Arbroath and Ayr were forced to settle for a point apiece as the cinch Championship strugglers played out a goalless draw at Gayfield Stadium.

The hosts went closest in a tight first half when Leighton McIntosh headed against a post, but it was Ayr who had the greater share of the play.

The visitors stepped up a gear after the break and Ahkeem Rose spurned a good chance when he shot at Ali Adams.

Anton Dowds then fired over before Francis Amartey forced another save from Adams and Logan Chalmers hit the goal frame.

Arbroath felt they should have had a penalty in the closing stages after a challenge on Mark Stowe but nothing was given.

Michael Malone revelled in another brilliant display from Nikola Jokic after the Denver Nuggets talisman starred against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Jokic finished with 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds to record his 10th career triple-double against the Pelicans in a 125-113 home victory for Denver on Friday.

The highlight of the two-time MVP's performance was a blind, behind-the-back, over-the-head pass towards the end of the first half, which Aaron Gordon latched onto at the rim.

And coach Malone saw echoes of NBA great Magic Johnson in Jokic's moment of brilliance.

He said: "I didn't imagine the behind-the-back, over-the-head pass.

"When you’re a young kid watching NBA basketball, that's Magic Johnson, that's 'Pistol' Pete Maravich, the guys that just had this pizazz to their game.

"Nikola can beat you a lot of ways and that was definitely one of the best passes I've seen him make."

Jokic explained: "I just saw him for a blink of an eye, and I just wanted to pass to him as soon as I can.

"Because he's open in that moment, not a moment after that. So, that was the quickest way to pass him the ball."

Reflecting on the Nuggets' performance as they bounced back from a defeat to the Utah Jazz, Jokic, who has now had 12 triple-doubles this season and is shooting 79.3 percent over his last eight games, added: "We played a little bit faster, I think.

"We were the ones who were aggressive. We pushed the pace. I think that was the difference."

Zion Williamson scored 30 points for the Pelicans, but New Orleans was left to lament a poor start in which the Nuggets scored 37 points.

Pelicans coach Willie Green said: "They got off to an early start in this building.

"They had a 37-point first quarter to 25, now it's an uphill battle the rest of the game. That's something they do well.

"They get off to early starts and then they played with a lead. We've got to be better starting a game."

The Nuggets (27-13) are third in the Western Conference, four spots ahead of the Pelicans (23-16). Denver has a 16-4 record at home going into their next game against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.

Middlesbrough conceded early but battled back strongly to win 3-1 win at Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship.

Michael Carrick’s Reds, who beat Premier League Chelsea in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, claimed another London scalp on Saturday.

Joe Bryan opened the scoring for the home side at The Den but goals from Lukas Engel, Isaiah Jones and Marcus Forss turned things around in favour of the Teessiders.

Millwall took a deserved 10th-minute lead, as the visitors cracked under early pressure.

Ryan Longman’s cross was cleared but only into the path of Bryan, who guided his effort into the bottom right corner from outside the box.

The Lions came close to doubling their lead five minutes later. Bryan turned creator and whipped a dangerous cross into the six-yard box, with centre-back Jake Cooper’s first-time effort clipping the bar.

Boro spent large parts of the first half on the back foot but they managed to break forward and equalise seven minutes before the interval.

Jones, whose positive form carried on after his impressive display against Chelsea, threaded a pass to Sam Greenwood. The on-loan Leeds player found the Engel with a low cross and the unmarked Dane levelled with a  close-range finish.

The visitors took the lead in the 58th minute after Bryan misjudged heading a high ball, with pacey former Tooting & Mitcham player Jones advancing and coolly finished past Matija Sarkic.

Millwall sought a way back into the game but failed to replicate their dominance of the early stages and played slow passes around the back, much to the frustration of animated manager Joe Edwards.

The visitors turned the screw and looked the most likely to score again.

Substitute Matt Crooks showed quick feet, turning his man in midfield before unleashing debutant Luke Ayling down the right.

The former Leeds right-back produced an excellent pass for Morgan Rogers,  who failed to connect properly.

However, the points were sealed in added time when Forss scored as the visitors moved into the top half.

Portsmouth’s poor form continued as John Mousinho’s league leaders made it one win in six games by slipping to a shock 3-0 defeat at home to Leyton Orient.

A disastrous opening half saw stuttering Pompey conceded all three goals before the break.

Orient could have been ahead inside the first 10 seconds, but Dan Agyei’s shot was deflected for a corner.

They did take the lead after 30 minutes when a one-two between Shaq Forde and Max Sanders saw Forde score easily.

It was 2-0 five minutes later when Jordan Brown stabbed home after a goalmouth scramble.

Pompey had a chance to get back in the game after 40 minutes with a penalty after a foul on Jack Sparkes, but Colby Bishop’s tame effort was easily saved.

Things got worse for Pompey in the last minute of first-half added time when Agyei headed home from a corner.

Orient maintained their dominance in the second half, stifling Pompey’s efforts to get back into the game and came away worthy winners.

Bolton’s League One clash with Cheltenham was abandoned after 29 minutes due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

Referee Sunny Singh Gill took the players off the field just after 3.30pm as medical staff went to help the supporter.

The match was officially abandoned 30 minutes later.

Bolton said the fan had suffered a suspected cardiac arrest and was taken to hospital.

A club statement read: “A supporter in the East Stand suffered a suspected cardiac arrest around 30 minutes into the game at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

“The man was treated by medical staff and paramedics at the scene, while the two teams were taken off the pitch.

“Following sustained attempts to revive the patient, he was taken to the first-aid room at the stadium and the match was abandoned shortly after 4pm.

“The supporter was subsequently taken to hospital and the thoughts of everyone at Bolton Wanderers are with him and his family.

“An update on the supporter’s condition will follow.

“Details regarding a new date and ticket refunds/arrangements for the fixture will be released in due course.”

Cheltenham added: “Today’s fixture against Bolton Wanderers has been abandoned due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

“The thoughts of everyone at Cheltenham Town Football Club are with the individual involved and their loved ones at this time.”

The game was still goalless when play was halted. Kyle Dempsey had fired over for Bolton at one end while Cheltenham’s George Lloyd was denied by home goalkeeper Nathan Baxter.

Bolton ended the day still two points off the top of the table after leaders Portsmouth suffered a surprise home defeat, while Cheltenham remained three points from safety.

Promotion-chasing Oxford kept up the pressure on League One’s top two with a convincing 3-1 victory at Carlisle.

The U’s ran riot as Mark Harris’ brace and a further strike from Tyler Goodrham did the damage at Brunton Park.

Alfie McCalmont pulled one back for the relegation-threatened hosts, but they ultimately slipped to a third defeat in four matches.

The game sprung into life five minutes before the break as Harris slotted home after Elliott Moore headed Cameron Brannagan’s corner into his path.

And within minutes of the restart the striker doubled his and Oxford’s tally with his fourth goal in as many games as he rounded the keeper after being played through by Fin Stevens.

The game was done and dusted in the 68th minute when Goodrham cut inside and expertly found the bottom corner.

McCalmont opened his Cumbrians’ account after some brilliant work from Luke Armstrong to keep the ball alive, but it proved too little too late for Paul Simpson’s strugglers as their poor recent run stretched to just one win in 12 league outings.

Substitute Ricco Diack hit a late equaliser as Partick Thistle came from behind to draw 1-1 in their cinch Championship match at Morton.

Morton had the ball in the net through Iain Wilson’s header in the 24th minute, but it was disallowed for offside before Robbie Crawford’s rising shot was tipped over by Jamie Sneddon.

The hosts eventually went in front in the 32nd minute when Crawford diverted the ball in from close range at a corner, with Jags defender Jack McMillan credited with the final touch for an own goal.

Partick were back on level terms with 15 minutes left when Diack, who had only just come on, drilled in a low shot after good build-up play from fellow substitutes Tomi Adeloye and Scott Robinson.

Adeloye, on loan from Swindon, saw a late effort hit a post and Ben Stanway had a penalty shout turned down in stoppage time as third-placed Thistle had to settle for a point.

Ethan Erhahon’s late equaliser saw Lincoln salvage a point in a 1-1 draw with Wycombe.

Dale Taylor’s first-half goal had looked like being enough to win the game, only for Erhahon’s strike in the eighth minute of stoppage time to deny Wycombe victory.

The hosts were looking to mark Matt Bloomfield’s 50th game in charge with a win, while Lincoln were aiming to improve after four straight defeats.

Wycombe took the lead just before the half-hour as Sam Vokes headed Jack Grimmer’s cross to Taylor and his header just crossed the line before Adam Jackson could clear.

Taylor saw a low strike fall inches wide late in the first half, before Lincoln almost equalised when Dylan Duffy’s shot hit a post.

Imps debutant Joe Taylor had a goal disallowed before Wycombe saw a Vokes header go narrowly over the crossbar seconds later.

Substitutes Reeco Hackett and Jack Moylan forced good saves out of Max Stryjek before Erhahon’s lofted finish saw Lincoln snatch a point at the death.

Lewis Baker’s first-half goal proved enough as Stoke extended their unbeaten league run to seven matches with a narrow 1-0 victory at Championship bottom side Rotherham.

The Potters have not lost since a home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on December 9, which cost former boss Alex Neil his job.

New manager Steven Schumacher secured his second victory in the hotseat thanks to Baker’s stunning free-kick.

Quick thinking from Viktor Johansson denied an early chance for Baker, who had been put through on goal by a smart ball from Ryan Mmaee.

Rotherham’s first attempt on goal came from former Stoke man Sam Clucas and his speculative drive from distance took a slight deflection before whistling just wide.

Andre Vidigal then forced a save out of Johansson with a powerful shot from the edge of the box.

Stoke took the lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage-time, with Baker lashing in an unstoppable free-kick from the edge of the box.

A sweeping move almost yielded a second for the visitors early in the second half with Sead Haksabanovic leading the charge and finding Vidigal, who fired over the top.

Rotherham were upping the pressure around the hour mark and a low corner from Ollie Rathbone caused trouble for the Stoke defence. The ball fell to Christ Tiehi at the back post but his effort landed on the roof of the net.

The visiting side seemed content to keep hold of the ball and their solitary goal lead.

It was a dangerous game to play and the Millers tried to threaten their lead, with the introduction of big striker Tom Eaves giving them a more direct option.

New Stoke signing Luke Cundle – who was on loan at Schumacher’s former club Plymouth for the first half of the season – got in a tangle when attempting to prod past Johansson from Vidigal’s pass.

Rotherham had six minutes of added on time to try and grab an equaliser and reliable substitute Georgie Kelly was brought on to spearhead their attacks.

Stoke had a big chance to put the game to bed moments later when Vidigal found space in the box but his shot was palmed out by Johansson and ran away from substitute Tyrese Campbell, who was lying in wait for a tap-in.

Vidigal caught Seb Revan in possession with the game’s last attack but a desperate challenge from Cohen Bramall denied him a clean strike on goal.

Lyle Taylor scored on his Cambridge debut and Sully Kaikai struck a stoppage-time winner as the U’s beat League One’s bottom side Fleetwood 2-1.

Taylor signed for the club on Friday and found the net 14 minutes after coming off the bench.

Promise Omochere equalised for Fleetwood but Cambridge were not to be denied as Taylor teed-up Kaikai in the first minute of added time.

All of the game’s big chances happened in the closing 20 minutes as a number of substitutes made their mark.

Brandon Njoku, seconds after coming on, produced great work before the ball fell to Taylor to open the scoring with 19 minutes left.

Cambridge were pegged back six minutes later when Jayden Stockley, a one-time U’s loanee, stood a cross up for Omochere to nod home at the back post, only two minutes after he himself had come off the bench.

The home side should have been back ahead seconds after the restart when Taylor pulled the ball back for Jack Lankester, who somehow missed the target from six yards.

Ryan Bennett headed Kaikai’s corner on to a post in the final seconds, before in added time Taylor’s ball across the box was fired into roof of the net by Kaikai for Cambridge’s winner.

Klay Thompson felt the Golden State Warriors "had to win" as they produced an impressive second-half comeback to defeat the Chicago Bulls.

The Warriors rallied for a 140-131 win at United Center, erasing a 13-point halftime deficit with a strong turnaround.

Thompson scored 30 points and there were 27 from Stephen Curry, although 15 of those points came in the fourth quarter as he overcame a slow start.

Golden State improved to 18-20 after Thompson drained seven 3-pointers, with Curry hitting six from deep.

The Warriors dominated the third quarter 48-20 and led by 15 entering the fourth after Chicago had raced ahead in the first half, when they scored a season-high 72 points.

It was a key win with further road games against the Milwaukee Bucks, Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz up next for the Warriors.

"This was a game we felt we had to win, especially with the upcoming road trip," Thompson said, per NBC Sports Bay Area.

"When our spirit is right, things tend to go our way. Those last two games, we just felt like they were anomalies of the season.

"We have been fighting so hard, with so many close battles lost. We were not discouraged. We know that it is a long season with ebbs and flows.

"Even though we got beat probably a combined 100 [points], we responded."

Curry finished just 8 of 24 from the field, but did have nine assists, while Jonathan Kuminga added 24 points from the bench as Golden State won despite being without Moses Moody, Chris Paul, Gary Payton II and Draymond Green.

Green is working on his conditioning after his recent suspension.

"I can't wait until Draymond is back," added Thompson. "We are not the Warriors without him.

"Hopefully within these next couple of games, maybe Memphis or Utah would be great. I think he makes the biggest impact defensively."

The Bulls fell to 18-22 despite a game-high 39 points from DeMar DeRozan, while Zach LaVine and Coby White scored 25 points each.

"They did a great job adjusting, coming out and changing up the game plan," DeRozan said about Warriors' turnaround. 

"You can never count them out no matter how big of a lead we have."

The Warriors are 12th in the Western Conference as they fight to reach the playoff positions in the standings.

"It is nice to win a game like that where I know individually I can shoot the ball better but we won a game collectively," Curry said. 

"We have a standard that we want to live up to for ourselves. 

"We are not going to win every game, but you just want to play better and I think we did that."

Coach Steve Kerr was impressed with the response after the Warriors were booed in the big home losses against the Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans this week.

He said: "The whole group, the whole team, was just committed to 'Let's go out and win'.

"I'm very proud of them. They have taken a lot of heat; we have all taken a lot of heat this past week. Deservedly so. But this is what you do as a pro. A lot of these guys are champions. You have got to respond, and they did.

"We got off track emotionally and spiritually the last couple of games. Our fans could feel it. We got booed for the first time since I've been here, 10 years. 

"And, as I said, both nights we deserved it because our energy and our competitive spirit were not there. We found that again."

Reading’s League One match against Port Vale was abandoned after hundreds of home fans invaded the pitch to protest against the club ownership of Dai Yongge.

The game had already been held up for three minutes early in the first half when tennis balls were thrown on to the playing surface at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Then, after 16 minutes, referee Ross Joyce took the players into the dressing rooms when the home fans entered the field of play, some letting off blue flares.

After approaching the Vale fans, some of whom applauded them, most of the home fans started to leave the pitch.

But many of them then returned and staged a sit-in in the centre circle.

Many Reading fans want the owner to sell up following a number of sanctions imposed by the EFL.

A statement posted on Reading’s X account read: “We are fully aware of and understand our supporters’ frustrations, but we must reiterate to our supporters that entering or throwing items on to the pitch can put the fixture at risk of abandonment and can result in personal consequences including banning orders.

“Thank you for your support today.”

As Reading fans continued to stay on the pitch, the club made two announcements over the PA system.

They stated that once the fans had returned to the stands, the game could resume.

As the supporters remained on the pitch, stewards guarded both goalmouths.

The Port Vale fans began to grow tired of the protests, chanting they had “made their point” and should leave the pitch.

A further announcement over the PA system said that, unless the pitch was cleared, the match would be abandoned.

It added that it would go “along with the consequences” of a possible points deduction.

As the game continued to be held up, reaching the half-hour mark, some Reading fans who had remained in the stands began to boo those on the pitch.

It also appeared that some of the stadium floodlights were being turned off, as if in preparation for an abandonment.

Port Vale fans also began to chant: “We want our money back”.

There remained a tight cordon of stewards around the entrance to the players’ tunnel, with the players having remained in the dressing rooms throughout.

Around 300 Reading fans remained on the pitch and at 3.56pm officials from both clubs were in contact with the EFL fixtures management team to discuss “the best course of action”. The game was eventually called off at 4.25pm.

:: Bolton’s League One match against Cheltenham was also abandoned. This was due to a medical emergency in the crowd.

Substitute striker Will Keane struck a sweet double as Preston claimed a 2-0 home win against Bristol City.

The former Manchester United forward made a fine impact from the bench with two goals in the space of 23 second-half minutes as the Lilywhites claimed their first league win since Boxing Day.

Victory also saw Ryan Lowe’s side end a worrying run of four defeats in their last five Championship matches having made a flying start to the season.

Defeat for the Robins means they have now not won in their last four matches and last won at Deepdale 13 years ago.

Defender Taylor Gardner-Hickman came close to giving the visitors an early lead but saw his goal-bound shot superbly saved by Preston goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

Montenegro striker Milutin Osmajic tried his luck from the outside of the box with the hosts’ first chance after 19 minutes, but his right-foot strike flew wide of the left-hand upright.

Irish forward Jason Knight thought he had put Bristol City ahead with a thunderous strike, but Preston shot-stopper Woodman pulled off a fine save to tip his effort over the crossbar.

Defender Rob Dickie also saw a header saved by the home keeper, who found himself too busy for his own liking.

Zak Vyner rifled a fierce right-foot shot wide of the right-hand post as the visitors kept pressing for the opener, before Knight smashed over the bar with another excellent chance.

Albanian forward Anis Mehmeti saw his left-foot shot saved by Woodman, who was having a fine afternoon between the posts.

At the other end, Canadian midfielder Liam Millar was denied by a smart block from Robins keeper Max O’Leary, while midfielder Duane Holmes fired over with an angled drive.

Keane, fellow striker Emil Riis and attacking midfielder Mads Frokjaer-Jensen were introduced to spice things up for Preston.

And it worked as they found a spring in their step and were in front for the first time 20 minutes after the triple substitution.

Keane needed just two minutes for his first chance of the afternoon, O’Leary pulling off a fine block to stop his shot flying into the top corner.

The forward went close again five minutes later, firing wide from close range when he probably should have done better.

Mehmeti shot wide for the visitors and had an effort well-saved by Woodman, before Keane finally made the breakthrough.

His clinical strike from the centre of the goal was too good for O’Leary – and not long afterwards he doubled the home side’s advantage.

Frokjaer-Jensen had a shot saved as the pressure mounted, before Keane fired into the bottom-right corner with a superb left-foot strike for his eighth goal of the season.