Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards recovered from a horrific start to storm back and defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-106 away from home on Thursday.
The Wizards trailed 30-10 in the first quarter, and after trimming the margin to eight points at half-time, the Timberwolves again extended their lead to 87-69 with two minutes remaining in the third period.
Washington put together a 17-2 run over the next four-and-a-half minutes, bringing themselves right back into the contest, and they would end up winning the final period 38-19.
Beal had 15 of his game-high 35 points in the final 5:14, finishing with shooting figures of 14-of-28 from the field and four-of-eight from deep, while adding six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
No other Wizard scored more than 16 points, while Timberwolves young gun Anthony Edwards went toe-to-toe with Beal.
Edwards scored a team-high 34 points on 11-of-26 shooting with three steals, although his six turnovers hurt. Rudy Gobert was also solid for Minnesota, grabbing 19 rebounds to go with his 17 points and three blocks.
The win is the Wizards' fourth from their past five outings, improving to 28-30 to have them sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference, while the Timberwolves dropped to eighth in the West at 31-30.
Clippers leapfrog the Suns into top-four
The Los Angeles Clippers won an enticing Western Conference showdown against the Phoenix Suns 116-107 despite a rough shooting performance from star Kawhi Leonard.
Leonard, who has been boasting blistering shooting splits of 51/45/92 since the beginning of the new year, finished just five-of-18 from the field on the road against the Suns for 16 points, although he salvaged a decent outing with 10 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal.
Paul George picked up the slack with 26 points (nine-of-19 shooting), six rebounds and five assists, while Terance Mann matched him with 26 points on 10-of-12 shooting.
With the win, the Clippers (33-28) moved up to fourth in the West, taking the place of the Suns (32-28).
No Giannis, no worries for Lopez and the Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks lost their two-time MVP after suffering a game-ending wrist injury, but Brook Lopez did his best Giannis Antetokounmpo impression during a 112-100 road win against the Chicago Bulls.
Antetokounmpo played only nine minutes, scoring two points before crashing into the basket support while attempting a chasedown block, but Lopez responded with a season-high 33 points (13-of-18 shooting), seven rebounds and four blocks.
Jevon Carter also impressed with 22 points (nine-of-13 shooting), six rebounds and six assists, while undrafted rookie A.J. Green hit five three-pointers off the bench.
Tiger Woods was battling a combination of overflowing adrenaline and rust as he made his return to the course for Thursday's opening round of the Genesis Invitational.
Woods birdied his first hole, but struggled with some makeable putts soon after, dropping to one over by the time he reached the 15th hole.
From that point on it was like the Tiger of old, collecting a two on the par-three 16th, drilling a long birdie putt on the par-five 17th, and placing a beautiful approach on the 18th to set-up his third birdie in a row to finish.
Reflecting on his performance afterwards, Woods said he felt the pressure to sink the final birdie.
"I didn't want to be the idiot host to miss it right in front of everybody after I just went birdie-birdie," he said with a smile. "It was a great round."
Playing alongside two-time major champion Justin Thomas and renowned long-driver Rory McIlroy, Woods said he even surprised himself as he out-drove his partners on a few occasions.
"There's nothing like come game time, just the feeling of the butterflies and trying to calm all that stuff down," he said. "Even though it's cold out here, [the ball] was going even further than we expected. I had to dial all that back in.
"I was trying to calm myself down all day, trying to figure out what the hell I'm doing out here, because I haven't played."
The 15-time major champion gave some insight into his ever-changing physical condition, saying he never knows what to expect out of his damaged ankle.
"My ankle's a lot smaller than it has been," he said. "I've had so many surgeries that the ankle just keeps changing, the leg keeps changing, yes, the shoes keep changing, the socks keep changing.
"Everything's a moving target. How much I'm on my feet, how much I'm not, how active I am, how not active, the muscles that are on, they're off. It's a moving target all the time."
While the high quality of play was a joy to behold, so was the camaraderie between the featured group, and Woods said that is something he has missed.
"The ebb and flow of needling each other, encouraging each other and telling stories," he said. "I hadn't been out here, so I've missed some of the things that have transpired on tour, which is kind of fun."
It was fun for McIlroy as well, who finished the day tied for seventh at four under, although he admitted he did not enjoy seeing Woods' drives travel past his.
"I'm going to work on the range," McIlroy said. "I don't like him hitting it by me."
Lorenzo Musetti won his opening match at the Argentina Open in comfortable fashion, defeating hometown hero Pedro Cachin 6-2 6-3 on Thursday.
World number 20 Musetti is still just 20 years old, making him the third-youngest player inside the top-40. The only younger players are 19-year-olds Carlos Alcaraz (world number two) and Holger Rune (world number nine).
The talented Italian has two ATP Tour titles to his name, but none outside of Europe, and he will hope to change that after he advanced to the quarter-finals in Buenos Aires.
Musetti will play Peru's Juan Pablo Varillas next after he prevailed 6-4 6-4 against former world number three Dominic Thiem.
Fifth seed Francisco Cerundolo did his part to set up an all-Argentine quarter-final clash after dominating Jaume Munar 6-2 6-1, but compatriot Diego Schwartzman could not hold up his end of the deal, falling 6-1 6-3 to Spain's Bernabe Zapata Miralles.
Meanwhile, world number seven Taylor Fritz made a winning start to his Delray Beach Open campaign, defeating Ecuador's Emilio Gomez 6-4 6-3.
Fritz will play France's Adrian Mannarino in the quarter-final after the 34-year-old veteran eliminated 24-year-old American J.J. Wolf 7-5 6-2.
Second seed Tommy Paul was too strong for Denis Kudla in a 6-3 6-4 triumph, and he will play Radu Albot for a place in the semi-final after the Romanian emerged the 6-4 6-4 victor against Australia's Aleksandar Vukic.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will begin life without Tom Brady next season and will look to former Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks coach Dave Canales to get the offense back on track as the team’s new offensive coordinator.
Canales was hired Thursday to replace Byron Leftwich, who was fired last month after four seasons – the last three working with the now retired Brady.
Canales has spent 13 seasons on Pete Carroll’s staff in Seattle, working with receivers and quarterbacks from 2010-2019 and serving as the passing game coordinator in 2020 and 2021.
He was the team’s quarterbacks coach again last season, helping Geno Smith to a breakout season that earned him NFL Comeback Player of the Year honours.
"Dave has done a great job in a variety of roles with Seattle the past 13 years, and he brings a passion for coaching and an energy level that players just seem to respond to," Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said in a statement. "He has played a significant part in the development and growth of many Seahawks players who have contributed to their offensive success over the past decade, and I look forward to seeing what he will do with our players on offense."
The 41-year-old Canales was among 10 candidates interviewed for the position that opened when Leftwich and five other members of Bowles' staff were fired on January 19. Three other assistants announced their retirements in a major shakeup that followed a lopsided playoff loss to Dallas in the wild card round.
While Brady ranked third in the NFL last season with 4,643 passing yards, Tampa Bay scored 198 fewer points than the previous season while averaging 18.4 points per game – down from over 30 in both 2020 and 2021.
Kyle Trask is the only quarterback the Buccaneers have on their roster under contract for next season, but he has yet to appear in a regular-season game.
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was ruled out of the Milwaukee Bucks' clash with the Chicago Bulls on Thursday in the second quarter after suffering a wrist injury.
The injury occurred as Antetokounmpo raced back and attempted to block a fast-break lay-up, crashing into the stanchion underneath the ring hands-first.
He immediately began feeling for his wrist, and after exiting the game and heading back to the locker room, the Bucks confirmed he would not return.
Antetokounmpo finished with two points, seven rebounds and three assists, and was plus nine in his nine minutes.
The 40-17 Bucks came into the game with the league's second-best record, trailing only the Boston Celtics (42-17).
Max Homa and Keith Mitchell are tied for the lead after Thursday at the Genesis Invitational, but all eyes were on Tiger Woods as he finished his opening round with three consecutive birdies.
In his first non-major PGA Tour start since October 2020, Woods displayed impressive physical capabilities, often out-driving his playing partners Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas.
The 15-time major champion birdied his first hole – to a raucous ovation – but he had three bogeys and one birdie over his next 11, reaching the 15th at one over.
He proceeded to electrify the audience with a birdie after a beautiful approach on the par-three 16th, before following it with a long-range birdie putt on the par-five 17th, and another picture-perfect approach on the last set him up for his third birdie in a row to finish at two under.
Playing partners McIlroy (four under) and Thomas (three under) both also birdied the 18th in a thrilling finale for the featured group.
Homa and Mitchell were the only players to shoot seven-under 64s during their first trip around Riviera Country Club, while the red-hot Jon Rahm is alone in third at six under.
Collin Morikawa is part of the three-man group at five under, McIlroy headlines the group at four under, and Thomas is joined by Patrick Cantlay and Rickie Fowler at three under.
There is a loaded group with Woods at two under, including Viktor Hovland, Will Zalatoris, Xander Schauffele and Im Sung-jae.
Simone Edwards, Jamaica and former Seattle Storm player in the WNBA, has died after a prolonged fight with ovarian cancer. She was 49 years old.
Edwards, who was diagnosed with aggressive ovarian cancer in early 2021, passed away at her home in Florida on Thursday.
Her passing was announced by the Seattle Storm on Thursday night.
“We are saddened by the passing of our very own Simone Forbes,” the franchise posted on Twitter.
“Our Jamaican Hurricane was a warrior on and off the court. With her indefatigable energy and optimism, she brought happiness to so many.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with Simone’s family and loved ones at this time.”
Forbes was the first Jamaican female player to play in the WNBA, playing for the New York Liberty and the Seattle Storm, winning the WNBA title in 2004.
She retired from the WNBA in 2006.
On August 5, 2007, she was hired as an assistant coach at Radford University and she was an assistant at George Mason University from 2008-2011.
Edwards coached the Jamaican women's national basketball team and led them to a 2014 Caribbean Championship.
On August 6, 2017, the Government of Jamaica conferred the national award, the Order of Distinction which is bestowed on citizens of Jamaica who have rendered outstanding and important service to Jamaica in their field.
President of Jamaica Basketball Association, Paulton Gordon was shock and saddened by the news.
“We heard this afternoon that she has passed. I spoke with her about three weeks ago and she was upbeat,” he said.
“We are really saddened at her passing. She was the national coordinator for our youth teams and we were looking to working closely with her to prepare the U17 team for the regional competition this year.
“Condolences to her immediate family, her friends and the broader basketball family. I will certainly miss her technical guidance and support for Jamaica Basketball.”
Zinedine Zidane has partnered with Formula One team Alpine as a brand ambassador for their equal opportunities programmes.
The announcement was made at the French team's 2023 car launch in London on Thursday, where their new A523 car was unveiled.
Former Juventus, Real Madrid and France midfielder Zidane, who also managed Madrid for two spells, was pictured visiting the Alpine garage at last season's Monaco Grand Prix.
"I am very happy to be here today and happy to be part of the Alpine team," Zidane said. "I had the opportunity to meet Laurent [Rossi, Alpine's CEO] with the whole team for a Grand Prix.
"We had a good exchange, and they had a project to give the opportunities to young people, to have their opportunities for all the young talent. I was interested in this project."
Two-time Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams was also confirmed to have teamed up with Alpine.
The team's programmes include Rac(H)er, aimed at promoting equal opportunities for men and women in racing, and Alpine CEO Rossi said: "Rac(H)er is key in our continuous quest for performance, to build the future of our industry by driving real change and creating equal and fair opportunities across a range of human talents."
Alpine finished fourth in the constructors' standings in 2022, 342 points behind Mercedes in third.
Elite starting pitcher Corbin Burnes feels his relationship with the Milwaukee Brewers has been seriously damaged after his salary arbitration hearing.
Players with between three and six years of service time in the majors are eligible for salary arbitration, which is where both the individual and the team submit a salary figure to an independent arbitrator that they feel is fair.
Burnes, the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner as the National League's best pitcher, submitted a figure of $10.75million, while the Brewers offered $10.01m.
During such a process there is a hearing, where each side presents their case, and oftentimes the scenario whereby a team tries to diminish the value of a star player does not go down well.
That was again the case this time around, with Burnes acknowledging he was disappointed to hear the team disparage his efforts after emerging as one of the best young arms in the sport.
"Obviously, it's tough to hear," he said. "It's tough to take. They're trying to do what they can to win a hearing.
"There's no denying that the relationship is definitely hurt from what [transpired] over the last couple weeks. There's really no way of getting around that.
"You kind of find out your true value. You think you work hard for seven years in the organisation, and five years with the big-league team, and you get in there and basically they value you much different than what you thought you'd contributed to the organisation.
"They won it [the arbitration]. But when it came down to winning or losing the hearing, it was more than that for me.''
He felt the Brewers crossed a line by implying he was the reason the team did not reach the playoffs in 2022, despite leading the National League with a career-high 243 strikeouts.
"That's something that probably doesn't need to be said,'' explained Burnes. "We can go about a hearing without having to do that.
"There was no attacking of character or the person who I was, but just some of the stuff that was said, that definitely didn't need to be said, is something that I think kind of disappointed everyone."
In damage control, Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold put out a statement trying to reiterate the franchise's commitment to their top starter.
"The arbitration process always presents uncomfortable situations for both the club and player involved," he said. "It is never easy to present a case against a member of the Brewers family.
"I'd like to reiterate that we view Corbin as one of the leaders of our franchise and value him as an elite talent in the game. Corbin is a major contributor to the organisation both on and off the field, and we look forward to another outstanding season from him in 2023."
Burnes will be eligible for arbitration again next offseason if the two parties do not strike a long-term extension beforehand, while a trade is now also on the table if Burnes suggests he has no intention of remaining in Milwaukee.
Defending champion Felix Auger-Aliassime must overcome a dismal record against Daniil Medvedev to go any further at the Rotterdam Open after both won on Thursday to set up a heavyweight quarter-final, while Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed out.
Third seed Auger-Aliassime beat French qualifier Gregoire Barrere 6-4 6-3, while Medvedev earned a 6-2 6-2 victory against Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.
Despite being the higher-ranked of the two at present, Canadian Auger-Aliassime has a 0-4 career record against Russian Medvedev.
Those losses include a painful defeat from two sets up in the 2022 Australian Open quarter-finals, and a US Open semi-final knockout blow in the previous season.
It is a record that is all the more surprising considering Auger-Aliassime has wins over Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Carlos Alcaraz to his name.
Auger-Aliassime sits eighth on the ATP ranking list, three places clear of former number one Medvedev, who is relishing their clash on Friday.
Medvedev said on Amazon Prime: "Felix is a top player. He won here last year and played amazing at the end of last season. I'm looking forward to a tough match, and hopefully I can be at my best.
"He's going to take his opportunities. He's going to go for it when he has the chance. So I will need to be at my best and everything has to be better."
Top seed and Australian Open runner-up Tsitsipas was beaten 6-4 6-3 by Jannik Sinner, with last week's Open Sud de France champion winning in an hour and 21 minutes to set up a quarter-final against Stan Wawrinka.
It was Sinner's first career win over a top-three opponent. The Italian held a 0-8 record against such opponents coming into this match.
Fourth seed Holger Rune is also out after retiring hurt while 6-4 4-0 down to Dutch wildcard Gijs Brouwer, who advances to play compatriot Tallon Griekspoor.
Australian Alex de Minaur advanced to the final eight with a 7-5 3-6 6-3 win over American Maxime Cressy, earning a shot at Grigor Dimitrov next.
Tim McCarver, a two-time All-Star catcher who won two World Series titles and later became a Hall of Fame broadcaster, has died at the age of 81.
The baseball Hall of Fame announced his death on Thursday, which was due to heart failure.
McCarver's playing career spanned four decades, beginning with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1959 as a 17-year-old, and ending in 1980 with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Following his retirement, he moved into the broadcast booth – working for the Cardinals, Phillies, New York Mets, New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants – and later became the top baseball analyst on American network TV, calling 23 World Series and 20 All-Star Games.
In 2012, he was bestowed with the Ford C. Frick Award by the Hall of Fame for his excellence in broadcasting.
"Tim McCarver was an All-Star, a World Series Champion, a respected team-mate, and one of the most influential voices our game has known," Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
"As a player, Tim was a key part of great Cardinals and Phillies teams in his 21-year career. In the booth, his analysis and attention to detail brought fans closer to our game and how it is played and managed. Tim's approach enhanced the fan experience on our biggest stages and on the broadcasts of the Mets, the Yankees and the Cardinals."
Though not a particularly dangerous hitter – granted not many catchers were during the 1960s – McCarver was a skilled baserunner and was known for the work he put in with his pitching staff and was well respected by team-mates.
Selected to All-Star Games in 1966 and 1967, McCarver's best hitting season came in 1967, when he batted .295 with career highs of 14 home runs, 26 doubles and 69 RBIs and finished second in NL MVP voting behind team-mate Orlando Cepeda as the Cardinals won their second World Series title in four years.
In a 21-year career, which also included brief stints with the Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox, McCarver hit .271 with 97 home runs and 645 RBIs.
"All of us at Major League Baseball are grateful for Tim's impact on sports broadcasting and his distinguished career in our National Pastime," Manfred added. "I extend my deepest condolences to Tim's family, friends and the generations of fans who learned about our great game from him."
Iga Swiatek will play Veronika Kudermetova in the Qatar Open semi-finals after the Russian defeated Coco Gauff in the last eight.
World number one Swiatek was already assured of her semi-final place heading into Thursday as Belinda Bencic's withdrawal had granted her a walkover.
She could watch on then as Kudermetova upset fourth seed Gauff 6-3 3-6 6-1 in Doha.
Swiatek has won each of her previous two matches against Kudermetova in straight sets, but the world number 11 will be on a high after her first top-10 win of the season.
It will be the 25-year-old's second semi of the season, although she withdrew from her Adelaide 2 match-up against Bencic.
While Gauff is out, there remains American representation as her doubles partner Jessica Pegula made light work of Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-3 6-2.
Pegula, the second seed, will face Greece's Maria Sakkari, who overcame third favourite Carolina Garcia 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-5) in a battling encounter.
Former Scotland international Blade Thomson has retired from rugby due to a head injury.
Thomson, who has spent the last five years with Welsh side Scarlets, issued a statement on Thursday to confirm his decision.
Scarlets boss Dwayne Peel said at a press conference on Tuesday that Thomson was out with a head problem, adding that it was a "work in progress".
However, the player has now taken the decision to hang up his boots at the age of 32.
New Zealand-born Thomson won 10 caps for Scotland, including playing at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
In a statement released through Scarlets, Thomson said: "Myself and my family have come to this decision and I'd like to thank everyone, coaches, players, the back-room and medical staff and all the fans for their support.
"We've been made welcome from the moment we came to Llanelli. It's a special place to play and I'm proud of what I've achieved, making more than 50 appearances for the Scarlets and having the honour of representing Scotland.
"We will leave with fond memories of our time here."
Scarlets will honour Thomson with a presentation following Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against Edinburgh.
Joe Mazzulla has been appointed the permanent head coach of the Boston Celtics.
Mazzulla becomes the 19th full-time head coach in the franchise's history and he has also agreed an extension to his contract, though details were not confirmed.
The 34-year-old took over the Celtics on an interim basis in September following the suspension of previous head coach Ime Udoka.
Mazzulla has had an impressive impact on last season's NBA Finals runners-up, leading them to a league-leading record of 42-17.
The announcement from the Celtics came on Thursday following Wednesday's 127-109 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Mazzulla was hired by the Celtics in 2019 as an assistant coach following two years in his first head coach role with division two college Fairmont State.
He spent two of his first three seasons on the Celtics bench under former head coach and current president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, before retaining his role when Stevens was promoted and Udoka was brought in as the new head coach.
Stevens said following the announcement: "As he has shown, Joe is a very talented coach and leader. He has a unique ability to galvanize a room around a mission.
"We are thankful for the work he has done to help get us to this point, and excited that he has agreed to lead us into the future."
It was also announced last month that Mazzulla and the rest of Boston's coaching staff had earned the right to coach Team Giannis at this year's All-Star Game, which takes place in Salt Lake City on Sunday.
Former Ireland, Leinster and British and Irish Lions prop Jack McGrath has retired from rugby at the age of 33 as he wants to live "a pain-free life".
McGrath earned 56 caps for Ireland and was part of the side that won the Six Nations in 2014 and 2015, as well as a Grand Slam in 2018.
The Dublin native was also part of the Lions' 2017 tour of New Zealand, winning all three of his caps as a replacement.
He has struggled with a persistent hip injury and had been without a club since being released by Ulster at the end of the 2021-22 season.
In a statement posted on his personal Instagram account on Thursday, McGrath officially brought down the curtain on his playing career.
"This decision has taken a considerable amount of time. It has been one of the hardest I've ever had to make," McGrath said.
"The last few years have been extremely testing for myself and my family, both mentally and physically.
"I feel I have given everything to my rugby career and I have no regrets or anything left to prove. It's been a long road of rehabilitation after two hip resurfacing operations.
"My main focus now is my family and I am excited for this next chapter with them.
"I am in a position now where I have a comfortable, pain-free life and can be an active dad, which I have chosen over going back to play rugby."
McGrath won three domestic titles, along with trophy successes in the European Challenge Cup and European Champions Cup, during nine successful years with Leinster, before joining Ulster in 2019, where appearances were limited.
Wales coach Warren Gatland is "confident" strike action will be averted and his team's Six Nations game against England will go ahead next week.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Welsh regions have insisted there is "no room for manoeuvre" on player contract renewals, with internationals in Gatland's squad reportedly considering whether they should refuse to play.
Under a six-year agreement that has, according to the WRU, been verbally agreed, players in Wales are set to receive lower wages, with bonuses introduced to contracts.
WRU interim chief executive Nigel Walker met with senior members of Wales' squad to "further clarify" the governing body's position on Wednesday, and there is a February 28 deadline in place.
That falls three days after Wales take on England at the Principality Stadium.
Sitting alongside former captain Alun Wyn Jones at a press conference, Gatland was asked about the potential for a strike and said: "You have to talk to Alun Wyn about that. As far as I'm concerned, it's just preparing for the game, and I'm confident the game will go ahead."
Asked whether players had suggested they might be unavailable, Gatland said: "No."
Gatland, back at the helm for a second spell as Wales coach, said those in the national set-up "understand the frustrations by the players".
He added: "I'm sure the players, like us, would like things resolved hopefully as quick as possible. These things have been going on for a long time, but all I can focus on is concentrating and preparing on the game.
"That stuff is out of my remit, and I'm just planning for England next week."
Gatland responded "No", when asked if he would support his players refusing to play England, adding: "I completely support the stance [the players are] taking in terms of wanting to get some resolution about the issues that they have, but I think there's a lot more involved in terms of ensuring that that fixture does take place."
He said the Wales players have been "fantastic" on the training pitch, and remarked that players could not be blamed for seeking what they consider market value contracts, despite the WRU's comments.
"It's a little disingenuous to say the players are being paid too much money, from the union's point of view," said Gatland. "No way is it their fault that those contracts have been negotiated by the regions or the agents through the players."
Long-serving ex-skipper Jones said: "This was supposed to be sorted a long time ago. Even players that might have had the opportunity to go somewhere else might not get that now because other teams are filling their rosters.
"The disappointing thing is that the basic treatment of players and the continued unprofessional nature of dealing with things is massively disappointing, and unfortunately it's been highlighted."
Ireland lock Tadhg Beirne has been ruled out of the remainder of the 2023 Six Nations with an ankle injury.
The Munster player, who has started his country's last 14 Tests, was forced off early in the second half of Saturday's 32-19 win over France in Dublin.
Beirne left the Aviva Stadium on crutches, and it was confirmed by Ireland on Thursday he is facing around three months out of action as the injury requires surgery.
"Tadhg Beirne will undergo surgery today on the ankle injury he sustained in Saturday's win over France," a statement from the Irish Rugby Football Union read.
"Unfortunately, Tadhg will be ruled out for up to 12 weeks."
Ulster skipper Iain Henderson replaced Beirne against France and is expected to start Ireland's next game away at Italy a week on Saturday.
Andy Farrell's side are level with Scotland on 10 points after two rounds of fixtures after claiming bonus-point victories against Wales and France.
After facing Italy at Stadio Olimpico, the world's top-ranked nation travel to Scotland and then host England in their final fixture.
LeBron James likes what the new-look Los Angeles Lakers have "brewing" following some shrewd business before last week's trade deadline.
Five players made their home debuts for the Lakers in a 120-102 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.
D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt were all in the starting line-up as the rebuilding Lakers moved to 27-32, sitting 13th in the Western Conference.
James made his return from injury after seeing Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, Patrick Beverley and Thomas Bryant move on.
The Lakers superstar, who scored 21 points after recovering from foot soreness, feels there is a nice blend to the roster after so many changes.
He said: "I think we're going to continue to build off tonight," said James. "I think our skill sets all kind of fit each other."
James expressed his gratitude to the contribution the players who departed made but is happy with the new faces that have arrived.
"First of all, I shout out and salute the guys that left," James said. "Russ, Pat, JTA, DJ and Thomas. Those five guys. We all started the season together and tried to work to make some things happen and be the best that we could be out on the floor.
"So I salute those guys and their commitment to us trying to be as good as we could be on the floor. And right now, I mean, I like the guys that we have coming in. It's going to take some time for us to get to know one another, but I know that they play the game at a high level."
James added heading into the All-Star break: "We got a lot of work to do still. And every game is going to be tough for us, especially going down the stretch, knowing the type of push that we need to make.
"I want the guys to enjoy the break but don't get 100 per cent detached because we want to come back and try to keep this thing going.
"I feel really good about what we have brewing, but it's going to take a lot of commitment from us going down the stretch so I'm looking forward to that."
Joel Embiid is unsure if he will be fit for the All-Star Game on Sunday after making history in the Philadelphia 76ers' win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Embiid scored 29 points, took 14 rebounds and provided five assists as the 76ers beat the Cavaliers 118-112 at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday.
The center became the fastest 76ers player to reach the 10,000 points milestone in his 373rd game, beating the record of 378 that was held by Allen Iverson.
Embiid is due to feature in the All-Star showpiece at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Sunday, but is not certain to showcase his talents due to the sore left foot that has been troubling him.
Asked if he will play this weekend, he replied: "I'm not sure. I'm not healthy. I haven't been healthy for the past three weeks, or a month.
"I was just trying to get to the All-Star break without missing games and stuff. But I feel like I've reached the point where I need to follow the doctor's advice. ... Back then he said I should have been sitting for two weeks, so we'll see how the next few days go, and go from there."
Embiid says the prospect of claiming the MVP award on Sunday as an injury replacement for Kevin Durant will not tempt him to take any risks with his fitness.
"I haven't been healthy," he said. "I've been having this lingering foot issue. According to the doctors, which needs a lot of rest and staying off my feet."
Embiid expressed his pride at reaching a huge milestone.
He added: "It's great. I'm extremely lucky. But then again, I've put in a lot of work to be able to put myself in those positions, no matter what it is on the floor. To be able to make something happen.
"I'm just proud it contributes to winning. It doesn't matter how much you score. As long as you win, that's what matters."
Philadelphia are third in the Eastern Conference, above the Cavaliers at 38-19 after a fourth successive victory.
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