Max Verstappen insists he fully deserved his Formula One world championship triumph and does not believe the achievement has been overshadowed by the ongoing controversy around the title-deciding race.
The 24-year-old clinched his first title by pipping seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.
Hamilton had built up a healthy lead over his Red Bull rival in the season finale, with both men having entered the race level on points, until a controversial late safety car period was followed by Verstappen overtaking the Mercedes driver on the final lap.
Mercedes were furious with how race rules were applied in a safety-car situation and challenged the result, believing Hamilton was unfairly prevented from winning the race and the championship when Verstappen passed him with only a few corners remaining.
The FIA last month announced a "detailed analysis" of the contentious ending has started, with the result of the inquiry to be released before this season's first race in Bahrain on March 20.
Regardless of the verdict reached by the sport's governing body, Verstappen does not believe the controversy detracts from his triumph.
"[The FIA] can't do anything," Verstappen told The Guardian.
Asked if he felt his maiden title triumph has been overshadowed somewhat, the Dutchman replied: "Not at all. I had a very good season and I think I really deserved it.
"I have been really unlucky as well. People always remember the last race but, if you look at the whole season, the championship should have been decided way earlier."
Verstappen was graciously congratulated by Hamilton following his title-clinching victory in Abu Dhabi, bringing down the curtain on an eventful season that saw both drivers take it in turns to lead the standings.
A low point in the campaign for Verstappen came at the British Grand Prix in July when clashing with Hamilton on the first lap as the home favourite tried to force his way down the inside at Copse Corner.
Verstappen smashed the barriers at 180mph and therefore did not finish the race, with Hamilton finishing first and wildly celebrating his win while his title rival was being examined in hospital.
However, the Red Bull driver did not use that as extra motivation for the second half of the season.
"I don't think we work like that," he said. "It's disrespectful what happened there but we looked at what we could have done better.
"Once we came back from the break as a team we really did a good job because we won races in the second half of the season we shouldn't have won."
While talk still rumbles on regarding the end of the 2021 season, the new campaign is now just over a month away and Verstappen has a target on his back as defending champion.
"That little pressure in the back of your mind, of having to win a world championship or trying to win it, has gone," he said.
"It's already happened. I've done it. So when it's tough or you're having bad luck you probably will deal with it easier than normal."
Klay Thompson reflected on reaching a "huge milestone" after bumping up his playing time to 30 minutes in the Golden State Warriors' 110-98 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Regarded as one of the best shooters in NBA history, Thompson has been slowly building up his game time since returning from consecutive ACL and Achilles injuries that left him on the shelf for two and a half years.
He drained two late three-pointers to evoke memories of his Game 6 heroics against the same opponents in 2016 when he nailed 11 three-point efforts – a playoff record.
"That's a huge milestone for myself, and hopefully I can build on it," Thompson said.
"I feel incredible. I feel like I haven't missed a beat only 12 games in."
The majority of Thompson's minutes came in the second half, playing 17.21 in the final two quarters.
Head coach Steve Kerr explained why, saying: "It was awesome just to have Klay back in crunch time.
"Knowing the defense was going to be heavily slighted toward Steph [Curry] and for him to get free and knock down a couple of shots, it was really fun to see."
An increase to Thompson's playing time will be a welcome relief for Kerr, who is still without Draymond Green, James Wiseman and Nemanja Bjelica, while Andre Iguodala sustained lower back tightness against the Thunder having returned after nine games on the sidelines.
"Meaning we don't have to think about it [rotating]," Kerr said of the boost of Thompson's minutes.
"Like, we don't have to pull him out. He might be going really well and we can play him a few extra minutes without having to follow really strict guidelines."
Thompson's late efforts were not necessarily in keeping with his performance overall. Prior to those shots he was one-of-six from three-point range (finishing three-of-eight by the end of the game) and was six-of-15 from the floor overall.
But superstar team-mate Steph Curry believes the Warriors will continue to see the very best of Thompson as his minutes gradually increase.
"There's just confidence knowing he still has that instinct and no matter how the game is going up to that point. He's still got the shooter's DNA of the next shot is going in," Curry said.
"As his minutes ramp up, you'll continue to see those high peaks and Klay going nuts."
LeBron James launched a staunch defence of "brother" and Los Angeles Lakers team-mate Russell Westbrook, insisting "we're all in this together".
Point guard Westbrook has bore the brunt of criticism during a disjointed Lakers season that has left the team below the .500 mark.
Acquired from the Washington Wizards, Westbrook was brought in to play a part in a stellar cast alongside James and Anthony Davis, but things have not worked out too well in LA.
Westwood is averaging 18.4 points (tied 35th), 7.8 rebounds (tied 34th) and 7.7 assists (tied ninth) per game. The 33-year-old was benched for the entirety of overtime in the Lakers 122-115 win over the New York Knicks on Saturday having made just one of 10 field goals.
It was the fifth time in 2021-22 Westbrook made only three field goals or less from 10 attempts, while his numbers in points, rebounds, assists, steals, field-goal percentage and three-point percentages all rank lower than they did with the Wizards last season.
There has even been talk that the Lakers may try and find Westbrook a new home before Thursday's trade deadline, but James said the team's issues cannot be pinned on one player.
"At the end of the day, as his brother, we're all in this together," James told reporters after Monday's practice.
"We're all in the foxhole together. There is not one guy who is doing it by themselves. There's not one guy you can blame over another guy.
"There's not one guy who gets the praise over another guy. When we lose, we all lose. When we win, we all win. It's really that simple."
The Lakers sit ninth in the Western Conference, three games back of the Denver Nuggets in sixth – a position that guarantees avoiding the play-in tournament for the playoffs.
Part of their issues have centred on injuries, with James and Anthony Davis having both missed significant chunks of the season.
Indeed, Westbrook has only played a combined seven games at the same time as his superstar team-mates this season.
"I haven't been part of a season like this where injuries have played such a toll, but also protocols, false protocols, positive protocols, head coach being out for multiple games," James added.
"So, it's just challenging, a weird sort of different season for all of us. And not just [for the] Lakers, but a lot of teams in the NBA. So, it's kind of impossible to gauge, I guess, previous encounters that you've had, because it's totally different."
Head coach Frank Vogel said he has spoken to Westbrook after his overtime decision against the Knicks.
"You still communicate afterwards and there was that today," Vogel said.
"I've always taken pride with my teams in making sure I'm communicating with guys with whatever happens within a game.
"Obviously not every player, every game, but if a certain thing requires a reach out or just a follow-up then we'll have that."
The Lakers are back in action in a blockbuster showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
The New Orleans Saints are set to hire defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as their new head coach to replace long-time leader Sean Payton, according to reports.
Payton stepped away from the head coaching role two weeks ago after the Saints missed the NFL playoffs with a 9-8 record.
Allen previously held the head coach role with the Oakland Raiders from 2014 to 2014 but struggled with a 8-28 record.
Former NFL head coaches Brian Flores and Doug Pederson were also interviewed for the role along with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and their own special teams coordinator, Darren Rizzi.
The Saints have improved drastically in scoring defense since hiring Allen as defensive coordinator in 2015 and are not looking for an overhaul.
"Those eight teams that let go of head coaches, I think their situations are different than ours," Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said prior to the coaching search commencing.
"We had our coach retire with a lot of really good things in place already. That doesn't mean that it can't be improved and built upon. But we don't see it as a wholesale culture change, roster change, anything like that."
Devin Booker top scored with 38 points as the table-topping Phoenix Suns withstood the Chicago Bulls' late charge to win 127-124 on Monday.
Booker shot 14 of 23 from the field including five three-pointers with four rebounds and five assists, while veteran guard Chris Paul contributed 19 points and 11 assists.
The Suns guard reached 30 points for the third time in the past four games as Phoenix won their 13th game from their past 14.
The Bulls charged into contention with a 41-25 fourth-quarter run after the Suns had led by 27 points in the third.
DeMar DeRozan top scored for Chicago with 38 points along with five rebounds and four assists and Zach LaVine returned from injury with 32 points, with six rebounds and eight assists.
Clutch Klay leads Warriors past OKC
Klay Thompson top scored for the Golden State Warriors with 21 points including some clutch three-pointers and Stephen Curry had a near triple-double with 18 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists in a 110-98 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points with seven rebounds, six assists and four steals as the Utah Jazz won 113-104 over the New York Knicks, while seven Miami Heat players scored double figures in a 121-100 win over the Washington Wizards.
New All-Star Ball struggles
On the same day he received his debut All-Star call, LaMelo Ball struggled as the Charlotte Hornets went down 116-101 to the Toronto Raptors. Ball shot five-of-19 from the field and one-of-six from beyond the arc for his 15 points, while he also had seven turnovers.
Serbian fifth seed Dusan Lajovic fought back from a set down to triumph over Benoit Paire in the Argentina Open first round while Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco also progressed on Monday.
Lajovic, who is currently ranked 37th in the world, beat 50th-ranked Paire 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-3) in just over two hours in Buenos Aires.
In a tight match, the Serbian got the edge in the third-set tiebreak as his first serve seldom let him down.
Former top 10 player Verdasco, now 38-years-old, defeated Bolivian Hugo Dellien 6-4 3-6 6-1 in two hours and two minutes.
Serbian eighth seed Laslo Dere got past compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4 1-6 6-1, while Argentine pair Federico Coria and Francisco Cerundolo also progressed.
Meanwhile at the Dallas Open, veteran South African Kevin Anderson proved too good for Sam Querrey 6-4 6-4.
The 35-year-old former US Open and Wimbledon finalist sent down 21 aces as he won in little over an hour.
Emerging American Brandon Nakashima defeated Australian John Millman 7-5 7-6 (7-3) in the first round.
The Miami Dolphins have confirmed the appointment of San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as their new head coach.
McDaniel has joined the Dolphins on a four-year contract according to ESPN, taking over from Brian Flores who was sacked in January.
The Dolphins had been searching for a new head coach for a month, with McDaniel edging out Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
The Miami job is 38-year-old McDaniel's first head coaching role at any level, having spent 15 seasons in the NFL and two in the UFL.
He was also previously an assistant coach for the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Washington Football Team, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos.
McDaniel replaces Flores who had a 24-25 record after three seasons, including the Dolphins finishing third in the AFC East with a 9-8 record in the 2021-22 season.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball and San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray will both make their NBA All-Star Game debuts after being added as injury replacements on Monday.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that the pair would be added with Draymond Green (back) and Kevin Durant (knee) out injured.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum will come into the Eastern Conference's starting line-up for Durant.
Durant will still participate as the east's captain in the All-Star Draft on Thursday alongside Western Conference captain LeBron James.
Last season's NBA Rookie of the Year Ball is averaging 19.6 points, 7.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds per game this season.
Murray is averaging 19.6 points, 9.2 assists, 8.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals so far in 2021-22.
The All-Star Game is due to take place on February 20 in Cleveland.
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr has lavished praise on teammate Cooper Kupp ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl clash with the Cincinnati Bengals, and believes his fellow receiver "deserves" to win at SoFi Stadium.
Beckham Jr joined the Rams in November on a one-year contract after being released by the Cleveland Browns, and is now just one game away from winning his first Super Bowl after the Rams beat the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game.
Kupp led the NFL this season in the key receiver statistics with 145 receptions, 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns, and has 386 receiving yards so far in the postseason, which is the third all-time most in playoffs history before the Super Bowl.
During media duties for the NFL ahead of the Super Bowl, Beckham Jr laid out how impressed he has been with the 28-year-old, stating his belief that Kupp deserves to win on Sunday.
"Coming here and being with Coop has just been really amazing for me," he said, "You come in somewhere where they have their guy and you watch and you witness greatness between him and [Matthew] Stafford as far as the attention to detail, the relationship that they have.
"That's everything you want from a QB and a receiver, details, the way he actually runs routes, the football knowledge.
"I've learned so much from him, he's a great guy, obviously an incredible talent and I'm just happy that I made the right choice [to join the Rams]. Now I just feel like he deserves this trophy and he deserves a ring and I just want to help them finish the job."
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford also gave his thoughts on the game, insisting that despite having stars such as himself, Von Miller, Kupp and Beckham Jr, they have reached the Super Bowl because of the efforts of the entire team.
"As far as a superstar heavy team, I think that's what the outside world probably thinks of us, but for us we just come in to work every single day and we've got nothing but guys who want to work hard."
Stafford also reserved praise for Kupp and Beckham Jr, adding: "Getting to work with Cooper and Odell has been a blast. Obviously I've gotten a full year with Cooper and his greatness and his ability to affect the game both with the football [and] without the football... such a great teammate, such a great friend and football player.
"Then with Odell he's come in since day one, his ability to grasp what we're asking him to do mid-season with no OTAs, no training camp, it was really impressive from my standpoint what he's been able to grasp, go out there and execute and play. He's been huge for us in the playoffs.
"It's been a blast working with those guys, really everybody on this team. I pinch myself sometimes thinking about the opportunity I'm getting to do, getting to play this game, the Super Bowl, with a bunch of great teammates and a bunch of great coaches, just happy for the opportunity."
Hubert Hurkacz bounced back from a disappointing Australian Open campaign with a straight-sets win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.
Fourth seed Hurkacz, who was beaten in the second round in Melbourne by Adrian Mannarino, saw off wildcard Tsonga 6-4 7-6 (9-7) in one hour and 32 minutes.
"Jo is an amazing player and competitor," Hurkacz said of the former world number five.
"He brought a really high level and it was a really tough match for me and he is definitely on the way back.
"Jo has achieved so much in his career and playing against him you can see why with his shots and his serve. I appreciated playing him and I am happy with the win today."
World number 11 Hurkacz will face either Lorenzo Musetti or Mikael Ymer in the second round.
Sixth seed Cameron Norrie overcame Ugo Humbert 6-2 6-4, while eighth seed Nikoloz Basilashvili was dumped out by American Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 6-2.
McDonald will face Alex de Minaur in the next round after the Australian swatted aside David Goffin 6-0 6-3.
"I think I played really well," De Minaur said. "I played exactly how I wanted to. My coach and I set up a plan about how we wanted to play this match and I managed to execute it.
"It is a very good feeling. Mentally I thought I was very solid and positive and that is one of the main aspects I am trying to focus on this year."
Peng Shuai's recent interview with French news outlet L'Equipe "does not alleviate any of our concerns", WTA chairman and CEO Steve Simon has said.
In November, Peng posted claims on Chinese social media site Weibo that she had been sexually assaulted by the former Chinese vice-premier, before disappearing from public view and later denying making the allegations in a video interview posted by a Singaporean Chinese-language newspaper.
The situation led to widespread concern for Peng's wellbeing, initiating the #WhereIsPengShuai campaign, while the WTA went as far as suspending Chinese tennis tournaments.
Peng spoke to L'Equipe from Beijing, where the Winter Olympics are being hosted, and insisted there was no reason for concern.
"Sexual assault? I never said anyone had sexually assaulted me in any way," Peng said.
"There was a huge misunderstanding in the outside world following this post. I don't want the meaning of this post to be twisted anymore. And I don't want any further media hype around it."
In a statement posted on the WTA's official website, Simon said he was not convinced by Peng's interview and reiterated his call for a formal investigation to be undertaken into her initial claims.
"It's always good to see Peng Shuai, whether in an interview or attending the Olympic Games," Simon said in a statement published on the WTA's official website.
"However, her recent in-person interview does not alleviate any of our concerns about her initial post from November 2. To reiterate our view, Peng took a bold step in publicly coming forth with the accusation that she was sexually assaulted by a senior Chinese government leader.
"As we would do with any of our players globally, we have called for a formal investigation into the allegations by the appropriate authorities and an opportunity for the WTA to meet with Peng – privately – to discuss her situation.
"We continue to hold firm on our position and our thoughts remain with Peng Shuai."
Seeds Anett Kontaveit, Belinda Bencic and Elise Mertens all came through their first round matches at the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy on Monday.
Eighth seed Mertens came back from a break down in the deciding set to beat Alize Cornet 3-6 6-2 6-4.
Mertens, who had not beaten Cornet since 2018, will face either Petra Martic or Kamilla Rakhimova in the next round as she bids to reach her first quarter-final of 2022.
"It was a very tight match," Mertens said. "It could go either way, it was a battle. It's always difficult against her but I just kept fighting.
"I think I raised my level a little bit in the second and third sets. I stepped more into the court, the service was a bit better and I ran better."
Second seed Kontaveit needed three sets to get past Jil Teichmann, ultimately prevailing 6-3 1-6 6-3, while number five seed Belinda Bencic squeezed past Veronika Kudermetova 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-5).
In Monday's other game, Ekaterina Alexandrova defeated Camila Giorgi 6-2 1-6 6-2.
The Houston Texans will appoint Lovie Smith as their new head coach, reports claim.
Smith has just completed his first season with the Texans, where he is associate head coach and defensive coordinator.
However, the 63-year-old – who was the head coach of the Chicago Bears from 2004 to 2012 and led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2014 to 2015 – is now expected to be promoted to the head coach role.
The Texans fired first-year head coach David Culley last month after a disappointing 2021 in which Houston went 4-13.
Smith was named the NFL Coach of the Year in 2005 and has reached two Super Bowls, with the Bears in 2006 and as defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams in 2001.
He has won 89 games as a head coach in the NFL, losing 87 and is replacing the only coach to have been sacked after just one season in the history of the Texans franchise.
Eight of the nine head-coaching roles that were vacant heading into the NFL's offseason have now been filled.
Zac Taylor believes Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is "built for this stage" ahead of Super Bowl LVI on Sunday.
The Bengals face the Los Angeles Rams in their first Super Bowl in 33 years following a dramatic AFC Championship Game win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Burrow completed 23 of 38 attempts for 250 yards and two touchdowns in that game as the Bengals rallied from 21-3 down to win 27-24 in overtime, equalling the biggest comeback win in a Championship Game.
Sunday's game at SoFi Stadium will be Burrow's first taste of the Super Bowl, yet Taylor thinks the 25-year-old will take it in his stride.
"He is built for this stage. He's played for state championships, he's played for national championships, now he's playing for the Super Bowl," the Bengals' head coach told a media conference.
"I think that's been his expectation all along. He's not surprised by it. He rises to these occasions, and we're certainly happy to have him.
"When you believe that your quarterback can take it the distance, it allows everybody just to play that one per cent better because they know on the other side that the trigger man's capable of doing some really special things.
"So I think he's helped us take us to these heights. We have a lot of confidence in him. He's got a lot of confidence in himself. It's fun to be a part of."
Burrow agreed with Taylor's assessment of his confident nature and does not think he will be overawed by the magnitude of Sunday's game.
"I have always been a confident player," Burrow said.
"More so now than I have ever been before, because I feel like I've proven to myself that I can play at a high level at this level of football.
"I think as a quarterback, it's really important to exude that confidence, not only in yourself but all of your team-mates.
"The quarterback sets the tone for the culture in the locker room, and so I try to be that kind of player and person for everybody here."
The Ben Simmons saga has stretched on for more than a year but might finally be reaching its conclusion.
Simmons was the subject of trade rumours last January when the Philadelphia 76ers pursued James Harden from the Houston Rockets.
Harden instead headed for the Brooklyn Nets, and Simmons saw out the season in Philly, only for speculation to ramp up again after a deeply dissatisfying playoff exit.
Joel Embiid and Doc Rivers appeared to blame the former first overall pick for a Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in which his reluctance to take shots in big moments came to the fore. That was in June. Simmons has not played since.
Both the player and the team have pushed for a move this season without success, but Thursday's looming trade should focus minds. The 76ers, led by MVP frontrunner Embiid, remain in title contention despite having a three-time All-Star on the sideline, yet a deal this week could significantly improve their chances.
Stats Perform looks at four potential landing spots for Simmons that might also suit his current employers...
Brooklyn Nets
Contrasting reports this week have considered the possibility of a belated Simmons-Harden trade, with the Australian sent to Brooklyn rather than Houston. The Nets move has not quite worked for Harden, who has struggled for form and fitness on a team too often missing one or more of their 'Big Three'.
The Sixers' former Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey would appear to remain interested in reuniting with Harden in Philly, although whether the Nets are quite so keen on Simmons remains up for debate. Publicly, they say otherwise.
The possibility of Seth Curry also moving to Brooklyn has been raised in some reports, presumably to replace the shooting Harden offers but Simmons does not. Curry is a regular for the Sixers, but Harden would represent a clear upgrade – although he has a player option at the end of this season – while Simmons' elite defensive play would not be missed given he is not playing at all right now.
Washington Wizards
Harden appeals given Morey's desire to get an elite player back in return for Simmons. For the same reason, Bradley Beal – beaten to the scoring title by Stephen Curry last year – is an attractive option.
Beal has been less impressive this year, particularly of late, and is now out with a sprained wrist. However, a move to a contender may well motivate a player who has spent his entire career to date with the Wizards, featuring in a grand total of 11 playoff games in the past five years.
The Wizards, like the Nets, might want a second player or at least a second asset to join Simmons in the trade – moving on from Beal would surely mean a complete rebuild – so the 76ers' response as time starts to run out will be intriguing. Again, Beal has a player option for next year.
Portland Trail Blazers
For a long time, it seemed Damian Lillard was the superstar the 76ers really wanted if they were to deal Simmons. At various stages, that possibility has appeared more or less likely.
When the speculation was at its most intense back at the start of the season, Simmons was unwanted in Philly while Lillard was one of the best players in the NBA. Now, Portland are struggling horribly, Lillard has not played since December and Simmons might seem quite an attractive option for the Blazers, who look to be using the final days before the deadline to drastically alter their roster.
It would still seem unlikely Lillard would depart, rather than remaining as the centrepiece of the team for next season and beyond, and the Blazers do not quite have another asset capable of turning the 76ers into title favourites. CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic may both leave, but Morey would surely want more for Simmons.
Sacramento Kings
The Kings would have to perform a significant U-turn for Simmons to end up in Sacramento, having decided late last month they were not interested in paying the sort of price Morey was looking for. The 76ers presumably would have wanted multiple players back, with the Kings lacking a Harden, Beal or Lillard.
Of course, Simmons has not played since those talks broke down, so there is little reason to believe the Kings would suddenly consider him worth the asking price, but as one of the NBA's most forgettable teams – out of the playoffs since 2006 – they surely have to take a risk at some stage.
Whether that risk is giving up multiple useful players for an out-of-favour superstar who does not score is another matter, yet the Kings really need to be active before Thursday, so it is not beyond the realms of possibility they could re-enter the Simmons conversation.
The past two NBA champions meet on Tuesday, but they head into the game amid contrasting seasons to this point.
Defending champs the Milwaukee Bucks took a little time to get going but are now just half a game back in third in the highly competitive Eastern Conference.
The Los Angeles Lakers, whose title Milwaukee took, also took a little time to get going, yet they remain firmly in that rut.
A team led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis are always likely to be a threat if they can make it to the playoffs – ninth place is still good enough for a play-in – but the Lakers' remote title credentials should be given a firm examination at Crypto.com Arena.
For while the Bucks have kept together their championship-winning team, albeit Brook Lopez is out with injury, the Lakers are unrecognisable from their 2020 run.
In a bid to extend James' title window, LA's promising young players have been traded away for veterans in a series of moves that simply have not worked – Russell Westbrook's expensive arrival from the Washington Wizards chief among their missteps.
With little room for further movement ahead of Thursday's trade deadline and with the Bucks visiting having so far made light work of a tough west coast road trip, the Lakers really have their work cut out.
Los Angeles Lakers – LeBron James
James is likely to be the main man on every team he plays for until he retires, but that is particularly true of this Lakers team in this season.
The Lakers are 26-28 but 20-17 with James involved. Injuries have limited the four-time MVP's involvement, yet he is dazzling when on the floor, with 29.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.
After missing five straight games with knee swelling, James returned last time out against the New York Knicks and put up a triple-double in an overtime win.
That included 29 points in a 19th straight game of scoring at least 25. Only Joel Embiid (20 games, also active) has had a better such run this season, while just once in James' whole career – 21 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2008 – has he enjoyed a longer sequence. Reminder: LeBron is 37 years old.
The Bucks may be able to beat the Lakers, but the notion of any team stopping James right now feels a little far-fetched.
Milwaukee Bucks – Giannis Antetokounmpo
Tied on a live 19-game streak of 25 or more points, Antetokounmpo is performing on a par with James but without the repeated injury lay-offs. For that reason, he is among the MVP favourites once again, looking for his third award in four seasons.
For all the hype around Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson or Ja Morant, Antetokounmpo – still only 27 – remains the man most likely to take the mantle from James as the face of the NBA.
The 'Greek Freak' is averaging 28.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.4 blocks and will surely relish the opportunity to come up against LeBron.
When James was missing back in November, Antetokounmpo scored 47 points (a season high) to lead the Bucks to victory. Do not rule out a repeat, even with his veteran opponent also in top form.
KEY BATTLE – AD and Portis to fight at the five?
Davis continues to switch positions on an almost nightly basis, but he is likely to line up as a center against the Bucks, who have Bobby Portis – another power forward standing at six feet, 10 inches – playing the five.
But the Lakers superstar is set to have his work cut out in what has been a tricky season so far. While he has recovered some form over the past week, so has Portis.
The Bucks man had a season-high 30 points at the Portland Trail Blazers to start this road trip and added 24 against the Los Angeles Clippers, shooting 19 for 25 across those games.
"Bobby's found a good rhythm," Mike Budenholzer said after the Clippers game. "The past two nights he's shooting it so good. He's getting some baskets around the paint, too, and doing lots of different things, the rebounding."
Whether Portis can continue to be effective on the glass, where he averages 9.1 rebounds per game to Davis' 10.2, could be vital.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Lakers have an 83-53 lead in the all-time regular season series, but Milwaukee have made a significant dent in that deficit in recent seasons.
Since the Lakers won six straight between January 2008 and November 2010, the Bucks are 15-6, most recently winning the only meeting of this season so far 109-102 in November.
Norman Powell ended up on the losing side in his Los Angeles Clippers debut but showed exactly what his new team can expect from him moving forward.
Powell joined the Clippers last week in a five-player trade with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Fellow two-way wing Robert Covington headed to LA with Powell, while the Blazers received Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a 2025 second-round draft pick.
Portland look to be building for the future, and the Clippers are too – to an extent.
With Paul George and Kawhi Leonard out injured and uncertain to return this year, a 2021-22 title challenge appears to be off the cards. The Clippers are eighth in the West.
Moving forward into next season, however, with two superstars returning, both Powell and Covington should improve the team.
Powell's Clippers bow suggested as much, as he scored 28 points from the bench in Sunday's 137-113 defeat to defending champions the Milwaukee Bucks.
"Literally for all my career, I have been in every single role on the team," Powell said afterwards.
"[I have been] the guy fighting and scratching trying to get into the rotation, being in a rotation, being taken out of a rotation, playing alongside Kyle [Lowry] and DeMar [DeRozan], playing alongside Kyle and Kawhi, playing off of them [in Toronto].
"So, I think I can fit perfectly in here, with PG and Kawhi."
The 28-year-old, who signed a five-year, $90million deal last August, is scoring a career-high 18.9 points per game this year.
Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said: "We never thought it was realistic for us to get a player like Norm Powell for a team that won't have salary cap space for a long, long, long time.
"It's really, really hard to get players like Norm, who are under a long-term deal, who are in their prime.
"Norm's ability as a three-level scorer – the fact that when he's playing off the ball, he's such a prolific catch-and-shoot player – really, really, complements Kawhi and PG."
Covington, who had 13 points in his debut, added: "[I am] beyond excited.
"[The trade] is going to make us dynamic – more dynamic than what we already are – and it's going to be scary defensively."
The Brooklyn Nets will not trade James Harden says head coach Steve Nash.
The 2018 MVP has been the subject of trade speculation as Thursday's deadline approaches but the Nets head coach quashed the talk.
Harden, who joined the Nets from the Houston Rockets in January last year, had turned down a three-year extension in the off-season fueling the rumours.
"Yes, that's correct," Nash told reporters before Sunday's 124-104 loss to the Denver Nuggets, when asked if the Nets do not plan to trade Harden.
He added: "I've talked to James; he wants to be here. He wants to be here long term as well, so I don't think anything's changed other than noise from the outside.
"James wants to be here, we're building with James and we think we have the best chance to win with James.
"I don't think anything's changed on the inside, in our locker room, in our communication, it's just all the noise from the [outside]."
Harden's Nets teammate Kyrie Irving, who scored 27 points with 11 assists against the Nuggets, reiterated Nash's sentiment that the 32-year-old guard was committed to Brooklyn.
"The few conversations that we've had, he's been really committed, and we just hold him to his word, but obviously when we're going out to play games we can't even really think about it," Irving said.
"We would love to have him in the lineup, at his optimum healthy version of himself, and then we'll let the rest take care of it, but who knows? Who knows what's going to happen?"
Harden was absent for the Nuggets defeat with hamstring tightness, which has forced him out of the Nets' past two games, not helping end their eight-game losing skid.
"It's day-to-day," Nash said. "It's a matter of does that strength get back to where we feel confident and he feels confident that we're not risking anything. That's what we're dealing with right now."
The Brooklyn Nets' losing skid extended to eight games as reigning MVP Nikola Jokic recorded a league-high 14th triple-double in the Denver Nuggets' 124-104 win on Sunday.
Jokic finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, including scoring 23 points in the second and third quarters when the Nuggets reversed a deficit into a 21-point lead.
Brooklyn were without James Harden for the second straight game due to hamstring tightness, with Kyrie Irving scoring 27 points with 11 assists.
The Nets, who are also playing without the injured Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge, have surpassed their longest losing streak since losing seven in a row in late 2019 and early 2020.
Brooklyn are 29-24 and have dropped down to seventh in the Eastern Conference.
Double-doubles for Bucks trio
The Milwaukee Bucks won their third straight to improve to third in the east with a 34-21 record after a 137-113 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists while Jrue Holiday added 27 points and 13 assists. Bobby Portis also had a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
Joel Embiid and DeMar Rozan put on scoring masterclasses but the Philadelphia 76ers got up after a fast start 119-108 over the Chicago Bulls. Embiid finished with 40 points with 10 rebounds, while DeRozan had a season-high 45 points along with nine rebounds and seven assists.
Luka Doncic had a triple-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists despite foul trouble as the Dallas Mavericks won 103-94 over the Atlanta Hawks.
No shooting magic for Orlando
The struggling Orlando Magic managed five-of-25 from three-point range and 35.8 per cent shooting from the floor in their 116-83 loss to the Boston Celtics. The Magic are last in the east with a 12-43 record.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
