Chris Paul crumpled to the floor of Phoenix Suns Arena, grimacing and twisting with pain while he grasped at his right shoulder.
For all his regular-season accolades – 11 All-Star Games, nine All-NBA teams, four assists titles and six steals titles – deep playoff runs have been hard to come by for Paul.
Whether due to fate or disappointing failure, the future Hall of Fame point guard has only played in one Conference Finals series. After suffering a hamstring injury in 2018, Paul watched from the sideline as his Houston Rockets lost Games 6 and 7 to the Golden State Warriors, extinguishing his best chance to date to win a title.
Three years later, as Paul left the floor with a right shoulder injury during Game 1 of the Suns' first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers, it must have felt as if the fates were conspiring against him again. After leading Phoenix to the NBA's second-best record in 2020-21, Paul got to face LeBron James and the defending champions as a reward. Then an injury less than 15 minutes into the postseason?
What a hopeless feeling that must have been.
Paul didn't miss a game in the series but looked like a shell of himself through Game 3, averaging 6.7 points on 38.1 per cent shooting as the Suns trailed 2-1 in the series. The tide turned in Game 4, however, with Anthony Davis succumbing to injury and with Paul's shoulder beginning to steadily improve.
After ousting the Lakers in six games, Paul was nearly flawless in a sweep of the Denver Nuggets and MVP Nikola Jokic. He averaged 25.5 points and 10.3 assists over four games and rose to the occasion in the clutch, scoring 17.0 points per game in the second half on absurd 78.8 per cent shooting. In fourth quarters that series, Paul was 16 for 19 from the field (84.2 per cent), including a perfect mark on his four three-point attempts.
Paul totalled 41 assists, the most since 1984-85 in a playoff series while committing five or fewer turnovers. For the third time in his postseason career, he had 15 assists and no turnovers in Game 2, a feat that has only been done seven times in a playoff game since 1984-85.
At 36 years old, Paul painted one of the most memorable masterpieces of his career.
Then came another devastating blow, when Paul was sidelined in accordance with the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols on Wednesday morning, keeping him in quarantine indefinitely. It has not been specified whether Paul has tested positive for the coronavirus, or exactly why he has entered the protocols.
Going forward, the Suns' road only gets tougher, facing either the top-seeded Utah Jazz or Paul's former team – the Los Angeles Clippers – in the Western Conference Finals, and Phoenix could be forced to start the series without their star point guard.
Despite the challenge ahead, it is tempting to consider what a first career NBA Finals appearance – or first career title – would do for the legacy of one of the most underrated players of his era.
Paul's brilliance can sometimes go unnoticed, especially in a league full of talented scorers who appear ready to drop 50 in any given game. His career high is 43 points, and the last time he hit 40 was in 2016.
But what's set Paul apart since the day he entered the league are his abilities to command an offense and distribute to team-mates. He is one of six players with over 10,000 career assists and, all things being equal, will move into third on the all-time helpers list next season, trailing only John Stockton and Jason Kidd.
Among the five players with the most assists in NBA history, Paul's 18.3 points per game is the highest mark, out-pacing Steve Nash's 14.3 by a healthy margin.
Paul is also fifth all-time with 2,332 career steals and could move up a spot or two on that list in two years' time.
But Paul's true impact defies traditional box score statistics. This postseason, the Suns have a scoring differential of plus 13.0 points per 100 possessions with Paul on the court, and Phoenix are shooting nearly 50 per cent from the floor with their conductor in the game.
Moreover, Paul's teams simply win.
His teams have a record of 698-392 when he plays, or an average of 53-29 over an 82-game season. Paul has played for five teams in his career, and each have improved their record in Paul's first year over the previous season. On average, a team adding Paul to the roster increase their win percentage by .168, the equivalent of 14 added wins over an 82-game season.
If Paul never played another game, he would still be a guaranteed Hall of Famer. And after this latest disruption, perhaps the 2021 playoffs will be yet another chapter in a book of postseasons gone wrong for an otherwise legendary player.
But almost every team remaining in this year’s playoffs is dealing with attrition, including both the Suns' potential opponents in the next round. Phoenix are rated by bookmakers as the second favourites for the championship, trailing only the Brooklyn Nets.
Paul's legacy should be able to stand alone, with or without a title. But adding a championship ring would go a long way towards forcing his detractors to finally acknowledge his consistent brilliance.
Naomi Osaka will not take part in Wimbledon, but is expecting to return to the court in time to feature for Japan at the Tokyo Olympics.
Osaka withdrew from the French Open having won her first-round match, after she was fined and threatened with further punishment – and possible expulsion from the grand slam – for skipping obligatory media duties.
The four-time grand slam champion had confirmed before Roland Garros that she would not be taking part in post-match news conferences, suggesting her mental health was not helped by having to attend the mandatory interviews.
Osaka, the world number two, stated she has had "long bouts of depression" since winning the 2018 US Open title.
With Wimbledon starting at the end of June, Osaka has decided to skip the third grand slam of the year, and instead take time away from tennis.
However, she aims to be back to represent Japan in their home Olympic Games, which start next month.
A statement from Osaka's representatives confirmed that she will miss Wimbledon while taking some personal time with friends and family, but that she will be ready for the Olympics.
The 23-year-old's withdrawal came on the same day that Rafael Nadal – a beaten semi-finalist at Roland Garros – confirmed he would not play at Wimbledon or the Olympics.
Nadal, 35, explained that the quick turnaround from a gruelling campaign in Paris to another tough schedule at Wimbledon presented too much of a risk to his fitness.
Top seed Matteo Berrettini beat Andy Murray to reach the quarter-finals at Queen's Club and Ugo Humbert upset Alexander Zverev at the Halle Open on Thursday.
Murray, a five-time champion at Queen's, was beaten 6-3 6-3 by Italian Berrettini as the three-time grand slam champion struggled a day on from being given a Wimbledon wildcard.
The former world number one beat Benoit Paire in his first ATP Tour singles match since March on Tuesday, but the 34-year-old revealed he is still being troubled by a groin injury after his loss to Berrettini and knows he must raise his game.
Murray said: "I actually felt my movement was actually quite good for both of the matches. My tennis today was not very good. That's the thing that I'll need to improve the most.
"Then there is still a slight niggle in the groin, so [I have] to try to get rid of that discomfort between now and Wimbledon. I need to be playing points, basically. I played two sets in preparation for this event.
"I do feel like I genuinely have been hitting the ball well in practice, but then like today when you're under a bit more pressure and stuff and you're having to make very split-second decisions when you're on the court, if the guy is serving 140 miles an hour, like, it's difficult to prepare for that."
Dan Evans made history earlier in the day, getting the better of Adrian Mannarino 6-4 7-6 (9-7).
With Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie having already progressed, Evans' win ensured there will be three Britons in the singles quarter-finals for the first time in the Open Era.
Feliciano Lopez will not retain his title in London after the Spaniard went down 6-2 6-3 to second seed Denis Shapovalov. Spanish veteran Lopez won in 2019, with last year's tournament cancelled due to the pandemic.
There will be no glory on home soil in Halle for German Zverev, who was taken out 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-3 by unseeded Frenchman Humbert.
Humbert has now beaten a top-10 player on every surface, with Zverev serving 20 aces but bowing out after his 22-year-old opponent claimed the only break of the final set.
Sebastian Korda battled past Kei Nishikori 2-6 6-3 7-5 in Halle, while Lloyd Harris also moved into the last eight at Lukas Lacko's expense.
Jessica Pegula got the better of Karolina Pliskova once again as she knocked the fourth seed out of the bett1open on Thursday.
The American beat the former world number one 7-5 6-2 in Berlin, setting up a quarter-final clash with Victoria Azarenka.
It is the fourth time this season Pegula has defeated Pliskova.
Azarenka was also a straight-sets winner, overcoming Angelique Kerber in a battling 6-3 7-5 victory.
The two-time Australian Open champion was 4-1 down in the second set but roared back to prevail over Kerber for the 10th time in 11 matches.
Garbine Muguruza enjoyed a 6-4 6-3 victory over Elena Rybakina and will take on Alize Cornet next, while Ludmilla Samsonova downed Veronika Kudermetova by the same scoreline and will now face Madison Keys.
The pursuit of major glory at the U.S. Open got underway after a fog-enforced delay on Thursday, with favourite Jon Rahm among a host of contenders primed for action at Torrey Pines.
As two groups went out after the fog had cleared at around 08:15 local time at the first and 10th holes, around an half and half later than planned, the big names were waiting in the wings, with Rahm hotly tipped for success.
Rahm, who suffered a coronavirus-enforced withdrawal when he led after three rounds at the Memorial Tournament this month, is scheduled to head out at 15:36.
The Spaniard has never won a major and has a best finish at the U.S. Open of third in 2019.
Reigning champion Bryson DeChambeau will begin his title defence at 15:14 in a group with Masters holder Hideki Matsuyama and Tyler Strafaci.
DeChambeau's rival Brooks Koepka, who won back-to-back U.S. Opens in 2017 and 2018, can attempt to apply some pressure when he goes out at 09:29 with Justin Thomas and last year's US PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa.
The man who took that honour from Morikawa, Phil Mickelson, can complete the Grand Slam this week, and Lefty will tee off his bid to join that elite club at 09:51. He has been runner-up six times in this event.
Rory McIlroy, a winner in 2011, will seek to add a fifth major when he gets his tournament up and running at 15:36 alongside 2013 champion Justin Rose and world number one Dustin Johnson.
The US Open is set to be the first tennis grand slam to operate at full spectator capacity for its duration since COVID-19 became a global crisis.
Tournament organisers said on Thursday that the major, which was played behind closed doors in 2020, would not impose reduce attendance measures this year.
"New York is back, and so are the fans," a statement on the tournament's website said. "The 2021 US Open will welcome fans back to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center at 100 per cent capacity for the two-week tournament."
Mike Dowse, chief executive of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), said: "We are extremely excited to be able to welcome our incredible fans back to the US Open this year.
"While we were proud that we were able to hold the event in 2020, we missed having our fans on-site, because we know that they are a large part of what makes the US Open experience unlike any other.
"Indeed, the challenges presented by the pandemic were tough on us all, but our sport came together like never before and tackled each challenge head on."
Dowse added: "Our sport surged in the toughest of times, and this year's US Open promises to be an unforgettable celebration of the game, those who play it, and those who revel in it."
The tournament added that it would follow all COVID-related guidelines, although its intention clearly is to run the major in as normal a manner as is possible.
The US Open's announcement came on the day tickets went on sale for the upcoming Wimbledon championship, which begins on June 28. The grass-court slam was cancelled last year.
Wimbledon will operate at a 50 per cent attendance restriction for much of its duration, although the weekend of the finals is due to see Centre Court at 100 per cent capacity.
The French Open functioned with a vastly reduced number of tickets available in both its 2020 and 2021 editions, compared to previous years.
The Australian Open in February capped spectator numbers at 30,000, although a snap lockdown in Melbourne meant there were no crowds for five days midway through the event, with Rod Laver Arena then limited to approximately 50 per cent capacity for the closing stretch of the event.
Naomi Osaka and Dominic Thiem won the women's and men's singles titles at the 2020 US Open, and this year's tournament runs from August 30 to September 12.
Newcastle Knights and former Huddersfield teenage wing sensation Dom Young is one of a number of new faces selected for the initial Jamaica 2021 Rugby League World Cup train-on squad.
The Reggae Warriors will become the first nation from the Caribbean region to play in the final stages of the tournament later this year and will be based in Leeds.
Castleford’s experienced back Jordan Turner and Hull KR’s Luis Johnson also receive their first call up, as do Sheffield’s Izaac Farrell – who joins his brother Joel, Bradford’s Dee Foggin-Johnson and Lloyd White, who has previously played for Wales.
Young’s brother Alex, who is at Workington, is also included along with the 17 English-based players who helped the side qualify for the World Cup when winning the Americas Qualifiers in 2018 including Huddersfield’s Ashton Golding who joins club-mate Michael Lawrence, who made his Jamaica debut against England Knights in 2019.
A total of 14 players from the Jamaica domestic league have also been chosen including Khamisi McKain and Renaldo Wade who played in the 2018 qualifiers, and Liguanea Dragons’ Akeem Murray who sparked Jamaica’s win over the USA in their clash in Kingston in 2019.
Jamaica will face Greece in a World Cup warm-up game at Castleford on October 5 which will double as Turner’s testimonial game, and head coach Romeo Monteith has announced a three-day camp at Weetwood Hall in Leeds for the English-based players in preparation from 22-24 June.
The Jamaican contingent is not yet allowed to travel because of Covid-19 regulations and the camp will be run by their UK based lead coach Jermaine Coleman who will oversee on-field activities and will be supported by Leeds Rhinos assistant Chev Walker.
Monteith believes that the balance of the squad is right and competition for spots will be fierce. “We have named a strong train-on squad which gives us coverage in all positions,” he said.
“Only 24 players can make the final cut and so I know everyone will want to put himself in the best position to be selected. For the first time we have adequate options in the halves and our forwards are looking to have depth. Our backs have always been our strength and we will again have plenty of options there.
“It’s extremely disappointing that we weren’t allowed a mid-season international but second to that a camp is the next best thing we can arrange. Our UK operation directors Alex Simmons and Jason Robinson have worked hard to make it a possibility and I am confident our preparations will greatly benefit from it.
“We also hope to have a similar camp in Jamaica for the domestic-based players but we are still waiting on Government approval to return to activities on the island. Certainly, it’s not been a normal time and like other sports, we have suffered greatly.”
JAMAICA WORLD CUP TRAIN-ON SQUAD
Greg Johnson (Batley Bulldogs), Dee Foggin-Johnson, (Bradford Bulls), Jordan Turner (Castleford Tigers), Kevin Thomas (CMU Spartans) Kadeem Williams (Coventry Bears), Jon Magrin, Keenen Tomlinson, (Dewsbury Rams), Danny Bravo, Ross Peltier (Doncaster), Danny Thomas (Dewsbury Celtic), Andre McFarlane, Andrew Simpson, Fabian Turner, Jenson Morris, Kenneth Walker, Khamisi McKain, Marvin Thompson, Owen Linton, Renaldo Wade, Ryan Grant (Duhaney Park Red Sharks) James Woodburn-Hall (Halifax) Chevaughn Bailey (GC Lions) Ashton Golding, Michael Lawrence (Huddersfield Giants), Luis Johnson (Hull Kingston Rovers), Aaron Jones-Bishop, Alex Brown, Jordan Andrade, Jy-mel Coleman (Hunslet Hawks), Mo Agoro, Zach Braham (Keighley Cougars), Adrian Hall, Akeem Murray (Liguanea Dragons) Jacob Ogden (London Broncos) Abevia McDonald, Jerome Yates, Lamont Bryan, Maliki Lloyd-Jones, Omari Caro, (London Skolars), Joe Brown (Newcastle), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights), Christopher Ball, Izaac Farrell, Joel Farrell (Sheffield Eagles), Nico Rizelli (St. Helens), Lloyd White (Toulouse Olympique), Alex Young (Workington Town), Ben Jones-Bishop (York City Knights), Mason Caton-Brown, Tyronie Rowe (Unattached).
Christian Arroyo's seventh-inning grand slam lifted the Boston Red Sox past the Atlanta Braves for a 10-8 victory Wednesday.
The Red Sox (42-27) continued to gain ground on the first-place Tampa Bay Rays while digging an even deeper hole for the Braves (30-35), who are now tied with the Washington Nationals for third place in the National League (NL) East.
Boston took an early lead and built a 6-3 edge by the fifth inning before home runs by Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman put Atlanta on top 7-6.
But Atlanta's veteran reliever Shane Greene loaded the bases in the seventh before giving way to A.J. Minter with two outs, then watched as Minter surrendered Arroyo's 467-foot blast to left-center field.
Altuve keeps going deep for Houston
Jose Altuve's home run swing carried over from Tuesday to Wednesday, as he opened the bottom of the first inning with a home run and added another in the eighth to lead an 8-4 Houston Astros win over the Texas Rangers. According to Stats Perform, Altuve is the first player in MLB history to hit a walk-off grand slam in one game and a leadoff home run in his team's next game.
Charlie Blackmon's ninth-inning single scored Trevor Story to give the Colorado Rockies an 8-7 win and a three-game sweep over the slumping San Diego Padres.
The St Louis Cardinals also walked off for a sweep as Yadier Molina's single down the left-field line in the ninth inning scored Paul Goldschmidt for a 1-0 victory over the Miami Marlins.
More injury worries for deGrom
The New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 but will anxiously await word on the status of star pitcher Jacob deGrom, who left the game with right shoulder soreness after striking out eight of the nine batters he faced in an abbreviated three-inning start.
Another road game, another road loss for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who allowed five home runs in a 13-7 defeat against the San Francisco Giants. Arizona's 22nd consecutive loss away from home tied the 1963 Mets and 1943 Philadelphia Athletics for the most in modern MLB history.
The Baltimore Orioles are right on Arizona's tail, as their 8-7 loss to the Cleveland Indians gave them 18 straight defeats away from Camden Yards.
Baez makes it look easy
Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez showed his Gold Glove form with a beautiful, sliding scoop-and-throw on a bouncer up the middle to get Mets catcher Tomas Nito at first.
Wednesday's results
New York Mets 6-3 Chicago Cubs
Washington Nationals 3-1 Pittsburgh Pirates
New York Yankees 3-2 Toronto Blue Jays
Cleveland Indians 8-7 Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox 10-8 Atlanta Braves
Cincinnati Reds 2-1 Milwaukee Brewers
Detroit Tigers 6-5 Kansas City Royals
Chicago White Sox 8-7 Tampa Bay Rays
Houston Astros 8-4 Texas Rangers
St Louis Cardinals 1-0 Miami Marlins
Colorado Rockies 8-7 San Diego Padres
Oakland Athletics 8-4 Los Angeles Angels
San Francisco Giants 13-7 Arizona Diamondbacks
Minnesota Twins 7-2 Seattle Mariners
Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 Los Angeles Dodgers
Reds at Padres
Two teams headed in opposite directions square off in San Diego as the Padres (38-32), losers of nine of their last 11 games, host the Cincinnati Reds (35-31), who have won six in a row and 11 of 13.
The Los Angeles Clippers absorbed the best shot the Utah Jazz could give them and prevailed in what Paul George called their biggest game of the season, winning 119-111 Wednesday to take a 3-2 lead in their Western Conference semi-final series.
Hours after learning star forward Kawhi Leonard was out indefinitely with a knee injury, the Clippers turned to George to lead the way on the road against top-seeded Utah.
George did everything he could, posting 37 points, 16 rebounds and five assists to put Los Angeles one win away from advancing to the conference finals.
"He's incredible. He's special. Paul's special," said Clippers guard Reggie Jackson.
"The way that he just handled himself, he seemed calm. Tough news to receive [about Leonard] but he seemed calm. He was ready to put the team on his back and carry extra weight."
George did not try and diminish the significance of the win afterward.
"I thought this was our toughest matchup this postseason, this was the biggest game of our season, especially being down our best player," he told TNT afterward.
"We wish Kawhi the best and a speedy recovery, but we knew coming into this we had to play together, we had to step up, but we didn't have to [overdo] it.
"I thought everybody played their roles, we did a great job, we played collectively. We limited our turnovers, and I thought that's what was the key tonight."
Los Angeles gave the ball away only 10 times, but just as positive for them was watching the Jazz come up one short of an NBA playoff record with 17 made three-pointers in the first half but only lead by five going into the break.
"I thought a lot of their threes were tough ones," said George. "We didn't overreact. They came out hot. The good thing about it was we were able to weather the storm.
"We came down and we attacked them on offence as well. We just took their blows, we took their punches -- we just thought they couldn't sustain that over a full 48 minutes."
They could not, whether through the Clippers' defensive efforts or a lack of focus on both ends of the court.
"I didn't feel like the sense of urgency was there defensively at the beginning of the game," said Jazz big man Rudy Gobert, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Whatever the reason, the Clippers now control their own destiny in the series, even without having Leonard available for the immediate future.
"We've been talking about it all year," said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. "We're not going to point the finger. We're not going to blame anyone.
"When things get tough, we come together. That's the kind of culture I wanted to establish here."
After trailing nearly the entire game, the Atlanta Hawks completed a staggering comeback to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 109-106 and take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final series.
Hawks star Trae Young led all scorers with 39 points and added seven assists, making 17 of 19 from the free-throw line to offset a 10-of-23 showing from the field.
Though Atlanta trailed by 22 with one minute remaining in the third quarter, the Hawks shot their way back into the game as just about every 76ers player but Seth Curry went cold in the final quarter.
Philadelphia still led by 10 after Ben Simmons made a pair of free throws with 4:23 to play, but the 76ers made only one shot the rest of the game -- a meaningless jumper from Curry just before the buzzer.
In between, they came up empty on all six attempts from the field and Simmons and Joel Embiid missed two free throws each.
Embiid finished with 37 points and 13 rebounds, while Curry scored 36 as they were the only two 76ers to score from the field in the second half.
According to Stats Perform, this is the first time in the last 15 postseasons two players have made all of their team's baskets in one half.
A second-half rally was also on the cards in Salt Lake City as the Los Angeles Clippers withstood an early onslaught of three-pointers from the Utah Jazz and returned home with a 119-111 victory and a 3-2 series lead.
Bojan Bogdanovic made six three-pointers in the opening quarter and Utah had 17 threes in the first half, one shy of the NBA record for the most in any half of a playoff game, to give the Jazz a 65-60 advantage at the break.
But the Clippers, playing without the injured Kawhi Leonard, out-scored the Jazz 32-18 in the third quarter and held on for the win as Paul George scored 37 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.
Marcus Morris added 25 points and Reggie Jackson 22 for the Clippers, who can close out the series at home on Friday.
Bogdanovic finished with 32 points and Donovan Mitchell 21 for Utah, though Mitchell made only six of 19 shots from the field.
Utah made just three of 24 three-pointers in the second half.
Nets at Bucks
The Brooklyn Nets will look to close out their Eastern Conference semi-final series against the Milwaukee Bucks as they take a 3-2 lead into Game 6.
Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been voted NBA Rookie of the Year.
The 19-year-old seemed to have locked up the honour early with a stellar first three months in his maiden campaign, but a mid-season injury added some suspense.
As Ball missed five weeks in March and April with a fractured list, top draft pick Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves began to heat up.
But Ball's overall body of work prevailed, as he received 84 first-place votes and 465 overall points from the selection panel.
Edwards was second with 15 first-place votes and 309 points, while Tyrese Haliburton of the Sacramento Kings came third with 114 points.
Ball averaged 15.7 points, 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds in 28.8 minutes across 51 games.
His signature performance may have come on January 9, when he had 22 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists against the Atlanta Hawks to become the youngest NBA player to record a triple-double.
Edwards finished with averages of 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 72 games.
Two more NBA teams are looking for a head coach after the New Orleans Pelicans parted ways with Stan Van Gundy and the Washington Wizards said they would not renew Scott Brooks' contract.
That brings the total to six openings around the league, as the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers also are in the midst of the search process.
Brooks' best team during five years in Washington was his first, the 2016-17 side that went 49-33 in the regular season before falling to Boston in a seven-game Eastern Conference semi-finals series.
Washington were not able to build on their young backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal, as Wall missed significant time with injury the next few years before moving on to the Houston Rockets.
Brooks went 183-207 (.469) in his five years with the Wizards, who missed the playoffs the last two seasons before bowing out in the first round against the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers this year.
"We have been committed to taking the proper steps over the last two seasons to develop our young players, bring in pieces to complement Bradley Beal and build a winning environment that will ultimately lead to sustained on-court success," said Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard.
"Our organization will always be grateful to Scott for his dedication and work both on the court and in the community over the past five years and I personally admire and respect how he helped keep our team together during the unprecedented events of the last 15 months."
The long-time NBA fixture Van Gundy got only one season with Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball and the Pelicans, going 31-41 and missing the playoffs.
The former Magic, Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons boss could not find a winning formula with a mostly young group in New Orleans, though injuries that kept Ball and Williamson out for extended periods did not help.
Pelicans vice president of basketball operations David Griffin thanked Van Gundy for his "integrity and professionalism" in a statement announcing the move.
"This was a difficult decision as I have tremendous respect for Stan both personally and professionally, but we agreed it is in the best interest of our team to move forward in a different direction," Griffin said.
Condolence messages continue to pour in locally and from across the region in reaction to the sudden passing of the immediate past president of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association (JTTA) Godfrey Lothian on Tuesday.
The 65-year-old sports administrator reportedly suffered from a heart attack at his home Tuesday morning and was declared dead at the hospital sending the table tennis, cricket and football fraternities into shock. Lothian served three terms as JTTA President from 2013 to 2019. He was also a member of the board of the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA).
He also served the sport of football for decades.
As such, the Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) said it extended its deepest condolences to the President of Greenwich Town FC and the family of Godfrey Lothian.
“For over 30 years he had a passion for youth and grassroots programmes within the Greenwich Town Football community.
President of KSAFA Wayne Shaw highlighted that "Lothian was a community man who wanted to see the best for the youth. His contribution to football will be remembered".
Minister of Gender, Culture, Entertainment and Sports Olivia Grange also expressed her surprise at the sudden passing of the respected administrator.
“I am deeply shocked to learn that Mr Godfrey Lothian died unexpectedly at his home. Mr Lothian was a devoted servant of the sport of table tennis in Jamaica and his contribution will not be forgotten. My heartfelt sympathy to his family, JTTA and the table tennis fraternity,” the minister said.
The Jamaica Cricket Association also reacted to the news.
“Director Lothian served as the president of the Kingston and St Andrew Cricket Association. He also served as a director on the JCA’s board. On behalf of the JCA and the wider cricket, we once again extend condolences and offer continuous prayer,” the JCA said in a statement.
However, the local and regional table tennis was the hardest hit fraternity.
News of Lothian’s death sparked messages of sympathy from table tennis associations from across the Caribbean including the International Table Tennis Federation, Barbados, Cuba, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, French Guiana, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Haiti, Martinique, Bonaire, Suriname, St Vincent and the Cayman Islands.
Closer home, Lothian helped bring the sport back from obscurity by focusing on youth development and engaged scores of children and their parents.
Andrew Lue, the current JTTA president said he was both shocked and saddened by the news of Lothian’s death. “I learnt a lot from him,” Lue said. “This is shocking. We had our differences but I would not wish this on anyone.”
Natalie Johnson a former manager of the Juniors National team, under Lothian’s presidency, said she was in disbelief.
“His passing is a real shock and my heart goes out to his family,” she said.
“I got involved with the table-tennis community because of my son Azizi. I can categorically say that under Mr Lothian leadership the juniors excelled to the level where they competed internationally. He ensured that the juniors were exposed every chance he got. May his soul rest in peace."
National player Kane Watson said Lothian had a strong following and people who didn’t see things his way but he was committed to the cause and worked hard. “He wanted better for table tennis,” Watson said.
Klan Bell-Lewis, the mother of Gianna and Tsenaye Lewis, who represent Jamaica at the junior level, said Lothian made significant contributions to the sport.
"As a parent of girls, I am appreciative of Mr Lothian and his administration for creating a space where girls were welcomed and encouraged within the sport. His contribution to youth development through table tennis is significant," she said.
Lewis's daughter, Tsenaye, a member of the national squad from 2016-2019, described the late president as a man of vision.
“Rest in peace, Mr Lothian. He was a visionary organizer and he had a lot of hopes for the junior players. May his legacy live on."
Esteban Ocon has signed a new contract to keep him tied to Alpine until 2024, with the deal agreed just days before he races on home soil at the French Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old is in the second year with the team, who have acted fast to hand him a three-year extension.
Ocon has made the points in four of his six races so far this season and sits just one point behind two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, his more experienced team-mate at the outfit formerly known as Renault.
A superb second-place finish at the Sakhir Grand Prix in the penultimate race of last season was the highlight of a 2020 campaign for Ocon where he finished 12th in the drivers' standings.
The Frenchman said: "I'm delighted to continue with the team beyond this year and it is a fantastic feeling to secure my future with Alpine.
"We have been progressing well together since I joined the team and I aim to continue that journey going forward.
"There are great challenges ahead of us, especially with the new regulations in 2022. I'm sure we can hit our targets by working hard together and continuing the story.
"I often think back to the Sakhir Grand Prix last year with the podium, and it motivates me to create more special memories like that.
"I'm really looking forward to the next chapter but, for now, we are very much focused on this season and taking each race as it comes."
The 2020 campaign was Ocon's first back in F1 after missing a year in 2019, when he served as a Mercedes test driver after missing out on a race seat.
This is his sixth F1 season, having previously raced for Lotus, Manor and Force India.
Alpine said Ocon was "a perfect ambassador" for the team and stated their "belief in the Frenchman as a star of the sport" as they look to return to world championship contention in the years ahead.
Lewis Hamilton finds himself under significant pressure in the Formula One title race, so will be relieved to see the French Grand Prix next up in his schedule.
Mercedes have had two miserable races in Monaco and Baku, so they enter the seventh event of the 2021 season trailing Red Bull by 26 points in the constructors' championship.
Hamilton, meanwhile, is four points behind Max Verstappen – who was cruelly denied victory in Baku last time out – in the drivers' standings.
The Briton is hoping to avoid missing the podium in three straight races for what would be the first time in the Hybrid Era, having finished seventh in Monaco and outside of the points in Azerbaijan.
He and Toto Wolff are optimistic that a return to Circuit Paul Ricard, which the team boss described as "a more traditional circuit", will help them turn their campaign around.
Hamilton triumphed there in 2018 and 2019, the first races in France after a nine-year absence from the F1 calendar. On both occasions Mercedes were dominant.
Michael Schumacher holds the record with eight wins at the French Grand Prix, a race where this year Hamilton hopes to reboot his attempt to move above the German by claiming an eighth world title.
Veteran Fernando Alonso was the last driver to win for a French team in this grand prix, doing it for Renault (now Alpine) 16 years ago in the 2005 season when he claimed his first championship.
After Verstappen triumphed around the streets of Monaco and Sergio Perez claimed a blockbuster success in Baku, Red Bull now face a pivotal test of their title aspirations.
If they emerge from three races in as many weeks in France and Austria (which hosts two) still in front, it will be an impressive and significant statement to Mercedes.
LAST TIME OUT
Remarkable late drama at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw Perez grab victory after Verstappen crashed out and title rival Hamilton incredibly finished 15th.
Verstappen looked to be coasting to a second consecutive win and seventh straight podium – both career firsts, only to see a rear tyre blow out and end his race with five laps to go.
A red flag followed Verstappen's crash, meaning a standing start with Perez ahead of Hamilton on the front row of the grid for an incredible two-lap sprint finish following the delay.
In another twist, Hamilton – who had stressed on team radio the importance of staying cautious and having the long game in mind after Verstappen's retirement - looked to have seized an unlikely victory when he moved up the inside, only to make a mistake with his brake settings that saw him career off the circuit.
As well as Perez, Sebastian Vettel and Pierre Gasly were the beneficiaries with impressive podium finishes for Aston Martin and AlphaTauri respectively.
Charles Leclerc, who had claimed pole for the second straight race, had to settle for fourth, while Valtteri Bottas was 12th as his desperately disappointing campaign continued.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN FRANCE
All eyes are on how Mercedes respond as they find themselves in a position they are not used to, as Red Bull relish their recent run and look to press home their advantage.
Hamilton missed a chance to reclaim the lead from Verstappen in Azerbaijan, but will like his chances to do so as he gets another opportunity at Le Castellet.
Bottas' woes this season have not all been his fault – he was unfortunate in Monaco – but he sits sixth in the standings and needs an immediate turnaround to save his Mercedes future.
Home hope Gasly comes into the race on form, with five straight points finishes and a podium in Baku, while another French driver – Esteban Ocon – is on a high having just signed a new deal with Alpine.
After watching Leclerc impress to claim back-to-back poles for a resurgent Ferrari, Carlos Sainz will race for the 125th time looking to end a run that has seen him appear in the most grands prix without winning or taking pole of any active driver. He has scored points in both his previous France races, while Leclerc made the podium in 2019.
TOP FIVE OPTA STATS
Record in sight – Mercedes will again attempt to equal Ferrari as the team to have recorded the most one-twos in F1 qualifying ever (80).
A first for Red Bull – Christian Horner's team come to this grand prix after winning two races in a row with a different driver for the first time in the Hybrid Era.
Perez pace – The Mexican is enjoying his best career streak of top-five finishes, having had four in a row including his Azerbaijan win.
History made - Gasly was the first French driver to score a point in a French GP in this century when he came 10th in 2019, the first since the Jean Alesi finished fifth in 1997 at Magny-Cours.
Poor conversion - Leclerc has recorded only two wins out of the nine pole positions in his F1 career (22.2%). If the Monegasque is on pole without claiming victory in this race, only Rene Arnoux (11.1%) and David Coulthard (16.7%) will have a lower ratio of victories from pole of drivers to have at least 10.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 105
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 101
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) – 69
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 66
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 52
Constructors
1. Red Bull – 174
2. Mercedes – 148
3. Ferrari – 94
4. McLaren – 92
5. AlphaTauri – 39
Kiki Bertens will retire at the end of the WTA Tour season at the age of 29.
Bertens revealed in a media conference on Wednesday that a combination of the COVID-19 pandemic and an ongoing Achilles injury prompted her to start a new chapter in her life.
A winner of 10 WTA Tour singles and 20 doubles titles, Bertens reached a career-high fourth in the rankings two years ago.
Bertens, now ranked 20th in the world, embarked on her best grand slam run at the 2016 French Open, reaching the semi-finals at Roland Garros.
She was knocked out in the first round of the Paris major Polona Hercog by this time around and made the decision to quit this year after bowing out in the French capital.
Roger Federer lost in the opening two rounds at the Halle Open for the first time in his career as his hopes of winning the title for the 11th time were ended by Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Federer beat Ilya Ivashka in his opening match of the grass-court season at a tournament defined by his dominance in Halle.
He came into Wednesday's clash with Auger-Aliassime boasting a 32-0 record in the first two rounds, and that looked set to be preserved after the 20-time grand slam champion won the first set.
But Auger-Aliassime, exactly 19 years Federer's junior, staged a stunning fightback in a contest with the largest age difference of the Swiss' 1,521 career matches.
His remarkable turnaround saw the Canadian claim a 4-6 6-3 6-2 triumph that marked the fourth top-10 win of his career.
It also meant he denied Federer a 70th match win in Halle and his 18th quarter-final in as many appearances at the tournament.
"It's a great victory, it's good for my confidence. It was already a great challenge for me to play a player like Roger, but to beat him, it's a great thing," Auger-Aliassime said. "It makes me really happy. But at the end, it's the quarter-finals in two days.
"If it was the final, then I'd be really happy… it's another step in the tournament, it's a great match, so hopefully I can keep on going like that.
"In the first set, I didn’t think I could have played much better outside of just missing one forehand in my service game and then he hit two amazing passing shots and I was just like 'Whoa'.
"I understand how good he is and how good he was when he was No. 1 in the world, so it was tough.
"Everything worked well today, to be honest. I think that's what you need to do against Roger. On my part, I served really well. I was able to put in a lot of returns, mix up coming to the net, closing well. I think overall I did a good match."
Marcos Giron is next for Auger-Aliassime after he overcame Jan-Lennard Struff in three sets. There were straight-sets wins for Andrey Rublev over Jordan Thompson and Philipp Kohlschreiber over Corentin Moutet. Rublev will face Kohlschreiber in the last eight.
Wednesday's play at the Queen's Club Championships saw Alex de Minaur win an all-Australian clash with John Millman, while Britons Cameron Norrie and Jack Draper defeated Aslan Karatsev and Alexander Bublik respectively.
Kawhi Leonard will miss Game 5 of the Western Conference semi-finals, according to multiple reports, after the Los Angeles Clippers star was ruled out indefinitely with a right knee sprain.
Leonard, the two-time NBA Finals MVP, has played an instrumental role in levelling the seven-game series with the Utah Jazz at 2-2 after the Clippers fell into a 0-2 hole.
He scored 34 points in 31 minutes as the Clippers took Game 4 at Staples Center, the highlight a monstrous dunk over Derrick Favors.
But with the series now shifting back to Utah for Game 5, the Clippers now face the prospect of potentially being without Leonard for the rest of the series.
It could prove a potentially fatal blow to the Clippers' hopes of progressing to a Western Conference Finals matchup with the Phoenix Suns.
He leads the Clippers with 30.4 points per game in the postseason, comfortably ahead of Paul George (24.9).
Only three players in the league have had a greater scoring influence on victories for their respective teams during the playoffs.
Leonard has averaged 33.8 points per game in wins this postseason, a tally bettered by only Luka Doncic (37.3), Nikola Jokic (37) and Anthony Davis (34).
The Clippers, who have never reached the Conference Finals in their history, will look to take a 3-2 lead by overcoming Leonard's absence and the Jazz in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Former world number ones Andy Murray and Venus Williams have been given Wimbledon wildcards.
Three-time grand slam champion Murray missed the French Open to focus on the grass-court season, having been troubled by a groin injury.
The 34-year-old Brit, ranked 124th in the world, was emotional after beating Benoit Paire 6-2 6-2 in his first ATP Tour singles match since March on Tuesday.
Murray's career was in doubt after he underwent hip resurfacing in 2019, but the 34-year-old double Wimbledon champion will play in his home major at the All England Club.
Williams, a winner of five Wimbledon singles titles and a six-time doubles champion at the grass-court major, also received a wild card after dropping out of the top 100 in the rankings.
The 40-year-old American will be in the singles draw 21 years after winning her first Wimbledon title.
Wimbledon did not take place last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but will be the first major outdoor sports in England to be staged with full capacity crowds for the finals weekend of July 10-11.
The Championships will start at SW19 on June 28 with 50 per cent capacity across the venue grounds, Centre Court and No.1 Court. Smaller show courts will be allowed to open at 75 per cent capacity from day one.
From the fourth round, the aim is to increase allocations for Centre Court and No.1 Court, rising to 100 per cent for the finals.
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