Damian McKenzie's long-range extra-time penalty saw the Chiefs edge the Highlanders 26-23 to claim Super Rugby Aotearoa's first golden-point triumph.
It proved a moment of atonement for McKenize, who had punted wide from a similar opportunity at the end of regulation time.
In total, McKenzie kicked 16 of the Chief's 26 points, with Etene Nanai-Seturo and Angus Ta'avao scoring the visitors' tries in Dunedin.
Chasing a third straight win, the Chiefs led for much of the encounter, yet were pegged back late on by fly-half Josh Ioane, who converted his own try before drilling a penalty through the sticks to force extra-time.
James Lentjes and Aaron Smith had previously crossed for the hosts at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
It was McKenzie who struck the decisive blow, landing a penalty from just short of the halfway line to send the Chiefs into third place on 12 points, two shy of the Blues, who occupy the second semi-final berth, with table-topping Crusaders coming up next.
Zion Williamson hailed the influence of Pelicans assistant coach Teresa Weatherspoon after he had a standout night against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 20-year-old had a career-best 15 rebounds plus 37 points and eight assists as New Orleans turned to him in Lonzo Ball's absence, Williamson driving the team to a 101-94 win.
The 2019 number one draft pick and former Duke Blue Devils star said the Pelicans showed impressive resolve to bounce back from a mauling by the Brooklyn Nets in their previous game.
Usually a power forward, Williamson was deployed as a point guard throughout on Friday night, saying that thanks to stepfather Lee Anderson's training the role felt "normal", adding: "It was just having the opportunity to go and show it."
He gave much of the credit for his surge in form to Weatherspoon as he remarked on what differences he noticed in his game over the past couple of months.
"I would definitely say my confidence and going deeper into my arsenal. That's really a shout-out to two people, my stepfather and coach Teresa Weatherspoon," Williamson said.
"It's just the small things and she's like, 'Z, you do this, take your time and be you'. It's those small things that give me all the confidence I need to go out there and be me."
Williamson produced a pull-up jumper in his repertoire, saying: "I have it in my bag. Coach K [Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski] said I want to be a perfectionist. All that means is I want to get the closest and easiest shot.
"T-Spoon [Weatherspoon] was the reason I shot that. She said, 'Z, just give me one, if you don't like it, you don't have to shoot it again'.
"When I shot it, it felt good. I liked the result to be honest. She tells me every game but tonight she was like, 'Z, just give me one'. I tried it and it worked."
Weatherspoon, 55, is a former WNBA star who has been a full-time assistant with the Pelicans since last November.
Although he missed out on a first career NBA triple-double, Williamson said what was most important was the team's reaction to their 139-111 thrashing by Brooklyn.
"I think when it comes to games like that, it's the character you show bouncing back in the next game that really defines you," Williamson said.
"As a team we bounced back great and got the win.
"I wasn't really watching [the triple-double possibility], but after every timeout everybody was like, 'Z, just get two more [assists]'.
"But in my mind I was like, 'Let's win the game'."
Homegrown Joe Musgrove tossed the first no-hitter in the San Diego Padres' franchise history in a 3-0 victory over the Texas Rangers in MLB on Friday night.
Musgrove blanked the Rangers across nine close-to-faultless innings with 10 strikeouts, which set off wild frenzied celebrations among the Padres.
"Everyone dreams of getting the chance to throw a no-hitter," Musgrove said post-game. "I've never even thrown a no-hitter in my life, so my first one came today on this field.
"It's awesome to have it be in a Padres uniform and for it to be the first one for the franchise. That's incredible."
It was only Musgrove's second start for the Padres and improves their season record to 5-3.
Shohei Ohtani may not be on the mound at the moment but he hit his third home run of the year in the Los Angeles Angels' 7-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Japanese star went 2-for-5 at the plate with a homer, double and four RBIs, with Mike Trout taking a backseat.
Acuna does it all for Braves
Young gun Ronald Acuna Jr did it all for the Atlanta Braves in their 8-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
The 23-year-old Venezuelan hit a huge home run, added a duo of doubles and made a super outfield catch as he notched his fifth career four-hit game to lead the Braves to victory.
"That just shows you the complete player he is and the skillset this kid has and what he brings," Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
Corey Kluber had a tough shift as the New York Yankees were battered by reigning American League champions the Tampa Bay Rays 10-5.
Rich Hill struck out seven for the Rays while Joey Wendle and Brandon Lowe combined to drive in five.
Justin Turner homered in the sixth inning to earn the Los Angeles Dodgers a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals.
After being beaten by the Houston Astros five times, the Oakland Athletics hit back with Matt Olson's three-run homer helping them to a 6-2 triumph.
Fowler felled in scary play
In a scary moment, Angels' right fielder Dexter Fowler was carted off with a left knee issue after an awkward fall on second base, although cmanager Joe Maddon later said "I don't think it's bad, fortunately".
Freddie finds his form
Acuna stole the show for the Braves but 2020 National League MVP Freddie Freeman would not be denied with a big home run of his own.
Friday's results
Tampa Bay Rays 10-5 New York Yankees
Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0 Washington Nationals
San Francisco Giants 3-1 Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Angels 7-1 Toronto Blue Jays
Cleveland Indians 4-1 Detroit Tigers
Atlanta Braves 8-1 Philadelphia Phillies
San Diego Padres 3-0 Texas Rangers
Oakland Athletics 6-2 Houston Astros
Cincinnati Reds 6-5 Arizona Diamondbacks
Yankees at Tampa
There's a full 15-game fixture on Saturday with the Tampa Bay Rays series against the New York Yankees ongoing.
Zion Williamson underlined his status as the emerging star of the NBA with a dominant display in the New Orleans Pelicans' 101-94 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.
The 2019 number one draft pick had a career-best 15 rebounds along with 37 points and eight assists as the Pels turned to him in Lonzo Ball's absence.
Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said: "We decided we'd play him at the point all night. He had the ball in his hands all the time and the ability to make plays.
"Had we shot decently he would have finished with double figure assists too. He played the game the way you're supposed to play the game. He was incredible tonight."
Joel Embiid was kept quiet by Steven Adams, managing only 14 points and nine rebounds for the 76ers who are behind the Brooklyn Nets in the East with a 35-17 record.
The Los Angeles Clippers blew the Houston Rockets away with a 41-10 second quarter in a 126-109 victory with Kawhi Leonard top scoring with 31 points, along with five rebounds and eight assists.
The win improves the in-form Clippers' record to 36-18 having now won four in a row and 10 of their past 12.
World number one Ash Barty has been knocked out of the Charleston Open after a straight-sets loss to unseeded Spaniard Paula Badosa in Friday's quarter-finals.
Badosa won 6-4 6-3 over the favoured Australian in one hour, 16 minutes to book a spot in the last four on the green clay and a meeting with 15th seed Veronika Kudermetova.
Kudermetova beat 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-4 in her first win over a grand slam winner.
Former French Open junior champion Badosa, who beat fifth seed Belinda Bencic in the second round, claimed her second career victory over a top-20 player against Barty.
Barty may have hit 34 to 19 winners but she also made twice as many unforced errors, 24 to 12.
The Spaniard broke Barty's serve five times while she sent down seven aces and saved 12 of 14 break points.
"I was quite nervous today but I think I served very well and I think that was the key for the match," Badosa said in her on-court interview.
"It was a tough match but I was there until the last moment and I managed to win."
World number 71 Badosa becomes the lowest-ranked player to beat Barty since September 2019.
The Australian had won eight matches in a row after last week's triumph at the Miami Open.
Unseeded Montenegrin Danka Kovinic came from a set down to topple 11th seed Yulia Putintseva 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 6-1.
Kovinic, who knocked out Petra Kvitova in the third round, will play 12th seed Ons Jabeur in the semi-finals after she overcame Coco Gauff 6-3 6-3.
Meanwhile, at the Copa Colsanitas in Bogota, fifth Tamara Zidansek beat Italy's Sara Errani 6-3 6-4 to claim a spot in the semi-finals.
Viktoriya Tomova outlasted qualifier Nuria Parrizas-Diaz 5-7 6-2 6-4 in almost two and a half hours, while Harmony Tan and local wildcard Maria Camila Osorio Serrano also won.
Defending champion Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy all missed the cut at the Masters on Friday, while Justin Rose remains in the lead.
Johnson, who won the Masters for the first time in November, shot a three-over 75 on the second day to be five over overall and miss the cut by two strokes.
World number one Johnson made three bogeys on his final four holes to miss out, having previously impressed at Augusta, with top-10 finishes in his past five appearances.
He made four birdies on the front nine but also had two bogeys and a double bogey on the fifth.
Johnson becomes the third Masters champion in the past 15 years to miss the cut.
"Six three-putts in two rounds, you just can't do that," Johnson said. "Obviously didn't drive it great but drove it good enough.
"I never was really too bad out of position, just the three-putts killed me. You take all the three-putts away, I'm one under. That was kind of the difference."
The 36-year-old was joined by four-time major winner Koepka with a similar round to miss the cut, along with 2017 Masters winner Garcia, who shot an even round of 72 to finish at four over.
Four-time major winner McIlroy (74) and two-time Masters runner-up Lee Westwood (71) also failed to make the cut, with both unable to recover after poor first days at Augusta.
At the other end of the leaderboard, Rose sits one shot clear of Will Zalatoris and Brian Harman after a second-round 72, having led by four shots on the opening day.
Rose bogeyed four of his first seven holes on Friday, before steadying with three birdies on the back nine to salvage his lead.
"I think it was just a classic day at Augusta National when you're just slightly off," Rose said.
"You can be a foot or two out on certain occasions and you end up struggling. I think maybe off the back of yesterday, it starts to feel pretty different pretty quickly. But I told myself going up the eighth hole, you're leading the Masters, your frame of reference is a little bit different to yesterday. Four ahead is something, but you're still leading so like just enjoy it and keep going."
On his Masters debut, 24-year-old Zalatoris moved up the leaderboard swiftly, aided by five birdies on his back nine, including three straight to finish his round as he carded a four-under 68.
Harman also moved into contention after three birdies on his final six holes to finish with a three-under 69.
Australian Marc Leishman and last week's Texas Open winner Jordan Spieth are tied for fourth after both enjoyed strong rounds on Friday.
Bernd Wiesberger and Tony Finau both shot 66s on Friday to storm up the leaderboard into joint sixth alongside four other players, including world number two Justin Thomas.
Brooks Koepka is unsure if he will play again before the US PGA Championship after missing the cut at the Masters on Friday.
Playing for the first time since February after undergoing knee surgery, Koepka carded rounds of 74 and 75 to miss the cut at Augusta.
After back-to-back top-10 finishes at the Masters, it marked the first time the four-time major winner had failed to reach the weekend at the tournament.
With the US PGA due to start at Kiawah Island on May 20, Koepka is unsure if that will be his next competitive event.
"It's tough to say right now. That's, what, five weeks ahead, I think? It's kind of tough to say that," he told a news conference.
"I won't miss it, I know that, but tough to say if I'll play anything before that just for how it feels, how rehab goes and everything."
He added: "I wouldn't have been playing for another month if it wasn't this week. So I'll take a nice long break after this.
"Way I look at it, I have two more days to do rehab that I probably wouldn't get if I was out here, and I'll get ready for the PGA."
Koepka, who was playing just his sixth tournament of the year, lamented his putting performance at the Masters.
"Putter was ice cold, didn't make any putts. I don't want to say the speed was off, maybe the reads a little bit. Maybe the start line. I'm not quite sure," he said.
"A lot of them felt like good putts, and they weren't even hitting the hole. I don't know. It could be any one of those things. They felt good coming off the face, but they didn't even sniff it."
Top seed Pablo Carreno Busta led a clean sweep for home players to head up an all-Spanish semi-final slate at the Andalucia Open, where teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz made history.
Carreno Busta demolished seventh seed Soonwoo Kwon 6-4 6-0, while Casper Ruud was stunned in straight sets by wildcard Alcaraz.
The 17-year-old backed up his victory over the veteran Feliciano Lopez in style, becoming the youngest ATP Tour semi-finalist since Alexander Zverev at Hamburg in 2014 with a 6-2 6-4 win.
Albert Ramos-Vinolas will face Carreno Busta after beating Norbert Gombos 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 6-4, while Alcarez is next on the agenda for compatriot Jaume Munar, who was taken the distance by Ilya Ivashka having overcome second seed Fabio Fognini on Thursday.
Taylor Fritz continued his solid form this season with a straight sets victory over Aljaz Bedene to reach the semi-finals of Sardegna Open.
Fritz is playing as the US number one for the first time in Cagliari this week and he made light work of Bedene, prevailing 6-3 6-4 to book a showdown with third seed Lorenzo Sonego, who beat Yannick Hanfmann 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 despite being 3-5 down in the second.
Seeded second and ranked 30 in the world, Fitz improved his 2021 record to 11-5 and will look to avenge a defeat in his only other meeting with Sonego on clay, when he lost at Roland Garros last year.
Lorenzo Musetti thrilled as he saved four match points to sink top seed Dan Evans on Thursday but bowed out after another epic, losing to Serbia's Laslo Djere 6-4 4-6 6-2 in two hours and 21 minutes.
Djere, who beat sixth seen John Millman en route to the quarter-finals, will face Nikoloz Basilashvili after the battle between seeds four and five ended 7-5 4-6 6-3 in the Georgian's favour.
Justin Rose mounted a back-nine recovery to finish his second round with a two-shot lead over Jordan Spieth and Marc Leishman.
Rose shot a sublime opening round of 65 at Augusta, but relinquished his four-shot advantage on Friday before returning to the top of the leaderboard with three birdies in his space of four holes.
The Englishman was the man to catch on seven under when he signed for a level-par 72, rallying after bogeying four of the first seven holes in his second round.
Gains at the 13th, 14th and 16th holes gave Rose momentum heading into the weekend as he bids to don the green jacket for the first time.
The in-form Spieth surged into a share of second place with Australian Leishman by carding a four-under 68, with birdies proving easier to come by for the field than on the opening day.
Three-time major champion Spieth, on a high after ending a title drought stretching back to 2017 at the Texas Open last weekend, made four of his five birdies after the turn and only dropped one shot at the 12th.
Leishman also made a significant move, setting the tone by starting with three birdies in row and going on to shoot a five-under 67.
Scintillating six-under rounds of 66 from Bernd Wiesberger and Tony Finau put them just three shots adrift of Rose along with Justin Thomas, who shot a 67.
Will Zalatoris, Brian Harman and Si Woo Kim were also well poised on four under, with their rounds still in progress. Defending champion Dustin Johnson had work to do back on three over through 10.
Bryson DeChambeau responded to a poor opening round with a 67 of his own to sit at one over, while Brooks Koepka (+5) and Rory McIlroy (+6) were facing a battle to make the cut 10 and eight holes into their rounds respectively.
Lee Westwood was a couple of shots below the projected cut mark on five over midway through his round.
Overnight leader Justin Rose was faltering through nine holes of his second round at the Masters on Friday.
The Englishman made light of tricky scoring conditions to shoot a stunning seven-under-par 65 in round one, during which he picked up nine strokes from the eighth hole having played the first seven at two over.
But after starting bogey-birdie on Friday, Rose dropped three more shots before the turn and was at four under for the tournament midway through his second round.
Bernd Wiesberger was only one shot back having gone through 14 holes at five under for the day, while Hideki Matsuyama and Brian Harman were the same score but yet to begin round two.
Jordan Spieth was only two behind through four holes of his second round, with Marc Leishman among a cluster of players also at -2.
Tommy Fleetwood, Tony Finau and Cameron Smith were all playing the round at three under as the leaderboard bunched up early on Friday, while Justin Thomas was back at level par overall.
The likes of Jon Rahm (E), Dustin Johnson (+2) and Rory McIlroy (+4) are scheduled to tee off later on Friday.
Mike Elliott will replace James Allison as technical director in a reshuffle for Formula One constructors' champions Mercedes.
Allison has led the Silver Arrows' technical operations since early in 2017, but will step back from day-to-day management to become chief technical officer on July 1.
Elliott, who started his career with McLaren 21 years ago and also worked for Renault, will be promoted to replace Allison.
He joined Mercedes as head of aerodynamics in 2012 before being appointed as the team's technology director four years ago and will switch jobs again in another reshuffle.
Mercedes said in a statement on Friday: "The transition to the new organisation will take place across the coming months as we continue the 2021 championship battle on track and prepare for the significant challenge of the 2022 technical and sporting regulations in our development programmes back at base."
Elliott said: "It has been a great pleasure and privilege to work for James earlier in my career at Renault, and for the past four years at Mercedes. His track record in the sport speaks for itself, and he has been a fantastic team-mate and leader for me during that time.
"They are big shoes to fill and I am delighted that we will be able to call on his expertise in his new role as CTO. On a personal level, it is an amazing opportunity to become Technical Director of a team like Mercedes, and I must thank Toto [Wolff] and our company for trusting me to make the step up to this new role.
"It is an incredible privilege to be part of this team and I know that the leadership strength at every level through the company will be vital to our future success.
"I can't wait to get started and to tackle the many exciting technical challenges ahead of us in the next months and years."
The Silver Arrows have won seven consecutive constructors' titles and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton won the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix last month.
The Western Force snatched a dramatic 16-15 victory over the Rebels on Friday as the home side failed to capitalise on their dominance at AAMI Park.
Despite enjoying 65 per cent of the possession and more than twice as many passes and carries, the Rebels were thwarted by their own lack of cutting edge against a rigid rearguard.
Force then made them pay with the only try of the contest in the 78th minute, Tim Anstee touching down after a rolling maul and Domingo Miotti adding the extras.
Matt Toomua's penalty had given the Rebels a 15-6 lead midway through the second half but a further kick that struck the upright proved a costly miss in an error-strewn contest.
Miotti also missed a kick prior to the visitors' critical try, before a last-gasp wayward drop goal attempt from Reece Hodge brought the contest to a frustrating end for the Rebels.
It was a 10th successive Super Rugby meeting between the sides decided by a single-digit margin.
And the Rebels are now just a point ahead in the Super Rugby AU standings as the battle for semi-final places hots up.
Paul George enjoyed leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 113-103 win over the Phoenix Suns, who he again accused of "chirping" in a heated encounter.
The Clippers and the Suns are each in contention in the West, but Phoenix's hopes of reeling in leaders the Utah Jazz were hit by Thursday's defeat.
This was the teams' second meeting of the season and the Clippers' second win, with George influential in both.
The seven-time All-Star had a season-high 39 points back in January, after he which he claimed the game had seen "a lot of chirping and people just living in the past".
And the same phrase came up again on Thursday after 33 points on 12-for-19 shooting.
It was a third straight Clippers win against a team in the playoff places in the West, with George also scoring 39 against the Portland Trail Blazers, but the in-form forward was especially motivated for this game.
"We focused on us," George said. "I don't know what that chirp is about. We focused on us.
"I don't care what they're doing over there. I don't care who they are or what they're doing.
"I'm locked in. They can do the chirping, I let them have it tonight. I just stayed in my zone, stayed in my place, I don't know.
"I don't care what they're doing. We're focused on us over here. We're focused on getting better. Tonight was a fun matchup, and we appreciate the challenge."
Suns star Devin Booker had both a flagrant foul and a technical foul on Thursday, while Patrick Beverley (one flagrant) and Marcus Morris Sr (two technicals) were both ejected for the Clippers.
Booker and George each had technicals in the first game – one of only two for the latter all season.
Clippers coach Ty Lue said: "I don't have any concerns. I love it.
"When you are competing at a high level against one of the best teams in the league, do what you've go to do to win. And I thought our guys were physical. We competed, we fought.
"There are going to be games like this where it is going to be chippy. They are fighting for something, we are fighting for something, so it is going to happen and I am okay with it."
Mike Trout continued his prolific start to the new Major League Baseball season with a homer in a third straight game as the Los Angeles Angels won 7-5 against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.
With the game tied at 3-3 at the top of the fifth, Trout creamed Blue Jays right-hander Ross Stripling a projected 444 feet for a solo home run.
"That one definitely had some flight attendants working on it," Angels manager Joe Maddon joked.
In the first of their four-game series in Dunedin, Florida, Trout starred with 3-for-5 but fell a triple short of the cycle in the victory.
On Trout's form, Maddon added: "There's no surprise element to any of this. He's not doing anything new, it's actually a lot of old stuff."
Yermin Mercedes endeared himself to the Chicago White Sox fans in their home opener with a monster 485-foot home run.
The home run in their 6-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals was Mercedes' second of the season and goes down as the third-longest hit by a White Sox player in Guaranteed Rate Field history.
Mets walk-off controversy, Jose lift off for Astros
The New York Mets' 3-2 walk-off victory over the Miami Marlins ended in controversy and the winners admitted they got lucky.
After Jeff McNeil tied the game at 2-2 in the ninth with a home run, the Mets had bases loaded as Michael Conforto stepped up.
After two strikes, a pitch grazed Conforto's elbow pad and home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa initially appeared set to call a third strike before changing mid-motion to say the pitch hit the batter, earning the Mets the run they needed.
"Not the way I wanted to win the ballgame," Conforto said post-game. "I wanted to go up there and drive the ball somewhere.
"From my point of view, it was a slider. I felt it was coming back toward me and I turned. There may have been a little lift of my elbow just out of habit, out of reaction, and it barely skimmed the edge of my elbow guard."
Marlins manager Don Mattingly was left frustrated that they could not review the call.
"You'd think with all the replay we do that you could say, 'That ball's a strike'," he said.
The Houston Astros improved to a 6-1 record with a 6-2 triumph over the struggling Oakland Athletics, with Jose Altuve delivering a home run in their home opener after a long wait.
The Minnesota Twins won 10-2 against the Seattle Mariners, while the Boston Red Sox won 7-3 on the road to the Baltimore Orioles.
Fails for the A's
The A's slumped to a 1-7 record with their loss to the Astros, where it took them until the ninth inning to get on the board.
Grichuk grasps Trout hit
Trout's day may have been a little bit better for the Angels if not for Randal Grichuk's sensational diving catch in center in the ninth.
Thursday's results
New York Mets 3-2 Miami Marlins
Chicago Cubs 4-2 Pittsburgh Pirates
Boston Red Sox 7-3 Baltimore Orioles
Colorado Rockies 7-3 Arizona Diamondbacks
Chicago White Sox 6-0 Kansas City Royals
Minnesota Twins 10-2 Seattle Mariners
St Louis Cardinals 3-1 Milwaukee Brewers
Los Angeles Angels 7-5 Toronto Blue Jays
Houston Astros 6-2 Oakland Athletics
Rays against Yankees
Last year's American League champions the Tampa Bay Rays have had a slow start at 2-4 and they take on the New York Yankees (3-3).
The Milwaukee Bucks lost again without Giannis Antetokounmpo on Thursday, but coach Mike Budenholzer believes the two-time MVP's absence can benefit his team.
The Bucks completed a six-game road trip against the Dallas Mavericks, going down 116-101 at American Airlines Center.
Antetokounmpo featured in the first three of those games, yet he missed the next three after scoring a season-high 47 points against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The 'Greek Freak' leads Milwaukee in points (28.8), assists (6.2) and rebounds (11.4) per game, while also contributing 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals.
Knee soreness is impacting Antetokounmpo's bid for a third straight MVP triumph, but it is also hindering the Bucks. The team are 29-16 when their superstar plays but just 3-3 without him.
Milwaukee were not helped against the Mavs by poor shooting displays from Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, their second and third men.
Middleton was an alarming 6-for-27 from the field for 14 points – 22.2 per cent, his second-worst outing of the year – as Holiday, who signed a lucrative contract extension last week, was 6-for-16 for 13 points.
Budenholzer acknowledged both players must perform better as he suggested the Bucks needed to adapt to playing when Antetokounmpo is not on the floor.
The 26-year-old forward played just 30.4 minutes per game last season when Milwaukee led the East, but he has been relied on for 34.0 minutes in 2020-21.
"The guys are getting more opportunities," Budenholzer said. "There's a little bit more of a load on both Jrue and Khris. I think they're learning to take that.
"We didn't make enough shots tonight; Khris, Jrue didn't make enough shots. We're getting better. We'll learn from these things.
"Playing without Giannis, he can't play 48 minutes, so I think there's going to be good stretches for us when Giannis doesn't play and we'll grow from these experiences playing without him."
While the Bucks struggled without their big name, Dallas got 27 points, nine assists and nine rebounds from Luka Doncic.
But the Slovenian also earned his 12th technical foul of the season. That tally has steadily increased over his NBA career – five in his rookie year, nine last year – and he is now just four shy of a one-game suspension.
"He's aware," coach Rick Carlisle said. "My level of concern is there. But look, he's an emotional competitor. It all comes from the right place.
"He's smart, he knows where the count is. If he's going to get his 16th, he'll get it in a situation where it's time for a day of rest anyway. I'm not really that worried about it."
It was a big win for the Mavs, who returned to winning ways after a shock defeat to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday ended a run of five successive victories since Doncic returned from a short lay-off due to illness.
"This was a playoff-type game [against the Bucks], playoff-calibre in terms of intensity and competitiveness and the talent on the floor," Carlisle said. "We did a much, much better job, top to bottom, than we did last night."
Dallas also got 26 points, 17 rebounds and two blocks out of Kristaps Porzingis. Eleven of his points came in the fourth quarter on 4-for-4 shooting after failing to attempt a single field goal in the final 12 minutes against the Rockets.
Porzingis said of his relationship with Doncic: "We're trying to play together and help each other. We want to win – at the end, we all want to win here.
"We have to keep playing, keep playing together, playing well and helping each other."
At the onset of the season, the Atlanta Hawks were a trendy pick to be a team that could fight their way into the playoffs and be tough to eliminate in a postseason series.
Sure, they finished mere percentage points ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the worst record in the Eastern Conference last season, but with the returning core of All-Star Trae Young, John Collins and De'Andre Hunter, plus the offseason additions of Clint Capela, Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Rajon Rondo, there was plenty of reason to believe the Hawks could capture their first playoff berth since 2017 in a top-heavy yet mostly mediocre Eastern Conference.
Injuries to Hunter, Gallinari and Bogdanovic, however, stunted Atlanta's growth, and the team sputtered over the season's first two months. And with another blown fourth-quarter lead in a loss to Southeast Division rivals the Miami Heat on February 28, the Hawks' record dropped to 14-20 as they slid into 11th place in the East, prompting team president Travis Schlenk to fire coach Lloyd Pierce less than halfway into his third season at the helm.
Schlenk believed the season could be salvaged and needed a new voice, promoting assistant Nate McMillan to interim coach.
The Hawks have responded.
They've since compiled a 13-5 record – behind only the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers among East clubs – to move into a virtual tie for the Southeast lead with the Charlotte Hornets, and into fifth place in the conference. They have also navigated around a recent injury to Collins, going 4-1 since he sprained his left ankle.
There are several reasons for Atlanta's surge, but it's no coincidence the turnaround under McMillan has coincided with the return of Bogdanovic.
Lured away from the Sacramento Kings on a four-year, $72million deal, Bogdanovic looked like a bust early, averaging 9.9 points on 38.5 per cent shooting and 36.2 per cent on three-point attempts in his first nine games, before missing the next 25 through the end of February with a sprained knee.
After working out the rust over a few games upon returning, Bogdanovic has found his shot and is thriving.
Since March 24, his 66.4 eFG (effective field goal) percentage ranks third in the NBA among the 99 players with a minimum of 75 attempts, while his 53.3 per cent shooting from beyond the arc ranks fifth among the 92 shooters with at least 35 three-point tries.
He was inserted into the starting lineup on March 26, and with Bogdanovic and Young together on the court, the Hawks have been lethal, averaging 117.1 points per 100 possessions, 49.4 per cent shooting and 45.7 per cent on three-pointers. Without them, they are averaging 102.7 points per 100 possessions, 41.7 per cent on field goals and 33.3 per cent on threes.
Bogdanovic has been especially deadly from the wing since McMillan tabbed him as a starter. Since March 26, his 21 three-pointers from the wing is just one fewer than Miami's Duncan Robinson for the league lead, while his 46.7 per cent shooting from the wing ranks fourth among the 47 players with a minimum of 25 attempts.
Young's scoring has dropped since Bogdanovic cracked the starting five (20.9 ppg since March 26 after previously averaging 25.8 ppg), but he's been distributing the ball to his teammates a little more (10.4 assists per game since March 26 after previously averaging 9.4 apg).
Since March 26, Young has assisted on 20 made baskets by Bogdanovic – the most by a guard to a single teammate – and 16 by Capela.
The Young-to-Capela show is nothing new, however, as Young has fed Capela on 99 made baskets on the season – fourth-most by any player to a teammate. Atop that list is Young’s 121 assists to Collins, and the Hawks are hopeful the two can add to this number as early as next week with Collins back practising.
Capela has had more opportunities inside with Collins sidelined, but really, he's been a beast in the paint all season.
The league's top offensive rebounder at 4.8 per game, Capela is third in the NBA in second-chance scoring at 4.6 points per game (minimum 20 games played).
His production in the interior has also increased with Bogdanovic starting, as he has been averaging 6.7 dunks and layups per game since March 26 – second in the league behind Zion Williamson's average of 10.6 per game. Prior to March 26, Capela averaged 5.5 dunks and layups per game.
Like Bogdanovic, Gallinari also got off to a sluggish start to the season and also dealt with an ailment, missing 12 games with multiple foot injuries. But also, similarly to Bogdanovic, he's found his stroke.
After averaging 11.2 points on 38.6 per cent shooting from the floor and 37.8 per cent from beyond the arc in his first 23 games, Gallinari is averaging 16.3 points on 47.6 per cent shooting – including 43.5 per cent on threes in his last 15. He's been one of the league's best at connecting on three-pointers from the wing since March 1, draining 47.1 per cent – the fourth-highest rate in the league among the 77 players with 50 or more attempts.
Gallinari hasn't been the only contributor off the bench for the Hawks over the last week.
At the trade deadline, the Hawks shipped Rondo to the Los Angeles Clippers for 16-year veteran Lou Williams to provide another scorer off the bench. The three-time Sixth Man of the Year Award winner is averaging 13.2 points and 3.4 assists in four games, rejuvenating the reserves since making his Hawks debut on April 1.
With Williams on board, Atlanta's bench ranks fifth in scoring (43.6 ppg), ninth in shooting (46.8 per cent) and second in three-point shooting (53.8 per cent) since the start of April. Prior to April, the bench ranked 27th in scoring (31.7 ppg), 30th in shooting (40.3 per cent) and 16th in three-point shooting (35.9 per cent).
While the Hawks have become healthier – despite the recent injury to Collins – and are getting more production from their bench, they are also showing a proficiency at closing out games. Instead of wilting late, they are now flourishing.
The loss to the Heat on February 28 marked the 11th setback of the season for Atlanta in a game in which they led in the fourth quarter, and only league-worst Minnesota had more through the end of February with 12. Since the beginning of March, however, the Hawks are 13-2 when holding a fourth-quarter lead, and only the Denver Nuggets (15), Brooklyn Nets (14) and Phoenix Suns (14) have more such victories.
The Hawks' recent fourth-quarter figures are startling. Their PPG average has been 27.7 since March 1 after being 27.1 previously, representing a small improvement. Yet in that same period their opponents have averaged just 24.3 fourth-quarter points compared to 29.0 in the first 34 games of the season, Atlanta's three-point percentage has switched from 34.8 per cent before March to 41.9 per cent during the games since, and their PPG differential has switched up from being minus 1.9 prior to the upturn to plus 3.4 in their subsequent outings.
That means in terms of fourth-quarter progression they have gone from being 15th in PPG in games before March to eighth since, from 29th to second in opposition PPG, from 19th to second in three-point percentage, and from 29th to first place in PPG/difference.
Atlanta have played their way into a playoff position, and now the trick is staying there. One advantage the Hawks have going for them, though, is they have a relatively easy path the rest of the way.
Through the end of February when the team fired Pierce, Atlanta had the eighth-toughest strength of schedule (.512 opponents' winning percentage). The Hawks then made their push since the beginning of March with a schedule that was the eighth easiest (.478), and now they have the sixth-easiest schedule through the rest of the season (.480).
The Milwaukee Bucks dropped their second game without Giannis Antetokounmpo going down 116-101 to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA on Thursday night.
Mavs center Kristaps Porzingis dominated with 26 points including four three-pointers, along with 17 rebounds, with Slovenian guard Luka Doncic top scoring with 27 points.
The Bucks were without two-time MVP Giannis due to knee soreness, missing his third straight game as Milwaukee slipped to 32-19.
Milwaukee produced a 14-0 run in the third with Donte DiVincenzo scoring 22 points and Bobby Portis pulling down 14 rebounds but Dallas dominated the last quarter to take out the win.
The Los Angeles Lakers dropped another game without LeBron James and Anthony Davis as Jimmy Butler dazzled for the Miami Heat in a 110-104 victory.
Butler scored 28 points, with seven rebounds and five assists for Miami who trailed at the main break.
The Lakers have lost six of their past 10 matches with a 32-20 record and are fifth in the West.
Clippers blanket Suns, Jazz blow away Blazers
In a crucial clash in the West, the Los Angeles Clippers finished strong to edge the in-form Phoenix Suns 113-103 led by Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.
George had 33 points including seven three-pointers, seven rebounds and three assists, while Leonard scored 27 points, with five rebounds and five assists.
New Clippers recruit Rajon Rondo added 15 points and nine assists off the bench too, as they improved to 35-18, with the Suns 36-15 after their eight-game winning run ended.
Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points as the ladder leading Utah Jazz blew away the Portland Trail Blazers with a 40-19 third quarter to win 122-103.
Jazz center Rudy Gobert had 20 rebounds along with his 18 points while Damian Lillard scored 23 points and had five rebounds and six assists for the Blazers.
The Chicago Bulls were too good for the undermanned Toronto Raptors 122-113 with Deadline Day additions Nikola Vucevic and Daniel Theis starring.
New Heat recruit hurt
Heat guard Victor Oladipo played 25 minutes and scored 18 points in their win over the Lakers but he went off late with an apparent left knee injury which will have Miami sweating on their new recruit.
Kawhi dunks on Suns
The commentators were left staggered when Leonard drove into the key and produced a massive right-hand dunk in the third of the Clippers win over the Suns.
Thursday's results
Chicago Bulls 122-113 Toronto Raptors
Miami Heat 110-104 Los Angeles Lakers
Cleveland Cavaliers 129-102 Oklahoma City Thunder
Dallas Mavericks 116-101 Milwaukee Bucks
Los Angeles Clippers 113-103 Phoenix Suns
Detroit Pistons 113-101 Sacramento Kings
Utah Jazz 122-103 Portland Trail Blazers
76ers in The Big Easy
Joel Embiid's Philadelphia 76ers (35-16) go to Zion Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans (22-29) looking to re-claim top spot in the East.
Top seed Ashleigh Barty moved into the quarter-finals with a three-set win over Shelby Rogers while Petra Kvitova and Garbine Muguruza exited in the Round of 16 of the Volvo Car Open in Charleston.
World number one Barty was pushed all the way by 52nd ranked Rogers, with both players trading breaks in the final set, before the Australian prevailed 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-4.
The victory extends Barty's winning streak to eight matches having won last week's Miami Open.
Barty won 82 per cent of first serve points and sent down 10 aces to get the edge on the American, who saved eight of 13 break points throughout the match.
"The conditions are difficult. It's pretty quick," Barty said in her on-court interview post-game.
"Shelby was able to control the centre of court for a lot of the match. It was about trying to get control when I could. She's an exceptional player, it's always a fight no matter what surface or where we are in the world. It's always one that I enjoy."
Barty will play Spaniard 71st ranked Paula Badosa in the quarter-finals after she beat Caty McNally 6-3 6-3.
Third seed Kvitova was the major casualty on Thursday, losing 6-4 6-1 to Montenegrin Danka Kovinic.
The first set was tightly fought before Kovinic pulled away as Kvitova's errors mounted.
"We both have pretty big serves and she's very good hitting from the baseline," Kovinic said post-game. "Today it was the key that I tried, and did it really well, to take her pace of the ball and use her energy."
Sixth seed Garbine Muguruza also bowed out injured, despite leading 6-0 2-2 against 11th seed Yulia Putintseva.
Muguruza laboured for a few games after a medical time-out before retiring with a left leg injury. Putintseva will next face Kovinic.
Seeds Ons Jabeur, Veronika Kudermetova and Cori Gauff also progressed to the last eight, while Sloane Stephens won in straight sets against Ajla Tomljanovic.
Meanwhile at the Copa Colsanitas second round in Bogota, seventh seed Tereza Martincova was knocked out, going down 6-3 6-3 to Colombian teenager Maria Osorio Serrano.
On the outdoor clay courts, fifth Tamara Zidansek moved into the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-3 win over Giulia Gatto-Monticone, while Harmony Tan beat Daniela Seguel.
Rory McIlroy's quest for a career Grand Slam may have to wait another year after an underwhelming opening day at the Masters, but he says he was encouraged by the way he finished his round.
The 31-year-old Northern Irishman made six bogeys on the first day at Augusta, finishing with a four-over 76, leaving him well off the pace set by Justin Rose with a seven-under 65.
McIlroy's best ever finish at the Masters was fourth in 2015, having won the 2012 and 2014 US PGA Championship, 2011 U.S. Open and 2014 Open Championship.
"My goal is to play well and at least give myself a chance," McIlroy told a news conference after his opening round.
"Honestly I'm quite encouraged with how I hit it on the way in. I hit some loose shots out there, but after hitting the six iron in the water on 13, I hit some really good shots coming in, so I'm encouraged by that.
"It was just one of those days where I wasn't very efficient with my scoring.
"You're sort of fighting against momentum, but if you make a birdie then you can sort of get going, and [it was] just one of those days.
"But I hung in there, hit some good shots coming in, could have made a couple more birdies, but it's not as if anyone is going really low out there.
"Hopefully feel a little more comfortable tomorrow, go out there and shoot a good one."
There was a bizarre moment for McIlroy when his approach on the seventh hit an onlooker, which was later revealed to be his father, Gerry.
"It was a perfect shot; it was dead straight but I think he was okay," McIlroy said.
"He didn't limp away. He walked away pretty swiftly, so that was all right."
He added: "I knew it was my dad when I was aiming at him."
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