Opener Usman Khawaja and number three Marnus Labuschagne guided Australia to 147-2 before bad light and rain interrupted day one of their third Test against South Africa.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat first, the hosts found themselves 12-1 in the fourth over after David Warner edged to first slip off Anrich Nortje's bowling.

Khawaja showed no signs of joining Warner in the sheds, patiently making his way to 54 not out off 121 deliveries for his 21st Test half century in his 99th innings.

Play was interrupted just after 2pm local time due to bad light, and 30 minutes later the rain arrived. After over two hours, play resumed, but they were only able to sneak in another four overs before deciding the light was insufficient.

South Africa will be glad they were able to play that late mini-session, claiming the wicket of Labuschagne with the penultimate ball of the day in the 47th over.

Labuschagne had come in and steadied the ship, adding 79 runs off 151 deliveries after surviving two reviews – with a bit of glove negating an lbw shout, and a near catch in the slips bouncing just in front of the fielder.

His day ended when Nortje found his outside edge with a short delivery, allowing both teams to head into the pavilion with positives to cling to.

SCG a happy hunting ground for Khawaja

Khawaja came into the contest boasting an average of 98.3 from his nine Test innings at the SCG, and he boosted that figure to 107.3 by the close.

For his career, Khawaja is averaging 52.3 runs in Australia, which is dramatically higher than his averages in South Africa (24.2) and England (19.7).

Up-and-down Warner provides selection headache heading into Ashes season

While Warner will feel he has done his job this series, averaging 52.3 from his four innings as Australia push for a 3-0 sweep, his opening spot is still up for grabs for this year's Ashes campaign.

His average this series is buoyed by his terrific 200 in the second Test, but the 36-year-old's other three innings have resulted in scores of nought, three and 10.

Most football seasons carry a degree of unpredictability; that's just the nature of sport.

But it's certainly arguable that this season is among the least predictable in living memory due to the unique timing of the World Cup, which took place across November and December for the first time.

In Italy, Napoli would've presumably been the team most frustrated by the timing of Qatar 2022. On course for a first Scudetto since 1990 and the days of Diego Maradona, the Partenopei had been head and shoulders above the rest in Serie A before the World Cup and among the most eye-catching sides in Europe.

They'd lost just once – a 2-0 Champions League defeat at Liverpool – and won all but three matches across all competitions prior to the season's break. So, the key question facing them now is, can momentum survive a two-month hiatus?

The next 10 days or so will give us a fairly clear indication of just how good Napoli are.

Napoli's testing return

Napoli return to action in 2023 with one of the most-anticipated games of the season. Not only are their title credentials set for a thorough examination, but Inter could do with a positive result to kick-start their season.

Simone Inzaghi's men sit fifth, 11 points behind Napoli. A spell of four defeats in six Serie A games between August and October gave Inter an uphill struggle right from the early weeks of the season.

They recovered, to an extent, but did also lose to Juventus in early November. You'd have to think their chances of regaining the title they won in 2021, but relinquished to city rivals Milan last season, will disappear into the realms of impossibility if they are beaten on Wednesday.

Some might even suggest that's the case already. After all, Stats Perform's AI prediction model gives them only a 4.3 per cent chance of finishing the season top – though that is at least higher than the two teams directly above them.

It's not just this Inter clash that Napoli fans will have on their minds, however.

They host bitter rivals Juventus on January 13, and like Inter, the Bianconeri will also still harbour title hopes. That's assuming they don't suffer the unlikely fate of losing to Udinese – whose form tailed off after an incredible start – and winless Cremonese in the interim.

Perhaps all this talk of the title is a bit daft when you consider Napoli's clash with Juve won't even be the halfway point of the season: there remains a long way to go.

However, when a team has been as good as Napoli were before the World Cup, it's only normal to start considering how many more opportunities their rivals have.

Inter potentially have a joker in the pack, though.

Romelu's redemption?

It's been a difficult 18 months for Romelu Lukaku. His highly anticipated return to Chelsea was underwhelming, to say the least, and resulted in him making his way back to Inter.

"It's like coming home," he said. But injuries restricted the 29-year-old to just four appearances in Serie A before the World Cup, therefore Italy is very much still waiting for the real Lukaku to return.

In fact, the world is still waiting. Let's not forget, Lukaku did feature for Belgium in Qatar but did little to rebuild his fractured reputation.

Granted, injuries again limited his involvement but that performance against Croatia as Belgium were knocked out at the group stage was remarkable. He had five shots equalling 1.7 expected goals (xG), including three absolute sitters, yet he failed to convert any.

But if Lukaku does get back to anything like what he showed during his previous spell in San Siro, there's every reason to expect a slightly different Inter between now and the end of the season.

During those two campaigns with the Nerazzurri, Lukaku's haul of 47 league goals was bettered by only four players across the top five leagues. Similarly, his 35 non-penalty (np) strikes was only slightly above his np-xG (33.1 – also the fifth-highest in the top five leagues), which supports the idea he was dependable without being regularly lucky.

Of course, Antonio Conte's system at Inter was what many considered key in Lukaku's improvement. His pace, strength and running power – helped of course by his finishing ability – made the Belgian almost unplayable in a transition-based side.

Chelsea never saw the same player partly because Thomas Tuchel is a more possession-orientated coach; those opportunities to release Lukaku in behind defences just weren't as frequent and he arguably isn't technically good enough to be a key player in such a setup.

As such, Inzaghi was aware he'd have to change his tactics somewhat to adjust to Lukaku this season – this will be tested to the max over the coming weeks, and its success will likely determine Inter's campaign one way or the other.

The Brooklyn Nets will look to extend their winning streak to 13 games when they travel to take on the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

Brooklyn's current 12-game run is the best streak in the NBA this season, and they are showing no signs of slowing down, with their past two victories against the San Antonio Spurs (139-103) and the Charlotte Hornets (123-106) coming by a combined 53 points.

Over that 12-game span, the Nets have gapped the field as the best offensive team in the league. In fact, their 124.2 points per 100 possessions is 6.0 points better than the second-placed Portland Trail Blazers (118.2).

That gap is greater than the distance between the Trail Blazers and the 24th-ranked Minnesota Timberwolves (112.9).

Their offensive firepower has been ignited by some unbelievable, and perhaps unsustainable efficiency by their All-NBA duo.

Over the past 12 games, Kevin Durant is shooting 59.2 per cent from the field – well above his career-best field goal percentage of 53.7 from his 2016-17 and 2020-21 campaigns. It is the same story for Kyrie Irving, who has led the team with 29.3 points at 54.3 per cent shooting, which would both comfortably set new career-highs.

The all-time record for team three-point percentage in a season belongs to the 1996-97 Charlotte Hornets at 42.7 per cent, while during this stretch the Nets have shot the three-ball at an unprecedented 44.2 per cent.

Unless that pair – who are both in their 30s – as well as the Nets as a whole are truly about to shatter their own personal and franchise records, they will, at some point, have to come back down to earth.

However, there is no indication the Bulls will be the team equipped to stand in their way.

During the Nets' winning streak, the Bulls have had the third-worst defense in the NBA, conceding 119.2 points per 100 possessions.

A big part of that has been their inability to rebound and finish off their defensive possessions. They are allowing 16.8 second-chance points per game – the second-most – while at the same time being the league's worst offensive rebounding team, grabbing only 21.9 per cent of their own misses.

The Bulls have also been the absolute worst team in the league at restricting three-pointers, allowing an average of 15.7 made threes per game at an efficient 38.6 per cent.

But while the three-pointer has been the Nets' best friend and the Bulls' worst enemy, it is also the most volatile method of scoring, and teams will generally regress to the mean over the course of an 82-game season.

It means the Nets will not keep shooting this well, and the Bulls will not continue to get lit up from long range at this rate – and while it is impossible to predict when things will begin to swing in the opposite direction, both teams are due for a change of fortune.

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS

Brooklyn Nets – Kyrie Irving 

While Durant is the Nets' undisputed best player, Irving is the X-factor, and his strong games generally coincide with wins.

Irving is shooting 52.6 per cent from the field and 43.7 per cent from deep in the 18 wins he has been a part of, while those figures plummet to 44.9 per cent from the field and 24.7 per cent on three-pointers in his nine losses.

Chicago Bulls – Zach Lavine

It is a similar story for the Bulls, who have DeMar DeRozan as their consistent centrepiece, but rely on Zach Lavine to bring the additional firepower to a team lacking in three-point threats.

For the season, the Bulls are hitting just 10.6 three-pointers per game – the fourth-worst figure in the league – but in the 15 wins Lavine has played in he has hit 3.5 threes per game at a red-hot 46.1 per cent clip. It is a stark difference to his 2.2 made threes at 30.6 per cent in his 18 losses.

KEY BATTLE – Who can control the paint?

It seems clear that whoever catches fire from long range will likely emerge victorious, but with so much volatility attached to high-volume three-point shooting, it may come down to whichever team gets the easiest baskets.

A diet of lay-ups, dunks and free throws will always be the most sustainable form of offense, and the Nets are a team that lack much true size beyond starting center Nic Claxton.

If Bulls center Nikola Vucevic can impose his will on Claxton early and perhaps get him into foul trouble, it could open up the paint and force Ben Simmons to play extended minutes as the Nets' primary rim protector, which is not where he shines defensively.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Bulls have won three of their past four meetings with the Nets, including the most recent fixture on November 1, coming away 108-99 victors after holding Irving to just four points.

A superb Rodrygo strike was enough for a much-changed Real Madrid side to see off fourth-tier Cacereno on Tuesday and secure their place in the Copa del Rey round of 16.

Plying their trade in the Segunda Federacion, Cacereno more than held their own as the the European and LaLiga champions were unconvincing with Carlo Ancelotti having made nine alterations following the victory over Real Valladolid on Friday.

But in the 69th minute, Rodrygo jinked onto his right foot before arrowing into the top-right corner and that proved be enough to see Madrid through.

Madrid's hopes of winning a 20th Copa del Rey, and their first since the 2013-14 campaign, remain alive but they made hard work of the victory.

It took until the 16th minute for the first shot on target of the contest, Dani Ceballos sending a tame long-range effort into the waiting hands of Ivan Moreno in the Cacereno goal.

The underdogs largely kept their opponents at bay during the first half and had a couple of attempts of their own, with David Grande testing Andriy Lunin before Carmelo Merenciano saw a shot deflected over the crossbar.

Ancelotti made a pair of changes at the break, but they had little impact as Cacereno continued to look the more threatening of the two teams, though Marco Asensio stung the palms of Moreno with a fierce drive.

Madrid were in need of a moment of quality, and Rodrygo provided one it in abundance when a mazy run into the box ended with the forward superbly curling home.

Ancelotti's men would not relinquish that lead, despite some late pressure, and they are in the hat for the next round.

Manchester United strengthened their grip on a spot in the Premier League's top four as Marcus Rashford continued his fine run in a 3-0 win over Bournemouth.

Having scored the winner from the bench at Wolves on Saturday, Rashford returned to the starting line-up at Old Trafford and capped a dominant United performance with a late tap-in.

United had earlier taken the lead when Casemiro hammered Christian Eriksen's excellent left-wing free-kick home before Luke Shaw doubled their advantage with a neat finish. 

Victory moved Erik ten Hag's side five points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham and level with Newcastle United, who drew against leaders Arsenal.

United took advantage of a set piece to go ahead 23 minutes in – Casemiro volleying Eriksen's delivery into the top-left corner.

Lloyd Kelly's last-ditch tackle denied Rashford while Eriksen saw another free-kick deflect over as Bournemouth avoided further damage before the break.

Bournemouth's luck ran out within four minutes of the restart as Shaw swept home a cut-back from Alejandro Garnacho, who had replaced the injured Donny van de Beek.

Anthony Martial nodded Casemiro's whipped delivery wide at the far post, though David de Gea was called upon to make strong saves to keep out Philip Billing and Jaidon Anthony at the other end.

Garnacho clipped the outside of the post with a fine curling effort but United had their third when Rashford turned Bruno Fernandes' cut-back home following an outstanding pass from Shaw.

Axar Patel and Shivam Mavi rescued India as they held off Sri Lanka for a thrilling final-ball victory in Tuesday's first T20I in Mumbai.

India were in trouble when they lost Shubman Gill (7), Suryakumar Yadav (7) and Sanju Samson (5) within seven overs, but Deepak Hooda (41 not out) and Axar (31 not out) put on an unbeaten partnership of 68 to carry the hosts to 162/5.

Axar then dismissed two after taking up the ball, while debutant Mavi claimed a four-wicket haul, though India were made to endure a nervy finish as both Kasun Rajitha (5) and Dilshan Madushanka (0) were run out in search of a match-winning boundary at the last.

The hosts made a poor start at the Wankhede Stadium, losing Gill lbw before Yadav handed Bhanuka Rajapaksa a simple catch from Chamika Karunaratne's first delivery. 

India crawled to 77/3 before suffering another huge blow as Wanindu Hasaranga caught Ishan Kishan (37), but they eventually posted a respectable target thanks to the efforts of Axar and Hooda – both of whom would play key roles in the dramatic finale.

Mavi's superb showing then seemed to have put India in complete control as the visitors were reduced to 132/8, but Karunaratne (23 not out) teed up a frantic finale with two huge sixes.

Requiring five runs from three balls, Sri Lanka were suddenly favourites, but Hooda and Axar combined to run out Rajitha before Kishan sent stumps flying as Madushanka went for two runs from the final ball, sealing a dramatic win.

India take the initiative

India approached Tuesday's contest having gone unbeaten throughout their last 10 multi-game men's T20I series (W9 D1), though Sri Lanka's late recovery appeared likely to put their fine run of form under threat.

However, the Men in Blue held on in a frantic finale to take a 1-0 lead over their visitors, who were the last team to record a T20I series triumph against them in July 2021.

Mavi makes his mark

After struggling with the bat for long periods, India needed their bowlers to come up with the goods, and debutant Mavi obliged.

The 24-year-old recorded impressive figures of 4-22 as he claimed the crucial wickets of Pathum Nissanka and Dhanajaya de Silva on a stellar debut.

Luciano Spalletti has praised Santos for not retiring Pele's number 10 shirt and hopes Napoli now do the same with Diego Maradona's famous jersey.

Santos announced on Sunday they had dropped plans to leave the number vacant following last week's death of club legend Pele, who previously said he was against the idea.

Napoli retired Maradona's number 10 in 2000, 20 years before his death, as a tribute to the Argentina great's starring role in their only two Serie A title triumphs.

But Spalletti believes making the shirt available again can inspire Napoli's current crop of players, who are on course to end the club's 33-year wait for Scudetto glory.

"I want to congratulate those who decided not to retire Pele's number 10, meeting his request," Spalletti said at a pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

"When you retire a shirt, you no longer see it. Pele's number should be shown as many times as possible. Congratulations to those who didn't retire the number 10."

Asked directly about Maradona's retired number 10 shirt, Spalletti said: "I think it's correct to wear the number of great players.

"Seeing it every day gives more responsibility to those wearing it and also to their team-mates, who would be motivated to reach that level."

Napoli return to action after the World Cup break with an eight-point lead over Milan at the top of Serie A, having dropped just four points from their opening 14 matches.

The Partenopei have won each of their past 11 Serie A matches – the last team to register a longer streak was Juventus between December 2017 and March 2018 (12 wins).

Spalletti's side face a tough test on Wednesday at fifth-place Inter, whom they have lost their past four league matches against at San Siro.

While a first Scudetto since the days of Maradona is in sight, Spalletti insists he is not obsessed by finishing top.

"The Scudetto is your obsession, not mine," he told reporters. "My obsession is to see this city explode in joy. 

"We have an awareness of what we have done on the pitch. We'll face a great team. We'll play our brand of football which has given benefits to the team.

"Inter are a top team. Over the last three and a half years, they've made investments worthy of a top European club."

Antonio Conte stressed his commitment to Tottenham and suggested his comments following the defeat to Aston Villa may have been misunderstood.

The Italian has repeatedly stated his desire for more money to spend in the transfer market, claiming after Spurs' 2-0 home defeat to Villa on Sunday that he needs two players in the £50-70million bracket "every season" to compete in the Premier League.

After a bright start to the season, Spurs have wobbled of late, conceding at least twice in each of their last seven league games, and have conceded first in all of those games.

Ahead of Wednesday's trip to Crystal Palace, Conte dampened speculation he is considering his future at the club, reiterating his desire to build foundations.

"I am happy but I always say to you I am happy. I want to stay here," he told reporters. "I am enjoying my time in Tottenham, I am enjoying my work in Tottenham. I always say this and I am happy, but it doesn't mean I cannot tell you what we are doing. We are trying to create a base foundation.

"Maybe from the start of my experience here I am repeating always the same thing. It is difficult for me every day to repeat the same thing and for [the media] not to understand. It is difficult. I am happy to stay here because I am at a modern club, I have a good relationship with the players and I have a good relationship with the club.

"Sometimes I go home and think I have to study much more English because I am not good at transferring my thoughts to you."

After scoring 23 goals in 35 Premier League games last season to win the golden boot jointly with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-min has managed just three in 15 league appearances this season, but Conte said he has no doubts about the South Korean's quality.

"Son for sure is struggling to find the best form and after the [facial] injury he had against Marseille [in the Champions League] he struggled a bit," he said. 

"Also the World Cup he didn't score but we are talking about a player that if we put him in discussion, we are in trouble because Sonny and [Harry] Kane are the two most important players, with [Hugo] Lloris. If we have doubts about them, we are in trouble."

Conte spoke further about the impact of the World Cup on his team, which led to a mid-season break as it took place in Qatar in November and December.

"Many, many people have already forgotten the difficulty of the World Cup," he added. "We said this season will be really, really difficult. The players come back really tired. For sure we have to analyse this aspect and find the best solution.

"For some players the World Cup could have had an impact. I have to find the best solution for the team. The players who worked here worked very well. Some are in a good physical conditions, others who should work they instead have to play.

"Don't forget what's happening in this season. We have already forgotten we are playing with the players that have just finished the World Cup. It takes from you [both] mental and physical energy. The coach, the manager, has to manage the situation."

Simone Inzaghi could throw Lautaro Martinez in at the deep end against Napoli and ask the World Cup winner to save Inter's flagging hopes of Serie A glory.

Argentina striker Martinez only arrived back in Italy at the end of last week, having played a part in his national team's Qatar 2022 triumph and subsequent celebrations.

His tournament performances left a little to be desired, but Martinez still emerged with a winner's medal, and Inter head coach Inzaghi believes he has plenty to offer the Nerazzurri.

Inter sit fifth in Serie A after 15 rounds of games, already 11 points behind undefeated leaders Napoli ahead of Wednesday's clash at San Siro.

Inter have won their last four home Serie A matches against Napoli, after victories in just two of the previous seven, and they urgently need to stretch that strong run to shuffle back into the title picture.

"After a long time, I have four forwards available," Inzaghi told a press conference on Tuesday.

"I've never had them in the year that just ended. Lautaro arrived four days ago but trained well, I saw [Angel] Correa better. [Edin] Dzeko and [Romelu] Lukaku had more chances to train with the team, my hope is to be able to have them throughout this tour de force.

"For tomorrow I still have to make evaluations."

Inzaghi, a former striker himself, said there were still "some uncertainties" over who would start in Inter's attack against a team he rates as the continent's best.

Napoli have won their last 11 Serie A matches, with no team having bettered that since Juventus strung 12 together in a row from December 2017 to March 2018.

Martinez has a strong track record against the Naples giants, having scored four goals against them in Serie A, including the third Inter goal in a 3-2 win in this fixture last season. He has only hit more against Salernitana (five) and Cagliari (eight), and three of those four goals have come at San Siro.

He has seven goals in the league already this season.

Inter will be hoping the seven-week break for the World Cup means Napoli are knocked out of their stride, allowing Inzaghi's team to make a whirlwind start to the year.

"We can't wait to start again, we want to take to the field,," Inzaghi said. "Last year it was an exciting match that gave us great impetus.

"It's a very important match where the tension will probably be more on our side but the beauty of football is being able to play matches like this.

"There are 23 games left to go so there are lots of points up for grabs and Inter like others who are chasing have the desire to shorten the lead on what is currently the best team in Europe."

Inzaghi brushed off questioning about Milan Skriniar's future, with the Inter defender now in the final six months of his contract.

"He's an extraordinary boy who gives everything on the pitch," Inzaghi said. "Apart from him, there are several players whose contracts are about to expire, but I know there is a strong club that is always by my side and working for the best in all situations."

Paul Pogba has stepped up his recovery from a knee injury and could make his second Juventus debut later this month, Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed.

The France international has yet to make his first appearance for Juventus since returning on a free transfer from Manchester United ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.

Pogba sustained a knee issue in pre-season and suffered another setback in October that subsequently ruled him out of the World Cup in Qatar.

Speaking on December 18, Allegri said he was still unsure exactly when Pogba would return to action, with the 29-year-old yet to start running in training at that stage.

However, Allegri provided a more positive update at Tuesday's pre-match press conference ahead of Juve's Serie A clash with Cremonese.

"He's running. The most important thing is that at the moment is that the knee isn't bothering him and it hasn't swollen," Allegri told reporters. 

"If he proceeds like this, maybe within 15-20 days he will be able to be with the team, but it all depends on his evolution.

"When the pace picks up we'll see how much and if he can train with the team. If everything goes smoothly, we'll see step by step."

Juve have six matches to play before the end of January, starting with Wednesday's trip to Cremonese, who are still seeking a first league win of the season.

Leonardo Bonucci and Dusan Vlahovic are among Juve's other absentees, while Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes are doubtful and Federico Chiesa is not fully fit.

Chiesa is on the comeback from a long-term lay-off, while Di Maria and Paredes only returned to Turin on Monday following Argentina's prolonged World Cup celebrations.

Some have questioned whether the pair should have been asked to report back for duty sooner, but Allegri never considered that despite Juve's injury issues.

"No, absolutely not," he said. "We've never had any sort of emergency [with injuries]. The guys who stayed here during the World Cup have worked very well. 

"We have to look between now and June 5. Getting them back a day earlier wouldn't have changed anything. 

"Over there they followed a one-week programme of work and it was right that they enjoyed the week of winning the World Cup, which doesn't happen every year."

Allegri also confirmed he will make a late call on whether to select Wojciech Szczesny, but Brazil trio Danilo, Alex Sandro and Bremer are all available.

Third-place Juve enter the match with Cremonese on a six-game winning run in Serie A without conceding – their best-such run since March 2018 in Allegri's first spell in charge.

Juve, who have won 10 of their past 12 league games played after a break of more than 50 days, are 10 points adrift of leaders Napoli and still fighting on multiple fronts.

"When there are 50 days without playing, only the results will tell if we worked well, if we rested well or not," Allegri said. 

"I think it will be a very good second part of the season. Napoli are the clear favourites for the championship, but there are many points to play for. 

"We have the goal of getting into the top four and then going there to play in the finals of the Coppa Italia and the Europa League."

The Bianconeri have won 1-0 in each of their past three matches on the road in Serie A, against Torino, Lecce and Verona.

LeBron James' ability to take care of himself allows the Los Angeles Lakers to still rely on the 38-year-old, says coach Darvin Ham.

Having managed 47 points in Friday's win at the Atlanta Hawks, James scored 43 in the Lakers' 121-115 victory against the Charlotte Hornets, becoming the first player beyond the age of 38 to score 40 or more in consecutive games since Michael Jordan.

James, who also recorded 11 rebounds and six assists at Spectrum Center in almost 40 minutes on court, turned 38 on Friday.

"I just want to ride him," Ham said after the win. "And he allows you to do that because he takes such great care of himself. So, it's a great luxury to have."

James has been in impressive form of late, averaging 34.5 points from his last 11 games. He insisted his consistency is unrelated to carrying more pressure following the recent injury to Anthony Davis, though his form also improved last season when Davis was sidelined.

"Last year is last year," James said when it was put to him. "Obviously, I found a good groove last year. But this year is this year, as well. I feel really good in every facet of my game."

Austin Reaves, who scored 15 points with six rebounds and seven assists in just over 22 minutes of action, also paid tribute to James' conditioning.

"It's incredible," Reaves said. "To see him at his age... the stuff that he does, the way that he moves, the contact that he endures in a full game and just the way that his body has held up this whole time, it's super impressive.

"But it's a testament to what he does on a daily basis. He's always the first one in the training room, the first one taking care of his body and also getting the work in as well. So, to say the least, I'm happy to be on his team."

Donovan Mitchell shattered the Cleveland Cavaliers' franchise record with 71 points in his side's 145-134 home victory against the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

The Cavaliers' previous record for most points in one game belongs to Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, who both had a 57-point game in a Cleveland uniform in 2015 and 2017 respectively.

Mitchell also came through in a pivotal moment late in the fourth quarter to force overtime after being fouled with three seconds remaining, trailing by three. He made the first free throw, before missing the second and getting his own offensive rebound and putting it back in to tie the game.

He went on to outscore the Bulls 13-4 by himself in the extra period, finishing 22-of-34 from the field, seven-of-15 from deep and 20-of-25 from the free throw line while adding 11 assists and eight rebounds.

Mitchell blew his own career-highs out of the water, having never previously scored more than 46 points in a regular season game, although he had games of 57 and 51 in the Utah Jazz's 2020 playoff series against the Denver Nuggets.

He scored or assisted on 99 of the Cavaliers' 145 points – the second most all-time, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point performance in 1962 where he contributed to 104 points.

Mitchell joins Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson, David Thompson and Devin Booker as the only players to reach the 70-point figure.

It overshadowed a terrific performance from Chicago's DeMar DeRozan, who scored a team-high 44 points on 16-of-32 shooting with four assists and four steals.

LeBron carries the Lakers in vintage display

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James willed his side to a 121-115 road win against the Charlotte Hornets with his second consecutive 40-point game.

After putting up a season-high 47 points his last time out against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, James almost matched it against Charlotte, scoring a game-high 43 points on 16-of-26 shooting with 11 rebounds and six assists.

He was the only Lakers player to score more than 18 points, as Thomas Bryant played strong supporting role with 18 points (nine-of-17 shooting) and 15 rebounds.

The Lakers have now won three of their past four to improve to 16-21 – four games behind the Sacramento Kings (19-16) in the Western Conference's sixth seed.

Nets make it 12 in a row

The Brooklyn Nets own this season's longest winning streak after rattling off their 12th in a row with a 139-103 drubbing of the San Antonio Spurs.

Brooklyn's two offensive centrepieces were both at the top of their game. Kevin Durant scored 25 points on wildly efficient 10-of-14 shooting with 11 assists, while Kyrie Irving scored his game-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting.

The highlight of the game came when Irving crashed the offensive rebounds on a Yuta Watanabe miss, rising up for a surprising put-back dunk that sent the Barclays Center crowd into raptures.

Brooklyn are now 25-12 after beginning the season 1-5, and trail the Boston Celtics (26-11) by one game in the race for the league's best record.

Donovan Mitchell shattered the Cleveland Cavaliers' franchise record with 71 points in his side's 145-134 home victory against the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

The Cavaliers' previous record for most points in one game belongs to Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, who both had a 57-point game in a Cleveland uniform in 2015 and 2017 respectively.

Mitchell also came through in a pivotal moment late in the fourth quarter to force overtime after being fouled with three seconds remaining, trailing by three. He made the first free throw, before missing the second and getting his own offensive rebound and putting it back in to tie the game.

He went on to outscore the Bulls 13-4 by himself in the extra period, finishing 22-of-34 from the field, seven-of-15 from deep and 20-of-25 from the free throw line while adding 11 assists and eight rebounds.

Mitchell blew his own career-highs out of the water, having never previously scored more than 46 points in a regular season game, although he had games of 57 and 51 in the Utah Jazz's 2020 playoff series against the Denver Nuggets.

He scored or assisted on 99 of the Cavaliers' 145 points – the second most all-time, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point performance in 1962 where he contributed to 104 points.

Mitchell joins Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, David Robinson, David Thompson and Devin Booker as the only players to reach the 70-point figure.

It overshadowed a terrific performance from Chicago's DeMar DeRozan, who scored a team-high 44 points on 16-of-32 shooting with four assists and four steals.

LeBron carries the Lakers in vintage display

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James willed his side to a 121-115 road win against the Charlotte Hornets with his second consecutive 40-point game.

After putting up a season-high 47 points his last time out against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, James almost matched it against Charlotte, scoring a game-high 43 points on 16-of-26 shooting with 11 rebounds and six assists.

He was the only Lakers player to score more than 18 points, as Thomas Bryant played strong supporting role with 18 points (nine-of-17 shooting) and 15 rebounds.

The Lakers have now won three of their past four to improve to 16-21 – four games behind the Sacramento Kings (19-16) in the Western Conference's sixth seed.

Nets make it 12 in a row

The Brooklyn Nets own this season's longest winning streak after rattling off their 12th in a row with a 139-103 drubbing of the San Antonio Spurs.

Brooklyn's two offensive centrepieces were both at the top of their game. Kevin Durant scored 25 points on wildly efficient 10-of-14 shooting with 11 assists, while Kyrie Irving scored his game-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting.

The highlight of the game came when Irving crashed the offensive rebounds on a Yuta Watanabe miss, rising up for a surprising put-back dunk that sent the Barclays Center crowd into raptures.

Brooklyn are now 25-12 after beginning the season 1-5, and trail the Boston Celtics (26-11) by one game in the race for the league's best record.

Mikel Arteta will not stop anyone at Arsenal from dreaming about Premier League glory, but the Spaniard wants the Gunners to remain realistic ahead of Tuesday's huge meeting with Newcastle United.

Arsenal will move 10 points clear of Manchester City at the Premier League summit if they beat the Magpies at the Emirates Stadium, after the champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton on Saturday.

With the Gunners unbeaten in their past 10 league games (W9 D1), belief is beginning to build among supporters that a first title triumph since the 2003-04 season could be on the horizon.

Asked whether he needed to play down talk of the title, Arteta said: "It's not about stopping anybody. It's about being realistic about where we are. 

"The way we are performing, obviously it's impressive and we are really happy with that.

"But we also have to set the bars and objectives in the short term for what we want to improve and see what is making us win so many football matches."

Saturday's thrilling 4-2 victory at Brighton and Hove Albion was celebrated in joyous fashion by the Gunners' players, and Arteta has no qualms about the team enjoying their fine run of form. 

"It's great," Arteta said. "When I see those interactions, I see the enjoyment and I see joy and happiness because they were really excited after a big win for us.

"But they are also moderate and understanding as well. We still have a lot of things that we have to improve as a team."

While Arsenal are the only Premier League team with a 100 per cent winning record at home this season (7/7), Newcastle begin 2023 in third place after losing just once all campaign, and Arteta expects a tough test.

"They're a very good team, really well coached," Arteta said. "I think what that Eddie [Howe] has done in that short period of time, when you look at the numbers, is incredible. 

"Big credit to him and the coaching staff. They have created, I believe, a momentum around the team that they play the same way against any opponent.

"It's going to be another big test but we play at home in front of our crowd and we are looking forward to it."

Arsenal have won their past 11 home games against Newcastle in all competitions – only against Stoke City (an ongoing run since 1983) have they ever won more consecutive home matches (16).

The list of things that have not gone entirely to plan for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is pretty extensive.

From offensive line injuries to an inconsistent pass rush and the questionable decision-making of head coach Todd Bowles in his first year in the job, the Buccaneers have had to deal with both misfortune and a host of self-inflicted problems.

Yet the most bemusing issue in what can at best be described as an up-and-down season for Tom Brady following his about-face on his initial offseason decision to retire has been his lack of a rapport with Mike Evans.

Sideline frustration between Brady and Evans has been a common theme for Tampa Bay in 2022, with the latter's struggles seeing him go 11 games without scoring a receiving touchdown.

That frustration was alleviated emphatically on Sunday as Evans exploded for a hat-trick of touchdowns in helping the Buccaneers overturn a 21-10 deficit against the Carolina Panthers and clinch the NFC South with a 30-24 victory at Raymond James Stadium.

Evans caught deep shots of 63, 57 and 30 yards from Brady as he destroyed an injury-hit Panthers secondary.

He created a burn, which is when a receiver wins his matchup on a play where he is targeted, on eight of his 12 targets in a performance that saw him rack up 207 receiving yards. Evans averaged 17.25 burn yards per target, trailing only Christian Watson and Davante Adams among wideouts with at least five targets in Week 17 as of Sunday.

It was belated reward for a season in which Evans, despite consistently appearing out of sync with Brady, he has excelled at getting open. Indeed, heading into Week 17, Evans led the NFL in combined open percentage (56.47) in matchups against man and zone coverage (min. 100 matchups).

His first deep touchdown reception saw Evans surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the season. It is his ninth successive 1,000-yard campaign, tying Tim Brown for the second-longest such streak in NFL history. Only San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice (11) can claim to have more consecutive four-figure receiving seasons.

Evans' own record for the most successive 1,000-yard receiving seasons to start a career was also extended, but more important than his individual milestones is the confidence his treble could give both him and Brady as they prepare for the postseason.

The Buccaneers have had precious little on which to rely on the offensive side of the ball, save for their performance when going no-huddle and Brady's ability to lead comebacks in the fourth quarter.

Brady has a career-high five game-winning drives this season and four fourth-quarter comebacks, a tally that is one shy of his career-high in that respect.

But the rekindling of Brady's connection with Evans gives Tampa Bay something to lean on, a route to explosive plays that will be all the more critical in the postseason.

A narrow win over the Panthers won't do much to change perceptions that the Bucs are a team well short of being able to compete for a Super Bowl. However, Brady and Evans connecting consistently downfield improves the odds of them at least doing damage in the playoffs, especially in a possible first-round matchup with a volatile and vulnerable Dallas Cowboys secondary.

It's likely to be the final year of the Brady-Evans partnership in Tampa, one that has resulted in 32 touchdowns since the quarterback left the New England Patriots to head to the Buccaneers.

Though it remains a long shot that Brady's expected swansong with the Bucs will result in a second title in three seasons, his farewell may be extended a few weeks longer than many anticipated if he and Evans can deliver a few more demonstrations of the rapport that had previously made this offense so devastating.