Future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers hit out at prominent NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport on Tuesday after an incorrect claim about the timing of his upcoming "darkness retreat".
Rodgers had previously used his weekly media appearance on the Pat McAfee Show to explain how he was going on a darkness retreat now that the season has finished, with the hope that it will, among other things, provide more clarity about his playing future.
On Saturday, Rapoport and fellow NFL Network journalist Tom Pelissero released a story claiming Rodgers' retreat was set to begin on Monday – which was not the case.
Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show the day after it was reported he would "enter the darkness", Rodgers explained that the actual date has been locked in for four months, and that reporters claiming to have sources inside his camp "don't know s***".
"There's an inner circle and in my inner circle, nobody talks to Ian Rapoport [or] Adam Schefter or to any of those people," he said. "Just stop with the fake news. I speak for myself and I will continue to do that.
"I have no problem with Ian Rapoport, [Adam] Schefter, I think they’re really good at their jobs. When it comes to me, they don’t know s***.
"They really don’t. They don’t have people in my inner circle who are sources. I can promise you that. Anybody who would talk to them is not in my inner circle. It’s that simple.
"So I’ve had this plan on the books for four months, for the same time. When someone like that goes on and says something that’s not true it creates a story that's bull****, and it just keeps going, and going, and going."
He went on to add: "How many f****** narratives can come from one [appearance last week] where they didn’t even actually listen to what I said? Or the intent? Or the tone?
"Again, nothing against Rapoport, but he doesn't have anybody who knows legitimately what's going on in my life. So for him to say something, 'Monday through Thursday I was supposed to be in there' – that was never the plan. It hasn't been the plan for four months. So don’t make s*** up.
"I don’t have your number, you're not gonna have my number, you do a great job, but not when it comes to my life, so stop talking about it."
The NFL Network report claimed that if Rodgers decides he wants to keep playing, but does not want to remain with the Green Bay Packers, then the franchise will look to facilitate a trade.
LeBron James' achievement has been hailed as "absolutely incredible" by Tiger Woods, who also praised Tom Brady's legendary playing career.
James last week became the all-time points leader in NBA history, with the Los Angeles Lakers star overtaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's long-standing record.
The 38-year-old is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA Finals MVP and four-time league MVP.
Ahead of his return to the PGA Tour at the Genesis Invitational, Woods was asked for his thoughts on James' feat, and suggested Sam Snead and himself would be golf's equivalent to the 19-time NBA All-Star.
"What he accomplished is absolutely incredible," Woods told reporters.
"Just the durability, the consistency and the longevity. I grew up watching Kareem, he was the Cap [Captain], that's all I remember – the showtime Lakers, watching Cap.
"That record, nobody ever thought it would be broken, but also the amount of minutes he's playing, nobody's ever done it at that age and the way he's done it, being able to play all five positions. That's never been done at this level for this long.
"As far as our equivalent to that... I don't know, maybe you look at me and Sam, at 82 [PGA Tour wins each, a joint-record]. It takes a career to get to those numbers, that's probably best how you look at it."
While James is set to play on, a star of another sport – Brady – has retired.
NFL great Brady, who had a short-lived retirement in 2022, called time on his playing days "for good" earlier in February, ending a 23-year career at the highest level.
The quarterback is one of the most successful players of all time, with seven Super Bowl rings to his name, and has the most career wins of any QB.
Aaron Rodgers might also be considering retirement, and Woods is astounded at the pair's longevity, especially when it comes to 45-year-old Brady.
"There was a touch and go whether I'd be back after my back fusion," said Woods when asked about the mindset of the duo when it comes to retirement.
"I didn't know if I was going to be able to walk again, I came back and had a nice little run. The same again with this leg. I didn't know if I was going to be able to play again and I played three majors last year.
"When you get a little bit older and a little more banged up, you’re not as invincible as you once were – that's just the reality of all of us ageing. Those are contact sports, I don't know how they've played [so long].
"Tom, playing as long as he did and the level he played at, it was phenomenal. We just have to look at him as an outlier, as how great that was.
"I remember as a kid growing up watching John Elway speak and just crying as he said 'I can do it but my body won't allow me to anymore'. He won the last two Super Bowls but he just could not physically do it anymore.
"I've got to that point a few times where you think of [retirement]. My sport, there's no contact, I don't have 300lb guys falling on me. It's just a matter of shooting a low score. We have the ability to pick and choose, play a little bit longer.
"We've seen my hero – Arnold Palmer – play in 50 straight Masters. Fifty straight. I'm not even 50 years old yet! You look at Gary Player, who played in 51 Masters. We're different sports."
Tiger Woods insists he is only returning to the PGA Tour this week because he believes in his ability to win again.
The 47-year-old has entered his first non-major event on the tour since playing the Zozo Championship in October 2020, and he continues to feel the effects of his February 2021 car crash.
He was left with a severely broken leg among a host of injuries, and the 15-time major winner accepts the end of his career is probably not far away.
It is ankle pain that gives Woods the most concern at present, as he prepares to compete in the Genesis Invitational tournament run by his foundation at the Riviera Country Club in California.
But he is optimistic about his ability to hit good golf shots and get around the course without needing a buggy.
"I would not have put myself out here if I didn't think I could beat these guys and win the event. That's my mentality. I'm very rusty but I've come off rusty situations before and done well," Woods said.
After needing a long recuperation from the severe injuries to his right leg, Woods said the limb is "better than it was last year".
In his efforts to put himself through strenuous exercise to build up resilience, Woods said he "may have overdone it a couple of times, but here I am".
"I'm there to get a W, OK?" he said in a pre-tournament press conference.
"I don't understand that making the cut is a great thing. If I entered the event, it's always to get a W.
"There will come a point in time when my body will not allow me to do that anymore, and it's probably sooner than later. But wrapping my head around that transition and being the ambassador role and just trying to be out here with the guys, no, that's not in my DNA."
Woods last played competitively at The Open at St Andrews last July, missing the cut.
He hopes to play the Masters in April, and this can reasonably be considered a test of his fitness with Augusta in mind.
The American great will be in familiar company when he tees off in the opening two rounds, having been included in a group of three with close friends Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy.
Woods shares the record for wins at PGA Tour level with the late Sam Snead, triumphing at the 2019 Zozo Championship to reach his current total of 82 career victories.
The Boston Celtics will head into Tuesday's road game against the Milwaukee Bucks without four starters after Jayson Tatum and Al Horford were ruled out in the hours before tip-off.
Tatum and Horford are the latest additions to a star-studded injury list for the Celtics, who were already without All-Star Jaylen Brown due to a facial fracture, while reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart is recovering from an ankle injury.
Horford is officially listed out due to right knee swelling, while Tatum has also been given the game off for Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons as the Celtics give their leader in starts and minutes this season some extended rest leading into the All-Star Weekend.
The Bucks will be close to full strength after it was confirmed Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton – who were initially marked down as questionable – were cleared to play. They will only be missing sixth man Bobby Portis and new trade acquisition Jae Crowder.
With a win, the Bucks can trim Boston's lead as the best record in the Eastern Conference, and in the league, to a half-game.
Rotterdam Open top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and defending champion Felix Auger-Aliassime were joined by Daniil Medvedev in progressing through their first-round ties.
Auger-Aliassime won his first Tour-level title at the event last year and went from strength to strength in 2022, winning another three singles trophies.
The world number eight, seeded third, started his title defence with a convincing 6-2 6-3 defeat of Italy's Lorenzo Sonego on Tuesday.
"Of course, I was hoping to win and get through, but 6-2, 6-3 is a great performance against a player that is tricky like he is... it's a great way to start the week," said Auger-Aliassime, who needed just 82 minutes to clinch victory and set up a last-16 meeting with qualifier Gregoire Barrere.
The Canadian is relishing his title defence, and feels he is a stronger competitor than this time last year in a warning shot to his rivals.
He added: "Last year was an amazing year, but this year is a different one. I think I'm a better player overall.
"Of course, the best thing I can do compared to last year is win again, so hopefully I can do that. The draw is really strong, but I'm confident if I can keep playing the way I did today I'll get my chances and then we'll see."
Auger-Aliassime might be the reigning champion, but world number three Tsitsipas is the favourite.
Emil Ruusuvuori was no match for Australian Open runner-up, who prevailed 7-5 6-1 and has a 13-1 record for the season.
"The process that you get to repeat these things over and over again, it gives you tremendous understanding of how things actually work," Tsitsipas said.
"I think being able to get in these moments more and more often on the Tour helps you understand, makes you wiser when you're trying to deal with all these problems."
Tsitsipas, who could face Open Sud de France champion Jannik Sinner in the next round, ensured there would be no curse of the top seed in Rotterdam, where the favourite had lost their first match in two of the last three editions.
On both occasions (2020 and 2021), that was Medvedev, but the former world number one fought from a set down to beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 4-6 6-2 6-2.
World number 10 Hubert Hurkacz also had to battle against a Spaniard in the form of Roberto Bautista Agut. The fifth seed needed three hours to win 7-5 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-4) and tee up an encounter with Grigor Dimitrov.
Alexander Zverev defeated Soonwoo Kwon in straight sets to book his progress, while Gijs Brouwer got the better of Marc-Andrea Huesler.
Derek Carr has left the Las Vegas Raiders after refusing a trade to the New Orleans Saints, the franchise confirmed on Tuesday.
The Raiders and Carr parted ways after nine seasons together ahead of the February 15 trade deadline.
Carr's release was expected after his refusal to join the Saints, in a trade deal that had already been agreed between the teams, which was reported on Sunday by ESPN and NFL Network.
The quarterback's exit before the deadline meant he will not receive the guaranteed $40.4million in future earnings under his previous contract in Las Vegas.
The 31-year-old reportedly rejected a pay cut to facilitate a trade to New Orleans and will instead enter free agency for the first time in his career.
"We have a lot of respect for Derek Carr and what he has meant to the Raiders organization for the last nine years," Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Zeigler said in a statement.
"Derek has done great things in this league and we're thankful to have been able to work with him this past year.
"He is a true professional and we appreciate his hard work in striving to produce the results we all desire. We wish Derek and his family all the best in the future."
Carr's agent, Tim Younger, posted on Twitter: "We wish the @Raiders the best of luck. This is the tough part of this business. That's the point; it's just business.
"Time now to reset for both sides. Derek chooses to hold on to many good memories and friendships, without any ill will. That's who he is. Onward and upward."
Carr had been with the Raiders since he was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft and holds franchise records for his 35,222 passing yards and 217 touchdowns.
As starting QB for Las Vegas he went 63-79, but the Raiders made just two playoff appearances during his time – in 2016 when he was injured and five years later when they suffered a wild-card exit.
Las Vegas finished third in the AFC West in 2022 after struggles for Carr, who is said to be wanted by the Saints and the Carolina Panthers.
The Raiders were linked to Tom Brady before he retired and fellow veterans Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Garoppolo as potential replacements.
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook has undergone surgery to repair his broken shoulder from 2019, reports said on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old aggravated the shoulder injury late in the third quarter amid the Vikings' 28-24 victory over the Detroit Lions on Week 15 in the NFL.
Cook has repeatedly struggled with shoulder issues throughout his college and professional career but has still been named in each of the last four Pro Bowls.
He appeared in every game in 2022 despite the injury, rushing 264 times for 1,173 yards – his fourth-straight year with at least 1,100 rushing yards – and eight touchdowns in the regular season.
The player's agency, LAA Sports & Entertainment, was quoted by ESPN's Adam Schefter as stating: "Dalvin has been absolutely dominant and we cannot wait until September."
Cook is signed through the 2025 season with the Vikings, for whom he has rushed for 5,993 yards and 47 touchdowns and caught 221 passes for 1,794 yards since becoming a second-round pick in 2017.
Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker expects "exciting times" after Kevin Durant's trade made the rest of the NBA stand up and take notice.
Durant's move to Phoenix represents a big acquisition for new Suns owner Mat Ishbia, who completed his takeover last week and acted swiftly to bring in the 13-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP.
The 34-year-old, joining from the Brooklyn Nets with T.J. Warren, has averaged 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists this season.
After hitting the courts with Durant – who has been out of action over a month due to a knee injury – Booker hailed the small forward's quality as he lauded the Suns for attracting such talent.
"You can't put it into words, man," Booker said on Tuesday. "It's just all feeling. Looking forward to the post-All-Star break when we actually get the chance to compete with each other.
"I've never got to do that besides the Olympics with Kev, so it's exciting times around here.
"We built something that the league has picked up on. We were probably the laughingstock of the NBA about four or five years ago, and just turning that around to something serious to championship contenders is a quick turnaround for us, so we take a lot of pride in what we've built here.
"People reach out and they're like 'Oh, that's what y'all are on?' Just trying to get it done, man. Just trying to get it done.
"For us to be a destination that Kev wanted to come to is a big sign of that, to show respect for what we've done so far. We still have more to do, but we're moving in the right direction."
Phoenix fell narrowly short in the 2021 Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, losing 4-2, and Booker believes the Suns will soon achieve glory as they assemble their squad.
"One-hundred per cent. We kind of had the same approach with the team before the trade. Once you get a taste of Finals experience and having that under your belt, that's all that you want," he said.
"We have one goal; we know it's not going to be easy to get there, but we feel we have the talent, we have the mindset and everything it takes right here in this gym."
While Durant arrives with a major reputation and experience at the top of the game, Booker does not expect the Suns to have to adjust much to another star player.
"We don't have a hierarchy," he continued. "That's the thing about it. You have Chris Paul, one of the greatest leaders of all time. You have coach Monty [Williams], you have [general manager] James Jones, we have guys that are all on the same plan.
"I think we all have different types of leading styles, which is the great thing about leadership it comes in many different forms. And I think all of our games, and our mindsets, complement each other very well."
Booker sees Durant as "one of the best to ever do it", as he added: "It's just something that you got to be around. To feel when you're around greatness.
"It's just a different look, a different feel – but I'm excited to be a part of it."
The 31-27 Suns sit fourth in the Western Conference and host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
Belinda Bencic continued her impressive run of form this season with a straight-sets win over Viktoriya Tomova in the opening round of the Qatar Open.
The seventh seed triumphed at the Abu Dhabi Open last week to add to her Adelaide International 2 success from January and is now seeking another title in Doha.
Bencic eased to a 6-0 6-1 win against Bulgarian qualifier Tomova and will face two-time tournament winner Victoria Azarenka for a place in the quarter-finals.
Maria Sakkari also advanced on Tuesday, overcoming Zheng Qinwen 6-2 3-6 6-3, as did fellow seeded player Daria Kasatkina with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 win against Rebecca Marino.
Zheng may have suffered an early exit, but last season's WTA Newcomer of the Year produced the shot of the tournament with a winning tweener en route to taking the second set.
Petra Kvitova, another two-time winner in Qatar, defeated Zhang Shuai 7-5 6-2, while Danielle Collins beat Elise Mertens 6-4 7-6 (8-6) and will now face top seed Iga Swiatek.
Second seed Jessica Pegula will take on Jelena Ostapenko, meanwhile, after the Latvian proved too strong for Madison Keys in a 7-5 6-2 victory.
Charles Leclerc has high expectations for Ferrari in 2023 despite the difficulties of last year.
Leclerc won two of the first three Formula One races in 2022, but only managed one victory through the remainder of the campaign.
A number of dubious race management calls proved costly for Ferrari, who finished a distant second behind Red Bull in the constructor standings.
Ferrari replaced team principal Mattia Binotto with Frederic Vasseur, who last month outlined the team's title intent.
It is a sentiment echoed by Leclerc, who said: "The goal is to win, clearly. I am really looking forward to getting back in the car and trying to win that championship.
"Last year was a good step forward. We need to do just the same this year and hopefully get that championship.
"That is the target for the team and for me, too – get more wins, hopefully be more consistent from the first race to the last race.
"So far it is intense. You can feel the responsibility. But the most important is to be successful – we have to deliver. The most important is to win and the challenge is in front of us.
"When you are at Ferrari coming from 2022, you can't have another objective than to win.
"I don't want to stay it will be easy because Red Bull and Mercedes will have the same target and only one team and driver will win. But we need to have this kind of target.
"We need to bring the mindset to do a better job tomorrow than today and to be always trying to improve the system."
Leclerc was speaking as Ferrari unveiled their new car for the 2023 season, which starts in Bahrain next month.
Todd Monken was on Tuesday appointed as the Baltimore Ravens' new offensive coordinator.
The 57-year-old replaces Greg Roman, who stepped down last month with a year remaining on his contract after coming under increasing pressure.
Monken has 34 years of coaching under his belt and arrives in Baltimore after helping Georgia Bulldogs win back-to-back national championships in his role of offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said: "We conducted 21 interviews with 14 candidates throughout a thorough process that had wide-ranging organisational involvement.
"Todd's leadership and coaching acumen were evident from the beginning. He has a proven track record for designing and teaching offensive systems that allow players to succeed at the highest level. We're excited to get to work and begin building an offense that will help us compete for championships."
Monken has spent eight years of his coaching career working in the NFL, most recently leading the Cleveland Browns attack in 2019.
He has also been employed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars and joins a Ravens franchise regrouping after a 24-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in an AFC Wild Card Game last month.
The Indianapolis Colts have named Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their new head coach.
Steichen was part of the staff that led the Eagles all the way to NFC Championship success and Super Bowl LVII, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Philadelphia's offense finished the regular season third in scoring (an average of 28.1 points per game), while Indianapolis were tied for 30th out of the 32 teams, with only the Denver Broncos (16.9) averaging lower than their 17.0 points per game.
The Colts had a season to forget overall, finishing on 4-12-1, losing their last seven games and 10 of their last 11.
Steichen replaces Frank Reich, who was fired midway through the 2022 season and has since taken the head coach role at the Carolina Panthers.
Coincidentally, Reich had also been Eagles OC before getting the top job with the Colts in 2018.
Jeff Saturday took interim charge after Reich's dismissal and had been in contention for the job permanently before Steichen's appointment was confirmed.
General manager Chris Ballard has previously said he will do "whatever it takes" to bring in a franchise quarterback, which will be music to Steichen's ears as he has previously helped develop top QBs such as Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert in his time with the Los Angeles Chargers, and Jalen Hurts at the Eagles.
Chris Eubank Jr. has activated a rematch clause to fight Liam Smith for a second time after losing to his fellow Brit at Manchester Arena last month.
Eubank was stopped in the fourth round of the all-English middleweight bout on January 21 after being floored twice.
Following a third defeat of his career – and a first since 2018 – Eubank was eager to get back in the ring, tweeting after the bout: "We’ll get it on again soon."
The 33-year-old has backed that up by confirming on Tuesday that he has invoked his rematch clause, tweeting: "This morning I activated the rematch clause via my lawyers and sent to my promoters @Wasserman. Happy Valentines Day @LiamBeefySmith."
It has previously been suggested by Smith's promoter, Ben Shalom, that a rematch could take place at the home of Liverpool Football Club, Anfield.
Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said he will need to figure out how to get the best out of Ben Simmons in the wake of losing star duo Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.
Irving and Durant left the Nets for the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns respectively before the trade deadline, leaving Brooklyn shorn of two players who often took opposition attention away from Simmons.
The Australian played less than 13 minutes of Monday's 124-106 loss at the New York Knicks, having only once played for a shorter period in a game this season.
"It's going to be some work that we have to do," Vaughn said after the defeat at Madison Square Garden. "Because you just take a look at what the lineups could potentially look like.
"You put another big next to Ben, then you got to figure out what the spacing is around him. Then if you put another playmaker next to him, then you got to figure out what Ben looks like without the basketball. Then if you go small with Ben, then you have to figure out can you rebound enough with him?
"So, the challenges are ahead of us. We'll look them head-on. We'll figure it out. We have the personnel to figure it out. Whether it is me mixing and matching throughout different pieces of the game, and allowing him to have a group and run with a group, that part we'll figure out, but you see the challenges that lie ahead."
Spencer Dinwiddie, who was acquired as part of the trade for Irving, top-scored for the Nets with 28, though he was no match for another former Dallas player in Jalen Brunson, who scored 40, making 15 from 21 field-goal attempts and six from nine three-point shots, and Vaughn said Brunson's performance was a factor in his thinking around Simmons.
"With Brunson being out there, trying to throw different bodies with him," he said. "We're always concerned about [rebounding], so didn't want Ben to be the lone big out there.
"We tried him with another big; I didn't like that rhythm of the game because we weren't scoring enough at that time. A lot of different problems thrown at you in the course of a game; you try to figure them out.
"Trying to figure out what lineup fits around Ben, what position fits for Ben, how we can make him look good at every opportunity. That's the goal. I'm still trying to figure that out. That's on me to figure that out. But I think overall as a team, we're going to try different lineups to try to figure this out."
Lando Norris hopes there will be a U-turn on plans for Formula One drivers to be prohibited from making personal, religious and political statements without consent from the FIA.
The FIA has been widely criticised following the governing body's decision to introduce new legislation underpinning the ban, which it says will be clarified through the issuing of new guidelines.
F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali had an adverse reaction to the proposals, saying the sport will not "gag" drivers who wish to speak out on issues they believe in.
McLaren's Norris has become the latest in a string of drivers to hit out at the FIA's ban, saying: "We should be able to say what we want and what we believe in.
"I feel there has been quite a bit of pressure and enough said to make a little bit of a U-turn.
"The penalty [for speaking out] is not clear, but we are not in a school. We should not have to ask about everything and say, 'Can we do this, can we do that?'
"We are grown up enough to try and make smart decisions. Maybe sometimes people make silly decisions, but that happens in life. I hope and believe that enough drivers have said things now to push back a little bit."
Norris said he supports F1's existing approach, adding: "F1 has made things clear, what they think is acceptable and what we should be able to do as drivers, and that is what I stand by.
"We need it. We are only trying to help people in the world and give advice and there is no reason why we shouldn't be able to do that."
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem recently announced he would take a step back from the day-to-day running of F1 after being involved in several controversies and conflicts.
McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown welcomed that decision, saying: "It has been a bit exciting over the winter, but things seem to have course-corrected."
The Boston Celtics will hit the road on Tuesday to take on the Milwaukee Bucks in a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview.
In a tantalising battle between the top two teams in the East, it will also be a clash between two of the NBA's top-four defenses this season.
The Celtics will head into the contest boasting the rare statistical profile of the fourth-best defense (conceding 110.5 points per 100 possessions) and the third-best offense (116.8 points per 100 possessions).
Meanwhile, the Bucks have relied primarily on their second-ranked defense (109.7), grinding out wins despite their offense ranking only 21st (112.6).
While their offensive production has differed, the way these two sides approach the game is very similar. They are two of the most perimeter-centric offenses in the league, both top-five in average three-point attempts, while both also sit bottom-five in average points in the paint.
It makes sense that, because both of these teams so heavily value the three-point shot, they also make just as much of an effort to disrupt that area for their opponents. They are both top-six in limiting opponent three-point makes, presenting an interesting conundrum.
Two teams who want to bomb away from deep, who also know exactly how to run their opposition off the three-point line, forcing them to take a step inside and attempt less valuable two-point jump shots, or daring them to finish at the basket against elite rim protectors.
They are also the best two teams in the league at limiting opposition free throw attempts, meaning that even when they force opponents inside into traffic, they are challenging without fouling.
But the wrench in that equation is Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who lives in the paint, contributes nearly half (19.0) of his side's 45.4 points in the paint per game, and leads the league in free throw attempts (13.8 per game).
It puts the opposition in a quandary – do you follow the scouting report and try to limit the Bucks' three-point shooting, potentially giving Antetokounmpo the free rein to dominate inside, or do you go all-in on stopping the former back-to-back MVP and force somebody else to hit shots?
That is not to say the Celtics' stars are incapable of getting into the paint – with both Jaylen Brown (11.7 paint points per game) and Jayson Tatum (11.5) in the top-20 in the league – but Brown is the primary slasher of the pair, and will miss this game with a broken bone in his face.
Brown will be joined on the sideline by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, meaning Tatum will not just be the Celtics' most important offensive player, he will also be their top perimeter defender.
The Celtics are struggling in the health department right now, while the Bucks are trending in the right direction. Both Milwaukee All-Stars – Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday – will play, and All-NBA wing Khris Middleton has games of 22 points and 24 points in his past three after recovering from his own serious injury.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Boston Celtics – Robert Williams III
Smart will be missed, but there is arguably not a more valuable defender to the Celtics than Robert Williams III – especially against an interior force like Antetokounmpo.
The 25-year-old came from out of nowhere to force his way onto the NBA All-Defensive Second Team last season, finishing fourth in the league for blocks per game (2.2). That block figure has come back down to earth this season – still a team-leading 1.2 per game – but, simply put, the Celtics are a force defensively with him on the court.
During his minutes, the Celtics concede only 104.8 points per 100 possessions – the fourth-best figure for any player averaging at least 20 minutes per game – which is over five points better than the league's best defense this season (Cleveland Cavaliers, 108.9).
Stephen Curry is unwilling to set a target date for his return from a leg injury, but he will not be back for the Golden State Warriors' first game after this weekend's NBA All-Star break.
Curry was forced off in the third quarter of a 119-113 win against the Dallas Mavericks earlier this month after his knee collided with that of opposing point guard McKinley Wright IV.
Scans subsequently revealed Curry had suffered tears to his superior tibiofibular ligaments and interosseous membrane, as well as a contusion to his lower left leg.
While the two-time NBA MVP hopes to return to the court for practice after Sunday's All-Star game, he has ruled himself out of the Warriors' trip to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 23.
"Ligaments can heal in all different types of timelines," Curry said. "So there's a window for each checkpoint.
"After the All-Star break, I will hopefully get back on the court, and then depending on how things go from there, we can key in on a specific date to get back."
Asked if it was fair to assume he would miss a "chunk" of games after the break, Curry added: "I don't know how you define chunk, but yes, I won't be playing against the Lakers the first game back.
"It's a slow process early, letting everything settle, let the healing process start.
"The goal right now is just trying to let it heal while you maintain as much of your strength and conditioning. Keeping everything as active as possible around the injury."
The Warriors snapped a two-game losing run with a 135-126 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday, and Curry – who saw Golden State win five of the 11 games he missed after suffering a shoulder injury in December – is hoping they can stay afloat until his return.
"It's just about trying to figure out how to win the next game," Curry said. "It sounds boring, but all we can really focus on is guys battling every single night trying to build momentum, find a little separation in the standings, find more of an identity of who we are as a team.
"[I'm] very optimistic that we can finish these last two games strong and get to the All-Star break. Get refreshed mentally and physically."
All-Star DeMar DeRozan exited the Chicago Bulls' 100-91 defeat to the Orlando Magic with a right hip injury that he revealed has been bothering him for over a month.
DeRozan exited with 1:02 remaining in the fourth quarter, having scored 19 points on eight-of-20 shooting across 36 minutes in the loss that leaves the Bulls with a 26-31 record.
The loss was Chicago's fourth in a row and marked the fourth straight game that DeRozan has not reached 20 points.
The Bulls small forward missed last Monday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies with the same hip issue and is due to undergo further testing on the problem on Tuesday.
"It was bothering me the whole game," DeRozan told reporters. "I just felt it. I didn't want to risk nothing. Hurting it anymore, what it was or anything.
"Just the accumulation of what it's been, attempting to play on it."
DeRozan, who was selected for the upcoming All-Star Game, is averaging 25.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists this season.
"It's too early to say. I always take everything day by day," DeRozan said, when asked if he will rule himself out of the All-Star Game.
"Get some rest, wake up, see how I feel tomorrow, get it checked out, get a better idea of what exactly it is, have a better idea of how to treat it and how to deal with it.
"It's something that I've been playing on for the last month and a half, just never said anything. Just want to get it right, especially going to the break."
Kyrie Irving scored 26 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter but it was not enough as the fast-finishing Dallas Mavericks lost 124-121 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
Irving and Luka Doncic (33 points) combined for 69 points for the Mavs, who trailed 100-82 at three-quarter time and rallied from a 26-point deficit.
The Mavs point guard, however, lost the ball to Taurean Prince with an errant pass on the final possession, denying Dallas getting a shot away to tie the game after a disrupted play where he exchanged passes with Doncic.
Irving's 26-point fourth quarter was the highest scoring quarter of his career, finishing the game on 15-of-23 shooting with four-of-nine from beyond the arc, along with five rebounds and six assists.
Doncic had 12 rebounds and six assists with his 33 points, while Christian Wood added 24 points off the bench.
For the triumphant Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards scored a team-high 32 points with five rebounds, while Rudy Gobert had 21 points and 14 rebounds.
The defeat means the Mavs have lost both games Doncic and Irving have played together since the latter's trade from the Brooklyn Nets last week.
Lillard leads long-range Blazers blitz over Lakers
Damien Lillard scored 40 points as the Portland Trail Blazers hit 23 three-pointers in a 127-115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, who were missing LeBron James for the third straight game with a sore left ankle.
The Blazers' 23 triples were a season-best, while they broke their first-half franchise record with 17 three-pointers. Lillard led the way from range, making eight-of-14 three-point attempts.
Malik Beasley came off the bench to top score for the Lakers with 22 points, including six three-pointers, while Anthony Davis scored 19 points with 20 rebounds and three blocks.
Mitchell stars as Spurs lose 13th straight
Donovan Mitchell scored 41 points with five three-pointers as the Cleveland Cavaliers condemned the San Antonio Spurs to a joint franchise record 13th straight defeat.
The Cavs won 117-109 led by Mitchell with Jarrett Allen adding 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, securing their seventh successive victory to improve their record to 38-22.
The loss leaves San Antonio with a 14-44 record, with their run of defeats marking their worst since the 1988-89 season.
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