The New Orleans Saints, two of their coaches and defensive end Cameron Jordan were fined a total of $550,000 by the NFL for allegedly delaying gameplay by faking an injury.
The Saints have denied any wrongdoing and are appealing the fines.
The incident in question occurred in the fourth quarter of the Saints' 17-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday. Jordan took a knee and pointed to his left foot, forcing Tom Brady and the Buccaneers' offense to pause before a fourth-and-10 play. After the delay, Tampa Bay chose to punt.
The league alleges Jordan faked an injury to prevent the Buccaneers from snapping the ball, levying fines of $50,000 each to Jordan and defensive line coach Ryan Nielsen. Saints head coach Dennis Allen was fined $100,000, while the organisation faces a bill of $350,000.
"The New Orleans Saints deny any allegations of purposefully delaying the game on Monday evening," the team said in a statement on Saturday.
The statement goes on to explain that Jordan had his foot examined and taped before he finished the game.
"[Jordan] had an MRI performed the following day in New Orleans and was confirmed that he suffered an acute mid-foot sprain in his left foot. He has been at the facility each day receiving treatment for his injury he suffered on the play.
"The Saints will appeal the fines through the proper channels and believe the allegations will be proved incorrect."
All 32 teams were sent a memo on December 2 reminding them of rules prohibiting taking advantage of a stoppage in play, according to NFL.com.
Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates is also appealing a fine of $50,000 for a similar alleged infraction during last Sunday's 27-24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jordan called the fines “ridiculous” on Twitter and expressed his cynicism with the NFL’s process for enforcement.
"Are fines made by nfl open to public? I just feel like this should be public knowledge," Jordan's tweet read. "Cause some of the fines are silly but this [one]… ridiculous. Anyways & for what a 'deliberate action to delay game' before a [team] punts?"
Darvin Ham credited the Los Angeles Lakers' resolve after they fell to a 133-122 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers, praising his team for refusing to fold.
The Lakers fought back multiple times over the course of the game to ultimately force overtime at 120 apiece, before their hosts eked out victory at the Wells Fargo Center.
A 31-point haul for Anthony Davis, aided by 25 for Austin Reaves and 23 for LeBron James, was not enough for the Lakers to stave off a third consecutive defeat.
However, Ham was in a bullish mood when quizzed on his team's performance, saying there were plenty of positives to take away despite their stinging reverse.
"We can get better from this," he stated. "I told the team, as disappointed as I am that we didn't get the win, I still can have a good meal and sleep like a baby tonight because of the way we competed.
"We did not quit, we did not give up. There was a point in the game where we could've just folded our tent.
"But we kept scratching away, kept digging deep, kept making plays one stop after another one and put ourselves in a position to win the game."
Meanwhile, 76ers coach Doc Rivers said his side rallied well to seize victory after letting their initial lead slip on several occasions.
"We will take the win," he added. "Usually when you give up a lead like that, to gather yourself and play well in overtime is rare."
The Lakers will round off their road stretch against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, before heading home to face the Boston Celtics.
No De'Aaron Fox, no worries for the Sacramento Kings, as they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-95 on the road to improve their record to 14-10.
Fox leads the Kings in scoring at 22.8 points per game and could be on track for his first All-Star appearance, but he missed just his second game of the season on Friday with right foot soreness.
His absence was balanced out by the Cavaliers missing Donovan Mitchell, but with the Cavaliers still rolling out All-Stars Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, as well as Rookie of the Year runner-up Evan Mobley, they still had more than enough firepower.
But, lacking a true number-one scoring option, the Kings turned the contest into a slow, low-scoring grind, relying on excellent outside shooting to maximise their limited possessions and pull away with a 27-15 fourth quarter, including a 19-0 run to end the game.
Four of the Kings starters scored at least 18 points each, with Harrison Barnes' 20 points finishing as a team-high, while Domantas Sabonis played a superb all-round game to post 18 points, 18 rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks.
As a team, Sacramento shot 16-of-33 (48.5 per cent) from three-point range, and six of those makes came from rookie Keegan Murray, scoring all 18 of his points from beyond the arc on just eight attempts.
Speaking after the game, head coach Mike Brown spoke about how it feels to take a road win against the team sitting third in the Eastern Conference.
"That was a big, big, big-time win for us," he said. "When you get a win like that on the road, that’s a sign you have a really good team.
"Now, I hope I’m not jumping the gun on that, but this was my favourite game of the season."
Harrison Barnes added: "To come here after losing to Milwaukee, we kind of wanted to make a statement – and we did."
The Kings have now won 11 of their past 15 games, and have a chance to break into the top-four in the Western Conference if they can handle their business in Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks on Sunday.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving eclipsed 30 points each in the Brooklyn Nets' 120-116 home win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
It was also the return of Ben Simmons after a five-game stint on the sidelines, starting and contributing six points, seven assists, six rebounds and four steals in 21 productive minutes.
Durant top-scored with 34 points on 14-of-25 shooting, while Irving was just as good, scoring 33 on 11-of-21 shooting while chipping in 11 rebounds.
Mostly known for his offense, Durant blocked two shots, raising his season average to 1.7 per game – the eighth-best figure in the league.
Trae Young was solid for the Hawks with 33 points (12-of-25 shooting) and nine assists, but he committed a game-high eight turnovers. He is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 25 points (27.2) and nine assists (9.5).
With the win, the Nets have now taken six of their past seven, improving their record to 15-12 after starting the season 1-5.
Pelicans stay top of the West
Entering the game as the top two teams in the Western Conference, the New Orleans Pelicans rode a terrific Zion Williamson performance to a 128-117 win against the Phoenix Suns.
Williamson was unstoppable offensively, scoring a game-high 35 points on 13-of-17 shooting, adding seven rebounds and four assists. Of his 20 games this season, it is the ninth time he has scored at least 25 points on 60 per cent shooting.
There are 14 players shooting 59 per cent or better from the field this season, and of those, only Anthony Davis is averaging more field goal attempts per game (17.5) than Williamson's 15.4.
Embiid's early dominance almost goes to waste
Joel Embiid tied the Los Angeles Lakers' whole team in the first quarter with 20 points each, but the Philadelphia 76ers needed an overtime period to come away with a 133-122 win.
Embiid was eight-of-nine from the field in the first quarter for his 20 points, going on to finish with 38 on 14-of-19 shooting, 12 rebounds and five assists. Teammate De'Anthony Melton helped out with a career-high 33 points on 11-of-16 shooting, hitting eight of his 12 three-point attempts.
Anthony Davis continued his strong form with 31 points (nine-of-13 shooting) and 12 rebounds, but he missed a potential go-ahead free throw in the final seconds, before the Lakers were outscored 13-2 in overtime.
Julius Randle looks back to his best as he led the New York Knicks to a 121-102 victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday for his side's third consecutive win.
Randle, 28, is slowly rediscovering the form that saw him named to the All-NBA Second Team for the 2020-21 season, rebounding from a slow start to this campaign.
After averaging 18.3 points on 43.8 per cent shooting in October, Randle raised that to 22.2 points per game at 47.1 per cent shooting in November, before taking another step forward in the Knicks' current December winning streak.
In the Knicks' three wins this month, Randle is averaging 25.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 47.2 per cent from the field and 37.0 per cent from deep on a gaudy nine attempts per contest.
He had a game-high 33 points against the Hornets, hitting four-of-10 from three-point range, while R.J. Barrett produced an efficient 26 points (nine-of-18 shooting) and Jalen Brunson set it all up with 11 points and 11 assists.
Speaking to the media after the game, Barrett kept it short and to the point when hyping up Randle.
"He's cooking," he said. "We need him to keep doing that."
Head coach Tom Thibodeau was willing to expand further on what exactly has changed in Randle's play, and he pointed to his overall effort, including the plays that do not make the highlight reel.
"[Randle] had a play where he was behind the play, beat everyone down the floor, pulled everyone in, and we ended up getting a three on it," he said. "There’s no stat for that, other than it helps you create rhythm for your team.
"He’s made several plays like that when he’s getting double-teams, getting off the ball, moving without the ball, he’s screening off the ball. He’s playing a great all-around game.
"I think that helps set the tone for the team. I thought we played very unselfishly."
Randle believes his terrific form is primarily about his mindset.
"I'm just being aggressive and taking what the defense is giving me," he said. "I'm playing with confidence.
"It's a lot of fun and everybody is in a rhythm. The energy is contagious."
The Knicks have now pulled their record even at 13-13, and are tied with the Atlanta Hawks for the seventh-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Lamar Jackson is listed as doubtful for the Baltimore Ravens' clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his prospective absence spells trouble for the AFC North leaders.
Jackson was knocked out of last week's win over the Denver Broncos because of a knee injury, which has kept him out of practice all week.
The Ravens listed him as doubtful on Friday, meaning backup Tyler Huntley will likely get the start for 8-4 Baltimore.
History says the Ravens will find victory difficult to come by against Pittsburgh without their former MVP quarterback, even against a 5-7 Steelers team that is a shadow of the former AFC powerhouse it once was.
Indeed, since drafting Jackson in 2018, the Ravens are 45-16 (73.8 win percentage) in games started by Jackson and 6-10 (37.5%) when anyone else starts at quarterback.
And, though the Steelers appear unlikely to make the playoffs, the Ravens are facing Pittsburgh likely without Jackson at a time when their arch rivals are showing signs of life.
The Steelers have won three of their past four games and have not committed a turnover in that stretch. It is the Steelers' longest such streak since turnovers have been tracked in 1950.
Mike Tomlin's Steelers have the edge in recent matchups with the Ravens. They are on a four-game win streak against the Ravens with all four wins coming by five or fewer points.
Only two matchups in NFL history have seen a team beat another five straight times all by fewer than six points (Philadelphia vs. Washington – six, 1992-95 and Raiders vs. Denver – five, 1989-1991).
Past performance from the Ravens suggests Huntley will not be able to end that run. With the Bengals (8-4) breathing down their neck in the division, there is huge onus on him to throw the formbook out of the window in a tough road matchup.
The Utah Jazz will receive a boost for Friday's home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the form of Mike Conley Jr's return from a nine-game injury absence.
Conley, 35, has not played since November 19, when he left the floor against the Portland Trail Blazers after only playing nine minutes, going on to be diagnosed with a strained muscle near his left knee.
An All-Star in 2021, Conley is posting his lowest point average (10.2 per game) since his rookie season, although his 7.9 assists per game is a new career-high in his 16th campaign.
Speaking to reporters after Friday's shootaround, he implied he was not yet at full capacity, but that the only way he is going to get to that point is by returning to game-speed.
"I've been working, and we're still working through some things, but the only way to get through it is to kind of work your way back in it and test the water," he said.
After trading away franchise players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell in the offseason, it was meant to be a rough rebuilding year for the Jazz, but they have defied expectations up to this point and sit sixth in the Western Conference at 15-13.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have given their leading scorer Donovan Mitchell the night off Friday, opting to rest the three-time All-Star against the Sacramento Kings on the first night of a home back-to-back.
Mitchell has been nursing an ankle injury for weeks after initially spraining it against the Golden State Warriors on November 11, before tweaking it again on November 28 against the Toronto Raptors.
He missed one game following the Warriors injury, and did not miss any time following the aggravation against the Raptors, averaging 33.3 points per game in the Cavs' three contests leading up to Friday.
But after listing him as questionable for the meeting against the Kings, Cleveland have opted to play it safe and give their new superstar a rest day. Mitchell will likely return for Saturday's home fixture against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Suiting up for 23 of the Cavs' 25 games this season, Mitchell's 29 points per game is the seventh-highest figure in the league, and a new career-high after being traded from the Utah Jazz in the offseason for a bevy of draft picks.
His 42.4 per cent three-point shooting on 9.1 attempts per game has him as one of the league's best shooters this season, as only Stephen Curry (43.2 per cent on 11.8 attempts) is eclipsing 40 per cent on at least nine attempts per game.
Starting in his place will be Caris LeVert, who is averaging 12.1 points, 5.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds in his 14 starts this campaign, while All-Star point guard Darius Garland will be tasked with an increased scoring burden.
Having helped the San Francisco 49ers past the Miami Dolphins after stepping in for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy faces the considerable challenge of beating Tom Brady in his first start.
With Garoppolo described as having a "way outside chance" of returning for the playoffs after breaking his foot, the 8-4 Niners' Super Bowl hopes rest in part on the shoulders of a seventh-round pick, who was taken with the final selection of the 2022 draft.
The historical omens for a San Francisco victory in Purdy's first start are very good.
The Buccaneers have a 3-12 (.250) all-time record on the road against the 49ers. Among those with at least five all-time road games versus the Niners, no team has a worse record there than Tampa Bay.
San Francisco's prospects of improving their already extremely impressive home record against Brady, playing on the road against the Niners for only the second time his glittering career, hinge not only on Purdy, but also a stacked cast of offensive weapons and the NFL's best defense.
Arguably the leading light among those weapons is a player they only acquired in October.
Running back Christian McCaffrey made his first start for the Niners following his trade from the Carolina Panthers in a Week 8 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Since that first start, McCaffrey has 67 rushes for 269 yards and 31 catches for 258 yards.
He is one of two NFL players over that span with 60+ rushes and 30+ receptions (Rhamondre Stevenson being the other).
McCaffrey will likely continue to see a significant number of touches as the primary safety net for Purdy, who will also have significant support from a defense that forced four turnovers against one of the NFL's most explosive offenses in the win over Miami.
The 49ers prevailed 33-17 in that Week 13 clash. They have won five straight games while holding opponents to 17 or fewer points in each contest. It is the fourth such streak in team history, and the first since a six-game streak in the 1992 season.
With Tampa Bay averaging just 18.1 points per game, the 49ers should be confident of limiting Brady and Co.
Even if they do so, they may still need Purdy to ensure the game is not close in the fourth quarter, Brady having led the Bucs back from a 13-point deficit in the final period against the New Orleans Saints on Monday.
Brady has thrown nine of his 16 touchdowns (56.3 per cent) in the fourth quarter this season. Among 27 quarterbacks with at least 10 passing touchdowns this season, Brady is the only one with at least half of his touchdowns coming in the final frame.
The San Francisco 49ers looked destined to contend for a Super Bowl because of their astute move to invest in a quarterback insurance policy for Trey Lance.
Now with Jimmy Garoppolo, whom they kept around after attempting to trade away, likely also on the shelf for the rest of the season with a broken foot, the NFL world is left wondering whether one of the best rosters in the league can still go deep in the postseason with rookie seventh-round pick Brock Purdy at quarterback.
The early signs are promising, with Purdy stepping in for Garoppolo against the Miami Dolphins in Week 13 and producing a composed display in a 33-17 win that pushed the Niners' record to 8-4.
An enforced switch from Garoppolo to Purdy, the last pick in this year's draft, is an obvious downgrade, but how does it impact the 49ers' hopes of reaching the playoffs and Super Bowl?
Stats Perform can answer that question by looking at its rest-of-season (ROS) projection.
To generate the ROS predictions, every future game is projected to give a predicted win percentage for each team across its remaining games. The projections are calculated by looking at each team's quarterback and performance in terms of yards added in expected passing situations as well as team values for pass protection/pass rush, skill position players/coverage defenders and run blocking/run defense.
The projected win percentages are then aggregated to produce the forecasted standings, which suggest all is not lost for the 49ers.
Still Purdy Good
Purdy was poised, decisive and accurate after replacing Garoppolo, fostering hope he can help keep the 49ers in the Super Bowl hunt despite his inexperience at the highest level.
The ROS projection does not see the Niners winning the Super Bowl, giving San Francisco less than a one per cent chance to lift the Lombardi Trophy with Purdy under center.
However, the 49ers are still given an average win total of 10.5, putting them as the third seed as NFC West champions. With the division rival Seattle Seahawks projected to win 9.76 and end the season as the sixth seed, it would set up a mouthwatering Wild Card matchup.
The 49ers have done most of the hard work in their playoff pursuit and have a dominant defense that ranks first in EVE (our Efficiency Versus Expected metric).
As such, the Niners are still likely to make the playoffs, with ROS giving them a 95 per cent shot. What happens after that is up in the air with Purdy at the helm.
Chiefs Still Reign
The Kansas City Chiefs' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13 dropped them out of the No. 1 seed in the AFC, with the Buffalo Bills once again in control of the conference.
ROS, though, expects the Chiefs to reassume the top spot by the end of the season.
The Chiefs are given a projected average win total of 12.8, the highest in the AFC and ahead of the Bills' 12.4.
On the NFC side, ROS does not project any slip-ups from the 11-1 Philadelphia Eagles, who are predicted to win 15.1 games and finish well clear of the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East. The Eagles also have an NFL-best 35 per cent chance of winning the Super Bowl, with the Chiefs second at 18.8 per cent.
If this projection is accurate, Dallas would face the prospect of playing the NFC South champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road in the Wild Card round despite a 12-win campaign.
A dangerous Wild Card
ROS still appears to lack belief in the defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals despite a third successive win over the Chiefs.
Cincinnati are predicted to finish second in the AFC North behind the Baltimore Ravens with a projected average win total of 10.42. The margin is razor-thin, though, with the Ravens' total at 10.43.
The Bengals have just a 2.4 per cent chance to win the Super Bowl, according to the projection.
Yet with Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati offense catching fire in recent weeks, the Bengals loom as an extremely dangerous potential Wild Card team and the projected addition of the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets to the playoffs would make for one of the most fascinating AFC postseasons in recent memory.
By contrast, the recent tie between the New York Giants and Washington Commanders is unlikely to strike fear into the heart of any NFC contenders. They will renew acquaintances in Week 15, and it is the former who is projected to ultimately win out in their battle for the seventh seed and seal a Wild Card clash with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Giants have an average projected win total of 8.3 compared to 8.2 for the Commanders as the projection suggests a losing record will be good enough for at least one team to reach the postseason.
Eddie Jones should have been given until the conclusion of next year's Rugby World Cup to turn England's results around, according to former centre Mike Tindall.
The Australian was dismissed on Tuesday following a review of recent results, with England enduring their worst calendar year since 2008 – winning just five of their 12 Tests in 2022.
A 27-13 defeat to South Africa proved to be the final straw for Jones, who walks away with the best win rate (73 per cent) of any head coach in England's history, having won 59 of his 81 Tests at the helm.
While Tindall acknowledges the reasons behind the decision to make a change, he would have preferred for Jones to lead England at the World Cup in France, which starts on September 8.
"It's a really difficult one because Eddie does divide opinion," Tindall, who won the World Cup in 2003, told ITV.
"I would say I don't agree with their decision to part ways, [but] I understand why they've done it.
"I still think he's still delivered an 18-game winning streak and he's produced probably the best England performance that's ever been seen against New Zealand in 2019.
"If you look from 2019 to where we are now, the results aren't quite as good, so it really is a difficult one, but I would've stuck with him and then changed after the World Cup."
Jones guided England to their first Six Nations Grand Slam in 13 years in 2016 before winning the tournament again in 2017 and 2020, while also reaching the 2019 World Cup final.
The 62-year-old also won his first 17 games with England, which was part of an 18-game winning streak overall, the joint longest of any Tier 1 nation.
Forwards coach Richard Cockerill will step up to lead England on an interim basis, with Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick the favourite for the permanent position.
Tindall added: "I think it's hard now. Say a new coach comes in now and does fantastically well through the Six Nations and then the World Cup, everyone will say it has Eddie's DNA on it.
"It will be sort of like what he got off [predecessor] Stuart Lancaster when he came in too, and then if you do poorly, it's the new guy's fault."
Odell Beckham Jr. does not "see the point" in playing regular-season games and will prioritise finding a new team before the playoffs after holding talks with the Dallas Cowboys.
The wide receiver has been a free agent since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury while winning the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams last season, though he looked likely to join the Cowboys after undergoing a physical on Monday.
However, Beckham was left without a contact offer following his visit to Dallas, with reports suggesting the team harbour concerns over his availability for the remainder of the season.
The 30-year-old scored the first touchdown of Super Bowl LVI in February, having missed the previous year's postseason through injury, and he is content with being a big-game player.
Asked whether he would find a team before the end of the campaign during an appearance on Thursday Night Football, Beckham said: "I haven't made the decision.
"I would like to be in a stable environment, get up at 6am and leave at 6pm for four weeks and then let's talk about it.
"I've played football for a long time. I'm not saying I couldn't step in and play regular season, but I don't see the point. I really don't.
"I'd rather play when that pressure is on, I'd rather play when the lights are on. I went through the whole of the playoffs [last season].
"After having my first bad playoff experience, all I wanted to do was clear that off my name."
Roger Federer swept to Wimbledon men's singles glory a record eight times, but the Swiss was almost turned away on an impromptu trip to the All England Club last month.
Having retired from professional tennis in September, Federer has more time on his hands than usual and during a visit to London he decided to pay the famous venue a visit.
Singles champions at Wimbledon become honorary members of the club, but it turns out the membership card they are given is rather important, particularly when security insist on seeing it.
Federer posted a picture of the Wimbledon trophy on social media on November 25, with the caption: "Nice to see you again."
It turns out it was quite an effort to get into the grounds before he took that snap, with Federer telling Daily Show host Trevor Noah this week how much of an ordeal it proved to be.
The 41-year-old said: "I have not really been at Wimbledon when the tournament is not on, so I drive up to the gate, where usually guests come in, where you would arrive and then you go up. I get out and tell my coach who was with me at the time, Severin, I tell him I'll quickly go out and speak to the security lady, I got this. I did not.
"So then I get out and I'm like, 'Yes, hello, I was just wondering how I can get in to Wimbledon? Where is the door? Where is the gate?'. She [says], 'Do you have a membership card?'. I'm like, 'Uh, we have one?'."
Doors usually open for Federer, a 20-time grand slam champion, but this one looked like being closed to him, despite his many past successes on the famous grass courts.
He won at Wimbledon each year from 2003 to 2007, before adding titles in 2009, 2012 and 2017. Still, it helps to have a membership card to enter a members' club, as the security official made clear.
Federer said: "I tell her normally when I'm here I'm playing and there's loads of people and I come in in a different way and it's the first time I'm here while the tournament's not on and I don't know where to get in so, 'I'm just asking you again, where can I get in?'.
"She's like, 'Well at the side, but you have to be a member'. So I look at her one last time and I'm in a panic now."
This was where Federer reluctantly played the 'don't you know who I am?' card.
"I'm so sorry, I still can't believe I said that, I still feel bad about it, and I look at her and I was like, 'I have won this tournament eight times. Please believe me, I am a member and where do I get in?'," he said.
He moved along to seek a different way in, and this was where his luck turned.
"I get out of the car and a random person walks in the walkway and said, 'Oh Mr Federer, I can't believe you're here at Wimbledon! Can we take a selfie?'," Federer said.
"I'm like, 'Yes! Let's take a picture!'. And the security guards that are there are like, 'Oh my God, Mr Federer, what are you doing here? Do you have your membership card?'."
Federer did not. This time, however, his luck was in.
"I'm like, 'No I don't, but is it possible to get in?'," he said. "[And they said] 'Of course we'll open the door, let me organise it'."
Although he was unable to play due to injury, Federer made a fleeting appearance at Wimbledon in 2022 at a line-up of champions to mark 100 years of Centre Court.
Jamal Murray earned plaudits for his "complete basketball game" after hitting the last-gasp three-pointer that earned the Denver Nuggets a 121-120 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
The impressive road win saw the Nuggets improve to 15-10 for the season and halt a streak of three defeats.
Murray's step-back game-winner came with less than a second remaining, capping a 21-point game, two nights after he shot just 2-of-11 from the field against the Dallas Mavericks.
Reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic was also a force for the Nuggets with 33 points (14-of-25), 10 rebounds and nine assists, while Damian Lillard scored a game-high 40 points for Portland.
Lillard put the home team two points ahead with a stunning three-pointer with nine seconds remaining, but Murray brought the late twist.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone said: "It was great to see Jamal find his rhythm. Coming off a game against Dallas where I think he was really frustrated with his offense, not making shots the way he knows he's capable of making shots.
"I started him in that fourth quarter, and I was planning on taking him out to bring him back, but once Jamal sees the ball go in it doesn't take many for him to catch fire, and he ran the whole fourth quarter, obviously. [He had] 21 points, eight assists, only two turnovers, five rebounds – a complete basketball game.
"It was an understatement to say a much-needed win after losing three in a row. I thought our fourth-quarter defense was outstanding, 21 points allowed. As I told our players, when we don't turn the ball over and we defend, we're a really good team. Now the challenge is to do that a lot more consistently. A lot of guys stepped up and played well."
DeAndre Jordan played the 1,000th game of his NBA career, and Malone paid tribute to that achievement, saying of the 34-year-old center: "I'm really thankful that he's here and a part of our family."
Murray, meanwhile, felt the Trail Blazers, who dominated the third quarter 35-26, were brilliantly reined in by the Nuggets in the closing stages.
He told Altitude TV: "They came out hot in the second half, but we knew if we wanted to win the game we had to play defense together as a unit, especially with this crowd, so I think we did a good job of that.
"Dame got hot. It was our defense down the stretch. We were able to stay together, keep our unit together and get some stops down the stretch.
"We know they're going to make shots, especially on their home floor. We couldn't get down on ourselves and keep that negative energy. Go to the next play and figure it out."
Nick Kyrgios admits the pressure he is facing is "a lot to handle", as he prepares for next month's Australian Open.
Having started 2022 with a doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis at his home grand slam, Kyrgios then advanced to the final of Wimbledon and suffered defeat at the hands of Novak Djokovic.
That form, which also saw him reach the quarter-finals at the US Open, has put the 27-year-old in the conversation as a title contender for the 2023 grand slams, the first of which begins in Melbourne on January 16.
Kyrgios is aware there are great expectations for him in the year ahead and conceded it is not easy being in the spotlight, particularly ahead of his home grand slam.
"I always believe that pressure is a privilege. In real life, there's not much pressure to being a professional tennis player," he told Eurosport.
"We earn great money, we travel around the world with our favourite people. We get to see different people, different cultures.
"In the scheme of things, that's not pressure but I completely understand going on the match court with all this expectation that 'Nick Kyrgios is legitimate chance to win a grand slam now'.
"There's a lot of pressure there, especially having the Australian Open and everyone in Australia expecting big things from me. It's a lot to handle sometimes. Being in the spotlight is not easy."
The last Australian man to win a singles grand slam title was Lleyton Hewitt in 2002 at Wimbledon, while the wait for men's success at home goes back further to 1976 – when Mark Edmondson was victorious in Melbourne.
While there is a desire for Kyrgios to end those lengthy waits, he has made it clear he wants the success for his own goals, not for anyone else.
"I've learnt that the people will never have enough. For me, I've achieved some great things in this sport and where I came from," he said.
"I know I'm content with myself. I want to achieve more for myself, but for all of my team, not for anyone else."
Bam Adebayo said the Miami Heat were determined to "dig ourselves out of a hole" after his starring role lit up a 115-110 win against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Heat center put in a dominant 31-point performance in Thursday's success that followed two defeats in a row for Miami, who are 12-14 for the season and 10th in the Eastern Conference.
As they look to put together a run of healthy results, Adebayo said it would need to be a collective effort by the team to achieve their goals.
He told Bally Sports in an on-court interview: "We're trying to dig ourselves out of a hole. The biggest thing is we stand connected, stand together, and we keep waking up trying. We wake up and try to find solutions every day."
Adebayo weighed in with 10 rebounds and four assists, shooting 14-of-21 from the field, while the Heat got the job done from 87-84 behind going into the fourth quarter.
After failing to reach the 30-point mark in each of his first 13 games this season, Adebayo has now reached that figure in four of his past 11 outings, raising his season average to a career-high 21.2 points per game.
The 25-year-old said: "My team-mates want me to be assertive. They want me to look for my shots. They're finding me in the pocket. The biggest thing I can do is keep shooting."
Asked about the key to seeing out victory over the Clippers, who sit ninth in the Western Conference, gave credit to Jimmy Butler, who made 10 of his 12 field attempts on his way to 26 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals.
"We gave Jimmy the ball," said Adebayo. "He's our closer, so we let him do his thing down the stretch."
Baker Mayfield called it a "pretty damn good story" after he produced a stunning fourth-quarter comeback against the Las Vegas Raiders to win 17-16 in his Los Angeles Rams debut on Thursday.
Having been cut by the Carolina Panthers on Monday following news he was no longer the starter or the backup, he was claimed by the Rams on Tuesday, and just two days later he was thrust into the action.
John Wolford started the game at quarterback for the Rams, but after two quick Raiders scores, Mayfield trotted out in the first quarter trailing 10-0 and began to figure things out.
His very first play went for a 21-yard completion, and his first drive ended in a field goal, but the Rams were unable to score again until the final minutes of the game.
Trailing 16-3 to begin the fourth quarter, Mayfield put together a 17-play, 75-yard drive, with Cam Akers' short-range touchdown cutting the margin to six points, and he got the ball back with 98 yards to go and just 1:45 on the clock.
He went on to produce the longest go-ahead drive beginning in the final two minutes in the past 45 seasons, culminating in his first touchdown pass as a Ram, a 23-yard dime down the left sideline to Van Jefferson as the Raiders opted to play man coverage with no safety help over the top.
Speaking to the media after the fairytale result, Mayfield reflected on the long, winding journey to Los Angeles.
"I don't know if you can write it any better than that," he said. "Obviously, we'd like to be a little bit more stress-free, but it's a pretty damn good story, I'll be honest with you. It's special.
"It feels really good right now, but there's a lot to get fixed, that's for sure. Throughout my career so far there's been a lot of ups and downs, so this is one I'm going to enjoy right now, but there's a lot of things to get ironed out and learn from.
"I'm extremely thankful. It's been a tough year, to be honest with you, and this has been a good way to kick-start this journey here. It's wild."
Joining the Amazon Prime coverage immediately after the win, the former number one overall draft pick was asked where this ranks out of the moments in his career.
"This is up there, to be honest with you," he said. "I didn't think it was going to play out like this, but I'm sure happy [the coaches and I] covered the two-minute operation, my goodness.
"It's been a wild year, I'm not going to say otherwise. From being in limbo at the beginning, not knowing where it's going to go, to the last 48 hours here.
"I'm thankful to the guys back in Carolina, to be honest with you, I love those guys, and it sucks I had to leave. But when it works out like this, it's for the best, and I think they understand that."
Mayfield added that he has history with Jefferson, and that him coming down with the winning touchdown catch makes up for any past indiscretions.
"Van and I go back, I'm not very happy with Van until now," he said in jest. "I was trying to get him to come to Oklahoma, but he wouldn't text or call back. He owes me one, and he got me right there.
"I was truly shocked they pressed him up with 15 seconds left, knowing we had no timeouts left. He did a great job winning off the line of scrimmage, and I just put it up for him to go make a play."
The 27-year-old will likely start the remainder of the season with starting quarterback Matthew Stafford out injured, and with Stafford's future up in the air, the Rams' low-cost gamble could end up producing their new number one.
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo did not attempt a single shot from outside the key on his way to a dominant 31-point performance in Thursday's 115-110 win against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Adebayo also added 10 rebounds (four offensive) and four assists, shooting 14-of-21 from the field in a tremendously efficient outing as the Clippers' interior defense had no answers.
After failing to reach the 30-point mark in each of his first 13 games this season, Adebayo has now eclipsed the figure in four of his past 11 fixtures, raising his season average to a career-high 20.7 points per game.
He was supported in style by Jimmy Butler, who hit 10 of his 12 field goal attempts for a terrific game in his own right, posting 26 points, eight assists, five rebounds and four steals.
Paul George led the way for the Clippers, and was the only reason they were able to keep things close on the road while Kawhi Leonard was out for a scheduled rest day, scoring a team-high 29 points (10-of-20 shooting) with eight rebounds and seven assists.
The victory for the Heat snaps a two-game losing streak and pulls their record back to 12-14, leaving them 10th in the Eastern Conference, while the Clippers are ninth in the West at 14-13.
Johnson and the Spurs win all-Texas showdown
The San Antonio Spurs received standout performances from Keldon Johnson and Tre Jones to defeat in-state rivals the Houston Rockets 118-109.
Johnson finished one point off his season-high with 32 on 14-of-21 shooting, hitting half of his six three-point attempts, while Jones' 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting was a new career-high.
Despite the loss, it was a strong outing from this year's third overall pick in the NBA Draft, with Jabari Smith Jr scoring a career-high 23 points on nine-of-13 shooting. The six-foot-11, smooth-moving wing showed off his special shooting stroke, hitting four-of-seven from deep.
'Dame Time' not enough against the Nuggets
Damian Lillard scored 15 of his game-high 40 points in the final six minutes, but Jamal Murray had the last laugh as the Denver Nuggets outlasted the Portland Trail Blazers 121-120.
Lillard, in his second game back from injury, looked back to his best late in the fourth quarter, hitting a contested step-back three with nine seconds on the clock to go up by two. He ended up shooting 12-of-22 for his 40 points and 12 assists, hitting at least nine three-pointers for the 10th time in his career.
But Murray would hit his own step-back game-winner with less than a second remaining, putting a bow on his 21-point, eight-assist showing, while reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic was a force with 33 points (14-of-25), 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Baker Mayfield led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter of his Los Angeles Rams debut to stun the Las Vegas Raiders 17-16 on Thursday.
Mayfield, who was only signed by the team on Tuesday after being released by the Carolina Panthers on Monday, did not start the game, but was summoned for the Rams' second drive while trailing 10-0 in the opening quarter.
His very first play as a Ram resulted in a 21-yard completion to Van Jefferson, and it was a sign of good things to come for the former number-one draft pick by the Cleveland Browns.
A Josh Jacobs one-yard touchdown run from the Raiders' first drive of the game gave the impression it was going to be one-way traffic for the road team, but that would be their only touchdown of the contest.
Trailing 13-3 at half-time and 16-3 early in the fourth quarter, the Rams mustered a 17-play, 75-yard drive, culminating in a one-yard Cam Akers touchdown plunge to give the home side some life.
Mayfield got the ball back for one final drive from his own two-yard line and 1:45 remaining in the game, and he produced a stunning 98-yard march down the field in eight plays.
With 15 seconds left and only time for a couple shots at the endzone from the 23-yard line, Mayfield connected down the sideline to Van Jefferson on the first try, tying the game, before Matt Gay's extra point gave the Rams the unlikely lead and the win.
Mayfield completed 22 of his 35 passes for 230 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers, while Ben Skowronek was his top receiver with seven catches for 89 yards.
The win does not change much for the Rams' season, now 4-9 and no real chance to make the playoffs, but it was a crushing blow for the Raiders, who could have remained in the hunt with a win, but instead fell to 5-8.
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