The Brooklyn Nets suffered a third straight defeat as Ja Morant inspired the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, while the Milwaukee Bucks also slipped up.

Morant scored a game-leading 36 points to lead the Grizzlies to a 118-104 victory – Memphis' fifth successive win.

He was ably supported by Desmond Bane (29 points), Brandon Clarke (16), Jarret Culver and Tyus Jones (both 12), with Kevin Durant and James Harden unable to prevent the Nets' recent slump continuing.

Memphis' victory at the Barclays Center was taken in by Antonio Brown, the NFL wide receiver who was dismissed as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer after his remarkable walk-out against the New York Jets on Sunday.

While the Grizzlies travel to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Tuesday, Brooklyn must lick their wounds after relinquishing top spot in the Eastern Conference to the Chicago Bulls, who edged out the Orlando Magic 102-98 to win an eighth straight game.

Pistons stun Bucks

The Pistons had the worst record in the league heading into their clash with reigning champions Milwaukee, but Saddiq Bey's career-high 34 points saw Detroit overcome the odds.

Milwaukee's six-game winning streak was snapped by a 115-106 reverse, with a 31-point turn from talisman Giannis Antetokounmpo not enough.

It was a stunning result for the Pistons, who had lost 12 straight regular-season games to the Bucks by an average of 16.7 points heading into the game – while Milwaukee had also downed Detroit four times in the 2019 playoffs.

Detroit are now 7-28 for the season, meaning it is the Magic who have the league's worst winning percentage. The Bucks must now bounce back against the Toronto Raptors, who beat them in December, on Wednesday.

Jazz get back on the horse

The Utah Jazz responded to their defeat to Western Conference leaders the Golden State Warriors with a 115-104 triumph over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Donovan Mitchell was the standout performer, topping up his game-high 29 points with three rebounds and five assists. It is now nine road wins in a row for the Jazz, who sit third in the West behind the Warriors and the Phoenix Suns.

While the Suns are at New Orleans on Tuesday, Golden State kept themselves secure at the top by collecting a fifth win in six games with a 115-108 victory at home to the Miami Heat.

Doncic and Embiid lift Mavs, Sixers

Luka Doncic claimed another double-double with 21 points and a joint season-high 15 assists to propel the Dallas Mavericks to a convincing 103-89 triumph over the Denver Nuggets.

Doncic's team may have come out on top, but fellow Balkan star Nikola Jokic led the game with 27 points, adding 16 rebounds, albeit last season's MVP could not stop Denver having a three-game winning run ended.

The Mavs are sixth in the West, one place behind Denver but having won a game more.

Joel Embiid, meanwhile, is a player well in the running to take Jokic's regular-season MVP crown, and he turned in a brilliant display in the Philadelphia 76ers 133-113 rout of the Houston Rockets.

Embiid turned in a fourth straight 30-point game with a triple-double of 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger struggled to rein in his emotions as he reflected on what seems likely to be his final home game.

Roethlisberger is all set to retire at the end of the season, but he gave the Steelers fans another reason to laud his name as he helped Pittsburgh to a vital 26-14 win over the Cleveland Browns on Monday.

Pittsburgh are now 8-7 in the AFC North, and will need to beat the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18, whole relying on the Jacksonville Jaguars to do them a favour against the Indianapolis Colts, to make the playoffs.

Should the Steelers clinch a postseason berth, it will be the 12th time they have reached the playoffs in Roethlisberger's 18 seasons with the team.

The 39-year-old threw for one touchdown, 123 yards and a touchdown on what was his last regular-season start at Heinz Field, which he has called home since 2004.

He has thrown for 69,478 yards across his 18-season career so far (both regular and postseason), ranking him third among NFL quarterbacks during that time, behind Tom Brady (85,046) and Drew Brees (80,111), who are also the only QBs to have tallied up more appearances than Roethlisberger's 269.

Roethlisberger ranks fourth during that timespan for touchdown passes (450), behind Aaron Rodgers (492), Brees (579) and Brady (629). Only eight quarterbacks to have played over 100 games have registered a higher touchdown percentage than the Steelers veteran (4.9).

In a postgame, on-field interview with ESPN, Roethlisberger could not hold back the tears.

"It's funny. Probably not the way you wanted it, other than the win, and that’s all that really matters, that's kind of been the story of my career," he began.

"Not always pretty but we find a way. Man, did our defense step up tonight and it was just so much fun to be out here. These players, this place.

"I didn't think I was going to take the field again, but it's the best play as an offensive player in football, to take a knee. I'm glad I got to do it one last time."

Asked what it felt like leaving Heinz Field, Roethlisberger replied: "I don't know, with a win."

"I'm just so thankful for the fans, my family obviously," he added.

"The good Lord has blessed me in so many ways. We’ve still got another game obviously, excited for that but this is just an awesome place."

"Probably about now," he said when asked if the occasion had sunk in. "This is the end of it, having the chance to go back out there.

"I'm just so excited for these fans and this place, there's not another place like it.

"I'm so thankful and blessed to be able to call this place home for almost half my life. In front of these fans, seeing all the signs, all the jerseys. I've been so blessed and I'm just so thankful."

The night may have belonged to Roethlisberger, who walked to the midfield logo alone for the opening coin toss, on what was his 135th start at Heinz Field.

However, Najee Harris was the star man for the Steelers, running in a career-best 188 yards and a touchdown, with Chris Boswell kicking four field goals and Defensive Player of the Year candidate T.J. Watt sacking Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield four times.

Watt is now on 21.5 sacks for the season, one short of the NFL record set by Michael Strahan in 2001.

Peter Wright captured his second PDC World Championship title after a 7-5 victory over Michael Smith in the final at Alexandra Palace.

The Scotsman claimed the top prize of £500,000 as he became the sixth multiple winner of darts' blue-riband event after Phil Taylor, John Part, Adrian Lewis, Gary Anderson and Michael van Gerwen.

It was his fourth title of the season, having already won the World Matchplay, Players Championship Finals and World Cup of Darts.

Wright, who also lifted the Sid Waddell trophy in 2020, was appearing in his third world final having hit 24 180s during his 6-4 win over compatriot Anderson in the semi-finals.

The 51-year-old took a 2-0 lead but 2019 runner-up Smith – who hit a record 83 maximums during the tournament – won five of the next seven sets to move two away from victory at 5-4 up.

However, Wright was not to be denied. The world number two, who also captured the World Matchplay title in July, averaged 113.93 during the next three sets as he won nine of the next 10 legs, before securing the crown on double 16.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians insisted he had "no regrets" over signing Antonio Brown following his bizarre walk-off during the clash with the New York Jets on Sunday.

With the Buccaneers down 24-10 and just over three minutes left in the third quarter, Brown appeared to be talking to team-mate Mike Evans on the sidelines before removing his jersey and shoulder pads, taking off his under-shirt and throwing it into the crowd, and then waving as he jogged towards the tunnel.

The 33-year-old had taken three receptions for 26 yards before leaving the game, which the Bucs went on to win 28-24 and move to a 12-4 record in the NFC.

Speaking after the comeback victory, Arians told reporters: "He is no longer a Buc. That's the end of the story. Let's talk about the guys that went out there and won the game."

The Bucs signed Brown in October 2020 after a short stint at the New England Patriots in 2019.

Arians had initially called Brown a "diva" and said "there's no room" for him at the Bucs.

But despite an eight-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy after punching a delivery truck driver, they did eventually sign him. 

He served another three-game ban this season after an NFL investigation found that he had produced a fake COVID-19 vaccine card.

Arians is happy with his decision to sign Brown, however, and hopes this latest incident can act as a turning point for the 33-year-old. 

"I have no regrets [over signing him]. I just hope the best for him," he told a media conference.

"It was very hard. I wish him well. If he needs help, I hope he gets some. It's very hard because I do care about him; I care about him a bunch. I hope that he's OK."

Asked if Brown told him he was injured, Arians said: "No. It's pretty obvious what happened. He left the field and that was it. We had a conversation, and he left the field."

Brown had played in just six games this season prior to Sunday, managing 39 receptions for 519 yards and four touchdowns.

Jamaica ends 2021 on a high in Men's Bobsled

Bradley Jacks January 03, 2022

Jamaica’s four-man Bobsled team ended 2021 on a high after securing a medal at the North American Cup in Lake Placid, New York.

The team consisting of Shanwayne Stephens, Ashley Watson, Rolando Reid, and Matthew Wekpe got a time of 1:52.87 to finish seventh overall in the Four-Man Bobsled on December 20.

Stephens and Watson also teamed up to finish seventh overall in the Two-Man Bobsled with a time of 1:55.70 on December 15.

Watson, who is also completing his Master’s degree in Physiotherapy, reacted to the achievement on his Instagram page.

“Great way to end our last races of the year with my first ever medal in Bobsleigh. It’s been a long, hard emotional first half of the season. It has been worth the three-plus months graft to have an opportunity to reach the Olympic Games,” he said.

Watson also expressed gratitude to the support staff for the team.

“I’m very proud of the team and hugely thankful for the sponsors, coaches, physio, and people working behind the scenes,” he added.

He says the team will take some time to rest before resuming the season next year.

“Now to go home for a short period to rest before the second half of the season and hopefully the Olympics,” Watson said.

 

Kyle Shanahan praised an efficient and at times explosive performance from Trey Lance but did not rule out Jimmy Garoppolo returning and starting for the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18.

With Garoppolo sidelined due to torn ligaments in his thumb, rookie third overall pick Lance got the start and recovered from a shaky first half to help the 49ers to a 23-7 win over the Houston Texans.

Lance tossed a bad interception in the first half but appeared more settled after a field-goal drive to end the second quarter and subsequently threw a pair of touchdowns, including a 45-yard strike to Deebo Samuel, to put the Niners a win away from a playoff berth.

He finished the game 16 of 23 passing for 249 yards and also ran for a further 31 yards.

The Niners will reach the postseason for the second time in three seasons if they beat the 12-4 Los Angeles Rams in Week 18 or if the New Orleans Saints lose to the Atlanta Falcons. Should San Francisco lose and the Saints beat the Falcons, the Niners will miss out on the postseason.

That places the situation at quarterback into sharp focus, with head coach Shanahan leaving the door open to Garoppolo making a quick return despite reports he will need surgery after the season.

Asked if Garoppolo tried throwing on Saturday or Sunday, Shanahan replied: "I don't know if he threw today [Sunday]. I didn't even ask, just talking to him yesterday I had a pretty good idea that we weren't going to even push it today.

"I think he'll be able to do it this week. Still, that's just me giving you guys an honest guess. Hopefully, I'll have a better idea by Wednesday.

"If Jimmy's a hundred per cent healthy and could do everything, like perfect, then I would definitely go with Jimmy. I'm not just going to throw a guy in after one game like this, when Jimmy's been doing it for us all year.

"I think it's going to be hard for Jimmy to be a hundred percent, which is how most people are right now at this time of year. But Trey did a good job, if Jimmy can't go, we won't hesitate at all. But if we feel Jimmy can go and play confident, then Jimmy will be out there."

Assessing Lance's performance, Shanahan said: "I think he did some real good things, besides the bad interception, I thought he protected the ball real well.

"That was a big thing going into this game and he did a good job on all those except for one play. I think he was very efficient, just looking at his numbers. That big play at the end was huge. For the most part, he made some pretty good decisions running the ball.

"I thought the defense and special teams played really well. Holding them to three yards per play on defense, special teams, we've been down here over this last month and this at least felt like that was one of our better games in a while.

"I think that allowed us to be more comfortable on offense, start to get into a rhythm and not really press and just let it happen naturally."

World number four Stefanos Tsitsipas is optimistic he will be fit for this month's Australian Open after coming through his first complete singles match since undergoing surgery on his right elbow last November.

Following a gruelling three-set defeat to Diego Schwartzman at the ATP Cup in Sydney on Monday, Tsitsipas was upbeat about his prospects of performing in Melbourne.

"It gets better and better every single day", Tsitsipas said of his injury. "We have plenty of time before the Australian Open begins, and I think if I take the right precautions and follow what my doctor says, then I can see myself performing at 100 per cent.

The Greek went on to reveal that medics had harboured serious doubts over his participation at the first Grand Slam of 2022, after he had been forced to withdraw from November's ATP Finals in Turin.

"Going into that surgery, even the doctor was unsure if it was a good idea to perform and play at the Australian Open.

"My recovery was much better than he expected, in comparison with other players that he has treated in the past, so he was surprised. He came to Dubai, and he was surprised to see me hitting close to 100 per cent.

The 2021 French Open finalist also claimed to have enjoyed his contest with Schwartzman, despite the defeat.

"It was good to see myself perform at such a level. I didn't expect it," he said. "It worked out better than I thought. I was able to hit balls that I was scared to hit two weeks ago, so I’m heading towards the right direction."

Tsitsipas, who has won seven ATP Tour events to date, is due to be in action once more in Sydney this week against Georgian, Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Ryan Tannehill insisted the Tennessee Titans are "just getting started" after they clinched the AFC South title and moved into the one seed in the conference.

Tennessee punched their ticket to the postseason as division champions with a 34-3 rout of the Miami Dolphins, who were eliminated from playoff contention.

With the Kansas City Chiefs losing to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Titans' victory saw them jump to the top of the AFC, meaning they will clinch a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs with a Week 18 win over the lowly Houston Texans.

While the Titans donned AFC South champion t-shirts in the locker room after the game, Tannehill conceded he was struggling to find a balance between celebrating that achievement and focusing on what they still have to do.

"That was a battle I was having in [the locker room] myself," the Titans quarterback said. "I'm thinking: Try to enjoy the moment and celebrate, but I'm going around telling the guys that we're just getting started.

"It's a big step and enjoy it, but we're just getting started. We've got a long way to go and that was kind of my message going around to the guys.

"Definitely try to enjoy the moment and celebrate today for what it is, but just knowing in the back of our minds that our ultimate goals aren't done yet.

"We've still got a long way to go."

Tannehill's top target, wide receiver A.J. Brown, added: "We had to worry about ourselves and we had to win today.

"We are not really worried about anyone else no matter what cards we were dealt. We had to win today, and we got the win today.

"Next week, it's going to be winning next week, against Houston. We know that right now, it's playoff football. And we are already trying to get in form, because it gets tougher."

Laslo Djere and Soonwoo Kwon began 2022 by cruising through the opening round of the ATP Adelaide International, both earning straight set wins to reach the round of 16. 

Number seven seed Djere beat Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 7-5 7-6 (7-1) on the hard surface, while eighth seed Kwon comfortably saw off Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka 6-1 6-2.

Elsewhere, Thiago Monteiro earned an entertaining 6-2 3-6 7-6 (7-2) win over Daniel Altmaier, and the Brazilian will now face number three seed Marin Cilic in the round of 16 after the 2014 US Open champion was given a first round bye.

The other encounter on Monday saw Steve Johnson come through in three sets against wildcard Aleksandar Vukic, 6-4 2-6 6-4. The American will go up against second seed Karen Kachanov in the last 16.

Two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Gael Monfils is the top seed for the ATP 250 tournament, with Cilic, Khachanov and Frances Tiafoe among the other big names who will enter the competition in the next round.

The Green Bay Packers have the number one seed in the NFC, and their MVP quarterback appears to be getting healthier.

Green Bay clinched the top seed in their conference with a 37-10 rout over the Kirk Cousins-less Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Back in Week 11, the Packers lost a 34-31 shootout to the Vikings, with quarterback Rodgers revealing afterward that he was battling a severe toe injury.

He has continued to play through the problem and was once again in imperious form as the Packers ripped off their fifth straight win and improved to 14-3.

Rodgers completed 29 of his 38 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns in a performance that helped ensure the NFC playoffs will go through Lambeau Field.

And further encouragement that this could be Green Bay's year came in Rodgers' post-game comments about the health of his toe.

"This is a first game that my toe got through the game without any issues," Rodgers said. "No pre-game painkiller shot. I'm feeling good. I'm happy about it.

"There was definitely a time a few weeks ago when I started to project out and think if we can get the one seed, it could be two-plus weeks of rest.

"I'm going to play next week, and I expect Davante to play and our guys to play. So, we're looking forward to finishing off the season on a high note and then getting the bye."

Though they have nothing to play for, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur indicated he would play his starters for at least some of their regular-season finale at the Detroit Lions.

But, with the bye week secured, Rodgers will have the chance to rest his seemingly improving toe ahead of another push for the second Super Bowl title of his stunning career.

Petra Kvitova was on the receiving end of an upset in the first round of the WTA International in Adelaide as she was surprisingly beaten by wildcard Priscilla Hon on Monday.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova, who ended 2021 among the world's top 20 players for the first time since 2016, lost in three sets to her Australian opponent 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 6-2. The victory was Hon's first ever against a player in the top 40.

Elsewhere, number three seed Maria Sakkari saw off Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek 6-2 0-6 6-4, while number seven seed Elena Rybakina earned a 6-4 1-6 6-1 win over Storm Sanders.

Leylah Fernandez, the 2021 US Open runner-up, also looked comfortable in a straight-sets victory against Ekaterina Alexandrova, easing past the Russian 6-3 6-4. The 19-year-old will face either number five seed Iga Swiatek or Daria Saville in the next round.

Heather Watson is out after a 6-4 7-6 (7-5) loss to home favourite Ajla Tomljanovic, while in the doubles event, Japanese pair and top seeds Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama were beaten 6-4 6-2 by Victoria Azarenka and Paula Badosa, who will play against one another in the singles on Tuesday.

Diego Schwartzman sealed a 2-0 win for Argentina over Greece in Group D of the ATP Cup after edging a close contest with world number four Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Schwartzman claimed just the third victory of his career over a top-five opponent, winning 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-3 in Sydney.

The world number 13 fought back from a break down in the second set before taking his career head-to-head with Tsitsipas to 2-1 after battling through two hours and 42 minutes on Ken Rosewall Arena.

"I was just trying to think that it was his first match for two months after his elbow [injury], so I was thinking just to try and be in the match," Schwartzman said in his on-court interview.

"I had the chance and I think I was ready. I am very happy because playing against Stefanos and being a set and a break down is not easy, but I found a way."

Argentina, who earlier saw Federico Delbonis defeat Michail Pervolarakis in straight sets, will now face Poland on Wednesday to decide who progresses to the semi-finals.

Poland were comfortable 3-0 winners in their match-up with Georgia, Kamil Majchrzak beating Aleksandre Bakshi for the loss of just two games before Hubert Hurkacz defeated Aleksandre Metreveli 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-1.

Pablo Carreno Busta beat Viktor Durasovic 6-3 6-3 to put Spain ahead against Norway, and their win was assured when Roberto Bautista Agut claimed an impressive 6-4 7-6 (7-4) victory over Casper Ruud. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Pedro Martinez followed up with a straight-sets doubles win.

"Casper is playing unbelievable tennis, [he did] an unbelievable performance last year, and today I played very good," Bautista Agut said. "I returned very well, I made very few unforced errors and I played aggressively. I try to play matches like this and that is why I am practising hard and I am trying to show this level."

Spain are top of Group A ahead of Serbia, whose match with Chile will go down to a doubles decider.

In-form quarterback Joe Burrow says everyone laughed off the Cincinnati Bengals' divisional hopes in preseason in the wake of clinching the AFC North with Sunday's 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Burrow starred with four touchdown passes but ended the game on the bench with a knee issue as the Bengals won the division for the first time since 2015.

The Bengals had finished last in the AFC North last year with a 4-11-1 record, which makes this season's accomplishments more impressive.

"In the preseason we were talking about the playoffs and I said the goal was the playoffs and the easiest way to do that is to win the division," Burrow said at the post-game news conference.

"Everyone laughed at us a little bit, but we knew the kind of team we had and the kind of guys in the locker room we had, and we knew we could go out and do it."

The Bengals QB insisted the knee complaint that had him benched was "good enough" in the wake of throwing 971 yards in the past two games, which is the most in consecutive wins in NFL history.

Burrow completed 30 of 39 attempts for 446 yards with four touchdown passes and no interceptions against the Chiefs.

Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase also made history with the rookie record for most single game receiving yards (266). It was also a Bengals franchise record and the most ever against the Chiefs.

Chase added: "We can go as far as we want to. We just won the AFC North."

The Dallas Cowboys are fearing the worst with wide receiver Michael Gallup sustaining a suspected torn ACL in his left knee in Sunday's 25-22 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Gallup landed awkwardly when he caught a touchdown in the second quarter of the defeat, before limping off the field and leaving for the locker room on crutches.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones confirmed Gallup will undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm the severity of the injury but teammate Dak Prescott and head coach Mike McCarthy feared the worst.

"It was tough, very tough," Prescott said at the post-game news conference. "Coming in at half-time and going to see him, just unfortunate. A guy that I love. Can't get a better teammate than MG. Sick about it."

McCarthy added: "Feel terrible for Michael. Obviously made a huge play, but you could see just the way he came down."

Gallup has had 35 receptions for 445 yards and two touchdowns this season for the playoff-bound Cowboys.

The Green Bay Packers locked in the top seeding in the NFC after a 37-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on a chilly evening at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams spearheaded the Packers victory, connecting 11 times for 136 yards including one touchdown as Green Bay became the first team in NFL history to win 13 games in three consecutive seasons.

Adams brought up 118 yards in the first half which was his most yards in a half since 2019, as the Packers raced to a 20-3 half-time lead.

Rodgers threw 29 of 38 passes for 288 yards with two touchdowns, while running back AJ Dillon had 14 carries for 63 yards and two touchdowns.

The Vikings struggled without starting quarterback Kirk Cousins who entered COVID-19 protocols late in the week, managing only 70 total yards in the first half which was their fewest in a first half since 2019.

Back-up Vikings QB Sean Mannion, making only his third NFL start in his seventh season, threw his first career touchdown to KJ Osborn in a rare bright spot for the visitors. Mannion completed 22 of 36 passes for 189 yards with no interceptions.

The win means the Packers have secured a first-round bye in the postseason and home ground advantage from the divisional playoffs.

LeBron James led the way as the Los Angeles Lakers returned to .500 with a hard-fought 108-103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

The four-time NBA MVP had 26 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals for the Lakers, who have won three of their past four games.

The Lakers had endured a rough period, losing six out of seven games, but are beginning to re-discover some form.

Russell Westbrook contributed 20 points with three rebounds and five assists but had nine turnovers, while Malik Monk added 22 points.

James also shot nine of 12 from the stripe, moving up to fourth on the all-time NBA free throws made list with 7,695, going past Oscar Robertson. Karl Malone, Moses Malone and Kobe Bryant are the players ahead of the 37-year-old.

 

Giddey breaks LaMelo's mark for youngest NBA triple-double

Oklahoma City Thunder's 19-year-old rookie Josh Giddey returned from COVID-19 protocols with a bang, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, breaking LaMelo Ball's mark. Giddey had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 14 assists but OKC were beaten 95-86 by the Dallas Mavericks, who had Luka Doncic return from protocols with a near-triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.

Jaylen Brown scored a career-high 50 points, including 21 in the fourth quarter, in the Boston Celtics' 116-111 over-time win over the Orlando Magic. Brown also had 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

Devin Booker scored 24 points with seven rebounds and three assists as the Phoenix Suns improved to 28-8 after beating the Charlotte Hornets 133-99.

 

Wayward Heat burnt by Kings

Jimmy Butler shot nine of 22 from the field and only one of six from beyond the arc the Miami Heat were beaten by the Sacramento Kings 115-113. Tyler Herro was also eight of 23 from the field.

The Green Bay Packers locked in the top seeding in the NFC after a 37-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on a chilly evening at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams spearheaded the Packers victory, connecting 11 times for 136 yards including one touchdown as Green Bay became the first team in NFL history to win 13 games in three consecutive seasons.

Adams brought up 118 yards in the first half which was his most yards in a half since 2019, as the Packers raced to a 20-3 half-time lead.

Rodgers threw 29 of 38 passes for 288 yards with two touchdowns, while running back AJ Dillon had 14 carries for 63 yards and two touchdowns.

The Vikings struggled without starting quarterback Kirk Cousins who entered COVID-19 protocols late in the week, managing only 70 total yards in the first half which was their fewest in a first half since 2019.

Back-up Vikings QB Sean Mannion, making only his third NFL start in his seventh season, threw his first career touchdown to KJ Osborn in a rare bright spot for the visitors. Mannion completed 22 of 36 passes for 189 yards with no interceptions.

The win means the Packers have secured a first-round bye in the postseason and home ground advantage from the divisional playoffs.

The Golden State Warriors are set to be bolstered by the return of Draymond Green after the All-Star forward cleared the NBA's health and safety protocols.

Green is eligible to play in Monday's home game against the Miami Heat having been sidelined since Christmas Day's win over the Phoenix Suns.

The 31-year-old entered protocols on December 27, missing the Warriors' past two games, including a narrow loss to the Denver Nuggets which led to him criticising the NBA's decision to postpone the reverse fixture.

The Warriors were set to face Denver in the second of a two-game showdown on Friday, but a coronavirus outbreak within Nuggets camp forced the game to be called off.

Green is averaging 8.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.4 steals per game this season.

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