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• Lamar Jackson reveals he has requested trade from Ravens

  The Lamar Jackson saga has taken another turn, with the former MVP revealing he has requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens.

  Negotiations between Jackson and the Ravens over a long-term deal are deadlocked, with Baltimore seemingly unwilling to grant his wish of a fully guaranteed contract.

  Jackson just completed the final year of his rookie deal and the Ravens last month elected to place the franchise tag on the star quarterback.

  However, they gave him the non-exclusive franchise tag on, meaning he is free to negotiate with other teams.

  If he signs an offer sheet with another NFL team, the Ravens have the option of matching it to keep Jackson or decline it and receive the other team's 2023 and 2024 first-round draft picks as compensation.

  Had the Ravens placed the exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, he would have been locked up for the 2023 season by Baltimore and received a guaranteed salary of $45million.

  That decision flies in the face of the Baltimore's stated commitment to sign Jackson a long-term deal, and the 2019 MVP appears ready to move on, claiming the Ravens have "not been interested in meeting my value".

  In a Twitter thread titled 'A letter to my fans', Jackson wrote: "I want to first thank you all for all of the love and support you consistently show towards me.

  "All of you are amazing and I appreciate y'all so much. I want you all to know not to believe everything you read about me. Let me personally answer your questions.

  "In regards to my future plans. As of March 2nd I requested a trade from the Ravens organisation for which the Ravens has not been interested in meeting my value, any and everyone that's [sic] has met me or been around me know I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the Super Bowl.

  "You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I. No matter how far I go or where my career takes me, I'll continue to be close to my fans of Baltimore Flock nation and the entire State of Maryland. You'll See me again."

  Responding as he spoke to reporters at the NFL owners' meetings in Arizona, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said: "I'm getting ready for Lamar. … When Lamar gets back on this train, it's moving full speed."

• Second Jokic-Embiid battle set to have big say in 'nasty' MVP race

  It will be interesting to see whether a passionate Denver Nuggets crowd follows coach Michael Malone's lead on Monday when Joel Embiid comes into town.

  Embiid is Nikola Jokic's rival in an NBA MVP race that Malone believes has taken "a really ugly, nasty turn".

  "It's like when I was a college coach, all the negative recruiting," Malone said last week, having described Embiid as "a great candidate".

  "It's not promoting my guy. It's ripping down every other guy. And that's just ridiculous.

  "Celebrate them; don't criticise, don't tear them down. Build them all up. And whoever wins it, good for them."

  The Nuggets and Embiid's Philadelphia 76ers have been fighting for position in their respective conferences, but debate around the top individual award has continued to rage.

  For his part, Jokic has tried to set it aside. "I don't think about it anymore," he said.

  But it is easy for the two-time reigning MVP to take that stance. Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the periphery of the conversation – albeit perhaps less so after losing to the Nuggets at the weekend – and he won the two before Jokic.

  Embiid has been a finalist the past two years but has never been named the MVP. He might have a different view of things.

  For that reason, the 76ers superstar should relish the opportunity to go into Denver and upset the top seed in the West.

  Embiid has already landed a big blow in one game against the Nuggets this season, finishing with 47 points and 18 rebounds in the Sixers' win back in January.

  That was only the 15th instance of such a performance in the regular season since the NBA/ABA merger, with others to achieve that feat including Antetokounmpo, Michael Jordan and, on three occasions, Shaquille O'Neal.

  Yet for all Embiid's dominance, that game also illustrated how he and Jokic are so different.

  That is no secret, with Jokic a center like Embiid but possessing the playmaking skills of an elite point guard, but it has only become clearer this year.

  Embiid has a usage rate of 37.4 per cent, nudging above last year's mark for a career high. It is little wonder then when he has games, as against the Nuggets, in which he attempts 31 field goals. He has twice attempted 32 field goals this season.

  It is that volume shooting that allows Embiid to lead the league in scoring (33.3 points) despite ranking 'only' 23rd in field goal percentage (54.5). It also helps that he is the only player making more than 10 free throws per game (10.2) – albeit he made just seven of 10 against the Nuggets.

  Meanwhile, Jokic is averaging 24.9 points, down on the previous two seasons. He scored 24 against the 76ers.

  But this is in line with his usage rate shrinking considerably to 27.3 per cent after peaking at 31.8 per cent in 2021-22 – and Jokic could scarcely be more efficient with those possessions.

  He leads the Nuggets in both points and assists (9.9), as well as rebounds (11.8), just as he did in the 76ers game (nine assists, eight rebounds). His turnover percentage is up slightly (16.6) – there were seven against Philly – but so is his assist rate (45.5 per cent) and his shooting from the field (63.3 per cent), three-point range (39.0 per cent) and the foul line (82.3 per cent).

  Jokic is right there for a season averaging a triple-double. That has only been done – four times – by one player in the modern NBA. In those seasons, Russell Westbrook's usage rate never dipped below 30 per cent. He also averaged at least 4.5 turnovers per game in each year, with Jokic back on 3.5.

  Embiid, who likewise has 3.5 turnovers, carries the 76ers' burden in scoring and rebounding, but James Harden is the team's creative force. He had 13 assists against the Nuggets.

  What the 76ers big man lacks in eye-catching passes, however, he makes up for on the defensive end. Defensive metrics do not really do justice to the gap between Embiid and Jokic.

  But that is not to denigrate Jokic. In truth, given their extraordinary seasons, there are no shortage of numbers that would support the case for one man or the other – perhaps contributing to the nastiness Malone bemoaned.

  Maybe it is best then that it comes down to a matchup on the court, two weeks out from the end of the regular season.

  Might we see another 40-point Embiid night to clinch a first MVP? Or Jokic's latest triple-double that pushes him towards three in a row? Whoever wins it, as the Nuggets coach said, good for them.

• Mavs 'got to figure out how to stop the bleeding' as Kidd disputes costly Doncic tech

  Jason Kidd was hopeful Luka Doncic would have his one-game suspension overturned as the Dallas Mavericks work to "stop the bleeding" after a fourth straight defeat.

  The Mavericks' past two losses have come against a 25-51 Charlotte Hornets team who looked to have shut down for the season.

  And Sunday's 110-104 reverse, which left Dallas 11th in the West at 36-39, included a further costly setback.

  Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season after directing a profanity at an official following a correct no-call, meaning he is set to be banned for Monday's game at the Indiana Pacers.

  The Mavs superstar had been the centre of attention following the previous game, too, outlining his "really frustrating" situation on a misfiring team.

  Doncic responded with 40 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, but his suspension now presents a problem for a team who cannot afford to throw away another game in an intense playoff chase.

  "You're never going to replace him. It's going to take a group," coach Kidd said.

  "It's 'next man up' mentality with Timmy [Hardaway Jr.] and look at [Jaden] Hardy and Josh [Green] participating and playing more minutes, [Justin] Holiday playing more minutes.

  "But hopefully it's rescinded. I didn't think it was warranted, but we'll see what happens.

  "If he is suspended, we have to move on with the next guy, so Timmy, coming back from the flu, was really good tonight, Holiday's minutes were positive, Maxi [Kleber] did a great job, a lot of great jobs.

  "I thought Luka, again, being able to do what he did after his press conference... I thought he would have a big game and he did.

  "It's just unfortunate we let these two games go. We've got to figure out how to stop the bleeding."