Things are moving very quickly for Pedri.

This time last year he was 17 years old and preparing for a Copa del Rey clash against Badajoz with Las Palmas, now he is playing for Barcelona and his coach is fielding questions about the possibility of him representing Spain at the delayed Euro 2020.

Calls for him to be considered by Luis Enrique intensified after he produced a fine display in Barca's 3-2 victory over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, becoming the youngest player in LaLiga history to score and assist in a single game.

At 18 years and 42 days old he headed home an equaliser after Inaki Williams' opener at San Mames and then produced a lovely backheel that Messi steered home to put the Blaugrana on the path to a 3-2 win.

Asked on Friday if Pedri is deserving of a first call-up to the senior Spain squad, Barca boss Ronald Koeman said: "It's not my decision.

"We can say a lot of positive things about Pedri's career so far. Nobody expected a boy of his age to play almost every game. He deserves it.

"It seems like he's been at the club for years, but young players always have ups and downs, you have to see how he continues to evolve, but I have no doubts that he will continue to improve.

"He has to show this level for a longer time, but you don't have to rush."

But how does Pedri stack up against the other options available to Luis Enrique?

A FINE PLAYMAKER

Among Spanish midfielders and attackers playing in the top five European leagues to have featured in at least 10 games in all competitions this season, Pedri ranks sixth in terms of chances created with 26 – 11 shy of Iago Aspas at the top of the list.

Only Isco (31.4) and Cesc Fabregas (30.9) have attempted more passes ending in the final third per 90 minutes than Pedri (30.6), though the Barca star averages more successful ones (24.6) than Fabregas (21.2). Isco leads the way with 25.6 successful passes ending in the final third each game.

AT THE HEART OF THINGS

When looking at the performances of Spanish midfielders in the top five European leagues, only Napoli's Fabian Ruiz (93) has been involved in more unique open play sequences ending with a shot than Pedri (79). Nine of the sequences featuring Pedri have ended in a goal, a tally that only Denis Suarez (10) and Marcos Llorente (13) can better.

The overall expected goals value of the open play sequences ending with a shot or goal that Pedri has been involved in is 10.5, putting him top of the list. It means that not only is the 18-year-old involved in a many passages of play compared to his contemporaries, he is involved in dangerous ones.

Pedri has initiated 16 open play sequences that ended with a shot this season, enough for joint-fourth alongside Dani Parejo. Rodri is top on 22 but his role at Manchester City means he is relied upon to regain possession and start moves from there. Barca would not expect breaking up the opposition's play to be a huge part of Pedri's game, but he is still able to get them moving forward.

Of the shot-ending sequences in open play that Pedri has been involved in, he created the chance and was also involved in the build-up on eight occasions. Luis Alberto (9) of Lazio is the only player with more multi chance involvements.

VERDICT

Spain have an abundance of attacking midfield options, but Pedri is already showing a level of involvement in Barca's build-up play that must surely put him in Luis Enrique's thinking. He has also proved versatile, with Koeman using him out wide, behind the striker and also in a deeper midfield role at times this season. Regardless of where he plays, Pedri is regularly involved in sequences that lead to goalscoring opportunities and looks set to continue doing so for years to come.

Sergio Aguero's mood is "better than ever" as he tentatively nears the end of an injury nightmare, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola confirmed City's all-time top scorer will start Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie against Birmingham City at the Etihad Stadium as he looks to put the after-effects of meniscus surgery behind him.

Aguero underwent an operation in June and has been forced to manage ongoing discomfort in the joint since a hamstring injury at West Ham curtailed his initial return in October.

Despite being ravaged by a coronavirus outbreak among their squad, City head into the weekend buoyed by their two finest performances of the season - a swashbuckling 3-1 win over Chelsea preceding a 2-0 win against rivals Manchester United in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup.

Four minutes from the bench at Stamford Bridge was the sum of Aguero's action across the those games, as he was an unused substitute at Old Trafford.

Nevertheless, his goalscoring prowess has been an obvious miss across the course of the campaign. In their most recent title-winning season, City averaged 2.6 goals per game in the Premier League with Aguero in the side.

That has fallen to 1.6 in all matches this time around, with a win percentage of 53.9 per cent, set against 84.8 with Aguero in harness two seasons ago. Shots per 90 minutes are also down from 18.1 to 15.6 when the two data sets are compared.

"Just look at the numbers, the quality he has in the box, Sergio is unique," Guardiola told a pre-match news conference.

"He has a tough, tough injury. The important thing is his mood is exceptional, I would say better than ever.

"It's important that the feeling, the last two weeks, his knee's reaction was really good after training. This is the best news we can have.

"He’s going to start, the minutes his performance level or knee will dictate. What's important is good quality minutes, as much as possible, we start from the beginning and after we'll see what happens.

"It will be great to have Sergio fit. He’s so optimistic. He says 'I will score goals' and that is the most important thing."

Aguero is out of contract at the end of the season, as is fellow fans' favourite Fernandinho.

The 35-year-old Brazil international has returned to his customary central midfield position this season, having deputised at centre-back for much of last, and completed the scoring with a sweetly struck volley against United in midweek.

Following the departure of David Silva over the close season, Fernandinho has stepped up as club captain and impressed Guardiola greatly with his leadership skills.

"With the players in this part of the season, everything is open," Guardiola said, when discussing the prospect of the veteran earning a fresh deal.

"I am more than impressed with the first captain role of Fernandinho, he is leading in an exceptional way. In the good moments and the bad, bad moments.

"If everyone can take an example of what he has done so far, the team will be stronger."

Pressed for examples of how the quietly spoken star commands the dressing room, Guardiola replied: "How he talks with his mates, how he talks with my assistant coach, before the game, at half-time.

"Not just talking to players about football matters, in life, how to behave in training, every single day. He's the first who proves that he's able to do it.

"That's why he goes to Old Trafford, plays holding midfielder there. It was not easy for Bruno Fernandes to control him.

"At the beginning of the season he stepped forward and showed how to be a captain."

City will have Ederson, Ferran Torres and Tommy Doyle available for selection once more, provided they returned negative COVID-19 tests on Friday.

The trio tested positive ahead of the postponed Premier League match at Everton on December 28.

Neymar is not fit to make his return from injury when Paris Saint-Germain take on Brest in Ligue 1, though Mauro Icardi is one of a trio returning to action.

Icardi, Layvin Kurzawa and Alessandro Florenzi will all be available at Parc des Princes on Saturday after injury absences.

PSG laboured to a 1-1 draw in Mauricio Pochettino's opening game in charge away to Saint-Etienne on Wednesday

He will seek his first win since replacing Thomas Tuchel at home to Brest, with PSG looking for a sixth straight Ligue 1 win against them.

With 36 points after 18 games this season, it is their worst opening to a top-flight campaign since 2012-13.

Pochettino will bid to start improving their results without Neymar – who has not played since suffering an ankle injury on December 13 – while Rafinha and Juan Bernat are also out.

"We need to get the players who are out back in action as soon as possible so that we can be as competitive as we want to be," Pochettino said ahead of facing Brest.

"The team have shown a fantastic attitude and an ability to learn quickly from us in a short period of time."

Neymar will then have missed five matches, with the next decision to be whether he plays any part against Marseille in the Trophee des Champions on Wednesday.

Central to PSG's thoughts is February's crucial Champions League last-16 first leg against Barcelona.

Frank Lampard admits he is concerned about football in England continuing while the COVID-19 crisis escalates.

On Friday, London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, declared a "major incident" in the capital as hospitals face rising numbers of patients.

The English football authorities are carrying out regular tests on players and club staff, and the number of positive cases is rising, with 40 declared in the Premier League for last week.

Lampard said none of those were Chelsea players but confirmed "a small number of staff" with the London club had tested positive recently.

Sunday will see Chelsea welcome fourth-tier outfit Morecambe to Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup third round, with the visitors having recently had to postpone two games because of coronavirus cases in their ranks.

Chelsea head coach Lampard was asked about possible worries, and said: "Not just about playing Morecambe, but I do have concerns because of the current climate.

"We haven't had any players positive in the last couple of rounds – we have had a small number of staff.

"Of course, whilst the country is in lockdown for a reason, while football carries on for a reason, it means there's lots of mixing going on.

"We have to be ultra-careful. I'm not completely comfortable but we have to toe the line, we have to keep playing.

"The safety must come first. There are lots of moving parts and things are changing day by day, week by week."

Burnley boss Sean Dyche this week floated the idea that if footballers were vaccinated, it would lead to savings on testing and such money could be ploughed into the National Health Service.

Lampard said, as Dyche did, that footballers should not be seen to be jumping the queue ahead of those in most need.

He said: "Maybe there's a time down the line when we look at sports but I don't think it's that time right now."

Chelsea will be without the injured Reece James, Andreas Christensen and N'Golo Kante for the Morecambe game, and Lampard is considering giving a first-team chance to a number of academy players.

Lampard's team have lost 3-1 to both Arsenal and Manchester City, either side of a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, in a Premier League slump over the past fortnight.

Previous defeats in mid-December to Everton and Wolves have also played a part in them falling away from being challengers near the top of the table to sitting in ninth place.

They face a fourth-tier side who have won six of their previous seven games, yet this is Morecambe's fourth appearance in the third round of the cup, and they have lost each of their previous games at this stage without scoring.

Chelsea's last third-round defeat in the competition came in 1997-98, when they lost to Manchester United.

Lampard said the challenge of returning his team to peak form "makes my job more exciting".

He accepts "confidence has been hit" and said: "The players need a lift. That's my job, the staff's job, and their job. I don't know any way out of a lack of confidence but to sprint yourself out of it and fight yourself out of it, because those are the rules of football."

He was reminded about Chelsea being stunned 4-2 by Bradford City in the fourth round in January 2015 and said: "Underdogs will turn up, try to win and make things difficult for you.

"Considering our current form, we have to be even more on guard and worry about ourselves, and get ourselves playing well, because if we play well and do our job right, we'll win the game I believe."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has no doubt his Manchester United side are ready to bounce back to their EFL Cup disappointment against Manchester City when they host Watford this weekend.

The Red Devils were defeated 2-0 by Pep Guardiola's side at Old Trafford and have now lost each of the four semi-finals they have contested under Solskjaer.

Saturday brings another opportunity when United face the Hornets to start their FA Cup venture this season and Solskjaer expects his team to respond to this latest setback.

"The reaction has been as expected, of course you're disappointed when you go out, we wanted to go one step further but we've shown many times this season we can bounce back after a disappointment," he told a news conference ahead of the third-round tie.

"We did it after defeat against Arsenal, did it after we lost to Tottenham, after we went out of the Champions League - the boys have reacted well.

"I don't envisage anyone with any other mindset than we have to win. We enter the competition wanting to win.

"We have a few players with a few knocks, so there'll be a few changes, but I'll still field a team I feel confident in."

Odion Ighalo was drafted in as emergency cover a year ago following an injury to Marcus Rashford but his loan stint from Shanghai Shenhua comes to an end this month.

Solskjaer expects to give the striker game time against his former club, while he also offered an update on Argentine duo Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo – both of whom are being tipped with January exits with their contracts to expire at the end of the season.

"It's special for him [Ighalo] against Watford, he will be involved," Solskjaer added.

"He's training really well, I don't know how many goals he scored today but by miles he was our top scorer in the round robin in training. 

"He's not lost sharpness or quality, it's difficult to be out of the squad of course. He did well until the summer. This season he's not had as many opportunities but he's never let himself down as a professional or a human being. 

"In training he always works hard. He's in the squad, hopefully I don't need to put him on to need goals but hopefully he can join in."

On Romero and Rojo, he added: "Both of them have contracts until the summer, they're not gonna be extended so we're looking for them to find clubs. 

"Marcos has been given time to go home, so he's still in Argentina. Sergio he has been back home as well to see family but he's back in England now. They're professionals, working hard and ready if they're called in for us. Marcos would have to travel in and do quarantine before."

Solskjaer, who confirmed Facundo Pellistri has tested positive for coronavirus but has not been involved with the first team, was asked about the worrying rise in COVID-19 cases across the Premier League.

The Norwegian acknowledged the growing concern for society but is keen for the competition not to be halted.

"First of all, you're worried what's happening in society and in and around the country," he said. 

"I personally feel safe within our bubble, I think we've taken all the steps that we've had to follow protocols, guidelines. The club have been good and the players are following the rules as well as they can. 

"Of course what's happening at different clubs and society is frightening, we have a duty to try and stay clear, stay within bubbles.

"I hope we can continue playing, I think it's [football] had a positive impact – I feel it as well at home when you don't have a game you're looking forward to watching football on the tele. The mental wellbeing of football has been a big positive, I think."

Tate Russell's second-half thunderbolt ultimately proved crucial for Western Sydney Wanderers in their gutsy 2-1 A-League triumph at Newcastle Jets on Friday.

Wanderers, who earned a first win under boss Carl Robinson against his old club, led 2-0 thanks to Ziggy Gordon and Russell only for Nigel Boogaard to ensure a nervy finish at McDonald Jones Stadium.

Centre-back Gordon headed home James Troisi's seventh-minute corner to get Wanderers rolling.

The impressive Nicolai Muller, who finished with three shots, three key passes and 80.6 per cent pass accuracy, thought he had doubled the lead with a tremendous effort from range, only for Simon Cox (two shots, two key passes) to be ruled offside in the build-up by VAR.

Newcastle had their chances, but Thomas Aquilina somehow failed to make contact with Muller's teasing cross before the break.

Russell was far more clinical when he drilled in Cox's lay-off from the edge of the box just before the hour in an effort of sublime technique.

Boogaard headed the Jets back into the contest when he finished from Ramy Najjarine's assist, the winger proving a great creative force throughout (five chances created, three shots, 79.1 per cent successful passes).

The Jets peppered the visitors' goal from there on in but were unable to find a leveller and have started the campaign with two defeats. 

Denis Zakaria insists he has had no contact with any other club amid reports Bayern Munich are planning a move for the Borussia Monchengladbach prospect.

The 24-year-old midfielder is said to be high on the Bundesliga champions' list of targets for the 2021-22 campaign, with the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United having been linked with a move as well.

A knee injury sustained in March meant Zakaria did not play until November this season, and from seven Bundesliga appearances he has won 24 duels, five tackles, made two interceptions and regained 18 possession times.

His passing accuracy of 86.49 per cent suggests a level of comfort on the ball, which would be crucial at Bayern to allow more attack-minded players to flourish.

For now, though, Zakaria's focus is purely on maintaining his promising rise at Gladbach, with whom he has a contract until June 2022.

"I haven't talked to anyone about a transfer. I'm 100 percent focused on Gladbach and still have a year and a half left on my contract," Zakaria said to Sport1.

"I don't have a classic career plan. But I've dreamed of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world since I was a young player. 

"To achieve that at some point, I have to work hard here in Gladbach. For now, I'm very happy at Borussia."

Last season, Zakaria regained posession eight times per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga, the best rate of any Gladbach player. 

If he were to join Bayern, Zakaria would play alongside Joshua Kimmich – someone he considers to be the benchmark for midfielders.

"He's just great. Kimmich is currently the best midfielder in the world," he added.

"It automatically raises your midfield to a top level. Of course I like to watch him."

Asked if he had a role model in the game, Zakaria pointed to a couple of prominent Frenchmen.

"I think Paul Pogba is great. My biggest idol used to be Patrick Vieira. He has had a world-class career. I am already emulating him a little," he said.

"But it's always clear to me: I want to be Denis Zakaria and not Pogba or Vieira. I want to put my own stamp on football."

Lonzo Ball is looking forward to taking on his brother LaMelo Ball when the Pelicans face the Charlotte Hornets on Friday - but getting New Orleans back on track is his primary concern. 

The Pelicans are 4-4 after suffering back-to-back narrow defeats against the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, while the Hornets ended a three-game losing skid by beating the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, improving to 3-5. 

LaMelo was the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and the rookie is already pushing for a spot in Charlotte's starting lineup, averaging 12.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists through his first eight games in the league. 

In his fourth appearance, LaMelo had 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a 118-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. He became first rookie to post such a stat line (at least 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists) within their first four games in the league since Lonzo in 2017, and only the fifth since 1985-86 - Kevin Durant, Grant Hill and Lloyd Daniels the others to achieve the feat. 

Eight games into his NBA career, Lonzo was averaging 9.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists from eight starts for the Los Angeles Lakers – the last of which saw him fail to score a single point in a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. 

The game between the Pelicans and Hornets will be broadcast nationally in the United States but Lonzo does not intend to let a family reunion detract from greater objectives. 

"I think it's gonna be a lot of fun. It's our first time matching up in a real game, but I think it's gonna be an opportunity to just get back on track. We've lost the last two so we want to turn it around starting tomorrow," said Lonzo. 

"It's just about getting the win. It'll be cool seeing him out there and everything but he's gonna do what he can for his team and I'm gonna do what I can for my team and go from there." 

Asked if he was planning to treat LaMelo to some trash talk, he added: "No, I'll just play my game. Wherever coach puts me I'll do the best I can to get stops for my team and push the break the other way."

Despite spending their formative years together, Lonzo may be in for a surprise when he finally faces up to LaMelo having played minimal one-on-one during their youth.

"Not really too much one-on-one; a lot of two-on-twos, three-on-threes, though, pretty much our whole life," he said.

"One-on-one I was just always a little too big for him. As far as playing in the back yard, we played three-on-three pretty much every day. We always went at it and I think you see that in his game. He's not afraid of anybody. He's always played up and it's always been that way for him."

Lonzo and LaMelo enjoyed a single season as team-mates alongside their other brother LiAngelo – who has reportedly signed a contract to play in the upcoming G League season – during high school at Chino Hills in 2015-16, going 35-0 and winning a state championship.

"It was a lot of fun. We went undefeated that year. It was the only time we all got to play together in high school and we made the most of it," said Lonzo.

"It was just a fun time all around, being with them before I took off on my journey and they went their ways as well."

While Lonzo spent a year at UCLA before being drafted second overall by the Lakers in 2017, LaMelo opted against playing in college.

He turned professional and played in Lithuania and Australia either side of participating in the Junior Basketball Association - a league that was set up by his father LaVar Ball to offer an alternative to college.

"Everybody has to find their own way. Obviously, I went the more traditional route, he didn't, but at the end of the day we both ended up where we wanted to be," said Lonzo.

"Hard work definitely pays off. No matter who you are, you put your mind to something and you can do it. I really believe that. It worked for me, it worked for him, so that's what I'd tell kids growing up today as well."

Now the pair are on the same stage, Lonzo declared: "It just shows all the hard work paid off ... and we both ended up where we wanted to go."

Hansi Flick has told his Bayern Munich stars to show "a different attitude from the start" as he bids to achieve a feat only Pep Guardiola has achieved before.

On Friday evening, Flick can reach 100 points from his first 39 Bundesliga games in charge of the Bavarian giants, needing a win at Borussia Monchengladbach to hit that landmark.

But head coach Flick is unwilling to tolerate any repeat of the shaky first-half performance that saw his team trail Mainz 2-0 on Sunday, before turning the game around to register a 5-2 win.

Guardiola, who joined Bayern ahead of the 2013-14 season, brought up his century of points in the same number of games.

That saw Guardiola lead Bayern to a championship with 90 points before beginning the following season with three wins and two draws.

The Manchester City boss amassed 101 points from his first 39 Bundesliga matches, the first Bayern head coach to achieve a three-figure points haul so quickly.

Flick knows if he is to add an immediate three points to his current 97 points, the European champions will need to pull their weight.

"We have addressed it very clearly and want to go into the game with a different attitude and dynamic," Flick said on Thursday in a pre-match news conference.

"We want to be more present in the duels. We can't just hope for Manu [goalkeeper Manuel Neuer] at the back.

"We need a different attitude from the start. We have to show what we are capable of. The team have this mentality. Gladbach have high individual quality and great tempo."

Flick's side have scored 119 goals in their 38 league games during his tenure, winning 31 times, drawing four and losing only three times.

But there is no certainty they will get the better of Gladbach, having lost to the Foals in the first half of the season in each of the last three campaigns before winning the reverse game.

Indeed, Bayern have only won 13 of 52 previous away games against Friday's opponents, losing 21 times and drawing on 18 occasions.

Flick's recent record in Friday night games bodes well for Bayern.

They began this season with an 8-0 thrashing of Schalke on a Friday, and their previous Friday game was the 8-2 humbling of Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Bayern have won 16 of their last 20 Friday games in all competitions (D3 L1), Opta said.

Francisco Lindor's time in Cleveland has come to an end, as the Indians moved the four-time All-Star to the New York Mets in a blockbuster six-player trade announced on Thursday. 

The Mets will also receive starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco in the deal, with Cleveland getting infielders Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez and a pair of prospects in pitcher Josh Wolf and outfielder Isaiah Greene. 

Lindor has been one of the game's premier shortstops, and the face of the Cleveland franchise, since breaking into the majors in 2015. The 27-year-old was the runner-up in voting for the American League's Rookie of the Year in 2015 and has won two Silver Slugger awards as well as a pair of Gold Gloves during his six-year career. 

The Puerto Rico native is set to be a free agent after this season, however, and an inability to agree to terms on a contract extension forced Cleveland to field offers from interested teams. 

Lindor joins a Mets organisation with grand designs under new owner Steve Cohen and who have been one of the more aggressive teams this offseason. New York previously added catcher James McCann and reliever Trevor May in free agency, while pitcher Marcus Stroman accepted an $18.9million qualifying offer to return. 

A career .285 hitter, Lindor has averaged 29 home runs, 86 RBIs and 21 steals over his six major league seasons. 

The Mets also add a valuable piece to the rotation in Carrasco, who went 88-73 with a 3.77 ERA in 11 seasons with Cleveland. The 33-year-old right-hander won 35 games between the 2017 and 2018 seasons before missing most of the 2019 campaign when diagnosed with leukaemia. 

Carrasco successfully fought off the disease to make 12 regular-season starts in 2020, going 3-4 with a 2.91 ERA and winning a second straight AL Comeback Player of the Year award. 

Rosario is the most experienced of the players Cleveland got in return and figures to slot in as Lindor's replacement at shortstop. The 25-year-old's last full season in the majors was a solid one as he batted .287 with 15 homers, 72 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. 

Gimenez, 22, made his major league debut last season and hit .263 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 49 games. 

Wolf and Greene were ranked as the Mets' number nine and number 10 overall prospects by MLB.com. Wolf was a second-round pick by New York in 2019, while Greene was taken in the second round of the 2020 draft and has yet to make his professional debut.

It was never going to be easy for the Toronto Raptors, not when you are living out of hotels and temporary residences more than 2,000 miles from your home city. Not when you dwell in by far the most top-heavy division in the Eastern Conference.

Still, the way the 2018-19 NBA champions have performed more like a bottom-feeding also-ran than a presumed title contender during the nascent stages of a challenging 2020-21 season is at least a cause for concern. And the difficult circumstances the Raptors find themselves under, playing their home games in Tampa, Florida, after being forced southward by travel restrictions by the Canadian government, does not reasonably explain all their early problems. 

It is not the sole reason Toronto has been among the league's most inept scoring teams thus far, ranking 26th in offensive rating and dead last in field goal percentage. It is not why the Raptors have been routinely steamrolled in the second half of games during their 1-6 start (their sixth loss of last season did not come until their 21st game, by the way).

No, there's a bit more to it than that. And while it is certainly not time to press the panic button just yet, there are a few areas the Raptors clearly need to improve on if they are to at least extend their current seven-year streak of playoff appearances. 

THE SHOTS ARE NOT FALLING, ESPECIALLY FROM LONG DISTANCE 

The 3-point shot has always been a big part of the Raptors' game since Nick Nurse took over as head coach, as they ranked sixth in the NBA in 3-point rate (the ratio of 3-pointers attempted to total field goal attempts) last season and 10th during their 2018-19 championship campaign. So far in 2020-21, nearly half (49.2 per cent) of Toronto's shots have come from behind the arc – the highest total in the league. 

The difference is this Raptors are not hitting those shots at nearly the same proficiency as before. Toronto's 34.2 success rate ranks 24th in the league. The Raptors finished no lower than sixth in either of the past two seasons. 

In 2019-20, the Raptors had six players with at least three 3-point attempts per game shoot 38 percent or better from long range, tied with Detroit for the most in the NBA. Only three current players (Fred VanVleet, Chris Boucher, Matt Thomas) can make that claim so far this season. 

Two players who accomplished that feat in 2019-20, Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, have moved on. Aron Baynes, a 35 percent 3-point shooter over the past two seasons, was signed with the intent to fill the void, but he is 3-of-16 on triple attempts thus far. Holdover OG Anunoby, just weeks removed from signing a four-year, $72million extension, is 12-of-41 (29.3 percent) after hitting at a 39 percent clip in 2019-20. 

WHERE HAVE YOU GONE, PASCAL SIAKAM? 

Siakam's well-documented struggles in Toronto's seven-game loss to Boston in last season's Eastern Conference semi-finals may not have been a blip on the radar.

The Celtics masterfully neutralised the forward by deploying the smaller Jaylen Brown as his primary defender, and teams have been successfully following that blueprint during the early stages of this season. 

The plan is working so far, too. Often drawing defenders with the length and athleticism to give him problems (Philadelphia's Ben Simmons and San Antonio's Rudy Gay were particularly effective), Siakam is simply not getting to the rim with the same frequency as past years, and (see below) has been among the least efficient players of his size when doing so.

LOWEST FG PERCENTAGE AT THE RIM – PLAYERS 6'9" OR TALLER - IN 2020-21 SEASON (minimum 100 minutes played) 

Isaiah Stewart, Det .478 
Pascal Siakam, Tor .488 
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA .500 
Brook Lopez, Mil .500 
Jusuf Nurkic, Por .500 
Dwight Powell, Dal .500 

The Raptors have been outscored by an astonishing 63 points with Siakam on the court, an average of 10.5 per game that is eclipsed only by a pair of players from the likely lottery bound Timberwolves (D'Angelo Russell, Ed Davis) for the worst mark in the league. 

It has been a humbling start for the 2018-19 NBA Most Improved Player, and that frustration was no more evident than when he bolted straight to the locker room after fouling out late in a loss to the 76ers. Nurse benched him for the next game, which happens to be the only one the Raptors have won so far.

Siakam did look more like his old self in Wednesday's outing at Phoenix, when he put up 32 points and shot over 50 percent from the field for the first time this season. It goes without saying the Raptors need him to return to his All-Star form, as they were 19-1 when he scored 25 or more points in a game in 2019-20. 

LEADS ARE SLIPPING AWAY 

Six teams have lost multiple times when holding a double-digit lead in a game so far. The Rockets, Hawks, Wizards and Pistons have done so twice, the Grizzlies three times. The Raptors have five such losses through their first seven outings.

Starting well hasn't been a problem - Toronto is outscoring opponents by an average of 4.3 points in the first quarter, the second-best mark in the NBA behind only Milwaukee. Starting the second half well has been a real issue, however. The Raptors have been outscored by an average of 5.4 points in the third quarter, with only the Timberwolves and Cavaliers having been worse.

In contrast, the Raptors outscored foes by 4.3 points per game in the third quarter (fourth-best in the NBA) while going 53-19 last season. They ranked second in the league during their 2018-19 title run.  

So what's the reason for the dramatic drop-off? Is it because Toronto fields one of the league's older rosters? The Raptors are one of only three teams with two starters (Baynes and Kyle Lowry) aged 34 or older. One of the others is the Lakers, however, so there goes that theory. 

A lack of depth is the more plausible answer. The Raptors rank 27th in the NBA in bench scoring, though they also had one of the league's least productive second units last season. That was less of an issue in 2019-20 because the starting five was often so good. With Siakam, Anunoby and Baynes all underperforming thus far, it has quickly become a more pressing concern. 

THE BOTTOM LINE 

There's no cause for alarm yet for Toronto fans just yet regarding their snowbird team. If not for a few bad stretches, the Raptors could just as easily be 5-2 instead of 1-6, and a defense that is still among the NBA's better units has kept them in every game in spite of their inefficiencies on the other end. 

There is enough of a track record throughout the roster to suggest that the offense will come around. It needs to as well for a team that has been built on the premise of winning now and whose window may be closing soon.

Lowry, the Raptors' unquestioned heart and soul, is in the final year of his contract and turns 35 in March. Does team president Masai Ujiri consider moving him at the trade deadline if Toronto finds itself fighting for merely a playoff spot instead of a division title? 

The next two months should be very intriguing in Toronto. And Tampa as well.  

Danilo D'Ambrosio suffered a strain to the medial collateral ligament in his left knee against Sampdoria on Wednesday, Inter have confirmed.

Defender D'Ambrosio was introduced as an 81st-minute substitute against Samp and was on the end of a strong challenge from Mehdi Leris deep into stoppage time.

The 32-year-old's leg appeared to buckle under the tackle and he was left in clear pain, although medical staff were able to help the player to his feet to walk off the pitch in the final moments of the 2-1 defeat – Inter's first in nine matches.

A statement on Thursday detailed the nature of the injury after medical tests.

"His condition will be reassessed next week," the Nerazzurri said.

Wednesday's match was D'Ambrosio's 11th appearance of the season, of which only four have been starts. He has scored three goals from defence but contributed to just a single clean sheet.

The Golden State Warriors are not overly concerned by Stephen Curry's ankle issue in the defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers as the superstar point guard is confident it will not prove a major setback.

Curry's outstanding run of form was checked in Wednesday's 108-101 reverse at Chase Center.

The two-time NBA MVP had scored a career-high 62 points against the Portland Trail Blazers and then added another 30 versus the Sacramento Kings in the Warriors' past two games.

Yet Curry contributed only 13 points against the Clippers, bringing his season average down to 29.6, and shot one-of-six from beyond the arc.

More concerningly, Curry was not able to finish the game as he complained of an ankle problem in the fourth quarter and exited with just over a minute remaining.

But head coach Steve Kerr had positive news for Golden State fans, who have already seen Klay Thompson condemned to another long-term lay-off after the team's 2019-20 season was wrecked by injury woes.

"He did tweak it. He told me it's not serious," Kerr said on Wednesday. "He'll come in tomorrow and get treatment and we'll check it out.

"The good news is Steph does not think it's anything too serious."

The Warriors had led earlier in the fourth quarter despite Curry's failure to make an impact, with each of their five starters finishing with a negative plus/minus.

Kerr's second unit instead led the way, as Eric Paschall scored 19 points in 20 minutes, but the Golden State coach paid tribute to the Clippers' defensive effort.

"There was not a ton of rhythm or flow," he said. "We played a team that's going to be – at full strength, like they were tonight – one of the best defensive teams in the league, with a ton of length.

"They did a really good job. I thought they played an excellent defensive game. They hounded Steph and we couldn't find a rhythm."

Kerr reserved praise for his own defense, too, describing Draymond Green as "the best defensive player in the world" after he weighed in with six defensive rebounds and two steals.

And the coach suggested this was a key reason for a slow start to the game, although he was asked if the riot on Capitol Hill earlier in the day had also contributed.

"There was a strange energy in the air at the beginning of the game and that may have been a factor," Kerr said, having addressed the issue at length prior to tip-off.

Bradley Beal insisted "I don't give a damn" after tying a franchise points record for the Washington Wizards in their defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Beal's career-high 60 points on Wednesday could not prevent a 141-136 loss at Wells Fargo Center as the Wizards slipped to 2-6 for the season.

The 27-year-old was 20-of-35 on shooting, including seven-of-10 from three-point range, as he equalled Gilbert Arenas' franchise best against the Los Angeles Lakers back in 2006.

Still, the two-time All Star took little pride in recording a personal best in another loss.

"I'm p***** off," Beal said. "I'm mad. I don't count [them]. Any of my career highs, they've been in losses. So I don't give a damn. You can throw it right out the window with the other two or three I've had.

"I just want to win. Sometimes you might be able to score 40, 50, 60, whatever the case may be, but I just want to win, whatever that looks like. We came up a little bit short."

Beal's spectacular 57 points in the first 36 minutes proved futile as Philadelphia closed out a high-scoring contest, making 61.7 per cent from the field throughout.

Washington tied the scores at 119 each after having trailed by 10 at the start of the fourth quarter, but Joel Embiid led the 76ers to a strong finish, sinking a three-point jumper from 28 feet.

"I think they got stops and made more plays than we did down the stretch," Beal said when asked what made the difference late on. "I think Embiid hit a tough three... they were making a lot of shots. They hit a lot of tough shots.

"They shot 60 per cent from the field and 62 per cent from three. You can't win a game like that."

For Embiid, it was all part of the service.

"They pay me to take over the game," he said after making 38 points, eight rebounds and five assists. "They pay me to dominate. That's my job.

"I always give credit to my teammates. [But] I finished."

Kai Havertz was dubbed the 'Crown Prince of German football' while at Bayer Leverkusen but the Bundesliga club have a new star now: Florian Wirtz.  

While his former club colleague has struggled so far to make an impact at Chelsea, Wirtz - the latest young gem to come through at Leverkusen - is dazzling for Peter Bosz's team, who remain ensconced in the top four despite defeats either side of the mid-season break in Germany's top flight. 

The 17-year-old did not wait long to suggest he could be the heir apparent, either. Having made his debut in May 2020, he became the youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history the following month, finding the net in a 4-2 defeat to Bayern Munich after coming on as a substitute. Youssoufa Moukoko has since snatched that record away.

This season, Wirtz has gone from the periphery to centre stage, scoring twice and providing four assists in 13 appearances. His transition from promising talent to first-team regular has been swift, leading to comparisons to Havertz, the playmaker who swapped the BayArena for Stamford Bridge.

However, for Bosz, while both players have huge potential, the duo differ in so many ways.

"I never compare players with each other because that is impossible. There is no player like the other," Bosz told Stats Perform News. "You can't compare them. That's not possible.

"I also won't do that with Florian Wirtz, because he has his own style. He is different from Kai Havertz, who is more of a striker. Florian Wirtz, as far as I am concerned, is a midfielder, so you can't compare them.

"Also, you can't compare them physically; Kai is 1.92metres (6ft 3in), Florian is shorter. One is left-footed, the other one right-footed. They both have their own style. But both of them are very good. Both are very talented. Both have a huge career ahead of them.

"And Florian is only 17 years old. What he has shown though in the Bundesliga already is something special."

Wirtz has been a part of a Leverkusen squad that has impressed so far in this campaign, both at home and abroad. 

Despite a first defeat to Bayern Munich before the mid-season pause in Germany, Leverkusen gathered 28 points from their opening 13 league games. Only three times have they managed to collect more points across the same period - and on each of those occasions they went on to finish in the top four.

In the Europa League, Die Werkself finished top of Group C to qualify for the last 32 in style, winning five of their six round-robin fixtures. Having reached the quarter-final stage of the competition last year, when they lost 2-1 to Inter, hopes are high they can go further this time around. 

But while there has been much to please Bosz and Leverkusen's supporters so far, the Dutch coach insists there is still plenty more to come from his squad.

"Everyone still has some space to improve," he said, insisting no player has reached a nine out of 10 yet. "The difference to last year is that we are very consistent now.

"We deliver stable performances. It means that we concede less goals. We stand more compact on the pitch.  

"But we have also lost important players. Kai Havertz went to Chelsea, Kevin Volland to Monaco. I think that our team spirit has improved. This is the biggest step ahead." 

Despite Havertz no longer being around, Leverkusen have been excellent going forward, with champions Bayern the only team to score more in the Bundesliga so far. Their attacking intent has not come at a considerable cost defensively either - only second-placed RB Leipzig have conceded fewer goals.

The emergence of Wirtz has been one of the factors in helping Leverkusen continue to progress as a club, even with those key departures in the previous transfer window.

"He's a very talented young player. He has a lot more to improve. But, you know, he's only 17," Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey told Stats Perform News about his talented young team-mate.

"He's still learning. But he has a lot of qualities that a lot of older players don't have yet. And that's something you can see clearly, and this is something that's special. 

"And I think, as the years go by, he will only get better. There is a lot more to come from him, as he understands more and get a lot more experience.  

"I would say he's very smart. He has a lot of quality when he's on the ball. And he has a great passing ability."

Bailey's assessment is backed up by Wirtz's output, with no Leverkusen player having created more chances from open play than his tally of 23. While his passing accuracy is perhaps lower than might be hoped for at 73 per cent, his touches in the opposing box (31) and passes into the final third (55) are examples of his forward thinking when in possession. 

Those risks have reaped their rewards this term too, considering his six goal contributions so far. Bosz clearly has faith in him, as only goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky and Moussa Diaby have played more minutes in the Bundesliga so far. 

Any suggestion of becoming the new Havertz may be wide of the mark, but the future looks bright for Wirtz, the latest jewel to emerge at Leverkusen.