Josh Giddey's career-high 17 assists proved too much for the Golden State Warriors to overcome in Tuesday's 137-128 home win for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The visitors received a vintage performance from reigning NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry, dropping 40 points on 14-of-23 shooting, including 10-of-16 from deep, while adding seven assists and six rebounds.
It was the most points Curry had scored since Golden State's January 16 victory over the Washington Wizards, where he had 41, and marks a return to his best in his second game back following a month on the sidelines.
Curry has now made at least 10 three-pointers on 23 occasions, while no other player has ever had more than team-mate Klay Thompson's nine.
But the Thunder were too strong as Giddey raced past his previous career-high of 14 assists, while also adding 17 points (six-of-11) and 11 rebounds for his third triple-double of the season, after four in his rookie campaign.
Giddey was supported in style by the league's fifth-leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who came into the game averaging 31.1 points per game and gave that figure a small bump with 33 points on 14-of-24 shooting.
With the win – the Thunder's third in a row – they improved their record to 31-34 to join the logjam of teams tied for the Western Conference's ninth and 10th seeds.
They are only 2.5 games behind the Warriors (34-32), who are narrowly clear of the Play-In Tournament placings, a half-game clear in sixth.
Embiid gets the better of Gobert
In a clash between arguably the most dominant offensive and defensive centers of their generation, Joel Embiid's Philadelphia 76ers overwhelmed Rudy Gobert's Minnesota Timberwolves in a 117-94 blowout.
Embiid was unstoppable, finishing with 39 points in 28 minutes after shooting 13-of-22 from the field, adding seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal.
With James Harden out following his 20-assist showing in Monday's first leg of their back-to-back, Tyrese Maxey enjoyed a larger role with 27 points (nine-of-16 shooting), five assists and four rebounds, pulling the 76ers (43-22) to within 1.5 games of the second-seeded Boston Celtics (45-21).
Gobert ended up with six points (two-of-six), nine rebounds, two steals and a block.
Kyrie and Luka get back in the winner's list
The mesmerising offensive duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 62 points in the Dallas Mavericks' close 120-116 home win against the Utah Jazz.
Irving was the more efficient of the two on the offensive end, scoring a team-high 33 points on 10-of-18 shooting (10-of-10 free throws) with eight assists and six rebounds. Doncic was not far behind with 29 points (10-of-23 shooting), 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block.
All-Star Lauri Markkanen kept his terrific season going with 33 points (12-of-20 shooting), but after looking like a potential playoff team early in the campaign, the 31-35 Jazz now sit outside the Play-In Tournament spots.
The Los Angeles Lakers are set to honour two-time champion and six-time All-Star Pau Gasol by retiring his number 16 jersey during half-time of Tuesday's home game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Gasol, who retired from the NBA following the 2018-19 campaign, spent seven of his 18 seasons with the Lakers after being acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade at the 2008 deadline.
Having been named the 2002 Rookie of the Year, the seven-foot Spaniard made his first All-Star team in 2006 after averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, but he would not make another until arriving in LA.
After Gasol's arrival, the Lakers went from a first-round exit in 2007 all the way to the NBA Finals, falling short against historic rivals the Boston Celtics in six games.
With a training camp under their belt and in his first full season alongside Kobe Bryant, Gasol helped the Lakers win their 15th championship, and Bryant's fourth. He averaged 40.5 minutes and shot 58 per cent from the field for his 18.3 points and 10.8 rebounds in 23 playoff games.
The Lakers then went back-to-back in the 2009-10 season, when Gasol was the most valuable player on the floor during their Game 7 victory against the Celtics, finishing with 19 points, 18 rebounds and two blocks in a game where Bryant had 23 points and 15 rebounds, but shot six-of-24 from the field.
He was named an All-Star in both championship seasons, and again in 2010-11, and then spent three more years with the Lakers until heading to the Chicago Bulls, where he would make two more All-Star Games.
Prior to the ceremony, Gasol spoke to the media about the honour of having his number go up in the rafters alongside Bryant.
"I think I’ve done as good as I could to really embrace it and savour it, but tonight really exceeds any dream or expectation that I’ve had," he said. "Obviously with Kobe up there, it just adds something meaningful, and powerful, and sad, and happy, and painful, and joyful. It’s a lot of things.
"The excitement, the anticipation, the honour received, it’s just so big that it's been hard to really take it in.
"I have to keep reminding myself that it’s a celebration. It's great. It's lovely. It's just great that you can experience this in your life."
Gasol was also an incredibly decorated international competitor, finishing as the highest scoring player at the 2004 Olympics, before guiding Spain to their first ever FIBA World Championship in 2006, where he was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
He is also the all-time leading scorer in EuroBasket competition, overtaking Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Parker with 1,183 points scored in 58 games at an average of 20.4.
Kevin Durant is glad he got the opportunity to get his "feet wet" on the road with the Phoenix Suns ahead of his home debut Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Suns went 3-0 with Durant in the line-up during their recent road trip, defeating the Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls and Dallas Mavericks by a combined margin of 37 points.
Their newly acquired two-time NBA Finals MVP averaged 26.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists during those games, shooting 69 per cent from the field, 53 per cent from deep and 88 per cent from the free throw line.
Speaking to the media after Tuesday's practice, Durant spoke about how comfortable he is fitting into new situations, highlighting the fact that "everyone runs the same stuff".
"I'm at this point in my career where I've played with some of the best players to ever play," he said. "I've been in Olympic teams, I've been on some of the best All-Star teams, and I've figured out the best way to kind of fit in with a group of guys.
"Once you start to understand the terminology it makes it a bit easier, and you realise everyone runs the same stuff, it's just different players you put in those spots.
"Having communication with your team-mates every day is the most important piece of it all."
Durant, who is coming off his 10th All-NBA selection, touched on what has impressed him with Devin Booker, who emerged as an All-NBA First Team member last season after never previously making the second or third teams.
"'Book' understands exactly what he needs to do every time out on the floor, and once you prepare the right way and know your role, the game can be easy," he said. "The game is easy for Book, and he makes the game easy for all his team-mates as well.
"We've got such an unselfish team, and we want to move the ball a lot and get everybody involved, but he's such a gifted, talented offensive scorer that he can make plays for others, but he can also make plays for himself.
"I felt like a couple of times last game he had a one-on-one opportunity with not a lot of help and he was going downhill, getting whatever he wanted. So we want to exploit that as much as possible, but he's going to play the right way regardless.
"There's going to be more times in the future where I'm probably going to have to tell him to shoot, but that's always a good thing when your best players are willing to give up the ball."
Having only played three games since being traded from the Nets a month ago, Durant said he is looking forward to getting "back to normal".
"I'm glad I was able to get a couple on the road to get my feet wet because I know it's going to be loud in [Footprint Center]," he said. "I'm looking forward to our fans. I know they can't wait to see us out on the floor.
"I'm just trying to get back to normal as soon as possible. I'm glad I'm playing again, and things will get back to normal."
February's Eastern Conference Player of the Month Jalen Brunson will miss a second straight game due to foot soreness.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau confirmed Brunson's absence prior to Tuesday's game against the Charlotte Hornets, having been listed as questionable, but eased fears of a long-term absence.
Brunson averaged 23.9 points per game during February, helping the Knicks launch their win streak which currently stands at nine straight victories heading into Tuesday's game.
"Not ready," Thibodeau said about Brunson pre-game. "Much better today but not quite ready, so we'll see where he is tomorrow."
The Knicks point guard was absent for Sunday's thrilling 131-129 double-overtime victory over the Boston Celtics with the same issue, where Immanuel Quickley filled in for Brunson with a career-high 38 points.
Thibodeau added: "I leave that up to the medical staff and the player. I know he'll play if he can play.
"If the medical people and he feels he needs another day, then give him the day. We love our depth. We saw 'Quick' gave us a great game. We have more than enough to win."
Thibodeau said Brunson will be part on the Knicks' upcoming road trip starting on Thursday against the Sacramento Kings.
The Knicks head coach acknowledged Tuesday's game against the 20-46 Hornets was a "trap game" but called on his players to be ready.
"I think every game is a trap game," he said. "It's human nature, you let your guard own a little bit, you're going to slip.
"If you look at Charlotte over their last 10 games, they're 5-5. If we're not ready to play, what happened last game has nothing to do with this game."
Brunson is averaging 23.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists since joining the Knicks this season from the Dallas Mavericks.
Jon Rahm is a fan of the PGA Tour's recent changes to their schedule and prize money, and gave credit to LIV Golf during Tuesday's pre-tournament press conference at The Players Championship.
Rahm, who had won five of his previous nine events before last week's disappointment at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, has been the undisputed hottest player in golf this season.
With that form has come the title of world number one, as well as a nice boost to his bank account, having already won two of the four new 'elevated' events to take place so far on the PGA Tour calendar this year. He collected $2.7million for taking out the Sentry Tournament of Champions, and another $3.6m with his title at The Genesis Invitational.
The prize purses in those events have almost doubled since their designation as elevated events, designed to attract the tour's top players to the flagship tournaments – with 44 of the world's top 50 teeing it up at Bay Hill last week.
When asked what he thinks was the driving force behind the PGA Tour's recent innovations – including the announced no-cut events to debut next season – Rahm said it was obvious.
"Oh, it's LIV Golf," he said. "I mean, without a doubt. Without LIV Golf, this wouldn’t have happened.
"So to an extent, like I've said before, we should be thankful this threat has made the PGA Tour want to change things.
"I think I said it last week, as well. I wish it didn’t come to the PGA Tour being, you know, under fire from somebody else to make those changes and make things better for the players, but I guess it is what we needed.
"So, yeah, it is because of LIV Golf, otherwise we wouldn't have seen any of this."
While Rahm is thankful for the competition and the effects they have had, and has no hard feelings towards those who chose to jump ship, he reiterated that the PGA Tour is clearly the home of the most exciting and competitive golf.
"If you're not happy with the product, [LIV Golf signees] are free to do as they choose," he said. "I still think that the PGA Tour is the best platform for professional golfers.
"Obviously they’re very different products and they differ in a lot of things, but it's not the same. Like I’ve said before, I’m not one to tell people what to do with their life and with their career.
"I do think the changes that are happening are very positive – very, very positive. It’s only going to make it so, you know, the better players in the world play together more often, which at the end of the day is what the fans want to see."
His comments were similar to those from Rory McIlroy earlier this week, saying LIV Golf's presence forced the PGA Tour to reassess their "antiquated" format.
"I'm not going to sit here and lie; I think the emergence of LIV or the emergence of a competitor to the PGA Tour has benefitted everyone that plays elite professional golf," he said.
"When you've been the biggest golf league in the biggest market in the world for the last 60 years, there's not a lot of incentive to innovate.
"This has caused a ton of innovation at the PGA Tour, and what was quite, I would say, an antiquated system is being revamped to try to mirror where we're at in the world in the 21st century with the media landscape."
The New York Giants have committed to Daniel Jones as their future at quarterback, signing him to a $160million extension while franchise tagging running back Saquon Barkley.
Negotiations between the Giants and Jones went right down to the wire as they looked to get a deal done before Tuesday's franchise tag deadline.
Jones and his representation had been said to be demanding as much as $45m a year following a 2022 season in which he helped the Giants reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season.
New York's Wild Card round win over the Minnesota Vikings was the Giants' first in the postseason since they defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI at the end of the 2011 campaign.
Instead, Jones will receive an average of $40m over the course of a four-year deal, which contains $35m in incentives and will see him get $82m over the first two years.
Jones, a previously maligned sixth overall pick in 2019, enjoyed the best season of his career in 2022 under first-year head coach Brian Daboll, completing 67.2 per cent of his passes for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He added 708 yards and seven touchdowns as a runner.
The Giants finished 9-7-1 in a turnaround few expected, but their decision to make Jones the seventh-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL by annual salary after one season of production that was still a long way from the league's elite will raise eyebrows.
Barkley will remain with the Giants at a much cheaper price, with the franchise tag set to pay him $10.1m for 2023.
The second overall pick in 2018, Barkley had seen his career hindered by injuries in recent years but bounced back last season to rack up 1,312 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
New York used the non-exclusive tag on Barkley, meaning teams can still negotiate with him.
The Giants would have the chance to match any deal he may make with a rival team, who would have to give two first-round picks to New York if they chose not to match.
The Baltimore Ravens have placed a franchise tag on Lamar Jackson, but there is no guarantee he will be their quarterback in 2023.
The Ravens gave Jackson the non-exclusive franchise tag on Tuesday, 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.
The 26-year-old, who represents himself without an agent and just completed the final year of his rookie contract, also has the option of signing a one-year franchise tender to play for the Ravens in 2023 for a guaranteed salary of $32.4m.
The decision for the Ravens to place the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson and not work out a long-term deal differs greatly from what the team was indicating less than two months ago.
Just days after the Ravens' 2022 season ended with a 24-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round, both general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh told reporters that they were determined to keep Jackson.
"Lamar Jackson is our quarterback," Harbaugh said on January 19. "He's been our quarterback. Everything we've done in terms of building our offense and our team, putting people around him, is based around this young man, his talent, his ability and his competitiveness.
"I'll have my fingers crossed and my toes crossed, I'll be saying prayers, I've every faith it's going to get done. Eric wants him here, I want him here, [owner] Steve [Bisciotti] wants him here and Lamar wants to be here. It's going to work out."
When asked if Jackson would be Baltimore's Week 1 starting QB next season, DeCosta added: "I don’t see any reason why he won't be."
Now that the Ravens have given him the opportunity to hit the open market, there is a distinct possibility he has played his final game for Baltimore.
The 32nd overall pick of the 2018 draft, Jackson ranks second in Ravens' franchise history in passing yards (12,209) and passing touchdowns (101) and was the league MVP in 2019.
His last two seasons, however, have been mired by injuries, as he missed five games in 2021 and the final five of 2022 due to a knee injury.
Sauce Gardner promised to "burn the cheesehead" in a cheeky sales pitch to Aaron Rodgers amid reports the veteran quarterback is in talks with the New York Jets.
Rodgers has not committed to the Green Bay Packers for the 2023 season and the Jets are said to have been given permission to speak to the four-time NFL MVP.
The Jets previously held discussions with free agent Derek Carr, but he elected to join the New Orleans Saints.
Should Rodgers join the Jets, he would likely link up with cornerback Gardner, who riled up the Packers following New York's 27-10 win in Green Bay in October.
Gardner was gifted a 'cheesehead' that has become synonymous with Green Bay fans, as a reference to the nickname given to them owing to Wisconsin's association with cheese production.
This was seen as a mockery of the Packers, and the hat was knocked off Gardner's head by Green Bay wide receiver Allen Lazard, who subsequently said he had no real issues with the celebration.
That moment went viral on social media, but Gardner vowed he would burn it in a tweet to Rodgers.
"Aye @AaronRodgers12 I promise if you become a Jet, I won't pick you off in practice and I’ll burn the cheesehead," Gardner posted.
Jets running back Breece Hall also tweeted in the wake of the reports, writing: "Don’t mind me…Just Manifesting @AaronRodgers12".
Whether their pitches work remains to be seen, though 39-year-old Rodgers leaving the Packers after 18 years would certainly provide a shake-up ahead of the new season.
Barbadian jockey Rico Walcott has decided to move to Toronto’s competitive Woodbine racetrack after 15 years in Western Canada where he has been dominant with multiple championship titles.
A 13-time champion at various tracks in Alberta, Walcott is expected to begin his Toronto stint when the Woodbine season starts next month.
Woodbine will be far more challenging than his lengthy sojourn in Edmonton but Caribbean riders have won multiple championship titles at the world-famous Woodbine in the past, Barbadian Patrick Husbands, Trinidad and Tobago’s Emile Ramsammy and Jamaica George HoSang and the 33-year-old Walcott is hoping for a successful transition.
“I am going to do my best like a did out west and hope for the best,” Walcott told ex-jockey Sean Hall’s Journeys Horse Racing Talk Show.
Walcott, who left Barbados for Canada in 2007, has won 1,524 races in North America including 160 stakes triumphs with mounts’ earnings of just under US$20 million. He won eight jockeys’ titles at the now defunct Northlands Park and was also champion three times at Century Downs and twice at Century Mile.
Walcott survived a career-threatening medical issue in March 2019 when -- after suffering sudden seizures -- he was diagnosed with a brain tumour “the size of a golf ball”, doctors said. After surgery, Walcott returned to race-riding a few months later and would remarkably win the late season Century Downs title in October 2019.
Several Barbadian jockeys are currently based at Woodbine, including seven-time champion jockey Patrick Husbands, Slade Jones, Juan Crawford and Jason Hoyte who all finished as top-20 riders in the 2022 season.
Walcott placed seventh in last Saturday’s Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup at the Garrison Savannah aboard the 7-1 bet American Diamond, and is now targeting the 2023 Woodbine season which opens on Saturday, April 22 and runs through Sunday, December 10.
Courtney Lawes has been ruled out of England's Six Nations clash with France at Twickenham on Saturday because of a shoulder injury.
After recovering from a calf problem sustained while playing for Northampton, vice-captain Lawes returned off the bench for Steve Borthwick's side as they beat Wales 20-10 at the Principality Stadium in late February.
However, Lawes has now suffered more injury disappointment as an issue with his shoulder forces the lock to withdraw from the squad for the France game.
Marcus Smith has been included in the 27-man squad after the fly-half was left out of Borthwick's group for a three-day training camp in Brighton.
Smith's inclusion means George Ford is released to Sale Sharks to play against London Irish on Sunday, while Max Malins is named in the squad after recovering from an ankle injury that meant he missed the Brighton training camp.
The other players released were forwards Tom Dunn, Joe Heyes, Bevan Rodd and Sam Simmonds, as well as backs Tommy Freeman, Cadan Murley and Ben Youngs.
Full England squad:
Forwards: Ollie Chessum, Dan Cole, Ben Curry, Alex Dombrandt, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Lewis Ludlam, David Ribbans, Kyle Sinckler, Mako Vunipola, Jack Walker, Jack Willis.
Backs: Henry Arundell, Owen Farrell, Ollie Lawrence, Max Malins, Joe Marchant, Alex Mitchell, Henry Slade, Marcus Smith, Freddie Steward, Manu Tuilagi, Jack van Poortvliet, Anthony Watson.
Aaron Rodgers has been given permission to speak to the New York Jets about a possible trade.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback is yet to make an announcement on his future, with retirement rumoured since the end of the NFL season.
However, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Rodgers has received permission to speak with the Jets.
Rodgers is still under contract in Green Bay, which suggests the Packers are open to the idea of him moving on should he decide against retirement.
The 39-year-old threw 26 touchdowns for the Packers last season, with one rushing touchdown, while his 12 interceptions thrown was the most since he threw 13 in the 2008 season.
The Packers ended the season with a record of 8-9, finishing third in the NFC North, while the Jets finished bottom of the AFC East with a 7-10 record.
Rory McIlroy claimed the emergence of the LIV Golf Invitational Series "has benefitted everyone that plays elite professional golf" and whipped the PGA Tour into shape after years of being mired in an "antiquated" existence.
The Northern Irishman was not changing his tune and singing the praises of the Saudi-backed series, but he believes it has served as a timely jolt for the US-based PGA Tour, shaking it from a long stupor.
Ahead of this week's Players Championship at Sawgrass, McIlroy was part of a player meeting with PGA Tour bosses on Tuesday in which details of eight newly designated no-cut tournaments for next season were explained.
The limited-field events have sparked mockery from players on the LIV circuit, who have accused the PGA Tour of mimicking the breakaway series after previously being so critical.
There have also been suggestions of concerns from within the PGA Tour ranks that players with tour cards will be frozen out of the biggest events, making it a clear two-tier tour.
McIlroy, who has been heavily involved in strategy meetings, does not agree and believes there is ample opportunity for players to perform well and earn a place in the elite events, pointing out there would be 29 full-field tournaments next year.
He felt Tuesday's meeting had helped the sceptics, saying: "I think when more information and data was presented to them, the people that maybe had reservations about it I think came around, or at least were more informed on their opinions.
"I think the temperature in the room was nowhere near as hot as I anticipated it to be once the information was laid out."
McIlroy said players wanted to be convinced "that there's enough jeopardy built into the system". He admitted a previous meeting, held in Delaware last August, had been "very self-serving for the 20 players in that room", with tour chiefs talking them down and ensuring more flexibility was built into line-up potential for the no-cut events.
The world number three confirmed fields of around 50 players had been proposed at one point, with only 10 players dropping out each year. Now these lucrative tournaments will see 70 to 80 players involved.
"You know Tiger Woods won 26 no-cut events in his career, right. There's always been no-cut events," McIlroy said. "Jack Nicklaus won 20 no-cut events. Arnold Palmer won 17.
"There's precedent for no-cut events. The cuts that you have to make to get into those events, so making the play-offs, getting into the top 50, there's certain things that you have to do to qualify for those events. I think that's more than fair to warrant eight events a year that are guaranteeing the players four days."
McIlroy has been as vocal as anybody in opposing the LIV series, with the 33-year-old scathing about many of the players who have taken the tens of millions on offer.
Given its Saudi backing, and criticism of that country's human rights record, the LIV series has been cited by many critics as an attempt at sportswashing.
Superstars including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau have joined LIV Golf, and the PGA Tour is determined to fend off the threat of any more luminaries leaving.
Cameron Smith, last year's champion at Sawgrass, is another who has taken the LIV money, and consequently will be absent from the field this week.
Asked how much of the change happening on the PGA Tour now, with prize money soaring, could be attributed to LIV's encroachment, McIlroy said: "A lot of it. I'm not going to sit here and lie; I think the emergence of LIV or the emergence of a competitor to the PGA Tour has benefitted everyone that plays elite professional golf.
"When you've been the biggest golf league in the biggest market in the world for the last 60 years, there's not a lot of incentive to innovate.
"This has caused a ton of innovation at the PGA Tour, and what was quite, I would say, an antiquated system is being revamped to try to mirror where we're at in the world in the 21st century with the media landscape.
"The PGA Tour isn't just competing with LIV Golf or other sports. It's competing with Instagram and TikTok and everything else that's trying to take eyeballs away from the PGA Tour as a product.
"LIV coming along has definitely had a massive impact on the game, but I think everyone who's a professional golfer is going to benefit from it going forward."
New Zealand back-rower Ardie Savea has been handed a one-game ban after making a throat-slitting gesture to an opponent.
The 29-year-old flanker, who has captained the All Blacks and won 70 caps, apologised after Friday's Super Rugby game between the Hurricanes and Melbourne Rebels.
Savea aimed the mock threat at Melbourne's Ryan Louwrens after being sin-binned, earning him a citing.
Judicial committee chairman Nigel Hampton determined neither the yellow-card offence for Savea's part in escalating a ruckus, nor the afters that followed, deserved to be treated as worthy of a straight red card.
But collectively they warranted a sending-off, it was ruled, meaning Savea is suspended for one week, forcing him to miss Saturday's home clash with the Blues.
In a statement quoted by New Zealand media, Hampton said: "That was accepted by the player, and the player is therefore suspended for one week, up to and including Saturday 11 March 2023."
Savea said his behaviour was "out of character", telling broadcaster Stan Sport after the game: "I can understand the fans are furious around the gesture that I made. It was a heat-of-the-moment kind of thing, that's footy, but I understand, kids are watching us."
Cameron Smith could go from celebrated winner to spectator non grata at the Players Championship this week as the LIV Golf defector toys with a return to Sawgrass.
The Australian is banned from defending his title after leaving the PGA Tour for the lucrative Saudi-led series, a decision that came in the wake of his Open Championship victory last July.
USA Today's Golfweek reported Smith was stripped of his parking spot at Sawgrass and refused permission to practise at the course after making his career-changing decision.
He lives practically on the doorstep of the course, however, in a plush home just minutes away, and Smith hinted he will feel inclined to head for the course and pay at the gate, just so he gets to see some of the action first hand.
That would be a move that causes a major stir, with the rivalry between the competing tours at close to boiling point.
In an interview with Golf.com, Smith said: "I'm a little bit unsure, you know. That's where I live now, so I don't know, I'll definitely be watching on TV.
"I think it's a great event to watch. I grew up my whole childhood watching the event and, yeah, I'd love to get out there.
"I don't know how it would kind of be received, but getting out there and watching, walking around in the crowd, might be pretty funny."
Smith won by one stroke from Anirban Lahiri last year, landing what was then the biggest title of his career, which he went on to top at St Andrews.
Lahiri is also banned from competing, having committed to LIV, and the same applies to Paul Casey, who was third last year.
Play gets under way on Thursday.
Rising RallyCross star Fraser McConnell will drive for Lewis Hamilton’s X44 Vida Carbon Racing Team in season three of the Extreme E Championship, the Jamaican announced on Instagram on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old McConnell replaces French veteran rally and rallycross driver, Sebastien Loeb, who won the 2022 Extreme E alongside Cristina Gutiérrez.
“Reporting for duty @lewishamilton,” McConnell announced in his Instagram page on Wednesday.
“So excited for this new chapter in my career racing for @teamx44 in season three of @extremeelive lining up with @cris_tortu. Big shoes to fill while replacing @sebloebofficiel but I am going to give it my all.”
McConnell is the most competitively successful Jamaican driver in the history of international rallycross racing—his championship victory in the 2019 Americas RallyCross Championship marked the first and only championship win by a Jamaican driver in the series’ history.
McConnell currently competes professionally Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the Group E class.
He made his rallycross career debut in 2018, competing in North America's ARX2 series. In 2019, McConnell made his international racing debut with Olsbergs MSE. That same year, McConnell won the ARX2 championship, marking the first time in history for a Jamaican to lift the title.
In 2021, McConnell secured his first supercar victory, defeating three-time FIA world champion Johan Kristoffersson at the RallyX Nordic in Nysum, Denmark.
In February, McConnell when he won his second qualifying event at Stampede Park in Calgary, becoming only the third driver this season to claim three career top qualifier results in RallyCross following his success at Glen Helen in California in late 2022.
The X44 team was founded by seven- time Formula One World Champion, Sir Lewis Hamilton. The name "X44" was chosen due to Hamilton using the number on his Formula One car since 2014.
Max Verstappen believes Fernando Alonso can end his decade-long wait for a Formula One win this season after an encouraging start for Aston Martin.
The Spaniard finished third in his first race for his new team at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix last Sunday, which Verstappen won ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
Alonso signed a multi-year deal to replace Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin, making the move from Alpine.
The 41-year-old, who took a two-year sabbatical from F1 before returning in 2021, has not taken the top step of the podium since his victory at the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix on home soil.
But reigning champion Verstappen thinks Alonso can add to his tally of 32 wins this year.
The Dutchman said: "I hope so for Fernando as well because he has had a few years where there was not really a possibility to fight at the front, so I'm happy to see him sitting here already in race one.
"I think also again, I mentioned it before, but at Aston Martin, they really have the spirit and drive, they want to win and they've hired a lot of good people.
"So I guess it can only get better for them. And I think for this year, difficult to say if they're going to challenge for the championship, but race wins are definitely on the table.
"I've been in the same position where some races I'm finishing 20 to 40 seconds behind the winners and you still win two or three races a year because sometimes there are some tracks which really suit your car and everything just comes together and you can win a race with maybe sometimes a bit of help or luck.
"But for sure they have a really strong package. And now of course it's all about developing it further."
Police are investigating whether Ja Morant broke the law when he appeared to be pictured holding a gun in a Colorado nightclub last weekend.
Morant was suspended by the Memphis Grizzlies after he posted an Instagram Live video which seemed to show him brandishing a gun.
The Glendale Police Department confirmed to the Associated Press that the incident is being investigated.
It is not against the law to carry a gun in Colorado, but there are exceptions to the rule, one of which being you must not be in possession of one while under the influence of alcohol.
Morant, the 2022 NBA Most Improved Player, was not seen to be drinking during the footage.
In a statement released to ESPN shortly after his suspension was confirmed, Morant apologised for his actions, saying he took "full responsibility".
"I'm sorry to my family, team-mates, coaches, fans, partners, the city of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies organisation for letting you down," Morant added.
"I'm going to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being."
James Harden was saluted for an "incredible" feat by coach Doc Rivers after becoming the first Philadelphia 76ers player to post 20 assists in a game twice in a season.
After scoring a personal season-high 38 points in the 147-143 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, Harden made his next game one to remember, too.
He was not so prolific in the points column against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, with a modest 14 to his name, but 20 assists and nine rebounds helped to guide the Sixers to a 147-143 victory.
It followed his 21-assist game against the Los Angeles Clippers in December. These are the only 20-plus rebound games in 33-year-old Harden's career to date.
Joel Embiid led scorers with 42 points, while Tyrese Maxey (24 points) and Jalen McDaniels (20) also weighed in.
Rivers said of Harden's effort, amid a strong team display: "It's just incredible. The great thing about James overall is he pretty much doesn't turn the ball over a lot, makes smart plays.
"But his passing when he plays like tonight and the other night – the other night he had 30 and 10, tonight he had 14 and 20 – it just makes us so hard to beat with his ability to pass."
Looking at some of Harden's most audacious passing, Rivers said few in the NBA possessed comparable quality.
"Those passes are five-guys-in-the-league, maybe, passes," Rivers said.
Harden joked about Maxey failing to secure him a 21st assist late in the game, as Philadelphia (42-22) consolidated third spot in the Eastern Conference.
"Seriously man, what are we doing? I'm just playing," Harden said.
"But I'm just trying to make plays. Not really efficient scoring the basketball tonight but find other ways to put an impact on the game. I saw some different things, made some good passes and had one turnover and that's because Joel couldn't catch the basketball.
"All in all, I'm just happy to come out with the win."
Quoted by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Harden reflected on twice getting to 20 assists in games this season. He leads the league with an average of 10.8 assists per game.
"It's an unbelievable franchise, man," Harden said. "They got so many great players that have put on a 76ers jersey. To be added to the list is one of those feelings."
Going over 40 for the 11th time this season
Joel Embiid finishes with 42 PTS in the @sixers win on the road! pic.twitter.com/UddGffAIc9
— NBA (@NBA) March 7, 2023
New Boston Red Sox signing Justin Turner was taken to hospital to receive 16 stitches in his face after being nailed by a fastball during the first inning of Monday's spring training game against the Detroit Tigers.
Turner, 38, is a two-time All-Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he spent the previous nine seasons before signing with the Red Sox as a free agent in December.
Starting at first base on Monday, and batting third in the line-up, Turner stepped up to the plate in the first inning following a four-pitch walk to Rafael Devers.
Tigers starter Matt Manning was struggling with his control, and the first pitch he threw to Turner tailed up and in, missing his helmet and drilling him directly in the face.
Blood immediately started to flow and the medical staff raced to his aid, although he was able to walk off the field under his own strength with a blood-soaked towel over his face.
He was taken to a local medical facility in Florida where he received 16 stitches in his face, but Turner's wife, Kourtney, shared a positive update through social media.
"16 stitches and a lot of swelling but we are thanking God for no fractures and clear scans," she wrote.
"Thank you to everyone that reached out about Justin and sent prayers. We're home now and he's resting (okay – maybe listening to the replay of the game)."
In a statement, the Red Sox said: "He's receiving treatment for soft tissue injuries, and is being monitored for a concussion. He will undergo further testing, and we'll update as we have more information.
"Justin is stable, alert, and in good spirits given the circumstances."
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