LeBron James avoided a serious groin tear but is "doubtful" for the Los Angeles Lakers' game with the Sacramento Kings on Friday, according to head coach Darvin Ham.
James limped out of the Lakers' 114-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers with 5:41 remaining in the fourth quarter on Wednesday and told reporters after the game he felt he had strained his groin.
The four-time NBA MVP missed 17 straight games in the 2018-19 season due to a torn left groin.
James underwent an MRI on Thursday, which revealed he did not suffer a tear, but has a left adductor strain.
"It's not torn, that's the biggest thing, that he didn't tear anything," Ham told reporters. "It was good news.
"I'm sure it's painful. Doubtful, day-to-day, whatever - I'm just happy there wasn't anything torn."
The Lakers have struggled to a 2-9 start to the season but James has provided strong output, averaging 24.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game.
James' injury comes with the Lakers set to face the Kings on Friday, followed by the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, before a five-day break until their next game against Detroit Pistons on November 18.
The Lakers suffered their fifth straight loss in a game where James has scored 30 or more points against the Clippers on Wednesday.
Tony Finau is one of four players with a share of the lead after finishing Thursday's opening round of the Houston Open with a five-under 65.
Finau is joined by fellow Americans Aaron Wise and Tyson Alexander, as well as Sweden's Alex Noren, although Alexander still has one hole to play as the late-starters had their rounds cut short when darkness halted the action.
Ranked 15th in the world, Finau caught fire on his second nine, posting five birdies from his final eight holes to fly up the leaderboard.
Canadian duo Taylor Pendrith and Mackenzie Hughes headline the logjam tied for fifth at four under, with England's Justin Rose part of the 10-player group one further back at three under.
It was a rough day out for the big names in the field, with world number two Scottie Scheffler and former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama shooting even-par 70s to finish the round tied for 53rd.
That pairing at least remain in the hunt, which is more than can be said for last week's winner of the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba, with Russell Henley struggling on his way to two over.
Another former Masters champion had a tough time, with Danny Willett unlikely to make the cut after his five-over 75, while world number 12 and recent Presidents Cup debutant Sam Burns had a day to forget, shooting seven over.
The Las Vegas Raiders will be without two former Pro Bowl pass-catchers for at least a month after placing tight end Darren Waller and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow on injured reserve Thursday.
Both Waller and Renfrow will miss a minimum of four games, making them eligible to return against the Los Angeles Rams on December 8.
Waller hasn’t played since pulling his hamstring in a Week 5 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, but had been a game-time decision in each of the last two weeks. The 30-year-old tight end aggravated the injury in practice this week, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday, leading to his move to IR.
In a corresponding move, the Raiders will sign tight end Jacob Hollister from the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad for added depth. Foster Moreau will continue to start while Waller is out.
While Las Vegas still expects him to return this season, Waller has been one of the Raiders’ biggest disappointments in a passing game that has fallen well short of expectations.
Waller told reporters Wednesday that he has become frustrated with his slow recovery.
"It's not like I'm doing anything to keep myself off the field willingly,” Waller said. "I'm doing everything that I can. It just may not be happening in the timetable that I'd like for that to happen."
The 2020 Pro Bowl selection has just 16 catches for 175 yards this season, playing in only five games.
Renfrow has been similarly disappointing this season and will now miss serious time with an oblique injury.
Coming off his 100-catch, 1000-yard breakout season in 2021, Renfrow has just 21 receptions this season for 192 yards as Mack Hollins has emerged as the Raiders’ second receiver behind Davante Adams.
After trading for Adams in the offseason and signing him to a massive contract extension, Derek Carr and the Raiders appeared poised to have an explosive offense with plenty of weapons for new coach Josh McDaniels to work with.
Carr, however, is having just a middling season with 11 touchdown passes and five interceptions through eight games.
The 2-6 Raiders host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge collected the first of many individual awards set to come his way when he was named winner of the American League's Hank Aaron Award.
Paul Goldschmidt of the St Louis Cardinals was named the National League winner of the award, which honours the player in each league who had the best offensive season.
Judge, 30, enjoyed the best year of his career as he broke the single-season Yankees and American League home run record, reaching 62 to surpass Roger Maris' 61 – set 61 years ago in 1961.
Making his fourth All-Star game, Judge also set career-highs in batting average (.311), slugging percentage (.686) and on-base percentage (.425) – leading the majors in the latter two metrics.
With two top-five MVP finishes on his resume already – in 2017 and 2021, winning Silver Slugger awards in both years – Judge is considered a lock to top the votes and claim his first this time around.
Meanwhile, Goldschmidt has looked like the NL MVP since the All-Star break, and was rewarded with his second Hank Aaron Award after also winning it back in 2013 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Goldschmidt, 35, is set for his sixth top-six finish in MVP voting, batting .317 while leading the NL in on-base-plus-slugging (OPS) at .981.
His 35 home runs finished one off his career-high, set in 2013 and equalled in 2017, giving him his seventh season with at least 30 dingers.
Goldschmidt has two years remaining on his contract with the Cardinals, while Judge is set to enter free agency for the first time in his career.
The Jamaica Under-18 Crocs and the Senior Crocs, both men and women, are set to compete at the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens competitions from November 11-13 in Mexico City, Mexico.
The championship should have been held in February but the RAN Medical Committee and the Mexican Rugby Federation) decided to postpone because of a surge in the COVID-19 omicron variant.
Jamaica’s senior men’s team are fresh out of World Cup competition while the boys recently topped an Under-19 tournament involving RAN teams in July.
This will be the RAN first Super Sevens' week in which Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands' juniors will be competing in and Bruce Martin, the technical director of the Crocs' Rugby Sevens programme, extended gratitude to the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), which played "a vital and integral role" in the team being able to attend.
“This is a great deal for the Jamaica Under 18 Junior Crocs that acts as a catalyst to so many more major events for us in rugby,” said Martin. “The JOA recognizes that this (U18 RAN Sevens) is a result of many years of hard work and strict dedication from our players on the pathway to dynamic moves in Jamaica Rugby and the JOA equally shares our excitement.”
The junior competition gets going on Friday with Jamaica facing to Mexico B in the morning opener. Afternoon matches will follow against the British Virgin Islands and Trinidad and Tobago.
The senior competition gets going on Saturday with Jamaica's men tackling Curacao in the day's opening match while the women will take on the Dominican Republic near midday. The women will follow up with a game against Bermuda before going up against hosts Mexico.
The focus of the Under-18 Crocs will be to secure a spot at the Youth Commonwealth Games Summer 2023 tournament in Trinidad & Tobago. The longer-term goal will be to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games to be held in Los Angeles, United States.
"This is an exciting time for the Jamaica Under 18 junior Crocs rugby team and it is an added bonus to have the financial support of the JOA all the while understating the budget constraints that they are faced with," Martin said.
He pointed out that the sporting body has "sacrificed with the knowledge that they understand the vision in seeing what this platform allows," while noting his appreciation that Jamaica's players will be able to display their talents and earn their spot as one of the best Under 18 rugby teams not only in the Caribbean, but also in the world.
Jack Draper comfortably defeated home favourite Lorenzo Musetti 4-1 4-0 4-3 (7-3) in Milan to reach the semi-finals of the ATP Next Gen Finals.
Draper only dropped one game in romping to a two-set lead, and though the world number 23 put up more of a fight in the third, his British opponent secured victory and his place in the final four with his second match point.
Brandon Nakashima awaits Draper in the next round, after the American made it three from three by beating Francesco Passaro in straight sets.
A tight opener saw Nakashima find three crucial breaks of serve to take the tie-break, but Passaro could not keep up the pressure and the world number 49 took over to clinch a 4-3 (7-4) 4-2 4-1 triumph.
Matteo Arnaldi joined his countrymen Musetti and Passaro in crashing out at the group-stage, though Jiri Lehecka needed two tie-breaks to see him off 4-3 (7-5) 4-1 4-3 (7-4).
Lehecka and Arnaldi combined to save 11 of 12 break points outside of tie-breaks, but Lehecka's strong second set helped him set up a semi-final encounter with Dominic Stricker.
Stricker reached the final four by cruising past Chun Hsin Tseng 4-2 4-1 4-2 to secure his third straight win at the competition.
The Swiss 20-year-old remained undefeated with 25 winners to Tseng's 11 while he out-aced his Taiwanese opponent six to zero.
LeBron James believes Kyrie Irving's apology following his suspension for posting anti-semitic material on Twitter should be enough to warrant his return to the court.
Irving initially failed to apologise for a social media post about a book and movie with alleged anti-semitic views, nor "unequivocally say he has no anti-semitic beliefs".
The 30-year-old, who was handed a minimum five-game suspension by the Nets, belatedly issued an apology on Instagram after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had expressed his disappointment at the lack of one.
James previously said he did not condone the behaviour of his former Cleveland Cavaliers team-mate, though he now feels Irving has educated himself and should be allowed to return to the NBA court.
"I told you guys that I don't believe in sharing hurtful information, and I'll continue to be that way, but Kyrie apologised and he should be able to play," the Los Angeles Lakers star posted on Twitter on Thursday.
"That's what I think. It's that simple. Help him learn – but he should be playing."
James also suggested the demands on Irving, who has reportedly been presented with a list of requirements to see his suspension overturned, are "excessive".
"What he's [been] asked to do to get back on the floor I think is excessive [in my opinion]," he said. "He's not the person that's being portrayed of him."
Lisa Smith has a vision that Antigua and Barbuda netball can one day be a force to be reckoned with in the Caribbean and by extension, the world.
However, it will require massive investment and patience if the tiny Caribbean island famous for its white-sand beaches and iconic cricketers is to achieve its goal of producing world-class netball players.
Smith, an experienced Level 2 United Kingdom Coaching Certificate (UKCC) netball coach, volunteered to lead the Antigua netball programme in August and nine weeks later took a team to the Americas Netball Qualifier in Jamaica in October.,
With only a few weeks to prepare, the team lost all seven matches it played but Smith came away feeling optimistic about the future, at least from the perspective of available talent.
“I keep trying to remind myself that I arrived in Antigua nine weeks ago and put a team together with people that had played on some international stages at the OECS but not necessarily this level,” she said after the team had suffered its third loss, a 62-29 defeat against Grenada.
“This is a whole new level for Antigua netball. I am seeing so much about that team that is potential for the future. I always knew there was going to be an immense amount of work. That’s the exciting part. That’s the part that I love.”
Subsequent losses to Jamaica (80-29), Cayman (47-42), St Lucia (54-32) and Barbados (68-29), along with opening-day losses to Trinidad and Tobago (55-24) and the United States (34-22) meant that Antigua will be looking to the future fully aware of the significant work that lay ahead.
Smith provided a frank assessment of the team’s performance afterwards.
“The Antigua team by their own admittance were grossly under-prepared when I arrived to coach them in August,” she told Sportsmax. TV
“However, all we could do is set some plans, carry them out and make the first steps to encourage the players involved to see themselves and treat themselves as national athletes.
“The creation of a squad and effective working units were paramount to the coaching team having achieved any of the targets we set for ourselves.
“The standard was expected to be high and it didn’t surprise me to see losses but we stuck to regular quarter-by-quarter, match-by-match plans.”
Notwithstanding the challenges, Smith revealed some positives that she took from the tournament, the building blocks for a foundation to build on for the future.
“(We) achieved defence targets by holding off goals and managed to in some cases exceed our goal targets,” she said.
“We suffered early losses but learnt how to fight through third and fourth quarters with resolve and physical strength. Rotations were tough due to several mid-week injuries and the frequency of matches with zero recovery took a heavy toll on players.
“We used all our reserves and saw advantages for using our younger players proving we no longer need to worry about the loss of seasoned players from the team but use their experience to develop and encourage the next generation.”
For that development to become reality, many changes are necessary for Antigua’s netball to grow. For one, there is a desperate need for even more funding.
Netball on the islands does not get enough support and is almost entirely dependent on fundraising efforts and the generosity of benefactors. However, some financial backing is provided by the Antigua Olympic Committee and other sponsors, for which Smith has expressed her gratitude.
"We’re grateful to all our sponsors, in particular the NOC in Antigua, who have shown continuous support to our programme," she said.
But more is needed.
Shortly after Smith arrived in Antigua in August, she launched a GoFundMe account to raise £1000 to assist with getting the team to Jamaica. Each player on the squad was also tasked with raising US$450 to fund the trip.
Somehow, they managed to raise the estimated EC$100,000 needed but going forward things will have to change.
“We have pencilled together a 10-year plan but obviously it takes a lot of funding and I am listening to the Jamaican head of netball and the president of netball telling me how difficult it is,” Smith said.
“Times that by a million because it’s me that’s been able to be out there getting sponsorship in the last nine weeks. We didn’t know we were coming until (the week before the Americas Netball Qualifier) and we physically did not have the funds in order to get here until we got the last few sponsors on board by begging, stealing and borrowing. I am going to be dead honest about that, that shouldn’t be the case.”
The islands also do not have a structured grassroots programme, something that Smith hopes to correct.
“That needs putting into place hugely,” she declared.
“There’s a schools’ netball programme which, from my point of view, should therefore be feeding into a higher programme of performance so that we could take those best players from those teams in the village leagues and the schools and be producing more of a performance academy of those players from U14, U16, U18, and start to develop that so that they’re feeding the national team and that is where my focus will be next year.”
It will take years for Antigua and Barbuda to raise the level of play to the desired standards but the goal is to become the next ‘Jamaica’ in the Caribbean.
“The comparison is huge but it’s where we want to get to. I always enjoy watching the Jamaica Senior team when they come over to the UK. I have watched all of their matches and been courtside watching them. I absolutely love watching them play,” she said.
Smith was very impressed with the Sunshine Girls and how well they performed at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England in August.
“Their style of play is what is so attractive to me and that’s why I like being out here coaching because of the style and flair that Caribbean netball brings. Then the structure that we then put in place from a lot of the UK and Australian netball, I love the blend of that.
“Jamaica has got it right. They took the Commonwealth by storm and I think they came out with a bit of a hard match on that last one but we were all rooting for them.”
Referring to the young Jamaican team that went unbeaten in their exhibition games in the Qualifier, Smith said: “They put so much athleticism into everything. Those girls there out on the court look world-class. To have that as your next generation brings goosebumps and I would love to be in that position one day.”
Sam Simmonds and Jack van Poortvliet will start for England against Japan at Twickenham on Sunday.
Eddie Jones has named five changes from the shock 30-29 defeat to Argentina last weekend as they prepare to face Japan, who he coached between 2012 and 2015.
Number eight Simmonds has not featured for England since the Six Nations in March but comes in for Billy Vunipola, who drops to the bench.
Alex Coles is replaced by debutant David Ribbans at lock while Van Poortvliet, who scored within 30 seconds of coming on the pitch against Argentina, will start at scrum-half.
Jonny May also comes in for Joe Cokanasiga and Guy Porter is the final introduction as he is chosen to start over Manu Tuilagi at outside centre.
Owen Farrell will captain England and earn his 99th international cap, while hooker Jamie George is on the bench after recovering from a foot injury.
England team to face Japan: 15. Freddie Steward, 14. Jack Nowell, 13. Guy Porter, 12. Owen Farrell (c), 11. Jonny May, 10. Marcus Smith, 9. Jack van Poortvliet; 1. Ellis Genge, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Kyle Sinckler, 4. David Ribbans, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Maro Itoje, 7. Tom Curry, 8. Sam Simmonds.
Replacements: 16. Jamie George, 17. Mako Vunipola, 18. Joe Heyes, 19. Alex Coles, 20. Billy Vunipola, 21. Ben Youngs, 22. Henry Slade, 23. Manu Tuilagi.
Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios could face off in the inaugural United Cup, while WTA world number one Iga Swiatek will represent Poland.
The United Cup is the new warm-up tournament for the ATP and WTA Tour seasons, and will take place in Australia in December and January.
While ATP world number one Carlos Alcaraz will not feature, compatriot Nadal will be competing for Spain, and they have been drawn alongside Australia and Great Britain in Group D.
Those matches will be played in Perth, with a clash between Nadal and Kyrgios, who have enjoyed an entertaining rivalry down the years, in the offing.
They were set to meet in the semi-finals at Wimbledon this year, but Nadal withdrew due to injury, handing Kyrgios a walkover into his first grand slam final, which he lost to Novak Djokovic, who will not be playing in Australia.
Serbia are not among the batch of teams taking part, but even so, there remains doubt whether Djokovic would be able to enter Australia given his stance against the COVID-19 vaccine, which eventually saw him deported from the country after a drawn-out legal battle ahead of this year's Australian Open.
Emma Raducanu has decided against playing for the British team, which also does not feature Andy Murray.
Casper Ruud, the beaten US Open finalist, will play for Norway in Group E, in Brisbane, while Alexander Zverev will be in action for Germany.
Swiatek is the biggest name from the WTA Tour to enter, with the brilliant 21-year-old lining up alongside Hubert Hurkacz for Poland in Group B.
Maria Sakkari and Stefanos Tsitsipas, along with his brother Petros, will team up for Greece in Group A.
Two more countries will be admitted to the tournament later in November.
Kevin Durant does not want Jacque Vaughn's appointment as permanent head coach to be a fleeting "honeymoon stage" for the Brooklyn Nets after winning three of their past four games.
The Nets triumphed 112-85 over the New York Knicks on Wednesday after removing the interim tag from Vaughn's title, appointing him on a permanent basis.
Brooklyn have a 3-2 record under Vaughn, having started the season 2-5 under Steve Nash, who was fired last week. The Nets have also been playing without the suspended Kyrie Irving for their past four games.
"We don't want this to be a honeymoon stage for us," Durant told reporters, after recording a triple-double against the Knicks with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists.
"We want to continue to keep pushing through, keep finding ways to get better, finding ways to turn those weaknesses to strengths and keep pushing from here.
"We were struggling, we've been through a lot. Guys got pride, individual pride, and we just wanted to come out and play better. That's what we've been doing."
Durant presented Vaughn with the game ball afterwards, amid upbeat scenes from a Nets locker-room which has been through plenty this season.
"I was excited for him," Durant said. "I know the work that he puts in every day. I know how much he cares about the development of each player, and this team as a whole.
"Look forward to playing for him. All the guys have responded to how he wants us to play, so I'm looking forward to how we progress after this."
The Nets' recent change in results has coincided with keeping opposition sides below 100 points in their past four games. The run marks the first time Brooklyn have done that since the 2014-15 season.
"We've already taken a big jump last four games, teams under 100 points, which has been great," Vaughn said. "So definitely concerted effort…. We really came out with the right mindset."
On getting the job permanently, he added: "I guess I was the write-in candidate in the minds of elections right now, but I’m OK with that. I said to my wife, I might not have been her first choice and we’ve been together 20 years, so it can all work out. So, off we go."
The Nets' latest win improved their overall record to 5-7, leaving them 11th in the Eastern Conference.
LeBron James is set for scans after feeling a "groin strain" in the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' 114-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
James limped off the court with under six minutes remaining and did not return, wincing in pain and grabbing his groin area. The Lakers said at the time he was experiencing "left leg soreness".
The four-time MVP, who scored 30 points in the game, confirmed that the issue will need medical evaluation.
"I feel good besides for the injury," James said. "I'll get pictures on it tomorrow and go from there.
"But I didn't do anything extreme on the play, it was just when I landed I felt a little spasm or strain in my groin.
"Immediately I came out after the next play down I went to the free-throw line."
James missed 17 straight games during the 2017-19 season with a left groin tear, but he insisted this is "not as bad".
The loss left the Lakers with a 2-9 record, having lost four straight games by double-digit margins, and being without James for a stretch would be a major dent to their hopes of pushing back into contention for the playoffs.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham did not want to speculate on the severity of the injury but admitted there was a balance to be struck in his recovery given the urgency of their situation.
James added: "In order for you to be productive for your teammates you have to take care of your body."
The 37-year-old is averaging 24.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers slumped to their fourth straight double-digit defeat as LeBron James had a late injury scare in a 114-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
James, who played 32 minutes for 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists, was benched late with "left leg soreness" and did not return after wincing upon drawing a foul.
The Lakers loss was their fifth straight defeat when James has scored 30 points, while it was their ninth consecutive defeat to the Clippers, dating back to 2020. That streak is the second longest in series history.
Paul George fired for the Clippers, with 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting along with six rebounds and two blocks, bringing up his sixth straight 25-point game which is the longest run in his time with the franchise. Norman Powell contributed 18 points off the bench.
Anthony Davis scored 21 points with nine rebounds but was shy on offense, while Russell Westbrook managed 14 points with nine assists in 30 minutes off the bench.
The Clippers, who are still without two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, have won five of their past six games and improved to 7-5, while the Lakers are 2-9.
Short-handed Bucks triumph in 2OT
The Milwaukee Bucks overcame the Oklahoma City Thunder in double overtime 136-132 without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday to improve their record to 10-1 and bounce back after their first loss of the season.
Antetokounmpo and Holiday sat out with a sore left knee and sprained right ankle respectively, but Jevon Carter stepped up with a career-high 36 points and 12 assists.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 39 points, drained a triple to give OKC a one-point lead with 0.6 seconds remaining in the first overtime.
Bucks center Brook Lopez, who contributed 24 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks, was fouled by Lu Dort on the inbound pass, but missed one of his two free-throws, sending the game to second overtime, where Milwaukee finished the job.
Jazz's surprise start, Doncic's run halted, KD shines
The Utah Jazz continued their surprise start to the season with a 125-119 win over the Atlanta Hawks, moving them to a Western Conference-leading 10-3 record.
The Jazz rallied after blowing a 12-point lead, piling on 40 fourth-quarter points with Lauri Markkanen scoring a season-high 32 points. Malik Beasley scored six three-pointers, including four in the fourth period, for 18 points for the game.
Luka Doncic was held to less than 30 points for the first time this season, scoring 24 points on nine-of-29 field shooting, as the Dallas Mavericks lost 94-87 to the Orlando Magic.
Kevin Durant had a triple-double with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists as the Brooklyn Nets blew out the New York Knicks 112-85 without the suspended Kyrie Irving.
The Green Bay Packers have moved to claim former first-round draft pick Johnathan Abram off waivers after his release from the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday.
The Packers opened up a roster spot for safety Abram, placing outside linebacker Rashan Gary on injured reserve having been ruled out for the season with an ACL tear.
Abram, 26, was taken 27th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, but his professional career got off to a rough start when he tore his rotator cuff in his first regular season game, cutting his rookie season short after one half.
He played and started in 13 games in his second season, recording two interceptions and six pass breakups, before tallying a career-high 116 tackles as he started 14 games in his third season.
Abram's fifth-year option was declined by the Raiders, under a new regime with general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels.
With his release, Abram is now the fourth of the Raiders' six first-round draft picks under former general manager Mike Mayock to not make it through their rookie contract.
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are running out of time to claim a victory in the 2022 Formula One season, and the Brazilian Grand Prix could represent his best chance.
Hamilton has never gone through an entire season without securing at least one win in his storied F1 career, one which has seen him win seven drivers' championships.
Mercedes' much-maligned 2022 car has displayed signs of improvement in recent races, with Hamilton claiming successive second-place finishes at the United States Grand Prix and the Mexico City Grand Prix.
His hopes of turning those runner-up finishes into a place on the top step of the podium in Brazil will be boosted by his record in Sao Paulo.
Hamilton has three victories at the Interlagos circuit, including his dramatic triumph last season as he rattled off wins in three straight races to take his remarkable title fight with Max Verstappen to its infamous finale in Abu Dhabi.
The chances of a title battle akin to their engrossing 2021 duel disappeared a long time ago as Verstappen has claimed a dominant second drivers' championship, setting an F1 record for the most wins in a season with 14 to this point.
But Hamilton, who was made an honorary citizen of Brazil in the build-up to the race this week, will have his own piece of history to celebrate should he interrupt Verstappen and Red Bull's superiority.
A fourth win at Interlagos would see him equal Michael Schumacher for the most successes at the track, and it would surely be a popular one among the home fans.
FERRARI EYEING NEW POLE MILESTONE
While it has not translated into race wins, Ferrari have dominated qualifying in the 2022 season.
The Scuderia have claimed 12 pole positions - tying their best total for a single season from 2004 - and will set a new high if they top the timesheets on Friday.
But the pole-sitter this weekend may not start the race first, with the grid to be determined by Saturday's sprint.
SECOND PLACE STILL UP FOR GRABS
Despite not winning a race so far this year, Mercedes can still overhaul Ferrari and claim second place in the constructors' championship in one of the few remaining battles for position in the standings.
The Silver Arrows trail Ferrari by 40 points with two races remaining, but Mercedes do not appear to be confident of overhauling that deficit.
Strategy director James Vowles said in their most recent race debrief video: "We are here to finish second in the championship, and every single race that we can start pulling that points gap down is a success.
"In Mexico we took just 13 points out of them, so there are still 40 left to go with two races; fortunately, one of those is a sprint race. I think we have a package now, unlike the beginning of the season or the mid-season, that can really bring the fight to them.
"But 40 points is a tremendous ask – it will need us really having everything perfect, everything right – and Ferrari perhaps to give us opportunities to open the door for us to pick up second. What I can tell you is that we are not giving up until the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi."
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has entered the concussion protocol putting him in doubt for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Rams head coach Sean McVay confirmed on Wednesday that Stafford had entered the protocol on Tuesday with medical staff performing their "cleanup after the game" from Sunday's 16-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stafford has not missed an NFL game since 2019, but if he is unavailable, John Wolford would be the Rams' starting quarterback.
"We'll take it a day at a time with him," McVay told reporters. "We're still anticipating and having the optimistic approach that there's a possibility that he'll be ready to go."
McVay added: "I know Matthew's going to do everything in his power to try to be able to be ready and we'll just take it a day at a time.
"But John's a guy that when he's been in these situations, he's stepped in and done a really good job. And it wasn't too long ago that he had to come in a game that we had to have to be able to get into the playoffs and he performed incredibly well."
McVay clarified that Stafford had not shown any indication that he was dealing with concussion symptoms during Sunday's game. He said medical staff "determined that they felt like that [entering protocols] was the best thing for him".
Stafford completed 13 of 27 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions against the Bucs. He was sacked four times in the game.
The 34-year-old Super Bowl LVI champion has a 68.4 per cent completion rate for 1,928 passing yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions this season.
The Rams are 3-5 and third in the NFC West, while the Cardinals are 3-6 and fourth in that division.
Dominic Stricker defeated home favourite Lorenzo Musetti in five tie-break sets to make it two wins from two at the ATP Next Gen Finals and advance to the semi-finals.
The world number 111, who is seeded sixth in Milan following a flurry of withdrawals, defeated Musetti 4-3 (7-5) 4-3 (8-6) 3-4 (9-7) 3-4 (8-6) 4-3 (7-3) in Wednesday's epic match that last two hours and 31 minutes.
Having become the first player in the tournament's history to win three successive tie-breaks in Tuesday's win against Jack Draper, Stricker advances with a match to spare.
Musetti now faces a winner-takes-all showdown with Jack Draper on Thursday after the latter recovered to defeat Tseng Chun-hsin 1-4 4-2 4-3 (7-2) 4-2.
In the Green Group, Francesco Passaro saved three match points to overcome Italian compatriot Matteo Arnaldi 4-3 (9-7) 2-4 3-4 (7-4) 4-3 (7-4) 4-3 (10-8).
In what will go down as one of the all-time great matches in Next Gen history, Passaro triumphed after two hours and 38 minutes to get off the mark with his first victory.
"I am very tired," he said. "It was a really long match and this format I think it is tough and physical.
"For me it was physical today, with the tension as well, I was cramping. It was not easy. I am really happy to win and I will enjoy."
Brandon Nakashima moved to the top of the standings with a 4-1 4-3 (7-2) 4-2 victory against Jiri Lehecka as the third seed made it back-to-back wins at the Allianz Cloud.
Every year, a host of NFL players and teams head into seasons looking to prove themselves.
Some fall short, but others rise to the occasion spectacularly.
It is the latter Stats Perform has focused on for this week's edition of fantasy picks, with every selection except for that at tight end for Week 10 looking at players and areas of certain teams that have emphatically answered the bell.
These offensive players and our selection in the defense slot deserve to be taken seriously, and they deserve a place in your fantasy team if you have them rostered or they are somehow available on the waiver wire.
Quarterback – Justin Fields, Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions
After following up impressive games against the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys with a spectacular performance in defeat to the Miami Dolphins last week, it’s time to accept Fields is a starter-level quarterback in fantasy football.
Against Miami, Fields threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another score while adding 178 yards on the ground, that tally the most by a quarterback in a regular-season game since 1940.
The Lions may have only conceded nine points against the Green Bay Packers last week, but they still surrendered 389 net yards, with theirs a defense allowing a league-high 6.39 yards per play. Facing an opponent ill-equipped to stop him on the ground or through the air, Fields will reaffirm his legitimacy as a fantasy quarterback and one of the NFL’s most promising young signal-callers at Ford Field.
Running Back – Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs
Etienne, effectively playing his rookie year having seen his 2021 season lost to injury, is now the undisputed focal point of the Jacksonville run game following the Jaguars' decision to trade James Robinson to the New York Jets.
It is a role in which Etienne has thrived, racking up 100 yards in each of his last three games, across which he has scored four touchdowns.
This week, he faces a Chiefs run defense that has allowed a success rate of 41.5 per cent, the fourth-worst in the NFL.
Jacksonville may eventually be forced to move away from the run game if they fall behind against the Chiefs as most expect, but the numbers suggest Etienne will put up good enough numbers to be worthy of a fantasy start regardless.
Wide Receiver – Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins vs. Cleveland Browns
There was plenty of doubt surrounding a Dolphin offense helmed by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa going into the season. Those concerns have been emphatically allayed, however, with the Miami attack second in the NFL in yards per play through nine weeks of the season.
Waddle and Tyreek Hill have been the primary beneficiaries of the beautiful marriage between Tagovailoa and Dolphins head coach and offensive play-caller Mike McDaniel.
Hill has already surpassed 1,000 yards receiving, and Waddle is rapidly closing in on four figures. He heads into the Dolphins' meeting with the Browns on 812.
Cleveland's defense has been solid against the pass but has allowed 12 big play touchdowns, tied for the third-most in the NFL, with eight of those coming through the air. The Browns are therefore still a defense Waddle and Hill can exploit, with the former joining his three-time first-team All-Pro team-mate as one of the most dynamic deep threats in the NFL.
Tight End – Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos @ Tennessee Titans
There has been little reason to take the Bronco offense seriously so far this season, but Dulcich's emergence in recent weeks has provided something for Denver to be optimistic about.
He has 12 receptions in his three games so far as a rookie, averaging 15.2 yards per reception and swiftly earning the trust of Russell Wilson
With 14 targets over the last two games, Dulcich already looks to be an established part of the passing attack, and that is likely to remain the case against a Titans defense in the bottom half of the league in success rate against the pass (41.7 per cent). Dulcich is an intriguing fantasy play this week at a position where it is famously difficult to find consistent contributors outside of the league’s elite.
Defense/Special Teams – Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers
The Cowboys' high dependence on turnovers last season made their defense a tough one to trust going into the campaign.
However, it has remained one of the best in the NFL and is fourth in the league by success rate (36.1 per cent). Only two defenses have forced more negative plays than Dallas (62), and this week the Cowboys get to face a Packers team in the midst of a five-game losing streak.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has grown increasingly careless with the ball as their woes have continued, and with the Packers dealing with injuries on the offensive line, this is a matchup that looks ripe for Micah Parsons and Co. to dominate and deliver substantial fantasy points.
The Brooklyn Nets have appointed Jacque Vaughn as head coach on a permanent basis.
Vaughn had been placed in charge on an interim basis following the sacking of Steve Nash last week.
The Nets are 4-7 for the season, and 2-2 since Nash was dismissed and replaced by Vaughn, who has been assistant at the franchise since 2016, briefly taking on an interim head coach role in for 10 games in 2020 after the dismissal of Kenny Atkinson.
General manager Sean Marks praised Vaughn’s capability of getting the best out of Brooklyn’s talented roster, saying: "Jacque's basketball acumen, competitiveness and intimate knowledge of our team and organisation make him the clear-cut best person to lead our group moving forward.
"He has a proven ability to get the best out of our players, hold them accountable and play a cohesive, team-first style of basketball."
It had been speculated that the Nets would turn to suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka, who was assistant at the Nets in the 2020-21 season, but they have decided to promote from within.
Vaughn's first game as permanent head coach will be against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
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