Barcelona are close to reaching an agreement to sign defender Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax, club sources have told ESPN FC.

The La Liga leaders have the situation "under control," according to the sources, and not getting the deal over the line now would provide similar levels of disappointment to last summer when they were turned down by Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann at the last minute.

Juventus and Bayern Munich are also keen on De Ligt but one source has said the Netherlands international "only wants to listen to Barcelona." The same source added that "as was the case with Frenkie de Jong, Ajax will warn [Barca] if any other clubs make a serious move for [De Ligt]."

De Ligt's agent Mino Raiola is in regular contact with Barca, who value the signing of De Ligt on the same level as the arrival of his Ajax teammate De Jong, who will join the Catalans for €75 million in June.

Barca, though, remain keen to respect the protocol put in place by Ajax, who still have a lot to play for this season and want their players to remain focused on sporting objectives.

Ajax are level with PSV Eindhoven at the top of the Eredivisie table and will face Willem II in the Cup final. They also qualified for the Champions League semifinals for first time since 1997 with De Ligt scoring the winning goal as they knocked out Juventus in Turin.

Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu told ESPN FC in an exclusive interview he knows what will happen with De Ligt in the summer "but now is not the moment to talk about it."

The club are expecting to pay somewhere close to €80m to get the deal over the line, which sources have said is possible even though they have to be careful with how they manage their finances this summer.

A number of players will leave Camp Nou in the postseason to fund the moves for De Jong, De Ligt and potentially another forward and a left-back. Sources have told ESPN FC the club are looking to make as much as €300 million in sales.

The Spanish champions are well covered in the centre-back positions. Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet have been in great form this season, while Samuel Umtiti has just returned from injury. Jean-Clair Tobido, a January signing, is also tipped to have a big future in the game.

Thomas Vermaelen, though, will leave for free in the summer and Barca do not plan on exercising an option to make Jeison Murillo's loan deal permanent, creating space for one new defender.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is targeting at least one signing in every area of his squad this summer, sources have told ESPN FC.

Solskjaer said after the chastening Champions League exit to Barcelona on Tuesday night that he is facing a "rebuild" at Old Trafford before United again challenge for top trophies.

The work is set to start at the end of the season with Solskjaer looking to strengthen each area of his team with two new defenders, two midfielders and a forward.

Goalkeeper David De Gea will enter the final year of his deal in the summer but progress over an extension has been slow.

Sources have told ESPN FC the United manager will be backed with significant funds during the summer transfer window and will also be allowed to spend any cash generated by player sales.

Club captain Antonio Valencia is set to lead the exodus after the club decided against triggering a one year extension in the 33-year-old's contract. The Ecuador international has not started a game for United since the 2-0 win over Newcastle on Jan. 2 but, according to sources, is nearing a comeback and could return to the squad for Sunday's trip to Everton.

Ander Herrera is set to leave for Paris Saint-Germain this summer after failing to agree terms on a new contract. Juan Mata is yet to sign a new one-year deal and will become a free agent on June 30 if the stand-off continues.

There are also doubts over the futures of Matteo Darmian, Marcos Rojo, Eric Bailly, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez although sources have told ESPN FC there are no plans to sell Paul Pogba despite interest from Real Madrid.

United usually work towards a plan of signing three players during the summer but with more players than usual expected to leave, Solskjaer is set to get special dispensation to bring in more targets.

There is interest in Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane, Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez as well as young English trio Declan Rice, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jadon Sancho.

Sources told ESPN FC that after the 3-0 defeat at Camp Nou, Solskjaer told his players he is determined to build a squad capable of reaching Barcelona's level.

"They played very well," said Sanchez, who was applauded onto the pitch on his return to his former club after coming on for the final 10 minutes following his return from a hamstring injury.

"We had very clear chances, but this is football, this is the Champions League, if you get something wrong or fail then the other team gets on top of you. That's what Barcelona do.

"When I came on to the pitch I heard the applause and the truth is I am very happy about this.

"It was a nice moment for me. With the other players we won good things here and I am very happy to return from my injury and I am also very happy with the applause from the crowd."

Former West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan will mentor the West Indies side ahead of their next month's tri-nation ODI series against Bangladesh and hosts Ireland, and the World Cup following it.

Sarwan, who retired in 2016 after a 13-year long international career, has already joined the ongoing week-long training camp in Barbados ahead of next month's trip to Ireland.

Incidentally, Sarwan was not part of the support staff announced by Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Monday for the Ireland tour and the World Cup. However, Sarwan has been roped in specifically to work with the batsmen. It is not yet clear whether he will travel to the UK for the World Cup.

Sarwan said the offer had come from former West Indies wicketkeeper Jimmy Adams, who is CWI's director of cricket. Although it's a short stint, Sarwan said he was "overwhelmed" by the assignment.

"I am very excited to be here," Sarwan said. "When I received the call from Jimmy, I was very overwhelmed at being asked to assist West Indies cricket again.

"I have come here to act as kind of a mentor to the players and try my best to assist them in any technical ways and with any shortcomings where I think they can improve, and to offer as much help to the head coach, Floyd Reifer, and his coaching staff."

Following retirement, Sarwan has been residing in Florida. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo in 2016, Sarwan said the biggest thing in West Indies cricket was the absence of a good cricketing structure that would help the young talent grow.

Now, Sarwan has been given the opportunity to do exactly that and he has already identified areas where he can contribute. He spent time with batsmen Darren Bravo and Shai Hope in the nets on the second day of the team's training camp, currently underway at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies, on Tuesday.

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Sarwan pointed out that one of the key areas he wanted the batsmen to focus on was strike rotation and stated that it would take them time to improve it.

"I know our batsmen have struggled in the past with rotating the strike, so I am trying to see how best we can get them to improve in this area," he said. "It's not an overnight fix, but it's important to share ideas with them, so that they have something to build on."

Reifer, who was recently appointed as the interim coach following a review of West Indies' coaching and selection policies led by newly-elected president Ricky Skerritt, outlined the importance of having someone like Sarwan around the team ahead of the big tournament.

"It was very important to have him here," Reifer said. "Sarwan was a player that was outstanding for West Indies. A very good batsman. A very good 'finisher' in limited-overs matches. We thought that a guy like Sarwan, coming into the camp with us whilst planning for the World Cup, would bring a wealth of knowledge.

"We are hoping he can help the batsmen get a better understanding of how to finish games, the mindset, how to approach batting first, how to approach batting last, so we thought that kind of knowledge was very important to share. He fitted in very well. He did a lot of talking and a lot of work with the batsmen."

Shubman Gill is not getting opportunities to bat higher in the Kolkata Knight Riders line-up because the top and middle-order positions have been firmed up in favour of more experienced hands, their captain Dinesh Karthik explained. Karthik said that Gill did open once this season when their regular opener Chris Lynn was unwell, but otherwise he had to look at the team "as a whole and not just one bright kid on the block".

"I've been asked this a number of times... Look, we've made it clear to Shubman that, as and when opportunities arise, he will be sent up the order," Karthik told the Telegraph. "Shubman was promoted to open when Chris Lynn was unwell. He grabbed that chance and got 65. Now, when Lynn was available, we had to give him back his position. He's done a lot for us and we have to show faith... Sunil Narine, for his part, stays as the other opener.

"Question is whether we can bat Shubman at No. 3 or No. 4. Well, Robin Uthappa and Nitish Rana have won us matches from those positions and, again, it's a matter of showing faith. India is obsessed with novelties, and even I like novelties, but I have to look at Knight Riders as a whole and not just one bright kid on the block. I need to show faith in Shubman, yes, equally I have a responsibility to give Robin and Nitish enough opportunities. As the captain, I have to show faith... Is Shubman upset at going down the order? I don't think so."

Gill made his IPL and T20 debut last year for Knight Riders and played 13 of their 16 matches. He impressed with his strokeplay and scored 203 runs at average of 33.83 and strike rate of 146.04. Apart from the odd chance in the top order, Gill batted three times at No. 6 and six times at No. 7 in IPL 2018 to play the finisher's role. This season, too, he has batted three times at No. 6 and twice at No. 7 so far, and once each as an opener and No. 4 batsman.

Gill was asked how he prepared for facing only six-odd balls when he bats at No. 7. "To face those six balls you have to practice at least 100 balls at nets," he told kkr.in. "If you practice less, you'll lack confidence even to hit four out of those six balls. The mentality shouldn't be to practice less just because you are going to face just those number of balls. So to make the most of those six balls, one must utilise their net sessions."

England have deferred the question of whether Jofra Archer will make their World Cup squad after naming an unchanged 15 for the ICC's preliminary deadline. Archer is set to make his England debut, however, after being included for next month's ODI in Ireland and a T20I and five ODIs against Pakistan, potentially giving him seven outings to make his case.

Chris Jordan, Archer's Sussex team-mate, is the other extra member in the expanded 17-man squad ODI to play Pakistan, having maintained a late push for World Cup consideration with his T20I performances in the Caribbean last month, despite last playing a 50-over international in 2016.

Joe Denly, whose last ODI appearance came in 2009, keeps his place as back-up spinning allrounder ahead of Liam Dawson, although he could be among a small number of players, including Liam Plunkett and Tom Curran, who will feel the pressure if Archer performs well over the next few weeks.

A smaller party of 14 will take on Ireland in Dublin on May 3, followed by a T20I against Pakistan two days later. Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes - all regulars at their IPL franchises - have been rested, as has Chris Woakes, as part of managing a long-term knee problem. Sam Billings and James Vince are included, to contest the second-reserve batting spot, with Alex Hales inked in as the designated spare batsman within the 15.

The potential inclusion of Archer, the Barbados-born allrounder who qualified to represent England last month, has been the subject of much debate among the squad's incumbent fast bowlers, but the decision by national selector Ed Smith will ensure peace for now, as well as setting up what is effectively a World Cup play-off for the last bowling spot.

Smith described Archer as a "very exciting talent".

"The selection panel would like to give Jofra Archer the opportunity to stake a claim for the final World Cup squad, which will be announced in a little over a month," Smith told Sky Sports News. "He's someone who has very quickly shown what he can do on a big stage.

"I like to keep things very simple on the selection panel: who's available? Of those who are available, what's the strongest squad that gives us the best chance to compete and play well? So, as soon as Jofra became available, we discussed whether we would select him in squads ... as soon as he became available, we have given him the opportunity."

Soon after learning the news of his selection on Tuesday, Archer took 3 for 15 for Rajasthan Royals in their IPL defeat to Kings XI Punjab.

"He's a very relaxed person, he has a very understated manner," Smith said. "He was very excited about the opportunity. He obviously had a game to go and play for Rajasthan, which obviously went pretty well for him. So I think the most important fact is not necessarily what he said, even though he was very pleased and excited, but also what he did. Ultimately that's the business we're in."

Those players selected by England who are currently at the IPL will be required to return by April 26. The final date for the World Cup squad to be confirmed is May 23.

"In line with ICC regulations, we have to name a preliminary squad of 15 for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup before April 23," Smith said. "However, all 17 players named in the Royal London ODIs against Pakistan can stake a claim to be in the final 15-man squad, finalised at the end of that series.

"The selection panel has been impressed with Jofra Archer's performances in domestic and franchise cricket. He is a very talented and exciting cricketer. Chris Jordan, a regular in T20 squads over the past few years, has continued to develop as a cricketer - as we saw in the T20s in the West Indies. He fully deserves his return to the ODI squad.

"With regard to resting players, we are conscious of managing player workloads leading into such an important summer so that players are in the best possible condition for the World Cup. That was also a factor in the way we have selected these three squads."

England preliminary World Cup squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

England squad for Pakistan ODI series: Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Chris Jordan, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

England squad for Ireland ODI/Pakistan T20I: Eoin Morgan (capt), Jofra Archer, Sam Billings, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Chris Jordan, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Ambati Rayudu and Rishabh Pant might have missed the bus for the World Cup, but the two could yet be a part of the action in England and Wales after being named as standbys - along with uncapped paceman Navdeep Saini- by the selectors.

ESPNcricinfo understands that the selectors had proposed having the three of them as the back-ups in case there is an injury in the 15-man squad that was announced on Monday. There is no order in which they will be picked - if the situation crops up at all - and the selectors will make their choice depending on the requirements of the team.

Of the three standbys, only Saini will travel to England with the main squad as he is also part of the quartet of net bowlers that has been approved. Along with Saini, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan would be part of the Indian entourage.

The development comes as a bit of solace for Rayudu, especially, and Pant, who were leading contenders in the lead-up to the selection meeting. MSK Prasad, the chairman of India's selection committee, clarified afterwards that Rayudu had lost his spot to Tamil Nadu batting allrounder Vijay Shankar because the latter brought "three dimensions" to the table; he is an excellent fielder along with being a dependable batsman and medium pacer.

Although Pant has not reacted in any form, Rayudu posted a message on his Twitter feed on Tuesday, saying he had ordered 3D glasses to watch the World Cup. It is understood that both the BCCI and the selectors have noted Rayudu's reaction, but have described as emotional.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- After Tuesday's deflating 114-94 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2, the Oklahoma City Thunder are heading back home in an 0-2 series hole with Russell Westbrook taking responsibility for the team's poor performance and vowing to play better in Game 3.

"Starting with myself, I've got to play better," Westbrook said. "And tonight, the loss, I'm going to take full responsibility for tonight. Because the way I played was unacceptable. I'm going to be better, so I'm not worried one bit. My job is to make sure I continue to come out and will and lead our guys and make sure we have a chance to win the game."

Game 2 contained standard elements for the Blazers playing great: Damian Lillard was electric with 29 points; CJ McCollum poured in a game-high 33; and, like Game 1, the Thunder shot the ball miserably from 3-point range (5-of-28).

The storyline of Game 1 largely centered around Paul George's shoulder and his struggles shooting the ball, but he bounced back with 27 points on 11-of-20 shooting in Game 2, looking far more comfortable with his jumper.

It was Westbrook, though, who didn't do the complementing this time around. He finished a rebound away from a triple-double, but with six turnovers and some sloppy moments -- including a sequence where he shot an air ball in the second quarter, then didn't hustle back on defense, which led to Jerami Grant fouling Lillard on a made 3 -- Westbrook didn't make his typical impact in Game 2.

There's a history between Lillard and Westbrook, with the two sharing some trash-talking moments as longtime division rivals, and they scuffled slightly again on Tuesday. Late in the second quarter, Westbrook was corralling a loose ball as Lillard tried to tie him up. Westbrook called timeout, there was some contact and Westbrook fell back. After a review, there were no personal or technical fouls assessed.

"They're both pit bulls," McCollum said. "You've got competitive guys who play hard. Well-known All-Stars, faces of their franchises and the stakes are high, so if you're a competitor, you look forward to these moments and these opportunities to not only put yourself on the map, but you're team on the map, as well."

Lillard went on to outplay Westbrook in Game 2, leading the Blazers on a series of runs that culminated in a 60-40 second half. Lillard played a stellar defensive game, locking in on Westbrook with physical, hounding defense, knocking the ball away in post-ups and challenging Westbrook into questionable shots.

"I don't really have a choice but to embrace it," Lillard said. "That team is going to go as far as him and Paul George."

Lillard, who has hit one fewer three in this series (nine) than the entire Thunder team (10), was a plus-27 to Westbrook's minus-27. In Game 1, Westbrook was able to charge downhill at the Blazers, especially in transition, but he wasn't able to find the same kind of space in Game 2.

It's a bit of standard fare for Westbrook to sit at the podium and take responsibility or make a proclamation after a disappointing playoff performance.

For example, after Game 3 against the Utah Jazz last postseason, a contest in which Ricky Rubio had 26 points, Westbrook said, "I'm gonna shut that s--- off next game though, guarantee that." In that following tilt, Westbrook came out overaggressive and picked up four fouls in the first half.

This series turns to Oklahoma City for Game 3 on Friday, a virtual must-win for the Thunder.

"They won their first two home games, obviously wanted to try to steal one when we can, but let's just stay with it," Westbrook said. "We're a great basketball team, a lot of great guys on this team that I trust in to make shots and make plays on both sides of the basketball. And we'll be all right."

DENVER -- The Denver Nuggets, the second seed in the Western Conference, were down by 16 points to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night and about 18 minutes away from falling into a disastrous 0-2 hole in the series.

Denver coach Mike Malone called for timeout with 5:45 remaining in the third quarter with his team trailing 73-57 and conjured up the LA Clippers pulling off their big comeback win against the Golden State Warriors to motivate his team.

"I could see on some guys' faces which way is this game going to go?" Malone said. "... I reminded them what the Clippers did [Monday] night and how much basketball is left. It's only going to happen though if we believe, we commit, we fight and we attack, and the guys took it to heart -- and we closed the game out on a 57-32 run from that point on."

The Nuggets trailed by as much as 19 in the third, but with Jamal Murray erupting for 21 of his 24 points in an explosive fourth quarter, the Nuggets completed a potentially season-saving comeback. They notched their first playoff win of the postseason to even the best-of-seven series at 1-1 with a 114-105 victory over the Spurs.

Though the Nuggets didn't overcome a 31-point deficit like the Clippers did a night earlier in a 135-131 victory to shock the defending champs, their 19-point rally starting at the 4:28 mark in the third quarter was tied for the third-largest blown lead by the Spurs under coach Gregg Popovich in the playoffs.

"We gave up [39] points in the fourth quarter, end of story," Popovich said after the loss. "... Paul [Millsap] and Jamal had a lot to do with that, obviously. They both hurt us badly, and we didn't have any answers for either one of them."

With much of the Nuggets team experiencing the postseason for the first time, Denver came out and fell behind by 19 in the second quarter. Millsap, one of the few Nuggets with playoff experience, scored 15 points in the first half and kept Denver from falling behind by much more.

Murray and Will Barton couldn't get a shot to fall in the first three quarters, combining to go 1-for-18 during that span.

After shooting 8-for-23 and missing all six of his 3-point attempts in Game 1, Murray remained an hour after that contest to get shots up on the team's practice court late into night on Saturday following Denver's 101-96 loss. In the final 57.7 seconds of Game 1, Murray missed a 3-pointer, misfired on an open 18-footer that would have put the Nuggets ahead and turned the ball over.

"Just mental bounce back," Murray said of what the two days between games were like for him emotionally. "Obviously wasn't happy with myself, frustrated. The way I played ... I rushed everything. I was excited. I let the crowd, the amazing energy, get to me.

"I wanted to go into Game 2 relaxed."

Murray tried to set off the Pepsi Center at the start of Game 2 but missed what would have been a thunderous dunk early. At halftime, Malone told Murray to calm down and to breathe.

"He was so frustrated at halftime, not making shots, shots that he's made his whole career," Malone said. "I just grabbed him and told him take a deep breath. Every shot right now is like the end of the world."

Meanwhile, Murray's point guard counterpart, Derrick White, was following up his breakout Game 1 performance by making 7 of 10 shots on Tuesday and scoring all 17 of his points for the Spurs in the first three quarters.

Gary Harris scored 14 of his 23 points in the third to keep the Nuggets within striking distance entering the fourth. Murray, who had missed all eight of his shots and had only three points after three quarters, walked onto the floor at the start of the fourth and looked at the sold-out crowd of 19,520.

Murray said seeing all the fans waving their playoff towels reminded him of his childhood dream of playing in front of a sold-out playoff crowd.

Then Murray caught fire. He hit eight straight shots coming in all kinds of variety -- pullups, fadeaways, 3-pointers. Then in a 19-second span, Murray delivered a one-two punch that knocked the Spurs out. He hit a fadeaway 3-pointer. And after Spurs forward Rudy Gay lost the ball, Murray came down and drilled a pull-up 3 in front of Popovich and the Spurs' bench to give the Nuggets a 110-101 lead with 2:12 remaining as the Pepsi Center erupted.

Murray pumped his fist and pulled out his trademark "Blue Arrow" celebration by the scorer's table as the playoff towels were waving everywhere.

"Pretty perfect," Murray said about that moment. "Just the way I imagined it. When I get into the zone, everybody knows I get in a zone. ... I go crazy. I have a lot of fun. I love the game with a passion. I was hot, and I decided to pull up."

The series is tied 1-1, and now the young Nuggets go to San Antonio looking to steal home-court advantage back.

"He needs this," Malone said when asked if there was any consideration to benching Murray in the fourth because he was cold. "... I didn't foresee the fourth quarter he was going to have, but I knew in my heart he needed to get these minutes, he needed to be out there, I needed to show him that I believed in him."

"First of many for Jamal Murray," Malone added of the point guard's playoff performance. "I have no doubt."

TORONTO -- Just over a minute into Game 2 against the Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry sniffed out a mismatch against center Nikola Vucevic and went to work.

Lowry, who had been held scoreless in Game 1, collected the dribble-handoff from teammate Marc Gasol and drove into the body of the Magic's big man, hurling the ball over his shoulder at the rim as he tumbled toward the baseline.

As Lowry ambled to the line, the Toronto crowd cheered in anticipation of his first point of the series. After his first free throw attempt missed, the applause reached a crescendo, climaxing as the second shot fell through the net. The moment was a portrait of Raptors fanhood -- a combination of encouragement for a player who has built an All-Star career over seven seasons in Toronto, with a pinch of salt mined from years of postseason anxiety.

Over the next 47 minutes, Lowry would tack on another 21 points, and Kawhi Leonard led all scorers with 37, as the Raptors roared back with a dominant 111-82 victory to square the first-round series at 1-1.

"That is [Lowry] at his finest," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. "Tonight he was charging up the floor and pushing the ball, passing, shooting, driving, kicking, made steals, hands on everything, rebounded. He was doing it all."

Lowry wasn't alone. On Tuesday, the Raptors embodied the best version of themselves -- a versatile, veteran-savvy team featuring five elite defenders who can also slice you up offensively in the half court.

In the intervening days between Games 1 and 2, the Raptors' players and staff emphasized the need to decongest a long Orlando defense that afforded them no half-court elbow room in Saturday's loss. On Tuesday night, the Raptors executed that design to perfection with snappy ball reversals and relentless penetration resulting in either close-range shots or kickouts to open shooters.

"You get to kind of marinate on Game 1 for a couple of days," Gasol said. "[Then] you come out with a lot of energy and discipline and execute the game plan like we did."

Leonard hummed along at maximum efficiency -- 15-for-22 from the field (4-for-8 from beyond the arc), four rebounds, four assists, a couple of steals and only a single turnover. He appeared spry, inexhaustible and entirely comfortable in the confines of a Toronto offense that flowed effortlessly.

Though Leonard reveals virtually no emotion in his postgame remarks, his sparse comments offer insights into how he assembles the sort of performance that paced the Raptors on Tuesday night. Asked how he was able to exploit Orlando forward Aaron Gordon, Leonard replied that the effort wasn't a mastery of a specific defender so much as a result of good judgment.

"Just playing within the offense," Leonard said. "Just reading angles, reading the backside of the defense. Just trying to get into the paint. They're a good defensive team. They help each other. Really, just trying to play team basketball, get to my spots, see if I draw two [defenders]. If I do -- just pass it."

In a series of sentence fragments with little expression, Leonard verbally sketched the tactical decision-tree that empowered him, and the Raptors, to maintain control of a game in which they never trailed.

Gasol is another case study in how the Raptors can dice up opponents this spring through smarts and precision. The Raptors' veteran center, acquired midseason from the Memphis Grizzlies, posted a 3-for-5 shooting line in 22 minutes -- every make was from deep -- but that belied his overall net effect. As an example, Gasol orchestrated two gorgeous possessions from the top of the floor: the first when he darted a bounce pass to Lowry on a baseline basket cut for an easy layup in the second quarter, the next a fluttering lob to Leonard for an alley-oop and-1 just after intermission. Both were emotional touchstones Tuesday night.

With the arrival of Leonard and Gasol, the maturation of Pascal Siakam (19 points and 10 rebounds on Tuesday), the perpetual motion of Danny Green, the Raptors have, in a few short seasons, evolved from an iso-heavy outfit to one that can beat teams with the pass.

On the other end of the floor, Gasol effectively took Vucevic out of the game, leaving the Magic's offense groping in the half court against a more physical Raptors defense.

"I got the ball in some decent spots in the post a few times and they double-teamed me early," Vucevic said. "It makes it hard for me to create anything and they do a good job taking away a lot of my strengths. I've just gotta figure it out, find a way to be more aggressive and more efficient offensively."

Toronto held Orlando to an anemic effective field goal percentage of 42.6, and surrendered only 21 attempts at the rim all game. In Game 1, the Raptors produced a decent performance against the Magic's pick-and-roll attack (yielding 1.02 points per direct pick), but in Game 2, the Toronto's schemes stifled D.J. Augustin and the rest of the Orlando ball handlers.

The Magic generated only 0.78 points per direct pick, with Augustin following a 25-point outing in Game 1 with only nine points on one field goal made in Game 2.

"It was just more being locked in on every coverage, everything we wanted to do, just being on the same page and communication," Lowry said. "We made sure we helped each other and made sure that if someone went to help, that someone helped the helper, and helped the helper's helper."

Few teams in the 2019 NBA playoff field can activate that chain reaction like the Raptors can. They're loaded with savvy veterans who understand how to manufacture both stops and shots, how to counter length, as they did in Game 2, and how to shrink the floor against an opponent with offensive limitations.

The Raptors have found their desired intensity, if one game late. All that's required now is its maintenance.

VALENCIA, Calif. -- A Los Angeles Dodgers fan sued the team on Tuesday, alleging he was roughed up by security guards and broke an ankle during a game last year while trying to use the bathroom.

Daniel Antunez, 31, is seeking $2 million in a lawsuit that contends six to 10 security guards jumped him during a Dodger Stadium game against the Miami Marlins last April 24, KCBS-TV reported.

The lawsuit follows criticism of Dodgers security earlier this month after a man was attacked while leaving a March 29 game. Previously, a 2011 assault drew national attention and led to increased security at the stadium.

Antunez's lawsuit said he went to the game with a woman who accidentally spilled beer on another fan. The irate fan called security, and Antunez's friend was asked to leave.

According to the negligence and battery lawsuit, Antunez said he accompanied her, but on the way out, he tried to use a restroom and was grabbed by security, who had told him to use another restroom much farther away.

Cellphone and surveillance video shows a number of security personnel grabbing Antunez while his friend yells: "Hey! He's going to the restroom!''

Antunez wound up on the ground. He ended up with bruises and a fractured ankle. Antunez eventually was handcuffed and taken from the stadium in a wheelchair.

Several screws were implanted in Antunez's ankle to repair the break, said his attorney, Peter diDonato.

"[It] hurts him when it's cold [or when] he stands for a long period of time. These are permanent injuries,'' the attorney told KCBS-TV.

The Dodgers declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Dodgers security was criticized earlier this month for not doing enough to keep fans safe.

Rafael Reyna's skull was fractured when he was punched and knocked down in the Dodger Stadium parking lot during an argument while leaving a March 29 game between the Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

On April 2, attorneys for Reyna accused the team of failing to do enough to improve security since a similar attack occurred eight years earlier.

San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow was assaulted by Dodgers fans in the same lot on March 31, 2011. His brain was severely damaged, and he was left disabled. The assault drew national attention and led to increased security at the stadium.

Two fans, Louie Sanchez and Marvin Norwood, ultimately pleaded guilty to beating Stow and were sent to federal prison. They also were ordered to pay a share of an $18 million judgment against the Dodgers.