Auston Matthews urged the Toronto Maple Leafs to finish the job at the earliest opportunity as they bid to clear the first hurdle in the NHL playoffs for the first time since 2004.
A dazzling fightback on Monday saw Toronto surge from 4-1 behind against the Tampa Bay Lightning to win 5-4 in overtime and seize a 3-1 series lead.
The Eastern Conference first-round tussle is a repeat of last year's matchup, when Toronto led 3-2 but wound up losing 4-3.
Tampa Bay went all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, denied glory by the Colorado Avalanche.
Toronto have endured a long wait to win a playoff series, so they will be doubly determined to get this particularly job done at the earliest opportunity having put themselves in such a strong position. Their first chance comes on home ice on Thursday.
After being dominated early on in Monday's game, Matthews got the comeback rolling by scoring twice in the third period to cut Toronto's deficit to 4-3 with 7:31 remaining.
It was Morgan Rielly who levelled up, and Alexander Kerfoot hit the game winner on a power play in overtime.
Matthews said: "I thought in the locker room and everything we stayed focused. Just chip away, chip away."
Asked about game-winner Kerfoot, who has an economics degree from Harvard, Matthews said: "I can't say enough good things about 'Kerf'. He's a guy everyone loves and gravitates to in the locker room and on the ice he's so versatile.
"We all love him in this room, and it was a big goal from him tonight to take hold of the series.
"But we all know in this room that the job's not close to finished. We've got to refocus, enjoy this one, but obviously the fourth one's the hardest one to win."
Reflecting on what it took to win a second consecutive game in OT at Amalie Arena, Matthews said: "This is a loud environment, especially when they get going. I thought halfway through the second we started to find our game a little bit.
"We know who we're up against, the group and what they've accomplished, especially in the last couple of years. We know they're going to be ready to come in Game 5."
Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said his teams were "on top of the puck more" as the game went on.
"We started the game fine, but when they scored, the building gets loud, they get feeling good, they took it to us pretty good the rest of the first," Keefe said.
"The message going into the third was to not go away, stay with it. You're not necessarily thinking you're going to come back in the game, you just want to stay there and give yourself a chance rather than going away and moving on to the next one."
He told his team to win that third period.
"Credit to the group, the spirit of the group, carrying us through to come back in this fashion," Keefe added. "It was outstanding to witness and be a part of."
Kerfoot was the hero of the hour, and the 28-year-old said: "It's what you dream about, scoring goals in overtime in the playoffs.
"There was a lot of belief in our room, even after the first two periods. We started to put the heat on them a little bit, our big guys came though getting us to overtime, and we got one on the power play in the end."
LeBron James described it as "pretty cool" to record a first 20-20 of his career in steering the Los Angeles Lakers to a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoffs series against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The veteran has been fired up for the Lakers in the playoffs and had 22 points to go with 20 rebounds as Los Angeles secured a 117-111 overtime win to take a commanding advantage.
James also had seven assists and committed just one turnover in what was a record-extending 270th playoff game for the NBA's all-time leading points scorer.
"I just try to be as great as I can be offensively, but more importantly on the defensive end," James said.
"That was the mindset tonight. I was able to make a couple of plays. My teammates told me I had 20 and 20. It's the first time I've done it in my career, so that's pretty cool, I guess."
It was James who drained the basket to force overtime then nailed a layup while being fouled that saw the Lakers go up by five in overtime with a little under 30 seconds remaining.
The latter bucket saw James flex his muscles in front of a boisterous home crowd.
"I've been a part of moments where you know you get a dagger play or a kill shot," James said.
"I felt like that play — it wasn't going to close the door, but there wasn't much light at the end. I just let the emotion come out."
Anthony Davis said of James: "He just took over down the stretch. Got us a bucket to get to overtime.
"All our guys [performed], it was a good team effort. This team is not going to go away."
The Lakers will aim to get the series wrapped up back in Memphis in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler scored the fourth-most points in NBA playoff history as he led a remarkable 119-114 comeback win in Monday's Game 4 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The win in front of Miami's home fans gave the Heat a 3-1 series lead against the league's top overall seed, and it was on the back of a spectacular 56-point explosion by Butler.
Butler had 35 points through three quarters as his Heat trailed 89-78 heading into the last period, but after the Bucks jumped ahead 101-89 with just over six minutes remaining, Miami came roaring back.
The Heat put together a 13-0 run from that point to stick their nose in front, setting up Butler to carry his team home.
Butler, a six-time All-Star, put up 21 points in the fourth quarter to finish with 56 all up, shooting 19-of-28 from the field, three-of-eight from deep and 15-of-18 from the free throw line to set a new Miami playoff franchise record.
His 56 points is tied with Charles Barkley (1994), Michael Jordan (1992) and Wilt Chamberlain (1962) for the fourth-most ever in a playoff game, trailing only Donovan Mitchell's 57 (2020), Elgin Baylor's 61 (1962) and MJ's 63 (1986).
No other Miami player scored more than Bam Adebayo's 15 points (six-of-16 shooting), although Caleb Martin provided a crucial spark off the bench with 12 points (four-of-five), nine rebounds and two steals.
For the Bucks, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was terrific in his return from a two-game absence, putting together a big triple-double with 26 points (12-of-22), 13 assists, 10 rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
Brook Lopez was also immense, with the Defensive Player of the Year candidate contributing a team-high 36 points (13-of-23), 11 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
The Bucks will look to keep their season alive back in Milwaukee for Game 5, and if they can take that, they will head back to Miami for Game 6, with a chance to earn a Game 7 at home.
LeBron sets new career high in overtime win
LeBron James is somehow still setting career-highs in year 20, snatching down a personal-best 20 rebounds as he carried the Los Angeles Lakers to a 115-108 home win in Game 4 against the Memphis Grizzlies.
James had never secured more than 19 rebounds in a game before – regular season or playoffs – but he had five offensive rebounds to go with 15 on the defensive end, and his Lakers needed every bit of his efforts.
Trailing 104-102 with six seconds remaining, James was the one to nail the game-tying layup and send the contest to overtime, and he would drain the dagger in the extra period as well with a three-point play against Grizzlies rival Dillon Brooks to jump ahead 113-108 with less than 30 seconds on the clock.
The four-time NBA Finals MVP finished with 22 points on eight-of-18 shooting, dishing seven assists and blocking two shots, and he played a team-high 45 minutes.
James had no choice but to produce given how poorly his star team-mate Anthony Davis played on the offensive end, finishing with just 12 points on four-of-13 shooting, and he only had seven points at the conclusion of regulation, although his 14 rebounds and five blocks were important.
Desmond Bane was the offensive focal point for the Grizzlies, scoring a game-high 36 points on 13-of-29 shooting, while Ja Morant was clearly hampered by his injured shooting hand, finishing eight-of-24 from the field for his 19 points, seven assists and three steals.
The Grizzlies will attempt to keep the series alive when the series heads back to Memphis for Game 5, now trailing 3-1.
The Tampa Bay Rays have officially made the best home start to a season in over 140 years after defeating the Houston Astros 8-3 on Monday.
With the win, the Rays extended their unbeaten home record to 14-0, breaking their tie with the 2009 Los Angeles Angels for the best start in modern history, while they are seven wins away from tying the 21-0 mark set by the 1880 Chicago White Stockings.
While one modern day record was born, another ended, as it was the first game this season that the Rays have not hit a home run. They had broken the record with a home run in each of their first 22 fixtures to start the campaign.
With no long-ball to lean on, the Rays piled up 14 hits, including a four-for-five day at the plate from 22-year-old franchise player Wander Franco.
Franco collected two singles and two doubles, and he also stole the show in the field, coming down with a remarkable over-the-shoulder, bare-handed catch in foul territory.
Rays left-fielder Randy Arozarena currently owns the sixth-best batting average in the majors (.353), and he improved on that figure by going two-for-three with a sacrifice-fly and a hit-by-pitch.
He was one of five Rays with multiple hits, joining Franco, Yandy Diaz, Isaac Paredes and Cristian Bethancourt.
At 20-3, Tampa Bay are four games clear in the race for the best record in the majors.
Strider flirts with perfection
Atlanta Braves young ace Spencer Strider took a perfect game into the eighth inning of his side's 11-0 shutout against the visiting Miami Marlins.
Strider, 24, retired the first 22 batters he faced, before Jean Segura finally broke up the perfect game bid in the eighth frame. He ended up finishing eight innings in 101 pitches, striking out 13 batters while only allowing two hits and no walks.
Strider's 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings as a rookie would have led the majors had he pitched enough innings to qualify, and he does lead the MLB this year with a figure of 14.7.
Gray pitches a gem for the Twins
Veteran starting pitcher Sonny Gray was at his best as his Minnesota Twins defeated the visiting New York Yankees 6-1.
Gray, 33, came into the contest having not allowed more than one earned run in any of his four previous starts this season, and he pitched another seven scoreless frames, allowing three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts.
The performance lowered his ERA to a league-leading 0.62 – joining Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani (0.64) and Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (0.79) as the only players allowing fewer than one run per nine innings.
Just two years ago, Lauri Markkanen had fallen out of the starting lineup for the Chicago Bulls and was scoring a career-low 13.6 points per game.
In 2022-2023, he has been voted the NBA's Most Improved Player after finding a new home with the Utah Jazz.
Markkanen received 69 of 100 first-place votes to claim the award, beating out fellow finalists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson.
Playing for his third team in as many years, Markkanen broke out this season by averaging 25.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists – all improvements on his numbers last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers of 14.8/5.7/1.3. In February, Markkanen played in his first career All-Star game, where he was named a starter.
He is the first Jazz player to win the award, and the Finland native is the seventh international player to claim the honour.
Markkanen received news of winning the award while fulfilling his required military service in Helsinki.
Markkanen has been involved in several trades and failed to put down roots with his two previous clubs, but he was given a larger role with the Jazz after being part of the deal that sent Donovan Mitchell to Cleveland.
After struggling to find his role with the Bulls and Cavaliers, the seven-foot forward has emerged as a cornerstone in Utah.
Markkanen accepted his award remotely on a TNT telecast, crediting his career-best season to his situation with a new team.
"The right place at the right time," Markkanen said of his first season in Utah.
The Atlanta Hawks are preparing for Game 5 against the Boston Celtics without Dejounte Murray after he was hit with a one-game suspension on Monday for his conduct towards an official.
The incident occurred at the end of Atlanta's Game 4 loss, where Murray was seen to make contact with a referee, and he was accused of verbally abusing them also.
He will miss Tuesday's next game in Boston, which could be the last game of the Hawks' season as they go in down 3-1.
Speaking to the media after being alerted of Murray's suspension, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said his young star knows he was out of line, and it makes the task ahead even more difficult.
"Beating Boston in the Garden in the situation we're in right now, we all know is a challenge in and of itself," he said. "[But] it's something the entire group has to absorb.
"Dejounte recognizes his part in the situation. That's just not something you can do. You'd have to ask him directly as far as what had transpired previously.
"I think there was frustration over the course of the game that built up, and he didn't handle it the way that he needs to – he knows that, we talked about it."
As far as filling the gaping hole Murray's absence leaves in the rotation, Snyder was not willing to reveal his thinking.
"Who starts [for Murray]? I'm not sure," he said. "Normally, historically, when one of those guards is out, you could start another guard, or you can go big.
"We just found all this out. We need to meet as a staff and talk about it and see what makes the most sense for us relative to our opponent. Dejounte, not just in this series, but over the course of the year, has been a real important part of what our team does.
"We've got to understand that contributions are going to have to come from a number of different players across the board. I don't think you can plug and play in a situation like this. Everybody's got to do their part."
If the Hawks can take Game 5, they will get a chance to tie the series at 3-3 back home in Game 6.
The Houston Rockets have made a deal to make Ime Udoka the franchise’s next head coach, multiple media outlets reported Monday.
Before committing to Udoka, the Rockets reportedly talked to the league office and the Boston Celtics about the circumstances surrounding the end of his tenure with the Celtics.
Udoka was fired last offseason after the Celtics discovered he was in an inappropriate relationship with a fellow team employee.
Best known in his playing days for his defensive stopper role with the San Antonio Spurs, Udoka’s only season of head coaching experience came in 2021-22, when he led the Celtics to a 51-31 record and an NBA Finals appearance.
At the end of the regular season, the Rockets declined to pick up an option on the contract of Stephen Silas, officially opening a head coaching vacancy.
Silas had a combined record of 59-177 in his three seasons leading Houston through a full roster tear-down and rebuild.
The Rockets will be one of three teams with a 14-percent chance at landing the top overall pick in the 2023 draft as the team looks to build around a very young core of Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason.
At full strength, the Rockets had the second-youngest starting lineup in the league this season, averaging 21 years and 147 days old.
The Milwaukee Bucks will receive a huge boost for Monday's Game 4 against the Miami Heat as two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo returns from a two-game injury absence.
Antetokounmpo missed Game 2 and Game 3 after suffering a hard fall early in Game 1, resulting in a back contusion.
After dropping the series opener, the Bucks responded with an emphatic Game 2 victory at home to tie things up, before the Heat jumped ahead 2-1 with their Game 3 triumph in Miami.
Antetokounmpo finished the regular season top-five in both scoring (31.1 points per game) and rebounding (11.8 rebounds per game), and his return will be an enormous boost for the Bucks, who posted the best record in the league at 58-24.
Speaking before Monday's game, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer declared his star "ready to go".
"We'll keep our eyes on him like we do really all our guys, but there's been nothing put on him from medical or anything like that," he said.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra responded to the news by saying it will be a significantly tougher test with Antetokounmpo in the line-up, but he wants the Bucks at full strength.
"You can do all the prep behind the scenes but [Antetokounmpo] is going to bring it at a different level of physicality and force than what we can cover in a practice," he said.
"We have great respect for him and what he can do... when you get in the playoffs, you want everybody available."
Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox has suffered a fractured fingertip on his shooting hand, although he will reportedly attempt to play in Game 5 of his team's series against the Golden State Warriors.
Fox, 25, is in his first ever playoff series, having been named the NBA's first ever Clutch Player of the Year as he helped the Kings qualify for their first postseason since 2006.
In the opening four games against the Warriors – which they have split 2-2 – Fox averaged 31.5 points, 7.0 assists, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals per contest.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Fox is expected to be listed as doubtful for Game 5, but the team will give him the opportunity to try out a protective covering on the finger before a final decision is made.
The home team has won each of the first four games, and with Game 5 headed back to Sacramento, a loss would hand the Warriors the chance to seal the series at home in Game 6.
If Fox is unable to suit up, the Kings will need a special performance from fellow All-Star Domantas Sabonis, who has averaged 16.3 points, 12.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the series. However, his field goal percentage has dropped from a career-high 61.5 per cent in the regular season down to 48.2 as the Warriors dare him to shoot jump shots.
Aaron Rodgers will be traded to the New York Jets after they agreed a deal with the Green Bay Packers to acquire the four-time MVP quarterback.
Rodgers confirmed last month that he wished to be traded by the Packers to the Jets.
The two sides had struggled to find an agreement in trade talks but reportedly resumed negotiations over the weekend.
Those discussions have netted the desired result, according to multiple reports, with the Jets sending four draft picks to Green Bay to land Rodgers.
Green Bay, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, will receive the 13th overall pick in this year's draft, which starts on Thursday, along with the Jets' second-round pick (No. 42) and a sixth-round pick, as well as a conditional second-round pick in the 2024 draft.
That second-rounder will become a first if Rodgers plays 65 per cent of the offensive snaps in 2023.
In return, the Jets get the Packers' first-rounder this year (No. 15), as well as their fifth-rounder.
The deal ends a saga that has been rumbling since the opening night of the draft in 2021, when reports of Rodgers' dissatisfaction with the Packers first emerged.
Rodgers did eventually report to play in the 2021 season and duly captured a second successive and fourth MVP, though the Packers lost at home in the playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Packers responded to a dismal offensive showing in that 13-10 loss by signing Rodgers to a three-year, $150million extension, a move that appeared increasingly questionable as Green Bay slumped to an 8-9 season, missing the playoffs.
Rodgers endured one of the worst seasons of his career, failing to throw for 4,000 yards in a season in which he played double-digit games for the first time since 2015. He threw 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, his highest tally since his first season as a starter in 2008.
Yet, with his relationship with the Packers broken beyond repair, the Jets are backing Rodgers to rediscover his old magic, having seen their playoff hopes in 2022 derailed by poor quarterback play, their decision to select Zach Wilson second overall in 2021 backfiring spectacularly.
With an extremely talented roster on both sides of the ball, the Jets could arguably become Super Bowl contenders if Rodgers excels, and will be one of the dominant stories of the 2023 season.
Rodgers bids farewell to Green Bay having delivered just one Super Bowl title, which came back in the 2010 season. The Packers, meanwhile, will turn to Jordan Love, the man the Packers selected in the first round of the 2020 draft, drawing Rodgers' ire.
Love will not have the pressure of Super Bowl expectations on his shoulders but, after some promising flashes in limited action last season, Green Bay will look for him to become the next great Packer quarterback having experienced three decades of stellar play at the position between Rodgers and his predecessor Brett Favre, who also left for the Jets in 2008.
Jalen Hurts' record-breaking Philadelphia Eagles contract extension left him with "mixed emotions", with the quarterback declaring: "Money is nice, championships are better".
The Eagles announced Hurts agreed a five-year extension through the 2028 season last week, after he led the team to Super Bowl LVII in his second full season as a starter.
Hurts' deal makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history, with the extension reportedly worth $255million with $179m in guaranteed money.
However, after failing to get Philadelphia over the line against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Hurts is focused on building a legacy, rather than counting his cash.
"Money is nice, championships are better," Hurts said at a press conference called to mark his extension on Monday.
"I have mixed emotions right now. I am grateful, I am thankful, but I am just so hungry. The hard work continues, and the fire continues to burn.
"I've just been on this constant quest of trying to be the best player I can be with no limits, trying to be the best version of myself, the best player, leader and man I can be. That will never change."
Hurts led the Eagles to a 14-3 record last season, passing for 3,701 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions for a 101.5 QB rating in 15 regular-season games.
Given his young age, Philadelphia chief executive Jeffrey Lurie believes the franchise can expect much more from Hurts in the coming years.
"Franchises go through special moments, and this is one for the Philadelphia Eagles," Lurie said.
"It's crucial, no matter what, that you can find your quarterback for the present and the future, and to have that person be as sterling a character and as passionate about his craft and as dedicated as this young 24-year-old is... is remarkable."
Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls have not won a Netball World Cup medal since 2007 when they took bronze in New Zealand.
When they descend upon Cape Town for the 2023 edition of the sport’s showpiece global event, the Commonwealth Games silver medallists will be very aware of their World Cup medal drought, according to Head Coach Connie Francis.
“They are very anxious and hungry to go out there and get one,” Francis told SportsMax.TV.
“We have not medalled in 16 years and I know that the girls are aware of that, especially this bunch. It will be fantastic,” Francis added.
As far as preparation goes, Francis says everything is going according to plan.
“It is going well. We took a break in our preparation for the girls to get some court time playing against each other and it’s really for the selectors and myself to assess and see the players that we need in our squad and I thought that the Elite League provided that,” she said.
“We see some young talent coming through and that’s a positive,” she added.
An initial squad of 28 players will be selected on May 13 before it is cut down to 21 a week later. On May 27, the final 15-member squad will be selected for the World Cup.
Francis described the selection of the squad as a “work in progress.”
“It’s not close, especially for the ones here in Jamaica. It’s a work in progress,” she said.
“It’s about that effort behind the work and seeing players improve every time they’re out there because we’ll be playing nine games in ten days. So, it’s about executing our sessions well and replicating the same things in competition,” she added.
The squad departs the island on June 14 with their first match of the World Cup coming against Sri Lanka on June 28.
Nicholas Paul completed a successful weekend Sunday winning gold in the Men’s Elite Sprint at the Tissot UCI Nations Cup meet in Milton, Canada.
The 25-year-old Trinidadian, the 2022 Commonwealth Games Keirin gold medalist, out-sped Poland’s Mateusz Rudyk to take the win and 800 points on Sunday.
Australia’s Matthew Richardson finished third.
Paul and Richardson reversed positions in the Men’s Keirin on Saturday with the Australian taking gold over Maximillian Dornbach of Germany. Paul had to settle for third.
Bahamian swimming star Joanna Evans intends to appeal before the Court of Arbitration, a decision by the FINA Doping Panel to ban her from the sport for two years after she tested positive for Clostebol. The decision was handed down on February 15, 2023.
She will do so, she said, with the support of the Bahamas Aquatic Federation, her family, coaches, friends and community.
Clostebol is a synthetic anabolic–androgenic steroid and is the 4-chloro derivative of the natural hormone testosterone. The chlorination prevents conversion to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) while also rendering the chemical incapable of conversion to estrogen.
A multiple CAC Games gold medalist and two-time Olympian, the 25-year-old Evans claims in a recent lengthy and emotional post on Instagram that she would never knowingly use a banned substance, adding that the situation has put her in a constant state of distress.
“Anyone who knows me, knows without hesitation that I would never, ever intentionally take a banned substance,” she said.
“The results show an unfathomable low amount of the substance which absolutely could not have enhanced my performance.”
Evans said she was tested in Austin, Texas on December 3, 2021 and was “stunned” when she was informed over the phone that her sample contained a banned substance.
She explained how she believes she came to test positive saying that while attending a meet in Naples, Italy on September 11, 2021, she cut her finger on a “jagged, rusty balcony” at the hotel where she was staying.
“Concerned about infection, I walked to a nearby pharmacy and asked for an antibiotic cream,” she said.
“I was given a tube of Trofodermin, which I believed was similar to the antibiotic Neomycin. Unknown to me at the time, an ingredient of Trofodermin is the banned substance Clostebol.”
She used the cream for three days.
On her return to Austin on October 30, 2021, she slipped on a concrete pavement and sustained a substantial gash on her knee. She used the same cream she bought in Italy. She said she used the cream for five days and then once or twice a week until the end of November that year.
A distraught Evans stated that life has been difficult since she received news of her positive test.
“Since my test result, I have been unable to function. I am broken and devastated as swimming has been my life for many years,” she said while reiterating that she is not a drug cheat.
“I would never cheat and I take pride in representing my country, college, family, friends and community to the best of my ability.
“I have a history of dozens of clean tests and conduct myself with integrity in all aspects of my life. I find it incredulous that a miniscule amount of a banned substance applied unknowingly through a topical cream can have such life-altering consequences.”
As such, Evans has hired a “specialist attorney” in this field to represent me in legal proceedings to defend my integrity and the reputation of Bahamas swimming.
Carlos Alcaraz wishes to build his "own history" rather than "take over" from fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal, having won the ninth title of his career at last week's Barcelona Open.
Alcaraz defended his crown in Catalonia by racing to a 6-3 6-4 win against Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday's final, claiming his third title of the 2023 season.
Like his legendary compatriot Nadal, Alcaraz won his first grand slam title at the age of 19, triumphing at the US Open last year.
His hopes of adding to that success at the upcoming French Open could be boosted by the misfortune of his rivals, with both Nadal and Novak Djokovic forced to withdraw from this week's Madrid Open as they battle injuries.
While comparisons between Alcaraz and Nadal are perhaps inevitable, the teenager is determined to do things his own way.
"As I've said on more than one occasion, I don't want to take over from anyone," he said after claiming his latest title.
"I feel lucky to have so many people supporting me, transmitting that positive energy from the first game.
"Speaking of this week, it's been two years that Rafa hasn't been there [in Barcelona]. I've been lucky! But as I've always said, I've always wanted to play against the best.
"It is a pity that we have not been able to enjoy Rafa these last two years. Let's hope he continues playing for a long time and we can enjoy his tennis, but obviously we're not here to take over from anyone, but to build our own history."
With Nadal and Djokovic absent, Alcaraz will be the top seed as he looks to add a 10th career title in Madrid, but he does not see winning in the Spanish capital as the only measure of a successful campaign.
"Not winning Madrid would not be a failure for me, it depends on the level I have shown and the matches," he said.
"All the players are very good, they can all win the title and they can beat me. For me, failure would depend on the level I show and the way I play."
Anthony Edwards channelled his inner-Michael Jordan after admitting he "took it personally" as he made sure the Minnesota Timberwolves did not go down 4-0 to the Denver Nuggets.
Having lost the first three encounters in their Western Conference first-round playoff series, the Timberwolves had one last chance to get on the board, and needed overtime to do it.
Edwards top-scored for his team with 34 at Target Center, though the hosts almost blew it after throwing away a 12-point lead in regulation.
Minnesota were able to get the job done eventually though, winning 114-108 to take the series to Game 5 in Denver, and Edwards made his motivation clear.
"I don't ever want to say I got swept in my career," he said. "So I definitely took it personally tonight."
Despite comfortably being his team's top scorer on Sunday, Edwards was in the mood for modesty after the game, focusing more on the shots he missed.
"I played terrible if you ask me," he said. "I took three bad threes, three terrible possessions, and I damn near shot us out the game. I didn't play that good tonight."
After his team's win, Wolves coach Chris Finch wanted his team to take confidence from the victory
"I think we gotta continue to get into something," Finch said. "I think that's part of the problem is we get down [on ourselves] or we're trying to close out the game too early."
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic scored 43 points with 11 rebounds and six assists, but he and his team still have work to do to finish Minnesota off.
"The hardest thing to stomach about this game is that we were unwilling and unable to get necessary stops," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.
Game 5 takes place at Ball Arena on Tuesday.
In the classic 1994 comedy film, Jim Carrey puts on a mask that gives him special powers. In the 2023 NBA playoffs, Jaylen Brown seemingly had the same effect after removing his.
With nine minutes left in the second period, and having only scored two points, Brown emerged from a timeout without the protective mask he has worn since fracturing his cheekbone in February.
He went on to finish with 31 points as the Boston Celtics beat the Atlanta Hawks 129-121 at State Farm Arena to go 3-1 up in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
"I was talking to [Marcus] Smart when JB took his mask off and was like, 'Oh, s***. It's go time,'" Celtics guard Jayson Tatum said, who also put up 31 points. "I knew he was going to turn it up a notch."
Brown had scored just one from seven field-goal attempts prior to taking off his mask, going on to net 11 from 15 after that.
"Maybe it was all in my head, but I just needed a different look," Brown said. "As soon as I took it off, things started to turn around a little bit."
It was an astonishing turn in form from Brown, who is averaging 23.3 points per game in the playoffs so far.
"I've just started getting comfortable with it since I've been wearing it," he added about the mask. "When I first put it on, I didn't like it too much, and I had to wear it.
"I just needed something different [on Sunday]. I don't know what it was: Change my shoes, wipe my hands off, take the mask off, whatever it is I needed to do, I needed to do to help our team get a win, and that's what I was trying to do."
The Celtics can clinch the series in Game 5 when they return to TD Garden on Tuesday.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted an error from Stephen Curry that almost cost his team a win in the NBA playoffs against the Sacramento Kings had been his fault.
In the final minute with the Warriors leading by five, Curry tried calling a timeout, only to realise they did not have any left.
That led to a technical foul, with Malik Monk making the resulting free-throw before De'Aaron Fox sank a three-pointer to bring the Kings within one, though thankfully for Curry and Kerr, Golden State were able to hold on to take the game 126-125, tying the Western Conference first round series at 2-2.
"I didn't realise when we lost the challenge that we didn't have any timeouts left," Curry said, though Kerr held his hand up and admitted he had forgotten to tell his players of the fact.
"[Coach] took the blame for it, but I ain't going to lie: I thought it was the smartest play in the world," Curry added. "I looked at the bench, and everybody was shaking their head. It was an unfortunate situation."
"We took the challenge and when the challenge was unsuccessful, as we were exiting the huddle, it's on me," Kerr said. "I've got to remind the guys, we're out of timeouts and I didn't say that, and so Steph wasn't aware. That's on me for not making that clear."
An enthralling Game 4 at Chase Center on Sunday also saw Curry attempt and miss a jump shot with 12 seconds to go, when 11 seconds remained on the shot clock, allowing Sacramento one last chance, though Harrison Barnes ultimately missed a buzzer-beater.
"It's always a balance of playing the clock and trying to find the best shots. Obviously, if I make the floater... you like that position to have one more stop," Curry said. "I live with that decision."
It was still a productive night for Curry, with only Fox (38) scoring more than his 32 points, making five of 11 three-point attempts.
Game 5 takes place at Golden 1 Center on Wednesday.
The Golden State Warriors almost blew a five-point lead in the final minute as Harrison Barnes missed a buzzer-beater as the reigning champions levelled their first round series with the Sacramento Kings after a 126-125 Game 4 win on Sunday.
The Warriors led 126-121 heading into the final 60 seconds but gifted the Kings an avenue back in after Stephen Curry called for a timeout when they had none left at Chase Center.
Malik Monk scored the subsequent free-throw before De'Aaron Fox's three-pointer cut the margin to one point.
Curry then missed a pullup shot with 14 seconds left but the Kings could not capitalise with the final possession after a timeout, when a double-teamed Fox found Barnes open before his attempt rimmed out.
Reigning NBA Finals MVP Curry finished with 32 points on 11-of-22 shooting with five-of-11 from beyond the arc, along with five rebounds and four assists.
Klay Thompson had 26 points with four three-pointers and Jordan Poole added 22 points, while Draymond Green returned from a one-game ban off the bench with a strong display, holding the Kings to five-of-15 as primary defender.
Clutch Player of the Year Fox did everything but hit the final shot, scoring 38 points on 14-of-31 shooting with four three-pointers.
Keegan Murray added 23 points with five-of-seven three-point shooting and Domantas Sabonis was down on his usual output with 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
The Warriors squared the series up at 2-2 ahead of Game 5 in Sacramento on Wednesday. Golden State are 35-8 at home across the regular and postseason but are 11-32 on the road.
Tatum and Brown led Celtics triumph
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 31 points each as the Boston Celtics pulled 3-1 clear in their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks with a 129-121 road win.
The Celtics led nearly the entire game, holding off a 68-point Hawks' second half, with Tatum and Brown combining for Boston's final 16 points to round out the win.
Tatum's 31 points came on eight-of-20 shooting from the field including four-of-13 three-pointers, with seven rebounds and three blocks. Brown scored 12-of-22 from the field with three triples.
Trae Young had a strong game for Atlanta with 35 points and 15 assists, while De'Andre Hunter added 27 points and Dejounte Murray scored 23 with nine rebounds.
Knicks pull clear, Timberwolves avoid sweep in OT
The New York Knicks took a 3-1 lead in their first round series with the Cleveland Cavaliers after Jalen Brunson scored 29 points at a loud Madison Square Garden to lead them to a 102-93 win.
Donovan Mitchell had a poor game, managing only 11 points on five-of-18 shooting, with Darius Garland stepping up for 23 points and 10 assists.
But the Knicks were too strong, with R.J. Barrett supporting Brunson with 26 points, while Josh Hart had 19 points and seven rebounds. Brunson shot five three-pointers, while Julius Randle sat out the fourth quarter, scoring on seven points fo the game.
The Minnesota Timberwolves staved off elimination and avoided a first-ever franchise sweep with a 114-108 overtime win over the Denver Nuggets, with Anthony Edwards delivering a clutch three-pointer to cap his 34 points. Denver center Nikola Jokic scored 43 points with 11 rebounds.
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