Kevin Durant feels "everybody" wants to see the Brooklyn Nets fail after Ben Simmons' homecoming against the undermanned Philadelphia 76ers ended in a disappointing 115-106 road defeat on Tuesday.
The 76ers were missing Joel Embiid, James Harden and Tyrese Maxey through injury, but they were able to catch fire from deep, shooting 50 per cent from the three-point line (16-of-32).
In a hostile environment for the Nets, the Philadelphia crowd aggressively booed Simmons every time he touched the ball, although he performed well, collecting 11 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
For the 76ers, Tobias Harris stepped up into an increased workload and delivered a team-high 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting, while De'Anthony Melton, Georges Niang and Shake Milton combined for 54 points on 12-of-19 from long-range.
It was a golden opportunity for the full-strength Nets to pull their record even at 9-9, but they are now two games below .500 at 8-10.
When asked if he felt the crowd took extra delight in getting one over Simmons and the Nets, Durant said he feels every away crowd has added animosity towards his team.
"It's a lot of emotions [for Simmons coming back to Philadelphia], you always want to play well," he said. "You know the fans are going to be involved… and bring their best.
"But that's at every arena, everybody wants to see our team fail – nobody likes Ben, nobody likes 'Ky' [Irving], nobody likes myself – so it might be like that at every road arena.
"It's just something we've got to deal with, but I thought [Simmons] did a great job at handling it and playing his game. We had a chance to win, but we just didn't."
Durant added that he did not feel the Nets played a poor defensive game, but were too slow to adjust to the 76ers' hot shooting.
"It's the same s***," he said. "They had 20 more shots than us, and seven more three-pointers. That's the game.
"[We have to] just go do it. Just go do what we need to do. Rebound, box out, move the ball, guard up one-on-one.
"They shot 43 per cent from the field, which is not bad. But they shot 50 per cent from the three-point line, and a lot of those were crossover, step-back threes – they're just back-breakers.
"I wouldn't necessarily say we had a horrible defensive night, but they out-rebounded us – 20 offensive rebounds – and they made 16 threes, and it looked bad.
"We would make them shoot a tough shot, they get a rebound and hit a three. We botch a switch maybe, and a guy gets a little bit of space and he shoots over a contest. They knocked them down tonight.
"Early on we should have seen they were hot, so we had to get up into them and force them inside the three-point line.
"But they played free, and they had nothing to lose, so those shots are just going to feel better when they leave their hands. We had to make them miss tonight, and they hit them, you have to give them credit."
Another game, and another change at quarterback for the Carolina Panthers heading into Week 12.
Sam Darnold will make his season debut for the Panthers on Sunday against the Denver Broncos, becoming the fourth different quarterback to play for Carolina this season and the third different starter.
Darnold, acquired from the New York Jets in April 2021, replaces Baker Mayfield, who threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 13-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and dropped to 1-5 as the team’s starter.
Darnold has spent most of this season on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain he suffered during the preseason. He went 4-8 as Carolina’s starter last season, but was 1-8 in his last nine games. He ended up completing 59.9 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions for a 71.9 passer rating.
"You learn a lot just by watching," Darnold said recently. "There’s a lot to learn in terms of walking around the building, learning from other guys. There’s a lot you can learn when you don’t have the stress of being a starter. But at the end of the day, I want to be out there."
Coach Steve Wilks opted to go with Darnold after Mayfield’s dismal performance, and P.J. Walker is not yet ready to return from his own high-ankle sprain. Walker was 2-3 before suffering his injury in a Week 10 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
At 3-8, the Panthers are tied with the Chicago Bears for the worst record in the NFC and are headed for a fifth straight season out of the playoffs.
Kawhi Leonard's return to the Los Angeles Clippers lasted three games before another injury, with a rolled ankle ruling him out of Wednesday's fixture against the Golden State Warriors.
Leonard missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs, and after returning for two games in October, he proceeded to miss another three weeks with his troublesome knee.
The 31-year-old two-time NBA Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year has started each of the Clippers' past three games, averaging 8.3 points in 23.3 minutes as he works his way back into form.
In Monday's win against the Utah Jazz, where the Clippers were already missing Paul George due to a strained hamstring, Leonard landed awkwardly after attempting to block a shot in the fourth quarter, and was subsequently ruled out of the rest of the contest.
After that game, he said: "I just rolled my ankle… but I should be fine".
The Clippers sorely miss Leonard at his offensive best, as they currently boast the second-best defense in the league, but the third-worst offense.
His next opportunity to get back on the floor will be Friday at home against the Denver Nuggets, or if that is too soon, Sunday at home against the Indiana Pacers.
San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward did not gain any respect for star Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins when they matched up on Monday.
The 49ers won the contest convincingly 38-10 as the Cardinals were without starting quarterback Kyler Murray, missing his second consecutive game through injury.
Despite the Cardinals' struggles, Hopkins managed a productive outing, catching nine passes for 91 yards from his 12 targets. Since his return from a six-week suspension for traces of performance enhancing drugs in his system, Hopkins leads the NFL in both targets and catches.
However, speaking to the 49ers' radio broadcast after the win, Ward took the opportunity to trash the five-time All-Pro, calling him "steroid boy".
"D-Hop, he think he a tough guy," he said. "He think he still one of the best receivers in the league, and he really not.
"He was getting locked up. He was doing some dirty things. He tried to clip me, he grabbed me by the throat. He grabbed my facemask on one play, so I don’t respect his game. That’s steroid boy."
Ward, who arrived as a key free agent signing in the offseason from the Kansas City Chiefs, led the 49ers in total tackles in the game, tying his season-high with 10.
It was the third consecutive week the 49ers' defense have not allowed a single point in the second half, leading to three wins on the trot to climb atop the NFC West with a 6-4 record.
Hugo Lloris fears Lucas Hernandez has suffered an "important injury", dealing France yet another blow as they bid to defend their World Cup crown.
France began their campaign with a 4-1 win over Australia on Tuesday but were without Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante, Christopher Nkunku and Karim Benzema, who were all ruled out of the tournament.
And left-back Hernandez was added to that injury list after he went down in attempting to stop Matthew Leckie's cross for Australia's shock opener.
The outlook does not look positive for the Bayern Munich defender, but France captain Lloris hopes his team-mates can rally as they have done before.
"It's never good to see one of your team-mates leaving the field in that way," he said. "I believe it's an important injury.
"He's not the first one, but we have to continue to look forward. Unfortunately we could not count on him, but we have a team with other players that we trust.
"We have to stay together and keep believing, keep our focus on that."
Lloris added: "We have important players left on the side for injuries, but luckily we have a lot of talented players in France, players we can trust, because they have the talent, the mentality and the desire to perform at the highest level.
"We try to create something special inside the team day by day. We try to enjoy the moment, not only on the pitch but also off the pitch.
"We have to take it game by game. Obviously it's a World Cup, there's no easy games and we have to be ready to face difficulties. When we face difficulties, we have to make sure that everybody raises their level."
The previous three holders have exited the World Cup at the group stage, but that sequence appears unlikely to be extended now.
Indeed, France's 4-1 win was the biggest in the first game of a title defence in World Cup history.
"We're obviously pleased with the result and pleased with the performance," Lloris said.
"I believe we had a good start in that game, but unfortunately we conceded that goal. We also lost one of our team-mates in this action by injury.
"But the team stayed calm, and we took control of the game and slowly started to dominate and created chances, then we scored one and two.
"Second half, I think we controlled perfectly. It's a good start."
Gareth Southgate is worried and demanded "clarity" after expressing concerns England could fall foul to refereeing decisions after a pre-World Cup briefing.
FIFA referees committee chairman Pierluigi Collina used an example clip of Kalvin Phillips blocking an opponent at a free-kick to help create space for Harry Maguire to score in last year's 5-0 win over Albania.
The video was used to brief referees, competing nations and the media, on how to spot foul play from set-piece situations and seemingly worked against England in Monday's 6-2 thrashing of Iran.
Maguire appeared to be dragged down by Iran's Rouzbeh Cheshmi in the opening stages, with the referee nor the VAR intervening, before John Stones conceded a late penalty for similar on Mehdi Taremi.
Southgate admitted he fears England may fall on the wrong side of decisions after Collina's briefing, citing concerns after a "definite penalty" on Maguire.
"What worries me is we were used in an example in the referees' video," the England manager said.
"What we were shown, the incident in the first half [with Maguire] would be a definite penalty.
"Maybe there's a shirt pull [for the Iran penalty] – we've got to be better on that – but I'm a bit worried we were the example shown.
"Then to get a decision as happened in the first half, we need some clarification really as to how it's going to be."
Southgate recalled the Football Association being able to discuss penalty decisions with match officials after England's 2-1 win over Tunisia at Russia 2018.
"It happened in Russia and we've got to have that dialogue with FIFA [again]," he added.
"We want clarity. Otherwise, we don't know where we stand. Goals are going in and we don't know whether they stand or not. The bit that worries me is we were the example shown."
England face the United States in their next Group B game on Friday before a clash with Wales four days later.
Carlos Alcaraz turns a "deaf ear" to comparisons between himself and fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
A stunning season for Alcaraz has seen him become the youngest world number one in ATP history at the age of 19.
He won two Masters 1000 titles and his maiden grand slam at the US Open in September.
Alcaraz was ruled out of the ATP Finals with an abdominal injury, but Nadal's elimination in Turin ensured Alcaraz would end 2022 as the youngest ever year-end number one.
Such accomplishments have seen him compared by some to countryman Nadal, who won the French Open aged just 19 in 2005 on his way to becoming one of the most decorated men's tennis players of all time.
But Alcaraz refuses to entertain such talk, instead speaking of his admiration at what the now 36-year-old Nadal had achieved over his long career.
"There is no point in comparing," Alcaraz told reporters. "It doesn't matter that now I am world number one, Rafa's entire career counts for a lot.
"It is a pleasure, for every tennis lover, to see Rafa on the court."
He added he hopes to achieve "at least half" of what Nadal has, in a career spanning over two decades and encompassing 22 grand slam titles.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, is trying to "regain strength before returning to the court" as he eyes the new season, and acknowledged he will start with a target on his back due to his 2022 success.
"The season is going to be difficult because I am going to start as the favourite," he explained. "There is going to be a lot of pressure on me.
"But I try to keep the good part and see that all this does not go to my head. In the end, beating your idols is an incredible achievement.
"I try to take it normally and never forget that whatever happens in the future, I have to enjoy tennis and play at my level."
South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber believes the rugby union world disrespects his side amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Rassie Erasmus' actions.
The Springboks' director of rugby has been handed a fresh suspension following his latest criticism of match officials, having only recently returned in October following a year-long ban for the same issue.
Erasmus, who guided South Africa to victory over England at the 2019 Rugby World Cup before he vacated the role to Nienaber, will miss this weekend's rematch at Twickenham with Eddie Jones' side.
But his successor believes his team are being made a scapegoat, and that they are more than the sum of their parts as suggested by their broadsides at referees.
"If all the facts are out there, I think people would form a different opinion," Nienaber stated. "It is quite sad if you think about it.
"We can't control the narrative that gets put out there that we are boring, and we don't attack, that we just kick and tackle.
"All the energy you put in, you are not going to change that narrative, that is the narrative people want to drive.
"If we will get respect ever, I don't know, but as long as we are comfortable with what we are putting out here and are trying to achieve, and we are open and honest with each other as a group."
2023 is shaping up to be another historic year for the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) with several teams having already qualified for the El Salvador Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in June and the Santiago Pan American Games in October, 2023.
The male and female teams of rugby and the male hockey team have cemented their places in the games and the sunshine girls will make an historic appearance in the CAC Games and should lift the title in the sport’s inaugural staging at the championship.
“Increasing the number of sports at which Jamaica is represented on the international stage and deepening the pool of competitive talent are non-negotiable strategic objectives of the JOA as we engage our members in our ‘Sport for Excellence’ campaign” JOA President, Christopher Samuda, said while underscoring the imperative of providing Jamaica’s youth with a menu of choices in sport.
Financial backing is a critical element of success and the JOA continues to fund what some refer to as “minor sports” in a declared strategy of helping them to transition to the global stage. JOA’s Secretary General/CEO, Ryan Foster, puts the apex body’s plan in perspective: “A successful investment strategy in sport must be plural and not singular in its treatment of sport. It must be democratic and not centralize in its spend. It must be funnel and not tunnel visioned in capitalising talent and it must be innovative in yielding dividends and ensuring sustainability.”
Adjani Burton, Jamaica’s Senior men’s hockey team captain endorses JOA’s approach as he looks with optimism to the games. “We appreciate funding from the JOA because it will significantly help us in our preparation for the CAC Games and beyond. We're hoping that as the team grows and develops, more corporate companies will notice and provide a similar level of support. We are eternally grateful to the JOA as they’ve always been supporting us and hope that it continues in the longer term.”
The growth locally of the Olympic sport of rugby union and its representation internationally with back-to-back appearances in the Rugby World Cup and Commonwealth Games have inspired Bruce Martin, Technical Director to say” The JOA recognizes that this is a result of a pinnacle of many years of hard work and strict dedication for our players on the pathway to dynamic moves in Jamaica Rugby and JOA equally shares our excitement.”
Equally motivated by the strategic direction of the JOA is national surfing coach Icah Wilmot who supports the national governing association’s “sport for all” policy “We are greatly appreciative of JOA’s support of and commitment to the growth of the para surfing team" he said.
President of the Jamaica Boxing Association, Stephen “Bomber” Jones in expressing appreciation for the JOA’s commitment to the sport and the Caribbean Boxing Championships said “the fact that the JOA can once again come to our assistance to ensure that team Jamaica can be well represented is huge and we will do JOA proud” The sport is expected to be among the army for the CAC games.
Fabian Stewart, President Jamaica Hockey Federation, maintains that “the JOA has been a constant partner for the development of field hockey in Jamaica consistent with the Olympic ideals and mission. The governing body continues to support the efforts of the Jamaica Hockey Federation and its national programme which is being rolled out in our National Excellence Strategic campaign.”
With the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on the horizon, some may think that the JOA is treating the CAC and Pan American Games as dress rehearsals. “For the JOA, each game is a golden and equal opportunity for our citizens in sport to stake their claim to excellence” Foster said.
The JOA will, in January of next year, formally launch its “Highway to El Salvador and Santiago” campaign as it continues to write and make history in sport.
Zach LaVine was relieved to put "a career-worst night" behind him by galvanising the Chicago Bulls for a victory that denied the Boston Celtics a 10-game winning streak.
The two-time All-Star had a lousy game against the Orlando Magic on Friday, tallying just four points, but he was back on it as the Bulls snatched a 121-107 victory over Boston.
Zach Lavine was five-of-10 on three-pointers for his 22 points, but it was his all-round effort that most impressed Bulls coach Billy Donovan.
The Celtic were on a nine-game roll, but they were no match for the Bulls on Monday.
LaVine said: "We've lost a lot in a row and they've won a lot in a row. I think we're a really good team, but we go through little lapses or times where we play bad. That's how fast the game can change."
He said of his sorry showing against Orlando: "Everybody has a career-worst night. I guess that was my night."
Coach Donovan commended the 27-year-old for putting the misfiring Magic game to the back of his mind, and refocusing.
Donovan said of LaVine: "I thought he played a great game tonight. I've got an enormous amount of confidence in his offense, in his ability to shoot the ball. He's done that his entire career, he's a lead at it.
"That will come back as he continues to play, and we're doing something differently offensively that he's having to work through, get accustomed to.
"There's a lot of things he can do to impact a game. Even though I think he missed his first three shots, it's probably not going to show up on the stats sheets but he generated a lot of open shots for our guys.
"He didn't shoot the ball at the percentage rate that he normally does, but I'm not worried about it.
"I thought his fingerprints were all over the game in a lot of different ways. He still got 22 points, but he did it defensively, he did it with his passing, he tried to get in there and rebound, he made good decisions.
"I thought he did a lot of extremely positive things."
DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 28 points on 11-of-24 shooting, hitting all three of his long-range attempts.
Jaylen Brown insists he does not endorse the protesters who gathered outside Barclays Center to welcome Kyrie Irving's return from suspension for the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
Irving had sat out eight straight games after being punished for sharing a social media post about a book and film with anti-Semitic tropes.
He returned to the fold against the Memphis Grizzlies, a game that saw approximately 100 members from Israel United in Christ gather outside the venue, chanting and handing out flyers headlined "The Truth About Anti-Semitism" and "The Truth about Slavery".
The group has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Boston Celtics guard and NBPA vice-president Brown retweeted a social media video of the group with the caption "Energy".
Brown later backtracked on the post insisting he "was not aware of what specific group was outside of Barclays Center" and reiterated that stance when speaking after Monday's defeat to the Chicago Bulls.
"I saw a large group of our people from our community showing support for [Kyrie] and his return," Brown said.
"Me being proud of that support and being proud of our community for doing that does not mean I endorse or celebrate some of the things that were being done or being said.
"My instinct when I saw this was I didn't notice which group it was. I just noticed the support, and that's what I commented on. I reemphasise that I don't think that everything that is said or being done or being said is something I endorse or represent."
Brown added he wanted to promote "brown and black people standing together on our issues rather than seeing images of violence in our media, music and movies that we don't entirely promote or profit from".
Brown has criticised the Nets' handling of Irving's suspension and the terms set out for him to return to court.
"I've been in contact as a union member, as a former team-mate just to show support for the situation that [Irving's] been going through," Brown added.
"Being exiled from the game, of course, emotionally is a lot on our league, but it's a lot on everyone who's a fan of this game.
"Kyrie's contributed in a lot of ways to the game of basketball, so for him to be able to come back and be on the floor last night, I thought was something to celebrate.
"I thought that was something to support. The NBA, the Brooklyn Nets decided whatever the disagreements were or the concern was, was obviously handled and we were moving on. I was supporting that decision."
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was full of praise for his teammates after he threw a season-high four touchdown passes in a strong 38-10 win against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday in Mexico City.
Garoppolo had not thrown more than two touchdowns in a game since October 2020, but gave two scores to tight end George Kittle and two to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to run up the score.
It was also the third consecutive game the 49ers' defense have not allowed a single point in the second half, with the Cardinals' last score coming with five minutes to go in the second quarter as they struggled to move the ball without starting quarterback Kyler Murray.
Speaking to ESPN on the field immediately after the final whistle, Garoppolo made sure to spread the credit around for the offense's success.
"It was just guys making plays today," he said. "All the receivers stepped up, the offensive line played great, it was a clean pocket all night.
"When it's like that, it makes for a fun night. It was an electric atmosphere, so we were feeding off that.
"We've got some playmakers, and we get the ball in their hands. You see George [Kittle] at the end there, [Aiyuk] breaking some tackles and scoring – it made for a good night."
The 49ers led 14-10 at half-time, before winning the second half 24-0. When asked what impressed him about his side's defense after the break, Garoppolo said he can sense when they're switched on.
"Everything [impressed me]," he said. "I don't get to enjoy all of it, but you can feel from the sideline that they're hitting, they're making plays and having fun out there. That's what it's all about."
Star linebacker Fred Warner was also asked about San Francisco's suffocating defense, and he said he felt they could have been even better.
"It's crazy, because I think back at all the plays we could've made," he said. "But I look at that 10 on the scoreboard and I can't be too mad about it."
Their third consecutive win leaves the 49ers atop the NFC West, owning the tiebreaker against the division's other 6-4 team, the Seattle Seahawks.
The Milwaukee Bucks own the second-best record in the NBA after their 119-111 home win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday gave them 12 wins from their first 16 games.
With six-time All-Star Damian Lillard ruled out for the Blazers due to a calf injury, the Bucks were strong favourites, and they used a dominant third quarter to pull away.
On the back of a big game from Anfernee Simons, scoring 29 points on 12-of-23 shooting, Portland trailed by only two at halftime – before Giannis Antetokounmpo took over.
The former Defensive Player of the Year and two-time league MVP controlled the third quarter at both ends, helping to hold the Blazers to 18 points, while scoring 19 himself on his way to a game-high 37 on 16-of-24 shooting.
While Antetokounmpo is once again a Defensive Player of the Year candidate – having made four consecutive All-Defensive First Teams – perhaps his biggest competition is his own teammate, Brook Lopez.
In his 15th season, the seven-foot Lopez is averaging a career-high and league-leading 2.6 blocks per game, and he improved upon that figure with five blocks and a steal against Portland.
Having played in 15 games this season, it is the fourth time he has tallied at least five blocks, and the Bucks are undefeated in those contests.
Milwaukee have made Fiserv Forum a fortress this season, now 9-1 at home and 3-3 on the road.
Brunson out-duels Gilgeous-Alexander
Jalen Brunson continues to make a case as the most impactful free agent signing from the offseason, scoring a season-high 34 points in a 129-119 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After leaving the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson is averaging career-highs in points per game (20.0), assists (6.5), steals (1.2) and minutes (32.5). His 34 points against the Thunder tied his most ever in a regular season game, although he had 41 in a playoff win against the Utah Jazz in April.
He shot 14-of-20 from the field, and in an encouraging sign, backcourt partner R.J. Barrett also had an efficient outing, scoring 25 on 10-of-16 shooting.
Fourth in the NBA in scoring at 31.1 points per game, Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had another 30 on nine-of-22 shooting, adding seven assists and five rebounds.
Bulls snap nine-game Celtics winning streak
The Boston Celtics had their winning streak cut short one game shy of double-figures, going down 121-107 to the Chicago Bulls.
Chicago's shooting was the story of the game, hitting 14-of-29 three-pointers (48.3 per cent), including their starters combining to shoot 11-of-19.
Traditionally a mid-range scorer, DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 28 points on 11-of-24 shooting, hitting all three of his long-range attempts, while Zach Lavine was five-of-10 on three-pointers for his 22 points.
The San Francisco 49ers did not allow the Arizona Cardinals to score a single point in the second half of Monday's 38-10 blowout in Mexico City.
Despite the lop-sided final result, the Cardinals scored the first points of the game with an early field goal, and after two short-range touchdown passes from the 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo to Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle, Arizona pulled it back to 14-10 with a James Conner goal-line touchdown run.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, that touchdown in the second quarter would be their last points of the game, with the 49ers' defense figuring things out at halftime and producing a shut-out the rest of the way.
San Francisco put the game to bed with two more touchdowns in the third period – a second to Aiyuk, and a 39-yard end-around score for receiver Deebo Samuel – before adding the finishing touches with a second touchdown for Kittle in the last.
Having not thrown more than two touchdown passes in any game since October 2020, Garoppolo finished off completing 20 of his 29 passes for 228 yards and four scores, tying a career-high as his offense committed no turnovers.
Kittle caught four passes for 84 yards and two scores, doubling his touchdown tally for the season, while Aiyuk's two touchdowns came from his only two catches, giving him a six overall to lead the 49ers' pass-catchers this campaign.
At 6-4, the 49ers sit atop the NFC West, owning the tiebreaker with fellow 6-4 side the Seattle Seahawks, while the Cardinals fell to 4-7.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have quietly built an elite championship profile with a top-five offense and a top-five defense, and they were too good for fellow Eastern Conference playoff contenders the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.
Against the Hawks, the Cavaliers rode the offensive brilliance of their two All-Star guards. Darius Garland, who the team drafted fifth overall back in 2019, had an efficient 26 points on nine-of-14 shooting, while their offseason trade acquisition Donovan Mitchell top-scored with 29 points on 11-of-22 shooting.
While having two terrific scorers in the backcourt is one thing, having two elite playmakers unlocks a whole new level of play.
Both Garland and Mitchell finished with nine assists each, with Mitchell averaging a career-high 5.8 assists since arriving from the Utah Jazz, while Garland's 7.7 assists per contest ties him for the sixth-most in the league.
When factoring in that they both play close to 40 minutes a night, coach J.B. Bickerstaff can stagger his rotation in a way where one of them is always on the floor, giving them 48 minutes of structured, competent offense, regardless of who the four surrounding players are.
While their dynamic duo are the heartbeat of their offensive success – producing the fifth-best offensive rating in the league at 114.8 points per 100 possessions – they have an equally impactful pairing in the frontcourt with seven-footers Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
Allen, along with Garland, was honoured last season as a first-time All-Star, while Mobley came into the league as one of the greatest defensive prospects in the history of college basketball.
It is the brilliance of that combination that has allowed the Cavaliers to concede the third-fewest points per 100 possessions (108.2) despite starting two small guards, making them the only team in the top-five of both offensive and defensive efficiency.
After Monday's win against the Hawks, Garland spoke about how their defense was able to deliver a 12-point win despite committing 20 turnovers as a team.
"We're just trying to cut the turnovers down, really – even though we had a lot tonight, we made it up on defense," he said.
"That's how we got easy buckets and got out in transition – got us a couple lay-ups, a couple lobs, and that's really what got us going.
"Our team is just unselfish – everybody sees it. We all love each other, we just want to win, we're just competitors."
Coach Bickerstaff expanded on what makes their defense so good during his postgame press conference, pointing to it as a driving force of their offense, as well.
"We've shown what we're capable of defensively," he said. "We know when we're at our best we can create stops, we can force turnovers, we can create easy opportunities for ourselves.
"In that fourth quarter, holding them to 17 points until that last three – that's how you win basketball games against good teams. You lock down defensively, and that helped our offense.
"When you're getting stops, you're playing in the flow and not against a set defense as much. All of our stuff works together – our offense helps our defense, and our defense helps our offense
"We need to be able to slow the game down and control the game. If you have to go against our half-court defense, you're going to be in for a tough time."
He went on to discuss how special the Allen and Mobley connection is, and why it is such a stark difference when Allen is out injured. The Cavaliers have a woeful defensive rating of 126.6 in the two games Allen has missed this season, and what would be a league-leading figure of 104.0 in the 15 games he has played.
"Jarrett is a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber player," he said. "When you take that away, it's obviously going to have an impact.
"But when he's on the floor, we're a different team, and when our two big guys are on the floor together, and they're working as a pair, they're hard to score on.
"Evan [Mobley] is an All-Defensive player himself, we're extremely fortunate to have two guys who can defend the way they can defend. When they're working together, you're hard-pressed to find easy looks out there."
With the win, the Cavaliers are now 7-1 at home and 11-6 overall, occupying the third seed in the Eastern Conference – a position they will be aiming to maintain all season.
One day after his team’s offence failed to score a touchdown in a damaging loss to a division rival, New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters Monday he’s not certain quarterback Zach Wilson will remain the starter going forward.
"We’re keeping everything on the table the next couple of days," Saleh said at his weekly press conference when asked if changes could be coming ahead of the Jets' Week 12 game against the Chicago Bears.
Wilson, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, managed a mere 77 passing yards while completing nine-of-22 attempts in directing a lifeless Jets offence in Sunday’s 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots. New York produced a meagre 103 total yards and six first downs while missing out on a chance to move into a first-place tie in the tightly bunched AFC East.
The 23-year-old ranks last of out 34 quarterbacks with at least 150 passing attempts this season in completion percentage (55.6), while his 72.6 passer rating is ahead of only Pittsburgh rookie Kenny Pickett among that group.
"I’ve got to be able to sit back, I think we’ve all got to be able to sit back and think what’s best for this organisation and this team," Saleh said. "I want to be very, very clear – it’s not all about the quarterback.
"But there is also an evaluation process to make sure we do what’s best for the organisation, and that’s every position."
Wilson also drew some backlash for his response to a reporter’s question following Sunday’s loss. When asked if he though the offence had let down the defence, the struggling quarterback simply replied, "No, no."
Saleh downplayed those remarks during Monday’s conference while acknowledging that Wilson could have handled the situation better.
"Obviously, football is an emotional game. I’m not going to shy away from the fact that I do think he’s the ultimate competitor. He wants to win about as much as anybody," Saleh said.
"Can he be a little bit better in front of you guys when he’s up here on the podium in terms of the expectation that when you are standing in front of the podium, it’s our job to take bullets and own it, especially when it’s time to own it? Of course he can.
"But I don’t think it’s indicative of how he feels about his team or teammates, and I don’t think he’s naive to the fact that our offence wasn’t playing to the best of their ability."
Los Angeles Clippers franchise player Paul George has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain, ruling him out of at least Monday's clash with the Utah Jazz, and likely more.
George led the Clippers in scoring last season, and continues to lead this season as Kawhi Leonard makes his way back from a long-term injury.
Against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, George was ruled out of the game at half-time after putting up 21 points in 15 minutes, with the Clippers calling it knee soreness as his team cruised to a 119-97 blowout win.
George was listed as questionable until hours before Monday's fixture against the Clippers, when the team released a new injury report with the news of his hamstring strain.
After Saturday's win, Clippers head coach Ty Lue told reporters he did not think it was a significant injury.
"He's doing okay," he said. "I haven't seen what they [medical staff] said about what happened to him, but I just know he had a little tweak."
George was also recorded telling team owner Steve Ballmer that he has "a little soreness, but it's okay".
The typical recovery time for a hamstring strain is at least two weeks, although his status as questionable just two days after suffering the injury bodes well for his projected time on the sidelines.
Max Verstappen already ranks among Formula One's all-time greatest drivers, believes former world champion Nico Rosberg, after the Dutchman's latest triumph.
The Red Bull man signed off on a second successive world drivers' championship crown in emphatic style with victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last weekend.
With 15 race wins this season, Verstappen has set a new record for most victories in a single campaign, and has moved to sixth on the all-time list, overhauling Fernando Alonso.
Now former Mercedes driver Rosberg, who won the title in 2016, thinks he deserves to be high in the conversation when it comes to determining who the sport's finest stars are.
"He is an incredible driver," he told Sky Sports podcast Any Driven Monday. "I think it's easy to say even now that's he's going to be one of the best of all time, if you look at the statistics he actually even is now.
"He's a double world champion [and] with all of the race wins that he has, more than Alonso, he's already one of the best of all time. I think he's only getting started.
"He's going to confirm that in the next decade, certainly. His level of driving is phenomenal, and it's great to witness that."
Though the latter half of his campaign was dogged by Red Bull's salary cap infringements, Verstappen's achievements nevertheless came impressively this year,
An early title battle with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ultimately petered out after a multitude of strategy errors from his rivals, but even before then, the Dutchman looked to have the edge.
"We need to remember also, it's not like from the get-go this year his car was miles quicker than everyone else's," Rosberg added.
"The Ferrari was the quickest car in the beginning of the season and still, he got this incredible 15 wins and really destroyed the opposition in that way.
"If you look at the points, he scored 146 more than anybody else, it's unreal. It's one of the greatest driving seasons we've ever seen, certainly."
When asked to evaluate the New York Jets' offensive performance in the second half against the New England Patriots, Robert Saleh was succinct.
"Dog s***," was his reply.
It is an assessment that was as accurate as it was curt, having come after the Jets managed just two yards of offense in the final two quarters of their 10-3 loss to the Patriots.
The defeat came in heartbreaking fashion as Patriots rookie Marcus Jones returned a punt 84 yards in the dying seconds for the game's only touchdown and saw the Jets fall to the bottom of AFC East at 6-4. Had they prevailed, New York would have been top at 7-3.
From an offensive standpoint it was a fitting end to a game where they averaged a meagre 2.1 yards per play.
Yet, in the sense that quarterback Zach Wilson did not hand the Patriots the game with a string of backbreaking interceptions as he did three weeks prior, this outing arguably represented an improvement for the Jets' quarterback.
But for a player the Jets drafted second overall in 2021, choosing between curbing his off-schedule plays but delivering no offensive production or allowing him to create at the risk of disastrous turnovers is a dreadful position to be in, and it raises the question whether it is time for New York to already be thinking about moving on from Wilson.
Anything but accurate
For as anaemic as the Jets' offense was in Week 11, the case could be made that this was one of Wilson's cleaner games as he threw only one interceptable pass, according to Stats Perform data.
But that it is even possible to make such a suggestion speaks to how low Wilson's floor is. At his worst, he is a quarterback who struggles significantly with accuracy and is prone to head-scratching throws that often result in gift-wrapped turnovers for the defense.
While he had only one such turnover-worthy throw on Sunday, which Patriots safety Devin McCourty inexplicably dropped, Wilson was painfully inaccurate when attacking New England's pass defense. His well-thrown rate, which measures the number of accurate, well-thrown balls delivered by a quarterback, was just 60 per cent, the worst among all signal-callers with at least 10 pass attempts in Week 11 as of Monday.
And the evidence indicates his relatively careful performance in New England was an aberration, with his tendency for off-target throws in keeping with what he has produced in his second season as a pro.
Indeed, his well-thrown rate of 70.6 per cent is the worst in the NFL while his pickable pass rate of 6.47 per cent is only an improvement on that of Taylor Heinicke (7.35 per cent) and Jameis Winston (7.27 per cent) for quarterbacks with a minimum of 100 attempts.
There is, though, an argument the blame should not be entirely on Wilson, who has struggled while playing behind a banged-up offensive line.
Pressure a problem, but no excuse
The Jets can count Mekhi Becton, George Fant and Alijah Vera-Tucker among their offensive linemen on the sidelines, robbing them of two starting tackles and a guard.
Their pressure rate allowed of 42.3 per cent is well above the league average of 38.7 per cent but, though Wilson is one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL under pressure, he and the Jets cannot pin all of his woes on the pass protection.
Among quarterbacks with at least 50 throws under pressure, Wilson is last in the NFL with a well-thrown rate of 54 per cent and a pickable pass percentage of 18.
Wilson has only thrown two pickable passes when he is not pressured, but Carson Wentz is the sole quarterback with at least 100 such attempts with a worse well-thrown rate when kept clean than the Jets' starter's 77.5 per cent.
In other words, while Wilson is a better quarterback when not pressured, he is still among the least accurate passers in the league even when the offensive line does its job.
Wilson has not been supported by an overly efficient run game. The Jets' run success rate of 30.1 per cent is the second-worst in the league, yet their average gain on the ground of 4.4 yards is in line with the NFL average.
The Jets have won just one game since sensational rookie running back Breece Hall suffered a season-ending injury, but their efforts on the ground in his absence have not been bad enough to justify Wilson's evident lack of year two growth, which is wasting an excellent season from the defense.
A playoff calibre defense
Saleh's defense ranks ninth in the NFL with a success rate allowed of 37.1 per cent and has excelled against the run and the pass without having to commit significant resources to defending either.
The Jets are allowing an average of four yards per play on the ground (the average is 4.4) while only playing with a heavy box on 36.5 per cent of defensive snaps. Similarly, they have the fourth-highest pressure rate (43.2 per cent) in the NFL but the lowest blitz rate (15.6 per cent).
New York's defense is containing the ground game without having to bring defenders down from the secondary to do so and gets consistent pressure on quarterbacks while only sending four defensive linemen as pass rushers.
In essence, the Jets possess a defense ideally suited to stopping modern-day offenses, one that should be spearheading their playoff challenge.
Instead, the defense and the Jets as a whole are being limited by a quarterback whom they drafted to elevate the offense.
The Jets' victories this season have often come in spite of Wilson, who next campaign will enter the third year of his rookie deal. That would normally be the time for a team to consider starting discussions with their young quarterback about a contract extension, but Wilson has given the Jets no reason to be motivated to enter such conversations.
Unless Wilson turns things around down the stretch and ensures the Jets' season is one reflective of the plethora of talent they possess across the rest of the roster, the internal discussions around the man they picked to be the face of the franchise will likely be focused on how they replace him.
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