Sacramento Kings interim head coach Alvin Gentry admitted it is "hard to believe" Nikola Jokic will not be named NBA MVP again this season.
The comments came after the Serbian scored 38 points in a 106-100 win for the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, helping Michael Malone's men to their fourth consecutive victory.
The reigning MVP posted 32 points against the Golden State Warriors and 46 against the New Orleans Pelicans in the Nuggets' previous two outings. He is the first NBA player to average 35 or more points, 15 or more rebounds and 10 or more assists over a three-game run since Wilt Chamberlain did so between March 16-19, 1968.
After seeing Sacramento dominated by the 27-year-old, Gentry said he deserved a second consecutive MVP prize.
"That guy is just a different beast," he said post-game.
"He doesn't get shaken, he just does what he needs to do to win the game.
"He's just playing at such a high level, 46 points, 32 points, 38 tonight, he's just a different guy.
"Watching him play, it's hard to believe he won't be the MVP.
"He's playing at such a high level and does so many things on the court, I think he's one of those guys you could take and put on any team, and that team's going to be pretty successful."
Denver have now won 12 of their past 14 games, while Jokic fell just three assists short of registering a third consecutive triple-double.
His average of 25.9 points per game, meanwhile, is the ninth-strongest record among NBA players this season.
Jokic himself was pleased after recording another dominating performance in Sacramento but was keen to look ahead, with the Nuggets facing a rematch with the Warriors next on Thursday.
"Lately, we're playing really good, we're winning games," said the 27-year-old.
"Hopefully, it's going to continue."
The 2021 Formula One title race was one for the ages.
Fortunately, the release of season four of Netflix's 'Drive to Survive' series is landing on Friday, giving fans the opportunity to relive the drama and whetting appetites for the forthcoming 2022 campaign.
Few will forget how last season ended, with Max Verstappen pipping Lewis Hamilton in scarcely believable circumstances on the final lap of the final race.
But there had been controversy throughout the year even before that point, making the latest edition of one of sport's great documentaries a must-watch.
Fans will be desperate to learn how 2021 played out behind the scenes, but what should they be looking for? Stats Perform picks out five flashpoints.
Silverstone contact sets the tone
A back-and-forth title tussle between Verstappen and Hamilton was already nine races old by the time the teams arrived at Silverstone – at which point the 'Drive to Survive' producers must have thought they had hit the jackpot.
Hamilton ended a five-race barren run for Mercedes with victory in his home race, but only after sending Verstappen into the barriers at Copse Corner on lap one – a 10-second penalty of little consolation to Red Bull, whose team principal Christian Horner slammed the 2020 champion's "dirty driving".
Seeing the reaction on the pit wall would be of interest to any fan, although this clash merely teed up the drama to come.
Mixed fortunes for furious Lewis in the wet
Two races last year descended into chaos due to the weather, with Verstappen winning in Belgium while Hamilton triumphed in Russia, benefiting from Lando Norris' spin in the rain for his 100th victory. That Sochi result cancelled out events at Spa, where Hamilton had been far from impressed.
Viewers will likely learn more about developments at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix from 'Drive to Survive' than from live coverage at the time, as the race lasted just two laps under a safety car following Sunday rain.
That was enough to declare a result with half points, with Verstappen rewarded for pipping breakout star George Russell to pole. In public, Hamilton fumed it was "all a money scenario", and it is unlikely he was any calmer in private.
McLaren one-two after halo saves Hamilton
Between Belgium and Russia was the Italian GP at Monza, with perhaps the scariest moment of the season. Verstappen's battle with Hamilton went a little too far as he rode over the Briton's car, with the Mercedes halo required to keep the driver from serious harm.
"I am so grateful I am still here," said Hamilton after being forced to retire, with Verstappen later following him back into the garage.
The documentary cameras surely could not miss this key moment in the title race, but 'Drive to Survive' has been hugely successful in picking out narratives right down the grid – and this was a notable weekend in the midfield, as McLaren profited with a one-two courtesy of Daniel Ricciardo and Norris.
Hamilton heroics at special Sao Paulo GP
Verstappen arrived in Brazil 19 points clear of Hamilton with four races remaining, and the odds were increasingly stacked against his rival over the course of the weekend at the Sao Paulo GP.
Hamilton served a five-place grid penalty when his qualifying time – the fastest on the grid – was struck off for a DRS infringement, meaning he had to start from 10th even after recovering from 20th to fifth in the sprint race. Verstappen escaped punishment when he forced the Mercedes man wide in the main race, too.
Remarkably, Hamilton still won, with Toto Wolff claiming the various setbacks had "woke up the lion". There would have been no final-day spectacle if not for the Briton's late-season charge, which started in Brazil.
Two weeks of epic drama decide title
The final episode of the season will surely focus on the decider in Abu Dhabi, where race director Michael Masi's application of the rules infuriated Mercedes as Hamilton was denied a record-breaking eighth championship in fairly ridiculous fashion.
Footage from that race should entertain even F1 sceptics, with Wolff likely to play a prominent role having pleaded with Masi not to make the contentious call that cost Hamilton and crowned Verstappen.
But the stakes were only such because the pair had entered that race all square in the standings – only the second time this had ever happened – after a similarly eventful Saudi Arabian GP.
Verstappen could have wrapped up the title with time to spare but lost out to Hamilton after a qualifying crash, two red flags and a succession of safety cars, hinting at the level of incident that was to come the following week.
Caroline Garcia reached the second round of the Indian Wells Open after coming through a gruelling encounter with Dayana Yastremska.
Garcia had gone three matches without a win against her Ukrainian opponent, who reached the final of last week's Lyon Open.
Although she squandered two match points in the second set, Garcia eventually prevailed 6-4 6-7 (8-10) 7-5 after nearly two and a half hours to set up a second-round clash with US Open champion Emma Raducanu.
Sofia Kenin's difficult start to the year continued as she suffered a straight-sets defeat to Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia.
The Australian Open champion and French Open runner-up two years ago, Kenin has now lost six matches in a row since reaching the quarter-finals in Adelaide back in January.
The 23-year-old, who has dropped to 130 in the world, threw in 11 double faults in her 6-3 7-5 defeat to Haddad Maia, who next meets 29th seed Clara Tauson.
Ekaterina Alexandrova will face Simona Halep, the 2015 champion, in round two after coming through 4-6 6-2 7-6 (9-7) against 18-year-old American Elvina Kalieva.
There were also wins for Kaia Kanepi, Alison Riske and Harriet Dart, who next meets 12th seed Elina Svitolina.
World number 37 Jil Teichmann lost in straight sets to Danka Kovinic, Ann Li beat compatriot Madison Brengle in an all-American thriller, and wildcards Katie Volynets and Claire Liu also progressed.
The Phoenix Suns became the first team to secure a playoff spot with an impressive 111-90 defeat of the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
Devin Booker returned from a four-game absence to put up 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as the leaders of the West toppled the top side in the East.
The Suns, who are 53-13 for the season, have now beaten all other 29 teams in the same season for the first time since 2006-07.
"I told the guys it was one of the best defensive performances I've ever seen," said Suns coach Monty Williams after watching his team concede just 35 points in the second half. "I've been around for a little bit."
Duncan Robinson was top scorer for Miami with 22, who led by 11 in the early stages before falling to just their third defeat in 15 games.
"They were first to the ball a lot," said Robinson. "They were the aggressor. Unacceptable."
The Milwaukee Bucks are now two games behind the Heat at the top of the Eastern Conference after beating the Atlanta Hawks 124-115, with Giannis Antetokounmpo's double-double of 43 points and 12 rebounds firing them to a sixth-straight win.
Antetokounmpo finished 15-of-22 from the field to take his tally to 82 points in the space of 24 hours after his 39 in Tuesday's victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
"The things he does are not normal," said team-mate Bobby Portis. "It's fun to be his team-mate and fun to play alongside him."
Rockets stun Lakers in overtime
The Los Angeles Lakers lost for the ninth time in a row on the road, going down 139-130 in overtime against the Houston Rockets.
A triple-double from LeBron James and 30 points from Russell Westbrook were not enough as rookie Jalen Green hit a career-high 32 points for the Rockets.
"We have a really small margin of error this season and teams are making us pay," said James, whose run of consecutive 25-point games ended at 23. "I missed a lot of shots that I know I'm capable of making, have made throughout the course of the season and my career."
The Los Angeles Clippers snapped their two-game losing streak, beating the Washington Wizards 115-109, while the Utah Jazz improved to 41-24 with a comfortable 123-85 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Bulls back on track, Beasley sets record
The Chicago Bulls ended a run of five consecutive losses, DeMar DeRozan scoring 36 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, in a 114-108 win over the Detroit Pistons.
It was a day to remember for Malik Beasley, who set a franchise record for three-pointers in the Minnesota Timberwolves' win at home over the Thunder.
Beasley landed 11 of his 17 attempts from beyond the arc as Minnesota, seventh in the West, made it six wins in a row.
The Boston Celtics continued their recent good form with a 115-101 win at the Charlotte Hornets, while the New York Knicks pulled off a fifth-straight road win over the Dallas Mavericks, Julius Randle scoring 26 points in a 107-77 blowout.
Gregg Popovich will have to wait for his NBA record 1,336th regular-season win as coach, the San Antonio Spurs falling 119-104 at home to the Toronto Raptors.
There were also wins for the Orlando Magic, who topped the New Orleans Pelicans 108-102, and the Denver Nuggets, who beat the Sacramento Kings 106-100 thanks to a 38-point double-double from Nikola Jokic.
The Seattle Seahawks have said farewell to another franchise great, confirming the release of linebacker Bobby Wagner on Wednesday.
Confirmation of Wagner's exit comes a day after it was reported the Seahawks had agreed to trade quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster deal.
Like Wilson, Wagner was a crucial part of the Seahawks team that won the first Super Bowl title in franchise history in the 2013 season.
For many years, he was the gold standard at the linebacker position and still played at an extremely high level for a struggling Seahawks team in 2021, earning his eighth Pro Bowl selection and being named second-team All-Pro.
A six-time first-team All-Pro, Wagner was set to enter the final year of his contract in 2022, but his release saves the Seahawks $16.6million in cap space.
Wagner posted on Twitter: "Thank you Seattle for everything. It will forever be my home."
Since he entered the NFL as a second-round pick in 2012, only Lavonte David (867) has racked up more tackles than Wagner (817), who is third in pass breakups (60) and tied fifth in interceptions (11) in that span.
The MLB has cancelled games until April 14 as the league's lockout goes on, with the decision criticised as "completely unnecessary" by the players' association.
The owners and players have still to reach a resolution on a new collective bargaining agreement, with MLB enduring the ninth work stoppage in its history, which has already seen Opening Day cancelled.
In a statement on Wednesday, commissioner Rob Manfred said: "In a last-ditch effort to preserve a 162-game season, this week we have made good-faith proposals that address the specific concerns voiced by the MLBPA and would have allowed the players to return to the field immediately.
"The Clubs went to extraordinary lengths to meet the substantial demands of the MLBPA. On the key economic issues that have posed stumbling blocks, the Clubs proposed ways to bridge gaps to preserve a full schedule. Regrettably, after our second late-night bargaining session in a week, we remain without a deal.
"Because of the logistical realities of the calendar, another two series are being removed from the schedule, meaning that Opening Day is postponed until April 14th.
"We worked hard to reach an agreement and offered a fair deal with significant improvements for the players and our fans. I am saddened by this situation's continued impact on our game and all those who are a part of it, especially our loyal fans.
"We have the utmost respect for our players and hope they will ultimately choose to accept the fair agreement they have been offered."
In response, the MLBPA said: "The owners' decision to cancel additional games is completely unnecessary.
"After making a set of comprehensive proposals to the league earlier this afternoon [Wednesday], and being told substantive responses were forthcoming, players have yet to hear back.
"Players want to play, and we cannot wait to get back on the field for the best fans in the world.
"Our top priority remains the finalisation of a fair contract for all players, and we will continue negotiations toward that end."
Among the key monetary issues being discussed are the scale of a Competitive Balance Tax, minimum salaries and bonus pool money for pre-arbitration players.
Player salaries have dropped four per cent since 2015, when Manfred became commissioner.
Players stand to lose $20.5million in salary for every day of the season that is cancelled.
Novak Djokovic has confirmed he cannot compete at Indian Wells due to not being allowed to enter the United States.
The former world number one was revealed as an automatic qualifier for the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells last month, though uncertainty surrounded his possible participation.
Djokovic was deported from Australia ahead of the Australian Open in January due to not meeting the country's COVID-19 vaccination requirements, with the Serbian choosing not to be jabbed.
After testing positive for – and recovering from – coronavirus the previous month, it was at one stage thought Djokovic might have been allowed entry to Australia on the grounds of having post-virus antibodies.
But he was ultimately ordered to leave the country and it quickly became clear the 34-year-old was likely to run into similar problems down the line.
Djokovic was included in the draw for the upcoming BNP Paribas Open, setting up a second-round clash with David Goffin or Jordan Thompson, and organisers said on Wednesday that talks were ongoing as they looked to determine the superstar's eligibility.
But America's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states all non-US citizens travelling to the country "must be fully vaccinated with the primary series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine", with "only limited exceptions" applying.
Unsurprisingly, Djokovic has not been granted entry.
Confirming his situation, Djokovic tweeted: "While I was automatically listed in BNP Paribas Open and the Miami Open draw, I knew it would be unlikely I'd be able to travel.
"The CDC has confirmed that regulations won't be changing so I won't be able to play in the US. Good luck to those playing in these great tournaments."
Djokovic has lost his place atop the ATP rankings to Daniil Medvedev and his inability to feature at the Australian Open meant Rafael Nadal set a new record for the most grand slam men's singles titles, as the Spaniard claimed his 21st success.
It is unclear whether Djokovic will be able to add to his 20 at Wimbledon or Roland Garros, while it seems he will also miss the US Open unless the CDC changes its regulations in the meantime.
Trinidadian bodybuilder Dexter Simon continues to amaze.
On Sunday, two and a half years since he last competed, he finished in the top five of the Ajman IFBB Elite Pro in Dubai while competing against men 20 years younger.
Competing in the Men’s Physique Professional category, the 53-year-old phenomenon made the top five to advance to the final where he was also fifth.
No wonder he was proud of the work that he put in preparing for the competition.
“After two years and six months off the stage, this start of the 2022 season @ifbbelitepro_official in Dubai was unforgettable,” he said following his latest accomplishment.
“The seven months of preparation with a laser-sharp focus and daily sacrifices all paid off.”
Iran’s Mazinar Kiani took the top spot while Enrique Guitierrez from Spain finished as the runner up. Balthan Haimour of Jordan was third.
Notwithstanding finishing outside the top three, Simon, who is still in Dubai, was more than satisfied with his showing.
“This is not an easy task at the age of 53 to make a top five amongst men 30-plus years younger,” he said. “My testimony is about self-care and self-love. Understanding that age is just what people say you are and not what you should allow being told you are or should be.”
He praised his twin brother Derrick, who was instrumental in helping him achieve his goal.
“A massive special thanks to my brother for his unwavering support with my daily training for the last seven months. I know you have become very familiar with Panadol, Olfen, and gels hahaha,” he said. “I could not have done this without you at all bro!!
“So many days you helped me through some taxing workouts and made me uncomfortable until I became very comfortable to suffer and grow. Your words of advice and belief in me made the journey even better and the result even sweeter. Top 5 was your request and payment for your suffering and that is what I delivered. “
And delivered he did. Derrick told Sportsmax.TV that during the seven months, he changed some elements of Dexter’s nutritional regime and his overall preparation.
So what did he think of the outcome? “Excellent,” he said. “When he asked me to support him, I told him I would only help if he did the work to finish in the top five. When he came off the stage, he called me and said ‘you asked for top five, you got it.”
Simon will next compete at the IFBB Florida Classic from June 25-25 before he does the IFBB Central American and Caribbean Championships in Barbados from July 27-August 1. He will then travel to Spain for the Arnold Classic from September 15-19.
It is a return that calls for popcorn when the Brooklyn Nets head to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
A month after leaving the Nets for the Sixers, James Harden will have the opportunity to face his former team and show them what might have been.
The 32-year-old's time in Brooklyn was underwhelming to say the least, but he has taken to life in Philadelphia like a duck to water, with the Sixers winning all five games in which he has featured so far.
His partnership with Joel Embiid in particular has thrived, with the Cameroonian putting up 43 points and Harden making 14 assists in Monday's win against the Chicago Bulls.
Harden insists he is calm ahead of meeting his former teammates, saying: "I'm not nervous. It's basketball.
"I put the work in to go out there and just play my game and live with the results. Honestly, every game is a big game for us. We're fairly new. We got championship aspirations so every game is a learning process for us no matter who we’re playing."
Meanwhile, another highly anticipated return won't quite be the same as Ben Simmons remains sidelined for the Nets but will reportedly be in attendance at Wells Fargo Center.
Another less discussed story will be Seth Curry, who has made an excellent start to life in Brooklyn since being a part of the trade that saw Harden and Simmons swap cities.
In 10 outings for the Nets, Curry has maintained his average of 15 points per game that he managed in 45 appearances with the Sixers this season, though he has gone three without reaching double figures so will want to put that right against his former team.
The Nets have lost four of their six clashes since the All-Star break and sit on an even record of 33-33, while the Sixers have won five of six in that time, and all three home games.
They have met three times already this season, of which Brooklyn have won two, though Philadelphia did come out on top in late December 110-102.
It promises to be a fun night in Philly, and whether it be cheering Harden or booing Simmons, Sixers fans will likely make themselves heard.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Philadelphia 76ers – James Harden
I mean… who else?
It's not just because of the overwhelming amount of narrative involved. Harden has been a success story so far in Philly and will want to put on a show on this night of all nights.
Of course, as the league leader for points per game (29.7), Embiid will likely be the main man as usual, but with an average of 24.6 points per game since joining the Sixers and a big point to prove here, expect Harden to be at the centre of things either way.
Brooklyn Nets – Kyrie Irving
It's not very often that Irving isn't the centre of attention, but with the Harden/Simmons factor here you would think he might get a night away from the spotlight.
Then again, if his form is anything to go by, maybe not.
Irving hit 50 points in Tuesday's win against the Charlotte Hornets and is averaging 26.2 points per game for the season, albeit while still missing several games due to vaccination rules.
KEY BATTLES – Nets must rely on experience
The cliche is that sport is a young person's game, but Brooklyn will be hoping that isn't true.
The Nets have the fourth-oldest average age of active roster in the league, and the second-highest percentage of points scored by players over 33 years old (40.8 per cent).
The Sixers are not exactly kids themselves but do have the 10th most points scored in the league by players under the age of 23 (15.5 per cent), mostly thanks to impressive 21-year-old Tyrese Maxey, who is averaging 17.6 points per game this season.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
As mentioned, the Nets actually lead this season's head-to-head 2-1, although since the start of the 2016-17 season, the Sixers have won 14 and lost just eight of the 22 meetings between the two.
Dustin Johnson has paid tribute to Tiger Woods ahead his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame, saying everyone wanted to be like the 15-time major champion when growing up.
Woods is to be inducted at the PGA Tour headquarters in Florida on Wednesday alongside former PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, four-time major winner Susie Maxwell and course developer and architect Marion Hollins.
The 46-year-old has won 82 times on the PGA Tour in his illustrious career, while his 15 majors is second only to Jack Nicklaus, who has 18.
Johnson, who has 28 professional wins to his name, including triumphs at the US Open in 2016 and Masters in 2020, credited Woods with helping to grow the game into a "cool" sport.
"Tiger obviously was huge for the game of golf and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame," Johnson said at a news conference ahead of The Players Championship, which begins on Thursday.
"For me growing up as a kid, even when I was in high school, golf was still kind of not really considered a cool sport to play.
"Maybe not that many people played it, and especially in high school you kind of were a dork if you played golf.
"But Tiger made it actually a cool sport to play. For me, it was huge. Obviously at that time it was when he was in his prime, so watching him, everybody wanted to be like Tiger.
"He was a huge part of me playing golf and wanting to get out on Tour and play against him."
Johnson has registered just one top-10 finish in 12 previous appearances at TPC Sawgrass, when finishing in a tie for fifth in 2019.
The Washington Commanders have agreed a trade with the Indianapolis Colts to acquire quarterback Carson Wentz.
According to a report from ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Colts will receive a package of draft picks that is thought to include two third-round selections.
Wentz spent just one season with the Colts, who last year traded a 2021 third-round pick and a 2022 conditional second-round pick that later became a first-rounder to land him in a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, an unsatisfactory end to the season, which saw the Colts miss the playoffs with a shock loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on the final Sunday of the regular season, led to questions about Wentz's future, with coach Frank Reich and general manager Chris Ballard non-committal on whether he would remain with the team.
Indianapolis ultimately came to the decision to cut their losses and move on, with Washington landing Wentz having reportedly offered three first-round picks for Russell Wilson before he was traded from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos.
Kevin Magnussen has returned to Formula One after signing a multi-year deal with Haas for 2022, replacing outgoing Russian driver Nikita Mazepin.
The American-owned team parted ways with Mazepin ahead of the season following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Magnussen is back in F1 having left Haas at the end of the 2020 season after four years with the team. He has also previously driven for McLaren and Renault.
The Dane has since participated in sportscars and IndyCar in the United States, and had been about to join Peugeot's World Endurance Championship squad before the call came to return to Haas.
Magnussen joins up with the team's other driver, Mick Schumacher, son of German great Michael Schumacher.
Mazepin spoke to the media on Wednesday, four days after his sacking was announced by Haas, and he described that ousting as "an injustice".
His father, Dmitry, has close ties to Vladimir Putin, holding face-to-face business talks with the Russian president as recently as January. Dmitry Mazepin is deputy chairman of Uralkali, the potash fertiliser producer that has been a major financial backer of Haas.
Haas also cut the sponsorship link with Uralkali with immediate effect, leading to a demand on Wednesday from the Russian firm for reimbursement of funds it had invested ahead of the new season.
The Russian Grand Prix for 2022 has been cancelled, with F1 announcing this week it has terminated its deal for future races in the country.
Josh Navidi has been passed fit to start his first Test for almost a year when Wales face leaders France in the Six Nations on Friday.
Navidi last played for his country against Les Bleus in the 2021 Six Nations, but will start at open-side flanker at the Principality Stadium after recovering from a shoulder injury.
Seb Davies comes in at blindside flanker, as Ross Moriarty and Taine Basham drop out of the side following a defeat to England at Twickenham that leaves the holders in fifth place.
Prop Gareth Thomas and centre Jonathan Davies also get the nod for the round-four showdown in Cardiff.
Tomas Francis and Josh Adams have been given the green light to start after coming through the return to play protocols.
Nick Tompkins will not feature after suffering a concussion in Saracens' win over Leicester Tigers last weekend. Wing Louis Rees-Zammit returns, but will be among the replacements.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac said: "Josh is a fantastic player and has played well for us in the past.
"He’s come back before straight back into the side so having 80 minutes under his belt for Cardiff we think that’s enough for him and we look forward to him being back out there bringing that experience.
"He’s a very good player and has played at this level on many occasions so that’s going to be great for us.
"Seb at six just gives us a little bit more size. It helps the lineout, but also in the wider channels where he often runs he’s got the skill set to trouble a few defenders out wide.
"I think Gareth made a really big impact for us last week as did a number of players and so he gets to start."
Wales team: Liam Williams, Alex Cuthbert, Owen Watkin, Jonathan Davies, Josh Adams, Dan Biggar (captain), Tomos Williams; Gareth Thomas, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Seb Davies, Josh Navidi, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Dewi Lake, Wyn Jones, Dillon Lewis, Ross Moriarty, Jac Morgan, Kieran Hardy, Gareth Anscombe, Louis Rees-Zammit.
France head coach Fabien Galthie has been forced into one change for Friday's Six Nations clash with Wales and fears others may yet be ruled out with coronavirus.
Les Blues lead the way at the top of the standings with three wins from three ahead of their trip to the Principality Stadium to face a struggling Wales side.
However, the visitors will be without wing Damian Penaud and second row Romain Taofifenua after both players tested positive for COVID-19.
Losing Penaud is a big blow for Galthie as the 25-year-old has beaten 10 defenders in this year's tournament, the joint-most of any player alongside Scotland's Darcy Graham.
Indeed, Penaud has faced just 13 tackles in total across France's three matches, with his tackle evasion rate of 77 per cent the best of any player.
Yoram Moefana will switch to the right wing in the absence of Penaud, who started the 36-17 win over Scotland last time out, with Gabin Villiere drafted into the side on the left.
After losing Penaud and Taofifenua, Galthie is now awaiting the results of further PCR tests ahead of making the trip to the Welsh capital.
"We were notified this morning that they were positive so we had to make last-minute changes," Galthie told a news conference on Wednesday.
"We are preparing for other changes. We have no additional information yet, but we need to know by Thursday [if more changes will be made]."
In more positive news for France, captain and reigning world player of the year Antoine Dupont has recovered from a knock sustained in training to make the starting XV.
Les Blues have won their last six Test matches, making this their best run of form since 2006, and have won their last two Six Nations meetings with Wales.
France's 27-23 victory on their last trip to Cardiff in 2020 was their first Six Nations victory in the Welsh capital since 2010, which was also the last time they won the tournament.
France team: Melvyn Jaminet, Yoram Moefana, Gael Fickou, Jonathan Danty, Gabin Villiere, Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (c); Cyril Baille, Julien Marchand, Uini Atonio, Cameron Woki, Paul Willemse, Francois Cros, Anthony Jelonch, Gregory Alldritt
Replacements: Peato Mauvaka, Jean-Baptiste Gros, Mohamed Haouas, Thibaud Flament, Dylan Cretin, Maxime Lucu, Thomas Ramos, Matthis Lebel.
Dumped driver Nikita Mazepin claims to have received messages of support from at least four fellow drivers, but the Russian said former Haas team-mate Mick Schumacher was not among them.
Mazepin spoke to the media on Wednesday, four days after his sacking was announced by American-owned team Haas, and he described that ousting as "an injustice".
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, rather than his results on the track, is what has cost the 23-year-old his seat for 2022.
Mazepin's father, Dmitry, has close ties to Vladimir Putin, holding face-to-face business talks with the Russian president as recently as January. Dmitry Mazepin is deputy chairman of Uralkali, the potash fertiliser producer that has been a major financial backer of Haas.
As well as ousting Mazepin, Haas cut the sponsorship link with Uralkali with immediate effect, leading to a demand on Wednesday from the Russian firm for reimbursement of funds it had invested ahead of the new season.
Mazepin is smarting over his treatment by Haas and, according to L'Equipe, he said: "I had no message from Gunther Steiner, the team boss, and nothing from Mick Schumacher either. It is in these moments that we measure what people really are.
"I have always trusted Gunther 100 per cent and, after what has just happened, understand that at 23 I was not ready to experience such a disappointment.
"I don't want to speak in front of you about Haas and the men of the team, when they are not there. I will tell them what I think directly if I have the opportunity to meet them again."
Asked who had sent him messages, Mazepin said: "Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, George Russell and Charles Leclerc. I appreciated it.
"Simple messages telling me to keep my head up, that they shared my pain, because they know the sacrifices you have to make to get to F1."
On social media, Mazepin declared he would be setting up a foundation "to help athletes who have been blocked from competing for political reasons". That statement faced swift ridicule from Twitter users.
Mazepin's F1 career may be over after only one season, with no guarantee he will find another drive in future.
After governing body the FIA gave Russian drivers permission to compete under a neutral flag, Mazepin was hopeful he could be able to race in 2022, before Haas decided to cut ties.
"I will abstain from any political commentary but, personally, I see my eviction as an injustice," he said. "Especially after the FIA indicated that Russian drivers could race under a neutral banner. Exactly like tennis players under the ATP umbrella."
Haas will miss the start of Formula One pre-season testing in Bahrain due to the late arrival of their freight.
The plane that was due to transport the team's cargo from the United Kingdom was reportedly grounded by technical problems.
Although the freight arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday evening, that left the team short of time to be ready for the beginning of testing on Thursday.
Haas said they plan to have the car ready to be out on track later in the day.
"The team's freight arrived late last night to the circuit in Bahrain," a Haas statement said.
"This delay will impact our programme, but we are targeting being out on track for the second session Thursday afternoon with Pietro Fittipaldi driving the VF-22."
The disruption comes after Haas cancelled the contract of Russian driver Nikita Mazepin amid the war in Ukraine and also terminated their commercial partnership with Uralkali.
Uralkali, a Russian fertiliser producer, on Wednesday stated it will request an immediate reimbursement of sponsorship payments it has made for the 2022 season. The company described Haas' decision as "unreasonable", adding that sport "should always be free of politics and pressure from external factors".
Haas are yet to announce who Mick Schumacher's team-mate will be, just over a week before the first race of the year in Bahrain. Fittipaldi is their test and reserve driver.
Novak Djokovic is at the centre of another saga after being included in the draw for the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
The former world number one was handed a second-round clash against either David Goffin or Jordan Thompson.
All 32 seeds receive a first-round bye, so although the men's singles begins on Thursday at the California desert event, Djokovic is not due to be in action until the weekend.
However, it remains to be seen whether he is allowed into the United States, given he has declared he has not received any vaccination against the COVID-19 virus.
Tournament organisers admit they do not know whether Djokovic will play.
They said in a statement on the event's official Twitter feed: "Novak Djokovic is on the tournament entry list, and therefore is placed into the draw.
"We are currently in communication with his team; however, it has not been determined if he will participate in the event by getting CDC approval to enter the country.
"We will provide updates in the future as we learn more."
The CDC is America's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which lays down requirements for non-US international citizens travelling to the United States.
Within its rules, it is stated that all non-US citizens travelling to the US "must be fully vaccinated with the primary series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine", adding that "only limited exceptions apply".
Djokovic tested positive for COVID-19 in December, and at one stage it appeared that recovering from that, and having post-virus antibodies, would be enough to allow him to travel to Melbourne and play in the Australian Open.
That proved not to be the case, with Djokovic twice detained after arriving in Australia before being deported.
He has since made his return to tennis at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where he surprisingly lost in the quarter-finals to Jiri Vesely.
The 34-year-old Serbian has been overtaken for the rankings top spot by Daniil Medvedev, the Russian who will be playing under a neutral flag while his country's military invasion of Ukraine continues. Medvedev will begin against Alexei Popyrin or a qualifier at Indian Wells.
Klay Thompson realised a dream as he shared the court with Will Ferrell before the Golden State Warriors beat the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
Ferrell warmed up with the Warriors dressed in a Jackie Moon outfit from the film Semi-Pro that he starred in for the 2008 movie.
Five-time NBA All-Star Thompson never grew tired of watching the film during a long rehabilitation from major knee and Achilles surgeries.
Ferrell might be cast for another appearance at Chase Center after Golden State snapped a five-game losing streak with a commanding 112-97 victory.
Thompson, who scored 20 points and claimed five rebounds, dressed as Moon for Halloween three years ago and was pinching himself after Ferrell helped the Warriors stop the rot.
He said: "When I had some dark days, I would put that movie on, and it would make me smile. I'm very thankful for that film.''
He added: "That was so cool. Dreams do come true."
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr felt Ferrell's presence would lighten the mood after such a poor run.
"He actually emailed me a while back and I didn't believe it was him," Kerr said. "So, we exchanged a couple of emails and concocted a plan.
"You know he is a huge Klay Thompson fan, and he knows how much Klay loves dressing up as Jackie Moon, so it felt like a natural fit and it felt like the time to do it, too – make everyone laugh in a tough stretch in the season and he was great.
"He came into the locker room and made the guys laugh. Everybody loved seeing him and hearing from him. He's hilarious. It was just something different."
Warriors star Stephen Curry, who passed Chris Mullin for the most steals in the franchise's history, said of Ferrell's presence: "It was fun, and I'm glad we took advantage of it.
"I think we fed off the energy. I was actually surprised, his form, he actually had some good rotation on the ball, and endless energy. I don't know how."
Kevin Durant hailed Kyrie Irving's season-high 50-point performance in the Brooklyn Nets' 132-121 win over the Charlotte Hornets as a "masterclass".
Durant took a backseat as the Nets point guard hit nine three-pointers, shooting at 79 per cent from the floor, making 15-of-19.
Irving became one of 22 players in NBA history with five 50-point games, while he also became the second guard – behind Michal Jordan – in the league to have multiple 50-point games while shooting 75 per cent or better from the floor.
"Everything he does is pure. It looked so easy tonight," Durant told reporters after the game. "I seen [sic] it in his eyes to start the game.
"He wanted to play better last game, so he came out tonight and wanted to impact the game from the start. He led us all night. It was an incredible performance.
“Younger players should watch this game and learn what it takes to score at that level. That was just a masterclass."
Nets head coach Steve Nash added to the praise of Irving, labelling him an "incredible player".
"He's incredible. He's a career-highlight reel every night," Nash said. "We have a special player on our hands. Overall, he's an incredible player and shot creator."
The result lifts Brooklyn to a 33-33 record, sitting eighth in the Eastern Conference ahead of the final push for the playoffs, having won only four of their past 21 games.
Durant added: "It's always good to get a win. We definitely want to play better than we did in the second half.
"We know we're fighting for our lives every game to get into the playoffs or the play-in. It's good to get the W."
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