It was never going to be easy for the Toronto Raptors, not when you are living out of hotels and temporary residences more than 2,000 miles from your home city. Not when you dwell in by far the most top-heavy division in the Eastern Conference.
Still, the way the 2018-19 NBA champions have performed more like a bottom-feeding also-ran than a presumed title contender during the nascent stages of a challenging 2020-21 season is at least a cause for concern. And the difficult circumstances the Raptors find themselves under, playing their home games in Tampa, Florida, after being forced southward by travel restrictions by the Canadian government, does not reasonably explain all their early problems.
It is not the sole reason Toronto has been among the league's most inept scoring teams thus far, ranking 26th in offensive rating and dead last in field goal percentage. It is not why the Raptors have been routinely steamrolled in the second half of games during their 1-6 start (their sixth loss of last season did not come until their 21st game, by the way).
No, there's a bit more to it than that. And while it is certainly not time to press the panic button just yet, there are a few areas the Raptors clearly need to improve on if they are to at least extend their current seven-year streak of playoff appearances.
THE SHOTS ARE NOT FALLING, ESPECIALLY FROM LONG DISTANCE
The 3-point shot has always been a big part of the Raptors' game since Nick Nurse took over as head coach, as they ranked sixth in the NBA in 3-point rate (the ratio of 3-pointers attempted to total field goal attempts) last season and 10th during their 2018-19 championship campaign. So far in 2020-21, nearly half (49.2 per cent) of Toronto's shots have come from behind the arc – the highest total in the league.
The difference is this Raptors are not hitting those shots at nearly the same proficiency as before. Toronto's 34.2 success rate ranks 24th in the league. The Raptors finished no lower than sixth in either of the past two seasons.
In 2019-20, the Raptors had six players with at least three 3-point attempts per game shoot 38 percent or better from long range, tied with Detroit for the most in the NBA. Only three current players (Fred VanVleet, Chris Boucher, Matt Thomas) can make that claim so far this season.
Two players who accomplished that feat in 2019-20, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, have moved on. Aron Baynes, a 35 percent 3-point shooter over the past two seasons, was signed with the intent to fill the void, but he is 3-of-16 on triple attempts thus far. Holdover OG Anunoby, just weeks removed from signing a four-year, $72million extension, is 12-of-41 (29.3 percent) after hitting at a 39 percent clip in 2019-20.
WHERE HAVE YOU GONE, PASCAL SIAKAM?
Siakam's well-documented struggles in Toronto's seven-game loss to Boston in last season's Eastern Conference semi-finals may not have been a blip on the radar.
The Celtics masterfully neutralised the forward by deploying the smaller Jaylen Brown as his primary defender, and teams have been successfully following that blueprint during the early stages of this season.
The plan is working so far, too. Often drawing defenders with the length and athleticism to give him problems (Philadelphia's Ben Simmons and San Antonio's Rudy Gay were particularly effective), Siakam is simply not getting to the rim with the same frequency as past years, and (see below) has been among the least efficient players of his size when doing so.
LOWEST FG PERCENTAGE AT THE RIM – PLAYERS 6'9" OR TALLER - IN 2020-21 SEASON (minimum 100 minutes played)
Isaiah Stewart, Det .478
Pascal Siakam, Tor .488
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA .500
Brook Lopez, Mil .500
Jusuf Nurkic, Por .500
Dwight Powell, Dal .500
The Raptors have been outscored by an astonishing 63 points with Siakam on the court, an average of 10.5 per game that is eclipsed only by a pair of players from the likely lottery bound Timberwolves (D'Angelo Russell, Ed Davis) for the worst mark in the league.
It has been a humbling start for the 2018-19 NBA Most Improved Player, and that frustration was no more evident than when he bolted straight to the locker room after fouling out late in a loss to the 76ers. Nurse benched him for the next game, which happens to be the only one the Raptors have won so far.
Siakam did look more like his old self in Wednesday's outing at Phoenix, when he put up 32 points and shot over 50 percent from the field for the first time this season. It goes without saying the Raptors need him to return to his All-Star form, as they were 19-1 when he scored 25 or more points in a game in 2019-20.
LEADS ARE SLIPPING AWAY
Six teams have lost multiple times when holding a double-digit lead in a game so far. The Rockets, Hawks, Wizards and Pistons have done so twice, the Grizzlies three times. The Raptors have five such losses through their first seven outings.
Starting well hasn't been a problem - Toronto is outscoring opponents by an average of 4.3 points in the first quarter, the second-best mark in the NBA behind only Milwaukee. Starting the second half well has been a real issue, however. The Raptors have been outscored by an average of 5.4 points in the third quarter, with only the Timberwolves and Cavaliers having been worse.
In contrast, the Raptors outscored foes by 4.3 points per game in the third quarter (fourth-best in the NBA) while going 53-19 last season. They ranked second in the league during their 2018-19 title run.
So what's the reason for the dramatic drop-off? Is it because Toronto fields one of the league's older rosters? The Raptors are one of only three teams with two starters (Baynes and Kyle Lowry) aged 34 or older. One of the others is the Lakers, however, so there goes that theory.
A lack of depth is the more plausible answer. The Raptors rank 27th in the NBA in bench scoring, though they also had one of the league's least productive second units last season. That was less of an issue in 2019-20 because the starting five was often so good. With Siakam, Anunoby and Baynes all underperforming thus far, it has quickly become a more pressing concern.
THE BOTTOM LINE
There's no cause for alarm yet for Toronto fans just yet regarding their snowbird team. If not for a few bad stretches, the Raptors could just as easily be 5-2 instead of 1-6, and a defense that is still among the NBA's better units has kept them in every game in spite of their inefficiencies on the other end.
There is enough of a track record throughout the roster to suggest that the offense will come around. It needs to as well for a team that has been built on the premise of winning now and whose window may be closing soon.
Lowry, the Raptors' unquestioned heart and soul, is in the final year of his contract and turns 35 in March. Does team president Masai Ujiri consider moving him at the trade deadline if Toronto finds itself fighting for merely a playoff spot instead of a division title?
The next two months should be very intriguing in Toronto. And Tampa as well.
Roger Federer decided to miss the Australian Open because wife Mirka opposed having to spend a full fortnight in quarantine, a leading official has claimed.
It was widely assumed Federer's reason for skipping the upcoming grand slam related to the knee surgery he underwent last season.
He had hinted as much, and agent Tony Godsick referred to the knee rehabilitation when announcing in December that the Swiss great would not travel to Melbourne.
But Andre Sa, the head of player liaison at Tennis Australia, says Federer pulled out when it became apparent his wife and children would be holed up in their hotel accommodation for two weeks.
The players travelling to Australia must all quarantine to avoid any possible spread of COVID-19, but they are allocated five hours per day in which they can leave their rooms to train and practise with specified hitting partners.
Sa, a former top-20 doubles player, told Band Sports in his native Brazil that he discussed with father-of-four Federer the practicalities before the 20-time grand slam winner reached his decision.
"The main reason was the quarantine," said Sa. "I talked to him a month ago and he had two options. He could come with the whole family and do the quarantine.
"The problem is that Mirka and her children couldn't leave the room. They would have to stay 14 days in the room. The exception is only for players.
"He could go out, train and come back, but the family couldn't. Mirka did not approve the idea.
"The other option would be for him to come alone. Only there would be at least five weeks away from family and children. And then he said, 'Dude, 39, four kids, 20 grand slams. I'm no longer at the stage to be away from my family for five weeks.'"
Former world number one Federer has not played a tournament since losing to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Australian Open last year.
This year's edition of the grand slam has been delayed by three weeks to a February 8 start, due to factors tied into the pandemic.
Russell Westbrook, Doc Rivers and Billie Jean King reacted with revulsion to the assault on the US Capitol by supporters of outgoing president Donald Trump, united in the view there would have been a deadlier outcome had the rioters been black people.
On a dark day for the United States, thousands of Trump backers descended on Washington for a protest rally, refusing to accept the result of November's election that saw Joe Biden sweep to power.
Two weeks out from Biden's inauguration, many violent protesters breached security and accessed the Capitol, causing carnage and destruction as they appeared to go largely unchallenged.
There were a number of casualties, with four dead including a woman who was shot, while reports said a number of explosive devices were discovered.
Washington Wizards star Westbrook said: "It's very unfortunate to see. If those roles were reversed, if those were African-Americans, black people, it would be totally different."
He said the chaos was "just crazy, almost like a movie", and team-mate Bradley Beal agreed it was hard to stomach the scenes, given his view that police took a far less lenient approach to protesters during last year's Black Lives Matter demonstrations.
"It's very disheartening in a lot of ways - a lack of sense of urgency to respond to what was going on, versus protesters at Black Lives Matter over the summer," Beal said.
"The people who were invading our Capitol, that's unheard of and it's disheartening this is where we're at as a country."
Veteran Philadelphia 76ers coach Rivers called the insurgency "pretty disturbing" but vowed that "democracy will prevail".
"It shows a lot, though," Rivers said. "When you saw the [Black Lives Matter] protests in the summer, you saw the riots or more the police and the national guard and the army. And then you see this and you saw nothing.
"It basically proves the point about a privileged life in a lot of ways. I'll say it because I don’t think a lot of people want to: could you imagine today if those were all black people storming the Capitol and what would have happened?
"So that to me is a picture that’s worth a thousand words for all of us to see and probably something for us to reckon with again."
Tennis great King, a long-time activist for equality in sport and society, added on Twitter: "If the rioters storming the Capitol building today were Black and Brown people, the police response would be much different."
Footballer Megan Rapinoe became embroiled in a war of words with Trump during USA's triumph at the 2019 Women's World Cup.
Looking at footage of how seemingly easily the protesters were able to break into the Capitol, Rapinoe offered her opinion, writing: "This is crazy, how did they even get through the..... ohhhhh it was opened for them."
Trump had addressed the crowds earlier in the day, forcefully standing by his view that he was fraudulently robbed of an election win.
In the hours after the Capitol was cleared, Congress confirmed Biden's victory.
Richard Sherman, the San Francisco 49ers cornerback, described the rioters as "terrorists".
He wrote on Twitter: "Never thought Americans would let terrorists into the capital without a fight....sad day. There are certain things my brain could never imagine.... and one of them is black ppl storming a government building and taking things without deadly consequences. But that’s just my brain."
It was not just Sherman's brain thinking along those lines, though. Far from it.
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard took the same stance, saying: "You just see the privilege, the privilege in America. "It's sad to see, because if any of us was out there, I think we would've been tear-gassed, Maced, probably gunshots, you know?"
And American track and field legend Michael Johnson said the scenes were only to be expected, given the nature of the Trump presidency.
"The alarms were sounded for four years. Republicans ignored them. Many in the media ignored them and normalized dangerous behavior," Johnson wrote on Twitter.
"Sadly, today it all came to be. Shameful! This president and his supporters. Shame on you! And take responsibility!
"People on Twitter (of course) literally equating BLM protesters fighting for justice and equality to White Supremacist Trump supporters (supposed Patriots) gleefully and violently desecrating America's oldest and greatest institutions of democracy. Sadly, this is typical America."
The Golden State Warriors are not overly concerned by Stephen Curry's ankle issue in the defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers as the superstar point guard is confident it will not prove a major setback.
Curry's outstanding run of form was checked in Wednesday's 108-101 reverse at Chase Center.
The two-time NBA MVP had scored a career-high 62 points against the Portland Trail Blazers and then added another 30 versus the Sacramento Kings in the Warriors' past two games.
Yet Curry contributed only 13 points against the Clippers, bringing his season average down to 29.6, and shot one-of-six from beyond the arc.
More concerningly, Curry was not able to finish the game as he complained of an ankle problem in the fourth quarter and exited with just over a minute remaining.
But head coach Steve Kerr had positive news for Golden State fans, who have already seen Klay Thompson condemned to another long-term lay-off after the team's 2019-20 season was wrecked by injury woes.
"He did tweak it. He told me it's not serious," Kerr said on Wednesday. "He'll come in tomorrow and get treatment and we'll check it out.
"The good news is Steph does not think it's anything too serious."
The Warriors had led earlier in the fourth quarter despite Curry's failure to make an impact, with each of their five starters finishing with a negative plus/minus.
Kerr's second unit instead led the way, as Eric Paschall scored 19 points in 20 minutes, but the Golden State coach paid tribute to the Clippers' defensive effort.
"There was not a ton of rhythm or flow," he said. "We played a team that's going to be – at full strength, like they were tonight – one of the best defensive teams in the league, with a ton of length.
"They did a really good job. I thought they played an excellent defensive game. They hounded Steph and we couldn't find a rhythm."
Kerr reserved praise for his own defense, too, describing Draymond Green as "the best defensive player in the world" after he weighed in with six defensive rebounds and two steals.
And the coach suggested this was a key reason for a slow start to the game, although he was asked if the riot on Capitol Hill earlier in the day had also contributed.
"There was a strange energy in the air at the beginning of the game and that may have been a factor," Kerr said, having addressed the issue at length prior to tip-off.
Bradley Beal insisted "I don't give a damn" after tying a franchise points record for the Washington Wizards in their defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Beal's career-high 60 points on Wednesday could not prevent a 141-136 loss at Wells Fargo Center as the Wizards slipped to 2-6 for the season.
The 27-year-old was 20-of-35 on shooting, including seven-of-10 from three-point range, as he equalled Gilbert Arenas' franchise best against the Los Angeles Lakers back in 2006.
Still, the two-time All Star took little pride in recording a personal best in another loss.
"I'm p***** off," Beal said. "I'm mad. I don't count [them]. Any of my career highs, they've been in losses. So I don't give a damn. You can throw it right out the window with the other two or three I've had.
"I just want to win. Sometimes you might be able to score 40, 50, 60, whatever the case may be, but I just want to win, whatever that looks like. We came up a little bit short."
Beal's spectacular 57 points in the first 36 minutes proved futile as Philadelphia closed out a high-scoring contest, making 61.7 per cent from the field throughout.
Washington tied the scores at 119 each after having trailed by 10 at the start of the fourth quarter, but Joel Embiid led the 76ers to a strong finish, sinking a three-point jumper from 28 feet.
"I think they got stops and made more plays than we did down the stretch," Beal said when asked what made the difference late on. "I think Embiid hit a tough three... they were making a lot of shots. They hit a lot of tough shots.
"They shot 60 per cent from the field and 62 per cent from three. You can't win a game like that."
For Embiid, it was all part of the service.
"They pay me to take over the game," he said after making 38 points, eight rebounds and five assists. "They pay me to dominate. That's my job.
"I always give credit to my teammates. [But] I finished."
The Boston Celtics edged the Miami Heat in the NBA on Wednesday, while the Milwaukee Bucks claimed their third straight win.
In a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics overcame the Heat 107-105 in Miami.
Jayson Tatum (27 points) and Jaylen Brown (21 points and 12 rebounds) led the Celtics (6-3) to their win.
But Payton Pritchard (six points) made the decisive lay-up with 0.2 seconds remaining to secure the win.
The teams kneeled in protest ahead of the clash, in response to a riot on Capitol Hill and after no charges were brought against the police officer who shot and seriously injured Jacob Blake, a black man, in Kenosha in August last year.
Meanwhile, the Bucks made it three straight wins by easing past the Detroit Pistons 130-115.
Giannis Antetokounmpo guided Milwaukee into a 5-3 record with 25 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Hayward heroic, Beal brilliance not enough for Wizards
Gordon Hayward scored a career-high 44 points to see the Charlotte Hornets past the Atlanta Hawks 102-94.
Bradley Beal equalled a Washington Wizards record, but it was not enough. Beal tied the franchise record with 60 points in a 141-136 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Joel Embiid once again inspired the 76ers, scoring 38 points to go with eight rebounds and five assists as they improved to 7-1.
A 35-point haul from Malcolm Brogdon helped the Indiana Pacers beat the Houston Rockets 114-107.
Curry cools off
After 92 points in the previous two games, Stephen Curry cooled off. He went five-of-17 from the field for 13 points in 35 minutes as the Golden State Warriors fell to the Los Angeles Clippers 108-101.
Beal ties record
Beal was in spectacular form for the Wizards. He equalled Gilbert Arenas' record of 60 points for the Wizards against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2006.
Wednesday's results
Indiana Pacers 114-107 Houston Rockets
Orlando Magic 105-94 Cleveland Cavaliers
Philadelphia 76ers 141-136 Washington Wizards
Charlotte Hornets 102-94 Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics 107-105 Miami Heat
New York Knicks 112-100 Utah Jazz
Milwaukee Bucks 130-115 Detroit Pistons
Oklahoma City Thunder 111-110 New Orleans Pelicans
Phoenix Suns 123-115 Toronto Raptors
Los Angeles Clippers 108-101 Golden State Warriors
Sacramento Kings 128-124 Chicago Bulls
76ers at Nets
The 76ers will look to continue their good start to the season when they take on the Brooklyn Nets (4-4). The Nets will again be without star Kevin Durant, who is in quarantine.
Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz will miss the rest of the NBA season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) on Wednesday.
Fultz suffered the injury during the first quarter of Orlando's 105-94 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The top pick in the 2017 draft, Fultz has battled injuries to begin his NBA career, and his 2020-21 season is over after just eight games.
"Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz suffered a left knee injury with 7:35 remaining in the first quarter tonight against Cleveland. He underwent an MRI and results revealed that Fultz has sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament," the Magic said.
"Fultz will be out for the remainder of the season."
Fultz played just 33 regular-season games with the Philadelphia 76ers before being traded to Orlando in February 2019.
He made 72 appearances for the Magic in 2019-20 and was averaging 12.9 points, 5.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds to begin this season.
"Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers during this time. God has a plan for me and I know that this adversity will only make me stronger in the end," Fultz wrote on Twitter.
"I believe in my brothers on this team and we have so much more to prove. To all the fans, keep riding with us.
"I'm going to approach this recovery with all my heart and be the best team-mate I can be to this organisation. Faithful to the grind."
After their win over the Cavaliers, the Magic are 6-2.
Bradley Beal equalled the Washington Wizards' franchise record with 60 points in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
Beal exploded for 60 points on 20-of-35 shooting, including seven-of-10 from three-point range, in a 141-136 loss to the 76ers.
The guard equalled Gilbert Arenas' record of 60 points for the Wizards against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2006.
Russell Westbrook was the Wizards' next highest scorer with 20.
But Washington slipped to 2-6 after Joel Embiid (38 points) and Seth Curry (28) led the way for the 76ers (7-1).
The Boston Celtics and Miami Heat played "with a heavy heart" after highlighting the different treatment of protesters in the United States.
Players kneeled ahead of the clash at AmericanAirlines Arena before the game went ahead.
It came in response to riot on Capitol Hill and after no charges were brought against the police officer who shot and seriously injured Jacob Blake, a black man, in Kenosha in August last year.
A statement from Heat and Celtics players read: "2021 is a new year, but some things have not changed.
"We play tonight's game with a heavy heart after yesterday's decision in Kenosha, and knowing that protesters in our nation's capital are treated differently by political leaders depending on what side of certain issues they are on.
"The drastic difference between the way protesters this past spring and summer were treated and the encouragement given to today's protesters who acted illegally just shows how much more work we have to do.
"We have decided to play tonight's game to try to bring joy into people's lives. But we must not forget the injustices in our society, and we will continue to use our voices and our platform to highlight these issues and do everything we can to work for a more equal and just America."
Supporters of United States president Donald Trump stormed Capitol Hill as Joe Biden's election victory was due to be certified.
At least 13 people were arrested, police said.
Veronika Kudermetova started the new season in style by beating 10th seed Anett Kontaveit in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Women's Tennis Open on Wednesday.
Kudermetova had won her only two previous singles matches against Kontaveit and maintained that perfect record with a 7-5 6-1 victory.
The world number 46 from Russia broke four times to seal her place in the second round, with Kontaveit winning just 48.4 per cent of points on her first serve in a rusty beginning to the 2021 campaign.
Donna Vekic was another seed to fall at the first hurdle as Bernarda Pera consigned the Croatian to a 7-6 (12-10) 2-6 6-4 defeat at Zayed Sports City International Tennis Centre.
Kirsten Flipkens could face top seed Sofia Kenin in the second round after defeating Laura Siegemund 5-7 7-5 6-4.
Ons Jabeur is aiming to break into the top 10 this year and the 15th seed got up and running for the season by seeing off Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.
Daria Kasatkina, Yulia Putintseva and Ajla Tomljanovic were among the other players who advanced to round two.
Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warriors team-mates have been playing with extra spice over the past week.
Questionable puns aside, the sight of a fit and firing Curry is certainly no laughing matter for defences across the NBA.
A golden era for the Warriors saw Steve Kerr's team reach the NBA Finals in five seasons running from 2015 to 2019, with Curry and the rest of a star-studded roster winning the title three times.
But a 2019-2020 season disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic was one of injury woe and transition for a Warriors side that finished bottom of the Western Conference (15-50), while they were a world away from playing in the NBA bubble in Orlando where the end of the regular season and the entire postseason was played.
The departures of Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala hit the Warriors after Klay Thompson had sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament, and Curry managed just five games in an injury-hit campaign.
However, after losing their opening two games this season, the Warriors have won four of the past five and welcome the Los Angeles Clippers to Chase Center on Wednesday with a 4-3 record – with Curry starring in wins against the Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.
Five of the Warriors' next seven games come against teams with a .500 record or better, including a double-header versus the Clippers, and there is much intrigue as to whether Kerr's men can be a sustained threat this season.
TOP PERFORMERS
Golden State Warriors - Stephen Curry
Curry and the Warriors were certainly not firing on all cylinders in defeats to the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks to start the season – although his 20 and 19 points respectively were a team high.
Only one defeat has followed since then, though, and 32-year-old Curry has provided a timely reminder of his enduring quality including a barnstorming showing in defeating the Portland Trail Blazers 137-122 on Monday.
Curry sank a career-high 62 points in that game, as well as offering five rebounds and four assists, before following up with 30 against the Kings (nine rebounds, eight assists).
Consequently, the outlook for the Warriors and Curry himself looks a lot healthier. In the early throes of this season, he has averaged 32.0 points - second-most in the league - while his player efficiency rating (PER) ranks third.
His 32.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for 2020-21 are outperforming his career averages for the regular season (23.6 and 4.5), while his 6.4 for assists is only slightly lower (6.6).
A 36.9 per cent success rate from three-point range is way down on the 43.4 overall in his career, yet he was at 50.0 and 41.7 per cent in this metric over the Warriors' past two wins.
Golden State may need to find more assistance for Curry, though. The return to action of Draymond Green has allowed his superstar team-mate more space on the floor, but Andrew Wiggins (17.6) and rookie James Wiseman (11.4) are the side's next-highest average scorers. Without Thompson, the Warriors need a little more from their supporting cast.
TOP PERFORMERS
Los Angeles Clippers - Kawhi Leonard
Much was expected of a Clippers side that combined star-studded duo Kawhi Leonard and Paul George for the 2019-20 season.
But the Clippers surrendered a 3-1 lead to lose their Western Conference semifinal series to the Denver Nuggets last season and it has been a mixed bag thus far.
Defeat to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday left the Clippers at 5-3, and the Warriors might have to beware the wounded animal if they are to make a statement of their intent.
George missed that game due to ankle soreness, with Leonard putting up 30 points and 10 assists in the losing effort.
George leads the way for average points (25.1) for the Clippers this season, but Leonard (23.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.5 assists) is typically impressing across the board.
The efforts of Leonard are going to be particularly crucial if George, whose injury status is day-to-day, fails to make it against the Warriors.
KEY BATTLE: CAN BEVERLEY CONTAIN CURRY?
The best offensive point guard in Curry comes up against one of the league's best defensive point guards in Patrick Beverley.
Beverley was on it against Spurs, contributing 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, along with two blocks, and it will be his job to be a nuisance against Curry.
If Beverley, a man with a penchant for trash talking, can keep Curry quiet then it is hard to imagine the Warriors will have the scoring power to take down the Clippers.
That being said, if Curry gains the upper hand in this battle of the guards then the Warriors can make a huge statement about their credentials this season.
HEAD TO HEAD
It was a clean sweep for the Clippers in the three games they played against the Warriors in 2019-20.
The most recent of those matchups was way back on March 10, though – a game in which Leonard put up 23 points in a 131-107 rout of the Warriors.
History is with the Warriors overall, with Golden State triumphing in 131 games to the Clippers' 90 from the 221 occasions on which the teams have faced off in the NBA's regular season.
Anthony Davis says there is trust among the Los Angeles Lakers regardless of whether he or LeBron James are making plays late in games after the NBA champions rallied past the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Lakers made it a clean sweep of four straight wins on the road thanks to a 94-92 triumph in Memphis, backing up a victory against the Grizzlies and two against the San Antonio Spurs.
James and Davis each finished with 26 points, but it was down the stretch where the superstar duo really came to the fore. Trailing by two with five minutes to go, they combined for a 9-2 run and an 86-81 lead.
Together they put on 15 points late in the fourth to make it 92-83 with a little over 30 seconds remaining, while the last basket was James assisting Davis for a dunk.
Describing their chemistry late in games, Davis said: "When you got playmakers and scorers on the floor, it's very easy for us.
"We don't like to use the term, like you said, 'flip the switch'. We want our switch to be on at all times, but it's good to have guys who can make plays for us, especially late in game at both ends of the floor.
"It starts with LJ and his ability to pass the ball and read defences is unreal, his I.Q. is very high. We usually have the ball in his hands.
"Even when we don't have it, we know late game whoever it's going to - whether it's his hands or my hands – we're going to live with that, whether we make shots or miss shots we're going live with us making the plays for us or for others."
Davis is in his second season playing alongside the legendary James, who also had 11 rebounds and seven assists to his name in another influential showing.
For Davis, there are no surprises about the levels James continues to show at the age of 36.
"It's not surprising at all, he's been doing this now for 18 years, it's crazy to see he's doing it in his 18th year but the numbers he puts up is not surprising," he added.
"It's testament to the player he is - practice, shootaround, pregame, he's constantly getting his body ready to go out there and put up those kind of numbers you know from rebounds to assists or scoring.
"But also, things that don't show up on a stats sheet, leadership, getting guys ready to learn offensive and defensive schemes we have, hence he's one of the greatest to ever do it, if not the greatest.
"It's good to be a witness to that in my second year, to see how he continues to put on a show for us, night in and night out. It surprises no one on this team, he's been doing it night in and night out and it seems like it's getting easier for him."
James was asked about the Lakers' first experience of the road this season during a global pandemic.
"It's what it is, we're here to work, get better and to win," he replied.
"We're in a winning business, that's what we want to do, we want to create great habits, we're going to have times when we don't play to our capabilities but we still want to create great habits going forward, that's what I think we did on this road trip."
LeBron James and his Los Angeles Lakers team-mates were left disheartened upon hearing Kenosha County District Attorney announced no charges are to be filed against the police officer who shot Jacob Blake, a black man who was left paralysed.
Blake was shot seven times in the back by a white police officer on August 23 last year as he leaned into his car in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
In response, several professional sports teams refused to play scheduled matches and, in the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida, the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted their first-round playoff game against the Orlando Magic.
That subsequently led to all NBA games on August 26 being postponed, while there were further boycotts in Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Soccer (MLS).
Many NBA stars, including James, were vocal from the Orlando bubble in their campaigning against racial injustice, and several Lakers players expressed their dismay following Tuesday's confirmation none of the officers at the scene will face criminal charges.
Speaking after the Lakers' 94-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, James said: "To hear what happened in Kenosha today was a blow to the heart and to the gut, not only to that community but to us and to every, I guess, black person that has been a part of this process and seeing these outcomes for so long.
"And not only in the black community but in the white community as well, who see moments like this happen to us, to happen to his family, to happen to [Blake] himself. But we've got to continue to stay strong, continue to believe in each other and continue to push for the greater change and the greater good."
Wesley Matthews, now at the Lakers, was a part of the Bucks side that refused to play against the Magic back in August and was left similarly frustrated by the latest developments but urged the public to not lose heart.
"Truly, it's disheartening," he added. "It's just about right and wrong, but it can't deter those citizens who are trying to do right, who are trying to fight for equality, who are trying to fight for the right things.
"It can't deter us, we can't lose our heads, we can't start rioting, we have to be calculated, we have to continue to keep our foot on the pedal, we have to continue to keep our foot on the gas.
"These are lives right here. It's upsetting as a Wisconsinite. It's upsetting as a human being that justice isn't justice. It's tough. But it can't knock us off our path that we're trying to get to, which is equality and just simply right and wrong."
Anthony Davis said he was left with a sense of failure but will "continue to push the needle for change".
"Obviously it sucks, we as a community try to support the family and try to do everything we can to get justice for him, for that to happen, it sucks," he said. "It's like we let the family down. We continue to honour Jacob Blake and his family, we continue to push the needle for change, it's not going to stop us by playing basketball."
LeBron James and Anthony Davis saw the Los Angeles Lakers to another win in the NBA, while the Clippers fell on Tuesday.
James (26 points and 11 rebounds) and Davis (26 points and 10 rebounds) both had double-doubles in a 94-92 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Lakers stars became the third pair of team-mates in the past 10 years to have 25-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in the same game with neither committing a personal foul, according to Stats Perform.
The previous two occasions also featured James – alongside Dwyane Wade in 2013 and Kevin Love three years later.
While the Lakers are 6-2, the Clippers slipped to 5-3 following a 116-113 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Kawhi Leonard posted 30 points and 10 assists, but the Clippers were beaten by a Patty Mills-inspired Spurs.
Mills was eight-of-12 from three-point range for 27 points in 28 minutes off the bench.
Irving lifts Nets as Jokic dominates
Kyrie Irving had 29 points, six rebounds and five assists as the Brooklyn Nets thrashed the Utah Jazz 130-96.
Nikola Jokic posted 35 points and 15 rebounds to help the Denver Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 123-116.
The Timberwolves slumped to 2-5 despite 33 points and 11 assists from D'Angelo Russell.
Otto Porter Jr. (19 points and 13 rebounds) and Coby White (21 points and 10 rebounds) had double-doubles in the Chicago Bulls' 111-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. The Bulls came from 18 points down after the first quarter. It marked the second time in franchise history they have trailed by 18-plus points at the end of the first quarter and come back to win, as per Stats Perform.
Valanciunas struggles
Jonas Valanciunas went four-of-13 from the field in the Grizzlies' loss. The center had 13 points to go with 11 rebounds.
Irving in form
Without Kevin Durant, Irving stepped up for the Nets. He was seven-of-seven from the field and four-of-four from three-point range for 18 points in the first quarter.
Tuesday's results
Brooklyn Nets 130-96 Utah Jazz
Los Angeles Lakers 94-92 Memphis Grizzlies
Denver Nuggets 123-116 Minnesota Timberwolves
San Antonio Spurs 116-113 Los Angeles Clippers
Chicago Bulls 111-108 Portland Trail Blazers
Clippers at Warriors
The Golden State Warriors (4-3) will host the Clippers on Wednesday. Stephen Curry has made an impressive start to the season for the Warriors, averaging 32 points, 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds.
Formula One rising star Lando Norris has tested positive for COVID-19 while holidaying in Dubai.
The McLaren driver, who had a first career podium among seven top-six finishes last season, said he was largely asymptomatic but had lost his sense of taste and smell.
Norris, 21, was taking a break in the United Arab Emirates and will be confined to his hotel room for two weeks as a result.
On Tuesday, he wrote in a message posted to Twitter: "Hi everyone, hope you are all keeping well. Yesterday I lost my sense of taste and smell so immediately self isolated [sic] and took a test.
“It's come back as positive, so I've told everyone that I’ve been in contact with and will be self isolating for the next 14 days.
“I feel alright and have no other symptoms but I just wanted to let you all know. Take care.”
McLaren confirmed the positive, saying it came before Norris was due to join the team for pre-season preparations.
The team said in a statement: "McLaren can confirm that Lando Norris tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday in Dubai, where he is currently on holiday ahead of a planned training camp."
The 2021 Formula One season is scheduled to start in Australia with a March 21 race; however, reports have indicated that grand prix is likely to be pushed back until later in the year due to Melbourne's quarantine restrictions.
That would mean the campaign getting under way a week later in Bahrain, with pre-season testing switching to Bahrain from Barcelona also reported to be a possibility.
Stephen Curry has no doubt the Golden State Warriors continue to get the absolute best from their opponents each time the team take to the court and he would have it no other way.
The superstar shooter followed up a career-high return of 62 points in the beating of the Portland Trail Blazers with another 30 in the Warriors' 137-106 triumph over the Sacramento Kings on Monday.
Curry also finished with nine rebounds and eight assists, while the 32-year-old had chalked up 23 points by half-time on the back of seven-for-11 shooting, including four-for-seven on three-pointers.
The Warriors are now 4-3 for the season and are showing positive signs despite losing Klay Thompson for the season, while the transition to life without the likes of Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala continues.
It remains to be seen if the Warriors can produce the kind of form that led them to five straight NBA Finals between 2015 and 2019 but Curry feels their opponents still treat them as a huge threat each night.
"100 percent [we get the best]," Curry said following the victory over the Kings.
"And that's how it's supposed to be. There are teams that were in the bubble, in the playoffs last year in both conferences that we're going to be doing that to them.
"So, it's always the game within the game and that competition's exciting knowing that there's a little bit more meaning based on what we did the last five years and other teams' experience playing against us. That's part of the journey. We love it."
After a tough opening week, Curry is back into a groove helped in part by the return of team-mate Draymond Green, who was absent for pre-season and the opening four games of the campaign due to a mix of a foot problem and adhering to COVID-19 protocols.
The Warriors finished with an NBA season-high of 41 assists against the Kings and Curry acknowledged the return of Green has been vital.
"Draymond obviously has helped a lot in terms of getting us organized," he added.
"And especially when I get off the ball and starting again. And so [Sunday], started seeing pictures of it a little bit clearer and understand spacing and, obviously, guys have got to make shots, and everybody pitched in.
"It was a really good effort across the board, guys staying ready off the bench, and defensively, we gave ourselves energy and life from the beginning. On a back-to-back, you need that presence to get everything flowing, and then it translated to good offense."
Kevin Durant is out of the Brooklyn Nets' contest against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday and could reportedly miss the team's next four NBA games as he follows the league's health and safety protocols.
Reports in ESPN stated Durant was exposed to someone who has tested positive for coronavirus and is facing a seven-day quarantine period.
That would see Durant also sit out against the Philadelphia 76ers and the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday and Friday, as well as Sunday's showdown with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After opening the season with back-to-back wins, the Nets have lost four of their past five to sit 10th in the early throes of the Eastern Conference standings.
Durant missed the entirety of the disrupted 2019-20 campaign due to a ruptured Achilles and is averaging 28.2 points, seven rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Nets this term.
Seven players hit double figures as the Philadelphia 76ers surged to 6-1 while Malcolm Brogdon landed an overtime winner as the Indiana Pacers take up chase in the East.
Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia remain ahead of the pack after a second-quarter flurry helped to sink the Charlotte Hornets, 118-101, with Tobias Harris leading the scoring on 22 points.
Joel Embiid (14 points and 11 rebounds) and Ben Simmons (12 points and 10 rebounds) played key supporting roles with double-doubles as the 76ers continue to fly high.
Indiana improved to 5-2 in a 118-116 thriller against the New Orleans Pelicans after Brogdon capped his double-double with the clutch OT winner, while Victor Oladipo top scored for the Pacers with 25 points.
In-form Pelicans duo Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson combined for 55 points in the loss, as Ingram scored 31 and Williamson recorded a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
Orlando also stayed in the hunt for top spot as Aaron Gordon (24 points, 11 rebounds) and Nikola Vucevic (23 points) inspired the Magic to move to 5-3 with a 103-83 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Malcolm Brogdon hits the game-winning floater in OT as the @Pacers pick up their 5th W of the season!
Brogdon: 21 PTS, 7 REB, 11 AST
Victor Oladipo: 25 PTS, 6 AST
Brandon Ingram: 31 PTS, 8 AST
Zion Williamson: 24 PTS, 10 REB pic.twitter.com/XfWbcMXemJ
— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2021
Doncic, Giannis go off as Mavs and Bucks win
Luka Doncic dominated with 33 points and a triple-double as the Dallas Mavericks ended the Houston Rockets’ winning streak with a 113-100 win.
Doncic added 16 rebounds and 11 assists, while Tim Hardaway Jr shot for 30 points to boost the Mavs. Houston's Christian Wood, Eric Gordon and a returning James Harden all put up more than 20 points.
The four-Test Vitality Netball Legends Series between the Sunshine Girls and England Roses has been postponed because of extended restrictions to international travel between the UK and Jamaica because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, according to Netball Jamaica, they are discussing with England Netball, the possibility of having the series in November 2021.
The series was to have got underway on January 22 and was to have been shown live on SkySports in the United Kingdom.
“We are hugely disappointed that the series cannot happen in January, but with the extended restrictions to international travel between the UK and Jamaica, it isn't possible for the fixture to go ahead as planned," the statement from England Netball said.
“We would like to thank the Jamaican national team and the Vitality Roses for their collective efforts to plan and prepare for the series to date, and their support in making this decision.”
Netball Jamaica President Tricia Robinson explained that it was a collective decision based on the extension of travel restrictions from Jamaica to the UK until the end of January 2021 brought about by the ongoing spikes in the UK and the emergence of the variant strain of the virus that makes it easier to spread.
“We are naturally disappointed as this is a second postponement,” Robinson said. “The players are going on a little break now and will resume training in February.”
Robinson said that talks are ongoing between the two federations with a view to having the series later this year, with November being proposed as an appropriate time to resume. This is in light of the fact that players from both teams have been signed by teams in the Suncorp Super Netball League that gets underway in Australia in March.
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