Sam Burns pulled five strokes clear at the halfway mark of the Genesis Invitational, while Dustin Johnson is among the chasing pack.
Burns, 24, carded a five-under 66 in the second round at Riviera Country Club in California to surge clear at 12 under on Friday.
Seeking a first PGA Tour win, Burns – who held a two-shot overnight lead – produced a bogey-free second round that included five birdies.
With his total of 130, Burns tied the 36-hole record at the tournament with three players – Davis Love III (1992), Mike Weir (2004) and Shigeki Maruyama (2004).
Johnson, the 2017 champion, is in a four-way tie for second at seven under after shooting a 67.
The two-time major winner recovered from a bogey at the second hole to post five birdies and sit alongside Tyler McCumber (68), Jason Kokrak (68) and Joaquin Niemann (68).
Jordan Spieth continued his good form with a second straight 68 seeing him at six under and in a tie for sixth.
Coming off back-to-back top-five finishes, Spieth is alongside Max Homa (70) and Wyndham Clark (69), while Alex Noren (70), Scott Harrington (66), Cameron Smith (68), Patrick Cantlay (70) and Matt Fitzpatrick (71) are a shot further back.
Brooks Koepka carded a 70 to be at four under, while Rory McIlroy and 2019 runner-up Justin Thomas both missed the cut.
McIlroy missed the weekend at an event for the first time since the 2019 Open Championship after finishing at seven over.
Only 13 new positive cases of COVID-19 were detected by MLB in its initial round of COVID-19 testing ahead of full-squad spring training, the league announced on Friday.
The new cases represent 0.3 per cent of the 4,336 intake tests as players and staff reported to team facilities in preparation for spring training games.
Nine of the 13 positive tests were produced by players, while four came from staff members. The 13 positives were spread among 11 teams.
MLB also announced that once players have cleared intake testing they will continue to be tested regularly, and 2,298 additional monitoring tests have been processed without any new positives.
Pitchers and catchers for all teams had already reported to team facilities in Arizona or Florida. Most clubs plan to start full-squad workouts on Monday, with the first spring training games scheduled for Sunday, February 28.
The 2021 MLB regular season will begin April 1 under a number of coronavirus safety and testing guidelines.
Antoine Dupont has become the latest member of France's Six Nations set-up to test positive for COVID-19.
Head coach Fabien Galthie, assistant William Servat and another unspecified member of the backroom team have returned positive results since last weekend's 15-13 victory over Ireland in Dublin.
The French Rugby Federation (FFR) announced on Wednesday that no players had tested positive for coronavirus and they had been permitted to return home ahead of further testing on Friday.
Although 11 players returned negative results in the latest batch of testing, Dupont was found to be positive.
"The player who tested positive for COVID-19 is Antoine Dupont," read an FFR statement. "To date, he is asymptomatic. In accordance with protocol he will remain in isolation for the next few days."
The France squad are due to return to the National Rugby Centre in Marcoussis on Sunday to begin preparing for Scotland's visit to Paris the following weekend.
Daniil Medvedev believes he has "nothing to lose" in Sunday's Australian Open final against Novak Djokovic.
Medvedev reached his second grand slam decider after an impressive 6-4 6-2 7-5 victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas in their last-four clash in Melbourne on Friday.
The Russian fourth seed became the 25th man in the Open Era to record a Tour-level winning streak of 20 as he continued his incredible form.
Medvedev said in an on-court interview all the pressure in the final would be on Djokovic, who has won the Australian Open a record eight times.
Despite seeking his maiden grand slam crown, the 25-year-old – who has won three of his past four meetings with Djokovic – said he had nothing to lose in the final.
"I think he's the favourite because he didn't lose. In eight occasions that he was here in the semis he won the tournament. Me, I'm, how you can call it, I don't know how you call it in English, not an outsider, but I'm the challenger, the guy that challenges the guy who was eight times in the final and won eight times. And I'm happy about it," Medvedev told a news conference.
"I like to play against Novak. We have, since the first one when I was ranked 60, we had always tough matches physically, mentally. And he's one of the greatest tennis players in the history of tennis. So playing the final against him is superb. I'm really happy about it. Let's see what happens on Sunday.
"When I say no pressure, for sure when we get out there we both feel pressure. I want to win my first one. He wants to win number 18. We don't know for who the crowd is going to be. It's all the small details.
"I think if we talk in general, well, I have nothing to lose, to be honest."
Medvedev hit 46 winners and 21 unforced errors against Tsitsipas, overcoming a third-set blip to close out his victory.
As the Rod Laver Arena crowd attempted to get Tsitsipas back into the contest, Medvedev claimed a key break in the 11th game of the third set with a tremendous backhand pass down the line, which he celebrated with a dance.
"They [the crowd] were mostly for him, and that was, you know, the moment that I won the match, we should say. Of course you have to serve after, but that was important moment. So I wanted them to recognise me, I would say, because the shot was unbelievable, I think one of my best shots in my career," Medvedev said.
"Actually, my legs were facing the other way of the court because I didn't have time, so I have no idea how I made this, and I was really happy about it."
Stefanos Tsitsipas paid tribute to Daniil Medvedev for his performance in their Australian Open semi-final on Friday.
Medvedev set up a clash against Novak Djokovic in the decider in Melbourne after producing an impressive performance in a 6-4 6-2 7-5 victory over Tsitsipas.
The Russian fourth seed became the 25th man in the Open Era to record a Tour-level winning streak of 20 as he continued his incredible form.
Tsitsipas, who has lost six of seven meetings with Medvedev, credited the 2019 US Open runner-up for his display.
"Everyone saw what just happened out there. I'm the last person you should be asking this," the Greek fifth seed told a news conference.
"I was just focused on my game, and he put out his show. He became Daniil Medvedev for three sets in a row."
Medvedev hammered 46 winners to go with just 21 unforced errors, while dropping serve just once.
He will be aiming for his maiden grand slam title when he faces Djokovic, a player he has beaten in three of their previous four meetings.
"I wouldn't be surprised to see Daniil win the tournament. But, you know, it's a strange scenario," Tsitsipas said.
"I played Rafa [Nadal] here two years ago. I found his performance against me that day phenomenal. I was 100 per cent sure he was gonna win the tournament. And I ended up being wrong.
"Who knows? I don't know. Like, Djokovic is playing well too. Look, I'm not a betting website. I don't know what to say. Might be Medvedev, would be good for him, good for tennis."
Daniil Medvedev produced an impressive performance to outclass Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets and book an Australian Open final meeting with Novak Djokovic.
Medvedev was in irresistible form on Rod Laver Arena, needing just over two hours to get past Tsitsipas 6-4 6-2 7-5 on Friday and move into his second grand slam final.
The Russian fourth seed extended his winning streak to 20 matches heading into Sunday, when he will be aiming to claim his maiden major title.
Tsitsipas, coming off an incredible comeback win over Rafael Nadal in the last eight, had the backing of the Melbourne crowd, but no answers to Medvedev, who won for the sixth time in seven meetings between the pair despite a third-set blip.
After an entertaining but largely uneventful start, Medvedev broke for 3-2, a wonderful backhand winner down the line followed up by Tsitsipas sending a forehand just long.
Medvedev was boosted by the break, holding to love in the next game as Tsitsipas' errors mounted, and the Russian closed out the first set despite an increasingly boisterous crowd urging the Greek on.
The baseline exchanges were being dominated by Medvedev, who broke in the third game of the second set on the back of a whipped forehand winner and another down the line.
Medvedev broke to love in the seventh game and he lost just three points on serve in the second set to take complete control.
He continued to dictate points and hit winners at will, breaking serve again to begin the third set, before a blip – a tame forehand into the net seeing Tsitsipas break back, much to the delight of most fans in Rod Laver Arena.
Medvedev saved a break point in the eighth game with an ace down the T to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd.
He came from 0-30 down to hold for 5-5 in what would prove a key moment, a spectacular backhand pass seeing him break serve – and into a dance – in the following game on his way to victory.
Data Slam: Medvedev in magical form ahead of Djokovic final
Medvedev became the 25th man in the Open Era to record a Tour-level winning streak of 20, and he is just the sixth active player to do so, joining Djokovic, Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro. He is also on a 12-match winning streak against top-10 opponents.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Medvedev – 46/21
Tsitsipas – 19/30
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Medvedev – 17/2
Tsitsipas – 3/3
BREAK POINTS WON
Medvedev – 5/9
Tsitsipas – 1/3
LeBron James was 'honoured' to share the esteemed company of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone after becoming the third player in NBA history to clock up 35,000 points.
The Los Angeles Lakers star achieved the feat in a 109-98 loss against the in-form Brooklyn Nets at Staples Center, matching Hall of Fame duo Abdul-Jabbar and Malone.
Hours before tip off, the 36-year-old was named a team captain in the 2021 All-Star game, becoming the first player to be selected 17 straight times, and he went on to put up 32 points on Thursday to reach a notable milestone.
"First of all I'm very humbled and very grateful to be part of a great league," said James after his latest landmark.
"It's a privilege to do what I love to do, which is to play the game of basketball and inspire the youth.
"For me to be linked with some of the greatest who ever played this game is always an honour.
"I've always just wanted to go out there and play the game the right way, inspire my team-mates, inspire the people that watch me and just try to be as good as I can be every single night.
"I don't put a ceiling on my ability or what I can do as far as this game and I've had some pretty good moments."
James' exploits came in a losing effort as the NBA's number two defense fell to its leading offense.
James Harden powered up the Nets with his 19th double-double (23 points, 11 assists) of the season, while Joe Harris showed his three-point prowess, dropping six of seven attempts to clock up 21 total points.
Brooklyn rallied midway through the first half, opening up an 11-point lead. It was one they never relinquished to move to 19-12, while the Lakers fell to 22-8.
The Lakers were without the injured Anthony Davis and lost Dennis Schroder because of the NBA's health and safety protocols.
James, however, was not looking for excuses.
"Obviously missing AD and then our starting point guard in Dennis Schroder, it was a big a blow for us," he said.
"We just didn't play to our capabilities, but give them credit."
Naomi Osaka can continue what is becoming a magical trend with a win in the Australian Open final.
The Japanese star will face Jennifer Brady in the decider at Melbourne Park on Saturday as she eyes a fourth grand slam title.
But Osaka, 23, can also continue an unlikely and rather incredible trend at the year's first grand slam – winning the crown after saving match point.
If she can get past Brady, Osaka would become the seventh woman in the Open Era to win the Australian Open after saving a match point along the way, joining Monica Seles (1991), Jennifer Capriati (2002), Serena Williams (2003 and 2005), Li Na (2014), Angelique Kerber (2016) and Caroline Wozniacki (2018).
Osaka was pushed to the brink by Garbine Muguruza in the fourth round of this year's tournament. She faced two match points at 3-5 in the third set, saving the first with an ace down the T – no woman has served more aces than her 44 at the tournament – before a powerful forehand forced Muguruza into an error. Osaka would win four straight games to reach the quarter-finals.
Wozniacki's success three years ago was particularly remarkable as she saved two match points in the second round against Jana Fett, reeling off six straight games from 5-1 down in the final set. The last time it happened in a women's draw outside of the Australian Open was at Wimbledon in 2009, and it has occurred three times since in Melbourne.
Osaka's coach, Wim Fissette, said the mental side of the game was a key focus for the star.
"I think it's just part of the workday by day and where we speak about different topics. And honestly, it's a very important topic for her. She knows the experience of the past years like when her attitude is good, her mind is very clear what she needs to do, what she wants to do, and then she plays well," he said on Friday.
"So, the base of playing really well is a good attitude. Doesn't mean you cannot be negative, like, at some point, you know. It's only human or normal to be frustrated maybe at one point, but to reset immediately, that's a very important one. So it's not something, let's say, we had, like, big conversations about, but it's a daily topic, and it's more coming from Naomi that she wants to be that person that's always, like, behaves well on the court. That's kind of a role model also for younger players."
While Brady shapes as a major test, Osaka has won every major at which she has gone past the fourth round.
Osaka is also on a 20-match winning streak, becoming the third woman since 2010 to achieve such a run – joining Williams (27 in 2014-15) and Victoria Azarenka (26 in 2012). The incredible run included a US Open semi-final win over Brady last year, and Osaka has proven unstoppable – a couple of walkovers aside. Brady pushed Osaka to three sets at Flushing Meadows and the American has put together a fine run of her own in Melbourne.
But the three-time major winner's hot streak has her well-placed for more history on Saturday, and to continue an incredible trend in Melbourne.
Daria Kasatkina clinched her first WTA Tour title since 2018 with a three-set win over Marie Bouzkova in the Phillip Island Trophy final.
Kasatkina, a former top-10 player who has fallen out of the top 100 in the rankings, edged past Czech 13th seed Bouzkova 4-6 6-2 6-2 in Melbourne on Friday.
The Russian's success gave her a third WTA Tour crown and first since October 2018.
Bouzkova lost her previous meeting with Kasatkina last year but looked on track for a maiden WTA title after taking the first set.
But Kasatkina, who made a second-round exit at the Australian Open, lost just eight points on serve in the final two sets against Bouzkova to land the crown.
LeBron James became third player in NBA history to clock up 35,000 points but could not prevent the Los Angeles Lakers falling 109-98 against the in-form Brooklyn Nets.
James needed 15 points to join esteemed company in Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone, and it took him until just before half-time to achieve the feat at Staples Center.
Hours before tip off, the 36-year-old was named a team captain in the 2021 All-Star game, becoming first player to be selected 17 straight times, and he went on to put up 32 points on Thursday.
But it was not enough for the NBA’s number one defense, as the Nets extended their winning run to five games, with Kyrie Irving returning from back tightness to boost the NBA’s number one offense.
James Harden powered up the Nets with his 18th double-double (23 points, 11 assists) of the season, while Joe Harris showed his three-point prowess, dropping six of seven attempts, to clock up 21 total points.
Brooklyn rallied midway through the first half, sinking seven from 11 shots from downtown to open up an 11-point lead. It was one they never relinquished to move to 19-12, while the Lakers fall to 22-8.
Red-hot Butler does it again
Jimmy Butler recorded his third straight triple-double (13 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds) in the Miami Heat's 118-110 win against the Sacramento Kings, while Bam Adebayo also got in on the act with 16 points, 10 assist and 12 rebounds. They are the only teammates to ever record same-game triple-doubles in multiple games.
Jennifer Brady is on texting terms with an all-time great, told the world her twin sister is "a nerd" in a news conference, and refuelled with twice-daily orders of takeaway food during her Melbourne quarantine.
Naomi Osaka is commanding almost all the attention, but the 'other' Australian Open women's finalist is a peppy character who could head home to the United States next week as a grand slam winner for the first time.
She reached the US Open semi-finals last year too, and has now become the eighth American woman to reach the final of a singles major in the 21st century.
We should talk more about her.
So who's her famous friend?
Brady was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and moved with her family to Florida as a nine-year-old, but "not for tennis".
Sucks to that. At the age of 10 she joined Chris Evert's academy in Boca Raton, learning the ways of the 18-time grand slam winner.
But Brady admits she "had a bit of a temper as a kid" and lacked mental sturdiness, which might just be why it has taken her until the age of 25 to make a major breakthrough.
Evert recognised her talent from an early age though.
"Chrissie messages me every now and then a lot," said Brady. "She is somebody who has seen me since I was 10, 11 years old. So she's probably known me the longest out here.
"It's awesome to have someone like her in your corner, supporting you and cheering for you."
Why haven't we heard about Brady before?
All sports have sliding doors moments and if Michael Geserer had not come into Brady's life, who is to say she would have scaled such heights as these.
Coach Geserer was nudged Brady's way in 2019 by a mutual acquaintance, American coach Billy Heiser, and her career has been on an upwards trajectory ever since.
A promising junior but an unfulfilled talent as a professional, Brady was approaching her mid-20s and searching for direction.
She had already taken the college route into professional sport, playing at the University of California, Los Angeles. Doing so gave initial life to a career that could have been lost to the drip, drip pain of one painful defeat after another while still a junior.
As Brady recalled: "I took a hit there and thought, 'OK, maybe I'm not meant for this sport. Maybe I'm not good enough. I'll go to college for four years and then I'll find a real job.'"
What happened next?
From 55th in the world at the end of 2019, Brady leapt to 24th after the abridged 2020 season. Now the top 10 is beckoning. Her game is suddenly dynamite.
Geserer is German, and Brady took a leap of faith by leaving Florida behind from July to December last year to train in her coach's favoured environment, teaching herself to handle homesickness.
"Once you become too comfortable, I think that's when you're in trouble," Brady said. "Going over and training in Germany, at times I might be, like, 'OK, I wish I was home'. But other times, I'm like, 'OK, it's worth it'.
"I have to do what I have to do to become the best tennis player right now and then afterwards I can live my life."
What. A. Quote. And here's another...
Brady has a twin, Jessica. On Thursday, Jessica copped one in a Melbourne Park news conference.
Asked whether her sister plays tennis at all, Brady was cheekily brutal, saying that Jessica "gave up" and explaining: "She's a nerd. She studies. She's in medical school. So she has the brains and I have the athletic genes."
Everything's Hunky Dory with Brady
Hunky Dory is at the classier end of Melbourne's takeaway outlets, and Brady makes no bones about declaring she would order takeout from there while in hard quarantine before the Australian Open began.
Confined to a hotel bedroom for a fortnight, Brady called in orders for "the first seven days, every single day, sometimes twice a day".
But if delicious deliveries of fast food were on the menu, fast fixes of entertainment emphatically were not.
"I didn't watch one Netflix series just because I knew if I started something then I wouldn't want to do anything else except just lay in bed and watch Netflix," Brady said.
She knows Osaka is 'magnificent'
Why deny it? Brady first faced Osaka on the professional tour at a tiny $50,000 event in New Braunfels, Texas, in 2014.
She beat the 17-year-old Osaka that day but has lost both their encounters since. It was Osaka, on her way to a third grand slam title, who ended Brady's US Open run last September.
When a reporter asked Brady at last year's US Open, 'Obviously Naomi is magnificent. What makes her so magnificent?', Brady slung out a raft of compliments.
And this week she cast her mind back to that 2014 clash, recalling: "I was, like, 'Wow, she hits the ball huge. She's gonna be good. OK, she's got something special.'"
She's not afraid to be afraid, but she's going to own any fears
Brady knows Saturday's final is a big deal and it is not her nature to spout "just another game" cliches, as some might.
"I'll definitely be nervous 100 per cent, but there is no hiding it. I just have to embrace it and enjoy the moment," she said. "I think I have earned the right to be sitting here, to be playing in a final, in a grand slam final."
She wants to find focus and to make the biggest moment of her career even bigger. That's now the Jennifer Brady way.
"But there's gonna be moments, there's gonna be games, there's gonna be points where I'm going to be thinking about, 'Wow, this could be my first grand slam title," Brady said. "I will definitely have those thoughts."
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant have been named as team captains for the 70th NBA All-Star game on March 7.
Serving as a team captain for the fourth straight year, James received the most votes to earn his 17th All-Star appearance, and is joined in the Western Conference starters pool by Golden State Warriors’ three-point specialist Stephen Curry, who is selected as an All-Star for the seventh time.
Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers is named an All-Star for the fifth time, while Denver Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic makes a third appearance, and the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic is called up for a second time to round off the starters pool from the west.
Battling both Father Time and his opponent, LeBron James remains a nearly unstoppable force in his 18th season.
Averaging 25.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.9 assists, James is once again posting impressive numbers for the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers while playing every game so far this season.
With Los Angeles off to a 22-7 start, James appears to be the early favourite for MVP, which would put James in rarified air with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell and Michael Jordan as the only players to win the award at least five times.
James, who won his first MVP award after the 2008-09 season, would also secure the record for the most time between MVP honours if he were to win again – a fitting tribute for a player who has broken the rules of basketball longevity.
As good as James has been this season, his lead in the race is narrow, and perhaps his three most deserving rivals come from the center position, despite the league's embrace of "small ball".
Whether it be the "seven seconds or less" Phoenix Suns teams of the mid-2000s, the perimeter-fueled Golden State Warriors teams that won three titles or the Houston Rockets' dramatic downsizing last season that left 6ft 5in P.J. Tucker defending 7-footers, the NBA has been trending small for the better part of the last two decades.
Shaquille O'Neal is the last true center to win MVP in 1999-00, although Tim Duncan played plenty of center during his 2001-02 and 2003-03 MVP campaigns. Some pundits have even forecasted the extinction of the true center as the league leans toward perimeter play and positional versatility.
Yet three centers – Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz – are assembling compelling cases to be voted this season's MVP.
Jokic is the focal point of the Nuggets' offense, on pace to dish out the most assists ever by a player 7 feet or taller at 8.6 per game. He is also averaging a team-high 27.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.57 steals.
With Jokic on the court, the Nuggets score 117.2 points per 100 possessions – better than any team's full-season numbers – while shooting 49.9 percent from the field. When Jokic sits, Denver's offense operates with the efficiency of league-worst Cleveland, shoots just 42.5 percent, makes fewer 3-pointers and commits more turnovers.
The Serbia native has helped the Nuggets navigate several absences due to COVID-19 protocols, but with a 15-13 start – eighth in the West – MVP voters are typically hesitant to vote for a team outside the top four in its conference. And while Jokic has improved on defense over the last few seasons, his weaknesses on that side of the floor are a fair argument against him being named more valuable than any other player.
Embiid, on the other hand, is a two-time All-Defensive Team selection who is also turning in his best offensive season by a wide margin. His 29.7 points per game are on pace to be the most by a 7-footer since 1999-00 (Shaquille O'Neal, 29.7), while shooting career bests of 54 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from 3-point range.
Embiid is also a tremendous free throw shooter, regardless of position, making 85.1 percent this season. He is even better in high-stakes situations, making 88.5 percent of his free throws in the fourth quarter and overtime, including a 19-for-20 mark in the last three minutes of a game.
With Embiid on the court, the Sixers have a net rating of +11.2 points per 100 possessions but are -5.7 per 100 possessions when he is off the court. Embiid is vital to his team, with the 76ers going 18-5 when he plays and 1-5 when he rests.
While Embiid's time off the court shows just how valuable he is when he plays, it also may keep him from winning MVP this season. At his current workload, he is on pace to miss 15 of the Sixers' 72 games, more than 20 per cent. Embiid has played just under 748 minutes this season, while James and Jokic have played over 1,000 each.
Gobert has played nearly 878 minutes for the Jazz, appearing in every game and leading Utah to a league-leading 24-5 record.
While his 14.2 points per game fail to measure up to his competitors' numbers, Gobert slots perfectly into the "best player on the best team" role that Giannis Antetokounmpo has occupied over the last two seasons and has added 13.4 rebounds and a career-high 2.69 blocks per game.
Gobert is second in the league in plus-minus per 48 minutes at +15.3 (min. 500 minutes played), trailing only teammate Mike Conley at +18.9.
The Jazz have surrounded Gobert with a roster mostly consisting of average or worse defensive players yet still rank third in the NBA, allowing 106 points per game.
When Gobert is on the floor, Utah holds opponents to 101.6 points per 100 possession, fewer than any team's full-season numbers this year. And while Gobert ranks second in the NBA in blocked shots, his defensive impact extends beyond traditional numbers.
Utah's opponents have attempted just 18.8 free throws per game – second fewest in the NBA – and Gobert's intimidating presence in the middle appears to be why. With Gobert on the court, Utah's opponents are attempting just 15.2 free throws per 100 possessions. When Gobert sits, that number balloons to 24.2.
Ultimately, though, Gobert's limited offensive role makes him an outside candidate for MVP unless the Jazz finish the season on a historically great run.
Gobert's skew toward defense, Jokic's skew toward offense and Embiid's limited availability could all open the door for LeBron – a worthy candidate in his own right – to take home his fifth MVP after this season.
This trio of centers, however, has proven that there is still room for the big man to dominate in the modern NBA.
Staples Center will stage a clash of heavyweights on Thursday as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Brooklyn Nets, though it might not be quite the spectacle once hoped for.
Of course, most sporting contests are not quite what they used to be, owing to the lack of spectators allowed in the arenas.
But the absence of Lakers star Anthony Davis with a calf injury, along with Kevin Durant's hamstring problem, which may keep the Nets forward out of a third straight game, further depletes a matchup that could be repeated in the NBA Finals.
Yet LeBron James is still performing at the peak of his powers and the Nets' guard combination of James Harden and Kyrie Irving is firing on all cylinders, with the former dropping 38 points in a comeback from a 24-point deficit against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
Therefore, there will still be plenty to intrigue in this marquee showdown, even if the first meeting of LeBron and KD since Christmas Day 2018 is further delayed.
TOP PERFORMERS
LeBron James - Los Angeles Lakers
James is the MVP frontrunner and he has maintained his remarkable levels of excellence this month, in which he has a pair of triple-doubles.
He has successive double-doubles in his last two games, tallying at least 30 points for the fifth time this season in the win over the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves last time out.
With Davis on the sidelines, LeBron will have to carry the bulk of the burden again if the Lakers are to claim their 23rd win.
Kyrie Irving - Brooklyn Nets
Despite sitting out Brooklyn's astonishing fightback against the Suns because of a sore back, no member of the Nets has been more prolific in the month of February than Irving.
The man who helped LeBron deliver a title to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 is averaging a team-high 29.8 points per game this month. Harden is next with an average of 24.4.
He is shooting 55.5 per cent from the field and 48.8 per cent from three-point range, while his season-long average of 28.3 points a game is a career-high.
Irving will, however, be hoping for a better performance than the one he produced in his sole game against the Lakers last year, when he went seven of 17 from the field in a 15-point loss.
KEY BATTLE - WHICH 'OTHERS' WILL STEP UP?
Though the Nets will still have the best backcourt in the league at their disposal, the injury issues surrounding Durant and Davis increases the spotlight on the lesser-heralded members of the two supporting casts.
The Lakers will be looking for more of the same from Dennis Schroder, the guard rising to the challenge in Davis' absence against the Timberwolves and scoring 24 points.
For the Nets, the onus may be more on Joe Harris, who has impressive numbers in terms of field goal percentage (57.5) and three-point shooting (51.1 per cent) for the month of February.
This potential Finals preview could well be decided by which team's 'others' can best fill the void if Durant joins Davis in playing the role of spectator.
HEAD TO HEAD
It's the first meeting this season between the Lakers and Nets, though recent history suggests Brooklyn can afford to be confident even if they are without Durant.
The two teams split the season series last term, but the Nets have won three of the last four games having swept the season series in 2018-19.
All three of those victories came by a single-digit margin.
Stephen Curry trusted the rhythm he found to propel the Golden State Warriors to victory over the Miami Heat would come despite setting a personal record for missed three-point attempts.
Through three quarters against the Heat at Chase Center, Curry had 14 points on 2-of-15 shooting from beyond the arc. He had attempted at least 15 three-pointers in 47 prior regular season games, but this was the first time he had made just two.
The two-time NBA MVP found his range with two minutes and 26 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and laid on two assists for Kent Bazemore to help the Warriors force overtime.
Curry missed his first three shots in the additional period but hit a go-ahead three with 1:15 remaining and made a phenomenal step back jumper from 28 feet to put Golden State up six with 17 seconds left.
He finished the game on 5-of-20 shooting from beyond the arc – the first time in his career he has missed 15 threes in a game in the regular season and playoffs. His previous worst came in the defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the 2015 NBA Finals.
"I probably took five bad ones. I'd say, the rest of them were off the dribble in rhythm or catch and shoot wide-open, I just was missing," Curry said of his display against Miami, in which he finished with 25 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds.
"So, knowledge and confidence is huge, and understanding that eventually I'll find the right rhythm, the right look and make a big one, and thankfully it happened at the end of regulation and then in the two in overtime.
"I tried not to think of the percentages during the game when you know like, 'Damn, I missed about 17 of these.' That doubt can sometimes creep in, you've got to kick it out and just shoot with confidence and keep shooting."
He added: "You play enough games and go through enough experiences, you know what it's like to kind of feel a little lost when shots aren't falling, and you know how you mentally react to it and what you can do to keep your confidence and stick with it.
"It's just bread over time ... I've been shooting since I was nine. You got to be able to figure out how to get through some bad shooting games."
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was unsurprised to see Curry still play a crucial role even when he was enduring an off shooting performance.
"This is so typical of Steph. He's just the kind of player and the kind of person who can be in the midst of one of his worst shooting nights of the year and still hit three enormous shots to help us win the game. So really an amazing team win and a lot of fun," said Kerr.
"I just think he hasn't just built up his body and his skill over the years, I think he's built up his mind.
"And he's so strong-willed that he doesn't let things bother him and he knows that the law of averages are going to play out. He has so much belief in his shot that he's going to keep shooting.
"It's the same reason he shoots three-quarter court shots when there's still time on the clock. He doesn't care about the percentage. He actually believes that's a shot he can make, so he takes it.
"And same thing applies when he's in the midst of a tough night, he always believes the next one is going in. He's got an incredibly powerful belief in himself."
Novak Djokovic ended Aslan Karatsev's dream run to reach his ninth Australian Open final on Thursday.
Djokovic, who has been dealing with an abdominal injury in Melbourne, brushed past qualifier Karatsev 6-3 6-4 6-2 in their semi-final on Rod Laver Arena.
The world number one has won the Australian Open every time he has reached the semi-finals, and he is on track again ahead of facing either Daniil Medvedev or Stefanos Tsitsipas in Sunday's decider.
Djokovic moved into his 28th grand slam final – a tally bettered only by Roger Federer (31) – as he targets an 18th major title.
Karatsev held his own in the early baseline exchanges and dug himself out of a 0-30 hole in the sixth game.
But he could not deny Djokovic in his next service game, broken to love when he pulled a backhand wide as the Serbian won 10 straight points and the set.
Djokovic broke again in the third game of the second set following a Karatsev double fault, and a fortunate net cord saw him into a 4-1 lead as he took complete control.
Karatsev got one of the breaks back and pushed for the other, but Djokovic – who had won all 19 of his previous meetings with qualifiers at grand slams – closed out the second set.
Just as Karatsev seemed to be working his way back into the contest and the duo exchanged breaks to begin the third, Djokovic took a 3-2 lead as he won the final four games of the match.
Data Slam: Age still no barrier for Djokovic
Djokovic became the first man in the Open Era to reach three Australian Open finals after turning 30. The 33-year-old has dominated in Melbourne, and his run continues.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Djokovic – 30/14
Karatsev – 24/30
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Djokovic – 17/2
Karatsev – 6/2
BREAK POINTS WON
Djokovic – 6/7
Karatsev – 2/5
Joel Embiid led the Philadelphia 76ers to victory over the Houston Rockets despite a back issue but is not alarmed by the ongoing injury.
All-Star center Embiid has been dealing with back tightness since a fall in the win against the Los Angeles Lakers in January, though he has only missed two games.
With Ben Simmons sitting out against the Rockets due to illness, Embiid was keen to take part against the Rockets on Wednesday and he put up 31 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.
It was the 26-year-old's 12th straight game with at least 25 points, joining Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain as the only 76ers players to achieve that feat.
Philadelphia led by 26 points at halftime but Houston cut the deficit to four during the final quarter, meaning Embiid was on the floor a lot longer than he had initially planned.
"It was pretty tight, but I just wanted to make sure we got the win and that's all that matters," said Embiid.
"I wanted to give it a shot for five more minutes [in the second half], obviously things changed and I had to adjust to it but the whole game it was pretty tight. But I'll be fine.
"It's not alarming. As NBA players we're playing every single night and the body is sore, you've just got to take care of yourself. It's normal.
"It's tightness. Some days its tighter than usual, some days it's not. After the [Phoenix] Suns game it got tighter than usual and today when we started it was tighter than usual, so it's just some days and I've just got to go home and continue to do what I've been doing and I'll be fine."
The 76ers had 13 turnovers in the second half and Embiid accounted for five of those. It took the team's total for the game to 20.
"They started making some shots, we had a couple turnovers – especially me," Embiid said when asked to explain the Rockets' resurgence.
"We had a stretch where at least six possessions in a row we had nothing going on and they just came back down the other end and just started making shots.
"We've just got to learn how to close games when needed. There's a lot to learn but we got the win."
Head coach Doc Rivers added: "It just got sloppy. It happens. We had a big lead, probably didn't have a lot left in the tank.
"We really had some unforced turnovers, which you don't like. Teams like Houston are going to keep throwing the ball at the rim and if you turn the ball over you're going to allow them back in the game.
"I don't think it was the pressure it was more us and we had a lot of self-inflicted wounds."
Embiid also praised Matisse Thybulle, who thrived in the zone defense despite the absence of Simmons and had a game-high four steals.
"When you've got Matisse in the game, I feel like that's our best defense. He gets his hands on everything," said Embiid.
"I think he has the potential to be the best defender in the league, just the way he moves, the way he wins on defense. He's got great hands, so that's one of the reasons why we do it.
"We did it in Indiana in that fourth quarter and he completely changed the game and tonight we basically did it the whole game, he was all over the place.
"I think he has a chance, especially when it comes to All-NBA Defensive Teams."
LeBron James doesn't yet look close to being ready to end his basketball career, but he's already planning his next career move.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar James is considering moving into the music business.
The four-time NBA champion has a contract until the end of the 2022-23 season, by which time he will be 38 years old.
James is hoping he can move from producing the goods on the court to producing in the studio but is not planning on rapping himself.
The 16-time All-Star would instead look to rope in friends to help with vocals, but said he was just "thinking out loud".
"My love for music is INSANE!!! I think I'm going to do an album," tweeted James.
"Oh no I won't be rapping or anything like that. I'm not crazy, I know what I'm great at, but I tell you one thing I do have; so many friends that can [rap]!"
LeBron already has experience in the music business, having been an executive producer on 2 Chainz's album 'Rap or Go to the League'.
There is no doubt James' attention will be solely on basketball on Thursday, though, with the Lakers entertaining the Brooklyn Nets.
It remains to be seen whether Serena Williams returns to contest the Australian Open in 2022 but amid long-term doubts, Naomi Osaka said "I want her to play forever".
Williams' long-standing bid to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 grand slam titles was put on hold by three-time major champion Osaka, who overpowered the American superstar 6-3 6-4 in the blockbuster Australian Open semi-final.
Not since claiming the 2017 Australian Open trophy has Williams celebrated a slam crown, and the 39-year-old is not getting any younger as she faded into the Melbourne shadows on Thursday.
Williams broke down in tears and cut short her news conference post-match, having been involved in an emotional moment on Rod Laver Arena, where the seven-time Australian Open champion held her hand on her chest and waved to the crowd.
Asked what it means to face Williams as the clock ticks on a legendary career, Osaka – who topped the veteran in the 2018 US Open final – told reporters: "It definitely means a lot.
"Every time I play her, I feel like it's something I'll definitely remember a lot.
"I don't know, it's kind of sad when you say it like that because for me, I want her to play forever. That's the little kid in me."
Japanese star and third seed Osaka will now face Jennifer Brady in Saturday's final as she eyes her second Australian Open crown.
Osaka has gone on to win the title each time after advancing past the round of 16 at a slam – 2018 US Open, 2019 Australian Open and 2020 US Open, while she is in the midst of a 20-match winning streak.
Asked what makes her so hard to beat in finals, Osaka added: "For me, I have this mentality that people don't remember the runners-up. You might, but the winner's name is the one that's engraved.
"I think I fight the hardest in the finals. I think that's where you sort of set yourself apart. It's the other person who won as many matches as you did. It's something that I think, it's like the biggest fight."
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