The Minnesota Vikings announced Monday that they have named Brian Flores defensive coordinator as the team turns to the former Miami Dolphins head coach to fix one of the NFL's most porous units in 2022.
Flores, who went 24-25 in three seasons with the Dolphins before being controversially fired following the 2021 campaign, spent this past season as a senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The 41-year-old previously served 11 seasons on Bill Belichick’s staff with the New England Patriots before joining Miami in 2019. Flores was part of four Super Bowl-winning teams with New England and handled defensive play-calling duties in his final season there in 2018, helping the Pats to a 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53.
ESPN reported Sunday that Flores was one of three finalists, along with New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, for the Arizona Cardinals head coaching position that remains unfilled. He also previously spoke with the Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons for those teams' defensive coordinator openings.
Flores replaces Ed Donatell, who was fired shortly after Minnesota's 31-24 loss to the Giants in the opening round of the playoffs. The Vikings finished this past season 31st among the NFL's 32 teams in both total yards allowed and passing yards allowed and were tied for 28th in scoring defence after yielding 25.1 points per game.
In his lone season with the Steelers, Flores was part of a staff that helped the Steelers allow just seven rushing touchdowns – tied for the fewest in the NFL – and had the league’s sixth-lowest completion percentage against (61.3 per cent).
Flores, who is Black, still has a class-action lawsuit pending against the NFL alleging racial discrimination in its hiring practices following his dismissal by the Dolphins in January 2022.
The suit also alleged that the Giants and Denver Broncos interviewed Flores for open head coaching positions only to satisfy the league’s Rooney Rule that requires teams to interview minority candidates for such vacancies.
LeBron James shared on Monday that he is disappointed the Los Angeles Lakers were unable to secure his former team-mate Kyrie Irving in a trade.
The duo of James and Irving famously became the only team to ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals, conquering the record-setting 73-9 Golden State Warriors for the 2016 championship.
Their history and chemistry meant that when Irving demanded a trade from the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, James believed it was exactly the opportunity his team had been waiting for, but they were beaten to the punch by the Dallas Mavericks.
According to Shams Charania from The Athletic, the Lakers proposed a deal sending Russell Westbrook and their two remaining first-round picks – in 2027 and 2029 – to the Nets, but with championship aspirations of their own, the Nets would not budge unless promising youngsters Max Christie and Austin Reaves were both also included.
It is believed that is where the Lakers drew the line, although further reporting from Marc Stein claims Nets owner Joe Tsai was never going to send Irving to Los Angeles, because he believed that is where he was trying to force his way to.
Speaking to ESPN's Michael Wilbon, James laid out why he felt Irving was a good fit on this Lakers team, but said he has already moved on.
"I can't sit here and say I'm not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent," he said. "Someone that I had great chemistry with, and know I got great chemistry with on the floor, that can help you win championships, in my mind, in my eyes.
"But my focus is shifted now. My focus is shifted back to where it should be and that's this club now and what we have in the locker room. It's a quick pivot. It don't take me long. I don't get too excited about the possibilities of things that can be.
"I kind of envision myself on what it can, but I don't invest it all the way into it until I know it's happening, and when it does not happen, I'm back locked in on the job at hand.
"So we had an opportunity, our names were out there, the Lakers name was out there. We had an opportunity, it didn't happen.
"We move on and we finish this season strong, try to get a bid into the postseason, where I feel if we go in healthy, we can compete with anybody."
James acknowledged that the Lakers' struggles – currently sitting 13th out of 15 Western Conference teams – have had an effect on him, but he is determined to right the ship.
"Well, I mean for me it is challenging, but I'm 10 toes down," he said. "I understand that once I show up to work, or once I show up to the job description – and that's being a leader of the ballclub every single day – there's no [question for] me on what my mindset is.
"My mindset is how we can be great today and how we can maximise today for either the next game, for the next road trip, for next film session, for the next practice, for the next bus ride, plane ride.
"I have that mentality of if we can maximise today, then it makes the next challenge that much more easy for us."
It is no secret for Westbrook that he is at the centre of these trade rumours for the Lakers as they try to ship him elsewhere, but head coach Darvin Ham said he has been nothing but professional.
"He's showing up, doing his job, being a professional – and that's all you can do for any of us," he said.
"This is an unforgiving business... dealing with rumours, different things happening. All you can do is put your head down and do your work and try to remain as professional as possible, and he's done that."
Irving – who will make his debut for the Mavericks on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers – also received a $2million bonus due to the trade kicker clause in his contract.
Teenage wildcard Arthur Fils claimed his first ATP Tour victory to knock three-time champion Richard Gasquet out of the Open Sud de France.
The 18-year-old Fils, half the age of his opponent, won the first-round match against his fellow Frenchman 7-5 7-5 in Montpellier.
Fils will face another battle between youth and experience when he takes on Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in round two.
The 163-ranked Fils served eight aces and broke Gasquet four times to move into the next round
Nikoloz Basilashvili will face either defending champion Alexander Bublik or Gregoire Barrere in the last 16 after beating Constant Lestienne 6-3 (7-3) 7-5 6-2 in Monday's other match.
Henry Slade and Henry Arundell have recovered from injury to be named as part of England's 36-player squad for Sunday's Six Nations showdown with Italy at Twickenham.
Exeter centre Slade was ruled out of England's 29-23 defeat to Scotland in the opening game of the Steve Borthwick era with a hip injury sustained on club duty.
However, the 29-year-old is now available for selection against Italy – who lost 29-24 to France in their opener – while London Irish wing Arundell is back from a foot problem.
England confirmed the news on Monday, while also announcing vice-captain Courtney Lawes is back at their Pennyhill Park base continuing his recovery from a calf issue.
Borthwick will trim his squad down to 23 players later in the week ahead of facing Italy as both sides look for their first victory of the campaign.
England squad:
Forwards: Ollie Chessum, Dan Cole, Ben Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Tom Dunn, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Joe Heyes, Jonny Hill, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Lewis Ludlam, David Ribbans, Bevan Rodd, Sam Simmonds, Kyle Sinckler, Mako Vunipola, Jack Walker, Jack Willis.
Backs: Henry Arundell, Owen Farrell, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Hassell-Collins, Ollie Lawrence, Max Malins, Joe Marchant, Alex Mitchell, Henry Slade, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Manu Tuilagi, Jack van Poortvliet, Anthony Watson, Ben Youngs.
Tom Brady will wait until the 2024 NFL season to launch his new career in broadcasting with Fox Sports.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion retired last week after a 23-year career with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brady signed a 10-year deal to become Fox Sports' lead analyst last May once his playing days had come to an end, reported to be worth $375million.
However, the 45-year-old will not be involved in any capacity in next season's coverage as he intends to take his first year out from the sport since 1999.
"I want to be great at what I do," Brady told Fox Sports 1's The Herd.
"I was talking even last week with the people at Fox Sports, and the leadership there allowing me to start my opportunity in the fall of 2024 is something that's great for me.
"I'll take some time to really learn, become great at what I want to do, become great at thinking about the opportunity and make sure I don't rush into anything."
Brady announced his retirement in a short video posted on his social media channels last Wednesday.
He had called time on his illustrious career a year ago, on February 1 2022, only to announce 40 days later that he was making a comeback.
And the legendary quarterback says he wanted to make the latest retirement announcement a low-key affair.
"For me, I know in my heart how I feel," he said. "I put it out on the field for 23 years and I'm super proud of what's been accomplished.
"I just wanted to keep last week really short and sweet. I felt like I've given a lot, I've gained a lot, I've learned a lot, and life is about exciting things ahead, too.
"I've loved my time in football. It's absolutely an incredible love in my life. It's hard to make decisions like that, but it's certainly the right time."
On his next chapter away from the field, Brady added: "I want to be great at what I do, and that always takes some time, strategising, learning, growing and evolving.
"I have so many people to rely on and support me in that world, too.
"It's going to be a great opportunity for me to take some time to prepare for my broadcasting job, but also catching up on other parts of my life that need some time and energy."
Outside of the World Cup and the Olympic Games, no sporting event commands attention quite like the Super Bowl.
The build-up to an opening kick-off witnessed by a cavalcade of television and smartphone cameras is a week-long celebration of North America's dominant professional sport, a seven-day period in which talking heads agonise over every storyline in the only game of the year that doubles as a de-facto national holiday in the United States.
On occasion, such storylines may be contrived in a bid to create excitement for a matchup that does not instantly capture the imagination. Yet the modern NFL is one spoilt by the number of captivating contenders that reside in the league, and commissioner Roger Goodell could not have asked for a more enticing Super Bowl clash than the one that will take place in Arizona on Sunday.
Indeed, the meeting between AFC Champions the Kansas City Chiefs and NFC Champions the Philadelphia Eagles is one positively teeming with storylines that make Super Bowl LVII a game worthy of the ceaseless hype it will receive before Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts and Co. settle matters on the field in their fight to secure the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Mahomes and Hurts are poised to make history with their duel at State Farm Stadium. Their matchup is the first in the Super Bowl between two black starting quarterbacks and, by the time the Chiefs and Eagles have taken the field, one of them will likely have been crowned as MVP — both are finalists for the league’s most prestigious individual honour, which will be announced at a ceremony in Phoenix on Thursday.
Theirs is a battle between a signal-caller who is by this point established as the gold standard of his generation, with a prospective second MVP for Mahomes just reward for a campaign in which he threw for 50 passing touchdowns and over 5,000 yards in the same season for the second time in his career, and a quarterback who seems to be in the midst of an unexpected rise to the elite after startling growth in his second full season as a starter.
Yet both head into the game with plenty to prove. Mahomes will consider it past time to end his wait for a second Super Bowl title after breaking the hearts of the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, while there will be many still questioning whether Hurts can excel against this calibre of opposition. The Eagles went 14-1 with him as the starter in the regular season but faced only six teams who finished the year with a winning record. So far in the postseason, they have blown out an overachieving New York Giants team and seen a mouth-watering NFC Championship Game with the 49ers reduced to a no-contest after injuries left San Francisco with no healthy quarterbacks.
But questions about the opposition Hurts has faced do nothing to detract from the quality of his overall play. He has performed extremely impressively as a deep-ball thrower, with his passer rating of 112.1 on passes of 21 air yards or more the fourth-best among quarterbacks with at least 25 such attempts. The Eagles have utilised Hurts’ running ability to devastating effect as he has rushed for 13 touchdowns, while the Philadelphia quarterback ranks fourth in yards over expected in true passing situations (among quarterbacks with at least 100 such throws).
Mahomes is second by the same measure, illustrating this game’s status as a legitimate matchup between two of the very best at the game’s most important position.
Both Mahomes and Hurts will depend heavily on a man named Kelce as they look to guide their team to glory, with Travis and Jason becoming the first brothers to play against each other in the Super Bowl. Tight end Travis Kelce became the undisputed top option in the Kansas City offense in the wake of the Tyreek Hill trade and added another hugely impressive season to a Hall of Fame resume.
His campaign featured 1,338 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns with his 19 receptions of at least 20 yards the most of any tight end and the seventh-most in the NFL. The impact of an offensive lineman can sometimes be less tangible, but no center in the league makes their presence as obvious as Jason Kelce, the engine to an Eagles line that ranks first in pass block win rate and second in run block win rate, according to Stats Perform data.
Both Kelce brothers were drafted by Andy Reid, Jason picked in 2011 when the 64-year-old was Eagles head coach, with Travis then selected in his first year in Kansas City in 2013, a tenure in Philadelphia defined by frustrating near-misses coming to an end in 2012.
Reid lost three successive NFC Championship Games with the Eagles between the 2001 and 2003 seasons before finally getting them to the Super Bowl in the 2004 campaign, with his time management skills vehemently criticised in a loss to the New England Patriots.
He got back to the NFC Championship Game one more time with Philadelphia in the 2008 season, but never did so again following a loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Though his triumph with the Chiefs four years ago will obviously have softened the pain of seeing the Eagles get over the hump without him in the 2017 campaign, a contest between a man who could never quite get job done in Philadelphia and a coach in Nick Sirianni who is a game away from winning the Super Bowl in his second season is a fascinating plot point in a heavyweight encounter.
Such will be the attention on messrs Mahomes, Hurts, Reid and the brothers Kelce that some of the critical battles on which the destination of the Lombardi could hinge may well fly under the radar.
Chief among them will be the fight in the trenches. Defensive Player of the Year contender Chris Jones has led the way for a Kansas City defensive line that has tallied 18 quarterback hits in the postseason, tied for the most among 2022 playoff teams. However, he and his team-mates up front will be tested not only in defeating the blocks of the Philadelphia offensive line but in tempering the aggressiveness by which Steve Spagnuolo's defense has come to be defined against a diverse Philadelphia ground game that is well-equipped to use it against Kansas City.
In comparison to Jones, Kansas City’s young secondary is an underrated aspect of the Chiefs’ roster. The Chiefs' defense ranks 11th in open percentage allowed, though the prospective return of cornerback L'Jarius Sneed from a head injury will be key to their hopes of limiting the impact of the Eagles' star receiver duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who rank 11th and 13th respectively in combined open percentage across man and zone coverage.
Sneed has lost just 22 of his 76-man coverage matchups. Only four players to have faced 75 such matchups have allowed a receiver to get open less often.
Stopping the Eagles is of course only half the battle for Kansas City and, for as frequently as 'Mahomes magic' has rescued the Chiefs, he cannot do it alone.
Encouragingly, the Chiefs rank ninth in rushing offense in Stats Perform's Efficiency Versus Expected metric and are going against an Eagles defense 21st by the same metric against the run.
The Eagles largely shut down the 49er run game in the NFC Championship Game, but that was primarily due to the fact the Philadelphia defense could focus solely on stopping the ground attack with the threat of the passing game removed.
With Philadelphia having played an offense that was reduced solely to running the ball, the Chiefs will have received an in-depth look at how the Eagles fit their defense to stop the rush, potentially improving their odds of finding weaknesses in that area and taking advantage of them.
Mahomes remains the primary weapon and most will expect and want to see a bewitching duel between and the top two MVP candidates. Yet the Super Bowl can throw up unexpected heroes and, though there are bonafide stars and storylines aplenty, the post-game tales could well be of the job the Eagles did on Jones, how rookie Isiah Pacheco gashed Philadelphia’s run defense or how Sneed and Jaylen Watson kept Brown and Smith at bay. There's plenty of intrigue beneath the surface in a potential all-time classic.
Number five seed Jelena Ostapenko booked a place in the last 16 of the Abu Dhabi Open with victory over Danielle Collins in three sets on Monday.
Ostapenko, looking to add to the fifth career title she won in Dubai 12 months ago, edged an entertaining contest 7-5 1-6 7-5 in two hours and 19 minutes.
Fellow seeded player Anett Kontaveit was also victorious on the opening day of the tournament, but only after battling back to beat Zhang Shuai 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.
Marta Kostyuk saw off Sorana Cirstea 6-2 1-6 6-2, meanwhile, and will now face second seed Belinda Bencic in the next round.
Elise Mertens is also through to round two, where Veronika Kudermetova awaits, after dominating Martina Trevisan 6-0 6-2.
In the first main draw match at the Linz Open, Sofia Kenin let an early lead slip to lose 2-6 6-3 6-4 to Jule Niemeier.
Wide receiver A.J. Green has decided to step away from the NFL after 12 years.
The 34-year-old took to social media to announce the decision to retire on Monday.
"Thank you to all who have supported, encouraged and inspired me throughout my career," he wrote on Twitter. "Special thank you to the University of Georgia, Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals for the opportunity to pursue my dreams.
"I've stayed true to the game and it owes me nothing. Be blessed.. Love y'all! The next chapter begins."
Green was drafted fourth overall in 2011 by the Bengals and earned his first of seven consecutive Pro Bowl selections that season after leading the team with 65 receptions, 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns.
His best season came in 2013, when he had career highs of 98 receptions for 1,426 yards and 11 TDs.
After 10 seasons with the Bengals, Green signed as a free agent with Arizona, where he spent the final two seasons.
He ranks second all-time in Cincinnati franchise history in career receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns and ends his career with 727 receptions for 10,514 yards and 70 touchdowns in 158 games.
Justin Rose ended a four-year PGA Tour title drought with a three-shot victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Monday.
Rose led by two strokes when play was suspended due to darkness at Monterey Peninsula Country Club on Sunday.
The Englishman returned to end a run of 67 PGA Tour events without being crowned champion, carding a six-under 66 to finish on 18 under.
Rose resumed at the 10th hole, securing a par before picking up three birdies through the next four holes to keep his rival at bay.
The 2013 U.S. Open champion added another three pars to finish his round and finally get that winning feeling on the PGA Tour once again.
His previous PGA Tour triumph came at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January 2019.
Brendon Todd and Brandon Wu shared second place on 15 under after signing for final rounds of 65 and 66 respectively.
Denny McCarthy and Keith Mitchell were a further shot back on a memorable Monday for Rose.
Anthony Joshua's next fight has been confirmed for April 1 against Jermaine Franklin at The O2 in London.
Two-time world heavyweight champion Joshua will attempt to get his career back on track with a victory over Franklin in his homeland following back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk claimed the WBA, IBF and WBO belts by beating the Briton in September 2021 and retained them with victory in the rematch in Jeddah last August.
Franklin was beaten by Dillian White in his last fight last November, that being the American's only defeat in 22 professional bouts.
Joshua is eager to impress his new head trainer Derrick James in what will be his first fight at The O2 since 2016.
"I'm looking forward to stepping back into the ring on April 1 at The O2 in London," said the 33-year-old Joshua. "Mentally and physically I feel ready.
"I want to put on a show and impress my coach as he has high standards. Franklin has a good style and a great attitude, which he has shown in recent fights."
Eddie Hearn, Joshua's promoter, last week stated that he expects the 2012 Olympic champion to make a statement when he faces Franklin but knows "we've got a major problem" if he is beaten again.
Franklin warned he will inflict more pain on Joshua in his homeland.
"I'm ready to show the world why it's time for me to take my place at the top of the heavyweight division," said Franklin.
"Joshua had his time. It's my time to shock the world. This fight isn't going to the judge's card. I will have win number 22 come April 1. That ain't no April Fool's joke."
Ireland will be without Jamison Gibson-Park, Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong for a huge Six Nations clash with France on Saturday.
Scrum-half Gibson-Park and prop Healy were late withdrawals from an opening 34-10 win over Wales at the weekend due to hamstring injuries.
The duo will not be fit in time for a showdown with defending champions France at the Aviva Stadium, while prop Furlong also misses out due to a calf issue that sidelined him for the victory at the Principality Stadium.
Conor Murray will be expected to retain the number nine shirt after coming into the side to replace Gibson-Park.
Captain Johnny Sexton, who suffered a dead leg in Cardiff, will complete the HIA process on Monday, while Ronan Kelleher is due to return to training this week.
Scrum-half Caolin Blade and loosehead prop Michael Milne have been called up to the squad, while Roman Salanoa and Tom Stewart will remain with the group after being drafted in last week.
France started the defence of their title with a 29-24 win over Italy at Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
The latest Kyrie Irving saga is over with time to spare before the trade deadline, but how will it impact the rest of the NBA?
The Dallas Mavericks agreed a trade for Irving and Markieff Morris on Sunday, sending Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029 to the Brooklyn Nets.
That shake-up had been anticipated as Irving pursued a trade, yet it leaves plenty to ponder ahead of Thursday's deadline.
Stats Perform considers the week's key questions as those hoping to be in contention respond to the Mavs' big move.
How does Durant react?
Irving and Kevin Durant arrived in Brooklyn together in 2019 but, for myriad reasons, the Nets never saw the best of them as a pair as they started only 71 regular season games together.
Durant repeatedly stood by Irving as various controversies threatened to derail the team, yet he has now been left behind.
While the package the Nets received from the Mavs should ensure they have enough to put around Durant and remain competitive, what does the two-time Finals MVP want for himself?
The suggestion over the weekend was the Phoenix Suns – under new ownership – would be keen on making a move for Durant if he became available, and there would be other potential contenders who would see the attraction of a genuine superstar to get them over the line.
Durant has failed previously to force his way out of Brooklyn, but his situation is certainly worth watching.
What now for the Lakers?
If not the Mavs, the Los Angeles Lakers seemed the most likely destination for Irving, with Russell Westbrook and two unprotected first-round picks said to make up the package offered to the Nets.
The Nets were understandably unconvinced by Westbrook's ability to have an impact in 2023, however, and now the Lakers must regroup.
Superstar LeBron James could be forgiven for being far from impressed with the team's inability to secure a trade he had pushed for, and his cryptic Twitter posts as news broke of the Mavs deal would suggest that is the case.
It is expected the Lakers will remain active ahead of the deadline, but Rob Pelinka's promise to only use the team's draft picks in "a move that puts us as a front-runner to get another championship" somewhat limits their potential moves.
The Utah Jazz and the Toronto Raptors have plenty of players they could move, yet none that fall into that category. Someone like Bradley Beal could perhaps be a possibility if the Lakers are determined to go all-in on helping James.
Do the Warriors have a move?
As the Mavs moved for Irving, news elsewhere indicated another shift in the Western Conference: Stephen Curry's leg injury is set to see him miss multiple weeks.
The Golden State Warriors are the defending champions but also cannot afford to be without Curry, given their middling 27-26 record.
This team looked set up to succeed long term, balancing the veteran brilliance of Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green with a cast of exciting young talents, led by Jordan Poole.
But between the drama of a clash between Green and Poole, Curry's repeated fitness issues and the Warriors' generally middling form, there was already no room for error before the reigning Finals MVP went down again.
With an upturn required and Curry missing, Golden State may have to deal some of their young prospects – former number two pick James Wiseman being an obvious candidate – in order to improve their roster.
Is Anunoby as big as it gets?
With the Raptors seen as willing sellers, O.G. Anunoby has been popular in trade rumours for weeks now. As the deadline nears, it seems inevitable he will move.
A number of teams with designs on winning the title would benefit from the versatile Anunoby and his ability on both ends of the floor, averaging 16.9 points and 2.1 steals per game.
The New Orleans Pelicans and the Memphis Grizzlies appear to provide the most likely landing grounds.
But will that be it? If Durant stays put, will Anunoby be the most significant mover of the final days before the deadline?
After the Irving trade, that seems very low key, but the NBA always has the facility to surprise...
Rookie driver Logan Sargeant is "super motivated" to grasp his first Formula One opportunity in Williams' new FW45 challenger car.
Sargeant is gearing up for his maiden F1 season after replacing the axed Nicholas Latifi.
The 22-year-old American was fast-tracked to become Alex Albon's team-mate.
Williams finished bottom of the constructor standings with only eight points in 2022, but will start a new era with a rookie driver and team principal in the form of Sargeant and James Vowles.
The team on Monday unveiled the matte livery that will adorn their FW45 challenger, with Mercedes providing the power for a 10th consecutive season, and Sargeant is raring to go.
He said: "I'm really excited for the season to get started after what, for me, feels like a long winter!
"I'm super motivated and we've put a lot of hard work in. The car is looking amazing and it shows the huge effort the team has put in the off-season, so I'm looking forward to getting started at Silverstone before heading out to Bahrain."
Albon said: "The team has worked really hard last year and over the winter to address some key areas in our car, putting in the work to try and maximise what we get out of the car for 2023, so I'm looking forward to seeing what the FW45 can do."
Vowles will begin his new role on February 20, three days before the drivers begin 2023 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Doc Rivers was frustrated by the Philadelphia 76ers' second unit after his side gave up a big lead against the New York Knicks.
The Sixers went down 108-97 in New York on Sunday, despite taking a 21-point lead in the first quarter.
Philadelphia's advantage was cut to just two by halftime, and although they restored a three-point cushion heading into the final quarter, they could not hold out.
Having seen his team surrender a 21-point lead for the second game in a week, coach Rivers bemoaned the play of those he had to call on from the bench.
"I thought our second unit came in and struggled," Rivers told reporters.
"This is the second time that has happened. The same thing happened in Orlando.
"Both times, we were scoring too easy. The second group comes in and thinks this is an offensive game and they didn't see the reason the first group got the lead was because of defense."
Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris and James Harden started and each posted double-doubles for the 76ers, yet Tyrese Maxey was the only substitute to get into double figures for points (12).
In contrast, the Knicks bench accounted for 37 points, with Evan Fournier putting up 17 of them.
Rivers did, however, insist it was "not just a bench loss".
"We've been good at that. Just because one half doesn't work, you don't vacate the unit," he said.
"That's what guys do who lose a lot. So they didn't play well, though honestly, I didn't think that's why we lost the game.
"I hate that the numbers look like it was the bench: it was everybody. This was a team loss and I made that clear.
"We'll sit and look and we'll see minus-24 and plus-34s, our stars were in some of that too when Fournier was making those shots, and so I just thought it was a team loss. I thought it was more mental and emotional than just playing basketball.
"I thought we were just not strong. Mentally, I thought they were the mentally tougher team and they deserve to win."
Embiid, who led the game with 31 points, 14 rebounds and three assists, added: "It's never easy.
"A 20-point lead in the NBA, that's nothing. Any team can come back and that's what they did tonight."
Kyrie Irving bade Brooklyn Nets fans farewell after accompanying him in the fulfilment of a childhood "dream" of playing for the franchise before sealing a trade.
Irving requested a trade from the Nets on Friday, and just two days later he got his wish.
The Dallas Mavericks sent Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a first-round draft pick and two second-rounders in exchange for Irving and Markieff Morris.
Comfortably the most significant trade of the NBA season, Irving's move comes less than two weeks after he was named a starter in what will be his eighth All-Star Game appearance.
Irving joined from the Boston Celtics in 2019 and was a controversial figure during his time in Brooklyn, sitting out much of the 2021-22 season because he refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
He had been enjoying a strong bounce-back campaign before requesting a trade, averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game.
And despite not being a universally popular figure, Irving paid tribute to Nets fans – who booed him when his face appeared on a big screen ahead of Saturday's win over the Washington Wizards – ahead of linking up with Luka Doncic at the Mavs.
Irving, who once described himself as being a "struggling Nets fan" while growing up, wrote on social media: "Thank you NetsWorld fans and supporters for the love on and off the court.
"I will forever be grateful I got to live out my dream I had as a kid with y'all. It will always be love from me and my family."
He added: "Pouring Libations for all of the ancestors and the universe. Thank you for the guidance and assistance along the journey. I honor you and I love you. Blessings."
Irving missed the game against the Wizards due to calf soreness, which ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski says has since subsided.
Pending a medical, the Mavericks are preparing for Irving to make his debut for the franchise on Wednesday when they travel to take on the Los Angeles Clippers.
The 28-26 Mavs are sixth in the Western Conference, while the Nets (32-20) are fourth in the East.
Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown is concerned that his side's strong start has them playing complacently after getting crushed 136-104 by the undermanned New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
The Pelicans, who were without Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, were 1-10 in their previous 11 games heading into Sunday, but they made light work of a Kings side who were also missing De'Aaron Fox.
It was Sacramento's fourth loss from their past six games, and while they still sit third in the West, the tightly bunched nature of the conference has them in a precarious position.
At 29-23 the Kings are one game ahead of the fourth-placed Los Angeles Clippers (30-26), but are also only three games ahead of the 10th-seeded Utah Jazz (27-27).
A losing streak now could see the Kings plummet in the standings, and with the potential to break 16-season playoff drought, coach Brown wants to see his team figure things out quickly.
"We’ve had a pretty good year so far and we've experienced a lot of highs," he said. "Now we've hit a little adversity.
"I don't know if we're all-in like we talked about at the beginning of the year, and how we've been, because things are flowing and we're winning and in third-place or whatever.
"I'm going to watch and see how we all handle this. It's tough to go through, but it's a great thing for this team to experience.
"Because if we expect to make the playoffs – and we do expect to advance in the playoffs – we'll have to deal with adversity... and, right now, I don't think we're doing a great job with it."
For the Pelicans, who are now on a two-game winning streak following a dismal 10-game losing streak, second-year wing Trey Murphy III was the key as he scored a season-high 30 points on nine-of-11 shooting, hitting six-of-eight from deep.
The 22-year-old came into the contest having made just 11-of-31 three-point attempts in his past five games, but he said he knew things would balance out if he kept firing.
"Just got to keep shooting, no matter if you're hitting or not," he said. "Eventually, your percentage is going to get to where it's supposed to be. So, I'm just glad my teammates found me and I was able knock down shots."
He added: "B.I. [Ingram] was out, so somebody had to be B.I. – I decided to tap into my B.I. skill-set."
The Dallas Mavericks are preparing for Kyrie Irving to make his debut for the franchise on Wednesday when they travel to take on the Los Angeles Clippers.
Irving requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, and just two days later the controversial superstar got his wish as the Mavericks sent away Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a first-round draft pick and two second-rounders in exchange for Irving and Markieff Morris.
It is easily the biggest trade of the NBA season so far, and it comes less than two weeks after Irving was named a starter in what will be his eighth All-Star Game appearance.
After sitting out most of the 2021-22 season in protest to New York City's vaccination mandate, Irving had been in the midst of a strong bounce back campaign, averaging 27.1 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 48.6 per cent from the field, 37.4 per cent from deep and 88.3 per cent from the free throw line.
He had played in 40 of the Nets' first 51 games this season, before also missing their 52nd with what was labelled "calf soreness" the day after he demanded the trade from Brooklyn, when it was also reported he was willing to sit out until a trade was made.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, that calf soreness has subsided and, pending a physical on Monday, he is expected to suit up in Mavericks colours for the first time on Wednesday.
The Athletic's Shams Charania states the Clippers were one of three other teams serious about trading for Irving – along with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns – and the Clippers will face him the game after they return from their road trip, which wraps up Monday against the now Irving-less Nets.
There are no more scheduled meetings between the Nets and Mavericks for the rest of the campaign, with Dallas having already swept the season series 2-0.
The NBA banned a number of acquaintances of Memphis Grizzlies All-Star Ja Morant from attending the team's home games following a postgame incident that occurred last week.
According to a report from The Athletic, members of Morant’s group reportedly confronted representatives of the Indiana Pacers' travelling party following the Grizzlies' 112-100 win over Indiana in Memphis on January 29.
The report states that a red laser coming from an SUV that was believed to be carrying Morant was pointed towards Pacers players and coaches as they made their way to the team bus, and witnesses told NBA investigators they feared the laser was attached to a gun.
A league spokesman said a resulting investigation found no evidence of any weapons present, but confirmed to The Athletic that multiple people have been prohibited from attending Grizzlies’ home games following the probe.
"NBA security and league investigators conducted an investigation interviewing numerous eyewitnesses and reviewing video surveillance following allegations made by the Indiana Pacers organisation regarding a postgame incident on January 29," the league said in a statement.
"While we substantiated that a postgame situation arose that was confrontational, based on interviews and other evidence gathered, we could not corroborate that any individual threatened others with a weapon.
"Certain individuals involved in the postgame situation and a related matter during the game that night have been subsequently banned from attending games in the arena. If additional information becomes available related to the postgame situation, the league office will conduct a further review."
Morant, who was named to his second straight All-Star Game earlier this week, tweeted Sunday that his brother was barred from FedEx Forum for a year as a result of the investigation. The standout point guard received no league discipline.
"Did a investigation [and] seen they were cappin,” Morant tweeted. "Still let a article come out to paint this negative image on me and my fam, and banned my brother from home games for a year. Unbelievable."
Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters prior to Sunday's game against Toronto that the team cooperated fully with the NBA's investigation, though he did not comment on any specific details of the situation.
"That was addressed internally. We're aware of the investigation of the NBA," he said. "They did a full investigation, we were fully compliant with it and I think they came out with a statement saying nothing was corroborated or found.
"That’s what I know and that’s all I’m going to comment on."
The New York Knicks stormed home with a 32-18 final period to defeat the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 108-97 on Sunday,
The Knicks were on the second night of a back-to-back, coming off a disappointing overtime loss at home against the Los Angeles Clippers, but they steadied the ship to avoid a fourth loss from their past five.
Point guard Jalen Brunson finished with 21 points on six-of-16 shooting with seven assists and five rebounds, while All-Star team-mate Julius Randle posted 24 points (eight-of-19), nine rebounds and seven assists.
They were solid, but inefficient, shooting a combined 40 per cent from the field while both finished with a plus/minus figure in the negatives.
What won the game for the Knicks was their production off the bench. Evan Fournier scored a season-high 17 points (six-of-11), Deuce McBride added 14 points (three-of-eight), and the pair combined to shoot eight-of-14 from long range, while both posting a plus/minus of plus 28 or better.
Backup center Isaiah Hartenstein was similarly impactful, snatching an equal season-high 14 rebounds in his fourth consecutive appearance with at least 10 boards.
MVP candidate Joel Embiid was respectable for the 76ers, finishing six-of-16 from the field, but he still produced 31 points and 14 rebounds after shooting 18-of-19 from the free throw line.
With the win, the Knicks improved their record to 29-26, and they now sit just a half-game back from the six seed in the Eastern Conference.
Balanced Raptors overcome Morant-less Grizzlies
With Ja Morant out injured, the Memphis Grizzlies were unable to protect their lead down the stretch, going down 106-103 at home against the Toronto Raptors.
The Grizzlies led by 15 points late in the third quarter, before the Raptors closed the show on a 40-22 run.
Seven of the eight Raptors to play finished with between 10 and 19 points, with Pascal Siakam's 19 points on seven-of-17 shooting leading the scoring, while Scottie Barnes was a menace defensively as he had two steals and two blocks to go with his 16 points and seven rebounds.
Desmond Bane (26 points and four steals) and Jaren Jackson Jr (18 points and four blocks) were the bright spots for the Grizzlies, who at 32-21 are now four-and-a-half games behind the Western Conference-leading Denver Nuggets.
Cavs starters light up the Pacers
The Cleveland Cavaliers' starting-five shot a blistering 58.7 per cent from the field as they blew out the Indiana Pacers 122-103 on the road.
Donovan Mitchell had 19 points on six-of-18 shooting, but he was the only Cleveland starter to hit less than half his shots as Darius Garland (eight-of-13), Evan Mobley (seven-of-12), Jarrett Allen (nine-of-11) and Isaac Okoro (seven-of-nine) combined to shoot 68.8 per cent.
Newly extended Pacers center Myles Turner had strong production in the losing effort, finishing with 27 points (nine-of-18), 10 rebounds and three blocks.
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