Holger Rune saw off a spirited challenge from Tim van Rijthoven to progress to the second round of the Sofia Open on Tuesday, while a pair of seeds suffered surprise exits at the Tel Aviv Open.
Rune – the fifth seed for the tournament in Bulgaria – required two tie-breaks to clinch victory in his first meeting with Van Rijthoven on the ATP Tour, eventually claiming a 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (8-6) win.
After the match, Rune expressed his relief at avoiding a third set, saying: "I didn't want to go to three sets. If it [had happened], I was going to fight for sure and try to take it in three, but I'm very happy to finish in two."
Meanwhile, eighth seed Oscar Otte beat Dragos Nicolae Madaras 6-3 6-2, and Portugal's Nuno Borges overcame Mirza Basic in three sets to tee up a meeting with defending champion and top seed Jannik Sinner.
In Tel Aviv, seeds Aslan Karatsev and Tallon Griekspoor fell at the first hurdle with three-set reverses to Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Vasek Pospisil, respectively.
Etcheverry rallied after Karatsev took a second-set tie-break in comprehensive fashion to post a 6-2 6-7 (0-7) 6-4 win, while lucky loser Pospisil stunned Griekspoor for a 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 triumph.
Fifth seed Botic van de Zandschulp fared better, however, dispatching Joao Sousa 6-2 6-3 after producing a top-class display of serving.
The Dutchman will meet Britain's Liam Broady in the next round after he recorded a straight-sets win over Hamad Medjedovic.
Anett Kontaveit fought back to secure her place in the last 16 of the Tallinn Open in her native Estonia against a spirited Xiyu Wang.
The in-form Wang made life difficult for top seed Kontaveit initially, impressively taking the first set against the world number four.
Kontaveit then appeared to be cruising to victory when she took the second set 6-2 and found herself 5-1 up in the third, but Wang staged something of a revival.
Wang won four games on the trot to stun Kontaveit, only for the 21-year-old to lose her nerve as her opponent broke again and then served out the match 3-6 6-2 7-5, taking her through to face Tereza Martincova.
Beatriz Haddad Maia was also caused problems by a Chinese player, with Xinyu Wang taking the third seed to three sets.
Haddad Maia took the first set fairly comfortably but was blown away in the second before her composure returned in the decider, winning 6-3 1-6 6-4 to also progress to the last 16.
The other seed in action on Tuesday was Jil Teichmann, and she had no such issues seeing off Laura Siegemund 6-4 7-6 (9-7), although the day's most impressive win saw Donna Vekic thrash Maileen Nuudi 6-2 6-0.
At the Parma Ladies Open, second seed Martina Trevisan was stunned 7-5 6-0 by Sara Sorribes Tormo.
It was a bad day for seeds throughout the draw in Italy. Anna Bondar (fifth), Nuria Parrizas Diaz (seventh) and Lucia Bronzetti (eighth) all lost in straight sets.
Third favourite Irina-Camelia Begu did buck that trend, however. She benefited from Viktoriya Tomova retiring, although the Romanian was already a set and 5-1 up.
Phil Mickelson has asked a federal judge to withdraw his name from the lawsuit filed by LIV Golf Invitational Series players against the PGA Tour, along with three others.
Talor Gooch, Ian Poulter and Hudson Swafford also want to be dismissed from the antitrust lawsuit, leaving just three players from the original 11 who filed against the Tour.
Mickelson, one of the most prominent defectors from to LIV Golf this year, had been expected to remove his name after the breakaway series joined the suit as a plaintiff.
Only Bryson DeChambeau, Peter Uihlein and Matt Jones now remain as individuals.
The lawsuit accuses the PGA Tour of benefiting from operating as a monopoly and alleges it improperly suspended LIV Golf players from its events.
"Nothing has changed," LIV Golf spokesman Jonathan Grella said in a statement.
"The merits of the case – the PGA Tour's anticompetitive conduct – still stand and will be fully tested in court. And we look forward to that.
"LIV stands with the players whom the PGA Tour has treated so poorly, but we also recognise that to be successful, we no longer need a wide array of players to be on the suit.
"We have our players' backs and will press our case against the PGA Tour's anticompetitive behaviour."
New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard tore the ACL in his left knee in Monday's 23-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys and will miss the remainder of the season.
Giants coach Brian Daboll confirmed the severity of the injury on Tuesday a day after New York's first loss of the season.
Shepard was hurt in a non-contact injury on the Giants' final play of the night, falling to the ground while running a route away from the play. He was then carted off the field.
This marks the fourth straight season Shepard has missed time due to an injury and the second year in a row his season has ended with a major one after he tore his Achilles in 2021.
He took a pay cut to stay with the Giants after appearing in just seven games last season but is not under contract for 2023, so Monday's game may have been his last with New York.
A second-round pick by the Giants in 2016, Shepard’s 362 career receptions rank eighth in franchise history.
The 29-year-old veteran leads New York with 154 receiving yards this year and has scored one touchdown while his 13 receptions are one fewer than Richie James Jr. for the most by a Giants receiver.
Kadarius Toney and Kenny Golladay, both of whom have been non-factors thus far with a combined four receptions for 22 yards, will likely be pressed into more duty with Shepard sidelined.
Formula One will increase the number of sprint qualifying races from three to six for the 2023 season.
The shortened format, introduced to F1 in 2021, sees teams and drivers take part in traditional qualification sessions on Friday, before an additional 100km race on Saturday sets the grid for Sunday's grand prix.
This year's calendar saw sprints at Imola and the Red Bull Ring, with the final event to take place at Interlagos.
From next year however, half-a-dozen race weekends will pull double duty following a rubber-stamped proposal.
"I am pleased that we can confirm six sprints from 2023 onwards," F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali said in a statement.
"The feedback from the fans, teams, promoters and partners has been very positive, and we all want to ensure its success in the future."
World champion Max Verstappen qualified top and won both sprint races earlier this season, though he only converted the feat at Imola into a race win, with Charles Leclerc victorious in Austria.
The F1 season continues this weekend in Singapore.
Yoshihito Nishioka knocked fifth seed Dan Evans out of the Korea Open with a straight-sets victory on Tuesday.
Nishioka moved into the second round in Seoul with a 6-2 7-6 (7-3) defeat of the Briton.
The world number 56 from Japan will face Taro Daniel or Emilio Gomez in round two after winning 70 per cent of points on his first serve and breaking Evans four times.
Jenson Brooksby was forced to go the distance, but delivered a final-set bagel as the eighth seed saw off Wu Tung-lin 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-0.
Qualifier Nicolas Jarry will take on top seed Casper Ruud after defeating Ryan Peniston 6-3 7-6 (10-8), while American duo Mackenzie McDonald and Steve Johnson also advanced.
Tseng Chun-hsin progressed with Chris O'Connell retired with an injury after losing the first set before Kwon Soon-woo beat Yunseong Chung in an all-South Korean contest.
A first MotoGP in Kazakhstan will be staged next year after a five-year deal was agreed.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that the new Sokol International Racetrack will stage the race from 2023.
The circuit is just outside Kazakhstan's largest city Almaty and will be the 74th venue to host a race in the premier class.
A MotoGP statement said: "The region will be a new pitstop for MotoGP as the sport continues to expand around the world, engaging with new markets and fanbases.
"Kazakhstan will also become the 30th country to host a motorcycle Grand Prix since 1949, a perfect landmark number to celebrate the ever-expanding history of the world's first motorsport World Championship, and Sokol International Racetrack will be the 74th venue to host a premier class Grand Prix."
Zhou Guanyu has kept his Alfa Romeo seat for the 2023 Formula One season.
The 23-year-old made history when he became the first full-time Formula One driver from China this season and scored a point on his debut in Bahrain.
Zhou has gone on to pick up a further five points in his maiden campaign and he will remain Valtteri Bottas' team-mate next year.
"I am looking forward to continuing working with Zhou," Alfa Romeo boss Fred Vasseur said on Tuesday.
"From day one with the team, at the Abu Dhabi test last year, he has impressed me with his approach to work and this is always a very positive trait. We knew he was quick, but the way he adapted to Formula One in such a short time has been one of the best surprises of our season.
"He is a very nice guy, everyone in the team likes both his personality and attitude. He has had the humility to ask questions and learn, from the engineers as well as Valtteri, and the intelligence to apply all the information he got to improve race after race.
"He will have this experience to draw on next season, and I am sure he will make another step forward as we continue to grow our team."
Zhou expressed his gratitude for the faith Alfa Romeo have put in him.
He said: "I am happy and grateful to Alfa Romeo F1 Team for the opportunity to be part of the team for another season.
"Making it to Formula One was a dream come true and the feeling of competing for the first time in a race will live with me forever: the team has been incredibly supportive, welcoming me from day one and helping me adapt to the most complex series in motorsport.
"There is more that I want to achieve in this sport and with the team, and the hard work we have put together since the start of the year is just the first step towards where we want to be next season.
"There is still a lot to learn, a lot to develop but I am confident in our work: I am looking forward to the next chapter of our story together."
FIBA has launched an investigation into a fight between Mali players following their Women's Basketball World Cup defeat to Serbia on Monday.
Tempers flared as Mali team-mates clashed in the mixed zone after they were beaten 81-68 at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre.
Basketball's world governing body on Tuesday confirmed it was looking into the unsavoury scenes.
"FIBA acknowledged today that there was an altercation between Mali players in the mixed zone following the Group B game Serbia-Mali at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2022," a FIBA statement said.
"Following the incident, FIBA has opened an investigation. Once the investigation is concluded, FIBA will decide on any applicable disciplinary measures."
Mali are bottom of their group after losing all five matches.
Myles Garrett was taken to hospital after the Cleveland Browns star was involved in a single-car accident.
The defensive end sustained injuries that were not life-threatening in the incident, which occurred around 3pm local time after Garrett had departed team training at the Browns' practice facility in Berea, Ohio in his Porsche.
It was reported by NFL.com that Garrett was responsive when officers arrived at the scene of the accident, while impairment is not suspected. The 26-year-old was travelling with one other passenger.
A statement released by Garrett's agent, Nicole Lynn, read: "Myles Garrett was involved in a one-car accident this afternoon and was transported to a local hospital to be evaluated.
"While we are waiting to learn the extent of his injuries, he has been alert and responsive.
"The Garrett family would like to thank the medical personnel that got Myles and his passenger out of the vehicle and safely transported to the hospital."
Garrett was the first overall pick in the 2017 draft and is a two-time first-team All-Pro.
He has three sacks through the opening three games of the 2022 NFL season, with the Browns (2-1) top of the AFC North having rebounded from a Week 2 loss to the New York Jets with a 29-17 beating of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday.
Rob Pelinka says the Los Angeles Lakers are ready to trade their first-round picks if they have an opportunity to strengthen the roster and provide support for LeBron James.
Four-time NBA MVP James signed a new contract with the Lakers worth a whopping $97.1million last month.
Los Angeles failed to make the playoffs last season and Darvin Ham has been charged with the task of turning their fortunes around, having replaced Frank Vogel as head coach.
Lakers general manager Pelinka says they are prepared to give up picks if it means they can add quality to the ranks.
He said during a media day: "One thing that needs to be made clear is, there was a lot of speculation, will the Lakers trade their picks? Will they not trade their picks?
"Let me be abundantly clear: we have one of the great players in LeBron James to ever play the game on our team. He committed to us with a long-term contract, a three-year contract.
"So of course, we will do everything we can, picks included, to make deals that give us a chance to help LeBron get to the end. He committed to our organisation. That's got to be a bilateral commitment, and it's there."
There has been talk that Russell Westbrook could be traded ahead of the new season, although he this week declared that he is "all-in" with the Lakers.
Pelinka said Westbrook is "a great part of our team", but gave no guarantees he will stay by stating: "If we have to continue to upgrade our roster throughout the season, we will."
The Lakers on Monday confirmed the signings of guard Dwayne Bacon and forward Matt Ryan.
CeeDee Lamb was motivated to "step up" for his game-winning catch in the Dallas Cowboys' victory over the New York Giants having been annoyed by a second-quarter drop.
The Cowboys' star receiver made a couple of first-half errors, one of which he looked certain to claim in his stride for a touchdown from an excellent deep ball from Cooper Rush, only for it to slip through his grasp.
But Lamb more than atoned by making a sensational one-handed grab for a touchdown with 8:30 to play.
It was the icing on the cake of an 89-yard drive, in which Rush – standing in again for the injured Dak Prescott – found Lamb on four occasions.
"It [the dropped pass] was a situation I had to deal with on my own. Obviously I’m the one that dropped the ball for the guys," Lamb said after the game.
"So knowing that I had to make this up in the back end of the game, I just wanted to step up.
"I was willing to do anything to make up for a touchdown potentially that I left in the first quarter. It was tough. It was a tough one, but I'm happy we came out victorious."
Lamb finished the game with eight catches for 87 yards but conceded there were frustrations from his earlier mistakes.
"It was very frustrating. Honestly, just because I practice all week, all offseason just on focusing in on the ball, and I let that one slip away," he added.
"It was tough. Partially because, like I said, all the hard work I put in just for one play away, I let it slip."
Ezekiel Elliot's one-yard touchdown had earlier levelled the game, and Lamb – now the undisputed number one receiver in the team after Amari Cooper was traded to the Cleveland Browns – felt like his winning contribution was a breakthrough moment.
"Most definitely [it was a breakthrough moment]," Lamb said.
"I appreciate Kel [offensive coordinator Kellen Moore] for trusting in me, all the guys believing in my ability.
"You know, it was a tough third quarter. I kept thinking about it. All the guys kept preaching to me, 'Let it go. Let it go. We still got more game left.'
"And fourth quarter when I kept hearing my number being called I knew it was my opportunity again, so I had to step up.
"It's gonna have its ebbs and flows. It's all about being consistent. Staying positive. Everything's not going to go my way. And when it does, it's going to go big."
Stand-in quarterback Rush played in back-to-back NFL games for the first time in his career with Prescott still sidelined by a hand injury sustained in week one against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
For Rush, the focus is on the team and not any potential battle for a starting berth.
"I want to keep winning, as long as I'm in there let's keep winning," he said post-game.
"Trust each other both sides of the ball [and] we'll be alright."
Myles Garrett was taken to hospital after the Cleveland Browns star was involved in a single-car accident.
The defensive end sustained injuries that were not life-threatening in the incident, which occurred around 3pm local time after Garrett had departed team training at the Browns' practice facility in Berea, Ohio in his Porsche.
It was reported by NFL.com that Garrett was responsive when officers arrived at the scene of the accident, while impairment is not suspected. The 26-year-old was travelling with one other passenger.
A statement released by Garrett's agent, Nicole Lynn, read: "Myles Garrett was involved in a one-car accident this afternoon and was transported to a local hospital to be evaluated.
"While we are waiting to learn the extent of his injuries, he has been alert and responsive.
"The Garrett family would like to thank the medical personnel that got Myles and his passenger out of the vehicle and safely transported to the hospital."
Garrett was the first overall pick in the 2017 draft and is a two-time first-team All-Pro.
He has three sacks through the opening three games of the 2022 NFL season, with the Browns (2-1) top of the AFC North having rebounded from a Week 2 loss to the New York Jets with a 29-17 beating of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday.
Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr treated his home fans to a 3-2 walk-off win against the New York Yankees in extra innings.
Guerrero, 23, is considered one of the best young hitters in the sport, and he was one of only three players in the game to tally more than one hit on Monday.
After a Gleyber Torres sacrifice-fly and an Isiah Kiner-Falefa solo home run gave the Yankees a 2-0 lead heading into the fourth inning, singles to Bo Bichette and Guerrero set the table for Teoscar Hernandez's game-tying two-run double.
That 2-2 score would hold for the rest of regulation as both bullpens delivered five consecutive scoreless innings, and the Blue Jays had no interest in dealing with AL MVP favourite Aaron Judge in the 10th frame.
With runners on first and second base and two outs, the Blue Jays opted to intentionally walk Judge as he remains one home run away from the Yankees' and American League single-season record of 61, set 61 years ago by Roger Maris in 1961. The next batter, Anthony Rizzo, would harmlessly ground-out with bases loaded.
New York could have walked Guerrero with two outs and a runner on second base, but chose to pitch to him, and were punished with a walk-off single.
The win trimmed the Yankees' lead in the AL East to seven-and-a-half games, although the Blue Jays will likely make the playoffs regardless as they lead the race for the AL Wildcard spots.
Braves rookie pitches a shutout
The Atlanta Braves appear to have unearthed another stud rookie pitcher, with 23-year-old Bryce Elder pitching a complete game shutout in his side's 8-0 win against the Washington Nationals.
In just the eighth start of his career, Elder made it through all nine innings in 106 pitches, allowing six hits and one walk with six strikeouts. His emergence is a bonus for the Braves, who already have both contenders for National League Rookie of the Year in starting pitcher Spencer Strider and center-fielder Michael Harris II.
Albeit a small sample size, Elder now boasts an ERA of 2.76, and he has rattled off four consecutive quality starts, including a 10-strikeout outing against the Miami Marlins.
Santander hits two homers in high-scoring Orioles win
Anthony Santander hit two of the Baltimore Orioles' four home runs in a 14-8 win against the Boston Red Sox, with the two sides combining for 29 hits.
Of the 18 starters from both sides, only three players failed to get a hit in the game, while Santander, Cedric Mullins, Austin Hays, Rougned Odor and Kyle Stowers all collected at least two each for the Orioles.
Star 21-year-old prospect Gunnar Henderson also had a strong day for Baltimore, hitting a two-run home run and drawing three walks.
Dallas Cowboys backup quarterback Cooper Rush now boasts a 3-0 record as a starter after doing enough to help his side defeat the New York Giants 23-16 on Monday night.
Rush, who is starting in the place of injured franchise star Dak Prescott, upset the Cincinnati Bengals last week in the second start of his NFL career after also defeating the Minnesota Vikings in his 2021 debut.
Against the Giants, he had another clean game, completing 21 of 31 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown, finishing with no turnovers and no sacks allowed.
With the game tied at 13-13 in the fourth quarter – after earlier touchdowns from Giants running back Saquon Barkley and Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott – Rush completed a two-yard goal-line fade to top receiver CeeDee Lamb, which he pulled down with one hand in the back corner of the endzone.
In doing so, Rush became the first quarterback since the 1970 merger to lead game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in each of his first three starts, per ESPN.
While it was Elliott who got the rushing touchdown for the Cowboys, it was teammate Tony Pollard who was the more impressive runner on the day, finishing with 13 carries for 105 yards, while Elliott posted 15 carries for 73 yards.
Lamb was the best receiver from either team, catching eight of 12 targets for 87 yards and a touchdown, and it could have been an even bigger day if he did not drop a wide-open 50-yard pass in the first half.
Defensively, Cowboys edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence was the star of the show with three sacks, while Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs snagged the game-sealing interception on the final drive.
Already hit hard by injuries during the early part of the season, the Los Angeles Chargers are now bracing to be without two more key players for an extended period.
NFL.com reports left tackle Rashawn Slater is expected to miss the remainder of the season after rupturing his biceps tendon during the Chargers' 38-10 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday.
Additionally, head coach Brandon Staley said standout edge rusher Joey Bosa is week-to-week with a "significant" groin injury the four-time Pro Bowler sustained in Sunday’s defeat.
The Chargers entered the game already without top wide receiver Keenan Allen (hamstring), center Corey Linsley (knee) and cornerback J.C. Jackson (ankle), while quarterback Justin Herbert played through a rib injury he incurred during Los Angeles' Week 2 loss to AFC West rivals the Kansas City Chiefs.
Slater, the 13th overall pick of the 2021 draft, is coming off an excellent rookie season in which he started 16 games and allowed just two sacks as Herbert’s blindside protector to earn a spot in the Pro Bowl.
"Rashawn is an All-Pro player, he is one of the best tackles in the game," Staley said. "It’s going to be a tough loss for us, but we’re trying to make sure, over the next couple of days, that we put good contingencies in place, that we put a group out there that can really play together, give us a chance to be the offence that we’re capable of being."
Either Storm Norton or Trey Pipkins is expected to take over for Slater. Norton started 15 games at right tackle last season but was beaten out by Pipkins for that spot in training camp.
Bosa has been an impact pass rusher since entering the NFL as the third overall selection of the 2016 draft. The seventh-year veteran led the Chargers with 10.5 sacks in 2021, the fourth time he’s reached double digits in that category for his career.
"It’s part of the NFL. It’s an attrition league and you have to be ready for it," said Staley, whose team fell to 1-2 with Sunday’s loss. "For it to happen to high-profile players like we have, it’s not uncommon in the NFL. What you have to do is weather that storm and stay together."
Staley added that Allen is expected to practice this week and has a chance to return for Sunday’s game at Houston. The five-time Pro Bowl receiver has missed the Chargers’ last two games but was listed as questionable for the Jacksonville contest.
The New Orleans Pelicans were a pleasant surprise last season playing without their best player, earning a postseason berth in the NBA’s play-in tournament and giving the top-seeded Phoenix Suns a compelling six-game series.
But to achieve more, the Pelicans will need a healthy Zion Williamson on the floor.
If the star’s comments at the Pelicans' media day are any indication, New Orleans should finally see their roster at full force in 2022-23.
"I feel like I'm at my best right now," Williamson said. "I feel like I'm moving faster, jumping higher. I feel great."
At last year’s media day, the Pelicans announced that Williamson had a broken right foot. The team and fans alike spent all last season waiting for a return that never came due to a series of setbacks.
Williamson, who has played 85 career games since being drafted first overall in 2019, last stepped foot on an NBA court on May 4, 2021.
"That's a long time without playing a game, but my excitement level is through the roof," Williamson said. "I'm just ready to get back on the court."
Despite his injury history, the 22-year-old forward said he is confident he will be healthier going forward, crediting the guidance of veteran teammates C.J. McCollum, Garrett Temple and Larry Nance Jr.
"I learned a lot from a nutrition standpoint, from working-out standpoint, how long I need to be in the gym and the most efficient way to work out," Williamson said.
McCollum, who received a two-year, $64 million contract extension last weekend, was a scoring machine down the stretch for the Pelicans after being acquired at last season’s trade deadline.
The 31-year-old guard averaged 24.3 points in 26 games with the Pelicans last season, while Brandon Ingram scored 22.7 points per game.
Reincorporating Williamson – who was a 27-point scorer in 2020-21 – to that mix is a challenge that head coach Willie Green welcomes.
"I go back and watch film, watch some things that work, and then it's constantly talking with him, talking to the coaching staff and figuring out what works," Green said. "If it works, we will try to make sure we add it. If it doesn't, we move on.
"But it'll be a progression with Zion, and it won't be a thing where right away we see the Zion that we're accustomed to seeing. I think it will be a progression based on him missing the time that he missed."
While Green may be trying to temper expectations early this season, Williamson is expecting immediate chemistry with his teammates.
"I think it's gonna be really easy for me to fit in with my teammates because they play the game the right way," Williamson said. "Nobody's selfish. Everybody wants to see each other succeed.
"Now, there are things we are gonna have to learn. Like I'll have to learn how to play with C.J. and [Ingram] on the court, learn how to play with Jose [Alvarado], Trey [Murphy], Herb [Jones] because I haven't played with those guys yet, but from watching film, it looks like it is gonna be an easy fit."
Kawhi Leonard shared that he will be ready for the start of training camp, and that he would have been healthy enough to play in last season's NBA Finals had the Los Angeles Clippers made it that far.
All eyes were on the Clippers' franchise player during Monday's media day, with Leonard recently being cleared for five-on-five play more than 14 months after tearing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs.
Oddsmakers have the Clippers as the second-favourites to win the Western Conference, trailing only the reigning champion Golden State Warriors. Their success is ultimately reliant on Leonard's health, with the two-time Finals MVP with the San Antonio Spurs (2014) and Toronto Raptors (2019) trying to become the first player to ever win the award with three different teams.
Speaking about how he feels physically after such a long rehabilitation period, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year highlighted all the time he has spent in the weight room and how it has him feeling stronger than ever.
"I feel stronger, for sure," he said. "It's been, what, 14, 15 months of no basketball – well, playing in an NBA season for me, no basketball.
"That whole 13-, 14-month process is just lifting weights and getting stronger. I definitely got a lot stronger.
"Right now I feel good in my workouts, weightlifting. I don't feel like I have a subconscious mind of not jumping off my leg, per se. I feel good. We'll just see how the season goes."
In what is a good sign for his chances of being at 100 per cent for the opening day of the season, Leonard shared that "if [the Clippers] would have made it to the Finals last year, you would have seen me playing".
Around Leonard, the Clippers have assembled arguably the deepest roster in the NBA, with running-mate Paul George being joined by a bevy of capable perimeter options, including former All-Star John Wall, starting-quality guards Reggie Jackson and Luke Kennard, starter-level wings Norman Powell and Robert Covington, as well as rotation pieces Marcus Morris Sr, Nic Batum and Terance Mann.
George compared their wealth of talent to his experience with the United States national team, and said the key will be figuring out how to mesh successfully and find roles for everyone.
"I think really [we will use] that mindset of Team USA," George said. "You take the best guys, and of course everybody is good and they're all on teams, everybody is the star of their own teams.
"But when you put us all together, it's how do I make you better now and how do I shine with this environment.
"It should be a lot of fun with this team, and there should be a lot of good nights being a Clipper fan."
Tua Tagovailoa is not in the league's concussion protocol ahead of the Miami Dolphins' game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday.
It's still not a sure thing he will play, however.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel reiterated on Monday it was Tagovailoa's injured back that caused him to stumble to the ground in Sunday's 21-19 win over the Buffalo Bills and not a hit that caused his head to slam into the turf.
In addition to the injured back, McDaniel told reporters that Tagovailoa is also dealing with a sore ankle and his availability for Thursday is uncertain with the quick turnaround.
''It's my first time on a Thursday night game with Tua, so I don't assume anything,'' the first-year coach said in his press conference. ''But it wasn't out of the extreme norm of bumps and bruises after a game.''
Tagovailoa took an especially hard hit Sunday, as Bills linebacker Matt Milano pushed him to the ground, drawing a rougher the passer flag.
Tagovailoa's helmet slammed into the turf but he managed to get back to his feet quickly. However, he then shook his head and seemed to look woozy as he appeared to lose his balance as he stumbled back to the ground.
The 24-year-old went to the locker room to be assessed by the team's medical staff, with the team announcing a head injury that made him questionable to return.
He only missed three snaps, however, returning for the start of the third quarter – a decision that prompted the NFL and National Football League Players Association to conduct a joint review of how the decision was made to allow Tagovailoa to return.
McDaniel maintained, however, the proper protocols were followed and that Tagovailoa was cleared by the team and the independent neurologist.
"We wouldn't have moved forward in the direction we did had there been any sort of red flags, because you can't keep quarterbacks out of harm's way," McDaniel said. "So if he had a head issue, he wouldn't have been back out there."
Tagovailoa supported those claims, telling reporters after the game that it felt like he hyper-extended his back earlier in the contest and that his back locked up on him after the hit from Milano and that's why he stumbled.
The Dolphins did not practice on Monday but estimated Tagovailoa wouldn't have participated, listing him out with a back and ankle injury on their injury report.
"These Thursday night games, you get used to just doing the best you can. And we're trying to get information as fast as possible," McDaniel said. "We'll be working fluidly from that.
"But right now, especially in a hard-fought game like that, not just Tua, but there's a lot of players that we'll be adjusting to on the fly, seeing if they can turn it around and give a healthy outing on Thursday."
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