Two top-ten talents have booked a date in the Indian Wells Open semi-final after Maria Sakkari and Paula Badosa won their quarter-finals in straight sets.
First up, world number six Sakkari took on Ukrainian Elena Rybakina, prevailing 7-5 6-4.
Rybakina won the first three games of the match, working her way to an early 4-1 lead, before her Greek opponent rattled off six of the next seven games to claim the first set.
Sakkari again faced adversity early in the second set, coming back from 40-0 down in the second game to hold serve, before breaking the very next game to pinch the match-winning lead.
The Phoenix Suns have been dominant in the NBA this season, but go up against this year's leading scorer in the NBA, DeMar DeRozan, when the Chicago Bulls come to town on Friday.
Phoenix sit way out on top of the Western Conference at 56-14 and have won seven of their last nine games.
However, the Bulls – fifth in the Eastern Conference at 41-28 – will take solace in the fact the Suns have lost three of their last six home games, though Chicago themselves have lost two straight on the road, winning just two of their last nine overall.
If Billy Donovan's team is to have any chance of pulling off a win in Arizona, they will surely be reliant on DeRozan having another big game.
The 32-year-old has a league-high 1,814 points to his name this season, averaging 27.9 points per game. He has scored at least 21 points in each of his last seven outings, and has only once not managed that many in a game in his last 28 (when he scored 18 vs the Miami Heat).
It would be harsh to say the Bulls are a one-man team, but with Zach LaVine – averaging 24.8 points per game – Lonzo Ball and Patrick Williams all reportedly out injured again, DeRozan will be heavily leaned on once more.
The quality is spread right throughout Monty Williams' Suns though, hence their relentless ability to win games this season.
Devin Booker is their point-scoring leader with an average of 25.8 per game (10th best in the league), ably supported by Deandre Ayton (17.0) and five other players all averaging more than 10 per game.
These two teams have already met once this season when the Suns edged an exciting encounter 127-124 in Chicago in February.
The Bulls will be after revenge at Footprint Center but as with any team that comes up against Phoenix, that is very much easier said than done.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Phoenix Suns – Devin Booker
Against the high-scoring Bulls it will be important to respond in kind, which is exactly what Booker did in their February meeting, matching DeRozan by scoring 38 points, which was immensely helpful given the late comeback from Chicago (41-25 in the fourth quarter).
The 25-year-old has scored at least 30 points in four of his last seven games.
Chicago Bulls – Nikola Vucevic
I mean, strictly speaking it should be DeRozan, but we've covered him (which is also what the Suns are likely to try and do) and so the pressure will come onto Vucevic to step up, particularly in LaVine's absence.
The Montenegrin averages 18.0 points per game this season, third-best at the Bulls, and also averages 11.5 rebounds. His total of 699 rebounds is the sixth-highest in the league.
KEY BATTLES – Watch the threes
Only the Miami Heat (37.4 per cent) have better success from beyond the arc than the Bulls (37.3 per cent) in the league this season.
The Suns (36.6 per cent) are sixth best from downtown, though, and so both will need to be careful not to give too much space for three-point attempts, even though the temptation will be there considering how dangerous both are all over the court.
These two teams are the two best in the NBA this season for field goal percentage (Suns - 48.5, Bulls 48.2).
HEAD-TO-HEAD
As mentioned, the Suns beat the Bulls in February, and have actually won the last four meetings between the two. The last Chicago win came in March 2019 (116-101 in Phoenix).
After reportedly agreeing to a four-year, $35million deal with the Baltimore Ravens, edge rusher Za'Darius Smith is back on the market.
Smith is the third player since this season's free agency discussions began to pull out of a deal that was widely-reported.
Randy Gregory was believed to have extended with the Dallas Cowboys before backing out and signing with the Denver Broncos, as J.D. McKissic cooled on his decision to join the Buffalo Bills, instead re-signing with the Washington Commanders.
Questions started to arise after the Ravens had not announced the signing through official team channels, with general manager Eric DeCosta saying, "I think over the coming days we'll have more to say on other moves that we make."
Smith missed the last 16 games of this past regular season after two dominant years in 2019 and 2020, and at 29 years old, the offer from the Ravens appeared to be strong.
However, in the days following Smith's apparent signing, both Von Miller and Chandler Jones – who are multiple years older than Smith – signed contracts worth nearly double the annual salary of the deal offered by the Ravens.
Playing at one of the league's premier positions, Smith should have a strong market as a reliable source of pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Former Chicago Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson is joining reigning Super Bowl champions the Los Angeles Rams after agreeing to a three-year deal worth up to $46million.
The deal includes just over $30m in guaranteed money, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Robinson, 28, has long been considered one of the NFL's most underappreciated receivers, finding ways to produce with very little help from mediocre quarterback play.
Robinson has only seen more than 70 pass attempts thrown his way by two quarterbacks in his career – Blake Bortles (372 attempts) and Mitch Trubisky (300 attempts).
Now he gets a chance to prove himself with Matthew Stafford under centre, where instead of being the primary focus of the defensive game plan, he will start opposite the league's most productive receiver and reigning Offensive Player of the Year, Cooper Kupp.
McLaren's Lando Norris acknowledges he does not "push the limits" as much as World Champion Max Verstappen does, as he prepares to do battle with the Dutchman in the new Formula One campaign.
Norris finished sixth in the 2021 Drivers' Championship standings but has been tipped by many to fare better when the 2022 Formula One season begins with Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix.
Norris watched on as Verstappen beat Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton to the drivers' title in contentious circumstances last year, attracting criticism from some quarters for what has been perceived as an aggressive driving style.
Speaking ahead of this weekend's curtain-raiser in Bahrain, the 22-year-old said he was not sure how he would deal with a rival as combative as Verstappen.
"It's a different battle, because of how Max races," Norris said.
"It's a different breed of drivers. You saw how he drove and changed when it came down to those final races, with aggression.
"It's maybe something you don't experience so much in the midfield because you're not going for a world championship, or some of the drivers don't have that mentality of risking everything.
"You would try and play smart as much as you can [when facing a rival like Verstappen].
"But I'm also a fair racer and, I don't know, maybe don't push the limits quite as much in certain areas."
Both Norris and new Mercedes driver George Russell are aiming to become the first British driver other than Lewis Hamilton to win a race for almost a decade, with Jenson Button the last to do so when winning the Brazilian Grand Prix in November 2012.
Meanwhile, McLaren are just seven podium finishes away from reaching a total of 500 in Formula One, with Norris recording four such finishes across the 2021 campaign.
England boss Eddie Jones has rung the changes ahead of the team's Six Nations trip to Paris on Saturday, as his side attempt to deny France a first Grand Slam since 2010.
George Furbank will replace Freddie Steward at full-back, with Steward moving to the wing after playing the former role in each of England's previous four games.
The Northampton man's introduction represents one of five changes made by Eddie Jones, with Ben Youngs, Nick Isiekwe, Sam Underhill, and Will Stuart the other players to be introduced, as Tom Curry, Harry Randall, Kyle Sinckler, and the suspended Charlie Ewels all drop out.
Max Malins, meanwhile, has been dropped from the squad entirely after playing every minute of the previous four Six Nations outings, as the visitors look to salvage some pride from a disappointing campaign.
Jones, who has won three Six Nations titles since taking the England reigns in 2015, has been faced with speculation regarding his future in recent days, with the team facing the prospect of finishing fifth in consecutive Six Nations campaigns, having done so in 2021.
However, the 62-year-old, while disappointed to be out of contention for the trophy, was looking forward to seeing how his much-changed side faired against Les Blues.
"This is our strongest 23 for the game against France," he said.
"We are disappointed not to be in the contention for the trophy, but last week's effort against Ireland was full of pride, energy and tactical discipline.
"We have focused on refreshing the team this week and we are ready to empty the tank on Saturday."
Only one of the last nine Six Nations meetings between France and England has been won by the visiting team, with England prevailing 31-21 back in 2016.
England: George Furbank, Freddie Steward, Joe Marchant, Henry Slade, Jack Nowell, Marcus Smith, Ben Youngs; Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, Nick Isiekwe, Courtney Lawes, Sam Underhill, Sam Simmonds.
Replacements: Nic Dolly, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Ollie Chessum, Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randal, George Ford, Elliot Daly.
Rafael Nadal, the 21-time grand slam winner, says the recently announced introduction of final-set tie-breaks across all grand slams will make the biggest impact at Wimbledon, rather than the French Open.
Tennis' Grand Slam Board announced this week that first-to-10 tie-breaks will be trialled across all grand slams with immediate effect, as a means of providing "greater consistency" to matches which go the distance.
Previously, each grand slam was free to adopt its own rules for deciding longer matches, with the Australian Open the only one to use first-to-10 tie-breaks at 6-6 in a deciding set.
Wimbledon, for example, used a first-to-seven tie-break to decide final sets which reached 12-12.
Speaking after dispatching Reilly Opelka in straight sets at the Indian Wells Masters, Nadal, who will look to add to his Australian Open triumph in the year's other three majors, explained he was not for or against the changes.
The 35-year-old also, however, predicted the alterations would have a bigger impact at Wimbledon than at the French Open, which he could win for a 14th time at Roland Garros in May.
"I don't care much, honestly!" said Nadal. "I am not in favour or not against, that's what they decided, and happy with it or not, I don't think I'm going to make a big difference.
"But I read that every [tournament] is going to have the same, and in some ways that's positive.
"I don't think at Roland Garros it will make a big impact. In my opinion the biggest impact is going to be at Wimbledon, [where] sometimes it's so difficult to break serve, so the matches become very long.
"I don't feel that for Roland Garros it will change a lot. Okay, [without the changes] it can be a few more games, but I don't think at Roland Garros you're normally going to go to 22-20. At Wimbledon, that can happen."
The longest men's singles match played at a grand slam, judged by the number of games played, came at Wimbledon in 2010, when John Isner beat Nicolas Mahut 6-4 3-6 6-7 (7-9) 7-6 (7-3) 70-68.
By contrast, the longest men's singles match in French Open history saw Fabrice Santoro beat fellow Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-4 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 3-6 16-14, in 2004.
After defeating Opelka in his round-of-16 tie at Indian Wells, Nadal will now face Australia's Nick Kyrgios for a place in the semi-finals.
Earlier in the week, the Spaniard became the first-ever player to reach 400 wins at Masters 1000 tournaments by beating Dan Evans in the last 32.
Stephen Curry will be out "indefinitely" after suffering sprained ligament damage to his left foot, according to reports.
The Golden State Warriors star sustained the injury in Wednesday's 110-88 defeat to the Boston Celtics, with Curry leaving the court in the second quarter after contesting a loose ball with guard Marcus Smart.
However, Shams Charania of The Athletic claims the 34-year-old has avoided a "fracture or major damage".
Curry scored 47 points in his previous game against the Washington Wizards on Monday, and has averaged 25.5 points per game this season for the Warriors.
He broke Ray Allen's record for most career three-pointers in December, though this season his percentage from beyond the arc sits at 38.0, slightly down on his career average of 42.8.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr criticised Smart for "dangerous play" in the incident, and the duo exchanged words on the sidelines shortly after.
"I thought it was a dangerous play," Kerr told reporters. "I thought Marcus dove into Steph, and that's what I was upset about.
"I've got a lot of respect for Marcus. He's a hell of a player, a gamer, a competitor. I coached him in the World Cup a few summers ago. We talked after the game and we're good. But I thought it was a dangerous play."
Smart defended himself from Kerr's claims, stating that Curry's injury was "unfortunate" and that he was "not a dirty player".
"I saw the ball, I dove for the ball, trying to make a play. Unfortunately that occurred," Smart said.
"I'm sure I'm going to get called dirty. But I know who I am. I play very hard and I leave everything on the court. My team-mates, my colleagues, they know I'm not a dirty player."
National cyclist Marloe Rodman is set to represent Jamaica at the Pan American Para-Cycling Track and Road Championships in Maringa, Brazil this week.
The races are scheduled for March 17-20.
Rodman, who has a paralyzed upper limb from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident in 2018, will be the first Jamaican athlete to represent the nation in para-cycling.
Prior to his injury, Rodman was a multiple national track cycling champion and has represented Jamaica at several international competitions.
Rodman, who left the island on Sunday, is set to do the scratch race and omnium, which is his speciality event on the track, as well as the road race. This event is a qualifier for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Finn Russell has been dropped to the bench for Scotland's final game of the 2022 Six Nations, as coach Gregor Townsend makes two changes to his starting XV for the trip to Ireland.
The Racing 92 half-back, a talismanic presence for his country, has suffered faltering form across the Championship and makes way for Blair Kinghorn.
Exeter Chiefs second-rower Jonny Gray replaces clubmate Sam Skinner in the only other change made by Townsend as his side look to deny their hosts a shot at the title at Aviva Stadium.
Ireland can keep themselves in contention with victory on home soil, along with a win for England against France, with coach Andy Farrell making three swaps for the crunch clash.
Iain Henderson, Jack Conan and Mack Hansen are all drafted in, with the former a direct replacement for James Ryan after he was ruled out with a head injury.
At home, Ireland have won 10 of their 11 Six Nations matches against Scotland, save a loss at Croke Park in 2010, leaving the visitors needing to buck history to finish on a high.
Ireland XV: Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Johnny Sexton, Jamison Gibson-Park; Cian Healy, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Iain Henderson;,Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Dave Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Kieran Treadwell, Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery, Robbie Henshaw.
Scotland XV: Stuart Hogg, Darcy Graham, Chris Harris, Sam Johnson, Kyle Steyn, Blair Kinghorn, Ali Price; Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Jonny Gray, Grant Gilchrist, Rory Darge, Hamish Watson, Matt Fagerson.
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Allan Dell, WP Nel, Sam Skinner, Josh Bayliss, Ben White, Finn Russell, Mark Bennett.
All eyes will be on the Stade de France on Saturday as the 2022 Six Nations comes to a conclusion when leaders France take on England.
While the visitors can finish no higher than third place, Eddie Jones' men will revel in being the ultimate party poopers in Paris.
Victory for France in 'Le Crunch' will seal a first Grand Slam since 2010, though Les Blues could still finish top and land a first title since then should Ireland fail to beat Scotland.
Saturday's other fixture sees Wales take on pointless Italy in Cardiff and, while there may be little riding on that game, it will be a milestone occasion for a couple of players.
Ahead of the final round of fixtures, Stats Perform previews each match with help from Opta.
FRANCE V ENGLAND
FORM
The omens are good for France as two of their previous three Six Nations Grand Slams have been completed with victory over England in the final round, in 2004 and again six years later, while just one of the past nine games between these sides in the competition has been won by the visitors – England prevailing 31-21 in 2016.
Fabien Galthie's charges have lost just one of their past eight home games in the competition, with that solitary defeat coming at the hands of Scotland last year as they chased a big winning margin to pip Wales to the title.
England are aiming to avoid losing three matches in a single edition of the Six Nations for the third time in seven years playing under Eddie Jones, having also done so in 2018 and 2021, and for a fifth time overall.
ONES TO WATCH
Damian Penaud, who has a joint-high three tries in this year's tournament, is back in France's starting XV after recovering from coronavirus, replacing the injured Yoram Moefana. France have scored seven tries from counter-attacks this year, which is at least three more than any other team, so pacey Penaud could cause some damage this weekend.
England will need to work incredibly hard if they are to stop arguably the world's top side right now and hope that their key players turn up. In Marcus Smith they boast a player who leads the way for points in 2022 with 63, 19 more than next-best Melvyn Jaminet.
IRELAND V SCOTLAND
FORM
Ireland must beat Scotland earlier on Saturday if they are to remain in title contention and they have a great recent record in this fixture, winning seven of their last eight Six Nations meetings.
That record is even better on home soil, meanwhile, having been victorious in 10 of the last 11 encounters in the competition, including each of the last five in a row. Scotland's only win in that run came at Croke Park in 2010.
Fourth-placed Scotland have won five of their last six away games in the tournament, however, which is as many as they had managed in their previous 43.
ONES TO WATCH
Ireland were made to work hard for their victory against an England side that played almost the entire 80 minutes with 14 men last week, but they did ultimately get the job done. Jamison Gibson-Park led the way for passes in that match with 59 – more than double any opposition player – and he has a joint-high three assists in this edition.
Finn Russell is level with Gibson-Park on three assists, but he has been surprisingly omitted from Scotland's squad for the match at the Aviva Stadium due to his growing indiscipline and poor form. Ali Price is next for Scotland on the assists list with two, and there will now be more focus on him on what is his 51st cap.
WALES V ITALY
FORM
Wales are aiming to climb two places and finish third and will be confident of fulfilling their half of the bargain by claiming a bonus-point win against bottom side Italy. The Dragons have won each of their last 14 in this fixture, last tasting defeat in 2007.
After losing at home to France in their most recent home match, Wales are aiming to avoid successive losses at the Principality Stadium in the competition for the first time in 15 years, when losing their final such game in 2006 and first in 2007.
Italy will claim the Wooden Spoon once again having lost all five games this year, stretching their record losing run in the tournament to 36 matches. The Azzurri's most recent win away from home came against Scotland in 2015.
ONES TO WATCH
This will be a special occasion for Dan Biggar, who is in line for his 100th cap, and Alun Wyn Jones, who returns for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury against New Zealand in October for his 150th appearance. That makes the Wales skipper the first player to win 150 or more caps for a single nation in history.
Ange Capuozzo has been handed a first Test start after making a big impression in an otherwise disappointing campaign for Italy. The Grenoble full-back has scored two tries in this year's Six Nations, accounting for half of Italy's total, with both of those coming in a 34-minute appearance against Scotland in round four.
France winger Damian Penaud has returned to Fabien Galthie's squad ahead of Saturday's Six Nations clash with England.
The Clermont star was ruled out of the week-four match with Wales after testing positive for COVID-19, but has now completed his isolation period and is back in the fold as France go in search of a Grand Slam.
Centre Yoram Moefana drops out of the 23-man selection as Les Bleus favour a six-two split between forwards and backs on the bench for the fixture at Stade de France.
Romain Taofifenua also returns among the replacements following his own positive coronavirus test earlier this month.
The hosts will complete a first Grand Slam since 2010 if they defeat Eddie Jones' visitors, and could still win the championship for the first time in a dozen years even in defeat.
Galthie will know what his side must do by the time they take to the field, with lone title rivals Ireland set to play before them against Scotland in Dublin.
France: Melvyn Jaminet, Damian Penaud, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Gabin Villiere, Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont, Gregory Alldritt, Anthony Jelonch, Francois Cros, Paul Willemse, Cameron Woki, Uini Atonio, Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille
Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Jean-Baptiiste Gros, Mohamed Haouas, Romain Taofifenua, Thibaud Flament, Dylan Cretin, Maxime Lucu, Thomas Ramos
Sebastian Vettel will miss the opening race of the 2022 Formula One World Championship after the Aston Martin driver was ruled out of the Bahrain Grand Prix following a positive test for COVID-19.
The four-time world champion will be replaced by Nico Hulkenberg for the first event of the season, marking his first F1 race since 2020 and coincidentally taking place at the same venue where he made his debut with Williams in 2010.
Vettel, who headed up Aston Martin's return to F1 last year, secured a second-place podium finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in his maiden season with the team.
But the former Red Bull driver, who dominated the drivers' championship across a four-year stretch between 2010 and 2013, struggled to maintain that form across the rest of the campaign.
Hulkenberg will race alongside Lance Stroll this weekend and will take control of the car from FP1 on Friday.
Elsewhere, McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo will be fit to feature after missing the last week of testing through coronavirus.
The Australian, however, has since returned a negative test and will feature for the team this weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has criticised Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart for "dangerous play" in the incident that led to Stephen Curry being forced off injured.
Curry left the court in the second quarter due to a left-foot injury that he was immediately sent for an MRI on post-game after the Warriors lost 110-88 to the Celtics.
The two-time MVP and Smart contested a loose ball, with the Celtics forward rolling on to Curry's left leg, leaving him limping, before exiting the game.
Kerr and Smart exchanged words on the sidelines shortly after the incident, with the Warriors head coach particularly vocal.
"I thought it was a dangerous play," Kerr told reporters. "I thought Marcus dove into Steph, and that's what I was upset about.
"I've got a lot of respect for Marcus. He's a hell of a player, a gamer, a competitor. I coached him in the World Cup a few summers ago. We talked after the game and we're good. But I thought it was a dangerous play."
Kerr said the Warriors would learn the extent of Curry's injury once the MRI scans were returned and offered no insight on their level of concerns.
Meanwhile, Smart defended himself from Kerr's claims, stating that Curry's injury was "unfortunate" and that he was "not a dirty player".
"I saw the ball, I dove for the ball, trying to make a play. Unfortunately that occurred," Smart said.
He added: "I'm sure I'm going to get called dirty. But I know who I am. I play very hard and I leave everything on the court. My teammates, my colleagues, they know I'm not a dirty player."
The result leaves the Warriors with a 47-23 record to be third in the Western Conference having lost six of their past 10 games.
Spencer Dinwiddie delivered the buzzer-beating dagger in the Dallas Mavericks' 113-111 win on the road against the Brooklyn Nets.
In a game with First Team All-NBA stars Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant going head-to-head, Dinwiddie hit the most important shot of the night as defenders rushed to trap Doncic with just seconds remaining as the Mavericks trailed 110-111.
The game only required Dinwiddie's heroics after a string of late-game shot-making saw the lead seesaw.
After a Dirk Nowitzki-esque mid-range fadeaway from Doncic to grab a 110-108 lead, Durant took matters into his own hands.
Facing a defence that was game-planned to get the ball out of Durant's hands by sending two defenders to him whenever he had the ball, the seven-foot star was unselfish throughout the game as he moved the ball to the open outlet pass and racked up 10 assists to go with his 23 points (8/20 shooting).
But with everything on the line, Durant was determined to live and die by his own shot-making, pulling up and draining a ridiculous long-three with two defenders closing in on him to nab a one-point lead, before Dindwiddie answered.
Kevin Durant says he does not need to hold new Brooklyn Nets acquisition Ben Simmons' hand after his latest setback as he bids to return to the NBA.
Simmons, who was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Nets last month, received an epidural injection this week, further delaying any Brooklyn debut which is several weeks away at a minimum.
The 25-year-old has not played all season after sitting out the first half of the campaign with the 76ers citing mental health reasons after the fallout from their 2021 playoffs exit.
The Nets reportedly have hope he will play prior to the playoffs as he overcomes a back injury.
After Wednesday's 113-111 loss to the Dallas Mavericks, Durant was asked how to keep Simmons engaged as he continues on the sidelines for even longer.
"He's a grown man. He's an All-Star. He's a veteran in this league now," Durant said.
"He's gotta keep himself engaged. I ain't ever gonna hold anybody's hand in this league. He knows that.
"He doesn’t want anybody to make sure he's being a professional. I can't wait to get him back but we don’t want to rush him.
"Hopefully he gets back soon. I know he misses it."
The Nets' latest defeat leaves them with a 36-34 record, sitting in eighth in the Eastern Conference.
Durant finished with 23 points, six rebounds and 10 assists and Andre Drummond added 14 points and 17 rebounds for the short-handed Nets.
The Mavs triumphed courtesy of a Spencer Dinwiddie's game-winning three-pointer on the final buzzer.
Dinwiddie finished with 22 points, while Luka Doncic added 37 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
"When you watch that last play, just regret, wondering what the game would have been like if I didn't go jump Luka right there, you know what I'm saying?" Durant said. "So in hindsight I wish I would have made a different decision, but it is what it is."
Russell Westbrook responded to on-court trash talk during the Los Angeles Lakers' 124-104 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves claiming none of his opponents have "done anything in this league".
Westbrook managed 15 points on five-of-12 shooting along with four rebounds and five assists in the defeat, while LeBron James was kept to 19 points shooting at 38 percent from the field.
The Lakers point guard appeared to be on the wrong end of trash talk from Timberwolves opponent Patrick Beverley. The pair have a chequered history dating back to the 2013 Playoffs, where the then-Oklahoma City guard accused Beverley of a dirty play resulting in Westbrook tearing his meniscus and missing the rest of the postseason.
The beef was reignited in 2019 when Westbrook made light of the Beverley's defense after a Houston Rockets game where James Harden scored 47 points when guarded by him.
Beverley clearly had not forgotten, as he was seen calling Westbrook "trash" and plugging his nose to gesture a bad smell during Wednesday's game.
"I honestly don’t pay no mind to it, maybe other guys do," Westbrook told reporters after the game. "The trash talking doesn’t bother me.
"Nobody out there has done anything in this league that would make we cock my eyes up and think 'oh they're talking mess', nope.
"That's fine, they're good, they won a game. Happy for them. We move on to the next one."
The result leaves the Lakers with a 29-40 record and in peril of missing the playoffs. Westbrook was asked whether the on-court tension could have been used to inspire the Lakers to respond.
"You've got to ask each individual," he said. "Everybody is wired differently. I can't speak for everybody else and if it gives them a rise or not."
On the trash talk, James added: "It's part of the game."
The Lakers trailed 67-46 at half-time but narrowed the gap in the fourth quarter, before the Timberwolves went on a decisive 17-4 run.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel bemoaned bad luck but also "terrible calls" by the referees during that stretch.
"They made three threes, one bounced up to the ceiling and bounced right through. We can't get a bounce," Vogel said.
"We had two questionable calls in the fourth quarter of a close game, with Bron's travel and Bron's illegal screen. Terrible calls. If you're going to call that, call it throughout the whole game. Very frustrating."
Rafael Nadal did it tough against Reilly Opelka on Wednesday, eventually winning his way through to the quarter-finals at the Indian Wells Masters.
Nadal displayed an abundance of tactical nous, nullifying the American’s big hitting and service game to emerge the 7-6(6-3) 7-6(7-5) winner.
Along with a 76 percent first-serve rate, Opelka hit more winners with 26 for the match, but the 35-year-old Spaniard was able to grind out points from the baseline with his trademark heavy topspin. As a result, Nadal’s winner/unforced error differential was +14 in comparison to Opelka’s +1.
"He is one of the toughest opponents on tour," Nadal said post-match. "It is very tough to control his weapons with his serve and forehand.
"I think I played my best match of the tournament so far today. I am very pleased with how I was able to win the match, with two difficult tie-breaks. This victory means a lot to me."
The highest ranked player left in the draw, Nadal will now face Nick Kyrgios, who progressed to the quarter-finals after Jannik Sinner withdrew with illness.
Matteo Berrettini made a shock exit, meanwhile, losing 6-3 6-7(5-7) 6-4 to unseeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.
The Italian world number six was put under constant pressure, with Kecmanovic targeting his backhand and hovered the baseline to close the angles on serve.
The 22-year-old’s only other top 10 victory came against Alexander Zverev, also the world number six then, at Cincinnati in 2019. He will now face Taylor Fritz, who defeated Alex de Minaur 3-6 6-4 7-6(7-5).
Also on Wednesday, Grigor Dimitrov edged past John Isner 6-3 7-6(8-6). In his unique style, the Bulgarian 33rd seed came up with the shot of the day, flicking a forehand pass across the visibly stunned Isner.
He will face Andrey Rublev, who defeated Hurbert Hurkacz 7-6(7-5) 6-4. In Wednesday’s other results, Carlos Alcaraz Garfia comfortably defeated Gael Monfils 7-5 6-1, while Cameron Norrie accounted for Jenson Brooksby 6-2 6-4.
Stephen Curry was forced to sit out the second half of the Golden State Warriors’ game with the Boston Celtics on Wednesday after injuring his left foot.
With just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter, Curry and Celtics guard Marcus Smart dove for a loose ball. The resulting tumble meant Smart fell on Curry’s leg, causing an inward tweak.
The Warriors confirmed Curry would not return in the second half, citing "left foot soreness".
At that point in the game, Curry had three points, one rebound and two assists with the Warriors down 33-25.
Curry has been the key player for the Warriors this season, with the side sitting third in the Western Conference with a 47-22 record prior to Wednesday's game.
The two-time MVP leads the NBA this season in three-pointers made with 284. Prior to Wednesday's game, Curry was averaging 25.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists this season.
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