Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Joel Embiid and Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry are the three finalists for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award.
The NBA announced its finalists on Thursday, with Jokic the long-time frontrunner for the coveted individual honour.
Jokic has remained healthy this season, starting all 72 games for the Nuggets as they finished third in the Western Conference, while averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game – the combined total of 45.5 leading the NBA alongside triple-double king Russell Westbrook.
The Nuggets big man shot 56.6 per cent from the field, 38.8 per cent from beyond the arc and 86.8 per cent from the free-throw line. No player to attempt 30 or more field goals across a season in NBA history has topped Jokic in all three metrics.
Embiid has made no secret of his MVP aspirations and he flexed his muscles as the 76ers earned the Eastern Conference top seed for the first time since 2001.
A knee injury derailed his MVP bid but Embiid ended the regular season with a career-high 28.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists, while his 51.3 field-goal percentage was a career best – the same with his three-point percentage (37.7).
Curry catapulted himself into contention for a third MVP award following his scoring outburst for the Warriors.
The three-time NBA champion added a second scoring crown to his collection thanks to his 46-point performance in last week's win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Curry pipped Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal to the scoring title, having averaged 32.0 points per game.
Golden State's Curry became the first player 33 years or older to lead the league in scoring since Hall of Famer Michael Jordan in 1997-98 (35 years at end of season and averaged 28.7ppg).
Curry also joined Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players with multiple scoring titles, MVPs and championships.
Earlier this season, Curry claimed top spots on the Warriors' all-time scoring and assists lists, while surpassing Reggie Miller for second position on the NBA's three-pointers made standings.
Full list of award finalists:
NBA Coach of the Year
Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz
Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks
Monty Williams, Phoenix Suns
NBA Defensive Player of the Year
Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
NBA Rookie of the Year
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Tyrese Haliburton, Sacramento Kings
NBA Sixth Man
Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz
Joe Ingles, Utah Jazz
Derrick Rose, New York Knicks
NBA Most Improved Player
Jerami Grant, Detroit Pistons
Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
Julius Randle, New York Knicks
Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell is planning to play in Sunday's playoff opener after returning to practice following an ankle injury.
Mitchell has been sidelined since spraining his right ankle on April 16, sitting out the last 16 games of the regular season as the Jazz secured the NBA's best record (52-20) for the first time in their history.
Western Conference top seed the Jazz will host the winner of the play-in game between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies, and Mitchell expects to feature in Game 1 of the first-round matchup.
"That's the goal," Mitchell said on Thursday. "Barring any setbacks, God forbid - knock on wood - that's the goal.
"I'm just trying to go out there and be there for my team-mates and try to help to go out there and win a championship. That's the goal. It's been the goal all year."
Mitchell has been averaging career highs in points (26.4), assists (5.2) and three-point percentage (38.6) this season.
"Practice was good," Mitchell said. "I got out there and competed.
"You could definitely tell it was the first time in four or five weeks, but that's to be expected. I'm just trying to find ways to get back in a groove."
Rory McIlroy struggled on his return to Kiawah Island with a three-over-par 75 in the opening round at the US PGA Championship as playing partner Brooks Koepka impressed.
McIlroy won by eight shots the last time the PGA Championship was staged at Ocean Course in South Carolina in 2012 and was installed as the favourite of many after ending a winless streak of almost two years at the Wells Fargo Championship two weeks ago.
However, the four-time major champion – seeking a first major title since 2014 – landed his very first shot into the water on a windswept morning before recovering somewhat with back-to-back birdies on Thursday.
McIlroy – a two-time PGA Championship winner – was level par at the turn after dropping another shot on the par-five 16th, but he managed just one more birdie compared to five bogeys as he closed for 75, eight shots behind Corey Conners.
Koepka played down expectations heading into the tournament due to a knee injury and he started slowly with a double-bogey on his first hole, though the two-time PGA Championship winner recovered well with two birdies in the next three holes.
After turning in 36, Koepka picked up three shots in four holes on the front nine to complete an impressive turnaround that saw him earn a share of the lead before Conners soared to the summit as he aims to add to his successes in this event in 2018 and 2019.
"I felt like an idiot," he told Sky Sports Golf when reflecting on his cagey start. "It was probably a poor club choice off 10. I thought three-wood would have carried, but it didn't. I also didn't find the face, it barely hit the face!
"The first rule is, if you're in trouble, get the hell out. I couldn't reach the green and it was a bad lie, so I didn't know where I was going. I just tried to hit a sand-wedge up by the green instead of just chopping it out.
"So it was a mental mistake there, and I deserved every bit of that double-bogey. But it kind of helped me refocus. I can't play with any mistakes, maybe one a day, and that was my one, and I got it out of the way on the first hole."
Koepka is joined on three-under par by former champion Keegan Bradley, Viktor Hovland. Aaron Wise and Sam Horsfield.
Bradley's opening round included four birdies and just one dropped shot, coming on the par-four 13th, while Hovland bounced back from an opening bogey with four birdies.
Collin Morikawa is one shot further back after bogeying his final hole, the defending champion joined on a first-round 70 by Martin Laird, who was also let down by a couple of dropped shots on his final two holes.
Justin Thomas finds himself way down the standings, meanwhile, after carding a three over that included a double-bogey on the 18th, while US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau had a mixed first day as he posted a level-par 72.
World number one Dustin is among the late starters, along with Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have not got their hands on the Stanley Cup since 1967.
A member of the "Original Six", Punch Imlach's Maple Leafs conquered their Canadian rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, for their 13th Stanley Cup 54 years ago.
It was Toronto's fourth championship in the 1960s, which formed the second of two recognised dynasties from 1947 to 1951 and from 1962 to 1967.
The celebrations then stopped for the Leafs, leading to the longest active title drought in the NHL – 52 consecutive seasons (not including the 2004-05 lockout).
But, after years of pain and false hope, are Sheldon Keefe's Leafs – spearheaded by Auston Matthews and a supporting cast that includes Mitch Marner – finally on the cusp of ending their long-standing drought?
It has been more than four decades since the Leafs and Canadiens faced off in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
As the Leafs, who have not won a playoff series since 2004, prepare for the mouth-watering first-round showdown, we look at the team's rise from pretenders to genuine contenders, using Stats Perform data.
Leafs find their way under Keefe
There were high hopes when the Leafs and Ontario native Mike Babcock came together in 2015. Toronto made the Stanley Cup-winning head coach the highest paid in NHL history following his success with the Detroit Red Wings.
One of the most coveted coaches at the time, the championship-chasing Leafs viewed Babcock as the perfect man to oversee the culmination of rebuild in pursuit of the ultimate prize. Despite a talented roster, the franchise's vision did not materialise – Toronto never made it out of the first round of the playoffs following three consecutive postseason appearances. Babcock's style did not go down well at Scotiabank Arena.
The Leafs eventually fired Babcock in November 2019 and Toronto Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe was promoted to the top job.
At the time of Babcock's departure, the Leafs led a league-low 21.1 per cent of the time. This season, Toronto rank second for the highest percentage of time leading (45.4), just behind the Colorado Avalanche (45.5).
This season's percentage of time leading is the highest mark in Leafs history, eclipsing the 43.1 per cent recorded in 1924-25.
The Leafs have long been judged by the Babcock era, but the 40-year-old Keefe is finally utilising this highly skilled squad, while helping John Tavares rediscover his best form.
Toronto also appear to finally have the kind of physicality it needs for the demands of playoff hockey. Complementing their exciting roster with the experience of premier top-line center and former San Jose Sharks All-Star Joe Thornton also bodes well as the Leafs enter the postseason as one of the heaviest teams in the league – 201.1 pounds, only behind the Vegas Golden Knights (207), Dallas Stars (203.1), Washington Capitals (202.9), Anaheim Ducks (202.6) and Tampa Bay Lightning (202.4).
Matthews in a league of his own
The Leafs wasted no time selecting Matthews in 2016 when he was widely considered the top prospect of the NHL draft.
Matthews hit the ground running, becoming the first player in modern NHL history to score four goals in his debut. He also set a Leafs record with 40 goals in his first season, while becoming just the second rookie since the 2004-05 lockout to achieve the milestone.
The centerpiece of the franchise has taken his game to another level this season.
Matthews, who has developed into arguably the best goal-scorer of his generation, tallied a remarkable league-high 41 goals in just 52 games in 2020-21. He managed 47 in 70 regular-season appearances last year. The last Leafs player to lead the NHL in goals was Gaye Stewart in 1945-46.
Matthews' performance led to the best goals-per-game average (0.79) in franchise history, topping Charlie Conacher's record of 0.77 that had stood since 1931-32. The 23-year-old Matthews already has 199 goals and 351 points in his career.
He ranks 14th all time for the most goals before age 24, but he finds himself in good company on a list that is topped by Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky (405) and includes Mario Lemieux (300), Steven Stamkos (222), Alex Ovechkin (219), Sidney Crosby (215) and Jaromir Jagr (202).
Toronto's dynamic duo
While Matthews is the star, Marner is the other half of Toronto's terrific duo.
A much-loved figure in Toronto, Marner has always been a great young player with loads of potential. The 24-year-old right wing took a step forward this season as a model of consistency for the North Division champions.
Marner, who was a fourth-round pick a year before the Leafs brought in Matthews, ranks fourth in the NHL in points (67) and assists this season (47). And with the Ontario-born winger on ice, the Leafs have scored 89 goals and conceded 57 this season – a differential of plus-32. That differential shrinks to just plus-6.0 without him.
Keefe paired Matthews and Marner together midway through last season and it is a move that continues to pay dividends. Marner has assisted on 25 Matthews goals this year, ahead of Edmonton Oilers duo Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid (22) for the most in the league.
Marner and Matthews are also the first pair of team-mates in NHL history to have five 60-point seasons together before turning 24. (This is based on their age when they reached 60 points. Marner achieved the feat before celebrating his 24th birthday.)
With Matthews and Marner leading the way, the Maple Leafs have a real shot of not only beating their rivals in the first round but in ending one of the longest active title droughts in North American sports.
Lyon Open top seed Dominic Thiem was stunned in straight sets by Cameron Norrie in the last 16 on Thursday for the "biggest win" of the Briton's career.
Thiem was handed a bye to this stage and fell at the first hurdle on a day of upsets, the world number four sending down four double faults and losing serve three times as he lost 6-3 6-2.
Norrie now has 10 victories on clay in 2021, compared to seven before this year, and will face qualifier Arthur Rinderknech – a surprise 6-7(7) 6-2 7-5 winner against Jannik Sinner – in the quarters.
"I'm so pleased to win. It's the biggest win of my career and my highest-ranked win," Norrie, who had never previously beaten a top-five opponent, said in his on-court interview.
"It's such a beautiful day in Lyon. I couldn't be happier to get the win today and to get another match on the clay before Roland Garros."
Third seed Diego Schwartzman also exited the competition on Thursday with a 6-3 7-5 defeat to Richard Gasquet, who eased over the line despite letting two match points slip.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is now the strong favourite to triumph in France after starting his campaign with a convincing 6-1 6-4 victory over Tommy Paul.
Yoshihito Nishioka upset Gael Monfils 4-6 6-3 7-6(2) in an impressive comeback victory and now awaits Tsitsipas in the last eight.
At the Geneva Open, rising star Casper Ruud kept his momentum going with a 2-6 6-1 6-4 win over Dominik Koepfer to make it 12-4 on clay this season.
Ruud recovered from a sloppy first set by holding his serve in the following two sets to reach his fourth successive clay court semi-final on the ATP Tour.
Next up for the third seed is a meeting with Pablo Andujar, who beat youngster Dominic Stephan Stricker 4-6 6-4 6-4.
Elsewhere, Laslo Djere overcame Fabio Fognini 6-3 6-7(2) 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals and will face Denis Shapovalov later on Thursday after the Canadian recovered from a set down to beat Marco Cecchinato 6-7 7-5 6-1.
The winner of that match will meet Pablo Cuevas, the Uruguayan having ended Grigor Dimitrov's run with a battling 7-6 6-3 win.
Coco Gauff continued her fine form with a 6-3 6-3 quarter-final triumph over fellow American Amanda Anisimova at the Emilia-Romagna Open.
In a contest between two teenage stars, it was 17-year-old Gauff who sealed her second semi-final spot in as many weeks, having made the last four at the Internazionali d'Italia.
Third seed Gauff will face Katerina Siniakova next, after the Czech followed up her win over Serena Williams with a 7-5 6-1 defeat of Caroline Garcia.
"I was pretty satisfied with the way I played," Gauff said, after fending off Anisimova.
"I do think I could have served a little bit better, but other than that, I was pretty happy with the way I played."
Despite her valid concerns, Gauff won 72 per cent of points after landing her first serve and forced six breaks to win in style, reeling off six games on the trot from 3-0 behind in the second set.
The other semi-final will see second seed Wang Qiang take on Sloane Stephens.
Wang prevailed 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 7-5 against Petra Martic, while Stephens saw off Sara Errani 6-3 6-0.
It was another rain-affected day at the Serbia Open, where Maria Camila Osorio Serrano managed to get past Kamilla Rakhimova 4-6 6-3 6-4.
Anna Kalinskaya and Reka Luca Jani were locked at one set apiece in the only other match to get started before the weather halted play.
Andrea Vendrame edged out Chris Hamilton in a two-man sprint finish to claim his maiden stage win at a Grand Tour on Thursday.
The Italian took the honours at the end of the Giro d'Italia's 212-kilometre 12th stage from Siena to Bagno di Romagna, during which riders contended with hellish climbs and drastic changes in the weather.
INEOS Grenadiers' Egan Bernal still leads the way by 45 seconds in the fight for the maglia rosa, safely navigating through mountain passes and peaks reached via gradients of up to 15 per cent, while sporadic downpours made the sharp descents a white-knuckle ride.
Gianluca Brambilla crossed the line third but was relegated a place, with George Bennett promoted to the podium position following a "jury decision", according to Bennett's Jumbo-Visma team.
There might have been a better outcome for Brambilla had he and fellow breakaway rider Bennett decided to work together rather than against one another, with some apparent bickering between the two effectively ending the hopes of both.
There were no major changes in the GC standings, but Trek-Segafredo veteran Vincenzo Nibali did get seven seconds back thanks to a typically bold ride to keep his slim hopes alive.
Ahead of him at the front of the pack it was compatriot Vendrame who tasted success on home soil, the AG2R Citroen Team rider getting the better of Hamilton to finally win a stage on what is his fourth appearance at the Giro.
STAGE RESULT
1. Andrea Vendrame (AG2R Citroene Team) 5:43:48
2. Chris Hamilton (Team DSM) +0.00
3. George Bennett (Jumbo-Visma) +0.15
4. Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo) +0.15
5. Giovanni Visconti (Bardiani CSF Faizane) +1.12
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) 48:29:23
2. Aleksandr Vlasov (Astana-Premier Tech) +0.45
3. Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) +1.12
Points Classification
1. Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) 108
2. Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) 91
3. Davide Cimolai (Israel Start-Up Nation) 91
King of the Mountains
1. Geoffrey Bouchard (AG2R Citroen Team) 96
2. Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) 48
3. Dries De Bondt (Alpecin-Fenix) 24
Lance Stroll acknowledged Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has proven his talent in tussles with team-mate Valtteri Bottas, even if his Mercedes gives him an advantage over the rest of the grid.
Hamilton has won a record-equalling seven drivers' championships, including six of the past seven with Mercedes.
Former team-mate Nico Rosberg won the title in 2016 when Hamilton faltered, meaning the Silver Arrows have accounted for seven straight triumphs, matching that streak in the constructors' championship.
Mercedes' advantage with a consistently excellent car is clear, as Stroll highlighted this season when he said: "If you put Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren, he won't win the race."
However, speaking to Stats Perform, the Aston Martin driver explained there is still no doubting Hamilton's ability.
Besides Rosberg's five-point 2016 triumph, the Briton has beaten his Mercedes team-mate in every season since he joined the team in 2013.
"You still have to beat your team-mate," Stroll told Stats Perform. "For example, in Mercedes, Lewis has Valtteri and he managed to win the title for so many years.
"You've still got to deliver every weekend and fight up in the front. He has been able to do that.
"But there is no doubt that having a good car makes the difference in the way you finish. This is the story of F1, that's how it has been for a long time and it still is."
Aston Martin, backed by Stroll's father Lawrence, earned only five points in the first four races in 2021 – none of them supplied by new signing Sebastian Vettel – following changes to car regulations that Hamilton has suggested were "done to peg [Mercedes] back".
Stroll, whose low-rake car uses a Mercedes power unit, said: "Last year, at the beginning, we were more competitive, but now, with new regulations, things are a bit different."
He does, however, enjoy being paired with four-time champion Vettel, adding: "It is great working with Seb.
"He is an incredible talent with great experience. He is a great team-mate I and look forward to working with him for the rest of the season."
Stephen Curry was delighted to be back in a big game for the Golden State Warriors, even if Wednesday's play-in defeat to the LeBron James-inspired Los Angeles Lakers was a painful one.
Curry led the game in scoring with 37 points, but an early Warriors advantage – 13 points by halftime – was wiped out by the opening stages of the fourth quarter.
It left Curry in a shootout with James which the reigning NBA Finals MVP won with a sublime 30-foot three-pointer over the Golden State point guard as the shot clock expired.
The Warriors could not respond, as Curry rued a third quarter in which his team had eight turnovers "that changed the dynamic of the game", as the Lakers also visited the foul line eight times – making all eight shots.
Victory takes LA through as the seventh seed in the West to a first-round series against the Phoenix Suns, while Golden State must now prepare for a one-off game against the Memphis Grizzlies for the eighth seed.
"We'll be ready," Curry said. "Right now, it sucks. We played pretty well tonight.
"We've missed this type of environment, it was a lot of fun, high intensity, high, competitive level. I'm proud of everyone who stepped on the floor tonight, how they played.
"They made a run in the third quarter, we turned the ball over and it changed the game, but we still gave ourselves a chance to win.
"That's all we've worried about for the last 48 hours. Walking in the locker room, guys were upset, angry, frustrated we didn't get the job done.
"But we'll be ready for Friday, treating it like a regular season where you have to move on very quickly to a different team that we just beat, knowing they're going to come in with the same desperation we're going to have. It's the biggest game of the year."
A play-in debut was Curry's 113th postseason appearance but his first since the 2019 NBA Finals.
"It was awesome," he said. "I don't know how many fans were here, but the prep leading into the game, the film study, the walkthroughs, our practice, the level of focus and intensity, it was amazing.
"I was telling Jordan Bell on the bench in the middle of the third quarter: 'I miss this.'
"It's been almost two years since the Finals that we were here in a game that had those type of consequences. It's what you live for, it's what you work so hard for.
"It brings out the best in you in terms of your competitiveness and energy and all that. I love it, so we have to run it back Friday and hopefully all next week."
This was the first time Curry had played the Lakers in such a game, with LA failing to make a Finals series between their title wins in 2010 and 2020 as the Warriors played in five straight.
"It'd be nice if we could make it back here round two or whatever it shapes out to be," Curry said.
James is a familiar foe, however, with his Cleveland Cavaliers the opponent for Golden State in four of those years, winning in 2016.
His brilliant make – his second of the night from three-point land – came as no surprise to Curry.
"It was a great shot, a broken play, I snuck in thinking he was out of play," he said. "They found him, he got his balance just in time and knocked the shot down.
"That was a tough one because you don't really expect it to go in. You expect us to get the rebound, come down in transition and have a possession to take the lead.
"But everything changes when it goes in. All-time great players make great shots, that's what happens. It's no different tonight, but that's a tough one."
But Curry appeared to compare the shot to a three from James' former Cavs team-mate Kyrie Irving, who sunk the decisive effort in Game 7 five years ago.
"This one I was a little further away, so I don't feel too bad about it," Curry said.
The Warriors can ill afford to mull over James' heroics any longer, though, as they face a Grizzlies team they beat as recently as Sunday to reach the seven-eight game.
That victory concluded a 15-5 run to finish the regular season, so Curry, who called for Golden State to "just have fun with it" and "come out swinging", is confident they can recover swiftly.
"We've had to do it the last 20 games, so it's no different," he said.
"It is a win or go home scenario, but we've had high confidence, had a string of wins and then had a tough loss and had to bounce back. We've been there."
Fernando Tatis Jr returned for the first time since May 9 with a bang as the San Diego Padres won 3-0 against the Colorado Rockies in MLB on Wednesday.
Tatis had been absent following a positive coronavirus test earlier in the month but picked up where he left off with four hits including a home run.
The 22-year-old hit a single down the middle with his first bat back, before showing off a little yoga after stealing second base.
At the bottom of the fourth with two outs, Tatis hit a homer from Chi Chi Gonzalez to put the Padres up 1-0.
He almost completed the cycle, needing a triple in the eighth, but he had to settle for a base hit.
San Diego also welcomed back Eric Hosmer, while Wil Myers is expected to return this weekend.
The win means the Padres have won six in a row and nine of their past 10 games.
The year of the no-hitter
Corey Kluber tossed down his career-first no-hitter as the New York Yankees eclipsed the Texas Rangers 2-0.
Kluber, who moved from the Rangers to the Yankees in the off-season, struck out nine batters across nine innings in a remarkable display.
Willie Calhoun hit a ground ball to Gleyber Torres at second who threw to first to complete Kluber's maiden no-no.
The no-hitter comes only 24 hours after Spencer Turnbull's for the Detroit Tigers, marking the first time no-hitters have occurred on consecutive days since 1969. The 35-year-old right-hander, who has battled injury over the past two years, becomes the first Yankee to toss down a no-hitter since David Cone in 1999.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said: "We're excited for him and his story and what he's been through. Tonight we celebate Corey Kluber and a masterful performance."
Kluber's feat continues a trend in the season dubbed 'The Year of the No-No' as the sixth no-hitter in MLB this year. The season record is seven no-hitters.
Shohei Ohtani was pulled as the Los Angeles Angels slipped to 18-24 with a 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians.
Ohtani, who was hitting and pitching in the same game for the fourth time, started well but was pulled after Jake Bauers homered in the fifth.
Randy Arozarena pulled off a spectacular outfield catch in the Tampa Bay Rays' 9-7 victory at the Baltimore Orioles, which improves their record to 25-19.
Juan Soto hit a spectacular home run with a moon shot on one knee in the Washington Nationals' 4-3 win at the Chicago Cubs.
More Twins woes
After conceding 16 runs a few days earlier to the Chicago White Sox, the Minnesota Twins hit back with a win in their series on Tuesday, before a 2-1 loss on Wednesday. The Twins tidied things up, only giving up one run, but still suffered their 11th loss from their past 14.
Acuna's walk-off home run
Ronald Acuna keeps on producing heroics with a walk-off home run, his 13th homer of the 2021 MLB season, clinching the Atlanta Braves a 5-4 win over the New York Mets.
Wednesday's results
Chicago White Sox 2-1 Minnesota Twins
San Diego Padres 3-0 Colorado Rockies
San Francisco Giants 4-0 Cincinnati Reds
Miami Marlins 3-1 Philadelphia Phillies
Tampa Bay Rays 9-7 Baltimore Orioles
Atlanta Braves 5-4 New York Mets
Boston Red Sox 7-3 Toronto Blue Jays
Washington Nationals 4-3 Chicago Cubs
St Louis Cardinals 8-5 Pittsburgh Pirates
New York Yankees 2-0 Texas Rangers
Cleveland Indians 3-2 Los Angeles Angels
Kansas City Royals 6-4 Milwaukee Brewers
Houston Astros 8-1 Oakland Athletics
Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 Arizona Diamondbacks
Detroit Tigers 6-2 Seattle Mariners
Red Sox at Blue Jays
American League East leaders the Boston Red Sox (26-18) will continue their series away to the Toronto Blue Jays (23-18) in Dunedin.
LeBron James says he was "seeing three rims" for his clutch shot which decided the Los Angeles Lakers 103-100 win over the Golden State Warriors after a poke in the eye from Draymond Green.
James launched a long-range bomb as the shot clock counted down with just under a minute to go, spectacularly sinking it to put the Lakers up 103-100 on Wednesday in their play-in game.
The Lakers would not allow the Warriors to score again and held on for victory to book a playoffs spot against the Phoenix Suns.
James, who finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, was heroic after copping a poke to the eye in the final quarter from Green in a moment where split opinions on whether it was a flagrant foul.
The four-time MVP landed heavily and remained on the ground for some time, before picking himself while clutching his face with a towel.
Minutes later, the ball was passed to the 36-year-old for the crucial moment and he delivered, even with with blurred vision.
"After Draymond's finger to my eye, I was literally seeing three rims out there," James told ESPN post-game. "I just shot at the middle one. With grace of the man above, I was able to knock it down."
James said there was never thought in his mind to step off the court after the Green collision.
"I've been there before. I've been poked in the eye before in a collision like that," he said.
"I just tried to keep my composure. It's going to be pretty sore tonight. We've got a few days until we go to Phoenix.
"Big time win for us, I wasn’t going to leave the floor, even if I had to put a pirate patch on."
James was full of praise for their upcoming opponents Phoenix Suns who finished second in the Western Conference.
"They've played extremely well all year. They deserve to host a home court in the first round," he said.
"CP [Chris Paul] playing a MVP caliber year all year. [Deandre] Ayton has grown all year. They've given their guys a supporting cast all year.
"We know how great CP and Book [Devin Booker] is. They've done pretty extremely well all year."
LeBron James scored a clutch three-pointer with less than a minute to go to book the Los Angeles Lakers place in the NBA playoffs with a 103-100 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
Shortly after copping a Draymond Green finger to the eye and with the shot clock elapsing, James was out of rhythm when he received a pass but drained a huge three with 58 seconds left in their play-in game.
The shot put the Lakers up 103-100 and they would not surrender that lead, as Stephen Curry lost a late inbound pass with 2.1 seconds on the clock.
The result means the Lakers claim seventh seed and will take on the second seed Phoenix Suns, while the Warriors will face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday to earn eighth seed to face the Utah Jazz in the playoffs.
James had a triple-double, finishing with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for the Lakers.
Anthony Davis was crucial defensively, closing down Curry in the final play, and ending the game with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
Curry had 37 points, seven rebounds and three assists for the Warriors, who had led by 13 points at the main break, after the point guard scored 15 in the second.
The Grizzlies withstood the San Antonio Spurs' late charge to progress to the eighth seed play-in game against Golden State with a 100-96 victory.
Memphis led by 21 points at one stage but were headed by the Spurs in the final quarter, before rallying to take the win.
The Memphis Grizzlies withstood the San Antonio Spurs' late charge to progress to the eighth seed play-in game with a 100-96 victory.
The Grizzlies led by 21 points at one stage but were headed by the Spurs in the final quarter, before rallying to take the win.
Center Jonas Valanciunas was huge for Memphis with 23 points and 23 rebounds, while Ja Morant chipped in with 20 points, six assists and six rebounds and Dillon Brooks had a game-high 24 points.
Spurs forward DeMar DeRozan had a game to forget, shooting five-from-21 from the field to finish with 20 points, while Dejounte Murray shot from-from-17 from the field, with neither making a three.
The defeat means Spurs miss the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in franchise history.
New York Yankees pitcher Corey Kluber has thrown the sixth no-hitter of the 2021 MLB season and the second on consecutive days.
The 35-year-old right-hander tossed down nine strikeouts across nine innings in the Yankees' 2-0 win over his former franchise Texas Rangers on Wednesday.
Kluber moved from the Rangers in the off-season and becomes the first Yankee to throw a no-hitter since David Cone in 1999.
It is the two-time CY Young award winner's first career no-hitter and marked his return after two years battling injury, pitching only one inning for the Rangers last season.
"It's all kind of emotions. It's excitement but also relief because it's over," Kluber said post-game on YES Network. "We were fortunate in that they hit them right at people."
Kluber's 101-pitch feat follows on from Spencer Turnbull's no-hitter for the Detroit Tigers against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.
Joe Musgrove, Carlos Rodon, John Means and Wade Miley have also thrown no-nos this season.
The record for the most no-hitters in a single MLB season is seven.
Returning Brooklyn Nets star James Harden says his impact should not be measured on the stats sheet ahead of the NBA playoffs.
Harden joined the Nets from the Houston Rockets in January but missed five weeks with a hamstring injury, before returning to action last week.
The 2018 NBA MVP came off the bench to play 26 minutes and add 18 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists in his return game last week in a 128-116 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
He offered a more modest return with five points, five rebounds and seven assists from 25 minutes in Saturday's win over the Chicago Bulls, before being rested for Sunday's victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"I thought winning was all that matters?" Harden said on Wednesday. "When I was doing the stats and putting up the numbers, it wasn't good enough.
"At some point we've got to figure out what we're talking about. But it's all about winning.
"My impact doesn't have to show up on the stat sheet for us to win. I think my job as a leader is to make sure everybody's playing well. If I'm doing that, I can focus on myself last. That's not a problem at all."
The Nets are among the favourites to win the 2020-21 NBA title but first will take on the Boston Celtics in the playoffs first round starting Saturday.
Harden was wary of Celtics star Jayson Tatum who scored 50 points in their play-in game victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
"One thing we can’t have is let a guy score 30, 40 on us comfortably," Harden said.
"He scores in bunches and scores from all over the court."
Jannik Sinner fought back to claim victory in a thrilling battle with Aslan Karatsev at the Lyon Open, where David Goffin crashed out.
Sinner lost to Karatsev in Dubai earlier this year but recovered from a dreadful start to win 0-6 6-3 6-4 in two hours and 32 minutes.
There were seven breaks of serve in a thrilling encounter between two players bidding for an ATP Finals spot as Karatsev – who has beaten Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev this year – was ultimately defeated.
"It was tough," said Sinner. "He is a great player, especially this year with some big results.
"I dug deep and I am happy to have won. It is definitely good to have the support of the crowd in order to come back from Aslan's fast start."
Lorenzo Musetti followed up his impressive opening round win over Felix Auger Aliassime by defeating Sebastian Korda on Wednesday.
But it was a bad day for fourth seed Goffin as he suffered a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 loss to Aljaz Bedene, who will now take on Musetti.
Karen Khachanov saw off Kamil Majchrzak in straight sets and he will play the winner of Diego Schwartzman v Richard Gasquet, a match which has been rescheduled for Thursday due to rain.
At the Geneva Open, third seed Casper Ruud won 7-5 6-2 against Tennys Sandgren.
Rising star Ruud – who only gave up one break point – has now reached six consecutive quarter-finals on the ATP Tour and will face Dominik Koepfer in the last eight.
Fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov was a 6-4 6-4 winner over Ilya Ivashka, while second seed Denis Shapovalov is scheduled to play Marco Cecchinato in the last match of the day.
Seeds Petra Martic and Coco Gauff were victorious at the Emilia-Romagna Open on Wednesday, but injury cut short Sara Sorribes Tormo's run in the tournament.
Gauff recorded five breaks of serve as she overcame Italian Camila Giorgi in routine fashion, a 6-2 6-3 triumph securing the third seed a place in the quarter-finals.
The American did have a few issues on her own serve, leading to seven double faults, but ended up winning in one hour and 11 minutes.
Martic, the second seed at the event, was made to work in the first set of her match against Ludmilla Samsonova, both players saving a break point on serve as it went the distance.
There was little to split the pair in the tie-breaker too, Martic edging it 7-5 as she capitalised on her first opportunity to take the set.
The second was more straightforward for the Croatian, an early beak of serve putting her in front before she repeated the trick to wrap up victory in the ninth game.
There were wins in straight sets for fellow seeds Caroline Garcia and Wang Qiang too, as they defeated Anna-Lena Friedsam and Martina Di Giuseppe respectively.
For Garcia, the triumph means a first quarter-final appearance in the 2021 season.
Sorribes Tormo was the only seeded player to exit in the day’s action, the Spaniard forced to retire at 2-2 in the deciding set against Sara Errani due to a problem with her left thigh.
"I'm very sorry for Sara. It was a battle, I know every time we play together it is like this. I was mentally ready to fight, to suffer," Errani said in her on-court interview.
Top seed Serena Williams is already out, beaten in straight sets by Katerina Siniakova to deal the 23-time grand slam champion a further blow ahead of this year's French Open.
Major glory awaits for one man at Kiawah Island on Sunday, when the winner of the US PGA Championship will be confirmed.
With such a stacked field it is hard to pick out the most likely victor, but that has not stopped Stats Peform's team of expert writers from having a go.
Last year it was Collin Morikawa who prevailed, snapping American compatriot Brooks Koepka's run of consecutive wins.
Who will it be this time?
IT'S OFFICIAL, RORY IS BACK! – Peter Hanson
Okay, I'm officially calling it – Rory McIlroy is back! At the back end of 2019 and the start of 2020, the Northern Irishman was flying. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit. Then there were some questionable decisions to start trying to match the bombs Bryson DeChambeau can nail off the tee. Then there were some ugly results – including missed cuts at the Players Championship and the Masters. But forget all that, McIlroy – just six weeks on from starting work with renowned coach Pete Cowen – was back in the winners' circle at Quail Hollow last weekend, his first title since November 2019. A McIlroy in full swagger is a joy for any golf fan, and crucially he knows how to get it done at Kiawah Island having won the first of his two PGA Championship titles at the South Carolina course back in 2012 – doing so by eight strokes, a record for the tournament. It's time for Rory to finally get that fifth major.
SCHAUFFELE HAS GOT THIS ONE – Russell Greaves
If you have this notion that Xander Schauffele always seems to be in contention at the majors, it's because he is. His tie for third at the Masters this year represented an eighth top-10 finish at a major for Schauffele, with two of those coming at the US PGA. His record is one of remarkable consistency, with only one missed cut across 14 entries in the sport's four headline events. Schauffele is one of the most adaptable players out there, as evidenced by his PGA Tour-leading sand save percentage of 69.35. At just 27, it seems inevitable he will eventually clinch a title at one of those quartet of tournaments.
HIDEKI WILL DOUBLE UP – Ben Spratt
Hideki Matsuyama had been waiting a long time for his breakthrough triumph at Augusta last month, with seven top-10 finishes at majors without reaching the winner's circle before that Masters victory. "It was a relief, really," he said last week. But having got that monkey off his back and shown he is good enough in his approach play that a poor putting game need not be a hindrance, Matsuyama can no longer be written off so easily. The Japanese will be heading to Kiawah Island full of confidence and ready to win. A second straight success would really lay down a marker.
IT'S RAHM TIME – John Skilbeck
Sooner or later, or so goes the theory, Jon Rahm will win a major. Let's tilt towards sooner then, because Rahm is top of the PGA Tour's ball-striking chart this season, fourth in terms of finding greens in regulation and top 20 in average driving distance and scoring average. On a course set to measure over 7,800 yards, those ingredients in his game look more than useful, but Rahm will need to putt well too and that is not a given. He is down in a share of 192nd for putts per round this season, so needs to get something going with the short stick. He is developing a reputation as a Masters specialist, with four successive top-10 finishes at Augusta, and the Kiawah Island conditions will be a world away from those in Georgia. But this breakthrough at a major is going to happen sooner or later, isn't it?
RAHM'S THE ONE FOR ME – Chris Myson
Aside from a tie for fourth at the 2018 US PGA Championship, Rahm has not made a huge impact at this event. But he is rightly among the favourites for victory this week on the back of his tie for fifth place at the Masters and his continued consistency on the PGA Tour. With six top-10 finishes to his name at major championships, Rahm has proven he can get himself into contention at the biggest events. And he comes into the latest major in form. While the world number three is yet to win this year, he has missed the cut just once in 10 events. Rahm says the recent birth of his son Kepa has helped to take the pressure off his pursuit of a first major, an occasion which is surely not far away.
Lando Norris has signed a contract extension with McLaren that will keep him with the team for the 2022 Formula One season and beyond.
The British driver has been with McLaren since 2017, initially joining as a test and simulator driver before getting a seat on the grid two years ago.
Norris made his F1 debut at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix and went on to end his maiden season with 49 points.
He improved to 97 points in 2020 – aided by claiming his first podium finish in Austria - and already has 41 to his name this year after four races, including taking third place at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
"I'm really pleased to have extended my relationship with McLaren from 2022," Norris said.
"Having been with the team for almost five years, I feel very much part of the family here and I couldn’t imagine starting the next phase of my career anywhere else.
"McLaren has been a huge support since my days in junior series and I’ve really enjoyed learning and developing as a driver since."
Norris sits fourth in the championship standings having outperformed team-mate Daniel Ricciardo so far, though his ambitions stretch further than simply being the top performer for McLaren.
"My commitment to McLaren is clear: my goal is to win races and become Formula 1 world champion and I want to do that with this team," the 21-year-old added.
"Since joining in 2017 our progression has been consistent and we have clear ambitions together for the future."
McLaren CEO Zak Brown described Norris as "one of the brightest talents" in the sport, making it a major boost for the team to have him tied up on a multi-year deal.
"I'm delighted with the extension of our agreement with Lando for 2022 and beyond," Brown said.
"He's been instrumental in our return of form here at McLaren and we're proud of the growth he's shown since he first started with us back in 2017.
"Lando is one of the brightest talents on the Formula 1 grid and we look forward to seeing him continue to go from strength-to-strength both on and off track."
Five years ago, Stephen Curry made history by being named the first unanimous MVP in NBA history.
With his phenomenal shooting range and deadly accuracy from beyond the arc, Curry fuelled the greatest NBA regular season ever as the Golden State Warriors went 73-9 in the 2015-16 campaign.
Curry joined the select group of players in the 50-40-90 club and became the first person to do so while averaging over 30 points a game.
It was a year that Curry seemed unlikely to ever top and certainly not in 2020-21, a season that followed a 2019-20 campaign essentially lost to a hand injury and one in which he did not have the benefit of playing with Kevin Durant or the injured Klay Thompson, with the core of the Warriors' dynasty that dominated the league largely gone.
Instead, this was supposed to be the year in which the rest of the NBA exacted a measure of revenge on Curry for torching them so devastatingly and so often.
Yet Curry, like all the greats, takes tremendous joy in subverting expectations, and he has done that to remarkable effect, surpassing his career-high average of 30.1 points per game from 2015-16 by racking up an incredible 32 per game to win the scoring title. The only other player to do so after turning 33 is Michael Jordan.
His consistently talismanic displays have pushed a Warriors team that would otherwise be watching the postseason from home into a mouth-watering play-in game with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Even if the Warriors lose, they will have another chance to reach the first round with victory over the Memphis Grizzlies or San Antonio Spurs.
Despite his remarkable efforts in extending the Warriors' season, Curry will almost certainly not win the MVP award for the third time, with Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic an apparent lock to claim the honour.
But, after a year in which Curry shattered record after record, there is no doubt he is deserving of receiving the Maurice Podoloff Trophy once again.
A history-making year
Curry's scoring title, which he held off Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards to claim, was the crowning achievement of a regular season that saw him write a host of new pages into an NBA record book in which he already dominates several chapters.
He set a league record with 5.3 three-pointers made per game in what was his third season averaging at least 5.0, no other player in NBA history has achieved that feat once.
Curry racked up seven games with 40 or more points and at least 10 threes in 2020-21, his status as the greatest shooter and one of the greatest scorers of all-time illustrated by the fact no other NBA player has more than three such games in their entire career.
Excluding rookies, he is the first player in NBA history to average 30 points per game having played fewer than 10 games in the previous season, with Curry breaking new ground at a time when many athletes begin to see signs of their bodies breaking down.
Indeed, Curry became the first player to have three 50-point games in a season at age 32 or older, while his points per game average was the highest in league history by a player of that age.
And, in a season where the late Kobe Bryant was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, it was only fitting that Curry emulated The Black Mamba. His performance in the January 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers, in which he exploded for 62 points, saw Curry join Bryant in becoming only the second player to score 18-plus points on three-pointers, two-pointers and free throws, Kobe doing so in his 81-point display on January 22, 2006.
As Bryant did so often during his career, Curry continues to find ways to set new boundaries for what is possible on an NBA court and, in 2020-21, he has done so while clearly elevating the play of a supporting cast well below the standard he has gotten used to in the Bay Area.
The impact of Curry's 'gravity'
To say that Curry makes the Warriors better is taking stating the obvious to the extreme, but not since the pre-Durant era has his influence been more readily apparent than a season in which he battled a tailbone injury and missed nine games over the course of the campaign.
The Warriors averaged 112.8 points per 100 possessions with Curry on the court compared to 101.9 when he was off the floor. Their field goal percentage improved from 44.1 per cent to 48.4 with Curry in action while their three-point success jumped from 36.1 to 38.3.
Golden State's effective field goal percentage was 57.1 per cent when Curry played, up from 51.6 when he was absent, and he also improved the Warriors' ability to facilitate.
Their assists per 100 possessions jumped from 24.4 without Curry to 27.6, with the difference in point differential painting a clear picture of his overall impact.
The Warriors' point differential per 100 possessions without Curry was minus 4.5. When he did play, it was plus 4.3.
In other words, in the regular season, Curry was worth 8.8 points per 100 possessions to the Warriors, who benefited from several players raising their games with him on the court.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the player most positively affected by Curry's presence was Draymond Green. With Thompson suffering rotten injury luck, Curry and Green are the remaining pillars of the Warriors' original big three and their chemistry remains excellent.
This regular season, Green averaged 10.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 13.2 assists and 2.5 steals per 100 possessions with Curry on the court. Without him, those numbers dipped to 5.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 10.3 assists and 1.7 steals.
Andrew Wiggins averaged more points (30.4 to 23.6) per 100 possessions when Curry was out, a fact owing to the increased opportunities he gets when No. 30 is unavailable. However, Curry's presence made Wiggins a more efficient shooter.
Wiggins was good on 48.8 per cent of his attempts from the field with Curry compared to 45.9 without him. It was a similar tale with Kelly Oubre Jr, whom the Warriors hope to get back should they make it through the play-in tournament, as Oubre connected on 44.7 per cent of field goals when playing with Curry versus 42.4 the rest of the time.
That increased efficiency is likely a product of Curry's gravity - the extra attention he draws from defenders because of his threat from well beyond the three-point line that creates space for his team-mates.
Unfortunately, the biggest beneficiary of that gravity, center James Wiseman, won't be available in the postseason. A meniscus injury ended the second overall pick's season but the difference Curry made to his game was obvious.
Wiseman had 25.3 points per 100 possessions with Curry and 22.3 when he was missing. His field goal percentage (56.0 to 44.9) and three-point percentage (38.1 to 23.5) were also substantially better when Curry played.
The rookie experienced a similar jump in fast break points, which improved to 3.2 from 0.9 per 100, while he was significantly more effective near the rim with Curry commanding defenses' attention as Wiseman produced more points in the paint (17.9 to 13 per 100) and second-chance points (3.1 to 1.9.)
Curry has made a career out of making opposing big men look silly. Now, after seeing his evident influence on the Warriors' center curtailed, he will likely have to watch another of the game's giants take the top individual prize despite his own stupendous exploits.
Chef Curry vs. The Joker
Jokic has certainly done enough to merit being a frontrunner for MVP. The regular season saw him shoot 56.6 per cent from the field, 38.8 per cent from beyond the arc and 86.8 per cent from the free-throw line.
No player with at least 30 field goals in a season in NBA history can claim to have topped Jokic in all three of those measures.
Finishing the year with a minutes total of 2,488 that only New York Knicks duo Julius Randle and RJ Barrett topped, Jokic's points, assists and rebounds average of 45.5 per game was the joint-best mark in the NBA alongside Russell Westbrook.
Yet Curry was close behind in fifth with 43.2, with his success in making the disparity between him and Jokic relatively meagre an impressive feat given the advantage the seven-foot Serb has in terms of rebounding.
Curry played nine fewer games than Jokic and, while their minutes per game were comparable (Curry 34.2 and Jokic 34.6), there was a vast difference in points totals.
Jokic finished with 26.4 per game, well adrift of Curry's league-leading mark of 32, which was the most in a season in NBA history by a player averaging fewer than 35.0 minutes per game.
The edge in terms of all-round impact goes to Jokic, but Curry has arguably outstripped a season that ended with him taking every first-place MVP vote in a year where rust and a lack of weapons around him had led some to expect a year of comparative struggle.
This was a season in which Curry unexpectedly redefined what is possible and dragged the Warriors to the cusp of a first-round playoff berth. Jokic's role as chief architect for a Nuggets team much better placed to contend is worthy of the acclaim he has received but, after Curry's stunning show of endurance and consistency in producing the spectacular to keep the Warriors in the running, it should not be a one-horse race for MVP.
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