The Milwaukee Bucks have had better regular seasons recently.
This season's .639 winning percentage (46-26) pales in comparison to last year's .767 (56-17) or even the .732 (60-22) from 2018-19.
Yet it is this vintage of the Bucks that will be playing in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974. While some will dismiss this year's champions as a beneficiary of a strange season and a postseason full of devastating injuries, the Bucks and Phoenix Suns will not be apologising for having beaten every team in front them so far.
It is also quite possible that, despite having a less accomplished regular season, this Bucks squad is better equipped to win in the playoffs, using the first 72 games on the schedule to learn how to best focus its strengths.
Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer has developed a reputation as a stubborn tactician, clinging to his preferred strategy regardless of the opponent, especially on the defensive end.
Budenholzer has traditionally asked his players to guard their position and to fight through screens without switching assignments. This structure has allowed Milwaukee to utilise its size and has been formidable in the regular season with the Bucks allowing 101.9 points per 100 possessions across the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, best in the NBA.
But Milwaukee's defense faltered in decisive playoff series in each of the previous two seasons, with a defensive rating that rose to 106.9 in 2019 against the Toronto Raptors and ballooned to 112.1 last year against the Miami Heat.
Budenholzer responded by using the 2020-21 regular season to experiment with a more varied defensive approach. The results were not always the best, allowing opponents to score 109.1 points per 100 possessions.
That experience, however, has given Milwaukee the tools to employ a more diverse defense in the playoffs, with the Bucks boasting a 103.5 defensive rating this postseason.
Milwaukee still holds on to its big lineups and objects to switching all five defenders like some teams do while playing trendy small ball, but the growing pains have added another tool to the toolbox. Even if the switching itself proves not to be a strategic advantage, the Bucks are at least better prepared to throw different looks at Chris Paul, Devin Booker and the rest of the Suns.
Of course, scheme alone can only take a team so far, but this year's Bucks team appears to have improved personnel, as well.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a two-way monster who obviously takes top billing, but perhaps this postseason has shown that the Bucks are at their best when the two-time MVP takes a slightly reduced role on offense.
Antetokounmpo is averaging a playoff career-high 28.2 points this postseason, but the Bucks have lost three of his five highest-scoring games. When he has five or more assists, however, Milwaukee are 6-1.
His team has also fared much better when Antetokounmpo aggressively attacks the basket, going 6-0 this postseason when he attempts nine or more free throws, even though he is shooting just 53.7 percent from the line.
Perhaps the biggest question facing Antetokounmpo, however, is his health. After leaving Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals with a hyper-extended left knee, he was held out of the next two games of the series, both Milwaukee victories.
Although imaging has revealed no significant structural damage to his knee, Antetokounmpo is listed as doubtful to play in Tuesday’s NBA Finals opener. And while the Bucks were able to close out an Atlanta Hawks team that was missing Trae Young, they will likely need an impactful contribution from Antetokounmpo to beat a healthy and confident Suns team.
The Bucks and their supporters can take heart, however, in the supporting cast appearing to be much better than in previous playoff runs.
Last offseason, Milwaukee paid a heavy price to replace Eric Bledsoe with Jrue Holiday, trading away three first-round draft picks in a blockbuster four-team deal. And while the upgrade could appear trivial on paper – going from Bledsoe’s 14.9 points per game last season to Holiday's 17.7 this season – this postseason has revealed why Holiday was such a coveted piece on the trade market.
In the 2019 and 2020 playoffs, Bledsoe averaged 12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists for the Bucks while shooting 40.3 percent from the field and 24.0 percent from 3-point range.
During Milwaukee's run to the Finals, Holiday has averaged 17.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.4 assists, all while playing two of his best career playoff games to close out the Hawks while Antetokounmpo was sidelined.
Holiday leads the Bucks this postseason in plus-minus per game at +7.2, and the team is 4-1 when he attempts at least 20 shots.
Perhaps the key to the 2021 Finals is the performance of unsung star Khris Middleton, who will be the crunch-time focal point for the Bucks.
With Antetokounmpo's struggles from the free throw line, Milwaukee is forced to look elsewhere to create offense in the waning minutes of close games. Middleton has attempted a team-high 14 shots in the last three minutes of the fourth quarter during this playoff run and is 10 for 10 from the free throw line in clutch situations. Antetokounmpo is just 7 for 15.
Middleton has also shown the ability to carry the team when Antetokounmpo is off the floor, a valuable stopgap if the Bucks are forced to play a game or more without Antetokounmpo.
He has averaged 29.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists in the final two games of the East finals, all while shooting above his playoff career average from the floor.
Middleton has done some of his best work this postseason while Antetokounmpo has been on the bench, either due to injury or routine substitution. Not only has Middleton scored more when Milwaukee’s Greek superstar is off the floor – 37.9 points per 100 possessions compared to 25.1 with Antetokounmpo on the floor – his efficiency also improves when he is the primary option.
With Middleton shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from 3-point range when Antetokounmpo is off the court this postseason, that compares to 41.1 percent overall and 33.3 percent from deep when he plays alongside the two-time MVP.
The Suns will undoubtedly present an enormous challenge for the Bucks in an NBA Finals between two teams desperate for a championship parade. And the Bucks, just like the Suns, have benefitted from some measure of good luck this postseason, facing an injury-riddled Brooklyn squad and avoiding East top seed Philadelphia.
But this Milwaukee team is also better equipped to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy than in the previous two seasons, despite a less impressive regular season.
With some added schematic versatility and a better supporting cast, the Bucks might only need a bit of healing in Antetokounmpo's left knee to be crowned NBA champions for the first time since 1971.
The Montreal Canadiens are still believing after Josh Anderson's overtime goal helped them stave off a rare Stanley Cup Final series sweep with a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday.
The Canadiens killed off a four-minute penalty to captain Shea Weber in overtime before Anderson's goal forced a Game 5 in Tampa, with the series at 3-1 in favour of the reigning NHL champions.
Montreal would have become the first side to suffer a clean sweep defeat in the Final series since 1998, when the Detroit Red Wings won 4-0 over the Washington Capitals.
Instead, the Canadiens are the first team to score in overtime to avoid a sweep in the Stanley Cup Final since the Bruins did it in 1946 against the Canadiens.
"We didn't want to end it tonight in front of our fans," Anderson said at the post-game news conference. "We expected to go to Tampa.
"I think everybody in that locker room packed their bags this afternoon. We just had that feeling that we were going to win tonight and give ourselves a chance to go there, take care of business, and come home in front of our fans. We're in a good position now."
If Montreal can win Game 5 in Tampa, they will have home rink advantage for Game 6 at the Bell Centre. Montreal are 4-0 when facing elimination this postseason.
Anderson said the Canadiens' grit to hang on during Weber's four-minute penalty showed they could overcome adversity.
"Our penalty kill has been outstanding all playoffs, so we came back to the room and we just believed in each other," Anderson said.
"We weren't down. It was all positive things in the room. We just had to execute. I thought we did a phenomenal job.
"Carey [Price] was a wall tonight. He gave us that chance to finish it in overtime. Everyone stuck together and did their jobs."
Interim Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme added: "We're proud of what we accomplished tonight, but we don't want to just avoid seeing the Lightning players holding the Stanley Cup.
"We have no intention of stopping now. We want to go to Tampa and come back to play another game here."
Game 5 is at Tampa's Amalie Arena on Wednesday.
The Tampa Bay Rays hit two runs in the ninth inning with Yandy Diaz securing a 9-8 walk-off victory in a thrilling clash against the Cleveland Indians in MLB on Monday.
Diaz hit a chopper down to right, with second baseman Cesar Hernandez sending a wild throw well wide of home plate, as Randy Arozarena crossed.
Earlier, Brandon Lowe launched a big grand slam deep to right-field off Logan Allen as the Rays raced to a 4-0 lead in the second inning.
Indians right-fielder Harold Ramirez pulled off two outstanding catches to end the fourth inning, before Cleveland reeled the Rays in with four runs in the fifth inning.
At the bottom of the ninth, wonderkid Wander Franco drove Brett Phillips home, before Diaz's chopper helped Arozarena finish it off.
The win sees the stuttering Rays – who had lost five of their past six games coming in – move to 49-36, while the Indians are 42-40.
Gausman denied, Tatis homers up
The St Louis Cardinals scored five runs in the final three innings to record a 5-3 win over the San Francisco Giants. San Francisco pitcher Kevin Gausman did not allow a hit through his first six innings before Nolan Arenado sparked a two-run rally for St Louis, with a two-run triple from Matt Carpenter, before Alex Reyes closed it out for the Cardinals.
Fernando Tatis Jr. became the fastest player aged 22 or younger to reach 27 home runs in a season (68 games) in the San Diego Padres' 7-5 loss to the Washington Nationals. Tatis also pulled off a miraculous catch at shortstop in the eighth inning from Ryan Zimmerman.
MLB's home run leader Shohei Ohtani had the chance to be the hero at-bat on his 27th birthday in the ninth inning but the Boston Red Sox held their nerve to win 5-4 over the Los Angeles Angels. Raphael Devers starred for the Red Sox with three RBIs.
Ben Gamel had two home runs with six RBIs as the Pittsburgh Pirates brought Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried back down to earth after Sunday's walk off following an 11-1 rout.
Cubs' losing run extends to 10
June 24 feels like a long time ago when the Chicago Cubs threw a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with their 13-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies marking 10 straight defeats. Cubs manager David Ross blew up in frustration and was ejected.
Elite company for Pujols
Albert Pujols reached his 6,000th career base, becoming the fourth player to achieve the feat in MLB history as World Series champions the Dodgers lost 5-4 to the Miami Marlins. The other players to reach the mark are Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, and Willie Mays.
Jorge Alfaro's home run in the eighth inning won it for the Marlins, ending the Dodgers' nine-game win streak.
Monday's results
St Louis Cardinals 5-3 San Francisco Giants
Miami Marlins 5-4 Los Angeles Dodgers
Pittsburgh Pirates 11-1 Atlanta Braves
New York Mets 4-2 Milwaukee Brewers
Tampa Bay Rays 9-8 Cleveland Indians
Minnesota Twins 8-5 Chicago White Sox
Philadelphia Phillies 13-3 Chicago Cubs
Detroit Tigers 7-3 Texas Rangers
Cincinnati Reds 6-2 Kansas City Royals
Boston Red Sox 5-4 Los Angeles Angels
Washington Nationals 7-5 San Diego Padres
Brewers at Mets
The leaders in the National League (NL) East, the Mets (44-37), go again against the NL Central-leading Brewers (51-35).
Fans of Formula One and MotoGP will not be able to witness the Australian Grand Prix after both 2021 events were cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic.
F1's Australian GP was scheduled to take place at Albert Park from November 18-21 in Melbourne after the 2020 race was called off due to COVID-19, while the MotoGP meet at Phillip Island was set for October 24.
However, both races have been scrapped for the second successive year because of restrictions and logistical challenges relating to the ongoing pandemic.
With the Australian GP removed from MotoGP's calendar, the Grande Premio do Algarve has been added for November 5-7, with the Malaysia GP brought forward a week to October 22-24.
"We're deeply disappointed that for a second consecutive year, both MotoGP and Formula 1 fans won’t be able to see the world’s best riders and drivers compete at the wonderful Phillip Island and Albert Park Grand Prix Circuits," said Australian Grand Prix Corporation Chairman Paul Little on Tuesday.
"We appreciate the challenge Australia faces with current international travel restrictions and the importance of vaccinations.
"I would like to reassure our motivated and professional staff, suppliers and partners, as well as the Victorian tourism and major events community that we will work tirelessly to deliver these iconic events in 2022."
F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said: "While it is disappointing we won't be racing in Australia this season, we are confident we can deliver a 23-race season in 2021 and we have a number of options to take forward to replace the place left vacant by the Australian Grand Prix.
"We will be working through the details of those options in the coming weeks and will provide further updates once those discussions are concluded."
"The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports regret to announce the cancellation of the Red Bull Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix," MotoGP said a statement. "The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting travel complications and logistical restrictions mean it has not been possible to confirm the viability of the event at this time, and it will therefore not feature on the 2021 calendar.
"The FIM MotoGP World Championship looks forward to returning to race in front of the Australian fans at the spectacular Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit in 2022."
Two years ago, the Phoenix Suns compiled the second-worst record in franchise history behind only the 1968-69 expansion team.
A year later, they were the darling of the NBA's restart – going a perfect 8-0 at the Walt Disney Complex in Florida amid the coronavirus pandemic, yet still missing out on the playoffs.
And now, a mere 11 months later, they are just four wins away from capturing the franchise's first NBA title.
Led by a future Hall of Famer running the point, a dynamic scorer and one of the most explosive young bigs in the league, Phoenix have the chance to join the 2007-08 Boston Celtics and last season's Los Angeles Lakers as the only teams in the last 40 years to win the NBA title after missing the playoffs in the previous season.
The last stage of their incredible turnaround begins at home to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday.
The Suns reached their first NBA Finals since losing to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in 1993 after dispatching defending champions the Lakers in five games in the first round, sweeping the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals and ousting the Los Angeles Clippers in six in the Conference Finals.
All of those teams were a bit banged-up – the Lakers without Anthony Davis, the Nuggets minus Jamal Murray and a Kawhi Leonard-less Clippers squad – but the Suns themselves had to overcome their own setbacks. Chris Paul injured his shoulder against the Lakers and then missed two games following a positive COVID-19 test, Devin Booker played through a broken nose and Cameron Johnson was sidelined with an illness.
Despite their issues, Phoenix have taken care of business against the league's best just like it did all season – their .711 winning percentage (27-11) against teams .500 or better in the regular season ranked first in the NBA – with an offense running through Paul and Booker.
In the Finals for the first time in his 16-year-career, the 36-year-old Paul is one of the most captivating storylines of this series and with good reason – he is playing with a rejuvenated fervour and is the engine that runs Phoenix's high-powered offense.
Paul has tallied at least 15 points and five assists in each of his last eight games – the longest streak by any player 36 years or older in postseason history – and he punctuated the Suns' Finals berth with a playoff career-high-tying 41 points on seven-of-eight shooting on three-pointers and eight assists in last Wednesday's 130-103 Game 6 win over the Clippers. It marked just the fourth time in playoff history a player had 40 or more points with at least seven three-pointers while shooting 80 per cent or better from three-point range. (Booker had one in Phoenix's ouster against the Lakers on June 3 and Paul had another one for the Houston Rockets in 2018.)
Although he got hot from three-point range the last time the Suns took the court, inside the perimeter has been Paul, as well as Booker's, calling card this season.
Paul and Booker were first and second in mid-range field goals made in the regular season with 211 and 188, respectively, as Phoenix shot a league-leading 47.2 per cent from mid-range.
Including the postseason, Paul is shooting 50.4 per cent on baseline jumpers (60 of 119) and 52.2 per cent on shots from the elbow (194 of 372), while Booker is shooting 47.6 per cent (81 of 170) and 47.5 per cent (154 of 324) on such shots. Paul's 163 made hoops from the elbow in the regular season were the most in the NBA, while Booker ranked third with 119.
The mid-range game has somewhat fallen by the wayside as teams focus more on the increased weight of the three-pointer, and although Phoenix is finding success from mid-range, they have not forgotten about the importance of the three.
While 19.1 per cent of the Suns' shots in the regular season were from mid-range compared to the league average of 13.6 per cent, Phoenix's 39.2 per cent of shots from three-point range was the exact league average. The Suns attempted fewer shots in the paint – 41.7 per cent compared to the NBA average of 47.2 per cent – but when they do feed the ball down low, they are converting baskets at a higher rate than anyone.
Including the postseason, Phoenix are shooting 60.3 per cent in the paint and 65.9 per cent in the restricted area – both ranking first in the league.
Deandre Ayton has been the driving force behind the Suns' proficiency in the paint and has upped his game in the playoffs.
After shooting 75.2 per cent from the restricted area in the regular season to rank sixth in the league (min. 150 FGA) and 68.3 per cent in the paint to rank ninth (200 FGA), the 22-year-old is shooting 79.4 per cent in the restricted area (85 of 107) and 74.7 per cent in the paint (112 of 150) in the playoffs.
The top pick of the 2018 draft put together a phenomenal series against the Clippers, highlighted by an alley-oop dunk at the buzzer in an exhilarating 114-113 win in Game 2. Ayton averaged 17.8 points and 13.7 rebounds while shooting 69.3 per cent to become just the fourth player since 1983-84 to average at least 17 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 65 per cent or better in a single postseason series.
Johnson was also instrumental to Phoenix's success against the Clippers and is fit to play in the Finals after missing Wednesday's closeout win with a non-COVID illness.
After averaging 6.7 points on 37.8 per cent shooting and 41.2 per cent from beyond the arc (14 of 34) in the first two rounds, Johnson averaged 10.8 points on 70.0 per cent shooting and 52.9 per cent on three-pointers (9 of 17) in the Clippers series.
While Johnson finally found his shooting touch in the last round to help the Suns advance, much of their success this postseason hinges on shoulders of veteran three-point specialist Jae Crowder.
Phoenix are 7-0 in the playoffs when Crowder scores at least 10 points and 5-4 when he fails to reach double figures. His scoring success boils down to how well he is shooting from deep, as he is knocking down 51.9 per cent of his three-pointers (27 of 52) in those seven double-digit scoring games compared to just 21.6 per cent (11 of 51) in those other nine contests.
He has been a bit more effective from the corner in the playoffs, shooting 48.1 per cent from there (13 of 27) after making 38.8 per cent of his corner threes in the regular season (40 of 103). Booker, meanwhile, has been steady from the corner all season, connecting on 51.2 per cent of his 41 attempts from there.
Cameron Payne was one of the league's most effective shooters on wing three-pointers during the regular season, connecting on 46.2 per cent of his 119 shots – the third-highest field goal percentage in the NBA among those with at least 100 attempts. He has not been quite as deadly in the postseason, shooting 38.1 per cent on his 42 shots from the wing, but Paul has been more accurate from there since the playoffs began, shooting 51.9 per cent (14 of 27) after shooting 37.4 per cent from the wing in the regular season (58 of 155).
Although Phoenix's strength all season has been their high-powered offense – their 114.9 offensive rating in the regular season was tied with the Portland Trail Blazers for fourth – the Suns are proving they are able to grind out wins in the playoffs even when their offense is not firing on all cylinders. Phoenix are averaging 108.9 points in the playoffs – down 6.4 points from their regular-season average – but are 4-4 when scoring 105 or fewer after going 3-9 in such games in the regular season.
Behind Paul, Booker and company, the Suns have come a long way in a relatively short amount of time, joining the 2007-08 Celtics as the only teams in the last 40 seasons to go from having one of the NBA's two worst records to one of its two best in a two-year span. In fact, over the past five seasons from 2015-16 to 2019-20, Phoenix's .302 winning percentage was the worst in the NBA.
Their run to the playoffs was unprecedented – their 51-21 regular-season record was the best in NBA history among teams that entered a season with a postseason drought of at least 10 seasons – and after all the years of disappointment in the desert, a championship is now within reach.
Fourth seed Alexander Zverev missed out on a place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals as he was edged out in a five-set thriller by Felix Auger-Aliassime.
The German battled back from two sets down to draw level with his 16th-seeded opponent but was ultimately beaten in the fifth as an epic contest went past the four-hour mark.
And, in claiming a 6-4 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 3-6 6-4 victory, Auger-Aliassime secured a place in the last eight in SW19 for the first time in his career.
Reflecting on the achievement, the Canadian said: "It's a dream come true, I'm just a normal guy from Canada.
"It's the biggest victory of my life, under a closed roof the atmosphere was amazing and I'm living this win with you.
"It was super difficult, knowing I have never beaten him, let alone won a set against Alex
"When he started to come back, I really needed to dig deep and without the fans it would have been a lot tougher."
The comeback the Canadian refers to came after he had gone two sets up courtesy of a tie-break in the second.
However, Zverev was unable to compensate for the 20 double faults he served as he failed to surpass his best Wimbledon run in once again going out in the fourth round.
British teenager Emma Raducanu was forced to retire from her Wimbledon fourth-round match against Ajla Tomljanovic.
The 18-year-old had provided one of the stories of the tournament on her major debut at the All England Club.
Raducanu bravely battled in the first set against an opponent ranked 263 places above her, only to finally be broken and lose the opener 6-4 on 'Manic Monday'.
Tomljanovic seized a swift lead in the second, too, up 3-0 when Raducanu called for treatment.
She appeared to have a stomach issue and sobbed in her seat before retreating inside, with confirmation of her retirement soon following.
"I'm actually really kind of shocked," Tomljanovic said.
"It's obviously so bittersweet because Emma must be really, really hurt if she came to the decision to retire. I know to play as a Brit at home it's unbelievable.
"I'm really sorry for her because I wish we could have finished it. But it's sport, it happens, so I'm really wishing her all the best."
Tomljanovic can set her sights on an exciting first Wimbledon quarter-final against fellow Australian Ash Barty, the world number one.
Roger Federer booked his place in an 18th Wimbledon quarter-final as he secured a straight-sets victory over Lorenzo Sonego.
The Swiss great took firm control after winning a topsy-turvy opener to run out a 7-5 6-4 6-2 winner on Centre Court at the All England Club.
He will now face either Hubert Hurkacz or Daniil Medvedev for a place in the semi-finals as he pursues a 21st grand slam title in SW19.
Sonego's resolve was eventually broken in a thrilling first set that saw Federer go a break up before losing his advantage and then getting it straight back when his opponent double-faulted after a brief rain delay.
And although the Italian had two break points in the final game of that set, his failure to take either marked the end of his challenge in earnest.
A Federer break in the fifth game of the second set helped the eight-time Wimbledon champion extend his advantage to two with little fuss.
And he required just 30 minutes to wrap up the third and continue another deep run in a tournament that has seen some of his best tennis down the years.
Data slam: Federer errs despite victory
Although Federer ultimately cruised to victory in this one, things could have been very different had Sonego taken a nip-and-tuck first set.
And the Italian was given every chance to do so by his opponent, whose 17 unforced errors in the opener – to Sonego's nine – ensured the contest remained cagey.
If Federer is to keep his Wimbledon dream alive as the quality of his opponents increase, he will need to play with greater precision.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Federer – 32/26
Sonego – 23/26
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Federer – 4/1
Sonego – 4/2
BREAK POINTS WON
Federer – 5/15
Sonego – 1/3
The Atlanta Hawks have reached an agreement to make Nate McMillan their head coach on a permanent basis.
McMillan took over as interim head coach in March, being promoted from assistant after Lloyd Pierce was fired.
He improbably led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals as the fifth seed, with Atlanta's remarkable season ended by a Game 6 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Since McMillan took over on March 1, only the Phoenix Suns (41), who will face the Bucks in the NBA Finals, have compiled more wins than the Hawks (37) across the regular season and postseason.
And he has been rewarded by having his interim tag removed and receiving a four-year deal.
Atlanta president and general manager Travis Schlenk confirmed the agreement on a conference call with reporters.
McMillan has made the playoffs in 10 of the 17 seasons in which he has served as a head coach. In that time, he has racked up 715 wins across the regular season and postseason.
His record of 715-643 gives him a winning percentage of 52.7 that puts him 23rd among head coaches to have taken charge of at least 1,000 games.
With an exciting core led by point guard Trae Young, McMillan looks to be in an excellent position to improve that record.
Only Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers (511) has scored more points in this postseason than the 461 Young racked up despite missing two games of the Conference Finals loss to the Bucks through injury.
Atlanta holds picks 20 (first round) and 48 (second round) in this month's NBA Draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed first overall pick Trevor Lawrence to a four-year rookie contract.
Jacksonville completed what had long been seen as a formality when they made Lawrence the first pick in April following his stellar collegiate career at Clemson.
He is now a fully contracted member of the Jaguars having signed a deal worth $36.8million with $24.1m in guarantees and a standard fifth-year option included.
Since the introduction of fixed contract lengths and slotted salaries for first-round picks in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, signing highly drafted rookies is not the challenge it once was.
But Lawrence agreeing to terms on his rookie deal is another hurdle cleared as the Jaguars look to get the player they hope will turn their franchise around on the field.
Provided that he stays healthy through training camp, Lawrence – who underwent surgery on a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder prior to the draft – will make his preseason debut for the Jaguars against the Cleveland Browns in August.
His regular-season debut is set to come a month later when the Jaguars visit the Houston Texans on September 12.
The Jaguars finished the 2020 season with a 1-15 record, losing 15 straight games having won their opener, but gaining the right to select a quarterback most deemed as a generational prospect in the process.
Lawrence led Clemson to a National Championship in his first season in 2018 and racked up 10,098 passing yards and 90 touchdowns – the first of those tallies putting him third in school history behind Tajh Boyd and Deshaun Watson, the second joint-second – while throwing just 17 interceptions in his three seasons with the Tigers.
Though he did not lead Clemson to glory last season, Lawrence was first among quarterbacks with at least 100 snaps and 20 pass attempts in well-thrown percentage. He delivered an accurate, well-thrown ball on 84.3 per cent of his passes, per Stats Perform data.
If he maintains that remarkable level of accuracy at the NFL level, the Jaguars may turn things around much quicker than anticipated.
Coco Gauff can contend at Wimbledon in the future even if she fell well short of besting Angelique Kerber, the former champion said.
Gauff, still just 17, has gone from strength to strength since her main-draw major debut at the All England Club in 2019.
But after reaching the quarter-finals at the French Open this year, she could not follow suit on the grass in London – bowing out in the fourth round, just as she did two years ago.
The serving woes that have dogged Gauff previously contributed heavily to her elimination.
The American teenager landed just 56 per cent of her 62 first serves in and won the point from only 20 of those 35 successful efforts (57 per cent).
Kerber – the 2018 champion – was far less erratic and capitalised on four of five break point opportunities, saving four of six going the other way.
"Coco is such a great, talented young player," Kerber said after a comfortable 6-4 6-4 triumph in an hour and 16 minutes on Centre Court.
"She's for sure a newcomer with such a great future in front of her, so I'm really sure that she will have a great career and for sure she will play here so many times again and maybe one time she will get the title.
"I like how she's playing, how she's professional, and I think she has a great future in front of her."
Kerber has struggled for consistent form since winning the third of her grand slam singles titles at Wimbledon three years ago, but she always enjoys playing on grass.
Victory at the Bad Homburg Open heading into this tournament was her first since celebrating at the All England Club.
It was Kerber's seventh WTA Tour final on grass, with only four players – Serena Williams (12) and Venus Williams (nine) involved in more since the turn of the century.
"I really enjoy my time here," Kerber added. "It's so great to play in front of you guys again – that gives me the energy to play my best tennis.
"I'm really looking forward to playing my next match because this is such a magic place for me and I will try to do my best."
The in-form German is the last remaining former champion in the women's tournament and plays Karolina Muchova next.
"I'm not looking too much ahead," Kerber said. "I just try to stay in the moment and enjoy every single moment here."
Both the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks have had to wait a while to get back to the NBA Finals.
Milwaukee have not made it this far since 1974, when a team containing Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar lost out to the Boston Celtics in Game 7.
The Bucks had been champions three years earlier, but Phoenix have never been crowned. The franchise fell at the last hurdle in both 1976 and 1993, when their campaign ended in a 4-2 series defeat to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
So, will it be third time lucky for the Suns, or can the Bucks reign once again?
Ahead of the best-of-seven battle getting underway, Stats Perform looks at the players who have risen to the occasion during the playoffs this year for both franchises, as well as a candidate from each who could make a greater impact.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Khris Middleton
Milwaukee made it out of the Eastern Conference despite being without Giannis Antetokounmpo for the end of the series against the Atlanta Hawks. His hyperextended knee remains the biggest talking point ahead of Game 1 on Tuesday, but at least his colleagues have demonstrated they can prosper without him.
Middleton certainly stepped up. After 26 points in Game 5 at home, he followed up with 32 on the road in Atlanta to help his team seal a 4-2 series triumph. The two-time All-Star lifted his playoff average to 23.4 points per game, in comparison to 20.4 during the regular season. He has also upped his rebounds (8.0 from 6.0) and is landing 2.6 three-pointers per outing.
Brook Lopez
While not perhaps too surprising for a center, Lopez came up big for the Bucks in Game 5 last week. His 33-point haul saw him successful with 77.8 per cent of his shots, as well as deliver four blocks and two steals. He is the only NBA player to reach all of those numbers in a playoff game since blocks and steals became official stats in 1973-74 (Milwaukee's last trip to the NBA Finals, of course).
Lopez's extended minutes helped the 10th overall pick in the 2008 draft rise to 13.5 points per game in these playoffs (he finished at 12.3 in the regular season), as well as seeing him claim a greater number of rebounds (6.0 per game). His upcoming battle with Deandre Ayton should be fascinating, too, as they both aim to make a sizeable impact.
Bryn Forbes
A useful contributor on the roster, Forbes averaged 10.0 points while shooting 45.2 per cent from deep during a regular season that saw the Bucks finish as the third seeds in the East, behind the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets, who they then knocked out in the second round of the playoffs.
However, the guard – who previously played for the San Antonio Spurs after going undrafted – has not had the same impact in limited opportunities of late, landing 30 of his 80 attempts from deep for a shooting percentage of 37.5 from beyond the arc. Forbes twice had 22-point outings during the first-round series against the Miami Heat, but he has reached double figures in just two outings since.
PHOENIX SUNS
Deandre Ayton
It has been quite the first playoff experience for Deandre Ayton, the center selected by the Suns with the top pick in 2018. His dramatic dunk in the last second to beat the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 will be replayed for years to come, as he slammed the ball in from an inbound pass right at the death to clinch victory.
Ayton heads into the Milwaukee series on a 10-game streak of reaching double figures for points, while he had double-double outings in four of the six games against the Clippers. He averaged 10.5 rebounds in the regular season but has raised the bar in the postseason, going up to 11.8 per outing.
Chris Paul
Devin Booker leads the way in terms of scoring for the Suns – he is averaging 27.0 points a game in the postseason – but Paul is unquestionably the leader of this Phoenix team. The veteran point guard finally gets to play in an NBA Finals at the age of 36. Father Time is not slowing him down, though health and safety protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic did briefly pause his efforts.
However, the 11-time All-Star made up for lost time after missing the opening two games of the Clippers series, scoring a combined total of 96 points in the next four outings, including 41 in Game 6 as Phoenix were crowned in the West.
Dario Saric
Saric played a part in helping the Suns rise to the top of the conference in the regular season, finishing it with an average of 8.7 points per game. The Croatian's impact on the offensive end has been reduced since, as have his minutes. Having attempted 342 shots prior to the playoffs, he has managed just 44 in his past 13 outings, while he did not feature at all in three games.
Yet the need to give valuable rest to Ayton – and the possibility of Giannis returning at some stage during the series – could increase the need to play Saric, who is averaging 4.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in the postseason so far.
Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks has passed away at the age of 24.
A statement on the Jackets' official website on Monday confirmed that the Latvian died after suffering a head injury in a fall on July 4.
According to reports, local emergency services were called to a residence in Novi, Michigan around 22:00 local time.
Jason Meier of the Novi Police Department told ESPN: "There appears to have been a fireworks malfunction, which caused a group of people to flee from the hot tub, including the deceased, who slipped and hit his head on the concrete."
President of hockey operations John Davidson said: "We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his mother, Astrida, his family and friends during this devastating time.
"Kivi was an outstanding young man who greeted every day and everyone with a smile and the impact he had during his four years with our organization will not be forgotten."
Kivlenieks had played eight games since signing for Columbus as a free agent in May 2017, but was expected to challenge for more game time in the coming season.
He had also represented his native Latvia, including as they hosted the 2021 edition of the IIHF World Championships.
Rising stars Justin Burrowes and Emily Mayne have been named among a 12-member team that will represent Jamaica at the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships, scheduled for August 8-13 in Puerto Rico, where they will compete for the Hoerman Cup and George Teale Trophy, for men and women, respectively.
Novak Djokovic cruised into the quarter-finals of Wimbledon with a routine straight-sets win over Cristian Garin.
Djokovic is bidding to tie Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal with a record 20th grand slam championship by defending his 2019 title.
Since losing the opening set of the tournament to Jack Draper, Djokovic has been imperious form and he eased past Garin on Centre Court on Monday.
This was not vintage Djokovic, but his consistency on serve, strength on the return and remarkable movement skills helped him secure a 6-2 6-4 6-2 triumph to set up a last-eight meeting with Andrey Rublev or Marton Fucsovics.
Djokovic raced into a commanding position in the first set, winning the opening eight points of the match.
Indeed, Garin, aiming to reach the quarter-finals of a grand slam for the first time, appeared overmatched, winning only 10 points on serve as Djokovic took the first set with ease.
But the Chilean warmed to the occasion and displayed his resilience by saving three break points to hold for a 4-3 lead in a game that lasted over 10 minutes.
Garin's resistance was broken in his next service game through some deft Djokovic touch at the net and, after serving out the second, he broke in style in the first game of the third and raced through to a 50th grand slam quarter-final.
Data Slam: First serve fires Djokovic to half-century
Djokovic faced two break points in a one-sided contest, with Garin rarely able to threaten his first serve.
Indeed, Garin won 13 points on return and only three of those came against the Serbian's first serve in a performance he will surely want to forget.
By contrast, Djokovic won 48 per cent of points on Garin's serve and, save for the second set, rarely had to expend much energy in bringing up his half-century.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 28/23
Garin – 14/26
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 9/1
Garin – 2/5
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 5/12
Garin – 0/2
Unseeded Sebastian Korda agonisingly missed out on a place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals after a crazy fifth set against Karen Khachanov.
Korda has attracted headlines with his run to the last 16 given his family's sporting success - his sister Nelly recently won the Women's PGA Championship while his father Petr is a former Australian Open champion.
The American had seen off seeds in Alex de Minaur and Dan Evans to reach this stage, almost repeating the trick on his 21st birthday against Khachanov on Monday.
However, he ultimately fell to defeat as Khachanov won 3-6 6-4 6-3 5-7 10-8 in a classic clash that lasted just short of four hours.
After Korda had forced a decider, there were 13 breaks of serve in a remarkable final set on Court 18.
Khachanov had a break advantage at 5-4, 6-5 and 7-6 but Korda – who racked up 56 winners - denied him from serving it out for victory on each occasion.
The Russian finally was able to get over the line after breaking his American opponent at 8-8 and finally holding serve.
Following his gruelling win, Khachanov will play Denis Shapovalov next after the Canadian - conqueror of Andy Murray in the previous round - saw off Roberto Bautista Agut in straight sets.
Shapovalov won 6-1 6-3 7-5 to eliminate the eighth seed and reach his second grand slam quarter-final.
Elsewhere, seventh seed Matteo Berrettini continued his serene progress at Wimbledon, thrashing Ilya Ivashka 6-4 6-3 6-1.
Champion at Queen's prior to the tournament, Berrettini lost serve just once in the contest and has not dropped a set since doing so in his first-round win over Guido Pella.
He will face Alexander Zverev or Felix Auger Aliassime for a place in the semi-finals.
Top seed Ash Barty ended Barbora Krejcikova's long winning run to reach her first Wimbledon singles quarter-final.
Krejcikova had reeled off 15 consecutive singles victories but the French Open champion was beaten 7-5 6-3 in an entertaining contest on No.1 Court.
World number one Barty came from a break down to take the opening set and was pushed hard by the 14th seed in the second on 'Manic Monday', but sealed her spot in the last eight at the All England Club.
The 2019 Roland Garros champion will face either British teenager Emma Raducanu or fellow Australian Ajla Tomljanovic for a place in the semi-finals.
Krejcikova, making her main draw debut in singles at SW19, held to love in a commanding first service game and went a break up at 2-1 when Barty pushed a cross-court shot long.
There was a gasp from the crowd when Krejcikova showed great skill and agility to put away a winner at her feet, but they were back on serve at 4-4 following an error-strewn game from the Czech.
Barty missed a chance to wrap up the set when she sent a forehand long but the 25-year-old pumped her fist after breaking to love, avoiding a tie-break after making an uncertain start.
Both players stood firm when they faced early break points in the second set but Barty was scenting the quarter-finals when her opponent sprayed a forehand wide to go 4-2 down.
Krejcikova – who also won a doubles title in Paris last month – took that setback in her stride, working Barty from side to side before putting away a backhand winner in the next game as she broke back immediately.
Yet Barty ground Krejcikova down again to restore her two-game advantage and fended off a break point before serving out the match to move into new territory at the grass-court grand slam.
Data Slam: Krejcikova's hot streak ends
Krejcikova had not suffered a singles defeat since May, winning a title in Strasbourg before her maiden grand slam triumph at Roland Garros.
Her magnificent winning streak came to an end in London, but the Brno native looks set to make further major strides.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Barty – 22/24
Krejcikova – 19/22
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Barty –7/5
Krejcikova – 4/4
BREAK POINTS WON
Barty – 4/7
Krejcikova – 2/10
Former French Open champion Iga Swiatek has been knocked out of Wimbledon after losing an entertaining fourth-round battle with Ons Jabeur.
Jabeur had never been past the second round at Wimbledon before the 2021 tournament but will now face second seed Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals.
The Tunisian stormed back from behind on Court 2 to defeat seventh seed Swiatek 5-7 6-1 6-1 on Monday.
Jabeur sealed her victory with a ninth ace of the match and let out a passionate roar.
She was fantastic at key moments, converting all seven of the break-point opportunities she created and firing 30 winners to 23 unforced errors.
Swiatek, by contrast, racked up 15 break-point chances but could only take three of them. The Pole only had a first-serve percentage of 46 and struggled to find her rhythm.
Jabeur, seeded 21st, also impressively saw off Garbine Muguruza in a comeback victory in the previous round.
She has now matched her best grand slam result, achieved when she reached the last eight at the Australian Open last year.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, survived a scare but ultimately prevailed in three tough sets against Elena Rybakina.
A 6-3 4-6 6-3 win in just under two hours gave Sabalenka her first-ever appearance at a slam quarter-final.
Tom Curry, Josh Navidi and Adam Beard will make their British and Irish Lions debuts against the Sharks on Wednesday.
The Lions will be captained by Iain Henderson for the first time, as Conor Murray has been named among the replacements for the midweek game at Ellis Park.
England flanker Curry and Wales duo Navidi and Beard will refresh the pack along with Sam Simmonds, who is set to make his first international start for over three years.
Josh Adams will play no part after the wing scored four tries against the tourists' South African namesakes the Lions on Saturday, playing a starring role in a 56-14 rout.
Lions head coach Warren Gatland said: "Wednesday night is another chance for us to have a look at a few more combinations.
"I'm looking forward to seeing how the back row goes; it's an exciting mixture and one that we hope will offer something a bit different.
"We expect another physical test against a side who are known for their power play and ambition.
"My congratulations to Tom, Josh and Adam ahead of their first starts in a Lions jersey."
Lions team to face the Sharks:
Liam Williams, Anthony Watson, Elliot Daly, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe, Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Mako Vunipola, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Zander Fagerson, Iain Henderson, Adam Beard, Josh Navidi, Tom Curry, Sam Simmonds.
Replacements: Ken Owens, Rory Sutherland, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Stuart Hogg, Chris Harris.
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