Kawhi Leonard insisted the Los Angeles Clippers "have a lot of fight left" after they fell into a 0-2 hole in the Western Conference semi-finals series with the Utah Jazz.
The top-seeded Jazz took a two-game lead on Thursday with a 117-111 victory, Donovan Mitchell racking up 37 points to inspire Utah to triumph.
Leonard was held to 21 points in 39 minutes but is confident the Clippers can overturn the deficit, having come back from 2-0 and 3-2 down in their first-round series with the Dallas Mavericks.
"We all got to put our will out on the floor," the two-time NBA Finals MVP said.
"You know, see what we did in the first two games and try to limit our mistakes and just keep going on from there pretty much.
"We'll see [on Friday] what we got to do, and we've got a lot of fight left. So you know, we're up for the challenge."
Reggie Jackson top-scored for the Clippers with 29 points while Paul George produced a double-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
There was a significant disparity between the two teams in three-point shooting, with the Clippers going 11 for 30 from beyond the arc while the Jazz hit on 20 of their 39 attempts from deep.
"We've got to give them credit," said George. "This is a tough opponent. They weren't number one in the West for no reason.
"But, you know, we are approaching this the same way Dallas was, we still feel we have a lot of possessions that we can clean up, a lot of possessions that are hurting us that's our fault.
"As good as they are playing, as tough as this matchup is, we still feel like there's moments throughout this game, this series, that, you know, we are making plays that are self-inflicted.
"It's a lot of uphill. But we're optimistic that we can get this under control and go back home, one game at a time, and try to tie this series up."
Donovan Mitchell praised the Utah Jazz for taking the pressure off his shoulders in an outstanding team performance that earned a 117-111 victory at home to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Jazz moved 2-0 ahead in their Western Conference semi-finals series, with All-Star Mitchell posting 37 points in a stellar display.
But he was not alone in producing the goods, with newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert contributing 13 points, 20 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in Utah.
"I don't feel like I have to go out there and do everything," said Mitchell, who is averaging 28.4 points in his playoff career, only behind LeBron James (28.7), Jerry West (29.1), Kevin Durant (29.2), Allen Iverson (29.7) and Michael Jordan (33.4).
"I think that's a credit to the guys we have on this team because they can go out there and make plays.
"Everybody's elevated their game."
Having played a leading role himself, Mitchell was keen to laud the impact of Bojan Bogdanovic, whose defensive efforts proved telling.
"Bojan's defense was superb," he said. "He's been taking that role and taking that challenge.
"We make jokes with him all the time and we look at Bojan and say, 'Hey, we pay you to shoot'."
Mitchell seemed to suffer a leg injury late in the contest that left him hobbling, although he dispelled any fitness concerns.
"I'm fine now," he said. "I walked in here and if you want me to sprint for you, I can. I'm good."
The result extended the Jazz's winning streak to six games – the team's longest unbeaten run in the playoffs since celebrating seven consecutive victories in 1998.
Kawhi Leonard and the fourth-ranked Clippers were looking to even the series by splitting Utah's homestand, but the visitors fell short in Game 2.
Reggie Jackson had a team-best 29 points on 11-for-19 shooting as Paul George (27 points and 10 rebounds) and Leonard (21 points) contributed.
Kyrie Irving enjoyed the battle of a "good old-fashioned playoff game" despite the Brooklyn Nets seeing a roaring comeback halted by the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bucks escaped with an 86-83 victory in Game 3 in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, with the Nets still leading the series 2-1.
Milwaukee had surrendered a 21-point lead before Jrue Holiday put the home team ahead for good with 11.4 seconds remaining.
Kevin Durant's 30 points and 11 rebounds were not enough for the Nets, who were again without injured superstar James Harden (hamstring).
Irving, however, was not too downbeat as he was able to appreciate the contest as a spectacle.
"Shoot, man, they did what they were supposed to do: come out aggressive, backs against the wall, and we had to weather that storm," he said.
"So that definitely kind of put us on our heels for the rest of the game, just playing catch-up, playing their style of basketball, and then they made some big timely shots which carried them forward.
"But we had our chances down the stretch. It was a possession-by-possession game. Both teams battling. So that's a good old-fashioned playoff game right there."
Durant highlighted how fine margins determined the outcome of a game that could have gone either way.
He said: "They played more physical, they were there at the rim and they just played their regular way, the way they've been playing the whole season.
"I think we got great looks, we need to knock them down, but they also did a good job of contesting and being physical and blocking shots at the rim.
"But for the most part we got back into the game, had plays down the stretch and they just ended up making a couple more shots."
The Minnesota Twins celebrated a 7-5 walk-off win over the New York Yankees thanks to Josh Donaldson and Nelson Cruz.
Donaldson and Cruz hit two-run homers off Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning as the Twins trumped the Yankees to avoid a three-game sweep in MLB action on Thursday.
The Yankees led 5-2 by the sixth inning after Giancarlo Stanton's 422-foot three-run homer in the opening inning, while Gio Urshela also went deep for the visitors in Minneapolis.
But the Twins got on top of Chapman, who blew a save, courtesy of big shots from Donaldson and Cruz.
"Pretty amazing effort by our guys, and those at-bats in the last inning were pretty spectacular," said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli.
Red Sox win wild game
J.D. Martinez led the way as the Boston Red Sox outlasted the Houston Astros 12-8. Martinez tallied his 13th homer of the season in the third inning and Christian Arroyo also hit a three-run homer in the fifth for the Red Sox, who avoided a three-game sweep. There were six lead chances in the contest, the most in a game since 2019.
Mookie Betts' home run fuelled World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3. It was Betts' 25th lead-off homer of his career.
Trevor Rogers is one of three Miami Marlins starters to begin the season with an ERA under two after 12 starts – Dontrelle Willis in 2003 and Josh Johnson in 2006. The Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 11-4.
Zack Wheeler was dominant for the Philadelphia Phillies, who edged the Atlanta Braves 4-3. He struck out 12 batters in eight strong innings. Wheeler allowed four singles and no walks as his ERA lowered to 2.29.
Gonzalez struggles
Colorado's Chi Chi Gonzalez was put to the sword by Miami. He was blasted for three homers in the second inning. The Rockies pitcher finished with 11 hits, eight runs, one walk and three home runs across five forgettable innings.
RBI machine
Jose Abreu is tied with Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the MLB lead with 48 RBI this season. Abreu's shot in the bottom of the eighth inning helped the high-flying Chicago White Sox seal a 5-2 victory against the Blue Jays.
Thursday's results
Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 Pittsburgh Pirates
Milwaukee Brewers 7-2 Cincinnati Reds
Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 Atlanta Braves
Detroit Tigers 8-3 Seattle Mariners
Miami Marlins 11-4 Colorado Rockies
Boston Red Sox 12-8 Houston Astros
Chicago White Sox 5-2 Toronto Blue Jays
Minnesota Twins 7-5 New York Yankees
Kansas City Royals 6-1 Oakland Athletics
San Francisco Giants-Washington Nationals (postponed)
Padres at Mets
It will be a battle of the aces when the San Diego Padres (37-27) travel to the New York Mets (30-24) on Friday. Blake Snell takes to the mound for the Padres as Mets ace Jacob deGrom starts in New York.
Donovan Mitchell produced another monster performance as the top-seeded Utah Jazz took down the Los Angeles Clippers for a commanding 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semi-finals.
After going off for 45 points in the opener, All-Star Mitchell posted 37 points to lead the Jazz to a 117-111 victory at home to the Clippers in Game 2 in the NBA playoffs on Thursday.
Mitchell was supported by fellow All-Star and newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who put up 13 points, 20 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in Utah.
Utah's Mitchell is averaging 28.4 points in his playoff career, only behind LeBron James (28.7), Jerry West (29.1), Kevin Durant (29.2), Allen Iverson (29.7) and Michael Jordan (33.4).
The in-form Jazz extended their winning streak to six games – the team's longest unbeaten run in the playoffs since celebrating seven consecutive victories in 1998.
Kawhi Leonard and the fourth-ranked Clippers were looking to even the series by splitting Utah's homestand, but the visitors fell short in Game 2.
Reggie Jackson had a team-best 29 points on 11-for-19 shooting as Paul George (27 points and 10 rebounds) and Leonard (21 points) contributed.
In the Eastern Conference semi-finals, the Milwaukee Bucks escaped with an 86-83 victory against the Brooklyn Nets in Game 3.
The Bucks had their backs against the wall after falling into a 2-0 hole against the second-seeded Nets, but responded on home court in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee surrendered a 21-point lead at home to the Nets before Jrue Holiday put the Bucks ahead for good with 11.4 seconds remaining.
Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 33 points and 14 rebounds, while Khris Middleton top-scored with 35 points and 15 rebounds as Kevin Durant's buzzer-beating three-point attempt for the Nets bounced off the rim.
The Bucks are the only NBA team in the last 15 years to have two players (Antetokounmpo and Middleton) score 15-plus points in a quarter with no other team-mates posting a point (regular season or postseason), according to Stats Perform.
Antetokounmpo and Middleton combined for 68 points and 29 rebounds. Per Stats Perform, they are the first duo to combine for those numbers in a playoff game since Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in 2001.
Durant's 30 points and 11 rebounds were not enough for the Nets, who were again without injured superstar James Harden (hamstring).
76ers at Hawks
The top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers will visit the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semi-final matchup on Friday. The series is level at 1-1.
Giannis Antetokounmpo insisted "a win is a win" after the Milwaukee Bucks escaped with an 86-83 victory against the Brooklyn Nets, despite blowing a big advantage in Game 3.
The Bucks had their backs against the wall after falling into a 2-0 hole against the second-seeded Nets in the Eastern Conference semi-finals but responded on home court in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee surrendered a 21-point lead at home to the Nets before Jrue Holiday put the Bucks ahead for good with 11.4 seconds remaining on Thursday.
The Bucks were forced to dig deep during the closing stages, however two-time MVP Antetokounmpo did not dwell on the manner of the win as Milwaukee cut Brooklyn's lead to 2-1 in the NBA playoffs.
"At the end of the day, a win is a win," said Antetokounmpo, who posted 33 points and 14 rebounds.
"It doesn't matter if you win by 30. It doesn't matter if you win by one.
"You can go back home and celebrate the ‘W.' "
Khris Middleton top-scored with 35 points and 15 rebounds as Kevin Durant's buzzer-beating three-point attempt for the Nets bounced off the rim.
The Bucks are the only NBA team in the last 15 years to have two players (Antetokounmpo and Middleton) score 15-plus points in a quarter with no other team-mates posting a point (regular season or postseason), according to Stats Perform.
Antetokounmpo and Middleton combined for 68 points and 29 rebounds. Per Stats Perform, they are the first duo to combine for those numbers in a playoff game since Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in 2001.
"We ran a lot of pick-and-roll, the first two games, in Brooklyn. I was able to get my spots, just wasn't making the shot, making the right pass or the right read," Middleton said.
"Tonight, I just tried to make the right read and make those shots. I can see what they are giving, just trying to take advantage of that."
On Milwaukee's defense, Holiday added: "I think part of it is playing desperate, knowing the situation, knowing what this game means to us and what it means to be home.
"And then the other part of it is the performance we had the first two games, showing that's not the type of defense we play. That was really out of character."
The Utah Jazz will once again be without All-Star Mike Conley for Game 2 of the Western Conference semi-finals against the Los Angeles Lakers due to a right hamstring strain.
Conley sat out the Jazz's 112-109 victory to open the second-round series in the NBA playoffs after hurting his hamstring in the series-clinching Game 5 win over the Memphis Grizzlies last week.
The Jazz guard will remain sidelined for Thursday's clash as top-seeded Utah look to open a 2-0 lead over Kawhi Leonard's Clippers.
Conley has been averaging 17.4 points, a postseason career-high 8.6 assists and 3.8 rebounds through five games in the playoffs.
During the regular season, Conley averaged 16.2 points, 6.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
The Jazz have won five consecutive games – the franchise's longest winning streak in the playoffs since claiming seven straight in 1998.
This is the first time Utah have won the first game of a series since the 2017 opening round, also against the Clippers. The Jazz are 10-3 (76.9) all time in a best-of-seven series when leading 1-0, winning each of their last three such series, according to Stats Perform.
Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell posted 45 points in Game 1 – he now has three of the franchise's five 45-point games in the playoffs, including the franchise record (57 against the Denver Nuggets in the 2020 first-round series).
Utah have made at least 17 three-pointers in five consecutive games, the longest streak in the postseason in NBA history.
In fact, the Jazz attempted 50 threes in Game 1, their most in a playoff game in franchise history.
Barbora Krejcikova felt the guiding hand of Jana Novotna influence her stunning 7-5 4-6 9-7 Roland Garros victory over Maria Sakkari as the former doubles expert reached a first singles grand slam final.
Five times a slam winner in doubles, in which she is a former world number one, Krejcikova has diverted a large part of her focus to singles.
Novotna – the former Wimbledon champion and two-time French Open semi-finalist – helped to coach and mentor Krejcikova in the early stages of her professional career.
The death of Novotna from cancer in 2017 hit Krejcikova and many others in tennis hard, yet the rookie finalist continues to feel her fellow Czech is watching out for her.
"When I'm on court, I only think about tennis. I don't really think about anything else. So I was just thinking about tennis," Krejcikova said.
"I was just thinking about next ball, thinking where she's going to serve, where I should serve, what shot should I play, where should I place the ball.
"I don't really think about the things from outside. It's something actually she taught me. I just try to do that.
"Like every time before the match or after the match I just feel like she's there, she's looking after me."
Sakkari had a match point when 5-3 ahead in the third set against Krejcikova but the 17th seed went on to lose in Thursday's chaotic battle.
When that big chance came her way, the Greek player floated a short backhand that Krejcikova smashed away with a nerveless drive volley.
"I have to be deadly honest: I got stressed," Sakkari said. "I was starting thinking that I'm a point away from being in the final. I guess it's a rookie mistake."
There was a reprieve late in the decider for Sakkari when a shot of hers landed out and was signalled as being out, but the chair umpire overruled, incorrectly. That was on a match point for Krejcikova, who had to rein back her excitement and play another point.
"At that moment I was just like, 'Well, it's out, but what can you do?'," Krejcikova said.
On Saturday, Krejcikova faces the biggest match of her life, against fellow pre-tournament long shot, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
The world number 32 and 33 will meet in the biggest women's match of the clay-court season, an outcome nobody expected.
Krejcikova won her first career singles title in the lead-up to this fortnight, triumphing impressively in Strasbourg.
She has a French Open title already in her back pocket, having landed the women's doubles with Katerina Siniakova in 2018.
There could yet be a twin title success for Krejcikova this weekend, as the 25-year-old and Siniakova have a doubles semi-final ahead of them on Friday.
"I always wanted to play tournaments like this, big tournaments, big opponents, last rounds," Krejcikova said, speaking of her new-found singles prowess.
"It was just taking so long. It just took me some time, but I think right now it's actually the right moment. Especially mentally, I think I'm just there.
"I really matured. I just really appreciate things a lot, especially after what I've gone through, also with this pandemic and everything."
Johanna Konta kept up her hopes of winning the Nottingham Open for the first time as the British number one beat Kateryna Kozlova to book a quarter-final berth.
Top seed Konta had to bounce back from a disappointing second set to claim a 6-2 1-6 6-3 win over the Ukrainian, and will now face Alison Van Uytvanck in the last eight.
The 30-year-old Konta, who has twice reached the final of this event, split from her coach following a disappointing first-round exit from the French Open.
In Nottingham, she will be joined in the last eight by Katie Boulter, a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 winner over fellow Briton Heather Watson.
Alison Riske, the American second seed, could be Boulter's next opponent. Riske was required to play twice on Thursday, firstly when completing a match against Wang Xiyu that began on Wednesday.
Following that gruelling 3-6 7-5 7-6 (7-3) win, which secured a first WTA singles victory for Riske since last year's US Open, the 30-year-old returned to the court against compatriot Lauren Davis and they were tied at one set each when play was suspended for the day.
Third seed Donna Vekic slipped to a 6-3 6-4 defeat against Nina Stojanovic, who will play Tereza Martincova next.
The other quarter-final will see Kristina Mladenovic – a winner over Caty McNally – take on Zhang Shuai.
Barbora Krejcikova reached her first grand slam final as she beat Maria Sakkari in a chaotic and error-strewn French Open last-four battle.
Sakkari, who defeated defending champion Iga Swiatek in the quarters, could not capitalise on a match point as she missed out on becoming the first Greek woman to reach the final of a tennis major.
World number 33 Krejcikova, a title winner in Strasbourg before this remarkable Roland Garros run, overcame her own inconsistency to edge through 7-5 4-6 9-7 in three hours and 18 minutes.
The 25-year-old will face another maiden major finalist in the form of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who defeated Tamara Zidansek in much more routine fashion earlier.
"I always wanted to play a match like this," Krejcikova said of her semi-final win. "Such a challenging match, both had chances, both playing so well, but only one can win. Even if I'd lost today, I'd have been very proud of myself. Fighting is the most important thing."
Krejcikova certainly did have to battle hard, coming back from two breaks down to clinch an enthralling opening set which would set the tone for what was to follow.
Sakkari responded in fierce fashion, and seemed destined to claim a second-set bagel at 4-0 up, yet Krejcikova had other ideas, and three games later she was a break away from restoring parity.
The break did not come, however, with Sakkari holding to love. The Greek's first set point was wasted with a dreadful forehand effort, but she set up a decider at the third time of asking, leaping across the court in celebration, much to the delight of a partisan crowd.
Krejcikova made her opponent wait with a lengthy stoppage between the sets, and Sakkari's momentum appeared to have been dashed as the Czech held to race into a lead.
But Sakkari's composure returned – she dropped a deft touch shot over the net to hold, before capitalising on Krejcikova's sloppiness to make it 3-1.
Krejcikova dragged herself back again, some sensational, down-the-line backhands frustrating Sakkari, who did nevertheless move to within a game of victory.
Once more, Krejcikova refused to roll over, and a dreadful drop shot handed her a reprieve.
Krejcikova took full advantage but saw three match points go begging as Sakkari took her turn to bounce back from the brink.
Victory looked to have been assured when Sakkari sent a forehand long, only for the chair umpire to incorrectly rule the shot as in, but in a remarkable show of resilience, Krejcikova fittingly hammered a backhand down the line to seal a hard-earned victory.
Data Slam: Sakkari's trips to the net prove her downfall
The Greek seemed reluctant all match to take steps towards the net, instead relying on some thunderous efforts from the baseline.
Perhaps her reluctance was justified, as she missed three presentable opportunities for points when she did charge forward, playing some woefully executed drop shots, finishing with five out of eight points at the net, as opposed to 13 from 17 for Krejcikova.
In total, both players clocked up over 50 unforced errors.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Krejcikova – 31/58
Sakkari – 27/53
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Krejcikova – 5/5
Sakkari – 2/3
BREAK POINTS WON
Krejcikova – 7/15
Sakkari – 6/11
In theory, the Milwaukee Bucks appeared to be the biggest obstacle on the Brooklyn Nets' path to an NBA championship.
To stand a chance of winning a seven-game series against the NBA’s premier trio of team-mates – Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving – you've got to be able to score points, and a whole lot of them.
Despite a recurring run of injuries that often rendered their Big Three to a Big Two – or many times a lonely One – the Nets were a remarkable 27-2 when allowing 112 or fewer points in a game during a regular season which they finished as a de facto 1A to the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference.
The true magic number when it comes to facing Brooklyn, however, is 120, as the Nets were a pedestrian 8-13 when opponents scored above that mark. So, how many teams averaged 120 points per game this season?
Just one, as a matter of fact. That would be the Bucks.
And what team had the most games this season totalling 120 or more points? Again, the answer is Milwaukee, whose 39 games hitting the mark was six more than the next closest competitor – which, you guessed it, would be the Nets.
Well, after two games of the most anticipated series of this year's conference semifinals, Brooklyn's perceived greatest threat had offered no challenge whatsoever.
After comfortably winning Game 1, even with Harden playing a mere 43 seconds after aggravating a previous hamstring injury, the Nets unequivocally justified their status as the favourites to claim the Larry O'Brien Trophy with a 125-86 Game 2 thrashing that came with Harden cheering on his fellow well-paid team-mates in street clothes.
In hindsight, those results were ones we maybe could have seen coming. Sure, the Bucks effortlessly disposed of the reigning East champion Miami Heat with a first-round sweep, but it came without their offense performing at its usually potent level.
Milwaukee shot just 32.7 per cent from three-point range for the series, well below their 38.9 per cent success rate for the season, and they had at least 15 turnovers in three of the wins. The Bucks advanced mostly on good defense, coupled with an unquestionably abysmal shooting performance from the Heat over the four games.
In the Brooklyn series, the Bucks haven't been able to hit water from a boat, going into Game 3, having shot a paltry 24.6 per cent from beyond the arc over the first two clashes.
The early stages of the series also exposed Milwaukee's greatest weakness during what was otherwise another splendid regular season under Mike Budenholzer – an inability to adequately defend the three. The Bucks permitted opponents to make 38.4 per cent of their trey attempts over the 72-game schedule, with only the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves yielding a higher percentage.
Against a locked-in team like the Nets, that can be – and has been – a recipe for disaster. The first team in league history to make 15 or more three-pointers in six straight games during a single postseason, Brooklyn have connected at an incredible 43 per cent rate from long distance so far in these playoffs, going into Thursday evening's third clash with the Bucks.
If the Nets could even come close to keeping that pace the rest of the way, that likely spells doom for the rest of the NBA. The three-point shot has been a strong indicator of success in this postseason, as teams have won at a 70 per cent clip (35-15) when recording a higher three-point percentage than their opponents and are 25-7 when hitting 15 or more triples in a game.
Moreover, teams that have shot better than 40 per cent from three-point range are 24-5 this postseason, and the five teams that lost each faced an opponent that also eclipsed the 40 per cent mark in that game.
So, assuming the Nets don't do the unthinkable and somehow lose this series, is it a fait accompli they'll represent the East in the Finals?
They did lose two of their three match-ups with the 76ers during the regular season, though it's hard to put much stock in those outcomes considering Brooklyn were without at least two of Durant, Harden and Irving in all of those games.
Philadelphia getting past the upstart Atlanta Hawks cannot be considered an absolute given either, but the Sixers will provide an interesting test provided they do get past their pesky second-round foes.
They have the lowest ratio of three-point attempts to total field-goal attempts of any of the eight remaining teams, not too surprising for an offense centred around MVP runner-up Joel Embiid and the perimeter-averse Ben Simmons. But while the Sixers generally aren't bombing away with the same frequency as those still left standing, it could be argued that outside shooting may be the single biggest factor in determining how far they ultimately go this summer.
Next to Embiid's ever-present fitness concerns, Seth Curry might just be the X-factor when it comes to determining whether the 76ers can end a 20-year Finals absence. When Curry is going well and Embiid is healthy, Philadelphia are awfully difficult to beat. And Steph's little brother is certainly doing just that right now, having averaged 24 points while shooting 61.9 per cent (13 of 19) from three-point range over his last three games.
The 76ers went 20-3 during the regular season when Curry made three or more three-pointers in a game, and they've hit the all-important 120-point mark in five of their seven playoff games thus far. If it comes to fruition, a Philly-Brooklyn match-up in the East Finals would surely be a treat.
As for the West, the Clippers could represent the most imposing roadblock to the Nets' first NBA title in franchise history – on paper, at least. No team shot above the coveted 40 per cent standard from three-point range more times during the regular season than Tyronn Lue's group, whose 42 such games were seven more than the team second on that list (again, the Nets). The Clippers also led the league in three-point percentage at 41.1 per cent.
There's no questioning the Clippers' talent and depth. Trust, however, is another matter. This is largely the same cast that famously blew a 3-1 series lead to the Denver Nuggets in last year’s West semifinals, and they couldn't hold on to a 13-point half-time advantage in losing Tuesday's series opener to a Utah team playing without starting point guard Mike Conley.
History isn't on the Clippers' side either, as they've never advanced past the conference semis in eight previous tries.
And what about the Jazz, for that matter? Utah may not possess the Nets' overall star power and haven't displayed the same level of recent dominance as their potential Finals foes, but they did lead the league in wins this season, are capable of shooting their way out of any deficit and haven't lost a game when Donovan Mitchell has taken the court since April.
That is only a seven-game winning streak since Mitchell missed over a month with a sprained ankle, but has there been a better postseason performer than Utah's All-Star guard over the last two years?
In 12 playoff games over that period, Mitchell has averaged 34.4 points on 50.6 per cent shooting, and a 45-point masterpiece against the Clippers on Tuesday was his fourth outing with at least 44 points during that stretch.
Of course, superlative individual efforts don't always coincide with championship glory. Just ask Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
Teenager Dominic Stephan Stricker produced the shock of the day at the Stuttgart Open as he knocked out second seed Hubert Hurkacz in the round of 16.
The 18-year-old wildcard, ranked 335 in the world, claimed a straight sets victory courtesy of tie-breaks, as had been the case in his previous outing against Radu Albot.
And his reward for a 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5) win over a man placed 315 places higher than him in the men's rankings is a quarter-final tie against Sam Querrey.
The American sealed his passage into the last eight by beating qualifier James Duckworth 6-4 7-6 (9-7) on Thursday.
Top seed Denis Shapovalov's place in the next round remains in doubt going into Friday after the Canadians clash with Feliciano Lopez was cut short by rain with both men having taken a set.
The winner of that final set will face former world number three Marin Cilic, who comfortably beat Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3 6-2.
Another Canadian also remains in the draw in the form of third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime after his 6-3 7-6 (7-4) win over Lloyd Harris.
There, he will face sixth seed Ugo Humbert after his straight sets win over wildcard entry Yannick Hanfmann.
The quarter-final line-up is completed by fourth seed Alex de Minaur, who beat compatriot Jordan Thompson, and Jurij Rodionov, whose progress was aided by Peter Gojowczyk's first-set retirement.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova conceded a younger version of herself would have been bemused by why it had taken so long to reach a grand slam final after she finally did so at the French Open on Thursday.
The 29-year-old turned her first major semi-final appearance into a maiden final berth with a 7-5 6-3 victory over Tamara Zidansek in Paris.
It will be Pavlyuchenkova's first outing in a grand slam final in what is her 52nd major, which establishes an Open Era record. She has become the first woman to play more than 50 majors before reaching a final.
Asked what her 14-year-old self would have said if she had known the wait would be so long, the Russian replied: "Fourteen-year-old me would tell me, like, what took you so long?
"It's tough to really talk about it right now. I don't know. It's been a long road. I had my own long special road. Everybody has different ways. I'm just happy I'm in the final.
"This is something I've been thinking about every single time. I think as tennis players, that's the only goal I think we have in the head. That's why we are playing tennis.
"That's for us the biggest achievement you can get. That's what you are playing for, of course. I think about it all the time.
"I've been thinking about it since I was a junior, since I was a little kid, since I started playing tennis. It's been there in my head forever."
Pavlyuchenkova had six quarter-final singles losses to her name in slams before this tournament, a record that suggested a career of near-misses might be on the cards.
Curiously, she has also reached six doubles quarter-finals in the majors and also failed to win through any of those.
She now has a chance to end her long wait for a major title this weekend at Roland Garros, but admits she has had worries along the way.
"I had a lot of doubts. I could beat top-10 players and make the quarter-final of a major. I was very close to semi-finals a couple of times, but then it wouldn't happen," she said.
"It was just up and down in terms of results. But I feel like I'm there, I can beat those players, but the consistency is off, something is always off.
"Those little puzzles were not coming together every time. I guess maybe I had a lot of expectations that I couldn't deal with over the years. It's been a lot of different things."
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova turned her first grand slam semi-final appearance into a ticket to the final thanks to a 7-5 6-3 victory over Tamara Zidansek at the French Open.
The Russian had already broken new ground by ending a run of six consecutive quarter-final losses in slams, with the 29-year-old now set to face Barbora Krejcikova or Maria Sakkari in the showpiece.
She certainly did not have it all her own way against surprise package Zidansek – another slam semi-final debutant – on Court Philippe Chatrier, having been broken in the opening game to suggest perhaps a hint of nerves.
But Pavlyuchenkova, who at 29 is six years older than her opponent, drew on all her experience to finish the job in straight sets and remain on course for a career-defining success in Paris.
A hold to love in game three of the first set seemed to put Pavlyuchenkova at ease as she began to find her range, which showed as the number 31 seed became increasingly aggressive in her approach.
The path to a one-set lead was still dotted with stumbles as there were five breaks of serve between the players, the last of which sealed it at 7-5 in Pavlyuchenkova's favour.
At 4-1 up in the second set she appeared to be coasting, before losing six points and two games on the bounce.
But again Pavlyuchenkova dug deep to find another level and finally send her Slovenian rival packing.
Data Slam: Second serves stifle Zidansek
In a match where both players looked vulnerable on serve at times, the disparity in points won on second serve proved telling.
While Pavlyuchenkova showed cunning and variety to mix things up, winning 54 per cent of the points on her second serve, Zidansek could only manage 38 per cent and was broken six times.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Pavlyuchenkova – 19/22
Zidansek – 27/33
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Pavlyuchenkova – 3/3
Zidansek – 1/3
BREAK POINTS WON
Pavlyuchenkova– 6/10
Zidansek – 4/11
The NBA is a star-driven league, but the Phoenix Suns have found a different formula that works in the playoffs.
The Suns' balanced attack drove another dominant win on Wednesday, a 123-98 triumph over the Denver Nuggets that gave Phoenix a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference semi-final series.
Phoenix had six players score in double figures, with Devin Booker leading the way at a modest 18 points followed by Chris Paul (17), Mikal Bridges (16) and Deandre Ayton (15).
"I think it's an unselfish group. They're willing to make plays for one another. We share the ball – that's part of our DNA," Suns head coach Monty Williams told reporters.
"We don't have the experience that a lot of the playoff teams have, but we've had this year to gel and we've had a lot of close games at home and on the road, so that helps."
Wednesday's game was not close, as Phoenix took the lead early in the first quarter and never looked back, pulling away from Denver in the second half.
After a 51-21 regular season, the Suns have learned they do not have to rely on one or two players for their scoring, and that helps ease the pressure on everyone.
"It's a natural chemistry," said veteran point guard Chris Paul, who had 15 assists and no turnovers.
"I really haven't been on a team like this where everybody shoots it the way that they do, so you don't have to try to find a certain guy."
The 36-year-old floor leader is a big reason for that peace of mind, his coach noted.
"He manages games better than anybody that I've ever been around," Williams said.
"Once he gets an idea of the offence and the guys he's playing with, he has the ability to use his talents to make everybody else better, and then he knows when to take over in moments.
"Guys have to make shots, but Chris is one of the rare guards that can put passes right where they need to be so guys are more effective when they catch the ball. And his ability to take care of the ball, even when he has it a lot, is not something I take for granted.
"That's why he's been successful everywhere he's been."
Coming off their first playoff series win since 2010, the Suns are full of confidence as they head to Denver.
The plan for Friday's Game 3? More of the same, they hope.
"We've got so many great shooters on our team, and guys that can not only shoot it but put it on the floor," Paul said. "We just played the way we've been playing all season long and that's as a team."
Chicago Cubs pitching smothered the San Diego Padres' batters for the second consecutive night, giving the Cubs a 3-1 victory and another series win against the National League (NL) West contenders.
A week after sweeping the Padres at Wrigley Field, the Cubs limited San Diego to just seven hits over the final two games of their latest series while getting just enough offence to prevail.
Chicago starter Jake Arrieta fell behind in the third inning Wednesday on a run-scoring single by Manny Machado, but that was the extent of the damage surrendered by the visitors.
Cubs relievers Rex Brothers, Ryan Tepera and Craig Kimbrel did not allow a San Diego batter to reach base in the final four innings and the Cubs scratched out two runs against Padres starter Yu Darvish to provide the margin they needed.
Nationals outlast Rays in 11
The Washington Nationals scored two in the 10th inning and two more in the 11th to fend off yet another Tampa Bay Rays rally and hold on for a 9-7 victory as club icon Ryan Zimmerman hit a pair of home runs.
Alex Bregman had three hits including his seventh home run of the season and Cristian Javier turned in a spectacular four-inning, one-hit relief performance as the Houston Astros defeated the Boston Red Sox 8-3.
Solo home runs from Justin Turner in the first and third innings provided the winning margin for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
A day after collecting a pinch-hit single in his MLB debut for the Philadelphia Phillies, Luke Williams made an even bigger splash with a walk-off two-run homer against the Atlanta Braves. According to Stats Perform, Williams is the first player in MLB history to hit a walk-off home run with his team trailing in his first career start.
Slumping Orioles, Diamondbacks struggle again
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Matt Harvey allowed eight hits and seven runs in just three innings in a 14-1 loss to the New York Mets, boosting his ERA to an unsightly 7.41.
The Arizona Diamondbacks (20-43) showed why they have the worst record in MLB, managing only two singles in a 4-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics.
Non-traditional double play
Seattle Mariners left fielder Jake Fraley robbed the Detroit Tigers' Isaac Paredes of a walk-off home run and doubled Eric Haase off first base on the same play, sending the game to extra innings in what became a 9-6 Seattle win.
Wednesday's results
Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Pittsburgh Pirates
New York Mets 14-1 Baltimore Orioles
Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 Atlanta Braves
Cincinnati Reds 7-3 Milwaukee Brewers
Colorado Rockies 4-3 Miami Marlins
Washington Nationals 9-7 Tampa Bay Rays
Houston Astros 8-3 Boston Red Sox
Seattle Mariners 9-6 Detroit Tigers
Texas Rangers 4-3 San Francisco Giants
Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 Chicago White Sox
New York Yankees 9-6 Minnesota Twins
St Louis Cardinals 8-2 Cleveland Indians
Los Angeles Angels 6-1 Kansas City Royals
Oakland Athletics 4-0 Arizona Diamondbacks
Chicago Cubs 3-1 San Diego Padres
Astros at Red Sox
Coming off a complete game in his last start, Zack Greinke heads to the mound for Houston (35-26) as the Astros try to complete a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox (37-25) at Fenway Park.
Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic showed MVP form once again, but the Phoenix Suns used a balanced attack to take a 123-98 victory and a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference semi-final series.
Jokic scored the first basket of the game Wednesday, but that was the only lead the Nuggets held as Phoenix took control and never let go in what became an easy win as their home crowd chanted "Suns in four" late in the game.
Chris Paul controlled the game for the Suns, scoring 17 points and dishing out 15 assists without a turnover in his 30 minutes of play -- the third time he has had at least 15 assists with no turnovers in a playoff game.
The 36-year-old Paul now has 72 assists and just 10 turnovers in eight playoff games this season.
Devin Booker added 18 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix, while Deandre Ayton had 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Jokic left the game late in the third quarter with the Nuggets trailing by 20 and did not return, finishing with 24 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in 29 minutes.
Denver did not give him much help, as the rest of their starting lineup made just nine of 32 shots from the field (28.1 per cent).
Michael Porter Jr. was the only other starter to reach double figures, scoring 11 on three of 13 shooting -- including two of nine from three-point range.
The Nuggets made only 14 of 43 (32.6 per cent) from beyond the arc overall, compared to 18 of 38 (47.4 per cent) for Phoenix.
Game 3 of the series is Friday in Denver.
Nets at Bucks
The Brooklyn Nets look for a 3-0 lead on the Bucks as their Eastern Conference semi-final series shifts to Milwaukee on Thursday.
Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert has been voted the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the third time, the league announced Wednesday.
The France native received 84 first-place votes from a global media panel, easily outdistancing Ben Simmons of the Philadephia 76ers for top honours.
Gobert previously won the award in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and is the fourth player to win the award at least three times, joining Dikembe Mutombo (four), Ben Wallace (four) and Dwight Howard (three).
Gobert's Jazz team-mates surprised him with the award, putting the trophy on his chair in the locker room and erupting in cheers when he walked in.
A 7-foot-1 presence in the middle, the Frenchman led the NBA with 10.1 defensive rebounds per game and his 13.5 total rebounds per game were second only to Clint Capela of the Atlanta Hawks (14.3). Gobert also finished second in the league with 2.7 blocked shots per game.
Gobert earned 464 points in the voting, while Simmons had 287 with 15 first-place votes. Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors was third with 76 points, Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat was next with 31 points, including one first-place vote, and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks placed fifth with 12 points.
Novak Djokovic did not try to play it cool after setting up a dream Roland Garros showdown with Rafael Nadal.
The world number one defeated Matteo Berrettini 6-3 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 Wednesday to secure a semi-final match-up with the 13-time French Open champion.
Djokovic admitted his meetings with Nadal are "not like any other match" and said he expects a "great battle" Friday when the pair meet for the 58th time.
"Let's face it, it's the biggest challenge that you can have playing on clay against Nadal on this court in which he has had so much success in his career," Djokovic told a press conference. "In the final stages of a grand slam, it doesn't get bigger than that.
"Of course, each time we face each other, there's that extra tension and expectations. Just vibes are different walking on the court with him.
"But that's why our rivalry has been historic I think for this sport. I've been privileged to play him so many times."
Djokovic holds a narrow edge against the man he called his biggest rival, with 29 victories to Nadal's 28, but the Spaniard has won the last two meetings -- including a straight-sets triumph in the French Open final last year.
"Obviously different conditions are going to be played on Friday than it was the case in finals of last year, so I'm hopefully going to be able to also perform at the high level than I have, especially in the first two sets in the last year's final.
"The quality and the level of tennis that I've been playing in the last three, four weeks on clay -- Rome, Belgrade and here -- is giving me good sensations and feelings ahead of that match.
"I'm confident. I believe I can win, otherwise I wouldn't be here. Let's have a great battle."
Djokovic had to battle Wednesday to defeat the ninth-seeded Italian, letting loose a primal scream when he finally put the match away in the fourth set.
The Serbian said the crowd was Davis Cup-like before fans were ushered out due to the local curfew.
"The crowd lifted him up. He was playing some really powerful tennis," Djokovic said.
"Especially in the third and fourth he served tremendously strong and precise. It was just very difficult to read his serve and play someone like him.
"He's very talented. He can play well from the back of the court. He's got a lethal forehand, dropshots. ... When he's on, it's tough to play him."
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