The Los Angeles Clippers will again be without superstar Kawhi Leonard for Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals due to a sprained right knee.
Leonard sat out the series-opening loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, having suffered a knee injury in Game 4 of the Western Conference semi-finals.
Clippers forward Leonard will now miss his fourth consecutive game – Tuesday's NBA playoff clash with the Suns in Phoenix, head coach Tyronn Lue confirmed.
"He just stays engaged," Lue said on Monday. "He likes to know the adjustments we're going to make. He likes to know the game plan so when he watches the game, he can understand what we're doing good and doing bad, and let the coaches know, let the players know.
"He's very engaged. Even though he's back home rehabbing, he's still locked in and tuned in."
On keeping Leonard involved while sidelined, Lue added: "Just being able to hold guys accountable, talking to guys, talking to the players, what we need to do better on what he sees. If he knows the game plan, then he can definitely do that.
"So he's talked to the guys every day, as well, not just the coaching staff. He's very engaged and that's what you need from your players. He's locked in and still in tune."
In this season's playoffs, two-time NBA champion Leonard has been averaging 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists for the fourth-seeded Clippers.
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers said the franchise have a plan to address Ben Simmons' shooting woes as speculation over the embattled All-Star's future intensifies.
Simmons was subjected to boos after the top-seeded 76ers crashed out of the NBA playoffs in the Eastern Conference semi-finals following a shock 103-96 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 7 on Sunday.
Philadelphia fans vented their frustration after Simmons attempted just four shots for five points in the series decider, while tallying 13 assists and eight rebounds against the fifth-seeded Hawks.
Simmons also passed on a wide-open dunk during the closing stages against the Hawks, instead passing to Matisse Thybulle – who was fouled and made just one of the two free throws.
Amid trade rumours after Simmons was reportedly at the centre of Philadelphia's attempts to acquire James Harden in January before the former MVP was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets by the Houston Rockets, Rivers discussed the Australian.
"I believe, without going into detail with what we're doing, I believe we know what the right work is, and the right type of work, and the right way to do it," Rivers told reporters on Monday when asked why this offseason will be different for Simmons.
"You can do the work all the time. But if it's not done in the right way and the right type of work, you may not improve.
"After being here for a year, I really do believe we've identified what and how, and now we have to do the do part.
"We have to work to do it. It's not going to be an easy job. But it's definitely a job that Ben can do."
It comes after Rivers casted doubt over Simmons' future with the 76ers following another failed run at a first NBA championship since 1983.
The debate around Simmons – an elite defender and creator – centres on his offense or lack thereof, with the 76ers often handicapped by his unwillingness to shoot.
Simmons' field-goal percentage has regressed, dropping from 58.0 in 2019-20 to 55.7 this season – he only managed worse in his 2017-18 rookie campaign (54.5).
The 24-year-old only averaged 10.1 field-goal attempts in 2020-21 – a career low, which dropped to 7.9 in the playoffs. It is the same story with his scoring as it dropped to a career low 14.3 points per game and 11.9 in the postseason – both career lows.
Asked if he thought Simmons could be a guard on a championship team, Rivers told reporters post-game: "I don't know the answer to that right now.
"I don't know. He struggled from the free throw line and that became a factor in the series. There's no doubt about that. Still believe in him.
"But, we have work to do. We're gonna have to get in the gym, put a lot of work in, and go from there."
Fifth seed Casper Ruud secured his place in the last 16 of the Mallorca Championships with a straight sets win over Gilles Simon on Monday.
The 22-year-old claimed a 6-4 7-6 (7-4) victory to set up a meeting with Tennys Sandgren in the next round.
Following Ruud onto Centre Court, the American beat Spain's Jaume Munar 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 in just over two hours.
Sixth seed Karen Khachanov is also safely through, although he surrendered a set in beating French qualifier Lucas Pouille 7-6 (9-7) 3-6 6-4.
But Dusan Lajovic, seeded eighth, was not quite as fortunate.
Lajovic, ranked 41st in the world, was beaten 6-4 7-6 (7-2) by Slovakian qualifier Lukas Klein (ranked 256).
Feliciano Lopez came out on top of battle of Spaniards in the round of 32, beating Nicola Kuhn 6-1 7-6 (7-4).
Their compatriot Roberto Carballes Baena is in with a chance of joining them on Tuesday after seeing his clash with Sam Querrey paused due to light with both players having taken a set.
Elsewhere, Corentin Moutet beat Lloyd Harris to set up a meeting with top seed Daniil Medvedev, while Jiri Vesely and Stefano Travaglia also progressed.
Monday's other scheduled ATP event in Eastbourne saw play cancelled due to rain, with the scheduled match between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Egor Gerasimov pushed back as a result.
Petra Kvitova came from a set down to beat Katarzyna Piter on her return from injury at the Bad Homburg Open, while no play was possible in Eastbourne on Monday due to rain.
Kvitova withdrew from the French Open after suffering a freak ankle injury during her post-match media duties at Roland Garros.
The two-time Wimbledon champion recovered to get her grass-court season under way in Germany and battled to a 4-6 6-1 6-4 over Polish outsider Piter.
A week before the third grand slam of the year gets started at the All England Club, top seed Kvitova trailed 2-0 in the final set as she struggled with her serve, but broke three times to book a second-round meeting with Ann Li.
Sloane Stephens withdrew ahead of her scheduled match with Laura Siegemund due to a foot injury. Riya Bhatia stepped in with Stephens absent, but Siegemund consigned her to a 2-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-1 defeat.
Angelique Kerber needed only 50 minutes to see the back of Ekaterina Yashina 6-1 6-1 on home soil, grasping all five break-point opportunities.
Kerber will do battle with Anna Blinkova in round two and Jessie Pegula's next assignment is an encounter with Katerina Siniakova following a 6-1 6-2 defeat of Amandine Hesse.
Blinkova beat Clara Tauson 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-2, while Sara Sorribes Tormo saw off Martina Trevisan 6-4 3-6 6-2
Miserable weather in Eastbourne prevented Karolina Pliskova, Madison Keys, Bianca Andreescu and Madison Keys from playing at the Viking International.
Mark Cavendish will return to the Tour de France following three years away after he was named as Deceuninck-QuickStep's lead sprinter.
Cavendish has been in fine form in 2021 but was expected to miss out on a place at the Tour as team-mate Sam Bennett won the points classification last year.
However, Bennett will not get the opportunity to defend his green jersey due to a knee injury.
Deceuninck-QuickStep could hardly call on a more experienced replacement, as Cavendish has 30 Tour stage wins to his name.
That haul trails only Eddy Merckx's 34 in the all-time standings and sits well clear of Peter Sagan's 12 – the next-best among active riders.
"I am delighted to be going back to the Tour de France with Deceuninck-QuickStep," said Cavendish, who claimed the green jersey in 2011.
"Obviously, the circumstances with Sam could be better – he had a special Tour last year and I am sad for him not being able to defend his green jersey.
"But at the same time, I am excited to be going back to a race that I have such an affinity with and where I have so much history.
"It is the biggest bike race in the world, and I am going to do all I can to grab this opportunity with both hands."
Bennett said: "Needless to say, I'm very disappointed to not be able to defend my green jersey at this year's Tour de France.
"I had a very minor incident during training a couple of weeks ago, which effected my knee.
"While the injury I sustained is very short term, it impacted my training for the biggest bike race in the world all too much and left me without enough time to be race fit.
"Le Tour deserves me at my best and it would do my team, and myself, an injustice to race in my current condition. I wish the whole Wolfpack a successful three weeks on the road of France."
Cavendish is joined in a talented line-up by, among others, Julian Alaphilippe.
Alaphilippe will be the first Frenchman to wear the world champion's rainbow jersey at the Tour de France since Laurent Brochard in 1998.
The 29-year-old is also the most recent Frenchman to have worn the yellow jersey, having done so for three days in last year's Tour. He previously led the race for 14 days in 2019.
The matchups are set for the NBA's Conference Finals – and few would have predicted these four teams would still be in the running at the start of the year.
In the East, the Brooklyn Nets' superstars fell to the Milwaukee Bucks while the Atlanta Hawks stunned the Philadelphia 76ers.
Western Conference leaders the Utah Jazz became the latest team to give up a lead to the Los Angeles Clippers.
However, the Clippers on Sunday lost Game 1 of their series with the Phoenix Suns, who had been resting since sweeping the Denver Nuggets.
So, which big names were key to deciding these unpredictable battles? Stats Perform takes a look in the latest edition of NBA Heat Check...
RUNNING HOT...
Paul George
Clippers superstar George understandably took a lot of criticism for his playoff performances last season, when he shot 39.8 per cent from the field and scored 10 points or fewer as many times as he reached 30.
But just as Kawhi Leonard went down against the Jazz with a knee injury, for which he has no return date, George found his scoring touch again.
Across four straight wins over Utah – three were last week – George contributed 31, 31, 37 and 28 points. His 37, along with 16 rebounds, came on the road in Game 5, putting the Clippers up for the first time in the series while Leonard sat out.
Even as a surely tired LA team lost to Phoenix on Sunday, George kept them in contention with 34 points to end the week averaging 32.5 per outing, as well as 9.5 rebounds (up from 23.3 and 6.7 respectively in the regular season).
Khris Middleton
Middleton is another impressive regular season performer who has been scrutinised for his postseason displays – and far more recently than last season.
Across the first five games of the Nets series, the wildly inconsistent Bucks forward shot 38.1 per cent from the field. He had 35 points and 15 rebounds in Game 3 but had gone six-for-23 in Game 1, making none of his five three-point attempts.
Yet Middleton's 38 points won Game 6, as he and Giannis Antetokounmpo joined Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal as the only team-mates in NBA history to each have 30 points and 10 rebounds in the same game twice in the same playoff campaign.
With a key role again in the series decider, Middleton became the first player to record at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five steals in consecutive postseason games since steals were first tracked in 1973-74.
Devin Booker
Booker played just once last week but put in a performance that cannot go unmentioned. Without veteran Chris Paul to help him, the sixth-year guard weighed in with a 40-point triple-double against the Clippers (also 13 rebounds and 11 assists).
Only Luka Doncic and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson have achieved the feat at a younger age in the playoffs than the 24-year-old, while Steve Nash – another Hall of Famer – was the previous Suns player to score a postseason triple of any kind back in 2005.
Kevin Durant
Another player whose contributions must be highlighted, even with his team now out of the playoffs, is Durant. With 43.0 points per game last week, he showed the greatest improvement in the league from his regular season performances – up 16.1 on 26.9.
His 12.3 rebounds per game put the two-time Finals MVP second in improvement in that regard, too, but it was not quite enough.
A toe on the three-point line meant Durant's late leveller in Game 7 against the Bucks was not a game-winner, before the Nets lost in overtime despite his 48 points – one short of a heroic Game 5 tally and two shy of his career postseason best.
GOING COLD...
James Harden
That Durant was asked to do so much was due to injuries to both the other members of Brooklyn's 'Big Three'. Kyrie Irving did not play after Game 4 against the Bucks due to an ankle sprain, while Harden returned in Game 5 after missing the previous three.
To anyone watching, though, it was clear Harden was not healthy.
One of the league's great scorers, he made one of 10 field goals in his first game back, with five points in 45 minutes. Harden had never previously scored as few as five in half an hour of play or more.
His form did improve slightly with returns of 16 and 22 points, but Milwaukee won both, with Harden shooting 29.4 per cent from the field as he proved more of a hindrance than a help to Durant with their season on the line.
Ben Simmons
When Harden moved to Brooklyn, Philadelphia was seen as the potential alternative destination, although that would likely have meant the 76ers reluctantly giving up Simmons. After the defeat to Atlanta, Simmons may now leave regardless.
An outstanding defender, the guard's offense has long been a concern and so it proved again as he averaged 7.5 points last week, significantly down on his modest regular season (14.3).
Simmons made single figures in three straight games, twice shooting only four times from the field despite being on the floor for 38 and 35 minutes respectively.
His eight-point effort on Wednesday included going four-of-14 when shooting from the foul line.
Rudy Gobert
This is the first time since 1994 that both top seeds have failed to make the Conference Finals. The Jazz, just like the Sixers, needed more from their second star.
Gobert is the Defensive Player of the Year but looked a liability as the Clippers went small in Game 6, when his plus/minus was a dismal -24.
The Frenchman's output was down in all three defeats last week as he averaged 9.3 rebounds per game, having put up 13.5 in the regular season.
Britain's biggest hope for Wimbledon glory believes All England Club absentee Naomi Osaka deserves admiration for her impact on and off the court this year.
Johanna Konta beat Osaka three times before the Japanese player went on a stratospheric rise, and she still holds that 3-0 record, given the pair have surprisingly gone four years without facing each other on tour.
While Konta will bid to become a first British champion in the Wimbledon women's singles since 1977 winner Virginia Wade, superstar Osaka has elected to skip the grand slam which begins next Monday, just weeks after withdrawing from the French Open.
Osaka is the reigning US Open and Australian Open champion, but she abandoned her Roland Garros campaign on May 31 after a first-round win and revealed a long-endured battle with depression.
She made that announcement a day after the grand slams warned she could be thrown out of their tournaments for repeatedly skipping mandatory post-match media duties, with Osaka receiving messages of support from the likes of Serena and Venus Williams and Billie Jean King.
The 23-year-old had already declared she would not take part in media conferences during her stay in Paris for the sake of her mental health, questioning the set-up of such interviews and why sporting bodies insist stars must always take part. She faced criticism from some quarters but has started a wider, valuable conversation about how athletes are treated.
Osaka, who last year was ranked by Forbes as the highest-paid female athlete in world sport, has been a powerful and uncompromising voice on race and gender inequality issues, with Konta impressed by the impact such a young player is having.
"As a tennis player she's a four-time grand slam champion already, so she's an incredibly gifted, good tennis player and she is reaching the results that prove that as well," said Konta, a Jaguar ambassador.
"I think for the game, she'll probably be around and be successful for quite some time to come.
"She has a big passion for social movements and current social matters and she feels empowered by using her voice in ways she feels is beneficial to things that she believes in and that's her prerogative to do so.
"And I think that as long as people stay authentic to themselves and what they believe in, I think they make the biggest positive impact they can, and that is the rule of thumb that she's following.
"Obviously a lot of people will find a lot of solace in someone as successful as her talking about things that maybe they experience but don't have the sort of social platform or, I guess, strength of voice to be able to put it in the public domain. Kudos to her for being true to herself."
Konta's wins over Osaka came at the second-round stage of the 2015 US Open, the same round at the 2017 Australia Open, and later in 2017 in Stuttgart.
Their next meeting could come at the Tokyo Olympics, with both planning to take part, Osaka hoping to strike what would be a famous gold for Japan.
The best tennis of Konta's 2021 season so far saw her land a grass-court title at the Nottingham Open this month, becoming the first British woman to win a WTA singles tournament on home soil since Sue Barker did so at the Daihatsu Challenge event in Brighton in 1981.
It gave Konta a first trophy since winning the Miami Open in 2017 and a fourth career title, with the former world number four hitting her stride in timely fashion ahead of a Wimbledon tilt.
For any British player at Wimbledon, attention can be intense, but that is particularly the case for the few who have enjoyed success on a scale Konta has experienced, reaching the semi-finals in 2017 and getting through to the quarters two years ago, the last time the tournament was held.
She has found ways to alleviate the pressure from her own perspective, explaining how she took the heat out of situations so successfully in previous championships.
"Playing in 2017 and getting to the semis there, I didn't feel too overwhelmed by attention," Konta, 30, said in an interview with Stats Perform.
"I think attention can only be too overwhelming if you put yourself in the position where you are looking for it and acknowledging it.
"For me, I would wake up, have breakfast, get in my own car and drive myself to the site, warm up and play my match and do the media and all that, then I'd get in my car and come home, have dinner, watch a series or watch a film, but I wasn't spending my time on social media, I wasn't watching the news, I wasn't really doing too much.
"The only time I noticed that things were happening was when I needed to pop to the supermarket to get some food, and all the newspapers that were there had my face on them, so that was an interesting one."
:: Johanna Konta is a Jaguar ambassador. Jaguar is the Official Car of The Championships, Wimbledon. To discover Jaguar’s unmatched experiences visit jaguar.co.uk/Wimbledon
Atlanta Hawks head coach Nate McMillan praised forward Kevin Huerter for his remarkable performance in the side's 103-96 Game 7 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.
Huerter stepped up to score a team-high 27 points, while Trae Young erred with his shooting, as the Hawks booked a spot in the Eastern Conference finals against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 22-year-old had struggled for impact in the series but shone in the decider, shooting 10-from-18 from the field, including two three-pointers, with three assists and a steal.
"Kevin came out tonight and was very aggressive," McMillan said.
"We pretty much fed the hot hand. Our guards, Trae and Lou [Williams], did a good job of calling the game and keeping Kevin involved.
"He did a great job of making plays for us tonight. We needed that. He came through. He really struggled last game shooting the ball but we believe in him.
"We wanted those guys to stay aggressive. No hesitation. Tonight he came up big for us."
Young put up his worst display of the series in Game 7, only managing five-from-23 from the field, shooting at 21.7 per cent.
McMillan felt Young still contributed, ending with 10 assists but also hailed a side which does not rely on one player.
"Trusting in other guys and trusting in our game plan," he said. "Trae, we wanted him to be aggressive. His shot wasn’t falling but he got the ball to some other guys and they were able to make some plays.
"Kevin led us tonight. Galo [Daniro Gallinari] did a good job tonight. John Collins continues to be consistent. I thought Clint [Capela] did an outstanding job of guarding Embiid.
"It was a team effort. One guy didn’t shoot the ball well, but other guys we trusted. They came through for us."
The Hawks will take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in the Conference finals starting on Wednesday.
"Giannis is a great player, two-time MVP," McMillan said. "We know what Milwaukee is all about, that's a really good team.
"Our focus has been on Philadelphia and right now we'll go enjoy this and we'll start preparing for Milwaukee tomorrow."
Doc Rivers said he is unsure whether Ben Simmons can play point guard on a championship team as the Philadelphia 76ers head coach casted doubt over the embattled All-Star's future following Sunday's NBA playoff exit.
Simmons and the 76ers were subjected to boos following their shock 103-96 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, who won Game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
After another failed run at a first NBA title since 1983, Simmons was particularly in the firing line having attempted just four shots for five points in the series decider, while tallying 13 assists and eight rebounds.
The debate around Simmons – an elite defender and creator – centres on his offense or lack thereof, with the 76ers often handicapped by his unwillingness to shoot.
Asked if he thought Simmons could be a guard on a championship team, Rivers told reporters post-game: "I don't know the answer to that right now.
"I don't know. He struggled from the free throw line and that became a factor in the series. There's no doubt about that. Still believe in him.
"But, we have work to do. We're gonna have to get in the gym, put a lot of work in, and go from there."
It remains to be seen whether Simmons – who had at least eight assists in a half for the third time in his career, the most such performances by a 76ers player since 1996-97 – will still be in Philadelphia for the 2021-22 season.
Simmons was reportedly at the centre of trade talks in January as the 76ers tried to acquire James Harden from the Houston Rockets before Eastern Conference rivals the Brooklyn Nets prised the former MVP to the Barclays Center.
Booed by 76ers fans, with videos circulating on social media of some supporters burning Simmons jerseys, the Australian said: "I love being in Philly. I love this organisation.
"The fans are great, great people. I had a bad series. I expect that. It's Philly."
Philadelphia team-mate Joel Embiid (31 points and 11 rebounds) also appeared to aim a jab at Simmons following the postseason elimination.
Simmons passed on a wide-open dunk during the closing stages against the Hawks, instead passing to Matisse Thybulle – who was fouled and made just one of the two free throws.
"I'll be honest," MVP runner-up Embiid said. "I thought the turning point was when we—I don't know how to say it—but I thought the turning point was just we had an open shot and we made one free throw.
"We didn't get a good possession on the other end and Trae [Young] came back and he made a three and then from there down four, it's on me. I turned the ball over and tried to make something happen from the perimeter. But I thought that was the turning point."
Asked whether he would like to see the 76ers run it back next season, Embiid replied: "That's a tricky question".
Kyle Schwarber equalled an MLB record after homering three times in the Washington Nationals' 5-2 win over the New York Mets on Sunday.
Schwarber hit a lead-off home run to start the game, adding further homers in the fifth and the seventh innings.
The trio of homers means Schwarzer has hit five home runs in his past two appearances, tying the major league record over a two-game span.
Schwarber also set a franchise record with nine homers in a 10-game span, moving up to 18 for the season.
"To be honest with you, I don't know what's going on,'' Schwarber said.
He added: "I'm a big believer that hitting is a feeling. Don't get me wrong, there's mechanical, there's approach, things like that but when you step in the box and everything feels right, you already have a big advantage.''
Acuna reaches century
Ronald Acuna Jr. also reached rare territory as the Atlanta Braves bounced back with a 1-0 win over the St Louis Cardinals in the second game of their doubleheader. After losing the opener 9-1, Acuna – who turns 24 in December – hit the decisive homer in the third inning of the second game, registering the 100th in his career. He joins an exclusive list of players who have hit 100 homers and 70 stolen bases before the age of 24 in the modern era, alongside Mike Trout, Alex Rodriguez, Andruw Jones and Ken Griffey Jr.
Shohei Ohtani homered again to move into the joint lead for the most home runs this season, alongside Toronto Blue Jays sensation Vladimir Guerrero Jr., with the 23rd of the campaign. The Los Angeles Angels still lost 5-3 to the Detroit Tigers.
Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols hit the 673rd homer of his career in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 9-8 triumph at the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Houston Astros made it seven consecutive wins with their 8-2 victory over the high-flying Chicago White Sox, while the Colorado Rockies hit four homers in one inning but lost 7-6 to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Shed Long hit a rare walk-off grand slam as the Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 and completed a sweep over the defending American League (AL) champions.
Padres sweating on Tatis injury
The National League's home run leader Fernando Tatis Jr. exited early after an injury to his left shoulder as the San Diego Padres completed a sweep over the Cincinnati Reds with a 3-2 win –the team's first four-game sweep of any franchise since 2011. Tatis hurt the shoulder, the same one which troubled him in spring training, while diving in the field.
Yankees' triple-play to clinch win
The New York Yankees finished their 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics in style with a triple play. It was a record-tying third triple play for the Yankees this season, with Sean Murphy hitting straight to third to initiate the trio of outs. A's manager Bob Melvin said. "I've never seen a game end like that before."
Sunday's results
Toronto Blue Jays 7-4 Baltimore Orioles
New York Yankees 2-1 Oakland Athletics
Cleveland Indians 2-1 Pittsburgh Pirates
Washington Nationals 5-2 New York Mets
Kansas City Royals 7-3 Boston Red Sox
Houston Astros 8-2 Chicago White Sox
St Louis Cardinals 9-1 Atlanta Braves
Chicago Cubs 2-0 Miami Marlins
Minnesota Twins 4-2 Texas Rangers
Milwaukee Brewers 7-6 Colorado Rockies
Philadelphia Phillies 11-2 San Francisco Giants
Detroit Tigers 5-3 Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Dodgers 9-8 Arizona Diamondbacks
San Diego Padres 3-2 Cincinnati Reds
Seattle Mariners 6-2 Tampa Bay Rays
Atlanta Braves 1-0 St Louis Cardinals
Dodgers at Padres
The in-form Dodgers (44-27) make the short trip to take on the Padres (42-32), who swept their four-game series against the Reds but have dropped five of their past 10 games and may be without Tatis.
The Philadelphia 76ers' crashed out of the NBA playoffs amid a chorus of boos after the top seeds were sensationally upstaged by the Atlanta Hawks in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Back on home court for the series decider, the 76ers were tipped to close out the matchup at Wells Fargo Center on Sunday, but the fifth-seeded Hawks had other ideas following a stunning 103-96 victory.
Despite Trae Young's off night (21 points on just five-for-23 shooting), the Hawks still managed to conquer Joel Embiid and the 76ers thanks to unheralded guard Kevin Huerter.
Huerter had a team-high 27 points, seven rebounds and three assists as the Hawks returned to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2015, setting up a showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks.
It was a topsy-turvy battle in Philadelphia, where the 76ers trailed 76-71 at the start of the fourth quarter before rallying to lead by as many as four points in the final period.
However, the Hawks refused to surrender and pounced on the sloppy 76ers, who finished with 17 turnovers en route to bowing out of the postseason.
Double-doubles from MVP runner-up Embiid (31 points and 11 rebounds) and Tobias Harris (24 points and 14 rebounds) were not enough for the 76ers, with Ben Simmons (five points, 13 assists and eight rebounds) the subject of boos in his home arena after attempting just four shots throughout.
With Atlanta's victory, it is the first time since 1994 both number one seeds in the playoffs failed to make the Conference Finals after the Utah Jazz were ousted by the Los Angeles Clippers, according to Stats Perform.
Earlier in the day, the Phoenix Suns were 120-114 winners over the Clippers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
Devin Booker recorded his first career triple-double, posting 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for the second-seeded Suns in the absence of Chris Paul (COVID-19 health and safety protocols).
Booker – in the midst of his maiden NBA playoffs campaign – became the first Suns player to register a triple-double in the postseason since Hall of Famer Steve Nash in 2005.
The 24-year-old also became the third youngest player in NBA history to record a 40-point triple-double in the playoffs – only Luka Doncic and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson have achieved the feat at a younger age.
The Clippers – featuring in the Conference Finals for the first time in their history – were without star Kawhi Leonard for a third consecutive game due to a knee injury.
Paul George (34 points) and Reggie Jackson (24 points) tried to inspire the fourth seeds on the road in the series opener.
Clippers at Suns
After a day off, the playoffs resume with the Suns hosting the Clippers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday.
Jon Rahm birdied his final two holes to outlast Louis Oosthuizen by one stroke for U.S. Open victory and his first major title.
Oosthuizen was in a three-way share of the lead heading into the deciding round and opened up a one-shot lead on a gripping final day at Torrey Pines.
But Rahm rallied in San Diego, where the emotional Spanish star dramatically birdied the 17th and 18th holes to claim a lead he never relinquished on Sunday.
Rahm signed for a four-under-par 67 to finish six under through 72 holes as 2010 Open Championship winner Oosthuizen (71) settled for a runners-up cheque.
At the scene of his maiden PGA Tour win – the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open – Rahm became the fourth player from Spain to win a major and first at the U.S. Open.
Rahm, who was forced to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament when leading by six shots after testing positive for coronavirus earlier this month, said post-round: "I'm a big believer in karma. After what happened a couple of weeks ago, I stayed really positive, knowing big things were coming.
"I didn't know what it was going to be, but I knew we were coming to a special place, I know I got my breakthrough win here, and it's a very special place for my family. The fact my parents were able to come, I got out of COVID protocol early, I just felt like the stars were aligning.
"I can't even believe I made the first two putts! This was definitely for Seve [Ballesteros]. I know he tried a lot, and wanted to win this one most of all. I just don't know how to explain it! I don't know why, but every time we land here, we are happy. We’re in our spot!"
Oosthuizen was initially circumspect on day four, going one over through eight holes to leave the South African one shot behind defending champion Bryson DeChambeau – who came agonisingly close to a sensational hole-in-one at the par-three eighth.
But DeChambeau was unable to maintain his hot start, finishing with a forgettable six-over-par 77 to end the event eight shots off the pace.
Oosthuizen also failed to keep Rahm at bay – dropped shots at the 11th and 17th holes, paving the way for the red-hot Spanish golfer to emerge triumphant for the first time at a major.
Harris English (68) finished solo third, a stroke better off than Guido Migliozzi (68), two-time U.S. Open winner Brooks Koepka (69) and Collin Morikawa (70) as former world number one Rory McIlroy's final-round 73 resulted in a share of seventh spot at one under.
World number one Dustin Johnson (74) and fellow stars Jordan Spieth (72) Justin Thomas (73), Patrick Reed (67) and Sergio Garcia (68) closed out the event tied for 19th.
Devin Booker recorded his first career triple-double but the Phoenix Suns All-Star insisted he is purely focused on winning after guiding the franchise past the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
Booker was the star of the show with 40 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists as the second-seeded Suns drew first blood against the Clippers 120-114 in Phoenix on Sunday.
With star team-mate Chris Paul (COVID-19 health and safety protocols) sidelined, Booker – in the midst of his first NBA playoffs campaign – became the first Suns player to register a triple-double in the postseason since Hall of Famer Steve Nash in 2005.
Booker also became the third youngest player in NBA history to record a 40-point triple-double in the playoffs – only Luka Doncic and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson have achieved the feat at a younger age.
"I'll let you guys do the rankings," Booker said. "I'm just going out there to win every game possible.
"I've been saying this since the start of the playoffs — every next game is the biggest game."
Suns team-mate Jae Crowder said: "I don't understand why everyone's acting surprised at this point.
"This is his first time on this stage but he's capable. He's more than capable. He's more than ready. He prepares like no other."
The Clippers – featuring in the Conference Finals for the first time in their history – were without star Kawhi Leonard for a third consecutive game due to a knee injury.
Paul George (34 points) and Reggie Jackson (24 points) tried to inspire the fourth seeds on the road in the series opener.
"I have no excuse," Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said. "I thought we played hard and competed. A little credit — they were making shots and we didn't. But I loved our fight. I loved what I saw."
George added: "We got to figure out how to counter, which we will, figure out another game plan. I think this was a good feel-out game to see adjustments. We have been great at adjusting."
Louis Oosthuizen opened up a one-shot lead in a gripping final round at the U.S. Open.
Oosthuizen was in a three-way share of the lead heading into Sunday at Torrey Pines but was initially circumspect, going one over through eight.
That put the 2010 Open winner a shot behind defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, who came agonisingly close to a sensational hole-in-one at the par-three eighth.
That birdie result was enough for the outright lead on five under at the turn, although the American's first bogey of the weekend on 11 came as Oosthuizen's putter heated up, picking up shots on nine and 10. Oosthuizen dropped one at 11 though.
DeChambeau erred again, meaning Jon Rahm – who flew out of the blocks with back-to-back birdies – was the nearest challenger to Oosthuizen alongside another overnight leader Mackenzie Hughes on four under.
Rory McIlroy drained a 35-footer on the fourth, leaving him well-placed early on minus four.
However, the Northern Irishman passed up three further birdie opportunities by the midway point of his round and his hopes were fading when he bogeyed the 11th.
That left McIlroy level on three under with Brooks Koepka, although the American four-time major winner was through 16 holes and appeared to have missed his moment to make a decisive move.
The 2020 US PGA champion Collin Morikawa was one of the pack on four under until he went through the green on 13 and left with a double bogey.
Louis Henley was alongside Oosthuizen and Hughes in the clubhouse on Saturday but also dropped back to minus two, albeit in less spectacular fashion than Morikawa.
Qualifier Liudmila Samsonova battled back from a set down to beat Belinda Bencic in Sunday's bett1open final for her first WTA title.
Samsonova became the first qualifier to reach a WTA 500 final this season by shaking off Victoria Azarenka in the semis and followed that up with victory over fifth seed Bencic.
The world number 106, competing in her first career final, held serve in the final two sets to win 1-6 6-1 6-3 in a time of one hour and 37 minutes in Berlin.
Bencic was seeking a fifth WTA title and stormed into a 5-0 lead in a one-sided opening set, but Samsonova soon found her rhythm and hit back in the second.
The Russian broke her opponent's service game in the second and fourth games to level up the contest and earned an early break in the deciding set.
Samsonova did not look back and got over the line on her second championship point by forcing Bencic into a netted backhand with a strong return.
She ended the match with 28 winners to just 15 unforced errors and will move into the world's top 100 following victories over Madison Keys, Azarenka and Bencic in this breakthrough week.
Ons Jabeur got her first WTA singles title on the board as she overcame Daria Kasatkina to win the Viking Classic in Birmingham.
In her third career final, the Tunisian second seed prevailed 7-5 6-4.
Jabeur's victory saw her inflict defeat on fourth seed Kasatkina, who won a Moscow title-match showdown between the pair in 2018. The other final defeat for Jabeur came earlier this year in Charleston.
The triumph adds to what has been a superb season so far for Jabeur. She has 28 match victories in 2021, matching world number one Ashleigh Barty's tally – no player has more.
Jabeur faced a tough opponent in the form of Kasatkina, who had won the previous two meetings between the pair and has claimed two titles this season.
World number 24 Jabeur started with real intent, breaking immediately, yet Kasatkina hit straight back and then saved three set points.
Jabeur took the set at the fourth time of asking, however, and two breaks got her clear in the second set, with the win wrapped up at the first opportunity when Kasatkina found the net.
A delighted Max Verstappen reflected on his "very rewarding" win at the French Grand Prix in which Red Bull's risky strategy delivered in dramatic fashion.
Championship leader Verstappen had pole position but swiftly slipped behind Lewis Hamilton when he lost his rear at Turn 2 on the opening lap.
From there, though, Red Bull provided a hugely effective rescue package, first by executing an undercut that allowed Verstappen to edge back in front despite a solid Hamilton pit stop.
The Dutchman's battling qualities came to the fore as he held off both Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas, before Red Bull opted to take a gamble.
Verstappen went in for a second stop and faced a sizeable deficit on fresh medium tyres, albeit with time on his side.
The 23-year-old had to stay patient, but Bottas put up little fight and Hamilton was then passed on the penultimate lap to open up a 12-point gap at the top of the drivers' standings.
"Thank you so much, so good," Verstappen told his team, and he was then asked on the podium if he had enjoyed a gripping race.
"Towards the end, yes," he replied.
"In the beginning, it was super difficult out there with the wind, so one lap you had an okay balance and then the next lap you were just sliding everywhere. It was really difficult to keep the car stable.
"Once we made the first pit stop, you could clearly see on the hard tyres they were pushing me hard from behind.
"But when we made the call to do a two-stopper, luckily in the end that paid off. We had to work hard for it, but of course it's very rewarding."
On his attempts to reel in Hamilton, Verstappen added: "It was difficult, because there was quite a lot of backmarkers to go through, but luckily they all did well so we could have a good fight to the end."
And talk predictably then turned to the title picture, with seven-time champion Hamilton finally facing a fight again.
"You could see the whole race we were fighting each other, so I think it will be like this for the rest of the season," Verstappen said.
Hamilton added: "We've got to find some pace, that's for sure.
"You could see most of the time we lost today was on the straights, so we've got to definitely dig deep, try to figure out what that is – whether it's power or drag – but we've still got a good package."
Matteo Berrettini became the first Queen's Club Championships debutant to carry off the singles trophy since Boris Becker, as the Italian landed the biggest title of his career.
The world number nine beat British hope Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 in the London showpiece match on Sunday, setting himself up ideally ahead of a Wimbledon mission later this month.
Whereas Becker was 17 when he triumphed at Queen's Club in 1985, going on to be champion at Wimbledon just weeks later, Berrettini is 25 years old and established as a leading player.
His big serve – an aspect of his game he shares with vintage Becker – proved a huge asset against Norrie as Berrettini served 19 aces and won 91 per cent of points when landing his first delivery.
Norrie could not forge a break point but did commendably well to force a deciding set in a match that lasted three minutes short of two hours.
Berrettini said he had experienced an "unbelievable week", lifting his first title at ATP 500 level, and he was blown away by the Becker link.
"If I think about his name and my name, it's crazy," he said in an on-court interview.
"I was dreaming about playing this tournament. I was watching when I was a kid and now I had the chance to lift the trophy. It's a dream come true."
Berrettini could be a threat to anyone if his serve fires at Wimbledon, and he was proud of how he fended off Norrie.
"I didn't check the numbers during the match. I knew I was serving well," said Berrettini. "I knew it was important because in the rallies this guy is dangerous. I knew I had to play my best tennis."
Berrettini said his celebrations were likely to be muted, given he is in a pre-Wimbledon bubble, predicting his team would limit his post-match treats to "probably room service and sparkling water".
There would be cause for greater cheer if Berrettini goes on a run at the All England Club, with Wimbledon due to begin on June 28. His previous best performance at Wimbledon was a run to the fourth round two years ago.
Berrettini told Amazon Prime: "I know it's going to be a really tough tournament.
"Probably all the players have extra motivation to play well there so it's going to be tough, but I have a lot of confidence."
Marc Marquez dedicated his German Grand Prix victory to all those who had helped him during his recovery from a broken arm.
Six-time MotoGP champion Marquez sustained the injury following an accident in the opening race to the 2020 season in Jerez, before then suffering a further setback when a plate inserted into his fractured humerus became damaged.
After sitting out all of last year and then also the opening two rounds of the 2021 campaign, the Spaniard finished seventh and ninth upon his return before enduring three successive retirements, leaving him short of form and way down the list in the standings.
However, a visit to Sachsenring saw Marquez rediscover his best form as he completed an 11th successive win at the track, with this latest triumph his eighth in a row in the top category.
There were understandably emotional scenes after he crossed the finishing line as he not only ended his own personal drought but also the long wait for success for his team, Honda having not prevailed at a race since Valencia in 2019.
"It's true that it was, and still is, a hard time in my career, so this victory helps a lot," said Marquez, who appeared in tears on the track before joining in emotional celebrations with his team ahead of the presentation ceremony.
"When you are in a hard situation, when you have had three crashes in a row, it's not easy mentally or physically. But when I crossed the line I thought of all the people who had helped me be there, because in such a situation it is impossible to do it alone.
"You need the team, the doctors, the physios, the manager, your family and friends, everybody that helps you. They were helping me a lot, and have helped me a lot to come back.
"Today is a time to enjoy and say thanks to all of them, specifically Honda. The respect they gave me during all of this year was something I appreciated a lot.
"This will be a great and important victory for me, but also for the Honda family."
Honda have won 17 of the past 23 MotoGP races at Sachsenring, with Marquez's latest victory making it 11 in succession at the venue.
Marquez moves up to 10th in the championship standings as Frenchman Fabio Quartararo leads the way, his advantage over compatriot Johann Zarco extended to 22 points thanks to securing third place in Germany.
"I knew we were going to struggle, turns six and seven we were extremely slow," Quartararo, who had started the race from sixth position after a difficult qualifying session, said in his news conference.
"On other parts of the track we were okay, but this corner where we stayed a long time on the angle we struggled a lot.
"It was quite clear with the team this morning. We said that we had good pace, but to fight for the victory looks difficult.
"The goal was trying to finish in front of the Ducati and finish on the podium, so we achieved that."
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