Mikal Bridges scored a career-high 45 points in his third game for the Brooklyn Nets since his trade for Kevin Durant as they won 116-105 over the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
The Nets had dropped four of their past five games since trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, with the injured Durant following him out the exit door last week.
Bridges shot 17-of-24 from the field, making four-of-six from beyond the arc with eight rebounds and five assists.
The Nets became the first team in NBA history to have four players score 45 points or more in a single game in one season.
Cameron Johnson, who also joined the Nets from the Phoenix Suns alongside Bridges, added 18 points with three assists.
The Nets had trailed 56-52 at the main break, but Bridges broke the game open with 15 straight points.
Bridges finished the game with 17 points in the fourth quarter, comfortably eclipsing his previous career-best return of 34 points.
Bam Adebayo had 24 points with 13 rebounds and six assists for the Heat, while Max Strus scored 18 points as the Heat fell to 32-27.
The win lifted the Nets to 34-24, although Ben Simmons' woes continued with only two points, four rebounds and assists in 20 minutes.
Embiid brings up milestone amid double-double
Joel Embiid brought up his 10,000th career as he recorded a double-double as the Philadelphia 76ers won their fourth straight in a 118-112 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Embiid finished with 29 points with 14 rebounds and five assists, while James Harden also managed a double-double with 19 points and 12 assists. Harden assisted and scored in 27 of 38 first-quarter points.
The 76ers led 63-38 at half-time, although Donovan Mitchell fought hard for the Cavaliers, scoring 25 second-half points, before finishing with 33.
LeBron returns as Lakers win
LeBron James scored 21 points on his return after three games out with a foot injury as the Los Angeles Lakers won 120-102 over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Anthony Davis scored a game-high 28 points with 10 rebounds and five assists as the Lakers improved to 27-32 to boost their playoff hopes, while D'Angelo Russell added 21 points. The Lakers never trailed after a 38-point opening quarter.
Brandon Ingram top scored for the Pelicans, still missing Zion Williamson, with 25 points, while Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points with 11 rebounds.
Super Bowl LVII MVP Patrick Mahomes insists the Kansas City Chiefs "ain't done yet" after claiming their second title from the past four seasons with Sunday's 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Chiefs celebrated with their fans on Wednesday with an open-roofed bus parade which culminated at Kansas City's Union Station.
Mahomes vowed on stage at Union Station to the crowd that the Chiefs were only just starting.
"I just want to let you all know that this is just the beginning," Mahomes said.
"We ain't done yet, so I'll make sure to hit y'all back next year and I hope the crowd's the same.
"We're back again. We're back again. Before we started this season, the AFC West said we were rebuilding.
"I'll be honest with you, I don't know what rebuilding means. In our rebuilding year, we're world champs."
Mahomes' latter comment was in reference to expectations that the Chiefs would slip from contention in the 2022 season with wide receiver Tyreek Hill traded to the Miami Dolphins and safety Tyrann Mathieu not re-signed among other changes.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been vocal about those who wrote off the Chiefs and reiterated that sentiment, while insisting this was "the best season of my life" after a career-high 16 touchdowns from 20 starts inclusive of the regular season and playoffs.
"The haters were saying that the Chiefs would never make the playoffs. The haters were saying the Chiefs were done. Done," Kelce said.
"In all reality, this was the best season of my life. I owe it to you guys. I owe it to the guys on this stage. I owe it to everybody… Everybody's asking: Is this a dynasty? It's been a dynasty."
The Chiefs have made the AFC Championship Game in each of the past five seasons, winning on three occasions and losing the other two in overtime.
Carlos Alcaraz overcame a second-set hiccup to win on his return to the ATP Tour over Laslo Djere in the second round at the Argentina Open on Wednesday.
Alcaraz, who rose to the world number one ranking after last year's US Open triumph, won 6-2 4-6 6-2 in two hours and one minute over the Serbian in Buenos Aires.
The match marked top seed Alcaraz's first since losing to Holger Rune in the Paris Masters quarter-finals, having missed last month's Australian Open following abdominal and hamstring injuries.
The Spanish 19-year-old displayed his trademark forehand on occasion, while he was at his tenacious best, saving six of seven break points generated by Djere.
"It's a great feeling to win again," Alcaraz said post-match. "It's been a long time for me with no competition, with no matches, just recovering. Finally, I got my first win of 2023."
Alcaraz will face Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic next after he won 6-3 6-1 over local Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
Second seed Cameron Norrie was pushed for three hours by Argentinian wild card Facundo Diaz Acosta before prevailing 4-6 7-5 7-6 (8-6). Diaz Acosta got within two points of victory on three occasions but could not capitalise.
Norrie will face another Argentinian in the third round, with Tomas Martin Etcheverry progressing with a 4-6 6-1 6-2 win over Roberto Carballes Baena.
Third seed Denis Shapovalov was a shock second-round casualty at the Delray Beach Open after going down in here sets to Michael Mmoh on Wednesday.
The American, who is ranked 87th in the world, triumphed 7-5 3-6 6-3 in two hours and 20 minutes at the event in Florida.
The Canadian committed 30 unforced errors across the match compared to Mmoh's 16. Shapovalov also generated 10 break points but only capitalized on two, while Mmoh converted three of five.
Mmoh will take on countryman Mackenzie McDonald who won 6-3 3-6 6-2 over fifth seed Yoshihito Nishioka.
Fourth seed Miomir Kecmanovic cruised past qualifier Nuno Borges 6-3 7-5, while Marcos Giron also progressed in straight sets over Matija Pecotic.
Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy believes the PGA Tour needs to take a leaf out of the NBA's book and build itself around star athletes.
The 33-year-old Northern Irishman, who has fiercely defended the PGA Tour amid the rise of LIV Golf, said the organisation could look at other professional sports leagues as models to rebuild itself for growth.
The PGA Tour is weighing up format changes like making at least some of the designated events limited-field, no-cut tournaments.
Tiger Woods spoke about the challenges of the PGA Tour's direction on Tuesday ahead of this week's Genesis Invitational in California, with McIlroy weighing in on Wednesday.
"If you look at the NBA's trajectory over the last 20 years, they've built that league around their best players and their stars, not around the 12th guy on the team," McIlroy told reporters.
"But because they've built that league up around the stars, the 12th guy on the team does way better than he used to, so that's sort of the way I've been trying to tell it."
McIlroy insisted that any PGA Tour changes would not "screw" the lower-ranked, bottom-half players who he sensed had concern around format adjustments that could squeeze them out of tournament fields.
"I've had tons of conversations with guys that are worried about what events they're going to play next year and all that," McIlroy said.
"The one thing I said, look, no one's trying to screw the bottom half of the tour here. If anything, we're trying to lift it up.
"The best players should be playing in them because ultimately the PGA Tour needs to be built around the best players because that's what will maximise the value of the product.
"But that doesn't mean that there's not great storylines further down that list, which we're all very cognisant of."
McIlroy can regain his number one ranking at the Genesis Invitational but laughed that status has been passed around "like a hot potato" in recent times, with last week's Phoenix Open winner Scottie Scheffler re-claiming it.
"Yeah, of course I care about it," McIlroy said. "I think it's a really cool thing to be ranked number one in whatever you do, but I think it just goes to show the level of depth and the level of talent that's out here.
"I literally have one average week, it wasn't even a bad week, just an average week, and there's always someone waiting to overtake you or to come and try to take that mantle from you. I think it's a great thing for the game.
"I've got a chance to get it back this week. You know, hopefully it's a bit of a sort of hot potato thing where me, Scottie and Jon [Rahm] sort of pass it around a little bit because it means we're all playing great golf."
Wales' Six Nations clash with England next week remains in doubt after the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Welsh regions insisted there is "no room for manoeuvre" on player contracts.
Reports this week have claimed Wales players are considering going on strike over contract renewals.
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.
Professional players in the nation accepted cuts of 20 per cent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, WRU interim chief executive Nigel Walker met with senior members of Wales' squad to "further clarify" the governing body's position.
The new, proposed contract deal has to be agreed by February 28, three days after Wales take on England at the Principality Stadium.
The Professional Rugby Board (PRB), which represents the WRU and the four Welsh regions, stated: "Discussions are complex and nuanced and that terms offered may not meet the immediate expectations of all individuals involved, but as has been evidenced in other countries, rugby finances are stretched and the professional game in Wales is determined to live within its means."
Malcolm Wall, the chair of the PRB, said: "The new agreement offers a complete funding package to the professional game in Wales, but it does come with financial limitations that will directly affect salary negotiations.
"The cold facts are that the WRU and clubs have been paying salaries that their businesses cannot afford, so the new agreement establishes a new framework for contract negotiations. There is a stipulation that all current contracts will be honoured, but these businesses must return to a sustainable footing in order for the success we all crave to follow.
"The average salary of a Welsh professional rugby player under the new framework will be around £100,000 per year.
"We are confident that our salary packages are in line with the UK market. The PRB accepts that some better-funded English and French clubs are paying more, but this is where we must set the mark of sustainability in Wales."
The WRU's statement added: "The new six-year agreement reached includes provision for a new approach to international player release, a salary cap and a formal framework for contract negotiations across all four professional sides and the national squad.
"There is no room for manoeuvre when it comes to the overall budget available for player contracts."
Walker said: "We have absolute empathy with the professional players in Wales and are hugely grateful for all that they do for our national game, just as our regional sides are for the commitment of their players.
"We know we are not in an ideal situation, but it is incredibly important for the whole game in Wales for us to get this next step right. We must get this right and if that means taking time to do so then that is the way it must be.
"The next step is to confirm the deal and confirm these contracts, and we will be moving as swiftly as we possibly can to that point."
Andrey Rublev suffered a first-round defeat to Alex de Minaur on a bad day for the big names at the Rotterdam Open.
Second seed Rublev won this event two years ago but there will be no such run this time around after his 6-4 6-4 loss on Wednesday.
De Minaur broke the world number five early in each set and sealed the win at the first time of asking, moving to a 3-0 head-to-head record against Rublev on hard courts.
The Australian will face Maxime Cressy in the next round, who bounced back from his Open Sud de France final defeat by beating Tim van Rijthoven.
Jannik Sinner saw off Cressy in that Montpellier showdown and the Italian carried that form into this tournament, though he needed three sets to overcome Benjamin Bonzi.
Frenchman Bonzi forced a decider but Sinner regained his composure in the final set to prevail 6-2 3-6 6-1 and set up a heavyweight clash with top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.
There was no such progress for Alexander Zverev, who joined Rublev in suffering an early exit.
The German came unstuck 4-6 6-3 6-4 to home favourite Tallon Griekspoor, whose four wins over top-20 opponents have all come in Rotterdam.
Stan Wawrinka, the champion in 2015 and runner-up four years later, will face the winner of that tie, after he beat Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals.
Holger Rune reached the semi-finals in Montpellier, and like Sinner the fourth seed progressed into round two, claiming a routine straight-sets victory over qualifier Constant Lestienne.
"It was tricky. It's a lot about finding the rhythm here in the beginning of the tournament and first match you have to really be on your toes, especially I played a qualifier today who already has two matches in his bag," Rune said.
"It made it more difficult, but I'm happy how I handled every situation today."
Hubert Hurkacz was another seed to fall out, with the world number 10 going down 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) to Grigor Dimitrov.
Pittsburgh Steelers assistant coach John Mitchell has confirmed his retirement after a 29-year stint with the organisation.
Mitchell, the first African-American football player at the University of Alabama who won two Super Bowls as an NFL assistant, announced his retirement on Wednesday.
He had been with the Steelers since 1994 after being hired by Bill Cowher and remained on their staff ever since.
The 71-year-old was part of Pittsburgh's last two championship teams, one in 2005 under Cowher and the most recent coming in 2008 under Mike Tomlin.
"I'm not sure that I can offer sufficient praise and admiration for Mitch, as both a man and football coach," Tomlin said in a team statement.
"Mitch has been a central figure in the success of the Pittsburgh Steelers for nearly three decades. He has coached some of the best players in this franchise's illustrious history, and each one of them, to a man, would tell you their success was a direct result of not only Mitch's coaching acumen, but also his mentorship, leadership and character."
Mitchell spent a total of 50 years as a coach, a career which began at alma mater Alabama in 1973 under the legendary Bear Bryant.
The Crimson Tide won a national title in 1973 with Mitchell working as the team's defensive line coach.
He would later have coaching stops at Arkansas, Temple and LSU as well as the USFL's Birmingham Stallions before a three-year run as the Cleveland Browns' defensive line coach under Bill Belichick from 1991-93.
Mitchell's greatest notoriety, though, came in 1971 when he and running back Wilbur Jackson became the first Black players at the storied Alabama programme. Mitchell was a two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection as a defensive end for the Crimson Tide and earned All-America honours in 1972.
"When you consider his path, as both a player and coach, Mitch created opportunities in football for young Black men that quite honestly, didn't previously exist," Steelers president Art Rooney II said.
"He has left an imprint on this franchise, and the sport and culture of football, that continue well beyond his retirement."
Iga Swiatek started the defence of her Qatar Open title by taking less than an hour to beat Danielle Collins on Wednesday.
Playing for the first time since she was knocked out of the Australian Open by Elena Rybakina in the fourth round last month, normal service was resumed by the domineering world number one in Doha.
The top seed brushed Collins aside in only 53 minutes, racing to a 6-0 6-1 victory to march into the third round.
Collins only won four points as she suffered the misery of a first-set bagel, an inspired Swiatek taking the opener in only 21 minutes.
Swiatek's run of games won was ended at nine when Collins got on the board at 3-1, but the Pole broke for a fifth time before serving it out for an emphatic victory.
The 21-year-old three-time grand slam champion, who made only six unforced errors, will do battle with Belinda Bencic for a place in the quarter-finals.
Bencic beat two-time champion Victoria Azarenka 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 to take her place in the last 16, storming back from 4-1 down in the second set when she appeared to be on her way out.
Second seed Jessica Pegula saved two match puts as she dug deep to beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 2-6 7-5 to set up a meeting with Beatriz Haddad Maia, who beat Daria Kasatkina in straight sets.
Fourth seed Coco Gauff got the better of Petra Kvitova 6-3 7-6 (8-6), while Veronika Kudermetova and Maria Sakkari also made it through.
Michael Jordan has made a $10million donation to Make-A-Wish America.
The legendary basketball star turns 60 on Friday and to celebrate he has pledged the largest individual donation in Make-A-Wish history.
Jordan, who is the chief wish ambassador for the charity, has supported the foundation since 1989.
The foundation was founded in 1980 and helps fulfil the wishes of children with a critical illness between the ages of two-and-a-half and 18 years old.
A tweet from Make-A-Wish America's official Twitter account said Jordan's "birthday wish is to inspire others to help grant more wishes".
France prop Uini Atonio has received a three-match ban for a dangerous tackle on Ireland hooker Rob Herring in Saturday's Six Nations showdown in Dublin.
Atonio was issued only a yellow card by referee Wayne Barnes during the first half of France's 32-19 defeat to Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.
The 32-year-old's high challenge forced Herring off the field for a head injury assessment and he did not rejoin the game.
A Six Nations statement on Wednesday confirmed Atonio has been suspended for France's remaining games against Scotland, England and Wales.
He may return to face Wales, though, as an independent judicial committee granted an application by La Rochelle player Atonio to take part in a coaching intervention programme.
"The player admitted that he had committed an act of foul play worthy of a red card," a Six Nations statement read.
"Having reviewed all the evidence, the committee accepted the player's admission that the tackle on Ireland number two was foul play.
"His shoulder made contact with Ireland number two's neck/face as described in the citing commissioner's report, and therefore reached the red-card threshold."
Ireland's victory over last year's Grand Slam winners France leaves them level with Scotland on 10 points at the top of the table.
Andy Farrell's side return to action a week on Saturday with a trip to Italy, before concluding their campaign against Scotland and England.
Lewis Hamilton could be Formula One's equivalent of Tom Brady by racing into his 40s, according to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, endured a disappointing 2022 campaign in which he failed to win a race during a season for the first time in his career.
At 38-years-old, Hamilton's contract is due to expire at the end of the 2023 season, but Wolff feels Hamilton could view the longevity of NFL star Brady as inspiration to continue racing beyond that deal.
Brady retired at the age of 45 this month, bringing an end to a stunning career that saw him win seven Super Bowl championships, with three of those coming after he turned 39.
Wolff believes Hamilton can follow Brady's example, telling reporters: "His age, 38, plays no role for this next contract.
"If you look at how well top athletes have pushed the boundaries - I'm thinking about Tom Brady, still throwing the ball at age 44, 45 - the age plays no role."
Wolff is confident Hamilton will pen a new deal soon, explaining: "In terms of the contractual situation, we have always found good solutions and for the other side, Mercedes are the place he wants to be.
"These things have never been contentious. Nothing is dragging on. The alignment is there. This will be a journey that will continue."
Hamilton echoed his principal's confidence on a fresh deal, and added his decision would not hinge on whether Mercedes can provide a car capable of competing against the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari in the new season.
"I am planning to stay a little bit longer," Hamilton said. "I don't feel like I need [the team] to prove [anything] to me. We have proved time and time again over the years that we have strength in depth. You don't lose that ability.
"We are continuing to try and improve our processes, there is the best harmony in the team I have seen these years.
"We have a real fresh group of engineers in the team. It is an exciting time and I don't plan on being anywhere else."
Hamilton also vowed to continue to be vocal on key issues in the face of the FIA's update to its International Sporting Code, in which Formula One drivers will be required to obtain prior written permission to make "political statements".
Hamilton has previously competed in a rainbow pride helmet in races in the Middle East, while he also wore a T-shirt at the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix protesting against the death of American Breonna Taylor.
He says he will continue to make a stand on political issues despite the FIA's rule change, stating: "Nothing will stop me from speaking on the things I am passionate about.
"The sport has a responsibility to speak out and create awareness on important topics, particularly as we are travelling to different places. So nothing changes.
"It would be silly to say I would want to get penalty points for speaking out on things but I am still going to be speaking my mind."
Carlos Alcaraz has described Novak Djokovic as "like a god", but fully intends to take his world number one spot back from the Serbian.
Alcaraz has been out of action for four months through injury, but will return at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires on Wednesday when he faces another Serbian, Laslo Djere.
The 19-year-old had been top of the men's world rankings when he suffered a leg muscle injury, causing him to miss the Australian Open.
Djokovic leapfrogged Alcaraz into top spot after he won in Melbourne, beating Stefanos Tsitsipas in last month's final.
"It has been a long time [I spent] at No. 1," Alcaraz said. "Now it's a goal for me to recover No. 1 and try to do my best in these tournaments to be back on that number. I'm looking for that."
The young star acknowledged that he has a big job on his hands though, recognising that Djokovic is one of the greatest of all time.
"He has no weaknesses. Every shot, it's amazing," he said. "His physical condition is amazing, his mental condition is amazing.
"He's like a god and I admire him over the years staying at the same level, staying at the top. It's really, really difficult and I admire that."
Despite his ultimate lofty goals, Alcaraz does not want to push himself too fast after his injury, and suggested his main aim at the Argentina Open is just to regain fitness and confidence.
"It's tough to play my first tournament after a long time for me, after four months," he said. "So it's going to be really, really tough to win the tournament or be close to winning.
"My hope is to feel that I am okay with the injury, with my body and try to play well."
Draymond Green has questioned the Golden State Warriors' "will to defend" after they slipped to 29-29 for the season in their last game before the All-Star break.
The reigning NBA champions were beaten 134-124 by the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, conceding 44 points in the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena.
The Warriors have conceded on average 118.5 points per game this season, with only the Charlotte Hornets (119.1), Detroit Pistons (119.7) and San Antonio Spurs (122.7) faring worse.
That is a significant rise on their average of 105.5 points against per game in the regular season last year, which was the third-best in the league.
"It has to come from within," Green said. "Defense is all about will, a want to defend.
"Defense isn't fun. You've just got to do it if you want to win, and we haven't.
"It's the will to defend, stop and guard your man, and sink, and drop the box and rotate. Defense is just one or two steps extra... that's all will, and we don't have that as a team."
Kawhi Leonard top-scored for the Clippers with 33 points, while Norman Powell recorded 24, getting away 17 field-goal attempts despite only being on court for just over 25 minutes.
"Every guy has to decide to take on that challenge himself," Green added. "That challenge isn't just guarding the ball. The challenge is I'm supposed to be there to help, and that guy has to be able to trust that I'm going to get there.
"If he doesn't trust that I'm going to get there, then what do you do? You foul. We all know that's been a problem for us.
"I can be better. I'm as much of a culprit as anyone else. I'm not going to point the finger at anyone or point blame. If you're a leader at something and you are failing at it, it's your fault."
Green also acknowledged Golden State's need to improve quickly or risk missing out on the playoffs, as they sit ninth in the Western Conference.
"It's now or never," Green said. "We are .500 at the break. Middle-of-the-pack team with those middle-of-the-pack stats.
"You've got to come out of the break and win and do it at a high level, or you go home at the beginning of April. I wouldn't be happy with that. But that will be the result if we don't get there."
Nicholas Benjamin and Aliana McMaster out-shot more than 150 competitors on Sunday (February 12) to be crowned Highest Overall Champion and Ladies Champion, respectively, at the first Jackson Bay Hunting & Fishing Club Sporting Clay tournament in Clarendon in 25 years.
Benjamin was the only shooter to score in the 90s after shooting 90 and picking off all six targets on eight of the 17 stations on the course.
McMaster shot 78 to win the Ladies section ahead of Wendy McMaster 77 but had to engage Kashka Jones in a shoot-off to determine the Junior champion after Jones also shot 78.
Benjamin said afterwards that the challenging conditions made the victory sweeter.
"I am very humbled, very happy about the win today. It wasn't easy,” he said.
“The course itself was fair. It was not an overly difficult course but that combined with the conditions - it was very hot, it was very windy, wasn't any shade. The wind plays a big part in the course itself and all of those things put together made for not an overly difficult but a not very easy day.
“It's the first time I have shot by the sea as well. I think, more impactful than the ocean was the sea breeze. I think that made it harder than just the sea as the background."
Three shooters were engaged in a shoot-off to determine the runner-up and A Class champion after they all shot 89 in regulation time.
Shaun Barnes shot a perfect eight from eight to take the runner-up spot while last year's national shotgun champion Chad Ziadie scored seven form eight for the A Class first and Bruce DeQuesnay bagged six for A Class runner up.
Ray McMaster was third by way of 'long run' ahead of Ian Banks and Christian Sasso after they each shot 88.
McMaster and Jones had to shoot three rounds before a victor would emerge.
Both shot seven and six, respectively, in the first and second rounds but McMaster shot a perfect eight from eight in the third round to Jones' six.
“I enjoyed shooting the course and going through the different stations and observing the different presentations,” said McMaster afterwards, “however, I experienced a lot of challenges today; outside variables like traps breaking down or the walking with the sun or whatever it was, it was basically all coming at me at once so it was quite a difficult time but I pushed through."
She said experience helped her during the shoot-off.
"Going into a shoot-off, I have an idea from experience of what to do and what not to do,” she said.
“You just try to keep to yourself, you ignore every possible thing except the task at hand. It was a really good experience because no matter how experienced you are, you are still going get the nerves so it’s really nice I can experience that again. To come out the winner, honestly, it feels really great."
The following are the the top three shooters in each class: A Class: Chad Ziadie 89 (S/O), Bruce DuQuesnay 89(S/O), Ray McMaster 88 (L/R)
B Class: Michael Banbury 83, Najeeb Haber 78 (L/R), Brandon King 78 (L/R)
C Class: Ramon Pitter 83, Ricky DuQuesnay 81, Wendy McMaster 77
D Class: Matthew Sale 76, Marlon King 75, Noah Vaughn 74
E Class: Kashka Jones 78, Matthew Morin 69, Carlton Davis 68
Hunters or Beginners: Daren Gordon 79, Tariq Nembhard 77 and Andrew Clarke 72
Ladies: Aliana McMaster 78, Wendy McMaster 77, Lori Ann Harris 75
Juniors: Aliana McMaster 78 (S/O), Kashka Jones 78 (S/O), Lori Anne Harris 75
Sub Juniors: Che Rowe 61, Craig Powel Jr. 56 and Adam Clacken 51
Hunters or Beginners: Seymour Essor 75 (S/O), Lori Anne Harris 75 (S/O), Max Williams 71.
Part-timer Matija Pecotic had to put a request in for another day off work to play in the second round of the Delray Beach Open after pulling off a shock win over Jack Sock.
The Croatian came through qualifying to make his ATP Tour main-draw debut in Florida and the 33-year-old is through to the last 16 after a 4-6 6-2 6-2 victory against former world number eight Sock on Tuesday.
World number 784 Pecotic has a full-time job in finance and he will be in the money after setting up a meeting with Marcos Giron in the last 16 of the ATP 250 event.
The Princeton and Harvard graduate's boss was in his box to watch him see off Sock and Pecotic hopes he will get a chance to book a quarter-final spot on Wednesday rather than return to balancing the books.
He quipped: "I had to leave work early today. I had to send an email to the whole team. [My boss] let me off. I'm going to have to ask for another day off tomorrow."
Pecotic, who served 10 aces and struck 30 winners, added: "I certainly didn't expect to win, but certainly didn't come into the match thinking that I'm definitely going to lose.
"You've got to be realistic. This is a former top 10 guy with an incredible amount of tennis experience, with a huge serve.
"He came out serving 134 [mph] on the first serve. It would be arrogant to think that I'm going to come out and expect to win.
"But I certainly figured if I could sink my teeth into the match and work on the two or three patterns that I prepared before, that I'm going to have a chance. And then let's see... if I was going to fall under pressure or not be able to serve it out at some point. But I didn't and I got the win."
Mercedes have revealed the new W14 car tasked with getting them back to the top of Formula One in the 2023 season, with Lewis Hamilton insisting it shows they "mean business".
The design is a return to a predominantly black car, with Mercedes using minimal paint in an effort to reduce weight.
Mercedes surprisingly finished third in the constructors' championship last season, 244 points behind winners Red Bull.
"We've redesigned, optimised, and innovated so many parts of the car and that is impressive," Hamilton said. "And I love the new livery. It says: 'we mean business'."
Hamilton finished the season sixth in the drivers' championship, behind team-mate George Russell (fourth), but the seven-time world champion sounded confident about the new car giving him a chance of challenging again this year.
"I love being part of a team that is working towards a common goal," he said. "I always believe I can get better. I always love that challenge, the physical and mental element, having to deep dive and extract more performance from yourself and the people around you.
"The car is always changing, there's always new tools, and I love that. I'm planning to stay here a little bit longer."
Team boss Toto Wolff is also confident Mercedes can challenge Red Bull and Ferrari again, though admitted they are "playing catch-up."
"Our hopes and expectations are always to be capable of fighting for a world championship," Wolff said. "However, our competitors were very strong last year, and we are playing catch-up.
"Racing at the front requires resilience, teamwork, and determination. We face up to every challenge, we put the team first, and we will leave no stone unturned in the chase for every millisecond.
"This year, we are going all in to get back in front."
Wolff also admitted faults with last season's car, which led to focus on how the weight could be reduced to maximise performance.
"We were overweight last year," Wolff added. "This year we have tried to figure out where we can squeeze out every single gram. So now, history repeats itself."
The new season begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5.
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is looking more like a two-time NBA Finals MVP every day and his shooting renaissance continued in Tuesday's 134-124 home victory against the Golden State Warriors.
Leonard, who missed the entire 2021-22 season after tearing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs, tied his career-high with seven threes as he led the Clippers with 33 points on 12-of-27 shooting (seven-of-nine from deep).
There were fears the former Finals MVP with the San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors would be robbed of the remainder of his prime by the injury, averaging just 17.5 points on 47/27/79 shooting splits in his first 15 games this campaign.
But since the new year Leonard has gone up a gear, averaging 27.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals in 17 games since January 2, while shooting 52.4 per cent from the field, 48.2 per cent from deep and 91.9 per cent at the free throw line.
When asked by the media after the game about how he has managed to get back on track, Leonard said he is never worried about his percentages.
"[My jump shot] felt good," he said. "Like I've said before, it didn't matter what percentage I was at, I was going to keep shooting the basketball.
"That's what I did, kept shooting with confidence. Percentages can't save you, just because I'm shooting 40 (per cent) doesn't mean I'm going to shoot 40 the next game.
"You've just got to keep playing the game and shoot the shots that you practice."
Against the Warriors specifically, Leonard said he just rode a hot start.
"I just made shots early," he said. "Team-mates found me, I got in a rhythm, and just kept going from there.
"I like that [our new additions] stayed aggressive tonight, they didn't defer, and they just played their game.
"The West records are so close together, so every win matters, but we just have to keep getting better ourselves."
The win improves the Clippers' record to 32-28, placing them fifth in the Western Conference, although they are just 1.5 games out of the three seed, and three games ahead of the 12th seed.
Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery hailed his side's ability to overcome adversity after rallying for a 3-2 overtime win against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
The NHL-leading Bruins improved to a 40-8-5 record with the victory where Pavel Zacha tied the game at 2-2 at 10:12 of the third period, before David Pastrnak fired a one-time finish home from Charlie McEvoy's cross-ice pass with 1:16 remaining in overtime.
Pastrnak's goal came after the Bruins had killed off a Dallas OT power play, thanks to five Linus Ullmark saves, to get the better of the Stars, who lead the Western Conference.
Dallas had fought back from an early deficit from Taylor Hall's strike to lead 2-1 after goals from Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson, before the Bruins rallied. The Stars also failed to capitalise on a five-on-three power play in the second period.
"It was nice to win a game where we had to overcome so many struggles within the game," Montgomery told reporters.
"The penalty kills, then playing really well and not having the lead, trailing. Keep pushing, keep believing.
"There's a lot of belief in that locker room if we play the right way. We have a lot of depth that can overcome a lot of adversity."
The win was Montgomery's 100th in the NHL, including 60 in charge of the Stars before being fired in December 2019. This game marked his first in Dallas as a head coach since that dismissal.
Zacha, who finished the game with a goal and an assist, praised his side's identity.
"That's what our team is about, our identity," he said. "With having the leaders like we do I don't think we get frustrated. We just get to working hard, sticking to the process.
"I think that's one of the game's best third-period teams, so we know our strength."
The resurgent Phoenix Suns made it 11 wins from their past 14 games with a 120-109 home victory against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.
Phoenix, who earlier this season endured a 2-12 run across a 14-game stretch, are now right back in the mix in the Western Conference, buoyed by the impending debut of trade deadline acquisition Kevin Durant.
Against the Kings, the Suns' main three players all performed at an exceptionally high level.
Point guard Chris Paul dished a season-high 19 assists – the second most by any player this season, trailing only James Harden's 21 against the Los Angeles Clippers in December – to go with 17 points on seven-of-15 shooting.
Offensive focal point Devin Booker led the Suns with 32 points on 13-of-20 shooting, and center Deandre Ayton dominated with 29 points (13-of-17 shooting), 11 rebounds, four steals and two blocks.
Both Kings All-Stars delivered, as De'Aaron Fox led the visitors in scoring with a game-high 35 points on 12-of-22 shooting, while Domantas Sabonis had 24 points (seven-of-12), 15 rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
With the win, the Suns improved their record to 32-27 and moved up to the fourth seed in the Western Conference, one game behind the third-placed Kings (32-25).
Bucks extend winning streak to 11 against undermanned Celtics
The Milwaukee Bucks were pushed all the way by a Boston Celtics team missing four starters, ultimately coming away with a 131-125 overtime win at home.
With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all out, Derrick White had 27 points (10-of-24), 12 assists and three steals, while Malcolm Brogdon added 26 points (eight-of-17) off the bench in a valiant effort.
But the heroics from the Bucks' All-Star duo pulled them across the line, with 40 points (13-of-21), seven assists and three steals for Jrue Holiday, while Giannis Antetokounmpo racked up 36 points (12-of-26), 13 rebounds and nine assists.
The Bucks (40-17) are now just a half-game behind the Celtics (41-17) in the race for the league's best record.
Blazers waste another explosive Lillard performance
Nobody is averaging more points than Damian Lillard over their past 10 games, and he had another 39 in a 126-101 home loss to the Washington Wizards.
Lillard, who came into the contest averaging 38.2 in his past 10, shot 14-of-30 from the field while adding 10 rebounds and six assists.
But the Wizards were too good, led by their leading scorer this season, Kristaps Porzingis, with 28 points (10-of-15), 12 rebounds and five assists, while Kyle Kuzma bombed away for 33 points (11-of-20) and nine rebounds.
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