Plenty of interesting stories have come from the NBA playoffs so far, starting with Nikola Jokic driving the Denver Nuggets’ chase for consecutive championships after receiving a third career MVP in the regular season.Jayson Tatum leading the Boston Celtics to sheer dominance to a berth in the Eastern Conference finals. On full display has been the grit and grind from Luka Doncic to put the Dallas Mavericks on a back that is supported by two bad knees. And whenever New York finds a superhero, as they have in the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, the plaudits will be breathless and frequent. All of the celebration of Brunson’s clutch gene has been well deserved.Anthony Edwards Has Been MVP of 2024 NBA PlayoffsAt the forefront as the present MVP of the playoffs to date: dynamic Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards, whose ascension to the best in the game has been steady and determined.The Timberwolves advanced out of the first round of the playoffs last in 2004. Edwards powered them into the second round in this postseason. He had just 11 games of NBA playoff experience before this season and only three of those games ended in a victory. Yet Edwards has continued to write a new chapter in team history and his own personal arc. In the white-hot lights of the playoffs, Edwards has averaged 30.2 points over 10 games, which is significantly above his 25.9 mark from the regular season.And he has helped the Timberwolves go toe-to-toe against the defending champions, and all of their playoff experience, to force a must-see Game 7 on Sunday. That game will be at Denver, where Minnesota has won twice in this series alone, starting with Game 1 when Edwards had 43 points, his most in a playoff game until he dropped 44 in Game 4.One more victory will get Minnesota into their first Western Conference final in 20 years, with Edwards showing so far that he is up to the task. But the Nuggets stand in the way of their opponent and the sports-loving history of an entire metropolis.The Timberwolves have never advanced to the NBA Finals. Outside of the NBA, the Minnesota Vikings have never won a title in the Super Bowl era and the Minnesota Twins haven’t been champions since 1991, when they played under a Teflon roof. Edwards has let the Twin Cities dream, shooting 53.5 percent from the floor, which again is well over his regular-season mark of 46.1. Of teams remaining in the playoffs, only two players have more than Edwards’ 3.1 made shots from 3-point range per game. And he is shooting 42.5 percent from distance, above his regular-season mark of 35.7 percent.Edwards can’t get through the Nuggets alone. He needs to match whatever show Jokic is sure to put on in Game 7 at home. He needs Karl Anthony-Towns to play to his capabilities and veteran guard Mike Conley to run the operation after he missed Game 5 with an injury. Conley returned after the Game 5 loss and helped Towns and Edwards put up a 45-point victory over Denver in Game 6. A veteran of 17 NBA seasons, Conley knows how this works. He knows that the Timberwolves need their young start to shine.“I’m proud of the way he’s accepted the kind of growth he needed to have to be where he is,” Conley said of Edwards. “It’s not easy for a 22-, 23-year-old to make that adjustment so quickly.”For the record, Edwards is 22. He is just playing like somebody with far more experience, who knows what is required of him.There are others who have more points or rebounds in the playoffs so far. There are bigger and more recognizable names. But Edwards is working to change all that by taking a franchise close to some rarified air. Getting through the champions and into the conference finals is his next step.
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Andrei Arshavin s two virtuoso performances for Russia have stamped the slight forward as the player of Euro 2008 ahead of the likes of Portugal s Cristiano Ronaldo and Holland s Wesley Sneijder.
The 27-year-old was forced to sit out Russia s opening two games against Spain and Greece but once free of his ban he has left an indelible mark on this tournament.
Russia held a training session at a local stadium in Vienna on Tuesday to prepare for Thursday s semi-final rematch with Spain and every photographer s lense was trained on him.
Arshavin may not have been a household name outside Russia up to now but that has changed after he led Russia to victory over Sweden and in the quarter-finals against Holland.
His starring role gloriously vindicated coach…
Russia football coach Guus Hiddink was amazed at the reception his team received here on Friday after returning to the country following the exploits at the Euro 2008 championships in Switzerland and Austria.
Hiddink, who led Russia to the semi-finals where they lost 3-O to Spain on Thursday night, said: Ladies and gentlemen, we are very amazed that you have all come here to Luzhniki stadium to honour our boys and I think we can be very proud of you because you are very committed to this team, you have enjoyed the team.
And we are very proud and I m very proud that I ve been working with these guys. Give them a big hand, they deserve it.
Then the best moments of Russia at Euro 2008 were transmitted on giant screens to the crowds at the stadium.
The …
Fernandinho believes Gabriel Jesus pace and passion can give Manchester City s attack the cutting edge they have lacked this season.
Jesus came off the bench during the second half of City s 0-0 draw at Porto on Tuesday, a result that sealed top spot in Champions League Group C.
It was a frustrating outing in front of goal for Pep Guardiola s side, something that has become familiar during a stuttering start that sees them lying 11th in a compressed Premier League table, and City s 18 attempts were their most without scoring in a Champions League match.
Jesus looked to have ended their frustration 10 minutes from time, beating inspired Porto goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin at the second attempt before a VAR review showed Joao Cancelo was offside before delivering th…
Crystal Palace are interested in signing Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, . The report has claimed that Nelson is out of contract at Arsenal at the end of the season, and that Premier League rivals Crystal Palace are keen on snapping up the 23-year-old winger on a free.
Nelson has been on the books of Arsenal his entire professional club football career so far. The 23-year-old has been out on loan as well, and there have been injury concerns. The winger is in talks with Arsenal over a new deal, but no new deal is in place at the moment.
The winger has made three substitute appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal so far this season. Nelson has scored three goals and given two assists in those games. The winger has also made two …
Burnley have completed the signing of Tottenham winger Georges-Kevin N Koudou on loan until the end of the season.
The 22-year-old has only played once in the Premier League for Spurs in 2017-18, although he scored in his last appearance for the club against APOEL in the Champions League in December.
The Fren
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chman has now chosen to spend the rest of the campaign at Turf Moor, having spoken with Spurs team-mate Kieran Trippier – who spent three years in Lancashire – before deciding on the move.
When I spoke with Trippier he told me good things about this club, about the players and everything about Burnley. I am happy to be here, so thank you Trippier, N Koudou told Clarets Player.
Everyone is shocked because Burnley is just after the…
Liverpool youngster Dani Pacheco has joined Spanish Segunda Division side Huesca on loan until the end of the season.
The 22-year-old has struggled to break into the first team at Anfield and has been sent out on loan for a third time after previous spells with Rayo Vallecano and Norwich, where he scored two goals in six appearances when they were in the Championship in 2011.
Pacheco joins Huesca in a relegation scrap with the club 19th having played 23 games this season.
The former Spain Under-21 international has made 17 appearances for Liverpool since moving to Merseyside from Barcelona in 2007.
Meanwhile, Liverpool released former Roma goalkeeper Alexander Doni from his contract with the Brazilian returning to his homeland, signing for Botafogo.
…
Sunderland winger Adam Johnson believes his form warranted inclusion in England s FIFA World Cup squad.
Johnson s form in the second half of last season was a major factor behind Sunderland managing to avoid relegation, with the 26-year-old even being awarded the Premier League player of the month prize for January.
The former Manchester City man has 12 international caps to his name, but has not played for his country since August 2012.
Johnson was a regular part of England squads under previous manager Fabio Capello, but has failed to force his way into the national team set-up under the Italian s successor Roy Hodgson, with the likes of Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling jumping ahead of him in the pecking order.
However, Johnson feels his performances after the…
Neymar scored an inspired hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain defeated Istanbul Basaksehir 5-1 to clinch top spot in Champions League Group H in a resumed fixture that saw both sets of players make strong anti-racism messages.
The fixture at Parc des Princes was suspended after 13 minutes on Tuesday after it was alleged fourth official Sebastian Coltescu had exposed Basaksehir assistant Pierre Webo to racist language.
UEFA consequently launched an investigation and, after players for both teams united to make a stand against discrimination, Neymar ran the show, netting twice in a superb first-half showing and completing his hat-trick early in the second.
Kylian Mbappe ended a year-long wait for a Champions League goal before the break and scored a second following M…
Jose Mourinho believes Giovani Lo Celso has shown he is back to his best after Tottenham s 2-0 win over Royal Antwerp.
Lo Celso scored his fourth goal of the Europa League campaign as Spurs secured top spot in Group J on Thursday.
The Argentina international also had more key passes (four), shots (four), passes in the opposition half (34), touches (72), tackles (three) and possessions gained (12) than any of his team-mates.
Lo Celso has dealt with injuries to begin the season, but Spurs head coach Mourinho said the midfielder was back to his best.
It is not about me, it is about them. Gio, last season he reached an incredible level. Then he had an injury and this season, the pre-season was non-existent for him, he told a news conference.
I said …
Real Madrid are chasing European title number 11 when they face Atletico Madrid at San Siro on Saturday.
A campaign that started with a 4-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk will end with a repeat of the 2014 final, when Carlo Ancelotti s Madrid claimed the fabled Decima against their city rivals.
Zinedine Zidane has replaced Rafael Benitez since they romped through this season s group stage, overseeing dominant victories and more than one nervy moment en route to Milan.
Here, we take a look at how Madrid reached the final.
Group Stage
Madrid made a reasonably tough-looking group including Paris Saint-Germain, Shakhtar and Malmo look supremely straightforward.
Five wins, one draw, 19 goals scored and just three conceded tells the stor…