data-mm-id=”_uhng67c0e”>The NBA bubble has come with a few revelations. T.J. Warren stands out as the biggest after he spent the last four months apparently channeling Michael Jordan or something and dropped 50 in the first seeding game. The Portland Trail Blazers are making a hard push for the eight seed in the West, along with three other teams. It's been a lot of fun. One entirely unexpected development, however, has come out of the Denver Nuggets' camp down in Orlando. And it's not Bol Bol, as awesome as he is. No, the big surprise has come from Michael Porter Jr., fully healthy for the first time in who knows how long and playing like a man on fire. He's dropped 67 points in the last two games as a sweet-shooting wing playing off Nikola Jokic, and if this is a sign of things to come, everything changes for the Nuggets. Porter has looked like the prospect everyone though he was upon entering the 2018 NBA Draft. But a severe back injury suffered after only a few games at Missouri raised legitimate questions about his ability to reach a level anywhere near his potential. He missed all of his rookie season and played in two-thirds of the Nuggets' games this season, but Mike Malone loves defense. Porter, ah, does not. It was tough for the young forward to stay on the floor because of his inexperience playing in the Nuggets' system and his lack of ability to stay in front of his man. That really hasn't changed all too much. Porter is still a below-average man-to-man defender, but he's comfortable enough in the system that Malone won't yank him at the smallest error. When he's on the floor, Denver's offense is a whole different beast. He's a big guy with long arms, a massive target for Jokic's quarterbacking from the top of the key. Porter has definitely found his range from deep, shooting over 50 percent from beyond the arc in his last two games on 17 tries. He looks comfortable out there inside the arc too, shooting 12-of-16 in one contest and 11-of-19 the next. This is a huge deal for Denver. Jokic is a transcendent superstar, but it's difficult to build around centers in today's wing-centric game. He's one of the best passers in the league, hard stop, and is primed to put up a triple-double in a moment's notice. But he isn't a pure scorer. When the defense's attention is fully turned to him, Jokic can struggle to put the ball in the basket. But with a pure and dangerous scorer alongside him, it becomes a pick-your-poison decision for defenses instead of just being able to lock onto Jokic and hope guys like Jerami Grant miss shots. Jokic has something like that in Jamal Murray, who hasn't played yet in the bubble. But Murray can be inconsistent and is a little too small to make an impact if his shot isn't falling. Porter doesn't have that issue. He can get into the lane whenever he likes and hit his free throws. A quality scoring wing is one of the most valuable assets a team can have in today's NBA. Murray is a great scorer but can't get his shot off over anybody. Porter can. Denver has their superstar. The next steps were finding the right complementary pieces. They have Murray there to take some of the playmaking load and make shots when Jokic's jumper isn't falling. Now they have a taller version who, if he fully realizes his talents, could be better than Murray in short order. That one additional piece could be the difference between a perennial playoff contender and a perennial title contender.
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There has been plenty of uncertainty around the future of Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez, but the 33-year-old has finally come out to confirm he would be staying at the Santiago Bernabeu past this summer, despite receiving offers from elsewhere. His new 12-month contract is expected to be signed in the coming days. Further more, he will reportedly be named as club captain, following the departure of Karim Benzema.
Nacho is yet to put on a shirt of another club. He was a product of the Real Madrid academy, having gone through every level of their youth ranks to earn first-team promotion from the Castilla side in 2012. Since then, he s gone on to make a total of 319 appearances in the famous white shirt, scoring 16 goals.
Though rarely a member of the starting XI wh…
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has completed a season-long loan move to Real Madrid.
The 28-year-old Spain international, who joined the Blues in a £71.6million switch from Athletic Bilbao in August 2018, is contracted at the Bernabeu until June next year.
Real needed a new keeper after Thibaut Courtois was ruled out for the majority of the season with an ACL injury.
A statement on Real’s official website said: “Real Madrid CF and Chelsea FC have agreed on the loan of the player Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is linked to the club this season, until June 30, 2024.
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden)
“In his five seasons at Chelsea, he has won one Champions League, one Club World Cup, one European Super Cup and one Europa League.<…
Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has put his failure to land a Ballon d Or award down to not fitting the Mr Perfect mould of perennial winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Despite registering over 500 club goals for the likes of Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, Ibrahimovic has never finished in the top three of the voting for the prestigious individual prize.
The Sweden international s highest finish came in 2013 when claiming fourth place behind Franck Ribery, Messi and Ronaldo, the latter two having taken the award 12 times between them (Messi 7, Ronaldo 5).
Indeed, only Luka Modric in 2018 – after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid and playing a starring role in Croatia s run to the World Cup fin…
Kai Havertz may have scored the winning goal in a Champions League final but his late header to seal victory over Brentford and send Arsenal top of the Premier League was also a “dream” moment for the forward.
With title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City facing off 24 hours later, any victory for Arsenal would have taken them to the summit for the first time in 2024.
It looked like they were on course to miss out after returning goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale gifted a goal to Yoane Wissa to cancel out a brilliant Declan Rice header, only for Havertz to convert with four minutes remaining and secure a 2-1 victory.
After a slow start following his summer move from Chelsea, where he netted the only goal of the 2021 Champions League final against Manchester City, H…
Defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has signed a new deal with Arsenal.
The Japanese star joined the Gunners in August 2021 from Serie A side Bologna and has made 73 appearances in all competitions.
The PA news agency understands Tomiyasu’s new contract is for two years, with the option of a further 12 months.
Manager Mikel Arteta said: “We are so pleased to have Tomi commit his future with us. Together with his natural ability and strength, Tomi’s attitude, mentality and values are first class.
“Tomi is loved by everyone and has been an integral part of the squad since joining us. The way he trains, with his desire and determination to be the best version of himself every day, is admirable. We look forward to continue working with Tomi in the future years…
Best Odds: 8/11
Bookmaker:
With an AFCON final spot hanging in the balance on Wednesday evening, Nigeria will meet South Africa at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.
Nigeria
Starting with Nigeria, watching a host of African icons shockingly crashing out at the group stage last month, the Super Eagles are certainly smelling the chance to make more AFCON history. Collecting seven points from their three Group A appearances, Jose Peseiro’s men have quickly gained a reputation for their pragmatic approach. Making a statement on January 27th as they punched their quarter-final ticket thanks to a 2-0 victory against historic rials Cameroon, the mood in Niergia’s camp should be at a real high. Suffering just a single defeat from any of their previous 13 straight appe…
While Europe s elite might have wrapped up the 2021/22 campaign, that doesn t mean we re short of action from across the footballing globe. So, for those of you looking to stick on a Sunday acca, we have found a handful of helpful tips that are worth keeping an eye out for.
Sunday May 29th
BST 02:00 Sporting Kansas City vs Vancouver Whitecaps
Starting with Sunday s hosts, last seen earlier in the week when extending on their US Open Cup adventure, it appears that the mood in Kansas camp should be at a recent high. Eventually mounting a second-half comeback at home against Houston as they grabbed a 2-1 victory, Sporting KC will be desperate to build off of that momentum here. Bouncing back from that dreadful 7-2 drumming away at Portland on May 15th, that is …
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-6 Bayern Munich: Mane and Co. ensure Lewandowski is not missed in emphatic ope
Sadio Mane scored his first Bundesliga goal as Bayern Munich opened the new campaign with a stunning 6-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Europa League winners Frankfurt seemed a tricky first opponent for the champions, but Julian Nagelsmann s side swept them aside in sensational style.
Having defeated RB Leipzig 5-3 in the DFL-Supercup last week in their first competitive match after Robert Lewandowski s departure, Bayern were five up by half-time on Friday – Joshua Kimmich, Benjamin Pavard, Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry joining Mane on the scoresheet.
Manuel Neuer s sloppiness gifted Randal Kolo Muani a consolation, yet it was a minor blip in a supreme Bayern display, and Musiala capped things off with his second late on.
Bayern had full co…
Late VAR drama saw Chelsea spared and then angered as they drew 1-1 away to London rivals West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Tomas Soucek had what briefly looked to be a late winner chalked off before the midfielder got away with a clear handball in his own box to leave the visitors stunned.
Chelsea had earlier enjoyed arguably their best spell since Graham Potter s appointment during the first 25 minutes, Joao Felix netting a well-worked opener on his return from suspension.
But former Chelsea full-back Emerson Palmieri levelled soon after, and while the visitors dominated much of the following hour, their woes in front of goal meant they were at the mercy of VAR towards the end.
2014 Emerson is the first player to score his first Premier League…
According to , Real Madrid have put Liverpool s Trent Alexander-Arnold at the top of their wish list for the next summer transfer window. The expiration date on the current contract of the England international is moving ever closer, and unless there s significant change on that front between now and the end of the season, he will leave his boyhood club as a free agent.
Other potential targets for the right-back role at the Santiago Bernabeu would apparently be Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur, Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen, and Juanlu of Sevilla.
Reports in Spain have gone even further, with Marca claiming Liverpool are already aware that Alexander-Arnold will not sign a new deal, though such stories coming from that particular outlet have been known to turn out…