The Australian Open has hinted Andy Murray will not be able to compete in Melbourne following his positive test for coronavirus.
Murray, a five-time finalist at the Australian Open, remains in good health and is isolating at home.
The three-time grand slam winner is still hoping to play and travel to Australia later than planned.
However, a statement from the tournament cast serious doubt on his involvement, with Murray – ranked 123rd in the world – having initially been granted a wildcard to play.
The statement read: "Andy Murray has advised that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating at home in the UK.
"Unfortunately, this means that he will be unable to join the official AO charter flights arriving in Australia in the coming days to go through the quarantine period with the other players.
"The AO fans love Andy, and we know how much he loves competing here in Melbourne and how hard he'd worked for this opportunity."
The first grand slam of the year is starting three weeks later than it normally would on February 8 due to the complications of players flying into Australia amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Tournament organisers are putting on 15 chartered flights, which will operate at 25 per cent capacity, to bring players to the tournament.
Before boarding, competitors must test negative and will undergo a series of tests once in the country, while undergoing a 14-day quarantine period in Melbourne.
It was after a first-round defeat at the Australian Open two years ago that Murray stated his career might be over due to an ongoing hip injury.
James Harden has completed a blockbuster trade from the Houston Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets, it has been confirmed.
Andy Murray's participation at the Australian Open is in doubt following a positive COVID-19 test.
Three-time grand slam champion Murray remains in good health but is isolating at home.
The 33-year-old Briton is still hopeful of being able to travel to Australia later than planned and taking part in the first grand slam of the year.
Murray received a wildcard for the Australian Open, where he has been a runner-up on five occasions.
It is set to be the Briton's first participation at Melbourne Park since announcing after a first-round loss in 2019 that his career was in the balance due to a persistent hip injury.
The Australian Open is scheduled to get under way on February 8.
Rafael Nadal will be without his coach Carlos Moya due to the pandemic, while Dominic Thiem's coach Nicolas Massu tested positive before travelling to Australia.
It is still hoped that Massu can make the trip following a negative result.
Wayne Bennett will not continue as coach of Queensland for the 2021 State of Origin series so he can focus on his job at South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Bennett returned to lead the Maroons in October of last year, taking on the role after Kevin Walters had stepped down following his appointment at Brisbane Broncos.
Queensland went on to win 2-1 - beating New South Wales 20-14 in the deciding game in Brisbane - but the search is now on for a new coach ahead of this year's series.
"We were really grateful that Wayne made himself available to help us out last year," Queensland Rugby League managing director Robert Moore said in a statement.
"We understand the decision Wayne has made in his last year of his contract with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, as he's eager to concentrate his efforts on them because they've been so close [to a premiership]," Moore said.
"With Wayne's decision, we've now moved to a process to consider the next appointment and we anticipate that process will be completed early this year."
The Origin games are scheduled to take place in June and July, having been shifted to after the NRL season last year due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Dallas Mavericks duo Luka Doncic and Rick Carlisle were delighted to see Kristaps Porzingis back in action after the Latvian made his first appearance of the NBA season on Wednesday.
Having undergone knee surgery in October, Porzingis had missed Dallas' first nine games as he continued his recovery.
A potential return on Monday was then scuppered when the clash with the New Orleans Pelicans was postponed in accordance with the league's health and safety protocols amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
However, the former first-round pick by the New York Knicks was finally able to take the court again against the Charlotte Hornets, contributing 16 points during his 21 minutes in a 104-93 triumph.
"He' an amazing player," Doncic - who led the way with 34 points - said, according to Dallas' official website.
"He's got to get back into rhythm, and I think for the first game he played amazing. He's going to keep improving and we're going to need him a lot."
Mavs coach Carlisle admitted Porzingis' return – admittedly on a restriction in terms of minutes – makes a huge difference to the team, including helping to alleviate some of the pressure on the shoulders of Doncic.
"When both of those guys are out there, it's a game-changer for us because you've got two guys that can both play on the inside and really space the floor on the outside," Carlisle said.
"They can both put the ball on the floor and make plays.
"You get two franchise players, it's important to have them on the floor together and available to play. You look at every team in this league, if they're without one of their cornerstone guys it's going to be a lot tougher job.
"I think everybody feels a lot better now that KP is back in the mix."
The game was also notable for Carlisle in terms of a personal milestone, as he reached 800 victories in his coaching career.
Porzingis himself accepted he had been a little too eager to make an impact during his comeback, knowing his involvement in the game was always going to be limited.
"What I think didn’t help me was knowing that I had the minutes restrictions," Porzingis said. "I was trying to do as much as I could in those minutes that I had.
"Sometimes you don't make the best decisions when you really want to be aggressive, but it's okay. I wanted to be aggressive for the time I was going to be out there, and most importantly [it was the] first game and first win for me."
Tennys Sandgren was cleared to board a flight from the United States bound for Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open despite revealing he returned a new positive coronavirus test this week.
The American, twice a quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park, initially posted to social media on Wednesday that he had tested positive for the virus for a second time.
Although his first instance of having the illness was recorded in November, the 29-year-old's participation in the tournament appeared to be in doubt.
But, as he continued to update followers through the day, it emerged he had been allowed to board his flight.
Writing on Twitter, he said: "Wait hold on I think they are trying to get me on 15 min [sic] after the plane was supposed to depart.. my bags still aren't checked lol."
A follow-up read: "Wow I'm on the plane. Maybe I just held my breath too long. Craig Tiley [Tennis Australia] is a wizard."
Some expressed concerns about the possibility of Sandgren potentially spreading the virus to fellow passengers and then locals once he arrives in Australia.
But a statement from the Australian Open has looked to reassure people that players' infectiousness is checked prior to boarding flights.
It read: "In the case of Tennys Sandgren, who has self-disclosed that he previously tested positive in late November, his medical file had to be reviewed by Victorian health authorities. Upon completion of that review he was cleared to fly.
"Any recovered case must go through this process in order to have an opportunity to travel here for the Australian Open. No one can travel without either proof of a negative test or this special clearance from authorities confirming they are not infectious.
"Upon arrival all players are immediately placed in a secure quarantine environment for 14 days under the authority of COVID Quarantine Victoria, and will undergo a more rigorous testing schedule than most returning travellers."
An earlier statement issued by the tournament organisers in reply to Sandgren's tweets said: "Some people who have recovered from COVID-19 and who are non-infectious can continue to shed the virus for several months.
"Victorian Government public health experts assess each case based on additional detailed medical records to ensure they are not infectious before checking in to the charter flights.
"Players and their teams are tested every day from their arrival in Australia, a much stricter process than for anyone else in hotel quarantine."
The first grand slam of the year is due to begin on February 8 after being delayed due to the pandemic.
Initially it was to run from January 18-31 but was pushed back to help give qualifiers time to travel and complete a two-week quarantine in Australia prior to warm-up events getting under way at the end of the month.
Players at Melbourne Park will have to follow strict guidelines and protocols, including a five-hour limit on training with a maximum of one team member.
The teams must stay in their hotel for the other 19 hours of every day, and players have to return six negative COVID-19 tests before being allowed to play.
The Los Angeles Lakers set a franchise record after winning again on the road, while Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic made NBA history.
LeBron James posted 26 points and defending champions the Lakers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 128-99 on Wednesday.
The streaking Lakers (10-3), who have won four successive games, improved to 7-0 away from home this season – surpassing the 1985-86 team for the best start on the road.
James has had at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in all 13 games this season. In the last 30 years, the only NBA player to have a longer streak of 15/five/five games to start a season was James himself in 2011-12 (22 straight), according to Stats Perform.
Lakers team-mate Montrezl Harrell had 21 points, while Anthony Davis put up 18 points and seven rebounds in Oklahoma City midweek.
Doncic became the first player in NBA history to post 34 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists, four blocks, two steals and five threes made, per Stats Perform.
The Mavericks went on to win 104-93 and snap the Charlotte Hornets' four-game winning streak.
Mavericks star Kristaps Porzingis returned from a knee injury and scored 16 points in his first appearance since undergoing surgery in October.
Red-hot Giannis fuels Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double guided the Milwaukee Bucks past the Detroit Pistons 110-101. The two-time reigning MVP finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his 20th career triple-double.
Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum put on a show as the Portland Trail Blazers prevailed 132-126 against the Sacramento Kings. Lillard (40 points and 13 assists) and McCollum (28 points and 10 assists) became the first team-mate duo in NBA history to have 25-plus points, 10-plus assists and five-plus three-pointers made in the same game, per Stats Perform. They are also the first duo in the NBA to have 25-plus points, 10-plus assists and one or fewer turnovers in the same game since 1987.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker starred with 37 points, but the New Orleans Pelicans still lost 111-106 to the Los Angeles Clippers. Kawhi Leonard (28) and Paul George (27) combined for 55 points in the Clippers' win.
The Memphis Grizzlies topped the Minnesota Timberwolves 118-107 behind Jonas Valanciunas' 24 points and 16 rebounds.
Knicks duo struggle
The New York Knicks did not get much support from their two starting point guards in a 116-109 loss to city rivals the Brooklyn Nets. Austin Rivers was three-of-10 shooting from the field and two-of-five from three-point range for eight points in 34 minutes. Elfrid Peyton was just three of 11 from the field, while making just one of three-point attempts as he finished with seven points in 33 minutes.
Nurkic says no!
There was no way past Jusuf Nurkic as the Trail Blazers big man denied Glenn Robinson III in the fourth quarter.
Wednesday's results
Dallas Mavericks 104-93 Charlotte Hornets
Milwaukee Bucks 110-101 Detroit Pistons
Brooklyn Nets 116-109 New York Knicks
Memphis Grizzlies 118-107 Minnesota Timberwolves
Los Angeles Lakers 128-99 Oklahoma City Thunder
Los Angeles Clippers 111-106 New Orleans Pelicans
Portland Trail Blazers 132-126 Sacramento Kings
Utah Jazz-Washington Wizards (postponed)
Orlando Magic-Boston Celtics (postponed)
Atlanta Hawks-Phoenix Suns (postponed)
Rockets at Spurs
As James Harden reportedly heads to the Nets, the Houston Rockets (3-6) will look to cast the chaos aside when they face the San Antonio Spurs (6-5) on the road on Thursday.
The James Harden saga is set to end.
Harden will reportedly swap the Houston Rockets for the Brooklyn Nets in a mega trade, reuniting with Kevin Durant and teaming up with Kyrie Irving.
The Philadelphia 76ers were reportedly frontrunners to prise the former NBA MVP to the 'City of Brotherly Love', but Daryl Morey refused to part with franchise pillar Ben Simmons and others.
Instead, the Nets reportedly sent Caris LeVert – later traded to the Indiana Pacers as Victor Oladipo was dealt to the Rockets – and four first-round draft picks, plus four pick swaps, to Houston, in a deal also involving the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Nets also gave up Taurean Prince and talented center Jarrett Allen, who were sent to the Cavaliers, and Rockets-bound forward Rodions Kurucs.
It puts an end to a messy divorce between Harden and Rockets, after the disgruntled eight-time All-Star made no secret of his desire to depart as his frustrations boiled over post-game on Tuesday – sparking criticism from team-mates John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins.
Attention now turns to Brooklyn's new super team and how Harden fits alongside Durant and Irving – if and when he returns from his personal absence – in first-year head coach Steve Nash's quest to deliver a championship to the Nets.
Harden, who is eyeing a maiden NBA title, had called Houston home since 2012, guiding the Rockets to two Western Conference Finals and three semi-final appearances after his acquisition from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 31-year-old sharpshooter – team-mates with Durant at the Thunder between 2009 and 2012 – brings a high volume of three-point and free-throw attempts to Brooklyn, not to mention a dominant scorer, which the Nets have rarely had.
Harden attempted the most three-pointers in 2019-20 with 843, and he also topped the free-throw attempts category at 800. Prince topped Brooklyn's 3PA list with 431, while Spencer Dinwiddie stepped to the line on 446 occasions.
In terms of individual seasons averaging 30.0-plus points, Harden boasts three seasons, while Durant has two. The Nets? 0. John Williamson's high of 29.5 points per game in 1977-78 (in just 33 games) is the closest.
In each of the past three seasons heading into the 2020-21 campaign, Harden had earned the NBA scoring title. Durant has claimed four honours, compared to the Nets' all-time haul of 0 after Keith Van Horn finished fifth in 1998-99. Harden and Durant have won seven of the past 11 scoring crowns.
Harden brings a resume with a lot of wins and postseason experience, as did Irving and Durant as former NBA champions with the Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors respectively. The Nets have lost in the first round in back-to-back seasons, while not since 2003 have they featured in the Finals.
Harden boasts a team win percentage of 64.9 in regular-season games in which he has played, while he has amassed 128 playoff appearances.
The issue of Harden signing for the Nets is centred on possession and distribution, given he, Durant and Irving are ball carriers.
Looking at the highest usage percentage – an estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while he was on the floor – since 2014-15 to get an idea of how the Nets could make it work with the trio, and Harden (second, 35.3 per cent), Durant (eighth, 29.6 per cent) and Irving (ninth, 29.4 per cent) rank in the top 10. The NBA average is 20.0 per cent.
In 2019-20, points scored by Harden and points scored off his assists averaged 52.4 per game. It followed 53.9 in 2018-19, 51.3 in 2017-18 and 56 the season previous.
That marked four successive seasons with 50-plus points per game created, tying Oscar Robertson (1963-64 to 1966-67) for the longest streak in NBA history.
Harden averaged 34.3 points, 7.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds per regular-season game for the Rockets, who lost in the Western Conference semi-finals at Walt Disney World Resort, in 2019-20.
Kevin Durant said his previous experience playing alongside James Harden was "fun" ahead of the pair's expected reunion at the Brooklyn Nets.
Harden was reportedly traded from the Houston Rockets to the Nets on Wednesday in a four-team deal also involving the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers.
Durant and Harden spent three seasons together with the Oklahoma City Thunder between 2009 and 2012 before the latter headed to Houston.
Asked about his previous experience playing with Harden, Durant told a news conference: "It was fun."
Durant was unwilling to discuss the trade, which is yet to be confirmed, further.
The star had 26 points, six assists and three rebounds in the Nets' 116-109 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Durant became the second Nets player with 25-plus points in eight consecutive games, joining Bernard King (January 1979).
He played on back-to-back days for the first time since rupturing his Achilles during the 2019 NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors.
"I wanted to see how my body felt this morning, how I felt after the game last night," Durant said.
"I was just trying to monitor everything leading up until the game and obviously throughout the game and I felt good.
"Hopefully I keep building on it and as the season goes along I continue to keep getting stronger and get used to the game again, the schedule, the travel, everything, so this is a good step."
The Nets improved to 7-6 with their win over the Knicks.
Steve Nash said the Brooklyn Nets needed to find "connectivity and balance" amid reports they have acquired James Harden.
Reports on Wednesday said former NBA MVP Harden was joining the Nets from the Houston Rockets in a trade that also involved the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Speaking ahead of the Nets' clash against the New York Knicks, Nash was unwilling to comment on the reports, which would see eight-time All-Star Harden join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.
But, asked how superstars could gel, especially if the Nets get another, first-year head coach Nash said: "Basketball is about playing together and being the best you can be.
"No matter who you are it's about finding that connectivity and balance within a team and trying to be greater than the sum of your parts.
"That doesn't change no matter what your team looks like and that's definitely a goal and a thread of our team from day one."
Reports said Caris LeVert, Dante Exum, Rodions Kurucs and four first-round picks – and four Nets pick swaps – were heading to Houston.
The Rockets are reportedly sending LeVert to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo.
Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince are said to be joining the Cavs.
The reported move came a day after Harden's frustrations boiled over following a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Rockets star walked out of his post-game news conference, not before telling the media: "I love this city. I literally have done everything that I can.
"This situation is crazy. It's something that I don't think can be fixed."
Rockets duo John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins were both critical of Harden.
Led by Harden, the Rockets reached the Western Conference Finals in 2015 and 2018, while Houston have three semi-final appearances since he was acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012.
New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson will miss the Los Angeles Clippers matchup due to the NBA's health and safety protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Pelicans announced Williamson's absence prior to Wednesday's tip-off against the Clippers in Los Angeles.
New Orleans were already set to be without Lonzo Ball (knee) and Eric Bledsoe (eye) for the Clippers showdown as they try to arrest a three-game slump.
Williamson – the number one draft pick in 2019 – has been averaging 21.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for the Pelicans (4-5) this season.
It comes after the NBA postponed Wednesday's Atlanta Hawks-Phoenix Suns game due to league rules on health and safety protocols.
The scheduled midweek contests between the Utah Jazz-Washington Wizards and Orlando Magic-Boston Celtics were also postponed amid the growing impact of COVID-19 on the NBA season.
The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly acquiring Houston Rockets star James Harden in a blockbuster deal.
ESPN reported on Wednesday that eight-time All-Star Harden was joining the Nets in a deal also including the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The report said Caris LeVert, Dante Exum, Rodions Kurucs and four first-round picks – and four Nets pick swaps – were heading to Houston.
The Rockets are reportedly sending LeVert to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Victor Oladipo.
Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince are said to be joining the Cavs.
The reported move came a day after Harden's frustrations boiled over following a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Rockets star walked out of his post-game news conference, not before telling the media: "I love this city. I literally have done everything that I can.
"This situation is crazy. It's something that I don't think can be fixed."
Rockets duo John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins were both critical of Harden.
Led by Harden, the Rockets reached the Western Conference Finals in 2015 and 2018, while Houston have three semi-final appearances since he was acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012.
James Harden appears increasingly likely to be traded by the Houston Rockets as his team-mates continue to vocalise opposition to the wantaway superstar.
Harden's desire to move elsewhere was evident in the offseason as both the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers were heavily linked.
No deal was agreed before the campaign began, however, and the 2018 MVP has played in eight of the 3-6 Rockets' nine games so far, scoring 24.8 points per game - his worst average since joining the team in 2012.
Harden's frustrations boiled over after Houston's latest 117-100 defeat to defending champions the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
He stormed out of a post-game news conference after saying: "I literally have done everything that I can. This situation is crazy. It's something that I don't think can be fixed."
Those comments prompted backlash from All-Star team-mate John Wall, and Wednesday brought fresh reports of trade talks.
According to the New York Times, the Rockets want to do a deal with the Sixers for Ben Simmons and Tyrese Maxey, the rookie who has excelled amid Philadelphia's COVID-19 crisis.
The Athletic said Houston were looking for a swift resolution and could be offered all of the Nets' future first-round picks and pick swaps.
Harden's Rockets colleagues already look to be moving on, with DeMarcus Cousins facing the media on Wednesday to offer his take on the "antics".
"Obviously it's disrespectful, but everybody has their words and their opinions," Cousins said. "We feel a certain type of way about some of his actions.
"This is the nasty part of the business that kind of gets swept under the rug. You deal with these type of things when guys are in positions of being franchise players or whatever the case may be.
"It's sometimes or usually a nasty break-up. That's all part of this business.
"You know I'm going to say this: coming in every day, we want to work, get better, lead this younger group.
"Regardless of what's going on with the team, the guys that are showing up, that are committed, that are buying into the task at hand, we're going to go to war with those guys.
"Whatever those results are, we're going to live with it. We're going to leave it all on the floor and whatever happens happens."
He added: "The other 14 guys of the locker room have done nothing to him. We've only showed up to work like everybody else. It's completely unfair to the rest of the guys in the locker room."
Cousins was asked if he felt betrayed by Harden's behaviour, having only signed for the team last month, but replied he was more interested in playing with Wall.
"Me personally, I don't feel betrayed at all," he said. "My interest was to play with John Wall, to be brutally honest.
"That being said, the disrespect started way before any interview. [It was] just the approach to the training camp, showing up the way he did, the antics off the court.
"The disrespect started way before. This isn't something that all of a sudden happened last night. With that being said, this is the nasty part of the business. It is what it is."
Asked if there was any way Harden could be welcomed back into the team, Cousins said: "I don't really think that's a question for us.
"I think that's a question for him: will he ever play with us again? I don't know. Quite honestly, I don't care."
Ferrari do not regret their failure to sign Lewis Hamilton for the 2021 season as they are confident Charles Leclerc can challenge the Formula One champion.
Hamilton has won six of his record-equalling seven world championships with Mercedes, although he has not yet committed to the Silver Arrows for the coming campaign.
A resolution is expected soon, but links to rivals Ferrari have never been far away.
A blockbuster move will not materialise on this occasion, however, as the Scuderia have secured Carlos Sainz Jr next to Leclerc in their 2021 line-up, replacing Sebastian Vettel.
And team principal Mattia Binotto is confident they have made the right move.
He told Sky Sports: "I don't think there will be regret because, at the end, when we took some decisions, we took them thinking they were the right decisions and today we have a fantastic driver like Charles, where we invested a lot as Ferrari.
"I think he's got a lot of talent. If he's got the right car, I'm pretty sure he can challenge Lewis Hamilton.
"We've made our choices and I think, together with Carlos, we are very strong. I don't think there will be any regret."
Although Leclerc - fourth two years ago with two wins to his name - would appear the obvious Ferrari contender, Binotto is not naming a "number one".
Sainz finished seven points better off than his new team-mate in 2020 while still with McLaren.
"There is not a number one and number two," Binotto said. "They will have equal opportunities - certainly at the start of the season. I'm pretty happy then that they are free to fight.
"I think what we have to do as usual is to optimise the team points, and when you optimise the team points, normally you are optimising the drivers' points as well. Team points is the number one.
"Later in the season, let's see how things will progress, let's see what objectives individual drivers can maybe achieve and if we need to adopt a different strategy, but at the start of the season, they will be free to fight."
The Phoenix Suns' clash with the Atlanta Hawks has been postponed by the NBA due to league rules on health and safety protocols.
A brief statement from the NBA on Wednesday confirmed the Suns do not have the required eight players available for the game at Phoenix Suns Arena due to ongoing contact tracing.
According to ESPN, contract tracing is in place with the Suns as this week they played against the Orlando Magic, who have players who have tested positive for COVID-19 on their roster.
Several games have had to be curtailed this week as the NBA continues to adjust to playing the season amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The league this week announced new measures, including wearing face masks on the bench and players staying at their homes or hotels when not playing, to try and contain the coronavirus issues disrupting the league.
The Suns (7-4) are fourth in the Western Conference, with the Hawks (5-5) eighth in the East.
The New York Knicks are on the slide as they prepare to take on the Brooklyn Nets for the first time this season.
Knicks fans appeared destined to be casting envious glances across New York after the Nets beat them to the signatures of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in 2019, but the start of this season gave them a reason to feel slightly more content.
After finishing with a losing record for seven straight years, there was finally cause for optimism at Madison Square Garden early this season - the Knicks were above .500 through eight games for the first time since 2012-13, which was when they last made the postseason.
However, they have dropped their past three straight, losing by double figures on each occasion and failing to score more than 89 points, and concern has started to brew.
Things have not been straightforward for the Nets either, though.
While a 122-116 win against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday lifted them to a 6-6 record, Irving is said to be facing an NBA investigation following a video of him attending an event without a mask on.
Irving has missed four games due to "personal reasons", with the Nets refusing to elaborate on the situation. He is not expected to return to their line-up this week.
Durant has also missed time this season due to COVID-19 protocols and is set to feature in both games of a back-to-back for just the second time since returning from an Achilles tear.
TOP PERFORMERS
Brooklyn Nets – Kevin Durant
Durant has not taken long to start firing once again. He is averaging 29.9 points per game this season, second only to Bradley Beal (34.9) in the league.
Against the Nuggets he put up 34 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds, making him the first Nets player to have those numbers since the team moved to Brooklyn from New Jersey in 2012.
The last player to achieve that stat line for the franchise was Hall of Famer Jason Kidd in December 2006, when he had 38 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists against the Phoenix Suns.
Having sat out the previous campaign through injury, Durant is facing the Knicks for the first time since he snubbed them for the Nets.
Durant famously said "the cool thing right now is not the Knicks" after signing for the Nets and will be eager to show he made the right decision.
New York Knicks – Julius Randle
If the Knicks are to upset their local rivals they are going to need Randle to quickly get back on form.
He had season lows in points and rebounds (11 and five respectively) against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, while in only one game this season has he had fewer than the five assists he posted versus Charlotte (three against the Philadelphia 76ers).
Despite that lacklustre showing, he joined Oscar Robertson as the only two players in NBA history to register at least 200 points, 115 rebounds and 70 assists in their team's first 10 games of a season.
He leads the Knicks in points (22.1), rebounds (11.2) and assists (6.9) per game in 2020-21.
KEY BATTLE: KNICKS NEED DEFENSIVE BOOST
The Nets have been one of the best teams at shooting the three this season with an average success rate of 39.3 per cent, which is only bettered by the Milwaukee Bucks (41.1) and the Los Angeles Clippers (42.4).
They average 118.8 points per game, which is 18.7 more than the Knicks, so it is clear that New York's defense is going to have a huge role to play.
They had the seventh-best defensive rating in the league prior to their three game skid, with injuries to Reggie Bullock, Alec Burks, Frank Ntilikina and Obi Toppin meaning coach Tom Thibodeau is demanding a lot from his key players.
RJ Barrett and Julius Randle are in the top five for minutes played this season, while they rank first and third respectively for minutes per game.
Thibodeau needs to strike a better balance to help boost his team's defense against one of the toughest and deepest opponents in the league.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Nets have dropped their past two games against the Knicks, though they split the season series 2-2 last season.
Durant has not played against the Knicks for two years but averages 28.5 points with a 16-3 record since entering the league.
Aryna Sabalenka is keen to continue her hot streak after claiming a third consecutive title on the WTA Tour with a commanding victory over Veronika Kudermetova at the Abu Dhabi Women's Tennis Open.
Following season-ending triumphs in Ostrava and Linz, the world number 10 extended her ongoing winning run to 15 matches, prevailing 6-2 6-2 in an hour and five minutes.
"I'm really happy to keep winning and I’ll do everything I can to keep winning," Sabalenka told reporters. "Nobody likes to lose!"
"Every final is really something special and I would say finals are a different competition.
"This final was really nice and I would say a really fast game."
The pace of the contest owed much to Sabalenka's power game, with the Belarusian hitting 18 winners to her opponent's 13, while Kudermetova leaked 24 unforced errors to 13.
Sabalenka's clinical confidence was in evidence as she dispatched six of 12 break points fashioned.
"I’m really proud that I was fighting no matter what," she said of a run that has now yielded titles seven, eight and nine of her career.
"Some matches, I didn't feel my serve, some matches I didn't feel my forehand or backhand, but I would just keep fighting, finding my shots, and that this is what I’m really proud of, and really happy with this title."
Kyle Sinckler will miss England's opening game in this year's Six Nations after the prop was handed a two-week ban for swearing at a referee.
The Bristol Bears forward was cited by an independent commissioner for failing to respect the authority of a match official during Saturday's Premiership game against Exeter Chiefs.
Sinckler contested the charge at a disciplinary hearing, during which he accepted he had used foul language.
The 27-year-old was handed a suspension by an independent panel and will now be unavailable until February 9, three days after England open their 2021 campaign against Scotland.
"The player was candid in his evidence as to why he had done so and regretted his actions," a statement from the independent panel read.
"The panel found that his actions disrespected the authority of the referee and it was in breach of a core value of rugby - respect of match officials - and warranted a red card.
"The panel determined that in all the circumstances it was a low entry point with no relevant mitigation. The sanction is a two-week ban."
Following on from the Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham, Eddie Jones' squad host Italy on February 13.
The Six Nations is scheduled to go ahead amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, though the European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup have been temporarily suspended after French authorities ruled the participation of Top 14 clubs to be too much of a public health risk.
LeBron James revealed his no-look three pointer against the Houston Rockets was all about sealing a bet with Los Angeles Lakers team-mate Dennis Schroder.
During the second quarter of Tuesday's game, James caught a pass in the corner and, after a pump fake on a defender, let go with an attempt from deep.
The ball went in - but the four-time NBA Finals MVP was not watching. Instead, James had turned around after his release to engage with one particular member of the Lakers' bench.
Schroder had offered an impromptu $100 bet over whether the shot would be successful or not, leaving James needing to "look him in the eye" to confirm the wager had been placed.
"He hit me with a bet on the sideline and I took the bet while I was still shooting the ball," LeBron explained to the media after the Lakers' 117-100 win.
"A bet isn't official until you look a man in the eye, so I had to look him into the eye. I was able to win that one."
Explaining the exchange with Schroder in more detail, he added: "He said, 'Bet you won't make it'. In order to make a bet official, you've either got to have a handshake or look a man in the eye.
"He said, 'Bet it?' - I turned around, looked him in the eye and said, 'Bet it'."
James appreciates that while he was successful on this occasion, he is by no means the master of the no-look shot in the NBA, a title that belongs to another player: Stephen Curry.
"Steph [has] definitely probably done it the most in our league, and when you shoot the ball as beautiful and effortlessly and precisely as Steph does, he has the ultimate, ultra-green light to do that," James said.
"Because 10 times out of nine, it's going in for Steph."
James finished the game with 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists as the reigning champions improved to 9-3 on the season.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
