data-mm-id=”_cwd1o1qig”>The discourse this week will mainly be focused around the Los Angeles Clippers and how it all went wrong. Rightfully so, too. Never before have we seen a team with that much talent and hype fold in this manner. How can a starting five with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard not score a single point in the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter? How did Doc Rivers manage to blow his third 3-1 playoff lead? These questions will dominate a good portion of basketball discussion for the next few months. But man, how about those Nuggets? As you've surely heard by now, they're the first team in NBA history to come back from multiple 3-1 deficits in the same playoffs. First they did it against the Utah Jazz, then against Los Angeles. There were points, especially in the Clippers series, where it felt like it was over. But Nikola Jokic kept doing the Joker thing he does and Jamal Murray hit every timely shot needed. Now they have an appointment with the Los Angeles Lakers with a berth to the NBA Finals on the line. The Nuggets really should not have done this. That isn't remarkable insight considering they went down 3-1. But this team is not made up of the parts that we've collectively decided make up a championship team. They don't have a wing stopper who will stifle opposing scorers with reckless abandon and contend for an NBA All-Defense spot regularly. They don't have any truly great two-way players. They don't have a traditional rim protector. What they do have are two offensive juggernauts in Jokic and Murray. They have a collection of good players who play together. Gary Harris and Torey Craig were just good enough on both ends to win games. Paul Millsap directs the defense and makes the occasional timely shot. Michael Porter Jr. has proven to be their X-factor and a plus/minus god despite the fact that he looks like a lost puppy on defense more often than not. Above all, they're clearly more mentally tough than the Clippers team they just beat, who folded in the face of adversity time and time again. The Nuggets just don't look the part, especially compared to the team they vanquished. Their offense is centered around Jokic, a lumbering giant with questionable defense more often than not. Mike Malone is not a decorated head coach by NBA standards. Murray is a flamethrower but he averaged less than 20 points per game during the regular season. After a decade of watching super teams roll their way to titles, the Nuggets just aren't what we expect from championship contenders. And yet. Here we are. They're four wins away from the finals. They came back from double-digit deficits in three straight games with their backs against the wall against arguably the most talented team in the league. How they did it no longer matters, only that they did it. Now they'll have to do it again against the greatest player of this generation and the best all-around big man in the game. Time to see if they can defy the odds one last time before fighting for a championship.
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Personally, no matter what happens I will be here next season, Guardiola said to Sky Sports. If the club don t sack me that can happen I will stay here 100 per cent, more than ever.
Firstly, because I want to stay more than the contract [I have] now. It s something special, I want to stay, I want to help the club, if it is possible, to maintain this level as much as possible.
Why should I leave when I said a month ago that I love this club and I like to be here. We spoke with the players and for the next three months here we are going to focus on what we have to do and then we will have to see the sentence.
Those are the words of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola who has said that, despite the club s impending two season ban from Europe, he does no…
If Manchester United s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday highlighted one of their biggest concerns, the contest also put a spotlight on a potential fix in the form of the visitors star man.
So plentiful are their issues that one could argue the starting XI against Villa requires as many as six upgrades to bring them even close to Liverpool s standard.
But one area in which they are woefully short is midfield. Paul Pogba aside, not one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s current options would get near the line-up of Jurgen Klopp s Reds or Manchester City and, given his form this year, it would be difficult even to make a case for the Frenchman.
The emergence of an apparent interest in Leicester City s James Maddison makes sense and appears to indicate a desire to final…
Market: Monaco win
Odds: 8/11 @
Hoping to extend on their domestic romp this weekend, Monaco will welcome Reims to the Stade Louis-II on Saturday afternoon.
Starting with the hosts, extending on their Coupe de France adventure last weekend as they edged past Lens, the mood in Monaco’s camp should be at a red-hot high. Although Adi Hutter’s side might have eventually fallen short in their bid to punch a European return, the Monegasques appear to be sat in pole position to clinch a Champions League ticket. Signing off 2023 with another eye-catching display as they secured a 2-1 victory away at Toulouse, the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss will be calling on his squad to make another statement here. Now winning four of their previous five domestic appearances a…
France got the better of South Africa in a seven-goal thriller as Andre-Pierre Gignac s hat-trick inspired Les Bleus to a 4-3 victory at the Tokyo Olympics.
Having been thrashed 4-1 by Mexico in their opening game of Group A, France hit back to keep their chances of progression alive, though they had to do so the hard way in Saitama.
Indeed, South Africa led on three occasions during a remarkable second half, yet it was Les Bleus who took the points.
Liberato Cacace s stunner was not enough to propel New Zealand to victory against Honduras in Group B, while reigning champions Brazil could only draw 0-0 with the Ivory Coast and Spain overcame Australia thanks to Mikel Oyarzabal s late winner.
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France we…
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri insists Cristiano Ronaldo is serene despite a warrant for his DNA amid the ongoing investigation into a rape allegation.
American Kathryn Mayorga has accused Ronaldo of sexually assaulting her in a hotel in Las Vegas in 2009, something the Portugal captain has strenuously refuted.
German publication Der Spiegel first reported the claims, which also included the suggestion Ronaldo paid Ms Mayorga $375,000 in 2010 as part of a privacy agreement, preventing her from going public with the allegations. Ms Mayorga filed a lawsuit in an attempt to quash that agreement, while Las Vegas police have re-opened an investigation.
Ronaldo s lawyer Peter Christiansen confirmed the payment was made to Ms Mayorga, but said some documents presen…
Fulham could push a deadline-day loan bid through for Chelsea striker Armando Broja.
The Albania striker was among the Chelsea substitutes as Mauricio Pochettino’s side were beaten 4-1 at Liverpool on Wednesday.
Broja did not get on the pitch and Fulham boss Marco Silva is keen to bolster his forward options with Raul Jimenez’s hamstring injury leaving them light in attack.
Aston Villa, West Ham and Wolves have also been linked with Broja this month, but Fulham now appear Broja’s most likely destination should he leave Stamford Bridge for now.
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has been linked with a move to Tottenham throughout January, but Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou suggested on Tuesday it would be “unlikely” to see any more signings.
Thomas Tuchel is refusing to pretend nothing is happening as Chelsea suffer a run of poor form, including some average performances.
The Blues have won just three of their last seven games across all competitions and just one of their last four a narrow 2-1 Premier League victory over relegation-threatened Watford.
Chelsea s last two results have been particularly disappointing, losing 3-2 to West Ham and drawing 3-3 with Zenit in the Champions League despite being ahead in both matches.
Tuchel is keen to address the issues that have caused his side s slump head-on, but revealed that he is not worried about getting back on track.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic maintained his scoring run with a goal in each half to help Milan earn a 3-1 win over 10-man Napoli that takes his side back to the top of Serie A.
Sassuolo moved to the summit earlier on Sunday with a 2-0 win at Hellas Verona but Milan responded with an Ibrahimovic-inspired victory at Stadio San Paolo to go two points clear.
The veteran striker headed in from 14 yards with 20 minutes played to score for the eighth league game running before kneeing in an unorthodox second after 54 minutes, but he worryingly limped off late on with a thigh injury.
Dries Mertens had responded for Napoli only for Tiemoue Bakayoko to be sent off 165 seconds later and Milan, without head coach Stefano Pioli and a number of other backroom staff members due to corona…
Ernesto Valverde has described Pedro as an historic Barcelona player after the Chelsea winger claimed he would like to return to Camp Nou.
Pedro told Ser Catalunya this week that he would love to go back to the club where he won 20 major trophies, including five LaLiga titles and three Champions Leagues, between 2008 and 2015.
The 32-year-old has only played four times in the Premier League under Frank Lampard this season and, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, it has been suggested the Spain international could be allowed to leave next month.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Barca coach Valverde said of Pedro: He s an historic Barca player let s not kid ourselves. He s one of the players to win the most titles with this club, but he plays for…
After thrashing Crystal Palace 7-0 on December 19, Liverpool were six points clear at the Premier League summit.
Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were all on target in the clinical rout at Selhurst Park, after which Jurgen Klopp said: It was really difficult to play against us.
The reigning champions had seemingly found top gear again.
Fast forward to January 21 and, following a stunning 1-0 loss to Burnley at Anfield, Liverpool were left to wonder just where it had all gone so badly wrong.
For a fourth successive outing in the league they had failed to score, while the shock result sees them stuck in fourth position in the table, six points behind leaders Manchester United.
Never mind moving through the gears: th…