Red Bull have announced the return of Daniel Ricciardo, who will be their third driver for the 2023 season.
The Australian left the grid following his exit from McLaren, where he completed his final race in Abu Dhabi last Sunday, and it was widely expected that he would be returning to Red Bull, who he left in 2018.
Ricciardo had a stint with Renault before moving to McLaren, with spells at both teams being disappointing ones, and it was announced earlier this year he would be leaving the latter – Oscar Piastri being his replacement on the grid.
The 33-year-old did not turn his back on Formula One, however, and could return to the grid with a full-time seat in the future, though previously stated he felt the best approach could be as a reserve driver.
That move has now come with Red Bull, where he will be an understudy to Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in 2023 – filling in should either of the pair be unable to race, as well as competing in practice sessions.
"The smile says it all, I'm truly excited to be coming back home to Oracle Red Bull Racing as their Third Driver in 2023," Ricciardo said.
"I already have so many fond memories of my time here, but the welcome from Christian [Horner], Dr [Helmut] Marko and the entire team is something I'm sincerely appreciative of.
"For me personally, the ability to contribute to and be surrounded by the best team in F1 is hugely appealing, whilst also giving me some time to recharge and refocus.
"I can't wait to be with the team and support with simulator work, testing sessions and commercial activities. Let’s go!"
The 2023 Formula One season will begin on March 5 in Bahrain, the start of a record-breaking 24 races across the course of the campaign.
Chris Kreider described the New York Rangers' triumph over the Los Angeles Kings as a "war of attrition" as they came from behind to win 5-3.
The Rangers ended the hosts' five-game winning streak on home ice despite a slow start in which they fell 2-0 down in the first period.
With the game locked at 3-3 heading into the final period, it was Kreider's two-goal heroics that ensured the Rangers came out on top.
"I don't think we got bottled up [early], I just think it was kind of a war of attrition," he said following a game in which Braden Schneider, Vincent Trocheck and Kaapo Kakko were also on target for the Rangers.
"A lot of face-offs in the neutral zone, and everything was kind of in the trenches for a while.
"I felt like we did a good job of advancing pucks and making them try to go 200 feet, trying to force turnovers, and it felt like we were just a bounce here or a bounce there away from getting a really good chance."
It was the first time this season the Rangers had come from two goals down to win and Kreider was encouraged to see such spirit from his team.
"That was kind of the staple for us last year – apparently that's the way we win hockey games," he said.
"Obviously we'd like to have a great start, and a great second period, and a fantastic finish, but that's not always how it goes.
"So for us to kind of regroup, and come back, and put our foot on the gas like that, it's definitely a good sign."
Rangers coach Gerrard Gallant was certainly pleased with what he saw.
"I thought everybody played great, they played their roles real well," he said. "I thought we were really, really good in the second period, that was a big difference for us, and then the game just continued that way.
"That's back-to-back games where I've been pretty excited about the way we've played."
"It's definitely satisfying. Being down 2-0 is a little scary 10 minutes into the hockey game, especially on the road, but I thought we battled back well."
The Sacramento Kings just keep on winning, defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 113-109 on the road for their seventh straight victory – a feat they have not achieved since 2004.
Their 113 points is the lowest total they have put up during this winning run, having not previously fallen below 120.
The Kings' scoring power, which includes the highest total in a game this season (153 against the Brooklyn Nets) has them as the second-best offense in the NBA at 117.7 points per 100 possessions, trailing only the Boston Celtics (118.2).
De'Aaron Fox was the catalyst on Tuesday, scoring a team-high 32 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including five-of-eight from deep, while adding eight rebounds, six assists and four steals.
Fox's ability to go head-to-head with Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant bodes well for the Kings, as the 24-year-old former fifth overall pick in the 2017 draft appears on track for his first All-Star appearance.
He is averaging a career-high 25.4 points per game at a career-best 55.8 field goal percentage, and he is also top-20 in assists with an average of 6.4.
At 10-6, the Kings are currently occupying the third seed in the Western Conference, and they will look to extend their streak to eight games when they head to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Wednesday.
Davis' dominance goes to waste
Anthony Davis had one of the most statistically impressive games of his career in the Los Angeles Lakers' 115-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Davis scored 37 points on 11-of-17 shooting, hitting 15 of his 16 free throws, while grabbing 21 rebounds, snatching five steals and swatting five blocks. He is the first player since the league began recording blocks and steals in 1973 to post at least 37 points, 20 rebounds, five steals and four blocks in a game.
For the Suns, Mikal Bridges and Devin Booker scored 25 each, while center Deandre Ayton had 14 points and 15 rebounds before being shoved to the ground by Patrick Beverley late in the fourth quarter, drawing an ejection for the Lakers guard.
Bogdanovic leads unlikely Pistons win
Despite the return of reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic and second-fiddle Jamal Murray, the Detroit Pistons pulled off an upset 110-108 road win against the Denver Nuggets.
After missing some time due to the league's health and safety protocols, Jokic was back to his dominant best, scoring 31 points on 12-of-16 shooting with 10 assists and nine rebounds, but it was not enough.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored a team-high 22 points on eight-of-17 points for the Pistons, while Alec Burks chipped in 21 points and three steals off the bench, and Killian Hayes set the table with nine assists.
Kevin Durant feels "everybody" wants to see the Brooklyn Nets fail after Ben Simmons' homecoming against the undermanned Philadelphia 76ers ended in a disappointing 115-106 road defeat on Tuesday.
The 76ers were missing Joel Embiid, James Harden and Tyrese Maxey through injury, but they were able to catch fire from deep, shooting 50 per cent from the three-point line (16-of-32).
In a hostile environment for the Nets, the Philadelphia crowd aggressively booed Simmons every time he touched the ball, although he performed well, collecting 11 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals.
For the 76ers, Tobias Harris stepped up into an increased workload and delivered a team-high 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting, while De'Anthony Melton, Georges Niang and Shake Milton combined for 54 points on 12-of-19 from long-range.
It was a golden opportunity for the full-strength Nets to pull their record even at 9-9, but they are now two games below .500 at 8-10.
When asked if he felt the crowd took extra delight in getting one over Simmons and the Nets, Durant said he feels every away crowd has added animosity towards his team.
"It's a lot of emotions [for Simmons coming back to Philadelphia], you always want to play well," he said. "You know the fans are going to be involved… and bring their best.
"But that's at every arena, everybody wants to see our team fail – nobody likes Ben, nobody likes 'Ky' [Irving], nobody likes myself – so it might be like that at every road arena.
"It's just something we've got to deal with, but I thought [Simmons] did a great job at handling it and playing his game. We had a chance to win, but we just didn't."
Durant added that he did not feel the Nets played a poor defensive game, but were too slow to adjust to the 76ers' hot shooting.
"It's the same s***," he said. "They had 20 more shots than us, and seven more three-pointers. That's the game.
"[We have to] just go do it. Just go do what we need to do. Rebound, box out, move the ball, guard up one-on-one.
"They shot 43 per cent from the field, which is not bad. But they shot 50 per cent from the three-point line, and a lot of those were crossover, step-back threes – they're just back-breakers.
"I wouldn't necessarily say we had a horrible defensive night, but they out-rebounded us – 20 offensive rebounds – and they made 16 threes, and it looked bad.
"We would make them shoot a tough shot, they get a rebound and hit a three. We botch a switch maybe, and a guy gets a little bit of space and he shoots over a contest. They knocked them down tonight.
"Early on we should have seen they were hot, so we had to get up into them and force them inside the three-point line.
"But they played free, and they had nothing to lose, so those shots are just going to feel better when they leave their hands. We had to make them miss tonight, and they hit them, you have to give them credit."
Another game, and another change at quarterback for the Carolina Panthers heading into Week 12.
Sam Darnold will make his season debut for the Panthers on Sunday against the Denver Broncos, becoming the fourth different quarterback to play for Carolina this season and the third different starter.
Darnold, acquired from the New York Jets in April 2021, replaces Baker Mayfield, who threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 13-3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens and dropped to 1-5 as the team’s starter.
Darnold has spent most of this season on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain he suffered during the preseason. He went 4-8 as Carolina’s starter last season, but was 1-8 in his last nine games. He ended up completing 59.9 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions for a 71.9 passer rating.
"You learn a lot just by watching," Darnold said recently. "There’s a lot to learn in terms of walking around the building, learning from other guys. There’s a lot you can learn when you don’t have the stress of being a starter. But at the end of the day, I want to be out there."
Coach Steve Wilks opted to go with Darnold after Mayfield’s dismal performance, and P.J. Walker is not yet ready to return from his own high-ankle sprain. Walker was 2-3 before suffering his injury in a Week 10 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
At 3-8, the Panthers are tied with the Chicago Bears for the worst record in the NFC and are headed for a fifth straight season out of the playoffs.
Kawhi Leonard's return to the Los Angeles Clippers lasted three games before another injury, with a rolled ankle ruling him out of Wednesday's fixture against the Golden State Warriors.
Leonard missed all of last season after tearing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs, and after returning for two games in October, he proceeded to miss another three weeks with his troublesome knee.
The 31-year-old two-time NBA Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year has started each of the Clippers' past three games, averaging 8.3 points in 23.3 minutes as he works his way back into form.
In Monday's win against the Utah Jazz, where the Clippers were already missing Paul George due to a strained hamstring, Leonard landed awkwardly after attempting to block a shot in the fourth quarter, and was subsequently ruled out of the rest of the contest.
After that game, he said: "I just rolled my ankle… but I should be fine".
The Clippers sorely miss Leonard at his offensive best, as they currently boast the second-best defense in the league, but the third-worst offense.
His next opportunity to get back on the floor will be Friday at home against the Denver Nuggets, or if that is too soon, Sunday at home against the Indiana Pacers.
San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward did not gain any respect for star Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins when they matched up on Monday.
The 49ers won the contest convincingly 38-10 as the Cardinals were without starting quarterback Kyler Murray, missing his second consecutive game through injury.
Despite the Cardinals' struggles, Hopkins managed a productive outing, catching nine passes for 91 yards from his 12 targets. Since his return from a six-week suspension for traces of performance enhancing drugs in his system, Hopkins leads the NFL in both targets and catches.
However, speaking to the 49ers' radio broadcast after the win, Ward took the opportunity to trash the five-time All-Pro, calling him "steroid boy".
"D-Hop, he think he a tough guy," he said. "He think he still one of the best receivers in the league, and he really not.
"He was getting locked up. He was doing some dirty things. He tried to clip me, he grabbed me by the throat. He grabbed my facemask on one play, so I don’t respect his game. That’s steroid boy."
Ward, who arrived as a key free agent signing in the offseason from the Kansas City Chiefs, led the 49ers in total tackles in the game, tying his season-high with 10.
It was the third consecutive week the 49ers' defense have not allowed a single point in the second half, leading to three wins on the trot to climb atop the NFC West with a 6-4 record.
Hugo Lloris fears Lucas Hernandez has suffered an "important injury", dealing France yet another blow as they bid to defend their World Cup crown.
France began their campaign with a 4-1 win over Australia on Tuesday but were without Paul Pogba, N'Golo Kante, Christopher Nkunku and Karim Benzema, who were all ruled out of the tournament.
And left-back Hernandez was added to that injury list after he went down in attempting to stop Matthew Leckie's cross for Australia's shock opener.
The outlook does not look positive for the Bayern Munich defender, but France captain Lloris hopes his team-mates can rally as they have done before.
"It's never good to see one of your team-mates leaving the field in that way," he said. "I believe it's an important injury.
"He's not the first one, but we have to continue to look forward. Unfortunately we could not count on him, but we have a team with other players that we trust.
"We have to stay together and keep believing, keep our focus on that."
Lloris added: "We have important players left on the side for injuries, but luckily we have a lot of talented players in France, players we can trust, because they have the talent, the mentality and the desire to perform at the highest level.
"We try to create something special inside the team day by day. We try to enjoy the moment, not only on the pitch but also off the pitch.
"We have to take it game by game. Obviously it's a World Cup, there's no easy games and we have to be ready to face difficulties. When we face difficulties, we have to make sure that everybody raises their level."
The previous three holders have exited the World Cup at the group stage, but that sequence appears unlikely to be extended now.
Indeed, France's 4-1 win was the biggest in the first game of a title defence in World Cup history.
"We're obviously pleased with the result and pleased with the performance," Lloris said.
"I believe we had a good start in that game, but unfortunately we conceded that goal. We also lost one of our team-mates in this action by injury.
"But the team stayed calm, and we took control of the game and slowly started to dominate and created chances, then we scored one and two.
"Second half, I think we controlled perfectly. It's a good start."
Gareth Southgate is worried and demanded "clarity" after expressing concerns England could fall foul to refereeing decisions after a pre-World Cup briefing.
FIFA referees committee chairman Pierluigi Collina used an example clip of Kalvin Phillips blocking an opponent at a free-kick to help create space for Harry Maguire to score in last year's 5-0 win over Albania.
The video was used to brief referees, competing nations and the media, on how to spot foul play from set-piece situations and seemingly worked against England in Monday's 6-2 thrashing of Iran.
Maguire appeared to be dragged down by Iran's Rouzbeh Cheshmi in the opening stages, with the referee nor the VAR intervening, before John Stones conceded a late penalty for similar on Mehdi Taremi.
Southgate admitted he fears England may fall on the wrong side of decisions after Collina's briefing, citing concerns after a "definite penalty" on Maguire.
"What worries me is we were used in an example in the referees' video," the England manager said.
"What we were shown, the incident in the first half [with Maguire] would be a definite penalty.
"Maybe there's a shirt pull [for the Iran penalty] – we've got to be better on that – but I'm a bit worried we were the example shown.
"Then to get a decision as happened in the first half, we need some clarification really as to how it's going to be."
Southgate recalled the Football Association being able to discuss penalty decisions with match officials after England's 2-1 win over Tunisia at Russia 2018.
"It happened in Russia and we've got to have that dialogue with FIFA [again]," he added.
"We want clarity. Otherwise, we don't know where we stand. Goals are going in and we don't know whether they stand or not. The bit that worries me is we were the example shown."
England face the United States in their next Group B game on Friday before a clash with Wales four days later.
Carlos Alcaraz turns a "deaf ear" to comparisons between himself and fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
A stunning season for Alcaraz has seen him become the youngest world number one in ATP history at the age of 19.
He won two Masters 1000 titles and his maiden grand slam at the US Open in September.
Alcaraz was ruled out of the ATP Finals with an abdominal injury, but Nadal's elimination in Turin ensured Alcaraz would end 2022 as the youngest ever year-end number one.
Such accomplishments have seen him compared by some to countryman Nadal, who won the French Open aged just 19 in 2005 on his way to becoming one of the most decorated men's tennis players of all time.
But Alcaraz refuses to entertain such talk, instead speaking of his admiration at what the now 36-year-old Nadal had achieved over his long career.
"There is no point in comparing," Alcaraz told reporters. "It doesn't matter that now I am world number one, Rafa's entire career counts for a lot.
"It is a pleasure, for every tennis lover, to see Rafa on the court."
He added he hopes to achieve "at least half" of what Nadal has, in a career spanning over two decades and encompassing 22 grand slam titles.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, is trying to "regain strength before returning to the court" as he eyes the new season, and acknowledged he will start with a target on his back due to his 2022 success.
"The season is going to be difficult because I am going to start as the favourite," he explained. "There is going to be a lot of pressure on me.
"But I try to keep the good part and see that all this does not go to my head. In the end, beating your idols is an incredible achievement.
"I try to take it normally and never forget that whatever happens in the future, I have to enjoy tennis and play at my level."
South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber believes the rugby union world disrespects his side amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Rassie Erasmus' actions.
The Springboks' director of rugby has been handed a fresh suspension following his latest criticism of match officials, having only recently returned in October following a year-long ban for the same issue.
Erasmus, who guided South Africa to victory over England at the 2019 Rugby World Cup before he vacated the role to Nienaber, will miss this weekend's rematch at Twickenham with Eddie Jones' side.
But his successor believes his team are being made a scapegoat, and that they are more than the sum of their parts as suggested by their broadsides at referees.
"If all the facts are out there, I think people would form a different opinion," Nienaber stated. "It is quite sad if you think about it.
"We can't control the narrative that gets put out there that we are boring, and we don't attack, that we just kick and tackle.
"All the energy you put in, you are not going to change that narrative, that is the narrative people want to drive.
"If we will get respect ever, I don't know, but as long as we are comfortable with what we are putting out here and are trying to achieve, and we are open and honest with each other as a group."
2023 is shaping up to be another historic year for the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) with several teams having already qualified for the El Salvador Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in June and the Santiago Pan American Games in October, 2023.
The male and female teams of rugby and the male hockey team have cemented their places in the games and the sunshine girls will make an historic appearance in the CAC Games and should lift the title in the sport’s inaugural staging at the championship.
“Increasing the number of sports at which Jamaica is represented on the international stage and deepening the pool of competitive talent are non-negotiable strategic objectives of the JOA as we engage our members in our ‘Sport for Excellence’ campaign” JOA President, Christopher Samuda, said while underscoring the imperative of providing Jamaica’s youth with a menu of choices in sport.
Financial backing is a critical element of success and the JOA continues to fund what some refer to as “minor sports” in a declared strategy of helping them to transition to the global stage. JOA’s Secretary General/CEO, Ryan Foster, puts the apex body’s plan in perspective: “A successful investment strategy in sport must be plural and not singular in its treatment of sport. It must be democratic and not centralize in its spend. It must be funnel and not tunnel visioned in capitalising talent and it must be innovative in yielding dividends and ensuring sustainability.”
Adjani Burton, Jamaica’s Senior men’s hockey team captain endorses JOA’s approach as he looks with optimism to the games. “We appreciate funding from the JOA because it will significantly help us in our preparation for the CAC Games and beyond. We're hoping that as the team grows and develops, more corporate companies will notice and provide a similar level of support. We are eternally grateful to the JOA as they’ve always been supporting us and hope that it continues in the longer term.”
The growth locally of the Olympic sport of rugby union and its representation internationally with back-to-back appearances in the Rugby World Cup and Commonwealth Games have inspired Bruce Martin, Technical Director to say” The JOA recognizes that this is a result of a pinnacle of many years of hard work and strict dedication for our players on the pathway to dynamic moves in Jamaica Rugby and JOA equally shares our excitement.”
Equally motivated by the strategic direction of the JOA is national surfing coach Icah Wilmot who supports the national governing association’s “sport for all” policy “We are greatly appreciative of JOA’s support of and commitment to the growth of the para surfing team" he said.
President of the Jamaica Boxing Association, Stephen “Bomber” Jones in expressing appreciation for the JOA’s commitment to the sport and the Caribbean Boxing Championships said “the fact that the JOA can once again come to our assistance to ensure that team Jamaica can be well represented is huge and we will do JOA proud” The sport is expected to be among the army for the CAC games.
Fabian Stewart, President Jamaica Hockey Federation, maintains that “the JOA has been a constant partner for the development of field hockey in Jamaica consistent with the Olympic ideals and mission. The governing body continues to support the efforts of the Jamaica Hockey Federation and its national programme which is being rolled out in our National Excellence Strategic campaign.”
With the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on the horizon, some may think that the JOA is treating the CAC and Pan American Games as dress rehearsals. “For the JOA, each game is a golden and equal opportunity for our citizens in sport to stake their claim to excellence” Foster said.
The JOA will, in January of next year, formally launch its “Highway to El Salvador and Santiago” campaign as it continues to write and make history in sport.
Zach LaVine was relieved to put "a career-worst night" behind him by galvanising the Chicago Bulls for a victory that denied the Boston Celtics a 10-game winning streak.
The two-time All-Star had a lousy game against the Orlando Magic on Friday, tallying just four points, but he was back on it as the Bulls snatched a 121-107 victory over Boston.
Zach Lavine was five-of-10 on three-pointers for his 22 points, but it was his all-round effort that most impressed Bulls coach Billy Donovan.
The Celtic were on a nine-game roll, but they were no match for the Bulls on Monday.
LaVine said: "We've lost a lot in a row and they've won a lot in a row. I think we're a really good team, but we go through little lapses or times where we play bad. That's how fast the game can change."
He said of his sorry showing against Orlando: "Everybody has a career-worst night. I guess that was my night."
Coach Donovan commended the 27-year-old for putting the misfiring Magic game to the back of his mind, and refocusing.
Donovan said of LaVine: "I thought he played a great game tonight. I've got an enormous amount of confidence in his offense, in his ability to shoot the ball. He's done that his entire career, he's a lead at it.
"That will come back as he continues to play, and we're doing something differently offensively that he's having to work through, get accustomed to.
"There's a lot of things he can do to impact a game. Even though I think he missed his first three shots, it's probably not going to show up on the stats sheets but he generated a lot of open shots for our guys.
"He didn't shoot the ball at the percentage rate that he normally does, but I'm not worried about it.
"I thought his fingerprints were all over the game in a lot of different ways. He still got 22 points, but he did it defensively, he did it with his passing, he tried to get in there and rebound, he made good decisions.
"I thought he did a lot of extremely positive things."
DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 28 points on 11-of-24 shooting, hitting all three of his long-range attempts.
Jaylen Brown insists he does not endorse the protesters who gathered outside Barclays Center to welcome Kyrie Irving's return from suspension for the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
Irving had sat out eight straight games after being punished for sharing a social media post about a book and film with anti-Semitic tropes.
He returned to the fold against the Memphis Grizzlies, a game that saw approximately 100 members from Israel United in Christ gather outside the venue, chanting and handing out flyers headlined "The Truth About Anti-Semitism" and "The Truth about Slavery".
The group has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Boston Celtics guard and NBPA vice-president Brown retweeted a social media video of the group with the caption "Energy".
Brown later backtracked on the post insisting he "was not aware of what specific group was outside of Barclays Center" and reiterated that stance when speaking after Monday's defeat to the Chicago Bulls.
"I saw a large group of our people from our community showing support for [Kyrie] and his return," Brown said.
"Me being proud of that support and being proud of our community for doing that does not mean I endorse or celebrate some of the things that were being done or being said.
"My instinct when I saw this was I didn't notice which group it was. I just noticed the support, and that's what I commented on. I reemphasise that I don't think that everything that is said or being done or being said is something I endorse or represent."
Brown added he wanted to promote "brown and black people standing together on our issues rather than seeing images of violence in our media, music and movies that we don't entirely promote or profit from".
Brown has criticised the Nets' handling of Irving's suspension and the terms set out for him to return to court.
"I've been in contact as a union member, as a former team-mate just to show support for the situation that [Irving's] been going through," Brown added.
"Being exiled from the game, of course, emotionally is a lot on our league, but it's a lot on everyone who's a fan of this game.
"Kyrie's contributed in a lot of ways to the game of basketball, so for him to be able to come back and be on the floor last night, I thought was something to celebrate.
"I thought that was something to support. The NBA, the Brooklyn Nets decided whatever the disagreements were or the concern was, was obviously handled and we were moving on. I was supporting that decision."
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was full of praise for his teammates after he threw a season-high four touchdown passes in a strong 38-10 win against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday in Mexico City.
Garoppolo had not thrown more than two touchdowns in a game since October 2020, but gave two scores to tight end George Kittle and two to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to run up the score.
It was also the third consecutive game the 49ers' defense have not allowed a single point in the second half, with the Cardinals' last score coming with five minutes to go in the second quarter as they struggled to move the ball without starting quarterback Kyler Murray.
Speaking to ESPN on the field immediately after the final whistle, Garoppolo made sure to spread the credit around for the offense's success.
"It was just guys making plays today," he said. "All the receivers stepped up, the offensive line played great, it was a clean pocket all night.
"When it's like that, it makes for a fun night. It was an electric atmosphere, so we were feeding off that.
"We've got some playmakers, and we get the ball in their hands. You see George [Kittle] at the end there, [Aiyuk] breaking some tackles and scoring – it made for a good night."
The 49ers led 14-10 at half-time, before winning the second half 24-0. When asked what impressed him about his side's defense after the break, Garoppolo said he can sense when they're switched on.
"Everything [impressed me]," he said. "I don't get to enjoy all of it, but you can feel from the sideline that they're hitting, they're making plays and having fun out there. That's what it's all about."
Star linebacker Fred Warner was also asked about San Francisco's suffocating defense, and he said he felt they could have been even better.
"It's crazy, because I think back at all the plays we could've made," he said. "But I look at that 10 on the scoreboard and I can't be too mad about it."
Their third consecutive win leaves the 49ers atop the NFC West, owning the tiebreaker against the division's other 6-4 team, the Seattle Seahawks.
The Milwaukee Bucks own the second-best record in the NBA after their 119-111 home win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday gave them 12 wins from their first 16 games.
With six-time All-Star Damian Lillard ruled out for the Blazers due to a calf injury, the Bucks were strong favourites, and they used a dominant third quarter to pull away.
On the back of a big game from Anfernee Simons, scoring 29 points on 12-of-23 shooting, Portland trailed by only two at halftime – before Giannis Antetokounmpo took over.
The former Defensive Player of the Year and two-time league MVP controlled the third quarter at both ends, helping to hold the Blazers to 18 points, while scoring 19 himself on his way to a game-high 37 on 16-of-24 shooting.
While Antetokounmpo is once again a Defensive Player of the Year candidate – having made four consecutive All-Defensive First Teams – perhaps his biggest competition is his own teammate, Brook Lopez.
In his 15th season, the seven-foot Lopez is averaging a career-high and league-leading 2.6 blocks per game, and he improved upon that figure with five blocks and a steal against Portland.
Having played in 15 games this season, it is the fourth time he has tallied at least five blocks, and the Bucks are undefeated in those contests.
Milwaukee have made Fiserv Forum a fortress this season, now 9-1 at home and 3-3 on the road.
Brunson out-duels Gilgeous-Alexander
Jalen Brunson continues to make a case as the most impactful free agent signing from the offseason, scoring a season-high 34 points in a 129-119 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After leaving the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson is averaging career-highs in points per game (20.0), assists (6.5), steals (1.2) and minutes (32.5). His 34 points against the Thunder tied his most ever in a regular season game, although he had 41 in a playoff win against the Utah Jazz in April.
He shot 14-of-20 from the field, and in an encouraging sign, backcourt partner R.J. Barrett also had an efficient outing, scoring 25 on 10-of-16 shooting.
Fourth in the NBA in scoring at 31.1 points per game, Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had another 30 on nine-of-22 shooting, adding seven assists and five rebounds.
Bulls snap nine-game Celtics winning streak
The Boston Celtics had their winning streak cut short one game shy of double-figures, going down 121-107 to the Chicago Bulls.
Chicago's shooting was the story of the game, hitting 14-of-29 three-pointers (48.3 per cent), including their starters combining to shoot 11-of-19.
Traditionally a mid-range scorer, DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 28 points on 11-of-24 shooting, hitting all three of his long-range attempts, while Zach Lavine was five-of-10 on three-pointers for his 22 points.
The San Francisco 49ers did not allow the Arizona Cardinals to score a single point in the second half of Monday's 38-10 blowout in Mexico City.
Despite the lop-sided final result, the Cardinals scored the first points of the game with an early field goal, and after two short-range touchdown passes from the 49ers' Jimmy Garoppolo to Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle, Arizona pulled it back to 14-10 with a James Conner goal-line touchdown run.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, that touchdown in the second quarter would be their last points of the game, with the 49ers' defense figuring things out at halftime and producing a shut-out the rest of the way.
San Francisco put the game to bed with two more touchdowns in the third period – a second to Aiyuk, and a 39-yard end-around score for receiver Deebo Samuel – before adding the finishing touches with a second touchdown for Kittle in the last.
Having not thrown more than two touchdown passes in any game since October 2020, Garoppolo finished off completing 20 of his 29 passes for 228 yards and four scores, tying a career-high as his offense committed no turnovers.
Kittle caught four passes for 84 yards and two scores, doubling his touchdown tally for the season, while Aiyuk's two touchdowns came from his only two catches, giving him a six overall to lead the 49ers' pass-catchers this campaign.
At 6-4, the 49ers sit atop the NFC West, owning the tiebreaker with fellow 6-4 side the Seattle Seahawks, while the Cardinals fell to 4-7.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have quietly built an elite championship profile with a top-five offense and a top-five defense, and they were too good for fellow Eastern Conference playoff contenders the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.
Against the Hawks, the Cavaliers rode the offensive brilliance of their two All-Star guards. Darius Garland, who the team drafted fifth overall back in 2019, had an efficient 26 points on nine-of-14 shooting, while their offseason trade acquisition Donovan Mitchell top-scored with 29 points on 11-of-22 shooting.
While having two terrific scorers in the backcourt is one thing, having two elite playmakers unlocks a whole new level of play.
Both Garland and Mitchell finished with nine assists each, with Mitchell averaging a career-high 5.8 assists since arriving from the Utah Jazz, while Garland's 7.7 assists per contest ties him for the sixth-most in the league.
When factoring in that they both play close to 40 minutes a night, coach J.B. Bickerstaff can stagger his rotation in a way where one of them is always on the floor, giving them 48 minutes of structured, competent offense, regardless of who the four surrounding players are.
While their dynamic duo are the heartbeat of their offensive success – producing the fifth-best offensive rating in the league at 114.8 points per 100 possessions – they have an equally impactful pairing in the frontcourt with seven-footers Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
Allen, along with Garland, was honoured last season as a first-time All-Star, while Mobley came into the league as one of the greatest defensive prospects in the history of college basketball.
It is the brilliance of that combination that has allowed the Cavaliers to concede the third-fewest points per 100 possessions (108.2) despite starting two small guards, making them the only team in the top-five of both offensive and defensive efficiency.
After Monday's win against the Hawks, Garland spoke about how their defense was able to deliver a 12-point win despite committing 20 turnovers as a team.
"We're just trying to cut the turnovers down, really – even though we had a lot tonight, we made it up on defense," he said.
"That's how we got easy buckets and got out in transition – got us a couple lay-ups, a couple lobs, and that's really what got us going.
"Our team is just unselfish – everybody sees it. We all love each other, we just want to win, we're just competitors."
Coach Bickerstaff expanded on what makes their defense so good during his postgame press conference, pointing to it as a driving force of their offense, as well.
"We've shown what we're capable of defensively," he said. "We know when we're at our best we can create stops, we can force turnovers, we can create easy opportunities for ourselves.
"In that fourth quarter, holding them to 17 points until that last three – that's how you win basketball games against good teams. You lock down defensively, and that helped our offense.
"When you're getting stops, you're playing in the flow and not against a set defense as much. All of our stuff works together – our offense helps our defense, and our defense helps our offense
"We need to be able to slow the game down and control the game. If you have to go against our half-court defense, you're going to be in for a tough time."
He went on to discuss how special the Allen and Mobley connection is, and why it is such a stark difference when Allen is out injured. The Cavaliers have a woeful defensive rating of 126.6 in the two games Allen has missed this season, and what would be a league-leading figure of 104.0 in the 15 games he has played.
"Jarrett is a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber player," he said. "When you take that away, it's obviously going to have an impact.
"But when he's on the floor, we're a different team, and when our two big guys are on the floor together, and they're working as a pair, they're hard to score on.
"Evan [Mobley] is an All-Defensive player himself, we're extremely fortunate to have two guys who can defend the way they can defend. When they're working together, you're hard-pressed to find easy looks out there."
With the win, the Cavaliers are now 7-1 at home and 11-6 overall, occupying the third seed in the Eastern Conference – a position they will be aiming to maintain all season.
One day after his team’s offence failed to score a touchdown in a damaging loss to a division rival, New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters Monday he’s not certain quarterback Zach Wilson will remain the starter going forward.
"We’re keeping everything on the table the next couple of days," Saleh said at his weekly press conference when asked if changes could be coming ahead of the Jets' Week 12 game against the Chicago Bears.
Wilson, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, managed a mere 77 passing yards while completing nine-of-22 attempts in directing a lifeless Jets offence in Sunday’s 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots. New York produced a meagre 103 total yards and six first downs while missing out on a chance to move into a first-place tie in the tightly bunched AFC East.
The 23-year-old ranks last of out 34 quarterbacks with at least 150 passing attempts this season in completion percentage (55.6), while his 72.6 passer rating is ahead of only Pittsburgh rookie Kenny Pickett among that group.
"I’ve got to be able to sit back, I think we’ve all got to be able to sit back and think what’s best for this organisation and this team," Saleh said. "I want to be very, very clear – it’s not all about the quarterback.
"But there is also an evaluation process to make sure we do what’s best for the organisation, and that’s every position."
Wilson also drew some backlash for his response to a reporter’s question following Sunday’s loss. When asked if he though the offence had let down the defence, the struggling quarterback simply replied, "No, no."
Saleh downplayed those remarks during Monday’s conference while acknowledging that Wilson could have handled the situation better.
"Obviously, football is an emotional game. I’m not going to shy away from the fact that I do think he’s the ultimate competitor. He wants to win about as much as anybody," Saleh said.
"Can he be a little bit better in front of you guys when he’s up here on the podium in terms of the expectation that when you are standing in front of the podium, it’s our job to take bullets and own it, especially when it’s time to own it? Of course he can.
"But I don’t think it’s indicative of how he feels about his team or teammates, and I don’t think he’s naive to the fact that our offence wasn’t playing to the best of their ability."
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