Paul George enjoyed leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 113-103 win over the Phoenix Suns, who he again accused of "chirping" in a heated encounter.
The Clippers and the Suns are each in contention in the West, but Phoenix's hopes of reeling in leaders the Utah Jazz were hit by Thursday's defeat.
This was the teams' second meeting of the season and the Clippers' second win, with George influential in both.
The seven-time All-Star had a season-high 39 points back in January, after he which he claimed the game had seen "a lot of chirping and people just living in the past".
And the same phrase came up again on Thursday after 33 points on 12-for-19 shooting.
It was a third straight Clippers win against a team in the playoff places in the West, with George also scoring 39 against the Portland Trail Blazers, but the in-form forward was especially motivated for this game.
"We focused on us," George said. "I don't know what that chirp is about. We focused on us.
"I don't care what they're doing over there. I don't care who they are or what they're doing.
"I'm locked in. They can do the chirping, I let them have it tonight. I just stayed in my zone, stayed in my place, I don't know.
"I don't care what they're doing. We're focused on us over here. We're focused on getting better. Tonight was a fun matchup, and we appreciate the challenge."
Suns star Devin Booker had both a flagrant foul and a technical foul on Thursday, while Patrick Beverley (one flagrant) and Marcus Morris Sr (two technicals) were both ejected for the Clippers.
Booker and George each had technicals in the first game – one of only two for the latter all season.
Clippers coach Ty Lue said: "I don't have any concerns. I love it.
"When you are competing at a high level against one of the best teams in the league, do what you've go to do to win. And I thought our guys were physical. We competed, we fought.
"There are going to be games like this where it is going to be chippy. They are fighting for something, we are fighting for something, so it is going to happen and I am okay with it."
Mike Trout continued his prolific start to the new Major League Baseball season with a homer in a third straight game as the Los Angeles Angels won 7-5 against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.
With the game tied at 3-3 at the top of the fifth, Trout creamed Blue Jays right-hander Ross Stripling a projected 444 feet for a solo home run.
"That one definitely had some flight attendants working on it," Angels manager Joe Maddon joked.
In the first of their four-game series in Dunedin, Florida, Trout starred with 3-for-5 but fell a triple short of the cycle in the victory.
On Trout's form, Maddon added: "There's no surprise element to any of this. He's not doing anything new, it's actually a lot of old stuff."
Yermin Mercedes endeared himself to the Chicago White Sox fans in their home opener with a monster 485-foot home run.
The home run in their 6-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals was Mercedes' second of the season and goes down as the third-longest hit by a White Sox player in Guaranteed Rate Field history.
Mets walk-off controversy, Jose lift off for Astros
The New York Mets' 3-2 walk-off victory over the Miami Marlins ended in controversy and the winners admitted they got lucky.
After Jeff McNeil tied the game at 2-2 in the ninth with a home run, the Mets had bases loaded as Michael Conforto stepped up.
After two strikes, a pitch grazed Conforto's elbow pad and home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa initially appeared set to call a third strike before changing mid-motion to say the pitch hit the batter, earning the Mets the run they needed.
"Not the way I wanted to win the ballgame," Conforto said post-game. "I wanted to go up there and drive the ball somewhere.
"From my point of view, it was a slider. I felt it was coming back toward me and I turned. There may have been a little lift of my elbow just out of habit, out of reaction, and it barely skimmed the edge of my elbow guard."
Marlins manager Don Mattingly was left frustrated that they could not review the call.
"You'd think with all the replay we do that you could say, 'That ball's a strike'," he said.
The Houston Astros improved to a 6-1 record with a 6-2 triumph over the struggling Oakland Athletics, with Jose Altuve delivering a home run in their home opener after a long wait.
The Minnesota Twins won 10-2 against the Seattle Mariners, while the Boston Red Sox won 7-3 on the road to the Baltimore Orioles.
Fails for the A's
The A's slumped to a 1-7 record with their loss to the Astros, where it took them until the ninth inning to get on the board.
Grichuk grasps Trout hit
Trout's day may have been a little bit better for the Angels if not for Randal Grichuk's sensational diving catch in center in the ninth.
Thursday's results
New York Mets 3-2 Miami Marlins
Chicago Cubs 4-2 Pittsburgh Pirates
Boston Red Sox 7-3 Baltimore Orioles
Colorado Rockies 7-3 Arizona Diamondbacks
Chicago White Sox 6-0 Kansas City Royals
Minnesota Twins 10-2 Seattle Mariners
St Louis Cardinals 3-1 Milwaukee Brewers
Los Angeles Angels 7-5 Toronto Blue Jays
Houston Astros 6-2 Oakland Athletics
Rays against Yankees
Last year's American League champions the Tampa Bay Rays have had a slow start at 2-4 and they take on the New York Yankees (3-3).
The Milwaukee Bucks lost again without Giannis Antetokounmpo on Thursday, but coach Mike Budenholzer believes the two-time MVP's absence can benefit his team.
The Bucks completed a six-game road trip against the Dallas Mavericks, going down 116-101 at American Airlines Center.
Antetokounmpo featured in the first three of those games, yet he missed the next three after scoring a season-high 47 points against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The 'Greek Freak' leads Milwaukee in points (28.8), assists (6.2) and rebounds (11.4) per game, while also contributing 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals.
Knee soreness is impacting Antetokounmpo's bid for a third straight MVP triumph, but it is also hindering the Bucks. The team are 29-16 when their superstar plays but just 3-3 without him.
Milwaukee were not helped against the Mavs by poor shooting displays from Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, their second and third men.
Middleton was an alarming 6-for-27 from the field for 14 points – 22.2 per cent, his second-worst outing of the year – as Holiday, who signed a lucrative contract extension last week, was 6-for-16 for 13 points.
Budenholzer acknowledged both players must perform better as he suggested the Bucks needed to adapt to playing when Antetokounmpo is not on the floor.
The 26-year-old forward played just 30.4 minutes per game last season when Milwaukee led the East, but he has been relied on for 34.0 minutes in 2020-21.
"The guys are getting more opportunities," Budenholzer said. "There's a little bit more of a load on both Jrue and Khris. I think they're learning to take that.
"We didn't make enough shots tonight; Khris, Jrue didn't make enough shots. We're getting better. We'll learn from these things.
"Playing without Giannis, he can't play 48 minutes, so I think there's going to be good stretches for us when Giannis doesn't play and we'll grow from these experiences playing without him."
While the Bucks struggled without their big name, Dallas got 27 points, nine assists and nine rebounds from Luka Doncic.
But the Slovenian also earned his 12th technical foul of the season. That tally has steadily increased over his NBA career – five in his rookie year, nine last year – and he is now just four shy of a one-game suspension.
"He's aware," coach Rick Carlisle said. "My level of concern is there. But look, he's an emotional competitor. It all comes from the right place.
"He's smart, he knows where the count is. If he's going to get his 16th, he'll get it in a situation where it's time for a day of rest anyway. I'm not really that worried about it."
It was a big win for the Mavs, who returned to winning ways after a shock defeat to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday ended a run of five successive victories since Doncic returned from a short lay-off due to illness.
"This was a playoff-type game [against the Bucks], playoff-calibre in terms of intensity and competitiveness and the talent on the floor," Carlisle said. "We did a much, much better job, top to bottom, than we did last night."
Dallas also got 26 points, 17 rebounds and two blocks out of Kristaps Porzingis. Eleven of his points came in the fourth quarter on 4-for-4 shooting after failing to attempt a single field goal in the final 12 minutes against the Rockets.
Porzingis said of his relationship with Doncic: "We're trying to play together and help each other. We want to win – at the end, we all want to win here.
"We have to keep playing, keep playing together, playing well and helping each other."
At the onset of the season, the Atlanta Hawks were a trendy pick to be a team that could fight their way into the playoffs and be tough to eliminate in a postseason series.
Sure, they finished mere percentage points ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the worst record in the Eastern Conference last season, but with the returning core of All-Star Trae Young, John Collins and De'Andre Hunter, plus the offseason additions of Clint Capela, Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Rajon Rondo, there was plenty of reason to believe the Hawks could capture their first playoff berth since 2017 in a top-heavy yet mostly mediocre Eastern Conference.
Injuries to Hunter, Gallinari and Bogdanovic, however, stunted Atlanta's growth, and the team sputtered over the season's first two months. And with another blown fourth-quarter lead in a loss to Southeast Division rivals the Miami Heat on February 28, the Hawks' record dropped to 14-20 as they slid into 11th place in the East, prompting team president Travis Schlenk to fire coach Lloyd Pierce less than halfway into his third season at the helm.
Schlenk believed the season could be salvaged and needed a new voice, promoting assistant Nate McMillan to interim coach.
The Hawks have responded.
They've since compiled a 13-5 record – behind only the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers among East clubs – to move into a virtual tie for the Southeast lead with the Charlotte Hornets, and into fifth place in the conference. They have also navigated around a recent injury to Collins, going 4-1 since he sprained his left ankle.
There are several reasons for Atlanta's surge, but it's no coincidence the turnaround under McMillan has coincided with the return of Bogdanovic.
Lured away from the Sacramento Kings on a four-year, $72million deal, Bogdanovic looked like a bust early, averaging 9.9 points on 38.5 per cent shooting and 36.2 per cent on three-point attempts in his first nine games, before missing the next 25 through the end of February with a sprained knee.
After working out the rust over a few games upon returning, Bogdanovic has found his shot and is thriving.
Since March 24, his 66.4 eFG (effective field goal) percentage ranks third in the NBA among the 99 players with a minimum of 75 attempts, while his 53.3 per cent shooting from beyond the arc ranks fifth among the 92 shooters with at least 35 three-point tries.
He was inserted into the starting lineup on March 26, and with Bogdanovic and Young together on the court, the Hawks have been lethal, averaging 117.1 points per 100 possessions, 49.4 per cent shooting and 45.7 per cent on three-pointers. Without them, they are averaging 102.7 points per 100 possessions, 41.7 per cent on field goals and 33.3 per cent on threes.
Bogdanovic has been especially deadly from the wing since McMillan tabbed him as a starter. Since March 26, his 21 three-pointers from the wing is just one fewer than Miami's Duncan Robinson for the league lead, while his 46.7 per cent shooting from the wing ranks fourth among the 47 players with a minimum of 25 attempts.
Young's scoring has dropped since Bogdanovic cracked the starting five (20.9 ppg since March 26 after previously averaging 25.8 ppg), but he's been distributing the ball to his teammates a little more (10.4 assists per game since March 26 after previously averaging 9.4 apg).
Since March 26, Young has assisted on 20 made baskets by Bogdanovic – the most by a guard to a single teammate – and 16 by Capela.
The Young-to-Capela show is nothing new, however, as Young has fed Capela on 99 made baskets on the season – fourth-most by any player to a teammate. Atop that list is Young’s 121 assists to Collins, and the Hawks are hopeful the two can add to this number as early as next week with Collins back practising.
Capela has had more opportunities inside with Collins sidelined, but really, he's been a beast in the paint all season.
The league's top offensive rebounder at 4.8 per game, Capela is third in the NBA in second-chance scoring at 4.6 points per game (minimum 20 games played).
His production in the interior has also increased with Bogdanovic starting, as he has been averaging 6.7 dunks and layups per game since March 26 – second in the league behind Zion Williamson's average of 10.6 per game. Prior to March 26, Capela averaged 5.5 dunks and layups per game.
Like Bogdanovic, Gallinari also got off to a sluggish start to the season and also dealt with an ailment, missing 12 games with multiple foot injuries. But also, similarly to Bogdanovic, he's found his stroke.
After averaging 11.2 points on 38.6 per cent shooting from the floor and 37.8 per cent from beyond the arc in his first 23 games, Gallinari is averaging 16.3 points on 47.6 per cent shooting – including 43.5 per cent on threes in his last 15. He's been one of the league's best at connecting on three-pointers from the wing since March 1, draining 47.1 per cent – the fourth-highest rate in the league among the 77 players with 50 or more attempts.
Gallinari hasn't been the only contributor off the bench for the Hawks over the last week.
At the trade deadline, the Hawks shipped Rondo to the Los Angeles Clippers for 16-year veteran Lou Williams to provide another scorer off the bench. The three-time Sixth Man of the Year Award winner is averaging 13.2 points and 3.4 assists in four games, rejuvenating the reserves since making his Hawks debut on April 1.
With Williams on board, Atlanta's bench ranks fifth in scoring (43.6 ppg), ninth in shooting (46.8 per cent) and second in three-point shooting (53.8 per cent) since the start of April. Prior to April, the bench ranked 27th in scoring (31.7 ppg), 30th in shooting (40.3 per cent) and 16th in three-point shooting (35.9 per cent).
While the Hawks have become healthier – despite the recent injury to Collins – and are getting more production from their bench, they are also showing a proficiency at closing out games. Instead of wilting late, they are now flourishing.
The loss to the Heat on February 28 marked the 11th setback of the season for Atlanta in a game in which they led in the fourth quarter, and only league-worst Minnesota had more through the end of February with 12. Since the beginning of March, however, the Hawks are 13-2 when holding a fourth-quarter lead, and only the Denver Nuggets (15), Brooklyn Nets (14) and Phoenix Suns (14) have more such victories.
The Hawks' recent fourth-quarter figures are startling. Their PPG average has been 27.7 since March 1 after being 27.1 previously, representing a small improvement. Yet in that same period their opponents have averaged just 24.3 fourth-quarter points compared to 29.0 in the first 34 games of the season, Atlanta's three-point percentage has switched from 34.8 per cent before March to 41.9 per cent during the games since, and their PPG differential has switched up from being minus 1.9 prior to the upturn to plus 3.4 in their subsequent outings.
That means in terms of fourth-quarter progression they have gone from being 15th in PPG in games before March to eighth since, from 29th to second in opposition PPG, from 19th to second in three-point percentage, and from 29th to first place in PPG/difference.
Atlanta have played their way into a playoff position, and now the trick is staying there. One advantage the Hawks have going for them, though, is they have a relatively easy path the rest of the way.
Through the end of February when the team fired Pierce, Atlanta had the eighth-toughest strength of schedule (.512 opponents' winning percentage). The Hawks then made their push since the beginning of March with a schedule that was the eighth easiest (.478), and now they have the sixth-easiest schedule through the rest of the season (.480).
The Milwaukee Bucks dropped their second game without Giannis Antetokounmpo going down 116-101 to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA on Thursday night.
Mavs center Kristaps Porzingis dominated with 26 points including four three-pointers, along with 17 rebounds, with Slovenian guard Luka Doncic top scoring with 27 points.
The Bucks were without two-time MVP Giannis due to knee soreness, missing his third straight game as Milwaukee slipped to 32-19.
Milwaukee produced a 14-0 run in the third with Donte DiVincenzo scoring 22 points and Bobby Portis pulling down 14 rebounds but Dallas dominated the last quarter to take out the win.
The Los Angeles Lakers dropped another game without LeBron James and Anthony Davis as Jimmy Butler dazzled for the Miami Heat in a 110-104 victory.
Butler scored 28 points, with seven rebounds and five assists for Miami who trailed at the main break.
The Lakers have lost six of their past 10 matches with a 32-20 record and are fifth in the West.
Clippers blanket Suns, Jazz blow away Blazers
In a crucial clash in the West, the Los Angeles Clippers finished strong to edge the in-form Phoenix Suns 113-103 led by Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
George had 33 points including seven three-pointers, seven rebounds and three assists, while Leonard scored 27 points, with five rebounds and five assists.
New Clippers recruit Rajon Rondo added 15 points and nine assists off the bench too, as they improved to 35-18, with the Suns 36-15 after their eight-game winning run ended.
Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points as the ladder leading Utah Jazz blew away the Portland Trail Blazers with a 40-19 third quarter to win 122-103.
Jazz center Rudy Gobert had 20 rebounds along with his 18 points while Damian Lillard scored 23 points and had five rebounds and six assists for the Blazers.
The Chicago Bulls were too good for the undermanned Toronto Raptors 122-113 with Deadline Day additions Nikola Vucevic and Daniel Theis starring.
New Heat recruit hurt
Heat guard Victor Oladipo played 25 minutes and scored 18 points in their win over the Lakers but he went off late with an apparent left knee injury which will have Miami sweating on their new recruit.
Kawhi dunks on Suns
The commentators were left staggered when Leonard drove into the key and produced a massive right-hand dunk in the third of the Clippers win over the Suns.
Thursday's results
Chicago Bulls 122-113 Toronto Raptors
Miami Heat 110-104 Los Angeles Lakers
Cleveland Cavaliers 129-102 Oklahoma City Thunder
Dallas Mavericks 116-101 Milwaukee Bucks
Los Angeles Clippers 113-103 Phoenix Suns
Detroit Pistons 113-101 Sacramento Kings
Utah Jazz 122-103 Portland Trail Blazers
76ers in The Big Easy
Joel Embiid's Philadelphia 76ers (35-16) go to Zion Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans (22-29) looking to re-claim top spot in the East.
Top seed Ashleigh Barty moved into the quarter-finals with a three-set win over Shelby Rogers while Petra Kvitova and Garbine Muguruza exited in the Round of 16 of the Volvo Car Open in Charleston.
World number one Barty was pushed all the way by 52nd ranked Rogers, with both players trading breaks in the final set, before the Australian prevailed 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-4.
The victory extends Barty's winning streak to eight matches having won last week's Miami Open.
Barty won 82 per cent of first serve points and sent down 10 aces to get the edge on the American, who saved eight of 13 break points throughout the match.
"The conditions are difficult. It's pretty quick," Barty said in her on-court interview post-game.
"Shelby was able to control the centre of court for a lot of the match. It was about trying to get control when I could. She's an exceptional player, it's always a fight no matter what surface or where we are in the world. It's always one that I enjoy."
Barty will play Spaniard 71st ranked Paula Badosa in the quarter-finals after she beat Caty McNally 6-3 6-3.
Third seed Kvitova was the major casualty on Thursday, losing 6-4 6-1 to Montenegrin Danka Kovinic.
The first set was tightly fought before Kovinic pulled away as Kvitova's errors mounted.
"We both have pretty big serves and she's very good hitting from the baseline," Kovinic said post-game. "Today it was the key that I tried, and did it really well, to take her pace of the ball and use her energy."
Sixth seed Garbine Muguruza also bowed out injured, despite leading 6-0 2-2 against 11th seed Yulia Putintseva.
Muguruza laboured for a few games after a medical time-out before retiring with a left leg injury. Putintseva will next face Kovinic.
Seeds Ons Jabeur, Veronika Kudermetova and Cori Gauff also progressed to the last eight, while Sloane Stephens won in straight sets against Ajla Tomljanovic.
Meanwhile at the Copa Colsanitas second round in Bogota, seventh seed Tereza Martincova was knocked out, going down 6-3 6-3 to Colombian teenager Maria Osorio Serrano.
On the outdoor clay courts, fifth Tamara Zidansek moved into the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-3 win over Giulia Gatto-Monticone, while Harmony Tan beat Daniela Seguel.
Rory McIlroy's quest for a career Grand Slam may have to wait another year after an underwhelming opening day at the Masters, but he says he was encouraged by the way he finished his round.
The 31-year-old Northern Irishman made six bogeys on the first day at Augusta, finishing with a four-over 76, leaving him well off the pace set by Justin Rose with a seven-under 65.
McIlroy's best ever finish at the Masters was fourth in 2015, having won the 2012 and 2014 US PGA Championship, 2011 U.S. Open and 2014 Open Championship.
"My goal is to play well and at least give myself a chance," McIlroy told a news conference after his opening round.
"Honestly I'm quite encouraged with how I hit it on the way in. I hit some loose shots out there, but after hitting the six iron in the water on 13, I hit some really good shots coming in, so I'm encouraged by that.
"It was just one of those days where I wasn't very efficient with my scoring.
"You're sort of fighting against momentum, but if you make a birdie then you can sort of get going, and [it was] just one of those days.
"But I hung in there, hit some good shots coming in, could have made a couple more birdies, but it's not as if anyone is going really low out there.
"Hopefully feel a little more comfortable tomorrow, go out there and shoot a good one."
There was a bizarre moment for McIlroy when his approach on the seventh hit an onlooker, which was later revealed to be his father, Gerry.
"It was a perfect shot; it was dead straight but I think he was okay," McIlroy said.
"He didn't limp away. He walked away pretty swiftly, so that was all right."
He added: "I knew it was my dad when I was aiming at him."
Justin Rose "reset" after a tough start at the Masters before firing a stunning seven-under 65 to take the first-round lead on Thursday.
The Englishman produced his best ever round at Augusta, equalling the second largest first-round lead in Masters history with his four-stoke advantage.
Such a position looked unlikely for Rose when he bogeyed the seventh hole to be at two over.
But his response was incredible with an eagle at eight and birdie at nine, before six more birdies followed on the back nine.
Rose said the eagle at the eighth hole was what he needed to settle into the tournament.
"It maybe settled me down if I'm honest. I kind of knew two over through seven is not the end of the world, but also knew you're going in the wrong direction," he told a news conference.
"You can't win the golf tournament today. Even with a 65 you can't win it today. You can only probably lose it today, obviously.
"And I was very aware being a couple over through seven that things weren't – I didn't hit the panic button yet, but I reset just prior to that and thought if I can get myself back around even par, you know, that would be a good day's work.
"So obviously the eagle, boom, straight back in there, and I guess almost just piggybacking with a birdie straightaway at number nine, suddenly I turned in one under, and I could feel like I could actually leave the front nine behind as a job well done and kind of move to the back nine and try and build a score.
"From that point on I kind of was aware that the lead was only three, and if I played a decent back nine it was basically a very good day's work. And then I just got on a great run and was just trying to stay out of my own way and just try to get it to the clubhouse and keep doing what I was doing."
Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion, said his putting was key to his incredible round.
"I putted the ball beautifully and read the greens unbelievably well. If you had said to me walking up the eighth hole, I'd have said no chance, this course is playing a little too tricky for that," he said.
"But it's incredible. It's a good reminder that you just never know what can happen out there, just to stick with it on the golf course."
Rose is four strokes clear of Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss another match for the Milwaukee Bucks after being ruled out of Thursday's game against the Dallas Mavericks with knee soreness.
The 26-year-old two-time NBA MVP has missed Milwaukee's past two games since scoring 47 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in Friday's win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
In Antetokounmpo's absence, the Bucks suffered a surprise loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday and beat the Sacramento Kings by one point on Saturday.
The Bucks confirmed his absence for Thursday's game an hour ahead of tip-off as they look to improve from 32-18.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said on Tuesday: "He was warming up tonight and just felt it a little bit. Just made the decision that tonight was not a good night, it was a night he should be out."
Antetokounmpo has had an outstanding NBA season for the Bucks, averaging 28.8 points per game with a field goal percentage of 56.5.
He also has 6.2 assists per game and 11.4 rebounds per game this season.
Justin Rose surged into a four-shot lead as Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau were among the big names to endure first-round struggles at The Masters.
Rose was two over through seven holes in tough scoring conditions, with quicker and firmer Augusta greens proving a much bigger challenge than when Dustin Johnson won the tournament with a record score of 20 under last November.
The Englishman sparked into life with an eagle at the par-five eighth hole and lit up the back nine to card a magnificent seven-under 65, the lowest Masters round of his career, with patrons allowed back in under blue skies.
Rose, eyeing a maiden Masters title, got on a roll with seven birdies in nine holes before finishing with a composed par to retain his four-stroke advantage.
Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama shared the early clubhouse lead with impressive three-under opening rounds of 69 before Rose stormed clear.
Defending champion Johnson shot a two-over 74 following a double bogey at the 18th, having made a bogey-birdie start before getting in the red for the first time at 13.
Masters debutant Will Zalatoris, Webb Simpson, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Patrick Reed will start their second rounds on two under following encouraging starts, while new father Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele are among a clutch of players at level par.
McIlroy suffered a miserable opening round and is back on four over, facing a battle to make the cut rather than fight it out to complete a career Grand Slam, while U.S. Open champion DeChambeau was four over through 15.
Jordan Spieth was left to rue a triple-bogey after launching a wayward tee shot into the trees at the ninth but was in a share of eighth on one under after chipping in for an eagle at 15, while Justin Thomas was a further stroke back through 15.
Brooks Koepka matched Johnson's 74 just a few weeks after undergoing knee surgery and the previously in-form Lee Westwood is languishing on six over.
Tommy Fleetwood generated a roar from those fortunate enough to be at the 16th to see him make a hole-in-one before he signed for a 74.
Top seed Dan Evans was knocked out of the Sardegna Open as Lorenzo Musetti saved four match points to progress to the quarter-finals.
NIneteen-year-old Musetti trailed 6-3 in the third-set tie-break after letting an earlier match point slip through his grasp.
But Evans could not convert any of his first three match points and, after Musetti let another one go begging, the Briton failed to take advantage of his fourth opportunity.
Evans' profligacy eventually proved costly, Musetti converting his third match point with a well-executed forehand drop shot to clinch a 6-1 1-6 7-6 (10-8) triumph.
Seven of Musetti's 12 ATP Tour level wins have now come against players in the top 35 of the rankings.
"The secret for me is not to think about [their ranking], to just play them like other opponents," said Musetti, quoted on the ATP website. "I try to play my game… and try to play as good as I can.
"That is what I did. With them, I always play good. I don't know why. I have no pressure and I feel free. I have no pressure to win and today was the same."
Sixth seed John Millman lost in straight sets to Laslo Djere, but third seed Lorenzo Sonego eased past Gilles Simon 6-4 6-1 to set up a meeting with Yannick Hanfmann, who overcame Marco Cecchinato.
At the Andalucia Open, the seeds tumbled out in Thursday's action.
Second seed Fabio Fognini was thrashed 6-2 6-1 by Jaume Munar, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina lost in straight sets to Ilya Ivashka and sixth seed Feliciano Lopez was undone by a comeback from Carlos Alcaraz.
Seventeen-year-old Alcaraz recovered after losing the first set to beat veteran Lopez 4-6 6-2 6-4. Bucking the trend of the day, third seed Casper Ruud prevailed 6-3 6-2 against Gianluca Mager.
Defending champion Dustin Johnson failed to hit the ground running in testing conditions when he started the defence of his Masters title on Thursday.
Johnson donned the green jacket for the first time last November, finishing the tournament on a record-breaking 20 under par.
The world number one made only four bogeys as he blew the field away in the 2020 major at Augusta, but he dropped two shots in his opening five holes five months later, with patrons returning under blue skies.
Birdies were at a premium when the tournament got under way on much quicker, firmer greens than those seen in last year's tournament.
Two-time major champion Johnson started by dropping a shot after running through the first green with his second shot. Although he hit straight back with a birdie at the par-five second, Johnson was back at one over after failing to sink a par putt at the fifth.
Hideki Matsuyama led the way on three under through eight holes after draining an eagle putt at the eighth, with Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Si Woo Kim just a shot behind.
New father Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed and Paul Casey were among a host of players on one under following early birdies.
The recently in-form Lee Westwood was struggling on three over through six after a double bogey at the third, while Rory McIlroy dropped to one over with a dropped shot at the fifth and Brooks Koepka was level par eight holes into his first round.
The 85th Masters got under way on Thursday with Dustin Johnson waiting in the wings to defend his title at Augusta.
Honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Lee Elder signalled the opening of the 2021 tournament, which officially began with twosome Michael Thompson and Hudson Swafford teeing off.
Reigning champion Johnson, who secured his second major with an imperious victory in Georgia five months ago, will tee off at 10:30 local time (14:30 GMT) alongside two-time runner-up Lee Westwood and U.S. Amateur Championship winner Tyler Strafaci.
The world number one has earned top-10 finishes at each of his past five Masters outings and holds the tournament scoring record after his stunning 20-under 268 last November.
Johnson is aiming to become the first man since Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002 to win consecutive green jackets.
Though Woods is absent as he continues his recovery from a recent car accident, Johnson will face stiff competition from the likes of Jordan Spieth.
The 2015 champion ended a 1,351-day wait for a PGA Tour victory at the Texas Open last week and will head out in the final group to tee off at 14:00 local time (18:00 GMT), along with US PGA Championship victor Collin Morikawa and Cameron Smith.
Rory McIlroy has a career Grand Slam in his sights and his bid to become the sixth golfer to achieve the feat begins with new father Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele for company.
The Northern Irishman is still waiting for a maiden green jacket but boasts a strong record in the event, having finished in the top 10 in six of the last seven editions.
Brooks Koepka will play with Bubba Watson and Viktor Hovland, while Bryson DeChambeau joins Adam Scott and Max Homa.
Justin Thomas, Tony Finau and Louis Oosthuizen form another group, with Sergio Garcia starting alongside Webb Simpson and Christiaan Bezuidenhout, while Patrick Reed will measure himself against Paul Casey and Daniel Berger.
Phil Mickelson, the man with the most major titles (five) in the field as Woods is absent, will appear alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Scottie Scheffler.
The Phoenix Suns defeated the Utah Jazz on Wednesday to close the gap at the top of the Western Conference, but coach Monty Williams insisted first place was not on his mind.
Williams has led a remarkable turnaround this season, with the Suns having a 34-39 record last year that was boosted significantly by an eight-game winning run in the seeding games in the 'bubble'.
However, Phoenix is 36-14 in the 2020-21 campaign and, following a 117-113 overtime defeat of the Jazz, they are breathing down Utah's necks.
"We just don't focus on any of that stuff," Williams said.
"I hear it, and I hope we do, but our goal has always been to win every game, improve every month - I've said that since I've been here. This team has to go through these types of experiences to win big.
"Being number one in the West would be a huge accomplishment for us, but it's just not our focus.
"We just want to win every game we can. If it means we're number one in the West, then great."
The Suns have not played in the postseason since 2009-10, but this game served as playoff preparation.
"We've always said we want to approach every game the same way - that way we don't have to change when we get where we want to go - but the intensity, the physicality, the officiating certainly felt like a playoff game," Williams said. "And going into overtime, it felt just like that."
Chris Paul added: "We needed a game like that, where guys had to play heavy minutes, the intensity of it, the crowd was great, just that energy. We haven't played too many games like that."
Veteran Paul played 43 minutes and contributed 29 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter and five in overtime.
He now ranks fifth in the league for clutch points (115), and Williams said: "Down the stretch, you might not find anybody better than Chris Paul."
The coach also praised the Suns' work in disrupting Utah's shooting from three-point range, where they were 11-for-44, down on a season average of 39.2 per cent.
And Deandre Ayton was singled out after finishing with 12 rebounds, seven of which came on the offensive end.
The Jazz, led by Defensive Player of the Year favourite Rudy Gobert, allowed a season-high 61 rebounds, while only three times have opponents managed more than 16 offensive boards against them.
"We put [Ayton] in a lot of tough positions. Not many guys his size have to do as much as he does," Williams said. "The only other guy, maybe, is Gobert, and he's Defensive Player of the Year.
"We put DA in coverages where he's got to rim-protect but we also switch out with him at times where he's got to guard smaller guys. When they make shots, it's usually a tough shot."
It was the first time in Ayton's career he reached double figures for rebounds against Gobert and the Jazz.
"Everybody's got a job on this team, man," Ayton said, adding: "Competing with Gobert, that's the Defensive Player of our league.
"Him being a presence on both ends of the floor, you're going to have to bring your 'A-game'. He's a strong, physical dude, he knows the game, and I learned a lot, too."
The French Open will take place a week later than initially scheduled this year, a move aimed at increasing the possibility of spectators attending the event in Paris.
Action at Roland Garros was due to begin with qualifying on May 17, reverting back to a more traditional time in the tennis calendar after taking place last year in September and October.
That move was made due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, taking place after the US Open while Wimbledon was cancelled.
With France currently in a third nationwide lockdown as part of measures to slow the rise in COVID-19 cases, the ATP and WTA Tours released a joint statement on Thursday confirming the main draw at Roland Garros will now begin on May 30 instead.
"Tennis has required an agile approach to the calendar over the past 12 months in order to manage the challenges of the pandemic, and this continues to be the case," the statement read.
"The decision to delay the start of Roland Garros by one week has been made in the context of recently heightened COVID-19 restrictions in France, with the additional time improving the likelihood of enhanced conditions and ability to welcome fans at the event.
"Both the ATP and WTA are working in consultation with all parties impacted by the postponement to optimise the calendar for players, tournaments and fans, in the lead-up to and following Roland Garros.
"Further updates will be communicated in due course."
Rafael Nadal is the defending men's champion, the Spaniard having secured the clay-court title for a 13th time in 2020. However, there was a new winner in the women's tournament, Iga Swiatek of Poland defeating Sofia Kenin in the final.
A statement released from the Grand Slam Board backed the move to postpone the French Open, while also announcing the grass-court season will be reduced by one week as a consequence.
"All four grand slam tournaments are united in their view on the importance of a meaningful build-up to every grand slam, to provide players of all competitive levels with appropriate opportunities to practice, prepare and compete on the relevant surface," a statement released via Wimbledon's official website read.
"It was for this reason that the grand slams, together with the Tours, were supportive of changes to the calendar to create an enhanced grass-court season of three weeks between Roland Garros and the Championships from 2015 onwards. It is widely agreed that this change has been very successfully received.
"However, given the considerable challenges ahead of the FFT in staging Roland Garros, and to avoid further impact on the rest of the calendar, the grass-court season will be reduced by one week in 2021."
Wimbledon will remain as planned, the main draw beginning on June 28 with qualifying taking place the week beforehand.
What's the greatest achievement in the history of sports?
Is there a more difficult question for any fan to answer? It's such a subjective and divisive topic, and one that cannot truly be measured.
But that doesn't mean it's not fun to argue the toss nonetheless and on this day 20 years ago, Tiger Woods staked his own claim for the moniker by completing the unthinkable.
It was on April 8, 2001, when Woods won the Masters for a second time and by doing so he became the first player to ever be in possession of all four of golf's major trophies at the same time.
Because it was done over two seasons, Woods missed out on a calendar Grand Slam so the phenomenal achievement was dubbed the 'Tiger Slam'.
"It was exciting for everybody," four-time major winner Laura Davies recalled when speaking to Stats Perform News.
"I'm sure it was hard work for him and very mentally difficult for him to win all four in a year. It was just exciting to watch Tiger do it.
"It just would have been lovely if he'd done it in one year because it's not quite the same but it's still some achievement to hold all four at one time.
"It was good for the game definitely. I'm a big Tiger fan, I love watching his golf. At the time it was just really exciting and just making golf a more exciting game, more exciting for the younger fans and the game's built because of what he did then."
What Woods did transcended the game and enshrined his name even deeper within the list of all-time sporting greats.
Sadly, Woods will not be at Augusta – where he is a five-time champion – this week due to the injuries he suffered in a serious car accident in Los Angeles in February.
But the magnitude of his achievement will stand the test of time and, two decades on, we have taken a look back at the incredible 'Tiger Slam'.
U.S. Open 2000: Taking apart Pebble Beach
"My words probably can't describe it, so I'm not even going to try."
While Ernie Els, who took a distant share of second at the 2000 U.S. Open struggled to sum up Woods' utter domination at Pebble Beach, we should probably at least try.
Having already blasted into a six-shot lead through two rounds thanks to scores of 65 and 69, it was on the Saturday where Woods' class really told.
As the rest of the field struggled badly in wild playing conditions, Woods recovered from a triple bogey at the third to finish the round at level par and take the lead by 10 strokes – the largest 54-hole advantage at a U.S. Open.
If that's not impressive enough for you, then a closing 67 meant Woods was 15 shots clear of Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez. And, no, that is not a typo.
The Open 2000: Sensational at St Andrews
There was a sense of deja vu at The Open just a month later.
There was a sense of deja vu at The Open just a month later.
Poor gags aside, it truly was remarkable to see Woods in full pomp completely in command of the Old Course at St Andrews – the spiritual home of golf.
Opening with a 67 to sit one shy of leader Els, by the end of Friday's play Woods was three shots clear. By the end of Saturday that lead had doubled to six.
A closing 69 wrapped up victory by eight from Els and Thomas Bjorn, with Woods becoming the youngest person to complete golf's Grand Slam in history.
"It wasn't long ago when I said there'd never be another Jack Nicklaus but we're looking at one. He is the chosen one," Mark Calcavecchia said of Woods at the time.
US PGA Championship 2000: Play-off glory at Valhalla
There wasn't quite the same level of domination for 2000's season-ending major at the US PGA Championship but there was a familiar outcome at Valhalla.
Having led or co-led through three rounds, there was a ding-dong battle on the final day with Bob May, who missed a crucial birdie putt at the 15th on the same hole Woods made a clutch par.
Another gain from Woods at the 17th left them tied going up the last. May drained a 15-footer for birdie, but Woods sank his own pressure putt to force a three-hole play-off.
A birdie at the first additional hole was followed by two pars and that proved enough for Woods to join Ben Hogan as the only player to win three majors in one season.
"Tiger plays a different game than we play," May said after his defeat, with Woods saying of the win: "We never backed off. We went birdie-for-birdie, shot-for-shot. It was a very special day."
Masters 2001: The Tiger Slam
After opening with a steady 70, Woods was five shots back of first-round leader Chris DiMarco but scores of 66 and 68 had him leading by one from Phil Mickelson heading into the final round.
Mickelson was part of a star-studded leaderboard including Calcavecchia, DiMarco, Angel Cabrera, David Duval and Els – all of whom were within three of Woods.
Duval made a good fist of the challenge and even briefly tied for the lead by birdieing the 15th – only to give that shot straight back.
Needing only a par at the last, Woods finished with a birdie for a two-shot win to complete a truly epic moment of sporting history.
The Oakland Athletics ended their run of six consecutive losses to start the season by rallying past MLB champions the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 in extra innings.
Mitch Moreland hit an RBI single in the 10th inning on Wednesday as the Athletics won for the first time in 2021.
The A's were in danger of falling to 0-7 for the first time in their history before Matt Chapman scored on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.
Moreland completed the confidence-boosting comeback in the 10th – a line-drive single scoring Mark Canha from third in Oakland midweek.
"It's definitely not the start we wanted," Moreland said. "We know we're a lot better team than that. We played great in spring and kind of had a little bit of lag. It didn't go our way out of the gate. That's a good win for us."
Trevor Bauer impressed for World Series champions the Dodgers, despite the defeat.
The reigning National League (NL) Cy Young winner allowed three hits and two runs, recording 10 strikeouts for the second consecutive start.
Cain makes history
Lorenzo Cain became the first player in Milwaukee Brewers history to hit two go-ahead home runs in the eighth inning or later in the same game, per Stats Perform. The Brewers overcame the Chicago Cubs 4-2.
Justin Dunn impressed for the Seattle Mariners, who defeated the Chicago White Sox 8-4. He became the first pitcher since Pete Harnisch in 1991 to walk eight-plus batters and allow one hit or fewer in his season debut, via Stats Perform. The only other Mariners pitcher to do so in any regular-season game was Randy Johnson in 1991.
Connor Brogdon became the first Philadelphia Phillies player to have three wins in the team's first six games of a season in the modern era. The Phillies accounted for the New York Mets 8-2.
The Cleveland Indians were 4-2 winners against the Kansas City Royals thanks to Shane Bieber, who became the first MLB pitcher to start multiple seasons with back-to-back 12-plus strike-out games.
Marlins mauled
The Miami Marlins were blanked 7-0 by the St Louis Cardinals, who claimed a series sweep. Zach Pop struggled after giving up four runs and a homer in less than an inning.
Waffles over bat flips for Pederson
Joc Pederson hit his first home run for the Cubs – a game-tying homer in the eighth inning against the Brewers. A World Series winner with the Dodgers last season, the 2015 All-Star celebrated with a waffle maker.
"I hope we're making a lot of waffles," Pederson said after the game. "I don't know. It's [Ian] Happer's. I think I just rented it for a minute, but we'll see. Hopefully we're passing out waffles soon to all of us."
Wednesday's results
Atlanta Braves 7-6 Washington Nationals
Atlanta Braves 2-0 Washington Nationals
Cincinnati Reds 11-4 Pittsburgh Pirates
Cleveland Indians 4-2 Kansas City Royals
Minnesota Twins 3-2 Detroit Tigers
Boston Red Sox 9-2 Tampa Bay Rays
Texas Rangers 2-1 Toronto Blue Jays
Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 Chicago Cubs
Oakland Athletics 4-3 Los Angeles Dodgers
Philadelphia Phillies 8-2 New York Mets
Seattle Mariners 8-4 Chicago White Sox
San Francisco Giants 3-2 San Diego Padres
St Louis Cardinals 7-0 Miami Marlins
Baltimore Orioles 4-3 New York Yankees
Colorado Rockies 8-0 Arizona Diamondbacks
Angels at Blue Jays
The Blue Jays (3-3) will stage their first home series – at their spring base in Dunedin as the coronavirus pandemic prevents them from returning to play in Toronto – starting Thursday. The Los Angeles Angels (4-2) are their opponents.
Devin Booker and Chris Paul helped the Phoenix Suns take down Donovan Mitchell and the NBA-leading Utah Jazz 117-113 after overtime.
Booker posted 35 points, while Paul finished with 29 points as the high-flying Suns moved to within a game of the best record in the league on Wednesday.
DeAndre Ayton finished with 18 points and 12 assists for the Suns (36-14), who won their seventh successive game after scoring the first five points in overtime and never trailed again.
Mitchell – who nailed a three-pointer with 10.4 seconds remaining to force OT – had a game-high 41 points, eight rebounds and three assists for the Jazz (38-13) in a thrilling encounter.
Jazz team-mate Rudy Gobert put up 16 points on seven-for-seven shooting and 18 rebounds in the losing effort on the road.
Kevin Durant made his long-awaited return in the Brooklyn Nets' 139-111 victory against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Durant had been sidelined since February 13 due to a hamstring strain, but the former NBA MVP returned as the star-studded Nets won midweek.
After a 23-game absence, Durant – initially named in the starting five – came off the bench and posted 17 points on five-for-five shooting in 19 minutes, making both of his three-point attempts.
Durant, who received an ovation from the home crowd at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, also collected seven rebounds and tallied five assists against the Pelicans midweek.
Westbrook fuels Wizards with triple
A Russell Westbrook triple-double of 23 points, 15 assists and 14 rebounds led the Washington Wizards past the Orlando Magic 131-116. It was Westbrook's 20th triple-double of the season as the Wizards snapped a four-game losing streak. Bradley Beal returned from a five-game absence and posted 26 points, while the Wizards made a season-best 19 three-pointers.
MVP candidate Nikola Jokic (25 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds) fell just short of his 13th triple-double of the season after the Denver Nuggets topped the San Antonio Spurs 106-96.
Grayson Allen's season-high 30 points helped the streaking Memphis Grizzlies beat the Atlanta Hawks 131-113. Jonas Valanciunas (19 points and 11 rebounds) set a franchise record with his 19th straight game with 10-plus rebounds.
Richardson struggles
It was a rough outing for Josh Richardson in the Dallas Mavericks' 102-93 loss to the lowly Houston Rockets. In 29 minutes, he was 0-for-nine shooting for one point. Richardson missed all six of his three-point attempts.
Grizzlies roar
The Grizzlies are hard to beat at the moment thanks to their collective effort. All five starters finished in double-digit points – Ja Morant tallying 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, including this combination with Kyle Anderson (16 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals).
Wednesday's results
Indiana Pacers 141-137 Minnesota Timberwolves
Washington Wizards 131-116 Orlando Magic
Boston Celtics 101-99 New York Knicks
Brooklyn Nets 139-111 New Orleans Pelicans
Memphis Grizzlies 131-113 Atlanta Hawks
Houston Rockets 102-93 Dallas Mavericks
Charlotte Hornets 113-102 Oklahoma City Thunder
Denver Nuggets 106-96 San Antonio Spurs
Phoenix Suns 117-113 Utah Jazz (OT)
Suns at Clippers
The Suns (36-14) will put their winning streak on the line when they visit Western Conference rivals the Los Angeles Clippers (34-18) on Thursday. The Clippers are third in the west, behind leaders the Jazz and second-placed Suns.
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant said he was not surprised by his perfect shooting performance after making his long-awaited return to the court.
Durant had been sidelined since February 13 due to a hamstring strain, but the former NBA MVP returned as the star-studded Nets took down the New Orleans Pelicans 139-111 on Wednesday.
After a 23-game absence, Durant – initially named in the starting five – came off the bench and posted 17 points on five-for-five shooting in 19 minutes, making both of his three-point attempts.
Durant, who received an ovation from the home crowd at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, also collected seven rebounds and tallied five assists against the Pelicans midweek.
"I expected to come out here and play the way I played," Durant said. "I wasn't trying to ease into the game."
Kyrie Irving had 24 points in the absence of fellow All-Star James Harden (hamstring) as Durant featured alongside recruits LaMarcus Aldridge (22 points) and Blake Griffin (10 points) for the first time.
"When we move our bodies and we move the basketball the way we did and we talk on defense it's fun out there. You have veteran players that know how to play and it feels like these guys can finish my sentence before I even finish," Durant said.
"So these guys know the game inside out they know me they know one another as team-mates and from playing against each other over the years so it's pretty smooth."
Durant added: "We've always been in communication about different sets and different actions when I was on the bench and practices and film room. So I felt like we were learning each other throughout that time and then finally getting on the floor we didn't have to say much.
"I feel like we know each other's games and we know exactly what to do on each play. So guys have been in constant communication no matter if it's a game or off day and I think it helps."
Nets head coach Steve Nash, whose team moved clear of the idle Philadelphia 76ers atop the Eastern Conference, said: "You could see I think that's there's lots of potential there. It's not hard to play basketball with Kevin Durant.
"I think he's gonna make guys better. He demands a lot of attention and creates a lot of space on the floor. He's a shotmaker, but he creates a lot for his team-mates as well, whether it's through passing or his presence. I think that his length also helps the group in a number of ways.
"He affects his team-mates so positively, so I think a lot of the combinations are going to improve because of him being back in the line-up."
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