PHILADELPHIA -- After one of the most disappointing seasons in NBA history, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey said they believe the Philadelphia 76ers can still achieve the championship dreams the franchise fell so far short of achieving this season.

"I do think so," George said before the 76ers concluded their dismal 2024-25 campaign at Wells Fargo Center with a 122-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls. "I think with the personnel we have, I think with finding young talent [to help us]. ... I think we can be a team in the future that can compete for a championship."

"The one positive that I do take away," said Maxey, "is the only way we can go from here is up."

It has been a season to forget for the 76ers, who entered Sunday's season finale with 24 wins -- tied with the 1994-95 edition of the franchise for seventh fewest in its 76-year history.

They got here by going an abysmal 5-31 over their past 36 games -- a two-and-a-half-month stretch that has potentially allowed Philadelphia to pull off what once was unthinkable: keeping its top-six-protected first-round pick.

That possibility, however, hasn't made the past few months any easier to swallow for the 76ers. George hasn't played since March 4, and was officially ruled out for the season on March 17 following injections in both his left adductor muscle and left knee.

George, who turns 35 next month and signed a four-year, $212 million max contract with the 76ers last summer -- a signing that was supposed to launch Philadelphia into true title contention -- was one of many disappointments for Philadelphia this season.

He played in 41 games -- down from 74 last season -- and his average of 16.2 points per game was his lowest in a decade by more than five points. It also was more than six points fewer than he averaged in each of the past two seasons with the LA Clippers, when he earned All-Star appearances.

"Yeah, it was just, to be honest, one of the toughest seasons for me," said George, a nine-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA selection. "Just with a lot of adversity on the court, off the court and, then again, the injury stuff was some stuff that I didn't necessarily know I had going on ... which was frustrating."

Maxey, who burst into stardom last season when he averaged 25.9 points per game, made his first All-Star appearance and won the NBA's Most Improved Player award, also took a step back this season. While his scoring saw a bump (26.3 PPG), he shot a career-low 43.7% from the field, including a 33.7% mark from 3-point range, easily his lowest average since his rookie season.

The precocious 24-year-old, who was officially ruled out for the season Wednesday with a sprained right finger, said it will take a collective effort to recover from this season and be back in the mix next year.

"The names on the paper ... it looks nice. It does," Maxey said. "And I think we've seen where our peaks can be this year. There wasn't a lot of them. But there was some stretches where we all played and we looked really good. We found the right rotations, we knew who to get the ball to, who we need to get the ball to them, everybody got shots, everybody looked good.

"So the sky's the limit. That's the thing that I can say. But the work has to be put in from day one, not from in the middle of the season. ... Today is our last game. Whenever everybody decides to start working out again, that's when our season for next year starts, individually and collectively. And it has to be taken serious. And I think we will take it serious and I have the ultimate faith in the organization and the guys up top and my teammates to do that."

The Sixers' potential to jump back up the standings next season could also depend on whether Cooper Flagg or some other top draft prospect winds up in Philadelphia if the 76ers hang on to that protected pick. Some of it will also come down to the health of the team's other star, Joel Embiid, who was the one player who wasn't scheduled to speak Sunday after the team announced that he underwent arthroscopic surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York on Friday for his troublesome left knee.

That knee limited Embiid to just 19 games; the three stars played in just 15 games (for a total of 294 minutes) together this season.

"It sucked," Maxey said of watching Embiid struggle with his health this season. "It really did suck, man, because at the end of the day, Joe is somebody who really wants to be out there. So to see him suffer, to see him go out there and actually try and he just couldn't be himself ... you could tell. You'd give him the ball sometimes, and me being here the longest, I've seen him do so many spectacular things and I gave him the ball a couple of times in moments where I think that he'll do something and I guess he just couldn't, he was limited.

"So hopefully that surgery went well and all that and he gets back to the Joel Embiid that we know and love. And, honestly, I hope it does for him, because it'll make him feel a lot better."

Whatever happens moving forward, Sunday finally closed a miserable season in which the Sixers never found a way to bring everything together as expected.

"I think we were just in a scramble all year, to be honest," George said. "I think we were just in a scramble. One player comes in, one player goes out, and it kind of was just that cycle all season long, and I give Coach [Nick] Nurse a ton of credit for just kind of picking up pieces, literally, and trying to figure this thing out as we were going throughout the year.

"But I think again, it was just no consistency in terms of lineups, personnel and who was just on the floor in general. So again, I think past the injuries part of it, you kind of just can say it was just no consistency with just the guys being on the floor together."

CLEVELAND -- Donovan Mitchell is expected to be ready for the Cavaliers' playoff run despite missing the last four games of the regular season with a sprained left ankle.

The All-Star guard was injured April 6 in the second half against the Sacramento Kings. He worked out on the court before Sunday's game against the Indiana Pacers after completing a full workout at the team's training facility Saturday.

"I think he'll be full on with practice. We're going to have to scrimmage at some point, probably intersquad with refs, so he'll participate in that," coach Kenny Atkinson said. "The most important thing is how we build him up with the ankle rehab and then conditioning."

Mitchell was one of nine players, including four starters, whom Cleveland sat out for Sunday's regular-season finale. The Cavaliers (63-18) will go into the playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference for only the fourth time in franchise history and first since winning the NBA title in 2016.

As the No. 1 seed, Cleveland's first playoff game is not expected to be until April 20 since the eighth seed in the East won't be determined until the final play-in tournament games Friday.

Mitchell leads the Cavaliers in scoring at 24 points per game. He is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 24 points in 32 minutes or fewer.

CLEVELAND -- Emmanuel Clase realizes he can't please everyone or be flawless every time he takes the mound.

He's not a pitching machine.

"A couple of days ago I was thinking, 'Hey, I am human,'" Cleveland's All-Star closer said Saturday through interpreter Agustin Rivero. "I can make mistakes."

Lately, he's made too many.

Baseball's most dominant reliever last season, Clase's struggles in the first weeks of this season have seemingly alarmed everyone but the 27-year-old and his teammates. He's set a high bar for himself but he's falling short of it so far.

While he's 2-0 with a save, Clase has given up six runs and 14 hits in seven appearances. On Saturday night, he did nothing to silence the whispers about his slow start by allowing four straight singles to the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning before finishing off a 6-3 win -- Cleveland's fifth straight.

"He's just leaving pitches over the middle right now," said Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, who isn't exactly sure what's wrong with Clase. "It's too early to tell. Emmanuel just needs to get his confidence back."

Last year, Clase was automatic. He gave up just five earned runs in 74 games over 74 1/3 innings, led the American League in saves (47) for the third straight season, had a miniscule 0.61 ERA (third lowest in MLB history) and finished third in Cy Young voting.

He was virtually unhittable for six months. Then came October.

Clase wasn't himself in the postseason, first allowing a three-run homer in the ninth inning to Detroit's Kerry Carpenter in a loss in the Division Series opener.

That was followed by New York's Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton connecting for back-to-back homers off Clase in Game 3 of the ALCS, a game the Guardians rallied to win in extras. The right-hander then gave up two runs in the ninth in Game 4 and finished the series with a 15.43 ERA in three outings against the Yankees.

When the Guardians needed him most, Clase collapsed, which is why his slow start in 2025 has raised some eyebrows.

Not Vogt's. He remains confident and supportive of his closer.

"I mean, when you're perfect for a whole season last year and then you have a couple games where you give up runs, all of a sudden now people are asking about you," Vogt said before the game. "We talk about all the time with the bullpen guys, you didn't get any questions about the bullpen last night, right, because we don't talk about 'em when they do their job.

"So Clase, it's keep being you. We're always working on things to get better. We're always trying to find different ways to be successful, but just be Emmanuel and go pitch."

Clase said he didn't dwell on last year's stunning finish and quickly turned the page.

"I started working out in December and for me that was a new year," he said. "I've been moving forward ever since."

His velocity has been normal, and Clase's other metrics all seem in line with past performances. So what's the problem?

"My body feels good," he said. "I feel like I've been able to compete, obviously not getting the results that we wanted, but it is a blend of maybe not being too used to pitching in the cold like previous years. I feel like I'm going to continue doing my best and trying to get better and better every day."

While he warms up, Clase is heartened by the faith his teammates have shown. To them, he's still the best in the business.

"It's really special," he said of the support. "They know me. They see my preparation. It's very important to hear the people that know you so well that see you pitching every day. I appreciate them saying that."

CHICAGO -- Former American League Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer, returning from Tommy John surgery, was brought up from the minor leagues Sunday when the Boston Red Sox placed right-hander Richard Fitts on the 15-day injured list with a right pectoral strain.

A 32-year-old right-hander, Fulmer has not pitched in the big leagues since 2023 with the Chicago Cubs. He had Tommy John revision surgery on Oct. 18, 2023, signed a minor league contract with Boston the following Feb. 2 and did not pitch last year.

Fulmer had a 0.79 ERA in five spring training appearances for the Red Sox, striking out 12 and walking three in 11 innings. He had a 3.09 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance for Triple-A Worcester, striking out 18 and walking six in 11 innings. His four-seam fastball averaged 92.4 mph.

He won the 2016 AL Rookie of the Year with the Detroit Tigers, had Tommy John surgery on March 27, 2019, and returned to the major leagues on July 27, 2020, just after the start of the pandemic-shortened season.

Fulmer is 37-50 with a 3.94 ERA in 90 starts and 172 relief appearances for the Tigers (2016-22), Twins (2022) and Cubs (2023).

Fulmer's contract was selected from Worcester. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he expects to use Fulmer out of the bullpen.

Fitts will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of his injury, Cora said. The 25-year-old left Saturday's game against the White Sox with shoulder discomfort as he was facing Miguel Vargas, Chicago's first hitter in the sixth inning.

Making his seventh big league start, Fitts had a 2-0 lead and allowed two hits. He was in position for his first major league win when he was replaced by Zack Kelly with a 2-2 count on Vargas. Vargas walked, and two batters later Luis Robert Jr. hit a two-run homer,

Chicago went on to win 3-2 on pinch-hitter Brooks Baldwin's RBI single in the ninth.

Fitts has a 2.39 ERA in seven starts for the Red Sox over two seasons. He is 0-2 with a 3.18 ERA this year.

Fulmer has a contract paying a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues and $180,000 while in the minors.

He can earn $2 million in performance bonuses for innings and $500,000 for relief appearances. Fulmer would get $50,000 each for 75, 80, 85, 90 and 95 innings, $100,000 apiece for 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140, and $250,000 each for 150, 160, 170, 180 and 190. He would earn $100,000 each for 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 relief appearances.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins unveiled a bronze statue of Hall of Fame catcher Joe Mauer at Target Field before Sunday's game against the Detroit Tigers.

Mauer spoke as the statue was unveiled outside a gate beyond right field. He joined Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, Kirby Puckett, Tony Oliva, Kent Hrbek, manager Tom Kelly and owners Carl and Eloise Pohlad with a statue outside the ballpark.

Designed by Minnesota artist Bill Mack, the statue is just over eight feet tall and weighs more than 800 pounds.

Mauer batted .306 with 143 homers and 906 RBIs with Minnesota from 2004-18. He was voted to baseball's Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2024.

"Obviously, it was a big summer last year, going into Cooperstown -- that was just an unbelievable experience. But to see myself here, this isn't going to be moving for a long time," Mauer said. "Here in my home state of Minnesota, I was always proud to put on this uniform, to play for this club, and to go out there and try to win every night with my teammates."

The first overall pick in the 2001 amateur draft, Mauer played 15 seasons for his hometown club. He won three American League batting titles, was voted the 2009 AL MVP, was picked for six All-Star Games and earned three Gold Gloves. A severe concussion late in the 2013 season led to a move to first base in 2014.

Alcaraz, as he has done for most of the week, made a wayward start.

An early break lead was cancelled out by Musetti, who reeled off four games in a row as Alcaraz sprayed errors off his forehand.

Musetti's accuracy won out over his opponent's pacy hitting, with the Italian clinching the set on an outrageous drop-shot winner from behind the baseline.

Alcaraz hit 14 unforced errors in the first set, 11 off the forehand alone, but settled quickly into the second.

A roar of "vamos" greeted a missed Musetti forehand that handed Alcaraz the break lead, with the Spaniard moving around the court with more conviction and asking the crowd for appreciation after hitting a superb backhand winner.

He won five games in a row but Musetti had a glimmer of a chance. He created five break-back points as Alcaraz served for the set, but the second seed saved them all, ultimately closing out an eight-minute game to force a deciding third set.

That was barely competitive, though, as Musetti was hindered by a right thigh injury, needing treatment after going 3-0 down, and could barely move.

Alcaraz promptly whizzed through the set, raising his arms in celebration before consoling Musetti.

The victory also means Alcaraz will replace Germany's Alexander Zverev as world number two when the rankings are updated on Monday.

Later, British pair Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool were beaten 1-6 7-6 (10-8) 10-8 in the men's doubles final by home favourite Romain Arneodo and France's Manuel Guinard.

"We will be buzzing for that game and we will build for it.

"Many people will probably write us off but I promise you we'll go there and put up a fight."

Pollock has enjoyed a stellar rise in his breakthrough season after making his Champions Cup debut last December before winning his first Test cap in England's final Six Nations game with Wales.

The exuberant back row scored two second-half tries before pointing at the home crowd and imitating a basketball shot in celebration during Northampton's dominant win over Castres, but Saints' director of rugby Phil Dowson said he does not want to diminish his young starlet's personality.

"It's great when he is on your side and you want that character and for people to be themselves," said Dowson.

"I watched Leinster's game last night and it was incredibly impressive. Glasgow are a very good side and are URC champions, but they [Leinster] were ruthless.

"Clearly they have world class talent in the group and are playing well, but they are the challenges we have signed up for and want to enjoy."

Toulon: Jaminet: Drean, Fainga'anuku, Sinzelle, Villiere; Garbisi, Serin; Priso, Baubigny, Gigashvili, Ribbans (capt), Alainu'uese, Ludlam, Abadie, Isa.

Replacements: Ivaldi, Gros, Setiano, Rebbadj, Le Corvec, White, Domon, Tolofua.

Toulouse: Ramos; Mallia, Barassi, Ahki, Kinghorn; Ntamack, Graou; Baille, Marchand (capt), Aldegheri, Flament, Meafou, Cros, Willis, Roumat.

Repacements: Mauvaka, Neti, Merkler, Verge, Jelonch, Saito, Costes, Lebel.

Referee: Matthew Carley (England)