All-Star Ja Morant was left fuming after being ejected for the second time in the last month as the Memphis Grizzlies went down 115-109 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Morant was thrown out of the game just before half-time after two technical fouls within 11 seconds, firstly for a profanity when complaining about a no-call before allegedly questioning the integrity of the referee.
The Grizzlies guard apparently made derogatory remarks about the officials to Grizzlies fans courtside, leading to his ejection from referee Ray Acosta.
Crew chief John Goble said Morant's first technical was "for use of profanity directed at an official" followed by the second technical "for making a comment questioning the integrity of an official."
Morant, who was also ejected from a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 30 and fined $35,000 for criticising officials, was left bemused by the ejection on court before eventually walking off.
"I got my first tech for saying I got hit in my [expletive] face. Didn't curse at him,'' Morant said after the game.
"Another situation where he's in my conversation and I get another tech for talking with a fan. I feel like when these fans came here, went online to buy these tickets, they didn't say Ray [Acosta's] name to come watch."
When asked if he felt he was being singled out by officials, Morant added: "I don't know. Probably so. [They] probably don't like me."
Morant only played 16 minutes of the game, scoring six points on three-of-10 shooting from the field, giving up two turnovers and going none-of-three from beyond the arc.
The Buffalo Bills stormed into their fourth straight playoffs on the back of a Tyler Bass field goal as time expired which edged them past the Miami Dolphins 32-29 in snowy conditions on Saturday.
Bass converted his 25-yard attempt for his fourth career fourth-quarter or overtime field goal to clinch victory with scores locked amid a wild contest at Bills Stadium where the Dolphins had rallied from a 21-13 half-time deficit to lead 29-21 in the last.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen was heroic, going on a dazzling 44-yard run, the second longest of his career, before capping the same drive with a TD pass for Dawson Knox to make it 29-27 as the snow started to fall heavily in the fourth quarter.
Allen then took the airborne route to convert the two-point conversion to square up the game, breaking the plane of the goal line by inches on review after it had originally been ruled short.
The 26-year-old QB finished the game with four touchdown passes, completing 25 of 40 attempts for 304 yards, with 77 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Allen linked up with Quinton Morris, Nyheim Hines, James Cook and Knox for TD passes, showcasing his elite composure to find Cook right on half-time to open up an eight-point lead.
The Bills' efficiency was arguably the difference in a gripping AFC East contest, with Miami settling for two field goals and one TD from Salvon Ahmed in the first half.
The Dolphins sparked to life in the third with Tua Tagovoiloa linking up with Jaylen Waddle on a 67-yard TD pass, before finding Tyreek Hill for another score to claim a 26-21 lead.
Tagovailoa completed 17 of 30 passes for two touchdowns with no interceptions, as Miami slipped to their third straight loss and an 8-6 record, behind the Bills (11-3) in the AFC East.
Devin Booker reached 12,000 career points with a season-high 58 points as the Phoenix Suns rallied from a 24-point deficit with a hard-fought 118-114 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday.
Booker, who returned from a hamstring issue in Thursday's win over the Los Angeles Clippers which ended the Suns' five-game losing run, made 21-of-35 attempts from the field, including shooting six-of-12 from beyond the arc.
The Suns guard's haul was the second most by a player in a single game this NBA season, behind only Joel Embiid with 59 points last month against the Utah Jazz.
Booker, 26, also became the sixth youngest player in NBA history to reach 12,000 career points, behind only LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady.
The Suns had trailed 83-59 with 7:14 left in the third quarter, coming after the Pelicans had beaten them twice last week.
Booker had five rebounds and five assists along with his 58 points, while Chris Paul added 18 points with five rebounds and eight assists.
Zion Williamson scored 30 points with nine assists for the Pels, while C.J. McCollum added 27 points with eight assists.
Cavs hang on for OT win over Mavs
The Dallas Mavericks spurned three late go-ahead opportunities, including Christian Wood's 30-foot buzzer-beating attempt as the Cleveland Cavaliers got home 100-99 in overtime.
Jarrett Allen's dunk with 2:01 remaining in overtime was the final score, with Donovan Mitchell scoring 25 points for the victorious Cavs, who improved to 20-11. Jarrett Allen had eight points with 15 rebounds.
Kemba Walker top scored with 32 points for the Mavs, who were missing Luka Doncic (quad), while Wood scored 26 points, including five triples, but he missed the crucial late one.
Kawhi finds groove with season-high
Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 31 points as the Los Angeles Clippers fought back from a three-quarter time deficit to win 102-93 over the Washington Wizards.
Leonard, who has been working back slowly after missing last season with an ACL injury, played a season-high 31 minutes, shooting 12-of-26 with nine rebounds.
Luke Kennard came off the bench to add a season-high 20 points with four three-pointers as the Clippers rallied from a 75-72 three-quarter time deficit.
The Chicago Cubs took the last star shortstop off the free-agent market on Saturday, agreeing to a 7-year, $177 million contract with Dansby Swanson, sources told ESPN.
The deal, which is pending a physical, includes a full no-trade clause, according to two people familiar with the negotiations.
Swanson was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 amateur draft, but he was traded to Atlanta in a multiplayer deal that December.
He spent each of his seven MLB seasons with the Braves, helping them to a World Series championship in 2021 after batting .248 with 27 home runs and 88 RBIs.
He followed that by hitting .277 last season with 25 homers and a career-best 96 RBIs in 162 games. Swanson made the NL All-Star team for the first time and won his first Gold Glove.
The Cubs became the latest team to snag a high-priced shortstop following the San Francisco Giants (Carlos Correa, $350 million), Philadelphia Phillies (Trea Turner, $300 million) and San Diego Padres (Xander Bogaerts, $280 million).
With Swanson added, the Cubs likely will move Nico Hoerner from shortstop to second base.
Chicago finished third in the NL Central last season but did go 40-31 in its final 71 games. Besides Swanson, the Cubs signed 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger to a one-year contract and added right-hander Jameson Taillon on a four-year, $68 million deal.
Swanson is a career .255 hitter with 102 homers and 411 RBIs in 827 career games.
He got married last weekend to Mallory Pugh, who plays for the Chicago Red Stars, the women’s professional soccer team.
Deshaun Watson led the Cleveland Browns to a 13-3 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in his first home start since his 11-game suspension as they kept alive their playoffs hopes on Saturday.
Watson threw the game's only touchdown to Donovan Peoples-Jones in the third quarter, with the Browns QB completing 18 of 28 passes for 161 yards with 22 rushing yards for the game at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The victory improved the Browns to 6-8 overall, going 2-1 since Watson returned, while the Ravens dropped to 9-5, with the Cincinnati Bengals moving ahead of them in top spot in the AFC North by half a game.
It was a game to forget for the Ravens, who had a run of possessions that included a missed field goal attempt, an interception and a fumble in the second and third quarters. Baltimore had three turnovers on downs too.
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker missed two field goals in one game for the first time since December 2018, including putting a 48-yard attempt wide, while he had a fourth-quarter 50-yard attempt blocked.
Baltimore QB Tyler Huntley, standing in for the injured Lamar Jackson, threw 17 of 30 attempts for 138 yards, with Denzel Ward intercepting his third quarter pass in the redzone intended by DeSean Jackson with the score 6-3 at the time.
The Browns scored the game's only TD from their next drive, with Watson linking up with Amari Cooper twice for decent gains, before the QB's three-yard pass for the open Peoples-Jones.
Browns running back Nick Chubb added 99 rushing yards on 21 carries, while J.K. Dobbins was the Ravens' best offensive outlet, running 125 yards from 13 carries.
Kirk Cousins has told the Minnesota Vikings they need to play better when playoff football begins after his side's record comeback victory against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Vikings trailed 33-0 at the break but rallied in the second half, registering 29 unanswered points to send the game to overtime with the score tied at 36-a-piece.
A 40-yard field goal in the final moments secured the win and the biggest comeback win in NFL history, beating the previous record set by the Buffalo Bills against the Houston Oilers in January 1993.
The win also secured the Vikings the NFC North title for the first time since 2017 and books a return to the playoffs following a two-year absence, but Cousins made it clear there is work to be done.
"The goal every year when the season starts is to win your division, get a playoff game, then sort it out from there," he said on the field to the NFL Network.
"That's the first goal, we were able to secure that, but we've got to play a lot better. You've got to play better football to win in the playoffs.
"Obviously, there's still a lot to play for with our seeding."
Despite the first-half blowout, and a deficit that looked unassailable, Cousins says there was still belief in the locker room.
"It was an ugly first half but we found a way back with complimentary football, a lot of plays, a lot we'd like to have back as well, but we'll take it," he added.
"There was belief at half-time. Patrick Peterson said all we needed was five touchdowns; I thought he was being sarcastic. Obviously, there is some yelling, there is some frustration.
"That [comeback] doesn't just happen. Basic people don't do what we just did."
The Vikings host the New York Giants on Christmas Eve for their final home game of the regular season, followed by back-to-back road trips against the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.
The Minnesota Vikings set the record for the biggest comeback in NFL history, recovering from a 33-0 half-time deficit against the Indianapolis Colts to clinch a 39-36 victory and the NFC North title.
A strong defensive performance in the first half looked to have put to put the Colts in cruise control, with a pick-6, a blocked punt for a touchdown and limiting the hosts to just a single first down at U.S. Bank Stadium.
But the second half saw a new Minneapolis Miracle written into legend, as Minnesota fought back from 36-7 to hit 29 unanswered points and send the game to overtime.
There, a 40-yard field goal from Greg Joseph delivered the NFC North crown to the Vikings for the first time since 2017, and shattered the record books in the process.
The 33-point comeback set the mark as the biggest-ever in NFL history, surpassing the 32-point deficit the Buffalo Bills overturned against the Houston Oilers in January 1993.
It was a bitter reverse for the Colts, who having seized the lead through a field goal, returned a blocked punt for a touchdown through JoJo Domann before Deon Jackson finished a seven-play drive to extend their advantage.
The Vikings' woes continued in the second quarter, seeing Julian Blackmon intercept Kirk Cousins for a pick-six and with a further three field goals conceded to leave them 33 points down on the scoreboard at half-time.
A two-yard K.J. Osborn touchdown in the third quarter got the Vikings off the mark before another Colts field goal took the game to 36-7 - but it was then that the hosts came alive in sensational fashion.
Bagging 21 unanswered points to bring the game towards a dramatic finish, Dalvin Cook then delivered a 64-yard touchdown followed by a two-point conversion to square matters up.
That took the game to overtime where, with the clock ticking down, Joseph sealed the deal - and with it, the Vikings' first playoff appearance since 2019.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor exited Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings with a right ankle injury and was ruled out for the rest of the contest.
Taylor suffered the injury on the Colts’ first possession of the game on a 13-yard reception.
The leading rusher in the NFL last season, Taylor has battled ankle soreness all this year and has missed three games this season due to ankle issues.
Taylor entered Week 15 ranked 11th in the league with 861 rushing yards in 10 games. His 86.1 rushing yards per game this season ranks fourth in the NFL.
The injury left Zack Moss and Deon Jackson to handle duties in the backfield as the Colts looked to avoid a seventh loss in their last eight games.
Cameron Norrie is hoping Russian players will be allowed to return to Wimbledon in 2023, saying he wants "the best players in the world to be playing".
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, Russian players were banned from participating at SW19.
This meant the likes of Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev were not able to play and compete for the third grand slam of the year, which Novak Djokovic ended up winning for the seventh time.
The tournament was stripped of ranking points as a result of the ban on Russians, a decision that was met with much frustration from players.
Medvedev and Rublev finished a respective seventh and eighth in the year-end ATP rankings, and both took part in the ATP Finals in Turin.
Norrie hopes they are able to return to Wimbledon next year, telling reporters: "For me, I want the best players in the world to be playing.
"I felt last year was tough for those guys, especially for Daniil and for Andrey, who have a chance of winning Wimbledon.
"I know how much those guys sacrificed with their careers and their goals are obviously very high to be winning Slams.
"So I really did feel bad for those guys."
Quarterback Dylan Raiola decommitted from Ohio State on Saturday, with the top-ranked prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft available again.
Raiola chose the Buckeyes in May over USC, Alabama and other major programmes but is now set to be on the move, though a decision on his destination will not be rushed.
Speaking to 247Sports, Raiola's father Dominic, a former NFL center, said his son's services are not "close off to anybody".
"We have a lot of respect for Coach [Ryan] Day and the Ohio State programme," he said. "Everything is back on the table. His process is almost like it's restarting. It's not close off to anybody."
Nebraska could be the destination of choice for Raiola, with his uncle Donovan retained on the staff as offensive line coach following the appointment of Matt Rhule – though he already held the position when the commitment to Ohio State was made.
Raiola's departure comes ahead of Ohio State's College Football playoff against Georgia, where current starting quarterback C.J. Stroud may make his final appearance.
The New England Patriots will remain without running back Damian Harris for Sunday's trip to face the Las Vegas Raiders, adding to the team's woes in that position.
Harris' absence for the third consecutive game with a thigh injury comes alongside Rhamondre Stevenson listed as questionable with an ankle injury, which was suffered in Monday's win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Stevenson leads the team in rushing yards (742), receptions (58) and total touchdowns (5) this season, while Harris has 383 yards and three touchdowns – with the absences leaving a significant void in the Patriots' offense.
Bill Belichick will have to rely on rookies Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr as their running back options if Stevenson is unable to feature, though they could also promote J.J. Taylor from their practice squad.
Both had a key part to play in Monday's win against the Cardinals after Stevenson exited the game, Kevin Harris having a 14-yard touchdown run and Strong adding a three-yard touchdown of his own.
Sat 7-6, the Patriots are seeking a win to maintain their postseason push in a tight AFC playoff picture and face a 5-8 Raiders team led by former New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Frankie Dettori will call time on one of racing's greatest careers next year after the Italian superstar jockey announced his retirement plans.
The 52-year-old is a two-time winner of the Derby and has been British flat racing's Champion Jockey crown three times, also enjoying a record six victories at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris.
He famously won seven out of seven races at Ascot on September 28, 1996, arguably the pinnacle of his career even if it did not contain his biggest victories.
Dettori said he wanted to "stop at the top" and revealed seeing football legend Cristiano Ronaldo fall out of favour with Manchester United and Portugal recently played a part in his thinking.
Speaking on Saturday, Dettori told ITV Racing: "Next year, 2023, will be my final professional year as a jockey. It's something I've been thinking about for a while.
"I'll be riding right through. It will be my last Guineas, last Derby, my last Royal Ascot, so on and so forth, and finish at the end of the season, it could be Champions Day [at Ascot] or Newmarket, and then probably have the final farewell as a professional rider in California at the Breeders' Cup.
"I want to stop at the top. I think I'm still in that bracket of being good, and it was difficult, but I think it's the right time.
"I'm not making comparisons, but look at Ronaldo who was playing one minute and was on the bench the next, and I don't want to end up like that.
"I don't want to end up where I'm struggling to get rides in the big races. At the moment, I still have good horses to ride, and I want to finish like that."
Dettori has won 21 British Classics and has had 14 winners at the Breeders' Cup plus 77 victories at Royal Ascot.
His first UK winner came in 1987, aboard Lizzy Hare at Goodwood, and he has since had over 3,000 winners worldwide.
According to ITV, fellow great AP McCoy compared Dettori to footballing royalty.
"He's racing's Lionel Messi, you can't teach a kid to ride like Frankie Dettori," McCoy said.
Ever since Dan Campbell took to the podium for his introductory press conference in Detroit and made eyebrow-raising statements about biting the kneecaps of opponents, the Lions have had a strong following as the 'second favourite team' of many in the NFL world.
Their reputation in that regard has been furthered by Campbell's aggressive decision-making and the impressive way in which he and his staff have developed their young talent.
But eventually, rebuilds – like the one the Lions started when they traded franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for a host of draft picks – must yield results.
When the Lions dropped to 1-6 with a home defeat to the Miami Dolphins in Week 8, it was fair to question if Campbell was the right man to lead a rebuild.
Since then, the Lions have won five of their last six games and, in a top-heavy NFC, are now in with a shout of sneaking into the playoffs as a Wild Card.
With only one of their final four opponents owning a winning record, the Lions look well-placed to complete an unlikely run to the postseason. However, if they get there, will Detroit be a threat?
Looking solely at the offense, there is plenty of reason to suggest the Lions can challenge to spring a first-round upset.
The Lions rank seventh in the NFL by yards per play (5.86) and possess an exciting combination of a well-rounded running back room and an explosive downfield passing game.
Detroit's offense has produced 46 pass plays of 20 or more yards, the fourth-most in the NFL, while the running back combo of D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams has delivered both efficiency and potency. Swift's average of 5.36 yards per carry is the fifth-best among backs with at least 50 carries and Williams leads the league with 14 rushing touchdowns.
The mix of an effective ground game and an aerial attack featuring a legitimate number one receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown, whose presence is supplemented by that of D.J. Chark and the return of rookie speedster Jameson Williams from a knee injury suffered in his final college game has turned the Lions' offense into an extremely difficult one to stop, with quarterback Jared Goff - acquired as part of the Stafford trade - facilitating their outstanding production with a remarkable renaissance.
Cast off by the Rams when viewed as a quarterback Los Angeles won in spite of, Goff has been one of the best signal-callers in the NFL when defenses know he is passing.
Indeed, as of Week 14, Goff was averaging 0.96 yards over expected in expected passing situations, putting him sixth among quarterbacks with at least 100 such plays.
The Lions can run the ball well and they can produce through the air when everyone knows what is coming, but there are clear weaknesses that figure to be exploited in the postseason.
Detroit's offensive line, was 23rd in pass block win rate heading into Week 15. In a postseason where they could face the fearsome defensive lines of the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, an inability to protect Goff would obviously be a huge detriment to the Lions.
And the Lions' defense would also be a massive concern heading into a potential postseason campaign. The Lions rank last in the NFL in yards per play allowed, giving up an average of 6.22.
But that defense has stiffened in recent weeks and has shown a habit for making game tilting plays. Since firing their defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant on October 31, the Lions are second in takeaways (11) and tied-fourth in points off takeaways (28), with rookie second overall pick Aidan Hutchinson, who has seven sacks on the season, enjoying an increasing influence in stopping the drives of opposing offenses as he did in last week's victory over the 10-win Minnesota Vikings.
The defeat of Minnesota represents the signature win of a team few had anticipated would be in position to play in the second week of January. The Lions were also unfortunate not to beat the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving, but that narrow 28-25 loss arguably represented a more accurate representation of where they are in their evolution.
The Lions can trouble the league's elite, but they still have too many holes to be considered a threat to do damage in the postseason. Still, in year two of the Campbell era, that is a place Detroit should be more than happy to be.
Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins will look to get their offense back on track amid heavy snowfall on Saturday when they face the Buffalo Bills on the road in Week 15.
The Dolphins have had one of the most explosive attacks in the NFL in 2022, but Miami's offense has stalled in recent weeks.
Back-to-back defeats to the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers have dropped the Dolphins to 8-5, with Miami scoring just 17 points in each loss.
Miami's defeat to the Chargers was especially worrying, as it saw the Dolphins record a season-low 127 passing yards.
Their 10 completions in that game were their fewest since Week 13, 2015 (nine), with that anaemic performance coming against a struggling Charger defense ranked 30th in the NFL by yards per play allowed (5.96).
That is a very bad omen with a Buffalo defense ranked eighth by the same measure, though the elements may be the primary reason why the Dolphins fail to bounce back.
Lake-effect snow, which forced the Bills to move their Week 11 home game with the Cleveland Browns to Detroit, is forecast for Saturday's contest.
This week's game has not been moved, meaning Tagovailoa will have to fight through extremely challenging conditions not conducive to offensive production if the Dolphins are to prevail.
And the omens for Miami claiming a surprise victory over the 10-3 Bills are not promising.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott is 9-2 in his career against the Dolphins, the best record by any coach with at least eight games against Miami all-time.
Only two coaches have 10 or more career wins against Miami (Bill Belichick, 26, and Marv Levy, 15).
The Bills also own a five-game winning streak at home against the Dolphins, tied for their longest all-time. It is one game shy of matching Buffalo's longest home win streak against a divisional opponent all-time (twice against the Colts and once against the Patriots).
Miami once looked like shoo-ins for the playoffs. Now all the signs point to another defeat that will damage their postseason prospects unless they can find a way to master the elements and an opponent that has their number in games in Buffalo.
Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Anthony Davis is nervously awaiting X-ray results after he suffered a foot injury in Friday's 126-108 home win against the Denver Nuggets.
Davis, who entered the game averaging career-highs in both points (28.1) and rebounds (12.4) this season, came up hopping after a lay-up attempt early in the contest, briefly returning in the second quarter before sitting out the entire second half.
Head coach Darvin Ham told the media after the contest that X-rays were administered at the arena and they expect to have more clarity on the situation on Saturday, while ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported there is hope the injury is not severe and Davis will likely undergo an MRI.
A prodigious talent, Davis has been plagued by injuries in his 11-season career, only reaching the 70-game mark twice while only mustering a combined 76 appearances in the past two regular seasons.
He has played in 25 of the Lakers' 28 outings so far this year, and the Lakers' chances of a playoff push will likely hinge on the length of his potential absence.
However, against the Nuggets they were just fine, led by LeBron James' 30 points on 13-of-20 shooting with nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in 36 minutes.
The Lakers' bench picked up the slack as Russell Westbrook continued to make his case for Sixth Man of the Year, posting a 15-point triple-double with 12 assists and 11 rebounds, while also facilitating Thomas Bryant's best game in a Los Angeles uniform.
Bryant scored a season-high 21 points on nine-of-11 shooting, adding six rebounds and two steals, while fan-favourite Austin Reaves had 16 points of his own and an equal game-high plus/minus of plus 26.
Speaking immediately after the win, James pointed out the efforts of Bryant and rookie Max Christie in helping to bounce back from a disappointing overtime loss to the Boston Celtics.
"That's what this league is all about, you've got to be able to stay even-keel," he said. "Yes, it was a disappointing loss, but there are more games to be played.
"I loved our effort tonight. The game ball goes to Thomas Bryant, and also rookie Max Christie coming in and giving us gigantic minutes, especially with AD's absence in the second half.
"We were just solid. Not only did we get defensive stops, but we got defensive rebounds and we were able to finish a lot on the break, not having turnovers.
"That's been an Achilles heel for us throughout this season, those unforced turnovers, and I think tonight we did a great job protecting the ball."
The Lakers will next face the visiting Washington Wizards on Sunday, who enter the contest on an eight-game losing streak.
The Orlando Magic have quietly won five games in a row, punctuating their terrific form with a surprise 117-109 upset on the road against the league-leading Boston Celtics on Friday.
Orlando had lost nine in a row prior to their current streak, following it with four consecutive home wins against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Atlanta Hawks and back-to-back victories over the Toronto Raptors before heading to Boston.
They were led by this year's number one draft pick Paolo Banchero, with the 20-year-old posting 20 points, five rebounds and five assists, but it was the less-heralded Wagner brother doing the most damage.
Mo Wagner was the Magic's top-scorer with 25 points on nine-of-12 shooting in 23 minutes, while younger brother Franz Wagner chipped in 19 points on a far less efficient six-of-19.
There were also strong signs of life from starting point guard and former number one overall draft pick Markelle Fultz, with 12 points (five-of-10), four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Speaking to the media after the game, Banchero said his side were not looking for excuses against a Boston side entering the game with the league's best record at 22-7 and 11-2 at home.
"One of the coaches came up to me before the game and said: 'We’re on the road against the best team in the NBA. Either we can prove that we’re a good team and really rolling, or blame that we’re on the road and just roll over.'
"We didn’t want to do that. To get a lead and keep a lead is the biggest thing I’m proud of about tonight."
Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley pointed towards his side's willingness to stick to the game plan and "stay the course".
"They went on their run in the third, but our guys understand that they have to stay the course and continue to communicate with one another, and stick back to the principles of what we do," he said.
That message about staying the course stuck, at least with Mo Wagner, who echoed his coach in his on-court interview.
"I think we've been very consistent with our work all year, and it's starting to translate," he said. "We've done a great job focusing on the game plan, and I think with a young team that's a challenge.
"It's finally translating to wins, so now it's up to us to stay solid, keep going and keep staying the course."
Franz chose to highlight the Orlando defense against what he pointed out is a historically good Boston offense.
"They're the best offense in the league," he said. "Their numbers – even historically – match up really well.
"They shoot the ball really well, they play really free and creative basketball. It required multiple efforts, and I thought we did that tonight."
The Magic will get a chance to prove it was no fluke on Sunday when they remain in Boston for another crack at the Celtics.
Kyrie Irving's game-winner gave the Brooklyn Nets their fifth win in a row, and ninth from their past 10, after defeating the Toronto Raptors 119-116.
Irving was terrific on the offensive end, scoring a team-high 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting, with five assists and only one turnover.
His big moment came after Scottie Barnes' two free throws tied the game at 116-116 with eight seconds to play, and after a smart foul from Fred VanVleet, the Nets had the ball out of bounds with just three seconds to find a shot.
But that would be all Irving would need, taking a few dribbles to his right before pulling it back for a three-pointer as the buzzer sounded.
Kevin Durant was at his efficient best, shooting 10-of-15 from the field for his 28 points, while Ben Simmons finished with 10 points, five rebounds and five assists.
It was the second consecutive strong outing from VanVleet in a loss, scoring 39 points on 14-of-24 shooting just two days after scoring 39 on 13-of-25 shooting against the Sacramento Kings.
The Nets began the season 1-5, but have recovered strongly to 18-12 and now occupy the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference through 30 games.
Embiid improves league-leading scoring average
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid scored a game-high 34 points in Friday's 118-106 win against the Golden State Warriors.
Embiid entered the game averaging 33.4 points per game – the best figure in the league – and improved it ever-so-slightly to 33.5 as he shot 11-of-23 from the field, adding 13 rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks.
He is narrowly ahead of Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic in second (33.0 points per game), with Embiid currently on track for the scoring title, and perhaps even league MVP, having finished runner-up in each of the past two seasons.
Edwards and the Timberwolves fight off SGA
The Minnesota Timberwolves had to deal with the third-leading scorer in the NBA, but got the job done thanks to a mature performance from franchise centerpiece Anthony Edwards.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, averaging 31.0 points per game, scored a game-high 35 on 11-of-23 shooting, with seven rebounds and five assists, but none of his Oklahoma City Thunder teammates scored more than 14 in the 112-110 loss.
For the Timberwolves, Edwards played a strong team game as he shot at least 50 per cent from the field (eight-of-16) and from three-point range (two-of-three) for his 19 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
He was supported in fine fashion by Naz Reid, who finished one point away from his career-high with 28, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals.
The Chicago White Sox made a big move in the free-agent market Friday, signing All-Star outfielder Andrew Benintendi to a $75million, five-year contract.
The deal will be the largest contract ever given by the White Sox once it becomes official, surpassing the $73m Chicago gave to catcher Yasmani Grandal in 2019.
Benintendi finished last season with the New York Yankees after he was acquired from the Kansas City Royals on July 27.
After batting .320 in 93 games with the Royals, Benintendi slumped to a .254 mark in 33 games for the Yankees before his season was cut short in early September by a broken right wrist. He finished the season with a career-best batting average of .304.
The left-handed hitting Benintendi was a first-time All-Star for Kansas City before he was traded, following a 2021 season where he batted .276 with 17 home runs and 73 RBIs in 134 games and also won a Gold Glove.
Benintendi, 28, broke into the majors with Boston in 2016 and spent five seasons with the Red Sox, helping them win a World Series championship in 2018.
The White Sox are coming off a disappointing 81-81 record in 2022 after entering the season with high expectations. They were coming off back-to-back playoff appearances and won the AL Central by 13 games in 2021.
Benintendi will be reunited with new White Sox manager Pedro Grifol, who was a coach in Kansas City.
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has been fined a total of $36,281 for an instance in Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs where he made contact with a referee.
Jeudy, who had only one reception for three yards at the time of the incident, felt he was held on a play, and angrily confronted one of the game's officials about it.
He was fined $23,020 for bumping into the official, and a further $13,261 for removing his helmet as part of his tirade.
The league's rules state he could have been ejected from the game for the offense, but he was allowed to remain, going on to have his best game of the season. He scored a career-high three touchdowns with his 78 yards from eight catches.
In comments to the media on Wednesday, Jeudy said he expected a fine was coming.
"I know they're going to fine me,'' he said. "It is what it is. I know the consequences of the situation and I'm going to learn from it.
"I was just – on that certain play, I got held. I was just frustrated because we didn't have things going, so I was out there playing with frustration wanting to make a play for my team.
"I feel like at that point, I was just held and that should've been called, but I have to know how to control my anger and just move on from there.''
Head coach Nathaniel Hackett added: "He definitely knew that he was wrong. That's unacceptable. You can't do that.
"We've addressed that and I know that he knows he can't do that. I know he was very frustrated at the time, but that's just something you can't do."
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