots, his ability to be great, he did amazing, he drew a lot of defense for us and made it easier for us to get some easy shots.
"He didn’t have it necessarily going the way that we're all accustomed to, but he was still very special for us tonight. Happy to have him back. Hopefully we can keep everybody healthy and get this rolling."
Royce O'Neale tipped in the game-winner with 0.7 seconds left as the Brooklyn Nets edged the Portland Trail Blazers 109-107 to improve their overall record to 7-9 on Thursday.
Kevin Durant, who finished with a game-high 35 points, missed his turn-around jumper but O'Neale was on hand with a tip-in to help the Nets snap their two-game skid.
Durant went 13-of-22 from the field with eight rebounds, three assists and a block, clocking up his 26,000th career NBA point along the way, becoming the 19th player to achieve that feat.
The Nets got strong contributions off the bench as Yuta Watanabe added 20 points with seven rebounds, while Ben Simmons had a double-double with 15 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Game-winner O'Neale, who was in the starting line-up, had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for the game.
The victory comes after Durant's stinging public criticism of the Nets' starting quality in the continued absence of the suspended Kyrie Irving, who may return for Sunday's game with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Damian Lillard top scored for Portland, who fall to 10-5, with 25 points along with 11 assists. Anfernee Simons added 24 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 17, including a three-point play to tie the game up with 6.5 seconds to go.
Kawhi returns as Clippers shoot down Pistons
Kawhi Leonard had minimal impact on his return after 12 games out as the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from a 12-point deficit to win 96-91 over the Detroit Pistons.
Leonard scored six points with five rebounds and four assists after not playing since October 24 due to knee stiffness. The two-time NBA Finals MVP, who was in the starting lineup, shot two-of-eight from the field.
Reggie Jackson scored a team-high 23 points in a low-scoring game, while Ivica Zubac pulled down 18 rebounds with nine points.
Kings remain hot as Fox fires
The Sacramento Kings improved to 8-6 with their fifth straight victory, winning 130-112 over the San Antonio Spurs.
De'Aaron Fox scored a team-high 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting along with eight assists, while Malik Monk added 26 points off the bench. Spurs guard Devin Vassell top scored with 29 points, including four triples.
The Kings' five-game win streak is their first since the 2020-21 season, while it comes after they started the season 0-4, winning eight of their past 10 games.
New Jersey Devils head coach Lindy Ruff hailed his side's play after extending their win streak to 11 games with Thursday's 3-2 overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Yegor Sharangovich scored on a rebound 57 seconds into overtime, for his fourth goal of the season, while goal-tender Vitek Vanecek made 25 saves as the Devils improved to 14-3-0.
The Devils' 11-game unbeaten run is tied for the second-longest streak in franchise history, with the longest being 13 from 2000-01 when that side were Stanley Cup runners-up.
"I don’t know if we're really focusing on the rest of the league," Ruff told reporters when asked if the win streak was a statement for other teams.
"You've got to have a lot of good things happen to run a streak like this. In this league, a goalie can beat you, a couple of bad bounces can beat you. We've definitely played with a lot of pace and a lot of speed and been able to take it to a lot of teams."
One player who has been central to the Devils' success is captain Nico Hischier, who put his side up with his second-period goal, before William Nylander's quick shot with 2:09 remaining in the third sent it to overtime.
Ruff suggested that Swiss 23-year-old Hischier should be a candidate for the Selke Trophy, the NHL's top defensive award, comparing him to five-time winner Patrice Bergeron.
"He's a power-play guy, he's one of our top penalty killers," Ruff said about Hischier. "You look at where he is with his play away from the puck, I actually think he should be a candidate this year.
"If he can stay healthy, his two-way game is right up there with the likes of Bergeron."
Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe rued his side's 23 giveaways compared to the Devils' 14, acknowledging that is what sets them apart.
"We get the puck back and you give it right back to them," Keefe said. "Can't happen.
"We beat ourselves at times and gave them free goals. They didn't beat themselves at all. That's how you win 11 in a row — you don't beat yourself."
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