Mark McCall says Saracens’ defeat in the Gallagher Premiership final last season has proved a driving force behind their quest for an immediate Twickenham return.
Victory over play-off opponents Northampton on Saturday would land Saracens a ninth appearance in English rugby’s domestic showpiece on May 27.
Their title hopes last year were dashed by Freddie Burns’ dramatic late drop-goal that saw Leicester claim a 15-12 victory.
“I guess it wasn’t so much losing the final, it was how we lost it, which is the thing that is driving us, I think,” Saracens rugby director McCall said.
“It felt like we played within ourselves. It was how we lost, not because we lost.
“Anyone can lose a final – knockout games are hard to win – but when you don’t feel that you have given it a proper go, then you carry that all summer. I guess that has driven this season to a degree.
“We’ve enjoyed a couple of really good weeks’ preparation. The players are in good spirits.
“We don’t take these things (semi-finals) for granted and we are looking forward to it. To get a home semi-final is exactly what you want.
“They (Northampton) are a very good team, an unbelievably dangerous team, full of talented players in their squad. And this is their second semi-final in a row, so they have shown some really good consistency as well.”
Saracens go into the play-offs after topping the regular season table and finishing 16 points above Northampton.
Fly-half Owen Farrell, though, does not believe that Saracens require a trophy to validate their Premiership return three years after relegation following persistent salary cap breaches.
“I think we have performed consistently enough over the past two years since we’ve been back to be enough of a presence in the Premiership,” Farrell said.
“Do we want to win the Premiership? Yes, of course we do. We’ve got some big personalities maybe playing in their last games for the club and we want to make sure we do them proud.
“To come back and do it (win the title) within a year, we talked about it being special, and we didn’t do it.
“We are on another year now and I have not thought about it in that way too much if I am honest. We’ve been consistent enough over the past two years, without winning last year, to validate us being back in the Premiership.
“We want to be at our best, getting the best out of of ourselves, and I am sure Northampton are the same. We want to make sure we are playing some of our best stuff and we want to enjoy it.
“It’s tough to lose any final. We felt like we didn’t put the best out of us out on that day (last year) and that is obviously a credit to Leicester and what they did as well.”
Former Scotland captains Stuart Hogg and Stuart McInally remain on course for World Cup swansongs after the pair were named in Gregor Townsend’s 41-man pre-tournament training squad on Tuesday.
The experienced duo announced recently that they will retire from rugby to pursue other interests after this year’s showpiece in France.
While Exeter full-back Hogg was always expected to be included in the squad, there was some doubt about whether Edinburgh hooker McInally would be included.
In a squad of few major surprises, Glasgow back Stafford McDowall and Leicester lock Cam Henderson are the only uncapped players included, although both were involved in the Six Nations squad earlier this year.
Edinburgh wing Darcy Graham and Glasgow flanker Rory Darge are both back in the mix after missing the Six Nations through injury.
Exeter second row Jonny Gray has not been included after suffering a knee injury recently, while Fraser Brown, Johnny Matthews and Mark Bennett are among the most notable absentees.
The 41-player group will gather for an initial training camp on 29 May to begin preparations for warm-up matches at home to France, Italy and Georgia and away to the French in July and August.
The squad will then be trimmed to 33 ahead of the tournament in which Scotland will be in a group alongside South Africa, Ireland, Tonga and Romania. Their first match is against the Springboks in Marseille on Sunday 10 September.
Wales international back-row forward Dan Lydiate has sealed a return to the Dragons ahead of next season.
Lydiate, who was recently released by Dragons’ United Rugby Championship rivals the Ospreys, will rejoin a region he played for between 2006 and 2013.
The 35-year-old British and Irish Lion has won 69 caps and is part of Wales head coach Warren Gatland’s extended preliminary World Cup training squad.
The Dragons have not specified Lydiate’s length of contract.
“We are delighted that Dan is coming home to a club where it all started and a place that means a huge amount to him,” Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan said.
“Dan has enjoyed a fantastic career, playing at the very highest level, and he comes back to the Dragons producing some of his finest rugby, underlined by his recent call-up by Wales.
“He is a leader, someone who sets the standards, while his vast experience and approach to the game will be of huge benefit to our young squad.”
Lydiate said: “I’ve had a lot of positive conversations with Dai about what is being built here, and he is one of the reasons I wanted to return and sign.
“There is a good crop of young talent at Dragons, and now I am back on board I will hopefully add some experience, play my part and help them on their journey, too. I am looking forward to getting stuck in.”
Sophia Floersch has set her sights on competing in Formula One “in the next three to five years” after recovering from a spinal fracture.
The 22-year-old currently drives for PHM Racing by Charouz in Formula Three, and has also taken part in endurance events such as Le Mans.
Floersch’s F1 aspirations are all the more remarkable given she broke her spine in a horrific crash at the 2018 Macau Grand Prix, aged 17.
The German driver’s incredible return to the sport saw her awarded Laureus World Comeback of the Year in 2020, and earlier this year she joined Alpine’s Race(H)er programme, which aims to increase diversity.
Speaking at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Paris, she said: “I always dreamt of reaching F1 and now Alpine being behind me actually having the same goals and a clear way of how they want to get there with a woman makes it even better.
“It’s obviously not just on the education side a big plus for me, but financially it’s a big help which I need in my position.
“I think at some point there will be a female driver in F1. In the end, when you’re all in the car, you’re all just driving to win and you don’t really care about gender, or at least that’s (the case) for me.”
She continued: “Nothing is easy in life and especially not motorsports. It’s difficult. In this sport there are many different things that need to fall in place – not just for a woman, but for a man.
“I hope to reach it (F1) in the next three to five years but in the end I think I’m trying to look year to year.”
Floersch feels she has improved as a driver, with help around the more technical aspects of her trade, since joining Alpine in February.
“In general, especially tyre management, tyre warm-up procedure and so on… how to work with the team as well, because it’s a complete new team. We have learned a lot together,” she said.
“That’s where they helped me a lot and also tried to advise which directions to go.
“In the end, it’s really positive to be back, because that’s what I’ve wanted for the past two years, and for next year we’ll try to make the move to F2.”
:: Sophia Floersch was speaking at the Laureus World Sports Awards. Find out more at www.laureus.com
World number one Kipp Popert is targeting victory in the inaugural G4D Open and hopes the event will inspire more disabled people to take up golf.
Popert will be among 80 male and female players from 19 countries competing at Woburn from May 10-12.
“It would be a big deal to win the inaugural G4D Open,” said the 24-year-old from Kent, who has a form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia which impairs the muscular movement in his legs.
“Only one person is ever going to win the first one and if I put my name on that trophy then that will be incredible. It will be a memory I will treasure forever.
“What The R&A, DP World Tour and EDGA (formerly the European Disabled Golf Association) are doing for grassroots golf for people with disability has been brilliant and important, but those getting into the game need something to aspire to and that is what I’m trying to achieve.
“I hope people watching the G4D Open come away thinking that anyone can play golf. It doesn’t matter what your disability is.”
The 54-hole event will feature players competing in standing, intellectual, visual and sitting categories.
Kris Aves, a 41-year-old former Metropolitan Police officer who was injured in the terrorist attack on Westminster Bridge in March 2017, will be playing in the sitting category.
He was paralysed from the waist down after being struck by the attacker’s car but has been able to resume playing golf thanks to a ParaGolfer, a special mobility device that lifts people from a sitting to a standing position.
“I got inside and was able to make a swing,” said Aves, who was a keen golfer before the attack.
“That first hit brought tears to my eyes. Even though I knew I’d never get back to the standard I had been, I was able to play again.
“I was over the moon to get a place (in the G4D Open). I’m looking forward to meeting people from across Europe and around the world and seeing how well I perform against the seated golfers. But, really, I’m looking forward to simply taking part.”
The establishment of The G4D Open follows on from the Modified Rules of Golf for Players with Disabilities being included in the Rules of Golf from the start of 2023.
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend is excited about having the chance to “drive the team forward” in the coming years after signing a contract extension until April 2026.
The 50-year-old’s previous deal was due to expire after the World Cup in France this autumn, and there had been intense speculation prior to this year’s Six Nations that he would be leaving his post as – at that point – there had been no talks with the Scottish Rugby Union about an extension.
However, a strong tournament in which the Scots finished third appears to have persuaded Townsend’s paymasters that he deserves the chance to continue leading the team for the next three years.
“Being head coach of Scotland is a tremendous honour and I’m excited about the potential of the current squad of players and the game they can deliver against the best teams in the world,” said Townsend, who is already Scotland’s longest-serving head coach after taking the reins almost six years ago.
“I also feel the connection the team has with the country is special and that our supporters are backing the team like never before.
“The number of people who arrive two hours early to welcome the team off the bus on a home matchday demonstrates the love shown for this group of players and their belief that the squad can achieve something special.
“Our focus right now remains on Rugby World Cup preparations, but I am delighted to have secured my future for the next few years and look forward to continuing to do all I can to drive the team forward and inspire our supporters.”
Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson is keen to maintain “continuity” and “momentum” with Townsend at the helm.
“Gregor Townsend has been the most successful Scotland coach in the history of the professional era and we believe he is the right man to lead the national team beyond this year’s Rugby World Cup,” he said.
“What Gregor has built over the last six years of his tenure has taken Scotland to fifth in the world rankings and we are keen to keep that continuity and forward momentum.
“The squad has unparalleled depth which is the result of many years planned development.
“We believe he is best placed to take the team to the next level and continue to excite and engage the people of Scotland.”
Townsend is due to name his World Cup training squad later today (Tuesday).
Formula One’s governing body has launched an investigation following another near-miss in the pit-lane at Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix.
A week after Esteban Ocon almost collided with a cluster of individuals in Azerbaijan, footage has emerged of an official – understood to be a volunteer marshal – walking in front of Lando Norris as the British driver entered the pits in his McLaren.
The incident on lap five of the 57-lap race was uploaded to the Sky Sports’ F1 website, but has since been removed.
An FIA spokesperson told the PA news agency: “We are aware of the incident and looking into it with local organisers.”
The alarming flashpoint followed an FIA review into pit-lane safety after Ocon said the sport narrowly avoided a “disaster” when he stopped for tyres on the final lap at the previous round in Baku.
An on-board camera from the French driver’s car showed dozens of people – who had gathered at the entrance to the pit-lane with the race still ongoing – scrambling to get out of his way.
Ahead of last weekend’s race in the United States, the FIA updated its rulebook to prevent “mechanics from moving from their garages to the parc ferme”, and “other personnel or VIPs from entering the pit lane, until the last car has taken the chequered flag”.
The FIA warned that “any infringement will result in the removal of passes from the team(s) in question from subsequent events, and potential reporting of the infringing team(s) to the stewards”.
LeBron James and Lonnie Walker IV sparked a furious second-half rally as the Los Angeles Lakers put the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors on the brink of elimination with a 104-101 win Monday in Game 4 of the teams’ Western Conference semifinal series.
James finished with 27 points and Walker scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter as the seventh-seeded Lakers overcame a 12-point third-quarter deficit and grabbed a 3-1 series lead.
Led by Stephen Curry’s 31-point, 14-assist, 10-rebound triple-double, Golden State looked poised to even the series after building a 77-65 lead with four minutes left in the third quarter.
Los Angeles then outscored the Warriors 21-7 over the next seven minutes, with James scoring seven points during the run that Walker capped with a layup that put the Lakers up 86-84 with 9:27 remaining.
The Warriors answered and took a 99-96 lead on Klay Thompson’s 3-pointer with three minutes left, but the Lakers scored the next six points before Curry’s layup brought Golden State within 102-101 entering the final minute.
Curry missed two shots in the final 30 seconds, however, and Walker hit two free throws to extend the Lakers’ lead to three before the Warriors turned the ball over in the waning seconds.
Anthony Davis added 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, who will try to clinch the series in San Francisco in Wednesday’s Game 5, while Austin Reaves contributed 21 points to the victory.
Heat handle Knicks again to take 3-1 series lead
Jimmy Butler had 27 points and 10 assists and the Miami Heat moved a win away from a return trip to the Eastern Conference finals with a 109-101 victory over the New York Knicks.
Bam Adebayo added 23 points and 13 rebounds to help the Heat take a 3-1 series lead and move closer towards becoming only the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to reach the conference finals. The Knicks accomplished the feat in 1999 and ultimately reached the NBA Finals before losing to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.
Miami, which upset East No. 1 seed Milwaukee in five games in the first round, can advance to its third conference final in four years with a win in New York in Wednesday’s Game 5.
Adebayo had 16 first-half points to spur Miami to a 56-48 lead at intermission and the Heat held a 90-81 advantage entering the fourth quarter. They shot just 27.3 per cent in the final period, but the Knicks never got closer than six points down and were further hampered when All-Star Julius Randle fouled out with 3:08 left.
Jalen Brunson led New York with 32 points and 11 assists, while RJ Barrett finished with 24 points and Randle had 20 points and nine rebounds before exiting.
BB Coke High School won its first-ever U16 rugby league title after defeating Campion College 12-4 in the National U16 9s tournament at The Cedar Grove Academy in Portmore, St Catherine on Friday, May 7.
The win means BB Cokes ended the tournament on six points after also beating Spanish Town 24-8. However, they lost to Cedar Grove Academy 16-20. Spanish Town also ended on six points had an inferior points difference.
“The boys promised to bring the 9s title back home after they lost the 13s semi-finals to eventual champions Campion College. The win was built on getting the ball to our speedsters on the wings and strong defense in the middle of the park,” said winning coach Kamar Findlay.
“I was a bit surprised when we lost to Cedar Grove in our second match, but it served as a wake-up call for the team because they came out well against Spanish Town and got the win needed to top the tournament.
“We are extremely happy. This is our first title at the Under 16 level and the school and the entire community of Junction is celebrating with us.”
Jordan Spieth has withdrawn from this week’s AT&T Byron Nelson Classic due to a left wrist injury.
Spieth said in a statement posted on his social media accounts that the injury had flared up over the weekend.
It raises doubts over Spieth’s fitness for the PGA Championship at Oak Hill later this month, the last major Spieth needs to win to complete a career Grand Slam.
Spieth wrote: “Over the weekend, I had severe pain in my left wrist and had doctors confirm an injury that requires rest and limited movement.
“The AT&T Byron Nelson means the absolute world to me and I’m disappointed to miss it this week.
“Playing in front of family and friends in Dallas is one of the highlights of my year, and the tournament staff and volunteers are second to none.
“I look forward to being back next year and many years after.
“I’m focused on healing as quickly as possible and will have to evaluate my recovery week to week.”
Nikola Jokic will be available for Game 5 of the Denver Nuggets’ Western Conference semi-final series against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday in Denver.
Jokic reportedly has been fined $25,000, but the NBA decided on Monday they would not suspend the superstar centre for his involvement in a scuffle with Suns owner Mat Ishbia on Sunday that resulted in a technical foul for the two-time league MVP.
There was speculation that Jokic could be suspended for an incident that occurred with less than 3 minutes to go in the second quarter in the Suns’ 129-124 win to even the series at 2-2.
The play began when Jokic blocked a Deandre Ayton shot sending the ball heading out of bounds by the baseline.
The ball ended up in the arm of Ishbia, who cradled it under his arm as Jokic attempted to grab it back.
Ishbia did not immediately return the ball and it flipped a few rows back as Jokic tried to pull it from his arm.
As Jokic then reached for the ball he raised his elbow up to Ishbia’s chest and made contact.
Ishbia then fell down into his seat with his arms raised.
The refs then huddled to discuss what transpired, and decided Jokic’s actions were worthy of a technical foul.
That decision, however, sparked significant debate as to whether Ishbia flopped or if the Denver big man used excessive force.
Kevin Durant ended up making the technical free throw to tie the score at 55.
Jokic defended his actions after the game in which he finished with a career-high 53 points on 20-of-30 shooting, along with 11 assists.
Earlier Monday, Ishbia showed no ill-will toward Jokic, tweeting out that he was hopeful the league wouldn’t punish him.
“Great win for the Suns last night in an amazing series so far!” Ishbia posted. “That should be and is the only story. Suspending of fining anyone over last nights incident would not be right. I have a lot of respect for Jokic and don’t want to see anything like that. Excited for game 5! Go Suns!”
The home team has won every game in this series, and the Nuggets are 5-0 in Denver this postseason.
Jokic has been outstanding in this series, averaging 36.5 points, 14.0 rebounds and 9.5 assists in the four games.
Orlando Magic wing Paolo Banchero headlines the NBA All-Rookie first team as the only unanimous selection.
The league revealed the first and second teams on Monday, and the 20-year-old Banchero was the only player to be selected to the first team on all 100 ballots.
Banchero, who was previously announced as the NBA Rookie of the Year on April 25, is joined on the first team by Utah Jazz centre Walker Kessler, Indiana Pacers small forward Bennedict Mathurin, Sacramento Kings small forward Keegan Murray and Oklahoma City Thunder wing Jalen Williams.
The second team featured two pairs of teammates – Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons and Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason from the Houston Rockets – as well as San Antonio Spurs power forward Jeremy Sochan.
Banchero, who was the first pick of last year’s draft, received 98 out of the 100 possible first-place votes for Rookie of the Year award, with Kessler receiving the other two to finish in second. Williams was the third finalist.
Banchero led all rookies in scoring with an average of 20.0 points per game, while his average of 3.7 assists ranked third among all qualifying first-year players and average of 6.9 rebounds placed fourth.
Kessler, who was the 22nd overall pick of the 2022 draft, ranked fourth among all players with an average of 2.34 blocks – the most by any rookie since the New York Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson averaged 2.44 in 2018-19. Kessler’s average of 8.4 rebounds per game ranked second among rookies, and he also averaged 9.2 points.
Williams, who was selected 12th, averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.37 steals – the highest average by any rookie.
Duren led all rookies in rebounds with an average of 8.9 per game, while Ivey’s average of 5.2 assists were the most by any first-year player.
Sale boss Alex Sanderson has admitted his interest in bringing England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie to the club amid reports his proposed move to Montpellier has fallen through.
The 29-year-old Exeter forward was due to join the Top 14 club this summer, but reports from France have suggested the deal has broken down on medical grounds with Cowan-Dickie working his way back from ankle surgery.
Montpellier have been linked with Tolu Latu, previously a target for the Sharks, and director of rugby Sanderson revealed during a press conference on Monday that he had heard the Australia international had agreed a deal for “twice the amount of money that we offered him.”
Asked if he would be interested in Cowan-Dickie, he said: “Yes, why wouldn’t you? He’s a great player.
“I don’t know if we would be in the right price point, but he’s got mates up here as well, he fits our kind of game model in that Ewan Ashman, Akker van de Merwe mould, doesn’t he? He’s a banger, so he ticks the box on a lot of fronts there.
“But I haven’t spoken to him, I haven’t spoken to Luke, so there’s nothing there in terms of that actually materialising.”
In the meantime, Sanderson will concentrate on the task of preparing his players for Sunday’s Gallagher Premiership semi-final clash with reigning champions Leicester Tigers and to that end, has enlisted the help of rugby league great Jamie Peacock.
Peacock won nine Super League Grand Finals, four Challenge Cup finals and four World Club Challenges during his glittering playing career, and Sanderson is hoping his “champion attitude” will rub off on his charges.
He said: “We’ve got JP coming in, who’ll have a little chat to us about what champion attitude looks like.
“He’s won nine Super Leagues and four World Challenges or whatever it is. He was a legend, so we’ll hopefully take a little leaf out of his book and add it to our own.”
Sale last won the Premiership final in 2006, and lost out in the semi-finals to Exeter two years ago.
This time around, they have proven winners George Ford, who was in the Tigers side which lifted the trophy last season, and Manu Tuilagi among their ranks, and Sanderson is convinced their winning mentality is key.
Asked how important it could be, he said: “It’s crucial, isn’t it, because these are leaders who come to the fore at this time of the season.
“There are guys that have to step up on the field and are able to keep their heads and respond and find ways when the plan doesn’t work – which it invariably doesn’t against the better teams – find ways of navigating to good outcomes, to better outcomes.
“Being able to draw on their experience is crucial, like I did this morning and I will tomorrow as we go through the week. I’ll continue to lean on them, not that it’s a chore for them, they want to.”
Jamaican Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight Randy “Rude boy” Brown will open a new five-fight deal with the promotion with a bout against Brazilian Wellington Turman.
This fight will be the first of a new five-fight deal Brown signed with the UFC after his last fight, a submission loss to Australian Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 284 in February.
“Just one of those things where I had one fight left on my contract and the company decided that they need to re-sign me,” Brown told SportsMax.TV.
“The price that they wanted to re-sign me at wasn’t right initially so we did some negotiating back and forth and settled on a deal in the middle that everybody was happy about,” he added.
The 32-year-old will take on Brazil’s Turman at UFC on ABC 5 on June 24th at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville.
Turman, 26, currently has an MMA record of 18-6 and a UFC record of 3-4.
Brown, whose record now stands at 16-5, says he has already started preparation for the bout.
“I started camp probably about three weeks ago. So far, it has been great,” he said.
A successful team of young gymnasts returns to Jamaica on Tuesday after its encouraging exploits at the recent Caribbean Classic in Trinidad and Tobago.
The 19-member group was assembled from schools in Kingston, Westmoreland, Montego Bay, Mandeville and St. Catherine after being selected from the Jamaica School of Gymnastics Regional Schools Championship recently held in March 2023.
These young athletes, considered by Jamaica Gymnastics Association President Nicole Grant to be the foundation of the Future Stars Program, won an array of medals on the bars, floor, beam and vault exercises.
Among them were Akayla Ireland, who was second on the beam and floor routines and third on the vault and bars, respectively and finished second overall.
Akeela Bonas was third overall after claiming second on the vault and bar and third in the beam and floor exercises. Jazharia Johnson won the beam, was second in the vault and third on the floor for second place overall.
Abigail Carpenter finished third on the beam while Kelli-Jo Reid was second on the beam and floor.
Bria Eubanks was third on the floor.
Max Verstappen said he is targeted by Formula One’s boo brigade because they are jealous of him winning.
Verstappen landed a third victory of the season with a fine drive from ninth at Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix to extend his championship lead to 14 points over Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
The double world champion was heckled as he was introduced on the grid in the moments before the race, and then also on the podium as he was presented with his winner’s trophy.
But a typically bullish Verstappen said: “If I am driving at the back nobody will be doing anything in terms of a reaction.
“It is normal when you are winning and they don’t like who is winning. This is something which is absolutely fine for me as long as I stand on the top step of the podium.
“That is the most important thing. I take the trophy home and they can go back to their houses and have a nice evening.”
Verstappen was jeered during the pre-race razzmatazz which involved American rapper LL Cool J acting as Master of Ceremonies and will.i.am conducting an orchestra.
It is understood the pre-race show seen in Miami will only take place at certain events, possibly eight in all, this season.
George Russell called the spectacle “distracting” and Verstappen was also not a fan.
“Some people like to be more in the spotlight, and some people don’t,” said Verstappen. “Personally I don’t. So for me, what they did was not necessary.
“I prefer just to talk to my engineers, walk to my car, put the helmet on and drive. I understand the entertainment value, but I hope we don’t have this at every single race, because we have a very long season ahead of us, and we don’t need to enter like that every time.”
Fernando Alonso, who finished third behind Verstappen and Perez to claim his fourth podium this season, disagreed that the pre-race introductions should only be reserved for certain races.
The 41-year-old Spaniard said: “If we do it here, we have to do it everywhere because I don’t think the Miami fans are better than the Italian fans in Imola or in Spain or in Mexico or in Japan.”
However, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, whose arrival on the grid was greeted with huge cheers, said: “Formula One is trying new things and trying to improve the show and I am in full support of that.
“I grew up listening to LL Cool J, and LL Cool J was there. You look over and will.i.am is there, too, and he is an incredible artist. I thought it was cool.”
A huge bounce-back performance from James Harden got the Philadelphia 76ers right back in their Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Boston Celtics.
Harden capped a 42-point effort by hitting a game-winning 3-pointer with 19 seconds left in overtime, lifting the 76ers to a crucial 116-115 Game 4 victory on Sunday that evened the series at 2-2.
The 2017-18 NBA MVP earlier forced overtime by hitting a 16-foot floater with 16.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, and rebounded strongly from subpar outings in Philadelphia’s losses in Games 2 and 3. Harden shot a combined 5-of-28 from the field in those games, but finished 16 of 23 in Sunday’s win while making 6 of 9 attempts from 3-point range.
Boston’s Marcus Smart nearly answered Harden’s winning shot with some late heroics of his own, but got off a 3-point attempt that went through the net a split second after the final buzzer sounded as the Sixers held on.
Joel Embiid added 34 points and 13 rebounds for the 76ers, who blew a 16-point third-quarter lead and trailed 105-100 with two minutes left in regulation before closing out the fourth quarter with a 7-2 run.
Jayson Tatum shook off an 0-of-8 shooting start to finish with 24 points and 18 rebounds and help key the Celtics’ comeback in regulation. Jaylen Brown ended with 23 points and Smart had 21.
Game 5 will take place Tuesday in Boston.
Suns withstand Jokic’s 53 points to pull even with Nuggets
Kevin Durant and Devin Booker each scored 36 points and the Phoenix Suns overcame a monster game from Nikola Jokic to earn a 129-124 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the teams’ Western Conference semifinal.
The Suns recorded their second straight home win to even the series at 2-2 despite Jokic amassing a Nuggets’ playoff-record 53 points on 20-of-30 shooting.
Booker had 17 points in the third quarter to help Phoenix take a 98-92 lead into the fourth, and the Suns stretched the advantage to 116-106 on Landry Shamet’s 3-pointer with 4:56 left.
Denver countered with a 12-5 run to close within 121-118 with under two minutes remaining, but the Suns kept the West’s top seed at bay by going 8 for 8 from the foul line in the closing stages.
Jokic’s 53 points were a career high and eclipsed the Nuggets’ single-game record for a playoff game of 50, set twice by teammate Jamal Murray in 2020.
Shamet delivered four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with 19 points off the bench for Phoenix, which will head back to Denver for Tuesday’s Game 5. The home team has won every meeting in the series thus far.
Manchester City will target Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch if they miss out on the signing of Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, according to the Daily Mirror. The 20-year-old Dutch international has been linked with a move to Liverpool.
Brentford are looking to Liverpool as they look to strengthen next season, reports The Sun. The London club are keen on taking Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, 24, from Anfield with Manchester United reportedly targeting Bees keeper David Raya.
Victor Osimhen will not be leaving Napoli this summer according to the Daily Mail. The Nigerian striker, 24, has been linked to several leading European clubs but president Aurelio de Laurentiis says the newly crowned Italian champions are not selling.
Another Napoli star could be heading to the Premier League with Manchester United eyeing a move for defender Kim Min-jae. The Daily Mirror, via Corriere dello Sport, says United are winning to meet the £53million release cause for the South Korean, 26, to replace captain Harry Maguire.
Social media round-upPlayers to watchJames McAtee: Manchester City are keen to open contract talks with the midfielder, 20, who played a key role on loan in Sheffield United’s promotion to the Championship.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: The Gabon striker, 33, is keen on a return to Barcelona as he prepares to part company with Chelsea.
Sven-Goran Eriksson named 17-year-old Theo Walcott in his provisional England World Cup squad on this day in 2006, despite the forward not having played in the Premier League for Arsenal.
Walcott became England’s youngest international when he played in a pre-tournament friendly against Hungary.
But he did not make an appearance at the tournament as England reached the quarter-finals but lost to Portugal after Wayne Rooney’s red card.
Walcott was no stranger to making history at a tender age. He had become Southampton’s youngest ever player when he featured in a 0-0 Championship draw at home to Wolves aged 16 and 143 days, then became their youngest goalscorer with a strike in a 2-1 defeat to Leeds two months later.
His early promise persuaded Arsenal to sign him for an initial £5million, potentially rising to £12m, in January 2006, but he had been kept waiting for his first-team chance before Eriksson came calling in the summer.
Walcott got the news of his selection from his dad, and later said: “I thought he was having me on. I was shocked and surprised as everyone was; my eyes were just popping out of my head.”
Eriksson admitted at the time the selection was “a gamble” but he felt Walcott’s pace could offer England a wild card option.
But the Swede later admitted he did not help Walcott when saying the player had never quite reached the levels expected of him.
“Maybe the expectations on him were too high, and maybe I didn’t help him there,” Eriksson told OLBG last year.
Walcott went on to earn 47 England caps, but agreed his first call-up came too soon.
“I was thrown into the limelight straight away having not even played a Premier League game,” he said.
“Suddenly you are surrounded by these top-quality players and you are thinking ‘do I deserve to be here?’”
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