Kevin Durant does not want Jacque Vaughn's appointment as permanent head coach to be a fleeting "honeymoon stage" for the Brooklyn Nets after winning three of their past four games.
The Nets triumphed 112-85 over the New York Knicks on Wednesday after removing the interim tag from Vaughn's title, appointing him on a permanent basis.
Brooklyn have a 3-2 record under Vaughn, having started the season 2-5 under Steve Nash, who was fired last week. The Nets have also been playing without the suspended Kyrie Irving for their past four games.
"We don't want this to be a honeymoon stage for us," Durant told reporters, after recording a triple-double against the Knicks with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists.
"We want to continue to keep pushing through, keep finding ways to get better, finding ways to turn those weaknesses to strengths and keep pushing from here.
"We were struggling, we've been through a lot. Guys got pride, individual pride, and we just wanted to come out and play better. That's what we've been doing."
Durant presented Vaughn with the game ball afterwards, amid upbeat scenes from a Nets locker-room which has been through plenty this season.
"I was excited for him," Durant said. "I know the work that he puts in every day. I know how much he cares about the development of each player, and this team as a whole.
"Look forward to playing for him. All the guys have responded to how he wants us to play, so I'm looking forward to how we progress after this."
The Nets' recent change in results has coincided with keeping opposition sides below 100 points in their past four games. The run marks the first time Brooklyn have done that since the 2014-15 season.
"We've already taken a big jump last four games, teams under 100 points, which has been great," Vaughn said. "So definitely concerted effort…. We really came out with the right mindset."
On getting the job permanently, he added: "I guess I was the write-in candidate in the minds of elections right now, but I’m OK with that. I said to my wife, I might not have been her first choice and we’ve been together 20 years, so it can all work out. So, off we go."
The Nets' latest win improved their overall record to 5-7, leaving them 11th in the Eastern Conference.
LeBron James is set for scans after feeling a "groin strain" in the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' 114-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
James limped off the court with under six minutes remaining and did not return, wincing in pain and grabbing his groin area. The Lakers said at the time he was experiencing "left leg soreness".
The four-time MVP, who scored 30 points in the game, confirmed that the issue will need medical evaluation.
"I feel good besides for the injury," James said. "I'll get pictures on it tomorrow and go from there.
"But I didn't do anything extreme on the play, it was just when I landed I felt a little spasm or strain in my groin.
"Immediately I came out after the next play down I went to the free-throw line."
James missed 17 straight games during the 2017-19 season with a left groin tear, but he insisted this is "not as bad".
The loss left the Lakers with a 2-9 record, having lost four straight games by double-digit margins, and being without James for a stretch would be a major dent to their hopes of pushing back into contention for the playoffs.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham did not want to speculate on the severity of the injury but admitted there was a balance to be struck in his recovery given the urgency of their situation.
James added: "In order for you to be productive for your teammates you have to take care of your body."
The 37-year-old is averaging 24.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers slumped to their fourth straight double-digit defeat as LeBron James had a late injury scare in a 114-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
James, who played 32 minutes for 30 points, seven rebounds and five assists, was benched late with "left leg soreness" and did not return after wincing upon drawing a foul.
The Lakers loss was their fifth straight defeat when James has scored 30 points, while it was their ninth consecutive defeat to the Clippers, dating back to 2020. That streak is the second longest in series history.
Paul George fired for the Clippers, with 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting along with six rebounds and two blocks, bringing up his sixth straight 25-point game which is the longest run in his time with the franchise. Norman Powell contributed 18 points off the bench.
Anthony Davis scored 21 points with nine rebounds but was shy on offense, while Russell Westbrook managed 14 points with nine assists in 30 minutes off the bench.
The Clippers, who are still without two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, have won five of their past six games and improved to 7-5, while the Lakers are 2-9.
Short-handed Bucks triumph in 2OT
The Milwaukee Bucks overcame the Oklahoma City Thunder in double overtime 136-132 without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday to improve their record to 10-1 and bounce back after their first loss of the season.
Antetokounmpo and Holiday sat out with a sore left knee and sprained right ankle respectively, but Jevon Carter stepped up with a career-high 36 points and 12 assists.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 39 points, drained a triple to give OKC a one-point lead with 0.6 seconds remaining in the first overtime.
Bucks center Brook Lopez, who contributed 24 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks, was fouled by Lu Dort on the inbound pass, but missed one of his two free-throws, sending the game to second overtime, where Milwaukee finished the job.
Jazz's surprise start, Doncic's run halted, KD shines
The Utah Jazz continued their surprise start to the season with a 125-119 win over the Atlanta Hawks, moving them to a Western Conference-leading 10-3 record.
The Jazz rallied after blowing a 12-point lead, piling on 40 fourth-quarter points with Lauri Markkanen scoring a season-high 32 points. Malik Beasley scored six three-pointers, including four in the fourth period, for 18 points for the game.
Luka Doncic was held to less than 30 points for the first time this season, scoring 24 points on nine-of-29 field shooting, as the Dallas Mavericks lost 94-87 to the Orlando Magic.
Kevin Durant had a triple-double with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists as the Brooklyn Nets blew out the New York Knicks 112-85 without the suspended Kyrie Irving.
The Green Bay Packers have moved to claim former first-round draft pick Johnathan Abram off waivers after his release from the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday.
The Packers opened up a roster spot for safety Abram, placing outside linebacker Rashan Gary on injured reserve having been ruled out for the season with an ACL tear.
Abram, 26, was taken 27th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, but his professional career got off to a rough start when he tore his rotator cuff in his first regular season game, cutting his rookie season short after one half.
He played and started in 13 games in his second season, recording two interceptions and six pass breakups, before tallying a career-high 116 tackles as he started 14 games in his third season.
Abram's fifth-year option was declined by the Raiders, under a new regime with general manager Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels.
With his release, Abram is now the fourth of the Raiders' six first-round draft picks under former general manager Mike Mayock to not make it through their rookie contract.
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are running out of time to claim a victory in the 2022 Formula One season, and the Brazilian Grand Prix could represent his best chance.
Hamilton has never gone through an entire season without securing at least one win in his storied F1 career, one which has seen him win seven drivers' championships.
Mercedes' much-maligned 2022 car has displayed signs of improvement in recent races, with Hamilton claiming successive second-place finishes at the United States Grand Prix and the Mexico City Grand Prix.
His hopes of turning those runner-up finishes into a place on the top step of the podium in Brazil will be boosted by his record in Sao Paulo.
Hamilton has three victories at the Interlagos circuit, including his dramatic triumph last season as he rattled off wins in three straight races to take his remarkable title fight with Max Verstappen to its infamous finale in Abu Dhabi.
The chances of a title battle akin to their engrossing 2021 duel disappeared a long time ago as Verstappen has claimed a dominant second drivers' championship, setting an F1 record for the most wins in a season with 14 to this point.
But Hamilton, who was made an honorary citizen of Brazil in the build-up to the race this week, will have his own piece of history to celebrate should he interrupt Verstappen and Red Bull's superiority.
A fourth win at Interlagos would see him equal Michael Schumacher for the most successes at the track, and it would surely be a popular one among the home fans.
FERRARI EYEING NEW POLE MILESTONE
While it has not translated into race wins, Ferrari have dominated qualifying in the 2022 season.
The Scuderia have claimed 12 pole positions - tying their best total for a single season from 2004 - and will set a new high if they top the timesheets on Friday.
But the pole-sitter this weekend may not start the race first, with the grid to be determined by Saturday's sprint.
SECOND PLACE STILL UP FOR GRABS
Despite not winning a race so far this year, Mercedes can still overhaul Ferrari and claim second place in the constructors' championship in one of the few remaining battles for position in the standings.
The Silver Arrows trail Ferrari by 40 points with two races remaining, but Mercedes do not appear to be confident of overhauling that deficit.
Strategy director James Vowles said in their most recent race debrief video: "We are here to finish second in the championship, and every single race that we can start pulling that points gap down is a success.
"In Mexico we took just 13 points out of them, so there are still 40 left to go with two races; fortunately, one of those is a sprint race. I think we have a package now, unlike the beginning of the season or the mid-season, that can really bring the fight to them.
"But 40 points is a tremendous ask – it will need us really having everything perfect, everything right – and Ferrari perhaps to give us opportunities to open the door for us to pick up second. What I can tell you is that we are not giving up until the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi."
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has entered the concussion protocol putting him in doubt for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Rams head coach Sean McVay confirmed on Wednesday that Stafford had entered the protocol on Tuesday with medical staff performing their "cleanup after the game" from Sunday's 16-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stafford has not missed an NFL game since 2019, but if he is unavailable, John Wolford would be the Rams' starting quarterback.
"We'll take it a day at a time with him," McVay told reporters. "We're still anticipating and having the optimistic approach that there's a possibility that he'll be ready to go."
McVay added: "I know Matthew's going to do everything in his power to try to be able to be ready and we'll just take it a day at a time.
"But John's a guy that when he's been in these situations, he's stepped in and done a really good job. And it wasn't too long ago that he had to come in a game that we had to have to be able to get into the playoffs and he performed incredibly well."
McVay clarified that Stafford had not shown any indication that he was dealing with concussion symptoms during Sunday's game. He said medical staff "determined that they felt like that [entering protocols] was the best thing for him".
Stafford completed 13 of 27 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions against the Bucs. He was sacked four times in the game.
The 34-year-old Super Bowl LVI champion has a 68.4 per cent completion rate for 1,928 passing yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions this season.
The Rams are 3-5 and third in the NFC West, while the Cardinals are 3-6 and fourth in that division.
Dominic Stricker defeated home favourite Lorenzo Musetti in five tie-break sets to make it two wins from two at the ATP Next Gen Finals and advance to the semi-finals.
The world number 111, who is seeded sixth in Milan following a flurry of withdrawals, defeated Musetti 4-3 (7-5) 4-3 (8-6) 3-4 (9-7) 3-4 (8-6) 4-3 (7-3) in Wednesday's epic match that last two hours and 31 minutes.
Having become the first player in the tournament's history to win three successive tie-breaks in Tuesday's win against Jack Draper, Stricker advances with a match to spare.
Musetti now faces a winner-takes-all showdown with Jack Draper on Thursday after the latter recovered to defeat Tseng Chun-hsin 1-4 4-2 4-3 (7-2) 4-2.
In the Green Group, Francesco Passaro saved three match points to overcome Italian compatriot Matteo Arnaldi 4-3 (9-7) 2-4 3-4 (7-4) 4-3 (7-4) 4-3 (10-8).
In what will go down as one of the all-time great matches in Next Gen history, Passaro triumphed after two hours and 38 minutes to get off the mark with his first victory.
"I am very tired," he said. "It was a really long match and this format I think it is tough and physical.
"For me it was physical today, with the tension as well, I was cramping. It was not easy. I am really happy to win and I will enjoy."
Brandon Nakashima moved to the top of the standings with a 4-1 4-3 (7-2) 4-2 victory against Jiri Lehecka as the third seed made it back-to-back wins at the Allianz Cloud.
Every year, a host of NFL players and teams head into seasons looking to prove themselves.
Some fall short, but others rise to the occasion spectacularly.
It is the latter Stats Perform has focused on for this week's edition of fantasy picks, with every selection except for that at tight end for Week 10 looking at players and areas of certain teams that have emphatically answered the bell.
These offensive players and our selection in the defense slot deserve to be taken seriously, and they deserve a place in your fantasy team if you have them rostered or they are somehow available on the waiver wire.
Quarterback – Justin Fields, Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions
After following up impressive games against the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys with a spectacular performance in defeat to the Miami Dolphins last week, it’s time to accept Fields is a starter-level quarterback in fantasy football.
Against Miami, Fields threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another score while adding 178 yards on the ground, that tally the most by a quarterback in a regular-season game since 1940.
The Lions may have only conceded nine points against the Green Bay Packers last week, but they still surrendered 389 net yards, with theirs a defense allowing a league-high 6.39 yards per play. Facing an opponent ill-equipped to stop him on the ground or through the air, Fields will reaffirm his legitimacy as a fantasy quarterback and one of the NFL’s most promising young signal-callers at Ford Field.
Running Back – Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs
Etienne, effectively playing his rookie year having seen his 2021 season lost to injury, is now the undisputed focal point of the Jacksonville run game following the Jaguars' decision to trade James Robinson to the New York Jets.
It is a role in which Etienne has thrived, racking up 100 yards in each of his last three games, across which he has scored four touchdowns.
This week, he faces a Chiefs run defense that has allowed a success rate of 41.5 per cent, the fourth-worst in the NFL.
Jacksonville may eventually be forced to move away from the run game if they fall behind against the Chiefs as most expect, but the numbers suggest Etienne will put up good enough numbers to be worthy of a fantasy start regardless.
Wide Receiver – Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins vs. Cleveland Browns
There was plenty of doubt surrounding a Dolphin offense helmed by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa going into the season. Those concerns have been emphatically allayed, however, with the Miami attack second in the NFL in yards per play through nine weeks of the season.
Waddle and Tyreek Hill have been the primary beneficiaries of the beautiful marriage between Tagovailoa and Dolphins head coach and offensive play-caller Mike McDaniel.
Hill has already surpassed 1,000 yards receiving, and Waddle is rapidly closing in on four figures. He heads into the Dolphins' meeting with the Browns on 812.
Cleveland's defense has been solid against the pass but has allowed 12 big play touchdowns, tied for the third-most in the NFL, with eight of those coming through the air. The Browns are therefore still a defense Waddle and Hill can exploit, with the former joining his three-time first-team All-Pro team-mate as one of the most dynamic deep threats in the NFL.
Tight End – Greg Dulcich, Denver Broncos @ Tennessee Titans
There has been little reason to take the Bronco offense seriously so far this season, but Dulcich's emergence in recent weeks has provided something for Denver to be optimistic about.
He has 12 receptions in his three games so far as a rookie, averaging 15.2 yards per reception and swiftly earning the trust of Russell Wilson
With 14 targets over the last two games, Dulcich already looks to be an established part of the passing attack, and that is likely to remain the case against a Titans defense in the bottom half of the league in success rate against the pass (41.7 per cent). Dulcich is an intriguing fantasy play this week at a position where it is famously difficult to find consistent contributors outside of the league’s elite.
Defense/Special Teams – Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers
The Cowboys' high dependence on turnovers last season made their defense a tough one to trust going into the campaign.
However, it has remained one of the best in the NFL and is fourth in the league by success rate (36.1 per cent). Only two defenses have forced more negative plays than Dallas (62), and this week the Cowboys get to face a Packers team in the midst of a five-game losing streak.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has grown increasingly careless with the ball as their woes have continued, and with the Packers dealing with injuries on the offensive line, this is a matchup that looks ripe for Micah Parsons and Co. to dominate and deliver substantial fantasy points.
The Brooklyn Nets have appointed Jacque Vaughn as head coach on a permanent basis.
Vaughn had been placed in charge on an interim basis following the sacking of Steve Nash last week.
The Nets are 4-7 for the season, and 2-2 since Nash was dismissed and replaced by Vaughn, who has been assistant at the franchise since 2016, briefly taking on an interim head coach role in for 10 games in 2020 after the dismissal of Kenny Atkinson.
General manager Sean Marks praised Vaughn’s capability of getting the best out of Brooklyn’s talented roster, saying: "Jacque's basketball acumen, competitiveness and intimate knowledge of our team and organisation make him the clear-cut best person to lead our group moving forward.
"He has a proven ability to get the best out of our players, hold them accountable and play a cohesive, team-first style of basketball."
It had been speculated that the Nets would turn to suspended Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka, who was assistant at the Nets in the 2020-21 season, but they have decided to promote from within.
Vaughn's first game as permanent head coach will be against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Tiger Woods has announced he will make his return to golf next month at the Hero World Challenge.
The tournament, which Woods hosts, will take place at Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas from December 1-4.
Woods confirmed his involvement in a Twitter post on Wednesday.
The 15-time major winner has not played since he missed the cut at The Open at St Andrews in July.
Woods has only played nine competitive rounds of golf in 2022 – at the Masters, the US PGA Championship and The Open – following a car crash last year that left him with significant leg injuries.
He has previously stated the damage caused by the accident means he will no longer be able to play a full schedule on the PGA Tour.
Woods also confirmed in his post Kevin Kisner and Tommy Fleetwood had been added to the Hero World Challenge field.
I am excited to announce that I will be in the field for this year’s #HeroWorldChallenge. A big welcome to @K_Kisner and @TommyFleetwood1 for joining us as well. See you soon at Albany!
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) November 9, 2022He will partner world number one Rory McIlroy against Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in the exhibition.
The world of golf is ever-changing, but the last year has arguably transformed the sport.
LIV Golf's brash and brazen entrance made a splash, and the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway competition has taken some of the PGA Tour's best players.
Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and many others may have departed, but from the rubble emerge a burgeoning crop of young golfers, brimming with talent and hungry to stamp their name on the game.
With the new PGA Tour season under way, here are five golfers to watch out for in 2023.
Tom Kim
South Korean KIm, who turned professional aged 15, has only 11 regular PGA Tour starts yet has managed to become the first player since Tiger Woods to win two tournaments before the age of 21.
His maiden triumph at the Wyndham Championship in August came after an opening hole quad bogey, but he finished with a spectacular final-round 61 to win by five strokes.
A star-making display at the Presidents Cup followed by victory at the Shriners Open last month has got Kim's new season off to a flyer.
His game is the antithesis to many modern stars; not rooted in destructive power off the tee but, rather, in accuracy and finesse befitting of a player well beyond his years.
Kim's strokes gained statistics from tee to green rank him fifth in the PGA Tour this season and if his opening six months are anything to go by, it could be quite the season for the world number 14.
Sepp Straka
The tall, big-hitting Straka is much the opposite of the aforementioned Kim but is looking to build on his impressive end to last season as well.
Having won his first PGA Tour event at the Honda Classic in February, Straka endured a poor second half of the season before coming to life in the closing stages.
Despite defeat via playoff to Will Zalatoris in the opening FedEx Cup playoff event, the world number 27 went on to finish seventh in the season-ending standings.
Consistency has often evaded the Georgia native but an early season second-place finish at the Sanderson Farms Championship last month suggests Straka may have brought his form from the FedEx Cup with him into the new season.
For the Austrian 29-year-old, a place in Luke Donald's European Ryder Cup team should not be out of the question.
Sahith Theegala
Theegala enjoyed a hugely successful debut season on the PGA Tour in 2021-22 and will be chasing his first victory this season.
The 24-year-old led the Tour in birdies made (433) and possesses a complete and competitive skillet, which allowed him to catch fire and challenge at the top of the leaderboard on numerous occasions.
An agonising double bogey on the 72nd hole at the Travelers Championship in June saw him finish second to Xander Schauffele by two strokes in a season that also featured a T3 at the Phoenix Open and a T5 at The Memorial.
His accuracy off the tee represents perhaps the only major flaw in world number 53's game but two top-10 finishes in his opening four events this season are evidence enough of the prolific scoring capabilities that Theegala possesses.
Cameron Davis
Unassuming Aussie Davis has the temperament, swing, look and feel of an elite golfer. Yet, despite a maiden victory two seasons ago at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, he has so far been unable to take that next step.
An impressive outing at the President Cup, however, has laid the foundations for what could be the true breakout year for the world number 66.
His best finish this season is a tie for 13th at the CJ Cup last month and a look at the underlying data suggests his all-around game is trending in the right direction.
Off the tee, his distance and strokes gained rank inside the top 45 while his putting has improved from 84th last year to 53rd on the Tour this season.
There are only a few events to back up these numbers, but it feels like all the right pieces are coming together for Davis and if that is the case, he is undoubtedly one to watch.
Jeff Saturday has never coached above the high school level, and the new Indianapolis Colts head coach is trusting assistant quarterback coach Parks Frazier to be his offensive playcaller.
First reported by NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Frazier, 30, has never performed the role of playcaller before at any level, rising through the ranks with the Colts after playing quarterback at Murray State University.
He graduated with a degree in computer science and is considered one of the leaders among the staff in the areas of technology in data.
It continues a meteoric rise for Frazier, who was former head coach Frank Reich's assistant in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, before being promoted to quality control coach in 2020, and promoted again to assistant quarterback coach in 2021. Reich was also the officiant at Frazier's wedding.
Head coach Saturday reportedly spent Monday interviewing members of the staff for the role of offensive playcaller, and after considering quarterback coach Scott Milanovich, opted to instead appoint Milanovich's assistant.
Another factor that was said to play into the decision was that Frazier has worked closely with young quarterback Sam Ehlinger since he was drafted last year, and with Ehlinger set to start the remainder of the season, their chemistry was viewed as a plus.
New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler hopes, and believes, ace pitcher Jacob deGrom will choose to re-sign with the team after opting to enter free agency.
DeGrom, 34, signed a five-year, $137.5million extension with the Mets back in 2019, which included an option to void the final two years of the deal to enter free agency early.
After starting 32 games in the year he signed that deal, deGrom has battled a string of serious injuries, only starting a combined 38 games across the past three seasons.
At his age, with his injury history, he is likely looking at his last massive payday, so it should be no red flag for the Mets that he decided to opt out and cash-in for what will likely be a higher salary with extra years on top.
Eppler told the media on Tuesday that he is optimistic about his club's chances of bringing back the former Rookie of the Year and back-to-back Cy Young Award winner in 2018 and 2019.
"We had another conversation, or a couple of conversations actually leading up to the decision date," he said. "We just kind of made a pact to stay in touch.
"I think there's a good deal of interest there on his part, so that was articulated a number of times through the season and reiterated in our most recent conversation."
The Mets struck the first big deal of the offseason when they agreed to a five-year, $102m extension for closer Edwin Diaz the day free agency opened, making him the highest-paid relief pitcher in history.
SNY's Andy Martino is reporting the two teams most aggressively looking to lure deGrom out of New York are the Atlanta Braves and the Texas Rangers, and he adds that if either of those teams decide to pay a top-of-the-market price on a deal spanning at least four years, the Mets would be hesitant to match it.
Phoenix Suns sharpshooter Cameron Johnson underwent successful surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee on Tuesday, and is expected to be sidelined for at least one month.
Johnson, 26, was the Suns' first-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, and after being used primarily off the bench in his first three seasons, the three-point specialist broke into the starting lineup full-time this season.
He took Jae Crowder's starting role in doing so, leading to a relatively messy break-up between Crowder and the Suns, as he is now away from the team awaiting a trade and according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Johnson's injury situation is not impacting that decision.
Johnson started the season averaging a career-high 13 points per game, and he leads the Suns in three-point makes per game (2.8) while shooting a career-high 43.1 per cent from long range.
In the game before he suffered his injury, Johnson led the Suns with 29 points on 10-of-17 shooting in a 116-107 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After not coming to an agreement for a contract extension in the offseason, Johnson will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, meaning the Suns will have the option to match any offer he receives from other interested teams.
The Las Vegas Raiders have released former first-round draft pick Johnathan Abram after failing to find a suitable trade for the safety before the deadline.
Abram, 26, was taken 27th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, but his professional career got off to a rough start when he tore his rotator cuff in his first regular season game, cutting his rookie season short after one half.
He played and started in 13 games in his second season, recording two interceptions and six pass breakups, before tallying a career-high 116 tackles as he started 14 games in his third season.
Eyebrows were raised about his future in Las Vegas after his fifth-year option was declined by the team, and the writing was on the wall when he lost his starting role in Week 8 to 31-year-old veteran Duron Harmon.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, of the 121 players who have logged at least 1000 coverage snaps since 2019, Abram has allowed the second-highest completion percentage as a nearest defender.
With his release, Abram is now the fourth of the Raiders' six first-round draft picks under former general manager Mike Mayock to not make it through their rookie contract.
The Los Angeles Angels have no plans to trade two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani this offseason, general manager Perry Minasian told reporters Monday.
Ohtani is entering his final season of team control before he becomes a free agent next offseason. The Angels agreed to pay Ohtani $30million in 2023 to avoid arbitration, but speculation has persisted that Los Angeles is at a crossroads with the Japanese-born star.
"Because he's obviously such a good player, we're not moving him. Ohtani is not getting moved," Minasian said at the GM meetings in Las Vegas. "He'll be here to start the season.
"I know there's been rumors and all types of things, but he will be part of the club. We love the player and I think the goal is for him to be here for a long time."
Minasian said that the Angels’ potential impending ownership change would not affect the club’s willingness to offer Ohtani a contract that is sure to be enormous.
"At the end of the day it's ownership's call," Minasian said about a potential deal with Ohtani. "But I make the recommendations and I think everybody's on the same page. Easy player not to move."
Ohtani, 28, was named one of the three finalists for the American League MVP Monday after winning the award in 2021. He hit .273 this season with 34 home runs and 95 RBI. As a pitcher, he finished with a 15-9 record and 2.33 ERA while making a career-high 28 starts.
The Angels have missed the playoffs every season since Ohtani joined the team in 2018 and have made just one postseason appearance since his co-star, Mike Trout, made his debut in 2011.
It must not be a great time to be a Los Angeles Lakers fan right now.
Granted, pre-season optimism hits followers of any NBA team, and the glass-half-full theory around the Lakers was that Darvin Ham would be able to get a tune out of a team of superstars that has flattered to deceive since 2020.
So far, that has not happened, and despite still being early in the campaign, things are already threatening to get away from them.
Monday's 139-116 defeat at the Utah Jazz took the Lakers to 2-8 from their first 10 outings, and they are about to face a Clippers side that is hitting form.
Having started their season with a 103-97 win against the Lakers before another victory in Sacramento, Tyronn Lue's team then lost four in a row as people started to question if they were going to go the same way as their neighbours.
However, back-to-back wins against the Houston Rockets followed by successes against the Spurs and the Cavaliers either side of a loss to the Jazz have the Clippers at 6-5 and in seventh place in the Western Conference.
The Lakers are just one place off bottom in the West, having lost their first five games before a brief hint of a turnaround with wins against the Nuggets and the Pelicans was extinguished by three more defeats.
LeBron James did not feature against the Jazz on Monday due to a sore foot, but reports suggest that was the result of playing the night before, so Ham may be able to call on his experience on Wednesday.
While the debates still rage about the use of Russell Westbrook, he scored 22 points in Utah with a team-leading five assists as well as three rebounds, while Anthony Davis' 29 points will likely need to be repeated if they are to have a chance against their local rivals.
Paul George will have something to say about that after his 26 points in the win against the Cavs, on a night in which the Clippers shared the wealth, with six different players reaching double figures for points.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Los Angeles Clippers – Paul George
It was not only against Cleveland that George has thrived this season, boasting an average over his first 10 outings at 25.3 points per game, with Marcus Morris Sr claiming the next highest average with 15.0.
George only scored 15 against the Lakers last month, but he has pushed on to become the league's 14th highest scoring player per game so far in a team that has struggled for high scores.
Los Angeles Lakers – Anthony Davis
Should he play, it'll probably be James again, who in spite of questions about his age is still averaging 24.3 points per game; but with uncertainty about whether he will feature, as mentioned, Davis will need to perform well either way.
The 29-year-old is currently matching his points per game from last season (23.2), with his rebound numbers slightly up so far (10.3 from 9.9).
KEY BATTLES – Clippers must find points from somewhere
The Clippers may have recovered in recent games, but they are still struggling to score points, with their average of 103.8 the lowest in the NBA by more than three (the Wizards have the next lowest with 107.0).
With Kawhi Leonard still sidelined, the onus will fall on George, but others will need to step up and help him put numbers on the board.
The saving grace is that they come up against a Lakers team averaging 116.3 points conceded this season, with just six teams in the league allowing more against per game.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Recent contests have been dominated by the Clippers, with their opening-game victory last month their eighth in a row against the Lakers, who have not beaten their rivals since July 30, 2020 during their bubble season success.
Lorenzo Musetti enjoyed a winning start at the ATP Next Gen Finals in Milan after seeing off Tseng Chun-hsin in straight sets on Tuesday.
The highest seed at the tournament after Holger Rune's withdrawal, world number 23 Musetti eased to a 4-2 4-2 4-2 victory in just 70 minutes at the Allianz Cloud Arena.
The home favourite is making his second appearance at the event and arrives after an impressive year on the ATP Tour that yielded titles in Hamburg and Naples.
"It was really nice," Musetti said during his on-court interview. "I remember playing here from last year. The crowd here is really amazing. They gave me extra energy. I am pretty confident and happy with the win."
Elsewhere in Red Group, third seed Jack Draper was beaten 4-3 (7-5) 4-3 (7-5) 4-3 (7-5) by Dominic Stricker, who became the first player in Next Gen Finals history to win three successive tie-breaks.
Ranked 111th, the Swiss debutant hit 14 aces on the way to overcoming the world number 41.
Meanwhile, in Green Group, San Diego champion Brandon Nakashima prevailed in an epic five-set thriller against Matteo Arnaldi 2-4 4-3 (9-7) 4-3 (7-4) 3-4 (4-7) 4-2.
The fourth seed is aiming to go the extra couple of steps this year, having reached the semi-finals 12 months ago.
"Right from the beginning, it was a lot of critical points, the sets were going by fast, so I just tried to adapt as quick as possible," Nakashima said. "The tie-breaks, I was kind of lucky to squeeze them out, and today I think it was just all about finding a way out here.
"He's a super tough opponent, he was playing really well, and it was just some critical points in the end that helped me get over the line."
The day's other match saw Jiri Lehecka celebrate his 21st birthday by defeating Francesco Passaro 4-1 4-3 (9-7) 4-1 in just 67 minutes on his debut.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says Max Verstappen's "perfect" 2022 campaign is the most dominant he has seen during his time in Formula One.
Verstappen retained his world title with four races to spare by emerging victorious at last month's Japanese Grand Prix, and he has since posted wins in the United States and Mexico.
The Dutchman broke F1's single-season wins record – previously shared with Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel – at the Mexican Grand Prix, securing his 14th race victory of 2022.
The numbers therefore back up Horner's claims this has been a season like no other for Verstappen.
Asked whether his driver had produced the best campaign in recent memory, Horner said: "There's been years of domination with Mercedes, but I think, as an individual driver, probably yes.
"He's won the most grands prix in a year now, within 22 races. On top of that, he's won two sprint races, and he's not won all of them from pole position. He's had to fight and race for a lot of those victories.
"I think when we look back at the end of the year, it is an absolutely outstanding year that Max has driven. He hasn't put a wheel wrong.
"He's been perfect throughout the season. It's incredible, the level of consistency that he's been able to achieve."
Last year, Verstappen became the first Red Bull driver to win the world championship since Vettel clinched the last of his four successive titles in 2013, and Horner believes he does not get the recognition he deserves.
"They are two very different drivers, two phenomenally successful drivers," Horner said of Verstappen and Vettel.
"I think that what Sebastian has achieved in his career puts him among the greats and most successful drivers in the sport, but I think Max, what we're seeing today and this year, we're actually witnessing something very special.
"I actually think his achievements sometimes don't receive the plaudits that they should, because I think what we've witnessed this year is an absolutely outstanding performance from a driver that is very much at the top of his game."
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