Lucinda Russell is readying two of her stable stars for next week’s bet365 Charlie Hall meeting at Wetherby, with Ahoy Senor and Apple Away both in line to make an appearance in West Yorkshire.
Ahoy Senor disappointed in the Charlie Hall Chase itself last season, but will be given the option of contesting the Grade Two feature once again, with the bet365 Hurdle being considered as a possible alternative.
The eight-year-old went on to prove his worth in the second half of the last campaign, winning the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January and signing off with a runner-up finish behind Shishkin in the Aintree Bowl.
“Ahoy Senor is getting himself ready for Wetherby, that’s the plan,” said Russell.
“He might get an entry in both races (Charlie Hall and bet365 Hurdle). We’ll see how he goes this weekend and that’ll give us a better idea.”
Apple Away won four of her seven starts over hurdles for William Hill ambassador Russell last season, including a Grade One victory in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in the spring.
The six-year-old is set to embark on a novice chasing campaign this season and with connections having decided against a trip to Cheltenham, she could instead head to turn out next week.
Russell added: “She’s in good form and she might go to Wetherby.
“She’s been schooling really well, but it a combination of things led to us deciding against going to Cheltenham this weekend and we felt we’d try to find something a little bit quieter.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan will swap the green baize for the silver screen next month when the behind-the-scenes story of his quest to claim a record-equalling seventh World Snooker Championship is released in the UK.
‘Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything’ has been produced by David Beckham’s Studio 99, and the initial cinematic release on November 21 is preceded by a special Q&A with the former Manchester United and England star.
Explaining his decision to add to the canon of sporting documentaries, O’Sullivan said: “My highs and lows have been well-documented by the media but I felt like now was the right time to do something more definitive – something that I can look back and reflect on as I contemplate retirement.
“Going into my seventh World Championship I wasn’t sure I had it in me but allowing the cameras in gave me perspective and was a strange catharsis.”
The film, which is directed by Sam Blair, who was behind ‘Maradona 86’ and others, will subsequently be released on Prime Video on November 23, before opening in select cinemas nationwide the following day.
O’Sullivan revealed how the filming of the documentary had helped give him a new “perspective”, shortly after he provided it with a fairytale finish in 2022 with his emotional final victory over Judd Trump.
“I’ve given complete access to the point where if you put a fly on the wall and followed me for 17 days, that’s basically what happened,” O’Sullivan said at the time.
“They’ve been in my dressing room, they’ve been in my hotel room before and after matches and sessions. I embraced it because whatever I get involved in, let’s just make it the best I could possibly do.
“These snooker Gods, their timing is unbelievable. Last year I just hit fire at the right time when they (the cameras) were here, and the stars were written for me. They always have been ever since I was a kid in this game.”
Friday’s fixture at Doncaster has been called off following a morning inspection.
A total of 2.3 millimetres of overnight rain on Town Moor has left some areas of already heavy ground saturated, forcing the cancellation of the seven-race card.
The track is due to stage the Kameko Futurity Trophy – the final Group One of the British season – on Saturday and clerk of the course Paul Barker is optimistic on the chances of that meeting going ahead.
He said: “Unfortunately we have had overnight rain which has caused the abandonment of today’s card.
“We are just looking at some rail movements to cover the affected areas and once we have done that, if the forecast is right, we would be pretty confident about tomorrow.”
Ronnie O’Sullivan will swap the green baize for the silver screen next month when the behind-the-scenes story of his quest to claim a record-equalling seventh World Snooker Championship is released in the UK.
‘Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything’ has been produced by David Beckham’s Studio 99, and the initial cinematic release on November 21 is preceded by a special Q&A with the former Manchester United and England star.
Explaining his decision to add to the canon of sporting documentaries, O’Sullivan said: “My highs and lows have been well-documented by the media but I felt like now was the right time to do something more definitive – something that I can look back and reflect on as I contemplate retirement.
“Going into my seventh World Championship I wasn’t sure I had it in me but allowing the cameras in gave me perspective and was a strange catharsis.”
The film, which is directed by Sam Blair, who was behind ‘Maradona 86’ and others, will subsequently be released on Prime Video on November 23, before opening in select cinemas nationwide the following day.
O’Sullivan revealed how the filming of the documentary had helped give him a new “perspective”, shortly after he provided it with a fairytale finish in 2022 with his emotional final victory over Judd Trump.
“I’ve given complete access to the point where if you put a fly on the wall and followed me for 17 days, that’s basically what happened,” O’Sullivan said at the time.
“They’ve been in my dressing room, they’ve been in my hotel room before and after matches and sessions. I embraced it because whatever I get involved in, let’s just make it the best I could possibly do.
“These snooker Gods, their timing is unbelievable. Last year I just hit fire at the right time when they (the cameras) were here, and the stars were written for me. They always have been ever since I was a kid in this game.”
The Buffalo Bills overcame a spirited effort from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win 24-18 on the back of Josh Allen’s three touchdowns.
The Bills quarterback threw for two touchdowns and ran in another as Buffalo’s defence did just enough to hold off a late rally.
It was a back-and-forth affair for most of the first half, each side trading scores until Allen connected with Dalton Kincaid on a 22-yard touchdown reception to give the hosts a seven-point lead at the main break.
Allen added to that lead just a few minutes into the third when he found Gabe Davis in the endzone.
That was the end of the scoring until the final three minutes of the game when Mike Evans scored off a 22-yard pass from Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
A successful two-point conversion brought the margin to just one touchdown, but Tampa Bay were unable to find the decisive score before time ran out.
Allen finished with 324 yards in the air and 41 on the ground, while Mayfield threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns.
Damian Lillard did not take long to prove why he was such a hot commodity over the offseason, scoring 39 points in his debut for Milwaukee to lead the Bucks over the Philadelphia 76ers 118-117.
After spending 11 years as a Portland Trail Blazer, Lillard slipped seamlessly into his new surroundings as he sparked a game-clinching run down the stretch.
The Bucks led by as much as 19 earlier in the game, but Philadelphia were able to regroup to put their nose in front early in the fourth quarter.
However, Lillard took it upon himself to restore Milwaukee’s advantage, a crucial three kickstarting an 11-0 run that gave the Bucks a nine-point lead with just under three minutes remaining.
Philadelphia again rallied to bring the margin back to two, but another three and two clutch free throws from Lillard was ultimately enough to clinch the win for the hosts.
Lillard’s 39 points was the most for any player in their Bucks debut, while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 23 points and 13 rebounds to become the franchise’s career leader in made field goals.
Tyrese Maxey’s 31 points led the way for Philadelphia in the absence of James Harden.
Meanwhile, LeBron James got the better of Kevin Durant as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 100-95.
Durant did everything he could to get the Suns over the line, scoring 39 points from 39 minutes on the floor.
But the Lakers stormed home in the fourth quarter, overturning a 12-point deficit to record their first win of the season.
James scored 21 for the Lakers to go along with 30 from Anthony Davis.
Steve Borthwick was appointed England captain on this day in 2008 as manager Martin Johnson placed his faith in the Saracens lock forward.
Borthwick had been skipper three times earlier in the year when tight-head prop Phil Vickery, who had led England to the 2007 Rugby World Cup final, was unavailable.
Vickery’s starting spot was no longer secure in the face of competition from Matt Stevens and World Cup winner Johnson turned to a player who filled his second-row position.
Borthwick missed out on England’s 30-man World Cup-winning squad five years earlier, but the 29-year-old had won 39 caps by the autumn of 2008.
“Steve is a good leader who always prepares thoroughly for matches at club and international level,” Johnson said after promoting Borthwick to the captaincy.
“I will not be giving him a specific amount of time in the job, I just want to support him as much as possible.”
Borthwick had a baptism of fire in the role with Twickenham Tests against South Africa, Australia and New Zealand after an opening 39-13 victory over the Pacific Islanders.
All three games against the southern hemisphere superpowers were lost in one-sided fashion, and Borthwick faced fierce criticism from fans and the media.
But Johnson kept faith with him and Borthwick guided England to second place in the 2009 Six Nations Championship.
Borthwick was confirmed as captain for the 2010 Six Nations, in which England finished third, but he sat out the final game against France after aggravating an ongoing knee injury.
He missed the summer tour to Australia and never played for England again, finishing with 57 caps and having captained the side 21 times.
Borthwick was appointed England head coach in December 2022 and his side reached the semi-finals of the following year’s World Cup in France, losing 16-15 to South Africa.
Damian Lillard scored 14 of his 39 points in a sensational Bucks debut and Milwaukee recovered after blowing a 19-point lead in a 118-117 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
Liilard made all 17 of his free-throw attempts and set a record for the most points by a player in his Bucks debut, surpassing Terry Cummings’ 34 points in 1984.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 23 points and 15 rebounds as the Bucks won in Adrian Griffin’s head coaching debut.
Griffin was facing his former boss after spending the past five seasons as an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors under Nick Nurse, who now coaches the 76ers.
Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 27 for Philadelphia, which played without seven-time All-NBA guard James Harden, who hopes to be traded and was told not to accompany the team to Milwaukee.
Lillard spent his first 11 seasons in Portland and was dealt to the Bucks last month after requesting a trade.
His 3-pointer with 3:41 left put the Bucks ahead for good at 105-104, and he sank another 3 with 73 seconds remaining to make it 116-111.
James takes over late in Lakers’ win
LeBron James scored 10 of his 21 points while playing the entire fourth quarter and the Los Angeles Lakers surged past the short-handed Phoenix Suns, 100-95.
Anthony Davis had 30 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers, who rallied from a 12-point deficit entering the fourth quarter to earn their first win of the season.
Kevin Durant had 39 points and 11 rebounds for a Phoenix team without injured stars Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
The Suns held an 84-72 lead entering the fourth quarter but missed 13 of their next 14 shots and committed 10 turnovers in the next 10 minutes.
Reilly Smith scored twice in the first period and Tristan Jarry made 31 saves as the Pittsburgh Penguins ended the Colorado Avalanche’s NHL-record 15-game road winning streak, 4-0 on Thursday.
Colorado, which opened this season with six straight wins, hadn’t lost away from Denver during the regular season since a 7-3 defeat to Dallas on March 4.
Lars Eller and Sidney Crosby also scored to help the Penguins snap a three-game losing streak.
Colorado goalie Alexander Georgiev had his personal road winning streak stopped at 12, leaving him in a tie for the longest road win streak by a goalie in NHL history, set by Eddie Johnston with Boston in 1971.
Ducks rally to beat Bruins in OT
Mason MacTavish scored with 2:52 left in overtime and the Anaheim Ducks rallied for a 4-3 victory, sending the Boston Bruins to their first loss of the season.
Anaheim forced overtime with two late goals, the first by rookie Leo Carlsson with 1:55 left in regulation and Troy Terry’s tally with 14.7 seconds remaining in the third period.
David Pastrnak scored one goal and set up another, while Charlie McAvoy had three assists for the Bruins, who opened the season with six consecutive wins for the second time in franchise history.
Tampa Bay's Johansson blanks winless Sharks
Jonas Johansson turned away 23 saves for his second straight shutout and the Tampa Bay Lightning rolled to a 6-0 rout of the winless San Jose Sharks.
Johansson stopped 32 shots in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Carolina and is 3-0-1 with a 1.72 goals-against average in his last four starts.
Steven Stamkos had a goal with an assist for the Lightning, who have points in four straight (3-0-1) following a three-game skid.
San Jose is winless in 13 consecutive games (0-11-2) since a 7-2 win at Arizona last April 1.
The NBA has begun investigating whether James Harden’s absence from the Philadelphia 76ers’ season opener is a violation of the league’s new player participation policy.
The Sixers could be fined up to $100,000 if there is no approved reason for Harden to miss Thursday’s 118-117 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks – a nationally televised game.
Last offseason, the league issued a new participation policy to crack down on healthy players opting out of regular-season games, especially marquee matchups broadcast on ABC, ESPN or TNT.
“We're looking into the facts around James Harden's availability tonight to determine whether an approved reason exists for his lack of participation,” NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said in a statement.
Harden returned from a 10-day excused absence earlier this week and was told to report to the team’s practice facility to get into game shape while his teammates opened the season without him.
According to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes, Harden tried to board the team flight to Milwaukee but was stopped by a security official and left the airport.
An NBA probe is the latest development in a soured relationship between the 76ers and the 10-time All-Star.
In late June, Harden picked up his $35.6million player option for the 2023-24 season and then immediately requested a trade.
He could have declined the option and become a free agent but was hoping by exercising his option it would facilitate a trade.
He later blasted team president Daryl Morey in August while in China.
“Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organisation that he’s a part of,” Harden said. “Let me say that again: Daryl Morey is a liar, and I will never be a part of an organisation that he’s a part of.”
Harden has since reiterated his unwillingness to play for Morey’s Sixers, but by reporting for practice this week, has shown some acknowledgement that his best chance at being traded would be to play well in Philadelphia until a partner is found.
The Los Angeles Clippers – widely considered Harden’s most likely destination – have suspended trade talks with Philadelphia, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday. Wojnarowski went on to report that the Clippers are the only team that has made a “serious offer” for Harden.
Nicholas Paul of Trinidad and Tobago once again demonstrated his qualities as one of the best track cyclists in the world when he won gold in the final of the Men’s Sprint at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile on Thursday.
The outstanding 25-year-old Trinidadian out-paced his rival Suriname’s Jair Tjon to claim gold and his second Pan Am Games title to go with the one he won in Lima, Peru in 2019.
In the race for the bronze medal, Kevin Santiago Qunitero Chavarro of Colombia bettered Canada’s Nicholas John Wammes.
Wimbledon’s bold expansion plans have been approved by Merton Council following a lengthy planning committee meeting which concluded just after midnight.
A 524-page document had already been published by the council which concluded planning permission should be granted, subject to conditions, because of the substantial public benefits of the proposal outweighing harm to the significance of heritage assets.
The All England Club bought the lease of the neighbouring Wimbledon Park Golf Club for a reported £65million in 2018.
Across the site – which also includes Wimbledon Park Lake and a section of Church Road – the AELTC was seeking the go-ahead to build 38 new courts, including a third show court with a capacity of 8,000 seats and retractable roof, as well as designated north and south player hubs while also providing publicly-accessible parkland.
Under the proposals, originally submitted in 2021, the grounds will almost triple in size and allow Wimbledon to host the qualifying tournaments in SW19, rather than their current home a couple of miles away in Roehampton.
Completion is projected for 2030, which will see an increase in the capacity of the championships from 42,000 to 50,000 and also deliver “benefits relating to heritage open space, recreation and community”.
The ambitious scheme, though, has not gone down well with some local residents.
Around 2,000 trees are expected to be removed across some 75 acres of Metropolitan Open Land, which is intended to be protected as an area of landscape, recreation, nature conservation or scientific interest.
A petition to ‘Save Wimbledon Park’ showed more than 13,000 signatures, and there were protests from opposition groups outside the Development and Planning Applications Committee meeting at Merton Civic Centre.
Chaired by Labour and Co-operative Party counsellor Aidan Mundy, the committee heard a number of arguments on both sides – including from the All England Club, local residents, council officers and Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond – which took in environmental, social and economic considerations during a lengthy meeting which lasted for almost five hours.
A final vote eventually came at just after midnight, which saw the recommendation for planning permission to be granted passed by six votes to four.
Following the announcement, someone shouted a protest, apparently from the public seats, with counsellor Mundy asking the person to leave the room and calling for security before the meeting was adjourned.
The proposals will now move on to the next stage of the planning process, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan required to formally accept or reject the decision due to the development taking place on Metropolitan Open Land.
As the northernmost part of Wimbledon Park is within the borough of Wandsworth, the scheme must also be approved by its planning committee.
There is also the possibility of judicial review as a potential obstacle for the development proceeding.
Local residents who oppose the decision could attempt to challenge the lawfulness of the way it was made, on the grounds of illegality, procedural unfairness or irrationality.
A spokesperson for the London Borough of Merton said: “After considering the officer’s report, relevant submissions, and the relevant planning framework, the independent planning committee, made up of councillors from all parties, voted to approve the application made by the All England Lawn Tennis Ground (AELTG) for expansion of its site at Wimbledon.
“There are further stages in the planning process and the land remains subject to covenants contained in the transfer of 1993 from the Council to AELTG.
“Until these covenants are properly addressed by AELTG they operate to restrict the use and development of the land as proposed in the planning application.”
News of the vote was met with disappointment by the Wimbledon Park Residents’ Association (WPRA).
“We are not at all surprised by the outcome of the vote. Most of the inconsistencies in the report were glossed over,” WPRA chair Iain Simpson said.
“Merton did not even bring their own experts into the hearing, and instead relied on the applicant to advise the councillors who were asking the questions. In addition their pronouncements on the environment still ignored their own expert advice where it didn’t suit them.
“On all that was said about the stadium and the buildings, these are still in outline – and outline designs on protected land contravene their own planning regulations. They therefore cannot be discussed in any meaningful way.
“This is just a stage in what will be a long process for which Save Wimbledon Park is well prepared.”
Lewis Hamilton has claimed there were multiple drivers who should have been disqualified from last weekend’s United States Grand Prix for running an illegal car.
Hamilton was stripped of his second place after the floor on his upgraded Mercedes failed a post-race scrutineering check.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished sixth, was also kicked out of the classification for an identical breach.
But Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who claimed his 15th win of the season, and the McLaren of Lando Norris, elevated to second following Hamilton’s penalty, were both cleared of any wrongdoing.
However, speaking ahead of this weekend’s race in Mexico City, Hamilton said: “I heard from several sources that there were a lot of other cars that were illegal and they were not tested so they got away with it.
“I have been racing here for 16 years and there have been many other scenarios like this where some people have got away with it, and some have been unlucky and have been tested.”
Hamilton said the sprint format in Austin – which allowed for just one hour of practice before parc ferme rules heavily constrict changes to the cars – coupled with the bumpy nature of the Circuit of the Americas were behind his disqualification.
Limited FIA resources means the governing body checks only a handful of cars after a race, and the selections are based on oscillation data.
But Hamilton continued: “There needs to be a better structure to make sure it is fair and even across the board.
“We have never had that problem in Austin before, and is because we had a sprint race. An easy fix is that we should be able to change the floors.
“The car should not be set from Friday morning especially at the bumpiest track on the calendar.
“That is the only reason there were failures. And that reason wasn’t why we were as fast as we were. We hope we have another strong weekend here.”
Hamilton finished just 2.2 seconds behind Verstappen in his most competitive race of the season – one he believed he could have won if Mercedes did not fluff their strategy lines.
“I had just come out the press conference and I was about to get into the ice tub when (team principal) Toto (Wolff) came running down and told me,” added Hamilton.
“It was devastating because it was such a great day and a great race. I was deflated, but there are lots of positives to take from it.”
Tyson Fury has vowed to deliver UFC fighter Francis Ngannou his first knockout blow when they go toe to toe in Riyadh on Saturday night.
Heavyweight champion Fury will contest a 35th career bout this weekend, but his WBC title will not be on the line against Ngannou for the 10-round fight.
Fury is set for a long-anticipated undisputed heavyweight showdown with Oleksandr Usyk on December 23, which is also scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia.
First, though, Fury intends to dispatch boxing novice Ngannou, who left the UFC after the end of his contract, a last fight coming in January 2022, before signing up with the Professional Fighters League from 2024.
Trainer SugarHill Steward admitted preparing Fury to take on the Mixed Martial Arts fighter was one of the hardest camps, given they just do not know what to expect from Ngannou.
Fury, though, is confident of what the final outcome will be.
“I have been working with SugarHill to knock him out cold on Sunday night. I have no doubt in my mind that I will knock him out,” Fury said.
“He is a big strong guy. Obviously he has got a good punch, powerful – but so am I. I’m a big strong guy obviously powerful or else I would not be world heavyweight champion.
“I believe there is levels to the game – and he is going to find out my level on Saturday night.”
Fury added: “I have trained for a 12-round war, and if it is anything less it is going to be an early night.
“I’ve been hit by the biggest punches that have ever graced the face of the earth and I’m still undefeated, still standing and I am still number one.
“We are going to see what Francis has got inside of him, see if he’s got the guts to stand and trade with the heavyweight champion of the world and if he has got the belief in his power.
“I’m not convinced. I have heard all this talk before about power, so I’m looking forward to a challenge – and if it is not a challenge, I’ll be disappointed, put in that way.
“I am going to knock that big stiff spark out – and there is nothing he can do about it, no matter who he trains with, no matter who he brings on the night.
“That right hand is going to detonate right in your face, you big ugly dosser.”
During the pre-fight build-up Fury accused Ngannou of being “embarrassed” of his own body.
Fury again goaded the 37-year-old as a “big fat sausage” in Thursday’s media conference ahead of the ‘Battle of the Baddest’.
Cameroon-born Ngannou, though, is fully intent on showing Fury just what he can deliver in a boxing ring rather than the UFC Octagon.
“It might be a little weird, but I really also want to thank Tyson Fury for taking the fight, for taking the risk because he might go to sleep on Saturday night, so I appreciate his courage,” Ngannou said.
Mike Tyson is part of Ngannou’s camp, and enjoyed a verbal sparing with John Fury which saw the 59-year-old Briton challenge the former heavyweight champion to a showdown, regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s contest for his son.
Tyson admitted he was not sure what to make of Ngannou’s boxing ability, until he saw him in close quarters.
“At first when this came to me, I said ‘there’s no way this is going to happen’,” Tyson said.
“Then I watched him spar and he hit this guy and he broke his leg when he went down – and I said ‘man, there is a possibility something good could happen here’.
“I have never seen anything like that before. If he could do that man, he could possibly be heavyweight champion of the world.”
A member of the ground staff at Carlisle avoided serious injury in a nasty incident at the start of the seventh race on Thursday.
The man jogged across in front of the tape, but was still in the process of leaving the track when the tapes went up and was immediately knocked over as the runners set off, sent tumbling across the ground as the field galloped on.
A report from the stewards read: “An inquiry was held to consider the circumstances as to why a member of the ground staff had crossed the track at the start as the race was started resulting in his being knocked over by Euchan Falls.
“The clerk of the course, the member of ground staff, the starters and Gavin Sheehan, the rider of Euchan Falls, unplaced, were interviewed.
“Having heard their evidence and having reviewed video recording of the incident, the matter was forwarded to the head office of the British Horseracing Authority for further consideration.”
On a dramatic afternoon of National Hunt action, jockey Daire Davis was banned for 21 days at Ludlow for improper riding.
Daire was leading on Faha Belle in the fifth race of the day, but in moving right-handed – and about to take the wrong course – he clipped heels with Von Hallers who unseated David Bass. Daire corrected his mount to take the correct course, but in doing so ran into a group of other runners with his mount falling having gone through the rail.
Daire himself crashed into the Tom Bellamy-ridden Kit’s Coty, leading to Bellamy unseating.
Kristaps Porzingis called it an "awesome" feeling after dropping 30 points to lead the Boston Celtics to victory over his former team, the New York Knicks.
Porzingis was drafted by the Knicks with the fourth overall pick of the 2015 draft, spending four years at Madison Square Garden before he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Latvia native would go on to play for the Washington Wizards before joining the Celtics in a three-team trade prior to this season, and on his return to a hostile Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Porzingis played a starring role for his new team on debut.
Porzingis finished with 30 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, scoring nine straight points in the fourth quarter to seal a 108-104 victory which got Boston, one of the favourites to reach the NBA Finals, off to a winning start to the new NBA season.
His 30 points were the most ever for a Celtics debut, leaving Porzingis ecstatic with his start in a new uniform and at the performance against his old team, as Jayson Tatum also impressed with a game-high 34 points.
Porzingis said: "Honestly, it’s an awesome feeling to come back now being a Celtic and to play here.
"Playing here at the Garden is always special as the home team, obviously, but also on the road here it's really fun too. Even getting booed and getting all that, it's still cool, I really like that and enjoyed that.
"At one point it got really crazy when the fans got into it and they made the comeback. But we stayed poised, we stayed calm and we were able to finish out the game.
"Most importantly, we won the game and [I am] very excited about what we have ahead of us."
The Celtics are at home to the Miami Heat on Friday in a repeat of last season's Eastern Conference finals, which Boston lost in a thrilling seven-game series.
Miami started its season with a dramatic 103-102 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Brodie Retallick has won the vote to start in the second-row for New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final against South Africa.
Retallick comes in for Sam Whitelock in the only change from the All Blacks side that overpowered Argentina 44-6 in the semi-final last Friday.
Whitelock replaced Retallick against Argentina but now moves to the bench for Saturday’s final at the Stade de France in Paris.
The 35-year-old Whitelock will become the first man to play in three World Cup finals, should he come off the bench.
Tight-head prop Nepo Laulala replaces Fletcher Newell on the All Blacks bench.
Brothers Scott, Jordie and Beauden Barrett all feature in the starting XV, which openside flanker Sam Cane captains.
The All Blacks, like South Africa, are chasing a record fourth title after triumphs in 1987, 2011 and 2015.
Ben Youngs will sign off his England career in Friday’s World Cup bronze final content that the time is right to step out of the Test arena.
The nation’s most capped men’s player with 126 appearances, a veteran of four World Cups, makes his first start of the tournament when England clash with Argentina at the Stade de France.
It brings down the curtain on an outstanding 13-year Test odyssey, the majority of which he has spent as first-choice scrum-half before his slide down the pecking order at France 2023.
“There’s not a part of me that thinks ‘what if’ – I’m absolutely making the right call,” said the Leicester and Lions half-back, who picked out the 2016 series whitewash of Australia as his career highlight.
“It just feels right. I feel so content. The fact I had this in my head for a long time and then I didn’t hesitate about it makes me realise that it’s absolutely the right decision.
“I’ve also got a young family and all the bits that come with that. So it’s just the right time. I will go back and play my club rugby and I look forward to doing that.
“I’ve got great memories, it’s been a great journey. The 13 years goes like that (clicks fingers). It will be nice to finish on a high on Friday.
“I will miss the adrenalin of running out in front of a full stadium. I’ll actually miss the pressure of big games, when everything is on the line. I’ll miss the build-up to the week, when it’s a big week with your team-mates.
“And I’ll also miss that camaraderie – the common goal of trying to achieve something special within an elite group.
“But, equally, I’ll look back very fondly and very content. One door closes and another one opens.”
When Youngs told Steve Borthwick that it was time to call it a day, he was thanked by the head coach.
In a neat piece of symmetry, Borthwick was also his captain when the 34-year-old made his debut as a replacement for injured wing Ugo Monye against Scotland in 2010.
“I remember (assistant coach) Mike Ford running up and the touchline telling me what to do. It was 15-15. Steve was my captain. It was at Murrayfield,” Youngs said.
“Ugo went off on a stretcher, he was absolutely fine and he played the next week. He was like that character from Jerry Maguire! The game has changed a lot.
“When I got that first one I didn’t think I would be sitting here 13 years later and having the opportunity to end it my way. It’s been a great ride and I’m proud of it.”
Max Verstappen has beefed up his personal security as he prepares for a hostile reception at Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez’s home race in Mexico.
Verstappen was jeered by Perez’s supporters at last weekend’s podium presentation in Austin as the triple world champion celebrated his 15th win of the season.
Chants of “Checo, Checo” – in support of Perez – were also audible during the Dutch national anthem.
A crowd of nearly 400,000 are expected at the high-altitude Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez over the course of the weekend, with practice starting on Friday and it is understood Verstappen will be flanked by multiple security guards in the paddock.
Perez’s fans are unhappy Verstappen did not help the Mexican secure second place in last season’s championship after he ignored a team order at the penultimate round in Brazil.
Perez has won only twice this season – his last victory in Azerbaijan on April 30 – with Verstappen racing to his third title in as many years.
The paddock in Mexico City has become one of the most manic on the calendar, with drivers mobbed as they make their way from the motorhome to the garage.
And Perez is also expected to have a bigger entourage than normal to cover-off his enthusiastic fanbase.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner and the team’s motorsport advisor Dr Helmut Marko will also be accompanied by security guards.
Speaking after last weekend’s race in Austin, Horner said: “I don’t think Max is going to get the warmest reception in Mexico, but that is water off a duck’s back to him.
“One year you are the villain and the next year you are the hero.”
Perez heads into this weekend’s round 206 points behind Verstappen. However, he is 39 points clear of third-placed Lewis Hamilton, who was disqualified from second at the Circuit of the Americas for running an illegal floor on his Mercedes.
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