Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant vented his frustration over perceived dirty play by the Milwaukee Bucks in Thursday's defeat but begrudgingly acknowledged they did an effective job on him.
Durant missed a three-point shot on the buzzer that would have given his Nets the win, but they ultimately went down 120-119 in overtime.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 44 points (14-of-21 shooting) for the Bucks to go with 14 rebounds and six assists, while Jrue Holiday finished with a game-high six steals.
The hotly contested matchup between two teams that played out a seven-game series in last year's playoffs featured a contentious moment late in overtime as Durant was fouled on a three-point attempt by Wesley Matthews, which was reviewed as a potential flagrant.
Speaking to post-game media, Durant made a point of it being the second time in as many games that he feels he was targeted with a dangerous foul.
"We all thought that was reckless, right?" Durant asked the media in attendance.
"I think technically, I have to be in the air and come down on his foot, and that's the flagrant… but as soon as I hit the floor, here he comes running at my leg.
"It wasn't a [basketball play] – I thought it was supposed to be a flagrant. But I didn't make the correct play to get a flagrant, I was supposed to still be in the air while he's underneath me.
"I'm hurting. That's two games in a row where players have walked up underneath me while I'm trying to make a basketball play, so my ankle hurts."
After discussion moved to the game itself, Durant got frustrated when a reporter asked if the reason the Nets lost this game had anything to do with chemistry, a subject often brought up in reference to Durant's close friend Kyrie Irving.
"It was just basketball mistakes – we're not going to play a perfect basketball game," he said.
"It always sucks when you lose, and you tend to think back on the mistakes that you made, but we try to play mistake-free basketball – everyone in this league does.
"Giannis [Antetokounmpo] had eight turnovers, Jrue [Holiday] had six. They had 14 turnovers between their two best players – I'm sure they don't want that either, but that's just the game.
"They hit one more shot than we did. I don't think it's because of a lack of chemistry, or we didn't play hard. It's just one of those games that didn't fall our way at the end."
Durant then paid some respect to the reigning champions and gave some details about the way the Bucks defended against him.
"They did a good job – they know [who I am], they know what it is," he said.
"If I get the ball out top, I'm seeing the whole team looking at me. Kyrie got the same treatment.
"Brook Lopez, he's played against me in the playoffs before. This team knows how to prepare for me.
"If I get a drive, if I get a lane, I'm hearing guys coming over to help, and they're calling for more help. It's only going to make me better as a player to see those looks.
"We shot the ball pretty well [as a team] – I think that's because we were making the right plays."
When asked if his sore ankle could force him to miss any games, Durant said no chance.
"No, I'm good," he said. "It's a little sore, you know how it goes."
Giannis Antetokounmpo saved some veiled censure for James Harden, as he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the Milwaukee Bucks' all-time leading scorer on Thursday.
With 44 points, 14 rebounds and six assists, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a big 120-119 overtime win against Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets.
Drilling a step-back three to tie the game at the end of regulation, the 27-year-old broke the Bucks franchise record in the process.
Responding to prior criticism from James Harden that he only "runs and dunks" as a consequence of his height and mobility, the Greek forward was evidently pleased to have broken the record with elite skill on the step-back triple.
"I did not know about it, but it's good," he said post-game. "It's good because I'm changing the narrative. You know, I don't want to be the guy that only dunks and runs. I can make a three," Antetokounmpo said.
For the two-time MVP, his priorities remain based in team success.
"It doesn't really matter, because at the end of the day, if you don't have a successful season and if you don't try to keep getting better, and staying humble, and staying hungry to play all the way until May and June, nobody is going to remember this," Antetokounmpo added.
"So I just want to stay humble, I want us to stay humble. I feel like the more humble I get, and the more hungry I stay, the more things I can accomplish, the more art I can create... I just gotta keep staying humble, make my teammates great, win games, and good things like tonight are going to happen."
Naomi Osaka is through to her first tournament final since her 2021 Australian Open win, getting past Belinda Bencic 6-4 3-6 6-4 at the Miami Open on Thursday.
The reigning Olympic champion looked strong early, breaking twice to go up 4-1 as she took advantage of Osaka's second serve, winning nine of the 11 second serves she saw in the opening set.
As Osaka's success on second serve cleaned up in the second set, Bencic's avenue to victory vanished, unable to save either of the two break points she faced in the second set.
Osaka's first serve percentage shot up to 70 in the deciding set, winning 87 per cent of points on first serve (20-23) to shut the door. Despite Bencic breaking back once after going down a double-break, she was unable to stop her Japanese opponent from serving it out.
Speaking on court after her win, the Florida native was emotional, shedding some tears as she thanked the fans in attendance.
"I just wanted to say thank you everyone, the atmosphere was really good," she said.
"Damn, I'm always crying. I just wanted to say thank you, this tournament really means a lot to me and it's my first time in the finals here."
World number-one-in-waiting Iga Swiatek twice came back from a break down in the second set to overcome the challenge of American Jessica Pegula 6-2 7-5.
The straight sets win for the 20-year-old Polish star means she has now not dropped a set in eight straight matches dating back to the fourth round at the Indian Wells Open where she beat Angelique Kerber two sets to one.
Against Pegula, Swiatek was simply too strong in the opening set, breaking twice in four tries when Pegula's second serve was vulnerable, with the American only winning 27 per cent of her second serve points (4-15) in the opening frame.
The second set was far more competitive, but Swiatek remained just slightly better both on serve and in the return game in a set where four consecutive games resulted in breaks in a seesawing contest.
Pegula refused to let the top seed serve it out comfortably, saving two match points to extend the second set at 5-5. It was just delaying the inevitable as Swiatek broke back instantly and held her nerve, and serve, to avoid a tie-break.
After a hard-fought seven-game series in last year's NBA playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets added another chapter to their recent rivalry with an overtime thriller.
The Bucks ended up coming out on top 120-119 thanks to a mammoth performance from two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, finishing with 44 points on 14-of-21 shooting to go with 14 rebounds and six assists.
It was not just the raw numbers for Antetokounmpo, but the situations where he delivered, hitting a crucial step-back three to tie the game at 110-110 with less than 20 seconds remaining in regulation.
Down 118-119 with three seconds left in overtime, Antetokounmpo was fouled, and connected on both free throws to give the Bucks the lead and the win.
Jrue Holiday was crucial for the reigning champions, claiming six steals to go with his 19 points (six-of-18 shooting), eight rebounds and four assists.
Kevin Durant was terrific for the Nets, scoring 26 points on 10-of-21 from the field (three-of-six from long range) and also dishing out 11 assists, while Kyrie Irving chipped in with 25 points (nine-of-22 from the field) with five assists.
DeRozan's 50-piece leads comeback
The Chicago Bulls came back from an 11-point deficit with 4:58 remaining in regulation to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 135-130 in overtime.
After DeMar DeRozan hit three free throws in the final five seconds to tie the game and force overtime, the Clippers were forced to contest the extra period without star Paul George, who had hit his minutes restriction as he returns from a long-term elbow injury.
DeRozan went on to score 50 points on 17-of-26 shooting, while highly-regarded second-year forward Patrick Williams caught the eye coming off the bench, scoring 10 points without missing a shot while adding 12 rebounds and two blocks.
Cunningham shows class
Number one pick from this year's rookie class, Cade Cunningham, showed why he is viewed as a future star in this league as he led his Detroit Pistons to a 102-94 upset against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Cunningham was Detroit's best player, finishing with 27 points (12-of-20 shooting) to go with six assists and four steals and the Pistons out-scored the 76ers 29-15 in the final frame.
Joel Embiid was not to blame for the 76ers struggles, scoring 37 points on 11-of-19 shooting with 15 rebounds.
Daniil Medvedev believes he is in a good spot despite letting slip his chance to claim the world number one ranking at the Miami Masters, losing 6-7 (5-7) 3-6 to Hubert Hurkacz on Thursday.
Medvedev had to deal with dizziness and fatigue during the match, taking a medical timeout against the defending champion in Miami, and was disappointed he was not able to produce his best tennis.
The defeat means the 25-year-old will stay behind Novak Djokovic, who has not played on the ATP Tour since losing to Jiri Vesely back in the quarter-finals in Dubai.
Heading into the clay season, the Russian world number two is buoyant after a 4-2 record across Acapulco and Indian Wells.
"I'm kind of happy about the tournament in Miami in a way of tennis… I managed in Miami to find just a little spark to make it work," Medvedev said post-match.
"Today was not enough, but I'm happy that I saw that I'm able to do it. I'm in the right direction, so it's good."
Hurkacz will face Carlos Alcaraz, who made his second ATP 1000 semi-final after a thrilling 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-5) victory against Miomir Kecmanovic.
Both Alcaraz and Kecmanovic exhibited extraordinary court coverage in a match-up between two of the more adept returners of serve on the tour, but the 18-year-old Spaniard could simply find a higher gear as points progressed.
Alcaraz played some inspired tennis to break back in the seventh game in the opening set, shifting Kecmanovic around the court to set up a stunning cross-court backhand pass for break point, before stepping in on the second serve to restore parity.
Despite Kecmanovic holding to love in his next two service games, it did not put consequent pressure on his teenage opponent, who forced a tie-break. However, Kecmaovic clawed back from a mini-break to take a riveting opening set.
Hitting 52 winners for the match, the world number 16 pulled out his best tennis of the match in Kecmanovic's opening service game of the second set, coming up with a magnificent lob on the run to set up the break.
Saving break point while serving for the set, he held out to force a deciding third. Coming back from a mini-break in the third set tie-break, Alcaraz ended the match on fitting note, scrambling to the net to slice past Kecmanovic at the end of a frenetic rally.
Russell Knox's bogey-free 65 earned him top spot on the Valero Texas Open leaderboard after the first round of action at TPC San Antonio.
The Scotsman was excellent all day, highlighted by his four consecutive birdies starting on the 12th hole to finish seven under.
He is one stroke ahead of Denmark's Rasmus Hojgaard, who eagled the par-five 18th to finish at six under and make up for his double-bogey on nine.
Speaking to the media after his round, Knox spoke about getting control of his driver, and the potential to play in next week's US Masters.
"I would love to win and get to play next week," he said.
"I know my game is good, so I've got to keep playing well and see if I can have a great finish.
"I've been a little more consistent tee to green. I'm back to kind of feeling like the way I should be playing, which has been nice.
"Off the tee's been kind of important for me. Over the last couple years I just kind of got off track slightly, hitting a few wayward tee shots.
"I've worked hard with my coach, Mark McCann, and we've really gone back to fundamentals, got my set-up correct and it just gives me the freedom to kind of swing away.
"I know it's never going to be perfect, but the last couple months it's really been a strength of mine again."
Matt Kuchar and Englishman Aaron Rai are in a four-player tie for third at five under, with India's Anirban Lahiri and Australian Matthew Jones part of the large contingent at four under.
In-form Canadian Corey Conners finished tied with Richard Bland and Tony Finau with a big group at two under, with Ian Poulter and Keegan Bradley one shot further back.
It was an up-and-down round for Rickie Fowler, with his bogey on 18 forcing him to accept even-par for the day, which he shared with stars Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
Bryson DeChambeau and Lee Westwood highlighted the group at plus one, while Jason Day and Hideki Matsuyama will be fighting to make the cut after carding plus two.
Manu Ginobili will become a first-ballot inductee to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, according to The Athletic.
Ginobili, who retired following the 2017-18 season, spent his entire 16-season NBA career with the San Antonio Spurs, winning championships in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.
While he was a regular starter through his first few seasons with the Spurs – starting all 74 of his appearances during their 2005 championship season – Ginobili thrived in the 'sixth man' role after his third title.
In the highest scoring season of his career, Ginobili won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2008, averaging 19.5 points per game while primarily coming off the bench.
He was also twice named an All-Star, in 2005, and in 2011, when he returned to the starting line-up for one season.
After 2011, Ginobili started just 10 of the 424 games he would play over the next seven seasons, but remained an all-important piece of the historic Spurs team to conquer LeBron James' Miami Heat in 2014.
As well as his NBA achievements, the Argentinian also collected a EuroLeague championship and EuroLeague Finals MVP in 2001 playing for Italian side Virtus Bologna, before eventually heading to the States.
He was also the best player on Argentina's 2004 Olympic team, which is the only team other than the United States to win Olympic gold since 1988.
Ginobili's jersey number has been retired by both the Spurs and the Argentine national team.
Daniil Medvedev missed the chance to return to the top of the rankings as he was beaten by Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open on Thursday.
Medvedev would have become world number one once again if he had defeated Hurkacz, but the defending champion won 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 on Hard Rock Stadium.
Novak Djokovic will remain the top-ranked male player on the planet thanks to Pole Hurkacz, who levelled his head-to-head record with the Russian at 2-2.
Carlos Alcaraz or Miomir Kecmanovic will do battle with eighth seed Hurkacz, who won 74 per cent of points on his first serve and broke Medvedev's serve three times, for a place in the final.
Hurkacz's win over the top seed was his second against a top-two player, with the first also coming against Medvedev at Wimbledon last year.
"I think the return was crucial. I was able to make a lot of returns and get some free points on my serve, because having rallies with Daniil is fun, but they get long,” Hurkacz said on his on-court interview.
"It is good I was able to get some free points. I have spent a lot of time in Florida, so I am used to the humidity. I think the conditions were in my favour today, so I tried to use them."
The Los Angeles Rams have signed former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner on a five-year deal.
Wagner was released by the Seahawks earlier in March, fresh on the back of Russell Wilson's trade to the Denver Broncos, despite having a year to run on his contract.
The 31-year-old visited both the Baltimore Ravens and the Rams over the past week, and he has opted to stay in the NFC West with the reigning champions.
The Rams confirmed the news on their official website on Thursday, with reports suggesting the deal is worth an initial $50million, with a further $15m in incentives.
Wagner spent 10 seasons in NFL with the Seahawks and won the Super Bowl in 2013.
He played at an extremely high level for a struggling Seattle team in 2021, earning his eighth Pro Bowl selection and being named second-team All-Pro.
Since entering the NFL in 2012, only Lavonte David (867) has racked up more tackles than Wagner (817), who is third in pass breakups (60) and joint-fifth in interceptions (11).
A six-time first-team All-Pro, Wagner has recorded at least 104 total tackles in each of his 10 seasons so far.
Lewis Hamilton has "struggled mentally" to deal with global events this year, the Mercedes driver and seven-time world champion has disclosed.
In an Instagram stories message, the British star said anyone feeling the same should realise "you are not alone" and there should be a brighter future.
Hamilton, 37, wrote: "It's been such a tough year already with everything that is happening around us.
"Hard some days to stay positive. I have struggled mentally and emotionally for a long time, to keep going is a constant effort but we have to keep fighting, we have so much to do and to achieve.
"I'm writing to tell you it's ok to feel the way you do, just know that you are not alone and that we are gonna get through this!
"A friend reminded me today, you are so powerful and you can do anything you put your mind to! We can do anything we put our mind to.
"Let's remember to live in gratitude for another day to rise. Sending you love and light."
Hamilton did not explicitly mention the circumstances that have left him low-spirited, but world events have impacted upon his sport already in 2022.
Formula One's Russian Grand Prix has been cancelled this season due to the military invasion of Ukraine, and conflict struck close to the heart of motorsport only last week.
A Houthi missile strike that hit an Aramco facility 10 miles from the Jeddah circuit during a practice session last Friday sparked concern over the safety of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Saudi energy and chemical company is also a sponsor of F1, as well as a principal sponsor of the Aston Martin team.
Amid criticism of the Saudi regime's human rights record and fears for their safety, there was serious concern over a driver boycott of Sunday's race.
Hamilton, who qualified 16th, finished down in 10th, but the seven-time world champion said afterwards he was just pleased to finish the race and leave the country.
"I am so happy the weekend is done," Hamilton said on Sunday. "I am so happy everyone is safe, I am just looking forward to getting out. I just want to go home."
The Jamaica Boxing Board and GC Foster College on Wednesday announced a partnership to develop and grow the sport of boxing on the island and the wider Caribbean. Under the partnership agreement, GC Foster, Jamaica’s only sports college, will become a hub for a national training programme as well as offer related coaching courses that will help raise the level of the sport.
Beyond that, GC Foster College will be the host of the Gloves over Guns initiative that aims to channel youth away from the negative influences of the community and onto a more progressive pathway. The Jamaica Boxing Board has already provided the college with equipment and a new ring is to be delivered in the near future to the tertiary institution will be afforded national gym status.
“I think we can expect to change the game for the sport of boxing not only in Jamaica but in the Caribbean. GC Foster College speaks for itself. What they do for the community and the country, aligning with an institution like that is only going to raise our game, raise our level in terms of the boxing that we have here, the coaches that we have access to, the officials that we have access to in terms of recruiting and have a hub which we can train from a national programme, which we can invite international bodies to come and do courses here and to have it elevate our sport on that level,” said boxing board president Stephen ‘Bomber’ Jones.
“Then the fact that GC Foster has agreed to be the hub for Gloves Over Guns in Spanish Town where we can do the sport for development and deal with the boys and girls here, have them a part of the invitationals and have them a part of the mentorship programme I think is going to go a long way so we are very, very excited.”
Principal of GC Foster Maurice Wilson said he is looking forward to the opportunities that will be afforded to the youth in the parish.
“I am extremely excited for the community of GC Foster College and its environs – Spanish Town and indeed St. Catherine. I think this was a venture long in waiting. I do believe the benefits are going to supersede the time that we waited,” said Wilson.
“We have seen where boxing would have changed the lives of so many youngsters. Sonny Liston, who had numerous problems with the law, became heavyweight champion and it helped him somewhat. Mike Tyson, Cassius Clay later Mohamed Ali, who really stood up against certain things, however, they thought that he was breaking the law but boxing was able to guide him along a particular pathway.
“We are cognizant of some of the factors facing youngsters in Jamaica. We are sure that with the collaboration of the boxing board we will be able to give the youngsters greater opportunities, we will give them options in terms of career, becoming a professional boxer, we will engage them in their extra-curricular activities that are done in a more purposeful way and the fact that the boxing board is providing relevant and current equipment will make it even so much easier."
The GC Foster principal says he expects nothing but success from the partnership.
“We also believe that if there is any institution in Jamaica, that can provide the proper base, the proper support, that institution would be GC Foster. So we are extremely happy about the collaboration. GC Foster will benefit. Jamaica will benefit. The youngsters in this country will benefit and overall the economy can benefit because as you know professional boxers that do well make a lot of money.”
Sebastian Vettel has been declared "fit to race" after missing the first two grands prix of the season due to COVID-19, Aston Martin said on Thursday.
It means the four-time champion can head to Melbourne for next week's Australian Grand Prix and look to put points on the board for the struggling team.
Aston Martin have failed to score in the opening races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with Nico Hulkenberg stepping in as Vettel's replacement.
Hulkenberg will step aside to allow Vettel to partner Lance Stroll for the April 8-10 race weekend.
Aston Martin said on Twitter: "We are pleased to confirm that Sebastian Vettel is now fit to race and will therefore line up alongside Lance Stroll in Melbourne to kick off his 2022 F1 season at the Australian Grand Prix."
The team are eager to get off the mark after their slow start, and Stroll said after the Saudi disappointment, where he finished 13th and Hulkenberg took 12th place: "There is still a long season ahead of us, so we will keep working hard to find more performance in the car for the coming races."
Vettel, 34, won his world titles consecutively from 2010 to 2013, and he joined Aston Martin ahead of the 2021 season.
Luka Doncic was hoping to "put on a show" and did not disappoint as he helped the Dallas Mavericks seal a playoff spot with a 120-112 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Doncic put 35 points on the board as well as recording 13 assists and nine rebounds, narrowly missing out on a spectacular triple-double.
Dorian Finney-Smith also benefited greatly from the Slovenian star's performance, claiming 28 points of his own.
There were a number of Slovenian fans in attendance at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, which Doncic claimed inspired his efforts in Cleveland on Wednesday.
"When all the people come to see you, you want to put on a show," he said after the win.
The Mavericks trailed 67-61 at half-time but scored 17 more points than the Cavaliers in the third quarter to put themselves in a strong position.
Caris LeVert (32 points) and Darius Garland (25 points) impressed for the hosts, but Doncic's domination secured the crucial win for Dallas, who move to 48-29 while Cleveland drop to 42-34.
Doncic has an average of 28.1 points per game this season, with only LeBron James (30.1), Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid (both 29.9) averaging a higher figure than that in the league, and he has scored more than 30 in each of his last three outings.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd noted the presence of the Slovenian fans, and praised the 23-year-old Doncic for his impact.
"We talked about there being a large Slovenian contingent in Cleveland on the plane," Kidd said. "He wanted to put on a good show and came to work. He comes to work every night.
"He knew when to pass the ball and when to attack. Luka will have two [guys] on the ball and he trusts his team-mates to make plays."
Tom Brady described Bruce Arians as "smart, tough and loyal" after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach stepped down on Wednesday.
The franchise confirmed Arians will no longer lead the team, with defensive coordinator Todd Bowles set to take over.
Arians will not be leaving the Bucs, however, instead taking on a new role of senior football consultant.
The decision comes just over a year after Arians and Brady led Tampa Bay to their second Super Bowl triumph, and the former New England Patriots quarterback wrote a message of gratitude to the 69-year-old, who had spent three years in charge.
"Thank you, BA for all that you have done for me and our team," Brady wrote on Instagram. "You are an incredible man and coach, and it was a privilege to play for you. You are a true NFL legend and pioneer for all the work you have done to make the league more diverse and inclusive.
"Smart, tough, and loyal are a few of the words to describe your style. I will always remember the conversations we had when you recruited me two years ago and all of the things we discussed came true.
"We all benefited from your leadership and guidance and I'm so proud of everything we accomplished. You were a huge part of the decision to join the Bucs and I'm forever grateful.
"I'm so happy you will spend the much-deserved time with your loving and supportive family that has given so much to our communities. Congratulations on an amazing coaching career but more importantly, how you positively impacted me and everyone else in the game of football."
Brady announced his retirement from the game in February, before sensationally changing his mind the following month, re-signing with the Bucs for the 2022 season.
Las Vegas will return to the Formula One calendar in 2023 after an absence of more than four decades.
Vegas will be the third city in the United States to host F1 races, joining Miami and Austin on the schedule.
Races were previously held in the city in 1981 and 1982, though unlike back then, the new race will take place along the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.
An F1 statement read: "The 14-turn track will run for 3.8 miles (6.12km) with top speeds expected to hit around 212mph (342km/h).
"The design features three straights, a high-speed cornering sequence and a single chicane section, with the Grand Prix to be run over 50 laps."
At an announcement event in Vegas on Wednesday, F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said: "This is an incredible moment for F1 that demonstrates the huge appeal and growth of our sport with a third race in the US. Las Vegas is a destination known around the world for its excitement, hospitality, thrills, and of course, the famous Strip.
"There is no better place for Formula 1 to race than in the global entertainment capital of the world and we cannot wait to be here next year. I want to thank everyone who helped deliver this event, especially Governor Sisolak, the Clark County Commission, Steve Hill at the LVCVA, and our local partners."
Various drivers reacted to the news on the F1 website, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen saying: "It's going to be fun."
Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton simply added: "That’s going to be a pretty hardcore event."
In what could be a Western Conference Finals preview, the Phoenix Suns came up big on the road with a 107-103 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
Between first and third in the West, there was a playoff atmosphere from the opening tip, and momentum swings throughout culminated with six lead changes in the final quarter.
Without the injured Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole put up 38 points on 11-of-21 shooting, but it was not enough as the Suns executed in the big moments.
Draymond Green tied the game with 2:21 remaining, converting a critical and-one after finishing through the contact from Jae Crowder.
The Warriors came up big defensively once again while in the bonus down the stretch, forcing a miss and foul from Devin Booker from the ensuing scramble for the rebound. Jordan Poole converted both from the line for a 101-100 lead with 39.8 seconds remaining.
Ultimately, Chris Paul managed to penetrate and collapse the defence in timely moments, adding eight assists to his 15 points, and all six of his field goals coming inside the arc.
Grizz secure second in the West
Meanwhile in the West, the Memphis Grizzlies secured the second seed on Wednesday, with a 112-11 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
With Ja Morant still watching on from the sidelines due to knee injury, Tyus Jones put up 25 points, while adding six assists and five rebounds.
While the Grizz clinched the second seed, the end to a four-game winning streak saw San Antonio fall half a game behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the West's last play-in spot.
Heat fire up in Boston
The Miami Heat defeated on of their chief rivals for the Eastern Conference top seed, coming out with a big 106-98 road win over the Boston Celtics.
Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry combined for 47 points, while Bam Adebayo finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds to break a season-worst four-game losing streak.
Boston had their chance late trailing 102-98 but Jayson Tatum was called for an offensive foul and Marcus Smart was ejected in the fallout.
Casper Ruud set up a semi-final with Francisco Cerundolo at the Miami Masters after he defeated Alexander Zverev 6-3 1-6 6-3 on Wednesday.
Ruud's heavy topspin game gave Zverev problems initially, contributing to a 94 per cent success rate from points on his first serve, while Zverev struggled to find rhythm on serve at 58 per cent.
Saving two break points in the opening game of the second seemed to spark Zverev into life, but Ruud was able to regroup and continue dominating from the baseline in the third to comfortably see his way through.
"It was great to get that break early on [in the third set] and I was able to keep it all the way out," Ruud said post-match. "I was serving well. I can thank my serving for the win today."
The Norweigian world number eight lost his first three ATP 1000 quarter-finals on hard court, but played with confidence on the back of a 75 per cent first-serve rate.
He will face Cerundolo, who also advanced into the semi-finals on Wednesday, after Jannik Sinner was forced to retire due to foot blisters. The Argentine was leading 4-1 in the first set after 23 minutes when Sinner called the match.
The world number 103 held a 0-2 record on hard courts prior to this week, but has now made his first ATP 1000 semi-final in as many attempts after progressing past Tallon Griekspoor, Reilly Opelka, Gael Monfils and Frances Tiafoe.
Cerundolo has enjoyed a strong start to 2022, with respective quarter-final and semi-final appearances on clay in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.
The winner of the upcoming semi-final will make their first ATP 1000 final appearance, while Ruud was able to beat Zverev at third time of asking, losing the opening two games head-to-head.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers confirmed Bruce Arians will no longer be the team's head coach on Wednesday, with Todd Bowles set to take over.
Arians will not be leaving the Bucs however, taking on a new role of Senior Football Consultant, with the defensive coordinator Bowles taking on head coaching duties.
Arians' decision comes one season removed from leading Tampa Bay to their second Super Bowl triumph, in Tom Brady's first season with the club.
Having previously coached the Arizona Cardinals from 2013 to 2017, Arians ends a three-year run with a 31-18 regular season and 5-1 playoff coaching record.
"I love football. I love the relationships, the strategy, the competition – everything," he said in a statement. "It has been one hell of a ride, but I know this is the right time for me to make this transition.
"So why now? The simple answer is that I have accomplished more than I ever dreamed I could during this incredible coaching journey.
"This team is in a much better place than it was three years ago due to Jason's [Licht] hard work and the Glazer family's commitment to winning."
Iga Swiatek progressed to her fourth WTA 1000 semi-final on Wednesday at the Miami Open, defeating Petra Kvitova 6-3 6-3.
After taking out tournaments in Doha and Indian Wells this year, the 20-year-old's undefeated streak now moves to 15 in a row.
Kvitova largely stayed in points in the opening exchanges and held a higher first-serve rate than Swiatek, but indicative of the form the Polish star is currently in, she played with clarity and did not hesitate when opportunities presented.
Along with winning six of eight points on Kvitova's second serve in the first set, the soon-to-be world number one converted on her sole chance at break point, claiming the crucial break in the sixth game before closing the opening set out.
After a tough service hold in the fourth game and four initial chances at break point in the second set, Swiatek made it count on her fifth attempt, spectacularly managing to move the 28th seed around the court and turn defence into attack.
Seeing the finish line, the Polish second seed grew increasingly assertive in both serve and shot selection to both secure the break and see out the match, even claiming a second break for a punctuation mark.
Swiatek will face Jessica Pegula, who is also through to the semi-finals after Paula Badosa retired from their matchup due to a viral illness.
Pegula was leading 4-1 after only 18 minutes of play when Badosa retired, having won four straight games after initially dropping her serve.
The 28-year-old has now won her last two matches in Miami via retirement after she advanced past Anhelina Kalinina in the fourth round, winning the first set 6-0.
If Pegula defeats Swiatek in the semi-final, it would make for her maiden WTA 1000 final appearance.
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