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."
The Milwaukee Bucks are preparing for the debut of Joe Ingles, with the 35-year-old Australian reportedly aiming to return from his ACL injury on Monday.
Ingles, who spent the first eight years of his NBA career with the Utah Jazz after debuting as a 27-year-old, signed a one-year, $6.5million free agent deal with the Bucks in the offseason.
He was signed in the midst of his rehabilitation from an ACL injury in late January, with the idea that the career 40.8 per cent three-point shooter could provide a boost down the stretch and in the playoffs for a Bucks team with title aspirations.
Ingles' injury came during a relatively down year by his standards, as he set career-highs in the 2020-21 campaign with 12.1 points per game at a career-best 48.9 per cent figure from the field, and a blistering 45.1 per cent from downtown on 6.1 three-point attempts per game.
He is also a capable 'point-forward', being officially listed by the Bucks at six-foot-nine while averaging 5.3 assists per-36 minutes.
His addition should elevate the Bucks from the middle of the pack in terms of assist percentage – 14th in the league at 60.9 per cent – and boost their three-point percentage, as they currently attempt the seventh-most (37.4 per game), but own the 19th-ranked percentage (34.7 per cent).
Casper Ruud has been voted by his fellow ATP players as the winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a fine season and sits third in the end-of-year rankings after winning three titles.
He also reached the final of the French Open, US Open and the ATP Finals, losing to Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic respectively.
However, one title he does have is the Stefan Edberg Award, which according to the ATP's official website recognises "fair play, professionalism and integrity on and off the court".
Nadal and the now retired Roger Federer had won the award every year since 2004, with the Spaniard taking it five times – and the last four years running – and the Swiss on 13 occasions.
"A big thanks to everyone who voted for me for this year's ATP Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award," said Ruud.
"I feel very, very honoured and happy to win this prize this year. I will try to keep my mood in the right place for next year. Can't wait to be back on court."
Tiger Woods is not fearing an injury setback by playing at the PNC Championship, as he prioritises spending time on the course with his son Charlie.
The 15-time major winner, who suffered serious leg injuries in a car crash in early 2021, has struggled through 2022 and has only played a handful of events since missing the cut at The Open Championship in July.
A case of plantar fasciitis saw him withdraw from the Hero World Challenge earlier this month, before he returned to partner Rory McIlroy in The Match.
There had been questions whether Woods would play at the PNC Championship, where pro golfers partner up with family members, but the 46-year-old is unconcerned by the risks.
"You know, I really don't care about that," he said at a press conference, after acknowledging he might well make his injury worse over the weekend.
"I think being [here] alongside my son is far more important. To get to have this experience with him is far better than my foot being a little creaky."
Woods acknowledged his year had been a tough one, with his recovery taxing, but stressed he had outperformed his own expectations in terms of golf played.
"It's been a lot harder than people probably imagine," he explained. "There are players who are very close to me, and they're the ones encouraging me to back off a little bit.
"But that's not really in my nature. My nature is trying to get better, and I have. I was able to play and compete in three major championships this year.
"I played more this year than I certainly thought [I would]. I was just hoping to play St Andrews. So that's far, far more than what I had expected going into the year."
Woods has kept a busy card during the PGA Tour off-season, but says he is ready to wrap matters up once the PNC Championship is done.
"I've kind of ramped things up," he said. "After this, come Monday, we'll shut it all down and take care of this foot.
"As you've seen, I can hit golf balls. I can do all that. I can practice at home. I can hit shots around the green. I can do all that. I just can't get from point A to point B."
Woods was less equivocal about what he may do in 2023 however, conceding his decision to eschew rest this weekend could impact his ability to play on regularly in the new year.
"If I didn't have this, I could tell you," he added. "I'd have a better idea. But I'm supposed to be resting this [foot] and I'm not doing that at the moment."
The Denver Broncos will be without Russell Wilson against the Arizona Cardinals.
Denver confirmed on Friday that Wilson was out for Sunday's game as the quarterback continues his recovery from a concussion.
Wilson passed NFL concussion protocol and wanted to feature against the Cardinals, but the decision was taken out of his hands.
The 34-year-old is in line to return against the Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day.
Coach Nathaniel Hackett told reporters: "Russell Wilson has passed concussion protocols.
"With that being said, as an organisation we've decided to give him another week to get ready, so he's ready to go for the Rams.
"Russ is one of our ultimate competitors in this game, he's unbelievable.
"We informed him of the decision. He's not happy with it, he wants to be out there and play, he's very competitive as we all know – he wants to be there for this team and be out there.
"We as an organisation, after talking throughout this entire week, have decided it's what's best for our organisation, best for Russell.
"We've talked about this from the top all the way to the bottom. We looked at every single thing and decided to give him another week to get ready."
Wilson suffered the issue during the fourth quarter of the Broncos' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last week - a defeat that eliminated Denver, who sit bottom of the AFC West with a 3-10 record, from playoff contention.
He has thrown 2,805 yards for 11 touchdowns this season, following his switch from the Seattle Seahawks.
Brett Rypien, who has played twice this year, will fill in on Sunday.
"We're very confident in Ryp, very excited about Ryp and this opportunity to go against Arizona Cardinals," Hackett added.
While he believes he could have played, Wilson understands the team's call.
"For me, I always want to be out on the field, no matter what the circumstances are," he told reporters.
"At the same time it was a collective decision by the organisation to get some extra rest. Ryp is ready to rock and roll, and our team – it was a great week of practice, it was good to be out there and practice.
"These guys are special, I want to be out there and compete with them. I'm going to do everything I can on the sideline to make sure we get the win.
"Concussion is a serious thing. Everybody did a great job all week, making sure I was good to go. I feel great."
Though the Golden State Warriors will be without Stephen Curry for several weeks, the two-time NBA MVP is relieved the prognosis on his injured left shoulder was not worse.
Curry is expected to be sidelined for around a month with a shoulder subluxation he sustained in the Warriors' loss at the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, according to a report from The Athletic.
However, the injury will not require surgery that would threaten the star guard's availability for the rest of the season.
"From what I know about shoulder injuries and situations like that, anytime you can avoid anything [involving] surgery, it's great news,” Curry told reporters following Golden State's shootaround for Friday's game with the Philadelphia 76ers.
"That changed the whole dynamic of the conversation, both personally and as a team.
"It was a matter of making sure I didn't need surgery and that my shoulder will be able to heal on its own, however long that took, because I know the surgeries are four to six months [recovery time]. Nobody wants to be dealing with that right now."
Since Curry has never dealt with shoulder problems over the course of his 14-year NBA career, he said he is hopeful the healing process will be smoother than if he had a recurring injury.
"I'm just trying to stay positive and understand that I'll be back sooner than later, hopefully, and hopefully I won't miss a beat in terms of how I feel and how I've been playing," said Curry, one of seven players currently averaging at least 30 points per game this season.
"My body's in good shape. I feel I can maintain that for the most part while [I'm] injured, then get back there in hoop.”
Curry's injury still comes at an inopportune time for the defending NBA champions, who have lost four of five and are also without starting forward Andrew Wiggins.
Golden State is in the midst of a challenging six-game road trip and has the second worst winning percentage away from home this season at 2-13.
The Warriors enter Friday's game 10th in the Western Conference, which would place them in the play-in tournament if the season ended today.
"It's just a matter of other guys stepping up," Curry said. "Every team goes through this at some point throughout the year, dealing with injuries, dealing with some of your main guys being out.
"You've got to figure out how to perform and embrace this challenge. I'm super confident in the guys we have on this team to figure it out. We can talk ourselves into we're still in good shape, but you've got to go out and be a consistent basketball team. I think we can do that."
Baker Mayfield says "everything does happen for a reason" after his dream start to life at the Los Angeles Rams.
The former first overall draft pick started the season with the Carolina Panthers, having been waived with a dismal 1-5 record for the campaign.
Picked up by the Rams in the midst of a quarterback injury crisis, Mayfield unexpectedly led the Super Bowl holders to a comeback win against the Las Vegas Raiders in his first game for the team.
Ahead of Monday's match with the Green Bay Packers, the 27-year-old has acknowledged it has been an unusual start to life in California, but suggested his move offered a second chance after his Panthers frustrations.
"Refreshing is an interesting way to put it, considering how stressful last week has been," he said.
"But in the end, everything does happen for a reason. I'm thankful for the group that is here."
Though tasked with leading the Rams against the Raiders, Mayfield was able to call on veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford for advice throughout the match.
Head coach Sean McVay was impressed with the latter's contributions, highlighting his crucial impact in helping his new team-mate keep focused on the game.
"He was even on the headset on the last drive," he added. "He was able to add in a couple of things that would be helpful to Baker.
"That tells you everything that you need to know about Matthew and who he is. I think sometimes being able to get a different perspective can be beneficial."
Emma Raducanu is working with a new coach as she heads towards the 2023 season, reports said on Friday.
The 2021 US Open winner, who turned 20 in November, has had a growing list of coaches and is seeking the right formula to make an alliance successful.
She has turned for now to German Sebastian Sachs, a 30-year-old who previously worked with Victoria Azarenka, as a member of the Belarusian's team, before becoming the main coach of Julia Goerges and latterly Belinda Bencic.
Olympic champion Bencic recently appointed Dmitry Tursunov, who had been working with Raducanu, and Sachs has headed in the opposite direction by joining up with the British youngster.
As well as Russian former ATP top-20 player Tursunov, Raducanu has had coaching spells under the tutelage of Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz and the Lawn Tennis Association's Iain Bates in the past two years.
Raducanu and her team have yet to formally announce Sachs' role, but reports have indicated he has been with her this week in Abu Dhabi. Her management have yet to confirm whether this is a trial or a full-time appointment.
The one-time grand slam winner had a match on Friday against Ons Jabeur at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, an exhibition event, losing 5-7 6-3 10-8 to the 2022 Wimbledon and US Open runner-up.
After parting company with Raducanu, Tursunov said getting the best out of the Briton would be "minimum a one-year project but... probably a two-and-a-half-year project to be on the safe side", and reasoned that her game remained "very raw".
"It's going to take some time, but as I said to her and to pretty much everyone on her team: I think you just need to have one voice and just try that for a bit," Tursunov said.
Raducanu has not reached a final since her dazzling Flushing Meadows victory, and she finished the 2022 season at 76th in the WTA rankings.
Brittney Griner intends to play in the WNBA next season, having returned to the United States following her release from a Russian prison.
Griner was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport on February 17 for bringing under a gram of cannabis oil into Russia in vape cartridges.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist said she made an "honest mistake", while her lawyers argued she was using cannabis for medicinal purposes and was unaware cannabis oil was outlawed in Russia.
Griner was subsequently jailed for nine years for drug possession and drug smuggling with criminal intent, but she was released in a prisoner exchange that saw convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout return to Russia last week.
In a statement posted to her Instagram account on Friday, the eight-time WNBA All-Star confirmed she plans to play for the Phoenix Mercury in 2023.
"It feels so good to be home! The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn," Griner said.
"I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone for your help.
"I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury this season.
"In doing so, I look forward to being able to say 'thank you' to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon."
In her social media post, Griner also thanked those who had advocated for her release, including "the Phoenix Mercury, the players of the WNBA and my entire WNBA family", as well as US president Joe Biden.
When announcing Griner's return, Biden said the 32-year-old had been "unjustly detained" and described the conditions she endured as "intolerable".
The Phoenix Mercury suffered a first-round exit in the WNBA Playoffs in August and are set to begin their 2023 campaign against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 19.
Greg Norman has vowed to remain with LIV Golf despite Rory McIlroy's criticism, adding the door remains open for the world number one to defect down the line.
In addition, the double major champion revealed the Saudi-funded breakaway tour has held discussions with Justin Thomas, though he did not say whether the two-time PGA Championship winner would switch his allegiance.
Since its inception in 2021, LIV Golf has sparked a bitter civil war in the sport, with McIlroy and Tiger Woods launching stinging rebukes against Norman and his allies.
There were calls earlier this month for the Australian to quit, with the pair suggesting reconciliation could be on the table if he was to stand down.
But Norman says he will resist such calls, telling Bunkered magazine: "Rory and Tiger have no idea what they're talking about. None whatsoever.
"I have got the full support from my chairman. There has never been one thing to suggest otherwise. They're trying to bait me into a public back-and-forth. I'm not going down that childish path.
"You're already seeing LIV is a leader. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour, they're followers. They've basically copied our homework."
Norman did suggest that McIlroy would be welcomed with open arms if he was to change his tune though, while praising Thomas for his conduct in not criticising LIV Golf after he was approached to join.
"Our door is open for everybody," he added. "We're not the PGA Tour. We're not like that. We exist for the players, so we will always have an open door, whether that's for Rory or Jordan Spieth or Justin Thomas or whoever.
"We talked to JT [Thomas], we sat down with him and gave him the full presentation. If you notice, he's not said much negative about what we're doing, presumably because he knows it and understands it."
Doctors with the New York Jets will not clear quarterback Mike White from his rib injury, forcing the team to turn back to Zach Wilson as the starter under center this week.
White suffered an unspecified injury to his ribs during last week’s 20-12 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
After undergoing treatment and practising all week, he had planned to play in Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, but he will instead be held back by the team’s medical staff.
On Thursday, White was asked by reporters if he had any doubts that he would be starting on Sunday, and replied: "No, no, none at all."
Speaking on Friday, however, Jets coach Robert Saleh said: "Mike White, who is an absolute warrior and has been doing everything he can this week to find another option to get him on the football field, to find someone who will clear him for contact, has exhausted every measure he can because he wants to be out there for his team-mates."
With White ruled out, the Jets turn to Wilson, who has been inactive for the last three games after being benched.
Wilson has started 20 games for the Jets since being selected No. 2 overall out of BYU in 2021. New York are 8-12 in those games, and Wilson has completed just 55.6 per cent of his passes, with 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
The 7-6 Jets remain in the playoff hunt in the AFC but are looking to end a two-game skid on Sunday when they host the Lions, who have won five of their last six games and are also fighting for a playoff spot at 6-7.
Christian McCaffrey reflected on riding a "wild rollercoaster" this season after he helped the San Francisco 49ers clinch the NFC West title in just his eighth game with the team.
All-Pro running back McCaffrey joined the 49ers in a blockbuster trade from the Carolina Panthers back in October.
His arrival has served as a catalyst for a surge from San Francisco that has seen them win seven successive games to move to 10-4 and clinch the division title for the first time since 2019, despite losing top two quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance to injury and being forced to turn to rookie Brock Purdy.
McCaffrey was the focal point of the attack as the 49ers sealed the NFC West with a 21-13 road win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday.
He rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries and added another 30 yards receiving on six catches.
The former eighth overall pick finds himself in the thick of the Super Bowl hunt, having been traded from a Panthers team that started 1-5.
Asked about his campaign, McCaffrey said: "It's hard to put into words. It's been a wild rollercoaster, and obviously we still have a lot more left.
"But it's nice to be able to celebrate this one with an amazing group of guys, and I'm just so fortunate to be a part of this team."
While the 49ers enjoyed raucous celebrations and sported their division title hats and t-shirts, they still have many more mountains to scale in pursuit of an elusive sixth Super Bowl title.
"This isn't our final goal by any means," head coach Kyle Shanahan said.
"I'm very proud of our team and what we accomplished throughout the year to get to this.
"Our goal is to get into the tournament [the playoffs], and we accomplished that today, but now it's all trying to set that up to be the best situation we can and hopefully get some of our guys back, too, in the process."
Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll "cannot fathom" playing without wide receiver Tyler Lockett after he suffered a broken index finger.
Lockett sustained the injury on the final offensive drive of the Seahawks' 21-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday.
The win clinched the NFC West for 10-4 San Francisco and served as a further dent to Seattle's hopes of securing a Wild Card berth at 7-7.
Seattle's prospects of reaching the postseason now appear to be further diminished by the loss of the former first-team All-Pro and two-time second-team All-Pro Lockett.
The Seahawks are still deciding how to treat the injury, with surgery an option for Lockett, who could return in two weeks, according to Carroll.
"There's a couple different ways that they can do the surgery," Carroll said. "One of the ways gives him a chance to be back.
"Remember [running back] Rashaad Penny... had an injury similar, very similar.
"So they've already floated that thought and they're going to talk about all the options and all that and we're going to love him up and take care of him. Whatever the right thing to do to take care of him, we're going to do.
"I can't fathom playing without Tyler. I got a chance to hang with him, just to try to express what it's like to be working with a guy like this for so long.
"He's such an incredible player. He's not in tremendous pain. He's got a broken hand.
"You feel sorry for him, but he's such a magnificent football player and a member of the team and member of the community and our area and our fans ... that we're gonna miss the heck out of him for whatever he misses."
Since entering the NFL as a third-round pick in 2015, Lockett has racked up 7,031 receiving yards and 53 receiving touchdowns, which are tied for the seventh-most in the league in that span.
The Seahawks visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Eve before finishing their regular season with games against the New York Jets and Los Angeles Rams.
Kyle Shanahan described Brock Purdy as 'the most poised rookie I've ever had" after he fought through injury to help the San Francisco 49ers clinch the NFC West title in Thursday's 21-13 win against the Seattle Seahawks.
Purdy, who was the last pick of this year's NFL Draft, started his second consecutive game after taking over following the injury to Jimmy Garoppolo.
For the second game in a row, Purdy did not commit a turnover, finishing with 17 completions from 26 attempts for 217 yards and two touchdowns.
He also helped star tight end George Kittle have his best game of the season, catching four passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns, after entering the contest with only four touchdowns in 11 games.
With the victory, the 49ers clinched the NFC West and at least one home playoff game, improving their record to 10-4 on the back of a seven-game winning streak.
Purdy was questionable during the week due to oblique and rib injuries, but 49ers head coach Shanahan believes his young quarterback levelled up in the eyes of the locker room as he battled through it.
"It was definitely another level," he said. "It was another level for me, just watching someone do it.
"The injury he had last week, and for him to be ready to go today – and you could tell in pre-game warmups there were a number of things that were really tough for him. We had a number of plays we weren't going to call today because of where he was at.
"So for him to be able to play, let alone play the way he did… this team had a lot of respect for him before this game, but they have a lot more now.
“He's definitely the most poised rookie I've ever had. He's been like that since he got here. From what I hear about him in college, he was very similar, starting as a freshman. He's been great, he was poised all week even when he was unsure about whether he could go or not.
"I think that was uneasy for him, because he didn't know what to expect until he got in the game.
"Under our circumstances, we didn't have any other options, or choices. We were going to see how long he could last, and we were ready to go with [backup quarterback] Josh [Johnson], but he got comfortable, and got better as the game went on – it was pretty unbelievable."
Purdy himself did his best to deflect a lot of the positive sentiments towards his team-mates, particularly injured quarterbacks Garoppolo and Trey Lance.
"It's special and everything, but honestly, I'm just another component," he said. "I'm another piece to this team, in terms of a guy coming in, just doing what [is asked of him].
"I'm the quarterback, I have to make decisions. I trust in how the coaches teach me throughout the week, and I just try to get the ball out to the guys on time.
"Honestly, man, I don't think Jimmy and Trey get enough credit for what they've done. I'm just now coming on the scene where these guys have been here, throughout the offseason for Trey, and Jimmy coming in and leading these guys, and winning.
"So, for me to come in, I just want to continue what they got rolling. So a big credit to Jimmy and Trey for what they've done, especially in the quarterback room, for the team, and I'm just trying to do my part in terms of where we're at now in the season."
Boris Becker is set to tell his story to German television on Tuesday after the tennis legend was released from prison.
The 55-year-old was sentenced to two and a half years in jail at the end of April for breaking insolvency laws.
It was news that 21-time grand slam winner Novak Djokovic, who was previously coached by Becker, said left him "heartbroken" for his close friend.
Becker, who won six singles grand slams, served just eight months of his jail sentence. It was confirmed on Thursday by his lawyer, Christian-Oliver Moser, he has returned to his native Germany, where he is not subject to any restrictions.
Now Becker is poised to speak about his experiences, shining a light on a shocking fall from grace.
The former world number one was found guilty of hiding £2.5million worth of assets and loans to avoid paying debts when he was declared bankrupt in 2017.
He will appear on the Sat.1 channel in a prime-time slot, with editor-in-chief Juliane Essling telling dwdl.de: "Boris Becker is perhaps the greatest hero of German sport. We all know the unbelievable highs and downfalls in his life. Boris Becker is familiar to us.
"Sat.1 will not talk about him – but with him. I am pleased that Boris Becker has given us his trust for the first and only interview worldwide after what may have been the most difficult time in his life."
Becker lived in London before being sent to prison but could be prevented from returning to live in the UK.
He does not have UK citizenship and the Home Office has confirmed any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity.
He covered tennis in a broadcasting career before he was sentenced, being a regular presence on the BBC during Wimbledon, the tournament he won three times, including s spectacular triumph as the age of 17 in 1985.
The business end of the NFL season is here as the playoff picture starts to emerge.
You can tell things are getting interesting as this weekend sees three Saturday games, meaning football fans can stretch out their weekend viewing even further.
Saturday sees the Minnesota Vikings host the Indianapolis Colts, the Baltimore Ravens visit the Cleveland Browns and the Buffalo Bills taking on the Miami Dolphins.
Sunday's action includes a clash in the NFC South where no team seems to want to finish first, but the winner of the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints will leave themselves with an inexplicable chance to do so.
Stats Perform has taken a look at the numbers behind a selection of Week 15's games.
Indianapolis Colts (4-8-1) @ Minnesota Vikings (10-3)
While the Vikings have been having a far better season than the Colts, they are just 7-18-1 all-time in the series between the two (including playoffs). It is the Vikings' worst record against any single opponent.
Indianapolis entered their bye week with a 54-19 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, in which they were outscored by 33 points in the fourth quarter (33-0), the largest point differential in a single fourth quarter in NFL history.
Matt Ryan needs 125 passing yards to reach 3,000 for the 13th consecutive season, which would make him the eighth QB in NFL history to accomplish the feat, joining Philip Rivers as the only two to do so without a Super Bowl victory.
Justin Jefferson set a franchise record with 223 receiving yards on 11 catches against the Detroit Lions. Jefferson is up to 4,516 career receiving yards, the most of anyone in NFL history in a player's first three seasons (next most being Randy Moss with 4,163).
Miami Dolphins (8-5) @ Buffalo Bills (10-3)
The Bills have a five-game winning streak at home against the Dolphins, tied for their longest of all-time. This is just one game shy of matching Buffalo's longest home win streak against a divisional opponent (twice against the Colts and once against the New England Patriots).
The Dolphins lost 23-17 to the Chargers last week, posting a season-low 127 passing yards. Miami's 10 completions in the game were their fewest since Week 13 of 2015 (nine).
Tyreek Hill had a 57-yard fumble return touchdown and 60-yard receiving touchdown last week, and leads the NFL with four plays of 50 or more yards this season. Hill had four total plays of 50 or more yards in his last three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Sean McDermott is 9-2 (.818) in his career as a head coach against the Dolphins, the best record by any head 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).
Atlanta Falcons (5-8) @ New Orleans Saints (4-9)
The Falcons' three-point loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in their last game was Atlanta's 10th game this season decided by six points or fewer, tied for the most in franchise history (also in 1995, 2015 and 2017).
Cordarrelle Patterson is one of three players in NFL history to average 5.0+ yards per rush and 9.0+ yards per reception over his career (minimum 400 rushes and 200 receptions), along with Jim Brown and Bobby Mitchell.
The Saints have held their opponent to fewer than 300 net passing yards in 22 consecutive games, tied with the Bengals for the second-longest active streak in the NFL (after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 27).
Chris Olave has had at least 40 receiving yards in all 12 games of his career thus far, the second-longest streak by any NFL player to begin his career in the Super Bowl era behind fellow Saints player Michael Thomas (19).
Elsewhere...
Panthers QB Sam Darnold has won both of his starts this season and has not thrown a pick in either. He has now won seven straight starts dating back to 2020 in games where he has not thrown an interception, tied for the third-longest active streak among QBs (Jimmy Garoppolo 16, Jalen Hurts 13, Joe Burrow 7), and will look to extend it against the Steelers.
The Dallas Cowboys will have to find a way to stop Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence. Since November 1, Lawrence has the highest completion percentage in the NFL among players with at least 100 attempts (71.8). On the season, the Jaguars are 5-2 when he completes at least 70.0 per cent of his passes compared to 0-6 when he does not.
The Las Vegas Raiders will look to bounce back against the New England Patriots after blowing a 13-point lead with fewer than four minutes remaining in their 17-16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams last week. Over the last 40 seasons, the only other time the team had lost a game it led by 13+ points with four minutes or less remaining was in Week 3 of the 1993 season to the Cleveland Browns.
Tom Brady was 34-for-55 for 253 yards last week, the 11th time in his career he has attempted at least 55 passes. His teams are now 3-8 in such games, with wins in 2002 against Chicago, 2015 against Buffalo, and Week 9 of this season against the Rams. The Buccaneers (6-7) will hope he can guide them to a much-needed W against the Bengals.
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