A wild game saw Giannis Antetokounmpo leave after less than one minute of play and Kevin Porter Jr. drop 50 points as the Houston Rockets won 143-136 over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Milwaukee's Greek star left the game after just 46 seconds with a sprained right ankle suffered when he stepped on Kelly Olynyk's foot on a drive to the basket.
Though Khris Middleton scored 33, Bryn Forbes a career-high 30 off the bench, and Jrue Holiday 29 for Milwaukee, it was not enough to overcome the loss of Antetokounmpo amid an unexpected scoring onslaught from the Rockets (16-47), who rallied after trailing by 17 in the first half.
The 20-year-old Porter poured in a career-high 50 and added 11 assists, becoming the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to score 50 in a game. Brandon Jennings, Devin Booker and LeBron James (twice) are the only younger players to do it.
Porter's previous career high was 30 points, set last year as a rookie.
Porter was not alone in his heroics, either, as Christian Wood added 31 points and Olynyk contributed 24 along with 13 rebounds.
Despite the loss, the Bucks remain comfortably in the third slot in the Eastern Conference at 38-24 with 10 games to play.
Warriors fall to streaking Timberwolves
The Golden State Warriors watched their hopes of avoiding the play-in tournament continue to fade with a 126-114 loss at the suddenly hot Minnesota Timberwolves.
Ricky Rubio (26 points), Anthony Edwards (25) and Karl-Anthony Towns (22) combined to help Minnesota with their fourth successive game despite 37 points from Stephen Curry, who made only 11 of 27 from the field (six of 17 three-pointers).
Golden State (31-32) are three games up on the New Orleans Pelicans for the 10th and final play-in spot but have little chance of finishing in the top six in the west.
Kevin Durant scored 30 of his 42 points in the second half and added 10 assists as the Brooklyn Nets won their fourth game in a row, 130-113 over the Indiana Pacers.
The Denver Nuggets also won their fourth in succession, beating the Toronto Raptors 121-111 behind 23 points from Michael Porter Jr.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had a career-best 42 points in the Dallas Mavericks' 115-105 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Love struggles
The Oklahoma City Thunder went right back to their losing ways after snapping a 14-game skid on Tuesday, falling 109-95 to the New Orleans Pelicans while shooting just 38.2 per cent from the field as a team. Luguentz Dort was OKC's top scorer with 17 points.
KAT to the hole
Karl-Anthony Towns brushed aside the Warriors defense to drive the lane for a jam in Minnesota's big win.
Thursday's results
Dallas Mavericks 115-105 Detroit Pistons
Brooklyn Nets 130-113 Indiana Pacers
Houston Rockets 143-136 Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves 126-114 Golden State Warriors
New Orleans Pelicans 109-95 Oklahoma City Thunder
Denver Nuggets 121-111 Toronto Raptors
Jazz at Suns
With playoff berths already clinched, the top two teams in the Western Conference will jockey for the top seed as the Utah Jazz (45-17) visit the Phoenix Suns (44-18).
The Dallas Mavericks will be sweating on the fitness of center/power forward Kristaps Porzingis after he exited Thursday's 115-105 win over the Detroit Pistons early with a knee injury.
The Latvian left the court in the third quarter complaining of soreness in his right knee and did not return, although he was seen walking normally post-game.
Porzingis, who was playing his first game back after an ankle sprain, had 11 points from 21 minutes until that point.
The Mavericks will be concerned, given Porzingis was forced to sit out the final three games of last season's first round playoffs exit to the Los Angeles Clippers with a right knee injury.
Porzingis underwent surgery on the lateral meniscus in his right knee, delaying his start to this season.
"We'll hope for the best," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said.
"We'll hope that it's not any kind of a serious issue and go from there."
The Mavericks are currently sixth in the Western Conference with a 35-27 record.
The Green Bay Packers insisted they plan on keeping Aaron Rodgers, as rumours swirl about the quarterback's future.
Hours before the start of the NFL Draft, the league's biggest night of the off-season, reports emerged that the veteran might be on the way out after 16 seasons with the team.
General manager Brian Gutekunst responded with a statement reiterating the Packers' expectation that Rodgers will remain at the helm.
“As we’ve stated since the season ended, we are committed to Aaron in 2021 and beyond," the statement said.
"Aaron has been a vital part of our success and we look forward to competing for another championship with him leading our team.”
In a news conference following the first round of the draft, Gutekunst was more direct, saying: "We're not going to trade Aaron Rodgers."
Rodgers' future with Green Bay has been a source of speculation since last spring, when the team made a surprise move to draft quarterback Jordan Love in the first round.
Rodgers then said in May 2020 that while he had a "sincere desire" to play his entire career with one franchise, that scenario "may not be a reality at this point".
At age 37 and coming off his third NFL MVP award last season, Rodgers has said he wants to play into his forties but where that will occur has suddenly become a question.
A report Thursday said the San Francisco 49ers had offered quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the No. 3 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, and other draft picks to the Packers in an attempt to acquire Rodgers.
Multiple media outlets quickly cited sources refuting the report, with ESPN saying the 49ers asked about Rodgers but did not make an offer. NFL Network also reported no offer was made and added there is a "zero per cent chance" the Packers will trade Rodgers.
Both outlets also reported that Rodgers and the Packers have been negotiating a contract extension and the quarterback is not happy with where things stand. ESPN said he has told the team he wants to depart.
After seeing limited playing time behind Brett Favre his first three seasons, Rodgers has been the Packers' starter since 2008.
In 197 appearances for Green Bay, Rodgers has thrown for 51,245 yards with 412 touchdowns and 89 interceptions, completing 65.1 per cent of his passes. His 103.9 passer rating is third all-time.
A three-time All-Pro selection, he led the Packers to the Super Bowl title after the 2010 season.
Rodgers set career highs last season with a 70.7 completion percentage and 48 touchdown passes.
The Milwaukee Bucks are 'hopeful' that the ankle injury which forced Giannis Antetokounmpo out of Thursday's loss to the Houston Rockets early is not serious.
Antetokounmpo lasted less than one minute of the 143-136 loss to the Rockets after planting his right foot on Kelly Olynyk's foot as he drove forward, appearing to sprain his ankle.
The 26-year-old Greek forward knocked down one of two free-throws and tried to play on but quickly left the court and did not return in a worrying sign for the 38-24 Bucks ahead of the NBA playoffs.
Antetokounmpo already had a right ankle worry sustained in the Bucks' previous game against the Charlotte Hornets.
"I think we’re hopeful that it’s not serious," Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said.
"We’ll see how he responds to treatment tonight, treatment tomorrow, get an update at some point tomorrow.
"But I think we’re hopeful that it’s; well obviously he couldn’t play or finish, it’s not something significant or serious."
Giannis has missed nine games all season with knee and back injuries, with the Bucks going 5-4 without him.
The odds were against the Milwaukee Brewers as they had to call up Eric Lauer from the alternate training site to make the start against the World Series champions Los Angeles Dodgers, but they prevailed 2-1.
Lauer entered the game with a 14-19 record in the majors but out-pitched last year's Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer in Milwaukee, scattering four hits in five shutout innings.
Despite his overall career mark, Lauer has had unusual success against the Dodgers dating to his two seasons in San Diego's rotation in 2018-19.
Thursday's game improved his career record against the Dodgers to 6-0 with a 1.89 ERA.
Bauer suffered from lack of run support, working eight innings for the first time this season and allowing only a two-run home run to Travis Shaw in the fourth that proved to be the difference in the game.
The Brewers' win to open the four-game series put them at 15-10 this season, trailing only the Dodgers (16-10) and San Francisco Giants (16-9) among National League teams.
Pitchers' duel in Houston
Yusei Kikuchi was brilliant for the Seattle Mariners against the Houston Astros, allowing one hit and two walks in seven innings while striking out seven in a 1-0 win over the Astros. The Mariners got their only run from a Taylor Trammell homer off Houston starter Luis Garcia in the third inning, and Trammell ended the game with a sliding catch in center field.
The Oakland Athletics split their series against the Tampa Bay Rays with a 3-2 thanks in large part to Matt Chapman, who hit a solo home run in the fourth and added the go-ahead double in the top of the ninth.
In Baltimore, the Orioles bounced back to beat the New York Yankees 4-3 in the 10th inning thanks to a one-out sacrifice fly by Cedric Mullins.
Phillies lose in heartbreaking 10th
The Philadelphia Phillies rallied to send their game with the St. Louis Cardinals to extra innings, but lost 4-3 in the 10th without allowing a hit in the inning. The frame began with Tyler O'Neill on second base thanks to MLB's rule designed to shorten games, and he moved to third on a groundout and scored the winning run on a wild pitch by David Hale.
The Yerminator strikes again
Who else but Yermin Mercedes would cap a White Sox doubleheader sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a monstrous 449-foot home run to center field in Chicago.
Thursday's results
Baltimore Orioles 4-3 New York Yankees
Oakland Athletics 3-2 Tampa Bay Rays
St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 Philadelphia Phillies
Seattle Mariners 1-0 Houston Astros
Chicago White Sox 3-1 Detroit Tigers
Chicago White Sox 11-0 Detroit Tigers
Chicago Cubs 9-3 Atlanta Braves
Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 Los Angeles Dodgers
Texas Rangers 4-1 Boston Red Sox
Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3 Colorado Rockies
Astros at Rays
The last two American League champions face off in Florida as Tampa native Lance McCullers Jr. and the Houston Astros (13-12) visit Ryan Yarbrough and the Tampa Bay Rays (13-13)
The Green Bay Packers are "committed" to Aaron Rodgers, as rumours swirl about the quarterback's future.
Hours before the start of the NFL Draft, the league's biggest night of the off-season, reports emerged that the veteran might be on the way out after 16 seasons with the team.
General manager Brian Gutekunst responded with a statement reiterating the Packers' expectation that Rodgers will remain at the helm.
“As we’ve stated since the season ended, we are committed to Aaron in 2021 and beyond," the statement said.
"Aaron has been a vital part of our success and we look forward to competing for another championship with him leading our team.”
Rodgers' future with Green Bay has been a source of speculation since last spring, when the team made a surprise move to draft quarterback Jordan Love in the first round.
Rodgers then said in May 2020 that while he had a "sincere desire" to play his entire career with one franchise, that scenario "may not be a reality at this point".
At age 37 and coming off his third NFL MVP award last season, Rodgers has said he wants to play into his forties but where that will occur has suddenly become a question.
A report Thursday said the San Francisco 49ers had offered quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, the No. 3 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, and other draft picks to the Packers in an attempt to acquire Rodgers.
Multiple media outlets quickly cited sources refuting the report, with ESPN saying the 49ers asked about Rodgers but did not make an offer. NFL Network also reported no offer was made and added there is a "zero per cent chance" the Packers will trade Rodgers.
Both outlets also reported that Rodgers and the Packers have been negotiating a contract extension and the quarterback is not happy with where things stand. ESPN said he has told the team he wants to depart.
After seeing limited playing time behind Brett Favre his first three seasons, Rodgers has been the Packers' starter since 2008.
In 197 appearances for Green Bay, Rodgers has thrown for 51,245 yards with 412 touchdowns and 89 interceptions, completing 65.1 per cent of his passes. His 103.9 passer rating is third all-time.
A three-time All-Pro selection, he led the Packers to the Super Bowl title after the 2010 season.
Rodgers set career highs last season with a 70.7 completion percentage and 48 touchdown passes.
Jil Teichmann saved six match points in a stunning defeat of Elina Svitolina before Ash Barty breezed into the second round of the Madrid Open on Thursday.
Teichmann produced an astonishing fightback to beat fourth seed Svitolina 2-6 6-4 7-6 (7-5) at the Caja Magica.
Unseeded Swiss Teichmann came from a set and a break down to claim the scalp of the world number five, who squandered a commanding 5-1 lead in the final set.
Svitolina saw six match points come and go in an incredible deciding set, opportunities she was left to rue when the 40-ranked Teichmann won a tie-break to end a contest that took two hours and 33 minutes to settle.
World number one Barty extended her winning run on clay to 12 matches with a 6-2 6-1 success over Shelby Rogers.
Barty claimed her third title of the year in Stuttgart last weekend and the Australian needed just an hour to send Rogers packing, losing just two points on her first serve and not facing a single break point.
French Open champion Iga Swiatek was also an emphatic winner, easing past another American in the form of Alison Riske 6-1 6-1.
Swiatek, making her debut in this tournament, has won 16 consecutive matches on clay after blowing Riske away.
Defending champion Kiki Bertens beat 15-year-old Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 6-4 6-0, while Petra Kvitova progressed when opponent Marie Bouzkova retired due to hand injury after the Czech won the first set.
Garbine Muguruza was forced to withdraw ahead of her meeting with Sloane Stephens due to a leg injury. Belinda Bencic, Angelique Kerber and Johanna Konta were among the other winners in the Spanish capital.
Jan-Lennard Struff and Filip Krajinovic had contrasting routes into the BMW Open quarter-finals on Thursday.
Home favourite Struff made it to the last eight of the clay-court tournament for the fourth time in his career with a 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (0-7) 6-2 triumph over German countryman Dominik Koepfer, who had little to celebrate on his 27th birthday in Munich.
Struff recovered from 4-2 down to take the first set and racked up four straight games to seal the deciding set. He served 11 aces and staved off five break points in a match lasting two hours and 39 minutes.
"I am very, very happy that I turned around the first set," seventh seed Struff said in his on-court interview.
"I played a not good second-set tie-break. Before [that] the set was okay, but I couldn't lock into his service games that much.
"I am very happy that I broke him I the third set and I am very happy to be through. Dominik is a good guy and a very good player."
Fourth seed Krajinovic stands in the way of Struff and a last-four berth, with the Serbian handed a walkover after last-16 opponent Yannick Hanfmann pulled out with a neck injury.
Nikoloz Basilashvili, seeded fifth, defeated Daniel Elahi Galan 6-4 6-2 to set up a last-eight clash with lucky loser Norbert Gombos, who overcame Federico Coria 6-4 6-1.
At the Estoril Open there was a battle between music collaborators as top seed Denis Shapovalov faced off against Corentin Moutet.
The duo were welcomed onto the court by the track 'Drip', which they released together last year.
On the court, it was Frenchman Moutet who managed to snare an upset victory in a 6-4 2-6 6-4 triumph against the Canadian, to score a second top-20 win of the year.
"It was a very close match," Moutet said. "I'm lucky that I won at the end. A few points decided the winner."
Next up is Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who defeated Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2 7-6 (7-3).
Cameron Norrie outlasted wildcard Pedro Martinez 4-6 7-6 (7-1) 7-5 to book a quarter-final against second seed Cristian Garin, who never took to the court as opponent Richard Gasquet withdrew with a left adductor problem.
The race for top spot in the Western Conference is hotting up with only 10 games of the season remaining.
The Utah Jazz looked certain to secure the first seed earlier in the campaign, but damaging injuries and the form of the Phoenix Suns have closed the gap.
Utah could yet pull clear again but surely must win on Friday when they visit Phoenix.
The Suns are just a single game back and coming off a win over the Los Angeles Clippers that secured a playoff spot and should make second place the floor of their ambitions.
The Jazz also enjoyed a big victory on Wednesday, though, and are unlikely to go down without a fight.
TOP PERFORMERS
Jordan Clarkson – Utah Jazz
With 17.5 points over 58 games, but only one start, Clarkson is a shoo-in for Sixth Man of the Year.
When Donovan Mitchell, the team's leading scorer, went down injured this month, Clarkson was installed into the starting five in the next game. Although he played 46 minutes and tallied 27 points, the Jazz lost.
The 28-year-old point guard has since returned to the bench and, despite quiet nights in surprise consecutive defeats to the Minnesota Timberwolves, put up 23 points in a record-breaking midweek win at the Sacramento Kings.
The 154-105 victory made Utah the first road team to score as many as 154 points while winning by as many as 49.
With 988 bench points this year, Clarkson is set to pass 1,000 against the Suns – only Thurl Bailey, in three seasons, has previously reached that mark with the Jazz.
Chris Paul – Phoenix Suns
Veteran Paul, who turns 36 next week, will certainly be capable of handling the heat in high-stakes games such as these.
The 16-year point guard, averaging 16.2 for the year, scored 28 points in the win over the Clippers. Only five times this season has he topped that tally – most recently in the previous meeting with the Jazz earlier in April.
Of Paul's 29 points on that occasion, 11 came in the fourth quarter and five in overtime.
"Down the stretch, you might not find anybody better than Chris Paul," coach Monty Williams said that night.
Paul now ranks third for clutch points in 2020-21 with 133.
KEY BATTLE – GOBERT HAS A POINT TO PROVE
Along with Paul's heroics and 35 points from Devin Booker, the performance of Deandre Ayton drew particular praise the last time these teams met.
The big man had 18 points and 12 rebounds as Utah allowed 61 boards – still by far a season high among their opponents.
Ayton said afterwards he had brought his "A-game" in order to match up against presumed Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
Gobert will not want to be outfought again, and with Mitchell still out, he cannot afford to be.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Suns' overtime success was their second win against the Jazz this season and their third in a row, although they had lost 15 of the team's 16 matchups immediately prior to this run.
Phoenix's recent form in this series has given them a narrow 95-93 all-time lead.
English rugby and cricket will follow football in a social media boycott aimed at combatting the ongoing problem of online abuse.
Last Sunday, it was announced that teams from the top men's and women's leagues in England would not post to their social media accounts from Friday until next Monday, with players expected to follow suit.
A joint statement from governing bodies including the FA, the Premier League, the Women's Super League and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), confirmed the action was aimed at demonstrating "that the game is willing to take voluntary and proactive steps in this continued fight".
On Wednesday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed all 18 first-class county sides, as well as regional women's teams and the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) "will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the football community" by taking part in the blackout.
PCA chief executive Rob Lynch said: "Social media companies have to do more. Our members are often victims of horrific online abuse with little or no punishment for the perpetrators and this has to change.
"A unified silence from players and the wider game is a powerful stance to show that our members will not allow social media companies, which have brought so much benefit to the game, to continue to ignore and fail to prioritise the need for appropriate legislation in protecting people against online discriminatory behaviour."
On Thursday, England Rugby announced that all social media channels run by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) would also join the boycott, along with leading clubs.
Sarah Hunter, who this month captained England to a third successive Women's Six Nations title, said: "No professional sportsperson should have to suffer abuse, racism or harassment on social media.
"We've all seen how social media can help bring fans and players closer together but this does not mean abuse should be ignored.
"While we have an important Test match in France on Friday, we understand there are bigger and more important issues and hopefully this is an important statement that online hate will not be tolerated."
Chris Paul scored 28 points as the Phoenix Suns ended their decade-long NBA playoff drought with a 109-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Paul posted 25 points in the second half, finishing with three rebounds and 10 assists as the Suns (44-18) returned to the postseason for the first time since 2009-10.
Phoenix's playoff drought was the second longest active in the NBA, with only the Sacramento Kings waiting longer.
All-Star Paul, who joined Western Conference hopefuls the Suns from the Oklahoma City Thunder last year, said: "It means a lot. It's a special team. To be reconnected with a coach [Monty Williams] who coached me 10 years ago.
"He trusted me as a 35-year-old who a couple of years ago they said was done."
The Philadelphia 76ers – second to the Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference – also secured their playoff berth courtesy of a 127-83 rout of the Atlanta Hawks thanks to a team-high 20 points from Seth Curry.
The 76ers have now made the postseason for four consecutive seasons, which is their longest streak since they made five straight playoff appearances from 1999 to 2003.
Records fall as Jazz hit franchise best
NBA leaders the Utah Jazz scored a franchise-record 154 points as they humbled the Kings without All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley. The Jazz won 154-105, blowing their opponents apart with a 46-17 second period, which tied as a franchise-record quarter differential.
Former MVP Russell Westbrook (18 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists) led the Washington Wizards to their 11th triumph from their past 13 games, while condemning defending champions the Los Angeles Lakers to their fourth defeat from their past five in a 116-107 win. It was Westbrook's third season with 30-plus triple-doubles, no other player in NBA history has had more than one season with 30-plus triple-doubles.
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reached a rare feat on Wednesday as last season's NBA Finals runners-up topped the San Antonio Spurs 116-111. Spoelstra recorded his 600th career win – the 27th coach in league history to reach that amount. Dejounte Murray also became the third player in Spurs history to record four-plus triple-doubles in a season, following in the footsteps of David Robinson and Johnny Moore.
Jaylen Brown (38 points) and Jayson Tatum (35 points) became the first Boston Celtics team-mates to each record 35-plus points in a game since 2006 as the franchise defeated the Charlotte Hornets 120-111.
Love struggles
Kevin Love was held scoreless until the fourth quarter. While he collected 10 rebounds and tallied six assists, 2016 NBA champion Love was just two-for-11 shooting in 35 minutes, making just two of 10 of his three-point attempts.
You be the judge?
Zion Williamson was denied a game-tying lay-up in the dying seconds of the New Orleans Pelicans' 114-112 loss to the Denver Nuggets, although the block from MVP candidate Nikola Jokic appeared to be a missed foul.
Wednesday's results
Orlando Magic 109-104 Cleveland Cavaliers
Philadelphia 76ers 127-83 Atlanta Hawks
New York Knicks 113-94 Chicago Bulls
Boston Celtics 120-111 Charlotte Hornets
Washington Wizards 116-107 Los Angeles Lakers
Miami Heat 116-111 San Antonio Spurs
Portland Trail Blazers 130-109 Memphis Grizzlies
Denver Nuggets 114-112 New Orleans Pelicans
Phoenix Suns 109-101 Los Angeles Clippers
Utah Jazz 154-105 Sacramento Kings
Nets at Pacers
The star-studded Nets (42-20) are getting their troops back and they make the trip to face the Indiana Pacers (29-32) on Thursday.
New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom matched an MLB record, but it was not enough to avoid a 1-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
DeGrom tied Nolan Ryan's record for most strikeouts through a pitcher's first five starts of a season, however, the Mets were beaten on Wednesday.
Mets star DeGrom tallied nine strikeouts over six innings to improve his five-game total to 59, matching Ryan's feat in 1978.
DeGrom, who has allowed two earned runs all season while boasting a National League (NL)-leading ERA (0.51), saw Christian Vazquez hit an early RBI double which produced the winning run in the second inning at Citi Field midweek.
World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers, meanwhile, snapped a three-game skid by shutting out the Cincinnati Reds 8-0.
Seeking to avoid a series sweep, the Dodgers benefited from a trademark Clayton Kershaw performance at home to the Reds.
Kershaw was dominant over seven innings, yielding just four hits while striking out eight batters with one walk as Justin Turner homered for the Dodgers.
Padres in 11-year first
The San Diego Padres humbled the Arizona Diamondbacks 12-3. During the rout, the Padres tallied seven successive hits without recording an out in the fifth inning – the first time they have managed to do so since April 2010 (also in the fifth).
A five-homer game from the Atlanta Braves inspired a 10-0 demolition of the Chicago Cubs. Marcell Ozuna homered in a four-run first inning, while Huascar Ynoa hit his first career home run in the fourth. Freddie Freeman posted his seventh home of the season, while Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley also went deep.
All good things must end as Matz struggles
Steven Matz had won his first four starts for the Toronto Blue Jays after being acquired from the Mets in January. However, Matz lasted less than four innings in an 8-2 defeat to the Washington Nationals. In George Springer's long-awaited Blue Jays debut, Matz gave up six runs and eight hits, including a three-run shot in the fourth inning.
Rizzo strikes out Freeman…
Anthony Rizzo versus Freeman. It is a showdown you do not often see but the Cubs star sensationally came out on top. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Rizzo took to the mound and struck out reigning NL MVP Freeman – his first career strikeout as a pitcher as both players smiled.
Wednesday's results
Minnesota Twins 10-2 Cleveland Indians
Miami Marlins 6-2 Milwaukee Brewers
Los Angeles Dodgers 8-0 Cincinnati Reds
Kansas City Royals 9-6 Pittsburgh Pirates
Boston Red Sox 1-0 New York Mets
New York Yankees 7-0 Baltimore Orioles
Washington Nationals 8-2 Toronto Blue Jays
Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 Oakland Athletics
Atlanta Braves 10-0 Chicago Cubs
Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 St Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles Angels 4-3 Texas Rangers
Houston Astros 7-5 Seattle Mariners
San Diego Padres 12-3 Arizona Diamondbacks
San Francisco Giants 7-3 Colorado Rockies
Detroit Tigers-Chicago White Sox (postponed)
Dodgers at Brewers
After returning to winning ways, the Dodgers (16-9) will open their series against the Brewers (14-10) on Thursday. Trevor Bauer gets the nod on the mound for the Dodgers, while Milwaukee's Eric Lauer starts.
Tobias Harris insisted the Philadelphia 76ers will not be celebrating their playoff berth as he and All-Star team-mate Joel Embiid eye an NBA championship.
The 76ers clinched in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday, joining rivals and leaders the Brooklyn Nets in cementing their spot in the postseason thanks to a 127-83 rout of the Atlanta Hawks.
Seth Curry (20 points), Harris (17 points, seven rebounds and six assists) and MVP hopeful Embiid (17 points and seven rebounds) fuelled the 76ers to an easy win midweek.
The 76ers (41-21) – chasing their first NBA title since 1983 – clinched a playoff position for the fourth successive season, the franchise's longest streak since making the postseason in five straight campaigns from 1999-2003.
But Harris has his sights set on bigger things, saying: "That's expected to clinch the playoffs.
"This is Philadelphia basketball where greatness is really something that is expected from our fans, it's expected from us as a group, and it's one of our goals, day in and day out so we understand that.
"We're not a team in the locker room celebrating for clinching the playoffs right now.
"We want to celebrate when we're able to win, and win big, in this postseason. That's our goal."
Philadelphia posted another crushing win, having defeated the lowly Oklahoma City Thunder by 31 points on Monday. The 76ers have won their last two games by a total of 75 points, their largest margin of victory over a two-game span in franchise history.
The 76ers were swept by Eastern Conference rivals the Boston Celtics in the opening round last season, after back-to-back semi-final exits in 2018 and 2019.
Embiid added: "Coming into this season, our goal was to win a championship, but there's a lot of steps to get there.
"You got to make the playoffs and you gotta win the first round, second, conference finals, and then you get to the Finals and it's a long road.
"You got to be focused for it and I think we have everything we need to make it happen. It's all about us coming in and dominating every game."
Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper said he is "all good" after he was forced to exit his team's win over the St Louis Cardinals due to being struck in the face by a pitch.
The Phillies topped the Cardinals 5-3 on Wednesday but the MLB win was overshadowed by a scary moment involving 2015 National League (NL) MVP Harper.
Harper was hit in the face by Genesis Cabrera's fastball in the top of the sixth inning at Busch Stadium in St Louis, where the six-time All-Star was able to leave the field under his own power.
Afterwards, Harper – a Silver Slugger who signed a 13-year, $330million contract to join the Phillies from the Washington Nationals in 2019 – allayed fears over his health via social media midweek.
"Everything came back good, CT [scan], all that kind of stuff," said Harper in an Instagram video.
"Face is still there. We're all good. See you guys soon."
It was an eventful game on the road for the Phillies, who also saw Didi Gregorius hit by Cabrera's next pitch as tempers threatened to boil over.
Phillies manager Joe Girardi was ejected after Gregorius was hit, while both benches were issued warnings.
In 2021, Phillies slugger Harper has tallied 17 hits for 25 runs, six homers and 10 RBI from 78 at-bats.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has approved a revolutionary deal which will see US investment firm Silver Lake take a 12.5 per cent stake in the game's commercial rights including the All Blacks.
The proposal was voted for unanimously by New Zealand's 26 provincial unions and the New Zealand Maori Rugby Board (NZMRB) although it still needs sign off from the New Zealand Rugby Players' Association (NZRPA).
The private equity deal would see Silver Lake inject $NZ387.5 million into NZR, coming after the governing body recorded an operating loss of $NZ18.7m at its Annual General Meeting in Wellington on Thursday.
The controversial deal has been mooted for some time and takes the game a step closer to the All Blacks becoming a non-wholly publicly-owned entity for the first time.
NZR Chair Brent Impey said: “We are thrilled that our Provincial Unions [and] the Māori Rugby Board have recognised the importance of private equity in driving commercial revenue and enabling investment to ensure rugby thrives and survives into the future.
"Today’s vote for Silver Lake represents a transformational opportunity for our game and one we must grasp.”
Ongoing discussions with the NZRPA will be critical to establishing the terms of the deal, although Impey was disappointed they had not yet given their consent.
“Through swift action, good governance and hard work of our people we are fortunate to be one of the best placed national unions in the world," he said.
"However, we are at a critical juncture and need our players’ support if we are to make the most of the opportunity in front of us.
“The game has to change, and Silver Lake’s capital injection would allow us to re-imagine rugby and invest in the areas of the community game that need it most, particularly teenage and women’s rugby, and to create better and more engaging experiences for our fans.
"We hope the NZRPA will realise the significance of the opportunity in front of us and will continue to work toward an agreement in coming weeks."
New Zealand's Sports Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson also weighed in on the matter, calling for the NZRPA to come to the table for talks.
"New Zealand Rugby has been working hard on it, trying to establish what it believes is a more secure financial base for the sport," Robertson said.
"Some of the details that are now emerging show the provincial unions will be getting some slice of the extra money that might be coming in, but other details are still a little bit unclear.
"Obviously on the other side of the equation you've got the Rugby Players' Association who are concerned about both the salaries that the players get but also some other issues like protection of cultural icons such as the haka."
George Springer will make his highly anticipated Toronto Blue Jays debut as a designated hitter against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.
Springer was lured to Toronto on a six-year, $150million contract from the Houston Astros via free agency – the largest deal in Blue Jays history – but injuries have prevented the 2017 World Series champion and MVP from debuting for the MLB hopefuls.
The three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger had been nearing a return from a left oblique strain, but tightness in his right quad has sidelined Springer.
However, Springer will finally step out for the Blue Jays when they face the Nationals in the second and final game of their short series in Dunedin midweek after star team-mate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. became the youngest player in MLB history with three-plus homers and seven-plus RBI in a game on Tuesday.
Guerrero hit three home runs, including a grand slam, as the Blue Jays topped the Nationals 9-5.
"This will be an exciting day," Springer told reporters. "I'm happy with my progress and obviously looking forward to getting in there.
"I just had to trust myself,'' Springer said. "Obviously I don't want to hurt myself again.
"I want to play. I'm tired of being on the IL and not being out there with the guys. I had an opportunity to play today and I said, 'Absolutely.'"
Heading into the 2021 season, Springer had led MLB with 136 home runs from the lead-off spot since 2015.
Springer has 39 lead-off home runs in his career – fourth most all-time behind Rickey Henderson (73), Ian Kinsler (48) and Brady Anderson (44).
The 31-year-old Springer has recorded seven career World Series home runs – most from the lead-off spot all-time – and he is 19-for-56 (.339) in the World Series in his career. No other current Blue Jays player has a World Series hit in their career.
Springer's 174 home runs since debuting in MLB via Houston are third most by an Astro in a player's first seven career seasons, behind only Jeff Bagwell (187) and Lance Berkman (180).
Two-time BMW Open champion Alexander Zverev is hoping to enjoy further success in Munich after shaking off the rust in his opener on Wednesday.
Zverev has been managing an elbow injury and had only played three times since mid-March, swiftly departing Masters 1000 events in Miami and Monte-Carlo.
But the German is back in familiar territory on home soil and made light work of lucky loser Ricardas Berankis.
Zverev, who won the tournament in 2017 and 2018, needed just 87 minutes to claim a 6-2 6-4 victory.
"I haven't played much tennis the past few weeks, so I know I'll need to improve for the next match," he said.
"I've had success in the past and I feel good here. I've played well in the practice and hopefully I can do better on the match court."
Fellow seeds Casper Ruud and John Millman each also advanced, albeit the latter only when Guido Pella retired after the Argentine won the first set 6-4 and was 2-0 down in the second.
At the Estoril Open, Marin Cilic and Kevin Anderson will face off in an enticing quarter-final.
One-time US Open champion Cilic has a 6-1 career lead over Anderson, who has fallen to 105th in the world.
Cilic came from behind to beat Nuno Borges 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-4, while Anderson defeated Roberto Carballes Baena in straight sets.
This was not how the start of the season was supposed to pan out for Red Bull, who had the fastest car in Formula One testing.
Superstar Max Verstappen has finished second and first over the opening two weeks, yet he still trails Lewis Hamilton by a point. Mercedes are also on top again in the constructors' championship, seven points clear even after Valtteri Bottas crashed out of the epic Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
"To come away leading both championships almost felt like a get out of jail free card, because our rivals didn't maximise the opportunity we gave them," Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff said.
Verstappen is certainly in a title race, but seven-time champion Hamilton will be the favourite as long as he has the lead.
There is pressure on Red Bull to change that this week when the season continues with the Portuguese Grand Prix.
LAST TIME OUT
It would perhaps be easier to start with what did not happen at Imola, such was the drama.
Verstappen was the victor, while Hamilton came in second, but that does not even start to tell the full story, with incident right from the outset in the pouring rain.
The Mercedes driver started from pole but was trailing and damaged by Turn One, pushed wide by a rapid Verstappen dash.
Worse was to come for Hamilton as he careered off into a gravel trap midway through the race and attempted to get his sparking Silver Arrow back to the pit lane as Verstappen streaked clear.
But an unexpected intervention gave Hamilton a reprieve, with a crash – not the only one – between Bottas and George Russell prompting a suspension of the race.
That meant Verstappen had to restore his advantage after a nervy restart, while Hamilton resumed from ninth and weaved through the field to finish a distant second, retaining his season lead with a late fastest lap.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR AT PORTIMAO
Now that Hamilton has proven the worth of the W12 car – previously dismissed by Bottas as "undriveable" – Mercedes might expect a more straightforward weekend.
Hamilton won at the Algarve International Circuit last year, after all.
But the tricky circuit, dubbed 'the rollercoaster', could encourage another eventful outing, particularly with Verstappen keen to ensure he has not missed his chance to pull clear over the past two grands prix.
The battle below the top two teams is similarly intriguing, with McLaren's Lando Norris as high as third in the standings after following up a fourth place in the opener by taking third last time out. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, is fourth in the standings.
Neither McLaren nor the Scuderia had the pace to stick with Hamilton when his crash gave them a rare opportunity to compete with the Mercedes superstar, but those two teams will be determined to prove they are the best of the rest.
Sebastian Vettel's challenge right now is simply to get a point on the board after coming 15th in back-to-back races.
TOP FIVE OPTA STATS
Reaching the Max – Having either won (twice) or secured pole position (twice) in each of the past three races, Verstappen is enjoying the best run of his career.
Hundred up for Ham – Hamilton's pole position at Imola was his 99th in F1, meaning he could this week become the first driver to reach a century. This is the same circuit where the Briton passed Michael Schumacher's record for race wins last season.
Keep your friends close – While challenging Hamilton, Verstappen also finally has competition again from within his own garage. Sergio Perez qualified in second last time out, the first time Verstappen had been beaten in qualifying by a team-mate in 19 races.
Yet so far – Leclerc is fourth in the standings and all too often fourth on race day. The Ferrari man has gone 15 races without a podium but has finished fourth on four occasions during that span.
Fail to Finnish – Bottas will hope to avoid a career first following his retirement last time out. In his 158-race career, he has never failed to place at consecutive grands prix.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 44
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 43
3. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 27
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 20
5. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) – 16
Constructors
1. Mercedes – 60
2. Red Bull – 53
3. McLaren – 41
4. Ferrari – 34
5. Aston Martin – 7
There will be no Canadian Grand Prix in Formula One in 2021, with the series instead heading to Turkey in June.
Montreal had been set to host the event across June 11-13, but travel restrictions relating to the coronavirus pandemic have dictated a change in plans.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is scheduled for the week prior and Canada currently imposes a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
The COVID-19 crisis saw last season's Canadian Grand Prix cancelled, too, but F1 has agreed a two-year extension, meaning the race will return in 2022.
In the meantime, the Turkish Grand Prix has been restored to the calendar.
It was on the slate in 2020 and saw Lewis Hamilton's latest title triumph confirmed with victory in Istanbul in November.
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